24 Dec 2025
by randyobrien50
in Christian Thoughts and Inspiration., Daily Devotion, Daily Inspiration, Inspirational Living, Spiritual Living
Tags: a land with no hungry children, a time of joy peace and love, a world where men are free, all our dreams will come to be, be careful for nothing, catch our second wind, celebrating Christ's birth, christmas eve, don't get anxious and irritable, don't sweat it, endure to the end, eyes fixed straight ahead, faith, fellowship, found what life's really worth, friendship, Glorious Light, halfway home, hands on the plough, hate will be gone, holy spirit, in a world where men are free, in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving, Jesus Christ, joy, learned what Christmas is for, let not your heart be troubled, let your request be made known unto God, like kids play with toys, LOVE, love will prevail, loving-kindness, Magnificent Redeemer, man will not fail, mar it with evil influences, men won't be boys, mercy, my peace I give unto you, neither let it be afraid, no empty hand, no man has fears, no more wars, no tears, not as the world giveth give I unto you, not in time for you and me, not looking back, one happy morning, one prayer away from our world today, one shining moment, one warm Doecember, our hearts will see, our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ, our motto for Christmas, our wonderful position in Christ Jesus, Peace and Love, Peace i leave with you, peace on earth, playing with bombs, salvation, shall keep your hearts and minds through Jesus Christ, share a world where people really care, so glad to be alive, someday a new world, Someday at christmas, someday at christmas time, start with hope in every heart, strife-filled earth, thank God, the breath of life, the breath of life is still flowing through me, the glorious promise, the joy of the season, the peace of God which passeth all understading, the rush is on, the undeserving children of men, the unsurpassable peace of Jesus, to a glorious future with Jesus, to fellowship and give thanks God's greatest gift to mankind, truth, visit the Lord's sanctuary, when all men are equal, wisdom
John 14:27. Peace I leave with you, my peace I give unto you: not as the world giveth, give I unto you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid.
And then it was Wednesday… a bright and sunshiny Christmas Eve my fellow believers! And it’s also a good day to catch our second wind, because the rush is on to get everything ready. But even if everything is not ready, please don’t sweat it and get anxious and irritable. Remember Bruh Paul’s wise words to the Philippians: ‘Be careful (anxious) for nothing; but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your request be made known unto God. And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep (guard) your hearts and mind through Christ Jesus.’ (Phil. 4:6-7)
Yes friends, the one thing we definitely need this Christmas season is PEACE, with a li’l LOVE thrown in for good measure, for that’s what Christ came to bring to our strife-filled earth. So don’t lose the joy of the season because everything’s not as you’d like it to be, just make sure to appreciate the time of Christ’s birth in the next twenty four hours, and both Christ and your family and friends will understand that you tried your best but you simply could not get everything you wanted done in time.
Remember, it’s the occasion of Christ’s birth we’re celebrating, and that doesn’t necessarily mean food or gifts; but simply joy and friendship, peace and LOVE on this marvellous occasion. And don’t forget to MAKE TIME to visit the Lord’s sanctuary at some stage in the next couple of days, to fellowship and give thanks for God’s greatest gift to mankind; our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ!
And all of God’s people said a loud, joyful and grateful: ‘Thank You Lord for giving us Your only Son Jesus Christ to be our Glorious Light and Magnificent Redeemer! We LOVE You and praise Your Holy Name for Your wonderful LOVING-KINDNESS to the undeserving children of men!’
And that reminds us of this marvellous and ever so appropriate song written many years ago by Bryan Wells and Ronald Miller, then made popular by Stevie Wonder in 1967. It’s aptly titled, ‘Someday at Christmas.’ So please sing with me: ‘Someday at Christmas men won’t be boys Playing with bombs like kids play with toys One warm December our hearts will see A world where men are free Someday at Christmas there’ll be no wars When we have learned what Christmas is for When we have found what life’s really worth There’ll be peace on earth
Someday at Christmas we’ll see a land With no hungry children, no empty hand One happy morning people will share A world where people care Someday at Christmas there’ll be no tears When all men are equal and no man has fears One shining moment one prayer away From our world today Someday at Christmas man will not fail Hate will be gone and LOVE will prevail Someday a new world that we can start With hope in every heart, yeah Someday all our dreams will come to be Someday in a world where men are free Maybe not in time for you and me But someday at Christmastime…Maybe not in time for you and me, But someday at Christmastime…’
Yes friends that ought to be our fervent hope, prayer, wish, supplication, whatever; that at some Christmastime there’d be true peace and LOVE in our world, with all the hate and anger, and the many other numerous evil influences no longer supreme, or better yet existing, just like our Saviour meant it to be when He came to earth on Christmas Day. And though life seems to be getting rougher and more uncertain with each passing day, we must never forget these wonderful and most encouraging words of Jesus: ‘Peace I leave with you, my peace I give unto you: not as the world giveth, give I unto you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid.’ (John 14:27)
And my fellow believers, that ought to be our motto for this Christmas season; not being troubled or afraid, because we have the unsurpassable peace of Jesus and the joy which comes with it, steadfast and strong within our hearts, souls, bodies and minds! 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 please don’t forget the promise that those who endure with Jesus right down to the very end will enjoy a future even more glorious than we can ask or imagine. That therefore means we must be wise and strong in faith to endure to the end, so that we can enjoy that more than glorious future together! Much LOVE!
…the birth of Christ is a time of joy, peace and LOVE…so let’s not mar it this year with evil influences and behaviour…
Hear our podcast at https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/randy-obrien
20 Dec 2025
by randyobrien50
in Christian Thoughts and Inspiration., Daily Devotion, Daily Inspiration, Inspirational Living, Spiritual Living
Tags: a gentle but refreshing calm and peace, a touch of God's peace, an attitude of gratitude, and again I say rejoice, anxious, be careful for nothing, be of good cheer, bring good news to mankind, Christ's birth would bring peace and joy to mankind on earth, deepen my breath, do our best for christ, faith, feel the Lord's Spirit drawing us closer to Him, forgiveness from sins, four days to Christmas, gladness, Glory to god in the highest, God's plan of salvation, gratitude, heaven's intention, holy spirit, i have overcome the world, 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, if ye love me keep my commandments, in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving, in me ye might have peace, in the world ye shall have tribulation, increase my awareness of you today, Jesus Christ, Lazy-Day Saturday Prayer, let not your heart be troubled, let your moderation be known unto all men, let your requests be made known unto God, LOVE, make small improements, mankind is more warlike and bloodthirsty, mercy, merriment, my peace I give unto you, neither let it be afraid, no matter what life throws at us, not as the world giveth give I unto you, on earth, our victory lies in Jesus, our victory lies in Jesus not in our circumstances, peace good will toward men, Peace i leave with you, quiet my soul, reconciliation, regardless of our circumstances, Rejoice in the Lord always, relax my muscles, righteousness, salvation, shall keep your hearts and minds through Jesus Christ, slow my thoughts, stand strong and steadfast in faith, still have joy, thank you for this tenderness, thanks, the angels came to earth, the Lord is at hand, the peace of God which passeth all understading, these things I have spoken unto you, too much strife in our world, truth, turbulent and ungodly times, wisdom, you are here with me, you can't be contained, your love both surrounds and fills me, your peace and love are present
Luke 2:14. ‘Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will toward men.’
Then it was only 5… and it’s also our lazy-day Saturday! Glory be! Actually friends, it’s only four shopping and preparation days to Christmas, since the fifth day is Christmas Day. (smile) And I know all around the world the merriment and gladness is ramping up as the day draws nearer, but let’s not forget the reason for it all; the wonderful birth of Christ Jesus, some two thousand years ago.
That was the beginning of God’s great plan of salvation and forgiveness for His human creation. And just for the very idea that God thought so highly of us, or LOVED us so much to discombobulate Himself and break His own heart, to provide reconciliation and righteousness to mankind, ought to give us an attitude of immense thanks and gratitude. Anyway, before we get into whatever we have to do today, let’s offer up some thanks and praise in the form of our Lazy-Day Saturday Prayer.
