18 Feb 2026
by randyobrien50
in Christian Thoughts and Inspiration., Daily Devotion, Daily Inspiration, Inspirational Living, Spiritual Living
Tags: a place of show, anoint thine head, another round of snow, appear not unto men to fast, appear unto men to fast, Ash Wednesday, by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God, call a solemn assembly, command that these stones be made bread, disfigure their faces, endure to the end with Jesus, eyes fixed straight ahead, faith, falsehood, fasted forty days and forty nights, fasting, freezing rain, God is gracious, God's Word is all we need, halfway home, hands on the plough, holy spirit, if God spares life, if thou be the Son of God, in whom I am well pleased, into the wilderness, it is written, Jesus baptized by John the Baptist, Jesus Christ, Jesus was led up of the spirit, Jesus' source of strength, Jesus' use of scripture to resist temptation, Lent, LOVE, man shall not live by bread alone, material wealth, merciful, mercy, mourning, not looking back, obedience to the Father's will, of a sad countenance, of great kindness, on a late bus, our second wind day, our wonderful position in Christ Jesus, outward deceitful doings, physical pleasure, prayer, raise our societal stature, relents from doing harm, rend your heart and not your garments, repenteth him of evil, repentnace, salvation, sanctify a fast, self-examination, slow to anger, so glad to be alive, suffer for suffering sake, thank God, the breath of life is still flowing through me, the Spirit of God descending like a dove, this is my beloved Son, to a glorious future with Jesus, to be tempted by Satan, to be tempted by the devil, to please man, truth, turn unto the Lord your God, turn ye even to me with all your heart, wash thy face, Wednesday Wail, weeping, when ye fast be not as the hypocrites, wisdom
Matthew 4:4. But he (Jesus) answered and said, It is written, Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God.
Oh friends, it’s Wednesday, our second wind day…and unfortunately we on a late bus! But many of us shouldn’t need to catch a second wind, since this is only our second day of work this week, unless we’re still tired rom the Family Day celebrations this past weekend. (smile) However, we will certainly need some help to deal with the serious freezing rain that’s happening in our area. The above freezing temps of the last few days have suddenly disappeared and the computer is calling for snow later. So let’s get prepared for another round of snow and cold temperatures, for that’s what happens in winter. (smile)
Now, today is also a special day in the life of the Christian Church; Ash Wednesday, which begins the season of Lent. Lent represents the forty days that Jesus spent in the wilderness fasting and being tempted by Satan, without wavering in His faith. During these forty days before Easter the believer is expected to carry out a serious discipline of fasting, repentance, prayer and self-examination. However within those confines there are certain parameters of do’s and don’ts. And we’ll begin with this interesting scripture from Joel, who after warning about the Dark Day of the Lord, (Joel 2:1-11) then announces the Lord’s Call to Repentance.
And is there ever a great need for repentance in today’s very sinful world! Not only from the unbelievers, but also from we supposed believers. So, listen up, as Joel writes: ‘Therefore also now, saith the Lord, turn ye even to me with all your heart, and with fasting, and with weeping, and with mourning: And rend (tear) your heart, and not your garments, and turn (return) unto the Lord your God: for he is gracious and merciful, slow to anger, and of great kindness (LOVING-KINDNESS), and repenteth him of the evil (relents from doing harm).
Who knoweth if he will return and repent (turn and relent), and leave a blessing behind him; even a meat offering and a drink offering (meal or grain) unto the Lord your God? Blow the trumpet (ram’s horn) in Zion, sanctify (consecrate) a fast, call a solemn (sacred) assembly.’ (Joel 2:12-15) Now friends, that’s possibly what we need to do; call a big, sacred fast, and turn back to the Lord our God, from whom many have turned away in the search for physical pleasure and material wealth.
But before we move on, hear this crucial explanation from the scholars . As per ‘rend your heart and not your garment,’ they say: ‘The customary way a Jew showed his grief was to tear his outer garment. This external sign could be meaningless. The tearing of the outer garment is useless unless the heart is also broken in repentance and contrition.’ And sadly, that’s what many of us do nowadays; have outward shows of fasting, repentance and all the other sacrificial stuff when in reality our hearts are not truly involved.
That’s why Jesus warned us thus about fasting. ‘Moreover when ye fast, be not as the hypocrites (pretenders), of a sad countenance: for they disfigure their faces, that they may appear unto men to fast. Verily I say unto you, They have their reward. But thou, when thou fastest, anoint thy head, and wash thy face; That thou appear not unto men to fast, but unto thy Father which is in secret, and thy Father which seeth in secret, shall reward thee openly.’ (Matt. 6:16-18) Ah mih people, this society has become such a place of show and falsehood, of outward deceitful doings to please man, and raise our societal stature that you don’t know what or whom to believe. But as true disciples of Jesus, we should not be doing anything just to be seen and uplifted by mankind.
And we could not talk about Ash Wednesday and not consider the temptations that Jesus suffered after being baptized by John the Baptist in the River Jordan, with the Spirit of God descending like a dove, alighting on Him, and the voice from heaven saying, ‘This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased.’ (Matt. 3:16-17) After that, the Bible tells us: ‘Then was Jesus led up of the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted of the devil. And when he had fasted forty days and forty nights, he was afterward an hungered (hungry) And when the tempter came to him, he said, if thou be the Son of God, command that these stones be made bread. But he (Jesus) answered and said, It is written, Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God.’ (Matt. 4:1-4)
And according to the scholars, the victory in each aspect of the temptation is related to Jesus’ use of Scripture. It is written: First He quotes Deuteronomy 8:3, about man not living by bread alone, but by the Word of God. The source of bread is more important than the bread itself. Later, during the conversation with the Samaritan woman at the well, Jesus would say to the disciples, “I have meat to eat that ye know not of.” (John 4:32) Jesus’ source of strength was obedience to the Father’s will and He would not even work a miracle to avoid personal suffering when such suffering was a part of God’s purpose for Him.’
Wow! Not many of us would have the resilience and obedience to suffer for suffering sake. And imagine the contradiction in Jesus’ earlier situation nuh, where, after being highly praised by the Father, the Spirit led Him into the wilderness to suffer and be tempted. But that’s often how it is in the Will of God, and we just have to learn to live with it, by looking at the rewards at the end. Now there are two other temptations that Jesus experienced in the wilderness, but because there is so much information contained in them, it would make the Bit much too long if we included them today. So, if God spares life tomorrow, then we will continue with those other temptations.
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 endure to the end with Jesus, there’s an even more glorious future to enjoy. So, hope to see you there! Much LOVE!
…the Bible…the Word of God…contains ALL we need to live this earthly life…
Hear our podcast at https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/randy-obrien
04 Feb 2026
by randyobrien50
in Christian Thoughts and Inspiration., Daily Devotion, Daily Inspiration, Inspirational Living, Spiritual Living
Tags: a bright and sunshiny Wednesday, a flood of peace, above our mortal understanding, be careful for nothing, be not as the hypocrites, beleivers should not make a show of their prayer, breaks the chains of the world system, christianity, delivered him up for us all, departed into a solitary place and there prayed, enabling us, endure to the end with Jesus, enter into thy closet, eyes fixed straight ahead, faith, fighting the good fight, freely give us all things, give guidance and direction, halfway home, hands on the plough, he does so to his own detriment, He htat spared not his own Son, holy spirit, how shall he not with him, in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving, in the corners of the streets, in the morning, Jesus Christ, Jesus is the Light of the world, Jesus raises us up from the darkenss of sin and sorrow, Jesus went out, let your rrequest be made known to god, LOVE, mankind cannot afford to overlook prayer, mercy, not looking back at the past, not turning back, nothing's wrong with public prayer, pray to the Father in secret, prayer, public prayer is a necessity for the Christian faith, reward thee openly, rising up a great while before day, rooted and grounded in Christ, salvation, shall keep your hearts and minds through Jesus Christ, so glad to be alive, strength to renew his spirit, take everything to God in prayer, thank God, that they may be seen of men, the BIBLE, the breath of life is still flowing through me, the Father knows the things ye need before you ask him, the light of Jesus lifts our souls and spirits, the peace of God which passeth all understading, the privilege of communicating with Gode, the Sermon on the Mount, they have their reward, they love to pray standing in the sysnagogues, they shall be heard for their much speaking, thy Father which seeth in secret, to a glorious future with Jesus, to bear the brunt of winter, truth, Wednesday Wail, when thou prayest, when ye pray use not vain repetitions, wisdom
Philippians 4:6. Be careful (anxious) for nothing; but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your request be made known unto God.
