15 Jan 2016
by randyobrien50
in Christian Thoughts and Inspiration., Daily Devotion, Daily Inspiration, Inspirational Living, Spiritual Living
Tags: ., a believer in Jesus Christ, a great cloud of witnesses, a marathon, a watershed year, addle our brains, backbone, backbreaking, belly, bondage, carousing, chase away all our cares and fears, Christians, crapaud smoke we pipe, crucified, encompassed about, endurance, every foe is vanquished, faith, fellowship, Friday chant, frolicking, fun, furthering God's kingdom, generous help, have your wits about you, he that endures, heavenly abode, impedes, lay aside every weight, life threatening stuff, looking unto Jesus, LOVE, mountains to climb, never gave up, one receives the prize, patience, perseverance, progress, reconciliation, refreshed, rejoicing in hope, relaxation, renewed, repelling the enemy, respite from labour, rest, rivers to cross, run, run with patience, sacrificed, salvation, seeking prey, sensible approach, sin, slothful, soul body and mind, stand strong and steadfast, stand up for Jesus, steadfast in prayer, swift of foot, TGIF! Thank God it's Friday!, that ye may obtain, the author, the brown girl in the bottle, the crown of life, the finisher, the race of life, the race that is set before us, the roaring lion, the sin which besets us, the straight and narrow path, the weekend, time to party, tribulation, valleys to descend, week of work, witnesses
Hebrews 12:1. Wherefore seeing (since) we also are compassed about with (surrounded by) so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which doth so easily beset (ensnare) us, and let us run with patience (perseverance, endurance) the race that is set before us.
Aye Friends, can you believe that it’s already the middle of January. These days surely seem to be rushing by quickly yes. But don’t worry, it’s Friday, which you already know, because long before I came around the corner, I heard you all enthusiastically mouthing: ‘TGIF! Thank God is Friday!
Mama yo! The work was backbreaking this week yes! But now is time to party; to chase away all our cares and fears with some drinks and some frolicking! Thank God that today is Friday oui! I don’t know if I could have handled another day under that slave driver, Massa nuh! Thank God for Fridays!’
Ah mih people, I know we – well some of us (smile) – work hard during the week and do deserve some respite from our labour, but drinking and carousing is not the way to overcome it.
And you certainly can’t trust the brown girl in the bottle, because she just doesn’t play fair. She’ll just addle your brains and have you doing all sorts of wrong things, even life threatening stuff.
And you need to have your wits about you all the time, otherwise our enemy, that roaring lion, seeking frail and feeble prey, will invade your soul and cause you to stray from the straight and narrow path.
Instead, let’s chant our Friday Chant, which gives us a better perspective on how to spend our weekends. As one 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 my precious people, that’s the more sensible approach to the weekend, especially in light of our Bit. ‘Wherefore seeing (since) we also are compassed about with (surrounded by) so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which doth so easily beset (ensnare) us, and let us run with patience (perseverance, endurance) the race that is set before us.’
Oh friends, the race of life that we’ve been given to run is much more important than just partying and having a rollicking good time, especially if you’re a believer in Jesus Christ.
It’s not an easy race to run, because it’s a marathon, fraught with all kinds of dangers and problems, like high mountains to climb, swollen rivers to cross, deep and dark valleys to descend and a host of other everyday stuff, many of which come upon us without any warning.
You’ll notice in chapter 11, the writer of Hebrews, whom I sincerely believe is Bruh Paul, gives us all kinds of examples of those witnesses that have gone before us, who had it difficult but never gave up, but through, and by faith just kept concentrating on their heavenly abode.
‘But now they desire a better country, that is a heavenly: wherefore God is not ashamed to be called their God: for he hath prepared for them a city.’ (Heb.11:16)
And my fellow believers in Christ, our Creator has also prepared a city for us, so we can’t afford to be lackadaisical about this race of life. As Bruh Paul told the Corinthians: ‘Know ye not that they which run in a race run all, but one receiveth the prize? So run, that ye may obtain.’ (1 Cor.9:24)
Yeh friends, we need to run hard and true, casting aside all and everything that impedes our progress, be it clothing or excessive body weight, as well as any sin(s) that hold(s) us in bondage. But most important of all my people, we must remember that this life race of faith is not a sprint, but for many of us a difficult marathon.
Therefore we need to run it with patience, with perseverance, with strong endurance. For as the saying goes, the race is not for the swift of foot, but for the one that endures…and just keeps enduring, right to the end and wins the prize, which in our case is the crown of life. (James 1:12)
Yes my precious brethren, that’s where so many of us fall by the wayside; sadly our endurance is not sufficient to keep us going. However as the author of Hebrews tells us, we have the best example of that endurance in our Lord and Saviour Jesus.
‘Looking unto Jesus the author (originator) and finisher (perfector) of our faith; who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of God.’ (Heb.12:2)
Yeh folks, Jesus knew what was waiting for Him on the other side of the cross, an everlasting seat at the right hand of the Father, so He handled the shame of being crucified naked, mocked and ridiculed, injured and beaten, loaded down with our sins, so that we could enjoy reconciliation and salvation with the Most High. Don’t you think the least that we can do is be grateful for His sacrifice and show it by our faithful and true lifestyles?
Please friends, this year of 2016 will be a watershed year; our world will either get better or go up in flames, and Christians are the ONLY ones who can make the first option come true.
But we need to be strong and steadfast, standing up to wrongs, making them right, having plenty belly and backbone, staying on the straight and narrow, repelling the enemy on every front, otherwise crapaud going to certainly smoke we pipe!
Now let’s close with these awesome enlightening and inspiring words of Bruh Paul to the Romans. ‘Be kindly affectioned (affectionate) one to another with brotherly LOVE (agape); in honour preferring (giving preference to) one another;
Not slothful (lagging in diligence) in business; fervent in spirit (boiling over); serving the Lord; Rejoicing in hope, patient (persevering) in tribulation; continuing instant (steadfast) in prayer.’ (Rom.12:10-12)
Yes precious people of God, those ingredients are all essential and necessary for us to run and eventually win this race of life. Please, let’s stand up and be counted in these most troubled and uncertain times nuh. Much LOVE!
…stand up…stand up for Jesus…the trumpet call obey…till every foe is vanquished…and Christ is Lord indeed…
08 Jan 2016
by randyobrien50
in Christian Thoughts and Inspiration., Daily Devotion, Daily Inspiration, Inspirational Living, Spiritual Living
Tags: a licence to sin, a penitent heart, Abraham Isaac and Jacob, Bathsheba, be not far from me, believers in Christ, burdens our hearts, celebrations, charles stanley, chasten me, confession, crying out for rest, displeasure, fellowship, forgiveness, forgives sin, forsake sin, Friday chant, fun, furthering God's glorious kingdom, generous help, God's good graces, Holy God, I acknowledged my sin, I am bowed down, I made it through, I will confess my transgressions, in Jesus' name, iniquity, leave all the consequences to Him, LOVE, LOVE Revolution, loving kindness, magnanimous, makes haste to help me, mine iniquity have I not hid, mourning, my wounds stink, negative consequences, O Lord of my salvation, obey God, our talk, our walk, penalties, play, psalm 38, refreshed, relaxation, renewed, repentance, rest, Selah, sin, soul body and mind, TGIF! Thank God it's Friday!, the devil's handiwork, the one and only true living God, the weekend, them's the breaks, thou forgavest the iniquity of my sin, what a wonderful God we serve and worship, work, working enables us to play, your arrows pierce me deeply
Psalm 32:5. I acknowledged my sin unto thee, and mine iniquity have I not hid. I said I will confess my transgressions unto the Lord, and thou forgavest the iniquity of my sin. Selah.
