04 Aug 2025
by randyobrien50
in Christian Thoughts and Inspiration., Daily Devotion, Daily Inspiration, Inspirational Living, Spiritual Living
Tags: a merciful forgiving and gracious God, a modicum of circumspection, a word to the wise is sufficient, air advisory warning, asaph, bear up the pillars of it, brings down to the grave and brings up, broken to pieces, by strength shall no man prevail, by the might of my power, Caribana cultural activities, choose the appointed time, Christian witness, christianity, deal not foolishly, disobeyed your word, divine aid, drive thee from men, eat grass like oxen, exalt the horn of his anointed, faith, faithfully promised to hear and answer our prayers, for the honour of my majesty, full steam ahead, give strength unto his king, gives it to whomsoever he will, God is the judge, God raises up the poor out of the dust, God will keep the feet of his saints, God's awesome works, Hannah's song of praise, he brings low and lifts up, he puts down one and sets up another, his hairs were grown like eagles feathers, his ways justice, holy spirit, humble ourselves and pray, humble servants, humility, hung over, I Nebuchadnezzar praise and extol and honour the king of heaven, I said unto the fools, indisputable truth, inherit the throne of glory, insolent pride, Jehovah Rapha, Jesus Christ, judge uprightly, lift not up your horn on high, lifts up the beggar from the dunghill, LOVE, makes poor, makes rich, mass confusion, meekness, mercy, nails like birds claws, Nebuchadnezzar's boast, non-existent in our society, out of heaven shall he thunder upon them, party heartily, party wisely, physically sick, praise and thanksgiving for God's presence, pray, promotion comes neither from the east, reject God's authority, salvation, Selah, set the world upon them, seven times shall pass over thee, sincerely seek your face, speak not with a stiff neck, strong faith in Christ, suffer the consequences, suffer wrath beyond their imagination, the adversaries of the Lord, the arrogant, the BIBLE, the boastful, the earth and all its inhabitants are dissolved, the God who heals, the Lord killeth and maketh alive, the Lord shall judge the ends of the earth, the most High rules in the kingdom of men, the pillars of the earth are the Lord's, the power to solve our many problems, the proud and boastful are falling, the righteous judge, the same hour was the thing fulfilled, the throne of grace, the wicked shall be silent in darkness, those that walk in pride He is able to abase, those who oppose the Lord, thy name is near, thy wondrous works declare, to set them among princes, to the wicked, truth, turn from our evil ways, until thou know, unto thee O God do we give thanks, we have all sinned, wet with the dew of heaven, when I shall receive the congregation, whose works are truth, wisdom, wise guidance
Psalm 75:7. But God is the judge: he putteth down one, and setteth up (exalts) another.
So it’s a bright and sunshiny Monday, the last day of this August long weekend that features the Caribana cultural activities. And even with an air advisory warning from the numerous forest fires, the celebrations are moving full steam ahead. (smile) But please, let’s remember tomorrow is work, and if you don’t show a modicum of circumspection in your celebrating today, tomorrow you’ll suffer the consequences; being physically sick, hung over, dead tired, or whatever negative situation crops up, and it might even endanger your job. So let’s be wise and party heartily, but above all, party wisely! End of Sermon. (smile)
And today we’ll look at the interesting Psalm 75, titled The Righteous Judge, who obviously is Almighty God. This psalm comes from the pen of Asaph, another great song writer that worked with Bruh David. The psalm opens thus: ‘Unto thee, O God, do we give thanks, unto thee do we give thanks: for that thy name is near thy wondrous works declare.’ (Ps. 75:1) And as in so many other psalms, we see the writer opens with praise and thanksgiving for God’s presence and His awesome works.
Then he continues: ‘When I shall receive the congregation (choose the appointed or proper time) I will judge uprightly. The earth and all the inhabitants are dissolved: I bear up (firmly set up) the pillars of it. Selah. I said unto the fools (boastful, arrogant), Deal not foolishly (boastfully or arrogantly): and to the wicked, lift not up the horn (don’t raise your head proudly like a horned animal): Lift not up your horn on high: speak not with a stiff neck (in insolent pride).’ (Ps. 75:2-5)
And what does all of that mean? This commentary explains it thus: ‘The psalm begins by thanking the Lord for His many incredible actions. It then speaks from the Lord’s perspective as He states that judgment will occur only on His timing. The psalmist compares the boastful people to a wild ox that lifts up its horn against heaven and stretches its neck out in arrogance. And those tempted to reject God’s authority, are met with serious warnings. Those who oppose the Lord will suffer wrath beyond their imagination.’
Then Asaph gets to the meat and potatoes of the psalm, explaining God’s judgement. ‘For promotion (exaltation) cometh neither from the east, nor from the west, nor from the south. But God is the judge: he putteth down one, and setteth up (exalts) another.’ (Ps. 75:6-7) And is that ever the indisputable truth! For we see examples of it, as well as hear the same words all through the scriptures. But we still refuse to believe it. And these words from the song of Hannah, the prophet Samuel’s mother, in thanksgiving for the Lord’s answer to her prayer for a son, tell it like it is:
‘The Lord killeth, and maketh alive: he bringeth down to the grave, and bringeth up. The Lord maketh poor, and maketh rich: he bringeth low, and lifteth up. He raiseth up the poor out of the dust, and lifteth up the beggar from the dunghill, to set them among princes, and to make them inherit the throne of glory: for the pillars of the earth are the Lord’s, and he has set the world upon them.
He will keep the feet of his saints, and the wicked shall be silent in darkness; for by strength shall no man prevail. The adversaries of the Lord shall be broken to pieces; out of heaven shall he thunder upon them: the Lord shall judge the ends of the earth; and he shall give strength unto his king, and exalt the horn (strength) of his anointed.’ (1 Sam. 2:6-10)
Yes friends, Hannah says it all in that marvellous song of thanksgiving for the Lord’s curing of her barren state. And one of the best examples of that lowering and exalting is found in the Book of Daniel, where the king of Babylon, Nebuchadnezzar, having troublesome dreams, appeals to Daniel for help, and is given the revelation that because of his arrogance and foolish pride, he will go mad for seven years. And we see it when He get’s proud and boastful about his building of the great empire of Babylon, ‘by the might of my power, and the honour of my majesty.’
While the word was in the king’s mouth, there fell a voice from heaven, saying, O king Nebuchadnezzar, to thee it is spoken; The kingdom is departed from thee. And they shall drive thee from men, and thy dwelling shall be with the beasts of the field: they shall make thee to eat grass like oxen, and seven times (years) shall pass over thee, until thou know the most High ruleth in the kingdom of men, and giveth it to whomsoever he will. The same hour was the thing fulfilled upon Nebuchadnezzar: and he was driven from men, and did eat grass as oxen, and his body was wet with the dew of heaven, till his hairs were grown like eagles’ feathers, and his nails like birds’ claws.’ (Dan. 4:30-33)
You see my people, the Lord’s Word is not a joke, so we had better believe whatever it says. And I like how after seven years of madness, the kingdom is restored to Nebuchadnezzar, and he testifies thus: ‘Now I Nebuchadnezzar praise and extol and honour the King of heaven, all whose works are truth and his ways judgement (justice): and those that walk in pride he is able to abase (humble).’ (Dan. 4:37) Now if a pagan king could make such a mighty testimony about the Lord’s power, why aren’t we believing it eh? For today, we are walking in so much pride and arrogance, that humility and meekness are almost non-existent. No wonder so many of the proud and boastful are falling.
Ah friends, unfortunately, we got away from the psalm, but that’s okay for the scriptures we looked at gave us a better understanding of it. (smile) And if the Lord spares life tomorrow, we will continue looking at the remainder of Psalm 75. Now, let’s go to the throne of grace, through our Monday Morning Battle Hymn, seeking divine help for our numerous problems.
Altogether: ‘Our Father, who art in heaven, we, Your humble servants, praise Your Holy Name and thank You this Monday morning for life and strong faith in Christ, despite the mass confusion in our world. Heavenly Father, You are the ONLY ONE with the power to solve our many problems. Yes, we have all sinned and seriously disobeyed Your Word, but You are a merciful, forgiving and gracious God, who has faithfully promised to hear and answer our prayers when we humble ourselves, pray, and sincerely seek Your face.
So, we come to You now, with sincere repentance in our hearts, pleading for wise guidance and direction to alleviate our problems. Oh Father, please ease the pain of the many suffering from negative situations, show them Your awesome grace and mercy. And faithfully keep Your promise to prosper us if we turn from our evil ways. Show this evil world that You are indeed Jehovah Rapha; the God who heals! We pray this in the holy and blessed name of Your Son, our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ! Amen! And again, we say: Amen!’
And we all know what it will take to get divine aid…better Christian witness from us. So please, in our best interest, let’s cut out all the foolish talking and useless pride, and simply do it nuh. Much LOVE!