Oh friends, the Lord has turned our damp and cloudy Tuesday into a bright and sunshiny Wednesday! Give Him much praise and thanks, for although it’s still pretty cold, the sunshine comes like the light of Jesus and lifts our spirits and our souls, enabling us to bear the brunt of the winter weather. It’s just so amazing what light can do to darkness. That’s why Jesus is the light of the world! He raises us up from the darkness of sin and sorrow and breaks the chains that the world system tries to shackle us with. And it’s indeed a nice day to catch our second wind, so that we can continue working for Jesus, fighting the good fight for the rest of the work week.
Unfortunately though, we’re on a late bus today because the ole fella went to bed late, and thus got up late. (smile) Anyway we’re going to continue talking about ‘PRAYER’ that marvellous privilege we have of communicating with our heavenly Father. Now, yesterday we saw where Jesus prayed for himself, the disciples and us, the future believers, but the most important thing is that He regularly got up early and went out to a deserted place and prayed, as Mark tells us: ‘And in the morning, rising up a great while before day, he (Jesus) went out, and departed into a solitary (deserted) place, and there prayed.’ (Mark 1:35)
That brought up the question, if Jesus the Son of God needed regular prayer time with His Father, how can we mere mortals, creations of His hands, not require the same, if not more prayer time with the Lord? And it’s not only early in the morning that Jesus prayed, but throughout the gospels we see where every so often, He would go away by Himself to pray. And what Jesus was doing there was both seeking the Father’s strength to renew His spirit, as well as guidance and direction for the day or days ahead.
And we also need those things, especially in these trying times, and the only way we can get them is by communicating with the Lord God Jehovah, sincerely asking Him to strengthen us like He did His Son Jesus. As Bruh Paul says in his letter to the church at Rome: ‘He that spared not his own Son, but delivered him up for us all, how shall he not with him also freely give us all things?’ (Rom. 8:32) Yes my faithful brethren, if the Lord gave up His Son Jesus Christ for our benefit, why then wouldn’t He be willing to give us the things we need eh?
He obviously would not, but like Christ did, we have to go to Him and petition Him for the desires of our hearts. Granted, He will fulfill some of them without our asking, but the majority of the time we need to go to Him and ask for them, like Bruh Paul wrote 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 minds through Christ Jesus.’ (Phil. 4:6-7)
Yes my people, when we take everything to God in prayer, with supplication and thanksgiving, He releases a flood of peace in our bodies and souls that’s way above our mortal understanding, but which keeps us rooted and grounded in Christ. And the wonderful thing about prayer is that it can basically take any form that the person praying desires. However, Jesus laid down certain basic rules for prayer, when He taught on prayer in the Sermon on the Mount.
‘And when thou prayest, thou shalt not be as the hypocrites (pretenders) are: for they LOVE to pray standing in the synagogues and in the corners of the streets, that they may be seen of men. Verily I say unto you, They have their reward (being seen by men). But thou, when thou prayest, enter into thy closet (inner room), and when thou hast shut thy door, pray to thy Father which is in secret; and thy Father which seeth in secret shall reward thee openly. But when ye pray, use not vain repetitions, as the heathen do: for they think that they shall be heard for their much speaking. Be not ye therefore like unto them: for your Father knoweth what things ye have need of, before ye ask him.’ (Matt. 6:5-8)
Now we have to be very careful about some of those stipulations, for they tend to be used in wrong ways, or out of context. Granted, a lot of pray ought to be done in secret. However, there is nothing wrong with public prayer. In fact it’s a necessity in the Christian faith when we gather to worship. But as the scholars tell us: ‘The principle here is that the believer should not make a show of his prayer nor of the answers he receives to prayer in such a way as to call attention to himself. Our attitude is of the utmost importance. Praying, like giving, is to be done to the Lord, not to man.’
Yes my people, we’re not to make a show of our prayers, or keep repeating them as the heathen do, because they think that the more they talk, the greater the likelihood they will be heard. But that’s a fallacy. The Lord will hear once our hearts are sincere and right towards Him. And now, with all of that good stuff percolating in our hearts, minds, bodies and souls, (smile) 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 if we want to enjoy an even more glorious future, then we must endure to the end with Jesus, where one that boggles our imagination will be available. So let’s endure to the end so we can enjoy it together nuh! Much LOVE!
…prayer is such a big and wonderful privilege…that mankind cannot afford to overlook it…he does so to his own detriment…
Hear our podcast at https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/randy-obrien
02 Feb 2026
by randyobrien50
in Christian Thoughts and Inspiration., Daily Devotion, Daily Inspiration, Inspirational Living, Spiritual Living
Tags: a confession of sins, a conversation with God, a direct line to the triune God, a personal expression of thoughts, a snow-filled Monday, abide in me and I in you, according to God's will, acknowledging God's sovereignty, all sinned and disobeyed your word, all that are in authority, alter circumstances, an intimate connection between a person and the divine, at the core of every Christian journey, be not conformed to this world, be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, become better Christian witnesses, building a relationship with God, changes hearts, confession, desires, direction to alleviate our problems, divine aid, ease the pain, emotions, except it abide in the vine, except ye abide in me, faith, fellowship, first of all, fosters a deepr understanding of God's nature, godlier in our daily lives, grow in grace, holy spirit, humble ourselves, humble servants, I am the vine ye are the branches, in all godliness and honesty, in the knowledge of our Lord and saviour, influences attitudes, intercession, Jehovah Rapha, Jesus Christ, keep your promise to prosper us, lead a quiet and peaceable life, lies a deep and personal element, LOVE, mercy, no more can ye, not returned to normal, pray, prayer, prayer empowers comforts and guides us, prayer has the power to transform, prayer is absolutely necessary for Christians, prayer is the most powerful method of communication, prove what is that good and acceptable perfect will of God, regular prayer is essential for spiritual growth, salvation, sincere repentance, sincerely seek your face, spiritual growth, strong faith in Christ, supplications prayers intercessions and giving of thanks be made for all men, thank you for life, thanksgiving, the BIBLE, the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, the chief method of communicating with God, the God who heals, the many suffering from negative situations, the power to solve our many problems, the same bringeth forth much fruit, the throne of grace, to him be glory both now and forever, transformation, truth, turn from our evil ways, unexpected storms, used for adoration, wisdom, wise guidance, without me you can do nothing
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.
Another Monday my people, and we’re back out to work, but thankfully it’s only cold and not snow-filled like last Monday, when some 40 to 50 centimeters of snow fell in the Greater Toronto Area. In fact, some people and neighbourhoods still have not returned to normal, as there is still lots of snow to be scraped up and removed. And work has been continuing round the clock, but there’s so much snow, and only so many people and so much machinery to deal with it. Let’s hope and pray that in the next few days, there will be a significant drop in the temperature to below freezing, so that most of the snow now lining our road banks and roofs will melt before any more snow falls. (smile)
And our topic for today is that great privilege believers have called ‘PRAYER.’ Yes friends, prayer is our chief method of communicating with our heavenly Father. That’s how He designed it. And before we do anything else, I think it’s best to have a basic definition of prayer. And the overview of this commentary explains it thus. ‘Prayer is the act of communicating with a higher power, deity, or the sacred, serving as a fundamental, intimate connection between a person and the divine. It is a deliberate, often personal, expression of thoughts, emotions, and desires, used for adoration, confession, thanksgiving, or supplication (requesting help).’
Now that gives us a good basis for a discussion on the subject. And the first point we need to make is that prayer is absolutely necessary for Christians, because, as we said earlier, that’s our main method of communicating with Jehovah God, our Creator and Controller. And I like how this excerpt from the article The Power and Purpose of Christian Prayer by Heather Okuda on the anglicanfrontiers.com website puts it. ‘At the core of every Christian journey lies a deep and personal element: prayer.
It’s a practice as old as the faith itself, a direct line to the triune God that empowers, comforts, and guides us as believers…. Christian prayer is a conversation with God. It’s a way for us to express our LOVE, gratitude, fears, and desires, acknowledging God’s sovereignty in our lives. Prayer can take many forms: it can be a thanksgiving for blessings received, a request for guidance or help, a confession of sins, or a simple conversation expressing our thoughts and feelings to God.’
Then she breaks down the Purpose of Prayer into sub-groups, explaining them thus. (1) ‘Communion with God: Prayer is primarily about building and maintaining a relationship with God. It’s a practice that fosters a deeper understanding of His nature and will.’ And for that she references John 15:4-5, where Jesus talks about our inability to do anything much without Him. ‘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.’
