08 Jun 2014
by randyobrien50
in Christian Thoughts and Inspiration., Daily Devotion, Daily Inspiration, Inspirational Living, Spiritual Living
Tags: a red letter day, a rushing mighty wind, abide, asenscion, awe, baptize with the Holy spirit, baptized with the Holy ghost, baptizing, be filled with the Spirit, be joyous, beautiful storm, breaking of bread, Christ's Resurrection, confounded, continued steadfastly, controlling influence of the Spirit, crooked generation, Day of Pentecost, defeated hell death and the grave, democratic appearence, diligence, dissipation, do Jesus' work, do not be drunk with wine, excellence, exhort, faith, Feast of the first fruits, fellowship, filled with the Holy Ghost, fire-like appendages, foregiveness, Galileans, get freindly with the Spirit of Jesus, glory hallelujah, guided aright, Holy Ghost, in the apostles' doctrine, Jerusalem, Jesus Christ, Jesus' promise, John baptized with water, lead and guide, moving like a magnet, Pentecost, permanent placing of the Spirit, Peter, Praise the Lord, prayers, promise of the Father, recharge our spiritual batteries, rechargeable battery, remarkable, remission of sins, repent, resurrection, righteousness., showered, sincerity, speak with tongues, spectacular happenings, testify, the gift of the Holy ghost, the Holy ghost power, the Holy Ghost showered en masse, three thousand souls, truth, wisdom, wonder
Acts 2:2. And suddenly there came a sound from heaven as of a rushing mighty wind, and it filled all the house where they were sitting.
Oh Friends, it’s the Day of Pentecost! Two thousand years ago, some fifty days after Jesus’ triumphant resurrection, where He defeated, hell, death, the grave and that foolish crook Lucifer, and some ten days after His ascension, the Holy Ghost came to earth as a beautiful storm; a storm of wind, laced with fire-like appendages.
As the Good Book describes it: ‘And when the day of Pentecost was fully come, they were all with one accord (purpose or mind) in one place. And suddenly there came a sound from heaven as of a rushing mighty wind, and it filled all the house where they were sitting. And there appeared unto them cloven (divided) tongues like as of fire, and it sat upon each of them. And they were all filled with the Holy Ghost, and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance.’ (Acts 2:1-4)
What a mighty act of our mighty God! Thus fulfilling the promise Jesus made to the disciples just before His ascension. ‘And being assembled together with them, commanded them that they should not depart from Jerusalem, but wait for the promise of the Father, which saith he, ye have heard of me. For John truly baptized with water, but ye shall be baptized with the Holy Ghost not many days hence.’ (Acts 1:4-5)
Oh my people, the Lord was at work back then, just like He is now. That’s why we sing: ‘The Holy Ghost power is moving just like a magnet. The Holy Ghost power is moving just like a magnet. Moving here, and moving there. The Holy Ghost power is moving just like a magnet.’
Yes my people, the Holy Ghost power is busy all over the world, moving just like a magnet. So if you have even one iota of metal, one iota of Jesus Christ in you, be careful, or rather be joyous, for it will target you. And please don’t try to resist it; instead, let it fall graciously upon you, for there’s nothing as remarkable as the Holy Ghost power in all the heaven and the earth!
Ah Friends, what a day that day of Pentecost was when the Holy Spirit was first showered down en masse on all believers! Before that it was given to special people who God needed to do great works for Him, like the prophets. But since that day in Jerusalem, each and every believer is baptized and filled with the Holy Spirit.
As you can see from verse 5 above, Jesus promised that ALL would be baptized with the Spirit, as they came to the faith. And as the scholars point out, though the first set of scriptures only said that they were ‘filled,’ (Acts 2:4) they were indeed baptized with it.
Baptizing is the permanent placement of the Spirit in us, while filling is the continuous regeneration of that power. That means we have to continually renew the controlling influence of the Spirit in our lives, like a rechargeable battery, so that it can abide strong and powerful in our beings, and thus lead and guide us successfully in all righteousness and truth.
Now that day of Pentecost we’re talking about was not the first one, but it was an annual feast day in the Jewish calendar, occurring fifty days after the Feast of the first fruits, hence the name Pentecost in Greek. (Lev.15:15-22) And though it only lasted one day, it was certainly a joyous occasion, although I doubt that any of them could have been as joyous as that one when the Holy Spirit made its democratic appearance, beginning the promise of filling all and sundry that believed.
And that first day was truly a red letter day, for when the people in Jerusalem heard about the spectacular happenings, they came to where the apostles were, ‘and were confounded, because that every man heard them speak in his own language. And they were all amazed and marvelled, saying one to another, Behold, are not all these which speak Galileans? And how hear we every man in our own tongue (language or dialect), wherein we were born?’ (Acts 2:6-8)
Oh yes Friends, there were all different kinds of people from many different places living in Jerusalem at that time, but yet these poor, uneducated Galileans spoke to each one of them in their own language. Glory Hallelujah! No lesser force than the mysterious movement of the mighty Holy Spirit was involved! Some people even mockingly said that they were drunk, but Peter, in his finest hour, got up and spoke to them. Read Peter’s sermon in Acts 2:14-42.
But my people, Peter’s speech was so great that day that I have to share the end, knowing that many of you won’t check out the scripture. (smile) ‘Then Peter said unto them, Repent and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission (forgiveness) of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost. For the promise is unto you, and to your children, and to all that are afar off, even as many as the Lord our God shall call.
And with many other words did he testify and exhort, saying, Save yourselves from this untoward (crooked) generation. Then they that gladly received his word were baptized: and the same day there were added unto them about three thousand souls. And they continued steadfastly in the apostles’ doctrine and fellowship, and in breaking of bread, and in prayers.’ (Acts 2:38-42)
And all God’s people declared a loud, ‘Praise the Lord! Hallelujah!’ Yes Friends, what a red letter day that was, and we still talk about today it in tones of awe and wonder!
However my people, it’s time for us to be moving on, so I’m going to exhort us, on this day of Pentecost 2014, to get downright friendly with that Spirit of Jesus that indwells us, and today recharge, refill our spiritual batteries, so that we can be guided aright and do Jesus’ work with the excellence and diligence that’s required of us. That’s a mark of true sincerity and everlasting wisdom! Much LOVE!
…and be not drunk with wine, wherein is excess (dissipation)…but be filled with the Spirit… (Eph.5:18)
22 May 2014
by randyobrien50
in Christian Thoughts and Inspiration., Daily Devotion, Daily Inspiration, Inspirational Living, Spiritual Living
Tags: a dart of sorrow, a news flash, a word of warning, acceptable with God, affliction, an example, ask in faith, asking for wisdom and understanding, assurance, attributes, bear our sins, beaten for your faults, blessed are those who endure, boomerang, by His stripes we are healed, challenging and encouraging words, Christ did no sin, christ had no deceit, Christ our Saviour, Christ suffered for us, Christ's Resurrection, Christian life, coming of the Lord, commendable, compassionate, condemned, confidence, couldn't help but laugh, don't doubt, don't grumble against each other, endurance, endure grief, follow Christ's steps, for conscience toward God, God answers prayer, God is merciful, God's people, God's Word doesn't lie, guile, he that wavereth is like a wave, hunky dory, if you lack wisdom ask God, important passages of scripture, in the name of the Lord, in your patience, joy, let us rejoice and be glad, living for Jesus is interesting and exciting, living for Jesus is not easy, long patience, LOVE, mercy, mysterious ways, negative things, overseer of souls, patience, patience in affliction, Patience of Job, patient endurance, perseverance, possess ye your souls, precious fruit of the earth, rain, repentance, resurrection, reviled, righteously, righteousness., shepherd, shout of thanks and praise, spiritual maturity, stoic, substitutionary death, suffering, suffering affliction, suffering wrongly, talking to the Lord, test, testimony, the judge stands at the door, the Lord is compassionate, The Lord's alive and kicking, the risen Christ, this is the day the Lord has made, trials, tribulations, true believers, ungodly world, walk of faith, wanting to do better, willing to suffer, wisdom, wisdom of the ages
Luke 21:19. In your patience possess ye your souls.
Oh Friends, it’s Thursday, the day before the big day, Friday, when we’ll be finally blessed with a couple days off from our labour! So let’s enjoy and celebrate this wonderful day with a shout of thanks and praise to our heavenly Father.
