25 Aug 2018
by randyobrien50
in Christian Thoughts and Inspiration., Daily Devotion, Daily Inspiration, Inspirational Living, Spiritual Living
Tags: 3 Canal, all things are possible with christ, Anselm, as much as lieth in you, aspires to inspire us, awesome hope, can't move forward, clean house, depends on you, disgraceful characters in the Bible, don't be ashamed of your story, done thee no wrong, find a business, follow peace, for a better tomorrow, groceries, high flying ideas, holiness, humongous house, if it be possible, inspire others, it's Saturday, Jesus, keep up with the Joneses, laundry, live peaceably with all men, look after children, looking back at our life, meddle in affairs, meddles with strife, no man shall see God, not belonging to him, not let it foment, not trying is failure, our leader, prince of peace, raises the negativity, risk failure, sleep in, stop minding other people's business, strife, strife makers, strive not with a man, take it prayerfully to Jesus, takes a dog by the ears, takes two to cause strife, there's something good in every day, two be four apartment, we're alive, with all men, without cause, working for Jesus, yeast
Romans 12:18. If it be possible, as much as lieth in (depends on) you, live peaceably with all men.
‘Awright, awright…it’s Saturday and you want to sleep in…so who’s stopping you eh?’ the husband angrily declares from his perch on the couch. The wife shakes her head and looks at him in amazement. ‘Yuh really bold face enough to ask that question?’ she finally shouts. ‘Yes, ah bold face enough to ask it, so why don’t you answer it eh?’ he retorts.
‘Well lemme tell yuh why ah can’t sleep in on a Saturday morning: first of all it have laundry to do; then there’s groceries to be made. You want to chock your tail full of food, but you’d never say let me face the store and buy some. Then there’s the children to look after…and this humongous house to clean…’
‘Whoa, whoa there mih lovely…’ the husband cuts in. ‘Doh tell me nothing about humongous house nuh! Remember I was quite comfortable in the li’l two be four apartment. But it was you an yuh high flying ideas, who wanted the big house, who wanted to keep up with the Joneses. So don’t tell me no nonsense about house too big to clean now nuh…’
Ah friends, it sounds humorous when you read it, but it certainly isn’t. Steups! In how many houses are those kinds of arguments repeated each week eh? Way too many! And after a while they only cause strife and resentment between the partners and allows the enemy to creep in and spoil the show. That’s definitely not what we need my brethren.
Remember one of the acclamations I included in the recent list was one that says: ‘I WILL NOT tolerate strife in my life!’ It’s oh so important that we don’t, and somehow or the other we have to find ways to not let it foment in our households and lives. The only serious way to handle it is to take it prayerfully and humbly to Jesus! But remember you still have to do your part to avoid or lessen it, because it takes two to cause strife.
Anyhow, later for this strife business. It’s Saturday, so let’s look at some of the quotes our friend Anselm sent us this week, as he aspires to inspire us for a better tomorrow. First up is this: ‘If you try, you risk failure. If you don’t, you ensure it.’ There is some truth to that friends, for it’s only when you try something that you can fail. And if you don’t try, then you still fail, because you haven’t tried. (smile) Not trying is considered failure.
And the next quote tells us: ‘You can’t start the next chapter of your life if you keep rereading the last one.’ That should be obvious. If we keep looking back at our past life, we’ll never be able to move ahead with the bigger, brighter and more beautiful one that Jesus has planned for us.
That brings us to ‘Don’t be ashamed of your story it will inspire others.’ And that’s no lie my brethren! Just look at the shady, deceitful and disgraceful characters the Lord used in the Bible to do His great works? Check out Jacob, the swindler; Matthew the tax collector; Bruh David the murderer and adulterer; and Bruh Paul the murderer! Their stories have all been told to inspire us in one way or another. And so will ours be to others.
And the final quote says: ‘Every day may not be good, but there is something good in every day.’ And that’s the gospel truth friends! There’s no day that’s completely bad! There’s always something good in it to redeem it, even if it’s just the fact that we’re alive. That means we have the awesome hope, that living and working for Jesus will make tomorrow a better day. So brighten up, remember ALL things are possible with and through Jesus!
That brings us back to the matter of strife in our lives and our Bit, the wise words of Bruh Paul to the church at Rome.‘If it be possible, as much as lieth in (depends on) you, live peaceably with all men.’ That includes women too! (smile)
Ah mih breddren, just look at our world nuh; it’s just strife filled all over. It’s so much easier to pinpoint the areas where there’s little or no strife than the ones with a whole lot. And if the world is strife-filled, then it’s only logical to assume that a lot of our homes and individual lives will also be strife-filled. But that’s not the life that the Lord planned for any of us.
Listen to how Cousin Sol puts it in Proverbs. ‘Strive not with a man without cause, if he have done thee no wrong.’ (Prov.3:30) But there’s so much strife that’s’ flying around that has no real basis for it? Too much!
And Cousin Sol also gives us this bit of wisdom in Proverbs on the subject. ‘He that passeth by, and meddleth with strife belonging not to him, is like one that taketh a dog by the ears.’ And oh, so many of us meddle in affairs that don’t concern us! We have an opinion on everything and everyone, although we don’t know the half of the story.
But friends, like 3 Canal said so long ago in their song: ‘If you don’t have no business, then get some business, and stop minding other people’s business nuh!’ Words to live by mih bredden!
And we’ll end with these wise words from Hebrews: ‘Follow (pursue) peace with all men, and holiness, without which no man shall see the Lord.’ (Heb.12:14) Ah friends, with those wise words in mind, let’s begin today to rid our lives of strife and live as peacefully as we can with everybody. Our Leader Jesus, is known as the Prince of Peace, so how can we, His followers be strife makers eh? Much LOVE!
…strife in our lives…is like yeast in bread…it causes the negativity to rise up…
22 Aug 2018
by randyobrien50
in Christian Thoughts and Inspiration., Daily Devotion, Daily Inspiration, Inspirational Living, Spiritual Living
Tags: a conscious decision, a glorious future, a valued commodity, accept peace, accept what cannot be changed, anger, appreciate what we have, at ease with ourselves, breath of life, bumps, Canadian National Exhibition, clamouring for what we don't have, come to grips, Daily Meditations, depart from evil, desperate times, do good, exhale a grateful sigh, Freddie McGregor, glad to be alive, guard your hearts and minds, hands on the plough, harmony, human understanding, indisputable truth, Jay Douglas, Jesus, let not your heart be troubled, life's like a mountain road, live in peace, local boy, look to Jesus, LOVE, mid-point of the workweek, moderation, my peace I give unto you, neither leit be afraid, not as the world giveth, not looking back, One More Day Devotional, only you can bring you peace, open-air venue, passes all understanding, peace, peace begins with me, Peace i leave with you, People with Chronic Illness, power of the holy spirit, prayer, pursue it, pursue peace, put it into action, Ralph Waldo Emerson, reggae artists, rejoice, resentment, seek peace, strife, swirling dark clouds, take it to heart, take up challenges, thanksgiving, the issues that concern us, the Lord is at hand, the peace of God, the Prince of Peace, the ultimate peace, through Christ Jesus, time of fear, turns, twists, war, Wednesday Wail, wise advice
John 14:27. Peace I leave with you, my peace I give unto you: not as the world giveth, give I unto you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid.