So, in sincere and heartfelt 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 we were truly sincere, then in a moment’s time we’ll feel the Lord’s Spirit drawing us closer to Him, producing a gentle but refreshing calm and peace. And there’s nothing we can desire and require more in these turbulent and ungodly times than a touch of God’s peace and calm. For, remember what the Bible says about it? Jesus made two most encouraging statements about it. The first one says: ‘Peace I leave with you, my peace I give unto you: not as the world giveth, give I unto you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid.’ (John 14:27)
And if that did not touch your heart, enough to bring you peace, then listen to this other statement from Jesus: ‘These things I have spoken unto you, that in me ye might have peace. In the world ye shall have tribulation: but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world.’ (John 16:33) And yes, it’s ofttimes difficult to actually find peace in this tumultuous world, but Jesus is the best hope we have for doing so. Why?
Listen to Bruh Paul as he spells it out in his letter to the Philippians. ‘Rejoice in the Lord always: and again I say, Rejoice. Let your moderation (gentleness) be known unto all men. The Lord is at hand. Be careful (anxious) for nothing; but in every thing, by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God. And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep (guard) your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.’ (Phil. 4:4-7)
Now all of that simply means that if we live sincerely for Christ, or as He quite clearly said: ‘If ye LOVE me, keep my commandments;’ (John 14:15) then we will be able to access the peace of God, which passes all human understanding and stand strong and steadfast in faith, regardless of our circumstances. But we have to do the things required of us, before we can acquire God’s peace.
And I like how this commentary puts it. ‘ The peace that transcends all understanding comes from knowing that no matter what life throws at us, we can still have joy when we know that our victory lies in Jesus Christ and not in our circumstances.’ There you go my faithful brethren! True peace only comes from knowing Jesus and sincerely living for Him!
And furthermore, this Christmas season is supposed to be one of joy and peace, for remember the night Christ was born and the angels came to earth in their multitude to serenade the occasion and bring the good news to mankind? The first people they gave the good news to were some lowly shepherds, looking after their flocks by night. And how did they end their words of greeting? ‘Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will toward men.’ (Luke 2:14)
Yes my people, heaven’s intention was that Christ’s birth would bring some peace and joy to mankind down here on earth. Unfortunately though, it has not done much of that, for down through the ages, mankind has become ever more warlike and blood thirsty. But nonetheless, Jesus expects those of us who sincerely believe and try our best, to make some small improvements in the world, even if it’s our own families or neighbourhoods. And sadly, even that, many of us are not doing, for there’s much more strife in families, churches and neighbourhoods than is necessary.
So what’s the answer eh? Just continue being our best; sincerely doing our best for Christ in whatever way we can. For that’s all He really expects of us. And on this Saturday before Christmas, when our world is in such turmoil and ungodliness, I plead with us, as believers in Christ, to come together and make a strong push for Jesus, for that’s the only way, we will ever bring some semblance of true joy and peace to the earth. We pray it in Jesus’ name! Amen! Much LOVE!
…true joy and peace…don’t come without…the sincere involvement of Jesus…
Hear our podcast at https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/randy-obrien
18 Nov 2025
by randyobrien50
in Christian Thoughts and Inspiration., Daily Devotion, Daily Inspiration, Inspirational Living, Spiritual Living
Tags: a thousand years as one day, all filled with the Holy Ghost, as of a rushing mighty wind, as the spirit gave them utterance, be witnesses unto me, began to speak with other tongues, bring all things to your remembrance, cloven tongues like as of fire, come to know and love christ like we do, faith, guide you into all truth, he shall glorify me, he shall not speak of himself, he shall receive of mine and declare it unto you, he shall testify of me, holy spirit, hurry, in god's eyes, it is not for you to know the times or the season, it sat upon each of them, Jesus Christ, let not your heart be troubled, lock stock and barrel, LOVE, mercy, my peace I give unto you, neither let it be afraid, not as the world giveth give I unto you, one day with Lord is as a thousand years, Peace i leave with you, Pentecost day, salvation, share His love with my neighbours, share the amazing love and friendship of Christ, show you things to come, suddenly there came a sound from heaven, teach you all things, the beloved of God, the Comforter, the eternal procession of the Spirit, the Holy Ghost, the Holy spirit is the promise of the Father to every believer, the Holy Trinity, the Spirit of truth, there appeared unto them cloven tongues, three in one and one in three, toto guide and comfort us, trust my friend Jesus, truth, Tuesday Mantra, unto the uttermost parts of the earth, when he the Spirit of truth is come, when the Comforter is come, whom the Father will send in my name, wisdom, worry, ye shall receive power when the Holy ghost is come upon you, you shall also bear witness
John 16:13a. Howbeit when he, the Spirit of truth, is come, he will guide you into all truth:
Ah mih people, Monday has come, and gone and Tuesday is here, just like the Lord designed it. (smile) Let’s hope that your Monday was good, and that your Tuesday will be even better, since we’ve now gotten into the swing of things of this new work week. And if you’re not feeling comfortable with this new week as yet, then simply turn to the Holy Spirit and ask for help, because that’s what He’s there for; to help and guide and comfort us in our trying times.
Yes friends, it’s just like Jesus said to the disciples. ‘These things have I spoken unto you, being yet present with you. But the Comforter (Helper), which is the Holy Ghost, whom the Father will send in my name, he shall teach you all things, and bring all things to your remembrance, whatsoever I have said unto you. Peace I leave with you, my peace I give unto you: not as the world giveth, give I unto you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid.’ (John 14:25-27) What a wonderful gift Jesus gave us when He returned to heaven! And since He could not be with us in person, He gave us the next best thing, His Spirit, to act just as He would, were He in the flesh with us.
Now, to show how very important the Holy Spirit was in Christ’s eyes, listen again to what He tells the disciples about it. ‘But when the Comforter is come, whom I shall send unto you from the Father, even the Spirit of truth, which proceedeth from the Father, he shall testify of me: and ye shall also bear witness, because ye have been with me from the beginning.’ (John 15:26-27)
And the scholars offer an interesting explanation of that passage. They say: ‘The action of the word translated “proceedeth” is “in the process – “continually proceeds.” The eternal procession of the Spirit means that He continually proceeds from beside, not out of, the Father. If the Holy Spirit came out of God, He would be less than God. To be more specific, the Holy Spirit not only proceeds from the Father, but also from the Son. This means the Father and the Son continually send the Holy Spirit.
This in no way suggests that the Spirit is less in deity than are the Father or Son. Instead it explains the relationship among the three eternal persons of the Trinity. Illustration: Just as Jesus came to do the will of His Father, so the Holy Spirit is sent to speak not of Himself, but of Jesus. (John 16:13) Application: In this sense the Holy Spirit is the Promise of the Father who has been given to every Christian. (Acts 1:4; 2:39).’
And I do hope that explanation clears up whatever misgivings we had about the relationships between the three figures of our Godhead. Sometimes I think about it with the Father as the General who gives the orders, then Christ comes and does the dirty work and the heavy lifting, and the Holy Spirit comes to clean up after Him. They all have their roles, but are separate persons.
And Jesus continues talking to the disciples about the Holy Spirit, when He warns them of what would happen to them for His names’ sake. ‘I have yet many things to say unto you, but ye cannot bear them now. Howbeit when he, the Spirit of truth, is come, he will guide you into all truth: for he shall not speak of himself (on his own authority); but whatsoever he shall hear, that shall he speak: and he will shew you things to come. He shall glorify me: for he shall receive of mine (what is mine), and shall shew (declare) it unto you.
All things that the Father hath are mine: therefore said I, that he shall take of mine, and shall shew it unto you. A little while, and ye shall not see me: and again, a little while, and ye shall see me, because I go to the Father.’ (John 16:12-16) Ah friends, Jesus’ “little while” is certainly a long one, for it’s been some two thousand years, and we still haven’t seen Him come again. I guess it’s like Peter says: ‘one day is with the Lord as a thousand years, and a thousand years as one day.’ (2 Pet. 3:8)
And even right before Jesus returned to heaven, He again mentioned the importance of the Holy Spirit to the disciples. They wanted to know when he would restore the kingdom again to Israel. ‘And he said unto them, It is not for you to know the times or the seasons, which the Father hath put in his own power (authority). But ye shall receive power, after that (when) the Holy Ghost is come upon you: and ye shall be witnesses unto me both in Jerusalem, and in all Judea, and in Samaria, and unto then uttermost parts of the earth.’ (Acts. 1:7-8)
And we all know that that happened on the Pentecost Day after Jesus’ departure. The Bible tells us: ‘And when the day of Pentecost was fully come, they were all with one accord (purpose, mind) in one place. And suddenly there came a sound from heaven as of a rushing mighty wind, and it filled all the house where they were sitting. And there appeared unto them cloven (divided) tongues like as of fire, and it sat upon each of them. And they were all filled with the Holy Ghost, and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance.’ (Acts. 2:1-4)
And from that day to this one, every believer is filled with the Holy Spirit when they receive Christ as Lord and Saviour. So the Holy Spirit is no joke; He is the One who acts on behalf of Jesus in our lives, and we ought to listen to His guidance very carefully if we want to live for Jesus. Now, 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!’
