31 Mar 2026
by randyobrien50
in Christian Thoughts and Inspiration., Daily Devotion, Daily Inspiration, Inspirational Living, Spiritual Living
Tags: a charlatan, an impostor, an interesting heartfelt prayer, christianity, cling to the one who can give us peace of mind, come to know and love christ like we do, come unto me all ye that labour and are heavy laden, detonation of ammunition, don't know who I'll be, done like dinner, Dr. Charles Stanley, faith, feel free and unburdened, feel naked without our problems, fill the spaces left behind with warmth and light, find rest unto your souls, find true rest from our earthly cares, forgotten, freedom and relief from earthly pressures, gentle and humble, go out like a lion, he that believeth on me shall never thirst, he that comes to me will never hunger, he that cometh to me shall never hunger, help me each day, him that cometh to me, holy spirit, hurry, I am the bread of life, I am the way the truth and the life, I will give you rest, I will in no wise cast out, in god's eyes, Jesus Christ, Jesus is there to alleviate all our fears, labour not for the meat which perisheth, learn of me, lightening flashed brilliantly, Lord I'm tired, LOVE, March In touch Devotional, meek and lowly in heart, mercy, my burden is light, my yoke is easy, no man cometh unto the Father but by me, no room no need to take them up again, obey God and leave all the consequences to him, pay the high price that disobedience demands, reach the point, reassurance, salvation, share His love with my neighbours, speed, stand your bounce, suffer the consequences of disobedience, take my yoke upon you, that comes only from knowing you, the beloved of God, the BIBLE, the great invitation, the meat which endureth unto everlasting life, the overflowing joy, the Son of man shall give unto you, the thunderous roar of a mighty lion, the truth is, the whole wide world, this is the work of God, thunderous thunder, tired of the burdens I carry, to let one fear one problem fall into the dust, trust my friend Jesus, truth, Tuesday Mantra, wisdom, without their familiar weight on my shoulders, words of encouragement, worry, ye believe on him whom he hath sent, ye did eat of the loaves and were filled, ye seek me not because ye saw the miracles
Matthew 11:28. Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.
Ah friends, like March was determined to go out like a lion this year…and he certainly did with the thunderous roar of a mighty lion and the amazing brilliance of light that he unleashed during the night time hours. I don’t know if I’ve ever heard such thunderous thunder, (smile) like it wanted to destroy the place, the same way a big detonation of ammunition does. And the brilliance of the lightening was extraordinary. It was so strong that the Duchess had to cover a glass scale in our bathroom with a cloth because the lightening was throwing dangerous reflections off of it.
At one point, while sitting on the side of my bed, the thunder roared and the lightning flashed so brilliantly that it came clear through the aluminum blinds and curtains at the window. Anyone looking directly at it would surely have been blinded. But thankfully all of that is over now, and for the last day of March, we have just a damp, somewhat cloudy day. Yes, believe it or not, March is now done like dinner, and like the other months, it has passed by rather quckly. But isn’t that what our society is all about…speed?
And today we’re going to offer up an interesting heartfelt prayer from the March In Touch Devotional, that I’m sure will resonate with some of us. So please pray with me. ‘Lord, I’m tired – tired of the burdens I carry, both those given to me and the ones I picked up myself. The truth is, I’m afraid to release them to You. I don’t know who I’ll be without their familiar weight on my shoulders. Father, help me each day to let one fear, one problem fall into the dust, forgotten. Fill the spaces left behind with warmth and light – the overflowing joy that comes only from knowing You until there is no room, no need, to take them up again. In Jesus name, amen.’
Yes my brethren, all of us have some fears or problems that’s been with us for so long that if we let them go, we won’t know what to do with ourselves, we’ll feel strange, possibly naked. But thankfully that’s what Jesus is there for; to alleviate all our fears, to take them to Himself and free us from them. That’s why He offers the Great Invitation to all who are troubled, fearful and weary.
Listen to these wonderful words of encouragement and reassurance. ‘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, have you ever heard anyone else offer such freedom and relief from our earthly burdens and heartaches? Obviously not! And if anyone tries to do that, then you’ll know that they’re just a charlatan, an impostor, a fake, a fraud, for it’s only our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ that has the power to take away our burdens and replace them with His light yoke. Listen to Him again from the gospel of John, where He invites us to come to Him so we can experience the good life.
A multitude of people had followed Jesus over to the other side of the Sea of Galilee after He did the miracle of the five loaves and two fishes, but as He told them. ‘Verily, verily, I say unto you, Ye seek me not because ye saw the miracles (signs), but because ye did eat of the loaves, and were filled. Labour not for the meat (food) which perisheth, but for the meat (food) which endureth unto everlasting life, which the Son of man shall give unto you: for him hath God the Father sealed. Then they said unto him, What shall we do, that we might work the works of God? Jesus answered and said unto them, This is the work of God, that ye believe on him whom he had sent.’ (John 6:26:-29)
Yes sir, it’s that simple! All the Lord expects of us is to believe on the One whom He sent to earth to save us. And after the people desired of Him, the bread that came down from heaven, ‘Jesus said unto them 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)
Obviously Jesus was talking there about the spiritual and eternal life, which one can only acquire through Him. As He says later on: ‘I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father but by me.’ (John 14:6) That’s why so many of us are tired and worn out, because we don’t truly and fully believe in Jesus. We say it, and think we believe it, but it doesn’t show up sufficiently in our everyday lives, thus we never reach the point where we feel free and unburdened.
And furthermore, some of us are like those spoken of in this passage from Jeremiah. ‘Thus saith the Lord, Stand ye in the ways, and see, and ask for the old paths, where is the good way, and walk therein, and ye shall find rest for your souls. But they said, We will not walk therein.’ (Jer. 6:16) So then you stand your bounce and suffer the consequences of disobedience. No wonder Uncle Charles (Dr. Charles Stanley) always said ‘Obey God and leave all the consequences to Him.’
Yes friends, if we obey God, we won’t have to worry about the consequences. But if we don’t then we’ll surely pay the high price disobedience demands. And with the world in this awful state, it only makes sense to cling to the One who can give us peace of mind. That’s Jesus Christ!
Now, let’s go home declaring our Tuesday Mantra, letting all and sundry know to whom we belong, lock, stock and barrel. As one strong and 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 said that, it now behooves us to go out and share the LOVE and friendship of Christ with others, so that they too can come to know and LOVE Him like we do! Much LOVE!
…ONLY in Jesus…can we find true rest from our earthly cares and concerns…
Hear our podcast at https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/randy-obrien
30 Mar 2026
by randyobrien50
in Christian Thoughts and Inspiration., Daily Devotion, Daily Inspiration, Inspirational Living, Spiritual Living
Tags: a house of prayer for all people, a public bazaar, a source of extortion, accepted on my altar, all praise to Jesus, an ungodly operation in the temple, become a den of robbers in your eyes, burnt offerings and sacrfices, cast out all them that sold and bought in the temple, Christian witness, christianity, divine aid, do damage to the evil doers, ease the pain of the many, even I have seen it saith the Lord, faith, faithfully promised to hear and answer our prayers, get with the programme, gross perversion, have ye never read, holy spirit, Hosanna to the son of David, humble ourselves, humble servants, it is written, Jehovah Rapha, Jesus Christ, Jesus healed the blind and the lame in the temple, Jesus is all we have need of, Jesus went into the temple of God, Jesus' cleansing of the temple, Jesus' disdain for the corruption of organized religion, Jesus' triumphal entry into Jerusalem, keep your promise to prosper us, leaving them with their mouths hanging open, life and strong faith in Christ, LOVE, made it into a den of thieves, make them joyful in my house of prayer, mercy, my house shall be called the house of prayer, not up to scratch, ordained strength because of thine enemies, our Father who art in heaven, out of the mouths of babes and sucklings, overthrew the tables of the money changers, Palm Sunday, praise Your Holy Name, pray, priests out for personal gain, publicly acknowledged as the Messiah, put the Jewish leaders in their place, salvation, set godly standards, silence the enemy, sincere repentance in our hearts, sincerely seek God's face, sinned and seriously disobeyed your word, sore displeased, suffering from negative situations, temple doves sold for sacrifices, thank you this Monday morning, the BIBLE, the chief priests and pharisees, the children crying in the temple, the God who heals, the mass confusion in our world, the only one to solve our problems, the power of God, the power to solve our problems, the purity of life, the seats of them that sold doves, the throne of grace, this house which is called by my name, thou hast perfected praise, to alleviate our problems, tolerated such gross perversion of the temple, truth, turn from our evil ways, wisdom, wise guidance and direction
Matthew 21:13. And he said unto them, It is written, My house shall be called the house of prayer; but ye have made it into a den of thieves.