…a word to the wise is sufficient…
Hear our podcast at https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/randy-obrien
03 Aug 2025
by randyobrien50
in Christian Thoughts and Inspiration., Daily Devotion, Daily Inspiration, Inspirational Living, Spiritual Living
Tags: a heartfelt expression of gratitude to God, a life of joy and peace, abolish the slave trade, Adam's sin brought death, Adam's transgression brought death to mankind, Amazing grace, as long as life endures, ascend up to heaven, been there ten thousand years, bright shining as the sun, but now I'm found, by grace are you saved through faith, Caribana celebrations, celelbrate the Lord's day, christianity, created in christ Jesus unto good works, give God the praise, God ordained we should walk in, God who called me here below, God's free gift of grace, going to the Lord's house, grace alone brings salvation, grace my fears relieved, grace only comes to those who accept Christ, grace will lead me home, he will my shield and portion be, His word my hope secures, holy spirit, how precious did that grace appear, how sweet the sound, I have already come, I once was lost, in the sanctuaries of God, it is the gift of God, Jesus Christ, Jesus's sacrifice brings life, John Newton, lest any man should boast, LOVE, mercy, mortal life shall cease, no less days to sing god's praise, not of works, not of yourselves, one prayer away from Jesus' saving grace, one thing I know, possess within the veil, renewed confidence, salvation, salvation comes only through grace, sin causes all to die, slave trading, spiritual turmoil, spiritual up lifting, spiritually blind, spiritually refreshing Sunday, that saved a wretch like me, the awesome truth, the BIBLE, the dehumanizing slave trade, the earth shall soon dissolve like snow, the gift of grace, the hour I first believed, the Lord has promised good to me, the moral of the story, the sun forbear to shine, the transformative power of God's grace, the voices of prayer and worship, the work of Christ, then when we'd first begun, thoughts of Christ, through many dangers toils and snares, through the offence of one, tis grace hath brought me safe so far me, truth, twas grace that taught my heart to fear, until the end of time, was blind but now I see, we are his workmanship, when this flesh and heart shall fail, whereas i was blind now I see, will be forever mine, wisdom
Ephesians 2:8. For by grace are (you have been) saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God:
So after a lazy-day Saturday, we come to a spiritually refreshing Sunday, where in the sanctuaries of God, the voices of prayer and worship ascend up to heaven and return with renewed confidence, faith and spiritual uplifting. And this long August weekend, with the Caribana celebrations on tap, is no different, although we might be doing a bit more celebrating than usual. (smile) But please, let’s not allow the secular celebrating to stop us from going to the Lord’s house and celebrate His day as we are accustomed to doing every Sunday.
And today’s song of worship is one of the most popular Christian hymns ever, aptly titled ‘Amazing Grace.’ And why do we say it’s aptly titled? Because, as this commentary tells us, it is not a song of theology, but its author, John Newton’s own heartfelt expression of gratitude to God, who helped him turn from his profane and wicked life of slave trading and eventually fight against the ills he once practiced.
The song was written around 1772, by which time Newton had become and English clergyman and a poet, and thus was able to describe the transformative power of God’s grace, especially in his own life, after a period of spiritual turmoil and self-searching during the years of his life at sea, and his involvement in the lucrative but very evil and dehumanizing slave trade. And it’s rather amazing to hear the story of Newton’s life and subsequent transformation.
Apparently he went to sea from a young age, around 11, and though raised as a Christian by his mother, he rejected all her teachings, and was supposedly even more profane and debauched and coarse than what’s normally expected of sailors. But as our Lord is won’t to do, one night while steering his battered ship, the Greyhound through a particularly bad storm, he considered his ruined life, and thoughts of Christ began to fill his confused mind.
Obviously he considered himself beyond hope and saving, but sometime later he found a copy of the New Testament, and as he read Luke 11:13, ‘If ye then, being evil, know how to give good gifts unto your children: how much more shall your heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to them that ask him?’ Now that is a very powerful scripture, claiming that God will save anyone who asks for it. And that apparently began Newton’s turn from evil to godliness.
To make a long story short, he gave up his slave trading occupation, became a minister, and even helped William Wilberforce who led the fight to abolish slave trading in the British Empire with the passing of the British Slave Trade Act in 1807. So now that we know the story behind the song, let’s lift up our voices in sweet sacrificial praise, offering up a soulful, scintillating, heartfelt version of Amazing Grace, because it’s God’s amazing free gift of grace that has saved all of us unworthy sinners.
Singing: ‘Amazing grace! How sweet the sound That saved a wretch like me! I once was lost, but now am found; Was blind, but now I see. ‘Twas grace that taught my heart to fear, And grace my fears relieved; How precious did that grace appear The hour I first believed. Through many dangers, toils, and snares, I have already come; ’Tis grace hath brought me safe thus far, And grace will lead me home. The Lord has promised good to me, His Word my hope secures; He will my Shield and Portion be, As long as life endures.
Yea, when this flesh and heart shall fail, And mortal life shall cease, I shall possess, within the veil, A life of joy and peace. The earth shall soon dissolve like snow, The sun forbear to shine; But God, who called me here below, Will be forever mine. When we’ve been there ten thousand years, Bright shining as the sun, We’ve no less days to sing God’s praise Than when we’d first begun…. Yes, We’ve no less days to sing God’s praise Than when we’d first begun.’ And isn’t that the awesome truth friends? Singing God’s praises is what we’ll be doing until the end of time!
Now, the song is about grace and salvation. And there are a couple of scriptures that illustrate that God’s gift of grace is our saving grace. (smile) Listen to this first one as Bruh Paul writes to the Ephesians: ‘For by grace are (you have been) saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: Not of works, lest any man should boast. For we are his workmanship (creation), created in Christ Jesus unto (for) good works, which God hath ordained (prepared) that we should walk in.’ (Eph. 2:8-10)
And that’s the first thing we need to learn about grace; that’s it a gift of God, not of any works that we can do. We get saved by having faith in Christ and thus receiving God’s amazing grace. And that Grace alone, which brings salvation, means that God LOVES, forgives, and saves us not because of who we are or what we do, but because of the work of Christ. And that is further explained by Bruh Paul in his epistle to the Roman church when talking about Adam’s transgression causing death to all mankind.
He says: ‘But not as the offence, so also is the gift free (the free gift of salvation is not like the false step of Adam). For though the offence of one (Adam) many be dead, much more the grace of God, and the gift by grace, which is by one man, Jesus Christ hath abounded unto many.’ (Rom. 5:15) In other words, Adam’s sin brought forth death, but Jesus’ sacrifice brings forth life. However, the important difference is that sin causes all to die, but grace only comes to those who accept Christ as Lord and Saviour.
Then there’s this interesting scripture from the gospel of John where Jesus healed a blind man on the Sabbath day by anointing his eyes with clay, then telling him to go and wash in the pool of Siloam, which he did, and received his sight. (John 9:1-7) But as always, fast neighbours intervened and wondered if it was the same man. Then the Pharisees ever looking for a way to get something negative on Jesus, got hold of the situation and begun badgering the man and his parents about who healed him and how.
‘Then again called they the man that was blind, and said unto him, Give God the praise: we know that this man is a sinner. He answered and said, Whether he be a sinner or no, I know not: one thing I know, that whereas I was blind, now I see.’ (John 9:24-25) What a wonderful answer my brethren! That’s what the grace of God will do for you, make you see, when you’re spiritually blind, like it did for John Newton and so many of us.
And the moral of the story is that no matter how far gone you are, you are only one step, one sincere prayer, one cry away from Jesus’ saving grace and arms! That’s His promise to us. And let’s hope that we are all wise enough to take hold of that marvellous opportunity today. Much LOVE!
…God’s LOVE for mankind is so obvious…that only if we’re blind…we wont see it…
Hear our podcast at https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/randy-obrien
01 Aug 2025
by randyobrien50
in Christian Thoughts and Inspiration., Daily Devotion, Daily Inspiration, Inspirational Living, Spiritual Living
Tags: a buckler to them that walk uprightly, a modicum of circumspection, a nacklace of jewels, a new flock of believers, a practical application of common sense, a shield to them that walk uprightly, a shield to those who walk with integrity, a treasure of common sense to the honest, a valuable asset, all the tools to do it, be infants in evil, be mature in your thinking, be not children in understanding, be ye therefore wise as serpents, beneficial aspects of wisdom, celebrations, Christian walk, christianity, Civic holiday, common sense, disastrous earthly affairs, discernement, discretion shall preserve thee, divine intervention, error of their ways, everyday situations, faith, Friday chant, get up off our fannies, godly decisions, guidance and protection, harmless as doves, He lays up sound wisdom for the righteous, holy spirit, I send you forth as sheep, in malice be children, in the midst of the wolves, in understanding be men, innocent as doves, Jesus Christ, knowledge is pleasant unto thy soul, LOVE, mercy, navigating life's challenges, omnipotent help, our witness for christ, problems are escalating, purity, requiring little reflection, return backsliders to your fold, salvation, self-evident, shrewdness, Simcoe day, sound practical knowledge, TGIF! Thank God it's Friday!, the BIBLE, trusting faith, truth, understanding shall keep thee, wake up and and smell the coffee, wisdom, wisdom enters the heart, wise action is stronger than talk
Matthew 10:16. Behold, I send you forth as sheep in the midst of the wolves: be ye therefore wise as serpents, and harmless (innocent) as doves.
