02 Sep 2025
by randyobrien50
in Christian Thoughts and Inspiration., Daily Devotion, Daily Inspiration, Inspirational Living, Spiritual Living
Tags: a core tenet of christian belief, be discouraged, better late than never, change us into the image of christ, christian belief, come to know and love him like we do, consider him that endured such contradiction of sinners, despising the shame, duty bound, endured the cross, faith, for the joy that was set before him, God's Master Plan, holy spirit, hurry, I am the way the truth and the life, if God spares life, in god's eyes, Jesus blazed the trail, Jesus Christ, Jesus Christ as our Intercessor, Jesus finished the course, lest ye be wearied and faint in your minds, looking unto Jesus, LOVE, mercy, no man cometh unto the Father but by me, only one way to zion gate, proves the genuineness of our faith our faith, salvation, set down at the right hand of the throne of God, share His love with my neighbours, share the amazing love and friendship of Christ, temptation tough times, the author and finisher of our faith, the beloved of God, the definitive source of truth, the exclusive path to God and eternal life, the joys of summer vacation, the Lord tests us, the quintessence of life, the sole source of all truth, the straight and narrow path, the way the cookie crumbles, trust my friend Jesus, truth, Tuesday Mantra, wisdom, worry
ohn 14:6. I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.
So friends, it’s back to work, back to school, and away from all the joys of summer vacation. But it’s a beautiful Tuesday in my neighbourhood for doing that. And I guess the traffic jams might have been somewhat worse than usual this morning as so many people come back to a normal, humdrum, same old, same old way of life. (smile)
But unfortunately, that’s the way the cookie crumbles, and we just have to roll with the punches, which we can certainly do when we have Jesus Christ as our Intercessor, Pilot, Guide and Leader. Praise the Lord! For He’s the quintessence, the embodiment, the epitome of what we’re all about.
As the author of Hebrews so wisely advises: ‘Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher (originator and perfector) of our faith; who for the joy that was set before him, endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God. For consider him that endured such contradiction (hostility) against himself, lest ye be wearied and faint (be discouraged) in your minds (souls).’ (Heb. 12:2-3)
Yes my faithful brethren, Jesus is the One who has originated our faith and saw it through to the very end. As the scholars say, He has already blazed the trail and finished the course. Now it’s our turn to follow Him down that straight and narrow path that He’s established. And per the scholars, it’s time for us believers to emulate the supreme example of endurance that Jesus provides in His earthly journey. For as Jesus Himself reminded the disciples and subsequently us: ‘I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.’ (John 14:6)
And what does that mean? I like the way this commentary explains it. ‘It signifies that Jesus Christ is the exclusive path to God and eternal life, the sole ultimate source of all truth, and the giver of true, spiritual life, which is found by believing in and following him. This statement is a core tenet of Christian belief, emphasizing Jesus’ central role as the mediator between God and humanity. To accept Jesus as the “way, the truth, and the life” means to believe in him, trust his teachings, and follow his example to find salvation and true, eternal life.’
Yes friends, Jesus is the ONE and ONLY path to God the Father. It’s not one of many paths. There is absolutely NO OTHER way but through Him! Likewise, as the commentary further breaks it down: ‘He is the definitive source of truth, not just one truth among many. He is the ultimate authority and revealer of what is true.’ And as per Life: ‘Jesus offers life—not just physical existence, but a rich, meaningful, and eternal spiritual life. He has the power to give life, and those who believe in him receive this gift of eternal life.’
Wow! What more can one ask for eh? Absolutely nothing! The trouble though is that we believers expect life to get easy when we accept Jesus as Lord and Saviour. However, the opposite is often true, for then the Lord needs to prove us and our faith as well as turn us into the image of Jesus, which is His Master Plan. However, unfortunately, the only things that test our faith and turn us around are temptations, tough times and circumstances, bringing patience and perseverance to bear in our lives.
Oh mih bredrin, I can’t take it any longer nuh, I have to stop the Bit here today because I am having some serious problems with my keyboard, it’s typing all sorts of nonsense, or not typing at all, and as luck would have it, I don’t have any new batteries of the required size. As always, the devil finds pleasure in interrupting God’s work. And also in tempting me to use some fine language. But surprisingly, and thankfully, I have not succumbed to that temptation…yet. Praise the Lord! (smile)
Chuh! I just succumbed! Anyway, we will continue with that topic of testing our faith and giving us an image or likeness of Christ tomorrow, if God spares life. Now, let’s declare our Tuesday Mantra, letting all and sundry know to whom we belong, lock stock and barrel.
As one strong and sincere voice: ‘In God’s eyes, I’m not what I do. I’m not what I have. I’m not what people say about me. I am the beloved of God, that’s who I am. No one can take that from me. I don’t have to worry. I don’t have to hurry. I can trust my friend Jesus and share His LOVE with my immediate neighbours, as well as with the whole wide world! Glory be!’
And with those words, we’ve now become duty bound to go out and share the amazing LOVE and friendship of Christ with others, so that they too can come to know and LOVE Him like we do! Much LOVE!
..as the old reggae song says…there’s only ONE WAY to Zion Gate…that’s through Jesus…
P.S. Sorry the Bit’s so late, but I began late, and then the foolish keyboard problems only made matters worse. But it’s always better late than never. (smile) Much LOVE!
Hear our podcast at https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/randy-obrien
05 Aug 2025
by randyobrien50
in Christian Thoughts and Inspiration., Daily Devotion, Daily Inspiration, Inspirational Living, Spiritual Living
Tags: adopt the righteousness of God right now, air quality advisory, all the horns of the wicked will I cut off, all the wicked of the earth, all these things shall be added unto you, before it's too late, blessed are they which do hunger and thirst after righteousness, but the dregs thereof, caribana festivities, christianity, come to know and love him like we do, cut off all wicked doers from the city of the Lord, duty bound, early destroy all the wicked of the land, exalt the righteous, faith, give thanks for God's deliverance, God is the judge, God's justice will prevail, God's righteous judgement, God's role as the ultimate judge, God's Sovereignty, God's wrath, he poureth out of the same, he shall serve me, he that telleth lies shall not tarry in my sight, he that walketh in a perfect way, he that worketh deceit, holy spirit, humble the wicked, hurry, I am the beloved of god, I will declare for ever, in god's eyes, in the hnad of the Lord is a cup, it is full of mixture, it is fully mixed, Jesus Christ, leggo-beast kind of partying, LOVE, mercy, mine eyes shall be upon the faithful of the land, no one can take that from me, not be aligned with the wicked of the earth, not what I do, not what I have, on the late bus, salvation, seek ye first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, shall not dwell within my house, shall wring them out and drink them, share His love with my neighbours, share the amazing love and friendship of Christ, sing praises to the God of jacob, the BIBLE, the breath of life, the horns of the righteous shall be exalted, the righteous judge, the ultimate faith of the wicked is in God's hands, the wicked may seem to prosper, the wine is red, they shall be filled, to go to bed late is to rise up late, trust in god's righteousness, trust my friend Jesus, truth, Tuesday Mantra, Walk with a Perfect Heart, wisdom, workers of iniquity, worry
Psalm 75:9. But I will declare for ever; I will sing praises to the God of Jacob.
Oh friends, forgive me, but we’re on the late bus this Tuesday morning. And it’s not because I was partying, I’m too old to get into that leggo-beast kind of partying, but I was up late doing some other stuff, and thus went to bed late, and consequently the old adage applies; to go to bed late is to rise up late. (smile) Anyway, the long weekend holiday celebrations are now over; as they say; deh done like dinner! Now we’ll have to wait another year to get back into the Caribana festivities and what ever activities take place at this time of year.
But since the Lord has granted us the breath of life to see another day, although we have another bad air quality advisory, (smile) let’s keep our promise of yesterday to continue looking at the marvellous words of Asaph in Psalm 75, titled ‘The Righteous Judge.’ Yesterday we saw where he offers up thanks for God’s presence and amazing works (vs.1), then tells of the promise of God’s righteous judgement in His own time (vs. 2-5), then he explains, gives us some idea of what that judgment will be like, (vs. 6-8).
However, yesterday we only progressed to verse 7, meaning we did not get all that Asaph said about the judgement. And after Asaph tells us in verse 7 that ‘God is the judge: he putteth down one, and setteth up (exalts) another,’ he paints a tough picture of that judgement in verse 8. So let’s begin there today, as Asaph writes: ‘For in the hand of the Lord there is a cup, and the wine is red; it is full of mixture (fully mixed, foaming); and he poureth out of the same: but the dregs thereof, all the wicked of the earth shall wring them (drain it) out, and drink them.’ (Ps. 75:8)
Now that’s surely an interesting way for the wicked to be destroyed. And I like the overview this commentary offers. ‘Psalm 75 is a psalm of thanksgiving that focuses on God’s righteous judgment and sovereignty. It highlights God’s role as the ultimate judge, who will exalt the righteous and humble the wicked. The psalm uses imagery of a “cup” to represent God’s wrath, which the wicked will be forced to drink. It also emphasizes God’s power to both exalt and humble individuals, regardless of their earthly status.’
