23 Apr 2025
by randyobrien50
in Christian Thoughts and Inspiration., Daily Devotion, Daily Inspiration, Inspirational Living, Spiritual Living
Tags: a biblical way of life, a bunch of ingrates, a meaningful prayer, a peace that trancedns all human understanding, a peace that's totally different from the world's, a strong faith, a way of relating to God, according to his riches in glory, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, anger, ascendance in earthly power, be moved to compassion, be of good cheer, breathtaking spectacle, calm in the midst of the storm, change the world, Christ's miraculous resurrection, Christian faith, christianity, Christians, come unto me, compassion for the less fortunate, defeating Satan hell death and the grave, dicison, division, does not burn people out, Easter celebrations, encompasses everything, endure to the end, evil and ungodly world, eyes fixed straight ahead, faith, filled with your peace, find rest unto your souls, flowing through me, gentle and humble, give I unto you, God's peace, hands on the plough, headline increase panic, healing words, help us, help us breathe and turn to you, help us not to forget anyone, help us remain calm, holy spirit, I am meek and lowly in heart, i have overcome the world, I will give you rest, ignore people on the margins, in Jesus' name, in the world ye shall have tribulation, In Touch Devotional, Jesus Christ, Jesus is all we ever need, Jesus is the way the truth and the life, justified, lay siege, learn from me, leave us anxious, let not your heart be troubled, LOVE, mercy, miraculous action, more effective than efficient, more faithful than fashionable, more fulfilling than frustrating, more practical than pragmatic, move peacefully through the day, my God shall supply all your needs, my peace I give unto you, neither let it be afraid, not as the world gives, not as the world giveth, not turning back, our conversations, our times get rough, panic, Peace i leave with you, peole are rushing, personal circumstances, put our total trust in Jesus, reconciled, redeemed, repentance, rest for both body and soul, rose from the grave, rushing, salvation, sanctified, second wind day, speak gentle healing words, step out in faith, strength and endurance for the course, surrender our lives to Jesus, take my yoke upon you, tempted to, thank God, the annals of man, the BIBLE, the breath of life, the Great Invitation of Jesus, the less fortunate, to a glorious future with Jesus, to conquer our Christian walk, tough times, truth, unsettled state of our world, Wednesday Wail, whosoever will may come, wisdom
John 14:27a. Peace I leave with you, my peace I give unto you: not as the world giveth, give I unto you.
Oh Friends, I can’t believe that it’s already Wednesday, our second wind day of the work week! But I guess when you’re caught up in the joy of the Easter Celebrations, the days pass by so quickly that you hardly notice them. And to tell the truth, any reason for catching a second wind today won’t be from work, but from the intensity and excitement of the celebrations. I’m sure most of us who were off on Monday didn’t do much work yesterday, so what second wind is there to catch eh? (smile) None but that from the revelry and breathtaking spectacle of Christ’s miraculous resurrection, which ultimately provided salvation and eternal life to a bunch of ingrates like we human beings!
There could not be a bigger and better moment in the annals of man! For in that miraculous action, Jesus redeemed, reconciled, justified and sanctified us. Wow! In those four words lie the basis of our Christian faith, therefore we do have a duty to uphold what they mean by allowing them to show forth in our lives. And sometimes we need help to do so, because it’s not always easy living in this evil and ungodly world, especially like right now, when Satan and his cronies have the ascendance in earthly power. But we know that won’t last forever, however to help us get through these tough times let’s offer up this prayer from the In Touch April Devotional.
Please pray with me. ‘Lord, when people around us are rushing, help us move peacefully through the day. When anger and division lay siege to our conversations, help us speak gentle, healing words. When headlines increase the panic in others’ hearts, help us remain calm and be moved to compassion. When we’re tempted to ignore people on the margins, help us not to forget anyone. When our personal circumstances leave us anxious, help us breathe and turn to you. May we be filled with Your peace, and may it change the world. In Jesus’ name, amen.’
Now that’s what you’d call a very meaningful prayer, for it encompasses all the things and times we need to conquer in our daily Christian walk and help turn our world around. Negative things like rushing, anger, division, panic, ignoring the less fortunate, and self-pity when our own circumstances become negative. And we need to conquer them with God’s peace, gentle, healing words, calm in the midst of the storms of life, compassion for the less fortunate, and a strong faith when our own times get rough.
And that’s exactly what Jesus offers. Listen as He opens up His very heart and soul to us when He makes the following statements. The first says: ‘Peace I leave with you, my peace I give unto you: not as the world giveth, give I unto you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid.’ (John 14:27) Yes, my faithful brethren, Jesus gives us a peace that is totally different from what the world offers. And Bruh Paul explains that as the peace that surpasses or transcends all human understanding. (Phil. 4:7) Now with that kind of peace in our hearts, we can react positively to any and everything.
And if that doesn’t convince you, then listen to Jesus’ other offer of peace, where He solemnly and faithfully declares (yesss!!!): ‘These things I have spoken unto you, that in me ye might have peace. In the world ye shall have tribulation: but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world.’ (John 16:33) And He did do that when He arose majestically from the grave on Easter Sunday, thus defeating Satan, hell, death and the grave! So there’s no need to be worried, or be afraid, because we have all that we need to overcome the world in our own small way.
And if you still have doubts, then listen as Jesus offers what we call His Great Invitation. ‘Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn of (from) me; for I am meek and lowly in heart (gentle and humble): and ye shall find rest unto your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.’ (Matt. 11:28-30) And there’s absolutely no doubt that many of us today are fretfully labouring and heavy laden with the panicked and unsettled state of our world. That means we definitely need Jesus, because He’s the ONLY ONE who can calm our fears and relieve our circumstances…that is, if we surrender our lives to Him and put our total trust in Him.
For, hear the wonderful things He offers; rest for both our bodies and souls, a kind and gentle personality, an easy yoke and a light load. And this commentary explains that’s ‘a biblical way of life that is more fulfilling than frustrating, more effective than efficient, more practical than pragmatic, and more faithful than fashionable. This is a way of relating to God that does not burn people out but instead gives them strength and endurance for the course.’
Now what more can we ask for eh my faithful brethren? Absolutely nothing! For Jesus encompasses ALL we can ever want or need! And Bruh Paul corroborates that with this marvellous promise from his letter to the Philippians. ‘But my God shall supply all your need according to his riches in glory through Christ Jesus.’ (Phil. 4:19)
Oh my people, all the promises are there for us, but they will not fall on us automatically, no, we have to step out in faith and receive them. That’s the way we show our trust in and surrender to Jesus. He says, that ALL His promises are for whosoever comes to Him in repentance. It doesn’t matter your race, creed, physical, emotional or mental state, whether you’re rich or poor, for we all need salvation, and He’s the ONLY ONE who can provide that!
And once you’re received salvation, then you’ll joyfully declare our Wednesday Wail in loud voice and strong conviction. ‘Wednesday, Wednesday, Wednesday: I’m so glad to be alive on this Wednesday! Wednesday, Wednesday, Wednesday: Thank God the breath of life is still flowing through me on this Wednesday! I am halfway home. My hands are fixed securely on the plough, and I’m not turning back. I’m not looking back at the past, not focusing on what has gone before. But my eyes are fixed straight ahead; straight ahead to a glorious future with Jesus. Glory Hallelujah!’
And if we endure with Jesus right down to the very end, there’s the promise of seeing an even more glorious future than we can ever ask or imagine. So, let’s be wise and endure to the end nuh, so that we can enjoy that most glorious future together! Much LOVE!
