31 Aug 2025
by randyobrien50
in Christian Thoughts and Inspiration., Daily Devotion, Daily Inspiration, Inspirational Living, Spiritual Living
Tags: a disciplined mind, a spiritual source, be of good cheer, beats so imperfectly, believers are filled with doubts and fear, believest thou this, Christian themes of faith and grace, come unto me all ye that labour, crapaud smoke yuh pipe, each restless heart, emotional weariness, empowers to overcome adversity, faith, filled with wonder, find rest unto your souls, For God hath not given us a spirit of fear, gentle and humble, give thanks and praise, God will be our God, he that believeth in me, holy spirit, hope perseverance, I am still, I am strong, I am the resurrection and the life, I glimpse eternity, I will give you reat, Jesus Christ, Jesus is our only sure hope, Jesus your Guiding Light, Jesus your Lord and Saviour, Josh Groban, learn of me, LOVE, meek and lowly in heart, mercy, my heart burdened be, my soul so weary, my yoke is easy and my burden light, no life without its hunger, o thou of little faith, of power love and a sound mind, Peter walked on water, Pilot in the times of storm, relying on a divine power, sacrifices of praise, salvation, stand on mountains, strength, strife-filled times, take my yoke upon you, the glorious truth, the great invitation, the Lord's Sabbath, the new heaven and earth, the new Jerusalem, the renewal and regeneration of our souls, the support of another person, the troubles and challenges you face, though he were dead yet shall he live, to be more than I can be, to walk on stormy seas, truth, wait here in the silence, when I am down, when troubles come, whosoever liveth and believeth in me shall never die, why did you doubt, wipe away all tears sorrow pain and death, wisdom, you come and sit with me, You Raise Me Up
Matthew 11:28. Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.
And as always, in the rotation of days, we come right back to Sunday, the first day of the week, and the Lord’s Sabbath, which requires us to attend His sanctuary to give thanks and praise and receive regeneration of our souls, minds, spirits and bodies. Today, on this last day of August 2025, we’ll open our worship session with a most appropriate song for these vexing, uncertain and strife-filled times.
It’s titled ‘You Raise Me Up,’ and was originally released on the 2001 Secret Garden album “Once in a Red Moon”, then was used for commemorations of the September 11, 2001, terrorist attacks despite not having been released in America yet. Then in 2003, Josh Groban released the American version, and it became a huge hit.
And what is the meaning behind the song? This commentary explains it thus: “You Raise Me Up” is an inspiring ballad about finding strength, hope, and perseverance through the support of another person, often interpreted as God or a spiritual source, especially during difficult times.
The lyrics describe a person’s emotional weariness and how the presence of a LOVING “you” empowers them to overcome adversity, “stand on mountains,” “walk on stormy seas,” and achieve more than they could alone. And for many Christians, the “you” in the song represents God, with the lyrics reflecting Christian themes of faith, grace, and relying on a divine power.’
So, now that we have some idea of what the song is about, let’s offer up sweet sacrifices of praise in a heartfelt soulful version that will have heaven singing along with us. Singing: ‘When I am down and oh, my soul so weary When troubles come and my heart burdened be Then I am still and wait here in the silence Until You come and sit awhile with me
(Chorus: You raise me up so I can stand on mountains You raise me up to walk on stormy seas I am strong when I am on Your shoulders You raise me up to more than I can be: You raise me up so I can stand on mountains You raise me up to walk on stormy seas I am strong when I am on Your shoulders You raise me up to more than I can be.)
There is no life, no life without its hunger Each restless heart beats so imperfectly But when You come and I am filled with wonder Sometimes, I think I glimpse eternity. (Chorus: You raise me up so I can stand on mountains You raise me up to walk on stormy seas I am strong when I am on Your shoulders You raise me up to more than I can be.
Yes, You raise me up so I can stand on mountains (You raise me up, I can stand on mountains) You raise me up to walk on stormy seas (Walk on stormy seas) And I am strong when I am on Your shoulders Oh, you raise me up to more than I can be Yes, You raise me up to more than I can be.’
And that’s the undeniable, indisputable and glorious truth my friends! For when Jesus is your Lord and Saviour, your Guiding Light and Pilot in the times of storm, then He will certainly raise you up above the troubles and challenges you face. And in His Great Invitation, we are welcomed to release all our burdens, weariness, stress and strain to Him and then enjoy His refreshing relief.
Listen to His marvellous invitation: ‘Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn of (from) me; for I am meek and lowly (gentle and humble) in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.’ (Matt. 11:28-30) Now where else can you ever receive such a genuine and welcoming invitation eh? Nowhere else but with Jesus!
And when you’re talking about walking on stormy seas, who else can help you do it but Jesus, as He showed when He went walking to the disciples on the stormy sea. Obviously, when the disciples saw Him, they thought it was a ghost and cried out for fear. ‘But straightway Jesus spake unto them, saying, Be of good cheer (take courage); it is I; be not afraid. And Peter answered him and said, Lord, if it be thou, bid me come unto thee on the water.
And he said, Come. And when Peter was come down out of the ship, he walked on the water, to go to Jesus. But when he saw the wind boisterous (violent), he was afraid; and beginning to sink, he cried, saying, Lord, save me. And immediately Jesus stretched forth his hand, and caught him, and said unto him, O thou of little faith, wherefore didst thou doubt?’ (Matt. 14:27-31)
And that’s the problem today with so many believers; we are filled with doubts and fear, that’s why our lives are so topsy turvy, and not as calm and peaceful as they ought to be. We need to remember these very reassuring words of Bruh Paul to Timothy and put them into action in our lives. ‘For God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of LOVE, and of a sound (disciplined) mind.’ (2 Tim. 1:7) That’s what we need to hear continually pounding in our ears every day, not the foolish fear that Satan tries to instill in us.
And I like that last verse which talks about ‘there’s no life without its hunger Each restless heart beats so imperfectly But when You come and I am filled with wonder Sometimes, I think I glimpse eternity.’ And we have eternity right here with us, for remember what Jesus said to Martha when she queried His statement that her brother Lazarus would rise again? Jesus said unto her, I am the resurrection, and the life: he that believeth in me, though he were dead (may die), yet shall he live: And whosoever liveth and believeth in me shall never die. Believest thou this?’ (John 11:25-26)
And if you call yourself a Christian, then you’d better believe it, otherwise crapaud smoke yuh pipe! And don’t forget that John saw the new heaven and new earth, the new Jerusalem, where God will be our God and dwell with us, and we shall be His people, and He’ll wipe away all tears, sorrow, death, crying and pain, etc. etc. (Rev. 21: 1-4) I don’t know about you all, but I can hardly wait for that day to come! (smile) Much LOVE!
…trusting in Jesus…is the only sure hope…we have in this world…
Hear our podcast at https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/randy-obrien
20 Dec 2024
by randyobrien50
in Christian Thoughts and Inspiration., Daily Devotion, Daily Inspiration, Inspirational Living, Spiritual Living
Tags: a new flock of believers, according to his divine power, act in obedience to his Word, arrogant, backsliders, be partakers of the divine nature, Bible, christianity, Christmas, compassion, courtesy to others, disaster, discontent, dissatisfaction, error of their ways, escalating instead of improving, escaped the corruption, eternal destiny, faith, faithfulness, foolish, forgotten God, free will, Friday chant, generosity, gentleness, given unto us all things, goodness, grace and peace be multiplied unto you, great and precious promises, help and guidance to do His will, holy spirit, I am the vine ye are the branches, Jesus Christ, joy, kindness, life becomes unbearable, live the abundant life, longsuffering, lose our bearings, lose sight of the essential facts, LOVE, lust, meekness, mercy, no longer need God's help, no one to blame but ourselves, not that we are sufficient of ourselves, our sufficiency is of God, patience, peace, prideful, problems, produce good fruit, salvation, seek God's wisdom, self-control, shed this mortal coil, simmering unrest, sinful world, smell the coffee, stand strong and steadfast, strength, strife, temperance, TGIF! Thank God it's Friday!, that pertain to life and godliness, the examples faithful believers set, the fruit of the spirit, the knowledge of god, the necessity of keeping Jesus first place, to think anything as of ourselves, trusting faith, truth, wake up, water and nourish the fruit, wisdom, without me ye can do nothing
2 Corinthians 3:5. Not that we are sufficient of ourselves to think anything of ourselves; but our sufficiency is of God.