And so, after celebrating Psalm Sunday, Christ’s triumphal entry into Jerusalem like the King He is, on a never ridden donkey, with all the celebration that engendered, we come right back to Monday, another opening day in a new week of work! What can be more disheartening eh? (smile) But remember as Bruh Paul admonishes, if you want to eat, you ought to work, (2 Thess. 3:10) so we must get with the programme if we want to be successful in this life.
Anyway, here’s another interesting and glorious achievement that Jesus apparently accomplished on that first Palm Sunday. Matthew writes: ‘And Jesus went into the temple of God, and cast (drove) out all them that sold and bought in the temple, and overthrew (overturned) the tables of the money changers, and the seats of then that sold doves. And he said unto them, It is written, My house shall be called the house of prayer; but ye have made it into a den of thieves.’ (Matt. 21:12-13)
Yes friends, Jesus could get angry enough to do damage to the evil doers in the temple. And the scholars explain that ‘A similar cleansing is recorded at the beginning of Jesus’ ministry, (cf. John 2:13-22) indicating His disdain for the corruption of organized religion which lacked purity of life and the power of God. In light of the seriousness of what He had come to do, Jesus could not tolerate such gross perversion of the temple, meaning the whole temple area on Mount Moriah including all the precincts and courts.’
Brother! To get Jesus so angry, it must have been a big, ungodly operation throughout the temple. Now, here is another explanation from the scholars, per the Moneychangers, that tells us of the scale of the wrongdoing going on back then in the Lord’s house. They say: ‘Temple dues could be paid only in sacred coinage, and it was necessary to change one’s money. The selling of doves was for purposes of sacrifice. This exchange became a source of extortion for the family of the high priest, who personally controlled it. In reality the atmosphere amounted to a public bazaar.’
Ah Lord eh! And the priests were the ones who were supposed to set godly standards. But come to think of it, that’s not so different from nowadays, where many priests are gouging their own congregations and those they deal with for personal gain. And per It is written, the scholars write: ‘In His condemnation, the Lord quotes from the Greek Septuagint version of Isaiah 56:7 and Jeremiah 7:11.’ And we shall squeeze in those two verses for our elucidation. (smile)
The first one says: ‘Even them will I bring to my holy mountain, and make them joyful in my house of prayer: their burnt offerings and their sacrifices shall be accepted upon mine altar; for mine house shall be called an house of prayer for all people.’ (Is. 56:7) Then the passage from Jeremiah states: ‘Is this house, which is called by my name, become a den of robbers in your eyes? Behold, even I have seen it, saith the Lord.’ (Jer. 7:11)
However, Jesus’ cleansing of the temple was not the last action in the temple for that day, for Matthew graciously informs us: ‘And the blind and the lame came to him in the temple, and he healed them. And when the chief priests and scribes saw the wonderful things that he did, and the children crying in the temple and saying, Hosanna to the son of David, they were sore displeased (indignant), And said unto him, Hearest thou what these say? And Jesus saith unto them, Yea; have ye never read, Out of the mouths of babes and sucklings (nursing infants) thou hast perfected praise.? And he left them, and went out of the city into Bethany; and he lodged there.’ (Matt. 21:14-17)
Wow! Jesus Himself seemed to like the drama that went on between the Jewish religious leaders and Himself. He must have taken great joy in putting them in their place when they brought their nonsense to Him. And by the way, that quote about praise from the mouths of babes and sucklings seems to be another concoction of Jesus from Ps. 8:2, where Bruh David writes: ‘Out of the mouth of babes and sucklings (nursing infants) hast thou ordained (established) strength because of thine enemies, that thou mightest still (silence) the enemy and the avenger.’
Then there’s this verse where Jesus prays: ‘I thank thee, O Father, Lord of heaven and earth, because thou hast hid these things from the wise and prudent, and hast revealed them unto babes.’ (Matt. 11:25) So friends, Palm Sunday was indeed a good day for Jesus: He accomplished three…no four things that day. First, He was publicly acknowledged as the Messiah; secondly, He cleansed the temple of the ole crooks and them, then He healed those that needed healing, and finally, He put the Jewish leaders in their place, before walking out and leaving them with their mouths hanging open!
All praise to Jesus our wonderful Lord and Saviour. And having said all of that, let’s now go to the throne of grace, through our Monday Morning Battle Hymn, seeking divine aid, to help in these turbulent 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, if we want to truly receive divine aid, we need to increase our Christian witness, because it is definitely not up to scratch, otherwise our world would not be is such a terrible evil and ungodly state! Much LOVE!
… Jesus is the One and Only necessity we have need of…our lives are completely fulfilled with His wonderful presence in them…
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
28 Mar 2026
by randyobrien50
in Christian Thoughts and Inspiration., Daily Devotion, Daily Inspiration, Inspirational Living, Spiritual Living
Tags: a family lazy-day Saturday, a refusal to acquire information, a rejection of information, any likeness of anything in heaven on earth or in the sea, as they were increased, ceased obeying the Lord, change their glory into shame, chaos, Chrisitians, christianity, commit whoredom, deepen my breath, destruction, don't worship or serve idols, drunken charge into hell fire and damnation, eat and not have enough, eat up the sin of my people, faith, forget they children, going to hell in a handbasket, greater intimacy with God, hell hath enlarged herself, holy spirit, I may know you all the more, I praise you for your unceasing nearness, I the Lord thy God am a jealous God, I want to be with you now, I will also reject thee, idols are rampant in our society, in all sincerity and truth, increase my awareness of you today, Jesus Christ, Lazy-Day Saturday Prayer, like people like priest, LOVE, mercy, my people are destroyed for lack of knowledge, my people have gone into captivity, no true repentance, not a shortage of information, not make unto thee any graven image, obedience to God's will, of them that hate me, opened her mouth without measure, peace and calm., priest are not preaching the gospel, priests are watering down the message, punish them for their ways, quiet my soul, relax my muscles, repay them their deeds, return to worshipping the One True God Jehovah, reward them their doings, salvation, set their heart on iniquity, shall descend into it, shall not increase, showing mercy unto them that love me, showing mercy unto them that love me and keep my commandments, sinned against God, slow my thoughts, slowly filters into our souls bodies and minds, taken pleasure in the sin of the people, thank you for this tenderness, the BIBLE, the priest of God is corrupted, the priesthood is the problem, the priests have not helped the people face their sin, the purpose for our creation, the same problem exists today, their glory multitude pomp and he that rejoiceth, their honourable men are famished, their multitude dried up with thirst, they have no knowledge, thou hast forgotten the law of the Lord, thou hast rejected knowledge, thou shalt be no more priest to me, Thou shalt have no other Gods before me, thou shalt not bow down to them, to love and be loved in return, truth, turn around our evil and ungodly world, turned away from the God of Abraham Isaac and Jacob, unrepentant sinners, unto the third and fourth generation, upon the children, visiting the iniquity of the fathers, we posses oodles of information, whoredom and wine take away the heart, wisdom, you can't be contained, your love both surrounds and fills me, your peace and love are present
Hosea 4:6a. My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge: because thou hast rejected knowledge, I will also reject thee,
Yes mih bredrin, it’s our lazy-day Saturday! The day we can do whatever we want without too much hassle …well, except from our spouses and our children. But here’s a great idea; get them to laze around with you too, so the whole family can enjoy a peaceful, restful, relaxing, lazy-day together! Hope you have success achieving that. (smile) But before all the laziness creeps in, let’s offer up our Lazy-Day Saturday Prayer in all sincerity and truth.