Well Friends, I can just imagine how you all must be shouting it from the rooftops this morning eh: ‘TGIF! Thank God it’s Friday! Thank God that the weekend is here at last! Wow! It certainly has been a tiring week! Thank God it’s Friday oui, and no more work for a couple days! The body certainly crying out for some rest!’
Ah mih people, I know that this first Friday of work in the new year has indeed been somewhat trying and tiring after all the season’s celebrations. But unfortunately, them’s the breaks. (smile) We can’t just play alone, sometime or other we need to work too.
And remember that it’s working which enables us to play. And I have to laugh how we crying out for rest, rather than the usual party scene. Hn, hn! Anyway, let’s all hang in there and chant our Friday Chant that will give us a better perspective on the weekend.
As one 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 friends, rest and worship are essential parts of our weekend, so that we can come back out strong on Monday and continue the cycle of building Christ’s LOVE Revolution. Remember that this is the year that the LOVE Revolution must sweep the world if we want to have any chance of turning things around.
It’s our job, as believers in Christ, to go out there and make believers of the unbelievers through both our talk and our walk. Nothing else is going to change them!
Now let’s turn to our Bit. ‘I acknowledged my sin unto thee, and mine iniquity have I not hid. I said I will confess my transgressions unto the Lord, and thou forgavest the iniquity of my sin. Selah.’
Ah mih people, what a wonderful God we serve and worship! There’s no other supposed deity who forgives sin! Just the ONE and ONLY TRUE and LIVING God; He of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob!
Yes my brethren, our God is indeed a truly magnanimous and forgiving Deity! But that doesn’t mean it gives us the right to keep on participating in sin, because on the other side of the coin, sin bears serious penalties from a holy God.
We saw yesterday, how God’s friend and man after His own heart, Bruh David paid an enormous price for his sin with Bathsheba, although he repented and was forgiven. But his sin had caused great occasion for God’s enemies to blaspheme His name, and that was definitely not acceptable.
So though we may sincerely repent and be forgiven, it doesn’t necessarily mean that there will be no negative consequences. So the best remedy is to sin as little as possible. (smile) Oh we all know that that is easier said than done, but we must always give it our best effort, with God’s help of course.
Now hear this gem on sin from Cousin Sol. ‘He that covereth his sins shall not prosper: but whoso confesseth and forsaketh them shall have mercy.’ (Prov.28:13)
Oh glory to God my people for His mercy and LOVING-kindness! But please note that Cousin Sol didn’t just say to confess our sins, but also to forsake them, stop committing them; especially the same ones over and over. That is also a necessary part of the whole scenario my brethren.
Remember, though confessions and repentance and forgiveness are ours, it doesn’t give us a licence to sin. But when we do sin, it is essential that we come to God in repentance and confession as soon as possible, because any sin that burdens our hearts, also keeps us out of God’s good graces, and we definitely don’t want to be excluded from that.
Now let’s look at some scripture on sin and its effects on the human body and psyche. Listen to Bruh David from Psalm 38 – The prayer of a penitent heart.
‘O Lord rebuke me not in thy wrath: neither chasten me in thy hot displeasure. For thine arrows stick fast in me (pierce me deeply), and thy hand presseth me sore (down). There is no soundness in my flesh because of thine anger; neither is there any rest (health, peace) in my bones because of my sin.
For mine iniquities have gone over mine head: as a heavy burden they are too heavy for me. My wounds stink and are corrupt (are foul and festering) because of my foolishness. I am troubled (bowed down) greatly; I go mourning all the day long.’ (Ps.38:1-6)
Yes friends, that’s how sin ought to make us feel, so that we can come running to God and sincerely declare: ‘For I am ready to halt (to fall), and my sorrow is continually before me. For I will declare mine iniquity; I will be sorry for my sin…. Forsake me not, O Lord: O my God, be not far from me. Make haste to help me, O Lord my salvation.’ (Ps.38:17-18, 21-22)
Ah my fellow believers, sin is no joke, so please let’s not encourage it in our lives, because we’re liable to pay a hefty price of negative consequences if we do. As Uncle Charles (Charles Stanley) so wisely declares: obey God and leave all the consequences to Him. Now that is indeed the wisest way to live! Much LOVE!
…sin is the devil’s handiwork…and it can only be erased through…confession, repentance and God’s mercy…
11 Dec 2015
by randyobrien50
in Christian Thoughts and Inspiration., Daily Devotion, Daily Inspiration, Inspirational Living, Spiritual Living
Tags: a balanced approach, a time of peace, a waste of God's opportunities, Babylon, be amongst the sheep, be not forgetful to entertain strangers, Christmas card, Christmas time, courtesy, everything in moderation, fellowship, Friday chant, fun, furthering God's glorious kingdom, generous help, getting me through another week, glory to God, God's glory, good cheer, good tidings, having a good time, he who lives by the gun dies by the gun, help the lost, highlighting guns, home of the brave, in my favour, Israel, jesus birth, kindness, land of the free, LOVE, mass murders, mercy, Nevada Republican, posing with guns, refreshed, relaxation, renewed, rest, right to bear arms, Second Amendment, some have entertained angels unawares, sons of strangers, strangers, TGIF! Thank God it's Friday!, the emblem of death, the future glory of Zion, the Gentiles, the house of jacob, the Lord loves the righteous, the Lord opens the eyes of the blind, the Lord will have mercy on Jacob, the weekend's here, trusting God, wining and dining, wisdom
Hebrews 13:2. Be not forgetful to entertain strangers: for thereby some have entertained angels unawares.
Oh mih people, mih people…eventually…it’s Friday! Hn, hn! And I have to chuckle, as though you need me to bring you such auspicious news, (smile) because many of you, from Monday began, have been counting down the days and the hours till Friday.
And most likely too, from the time you all got up this morning, you have been shouting ‘TGIF! Thank God it’s Friday and the weekend’s here at long last! Brother! What a blast we going to have in the next couple of days, wining and dining and just having a good time! I just thank God for every Friday yes!’
Oh friends, nothing’s wrong generally speaking with wining and dining and having a good time, but it cannot be at the expense of everything else. Remember Bruh Paul’s admonition to the Philippians, everything in moderation please, be reasonable in all your doings. (Phil.4:5) So just giving over the weekend to good times is a serious waste of God’s opportunities.
Now let’s chant our Friday Chant, which gives us a much better perspective on our weekend behaviour. As one solid and sincere chanter 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 Friends, that’s what we need; a balanced approach to it all, so that when Monday comes we are rested and able to go back out into the evil world and do a fine job for Jesus. Glory to God in the highest!
On a sad note though, this morning when I opened my e-mail, I was greeted by a link to a Christmas card sent out by a Nevada Republican representative showing her whole family posing with different kinds of guns, even down to a five year old. Steups!
