10 Jun 2015
by randyobrien50
in Christian Thoughts and Inspiration., Daily Devotion, Daily Inspiration, Inspirational Living, Spiritual Living
Tags: a future and a hope, adversity, attitude of prayer, be careful for nothing, benefits of following Jesus, blessed Trinity, blessings, christ jesus, Controller of the universe, earthly pilgrimage, evildoers, fellowship with God, fretting, give God all the glory, giving thanks, glorious future with Jesus, glory hallelujah, God in three persons, God is sovereign, godly advice, grateful, holy holy holy, in every thing give thanks, in everything by prayer and supplication, last days, let your requests be made known unto God, line of communication, lord god almighty, LOVE, make a joyful noise, merciful, mighty, our best interests at heart, our song shall rise to thee, peace, pray without ceasing, praying, promises, rejoice evermore, rejoicing, sinful nature, sing unto the Lord, stop worrying, thanksgiving, the Creator of the universe, the face of adversity, the good and bad times, the heathen, the Holy Spirit, the Lord is a great God, the rock of our salvation, the unbeliever, the voice of thanksgiving, the will of God, Thessalonians, thoughts of peace, to give you an expected end, wash mine hands in innocence, Wednesday Wail, wisdom, wondrous works
Philippians 4:6. Be careful (anxious) for nothing; but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God.
Oh Friends, please sing the Wednesday Wail with me to open today’s proceedings! (smile) I’m still not sure if it’s going to be a permanent part of our routine, but for now, let’s sing it for all we’re worth and start our day off on the right foot – with prayer.
In sweet harmony now, let’s sing: ‘Wednesday, Wednesday, Wednesday: I’m so glad to be alive on this Wednesday! Wednesday, Wednesday, Wednesday: Thank God the breath of live is still flowing through me on this Wednesday!
I am halfway home. My hands are fixed securely on the plough, and I’m not turning back. I’m not looking back at the past, not focusing on what has gone before. But my eyes are fixed straight ahead; straight ahead to a glorious future with Jesus. Glory Hallelujah!’
And what a glorious future that promises to be my brethren, for remember what the Lord promises in Jeremiah: ‘For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, saith the Lord, thoughts of peace, and not of evil (calamity), to give you an expected end (a future and a hope).’ (Jer.29:11)
What a marvelous promise that is my people! Our God only has good thoughts towards us, and a wonderful future in store for those who LOVE Him and sincerely keep His commandments and do His will. So please, let’s stop worrying and fretting about the things of life which we can’t control, and just surrender them all to Jesus, who has our best interests at heart, and is in control of ALL THINGS. Glory to God!
Now Friends, let’s turn to our Bit, which is another piece of encouraging and comforting scripture. ‘Be careful (anxious) for nothing; but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God.’
Ah mih people, excellent words of godly advice and wisdom that! And it follows logically that if God is sovereign, supreme and in control, then who better for us to turn to, in whatever state we might be in, be it good, bad or indifferent? NOBODY my brethren!
The Creator of the universe and all therein wants us to come to Him with every problem, every woe, and also when things are right, just to fellowship with Him in peace and LOVE!
So just like we spend time with our earthly fathers, both in the good and bad times, likewise we ought to make it a habit to turn to our heavenly Father regardless of what’s happening in our lives. That’s a line of communication we must keep open at all times, if we are to truly enjoy the blessings and benefits of being a true believer.
But enough of me, (smile) let’s hear some scripture which validates our Bit. Listen to Bruh David from Psalm 26, where he invites the Lord to examine and prove him.
‘I have hated the congregation of evildoers; and will not sit with the wicked. I will wash mine hands in innocency (innocence): so will I compass (go about) thine altar, O Lord: That I may publish (proclaim) with the voice of thanksgiving, and tell of all thy wondrous works.’ (Ps.26:5-7)
Yes Friends, in these difficult and trying last days, we also need to get our lives together and proclaim the wondrous works that God has done in our lives. For how will the heathen, the unbeliever hear about them otherwise eh? It’s all up to us and the Holy Spirit working together in tandem.
Now hear Bruh Paul’s simple but powerful advice to the Thessalonians. ‘Rejoice evermore. Pray without ceasing. In every thing give thanks: for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you.’ (1 Thess.5:16-18)
What wonderful words of wisdom my people! Hn! What could be better than rejoicing, praying and giving thanks on a constant basis eh? NOTHING at all folks!
And the scholars give us this explanation. ‘5:18. In every event or circumstance (thing) the Christian is to give thanks to God for the good He can bring out of the event, even should the event be unpleasant. The constant attitude of prayer, mentioned in verse 17, will help the believer to maintain gratitude in the face of adversity.’
And that my brethren, giving thanks even in the face of adversity, though such an important part of our belief system, is much easier said than done. It’s no problem to be grateful when times are good, but being thankful when they are rough, goes against the very grain of our sinful nature.
But it is something that’s required of us, and like most other things in life, we can only get perfect at it by consciously practicing it. So let’s make a conscious choice to practice it nuh, until it becomes and automatic habit.
And then the psalmist, in Psalm 95 – A psalm of praise to the great God, joyfully proclaims: ‘O come, let us sing unto the Lord: let us make a joyful noise (shout joyfully) to the rock of our salvation. Let us come before his presence with thanksgiving, and make a joyful noise (shout joyfully) unto him with psalms (songs). For the Lord is a great God, and a great King above all Gods.’ (Ps.95:1-3)
Oh Friends, there’s no disputing those last statements, therefore it behooves us to approach our heavenly Father with the reverence and thanksgiving that He so rightfully deserves. And if you think all of that is a bit much, then please check out what is happening around God’s throne in heaven, as John the Revelator describes it.
‘And the four beasts had each of them six wings about him; and they were full of eyes within: and they rest (cease) not day and night, saying, Holy, holy, holy, Lord God Almighty, which was, and is, and is to come. And when those beasts (living creatures) give glory and honour and thanks to him that sat on the throne, who liveth for ever and ever,
The four and twenty elders fall down before him that sat on the throne, and worship him that liveth for ever and ever, and cast their crowns before the throne, saying, Thou art worthy, O Lord, to receive glory and honour and power: for thou hast created all things, and for thy pleasure they are and were created (by your will they exist.)’ (Rev.4:8-11)
Oh mih people, can you imagine the celebration, the praise and thanksgiving that’s constantly going on in heaven! Mama Mia! Our earthly pilgrimage ought also to reflect that constant joy and praise for the Creator and Controller of the universe and all therein.
So please, let’s get serious about giving God ALL the glory for ALL that we do nuh, for that is certainly the wisdom of both heaven and earth! Much LOVE!