And all God’s people rose up with joy and delightedly proclaimed: ‘This is the day the Lord our great God has made. We SHALL rejoice and be glad in it! Amen!’ And so let it be my people.
Ah mih breddren, our God is something else yes. And this small testimony I’m about to offer here, just proves that His Word doesn’t lie.
James tells us: ‘If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God, that giveth to all men liberally, and upbraideth not (without reproach); and it shall be given to him. But let him ask in faith, nothing wavering (not doubting). For he that wavereth is like a wave of the sea driven with the wind and tossed.’ (James 1:5-6)
Well Friends, I got up this morning and there are currently a few negative things happening in my life that I can’t understand why they are happening, for in the natural, everything should be hunky dory.
Well since I got up I’ve been talking to the Lord about them, asking for some wisdom and understanding. And lo and behold, just now, when I read yesterday’s Bit, as I usually do before writing today’s, I got the answer in a news flash.
Ah Friends, I couldn’t help but laugh as the answer just hit me from the words of the Bit. And I’m still laughing as I write this. And they say the Lord isn’t real, isn’t alive and kicking and moving in mysterious ways? Chuh!
Well I’m here to testify that they are oh so wrong. Because our God is indeed alive and kicking, and kicking real hard too, and He does answer prayer in all forms and fashions, as He sees fit!
And as I keep saying living for Jesus is not easy, but it certainly is interesting and exciting. I finally discovered that what’s happening is a test of my spiritual maturity. Yuh see, I have to be careful of what I write and/or say, because the Lord oftimes turns right back and tests me on those things.
So a word of warning Friends; be very careful in what you say, or ask for, or testify to, for it will no doubt boomerang right back on you. Ah Lord eh! I’m still laughing…
But let’s move on to our Bit, the challenging and encouraging words of Christ our Saviour: ‘In your patience possess ye your souls.’
Oh Friends, I know I said that yesterday was the last day for this Bit, but unfortunately, or rather fortunately (smile) there was so much stuff to say that I couldn’t get in all the scripture I wanted to. And remember, I don’t want to overburden us with too much stuff to ponder on at once. (smile)
And these are also important passages of scripture, so I just didn’t want to waste them, not bring them to your attention. So without further ado, let’s delve deeply and meditatively into them.
The first one comes from James, talking about patience in affliction. ‘Be patient therefore, brethren, unto the coming of the Lord. Behold, the husbandman (farmer) waiteth for the precious fruit of the earth, and hath long patience for it, until he receive the early and latter rain.
Be ye also patient; stablish (establish) your hearts: for the coming of the Lord draweth nigh (has come near). Grudge (grumble) not one against the other, lest ye be condemned: behold, the judge standeth before the door. Take thy brethren, the prophets, who have spoken in the name of the Lord, for an example of suffering affliction, and of patience.
Behold, we count them happy (blessed) which endure. Ye have heard of the patience (perseverance) of Job, and have seen the end of (intended by) the Lord; that the Lord is very pitiful (compassionate), and of tender mercy.’ (James 5:7-11)
Yes my people, our God is indeed compassionate and full of tender mercy to those who wait patiently and endure whatever comes against them in His name!
Now here’s a word from the scholars: 5:7-8. The coming of the Lord: Few doctrines concerning Jesus Christ are taught in James. His vicarious (deputed, substitutionary) death and resurrection are omitted, yet Christ’s return is cited to encourage patient endurance. Early and latter rain: Farmers in Palestine absolutely depended on two rainy seasons, late fall and mid-spring, for their crops.’
And we’ll end with another awesome passage of scripture on patience, this time from Peter, as he talks about the example of Christ’s suffering. Listen up carefully and closely now my fellow believers.
‘For this is thankworthy (commendable), if a man for conscience toward God endure grief, suffering wrongly. For what glory is it, if when ye be buffeted (beaten) for your faults, ye shall take it patiently? But if, when ye do well, and suffer for it, ye take it patiently, this is acceptable with (commendable before) God.
For even hereunto were ye called: because Christ also suffered for us, leaving us an example, that ye should follow his steps: Who did no sin, neither was guile (deceit) found in his mouth: Who, when he was reviled, reviled not again (in return); when he suffered, he threatened not; but committed himself to him that judgeth righteously.
Who his own self bare our sins in his own body on the tree, that we, being dead to sins, should live unto righteousness: by whose stripes (wounds) ye were healed. For ye were as sheep going astray; but are now returned unto the Shepherd and Bishop (Overseer) of souls.’ (1 Pet.2:18-25)
Ah my fellow believers, if that doesn’t put a dart of sorrow, repentance and wanting to do better in our hearts, then I don’t know what will. Jesus suffered so much for us, that we ought to be willing to suffer a little to bring His Words, His story to the heathen, ungodly world in which we currently live.
Please, as true followers of the risen Christ, let’s attempt today to improve our walk of faith, of LOVE, enduring any suffering, affliction, trials and tribulations that might come our way, with the same stoic, God-granted assurance and confidence that He displayed. For that is the wisdom of the ages! Much LOVE!
…of all the necessary attributes for living a truly Christian life…patience might just be the most important and all encompassing…
13 May 2014
by randyobrien50
in Christian Thoughts and Inspiration., Daily Devotion, Daily Inspiration, Inspirational Living
Tags: advocates, ascended to heaven, ask and you shall receive, awesome God, belief, bless the Lord, blessed be the Lord God of Israel, cacophony, Christian, christianity, commandments, copacetic, covenant, crowns, diseases, disobedience, don't forget God's benefits, everlasting, faith, fear God, feeling lousy, flatfooted, forgiven, forgiveness, glory, glory hallelujah, God's bidding, God's LOVE, gracious, groggy, heals, holy spirit, hope in the Lord, horn of salvation, iniquities, Israel, Israel sinned, Jesus, judgement, justice, lightning, lightning flashing, living colour, lost, LOVE, loving kindness, lying beneath the covers, magnanimous, man is dust, man's days are as grass, merciful, mercy, Moses, oppressed, pay a price, positive faith, praise, Praise the Lord, rain pouring down, raised from the dead, rambling along, redeem, redemption, reverence, rewarded us per our sins, riddims of nature, righteousness., servant David, serve, sinful children, slow to anger, some semblance of sense, testimony, thanks, the children of Israel, the gods in heaven, Thor, throne in the heavens, thunder, thunder roaring, trappings of Christianity, vengeance, wallow in guilt, way of life, wisdom, witness, wonderful god, worship, youth is renewed like the eagles's
Psalm 106:48. Blessed be the Lord God of Israel from everlasting to everlasting: and let all the people say, Amen. (Hallelujah) Praise ye the Lord.’
Oh Friends, it seems like the gods in heaven were real angry earlier on this morning. Thor opened his window and was really pounding away on his drums with a vengeance (thunder)! I haven’t heard him that loud and ominous for a while now.
Meanwhile who ever is in charge of electricity, of light, wasn’t too thrilled with life either because they were shooting wild and dangerous bolts of lightning all over the place. And somebody left a water source open and heaven overflowed, with all the excess water falling ponderously to earth.
On earth too, things weren’t all that copacetic, because I got up when all that cacophony was happening, feeling okay, I must point out; in fact well rested. But unwisely I decided to lie down and enjoy the riddims of nature, for there’s nothing like lying under the covers when the thunder is roaring, the lightning flashing and the rain pouring down!
Obviously I fell asleep again, but when I woke up this time, about an hour later, was I ever feeling lousy. My back’s aching, I’m groggy like I haven’t slept in ages, and I’m moving around like an old, dotish man. (smile) I guess that’s what happens when the Lord awakens you to do His bidding, but you choose to ignore Him.
Yes Friends, as we keep preaching… sorry, teaching, we ignore God and His directives at our peril. But He’s such a wonderful Deity that once we sincerely ask for forgiveness, He’s only too pleased and willing to grant it. But then, just as importantly, we have to learn to accept that forgiveness and move on with our lives, like I’m doing here writing the Bit.
We shouldn’t stay and wallow in the guilt, as too many of us tend to do after we’ve been forgiven. We all know the scripture that says ask and you shall receive (Matt.7:7), and we’re very versed and experienced in the asking, (smile) but when it comes to the receiving, a lot of us stand flatfooted and lost.