As one strong voice: ‘Lord, I want to be with You now. Please slow my thoughts and quiet my soul. Let my muscles relax, my breath deepen. You are here with me – Your peace and LOVE are present. I marvel to think You can’t be contained, that Your LOVE both surrounds and fills me. Thank You for this tenderness, Lord. I praise You for Your unceasing nearness. Increase my awareness of You today, that I may know You all the more. Amen!’
And now, that peace and calm we’ve been seeking is slowly filtering into our souls, bodies and minds, as the Lord grants us our wish of greater intimacy with Him, for that’s one thing He will never refuse, since that was of the purposes for which He created us – to LOVE and be LOVED in return! And, as is so often the case, I have no idea of what we ought to talk about today. So, as always, (smile) let’s open the Bible and see what the Lord has in mind.
And the Good Library opened at an interesting aspect as declared by the prophet Hosea. ‘My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge: because thou hast rejected knowledge, I will also reject thee, that thou shalt be no more priest to me: seeing thou hast forgotten the law of thy God, I will also forget thy children.’ (Hos. 4:6) Now that’s a heavy indictment from the Lord. And as the scholars explain: ‘The cause of man’s problems is lack of knowledge. It does not stem from a shortage of information, but rather from rejection of information.’
And you know what friends, we are faced with the very same problem today, for there’s oodles of information concerning God and His kingdom out there, information like never before, but unfortunately too many of us are refusing to acquire that information. Thus Hosea continues: ‘As they were increased, so they sinned against me: therefore will I change their glory into shame. They eat up the sin of my people, and they set their heart (desires) on their iniquity.
And there shall be, like people, like priest: and I will punish them for their ways, and reward (repay) them their doings (deeds). For they shall eat, and not have enough: they shall commit whoredom (harlotry), and shall not increase: because they have left off to take heed to the Lord (ceased obeying the Lord). Whoredom and wine and new wine take away the heart.’ (Hos. 4:7-11)
Wow! What a poignant, potent and true statemen is that last verse! Lasciviousness mixed with alcohol do turn one’s heart from the Lord God Jehovah. And according to the scholars: ‘They are the problem; that is the priesthood. They have not helped the people face their sin and deal with it. Rather they have gloried and taken pleasure in the sin of the people. Therefore, Like people, like priest: The priest of God is corrupted, and made like the sinning people, not vice versa.’
And that’s the same problem that exists in today’s society. The priests, instead of seriously preaching the gospel, of getting the people to deal with their sin in true repentance and forsakenness, have merely been watering down the message, turning it into a feel good situation, so that the people are no longer truly concerned about their disobedience towards God and the necessity for sincere repentance and forgiveness.
We’ve come to a time where there’s no longer one truth, that of Almighty God, but of several truths, and idols are rampant in our society. And remember that idols don’t have to be actual physical images, but anything that takes away first place from God in our life is an idol. That means we place more importance on whatever that is, rather than on God. And it seems we have forgotten the first words of the Ten Commandments in which the Lord gave as our basic moral compass.
‘Thou shalt have no other gods beside me. Thou shalt not make unto thee any graven image, or any likeness of any thing that is in heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth: Thou shalt not bow down thyself to them (worship them), nor serve them: for I the Lord thy God am a jealous God, visiting (punishing) the iniquity of the fathers upon the children unto the third and fourth generation of them that hate me; And shewing mercy unto thousands of them that LOVE me, and keep my commandments.’ (Ex. 20:3-6)
What’s so difficult to understand in the Lord’s position eh my people? It’s as clear as day. But then we wonder why our society, our world is in such a dreadful mess. It’s very simple; we have turned away from the God of our forefathers, Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. That’s why Isaiah commented thus when talking about woe to those who follow strong drink. ‘Therefore my people have gone into captivity, because they have no knowledge: and their honourable men are famished, and their multitude dried up with thirst. Therefore hell hath enlarged herself, and opened her mouth without measure: and their glory, and their multitude, and their pomp, and he that rejoiceth, shall descend into it.’ (Is. 5:13-14)
And there’s absolutely no doubt that in these most evil and ungodly times that hell has greedily opened her mouth and is daily engorging herself with a multitude of unrepentant sinners. Ah friends, our world is certainly going to hell in a handbasket, and most of us are doing nothing to try and stop it. Why is that eh? Can you imagine the chaos and destruction that will be left for out children to bear, if this drunken charge into hell fire and damnation is not stopped, or at least slowed down considerably?
I believe that is a good situation for us to ponder on, this lazy-day Saturday, and hopefully come up with some ways and means to at least slow it down, the best being a return to worshipping the One True God Jehovah! Much LOVE!
…ONLY obedience to God’s will…can turn our evil and ungodly world around…
Hear our podcast at https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/randy-obrien
27 Mar 2026
by randyobrien50
in Christian Thoughts and Inspiration., Daily Devotion, Daily Inspiration, Inspirational Living, Spiritual Living
Tags: a man who sowed good seed, a warning to labourers in the filed, an enemy hath done this, anxiety and confusion, be renewed and refreshed, bind them in bundles to burn them, brought forth fruit, by the good example we your faithful believers set, cast them into the furnace of fire, christianity, Christians, didst thou not sow good seed, divine aid, easier in the church age to have counterfeits, escalating problems, faith, faithful believers, false converts produce no lasting fruit, fellowship. rest, Friday chant, Friday Mantra, further your glorious kingdom, gather out of his kingdom all things that offend, gather the wheat into my barn, gather together first the tares, get sufficient fun, good example, he that soweth the good seed is the Son of man, help us to be responsible, I made it through, ignorance of the law is no excuse, in the kingdom of their father, in the time of harvest, is likened unto a man, Jesus Christ, lest while ye gather up the tares, let them both grow together until the harvest, LOVE, mercy, omnipotent help, practice lawlessness, refeshed in body soul and mind, relaxation, salvation, seek ye first the kingdom of heaven, shall we go and gather them up, tares bear no fruit, tares look almost identical to wheat, TGIF! Thank God it's Friday!, thanks for getting me safely though another week of work, the BIBLE, the enemy is Satan, the enemy sowed tares among the wheat, the field is the world, the good seed are the children of the kingdom, the harvest is the end of the church age, the meaning of the parable's gone over our heads, the parable of the wheat and the tares, the reapers are the angels, the righteous shine forth as the sun, the sinful world can wake up and smell the coffee, the Son of man shall send forth his angels, the tares are false converts, the throne of grace, the time for serious christianity is right now, them which do iniquity, then appeared the tares also, true converts produce fruitful lives, truth, unexpected storms, ungodly times, wailing and gnashing of teeth, when the blade was sprung up and brought forth fruit, while men slept, who hath ears to hear let him hear, wisdom, wise guidance, with your generous help, ye root up also the wheat
Matthew 13:43b. Who hath ears to hear, let him hear.
Oh mih people, Friday, that long awaited day, is here at last! Therefore, we can offer up our Friday Mantra: ‘TGIF! Thank God it’s Friday and the weekend is finally here!’ What would we do without the weekend eh? I don’t know. Our forefathers must have had it really hard when they were forced to work six and seven days a week, but thanks be to their fighting spirit, we’ve cut it down to five, and some are blessed enough to have only a four day work week. But let’s remember the hefty price our forefathers paid for reducing the work week, and truly appreciate it, and thus work diligently and efficiently as unto Jesus.
And today, we’ll look at an interesting parable of Jesus, that of the Wheat and the Tares (weeds), one we don’t hear a lot about. Jesus said to the multitude: ‘The kingdom of heaven is likened unto a man which sowed good seed in his field: But while men slept, his enemy came and sowed tares among the wheat, and went his way. But when the blade (grain) was sprung up, and brought forth fruit, then appeared the tares also.’ (Matt. 13:24-26)
Now, according to this commentary, ‘Tares are weed plants (specifically darnel,) that look almost identical to wheat in their early stages, acting as a poisonous, bitter choking weed in grain fields. In appearance, they are incredibly similar to wheat, making them difficult to identify until the wheat bows down with grain and the tares remain upright.’
