21 Apr 2025
by randyobrien50
in Christian Thoughts and Inspiration., Daily Devotion, Daily Inspiration, Inspirational Living, Spiritual Living
Tags: a great cloud of witnesses, a merciful forgiving and gracious God, a true disciple of Christ, a warning, absolutely necessary, an incorruptible crown, be disqualified, bring it under subjection, business, Christian celebrations, compassed about, competes for the prize, corruptible crown, denying the spirituality of the situation, despising the shame, disicpline our bodies, disobeyed your word, disqualified from Christian ministry, divine aid, earthly spiritual journey, ease the pain, Easter celebrations, Easter Monday, encouraged by the enemy, endured the cross, eternal life, every man that striveth for mastery, faith, fall by the wayside, finished my course, flails helplessly, food, for the joy that was set before him, forfeiting rewards, fought a good fight, frustrations, gifts, grace, greed of the world, have a part to play, he that abideth in me, heavenly help, holy spirit, humble ourselves, humble servants, I am the vine, I in him, I keep under my body, I myself should be a castaway, I therefore so run, Jehovah Rapha, Jesus Christ, Jesus' miraculous resurrection, Jesus' sacrificial death, keep Jesus uppermost in our minds, kept the faith, know ye not, lay aside every weight, lest that by any means, looking unto Jesus, lose sight of the essential facts, LOVE, mass confusion, material selfishness, mercy, not as one that beateth the air, not that we are sufficient of ourselves, one receives the prize, our sufficiency is of God, parties, peace and calm, personal sacrifice, practical advice, pray, run not as uncertainly, run with patience, salvation, self-control, selfless sacrifice of Jesus, set down at the right hand of the throne of God, share a partnership with Christ, sin, sincere repentance, sincerely seek your face, so fight I, so run that ye may obtain, spiritual strength, spirituality, steal our joy In Jesus Christ, strong faith in Christ, suffering from negative situations, surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, ta perishable crown, temperate, temperate in all things, Thank you Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith, the giver of life, the God who heals, the joy of the Lord is your strength, the material world, the race of life, the race that is set before us, the same bringeth forth much fruit, the sin which doth so easily beset us, they which run in a race run all, throne of grace, to think anything of ourselves, traffic jams, trainig for a marathon, truth, turn from our evil ways, we have all sinned, when I have preached to others, wisdom, wise guidance, without me ye can do nothing, work diligently, ye are the branches
1 Corinthians 9:24b. So run, that ye may obtain.
And the Easter celebrations continue unabated on this somewhat cloudy Easter Monday! And why not eh, when we were given the greatest presents ever; salvation and eternal life through Jesus’ sacrificial death and miraculous resurrection! And the other good thing about today is that many of us don’t have to face the traffic jams and all the other frustrations involved in going out to work. And all God’s children said, a loud and grateful, ‘Thank You Jesus!’
However, there’s always a warning needed in these Christian celebrations, a warning to not let the material selfishness and greed of the world to make us lose sight of what the celebration is truly about; the LOVE and selfless sacrifice of Jesus! For if we allow them, the material world, staunchly encouraged by the enemy, would just make it all about business, gifts, food, and parties, while denying the spirituality of the situation. So, as we celebrate, let’s keep Jesus uppermost in our minds today and every day, for He is the giver of life, health, wealth, LOVE, mercy, grace…in fact of everything that we enjoy!
Now, to always keep Jesus first place is no easy task, especially when the enemy’s main goal is to steal our joy in Christ, since, as the Bible says: ‘for the joy of the Lord is your strength.’ (Neh. 8:10) That means if we lose our joy in Christ then we’ll lose our spiritual strength and won’t be able to make the wise decisions we ought to, or have the peace and calm we desire.
And how do we do that? We have to work sincerely and diligently at it. But obviously not by ourselves, for as Bruh Paul writes: ‘Not that we are sufficient of ourselves to think any thing as of ourselves; but our sufficiency is of God.’ (2 Cor. 3:5) And Jesus corroborates that when he declares (yesss!!!) that well known statement: ‘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)
But unlike what some might think, that does not stop us from working towards the goal of spiritual maturity, for we share a partnership with Christ, meaning we both have a part to play. If we do our part, He will do His. But if we don’t do our part, neither will He do His, and we’d be left in the lurch. And what’s our part in all this eh? Here’s one practical bit of advice from Bruh Paul. He writes thus in his first missive to the Corinthians: ‘Know ye not that they which run in a race run all, but one receiveth the prize? So run, that ye may obtain.’ (1 Cor. 9:24)
Yes friends, Bruh Paul is likening our earthly spiritual journey to a race, and in his last communication with Timothy, he uses that same imagery. ‘I have fought a good fight, I have finished my course (race), I have kept the faith.’ (2 Tim. 4:7) Likewise, the author of Hebrews views our earthly journey as a race, when he writes: ‘Wherefore seeing (since) we also are compassed about with (surrounded by) so great a cloud of witness, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which doth so easily beset (ensnare) us, and let us run with patience (perseverance) the race that is set before us. Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher (originator and perfector) of our faith; who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God.’ (Heb. 12:1-2)
So Jesus is our example for living this earthly life. But yuh know what, if we want to obtain anything positive and/or substantial from this race of life, we have to put out something. Therefore, Bruh Paul continues to the Corinthians. ‘And every man that striveth for the mastery (competes for the prize) is temperate (has self-control) in all things. Now they do it to obtain a corruptible (perishable) crown, but we an incorruptible (imperishable). I therefore so run, not as uncertainly; so fight I, not as one that beateth the air (flails helplessly): but I keep under my body (discipline my body), and bring it under subjection: lest that by any means, when I have preached to others, I myself should be a castaway (disqualified).’ (1 Cor. 9:25-27)
Ah mih people, like a runner training for a marathon, we too have to discipline our bodies and exert ourselves so that we will do well in the race of life. If not, we’ll fall by the wayside and lose the promised imperishable crown that Christ has laid aside for us. As the scholars explain: ‘The point is that the believer must discipline himself to avert being disqualified from Christian ministry, and forfeiting the rewards for such service.’ So we see that running this earthly race is not easy, but with the help of our wonderful God, we can do it, if we put out the necessary effort. And to help us do so, let’s go to the throne of grace, through our Monday Morning Battle Hymn, pleading for divine assistance.
