03 Sep 2013
by randyobrien50
in Christian Thoughts and Inspiration., Daily Devotion, Daily Inspiration, Inspirational Living, Spiritual Living
Tags: a dry and thirsty land, a longing for God, appear before God, back to work, christianity, commandments, common sense, control of the universe, deer pants for the brooks, depressing news, dr robert h schuller, ever-LOVING God, extol, four seasons, freedom, frivolity, fun, get aquainted with God, God alone can satisfy our thirst, God satisfies the thirsty soul, Hour of Power, improve our standing, intense longing for God, Jesus Christ, joy, Lord God Jehovah, LOVE, man's fault, meditate on God's words, my flesh longs for God, my soul pants for God, my soul's thirsty for God, northern climes, partition in our souls, partition reserved for God, peace, permeate our being, planet earth, polluting the atmosphere, ponder God's work, positive stuff, power, Prayer for Success, pressure, religion, running from enemies, sad state of our world, school, schools reopen, scriptures, shedding of leaves, sojourn in the wilderness, spirituality, spring summer autumn, summer, the living God, thou art my God, trees turning brown, true peace, truly find God, undeniable fact, vacation, wealth, what I am, what I do, wisdom, work, work of God, zenith
Psalm 42:2. My soul thirsteth for God, for the living God: when shall I come and appear before God?
Well mih Friends, all the summer frivolity is now ended in the north country! That’s so sad! (smile) Schools will reopen today, and many adults who have been on vacation will also go back to work, having closed up the cottages for another year.
And though the summer wasn’t as hot and sunny as it usually is, it’s way, way better than what we’re about to receive. Would you believe that it’s only the third day of September and trees are already turning brown and shedding their leaves?
Ah Lord eh! But that’s what we bargained for when we decided to live in the northern climes. The Lord promised us four general seasons, spring, summer, autumn and fall, but He didn’t say exactly how long they’d be, or what temps we’d have on what days.
All that we have are man’s approximation. So if the leaves begin falling at the start of September rather than at the end, around the 22nd, when we audaciously declare that autumn begins, then that’s our problem.
The Lord God Jehovah is still in control of His universe, although I believe that the divergence between what should be and what actually happens is basically man’s fault, due to his polluting the atmosphere and thus setting the finely tuned work of God awry.
And having given us that somewhat depressing news (smile), here is some positive, uplifting stuff. It’s a Prayer for Success from Gramps Schuller (Dr. Robert H. Schuller) from his Hour of Power Devotional. I don’t know if I’ve shared it before, but even if I have, it’s certainly worth sharing again.
So let’s pray together for success this Tuesday morning, when our lives will get busier and change from much fun and freedom to much school and work.
As one voice now: ‘As I become a success with your help, Lord, let me never forget that what I am is more important than what I do. Faith stimulates success. Hope sustains success. LOVE sanctifies success. So I cannot and I dare not succeed without your power, peace, and pressure in my life, Jesus Christ. Amen.’
And again my true believers in Christ, we say a loud and lusty, ‘Amen!’
Now all of that just fits nicely with our Bit: ‘My soul thirsteth for God, for the living God: when shall I come and appear before God?’
Now that’s certainly a good question my people! And it’s certainly how we ought to feel! A longing for God, just dying to get acquainted with Him and His ways should permeate our very being.
Please note how the psalmist begins the psalm. ‘As the hart panteth after (the deer longs for) the water brooks, so panteth my soul after thee, O God.’ (Ps.42:1)
Oh Friends, do we pant after God, do we have that intense longing for our Creator as Psalm 42 is superscripted? And do we say, as the author of Psalm 119 says: ‘I opened my mouth, and panted: for I longed for thy commandments.’ (Ps.119:131)
I surely do hope so, although from the physical evidence reflected by the sad state of our world, it’s obvious that enough of us feel that way, otherwise planet earth would be in much better shape.
But let’s look now at some scriptures that also extol the longing for God, starting with Psalm 63, God satisfies the thirsty soul, penned by Bruh David during his sojourn in the wilderness of Judah, while running from his enemies.
‘O God, thou art my God; early will I seek thee: my soul thirsteth for thee, my flesh longeth for thee in a dry and thirsty land, where no water is;’ (Ps.63:1)
Yes Friends, whenever we find ourselves in a dry and thirsty situation, be it physical, spiritual or emotional, the correct place and first person to run to is our ever-LOVING God, for He ALONE can satisfy our thirst!
Meanwhile, Psalm 84, a psalm of the sons of Korah, confidently proclaims: ‘How amiable are thy tabernacles (lovely are thy dwellings), O Lord of hosts! My soul longeth, yea, even fainteth for the courts of the Lord: my heart and my flesh crieth out for the living God.’ (Ps.84:1-2)
Oh Friends, I couldn’t put it any better or simpler! To be a longing for God is just how and why we were created!
That’s why none of us are ever fully satisfied with the mere wealth and things of the world, regardless of how much we have, but can be satisfied with little or nothing, if we truly find God.
We never find true peace, wealth and joy until that little space, that small partition in our souls that God reserved for Himself, has been filled with a sincere longing for the Almighty.
And that’s an undeniable fact my people! Check out all the rich and famous and powerful, and you’ll find very few are truly happy, unless that part of their souls reserved for God is filled with Him.
And we’ll end with some true and stellar words of Bruh David, when he was again beset by enemies. ‘I remember the days of old; I meditate on all thy works; I muse (ponder) on the work of thy hands. I stretch forth my hands unto thee: my soul thirsteth after thee, as a thirsty land. Selah.’ (Ps.143:5-6)
Yes my brethren, let’s muse, let’s ponder on that today nuh! Let’s see how we personally shape up on the matter of longing for, of panting after God. Then let’s make and take the necessary actions to improve our standing in so important a matter. For that’s undeniably wisdom and common sense at their zeniths! Much LOVE!
…if there’s NO longing in our souls for God…then there’s NO God in our souls…
30 Aug 2013
by randyobrien50
in Christian Thoughts and Inspiration., Daily Devotion, Daily Inspiration, Inspirational Living, Spiritual Living
Tags: advantages, banner, believers, blazing fire, blessings, brotherly LOVE, christ-like attribute, christianity, commandments, conundrum, Cousin Sol, dangerous times, death, despised, dilly-dallying, dire enemies, disciples, discipleship of Christ, doing a good job, drunk or sober, exciting, extinguished, feelings and actions of LOVE, fellowship, fight a good fight, flames, floods, forgiveness, Friday, Friday chant, Friends in Christ, fun, further God's kingdom, generous help, heavenly Father, humble, hunger, impossible task, increase more and more, indwelling Holy Spirit, jealousy, jesus name, joyful shouts, Labour Day, labour day weekend, let it all hang out, liars, lies, LOVE, Love cannot be bought, love cannot be destroyed, LOVE FOR EACH OTHER, Love makes the world go round, LOVE one another, LOVE Walk, loving, loving kindness, mama yo, material things of the world, mercies, mind yuh business, modicum of circumspection, napping, opportunities, oppression, party down, party-hearty attitude, perennial warning, poverty, pre-eminent position, prevention, prowling, refreshed in body and soul, relaxation, religion, rest, right perspective, rudiments of brotherly love, selfish ways, sickness, special emphasis, spiritual armour, spirituality, strong as death, suffering, summer's day, tests of true knowledge, TGIF! Thank God it's Friday!, the evil one, the grave, the LOVE of God, titivating, trolling, true disciples of Christ, true predator, truth, very vulnerable, walk as Jesus walked, weather forecasters, weather patterns, week of work, wiles, wise words
John 13:35. By this shall all men know that ye are my disciples, if ye have LOVE one for another.