And it’s the Friday before Christmas! Wow! What a wonderful long weekend this will be! Some of us not going back to work for almost a week, if we have vacation time and a good employer! (smile) Thus the many joyful shouts of ‘TGIF! Thank God it’s Friday!’ But please, let’s not forget to include Christ in all of our Christmas doings, for He is the reason that we are celebrating this joyful time, and without Him we are nothing. As He so rightfully reminds us in the Word: ‘I am the vine, ye are the branches: he that abideth in me, and I in him, the same bringeth forth much fruit: for without me ye can do nothing.’ (John 15:5)
Now that should be a scripture that’s always uppermost in our hearts, minds, bodies and souls, because without Jesus in us and we in Him, we cannot produce any good fruit. For it’s His presence in us, as the Holy Spirit, that sows the seeds of good fruit, then gives us the strength and wisdom to water and nurture them, as well as the necessary patience to wait for them to blossom forth with much good fruit. And that’s exactly why so many of us supposed Christians are not bearing much fruit, or any fruit at all. We’re forgetting the necessity of keeping Jesus first place in all that we do, keeping Him uppermost in our minds as we live each day, and asking for His help and guidance to do His will in His way and in His time.
And by the way, I guess we can use a refresher re the fruit that Jesus refers to. (smile) Bruh Paul outlines it to the Galatians thus: ‘But the fruit of the Spirit is LOVE, joy, peace, longsuffering (patience), gentleness (kindness), goodness (generosity), faithfulness, Meekness (courtesy with others), temperance (self-control): against such there is no law.’ (Gal. 5:22-23) Yes friends, it’s ALL about Jesus, and the moment we forget or lose sight of that most essential fact, then we begin to slide, to lose our bearings and life becomes unbearable.
Consequently, there’s this other scripture that we should always keep in the forefront of our lives. They are these most interesting and poignant words of Bruh Paul to the Corinthians: ‘Not that we are sufficient of ourselves to think anything of ourselves; but our sufficiency is of God.’ (2 Cor. 3:5) And until we have that fully planted in our souls, we won’t get anywhere. And that’s one of the reasons why our world is in such a chaotic state; we’ve become so filled with knowledge and supposed wisdom, which we feel is all our doing, and therefore we no longer need God’s help; we can handle it all. But if we’re so wise and great, why is there so much strife and disaster enveloping our once beautiful world eh?
It’s all because we’ve forgotten God, or worse yet, are trying to rid our society of Him, which is totally impossible. That just shows how foolish, arrogant and prideful we’ve become, if we believe that we can get rid of the Creator of the universe. And that’s why He’s given us free will; to make our own choices, be they good or foolish. We have no one to blame but ourselves for our foolish behaviour, because the Lord has given us everything we need to make a good life down here on earth.
As Peter attests to in his second epistle. ‘Grace and peace be multiplied unto you through (in) the knowledge of God, and of Jesus our Lord, According as his divine power hath given unto us all things that pertain unto life and godliness, through the knowledge of him that hath called us to glory and virtue: Whereby are given unto us exceeding great and precious promises: that by these ye might be partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust.’ (2 Pet. 1:2-4) And is there ever a lot of lust and corruption in our world today. It seems like there’s nothing else but that.
However, that scripture above tells us that God has already given us EVERYTHING we need for life and godliness. As parts of these two commentaries affirm: ‘We are prepared for anything. All the opportunities, information, relationships have already been given to us through knowing Him.’ As Believers, ‘Through the power of the Holy Spirit and His grace, we can seek God’s wisdom, choose to act in obedience to His Word, and live a fruitful life that reflects His glory.’
And there’s no disputing those words my brethren, for our wonderful God has done all He can to ensure that we have a decent earthly life, then, when we depart this earth, to end up with Him in heaven for all eternity. There’s no more that He can do! The rest of it all depends on us. How we respond to His commands will determine both our earthly and eternal destinies. And today, I will advise us to take a moment and consider the kind of lives we’re currently leading, and if they will enable us to live the abundant life that Christ died for us to live here on earth, and then catapult us to His waiting arms when we shed this mortal coil. It’s oh so important that we regularly check out our lives to see how we’re doing, so that we can make any necessary adjustments.
Now, let’s go to throne of grace, through our Chant, seeking divine aid to help us toe the line. Altogether: ‘Oh Lord, thanks for getting me safely through this past week. You know it’s been rough… because our many serious problems are escalating instead of improving. And it’s obvious we can’t fix them on our own, so Lord, we’re desperately crying out for your help. Oh heavenly Father, with your omnipotent help, and our trusting faith, we know that we can stand strong and steadfast and defeat the simmering unrest in our land. We therefore ask you Lord to give our leaders the wise guidance to handle these unexpected storms properly.
And please help the rest of us to be responsible and to stay safe amidst all the anxiety and confusion of these ungodly times. We fervently pray too Lord that you’ll use the discontent and dissatisfaction in our land as a means of restoring faith in you. Return backsliders to your fold. Show them the error of their ways. And please introduce a new flock of believers, who will embrace your LOVE and compassion by the example, we, your faithful believers set. So that our sinful world can wake up and smell the coffee, wake up and smell it sweet and strong! We pray this in the name of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ! Amen!’
Ah friends, it’s ever so important that we wake up and smell the coffee and thus become better witnesses for Christ, if we expect to receive any divine aid! Much LOVE!
…only with Christ in us…and we in Him…that believers can do anything worthwhile…
Hear our podcast at https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/randy-obrien
15 Sep 2024
by randyobrien50
in Christian Thoughts and Inspiration., Daily Devotion, Daily Inspiration, Inspirational Living, Spiritual Living
Tags: a just man falls seven times, a time of sorrows, a year of sorrows, beauty these eyes have seen, Bible, by faith alone, christianity, confidence, Contemporary Christian songs, crushed in spirit, delivers them out of all their troubles, dreams, ever merciful, evil shall slay the wicked, face the raging seas, faith, fallen on my knees, fellowship, god, God is always with us, God proved His love for me, he shall not be utterly cast down, held them in my hand, His eyes were watching me, his seed are blessed, his seed begging bread, holy spirit, hope and wait quietly for the Lord's salvation, I have not seen the righteous forsaken, I will hope in him, i've been young, in spite of the storm, in the night, it is good that a man, Jesus Christ, journeyed through the long dark night, Judith Gayle, Lawrence Chewning, lends, life after the storm, LOVE, lover's rock, many are the afflictions of the righteous, mercy, only grains of sand, out on the open, Ray Boltz, renew our faith, righteousness, rises up again, salvation, saves those of a contrite heart, sight unknown, strength, stumble into calamity, Sunday, sweet sacrifices of praise, the anchor holds, the Lord delivers him out of them all, the Lord hears, the Lord is my portion saith my soul, the Lord is nigh unto them of a broken heart, the Lord's Day, the righteous cry, the sails are torn, the ship is battered, the soul that seeks him, the steps of a good man are ordered by the Lord, the wicked shall fall into mischief, through the storms of my life, truth, visions, wisdom
Psalm 34:17. The righteous cry, and the Lord heareth, and delivereth them out of all their troubles.
Here it comes again friends, Sunday, the Lord’s Day, the first day of this new week, when we get together in fellowship and worship in the Lord’s house and find strength and confidence to both build and renew our faith so we can handle all the problems of the upcoming week. And this week’s song of worship is certainly an interesting and very appropriate one for these troubled and trying times. It’s one of our favourite Contemporary Christian songs titled, ‘The Anchor Holds.’
And the story behind the song is definitely a moving and uplifting one. It seems in 1992, the writer, Lawrence Chewning and his wife were experiencing some real tough times. He later termed it the year of their sorrows. His father had died, and He was a burned out pastor in a church that was having problems, then to further complicate matters, his wife had her third miscarriage. It was truly a time of sorrows.
He then took a six months sabbatical and spent most of his time simply playing the piano. And it was during that period of difficulty and discouragement, of loss and lack of direction that the Lord opened his heart and filled it with that song. How marvellous and mysterious are the ways of our wonderful God! He’s always with us and never allows us to struggle more than is necessary. Whenever the time is right, He does something awesome to bring us out of our misery.
And in God’s awesome agenda, He later led Chewning to speak with singer Ray Boltz about his difficult times and the song the Lord had poured into his heart. Boltz took the song remodelled to its current form, then in 1995, recorded it and made it a hit. And it’s still going strong today, having been recorded by several people in several genres. But today we’ll do a reggae, lover’s rock version as done by Jamaican Christian singer, Miss Judith Gayle.