What lunacy eh! How is that ever appropriate eh? At a time of peace and LOVE and good cheer you are highlighting guns, the emblem of death, especially when there have recently been so many mass murders in the land! Chuh man!
But it’s in the land of the free and the home of the brave, where they are so attached to their Second Amendment and their right to bear arms, that to them it must be appropriate in all kinds of situations. But just remember Friends, he who lives by the gun, also dies by the gun! Nuff said!
Let’s turn to our Bit. ‘Be not forgetful to entertain strangers: for thereby some have entertained angels unawares.’
Yes my brethren, it actually happened to Abraham and Lot many moons ago, and most likely will not happen to us, but since our God is so mysterious and miraculous, anything is possible.
The entertaining angels part aside though, we saw yesterday how important it was to Jesus and the Father to treat strangers with kindness and courtesy. (Deut.10:17-19; Matt.25:34-40) Therefore it must also be important to us, if we are following their will.
And today we are going to look at a couple more scriptures that highlight God’s tender spot for strangers and the needy. Lets begin with a verse from Isaiah, re Israel to be preserved after their sojourn of captivity in Babylon.
‘For the Lord will have mercy on Jacob, and will yet choose Israel, and set them in their own land, and the strangers shall be joined with them, and they shall cleave (cling) to the house of Jacob. (Is.14:1)
And it goes on to sing about triumph over Babylon, whom the Lord will later judge severely. But notice my people, that amongst the reclaimed of Israel, there will also be strangers participating in the good times.
And since we’re in Isaiah, we might as well continue with him. (smile) In chapter 60, which talks about the future glory of Zion, he declares: ‘And the sons of strangers (foreigners) shall build up thy walls, and their kings shall minister unto thee: for in my wrath I smote (struck) thee, but in my favour have I had mercy on thee.’ (Is.60:10)
Now the scholars have this to say about the scripture. ’60:1-12. Isaiah foresees a time when Israel will arise out of her darkness and shine with God’s glory. Then the Gentiles shall come to her light. Thus the sons of strangers described in this chapter will come to Jerusalem to worship the Lord.’
And we’ll conclude the matter with true and beautiful words from Psalm 146 – The blessedness of trusting God. ‘The Lord openeth the eyes of the blind: the Lord raiseth them that are bowed down: the Lord LOVETH the righteous:
The Lord preserveth (watches over) the strangers; he relieveth the fatherless and the widow: but the way of the wicked he turneth upside down. The Lord shall reign for ever, even thy God, O Zion, unto all generations. Praise ye the Lord.’ (Ps.146:8-10)
Yes my fellow believers, our wonderful God takes much more than passing interest in the stranger, the poor and needy, so we better had do the same, if we want to be amongst the sheep when Jesus comes to reign. Now that is unsurpassable wisdom! Much LOVE!
…it’s Christmas time…time to show LOVE and spread good tidings…to help the lost…the needy…the stranger…for that’s what Jesus’ birth was all about…
27 Nov 2015
by randyobrien50
in Christian Thoughts and Inspiration., Daily Devotion, Daily Inspiration, Inspirational Living, Spiritual Living
Tags: another week of work, at the presence of the God of Jacob, at the presence of the Lord, be thankful, Black Friday, commercialism, cut costs, Cyber Monday, debauchery, debt, deliverance, door crashers, Egypt, fellowship, foreign language, Friday chant, fun, furthering God's glorious kingdom, generous help, God's power, going their own way, in Jesus' name, Israel, Israel his dominion, Jordan was driven back, Judah was his sanctuary, laid off, licentiousness, LOVE, nothing to fear, one true God, perspective, profit, refreshed, relaxation, remember the Lord, renewed, rest, sale hounds, sales, saved you from your troubles, signs and wonders, strange language, TGIF! Thank God is Friday, the bottom line, the Exodus, the flint into a fountain of waters, The God of Israel, the Lord God Jehovah, the moneyed class, the mountains skipped like rams, the sea saw it and fled, the world must take notice, tremble thou earth, turned the rock into a pool of water, wisdom
Psalm 114:7. Tremble, thou earth, at the presence of the Lord, at the presence of the God of Jacob.
Well Friends, it’s Friday…Black Friday! And the voices sing out loud and clear: ’TGIF! Thank God is Friday, Black Friday, and we going down to the sales and buy to our hearts delight. Oh thank God for the weekend and Black Friday. Mama Yo! What a time it will be!’
Ah mih people, how sad that sounds. Another contrived day of commercialism; the Friday after the U.S thanksgiving is now widely known as Black Friday. It has nothing whatsoever to do with a Friday that falls on the 13th of the month, but all to do with an avalanche of supposed sales that have people rushing to the stores to buy stuff that they mostly don’t need or cannot afford.
I’ve been receiving flyers for this most inauspicious occasion all week long. Steups! And the behaviour of these sale hounds is oftimes very disgusting, especially over the door crashers. People have been trampled in the mad rush to get into the stores first, so they can have a chance at the door crasher. It has finally become true to its name
Ah Lord eh! What’s next eh? Don’t you know? Cyber Monday! Monday coming! That’s the online version of Black Friday. Chuh! And yuh know what, these arranged sales usually hook the people who can least afford them, and they get into a set of debt and further problems.
And sometimes I wonder how these business people expect the populace to buy their expensive stuff when so many are not working, when everyday you hear more people are being laid off to cut costs.
Yes Friends, it’s all about the bottom line; the moneyed class doesn’t care about the workers and how they fare, they are just interested in profit, at whose demise doesn’t really matter.
Anyway, enough of my griping. I’m sure some of you reading this are all caught up in the Black Friday and Cyber Monday scenario too. (smile)
It’s Friday, so let’s chant out Friday Chant as though we truly mean it. As one chanter 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.’
Now that is the kind of perspective we ought to have on Fridays and the weekend, not sales madness or other debauchery and licentiousness. (smile)
Now let’s turn to our Bit. ‘Tremble, thou earth, at the presence of the Lord, at the presence of the God of Jacob.’
Oh my brethren, that sentiment comes from an obscure psalm, Psalm114, superscripted; ‘God’s power demonstrated in the Exodus.’
Sad to say, but I’ve never noticed it before this morning while looking for a suitable Bit, and I’m sure many of you are the same. That’s because it’s not a well-known psalm, nobody talks about it. But precious people, the Lord God Jehovah obviously wanted to bring it to our attention this Black Friday morning. (smile)
So, since we don’t know it, let’s hear what it says nuh. ‘When Israel went out of Egypt, the house of Jacob from a people of strange language (having a foreign language): Judah was his sanctuary, and Israel his dominion. The sea saw it, and fled: Jordan was driven (turned) back. The mountains skipped like rams, and the little hills like lambs.
What ailed thee, O thou sea, that thou fleddest (fled)? thou Jordan, that thou wast driven back (turneth back)? Ye mountains, that ye skipped like rams; and ye little hills, like lambs? Tremble, thou earth, at the presence of the Lord, at the presence of the God of Jacob; Which turned the rock into a standing (pool of) water, the flint into a fountain of waters.’