But my people, like everything else in our Christian way of life, it’s all a matter of FAITH, of BELIEF! We believe that God made us and LOVES us and provides for us, and that Jesus died for us, was raised from the dead and ascended to heaven, where He now advocates on our behalf.
Now none of us have personally experienced that stuff, as the song asks, ‘Were you there when they crucified my Lord?’ And the answer is an emphatic No! We weren’t there in person, but through the witness, the testimony of others who were there, we accept and believe it through positive faith, that those things actually happened.
Likewise Friends, we have to accept ALL the trappings of Christianity by FAITH! We can’t accept some and refute or waiver on others. And if you don’t know where all of this is leading to, well neither do I. (smile) I guess it’s one of those mornings when I’m just rambling along in my aching, groggy state.
However, I have NO doubt whatsoever, that by the time I’m done, there will be some semblance of sense in the Bit. That’s because the Lord, through His Holy Spirit, will not allow me to write pure nonsense in His Name. Glory Hallelujah!
That’s why my brethren, we can speak the words of our Bit today, though written many moons ago, with the same conviction that the psalmist had when Israel sinned against God’s LOVE. ‘Blessed be the Lord God of Israel from everlasting to everlasting: and let all the people say, Amen. (Hallelujah) Praise ye the Lord.’
Our God is indeed a mighty, powerful and awesome God! But with all of that, He is ever yet merciful and magnanimous to His sinful children. Listen to the psalmist proclaim it: ‘Let Israel hope in the Lord: for with the Lord there is mercy (LOVING-kindness), and with him is plenteous (abundant) redemption. And he shall redeem Israel from all his iniquities.’ (Ps.130:7-8)
Now hear Luke corroborate those statements. ‘Blessed be the Lord God of Israel; for he hath visited and redeemed his people, and hath raised up a horn of salvation (Mighty Deliverer) for us in the house of his servant David.’ (Luke 1:68-69)
And in closing, let’s listen to the Lord’s servant, Bruh David, as he spells it out in spades, in living colour, from Psalm 103, Thanksgiving for God’s mercy.
‘Bless the Lord, O my soul, and forget not all his benefits: Who forgiveth all thine iniquities; who healeth all thy diseases; Who redeemeth thy life from destruction; who crowneth thee with LOVING-kindness and tender mercies: Who satisfieth thy mouth with good things: so that thy youth is renewed like the eagle’s.
The Lord executeth righteousness and judgement for all that are oppressed. He made known his ways unto Moses, his acts unto the children of Israel. The Lord is merciful and gracious; slow to anger, and plenteous (abounding) in mercy (LOVING-kindness).
He will not always chide (strive): neither will he keep his anger for ever. He hath not dealt with us after our sins; nor rewarded us according to our iniquities. For as the heaven is high above the earth, so great is his mercy (LOVING-kindness) toward them that fear him.
As far as the east is from the west, so far hath he removed our transgressions from us. Like as a father pitieth his children, so the Lord pitieth them that fear (reverence) him. For he knoweth (understands) our frame; he remembereth that we are dust.
As for man, his days are as grass: as a flower of the field, so he flourisheth. For the wind passeth over it, and it is gone; and the place thereof shall know it no more (shall not remember it). But the mercy of the Lord is from everlasting to everlasting upon them that fear (reverence) him, and his righteousness unto the children’s children;
To such as keep his covenant, and to those that remember his commandments to do them. The Lord hath prepared his throne in the heavens; and his kingdom ruleth over all…. Bless the Lord, all his works in all places of his dominion: bless the Lord, O my soul.’ (Ps.103:2-19, 22)
Ah mih people, what a wonderful God we serve and worship eh! There is NO OTHER supposed deity like Him! That’s why we ought to be exceedingly thankful and grateful and give Him plenty, plenty, plenty, praise and thanks and glory!
For if you’ll notice, WE DON’T DESERVE ANY OF THOSE WONDERFUL THINGS HE’S SO LOVINGLY PROVIDED FOR US!
So today, please, let’s get our act together, remember His commandments and do them, so that He will be even more merciful towards us. That’s wisdom from everlasting to everlasting. Much LOVE!
…he who has ears to hear…let him hear…or else he will pay a terrible price…for his disobedience…
10 May 2014
by randyobrien50
in Christian Thoughts and Inspiration., Daily Devotion, Daily Inspiration, Inspirational Living, Spiritual Living
Tags: a day in the life, anointed Jesus, Beauty for Ashes, Christians, console those who mourn, easy yoke, garment of praise, God anointed Jesus with the Holy spirit, God's Word, good tidings, gospel truth, heal the broken-hearted, holy spirit, intimate relationship, Jesus went about doing good, light burdens, most enjoyable times in a human's lfe, mourning, New Testament, no prophet is accepted in his own land, oh glory be, oil of joy for mourning, Old Testament, peace and joy, preach good tidings to the poor, proclaim the acceptable year of the Lord, recovering of sight to the blind, rest and peace, righteousness., Sabbath Day, salvation, set the captives free, spirit of heaviness, that's no lie, the Holy Spirit dwelling in our souls, the joy of Jesus, the joy of the Lord is our strength, the power of the Holy spirit, the Spirit of the Lord is upon me, trees of righteousness, understanding of god's Word, Zion
Acts 10:38. How God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Ghost and with power: who went about doing good, and healing all that were oppressed of the devil; for God was with him.
Oh Friends, it’s another wonderful day in the life! And though our physical surroundings and our personal circumstances may not be ideal, there is always one thing we can count on; that’s the joy of Jesus, His Holy Spirit dwelling in our souls! Oh glory be, my people!
Yes Friends, there’s a certain peace and joy that comes into our souls when Jesus, when His Holy Spirit takes up official and permanent residence there. It’s a feeling like no other that can be felt on God’s great earth! So let’s hope you have Jesus dwelling in you full time, so you can enjoy His rest and peace, and the easy yoke and light burdens He places on us.
And if unfortunately you don’t have the Holy Spirit of Jesus living within you Friends, than I strongly suggest you go and get Him, because without Him, you are missing out on the most enjoyable times that a human being can have on this earth. And that’s no lie, but gospel truth!
Anyway my people, today is going to be a day filled with scripture; we going to just revel in the Word! (smile) We’re going to dissect our Bit: ‘How God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Ghost and with power: who went about doing good, and healing all that were oppressed of the devil; for God was with him.’
Now there are basically three parts to that scripture. The first is ‘How God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Ghost and with power:’ And how did all of that come about? Well it all began with Isaiah’s declaration of good tidings of salvation to Zion.
‘The Spirit of the Lord God is upon me; because the Lord hath appointed 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; To proclaim the acceptable year of the Lord, and the day of vengeance of our God; to comfort all that mourn;
To appoint unto (console) them that mourn in Zion, to give unto them beauty for ashes, the oil of joy for mourning, the garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness; that they may be called trees of righteousness, the planting of the Lord, that he might be glorified.’ (Is.61:1-3)
There Isaiah is continuing his prophecy of a king, Christ, coming to save His people. And we all know that for every significant prophesy, there is usually a fulfillment. So here is that fulfillment. Jesus is born, incarnated as a man, lives as a man, undergoing all that that entails, then begins His earthly ministry.
Then comes that fateful day when He returns to His hometown of Nazareth: ‘and, as his custom was, he went into the synagogue on the Sabbath day, and stood up for to read. And there was delivered unto him the book of the prophet Isaiah. And when he had opened the book, he found the place where it was written, The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he hath anointed me to preach the gospel to the poor; he hath sent me to heal the broken-hearted, to preach deliverance to the captives, and recovering of sight to the blind, to set at liberty them that are bruised (oppressed),
To preach the acceptable year of the Lord. And he closed the book, and he gave it again to the minister (attendant), and sat down. And the eyes of all them that were in the synagogue were fastened on him, and he began to say unto them, This day is this scripture fulfilled in your ears (hearing).’ (Luke 4:16-21)
Now there seems to be some contention amongst the scholars as to whether Jesus stopped reading at that particular point because ‘the day of vengeance’ (final judgement), which refers to His Second Coming had not yet arrived, or He just read those lines to excite the minds of His listeners, re the whole promise filled chapter of Isaiah 61.
Whatever the reason, it’s clear He did get through to them, although later on they became rather unhappy with Him, so much so that they threatened to throw Him over a cliff at the edge of town. (Luke 4:29) And as He so aptly told them: ‘Verily, I say unto you, No prpohet is accepted in his own country. (Luke 4:24) And that’s the veritable truth!