So, let’s offer up our sweet sacrifices of praise in a sincere, heartfelt manner, remembering the many times when the storm raged around us, but the anchor held fast because Jesus was our pilot and our anchor. Singing: ‘I have journeyed, Through the long, dark night Out on the open sea By faith alone, Sight unknown And yet His eyes, were watching me. (Chorus: The anchor holds, though the ship is battered. The anchor holds, though the sails are torn. I have fallen on my knees, As I face the raging seas, But the anchor holds, In spite of the storm.)
I’ve had visions, I’ve had dreams, I’ve even held them in my hand, But oh Lord, I never knew, They would slip right through, Oh my Jesus, Like they were only grains of sand. (Chorus: But the anchor holds…) Oh, I have been young, but I am older now, thank the Lord, And there has been beauty, that these eyes have seen, But it was in the night, through the storms of my life, Oh, that’s where God proved, His LOVE for me.
(Chorus: And the anchor holds, though my ship is battered. The anchor holds, though my sails are torn. And I have fallen on my knees, As I face the raging seas, But the anchor holds, In spite of the storm. I have fallen on my knees, As I face the raging seas, But the anchor holds, In spite of the storm. Yes, the anchor holds, In spite of the storm. Thank You Jesus! I have fallen on my knees, As I face the raging seas, But the anchor holds, In spite of the storm. Yes, the anchor holds, In spite of the storm. Thank You Jesus!’
Ah friends, what powerful a testimony and uplifting message! And I know that many of us can attest to the authenticity of the sentiments in the song, because many of us have indeed gone through tough times when it’s only because of Jesus’ strong, solid, guiding hand on our rudder and anchor, that we made it through. That’s why Bruh David could write these reassuring words from Psalm 34.
‘The righteous cry, and the Lord heareth, and delivereth them out of all their troubles. The Lord is nigh unto them that are of a broken heart; and saveth such as be of a contrite heart (crushed in spirit). Many are the afflictions of the righteous: but the Lord delivereth him out of them all. He keepeth all his bones: not one of them is broken. Evil shall slay the wicked: and they that hate the righteous shall be desolate (condemned, held guilty). The Lord redeemeth the soul of his servants: and none of them that trust in him shall be desolate (condemned). (Ps. 34:17-22)
And that’s the gospel truth my fellow believers. Our God won’t see us falling and not stop us from doing so, or if His purpose is for us to learn something from falling, to help us up when we do fall. As Cousin Sol wisely says in Proverbs: ‘For a just man falleth seven times, and riseth up again: but the wicked shall fall into mischief (stumble into calamity).’ (Prov. 24:16) And there are so many scriptures that attest to the goodness of God, that I don’t know which ones to quote.
But as they say, when in doubt, you can’t go wrong with Bruh David. (smile) So here he is from Psalm 37: ‘The steps of a good man are ordered (established) by the Lord: and he delighteth in his way. Though he fall, he shall not be utterly cast down: for the Lord upholdeth him with his hand. I have been young, and now am old; yet have I not seen the righteous forsaken, nor his seed (descendants) begging bread. He is ever merciful, and lendeth; and his seed (descendants) are blessed.’ (Ps. 37:23-26)
Oh my fellow saints, our great and faithful God will not see us in a precarious situation and not do something to help us out of it! He will never turn away from us. That’s why Jeremiah, though going through agony of body and soul in his Lamentations could still write: ‘The Lord is my portion, saith my soul; therefore will I hope in him. The Lord is good unto them that wait for him, to the soul that seeketh him. It is good that a man should both hope and quietly wait for the salvation of the Lord.’ (Lam. 3:24-26)
And yuh know what friends, when we can voice sincere sentiments like those in precarious times, then we’ll know that we’re on our way to true righteousness! Much LOVE!
…there is indeed life after the storm…and the anchor does hold…with Jesus operating it…
Hear our podcast at https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/randy-obrien
12 Aug 2020
by randyobrien50
in Christian Thoughts and Inspiration., Daily Devotion, Daily Inspiration, Inspirational Living, Spiritual Living
Tags: a good and godly attitude, a powerful tool, a righteous man, agree in prayer, ask, ask in prayer, at noon, availeth much, Ayphia, belieiving, cast thy burden upon the Lord, confess your faults to each other, Covid-19, cry aloud, engage in sincere prayer, evening, eyes fixed straight ahead, give ear to my words, giving thanks, God searches our hearts, grace, great expectations, guidance, halfway home, hands on the plough, he shall hear my voice, he shall sustain thee, He will never allow his children, healing balm, heaven is our home, I will call upon god, in the name of Jesus, it shall be given you, it shall be opened, keep looking up, knock, magnificent and magnanimous God, morning, my god, my King, never ceasing prayer, not turning back, peace, pray always, pray everywhere, pray for one another, prayer, prayer meister, saints in Christ, seek, strength, the assurance, the breath of life, the effective fervent prayer, the Good Book, the great and awesome friend, the Lord shall save me, the surety in his voice, the voice of my cry, those who love and trust you, timely guidance, to a glorious future with Jesus, to be taken, true motives, unto thee will I pray, Wednesday Wail, will I pray, will look up, wisdom, work everything out for good, ye may be healed, ye shall find, ye shall receive
Psalm 55:17. Evening, and morning, and at noon, will I pray, and cry aloud: and he shall hear my voice.
Well a good morning to you my fellow saints in Christ! I do hope we’re all prepared to receive and enjoy all the new mercies, grace, forgiveness and unconditional LOVE that our wonderful God has to offer today! There will be a surfeit of blessings; an abundance, such excess like we’ve never seen before, and much much more than we can ever use! Wow! What a magnificent and magnanimous God we serve!
Anyhow, on to more serious matters. One of our Scrip-Bit family members wrote me yesterday asking for prayer for her 2 ½ year old granddaughter Ayphia, who was born with several medical complications. This morning she’s going from Atlanta to Philadelphia to see a specialist about her blood sugar situation, which is always low. The grandma says that Ayphia has come a long way and she knows that it’s because of prayers offered on her behalf. But she is very nervous this time because of the Covid-19 situation, thus she is asking for our prayers to be sent up to heaven on Ayphia’s behalf.
Now, prayer is that marvellous action in which the saints of Christ ought to be rather adept at, since it’s the way we communicate with our Creator and heavenly Father and it is also a very powerful tool. As James, Christ’s brother so powerfully puts it: ‘Confess your faults (trespasses) one to another, and pray one for another, that ye may be healed. The effectual (effective) fervent prayer (supplication) of a righteous man availeth much.’ (James 5:16) And since we’re all righteous in the eyes of the Lord, it means that our prayers can be very effective. Thus, I’m asking all of us to pray privately for Ayphia, but also to join me in corporate prayer here.
Please pray with me. ‘Dear Father in heaven, you’ve said in your Word that when your children come to you agreed in prayer, that you will hear and grant their request. So right now we come in agreement, with concerned hearts and minds for your daughter Ayphia, asking that You heal her, apply your healing balm to her sick and hurting body and soul. And if that healing is not in your plans for her young life, then please give her and her family the strength, wisdom, grace and peace to handle the situation with a good and godly attitude, knowing that you’ve faithfully promised to eventually work everything out for the good of those who LOVE, trust and surrender their all to you. We pray this in the name of our Lord and Saviour, your wonderful Son, Jesus Christ!’
Ah friends, there’s nothing else on earth as powerful and soul building as prayer! That’s why the Good Book entreats us so much to engage in sincere prayer as often as possible…. Bruh Paul says to pray always (Eph. 6:18); without ceasing, (1 Thess. 5:17); pray everywhere (1 Tim. 2:8) So, in other words, prayer ought to be a constant in our lives. As we go about our daily tasks, our communication with our heavenly Father should not be neglected, but rather, we should involve Him in all that we do; asking for timely guidance and wisdom, giving thanks, and just talking to Him like the great and awesome friend that He is.
Remember what Jesus said: ‘Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you.’ (Matt. 7:7) And He further stated: ‘And all things, whatsoever ye shall ask in prayer, believing, ye shall receive.’ (Matt. 21:22) So I don’t know why so many of us forsake the wonderful opportunity to pray always, everywhere, and sincerely. (smile) And that’s why Bruh David, despite all his faults and foibles could still be known as a friend of God and a man after His own heart. He never stopped calling on the Almighty, regardless of time and/or circumstance.