Here it is friends, the first day of August, our last official month of summer. Let’s hope that it takes it time and doesn’t run away from us like the last two did. But remember, it’s also our responsibility to keep pace with it and not let it get away from us. And the shouts of ‘TGIF! Thank God it’s Friday!’ have been long and loud, for this our August long weekend, our Civic Holiday, Simcoe Day or whatever day we choose to call it. But the first Monday in August is always a holiday. That means the celebrations will also be loud and long, but as always, there’s this warning to be careful and exercise a modicum of circumspection, so that no untoward disasters will occur.
Yes, let’s use some common sense as we celebrate, although I know that common sense is not very prevalent in our society right now, (smile) but it will certainly do us a lot of good if we try to bring it back, to re-instill it in our irresponsible societal ways. And since we’re on the topic of common sense that seems to be absent from our society, I guess now would be the right time to talk about it. And what exactly is common sense?
This commentary explains it thus: ‘Common sense is the basic level of sound practical knowledge and judgment that most people possess and rely on in everyday situations. It’s often described as the knowledge that is shared by nearly all people and is considered self-evident or requiring little reflection.’ And that seems right, it’s a basic sense of good judgement that we all ought to share in our daily doings.
And don’t think it’s only a secular concept, of course not, for the Bible has a lot to say about common sense, even if it does not call it that. This commentary further explains that ‘God grants common sense to the upright, leading to understanding, protection, and success. The verses encourage seeking wisdom and discernment, suggesting that godly common sense is a valuable asset for navigating life’s challenges.’ And so it is my people.
So let’s look at a few scriptures that highlight common sense. And since the Proverbs of Cousin Sol is a Book of wisdom, many of them are found there, like this one from Proverbs 2: ‘He layeth up (stores up) sound wisdom for the righteous: he is a buckler (shield) to them that walk uprightly.’ (Prov. 2:7) Or as this translation puts it: “He grants a treasure of common sense to the honest. He is a shield to those who walk with integrity.” There we see, common sense being linked with integrity and honesty.
Then listen to this one: ‘When wisdom entereth into thine heart, and knowledge is pleasant unto thy soul: Discretion shall preserve thee, understanding shall keep thee.’ (Prov. 2:10-11) So, when you acquire wisdom and understanding, you will be better able to make good and godly decisions. Or, as one commentary says: ‘This passage highlights the protective and beneficial aspects of wisdom and understanding, which are closely related to common sense.’ And is it ever! For if the world had more godly wisdom and understanding, it would certainly not be in the disastrous and chaotic state it’s now in.
And what about these verses? ‘My son, let not them depart from thine eyes; keep sound wisdom and discretion: So shall they be life unto thy soul, and grace (favour) to thy neck. Then shalt thou walk in thy way safely, and thy foot shall not stumble.’ (Prov. 3:21-23) Yes friends, common sense and discernment, are indeed riches, like jewels around our necks. They also provide favour, godly goodness to our souls, and they keep us safe in our Christian walk. They emphasize the value of common sense for guidance and protection.
But Cousin Sol is not the only one who emphasized the use of common sense in their writings. Hear this verse from Bruh Paul to the Corinthians. ‘Brethren, be not children in understanding; howbeit in malice be ye children (babes), but in understanding be ye men (mature).’ (1 Cor. 14:20) There, he’s admonishing them for being small minded and evil. Or as this translation puts it: “Brothers and sisters, do not be children in your thinking. Be infants in evil, but in your thinking be mature.” This verse encourages believers to develop mature and discerning thinking, which is a component of common sense.’
And our last scripture on common sense is one from Jesus, when he sends out the disciples to witness to the children of Israel. He says to them: ‘Behold, I send you forth as sheep in the midst of the wolves: be ye therefore wise as serpents, and harmless (innocent) as doves.’ (Matt. 10:16) Jesus is sending the disciples out in dangerous territory, but he expects them to use the wisdom and understanding, He’s taught them, to develop common sense. And I like how this commentary explains it: ‘This verse, while not directly using the term “common sense,” calls for a balance of shrewdness (wisdom) and innocence (purity), which is a practical application of common sense.’
So, my fellow believers, we see that the scriptures are filled with verses on common sense. And as the commentary further explains: ‘These scriptures suggest that common sense is not merely a secular concept but a divinely given quality that helps individuals make wise decisions, navigate life’s challenges, and experience God’s blessings.’ And our first step of common sense in any situation is always to pray. So let’s do that right now nuh, by going to the throne of grace, through our Friday Chant to ask for divine intervention in our disastrous earthly affairs.
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 manage 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!’
And friends, though we pray all day, every day, unless we improve our witness for Christ, divine intervention will not be forthcoming. Jesus has done His part, we now have to do ours. And we have all the tools to do it. So, all that’s necessary, is for us to get up off of our fannies and do it! Much LOVE!…talk can be strong…but wise action is always stronger…
Hear our podcast at https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/randy-obrien
31 Jul 2025
by randyobrien50
in Christian Thoughts and Inspiration., Daily Devotion, Daily Inspiration, Inspirational Living, Spiritual Living
Tags: a positive outlook on life, abundance, all will be well, always planning in love, band my jaw, brain weary, courage, creativity, curse, despair and loneliness hedge me in, duty bound, faith, favour, fighting the good fight, God's supernatural wisdom, happy is he that hath the God of Jacob for his help, holy spirit, I lift up my soul, in peevish rebellion, in the midst of consuming sorrow, in the northern climes, in the silent darkness, Jesus Christ, Lead me in thy truth, let me not be ashamed, let none that wait in faith on thee be ashamed, let not mine enemies triumph over me, LOVE, mercy, my fears, my hesitancies, negative word, O my God I trust in thee, on thee do I wait all the day, One Year Book of Bible promises, place our total trust in jesus, powering our motors, quiet my fragmented heart, rail against you, receive clear direction for my life, Ruth Harms Calkin, salvation, scamper from doubt to doubt, shew me thy ways O Lord, sitting inside by the fire, talent, teach me thy paths, the BIBLE, the concrete jungle, the cross we have to bear, the end of July, the furnace of affliction, the strength of Jesus, the white-flamed furnace of affliction, thou art the God of my salvation, Trust me, truth, unto thee O Lord, whose hope is in the Lord his God, wisdom, work in me silently, you forgive so quickly my outbursts, you never drive me away, you refine me, you understand my frailties, you whisper
Psalm 25:2. O my God, I trust in thee: let me not be ashamed, let not mine enemies triumph over me.
Well here it is finally friends, the end of the summer month of July! And though it’s been rather hot, and sometimes vexatious, we still prefer it to the cold winter weather. Now, sadly, only one more month of summer is left…and if that passes as quickly as the first two, then we’ll soon be sitting inside by the fire trying to keep warm, rather than in the air conditioning, trying to stay cool. But that’s the cross we have to bear in the northern climes.
However, with the wonderful and magnificent strength of Jesus powering our motors, we can accomplish whatever we need to accomplish. Please, let’s never forget that, because it’s that joy and strength from Him that keeps us fighting the good fight. And isn’t it strange that after all those hot days, July seems to be ending on a cool and cloudy note, with rain that’s been falling, thankfully just drizzling, for the past couple of hours.
Now some of you might be wondering how come the Bit’s so early. Well there’s good reason. I have an early morning doctor’s appointment in the concrete jungle city of Toronto, which means I have no idea when I’ll be back, plus when I return from those city outings, I’m always too tired and brain weary to write anything worthwhile, so I just have to band my jaw and do it before I go. So please don’t think that this will be a usual occurrence. When I’m getting up here, is when I’m usually going to bed. (smile)
And today, the Lord has decreed that we look at this encouraging and reaffirming poem from our One Year Book of Bible Promises with writings by Ruth Harms Calkin, titled ‘All Will Be Well.’ I’m pretty sure I’ve shared it before, but we know that all those writings are so good and so applicable in these tough times, that they ought to be shared again and again.
So please read with me: ‘O Lord God In the midst of consuming sorrow when despair and loneliness hedge me in You understand my frailties – My hesitancies, my fears. As I scamper from doubt to doubt You forgive so quickly my outbursts. Never do you drive me away when I rail against you in peevish rebellion. When I scream don’t you even care? You quiet my fragmented heart. You work in me silently Always planning in LOVE. You refine me in the white-flamed Furnace of affliction. In the silent darkness You whisper: Trust Me – all will be well.’
And that’s exactly how it is my faithful brethren when we surrender our all, and place our total trust in the Lord Jesus Christ! All ends up being well, despite all the rebellion, the sorrow, the despair and loneliness, for as the poem so rightly says, our God and Saviour plans only and always in LOVE! For that’s His major attribute, and why He created us in the first place; to have LOVING communion with us! And the good thing is that God knows all our problems, our frailties, etc. etc. so nothing we do surprises Him, and He’s planned for them from the very beginning.