…Holy, holy, holy…Lord God Almighty…early in the morning…our song shall rise to thee…Holy, holy, holy…merciful and mighty…God in three persons…blessed Trinity…
21 May 2015
by randyobrien50
in Christian Thoughts and Inspiration., Daily Devotion, Daily Inspiration, Inspirational Living, Spiritual Living
Tags: a better tomorrow, a man of understanding, almighty god, an attitude of prayer, Anselm, at noon, awesome truth, be vigilant in prayer, Bruh David, Bruh Paul, calamity, called by Christ's name, change of behaviour, children of Almighty God, Christian faith, come to terms with, common sense, crucifixion, cry aloud, dare to believe, dare to comfort, dare to dream, dare to hope, decisive, devotion, divine aid, eliminate God, evening, faith, filled with anger, filled with despair, filled with distrust, filled with hate, forgive their sin, friends, glory to God, groanings, he shall hear my voice, He will never leave nor forsake us, heal their land, Higher Power, humble themselves, I will call upon god, I will hear from heaven, I will look up, indecisive, indispensable, infirmities, Jesus, Jesus Christ, keeps us on an even keel, lasting improvement, lifting up holy hands, lose heart, made it a habit to pray, man's survival, men ought always to pray, morning, my people which are called by my name, not faint, perseverance, positive, pray, pray everywhere, pray without ceasing, prayer, praying, praying always, presence of sin, promises of Jesus, return to God's fold, seek my face, spiritual armour, spiritual combat, supplication, tempted to give up, the Comforter, the evil one, the Garden of Gethsemane, the greatest force in this world, the Holy One of Israel, the Holy Spirit, the Lord's prayer, the Son of God, the Spirit makes intercession, thou shalt hear my voice in the morning, trust, turn away from their wicked ways, unfaltering faith, when it's not one thing it's another, will I pray, wisdom, wish-washy, without wrath and doubting
2 Chronicles 7:14. If my people, which are called by my name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek my face, and turn away from their wicked ways; then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land.
Well Friends, a good Thursday morning to you! And it does look bright and sunny outside, but it is still a little chilly, chillier than usual at this time of year. The weather certainly doesn’t seem to know what it wants to do. We’ll have some bright and warm days, then some bright, chilly and windy ones.
But thankfully as children of Almighty God and believers in Jesus Christ we don’t have to be so indecisive, for our faith keeps us on an even keel. Glory to God!
That doesn’t mean that some of us still aren’t wishy-washy and indecisive, too many too, but overall we are generally a decisive group. And we should be, since Jesus our Leader is a positive and decisive person.
Now here is an interesting message from my friend Anselm, who aspires to inspire us for a better tomorrow. (smile) He says: ‘In a world filled with hate, we must still dare to hope. In a world filled with anger, we must still dare to comfort. In a world filled with despair, we must still dare to dream. And in a world filled with distrust, we must still dare to believe.’
And isn’t all of that awesome truth Friends? It sure is! Our world’s a mess, but that doesn’t mean we have to give up on it or ourselves, for we have the certain sure promises of Jesus that He will never leave nor forsake us, and in any matter we bring before Him He will hear and help us. And that’s the basics of our Christian faith; a Higher Power to place our undivided trust in.
But as we’ve been talking about in our Bit, the last couple decades or so, we’ve been come up much too short in our trust and devotion to Almighty God, and we desperately need a change of behaviour to make matters right with Him. That means a change in the way our hearts, minds and souls operate.
We seriously need to come to terms with the advice of our Bit. ‘If my people, which are called by my name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek my face, and turn away from their wicked ways; then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land.’
Ah mih people, it’s about time we sincerely and seriously begin to put that heavenly wisdom into our individual lives and our society in general, instead of unwisely and foolishly trying to eliminate Jehovah God from both places.
We can see from the disastrous state of our world that removing God from our world doesn’t work; it’s a certain platform for calamity.
So please, let’s refrain from following the evil one, his many minions, and their evil ways, and being a group of people called by Christ’s name, humble ourselves, pray, seek His face, and turn away from our wicked ways, so that He can hear from heaven, forgive our sins, and heal our land, which so badly needs healing.
That is the only way our world, and subsequently our individual lives will really have lasting improvement.
And we’ll continue looking at scriptures that highlight the things we need to do to successfully return to God’s fold. Today’s word is simply ‘PRAY.’ But Friends, though it sounds simple, ‘pray, prayer and praying’ however you term it, is the greatest force in this world! It’s found as being essential to man’s survival throughout the entire Bible.
And prayer and praying are so important in the Christian’s life that Jesus once told a parable ‘to this end, that men ought always to pray, and not faint (lose heart).’ (Luke 18:1) So when we’re tempted to give up, that’s when we most need to be strong and pray.
Earlier on too, the disciples asked Jesus to teach them to pray, and He taught them what is now universally known as ‘The Lord’s Prayer.’ Then in John, we see Jesus offering to pray to the Father for the disciples, for the Holy Spirit, the Comforter to dwell within them forever. (Jon 14:16)
And even more importantly my brethren, Jesus made it a habit to pray Himself to His heavenly Father, rising up early and going out to a quiet place to pray. (Mark 1:35) We also see Him praying diligently in the Garden of Gethsemane the night before His crucifixion. (Matt.26:36-46)
So Friends, if Jesus, the Son of God, found it necessary to pray to the Holy One of Israel, how and why, shouldn’t we mere mortals do the same eh?
Then you have great men of faith like Bruh David solemnly declaring: ‘My voice shalt thou hear in the morning, O Lord; in the morning will I direct my prayer unto thee, and will look up.’ (Ps.5:3)
And also in Psalm 55 – a cry against deceitful friends – he steadfastly proclaims: ‘As for me, I will call upon God; and the Lord shall save me. Evening, and morning, and at noon, will I pray, and cry aloud: and he shall hear my voice.’ (Ps.55:16-17) What unfaltering faith my people!
Then Bruh Paul tells the Romans. ‘Likewise the Spirit also helpeth our infirmities (weaknesses): for we know not what we should pray for as we ought: but the Spirit itself maketh intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered.’ (Rom.8:26)
The scholars explain that thus: ‘8:26. Our infirmities may refer to the presence of sin (cf. 7:14). Groanings: The Spirit also groans along with creation and the believer. The reference is to the Spirit’s interpretation of the believer’s uttermost feelings which cannot be put into words.’
Then to the Ephesians, Bruh Paul says: ‘Praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, and watching thereunto with all perseverance and supplication for all saints.’ (Eph.6:18) This is all linked to the putting on of God’s protective spiritual armour. (vs.10-17)
And as the scholar’s say: ‘6:18. Without prayer, God’s armour is inadequate to achieve victory. Prayer is indispensable. Always means ‘on every occasion,” that is, when Satan attacks. In the Spirit signifies that with the Spirit’s help such prayer for divine aid is to be made.
