24 May 2026
by randyobrien50
in Christian Thoughts and Inspiration., Daily Devotion, Daily Inspiration, Inspirational Living, Spiritual Living
Tags: a new heart also will I give you, a new spirit will I put within you, a rushing mighty wind, a theological foundation, all filled with the Holy Ghost, all with one accord in one place, an important day in the annals of the Christian faith, as my Father hath sent me, as the spirit gave them utterance, at Pentecost instead of laws written on tablets, be witnesses unto me in Jerusalem, began to speak with other tongues, breathed into his nostrils, cause you to walk in my statutes, celebrate the coming of the Holy Spirit into our souls, Christ's church was born on Pentecost Day, cloven tongues like as of fire, do what you would do, Edwin Hatch, even so send I you, faith, fill me with life anew, for all eternity, give you a heart of flesh, glows with fire divine, God giving His spiritual breath to sinful man, God's creation of man, God's law of love, he breathed on them, holy spirit, invokes the Holy Spirit to come into his life and transform it, it sat upon each of them, Jesus breathing on the apostles symbolizes the giving of the Holy Spirit, Jesus Christ, keep my judgements and do them, live with you the perfect life, LOVE, love the way you love, man became a living soul, mercy, my will is one with yours, peace be with you, Pentecost Sunday, profound in imagery, put my spirit within you, receive ye the Holy Ghost, Robinson Crusoe's man Friday, salvation, scriptural authenticity, Shavuot commemorated God giving the Ten Commandments to Moses on Mt. Sinai, so shall I never die, soulful sincere version, speak in other languages, suddenly there came a sound from heaven, surrender our will to God's, sweet sacrifices of praise, take away the stony heart out of your flesh, that I may be free, the author, the breath of life, the breath of the Almighty hath given me life, The Day of Pentecost, the day of Pentecost was fully come, the day the Holy Spirit began indwelling believers, the finished work of Jesus, the gift of the Holy Spirit to empower believers, the Holy Spirit writes God's law of love directly onto the human heart, the Jewish festival of Shavuot, the Lord God formed man of the dust of the ground, the New Covenant, the renewal and empowering presence of the Holy Spirit, the singer seeks the breath of God, the Spirit descends like tongues of fire, the spirit of God hath made me, there appeared unto them cloven tongues, they are remitted unto them, this earthly part of me, this most auspicious occasion, till I am earthly thine, to do and to endure, truth, until my heart is pure, unto the uttermost part of the earth, whose soever sins ye remit, whose soever sins ye remit they are remitted, whose soever sins ye retain they are retained, wisdom, ye shall receive power when the Holy ghost is come upon you
Today’s Scrip-Bit 24 May 2026 John 20:22.
John 20:22. And when he had said this, he breathed on them, and saith unto them, Receive ye the Holy Ghost:
And after a rainy Pentecost Saturday, came a rainy Pentecost Sunday morning! But thankfully by midday the rain has stopped and a glimmer of sunshine has appeared, for how long though, no one knows. (smile) Now, today’s a rather important day in the annals of the Christian faith, for it’s on this Day of Pentecost that the Holy Spirit began indwelling believers. And we all know the story, as the Good Book tells it.
‘And when the day of Pentecost was fully come, they were all (that’s the apostles) with one accord (purpose or mind) in one place. And suddenly there came a sound from heaven as of a rushing mighty wind, and it filled all the house where they were sitting. And there appeared unto them cloven (divided) tongues like as of fire, and it sat upon each of them. And they were all filled with the Holy Ghost, and began to speak with other tongues (different languages), as the Spirit gave them utterance.’ (Acts 2:1-4)
Yes friends, that’s the day Christ’s Church was officially born under His New Covenant. For as this commentary tells us: ‘Originally, Pentecost was the Jewish festival of Shavuot, which commemorated God giving the Ten Commandments to Moses on Mount Sinai. At Christian Pentecost, the Spirit descends as “tongues of fire”. Rather than laws written on tablets of stone, the Holy Spirit writes God’s law of LOVE directly onto the human heart.’
It reminds us of God’s promise to Israel through the prophet Ezekiel: ‘A new heart also will I give you, and a new spirit will I put within you: and I will take away the stony heart out of your flesh, and I will give you an heart of flesh. And I will put my spirit within you, and cause you to walk in my statutes, and ye shall keep my judgements, and do them.’ (Ezek. 36:26-27)
And today we’ll sing a beautiful hymn, written especially to commemorate and celebrate that most auspicious occasion. It was written in 1876 by Edwin Hatch, an Anglican Minster and Professor of Classics at the University of Trinity College in Canada. The song’s titled ‘Breathe on Me, Breath of God.’ Yes, it’s simple, but straight to the point, as this commentary claims: ‘The author invokes the Holy Spirit to come into his life and transform it. Using the first-person perspective throughout the hymn adds to the hymn’s power as the singer seeks the breath of God (Genesis 2:7) as a source for renewal.’
So, let’s offer up our sweet sacrifices of praise in a soulful, sincere, mid-tempo version, one so heartfelt that the Holy Spirit would have no choice but to do as we ask. Singing: ‘Breathe on me, Breath of God, fill me with life anew, that I may LOVE the way you LOVE, and do what you would do. Breathe on me, Breath of God, until my heart is pure, until my will is one with yours, to do and to endure. Breathe on me, Breath of God Till I am earthly thine Until this earthly part of me, Glows with thy fire divine. Breathe on me, Breath of God, So that I may be free, so shall I never die, but live with you the perfect life for all eternity. Ohh breathe on me!’
Wonderful my people, wonderful! The Holy Spirit could never refuse such a touching and heartwarming request! (smile) Yes, the song might sound simple, but it’s rather profound in its imagery and scriptural authenticity, referring first to God’s creation of man in the beginning, then to His giving His spiritual breath to sinful man through the finished work of Jesus at Pentecost.
The Bible tells us in Genesis: ‘And the Lord God formed man of the dust of the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living soul.’ (Gen. 2:7) Then we have the situation after Jesus’ resurrection, where He appears to the disciples behind closed doors, says to them: ‘Peace be unto you: as my Father hath sent me, even so send I you. And when he had said this, he breathed on them, and saith unto them, Receive ye the Holy Ghost: Whose soever sins ye remit (forgive), they are remitted (forgiven) unto them; and whose soever sins ye retain, they are retained.’ (John 20:21-23)
And that’s the scripture verse in there that connects to the hymn ‘Breathe on Me Breath of God.’ And this commentary explains it thus. ‘This verse is often used as a theological foundation for the hymn, which prays for the renewal and empowering presence of the Holy Spirit. It describes Jesus breathing on the apostles after his resurrection, symbolizing the giving of the Holy Spirit. It’s a key moment in the New Testament, highlighting the gift of the Spirit to empower believers.’ And that’s the incredible truth … and made even more incredible by the actual dramatic indwelling of the Holy Spirit in believers on the Day of Pentecost!
And Jesus’ last directive to the disciples before His ascension was to stay in Jerusalem: ‘But ye shall receive power, after that (when) the Holy Ghost is come upon you: and ye shall be witnesses unto me in Jerusalem, and in all Judaea, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth.’ (Acts 1:8) I’m sure that none of the apostles even dreamed that the Lord would stage such a dramatic scene. But He is God, and every so often he likes to remind us of His omnipotence and flair for the dramatic.
And Job’s friend Elihu, said it perfectly in his challenge to Job. ‘The spirit of God hath made me, and the breath of the Almighty hath given me life.’ (Job 33:4) More incredible truth my fellow believers. And what more can we ask in this life eh, than to have the awesome breath of God fill us with new life, so that we could LOVE the way He does, surrender our will to Him and have His divine fire burning brightly in us as we do His earthly work, to be free and never die, but live with Him through all eternity! Yes friends, those are some of the thoughts that ought to be filling our hearts and minds this Day of Pentecost as we celebrate the coming of the Holy Spirit into our souls! Much LOVE!
…the Holy Spirit…Comforter…Helper…Guide…Robinson Crusoe’s man Friday to all believers…
Hear our podcast at https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/randy-obrien
17 May 2026
by randyobrien50
in Christian Thoughts and Inspiration., Daily Devotion, Daily Inspiration, Inspirational Living, Spiritual Living
Tags: a great King above all Gods, a pause we all need to take, a rollicking good version, always numbering your troubles, amid the conflict, angels will attend, as the manner of some is, as ye see the day approaching, be careful for nothing, be singing as the days go by, burdened with a load of care, Christ has promised you His wealth untold, Christians, church bells are ringing, consider one another, count your blessings, count your many blessings, deserving of praise honour and glory, difficulties are only opportunities for advancement, do not be discouraged, does the cross seem heavy, doesn't get us down, every doubt will fly away, exhorting one another, faith, fellowship, fellowship in the Lord's sanctuary, focusing on the few negative things in our lives, God gives us many blessings every day, God is indeed a great God, God is over all, great or small, hear the joy in our voices as we sing, heavy the cross you are called to bear, help and comfort give, holy spirit, how great is the sum of them, how precious are thy thoughts unto me, in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving, in every thing give thanks, in these uncertain times, it will surprise you what the Lord hath done, Jesus Christ, Johnson Oatman Jr., keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus, let your requests be made known unto God, like the grains of sand on the seashore, look at others with lands and gold, LOVE, make a joyful noise, many are thy wonderful works, mercy, money cannot buy your reward in heaven, more in number than the sand, more than can be numbered, name them one by one, need to keep our spirits high, never find time to count your blessings, no use becoming frustrated in your difficulties, not forgetting the assembling of ourselves together, O come let us sing unto the lord, O Lord my God, opportunities hiding in them for a turnover, pay lip service, personal interaction, praise, preeminent importance, provoke unto love and to good works, remembering the many blessings God has generously bestowed on us, reminds us to stop and give thanksfor all God has done in our lives, salvation, see what God hath done, shout joyfully, shout joyfully unto god with psalms, so much more, soca version by Joseph Niles, something to take very seriously, sweet sacrifices of praise, tempest tossed, thanksgiving, the bad habit, the BIBLE, the chaos and adversity in our world, the gathering of Christians, the living truth, the Lord is a great God, the negative stuff that's happening, the peace of God which passeth all understading, the rock of our salvation, they cannot be reckoned up, thinking all is lost, this is the will of God in Christ concerning you, thy thoughts to us-ward, to your journey's end, truth, when I awake I am still with thee, when upon life's billows, wisdom, wretched and ungrateful souls, you are discouraged, your home on high