Oh Friends, through the eternal LOVING-kindness of our heavenly Father, we’ve been granted another day on planet earth, with all its new mercies, blessings, and forgiveness! Wow!
And it plans to be either a bright, scorching hot summer’s day, or a hot rainy one, to kick off the last long summer weekend of this year, which culminates on Labour Day on Monday.
I’ve said that it could either be sunny or rainy because I’ve seen and heard forecasts for both types of weather. We definitely have to say some prayers for the poor weather forecasters yes, for their job was hard and unrewarding enough before, but now with the changing weather patterns that are devastating our world, it becomes an even more impossible task.
But Friends, be the day sunny or grey, it’s still Friday…
And that obviously brings forth joyful shouts from tired workers. ‘TGIF! Thank God is Friday again yes! We’ve been working hard all week, and with this long Labour Day weekend on tap… Mama yo! We going to party down the place like we crazy!’
Oh mih breddren, please take care, we can’t let it all hang out like that, for remember the evil one is out there prowling, just trolling for defenceless victims, like the true predator that he is. And it’s in these throw down, anything goes party times that he catches us napping and very vulnerable to his wiles and lies.
So here’s Granny’s perennial warning, that most of us don’t like because we feel it inhibits us, but which we certainly cannot afford to set aside. ‘Son, drunk or sober, please mind yuh business.’ And that’s a most essential warning for this weekend my beautiful friends in Christ!
Now to tone down the party-hearty attitude somewhat, not to kill it completely, and thus get things in their right perspective, let’s chant our Friday Chant, with extra special emphasis for this long and dangerous Labour Day weekend.
All together now: ‘Oh Lord, thanks for getting me safely through another week of work! It hasn’t been easy, but with your generous help, I made it through. Now, please help me to get sufficient fun, fellowship, rest and relaxation in these two short days off, so that I can be renewed and refreshed in soul, body and mind, to go back out and do it all over again next week, furthering your glorious kingdom with each step I take. I pray this in Jesus name. Amen.’
Yeh Friends, we definitely need to handle this weekend with a modicum of circumspection and prevention! And please, let’s wear our spiritual armour all the time! Don’t leave home without it! (smile) Because that’s the only way we can fight a good fight when the enemy calls us out to do battle.
And all that we do this day my people, please, pretty please, let’s do it with feelings and actions of LOVE nuh. For as Jesus tells us in our Bit: ‘By this shall all men know that ye are my disciples, if ye have LOVE one for another.’
And I know that we all desperately want to be true disciples of Christ… but we aren’t ever going to be, if we’re not dealing in that wonderful emotion termed LOVE, the exciting, titivating and Christ-like attribute that makes the world go round.
Awright Friends, so I’m laying it on a bit thick, (smile) but isn’t that what LOVE is supposed be all about? But anyway, enough with the dilly-dallying, let’s get to the rest of the scriptures I promised yesterday.
And we’re going to begin with John, from his first epistle, re tests of true knowledge and LOVE, where he wisely declares: ‘And hereby we do know that we know him, if we keep his commandments. He that saith, I know him, and keepeth not his commandments, is a liar, and the truth is not in him.
But whoso keepeth his word, in him verily is the LOVE of God perfected: hereby know we that we are in him. He that saith he abideth in him ought himself also to walk, even as he walked.’ (1 John 2:3-6)
Yes Friends, that’s the conundrum many of us face. We claim to know Jesus, but we don’t keep His commandments, or walk as He walked here on earth, humble and LOVING, so therefore we’re liars and only fooling ourselves and each other.
And Bruh Paul had this to say to the Thessalonians: ‘But as touching brotherly LOVE ye need not that I write unto you: for ye yourselves are taught of God to LOVE one another. And indeed ye do it toward all the brethren which are in all Macedonia: but we beseech you, brethren, that ye increase more and more;’ (1 Thess.4:9-10)
He didn’t need to teach them the rudiments of brotherly LOVE, because Christ Himself, through the indwelling of His Holy Spirit plus hearing of the Word had taught them that. And furthermore they were doing a good job of showing it towards the believers throughout all Macedonia.
What Bruh Paul expected of them was that they continually increased in the showing of that brotherly LOVE!
AND MY PEOPLE, THE VERY SAME THING IS EXPECTED OF US TODAY!
Please note I put it in capitals and also highlighted it, because it’s very important that we understand the pre-eminent position that walking in LOVE plays in our discipleship of Christ, especially in these very trying and dangerous times.
And since we have many more advantages and opportunities than the Thessalonians had, why can’t we, or aren’t we doing a better job than them of showing brotherly LOVE eh? Why are so many millions of people still suffering sickness, poverty, hunger and oppression all over God’s great earth eh? Possibly because we’re still too caught up in the selfish ways and material things of the world.
But if that’s so, then Friends, we’re not doing what Jesus expects of us, we’re not showing that we’re His true disciples. In fact we’re being more His dire enemies, because we’re turning others away from Him by our selfish, worldly ways.
And we’ll end with some of Cousin Sol’s wise words from his Song. And though in this particular instance, it pertains more to romantic than brotherly LOVE, it truly shows the power of ALL and ANY kind of real LOVE. Listen up now my brethren.
‘Set me as a seal upon thine heart, as a seal upon thine arm: for LOVE is strong as death; jealousy is cruel (hard, severe) as the grave: the coals (flames) thereof are coals (flames) of fire, which hath a most vehement flame.
Many waters cannot quench LOVE, neither can the floods drown it: if a man should give all the substance (wealth) of his house for LOVE, it would be utterly contemned (despised).’ (Song 8:6-7)
Now this is what the scholars have to say about those two verses: ‘These verses are clearly the climax of the story. The maiden describes in the most vivid terms the unquenchable nature of true LOVE: it cannot be destroyed by death or the grave; it burns like a blazing fire that cannot be extinguished; and it cannot be bought.’
And that my fellow believers in Christ is everlasting truth! True LOVE cannot be bought or extinguished!
Let’s ponder on that today nuh, and see if we can’t improve on our own LOVE-walk, because then, and only then, will we be true disciples of Jesus Christ. Much LOVE!
…and his banner over me was…LOVE… (Song 2:4b)
29 Aug 2013
by randyobrien50
in Christian Thoughts and Inspiration., Daily Devotion, Daily Inspiration, Inspirational Living, Spiritual Living
Tags: activates our minds, agape, appreciation, attention spans, attributes, benefits, Bible Study, bitterness, bosom, busy schedules, catalyst, civility, concern for others, dissension, disunity, emotional distance, essence of LOVE, essential elements, eternal truths, everlasting truth, evil doings, evil thoughts, faults, forgiving, Friends in Christ, fulfilling of the law, fun, god, gospel truth, great difference, Guide, harmful intents, hate, helping, holy spirit, information age, ingredients of life, Jesus Christ, joy, joy in hearts, lead, life is short, Little Flower Society, living in LOVE, lockstep with Jesus, long and short of the story, LOVE, Love does no harm, Love makes the world go round, LOVE one another, love starts at home, my disciples, nonsense, peace, positive change, read our Bible, regularity, religion, resentment, righteous life, saviour jesus christ, separation, serving, society's most important unit, sowing peace, spirituality, St. Therese, sustainability, talking lies, Thank the Lord, the family, thursday morning, true disciples, tumultuous world, turmoil, understanding, unfathomable negative waters, walk in LOVE, We can do all things through Christ, wisdom, wrong places
John 13:35. By this shall men know that ye are my disciples, if ye have LOVE one to another.