And the Bible verse for this poem come from Psalm 25, where Bruh David talks about Trust in the Lord. The poem quotes it from the NIV (New International Version) ‘To you, O Lord, I lift up my soul; in you I trust, O my God.’ (Ps. 25:1-2) But we here prefer the good ole King James Version, which tells it like it really is. (smile) ‘Unto thee, O Lord, do I lift up my soul. O my God, I trust in thee: let me not be ashamed, let not mine enemies triumph over me. Yea, let none that wait (in faith) on thee be ashamed: let them be ashamed which transgress without cause (deal treacherously). (Ps. 25:1-3)
Yes friends, it’s in Almighty God alone that we ought to put our trust, for He’s the ONLY One who can protect us from our enemies. And we ought also to pray as Bruh David continues: ‘Shew me thy ways, O Lord; teach me thy paths. Lead me in thy truth, and teach me: for thou art the God of my salvation; on thee do I wait all the day.’ (Ps. 25:4-5)
Oh my people, the Bible is filled with such requests, from almost all of those who put their trust in God, for their faith journey was not easy, but they knew that the One who led them had the power and the grace to show them the way. And that’s how we ought also to believe today. We will have trials and tribulations along the way, but it’s of the utmost importance to know that we can call on our great God for help at any time and any place, and He will positively respond.
He’s already being so generous to bestow on us underserved blessings to do His earthly work, we call them our Thursday Blessings, so why won’t He answer our heartfelt cries eh? No reason whatsoever! So let’s declare and activate those blessings 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, (yeaahhh!!!) we’re duty bound to go out and use those blessings to help others, just as generously as the Lord shared them with us! Much LOVE!
…happy is he…that hath the God of Jacob for his help…whose hope is in the Lord his God… (Ps. 146:5)
Hear our podcast at https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/randy-obrien
30 Jul 2025
by randyobrien50
in Christian Thoughts and Inspiration., Daily Devotion, Daily Inspiration, Inspirational Living, Spiritual Living
Tags: a healthy fear, a way for the lightning, and unto man he said, be it good or evil, Behold, Bless His Holy Name, christianity, death and destruction say, effective witnesses for Christ, endure to the end, faith, fear God and keep his commandments, fools despise widom and instruction, God has commanded man, God knows the place thereof, God looks to the ends of the earth, God sees under the whole heaven, God shall bring every work into judgement, God understandeth the way thereof, halfway home, handle the situation, hands on the plough, hear the conclusion of the whole matter, holy spirit, it cannot be gotten for gold, it is hid from all the eys of the living, Jesus Christ, Jesus gives us the strength, kept close from the fowls of the air, living for Jesus, LOVE, make the weight for the winds, man knows not the price thereof, mdae a decree for the rain, mercy, my eyes are fixed straight ahead, neither is it found in the land of the living, neither shall silver be weighed for the price thereof, not turning back, our wonderful position in Christ Jesus, salvation, second wind, set the limit for the rain, simpering excuses, so glad to be alive, sumbission to the Lord and His revelation, thank God, the BIBLE, the breath of life is still flowing through me, the certainty of divine judgement, the controlling factor of life is the fear of God, the controlling principle of wisdom, the fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge, the fear of the Lord that is wisdom, the Good Book, the Price of Wisdom, the price of wisdom is above rubies, then did he see wisdom, this is the whole duty of man, to a glorious future with Jesus, to depart from evil is understanding, to live joyfully responsibly and wisely, truth, walking with Jesus, we have heard the fame thereof with our ears, Wednesday Wail, weighs the water by measure, whare shall wisdom be found, where is the place of understanding, wisdom, wisdom and understanding can't be purchased with earthly wealth, wisdom dictates that we fear God, with every secret thing, with great aplomb
Job 28:28. And unto man he said, Behold, the fear of the Lord, that is wisdom; and to depart from evil, is understanding.
Good ole Wednesday is up friends! Hope you’re ready to catch your second wind. (smile) And thankfully, it doesn’t seem like today is going to be as hot as the last few days. There’s even a small cloud cover to retract some of the heat. I know it’s been somewhat rough with all the heat and the attendant problems it brings, but if you’re walking with and living for Jesus, we know you’ll handle the situation with great aplomb (smile) because He gives us the strength and the wherewithal to do so. Bless His holy name!
So what are we going to talk about today eh? Who knows? Let me open the Good Library and see what it advises. And lo, and behold, I opened it, and it opened unto the Book of Job, unto an interesting passage of scripture that many of us don’t know. It speaks of the Price of Wisdom. And according to the scholars, ‘Job Chapter 28 is one of the most beautiful poems on wisdom found in the scriptures. After describing how laboriously man works to extract the ores and precious metals from the earth (vs. 1-11), Job raises the ultimate question of the sufferer: where shall wisdom be found? (vs. 12)’
And that’s where we’ll begin. So please read with me: ‘But where shall wisdom be found? and where is the place of understanding? Man knoweth not the price (value) thereof; neither is it found in the land of the living. The depth (deep) saith, It is not in me: and the sea saith, It is not with me. It cannot be gotten for (pure) gold, neither shall silver be weighed for the price thereof. It cannot be valued with the gold of Ophir, with the precious onyx, or the sapphire.
The gold and the crystal cannot equal it: and the exchange of it shall not be for jewels (vessels) of fine (pure) gold. No mention shall be made of coral, or of pearls (quartz or crystal): for the price of wisdom is above rubies. The topaz of Ethiopia shall not equal it, neither shall it be valued with pure gold.’ (Job 28:12-19)
Ah friends, it seems that none of earth’s valuables can purchase those marvellous attributes of wisdom and understanding. No sir! They cannot be purchased with earthly wealth. So where then are they found? That’s Job’s next question. ‘Whence then cometh wisdom? and where is the place of understanding? Seeing it is hid from the eyes of all living, and kept close (concealed) from the fowls of the air (heaven). Destruction and death say, We have heard the fame thereof (the report of it) with our ears.’ (Job 28:20-22) So if no one knows where wisdom and understanding come from, but even death and destruction have heard of it, then what’s man to do?
Job then tells us the source of wisdom and understanding. ‘God understandeth the way thereof, and he knoweth the place thereof. For he looketh to the ends of the earth, and seeth under the whole heaven: To make the weight for the winds; and he weigheth the waters by measure. When he made a decree (set a limit) for the rain, and a way for the lightning of the thunder (thunderbolt): Then did he see it (wisdom), and declare it; he prepared it, yea, and searched it out. And unto man he said, Behold, the fear of the Lord, that is wisdom; and to depart from evil, is understanding.’ (Job. 28:23-28)
Yes friends, those are the issues of wisdom and understanding, and they only come through the Lord God Almighty! And the sooner we recognize and appreciate that, the sooner we will become more effective in our witness for Christ. And as the scholars tell us, ‘wisdom and understanding are only conveyed through the controlling factor of the fear of the Lord. This concept of the fear of the Lord unites all the wisdom books (cf. Prov. 1:7; Eccl. 12:13)’ And we do know those scriptures: Proverbs 1:7, tells us: ‘The fear of the Lord is the beginning (the principal beginning) of knowledge: but fools despise wisdom and instruction.’
And what’s the fear of the Lord you ask? The scholars explain: ‘The fear of the Lord means submission to the Lord and His revelation. When one is afraid of something, he either runs from it or submits to it. The latter idea is in view here. It is a healthy fear, like the fear of electricity or the fear of one’s parents, which causes one to act in an appropriate manner. The beginning does not mean that the fear of the Lord is left behind in the course of acquiring wisdom, but that it is the controlling principle of wisdom.’ So now you know about the beginning and the fear of the Lord. (smile)
Then the verses from Ecclesiastes tells us: ‘Let us hear the conclusion of the whole matter: Fear God, and keep his commandments: for this is the whole duty of man. For God shall bring every work into judgement, with every secret thing, whether it be good, or whether it be evil.’ (Eccl. 12:13-14) And yuh know what my brethren, if Cousin Sol, the wisest man ever says it’s so, then it’s so! No ifs and buts about it. He had the time, the resources and the knowledge to check it all out.
Therefore, we’d better be careful of our earthly doings, for God will bring everything we do to judgement eventually… and we won’t be able to make any simpering excuses then. No, we will have to stand our bounce. So please lets’ wise up now, and begin living the way we ought to. Or, as the scholars point out: ‘God has not answered every problem of life, but He has commanded man to live joyfully, responsibly, and wisely. Finally, the controlling factor of all of life should be the fear of God, that is, submission to God and His revelation. The certainty of divine judgement demands it.’
And Judgement Day will surely come my people! There’s no doubt about that, so please, let’s get prepared! And for those of us who are trying our best to do so, let’s go home declaring (chuh!!!) our Wednesday Wail, letting the whole world know of our wonderful position in Christ Jesus. ‘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!’
Furthermore, it’s been promised that all who endure to the end with Jesus, will enjoy a future so glorious that the human mind cannot imagine or comprehend. So let’s be wise; fear the Lord and endure to the very end, so that we can enjoy that glorious future together! Much LOVE!