And that’s all there is to Psalm 114. It doesn’t sound as majestic and moving as some of the others that we’re accustomed to, but it is still important, in that it reminds us of the Exodus of the Jewish people out of Egypt and the mighty deeds that the Lord our God did to get them out.
Now listen to the scholars take on it. ‘Psalm 114. A highly poetic description of the Exodus, this psalm emphasizes both God’s power displayed (vv.3-6) and His provision supplied (v.8). The God of Israel’s deliverance (vv.1-2) is still their God (v.7), the implication being that He can still unfurl His power. The world must therefore take notice.’
Oh Friends, the sentiments contained in those last two sentences are of immense importance to us today. The Lord God Jehovah is still our God today, have no doubt about it! And His awesome power is still available and still being put to good use, and the world ought to take suitable notice.
Unfortunately though, the world is not taking notice of God’s might and power and are simply going their own way. Foolishly, they are not noticing the signs and wonders that are happening all around them, indicating that the Lord still reigns and still has the power to move mountains, seas, and whatever have you.
Thankfully though my fellow believers, we know better than that. We recognize the One True God; He of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, who created the world and still controls it, contrary to the thinking of the heathen.
So please, as we go about out business this Black Friday, let’s remember that the Lord of Hosts is still on His throne and still in control, and is still LOVING and caring for us, so we have nothing to fear. That’s wisdom at its zenith! Much LOVE!
…remember the Lord…when He saved you out of your troubles…and be thankful…
30 Oct 2015
by randyobrien50
in Christian Thoughts and Inspiration., Daily Devotion, Daily Inspiration, Inspirational Living, Spiritual Living
Tags: a better perspective, a modicum of circumspection, another week of work, blessings, call upon him in truth, common sense, consequences, consume it in your pleasures, delight thyself in the Lord, earthly things, Eliphaz, fellowship, Friday chant, fun, generous help, getting me through, getting up before daybreak, God will also hear their cry, God will fulfill the desire of them that fear him, he shall give thee the desires of thine heart, he shall hear thee, humble hearts, I am not my brother's keeper, in compliance with God's Word, Job, LOVE, lustlful manner, mercies, number one criteria, open the portals of heaven, refreshed, relaxation, renewed, repent, rest, reverence to God, rewards, sincerity, TGIF! Thank God is Friday, thank the Lord for Fridays, the desires of the world, the desires of your heart, the end of the workweek, The Lord is nigh unto all that call upon him, the things of God, the weekend, thou shalt have thy delight in the Almighty, thou shalt lift up thy face unto God, thou shalt pay thy vows, truth, worldly desires, ye ask amiss, ye have not because ye ask not
Psalm 37:4. Delight thyself also in the Lord; and he shall give thee the desires of thine heart.
So it’s Friday Friends… so big deal…
And I am immediately shot down by a barrage of ‘How yuh mean what is the big deal? Yuh crazy or what? Friday marks the end of the workweek, no more slaving for two whole big days, no more getting up before daybreak and sitting down in a setta traffic morning and evening! And how yuh mean that is not a big thing eh? Steups!
Look boy, when Friday comes around, I joyfully shout “TGIF! Thank God is Friday yes! No more work, and I can lie down in my bed till a decent hour, and do whatever, whenever I want, not when the slave driver wants. Thank the Lord for Fridays and the weekend oui!’
Awright, I get the message, I do get the message. But the trouble is that some people abuse the weekend and overdo the partying aspect, which often leads to big problems and trouble.
‘So that is their business!’ comes the quick reply. ‘If they want to mess up their lives, that is their problem.’
So don’t you feel sorry for those who mess up?
‘Sometimes, yes. But I am not my brother’s keeper,’ is the surly answer.
But I soldier on. Now that is why we need to use the weekend wisely, with a li’l bit, a modicum of circumspection, as Jeeves would say. (smile)
So let’s get a better perspective on the weekend by chanting our Friday Chant nuh. As one 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.’
Yeh Friends the weekend is indeed valuable to our lives, but the way we use it can make or break us. Please, let’s try and not overdo the freedom to do whatever we want aspect, and keep everything nicely in balance and display the wisdom that we believers are famous for. (smile)
Now let’s look at our Bit, taken from the wise and wonderful words of Bruh David in Psalm 37. Oh, but before we do that, let me ask, how many of us noticed that yesterday when I introduced some verses from Psalm 37, I wrote it as Psalm 327?
Not too many of us, I bet. I never saw it myself until I read it over this morning. Please forgive the ole fella, he’s only human yuh know, thus not perfect. (smile)
And our Bit for today confidently states: ‘Delight thyself also in the Lord; and he shall give thee the desires of thine heart.’
Oh what a beautiful promise my brethren! And it’s no lie either! The problem here though is that the desires of our hearts must not just be lustful, greedy, worldly desires for things and their accumulation. Those desires must be for things we truly need and are in compliance with the Word of God.
Now that’s the number one criteria; does it line up with God’s Word? If it does, then fine. If not, then we’re wasting our time praying or asking for it.
As Bruh David says later on in Psalm 145: ‘The Lord is nigh unto all them that call upon him, to all that call upon him in truth. He will fulfill the desire of them that fear him: he will also hear their cry, and will save them.’ (Ps.145:18-19)
Yuh see Friends, we have to truly reverence God, to come to Him in sincerity and truth, not in a wishy-washy, lustful manner, only desirous of worldly stuff. That’s why, when Job’s buddy Eliphaz implores him to repent, he also assures him.
‘For then shalt thou have thy delight in the Almighty, and shall lift up thy face unto God. Thou shalt make thy prayer unto him, and he shall hear thee, and thou shalt pay thy vows.’ (Job 22:26-27)
Ah mih people, our wonderful God longs for us to repent and come to Him with humble hearts and minds. Then and only then will He open the portals of heaven and shower down His blessings and mercies on us.
And we’ll end today with some appropriate words of James, as he talks about worldliness and pride. ‘Ye lust, and have not: ye kill (murder), and desire to have (covet), and can not obtain: ye fight and war (battle), yet ye have not, because ye ask not. Ye ask, and receive not, because ye ask amiss, that ye may consume it upon your lusts (pleasures).’ (James 4:2-3)
Now that’s the exact point we’ve been trying to drive home my fellow believers. We’re still too caught up in the affairs and desires of the world, and thus ask for the wrong things. We’re more concerned with earthly things and pleasures than those of God and heaven. How then can the Father give us the desires of our hearts when they don’t line up with His Word eh? Not at all!
So today, let’s ponder on those desires that proliferate in our hearts and minds, and see if they line up with the reality of God’s Word. And if they don’t, then with His help, let’s try to bring them into line, so that we can be granted the desires of our hearts. That’s basic common sense! (smile) Much LOVE!
