23 Sep 2016
by randyobrien50
in Christian Thoughts and Inspiration., Daily Devotion, Daily Inspiration, Inspirational Living, Spiritual Living
Tags: a high calling, a quarrel, almighty god, arrived spiritually, at odds, autumn, believers, bowels of mercies, Christ forgave you, Christians, colours, compassion, concord, deficiencies, doesn't have a clue, faithfulness, fellowship, flaws, footseps of Christ, forbearing, forgiving, Friday chant, fun, generous help, giving thanks to god, glorious kingdom, God's help, God's universe, guidance, harmony, humbleness of mind, image of Christ, in one body, in the name of the Lord Jesus, in word or deed, kindness, know by instinct, like the ants, long-suffering, LOVE, mankind, meekness, metaphorically, perseverance, put on charity, qualities, reflection of Christ, refreshed, relaxation, renewed, rest, safely through, sincerity, soul body and mind, spiritual maturity, tender mercies, TGIF! Thank God is Friday, thank God, thankfulness, the beautiful season, the bond of perfectness, the crowning grace, the elect of god, the peace of God, the thinking machine, the weekend, truth, understanding, unity, virtues, weaknesses, whatsoever ye do, winter preparations, wisdom
Colossians 3:17. And whatsoever ye do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God and the Father by him.
Ah friends, welcome to the second day of the 2016 autumn season! Autumn is the beautiful season, where the leaves turn all sorts of red and gold and brown and many different colours in between.
And would you believe that the tops of a couple of trees in my neighbour’s backyard are already quite yellow and a few others are already turning brown, even though we haven’t had a cold day as yet.
I guess the trees know something that we don’t, so like the ants, which are busy in the summer gathering their winter victuals, the trees are also making early winter preparations.
And who says God’s universe isn’t great eh? The trees and the other living things know by instinct when to do what, meanwhile, mankind, the supposed great thinking machine, oftimes doesn’t have a clue.
Anyway, I know many of you couldn’t care less about how nature operates naturally (smile), all you’re interested in is today’s Friday and you can joyfully shout: ‘TGIF! Thank God is Friday! The weekend’s upon us at long last! It’ll soon be playtime! Thank God for Fridays and the weekends oui!’
Oh friends, the weekend will continue to be the bane of our existence until we learn to use it properly, with moderation in all aspects of our doings. Now let’s chant our Friday Chant which gives us good guidance on how to apply ourselves over the next couple of days.
As one now: ‘Oh Lord, thanks for getting me safely through another week of work! It hasn’t been easy, but with your generous help, I made it through.
Now, please help me to get sufficient fun, fellowship, rest and relaxation in these two short days off, so that I can be renewed and refreshed in soul, body and mind, to go back out and do it all over again next week, furthering your glorious kingdom with each step I take. I pray this in Jesus name. Amen.’
Yes my brethren, that is the better way! And it ties in very nicely with our Bit. ‘And whatsoever ye do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God and the Father by him.’
Words of awesome truth and wisdom, my people! ALL we do and say, ought to reflect the characteristics and virtues of Christ, in thankfulness to Almighty God!
In other words, we must try to always walk in the footsteps of Jesus! Oh, I know those are exceedingly big steps for us to fill, but with Gods help and our faithfulness and sincerity and perseverance, we can accomplish a sufficiently high calling.
And today we’ll check out the Christian virtues that Bruh Paul spoke of before our Bit. ‘Put on therefore, as the elect of God, holy and beloved, bowels of mercies (tender mercies), kindness, humbleness of mind, meekness, long-suffering;
Forbearing (bearing with) one another, and forgiving one another, if any man have a quarrel against any: even as Christ forgave you, so also do ye.
And above all these things put on charity (LOVE), which is the bond of perfectness. And let the peace of God rule in your hearts, to the which also ye are called in one body; and be ye thankful.’ (Col.3:12-15)
Oh my people, those things are so important in a Christian’s life that Bruh Paul included them in almost all of his epistles. Now here are some explanations from the scholars on those verses.
‘3”12. Put on literally means to “dress oneself” (with clothes); here, used metaphorically, it means to take on or assume certain virtues and qualities. Bowels of mercies means heartfelt compassion.’
‘3:13. The fact of believers being urged to assume the virtues of verse 12 signifies that none has yet “arrived” spiritually. As the believer is developing these virtues, he must be forbearing and forgiving toward his fellow church member.
For his Christian brother is also in the process of acquiring the virtues of verse 12 and therefore retains some flaws, deficiencies, and weaknesses. Hence the need of forbearance and forgiveness.’
‘3:14. Charity is LOVE, here called the bond of perfectness. LOVE is the crowning grace completing the list of virtues required for perfectness or spiritual maturity. As a “bond” it binds all other virtues together in harmony and unity.’
‘3:15. The peace of God is the harmony and concord created by God among His people. It is to rule. The Greek verb means to act as an umpire who makes decisions in an athletic contest.
Thus, let the peace of God rule in your hearts means that when believers are at odds with each other, whatever course of action best maintains peace and fosters harmony is the course to be taken.’
There it is my people! And I do hope that we all now have a better understanding of what it means and takes to be a true Christian, and to therefore grow and mature in Christ-like behaviour.
Remember all that we’re going through, is meant to bring us closer to a true reflection of Christ. Our wonderful God desires to see the image and behaviour of Christ in ALL of His people, that is the eternal goal.
So as we go about our business today, please let’s take time to think about what we do and say, be quick to hear and slow to speak, and make sure that all our words and actions positively and LOVINGLY reflect the true image of Christ, for then we’ll be showing true wisdom and Christian behaviour. Much LOVE!
…LOVE…the crowning glory of God…
09 Sep 2016
by randyobrien50
in Christian Thoughts and Inspiration., Daily Devotion, Daily Inspiration, Inspirational Living, Spiritual Living
Tags: a faithful man, abound with blessings, adds no sorrow, adversity, all nations shall call you blessed, barking orders, blasphemous, blessings, calamity, Christ-like, cursed, disasters, disobedience, fellowship, food in mine house, Friday chant, fun, furthering God's glorious kingdom, generous help, glorifying our heavenly Father, glory to God, God's mandate, gone crazy, good balance of activities, gross stupidity, harmony, he that makes haste, I change not, in Jesus' name, innocent, looking over mih shoulder, loyalty, lustful, makes rich, Malachi, not enough room, obedience, offerings, open the windows of heaven, ordinances, ponder, pour out a blessing, promise, refreshed, rejection of God, relaxation, renewed, rest, Return unto me, righteous, rot, sensory pleasures, shall not go unpunished, soul body and mind, test me, TGIF! Thank God it's Friday!, the blessing of the Lord, the devourer, the enemy's trap, the head of the just, the mouth of the wicked, the name of the wicked, the things of heaven, the things of the world, the weekend, tithes, to be rich, unison, violence, wedded to, week of work, will a man rob God
Proverbs 28:20. A faithful man shall abound with blessings: but he that maketh haste to be rich shall not be innocent (go unpunished).
And then it was Friday – the day that we all LOVE and anxiously look forward to all week, because it heralds the beginning of the weekend.
Then we can all joyfully declare ‘TGIF! Thank God it’s Friday and the weekend’s here at last! Glory to God! If I had to go to that so and so work one more day…Steups! I would certainly have gone crazy! I need sometime for mihself, to do what I want to do, without any foolish supervisor constantly looking over mih shoulder and barking orders! Thank God for Fridays and the weekend yes!’
Yeh friends, we all need a break from work, but the problem stems from how we use that break. If we use it just to satisfy our lustful and sensory pleasures then we’re not helping ourselves or fulfilling God’s mandate. But sadly, that’s what too many of us do and consequently we fall into the enemy’s trap.