And having said that, it now behooves us 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!
…three in one…and one in three…that’s our Godhead…the Trinity…
Hear our podcast at https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/randy-obrien
11 Nov 2025
by randyobrien50
in Christian Thoughts and Inspiration., Daily Devotion, Daily Inspiration, Inspirational Living, Spiritual Living
Tags: a trajectory of peace, acceptable to God, ane times, approved of men, Armistice Day, as much as it depends on your, as much as lieth in you, behold the upright, between the crosses, Blessed are the peacemakers, called the children of God, Christians, come to know and love christ like we do, commemorate the end of the first world war, depart from evil and do good, duty bound, faith, felt dawn, follow after things which make for peace, forget no my law, Happy Remembrance Day, holy spirit, how beautiful upon the mountains, hurry, I will give peace in the land, if it be possible, In Flanders Fields, in god's eyes, in the name of peace, in the sky, inhu, Jesus Christ, John McCrae, joy in the Holy Ghost, keep him in perfect peace, keep the fires of freedom burning, length of days, let not your heart be troubled, let thine heart keep my commandments, live peaceably with all men, lock stock and barrel, long life and peace, LOVE, loved and were loved, mankind's warmongering ways, mark our place, mark the perfect man, mercy, my peace I give unto you, neither let it be afraid, none shall make you afraid, not as the world giveth give I unto you, now we lie, Peace i leave with you, people of peace and unity, proclaims peace, proclaims salvation, reflect of the cost of war, righteousness, row on row, salvation, saw sunset glow, scarce heard amid the guns below, seek peace and pursue it, share His love with my neighbours, short days ago we lived, still bravely singing, the beloved of God, the dark ages, the end of that man is peace, the feet of him that bring good tidings, the larks, the poppies blow, the Prince of Peace, they shall add unto thee, things wherewith one may edify, to go out and share the love and friendship of Christ, to honour those who sacrificed their lives, to promote peace, to redeem people from sin, trust my friend Jesús, truth, Tuesday Mantra, we are the dead, whose mind is stayed on thee, winter came in like a lion, wisdom, worry
Romans 14:19. Let us therefore follow after things which make for peace, and things wherewith one may edify (build up) another.
HAPPY REMEMBRANCE DAY!
And as is expected, after Monday comes Tuesday, and thankfully the snow has stopped falling, there’s more sunshine than cloud and it’s warm enough for the snow to begin melting. And all God’s people said a loud and grateful ‘Amen!’ Yes, winter came in like a lion over the weekend and most of us were not prepared for it, but I’m sure we will be prepared for the next snowfall. (smile) Anyway, today is also a special day in the annals of Western History, it’s the day we celebrate Remembrance Day. And what’s that about?
This commentary explains: ‘Remembrance Day is a day of remembrance in the Western Hemisphere, celebrated on November 11 to commemorate the end of World War I and to honor all those who have served and sacrificed in the armed forces. At 11 a.m. on November 11, 1918, the armistice was signed. It is a day for us to pause in a moment of silence, wear a poppy, and remember those who have fought in times of war, conflict, and peace. The day is also a time to reflect on the cost of war and to promote peace.
It was originally called Armistice Day to mark the armistice agreement that ended World War I on November 11, 1918. However, in 1931, the Canadian Parliament officially designated the day as Remembrance Day, to be observed on November 11, and separated it from the Thanksgiving holiday.’ And so it is friends, that today we are able to live in relative peace and freedom, although many are trying to push us back into the dark ages, but we will not allow it to happen, even if it’s only on behalf of those who gave their lives and services to stop it a century ago.
And on this day, we also stand strong in the words of a special poem written by Lieutenant-Colonel John McCrae, a Canadian poet, physician, author, artist and soldier during World War I. The poem’s titled ‘In Flanders Fields.’ So please read it with me: ‘In Flanders fields the poppies blow Between the crosses, row on row, That mark our place; and in the sky The larks, still bravely singing, fly Scarce heard amid the guns below. We are the Dead. Short days ago We lived, felt dawn, saw sunset glow, LOVED and were LOVED, and now we lie, In Flanders fields.’
How can we ever go back to those barbaric and inhumane times, especially when so many of our young people sacrificed their lives for us to be free? No! It would be a huge blemish on our honour and character, especially after we also fought World War II to keep the fires of freedom and humanity brightly burning. But as always, mankind is never satisfied with the status quo, and there are always some who want to rule the roost so badly that they will stop at nothing, stoop to any means to do it.
That’s why, right now there are numerous areas of serious strife in our world, as if within the last hundred years we’ve not fought two major wars, and several smaller ones, killing millions of innocent people, all in the supposed name of peace and freedom. But mankind’s warmongering ways and blatant inhumanity to his fellow man continues undiminished. It’s obvious that mankind does not hold these words of Bruh David from Psalm 34 sacred. ‘Depart from evil, and do good; seek peace and pursue it.’ (Ps. 34:14) But that’s what we followers of Christ ought to be doing, because one of the many awesome names of our Leader is the Prince of Peace!
And I like how this commentary from the website bibletolife.com/resources explains it. ‘God wants peace for His people and His creation. It’s at the core of why Christ came to the world—to redeem people from their sin and set creation on a trajectory of peace. As a result, Christians are called to be people of peace and unity, so that many may come to know the peace and LOVE we find in Jesus. What does the Bible say about peace?’ And there are ever so many scriptures pleading with us to do just that. Let’s take a look at a few of them nuh, to sort of awaken our peace motivation and kill our warlike desires.
It begins as early as Leviticus, where the Lord promises the Israelites: ‘And I will give peace in the land, and ye shall lie down, and none shall make you afraid: and I will rid (eliminate) evil beasts out of the land, neither shall the sword go through your land.’ (Lev. 6:26) Now tell me how many lands are there like that to day? Not many! And only a few psalms later, Psalm 37, Bruh David again advises us: ‘Mark the perfect man, and behold the upright: for the end of that man is peace. (Ps. 37:37) Meanwhile, Cousin Sol reminds us: ‘My son, forget not my law, but let thine heart keep my commandments: For length of days, and long life, and peace, shall they add to thee.’ (Prov. 3:1-2)
And what sweeter words of peace can we get than these from the prophet Isaiah: ‘Thou wilt keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on (sustained by) thee.’ (Is. 26:3) Now listen to this other gem on peace from Isaiah. ‘How beautiful upon the mountains are the feet of him that bringeth good tidings (good news), that publisheth (proclaims) peace; that bringeth good tidings (good news) of good (things), that publisheth (proclaims) salvation; that saith unto Zion, Thy God reigneth.’ (Is. 52:7)
Then there’s Jesus own proclamation in the Beatitudes: ‘Blessed are the peacemakers: for they shall be called the children of God.’ (Matt. 5:9) Followed by this exhortation from Bruh Paul in Romans: ‘If it be possible, as much as lieth in (depends on) you, live peaceably with all men.’ (Rom. 12:18) And since time and space have run out on us, we’ll end with this other inducement from Bruh Paul to the Romans. ‘Let not then your good be evil spoken of: For the kingdom of God is not meat (food) and drink; but righteousness and peace, and joy in the Holy Ghost. For he that in these things serveth Christ, is acceptable to God, and approved of men. Let us therefore follow after things which make for peace, and things wherewith one may edify (build up) another.’ (Rom. 14:16-19)
Oh my people, we could not get any better advice than that on this Remembrance Day where we remember all those who fought on our behalf. So lets’ go home now 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 made that declaration (yesss!!!) we are now duty 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!
