The Greatness of God and the Joyfulness of having Christ as Lord and Saviour!

29 Dec 2024 Leave a comment

by randyobrien50 in Christian Thoughts and Inspiration., Daily Devotion, Daily Inspiration, Inspirational Living, Spiritual Living Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Psalm 145:3.       Great is the Lord, and greatly to be praised: and his greatness is unsearchable (beyond our understanding).

And it’s the Sunday after Christmas, but the joy is still flooding the land in glorious celebration of our Lord and Saviour’s miraculous and wonderful birth! And all God’s people said a joyful and most grateful; ‘Thank You Lord for the gift of Jesus at that Christmas so long ago! It’s really been the beginning of the best gift you’ve given us, after our initial breath of life; the birth of a Saviour, who is Christ the Lord! And consequently, from Him and His sinless, selfless sacrifices flows the proverbial pot of gold at the end of the rainbow, the wonderful option of salvation and eternal life! 

And we’re oh so sorry for those who refuse to accept that marvellous option of Light and LOVE that you have provided and foolishly prefer to hob knob with the prince of darkness, and thus endure eventual separation from you, our most wonderful Creator and God. And the amazing point is that you did not have to give us that option of escaping from our sinless lives and the eventual death it causes, but you simply did it out of your immeasurable, unconditional LOVE for us, your most important creation. And for that we sincerely thank you each and every day…in Jesus’ name. Amen!’ 

And now, having offered up a prayer of praise and thanksgiving, let’s raise the roof of heaven with sweet sacrifices of song, singing that marvellous ‘Hymn of Joy’ – better known as ‘Joyful, Joyful We Adore Thee.’  It’s based on a poem written by Henry van Dyke in 1907 with the intention of musically setting it to the famous “Ode to Joy” melody of the final movement of Ludwig van Beethoven’s final symphony, Symphony No. 9. And is it ever a most appropriate song of worship for this particular Christmas season when our lives are flooded with joy at Christ’s birth. 

So, in a sweet, scintillating up-tempo version of the Hymn of Joy…let’s sing: ‘Joyful, joyful, we adore Thee, God of glory, Lord of LOVE; Hearts unfold like flow’rs before Thee, Op’ning to the sun above. Melt the clouds of sin and sadness; Drive the dark of doubt away; Giver of immortal gladness, Fill us with the light of day! 

All Thy works with joy surround Thee, Earth and heav’n reflect Thy rays, Stars and angels sing around Thee, Center of unbroken praise. Field and forest, vale and mountain, Flow’ry meadow, flashing sea, Singing bird and flowing fountain Call us to rejoice in Thee. Thou art giving and forgiving, Ever blessing, ever blest, Wellspring of the joy of living, Ocean depth of happy rest! 

Thou our Father, Christ our Brother, All who live in LOVE are Thine; Teach us how to LOVE each other, Lift us to the joy divine. Mortals, join the happy chorus, Which the morning stars began; Father LOVE is reigning o’er us; Brother LOVE binds man to man. Ever singing, march we onward, Victors in the midst of strife, Joyful music leads us Sunward In the triumph song of life. You bring us joy, joy, joy, We adore thee…You bring us joy, joy, joy!’ 

Oh friends, does the Lord our God and Saviour, ever bring us joy! The greatest joy that there is to offer, salvation and eternal life! And did we ever light up heaven with our heartfelt sincerity and joy as we sang that wonderful hymn! And this commentary gives the song its rightful pips: ‘This hymn is generally considered by hymnologists to be one of the most joyous expressions of hymn lyrics in the English language.’ And we certainly cannot argue with that. 

But now, on a different note, let’s consider what the song is really about? As another commentary tells us, the author Van Dyke wrote thus of this hymn. ‘These verses are simple expressions of common Christian feelings and desires in this present time—hymns of today that may be sung together by people who know the thought of the age, and are not afraid that any truth of science will destroy religion, or any revolution on earth overthrow the kingdom of heaven. Therefore, this is a hymn of trust and joy and hope.’ 

Wow! And that it certainly is! I like how the author expresses that we Christians will not be afraid that scientific knowledge will destroy religious beliefs, neither will earthly revolutions overthrow the kingdom of God! Because they are both indestructible! Remember what the Bible says about God and His Word? 