So with that in mind, let’s chant our Friday Chant nuh, which gives us a better perspective on how to use the weekend. Chanting as one, in harmony and unison: ‘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’s a much better way to handle the weekend – with a good balance of activities and one that will also glorify our heavenly Father! And remember, glorifying Him is one of our main duties on this planet earth.
So let’s have a look at our Bit, the same one as yesterday. ‘A faithful man shall abound with blessings: but he that maketh haste to be rich shall not be innocent (go unpunished).’
Ah mih breddren, our great and wonderful God has spelled it out as simply as possible – if you are obedient to His word, He will bless you abundantly, otherwise you and yours will be cursed forever. Now what is so difficult to understand about that eh?
I really don’t know nuh, but we still are too closely wedded to the things of the world and not to those of heaven. And then we wonder why blessings are not flowing down upon us like rain, instead of the serious calamity and disasters that are currently flooding our lives and our world.
Oh friends, a lot of it has to do with our continual and blasphemous rejection of Almighty God, the awesome Creator of heaven and earth and all therein. Our intentional desire to drive Him out of our society will not endear us to Him, so why do we do the sinful things we do, then try to call upon Him when adversity hits eh? That makes absolutely no sense my people.
Now let’s check out a couple scriptures that point out the gross stupidity of our behaviour, starting with these words of wisdom from Cousin Sol. ‘Blessings are upon the head of the just (righteous): but violence covereth the mouth of the wicked. The memory of the just (righteous) is blessed: but the name of the wicked shall rot… The blessing of the Lord, it maketh rich, and he addeth no sorrow with it.’ (Prov.10: 6-7, 22)
Oh brother, it just boggles my imagination when we do some of the stuff we do that is totally repugnant to our God and His word, then expect Him to bless us and make us prosper, when it’s so clear that that will never happen.
Listen here now to one of the great promises of blessings in the Good Book. It concerns tithes, where the Jewish people were disobedient, just like we are today.
The Lord’s speaking through the prophet Malachi. ‘For I am the Lord, I change not; therefore ye sons of Jacob are not consumed. Even from the days of your fathers ye are gone away from mine ordinances, and have not kept them. Return unto me, and I will return unto you, saith the Lord of hosts. But ye said, Wherein (in what way) shall we return?
Will a man rob God? Yet ye have robbed me. But ye say, wherein have we robbed thee? In tithes and offerings. Ye are cursed with a curse: for ye have robbed me, even this whole nation. Bring ye all the tithes into the storehouse, that there may be meat (food) in mine house, and prove (test) me now herewith, saith the Lord of hosts, if I will not open you the windows of heaven, and pour you out a blessing, that there shall not be enough room to receive it.
And I will rebuke the devourer for your sakes, and he shall not destroy the fruits of your ground; neither shall your vine cast her fruit before the time in the field, saith the Lord of hosts. And all nations shall call you blessed: for ye shall be a delightsome (delightful) land, saith the Lord of hosts.’ (Mal.3:6-12)
Oh friends, what could be simpler than that eh? We follow God’s law of tithing, giving ten percent of our earnings to Him, so that His priests and the widows and orphans and strangers can have food, and He’ll bless us so greatly that we won’t even have room to store it!
Mama Mia! What an awesome promise! And we know that our God is ever faithful to keeping His promises. But I guess most of us don’t appreciate the promise, that’s why we don’t tithe. But please remember friends, that not tithing is disobedience, for the Lord has made it a sure and serious condition of our loyalty to Him.
Anyway my people, let’s get wise nuh, let’s sit down today and ponder all that we’ve said, and see how we shape up in obedience to God’s word, then sincerely ask Him to help us do better. You know He won’t refuse such a request, because He desires us all to become as Christ-like as possible. Much LOVE!
…promises…promise…promises…oh how faithful and true…rewarding and worthwhile…are the promises of Almighty God…
02 Sep 2016
by randyobrien50
in Christian Thoughts and Inspiration., Daily Devotion, Daily Inspiration, Inspirational Living, Spiritual Living
Tags: a right heart, Abel, accountability, actions, another week of work, assured, buoyed by hope, Cain, character, church at Rome, circumspection, conviction, darkness, do, faith, fellowship, Friday chant, fun, furthering God's kingdom, generous help, getting me safely, gifts, God created, guidance, habits, hope, in Jesus' name, in the beginning, Jesus Christ, leading, leggo beasts, Let there be light, Lord and Saviour, lurking enemy, moderation, obtained a good report, overwork, patience, perseverance, prevail against the enemy, realization, refreshed, relaxation, renewed, rest, righteous, roller coaster, sacrifice, saved by hope, sensible plan, soul body and mind, speaking it into existence, stand strong, talk, testifying, TGIF! Thank God it's Friday!, the elders, the evidence of things not seen, the Good Book, the Holy Spirit, the state of our hearts, the substance of things hoped for, the tempter, the weekend, the Word of god, think, trials, tribulations, Trini Quote, type A personality, void, wait eagerly, watch your thoughts, with conviction, without form, witness, words
Hebrews 11:1. Now faith is the substance (realization) of things hoped for, the evidence (conviction) of things not seen.
So once again it’s Friday mih people and crazily swirling through the atmosphere are joyful shouts of ‘TGIF! Thank God it’s Friday! The weekend’s here at last… and the next two days belong to me and only me! And I’ll do exactly what I want with them! Thank God for Fridays and the weekend!’
And we do have to thank our heavenly Father for Fridays and the weekends, but we can’t behave like leggo beasts when they roll around. We need to have some accountability, some sensible plan for our two days off; one filled with moderation and circumspection so that we don’t fall prey to the ever-lurking enemy.
And our Friday Chant gives us some idea of how to use the weekend wisely. So let’s chant it nuh, chant it with sincerity and enthusiasm. As one now: ‘Oh Lord, thanks for getting me safely through another week of work! It hasn’t been easy, but with your generous help, I made it through.
Now, please help me to get sufficient fun, fellowship, rest and relaxation in these two short days off, so that I can be renewed and refreshed in soul, body and mind, to go back out and do it all over again next week, furthering your glorious kingdom with each step I take. I pray this in Jesus name. Amen.’
Yeh friends, that’s the general idea. Our weekend activities must allow us to come back out bright and beautiful on Monday morning. If they don’t, then we’ve not done it right.
Now here is an interesting Trini quote from my Trini friend. ‘Wen last yuh went tuh ah funeral an de job was present eh???’ That’s generally said to someone who over works, constantly bringing work at home etc. thereby neglecting their home, family and health.’
So all you A type personalities beware, you don’t see work at funerals, meaning you need to slow down and smell the roses some. And our Trini friend also wishes us to ‘Have a great day, and…Watch your thoughts: They become words Watch your words: They become actions Watch your actions: They become habits Watch your habits: They become your character.’
All very true my brethren, so let’s be very careful about what we think, talk and do please, for in the long run, it will all affect our destiny. That brings us to our Bit, a very interesting and important passage of scripture. ‘Now faith is the substance (realization) of things hoped for, the evidence (conviction) of things not seen.’
Yes mih people, faith, buoyed by hope is what keeps us keeping on in this cruel and evil world. Without it, we wouldn’t be able to withstand the trials and tribulations that beset us, that have us going like a roller coaster, round and round without any stopping. Only faith in Almighty God allows us to stand strong when the tempter comes calling.
Listen to these verses after our Bit. ‘For by it the elders obtained a good report. Through faith we understand that the worlds (ages) were framed (prepared) by the word of God, so that things which are seen were not made of things which do appear (are visible).