Now here is an enlightening comment from the scholars on verse 16: ‘4:16. This is the oldest known description of a synagogue service. There would be prayers, both public and private, a sermon if someone suitable were on hand to deliver one, and several readings from the Old Testament. Here Jesus functions as a reader.’
Ah mih people, I believe I should also share this info from the scholars on verse 18, since it is so revealing and educational. (smile) It deals with the Holy Spirit in the Life of Christ. ‘4:18. Although Jesus was God during His earthly life and ministry, He still recognized His dependence upon the ministry of the Holy Spirit. This was particularly necessary in view of His humiliation in the Incarnation. So intimate was the relationship between Christ and the Holy Spirit that in the New Testament He is viewed as endued with the power of the Holy Spirit.
Illustration: Specifically, the New Testament recognizes the ministry of the Holy Spirit in Christ’s incarnation (Heb.10:5), birth (Matt.1:18), growth (Luke 2:40 ,52), baptism (Luke 3:21-22), temptation (Luke 4:.14), ministry (Luke 4:18-19), miracles (Matt.12:28), death (Heb.9:14), resurrection (Rom.8:11), and glorification (John 16:14).
Application: The Lord recognized His need to have such an intimate relationship with the Holy Spirit, which in turn emphasizes the Christian’s need to be filled with the Holy Spirit. (Eph.5:18). (First Ref. Luke 3:22; Primary Ref. Luke 4; cf. John 16:8).’
Ah mih people, plenty scriptures to look up, but please do check them out, for they are quite interesting and will undoubtedly increase our understanding of God’s Word. But that’s enough for today, don’t want to wear out my welcome by giving your busy minds too much heavy stuff to inculcate. (smile)
So please read, mark and inwardly digest the stuff we’ve talked about today, so that the joy which comes from knowing Jesus will remain in our hearts, forever and ever. Amen. Much LOVE!
…for the joy of the Lord is our strength… (Neh. 8:10)…and no one can take it away from us…unless we let them…
09 May 2014
by randyobrien50
in Christian Thoughts and Inspiration., Daily Devotion, Daily Inspiration, Inspirational Living, Spiritual Living
Tags: a day of simply doing good, a wide variety of things and actions, ablutions, admonish, admonishment, anointed Jesus, before the cocks crowed, business driven world, Christians, church service, communication with Jesus, communing with God, day of calamity is at hand, definitive command of God, doing good, easier to do good than evil, enthusiasm, evil, fellowship, foundational scripture, Friday chant, fun, furthering God's glorious kingdom, gather's His thoughts, generous help, God anointed Jesus with the Holy spirit, God was with Jesus, good heart, good soul, head start on a Friday, healing all that were oppressed by the devil, heavenly Father, hits the streets, holy spirit, How Jesus lived His earthly life, in a nutshell, in due time, Jesus Christ, Jesus went about doing good, Jesus' love, junk yard dogs, lazy, LOVE, love of Christ, Lucifer, Lucifer's evil nature, lusts of the world, man's sinful and wicked nature, party down the place, pastor, petty frame of mind, quiet place to pray, recompense, rejuvenation process, relaxation, renewed and refreshed in soul body and mind, rest, righteous friend, righteousness., seeking vengeance, something for everyone, soulful chanting, TGIF! Thank God is Friday, Thank the Lord for the weekend, the Good Book, the LOVE of Jesus, their foot shall slide, vengeance is mine, vile and evil people, weekend, wicked, wisdom, wisdom of all wisdom, wrongly directed enthusiasm
Acts 10:38. How God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Ghost and with power: who went about doing good, and healing all that were oppressed by the devil; for God was with him.
Ah mih people, the ole fella’s a tad tired this Friday morning…
And totally ignoring my incapacity, the crowd raucously declared: ‘TGIF! Thank God is Friday yes, and we done work for a couple of days! Thank the Lord for the weekend, so that we can party down the place!’
Thanks very much Friends… Now I know who my true Friends are not! (smile)
But such is the importance of Fridays in our crazy, business driven, modern world, that many people would disregard important stuff just to get a leg up, a head-start on a Friday. But my fellow believers, we know that’s not the right way to handle the weekend, because that attitude will get us in even more trouble come Monday morning, when it’s time to resume work.
So to help us in mitigating some of that wrongly directed enthusiasm, let’s chant our Friday Chant. With some soulful chanting 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 brethren, that’s more like how we should handle the blessed two days off work that we’ve been so graciously granted – more like a rejuvenation process than one that makes us even more tired and miserable.
And that segues quite nicely into our Bit: ‘How God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Ghost and with power: who went about doing good, and healing all that were oppressed by the devil; for God was with him.’
And do I ever LOVE that particular bit of scripture! That’s because it tells us in a nutshell, how Jesus lived His earthly life, and how we are to be, if we want to live ours as He did His.
In my mind’s eye, I imagine Jesus getting up early in the morning, before the cocks even began crowing, making His ablutions, then going out to some quiet place to pray. Then after sincerely communing with His heavenly Father, He comes back home, has breakfast, gather’s His thoughts, contemplating what the day might hold, then hits the streets for a day of simply doing good!
I also like that phrase ‘doing good,’ because it encompasses such a wide variety of things and actions, something for everyone. And something must be wrong with me yes people, but I find it so much easier to do good than to do evil.
In fact, all faithful believers in and followers of Jesus Christ, in other words, ALL CHRISTIANS, ought to find it much easier to good rather than evil. It’s just supposed to be who we are!
Unfortunately though, such is the sinful and wicked nature of man, especially when grafted with the world’s driving lusts, that many supposed Christians are numbered amongst some of the most vile and evil people on planet earth!
The worst part of that situation though Friends, is that it turns others off of Jesus when they see His supposed followers behaving like junk yard dogs, with Lucifer’s evil nature flowing up out of their hearts and minds.
Ah mih people, my heart gets rather heavy when I think of all the wrong doing and evil deeds that are committed by us Christians, many of them for no good reason. Ofttimes we’re either too lazy to do otherwise, or we’re in a petty frame of mind, possibly seeking vengeance, instead of leaving it up to the Lord, as He has so often instructed us to do.
And just to give us a gentle reminder of that scripture, (smile), here is where it originates. ‘To me belongeth vengeance and recompense; their foot shall slide in due time: for the day of their calamity is at hand, and the things that shall come upon them make haste.’ (Deut.32:35)
Yes Friends, that’s the definitive command of our mighty God! And for paraphrases on it, you can check out Ps. 94:1; Rom.12:19; and Heb. 10:30.
And I’m chuckling here, because I never intended to admonish us today, but rather to share some foundational scripture on the matter. I guess though, that the Holy Spirit saw the need for admonishment and guided me there.
Anyway Friends, the long and short of the story is that CHRISTIANS ARE EXPECTED TO DO GOOD IN ALL ASPECTS AND WALKS OF THEIR LIVES! However, we can’t accomplish that without a heart, mind and soul truly filled with the LOVE OF JESUS.
Therefore, I’m pleading with us, that today, and everyday hence, we get to the nearest outlet that serves up JESUS’ LOVE, and fill up our hearts, souls and minds with it. It could be from a number of sources; through the Good Book, a church service, a pastor, a righteous friend, or even our own serious and sincere communication with Jesus.
But we definitely need to refill our souls and recharge our batteries with the LOVE OF CHRIST EVERYDAY, if we want to do His will. That’s the wisdom of all wisdom! Much LOVE!