Hopefully friends, we will acknowledge that coming judgement and do our best not to have to drink of the dregs of that deadly cup of wine. Meaning, we will not be aligned with the wicked of the earth, but with the righteous, to whom the kingdom of God is promised. As Jesus says in the Beatitudes from the Sermon on the Mount; ‘Blessed are they which do hunger and thirst after righteousness: for they shall be filled.’ (Matt. 5:6) And later on He admonishes us thus: ‘But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you.’ (Matt. 6:33)
Yes my brethren, the Lord urges us to seek righteousness above all else, for when we do, everything else will fall into place. That’s the Lord’s promise, and He never makes idle promises, or reneges on them. And having said all of that, (smile) let’s turn back to Psalm 75, the last two verses, where Asaph shows his confidence in God’s judgement, as he writes: ‘But I will declare for ever; I will sing praises to the God of Jacob. All the horns (strength) of the wicked also will I cut off (destroy); but the horns (strength) of the righteous shall be exalted.’ (Ps. 75:9-10)
Oh my fellow believers, that’s what’s in store for us all; if we’re wicked, we’ll be destroyed forever, but if we’re righteous, we’ll be exalted, lifted up, by Almighty God! So which scenario looks the best eh? Obviously the one that promotes righteousness! And there are numerous promises in the Bible that the wicked will eventually destroyed, so it couldn’t be a joke. Promises like this one written by Bruh David in Psalm 101, titled ‘Walk with a Perfect Heart.’
Speaking on God’s behalf, he ends the psalm thus: ‘Mine eyes shall be upon the faithful of the land, that they may dwell with me: he that walketh in a perfect (blameless) way, he shall serve me. He that worketh deceit shall not dwell within my house: he that telleth lies shall not tarry (continue) in my sight. I will early destroy all the wicked of the land; that I may cut off all wicked doers (workers of iniquity) from the city of the Lord.’ (Ps. 101: 6-8)
There we have it my brethren, more ammunition that the Lord will eventually destroy the wicked from the face of the earth and give it to the righteous. So what are we waiting for to turn to righteousness and grab hold of it with all of our souls, bodies, hearts and minds eh? For that’s where the answer to everything lies!
And I believe it’s fitting for us to end today’s chat the same way the above commentary does. It concludes: ‘The psalm can be interpreted as a reminder that God’s justice will prevail, and that while the wicked may seem to prosper for a time, their ultimate fate is in God’s hands. It also encourages believers to trust in God’s righteousness and to give thanks for His deliverance.’
Oh my fellow saints, I could not have said it any better! But I can certainly encourage us to do what the commentary says: ‘trust in God’s righteousness and give thanks for His deliverance,’ for that’s where our salvation and eternal life comes from. And for those of us who are trying to live righteously, let’s go home declaring our Tuesday Mantra, letting the whole world know to whom we belong, lock, stock and barrel.
As one strong and sincere voice: ‘In God’s eyes, I’m not what I do. I’m not what I have. I’m not what people say about me. I am the beloved of God, that’s who I am. No one can take that from me. I don’t have to worry. I don’t have to hurry. I can trust my friend Jesus and share His LOVE with my immediate neighbours, as well as with the whole wide world! Glory be!’
And with that declaration (awright!!!), we’re now duty bound to go out and share the amazing LOVE and friendship of Christ with others, so that they too can come to know and LOVE Him the way we do! Much LOVE!
…let’s adopt the righteousness of God…RIGHT NOW…for soon it might be too late…
Hear our podcast at https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/randy-obrien
15 Jul 2025
by randyobrien50
in Christian Thoughts and Inspiration., Daily Devotion, Daily Inspiration, Inspirational Living, Spiritual Living
Tags: a brutish man knoweth not, a good living, as the heavens are higher than the earth, come to know and love him like we do, duty bound, finite understanding, God's infinite ways nd thoughts, holiday, holy spirit, how great are thy works, hurry, I will be glad and rejoice in thee, I will declare all all thy marvellous works, I will praise thee O Lord, I will sing praise to thy name, I will triumph in the works of thy hands, in every thing give thanks, in god's eyes, indisputable truth, internet connection, it is a good thing to give thanks unto the Lord, Jesus Christ, lock stock and barrel, LOVE, man's most important tasks, mercy, more heat warnings, my thoughts are not your thoughts, my thoughts higher than your thoughts, my ways are not your ways, neither doth a fool understand this, O thou most High, Praise the Lord, pray without ceasing, rejoice evermore, salvation, share His love with my neighbours, share the amazing love and friendship of Christ, so are my ways higher than yours, the beloved of God, the big part the internet plays in our lives, the whole wide world, this is the day the Lord has made, this is the will of God in Christ concerning you, thou hast made me glad through thy work, thy faithfulness every night, thy thoughts are very deep, to love the Lord, to show forth thy lovingkindness in the morning, trust my friend Jesus, truth, Tuesday Mantra, we will rejoice and be glad in it, wisdom, with my whole heart, worry, your word is spread worldwide
Psalm 9:1. I will praise thee, O Lord, with my whole heart; I will shew forth (tell of) all thy marvellous works.
So it’s Tuesday, the middle of the month of July, another hot day with more heat warnings, and thankfully I’ve finally gotten my internet reconnected. Yes friends, I need to apologize for not publishing a blog since last Friday. But that was because I lost my internet connection on Friday afternoon, and just got it reconnected today. It seems that that I wasn’t alone in my misery, (smile) there was a general outage in my area.
But Brother! You never realize what a big part that internet connection plays in our modern day lives until you don’t have it for some time. You simply feel lost; no phone, no television, no computer, no what’s ap messages! And you can only read so much. Although I have other things I could have done, I just was too lazy to do them, deciding instead to enjoy the holiday. (smile)
But that holiday is now over. Chuh man! Its’ back to the daily grind and common task; the everyday things that life is really about. So why don’t we do the appropriate thing in this situation, that’s give thanks to God for having our internet connection restored. For as Bruh Paul wrote to the Thessalonians: ‘In every thing give thanks: for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you.’ (1 Thess. 5:18)
And all God’s children said: ‘Thank you Lord for the restored internet connection through which your Word is spread worldwide. And we pray that it will not be interrupted again, because that means your Word will not be transmitted to those who sincerely need it. We pray it in Jesus’ Name! Amen!’ And to continue in thanksgiving mode, these words of Psalm 9 titled ‘Praise for God’s Judgement,’ seem to be very appropriate. Bruh David writes: ‘I will praise thee, O Lord, with my whole heart; I will shew forth (tell of) all thy marvellous works. I will be glad and rejoice in thee: I will sing praise to thy name, O thou most High.’ (Ps. 9:1-2)
Oh friends, those are the exact things that we were created for! To be glad and rejoice in God, as well as give Him thanks and praise and spread abroad His marvellous works. So many scriptures point them out that we could hardly forget them, although in our busy world lifestyle, we do. And we’re talking about scriptures like this seminal verse from Psalm 118, one we all know and quote, but don’t live up to as we ought. The psalmist writes: ‘This is the day which the Lord hath made; we will rejoice and be glad in it.’ (Ps. 118:24)
How many of us get up and say those words and then go out and have a most miserable day because in the busyness of the day, we have removed God from our thoughts? That’s why Bruh Paul instructed us to ‘Rejoice evermore, and to Pray without ceasing.’ (1 Thess. 5:16-17) When you have a glad heart filled with God, and you keep Him continually in your thoughts, then no matter what the world or it’s evil associates do, you won’t lose your peace and joy. For remember the joy of the Lord is your strength. (Neh. 8:10) That’s why we need to keep our joy in God as strong and continuous as possible.
Then these wonderful words of Psalm 92, titled ‘Give Thanks to the Lord’ say it all, my fellow believers. So please read with me: ‘It is a good thing to give thanks unto the Lord, and to sing praises unto thy name O most High: To shew forth (declare) thy LOVING-KINDNESS in the morning, and thy faithfulness every night. Upon an instrument of ten strings, and upon the psaltery (lute or lyre); upon the harp with a solemn (harmonic, melodious) sound. For thou, Lord, hast made me glad through thy work: I will triumph in the works of thy hands. O Lord, how great are thy works! and thy thoughts are very deep. A brutish (senseless) man knoweth not; neither doth a fool understand this.’ (Ps. 92:1-6)
What words of indisputable truth those are my brethren! We need to give thanks and praise to our great God, for it’s through Him that we have life and a good living, through His great works we enjoy all the benefits of the planet we’re living on, and it’s through His grace and mercy that we triumph in this difficult life. And it’s obvious that a senseless man or a fool cannot understand God’s greatness!