Well hello there my fine Friends in Christ! Unfortunately, this Thursday morning at the end of August, in the summer of the year 2013, the ole fella has nothing to say…
And immediately a great cry of joy rose up to heaven. ‘Wow! Is that really possible? But thank the Lord for it anyway!’ (smile)
Yes Friends, some of you will consider that rather fortunate, but as I keep reminding us, we can do any and all things with the help of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. So please remember this is not my word I’m writing about, but the Lord’s, so my not having anything personal to say is of no account, for the Lord’s Spirit will lead and guide me to what HE wants me to say.
Got all yuh eh! (smile) Oh Friends, life is so short, we need to have some occasional fun in it. And remember yesterday we spoke about mixing and matching the daily ingredients of life at our disposal? Well everyday we should endeavour to put useful ingredients like joy, peace and LOVE in the mix, because those things will benefit us the most in this already rough and trouble-filled life. No sense in making it harder than it already is.
But again, unfortunately that’s what a lot of us do to ourselves and consequently to those around us. We interject things like hate, resentment and other evil doings into our souls, which eventually flow from us to others. Now with stuff like that seething and raging in our spirits, how can we enjoy life eh? No way Jose!
Jesus says in our Bit that we ought to live in and by LOVE. ‘By this shall men know that ye are my disciples, if ye have LOVE one to another.’
But sadly, for one reason or another, we seem to find that difficult to do on a regular, constant and sustained basis. But it’s that regularity and sustainability that truly makes it LOVE!
And furthermore, it’s even sadder when the place that LOVE should be the most evident and palpable, in the family, the smallest and most important unit of our society, that’s where it’s least evident these days.
Oh my brethren, too many families live in turmoil and hate, dissension and disunity, as well as emotional distance and separation in this information age!
And if the LOVE doesn’t begin at home, where it ought to, where else will it crop up eh? If all we take from home is resentment and bitterness, how will we find joy and LOVE? Obviously we’ll end up looking for them in all the wrong places, like so many of us are doing today, and thus find ourselves in even deeper, unfathomable, negative waters.
Now the LOVE that Jesus is talking about here is not the romantic, hugging and kissing thing, but what the Greeks term ‘agape.’ That’s simply being decent with and showing concern for others, helping and serving one another, forgiving each other’s faults, but also trying to live a righteous life, so that there won’t be too many faults to forgive.
Oh my brethren, if we could just treat each other with a little more civility and a modicum of appreciation, you wouldn’t believe the great difference and positive change that would bring about in our much too troubled and tumultuous world.
And here’s an interesting, but also very practical quote from St.Therese, the patron Saint of the Little Flower Society. She declares, that ‘To live by LOVE is to go through life sowing peace and joy in hearts.’
Oh Friends, that’s as gospel truth as we can get outside of the gospel! (smile) And that’s exactly what showing and living in LOVE should bring forth; joy and peace in your heart, as well as those with whom you interact. If we’re not providing things like joy and peace and righteousness in our hearts and those with whom we come into contact, then we’re NOT living in LOVE, and we’re not being true disciples of Christ!
That’s the long and short of the story my brethren. There’s no getting around it. Anything that truly bears the name of LOVE, MUST HAVE attributes like peace, joy, understanding, help, service and understanding emanating from its work! And if those essential elements are missing, then it’s NOT TRUE LOVE!
And now that we’ve understood the essence of LOVE, let’s look at some scriptures that fortify that reasoning… sorry, that fortify those eternal truths. (smile)
Hear Bruh Paul as he encourages the Roman church to walk in LOVE. ‘LOVE worketh no ill (does no harm) to his neighbour: therefore LOVE is the fulfilling of the law.’ (Rom.13:10)
More gospel truth my brethren! For true LOVE doesn’t have wrong, harmful or evil intents and thoughts in its bosom or spirit.
And yuh know what Friends? I think we’ll end here for today, because I just looked at my notes and the rest of stuff I’d planned to say would definitely make it too long. And I don’t want to turn us off, since we have these busy schedules and short attention spans, and we also have to get in our own Bible Study time.
Now mih people, I surely hope that you’re doing your own reading of the Word and not just relying on the Bit. For how else would you know if I’m simply talking lies, nonsense, or the gospel truth eh?
So as I’ve being saying from day one, reading the Bit is great, because it gets you thinking, activates your mind, but in the long run it’s still only a catalyst for turning your mind to God. Therefore, it is still ESSENTIAL THAT EACH AND EVERY BELIEVER, READS HIS OR HER BIBLE, PREFERABLY EVERY DAY!
And Friends that is indeed the height of wisdom and the very kernel of everlasting truth!
Some of you must be wishing now that I had something to say at the beginning eh? (smile) But Friends, I’m just giving it to you as it should be. So until tomorrow, our great God in favour, please, let’s walk in lockstep with Jesus as best we can nuh, and that means walking in LOVE! Much LOVE!
…the song’s not wrong…for LOVE is truly…what makes the world go round
25 Aug 2013
by randyobrien50
in Christian Thoughts and Inspiration., Daily Devotion, Daily Inspiration, Inspirational Living, Spiritual Living
Tags: a clean heart, a good man, abundance of the heart, adulteries, awesome package, blasphemy, bodies, calamity, centre of the personality, condemns us, coveteousness, daily blessings, daily bread, deceit, deceitful, defiles man, depths of our souls, dietary laws, digestive tract, diligence, essence of human sin, ever-faithful, evil, evil eye, evil things, evil thoughts, evil treasure, exorbitant price, faithfulness, foolishness, forgiveness, fornication, fountainhead of life, full of evil, fullness of hearts, futility, generosity, generous, good and corrupt fruit, good things, good treasure of the heart, honesty, incurably sick, issues of life, jehovah god, kind of heart, lasciviousness, law of God, licentiousness, LOVE the Lord with all our hearts, loving kindness, madness, minds, mischief, moral consciousness, moral life, murder, new mercy, Old Testament, perversity, pride, purifying the heart, religion, remedy, ritual observances, seat of conscious life, seat of the intellect, seeking spiritual salvation, selfishness, serving, souls, sows discord, spiritual life, spirituality, theft, theology, upright hearts, wicked, wickedness, wildfire, wisdom, worshipping, worthless man
Jeremiah 17:9. The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked (incurably sick): who can know it?
Oh Friends, morning is breaking, just like all those other mornings of the past! And to sweeten matters, God’s daily blessings are also being prepared anew – no stale stuff – as has been done each and every day, right down through the ages. So our daily bread is on its way, accompanied by new mercy and forgiveness. What an awesome package that is my people!
And all God’s children declared a loud, joyous and grateful: ‘Thank You Lord for Your overwhelming generosity and LOVING-kindness! We LOVE You Lord, and praise Your Holy Name! Please help us to continue serving and worshipping You with fullness of hearts, souls, bodies and minds. Amen.’
Yes my Friends, our God is ever-faithful and generous to us, although we don’t deserve it. But that’s just the kind of Deity He is; that’s just the kind of heart He possesses. The problem though is that our honesty and faithfulness cannot be guaranteed. For as our Bit so wisely declares: ‘The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked (incurably sick): who can know it?’
And the answer to that rather imposing question my brethren, is ONLY Jehovah God!
That’s because our hearts are naturally inclined to deceit and selfishness. It can get so bad, that at times we even fool ourselves, thinking that we have such wonderful and upright hearts, only to later discover the true wickedness buried deep in them.
Cousin Sol, in describing a worthless and wicked man, said it a long time ago. ‘Frowardness (perversity) is in his heart, he deviseth mischief (evil) continually; he soweth discord. Therefore shall his calamity come suddenly; suddenly shall he be broken without remedy.’ (Prov.6:14-15)
And sadly Friends, that’s a rather apt and appropriate description of a great number of humans on God’s great earth, including many so-called believers. No wonder our world is in the sorry state it’s in!