Altogether: ‘Our Father, who art in heaven, we, Your humble servants, praise Your Holy Name and thank You this Monday morning for life and strong faith in Christ, despite the mass confusion in our world. Heavenly Father, You are the ONLY ONE with the power to solve our many problems. Yes, we have all sinned and seriously disobeyed Your Word, but You are a merciful, forgiving and gracious God, who has faithfully promised to hear and answer our prayers when we humble ourselves, pray, and sincerely seek Your face.
So, we come to You now, with sincere repentance in our hearts, pleading for wise guidance and direction to alleviate our problems. Oh Father, please ease the pain of the many suffering from negative situations, show them Your awesome grace and mercy. And faithfully keep Your promise to prosper us if we turn from our evil ways. Show this evil world that You are indeed Jehovah Rapha; the God who heals! We pray this in the holy and blessed name of Your Son, our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ! Amen! And again, we say: Amen!’
And from our prayer, we see that there are some necessary steps we must take before divine aid is granted; humble ourselves, pray, sincerely seek God’s face with sincere repentance. So please, let’s get to them right now nuh, so that we’ll get heavenly help asap! Much LOVE!
…as a true disciple of Christ…personal sacrifice is absolutely necessary…
Hear our podcast at https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/randy-obrien
24 Mar 2025
by randyobrien50
in Christian Thoughts and Inspiration., Daily Devotion, Daily Inspiration, Inspirational Living, Spiritual Living
Tags: a guiding principle, a lack of spiritual guidance, a lack of spiritual leadership, a purpose for life, breathe some godly revelation, busy bodies, cast off restraint, chaos, christianity, coast along on our laurels, command and exhort, desires to bless us, destruction, dies from apathy, dog eat dog world, eat their own bread, entitled to a good living, even when we were with you, every man did that which was right in his own eyes, faith, fell on hard times, for doing as little as they can, forgot God, get as much as they can, get with the programme, gossip, help in times of need, holy spirit, humble servants, idle hands are the Devil's workshop, if any would not work, in a spiritual context, in those days, Jehovah Rapha, Jesus Christ, keep your promise to prosper us, lack of a strong work ethic, lack of divine guidance, LOVE, meddlesome ways, mercy, ministered unto the Lord, Monday, negative consequences, neither should he eat, no open vision, no prophetic revelation, no sense of godly direction, nothing for free, please ease the pain, praise Your Holy Name, praying, refuse to work, salvation, show this evil world, sincerely seeking God's face, social media, some which walk among you disorderly, staring them full in the face, strong faith in Christ, suffering from negative situations, taking stock of ourselves, thank you for life, that frustrating day, that kills a societyeasy to coast along on our laurels, the BIBLE, the fabric of society, the God of our forefathers, the God who heals, the importance of having a vision, the mass confusion in our world, the master of death and destruction, the power to solve our many problems, the same old work cycle, the throne of grace, the word of the Lord was precious (rare), there was no king in Israel, this we commanded you, times of entitlement, to alleviate our problems, truth, turn from our evil ways, we are our worst enemies, went their merry way rejoicing, where there is no vision the people perish, wise guidance, with quietness they work, without a sense of direction, without lifting a finger, working not at all
2 Thessalonians 3:10. For even when we were with you, this we commanded you, that if any would not work, neither should he eat.
And then it was Monday, that disturbing and frustrating day, when we begin the same old, same old work cycle again. (smile) But if we want to eat, and have a roof over our heads, some kind of rewarding work is necessary in this dog eat dog world. For no one’s giving you anything for free these days, but that doesn’t stop many of us from being lazy and not wanting to work, believing that we’re entitled to a good living without lifting a finger.
Remember though, what Bruh Paul wrote to the Thessalonians in his second letter. ‘For even when we were with you, this we commanded you, that if any would not work, neither should he eat. For we hear that there are some which walk among you disorderly, working not at all, but are busy bodies. Now them that are such we command and exhort by our Lord Jesus Christ, that with quietness they work, and eat their own bread.’ (2 Thess. 3:10-12)
Oh my people, how wonderful it would be to implement such a system in these times of entitlement when a large body of our population hates and refuses to work, but delights in indulging in much gossip and meddlesome ways, especially on social media! Many of us would certainly be going hungry. Sadly, the work ethic that existed for generations has now disappeared and everyone wants to simply get as much as they can, for doing as little as they can. But that’s what kills a society, not what builds it.
The problem is that our society has reached such a high level of knowledge and technology, as well as prosperity, that it’s fairly easy to coast along on our laurels and get by. However, when too many people are merely coasting along in life, the fabric of the society soon begins to fall apart and the society eventually dies from apathy and lack of a strong work ethic. As the scholars tell us, ‘idle hands are the Devil’s workshop.’ And that’s no lie! Satan doesn’t want us doing anything that would enhance our society or standard of living, for he is the master of death and destruction.
That brings us to these wise words of Cousin Sol from Proverbs. ‘Where there is no vision (prophetic vision or revelation), the people perish (cast off restraint): but he that keepeth the law, happy is he.’ (Prov. 29:18) And that’s oh so true my people! But what does it mean?
This commentary explains it thus: ‘The phrase emphasizes the importance of having a vision, a guiding principle, or a purpose for life. Without such a vision, people are prone to unrestrained behavior and ultimately fail to thrive. Some translations use the word “perish” or “cast off restraint” to convey the idea that without a vision, people are left without a sense of direction or purpose, leading to negative consequences. Meanwhile, in a spiritual context, it refers to a lack of divine guidance or revelation, a lack of spiritual leadership.’
And we see that happening very clearly back in the days when the Israelites were ruled by judges. The Bible tells us: ‘In those days there was no king in Israel: every man did that which was right in his own eyes.’ (Judg. 21:25) And that’s exactly the evil and ungodly way that our society, or rather our world is moving; everyone doing their own thing, with no sense of godly direction. The Book of Samuel also gives us insight into the problem when it says: ‘And the child Samuel ministered unto the Lord before Eli. And the word of the Lord was precious (rare)in those days; there was no open vision (no prophetic revelation).’ (1 Sam. 3:1)
The scholars explain that’ the severity of Israel’s apostasy (cf. Judg. 21:25) caused a dearth of God’s revelatory work. The condition was perpetuating and self-defeating (cf. Prov. 29:18). By God’s grace, the prophetic institution would receive renewed impetus and standardization in the person and work of Samuel.’
