29 Mar 2017
by randyobrien50
in Christian Thoughts and Inspiration., Daily Devotion, Daily Inspiration, Inspirational Living, Spiritual Living
Tags: a bad Father, a cry of distress, a glorious future with Jesus, best friend, boost our spirits, breath of life, by your side, confide, Covenant House, do good, eat and drink, Ecclesiastes, enjoy the good of his labour, faith, faithful to God, focusing ahead, friend, glad to be alive, God-given breath, God-inspired, grace, gracious help of God, halfway home, hands on the plough, heartfelt prayer, heaven and earth, Herculean best, homeless teenagers, human beings, humble, I'll be your friend, immortal words, inconveniences, inherit, inspired Word, Jesus, Judah, love his name, loving-kindness, magnifiy the Lord, mercy, my door is open, need to cry, not looking back, orphans, pilgrim's journey, pitfalls, poor, praise the name of god, prisoners, put it into action, rejoice, relationship, salvation, servants, sorrowful, thanksgiving, the fullness of God, the gift of God, the Preacher, this is the day the Lord has made, to be loved, tooth and nail, trust, uplift our lives, value, we will rejoice and be glad in it, Wednesday Wail, with a song, worthy of your attention, Zion
Psalm 118:24. This is the day which the Lord hath made; we will rejoice and be glad in it.
Oh friends, it was indeed a late beddy-byes time this morning, and the ole body fought me tooth and nail to get up at a half-decent hour, so I’m not necessarily at my Herculean best this Wednesday morning. (smile)
However, with the gracious help of the Lord God Jehovah, we WILL write something that is worthy of your attention. Hn, hn! And we’ll begin with this interesting and heartfelt prayer from Antoinette, a former resident of Covenant House.
Covenant House is an institution in Toronto that takes in, cares for and teaches homeless teenagers how to build strong lives. The prayer is titled ‘I’ll be There.’
Please pray with me. ‘When you need to talk, I’ll be your friend. When you need to cry, I’ll be by your side. When you need a hand, mine I will lend. When you need to trust in me, you can confide. When you need to be LOVED, I’ll be there. I’ll be there when you need someone. My door is open when you want to come in. Amen.’
Oh my people, so sweet, simple and to the point! And I do hope that there is at least one somebody in our lives that we can say those touching and God-inspired words to, and one somebody who can say them to us. Otherwise, our lives are sadly missing one of the most important things in God’s great universe; a true friend.
Now Jesus will ALWAYS be our BEST FRIEND, but we do need some other human being to sufficiently value us, and be of sufficient value to us, that we will ALWAYS be there for one another, regardless of the circumstances, regardless of the pitfalls and inconveniences. There is no greater relationship between human beings.
And it always amuses me at how I come upon these prayers, most of the time hidden under some forgotten paperwork on my desk, like this one I discovered last night, or in some other obscure place. Our wonderful Lord knows just when to bring them to the light of day, so we can share them and boost our spirits and uplift our lives.
That’s why it’s ever so important to respond to each day that we breathe a God-given breath and see the rising sun in the manner our Bit describes. ‘This is the day which the Lord hath made; we will rejoice and be glad in it.’
Yeh mih people, that’s why the Lord made us to see it, so that we can be glad and rejoice in His mercy, grace and LOVING-kindness, while fulfilling the wonderful plan He has for our lives!
It doesn’t make sense to just go through this earthly life all sad and dreary, lacking the fullness of God, specially designed to be an integral part of our pilgrim’s journey. So let’s stop behaving as though we are orphans nuh, with no heavenly Father to care for and look after us, for that makes Him look like a bad Father, and that He certainly isn’t!
Now let’s turn to His holy and inspired Word to see just how much He desires us to be glad and rejoice, even in these rough earthly times. Listen to Bruh David from Psalm 69 – A cry of distress. ‘But I am poor and sorrowful: let thy salvation, O God, set me up on high.