…Peace I leave with you…my peace I give unto you…not as the world giveth give I unto you…let not your heart be troubled…neither let it be afraid… (John 14:27)
Hear our podcast at https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/randy-obrien
21 Oct 2025
by randyobrien50
in Christian Thoughts and Inspiration., Daily Devotion, Daily Inspiration, Inspirational Living, Spiritual Living
Tags: a destructive weapon, a disciplined mind, all the days of my life, as many as are led by the Spirit of God, autumn leaves, autumn season, be of good cheer, but of power love and a sound mind, came upon me to devour my flesh, climate change, come to know and love christ like we do, constantly study the word, don't feel guilty when you're afraid, dread, even mine enemies and my foes, faith, fear comes from the enemy, fear does not come from God, fear has no part in a Christian's life, fear hath torment, fear is a natural human emotion, fearful tidings, fiery red, For God hath not given us a spirit of fear, God shall hide me in his pavilion, God's greatest attribute is love, he shall set me upon a rock, he that feareth is not made perfect in love, holy spirit, hurry, i have overcome the world, I will seek after, in god's eyes, in living colour, in me ye might have peace, in the secret of his tabernacle, in the time of trouble, in the world ye shall have tribulation, in this will I be confident, Jesus Christ, let not your heart be troubled, LOVE, mercy, my heaart shall not fear, my peace I give unto you, neither let it be afraid, not as the world giveth give I unto you, not received the spirit of bondage to fear, of whom shall I be afraid, One thing have I desired of the Lord, overcome fear by faith in Jesus, overcome us in our weakness, Peace i leave with you, perfect love casteth out fear, reap the good benefits God has to offer, received the Spirit of adoption, salvation, share His love with my neighbours, share the amazing love and friendship of Christ, that I may dwell in the house of the Lord, the beloved of God, the introduction to winter, the joy of the Lord is our strength, the Lord is my light and my salvation, the Lord is the strength of my life, the Prince of Peace, the sons of God, there is no fear in love, these things I have spoken unto you, they stumbled and fell, though an host should encamp against me, though war should rise against me, to behold the beauty of the Lord, to enquire in his temple, trust my friend Jesus, truth, Tuesday Mantra, when the wicked came upon me, whom shall I fear, wisdom, with the whole wide world, worry
John 16:33b. In the world ye shall have tribulation: but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world.
Well, well, well, if it isn’t Tuesday! In living colour too! Although the beautiful colours of the fall leaves as they change from green to whatever, are somewhat dampened by the overall cloudiness of the day. And yes, the leaves are finally changing in this exceptional year of 2025. In a normal year, they would have changed already, but that’s climate change for you.
And speaking of beautiful colours, my neighbour has a tall tree in his backyard, and the leaves are now all a marvellous fiery red. When I looked out my bedroom window this morning, much to my surprise, it’s like I saw a big, beautiful fire out there! (smile) Autumn is indeed the most beautiful season, as it pertains to colours, but it also has the sad drawback as being the introduction to winter and its dead, dreadful look and feel.
But then fear or dread has no part in the life of a Christian, for as Bruh Paul confidently declared to Timothy, and consequently us: ‘For God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of LOVE, and of a sound (disciplined) mind.’ (2 Tim. 1:7) That means that anytime fear bombards us, it’s not coming from our God, but the enemy, who uses fear as one of his most destructive weapons against believers. For he knows that once he gets us afraid, then we lose the joy of the Lord, which is our strength (Neh. 8:10) and thus he can quickly overcome us in our weakness.
Therefore, we need to keep scriptures that admonish and drive away fear at the forefront of our minds, especially in these evil and fearful times, when the enemy is in the ascendance and is constantly bombarding us with fearful tidings. We need to have scriptures like these two from Jesus at the very tips of our tongues when fear strikes. Jesus encouraged His followers with these wonderful words. ‘Peace I leave with you, my peace I give unto you: not as the world giveth, give I unto you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid.’ (John 14:27)
Then later on, He again touched on the subject of fear, knowing that the world would certainly come against us, even if it’s simply because we call ourselves Christians. He encouraged us thus. ‘These things I have spoken unto you, that in me ye might have peace. In the world ye shall have tribulation: but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world.’ (John 16:33) Yes friends when we associate with Jesus we have peace, because He is the Prince of Peace. And if we have the peace of Jesus, then we should not be afraid of what the world throws against us. Remember He said, ‘don’t let your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid,’ as well as ‘be of good cheer.’
Now obviously that is not always easy to do in this evil and ungodly world, but if we know the scriptures and stand strong in them, we will be able to overcome most of the fear that comes against us. And please don’t feel belittled or guilty when you’re afraid, for fear is a natural human emotion that comes over us in times of trouble or unknown situations. The good thing is that we can overcome fear by having strong faith in Christ! And to have strong faith means we have to constantly study the Word and put it into practice, as well as remember what the Lord has done for us and others in past tough times, and will do again if we ask Him to. For He still does miracles, keeps promises and answers prayer.
And here is an interesting comment by John, from his first epistle. He confidently states: ‘There is no fear in LOVE; but perfect LOVE casteth out fear: because fear hath (involves) torment. He that feareth is not made perfect in LOVE.’ (1 John 4:18) Yes my faithful brethren, torment is certainly not of God, and when we’re concentrating on LOVE, God’s greatest attribute, we won’t have time to be bothered by fear. And if we’re constantly fearful, it means that LOVE is not a big enough part of our lives.
Then there’s this admonishment from Bruh Paul in his letter to the Romans. ‘For as many are led by the Spirit of God, they are the sons of God. For ye have not received the spirit of bondage again to fear; but ye have received the Spirit of adoption, whereby we cry, Abba, Father.’ (Rom. 8:14-15) Another instance where it’s shown that constant fear is not a godly attribute, but one that the enemy likes to force on us. And what better words to close with than these awesome ones of courage and faith from Bruh David in Psalm 27 – titled ‘My Heart Shall Not Fear.’
Let’s declare it together: ‘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? When the wicked, even mine enemies and my foes, came upon me to eat up (devour) my flesh, they stumbled and fell. Though an host should encamp against me, my heart shall not fear: though war should rise against me, in this will I be confident. One thing have I desired of the Lord, that will I seek after; that I may dwell in the house of the Lord all the days of my life, to behold the beauty (delightfulness) of the Lord, and to enquire in his temple. For in the time of trouble he shall hide me in his pavilion: in the secret of his tabernacle shall he hide me; he shall set me upon a rock.’ (Ps. 27:1-5)
Yes my fellow believers, those ought to be desires on which we have purposefully set our hearts, for it’s only in close and constant association with Almighty God can we reap the good benefits He has to offer! Now let’s go home declaring our Tuesday Mantra, letting all and sundry know to whom we belong. 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, it now behooves us 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!
…fear is always around…but with faith…we can chase it away…
Hear our podcast at https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/randy-obrien
11 Oct 2025
by randyobrien50
in Christian Thoughts and Inspiration., Daily Devotion, Daily Inspiration, Inspirational Living, Spiritual Living
Tags: able to hang in and fight, after one time is two, anything praiseworthy, be careful for nothing, be of good cheer, busy ourselves with the right activities, Christ is the Prince of Peace, Christ's peace is different to the world's peace, deepen my breath, expression of confidence, faith, far from God, God's peace far surpasses our understanding, God's peace is above mortal comprehension, greater intimacy with God, he trusteth in thee, he trusts in you, holy spirit, i have overcome the world, I marvel to think, I praise you for your unceasing nearness, I want to be with you, if there be any praise, if there be any virtue, in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving, in my ye might have peace, in the Lord Jehovah is everlasting strength, in the world ye shall have tribulation, increase my awareness of you today, Jesus Christ, Jesus compassionately warned us, keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus, know you all the more, Lazy-Day Saturday Prayer, let not your heart be troubled, let your requests be made known unto God, LOVE, meditate on these things, mercy, my peace I give unto you, neither let it be afraid, not as the world giveth, not as the world giveth give I unto you, occupy our minds with the right things, of good report, Peace i leave with you, perfect peace, quiet my soul, relax my muscles, salvation, shalom, slow my thoughts, thank you for this tenderness, Thanksgiving Saturday, the God of peace shall be with you, the peace of God which passeth all understading, the Prince of Peace, the rock of ages, these things I have spoken unto you, think on these things, thou wilt keep him in perfect peace, to love and be loved in return, trials and tribulations, trust ye in the Lord for ever, truth, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are true, whose mind is stayed on thee, winter is party time, wisdom, you can't be contained, your love both surrounds and fills me, your peace and love are present
Isaiah 26:3. Thou wilt keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on (sustained by) thee: because he trusteth in thee.