Watching thereunto means “being vigilant in this very matter” of prayer. They are to pray not just for themselves, but also for all saints; spiritual combat is both an individual and corporate matter.’
And to Timothy, Bruh Paul declares: ‘I will therefore that men pray everywhere, lifting up holy hands, without wrath and doubting.’ (1 Tim.2:8) Yes Friends, men are to pray everywhere, regardless of where they are, with a pure life, no anger and disputes.
And finally, to the Thessalonians, Bruh Paul simply advises: ‘Pray without ceasing.’ (1 Thess.5:17) Yes my people, we ought to always have an attitude of prayer, even though we’re not praying audibly.’
And that Friends, is wisdom, common sense and understanding at their highest levels. Please, let’s try and attain to those levels nuh, for it will do us the world of good. Much LOVE!
…prayer is the life force which keeps this world still humming along…though it’s in such a sad state…
P.S. Friends, it’s long and late, but that’s just the way it worked out. Then just as I was about to send it, my trusty computer froze on me, so I had to reboot it. And now the technician is here to fix my alarm system which the phone company screwed up! Ah Lord, when is not one thing is certainly another. But it’s all good in the end. (smile) Much LOVE!
08 May 2014
by randyobrien50
in Christian Thoughts and Inspiration., Daily Devotion, Daily Inspiration, Inspirational Living, Spiritual Living
Tags: a bounce of pride and joy, afraid, agape, alive and kicking, anger, anointed Jesus, bitterness, bounden duty, charity, Christians, compassion, Controller, Creator, depressed, do good to all mankind, doing good, done on a regular basis, down in the dumps, e-mail, earthly pilgrimage, egotism, empathy, empowered by the Holy Spirit, encouraging, encouraging words, envy, evil world, exude warmth, faith, fat, friends, gladness, God anointed Jesus with the Holy spirit, God was with him, greed, hate, heavenly Father, holding a door open, hope, hypocritical, I am with you always, insignificant things, into all truth and righteousness, jealousy, Jesus christ of Nazareth, Jesus went about doing good, Jesus' desires, Jesus- the sole director of our lives, joy, lazy, lead and guide, Lexicon of Love, living a decent life, loney, LOVE, LOVE Revolution, loving kindness, make Jesus proud, mercy, negative endeavours, one one cocoa fulls basket, opportunities, opportunities for good deeds, oppressed of the devil, Pharisees, pnoe call, power of the Spirit of Jesus, praise, praise our wonderful God, praying, pride, proselytize the whole world, provider, raison d'etre, rear ends, refuse to embrace them, relevant bit of scripture, resentment, righteousness., rocket science, saying good morning, set our minds to the task, shame-faced, sick, sinful, sinful fools, smiling with a stranger, special joy, sphere of influence, spring to our step, stare us in stright in the face, text, thanks, the golden rule, the Great Commission, the greatest of these is love, the Holy Ghost, the Holy Spirit, this is the day the Lord has made, Thursday, treat others the way you want to be treated, truth, understanding, uplifting movement in our lives, we will rejoice and be glad in it, wisdom, worldwide change
Acts 10:38. How God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Ghost and with power: who went about doing good, and healing all that were oppressed of the devil; for God was with him.
Oh Friends, oh Friends, it’s Thursday, it’s Thursday, the day before Friday, the day before the weekend! And we are definitely alive and kicking! So let’s praise our wonderful God and enjoy it nuh!
And all God’s children loudly and boldly proclaimed: ‘This is the day the Lord, our magnificent and magnanimous God has made! We WILL, we SHALL, we ARE going to be exceedingly glad and enjoy it!’
Wow mih breddren, Wow! What a way to begin our day – with joy, gladness, thanks and praise to our heavenly Father, our Creator, Controller and Provider!
And all God’s people declared a loud: ‘So let it be! Amen!’
Yes Friends, the ole fella seems to be in fine form this morning. The Holy Spirit is just moving and grooving in him. Hn, hn, hn! But seriously though, I do hope that He’s also having a bright and uplifting movement in all your lives, because that’s what He was designed to do; to lead and guide us into all truth and righteousness.
And when we’re walking in truth and righteousness, there’s a special spring to our step, a bounce of pride and joy that is very discernible by onlookers.
And that’s what we’re being called on today and everyday to possess and display – that special joy that comes only from having Jesus as the sole director of our lives, where we just exude warmth, compassion, LOVING-kindness, empathy, wisdom, understanding, and above all, charity, in the form of agape LOVE!
Aye mih people, what a force for worldwide change we’d become, if we truly lived out the edicts of Jesus! As our Bit so graciously says of Him, when Peter preached to the Gentiles: ‘How God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Ghost and with power: who went about doing good, and healing all that were oppressed of the devil; for God was with him.’
Oh what an uplifting, encouraging and ever so relevant Bit of Scripture my people! Why you ask? Because it’s the same thing that God has done to each and every one of us!
Our heavenly Father has anointed each and every believer with the power of the Spirit of Jesus, so that we can go along our earthly journey doing exactly what Jesus did; heal, show compassion and mercy, encourage, uplift – in other words, just do good as is necessary.
And yuh know Friends, that’s not such a difficult task as we sometimes make it out to be. We just truly have to set our minds to do it. We have already been empowered by the Holy Spirit dwelling in us; it’s just left for us to get up off of our fat, lazy, shame-faced, afraid, hypocritical rear ends and do the job that we’ve been called to do as Christians!
All we have to do is set out every day, as Jesus did, and oodles of opportunities to do good, to uplift, exhort and encourage others will come our way. We don’t even have to go looking for them, they will find us. The problem is that we have to have the discernment…
Chuh! Discernment isn’t even necessary, because opportunities for good deeds stare us straight in the face each and every day, we just refuse to embrace them.
Everyday we hear about someone being sick, depressed, lonely, or just down in the dumps for no good reason, and all it takes from us is a phone call, or an e-mail, or text, a visit, or whatever method of communication you choose, to let them know that you’re thinking of and praying for them.
Is that so hard to do mih breddren? Absolutely not! But for some unknown reason(s), many of us supposed Christians believe that doing good is big business, and requires plenty effort. That’s just not true!
Oh my people, it’s the little things that truly matter. As the Jamaicans say: one one cocoa does full basket. And that’s the awesome truth! It’s the little things, done on a regular basis that truly matter and eventually make a big difference.
We’re talking about, small, seemingly insignificant things like smiling with a stranger, saying a bright and pleasant good morning to our neighbours, co-workers and even strangers we pass on the street, holding a door open for someone.
Oh Friends, all those things might be small, but they are extremely important in Jesus’ Lexicon of LOVE!