I will praise the name of God with a song, and will magnify him with thanksgiving. This also shall please the Lord better than an ox or bullock that hath horns and hoofs. The humble shall see this, and be glad: and your heart shall live that seek God. For the Lord heareth the poor, and despiseth not his prisoners.
Let the heaven and earth praise him, the seas, and everything that moveth therein. For God will save Zion, and will build the cities of Judah: that they may dwell there, and have it in possession. The seed (descendants) also of his servants shall inherit it: and they that LOVE his name shall dwell therein.’ (Ps.69:30-36)
Yuh see friends, even in Bruh David’s cry of distress, he realizes that raising his voice in song and thanksgiving and being faithful to the God of his fathers is the wise and sensible thing to do.
Now hear these immortal words from Cousin Sol, writing as the Preacher in Ecclesiastes. ‘I know that there is no good in them (nothing better for them), but for a man to rejoice, and do good in his life. And also that every man should eat and drink, and enjoy the good of all his labour, it is the gift of God.’ (Eccl.3:12-13)
Oh my brethren, those are words that many of us know, yet we refuse to follow them! Why eh? Is it that we don’t believe them? As true believers we ought to, and thus live by them.
Being glad and rejoicing is truly a gift of God, and when we don’t do it, He feels disappointed. And since we don’t want to disappoint our heavenly Father, let’s perk up and live the way He desires nuh.
Now it’s time to declare our Wednesday Wail with all sincerity and truth. ‘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 you truly believe that, then let’s go out and put it into action! Much LOVE!
…faith without action is of no use whatsoever…
11 Jan 2016
by randyobrien50
in Christian Thoughts and Inspiration., Daily Devotion, Daily Inspiration, Inspirational Living, Spiritual Living
Tags: a crying shame, a voice crying in the wilderness, all fired-up, around the mulberry bush, aura of love, boring, common task, confidence, covenant, Creator of the universe, darkness, elbow grease, enlightened, enthusiasm, evil, facade-filled lives, faithful believers in Jesus, fictitious, glamour, glory to God, graven images, gusto, hanker after, his inheritance in the saints, holy spirit, humble servants, hunger, I am the light of the world, invincible, Isaiah, Jesus Christ, jet-set life, jobs, John the Baptist, let your light so shine, lies, LOVE, loving kindness, mercy, Messiah, Monday Morning Battle Hymn, open the blind eyes, praise, prison, prisoners, quit complaining, rejuvenation of spirit, relaxation, renewed vitality, rest, righteousness., rise and shine, salvation, sit in darkness, spiritual armour, steadfast faith, surrender, taunts, the children of men, the daily grind, the dayspring, the eyes of your understanding, the Gentiles, the hope of his calling, the light of life, the rich and famous, the riches of his glory, the shadow of death, truth, ungodly world, walk in darkness, wiles, worked their butts off, Zechariah
Ephesians 1:18. The eyes of your understanding being enlightened; that ye may know what is the hope of his calling, and what the riches of the glory of his inheritance in the saints.
Well friends, here we go again; one more time around the mulberry bush. (smile) It’s Monday, that means getting into the daily grind and common task of work for another week. Obviously it’s no fun, but it needs to be done.
Too many of us look for and covet the exciting life we seem to think that others have, but believe me, most of what passes for glamour today is boring and fictitious. So please let’s not hunger and hanker after the façade-filled lives of the supposed beautiful people, the rich and famous who tool around in fancy cars and live the jet-set life, for many of them are not what they seem to be.
Oh I know we tend to say it’s better to be rich and unfulfilled, than to be poor and fulfilled. And besides, many of the rich actually worked their butts off to get to that position, so it’s not like you can just daydream and get rich and powerful, you do have to put in some elbow grease, whatever kind it may be, to reach those heights.
So quit the complaining, let’s rise and shine and get ourselves together like the faithful believers in Jesus Christ that we are! And as always, we do have our Monday Morning Battle Hymn to get us all fired-up. So let’s sing it with plenty gusto and enthusiasm.