Now that’s truly telling it like it is. And the next sub-group of prayer Ms. Okuda lists is (2) ‘Spiritual Growth: Regular prayer is essential for spiritual growth. It is in these quiet moments that we often find strength, wisdom, and peace that guide our actions and decisions.’ And the reference for that is 2 Peter 3:18, which states: ‘But grow in grace, and in the knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. To him be glory both now and for ever. Amen.’
Then we come to sub-group (3) titled ‘Intercession: Prayer is also an act of intercession. We pray not only for our needs but also for others, lifting up friends, family, leaders, and even enemies to God’s care.’ And the reference for that is 1 Timothy 2:1-2. And that says: ‘I exhort therefore, that, first of all, supplications, prayers, intercessions, and giving of thanks, be made for all men; For kings, and for all that are in authority; that we may lead a quiet and peaceable life in all godliness and honesty (reverence).’
And sub-group (4) is ‘Transformation: Prayer has the power to transform. It changes hearts, influences attitudes, and can even alter circumstances according to God’s will.’ And Romans 12:2, a scripture we all know quite well, serves as the reference for that sub-group. It wisely advises: ‘And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect will of God.’
Wow mih bredrin! Who would ever have thought that prayer could be broken down into so many different aspects eh? (smile) But now that we have a deeper knowledge of prayer and its basic purposes, let’s go to the throne of grace through our Monday Morning Battle hymn, seeking divine aid to help us with all those aspects of prayer in these turbulent and confusing times.
Altogether: ‘Our Father, who art in heaven, we, Your humble servants, praise Your Holy Name and thank You this Monday morning for life and strong faith in Christ, despite the mass confusion in our world. Heavenly Father, You are the ONLY ONE with the power to solve our many problems. Yes, we have all sinned and seriously disobeyed Your Word, but You are a merciful, forgiving and gracious God, who has faithfully promised to hear and answer our prayers when we humble ourselves, pray, and sincerely seek Your face. So, we come to You now, with sincere repentance in our hearts, pleading for wise guidance and direction to alleviate our problems.
Oh Father, please ease the pain of the many suffering from negative situations, show them Your awesome grace and mercy. And faithfully keep Your promise to prosper us if we turn from our evil ways. Show this evil world that You are indeed Jehovah Rapha; the God who heals! We pray this in the holy and blessed name of Your Son, our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ! Amen! And again, we say: Amen!’
And friends, all the prayer in the world won’t help us get divine aid, until and unless we become better Chrisitan witnesses, by becoming godlier in our daily lives! Much LOVE!
…the oldest…the greatest…and the most powerful method of communication…PRAYER…
Hear our podcast at https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/randy-obrien
03 May 2025
by randyobrien50
in Christian Thoughts and Inspiration., Daily Devotion, Daily Inspiration, Inspirational Living, Spiritual Living
Tags: a Christian life begins with total commitment, a great day to be alive, a living sacrifice, a new way of thinking, a time of renewal, a time to renew our passion for Christ, acceptable unto God, and grieve not the Holy Spirit of God, As God for christ's sake forgave you, be kind to one another, be not conformed to this world, be ye angry and sin not, be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, blindness of heart, changing your thought patterns, christianity, Christians, closer intimacy with God, conduct of the world, created in righteousness and true holiness, deepen my breath, Easter Season, embracing biblical principles, engaging in creative activities, eternal life, evil speaking, faith, flowers sprouting, forgiving one another, good to the use of edifying, greed, holy spirit, I may know you all the more, I praise you for your unceasing nearness, I want to be with you now, if any man love the world, ignorance, increase my awareness of you today, Jesus Christ, justifying, laciviousness, Lazy-Day Saturday Prayer, let him labour, let him that stole steal no more, Let no corrupt communication proceed out of thy mouth, let not the sun go down upon your wrath, living lives that honour Christ, LOVE, love not the world, making us righteous, members one of another, mercy, minister grace unto the hearers, Mother Nature, neither give place to the devil, neither the things that are in the world, perseverance, practical advice, practicing new habits, prayer, prsent thinking, put away all bitterness anger wrath and clamour, put off the former conversation, put on the new man, putting away lying, quiet my soul, reading scripture, rebirth, reflection, relax my muscles, renewed in the spirit of your mind, resist being poured into the mold of the world, resurrection, salvation, sanctifying, sealed until the day of redemption, sincere effort, sincerity and truth, slow my thoughts, speak truth with your neighbour, spring, tenderhearted, thank you for this tenderness, the BIBLE, the help of the Holy Spirit, the Lord's calming presence, the love of the Father is not in him, the old man, the passion of our souls, the sacrificial death of Jesus, the season of rebirth, the thing which is good, the truth is in Jesus, to align with the truth of God's word, total commitment, transform our minds, trees budding with green leaves, truth, value systems, vanity, wisdom, with all malice, working with his hands, your love both surrounds and fills me, your reasonable service
Romans 12: 2a. And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind,
Oh, this first lazy-day Saturday in May is a somewhat damp and cloudy one, but it’s oh so good for lazing around! (smile) And besides, that wonderful season of spring is in the air. The season of rebirth, of renewal, of all things being made new, and once again the trees are budding green leaves and flowers are sprouting in the gardens. What can be nicer eh, especially in this Easter Season, one of resurrection, of salvation and of eternal life! That means it’s a great day to be alive, so let’s give thanks to our wonderful God for that li’l fact nuh, by offering up our Lazy-Day Saturday Prayer.
As one voice, in all sincerity and truth: ‘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 as always, if our prayer was sincere, we can soon expect to receive a calming presence from our heavenly Father, for desiring to be with Him in greater intimacy is His favourite desire, and He cannot help but grant our wish.
And just as spring is a time of renewal and rebirth for Mother Nature, I believe it can also be a time of renewal and rebirth for us, a time to strengthen our faith, to renew our belief in Christ Jesus, a time to reignite the passion in our souls, having recently suffered through His sacrificial death on our behalf, and then witnessed His miraculous and amazing resurrection. That’s certainly a time to renew our passion for Christ. so let’s begin with this foundational scripture from Bruh Paul to the Romans.
‘I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable (rational) service. And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect will of God.’ (Rom. 12:1-2) Yes friends, in honour of all that God has done for us, justifying, sanctifying, and making us righteous, among other things, then we need to show some appreciation and respect by living lives that honour Him. And according to the scholars: ‘This shows that the Christian life begins with total commitment and irrevocable presentation.’
Now, the first step in this renewal of our minds is to stop being conformed to the ways of the world, which are mostly opposite and opposed to those of Christ. As per the scholars, we are to ‘resist being poured into the mold of the present thinking, value systems, and conduct of this world.’ And John, in his first epistle, tells it perfectly: ‘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.’ (1 John 1:15) It could not be more explicit than that!
Then, we are to transform our minds, transition them to a new way of thinking, that supplied by Christ and His values. And I like how this commentary explains the process of transforming our minds. ‘Renewing your mind, often used in a spiritual context, involves actively changing your thought patterns to align with truth and God’s will. This process can be achieved through reading scripture, embracing biblical principles, and setting aside time for reflection and prayer. Practicing new habits, engaging in creative activities, and even taking a break from routine can also contribute to a renewed perspective.’
Yes, it’s not easy, especially if you were deeply involved in the ways of the world, and it does take time, but with a sincere heart and the help of the Holy Spirit, that transformation can be accomplished. And Bruh Paul, as is his habit, gives us some practical advice per transforming our minds, in his letter to the Ephesians. Having talked about the Gentiles being alienated from Christ, with their vanity, ignorance, blindness of heart, uncleanness, lasciviousness and greed, (Eph. 4:17-19) he then writes:
‘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 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. Wherefore putting away lying, speak every man truth with his neighbour: for we are members one of 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 hm that needeth. Let no corrupt communication proceed out of your mouth, but that which is good to the use of edifying (educational), that it may minister grace unto the hearers. And grieve not the Holy Spirit of God, whereby ye are sealed unto the day or 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)
And that’s the practical manner in which we go about transforming our minds and putting on the new man in Christ! And yes, it’s a lot to learn and do, but that’s why we’ve been given the Holy Spirit as our guide and helper. And please remember that nothing happens overnight, but it takes sincere effort and perseverance on our part. If we do our part, the Lord will surely do His. So on this damp and cloudy first lazy-day Saturday in May, let’s do like Mother Nature does in springtime, and get to renewing our minds and bodies in the new man that resembles Christ Jesus! Much LOVE!