‘For the word of God is quick (living, alive), and powerful, and sharper than any twoedged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts (able to judge) and intents (intentions) of the heart. Neither is there any creature that is not manifest in (hidden from) his sight: but all things are naked and opened unto the eyes of him with whom we have to do (must give account to).’ (Heb. 4:12-13) 

Yes friends, the Bible, the Word of God is not an ordinary book, it is alive and kicking, so powerful that it reaches into the inner recesses of man’s mind to discern his thoughts and intentions. Or, as this commentary so aptly puts it: ‘God’s Word can penetrate through all the layers of impurity and get to the true central issues of life. In line with this conception, we can see that the Bible truly has two edges: condemnation and restoration.’ And I certainly could not have declared that truth any better. 

What we must also remember is that God’s eyes see us as though we’re naked, thus we’re unable to hide from Him behind any foolish excuse or pretence. But getting back to our hymn, it’s basically a song of praise to our great God, to His LOVING-KINDNESS towards us, who don’t deserve one iota of it. And there are so many scriptures on praising God, especially in the Psalms, that we can spend the whole day researching them and still not be done. (smile) However, we’ll close with some verses of this psalm of praise from Bruh David, titled, ‘God’s Unsearchable Greatness.’ 

Please offer praise with me: ‘I will extoll (praise) thee, my God, O king; and I will bless thy name for ever and ever. Every day will I bless thee; and I will praise thy name for ever and ever. Great is the Lord, and greatly to be praised: and his greatness is unsearchable (beyond our understanding). One generation shall praise thy works to another, and declare thy mighty acts… The Lord is gracious, and full of compassion; slow to anger, and of great mercy. The Lord is good to all: and his tender mercies are over all his works. All thy works shall praise thee, O Lord; and thy saints shall bless thee.’ (Ps. 145: 1-4; 8-10) 

Yes my fellow saints, that is only a little of the great and constant praise our God deserves, and what we are required to give to Him, if we are true believers. So, without further ado, let’s ramp up our praise level nuh, like we so badly need to do in these evil and ungodly times. Much LOVE!

…true joy…which is of the soul…can only be attained…when Jesus Christ is your Lord and Saviour…

Hear our podcast at https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/randy-obrien

Today’s Scrip-Bit 14 October 2014 Mark 9:23

14 Oct 2014 Leave a comment

by randyobrien50 in Christian Thoughts and Inspiration., Daily Devotion, Daily Inspiration, Inspirational Living, Spiritual Living Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Mark 9:23.     Jesus said unto him, If thou canst believe, all things are possible to him that believeth.

Well well my Canadian Friends and Neighbours, the party done now! Thanksgiving Day is over now, although the practice of thanksgiving must be an ongoing movement. I hope we all had a good time, we didn’t over do it, and the Lord was pleased with our devotions.
 
I didn’t do much myself, just had a quiet day, since we had our small family festivities on Sunday. And furthermore, the weather in my area didn’t lend itself to any raucous celebrations –cloudy and unfriendly – although I know that didn’t stop a whole lot of others from being raucous and rambunctious. (smile)
 
I surely hope that we didn’t give Lucifer and his evil compadres any space for advancement in our souls, but most importantly, for those of you who sang our Monday Morning battle Hymn so boisterously yesterday morning, knowing that you did not have to go to work, I certainly hope that you all have the wherewithal to go out and labour this Tuesday morning after the festivities. (smile) Yuh know it always catches up to us.
 
Now let’s take a gander at our Bit. ‘Jesus said unto him, If thou canst believe, all things are possible to him that believeth.’
 
It deals with faith and belief, and today we’re going to look at situations of faith, of people coming to Jesus for help through some kind of inbred faith, some of which astonished even Jesus.
 
But before we get into the scriptures, let’s hear a word on the subject from Gramps Schuller – Dr. Robert H. Schuller – from his Hour of Power Devotional.
 
It’s titled ‘FAITH’ and it says: ‘Lord, I believe in the sun, even when it is behind the clouds; in the seed, even when it lies unsprouted under the ground; in faith, even when I have been betrayed; in LOVE, even when I have been rejected; in hope, even when I have been hurt; in God, even when you do not answer my prayers. Amen.’
 