And then it was Wednesday; the mid-point of the workweek, and a lot of people exhale a grateful sigh that the week’s nearly over. Now yesterday was a rainy day in my area, and I slept a lot of it away, (smile) but I can’t afford to do that today, because I have things to go out the street and do, so I hope the sun that’s valiantly trying to push its way through some swirling dark clouds out there is successful.
And later in the evening, I also want to go down to the C.N.E, the Canadian National Exhibition grounds, to our annual country fair and see international Reggae Artist Freddie McGregor and our local boy Jay Douglas at the Band Shell. It’s a long walk from the train station to the Band Shell and it’s also an open-air venue, so the rain definitely will not be welcomed.
But then I just thought, who controls the rain eh? The Lord God Almighty! And if He wants to send it pouring down, who is to say Him nay eh? Nobody! Let’s just hope and pray He doesn’t make that unfortunate decision today eh. (smile) And even if He does, we just have to live with it.
That makes this quote of the famous American essayist, lecturer and poet, Ralph Waldo Emerson (1803-1882) come in very handy. ‘Nothing can bring you peace but yourself.’ Yes friends, that’s ever so true, because if you don’t accept peace, even that of Jesus, you won’t ever have it. One must make a conscious decision to accept peace, to live in peace and fervently pursue peace.
As our One More Day Devotional – Daily Meditations for People with Chronic Illness tells us: ‘True peace comes from the harmony we feel within ourselves. We don’t go out and get peace of mind; it’s the result of what we do. Harmony is being at ease with ourselves, our surroundings, and with our lives. This is no easy task, as we must come to grips with the issues that cause us concern.
This doesn’t mean that all our problems must be solved before we can have inner peace, for life will be much like a mountain road, with twists and turns and many unexpected bumps. Peace is a reality for those who accept what cannot be changed and take up the challenges that can and must be dealt with. Peace is easier to attain when we cherish the gifts of the present moment.’
And isn’t that the indisputable truth my brethren! When we appreciate what we have, and are not complaining or loudly clamouring for what we don’t have, it’s much easier for our souls to find peace. And the thought for that day’s devotional declares: ‘In my life, peace begins with me. I will remember that peace is a prize of the spirit and is available to everyone.’
Now that’s basically true, but in this current world, peace is not a valued commodity. Things like strife and anger and war and resentment seem to be more prized. So if you’re trying to find peace in worldly terms, you have an almost impossible task to fulfill. But friends, if you really want peace, the ultimate peace, then you have to look to Jesus for it.
Listen to what He told His disciples as He warned them of His impending return to heaven. ‘Peace I leave with you, my peace I give unto you: not as the world giveth, give I unto you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid.’
Wow mih people! What mighty words from our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ! Only He could have made such a pronouncement to the disciples in their time of fear. That’s because He knew the power of the Holy Spirit that was to come upon them after He left.
And it’s that same Holy Spirit that comforts us in our dark and desperate times. But as with everything else, we have to accept it, and work with it. It just doesn’t happen on its own or overnight. We have to actively go after it. As Bruh David says in Psalm 34 – The Lord hears the righteous: ‘Depart from evil, and do good; seek peace, and pursue it.’ (Ps.34:14) Yeh friends, peace in our lives, all depends on us actively seeking it.
And here is Bruh Paul’s sage advice on finding it. ‘Rejoice in the Lord always: and again I say, Rejoice. Let your moderation be known unto all men. The Lord is at hand. Be careful (anxious) for nothing; but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God. And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep (guard) your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.’ (Phil.4:4-7)
Ah my fellow believers, that’s such wise and wonderful advice! Please, let’s promise ourselves today to take it to heart and put it into action nuh! For that’s the only way we will achieve the wonderful peace of God that passes all human understanding.
And for those of us who have already made that wise and momentous decision, we can now go home in peace, safety and comfort, declaring our Wednesday Wail, letting the world know our sure position in Christ Jesus. So with a strong sense of purpose and loud voice, let’s wail nuh: ‘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 I can’t help but say it, because it’s oh so true: That future with Christ will be even more glorious than we can ask or imagine! Much LOVE!
…there’s no other way to gain true peace…than through Jesus…the Prince of Peace…
16 Aug 2018
by randyobrien50
in Christian Thoughts and Inspiration., Daily Devotion, Daily Inspiration, Inspirational Living, Spiritual Living
Tags: anger, August, bad talking, blaspheming Jesus, by His word, come to Him voluntarily, compassionate heart, confident, confused, creativity, curse, disappoints, dismays, doing the best I can, empty, feel sorry for them, free choice, glory to God, grateful, hate, help, higher than the earth, higher than your ways, hoarded, holy spirit, incomprehensible, Jesus is enough, lack of love, loving-kindness, magnanimous, magnificent, mature, my throughts, my ways, negative word, not your thoughts, one consolation, one fell swoop, Our god, prosper, reveals Himself, salvation, secure, self-control, shall not return void, shared, slef-discipline, smell the sweet savour, stranglehold, strife, succeed, success, summer days, Thank You Lord, the Boss, the heavens, the hellish life, the lost, Thursday Blessings, totality, void, wake them up, we always have Jesus, winter days, wisdom, without fruit, your ways
Isaiah 55:8. For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, saith the Lord.
Hn! I can’t believe that it’s Thursday already! How can it be eh, when it was just Monday? (smile) Yuh mean to tell me that Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday gone already? Mama Mia! And what have I done for the week beside write the Bits eh? Absolutely nothing!
And not only that, but the month of August is also quickly flying by. It just recently began and it’s already the 16th! Chuh! The summer days are flying by too quickly for my liking yes! Only wish the winter days would go by as quickly. Hn! Hn! But you know that’s not going to happen.
However friends, our one consolation is that whatever time or season it is, we ALWAYS have Jesus Christ on our side! Glory to God! And that’s more than enough, for He will help us through each and every difficulty we face and bring us through more mature, confident and secure than when we started.
How can we not be grateful for such help and LOVING-kindness eh? It certainly disappoints and dismays me when I see or hear people bad talking and/or blaspheming Jesus. I feel sorry for them because they don’t know what they’re missing, and the hellish life that they’re setting themselves up for.
Oh, how I wish the Lord would just send His Holy Spirit into those people and wake them up, let them rise up and smell the sweet savour of the roses He has to offer. And He can do it if He wants to. He has the power to do it. But He wants us to come to Him voluntarily through His Son, our Lord and Saviour, Jesus Christ.
But yuh know what Lord, this free choice thing isn’t getting us anywhere nuh! Look at the lack of LOVE and the amount of strife, anger and hatred that has our world in a tight stranglehold. But as always, you are the Boss, and it’s your will, your overall plan that will prevail. So if you choose not to step in and fix it in one fell swoop, then who am I to complain eh? I just have to grin, say ‘Thank You Lord!’ and continue doing the best I can to bring the lost and confused to You.