Jesus Himself, on the subject of good and corrupt fruit, had this to say re our hearts. ‘O generation (brood, offspring) of vipers, how can ye being evil, speak good things? for out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaketh. A good man out of the good treasure of the heart bringeth forth good things: and an evil man out of the evil treasure bringeth forth evil things.’ (Matt.12:34-35)
And if anybody should know about that sort of thing, it’s certainly Jesus!
Then later on, in explaining what defiles, Jesus says: ‘That which cometh out of the man defileth the man. For from within, out of the heart of men, proceed evil thoughts, adulteries, fornications, murders, Thefts, covetousness, wickedness, deceit, lasciviousness (licentiousness), an evil eye, blasphemy, pride, foolishness: All these evil things come from within, and defile the man.’ (Mark 7:20-23)
Ah mih people, I guess Jesus condemns us all right there, since we all are guilty of at least one or more of those misdeed, and they all stem from what’s happening down in the depths of our souls.
Now listen to the scholars: ‘Many apparently thought that the food itself forbidden by parts of the Old Testament (see, e.g. Lev.11) rendered the eater unclean. Jesus is not challenging the accuracy of the Old Testament. He is pointing out that what one produces from, not what he takes into, himself is the essence of the human sin.
In context, Jesus is pointing out the futility of seeking spiritual salvation by means of ritual observances, like dietary laws, which are incapable of purifying the heart (i.e., the moral life) A clean heart is something different from a properly cared for digestive tract.’
And while declaring that all things come to the righteous and to the wicked, the Preacher imparts this bit of wisdom. ‘This is an evil among all things that are done under the sun, that there is one event unto all: yea, also the heart of the sons of men is full of evil, and madness is in their heart while they live, and after that they go to the dead.’ (Eccl. 9:3)
But why is the heart so maligned eh? That’s partly because as the scholars explain: ‘Heart could often be translated “mind” in the book. Since the Hebrews had no separate word for “mind,” the word “heart” often served to represent the seat of the intellect. The key to the whole man is his mind. Whatever captures the mind captures the man.
The Old Testament word ‘heart’ often refers to the physical organ of the circulatory system. Both Testaments also see the heart figuratively as the centre of the personality or spiritual life. The heart is the seat of intellect, emotions, will, and moral consciousness. It is the personality which has that extraordinary ability to perceive itself.
The heart is presented as the seat of conscious life and the fountainhead of life. Illustration: Jesus taught that sin came out of the heart of people, thus defiling them (Mark 7:21-23). Yet after conversion, one of the characteristics of Christians is that they have the law of God written in their hearts. (Heb.8:8-12). Application: Christians should LOVE the Lord with all their hearts (Matt.22:37). (First ref. Gen.6:5; Primary ref. Prov.4:23; cf. Rom.2:15)
Please note that I’ve quoted several of the references the scholars gave us, so you shouldn’t have any problems reading the rest. (smile) Remember though that the references are for our benefit; to help us better understand the scriptures.
And we’ll end with this rather appropriate reference from Cousin Sol. ‘Keep thy heart with all diligence; for out of it are the issues of life.’ (Prov.4:23)
Yes Friends, it all begins in the heart and the mind, and then spreads like wildfire after that! So to avoid all the evil and ungodly things that we can become involved in to our detriment, we need to guard our thinking and emotions very carefully, otherwise we’ll certainly get caught up in plenty calamity.
And that definitely doesn’t smack of that most worthwhile attribute called wisdom. So let’s consider ourselves warned. Much LOVE!.
..to him that hath ears…let him hear…or else he’ll pay an exorbitant price for his disobedience…
24 Aug 2013
by randyobrien50
in Christian Thoughts and Inspiration., Daily Devotion, Daily Inspiration, Inspirational Living, Spiritual Living
Tags: a step backwards, actions of man, back to school, believers, blame game, breakdown of the family, chameleons, church, commensurate action, confidence in man, confidence in princes, constant fear, deceitful above all things, deceitfulness, deceptions, deceptiveness, divine direction, ever-faithful God, evil deeds, faithful God, faithful promises, fellowship, food for thought, fruit of his deeds, gospel truth, grieved the Lord's heart, hazardous act, heartbreaks, holy presence, incurably sick, Jesus Christ, lazy weekend, let our faith soar, lies, LOVE, make ends meet, man's innermost being, man's natural disposition, outsourcing, price to pay, progress, proper fellowship with God, redeemed heart, redeeming grace, refined by the fire, religion, righteous purposes, spirituality, stand strong in Christ, sunshine and roses, take heart, the heart is deceitful, the Lord searches hearts, theology, tree of life and knowledge, true motives, trust, umemployment, untrustworthiness, weekends, wickedness, working two jobs
Jeremiah 17:9. The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked (incurably sick): who can know it?
And then it was Saturday… Hip, hip hurrah! (smile) Long time I haven’t heard that one. Yes Friends, it’s Saturday with all its late rising due to tiredness from the workweek, plus from Friday night’s partying, with more plans for partying later on. Let’s hope though, that somewhere in our busy and /or lazy weekend, there are also plans for church and fellowship with other believers.
Unfortunately, some people work harder at home on the weekends than they do during the week at their places of employment. What with young children to look after – no baby sitter then, laundry to be done, groceries bought, the house cleaned, and all the necessary preparations for the following week.
Some people, especially mothers long for the week to begin. And with school soon opening, hn! That means more shopping for new fashionable stuff to wear, and all the other accoutrements for back to school. It’s a good thing my days for that stuff are over. Thank You Lord!
No wonder a lot of parents aren’t too enamoured of the weekends since their personal lives get even busier than during the week. But Friends, that’s the price they say we have to pay for progress, although I really don’t see how we can call it progress, when we’re so busy that we don’t have much time for ourselves.
And with both parents out working now, often at more than one job, just to make ends meet, that seems to be a step backwards rather than forwards, especially when you add stuff like the breakdown of the family, the high unemployment rate and the constant fear in the air of losing one’s job to outsourcing in some undeveloped country.
Anyway my brethren, I know it’s rough out there for many of us, and it’s liable to get rougher before it gets better. But as believers, we need to stand strong in Christ and the faithful promises of our wonderful and ever-faithful God.
Now He never promised that life would always be sunshine and roses, but that He will not cause us to suffer more than we can bear, and will bring us out of anything He allows us to go through, refined by the fire. So we need to let our faith soar, to take heart and believe that our Creator will come through for us, as He’s promised.
And talking about heart, let’s finally bring in our Bit: ‘The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked (incurably sick): who can know it?
And that’s gospel, gospel truth my people! Our hearts are so deceptive, and change so quickly, like chameleons, from one extreme to the next, who can really know what’s truly buried in them eh?
That’s why Jeremiah continues speaking on God’s behalf: ‘I the Lord search the heart, I try (test) the reins (mind, most secret parts), even to give every man according to his ways, and according to the fruit of his doings (deeds). (Jer.17:10)
Oh Friends, the Lord’s lucky, He can see into the depths of man’s soul and reveal their true motives. Meanwhile, we humans can only judge another’s heart basically by their words and outward actions. And sadly that leads to an inordinate amount of lies, deceptions, heartbreaks and other evil deeds.
Now before we get into some relevant scripture, hear these important words from the scholars. ’17:9-10: The heart (cf. Prov.4:23) means man’s innermost being. The bent of man’s natural disposition, apart from God’s redeeming grace, is described as deceitful (lit. crooked) and desperately wicked (incurably sick).
Therefore man cannot trust his own heart but must leave all to God who alone knows the heart and judges all men fairly. Only a person with a redeemed heart can live in proper fellowship with God. (Job 11:13; 1 John 3:18-24).’