Yes Friends, that’s what it means to have faith! Even when things aren’t going your way, you still stand strong in your belief in Jesus.
 
Now let’s look at the particular situation which occasioned our Bit from Jesus. A sorrowful father had brought his young son to the disciples for healing. The lad was infected by a dumb (mute) spirit, which caused him to have crazy, dangerous seizures, but the disciples couldn’t heal him. (Mark 9:17-18)
 
Jesus’ response was: ‘O faithless generation, how long shall I be with you? How long shall I suffer (bear with) you? Bring him unto me.’ (Mark 9:19)
 
And as the Lord would have it, the youngster had a seizure as soon as they brought him before Jesus. ‘And he (Jesus) asked his father, How long is it ago since this came unto him? And he said, Of a child (from childhood). And oftimes it hath cast him into the fire, and into the waters, to destroy him: but if thou canst do any thing, have compassion on us and help us.’ (Mark 9:21-22)
 
That’s when Jesus repeated the words of our Bit: ‘If thou canst believe, all things are possible to him that believeth. And straightway the father of the child cried out, and said with tears, Lord, I believe; help thou mine unbelief.’ (Mark 9:23-24)
 
Yes my people, in some form and fashion, deep down the father believed, that’s why he brought his son to the disciples in the first place.
 
The scholars; describe it thus: ‘9:24. He had a certain faith; but it was confession of his undeniable inner turmoil and doubt that marked his faltering faith as truly authentic, if imperfect, trust. Before God honesty is a wise course.’
 
That last sentence is gospel truth my brethren! If we are anything less than totally honest with God, we’re simply wasting our time, for remember He reads the motives of our hearts, not our outward actions.
 
Jesus healed the lad right there and then. He had no choice, since the father had backed Him into a corner with his declaration of apparently sincere though confused and troubled faith.
 
But later on, in private, when the disciples asked Jesus why they couldn’t cast out the spirit, He answered them: ‘This kind can come forth by nothing, but by prayer and fasting.’ (Mark 9:29)
 
And the scholars have an interesting comment on that verse: ‘9:29. While some manuscripts omit fasting, it seems crucial to the context. Jesus does not seem to have resorted to prayer in the course of this healing. Perhaps he refers to a life-style of prevailing prayer that yields a reservoir of spiritual power for just such a crisis as this.’
 
Who knows Friends? But to influence spiritual power, prayer and fasting, in a serious and sincere manner, are of the utmost importance!
 
And I believe we have time for one more example of strong faith and belief. Jesus was on His way to raise the daughter of a Jewish ruler Jairus, when this situation occurred.
 
‘And a certain woman, which had an issue (a flow) of blood twelve years, and had suffered many things of many physicians, and had spent all that she had, and was nothing bettered (no better), but rather grew worse, When she had heard of Jesus, came in the press (crowd) behind, and touched his garment. For she said, If I may touch but his clothes, I shall be whole.’
 
(Scholars note: Popular belief had it that a person’s dignity and power extend to what he wears.) ‘And straightway the fountain of her blood was dried up; and she felt in her body that she was healed of that plague (affliction). And Jesus, immediately knowing in himself that virtue (power) had gone out of him, turned him about in the press (crowd), and said, Who touched my clothes?
 
And his disciples said unto him, Thou seest the multitude thronging thee, and sayest thou, Who touched me? And he looked round about to see her that had done this thing. But the woman fearing and trembling, knowing what was done in her, came and fell down before him, and told him all the truth. And he said unto her, Daughter, thy faith hath made thee whole; go in peace, and be whole of thy plague (affliction).’ (Mark 5: 25-34)
 
Oh my people, what a great story! But back in those times it was a very dangerous game that the woman played.
 
Listen to the scholars explain: ‘5:33. The woman would be fearful of a rebuke, since her bleeding rendered her “unclean” according to Jewish law. She ought not to have been mixing in the crowd, nor reaching out purposely to touch a man. That she owned up openly indicates that her interest lay not only in physical health: she wanted to be right with Jesus Himself. Her faith, not the grasp of her hand, brought restoration to her.’
 