By faith Abel offered unto God a more excellent sacrifice than Cain, by which he obtained witness that he was righteous, God testifying of his gifts: and by it he being dead yet speaketh.’ (Heb.11:2-4)
Yuh see friends, it’s through faith that the elders, leaders of the church were considered of good repute. And it’s only through faith we can understand how our awesome God made the world by speaking it into existence from nothing.
The Good Book tells us: ‘In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth. And the earth was without form, and void; and darkness was upon the face of the deep. And the Spirit of God moved upon (was hovering over) the face of the waters. And God said, Let there be light: and there was light.’ (Gen.1:1-3)
Now only through faith can we believe all of that, as well as the whole story of Jesus. And here is some interesting info from the scholars on the earlier passage about Abel.
’11:4. Abel offered unto God a more excellent sacrifice than Cain: In what way was his sacrifice better? Was it because his was animal and Cain’s vegetable? Or his a firstling and Cain’s not the firstfruit? Or his with blood and Cain’s without? Both Hebrews and Genesis (4:1-15) demonstrate that it was not the offering that made one acceptable and the other unacceptable.
God accepts both grain and animal offerings according to their purposes. The character of the worshipper made one offering acceptable and the other not. Abel offered his by faith; Cain obviously did not. Genesis records that even before the rejection of Cain’s offering his heart was not right with God. (Gen.4:7).’
So faithful followers of Jesus, it all comes right back down to the state of our hearts, because that’s where God looks to discern our righteousness.
And we’ll end this message on faith with the immortal words of Bruh Paul to the church at Rome. ‘For we are saved by hope: but hope that is seen is not hope: for what a man seeth, why doth he yet hope for? But if we hope for that we see not, then do we with patience (perseverance) wait (eagerly) for it.’ (Rom.8:24-25)
Yes friends, it all begins with hope. And hope is only relevant when it comes to something that we can’t see or don’t have; then through faith, we persevere and wait expectantly for it to come to pass.
Now let’s raise up our hope and faith so that we can go out into the ungodly world that surrounds us, strong, assured, and with conviction that Jesus Christ is Lord and Saviour over all, and through the leading and guidance of His Holy Spirit we will prevail against the enemy. Much LOVE!
…without a right heart…without faith…we cannot please God…
26 Aug 2016
by randyobrien50
in Christian Thoughts and Inspiration., Daily Devotion, Daily Inspiration, Inspirational Living, Spiritual Living
Tags: abominable mistake, abundantly pardon, balance, burned to ashes, Christians, condemned, convicted, day and night, deterioration of society, disobedience, do our own thing, encouraging, fell from grace, fellowship, forsake his ways, forsook God, free, freedom, freedom revoked, Friday chant, fun, fun and games, furthering God's glorious kingdom, generous help, God is number one, God's chosen people, God's fold, God's free offer of mercy, God's Word, godly people, godly times, grace, gratifying, have mercy, idols, in Jesus' name, Isaiah, Israel, jehovah god, Jesus, Joshua, life, LOVE Revolution, lustful desires, magnanimous god, meditate, mercy, number one priority, obedience, our own efforts, pagan gods, perform as Jesus desires, pleasures, pray, prosperity, prosperous, punishment, reassuring scripture, refreshed, relaxation, renewed, repent of our sins, repentance, repented, rest, reurn unto the Lord, righteous return, running the show, seek him with all thy heart, seek the Lord thy God, sense of balance, sinful, sins, slave labour, soul body and mind, success, TGIF! Thank God it's Friday!, the freedom paper, the Holy Spirit, the unrighteous man, the weekend, the wicked, thick skulls, this book of the law, thou shalt find him, ungodly way, week of work, welcomed back, welcoming arms, wisdom
Deuteronomy 4:29. But if from thence thou shalt seek the Lord thy God, thou shalt find him, if thou seek him with all thy heart and with all thy soul.
Oh friends, the freedom paper for the weekend has been signed… Thank God! And it’s only a matter of a few hours and we’ll be free; free to do our own thing. But please remember that come Monday morning, that freedom will be revoked, the freedom paper burned to ashes, and we’ll return to being slave labour. Hn, hn!
I guess that’s what motivates us to pack as much pleasure as we can into the two days of freedom. And it’s all well and good to shout ‘TGIF! Thank God it’s Friday, and the weekend is here! Thank God for Fridays and the weekend!’
But we also need to remember that life is not all fun and games, not strictly the fulfilling of lustful desires and pleasures, there needs to be mixed into it some serious and godly times to balance it all out. And to help us better understand that, let’s chant our Friday Chant which gives us some decent direction.
Altogether now: ‘Oh Lord, thanks for getting me safely through another week of work! It hasn’t been easy, but with your generous help, I made it through.
Now, please help me to get sufficient fun, fellowship, rest and relaxation in these two short days off, so that I can be renewed and refreshed in soul, body and mind, to go back out and do it all over again next week, furthering your glorious kingdom with each step I take. I pray this in Jesus name. Amen.’
Yes friends, a sense of balance is what we need on the weekends if we’re to do ourselves any good. If we don’t have that, then come Monday, we’ll just be tired and miserable and won’t be able to go out and perform properly, perform as Jesus desires. And you know that is our Number ONE priority. So let’s get smart and godly and use our two days off as we ought to nuh. (smile)
Now let’s turn to our Bit: ‘But if from thence thou shalt seek the Lord thy God, thou shalt find him, if thou seek him with all thy heart and with all thy soul.’
Ah mih people, what an encouraging and reassuring piece of scripture! If we repent of our sins and seek the Lord our God with all our heart and soul, we WILL find Him!
Now how gratifying is that eh, especially in these times of hardship and uncertainty? Very gratifying friends, because we know that whenever we sincerely turn to God, He will be there for us, regardless of the circumstance(s) or our behaviour. Here’s how the prophet Isaiah put it in his declaration of God’s free offer of mercy to all.
‘Seek ye the Lord while he may be found, call ye upon him while he is near: Let the wicked forsake his way, and the unrighteous man his thoughts: and let him return unto the Lord, and he will have mercy upon him; and to our God, for he will abundantly pardon.’ (Is.55:6-7)
What a magnanimous God we serve and worship my people! And my fellow believers, it’s not only talk, for we’ve seen how often God’s chosen people, Israel, fell from grace because they forsook God and turned to worshipping idols and other pagan gods.
Yet when the enormity and foolishness of their behaviour, when the punishment for their disobedience finally sunk in to their thick skulls, they repented and were welcomed back into God’s fold.
Now why can’t our society realize that eh my brethren and change our wicked, sinful, disobedient ways and sincerely repent and return to worshipping Almighty God, the ONE who made us and is still running the show?
I guess many of us don’t even realize that we’re living wrong, since they don’t know Jesus. But enough of us do know Him and realize that a lot of the negative stuff that’s happening to us nowadays has a correlation to the sinful and ungodly way we’re living.
Instead of running away from God, as so many of us are currently doing, we should be running back to Him, right back into His wonderful, safe and welcoming arms! It’s more of Jehovah God we need, not less!
Remember how God drilled it into Joshua’s head after the death of Moses, and He made him leader of the Israelites? ‘This book of the law shall not depart out of (be constantly in) thy mouth; but thou shalt meditate therein day and night, that thou mayest observe to do according to all that is written therein: for then thou shalt make thy way prosperous, and then thou shalt have good success.’ (Josh.1:8)
And if we look back to our prosperous times, barely a generation ago, we’ll discover that we were a much more godly people. However, as we began moving away from God, our prosperity also began deserting us.
Remember friends, it’s only through obedience to God’s word that a society can truly become prosperous and remain that way for any length of time. Obviously we have forgotten that, or simply choose to believe that it’s through our own efforts that we become prosperous. What an abominable mistake!