Yes my people, because of the naturally evil disposition of our hearts, trust in man is a very uncertain and hazardous act. No wonder the psalmist so strongly advised: ‘It is better to trust in the Lord than to put confidence in man. It is better to trust in the Lord than to put confidence in princes.’ (Ps.118:8-9) Please note that he specified that not even royalty can be trusted.
But all of this untrustworthiness began right at the very beginning when Adam and Eve disobeyed God’s command not to eat of the tree of life and knowledge. When the Lord came looking for them, they hid, because they knew they had disobeyed Him. Their eyes were also opened and thus they realised their nakedness and attempted to cover up themselves. And when God asked them what had happened, the blame laying began. Adam blamed Eve, and she blamed the serpent.
Ah Lord eh! But God was having none of their deceitfulness and kicked them out of the beautiful garden. (Gen.3) And sadly Friends, from that day onwards, man’s heart just kept getting more and more evil.
Until the day God finally took stock of man: ‘And God saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that every imagination (thought or intent) of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually (all the day long). And it repented the Lord (the Lord was sorry) that he had made man on the earth, and it grieved him at his heart.’ (Gen.6:5-6)
So much so, that He decided to destroy everything that He’d so tenderly made. Ah mih breddren, when man’s heart becomes so wicked that it alarms God and grieves Him so much that He considers destroying all the beautiful things He’s made, you must know that things are in a really bad state.
And we’ll end with some more important words from the scholars on those two verses. ‘Repented does not imply that God made a mistake in His dealing with men, but rather indicates a change in divine direction resulting from the actions of man.
It is “an anthropopathism” (a human emotion applied to God), describing the pain that is caused God by the destructiveness of His creatures. It is used 30 times with God as its subject, each time speaking of a change of mind or intention that accords with His righteous purposes, and results in action commensurate with those purposes.’
Wow! We’ll soon need someone to explain the explanations! (smile)
Oh mih people, there’s a lot more to come tomorrow, God willing of course. But let’s ponder today’s stuff with an open heart, remembering that it’s only as we turn to Almighty God with a redeemed heart, that we’re able to stand in His holy presence. That ought to give us plenty of food for thought. Much LOVE!
…who knows the true thoughts of a man’s heart…only the Lord God Jehovah…
19 Aug 2013
by randyobrien50
in Christian Thoughts and Inspiration., Daily Devotion, Daily Inspiration, Inspirational Living, Spiritual Living
Tags: abased, achievements, aura of love, battle hymn, benefits, confidence, conquerors, conscious decision, contrition, corrupt sinner, enemy's wicked taunts, enthusiasm, eternal wisdom, evil practices, evil world, exalted, false exaltation, fantastic job, fight a good fight, foolsih pride, glorious kingdom, God of second chances, God's realm, godless world, haughty heights, help of the Holy Spirit, humble, humble servants, humble spirit, immorality, important principles, invincible, Jesus Christ, jobs, justified, lazy, lies, lost souls, LOVE, mercy, Monday, necessities of war, new workweek, physical attributes, power, procrastinate, rejuvenation of spirit, religion, renewed vitality, repentance, responsibility, salvation, serious determination, sinful nature, social status, spiritual armour, spirituality, steadfast faith, straddle the fence, the things of God, theology, true believers, ungodliness, ungodly world, useful purpose, value, weary souls, wickedness, wiles
Luke 18:14. I tell you, this man went down to his house justified rather than the other: for every one that exalteth himself shall be abased; and he that humbleth himself shall be exalted.
Oh Friends, it’s Monday once again, time to get ready for a new week of work! And though by nature, mankind is lazy and likes to procrastinate, as believers in Jesus Christ, we have the responsibility to get up and get things done in His name.
That’s why on Mondays we shouldn’t be miserable and complain about having to go to work, but be happy that we have the opportunity to get out and fight a good fight for Jesus; a fight that will consequently have lost souls falling at His feet in repentance, seeking mercy and salvation.
Now let’s sing our Monday Morning Battle Hymn, in full voice, with purposed hearts, to energize our selves and get us ready to face the wicked and godless world that awaits us.
All together now: ‘Oh Lord God Almighty, Creator of the universe and all therein! We, your humble servants, praise your Holy Name and thank you that this Monday morning we have jobs to go to; jobs we don’t like, jobs that are unfair, difficult and even dangerous, but which serve a useful purpose here on earth; keeping lives and families together.
We also thank you Father for the renewed vitality and enthusiasm you’ve wrought in our weary souls over the last two days. It’s that rejuvenation of Spirit which allows us now to sally forth with confidence into the evil, ungodly world that surrounds us, to begin a new week of work, constantly buffeted and bombarded by the enemy’s wicked taunts, wiles and lies.
But heavenly Father, we’re not afraid, for we know we’re invincible, sure conquerors, once we’re wearing your powerful, protective spiritual armour. We surrender our all to you, and humbly ask that you let your incredible aura of LOVE, the Holy Spirit, lead and guide all your servants as we go out to meet the enemy in battle.
Fill us with steadfast faith, so that we can make worthwhile inroads into the enemy’s ranks, and thereby further your glorious kingdom. We pray this in the Holy Name of your Son, and our Saviour, Jesus Christ. AMEN!’
That certainly was a most hearty rendition my people! All heaven was pleased. Now let’s check out our Bit. ‘I tell you, this man went down to his house justified rather than the other: for every one that exalteth himself shall be abased; and he that humbleth himself shall be exalted.’
Yes my brethren, today we’re again going to look at two major problems in our society, foolish pride and false exaltation. Now the world places great emphasis on our physical attributes, achievements, power and social status, but Jesus teaches the greater benefits to be had from the virtue of humility. That’s because a humble spirit is one of the most important principles in God’s realm. We cannot come before Him without a humble and contrite spirit.
Note what Jesus said about the Pharisee and the publican in our Bit. The former, who exhibited a proud and arrogant spirit, would be abased, cast down from his haughty heights, while the latter with a genuinely humble heart, though a corrupt sinner, would be exalted, simply because of his contrition.
Ah mih people, it’s the very same lesson that Jesus taught in the parable of the wedding feast. (Luke 14:7-14) There He tells us that when we’re invited to a function with no specific seating arrangements, don’t run up to the front, or the place that is the most visible, where you can be seen by everyone and have them think that you’re so important.
But rather, stay in the background, find a seat that’s not so visible, so that when the host or hostess comes and sees you sitting in that lowly position, they will move you up, exalt you to a higher position and chase one of those self-important, social status seekers, who had proudly vaulted himself, down to your position. ‘For whosoever exalteth himself shall be abased (humbled); and he that humbleth himself shall be exalted.’ (Luke 14:11) And Jesus says the same thing again when He denounces the scribes and Pharisees in Matthew 23:12.
Oh my brethren, how many times does Jesus have to repeat that all important principle for us to accept it and actually put it into practice eh? Remember we can’t be straddling the fence, having one foot in the ungodly world and one in the divine realm. It has to be both feet in one or the other.
Yes, we do have to be IN the world to see and know what’s happening and help to make it right, but we cannot be OF the world, advancing its immorality, ungodliness and evil practices. And with our sinful human nature, that’s not always easy to do, but with a conscious decision, serious determination, the help of the Holy Spirit and our continued concentration on the things of God, we can do a fantastic job.
And we have time and space for one scripture that also reminds us of the immeasurable value of humility in God’s arena. It comes from Job, when his good buddy Eliphaz was lambasting him for his supposed sins. And though Eliphaz was on the wrong track in particular with Job, in general, he had the right idea, as he tells him. ‘When men are cast down, then shalt thou say, There is lifting up (exaltation); and he shall save the humble person.’ (Job 22:29)
Now Friends, that’s eternal wisdom, for wherever and whenever men are abased for their proud, haughty behaviour, they can yet be exalted by our merciful God of second chances with the proper contrition. So please let’s embrace it and go out and fight a good fight in Jesus’ name today, well suited up in our spiritual armour plus all the other necessities of war. Much LOVE!