And Jesus continues the parable. ‘So the servants of the house-holder came and said unto him, Sir, didst not thou sow good seed in thy field? From whence then hath it tares? He said unto them, An enemy hath done this. The servants said unto him, Wilt thou then that we go and gather them up? But he said, Nay; lest while we gather up the tares, ye root up also the wheat with them. Let both grow together until the harvest: and in the time of the harvest I will say to the reapers, Gather ye together first the tares, and bind them in bundles to burn them: but gather the wheat into my barn.’ (Matt. 13:27-30)
And it’s obvious that Jesus’ audience back then would hardly understand what He was talking about. Oh, they knew about wheat and tares because it was an agrarian, or agricultural society, but Jesus’ hidden meaning would have gone over their heads, much like it would go over ours. (smile) So what does He mean?
The scholars offer these explanations. ‘24-27. This parable serves as a warning to the labourers in the field (the world, vs. 38). Unlike the Jewish form of the kingdom in the Old Testament, where citizens could easily be recognized, during the church age, converts will be made from all over the world and received upon their profession of faith. Thus, it will be easier to slip in some counterfeits who profess the church, which is the subject of these parables.
The enemy is Satan and the tares (darnel) are false converts. The darnel, although it resembled the wheat did not come to fruition (didn’t bear fruit). Thus Jesus words: The good seed …sprung up, and brought forth fruit, again, emphasizing that true converts produce fruitful lives. By contrast, false converts produce no lasting fruit.’
Then, as per verses 28-30, the scholars note: ‘The servants asked what could be done with these tares. To uproot them would be to damage the entire crop. Root up…the wheat with them: The implication seems to be that too much scathing (caustic criticism) of people’s genuineness of faith may damage the saved before it exposes the lost. Let both grow together indicates that there will always be some false professors among true Christian believers until the time of harvest or judgement. Note that the tares are gathered, bound, and burned first, whereas the wheat is gathered into my barn (heaven).’
Now, that’s a tough parable to break down, and not surprisingly, even the disciples didn’t understand it, and later asked Jesus for an explanation. ‘He answered and said unto them, He that soweth the good seed is the Son of man. The field is the world; the good seed are the children of the kingdom; but the tares are the children of the wicked one; The enemy that sowed them is the devil; the harvest is the end of the world (age); and the reapers are the angels. As therefore the tares are gathered and burned in the fire; so shall it be in the end of this world (age).
The Son of man shall send forth his angels, and they shall gather out of his kingdom all things that offend, and them which do iniquity (practice lawlessness); And shall cast them into a furnace of fire: there shall be wailing and gnashing of teeth. Then shall the righteous shine forth as the sun in the kingdom of their Father. Who hath ears to hear, let him hear.’ (Matt. 13:37-43)
Oh friends, none of that needs further explanation. Jesus explained it fully, and if we don’t receive it, then that’s our problem. As He says, ‘Who has ears to hear, let him hear.’ So it’s all up to us now. We cannot say we didn’t know. Remember, ignorance of the law is no excuse. Now let’s go to the throne of grace, through our Friday Chant for divine aid in these crucial times. And you’ll notice that I’ve reworked it with an older version, and made it a little shorter. (smile)
Altogether: ‘Oh Lord, thanks for getting me safely through another week of work. It hasn’t been easy, but with your generous help, I made it through. Our many serious problems are escalating instead of improving, and we desperately need your help to fix them. 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. So please give our leaders the wise guidance to handle these unexpected storms properly.
And despite the anxiety and confusion of these ungodly times, help us to be responsible, and get sufficient fun, fellowship, rest and relaxation in these two short days off, so that we can be renewed and refreshed in soul, body and mind, to go back out next week and further your glorious kingdom by the good example that 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!’
And to receive that divine aid, it now behooves us to go out and set the good example that we were talking about! Much LOVE!
…the time for serious Christianity…is RIGHT NOW…
Hear our podcast at https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/randy-obrien
26 Mar 2026
by randyobrien50
in Christian Thoughts and Inspiration., Daily Devotion, Daily Inspiration, Inspirational Living, Spiritual Living
Tags: a by product of our addiction to speed, abundance, addiction to speed, be of good courage, blessed are all they that wait for him, both hope and wait quietly, christianity, Christians, clear direction for my life, come to know and love christ like we do, courage, creativity, curse, delight thyself also in the Lord, divine protection, duty bound, even the youths shall faint and be weary, excessive reliance on speed, eyes blazing, faith, favour, focus on today's tasks, fulfillment, give thee the desires of thine heart, good friends, good health, He giveth power to the faint, he may be gracious unto you, he may have mercy on you, he shall exalt thee to inherit the land, he shall strengthen thine heart, holy spirit, hope and quietly wait for the salvation of the Lord, I had fainted, I wait for the Lord, in his word do I hope, in the Lord's kingdom timing is everything, it is good that a man, it's hard to wait on the Lord's timing, Jesus Christ, let Israel hope in the Lord, LOVE, mercy, more than they that watch for the morning, mount up with wings as eagles, mouths salivating, my soul doth wait, my soul waiteth for the Lord, negative word, offering their morning sacrifices of praise, personal experience, promotion, prosper and succeed, run and not be weary, salvation, self-control, serenade the one who provides for them, talent, the BIBLE, the Lord has me in waiting mode, the Lord is a God of justice, the Lord is good unto them that wait for him, the young men shall utterly fall, therefore will he be exalted, therefore will the Lord wait, they that wait upon the Lord shall renew their strength, thou shalt see it, times of total impatience, to see the goodness of God in the land of the living, to the soul that seeketh him, to them that have no might he increaseth strength, truth, undeserved blessings, unless I had believed, uplifting to hear them, use those blessings to help others, wait in faith I say on the Lord, wait in faith on the Lord, wait on the Lord and keep his way, waiting on God and His timing, wake up to the sweet singing of birds, walk and not faint, when the time is right things will happen, when the wicked are cut off, wisdom, with him is plenteous redemption, with the Lord there is mercy
Psalm 37:34. ‘Wait on the Lord, and keep his way, and he shall exalt thee to inherit the land: when the wicked are cut off thou shalt see it.’
Oh friends, how wonderful it is to awaken to the sweet singing of the birds on a spring Thursday morning, or any morning for that matter! It’s certainly uplifting to hear them offering their morning sacrifices of praise to their Maker and Provider, in such a natural manner. They can’t think like we do, but they know that they must serenade the one who provides for them. Only wish that more of us would do like them.
And on this fairly warm but cloudy and drizzly penultimate day of our work week, instead of wishing that tomorrow and the weekend would hurry up and come, let’s focus instead on the many tasks we need to perform today, for some of us might not even be around to see tomorrow. That’s why I believe the Lord guided me to these scriptures for today on waiting on Him and His timing.
Listen to these wise words of Jeremiah from his Lamentations. ‘The Lord is good unto them that wait for him, to the soul that seeketh him. It is good that a man should both hope and quietly wait for the salvation of the Lord.’ (Lam. 3:25-26) Yes my people, waiting on our God is most important, but sometimes extremely difficult to do especially in these times of total impatience and the excessive reliance on speed.
And waiting on God is so important that there are many scriptures that call for it. So let’s look at a few of them, so that we can renew our minds and spirits on the subject. (smile) Hear, as the prophet Isaiah, talks about God’s graciousness and mercy. ‘And therefore will the Lord wait. That he may be gracious unto you, and therefore will he be exalted, that he may have mercy upon you: for the Lord is a God of judgement (justice): blessed are all they that wait for him.’ (Is. 30:18)
And we all know this next popular scripture from Isaiah. ‘He giveth power to the faint (weak); and to them that have no might he increaseth strength. Even the youths shall faint and be weary, and the young men shall utterly fall: But they that wait upon the Lord shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings as eagles; they shall run, and not be weary; and they shall walk and not faint. ‘ (Is. 40:29-31)
Now all of us want to ‘mount up with wings as eagles,’ but we don’t want to do the waiting on the Lord. And not wanting to wait is a sad byproduct of this society’s addiction to speed, to have everything move faster and done more quickly. We’re regularly offered new devices, and in many cases they’re not really much better than the last one, but they are always faster, and that gets our eyes blazing and our mouths salivating for them.