…just like a tree can only bear one type of fruit…likewise…good things and actions…can only come from a good heart and a good soul…
08 May 2014
by randyobrien50
in Christian Thoughts and Inspiration., Daily Devotion, Daily Inspiration, Inspirational Living, Spiritual Living
Tags: a bounce of pride and joy, afraid, agape, alive and kicking, anger, anointed Jesus, bitterness, bounden duty, charity, Christians, compassion, Controller, Creator, depressed, do good to all mankind, doing good, done on a regular basis, down in the dumps, e-mail, earthly pilgrimage, egotism, empathy, empowered by the Holy Spirit, encouraging, encouraging words, envy, evil world, exude warmth, faith, fat, friends, gladness, God anointed Jesus with the Holy spirit, God was with him, greed, hate, heavenly Father, holding a door open, hope, hypocritical, I am with you always, insignificant things, into all truth and righteousness, jealousy, Jesus christ of Nazareth, Jesus went about doing good, Jesus' desires, Jesus- the sole director of our lives, joy, lazy, lead and guide, Lexicon of Love, living a decent life, loney, LOVE, LOVE Revolution, loving kindness, make Jesus proud, mercy, negative endeavours, one one cocoa fulls basket, opportunities, opportunities for good deeds, oppressed of the devil, Pharisees, pnoe call, power of the Spirit of Jesus, praise, praise our wonderful God, praying, pride, proselytize the whole world, provider, raison d'etre, rear ends, refuse to embrace them, relevant bit of scripture, resentment, righteousness., rocket science, saying good morning, set our minds to the task, shame-faced, sick, sinful, sinful fools, smiling with a stranger, special joy, sphere of influence, spring to our step, stare us in stright in the face, text, thanks, the golden rule, the Great Commission, the greatest of these is love, the Holy Ghost, the Holy Spirit, this is the day the Lord has made, Thursday, treat others the way you want to be treated, truth, understanding, uplifting movement in our lives, we will rejoice and be glad in it, wisdom, worldwide change
Acts 10:38. How God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Ghost and with power: who went about doing good, and healing all that were oppressed of the devil; for God was with him.
Oh Friends, oh Friends, it’s Thursday, it’s Thursday, the day before Friday, the day before the weekend! And we are definitely alive and kicking! So let’s praise our wonderful God and enjoy it nuh!
And all God’s children loudly and boldly proclaimed: ‘This is the day the Lord, our magnificent and magnanimous God has made! We WILL, we SHALL, we ARE going to be exceedingly glad and enjoy it!’
Wow mih breddren, Wow! What a way to begin our day – with joy, gladness, thanks and praise to our heavenly Father, our Creator, Controller and Provider!
And all God’s people declared a loud: ‘So let it be! Amen!’
Yes Friends, the ole fella seems to be in fine form this morning. The Holy Spirit is just moving and grooving in him. Hn, hn, hn! But seriously though, I do hope that He’s also having a bright and uplifting movement in all your lives, because that’s what He was designed to do; to lead and guide us into all truth and righteousness.
And when we’re walking in truth and righteousness, there’s a special spring to our step, a bounce of pride and joy that is very discernible by onlookers.
And that’s what we’re being called on today and everyday to possess and display – that special joy that comes only from having Jesus as the sole director of our lives, where we just exude warmth, compassion, LOVING-kindness, empathy, wisdom, understanding, and above all, charity, in the form of agape LOVE!
Aye mih people, what a force for worldwide change we’d become, if we truly lived out the edicts of Jesus! As our Bit so graciously says of Him, when Peter preached to the Gentiles: ‘How God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Ghost and with power: who went about doing good, and healing all that were oppressed of the devil; for God was with him.’
Oh what an uplifting, encouraging and ever so relevant Bit of Scripture my people! Why you ask? Because it’s the same thing that God has done to each and every one of us!
Our heavenly Father has anointed each and every believer with the power of the Spirit of Jesus, so that we can go along our earthly journey doing exactly what Jesus did; heal, show compassion and mercy, encourage, uplift – in other words, just do good as is necessary.
And yuh know Friends, that’s not such a difficult task as we sometimes make it out to be. We just truly have to set our minds to do it. We have already been empowered by the Holy Spirit dwelling in us; it’s just left for us to get up off of our fat, lazy, shame-faced, afraid, hypocritical rear ends and do the job that we’ve been called to do as Christians!
All we have to do is set out every day, as Jesus did, and oodles of opportunities to do good, to uplift, exhort and encourage others will come our way. We don’t even have to go looking for them, they will find us. The problem is that we have to have the discernment…
Chuh! Discernment isn’t even necessary, because opportunities for good deeds stare us straight in the face each and every day, we just refuse to embrace them.
Everyday we hear about someone being sick, depressed, lonely, or just down in the dumps for no good reason, and all it takes from us is a phone call, or an e-mail, or text, a visit, or whatever method of communication you choose, to let them know that you’re thinking of and praying for them.
Is that so hard to do mih breddren? Absolutely not! But for some unknown reason(s), many of us supposed Christians believe that doing good is big business, and requires plenty effort. That’s just not true!
Oh my people, it’s the little things that truly matter. As the Jamaicans say: one one cocoa does full basket. And that’s the awesome truth! It’s the little things, done on a regular basis that truly matter and eventually make a big difference.
We’re talking about, small, seemingly insignificant things like smiling with a stranger, saying a bright and pleasant good morning to our neighbours, co-workers and even strangers we pass on the street, holding a door open for someone.
Oh Friends, all those things might be small, but they are extremely important in Jesus’ Lexicon of LOVE!
Why? Because that’s exactly what He did during His sojourn here on earth!
If you read the Good Book, you’ll see He stopped and helped people all the time. Ofttimes He even went out of His way to do so. He offered encouraging words to all He met. The only people He spoke roughly to and embarrassed were the Pharisees and the Jewish elite for their hypocritical behaviour.
Oh my brethren, doing good is not rocket science! It’s simply living a decent life, treating others the way we would like to be treated. Yuh know, if more of us would simply adopt that golden rule and consistently live by it… oh what a truly wonderful world planet earth would be!
But no, like sinful fools, we’re foolishly adopting the hate, greed, resentment, anger, bitterness, egotism, pride, envy, jealousy, and the whole host of negative endeavours that the evil world champions! How wrong, how sad, and how ungodly my people! We’ll never get Jesus’ LOVE Revolution going with that kind of attitude.
So please my fellow believers, today, let’s take a good look at ourselves, consider what we need to do in our earthly pilgrimage to sincerely carry out Jesus’ desires, to do good to ALL of mankind. Remember, He wants, and it’s our bounden duty to proselytize the entire world! So we can’t pick and choose, just minister to whomever he brings into our sphere of influence.
That’s the only way we can ever accomplish the Great Commission: ‘Go ye therefore, and teach (make disciples of) all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost: Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you always, even unto the end of the world.’ (Matt.28:19-20)
Let’s do it nuh Friends, let’s make Jesus proud! That should be our whole raison d’etre; our whole reason for living! Much LOVE!
…and now abideth faith, hope, LOVE, these three…but the greatest of these is LOVE…! (1 Cor.13:13)…and for good reason too…
06 May 2014
by randyobrien50
in Christian Thoughts and Inspiration., Daily Devotion, Daily Inspiration, Inspirational Living, Spiritual Living
Tags: all or nothing at all, almighty god, ascension, ask for the old paths, boldfaced, brazen, cannot prevail, compartments, Controller, corruption, Creator, cubicles, death, degradation, departed, destruction, disobedience, don't you fear God, Easter Season, encouragement, evil, evil powers, faith, find rest for your souls, foolish people, foothold, hat trick, have ears and hear not, have eyes and see not, hefty price, holy of holies, house of Jacob, human intelligence, in living colour, invincible, ioo percent all the time, Israelites, Jeremiah, Jesus Christ, Judah, long-suffering, negativity, operative words, pagan instruments, patient, patient and long-suffering God, Pentecost, perpetual decree, rebellious, relevant scripture, resurrection, revolting, righteousness., saviour jesus christ, sinfulness, smartest creation of God, smile, spiritual and civil corruption, spring of 2014, stand in the ways, stubborn refusal, surrender, technology, tenuous hold, the people have a revolting and rebellious heart, the straight and narrow path, traditional ways, tremble at God's presence, truly and completely surrendered to Jesus, trust, turned from God, ungodly times, walk therein, walk upright, we will not walk therein, we will walk therein, where is the good way, wisdom, wisdom for the ages, without understanding
Jeremiah 5:23. But this people hath a revolting and a rebellious heart; they are revolted and gone (departed).
Well hello there mih Lovelies! (smile) How goes it with us this beautiful morning in the exotic spring of 2014, where we’re continuing the wonderful celebration of the Easter Season?
Oh yes Friends, it’s still the Easter Season until Pentecost!
So please don’t forget just yet, that miraculous and marvellous hat trick of Death, Resurrection and Ascension that our magnificent Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ recently scored! A hat trick like that only comes along once in a lifetime, so please, let’s keep it close to our hearts, ever-present in minds and souls.