Why? Because that’s exactly what He did during His sojourn here on earth!
If you read the Good Book, you’ll see He stopped and helped people all the time. Ofttimes He even went out of His way to do so. He offered encouraging words to all He met. The only people He spoke roughly to and embarrassed were the Pharisees and the Jewish elite for their hypocritical behaviour.
Oh my brethren, doing good is not rocket science! It’s simply living a decent life, treating others the way we would like to be treated. Yuh know, if more of us would simply adopt that golden rule and consistently live by it… oh what a truly wonderful world planet earth would be!
But no, like sinful fools, we’re foolishly adopting the hate, greed, resentment, anger, bitterness, egotism, pride, envy, jealousy, and the whole host of negative endeavours that the evil world champions! How wrong, how sad, and how ungodly my people! We’ll never get Jesus’ LOVE Revolution going with that kind of attitude.
So please my fellow believers, today, let’s take a good look at ourselves, consider what we need to do in our earthly pilgrimage to sincerely carry out Jesus’ desires, to do good to ALL of mankind. Remember, He wants, and it’s our bounden duty to proselytize the entire world! So we can’t pick and choose, just minister to whomever he brings into our sphere of influence.
That’s the only way we can ever accomplish the Great Commission: ‘Go ye therefore, and teach (make disciples of) all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost: Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you always, even unto the end of the world.’ (Matt.28:19-20)
Let’s do it nuh Friends, let’s make Jesus proud! That should be our whole raison d’etre; our whole reason for living! Much LOVE!
…and now abideth faith, hope, LOVE, these three…but the greatest of these is LOVE…! (1 Cor.13:13)…and for good reason too…
10 Apr 2014
by randyobrien50
in Christian Thoughts and Inspiration., Daily Devotion, Daily Inspiration, Inspirational Living, Spiritual Living
Tags: Acts of the Apostles, answered prayer, Archimedes, awesome God, calamitous winter, christianity, commitment to prayer, communal, confession, confusing times, covenant, Daniel, divine judgement, Elementary my dear Watson, Eureka, evening sacrifices, faithful and loving God, faithful life, fool's wisdom, friends, glorify God, glory hallelujah, God has heard my supplications, God has heard my voice, great man of faith, Greek imperfect tense, heavenly wisdom, Holy Ghost, honest report, hot day, hour of prayer, humble, humility, I Love the Lord, I will call upon god as long as I live, John, joy, judgement, justice, life, LOVE, loving kindness, meek, meekness, mercy, ministry of the word, new mercies, ninth hour, offering of incense, outdoor activities, personally experienced, Peter, praise and glory to God, pray, prayer, prayer is the best form of communication with god, praying, rightousness, seek the Lord, Sherlock Holmes, sincere heartfelt prayers, spreading the gospel, testimony, the gospel, the Lord's anger, the voice, those that keep god's commandments, those that Love God, troubled times, whopping hot, wisdom, Zephaniah
Psalm 66:19. But verily God hath heard me; he hath attended to the voice of my prayer.
All praise and glory to our wonderful God this Thursday morning my people! And that’s not just for life and new mercies, but also for what promises to be a whopping hot day, with temps in the mid teens! Glory Hallelujah!
Oh, I know to you folks down south that’s cold, but to us Northerners, that’s almost like a summer’s day, especially after the crazy and calamitous winter we’ve had. And I’m sure that there’ll be lot’s of folks out and about half-naked, running, walking, bicycling, playing games, and trying to do all the things we do come the summer time.
Good for them yes! But I doubt that I’ll be joining in any outdoor activities just yet, for I’m still trying to get rid of this nagging cough and cold. Let’s just hope that the temperature stays high from now on. And no doubt a whole lot of people are praying for that. Why?
Because as we’ve been saying for the last few days, prayer is the best form of communication with our Maker! And if we sincerely believe that the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob created us, then it is only logical to pray to Him for whatever we desire. As Sherlock Holmes would undoubtedly tell his sidekick: ‘Elementary my dear Watson!’
And also, as we’ve seen from our Bit, our faithful and LOVING God does answer prayer. ‘But verily God hath heard me; he hath attended to the voice of my prayer.’
Oh Friends, I don’t see how we can doubt the awesome power of prayer nuh, especially if you claim to be a true believer in Jesus Christ! Therefore, today we will continue to show scriptures that deal with the mighty workings of prayer.
Hopefully something there will cause something in us to go off like the ‘Eureka’ effect that the Greek scientist Archimedes experienced when taking a bath, discovering that the level of the water rose when he got into it. That helped him to solve a scientific problem he was then working on.
First off, listen to the psalmist as he opens Psalm 116; praise for deliverance from death. ‘I LOVE the Lord, because he hath heard my voice and my supplications. Because he hath inclined his ear unto me (hath listened to me), therefore will I call upon him as long as I live.’ (Ps.116:1-2)
Oh what a beautiful testimony my brethren! That’s how ALL God’s people should be declaring their never-ending commitment to prayer!
Now hear how that great man of faith, Daniel, began his prayer for his people. ‘And I set my face unto the Lord God, to seek by prayer and supplications, with fasting, and sackcloth, and ashes: And I prayed unto the Lord my God, and made my confession, and said, O Lord, the great and dreadful (awesome) God, keeping the covenant and mercy (LOVING-kindness) to them that LOVE Him, and to them that keep his commandments.’ (Dan.9:3-4)
Oh Friends, we all know the wonders the Lord worked in Daniel’s long and faithful life – and it was all done through sincere and heartfelt prayer! Now there’s no reason why the Lord cannot work wonders in our lives too, wonders that glorify Him, if we also turn to Him in serious prayer.
And the prophet Zephaniah, in talking about the scope of divine judgement, declared to Israel, and consequently to ALL OF US: ‘Seek ye the Lord, all ye meek of the earth, which have wrought his judgement (upheld his justice); seek righteousness, seek meekness (humility): it may be ye shall be hid in the day of the Lord’s anger.’ (Zeph.2:3)
And how do we seek the Lord? First and foremost through PRAYER, my brethren!
And we’ll end with a couple of instances of prayer being ultra important from the Acts of the Apostles. Chapter 3 of Acts begins thus: ‘Now Peter and John went up together into the temple at the hour of prayer, being the ninth hour.’ (Acts 3:1)
Now if two of the most important apostles could be involved in regular prayer, why shouldn’t we be too eh?
And the scholars explain that verse thus: ‘3:1. According to Jewish reckoning, the day began at 6.a.m. Hence, the ninth hour is 3 p.m.. The Jewish prayer time was held in conjunction with the evening sacrifices and offering of incense (cf. Luke 1:8; Rev.8:3-4). Peter and John commonly went to the temple to pray at this hour. The Greek imperfect tense could well be translated “used to go up.’