…Jesus is the way, the truth and the life…He created us…He can destroy us…but most importantly…He can also save us…
Hear our podcast at https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/randy-obrien
31 Mar 2025
by randyobrien50
in Christian Thoughts and Inspiration., Daily Devotion, Daily Inspiration, Inspirational Living, Spiritual Living
Tags: a dry and cloudy day, a merciful forgiving and gracious God, a woman of sorrowful spirit, all ye that labour, barren for many years, christianity, Christians, come unto me, covenant relationships, dance to God's music, day and night, divine help, faith, faithfully promised to hear and answer our prayers, faithfulness, feel lost and helpless, find rest unto your souls, for the help of his countenance, gentle and humble, go out like a lion, God is a refuge for us, God is the the wisest being in the universe, good riddance to you, Hannah, he is my defence, He only is my rock and my salvation, heavy laden, help in troubled times, holy spirit, hope thou in God, humble ourselves, humble servants, I am meek and lowly in heart, I shall not be moved, I shall yet praise him, I will give you rest, In God is my salvation and my glory, it takes two to tango, Jehovah Rapha, Jesus Christ, keep Jesus first and foremost, LOVE, mercy, my burden light, my expectation is only from him, my hope is only in God, my refuge is in God, my soul, my soul thirsts for God, my tears have been my meat, my yoke is easy, negative situations, obedience, Our Father, pour out your heart before him, poured out my soul before the Lord, praise Your Holy Name, pray, prosper us, raise up your faith, salvation, seek your face, Selah, severe ice storms, sincere repentance in our hearts, sincerity, sinned and disobeyed your Word, spiritually or physically dark, sunshine peeping through the clouds, take my yoke upon you, thank you for life and strong faith in Christ, the BIBLE, the everlasting truth, the God who heals, the great invitation, the last day of March, the mass confusion in our world, the most appropriate person to ask for help, the power to solve our many problems, the prophet Samuel's mother, the rock of my strength, the throne of grace, the wisest move, to shine a little light in our lives, truth, turn from our evil ways, turn to Almighty God for help, turn to God for guidance, ungodly times, wait thou only upon God, went with them to the house of God, where is thy God, who art in heaven, Why art thou cast down o my soul, why art thou disquieted within me, wisdom, with the voice of joy and praise, ye people
Psalm 62:8. Trust in him (the Lord) at all times; ye people, pour out your heart before him: God is a refuge for us. Selah.
And this last day of March, which began as a wet and miserable, dangerous Monday, has by midday, thankfully become a somewhat dry and cloudy day with a bit of sunshine peeping through the clouds. It’s been a tough weekend, what with the constant rain in most of the city and severe ice-storms on the outskirts, that left many people without heat and light for several days. And it’s definitely not a pleasant scenario when you have no heat or light, your food is spoiling, and when you look out, or venture to go out, all around you are trees, buildings and roads covered with dangerous ice.
Some people even complained about tree branches, laden by the weight of the ice falling on their houses and being incapable of doing anything about it. And the ice storms are infinitely more dangerous and problematic since you can’t clean them up as easily as the snow storms. So, it seems the month of March intends to go out like a lion, just as it came in. Well good riddance to you! (smile)
Ah friends, in such situations the wisest move is to raise up your faith and turn to Almighty God for help, with prayerful words like these from Psalm 62. ‘My soul, (silently) wait thou only upon God; for my expectation (hope) is from him. He only is my rock and my salvation: he is my defence; I shall not be moved (shaken). In God is my salvation and my glory: the rock of my strength, and my refuge, is in God.’ (Ps. 62:5-7)
Yes my people, when our world is dark, either physically or spiritually, or both, and we’re not sure what to do, our faith must be strong enough to automatically turn us to God for guidance and to shine a li’l light in our lives. And these words of Bruh David in the next verse of Psalm 62, exemplify exactly what we mean. He solemnly declares: ‘Trust in him (the Lord) at all times; ye people, pour out your heart before him: God is a refuge for us. Selah.’ (Ps. 62:8)
And that’s certainly the everlasting truth! For God is our Creator, He’s wiser and more powerful than us. Actually, He’s the wisest and most powerful being in the entire universe, therefore in times of trouble, He’s the most appropriate person to turn to for help. And there are a couple of perfect examples of troubled people doing just that.
The first one is Hannah, the prophet Samuel’s mother. She had been barren for many years and thus looked down upon as unworthy of being a wife, but one day she got her act together went into the temple and cried out to the Lord for a child. The priest Eli saw her mumbling and thought she was drunk. ‘And Hannah answered and said, No, my lord, I am a woman of a sorrowful spirit: I have drunk neither wine nor strong drink, but have poured out my soul before the Lord.’ (1 Sam. 1:15)
Meanwhile in Psalm 42 -My Soul Thirsts for the Lord – Bruh David is having his problems, is hungering for God, and thus poignantly writes: ‘My tears have been my meat (food) day and night, while they continually say unto me, Where is thy God? When I remember these things, I pour out my soul in me: for I had gone with the multitude, I went with them to the house of God, with the voice of joy and praise, with a multitude that kept holyday (a pilgrim feast). Why art thou cast (bowed) down, O my soul? and why art thou disquieted in me? hope thou in God: for I shall yet praise him for the help of his countenance (presence).’ (Ps. 42:3-5)
Yes my brethren, both Hannah and Bruh David poured out their souls to the Lord in their time of need, and He came through for them. Hannah got the son she desired, Samuel, and Bruh David eventually found the peace of mind he was seeking. So it’s very good advice to turn to Almighty God for help in troubled times. Furthermore, throughout His Word, the Bible, He’s promised on numerous occasions to help us when we feel lost and helpless, but we need to make the initial approach.
And what greater promise of help is there than Jesus’ Great Invitation? None whatsoever! He states with heartfelt sincerity: ‘Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn of (from) me; for I am meek and lowly in heart (gentle and humble): and ye shall find rest unto your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.’ (Matt. 11:28-30) Now, who else could make such an outstanding promise and also have the awesome power to keep it eh? Only our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ! That’s why it’s of the utmost importance to keep Him first and foremost in our lives.
So, since we’re all in a spot of trouble, let’s go to the throne of grace, through our Monday Morning Battle Hymn, seeking divine aid in these crazy and ungodly times. Altogether: ‘Our Father, who art in heaven, we, Your humble servants, praise Your Holy Name and thank You this Monday morning for life and strong faith in Christ, despite the mass confusion in our world. Heavenly Father, You are the ONLY ONE with the power to solve our many problems.
Yes, we have all sinned and seriously disobeyed Your Word, but You are a merciful, forgiving and gracious God, who has faithfully promised to hear and answer our prayers when we humble ourselves, pray, and sincerely seek Your face. So, we come to You now, with sincere repentance in our hearts, pleading for wise guidance and direction to alleviate our problems.
Oh Father, please ease the pain of the many suffering from negative situations, show them Your awesome grace and mercy. And faithfully keep Your promise to prosper us if we turn from our evil ways. Show this evil world that You are indeed Jehovah Rapha; the God who heals! We pray this in the holy and blessed name of Your Son, our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ! Amen! And again, we say: Amen!’
Now friends, let’s remember that it takes two to tango, so therefore, if we need divine help, then we’ve got to do our part and dance…dance to God’s music of obedience, faithfulness, sincerity, etc. etc. Much LOVE!
…covenant relationships cannot be successful…if only one partner is keeping there part of the covenant…
Hear our podcast at https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/randy-obrien
21 Feb 2025
by randyobrien50
in Christian Thoughts and Inspiration., Daily Devotion, Daily Inspiration, Inspirational Living, Spiritual Living
Tags: a new flock of believers, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, ashamed, Bible, burdened, by the example that we set, choosing the cross, Christ died to free us, christianity, come to the realization, come unto me, condemning ourselves, Consider This, desperately crying out for help, divine aid, does not impact God's love, easier to feel guilty, embrace your love and compassion, faith, faithfulness, falling short, feel inadequate, fellowship, find rest for your souls, for your fellowship in the gospel, free us from the slavery of sin, Friday chant, from God our Father, from the first day until now, gentle and humble, God's awesome hel, grace be unto you, holy spirit, I thank my God, I will give you rest, if the Son sets you free, In Christ I am enough, in every prayer, in every prayer of mine for you all, in His own way and time, inhabit God's rest, introudce a new flock of believers, It is finished, Jesus Christ, Jesus declared striving is over, Jesus paid it all, learn from me, LOVE, making request with joy, meditating on god's word, meek and lowly in heart, mercy, my burden is light, my yoke is easy, nothing left to do, omnipotent help, peace, peace and communion with God, problems are escalating, return backsliders to your fold, salvation, simmering unrest, sinful world, source of spiritual truth, sticking with me, take Jesus at His word, take my yoke upon you, TGIF! Thank God it's Friday!, the error of their ways, the great invitation, the Lord will bless you, the servant to sin, the throne of grace, there's' no achieving our way to God, through thick and thin, too good to be true, trusting faith, truth, unexpected storms, upon every reemembrance of you, wake up and smell the coffee, whatever we've done, whatever we've left undone, wisdom, wise guidance, you are free indeed, your faithfulness will not go unrewarded
John 8:36. If the Son therefore shall make you free, ye shall be indeed.