…you cannot be in Christ…or He in you…unless your mind’s been transformed…and you’re a new man…
Hear our podcast at https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/randy-obrien
22 Apr 2025
by randyobrien50
in Christian Thoughts and Inspiration., Daily Devotion, Daily Inspiration, Inspirational Living, Spiritual Living
Tags: a celebration of life, a childhood friend, accept it change it or leave it, actively rejecting ideas, affirmations, against the knowledge of God, altogether vanity, any good that i can do, any kindness I can show to any human being, apply our hearts unto wisdom, as an handbreadth, as he thinks in his heart, based on fear or doubt, Battlefield of the Mind, bringing into captivity every thought, Casting down imaginations, come to know and love him like we do, contradict the principles of faith, depart this life quickly, Easter Tuesday, Etienne de Grellet, every high thing, every man at his best state, faith, false arguments, gain a heart of wisdom, Goat races in Tobago, his heart is not with thee, holy spirit, hurry, I may know how frail I am, I shall not pass this way again, I shall pass this way but once, in god's eyes, Jesus Christ, let me do it now, let me not defer or neglect it, lock stock and barrel, LOVE, made up my days, make hay while the sun shines, make me to know mine end, mercy, mighty through God, mine age is nothing before thee, positive affirmations, prayer, pulling down of strongholds, rest in peace, salvation, share His love with my neighbour, share the amazing Love of Christ, spiritual practices, spiritual warfare, sso is he, take root in the mind, teach us to number our days, that exalteth itself, the beloved of God, the goal is, the gospel truth, the measure of my days, the weapons of our warfare are not carnal, they become actions, they become character, they become habits, though we walk in the flesh, thoughts that do do not align with God's truth, three solutions to every problem, to replace the harmful thoughts with God's truth, to the obedience of Christ, trust my friend Jesus, truth, Tuesday Mantra, watch your actions, watch your habits, watch your thoughts they become words, watch your words, we do not war after the flesh, went our separate ways, WentWorth Eccles, wisdom, worry
Psalm 90:12. So teach us to number our days, that we may apply our hearts unto wisdom (gain a heart of wisdom).
And then it was Easter Tuesday! However, instead of getting ready to go down to Buccoo village in Tobago to check out the Goat Race Celebrations, (smile) I was here in Canada watching the Celebration of Life for a childhood friend, Wentworth Eccles. And that’s why the Bit is so late. Ah Wenty, mih brother, we did have some good times during our long years of friendship, beginning as children, when I would come from Tobago to holiday with you, your mother and sister in San Fernando in Trinidad. But as we grew older, we went our separate ways.
However, we reconnected when I came to Canada and began attending the Labour Day celebrations in Brooklyn, New York, where I would sometimes stay with your mother. And boy, did we ever do some good partying during those early years. And though life, family and work separated us, every so often you’d write and tell me about your job and travels. Recently though, you began sending me a daily message titled ‘Today’s Quote,’ with interesting useful quotes. The last one I got on Friday April 11was this: ‘Three (3) solutions to every problem: Accept it, Change it or leave it. In other words, Lead, follow or get out of the way. Have a GREAT day, every DAY!!!!’
So, can you imagine my consternation when I received an e-mail a few days later informing me about a Celebration of Life, the new speak for a funeral service, for Wentworth. I don’t know exactly what happened, but it seems like it was a sudden occurrence. As the priest who conducted the service reminisced; he’d spoken to him at church on the Sunday, then on the Monday he was no more! Yes friends, that’s how quickly, without any notice whatsoever, that we can depart this earthly life!
That’s why we should all pray like Moses did in Psalm 90: ‘So teach us to number our days, that we may apply our hearts unto wisdom (gain a heart of wisdom).’ (Ps. 90:12) That’s also why this quote attributed to Etienne de Grellet (1772-1855), a French-American Quaker Missionary ought to ring true in all our lives. It says: ‘I shall pass this way but once; any good that I can do or any kindness I can show to any human being; let me do it now. Let me not defer nor neglect it, for I shall not pass this way again. I shall pass through this world but once.’
And that’s the gospel truth my brethren! We only pass this way once, and we don’t know for how long either, so it’s best that we do the good that we’ve been created to do, as soon as possible, and as much as possible. Let’s stop procrastinating and making excuses, for we don’t know when our light will dim, or even go out unexpectedly on us. That’s why Bruh David could write in Psalm 39: ‘Lord, make me to know mine end, and the measure of my days, what it is; that I may know how frail I am. Behold, thou hast made up my days as an handbreadth; and mine age is as nothing before thee: verily every man at his best state is altogether vanity (vapour). Selah.’ (Ps. 39:4-5)
Yes my fellow believers; man’s life is certainly one of innate frailty; today you’re here, then gone tomorrow, like a breath of vapour. Therefore, it’s absolutely necessary to be on our p’s and q’s all the time. Like this quote from Wentworth’s missive always had at the bottom. ‘Watch Your Thoughts: They become words. Watch your words: They become actions. Watch your actions: They become habits. Watch your habits: They become character.’ And that’s more gospel truth my people! For everything begins in and with the mind and filters down to every other part of our lives.
As Cousin Sol puts it in Proverbs. ‘For as he thinketh in his heart, so is he: Eat and drink, saith he to thee; but his heart is not with thee.’ (Prov. 23:7) And what does all of that mean? This commentary explains it thus: This verse is interpreted as a warning about the importance of inner thoughts and motivations, as they are reflected in outward actions. It suggests that internal mental states shape external behaviors and ultimately determine who a person becomes.’
Consequently, ‘If someone believes they are capable, successful, and worthy, they are more likely to act in ways that align with those beliefs. Conversely, if someone is plagued by negative self-talk, doubt, and fear, their actions and outcomes will likely reflect that mindset, potentially limiting their potential and opportunities.’ That’s why we talk about the battlefield of the mind, for it’s right there that all the conflicting stuff, between good and evil begins, where the devil tries to infiltrate our defenses, and then, whatever wins that battle, filters down to our words, actions and character.
Now, we cannot stop thoughts from occurring in our minds, but we can certainly get rid of them if we don’t want or need them. It’s all a part of our spiritual warfare. It’s like Bruh Paul says in Romans: ‘For though we walk in the flesh, we do not war after (according to) the flesh: (For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal (fleshly), but mighty through God to the pulling down of strongholds;) Casting down imaginations (thoughts, false 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. 10:3;5)
And this commentary explains; ‘”Casting down imaginations” refers to the act of actively rejecting and subduing thoughts, ideas, or visions that are not in alignment with God’s truth or that are harmful. It’s a spiritual practice where individuals combat negative or false thoughts, refusing to allow them to take root and influence their thinking and actions. This involves recognizing thoughts that contradict the principles of faith, are based on fear or doubt, or are simply not beneficial. Once these thoughts are identified, they are actively rejected and not allowed to take root in the mind. This can be done through prayer, affirmations, or other spiritual practices. The goal is to replace the harmful or false thoughts with God’s truth and positive affirmations.’
And that’s a good place to end this Easter Tuesday as we mourn the loss of our dear, departed friend Wentworth Eccles. May your soul rest in peace with the Lord my brother. Now, for all of us left behind, who are trying to cast down those ‘imaginations’ and do the good we can, 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!’
That 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!