Even those of us who seek to do so will fall far short because as the prophet Isaiah declares on the Lord’s behalf: ‘For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, saith the Lord. For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways, and my thoughts higher than your thoughts.’ (Is. 55:8-9)
It’s as simple as that friends! The Lord God our Creator and Controller’s infinite ways and thoughts are so much higher than our puny and finite understanding. That means, as hard as we may try, we will never understand all that God does…not until we get to the other side. (smile) So it doesn’t make sense to fight what God says, just do it and say ‘Praise the Lord!’
And although all of that is much easier said than done, if we’re to be true believers and disciples of Christ, then we need to do what He says, remembering that He will never ask us to do something without giving us the wherewithal to do it. Now, for those of us who are sincerely trying to do His will, let’s go home declaring (steups!!!) our Tuesday Mantra, letting the whole world know to whom we belong, lock, stock and barrel.
As one strong and sincere voice: ‘In God’s eyes, I’m not what I do. I’m not what I have. I’m not what people say about me. I am the beloved of God, that’s who I am. No one can take that from me. I don’t have to worry. I don’t have to hurry. I can trust my friend Jesus and share His LOVE with my immediate neighbours, as well as with the whole wide world! Glory be!’
Now, we’re duty bound to go out and share the amazing LOVE and friendship of Christ with others, so that they too can come to know and LOVE Him like we do! Much LOVE!
…man’s most important tasks are…to LOVE the Lord…and give Him thanks and praise…
Hear our podcast at https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/randy-obrien
08 Jul 2025
by randyobrien50
in Christian Thoughts and Inspiration., Daily Devotion, Daily Inspiration, Inspirational Living, Spiritual Living
Tags: a daily habit, all manner of disease among the people, an herd of swine, and were drowned, ask for healing and strength from God, awed beyond belief, cannot make it on my own, come to know and love him like we do, commanded the unclean spirit to come out of the man, do Jesus' work with diligence, duty bound, enjoy the life He created us to have, epileptics, faith, give me strength to endure, had the palsy, healing all manner of sickness, holy spirit, I trust in your goodness, if God spares life, immediately the fever left her, in faith, in god's eyes, in his right mind, Jesus Christ, Jesus the great Physician, Jesus thou Son of God, Jesus took her by the hand, Jesus went about Galilee, lay sick of the fever, lifted her up, LOVE, mercy, possessed of devils, preaching the gospel of the kingdom, put an end to all pain, salvation, share His love with my neighbours, share the amazing love and friendship of Christ, she ministered unto them, sickness comes knocking at our door, Simon's mother-in-law, sitting clothed at Jesus feet, teaching in the synagogues, the beloved of God, the BIBLE, the country of the Gadarenes, the devils entered the swine, the Healing Ministry of Jesus, the herd ran violently down a steep place into the lake, the needs of my physical body, the paralyzed, there followed him great multitudes of people, too proud to ask for help, tragedy, trust my friend Jesus, truth, Tuesday Mantra, vim and vigour, walk wit me, waning years, what have I to do with thee, wisdom, without the grace and mercy of God, your healing touch
Matthew 4:23. And Jesus went about all Galilee …healing all manner of sickness (every sickness), and all manner of disease (every disease) among the people.
Then it was Tuesday, a somewhat cool and cloudy day, and we can forget Monday…until next week that is, (smile) and go on about our Tuesday business, with vim and vigour, all in Christ’s mighty name. Today, we’re going to deal with the topic of healing, as expressed in a prayer form the Prayer Cards recently issued by the In Touch Organization.
So please pray with me: ‘Lord Jesus, You are the great Physician. When You walked the earth You healed the sick, and You still heal today. In faith I bring You the needs of my physical body. I trust in Your goodness today, knowing that one day You will put an end to all pain and brokenness. Walk with me and give me strength to endure. Thank You for Your healing touch. Amen!’
Oh friends, I don’t know about you all nuh, but I desperately need the Lord’s healing touch, each and every day, especially in these my waning years, if I hope to endure and do His work with diligence. And I’m sure a lot of you do too, but oftentimes we’re too proud to ask for help and healing. I certainly am not! I ask for it every single day, because I know that I just could not make it on my own without the grace and mercy of our wonderful God. So let’s promise ourselves to make it a daily habit to ask for healing and strength from Almighty God, so that we can do His work and enjoy the life that He’s created us to have.
And at the end of the prayer, they suggest that we ‘Read some of the many accounts of healing in the New Testament. Jesus is Your Healer.’ And he surely is! Praise the Lord! For without Him I don’t know what we’d do when sickness and tragedy dangerously come knocking at our door. And the first scripture on healing that we will read is the one on which the prayer was based, as Matthew talks about the Healing Ministry of Jesus.
He writes: ‘And Jesus went about all Galilee, teaching in their synagogues, and preaching the gospel of the kingdom, and healing all manner of sickness (every sickness), and all manner of disease (every disease) among the people. And his fame went throughout all Syria: and they brought unto him all sick people that were taken with divers (various) diseases and torments, and those which were possessed with devils (demons), and those which were lunatic (epileptics), and those that had the palsy (were paralyzed); and he healed them.’ (Matt. 4:23-24)
Yes mih people, Jesus was, and is indeed our Healer! Can you imagine the crowds of sick people that came to Him back then when doctors and other care givers were in short supply, and the level of human health care was rather low , plus most of the sick could not afford to go to the few health care providers that were available? Matthew says it thus: ‘And there followed him great multitudes of people from Galilee, and from Decapolis (the Ten Cities), and from Jerusalem, and from Judea, and from beyond Jordan.’ (Matt. 4:25)
Wow! At the end of the day Jesus must have been real tired. No wonder He so often had to escape to a solitary place and commune with the Father, so that His strength could be renewed. And that just goes to show that Healing was a prominent aspect of Jesus’ earthly ministry. Now, let’s look at a few of the individual healings Jesus performed, beginning with Mark’s version of the healing of Peter’s mother-in-law.
‘And forthwith, when they were come out of the synagogue, they entered into the house of Simon (Peter) and Andrew, with James and John. But Simon’s wife’s mother lay sick of a fever, and anon (at once) they tell him of her. And he came and took her by the hand, and lifted her up; and immediately the fever left her, and she ministered unto (served) them.’ (Mark 1:29-31)
Then there was this most poignant and miraculous set of circumstances. Luke tells us of the time when Jesus and the disciples went into the country of the Gadarenes, which was on the opposite shore of the lake to Galilee. And as he stepped out of the boat, ‘there met him out of the city a certain man, which had devils (demons) long time, and ware (wore) no clothes, neither abode in any house, but in the tombs. When he saw Jesus, he cried out, and fell down before him, and with a loud voice said, What have I to do with thee, Jesus, thou Son of God most high? I beseech (beg) thee, torment me not.
(For he had commanded the unclean spirit to come out of the man. For oftentimes it had caught (seized) him: and he was kept bound with chains and in fetters (shackles); and he brake the bands (chains), and was driven of the devil (demons) into the wilderness.) And Jesus asked him, saying, What is thy name? And he said , Legion: because many devils (demons) were entered into him. And they (the demons) besought (begged) him (Jesus) that he would not command them to go out into the deep (abyss).
And there was an herd of many swine feeding on the mountain: and they besought (begged) him that he would suffer (allow) them to enter into them. And he suffered (allowed) them. Then went the devils (demons) out of the man, and entered into the swine: and the herd ran violently down a steep place into the lake, and were choked (drowned). (Luke 8:26-33)
Obviously the swine herders fled in fear back to the city and broadcast the happening. And when the crowd came back to Jesus, they found the demon filled man in his right mind, sitting clothed at the feet of Jesus. But the people were so afraid, that they asked Jesus to leave their place, and Jesus obediently got back into his boat and went back home. (Luke 8:26-39) Can you imagine being around then, seeing Jesus do those miraculous things. Even now, when He does them, and He still does, we’re awed beyond belief.
But we’ll stop here for today, for time and space are against us, and there are so many more healing miracles that we can talk about. However, if God spares life, tomorrow, we’ll continue looking at some more of Jesus’ marvellous healing miracles. Now, let’s go home declaring our Tuesday Mantra, letting all and sundry know to whom we belong, lock, stock and barrel.
As one strong and sincere voice: ‘In God’s eyes, I’m not what I do. I’m not what I have. I’m not what people say about me. I am the beloved of God, that’s who I am. No one can take that from me. I don’t have to worry. I don’t have to hurry. I can trust my friend Jesus and share His LOVE with my immediate neighbours, as well as with the whole wide world! Glory be!’
And having made that declaration, we are now duty bound to go out and share the amazing LOVE and friendship of Christ with others, so that they too can come to know and LOVE Him like we do! Much LOVE!