A Good Friday Morning to all you my faithful Scrip-Bits friends and families. And as Bruh Paul would say, ‘Grace be unto you, and peace, from God our Father, and from the Lord Jesus Christ. I thank my God upon every remembrance of you, Always in every prayer of mine for you all making request with joy, For your fellowship in the gospel from the first day until now.’ (Phil. 1:2-5)
And that’s the truth, friends. I thank the Lord for your journey with me every time I remember you, for I could not have done it without your continued faithfulness and God’s awesome help. Thank you ever so much for sticking with me through thick and thin. Your faithfulness will not go unrewarded, the Lord will bless you in His own way and time.
So, on this bright, sunshiny, cold winter’s day, after all the shouts of ‘TGIF! Thank God it’s Friday and the weekend is here at last!’ have gone up to high heaven, down here on earth there’s something I want to share with you from the February In Touch Devotional, it’s titled ‘Consider this:’ Please read with me. ‘As believers, we know that whatever we’ve done or left undone does not impact God’s LOVE at all. There is no achieving our way to God. Our peace and communion with Him simply are. So why do we sometimes still feel as if we’re falling short?
Maybe it’s easier to feel guilty than to be truly free. Or perhaps condemning ourselves feels more familiar. It could even be that Jesus’ freedom seems too good to be true. There must be a catch somewhere, right? But there is no catch. By choosing the cross, Jesus declared our striving is over, so take Him at His word. Anytime you feel inadequate, ashamed, or burdened, remind yourself, “In Christ, I am enough” or “It is finished.” Inhabit God’s rest – that’s what He wants for you.’
What wisdom my fellow believers! Because all of us feel at some time or the other that we’re not worthy, etc., etc., and some of us don’t feel right unless we feel guilty, and as they say, some of us feel it’s too good to be true. But friends, this is one time when it feels like it’s too good to be true, that IT IS TRUE! Christ died to free us, to relieve us of our earthly burdens and give us a heavenly attitude and concept. Why therefore these scriptures.
Jesus spoke to the people saying: ‘Verily, verily, I say unto you, Whosoever committeth sin is the servant (slave) to sin. And the servant abideth not in the house for ever: But the Son abideth ever (forever). If the Son therefore shall make you free, ye shall be indeed.’ (John 8:34-36) And it’s the gospel truth friends, because whom the Son sets free is indeed free, for Jesus died to free us from the slavery of sin.
As this commentary tells us: ‘Jesus is explaining the enslaving nature of sin, as compared to the freedom He offers in salvation. Jesus has already claimed to be the one and only source of spiritual truth (John 8:12), and that accepting this truth would rescue a person from sin and spiritual slavery (John 8:31–32).’
So why can’t we simply accept it and be done with all of our doubts, anxieties and fears eh? Because we’re still somewhat enslaved to sin and the foolishness of this ungodly world! And the only way to successfully let that go, is by growing in faith in Christ Jesus, which means plenty meditating on His Word and then putting it into practice in our lives. And as per the burdens of this world, please remember Christ’s Great Invitation, where He offers solace and peace to one and all.
‘Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn of (from) me; for I am meek and lowly in heart (gentle and humble): and ye shall find rest unto your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.’ (Matt. 11:28-30) Yes mih people, that’s what Christ offers if you take Him seriously, take Him at His word! And the only way to find out if it’s true is by accepting him as Lord and Saviour! For all that’s promised in the Lord’s word depends on accepting Christ!
If you don’t accept him as the pre-eminent person in your life, then none of what He says will apply to you. It’s like some of the slangs we have in the world; like ‘the taste of the pudding is the eating,’ ‘if you don’t jump in at the deep end you’ll never learn how to swim,’ and how can you know if the water is hot, unless you feel it.’ It’s the same way with Jesus ; if you don’t check him out seriously, you’ll never know what He’s really about, and won’t know how very much you’re missing. It all comes down, like most things in life, to personal experience!
Now, let’s go to the throne of grace, through our Friday Chant, seeking God’s aid in these turbulent and ungodly times. Altogether: ‘Oh Lord, thanks for getting me safely through this past week. You know it’s been rough… because our many serious problems are escalating instead of improving. And it’s obvious we can’t fix them on our own, so Lord, we’re desperately crying out for your help.
Oh heavenly Father, with your omnipotent help, and our trusting faith, we know that we can stand strong and steadfast and defeat the simmering unrest in our land. We therefore ask you Lord to give our leaders the wise guidance to handle these unexpected storms properly. And please help the rest of us to be responsible and to stay safe amidst all the anxiety and confusion of these ungodly times.
We fervently pray too Lord that you’ll use the discontent and dissatisfaction in our land as a means of restoring faith in you. Return backsliders to your fold. Show them the error of their ways. And please introduce a new flock of believers, who will embrace your LOVE and compassion by the example, we, your faithful believers set. So that our sinful world can wake up and smell the coffee, wake up and smell it sweet and strong! We pray this in the name of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ! Amen!’
Oh friends, it certainly is time that we all come to the realization of how sinful and ungodly our world has become and be convicted that we do something serious about turning it around! That is, if we truly desire divine aid! Much LOVE!
…when Jesus said, “It is finished,” (John 19:30)…he meant there was nothing else to do, nothing left to pay…He paid it all—totally, completely, permanently…
Hear our podcast at https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/randy-obrien
01 Dec 2024
by randyobrien50
in Christian Thoughts and Inspiration., Daily Devotion, Daily Inspiration, Inspirational Living, Spiritual Living
Tags: a time of preparation, a time of reflection on Christ's birth, all I'm asking from you, all that I am, all ye that are upright in heart, all ye that labour and heavy laden, be obedient to His will, cheating, come unto me, crime, faith, find rest unto your souls, first day of december, for my sake, four Advent candles, fret not because of him who prospers, gentle and humble, give me the strength, give us this day our daily bread, gospel truth, help me believe, help me today, holy spirit, hope love joy and peace, I am meek and lowly, I go to prepare a place for you, I have to climb, I will come again, I will give you rest, I'm only human, In my Father's house, in what I could be, Jesus Christ, keep Jesus first place, Kris Kristofferson, learn from me, let not your heart be troubled, LOVE, manna, many mansions, Marijohn Wilkins, meat for one day, mercy, my burden is light, my yoke is easy, need to do to be ready, never-say die attitude, one day at a time, one day at a time sweet Jesus, receive you unto myself, salvation, show me the way, shpw me the stairways, sincerity in our hearts and voices, stealing, stick to Christ like white on rice, sweet jesus, take my yoke upon you, teach me to take one day at a time, the great invitation, the light of hope, the Lord's prayer, the Master of Life and Death, the season of Advent, the second coming of Christ, the virtues Jesus brought us, the way the truth and the life, to burn brightly in our souls, to do everything I have to do, tomorrow may never be mine, truth, vilence, when you walked among me, where I am there ye may be also, wisdom, ye believe in God believe also in me, yesterday's gone
Matthew 11:28. Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.
And so, we come to the first day of December, a Sunday, which means we’re also into the first day of the season of Advent. And what does Advent mean, and why do we celebrate it? This commentary gives us the basic idea. ‘The word ‘advent’ literally means ‘coming’ and it is a time of reflection on the coming of Christ into the world at his birth. It is also a time of preparation when Christians think about the second coming of Christ and what they need to do to be ready for his return.’ Yes friends, as always, everything is all about Jesus!
And this other commentary delves a little further into the celebration. ‘It is the first season of the Christian church year. On each of the four Sundays preceding Christmas, an Advent candle is lit. The 4 candles of Advent names are hope, LOVE, joy, and peace, representing the virtues Jesus brought us.’ So, obviously today we’ll light the candle of Hope, that far-reaching, ever-expecting, never-say die attitude that we believers ought to have.
And as we gather in the Lord’s house on this His day to worship and celebrate His awesome goodness and mercy to the underserving children of men, let’s open with a marvellous song of worship written by Marijohn Wilkins and the late departed Kris Kristofferson, aptly titled One Day At A Time Sweet Jesus. And today we’ll do a soulful, scintillating, inspirational, heart-stopping mid-tempo version of the song, allowing all the sincerity in our hearts and voices to pour out up to high heaven. (smile)
So, opening with the chorus, let’s sing: (Chorus: One day at a time sweet Jesus That’s all I’m asking from you Give me the strength To do everything what I have to do Yesterday’s gone sweet Jesus And tomorrow may never be mine Help me today, show me the way One day at a time) I’m only human I’m just a woman (man) Help me believe in what I could be and all that I am. Oh show me the stairways I have to climb Lord for my sake teach me to take One day at a time.