Ah friends, unfortunately our thoughts and actions don’t always line up with the Lord’s, but as I said above, He’s the Boss, and His will and plan prevails in the universe regardless of what might or can be. And He tells us that plainly, and in all seriousness through His prophet Isaiah. ‘For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, saith the Lord. For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways, and my thoughts than your thoughts.
For as the rain cometh down, and the snow from heaven, and returneth not thither, but watereth the earth, and maketh it bring forth and bud, that it may give seed to the sower, and bread to the eater: So shall my word be that goeth forth out of my mouth: it shall not return unto me void (empty, without fruit), but it shall accomplish that which I please, and it shall prosper in the thing whereto I sent it.’ (Is.55:8-12)
And that’s telling us friends! Whatever God sends His Word to do, it will accomplish it. So the fact that I am questioning His generous act of free choice is of no importance whatsoever. His Word will accomplish the same thing that I’m seeking in His time, for whatever higher reasons He chooses.
And arguing with God, or trying to argue with Him, is a waste of time, for He won’t get into any arguments with us. Just look at how He draped up Job in Job chapter 38, when Job got a li’l too bright and too big for his breeches. The long and short of the story my brethren is that the Lord created the universe and all therein, and His Will shall prevail, regardless of who likes or dislikes it.
He might be sweet and LOVING and all that, but when it comes to running His universe, no li’l creature of His creation will tell Him what do. Amen! We just have to know our place and keep it. He’s given us Jesus and all the wonderful stuff associated with Him, now we have to go out and do our part. End of story!
And the scholar’s offer this explanation. ‘55:8-13. God’s sovereignty and omniscience are extolled by the statement that His thoughts (i.e., purposes or intentions) and ways (derakim, or “directions”) are higher than ours. While God may certainly be known by men, He is still incomprehensible in the totality of His person and purposes. Therefore, He reveals Himself to men by His word, which shall not return to Him void (in vain). The word of God, therefore accomplishes His purpose in announcing salvation to all mankind.’
And who don’t want to accept it, then crapaud simply smoke deh pipe! But for those who have wisely and joyfully accepted the Lord’s most generous offer of salvation, He’s blessed us significantly. So let’s declare our Thursday Blessings, letting the unbelieving world know what they’re missing when they don’t accept Jesus Christ as their Lord and Saviour.
In strong voice with sincere sense of purpose: ‘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!’
Oh how great and generous is our God! But please remember those blessings are not to be hoarded, but to be shared with the less fortunate. So let’s go out and do just that nuh. Much LOVE!
…oh there’s no more magnificent and magnanimous Being in the universe….than our GOD…
11 Aug 2018
by randyobrien50
in Christian Thoughts and Inspiration., Daily Devotion, Daily Inspiration, Inspirational Living, Spiritual Living
Tags: a better tomorrow, a crying shame, a major role, a rewarder, a test of faith, Abel, Abraham, after God, an inheritance, Anselm, aspires to inspire, begins with the first step, being happy, being warned, bore a child, built an ark, burn out, conviction, cope, diligently seek him, disenchantment, faith, faith champions, feel like quitting, followers of Jesus, friend, get excited, hectic pace, hope, impossible to please God, Isaac, judged him faithful, laze-abouts, make yourself a priority, miserly wages, narcissistic, negative emotions, Noah, obeyed, of things hoped for, of things not seen, part-time jobs, past age, plaguing the land, positive superlatives, promised, realization, received strength, rest, sacrifice, Sarah, simply begin, slaves, strife, stronger than fear, talk faith, tension, the evidence, the Good Book, the have-nots, the haves, the key, the longest journey, the middle part, the outgrowth of hope, the power to choose, the springboard, the substance, things not yet seen, to look after us, top priority, without faith
Hebrews 11:1. Now faith is the substance (realization) of things hoped for, the evidence (conviction) of things not seen.
Alright you laze-abouts, it’s Saturday, so get in some much needed rest! (smile) Ah mih breddren, with the hectic pace our modern-day society is setting for us, we have to find… no make the time to rest, or else we’ll just burn out and disintegrate. It’s definitely not a healthy pace, especially when some of us are forced to work two or even three part time jobs at miserly wages just to make ends meet.
And it’s not getting better, but worse. The haves are getting greedier, always wanting more, unashamedly taking the little of the have-nots. What a crying shame! And then they wonder why there is so much tension, strife, disenchantment and all the other negative emotions and situations that are currently plaguing the land.
But as followers of Jesus Christ, we do not have to despair, because He has sincerely promised to look after us. And He does keep His promises! And since it’s Saturday, let’s look at some quotes we received from our friend Anselm, as he aspires to inspire us for a better tomorrow.
The first one says: ‘The key to being happy is knowing you have the power to choose what to accept and what to let go.’ I don’t know if it’s the key to being happy, but it certainly is a very important ingredient. Your being able to choose what to accept and not to accept, plays a major role in your overall life, and thus your happiness. Just think about how slaves must feel, when they have no say in what affects them.
Then there is this bit of advice: ‘The best way to get things done is to simply begin.’ And the old Chinese Proverb corroborates that. ‘The longest journey begins with the first step.’ Yeh friends, in everything we do, we have to make a start, so why not just go ahead and do it without any procrastination eh? But then that brings us to: ‘When you feel like quitting, think about why you started.’
Now that’s an interesting concept. It ought to remind you of all the positive superlatives (smile) with which you described the adventure in the first place, and why you thought it important enough to get excited and put it all together. The end and the beginning of a project are always exciting, but it’s the hard middle part that shows if we’re truly serious about it.
And what about this one: ‘Make yourself a priority. At the end of the day, you’re your longest commitment.’ There is mucho truth to that, we have ourselves forever, and if we don’t take good care of us, we won’t be of much or any use to others.
A lot of us in this fast paced society mistakenly believe that looking after ourselves is somewhat narcissistic, but how can you cope properly, if you aren’t able to handle the stuff that comes against you? We should be our top priority …after God!
And finally, we come to the last quote: ‘Hope is the only thing stronger than fear.’ Well not exactly; faith is the only thing stronger than fear. But hope is a part of faith, it’s the springboard of faith, so to speak, for we can’t have faith without first having hope. And we can plainly see that in our Bit. ‘Now faith is the substance (realization) of things hoped for, the evidence (conviction) of things not seen.’
Yeh friends, faith is the outgrowth of hope, where we believe that we will receive things that we haven’t yet seen. The world says you’ll believe it when you see it, but Christ says, believe it, then you’ll see it.That’s why the Good Book tells us of certain faith champions.
‘By faith Abel offered unto God a more excellent sacrifice… By faith, Enoch was translated (so) that he should not see death… By faith, Noah, being warned of God of things not seen as yet, moved with fear, prepared an ark… By faith, Abraham, when he was called to go out into a place which he should after receive for an inheritance, obeyed, and he went out not knowing whither he went (where he was going)….