‘Oh Lord God Almighty, Creator of the universe and all therein! We, your humble servants, praise your Holy Name and thank you that this Monday morning we have jobs to go to; jobs we don’t like, jobs that are unfair, difficult and even dangerous, but which serve a useful purpose here on earth; keeping lives and families together.
We also thank you Father for the renewed vitality and enthusiasm you’ve wrought in our weary souls over the last two days. It’s that rejuvenation of Spirit which allows us now to sally forth with confidence into the evil, ungodly world that surrounds us, to begin a new week of work, constantly buffeted and bombarded by the enemy’s wicked taunts, wiles and lies.
But heavenly Father, we’re not afraid, for we know we’re invincible, sure conquerors, once we’re wearing your powerful, protective spiritual armour. We surrender our all to you, and humbly ask that you let your incredible aura of LOVE, the Holy Spirit, lead and guide all your servants as we go out to meet the enemy in battle.
Fill us with steadfast faith, so that we can make worthwhile inroads into the enemy’s ranks, and thereby further your glorious kingdom. We pray this in the Holy Name of your Son, and our Saviour, Jesus Christ. AMEN!’
Good job mih people, good job! It wasn’t spectacular, but it was certainly good enough to please our choirmaster, Jesus, to bring a smile to His handsome face.
Now let’s turn to our Bit, the same as yesterday. ‘The eyes of your understanding being enlightened; that ye may know what is the hope of his calling, and what the riches of the glory of his inheritance in the saints.’
And I do hope we pondered what we spoke about yesterday and the eyes of our understanding were enlightened, (smile) because today I want to look at some scriptures where the Lord promised to open our eyes to what He was about.
And we’ll begin with this promise from Isaiah, when the servant (Christ) comes to glorify the Lord. ‘I the Lord have called thee in righteousness, and will hold thine hand, and will keep thee, and give thee for a covenant of (to) the people, for a light of (to) the Gentiles; to open the blind eyes, to bring them out the prisoners from the prison, and them that sit in darkness out of the prison house.’ (Is.42:6-7)
Yes my fellow believers, from way back then, the good Lord promised to open our eyes and show us the light, which He did through the incarnation of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ.
Now listen to the prophecy of John the Baptist’s father Zechariah when he regained his speech, re John’s mission. ‘And thou, child, shall be called the prophet of the Highest: for thou shalt go before the face of the Lord to prepare his ways;
To give knowledge of salvation unto his people by the remission (forgiveness) of their sins, Through the tender mercy of our God; whereby the dayspring (dawn, Messiah) from on high hath visited us, to give light to them that sit in darkness and in the shadow of death, to guide our feet into the way of peace.’ (Luke 2:76-79)
And that’s exactly what John the Baptist did! He was a voice crying in the wilderness, preparing the path for Christ. Oh friends, our God is and has been so wonderful to us, that it’s a crying shame the way we respond to His LOVING-kindness!
Those prophecies take us back to Isaiah, where He declares: ‘I am the Lord: that is my name: and my glory will I not give to another, neither my praise to graven images. Behold the former things are come to pass, and new things do I declare: before they spring forth I tell you of them.’ (Is.42:8-9)
Now that we cannot dispute, because all the Lord’s prophetic dispensations have come to pass!
And we’ll end with the words of Jesus on the subject. ‘Then spake Jesus again unto them (the scribes and Pharisees) saying, I am the light of the world: he that followeth me shall not walk in darkness, but shall have the light of life.’ (John 8:12)
Oh my brethren, Jesus was indeed the fulfillment of Isaiah’s prophecy! And did He ever open our eyes and lead us out of the dark prison that we were languishing in! All praise and glory to the Most High God for His goodness to the children of men!
Now let’s go forth in that light this Monday morning in this leap year of 2016, and light up the world through the strength and wherewithal of Jesus, for that’s what we are called to do! Much LOVE!