1 Thessalonians 5:18. ‘In every thing give thanks: for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you.’
Believe it or not friends, it’s Sunday and the church bells are ringing, once more calling us to fellowship in the Lord’s sanctuary, to give praise and thanks and receive blessings and strength to face the upcoming week. And let us never forget that Christians gathering together is of preeminent importance in our faith, as the Bible warns us. ‘And let us consider one another to provoke (stir up) unto LOVE and to good works: Nor forgetting the assembling of ourselves together, as the manner of some is; but exhorting one another: and so much the more, as ye see the day approaching.’ (Heb.1024-25)
So it’s very necessary that we gather on a regular basis that we can encourage and stir up each other through personal interaction. And with all of that in mind, let’s get to our song of worship for today, one that is very appropriate for these evil and ungodly times. It’s one we all know and sing, but mostly do it just lip service, otherwise so many of us believers would not be worried and scared at all the chaos and adversity in our world. The song’s simply titled ‘Count Your Blessings!’ and was written by popular American hymnwriter and ordained minister, Johnson Oatman Jr. (1856-1922).
And today we’re going down south with the song, adding sweet sacrifices of praise in a scintillating up-tempo Soca riddim, a la, Jospeh Niles’ version of some years ago. So, let’s hear the joy in our voices as we sing, simultaneously remembering all the many blessings the Lord has so generously bestowed on us. And to get us off on a rousing note, we’ll open with the chorus.
Singing ‘(Refrain: Count your blessings, name them one by one; Count your blessings, see what God hath done; Count your blessings, name them one by one; Count your many blessings, see what God hath done.) When upon life’s billows you are tempest tossed, When you are discouraged, thinking all is lost, Count your many blessings, name them one by one, And it will surprise you what the Lord hath done. (Refrain: Count your blessings,) Are you ever burdened with a load of care? Does the cross seem heavy you are called to bear? Count your many blessings, ev’ry doubt will fly, And you will be singing as the days go by. [Refrain]
When you look at others with their lands and gold, Think that Christ has promised you His wealth untold; Count your many blessings, money cannot buy Your reward in heaven, nor your home on high. [Refrain] So, amid the conflict, whether great or small, Do not be discouraged, God is over all; Count your many blessings, angels will attend, Help and comfort give you to your journey’s end. [Refrain: Count your blessings, name them one by one; Count your blessings, see what God hath done; Count your blessings, name them one by one; Count your many blessings, see what God hath done.)’
Yes mih people, that was a rollicking good version, and we could hear the joy in most of our voices as we sang and rocked to the music. And before we get into any talk on the song, it might be best to consider a definition of Counting our Blessings. One commentary puts it this way: ‘to be grateful for the good things in your life, often to stop yourself becoming too unhappy about the bad things.’
And that’s something we ought to take very seriously, for too many of us have the bad habit of focusing on the relatively few negative things in our lives, rather than the many good ones. And especially in these uncertain times we need to keep our spirits and our faith at a high level, so that all the negative stuff that’s happening doesn’t get us down and /or discouraged.
Now the theme of the song is basically about praise and thanksgiving, and there are so many scriptures on those topics that we will only be able to deal with a few; like this one from Psalm 95, where the psalmist declares: ‘O Come, let us sing unto the Lord: let us make a joyful noise (shout joyfully) to the rock of our salvation. Let us come before his presence with thanksgiving, and make a joyful noise (shout joyfully) unto him with psalms (songs). For the Lord is a great God, and a great King above all gods.’ (Ps. 95:1-3) And our God is indeed a great God, deserving of much praise, honour and glory!
Then listen as Bruh David sings the Lord’s praises from Psalm 40. ‘Many, O Lord my God, are thy wonderful works which thou hast done, and thy thoughts which are to-us-ward: they cannot be reckoned up (recounted) in order unto thee: if I would declare and speak of them, they are more than can be numbered.’ (Ps. 40:5) And isn’t that the living truth! God’s goodness toward us has been so numerous, like the grains of sand on the shore, they simply cannot be counted.
And in that marvellous Psalm 139, Bruh David again declares God’s goodness. ‘How precious also are thy thoughts unto me, O God! How great is the sum of them! If I should count them, they are more in number than the sand: when I awake, I am still with thee.’ (Ps. 139:17-18) And this commentary from the http://www.godtube website says it loud and clear. ‘God truly gives us so many blessings each and every single day. Some may even be so small that we might overlook them. The classic hymn ‘Count Your Blessings’ truly reminds us to stop and give thanks for all God has done in our lives. This is definitely a pause we all need to take. Amen.’
And Bruh Paul says it thus to the Philippians. ‘Be careful (anxious) for nothing; but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made know unto God. And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep (guard) your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.’ (Phil. 4:6-7) Meanwhile, to the Thessalonians, He writes: ‘In every thing give thanks: for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you.’ (1Thess. 5:18)
Now it could not get any clearer than that; God expects us to give Him thanks and praise, and He most certainly deserves it, for all the goodness and mercy He’s bestowed on our wretched and ungrateful souls. And this commentary seems to be a most fitting way to close our discourse today. It wisely advises: ‘If you always find yourself numbering your troubles, you will never find time for counting your blessings. There is no use becoming frustrated in your difficulties while you have all opportunities hiding in them for a turnover.’ So, let’s ponder that today, while we count our many blessings. Much LOVE!
…difficulties are only opportunities for advancement…
Hear our podcast at https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/randy-obrien
03 May 2026
by randyobrien50
in Christian Thoughts and Inspiration., Daily Devotion, Daily Inspiration, Inspirational Living, Spiritual Living
Tags: a path to spiritual freedom, aligning your life with God's divine viewpoint, all to Him I freely give, All to Jesus I surrender, all to thee my blessed Saviour, arise and go into the city, ask for divine aid, christianity, Christians, embrace the righteousness and justice of Christ, expressed sentiments are heartfelt, faith, fill me with thy love and power, follow me and I will make you fishers of men, following Jesus is worth every trial and tribulation along the way, gather in the Lord's sanctuary, glory to his name, God will provide us with strength mercy courage and grace, he cannot be my disciple, holy spirit, humbly at his feet I bow, I feel the sacred flame, I give myself to thee, I surrender all, I will ever love and trust Him, if any man will come after me, in his presence daily live, intimacy with god, it is hard to kick against the pricks, Jesus Christ, Jesus is a tough road to follow, Judson Van De Venter, led him by the hand and brought him to Damascus, let him deny himself, let me feel the Holy Spirit, let thy blessing fall on me, LOVE, make me Saviour wholly thine, mercy, neither did he eat nor drink, only with the Lord's blessing is success possible, putting a white flag up to God, salvation, Saul arose from the earth, Saul did not put up a fight with Jesus, Saul Saul why persecutest thou me, Saul was three days without sight, Saul's conversion on the road to Damscus, submitting to God's authority, surrender involves obedience humility and letting go of self control, surrender is not a weakness, surrender means fully yielding your will to Christ's, surrendering our whole lives to Christ, sweet sacrifices of praise, take me Jesus take me now, take up his cross daily and follow me, that forsaketh not all that he hath, the BIBLE, the joy of full salvation, the most dramatic surrender, the power of surrendering to God, they immediately left the ship with their father, to give thanks for a successful week, total surrender to Christ, truly know that thou art mine, trusting God's sovereignty, trusting that God can lead better than you can lead yourself, truth, we can trust God to take care and provide for us, what wilt thou have me do, when his eyes were opened he saw no man, whosoever he be of you, wisdom, worldly pleasures all forsaken
Luke 14:33. So likewise, whosoever he be of you that forsaketh not all that he hath, he cannot be my disciple.
Can you hear it in the distance friends? The church bells are ringing, calling us to gather in the Lord’s sanctuary this first Sunday in May, to give thanks for a successful week, and to ask for divine aid to have another in this upcoming one. For it’s only with the Lord’s blessing that is possible.
And our song of worship today is one most appropriate for our times and aptly titled, ‘All to Jesus I Surrender.’ The author is Judson W. Van DeVenter, (1855-1939) an American Hymnwriter, who wrote the song around 1896 on the subject of Consecration. So, without further ado, let’s offer up our sweet sacrifices of praise in a soulful, scintillating mid-tempo version of this wonderful song, making it clear to all who hear it that the sentiments we express are truly heartfelt.
Singing: ‘All to Jesus I surrender. All to Him I freely give; I will ever LOVE and trust Him, In His presence daily live. (Refrain: I surrender all, I surrender all; All to Thee, my blessed Saviour, I surrender all.) All to Jesus I surrender, Humbly at His feet I bow, Worldly pleasures all forsaken. Take me, Jesus, take me now. (Refrain: I surrender all..) All to Jesus I surrender, Make me, Saviour, wholly Thine; Let me feel the Holy Spirit, Truly know that Thou art mine. (Refrain: I surrender all…)
All to Jesus I surrender, Lord, I give myself to Thee; Fill me with Thy LOVE and power, Let Thy blessing fall on me. (Refrain: I surrender all…) All to Jesus I surrender, Now I feel the sacred flame; Oh, the joy of full salvation! Glory, glory, to His name! (Refrain: I surrender all, I surrender all; All to Thee, my blessed Saviour, I surrender all…I surrender all, I surrender all; All to Thee, my blessed Saviour, I surrender all… All to Thee, my blessed Saviour, I surrender all…’ Well done my fellow believers! Our heartfelt surrender to Jesus could be heard in the words we uttered.