Through faith also Sarah herself received strength to conceive seed, and was delivered of (bore) a child when she was past age, because she judged him faithful who had promised.’ All of that’s in Chapter 11. Look at that eh, Sarah was 90 and Abraham was 100 when they had a biological child, Isaac. As the scripture says, ‘because she judged him faithful who had promised.’
Ah mih people, faith is born of great hope! And the Good Book reminds us: ‘But without faith it is impossible to please him (God): for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him.’ (Heb.11:6)
Oh my brethren, we certainly can’t approach God unless we believe that He exists, and then that He rewards those who seek Him with all their hearts, souls and minds! That’s an essential part of our faith.
And we’ll close with this classic situation on faith by Abraham. Now after waiting for about 25 years for the promise of Isaac to be actually fulfilled, then the Lord told him to go and sacrifice the child who was going to be the one to provide him with heirs more numerous than the grains of sand on the beach or stars in the heaven.
Now being an intelligent man, Abraham must have wondered how Isaac would perform that feat if he were dead. But deep down he knew that the Lord was faithful to His promises, and that somehow or the other something would happen to cause Isaac’s life to be spared.
So he followed God’s command, and we all know that as he raised his hand to kill Isaac, the Lord stopped him, it was merely a test of his faith, and provided instead a ram entangled in a nearby bush for the sacrifice. (Gen. 22:1-19)
Ah friends, ALL the champions of faith in the history of our church fervently believed and showed it in their lives, and if we want to also be champions of faith, then we too have to fervently believe and show it in our daily lives. Let’s hope that we all desire greatly to be champions of faith! Much LOVE!
…you can’t talk faith…you must walk it…
02 Aug 2018
by randyobrien50
in Christian Thoughts and Inspiration., Daily Devotion, Daily Inspiration, Inspirational Living, Spiritual Living
Tags: a calm spirit, a good attitude, a loving persona, a mighty stream of power, a morass, a pleasant smile, a strong foundation, ambassadors, anger, awesome tools, be ye reconciled to God, bringing shame, Christ's Church, courage, creativity, curse, dignity, disgrace, divine protection, dwelling in us, extraordinary stuff, faith, favour, First lady of american Theatre, forgiveness, formative years, fruit of the Spirit, good health, greed, handle life, heaven, Helen Hayes, helpfulness, high self-esteem, in Christ's stead, Jesus' mandate, Jesus' Spirit, joyousness, kindness, long-suffering, LOVE, make a difference, meekness, mercy, most important basis, murder, negative consequences, negative doings, negative word, opportunity, optimism, outgoing nature, positive attitudes, poverty, prinicples, privilege, prosper, Redwood trees, regulations, representatives, rules, same old, save the lost, self-discipline, show the same example, sickness, sincere hearts, something bright, spoken out loud, strife, strong roots, succeed, success, temperance, the ability, the affairs of men, the downtrodden, the end of time, the less fortunate, the right tools, the Word of god, Thursday Blessings, to cope with stress, to look forward to, to obey, what's new
2 Corinthians 5:20. Now then we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God did beseech you by us: we pray (implore) you in Christ’s stead (behalf), be ye reconciled to God.
So it’s Thursday…what’s new eh friends? I guess most of us will say the same old, same old. And we may be right, because that’s what life mainly consists of. However, with Jesus ‘ Spirit dwelling within us, we have the opportunity, the privilege to take that same old and turn it into something bright and beautiful!
Yeh friends, if we have heaven and all that extraordinary stuff to look forward to, from now till the end of time, then we should at least be able to put a pleasant smile on our faces and have a good attitude in our hearts, because that’s how our Lord and Saviour, our Leader Jesus Christ walked while He was here on earth, and followers are supposed to show the same example as their leaders.
And in keeping with that philosophy, here is some wise advice from the ‘First Lady of American Theater,’ Helen Hayes (1900-1993). She dispenses that ‘Positive attitudes – optimism, high self-esteem, and outgoing nature, joyousness, and the ability to cope with stress – when established early in life, may be the most important basis for continued good health.’
And that’s no lie friends, for whatever you’re building needs a strong foundation. And in the affairs of men, the earlier you build that strong foundation the better off you will be, the better able you will be to handle life.
Like the Redwood trees in California that grow to enormous heights and live for a long time because they have put down long, strong roots in the earth in their formative years, so too we need to have a solid root system if we intend to live long and make a difference in this life.
And each believer in Christ is expected to make a difference in this life, be it big or small. Why? Because as Bruh Paul tells the Corinthians in our Bit: ‘Now then we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God did beseech you by us: we pray (implore) you in Christ’s stead (behalf), be ye reconciled to God.’
Yes my fellow believers, we are ALL ambassadors for Christ! And ambassadors have certain rules and regulations to obey, and a certain type of behaviour to exhibit because they are representatives of a higher authority and ought to do so in a proper manner. That means behaving with dignity and a calm spirit and not bringing shame and disgrace on their higher ups.
Likewise, as ambassadors of Christ, we have the responsibility to behave in a manner consistent with Jesus’ mandate and not bring negative consequences to His organization. And in Christ’s organization, His church, we do that by being faithful to His principles.
First and foremost is the principle of LOVE; God’s defining attribute from which flow a whole lot of other things, like kindness, helpfulness, mercy, forgiveness, grace, joy, peace, long- suffering, faith, meekness, temperance (self-control). Those are things that Bruh Paul define as the fruit of the Spirit, and are expected to be a major part of a believer’s life.
And you’ll notice my believing brethren that none of those attributes or behaviour is a mainstay of today’s world. Instead, the world glorifies all the opposites of those spiritual fruit, with the resultant consequence that it is a morass of greed, poverty, sickness, murder, strife, warfare, anger and all sorts of evil doings.
Now that’s not what our Jesus wants to see in His world. Remember He came to save the lost and downtrodden, and there are way too many of those in our current world. Thus, as His representatives, we are called to show a different attitude, a better example to this sinful world, a more graceful and LOVING persona.
We also need to spread His faithful Word to all and sundry, so that the lost and suffering will see what they are missing by not being a part of His kingdom and will reach out, cry out to Him for help. That’s our mandate, our bounden duty my brethren.
And Jesus has given us some awesome tools to work with, namely our Thursday Blessings. So let’s proclaim them now nuh, to remind us of them, and to claim their awesome power, because the Word of God unleashes a mighty stream of power when spoken out loud.
All together now in strong voice with sincere hearts: ‘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!’
Yes friends, what awesome tools and blessings! Now let’s go out and put them to full use, sharing them with the less fortunate, as Jesus so greatly desires of us. Much LOVE!