…wisdom dictates…that if we’re to fear…the most obvious Being to fear…is our Creator and Controller…
Hear our podcast at https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/randy-obrien
29 Jul 2025
by randyobrien50
in Christian Thoughts and Inspiration., Daily Devotion, Daily Inspiration, Inspirational Living, Spiritual Living
Tags: a belief in divine intervention, a future certainty, a heat warning, All glory be to Jesus, an expectation of positive outcomes, an optimistic state of mind, believers in Christ Jesus, bounden duty, christianity, come to a dead end, come to know and love christ like we do, down in the dumps, every morning is a fresh beginning, faith, faith walk, for what a man sees why does he yet hope for ir, give me new direction, goals vanish, God can make a path through the wilderness, guide my steps, handle anything that comes against us, he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek Him, he that comes to God, holy spirit, hope, hope leads to faith, hope that is seen is not hope, hope thou in God, hope when facing adversity, hurry, I know you never fail, I shall praise him, I take your hand in this place, I will do a new thing, in god's eyes, In Touch Organization, In you I always have hope, Jesus Christ, joy and strength of God, light in the darkness, LOVE, make a way in the wilderness, make a way where there seems to be no way, mercy, must believe that he is, now it shall spring forth, perseverance, rivers in the desert, salvation, share His love with my neighbours, shrouded in darkness, sing a song of praise, strong belief, tempted to feel all is lost, the beloved of God, the BIBLE, the evidence of things not seen, the gospel truth, the health of my countenance and my God, the King of Kings, the Lord of lords, the substance of things hoped for, the trail ahead, the whole wide world, to cherish a desire with anticipation, to expect with confidence, to provide solutions, trust in a higher power, trust my friend Jesus, truth, Tuesday Mantra, we are saved by hope, when plans evaporate, Why art thou cast down o my soul, why art thou disquieted within me, wisdom, with patience we wait for it, without faith it is impossible to please God, without hope you can't have faith, worry, You know the way
Psalm 42:11b. hope thou in God: for I shall praise him, who is the health of my countenance, and my God.
Ah mih people, it was hot yesterday, and it will be hot again today, with a Heat Warning already been issued. But we’ve been longing for summer, and that’s what we’re getting. (smile) Anyhow, we believers in Christ Jesus can handle anything that comes against us, be it human, animal or weather related, for we are assured that we can do anything that’s necessary through our Lord and Saviour who strengthens us! (Phil. 4:13) And all God’s people shouted a loud and grateful: ‘All glory be to Jesus, the King of Kings, and the Lord of Lords!’
And today, we’re going to look at a word that’s ever so important in our faith walk; it’s the word HOPE! And what’s HOPE all about eh? One commentary tells us that ‘Hope is an optimistic state of mind that is based on an expectation of positive outcomes with respect to events and circumstances in one’s own life, or the world at large. As a verb, Merriam-Webster defines hope as “to expect with confidence” or “to cherish a desire with anticipation”.’
But then this other commentary says: ‘What is the Bible definition of hope? The Bible almost never uses the word “hope” the way we do. For us, “hope” refers to something like a “wish” or a “dream.” But in the Bible, “hope” refers to an “expectation”—a future certainty.’ And hope leads to faith, for without hope, you cannot have faith, that strong belief, which as the Bible tells us: ‘is the substance (realization) of things hoped for, the evidence (conviction) of things not seen.’ (Heb. 11:1)
That means hope and faith primarily involve believing for future things, for what is unseen or not yet attained, not something that’s the present reality, already visible, like Bruh Paul writes to the Romans. ‘For we are saved by hope: but hope that is seen is not hope: for what a man seeth, why doth he yet hope for? But if we hope for that we see not, then do we with patience (perseverance) wait for it.’ (Rom. 8:24-25)
And having established our basic definition of HOPE, let’s now turn to the recently issued Prayer Cards by the In Touch Organization and offer up a prayer on that controversial but very important and relevant Christian attitude of HOPE! Please pray with me: ‘Thank You, God, for the hope I have today. The trail ahead is shrouded in darkness, but You’re my light. Though I’m tempted to feel all is lost, I know You never fail. Guide my steps, because You know the way. When plans evaporate and goals vanish, give me new direction. Every morning is a fresh beginning in Your great faithfulness. So I take Your hand in this place and sing a song of praise. In You I always have hope. Amen.’
That’s the end of the official prayer, but the card continues with this wonderful advice: ‘You may think you’ve come to a dead end. But God can make a path through the wilderness.’ And isn’t that the gospel truth, as He’s promised through the prophet Isaiah. ‘Remember ye not the former things, neither consider the things of old. Behold, I will do a new thing; now it shall spring forth; shall ye not know it? I will even make a way in the wilderness, and rivers in the desert.’ (Is. 43:18-19) Yes friends, all through the scriptures the Lord has promised to make a way where there seems to be no way, for those who sincerely believe and trust in Him and His Son Jesus Christ.
As this commentary further explains. ‘The saying “God can make a way where there seems to be no way” expresses a belief in divine intervention and the power of faith to overcome seemingly impossible situations. It’s often associated with verses like Isaiah 43:19, which speaks of God making a way in the wilderness and rivers in the desert. This concept is a common theme in religious and spiritual contexts, emphasizing trust in a higher power to provide solutions and hope even when facing adversity. The saying also offers comfort and encouragement to individuals facing difficult situations, reminding them that they are not alone and that solutions can be found through faith.’
And many of us who have been Christians for a while, will be able to attest to those sentiments, for we have indeed found solutions, comfort and encouragement in our faith journey with Christ. But getting back to the Prayer Card. It offers this verse from Psalm 42, as the basis of our prayer. It only quoted one line: ‘Hope in God, for I shall yet praise him,’ but we’ll quote the whole verse here because it’s very applicable and appropriate to the whole situation of hope and faith.
It’s that famous verse from the pen of the Sons of Korah: ‘Why art thou cast down, O my soul? and why art thou disquieted within me? hope thou in God: for I shall praise him, who is the health of my countenance, and my God.’ (Ps. 42:11) Oh my people, that is such a beautiful and encouraging verse of scripture that it’s quoted twice in Psalm 42 (vs. 5,11) and once in Psalm 43 (vs. 5) It just shows the wonderful, uplifting emotions we can gain from Almighty God when we are down in the dumps, and encourages us to never give up the hope, the promise, the light in the darkness, the joy and strength we find in Him.
Now, with all of that marvelous and miraculous hope built up in our hearts, minds, bodies and souls, (smile) 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 made that statement, it’s now become our bounden duty to go out and share that amazing LOVE and friendship of Christ with others, so that they too can come to know and LOVE Him like we do. Much LOVE!
…but without faith…it is impossible to please God…for he that cometh to God…must believe that he is…and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him… (Heb. 11:6)
Hear our podcast at https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/randy-obrien
26 Jul 2025
by randyobrien50
in Christian Thoughts and Inspiration., Daily Devotion, Daily Inspiration, Inspirational Living, Spiritual Living
Tags: a sense of peace, acceptable to God, actively pursuing peace, against them that do evil, approved of men, be as wool, be devoured with the sword, be not overcome of evil, be red like crimson, be white as snow, be willing and obedient, but righteousness peace and joy in the Holy ghost, cease to do evil, christianity, condemned, deceit, deepen my breath, defend, delivers them out of all their troubles, depart from evil, do good, dwell for evermore, eat the good of the land, end of sermon, evil shall slay the wicked, faith, fall short of the grace of God, follow after the things which make for peace, follow peace with all men, fomenting strife, for our own benefit, from before mine eyes, guilty, He keepeth all his bones, he that desires life and loves many days, his ears are open unto their cry, holiness, holy spirit, I marvel to think, I praise you for your unceasing nearness, I want to be with you now, in all sincerity and truth, increase my awareness of you today, Jesus Christ, judge the fatherless, keep thy tongue from evil, laze around, Lazy-Day Saturday Prayer, learn to do well, lest any man fail, let not your good be evil spoken of, let us reason together, looking diligently, LOVE, make hay while the sun shines, many are the afflictions of the righteous, many be defiled, mercy, none of them that trust in him shall be desolate, overcome evil with good, plead for the widow, put away the evil of your doings, quiet my soul, raise our hopes dreams and faith, relax my muscles, relieved the oppressed, reprove the oppressor, salvation, saveth such as be of a contrite spirit, seasoned instruction, seek justice, seek peace and pursue it, slow my thoughts, spend some intimate time with the Father, teach you the fear of the Lord, thank you for this tenderness, that he may see good, that I may know you all the more, the BIBLE, the face of the Lord, the kingdom of god is not meat and drink, the Lord and His word dont ever change, the Lord is nigh unto them of a broken heart, the Lord redeems the soul of his servants, the Lord's loving-kindness, the mouth of the Lord hath spoken it, the remembrance of them from the earth, the reverence of the Lord, the righteous cry, the root of bitterness springing up trouble you, they that hate the righteous shall be desolate, things wherewith one may edify, thy lips from speaking guile, to cut off, truth, upgrading our witness for Christ, vindicate, wash you make you clean, wisdom, without which no man shall see the Lord, ye refuse and rebel, you can't be contained, your love both surrounds and fills me, your peace and love are present, your sins be as scarlet
Psalm 34:14. Depart from evil, and do good; seek peace, and pursue it.