…ye are the light of the world…let your light so shine…
10 Feb 2014
by randyobrien50
in Christian Thoughts and Inspiration., Daily Devotion, Daily Inspiration, Inspirational Living, Spiritual Living
Tags: all day long, anxious, apathetic, aura of love, babe in swaddling bands, be prepared, being destroyed, bounden duty, bow down, buffeted and bombarded, cause people to err, Christendom, church at Laodicea, cold winds, concentrate solely on Jesus, concerned about the opinions of others, confidante, confidence, conquerors, cool sea breezes, crooked, dark and threatening, deprive, desolation, destroyed, destruction, earthly choir, enthusiasm, eventually prevail, evil, evil and corrupt schemes, evil earth, evil minions, evil ungodly world, excitement, exude confidence, faith, fatherless, fearful, flee for help, further your glorious kingdom, get ready right now, gratitude, harmony, his anger is not turned away, his hand is streteched out still in justice, holy, holy spirit, humble servants, humbly ask, interest, invincible, Isaiah, Jesus Christ, jobs, joy, justice from on high, keep that fire burning brightly in our souls, keeping lives and families together, lead and guide, Leaders, leads to heaven, leave your glory, level of excitement, lies, listless, living with and working for Jesus, Lord and Saviour, LOVE, Lucifer, lukewarm, maority of the planet, meet the enemy in battle, memory, misfortune, Monday Morning Battle Hymn, mortal man, mounds of snow, omnipotent god, physical circumstances, power and majesty of Jesus, prey, prisoners, promised, punishment, refereshing, rejuvenation of spirit, renewed vitality, sally forth, Second Coming of Christ, Second Coming of Jesus, selfish schemers, selflessly sacrificed, sin debt, sincere feeling, sinless life, spiritual armour, spunk, steadfast faith, straight and narrow path, suffering, surrender, tepid, the enemy's wicked taunts, the Lord's stand, the needy of justice, the slain, travesty of injustice, true friend of Jesus, unjust world, unrighteous decrees, visitation, warrior king, weary souls, widows, wiles, wisdom, Wonderful, workweek, worthwhile inroads
Isaiah 9:16. For the leaders of this people cause them to err: and they that are led of them are destroyed.
And now Friends, it’s another Monday morning, but one quite different to what I experienced and enjoyed last week. There is no open balcony, no more lush greenery overlooking a neatly coffered golf course, with cool sea breezes washing over me. Instead, it’s a closed basement, surrounded by mounds of snow, and cold winds blowing the down the avenue and the chimney.
Ah Lord eh! What a bam, bam! And though my physical circumstances have changed for the worse, my spirit has to pick up the slack and keep me moving on, keep me excited about living with and working for Jesus. Yes my brethren, that’s a big problem in Christendom, for its members are not as excited as they should be to have Jesus in their lives. Most of us are tepid, lukewarm, like Jesus said of the church at Laodicea. (Rev.3:15-16)
But after all the wonderful things He’s done, and is still doing for us, we can certainly show a little more enthusiasm than we’re currently doing. We’re too listless and apathetic, fearful and anxious, and more concerned about what others will say and do if we show too much excitement and interest in our Lord and Saviour, Jesus Christ, the one who selflessly sacrificed His holy, sinless life to pay our large and abominable sin debt.
But Friends, when Jesus comes into our lives, excited is exactly how we ought to live, so that others can see, feel, and then greatly desire to catch the excitement we generate through Him. That’s the only way they will be convinced of His great importance in their lives. So this Monday morning, as the work week looms dark and threatening, let’s forget about that and concentrate solely on Jesus.
Let’s ratchet up the gratitude in our souls, and sing our Monday Morning Battle Hymn with a whole lot of spunk, harmony and sincere feeling. As one big, tuneful, earthly choir, let’s sing: ‘Oh Lord God Almighty, Creator of the universe and all therein! We, your humble servants, praise your Holy Name and thank you that this Monday morning we have jobs to go to; jobs we don’t like, jobs that are unfair, difficult and even dangerous, but which serve a useful purpose here on earth; keeping lives and families together.