…in any forum whatsoever…keeping the law brings rewards…while disobedience brings negative consequences…
21 Aug 2015
by randyobrien50
in Christian Thoughts and Inspiration., Daily Devotion, Daily Inspiration, Inspirational Living, Spiritual Living
Tags: all things are lawful unto me, all things do not edify, bondage, Bruh Paul, build up, but not all things are expedient, Christ's work, Christian behaviour, Christian Liberty, Christian's own judgement, circumscribe, Corinthians, debauchery, edify, expediency, expedient, fellowship, fresh like a daisy, Friday chant, friends, fun, generous help, glorious kingdom, go crazy, go overboard, I will not be brought under the power of any, indulgence, Jesus Christ, Judaistic legalism, lawful, liberty, live balanced lives, LOVE, perspective, power, principles, refreshed, relaxation, renewed vitality, rest, restrictions, right decisions, right in the sight of God, self-control, straight and narrow path, TGIF! Thank God it's Friday!, the Corinthians, the weekend, tiresome labour, vim and vigour, what is acceptable to God, wisdom
1 Corinthians 6:12. All things are lawful unto me, but all things are not expedient (helpful): all things are lawful for me, but I will not be brought under the power of any (anything).
And then it was Friday Friends! Not soon enough for some, but nevertheless they declare in loud and joyful voices: ‘TGIF! Thank God it’s Friday! Wow! The weekend’s here at last, and I’m just going to go crazy over those two days away from tiresome labour! Thank You God for this Friday yes!’
Ah mih people, it is right to be happy over the two days off of work, but by the same token, we just can’t use them to go overboard, because then we’ll be of no use to anybody, including ourselves, come the beginning of the new workweek. And as believers in, and followers of Jesus Christ, we are expected to live balanced lives.
For Remember what Bruh Paul says to the Corinthians in our Bit. ‘All things are lawful unto me, but all things are not expedient (helpful): all things are lawful for me, but I will not be brought under the power of any (anything).’
Yes Friends, it’s not everything that’s lawful is right for us to do. As we saw in our recent Bit, ‘proving what is acceptable unto the Lord,’ we have to analyze every decision and see whether it’s acceptable to God or not. So though some of them might be lawful, they might not be acceptable to God. And wasting away the weekend in debauchery is certainly not acceptable to God. (smile)
Now the scholars give us a good explanation of that verse. ‘6:12. Paul’s principles may be summarized in three words: Lawful, expedient, and power. The first is the principle of liberty. When Paul says “all things,” we cannot take this in an absolute sense. Obviously, what God forbids can never be allowed.
Rather, it refers to those things about which the Scriptures are not explicit. Such matters are left to the Christian’s own judgement. The apostle is careful not to weaken the important doctrine of Christian liberty by leading these people back under Judaistic legalism.
Rather, his intent is to circumscribe its application through proper restrictions. These are expressed in the principle of “expediency.” Not everything is beneficial.
A second restriction is expressed in the words, I will not be brought under the power of any. This is the principle of self-control. Certain forms of indulgence become wrong when they bring the person into bondage.’
There you have it my people, we need to pay close attention to the expediency of things, even in our Christian liberty, and invoke that most difficult of tasks, self-control, in all that we do.
Bruh Paul felt so strongly about that, that he chose to repeat it in a slightly different form, later on in chapter 10. ‘All things are lawful for me, but not all things are expedient (helpful): all things are lawful for me, but all things edify not (do not build up).’ (1 Cor.10:23)
So my fellow believers, though many things are lawful and legal, not all of them are becoming re Christian behaviour. If they don’t edify, build us up, keep us on the straight and narrow path that leads to God, then they should not be indulged in.
And sometimes it’s not even so much indulging in those things, but more like overdoing them. And we have a perfect example in the way we spend the weekend. Nothing’s wrong with partying per se, but when we overdo it, get black up and start misbehaving, losing our self-control, then that’s certainly not expedient and useful to us.
And that’s why we have our Friday Chant; to give us a better perspective on how to spend our precious two days off. So as one now, let’s chant it with some vim and vigour nuh
‘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 Friends, that’s more like how we ought to come up over the weekend; with rest, relaxation and fellowship, so that we can go back out next week fresh like a daisy, (smile) fully empowered, in both body and soul, to do Christ’s work. And that my brethren, should always be our first priority!
Now on this summer Friday then, let’s get our thoughts together as believers, and with the necessary self-control and help of Jesus, make the right decisions on how to spend our weekend, for that is indeed wisdom of the highest order. Much LOVE!
…it’s legal and lawful in man’s world…but is it right in the sight of God…that is the question…
10 Jul 2015
by randyobrien50
in Christian Thoughts and Inspiration., Daily Devotion, Daily Inspiration, Inspirational Living, Spiritual Living
Tags: a brand new day, Abraham Isaac and Jacob, beck and call, Bruh David, confession, confidence, doing God's will, enemy, enjoyment, eternal life, faith, faithful, faithfulness, fellowship, for he is faithful that promised, free gift of grace, Friday chant, friends, generous help, glorious kingdom, Glory be to God, gobble us up, Gods thoughts and ways are higher than ours, gospel truth, grace, great is thy faithfulness, harmony, his compassions fail not, hope, in Jesus' name, indisputable truth, Isaiah, jehovah god, Jeremiah, Lamentations, let us hold fast the profession of our faith, LOVE, loving kindness, mercy, refreshed, renewed, repentance, righteousness., roaring lion, salvation, sincerity, slave drivers, steadfast love of God, stray from the straight and narrow path, surrender, TGIF! Thank God it's Friday!, the fountain of life, the good news of Jesus, the One and Only Living God, the right perspective, the straight and narrow path, the weekend, truth, under the shadow of God's wings, unrighteousness, wisdom, with God's help, without wavering, wolf in sheep's clothing
Hebrews 10:23. Let us hold fast the profession (confession) of our faith (hope) without wavering; (for he is faithful that promised;)
Oh Friends, it’s a brand new day in God’s great universe! And thankfully the ole fella’s feeling much better than he did yesterday, not as much doddering (smile). All glory be to God! And by the way, it’s also Friday…
‘Oh yes we know that. That’s why all morning we’ve been singing; TGIF! Thank God it’s Friday and the weekend’s here at long last! This has been a rough week, for the slave drivers drove us harder than usual. But with God’s help we survived. Thank the Lord it’s Friday yes! We certainly going to enjoy this weekend.’
Yes my people, the weekend is there for us to enjoy, but we have to be careful about what we consider enjoyment and make sure it is not of a sinful, but rather of a godly nature. And to help us get the right perspective, let’s chant our Friday Chant with sincerity and truth.
All together 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.’
Ah mih breddren, please pay serious attention to our Chant, and let it keep us on the straight and narrow path when we set out to have fun this weekend, for it’s ever so easy to fall into unrighteousness when we let our hair down.
And the wily enemy, the wolf in sheep’s clothing, the roaring lion is waiting ever so patiently to gobble us up when we diverge, stray from the straight and narrow path. So let’s not give him any satisfaction this weekend nuh.
That brings us to our Bit, which encourages and assures us that our faith is dearly worth holding on to. ‘Let us hold fast the profession (confession) of our faith (hope) without wavering; (for he is faithful that promised;)
Yes my people, you definitely won’t find any human, or any supposed deity more faithful than the ONE and ONLY TRUE and LIVING God whom we serve and worship; He of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob! That’s an indisputable truth!
But sadly, too many of us supposed believers loose faith as soon as something doesn’t go the way they want it to. We expect God to be there at our every beck and call and to give us what we desire. Unfortunately it doesn’t work like that.