…Jesus never sends His workers out…without the right tools to do His work…
30 Jul 2018
by randyobrien50
in Christian Thoughts and Inspiration., Daily Devotion, Daily Inspiration, Inspirational Living, Spiritual Living
Tags: adversity, almighty god, anxiety, aura of love, calamities, Christians, climate change, confidence, Creator of the universe, dictatorial leanings, economic upheaval, enthusiasm, eternal life, evil, faith, fellowship, flurry of leaders, friends, glorious kingdom, glory hallelujah, grace, happy, heat waves, hope, humble servants, invincible, Jesus Christ, joy, lies, LOVE, mercy, Monday Morning Battle Hymn, peace, raises up, record-breaking weather, rejuvenation of spirit, relaxation, renewed vitality, rest, righteousness., salvation, sex abuse, spiritual armour, steadfast faith, strife, surrender to Christ, the god of Jacob, the Lord upholds all that fall, those that are bowed down, transgender issues, trust, truth, ungodly world, was, wildfires, wisdom, worry
Psalm 145:14. The Lord upholdeth all that fall, and raiseth up all those that be bowed down.
Well friends, what’s next eh? Let’s ignore war and strife, as well as economic upheaval, poverty and sickness, for those seem to be staples of our modern supposedly prosperous society. This year we’ve already had record-breaking cold weather and winter storms and we’re now in the midst of record-breaking heat waves all over the world.
There’s also extensive drought. But on the other hand, we have excessive rainfall and breaking dams that cause terrible flooding, with ongoing dangerous volcano activity, not to mention the spate of deadly wildfires wreaking havoc around the globe. What else is on the agenda eh? Oh hurricanes and tornadoes! They haven’t set in seriously as yet. But be sure they will come around eventually.
And when you add to all that the flurry of leaders coming to power with definite dictatorial leanings, who insist that climate change is not a factor in our ongoing adversity, it doesn’t augur well for our world. Oh, and don’t forget sex abuse and transgender issues; the new kids on the block. Hn! I don’t know if Mother Earth has ever been in such a sad state.
But yuh know what mih breddren? Be all of that as it may, the most important thing to remember is that Almighty God, the Creator and Controller of the universe is still on His throne and NOTHING will happen unless it fits into His overall plan. And that plan is a wonderful one, especially for those who trust and surrender their lives to Him, through the auspices of His Son, Jesus Christ!
So if you are one of those wise and blessed people, you won’t allow the calamities our world is currently experiencing to drive you crazy with worry and anxiety. However though, some of us are definitely disturbed by the fact that it’s Monday and we have to get up to go to work. Our minds and bodies just don’t seem up to the task.
But don’t worry, as followers of Jesus, we have the right antidote for that disturbing Monday morning feeling. We call it our Monday Morning Battle Hymn! So let’s raise it up to heaven and allow the Father to uplift our souls and spirits in return.
As one 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!’
Yes friends, I know your spirits have been uplifted! I can see the new gleam in your eyes and the aura of confidence that’s now being exhibited in your body language. (smile) So let’s go out and do whatever we have to do for Jesus nuh, with diligence and excellence, as is our bounden duty.
And as we go, let’s write these immortal words of Bruh David deep and indelibly in our hearts, so that they can help to keep our faith strong. ‘The Lord upholdeth all that fall, and raiseth up all those that be bowed down.’
Oh my people, that’s no lie! And we have a good example of that in Bruh David himself. Whenever adversity came against him and his spirit plummeted, the Lord always lifted him up. But that’s because he cultivated a good, constant relationship with God, and thus could cry out to Him for help. And the Lord will do the same for us if we stay close to Him and cry out for help in our time of trouble and confusion.
Remember what Jesus said, that He came to save those who were lost, to help the sick and suffering, the poor and needy. So anytime you fall into one of those categories, be assured that Jesus will be there to help you. And as He said again in His Great 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 in heart (gentle and humble): and ye shall find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.’ (Matt.11:28-30)
Friends, there will NEVER be a better or more sincere invitation than that! And there’s absolutely no need to worry about if Jesus will keep His word. Just look at what He has already done for us nuh; sacrificed His sinless life so that we could be saved from our sins. Why would He then turn us away after that eh? It would just be negating all His sacrifices.
And the psalmist puts it this way: ‘Happy is he that hath the God of Jacob for his help, whose hope is in the Lord his God…Which executeth judgement (justice) for the oppressed: which giveth food to the hungry. The Lord looseth (gives freedom to) the prisoners. The Lord openeth the eyes of the blind: the Lord raiseth them that are bowed down: the Lord LOVETH the righteous.’ (Ps.146:5,7-8)
Of all of that stuff there is no doubt my fellow believers! Consequently, it is of the utmost importance for us to get thoroughly acquainted with God, so that we won’t wallow in the mire of life for too long. Much LOVE!
…whether you’re on your knees in prayer…or have fallen from grace…the Lord will always lift you up…you just have to sincerely call on Him…
25 Jul 2018
by randyobrien50
in Christian Thoughts and Inspiration., Daily Devotion, Daily Inspiration, Inspirational Living, Spiritual Living
Tags: a doer of the work, a forgetful hearer, acclamations, be slow to speak, be ye doers of the word, blessed in his deed, bolster our courage, but to fulfill, concentrate on the word, death, deceiving your own selves, glorious future, God will supply all my needs, God's Word, halfway home, hands on the plough, his riches in glory, I am not come to destroy, I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me, if God be for us, implanted in our hearts, keep keeping on, law of liberty, legalism, let every man, like a man, mature, Mosaic Law, my beloved brethren, natural disasters, negative happenings, not hearers only, old way of living, ongoing faith, Pharisees, practical treatise, pure religion, put away all evil stuff, religious laws, royal law, seeing himself in a mirror, sin, sincere heart, slow to wrath, spiritual intention of god, spoon feed, strife, swift to hear, the breath of life, the perfect law of liberty, the same page as jesus, this is the day the Lord has made, undefiled, visit the fatherless, we will rejoice and be glad in it, Wednesday Wail, widows
James 1:19. Wherefore, my beloved brethren, let every man be swift to hear, slow to speak, slow to wrath.
Ah friends, after looking at some of the news headlines and seeing the unnecessary strife and the many natural disasters that are plaguing our once beautiful world, I decided that there was only one way to begin today’s Bit; that’s with some acclamations of our faith to bolster our courage and help us keep keeping on in the face of so much negative happenings.
So let’s affirm with sincere heart and ongoing faith. ‘This is the day the Lord has made, we WILL rejoice and be glad in it! If God be for us, who can be against us eh? NOBODY whatsoever! I can do ALL things through Christ who strengthens me! And isn’t that a fact, a most awesome one! And last but not least: God will supply all my needs through His riches in glory through Jesus Christ!
Glory be mih people! That should get us going and hold us for today as we hear about and see the ungodly and disastrous things that are happening in our world.
And it’s only fitting that with the great amount of talk and li’l action taking place in our world that we should continue with our Bit from yesterday, where James talks about hearing and doing the word. ‘Wherefore, my beloved brethren, let every man be swift to hear, slow to speak, slow to wrath.’
And he told us why? ‘For the wrath of man worketh not (does not produce) the righteousness of God.’ (James 1:20) Therefore we should put away all evil and lustful stuff and concentrate on the Word that’s implanted in our hearts, since it is what keeps us going on the course of faith, thus helping us to mature as time goes by.