(Chorus: One day at a time sweet Jesus That’s all I’m asking from you Just give me the strength To do everything what I have to do Yesterday’s gone sweet Jesus And tomorrow may never be mine Help me today, show me the way One day at a time) Oh do you remember? When you walked among men? Well Jesus you know If you’re looking below That its worse now than then Oh there’s Cheating and stealing, violence and crime. So Lord for my sake teach me to take One day at a time.
(Chorus: One day at a time sweet Jesus That’s all I’m asking from you Just give me the strength To do everything what I have to do Yesterday’s gone sweet Jesus And tomorrow may never be mine Help me today, show me the way One day at a time Oh help me today Show me the way One day at a time… One day at a time…Sweet Jesus…Teach me to take One day at a time…One day at a time…Lord help me today…Show me the way…One day at a time.’
Ah friends, it’s certainly a song that draws us ever closer to Jesus as we cry out for His awesome help, just one day at a time. And that’s how it ought to really be; us taking one day at a time, because that’s all we ever have. It’s like Jesus taught us in the Lord’s Prayer: ‘Give us this day our daily bread.’ (Matt. 6:11) And that’s the same way the Lord fed the Israelites in the wilderness with just enough manna and meat for one day, except on the Sabbath day.
And to tell the truth, one day is likely the most we can handle at any one time, what with all the craziness, the strife, anger, hatred and violence currently happening in our world. As the song so rightly says: ‘Oh do you remember? When you walked among men? Well Jesus you know If you’re looking below That its worse now than then Oh there’s Cheating and stealing, violence and crime. So Lord for my sake teach me to take One day at a time.’
And although I have a personal dislike of the statement because I heard it so often from one particular friend, (smile) it is the best way to live this life. Besides, today is the only day we’re sure of, for in the appropriate words of the song, ‘yesterday’s gone, and tomorrow may never be mine, So help me today, show me the way One day at a time.’ And yuh know what my people, I believe all of what the song is asking for is encapsulated in Jesus’ famous offer of comfort and care, that we call the Great invitation.
And we all ought to know it and accept it, because there’s no greater offer or invitation in this entire world. Jesus throws out his arms in welcome as He says: ‘Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn of (from) me; for I am meek and lowly (gentle and humble) in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.’ (Matt. 11:28-30)
Now, tell me friends, who else can express those words and sentiments in all truth and sincerity but Jesus eh? Absolutely no one else! For He’s the master of the waves and the wind, the sun and the moon, the stars and all the other universal bodies! He’s also the Master of Life and Death; the One who can give life or take it as He sees fit! Satan can only take life; he can’t give it. That’s why we need to cling tightly to Jesus, who is the Way, the Truth, the Life, the Light, the Redeemer, the Judge and so many other things!
So, on this first Sunday of Advent, as we think of Jesus’ first coming and the Christmas celebrations, let’s also allow the light of hope to burn brightly in our souls, bodies, minds and spirits, fully knowing that in His time, He will come back to get us, just as He promised. ‘Let not your heart be troubled: ye believe in God, believe also in me. In my Father’s house are many mansions (dwelling): if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you unto myself; that where I am, there ye may be also.’ (John 14:1-3)
And that’s the gospel truth my brethren, for Jesus has no cause to lie, and He has the power to keep any promise He makes. That means we don’t have to fret and worry about what’s happening in our world, just keep Jesus first place in our hearts and be obedient to His will, and He will see us through, one day at a time! Much LOVE!
…fret not over your troubles…just hold on tight to Jesus…stick to Him like white on rice…and you will be okay…
Hear our podcast at https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/randy-obrien
20 Oct 2024
by randyobrien50
in Christian Thoughts and Inspiration., Daily Devotion, Daily Inspiration, Inspirational Living, Spiritual Living
Tags: all ye that labour and are heavy laden, as the manner of some is, as ye see the day approaching, assurance of being heard by God, Bible, Christ as a son over his own house, come boldly to the throne of grace, come to seek and save, come unto me, confidence by faith in Christ, draw near with boldness, encouraging, exhorting one another, faith, fellowship, find grace to help, find rest unto your souls, freedom of speech, gentle and humble, god, guilt and sin, have stopped my mouth, he that built all things is God, holy spirit, I will give you rest, in time of need, in whom we have boldness, Indian summer, Jehovah is the sinner's freind, Jesus Christ, Jesus fills the throne, know the hell of sin within, lay your load at Jesus feet, lean of me, LOVE, makes the blind to see, meek and lowly in heart, mercy, my burden light, my yoke is easy, not forsaking the assembling of ourselves, obtain mercy, pay our sin debt in full, poor bankrupt souls, reassuring, salvation, set the prisoner free, sweet sacrifices of praise, sympathize with our weaknesses, take my yoke upon you, that which was lost, the great invitation, the Lord will take you in, the Lord's Sabbath, the right of entering into god's presence, the sinner lost He came to save, the Son of man, touched with the feeling of our infirmities, truth, was in all points tempted like us, was without sin, we have not a high priest, wisdom, ye wretched sinners come
Hebrews 4:16. Let us therefore come boldly (confidently) unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need.
And another beautiful Indian summer day is in the offing for the Lord’s Sabbath. That makes it even more encouraging and intriguing for us to make our way to His sanctuary to give Him praise and thanks for all His many blessings and to fellowship with other believers, as it is right to do. The Bible tells us in no uncertain terms: ‘Not forsaking 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. 10:25)
And it is necessary to pray on one’s own, but worshipping together gives the chance to encourage each other, to strengthen and stir up each other which can only be gained by fellowshipping together. And having said all of that, let’s get right to our song for today. It’s one we all know and like, with the apt title of ‘Come Boldy to the throne of Grace.’ Yes, it’s very encouraging and reassuring, so let’s offer up sweet sacrifices of praise in a sincere, soulful, mid-tempo version of this marvellous song.
Singing: ‘Come boldly to the throne of grace, Ye wretched sinners come, and lay your load at Jesus feet, And plead what He has done. How can I come? Some soul may say, I’m lame and cannot walk; My guilt and sin have stopped my mouth, I sigh, but dare not talk. Come boldly to the throne of grace, Though lost, and blind, and lame; Jehovah is the sinner’s friend, And ever was the same. He makes the dead to hear His voice; He makes the blind to see, The sinner lost, He came to save, And set the prisoner free.
Come boldly to the throne of grace, For Jesus fills the throne; and those He kills, He makes alive; He hears the sigh or groan; Poor bankrupt souls, Who feel and know, the hell of sin within; Come Boldly to the throne of grace; The Lord will take you in. Come Boldly to the throne of grace; The Lord will take you in…the Lord will take you in…Yes the Lord will take you in…take you in.’
And that’s no lie my brethren! If you come boldly or confidently to the throne of grace, our ever-faithful God will surely take you in. That’s one thing about Him, He never turns away anyone who comes to Him in all sincerity and truth. And what’s the basis for this confidence? It all springs from these Bible verses in Hebrews.
‘For we do not have a high priest who cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities (is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses), but was in all points tempted like as we are (but one who was tempted in every way that we are), yet was without sin. Let us therefore come boldly (confidently) unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need. Let us therefore draw near with boldness unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain (receive) mercy, and find grace to help in time of need.’ (Heb. 4:15-16)
Oh friends, isn’t it wonderful that we have a high priest who can empathize with our problems, because He also faced them, but was without sin, thus was eligible to die on the cross at Calvary and pay our sin debt in full? It most certainly is! That means we can take any problem to Him and He will understand. There are also a couple of other scriptures that encourage us to have confidence and boldness in our faith.
This one also comes from Hebrews. ‘For every house is builded by some man; but he that built all things is God. And Moses verily was faithful in all his house, as a servant, for a testimony of those things which were to be spoken after (afterward); But Christ as a son over his own house; whose house are we, if we hold fast the confidence and the rejoicing of the hope firm unto the end.’ (Heb. 3:4-6)
Yes my people, every one else is a servant in someone else’s house, but Christ as the Son of God, has His own house to which we belong, if we continue to be confident and faithful to Him. And this scripture from the passage in Ephesians that speaks about the Unsearchable Riches of Christ also encourages us to have boldness and confidence. It says: ‘In whom we have boldness and access with confidence by the faith of (in) him.’ (Eph. 3:12)
And the scholars explain it thus: ‘This verse affirms that Christians have boldness (freedom of speech before God) and access (the right of entering His presence) with confidence (assurance of being heard by God), by the faith of him (through relying upon Christ to gain God’s ear).’ We certainly can’t ask for any more than that my fellow believers. But the wonderful thing about our God is that He gives us more through Christ Jesus, even though we don’t deserve it.