And the word for today my brethren is ‘SURRENDER!’ Wow! What an exciting word! (smile)
That leads us then to this most important question – have we truly and completely surrendered our hearts, souls, bodies, minds, souls and lives to Jesus?
And I know that all of us will quickly jump up and shout and astounding ‘Yes!’ But Friends, the operative words in that last sentence were ‘truly’ and ‘completely.’
Yes, most of us have surrendered most of ourselves to Christ, but unfortunately we still have some little compartments or cubicles deep within, that we still keep separate from God. We don’t allow Him to enter what we shall call our personal holy of holies.
But that’s not right, nor wise, my people, because it keeps God from doing lots of good things in our lives. Please remember, that with Jesus, it’s either ALL or nothing at all! He can’t only control 99.999 percent of our lives and make it work properly. He needs the full 100 percent, all the time!
So please, today, let’s carefully and seriously investigate ourselves and see if we have truly and completely surrendered our ALL to our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ nuh. And if we haven’t, then let’s do it pronto; like yesterday, (smile) so that Jesus can get on with the great work(s) He has planned for us.
And having said all of that, let’s see how it marries up with our Bit. ‘But this people hath a revolting and a rebellious heart; they are revolted and gone (departed).’
Oh my people, that was ever so true of Judah back then, and is it also ever so true of us in these modern times! It’s like if Jeremiah was in our midst writing about us. How sad!
When yuh talk about spiritual and civil corruption, our world is generating and experiencing it in living colour, to such an inordinate extent, that it’s breeding total degradation. I don’t know if that sentence makes sense, but I’m sure you got the serious negativity of its intent.
Now hear the also ever so relevant scripture that comes directly before our Bit. ‘Declare this in the house of Jacob, and publish (proclaim) it in Judah, saying, Hear now this, O foolish people, and without understanding; which have eyes, and see not; which have ears, and hear not:
Fear ye not me? saith the Lord: will ye not tremble at my presence, which have placed the sand for the bound of the sea by a perpetual decree, that it cannot pass it: and though the waves thereof toss themselves (to and fro), yet can they not prevail; though they roar, yet can they not pass over it?’ (Jer.5:20-22)
Oh my people, my people, it’s the very same thing that our patient and long-suffering God is saying to us today in these perilous and oh so sinful times! And unfortunately, the answer we seem to be giving is exactly like that of olden Judah. No, we don’t fear the Lord, our Creator and Controller, and neither do we really care.
In fact, I believe that we’re even more brazen and boldfaced than Judah. Nowadays, sitting on the false and easily destroyed wealth of our human intelligence and technology, we so foolishly believe that we’re invincible! Steups! Ah Lord eh!
Oh Friends, what ever happened to that trust and faith we used to have in Almighty God eh? I used to wonder how the Israelites could have turned from God after all those wonderful things He’d done for them. But sadly, now I’m seeing personally how God can disappear from a society, once the evil pagan instruments and powers get a foothold in it.
And now my brethren, having declared our utter sinfulness, we need to consider the solution to it. And the same way it was given to Judah, it’s being given to us.
‘Thus saith the Lord, Stand ye in the ways, and see, and ask for the old paths, where is the good way, and walk therein, and ye shall find rest for your souls. But they said, we will not walk therein.’
Oh my people, please, please, unlike Judah, let’s declare instead nuh, in these oh so ungodly times: ‘And we said, we WILL WALK THEREIN!’ That’s the wisdom for the ages my brethren, and the only way we will escape total destruction!
And hopefully, to give us a little more incite into the situation, and thus encouragement to walk upright, let’s hear the scholars’ remarks on that verse. ‘6:16. The people’s stubborn refusal to walk in the traditional ways of true righteousness is often mentioned by Jeremiah (12:16; 18:15; 23:12; 31:21).
Moving in their own paths and following their own way could lead only to Judah’s destruction (cf. Prov. 14:12). The contrast of the way of righteousness and life with the way of the ungodly and death is often made in the Scriptures (e.g., Ps. 1; Matt.7:13-14).
Oh my people, please check out those scriptures and see how tenuous a hold we have on this earthly life nuh, especially if we don’t walk the straight and narrow path that leads to our Creator. We’re supposed to be the smartest creation of God, please, let’s prove it nuh. Much LOVE!
…the Scriptures don’t lie…he who continually disobeys God’s Word…will eventually pay a hefty price for that disobedience…
P.S. Ah mih people, it was brought to my attention by my first born that yesterday, instead of saying that the singing of our Monday Morning Battle Hymn ‘wasn’t’ up to scratch, I mistakenly wrote ‘was.’
Please forgive the ole fella for that typo, though I’m sure you all understood what I meant. Thanks too for pointing that out mih big D. Just goes to show how human the ole fella is. (smile) Much LOVE!
05 May 2014
by randyobrien50
in Christian Thoughts and Inspiration., Daily Devotion, Daily Inspiration, Inspirational Living, Spiritual Living
Tags: aura of love, awesome power of prayer, blessings, breadwinner, Bruh David, call on the Lord, Christian, Christian bloom, chronic illness, confidence, confidence in God, Creator of the universe, distress, do our best for Jesus, effectiveness of prayer, efficacy, Elise Maclay, enthusiasm, excellence, fervent prayer, friends, further God's glorious kingdom, Gath, gospel truth, heavenly Father, holy spirit, if God is for us who can be against us, indisputable truth, invincible, Jesus Christ, jobs, keeping lives and families together, knock your socks off, lies, lord god almighty, LOVE, Monday Morning Battle Hymn, my enemies shall turn back, Oh Lord God Almighty, omnipotent, omnipresent, omniscient, people of faith, Philistines, pray for one another, prayer, rejuvenation of spirit, renewed vitality and enthusiasm, righteous man, righteousness., salvation, Saul, serve a useful purpose, spiritual armour, steadfast faith, sure conquerors, surrender our all to you, thanksgiving, the Word of god, trust, trust in God, truth, ungodly world, weary souls, when I cry unto the Lord, wicked taunts, wisdom, worthwhile inroads
Psalm 56:9. When I cry unto thee, then shall mine enemies turn back: this I know; for God is for me.
Oh Friends, it’s a brand new day – Monday! And much to my surprise, there wasn’t as much hissing and sour invective thrown my way. And I gratefully thanked God that His people were finally getting the idea that Monday was a day to be celebrated, not cursed. (smile)
And Friends, do I ever have a good quote for us today – one that’s so appropriate that it will knock your proverbial socks off! When I read it, I couldn’t help but chuckle, and immediately knew that I had to share it.
It comes from my old Devotional for People with Chronic Illness, and is attributed to one Elise Maclay. From the info available, I believe the Elise Maclay we’re talking about was an author of successful books like ‘Green Winter, and the Art of Bev Doolittle’ published in the 1970’s.
Anyway, she reputedly said, ‘…I was the breadwinner. Only I didn’t WIN the bread, I worked hard and earned it.’
And isn’t that the gospel truth my people! We don’t win the bread, we get up off our rear ends and work hard for it! And that’s exactly what this first Monday morning in May 2014 is calling for! So let’s get up and get a move on nuh, let’s get out into the evil and ungodly world that awaits us and do our damndest, our best for Jesus! Remember Jesus desires and expects excellence from His followers!
And to help us do that, let’s sing our Monday Morning Battle Hymn with plenty moxie. As one great choir now: ‘Oh Lord God Almighty, Creator of the universe and all therein! We, your humble servants, praise your Holy Name and thank you that this Monday morning we have jobs to go to; jobs we don’t like, jobs that are unfair, difficult and even dangerous, but which serve a useful purpose here on earth; keeping lives and families together.
We also thank you Father for the renewed vitality and enthusiasm you’ve wrought in our weary souls over the last two days. It’s that rejuvenation of Spirit which allows us now to sally forth with confidence into the evil, ungodly world that surrounds us, to begin a new week of work, constantly buffeted and bombarded by the enemy’s wicked taunts, wiles and lies.
But heavenly Father, we’re not afraid, for we know we’re invincible, sure conquerors, once we’re wearing your powerful, protective spiritual armour. We surrender our all to you, and humbly ask that you let your incredible aura of LOVE, the Holy Spirit, lead and guide all your servants as we go out to meet the enemy in battle.
Fill us with steadfast faith, so that we can make worthwhile inroads into the enemy’s ranks, and thereby further your glorious kingdom. We pray this in the Holy Name of your Son, and our Saviour, Jesus Christ. AMEN!’