Oh by God’s grace, I wish we could have someone or some people powerful enough to breathe some godly revelation into today’s crazy, hateful and resentful society. But as has happened to every society which rose to great heights by working diligently and with a God-given purpose, but then forgot God and went their merry way rejoicing, they eventually fell on hard times, with chaos and destruction staring them full in the face.
Now, is that what we want for our society…what we want our children’s children to experience? I very much doubt it. But if we don’t start taking serious stock of ourselves RIGHT NOW, and turn from our evil ways back to the God of our forefathers, then that is the fate that will possibly befall us, but for sure, our progeny. So, with the Lord’s promise of coming to the throne of grace for help in times of need, let’s do that right now nuh, through our Monday Morning Battle Hymn.
Altogether: ‘Our Father, who art in heaven, we, Your humble servants, praise Your Holy Name and thank You this Monday morning for life and strong faith in Christ, despite the mass confusion in our world. Heavenly Father, You are the ONLY ONE with the power to solve our many problems.
Yes, we have all sinned and seriously disobeyed Your Word, but You are a merciful, forgiving and gracious God, who has faithfully promised to hear and answer our prayers when we humble ourselves, pray, and sincerely seek Your face. So, we come to You now, with sincere repentance in our hearts, pleading for wise guidance and direction to alleviate our problems.
Oh Father, please ease the pain of the many suffering from negative situations, show them Your awesome grace and mercy. And faithfully keep Your promise to prosper us if we turn from our evil ways. Show this evil world that You are indeed Jehovah Rapha; the God who heals! We pray this in the holy and blessed name of Your Son, our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ! Amen! And again, we say: Amen!’
And it’s good to remember some of those things required to receive divine aid; like humbling ourselves, praying, sincerely seeking God’s face, turning from our evil ways, etc. etc. So, if we truly want it, let’s get with the programme nuh! Much LOVE!
…we are our worst enemies…foolishly turning away from God…when all He desires to do is bless us…
Hear our podcast at https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/randy-obrien
03 Feb 2025
by randyobrien50
in Christian Thoughts and Inspiration., Daily Devotion, Daily Inspiration, Inspirational Living, Spiritual Living
Tags: a Christian soldier's last words, a disadvantage, a friend of the world, a merciful forgiving and gracious God, a spiritual fight to the death, after you have suffered a while, as a roaring lion, assurance of God's grace and mercy, be sober, be vigilant, Bible, called us into his eternal glory, casting all your care upon him, cause the enemy to gain footholds in our lives, Christ has defeated hell death and the grave, Christ the royal Master, Christ's Resurrection, christianity, Christians, cleanse your hands ye sinners, disobeyed your word, divine aid, draw nigh to God, ease the pain, experienced by your brethren, faith, forward into battle, gets his hooks in you, giving us the victory, handled with aplomb, he may exalt you in due time, he shall lift you up, he will flee from you, hear and answer our prayers, Hell's foundations, hold on to the victory won by Christ, holy spirit, humble servants, humble yourselves in the sight of the Lord, humble yourselves under the mighty hand of God, humility, I have finished my course, I have fought a good fight, I have kept the faith, Jehovah Rapha, Jesus Christ, leads against the foe, like a roaring lion hungry for food, LOVE, marching as to war, mass confusion in our world, mercy, never give up, Onward Christian soldiers, perfect confirm, pray, promised to prosper us, purify your hearts ye doubleminded, quiver at the shout of praise, resist steadfast in the faith, resist the devil, resist the onslaughts of the enemy, resisting the enemy is no laughing matter, salvation, see his banner go, sincere prayer, sincere repentance in our hearts, sincerely seek your face, spiritual lives, step up to the plate, strengthen and settle you, submit yourselves to God, suffering from negative situations, thank you for life and strong faith in Christ, the enemy is difficult to dislodge, the enemy of God, the father of lies, the friendship of the world is enmity with God, the God of all grace, the God who heals, the power of the Holy spirit, the power to solve our problems, the same afflictions, the throne of grace, to alleviate our problems, to him be the glory and dominion for ever, truth, turn from our evil ways, use the spiritual weapons of God, walketh about, walketh about seeking whom he may devour, we have all sinned, wisdom, wise guidance, with the cross of jesus going on before, work week frustrations, your adversary the devil
James 4:7. Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.
And the new work week frustrations begin again with another Monday on board. But like all those Mondays in the past that we’ve handled with such aplomb, we will handle this one with the same poise and assurance of God’s awesome grace and mercy flowing through us, giving us the victory! Believing anything less is only putting ourselves at a major disadvantage that will cause the enemy to gain unwanted footholds in our lives. And we all know the havoc that the father of lies and deceit can create once he gets access to our minds, bodies and hearts.
And since he’s so difficult to dislodge once he begins his evil work, it’s best not to let him get any footholds at all in our spiritual lives. Consequently, James, Jesus’ brother, warns us: ‘Ye adulterers and adulteresses, know ye not that the friendship of (with) the world is enmity with God? Whosoever therefore will be (wants to be) a friend of the world is (makes himself) the enemy of God. Do ye think that the scripture saith in vain, The spirit that dwelleth in us lusteth (yearns jealously) to envy?
But he giveth more grace. Wherefore he saith, God resisteth the proud, but giveth grace to the humble. Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. Draw nigh (near) to God, and he will draw nigh (near) to you. Cleanse your hands, ye sinners; and purify your hearts, ye double minded…Humble yourselves in the sight of the Lord, and he shall lift you up.’ (James 4:4-8, 10)
Yes friends, please note that we can resist the devil, but only if we first humble ourselves and draw near to God. For if the power of God’s Holy Spirit isn’t working powerfully in you, then you will not be able to resist the numerous onslaughts of the enemy. And if you did not believe James, then listen to Peter’s wonderful advice along the same lines, from his first epistle.