And then it was Saturday, our lazy-day Saturday, where we don’t have to do anything but laze around, if we so desire. (smile) And since it looks like it’s going to be another hot and hazy day, even with a promise of rain in the afternoon, the wisest thing is to stay inside and enjoy the calm and peace of an air conditioned situation. (smile) And to help us do just that, 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!’
Ah friends, just offering up the words bring a sense of peace and quietness, and when the Lord replies with His LOVING-KINDNESS, then it will be even better. So let’s raise our hopes, our dreams and faith as we spend some quiet, intimate time with the Father, this last Saturday in July 2025. Yes my brethren, July will be finished in less than a week’s time, so let’s make hay while the summer sun still shines by upgrading our witness for Christ. End of Sermon!
And as we promised yesterday, if God spared our lives today, we’d continue looking at the remainder of Psalm 34, as the scholars called it, the section of ‘seasoned instruction that can stem from such a deliverance,’ like Bruh David had from Saul and the Philistines with the Lord’s help. And that section begins thus: ‘Come, ye children, hearken unto me: I will teach you the fear (reverence) of the Lord. What man is he that desireth life, and LOVETH many days, that he may see good? Keep thy tongue from evil, and thy lips from speaking guile (deceit) Depart from evil, and do good; seek peace, and pursue it.’ (Ps. 34:11-14)
Yes my people, if we want to learn the reverence of the Lord those are some of the things we need to do; don’t speak or do evil, but do good and seek peace, and pursue it. As Bruh David says in Psalm 37: ‘Depart from evil, and do good; and dwell for evermore.’ (Ps. 37:27) And as Isaiah proclaims on the Lord’s behalf: ‘Wash you, make you clean; put away the evil of your doings from before mine eyes; cease to do evil; Learn to do well; seek judgement (justice), relieve the oppressed (reprove the oppressor), judge (vindicate or defend) the fatherless, plead for the widow.’ (Is. 1:16-17)
Now those are the things we’re supposed to be doing rather than doing evil and fomenting strife like we’re doing today. And it’s certainly interesting how Isaiah continues that passage. ‘Come now, and let us reason together, saith the Lord: though your sins be as scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they be red like crimson, they shall be as wool. If ye be willing and obedient, ye shall eat the good of the land: But if ye refuse and rebel, ye shall be devoured with the sword: for the mouth of the Lord hath spoken it.’ (Is. 1:18-20)
It’s laid out plain and straightforward my people. If we are obedient to the Lord’s word, we will prosper, if not, we shall be destroyed. And we can see evidence of it in the many heart rending problems that the Israelites faced when they disobeyed God, so why do we think it will be any different today eh? The Lord and His Word don’t change.
And as per peace, let’s note, it’s not only a matter of seeking peace, but actively pursuing it, looking for it, going out of our way to find it and make it happen! Bruh Paul in his epistle to the Romans, also warns us: ‘Let not the your good be evil spoken of: for the kingdom of God is not meat (food) and drink; but righteousness, and peace, and joy in the Holy Ghost. For he that in these things serveth Christ is acceptable to God, and approved of men. Let us therefore follow after the things which make for peace, and things wherewith one may edify (build up) another.’ (Rom. 14:16-19)
And later on the author of Hebrews also encourages us to: ‘Follow (pursue) peace with all men, and holiness, without which no man shall see God. Looking diligently lest any man fail of (fall short of) the grace of God; lest any root of bitterness springing up trouble you, and thereby many be defiled.’ (Heb. 12:1-5) So friends, we see how very important the pursuit of peace is in the believer’s life. And if we don’t actively seek it, we can cause a lot of problems in both our lives and the lives of others.
Then Bruh David continues explaining why we should fear the Lord and do good. ‘The eyes of the Lord are upon the righteous, and his ears are open unto their cry. The face of the Lord is against them that do evil, to cut off (destroy) the remembrance of them from the earth.’ (Ps. 34:15-16) Yes my brethren, the Lord dislikes evil, and has promised to destroy it and all memory of it from His world. Now, we don’t want to be amongst those that are destroyed, do we?
Obviously not! Then listen and inwardly digest these marvellous words of the rest of the psalm. ‘The righteous cry, and the Lord heareth, and delivereth them out of all their troubles. The Lord is nigh unto them that are of a broken heart; and saveth such as be of contrite (crushed ) spirit. Many are the afflictions of the righteous: but the Lord delivereth him out of them all. He keepeth all his bones: not one of them is broken. Evil shall slay the wicked: and they that hate the righteous shall be desolate (condemned or held guilty). The Lord redeemeth the soul of his servants: and none of them that trust in him shall be desolate (condemned or found guilty).’ (Ps. 34:17-22)
Oh my fellow saints, that’s what we have to look forward to when we fear the Lord, do good and not evil, and sincerely pursue peace! There’s nothing better to be gained in all the world! So please, let’s spend some time today contemplating those scriptures and seeing how they fit into our current lives. It can only be to our own amazing benefit. Much LOVE!
…be not overcome of evil…but overcome evil with good… (Rom. 12:21)
Hear our podcast at https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/randy-obrien
25 Jul 2025
by randyobrien50
in Christian Thoughts and Inspiration., Daily Devotion, Daily Inspiration, Inspirational Living, Spiritual Living
Tags: a helluva thing when yuh getting old, a man of many parts, a new flock of believers, a testimony, apologize for wrong date on Bit, be a good witness for Christ, be responsible, blessed is the man that trusteth in him, by the example your faithful believers set, can only have a testimony, change the batteries in the keyboard, changed his behaviour, christianity, computer keyboard, David his ten thousands, David the king of the land, delivered me from all my fears, divine help, faith, feigned himself mad in their hands, feigned madness, fled to a cave in the wilderness, Friday chant, godly coincidence, Goliath's sword, gospel truth, grin and bear it, his praise shall continually be in my mouth, holy spirit, I sought the Lord and he heard me, I will bless the Lord at all times, if God spares life, Jesus Christ, laid up these words in his heart, let his spittle fall down upon his beard, let us exalt His name together, LOVE, mercy, my soul shall make boast in the Lord, narrowly escaping death, O fear the Lord ye his saints, o magnify the Lord with me, O taste and see that the Lord is good, omnipotent help, our chaotic world, praise of one who was redeemed, problems are escalating, psalm 34, radiant, return backsliders to your fold, salvation, saved him out of all his troubles, scrabbled on the doors of the gate, seasoned instruction, seek refuge in your enemy's camp, shrew bread, sinful world, stay safe, Sual hath slain his thousands, suffer hunger, take your own medicine, Thanks be to God, the BIBLE, the computer expert, the error of their ways, the humble shall hear thereof and be glad, the Lord heard him, the poor man cried, the throne of grace, the young lions do lack, their faces were not ashamed, there is no want to them that fear him, they looked at him and were lightened, they that seek the Lord shall not lack any good thing, took these words to heart, trusting faith, truth, unexpected storms, wake up and smell the coffe, wary of his presence, when you've passed a test, wisdom, wise guidance, witness for Christ
Psalm 34:8. O taste and see that the Lord is good: blessed is the man that trusteth him.
Oh friends, please let me apologize this hot, humid and somewhat cloudy Friday morning, for the date error I made on the Bit yesterday, naming it the 23rd of July instead of the 24th. And you would not believe the number of times I usually scrutinize the headings to see if they are correct. And I distinctly remember scrutinizing them yesterday and still found nothing wrong! Ah Lord eh! The devil surely finds ways to disrupt our lives. And believe me he’s doing a very good job right now through this keyboard of mine, where I am typing letters that are either not coming out, or when I hit the space button it doesn’t work and the typing comes out all jumbled up.
Chuh! Typing that last sentence took me a few minutes because I had to go back and fix several pieces of it …hn! hn! hn! Had to fix that last phrase too. (smile) Guess I’ll just have to buy a new keyboard, and this one is barely two years old. But they don’t make them like they did before, and I’m pounding away on this one every day. And you wouldn’t believe how nicely that typed there. (smile) I’ll just have to grin and bear it, as I like to preach. Believe me, it doesn’t feel so fine when you have to take your own medicine.
Hn, hn, hn! Yes friends, I’m laughing, but it’s a laugh of shame. And it’s a good thing that our God does move in mysterious ways yes, because I took a break there just now and was about to buy a new keyboard when the Duchess suggested I first consult my young daughter, the computer expert in the family. And her wise advice was to simply change the batteries in the keyboard. Brother! Did I ever feel foolish, for only then did I remember having that same problem before and simply changing the batteries solved it. It’s a hell of a thing when yuh getting old yes!
But thanks be to God, we solved that most vexing problem! So we can move on now with some serious stuff. Yes, my fellow believers, serious stuff like Psalm 34. A psalm Bruh David wrote after narrowly escaping death at the hands of king Saul. (1 Sam. 21) He lied to the priest Abimelech about being on an important mission for the king and hadn’t had time to collect food or weapons for himself and his men. The priest gave him the shrew (hallowed) bread, the only bread he had, and also gave him Goliath’s sword, the only weapon in his possession. What a godly coincidence (smile) Bruh David using his mortal enemy’s sword. But that’s how our God works.