That makes it a habit Friends! One that we all should adopt!
And finally, from Acts 6, where the number of believers and disciples had multiplied and Christianity had become so communal, it created a problem for the disciples to serve everybody’s needs and still continue with their own duties of prayer and spreading the gospel.
‘Then the twelve called the multitude of the disciples unto them, and said, It is not reason (desirable) that we should leave the word of God, and serve tables. Wherefore brethren, look ye out (seek from) among you seven men of honest report, full of the Holy Ghost and wisdom, whom we may appoint over this business. But we will give ourselves continually to prayer, and to the ministry of the word,’ (Acts 6:2-4)
Oh Friends, yuh see that prayer and spreading the Word were so important that the original 12 disciples desired to devote their time to do just that. So how can we, especially in these very troubled and confusing times, not turn to prayer and the Word in like manner eh? It’s a fool’s wisdom, if we don’t my brethren!
So please, let’s get right on the prayer scene and into the Word nuh, and thus show our heavenly wisdom. Much LOVE!
…there’s a joy that comes from praying…and then having those prayers answered…a joy which words cannot fully explain… but must be personally experienced to understand it…
26 Dec 2013
by randyobrien50
in Christian Thoughts and Inspiration., Daily Devotion, Daily Inspiration, Inspirational Living, Spiritual Living
Tags: alive and kicking, almighty god, Amen, beatiful soul, believe in God, believers, birth, Boxing Day, business owners, caring, celebrate God's Love, Christmas, Christmas tree, cold, colt, Creator, cross, dark, daughter, depressing news, disatrous situations, earthly pilgrimage, Easter, Emergency, eternal life, evergreen, exalted position, faith, faithfully fulfilled, forgiveness, G.T.A, God will stop at nothing, God-given ability, grace, guide and leader, hands that reach to touch, hanging on a tree, hearts that hurt, help, Holy Name, holy spirit, humble, inspiring and encouraging words, Jerusalem, Jesus Christ, judge, just, king, lack of access, lack of power, lawgiver, life-giving, lift us up, Lord, lose one's mind, LOVE, lowly, manger, merchants, mercy, Ms. Wynne, negative, omnipotent force, outstrecthed arms, Palm Sunday, physical damage, pointing, praying, Premier, province wide, pushing on, quiet rest, reaching, rejoice, riding an ass, righteous, road-weary, rough time, sacrificial work, sales, salvation, saviour, Scarborough area, scriptures, setbacks, sharing, shoppers, significant difference, solid, sparkling, strong rooted in god's love, sturdy, suffering, The Christmas season, thoughts of God, three days, to save my soul, travel-worn, treasures, tree branches, trust, twinkling Christmas tree, two thousand years, wayfarers, whole world, young man, Zechariah, Zion
Isaiah 33:22. For the Lord is our judge, the Lord is our lawgiver, the Lord is our king; he shall save us.
And then it was Boxing Day! Yes Friends, most of the Christmas hoopla has died down now. Thank the Lord! The Christmas season itself is wonderful, but all the unnecessary fuss can get to be a bit much.
Unfortunately though, some 60-70 thousand people, primarily in the Scarborough area of the G.T.A, are still without power, and many trees and other impediments are still to be removed from the roads to provide access.
It’s certainly been a very rough time for those people, and though some are still complaining about the refusal to declare a state of Emergency, the Premier of the Province, Ms. Wynne, says that isn’t necessary because all the people who would have been called in province wide, are already here helping out.
But that’s cold comfort for those who still don’t have power. I spoke to a friend last night, she and her husband, both in their 70’s were without power for almost 72 hours over the weekend. At one point she thought she was about to lose her mind. Imagine two people in their 70’s in a cold, dark house for almost three days nuh!
Ah mih people, it’s truly been a harrowing Christmas for many people in the province. And sadly, on top of the ice, there’s been some snowfall over the last couple days, not a great deal, but enough to make matters worse. Please continue praying for us and helping in whatever way you can.
And another group that has certainly suffered is the business owners and merchants, since many of them couldn’t open because of lack of power and possibly physical damage to their properties. And even for those who were able to open, the number of shoppers must have been seriously curtailed due to the latter’s disastrous situations.
To spoil their Christmas even further, today, Boxing Day, usually Canada’s biggest sales and shopping day, has seen its importance steadily eroded as we try to compete with the U.S. Thanksgiving Black Friday sales pitch. So the merchants are seriously suffering, any which way you take it.
However my brethren, here’s something to lift us up after all that negative and depressing news. It’s a Christmas Prayer, from the Robert H. Schuller Hour of Power Devotional. I only read it after I wrote the Bit yesterday, otherwise I would have included it. But it’s still the Christmas season, so it’s still very appropriate.
And again I have to wonder how this prayer seems so new and unfamiliar to me, although I’ve been reading this devotional for a number of years.
Anyway, it inspirationally says: ‘You lead me, Jesus Christ, to thoughts of God. I see you in a manger carved from a tree. I see you as a young man with hands that reach to touch hearts that hurt. Your caring reaches out like the strong and kind branches of a gentle tree reach out to invite road-weary and travel-worn wayfarers to quiet rest.
I see you again hanging on a tree with outstretched arms taking in the whole world. From your cross, you show me that God will stop at nothing to save my soul. So, I celebrate God’s LOVE today as I celebrate your birth around a twinkling Christmas tree.
I pray my life, like yours, O Lord, may be tall and upright as a pine tree pointing, reaching, sharing, sparkling, life-giving; solid, sturdy, strong-rooted in God’s LOVE, a beautiful soul, evergreen forever: Amen.’
What inspiring and encouraging words my people! Though I had to chuckle at the end, because a lot of pines and other trees around the Province, certainly aren’t standing tall and sturdy today.
But the significant difference is that we believers, despite any setbacks, still have the God-given ability to stand sturdy, strong and deeply rooted in God’s amazing LOVE, becoming truly beautiful souls.
And we find that possible because of scriptures like our Bit. ‘For the Lord is our judge, the Lord is our lawgiver, the Lord is our king; he shall save us.’
Yes my brethren, since Almighty God, the Creator and most omnipotent force in the universe is our guide and leader, we can stand strong in the power of His Holy Name, through the current working of His Holy Spirit, and the sacrificial work His Son, Jesus, our Lord and Saviour, did for us two thousand years ago!
That just goes to show how strong and powerful is our God! Two thousand years later, He’s still alive and kicking, and pushing on as strong as ever. Wow!
In fact He’s becoming stronger every day, as more and more people come to recognize His tremendous power, LOVE, mercy, grace and forgiveness, and thus believe in Him, put their trust and faith in Him, for help in their earthly pilgrimage.