And he continues with this warning: ‘But be ye doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving your own selves. For if any be a hearer of the word, and not a doer, he is like unto a man beholding (observing) his natural face in a glass (mirror): for he beholdeth himself, and goeth his way, and straightway forgetteth what manner of man he was. But whoso looketh into the perfect law of liberty, and continueth therein, he being not a forgetful hearer, but a doer of the work, this man shall be blessed in his deed (what he does).’ (James 1:22-25)
Ah mih people, that is so reminiscent of so many of us today; we hear the word, then immediately forget it, and don’t put it into practice. And I believe it happens very much on a Sunday, where we go to church and hear God’s word preached, but as soon as we get out, we continue with our old way of living and don’t put what we heard into practice.
That’s obviously not good enough my people, for God’s Word is a practical treatise on daily living, and needs to be actioned if it is to be useful! So what’s the point of hearing it if we don’t intend to put it to good use in our lives eh? None whatsoever!
Anyway, listen to this explanation from the scholars. ‘1:25. The perfect law of liberty probably refers to the teachings of Christ and His apostles. This law is perfect, since Christ brought to completion the teachings and work of the Mosaic Law (cf. Matt.5:17-20; Rom.10:4) It is a law of liberty because it frees from the principles of sin and death (Rom.8:2-3; Gal.5:1,13). James also describes it as the royal law (2:8) for it is the law of the messianic King (cf. Gal.6:2).’
Ah precious people, what a day it was when Jesus defeated hell, death and the grave and set us free from all the terrorizing religious laws of Moses’ time, which no one could keep. And I’d like to say read those scriptures above, but I know very few of you will, but because I LOVE you all so much and care so much about your souls, I will spoon feed you with a couple of them. (smile)
Listen to Jesus on the Law of Moses. ‘Think not that I am come to destroy the law, or the prohets: I am not come to destroy, but to fulfill.’ (Matt.5:17) Yes friends, Jesus was the fulfillment of the old law!
As the scholars tell us: ‘The New Testament Gospel is not contradictory to the Old Testament Law; rather it is the ultimate fulfillment of the spiritual intention of the law. Where the law had degenerated into legalism among the Pharisees, Jesus now takes the law beyond mere outward observance to the inner spiritual intention of God.’ God had always intended for us to end up with an inner connection, through His Holy Spirit, and that’s what Jesus came to do.
Now hear Bruh Paul as he talks to the Roman church about life in the Spirit. ‘There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit. For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus hath made me free from the law of sin and death.’ (Rom.8:1-2) And we all know that whom the Son sets free is free indeed!
So James concludes: ‘If any man among you seem to be (thinks he is) religious, and bridleth not his tongue, but deceiveth his own heart, this man’s religion is vain (useless). Pure religion and undefiled before God and the Father is this, To visit the fatherless and widows in their affliction, and to keep himself unspotted from the world.’ (James 1:26-27) So friends, true religion is neither mere hearing or mere doing but a timely balance of both aspects of our faith.
Now let’s go home declaring our Wednesday Wail, proud of our position in Christ. All together now: ‘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 as always, merely thinking about how glorious that future will be, just boggles my small mind! Much LOVE!
…to be on the same page as Jesus…we must hear…as well as do…
19 Jul 2018
by randyobrien50
in Christian Thoughts and Inspiration., Daily Devotion, Daily Inspiration, Inspirational Living, Spiritual Living
Tags: a guidebook, anger, commandments, courage, creativity, curse, discern justice, fools, fresh through all the ages, generous, God's wisdom, God's Word, greed, honour, important announcement, indisputable truth, inherit glory, inspiring the prophets, legacy, lengthen thy days, long life, lustful, magnanimous, mighty in strength, negative word, none like thee, penultimate day, positive changes, poverty, promotion, putting it into practice, riches, self-control, self-discipline, selfishness, shame, share with others, sickness, statutes, strife, studying God's Word, success, successful living, summer frolic, the BIBLE, the Good Book, the principal thing, Thursday Blessings, truth, understanding, walk in my ways, ways of the world, wicked, wisdom, wise, wise in heart, workweek
Proverbs 3:35. The wise shall inherit glory: but shame shall be the promotion (the legacy) of fools.
And then it was Thursday, the penultimate day of the workweek, and consequently all thoughts are turning to the weekend; considering the summer frolic it will bring. And nothing’s wrong with that, it’s all a basic part of life, but friends, I have an even more important announcement to share this morning; one that will bring enormous positive changes to your life if you embrace it in the spirit it was meant to be taken.
Please remember this: ‘The Bible is God’s Word to us, still fresh through ALL the ages! And if we read it, we WILL find God’s wisdom on its pages!’ That’s indisputable truth my brethren! So please let’s do the sensible thing and read God’s word so that we can find His wisdom and apply it to our lives nuh. That’s why He spent so much time inspiring the prophets and them to write it; so that we could have a Guidebook for successful earthly living.
And if you don’t believe me, just look at the messy, disgusting, evil and foolish lives we are currently living nuh. If we were truly reading and studying God’s word and putting it into practice our world would never be in such a state of anger, hatred, strife, power hunger, greed, poverty, economic deprivation and sickness.
But unfortunately, too many of us, including supposed believers are heeding the wicked and lustful ways of the world and not seeking God and His righteousness first in our lives. Remember Jesus said that if we sought God and His righteousness FIRST, all the things of the world that we NEED would be given to us. (Matt.6:33)
But our actions prove that we don’t believe it. We still attempt to work for them in our own strength and that’s never going to work properly my people! That brings us to our Bit, immortal words of wisdom from Cousin Sol. ‘The wise shall inherit glory: but shame shall be the promotion (the legacy) of fools.’
And that’s gospel truth my fellow believers! The problem though is that once you go down that foolish road and discover what will be your end, it will be too late to turn back then. That’s why you need to embrace the wisdom of the Good Book and the wonderful things it offers NOW!
Let’s take a look at a few scriptures to prove our point. We’ll begin with Job’s question as he acknowledges God’s justice. I know it is so of a truth: but how should man be just with God (can a man be righteous before God)? If he will contend (if one wished to argue) with him, he cannot answer him one (one time out) of a thousand. He (God) is wise in heart, and mighty in strength: who hath hardened himself against him, and hath prospered?’ (Job 9:2-4)
And the sure answer to that is ‘NOBODY has done it, and NOBODY ever will!’ Glory be my brethren! For an infinite God, our Maker and Controller, who’s ways and thoughts are so much higher than ours, is the epitome of wisdom and justice! And there’s no better passage in the Bible that speaks to the importance of the acquisition of wisdom than the situation between God and Cousin Sol in his early days as Israel’s king.
One day Cousin Sol went to Gibeon to sacrifice to the Lord, and the Lord appeared to him in a dream by night: ‘and God said. Ask what I shall give thee.’ (1Kin.3:5) And we all know Sol’s response. ‘Give therefore thy servant an understanding heart to judge thy people, that I may discern between good and bad: for who is able to judge this thy so great a people?’ (1 Kin.3:9)
Oh my people, my people, is that the kind of thing we ask for when God asks what we desire of Him? Very seldom! Most of the time we ask for things of the world.