But before we get into any scriptures the song might raise, let’s first consider the meaning of the word surrender in the Biblical sense. This commentary explains it thus: ‘Biblically, surrender means fully yielding your own will, plans, and desires to God’s will, submitting to His authority, and trusting His sovereignty, which is seen not as weakness but as a path to spiritual freedom, true purpose, and intimacy with Him, often involving obedience, humility, and letting go of self-centered control. It’s about putting a “white flag” up to God, trusting He can handle your anxieties and lead you better than you can yourself, aligning your life with His divine viewpoint.’
Ah friends, it truly means surrendering our whole lives to Christ; letting Him lead and guide us in every decision, in every thought and step we take. And that’s not always easy to do with the evil and ungodly world trying it’s best to turn us away from our Lord and Saviour. But it’s what we signed up for when we became disciples of Jesus. Remember His conditions for discipleship? ‘If any man will (desires to) come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow me.’ (Luke 9:23) That means sacrificing our own will daily for His if necessary.
And we have some great examples of surrendering to Jesus’ will right at the beginning of his ministry. The Bible recalls it beautifully: ‘And Jesus, walking by the sea of Galilee, saw two brethren, Simon called Peter, and Andrew his brother, casting a net into the sea: for they were fishers. And he saith unto them, Follow me, and I will make you fishers of men. And they straightway left their nets, and followed him.’ (Matt. 4:18-20) Now how many of us would do something that exceptional eh? Not many.
But listen as the Bible continues. ‘And going on from thence, he (Jesus) saw other two brethren, James, the son of Zebedee, and John his brother, in a ship with Zebedee their father, mending their nets; and he called them. And they immediately left the ship and their father, and followed him.’ (Matt. 4:21-22) Wow! Who leaves their father, and their entire livelihood behind to follow some itinerant preacher that you don’t know eh? Apparently those first four disciples did!
No doubt Jesus must have exerted a strong pull of His Spirit on them, for them to just acquiesce to His request with no questions whatsoever. But that’s what Jesus requires of His followers. As He later says: ‘So likewise, whosoever he be of you that forsaketh not all that he hath, he cannot be my disciple.’ (Luke 14:33) Yes friends, it’s a tough road to follow, but it’s worth every trial and tribulation involved along the way!
But the most dramatic accomplishment of discipleship, of surrender, is that of Bruh Paul, the one time persecutor of the church. One day, on his way to Damascus, to continue his persecution of the church, the Bible tells us that near to his journey’s end, ‘and suddenly there shined round about him a light from heaven: and he fell to the earth, and heard a voice saying, Saul, Saul, why persecutest thou me? And he said, Who art thou Lord? and the Lord said, I am Jesus whom thou persecutest: it is hard for thee to kick against the pricks (a goad, a rod with a sharp point, used to prod animals forward).
And he trembling and astonished said, Lord, what wilt thou have me to do? And the Lord said unto him, Arsie and go into the city, and it shall be told thee what thou must do. And the men which journeyed with him stood speechless, hearing a voice, but seeing no man. And Saul arose from the earth; and when his eyes were opened, he saw no man (he was blind), but they led him by the hand, and brought him to Damascus. And he was three days without sight, and neither did eat nor drink.’ (Acts 9:3-9)
Yuh see how it is mih bredrin, when the Lord really wants you, He will find a way to get you, though not always in such a dramatic way as Bruh Paul’s conversion. And if we read the rest of Acts 9 we will se how Bruh Paul’s conversion actually unfolded. Please note, that once Jesus declared Himself to Saul, the great persecutor of the church, did not put up a fight, but simply acquiesced to Jesus’ directive. And that’s how He desires his followers to be, no set of cantankerous arguments, although we can ask questions and make our differences known. But overall, we ought to embrace the righteousness and justice of Jesus without complaint.
And there’s no better way to end today than with this commentary. ‘The song “I Surrender” is a beautiful reminder of the power of surrendering to God and trusting in Him. When we surrender to God, He will provide us with strength, courage, mercy, and grace. We can trust Him to take care of us and provide for us. May we all remember to surrender to God and trust in Him.’
I could not put it any better than that my fellow believers. So, please, let’s spend some time today pondering how we can fully surrender our will to God’s. Much LOVE!
…only in total surrender to God…can He do His best work in us…
Hear our podcast at https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/randy-obrien
19 Apr 2026
by randyobrien50
in Christian Thoughts and Inspiration., Daily Devotion, Daily Inspiration, Inspirational Living, Spiritual Living
Tags: a candle in every soul, a family whose hearts are blazing, a man sent from god, a spirit who brings fire, active evangelism, and the life was the light of men, because I live ye shall live also, believe in whom they have not heard, bridging the gap between hearing and belief, bring glad tidings of good things, call on him in whom they have not believed, carry your candle, celebrate the resurrection of Jesus, Christ's resurrection victory, Christ's victory over death, christianity, Christians, Christopher Rice, compassion, critical times, ensures believers, faith, faith cometh by hearing, fiendishly destroyed by the devil, glorify your Father which is in heaven, Go light your world, guarantees believers own spiritual and eternal life, have the light of life, he that followeth me shall not walk in darkness, hear without a preacher, hearing by the word of God, hold out your candle for all to see, hold out yout candle for all to see, holy spirit, how beautiful are the feet of them that preach the gospel of peace, how shall they preach except they be sent, I am the light of the world, ignites a candle and makes His home, in him was life, in the name of Jesus, Jesus Christ, Jesus embodies all that spiritual light is and does, Jesus needs our help to bring others to his fold, Jesus power persuades us to do good, Jesus teachings and example illuminate our path, Jesus' selfless sacrifice on our behalf, John the Baptist, Kathy Troccoli, Let your light so shine before men, lighteth every man that comes into the world, lost to eternal separation, LOVE, make Jesus proud of us, make us a beacon in darkest times, mercy, offers hope and comfort, our world is falling apart, patience, peace, praying to our Father, raise our candles and light up the sky, rising up with our candles blazing, run to the darkness, seek out the helpless confused and torn, seek out the hopeless deceived and poor, some burning brightly, some dark and cold, spread Jesus system of salvation and eternal life, spread the good news of Christ's gospel, stop shirking our responsibilities, suffer injustice, sweet sacrifices of praise, take your candle go light your world, Thank you Jesus, that all men through him might believe, the BIBLE, the bowels of death, the darkness comprehended it not, the light shineth in the darkness, the second Sunday of Easter, the source of light that quickens our understanding, the true light, they may see your good works, those connected to Christ will share in His victory over death, to bear witness of the Light, to make God's revelation universally availble, truth, we have failed on the job, wisdom
Matthew 5:16. ‘Let your light shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven.’
And we’ve come to the second Sunday of Easter, that season when we celebrate the awesome resurrection of our Lord and Saviour Jesus from the bowels of death! And since He made this profound promise: ‘because I live, ye shall live also,’ (John 14:19b) we believe that resurrection will also be in our future. And as this overview explains: ‘That promise ensures believers that His resurrection victory over death guarantees their own spiritual and eternal life. It offers hope and comfort, signifying that because He conquered the grave, those connected to Him will share in that victory.’ And all Christians joyfully shouted: ‘Thank You Jesus!’
But my fellow believers, although it’s good to give Jesus thanks and praise for His selfless sacrifices on our behalf, He also needs our help to bring others to His fold, so that they won’t be lost to eternal separation. And today’s song of worship is a song that encourages us to do just that. It’s one written by Christopher Rice in 2004, titled ‘Go Light Your World,’ and made popular by singer Kathy Troccoli. So, let’s offer up our sweet sacrifices of praise in a soulful, sincere and heartfelt mid-tempo version of the song.
Singing: ‘There is a candle in every soul Some brightly burning, some dark and cold There is a Spirit who brings a fire Ignites a candle and makes His home. (Chorus: So carry your candle, run to the darkness Seek out the helpless, confused and torn Hold out your candle for all to see it Take your candle, and go light your world Take your candle, and go light your world.) Frustrated brother, see how he’s tried to Light his own candle some other way See now your sister, she’s been robbed and lied to Still holds a candle without a flame
(Chorus:…Carry your candle…) ‘Cause we are a family whose hearts are blazing So let’s raise our candles and light up the sky Praying to our Father, in the name of Jesus Make us a beacon in darkest times. (Chorus: So carry your candle, run to the darkness Seek out the hopeless, deceived and poor Hold out your candle for all to see it Take your candle, and go light your world… Repeat… Take your candle, and go light your world…Take your candle, and go light your world.’
Oh friends, that is exactly what we need to do in these critical times, where our world seems to be falling apart, being fiendishly destroyed by the devil and his evil cohorts. Jesus left us here to show peace and LOVE, compassion and patience to those in need and spread His marvellous system of salvation and eternal life. In other words, to spread the good news of His gospel all around the globe. But unfortunately, we have done a rather poor job of it, and consequently the devil and his evil buddies are now running things, while we stand aside, watch and suffer the injustice of their rule.
However, if we read the beginning of John’s gospel, we’ll see where he refers to Jesus thus: ‘In him was life, and the life was the light of men. And the light shineth in the darkness; and the darkness comprehended it not. There was a man sent from God, whose name was John (John the Baptist). The same came for a witness, to bear witness of the Light, that all men through him might believe. He was not that Light, but was sent to bear witness of that Light. That was the true Light, which lighteth every man that cometh into the world.’ (John 1:4-9)
That means John the Baptist was sent to inform mankind about Jesus, the true Light of the world, who makes God’s revelation universally available to all men. And Jesus attested to that fact when He declared: ‘I am the light of the world: he that followeth me shall not walk in darkness, but shall have the light of life.’ (John 8:12) And this commentary further explains: ‘Jesus is called the light of the world ‘because he is the source of the light that quickens our understanding, because his teachings and his example illuminate our path, and because his power persuades us to do good.’