Anyway, my fellow Christians, we are the ONLY ones who appear concerned with the deterioration of our society, and are therefore the ONLY ones who can cause us to be convicted, not condemned, by the Holy Spirit, and thus bring about repentance and a righteous return to worshipping the ONE TRUE and LIVING God, He of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob.
That’s the wisdom we so desperately need today, as our world is falling apart. So please, let’s pray, as individuals, as well as collectively, the church, and then, with God’s help, do our best to make the LOVE Revolution of Jesus a successful one. Much LOVE!
…only when God is NUMBER ONE….can a society be truly prosperous…
29 Jul 2016
by randyobrien50
in Christian Thoughts and Inspiration., Daily Devotion, Daily Inspiration, Inspirational Living, Spiritual Living
Tags: a dose of Jesus, a dose of reality, a modicum of circumspection, a sense of balance, accuracy, aspirations, assessment of difficulties, associating with Jesus, balance, be afraid, be anxious for nothing, be gracious to you, be of good cheer, benediction, blueprint, care, changing circumstances, Christ, circumspection, Comforter, compassion, despair, doing my own thing, dreams, drive me crazy, earthly living, encouraging, encumber ourselves, facts of today, favour, fellowship, finite minds, fortunes, Friday chant, function at a high level, furthering God's glorious kingdom, generous help, give you his favour, give you peace, goals, Guide, harmony, hopes of tomorrow, i have overcome the world, in Jesus' name, in me ye might have peace, Jesus, keep your hearts and minds, let not your heart be troubled, lift up his countenance on you, living in the past, LOVE, make his face shine upon thee, maturity, moderation, Moses, my peace I give unto you, navigate, nose to the grindstone, not as the world giveth, passeth all understanding, peace, Peace i leave with you, prayer, reality, reassuring words, refreshed, rejoice, relaxation, renewed, respect for reality, rest, Robert H Davies, semblance of balance, signs of maturity, slave master, soul body and mind, stress, sufficient fun, supplication, TGIF! Thank God it's Friday!, thanksgiving, the depths of despair, the Holy Spirit, the Lord is at hand, the peace of God, the weekend, tribulation, trying times, vicissitudes of life, virtual reality, wisdom, working people
John 14:27. Peace I leave with you, my peace I give unto you: not as the world giveth, give I unto you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid.
So it’s Friday! And all over God’s great earth, working people are celebrating! They are ecstatic that the weekend is upon them, and are joyfully singing: ‘TGIF! Thank God it’s Friday! When this working day is done, my time will be my own! No more slave master to drive me crazy, to keep my nose to the grindstone! I’ll be free! Doing my own thing! Glory Be! Thank God for Fridays and the weekends yes!’
Ah friends, we all know how important the weekend is for most of us, trying to get things done that we couldn’t do during the work week. But we can’t afford to encumber ourselves with too much of our own activities either, for we’ll just continue the stress of the workweek. The weekend is a time when we must recapture some semblance of balance in our lives.
So let’s chant our Friday Chant which gives us a better idea of how to achieve that balance. 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.’
Yes my brethren, we must find some way to get rest, relaxation and fellowship into our weekends if we want to be able to function at a high level the following week. And in keeping with that philosophy, here’s an interesting quote from one Robert H Davies. In checking though, there were so many people with that name, I couldn’t figure out which one said it.
Nonetheless here it is. ‘One of the signs of maturity is a healthy respect for reality – a respect that manifests itself in the level of one’s aspirations and in the accuracy of one’s assessment of the difficulties which separate the facts of today from the bright hopes of tomorrow.’
Yes friends, a healthy dose of reality is what a lot of this world needs right now, especially with all the huge emphasis we’re currently placing on what is called virtual reality. Today, if true reality hits some of us in the face we won’t even recognize it! (smile)
But we do need to be more mature and sensible about what has gone before, what’s happening today, and our prospects for the future. We must stop living in the past, learn to accept the present, and refrain from painting too bright a future, which when it doesn’t come to pass will only drag us down into the depths of despair.
Goals and dreams are great to have, but we must temper them with a modicum of circumspection, of reality, otherwise they can mess up our lives. Essentially what we need in our lives, especially in these trying times, these rush and push days, is a proper sense of balance.
And you know what my people, that can only be accomplished with a big, wonderful dose of Jesus: of His LOVE, His peace, His care and compassion! And nowhere is that more readily seen and available than in the words of our Saviour, as highlighted in our Bit.
‘Peace I leave with you, my peace I give unto you: not as the world giveth, give I unto you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid.’
Ah friends, what encouraging and reassuring words! Jesus was there telling His disciples of the necessity for Him to go away so that the Holy Spirit, our Guide and Comforter could be sent to us.
Now obviously it takes some maturity in the Christian faith to accept those words of Jesus at face value. But it’s the only way that we can truly handle the vicissitudes of this life, our changing circumstances and fortunes. Only through the peace and harmony gained by associating with Jesus, can we ever successfully navigate the stormy seas and strong winds of this life.
And please note the priestly benediction that the Lord gave Moses for the children of Egypt way back when. ‘The Lord bless thee, and keep thee: The Lord make his face shine upon thee, and be gracious unto thee: The Lord lift up his countenance upon thee (look on you with favour), and give thee peace.’ (Num.6:24-26)
Yeh friends, without the peace and favour of our wonderful God moving in our beings, our lives will never be stable and successful.
Hear how Bruh Paul puts it to the Philippians. ‘Rejoice in the Lord always: and again I say, Rejoice. Let your moderation be known unto all men. The Lord is at hand. Be careful (anxious) for nothing: but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God. And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep (guard) your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.’ (Phil.4:4-7)
Oh precious people of God, what a moving and encouraging set of scriptures! Through constant prayer and thanksgiving we are able to invoke the wonderful peace of God, that’s always close by, through the Holy Spirit! A peace that our finite minds can’t even understand, but we can surely feel it.
And we’ll end with these reassuring and triumphant words of Jesus. ‘These things I have spoken unto you, that in me ye might have peace. In the world ye shall have tribulation: but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world.’ (John 16:33)
Friends, as true believers in Christ, let’s therefore go forth today, and everyday, holding those words of enduring truth in our hearts, souls, minds and bodies, so that we can successfully navigate our way through this evil and ungodly world, for that is wisdom to the nth power!
Much LOVE!…Jesus is the blueprint for successful earthly living…so let’s copy as much of His style as possible…
15 Jan 2016
by randyobrien50
in Christian Thoughts and Inspiration., Daily Devotion, Daily Inspiration, Inspirational Living, Spiritual Living
Tags: ., a believer in Jesus Christ, a great cloud of witnesses, a marathon, a watershed year, addle our brains, backbone, backbreaking, belly, bondage, carousing, chase away all our cares and fears, Christians, crapaud smoke we pipe, crucified, encompassed about, endurance, every foe is vanquished, faith, fellowship, Friday chant, frolicking, fun, furthering God's kingdom, generous help, have your wits about you, he that endures, heavenly abode, impedes, lay aside every weight, life threatening stuff, looking unto Jesus, LOVE, mountains to climb, never gave up, one receives the prize, patience, perseverance, progress, reconciliation, refreshed, rejoicing in hope, relaxation, renewed, repelling the enemy, respite from labour, rest, rivers to cross, run, run with patience, sacrificed, salvation, seeking prey, sensible approach, sin, slothful, soul body and mind, stand strong and steadfast, stand up for Jesus, steadfast in prayer, swift of foot, TGIF! Thank God it's Friday!, that ye may obtain, the author, the brown girl in the bottle, the crown of life, the finisher, the race of life, the race that is set before us, the roaring lion, the sin which besets us, the straight and narrow path, the weekend, time to party, tribulation, valleys to descend, week of work, witnesses
Hebrews 12:1. Wherefore seeing (since) we also are compassed about with (surrounded by) so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which doth so easily beset (ensnare) us, and let us run with patience (perseverance, endurance) the race that is set before us.