Yes Friends, that’s the power of faith! So today, while we go about the Lord’s business, please let us embrace a faith as strong and as courageous as the folks we’ve read about, and let’s allow it come out, to show in all our words and actions, because that’s our duty as ambassadors for Christ. Much LOVE!
 
…like the woman with the issue of blood…let’s bow down and confess to Jesus…so that we can be made right with Him…
 
P.S. Oh Friends, it’s long and late, but it’s beautiful! (smile) Much LOVE!

 

 

Today’s Scrip-Bit 11 June 2014 Acts 3:18

11 Jun 2014 Leave a comment

by randyobrien50 in Christian Thoughts and Inspiration., Daily Devotion, Daily Inspiration, Inspirational Living, Spiritual Living Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Acts 3:18.   But those things which God before had showed (foretold) by the mouth of all his prophets, that Christ should (would) suffer, he hath so fulfilled. 

Wednesday, oh Wednesday! A rose by any other name is just as sweet! 

And likewise, though our paths today may be fraught with thorns and other obstacles, because of the divine and tender mercies and the abundant blessings of our omnipotent and most magnanimous God, we Christians will do right well! For His Holy Spirit WILL lead and guide us successfully through all the rough patches of this beautiful day.

And all God’s people said a loud, hearty and grateful, ‘Thank You Lord! You are indeed the GREATEST! That’s why we serve and worship and honour You with all our hearts, souls, bodies and minds! In Jesus’ name we declare this! Amen.’

Yes Friends, the opening portion of our day is ever so important in how the rest of it unfolds! If we begin it right, and that’s by acknowledging God the Father, we will be imbued with strength, courage and confidence to face whatever comes our way, each and every day that we draw breath on God’s great planet earth. We need to thank Him early on for that wonderful blessing of life, and ask for His wise direction, His will and His plan for our steps that day.

Now my people, let’s continue to look at some of the things that happened at that fateful Pentecost time when the Holy Spirit was poured out upon all believers, as faithfully promised by the prophets, and also by our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. I believe that until we understand the things that it wrought in the early days of Christianity, we will not fully comprehend what’s happening today in our walk of faith.

Now yesterday we left off where Peter and John had healed the lame man begging at the Beautiful gate of the temple, and how he held on to them and jumped for joy, praising the Lord. And all the people ran towards them at Solomon’s porch in great wonder and amazement.

Then Peter preached his second great sermon of Pentecost, again with his focus on Jesus Christ. ‘And when Peter saw it, he answered unto the people, Ye men of Israel, why marvel ye at this? Or why look ye so earnestly (intently) on us, as though by our own power or holiness (godliness) we had made this man to walk?

The God of Abraham, and of Isaac, and of Jacob, the God of our fathers, hath glorified his Son Jesus; whom ye delivered up, and denied him in the presence of Pilate, when he was determined to let him go. But ye denied the Holy One and the Just, and desired a murderer to be granted unto you;

And killed the Prince (Author) of life, whom God hath raised from the dead; wherefore we are witnesses. And his name through faith in his name hath made this man strong, whom ye see and know: yea, the faith which is by him (comes through Jesus) hath given him this perfect soundness in the presence of you all.

And now brethren, I wot (know) that through ignorance ye did it, as did also your rulers. But those things which God before had showed (foretold) by the mouth of all his prophets, that Christ should (would) suffer, he hath so fulfilled.’ (Acts 3:12-18)

Ah mih breddren, there are so many people out there in the cruel, evil and ungodly world today who need to hear those words, so that they can do as Peter further contends: ‘Repent ye therefore, and be converted, that your sins may be blotted out, when the times of refreshing shall come from the presence of the Lord;

And he shall send Jesus Christ, which before was preached unto you: Whom the heaven must receive until the times of restitution (restoration) of all things, which God hath spoken by the mouth of all his holy prophets since the world began.’ (Acts 3:19-21)

Oh my people, as John the Baptist came out of the wilderness preaching so long ago: ‘And saying, Repent ye: for the kingdom of heaven is at hand (near).’ (Matt.3:2) And furthermore, as Jesus Himself, after His baptism by John ‘began to preach, and to say, Repent: for the kingdom of heaven is at hand (near).’ (Matt.4:17)

So do we, in these last terrible days, need to get that most important message of repentance, of its urgency, across to this unbelieving world in which we currently live. Because without it, too many of God’s greatest creation will be sadly separated from Him for all eternity after Jesus returns to set up His glorious kingdom, to which all the signs point as fairly imminent.