Well our lazy-day Thanksgiving Saturday has opened somewhat cloudy and damp, after some evening rain, and the promise of more to come, but I doubt that will dampen the thanksgiving spirit and celebrations, more of it might just have to take place inside rather than outside. Anyway, we’re accustomed to that, because in the northern climes, the cold and inclement weather is the party season, for during the summer everybody goes away on vacation, thus it’s much harder to get a group together. However, in the winter time, everybody’s home and ready to get out and party.
Looking back on the situation now, it amazes me how the duchess and I used to leave home in the snow and drive miles away just to be a part of a partying group. We would also drive back home in the falling snow, not thinking anything strange or untoward about such doings. Nowadays though, I don’t even want to go around the corner in the snow. (smile) But as they say, after one time is two. Anyway, let’s get to the best party ever; that’s intimate time with our wonderful God, through our Lazy-Day Saturday Prayer.
As one strong and sincere 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!’
Ah mih people, developing greater intimacy with God is very important in our Christian lives, for it’s through that positive and close interaction that we are able to hang in and fight through all the tough stuff that comes against us in this earthly life. Being far from God will never allow us to handle the trials and tribulations of this world. That’s why Jesus compassionately warned us: ‘These things I have spoken unto you, that in me ye might have peace. In the world ye shall have tribulation: but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world.’ (John 16:33)
But to find that peace and good cheer, we need to get and stay close to Him, become as intimate as possible. And remember intimacy with His greatest creation is what the Lord desires above everything else, for that’s one of the reasons He created us in the first place; to have people to LOVE, and be LOVED in return. And in today’s evil, ungodly, rebellious and prideful world, where so many have turned away, and are still turning away from Almighty God, it’s no wonder that there’s very little, if any peace in it.
That’s because Christ is the Prince of Peace, as Isaiah indicates in Is. 9:6. And most importantly, He is the Prince of True Peace, not what the foolish world calls peace, as Jesus Himself tells us. ‘Peace I leave with you, my peace I give unto you: not as the world giveth, give I unto you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid.’ (John 14:27) So you see friends, Jesus’ peace is very different than that of the world. In fact, it’s on a much higher lever; so high that we cannot understand it.
It’s as Bruh Paul wrote to the Philippians: ‘Be careful (anxious) for nothing; but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God. And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep (guard) your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.’ (Phil. 4:7) Yes my brethren God’s peace is so high that our puny and finite minds cannot understand it.
It’s like the scholars explain: ‘The peace of God is that tranquility of mind freeing the believer from fear and worry. “Peace” which passeth all understanding means (1) peace divinely bestowed in times of anxiety, so wonderful that it exceeds one’s ability to understand it; and (2) God’s peace far surpasses one’s own understanding of the problem, and his ability to cope with and solve it.’
Obviously then, if we need true peace in our lives, it is very important to have God involved in them, and to have a close, healthy, personal relationship with Him. However, in order to achieve that godly peace, as Bruh Paul tells us, we must occupy our minds with the right things, and busy ourselves with the right activities.
Listen to his practical advice. ‘Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest (noble), whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise (anything praiseworthy), think (meditate) on these things. Those things, which ye have both learned, and received, and heard, and seen in me, do: and the God of peace shall be with you.’ (Phil. 4:8-9)
And you cannot get any more practical than that my fellow believers. But are we thinking on and doing those things which bring godly peace? Certainly not as much as we ought to, otherwise our world would not be in the shambles its currently in. And what Bruh Paul says above there is nothing new. No. The same basic advice was given by Isaiah to his people Israel, when he wrote: ‘Thou wilt keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on (sustained by) thee: because he trusteth in thee. Trust ye in the Lord for ever: for in the Lord JEHOVAH is everlasting strength (the Rock of ages).’ (Is. 26:3-4)
And the scholars explain those verses thus: ‘Israel is promised perfect peace (shalom, shalom, lit., “peace, peace”). This emphatic expression indicates a peace that goes beyond human comprehension (cf. Phil. 4:7). To have one’s mind … stayed means to lean on God in total confidence and security. Trust is the ultimate expression of that confidence. Notice that the object of one’s faith is as important as the act of trust. Here the object of faith is the Lord JEHOVAH.’
In closing friends, let’s hope and pray that on this lazy-day Thanksgiving Saturday, that we’ll all take some time to ponder, to consider what we’ve spoken about, and with the Lord’s help, make whatever changes are necessary, so that we can all have greater intimacy with our heavenly Father, and therefore true and godly peace in our lives and consequently in our world! Much LOVE!
…to have true peace…one must know Jesus intimately…
Hear our podcast at https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/randy-obrien
07 Oct 2025
by randyobrien50
in Christian Thoughts and Inspiration., Daily Devotion, Daily Inspiration, Inspirational Living, Spiritual Living
Tags: a leisurely day, anger, at the forefront of our minds, away from have to things, be of good cheer, behooves us, burn out, coddling a pent-up rebellion, come to know and love him like we do, didn't want to go to church, do what we feel like, doing a brisk business, faith, fear, followers of Christ Jesus, foolishness, for His name's sake, get away from the alarm clocks, get away from work family friends, God is a refuge for us, greed, handle our problems properly, hate, he leads me beside the still waters, he leads me in the paths of righteousness, he makes me lie down in green pastures, he restores my soul, holy spirit, hurry, i have overcome the world, I shall not want, I will fear no evil, In God is my salvation and my glory, in god's eyes, in me ye might have peace, in the world ye shall have tribulation, insecurity, Jesus Christ, learned a profound lesson, let not your heart be troubled, life is good, lock stock and barrel, lose our focus, lose the capacity for personal enjoyment, LOVE, mental illness, mercy, my hope is from him, my peace I give unto you, my refuge is in God, my soul wait thou only upon God, neither let it be afraid, not as the world gives, of whom shall I be afraid, Once in a while we can, once in a while we can do what we want to, once in awhile we need to walk think meditate, One Year Book of Bible promises, only God can satisfy our deepest longings, our competitive society, Peace i leave with you, personal enjoyment, pour out your hearts before him, pressing commitments, propaganda, rely upon God, reminiscent of our current society, retain our sanity in this crazy world, salvation, Selah, sense of purpose, share His love with my neighbours, share our private secrets with God, share the amazing love and friendship of Christ, the beloved of God, the Lord is my light and my salvation, The Lord is my shepherd, the Lord is the strength of my life, the mind doctors, the negatives running rampant in our society, the rock of my strength, the shattering pressures, these things I have spoken unto you, thou art with me, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, thy rod and thy staff they comfort me, to whom we belong, trust in him at all times, trust my friend Jesus, truth, trying to keep up with the world system, unfair systems of the world, whom shall I fear, wisdom, without hurting someone, worry
Psalm 23:1. The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want.
And finally the bright sunshiny days have come to an end! Yes, rain is in the offing for today. We’ve already had a small drizzle, but with all the cloudiness around, we’ll probably have some bigger showers later in the day. And we really can’t complain because we’ve had such beautiful unseasonable weather recently, and though rain might fall, the temperature is still almost summer-like. (smile) So let’s give thanks, for life is good; we’re alive, and the weather is fine!
Now, here’s a very interesting and rather appropriate writing from our One Year Book of Bible Promises, with writings by Ruth Harms Calkin. And though I’m sure I’ve shared this one before, it’s worthwhile hearing again, because it’s highly reminiscent of our current society. It’s aptly titled, ‘Once in a While We Can.’
So please read with me: ‘One bright Sunday when I was twelve, I didn’t want to go to church. I wasn’t coddling a pent-up rebellion. I simply pictured a leisurely day away from “have to” things. How to explain and be understood! Finally I just blurted it out as Mother prepared breakfast. She listened attentively. “Honey,” she said calmly, we can’t always do what we feel like doing without hurting someone.” That settled it, I thought. I was sorry I had asked. Suddenly I heard, “But once in a while we can do what we want to – just because we want to. You may stay home this Sunday.”