And if we look at the statements of the song, they all claim that we are lost, blind, lame, unworthy, sinners, guilty etc., not worthy to come to Jesus, but there are many facts to the contrary. Remember what Jesus Himself said? ‘For the Son of man is come to seek and save that which was lost.’ (Luke 19:10) He is also the friend to each and every sinner. Was from the beginning, and will be until the very end. But this one line tells the whole story ‘Ye wretched sinners come, and lay your load at Jesus feet.’
For what does Jesus offer to those who are overburdened? The Great Invitation! ‘Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn of (from) me; for I am meek and lowly in heart (gentle and humble): and ye shall find rest unto your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.’ (Matt. 11:28-30)
Yes my fellow saints, that’s Christ invitation to all and sundry to come to Him, regardless of your woes. There’s no one He will refuse. So please, let’s take advantage of the invitation today nuh, and go to Jesus for help, whatever kind of help we may need, because He is the ONLY ONE who can solve all our problems, and will certainly not turn us away, despite our sorry plight. In fact, the sorrier our plight, the more Jesus desires us to come to Him for help. Let’s never forget that! Much LOVE!
…Jesus is only a sincere plea away…for help
Hear our podcast at https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/randy-obrien
25 Sep 2024
by randyobrien50
in Christian Thoughts and Inspiration., Daily Devotion, Daily Inspiration, Inspirational Living, Spiritual Living
Tags: a covenant of a rainbow, a modicum of peace, all ye that labour, Bible, christianity, climate change, come unto me, destroy the world by fire, endure to the end, eternal life, eyes fixed straight ahead, faith, fear of flooding, find rest unto your souls, gentle, God's promise, halfway home, hands on the plough, he that believe in me, he that comes to me, heavy laden, holy spirit, humble, I am meek and lowly in heart, I am the bread of life, I will give you rest, in times of trouble, Jesus Christ, Jesus is the first place to turn, learn of me, LOVE, making decisions in anger, my burden light, my yoke is easy, never hunger, never thirst, never to destroy the world by flood again, not turning back, our new phobia, raging wildfires, sealed until the day of redemption, spiritual life, strife-filled times, take my yoke upon you, thank God, the breath of life, the great invitation, the headaches of owning a house, the land was flooded, the rain fell, to a glorious future with Jesus, truth, unfortunate circumstances, Wednesday Wail, wisdom, wise decisions
Matthew 11:28. Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.
And the rains fell…and the rains fell…and the rains fell… until the land was flooded. That seems to be the new normal in this complicated, indecipherable and frustrating time of climate change. And it’s happening all around the globe. Nowadays, whenever the rain falls people become afraid of possible flooding. It’s our new phobia. Personally, I don’t quite understand it, because we’ve always had big showers of rain and there was no fear of flooding, but recently, everything seems to have changed.
I guess, when, like last week, Britain supposedly got a month’s worth of rain in one day, flooding will occur. And it does seem that these days we are getting more rain in one spell than we were previously accustomed to, plus, the infrastructure in many of our areas have not been made as flood proof as possible.
It almost makes you wonder if God was reneging on His promise to Noah not to destroy the world by flood again. ‘And I will establish my covenant with you; neither shall all flesh be cut off any more by the waters of a flood; neither shall there be any more a flood to destroy the earth.’ (Gen. 9:11) And that covenant was to be a rainbow in the sky. (Gen. 9:13-16)
However, according to 2 Pet. 3:7, the world will eventually be destroyed by fire. ‘But the heavens and the earth, which are now, by the same word are kept in store, reserved unto fire against (until) the day of judgement and perdition (destruction) of ungodly men.’ And we ought to be concerned about that prophecy because right now wild fires are burning unabated all over the world, both from the terrible heat that’s affecting some areas, as well as man’s carelessness.
Now, in my area, we hadn’t seen any rain for almost two weeks, but in the last few days we’ve seen a lot, with the promise of more to come. Thankfully, I haven’t seen any signs of flooding in my basement as yet, although last night I sadly discovered a leak in a side wall next to my driveway that I believe I had fixed years ago. And though I’m not thrilled, I try to find some satisfaction in the fact that’s it not as bad as it was before. I remember the days when that whole wall and one at the back of the house leaked every time the rain fell, and I spent oodles of futile dollars trying to fix them.
However it’s only after I replaced the eaves troughs on the house that they stopped…that is until now. (smile) But what yuh gonna do eh? It’s just one of the many drawbacks, one of the many headaches of the supposed wonderfulness of owning a house! Chuh! All you can do though is grin and bear it…and try to fix it. And that’s why it’s so important to have Jesus as the main stay in our lives, because with Him we get a modicum of peace and calm despite our unfortunate circumstances, which is ever so necessary in making wise decisions.
As we saw yesterday in Dr. Shadrach Meshach Lockridge’s expose on Jesus; He’s our everything. Whatever the problem, He can help to solve it. Why? Because He’s the way, the truth and the life! He’s the light of the world. He’s the One that takes us out of Satan’s overwhelming darkness into His marvellous light. And above all, His Great Invitation, just can’t be beaten! Who else can make this amazing offer, and actually has the means to keep it? NO ONE but Jesus!
Listen, as He extends this marvellous offer to all and sundry. ‘Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn of (from) me; for I am meek and lowly in heart (gentle and humble): and ye shall find rest unto your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.’ (Matt. 11:28-30)
Oh my people, that’s the greatest invitation that’s ever been offered in this world, and in these crazy, turbulent and strife-filled times, we’d be very foolish not to accept it. I can tell you that right now I desperately need it, because I certainly don’t look forward to fixing that leaking wall again. When the problem is obvious, it’s not so bad, but when you just can’t figure it out, then your soul gets rather anxious and frustrated. But the best way to handle our problems is by turning them over to Jesus and asking for His peace and His direction in handling them. And I definitely need to take my own advice on that. (smile)
Now, turning to Jesus might not solve our problems, but it will certainly lessen our anxiety and frustration, and with His help, allow us to make wiser decisions. For it’s never advisable to make important decisions in anger or frustration. And to solidify Jesus words in the Great Invitation, let’s listen to this other scripture, where He says: ‘I am the bread of life: he that cometh to me shall never hunger; and he that believeth on me shall never thirst. But I said unto you, that ye also have seen me, and believe not. All that the Father giveth me shall come to me; and him that cometh to me I will in no wise (certainly not) cast out.’ (John 6:35-37)
Yes friends, more reassurance that when we sincerely live and work for Jesus, we will never be cast away from Him, for He is indeed the One that gives life, both spiritual and eternal. And we know that by the presence of His Holy Spirit dwelling in us which has sealed us as His unto the day of redemption, (Eph. 4:30) and is also there to lead and guide us in the way that He desires. And with all that reassurance filling our hearts, minds, bodies and souls, let’s go home declaring our Wednesday Wail.
As one strong and sincere voice: ‘Wednesday, Wednesday, Wednesday: I’m so glad to be alive on this Wednesday! Wednesday, Wednesday, Wednesday: Thank God the breath of life is still flowing through me on this Wednesday! I am halfway home. My hands are fixed securely on the plough, and I’m not turning back. I’m not looking back at the past, not focusing on what has gone before. But my eyes are fixed straight ahead; straight ahead to a glorious future with Jesus. Glory Hallelujah!’
And my brethren, if we endure right to the very end with Jesus, then it’s been promised that that future will be even more glorious than we can ever ask or imagine. So let’s make plans to meet there nuh! Much LOVE!
…whenever problems come…the first place to turn…is to Jesus…
Hear our podcast at https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/randy-obrien
04 Apr 2024
by randyobrien50
in Christian Thoughts and Inspiration., Daily Devotion, Daily Inspiration, Inspirational Living, Spiritual Living
Tags: a compassionate heart, a name above every other name, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, at the name of Jesus, be of good cheer, beside still waters, bet your bottom dollar, choose life, christianity, come unto me, curse, Easter Sunday, every knee shall bow, every tongue confess, faith, fro glory to glory, fulfillment, god, God also highly exalted him, Good Friday, good vibes, I am meek and lowly in heart, i have overcome the world, I will you rest, in me ye might have peace, in the world ye shall have tribulation, Jesus, Jesus Christ, Jesus Christ is Lord to the glory of God, Jesus in our hearts souls bodies and minds, Jesus is our Good Shepherd, Jesus is our Guide and Leader, King of Kings, leads us to green pastures, learn of me, let it rain, let not your heart be troubled, Lord of Lords, LOVE, my burden is light, my peace I give to you, my yoke is easy, negative word, neither let it be afraid, not as the world giveth, paid our sin debt in full, peace, Peace i leave with you, refreshes our weary souls, salvation, self-discipline, set before you life and death, success, supernatural strength, take my yoke upon you, that both thou and thy seed shall live, the awesome power of Christ's resurrection, the Easter season, turbulent times, wisdom
Matthew 11:28. Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.