Ah Friends, it’s time to close. I had envisioned getting to the ‘lawgiver’ aspect of our Bit, but that obviously wasn’t meant to be today. However, I’ll leave us with a wonderful scripture on the ‘king and saving’ aspect that I could not include yesterday.
Listen to these beautiful and encouraging words from the prophet Zechariah, as he prophesies about Zion’s future king. ‘Rejoice greatly, O daughter of Zion; shout, O daughter of Jerusalem: behold, thy King cometh unto thee: he is just (righteous), and having salvation; lowly (humble), and riding upon an ass, and upon a colt the foal of an ass.’ (Zech. 9:9)
And we all know that scripture was faithfully fulfilled on Palm Sunday!
So fellow believers, we’ve celebrated, sorry, we’re still celebrating the birth of our Saviour Jesus Christ, but we indeed have the next big occasion to look forward to, Easter, when He truly did His saving work and definitely earned His exalted position as our Lord and King. Much LOVE!
…to whom do we owe the treasures of salvation and eternal life…JESUS CHRIST…what a wonderful SAVIOUR…!
19 Nov 2013
by randyobrien50
in Christian Thoughts and Inspiration., Daily Devotion, Daily Inspiration, Inspirational Living, Spiritual Living
Tags: abominable sins, Abraham, absence of love, actions, all and sundry, ancestral line, appointed time, awesome God, circumcision, close to home, contribute, covenant, dead inanimate objects, deaths, destruction, doubt, eight days old, failures and misgivings, faith, faithful, faithless moments, favoured few, fellow believers, fool says, foolishness, friends, give suck, giving, God's promise, helping, homes, hope, hurting, ignorance, ingrates, insights, is anything too hard for the Lord, Isaac, Jesus, joy, laughter, lives, Living Deity, Lord and Saviour, LOVE, mankind, Messiah, miraculous, natural disaster, needy, one and only true God, power, pray, praying, pure foolishness, Quebec, rebuilding, reminder, sacrifcial giving, sacrifices, set time, shelter, sins, Southern Ontario, surrender, the Lord did unto Sarah as promised, the Lord visited Sarah, the time of life, those in need, thunderstorms, times of joy, tornadoes, true reality of Love, true wisdom, trust, truthfulness of God's Word, U.S. Midwest, unique creation, unselfish, workings of God
Genesis 21:1. And the Lord visited Sarah as he had said, and the Lord did unto Sarah as he had spoken.
Oh Friends, what our world needs now is LOVE, sweet LOVE! Not just for some, for a favoured few, but for everyone, for all and sundry! It’s the only thing that there’s too little of.
Most definitely my people! Our world badly, most desperately needs lots more LOVE, as the words of that old song so rightly declare. And if you look closely at our problems, you’ll discover that the majority of them are derived from, or arise from the lack thereof, or absence of LOVE.
And what is this LOVE, you ask? Well according to this definition, which I believe I got from Uncle Charles (Charles Stanley), ‘LOVE is the unselfish, sacrificial giving of oneself.’
And therein lies the rub my brethren; ‘the unselfish, sacrificial giving!’ Hn! Our world is anything but unselfish and sacrificial, more like selfish and non-sacrificial.
And when we think of unselfish and sacrificial giving the first person that comes to mind is obviously our Lord and Saviour Jesus, for He was so unselfish that He sacrificed His sinless life for us; a bunch of ingrates, flagrantly committing abominable sins.
And that’s what true LOVE is all about Friends! We don’t necessarily have to go to the lengths that Jesus did and sacrifice our physical lives for others, but our sacrifices must come from actions like praying for, giving and helping those in need, even though we might also be needy and hurting.
That brings to mind the latest natural disaster to hit our world, and one fairly close to home too. We’re talking about the serious tornadoes and thunderstorms that yesterday lashed the U.S Midwest and parts of Southern Ontario and Quebec. There have been some deaths, lots of destruction, and lots of people without power or shelter.
So please let’s pray for them in their time of need, and also contribute whatever we can to assist them in rebuilding their lives and homes. That’s the true reality of LOVE, my fellow believers!
Now turning to our Bit: ‘And the Lord visited Sarah as he had said, and the Lord did unto Sarah as he had spoken.’
Oh my brethren, those are words which ought to build enormous hope and faith in our souls! Remember God’s promise from yesterday? ‘And he said, I will certainly return unto thee according to the time of life; and lo, Sarah thy wife shall have a son…. Is anything too hard for the Lord? At the time appointed I will return unto thee, according to the time of life, and Sarah shall have a son.’ (Gen 18:10,14)
So now the Lord, faithful as ever, returns as He had promised. And what happens? What else but what He promised? ‘For Sarah conceived, and bare Abraham a son in his old age, at the set time of which God had spoken to him. And Abraham called the name of his son that was born unto him, whom Sarah bare to him, Isaac (lit. Laughter).
And Abraham circumcised his son Isaac being eight days old, as God had commanded him. And Abraham was a hundred years old, when his son Isaac was born unto him. And Sarah said, God hath made me to laugh (lit. made laughter for me), so that all that hear will laugh with me.
And she said, Who would have said unto Abraham, that Sarah should have given children suck (nurse children)? for I have borne him a son in his old age. And the child grew, and was weaned: and Abraham made a great feast the same day that Isaac was weaned.’ (Gen.21:2-8)
Ah mih people, what other supposed gods keep their word, their promises, like ours eh? NONE WHATSOEVER! Because they are all dead, inanimate objects, some even man-made. Whereas our God is the ONE AND ONLY TRUE GOD, A LIVING DEITY, faithfully looking over His remarkable creation, our universe, and His unique creation, mankind. What could be better than that eh Friends? Nothing really!
Please note Friends, that Abraham circumcised Isaac eight days after his birth, in keeping with the covenant sign he had made with God.
Now a couple notes from the scholars. The first says: ‘Thou shalt call his name Isaac: The name means “He laughs” and was to serve as a reminder to Abraham of the unlikely means by which he was brought into the world, and his response in 17:17, and Sarah’s reaction in 18:12′
Yuh see Friends, how our God can be sweet but also devious, doing things to remind us of our failures and misgivings. So in the name Isaac, Sarah and Abraham would forever remember their doubt and laughter when the Lord promised them a son in their old age.
However, as the scholars further state: ’21:3: Isaac was the miraculously born son of Abraham and Sarah and was the forefather of the Jews. Both Abraham (17:17) and Sarah (18:12) laughed at the promise of a son in their old age, but later laughed for joy at his birth (vv.1-8). He represented the ancestral line of the promised Messiah.’