‘Humble your selves 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. Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour:
Whom resist steadfast in the faith, knowing that the same afflictions are accomplished in (experienced by) your brethren that are in the world. But the God of all grace, who hath called us unto his eternal glory by Christ Jesus, after that ye have suffered a while, make you perfect, stablish (confirm), strengthen, settle you. To him be the glory and dominion for ever and ever. Amen.’ (1 Pet. 5:6-11)
Yuh see again mih bredrin, that you have to humble yourselves, submit to God, before you can have any chance of turning away the devil. That’s because it’s not our strength, but the grace, the power of God that gives us the ability to do so. And believe me, resisting the enemy is no laughing, but a very serious matter, for once he gets his hooks in you, he’s going to tear you up as Peter says, like a roaring lion hungry for food.
Remember this is no joke war we’re engaged in, but a spiritual fight to the death, and if we don’t use the spiritual weapons granted to us by Almighty God, (Eph. 6) then we won’t be able to hold on to the victory already won by Christ on our behalf. Yes, the victory is already ours, because Christ has defeated hell, death and the grave, through His own death and awesome resurrection, we only need to keep it won now.
But the enemy will not give up. Neither should we. That’s why Bruh Paul told Timothy: ‘Thou therefore endure harness (hardship), as a good soldier of Jesus Christ.’ (2 Tim. 2:3) So should we all who call ourselves believers in Christ Jesus, stand up strong and steadfast in His name, and fight the good fight of faith.
As the old anthem calls us to do: ‘Onward, Christian soldiers, marching as to war, With the cross of Jesus going on before! Christ, the royal Master, leads against the foe; Forward into battle, see his banner go! At the sign of triumph Satan’s host doth flee; On, then, Christian soldiers, on to victory! Hell’s foundations quiver at the shout of praise; Brothers, lift your voices, loud your anthems raise!’
Oh my people, that is exactly how we have to behave this Monday morning, the first of February 2025; get out onto the battlefield behind the banner of Jesus and give the enemy what for! That’s the only way we will ever win the spiritual battle for our souls. And to help us bravely step up to the plate, let’s go to the throne of grace, through our Monday Morning Battle Hymn seeking divine aid in these most crucial and critical times.
Altogether: ‘Our Father, who art in heaven, we, Your humble servants, praise Your Holy Name and thank You this Monday morning for life and strong faith in Christ, despite the mass confusion in our world. Heavenly Father, You are the ONLY ONE with the power to solve our many problems. Yes, we have all sinned and seriously disobeyed Your Word, but You are a merciful, forgiving and gracious God, who has faithfully promised to hear and answer our prayers when we humble ourselves, pray, and sincerely seek Your face.
So, we come to You now, with sincere repentance in our hearts, pleading for wise guidance and direction to alleviate our problems. Oh Father, please ease the pain of the many suffering from negative situations, show them Your awesome grace and mercy. And faithfully keep Your promise to prosper us if we turn from our evil ways. Show this evil world that You are indeed Jehovah Rapha; the God who heals! We pray this in the holy and blessed name of Your Son, our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ! Amen! And again, we say: Amen!’
Now, let’s remember that divine aid calls for humility, sincere prayer, and turning from our evil ways. Much LOVE!
…a Christian soldier’s last words ought to be…I have fought a good fight…I have finished my course (race)…I have kept the faith… (2 Tim. 4:7)
Hear our podcast at https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/randy-obrien
02 May 2022
by randyobrien50
in Christian Thoughts and Inspiration., Daily Devotion, Daily Inspiration, Inspirational Living, Spiritual Living
Tags: a caring and responsible Father, all the days of my life, as I was with Moses, be content with what you have, be strong and of a good courage, cause them to inherit it, ease the pain, fear not, forgive us and heal our land, he shall hide me in his pavilion, he shall set me upon a rock, hear our prayer, I will never leave thee nor forsake thee, I will not fear what man can do to me, in the time of trouble, in this will I be confident, it is better to trust in the Lord, Jehovah Rapha, let your conversation be without covetousness, LOVE, Monday Morning Battle Hymn, one thing I have desired of the Lord, our Father who art in heaven, promised to look after us likea good shepher, receive a positive answer, sincere repentance in our hearts, strong faith in Christ, suffering from negative situations, than to put confidence in man, that I may dwell in the house of the Lord, the God who heals, the Lord God Almighty is sitting on His heavenly throne, The Lord is my helper, the Lord is my light and salvation, the Lord is on my side, the Lord is the strength of my life, the Lord thy God goes before you, the Promised Land, though war should rise against me, whom shall I fear
Hebrews 13:5b. for he hath said, I will never leave thee nor forsake thee.
Come Monday, everything will be all right… although it’s opened wet, foggy and cloudy! Yes friends, everything will be all right this first Monday in the month of May 2022, as we step out into this evil and ungodly world to begin another week of work! And why is that you ask? It’s simple: because the Lord God Almighty is still sitting on His throne in the high heavens and He’s promised to look after us like a good shepherd, like a caring and responsible Father.