We also thank you Father for the renewed vitality and enthusiasm you’ve wrought in our weary souls over the last two days. It’s that rejuvenation of Spirit which allows us now to sally forth with confidence into the evil, ungodly world that surrounds us, to begin a new week of work, constantly buffeted and bombarded by the enemy’s wicked taunts, wiles and lies. But heavenly Father, we’re not afraid, for we know we’re invincible, sure conquerors, once we’re wearing your powerful, protective spiritual armour.
We surrender our all to you, and humbly ask that you let your incredible aura of LOVE, the Holy Spirit, lead and guide all your servants as we go out to meet the enemy in battle. Fill us with steadfast faith, so that we can make worthwhile inroads into the enemy’s ranks, and thereby further your glorious kingdom. We pray this in the Holy Name of your Son, and our Saviour, Jesus Christ. AMEN!’
Bravo, mih breddren, Bravo! That was great! And it ought to raise our level of excitement for Jesus. So let’s endeavour to keep that fire burning brightly in our souls all day long nuh, so that we can exude confidence and also show others how refreshing and wonderful it feels to be a true friend and confidante of Jesus, for truly, there’s nothing else in the world like it.
It’s completely different to what our Bit so sadly offers. ‘For the leaders of this people cause them to err: and they that are led of them are destroyed.’
Oh my brethren, Jesus doesn’t lead people astray and cause them to be destroyed. But right now that statement is very, very true about our leaders, and it’s our bounden duty to help it become much less so. Our current leaders seem to be just a bunch of crooked, selfish schemers, and under their evil and corrupt schemes the majority of the planet is suffering and slowly being destroyed. That includes both human beings and nature.
But my fellow believers, hear the Lord’s stand on the situation, as He makes it known through Isaiah. ‘Woe unto them that decree unrighteous decrees, and that write grievousness (misfortune) which they have prescribed. To turn aside (deprive) the needy from judgement (justice), and to take away the right (what is right) from the poor of my people, that widows may be their prey, and that they may rob the fatherless!’ (Is.10:1-2)
Oh Friends, we all see the great travesty of injustice and oppression being played out every day in our evil, unjust world! But rest assured it will not continue for ever, for the Lord has promised its destruction.
‘And what will ye do in the day of visitation (punishment), and in the desolation which shall come from far? to whom will ye flee for help? and where will ye leave your glory? Without me they shall bow down under (among) the prisoners, and they shall fall under (among) the slain. For all this his anger is not turned away, but his hand is stretched out still (in judgement).’ (Is.10:3-4)
Ah mih people, have no fear, for justice from on high will eventually prevail. Our omnipotent God is not going to let Lucifer and his evil minions run roughshod over His beautiful creation for very long. So please be prepared. Get ready today, right now, for we know not when that justice will be delivered. But delivered it will be, through the Second Coming of Our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ.
And this time it won’t be as a babe in swaddling bands, but as a full grown, fierce and powerful warrior king, coming to claim what is rightfully His. But until He returns, we His followers need to keep His faith and memory strong by living the way He desires, and causing others to want to accept Him as their Lord and Saviour too.
So let’s get to it this Monday morning nuh! Let’s show the world the power and majesty of Jesus, by allowing His Holy Spirit that dwells within us, to lead and guide us along the straight and narrow path that leads directly to heaven. That’s wisdom for the ages! Much LOVE!