Hear that great prayer meister. (smile) ‘Give ear to my words, O Lord; Hearken unto the voice of my cry, my King, and my God: for unto thee will I pray. My voice shalt thou hear in the morning, O Lord; in the morning will I direct my prayer unto thee, and will look up.’ (Ps. 5:1-3) Now how can a good and LOVING God refuse or refute such prayers eh?
And hear Bruh David again in Psalm 55, his cry against deceitful friends. ‘Let death seize upon them, and let them go down quick (alive) into hell: for wickedness is in their dwellings, and among them. As for me, I will call upon God; and the Lord shall save me. Evening, and morning, and at noon, will I pray, and cry aloud: and he shall hear my voice.’ (Ps. 55:15-17)
Oh mih people, that’s why Bruh David prospered! As I keep saying, he knew on which side his bread was buttered! And did you notice the surety in His voice, like Jesus said, the belief that God would hear his cry? Now do we come to God with such assurance? I don’t think so. That’s possibly why many of our prayers are not answered. Remember too that God searches our hearts for our true motives before He answers our prayers, so if our motives aren’t right and our belief isn’t strong then our prayers are likely to go unanswered.
But listen to these oh so true words of Bruh David that brings the full picture to life. ‘Cast thy burden upon the Lord, and he shall sustain thee: he shall never suffer (permit) the righteous to be moved (shaken).’ (Ps. 55:22) Now that encapsulates the whole thing; just cast your care on God, believing that He will never allow His children to be taken! And with that divine assurance, we can therefore go home now declaring (yeahhh!) our Wednesday Wail, letting all and sundry know of our wonderful position in Christ Jesus.
So in strong voice, with sincere hearts: ‘Wednesday, Wednesday, Wednesday: I’m so glad to be alive on this Wednesday! Wednesday, Wednesday, Wednesday: Thank God the breath of life is still flowing through me on this Wednesday! I am halfway home. My hands are fixed securely on the plough, and I’m not turning back. I’m not looking back at the past, not focusing on what has gone before. But my eyes are fixed straight ahead; straight ahead to a glorious future with Jesus. Glory Hallelujah!’
Now let’s hold on strong and steadfast to the plough, keep focusing on the future, and we’ll be more than pleasantly surprised at the eventual outcome. Much LOVE!
…heaven is our home…so let’s keep looking up…with great expectations…
P.S. Please remember Ayphia in your prayers. Much LOVE!
02 Aug 2020
by randyobrien50
in Christian Thoughts and Inspiration., Daily Devotion, Daily Inspiration, Inspirational Living, Spiritual Living
Tags: adulation, awestruck wonder, blessing, Davidic covenant, flashes of lightning, glory, heaven's mercy seat, holy is he, honour, I am in the midst, I sing, Jennie Lee Riddle, King of Kings, my everything, pandemic, proper authority, riches, rolls of thunder, sing a new song, strength, Teh Revelation song, that was slain, the Lion of the tribe of Judah, the only wise king, the root of David, the salin lamb, to receive power, Tribulation judgements, where two or three are gathered, wisdom, with all creation, worthy is the Lamb
Revelation 5:12. Worthy is the Lamb that was slain to receive power, and riches, and wisdom, and strength, and honour, and glory, and blessing…
It’s worship time again friends; the day of the Lord, the Sabbath day! So let’s get together and do just that nuh, for it doesn’t matter where we are, in a majestic cathedral, a rundown shack, or under a mango tree, once two or three of us are gathered together in Jesus’ name, then we can have church, for He will be in our midst, that’s His faithful promise. (Matt. 18:20) And all God’s people said a loud and proud: ‘Praise the Lord! Bless His Holy Name!’ But sadly, many of us still can’t gather physically because of the pandemic affecting our world, but we can certainly gather by technological means and express our faith and receive God’s confidence and blessings.
So let’s get started with today’s worship song titled ‘The Revelation Song,’ written by Jennie Lee Riddle with lyrics adapted from Revelation 5 of the New Testament. It’s new to me, but it seems to have been around for a while. And am I ever amazed when I check out some of these songs on You Tube and see the number of different versions and how long some of them have been around and I’ve never heard of them. Now today we going to do an up-tempo version of ‘The Revelation Song,’ because it’s a song of much praise and thanks and thus calls for an up-tempo mood. (smile)
So in sweet and soulful harmony, let’s raise our voices to heaven in a sincere sacrifice of praise. ‘Worthy is the, Lamb who was slain, Holy, holy is He. Sing a new song, to Him who sits on, Heaven’s mercy seat. Worthy is the Lamb who was slain, Holy, holy is He. Sing a new song, to Him who sits on, Heaven’s mercy seat (Chorus: Holy, holy, holy is the Lord God Almighty Who was and is and is to come. With all creation I sing, praise to the King of kings, You are my everything, and I will, adore You) Clothed in rainbows, of living colour, Flashes of lightning, rolls of thunder. Blessing and honor, strength and glory and power be, To You: the only wise King
(Chorus: Holy, holy, holy….) Filled with wonder, awestruck wonder, At the mention of Your name. Jesus, Your name is power, breath and living water, Such a marvelous mystery. Oh, You’re worthy, mystery You are worthy (Holy, holy, holy is the Lord God Almighty, Who was and is and is to come. With all creation I sing, praise to the King of kings, You are my everything, and I will adore You, I will adore You…. With all creation I sing, praise to the King of kings, You are my everything, and I will adore You, I will adore You….’
Oh friends, that was a wonderful rendition of such amazing truth, for Jesus is indeed all those things…in fact He is our EVERYTHING! Consequently, He needs to be adored and revered and sincerely worshipped. He’s done so much for us, that anything less than complete adulation is a sin! (smile) And since the sentiments of the song are adapted from Revelation 5, I guess it’s only right that we hear some of the original words. This is where John in his revelation saw God the Father sitting on His throne in heaven with a book in His right hand, sealed with seven seals. And an angel, ‘a strong angel,’ John says, was proclaiming with a loud voice, ‘Who is worthy to open the book, and to loose the seals thereof?’ (Rev. 5:1-2)
Now according to the scholars, ‘The book is a scroll with seven messages, each of which has been sealed with the authority of God. The breaking of the seals would reveal the message inside each part of the scroll. Scrolls normally had writing on only one side. This scroll contains the Tribulation judgements of God (cf. ch.6; Ezek. 2:9-10; Dan. 8:26; 12:4) But unfortunately no man in heaven or on earth, or below the earth was found worthy to open it, or even look at it, and that brought tears to John’s eyes. (Rev. 5:3-4)
As the scholars confirm, ‘Only one with the proper authority could open the book by loosing or removing its seals (cf. Is. 29:11). The question is ‘Who has the right to judge the world?’ – that is, to reveal what is hidden in the scroll and to execute what is written.’ But then, one of the elders said to John: ‘Weep not: behold the Lion of the tribe of Judah, the Root of David, hath prevailed (overcome) to open the book, and to loose the seven seals thereof.’ Then John saw the slain Lamb in the midst of it all, with seven horns and seven eyes corresponding to the seven Spirits of God sent forth into the earth. Then the lamb came and took the book out of the hand of him that sat on the throne. (Rev. 5:5-7)
Oh friends, hear the scholars: ‘5:5-7. Christ is presented both as a Lion (Ruler) from the tribe of Judah (cf. Gen. 49:10) and as a Lamb (Redeemer; cf. Is. 59:7; John 1:29). The Root of David shows a messianic connection with the Davidic covenant (cf. 2 Sam. 7:16; Is. 11:1) and Christ’s right to the throne of Israel. The vision of Christ here brings together the twofold aspect of His first and second comings – His work as Saviour and as Sovereign. Christ has the right to judge, possess, and rule the earth because of His submission to the death of the cross (cf. Phil. 2:8-11).’
