18 May 2025
by randyobrien50
in Christian Thoughts and Inspiration., Daily Devotion, Daily Inspiration, Inspirational Living, Spiritual Living
Tags: a foundation for faith, a prayer for God, a soulful rendition, a source of comfort and assurance, abide with me, abounding in the work of the Lord, be able to comfort those in trouble, be ye steadfast unmovable, before my closing eyes, blessed be God, by the comfort wherewith we ourselves are comforted of God, caring for the sick and needy, change and decay, christianity, comes down from the Father of lights, comforts flee, death is swallowed up in victory, defeat the evils of the world, do another good week's work, earth's joys grow dim, earth's vain shadows flee, every good gift, every passing hour, every perfect gift is from above, faith, farewell sermon, fast falls the eventide, fellowship, foil the tempter's power, God's immutability, God's promises and character remain constant, God's unchanging nature, grace to thwart Satan's power, great fervour, guide thee with mine eye, heaven's morning breaks, help of the helpless, Henry Francis Lyte, hold thou thy cross, I am the Lord I change not, I fear no foe, I need thy presence, I triumph still if thou abide in me, I will instruct thee, if ye abide in me and my words abide in you, ills have no weight, in death, in Jesus' name, in life, inspired, invigorated, it's glories pass away, Jesus Christ, Lord and Sovereign of the universe, Lord with me abide, LOVE, mercy, my grace is sufficient for thee, my guide and say can be, my strength is made perfect in weakness, neither shadow of turning, other helpers fail, point me to the skies, rebuilding faith, run our race of faith, salvation, sense of confidencere, shine through gloom, Sunday morning, sweet sacrifices of praise, teach thee in the way thou shall go, tears no bitterness, Thank you Jesus, thanks be to God who gives us the victory, the BIBLE, the darkness deepens, the Father of Jesus, the Father of mercies, the God of All Comfort, the great I AM, the stable nature of God, the sting of death is sin, the strength of sin is the law, the very essence of our God, thou who changest not, through cloud and sunshine, throughout life, to stay with the speaker, truth, tuberculosis, Victoria Day long weekend, what but thy grace, where grave thy victory, where is death's sting, who comforts us in our tribulation, who like thyself can be, wisdom, with thee at hand to bless, with whom is no variableness, ye shall ask what ye will, your labour is not in vain
John 15:7. ‘If ye abide in me, and my words abide in you, ye shall ask what ye will, and it shall be done unto (for) you.’
Sunday morning, Victoria Day long weekend, celebrations in the air, though with the strong winds that are blowing again like yesterday, those celebrations may have to be mainly indoors. But first, fellowship with the Father and each other! Yes friends, that’s always the most important part of a Sunday, for without that we would not be invigorated and inspired to go out and do another good week’s work in Jesus’ name! And for that wonderful sense of confidence and faith rebuilding, we give Him much thanks and praise, of which He’s so worthy! And all God’s children said a loud and grateful, ’Thank You Jesus!’
Today we’ll open our fellowship session with a wonderful old hymn ‘Abide With Me,’ written by Henry Francis Lyte (1793-1847) which captures that faith and trust we have in Almighty God. It appears that young Lyte was adopted from an orphanage at nine years old by an Irish Minister, Dr. Robert Borrows, who, although he already had five children put Lyte through school up to Trinity College in Dublin, where he won prizes and scholarships for poetry.
After graduating in 1814, he became an ordained Anglican Minister. Then it seems he threw himself into his work with great fervour, and with his wife Anna, spent his days caring for the sick and needy, which made him ill, he contracted tuberculosis and had to journey to France every winter to regain his health. But apparently in early September of 1847, he gave his farewell sermon which included the lyrics to ‘Abide With Me,’ and died shortly thereafter from his illness. So, let’s offer up our sweet sacrifices of praise in a soulful rendition of this marvellous hymn, one that’s basically a prayer for God to stay with the speaker throughout life and in death.
Singing: ‘Abide with me; fast falls the eventide; the darkness deepens; Lord, with me abide. When other helpers fail and comforts flee, Help of the helpless, O abide with me. Swift to its close ebbs out life’s little day; earth’s joys grow dim; its glories pass away; change and decay in all around I see; O thou who changest not, abide with me. I need thy presence every passing hour. What but thy grace can foil the tempter’s power? Who, like thyself, my guide and stay can be? Through cloud and sunshine, Lord, abide with me.
I fear no foe, with thee at hand to bless; ills have no weight, and tears no bitterness. Where is death’s sting? Where grave thy victory? I triumph still if thou abide in me. Hold thou thy cross before my closing eyes; shine through the gloom and point me to the skies. Heaven’s morning breaks, and earth’s vain shadows flee; in life, in death, O Lord, abide with me.’
Oh my people, what marvellous words and sentiments that catch the very essence of our God! What can be wiser than asking God to stay with you as the darkness falls, for He is the Great I Am; the Omnipotent One, the Lord and Sovereign of the Universe, and no one else can protect you better than Him! And what about these words? ‘When other helpers fail and comforts flee, Help of the helpless, O abide with me.’ Our God is indeed the Help of the helpless and the God of all comfort,’ as Bruh Paul writes to the church at Corinth.
‘Blessed be God, even the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies, and the God of all comfort; Who comforteth us in all our tribulation, that we may be able to comfort them which are in any trouble (tribulation), by the comfort wherewith we ourselves are comforted of God.’ (2 Cor. 1:3-4) What a great scripture that is my brethren, and every time I read it, the very idea of our heavenly Father comforting us so that we can comfort others, touches something in me, raises my appreciation of our awesome God.
Then, while the joys of the world grow dim, its glories pass away through changes and decay, whom do we call on but ‘Thou who changest not.’ And the prophet Malachi tells it like it is: ‘For I am the Lord, I change not; therefore ye sons of Jacob are not consumed.’ (Mal. 3:6) And this commentary explains that verse thus: ‘It emphasizes God’s unchanging nature and His unwavering character. This immutability serves as a source of comfort and assurance, highlighting that God’s promises and character remain constant, providing a foundation for faith.’
James, Jesus’ brother also informs us that, ‘Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and cometh down from the Father of lights, with whom is no variableness (variation), neither shadow of turning.’ (James 1:17) There again we see the unchanging and very stable nature of our God, upon whom we can cast our complete trust. And do we ever need His presence every hour, for it’s only His grace can help us to thwart Satan’s power, and we clearly see that when Bruh Paul asks for the thorn in his flesh to be removed. The Lord simply informs him: ‘My grace is sufficient for thee: for my strength (power) is made perfect in weakness.’ (2 Cor. 12:9a)
As one commentary says: ‘This implies that when we are facing challenges or weaknesses, God’s grace is available to provide us with what we need to overcome them, even if the weakness remains.’ Glory be to the Most High God Jehovah! For whom else can guide and keep us like thee eh? As Bruh David says of the Lord in Psalm 32: ‘I will instruct thee and teach thee in the way which thou shalt go: I will guide thee with mine eye.’ (Ps. 32:8)
And what confidence and trust these marvellous words and sentiments bring: ‘I fear no foe, with thee at hand to bless; ills have no weight, and tears no bitterness. Where is death’s sting? Where, grave, thy victory? I triumph still, if thou abide with me.’ Now that’s for sure my people! We will triumph because Christ has triumphed over, hell, death and the grave. As Bruh Paul writes to the Corinthians: ‘Death is swallowed up in victory. O death, where is thy sting? O grave (hades), where is thy victory? The sting of death is sin; and the strength of sin is the law. But thanks be to God, which giveth us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.’ (1 Cor. 15:54b-57)
Now aren’t those all great reasons for wanting the Lord to abide in us? Of course! But there’s also another side to the coin, as Jesus puts it: ‘If ye abide in me, and my words abide in you, ye shall ask what ye will, and it shall be done unto (for) you.’ (John 15:7) And the best way to do that is as Bruh Paul advises. ‘Therefore, my beloved brethren, be ye steadfast, unmovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, for asmuch as ye know that your labour is not in vain (futile) in the Lord.’ (1 Cor. 15:58)
And we could not get any better advice than that, so please, this Victoria Day Sunday, let’s take it and run our race of faith with it nuh! Much LOVE!