Meanwhile in Psalm 130 – Hoping and Waiting for the Lord – the psalmist declares: ‘I wait for the Lord, my soul doth wait, and in his word do I hope. My soul waiteth for the Lord more than they that watch for the morning: I say, more than they that watch for the morning Let Israel hope in the Lord: for with the Lord there is mercy (LOVING-KINDNESS), And with him is plenteous (abundant) redemption.’ (Ps. 130: 5-7) Wow! What great reasons to wait on the Lord: abundant redemption and plenty mercy!
Then there are a couple of scriptures from Bruh David that we all know, but don’t necessarily action them. (smile) The first comes from Psalm 127 – My Heart Shall Not Fear. he writes: ‘I had fainted, unless I had believed to see the goodness of the Lord in the land of the living. Wait (in faith) on the Lord: be of good courage, and he shall strengthen thine heart: wait (in faith), I say, on the Lord.’ (Ps. 27:13 -14) Bruh David could not have put it any clearer or stronger than that my faithful brethren. And we all know his story, where although he made some bad mistakes, he waited on the Lord for most of his life, and he was successful as a king, a warrior, a poet and a musician.
And yes, it is hard to wait on the Lord’s timing. I can tell you that from personal experience, because I’ve been through it earlier on in life. When I didn’t wait, my projects were unsuccessful, but when I waited, they bore good fruit. Right now, I have several projects waiting in the wings, but not doing anything about them, either because I’m too lazy to jump start them, (smile) or the Lord has me in waiting mode. I’d like to think it’s the latter, but who knows,?
Anyway, I’ve learned from hard experience that when the time is right, things will happen. Therefore I’m doing as Bruh David says in Psalm 37 – Trust in the Lord – ‘Delight thyself also in the Lord; and he shall give thee the desires of thine heart.’ (Ps. 37:4) And do I ever have several desires of mine heart still left to be manifested, in the short time I have left! (smile)
And lastly, there’s this verse also from Psalm 37, where Bruh David advises us to: ‘Wait on the Lord, and keep his way, and he shall exalt thee to inherit the land: when the wicked are cut off thou shalt see it.’ (Ps. 37:34) Yes my people, if we want to see the goodness and mercy of God, then we have to wait on His timing. That’s the living truth. Now, let’s declare and thus activate our undeserved Thursday Blessings, which the Lord has so generously bestowed on us to do His earthly work.
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 we’re now duty bound to go out and use those blessings to help others, just as generously as the Lord bestowed them on us, so that they too can come to know and LOVE Him like we do! Much LOVE!
…in the Lord’s kingdom…timing is everything…
Hear our podcast at https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/randy-obrien
25 Mar 2026
by randyobrien50
in Christian Thoughts and Inspiration., Daily Devotion, Daily Inspiration, Inspirational Living, Spiritual Living
Tags: A Prayer for Hope, a strong serene feeling, a wind that passes away, all sin is punishable by death, believers must be on the alert, catch our second wind, celebrate life every day, Christ can come like a thief in the night, christianity, Christians, Christians must be ready, cosmic disasters, destroyed them not, did not stir up all his wrath, divine judgement, Dr. Robert H Schuller, endure to the end with Christ, every imagination of the thoughts of his heart, expecting God to surprise me with His tender mercy, expecting God's goodness and mercy, eyes fixed straight ahead, faith, forgave their iniquity, God being full of compassion, God is planning something good for me today, God saw that the wickedness of man was great, God's goodness and mercy, great is thy faithfulness, grieve him in the desert, grieved him at his heart, guiding my life, halfway home, hands on the plough, his compassions fail not, holy spirit, I am the Lord I change not, I cannot explain it, I will destroy man from the face of the earth, intense persecution of believers, It is of the Lord's mercies that we're not consumed, Jesus Christ, looking forward to spring, LOVE, mercy, new life bursts forth, Noah and the flood, not looking back, only evil continually, positive thinking, prove to be a beautiful blessing, pushing the Lord's anger and patience with our rebellion, rampant ungodliness, rebel against him in the wilderness, remembered that they were flesh, salvation, so glad to be alive, thank God, Thank You Lord, the BIBLE, the breath of life is still flowing through me, the earth is filled with violence and corruption again, the Great tribulation, the only reprieve from sin is Christ, the rapture of the church, the rise of the Antichrist, the second coming of Christ, therefore ye sons of Jacob are not consumed, they are new every morning, this is the day the Lord has made, time longer than twine, to a glorious future with Jesus, truth, turn my hurts into halos, unprecedented global suffering, we will rejoice and be glad in it, Wednesday Wail, what ever happens to me, wisdom, wonderful things are in store for me, work diligently on Christ's behalf
Lamentations 3:22. It is of the Lord’s mercies that we are not consumed, because his compassions fail not.
It’s Wednesday friends, the day we catch our second wind, so that we can continue to work diligently on Christ’s behalf! And it’s not a bad day at all; fairly warm and sunshiny. So we’re alive, and enjoying enough good health to keep us moving, and looking forward to a wonderful spring season as new life bursts forth and a warm sun moves back up to the northern climes. And with all of that, we need to acclaim: ‘This is the day the Lord has made; we will rejoice and be glad in it.’ (Ps. 118:24)
Yes my people, every day we’re alive ought to be a day of celebration, regardless of the many problems we might have, for there are many who wanted to wake up this morning but unfortunately did not, so let’s consider ourselves blessed! That brings us to this interesting and very appropriate ‘Prayer for Hope,’ that I discovered while going through some old papers last night. It was written by Dr. Robert H. Schuler of the Hour of Power Religious Programme, one of the many who championed positive thinking. And I believe I’ve shared it way back when, but like so many prayers that never lose their usefulness, this one is still apropos.
So please pray with me. ‘I have a strong, serene feeling that God is planning something good for me today. I cannot explain it, but I have a deep feeling that wonderful things are in store for me. I am expecting God to surprise me with His tender mercy. He will turn my hurts into halos. He is guiding my life in such a way that whatever happens to me will prove to be a beautiful blessing. Thank You Lord. Amen.’
Now that’s a good, positive, expectant prayer, looking out for God’s goodness and mercy to show up in our lives, like we ought to. Remember how Jeremiah puts is in His lamentations. ‘It is of the Lord’s mercies that we are not consumed, because his compassions fail not. They are new every morning: great is thy faithfulness.’ (Lam. 3:22-23) Yes friends, God’s goodness, mercy and faithfulness are overwhelming, and we ought to look forward to them. As Jeremiah says, they are new every morning. That means, every morning we open our eyes to a new day, we ought to be thankful and expect God’s goodness and mercy to faithfully flood our lives, as He has promised.
And the psalmist Asaph expounded it in Psalm 78, when he talks about The Compassionate God. He writes: ‘But he (God), being full of compassion, forgave their iniquity, and destroyed them not: yea, many a time turned he his anger away, and did not stir up all his wrath. For he remembered that they were but flesh; a wind that passeth away, and cometh not again. How oft did they provoke (rebel against) him in the wilderness, and grieve him in the desert!’ (Ps. 78:38-40)
Yes my brethren, the Israelites sorely tempted the Lord’s patience and anger in the wilderness, but He did not destroy them. Likewise, today we are pushing the Lord’s anger and patience with our serious rebellion, the rampant ungodliness and evil-doing that’s currently in our world. And although the prophet Malachi declared on the Lord’s behalf: ‘For I am the Lord, I change not; therefore ye sons of Jacob are not consumed.’ (Mal. 3:6) We are pushing the boundaries so far and wide, that it ought to be no surprise if God loses His longsuffering patience and destroys all within the earth, like He did way back in Noah’s time with the flood.