Now that’s why He’s our EVERYTHING! But the wonderful part of John’s vision is when the Lamb takes the Book, overwhelming thanks and praises break out in heaven as the four beasts and four and twenty elders fall down before the Lamb with their harps and bowls of incense – the prayers of the saints. ‘And they sung a new song, saying, ’Thou art worthy to take the book (scroll), and to open the seals thereof: for thou wast slain, and hast redeemed us to God by thy blood out of every kindred (tribe), and tongue, and people, and nation; And hast made us unto our God kings and priests: and we shall reign on earth.’ (Rev. 5:9-10)
But mih people, that was only the beginning of the celebrations. After that John heard angels and elders around the throne, in their thousands and ten thousands, and thousand thousands ‘Saying with a loud voice; Worthy is the Lamb that was slain to receive power, and riches, and wisdom, and strength, and honour, and glory, and blessing…’ And furthermore, he heard every creature in the creation saying, ‘Blessing, and honour, and glory, and power be unto him that sitteth upon the throne, and unto the Lamb for ever and ever. And the four beasts (living creatures) said, Amen. And the four and twenty elders fell down and worshipped him that liveth for ever and ever.’ (Rev. 5:12-14)
And we think we can worship and party down here! Steups! Heaven is where the real party people are! (smile) Yes friends, with the wonderful Triune God of Father, Son and Holy Spirit that we claim to worship, much praise and thanks should always be in our hearts and mouths! Please have a blessed and glorious day thanking and praising our Triune God! Much LOVE!
…let everything that hath breath…praise the Lord… (Ps.150:6)
10 Jul 2020
by randyobrien50
in Christian Thoughts and Inspiration., Daily Devotion, Daily Inspiration, Inspirational Living, Spiritual Living
Tags: a stumbling block, abide in Him, anxiety, assurance, be strong, be yuh best, believers in Christ, book learning, Christ, confusion, damage, enjoy the fruits of your labour, faithful believers, faithfully promised, fight the good fight, flooding, foolishness, formal education, Friday chant, God's thoughts and ways, grace, havoc, he who endures to the end, heatwave, higher than ours, in word and deed, introduce a whole new flock, is stronger than men, is wiser than men, keep on keeping on, life experience, look yuh best, LOVE, no air conditioning, no other name like Jesus, not falter, not give up, nothing is impossible, omnipotent help, our heavenly Father, pandemic, peace, protests, quench the fiery heat, recourse, regardless of the circumstances, restoring faith in you, serious setbacks, show them, sinful world, slaving in the boiling heat, stand strong and steadfast, strength, strife, take courage, TGIF!, Thank God is Friday, the crown of glory, the error of their ways, the foolishness of God, the Greeks seek after wisdom, the Jews require a sigh, the message, the power of God, the weakness of God, the weekend, the wisdom of God, trusting faith, unrest in the streets, wake up and smell the coffee, we preach Christ crucified, what a hot week, will be richly rewarded, wisdom in spades, wise guidance
1 Corinthians 1:25. Because the foolishness of God is wiser than men; and the weakness of God is stronger than men.
Grace and peace and LOVE from our heavenly Father be unto you this Friday morning my fellow believers in Christ Jesus! It’s a new day and His mercies are new! Glory be! And the message is that we must abide in Him, regardless of the uncomfortable and dangerous circumstances that surround us, we must be strong and not falter, not give up, for he who endures to the end will be richly rewarded! And all God’s children said a loud and grateful ‘Amen!’
Yeh friends, there’s no other name in the universe like that of Jesus, our Lord and Saviour, to whom NOTHING is impossible and through whom we can do ANYTHING He desires of us! So let’s take courage, strength and assurance from those facts today nuh and keep on keeping on, keep on fighting the good fight for which we were created so that we can eventually win the crown of glory that we’ve been so faithfully promised! Sermon done! (smile)
It’s time to hear what the ordinary workingman has to say. ‘TGIF! Thank God is Friday oui! And best of all, the weekend is upon us! But what a hot week this has been! Oh brother, both outside and inside, especially in the blooming slave master factory that don’t have no air conditioning! Steups!
What a cheap man! He refuse to spend the few dollars to put it in, even though they tell him it going to make the machinery last longer, not to mention his employees. We all lost a couple pounds this week, including him, slaving in the boiling heat! To tell the truth though, sometimes the AC not even good enough at home to quench the fiery heat during the nights and them. It’s what you call a real heatwave…and it looks like it going to last even longer.
Just hope the weekend not too bad nuh so I can get some much needed rest… And then this pandemic and strife thing still going on, with no end in sight to them either…What a bam bam! Pandemic, strife and heat! What a glorious trio! And not even a drop of rain to put out the fire. Although Toronto got a good deluge this week for an hour or so that cause a whole lotta flooding and damage, but nowhere else on the outskirts had anything but a li’l drizzle.
But what yuh going to do eh? Life’s never been easy…and nobody ever said it was ever going to be either. Yuh just have to live it as best yuh can…look yuh best and be yuh best, enjoy the fruits of yuh labour and say thank God for Fridays and weekends yes!’
Ah mih people, the ordinary workingman might not have a lot of book learning, but he does have life experience that no amount of formal education can ever teach, and it would be very wise of us to pay some attention to his pronouncements, because remember the Lord uses the simple and foolish to upset the applecart of the wise and powerful.
As Bruh Paul so nicely and wisely put it to the fractious, infighting and thus divided church at Corinth. ‘Where is the wise? where is the scribe? where is the disputer (debater) of this world? hath not God made foolish the wisdom of this world? For after that in the wisdom of God the world by wisdom knew not God, it pleased God by the foolishness of preaching (the message preached) to save them that believe.’ (1 Cor. 1:20-21)
Yeh friends, it wasn’t by wisdom that the world learned of Christ Jesus, but by the message of the cross preached by simple men and women, to those who chose to believe. As Bruh Paul continues: ‘For the Jews require a sign, and the Greeks seek after wisdom. But we preach Christ crucified, unto the Jews a stumbling block, and unto the Greeks foolishness. But unto them which are called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God, and the wisdom of God. Because the foolishness of God is wiser than men; and the weakness of God is stronger than men.’ (1 Cor. 1:22-25)
Oh my people, even on His worst day, God’s foolishness and weakness is much wiser and much stronger than man’s best! For remember, He said quite plainly that His ways and thoughts are way above ours. (Is. 55:8-9) And logically, they would have to be for Him to do all the awesome things that He’s done. So please let’s pay serious attention to Him nuh, for though it might sound like foolishness to the world’s way of thinking, it’s actually wisdom in spades.
Now let’s go home showing true wisdom, falling on our bended knees and offering up prayerful sentiments to Him in the form of our Friday Chant. All together now: ‘Oh Lord, thanks for getting me safely through this past week. It’s been pretty rough…some of it from work, as many of us are now back to work in varied ways, but most of our anxiety still comes from all the confusion and havoc that the Covid-19 virus still causing. We not accustomed to that Lord, and it really telling on us.
And now, on top of all that, we have racial riots and protests to put up with. Oh Lord, yuh know we can’t handle it on our own and desperately need Your help. Yes, heavenly Father, with your omnipotent help, and our trusting faith, we know that we can stand strong and steadfast and defeat both the virus and the unrest in our streets.
So Lord, we sincerely ask you today to give the governments and those involved in the forefront of this serious and unexpected storm, the sure and wise guidance to handle the situation properly, with the least amount of loss to life and property as possible. And please help those of us who must go out to work amidst all the confusion, to be responsible and to stay safe, so that we can avoid any more serious setbacks.
And Lord, we fervently pray that You’ll use this situation to also bring a lot of backsliders back to your fold, show them the error of their ways. It’s also a good opportunity to introduce a whole new flock, who will embrace your LOVE and compassion because of the way we, your faithful believers, handle the situation. Yes Lord, please use this pandemic and the unrest in the streets as a means of restoring faith in You, so that our sinful world can wake up and smell the coffee, sweet and strong! We pray this in the name of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ! Amen!’
And having said all of that, our only recourse now is to be faithful believers, both in word and deed! Much LOVE!
…whether times are good or bad…Christ is ALWAYS the answer…
05 Feb 2020
by randyobrien50
in Christian Thoughts and Inspiration., Daily Devotion, Daily Inspiration, Inspirational Living, Spiritual Living
Tags: a blessing, also to be feared, ambassadors, among the heathen, assurance, band our jaw and belly, beautiful replicas of Christ, breath of life, challenging workweek, compassion, covenant, encouraging, exhorts, fear him, fickle nature, forgiveness, frail, get a pass mark, glad to be alive, glory and honour, grace, great is the Lord, greatly to be praised, halfway home, hard slugging, held in reverential awe, holy spirit, Holy Trinity, idols, in beauty and holiness, in his place, in his presence, inherent problem, justification, looking forward, LOVE, magnificent and magnanimous God, marvellous works, mercy, not looking back, plenty eyes water, privilege, remember God's deeds, salvation, sanctification, sincere hearts, strength, strength and gladness, the Master Plan, the reigneth, to a glorious future with Jesus, tremble, Triune Godhead, truth, tumbling tumbleweed, Wednesday Wail, worship the Lord, worthless things
1 Chronicles 16:25. For great is the Lord, and greatly to be praised: he also is to be feared (held in reverential awe) above all gods.