…only as we abide in Christ…and He in us…can we ever defeat the evils of this world…
Hear our podcast at https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/randy-obrien
17 May 2025
by randyobrien50
in Christian Thoughts and Inspiration., Daily Devotion, Daily Inspiration, Inspirational Living, Spiritual Living
Tags: a mixture of cloud and sun, a relationship with God, all should come to repentance, and live ye, breaks his heart, brings tears of joy to his eyes, brings tears of sadness to his eyes, cherished moments, christianity, come as a thief in the night, come unto the knowledge of truth, deepen my breath, desire to get intimate with God, Eli Eli lama sabachthani, eternal life, faith, for your unceasing nearness, God sent not his son into the world, God's desire for reconciliation, God's universal desire for salvation, good vibes, have I any pleasure at all, holy spirit, I have no pleasure, I may know you all the more, I want to be with you now, imminent duties, in the death of them that dieth, in the sight of God our Saviour, increase my awareness of you today, Jesus Christ, Lazy-Day Saturday Prayer, Lord I praise you, LOVE, mercy, My God my God, not willing that any should perish, quiet my soul, relax my muscles, return from his ways and live, salvation, Saturday, shall be burned up, slow my thoughts, thank you for this tenderness, that the wicked should die, the apocalyptic judgement, the BIBLE, the day of the Lord, the earth also, the earth and the works therein, the elements shall melt with fervent heat, the Great tribulation, the heavens shall pass away, the ideal day for positive thinking, the knowledge of the truth, the Lord is not slack concerning His promise, the painful destiny we're creating, the peace that surpasses all understanding, the Rapture, the world through him might be saved, this is good and acceptable, to condemn the world, truth, turn yourselves, ungrateful sinners, unsettled weather, warms the cockles of God's heart, weighed down with the sins of the world, when the time was right, who will have all men to be saved, why hast thou forsaken me, wisdom, with a great noise, you can't be contained, your love both surrounds and fills me, your peace and love are present
1 Timothy 2:4. Who will have all men to be saved, and to come unto the knowledge of the truth.
And though the weather seems somewhat unsettled, being a mixture a of cloud and sun, after a thunder storm in the early morning hours, nonetheless, as one friend wrote me; ‘Saturday is the ideal day for positive thinking, cherished moments, and good vibes! Glory be! Yes friends, a lazy-day Saturday is ideal for those kinds of sentiments, since you don’t have to rush out to work or have too many imminent duties, so you can relax and let the good vibes flow. (smile) And there’s no better way to begin than with offering 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 if our prayer was truly sincere, if the Lord checked our hearts and saw that we really wanted to get closer to Him, then we’ll soon be feeling the calm and peace that surpasses all human understanding. For, as I keep reminding us, there’s nothing our God desires more than His human creation wanting to get more intimate with Him, since that’s one of the major reasons He created us. So when we truly desire to have fellowship with Him, it titillates His Spirit, brings tears of joy to His eyes, and warms the cockles of His heart like nothing else can. (smile)
However, the reverse is also true; when we refuse to have close fellowship with Him, or any fellowship at all, as so many of us are currently doing, it breaks His heart, brings tears of sadness to His eyes, for He knows the sad and painful destiny that we’re creating for ourselves. Remember what Bruh Paul wrote to Timothy: ‘For this is good and acceptable in the sight of God our Saviour; Who will have all men to be saved, and to come unto the knowledge of the truth.’ (1 Tim. 2:3-4)
Yes my brethren, the Lord doesn’t want to lose even one of His human creation. This verse highlights God’s universal desire for salvation and the knowledge of truth. And as this commentary explains: ‘The phrase “the Lord wants all to come to salvation” is a common way to express a belief that God desires for everyone to be saved and to have a relationship with Him. This concept is rooted in biblical passages that emphasize God’s LOVE and desire for all people to be reconciled to Him.’
And you can see that in scripture after scripture of the Bible. After Adam and Eve brought sin into the world, God’s manifested desire to was to root it out and bring us back to His holy and righteous fold, by giving us salvation through forgiveness of sins, which, when the time was right, He executed through His Son, Jesus Christ!
Oh my people, there can be no doubt that the Lord wants all His human creation to come back to Him, else why would He bend over backwards, even break His own heart, by sacrificing His One Son, on the cross of Calvary? Because the price of sin had to be paid so that forgiveness could be offered, and since Christ was the ONLY sinless person in the universe, He was the ONLY One who could pay the price for our sins. And don’t you think it grieved the Lord greatly to destroy His wonderful Son for a bunch of ungrateful sinners?
Of course! Just consider these hurting and heartfelt words of Christ on the cross nuh. The Bible tells us: ‘And about the ninth hour Jesus cried with a loud voice, saying, Eli, Eli, lama sabachthani? that is to say, My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me?’ (Matt. 27:46) Now Jesus knew that He became man to pay for the sins of mankind, but when that awful moment of separation from the Father came, He could not stop Himself from bewailing the situation, for it was the first time they were ever separated, and He knew that the Father could not look at Him with pleasure, weighed down with the sins of the world as He was.
And if you still don’t believe that the Lord wants everyone to be saved, then listen to these other verses that spell out His great desire. In the Old Testament, the prophet Ezekiel, declares: ‘Have I any pleasure at all that the wicked should die? saith the Lord God: and not that he should return from his ways, and live?’ (Ezek. 18:23) And later in that same chapter, he again declares: ‘For I have no pleasure in the death of him that dieth, saith the Lord God: wherefore turn yourselves, and live ye.’ (Ezek. 18:32)
It’s obvious the Lord doesn’t want the wicked to die, but they will, if they don’t turn from their evil ways. That’s just the law of the kingdom. And Jesus himself said it thus: ‘For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved.’ (John 3:17) That was God’s whole purpose; saving mankind…that is those who wanted to be saved.
And Peter adds a l’il extra something to his verse, when He says: ‘The Lord is not slack concerning his promise, as some men count slackness; but is long suffering to us-ward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance.’ (2 Pet. 3:9) Yes, my fellow believers, Peter is there telling us about God’s patience and longsuffering, waiting for us to come to the salvation He so badly wants us all to have.