It’s like the Bible says of that time. ‘And God saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that every imagination (intent) of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually (all the day). And it repented the Lord (He was sorry) that he had made man on the earth, and it grieved him at his heart. And the Lord said, I will destroy man whom I have created from the face of the earth; both man and beast, and the creeping thing, and the fowls of the air; for it repenteth me (I’m sorry) that I have made them.’ (Gen. 6:5-7)
Oh my people, what do you think is happening with our great God right now eh, since the same abominable rebellious behaviour is recurring again, the earth is once more filled with violence and corruption, even though He went out of His way to give us Jesus? Don’t you think it grieves His heart? How much pain can one heart stand, even if it’s God’s eh? Don’t you think He’s considering destroying the earth again, although not by water as He promised. And not because they say ‘time longer than twine’ means that the Lord will put up with our disgraceful behaviour forever.
Even He has a breaking point, and I believe He’s very quickly reaching it, for the sinfulness of the world has never reached this disgusting and disgraceful stage, and it seems to be getting worse every day. That could also mean that Christ’s coming for the church is not far away, for even a godly Spirit can only handle or take so much abuse and blasphemy against their sovereignty. Consequently, it behooves believers to be on the alert, to be ready for Christ’s coming at any time, like a thief in the night, unexpectedly.
And if we’re not ready, when He comes to take us home, then crapaud smoke we pipe, for if you think things are bad now, then think again, for after Christ comes and raptures the church, a time of sorrows and the Great Tribulation will take place, some seven years of total misery. This commentary describes it thus: ‘The Great Tribulation is a prophesied future period of unprecedented global suffering, divine judgment, and intense persecution of believers, lasting 3½ years. Often identified as the latter half of a seven-year period, it is marked by the rise of the Antichrist, cosmic disasters, and the culminating in the Second Coming of Jesus Christ.’
Ah friends, I don’t know about you, but I don’t want to undergo any of those seven years, so I’m doing my best to get ready, and strongly advise that you do the same. Now let’s declare our Wednesday Wail, letting the whole world know of our wonderful position in Christ Jesus. 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 if you desire to enjoy an even more glorious future, then stick around to the very end with Jesus, because that’s what’s been promised for those who endure to the end. Much LOVE!
…we’re all born into sin…and all sin is punishable by death…and the only reprieve is…sincerely accepting Christ as Lord and Saviour…
Hear our podcast at https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/randy-obrien
24 Mar 2026
by randyobrien50
in Christian Thoughts and Inspiration., Daily Devotion, Daily Inspiration, Inspirational Living, Spiritual Living
Tags: a bit of spiritual grit, a thought provoker, accompanying this ignorance was immorality, alive and living for Jesus, all things that are reproved, an outward connection, arise from the dead, as capable of standing firm, awake thou that sleepest, but rather reprove them, children of light, children of the day, Christ shall give thee light, christianity, come to know and love christ like we do, discerning what is and is not acceptable to God, don't indulge in the sins of the unsaved, don't know exactly when ti happened, enter a relationship with God, expose the sins of the unsaved, faith, God invites the unbeliever to turn from his sin, godly wisdom, have no fellowship, hideous nature, holy spirit, house of Jacob, hurry, in all goodness righteousness and truth, in god's eyes, in the midst of affliction, it is a shame, it's necessary to have a connection to God, its resultant guilt and misery, Jesus Christ, knowledge of the truth, let us walk in the light of the Lord, lock stock and barrel, LOVE, made manifest by the light, make our hearts and souls joyful, mercy, moral purity and happiness, no awareness of your love, no comfort or joy in your promises, no daylight in my heart, no deep conviction, nor as strong, nor even candlelight, not a deep spiritual involvement, not as brave as you think, not of the night nor of darkness, on your word without, One Year Book of Bible Promises our spiritual eyes, opted to throw my weight, proving what is acceptable unto the Lord, rather than my feelings within, reached the conclusion, religiously informed, Ruth Harms Calkin, salvation, shameful to discuss their iniquties in decnt company, share His love with my neighbours, share the amazing love and friendship of Christ, sincerity and truth, spiritually unenlightened, terrible consequences of sin, that you are real, the beloved of God, the BIBLE, the conclusion, the fruit of the spirit, the irony of the situation, the joy a new birth brings, the promise of spiritual enlightenment and help, the reawakening of life, to speak of those things done in secret, to whom we belong, tough and unpredictable times, trees are budding, trust my friend Jesus, truth, Tuesday Mantra, walk as children of light, walk with you in the dark of night, walk without you in the light, whatever doth make manifest is light, whatever sin is made visible becomes light, wisdom, with sheer determination, with the unfruitful works of darkness, worry, ye are the light of the Lord, ye were sometimes darkness
Isaiah 2:5. O house of Jacob, come ye, and let us walk in the light of the Lord.
And so we come to Tuesday; a beautiful, sunny, but somewhat chilly spring day. Buds are coming out on the trees, so spring must certainly be in the air. (smile) Just sit a moment and contemplate all the lovely greenery that will soon become reality nuh; the reawakening of life once more, like the new birth of a baby that always brings such joy, and let’s make our hearts and souls joyful that although the times are tough and unpredictable, we’re alive and living fully and faithfully for Jesus! There’s absolutely nothing better than that friends!
And as I looked through our One Year Book of Bible Promises with writings by Ruth Harms Calkin for a poem to share today, this one, so in line with what we just said above, struck me as being most appropriate. And, as usual, I don’t know if I’ve ever shared it before. (smile) It’s simply titled ‘The Conclusion.’ So please read with me: ‘Lord, Lord I am not as brave As You seem to think Nor as strong Nor as capable of standing firm In the midst of affliction. Lord, there is not a drop Of emotional response in me. No awareness of Your LOVE No comfort or joy in Your Promises.
I have no deep conviction That you are real. There is no daylight in my heart Nor even candlelight. Nevertheless, with sheer determination And perhaps a bit of spiritual grit I have opted to throw my weight On Your word without Rather than my feelings within. I don’t know exactly when it happened But I have reached the conclusion That I would rather walk with You In the dark of night Than walk without You In the light.’
Wow! What godly wisdom friends! It has to be, for what else would make you enter a relationship with God, although it’s not a deep spiritual involvement but simply an outward connection? It shows that God is working, working in a way that is most appropriate for that person. And believe me, our God will take anyone who comes to Him with sincerity and truth, although not ready for deep involvement. Yes my people, regardless of how our hearts feel inside, it’s ever so important that we at least walk with Almighty God on the outside, for it’s necessary to have some sort of connection with Him to live this life.
And once we begin walking with Him, even if it’s just on the outside, He will eventually make us see the light, and our feelings will become what they ought to be on the inside. It’s just a matter of time! And I just LOVE those two last lines: ‘That I would rather walk with You In the dark of night Than walk without You In the light.’ What a beautiful emotional juxtaposition, highlighting the irony of the situation! It’s preferable to walk with God in the dark, than walk without Him in the light. It sounds good, and is indeed a thought provoker. And you can spend several minutes, like I just did, trying to figure it out. (smile)
But the important thing is that one ought always to walk with God, be it day or night! And the Bible Promise for that poem comes from Isaiah, in talking about the mountain of God, he advises his people: ‘Come people of Israel, let us walk in the light of the Lord.’ (Is. 2:5) That’s the NLT or New Living Translation. Meanwhile the KJV or King James Version which we use, puts it thus: ‘O house of Jacob, come ye, and let us walk in the light of the Lord.’ (Is. 2:5)
And as we just said, it is ever so important to walk in the light of the Lord in this dark and despicable world. As Bruh Paul explains to the Ephesians. ‘For ye were sometimes (once) darkness, but now ye are light in the Lord: walk as children of light: (For the fruit of the Spirit is in all goodness and righteousness and truth;) Proving what is acceptable to the Lord. And have no fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness, but rather reprove (expose) them.
For it is a shame even to speak of those things which are done of them in secret. But all things that are reproved (exposed) are made manifest by the light: for whatever doth make manifest is light. Wherefore he saith, Awake thou that sleepest, and arise from the dead, and Christ shall give thee light.’ (Eph. 5:8-14)
Now here are some explanations from the scholars re those verses. ‘5:8. Darkness indicates that the readers used to be spiritually unenlightened, and accompanying this ignorance was immorality with its resultant guilt and misery. Light denotes that the recipients are now religiously informed. Their knowledge of the truth is attended by moral purity and happiness. 5:10. Because of the constant temptations and solicitations to evil, believers must always be proving or discerning what is and what is not acceptable unto the Lord.