And by now, on this bright and sunshiny, but somewhat chilly Wednesday winter’s morn, most of us will have gotten accustomed to the tumbling tumbleweed motion of our lives as we go through the challenging workweek. (smile) Ah, but friends, we believers don’t need to worry about that tumbleweed motion of our lives because our most remarkable Maker has it purposefully planned, right down to the last teardrop, the last breath! And nothing is going to interfere with His plans to work everything out for our good as He grows our faith and matures us into beautiful replicas of His wonderful Son, Jesus Christ our Lord and Saviour! Yes, that’s the Master Plan!
Wow! What a blessing and privilege it is to be a replica of Christ! The inherent problem in accomplishing that though, is that such a feat requires a lot of hard slugging, it certainly doesn’t come easy, and we often have to band our jaw and belly, sacrifice a whole lot, cry plenty eyes water just to get a pass mark in the class. (smile) But the wonderful thing about our amazing, magnificent and magnanimous God is that He never asks us to do anything and not give us the tools to do it.
Thus, in our desire to become like Christ, He gives us His grace, His mercy, LOVE, compassion, forgiveness, strength, assurance, justification, sanctification, confidence, and whatever else we might happen to need to do His will! And He does it all through the power of His Holy Spirit, the third member of our Holy Trinity, our Triune Godhead. Oh my people, we certainly couldn’t ask for anything more! However, sad as it is, we ofttimes ask for more; because we’re too lazy, too afraid, or some such human frailty. In other words, we want God to not only give us the tools to do the job, but also to do it for us.
But friends, He’s not going to. We have a covenant, a partnership with Him, whereby He does His part and we do ours. End of story! He will certainly help us accomplish our part, but definitely not do it for us. So let’s not hold out any hope in that regard nuh. We’ve got to stand up on our own two feet sometime or the other, whatever it takes! We’re Christ’s ambassadors down here on earth, His hands, feet, eyes and ears, and He’s depending on us to get His work done, to spread the good news of His gospel all over the world.
Please note the marvellous words of Bruh David in the psalm he gave to Asaph, the cymbals man and band leader, as they celebrated the bringing of the Ark of the covenant to Jerusalem: ‘Sing unto the Lord, all the earth; show forth from day to day his salvation. Declare his glory among the heathen; his marvellous works among all nations. For great is the Lord, and greatly to be praised: he also is to be feared (held in reverential awe) above all gods. For all the gods of the people are idols (worthless things): but the Lord made the heavens. Glory and honour are in his presence; strength and gladness are in his place.’ (1 Chr.16:23-27)
Oh my people, what awesome truth are contained in those words! And until we fully grasp the truth contained therein, we will not fully realize the awesome position we hold in Christ’s company! Now the bringing of the Ark to Jerusalem was a really big do; a most noteworthy event in the annals of the Jewish people, and Bruh David went out all, both in his activities – dancing and playing before the Lord in the company of his subjects, as well as writing some amazing praise music that a whole big band of established musicians played along with him.
Can you imagine the scene? It must have been like Carnival Tuesday in T&T; the sun shining hot and bright, the big fancy costumes, the bright dazzling displays of colour, the music jamming loud, and people jumping to high heaven! Mama Yo! Who say they didn’t know how to party in them days eh! (smile)
Now hear some more awesome truth from Bruh David on the occasion nuh: ‘Give unto the Lord , ye kindreds of the people, give unto the Lord glory and strength. Give unto the Lord the glory due unto his name: bring an offering, and come before him: worship the Lord in the beauty of holiness. Fear (tremble) before him, all the earth: the world also shall be stable, that it be not moved. Let the heavens be glad, and let the earth rejoice: and let men say among the nations, The Lord reigneth.’ (1 Chr.16:28-31).
Oh my people, my people, that is exactly what we ought to be saying in these perilous and troubled times! Unless we believers acknowledge the sovereignty of our omnipotent, merciful and gracious God, and behave like it too, how are the unbelievers going to know about Him and the wonderful life that awaits them with Him eh? They won’t. That’s why it’s ever so important that we sing the praises of the Lord and show His true colours to the unbeliever.
Now here is some interesting info from the scholars on the psalm. ‘16:7. This psalm (with slight variations) is woven into several of the psalms in the Hebrew Psalter (cf. vs. 8-22 with Ps.105:1-15; vs. 23-33 with Ps.96; vs. 34-36 with Ps.106:1, 47-48). It is learned here that those later liturgical adaptations originated with David. The psalm was especially suited for this auspicious occasion.
This particular psalm exhorts the people to praise Israel’s wonder-working God (vs. 8-11), and encourages its hearers to remember God’s deeds (vs. 12-14), and His unfailing covenant with Abraham, Isaac and Jacob (vs. 15-22). David then directs all nations to join Israel in its praise of the holy God to whom all the universe is subservient (vs. 23-33), and closes this song with a section of thanks, petition, and praise (vs.34-36).’
Let’s do the same nuh: ‘O give thanks unto the Lord; for he is good; for his mercy endureth for ever. And say ye, Save us, O God of our salvation, and gather us together, and deliver us from the heathen, that we may give thanks to thy holy name, and glory (triumph) in thy praise. Blessed be the Lord God of Israel for ever and ever. And all the people said, Amen, and praised the Lord.’ (1 Chr. 16:34-36) Oh my fellow believers, that’s how it ought to be, every day of our lives! And yes, we’re only humans with a frail and fickle nature, but that’s no excuse for not praising and worshipping and thanking our great God!
And now, for those of us who sincerely try, let’s go home declaring (chuh!) our Wednesday Wail, letting the world know our true position in Christ. As one body, in strong voice with sincere hearts. ‘Wednesday, Wednesday, Wednesday: I’m so glad to be alive on this Wednesday! Wednesday, Wednesday, Wednesday: Thank God the breath of life is still flowing through me on this Wednesday! I am halfway home. My hands are fixed securely on the plough, and I’m not turning back. I’m not looking back at the past, not focusing on what has gone before. But my eyes are fixed straight ahead; straight ahead to a glorious future with Jesus. Glory Hallelujah!’
And will that future ever be glorious…more than we can ever ask or imagine! Much LOVE!
…O…give thanks unto the Lord…for He is good…for His mercy endureth for ever…
P.S. Yes, it’s a tad long…but it’s ever so nice and encouraging…and I enjoyed writing it! (smile) Hope you enjoy reading it… Much LOVE!
07 Nov 2019
by randyobrien50
in Christian Thoughts and Inspiration., Daily Devotion, Daily Inspiration, Inspirational Living, Spiritual Living
Tags: a solid foundation, according to his riches in glory, all things, believe it, beside the still waters, by Christ Jesus, called to his purpose, casting a ll your care, clear direction, compassionate heart, curse, despair, expensive time, favour, first snowfall, furnaces, good health, he cares for you, humble yourselves, in a splendid manner, innocent, lie down in green pastures, my god, negative winter stuff, negative word, never forsake you, never leave you, ole faithful, pearl teardrops, propsper, sad, Seasonal Affective disorder, self-control, snow blowers, strength, succeed, supply all of your need, sustenance, the devil in disguise, The Lord is my shepherd, the mighty hand of God, the shadow of death, the valley, them that love God, they comfort me, they rod and thy staff, Thursday Blessings, unassuming, unlimited resources, welcome, winter season, winterizing, work together for good
Philippians 4:19. But my God shall supply all your need according to his riches in glory by Christ Jesus.
Welcome folks, welcome! Welcome to the first snowfall of this winter season in my area! And if you have forgotten, the snow does look beautiful when it covers the rooftops and the grassy areas. And how can you not admire it as it’s falling down like li’l pearl teardrops, so innocent and unassuming! (smile) Yeh, but it could also be the devil in disguise. Thankfully though, right now it’s the wet stuff that’s falling, so it’s not really causing any problems on the roads, and whatever is on the grass and rooftops hopefully won’t stay long as the day warms up.