…we don’t know the number of our days…that’s why it’s ever so important…to make hay while the sun shines…
Hear our podcast at https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/randy-obrien
02 Mar 2025
by randyobrien50
in Christian Thoughts and Inspiration., Daily Devotion, Daily Inspiration, Inspirational Living, Spiritual Living
Tags: a peculiar people, according to the riches of his grace, after offering once and for all time, all blessings to impart, all glorious in the sky, all glory to his name, as a cloud, as a thick cloud, be acceptable in thy sight, believest thou this, Bible, blotted out, break forth into singing ye mountains, champion his cause, Christiaity, eternally to save, exalted there on high, exhort, expresses the confidence, faith, fellowship, for I have redeemed thee, from the depths of degradation, from the depths of our hearts, future generations, glorified himself in Israel, grants me daily breath, he lives, he lives to bring me safely there, he shall stand at the latter day upon the earth, he that believes in me, his own special people, his sinless life for our redemption, holy spirit, I am the resurrection and the life, I know that my Redeemer lives, I shall conquer death, in a spot of bother, in gratitude to Christ, in whom we have redemption, Jesus Christ, judge him favourably, let everything that hath breath praise the Lord, let no man despise thee, let the words of my mouth, looking for that blessed hope, LOVE, loves me to the end, mercy, my ever living head, my hungry soul to feed, my kind my wise my heavenly friend, my mansion to prepare, my Prophet Priest and King, my Saviour, O Lord my strength and my redeemer, on the cross of Calvary, Praise ye the Lord, prayer, purify unto himself, reading of God's word, rebuke with all authority, recorded for posterity, redeem us from all iniquity, restore your faith in God, salvation, salvation is God's greatest gift, Samuel Medley, shout, shout Hallelujah, sinful ingrates, Sing O ye heavens, still the same, sweet sacrifices of praise, the forgiveness of sins, the glorious appearing of the great God, the Lord hath done it, the Lord hath redeemed Jacob, the meditation of my heart, the shed blood of Christ, the sweet joy this sentence gives, these things speak, though he were dead yet shall he live, through his blood, thy sins return unto me, thy transgressions, to bless me with his love, to calm my troubled heart, to comfort me when faint, to grant me rich supply, to guide me with his eye, to hear my soul's complaint, to help in time of need, to plead for me above, to silence all my fears, to wipe away my tears, triumphant from the grave, truth, vindicate him, what comfort this sweet sentence gives, while he lives I'll sing, who once was dead, whosoever lives and believes in me shall never die, wisdom, worship, ye lower parts of the earth, zealous of good works
Job 19:25. For I know that my redeemer (kinsman) liveth, and that he shall stand at the latter (last) day upon the earth.
Come on down friends, it’s Sunday once again, that means despite the cold weather, (smile) it’s time to join in fellowship in the Lord’s sanctuary with other believers and renew and restore your faith and confidence in Almighty God, through worship, prayer and the reading of His Holy Word! And on tap for today’s worship session is an old 18th century hymn written by ex-army officer turned pastor, Samuel Medley (1738-1799). We know it as the old faithful ‘I know that My Redeemer Lives.’
And surely He does, for Jesus Christ after offering once and for all time, His sinless life as a sacrifice for our redemption is alive and kicking, sitting at the right hand of the throne of God waiting for His enemies to be made his footstool. (Heb. 12-13) So, in sweet sacrifices of praise, let’s offer up this champion song in gratitude to our Lord and Saviour, in a soulful but joyful mid-tempo version, revealing from the depths of our hearts, that we truly believe what we’re singing.
As one joyful and grateful voice: ‘I know that my Redeemer lives! What comfort this sweet sentence gives! He lives, he lives, who once was dead; he lives, my ever-living head! He lives triumphant from the grave; he lives eternally to save; he lives all-glorious in the sky; he lives exalted there on high. He lives to bless me with his love; he lives to plead for me above; he lives my hungry soul to feed; he lives to help in time of need.
He lives to grant me rich supply; he lives to guide me with his eye; he lives to comfort me when faint; he lives to hear my soul’s complaint. He lives to silence all my fears; he lives to wipe away my tears; he lives to calm my troubled heart; he lives all blessings to impart. He lives, my kind, wise, heav’nly friend; he lives and LOVES me to the end; he lives, and while he lives, I’ll sing; he lives, my Prophet, Priest, and King.
He lives and grants me daily breath; he lives, and I shall conquer death; he lives my mansion to prepare; he lives to bring me safely there. He lives, all glory to his name! He lives, my Savior, still the same. Oh, the sweet joy this sentence gives: I know that my Redeemer lives! He lives; all glory to his name! He lives, my Savior, still the same. Oh, the sweet joy this sentence gives: I know that my Redeemer lives!’
And if you don’t truly know and believe that friends, then I’d say you’re in a spot of bother, and ought to get it fixed right away, for all that the song says of Jesus is true, and the Bible proves it. And we can begin with this assured confirmation from the mouth of the patriarch Job. After the Lord had humiliated him, and his supposed friends were crying him down, he turned on them and proclaimed: ‘For I know that my redeemer (kinsman) liveth, and that he shall stand at the latter (last) day upon the earth.’ (Job 19:25)
Oh my people, let’s hope that we’re all as sure of those two facts as Job was…our Redeemer lives, and He will be standing beside us on the last day! I like how the scholars put it; ‘But from the depths of degradation he (Job) expresses the confidence that if his case could be recorded for posterity (vs. 23-24), future generations would judge him favourably. Furthermore, he knows confidently that he has a Redeemer. One who will champion his cause and vindicate him. Clearly Job viewed God Himself as the Redeemer.’
And it so happens that Job’s words were saved for posterity, and we do judge him favourably, and Jesus Christ has redeemed us all, through His shed blood on the cross of Calvary. And the word ‘redeemer’ has been used of God all through the Old Testament, for example in Psalm 19:14, a verse which we all know well. Bruh David writes: ‘Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart, be acceptable in thy sight, O Lord, my strength (rock), and my redeemer.’
Isaiah also talks about it when he reminds Israel on God’s behalf that although they were sinful and disobedient, God will not forget them. “I have blotted out, as a thick cloud, thy transgressions, and, as a cloud, thy sins return unto me; for I have redeemed thee. Sing, O ye heavens; for the Lord hath done it: shout, ye lower parts of the earth: break forth into singing, ye mountains, O forest, and every tree therein: for the Lord hath redeemed Jacob, and glorified himself in Israel.’ (Is. 44: 22-23)
Now that’s exactly what we should be doing; singing, breaking forth in true joy, or as Psalm 150 says; ‘Let everything that hath breath praise the Lord. Praise ye the Lord (shout Hallelujah)!’ (Ps. 150:6) That’s because the Lord our God has most definitely redeemed us through His Son Jesus Christ! And of a fact, Salvation is the greatest gift our God could ever have given us sinful ingrates!
And who can deny these poignant and powerful words on the subject of redemption that Jesus spoke to Martha, Lazarus’ sister before He raised Lazarus from the dead. ‘Jesus said unto her, I am the resurrection, and the life: he that believeth in me, though he were dead (may die), yet shall he live: and whosoever liveth and believeth in me shall never die. Believest thou this?’ (John 11:25-26)
Now friends, that’s a most important question we should all be asking ourselves, and if the answer is no, then get to changing it immediately! And Bruh Paul made it very clear to the Ephesians that their redemption in God, was brought about through Jesus Christ: ‘In whom we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of his grace.’ (Eph. 1:7)
And we could not end with better verses of scripture on the subject of redemption, than these three from the Epistle of Titus. ‘Looking for that blessed hope, and the glorious appearing of the great God and our Saviour Jesus Christ; Who gave himself for us, that he might redeem us from all iniquity, and purify unto himself a peculiar people (his own special people), zealous of good works. These things speak, and exhort, and rebuke with all authority. Let no man despise thee.’ (Titus: 2:13-15)
What more can I say friends, but exhort us to go and do as the apostle says, if we consider ourselves true believers. Much LOVE!
…Jesus became the Redeemer of mankind…because He was the ONLY One capable of doing it…
Hear our podcast at https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/randy-obrien
17 Jan 2025
by randyobrien50
in Christian Thoughts and Inspiration., Daily Devotion, Daily Inspiration, Inspirational Living, Spiritual Living
Tags: a fierce love, a means of restoring faith in you, a reflex action, a sincere change of heart, anxiety, asking for mercy, bared his soul, be responsible, Beelzebub, Bible, christianity, Christians, communicating with God, confusion, crying out for your help, debauched parties, departed into a solitary place and prayed, discontent, dissatisfaction, divine aid, end up in hellfire, escalating problems, even unto death, evil ways, face time with God, faith, fell on his face, Friday chant, God loves us with a fierce love, holy spirit, human activities, if it be possible, in the morning, insincere hearts, interference in our business, intimate time, Jesus Christ, Jesus went up into a mountain apart to pray, lazy, let this cup pass from me, licentious manner, listening to God, living God, loud voices, LOVE, mercy, mortals, my soul is exceeding sorrowful, natural disasters, not as I will but as thou wilt, omnipotent help, our lives don't run right, out of control, partying, pleasures, prayer, proud, rebellious behaviour, retribution, rising up a great while before day, salvation, Satan, simmering unrest, sinful behaviour, sinful rebellion, sinful ways, sinful world, Sodom and Gomorrah, spend time with God, stay safe, sweet and strong, talking to God, TGIF! Thank God it's Friday!, the Garden of Gethsemane, the God of Abraham Isaac and Jacob, the hand of God, the miracle of the five loaves and two fishes, the sinfulness of our world, the throne of grace, truth, unfortunate predicament, ungodly times, wait here, wake up and smell the coffee, watch with me, wisdom
Mark 1:35. And in the morning, rising up a great while before day, he went out, and departed into a solitary (deserted) place, and there prayed.