…to truly live for Jesus…is the most exciting thing a mortal man can do on this evil earth…
19 Oct 2013
by randyobrien50
in Christian Thoughts and Inspiration., Daily Devotion, Daily Inspiration, Inspirational Living, Spiritual Living
Tags: Abraham, adultery, Ark of the Covenant, basis of faith, Bathsheba, Bible, breath of life, busy lives, Christians, conspiracies, covenant, creation, critical spirit, darkness, darkness of eternity, disobedient, dysfunction, encouraging, enervating, eternal life, eternal truth, fallen angel, family disunity, former things, Genesis, glory, God's glory, God's wisdom, God's Word, graven images, Hagar, imbibing wine, insensitivity, Jews, light of the Gentiles, Living Deity, loving kindness, Lucifer, meditation, Messiah, negative spirit, praise, prison house, prisoners, prophetic word of God, rebellious, reconciliation, Revelation, righteousness., rock and roll, rumours of war, salvation, Saul, sin, sinful, solemn promise, special attention, spies, spirit, spiritual shallowness, strong grasp, thrillers, treachery, wars, wisdom
Isaiah 42:5. Thus saith God the Lord, he that created the heavens, and stretched them out; he that spread forth the earth, and that which cometh out of it; he that giveth breath unto the people upon it, and spirit to them that walk therein.
Oh Friends, I want to start off this morning by reminding us of two very significant pieces of wisdom, or of wise information. Now we should already know them, but such is the busyness of our lives that we either don’t remember them, or if we do, we don’t pay the special attention to them that we should.
And the first piece of wise info is that the Bible is God’s Word to us, still very fresh though it’s passed through many ages. And if we read it, we will most definitely find God’s wisdom on its pages! Everlasting, eternal truth, my people!
And the second bit of wise info is that ONE TRUTH from the Bible is worth more than all the wisdom of man! And that’s definitely truth for all the ages my people! So please let’s pay more attention to our Bibles nuh; read them more frequently and in more depth, because there’s no supposed thriller ever concocted by man that can match the Good Book for thrills.
From Genesis right through to Revelation the Bible is just chocked full of stuff we look for in man-made thrillers, and the great difference is that it’s ALL FACT, not a lot of fiction. We find wars, rumours of war, murder, adultery, conspiracies, spies, conflict in both high and low places, treachery, family disunity and dysfunction, and in its own way, sex, drugs and rock and roll, which should make us want to devour it.
Now don’t go flying off the handle, because it’s true. What do you call Abraham’s liaison with his maid Hagar eh? And what about Bruh David’s tryst with Bathsheba? And don’t forget how the ladies played their instruments, sang and danced when Bruh David came home from battle, re his killing of ten thousands to Saul’s mere thousands. (1 Sam.18:6-8)
And remember too how Bruh David danced before the Lord with all the instruments pounding away when they brought up the Ark of the Covenant. (2 Sam. 6) And what other book tells you about so much imbibing of wine eh? And yuh see how Bruh David’s wife, Michal, Saul’s daughter, looked at him askance for his dancing, (2 Sam.6:16) figuring that it was conduct unbefitting a king.
All of that was early rock and roll. (smile) It’s the same way that parents looked at their children in modern rock and roll. And as the scholars say of Michal’s behaviour: ‘A negative and critical spirit born of spiritual shallowness and insensitivity is a dangerous thing! And that’s no lie, as we see it happening in great numbers even today.
Anyway Friends, that’s just to remind us of what a thrilling book we have as the basis of our faith, and that we ought to pay MUCH MORE ATTENTION to it, and not as much to some of the nonsense that mankind is writing today.
And now, here’s our Bit, the prophetic words of our God, spoken by His servant Isaiah, re God’s servant coming to glorify His Holy Name. ‘Thus saith God the Lord, he that created the heavens, and stretched them out; he that spread forth the earth, and that which cometh out of it; he that giveth breath unto the people upon it, and spirit to them that walk therein.’
Yes Friends, it’s certainly the Most High God Jehovah who formed the heavens and the earth and gave us the breath of life. The first few chapters of Genesis describe it in detail. But my people, even more important than the creation, is the reconciliation, after man sinned and fell short of God’s glory!