The memory of that day is still vivid. Not because I stayed home from church, but because I learned a profound lesson: Once in a while we can! Once in a while we can get away from the alarm clocks, peanut butter jars, milk cartons…away from the shattering pressures of our competitive society. Once in a while we need to get away from work, family, friends, and pressing commitments. Often we lose the capacity for personal enjoyment. Once in a while we need to walk, think, and meditate. Only God can satisfy our deepest longings. He longs for us to share our private secrets with Him. Once in a while we can.’
And that my friends is ever so true! In fact, it’s not only we need to do it, but we must do it, if we’re to retain our sanity in this crazy world in which we now live! Everything is fast and quick, busy and now for now, that if every so often we don’t get away from it all, we’ll simply burn out, lose our focus and sense of purpose. And that’s not a very nice picture to contemplate, much less experience.
And all around us, we see the danger in living at the crazy pace our society dictates with the high amount of mental illness and burn out that now exists. Pharmaceuticals for tiredness and mental illness have reached a sky high level, and the mind doctors are doing a brisk business because of the amount of fear, insecurity, greed, anger, hate, and all the other negatives that currently are running rampant throughout our world. And please note that this downward trend is not filled with only unbelievers, but also many believers, who are trying to keep up with the world system, but unfortunately are not doing so well at it.
Why? Because we have forgotten where our hope, health and strength come from. And just to remind us where it comes from, please listen as Bruh David passionately declares: ‘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) Yes my fellow believers, as a follower of Christ Jesus, that’s where our health, hope and strength are supposed to come from! Not from the insecure, unfair and uncompromising systems of the world, that so many of us are trying to get them from.
That’s why Bruh David also penned these words in Psalm 62: ‘My soul, (silently) wait thou only upon God; for my expectation (hope) is from him. He only is my rock and my salvation: he is my defence; I shall not be moved (shaken). In God is my salvation and my glory: the rock of my strength, and my refuge, is in God. Trust in him at all times; ye people, pour out your hearts before him: God is a refuge for us. Selah.’ (Ps. 62:5-8) Now that’s something we ought never to forget, especially when the trials and tribulations of the world come upon us.
And we also need to vividly remember these two poignant and very reassuring verses from Jesus. The first says: ‘Peace I leave with you, my peace I give unto you: not as the world giveth, give I unto you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid.’ (John 14:27) And the second verse strengthens the first. ‘These things I have spoken unto you, that in me ye might have peace. In the world ye shall have tribulation: but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world.’ (John 16:33) Now, if those two verses from our Lord and Saviour don’t resonate strongly within us, then I don’t know what will.
But hopefully, may be these verses will. (smile) They are the ones listed as the Bible Promise for our reading today. So, please read with me: ‘The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want. He maketh me to lie down in green pastures: he leadeth me beside the still waters. He restoreth my soul: he leadeth me in the paths of righteousness for his name’s sake. Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil: for thou art with me; thy rod and thy staff they comfort me.’ (Ps. 23:1-4)
And if we keep those scriptures at the forefront of our minds, then we won’t allow the world to drive us crazy with all the foolishness and the propaganda that it purports to be progress and wisdom. Now, let’s go home declaring our Tuesday Mantra, letting all the 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!’
And having said all of that, it now behooves us 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!
…only as we rely upon God…will we be able to handle our problems properly…
Hear our podcast at https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/randy-obrien
23 Sep 2025
by randyobrien50
in Christian Thoughts and Inspiration., Daily Devotion, Daily Inspiration, Inspirational Living, Spiritual Living
Tags: a disciplined mind, a profound inner calm, a spiritual guard for the heart and mind, abide in me and I in you, all the necessary tools, as the heavens are higher than the earth, ask what ye will and it shall be done, be careful for nothing, beyond human logic or comprehension, bring all things to your remembrance, but of power love and a sound mind, by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving, cast forth as a branch, cast them into the fire, Chrisitans ought to hate evil so much, come to know and love him like we do, divinely provided assurance, duty bound, evil and cruelty being perpetrated in our world, except it abide in the vine, except ye abide in me, external circumstances, faith, for without me ye can do nothing, foundational scriptures, God has not given us the spirit of fear, He shall teach you all things, he that abides in meand I in him, herein is my Father glorified, hold on to, holy spirit, hurry, I am the vine ye are the branches, I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me, in difficult or frightening circumstances, in everything by prayer and supplication, in god's eyes, in these trying and uncertain times, Jesus Christ, let not your heart be troubled, let your requests be made known unto God, LOVE, make a Christ-like difference, mercy, my peace I give unto you, my thoughts are not your thoughts, my thoughts than your thoughts, my ways are not your ways, neither let it be afraid, no more can ye, not as the world giveth, Peace i leave with you, protecting believers from fear and anxiety, relying on God's promises, rooted in a relationship with Christ, salvation, shall keep your hearts and minds through Jesus Christ, share His love with my neighbours, so are my ways higher than yours, so ye shall be my disciples, souls, spread the amazing love and friendship of christ, supernatural peace, the awesome help of Jesus, the beloved of God, the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, the Comforter, the leading and guidance of His Holy Spirit, the peace of God, the same brings forth much fruit, the testimony of Christ, these things I have spoken unto you, trust my friend Jesus, truth, Tuesday Mantra, want to have good success, we can handle whatever comes against us, which passeth all understanding, willing to sacrifice themselves to stop it, wisdom, with all our hearts souls bodies and minds, worry
Philippians 4:13. ‘I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me.’
And after Monday comes Tuesday; another bright and sunshiny day in this awesome month of September! I must admit though, that with all these beautiful summer days, most likely fostered by climate change, I am somewhat concerned about what’s going to happen later on, and when. But with Christ’s help and our strong faith, we will successfully overcome whatever comes against us. That reminds us of two invaluable scriptures: The first one comes from Bruh Paul’s marvellously encouraging letter to the Philippians while residing in a Roman jail. He assures them: ‘I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me.’ (Phil. 4:13)
And there’s absolutely no doubt about that, for whatever Christ desires us to accomplish, we can and will accomplish it through His amazing strength! And the second marvellous scripture comes from Bruh Paul’s second letter to Timothy, where he reassures him, and consequently us, of this immense fact: ‘For God hath not given us the spirit of fear, but of power, and of LOVE, and of a sound (disciplined) mind.’ (2 Tim. 1:7)
Yes friends, those are two foundational scriptures that we ought to hold on to with all of our hearts, souls, bodies and minds, if we want to have good success in these very trying and uncertain times. We cannot afford to be afraid, and we must believe that we can handle whatever comes against us with the awesome help of Jesus, through the leading and guidance of His Holy Spirit that indwells us for that self-same reason!
And we have the testimony of Christ to attest to those two scriptures, when He tells the disciples of the coming of the Holy Spirit. ‘These things I have spoken unto you, being yet present with you. But the Comforter (Helper), which is the Holy Ghost, whom the Father will send in my name, he shall teach you all things, and bring all things to your remembrance, whatsoever I have said unto you. Peace I leave with you, my peace I give unto you: not as the world giveth, give I unto you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid.’ (John 14:25-27)
Ah mih people, right there Jesus assures of His heavenly peace and the power through His Holy Spirit of not being afraid. And please notice how He’s very particular to differentiate His peace from that of the world. Because His peace is indeed not of this world. For as Bruh Paul says in his missive to the Phillipians: ‘Be careful (anxious) for nothing; but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God. And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep (guard) your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.’ (Phil. 4:6-7)
And what is this peace that passes all understanding? This commentary explains it thus: “Peace that surpasses all understanding” describes a profound inner calm and assurance that is divinely provided, beyond human logic or comprehension, even in difficult or frightening circumstances. This supernatural peace, often called the peace of God and rooted in a relationship with Christ, acts as a spiritual guard for the heart and mind, protecting believers from anxiety and fear by relying on God’s promises rather than external circumstances.’