5:11. Reprove is better translated “exposed.” The believer’s duty is expressed here in two ways. Negatively, he is not to have any fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness, that is, not to indulge in the sins of the unsaved. Positively, he is to “expose” (reprove) these sins, that is, bring them to light and show them for what they really are, so that the unbeliever may see their hideous nature and their terrible consequences. 5:12. For tells why the Christian must expose the sins of the lost. If it is shameful even to discuss their iniquities in decent company (cf. vs. 3), how much the worse is the committing of these sins. Hence the need to bring them to light.
5:13. This verse may be paraphrased: “All sins that are exposed are made visible by the gospel, for whatever sin is made visible becomes light.” 5:14. Since exposing sin is beneficial, God invites the unbeliever (thou that sleepest) to turn from his sin (arise from the dead), with the promise that he will be granted spiritual enlightenment and help needed (Christ shall give thee light).’ Hopefully those explanations give us a better understanding of how we are to walk as children of light.
Now, let’s declare our Tuesday Mantra, letting all and sundry know to whom we belong, lock, stock and barrel. As on strong and 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!’
That now makes us duty bound to go out and share the amazing LOVE and friendship of Christ with others, so that they too can come to know and LOVE Him like we do! Much LOVE!
…believers are all children of light…and children of the day…they are not of the night…nor of darkness… (1 Thess. 5:5)
Hear our podcast at https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/randy-obrien
21 Mar 2026
by randyobrien50
in Christian Thoughts and Inspiration., Daily Devotion, Daily Inspiration, Inspirational Living, Spiritual Living
Tags: abide in me and I in you, answering to a surly boss, at thy right hand are pleasures for ever more, Chrisitans, deepen my breath, difficult the way, difficult to stay on the straight and narrow path, don't boast of earthly wealth, don't receive the full benefit of being a believer, enjoying the material things of the world, enter ye in at the strait gate, enveloped by a feeling of peace and calm, essential to accessing the ability to get wealth, establish His covenant, established it upon the floods, eternal life, everything in the world belongs to God, except it abide in the vine, except ye abide in me, faith, few there be that find it, for selfish gain, get intimate with God, God will eventually extinguish the lights of the wicked, he hath founded it upon the seas, he that abideth in me and I in him, hobnobbing with Beelzebub, holy spirit, how narrow is the gate, I am the vine ye are the branches, I may know you all the more, I praise you for your unceasing nearness, I want to be with you now, in all sincerity and truth, in thy presence is fullness of joy, increase my awareness of you today, it is he that giveth thee the power to get wealth, Jesus Christ, Lazy-Day Saturday Prayer, LOVE, mankind is a wanderer, many there be that go in thereat, master of your own destiny, mercy, narrow is the way which leadeth unto life, no more can ye, promotes humility over personal grind, quiet my soul, relax my mucsles, remember the Lord thy god, remembering the Lord, salvation, sell your soul to God not Satan, shew me the path of life, slow my thoughts, stewards of God's things, sware unto thy fathers, thank you for this tenderness, the BIBLE, the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, the earth is the Lord's and the fullness thereof, the fullness of life in Christ, the Lord' likes getting intimate with us, the same bringeth forth much fruit, the world and they that dwell therein, to bask in his wonderful presence, to bless others, to love and be loved in return, truth, use earthly wealth t support God's kingdom, warms the cockles of God's heart, we ask God for mostly material things, wealth is to be used to bless others not for selfish gain, wide is the gate and broad is the way that leads to destruction, wisdom, without God man is of little use, without me ye can do nothing, you can't be contained, your love both surrounds and fills me, your peace and love are present
Psalm 16:11. ‘Thou wilt shew me the path of life: in thy presence is fulness of joy; at thy right hand are pleasures for ever more.’
Oh boy! At last it’s our lazy-day Saturday, where most of us can do whatever we desire without any serious consequences. And isn’t it good to know, that if only for one day, you are master of your own destiny? (smile) You can laze, sleep, eat, read, do whatever, at least for a short while, without answering to a surly boss, except maybe your spouse. (smile) But it’s certainly good to be free from the clutches of a demanding job. However, before we get too comfortable, let’s offer up our Lazy-Day Saturday Prayer with all sincerity and truth.
As one strong voice: ‘Lord, I want to be with You now. Please slow my thoughts and quiet my soul. Let my muscles relax, my breath deepen. You are here with me – Your peace and LOVE are present. I marvel to think You can’t be contained, that Your LOVE both surrounds and fills me. Thank You for this tenderness, Lord. I praise You for Your unceasing nearness. Increase my awareness of You today, that I may know You all the more. Amen!’
And friends, I can never get over the feeling of peace and calm that envelops me when I sincerely pray that prayer. That’s because the Lord relishes the fact that we choose to get intimate with Him, for that’s one of the reasons He created us in the first place…to LOVE and be LOVED in return. And there’s nothing that warms the cockles of His heart like when we come to Him with sincere LOVE in our hearts, just seeking to get closer to Him, not asking for anything else but His warm and wonderful presence.
The problem though is that too few of us believers do that. When most of us go to God, it’s always to ask for some material thing, not to simply be with Him. And that’s why many of us don’t get the full benefit of being a believer, because as Bruh David says in Psalm 16 – A Plea for God’s Protection: ‘Thou wilt shew me the path of life: in thy presence is fulness of joy; at thy right hand are pleasures for ever more.’ (Ps. 16:11) Yes friends, it’s only when we get really intimate with God, that we truly see and thus enjoy the fullness of the life He’s prepared for us.
And that’s why Jesus said: ‘Enter ye in at the strait (narrow) gate: for wide is the gate and broad is the way, that leadeth to destruction, and many there be which go in thereat: Because strait is the gate (how narrow is the gate, and narrow (difficult or confined) is the way, which leadeth unto life, and few there be that find it.’ (Matt. 7:13-14) Yuh better believe it my people; the good life is hard to find because it doesn’t allow plenty wandering, and mankind, by nature, is a wanderer.
So to find the good, true and joyful earthly life, that leads to salvation and eternal life, one has to stay close to God. And Jesus said it very clearly when He spoke thus to the disciples. ‘Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, except it abide in the vine; no more can ye, except ye abide in me. I am the vine, ye are the branches: He that abideth in me, and I in him, the same bringeth forth much fruit: for without me ye can do nothing.’ (John 15:4-5)
Now that’s telling it like it is! Without Jesus in our lives we can do nothing truly worthwhile! So why aren’t many more of us anxiously scrambling to be with him eh? Possibly because it’s too difficult to stay on the straight and narrow path, and we are much more comfortable on the broad and winding way of the world, enjoying the material things it has to offer. But friends, the Lord can give us more than anyone else can, because as Bruh David says in Psalm 24: ‘The earth is the Lord’s, and the fulness thereof; the world and they that dwell therein.’ (Ps. 24:1)
Yes, everything and everyone in the world belongs to God: ‘For he hath founded it upon the seas, and established it upon the floods (rivers).’ (Ps. 24:2) And furthermore, as Moses wisely informed the Jewish people: ‘But thou shalt remember the Lord thy God: for it is he that giveth thee power to get wealth, that he may establish his covenant which he sware unto thy fathers, as it is this day.’ (Deut. 8:18) So, which ever way you look at it, everything comes from God; the Creator and Controller of the universe.
And as this commentary tells us: ‘Based on Deuteronomy 8:18, God gives the power, ability, and wisdom to create wealth, not just the money directly. This power enables individuals to establish His covenant and bless others, rather than for selfish gain. Remembering the Lord is essential to accessing this ability, which promotes humility over personal grind.’ And we had better pay close heed to that last sentence, for if we don’t remember the Lord we will certainly be lacking in power to get wealth.
Oh my people, what we need to realize is that you don’t only get wealth by running it down, or by hobnobbing with Beelzebub and his evil cronies. No, the best way to get wealth is turn to God; sell your soul to Him instead of to Satan, for whatever Satan has, also comes from God the Creator. Let’s never forget, that like us, Satan and all those who rebelled against God are also created creatures, and when God is ready, He will extinguish their lights.