Aye Friends, can you believe that it’s already the middle of January. These days surely seem to be rushing by quickly yes. But don’t worry, it’s Friday, which you already know, because long before I came around the corner, I heard you all enthusiastically mouthing: ‘TGIF! Thank God is Friday!
Mama yo! The work was backbreaking this week yes! But now is time to party; to chase away all our cares and fears with some drinks and some frolicking! Thank God that today is Friday oui! I don’t know if I could have handled another day under that slave driver, Massa nuh! Thank God for Fridays!’
Ah mih people, I know we – well some of us (smile) – work hard during the week and do deserve some respite from our labour, but drinking and carousing is not the way to overcome it.
And you certainly can’t trust the brown girl in the bottle, because she just doesn’t play fair. She’ll just addle your brains and have you doing all sorts of wrong things, even life threatening stuff.
And you need to have your wits about you all the time, otherwise our enemy, that roaring lion, seeking frail and feeble prey, will invade your soul and cause you to stray from the straight and narrow path.
Instead, let’s chant our Friday Chant, which gives us a better perspective on how to spend our weekends. As one now: ‘Oh Lord, thanks for getting me safely through another week of work! It hasn’t been easy, but with your generous help, I made it through.
Now, please help me to get sufficient fun, fellowship, rest and relaxation in these two short days off, so that I can be renewed and refreshed in soul, body and mind, to go back out and do it all over again next week, furthering your glorious kingdom with each step I take. I pray this in Jesus name. Amen.’
Yes my precious people, that’s the more sensible approach to the weekend, especially in light of our Bit. ‘Wherefore seeing (since) we also are compassed about with (surrounded by) so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which doth so easily beset (ensnare) us, and let us run with patience (perseverance, endurance) the race that is set before us.’
Oh friends, the race of life that we’ve been given to run is much more important than just partying and having a rollicking good time, especially if you’re a believer in Jesus Christ.
It’s not an easy race to run, because it’s a marathon, fraught with all kinds of dangers and problems, like high mountains to climb, swollen rivers to cross, deep and dark valleys to descend and a host of other everyday stuff, many of which come upon us without any warning.
You’ll notice in chapter 11, the writer of Hebrews, whom I sincerely believe is Bruh Paul, gives us all kinds of examples of those witnesses that have gone before us, who had it difficult but never gave up, but through, and by faith just kept concentrating on their heavenly abode.
‘But now they desire a better country, that is a heavenly: wherefore God is not ashamed to be called their God: for he hath prepared for them a city.’ (Heb.11:16)
And my fellow believers in Christ, our Creator has also prepared a city for us, so we can’t afford to be lackadaisical about this race of life. As Bruh Paul told the Corinthians: ‘Know ye not that they which run in a race run all, but one receiveth the prize? So run, that ye may obtain.’ (1 Cor.9:24)
Yeh friends, we need to run hard and true, casting aside all and everything that impedes our progress, be it clothing or excessive body weight, as well as any sin(s) that hold(s) us in bondage. But most important of all my people, we must remember that this life race of faith is not a sprint, but for many of us a difficult marathon.
Therefore we need to run it with patience, with perseverance, with strong endurance. For as the saying goes, the race is not for the swift of foot, but for the one that endures…and just keeps enduring, right to the end and wins the prize, which in our case is the crown of life. (James 1:12)
Yes my precious brethren, that’s where so many of us fall by the wayside; sadly our endurance is not sufficient to keep us going. However as the author of Hebrews tells us, we have the best example of that endurance in our Lord and Saviour Jesus.
‘Looking unto Jesus the author (originator) and finisher (perfector) of our faith; who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of God.’ (Heb.12:2)
Yeh folks, Jesus knew what was waiting for Him on the other side of the cross, an everlasting seat at the right hand of the Father, so He handled the shame of being crucified naked, mocked and ridiculed, injured and beaten, loaded down with our sins, so that we could enjoy reconciliation and salvation with the Most High. Don’t you think the least that we can do is be grateful for His sacrifice and show it by our faithful and true lifestyles?
Please friends, this year of 2016 will be a watershed year; our world will either get better or go up in flames, and Christians are the ONLY ones who can make the first option come true.
But we need to be strong and steadfast, standing up to wrongs, making them right, having plenty belly and backbone, staying on the straight and narrow, repelling the enemy on every front, otherwise crapaud going to certainly smoke we pipe!
Now let’s close with these awesome enlightening and inspiring words of Bruh Paul to the Romans. ‘Be kindly affectioned (affectionate) one to another with brotherly LOVE (agape); in honour preferring (giving preference to) one another;
Not slothful (lagging in diligence) in business; fervent in spirit (boiling over); serving the Lord; Rejoicing in hope, patient (persevering) in tribulation; continuing instant (steadfast) in prayer.’ (Rom.12:10-12)
Yes precious people of God, those ingredients are all essential and necessary for us to run and eventually win this race of life. Please, let’s stand up and be counted in these most troubled and uncertain times nuh. Much LOVE!
…stand up…stand up for Jesus…the trumpet call obey…till every foe is vanquished…and Christ is Lord indeed…
08 Jan 2016
by randyobrien50
in Christian Thoughts and Inspiration., Daily Devotion, Daily Inspiration, Inspirational Living, Spiritual Living
Tags: a licence to sin, a penitent heart, Abraham Isaac and Jacob, Bathsheba, be not far from me, believers in Christ, burdens our hearts, celebrations, charles stanley, chasten me, confession, crying out for rest, displeasure, fellowship, forgiveness, forgives sin, forsake sin, Friday chant, fun, furthering God's glorious kingdom, generous help, God's good graces, Holy God, I acknowledged my sin, I am bowed down, I made it through, I will confess my transgressions, in Jesus' name, iniquity, leave all the consequences to Him, LOVE, LOVE Revolution, loving kindness, magnanimous, makes haste to help me, mine iniquity have I not hid, mourning, my wounds stink, negative consequences, O Lord of my salvation, obey God, our talk, our walk, penalties, play, psalm 38, refreshed, relaxation, renewed, repentance, rest, Selah, sin, soul body and mind, TGIF! Thank God it's Friday!, the devil's handiwork, the one and only true living God, the weekend, them's the breaks, thou forgavest the iniquity of my sin, what a wonderful God we serve and worship, work, working enables us to play, your arrows pierce me deeply
Psalm 32:5. I acknowledged my sin unto thee, and mine iniquity have I not hid. I said I will confess my transgressions unto the Lord, and thou forgavest the iniquity of my sin. Selah.
Well Friends, I can just imagine how you all must be shouting it from the rooftops this morning eh: ‘TGIF! Thank God it’s Friday! Thank God that the weekend is here at last! Wow! It certainly has been a tiring week! Thank God it’s Friday oui, and no more work for a couple days! The body certainly crying out for some rest!’
Ah mih people, I know that this first Friday of work in the new year has indeed been somewhat trying and tiring after all the season’s celebrations. But unfortunately, them’s the breaks. (smile) We can’t just play alone, sometime or other we need to work too.
And remember that it’s working which enables us to play. And I have to laugh how we crying out for rest, rather than the usual party scene. Hn, hn! Anyway, let’s all hang in there and chant our Friday Chant that will give us a better perspective on the weekend.
As one now: ‘Oh Lord, thanks for getting me safely through another week of work! It hasn’t been easy, but with your generous help, I made it through.