We are the ones supposed to be at God’s beck and call and do His desire, which is first and foremost to tell others the good news about His wonderful Son and our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ, and live the kind of life that will encourage others to come to Jesus in sorrowful repentance to receive His free gift of grace, which leads to salvation and eternal life.
Wow! Now isn’t that mouthful? It certainly is. But it’s also the glorious truth! Ah mih people, we can’t afford to loose our hard won faith as soon as things don’t go our way. We’ve got to be stronger and much more faithful than that. God has promised to look after us, but in His own way and time, and to eventually make everything work out well.
We might not always understand or appreciate His motives and ways, but remember He says that His thoughts and ways are higher than ours, (Is.55:8-9) so His actions won’t always blend seamlessly with our desires. That’s where our trust and faith, surrender and confidence comes into play.
Now let’s look at some scripture, in particular from three men of faith, none of whom had it easy in doing God’s will, but they all declared His faithfulness with supreme confidence and assurance.
First up is Bruh David, the servant of the Lord, from Psalm 36 – The steadfast LOVE of God. Bruh David confidently declares: ‘Thy mercy (LOVING-kindness), O Lord, is in the heavens; and thy faithfulness reacheth unto the clouds. Thy righteousness is like the great mountains (Lit. mountains of God); thy judgements are a great deep (ocean):
O Lord, thou preservest man and beast. How excellent (precious) is thy LOVING-kindness, O God! Therefore the children of men put their trust under the shadow of thy wings. They shall be abundantly satisfied with the fatness (fullness) of thy house; and thou shalt make them drink of the river of thy pleasures. For with thee is the fountain of life: in thy light shall we see light.’ (Ps.36:5-9)
Oh Friends, after hearing such a glowing report on God, how can we not put our trust and faith in Him eh? Bruh David did not live an easy life, but he certainly lived a rewarding one by faithfully trusting the God of his fathers.
Now hear Isaiah as he declares the righteous reign of the branch of Jesse. ‘And righteousness shall be the girdle (belt) of his loins, and faithfulness the girdle of his reins (belt of his waist). The wolf also shall dwell with the lamb, and the leopard shall lie down with the kid; and the calf and the young lion and the fatling together; and a little child shall lead them.’ (Is.11:5-6)
Yes my people, such shall be the peace and harmony existing in the kingdom of the Messiah, of Jesus when He returns to rule the earth. We only have to look at the many predictions of Isaiah and see that most of them have already come true to realize the absolute faithfulness of Jehovah God.
And we’ll close with this popular scripture from the Lamentations of Jeremiah, another prophet who did not have an easy life, but who nonetheless extolled the faithfulness of his God. ‘It is of the Lord’s mercies that we are not consumed, because his compassions fail not. They are new every morning: great is thy faithfulness.’ (Lam.3:22-23)
And that is the gospel truth my brethren! It is only because of God’s compassion and faithfulness that we have not been consumed. He has shown us mercy, because of His great LOVE for us, and He is ever reliable and faithful to those who worship Him in sincerity and truth. Please remember that. Much LOVE!
…to recognize and appreciate faithfulness…one must also be faithful…
29 May 2015
by randyobrien50
in Christian Thoughts and Inspiration., Daily Devotion, Daily Inspiration, Inspirational Living, Spiritual Living
Tags: a voracious fire, Advocate of love, almighty god, Anselm, antidote, awesome truth, bloodguiltiness, body and soul, call to repentance, cease to do evil, cleanse, Cleanse your hands, cleansing of the heart, colourfast dye, consume you, defend the fatherless, demon, demonic plague, depths of hades, doubleminded, draw near to God, evil doings, fellowship, floor our hearts, flow like water, fool-fool, forgive, Friday chant, friends, fun, furthering God's glorious kingdom, generous help, glory hallelujah, God will draw near to you, gospel truth, grace, Hades, hate in your heart, heaven, heavenly Father, in Jesus' name, invitation, Jesus Christ, Jesus returns, joy, let God deal with them, LOVE, love always conquers hate, LOVE is of God, LOVE of God, Lucifer, make you clean, might be too late tomorrow, no more slaving, no way Jose, omnipotent, peace, plead for the widow, prince of peace, purify your hearts, rages, reason together, reasonable, red like crimson, refreshed, relaxation, renewed, rest, ritual washing, scarlet worm, seek justice, sin be as scarlet, sinners, TGIF! Thank God is Friday, the devil's own tool, the life- changing grace of God, time to party, true repentance, wash you, week of work, when it rains it pours, white as snow, wisdom, without warning, wool
James 4:8. Draw nigh (near) to God, and he will draw nigh (near) to you. Cleanse your hands, ye sinners; and purify your hearts, ye doubleminded.
Well Friends, it’s Friday once again, a glorious sun shiny day!
And it’s obvious that the working population is going to sing out with joy: ‘TGIF! Thank God is Friday oui! No more slaving for massa for two big whole days! Wow! Glory Hallelujah! It’s time to party now! Thank God it’s Friday and the drinks going to flow like water!’
Oh my people, that might not be the best sentiment to express on behalf of Friday, but it is the gospel truth! I remember growing up in Tobago; on a Friday evening the capital of Scarborough would be the busiest ever; especially if it was payday, all the rum shops would be doing a thriving business. That would be their best day of the week.
And I believe some, and possibly a lot of that heritage still lingers on in the minds and actions of the workingman. But we all know that that’s not the best way to spend our Friday evenings. And to help us make some better decisions, let’s chant our Friday Chant with much seriousness of purpose.
As one 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.’
Yeh Friends, we ought to use the weekend for refreshing ourselves so that we can continue God’s work next week with vim and vigour, not in a hung over haze.
Now here is an interesting word from my buddy Anselm, as always, trying to inspire us to a better tomorrow. ‘Throughout life, people will make you mad, disrespect you and treat you bad. Let God deal with the things they do, cause hate in your heart will consume you too.’
Oh my people, my people, that is the absolute truth! There’s nothing that can consume you like hate! It just rages in you like a voracious fire, consuming whatever it comes into contact with, causing problems in every area of your life, as well as the lives of those with whom you come into contact.
Yes Friends, hate is the devil’s own tool, one we don’t want inside of us at all, at all, at all! But to successfully conquer that demonic plague, there’s only one avenue open to us; that’s turning to the Prince of Peace and Advocate of LOVE, Jesus Christ.
And how do we do that? Our Bit it spells it out quite clearly. ‘Draw nigh (near) to God, and he will draw nigh (near) to you. Cleanse your hands, ye sinners; and purify your hearts, ye doubleminded.’
Yes my brethren, that’s the best known antidote for hate available to mankind! Glory to God!
Please remember that true LOVE will ALWAYS conquer hate, because LOVE is of God, the Creator and Controller of this universe, and no little fool-fool demon like Lucifer can ever conquer the likes of Almighty God!
That’s why he dwells in the depths of Hades and the Lord in the wonder of Heaven. He was kicked out of heaven for his hateful behaviour, so how can he ever be mightier than our omnipotent heavenly Father eh? No way Jose!
Now let’s check up on some scripture that deals with our Bit. Hear Isaiah deliver the message in his call to repentance. ‘Wash you, make you clean; put away the evil of your doings from before mine eyes; cease to do evil; Learn to do well; seek judgement (justice), relieve (reprove) the oppressed (oppressor), judge (vindicate, defend) the fatherless, plead for the widow.