And being ambassadors of Christ in these fateful times, it is our bounden duty to spread the word, to let people know what’s happening, by the words we speak, and the faithful way in which we live. But unfortunately, through fear, anxiety, or just plain ‘doh careness’ (smile) we are not doing the job to the best of our ability, and thus uninformed and misinformed people are suffering.

Unwisely, they are looking to the things of the world to give them succour, when we very well know that it’s only the LOVE of Jesus Christ and His Holy Spirit dwelling in us can do that on a long tem basis. So why aren’t we doing better eh Friends?

As I keep reminding us, it is ONLY we Christian folk who can bring some good changes to our wicked world. For even though the evil doers are very happy and contented with the situation, they are still working hard to make it worse, while we strong and invincible soldiers of Christ, sit around and moan and groan and complain about our rights and faith being curtailed.

Oh my people, I heard this saying on the television yesterday, referring to our upcoming Provincial Elections, and it also holds quite true of our faith situation. The caller declared that a citizen who doesn’t pray and doesn’t vote, is not entitled to complain.

The same goes for us supposed believers, who don’t do very much or anything at all to move the faith forward; we have no right to complain about what the evildoers are doing. And I’ll leave us to ponder on that thought for today. Much LOVE!

…he who is able to do…but will not do…is an abomination to the name and cause of Jesus…

 

Today’s Scrip-Bit 5 February 2014 Ephesians 1:3

05 Feb 2014 Leave a comment

by randyobrien50 in Christian Thoughts and Inspiration., Daily Devotion, Daily Inspiration, Inspirational Living, Spiritual Living Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Ephesians 1:3.   Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who hath blessed us with all spiritual blessings in heavenly places in Christ.  

‘One more morning, One more day!’ Yes Friends, that’s all the ole fella has left of this glorious vacation on Robinson Crusoe’s beautiful Isle! What a pity! It’s sad, but it’s the reality of life and this particular situation.

And I really can’t complain, because just as the Lord had something good waiting down here for me, I know He also has something good waiting for me in the North Country, just under different physical conditions, although, sea, sun and sand, are certainly preferable to freezing cold, snow and ice. (smile)
 
But Friends, it’s the memories… the memories! And we certainly made a grand one yesterday, for around 11.30, my half-brother Haymer, picked up the Duchess and I, and took us for a sightseeing tour of the Northern side of the island. We passed through several, quaint, picturesque and colourful towns and villages, some I hadn’t been to in ages, and a few that I had never been to.
 
There were places like Government Hall, Mason Hall, Moriah, Runnymede, Castara, Parlatouvier and Bloody Bay. Now it’s hill country, with narrow, winding roads, which haven’t changed much since my boyhood days, and the majority of the buildings are perched on the hills, on either side of the road, not leaving much room for any road expansion.
 
But Friends, in some places, the scenery is so beautiful that it simply takes your breath away and makes you go ‘Wow!’ At those points, we just had to stop and take some pictures to add to the kaleidoscope of the holiday. (smile)
 
The non-stop conversation was healthy, punctuated with all sorts of reminiscences, as well as new stuff. It ‘s strange, but true, that my brother and I hadn’t shared this kind of time together in many, many years, possibly since school days. But as he rightly said, ‘nothing happens before its time.’ And that’s undeniable truth my people!
 
We had a dip in the cold, but refreshing and invigorating water of Parlatouvier, which, according to my brother, is much less polluted and contaminated than the sea around the bigger towns and built up areas, for much less human effluent flows into it up there. 
 
We got back home around 4 o’clock, rested for a short spell, then hit the road again to purchase some stuff the wife needed, including dinner. We ended up in Scarborough, buying Chinese food, which was okay, but didn’t really thrill me. The Duchess was happy with it though, and was the most important thing, for once the Duchess is happy, my life’s at peace. (smile)
 
After eating, we just sat around, reading and playing computer games till bed time, for it had been quite a busy and eventful day. And that’s the good stuff I put away in my memory bank from yesterday, the eve of my penultimate day in Paradise!
 