So, as the song tells us, in each human soul there’s a candle, and when we receive Jesus as Lord and Saviour, the Holy Spirit comes to dwell in us and lights the candle in us, with the expectation that we will go forth and shine it in the darkness, like a family whose hearts are blazing for Jesus, so others can see His light, and come to know and LOVE Him like we do. But sadly, too many of us have failed on the job, by not taking our brightly shining candle and going out into the darkness seeking the lost, helpless, confused and torn. That therefore left a lot of others trying to light their own candle in some other unsuccessful way and consequently being ill-treated and shamed.
But thankfully all is not lost, we still have the wonderful option to pray to our heavenly Father, in the name of Jesus to make us a beacon in these darkest of times, so, as the chorus says, we can carry our candles, run to the darkness, seek out the hopeless, deceived and poor. Yes friends, we need to bravely and boldly hold out our candles for all to see, so that we can light up this dark and evil world. Light it up with the light of Jesus, that brings, peace, LOVE, forgiveness, salvation and eternal light to those who accept His wonderful offer.
But many don’t know Jesus, and will only know Him through us, that’s why we need to get out there and spread the word. It’s like Bruh Paul says in his letter to the Romans. ‘How shall they call on him in whom they have not believed? and how shall they believe in whom they have not heard? and how shall they hear without a preacher? And how shall they preach, except they be sent? as it is written, How beautiful are the feet of them that preach the gospel of peace, and bring glad tidings of good things! But they have not all obeyed the gospel. For Esaias (Isaiah) saith, Lord, who hath believed our report? So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.’ (Rom. 10:14 –17)
And this commentary explains that passage of scripture thus. ‘It highlights that people cannot believe in the Gospel if they have not heard it, and they cannot hear it unless it is shared by others. This necessitates active evangelism, where believers are sent to proclaim the message, bridging the gap between hearing and belief.’ That’s quite true, but we don’t all have to go afar to spread the gospel for there are many unbelievers right in our communities who can benefit from our sharing the gospel, or as Jesus said : ‘Let your light shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven.’ (Matt. 5:16)
And that’s the crux of our current situation my fellow believers; not enough of us are doing what Jesus desires of us. So please, our world is deteriorating at an enormous speed, and we are the only ones able to slow it down, so let’s stop shirking our responsibilities, and instead, make Jesus proud of us, by rising up, with our candles blazing, and get out there as one big family and shine those candles in the darkness of this evil and ungodly world! Much LOVE!
…“Jesus is the light of life and the life of light…He embodies all that we know spiritual light is and does…”
Hear our podcast at https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/randy-obrien
12 Apr 2026
by randyobrien50
in Christian Thoughts and Inspiration., Daily Devotion, Daily Inspiration, Inspirational Living, Spiritual Living
Tags: a faith that persists in prayer, a motivation to maintain the faith, a rhetorical inquiry, after ye have done the will of God, all of us can make small changes, allowed the evil one, at the end it shall speak and not lie, be passionate about Jesus, bounden duty to reduce negativity, break Jesus' heart, cast not away your confidence, christianity, Christians, does not lose heart, endure to the end, enduring faith will be rare at the end times, even in the face of injustice or delay, faith, for those I've left behind, from the bottom of my heart, great recompense of reward, greet him with a smile, have need of patience, he may run that readeth it, he that shall come will come, he who runs can read it, his soul which is lifted, holy spirit, if any man draw back, in the Lord's timing, is not upright in him, it will not tarry, it will surely come, Jesus Christ, Jesus encourages a specific type of faith, Jesus is depending on us, Johnny Reid, LOVE, love the Lord and your neighbour as yourself, made my resolution, make a strong resolution to change our problems, make it plain upon tables, make sure my children know right from wrong, mercy, my soul shall have no pleasure in him, never turn my back on those in need, not for me, obedient disciples of Christ, one day at a time, one one cocoa full basket, open up our eyes, opened up my eyes, our descendants will have a better world, paying lip service, put the major commandments into action, put up a serious fight against the enemy, receive the promise, salvation, say hello to my neighbour, see myself through another's eyes, see the many problems we face, shake the hand of a stranger, shall he find faith on the earth, sincere heartfelt version, sit and talk for a while, small changes eventually become big ones, sweet sacrifices of praise, take it one day at a time, tell someone I love them, the BIBLE, the first Sunday of Easter, the godly thing to do, the just shall live by faith, the necessity of trusting God's love, the promise of salvation and eternal life, the vision is yet for an appointed time, them that believe to the saving of the soul, though it tarry wait for it, to keep the faith alive, to perpetrate his evil machinations, today I'm gonna try and change the world, truth, very little resistance, we are not of them who draw back unto perdition, when the Son of man cometh, wisdom, write the vision
Luke 18:8b. ‘Nevertheless when the Son of man cometh, shall he find faith on the earth?’
So we’ve come to the first Sunday after Easter… And what now? Well, we keep on being passionate about Jesus; His death, resurrection and the promise of salvation and eternal life those two events made possible! It’s time to be very concerned about our world and the great amount of negative stuff that’s overtaken it. If we truly LOVE and appreciate all that He’s done for us, then it’s our bounden duty to try and reduce the negativity; the evil and ungodliness in our world.
And to help us do that, we’re going to sing a most appropriate song titled, ‘Today I’m Gonna Try And Change The World.’ It’s a song released in 2010 by Canadian Country Music Artist, Johnny Reid, one that all believers’ ought to take to heart right now and staunchly put into action, for that’s the only way we’re going to turn things around. So, without further ado, let’s offer our sweet sacrifices of praise in a soulful, sincere and heartfelt mid-tempo version of the song.
And we’ll begin with the ‘(Chorus: Today I’m gonna try and change the world Gonna take it one day at a time I’ve made my resolution I’ve opened up my eyes Today I’m gonna try and change the world.) I’m gonna say hello to my neighbor Gonna greet him with a smile Shake the hand of a stranger Sit and talk for a while Gonna tell someone I love them From the bottom of my heart Today I’m gonna try and change the world.
(Chorus) Gonna make sure my children Know there’s a right and wrong I’ll never turn my back On those of us who need someone Always gonna try to see myself Through another’s eyes Today I’m gonna try and change the world. (Chorus: Today I’m gonna try and change the world Gonna take it one day at a time I’ve made my resolution I’ve opened up my eyes Today I’m gonna try and change the world…Yes, I’ve made my resolution, I’ve opened up my eyes Today I’m gonna try and change the world Not for me, but for those I’ll leave behind I’ve made my resolution Gonna change it one day at time Today I’m gonna try and change the world. Yes, Today I’m gonna try and change the world…one day at a time.’
Oh friends, let’s hope we were not simply paying lip service as we sang that wonderful song, because I’m sure it would break Jesus’ heart, since His great desire is for us to indeed change this evil and ungodly world as much as we can! And my fellow believers, He is depending on us to keep faith very much alive on the earth until He returns, as He asks this question at the end of the parable on the persistent widow. ‘Nevertheless when the Son of man cometh, shall he find faith on the earth?’ (Luke 18:8b)
And as this commentary explains: ‘It is a rhetorical inquiry, suggesting that true, enduring faith will be rare or under severe strain during the end times, encouraging believers to remain faithful and prayerful. The question implies that a large part of humanity may have lost faith, rather than an abundance of it being present. Jesus is encouraging a specific type of faith—one that persists in prayer and does not lose heart, even in the face of injustice or delay. It highlights the necessity of trusting in God’s LOVE and justice, even when it seems absent or delayed. The verse is a warning and a motivation for believers to maintain their faith until His return.’
Oh my people, what more can I add to that eh? Not much. Except to say that from the way we’ve allowed the evil one to perpetrate his ungodly machinations without much pressure, with very little resistance or push back on our part, we’re definitely not shaping up to be the kind of followers Jesus truly desires and desperately needs. However, let’s not forget what the author of Hebrews tells us, as he recounts our former days, when our faith was much stronger than it currently is.
‘Cast not away therefore your confidence, which hath great recompence of reward. For ye have need of patience (endurance), that, after ye have done the will of God, ye might receive the promise. For yet a little while, and he that shall come will come, and will not tarry (delay). Now the just shall live by faith: but if any man draw back, my soul shall have no pleasure in him. But we are not of them who draw back unto perdition (destruction): but of them that believe to the saving of the soul.’ (Heb. 10:35-39)
Now there’s a very inspiring scripture passage! And it’s calling us to be faithful followers of Christ, to be patient, to endure to the end. That was quoted from the prophet Habakkuk, as the Lord told him. ‘Write the vision and make it plain upon tables (tablets), that he may run that readeth it. For the vision is yet for an appointed time, but at the end it shall speak, and not lie: though it tarry, wait for it; because it will surely come, it will not tarry. Behold, his soul which is lifted (proud) is not upright in him: but the just shall live by faith.’ (Hab. 2:2-4)
So my people, whatever the Lord has promised, will eventually come to pass, but in the Lord’s timing, not ours. Our part is to wait faithfully and patiently until it comes true. But while we’re waiting, we must also put up a serious fight against the enemy, not let him make any further inroads into the culture and power structure of our world. And I know that only a handful of us are in positions to make big changes to our world, but all of us can make small ones, and as the Jamaicans say, ‘one one cocoa full basket.’ Yes, many small changes eventually become big ones.
And how do we do that? Simply by doing what the song we sang today says. Open up our eyes and see the many problems that we face. Then make a strong resolution to change them, one day at a time, by doing things like saying hello to our neighbours, greeting them with a big, genuine smile; shaking the hand of a stranger as you sit and talk to him for a while. And what about telling someone you LOVE them from the bottom of your heart? Now that alone would make a great difference in so many relationships.
Obviously, we’re also going to teach our children the difference between right and wrong, while never turning our backs on anyone who needs our help, and seeing ourselves through the eyes of others, thinking of their situation rather than ours. And one big reason we should try and change our world one day at a time is not for us, but for those we leave behind, so that they will have a better world than we have.
So please my fellow believers, on this first Sunday after Easter in this year of 2026, it’s imperative that we take time to ponder the situations of both our world and ourselves, and as obedient disciples of Christ, make the resolution to implement whatever changes we can, in whatever time we have left to us, for that’s the godly thing to do! Much LOVE!