…if we truly LOVE Jesus…then we’ll do our very best to fulfill His desires…
16 Aug 2013
by randyobrien50
in Christian Thoughts and Inspiration., Daily Devotion, Daily Inspiration, Inspirational Living, Spiritual Living
Tags: awesome works of God, be not afraid, beautiful imagery, body, bringing lost souls to Jesus, deceit, declare the works of the Lord, evil, exaltation, excellent things, fellowship, fortress, Friday chant, fun, generous help, glorious kingdom, godless world, gospel, greedy owners, harmonious voices, hell in a hand basket, high tower, in Jesus' name, incontestable truth, irrevocable truth, Isaiah, joy, live joyfully, liveable wage, magnanimous god, magnificent, make a positive difference, mercy, mighty, mind, mire of greed, most important role, oppression, oppressive, owners of capital, praise, profound proclamation, prophecy, psalm 118, refreshed, relaxation, renewed, rest, Rock, salvation, selfish purposes, sing to the Lord, soul, spirituality, Thank God it's Friday, the Holy One of Israel, the Lord be praised, the Lord is exalted, the Lord is my salvation, the Lord is my song, The Lord is my strength, the right hand of the Lord, the righteous, the voice of rejoicing, tool of justice, triumphal doxology, true believers, true perspective, trust, valiantly, war, week of work, weekend, weekly reprieve, wells of salvation
Psalm 118:14. The Lord is my strength and song, and has become my salvation.
And then it was Friday again mih people; the eve of the weekend, the short weekly reprieve from massa’s labour.
And all the working people joyfully declared: ‘Thank God is Friday yes! This labouring business getting too hard now oui! What with all the layoffs and cutbacks, we doing even more work now than before, for the same measly pittance. Is time for a four or three day workweek yes! Why we have to work more than twice the amount of time we rest eh?’
Good question Friends, but one that I can only guess at an answer. That being, is so the oppressive and greedy owners of the capital see it. And we lucky to be even getting two days off a week, because many people around the world still labouring seven days a week for not even a liveable wage.
That’s just the way world is set up, where the strong, the rich and powerful fix things to suit their own selfish ends and purposes, with little, if any regard or respect for the wishes and feelings of their fellowman. Anyway, the whys and wherefores are now elementary, we just have to live with it and say, the Lord be praised.
But in addition to that we can chant our Friday Chant, which gives us a bright and true perspective on the weekend and its uses. So let’s all chant with loud, sweet, harmonious voices. ‘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 how we ought to face the weekend my people! And furthermore, let’s add our Bit to the mix. ‘The Lord is my strength and song, and has become my salvation.’ That gives us an even better perspective, since we’re all better off when the Lord God Jehovah is our rock and high tower, our strength and our fortress.
And the psalmist was so moved by our Bit, that he continued in full adoring and reverent voice: ‘The voice of rejoicing and salvation is in the tabernacles (tents) of the righteous: the right hand of the Lord doeth valiantly. The right hand of the Lord is exalted: the right hand of the Lord doeth valiantly. I shall not die, but live, and declare the works of the Lord.’ (Ps.118:15-17)
Yes Friends, all of that is the absolutely incontestable, irrevocable truth! For rejoicing and salvation is indeed found wherever the righteous gather!
And as for the Lord’s right hand…Hn! It’s just mighty and magnificent to whatever purpose it’s put to; whether as a tool of justice, war, basic strength or mercy! That’s why it’s so exalted!
And as true believers, we will certainly not die, but live joyfully declaring the awesome works of the Lord to all and sundry, all over the world.
Oh my brethren, what an important role we have to play in the bringing of lost souls to Jesus! It’s actually the most important role of each believer’s earthly life. All others are subject and secondary to that one.
And that great man of God, Isaiah, felt it so forcefully and completely that he couldn’t help but make this profound proclamation. ‘Behold, God is my salvation; I will trust, and not be afraid: for the Lord Jehovah is my strength and my song; he has also become my salvation. Therefore with joy shall ye draw water out of the wells of salvation.
And in that day shall ye say, Praise the Lord, call upon his name, declare his doings (deeds) among the people, make mention that his name is exalted. Sing unto the Lord; for he hath done excellent things: this is known in all the earth. Cry out and shout, thou inhabitant of Zion: for great is the Holy One of Israel in the midst of thee.’ (Is.12:2-6)
Oh mih breddren, what lovely praise and exaltation on behalf of our wonderful, magnificent, majestic and magnanimous God!
There’s nothing I can say to add to or better that, except possibly this last sentence from the scholars’ explanation. ‘With beautiful imagery, Isaiah closes this section of prophecy with a triumphal doxology of praise.’
And that’s gospel Friends! So please, today and everyday henceforth, let’s find some way, regardless of how small it might be, to make a positive difference in our troubled, calamitous, evil and godless world.
For without our righteous action in Jesus’ holy name, our badly guided world will continue to wallow in the mire of greed, evil, oppression and deceit, and will eventually end up in hell in a hand basket.
Remember though, that out job is to prevent such a disastrous thing from happening. So let’s get some serious action going along those lines my people, so that our heavenly Father can look down on us and be pleased, and not regret that He ever sacrificed His One Son for our abominable sins.
Remember too, that any time we don’t walk in the Father’s will, we’re making a mockery of Jesus’ death. And we definitely don’t want to do that. Nuff said.
Now let’s go out and put our hands to the plough. And remember – don’t ever look back. Much LOVE!
…the pilgrim’s earthly journey is rough…but with Jesus first and foremost in his heart…the endless miles pass away like nothing…under his divinely guided feet…
11 Aug 2013
by randyobrien50
in Christian Thoughts and Inspiration., Daily Devotion, Daily Inspiration, Inspirational Living, Spiritual Living
Tags: availability of our hearts, buffet, christianity, distress, embarassment, exalted above measure, for Christ's sake, glory in infirmitites, God's children, God's great world, grace, great things, human understanding, inwardly digest, Jesus Christ, joyous praise, Judaeo-Christian tradition, liseaux, living for Christ, LOVE, LOVE for God, LOVE for neighbour, magnanimous god, maturity in Christ, meditiate, mental or psychological distress, messenger of Satan, necessitites, opposition from adversaries, peace, perfect in weakness, persecutions, perseverance, personal feelings, physical affliction, power of Christ, Praise the Lord, promises, protective umbrella, religion, reproaches, revelations, sacrifice, self-emptying LOVE, sentiments, shame, short attention spans, Society of the Little Flower, spirituality, St. Therese, strength in weakness, suffer in God's name, suffering, taskmaster, temptations from Satan, the call of Christ, the Good Book, the million-dollar question, theology, thorn in the flesh, twofold commandment, wisdom
Acts 9:16. For I will show him how great things he must suffer for my name’s sake.
Oh Friends, it’s another beautiful day in God’s great world! And all God’s children declared a loud and joyous,’ Praise the Lord, for He is indeed a wonderful and most LOVING God!’ And He surely is brethren, no ifs ands or buts about that!
Anyway, to begin, I want to share these words from an introduction to a little booklet called, ‘A Journey of LOVE – Walking with St. Therese of Liseaux.’ That’s the patron Saint of the Society of the Little Flower run by the Carmelites. The intro is written by Fr. John F. Russell, and he says of St. Therese: ‘Her spirituality focuses upon the twofold commandment of the Judaeo- Christian tradition: LOVE for God and LOVE for neighbour.
To live out these commandments requires patience, perseverance, sacrifice and self-emptying LOVE in the manner of Jesus Christ. The outcome is holiness of life marked by joy, peace, maturity and courage, all characteristics of opening one’s heart to God’s grace. St. Therese’s story reveals a heart available daily to the LOVE and the call of Jesus Christ.’