And what more can we ask eh, since He keeps all of His promises? And this is one of the most important ones, as written by the author of Hebrews. ‘Let your conversation (conduct) be without covetousness; and be content with such things as ye have: for he hath said, I will never leave thee nor forsake thee.’ (Heb. 13:5)
Wow! What an awesome promise from the Most High God, Creator of the universe and all therein! And it’s a promise that’s been repeated several times in the Good Book, most noticeably by Moses to the children of Israel and the Lord to Joshua when He made him the leader of the Israelites after the death of Moses. And I believe it will do us much good to have a closer look at those scriptures. (smile)
As Moses’ wound down His life, he said to the Israelites about the enemies they would face in the Promised Land: ‘Be strong and of a good courage, fear not, nor be afraid of them: For the Lord thy God, he it is that doth go with thee; he will not fail thee not forsake thee. And Moses called unto Joshua, and said unto him in the sight of all Israel, Be strong and of a good courage: for thou must go with this people unto the land which the Lord hath sworn unto their fathers to give them: and thou shalt cause them to inherit it. And the Lord, he it is that doth go before thee; he will be with thee, he will not fail thee, neither forsake thee: fear not, neither be dismayed.’ (Deut. 31:6-8)
So, the promise of never failing nor forsaking His followers is one that’s been in existence from the time the Lord called people like Noah, Abraham and Moses to do His bidding. And then the Lord Himself told it to Joshua after anointing Him leader of the Israelites. ‘There shall not any man be able to stand before thee all the days of thy life: as I was with Moses, so I will be with thee: I will not fail thee, nor forsake thee.’ (Josh. 1:5)
And thus, that marvellous promise has come right down through the ages to all believers, including us at this very important and controversial time, for we were made for a time such as this. And like the author of Hebrews, that promise ought to cause us to feel so reassured of God’s preservation, ‘So that we may boldly say, The Lord is my helper, and I will not fear what man shall (can) do unto me.’ (Heb. 13:6)
What a great faith we have my people, when a simple promise can cause such tremendous reassurance! And we all know the magnificent words on the subject from the pen of Bruh David in Psalm 27. ‘The Lord is my light and my salvation; whom shall I fear? The Lord is the strength of my life, of whom shall I be afraid?’ (Ps. 27:1)
Now those are very good questions, and because of the Lord’s promises, they led Bruh David to further claim: ‘When the wicked, even mine enemies and my foes, came upon me to eat up (devour) my flesh, they stumbled and fell. Though a host should encamp against me, my heart shall not fear: though war should rise against me, in this will I be confident.’ (Ps. 27:2-3) And likewise friends, we should also feel the same way, be very confident in the promises of our God this day, and every day of our lives.
Then Bruh David wisely continues: ‘One thing I have desired of the Lord, that will I seek after; that I may dwell in the house of the Lord all the days of my life, to behold the beauty (delightfulness) of the Lord, and to inquire in his temple. For in the time of trouble he shall hide me in his pavilion: in the secret of his tabernacle shall he hide me; he shall set me upon a rock.’ (Ps. 27:4-5)
Ah mih people, you see that to feel secure in the Lord’s promise, one must also seek His face sincerely, spend time with Him, and get to truly know Him. Reassurance doesn’t just come from hearing the promise, because you can only believe it when you know why it’s so strong and faithful.
And I just LOVE these reassuring words from this other psalmist: In psalm 118 – Thanksgiving for the Lord’s salvation – he boldly proclaims: ‘Let them now that fear the Lord say, that his mercy (LOVING-kindness) endureth forever. I called upon the Lord in distress: the Lord answered me, and set me in a large (broad) place. The Lord is on my side; I will not fear: what can man do to me?’ (Ps. 118:4-6)
And my fellow saints, if we are of the same opinion as the psalmist there, then our only respite is to call upon the Lord in these times of distress that so many of us are undergoing. So, let’s do just that nuh, go to God in prayer, through our Monday Morning Battle Hymn, baring our hearts and souls to Him, because He has promised to fix our problems.
Therefore, as one strong, confident but humble voice: ‘Our Father, who art in heaven, we, Your humble servants, praise Your Holy Name and thank You this Monday morning for life and strong faith in Christ, despite the mass confusion in our world. We desperately need Your divine help, for You are the ONLY ONE with the power to solve our many problems.
Heavenly Father, we admit that we have all sinned and seriously disobeyed Your Word, but we know that You are a merciful, forgiving and gracious God, who has faithfully promised to hear and answer our prayers when we humble ourselves, pray, and sincerely seek Your face. That’s why we come to You now, with sincere repentance in our hearts, pleading with You to give us wise guidance and direction to alleviate our problems.
And Father, we pray that you will ease the pain of the many who are suffering from negative situations. Please show them Your awesome grace and mercy, and keep Your promise that You’ll hear our prayer, forgive us, and heal our land if we turn from our evil ways. Show this evil world that You are indeed Jehovah Rapha; the God who heals! We pray this in the holy and blessed name of Your Son, our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ! Amen! And again, we say: Amen!’
And as always, if we expect to receive a positive answer from heaven, then what our mouths have said, must align sincerely with our hearts. That’s just the way it is! Much LOVE!
…it is better to put trust in the Lord…than to put confidence in man… (Ps. 118:8)
Hear our podcast at https://open.spotify.com/show/3aVfqIC1CqwGybISs9dZJ8
21 Feb 2022
by randyobrien50
in Christian Thoughts and Inspiration., Daily Devotion, Daily Inspiration, Inspirational Living, Spiritual Living
Tags: a little folding of the hands to sleep, a little slumber, all grown over with thorns, as one that traveleth, ashamed and repentant, become lax lazy and complacent, caught flat-footed, confident in God's great mercy, diligently goes about his business, Family Day Holiday, get up off of our fat fannies, glory to God, how long wilt thou sleep O sluggard, humble servants, I looked upon it and received instruction, I saw and considered it well, Jehovah Rapha, live sincerely for God, LOVE, mass confusion, nettles covered the face thereof, positive answers to prayer, pray, pray and sincerely seek your face, prepare for unpredictable situations, sinned and disobeyed your Word, small surrenders lead to great disasters, so shall thy poverty come, strong faith in Christ, suffering from negative situations, the ant is a self-starter, the ant with no leader, the barrage of unexpected problems, the field of the slothful, the God who heals, the motives of our hearts, the salt and light of the earth, the stone wall was broken down, the vineyard of the man void of understanding, thy want as an armed man, turn from our evil ways, when wilt thou arise out of thy sleep, wise guidance, yet a little sleep
Proverbs 6:9. How long wilt thou sleep (lie down, be lazy) O sluggard? When wilt thou arise out of thy sleep?
Well, this Family Day holiday in Ontario is a somewhat damp and cloudy Monday morning, but the sun seems to be fighting through the clouds so its glorious sunshine can prevail! Glory to God!
And you know that’s exactly what we supposed believers in Christ ought to be doing; fighting through all the sin, the evil, the darkness and ungodliness of this world in His holy name! But unfortunately, too many of us have become lax, lazy and complacent, while enjoying the amenities that the world has to offer, and thus have been caught flat-footed and unprepared when the barrage of unexpected problems recently descended on us.