…Jesus…the greatest Healer of all time…
Hear our podcast at https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/randy-obrien
24 Jun 2025
by randyobrien50
in Christian Thoughts and Inspiration., Daily Devotion, Daily Inspiration, Inspirational Living, Spiritual Living
Tags: all things work together for good, another scorcher, as a father the son in whom he delighteth, be as a tree planted by the waters, be not weary of his correction, be not wise in thine own eyes, blessed is the man that trusteth in the Lord, bring forth thy righteousness as the light., called according to His purpose, casting all your care upon him, cease from anger, christianity, come to know and love him like we do, commit thy way unto the Lord, delight thyself also in the Lord, depart from evil, despise not the chastening of the Lord, direct thy paths, faith, fear the Lord, feed on God's faithfulness, forsake wrath, fret not thyself because of him who prospers, fret not thyself in any wise to do evil, give thee the desires of thine heart, god, God will cause us to succeed even in tough times, he cares for you, he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek Him, he that comes to God, health to thy body, heat warnings, her leaf shall be green, holy spirit, honour the Lord with thy substance, humble yourselves under the mighty hand of God, hurry, I will not fear what flesh can do to me, in all thy ways acknowledge him, In god I have put my trust, In God will I praise his word, in god's eyes, in the year of drought, it only causes harm, Jesus Christ, lean not unto thine own understanding, let not your heart be troubled, lock stock and barrel, LOVE, marrow to thy bones, mercy, mut believe that He is, neither shall cease from yielding fruit, rest in the Lord and wait patiently for him, run from your kin to your enemies, s promised never to leave nor forsake us, salvation, shall not be anxious, shall not see when heat comes, share His love with my neighbours, share the amazing love and friendship of Christ, so shalt thou dwell in the land, spreads out her roots by the river, the beloved of God, the BIBLE, the fear of man bringeth a snare, the man who brings wicked schemes to pass, thy barns be filled with plenty, thy judgement as the noonday, thy vats burst out with new wine, to them that love God, trust in the Lord, trust in the Lord and do good, Trust in the Lord with all thine heart, trust my friend Jesús, truth, Tuesday Mantra, what time I am afraid I will trust in thee, whom the Lord loves he chastens, whoso puts their trust in the Lord shall be safe God, wisdom, with the firstfruits of all thine increase, without faith it is impossible to please God, worry, you believe in God believe also in me
Proverbs 29:25. The fear of man bringeth a snare: but whoso putteth his trust in the Lord shall be safe (secure, lit. set on high).
It’s Tuesday friends, and another scorcher, with heat warnings. But we’ve gotten through the last two fiery days with God’s help, so why won’t we get through this one too? No reason whatsoever! For He’s promised numerous times in His word to never leave nor forsake us, if we put our total and sincere trust in Him. And I guess today is a day for reminding ourselves of scriptures that advise us to trust in the Lord God of our forefathers, Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. But there are so many that I don’t know which ones to choose, so for ease of understanding, we’ll choose some of them with which we’re already acquainted. (smile)
And we’ll begin with this one that shows Bruh David’s awesome trust in God, when he ran from King Saul to his deadly enemies, the Philistines in Gath, and they took him in. He writes in Psalm 56 – Times of Distress: ‘What time I am afraid, I will trust in thee. In God will I praise his word, in God I have put my trust; I will not fear what flesh can to me.’ (Ps. 56:3-4) Now, if you can run to your enemies from your own kin, then that’s showing amazing trust in the God you worship.
And that’s what’s expected of us, when Isaiah awesomely declares: ‘Thou wilt keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed (sustained by) thee. Trust ye in the Lord for ever: for in the Lord Jehovah (Yahweh) is everlasting strength (the rock of ages).’ (Is. 26:3-4) And if you don’t believe that, then read the rest of that passage, where Isaiah details God’s amazing strength. (Is. 26:5-11)
Now here is another dandy scripture, this time from the pen of the prophet Jeremiah. ‘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) when heat cometh, but her leaf shall be green; and shall not be careful (anxious) in the year of drought, neither shall cease from yielding fruit.’ (Jer. 17:7-8) Wow mih bredrin! That’s a scripture that’s just right for today, with all the heat and drought that’s currently assaulting us. Yes, with total trust in our great God, we have no reason to fear, because He will cause us to succeed even in tough times!
Meanwhile, Peter puts it this way: ‘Humble yourselves therefore under the mighty hand of God, that he may exalt you in due time: Casting all your care upon him; for he careth for you.’ (1 Pet. 5:6-7) And remember, you can only truly trust when you are submissive to whomever, or whatever you claim to trust in. That’s why the author of Hebrews tells us: ‘But without faith it is impossible to please him (God): for he that cometh to God must believe that He is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him.’ (Heb. 11:6)
Ah mih people, faith is born of trust, you cannot have faith in someone or something unless you have invested trust in the situation or the person. Then there are these verses from Psalm 37, aptly titled, Trust in the Lord, verses we continually quote but never quite live up to them. See if you remember them. (smile)
‘Trust in the Lord, and do good; so shalt thou dwell in the land, and verily thou shalt be fed (feed on God’s faithfulness). Delight thyself also in the Lord; and he shall give thee the desires of thine heart. Commit thy way unto the Lord; trust also in him; and he shall bring it to pass. And he shall bring forth thy righteousness as the light, and thy judgement (justice) as the noonday. Rest in the Lord, and wait patiently for him: fret not thyself because of him who prospereth in his way, because of the man who bringeth wicked devices (schemes) to pass. Cease from anger, and forsake wrath: fret not thyself in any wise to do evil (for it only causes harm).’ (Ps. 37:3-8)
So what else can we say about having trust in the Lord eh? Plenty! Just listen to these marvellous verses from the pen of the wisest one, Cousin Sol, also ones we know, but don’t put into full use. In Proverbs, he exhorts and admonishes us thus! ‘Trust in the Lord with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding. In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct (make straight or smooth) thy paths. Be not wise in thine own eyes: fear the Lord, and depart from evil. It shall be health to thy navel (body), and marrow (strength, refreshment) to thy bones.
Honour the Lord with thy substance (possessions), and with the firstfruits of all thine increase: So shall thy barns be filled with plenty, and thy presses (vats) shall burst out with new wine. My son despise not the chastening of the Lord; neither be weary of (detest) his correction: For whom the Lord LOVETH he correcteth; even as a father the son in whom he delighteth.’ (Prov. 3:5-12)
And that’s wisdom to the nth degree! So why don’t we put those verses to better use eh? Who knows? But because we don’t, we cannot utilize the fullness of God’s promises and provisions. There’s also this one from Cousin Sol that might not be so familiar. ‘The fear of man bringeth a snare: but whoso putteth his trust in the Lord shall be safe (secure, lit. set on high).’ (Prov. 29:25) Another bit of wise advice.
Then there’s this famous verse from Bruh Paul to the Romans. ‘And we know that all things work together for good to them that LOVE God, to them who are called according to his purpose.’ (Rom. 8:28) Now that calls for great trust to believe that in spite of all our problems, everything will eventually work out for the best. But that’s what our faith is about; trust in Almighty God. It’s like Jesus said: ‘Let not your heart be troubled: ye believe in God, believe also in me.’ (John 14:1) And that’s exactly what we need to do.
And for those of us who are sincerely trying to do that, let’s go home declaring our Tuesday Mantra, letting all and sundry know to whom we belong, lock, stock and barrel. As one strong voice: ‘In God’s eyes, I’m not what I do. I’m not what I have. I’m not what people say about me. I am the beloved of God, that’s who I am. No one can take that from me. I don’t have to worry. I don’t have to hurry. I can trust my friend Jesus and share His LOVE with my immediate neighbours, as well as with the whole wide world! Glory be!’
Now, we are required to go out and share the amazing LOVE and friendship of Christ with others, so that they too can come to know and LOVE Him like we do! Much LOVE!
…sincere trust can only come from…strong hope, belief and faith…
Hear our podcast at https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/randy-obrien
10 Jun 2025
by randyobrien50
in Christian Thoughts and Inspiration., Daily Devotion, Daily Inspiration, Inspirational Living, Spiritual Living
Tags: a time of intense persecution, Arthur Howells, be of good courage, be with Christ throughout eternity, be ye also ready, behold I come as a thief, being alert to what's happening in our world, being ready for Jesus' return, believers will not experience the tribulation, blessed is he that watcheth, blessed is the man maketh the Lord his trust, bounden duty, Christ doesn't lie or make false promises, come to know and love him like we do, even unto the end of the world, faith, foolish wisdom, for in such an hour as ye think not, for ye know not what hour your Lord doth come, free will, have doubts and fears in our daily walk, he shall strengthen thine heart, holy spirit, hurry, I go to prepare a place for you, I had fainted, I will come again and receive you unto myself, I would have told you, if it were not so, if ye believe in God believe also in me, if you don't have complete trust and faith in Him, in my Father's house are many mansions, in the land of the living, in the unknown future, innovative theological education, Jane Williams, Jesus Christ, June's into double figures, keepeth his garments, known in what watch thethief would come, lest he walk naked, let not your heart be troubled, lo I am with always, LOVE, Mellitus College, mercy, no purpose in having a God, nor such as turn aside to lies, our duty to stay alert for Jesus' coming, outdoor activity, remain faithful and loyal to Christ, respects not the proud, salvation, selfish longing for summer, share His love with my neighbours, share the amazing love and friendship of Christ, teach me to wait with patience, temptation, the Battle of Armageddon, the beloved of God, the day of the Lord cometh as a thief in the night, the end of the church age, the frigid weather of winter, the Great Commission, the Little Book of Lent, the problem lies with us, the quality of being right in God's eyes, the Rapture, the Son of man cometh, there may I be also, they see his shame, those called to serve Christ, to know your presence, to prepare a place for me, to see the goodness of the Lord, to trust that you are with me, to watch with alertness, trust my friend Jesus, truth, Tuesday Mantra, unbelievers will be overtaken by destruction, ungodliness, unless I had believed, wait I say on the Lord, wait on the Lord, warm blooded animals, watch therefore, watch with alertness, watching for the return of Jesus, where I am there ye may be also, where you are, wisdom, with the whole wide world, worry, you have gone before me
Matthew 24:44. Therefore be ye also ready: for in such an hour as ye think not the Son of man cometh.