Aw shucks Friends, that rendition was the greatest nuh, it only raised polite clapping from the heavenly hosts! Anyway, I’ll chalk it up to our still being somewhat sleepy, and assume that by the time we get ready to hit the road, the Holy Spirit will have caused us to be in full Christian bloom. (smile)
Now let’s look at our Bit for this beautiful spring morning. ‘When I cry unto thee, then shall mine enemies turn back: this I know; for God is for me.’
Words of indisputable truth my brethren! Faithfully proven after they were sent heavenward, by Bruh David’s eventual escape from the Philistines at Gath and his mortal enemy, Saul!
That’s why Friends, it both amazes and disappoints me that Christians don’t use prayer more often, despite claiming to be so in touch and in tune with God. If we look at the lives of all the great people of faith, one common thread stands out above all else; their great dependence on and use of prayer.
Even Jesus, God incarnate, didn’t make a move without talking to His heavenly Father. So why are we so ashamed, afraid, and reluctant to pray eh? Is it that we don’t truly believe in the efficacy and effectiveness of prayer?
James spells it out in spades for us: ‘Confess your faults (trespasses) one to another, and pray one for another, that ye may be healed. The effectual (effective) fervent prayer (supplication) of a righteous man availeth much.’ (James 5:16)
Oh my people, it’s time for us to wake up to the true and very awesome power of prayer! When we cry out to God in sincere prayer, He hears us and answers. Listen to how Bruh David puts it in Psalm 118; Thanksgiving for the Lord’s salvation.
‘I called upon the Lord in distress: the Lord answered me, and set me in a large (broad) place. The Lord is on my side; I will not fear: what can man do unto me? The Lord taketh my part with them that help me: therefore shall I see my desire upon them that hate me. It is better to trust in the Lord than to put confidence in man. (Per the scholars, that’s the middle verse of the Bible) It is better to trust in the Lord than to put confidence in princes.’ (Ps.118:5-9)
More words of indisputable truth Friends! And we know it. So why don’t we adhere to them eh? Ah Lord eh! I guess only the Lord in His high heaven really knows why we are the stubborn and unwise way we are yes!
And we’ll go home with some immortal words of advice, of heavenly wisdom from Bruh Paul to the Roman Church, words which we all know, but don’t follow as closely or rely on as we should.
‘What shall we then say to these things? If God be for us, who can be against us? He that spared not his own Son, but delivered him up for us all, how shall he not with him also freely give us all things?’ (Rom. 8:31-32)
Yes Friends, if the omnipotent, omniscient, omnipresent God, Creator and Controller of the universe and all therein is in our corner, then who can successfully challenge us eh? NOBODY!
So please let’s not only plant that true, wonderful seed deep in our souls, but let’s also act on it today, by stepping up our prayer lives and calling out to our heavenly father, at ALL times, and for ALL things! That’s what he sincerely desires, and it’s also the epitome of wisdom, my people! Much LOVE!
…it’s foolish, unwise, and a downright lie…to claim to be a Christian…and not be thoroughly immersed in the Word of God and sincere prayer…
02 May 2014
by randyobrien50
in Christian Thoughts and Inspiration., Daily Devotion, Daily Inspiration, Inspirational Living, Spiritual Living
Tags: adviser, all praise and thanks to God, another week of work, as a tree planted by waters, be anxious, belly and backbone, blessed, blessed is he who trusts in the Lord, blessings, business, clouding our senses, corrupt governments, crooks, cursed, cursed is he who trusts in man, debts, debts incurred in getting education, decadent lives, degrading, downtrodden of society, drought, economic system, education, efficient, embracing the materialistic world, evil cohorts, evil rapists, famine, fellowship, first world nations, floods, folly of our choices, foolish decisions, foundations of society falling apart, Friday chant, fun, furthering God's glorious kingdom, future generations, generous help, godliness, godly, greedy, higher standard of living, homelessness, hope in the Lord, I pray in Jesus' name, if you don't hear- you'll feel, in Jesus' name, in the name of profits, inefficent, inhabit parched places, Jesus Christ, leader, lost jobs, lower wage costs, Lucifer, lusts of the flesh, make it in the material world, makes my heart terribly sad, man-made disasters, menial, mercies, natural disasters, Nero, outsourcing, part-time work, poor getting poorer, poverty, present age, profits, refreshed, relaxation, remove God from our lives, renewed vitality, resist temptations, rest, rich getting richer, righteousness., Rome burning, senseless world, shall not fear, siphoning the cream, spreads her roots by the river, storing up treasures, straight and narrow path, TGIF! Thank God is Friday, Thank God the work week finish, the Good Book, the Holy Spirit, the shrub in the desert, the wilderness, the year of drought, third world countries, true believers, truth, weekend, whose heart departs from God, yielding fruit, you get the government you deserve, you have done worse than your fathers, you walk after the stubbornness of yoru evil heart
Jeremiah 16:12. And ye have done worse than your fathers; for, behold, ye walk every one after the imagination (stubbornness) of his evil heart, that they may not hearken unto me.
And then it was Friday…! ‘Friday… already?’ Some questioned. Yes, Friends, it is indeed Friday! This week has passed very quickly.
Then all those who were too busy working to notice that it was Friday, rose up with a mighty shout of joy: ‘TGIF! Thank God is Friday yes! Things must be real good when we don’t even realize that it’s Friday. All praise and thanks to our great God for His many mercies and blessings that are going to flow this weekend! Thank God the work week finish!’
Yeh mih people, life has to be good when we don’t even know it’s Friday. But as always, let’s chant our Friday Chant to help us keep the right perspective on the upcoming weekend.
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.’
Now that ought to help keep us on the straight and narrow path that leads to Jesus. So let’s turn to our Bit: ‘And ye have done worse than your fathers; for, behold, ye walk every one after the imagination (stubbornness) of his evil heart, that they may not hearken unto me.’
Ah mih people, those words are so very true of our society today that it makes my heart terribly sad. What is our problem eh? When God was our leader and adviser we lived such good lives. But now that Lucifer and his evil cohorts are running the show, our lives have turned sour and most miserable.
The basic foundations of our society are falling apart. The economic system is a mess, with thousands of jobs been lost everyday, all in the name of profits. That corresponds to the big outsourcing, where jobs are being transferred to countries with lower wage costs, thus the rich are getting richer and the poor poorer.
The best we can do is offer part time, menial, underpaid work in the service industry. Our children are graduating from school and can’t find jobs to match their qualifications, so they take whatever they can find, if they can find anything, and wonder how they’re going to pay back the large debts they incurred to get that unfruitful education.
All of that unfortunately brings back the horrors that we tried to eradicate with a higher standard of living. That means poverty, the abject kind is on the rise. Don’t even talk about homelessness. The situation in the supposed first world nations is possibly worse than in the third world countries. That’s how bad it is.
And sadly, the inefficient, corrupt, greedy governments that we’ve elected over the last couple decades couldn’t care less about the downtrodden members of their society. All they talk about is business, business and more business, when the business people are the biggest crooks in the world, just siphoning off the cream from the society so that they can lead ever more decadent and degrading lives. Steups!
But yuh know Friends, whoever said that you get the government you deserve was quite right! And until we elect godly, efficient, people with belly and backbone to stand up against the evil rapists of our society, things will never improve. But it’s all got to start with us my people, with the true believers in Jesus Christ!
Why? Simply because we are the only ones who give a damn about the downtrodden! At least we’re supposed to. Unfortunately though, too many of us are also trying to make it in the material world, storing up treasures for ourselves down here on earth, rather than in heaven.
And if we believe in the Good Book at all, we’d take very seriously these words of our Creator to the people of Judah, way back when.
‘Thus saith the Lord; Cursed be the man that trusteth in (the strength of) man, and maketh flesh his arm, and whose heart departeth from the Lord. For he shall be like the heath (shrub) in the desert, and shall not not see when good cometh; but shall inhabit the parched places in the wilderness, in a salt land and not inhabited.’ (Jer.17:5-6)
Oh my brethren, those words are slowly coming to pass as our society moves further and further away from Almighty God! Famine, floods, drought and all sorts of natural disasters, as well as man made ones, are levelling our planet while we behave like Nero did while Rome was burning – indulging in lusts of the flesh!
What’s wrong with us eh? Why can’t we see and understand the folly of the choices we’re making to embrace the materialistic world that’s now controlling almost every aspect of our lives?