So we’re afraid…and anxious…and don’t know what to do. But nothing has changed friends, we’re still supposed to do what we know is right to do: that’s get up off of our fat fannies, pray and live sincerely for God! And Cousin Sol puts forth the correct question for us today after showing us the magnificent work ethic of the ant, who has no leader or overseer to force him to work, but nonetheless, diligently goes about his business. In other words, the ant is a self-starter. He is wise enough to prepare for predictable situations. (Prov. 6:6-8)
Cousin Sol asks this poignant question: ‘How long wilt thou sleep (lie down, be lazy) O sluggard? When wilt thou arise out of thy sleep?’ (Prov. 6:9) Now that’s a question that many of us need to answer right away by getting up and doing God’s work, for if we had been doing it, had been the salt and light of the earth like Christ desires of us, our world would never have fallen into such a sad state of disrepair and disrepute.
And like the lazy and sleepy sluggard, our just deserts will fall on us, in fact, they have already fallen on us. Like Cousin Sol says: ‘Yet a little sleep, a little slumber, a little folding of the hands to sleep: So shall thy poverty come as one that traveleth (a prowler), and thy want (need) as an armed man.’ (Prov. 6:10-11) Yes my brethren, as the scholars tell us: ‘The result of such laziness is dire poverty, which will come as suddenly and decisively as a robber.’
And yuh better believe that the Covid 19 pandemic, the worldwide strife, the race and religious problems and the many natural disasters of the last couple of years have indeed come upon us without our ever seeing them, much less being prepared for them. And later on in Proverbs, Cousin Sol mentions an interesting fact that ties in quite nicely with what we are talking about.
He solemnly declares in chapter 24: ‘I went by the field of the slothful, and by the vineyard of the man void of understanding; And, lo, it was all grown over with thorns, and nettles had covered the face (surface) thereof, and the stone wall thereof was broken down. Then I saw, and considered it well: I looked upon it, and received instruction. Yet a little sleep, a little slumber, a little folding of the hands to sleep (rest): So shall thy poverty come as one that traveleth (a prowler); and thy want (need) as an armed man.’ (Prov. 24:30-34)
Oh friends, you noticed that Cousin Sol learned from the mistakes of the slothful man. And what did he learn? According to the scholars, he learned that ‘The slothful is too lazy to keep thorns and nettles out of his vineyard or to keep his stone wall repaired (vs.31). His laziness is further exhibited in sleeping late when he should be working (vs.33). Therefore, his poverty will come as one that traveleth: that is, a bandit or a vagabond. Small surrenders lead to great disasters.’
Now what wise words those are my fellow saints: ‘small surrenders lead to great disasters.’ It’s the gospel truth! It’s the li’l things in life that we despise and don’t do that ofttimes cause us a whale of a problem. And we are experiencing that in spades right now, with all the various problems howling around us and we don’t know how to solve them. However, if we had been paying attention all along, living the way Christ desires us to live, those many problems would not have caught us off guard, they might not have even seen the light of day.
But sadly they have, so now we have to wake up from our slothful slumber and try to fix them as best we can. However the problems have gotten so deep and involved, that now we can only fix them with God’s divine help. So as the wise people we are (smile), let’s go to God, ashamed and repentant, but confident in His great mercy, and sincerely ask for His omnipotent help.
Altogether now: ‘Our Father, who art in heaven, we, Your humble servants, praise Your Holy Name and thank You this Monday morning for life and strong faith in Christ, despite the mass confusion in our world. We desperately need Your divine help, for You are the ONLY ONE with the power to solve our many problems.
Heavenly Father, we admit that we have all sinned and seriously disobeyed Your Word, but we know that You are a merciful, forgiving and gracious God, who has faithfully promised to hear and answer our prayers when we humble ourselves, pray, and sincerely seek Your face. That’s why we come to You now, with sincere repentance in our hearts, pleading with You to give us wise guidance and direction to alleviate our problems.
And Father, we pray that you will ease the pain of the many who are suffering from negative situations. Please show them Your awesome grace and mercy, and keep Your promise that You’ll hear our prayer, forgive us, and heal our land if we turn from our evil ways. Show this evil world that You are indeed Jehovah Rapha; the God who heals! We pray this in the holy and blessed name of Your Son, our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ! Amen! And again, we say: Amen!’
Now, please remember that God doesn’t only listen to the words we speak, but more importantly checks out the motives of our hearts, to see if our words are truly sincere. And we all know what that means! Much LOVE!
…no right motives in hearts…no positive answers to prayer…
Hear our podcast at https://open.spotify.com/show/3aVfqIC1CqwGybISs9dZJ8
31 Jan 2022
by randyobrien50
in Christian Thoughts and Inspiration., Daily Devotion, Daily Inspiration, Inspirational Living, Spiritual Living
Tags: all about self and selfishness, always abounding in the work of the Lord, be a cakewalk, be of good cheer, be ye steadfast unmovable, but of power love and a sound mind, Covid-19 restrictions, death is swallowed up in victory, ease the pain, empower your life, encourage your heart, endurance and perseverance, find victory in death, God always wins, God and His people are victorious, he that believeth that Jesus is the Son of God, he will swallow up death in victory, heal our land, humble servants, i have overcome the world, in me ye might have peace, infect our souls and spirits, Jehovah Rapha, keep your promise, led as sheep to the slaughter, Monday Morning Battle Hymn, o death where is thy sting, of power, overcome cahllenges, PaulEChapman.com, show this evil world, sincerely seek your face, suffering from negative situations, thanks be to God who gives us the victory, the bad dragon day, the doorway to eternal bliss, the Lord hasn't given us a spirt of fear, the sting of death is sin, these things I have spoken unto you, through our Lord Jesus christ, triumph over the world, turn from our evil ways, We can do all things through Christ, whatsoever is born of God overcometh the world, wipe away tears from all eyes, wise guidance and direction, ye shall tribulation, your labour is not in vain
1 Corinthians 15:57. But thanks be to God, which giveth us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.
Awright friends, are we ready for Monday, the bad dragon day of the week? Of course we are! We fellowshipped with other believers yesterday and received renewed blessings from our great God, enabling us to go out today and fight His battles in this evil and ungodly world. And let’s remember that God’s grace is ALWAYS sufficient to do whatever He desires us to do. He will NEVER give us less than we need. So please don’t allow any fear or dread to infect our souls and spirits as we head out to do God’s bidding today. For we know that He hasn’t give us a spirit of fear, but of power, LOVE and a sound or disciplined mine (2 Tim. 1:7).