And for your information, there are many wealthy Christians, but you will hardly notice them, because they don’t boast of their earthly wealth, but instead quietly use it to support God’s kingdom on earth. And therein lies the real difference between those who possess earthly wealth; some boast of it, while others quietly use it for the good of others. Let’s hope that we too will not boast about whatever we may possess, because in the long run it all belongs to God, and we are only stewards or managers of it down here on earth, and like good stewards, let’s use it to support God’s earthly kingdom! Much LOVE!
… without God, his Creator…mankind is of little use…
Hear our podcast at https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/randy-obrien
19 Mar 2026
by randyobrien50
in Christian Thoughts and Inspiration., Daily Devotion, Daily Inspiration, Inspirational Living, Spiritual Living
Tags: a good attitude, a just man falleth seven times and riseth up again, a tough nut to crack, abundance, adversity, as generously as the Lord shared them with us, ascend up into heaven, at thy right hand, become intimate with God, behold thou art there, broken right now in the name of Jesus, Christian maturity, christianity, clear direction for my life, come to know and love christ like we do, commit thy way unto the Lord, constantly be on the lookout, courage, creativity, curse, divine protection, duty bound, dwell in the uttermost parts of the sea, even there shall thy hand lead me, experience with adversity, faith, favour, feed on his faithfulness, foundational truth, good health, he shall bring it to pass, he shall direct thy paths, holy spirit, I will give thee rest, in all thy ways acknowledge him, in thy presence is fullness of joy, Jane Williams, Jesus Christ, lean not unto thine own understanding, like a thief in the night, LOVE, make my bed in hell, Mellitus College, mercy, my presence shall go with thee, negative words, never escape the presence of God, omni-present, poverty wages, Prayer Through The, promotion, salvation, self-control, shew me the paths of life, so shall thou dwell in the land, take heed, take the wings of the morning, talent, teach me to wait with patience, the BIBLE, the penultimate day of our work week, the problem of trust, the unknown future, there are pleasures for ever more, thou art there, thou shalt be fed, thy right hand shall hold me, to go out and share those blessings, to know your presence, to prepare a place for me, to trust that you are with me, trust also in him, trust comes with experience, trust in the Lord and do good, Trust in the Lord with all thine heart, truth, waiting with faith, walking by faith and not by sight, watch and pray, watch with alertness, we need to feel God's presence, whither shall I flee from thy presence, whither shall I go from thy spirit, wisdom
Proverbs 3:5. Trust in the Lord with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding.
And then we come to Thursday, the penultimate day of our work week. Wow! The week’s almost over! But please remember what Jesus said, don’t look forward too much to tomorrow, Friday, for Friday will present its own problems, (Matt. 6:34) let’s concentrate mostly on handling today’s challenges. (smile) Now, since God so generously spared our lives to see another day on His wonderful though currently chaotic planet earth, let’s keep our promise to continue looking at the prayer credited to Jane Williams, a professor at St. Mellitus College in London, England, founded in 2007, whose mission is to provide innovative theological education and training for those called to serve Christ in the church and the world.
The prayer is found in the 2025 publication of the Anglican Diocese of Toronto, titled ‘Prayers Through The Ages.’ And it’s short and sweet enough for us to pray it again. (smile) So please pray with me: ‘Christ, you have gone before me to prepare a place for me, that where you are there I may be also. Teach me to wait with patience, to watch with alertness, to trust that you are with me in the unknown future and to know your presence.’ What wonderful sentiments! And yesterday we looked at Jesus’ promise to go and prepare a place for us and then come back to take us with Him, (John 14:1-3) a foundational truth of our faith, as well as the request for God to teach us to wait with patience.
Now that waiting with patience is a tough nut to crack, because it only comes through lots of experience; waiting with faith and a good attitude despite the adversity we all go through. Likewise the other request from the prayer: ‘teach me to watch with alertness.’ That only comes through faith and experience. As we saw a few day ago, where Jesus warns us to ‘Take heed, watch and pray: for ye know not when the time is.’ (Mark 13:33)
Yes, we know that Jesus is coming back, but we don’t know when, and it could be anytime, like a thief in the night. That means we have to constantly be on the lookout and also be ready. For if He comes back and we’re not ready, then it’s hell fire and damnation for us. That’s why these words of His are so important. ‘And what I say unto you I say unto all, Watch.’ (Mark 13:37) And we cannot overestimate how important it is to watch and be ready for whenever Jesus returns.
Then there’s the problem of trust, which means walking by faith and not sight. (2 Cor. 5:7) Putting all our trust in Jesus is again not easy, and only comes with experience. The longer we live with Jesus, the more we see His absolute faithfulness and learn to trust Him. And again there are numerous scriptures that detail that requirement. And here are a couple of the most prominent verses. The first ones come from Cousin Sol in Proverbs. ‘Trust in the Lord with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding. In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct (make straight or smooth) thy paths.’ (Prov. 3:5-6)
Then there’s this from Bruh David from Psalm 37. ‘Trust in the Lord, and do good; so shalt thou dwell in the land, and verily thou shalt be fed (feed on His faithfulness). Delight thyself also in the Lord; and he shall give thee the desires of thine heart. Commit thy way unto the Lord; trust also in him; and he shall bring it to pass.’ (Ps. 37:3-5)
And finally the prayer talks about knowing God’s presence. That’s another aspect that only comes with experience. But knowing and feeling God’s presence around us is of major importance, as it especially brings us comfort and lack of fear. And there are many scriptures that talk about the importance of feeling God’s presence in our daily lives. And I guess the first one ought to be Moses’ plea to God for grace and knowledge of Him, (Ex.33:13) while leading the Israelites to the Promised Land. ‘And he (God) said, My presence shall go with thee, and I will give thee rest.’ (Ex. 33;14)
Now that gave Moses the encouragement he needed, because he knew if the Lord wasn’t present with them, they would see lots of trouble. Then in Psalm 16, Bruh David encourages us with this titillating verse on the subject. He writes: ‘Thou wilt shew me the paths of life: in thy presence is fullness of joy; at thy right hand there are pleasures for ever more.’ (Ps. 16:11) Yes friends, when we’re in the presence of God, our spirits are light and fanciful and there’s such joy that we cannot contain it.
And I believe Bruh David says it best in the remarkable Psalm 139 ‘Praise to the All-Knowing God.’ There, he expounds thus on God’s presence: ‘Whither shall (can) I go from thy spirit? or whither shall (can) I flee from thy presence? If I ascend up into heaven, thou art there: if I make my bed in hell, behold thou art there. If I take the wings of the morning, and dwell in the uttermost parts of the sea: Even there shall thy hand lead me, and thy right hand shall hold me.’ (Ps. 139: 7-10)
Oh my people, that just goes to show that we can never escape the presence of God; for he’s Omi-present Wherever we go, He’s always around. And every time I read that scripture I’m reminded of the first time I heard it acted out so marvellously by Dr. Robert Schuller on the Hour of Power T.V. programme. The problem though with God’s presence is for us to feel it. He’s always there, but unless we feel it, it does us no good. And to do that we have to become very intimate with God, through prayer, His Word and the Holy Spirit that dwells within us to lead, guide and comfort us.
Unfortunately friends, the whole Christian thing, growing in spiritual maturity, takes time and experience; going through adversity and failure, but not giving up because your faith and trust is strong. And every time you go through something negative; your faith gets stronger. As Cousin Sol says: ‘For a just man falleth seven times, and riseth up again…’ (Prov. 24:16a) That’s the only way to grow!
Now, let’s declare our Thursday Blessings, undeserved ones, so generously bestowed on us by God to do His earthly work. 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, we’re now duty bound to go out and use those blessings to help others, just as generously as the Lord shared them with us, so that they too can come to know and LOVE Him like we do! Much LOVE!
…growing in Christian maturity…only comes through… sincere trust and faith in God…and experience with adversity…
Hear our podcast at https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/randy-obrien
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