Aye friends, please note that the month of June has already reached double figures. (smile) Yes, June is moving along quite quickly, and before we know it, summer will be over and we’ll be thrust back into the dark and frigid weather of winter. Please answer me, if you can, why do the nice, warm, summer months seem to pass more quickly than the cold dreary winter ones eh?
Technically speaking, they all move at the same speed, but it’s possibly our warped, selfish longing for the summer warmth and sunshine, as well as the outdoor, activity it provides in semi-naked dress, that makes us feel those days are going by more quickly than the ones where we’re all bundled up and spend most of the time indoors. But that’s just life in the northern climes, and why we naturally hunger so much for summer. God made us to be warm blooded animals, and gave us places with sunshine and warm weather all year round, but we, in our free will and foolish wisdom, chose to live in the cold places, so we just have to learn to stand our bounce. (smile)
And on this sunny Tuesday in early June, we’ll say a prayer from the recent Prayer Through the Ages Publication of the Anglican Diocese of Toronto, highlighting Daily Prayers for spiritual renewal. This one is ascribed to Jane Williams, a Professor at St. Mellitus College in London, founded in 2007 by the Church of England to provide innovative theological education and training for those called to serve Christ in the church and the world. I believe the prayer was originally published in 2014 in The Little Book of Lent, compiled by Arthur Howells.
And now that we know the origins of the prayer, (smile) let’s pray it together. ‘Christ, you have gone before me to prepare a place for me, that where you are there I may be also. Teach me to wait with patience, to watch with alertness, to trust that you are with me in the unknown future and to know your presence. Amen!’ Ah friends, that’s short and sweet and to the point! And it encompasses several scriptural and Christian values that we ought to possess.
The first sentence reminds us of Jesus’ promise to the disciples, and consequently to us, where He reassures them. ‘Let not your heart be troubled: ye believe in God, believe also in me. In my Father’s house are many mansions (dwellings): if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you. And if I go to prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you unto myself; that where I am, there ye may be also.’ (John 14:1-3)
Oh my faithful believers, Christ promised to prepare a place in heaven for us, and come back for us, so we could be with Him throughout eternity. And if He promised it, He will surely do it, because He doesn’t lie or make false promises. So therefore, if in our daily walk, we have doubts and fears, then the problem lies with us, for our God does whatever He says. That’s why the prayer implores God; ‘Teach me to wait with patience…’ Yes, that’s a big part of our Christian walk, waiting with patience, as Bruh David so astutely puts it in Psalm 27, titled – My Heart Shall Not Fear.
To end the psalm He reasons: ‘I had fainted, unless I had believed to see the goodness of the Lord in the land of the living. Wait (in faith) on the Lord: be of good courage, and he shall strengthen thine heart: wait (in faith), I say, on the Lord.’ (Ps.27:13-14) And I know that’s sometimes easier said than done, but if you are reading the Word and living it, your faith ought to be growing, and anytime God comes through for you, then that ought to add another notch to your faith, and help you to wait in patient faith.
The prayer also asks for us to watch with alertness. Now that’s something we have to do on two fronts. The first is being alert to what’s happening in our world, and quickly recognizing the trends of ungodliness and temptation that are coming against us and prevent them from addling our souls. The next avenue of alertness is that of watching for Jesus’ return, and being ready for it. Jesus Himself warned us: ‘Watch therefore: for ye know not what hour your Lord doth come. But know this, that if the goodman (master) of the house had known in what watch (hour) the thief would come, he would have watched, and would not have suffered (allowed) his house to be broken up (into). Therefore be ye also ready: for in such an hour as ye think not the Son of man cometh.’ (Matt. 24:42-44)
Bruh Paul also says it in his first letter to the Thessalonians. ‘For yourselves know perfectly that the day of the Lord so cometh as a thief in the night.’ (1 Thess. 5:2) So we have been warned, it’s now our duty and self-interest to stay alert for Jesus’ coming. And what does it mean that Jesus will come as a thief in the night? This commentary explains it thus: ‘The passage assures us that believers will not experience the tribulation. The day of the Lord will commence unexpectedly, like the arrival of a thief at night. It is described as a time of darkness with dreadful consequences. Unbelievers, identified as those who belong to the night, will be overtaken by destruction.’
That’s why we must be ready for the Rapture, the end of the church age, for the period of the Great Tribulation will indeed be one of horrific violence and persecution. And Jesus even assures those believers in the Great Tribulation, when He says; ‘Behold, I come as a thief. Blessed is he that watcheth, and keepeth his garments, lest he walk naked, and they see his shame.’ (Rev. 16:15)
This is the time of Jesus’ Second Coming, before the battle of Armageddon, where Christ finally defeats Satan and his cronies. The scholars tell us that’s ‘an exhortation to the surviving believers to be watchful and alert, and to remain faithful and loyal to Christ during a time of intense persecution. To have garments, rather than be naked, relates to spiritual preparedness.’
And finally, as to trusting God and knowing that He’s always with us, these two scriptures tell it like it is. The first comes from Psalm 40, where Bruh David confidently writes: ‘Blessed is that man that maketh the Lord his trust, and respecteth not the proud, nor such as turn aside to lies.’ (Ps. 40:4) And the second scripture is a gem of a promise from Jesus, where after He gives the disciples the Great Commission, He ends: ‘and, lo, I am with you always, even unto the end of the world.’ (Matt. 28:20b) Now, if you can’t believe Jesus, then I don’t know whom else you can believe.
However, for those of us who believe Him totally, let’s go home declaring our Tuesday Mantra, letting the whole world know to whom we belong lock, stock, and barrel. As one strong and sincere voice: ‘In God’s eyes, I’m not what I do. I’m not what I have. I’m not what people say about me. I am the beloved of God, that’s who I am. No one can take that from me. I don’t have to worry. I don’t have to hurry. I can trust my friend Jesus and share His LOVE with my immediate neighbours, as well as with the whole wide world! Glory be!’
Now, it’s our bounden duty to go out and share the amazing LOVE and friendship of Christ with others, so that they too can come to know and LOVE Him like we do! Much LOVE!
…what’s the purpose of having a God…if you don’t have complete trust and faith in Him…
Hear our podcast at https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/randy-obrien
03 Jun 2025
by randyobrien50
in Christian Thoughts and Inspiration., Daily Devotion, Daily Inspiration, Inspirational Living, Spiritual Living
Tags: baubles and bangles, Beelzebub, begin to comprehend, brng us back to his fold, Christ came to save the world, Christ died for us, Christ din't come to condemn the world, come to know and love him like we do, duty bound, enduring, eternal separation from Almighty God, everlasting, God commendeth his own love toward us, God created us in His own image, God demonstrated his LOVE for us.', God lead the way to love and forgiveness, God sent His Son Jesus, God so loved the world, God will always love us, God's truth endures to all generations, gospel truth, have everlasting life, he gave his only begotten son, heartache, heat and wildfires, hellfire, his mercy is everlasting, holy spirit, hurry, I feel like a blob, I know that you love me, in god's eyes, innumerable things, insinuate itself, Jesus Christ, lock stock and barrel, LOVE, mercy, no love like God's love, no one can take that from me, not what I do, not what I have, One Year Book of Bible promises, put it in your pipe and smoke it, rain and flooding, Ruth Harms Calkin, salvation, share His love with my neighbours, share the amazing love and friendship of Christ, should not perish, soaring like a graceful eagle, the beloved of God, The Lord is good, the one great certainty of my life, the reality of life, the smart money is all on Jesus, the whole wide world, to die on the cross, trust my friend Jesus, truth, Tuesday Mantra, turbulent times, unchanging, walking our talk, whatever happened to disturb me, while we were yet sinners, whosever believeth in him, wildfires, wisdom, worry, You love me, you loved me, you'll love me
Psalm 100:5. For the Lord is good; his mercy (LOVE) is everlasting; and his truth (faithfulness) endureth to all generations.