And finally it’s Friday! The weekend is upon us. Praise the Lord! And we send up our Friday Mantra; ‘Thank God it’s Friday!’ with loud voices, but insincere hearts. It’s now become simply a reflex action and no longer real heartfelt thanks for the end of the work week, for too many of us only look to the weekend as a means of partying, having a good ole worldly time and not giving thought to our Creator and Provider. But friends, that’s an unwise way to live, because our God desires His time with us. He’s not against partying per se, just the debauched and licentious manner in which we do it.
And above all, He expects us to have a reasonable amount of face time with Him. He knows that in the week we’re fairly busy and thus cannot always give Him the time He desires, but for sure on the weekend we can make whatever sacrifice might be necessary to spend more intimate time with Him. Yuh know, intimate, unhurried time with Him is all our God really desires of each of us. And when that happens on a regular basis, everything else takes care of itself.
And there’s no better example of that than our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. When He was here on earth in human form, although He was still God, He always made time to spend with the Father. Why? Because He knew that without the Father’s awesome help He could not properly manage the human activities necessary to carry out His ministry work. And there are several instances in the Bible where it shows that Jesus got away by Himself to go and spend intimate time with the Father. My favourite is this one from the gospel of Mark, where it says: ‘And in the morning, rising up a great while before day, he went out, and departed into a solitary (deserted) place, and there prayed.’ (Mark 1:35)
Wow! How many of us even consider getting up early, or even going to bed a little later so that we can spend time with our heavenly Father and Provider eh? Not enough of us! But if Jesus the Son of God, could get up early to talk to the Father and find out His instructions for that particular day, why can’t we mere, finite, mortals do the same eh? Because we’re too proud, lazy or whatever! But then when our lives don’t run right, we wonder what’s wrong. It’s simple friends; if we don’t have good and regular communion with the Creator of the universe, our lives will never run right.
And we can see that happening right now throughout our entire world, only strife, chaos and disaster everywhere! Why? Because we have turned away from One True and ONLY Living God and foolishly embraced the sinful ways and pleasures of Beelzebub and his evil cronies. Do we ever remember the story of the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah in Genesis 18 and 19, where the Lord announced to Abraham His intention to destroy those cities because of their overly sinful behaviour (Gen. 18:20) and then Abraham prayed that He wouldn’t destroy them if they contained any righteous people, including his nephew Lot who lived in Sodom. (Gen. 18:23-33)
But eventually the Lord’s will prevailed, and though Lot escaped, the cities were destroyed. Now that might be a very useful anecdote for us to remember since the sinfulness of our world is out of control, and who knows if all the natural disasters that are occurring all around the globe is not simply the Hand of God wreaking retribution for our sinful behaviour, like He did with Sodom and Gomorrah so long ago.
I believe it would do us a whole lot of good if we’d ponder on that possibility for a while and consider changing our evil ways and returning to the God of Abrahan, Isaac and Jacob, who LOVES us with a fierce LOVE, despite our rebellious behaviour, and does not want to see us end up in hellfire with Satan, so He’s prodding us, none too gently, because we don’t take kindly to interference in what we consider our own business. I like that sentence. It reminds me of some of Bruh Paul’s. (smile)
Ah friends, we’ve drifted away from our topic of intimate or prayer time with God, talking about how Jesus always found time to do so. And we have two other good examples of that. The first is when He fed the five thousand men with the five loaves of bread and two small fishes, and after collecting twelve baskets of left overs, sent the disciples over the lake in a ship, and the crowd away, then went up into a mountain to pray. (Mark 6:37-47)
And how can we ever forget the night before His crucifixion, when Jesus, went into the Garden of Gethsemane to pray. (Matt. 26:36-46) In great agony of spirit, He said to Peter, James and John. ‘My soul is exceeding sorrowful, even unto death: tarry ye here (wait here), and watch with me. Then he went a little farther, and fell on his face, and prayed, saying, O my Father, if it be possible, let this cup pass from me: nevertheless, not as I will, but as thou wilt.’ (Matt. 26:38-39)
Yes my fellow saints, Jesus bared His soul before the Father, and that’s exactly what many of us today also need to do, because we’re filled with all kinds of anxieties, fears, doubts and troubled minds and hearts, and the only way to relive that pressure is by going to God in prayer and asking for His divine help. And since now is as good a time as any to do so, let’s go to the throne of grace through our Friday Chant baring our souls, asking for mercy.
Altogether: ‘Oh Lord, thanks for getting me safely through this past week. You know it’s been rough… because our many serious problems are escalating instead of improving. And it’s obvious we can’t fix them on our own, so Lord, we’re desperately crying out for your help. Oh heavenly Father, with your omnipotent help, and our trusting faith, we know that we can stand strong and steadfast and defeat the simmering unrest in our land. We therefore ask you Lord to give our leaders the wise guidance to handle these unexpected storms properly. And please help the rest of us to be responsible and to stay safe amidst all the anxiety and confusion of these ungodly times.
We fervently pray too Lord that you’ll use the discontent and dissatisfaction in our land as a means of restoring faith in you. Return backsliders to your fold. Show them the error of their ways. And please introduce a new flock of believers, who will embrace your LOVE and compassion by the example, we, your faithful believers set. So that our sinful world can wake up and smell the coffee, wake up and smell it sweet and strong! We pray this in the name of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ! Amen!’
Now, let’s not forget that we’re in this unfortunate predicament because of our sinful rebellion towards God, and only a sincere change of heart and behaviour will bring divine aid. Much LOVE!
…what’s prayer…communicating with God…talking to Him…and listening to Him…
Hear our podcast at https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/randy-obrien
28 Dec 2024
by randyobrien50
in Christian Thoughts and Inspiration., Daily Devotion, Daily Inspiration, Inspirational Living, Spiritual Living
Tags: a double minded man is unstable in all his ways, a future and a hope, a great high priest, a proud heart, according to his riches in glory, acknowledge God's sovereignty, an aura of peace, an high look, as little faith as a mustard seed, ask in faith, ask of God, Bible, calamity, call upon me, chaos, Christ's birth, christianity, Christmas week, come boldly unto the throne of grace, comfort, deepen my breath, double minded, driven with the wind, extricated from, faith, find grace to help, gives to all men liberally, go and pray to me, God is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him, God will meet all your needs, God will work everything out for our own good, He gives liberally and without reproach, he that wavers, heightened sense of peace, hold fast our profession, holy spirit, humility, I know the thoughts I think toward you, I may know you all the more, I praise you for your unceasing nearness, I will hearken unto you, if any of you lack wisdom, in time of need, increase my awareness of you today, Jesus Christ, Lazy-Day Saturday Prayer, like a wave of the sea, Lord I want to be with you now, LOVE, man-made strife, mercy, natural disasters, New Year's celebrations, no respite, not doubting, nothing wavering, obtain mercy, on God's great earth, one of the most powerful forces, our godly responsibility, prayer, prayer can move mountains, praying for others, pride is an abomination to God, puts the icing on the cake, quiet my soul, relax, relax my muscles, salvation, sincere and heartfelt prayer, slow my thoughts, sympathize with our weaknesses, take a moment to remember, thank you for this tenderness, the amazing power of prayer, the joyful time, the plowing of the wicked is sin, thoughts of peace and not of evil, to give you an expected end, touched wit the feeling of our infirmities, truth, untenable situations, when ye search for me, wind down, wisdom, wishy-washy, with all your heart, without faith it is impossible to please God, without reproach, ye shall seek me and find me, you can't be contained, your love surrounds and fills me, your peace and love are present
Jeremiah 29:13. And ye shall seek me, and find me, when ye search for me with all your heart.
So, at long last, through all the carryings ons of Christmas week, we’ve finally come to our lazy-day Saturday, where we can take a break, relax and catch our breath, wind down, until it’s time to wind back up for the New Year’s celebrations next week. Wow! What a crazy time the Christmas and New Year seasons are, with little or no respite from the joyful celebrations.
But please, let’s take a moment to remember that a great portion of our world is either surrounded by man-made strife and chaos, or they have recently been inflicted by natural disaster, so they are in no position to engage in the celebrations that we take for granted. It’s so sad, when so much of the earth’s population are not able to enjoy the joyful time that Christ’s birth brings.