Come now and let us reason together, saith the Lord: though your sins be as scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they be red like crimson, they shall be as wool.’ (Is.1:16-18)
Oh Friends, oh Friends, what a beautiful invitation to meet and talk with the Lord of the universe!
And the scholars offer these important observations. ‘1:16-17. Wash does not indicate that the sinner may cleanse himself. Nor does it refer to mere ritual washing. Rather, it indicates that the sinner must accept the cleansing offered by the Lord, a cleansing of the heart resulting in true repentance.’ What an awesome truth that my people!
‘1:18-20. The prophet’s appeal to come and reason together reveals God’s gracious invitation to all men. It literally means to be “reasonable” by repenting and turning to God. Their sin is described as scarlet and red like crimson, referring to their bloodguiltiness before God. The term crimson also means “worm,” referring to the colourfast dye of the scarlet worm.
The eradication of this stain turns it snowy white and is symbolic of the life-changing grace of God, which delivers men from the guilt and condemnation of sin. Thus the prophet reminds his readers that God stands ready to cleanse and forgive all who will turn to Him.’
Oh my brethren, that is the same message I’m imparting to us today: God is ready, willing and able to cleanse and forgive all who turn to Him in sincere repentance! So please don’t let this opportunity pass you by, because it just might be too late tomorrow, or some other time when Jesus returns without warning.
And on that vital and vibrant note, we’ll end today. Please ponder, seriously consider all that we’ve said, and then let the true LOVE of God flood our hearts with peace, wisdom, joy and LOVE! That’s the best, and only true prescription for wonderful living! Much LOVE!
…cleansing our hearts and souls through repentance….brings such an awesome revelation…that only fools won’t do it…
P.S. Oh Friends, please excuse the lateness of the Bit, but like the late nights and early mornings are finally getting to me. (smile) I got up this morning, thought the clock said 7.30, but it was really 8.30. Hn, Hn! Just remember though that the ole fella is only human and thus liable to err. (smile) Much LOVE!
P.S.S. When it rains, it certainly pours yes! would you believe that just as I was about to send the Bit, the so and so computer froze on me. Chuh blast! But I won’t let Lucifer spoil my day. (smile) Much LOVE!
02 Jan 2015
by randyobrien50
in Christian Thoughts and Inspiration., Daily Devotion, Daily Inspiration, Inspirational Living, Spiritual Living
Tags: a closer walk with Jesus, a longing for God, a modicum of circumspection, Anselm's Quote, be as wise as serpents, chew us up and spit us out, chewing tobacco, christianity, come to God by faith, concerns, different approach, evil and ungodly world, fellow believers, fellowship, flaws, Friday chant, friends, fun, furthering God's glorious kingdom, generous help, God's faithful and unchanging Word, good works, harmless as doves, I send you forth as sheep, in the midst of wolves, innocence, Inspire us for a better tomorrow, invade our inner man, jehovah god, let go of anxiety, listen more, LOVE, Lucifer, make a positive difference, malice and forethought, mature in Christ, men ought always to pray, negative things, New Year's message, openings to creep into our souls, positive things, potential, pray, pray everywhere, pray without ceasing, prayer, refreshed, relaxation, renewed, separate worries from concerns, sit on your ego, snow, take one day at a time, talk less, the Bible is God's word to us, the Bible is guidebook to earthly living, the most powerful force in the universe, things to build on, times of celebration, we let our hair down, week of work, wisdom, worries
Matthew 10:16. Behold, I send you forth as sheep in the midst of wolves: be ye therefore wise as serpents, and harmless (innocent) as doves.
Well Friends, at last there’s a smattering of that much LOVED and hated white stuff on the ground in my area this Friday morning, the 2nd day of 2015!
It’s been a while since we’ve seen snow around these parts, and though it’s not a lot, it’s enough to glaze the roads in a suit of white. So though it looks so virginal and harmless, it can still be dangerous. That means those who unluckily have to go to work today, will have to be cautious in their driving.
On the other side of the coin, there are those who haven’t worked much in the last two weeks because of the way the holidays have fallen. Consequently, we need to chant our Friday Chant even more than normal, to remind us of what is what in these times of celebration. (smile)
So let’s get the day started with a rousing and sincere chant. ‘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.’
Oh Friends, I do hope that we have been celebrating with a ‘modicum of circumspection,’ and not giving Lucifer any openings to creep into our souls, since it’s when we let our hair down that he usually finds a spot to invade our inner man.
And today I want to share an interesting and rather relevant New Year’s message I got from my friend Anselm yesterday, in his quotes to ‘Inspire us for a better tomorrow.’
It reads as follows: ‘We spend January 1st walking through our lives, room by room, drawing up a list of work to be done, cracks to be patched. Maybe this year, to balance the list, we ought to walk through the rooms of our lives… not looking for flaws, but for potential.’
Now that’s a new and different approach isn’t it? Instead of looking for negative things, things to fix, let’s look for the positive things that we can build on.
Then Anselm gives us a few ‘Things to think about for 2015: 1. Talk less; listen more; 2. Remind yourself you are not the General Manager of the Universe; 3. Sit on your ego; 4. Take one day at a time; 5. Separate worries from concerns. If a situation is a concern, find out what God would have you to do and let go of the anxiety. If you can’t do anything about a situation, forget it; 6. Pray.’
Oh my people, all of that stuff is so true, we can’t refute any of it! And please note his last bit of advice; ‘Pray.’
Ah my fellow believers, in these troubled and tremulous times, we do need to fill the atmosphere with prayer, for it’s the most important and most powerful force in the universe!
Remember, Jesus told us ‘that men ought always to pray, and not to faint (lose heart).’ (Luke 18:1) For it’s exactly when we’re tempted to give up, to lose heart, that we need to pray most fervently.
Then Bruh Paul told the Ephesians to pray always. (Eph.6:18); the Thessalonians to ‘pray without ceasing.’ (1 Thess.6:17); and to Timothy he said ‘that men ought to pray everywhere.’ (1 Tim.2:8) So my brethren it’s rather obvious that prayer ought to be a very big and important part of a believer’s life!
That brings us to our Bit: ‘Behold, I send you forth as sheep in the midst of wolves: be ye therefore wise as serpents, and harmless (innocent) as doves.’
Yes Friends, Jesus is asking every one of His followers to go out into the evil, ungodly world, without malice and forethought, but with great wisdom and innocence. However, before we can even dream of doing that, we need to be aware of God’s faithful, and unchanging Word, else the world will just chew us up and spit us out like chewing tobacco.
That’s why I want to remind us today that ‘the Bible is God’s Word to us, still fresh through all the ages. And if we read it, we‘ll find God’s wisdom on its pages.’
Oh my people, it is ever so important for believers to read God’s Word, so that we can know what He is saying to us! The Bible is our Guidebook for life here on this earth, so we can’t get good and correct guidance and direction for our lives unless we read and study it.
You can’t be a true believer and not make reading the Good Book a habitual and integral part of your life. Remember too Friends, that we have resolved that in 2015 we will all endeavour to walk closer with Jesus, have a more personal and heart warming relationship with Him, than we’ve had before.