However, He will not wait forever, as Peter continues: ‘But the day of the Lord will come as a thief in the night; in the which the heavens shall pass away with a great noise, and the elements shall melt with fervent heat, the earth also and the works therein shall be burned up.’ (2 Pet. 310)
Now that’s not the Rapture, which would have happened before, but the return of Christ in the final apocalyptic judgment. So even if you did not make it in the Rapture, you still have the years of the Great Tribulation to repent and receive salvation, though they will be very evil and terrible years. But after that, there are no more chances, so please, I Implore us, let’s be wise and take hold of God’s great gift of Salvation and Eternal Life right now nuh, so that we won’t miss out on it. Much LOVE!
…though mankind unwisely sinned against God…God in His great LOVE and mercy…still provided a way out through Jesus…but for only so long…
Hear our podcast at https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/randy-obrien
15 May 2025
by randyobrien50
in Christian Thoughts and Inspiration., Daily Devotion, Daily Inspiration, Inspirational Living, Spiritual Living
Tags: a positive outlook on life, abundance, adversity, become discouraged, by experience, by God's grace, christianity, Christians, consider him, courage, creativity, curse, despising the shame, divine protection, doing what pleases you, encompassed about with, endurance, endured the cross, entitled to the easy life, faint in your souls, Father You are good, favour, finish strong, for a long duration, for the joy that was set before him, fulfilment, get a move on, give me stamina, God-given purpose, good family, good freinds, good health, help me persevere, hold on through every test, holy spirit, I will trust you, if God spares life, In Touch Ministry, Jesus Christ, Jesus is the best example of endurance, Jesus will keep you on course, lay aside every weight, lest ye be wearied and faint in your minds, lest you become discouraged, live a Christ-like life, looking unto Jesus, lose sight of the goal, LOVE, mercy, negative word, not giving up easily, perform an exercise, perseverance, produce good fruit for God, promotion, prosper, run well, run with patience, salvation, set down at the right hand of the throne of God, so great a cloud of witnesses, stay focused on Jesus, stick to the job at hand regardless of the problems, stress, succeed, talent, thank you calling me, that endured such hostility of sinners, the ability to withstand hardship, the author and finisher of our faith, the BIBLE, the goodness of God, the race that is set before us, the sin which so easily ensnares us, to complete the work you begin in me, to endure trials, to sustain a prolonged effort, to the end, to this journey of growth in Christ, truth, use our blessings to help others, when you want to give up look to Jesus, wisdom, your promise
Hebrews 12:3. For consider him that endured such contradiction (hostility) of sinners against himself, lest ye be wearied and faint (be discouraged) in your minds (souls).
And so we come to Thursday, the second to last day of our work week, but please note that it’s also the middle of May, which means the month is quickly slipping by and we’ve got to get a move on, if we hope to do our jobs, and produce good fruit for God. And one of the basic and most important things we need to accomplish our God-given purpose is ENDURANCE!
And what’s that? This commentary describes it thus: ‘Endurance, in general, refers to the ability to withstand hardship, adversity, or stress, particularly the ability to sustain a prolonged effort or activity. In a physical context, it refers to the body’s ability to perform an exercise or activity for a long duration, encompassing both cardiovascular and muscular endurance.’
In other words, it’s the ability to stick to the job at hand regardless of the problems we may face, of not giving up easily. In fact, remember in Christ’s economy, the term ‘giving up’ does not exist. (smile) And how do we get endurance? Like most other things by experience and by God’s grace. The Bible is full of talk about the importance of endurance or persevering. But before we get into the scriptures, let’s offer up this interesting prayer on the subject from the Prayer Cards recently published by the In Touch Ministry.
Please pray with me: ‘Father, You are so good. Thank You for calling me to this journey of growth in Christ. I want to run well and finish strong. Don’t let me lose sight of the goal. Help me persevere in doing what pleases You and discarding what doesn’t. When I become discouraged, give me stamina to endure trials and hold on through every test. Thank You for Your promise to complete the work You begin in me. I will trust You and stay focused on Jesus to the end. Amen!’
Now, that’s certainly a stimulating and encouraging prayer! And the scripture associated with that prayer is one we all know: ‘Wherefore seeing (since) we also are compassed about with (surrounded by) so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which doth so easily beset (ensnare) us, and let us run with patience (perseverance, endurance) the race that is set before us.
Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher (originator and perfector) of our faith, who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God. For consider him that endured such contradiction (hostility) of sinners against himself, lest ye be wearied and faint (be discouraged) in your minds (souls).’ (Heb. 12:1-3)
Oh friends that’s a mighty scripture on endurance, for we have the best example ever of it in the earthly life of Jesus, who despite all the shame and hostility and abuse and suffering He faced, got the job the done! Yes, Christ persevered through all the misfortune and problems that came His way, and He also expects us to do the same. And we’ll stop here for today, since there’s many more scriptures to look at on the subject of endurance. Tomorrow, if God spares life we’ll continue on that topic.
Remember through, that living for Jesus is not always easy, but He provides us with what we need to do the job He’s called us to do. And to tell the truth, we have it so much easier now than believers did back then, for we have all the accoutrements and scriptures and the things that make it easier to live a life of Christ-like endurance. But it’s still not easy, especially for us who believe we’re entitled to the easy life. (smile)
However, our God, in His awesome goodness has certainly helped by granting us undeserved blessings, that we call our Thursday Blessings, to help us do His earthly work. So you see, we indeed have all the tools to do our God-given tasks. Now, let’s go home declaring (chuh man!!!) and thus activating those blessings.
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 (awright!!!), it now behooves us to go out and use those blessings to help others, just as generously as God did with us, so that they too can come to know and LOVE Him, like we do! Much LOVE!
…when you want to give up…look to Jesus…He will keep you on course….
Hear our podcast at https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/randy-obrien
14 May 2025
by randyobrien50
in Christian Thoughts and Inspiration., Daily Devotion, Daily Inspiration, Inspirational Living, Spiritual Living
Tags: a change of conduct, a change of mind, a complete change of attitude towards God, after John was imprisoned, all are to repent, believe in the gospel, bring so much joy, by God's grace, christianity, Christians, despite the life threatening consequences, discomfort of the noise, endure to the very end with Christ, eternal life, extending into humanity, eyes fixed straight ahead, faith, God sent forth his son, God taking a greater interest in humanity, halfway home, hands on the plough, holy spirit, in leading a man to repentance, it will soon be summer, Jesus begins his official ministry, Jesus came into Galilee, Jesus Christ, John the Baptist, lawn mowers, laying the groundwork of the message, LOVE, made of woman, made under the law, make his paths straight, men are born again, mercy, new intensity, not just outwardly, not turning back, preaching in the wilderness of Judaea, preaching the gospel of the kingdom of God, prepare ye the way of the Lord, putting trust in jesus Himself, putting trust in Jesus' message, repent, salvation, stay the course with Jesus, still flowing through me, summer nemesis, thank God, the BIBLE, the breath of life, the forerunner of Jesus, the forgiveness of sins, the fullness of time, the good news, the kingdom of God is at hand, the kingdom of heaven is at hand, the process of conversion, the promised Messiah, the result of God's mercy, the sphere of God's sovereign rule, the time is fulfilled, the voice of one crying in the wilderness, to a glorious future with Jesus, truth, turning from sin to righteousness, Wednesday Wail, wisdom, with the heart
Mark 1:15. ‘The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand (near): repent ye, and believe (in) the gospel.’