That’s what our Bit introduces. ‘I the Lord have called thee in righteousness, and will hold thine hand, and will keep thee, and give thee for a covenant of (to) the people, for a light of the Gentiles; To open the blind eyes, to bring out the prisoners from the prison, and them that sit in darkness out of the prison house. I am the Lord: that is my name: and my glory will I not give to another, neither my praise to graven images. Behold the former things are come to pass, and new things do I declare: before they spring forth I tell you of them.’ (Is.42:6-9)
Oh my people, what a wonderful God we serve and worship! I’m amazed at His extraordinary LOVING-KINDNESS every day! Those verses are a solemn promise to His creation, both the Jews and Gentiles to provide a way of reconciliation in His own time. Wow! How awesome!
The scholars describe it thus: ’42:5-16. God the Lord is pictured as the Creator who created the heavens, and stretched them out and spread forth the earth. He also gives both breath and spirit to His people. The ministry of the Messiah is described in verse 6 as a covenant to the Jews and a light to the Gentiles. It foreshadows the twofold purpose of Christ’s ministry to both the Jews and Gentiles.’
Oh my brethren, what can be more encouraging and enervating than a Living Deity who contrives a plan to bring salvation and eternal life to His lost, sinful, rebellious and disobedient creation eh? Nothing really nuh!
That’s why we have to take hold with alacrity and a strong grasp, all that God has done for us, is still doing and promises to do in the future. Otherwise we’ll be lost in the darkness of eternity forever, with the foolish fallen angel Lucifer.
Now that’s not a very good way to spend eternity, is it? Certainly not! There’s no wisdom to that move at all! Therefore, please hear the Words of our great God and be wise. That’s our meditation for today! Much LOVE!
…as for me and mine…we will follow the Lord…that should be the irrevocable cry of ALL CHRISTIANS…
09 Aug 2013
by randyobrien50
in Christian Thoughts and Inspiration., Daily Devotion, Daily Inspiration, Inspirational Living, Spiritual Living
Tags: a mere pittance, baptism, barely survive, Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, captains of industry, chasing demons, christianity, compassionless, controlled by circumstances, courage, deliverance, divine intervention, do thyself no harm, earthquake, faith, fellow believers, feudal times, fortune telling, foundations, Friday, Friday chant, fun, further God's glorious kingdom, generous help, glory hallelujah, god, God's purposes, good fortune, great things, greedy, human-rights, jesus name, loosed chains, LOVE, loving kindness, marvellous God, merry chase, mighty works, Paul, Philippi, pittance, positive results, Praise the Lord, prayer, prison episode, prisoners, profit, refreshed in body and soul, rejoicing, relaxation, religion, renewed, rest, reverence, right perspective, Silas, singing of hymns, stripes, suffer for my name's sake, testimony, Thank God it's Friday, Thank the Lord, the weekend, time to party, what must I do to be saved, wicked, wisdom, woe is me
Acts 9:16. For I will show him how great things he must suffer for my name’s sake.
And then it was suddenly Friday! And on realizing this, all the working population got up, danced and sang with great joy: ‘Glory Hallelujah! Thank God is Friday! This week’s been a rough one. But now the weekend is at hand. Time to get out and party!’
Not so fast mih people! The weekend isn’t only for partying. We also have other duties to fulfill. So before we get too carried away with this being Friday, let’s chant our Friday Chant that will give us the right perspective on how to use these upcoming very valuable two days off.
Altogether now: ‘Oh Lord, thanks for getting me safely through another week of work! It hasn’t been easy, but with your generous help, I made it through. Now, please help me to get sufficient fun, fellowship, rest and relaxation in these two short days off, so that I can be renewed and refreshed in soul, body and mind, to go back out and do it all over again next week, furthering your glorious kingdom with each step I take. I pray this in Jesus name. Amen.’
Yes mih breddren, that’s how we should use the weekend; as a combination of fun, fellowship and relaxation, not all out partying. And be thankful that we at least get a couple days off every week to rest and recuperate, because a lot of people around the world still have to labour seven days a week for a mere pittance, on which they can barely survive.