And on top of that, Bruh Paul has also reinforced that we can do all things through Christ who strengthens us. (Phil. 4:13) That means we have all the tools we need to face the enemy and his evil minions. That’s why this Monday morning should be a cakewalk for believers who set out to do battle in Jesus’ name. (smile) Oh, I know that it won’t be as simple and easy, but with our endurance and perseverance we will eventually win the day.
And here in our Province of Ontario, I believe that some of the Covid-19 restrictions and regulations will be toned down today. So that’s one less matter to be anxious about. Now we must still be careful and concerned about it, because it’s not going away anytime soon, but we will have a little more leeway to operate, a little more freedom to live, as the restrictions will not be as onerous as they were before.
That though can be a major problem, as freedom is not an easy thing for many of us to navigate, for freedom requires a sense of responsibility, a sense of thinking about and considering others, which is not a currently paramount attitude in our society. Right now, it’s all more about self and selfishness. But that’s a story for another day. (smile)
Let me apologize right here for the Bit being so late though. It seems like the last few Mondays have all been bad dragon days for me, stuff happening, either with the snow, car or household problems that have caused me to relegate the Bit to a much later hour than I desired. And today was no different. But I’ve finally put all that stuff behind me and can turn my full attention to the Bit. And as I said earlier on, dealing with Monday and its problems is not always easy, but God always gives us the wherewithal to overcome them. And I did have success in my undertakings, but it took a lot of that other commodity that we don’t have so much of, that’s time.
But then, when you’ve successfully completed those time sensitive tasks, you find yourself too tired, mentally, physically and emotionally to properly handle the other stuff that you had to postpone. And that’s what’s been happening to me. So today, I believe we should look at a few scripture verses that deal with victory in the Christian’s life.
And I like how this article on the subject on the website PaulEChapman.com begins. It says: ‘The Bible can encourage your heart and empower your life. What verses inspire you to overcome challenges and triumph over the world? …Our God is victorious. He ALWAYS WINS. He has never lost a battle. He has no equal to challenge His sovereignty. Although we know this truth by the fact of history and the choice of faith, our experience in this life can make it seem like we are losing at times.
Our limited perspective can create doubt and discouragement. Allow me to encourage you in the Lord. If you are born again, you are on the winning side! God has revealed the last chapter of history. There is no doubt of how the future will end. God and His people are victorious! Even when the people of the Lord are led as sheep to the slaughter, they find victory in death. God has transformed man’s greatest enemy into the doorway to eternal bliss. Marvel at the awesomeness of our God!’
Yes friends, that’s such a wonderful, encouraging and reassuring thing to do, because it builds up our faith in our heavenly Father and keeps us willing and able to do His earthly work even in the most difficult of times and circumstances. But enough talk, (smile) let’s check out those scriptures on success. And I believe these immortal words of Bruh Paul to the church at Corinth ought to be first.
‘So when this corruptible shall have put on incorruption, and this mortal shall have put on immortality, then shall be brought to pass the saying that is written, Death is swallowed up in victory. O death, where is thy sting? O grave, where is thy victory? The sting of death is sin; and the strength of sin is the law. But thanks be to God, which giveth us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ. Therefore, my beloved brethren, be ye steadfast, unmovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, forasmuch as ye know that your labour is not in vain (futile) in the Lord.’ (1 Cor. 15:54-58)
And that’s exactly how we’ve gained victory, through Christ Jesus, and how we keep it, by being steadfast and strong! Now listen to John from his first epistle. ‘For whatsoever is born of God overcometh the world: and this is the victory that overcometh the world, even our faith. Who is he that overcometh the world, but he that believeth that Jesus is the Son of God?’ (1 John 5:4-5)
And the scholars explain: ‘5.5. There is conquering power through this confession because God is sovereign over the world, and only through the Son does man have access to and find favour with God.’ And that’s the indisputable truth my brethren, only when we are born again, trust Jesus as our Lord and Saviour, that we have access to the Father and all the victory that He radiates!
And there’s no better way to end these scriptures on victory than with these marvellous words, this eternal promise of Jesus, where He tells us, in no uncertain terms that victory is ours. ‘These things I have spoken unto you, that in me ye might have peace. In the world ye shall have tribulation: but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world.’ (John 16:33) What wonderful news my fellow saints. Please, let’s try and keep that first and foremost in our hearts souls and minds as we journey with God this day and every day nuh.
Now, let’s go to Him in prayer, through our Monday Morning Battle Hymn, asking for His omnipotent help in solving our many serious problems. As one, strong, sincere, confident, but humble voice: ‘Our Father, who art in heaven, we, Your humble servants, praise Your Holy Name and thank You this Monday morning for life and strong faith in Christ, despite the mass confusion in our world. We desperately need Your divine help, for You are the ONLY ONE with the power to solve our many problems.
Heavenly Father, we admit that we have all sinned and seriously disobeyed Your Word, but we know that You are a merciful, forgiving and gracious God, who has faithfully promised to hear and answer our prayers when we humble ourselves, pray, and sincerely seek Your face. That’s why we come to You now, with sincere repentance in our hearts, pleading with You to give us wise guidance and direction to alleviate our problems.
And Father, we pray that you will ease the pain of the many who are suffering from negative situations. Please show them Your awesome grace and mercy, and keep Your promise that You’ll hear our prayer, forgive us, and heal our land if we turn from our evil ways. Show this evil world that You are indeed Jehovah Rapha; the God who heals! We pray this in the holy and blessed name of Your Son, our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ! Amen! And again, we say: Amen!’
Now please remember that our answers all depend on our behaviour. Much LOVE!