Oh my people, all those things greatly concern us too, but the million-dollar question is if our hearts are ‘available daily to the LOVE and the call of Jesus Christ?’ Let’s hope so. And if they aren’t, then let’s come humbly before the Lord and sincerely ask for His help to make them so.
Now hopefully today will be the last day for this particular Bit. Hn, hn! But I’m not making any promises, (smile) since according to the Good Book it’s better not to promise than to promise and not make good on it. (Eccl. 5:5)
At times our Lord can definitely be a hard, but always fair, taskmaster, as He says of Bruh Paul: ‘For I will show him how great things he must suffer for my name’s sake.’
And Bruh Paul did undergo a lot of ‘sufferation’ in his most valiant and awesome efforts to spread the good news of Christ’s gospel, as we’ve been seeing over the last few days. Today though, I want us to focus on some of his personal feelings and sentiments towards that ‘sufferation.’ And we’re going to start in 2 Corinthians, where he talks about the thorn in his flesh.
‘And lest I should be exalted above measure through the abundance of the revelations, there was given to me a thorn in the flesh, the messenger of Satan to buffet (beat) me, lest I should be exalted above measure. For this thing I besought (pleaded with) the Lord thrice (three times), that it might depart from me. And he said unto me, My grace is sufficient for thee: for my strength (power) is made perfect in weakness.
Most gladly therefore will I rather glory in my infirmities (weaknesses), that the power of Christ may rest upon me. Therefore I take pleasure in infirmities, in reproaches, in necessities, in persecutions, in distresses for Christ’s sake: for when I am weak, then am I strong.’ (2 Cor.12:7-10)
Mama Mia! Ah my fellow believers, can we echo Bruh Paul’s sentiments there? I don’t think many of us can. I certainly can’t. But I do know about the thorns of the flesh business, because over the years I’ve been plagued by several long term illnesses, like asthma, back and knee problems. And though the severity of each thorn eases up after a while, they don’t ever go away, so I’ve learned to be careful and don’t do certain things to aggravate them, or do them sparingly.
Now here are some interesting comments from the scholar’s on Bruh Paul’s problem. ‘Paul’s thorn in the flesh is characterized further as a messenger of Satan. Just what Paul means by this is not clear. Among the views suggested are (1) temptations from the Devil, (2) Paul’s opposition from his adversaries, (3) some intense bodily pain, (4) a recurring physical affliction such as eye trouble, or (5) even some form of mental or psychological distress.
Whatever the case, it was a tool of Satan, it was painful (‘thorn’), and it was accompanied by shame or embarrassment to the apostle. A fairly strong argument can be sustained in favour of the view that it was eye trouble (opthalmia). See also Acts 13:9; 23:1; Galatians 4:14-15; 6:11.’
Aye Friends, yuh think it easy living for Christ? Not really nuh, but it’s all very possible if we are serious about it and invoke the power of the Holy Spirit to lead and guide us. And by the way, I don’t think my thorns were, or are Satan induced, (smile) but more like the Lord’s doing to keep me under control, away from stuff that would spoil my testimony and show His strength in my weakness.
But my brethren I think we’ll stop here for today, since the rest of what I had planned to say will make the Bit too long, having in mind our busy lives and short attention spans. (smile) In any case we already have enough stuff to chew on, enough food for thought today. So please read, mark, meditate and inwardly digest the info so that we can raise the level of our maturity in Christ. And that is undoubtedly wisdom for all the ages; those past, present and yet to come!
It also looks like I was wise not to promise that today would be the last one for this Bit. (smile) So Friends, the Lord in favour, tomorrow we’ll continue with it. Until then, may our magnificent and magnanimous God bless and keep us safely under His protective umbrella, and may He grant us His peace that surpasses all human understanding, till we meet again, here on earth, or in the hereafter. Much LOVE!
…though it’s not easy to live for Christ…the fact of the matter is…to know, know, know Him…is to LOVE, LOVE, LOVE Him…
08 Aug 2013
by randyobrien50
in Christian Thoughts and Inspiration., Daily Devotion, Daily Inspiration, Inspirational Living, Spiritual Living
Tags: a spirit of divination, accolades, afraid, ashamed of Jesus, behind closed doors, believers, change, Christian land, christianity, colour business, corrupt, counterfeit method, courage, demon possessed, drawing the noose tighter, feet in the stocks, fight back, forces of darkness, fortune telling, fraudulent, freedoms being eroded, futile, genuine method, God's Word, God's work, godly wisdom, good deed, great things, hope of profit, in the name of Jesus Christ, insidious attack, jehovah god, Jews, joking matter, lackadaisical attitude, mission on earth, new believer, oppressed countries, plenty action, politically correct, prison, racism, religion, Satan, serenity, Serenity Prayer, sincere passion, spirit of divination, spirituality, stand up strong, stripes, suffer for my name's sake, the 'n'word, the Great Commission, the Holy Ghost, the occult, the way of salvation, theology, tribulation, unlawful customs, wisdom, wisdom to know the difference, with Jesus all things are possible
Acts 9:16. I will show him how great things he must suffer for my name’s sake.
Oh Friends, as I was cleaning up my desk earlier on, I discovered a plaque with the Serenity Prayer, engraved on it, and consequently figured that was the best way to begin today’s Bit.
Please pray with me: ‘Oh Lord God, please grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change, the courage to change the things I can, and the wisdom to know the difference. Amen.’
Yes Friends, those few words impart a most important message to us. It makes life ever so much easier when we know what we can change and what we can’t. But the devil is being able to know the difference, which is why we can only do it through the wisdom that emanates from Jehovah God and His everlasting Word.
That brings us to our Bit. ‘I will show him how great things he must suffer for my name’s sake.’
Now yesterday I was taken up with the racism and colour business, re the ‘n’ word. Steups! I have to steups and chuckle in disbelief at the foolish lengths we’ll go to appear politically correct, as though it’s going to change anything.
But enough of that, today I want to focus on some of the stuff, the ‘great things’ that Bruh Paul suffered for the Lord’s sake. And we’ll begin in Philippi, where he stayed with a new believer named Lydia. (Acts 16:14-15)
‘And it came to pass, as we went to prayer, a certain damsel possessed with a spirit of divination met us, which brought her masters much gain by soothsaying (fortune telling). The same followed Paul and us, and cried, saying, These men are the servants of the most high God, which show unto us the way of salvation.
And this did she many days. But Paul being grieved (greatly annoyed), turned and said to the spirit, I command thee in the name of Jesus Christ to come out of her. And he came out the same hour.’ (Acts 16:16-18)
Now hear this explanation from the scholars. ’16:17: The strange words of the demon possessed girl, that Paul is proclaiming the way of salvation, reveal Satan’s insidious attack upon the work of God. His method is to counterfeit that which is genuine, thereby confusing and corrupting it. (cf. Luke 4:41: 2 Cor.11:13-15)
Please read those scriptures for yourselves, for they are very interesting and educational.
And sadly, a lot of that stuff is still going on today, despite the supposed enlightened times we live in. Lots of people are still heavily involved in the occult. And you wouldn’t believe how many of them are considered intelligent and well educated, yet they continue to waste their time, efforts, money and lives dealing with the futile, fraudulent forces of darkness.
But getting back to Bruh Paul’s supposed good deed. It certainly didn’t win him any accolades or endear him to the girl’s masters. ‘And when her masters saw that the hope of their gains was gone, they caught (seized) Paul and Silas, and drew (dragged) them into the market place unto the rulers (authorities).