…all Christians need to do…is to put the major commandments into action…LOVE the Lord…and your neighbour as yourself…
Hear our podcast at https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/randy-obrien
05 Apr 2026
by randyobrien50
in Christian Thoughts and Inspiration., Daily Devotion, Daily Inspiration, Inspirational Living, Spiritual Living
Tags: alive and kicking, Alleluia, as in Adam all die, assurance of life after death, be crucified, be not faithless but believing, because of the resurrection we have eternal life, because thou hast seen me thou hast believed, behold my hands, blessed are they that have not seen yet believed, by man came also resurrection of the dead, by man came death, Charles Wesley, Christ hath opened paradise, Christ is risen, Christ the Lord is risen today, Christ's Resurrection, christianity, death in vain forbids his rise, delivered into the hands of sinful men, Easter Sunday, enrich our lives and souls, everlasting life is this, following our exalted head, fought the fight, gathered today, Hail the Lord of earth and heaven, hail the resurrection, hath not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God, He is risen, he that believeth not is condemned already, he that believeth on him is not condemned, holy spirit, if Christ not be raised, in Christ all shall be made alive, Jesus Christ, Jesus' resurrected body, joy comes in the morning, king of glory, like him we rise, lives again our glorious king, LOVE, love's redeeming work is done, made like him, mercy, Merry Tree, Once He died our souls to save, our cries of Hosanna Save us have been answered, our Redeemer has conquered death, ours the cross the grave the skies, pay the price for disbelief, praise to thee by both be given, rach hither thy finger, raise your joys and triumphs high, reach hither thy hand, reason to celebrate, rejoice in his victory over sin and the cross, salvation, sing ye heavens and earth reply, soar we now where Christ hath led, sons of men and angels say, soul of bliss, sweet sacrifices of praise, the battle won, the empty tomb is proof of Christ's resurrection, the first fruits of them that slept, the greatest miracle ever, the Simple Series Musical, the Son of man, the third day rise again, thee to know, thee we greet triumphant now, Thomas the unbelieving disciple, thrust it into my side, thus to love, thus to sing, thy power to prove, to lift up the name of Jesus, truth, where O death is now thy sting, where thy victory O grave, why seek ye the living among the dead., wisdom, yet in your sins, your faith is in vain
1 Corinthians 15:22. For as in Adam all die, even so in Christ shall all be made alive.
HAPPY EASTER!
And then it was Sunday…Easter Sunday, and the joyful shouts of ‘He is risen…Christ is risen…Hallelujah Christ is risen’ can be heard all around the world. As the Good Book says; ‘joy comes in the morning.’ And yuh better believe abundant joy has come to earth with the resurrection of Christ Jesus, our Lord and Saviour on this Easter Sunday morning. Raising Christ from the dead was the greatest miracle ever, and confirmed and cemented the awesome omnipotence of our God; He of Abraham Isaac and Jacob! And many who considered Him a mere man and a possible prophet, soon changed their tune when they saw Him resurrected, alive and kicking in the flesh.
And today, to celebrate that most auspicious occasion we’re going to open our worship with what some Christian hymnologists consider to be the ‘most definitive church anthem for Easter.’ A song written in 1739 by one of the great hymn writers of all time Charles Wesley (1707-1788), and most appropriately titled, Christ the Lord is Risen Today, which focusses totally on the resurrection of Christ.
But before we offer up our sweet sacrifices of praise, let’s do like this commentary says: ‘turn to this Intro from the Simple Series Musical ‘Merry Tree,’ featured on the album inspired by the message and mission of Billy Graham, ‘My Hope.’ Please declare with me: ‘We have gathered today to lift up the name of Jesus. We rejoice in His victory over sin and the cross. Our cries of ‘Hosanna! Save us now!’ have been answered. Our Redeemer has conquered death! And because we are certain of that, we have reason to celebrate!’
Of course we do my faithful brethren, more reason to celebrate than any other faith. So let’s make that celebration known as we lift our voices in sweet harmony, allowing all the joy we feel inside to pour out in our song, in a rich, soulful, mid-tempo, scintillating version. Singing: ‘Christ the Lord is ris’n today, Alleluia! Sons of men and angels say, Alleluia! Raise your joys and triumphs high, Alleluia! Sing, ye heav’ns, and earth, reply, Alleluia! Lives again our glorious King, Alleluia! Where, O death, is now thy sting? Alleluia! Once He died our souls to save, Alleluia! Where thy victory, O grave? Alleluia! LOVE’S redeeming work is done, Alleluia! Fought the fight, the battle won, Alleluia!
Death in vain forbids His rise, Alleluia! Christ hath opened paradise, Alleluia! Soar we now where Christ hath led, Alleluia! Foll’wing our exalted Head, Alleluia! Made like Him, like Him we rise, Alleluia! Ours the cross, the grave, the skies, Alleluia! Hail the Lord of earth and heaven, Alleluia! Praise to Thee by both be given, Alleluia! Thee we greet triumphant now, Alleluia! Hail the Resurrection, thou, Alleluia! King of glory, Soul of bliss, Alleluia! Everlasting life is this, Alleluia! Thee to know, Thy pow’r to prove, Alleluia! Thus to sing, and thus to LOVE, Alleluia!’
That was a most wonderful rendition my fellow believers! All heaven and earth joined in with us to praise our risen Saviour. And though that actual resurrection took place sone two thousand years ago, it still registers with us as though it’s taking place on the current Easter Sunday. That’s how important it is to the foundation of our faith. For that’s the reason we have eternal life. Without Jesus rising from the dead, being alive in both body and soul, we would not have life after death, as we currently do.
For as Bruh Paul reasons to the Corinthians: ‘For if the dead rise not, then is not Christ raised: And if Christ be not raised, your faith is in vain (futile); ye are yet in your sins… But now is Christ risen from the dead, and become the first fruits of them that slept. For since by man came death, by man came also resurrection of the dead. For as in Adam all die, even so in Christ shall all be made alive.’ (1 Cor. 15: 16-18; 20-22)
And Christ did rise from the dead and was seen by some five hundred people plus the believers, several times. Remember how the disciple Thomas refused to believe that Jesus was alive, although his associates told him so. He declared: ‘Except I shall see in his hands the print of the nails, and put my finger into the print of the nails, and thrust my hand into his side, I will not believe.’ (John 20:25)
But eight days later, when Thomas was amongst the crowd, Jesus came through the locked doors with His new and resurrected body and stood amid them and said, ‘Peace be unto you. Then saith he to Thomas, Reach hither thy finger, and behold my hands; and reach hither thy hand, and thrust it into my side: and be not faithless (unbelieving), but believing. And Thomas answered and said unto him, My Lord and my God. Jesus saith unto him, Thomas, because thou hast seen me, thou hast believed: blessed are they that have not seen, and yet have believed.’ (John 20:26-29)
And Jesus was there talking about people like us, who, two thousand years later, never saw him in the flesh but believe. Although there are many who still don’t, despite all the evidence to the contrary. And sadly, they will have to pay the price for their disbelief, for as Jesus says very clearly to Nicodemus, the Jewish leader: ‘He that believeth on him is not condemned: but he that believeth not is condemned already, because he hath not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God.’ (John 3:18)
Yes friends, Christ is indeed risen, and the empty tomb is proof. And as the song says: ‘Made like Him, like Him we rise.’ And so it will be. That’s why there was a sad sort of joy that first Easter Sunday morning when the Jewish women went to the tomb to anoint Jesus’ body with spices. However, they found the stone rolled away from the front of the tomb, and the tomb itself empty.
‘And it came to pass, as they were much perplexed Thereabout (about this), behold, two men stood by them in shining garments: And as they were afraid , and bowed down their faces to the earth, they said unto them, Why seek ye the living among the dead? He is not here, but is risen: remember how he spake unto you in Galilee , Saying, The Son of man must be delivered into the hands of sinful men, and be crucified, and the third day rise again. And they remembered his words, And returned from the sepulchre, and told all these things unto the eleven, and to all the rest.’ (Luke 24:4-9)
Oh my fellow believers, we all know the many stories about Jesus’ resurrection, but do we truly realize how important it is to our faith and our life after this earthly death? But as we celebrate this joyful occasion of Easter and our risen Saviour, let’s take a few moments to ponder the situation in the depth that it deserves nuh, and thus enrich our lives and souls even more than they are already enriched. Much LOVE!
…in Jesus’ resurrection…the living then got really and truly good…
Hear our podcast at https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/randy-obrien
29 Mar 2026
by randyobrien50
in Christian Thoughts and Inspiration., Daily Devotion, Daily Inspiration, Inspirational Living, Spiritual Living
Tags: a big day in Christianity, a very great multitude spread their garments in the way, all the city was moved saying Who is this, all the tribes Hosanna cry, and if any man say ought unto you, and when he was come into Jerusalem, bethpage, Blessed is he that comes in the name of the Lord, bow thy meek head to mortal pain, death waiting in the wings, declaring the end from the beginning, faith, from ancient times the things are not yet done, go into the village opposite you, having salvation, he is just, holy spirit, Hosanna in the highest, Hosanna to the son of David, I will do all my pleasure, in a place where two ways met, in lowly pomp ride on to die, Jesus arrives in full declaration of His kingship, Jesus Christ, Jesus officially offered himself to Israel, Jesus' thousand year reign on earth, Jesus' triumphal entry into Jerusalem, joyful, King of Kings, look down with sad and wondeing eyes, loose them and bring them unto me, Lord of Lords, LOVE, loved anointed son, lowly backgrounds, majestic entrance, mercy, my counsel shall stand, O Saviour meek, others cut down branches from trees, over captive death and conquered sin, Palm Sunday, pursue thy road, put their clothes on them, rejoice greatly O daughter of Zion, remember the former things of old, Ride On ride on in majesty, riding on the colt of an ass marked the official entry of Israel's kings, riding upon an ass, salvation, scintillating, shout O daughter of Jerusalem, slated for a sacrificial death, spread them in the road, straightway he will send them, straightway ye shall find an ass and a colt with her, strawed them in the way, sweet sacrifices of praise, take O God Thy power and reign, tears of sadness, tell ye daughter of Sion, ters of joy, that it might be fulfilled, the angle hosts beyond the sky, the assurance of power in Jesus' directive, the assurance of prophecy, the BIBLE, the foal of an ass, the last and fiercest strife is nigh, the long awaited Messiah, the Lord hath need of them, the Mount of Olives, the multitude said, the multitudes cried, the prophecy of Isaiah, there is none like me, they brought the ass and the colt, they drew nigh unto Jerusalem, they set Jesus thereon, this is Jesus the prophet of Nazareth of Galilee, thy Father on the sapphire throne, thy king cometh unto thee, thy triumpgs now begin, to see the approaching sacrifice, truth, upon a colt, weighed down with sadness, what do ye loosing the colt, which was spoken by the prophet, wisdom, with palms and scattered garments strewed, Zechariah's prophecy re Palm Sunday
Matthew 21:9b. Blessed is he that cometh in the name of the Lord; Hosanna in the highest.