Now, please help me to get sufficient fun, fellowship, rest and relaxation in these two short days off, so that I can be renewed and refreshed in soul, body and mind, to go back out and do it all over again next week, furthering your glorious kingdom with each step I take. I pray this in Jesus name. Amen.’
Yes friends, rest and worship are essential parts of our weekend, so that we can come back out strong on Monday and continue the cycle of building Christ’s LOVE Revolution. Remember that this is the year that the LOVE Revolution must sweep the world if we want to have any chance of turning things around.
It’s our job, as believers in Christ, to go out there and make believers of the unbelievers through both our talk and our walk. Nothing else is going to change them!
Now let’s turn to our Bit. ‘I acknowledged my sin unto thee, and mine iniquity have I not hid. I said I will confess my transgressions unto the Lord, and thou forgavest the iniquity of my sin. Selah.’
Ah mih people, what a wonderful God we serve and worship! There’s no other supposed deity who forgives sin! Just the ONE and ONLY TRUE and LIVING God; He of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob!
Yes my brethren, our God is indeed a truly magnanimous and forgiving Deity! But that doesn’t mean it gives us the right to keep on participating in sin, because on the other side of the coin, sin bears serious penalties from a holy God.
We saw yesterday, how God’s friend and man after His own heart, Bruh David paid an enormous price for his sin with Bathsheba, although he repented and was forgiven. But his sin had caused great occasion for God’s enemies to blaspheme His name, and that was definitely not acceptable.
So though we may sincerely repent and be forgiven, it doesn’t necessarily mean that there will be no negative consequences. So the best remedy is to sin as little as possible. (smile) Oh we all know that that is easier said than done, but we must always give it our best effort, with God’s help of course.
Now hear this gem on sin from Cousin Sol. ‘He that covereth his sins shall not prosper: but whoso confesseth and forsaketh them shall have mercy.’ (Prov.28:13)
Oh glory to God my people for His mercy and LOVING-kindness! But please note that Cousin Sol didn’t just say to confess our sins, but also to forsake them, stop committing them; especially the same ones over and over. That is also a necessary part of the whole scenario my brethren.
Remember, though confessions and repentance and forgiveness are ours, it doesn’t give us a licence to sin. But when we do sin, it is essential that we come to God in repentance and confession as soon as possible, because any sin that burdens our hearts, also keeps us out of God’s good graces, and we definitely don’t want to be excluded from that.
Now let’s look at some scripture on sin and its effects on the human body and psyche. Listen to Bruh David from Psalm 38 – The prayer of a penitent heart.
‘O Lord rebuke me not in thy wrath: neither chasten me in thy hot displeasure. For thine arrows stick fast in me (pierce me deeply), and thy hand presseth me sore (down). There is no soundness in my flesh because of thine anger; neither is there any rest (health, peace) in my bones because of my sin.
For mine iniquities have gone over mine head: as a heavy burden they are too heavy for me. My wounds stink and are corrupt (are foul and festering) because of my foolishness. I am troubled (bowed down) greatly; I go mourning all the day long.’ (Ps.38:1-6)
Yes friends, that’s how sin ought to make us feel, so that we can come running to God and sincerely declare: ‘For I am ready to halt (to fall), and my sorrow is continually before me. For I will declare mine iniquity; I will be sorry for my sin…. Forsake me not, O Lord: O my God, be not far from me. Make haste to help me, O Lord my salvation.’ (Ps.38:17-18, 21-22)
Ah my fellow believers, sin is no joke, so please let’s not encourage it in our lives, because we’re liable to pay a hefty price of negative consequences if we do. As Uncle Charles (Charles Stanley) so wisely declares: obey God and leave all the consequences to Him. Now that is indeed the wisest way to live! Much LOVE!
…sin is the devil’s handiwork…and it can only be erased through…confession, repentance and God’s mercy…
23 Oct 2015
by randyobrien50
in Christian Thoughts and Inspiration., Daily Devotion, Daily Inspiration, Inspirational Living, Spiritual Living
Tags: as it is written, divine revelation, doctrine, ear hath not heard, earthly pilgtimage, encompasses everything we hope to be, eternal life, eye hath not seen, fellowship, forgiveness, Friday chant, fun, furthering God's glorious kingdom, generous help, glory to God, grace, great expectations, human contrivance, illumination, in Jesus' name, inspiration, Jesus fills us with truth, Jesus lights our darkness, Jesus shows us the way to walk, LOVE, man's wisdom, massa's labour, mercy, neither have entered into the heart of man, our earthly walk with Jesus, peace, rallying cry, relaxation, responsibility, rest, Revelation, salvation, sincerity, soul body and mind, TGIF! Thank God it's Friday!, thanks for getting me through another week of work, the BIBLE, the deep things of God, the freedom from labour, the Holy Spirit, the Life, the Light, the physical realm, the promises of Jesus, the Spirit of God, the spirit of man, the Spirit searcheth all things, the spiritual realm, the things God hath prepared for them that love Him, the Truth, the Way, the weekend, treasure of God's revealed truth, truth, unchanging truth of God, undeserving children of men, wisdom
1 Corinthians 2:9. But as it is written, Eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of man, the things which God hath prepared for them that LOVE him.
Well then mih people, the day that so many of us look forward to, Friday, is finally here…
And a knowing shout goes up to heaven: ‘TGIF! Thank God it’s Friday! Thank God for the weekend! Thank God for the release from massa’s brutal labour…even if is only for two measly days! Thank God for the freedom from labour!’
Ah Friends the weekend does bring a surcease from labour, but with that freedom also comes the responsibility to use it wisely. And if you don’t know by now, freedom, though it’s a great rallying cry, it is also one of the most difficult things to successfully implement.
And to help us do that this Friday morning in the midst of this autumn season, let’s chant our Friday Chant with sincerity and great expectations. 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.’
Yes mih breddren, it all comes right back down to Jesus; to our earthly walk with Him! If we’re walking with Him in sincerity and truth, then He will ably assist us in ALL aspects of our lives.
However, if we’re not a true member of His flock, then things won’t be right with us, for as He says, He is indeed the WAY, the TRUTH and the LIFE…And please don’t forget He’s also the LIGHT!
Now that simply encompasses EVERYTHING or ALL that we are and ever hope to be! He is the One who lights our darkness and shows us the way we ought to walk, so that we can be filled with truth and receive salvation that leads to eternal life. So who or what can be more important than Jesus in our earthly pilgrimage eh Friends?
NOBODY or NOTHING whatsoever!
And until we truly have all of that written deep in our hearts, minds and souls, then our lives won’t be as good as they can be. Yes mih people, without Jesus, our lives are sadly lacking! That’s why it’s ever so necessary for believers to know and to lean faithfully upon His promises.
Promises like this one that’s our Bit today. ‘But as it is written, Eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of man, the things which God hath prepared for them that LOVE him.’
Oh Friends, that’s all so true, the things that God has prepared for those of us who truly and sincerely LOVE Him have not been revealed through the physical realm but in the spiritual!
As Bruh Paul continues to the Corinthians: ‘But God hath revealed them unto us by his Spirit: for the Spirit searcheth all things, yea, the deep things of God.’ (1 Cor.2:10)
And the scholars have an interesting explanation on that verse. ‘2:10. Revealed …unto us: Unto us is in the emphatic position in Greek, emphasizing the enormous privilege granted the recipients of divine revelation. The magnificent treasure of God’s revealed truth is accessible to the mature believer.’
Oh my brethren, what a wonderful God we serve and worship, who reveals His beautiful truths to us through the medium of His Holy Spirit!