And it’s unfortunate that most of us cannot do more than pray for them to be soon extricated from their untenable situations. But let’s not forget that prayer is one of the most powerful forces on God’s great earth, and therefore can move mountains if we truly believe, have even as little faith as a mustard seed. That means we cannot stop praying for those who are not as fortunate as us. It’s our godly responsibility.
Now, let’s offer up our Lazy-Day Saturday Prayer in all sincerity and truth. As one 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 friends, it never ceases to amaze me how quickly after saying that prayer, something like a veil… or aura of peace comes down and settles in my soul. Not that I didn’t have peace before, but now it’s somewhat heightened, and my soul and spirit seem much lighter than before. And if your prayer was sincere, then I know that you also feel that heightened sense of peace and comfort.
Why? Because that’s the amazing power of sincere and heartfelt prayer! It just speaks to the great communication we can have with our wonderful God Jehovah, if we are obedient to His will and regularly seek His face. What did He say to the people of Israel through the prophet Jeremiah, when they were in captivity in Babylon?
After promising to return them to Jerusalem seventy years later, Jeremiah announced: ‘For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, saith the Lord, thoughts of peace, and not of evil (calamity), to give you an expected end (a future and a hope). Then shall ye call upon me, and ye shall go and pray unto me, and I will hearken unto (listen to) you. And ye shall seek me, and find me, when ye search for me with all your heart.’ (Jer. 29:11-13)
Oh my people, right there is one of the most provocative and thought provoking promises of the Bible! If we seek the Lord with all of our heart, we will certainly find Him! It could not be any simpler than that. So why are so many of us still wishy-washy, uncertain, vague, unsure in seeking God eh? That’s obviously not in our best interest, because God doesn’t like double- minded or doubtful people.
As James tells us in his epistle: ‘If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God, that giveth to all men liberally, and upbraideth not (without reproach); and it shall be given him. But let him ask in faith, nothing wavering (not doubting). For he that wavereth (doubts) is like a wave of the sea driven with the wind and tossed. For let not that man think that he shall receive any thing of the Lord. A double minded man is unstable in all his ways.’ (James 1:5-8)
Yes my brethren, when we become the sons and daughters of God, we ought not to have too many doubts about Him, or our circumstances, for He’s promised to meet all of our needs to according to His riches in glory through Christ Jesus. (Phil. 4:19) And also that He will work everything out for our good eventually. (Rom. 8:28) That means acknowledging and believing His faithfulness in His promises.
What does Hebrews tell us on the subject of faith? ‘But without faith it is impossible to please him (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) There again we have the premise of diligently seeking God. And I believe Hebrews also puts the icing on the cake of doubt, wisdom, believe and faith with these marvellous words, regarding our great High Priest, Jesus.
‘Seeing then that we have a great high priest, that is passed into (through) the heavens, Jesus, the Son of God, let us hold fast our profession (confession). For we have not an high priest which cannot be touched (sympathize) with the feeling of our infirmities (our weaknesses); but was in all points tempted like as we are, yet without sin. Let us therefore come boldly (confidently) unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in the time of need.’ (Heb. 4:14-16)
Oh my fellow saints, nothing can be better than that! We have an high priest, an advocate, one seeking our best interests before the throne of God, and the best part is that He understands and appreciates our weaknesses and frailties because He too was buffeted by sin while on earth, but He remained sinless. And there’s no one better to go to for help than one who’s already experienced your misfortune and thus can personally understand what you’re going through.
However, before we close, there’s one proviso to all of our conversation, that is, though we can go boldly or confidently to the throne of grace, we cannot go arrogantly or haughtily, for if there’s anything the Lord dislikes it’s pride. As Cousin Sol says so rightly in Proverbs, a proud look is an abomination to Him. (Prov. 6:16-17) And furthermore: ‘An high look, and a proud heart, and the plowing (lamp) of the wicked, is sin.’ (Prov. 21:4)
So in all our doings with the Lord, we must ensure that our humility is in place, and we respect His sovereignty. Now that doesn’t mean we have to cower and be afraid. No, it just means that we must know our place. (smile) And we if we do, while seeking Him diligently and confidently, then our lives will be filled with the abundance that Christ died for us to have! Much LOVE!
…if you truly desire to have God in your life…then you need to…diligently search for Him…with all of your heart…
Hear our podcast at https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/randy-obrien
07 Dec 2024
by randyobrien50
in Christian Thoughts and Inspiration., Daily Devotion, Daily Inspiration, Inspirational Living, Spiritual Living
Tags: adore you, asking nothing of yoy, await all things from you, be not as the hypocrites are, Bible, christianity, commune with the Father, contented in the Lord, deep inside your soul, deepen my breath, departed into a solitary place and prayed, distractions, divine aura, enter into thy closet, frail creations, holy spirit, I praise you for your unceasing nearness, I want to be with you now, if you don't use it you'll lose it, in the depths of our being, in the morning, increase my awareness of you, Jesus Christ, Lazy-Day Saturday Prayer, LOVE, mercy, not fixed on ourselves, on street corners, our prayer may tend to your glory, peaceul frame of mind, pray always, pray to thy Father in secret, pray without ceasing, prayer, prayer gets us in contact with God, prayer keeps us connected to God, praying in the synagogues, quiet my soul, relax my muscles, release the tensions, salvation, shutting out this evil world, sincerity, slow my thoughts, spending quiet time with God, teach our souls to remain silent, Teach us O God, thank you or this tenderness, that deep and simple prayer, that I may know you all the more, that silent language that says all things, that they may be seen of men, the accomplishment of your will, the Christian's lifeline to God, the everyday world, the invigorating light of the rising sun, the presence of God, the true state of our prayer lives, through prayer and quiet time, thy Father shall reward thee openly, truth, which says nothing and experiences everything, which specifies nothing and includes everything, wholly directed to you, wisdom, you can't be contained, your love both surrounds and fills me, your peace and love are present
Mark 1:35. And in the morning, rising up a great while before day, he (Jesus) went out, and departed into a solitary (deserted) place, and there prayed.
And then it was our favourite day; lazy-day Saturday, where we can generally do whatever we please, whenever we please. Now isn’t that a good feeling? It surely is, especially when outside looks dark and gloomy with snow on the ground, and more promised this afternoon. We’ve entered that time of year, when you don’t leave home unless you must! And that suits me just fine. (smile)
I’m sorry for those who have to trudge around in the sludgy, dirty white stuff shopping for presents and other Christmas needs or wants. Thankfully, I’ve outgrown that kind of activity. Now, the only present I give is money, you go and do what you want with it. No more of this running around trying to figure out what to buy for whom, and then they either don’t like it, or it doesn’t fit, or some such negative occurrence.
Anyway, enough of the Christmas foolishness, let’s turn to more serious matters, like offering up our Lazy-Day Saturday Prayer. As one voice, in all sincerity and truth: ‘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!’
Now that ought to put us in a very peaceful and contented frame of mind. Of course! For, getting intimate with the Father, or going deeper in His presence is certainly uplifting and soul cleansing. And surprisingly, this past week I’ve read and listened to a number of things that emphasized the great importance of going deeper into the presence of God, getting to know Him more intimately, because that’s what true Christianity is about; a deeper and more intimate relationship with our Maker and Saviour.
And the best way to do that is through prayer and quiet time with Him. Unfortunately though, not many of us realize how important time spent with God is, just sitting quietly in His presence, and letting Him flow over and into us. It’s like that Prayer of the Ages, we said a few days ago, which was attributed to Evelyn Underhill (1875-1941).
So please pray it with me again: ‘Teach us, O God, that silent language which says all things. Teach our souls to remain silent in Your presence; that we may adore You in the depths of our being, and await all things from You, while asking of You nothing but the accomplishment of Your will. Teach us to remain quiet under Your action and produce in our souls that deep and simple prayer which says nothing and experiences everything, which specifies nothing and includes everything. Do pray in us, that our prayer may even tend to Your glory, and our desires and intentions may not be fixed on ourselves, but wholly directed to You.’
Yes my people, there’s nothing like being in the Lord’s presence and just experiencing His majesty and the divine aura that emanates from Him. It’s like sitting quietly with a treasured friend, looking at the glorious colours of the setting sun above the horizon, or being awakened by the brash, sparkling and invigorating light of the rising sun! It all gets to a place deep inside your soul. That’s how spending quiet time with God ought to affect us. And it’s obvious we cannot accomplish this in a room full of people or with the many raucous noises of today’s world intruding into that special time.