And the good vibes of this Easter Season still percolate strongly through our faith on this wet Thursday spring morning in early April. Thankfully, the rain has let up some, and the li’l snow we got has already disappeared. However, the promise of rain is still in the forecast. But as I like to say: ‘Let it rain, let it rain! With Jesus in our hearts, souls, bodies and minds, rain cannot stop us from moving forward with Him!’ No sir! For Jesus is our Guide and Leader, our Good Shepherd, who leads us to green pastures, beside still waters and restores or refreshes our burdened and weary souls.
That means, if we are wise, we will quickly take Him up on His Great Invitation. ‘Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn of (from) me; for I am meek and lowly in heart (gentle and humble): and ye shall find rest unto your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.’ (Matt. 11:28-30) Oh friends, there is absolutely no better invitation in all the world! You can bet your bottom dollar on that!
And Jesus, having died on Good Friday and paid our sin debt in full, then risen on Easter Sunday and proclaimed the awesome power of His resurrection, He now sits at the right hand of the Father interceding on our behalf, highly exalted for His work on the cross. As the Good Library tells it: ‘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 shall 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. 2:9-11)
Wow mih bredrin! Jesus, for His stellar, unselfish work here on earth has been proclaimed King of Kings and Lord of Lords and the name that’s above all names! That means, if possible, He is now even more able to offer us the peace and rest that we so desperately need in these tremulous and turbulent times, than when He first offered that invitation while here with us on Mother Earth. So why are many more of us not turning to Him for the comfort, relief and solace He so readily offers eh? Why instead are so many of us leaving His church, turning away from Him and all the wonderful things He offers?
I truly don’t know why, neither can I understand why in this age of turmoil and confusion we would run away from the ONE source of true peace and comfort in this evil and ungodly world. My people, please, I plead with us to remember these most important words of Jesus on the subject of peace in this strife-filled world. He says: ‘Peace I leave with you, my peace I give unto you: not as the world giveth, give I unto you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid.’ (John 14:27)
Right there you have it friends! Jesus’ peace is an entirely different kind of peace from what this ungodly world offers as peace. And furthermore, when you have the peace of Jesus, you don’t have to be worried and anxious about what’s happening in the world, or even in your particular situation, because He will keep you peaceful if you live for Him. And Jesus second quote on peace comes just after He tells the disciples about His upcoming crucifixion, acknowledging that in their fear they would scatter like rats at the presence of a cat. (smile)
Nonetheless, He comforts them with these words. ‘These things I have spoken unto you, that in me ye might have peace. In the world ye shall have tribulation: but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world.’ (John 16:33) And yes, we all know that it’s hard to have peace when we’re undergoing trials and tribulations, but if we put our complete trust in Jesus, surrender our all to Him, He will give us the necessary peace to go about our business without too much worry and anxiety. That’s His absolute promise! And I’m here to testify to it.
But unfortunately, it doesn’t happen overnight. However, as you draw closer to Jesus; pray, read and understand more of His Word and put it into action in your own life, you find yourself being less and less worried and anxious, because little by little, you’re experiencing His faithfulness in your life. Your faith grows stronger as He slowly raises you from glory to glory! Now that my fellow believers is the least we can ask of our Saviour. But the truth of the matter is that He has a lot more to offer us, if we will only turn to Him seriously and sincerely!
As He says in His Invitation; you will find rest for your souls, an easy yoke, a light burden, plus stuff like forgiveness of sins, salvation and eternal life with Him wherever He might be. Now what can be better than that eh? Certainly not our only other option; that of sojourning in hell with Satan and his band of evil doers. But it’s all up to the individual. The Lord gave us free choice, hoping that we’d choose Him, over Satan. Thus Moses’ exhortation to the Israelites in the wilderness: ‘I call heaven and earth to record (as witnesses) this day against you, that I have set before you life and death, blessings and cursing: therefore choose life, that both thou and thy seed may live.’ (Deut. 30:19)
It could not be said any clearer than that my fellow saints. Now the ball is in our court. Please play it wisely. And our God is so wonderful that He even bestows on us undeserved blessings to profitably share His Word on the earth. We call them our Thursday Blessings, but there’s one proviso; a blessing is not a blessing until it’s declared (yesss!!!). So let’s declare (awright!!!) them right now nuh. As one strong and sincere voice: ‘I declare that I am blessed with God’s supernatural wisdom and receive clear direction for my life! I declare today that I am blessed with creativity, courage, talent and abundance!
I am blessed with a strong will, self-control and self-discipline! I am blessed with a great family, good friends, good health, faith, favour and fulfillment! I am blessed with success, supernatural strength, promotion and divine protection! I am blessed with a compassionate heart and a positive outlook on life! I declare that any curse or negative word that’s ever been spoken over me is broken right now in the name of Jesus! I declare that everything I put my hands to, will prosper and succeed! I declare it today and every day! Amen!’
And having made that declaration (yeahhh!!!) we are now duty bound to go out and use those blessings for the benefit of others, just as generously as the Lord shared them with us. Much LOVE!
…why choose sorrowful death…when there’s glorious life to be chosen…
Hear our podcast at https://open.spotify.com/show/3aVfqIC1CqwGybISs9dZ
28 Feb 2024
by randyobrien50
in Christian Thoughts and Inspiration., Daily Devotion, Daily Inspiration, Inspirational Living, Spiritual Living
Tags: all ye that labour and are heavy laden, belief is the key to everything, believe right to the end, Christ, come unto me, crapaud smoke yuh pipe, eternal life, eyes fixed straight ahead, faith, feast of the dedication, forgiven sins, hail storm, halfway home, hands on the plough, hell bound, I am meek and lowly in heart, I and my Father are one, I will give you rest, if thou be, if thou be Christ, Jesus Christ, Jesus' invitation, learn of me, lightning, LOVE, makest thyself God, my yoke is easy and my burden light, not turning back, salvation, selfless sacrifice, sinless Son of God, sufferation, take my yoke upon you, thank God, the BIBLE, the breath of life is still flowing through me, the cross of Calvary, the fires of hell, they shall never perish, thunder, to a glorious future with Jesus, Wednesday Wail, wisdom
John 10:30 I and my Father are one.
Well, so much for sunshine yesterday and getting to the doctor’s before the promised rain began! Hn! When I came downstairs to write the Bit, there was brilliant sunshine outside, but then I saw where heavy rain was in the forecast, and by the time I went back upstairs about an hour later, the place was as dark as night and it was raining. Chuh! That meant I went to the doctor in the pouring rain, and came back in it, interspersed with occasional streaks of lighting and bolts of thunder. There were other errands I wanted to run, but decided against doing so, and came straight home.
And it’s a good thing too, for about half an hour after I got home, a powerful hail storm hit my area. It didn’t last long, somewhere between five and ten minutes, but you could hear the pounding on the roof, and I said to myself, that couldn’t be rain, so I looked outside and the small hailstones were just pouring down relentlessly. Then this morning, around 3. a.m. the thunder and lightning and rain again made themselves felt. But so far the day has been fairly sunny, with temps in the mid-teens, though somewhat windy. However, there’s also another promise of heavy rain in the offing. But we’ll deal with that when we come to it. (smile)
In the meanwhile, let’s talk about the best subject we can ever talk about, that’s Jesus Christ, our Lord and Saviour, the One who died on the cross of Calvary to pay for our sins! Wow! How can anything be better and greater than that eh? No Way! That’s why we ought to pay him so much homage and LOVE Him right down to the ground, for without His selfless sacrifice we’d be hell bound without any options whatsoever! But because of His marvellous sacrifice and terrible ‘sufferation’ we now have the option of gaining eternal life and spending it in heaven with Him.