And I like how the Good Book puts it: ‘And the speech pleased the Lord, that Solomon has asked this thing. And God said unto him. Because thou hast asked this thing, and hast not asked for thyself long life; neither hast asked riches for thyself, nor hast asked the life of thine enemies; but hast asked for thyself understanding to discern judgement (justice);
Behold, I have done according to thy words: lo, I have given thee a wise and understanding heart; so that there was none like thee before thee, neither after thee shall any arise like unto thee. And I have also given thee that which thou hast not asked, both riches and honour: so that there shall not be any (anyone) among the kings like unto thee all thy days.’ (1 Kin.3:10-13)
Yes friends, that’s how magnanimous and generous our God can be when we ask for the right things; not stuff in pursuit of greed or selfishness. And let’s note the corollary to God’s goodness to Cousin Sol. ‘And if thou wilt walk in my ways, to keep my statutes and my commandments, as thy father David did walk, then I will lengthen thy days.’ (1 Kin.3:14)
What more can I say eh friends? Nothing but to implore us to seek the face of God and His wisdom; to read His word and apply it to our lives, so that we may dwell in the peace and joy that accompany His promises. Now let’s go home declaring our Thursday Blessings which the Lord has generously bestowed on us.
In strong voice with sincere hearts: ‘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 the next step is to go out and share it all with the less fortunate. God blessed us so that we could bless others. Much LOVE!
…wisdom is the principal thing…therefore get wisdom…and with all thy getting…get understanding… (Prov.4:7)
13 Jul 2018
by randyobrien50
in Christian Thoughts and Inspiration., Daily Devotion, Daily Inspiration, Inspirational Living, Spiritual Living
Tags: a black cat, a high priest, a leper, anger, another week of work, believe what they want, beseeching, cleansed, come boldly, compassion, confidently, crosses your path, did not sin, do it all over again, do whatever He asks, don't understand, earthly problems, eating and drinking, economic deprivation, empathize, evil, exudes compassion, faith, fellowship, find grace, finite minds, forgive not, Friday chant, Friday the 13th, frustration, fun, furthering your glorious kingdom, generous help, God's mind and ways, God's universal plan, great is thy faithfulness, hatred, having a good time, heal, higher than ours, his compassions fail not, holy church, in Jesus name, in time of need, individuals, Jesus, leprosy, make me clean, massa slave-work, moved with compassion, new every morning, nonsense, not consumed, obtain mercy, of no use, outrageous limits, pay for our sins, poppycock notions, poverty, puny, refreshed, relaxation, relaxed, remedy, renewed, respectful posture, responsible, rest, safely through, showing compassion, strife, superstition, sympathize, temptation, tempted, TGIF!, Thank God is Friday, that's their business, the body of Christ, the Lord's mercies, the throne of grace, the workingman's song, the world unfurls, to Jesus in prayer, touched, trespasses, walk under a ladder, weekends, willingness, without sin
Lamentations 3:22-23. It is of the Lord’s mercies that we are not consumed, because his compassions fail not. They are new every morning: great is thy faithfulness.
And the world continues to unfurl as it should; that’s according to Almighty God’s universal plan! Oh, for sure we don’t understand it; why all the strife, anger, hatred, poverty, sickness and economic deprivation eh?
But we need to understand that God’s mind and ways are so much higher, bigger and greater than ours, so that if He even explained it to us, we would not be able to understand it with our comparatively puny and finite minds. And all we really need to be concerned about is simply doing whatever He asks us to do, both as individuals and as the body of Christ, His Holy Church. Amen!
That’s why the workingman doesn’t pay too much attention to the strife-filled world we currently live in, even on Friday the 13. (smile) Hear him sing his weekend song. “TGIF! Thank God it’s Friday! And I don’t care whether it’s Friday the 13th, or whatever other day they have with a set of poppycock notions about evil befalling you if you do some foolishness like walking under a ladder, or a black cat crossing your path! That’s pure nonsense!
But let them believe whatever they want yes! That’s their business! All I know is that we going to be eating and drinking and having a good time once it’s a Friday and the weekend and we have some time off from the massa slave-work. Thank God for Fridays and the weekends oui!’
Yes friends, it’s indeed Friday the 13th, and a lot of superstition is going to be running rampant today. It’s a good thing, that like the ordinary workingman, we are not troubled by such stuff. We too are going to celebrate the weekend, but not just to the outrageous limits that he does. So let’s chant our Friday Chant nuh, which tells exactly how we will spend our weekend.
In unison now: ‘Oh Lord, thanks for getting me safely through another week of work! It hasn’t been easy, but with your generous help, I made it through. Now, please help me to get sufficient fun, fellowship, rest and relaxation in these two short days off, so that I can be renewed and refreshed in soul, body and mind, to go back out and do it all over again next week, furthering your glorious kingdom with each step I take. I pray this in Jesus name. Amen!’
Yes my brethren, ours is a much more relaxed and responsible kind of weekend, preparing ourselves to go back out and do Jesus’ work the next week. If we overdo the weekend, then we’ll be of no use whatsoever to ourselves or to Him. And you must have noticed that we’re still on the compassion Bit. (smile)
Well that’s because there are so many scriptures on compassion and it’s oh so important in our Christian faith and we are definitely not as good at it as we ought to be. Just look at our topsy-turvy world nuh! Don’t you think that if we had just a bit more compassion circulating in it that it would be a much more wonderful place to live? It surely would be!
Here’s what Jesus wants, what He came to earth and practiced and died for; so that we could have compassion on each other, forgive others the way that God forgives us. And remember His words: ‘But if ye forgive not men their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses.’ (Matt.6:15) That puts it so plain and straightforward; if you don’t forgive, you won’t be forgiven. And showing compassion is just one part of the plan.
Listen to how Jeremiah puts it. ‘It is of the Lord’s mercies that we are not consumed, because his compassions fail not. They are new every morning: great is thy faithfulness.’
Oh friends, I do hope that seeing that scripture every day for the last few days has caused our compassion meter to rise up some, else these messages would be all for nought. But let’s get to the compassion scriptures before time and space run out on us. Listen to the Good Book, re our Lord and Saviour, the Master of compassion.
‘And there came a leper to him, beseeching him, and kneeling down to him, and saying unto him, If thou wilt (are willing), thou canst make me clean. And Jesus, moved with compassion, put forth his hand, and touched him, and saith unto him, I will; be thou clean. And as soon as he had spoken, immediately the leprosy departed from him, and he was cleansed.’ (Mark 1:40-42) Glory be mih breddren! How wonderful is our Saviour eh? Most wonderful!
And the scholars offer these explanations. ‘1:40. The leper assumes a respectful, if plaintive, posture. His beseeching is not based on Jesus’ ability but on His willingness.’ Yuh see friends, even the leper knew and recognized Jesus as the Great Healer. He didn’t doubt that He could heal, just whether He was willing to.