Come on down my fellow believers, it’s Sunday, and one of the big days in our faith. You cannot afford to miss this glorious day we call Palm Sunday when our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ made His triumphant kingly entry into the city of Jerusalem! And it all began with a prophecy that was backed up by God’s Spoken and Purposed Will, as was declared by the prophet Isaiah. ‘Remember the former things of old: for I am God, and there is none else; I am God, and there is none like me, Declaring the end from the beginning, and from ancient times the things that are not yet done, saying, My counsel shall stand, and I will do all my pleasure.’ (Is. 46:9-10)
Right there friends, we have the assurance that all of the prophecy in the Bible will eventually come through, because the Lord said so. And He has no cause to lie. (smile) And we’ll prove the accuracy of those statements right now with this prophecy from Zechariah, re Psalm Sunday. The prophet reassures his people. ‘Rejoice greatly, O daughter of Zion; shout, O daughter of Jerusalem: behold thy king cometh unto thee: he is just (righteous) and having salvation; lowly, and riding upon an ass, and upon a colt the foal of an ass.’ (Zech, 9:9)
Thus said Zechariah many years before Jesus appeared on earth. And here’s how Matthew describes the reality of the situation on that amazing Sunday morning, some two thousand years ago. ‘And when they (Jesus and the disciples) drew nigh (near) unto Jerusalem, and were come to Bethpage, unto the mount of Olives, then sent Jesus two disciples, Saying unto them, Go into the village over against (opposite) you, and straightway ye shall find and ass (donkey) tied, and a colt with her: loose (untie) them, and bring them unto me. And if any man say ought (anything) unto you, ye shall say, The Lord hath need of them; and straightway he will send them.’ (Matt. 21:1-3)
Yes friends, we can see the assurance of power in Jesus’ directive. There was no hemming and hawing about them getting the donkey and its colt, just say that the Lord needed them, and they would be sent right away. How many of us have that kind of power and can wield it wisely? Not too many of us. Anyway, Matthew then writes: ‘All of this was done, that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the prophet, saying, Tell ye daughter of Sion, Behold, thy King cometh unto thee, meek (lowly), and sitting upon an ass (donkey), and a colt the foal of an ass.’ (Matt. 21:4-5)
Now that was the prophecy, let’s see if it plays out the way it was prophesied. Matthew doesn’t give us any insight into what happened when the disciples went to gather the donkey and her colt, he simply writes: ‘And the disciples went, and did as Jesus commanded them.’ (Matt. 21:6) But Mark does. He informs us: ‘And they (the two disciples) went their way, and found the colt tied without (outside) in a place where two ways (streets) met; and they loose (untied) him. And certain of them that stood there said unto them, What do ye, loosing the colt? And they said unto them even as Jesus had commanded: and they let them go.’ (Mark 11:4-6)
Then Matthew continues the story. ‘And they brought the ass (donkey), and the colt, and put on them their clothes, and they set him (Jesus) thereon. And a very great multitude spread their garments in the way (road); others cut down branches from the trees, and strawed (spread) them in the way (road). And the multitudes that went before, and that followed, cried, saying, Hosanna to the son of David: Blessed is he that cometh in the name of the Lord; Hosanna in the highest. And when he was come into Jerusalem, all the city was moved, saying, Who is this? And the multitude said, This is Jesus the prophet of Nazareth of Galilee.’ (Matt. 21:7-11)
Oh my people, what a great day that was in Jerusalem, as the scholars say that Jesus officially offered Himself to Israel as her long awaited Messiah. And Hosanna means ‘Please save.’ Meanwhile they conclude: Riding on the colt of an ass marked the official entry of Israel’s kings. Thus Jesus arrives in the full declaration of His kingship.’ Just like He will again when He comes back to reign on earth for a thousand years. And having heard the story of Jesus’ triumphal entry, let’s offer up sweet sacrifices of praise in an old hymn written especially to celebrate that occasion by Henry Milman in 1820. And it’s most appropriately titled: ‘Ride on, Ride on in Majesty!’
And there’s only one way to sing this song; in a rich, soulful, enthusiastic, scintillating, joyful, mid-tempo version. So, singing: ‘Ride on, ride on in majesty; hark, all the tribes Hosanna cry. O Saviour meek, pursue thy road with palms and scattered garments strewed. Ride on, ride on in majesty; in lowly pomp ride on to die. O Christ, thy triumphs now begin o’er captive death and conquered sin. Ride on, ride on in majesty; the angel hosts beyond the sky look down with sad and wondering eyes to see the approaching sacrifice. Ride on, ride on in majesty; the last and fiercest strife is nigh. Thy Father on the sapphire throne expects thee, LOVED, anointed Son. Ride on, ride on in majesty; in lowly pomp ride on to die. Bow thy meek head to mortal pain; then take, O God, thy power and reign.’
What beautiful sentiments my people, encompassing Jesus’ magnificent entry into Jerusalem, as well as noting that though riding high just then, He was slated soon thereafter for a sacrificial death. And I’ve always been partial to this particular line: ‘Ride on, ride on in majesty; in lowly pomp ride on to die.’ See how it ties the two activities together; riding in majesty today with death waiting in the wings.
And I can just imagine the angels in heaven looking down on Jesus ‘with sad and wondering eyes to see the approaching sacrifice.’ They knew how the whole situation would change dramatically and drastically in a week’s time. But there was nothing anyone could do, for that’s how the Father planned it from the beginning of time. And what better way to put it than: ‘Ride on, ride on in majesty; the last and fiercest strife is nigh. Thy Father on the sapphire throne expects thee, LOVED, anointed Son. Ride on, ride on in majesty; in lowly pomp ride on to die.’
Yes friends, Jesus rode on in lowly pomp and died for us, but the best is yet to come, as the song says: ‘Bow thy meek head to mortal pain; then take, O God, thy power and reign.’ Yes, in due course of time, Christ will have annihilated all His enemies and will eventually, take His throne as King of Kings and Lords of Lords. For, once more, that’s the way the Father planned it, and therefore, that’s how it will turn out! Enjoy today’s majestic entrance, for next week we will be weighed down with sadness at Jesus’ sacrificial death! Much LOVE!
…today’s tears of joy…will be next week’s tears of sadness…
Hear our podcast at https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/randy-obrien
15 Mar 2026
by randyobrien50
in Christian Thoughts and Inspiration., Daily Devotion, Daily Inspiration, Inspirational Living, Spiritual Living
Tags: a blade of grass sprouting from the rubble, a little while and the world sees me no more, a strong will to live, a symbol of how God works, accept Jesus as Lord and Saviour, all fear is gone, an empty grave is there, an inconvenience, as death gives way to victory, because He lives, because I live ye shall live also, because Jesus was resurrected we will also be resurrected, being justified by his blood, Bill and Gloria Gaither, but ye see me, by the death of his Son, Christ holds our future steadfastly in his hands, christianity, Christians, drug abuse, face uncertain days with faith and trust, faith, feel pride and joyful assurance in our Christian faith, feel the pride and joy he gives, fight life's final war with pain, free love, fulfilling its destiny, God sent His Son Jesus, going to church is a privilege, going to church is not a burden, he came to love heal and forgive, he holds my future, he lived and died to buy my pardon, heartfelt sincerity, hippies, holy spirit, hope shaped by the resurrection of Jesus, I can face to morrow, I will come to you, I will not leave you comfortless, i'll know he lives, if we don't use that freedom to worship we'll lose it, Jesus came to save, Jesus Christ, Jesus' resurrection guarantees our own eternal and spiritual life, life is worth living, LOVE, mercy, mere talkers, mononucleosis, negative situations, one day I'll cross the river, overcome all the odds, persevered in faith, racial tension, reconciled to God, salvation, saved by his life, saved from wrath through him, see the lights of glory, separate the goats from the sheep, serious believers, severe punishment for worshipping God, shift in values, sweet sacrifices of praise, the BIBLE, the death of Christ and his shed blood efffect salvation, the life of christ sustains salvation, the Lord's Day, the privilege to worship in freedom, to give new life, to prove my Saviour lives, to reach the sunshine of the world above, truth, when we were enemies, will not leave you as orphans, wisdom
John 14:19. Yet a little while, and the world seeth me no more; but ye see me: because I live, ye shall live also.
And then it was Sunday! ‘Another one,’ you mutter. Yes my fellow believers, it’s only one in the many more we have to face, meaning we’ll be gathering with other believers for many more Sundays to celebrate the Lord’s Day with praise, thanksgiving and worship, while receiving strength and confidence to face the upcoming week. And nothing compares to the good times that believers experience when they come together in worship. (smile)
So, although it’s sometimes an inconvenience to get up and go to church on a Sunday, let’s not look at it as a burden, but rather as a privilege, where we can worship in freedom, for many others in several places are not allowed to worship in private, much less in public like us. Many believers in several countries around the world would face severe punishment if caught worshipping the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob.