So why aren’t many more of us rushing to get that marvellous gift from heaven, by accepting Christ Jesus as Lord and Saviour eh? It boggles my imagination that with all the talk about hellfire and eternal damnation that people wouldn’t be much more receptive to Jesus’ Invitation, where He offers much more than anyone else does. Listen to His words and see if you don’t desperately need the succour and relief that He is offering, especially in these tense and turbulent times. He LOVINGLY invites: ‘Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn of (from) me; for I am meek and lowly in heart (gentle and humble): and ye shall find rest unto your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.’ (Matt. 11:28-30)
Oh friends, in this current crazy and confused society, so many of us are crying out for rest and peace and a break from carrying our heavy life burdens, so why aren’t we turning to Jesus in droves eh, when what we need and desire is exactly what He offers? Wish I knew. And the strange thing is that all we have to do is to believe that He is indeed the Son of God and died to have our sins forgiven. Yes my people, it’s all about belief. So many times in the scripture Jesus admonished us to only believe. That’s all it takes. But I guess too many of us prefer the world’s standard of seeing it then believing it, rather than to believe it then see it, which is what’s desired in Jesus’ kingdom.
But that’s oh so foolish friends, for Jesus has the BEST groove going, both in this world and the next. Anything Satan can give you, so can Christ, and give you even better, unless what you want is the evil, ungodliness, immorality, and licentiousness of this world. But unfortunately those in Jesus’ time were just as foolish as us. Listen to what happens when they charged Him with blasphemy. The Bible tells us: ‘And it was at Jerusalem the feast of the dedication (Hanukkah), and it was winter. And Jesus walked in the temple in Solomon’s porch. Then came the Jews round about him , and said unto him, How long dost thou make us to doubt (keep us in suspense)? If thou be the Christ, tell us plainly.
Jesus answered them, I told you, and ye believed not: the works that I do in my Father’s name, they bear witness of me. But ye believe not, because ye are not of my sheep, as I said unto you. My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me: And I give unto them eternal life; and they shall never perish, neither shall any man pluck (snatch) them out of my hand. My Father , which gave them me, is greater than all; and no man is able to pluck (snatch) them out of my Father’s hand. I and my Father are one.’ (John 10:22-29)
Oh my brethren, what godly assurance that believers will be safe from anyone or anything that desires to destroy them. And that last verse (30) told the Jews what they asked in verse 24. If He was the Christ? But having heard that affirmation, they then took up stones to stone Him. ‘Jesus answered them, Many good works have I shewed you from my Father; for which of those works do ye stone me? The Jews answered him, saying, For a good work we stone thee not: but for blasphemy; and because that thou, being a man, makest thyself God.’ (John 10:31-33)
Can you believe it friends? But, unfortunately, many of us today still think of Christ in those terms; that He was just an ordinary man, or a prophet, or some sorcerer or the other, but definitely not the Son of God. But tell me nuh, who else but the sinless Son of God could have paid for our abominable sins eh? No one else! And now it’s all left up to you, to either believe or not believe in Christ and all that He stands for. But please note that believing in Christ is the BEST decision you can ever make in this world. And if you refuse to make it, then crapaud smoke yuh pipe with Beelzebub in the fires of hell!
Now, for those of us who sincerely believe, let’s go home declaring (awright!!!) our Wednesday Wail, letting the whole world know of our marvellous position in Christ Jesus. Altogether now: ‘Wednesday, Wednesday, Wednesday: I’m so glad to be alive on this Wednesday! Wednesday, Wednesday, Wednesday: Thank God the breath of life is still flowing through me on this Wednesday! I am halfway home. My hands are fixed securely on the plough, and I’m not turning back. I’m not looking back at the past, not focusing on what has gone before. But my eyes are fixed straight ahead; straight ahead to a glorious future with Jesus. Glory Hallelujah!’
And if we believe right down to the very end, then that future will be even more glorious than we can ask or imagine. So let’s plan to see it together nuh! Much LOVE!
…in the kingdom of Christ…BELIEF…is the key to everything…
Hear our podcast at https://open.spotify.com/show/3aVfqIC1CqwGybISs9dZ
17 Jan 2024
by randyobrien50
in Christian Thoughts and Inspiration., Daily Devotion, Daily Inspiration, Inspirational Living, Spiritual Living
Tags: a different perspective on life, a no brainer, a prisoner of myself, all of life turned right side up, all of life upside down, as for me and my house, at the end of my rope, be of good cheer I have overcome the world, christ is the winner every time, christianity, come unto me all ye that labour, come without feeling, defenseless, don't climb, don't compete, don't cringe, endure to the end, eternal life, eyes fixed straight ahead, faith, find rest unto your souls, glorious sunshine, halfway home, hands on the plough, I am meek and humble, I called upon the Lord in distress, I came, I will give you rest, Jesus Christ, Lord look at me just look at me, LOVE, mercy, never hunger, never thirst, not turning back, Reversal, see without eyes, set me in a large place, spiritual bread, take my yoke upon you, thank God, the BIBLE, the bread of life, the breath of life, the Lord answered me, the Lord set me free, to a glorious future with Jesus, truth, walk without feet, we will serve the Lord, Wednesday Wail, wisdom, without merit or hope
Psalm 118:5. I called upon the Lord in distress: the Lord answered me, and set me in a large (broad) place.
Oh my people, there’s glorious sunshine in my neighborhood It’s also pretty cold…but who cares eh? The sun’s shining brightly, that’s all that matters! And yesterday, despite the cloudiness and snow, we also had some sunshine for a part of the early afternoon, so we can’t complain. Now that’s what winter is supposed to be all about!
And having said all of that, I just discovered a wonderful poem in our One Year Book of Bible Promises with writings by Ruth Harms Calkin, simply titled ‘REVERSAL.’ As usual, I don’t know if I’ve shared it before, but if I did, it’s certainly worth sharing again, (smile) especially in these rough and ungodly times, when we’re all experiencing serious problems.
So please read with me: ‘I said: Lord, look at me Just look at me All of life upside down – Tangled emotions smeared with fear Guilt Despair Disgust A prisoner of myself. The hopeless thing is that It’s all decided. I’m defenseless At the end of my rope Locked in And I’ve tried, Lord Tried desperately. But how does one see without eyes Or walk without feet? How, Lord? You said, Come unto me. You need not cringe Nor climb Nor compete Nor change Come even without feeling without tokens Without merit or hope… But come. Come now. I came And all of life Turned right side up.’
Wow! I just LOVE that poem, for it’s the gospel truth and I can certainly testify to it, as many of you my fellow believers also can, because that’s exactly what happens when we sincerely turn our attention to Christ and surrender our all to Him. Our lives are inexplicably turned around. And although our circumstances might not change very much, we are able to bear them much better than before.
The thing is, that with Christ in our lives we develop a completely different perspective on life; one that promotes positivity and the concept that any and everything is possible with God. So we no longer feel alone and disgusted with ourselves because we are not living up to whatever standards we think we ought to. Oh friends, it’s important to go to Christ just as we are, broken and disgruntled. As the poem says: ‘there’s no need to cringe, or climb, or compete, or change. Just come; even without feeling, without tokens, without merit or hope…but just come.’
And that’s exactly how Jesus expects and welcomes us. Regardless of our position, He just wants us to come…come as we are, and He will fix us up. It’s as the psalmist says in the Bible Promise for our poem. When talking about God’s mercy, he confidently states: ‘I called upon the Lord in distress: the Lord answered me, and set me in a large (broad) place.’ (Ps. 118:5) One translation says ‘he set me free.’ And that’s what He will do if you entrust your heart, mind, body and soul to Him.
And you cannot get a better scripture that encompasses it all than Christ’s Great Invitation! No friends, how can you ever top this bold and compassionate invite? ‘Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn of (from) me; for I am meek and lowly in heart (gentle and humble); and ye shall find rest unto your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.’ (Matt. 11:28-30) Oh my people, what an invitation! And you’d be really foolish and unwise not to take Jesus up on it, because no one else has such an invitation to offer. Certainly not the evil one, Satan.
Now, it doesn’t mean that your life will then be all peaches and cream. No! For in this evil, ungodly world you will always have trials and tribulation, but as Jesus said: ‘These things I have spoken unto you that in me ye might have peace. In the world ye shall have tribulation: but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world.’ (John 16:33) That’s the important part my brethren; to know and believe that Christ has overcome the world, so there’s no need for us to fear what man or beast can do to us.
Unfortunately though, in this world, it’s imperative we bow to somebody, and we only have two serious options, Satan or Christ. But since Christ’s yoke and burden are much lighter and have many more good rewards than Satan’s, especially the forgiveness of sins and life eternal in heaven, it only makes sense to accept him as Lord and Saviour. It’s the wisest decision you’ll ever make. And besides, your worst day with Christ, is going to be better than your best day with Beelzebub! That’s for sure!