It’s like Jesus advised us: ‘And when thou prayest, thou shalt not be as the hypocrites (pretenders) are: for they love to pray standing in the synagogues and in the corners of the streets, that they may be seen of men. Verily I say unto you, They have their reward. But thou, when thou prayest, enter into thy closet (inner room), and when thou hast shut thy door, pray to thy Father which is in secret; and thy Father which seeth in secret shall reward thee openly.’ (Matt. 6:5-6)
Oh friends, prayer can really be made anywhere at any time, although as Jesus said not simply to be seen by men and thought of as being so holy and righteous. But getting deep into the presence of God can only be accomplished in a quiet space, with little or no distractions. And technically speaking, if we are serious about our spiritual growth, we all ought to have a quiet space where we can meet with the Father in prayer and worship, thus shutting out the evil world. And furthermore, as a believer in Christ Jesus, prayer is one of, if not the most important aspect of our faith, for it’s in prayer that we are renewed and refreshed, and release the tensions of the everyday world.
And you cannot find a better example of a rich prayer life than that of Jesus. Although He was God Himself, nonetheless, as a man, He recognized the importance of staying in close touch with His heavenly Father and made time to do so. There are several instances throughout the gospels where it says He went away by himself to pray. But this one from the gospel of Mark, shows how truly dedicated to prayer Jesus was. ‘And in the morning, rising up a great while before day, he (Jesus) went out, and departed into a solitary (deserted) place, and there prayed.’ (Mark 1:35)
Yuh see that friends, even before day break, Jesus got up and went to a quiet place to commune with the Father, to get guidance and directions for the day ahead. Now, if the Son of God could need prayer so badly, who are we, his mere finite and frail creations not to need it eh? Oh my fellow saints, prayer is the Christian’s lifeline to God, and if we don’t use it, then we’ll eventually lose it. So please, this lazy-day Saturday is as good a time as any to go into our closets and ponder with God, the true state of our prayer lives. Much LOVE!
…pray always…pray without ceasing…for prayer gets us in contact with God…and also keeps us connected to Him…
Hear our podcast at https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/randy-obrien
07 Nov 2024
by randyobrien50
in Christian Thoughts and Inspiration., Daily Devotion, Daily Inspiration, Inspirational Living, Spiritual Living
Tags: a compassionate heart, a disatrous and disgraceful state, a great family, a positive outlook on life., anything praiseworthy, ashamed of my own reluctance, be with you, Bible, cannot please God, christianity, clear direction for my life, coldness, curse, destruction, died to our sins, don't desire God, duty bound, end in chaos, faith, favour, for all eternity, for the benefit of others, get thee behind me Satan, give me grace, god, good freinds, good health, holy spirit, honest, if ye then be risen with Christ, Jesus Christ, John Henry Newman, just, LOVE, lovely, lustful appetites, make me desire you, mercy, mind the things of the flesh, moral and spiritual direction of God, negative word, noble, not on things of the earth, on the right hand of God, our world is in such shambles, prayer, Prayers through the Ages, prideful things of the earth, prosper, pure, rouse me from sloth, sacred reading, salvation, seek those things which are above, set your affection on things above, shambles, snare, spend eternity in heaven, succeed, success, supernatural strength, supernatural wisdom, teach me, temptations, the God of peace, the Spirit of God dwell in you, the things of heaven, the things of the Spirit, they that after the flesh, they that are after the Spirit, think on these things, thou savourest not the things of God, to love meditation, trap, truth, whatsoever things are true, whcih must engage my mind, where Christ sits, wisdom, with my whole heart, you are dead, your life is hid with Christ in god
Colossians 3:1. If ye then be risen with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ sitteth on the right hand of God.
And then it was Thursday; sunny and bright, but windy and somewhat chilly, with the warm weather of the last few days disappearing, the same way it surprisingly occurred. (smile) And today we want to share an interesting and most appropriate prayer from the pamphlet of Prayers Through the Ages, recently put out by the Anglican Diocese of Toronto, that we sampled last week. This prayer is credited to one John Henry Newman, 1801-1890.
So please pray with me: ‘Give me grace, O my Father, to be utterly ashamed of my own reluctance. Rouse me from sloth and coldness, and make me desire you with my whole heart. Teach me to LOVE meditation, sacred reading, and prayer. Teach me to LOVE that which must engage my mind for all eternity. Amen.’
Now my brethren, wouldn’t you say that many of us surely need the stuff that Mr. Newman was asking for way back when? We surely do! Talk about sloth and coldness…we supposed believers exhibit that behaviour oftentimes more than the unbelievers! And it’s obvious that we don’t desire God with our whole hearts. In fact too many of us don’t desire Him at all. Otherwise our world would not be in such a disastrous and disgraceful state.
And talking of meditation, sacred reading and prayer…Wow! Too many of us don’t even know what they are, much less to practice them continuously and fervently! Again, that’s one of the reasons why our world is sin such shambles; not enough sincere time spent in God’s word, neither enough communication with Him through prayer.
For as we spoke yesterday, a society that doesn’t have the moral and spiritual direction of Almighty God will surely end in chaos and destruction before too long, for it’s the moral and spiritual fibre of a society that keeps it working in harmony and longevity. And it’s obvious that too many of us don’t keep our minds on the things that ought to ‘engage our minds for all eternity,’ that’s keep our thoughts on things above instead of on the lustful and prideful things of the earth.
Bruh Paul wrote it thus to the Colossians: ‘If ye then be risen with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ sitteth on the right hand of God. Set your affection (mind) on things above, not on things on the earth. For ye are dead, and your life is hid with Christ in God.’ (Col. 3:1-3) Yes friends, if we died to our sins with Christ, then we can’t continue to live for the things of the earth.
And to the Philippians Bruh Paul gave some practical examples of what those things ought to be. ‘He writes: ‘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 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)
So there we have some of the better things to think on while we live with and for Christ here on this fallen earth. And isn’t the conversation between Peter and Jesus interesting, after He told the disciples that He must go to Jerusalem, suffer many things at the hands of the scribes and Pharisees, be killed, then be raised on the third day. (Matt. 16:21)
The Bible tells us: ‘Then Peter took him (aside), and began to rebuke him, saying, Be it far from thee, Lord (God be merciful to you): this shall not be unto thee. But he turned and said unto Peter, Get thee behind me, Satan: thou art an offence unto me: for thou savourest not (are not mindful of) the things that be of God, but those that be of men.’ (Matt. 16:22-23)
And the scholars offer these explanations on those verses. As per His remark about ‘Satan: The Lord recognized in Peter’s words a repetition of the temptations to avoid the cross that He had undergone in the wilderness. The word translated offence means a “trap” or “snare.” Savourest means “You don’t look at things from God’s point of view, but from man’s.” It occurs in Romans 8:5 and Philippians 2:5, meaning to adopt and maintain an attitude of mind upon which one’s life and actions are based.’
And too many of us are certainly guilty of looking at the things of men rather than those of God. As Bruh Paul said to the church at Rome: ‘For they that are after the flesh do mind (set their minds on) the things of the flesh; but they that are after the Spirit, the things of the Spirit. 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. But ye are not in the flesh, but in the Spirit, if so be that the Spirit of God dwell in you. Now if any man have not the Spirit of Christ, he is none of his.’ (Rom. 8:5-9)
That says it loud and clear my fellow believers; we can’t be both of the flesh and the Spirit at the same time, riding the fence, like so many of us try to do. It’s either one or the other. And we do have so many things that enable us to think of the things of God, if we use them. For instance these undeserved blessings that we call our Thursday Blessings, which the Lord has generously bestowed on us to do His earthly work. So let’s declare them right now, so that they can be activated in us.
Altogether: ‘I declare that I am blessed with God’s supernatural wisdom and receive clear direction for my life! I declare today that I am blessed with creativity, courage, talent and abundance! I am blessed with a strong will, self-control and self-discipline! I am blessed with a great family, good friends, good health, faith, favour and fulfillment!
I am blessed with success, supernatural strength, promotion and divine protection! I am blessed with a compassionate heart and a positive outlook on life! I declare that any curse or negative word that’s ever been spoken over me is broken right now in the name of Jesus! I declare that everything I put my hands to, will prosper and succeed! I declare it today and every day! Amen!’
And having activated those blessings, we’re now duty bound to go out and use for the benefit of others, just as generously as the Lord shared them with us! Much LOVE!
…if we intend to spend eternity in heaven…then we ought to keep our minds on the things of heaven…
Hear our podcast at https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/randy-obrien
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