And although things are becoming more ungodly every day, and some are trying to stymie us, we still possess the right and freedom to worship, and if we don’t use it, we will eventually lose it. So there again it’s to our benefit to gather with other believers to worship and praise Almighty God every Sunday, or as often as we can.
Now today we have a fairly modern song as our song of worship. It’s titled ‘Because He Lives,’ and was written in the early 1970’s by Bill and Gloria Gaither, who were going through a tough time facing the big shift in values of the 60’s, with hippies, free love, drug abuse and racial tension amongst them. Then in the severe Indiana winter of 1969, while Gloria and some other church members were facing false accusations and belittlement from their congregation, Bill contracted mononucleosis and Gloria discovered she was pregnant.
And though that was wonderful news, there obviously was some concern about bringing a baby into that chaotic time with all its negative situations. But in faith they persevered. And the story goes that ‘One sunny day in the early spring, Bill, Gloria and Bill’s father George walked across the paved parking lot at their small A-frame offices. George called Bill and Gloria’s attention to a spot they had not noticed. He pointed out a tiny blade of grass that had pushed aside layers of dirt, rock and concrete to reach the sunshine of the world above.
It had such a strong will to live; it had overcome all the odds to fulfill its destiny. That blade of grass became a symbol to the Gaithers of how God works in His creation. And it inspired Gloria to write a song expressing the hope that was shaped by the resurrection of Jesus, as well as that blade of grass and the birth of her son.’
And now, having some idea of the circumstances around the song’s creation, let’s offer it up with sweet sacrifices of praise in a soulful, mid-tempo version chocked full of heartfelt sincerity, opening with the ‘(Chorus: Because He lives, I can face tomorrow Because He lives, all fear is gone Because I know He holds my future And life is worth the living Just because He lives.) (Repeat) God sent His son they called Him, Jesus He came to LOVE, heal and forgive He lived and died to buy my pardon An empty grave is there to prove my Savior lives. (Chorus)
How sweet to hold a newborn baby And feel the pride and joy he gives But greater still that calm assurance This child can face uncertain days because He lives And then one day I’ll cross the river I’ll fight life’s final war with pain And then, as death gives way to vict’ry I’ll see the lights of glory and I’ll know He lives Because He lives, I can face tomorrow Because He lives, all fear is gone Because I know He holds my future And life is worth the living Just because He lives And life is worth the living Just because He lives And life is worth the living Just because He lives.’
Yes my faithful brethren, life is certainly worth living because Christ lives! It means that because He was resurrected from the grave, the same thing will happen to us when we accept Him as Lord and Saviour. Jesus Himself said it to the disciples when talking to them about the Comforter, the Holy Spirit, coming to dwell in them after He goes away. ‘I will not leave you comfortless (as orphans): I will come to you. Yet a little while, and the world seeth me no more; but ye see me: because I live, ye shall live also.’ (John 14:18-19)
There Jesus assures them that His resurrection guarantees their own eternal and spiritual life. What can be better than that eh? Absolutely nothing! And what does Bruh Paul say about that situation in Romans? ‘Much more then, being (having been) now justified by his blood, we shall be saved from wrath through him. For if, when we were enemies, we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son, much more being (having been) reconciled, we shall be saved by his life.’ (Rom. 5:9-10)
And per the scholars: ‘By his blood … by his life: The death of Christ and His shed blood effect salvation, but the life of Christ sustains it. The reference is to the abiding results of Jesus’ death and resurrection.’ Then, because Jesus is alive and kicking, we can be assured that it’s fine to bring more children into the world, because in the calm of Jesus and His life, that baby can also face uncertain days with faith and trust.
And what about that tiny blade of grass, that the Gaithers saw pushing up through layers of dirt, rock and concrete to reach the sunshine of the world above eh? It proved that it had a very strong will to live, to fulfill its destiny. Now are we like that tiny blade of grass? Do we have that strong, never say die will to live for and with Christ? We certainly ought to, after all the sacrifices He made to purchase our freedom and reconcile us back to our heavenly Father. That’s where they separate the goats from the sheep, where they see who are serious believers, from those who are mere talkers and jokers.
So, let’s remember today, and every day to come, that because Christ lives, we can face tomorrow without fear or worry, for He holds our future steadfastly in His hands, therefore we can feel pride and joyful assurance in our Christian faith like no others can! Much LOVE!
…Jesus came to save…to give us new life…and that’s exactly what He did…
Hear our podcast at https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/randy-obrien
08 Mar 2026
by randyobrien50
in Christian Thoughts and Inspiration., Daily Devotion, Daily Inspiration, Inspirational Living, Spiritual Living
Tags: a declaration of praise, a renewal of faith and confidence, a universal confession that Jesus Christ is Lord, All Hail the Power of Jesus' Name, assumed the position of a servant, at the name of Jesus, be in church to celebrate the Lord's Day, became obedient unto death, being found in fashion as a man, being in the form of God, bring forth the royal diadem, chosen seed of Israel's race, christianity, Christians, crown him Lord of all, Edward Perronet, emptied himself of all his privileges, even the death of the cross, every knee should bow, every tongue should confess, faith, fellowship, God also hath highly exalted him, hail him who saves you by his grace, harmonious living, hearfelt sincerity, holy spirit, humbled himself, in fellowship with other believers, Jesus Christ, Jesus christ is Lord, Jesus regarded sinners as more important than Himself, join the everlasting song, let angels prostrate fall, let every kindred every tribe, let this mind be in you which was in Christ Jesus, LOVE, made himself of no reputation, made in the likeness of men, mercy, on this terrestrial ball, possess the divine nature, ransomed of the fall, reach a positive conclusion, salvation, sinners, spread your trophies at his feet, stop being selfish, stop thinking only about ourselves, sweet sacrifices of praise, the wormwood and the gall, things in earth, things in heaven, things under the earth, thought it not robbery, to be equal with God, to him all majest ascribe, to sing more than a hymn, to the glory of God the Father, took upon him the form of a servant, truth, turn our expectancy into reality, wait for someone else to do it, we at his feet may fall, we will also spread the word, whose love can ne'er forget, willing to declare our hope to those who have not heard it, willing to lift our voices together, wisdom, with yonder sacred throng
Philippians 2:9. Wherefore God also hath highly exalted him, and given him a name which is above every name:
It’s Sunday once again friends! And some of us wonder how it comes around so often and so quickly…just like Monday. (smile) But that’s because we know we ought to get ourselves out to church to celebrate the Lord’s Day in fellowship with other believers; giving thanks and praise, while receiving a renewal of faith and confidence to face the turbulent outside world this coming work week. And this week we have a very interesting and popular hymn as our song of praise and worship. It’s aptly titled “All Hail the Power of Jesus’ Name.”
It’s so popular that it’s sung by many Christian denominations. The hymn is often called the “National Anthem of Christendom.” The lyrics were written by Edward Perronet (1721-1792) a prominent British Pastor at one time affiliated with the Wesley’s of the Methodist persuasion, but afterwards became a pastor of a dissenting congregation. And I like how this commentary describes the song. ‘This hymn is a declaration of praise, but it’s also much more than that. The words both declare the majesty of Christ and task us with making that majesty known to all. Like many hymns describing the glory of God and the hope that one day all people will see that glory.’
So, having some idea of what the song is about, let’s raise our voices in sweet sacrifices of praise, in a soulful, mid-tempo version, letting all and sundry know in heartfelt sincerity, to whom we ascribe majesty. ‘All hail the power of Jesus’ Name! Let angels prostrate fall; Let angels prostrate fall; Bring forth the royal diadem, And crown him, crown him, crown him, And crown him Lord of all. Ye chosen seed of Israel’s race, Ye ransomed of the fall, Ye ransomed of the fall, Hail him who saves you by his grace, And crown him, crown him, crown him, And crown him Lord of all.
Sinners whose LOVE can ne’er forget The wormwood and the gall, The wormwood and the gall, Go, spread your trophies at His feet And crown him, crown him, crown him, And crown him Lord of all. Let ev’ry kindred, ev’ry tribe, On this terrestrial ball, On this terrestrial ball, To him all majesty ascribe, And crown him, crown him, crown him, And crown him Lord of all. O that with yonder sacred throng We at his feet may fall; We at His feet may fall; We’ll join the everlasting song, And crown him, crown him, crown him, And crown him Lord of all.’ And we’ll certainly do that when the time comes!
Now, many of us know the song refers to Bruh Paul’s letter to the Philippians, where he writes: ‘’Let this mind be in you, which was in Christ Jesus (that’s harmonious living). Who, being in the form of God, thought it not robbery to be equal with God: But made himself of no reputation, and took upon him the form of a servant, and was made in the likeness of men (emptied himself of his privileges):
And being found in fashion (appearance) as a man, he humbled himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross. Wherefore God also hath highly exalted him, and given him a name which is above every name: That at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of (those) things in heaven, and (those) things in earth, and (those) things under the earth. And that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.’ (Phil. 2:5-11)
Ah friends, what powerful and revealing scripture! Jesus, having possessed the very nature of God, gave up His heavenly privileges, or, as the scholars say, ‘decided not to continue enjoying His heavenly existence, although He could have lawfully kept it. But instead, He assumed the position of a servant and appeared in the likeness of men. Consequently, being judged by His fashion (outward appearance) He was recognized by many people as a mere man. But he was much more than that – he was still the Son of God, who continued to possess the divine nature.’
Yes my brethren, although Jesus became a man in appearance, He was still all He had ever been, just not using those divine privileges here on earth. But then the scholars pose a very interesting question: ‘Why did Jesus willingly give up His divine existence with all its benefits and advantages? Because He had within Himself the attitude of verses 2c-4: He regarded sinners as more important than Himself (vs. 3), and was just as concerned with their needs as with His own affairs (vs. 4). So the Philippians were to cultivate within themselves this same attitude and express it to one another.’