Unfortunately though, many of us believers today don’t have the kind of faith that leper had, and are not completely convinced that Jesus could heal us even in these times of calamity and untold frustration. How sad!
‘1:41. Jesus is moved with compassion to help. Mark’s picture of Jesus is not of an unmoved problem-solver sweeping serenely and unemotionally from incident to incident. See Hebrews 4:15.’
No friends, our Jesus was, and is as emotional as one can get! And we’ll end today with that most appropriate scripture the scholars just quoted, because I know most of us won’t look it up, and it’s very important to our understanding of Jesus and our faith.
‘Seeing then that we have a high priest, that is passed into (through) the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold fast our profession (faith). For we have not a high priest which cannot be touched (sympathize) with the feeling of our infirmities (our weaknesses); but was in all points tempted like as we are, yet without sin. Let us therefore come boldly (confidently) unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy and find grace to help in time of need.’ (Heb.4:14-16)
Oh mih people, there’s no better remedy for our problems than taking them to Jesus in prayer, because He experienced temptation and frustration just like we do, but in His status as God too, He did not sin. That’s why He could pay for our sins and now sits as an intercessor for us at the right hand of God, being able to empathize with our earthly problems. Won’t you come to Him today, and experience His compassion. It’s the antidote for all that ails you. Much LOVE!
…in earthly or heavenly form…Jesus just exudes compassion…
04 Jul 2018
by randyobrien50
in Christian Thoughts and Inspiration., Daily Devotion, Daily Inspiration, Inspirational Living, Spiritual Living
Tags: a millstone, a toenail entrance, appreciation of God's good gifts, as a little child, be converted, believing celebrants, born again, cause to sin, childlike faith, confusion, Daily Bread Devotions, divisiveness, drowned in the sea, Drunk or sober mind yuh business, enjoy each and every day, eternity with Jesus, exhibited in children, extricate them, feel the heat, forgiveness, frobid them not, grace, Granny's warning, grow in faith, halfway home, hands on the plough, Happy 4th of July, hardhearted, hatred, have life, humble himself, in my name, kingdom of heaven, let us rejoice and be glad in it, looking forward, mercy, more abundantly, most sensible thing to do, negative happenings, Northern California, not turning back, outer darkness, produce good fruit, restore to us, S. of A, sincere Christian, steamy day, strife, such is the kingdom of heaven, Suffer little children, taken for granted, the breath of God, the childlike joy, the goats, the greatest in heaven, the sheep, this is the day the Lord has made, to a glorious future, to come unto me, to mar the day, trust, U, uncahrted waters, wasting Jesus' sacrificial death, Wednesday Wail, wildfires, worldly, young pups
Matthew 19:14. But Jesus said, Suffer little children, and forbid them not, to come unto me: for such is the kingdom of heaven.
HAPPY 4TH OF JULY U. S. OF A !
Oh friends, this is the day the Lord has made, let us rejoice and be glad in it nuh! And you ask why? Because it’s the wisest and most sensible thing to do…And because that’s why the Lord made it…And because that’s why Jesus died, so we could have life and have it more abundantly….And abundantly means plentiful. So if we don’t enjoy each and every day that we’re alive, we’re just wasting Jesus’ sacrificial death.
And having settled that argument (smile) let’s move on to wishing the U.S. of A, a very Happy 4th of July, Independence Day. Now they are a tad older than us in Canada, 242 to 150, but in terms of age, compared to other European and Asian countries they are still young pups.
And for all you believing celebrants down there, please don’t forget Granny’s warning: Sonny boy, drunk or sober, please mind yuh business. That’s right, we don’t want to give Lucifer even a li’l toenail entrance into our spirits. (smile) Because if he gets even that, he’ll just settle himself there and unobtrusively dig and dig and dig until he gets right into our lives and spoil them.
Anyway, like us, down south they will be having a scorching, steamy day to celebrate one of their biggest holidays. Let’s hope there are no negative happenings to mar the day. What with the current state of confusion and divisiveness that’s overshadowing the country. And I know one place that will be definitely feeling the heat is out in Northern California where firefighters are battling a wildfire, hampered by winds of up to 25 miles (40 km) per hour.
Ah mih people, let’s pray for them, and the country as a whole, because they are certainly mired in some deep and uncharted waters, and only the Lord in His grace, mercy and forgiveness can extricate them without even more strife and hatred than what’s already being experienced.
And here is a li’l something from the Daily Bread Devotions that dovetails nicely with what we’re talking about; joy in our spirits. Please pray with me. ‘Father in heaven, please restore to us the childlike joy that appreciates your good gifts.’
And do we ever need to have a childlike appreciation of God’s great gifts to us my brethren! We’ve become so hardhearted and worldly, taking all that God has given us so much for granted, that most of us can’t even recognize those excellent gifts again.
But please remember what Jesus said, and how He rebuked the disciples when they tried to stop children from coming to Him. ‘But Jesus said, Suffer little children, and forbid them not, to come unto me: for such is the kingdom of heaven.’
Yeh friends, heaven is made up of people with childlike faith and joy! And besides, you really can’t believe in and about Jesus until you experience simple faith and trust like that exhibited in children. Yuh see how your children trust you to take care of them and not to abuse and mistreat them, even though their small and undeveloped minds don’t understand what’s really going on?
Well it’s the same way we have to accept Jesus in simple, childlike fashion, if we are going to grow in faith and produce good fruit in His name. And please remember His immortal words when the disciples came and asked Him about the greatest in the kingdom of heaven.
‘And Jesus called a little child unto him, and set him in the midst of them. And said, Verily I say unto you, Except ye be converted, and become as little children, ye shall not enter into the kingdom of heaven. Whosoever therefore shall humble himself as this little child, the same is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven.
And whoso shall receive one such little child in my name, receiveth me. But whoso shall offend (cause to sin) one of these little ones which believe in me, it were better for him that a millstone were hanged about his neck, and that he were drowned in the depth of the sea.’ (Matt.18:2-6)
Extremely strong words my brethren! And if Jesus used them, then they must be true. So to enter the kingdom of heaven, we must be converted, (born again) and become humble and obedient like little children. And just like He said about the poor and needy, if you receive a young believer with open arms, it’s like you are receiving Him. However, if you cause one of those young believers to go astray, then your punishment will be great.
So friends, the long and short of the story is that believers ought to be humble, obedient, sincere and kind to others, including strangers. If we are not those things, then we are simply fooling ourselves, and when Jesus comes to His throne, unfortunately, we will be numbered amongst the goats who will be thrown into outer darkness.
Now that is a situation we definitely don’t want to experience. So please, let’s use the wisdom that God has so generously granted us and do whatever it takes to be numbered amongst the sheep that will dwell serenely in heaven with Jesus for all time nuh. And for those of us who have already made that wisest of all decisions, let’s go home proclaiming to all the world, our enviable situation in Christ.
Altogether now: ‘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 because Jesus promised it, we know that eternity with Him will indeed be glorious. Much LOVE!
…it’s not always easy to have childlike faith…but to be a sincere Christian…it is essential…
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