And brought them to the magistrates, saying, These men, being Jews, do exceedingly trouble our city. And teach customs, which are not lawful for us to receive, neither to observe, being Romans. And the multitude rose up together against them: and the magistrates rent (tore) off their clothes, and commanded to beat them.
And when they had laid many stripes upon them, they cast them into prison, charging the jailer to keep them safely (securely). Who, having received such a charge, thrust them into the inner prison, and made (fastened) their feet fast in the stocks.’ (Acts 16:19-24)
Oh Friends, doesn’t that remind you of the unfair and unjust manner in which they treated Jesus? It sure does! And unfortunately, many believers in other parts of the world today still face those fearful circumstances, where they can’t speak openly about their faith in Jesus Christ, but they still do in secret.
Meanwhile, we in the free western world, who have nothing like that to fear, are still very afraid and/or ashamed to talk publicly about Christ. But as I keep reminding us, Christianity is not a behind closed doors, or a closed mouth organization like some of the occult societies that still prevail, but it is one that needs to be broadcasted to all and sundry, all over the world.
That was Jesus’ last command, to His disciples; the Great Commission: ‘Go ye therefore, and teach (make disciples of) all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost: Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you always, even unto the end of the world.’ (Matt.28:19-20)
Ah mih people, that’s our mission on this earth! But obviously not enough of us are taking that command as seriously as we should, and actually working on Jesus’ behalf with sincere passion and plenty action. Now can you imagine what the reaction would be, if we were still not free to worship as we please, and the very name of Jesus would bring down untold tribulation on our heads?
Hn! But don’t laugh Friends, because of our lackadaisical attitude, the enemy is drawing the noose tighter and tighter and many of our freedoms are being gradually eroded. So this is not a joking matter. And unless we stand up strong and fight back in the name of Jesus, we’ll soon be like many other believers in the oppressed countries.
That’s why I’m imploring us today, and everyday, to get out and get Jesus in the action, for it’s only with Him going on before us that we can ever hope to continue dwelling safely and securely in a Christian land.
And please don’t use the Serenity Prayer as an excuse, (smile) meaning that changing the world in Jesus’ name is one of those things we cannot do. Because remember with Jesus working in and through us, ALL THINGS ARE POSSIBLE! And we do indeed have the godly wisdom to know that! Much LOVE!
…the right to worship Jesus…will only be had…in proportion to the fight believers put up…
06 Aug 2013
by randyobrien50
in Christian Thoughts and Inspiration., Daily Devotion, Daily Inspiration, Inspirational Living, Spiritual Living
Tags: affirmation day, appreciative crowd, awe, believe, believe in Jesus, biblical affirmations, blessings, bright future, calypso monarch, Calypso showcase, courage, dog eat dog world, ears have not heard, evil, eyes haven't seen, faith, faithfulness, fend off Lucifer, gospel truth, government you deserve, Harbourfront, He is faithful that promised, heart-warming, holy spirit, hope, I can do all things, if god is for us, Jekyll and Hyde, Jesus Christ, laughingstock, LOVE, loving kindness, Macoumere Fifi, magnanimous god, mercies, people perish, personal fiefdom, pilgrim's journey, planet earth, power struggles, prophetic vision, reassurance, religion, restraints, reverence, rewarder, shenanigans, spirituality, strength, theology, things God hath prepared, things of the world, through Christ who strengthens me, times of trouble, Toronto's mayor, truth, who can be against us, wisdom, without wavering, write indelibly
Philippians 4:13. I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me!
Oh Friends, the ole fella actually went out yesterday afternoon. Wow! Strange things do happen at times yes! (smile) My young daughter came and picked me up in her fancy SUV and took me down to a Calypso showcase of local talent at Harbourfront, a multiple events place on the Toronto Waterfront.
Oh, it felt so good to be chauffeured for a change, and in style to boot, instead of always being the chauffeur. Some of you might be able to appreciate and understand the feeling, as you’re in the same boat. But it’s nice to be able to gaze around and see the myriad of things that you don’t, or shouldn’t see when you’re driving.
Anyway, I missed the first half of the show, but what I experienced was excellent and it had a good and appreciative crowd. The backing band, Ossie Gurley, was nice and tight, but as it should be, the reigning Calypso Monarch of Canada, Macoumere Fifi, stole the show with her rendition of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde, a caricature of the Mayor of Toronto, Rob Ford, and his brother Doug, who seems to be the de facto Mayor, as he cleans up, or tries to clean up his brother’s mistakes.
They behave as though Toronto is their personal fiefdom, but sadly have become a laughingstock around the world because of their unwise shenanigans, and consequently the city has suffered a serious decrease in believability.
But as they say, you get the government you deserve, and where there’s no prophetic vision, the people perish, because they cast off all restraints and do their own thing. And that is exactly what’s happening in the good city of Toronto today. The leaders are behaving like buffoons, being more divisive and argumentative and involved in power struggles, rather than doing the jobs they were elected to do.
Anyway, we’ll pray for them and leave them in God’s hand, because only He can change the hearts and minds of those He created. And furthermore, He’s decreed that today be a day of Biblical Affirmations; pieces of scripture that we can write indelibly in our hearts and souls that will help us fend off Lucifer when he attacks us, or just generally in times of trouble.
Remember we had affirmation day a few weeks ago. Now we’ll run through some more scriptures that are useful to keep us strong and steadfast in faith. And we’ll begin with our Bit, which generally correlates all our endeavours. ‘I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me!’
Now Friends, that is undeniable truth! That’s simply because it is the power of Jesus Christ, His Holy Spirit working in us that enables us to handle all and sundry situations, regardless of what they might be. Without that power of Christ’s Spirit enabling us, we wouldn’t last very long in this evil, dog eat dog world.
And listen to these words of ultimate wisdom from Cousin Sol nuh. ‘Commit thy works (roll on the Lord thy works), and thy thoughts shall be established.’ (Prov.16:3) Now there’s no doubting the substantial truth in that verse my brethren.
And what about this reassuring verse from Jeremiah eh? ‘For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, saith the Lord, thoughts of peace, and not of evil (calamity), to give you an expected end (a future and a hope).’ (Jer.29:11)
Oh Friends, from that we ought to draw immense assurance, because the Lord has spelled out His plans for us, plans which are full of hope and a bright future.
Next up is this powerful verse from Hebrews. ‘Let us hold fast the profession (confession) of our faith (hope) without wavering; (for he is faithful that promised;)’ (Heb.10:23) Ah mih breddren, how can that not calm our souls re the Lord’s faithfulness eh!
And we also need to hear this other verse from Hebrews, which deals with our faith and faithfulness. ‘But without faith it is impossible to please him: 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)
And that my people, is the gospel truth of all gospel truths! For if we don’t have faith and believe that God is who He says He is and does what He says, then we’ll be shut out of the Lord’s mercies, blessings and LOVING-kindness.
Now hear these words of Bruh Paul to the Corinthians, based on Is.64:4 and 65:17. ‘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.’ (1 Cor.2:9)
Wow! Oh my fellow believers yuh hear that? We can’t begin to understand or even imagine what our mighty, magnanimous and LOVING God has prepared for those who LOVE and serve Him with reverence and awe!
And we’ll end with this most appropriate scripture from Romans: ‘What shall we then say to these things? If God be for us, who can be against us?’ (Rom.8:31)
And the answer to that question my Friends is a loud, defiant and definite ‘NOBODY!’
Now my people, let’s ponder those scriptures and write them in our hearts, so that in the day and time of need, we can raise them up and find the strength, wisdom, faith, assurance and courage to stand tall and walk proudly on this our pilgrim’s journey here on planet earth.
For that my brethren is the absolute wisdom of and for these perilous times! Much LOVE!
…to believe in Jesus…is certainly more assuring and heart-warming…than believing in the things of the world…
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