Now that goes for us believers today also. We ought to stop being selfish and thinking only of ourselves but include our fellow man in our concerns. And it’s because of those sacrifices that the Father exalted Jesus so highly, gave Him the honour of His name being higher than every other name, and the assurance that one day every knee will bow to Him as Lord.
And the scholars give three purposes for Jesus’ exaltation. ‘(1) That every being in the universe might someday submit to Him. (2) That in addition to future universal submission (vs. 10), there might also someday be a universal confession that Jesus Christ is Lord. On earth Jesus is recognized by many to be no more than a man (vs. 8), yet in the future all will acknowledge Him as Lord, that is God. The ultimate purpose for Jesus’ glorification is (3) to the glory of God the Father (vs.11), for His honour.’ That’s why the song says: ‘we’ll fall at his feet…join the everlasting song, and crown Him Lord of all.’
But here’s another interesting situation, posed by the commentary above. They say: ‘We long for this day, and declare our hope in its arrival in the text of this hymn. But are we willing to declare that hope to those who have not heard it? The phrase, “Easier said than done” comes to mind here. After we have sung these words of victory and longing, what do we do? Do we act on those words and turn our expectancy into realities? Or do we wait for someone else to do it for us? The fourth stanza of this great hymn declares, “We’ll join the everlasting song….” Everlasting means that we are a part of that song right now – are we willing to lift our voices together to sing more than a hymn, and truly crown our God Lord of all?’
Now that’s a most poignant question? Are we ready to do more than sing the words of the hymn, but also spread the word, and truly crown Jesus Lord of all? Let’s go home pondering that question this Sunday morning, hoping we’ll reach a positive conclusion! Much LOVE!
…Jesus’ sacrifices, compassion, selflessness and obedience…caused the Father to exalt Him to the highest level…
Hear our podcast at https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/randy-obrien
01 Mar 2026
by randyobrien50
in Christian Thoughts and Inspiration., Daily Devotion, Daily Inspiration, Inspirational Living, Spiritual Living
Tags: all it takes is for you to know, also go to God in peaceful prosperity, as for me I will call upon God, as your problems overflow, ask and it shall be given you, ask anything according to his will, attend unto me and hear me, believe that you receive what you pray for, believe those things which he saith, cast thy burden upon the Lord, Chrisitanity, Christians, Da Flame, don't give up, don't go to God only in times of problems, don't say you're done, evening and morning and at noon, every trial every mountain and sea, experience with God, faith, feel battered, feeling like an outcast, fellowship, forgiveness is key for answered prayer, get together at the Lord's sanctuary, give ear to my prayer, giving thanks for life and love, glad to be above ground, God answers prayer, God is always there ready to listen, God is the answer, have faith in God, he hath delivered my soul in peace, he heareth us, He sees every teardrop, he sees every weakness, he shall hear my voice, he shall never suffer the righteous to be moved, he shall save me, he shall sustain thee, He wipes them for me, hide not thyself from my supplication, holy spirit, I get down on my knees, I mourn in my complaint, I say Saviour help me please, I will hearken unto you, I will listen to you, if you're ever feeling down, in the midst of all your heartache, Jesus Christ, knock and it shall be opened unto you, LOVE, mercy, my God answers prayer, one thing is for certain, persistence, pray regardless of our situations, prayer is communicating with Almighty God, prayer is one of our greatest privileges, prayer must be in God's will, prayer should alwyas be our first response, pride and arrogance don't belong in prayer, remember in the hard times, remember there's someone, salvation, search for me with all your heart, seek and ye shall find, shall not doubt in his heart, singing from our hearts, sweet sacrifices of praise, thanking Him for his goodness and mercy, the BIBLE, the cursed fig tree, the gospel truth, the parable of the repentant tax collector and the self-righteous pharisee, the power of prayer, then shall ye call upon me, this is the confidence that we have in Him, truth, we always have the option to go to God in prayer, we know we have the desired petitions, when the living is good, will come to pass, will I pray and cry aloud, wisdom, ye shall go and pray unto me, ye shall seek me and find me, you have nowhere to go, you may be broken, your battles are already won, your strength will surely come
Jeremiah 29:12. Then shall ye call upon me, and ye shall go and pray unto me, and I will hearken unto you (listen to you).
Oh my fellow believers, another Sunday has come around, this first day of March, another bright and sunshiny but chilly day, and are we ever glad to be above ground! So, let’s get together at the Lord’s sanctuary and give thanks and praise for life and LOVE, amongst the many other good things that our wonderful God has so generously provided!
And to get us started today, we have a beautiful and popular modern-day Christian song from the R&B/Hip Hop Artist, Da Flame, titled ‘God Answers Prayer.’ And isn’t that the gospel truth! Once it’s in His will, God will certainly answer our prayers. We may not like His answer, but we won’t be able to say He never answered. (smile) So, let’s get down to business, offering up our sweet sacrifices of praise in a soulful, mid-tempo version of this most encouraging and energizing song.
Singing: ‘If you’re ever feeling down and like you have nowhere to go. If you’re feeling like and outcast as your problems overflow, just remember there is someone, and all it takes is for you to know, is that God is the answer, and God answers prayer. (Chorus: He sees every weakness, every trial, every mountain and sea, and He sees every tear drop, and He wipes them for me. I get down on my knees, and I say Saviour help me please. Because one thing is for certain, is my God answers prayer.)
You may be broken and feel battered, but your strength will sure come, in the midst of all your heartache. Your battles are already won. Just remember in the hard times, don’t give up, don’t say you’re done, because God is the answer, and God answers prayer. (Chorus: He sees every weakness, every trial, every mountain and sea, and He sees every tear drop, and He wipes them for me. I get down on my knees, and I say Saviour help me please. Because one thing is for certain, is my God answers prayer. Oh, He sees every weakness, every trial, every mountain and sea, and He sees every tear drop, and He wipes them for me. So, let’s get down on our knees, and say, Saviour, help us please. Because one thing is for certain… our God answers prayer.’
That was wonderful friends! All who heard us know that we were singing from our hearts, because we do know that God answers sincere and heartfelt prayers that are within His will. And one important thing to note from the words of the song is that whatever our problem, we ALWAYS have an option to go to God in prayer, for He’s ALWAYS there ready to listen.
However, we should also point out that we are not only to go to God in prayer when we have problems. No sir! When our lives are rolling along in peaceful prosperity it’s also necessary to go to God in prayer, but this time thanking Him for His goodness and mercy. Unfortunately though, many of us only remember prayer when we have serious problems, and not when the living is good. The truth is, that prayer should be made to God, regardless of our situations.
Now, let’s talk about a few scriptural references to prayer. And there are so many, that I had a hard time choosing a few to highlight how important prayer is in the life of a believer. But we’ll begin with this scripture from the prophet Jeremiah to the exiled Israelites in Babylon. The Lord Himself, after saying He has good thoughts of hope and peace and not calamity for them, (Jer. 29:11) urges them, and subsequently us to pray. ‘Then shall ye call upon me, and ye shall go and pray unto me, and I will hearken unto you (listen to you). And ye shall seek me, and find me, when ye shall search for me with all your heart.’ (Jer, 29:12-13)
Right there my brethren, we see the importance of seeking God with all our hearts, with the utmost sincerity. It doesn’t matter so much how we couch the prayer, once it’s not filled with pride and arrogance like the example Jesus gave in Luke 18:9-14 of a proud Pharisee and a repentant tax collector praying in the Temple. The Pharisee boasts of his righteousness and fasting, while the tax collector humbly beats his breast, asking for mercy. Jesus declares the tax collector, not the Pharisee, goes home justified, teaching that humility earns God’s grace.
Next, comes this wise and welcome advice from Jesus: ‘Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you: For every one that asketh receiveth; and he that seeketh findeth; and to him that knocketh it shall be opened.’ (Matt. 7:7-8) That means we must be diligent in asking, seeking and knocking.
Then there’s more wise advice from Jesus to the disciples, when they asked about the withered fig tree He had cursed the day before for not bearing fruit in season. (Mark 11:11-14)The Bible says: “Jesus answering saith unto them, Have faith in God. For verily I say unto you, That whosoever shall say unto this mountain, be thou removed, and be thou cast into the sea; and shall not doubt in his heart, but believe that those things which he saith shall come to pass; he shall have whatsoever he saith.
Therefore I say unto you, What things soever ye desire, when ye pray, believe that ye receive them, and ye shall have them. And when ye stand praying, forgive, if ye have ought (anything) against any: that your Father also which is in heaven may forgive you your trespasses. But if ye do not forgive, neither will your Father which is in heaven forgive your trespasses.’ (Mark 11:22-26) There friends, we learn the importance of strong faith and also of forgiveness in prayer.
Then we have this awesome scripture from the gospel of John, where he declares: ‘And this is the confidence that we have in him (Jesus), that if we ask anything according to his will, he heareth us: And if we know that he hear us, whatsoever we ask, we know we have the petitions that we desired (asked) of him.’ (1 John 514-15) Oh my people, even more confirmation of the power of prayer in our lives!
It’s therefore no wonder then that Bruh David prayed thus in Psalm 55: ‘Give ear to my prayer, O God; and hide not thyself from my supplication. Attend unto me, and hear me: I mourn (wander) in my complaint, and make a noise (moan noisily)… As for me, I will call upon God; and he shall save me. Evening, and morning, and at noon, will I pray, and cry aloud: and he shall hear my voice. He hath delivered my soul in peace from the battle that was against me: for there were many with (against) me… Cast thy burden upon the Lord, and he shall sustain thee: he shall never suffer (permit) the righteous to be moved (shaken).’ (Ps. 55:1-2, 16-18, 22)
Yes my fellow believers, we can see in those words of Bruh David, faith, persistence, assurance and experience with God. So, please let’s follow his example and pray constantly and faithfully to God, for communicating with Almighty God through prayer is one of the greatest privileges we have! Much LOVE!
…whatever the situation…prayer should always be our first response…
Hear our podcast at https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/randy-obrien
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