Now that means we have to read and study His Word more, pray more, fellowship more with other believers, and also do more good works in His name. That’s the only way we’ll ever increase our faith, grow and mature in our relationship with our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ!
Please remember too my people that we are basically a longing for God, cause that’s how He made us. There’s an little empty pocket of space in our souls, and until we fill it with Jehovah God, we’ll never be truly happy or peaceful.
Now time and space have run out on us, and I do hope that what’s turned out to be a sort of refresher course in Christianity (smile) will wake us up, and greatly benefit us all during this new year of 2015, as we sincerely endeavour to walk more closely with Christ and make a positive difference in our lost and greatly disturbed world.
So till we meet again tomorrow, God willing, please go safely, in peace, wisdom and LOVE! Much LOVE, my fellow believers in Christ!
…no human being is really at peace…until he has come to God by faith… (St. Augustine)
14 Nov 2014
by randyobrien50
in Christian Thoughts and Inspiration., Daily Devotion, Daily Inspiration, Inspirational Living, Spiritual Living
Tags: a modicum of circumspection, Abimelech, Abraham, almighty god, blessings, camels, caressing, communication with our heavenly Father, contention, Cousin Sol, covenant, dangerous, deceit, deceitful, diligently served, donkeys, fear, fellowship, flocks, Friday chant, furthering God's glorious kingdom, generous help, Give God a bigger piece of the pie, God gives thee power to get wealth, God is the source of all our blessings, God's promise, gold, goodness, have good success, hears, high-fiving, holy spirit, humble servants, in Jesus' name, inopportune times, Isaac, Isaac reaped a hundredfold, Isaac sowed in the land, Isaac waxed great, Jehovah-Jireh, Jesus Christ, joy, land of Gerar, laughter, lied, like father like son, loud voice, LOVE, maidservants, make thy way prosperous, manservants, meditating on god's word, Monday Morning, new covenant with Jesus, obedient to God's Word, paramount importance, party away the weekend, permeates the workplace, Philistines, positions of power, Rebekah, refreshed, relaxation, remember the Lord thy god, renewed, rest, silver, sincere spirit, sincerely worshipped, snow, sovereign purpose, spiritual enlightenment, sporting, temper our enthusiasm, TGIF! Thank God is Friday, thanks for getting me through another week of work, the ability to get wealth, the blessing of the Lord, the fountainhead, the Lord blessed him, the Lord our Provider, tired and miserable, wealth, Yahweh
Deuteronomy 8:18. But thou shalt remember the Lord thy God: for it is he that giveth thee power to get wealth, that he may establish (confirm) his covenant which he sware unto thy fathers, as it is this day.
And finally, it was Friday…!
And sadly there’s that first touch of that feared white precipitate (snow) on the ground in my area. Chuh! Now granted it’s only a light dusting, but snow in any form is deceitful and dangerous, so it’s always wise to keep a watchful and wary eye on it. (smile)
Anyway, it’s a warning that it’s now in my neighbourhood, and it’s liable to overwhelm us at any time, oftimes at very inopportune ones.
Nonetheless, with the realization that it’s Friday, an unbelievable amount of laughter and joy permeates the work place. Everybody is high-fiving each other and boldly declaring: ‘TGIF! Thank God is Friday yes! This labouring soon done, and we going to party away the weekend!’
Not so fast Friends, not so fast. Remember the weekend is not only for levity, but also for rest, renewal and some serious communication with our heavenly Father! So please back off somewhat on the party scene, because that’s why we’re always tired and miserable on a Monday morning, unable to get up on time to go out to make our living.
And to help us with that problem, let’s chant our Friday Chant in loud voice and sincere spirit. ‘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, as good, ole Jeeves would say, we have to temper our enthusiasm for the weekend with a modicum of circumspection. (smile)
But it is certainly true; we do have to dial back a tad on the party scene, and give God a bigger piece of the pie, a greater amount of our attention, for remember, all that we are, and all that we have, comes from Him, not always directly, but He is indeed the source, the fountainhead of ALL our blessings!
That brings us to our Bit: ‘But thou shalt remember the Lord thy God: for it is he that giveth thee power to get wealth, that he may establish (confirm) his covenant which he sware unto thy fathers, as it is this day.’ Words of absolute truth, my people!
And the scholars corroborate this: ‘8:18. God…he that giveth thee power to get wealth, that he may establish his covenant: Yahweh alone gave Israel the ability to get wealth, and the blessing the nation enjoyed was the result of His covenant with the people and was the outcome of His promise to their forefathers.’
Now Friends, though we fall under the new covenant with Jesus, the source of everything is still the same; Almighty God…Jehovah Jireh – the Lord our Provider. Yes Friends, it is indeed our Creator who enriches us with ALL things!
As Cousin Sol says in Proverbs: ‘The blessing of the Lord, it maketh rich, and he addeth no sorrow with it.’ (Prov.10:22) And who should know better than Cousin Sol about wealth and God’s goodness eh, since he is considered the wisest and richest man ever?
And if you don’t believe Cousin Sol, then listen to Abraham’s servant to Laban, Rebekah’s brother, when he was sent out to find a wife for Isaac. ‘And he said, I am Abraham’s servant. And the Lord hath blessed my master greatly; and he is become great: and he hath given him flocks, and herds, and silver, and gold, and menservants, and maidservants, and camels, and asses (donkeys).’ (Gen.24:34-35)
And there’s no doubt that Abraham was indeed wealthy, both in earthly goods and spiritual enlightenment! And those things could only have come from one source; the great and wonderful God he diligently served and sincerely worshipped!
Now here’s another noteworthy example of God’s ability to increase earthly wealth. There came a time when the Lord caused Isaac to dwell in Gerar, the land of the Philistines. But for fear that the men of the place would kill him and take away his beautiful wife Rebekah, he lied and said that she was his sister. Like father like son eh? Brings to mind when Abraham lied that Sarah was his sister. (Gen.12:10-20)
But as so often happens our lies are eventually found out, and it’s rather interesting how Isaac’s lie was discovered. One inauspicious day, the king of the Philistines, Abimelech, happened to look out a window of his palace, and lo and behold what does he see? He sees Isaac sporting with (caressing) Rebekah. (Gen.26:6-11)
Obviously this caused some contention between Isaac and the king. However, after it was all settled, here’s what the Good Book says: ‘Then Isaac sowed in that land, and received (reaped) in the same year a hundredfold: and the Lord blessed him. And the man waxed (grew) great, and went forward (continued prospering), and grew until he became very great.’ (Gen.26:12-13)
Yes my people, in spite of Isaac’s deceit, the Lord blessed him very much because He had a sovereign purpose for him to fulfill, one he could only do from a position of power and wealth. Now please don’t take that as a reason for us to be deceitful. (smile) The Lord might not look down on us so kindly.
But be sure if wealth and power are required for us to do the work He’s planned for us, then wealth and power will be granted us, because He IS the ultimate source of ALL good things! I implore us to remember that today, and therefore live to suit. Much LOVE!
…constantly meditating on God’s Word…and being obedient to it…is of paramount importance in a believer’s life…for then thou shalt make thy way prosperous…and then thou shalt have good success… (Josh.1:8)
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