And that segues nicely into our Bit, as Bruh Paul so wisely enlightens the Ephesians and us, as to the goodness of our wonderful God: ‘Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who hath blessed us with all spiritual blessings in heavenly places in Christ.’ 
 
No doubt the good times I’ve been experiencing here in Tobago, are some of the spiritual blessings the Lord had stored up for me, and is now sharing them a few at a time, as I need them. And there’s so much truth in Bruh Paul’s simple statement, that we can talk about it forever, and still not cover everything.
 
So we’ll continue looking at how he explained to the Ephesians, the spiritual blessings received through Christ. Now yesterday, we saw where God, having set His plan for redemption in motion, finally revealed the mystery of the plan to mankind, through His divine efforts and guidance, all for His good pleasure and mighty purpose.
 
We left off at verse 9, yesterday, so let’s continue from verse 10. ‘That in the dispensation of the fullness of times he might gather together in one all things in Christ, both which are in heaven, and which are on the earth; even in him: In whom also we have obtained and inheritance, being predestinated according to the purpose of him who worketh all things after the counsel of his own will: That we should be to the praise of his glory, who first trusted in Jesus.’ (Eph.1:10-12)
 
Ah Friends, we see here God relating, through Bruh Paul, more and more of the mystery of His awesome plan for the redemption and reconciliation of mankind, through His Son Jesus Christ.
 
Now listen to the scholars’: ‘1:10. This verse refers back to God’s “good pleasure” (v.9). Verse 10 is made more plain by the paraphrase, “for the purpose of executing it (i.e., God’s good pleasure) in the fullness of times, and His good pleasure is to head up all things in Christ, things in heaven, and things on earth.”
 
In the near future, when the time is ripe, God will put His purpose into effect and carry it out. And His “good pleasure” or intention is the restoration of original universal unity, when all things are brought back into harmony with Himself and under the headship of Christ.’
 
Now, as per ‘1:11. In whom also we have obtained an inheritance may be read, “by whom we were also made an inheritance.” That is, believers are God’s treasure. Why would Paul regard this as a blessing? As God’s treasure Christians are the apple of His eye, the special objects of His LOVE. He is then determined to provide and care for His people who are His heritage.’
 
And re ‘1:12. The purpose of being made God’s “inheritance” and having been “predestinated” (v.11) is that we should be to the praise of his glory, that is, that we should glorify God. Who first trusted in Christ refers to Jewish believers.’
 
There we have it Friends, God’s mysterious but awesome plan being revealed, bit by bit to humans, all under the leadership of Jesus Christ. So why then are we still reluctant and sometimes downright ornery to accept Jesus as Lord and Saviour eh?
 
It just boggles my imagination, what with all the scripture we have, it’s faithful fulfillment and the wonderful works of Jesus and the Holy Spirit, all in consort and concert with the Father!
 
All I can do is to advise us to think carefully, ponder our individual situations, and with God’s always available help, to make the wise and right decision, for if we don’t make the right one, then crapaud smoke we pipe – things will turn out real bad for us. Much LOVE!
 
…opting to be in Jesus’ army…under His protective wings…that’s the smartest and wisest option available to man…  

Today’s Scrip-Bit 30 May 2012 Acts 1:5

30 May 2012 Leave a comment

by randyobrien50 in Inspirational Living Tags: , , , , , , , , , , ,

Acts 1:5.    For John truly baptized with water; but ye shall be baptized with the Holy Ghost not many days hence.
 