As believers in Jesus we can certainly resist the temptations that come against us. We have His awesome power dwelling in us – the Holy Spirit that’s meant to lead and guide us into all truth and righteousness. But we are letting the evil powers continue to remove God from our lives. Ah mih people, how sad!
And we’ll close with some more true words of scripture. ‘Blessed is the man that trusteth in the Lord, and whose hope the Lord is. For he shall be as a tree planted by the waters, and that spreadeth out her roots by the river, and shall not see (fear, be anxious) when heat cometh, but her leaf shall be green; and shall not be careful (anxious, worried) in the year of drought, neither shall cease from yielding fruit.’ (Jer.17:7-8)
Oh Friends, there’s nothing to compare in those two readings. The last one is obviously the only one that makes any sense. So please please, in Jesus’ Name I’m pleading with us to let go of the absurd materialism that’s clouding our senses and turn instead to the godliness and righteousness of our forefathers, so that future generations will be blessed and not cursed by our foolish decisions in this present age.
It’s the only thing that makes sense in this senseless world! Much LOVE!
…if you don’t hear…at some stage you’re certainly going to feel…and feel very hard too…
01 May 2014
by randyobrien50
in Christian Thoughts and Inspiration., Daily Devotion, Daily Inspiration, Inspirational Living, Spiritual Living
Tags: Afghanistan, all things are possible with God, America, Beelzebub, blessings, bounden duty, bring the heathen to their knees, can't make the grade, compassion, creative advertising, decline in standards, desensitized, destruction, disobedient, done worse than our fathers, egotistical, empathy, equal rights, evil, evil and ungodly world, evil cohorts, eye candy, fathers have forsaken God, forsaken, giant of the land, God's chosen people, God's Word, gospel truth, grace, greed, guardianship of God's people, heathen, immortal and everlasting truth, iniquity, Iraq, Israel, Jeremiah, justice, LOVE, LOVE Revolution, Lucifer, lusts of the flesh, materialism, mercy, mere shadow of themselves, mighty war machine, money loving, natural disasters, no one to blame but ourselves, omnipotent, omnipresent God, omniscient, one truth fron the Bible is worth more than all the wisdom of man, priority in our lives, proud, read your Bible, read your guidebook, real realities of life, reconciled to God, right this evil world, righteousness., sin, sinful, societies fall apart when they abandon God's Word, standards, stimulating our fleshly senses, success, the BIBLE, the Bible is God's word to us, the Bible is our everyday guide to life, the created can't become wiser than the creator, the Good Book, the Lord our god, the most sinful land, the world owes them a living, top of the heap, tornadoes, trials and tribulations, truth, U.S. of A., undeniable truth, ungodly, Vietnam, virtual reality, walked after other gods, we walk after the stubbornness of our evil hearts, we'll find God's wisdom on the Bible's pages, wisdom of a fool
Jeremiah 16:12. And ye have done worse than your fathers; for, behold, ye walk every one after the imagination (stubbornness) of his evil heart, that they may not hearken unto me.
Oh Friends, on this rainy Thursday morning, the first day of May 2014, I’ve been guided to remind us of two very important matters of immortal and everlasting truth! I’ve shared them before, but they belong to that group of sayings which need to be repeated every so often for us to get them fully centred in our consciousness.
The first statement of undeniable truth is this: ‘The Bible is God’s Word to us – still fresh through all the ages. And if we read it, we will find God’s wisdom on its pages!’ And the second statement follows from the first: ‘One truth from the Bible is worth more than all the wisdom of man!’
And there we have it my people! The Good Book is our everyday guide to life on this planet earth, but unfortunately, too many of us are too lazy to read it, or simply refuse to read it, for whatever reason, then we wonder why our individual lives and those of the majority of the world are in such a sad, disgraceful and disgusting mess.
Friends, the answer is simple; read your guidebook!
When we’re going on vacations and stuff, we’re always quick to read the brochures though, for they are done up in lots of colour and attractive styles giving us eye candy, stimulating our fleshly senses. However, the Bible, because it ‘s old and not as dazzling to the eyes and our fleshly senses, we find it difficult, even reprehensible to read!
Ah mih brethren, that is the most foolish thought we could ever have! It’s the wisdom of a fool! But sadly, it is the wisdom that predominates our evil and ungodly today!
How sad eh. And it’s not like there isn’t a long history of societies falling apart when they abandon God’s Word. There is! But man has become so proud and egotistical because of our supposed inventions and technologies, that we now consider ourselves wiser and more know it all than the omnipotent, omniscient and omnipresent God who created us.
Steups! How foolish and ignorant that is my brethren! The created cannot become wiser and more powerful than the Creator! That’s more of Beelzebub’s creative advertising to which we’re falling, or rather, to which we have fallen victims.
Note the serious and numerous amounts of natural disasters that are taking place all around the world today. Check out the recent killer tornadoes that have just passed through the most sinful land in the world; the U.S. of A!
And I know some of you will take umbrage at that remark, but it is the gospel truth! If you truly check out the evil stuff that’s going on in America today, it will blow your mind away!
Remember, once upon America was the giant of the land! They were the Lord’s chosen people in the New World. Everything they touched turned to gold! Now they are a mere shadow of their former selves.
Oh yes, they still have their mighty war machine, but when last have they won a war eh? Not since the Second World War. Think of Vietnam, Iraq, Afghanistan, etc. Despite all their firepower they can’t bring the supposed heathen to their knees. Why? Because they have become too sinful and ungodly.
Now listen to the Word of our God, just before our Bit, in the time of Jeremiah when His Chosen People, Israel were being disobedient to His Law.
‘And it shall come to pass, when thou shalt show this people all these words, (the disaster He planned to bring upon them and their land; vs.5-9) and they shalt say unto thee, Wherefore hath the Lord pronounced all this great evil (disaster) against us? or what is our iniquity? or what is our sin that we have committed against the Lord our God?
Then shalt thou say unto them, Because your fathers have forsaken me, saith the Lord, and have walked after other gods, and have served them, and have worshipped them, and have forsaken me, and have not kept my law.
And ye have done worse than your fathers; for, behold, ye walk every one after the imagination (stubbornness) of his evil heart, that they may not hearken unto me.’ (Jer.16:10-12)
And Friends, I’m ashamed to say that that’s the gospel, gospel, gospel truth! Our Fathers had their faults, but at least they paid plenty more attention to God’s Word than our generations has done… And may the Lord have mercy, but this generation we’re currently raising, they are even worse than us.
And we have no one to blame but ourselves, because we have raised them without the proper attention to God’s Word. We have not instilled the importance of the Good Book and its place of priority in their lives. Instead we have allowed Lucifer and His evil cohorts to indoctrinate them into the lusts of the flesh and the materialism of the world.
No wonder they don’t have a clue about the real realities of life, but constantly dwell in the unreal realm of virtual reality. The purveyors of greed, materialism and money LOVING have desensitized them to godly things like grace, mercy, truth, equal rights, justice, compassion, empathy, righteousness, wisdom, and all the other things we once held as priorities.
But they do know about blessings though, and expect to be blessed abundantly! They believe that the world owes them a living, and they don’t have to work or suffer any trials and tribulations to get to the top of the heap.
And sadly too Friends, along the way all our standards have fallen, fallen so low that now it’s much easier to make the grade. But even sadder my people, is that many aren’t able, can’t even make this low grade. It doesn’t say very much for our guardianship of God’s people and His other creations.
But the good news my brethren is that it’s not too late for us to turn this ship around! It’s not going to be easy, but as we all know, with God’s help, ALL THINGS ARE POSSIBLE! That means we’ve got to get the Lord deeply involved in our situations if we want to have any success.
And what’s the most important word in the whole process? LOVE!
Yes my fellow believers, it’s LOVE that caused us to be created, it’s LOVE that caused us to be reconciled to God, and it’s LOVE that will help us right this evil world!
We all know what we have to do. So please, let’s get serious about our bounden duty nuh, let’s get the LOVE REVOLUTION truly ramped up and rolling, for we don’t have much time before Jesus returns, and once He comes again, it will be too late. Let’s get going in Jesus’ Name! Much LOVE!
…unless Western Society turns back to the God of their forefathers…they will suffer the same fate…as all the other heathen and disobedient societies…DESTRUCTION…
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