Ah friends, we’re usually on the late bus on a Wednesday because of attendance to my small church group, but today I left there later than usual and had to make a stop before coming home. So, by the time I got home, I was tired and needed a nap. That means we’re on the late, late bus today, (smile) but the important thing is that we’re on the bus! Glory Be!
And sadly my summer nemesis, the noise from lawn mowers have begun. Brother! All hours of the day, the blooming things are running around the neighbour. Even just now, during my nap time one started up and disturbed me. I guess my neighbours don’t consider the discomfort the noise causes the old folks in the neighbourhood, (smile) and even my own lawn maintenance person comes early on a Monday morning and disturbs me. What makes his disturbance even worse is that he does a few houses in the lane, so he’s around for a fairly long time.
But the good news is that it will soon be truly summer, so hopefully that will bring so much joy, that we won’t be as annoyed by the constant lawn mower noise. (smile) Enough of my griping though, let’s see what the Lord wants to tell us today. And the Good Library just opened at the Book of Mark where Jesus was about to begin His official ministry. The scripture says: ‘Now after John (the Baptist) was put in prison, Jesus came into Galilee, preaching the gospel of the kingdom of God, and saying, ‘The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand (near): repent ye, and believe (in) the gospel.’ (Mark 1:14-15)
Yes friends, Jesus started out by preaching of the kingdom of God and it’s nearness, as well as the necessity for man to believe what He said. And the scholars offer this explanation. ‘Jesus’ proclamation stresses the importance of that present time. The sphere of God’s sovereign rule is extending into humanity with new intensity. All, even Israel, are to repent, by God’s grace, turning from sin and to righteousness, not just outwardly but with the heart. Along with repenting must come believing, putting trust in Jesus’ message (and thus right from the start, to some extent in Jesus Himself.’
And if we remember, it was the same message that John the Baptist came preaching, as the gospel of Matthew recounts: ‘In those days came John the Baptist, preaching in the wilderness of Judaea, and saying, Repent ye: for the kingdom of heaven is at hand. For this is he that was spoken of by the prophet Esaias (Isaiah), saying, The voice of one crying in the wilderness, Prepare ye the way of the Lord, make his paths straight.’ (Matt. 3:1-3)
Yes my fellow believers, John the Baptist was the forerunner of Jesus, preaching the same message, getting things started for Him. How wonderful to have a cousin like that, putting himself out there to lay the groundwork for your message, despite the danger and life threatening consequences to himself. But that was what he was born for! No wonder we say that God moves in mysterious ways.
Now, let’s check out the meaning of some of the individual words that Jesus used. We’ve already seen that the ‘time is fulfilled’ means that after the many promises made in the Old Testament and then those of John, God was going to take a greater interest in humanity, by now sending His promised Messiah. And the first thing mankind had to do was repent. So what does repent mean?
The scholars tell us ‘that means a change of mind that results in a change of conduct. Repentance is not merely sorrow. It involves a complete change of attitude regarding God and sin and is often accompanied by a sense of sorrow and a corresponding change in conduct. Such repentance does not arise within man himself, but is the result of God’s mercy in leading man to it. (Acts 5:31; Rom. 2:4; 2 Tim. 2:25). Thus repentance involves the very process of conversion whereby men are born again. John’s message of repentance was necessary in order to prepare people for the kingdom of heaven which was at hand.’
I guess because John only emphasized that the time was coming, when Jesus Himself took up the baton, He could say that the time is fulfilled, the time is here. And, as per the scholars, the phrases, ‘kingdom of heaven,’ and ‘kingdom of God,’ can be used interchangeably, but Matthew possibly substituted ‘heaven for God’ because of his Jewish emphasis, and the fact that many Jews considered it blasphemous to refer to God by name. But the phrase ‘kingdom of God,’ is used more frequently by Mark and Luke.
Then there was believing the gospel, which the scholars already told us was putting trust in Jesus’ message as well as in Jesus Himself. And that’s the same thing we’re expected to do today my fellow saints. The Messiah has come, the kingdom of God has come, and we’re required to repent and believe the good news of the gospel, and it is indeed good news. For how else would you characterize forgiveness of sins, salvation and eternal life eh? Nothing else but GOOD NEWS! And who doesn’t’ want good news eh, especially in these deceitful and turbulent times? Only fools!
And since we’re not fools, 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 believe me friends, if we endure with Jesus right to the very end, then that future will be even more glorious than we can ever ask or imagine. So let’s stay the course with Jesus nuh, so that we can enjoy that most glorious future together! Much LOVE!
…but when the fullness of time was come…God sent forth his son…made of a woman… made under the law… (Gal. 4:4)
Hear our podcast at https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/randy-obrien
13 May 2025
by randyobrien50
in Christian Thoughts and Inspiration., Daily Devotion, Daily Inspiration, Inspirational Living, Spiritual Living
Tags: a mass reproduction of Christ, a season of inexplicable stuff, after that ye have suffered a while, all that is now so mysterious, all things work together for good, be the first born among many brethren, beholding as in a glass the glory of God, by Christ Jesus, by the Spirit of the Lord, called according to His purpose, called us into his eternal glory, changed from glory to glory, changed into the same image, christianity, Christians, clinging to you hopefully, confidently, conformed to the image of his Son, cry out for help, despite the drain and strain, determined to wait to trust, faith, faith means believing in what you cannot see, fresh depths of insight, from glory to glory, get a bit much to bear, grace grows best in winter, grin and bear it, grow in spiritual maturity, he also did predestinate, holy spirit, hurry, I anticipate new perspectives, in god's eyes, Jesus Christ, judge not that ye might not be judged, lock stock and barrel, LOVE, make you perfect, mercy, no easy steps in conforming, O God ...My God, One Year Book of Bible promises, pet peeves, process of transformation, puny understanding, rely on your faithfulness, Ruth Harms Calkin, salvation, Samuel Rutherford, saturated with the lustful and carnal things of the world, share His love with my neighbours, sit outside in shirt sleeves, some sense of understanding, spiritual maturity, teaching me, the abiding presence of God, the beloved of God, the BIBLE, the conflicting things, the face of Moses reflected the glory of God, the God of all grace, the great truth, the Lord's intention, the whole wide world, to be conformed to the image of his Son, to conform his people, to the image of His son, to them that love God, totally hidden, trust my friend Jesus, truth, Tuesday Mantra, unveiled face, whom he did foreknow, wisdom, with open face, worry
Romans 8:29. For whom he did foreknow, he also did predestinate to be conformed to the image of his son, that he might be the first born among many brethren.