Ah mih people, it’s a wake up call to begin winterizing; take out your winter attire; hat’s boots, scarves, gloves etc., winterize your cars, get your snow shovels and snow blowers ready, make sure your furnace is running efficiently and all the other little things we need to get done as we set in for a long, cold season. Ah, you friends living down south don’t know how blessed you all are nuh, because winter can be such a frustrating, difficult and expensive time.
And the days can be so dark and dreary, that they automatically weaken your spirit and your desire to do anything constructive. But as always, our great God is right there with us, providing the necessary sustenance, the necessary strength of all kinds, and lifting our spirits so that we don’t fall prey to the negative emotions of despair, hopelessness, and the winter blahs, or what we now calling ‘SAD,’ Seasonal Affective Disorder).
And there are two paramount scriptures that we need to hold dearly and tightly come the winter blahs. The first is that ole faithful; ‘And we know that all things work together for good to them that LOVE God, to them who are the called (elect, saints) according to his purpose.’ (Rom. 8:28) Ah friends, there is no better time to believe that verse of scripture than in the upcoming months of winter, as it gives us a solid foundation to handle all the negative winter stuff that comes against us, knowing that our wonderful God is working out everything, both good and bad, in our favour, because we truly LOVE and trust and surrender our all to Him!
And the next verse is like the first, (smile) producing overwhelming hope and faith in a rough and tough season. Remember these awesome words of Bruh Paul to the Philippians: ‘But my God shall supply all your need according to his riches in glory by Christ Jesus.’ Yes my fellow saints in Christ, our magnanimous and magnificent God WILL satisfy all our needs as we sacrifice our thoughts, words and deeds in His honour.
Hear how the scholars explain it. ‘4:19. Because the Lord is aware of the sacrifice (v.18) the Philippians made in meeting Paul’s needs, God will surely supply all their need. God will meet their “need” (1) according to his riches, that is, in proportion to His unlimited resources; (2) in glory, that is, He will meet their need “gloriously” on “in a splendid manner”; and (3) by Christ Jesus.’
And we know that our God keeps all of His promises, so there is no need to be anxious over our earthly needs. And to really help us set up this strong winter foundation, let’s bring to mind some other foundational and faithful scriptures nuh. (smile)
Remember this big and oh so important one from our Lord and Saviour, Jesus Himself? ‘But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you.’ (Matt. 6:33) That says it all right there friends, but as they say, there’s strength in numbers, so check out this one. ‘Humble yourselves therefore under the mighty hand of God, that he may exalt you in due time: Casting all your care upon him; for he careth for you.’ (1 Pet. 5:6:7)
Mamacita! What can be more beautiful or inspirational eh? How about this one? ‘And God is able to make all grace abound toward you; that ye, always having all sufficiency in all things, may abound to every good work:’ (2 Cor. 9:8) There again my people, we have the promise of God’s power, His generosity and unfailing faithfulness!
And we’ll close with some of the most awesome and inspirational verses in the Good Book; the immortal words of Bruh David: ‘The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want. He maketh me to lie down in green pastures: he leadeth me beside the still waters: He restoreth my soul: he leadeth me in the paths of righteousness for his name’s sake. Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil: for thou art with me; thy rod and thy staff they comfort me.’ (Ps. 23:1-4)
Oh my fellow saints in Christ, what wonderful words of hope and reassurance! And they are not meant to strengthen only those of us preparing for winter, but for ALL believers, so that we can remain strong and steadfast against the enemy, and do the work God has planned for each of us.
Now let’s go home declaring (steups!) our Thursday Blessings, blessings that the Lord has magnanimously granted us so that we can do His holy will. All together in strong voice: ‘I declare that I am blessed with God’s supernatural wisdom and receive clear direction for my life! I declare today that I am blessed with creativity, courage, talent and abundance! I am blessed with a strong will, self-control and self-discipline!
I am blessed with a great family, good friends, good health, faith, favour and fulfillment! I am blessed with success, supernatural strength, promotion and divine protection! I am blessed with a compassionate heart and a positive outlook on life! I declare that any curse or negative word that’s ever been spoken over me is broken right now in the name of Jesus! I declare that everything I put my hands to will prosper and succeed! I declare it today and everyday! Amen!’
And if we’re sincere in those pronouncements, then the next step is for us to go out and put those blessings to work in Jesus’ name. Much LOVE!
…I will never leave you…nor forsake you…that’s God’s faithful promise…believe it…
20 Oct 2019
by randyobrien50
in Christian Thoughts and Inspiration., Daily Devotion, Daily Inspiration, Inspirational Living, Spiritual Living
Tags: always by our sides, Augustus Toplady, awesome reverence, Christ's redemptive work, cleft for me, covenant people, descendants, faithless, fear the Lord, fickle, find shelter, finding shelter, Godtube, Hymnary.org, in a cleft of rock, in whom I will trust, mind is stayed on thee, my buckler, my deliverer, my fortress, my god, my strength, never abandon us, of my salvation, our light in the dark, perfect peace, rock of ages, seed of jacob, shield, sin's guilt and power, strength, such a kind father, Sunday, the day of the Lord, the deluge from, the horn, The Lord is my rock, thine anger, thunderstorm, turned away
Psalm 18:2. The Lord is my rock, and my fortress, and my deliverer; my God, my strength, in whom I will trust; my buckler (shield), and the horn (strength) of my salvation, and my high tower (stronghold).
Hear it comes friends, the big day, Sunday; the day of the Lord! And it’s time to gather in His sanctuary to fellowship with other believers, to sing and praise His holy name, hear His Word and be refueled for another week. And as always, we shall open the proceedings with some music of praise, aptly titled ‘Rock of Ages.’ Yes friends, we’re talking about that beautiful Christian hymn written by the English Pastor, Augustus Toplady in 1763.
And the Hymnary.org site informs us: ‘There is a legend that Augustus Toplady was inspired to write this hymn after finding shelter from a thunderstorm in a cleft in a rock at Burrington Combe in Somerset, England in 1776. While evidence to support that story is lacking, it does provide a vivid image through which to understand the hymn. Christ and His redemptive work on the cross are like that cleft in the rock, where we can find shelter from the deluge of sin’s guilt and power.’
And I wonder if during that storm Augustus ever considered the similarities when the Lord passed before Moses on Mt. Sinai, when He gave him the Ten Commandments, (Ex.34 & 35) and Elijah in the cleft of the mountain when he ran away from God, after Jezebel promised to kill him. (1 Kin.19:10-15) We’ll never know until we get to heaven and ask Augustus. (smile) So let’s sing his wonderful hymn nuh. As one strong, sincere voice, in sweet, harmonious tones.
‘Rock of Ages, cleft for me, let me hide myself in thee; let the water and the blood, from thy wounded side which flowed, be of sin the double cure; save from wrath and make me pure. Not the labors of my hands can fulfill thy law’s demands; could my zeal no respite know, could my tears forever flow, all for sin could not atone; thou must save, and thou alone.
Nothing in my hand I bring, simply to the cross I cling; naked, come to thee for dress; helpless, look to thee for grace; foul, I to the fountain fly; wash me, Saviour, or I die. Wash me, Saviour or I die. While I draw this fleeting breath, when mine eyes shall close in death, when I soar to worlds unknown, see thee on thy judgment throne, Rock of Ages, cleft for me, let me hide myself in thee…Let me hide myself in thee…let me hide myself in thee….’
Yes my fellow saints in Christ, Almighty God is our refuge and our rock! He’s at once the source of our protection and our strong tower. We hear it loud and clear in Moses’ song: ‘Because I will publish (proclaim) the name of the Lord: ascribe ye greatness unto our God. He is the Rock, his work is perfect: for all his ways are judgment: a God of truth and without iniquity, just and right is he.’ (Deut.32:3-4)
And as the scholars explain: ’32:4-9. A faithful God and a faithless people are pictured. The Rock: The word is placed first in the Hebrew for emphasis. It emphasizes the stability and permanence of the God of Israel. His unchanging nature is contrasted with the fickleness of the covenant people.’
Unfortunately though, nothing much has changed with us, today’s covenant people; we’re still fickle and faithless. But thankfully our God does not change, but remains the same yesterday, today and forever! And if you don’t believe me, hear Bruh David declare it from Psalm 18 – Thanksgiving for deliverance.
‘I will LOVE thee, O Lord, my strength. The Lord is my rock, and my fortress, and my deliverer; my God, my strength, in whom I will trust; my buckler (shield), and the horn (strength) of my salvation, and my high tower (stronghold). I will call upon the Lord, who is worthy to be praised: so shall I be saved from mine enemies.’ (Ps.18:1-3) Oh friends, you couldn’t get any surer or more trusting than that!