Oh Friends, it’s a new day and we’re still alive and kicking! Wow! Praise the Lord! Now here’s an interesting prayer to start our days, taken from Dr. Robert H Schuller’s Daily Devotional, attributed to Norman Grub (1895-1993) an American missionary, statesman, writer and theological teacher. It says: ‘Good morning Christ. I LOVE You! What are you up to today? I want to be part of it! Thank You God. Amen!’ Isn’t that nice Friends; simple and straightforward? For sure! I believe that’s the kind of prayer the Lord truly appreciates, because though it’s so short and simple, it still fulfills all the necessities. It glorifies Him with LOVE; is humble, yet confident, and displays a whole lot of enthusiasm and preparedness to do whatever Jesus desires. Oh my people, are we displaying those properties in our prayers to our ever-LOVING God? I sure hope so. Now let’s continue looking at the wonderful workings of the Holy Spirit, beginning with the heart warming promise of Jesus in our Bit: ‘For John truly baptized with water; but ye shall be baptized with the Holy Ghost not many days hence.’ And even more compelling and heart warming was the fulfillment of that promise on the Day of Pentecost! Now today, I want to share two Old Testament examples of the Spirit being used on particular individuals, and also a couple more instances where the Lord promised it. And the first of those instances of the Holy Spirit on man that we want to share comes from the very important prophet Isaiah. In Chapter 61, where he’s bringing good tidings of salvation to Zion, he confidently declares: ‘The Spirit of the Lord God is upon me; because the Lord hath anointed me to preach good tidings unto the meek (poor); he hath sent me to bind up (heal) the broken-hearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives, and the opening of the prison to them that are bound.’ (Is.61:1) And the Spirit of God obviously had to be on him, especially in those olden times, for him to do such mighty deeds! Now hear Ezekiel after the Lord commissioned him to be a prophet: ‘So the spirit lifted me up, and took me away, and I went in bitterness, in the heat (anger) of my spirit; but the hand of the Lord was strong upon me.’ (Ezek. 3:14) But nuh must Friends! The Lord’s hand is strong upon all whom His Spirit indwells! Ezekiel, like Jeremiah, had a hard time accepting God’s commission, but as always, the Lord’s will prevailed. Please my people, when the Lord comes a calling on us to perform some particular work in His Holy Name, please, let’s not fight it, for we will only cause ourselves unnecessary trouble, grief and heartache, since the Lord will eventually prevail. And I can testify to that from personal experience, for when He approached me about writing the Bit, like Sara, I laughed. But here I am some six years later, writing it with pleasure. Yes Friends, when the Lord says jump, it’s best to ask right away, how high Lord? That’s because the longer you delay and complain, the higher you’ll eventually have to jump. Now here are two more instances from the Old Testament where the Lord promised to send His Spirit upon His people. Yesterday we heard from Joel (Joel 2:28-29) today, let’s listen first to Isaiah declare that the Spirit of God would be in Israel: ‘Thus saith the Lord that made thee, and formed thee from the womb, which will help thee; Fear not, O Jacob, my servant; and thou, Jesurun, whom I have chosen. For I will pour water upon him that is thirsty, and floods upon the dry ground: I will pour my spirit upon thy seed, and my blessing upon thine offspring: And they shall spring up as among the grass, as willows by the water courses.’ (Is.44:2-4) Then Ezekiel proudly proclaims in his promise of restoration and renewal of Israel: ‘And I will give them one heart, and I will put a new spirit within you (them); and I will take the stony heart out of their flesh, and will give them a heart of flesh: That they may walk in my statutes, and keep mine ordinances (judgements), and do them: and they shall be my people, and I will be their God.’ (Ezek.11:19-20) Ah Friends, yuh see how our wise and mighty God works! Each prophet that arose in Israel, though they brought some sad tidings, they always brought that faithful and everlasting promise of rebirth, of restoration, reconciliation and salvation from the God of their forefathers, Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. And note too, how it all dovetailed smoothly and was fulfilled by the coming of Jesus. That was God’s plan from day one! So in light of all those promises and their fulfillment in the earthly pilgrimage and person of Jesus, how can we ever doubt the authenticity and truth of the Good Book eh? Oh Friends, I’ll leave us to ponder that today, and also strongly advise us to get in touch, in close relationship with the Holy Spirit of Christ which indwells us, for He’s there to lead and guide us. However, since He’s not the pushy, aggressive type, if we don’t consciously seek Him out and ask for His wise and godly advice, then follow it, we’ll surely get lost on the highway to hell, taunted by, and falling for Lucifer’s evil wiles and lies. And we definitely don’t want that to happen! So please cozy up to the Holy Spirit today. It’s wisdom at it’s finest. Much LOVE! …we cannot stay on the straight and narrow path…without the Holy Spirit’s help…  P.S. The Bit was late, partially because my young daughter called me on the phone this morning and had me gabbing instead of writing. (smile)