And then it was Tuesday, before which we had a lovely Monday, with temps in the twenties, and in the evening I got to sit on my porch in my shirt sleeves, enjoy a cool summer breeze and watch the people go by. Unfortunately though, I saw several dogs being walked, but no children. And you know that’s one of my pet peeves. The society seems more interested in dogs, rather than children. But who am I to judge them eh? Jesus said ‘judge not, that ye be not judged,’ (Mat. 7:1) and I’m trying, but sometimes it’s difficult to overlook certain things.
Anyway, today seems like it’s going to be another beautiful day, so let’s enjoy it without any more unnecessary contention, we already have enough in our world. Instead, let’s focus on an interesting poem from our One Year Book of Bible Promises with writings by Ruth Harms Calkin. And this one is emphatically titled ‘O God … My God.’ And if you don’t need it, then I’m glad for you, because I certainly need it. as I’m going through a season of inexplicable stuff that I can’t make heads or tails of, but as we are led to believe, there is a reason for it all. I just can’t figure it out with my puny understanding. (smile)
So please read with me: ‘O God…My God Though You now seem totally hidden I am clinging to You hopefully Even confidently. Someday, some way, You will make All You are now permitting Blessedly clear. With fixed purpose, dear God I am determined to wait, to trust To rely upon Your faithfulness. Despite the drain and strain I anticipate new perspectives And fresh depths of insight Into all that is now so mysterious. O God, in ways unanticipated You are teaching me the great truth Of Samuel Rutherford’s words: ‘I see that grace grows best in the winter.’ Thank You, dear God Thank You for that!’
Ah mih friends, it’s definitely not easy when the Lord puts you through your paces without any reasoning or understanding…and in the real winter time too, which makes it even harder. But you just have to grin and bear it, and as the poem says, wait, trust, and rely on his faithfulness. And I’m certainly doing that, but sometimes the conflicting things get a bit much to bear, and all you can do is cry out for help and some sense of understanding, though ofttimes you won’t get an answer, but you are still expected to hang in there and trust in His timing and faithfulness. I guess it’s one of the ways in which we grow in spiritual maturity.
And of course, the promise for today’s poem comes from Peter’s tough but wise statement. ‘But the God of all grace, who hath called us unto his eternal glory by Christ Jesus, after that ye have suffered a while, make you perfect, stablish (confirm), strengthen, settle you.’ (1 Pet. 5:10) I guess that explains it all. The Lord is simply doing His intended work by bringing us into line with His wonderful Son, as Bruh Paul writes in Romans. ‘For whom he did foreknow, he also did predestinate to be conformed to the image of his son, that he might be the first born among many brethren.’ (Rom. 8:29)
And believe me, there are no easy steps in that task, especially when we’re saturated with all the lustful and carnal things and thoughts of the world. And this commentary explains it quite clearly and succinctly. ‘The Lord’s intention is to conform His people to the image of His Son, Jesus Christ, making them His sons and brothers, as stated in Romans 8:29.
This process of transformation, known as being “conformed to the image of His Son,” involves a spiritual growth where believers’ lives reflect Christ’s character and LOVE. God’s redemptive plan includes choosing, calling, and glorifying those He foreknew and predestined. In other words, God’s desire, His intention, was to have many sons who are just like Christ. He wanted a mass-reproduction of Christ in humanity.’
But sadly, He doesn’t seem to be getting that right now, with all the turning away and questioning of His existence and sovereignty. However, as Bruh Paul says to the Corinthians. ‘But we all, with open (unveiled) face beholding as in a glass (mirror) the glory of the Lord, are changed (being transformed) into the same image from glory to glory, even as by the Spirit of the Lord.’ (2 Cor. 3:18)
And the scholars offer this explanation. ‘Beholding as in a glass: The term beholding can have the sense of “reflecting.” The believer himself “reflects” the glory of the Lord just as the face of Moses reflected the glory of the Lord (vs.13). For Moses the glory eventually faded away, but under the New Covenant the believer is changed into the same image. This transformation takes place by the abiding presence of God.’
Oh my fellow believers, having read that, the question we must now ask is whether the glory of God is being truly reflected in our faces? Obviously our faces won’t shine as brightly as Moses did when he came down from Mt. Sinai bearing the two tablets of stone that had the Ten Commandments inscribed on them. Being in God’s presence caused the radiant light to reflect on his face. This bright countenance caused fear in Aaron and the Israelites, who initially didn’t recognize Moses because of the light, and he had to wear a veil to speak to them. (Ex. 34:29-35)
We won’t need a veil, but surely the unbeliever will see the glory of God shining in our faces, if we are a true reflection of Jesus Christ. And I do hope we’ll all hunker down and bear whatever inexplicable things that come against us, knowing as Bruh Paul so confidently proclaims: ‘And we know that all things work together for good to them that LOVE God, to them who are called according to his purpose.’ (Rom. 8:28) Remember faith means believing in what you cannot see.
And with that in mind, let’s faithfully declare (steups!!!) 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 that means we’re now expected to 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!
…being changed from glory to glory…is never an easy transformation…
Hear our podcast at https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/randy-obrien
10 May 2025
by randyobrien50
in Christian Thoughts and Inspiration., Daily Devotion, Daily Inspiration, Inspirational Living, Spiritual Living
Tags: a beautiful lazy-day Saturday, be bond or free, be Jews or Gentiles, believers united with Christ and each other through faith, blessed from birth, building bridges, by one Spirit we are all baptized into one body, calming influence, Christ is the head of the church, Christian disunity, christianity, Christians, Christians are all one in the body of christ, Christians are united in Christ, Christians don't live as one body, Christians rely on Christ for guidance and strength, deepen my breath, devotion to traditions nullifies God's word, different parts of the body are necessary for it's functioning, each believer contributes uniquely to the whole, each believer is essentail for the church's growth and mission, faith, false worship, feel the heat of the sun, function as a single organism, holding on to old traditions, holy spirit, I may know you all the more, I praise you for your unceasing nearness, I want to be with you now, in vain they worship me, increase my awareness of you today, Jesus Christ, Jesus is the source of life and direction for the church, Jesus rebukes the Pharisees, keep your own tradition, laying aside the commandment of God, Lazy-Day Saturday Prayer, LOVE, made to drink into one Spirit, mercy, moving too far away from the old traditions, negate all of Jesus' sacrifices, neglecting the true essence of their faith, outwardly adhering to rituals, Pope Leo XIV, prioritizing human traditions over god's commandments, quiet my soul, reject the commandment of God, relax my muscles, religions and petty differences separate them, salvation, sincerity, slow my thoughts, sun-tanning, teaching for doctrines the commandments of men, Thank the Lord, thank you for this tenderness, the BIBLE, the body is not one member, the body is not one member but many, the church of Christ is one body, the first U.S born Pope, the Information Age, the people honour me with their lips, the unity of all believers in christ, their heart is far from me, truth, under the umbrella of Christ, unexplored territory, wisdom, with a great naTURAL COLOUR, you can't be contained, you hypocrites, your love both surrounds and fills me, your peace and love are present
1 Corinthians 12:14. For the body is not one member, but many.
Oh my bredrin, what a beautiful lazy-day Saturday it is in my neck of the woods! I went outside just now and could actually feel the heat of the sun on my face! Wow! And that’s a big something in these northern climes, when, at this time of year, you can actually feel the heat of the sun. I guess a lot of the fair skinned populace will be out sun-tanning today, to get some much-needed colour on their ever so fair skin. (smile) It’s a good thing I don’t need to do that, because I’ve been blessed from birth with a great natural colour. Thank the Lord!