Now listen to Jesus as He again offers what no one else can offer. He said to the crowd that followed him: ‘I am the bread of life: he that cometh to me shall never hunger; and he that believeth in me shall never thirst.’ (John 6:35) Yes mih bredrin, the people were looking for physical bread and drink to quench their physical hunger, but Jesus was talking about the spiritual bread, the bread which gives eternal life. And for sure, NO ONE ELSE can make that kind of offer in all sincerity and truth! Jesus is the ONLY ONE who can make and keep it!
So there we have it; two options in life: Put your trust in Satan and end up in hell with eternal separation from Almighty God, or put your trust in Jesus Christ, the Son of God, and end up in heaven with eternal life to look forward to. And there is no doubt or hesitation on my part as to which is the better option. I’m going to do like Joshua and say: ‘as for me and my house, we will serve the Lord.’ (Josh. 25:15) That’s my unalterable position. And for those of us who feel the same way, let’s go home declaring (yesss!!!) our Wednesday Wail, letting the whole world know of our wonderful position in Christ Jesus.
Altogether: ‘Wednesday, Wednesday, Wednesday: I’m so glad to be alive on this Wednesday! Wednesday, Wednesday, Wednesday: Thank God the breath of life is still flowing through me on this Wednesday! I am halfway home. My hands are fixed securely on the plough, and I’m not turning back. I’m not looking back at the past, not focusing on what has gone before. But my eyes are fixed straight ahead; straight ahead to a glorious future with Jesus. Glory Hallelujah!’
And there’s a further promise that if we endure with Jesus right down to the very end, then that future will be even more glorious than we can ever ask or imagine. So, let’s plan to meet at the very end and enjoy that glorious future together nuh! Much LOVE!
…the choice between Satan and Christ…it’s a no brainer…Christ is the winner… EVERY TIME…
Hear our podcast at https://open.spotify.com/show/3aVfqIC1CqwGybISs9dZ
26 Dec 2023
by randyobrien50
in Daily Devotion, Daily Inspiration, Inspirational Living, Spiritual Living
Tags: according to his riches in glory, allow food to go to waste, be of good cheer, Black Friday, Boxing Day, come unto me all ye that labour, Cyber Monday, excessive litigation, greater is he that is in you, holy spirit, hurry, I am meek and lowly in heart, I am the beloved of god, I am the way the truth and the life, i have overcome the world, I will give you rest, in a time of serious hunger, in god's eyes, Jesus Christ, Jesus is the answer to everything, let not your heart be troubled, LOVE, my God shall supply all your needs, my peace I give to you, neither let it be afraid, no man cometh to the Father, Peace i leave with you, seek ye first the kingdom of God, shall keep your hearts and minds through Jesus Christ, share His love with my neighbours, take my yoke upon you, than he that's in the world, the absence of snow, the peace of God which passeth all understading, trust my friend Jesus, truth, Tuesday Mantra, worry
Matthew 11:28. Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.
And then it was Tuesday, the day after Monday, the day after Christmas day, making it Boxing day! Yes friends, the big day has now come and gone, and I hope that you all had a good time celebrating with your families and friends. I know I did with my family. And as always, the food was excellent, but too much for the few celebrants. And, unfortunately, in this Christmas season of lavish and extreme preparations, a lot of good food will be thrown away, despite the fact that there are many hungry people in our society.
However, in these days of excessive litigation, people are afraid to give away and also accept food, as those who receive the food can get sick and cause all sorts of problems. What a contentious, cantankerous and fearful society we’ve become, that allows so much good food to go to waste in a time of serious hunger, simply because of possible lawsuits. And another note, remember when Boxing Day was the big sales day? Well that’s no longer the case, the Black Fridays and Cyber Mondays, around the time of Thanksgiving are now the big sales days!
Ah Lord eh! We’ve taken every holy and/or religious day and made them so commercialized, that many don’t even remember the true reason behind all the activity. So, now, the Boxing Day sales are merely shadows of their earlier selves. And anyway, I don’t know how many of us would like to go shopping on a wet, drizzly, cloudy day like today. In fact, the whole Christmas weekend has been wet and dark, leaving many of the outdoor enthusiasts saddened by the absence of the white stuff (snow) for them to frolic in. I guess that’s just another effect of the climate change that’s currently bewildering our world.
But the most important thing to remember, especially in this Christmas season, is that we have Jesus; our End All and Be All – our answer to every problem – our Go to Guy! That’s why He came to earth as a man in this season; to eventually sacrifice His sinless life and save us from our sins and be the One we turn to when the storms of life batter and besiege us. And there’s no better example of that than Jesus’ Great Invitation, where He invites all and sundry to ‘Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn of (from) me, for I am meek and lowly in heart (gentle and humble): and ye shall find rest unto your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.’ (Matt. 11:28-30)
What a marvellous invitation my people, one that we refuse to our own detriment. But let’s make one thing perfectly clear, Jesus is not promising the easy life. No! He’s promising one that’s easier and more bearable than that offered by Satan and the world. Note that He also has a yoke, but that’s much easier to bear, and His burden is lighter that what you’ll find if you refuse His offer. This world is full of sin, trials and tribulations that we cannot escape, but with Jesus as our Lord and Saviour we can mitigate the circumstances and handle them in much better fashion that without His help.
Jesus Himself said it; twice to boot. Listen up: ‘Peace I leave with you, my peace I give unto you: not as the world giveth, give I unto you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid.’ (John 14:27) Yes friends, Jesus’ peace is an entirely different kind to that which the world offers, and consequently we ought not to be afraid or worried. As Bruh Paul wrote about it to the Philippians. ‘And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep (guard) your hearts and minds through Jesus Christ.’ (Phil. 4:7) That means when we accept Jesus as Lord and Saviour we will experience a peace, God’s peace, that surpasses all human understanding. And who wouldn’t want to have that kind of peace in these turbulent and evil times eh!
Now, here’s the next statement of Jesus that we should pay attention re peace and fear. ‘These things I have spoken unto you, that in me ye might have peace. In the world ye shall have tribulation: but be of good cheer, I have overcome the world.’ (John 16:33) Ah mih people, what reassuring, encouraging and true words from our Lord and Master! And has He ever overcome the world, defeating Satan, hell, death and the grave when He rose triumphantly on that first Easter morning, showing that He is indeed the resurrection and the giver of eternal life!
As Bruh Paul says in Romans: ‘Nay, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him that LOVED us.’ (Rom. 8:37) For sure! That conquering Spirit of Jesus is indwelt by all His followers, and if we live the way He desires, we’ll overcome all that’s necessary to be overcome. And John adds his bit to the subject in his first epistle, when he truthfully informs us: ‘Ye are of God, little children, and have overcome them: because greater is he that is in you, than he that is in the world.’ (1 John 4:4) And isn’t that the glorious truth my brethren! It certainly is! For Christ is indeed greater than the enemy, the evil fallen angel, Satan!
However, my fellow saints, to achieve all that Jesus offers we need to continuously keep Him first place, uppermost in our lives. As He so emphatically warned: ‘But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you.’ (Matt. 6:33) Our omniscient God knows all that we need to live this life at a high standard and He will provide them if we revere and exalt Him the way we ought. It’s as Bruh Paul wrote to the Philippians: ‘But my God shall supply all your need according to his riches in glory by Christ Jesus.’ (Phil. 4:19)
And for good measure, (smile) let’s just remind ourselves that we cannot get to the Father except through Jesus. And He said it loud and clear too: ‘I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.’ (John 14:6) Please friends, let’s keep that uppermost in our minds this Boxing Day, as we continue celebrating the birth of Christ. Now, let’s go home declaring (awright!!!) our Tuesday Mantra, letting all and sundry know to whom we belong lock, stock and barrel.
As one sincere voice: ‘In God’s eyes, I’m not what I do. I’m not what I have. I’m not what people say about me. I am the beloved of God, that’s who I am. No one can take that from me. I don’t have to worry. I don’t have to hurry. I can trust my friend Jesus and share His LOVE with my immediate neighbours, as well as with the whole wide world! Glory be!’
And having made that momentous declaration, (yesss!!!) we’re now obligated to go out and share that amazing LOVE and friendship of Jesus with others, so that they too can come to know and LOVE Him like we do! Much LOVE!
…Jesus is the Answer….Jesus is the answer…Yes…Jesus is the Answer to EVERYTHING…
Hear our podcast at https://open.spotify.com/show/3aVfqIC1CqwGybISs9dZ
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