…He will swallow up death forever in victory…the Lord God will wipe away tears from off all faces… (Is. 25:8a)
Hear our podcast at https://open.spotify.com/show/3aVfqIC1CqwGybISs9dZJ8
29 Nov 2021
by randyobrien50
in Christian Thoughts and Inspiration., Daily Devotion, Daily Inspiration, Inspirational Living, Spiritual Living
Tags: a stumbling block, better not to vow than vow and not pay, call upon me in the day of trouble, delay not to pay it, divine help, Dr. Charles Stanley, ease the pain, every beast of the forest is mine, for thy sacrifices and burnt offerings, forgive us and heal our land, give us wise guidance, God is a good god, God puts great store by promises, He takes no pleasure in fools, hear our prayer, I will deliver thee, I will not reprove thee, if I were hunry I would not tell thee, Jehovah Rapha, leave all the consequences to Him, LOVE, Monday Morning Battle Hymn, much deserved thanks and praise, obedience, obey God, offer unto God thanksgiving, our Lord and Saviour Redeemer and Friend, our time of desperate need, pay thy vows unto the Most High, promises are made to be kept, sinned and disobeyed your Word, strong faith in Christ, suffering from negative situations, take the bull by the horns, the best way to begin the work week, the God who heals, the power to solve our many problems, the psalmist Asaph, the world is mine and the fullness thereof, thou shalt glorify me, vowed a vow unto God, we have Jesus to boost our spirits
Psalm 50:14. Offer unto God thanksgiving; and pay thy vows unto the Most High:
Well, mih bredrin, fighting the traffic with its numerous bad drivers, in the early morning darkness, on these wet and slushy roads is definitely not the best way to begin the work week! We all desire a bright, dry, sunshiny day to help us get back into work mode. But unfortunately, we’re stuck with what we have, and just have to make the best of it.
At least let’s give thanks that it’s not several inches of snow or tons of rain like what has been dumped on several other communities over the weekend. And best of all, we have Jesus, our Lord and Saviour, Redeemer and Friend to boost our spirits, lift our joy and get us to wherever we must go safely and on time! Wow! Give Him some much deserved thanks and praise my fellow believers!
That recalls the words of the psalmist Asaph as he talks about God being the judge in Psalm 50. As pertaining to not desiring blood sacrifices, God says: ‘Hear, O my people, and I will speak; O Israel, and I will testify against thee: I am God, even thy God. I will not reprove (rebuke) thee for thy sacrifices or thy burnt offerings, to have been continually before me. I will take no bullock (bull) out of thy house, nor he goats out of thy folds:
For every beast of the forest is mine, and the cattle upon a thousand hills. I know all the fowls (birds) of the mountains: and the wild beasts of the field are mine. If I were hungry, I would not tell thee; for the world is mine, and the fullness thereof. Will I eat the flesh of bulls, or drink the blood of goats? Offer unto God thanksgiving; and pay thy vows unto the Most High: And call upon me in the day of trouble: I will deliver thee, and thou shalt glorify me.’ (Ps. 50:7-15)
That says it all right there my people! The Lord doesn’t want animal or blood sacrifices, but the sacrifices of our hearts and mouths, through praise and thanksgiving and the keeping of our promises. Remember what Cousin Sol says in Ecclesiastes about promises? ‘When thou hast vowed a vow unto God, defer (delay) not to pay it; for he hath no pleasure in fools: pay that which thou hast vowed. Better is it that thou shouldest not vow, than thou shouldest vow and not pay.’ (Eccl. 5:4-5)
Words of eternal wisdom my brethren. Promises are made to be kept, especially to our God. But we have a bad habit of making promises willy nilly when we desperately want something, then not keeping them. However, God puts great store by promises, both by His and those made to Him by others. And if we don’t keep ours, He won’t keep His either, because many of them are conditional on our behaviour. Meaning, if we do such and such, then God will do so and so.
And that’s one the reasons why many of our prayers go unanswered. We talk a big talk to God, but don’t walk the talk. So what else do we expect but unanswered prayer eh? And don’t forget about that thing called obedience; a small and piddling irritant in our eyes, but a most important element in God’s. That’s another stumbling block on which our prayers and lives falter.
Listen to what Samuel told Saul, Israel’s first king when he failed to obey God’s command to totally destroy the Amalekites, but instead he spared their king Agag and the best of their animals. ‘And Samuel said, Hath the Lord as great delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices, as in obeying the voice of the Lord? Behold, to obey is better than sacrifice, and to hearken than the fat of rams.’ (1 Sam. 15:22)
Yes friends, that one disobedience caused Saul to lose his throne! And who knows how much we have lost through the glaring and rampant disobedience that is currently being carried out in our sinful and ungodly world, where the heathen wants to get rid of God, and too many supposed believers don’t have the parts to stand up strong and truly fight the battle on God’s behalf?
But thankfully, our God is a good God, a forgiving and merciful God, who will forgive and administer His grace and mercy to those who are sincerely repentant. As the psalmist so rightly reminds us above. ‘Offer unto God thanksgiving; and pay thy vows unto the Most High: And call upon me in the day of trouble: I will deliver thee, and thou shalt glorify me.’
And if you don’t believe that this is a time of serious trouble in our world, then something is seriously wrong with your mental apparatus. So please, let’s take the bull by the horns, believe God’s word and go to Him right now in prayer, with sincere repentance and thanksgiving flowing from our hearts, so that He can help us in this our time of desperate need. As one voice, let’s offer up our Monday Morning Battle Hymn.
‘Our Father, who art in heaven, we, Your humble servants, praise Your Holy Name and thank You this Monday morning for life and strong faith in Christ, despite the mass confusion in our world. We desperately need Your divine help, for You are the ONLY ONE with the power to solve our many problems.
Heavenly Father, we admit that we have all sinned and seriously disobeyed Your Word, but we know that You are a merciful, forgiving and gracious God, who has faithfully promised to hear and answer our prayers when we humble ourselves, pray, and sincerely seek Your face. That’s why we come to You now, with sincere repentance in our hearts, pleading with You to give us wise guidance and direction to alleviate our problems.
And Father, we pray that you will ease the pain of the many who are suffering from negative situations. Please show them Your awesome grace and mercy, and keep Your promise that You’ll hear our prayer, forgive us, and heal our land if we turn from our evil ways. Show this evil world that You are indeed Jehovah Rapha; the God who heals! We pray this in the holy and blessed name of Your Son, our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ! Amen! And again, we say: Amen!’
Now please remember that God’s promise is conditional on us changing our evil ways. Much LOVE!
…the wisest way to live this life…obey God…and leave all the consequences to Him… (Uncle Charles – Dr. Charles Stanley).
Hear our podcast at https://open.spotify.com/show/3aVfqIC1CqwGybISs9dZJ8
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