And it’s a beautiful, sunshiny Tuesday, this third day of June 2025. Temps are in the mid-twenties, and might even reach a record high according to the weather forecasters. But let’s hope not today, for the hot temps are already causing problems out in the Western Provinces, with several wildfires raging because of the hot and dry weather. It’s interesting, but also saddening that some places could be having oodles of rain, with floods threatening, while others are hot and dry, with wildfires in the offing. But that’s the reality of life in today’s world, with an unpredictable climate change scenario.
However, there’s one thing in this world that we know will never change. And what’s that you ask? Let’s read this poem from our One Year Book of Bible Promises with writings by Ruth Harms Calkin and find out nuh. (smile) The title of the poem is simply ‘You LOVE Me,’ which I’ve most likely shared before, but it’s very appropriate for these tense and turbulent times.
So please read with me: ‘Yesterday, God, I was soaring Like a graceful eagle And You LOVED me. Today I feel like a blob and You LOVE me. Tomorrow I may ask “Whatever happened To disturb me yesterday?” And You’ll LOVE me. God, there innumerable things I cannot begin to comprehend But the one great certainty In all my life is this: I know that You LOVE ME.’
Oh my fellow believers that indeed is one thing we can ALWAYS be sure of! Whatever happens to us, or however we may feel, our great and wonderful God, the One who created us in His own Image and sent his Son Jesus to die on the cross to pay for our sins and bring us back to his fold, that Same One True and Living God will ALWAYS LOVE us! There’s absolutely no doubt about that! And if you don’t believe me, then listen to this marvellous verse of scripture, one of my favourites, as written by Bruh Paul to the Roman church.
‘But God commendeth his LOVE toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.’ (Rom. 5:8) what a marvellous God we serve my brethren! That means, God LOVED us so much, that He demonstrated that awesome LOVE while we were yet sinners. Yes friends, He didn’t ask us, or wait for us to change before He showed His wonderful care and compassion. No sir! He showed us how much He cared for His human creation, by leading, by showing the way to LOVE and forgiveness.
Oh my faithful believers, our God walked His talk before He even impressed it on us. And walking our talk – that’s our godly talk – ought to be something we continually aspire to, because right now too many of us supposed believers are not even talking the talk of Jesus, much less walking it, and that’s why our world is in such an ungodly mess.
But let’s get back to the fact that our God LOVES us unconditionally and always. Listen to these other scriptures that corroborate it. First off, this marvellous statement from Jesus on the subject. ‘For God so LOVED the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in Him should not perish, but have everlasting life. For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved.’ (John 3:16-17)
Yes mih people, if the Lord didn’t send Jesus to save us, we’d be all be certainly headed for Hades and the terrible consequences it holds for its inmates. But God didn’t want that happen to us all, so He sent His Son and gave us an option. Remember He gave us a certain amount of free will, and hoped that we would be wise and use it to accept His Son and the salvation and eternal life He offers, not the hellfire and damnation the fallen angel Lucifer, offers.
Unfortunately though, many of us still seem to prefer the shiny but worthless baubles and bangles that the evil one holds so alluringly before us to the real McCoy that Jesus offers. What a crying shame to allow the world to have such a foolish hold on us! But we all have to make our own choices, and for your information, the smart money is ALL on Jesus! Yes it is, for Beelzebub doesn’t have anything to offer but heartache and hellfire, and eternal separation from Almighty God, which I keep reminding us is the worst thing that can ever happen to a human soul.
Just sit and imagine it nuh: if you choose Satan over God, there’ll come a time when you won’t’ be able to communicate with God, even if you desperately want to, because you’ll be in hell, truly catching hell, and He’ll be in heaven, enjoying life, and neither the twain shall ever meet. So please, please, I implore us to take time and consider our options, for eternity is a much longer time than this earthly life, and whatever you choose now, you’ll have to endure for ever.
And before I forget, with all this preaching, (smile) the Bible Promise for our poem today comes from Psalm 100: ‘For the Lord is good; his mercy (LOVE) is everlasting; and his truth (faithfulness) endureth to all generations.’ (Ps. 100:5) So, let’s put that gospel truth in our pipe and smoke it, inhaling deeply with every puff, (smile) so that it can insinuate itself in all of our hearts, souls, bodies and minds, until we truly believe and begin to live it!
Now, it’s time go home declaring our Tuesday Wail, letting all and sundry know to whom we belong lock, stock and barrel. As one strong and sincere voice! ‘In God’s eyes, I’m not what I do. I’m not what I have. I’m not what people say about me. I am the beloved of God, that’s who I am. No one can take that from me. I don’t have to worry. I don’t have to hurry. I can trust my friend Jesus and share His LOVE with my immediate neighbours, as well as with the whole wide world! Glory be!’
And having said that, we’re now duty bound to go out and share the amazing LOVE and friendship of Christ with others, so that they too can come to know and LOVE Him like we do! Much LOVE!
…there’s no LOVE like God’s LOVE…unchanging, enduring and everlasting
Hear our podcast at https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/randy-obrien
20 May 2025
by randyobrien50
in Christian Thoughts and Inspiration., Daily Devotion, Daily Inspiration, Inspirational Living, Spiritual Living
Tags: a guest, and smiling did reply, but I have marred them, christianity, crying out for God's love, despising the shame, do our work in fine fashion, dragging their feet, drew nearer to me, endured the cross, enjoy the freedom Jesus offers, enjoy the fruits of His goodness and mercy, enjoying the sinful pleasures of the world, eteranl life, faith, for the joy that was set before him, forsaken and ungodly times, George Herbert, God invites us to sit, God's unconditional LOVE, grace, guilty of dust and sin, have not I the Lord, he that formed the eye, he that planted the ear shall he not hear, holy spirit, I cannot look on thee, I did sit and eat, I will serve, in god's eyes, interacting with God, Jesus Christ, let my shame go where it doth deserve, lock stock and barrel, looking unto Jesus, LOVE, love bade me welcome, love took my hand, make excuses, mercy, my soul drew back, never last, never satisfy, observing me grow slack, our sinful soul, Prayers through the Ages, questioning if I lacked anything, quick-eyed love, reparations for our sins, salvation, set a good example, set down at the right hand of the throne of God, shall he not see, share His love with my neighbours, share the amazing love and friendship of Christ, Simone Weil, sit down and taste my meat, the author and finisher of our faith, the beloved of God, the BIBLE, the hearing ear and the seeing eye, the Lord hath made even both of them, the ungrateful, the unkind, trust my friend Jesus, truth, Tuesday Mantra, when will ye be wise, who bore the blame, who hath made man's mouth, who made the eyes but I, who maketh the dumb the deaf the seeing or the blind, wisdom, worry, worthy to be here
Hebrews 12:2b. who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God.
Well friends, it’s a sunny but somewhat chilly Tuesday now, time to get back to work. And I do hope we’ve done that with good spirits, abounding in the LOVE, diligence and strong work ethic that Christ desires of His people! (smile) Oh, no doubt some of us are still tired from all the celebrations over the weekend, but we must try and set it aside and do the work we’ve been contracted for in fine fashion, so that we set a good example for the unbeliever and Jesus can be glorified. Wow! What a wonderful notion! (smile)
Now, let’s turn to the Anglican Church, Diocese of Toronto’s recent publication titled ‘Prayers Through the Ages – Daily prayers for spiritual renewal.’ It’s a compilation of prayers from different people and places down through the years, a few of which we’ve previously shared. Today, I want to share this beautiful poem with obvious Biblical connotations, written by George Herbert 1593-1633.
So please read with me. ‘LOVE bade me welcome; yet my soul drew back, Guilty of dust and sin. But quick-eyed LOVE, observing me grow slack From my first entrance in, Drew nearer to me, sweetly questioning If I lacked anything. “A guest,” I answered, “worthy to be here:’ LOVE said, “You shall be he.” “I, the unkind, ungrateful? Ah my dear, I cannot look on Thee.” LOVE took my hand and smiling did reply, ‘Who made the eyes but I?” “Truth, Lord, but I have marred them: let my shame Go where it doth deserve.” ‘And know you not,” says LOVE, “Who bore the blame?” “My dear, then I will serve.” “You must sit down,” says LOVE, “and taste my meat.” So I did sit and eat.’
Now doesn’t that sound just like many of us interacting with God? We try to make excuses or reparation for our sins, but the Lord, through His wonderful unconditional LOVE, just waves our contentions away. That’s because He’s so glad that we had the wisdom to come to Him, and consequently He never turns away anyone who does that. And it’s been said that the famous but short -lived French Philosopher of Spirituality and Political Justice, Simone Weil (1909-1943) was converted after reading that poem, which she learned by heart. Now if that’s true, then it shows the awesome power of the poem.
And I particularly relish the statement ‘quick-eyed LOVE,’ because that’s just the way LOVE is. It’s quick to notice, to help and to share. Oh, how wonderful it would be if many more of us supposed believers would wave that godly wand of ‘quick-eyed LOVE!’ And isn’t it interesting that though we speak of being a guest, worthy to be in God’s presence, when He welcomes us as such, we still have that sinful weight on our conscience, and talk about, “I, the unkind ungrateful? Ah, my dear, I cannot look on thee.’