And having gotten those things, he fled to Gath, the city of the Philistine king Achish seeking refuge from Saul. Imagine the boldness, or stupidity, (smile) of running from your people, to seek refuge in your enemy’s camp. But that’s what you do when you have no choice. Obviously though, the Philistine king was wary of his presence, as his servants recognized Bruh David and said, ‘Is not this David the king of the land? Did they not sing one to another of him in dances, saying, Saul hath slain his thousands, and David his ten thousands.
And David laid up these words in his heart (took these words to heart), and was sore (very much) afraid of Achish the king of Gath. And he changed his behaviour before them, and feigned himself mad in their hands (feigned madness), and scrabbled (scratched) on the doors of the gate, and let his spittle (spit) fall down on upon his beard.’ (1 Sam. 21:11-13) The king believed the mad actions of Bruh David and refused him entry, so he and his men fled to a cave in the wilderness.
Ah friends, Bruh David was indeed a man of many parts, and with God’s help put on a good show. And these are some of the marvellous words that he wrote after that narrow escape. ‘I will bless the Lord at all times: his praise shall continually be in my mouth. My soul shall make her boast in the Lord: the humble shall hear thereof, and be glad. O magnify the Lord with me, and let us exalt his name together. I sought the Lord, and he heard me, and delivered me from all my fears. They looked at him and were lightened (radiant): and their faces were not ashamed.
This poor man cried, and the Lord heard him, and saved him from out of all his troubles. The angel of the Lord encampeth round about them that fear him, and delivereth them. O taste and see that the Lord is good: blessed is the man that trusteth him. O fear the Lord, ye his saints: for there is no want (lack) to them that fear him. The young lions do lack and suffer hunger: but they that seek the Lord shall not want (lack) any good thing.’ (Ps. 34:1-10)
What gospel truth, my people! Those who put their trust in the Lord God Jehovah will not want for anything! And I like how the scholars describe the psalm. They say: ‘It bears all the marks of the testimony of one who narrowly escaped death, just as the passage in Samuel describes. As such, it contains the praise and testimony of one who was redeemed (vs. 1-10) and the seasoned instruction that can stem from such deliverance (vs. 11-22).’ Today we’ve covered the section of praise…and is it ever so encouraging and uplifting and true! Tomorrow, if God spares life, we’ll look at the section of ‘seasoned instruction’ and see what we can gain from it.
Now, let’s go to the throne of grace, through our Friday Chant, seeking divine help for ourselves and our chaotic world. 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!’
And friends, despite our supposedly sincere prayer, we also know that our witness for Christ is not good enough, that’s why our world is in such a disastrous state. So please, let’s get ourselves together and improve our witness nuh. It’s the least we can do, for all that Jesus has done for us. Much LOVE!
…you can only have a testimony…when you’ve passed a test…
Hear our podcast at https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/randy-obrien
23 Jul 2025
by randyobrien50
in Christian Thoughts and Inspiration., Daily Devotion, Daily Inspiration, Inspirational Living, Spiritual Living
Tags: a free gift of God, a great rise in lawlessness, accept Jesus Christ as Lord and Saviour, apostasy, attain eternal life, be not soon shaken in mind, betrayals, blessing and cursing, choose life, choosing eternal life over eternal death, choosing Jesus over Satan, christianity, cry day and night unto him, die by the flesh, embracing evil and ungodliness, endure to the very end with Christ, eternal death, even when faced with adversity, except there come a falling away first, faith, get doing the Lord's work, get our acts together, god moves in mysterious ways, God sent not his Son into the world to condemn it, halfway home, hands on the plough, hath not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God, he that believeth not is condemned already, he that believeth on him is not condemned, he that shall endure to the end, he will avenge them speedily, holy spirit, I call heaven and earth, I have set before you life and death, iniquity shall abound, Jesus Christ, know the truth of God's word, LOVE, many false prophets shall rise, mercy, my eyes are fixed straight ahead, natural disasters, neither be troubled by spirit or word or letter, not looking back at the past, not turning back, our second wind day, our wonderful position in Christ Jesus, persecutions, rumours of wars, salvation, satan a toothless lion, set us free from the bondage of sin, shall God not avenge his own elect, shall he find faith on the earth, thank God, that both thou and thy seed shall live, that man of sin shall be revealed, the antichrist, the BIBLE, the big money question, the breath of life, the death of our spiritual souls, the epitome of wisdom, the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ, the importance of perseverance in prayer, the love of many shall wax cold, the parable of the unjust judge, the potential for faith to wane over time, the same shall be saved, the son of perdition, the wages of sin is death, the world through him might be saved, though he bear long with them, to a glorious future with Jesus, to be carnally minded is death, to be left behind, to be spiritually minded is life and peace, to record this day against you, truth, turning away from God, unwise behaviour, vindicate those who persevere in faith, walk in the flesh, walk in the Spirit, when the Son of man cometh, when the trumpet sounds up yonder, wisdom, wisdom in spades
Luke 18:8. Nevertheless when the Son of man cometh, shall he find faith on the earth?
And then it was Wednesday, our second wind day. But Brother, are these second wind days ever coming up quickly! (smile) The truth is that all the days are moving ahead quickly, waiting for nothing or no one, so we all had better get our acts together and get doing the Lord’s work, because it would be a serious mistake to get left behind when the trumpet sounds up yonder. (smile)
And who says our God isn’t wonderful and moves in mysterious ways eh, for as I opened the Good Library, it opened at that passage in Luke where Jesus was telling the parable of the unjust judge who refused to give justice to a wronged woman, but finally did so when she kept bothering him. What caught my eye though was this very relevant observation of Jesus. ‘Hear what the unjust judge saith. And shall God not avenge (vindicate) his own elect, which cry day and night unto him, though he bear long with them? I tell you that he will avenge (vindicate) them speedily. Nevertheless when the Son of man cometh, shall he find faith on the earth?’ (Luke 18:6-8)
Now that’s the important question in these evil and ungodly times my people! When Jesus returns to earth, how much faithful believers will there be eh? Judging by the way we’re turning away from Him and embracing evil and ungodliness, it might not be a substantial amount, although the Lord has promised to vindicate those who persevere in faith.
And this commentary offers an interesting take on the subject. It says: ‘This question, posed by Jesus, implies a potential decrease in faith among humanity. The parable of the persistent widow in the preceding verses highlights the importance of perseverance in prayer and faith, even when faced with adversity, and contrasts this with the potential for faith to wane over time.’
And there are a couple of scriptures that suggest that very thing, the waning of faith preceding Christ’s return. The first one is Jesus speaking to the disciples re signs of His coming again and the end of the world. He tells them about wars and rumours of wars, a lot of natural disasters, betrayals and persecutions for His sake. ‘And many false prophets shall rise, and shall deceive many. And because iniquity (lawlessness) shall abound, the LOVE of many shall wax (grow) cold. But he that shall endure unto the end, the same shall be saved.’ (Matt. 24:11-13) And right now we are seeing a titanic rise in lawlessness and licentiousness, which are certainly reducing the ranks of the believers.
Then Bruh Paul warns the Thessalonians thus: ‘That ye be not soon shaken in mind, or be troubled, neither by spirit, nor by word, nor by letter as from us, as that day of Christ is at hand (had come). Let no man deceive you by any means: for that day shall not come, except there come a falling away first, and that man of sin be revealed, the son of perdition.’ (2 Thess. 2:2-3)
Now, according to the scholars the Thessalonians were anxious and deeply troubled when Bruh Paul talks about the about the Rapture (our gathering together unto him in vs.1), thinking that the day of Christ had already begun. Then the falling away is the great and final apostasy or repudiation of the Christian faith that will occur at the appearance of the son of perdition, the Antichrist. So Bruh Paul himself is insinuating that when the Antichrist appears there will be a “falling away” or apostasy that will precede the return of Christ.
How sad that will be, for so many will have to face eternal death because of their foolish and unwise behaviour and beliefs. And what makes it even worse is that so many of us know the truth of God’s Word which can set us free from the bondage of sin, but we refuse to accept it for whatever reason. Maybe the attractiveness of sinful behaviour is too powerful for us to resist, or we just LOVE it despite its terrible consequences. For remember if we walk in the flesh, we will die by the flesh, but if we walk in the Spirit of God, we will attain eternal life. ‘For to be carnally minded is death; but to be spiritually minded is life and peace.’ (Rom. 8:6)
Yes friends, only when we follow the leading and guidance of God’s Holy Spirit will we ever enter heaven’s pearly gates and see His wonderful face. And this other scripture verse puts it quite simply but truthfully. ‘For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ.’ (Rom. 6:23) And the beauty of the whole situation is that you don’t have to work hard to get it, because it’s a free gift of God! All you have to do is simply accept Jesus Christ as Lord and Saviour and begin seriously living for Him instead of for Satan.
And Jesus said it very clearly to Nicodemus, the Jewish leader who, fearful of his fellow rulers, came to Him under cover of night seeking answers. ‘For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved. He that believeth on him is not condemned: but he that believeth not is condemned already, because he hath not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God.’ (John 3:17-18)
It could not be more explicit or straightforward than that my brethren! It’s very simple: you believe in Jesus and you live. You don’t believe in Him and you die. Please note we’re speaking of the life and death of our spiritual souls not our physical bodies, for we all shall die a physical death, but the big question is where will our souls go after our physical death? That’s the big money question my fellow believers!