And Bruh Paul continues: ‘For what man knoweth the things of a man, save (except) the spirit of man which is in him? even so the things of God knoweth no man, but the Spirit of God. Now we have received not the spirit of the world, but the spirit which is of God; that we might know the things that are freely given to us of God.
Which things also we speak, not in the words which man’s wisdom teacheth, but which the Holy Ghost teacheth; comparing spiritual things with spiritual.’ (1 Cor.2:10-13)
Wonder of wonders Friends! Our God connects with us through the immense power of His Holy Spirit that indwells us! Oh glory to God for His undeserving goodness to the children of men!
Now the scholars have some teachings on those verses that will help us better understand them. ‘2:10-13. The apostle deals with three vital doctrines. In verse 10 he touches on the doctrine of revelation. The truth Paul is talking about is contained in the record God has given to us – the Bible. This is the eternal and unchanging truth of God.
Verse 11 deals with the doctrine of illumination, which has to do with human understanding of divine truth. The subject of verses 12 and 13 is the doctrine of inspiration. In verse 12 Paul talks about the content of inspiration. In verse 13 his concern is with the communication of inspiration. Paul’s message was not of human contrivance. He was a channel simply communicating God’s truth (cf. Gal.1:11-12).’
And that’s it for today my brethren. Don’t want to give us too much to ruminate and meditate on this Friday morning, what with our short attention spans and all the other worldly activities that fill our day. (smile)
So until we meet again tomorrow, God willing, may we all walk in His peace and LOVE, grace, mercy and forgiveness, enjoying them ourselves, and more importantly, also sharing them with others, for that is indeed His desire for us and also the wisdom of the ages. Much LOVE!
…how would we understand the things of God without…His revelation…His illumination…and His inspiration…through His Holy Spirit…
30 May 2014
by randyobrien50
in Christian Thoughts and Inspiration., Daily Devotion, Daily Inspiration, Inspirational Living, Spiritual Living
Tags: a li'l jig, a walk of faith, Aloha, Aloha Friends and neighbours, awe inspiring god, awesome wisdom, backbone, balanced, belly, brought men to the end of themselves, Bruh Paul, condemn the sinner, contented, Corinthians, covenant, curb that negative attitude, danced off into the sunset, daunting tasks, everyday lives, externalism, faith, fellowship, Friday chant, fun, furthering God's glorious kingdom, generous help, get a grip, God's Word, godly knowledge, good, holy, holy spirit, insight, internalism, just, living for Jesus, LOVE, magnanimous, ministers, missing out on god's goodness, Mosaic Law, Moses' law, omnipotent, our sufficiency is of God, patience, persecuted the church, perseverance, ponder, positive, power, power and authority of Jesus, put it into practice, put on blinders, relaxation, renewed and refreshed, rest, satisfied, setting a good example, skills, soul body and mind, spiritual blessings, sufficent of ourselves, Thank God it's Friday, the enabling of Christ, the grace of God, the law kills, the least of the apostles, the New testament, the Old Testament, the resurrection of Christ, the right way to live, the spirit, the spirit gives life, time to be about Christ's business, trust, was not in vain, week of work, weekend, what a shame, winning souls for Jesus, wisdom of heaven, with the Lord's help, worthy, your faith is worthless
Philippians 4:13. I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me.
Aloha Friends and neighbours! It is Friday…
And all the people just began dancing a li’l jig and chanting: ‘Friday, oh Friday! Thank God it is Friday! The stupid work soon finish, then the fun shall begin! Friday, oh Friday! Thank God it is Friday!’
And then they danced off into the sunset, just chanting the chorus: ‘Friday, oh Friday! Thank God it is Friday! Friday oh Friday…’
Ah mih people, what a hold Fridays and the weekends have on us eh! Some of us just live for that time. Monday to Thursday isn’t important, simply doesn’t exist for some people. They put on their blinders on Monday morning then drift through the week, only taking them off on Friday.
But my Friends, that’s not the right way to live. We need to have some balance in our lives, not necessarily esteeming some days more important than the others, for good things as well as bad things can happen on any day whatsoever.
And remember too that during the work week we’re supposed to be out in the world living our lives for Christ, setting a good example, letting people see in us the wonderful benefits that can be derived from a walk of faith with Him.
We shouldn’t be just drifting through it, as though we don’t have a care in the world. It’s a serious time my brethren; a time to be about Christ’s business, winning souls for Him.
And so, to try and curb that negative attitude, (smile) let’s chant our real Friday Chant nuh. As one now: ‘Oh Lord, thanks for getting me safely through another week of work! It hasn’t been easy, but with your generous help, I made it through.
Now, please help me to get sufficient fun, fellowship, rest and relaxation in these two short days off, so that I can be renewed and refreshed in soul, body and mind, to go back out and do it all over again next week, furthering your glorious kingdom with each step I take. I pray this in Jesus name. Amen.’
Now doesn’t that sound a little more positive and balanced, as it should be? It surely does!
And don’t tell me you can’t adopt that more rational and balanced attitude, because then you’ll be negating the very power of our Bit; the affirmation of the awesome power, the omnipotence of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. ‘I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me!’
That’s a blanket power and authority in Jesus my people! And if you don’t practice it, your faith is worthless!
Remember, as the scholars told us yesterday, it is God who ordered Bruh Paul’s various situations and gave him the strength to be satisfied and contented in all of them, regardless of how trying and perplexing they were. And our wonderful, omnipotent and magnanimous God also does the same for each and every believer today.
It is through Him that we get the power to do most things here on earth. So if you don’t believe and practice that tenet, then you’re missing out on a whole lot of God’s goodness. What a shame Friends!
Now let’s look at some scriptures that corroborate our Bit. In 1Corinthians where Bruh Paul is talking to them about the resurrection of Christ, he declares to them: ‘For I am the least of the apostles, that I am not meet (worthy) to be called an apostle, because I persecuted the church of God.
But by the grace of God I am what I am: and his grace which was bestowed upon me was not in vain; but I laboured more abundantly than they all: yet not I, but the grace of God which was with me.’ (1 Cor.15:9-10)
So you see my brethren, although Bruh Paul wasn’t what mankind would consider worthy of being an apostle, because of his earlier brutality towards the church, God in His awesome wisdom, transformed him and used him to do His work.
And Bruh Paul also in his wisdom recognized that although he worked harder than the other apostles, it wasn’t his doing really, but the grace, the power, the enabling of Christ that gave him the necessary skills, patience, perseverance, backbone and belly to perform the daunting tasks he performed.
Oh Friends, I can’t help but say it: What a most awe inspiring and magnificent God we serve and worship!
Now hear Bruh Paul again, this time in his second missive to the Corinthians. Here he’s talking about ministers in the New Testament. ‘And such trust have we through Christ to God-ward: Not that we are sufficient of ourselves to think anything as of ourselves; but our sufficiency is of God;
Who also made us able (sufficient as) ministers of the new testament (covenant); not of the letter, but of the spirit, for the letter killeth, but the spirit giveth life.’ (2 Cor.3:4-6)
And the scholars explain that last verse: ‘3:6. The new testament (lit. “New Covenant”) is both new in time (not being inaugurated until Christ – Matt.26:28; Luke 22:7-23: 1 Cor.11:25; Heb.8:8) and new in quality (providing better spiritual blessings than did the old Mosaic covenant).
Letter, but of the spirit: This expression corresponds to the thought of verse 3 contrasting “ink” with the “Spirit.” The contrast is between the externalism inherent in the Old Covenant and the internalism inherent in the New Covenant.
The letter killeth: Since certain Jews in the assembly at Corinth were concerned with Paul’s defection from Moses’ law, Paul here explains his position. The best the law could do was to condemn the sinner. It is not here implied that the law of Moses was evil. On the contrary, it is holy, just, and good (Rom.7:12). This can be asserted because it brought men to the end of themselves, to Christ (Gal.3:24).’