But our God is so magnificent and magnanimous, that He takes our hand and with a soulful smile asks “Who made the eyes, but I?” And we have several scriptures that attest to that, beginning with this one from Exodus, where Moses is feeling inadequate in the power of speech, when the Lord wants to send him to talk to Pharaoh. ‘And the Lord said unto him, Who hath made man’s mouth? or who maketh the dumb, or deaf, or the seeing, or the blind? have not I the Lord?’ (Ex.4:11)
Then in Psalm 94, the psalmist asks the brutish and the fools, ‘when will ye be wise? He that planted the ear, shall he not hear? he that formed the eye, shall he not see?’ (Ps. 94:8-9) And we can always count on Cousin Sol for a word of wisdom on any subject. (smile) In Proverbs, he confidently tells us: ‘The hearing ear, and the seeing eye, the Lord hath made even both of them.’ (Prov. 20:10) So there we have it; the definitive answer to who made the eye.
But still our sinful soul will not relent, claiming that we have marred the eyes God made, and our shame should not be absolved. However, the Lord turns it around and asks, if we don’t know who bore the blame for our shame? And indeed we do, Jesus Christ! As the author of Hebrews so vividly tells us: ‘Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher (the originator and perfector) of our faith; who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God.’ (Heb. 12:2)
And knowing that, we decide that we will serve. But God isn’t finished with us. No! Not by a long shot. For then His awesome LOVE invites us to sit and enjoy the fruits of His goodness and mercy. And finally, we acquiesce and sit and enjoy His largesse, even thou we know we don’t deserve it, but He nonetheless wants us to enjoy it. Oh my people, what a wonderful God we serve! There’s none other like Him! But how could there be eh? Two like Him could never exist in the same universe!
But the bottom line is that we should be ever so thankful and grateful for His awe-inspiring majesty, and above all for His marvelous goodness to the underserving children of men, that we should not wait to be invited, but of our own volition, run to Him with open arms, crying out for His LOVE, mercy, grace and goodness, salvation and eternal life! Now, that’s how it ought to be! (smile) And some of us do it, but foolishly too many are still dragging their feet, trying to enjoy the sinful pleasures of the world that never last nor satisfy the soul, especially in these forsaken and ungodly times.
However, for those of us who have heeded the call, and are actively trying to spread the Word, let’s go home declaring our Tuesday Mantra, letting all and sundry know to whom we belong, lock, stock and barrel. As one strong and sincere voice: ‘In God’s eyes, I’m not what I do. I’m not what I have. I’m not what people say about me. I am the beloved of God, that’s who I am. No one can take that from me. I don’t have to worry. I don’t have to hurry. I can trust my friend Jesus and share His LOVE with my immediate neighbours, as well as with the whole wide world! Glory be!’
That now behooves us to go out and share the amazing LOVE and friendship of Christ with others, so that they too can come to know and LOVE Him like we do! Much LOVE!
…Jesus has already borne the blame, the pain and the shame…now…He wants us to enjoy the freedom He offers…
Hear our podcast at https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/randy-obrien
01 Apr 2025
by randyobrien50
in Christian Thoughts and Inspiration., Daily Devotion, Daily Inspiration, Inspirational Living, Spiritual Living
Tags: a level of peace, a man lay down his life for his friends, an honour to be so intimately known, April Fool's day, April showers, believers, believers in Christ, But God commendeth his love toward us, christianity, Christians, come to know and love him like we do, despite what and whom we are, duty bound, faith, fly out the window, following Satan and his evil practices, for His awesome goodness and mercy, God cannot deny Himself, God knows all my mistakes, God loves us, God sent not his son into the world, God sent not His Son to condemn the world, God so loved the world, greater love hath no man than this, grow through challenges, have everlasting life, he gave his only begotten son, hellhole, hellhole we're digging for ourselves, holy spirit, hurry, if ye do what I command you, in all these things we are more than conquerors, in god's eyes, in god's world it's all about love, in Jesus name, jehovah god, Jesus Christ, Jesus' crucifixion, listened to my doubts and questions, LOVE, love is the guiding principle of god's kingdom, love rules the roost, makes you want to cringe and laugh at the same time, May flowers, mercy, my bone-deep longings, my heart harbours deceit, negative evils, Nicodemus, nothing shall separate us from the love of God, omni-present, omnipotent, omniscient, prayer rings so true, prayers have no timeline, radiant with good intentions, received my genuine praise, salvation, see the coming seasons in my life, share His love with my neighbours, share the amazing love and friendship of Christ, should not perish, sincerity of heart, surpasses all the understanding of men, Thank the Lord, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, the amazing foundation of Christ's gospel, the awesome truth, the beloved of God, the BIBLE, the In touch Devotional, the weight of my regrets, this is my commandment, thrive in peace, through him the world might be saved, to condemn the world, to walk beside you in this life, trust my friend Jesus, truth, Tuesday Mantra, undeserving and disobedient, undying hope and faith, we don't deserve God's love, while we were yet sinners christ died for us, who shall separate us from the Love of Christ, wisdom, worry, ye are my friends, ye love one another as I have loved you, you truly are love
Romans 5:8. But God commendeth (demonstrated) his (own) LOVE toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.
And the month of April has opened bright and sunshiny, though a tad on the chilly side. And though the computer is forecasting some 6 cm of snow for tomorrow, we do hope that as the month rolls on, it will bring some warm April showers that will eventually translate into beautiful May flowers. Yes friends, that’s the amazing thing about believers in Christ Jesus; we always have undying hope and faith. Consequently, we also believe that all the craziness and ungodliness that’s happening in our world is only a figment of our imagination, an April Fool’s joke, and in due course our Lord and Saviour will fix it all, to the benefit of Himself and His followers.
And all God’s people said a loud, proud and grateful: ‘Thank the Lord for His awesome goodness and mercy to us undeserving and disobedient but highly LOVED creation!’ And that’s the awesome truth my people! We don’t deserve God’s LOVE nor goodness, but nonetheless He pours them out on us, because that’s the kind of God He is, and He cannot deny His character. Oh, how I wish that our character was even half as good and strong, for what a wonderful world we’d then have.
Anyway, to help us improve our godly character, here’s this interesting prayer from the March issue of the In Touch Devotional. And though some of us protest to hearing March prayers in April, (smile) please know that prayers have no timeline nor special place, they can be said anywhere and at any time, all they need is sincerity of heart. So please pray with me.
‘God, You know about all my mistakes, even those I haven’t made yet. You’ve seen me grow through challenges and thrive in peace. You know my heart both harbours deceit and is radiant with good intentions. You know my bone-deep longings and the weight of my regrets. You’ve listened to my doubts and questions and received my genuine praise. You see the coming seasons in my life and You’re ready, even if I am not. It’s an honour to be so intimately known and to walk beside you in this life. You truly are LOVE, and I’m thankful. In Jesus’ name, amen.’
Oh my fellow believers, that’s one of those prayers that ring so true that it makes you want to both cringe and laugh at the same time! Obviously, our omnipotent, omniscient and omni-present Creator knows all about us, even before we do both the wrongs and good deeds. But He still LOVES us! And that’s the amazing foundation of Christ’s gospel; the good news that Almighty God, our Creator and Chastener LOVES us despite what and whom we are! And I don’t know why that’s so difficult for some of us to believe, since it’s so openly and obviously stated in His Word.
Listen to Jesus tell it like it is to Nicodemus, one of the Pharisee leaders, as he comes under cover of night to find out what is what. Jesus says, in no uncertain terms: ‘For God so LOVED the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that through him the world might be saved.’ (John 3:16-17)
Now my brethren, it could not be stated any plainer than that! God LOVED His human creation so much that He sent His Son to save them from the hellhole that they were digging for themselves by following Satan and his evil practices. And that fact is seen and proven with even more force by Jesus’ crucifixion on our behalf! How then can we ever doubt God’s LOVE for us? Oh, we might not want to accept it, but there’s definitely no doubt that He LOVES us with a great and undying LOVE!
And that just brings to mind one of my favourite verses from the Bible, where Bruh Paul writes to the church at Rome: ‘But God commendeth (demonstrated) his (own) LOVE toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.’ (Rom. 5:8) Now which other god has ever done anything like that eh? None! They all want you to turn from your ways toward them first. But Jehovah God is so sure and certain of Himself that He gave us a way out even when we did not deserve it.
And Jesus reiterated His and the Father’s LOVE for us, when He told the disciples: ‘This is my commandment, that ye LOVE one another, as I have LOVED you. Greater LOVE hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends. Ye are my friends, if ye do what I command you.’ (John 15:12-14)
Yes my fellow believers LOVE is the guiding principle of God’s kingdom, and that’s why the enemy is fighting so hard to keep us from LOVING God, ourselves and each other. For he knows that when LOVE rules the roost, all his negative evils will fly out the window, and he will be even further reduced than He is already by Christ’s victory on the cross and His amazing resurrection.