But enough of whatever that is, let’s get around to offering up our Lazy-Day Saturday Prayer with the utmost of sincerity and truth. As one 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 as always, if your prayer was sincere, you’ll soon be on the receiving end of some of the best calming influence in the universe; that of our great God! And by now you all know that a new Pope was recently appointed, a U.S. Cardinal who took the name of Leo XIV. And I was most surprised that Brother Donald did not claim he orchestrated that move. But he was on his good behaviour and merely said that it was a great honour to have the first U.S born Pope appointed on his watch.
Surprisingly too, the old men Cardinals’ Club only took a little more than a day to come to a decision. I don’t know if its ever been done so quickly, what with all the politicking that usually goes on in the election of a Pope. But the important thing is that we have a new Pope, one who seems to be on the side of ‘peace and building bridges.’ Let’s hope that He puts his words into serious and sincere action, for we need to remember that the Body of Christ, His Church, is ONE Body.’
As Bruh Paul wrote to the Corinthians in his first missive. ‘For as the body is one, and hath many members, and all the members of that one body, being many, are one body: so also is Christ. For by one Spirit are we all baptized into one body, whether we be Jews or Gentiles, whether we be bond (slaves) or free; and have all been made to drink into one Spirit. For the body is not one member, but many.’ (1 Cor. 12:12-14) Now what does that mean eh? Basically, that despite our race or religion, Christians are all ONE in the Body of Christ.
Or, as this commentary puts it: ‘The concept of the Church as “one body” signifies the unity and interconnectedness of all believers in Christ. This metaphor, found in the New Testament, highlights that Christians, though diverse, are united in Christ and function as a single organism, with Christ as its head. Each believer is a member of this body, contributing uniquely to the whole.’
And Bruh Paul gives an example of that to the Corinthians when he describes the church as the human body, with different parts playing different roles, but all as important to the proper functioning of the whole body. So too do the members of the church have different roles and different gifts, but they are all important to the smooth running of the church as Christ desires it. And you can find Bruh Paul’s explanation in (1 Cor. 12:14-30)
And the commentary further details. As per ‘Unity in Christ: The Bible emphasizes that believers are united with Christ and with each other through faith. This unity is not a mere physical gathering but a spiritual connection in Christ. As per Christ as Head: Jesus is the head of the Church, the source of life and direction for the body. All believers are members of this body, relying on Christ for guidance and strength. And as per Interdependence: The body metaphor emphasizes that each member has a unique role and function, contributing to the well-being of the whole. Just as different parts of a body are necessary for its functioning, each believer is essential for the Church’s growth and mission.’
Unfortunately though, we Christians don’t live as ONE body, but as several different bodies. We allow our religions and petty differences to separate us, and thus Christ’s church cannot grow as it ought to. We’re fighting each other on so many different levels, that it’s become a major setback for the church. Some churches are growing, while others are dying. Why is that eh? Perhaps too many of us are holding on to the old traditions which aren’t cutting it in this technological and information age. Perhaps too, some of us are moving too far away from the old traditions and getting into new and unexplored territory that doesn’t seem right. Who knows?
But the problem can only be solved if we, as supposedly faithful believers let go of some of our differences and stick to the real thing that binds us, that’s Jesus Christ. It’s possibly like Jesus said to the Pharisees: ‘Well hath Esaias (Isaiah) prophesied of you hypocrites (pretenders), as it is written, This people honour me with their lips, but their heart is far from me. Howbeit in vain they worship me, teaching for doctrines the commandments of men. For laying aside the commandment of God, ye hold the tradition of men, as the washing of pots (pitchers) and cups: and many other such like things ye do. Full well ye reject the commandment of God, that ye may keep your own tradition.’ (Mark 7:6-9)
And this commentary gives us an overview of the situation. ‘Jesus rebukes the Pharisees for prioritizing human traditions over God’s commandments, highlighting how their devotion to these traditions actually nullifies God’s word. Jesus criticizes their hypocrisy and calls them out for outwardly adhering to rituals while neglecting the true essence of their faith. He points out that their traditions, while seemingly religious, often contradict or disregard God’s commands, ultimately leading to a false worship.’
Now, might that be a problem in our church(es) today? It certainly can be. However my fellow believers, this is a time when we simply cannot afford to let petty differences and traditions keep us from uniting to become the ONE Church under Christ’s authority,. Why? Because with our disunity, right now the devil is running away with the world, and we cannot allow that to happen. It would just negate all the sacrifices Jesus made for us, making them a complete waste of time and effort.
Is that what we desire? Hopefully not. So please, let’s take some time on this fine lazy-day Saturday and ponder our individual responses to Christ’s commandments, and see how we can improve them and help make Christ’s Church, the ONE Body it’s supposed to be! Much LOVE!
…the word Christians means…being ONE…in all respects…under the umbrella of Christ…
Hear our podcast at https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/randy-obrien
09 May 2025
by randyobrien50
in Christian Thoughts and Inspiration., Daily Devotion, Daily Inspiration, Inspirational Living, Spiritual Living
Tags: a means of restoring faith in you, a new flock of believers, backsliders, be of good courage, both hope and wait quietly, by the example your faithful believers set, Christian witness, christianity, Christians, divine help, error of their ways, faced with challenges, faith, for the salvation of the Lord, Friday chant, gospel truth, great grief of soul, he shall strengthen your heart, holy spirit, I am vile, I had fainted, I will hope in him, in times of difficulty, it is good, it is good for me to draw near to God, it is good that a man, Jesus Christ, lay my hand upon my mouth, lean on God in total confidence, LOVE, mercy, Mother's Day weekend, my flesh and my heart faileth, omnipotent help, our sinful world can wake up, perfect peace, persevere in one's faith, problems escalating, put my trust in the Lord God, resilience, salvation, shalom, smell the coffee, stand strong and steadfast, TGIF! Thank God is Friday, the BIBLE, the Lord God Jehovah, the Lord is my portion saith my soul, the object of Faith, the simmering unrest, the throne of grace, thou will keep him in perfect peace, to see the goodness of God in the land of the living, true courage comes from relying on God, trust in the Lord for ever, trusting faith, truth, unless I had believed, wait in faith on the Lord, waiting for Christ is action oriented, whose mind is stayed on thee, wisdom
Lamentations 3:26. It is good that a man should both hope and quietly wait for the salvation of the Lord.
And it’s a bright, sunshiny Friday, though only about 12 degrees Celsius, but that didn’t stop all the ‘Thank God it’s Friday and the weekend is here!’ shouts from rising to heaven. Now, everybody’s excited about this weekend, especially the merchants, because this is another celebratory occasion on which we spend big bucks. Yes friends, this is the Mother’s Day weekend, so you know all the attention will be on Mom, and she will be showered with flowers, cards, and all kind of other gifts, to celebrate this her special Day.