And the scholars add that the peace of God is so wonderful that it exceeds our ability to understand it. And that ought to come as no surprise to us, since the Lord tells us very clearly in Isaiah: ‘For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, saith the Lord. For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways, and my thoughts than your thoughts.’ (Is. 55:8-9) And that’s why He is God. If His ways and thoughts were not higher than ours, we would not have any cause to look up to Him, to worship and deify Him, for He would be just like us.
And if you are still not satisfied that we can do all things through the strength of Jesus that He equips us with, then listen to His words, when He calmly informs the disciples, and therefore us: ‘Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, except it abide in the vine; no more can ye, except ye abide in me. I am the vine, ye are the branches: He that abideth in me, and I in him, the same bringeth forth much fruit: for without me ye can do nothing.’ (John 15:4-5)
Now what can be more provocative and poignant than that eh my people? Nothing! Like the branch of a tree, we can only bear fruit if we stay attached to Christ, for like the tree, He is the one that enables us to bear fruit. And furthermore, if we don’t abide in Him, here’s what happens. ‘If a man abide not in me, he is cast forth as a branch, and is withered; and men gather them, and cast them into the fire, and they are burned. If ye abide in me, and my word abide in you, ye shall ask what ye will, and it shall be done unto (for) you. Herein is my Father glorified, that ye bear much fruit; so shall ye be my disciples.’ (John 15:6-8)
Yuh see that my brethren? If we don’t abide in Jesus and His word in us, then we’re cast out into hellfire and damnation! But if we abide in Him, and His Word in us, then we can ask whatever we want, (within God’s will obviously) and it will be granted unto us, and we will bear good fruit and be His disciples. Unfortunately though, it’s not working out as smoothly as it ought to, for too many of us are not abiding in Jesus, neither is His Word abiding in us. Therefore we cannot be His disciples and bear good fruit to glorify the Father. And that’s why our world is in such a terrible mess, with evil and ungodliness ruling the roost.
But, it’s not too late to turn things around, for as we said at the very beginning, we can do all things through Christ, who strengthens us, we just have to be willing to get up and do the necessary work, for we already have all the necessary tools. So, let’s get up today and decide to make a Christ-like difference nuh! Aren’t you tired of seeing all the evil and cruelty that’s been perpetrated in our world? As supposed Christians we ought to be, and that ought to inspire us to get up and make a positive difference.
Now, 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!’
And now, we’re duty bound to go out and spread 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!
…Christians ought to hate evil so much…that they are willing to sacrifice themselves to stop it…
Hear our podcast at https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/randy-obrien
10 Jul 2025
by randyobrien50
in Christian Thoughts and Inspiration., Daily Devotion, Daily Inspiration, Inspirational Living, Spiritual Living
Tags: a positive outlook on life, a strong will, believers ought never to give up, blessed with God's supernatural widom, chores, christianity, Creator and Controller of the universe, curse, David encouraged himself in the Lord his God, David was greatly distressed, divine protection, do not fear, double figures, even mine enemies and foes, every man for his sons and daughters, evil and ungodly times, faith, favour, fear him which can destroy both body and soul in hell, fear not them which kill the body, fulfillment, give I unto you, good health, holy spirit, humans cannot harm the soul or spirit, in the name of Jesus, in this will I be confident, Jesus Christ, let not your heart be troubled, lifted up their voices to God, like a rag doll before a mad bull, LOVE, mercy, my heart shall not fear, my peace I give unto you, negative word, neither let it be afraid, nobody, not as the world gives, of whom shall I be afraid, onfidence, Peace i leave with you, physical harm, promotion, put our full hope and faith in God, salvation, self-control, share our undeserved blessings, stood strong in the comfort and encouragement of his God, strengthen our hearts, strife-filled and ruthless times, success, the Amalekites burned Ziklag, the BIBLE, the chaotic and fearful state of our world, the enemy will cast us aside, the Lord God Almighty, the Lord is my light and my salvation, the Lord is the strength of my life, the men blamed David for their woeful state, the people spake of stoning him, the soul of all the people was grieved, they stumbled and fell, though an host should encamp against me, though war should rise against me, to eat up my flesh, total assurance, truth, useful scriptures, we look for someone else to blame, we want to share in the fame and fortune, when the wicked came upon me, when things go right, when things go wrong, whom shall I fear, wisdom
1 Samuel 30:6b. …but David encouraged himself in the Lord his God.
Ah mih people, we’re on the late, late bus this Thursday morning, or rather afternoon, where the sun has a decided edge over the clouds, but those clouds aren’t giving up very easily. Just like we faithful believers ought not to give up easily, or rather not give up at all, for there’s no giving up in Jesus’ kingdom! And on this penultimate day of our workweek, when July has hit double figures… imagine that nuh, is jut last week we celebrated Canada Day on the first of July, and it’s already up to the tenth. The days certainly are running away like they have some kind of wild animal running them down. (smile)
But I’m sure some of you are wondering why we’re so late today. Well it’s simple. I went to bed late, thus got up late, and there were a few chores to be done around the house that I could not put off any longer without earning the Duchess’ ire. And you know what that can be like! (smile) Anyway, we’re finally here, and kicking too, so let’s check out some useful scriptures…and be brief in doing so too. Hn! Hn! As if the ole fella knows how to be brief. But we’ll try. (smile)
And the scripture for today comes from that marvellous Psalm 27, aptly titled, ‘My Heart Shall Not Fear.’ And that’s something so many of us believers ought to get a grip on, for one of the things Jesus said most often while here on earth is ‘Do not fear.’ He doesn’t expect His followers to fear when they have His sovereign authority and marvellous promises at hand. And what can be more encouraging than these words of His. ‘Peace I leave with you, my peace I give unto you: not as the world giveth, give I unto you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid.’ (John 14:27)
Unfortunately though many Christians right now are experiencing much fear because of the chaotic and fearful state of our world. But that’s exactly where and when Bruh David’s words from Psalm 27 ought to strengthen our hearts, as he writes with total assurance and confidence: ‘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 correct answer to that question from the mouth of believers, ought to be a loud and resounding, ‘NOBODY!’
Yes friends, we ought to be afraid of NO ONE! Remember Jesus’ warning. ‘And fear not them which kill the body, but are not able to kill the soul: but rather fear him which is able to destroy both soul and body in hell.’ (Matt. 10:28) And this commentary explains that verse thus: ‘It means that while humans may have the power to take away physical life, they cannot harm the soul or spirit. Therefore, one should not be excessively afraid of those who can inflict physical harm, but rather should fear God, who has the power to destroy both body and soul in hell.’
Now, I know it’s not always easy to not be afraid of man, especially in these strife-filled and ruthless times, but let’s weigh the thing in the balance here: man can only destroy our physical body, but the Lord can destroy both our body and soul, so whom should we fear most then eh? It’s obvious, the Lord God Almighty, Creator and Controller of the Universe and all therein!
So let’s stop fearing what man can do to us, and put our full hope and faith in God. Let’s begin thinking and saying like Bruh David did: ‘When the wicked, even mine enemies and my foes, came upon me to eat up (devour) my flesh, they stumbled and fell. Though an host should encamp against me, my heart shall not fear: though war should rise against me, in this will I be confident.’ (Ps. 27:2-3)
Oh my people, that’s the kind of thinking we have to embrace in these evil and ungodly times, otherwise the enemy will just cast us aside like a rag doll before a mad bull. And we all know that Bruh David’s life was far from easy, but he stood strong in the comfort and encouragement of His God. And there’s no better example of this than when Bruh David was living amongst the Philistines, running from King Saul, and he joined them to fight against his Jewish brethren. The Philistine princes didn’t trust him to fight on their side, and sent him and his men back home to Ziklag.
Unfortunately, they arrived there only to find that the Amalekites had invaded, burned it down, and took away all the inhabitants and their livelihood. Obviously when they discovered that sorry state of affairs, Bruh David and his men were very sorrowful, and they lifted up their voices to God and wept. But the selfish and distressful thing was that the men blamed Bruh David for their woeful state, not considering that his two wives were also taken captive. And here’s where Bruh David’s faith truly came through.
The Bible says: ‘And David was greatly distressed; for the people spake of stoning him, because the soul of all the people was grieved (bitter), every man for his sons and his daughters:’ (1 Sam. 30:6a) So, wasn’t Bruh David’s soul grieved for his family too? Apparently not, in the people’s estimate. But that’s how we feckless humans behave. When things go right we all expect to be a part of the fame and glory, but when they go wrong, we always try to lay the blame on someone else’s shoulders.