That my Friends, is the wonder of our amazing and most awesome God! He always wraps up our doubtful and faithless moments in times of joy! So how and why we don’t truly trust Him, I just can’t understand. That’s simply foolishness, ignorance of the highest order on our part my brethren!
Anyway, it’s time to close. I surely hope that we have gained some good insights into both the workings of our great God and the truthfulness of His Word.
So let’s ponder it all and thereby try to increase our hope, faith and trust in Almighty God to a point of total surrender. For therein lies the ultimate expression of true wisdom, my people! Much LOVE!
…the fool says in his heart…there is no God…pure foolishness that…
16 Oct 2013
by randyobrien50
in Christian Thoughts and Inspiration., Daily Devotion, Daily Inspiration, Inspirational Living, Spiritual Living
Tags: achieve victory, anxiety, armour of god, assurance, avenue for help, bless and praise, blessings, breastplate of righteousness, Christian's armour, conniving merchants, crying shame, daily manna, damnation, divine aid, down and out people, eagerness, eternal life, eternal separation from God, evil day, exception, faithfully provides, fiery darts, fight with god's help, food banks, food kitchens, food shortage, formidable foe, gird your waist with truth, God's ever-loving heart, God's Holy Name, godly life, gospel of peace, grab you by the heart, greedy, grow in Christ, guidance, Halloween, heavenly Father, helmet of salvation, holy character, hope, hunker down, indispensable, inwardly digest, knowledge of the truth of God's Word, leather belt, mature in Christ, maturity level, measly wages, mental and spiritual needs, mercy, moral conduct, obedience, our goal, perseverance, physical needs, powerful opponent, prayer, praying, read, rewews our spirit, rhema, rough and tough life, saints, salvation, sandals of peace, selfish, shield of faith, sincere faith, spiritual armour, spiritual belt, spiritual combat, stand, stand strong against the enemy, straight and narrow path, study, supplication, sword of the Spirit, Thank You Lord, the rule, the wicked one, the Word of god, times of war, two jobs, understanding, ungodly world, vigilant, willingness to contend with Satan, wonderful perspective, Word of God
Ephesians 6:13. Wherefore take unto you (take up) the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand.
Oh Friends, can you believe it’s already Wednesday, the middle of the week? And even more surprisingly, that we’re already in the middle of October, which just began the other day? (smile) It’ll soon be Halloween, then U.S. Thanksgiving, then Christmas and New Years.
Wow! 2013 has indeed flown by rather quickly! And as usual, the conniving merchants have found a way that every few weeks there’s some big occasion for us to spend money on, money that most of us don’t have, because we’re either not working, or because of the measly wages those same merchants are paying.
Steups! The shame of the whole matter though is that people who are working, sometimes even two jobs, still aren’t making enough money to look after their families and have to go to food banks for assistance. Ah Lord! What a crying shame in these rich countries!
Forty years ago, when I first came to Canada, I can’t remember ever hearing anything about food banks. If they existed, they were the exception. Today however, they are the rule; they’re all over the place. You also have food kitchens, where the down and out can go and get hot meals. The problem though is that there are too many who are down and out, many through no fault of their own.
And my understanding re food banks and kitchens, was that those things only existed during times of war, when there’s usually a shortage of food. Hn! But I guess we’re at war right now. Steups!
Anyhow, the good thing about being a believer in Christ is that we also have another avenue for help, beside man, in this selfish, greedy, ungodly world. We have a heavenly Father who renews our spirit during sleep, then wakes us up with a wonderful perspective every morning, where He faithfully provides, daily manna, mercy and blessings to all who come to Him in sincere faith.
And all the God’s children gratefully declared: ‘Oh thank You, thank You Lord, for looking after us everyday! Thank you for Your mercy, blessings and guidance that keeps us on the straight and narrow path that leads straight to Your ever-LOVING heart! We bless and praise Your Holy Name! Amen!’
Yeh Friends, though life might be rough and tough, those are the times when believers hunker down and fight it, with God’s help. And please note that He doesn’t only look after our physical needs, but also our mental and spiritual, as our Bit boldly proclaims: ‘Wherefore take unto you (take up) the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand.’
And how I LOVE that last part; ‘and having done all, to STAND.’ Oh my people, that’s exactly what all believers need to do in these wicked and ungodly times; put on God’s armour and STAND STRONG AGAINST THE ENEMY!
Anyway, let’s get to what I couldn’t share yesterday, because of time and space commitments. Friends, for those of you who don’t have a Bible handy when you read the Bit, or are just too lazy to open it (smile) – I refuse to believe that any follower of Jesus doesn’t have a Bible at all – I’ll just share the scripture that pertains to the different pieces of spiritual armour.
Please listen closely, because this could mean the difference between salvation and eternal life, or damnation and eternal separation from the Most High God Jehovah.
Bruh Paul tells the Ephesians after our Bit: ‘Stand therefore, having your loins girt about (girded your waist) with truth, and having on the breastplate of righteousness; And your feet shod with the preparation of the gospel of peace; Above all, taking the shield of faith, wherewith ye shall be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked (one).
And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God: Praying always with prayer and supplication in the Spirit, and watching thereunto with all perseverance and supplication for all saints.’ (Eph,6:14-18)
Oh Friends, doesn’t that just grab you by the heart and transport you to a much better place? It surely does!
Now hear the scholars’ take on all that: ‘6:14-17. The whole armour of God consists of six pieces. (1) Truth (v.14a) is a knowledge of the truth of God’s Word (cf. 4:21). The ancient soldier’s loins (waist) were girt about with a leather belt which held most of the other pieces of his armour in place. Similarly, the other pieces of the Christian’s armour depend on, are held in place by his spiritual “belt” or his knowledge of the truth of scripture.
(2) The breastplate of righteousness (v.14b) may be read “the breastplate which is righteousness.” It represents a holy character and moral conduct. Obedience to the “truth” known produces a godly life (righteousness).
(3) Preparation of the gospel of peace (v.15) means “eagerness that comes from the gospel of peace.” That is, as the Roman soldier wore special shoes called ‘caligae’ on his feet, enabling him to advance against his enemy, so the Christian must have on his feet (possess) a sense of ‘eagerness’ or willingness to advance against the Devil and take the fight to him. Such ‘eagerness’ to contend with Satan “comes from the gospel of peace.” The gospel gives peace to the believer, freeing him from anxiety though he advances against such a powerful opponent.
(4) The shield of (which is) faith (v.16) means taking God at His word by believing His promises. Such trust will protect one from the doubts induced by Satan.
(5) The helmet of salvation (v.17a): Since the readers are already Christians (2:8), they are not here urged to be saved. First Thessalonians 5:8 describes this helmet as “the hope of salvation” that is, the certainty (assurance) of salvation.