But unfortunately, the rest of the year we don’t seem to appreciate, or even remember her as much. How hollow and ungrateful is that eh? Forgetting, or not paying sufficient attention to the one who spent nine long months carrying you in their womb, much to their own pain and discomfort, then bore the maddening pain of childbirth, suckling you at her tender breast, then enduring the even more maddening years of raising you to be the godly person you are today. Please, let’s not only remember our Mothers on this one day of the year, but every single day, because what she did for us was a God-given task, that no one else could ever do for us. End of Sermon! (smile)
Today, the Good Library opened unto the Book of Lamentations, to some interesting and important scriptures that the prophet Jeremiah wrote in his time of sadness and despondency. Although he was going through a rough time seeing Jerusalem destroyed and his own imprisonment, yet when he sat and thought about it all, he was still able to come up with these most encouraging and true words. ‘The Lord is my portion, saith my soul; therefore will I hope in him. 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. 3:24-26)
And all that’s the gospel truth my people, as corroborated by many other people of God who while going through their own trials and tribulations still adhered to and extolled the hope and faithfulness found in Almighty God. And the scholars agree when they say, ‘Jeremiah’s observation resembles those of other saints who have experienced great grief of soul.’ And we have some great examples like this one from Job, who having first challenged God, then the Lord turned the tide and asked him,
‘Shall he that contendeth with the Almighty instruct him? he that reproveth (rebukes) God, let him answer it. Then Job answered the Lord, and said, ‘Behold, I am vile; what shall I answer thee? I will lay mine hand upon my mouth. Once have I spoken; but I will not answer: yea, twice; but I will proceed no further.’ (Job 40:2-5) And as the scholars inform us. ‘Job’s reply is one of humble submission in the face of an omnipotent and omniscient God.’ Oh, how I hope and pray that many more of us would come to such a wise conclusion and be so humble before our Creator and heavenly Father!
And we all know of Isaiah’s famous encouraging words. ‘Thou wilt keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on thee: because he trusteth in thee. Trust ye in the Lord for ever: for in the Lord JEHOVAH (Yahweh) is everlasting strength (the Rock of Ages).’ (Is. 26:3-4) And the scholars explain all of that thus: ‘Israel is promised perfect peace (shalom, shalom). This emphatic expression indicates a peace that goes beyond human comprehension (cf. Phil. 4:7). To have one’s mind…stayed means to lean on God in total confidence and security. Trust is the ultimate expression of that confidence. Notice that the object of one’s faith is as important as the act of trust. Here the object of faith is the Lord JEHOVAH.’
Then we have these very humbling words of the psalmist Asaph, after understanding that being worried about the prosperity of the wicked is not worth it. At the end of Psalm 73, he writes: ‘Whom have I in heaven but thee? and there is none upon earth that I desire beside thee. My flesh and my heart faileth: but God is the strength (rock) of my heart, and my portion for ever. For, lo, they that are far from thee shall perish: thou hast destroyed all them that go a whoring from thee (that are unfaithful to thee). But it is good for me to draw near to God: I have put my trust in the Lord God, that I may declare all thy works.’ (Ps. 73:25-28)
Truer words were never spoken my people. But we cannot talk about waiting and trusting in God without these most poignant verses of Bruh David’s from psalm 27: ‘I had fainted, unless I had believed to see the goodness of God in the land of the living. Wait (in faith) on the Lord: be of good courage, and he shall strengthen thine heart: wait, I say, on the Lord.’ (Ps. 27:13-14) And this commentary breaks down the phrase ‘wait on the Lord’ for us. As per the ‘Meaning of “wait on the Lord”: This phrase doesn’t imply idle waiting. It signifies a state of expectancy, seeking, and relying on God’s guidance and provision. It’s a posture of faith and trust in His promises.
As per Courage and Strength: The verse emphasizes that while believers wait on the Lord, they should also be of good courage. God promises to strengthen their hearts, providing them with resilience and strength in times of difficulty. And as per Relevance for believers: The phrase encourages believers to persevere in their faith, even when faced with challenges. It reminds them that true strength and courage come from relying on God, not from their own abilities.’
And having heard all of that encouraging scripture, let’s go to the throne of grace, through our Friday Chant, to find divine aid in these most difficult times. Altogether now: ‘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, having offered up that prayer for divine help, we now need to improve our faithfulness as believers in Christ, because we all know that our Christian witness is not as good as it ought to be, otherwise our world would not be in such chaos. Much LOVE!
…waiting for Christ is not a passive situation…but an active one…
Hear our podcast at https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/randy-obrien
08 May 2025
by randyobrien50
in Christian Thoughts and Inspiration., Daily Devotion, Daily Inspiration, Inspirational Living, Spiritual Living
Tags: a compassionate heart, a disgusting weed, a dramatic effect, a positive outlook on life, abundance, between Satan and God, blinded him, both feet must be in one kingdom, christianity, Christians, come and follow me, courage, creativity, curse, dandelions, divine protection, early bloomers, faith, favour, give to the poor, go and sell that thou hast, God's supernatural wisdom, holy spirit, if thou wilt be perfect, indebted to share blessings with others, inward nature, Jesus Christ, lay not up for yourselves treasures upon earth, lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, losing our earthly treasure, LOVE, loved himself more than he loved God, loved himself more than he loved his neighbour, mercy, meritorious benefits, minimal dress, more people walking dogs than children, negative word, not necessary to sell possessions to become a Christian, outward demands, outward duties, promotion, prosper and succeed, rewards for faithful service, salvation, see nature being reborn, self-righteousness, sitting on my front porch, stick dancers, straddle the fence, success, such a beautiful flower, talent, the accumulation of things, the BIBLE, the dandelions turning from yellow to white, the lilies of the field, the season of spring, the seriousness of true discipleship, the weeds are sprouting too, thieves break through and steal, thieves do not break through and steal, thou shalt have treasure in heaven, to his real weakness, truth, valuable advice, vibrant with new life, where moth and rust doth corrupt, where neither moth nor rust doth corrupt, wisdom
Matthew 6:19a & 20a. Lay not up for yourselves treasures upon earth… But lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven…
Oh friends, what a joy it is these days to finally look out my bedroom window and see life; see nature being reborn in the green, yellow or cherry coloured leaves of the trees, instead of the dark and dreary lifeless branches I’ve been seeing for the last six months. But surprisingly, there are some trees that still look like stick dancers, with nary a leaf, not even a bud on them. I don’t understand that, when so many others quite close to them are beautifully blooming. And don’t think that it’s only the trees that are vibrant with new life… not at all!
The grass looks as green as ever with the rain over the last couple of days, the weeds are sprouting too, including the gloriously yellow dandelion. And every time I see those dandelions spread out so beautifully in the grass, I remember the first time I saw them some fifty something years ago, and thought they were such a beautiful flower, only to learn later that they were a very disgusting weed. And brother when they turn from yellow to white, the effect is certainly dramatic.
Oh, let’s not forget those other early bloomers, the lilies of the field, dressed even more gloriously than Cousin Sol at his best, as Jesus so effectively characterized them in Matthew 6:28-29. And the Duchess has a couple at both the front and side of her garden that are indeed rich in colour. The only problem with the lilies though is that they don’t last as long as we would like then to. So, in other words, I guess I’m saying that spring is finally here, with a bit of summer weather thrown in for good measure, as I got to sit on my front porch yesterday in minimal dress.