So let’s thank the Lord for our good fortune and pray for those who are still oppressed and have no rights or freedom to express their unfortunate and evil oppression. And don’t laugh either, for if the captains of industry have their way, we’d all be pushed right back to feudal times, so greedy, wicked and compassionless are they.
Neither did Bruh Paul often have the luxury to do as he pleased, because the Lord certainly led him on a merry chase, as He declares in our Bit. ‘For I will show him how great things he must suffer for my name’s sake.’
And yesterday we saw some of the suffering Bruh Paul experienced in Philippi after chasing a demon from a young girl’s soul. Silas and him were dragged before the courts by the girl’s masters, for Bruh Paul’s actions had cause them to lose the ability to profit from the girl’s fortune telling. They successfully stirred up the crowd against the brethren, had them beaten and thrown into the innermost part of the prison. (Acts 16:16-24)
But Friends, our God is such a great Deity, and works in such mysterious and wondrous ways, doing just as He promised, to turn all situations to good for those who sincerely LOVE and revere Him.
Now listen as the Good Book tells the story: ‘And at midnight Paul and Silas prayed and sang praises (were praying and singing hymns) unto God: and the prisoners heard them. And suddenly there was an earthquake, so that the foundations of the prison were shaken: and immediately all the doors were opened, and every one’s bands (chains) were loosed.
And the keeper of the prison awaking out of his sleep, and seeing the prison doors open, he drew out his sword, and would have killed himself, supposing that the prisoners had been fled. But Paul cried out with a loud voice, saying, Do thyself no harm: for we are all here.
Then he called for a light, and sprang (ran) in, and came trembling, and fell down before Paul and Silas. And brought them out, and said, Sirs, what must I do to be saved? And they said, Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved, and thy house (household).
And they spake unto him the word of the Lord, and to all that were in his house. And he took them the same hour of the night, and washed their stripes; and was baptized, he and all his, straightway. And when he had brought them into his house, he set meat (food) before them, and rejoiced, believing in God with all his house.’ (Acts 16:25-34)
Oh my fellow believers what a marvellous God we serve and worship! And all God’s children said ‘Wow! Praise the Lord for His mighty works!’ That’s for sure! Just look at the lengths he went to save the jailer and his family.
Now here is the scholars take on that situation. ‘Verse 25 is the key to the prison episode, since the earthquake was not intended to deliver Paul but to convert the jailer. God knew that Paul would be released the next day; therefore the earthquake was not merely for Paul and Silas’s benefit. The earthquake would have been meaningless had not the jailer and prisoners heard Paul’s testimony in prayer and song.
Their singing brought about the divine intervention in the earthquake, and all would understand its significance. Hence the jailer would run to Paul asking how he could be saved. God’s purposes of Peter’s deliverance of chapter 12, and Paul’s of chapter 16, are apparent. The purpose of Peter’s imprisonment was his execution; for Paul, the intention was only to threaten him.
Surprisingly Peter sleeps whereas Paul prays and sings. Neither is controlled by his circumstances. In Peter’s case God puts the guards to sleep and delivers Peter by means of a silent angel. The guards are executed. In Paul’s case God awakens the sleeping jailer with an earthquake. The jailer is saved; Paul chooses to remain in jail.’
Oh Friends, yuh see the unique way in which the Lord used Bruh Paul to bring unbelievers to Jesus!
And even today, He’s still in the business of bringing unbelievers to Christ through our efforts. So please, whenever we find ourselves in difficult situations, let’s not simply hold our heads and bawl, ‘woe is me,’ but instead let’s take a serious look at what’s happening and consider how we can use it to influence others in Christ’s name, through prayers and singing of hymns, for that’s what Bruh Paul did, and we can all see the positive results.
And we can begin doing that right away by considering our current situations and instead of complaining, seeing how we can use them to further God’s glorious kingdom. Now that’s wisdom, faith and courage of the highest order! Much LOVE!
…Jesus expects ALL His followers to spread His Word…to manifest His LOVING-kindness…in whatever situation they find themselves…
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