But thankfully Bruh David was up to the task…obviously with God’s help. The Bible further informs us that instead of being afraid and worried, ‘but David encouraged himself in the Lord his God.’ (1 Sam. 30:6b) And that my people is what we all are expected to do when things get rough. And the example continues, for Bruh David enquired of the Lord what to do, and the Lord told him to go after the Amalekites. He and his six-hundred men did so, and with the Lord’s assistance recaptured all that they’d lost.
And today, there’s no need to worry, because the Lord has given us underserved blessings to do His earthly work as well as boost our faith; we call them our Thursday Blessings. So let’s declare and thus activate them 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!’
Now, it behooves us to go out and use those underserved blessings to help others, just as generously as the Lord shared them with us. And I know I promised to be short …but that’s the best I could do! (smile) Much LOVE!
…faith is hope in action…
Hear our podcast at https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/randy-obrien
23 Apr 2025
by randyobrien50
in Christian Thoughts and Inspiration., Daily Devotion, Daily Inspiration, Inspirational Living, Spiritual Living
Tags: a biblical way of life, a bunch of ingrates, a meaningful prayer, a peace that trancedns all human understanding, a peace that's totally different from the world's, a strong faith, a way of relating to God, according to his riches in glory, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, anger, ascendance in earthly power, be moved to compassion, be of good cheer, breathtaking spectacle, calm in the midst of the storm, change the world, Christ's miraculous resurrection, Christian faith, christianity, Christians, come unto me, compassion for the less fortunate, defeating Satan hell death and the grave, dicison, division, does not burn people out, Easter celebrations, encompasses everything, endure to the end, evil and ungodly world, eyes fixed straight ahead, faith, filled with your peace, find rest unto your souls, flowing through me, gentle and humble, give I unto you, God's peace, hands on the plough, headline increase panic, healing words, help us, help us breathe and turn to you, help us not to forget anyone, help us remain calm, holy spirit, I am meek and lowly in heart, i have overcome the world, I will give you rest, ignore people on the margins, in Jesus' name, in the world ye shall have tribulation, In Touch Devotional, Jesus Christ, Jesus is all we ever need, Jesus is the way the truth and the life, justified, lay siege, learn from me, leave us anxious, let not your heart be troubled, LOVE, mercy, miraculous action, more effective than efficient, more faithful than fashionable, more fulfilling than frustrating, more practical than pragmatic, move peacefully through the day, my God shall supply all your needs, my peace I give unto you, neither let it be afraid, not as the world gives, not as the world giveth, not turning back, our conversations, our times get rough, panic, Peace i leave with you, peole are rushing, personal circumstances, put our total trust in Jesus, reconciled, redeemed, repentance, rest for both body and soul, rose from the grave, rushing, salvation, sanctified, second wind day, speak gentle healing words, step out in faith, strength and endurance for the course, surrender our lives to Jesus, take my yoke upon you, tempted to, thank God, the annals of man, the BIBLE, the breath of life, the Great Invitation of Jesus, the less fortunate, to a glorious future with Jesus, to conquer our Christian walk, tough times, truth, unsettled state of our world, Wednesday Wail, whosoever will may come, wisdom
John 14:27a. Peace I leave with you, my peace I give unto you: not as the world giveth, give I unto you.
Oh Friends, I can’t believe that it’s already Wednesday, our second wind day of the work week! But I guess when you’re caught up in the joy of the Easter Celebrations, the days pass by so quickly that you hardly notice them. And to tell the truth, any reason for catching a second wind today won’t be from work, but from the intensity and excitement of the celebrations. I’m sure most of us who were off on Monday didn’t do much work yesterday, so what second wind is there to catch eh? (smile) None but that from the revelry and breathtaking spectacle of Christ’s miraculous resurrection, which ultimately provided salvation and eternal life to a bunch of ingrates like we human beings!
There could not be a bigger and better moment in the annals of man! For in that miraculous action, Jesus redeemed, reconciled, justified and sanctified us. Wow! In those four words lie the basis of our Christian faith, therefore we do have a duty to uphold what they mean by allowing them to show forth in our lives. And sometimes we need help to do so, because it’s not always easy living in this evil and ungodly world, especially like right now, when Satan and his cronies have the ascendance in earthly power. But we know that won’t last forever, however to help us get through these tough times let’s offer up this prayer from the In Touch April Devotional.
Please pray with me. ‘Lord, when people around us are rushing, help us move peacefully through the day. When anger and division lay siege to our conversations, help us speak gentle, healing words. When headlines increase the panic in others’ hearts, help us remain calm and be moved to compassion. When we’re tempted to ignore people on the margins, help us not to forget anyone. When our personal circumstances leave us anxious, help us breathe and turn to you. May we be filled with Your peace, and may it change the world. In Jesus’ name, amen.’
Now that’s what you’d call a very meaningful prayer, for it encompasses all the things and times we need to conquer in our daily Christian walk and help turn our world around. Negative things like rushing, anger, division, panic, ignoring the less fortunate, and self-pity when our own circumstances become negative. And we need to conquer them with God’s peace, gentle, healing words, calm in the midst of the storms of life, compassion for the less fortunate, and a strong faith when our own times get rough.
And that’s exactly what Jesus offers. Listen as He opens up His very heart and soul to us when He makes the following statements. The first says: ‘Peace I leave with you, my peace I give unto you: not as the world giveth, give I unto you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid.’ (John 14:27) Yes, my faithful brethren, Jesus gives us a peace that is totally different from what the world offers. And Bruh Paul explains that as the peace that surpasses or transcends all human understanding. (Phil. 4:7) Now with that kind of peace in our hearts, we can react positively to any and everything.
And if that doesn’t convince you, then listen to Jesus’ other offer of peace, where He solemnly and faithfully declares (yesss!!!): ‘These things I have spoken unto you, that in me ye might have peace. In the world ye shall have tribulation: but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world.’ (John 16:33) And He did do that when He arose majestically from the grave on Easter Sunday, thus defeating Satan, hell, death and the grave! So there’s no need to be worried, or be afraid, because we have all that we need to overcome the world in our own small way.
And if you still have doubts, then listen as Jesus offers what we call His Great Invitation. ‘Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn of (from) me; for I am meek and lowly in heart (gentle and humble): and ye shall find rest unto your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.’ (Matt. 11:28-30) And there’s absolutely no doubt that many of us today are fretfully labouring and heavy laden with the panicked and unsettled state of our world. That means we definitely need Jesus, because He’s the ONLY ONE who can calm our fears and relieve our circumstances…that is, if we surrender our lives to Him and put our total trust in Him.
For, hear the wonderful things He offers; rest for both our bodies and souls, a kind and gentle personality, an easy yoke and a light load. And this commentary explains that’s ‘a biblical way of life that is more fulfilling than frustrating, more effective than efficient, more practical than pragmatic, and more faithful than fashionable. This is a way of relating to God that does not burn people out but instead gives them strength and endurance for the course.’
Now what more can we ask for eh my faithful brethren? Absolutely nothing! For Jesus encompasses ALL we can ever want or need! And Bruh Paul corroborates that with this marvellous promise from his letter to the Philippians. ‘But my God shall supply all your need according to his riches in glory through Christ Jesus.’ (Phil. 4:19)
Oh my people, all the promises are there for us, but they will not fall on us automatically, no, we have to step out in faith and receive them. That’s the way we show our trust in and surrender to Jesus. He says, that ALL His promises are for whosoever comes to Him in repentance. It doesn’t matter your race, creed, physical, emotional or mental state, whether you’re rich or poor, for we all need salvation, and He’s the ONLY ONE who can provide that!
And once you’re received salvation, then you’ll joyfully declare our Wednesday Wail in loud voice and strong conviction. ‘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 if we endure with Jesus right down to the very end, there’s the promise of seeing an even more glorious future than we can ever ask or imagine. So, let’s be wise and endure to the end nuh, so that we can enjoy that most glorious future together! Much LOVE!
…Jesus is the way, the truth and the life…He created us…He can destroy us…but most importantly…He can also save us…
Hear our podcast at https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/randy-obrien
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