And the answer is in the hands of each of God’s human creations. We each make the final decision as to where we spend eternity. But please, let’s allow wisdom to rule and do like Moses advised the Israelites way back when: ‘I call heaven and earth to record (witness) this day against you, that I have set before you life and death, blessing and cursing: therefore choose life, that both thou and thy seed may live.’ (Deut. 30:19) Now that’s wisdom in spades! And having wisely accepted it (smile) let’s go home declaring 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 there’s an even more glorious future promised to those who endure to the very end with Jesus, one that our finite minds cannot even imagine or comprehend. So let’s endure to the end nuh, so that together, we can enjoy the glorious future with Christ! Much LOVE!
…the epitome of wisdom is…choosing Jesus over Satan…eternal life over eternal death…
Hear our podcast at https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/randy-obrien
20 Jul 2025
by randyobrien50
in Christian Thoughts and Inspiration., Daily Devotion, Daily Inspiration, Inspirational Living, Spiritual Living
Tags: a Christian life begins with total commitment, a crying shame, a permanent dedication, a transfer from a secular to sacred state, all to Him I freely give, All to Jesus I surrender, all to thee my blessed Saviour, anything of good report, anything praiseworthy, as the world turns, be not conformed to this world, be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, being on the job every single day, by the mercies of God, ceremonies, christianity, confidence in God's Promises, consecration, eternal death, eternal life, faith, feel the sacred flame, fill me with thy love and power, glorify God in your body and spirit, glory to his name, God's grace and mercy, good to rededicate ourselves to Christ, holy acceptable unto god, holy spirit, humbly at his feet I bow, I beseech you therefore brethren, I give myself to thee, I surrender all, I will ever love and trust Him, if any man will come after me, in his presence daily live, irrevocable presentation, Jesus Christ, Judson Van De Venter, justifying the believer, let him deny himself, let me feel the Holy Spirit, let thy blessing fall on me, LOVE, love the bright lights, make me Saviour wholly thine, manifested in our outward behaviour, mercy, no doubt about our intentions, prayers, present your bodies a living sacrifice, refuse to walk the walk daily, reignites our faith, renewing our faith in christ, rituals, sacrifices of praise, salvation, saved from our sins, surrender yourself to God, take me Jesus take me now, take up his cross daily and follow me, talk a good talk, Thank you Jesus, the Battlefield of the mind, the BIBLE, the comfortable life, the corruptible material possessions, the cost of discipleship, the day of rest, the joy of full salvation, the Lord desires obedience, think on these things, to shirk our duty to Christ, total commitment, truly know that thou art mine, truth, uplifts our souls, voices of praise and thanksgiving, we owe Christ a debt we can never repay, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are true, wisdom, worldly pleasures all forsaken, ye are bought with a price, ye are not your own, ye may prove the good and perfect will of God, your body is the temple of the holy Ghost, your reasonable service
Romans 12:2a. And be not conformed to this world: but he ye transformed by the renewing of your mind,
And as the world turns, we’ve come to Sunday, the day the Lord rested after creating the universe and all therein. And He also expects us to rest, as well as gather in worship on that day, remembering all that He’s done for us, with voices of praise and thanksgiving, while renewing our faith, our strength and confidence in Him and His awesome promises.
So, here we are, gathered as required, and we’ll open today’s celebrations with a most appropriate hymn, titled, ‘All to Jesus I Surrender.’ Yes my fellow believers, that’s something we need to do, before we can truly appreciate and experience God’s goodness, grace and mercy. For above all else the Lord desires obedience in His followers, and you can’t be truly obedient until you let all of yourself go to Him.
The author of the hymn is an American Hymnwriter, one Judson W. Van DeVenter, (1855-1939) and it’s believed he wrote it around 1896. This commentary tells us that ‘The song is about consecration, which literally means ‘association,’ but for religious purposes, it signifies a transfer from a secular or profane state to a sacred one, for a special purpose or service. It involves a dedication that is intended to be permanent and can’t be easily revoked or repeated. It often involves rituals, prayers, and ceremonies specific to the religion or tradition.’
And today we’re going to reconsecrate ourselves to Christ as we sing and praise and worship and give thanks. So, let’s raise our sacrifices of praise in a soulful, heartfelt, sincere, mid-tempo version, leaving no doubt whatsoever about our intentions. Singing: ‘All to Jesus I surrender. All to Him I freely give; I will ever LOVE and trust Him, In His presence daily live. (Refrain: I surrender all, I surrender all; All to Thee, my blessed Saviour, I surrender all.)
All to Jesus I surrender, Humbly at His feet I bow, Worldly pleasures all forsaken. Take me, Jesus, take me now. (Refrain:) All to Jesus I surrender, Make me, Saviour, wholly Thine; Let me feel the Holy Spirit, Truly know that Thou art mine. (Refrain:) All to Jesus I surrender, Lord, I give myself to Thee; Fill me with Thy LOVE and power, Let Thy blessing fall on me. (Refrain:)
All to Jesus I surrender, Now I feel the sacred flame; Oh, the joy of full salvation! Glory, glory, to His name! (Refrain: I surrender all, I surrender all; All to Thee, my blessed Saviour, I surrender all…I surrender all, I surrender all; All to Thee, my blessed Saviour, I surrender all… All to Thee, my blessed Saviour, I surrender all…’
That was wonderful friends! And as always, heaven was singing along with us, for they just LOVE any opportunity to sing of and celebrate Jesus. And it’s ever so good to rededicate ourselves to Christ every week that we gather in His sanctuary, as it renews our spirits, reignites our faith, and uplifts our souls, for He’s all that we ever need in this world. And all God’s children said a loud and grateful, ‘Thank You Jesus!’
And when we wonder why we need to surrender all to Jesus, we must remember that it’s the cost of discipleship, you cannot be a disciple of Jesus unless you are willing to give it all up for His sake. And Jesus laid it out very clearly to the disciples, and to us. ‘If any man will (desires to) come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow me.’ (Luke 9:23) And my brethren, the most important word in that sentence is ‘daily.’
Yes, because being a sincere disciple of Jesus means being on the job every day, not just when the feeling takes us. And that’s why a lot of us don’t do such a good job at discipleship, we talk a good talk, but refuse to walk the walk DAILY. Furthermore, too many of us dislike the very idea of denying ourselves, but please remember what Jesus did for us. He selflessly denied His heavenly life to come to earth as a man and give His life so that we could be saved from our sins and receive eternal life instead of eternal death!
Now that most definitely means we owe Christ a debt we can never repay! And what could be more important than doing the little in our power eh? Nothing! But we so LOVE the bright lights, the corruptible material possessions and the good, comfortable life, that we cringe, both physically and mentally, at giving up any of it, even to save our own souls.
And I believe this verse from Bruh Paul to the Romans gives us good enlightenment as to what our behaviour should be. He writes: ‘I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable (rational) service.’ (Rom. 12:1)
And what does all of that mean? The scholars tell us: ‘By the mercies of God summarizes all that God has accomplished for the believer in Romans chapters 1-11. In justifying the believer (chs. 1-5), enabling him to live a righteous life (chs. 6-8), and being faithful to Israel (chs. 9-11). That ye present refers to a definite act of presentation. The verb is used of offering a sacrifice that became “holy” under the Levitical system (cf. Ex. 29:37).
This shows that the Christian life begins with total commitment and irrevocable presentation. And as per Your bodies: The body has been an instrument of sin (chs. 6). Now it is to be presented to God as a channel through which the righteousness of God is manifested.’
So you see my fellow believers, our body is a temple of the Lord, as Bruh Paul writes to the Corinthians: ‘What? know ye not that your body is the temple of the Holy Ghost which is in you, which ye have of God, and ye are not your own? For ye are bought with a price: therefore glorify God in your body, and in your spirit, which are God’s.’ (1 Cor. 6:19-20) It could not be said any plainer or more straightforward than that my people! We do not belong to ourselves, but to God, therefore we must behave as such, in body, mind and spirit.
And how do we do that? Hear this practical advice from Bruh Paul to the Romans. ‘And be not conformed to this world: but he ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good and acceptable, and perfect, will of God.’ (Rom. 12:2) Yes friends, all changes begin in the mind. That’s why we talk about the battlefield of the mind, for there the battle between good and evil, God and Satan continually rages, and the winner is shown through our outward behaviour.
Therefore we need to keep very good and close control of our thoughts, and keep recycling, refreshing and renewing godly ones to keep the enemy out. It’s as Bruh Paul advices the Philippians: ‘Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest (noble), whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise (anything praiseworthy), think (meditate) on these things.’ (Phil. 4:8)
So my fellow saints, let’s do our best to renew our minds by thinking on the right things, and keeping ourselves busy with the right activities, that we can do our duty to our Lord and Saviour, Jesus Christ! Much LOVE!
…it’s a crying shame…that so many supposed believers…knowingly shirk their duty to Christ…
Hear our podcast at https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/randy-obrien
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