Bruh Paul also emphasizes the importance of Christ’s LOVE in his epistle to the Romans, when he writes: ‘Who shall separate us from the LOVE of Christ?’ (Rom. 8:35a) Then he goes on to make a long list of negative things. Then says: ‘Nay, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him that LOVED us. For I am persuaded that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come, Nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the LOVE of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.’ (Rom. 8: 37-39)
And that’s what we need to believe friends, especially in these turbulent and chaotic times; that NOTHING whatsoever can, or will ever be able to separate us from the LOVE of God that resides in our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ! And when we sincerely believe that, and do the things it calls for, then we will be able to face this crazy world with a level of peace and calm that passes all the understanding of men.
Now, let’s go home declaring (chuhhh man!!!) our Tuesday Mantra, letting the whole world know to whom we belong, lock, stock and barrel. As one strong and sincere voice: ‘In God’s eyes, I’m not what I do. I’m not what I have. I’m not what people say about me. I am the beloved of God, that’s who I am. No one can take that from me. I don’t have to worry. I don’t have to hurry. I can trust my friend Jesus and share His LOVE with my immediate neighbours, as well as with the whole wide world! Glory be!’
That means, we’re now duty bound to go out and share the amazing LOVE and friendship of Christ with others, so that they too can come to know and LOVE Him like we do! Much LOVE!
…in God’s world…it’s all about LOVE…that’s why He created us…and that’s why He’s also saved us…
Hear our podcast at https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/randy-obrien
28 Jan 2025
by randyobrien50
in Christian Thoughts and Inspiration., Daily Devotion, Daily Inspiration, Inspirational Living, Spiritual Living
Tags: a chaotic mess, a just man falls seven times, addresses the problem, anchored to you, anxious, be a weatherer, bends but doesn't break, Bible, by my side, christianity, Christians, come to know and love him like we do, controlled by circumstances, controlled by Satan, diligence, endures peacefully, evil and ungodly times, excellence, experience every day, explores uncertainty with gentleness, faint in the day of adversity, faith, fear of man, fear of negative circumstances, fearful, God is in the middle of our every battle, good or bad, Guide, he delights in his way, he shall not be utterly cast down, holy spirit, hurry, I can't take it anymore, in a timely and efficient manner, in god's eyes, in Jesus' name, in the face of overwhelming odds, in the swing of things, In Touch Devotional, Jesus Christ, know who we are in Christ, laughs easily, learn from our mistakes, learn the word, like an ocean wave, lock stock and barrel, Lord and Saviour, LOVE, make mistakes, many are the afflictions of the righteous, mercy, mount up with wings as eagles, mourns losses wholeheartedly, negativity, no resilience in us, none of his bones are broken, one who celebrates victories liberally, overwhelming odds, pilot, rewards are worth the sacrifice, rise fall and carry on, rises up again, run and not be weary, salvation, shall renew their strength, share His love with my neighbours, share the amazing love and friendship of Christ, storms of life, stumble into calamity, successfully navigate the storms, surfing, surrender our all to Christ, teach me to ride each circumstance, the beloved of God, the Lord delivers him out of them all, the Lord upholds him with his hand, the poisonous atmosphere of the world, the steps of a good man are ordered by the Lord, the wicked shall fall into mischief, the world is troubled, they that wait upon he Lord, though he fall, thy strength is small, to determine the shape of my life, to whom we belong, trust my friend Jesus, truth, Tuesday Mantra, walk and not faint, wisdom, worry
Proverbs 24:16. For a just man falleth seven times, and riseth up again: but the wicked shall fall into mischief (stumble into calamity).
And after Monday comes Tuesday; a day we don’t dislike half as much as Monday. (smile) That’s because by the time Tuesday rolls around, we’ve sort of gotten back into the swing of things. You’ll be surprised at how anxious or even fearful one can become on returning to work after a mere two days off, because anything untoward could have happened in the break, especially in these ungodly and evil times. And this prayer from the January In Touch Devotional addresses the problem in a most timely and efficient manner.
So, please pray with me: ‘Lord, the world is so troubled. Sometimes I can’t take it anymore. But I don’t want negativity to determine the shape of my life. God, don’t let me be controlled by circumstances. Instead, teach me to ride each one, good or bad, like an ocean wave – to rise, fall, and carry on. Let me be a weatherer: one who bends but doesn’t break, no matter what comes my way – a person who celebrates victories liberally, mourns losses wholeheartedly, explores uncertainty with gentleness, laughs easily, and endures peacefully. May I be anchored to You through it all, knowing You experience every day by my side. In Jesus’ name, amen.’
Now that’s a good prayer, and if many more believers could follow that behaviour, our world would definitely not be in the chaotic mess that it’s currently in. But too many of us cannot weather the storms of life, we bend and do break. There’s no resilience in us. Who knows why? Perhaps through fear of man, and fear of our very negative, heartbreaking and painful circumstances. We lack encouragement to stand strong in the face of overwhelming odds. And that will most certainly be the case if we don’t have Jesus Christ as our Lord and Saviour, our Guide and Pilot though the many storms that life throws at us.
That’s why the prayer pleads to be anchored to God through all our ups and downs, for He is right there in the middle of them all with us. Not by the side, or somewhere off in the distant, but right in the middle of every battle that we’re called on to fight. Therefore, accepting Christ Jesus as Lord and Saviour is the number One priority in any human’s life, because it’s only with His help, though His Holy Spirit Living in us, that we can ever successfully navigate the stormy, evil and poisonous atmosphere of this world, currently controlled by Satan and his dangerous cronies.
And I like how the prayer asks for the ability to ride out each circumstance, be it good or bad. It brings to mind the sport of surfing, where adventurous people attempt to ride the high and ofttimes rough waves as they crash toward the shore. Now, like everything else we desire to be good at, that takes much practice. You have to fall off, get enveloped in the waves, and on occasion even feel like you’re drowning, but with each unsuccessful attempt, it’s ever so necessary to get back up and try again, until you can perform the feat successfully.
And life is just like learning to surf my fellow believers. You’re going to make mistakes, but each time you have to get back up and learn from it. That’s why Cousin Sol offers this lifesaving advice. ‘For a just man falleth seven times, and riseth up again: but the wicked shall fall into mischief (stumble into calamity).’ (Prov. 24:16) Yes friends, falling is a natural aspect of life, but getting up is where the boys are separated from the men. And you can only do that on a consistent basis if you have the Lord God Jehovah, He of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob as your God.
That’s what Jesus enables us to do; get back up and move forward with vim and vigour. And this verse from the prophet Isaiah exemplifies it like no other. ‘But they that wait upon the Lord shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings like eagles; they shall run and not be weary; and they shall walk, and not faint.’ (Is. 40:31) Now, isn’t that a most excellent reason to make Jesus the Lord and Saviour of your life? Of course it is! Because we are all struggling for health, wealth and strength in this difficult and disastrous world, and ONLY Jesus promises to help us achieve our goals.
However, what we must realize from the very outset is, although we’re in league with Jesus, we will still face problems; many of them, and big ones too. Jesus is not there to always take away our problems, but mostly to help us through them. As Bruh David says in Psalm 34: ‘Many are the afflictions of the righteous: but the Lord delivereth him out of them all. He keepeth all his bones: not one of them is broken.’ (Ps. 34:19-20) And in Psalm 37, Bruh David again tells of God’s delight in a good man. ‘The steps of a good man are ordered (established) by the Lord: and he delighteth in his way. Though he fall, he shall not be utterly cast down: for the Lord upholdeth him with his hand.’ (Ps. 37:23-24)
Yes friends, that’s how it is when we obey the Lord’s will and stay in His good graces. But the onus is on us to get close to God, and stay close to Him. And that can only be done if we seek God sincerely, through His Son Jesus Christ. That requires surrendering our all to Him, asking Him to come into our lives and lead and guide us from henceforth. Then we have to learn His Word, the Bible, so that we can know who we are in Christ. For we are nothing without Him! Then live the new life He desires of us with diligence and excellence. It’s not easy, but the rewards are certainly worth it. And you’ll never know about it until you try it.
So, if you’ve never tried Jesus, please do so today nuh. It’s the best decision you’ll ever make in this mortal life. Now let’s go home declaring (yesss!!!) our Tuesday Mantra, letting all and sundry know to whom we belong, lock, stock and barrel. As one strong and sincere voice: ‘In God’s eyes, I’m not what I do. I’m not what I have. I’m not what people say about me. I am the beloved of God, that’s who I am. No one can take that from me. I don’t have to worry. I don’t have to hurry. I can trust my friend Jesus and share His LOVE with my immediate neighbours, as well as with the whole wide world! Glory be!’
And having said that, it now behooves us to go out into the world and share the amazing LOVE and friendship of Christ with others, so that they too can come to know and LOVE Him like we do! Much LOVE!
…if thou faint in the day of adversity…thy strength is small… (Prov. 24:10)
Hear our podcast at https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/randy-obrien
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