And Isaiah echoes those same sentiments in his Thanksgiving for God’s mercies. ‘And in that day thou shalt say, O Lord, I will praise thee: though thou wast angry with me, thine anger is turned away, and thou comfortedst me. Behold, God is my salvation; I will trust, and not be afraid: for the Lord Jehovah is my strength and my song; he also is become my salvation.’ (Is.12:1-2)
Then in his hymn of praise, he solemnly and surely declares: ‘Thou wilt keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on (sustained by) thee. Trust ye in the Lord for ever: for in the Lord Jehovah is everlasting strength (Rock of Ages).’ (Is.26:3-4) Yeah mih people, our God certainly deserves the name Rock of Ages!’
And we’ll close with these wonderful and oh so true sentiments from the Godtube site: ‘ Even when we may feel like we are all alone, remember that God is always by our side and will never abandon us. He is truly our light in the dark and our rock that we can stand upon always. What an amazing feeling to be LOVED by such a kind Father and to give praise to His name with the beautiful hymn ‘Rock Of Ages.’ That says it all precious people of God!
But we’ll reinforce it with the advice of Bruh David. (smile) ‘Ye that fear the Lord, praise him; all ye the seed (descendants) of Jacob, glorify him; and fear him (hold Him in awesome reverence). All ye the seed of Israel. For he hath not despised nor abhorred the affliction of the afflicted; neither hath he hid his face from him; but when he cried unto him he heard.’ (Ps.22:23-24)
So let’s go home today, renewed and refueled, trusting in the Lord God, our strength and refuge, who will always hear us when we cry out to Him, for He is indeed our Salvation. Much LOVE!
…true salvation…can only be found…in the Rock of All Ages…
30 Jul 2019
by randyobrien50
in Christian Thoughts and Inspiration., Daily Devotion, Daily Inspiration, Inspirational Living, Spiritual Living
Tags: and of the son of man, blessed be God, climb to a higher ledge, come into my life, do good works through me, dr robert h schuller, energetic, faith, Father of mercies, fatigues you, fearedevery day, forgettest the Lord thy maker, friend of Jesus, God-filled ideas, has all the bases covered, Hour of Power Devotional, hurry, I even I am he, Jesus Christ, laid the foundations of the earth, live within me O god, LOVE, love people through me, made like grass, negative thinking, of a mortal man, positive energy, replenishes you, resurrection of christ, salvation, self-perpetuating, serving Jesus, share His love, share Jesus' love and friendship, stored away in heaven incorruptible, strength, success, that comforteth you, that shall die, that thou should be afraid, the Father of Jesus, the fury of the oppressor, the power of God, the victory of christ, trust my friend Jesus, Tuesday Mantra, undefiled, untapped energy, vitality, who art thou, worry
Isaiah 51:12. I, even I, am he that comforteth you: who art thou, that thou shouldest be afraid of a (mortal) man that shall die, and of the son of man which shall be made as grass.
Welcome friends and neighbours to a wet and cloudy Tuesday morning, the penultimate day of July 2019! It might not seem like a beautiful day, but it is another day in the oh so small number of days in our life basket – like a breath of air compared to the life of the universe! So please let’s be determined to rejoice and enjoy it nuh, for that’s why the Lord gave it to us, and if we don’t, He will be heartbroken! (smile)
And since I know that sometimes the cloudy weather depletes our natural enthusiasm and energy, I’m here to day to help us build up both. Now Gramps Schuller (Dr. Robert H. Schuller) claims that ‘Enthusiasm begets energy. Success depends on positive energy that enables you to stick with it. Energy that is positive is energy fed by enthusiasm.
Enthusiasm produces such positive energy that even when you’re physically exhausted you can’t wait to wake up the next morning to climb to a higher ledge. Positive energy moves you forward. Enthusiasm lifts you higher. Success becomes self-perpetuating. Negative thinking fatigues you, but positive energy replenishes you!’
So let’s see if we can’t get some positive thinking in our spirits today nuh, so that we can replenish what the negativity has lost. And we’ll begin with this short prayer from Gramps Schuller’s Hour of Power Devotional. Please pray with me: ‘Jesus Christ, come into my life. Flush all negative thinking out of my mind. LOVE people through me.
I believe you are coming into me now in the form of God-filled ideas. I know I have enormous undiscovered, untapped energy within me. I feel young, I have energy, I am energetic. Thank you for this vitality and strength of mind and body. Live within me, O God, and do good works through me. Thank you again. Amen!’
And if you were sincere in that prayer, then friends, I can guarantee that you now feel much more positive and enthusiastic about your life and whatever difficult circumstances might be currently swirling around you! I certainly am more encouraged and enthusiastic! I just have to go and find a suitable Bit now to keep our engines running on positive energy. Soon come!
And it didn’t take me long to find this most interesting and encouraging scripture from the book of the prophet Isaiah, where he promises, in the Lord’s name, that the faithful, who are first called to courage, WILL be comforted. ‘I, even I, am he that comforteth you: who art thou, that thou shouldest be afraid of a (mortal) man that shall die, and of the son of man which shall be made as grass.
And forgettest the Lord thy maker, that hath stretched forth the heavens, and laid the foundations of the earth; and hast feared continually every day because of the fury of the oppressor, as if he were ready (when preparing) to destroy? and where is the fury of the oppressor?’ (Is.51:12-13)
Wonderful questions those are my people! The fury of the oppressor has been stilled by the victory of Christ over him! Thus we have no need to be afraid of his satanic majesty. And even before that, both the psalmist and Isaiah had given us reason not to fear.
In his declaration of thanksgiving for the Lord’s salvation, the psalmist confidently proclaimed: ‘The Lord is on my side; I will not fear: what can man do unto me?’ (Ps.118:6) Not a lot friends. He can kill our bodies but not our souls. Only the Lord Jehovah can kill both, so we ought to be more concerned with His wishes.
And Isaiah, while talking about comfort through trust in the Lord, made it very clear when he cried, that: ‘All flesh is grass, and all the goodliness (loveliness) thereof is as the flower of the field. The grass withereth, the flower fadeth: because the spirit (breath) of the Lord bloweth upon it: surely the people is grass. The grass withereth, the flower fadeth: but the word of our God shall stand for ever.’ (Is.40:6-8)
And that my brethren, we all know as gospel truth! The world shall pass away, but NEVER the word of our Mighty Jehovah God. Now let’s turn to the New Testament for a couple of scriptures of comfort and encouragement. First off, listen to Bruh Paul to the Corinthians:
‘Blessed be God, even the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies, and the God of all comfort; who comforteth us in all our tribulation, that we may be able to comfort them which are in any trouble (tribulation), by the comfort wherewith we ourselves are comforted of god.’ (2 Cor.1:3-4) What a brilliant strategy my people! Our God comforts us in our times of trouble, so that we can comfort others, in their troubled times!
And Peter adds his two cents worth: ‘Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, which according to his abundant mercy, hath begotten us again into a lively (living) hope by the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, To an inheritance incorruptible, and undefiled, and that fadeth not away, reserved in heaven for you, who are kept by the power of God through faith unto salvation ready to be revealed in the last time.’ (1 Pet.1:3-5)
Yes friends, treasures and rewards, incorruptible and undefiled are stored up in heaven for those who believe and run the great race of faith through the salvation of Christ! Wow! What can be more encouraging and comforting that eh? Absolutely nothing! So please, let’s put all this fearful and negative thinking out of our minds, bodies and souls, and instead rejoice in the positive things that the Lord has done for us, and also has stored away in heaven for us. That’s the whole purpose of our faith!
Consequently, let’s go home now in excellent, positive spirits, as we declare (yeh!) our Tuesday Mantra, letting all and sundry know who and whose we are. All together in unison and harmony now: ‘In God’s eyes, I’m not what I do. I’m not what I have. I’m not what people say about me. I am the beloved of God, that’s who I am. No one can take that from me. I don’t have to worry. I don’t have to hurry. I can trust my friend Jesus and share His LOVE with the world. Amen!’
Oh my precious peeps, with that positive spirit now flowing and flowering through our souls, let’s go out and share Jesus’ great LOVE and friendship, like He desires of us nuh! Much LOVE!
…when one sincerely serves Jesus…there’s noting to worry about…because He has all the bases covered…
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