(6) The sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God (v.17b): The Greek term rendered “word” is not ‘logos,’ referring to the whole Word of God, but ‘rhema,’ referring to certain portions or selected verses of Scripture.
6:18. Praying is grammatically linked to “stand” in verse 14. Without prayer, God’s armour is inadequate to achieve victory. Prayer is indispensable. Always means “on every occasion,” that is, when Satan attacks. In the Spirit signifies that with the Spirit’s help such prayer for divine aid is to be made.
Watching thereunto means “being vigilant in this very matter” of prayer. They are to pray not just for themselves but also for all saints; spiritual combat is both an individual and corporate matter.’
Oh my brethren, I know that it’s long and heavy, but it’s all in a day’s understanding of the scriptures. We can’t always look for the short, easy stuff, else we won’t grow in Christ.
So please let’s take our time to read, study and inwardly digest all that we’ve said today. For if we sincerely do that, there’s no doubt whatsoever that our maturity level in Christ will rise. And that’s our goal; to mature some in Christ everyday. Much LOVE!
…oh what peace our souls derive…when we have the Word of God planted deep inside…
06 Feb 2013
by randyobrien50
in Christian Thoughts and Inspiration., Daily Devotion, Daily Inspiration, Inspirational Living, Spiritual Living
Tags: afflicted, depart from evil, do good, fasting, forgiving mercy and grace, God of Love, heads, hearts, hypocrite, joy and happiness, Lent, living truth, Love for Jesus, meditating, omnipotent god, praying, seeking God, sin can't hide, tape measure, the eyes of God, the ways of man, wrongdoings
Job 34:21. For his eyes are upon the ways of man, and he seeth all his goings.
Oh Friends, it’s Wednesday, and the sound of the pre Lenten celebrations are all around. But next week this time, the partying will be over, and we’ll be doing ashes instead, as the Lenten season of praying, fasting and close encounters with Almighty God proliferate. Now isn’t it surprising how at that particular time of the year, how so many of us can turn to God and behave in a somewhat more appropriate fashion? Why can’t we do that through more of the year eh? Partying and seeking God are not mutually exclusive things. In fact, seeking God leads to more joy and happiness in one’s life. So let’s see if we can’t raise the level of our relationship with the Father all through the year nuh, and not just during the Lenten season. Anyway, here’s a little something I want to share. I saw it just now on a 3 x 5 card at the front of my desk. Yes, it’s one of those things I pass everyday, but very seldom see. It says: ‘God’s tape measure goes around hearts, not heads.’ And isn’t that the living truth Friends! God doesn’t measure our heads, otherwise He wouldn’t have a tape measure big enough to go around the many extremely swollen heads that are running around right now. Instead, He measures our hearts; how full, or big they are with true LOVE and adoration for His Son, Jesus, and how obedient we are to His will. And it’s so sad that too many believers will get small measurements when God measures our hearts, because our motives, LOVE for God and each other are not as strong and pure as they should be. That brings us to our Bit: ‘For his eyes are upon the ways of man, and he seeth all his goings.’ Yes mih people, we talk a big talk about our omnipotent, omniscient, omni-present God, then go out and do nonsense; stuff that doesn’t fit who we are as believers. Now if our God is so powerful, all-knowing and all pervasive, isn’t He going to see and know our wrong doings? Of course! But I guess we don’t think about that when the evil Beelzebub gets in our hearts and minds and leads us astray. The time to think Friends is before the deed’s done, not after, when the possible consequences stare us in the face. And despite all the evidence to the contrary, some of us still genuinely believe we can fool God and get away with it. Hn! How wrong, how naive and foolish that is my brethren! For as Elihu, Job’s buddy, continues after our Bit: ‘There is no darkness, nor shadow of death, where the workers of iniquity may hide themselves. For he will not lay upon man more than right (need not further consider a man); that he should enter into judgement with God (go before God in judgement). He shall break in pieces mighty men without number (inquiry), and set others in their stead (place). Therefore he knoweth their works, and he overturneth (overthrows) them in the night, so that they are destroyed (crushed). He striketh them as wicked men in the open sight of others; because they turned back from him, and would not consider any of his ways: So that they cause the cry of the poor to come unto him, and he heareth the cry of the afflicted. When he giveth quietness, who then can make trouble? And when he hideth his face, who then can behold him? whether it be done against a nation, or against a man only (alone): That the hypocrite reign not, lest the people be ensnared.’ (Job 34:22:30) Yes Friends, there is no hiding from our mighty, merciful, but just God! In His time He will set justice upon all who deserve it. Our only hope is to trust in Jesus and follow His lead as best we can, otherwise the Lord will eventually call us to account for all our wrongdoing. And it’s obvious that there’s way too much wrongdoing in all aspects of our lives, all over God’s earth! Do you imagine He will let it all go unpunished? Absolutely not! Even as we speak, He’s in the process of righting some wrongs, and meting out the appropriate punishment. We need to remember that our god is a God of LOVE, but also a God of justice. And justice must be done in His kingdom. Why do you think He went to such extraordinary lengths to lay our sins on Jesus, then sacrifice Him? So that justice could be done, and we wouldn’t have to pay the hefty price of death, eternal separation from Him. That’s why Bruh David warns in Psalm 34 – The Lord hears the righteous. ‘What man is he that desireth life, and LOVETH many days, that he may see good? Keep thy tongue from evil, and thy lips from speaking guile (deceit). Depart from evil, and do good; seek peace, and pursue it. The eyes of the Lord are upon the righteous, and his ears are open unto their cry. The face of the Lord is against them that do evil, to cut off (destroy) the remembrance of them from the earth.’ (Ps.34:12-16) Yes my people, our God doesn’t sleep, neither is He tired. He rules His creation, our universe and all therein with a mighty hand! Just listen to what He spoke through the prophet Jeremiah, against His chosen people Israel, when they went a whoring after other Gods. ‘Behold I will send for many fishers (fishermen), saith the Lord, and they shall fish them; and after will I send for many hunters, and they shall hunt them from every mountain, and from every hill, and out of the holes of the rocks. For mine eyes are upon all their ways: they are not hid from my face, neither is their iniquity hid from mine eyes. And first I will recompense (repay) their iniquity and their sin double; because they have defiled my land, they have filled mine inheritance with the carcases of their detestable and abominable things.’ (Jer.16:16-18) Oh Friends, though the Lord will eventually bring His chosen back to the Promised Land, they will pay for their disobedience. Please, let’s remember that today, and consider our own lives, and repent from any known disobedience, so that we won’t suffer the rightful justice we deserve, but will instead be blessed by His forgiving mercy and grace. That’s wisdom at its highest level. Much LOVE!…continual disobedience may bring big rewards in Lucifer’s world…but in God’s righteous and just kingdom…it brings sure punishment…
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