Oh Friends, I hope that helps you to understand what Bruh Paul is talking about, and please check out those scripture references, for they will definitely give you greater insight into the subject. I know that many of us dislike, or rather are too lazy to check out the references, (smile) but believe me, they do help, and I try to check them before I write them down.
Anyway, I guess that’s enough for today. Don’t want to encroach too much on your weekend thoughts and plans. (smile) But please do ponder the stuff we’ve spoken about, and as much as possible, obviously with the Lord’s help, do get a grip on the aspects on which you are not up to scratch, for that is indeed the wisdom of heaven. Much LOVE!
…our godly knowledge and wisdom will not improve…until we spend more serious time in God’s Word…then put it into practice in our everyday lives…
11 Oct 2013
by randyobrien50
in Christian Thoughts and Inspiration., Daily Devotion, Daily Inspiration, Inspirational Living, Spiritual Living
Tags: adversity, alleviate our problems, bastards, be of good cheer, blessed, champions, chasten, corporal punishment, day of adversity, despise not, discipline, discouraged, endure chastening, energy, exhortation, faint, faithful promise, Father of Spirits, fear, fellowship, first step, followers of Christ, forsake his inheritance, Friday chant, friends, fun, generous help, God's discipline, God's glorious kingdom, God's Law, God's principle of discipline, gospel truth, grievous, Helper, holiness, hostility, human practices, i have overcome the world, Jesus, joyous, jump for joy, just, LOVE, peace, peaceable fruit, pray in Jesus' Name, profit, Proverbs, rebuked, relaxation, renewed and refeshed, repent, respect, rest, reverence, righteous God, righteousness., scourge, sinners, soothing music, soul body and mind, spare the rod, spoil the child, stand strong in Faith, step out in faith, strength in the face of adversity, striving against sin, subjection to God, successful believers, supreme example of endurance, teach, TGIF! Thank God it's Friday!, thank God, thanks and praise, the weekend, the wicked triumph, this too shall pass, thousand-mile journey, trials and tribluations, true perspective, true test of endurance, upright in heart, vision, wisdom, wonderful leader, your strength is small, zealous
Proverbs 24:10. If thou faint in the day of adversity, thy strength is small.
Oh Friends, please join me in singing: ‘It’s Friday, it’s Friday! Thank God it’s Friday, and the workweek soon finish! The weekend is here…but Chuh! I have to go home and do the laundry, clean the house, make the groceries, get the children ready for next week…
Oh Lord I can’t wait for Monday nuh, so I can once again sit in the traffic and listen to my soothing music. Then get to work and do the stuff that’s much easier than housework. But still, I thank God that it’s Friday! I thank God for every new day that I see, despite the many pressures of life. Thank You again God!’
Yes mih breddren, some of us have it easier at work than at home. But that shouldn’t stop us from enjoying our busy lives, and giving thanks and praise for all that God’s doing for us, because we’re still doing better than the vast majority of the world.
And since it’s Friday, let’s chant our Friday Chant which gives us a true perspective on how to handle the weekend. With one voice now: ‘Oh Lord, thanks for getting me safely through another week of work! It hasn’t been easy, but with your generous help, I made it through.
Now, please help me to get sufficient fun, fellowship, rest and relaxation in these two short days off, so that I can be renewed and refreshed in soul, body and mind, to go back out and do it all over again next week, furthering your glorious kingdom with each step I take. I pray this in Jesus name. Amen.’
Ah my fellow believers, I surely hope that between our two songs, we’ve now got enough energy and vision on how to handle the weekend. (smile) And just in case you haven’t received it, please remember that the thousand-mile journey begins with the FIRST STEP.
So please step out in faith this weekend, while asking our wonderful leader, Jesus, to guide you as you perform your many tasks. You can be assured that He won’t say no. On the contrary, He’ll jump for joy to be your Helper!
And this is where our ever so appropriate Bit comes in: ‘If thou faint in the day of adversity, thy strength is small.’
And that’s gospel truth, my brethren! For as the scholars note: ’24:10. Strength in the face of adversity is the true test of one’s endurance.’
We can’t be successful believers, followers of Christ and faint and fall at the slightest appearance of adversity. Remember Jesus’ life was full of adversity, and if we want to walk in His footsteps, then we must be able to endure the trials and tribulations of this world.
Remember too His prophetic promise. ‘These things I have spoken unto you, that in me ye might have peace. In the world ye shall have tribulation: but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world.’ (John 16:33) So right there Friends, we have one less anxiety, one less thing to worry about, and one more faithful promise to stand strong on.
Now I will shut up… And I hear numerous shouts of: ‘Thank You Lord!’ (smile) Yes my beautiful followers of Christ, I will endeavour to shut up and just let the scripture do the talking. And we’ll open with Psalm 94 – How long shall the wicked triumph.
The psalmist wisely declares: ‘Blessed is the man whom thou chastenest (instructeth), O Lord, and teachest him out of thy law; That thou mayest give him rest (relief) from the days of adversity, until the pit be digged for the wicked. For the Lord will not cast of (abandon) his people, neither will he forsake his inheritance. But judgement shall return unto righteousness: and all the upright in heart will follow it.’ (Ps.94:12-15)
So Friends, though the Lord chastens us, or allows adversity to befall us, there is no need to fear. For once we stand strong in faith and accept whatever comes our way, the just and righteous God we serve will eventually alleviate our problems. As the saying goes, this too shall pass.
And this final passage of scripture comes from Hebrews 12, re God’s discipline. ‘For consider him that endured such contradiction (hostility) of sinners against himself, lest ye be wearied and faint (discouraged) in your minds (souls). Ye have not yet resisted unto blood (bloodshed), striving against sin. And ye have forgotten the exhortation which speaketh unto you as children (sons),
My son, despise not the chastening (discipline) of the Lord, nor faint (be discouraged) when thou art rebuked of Him: for whom the Lord LOVETH He chasteneth, and scourgeth every son whom he receiveth. If ye endure chastening, God dealeth with you as with sons; for what son is he whom the father chasteneth not?
But if ye be without chastisement, whereof all are partakers, then ye are bastards (illegitimate), and not sons. Furthermore, we have had fathers of our flesh which corrected us, and we gave them reverence (respect): shall we not rather be in subjection unto the Father of spirits, and live?
For they verily for a few days chastened us after their own pleasure (as seemed best to them); but he for our profit, that we might be partakers of his holiness. Now no chastening (discipline) for the present seemeth to be joyous, but grievous: nevertheless afterward it yieldeth the peaceable fruit of righteousness unto them which are exercised (trained) thereby.’ (Heb.12:3-11)
Yes Friends, that says it all! I’ll just add some notes from the scholars on the subject. ’12:3-4. Though chapter 11 provides many champions for believers to emulate, the supreme example of endurance is Jesus Himself.
12:6. Whom the Lord LOVETH he chasteneth: God’s principle of disciplining His own people is completely congruous (appropriate, fitting) with human practices. This quotation from Proverbs 3:12, stating God’s practice, corresponds to the commands God gave to the fathers:
“He that spareth his rod hateth his son: but he that LOVETH him chasteneth him betimes (promptly)” (Prov.13:24; cf. 22:15; 23:13) LOVE and corporal punishment are not incongruous; they are two complementary and necessary aspects of training.’
There’s no more to say Friends! Now let’s take some time and ponder all that we’ve said, and see how it fits into our lives, for that’s true wisdom. Much LOVE!
…as many as I LOVE…I rebuke and chasten…be zealous therefore and repent… (Rev.3:19)
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