I can’t’ wait for the time when I can sit there every afternoon and watch the folks of the neighbourhood go by, walking and running. There’s a serious disappointment in that though, for these days, many more people are walking dogs than children. Chuh man! I just get disgusted seeing so many dogs, with only a handful of children out enjoying the good weather. For whatever reason, this generation seems to be more interested in dogs than children! I wonder who’s going to walk those dogs, or live in those fancy houses when the old folks die? But who am I to tell others whether to have children or dogs eh? (smile)
And that brings us to an interesting scripture where Jesus warns us about our treasures and where we secure them. Unfortunately, many of us know it, but like so many other scriptures, simply ignore it. So, one more time, please listen closely to Jesus’ most valuable advice. ‘Lay not up for yourselves treasures upon earth, where moth and rust doth corrupt (ruin), and where thieves break through and steal: But lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust doth corrupt (ruin), and where thieves do not break through and steal.’ (Matt. 6:19-20)
Now we cannot find any fault with that advice, because many of us have experienced or know of someone who has experienced the loss of their earthly treasure though rust and earthly decay, as well as through others stealing it, but none have ever complained about losing their heavenly treasure, since there are no moths or decay or thieves in heaven. (smile) Seriously though, Jesus is trying to say that the accumulation of earthly things can be lost quite easily, but whatever you have stored up in heaven will never be lost.
And the scholars further enlighten us when they say: ‘The attention of the believer is directed toward treasures in heaven. The term treasures implies the addition or accumulation of things. The two kinds of treasures are conditioned by their place (either on earth or in heaven). The concept of laying up treasures in heaven is not pictured as one of meritorious benefits but rather of rewards for faithful service, as is illustrated elsewhere in the teaching of Jesus.’
And we have a very good example of that when later on a rich young man approaches Jesus and asks what he should do to have eternal life? Jesus basically told him to keep the Ten Commandments. To which he answered, ‘All these things have I kept from my youth up: what lack I yet? Jesus said unto him, If thou wilt be perfect, go and sell that thou hast, and give to the poor, and thou shalt have treasure in heaven: and come and follow me.’ (Matt. 19:20-21) Unfortunately the young man went away quite sorrowful because he had much wealth.
But as the scholars explain, ‘The list of commands that Jesus gave him in verses 18 and 19, centres on outward duties, rather than inward nature, which was the young man’s real problem. He protests that he’s kept these outward demands. His luxurious wealth and self-righteousness blinded him to his real weakness. To expose this, Jesus tells him to go and sell all his possessions and give the money to the poor, then come back and follow Him. But he refused to do it.
Jesus thus shows him that he had not kept the commandments at all. He LOVED himself more than he LOVED his neighbour (the poor), and he LOVED his possessions more than he LOVED God (refusing to follow Jesus). This passage teaches the seriousness of true discipleship, but it in no way teaches that the average man must sell his possessions in order to be a Christian.’
And that can never be true, otherwise why would the Lord bestow our undeserved Thursday Blessings on us eh? Blessings that can make us healthy, wealthy and wise. (smile) Because He LOVES us and knows that we need tools to do His earthly work. So let’s declare and thus activate them right now nuh. As one strong and sincere voice: ‘I declare that I am blessed with God’s supernatural wisdom and receive clear direction for my life! I declare today that I am blessed with creativity, courage, talent and abundance!
I am blessed with a strong will, self-control and self-discipline! I am blessed with a great family, good friends, good health, faith, favour and fulfillment! I am blessed with success, supernatural strength, promotion and divine protection! I am blessed with a compassionate heart and a positive outlook on life! I declare that any curse or negative word that’s ever been spoken over me is broken right now in the name of Jesus! I declare that everything I put my hands to, will prosper and succeed! I declare it today and every day! Amen!’
And having made that declaration (yesss!!!), we are now indebted to go out and use those blessings on behalf of 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!
…you cannot straddle the fence between Satan and God…have one foot in both kingdoms…you must have both feet…in one or the other…preferably God’s…
Hear our podcast at https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/randy-obrien
07 May 2025
by randyobrien50
in Christian Thoughts and Inspiration., Daily Devotion, Daily Inspiration, Inspirational Living, Spiritual Living
Tags: abstain from fleshly lusts, all about glorifying God, among the Gentiles, as newborn babes, ask what you will, baptizing them, be sober minded, bring glory to God not shame, by your good works, Christ's ambassadors, christianity, Christians, desire the sincere milk of the word, endure to the very end, envies, evil speaking, faith, glorify God, glorify your father in heaven, go ye therefore and teach all nations, godly behaviour, good works, gravity, growing in spiritual maturity, guile, halfway home, hands on the plough, having your conduct honest, having your conversation honest, he that is of the contrary part, herein is my Father glorified, holy spirit, hypocrisies, I am with you always, I have commanded you, if ye abide in me and my words abide in you, immersing ourselves in the word, improve our standard of spiritual maturity, in doctrine, in living for christ, in the day of visitation, in the name of the Father Son and Holy Ghost, incorruptibility, it shall be done for you, Jesus Christ, laying aside all malice, Let your light so shine before men, LOVE, make disciples of all nations, making any productive headway, may be ashamed, mercy, my eyes are fixed straight ahead, not turning back, perpetrating the ungodly deeds and views of this evil world, practical advice, restore our salty flavour, reverence, salvation, second wind day, showing integrity, showing thyself a pattern of good works, sincerity, so glad to be alive, so shall ye be my disciples, sound speech, speak against you as evildoers, teaching them to observe all things, thank God, that cannot be condemned, that ye may grow thereby, the BIBLE, the breath of life is still flowing through me, the Christian life, the Great Commission, the holy priesthood, the light of the world, the salt of the earth, the stranglehold evil has on the world, they may see your good works, to a glorious future with Jesus, truth, turn up our lights, unto the end of the world, war against the soul, Wednesday Wail, whcih they shall behold, wisdom, ye bear much fruit, your opponent may be ashamed
John 15:8. Herein is my Father glorified, that ye bear much fruit; so shall ye be my disciples.
And after Tuesday comes Wednesday, a bright sunshiny day with temps around the 20 degrees Celsius mark. It’s also the day we supposedly catch our second wind. Yes, we’re already halfway into the work week, which seems to be flowing by quite quickly. However, the question we must ask, is, are we making any serious and productive headway in living for Christ, growing in spiritual maturity and having a positive effect on the unbelieving majority of our world? And judging from the way it seems more people are turning away from Christ, than are turning to Him, and the stranglehold that evil has on our world, I’d venture to say that the answer to our question is a resounding NO!
Then the next question will be, what are we waiting for to go out into the world and fulfill Christ’s Great Commission? That was the last thing He desired of us: ‘Go ye therefore, and teach (make disciples of) all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost: teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you always, even unto the end of the world.’ (Matt. 28:19-20)
Oh my people, Jesus’ desire for us on the earth could not be made any plainer and clearer than that! We’re supposed to go out and teach others what He taught us, as well as living a life that resonates with the things we teach. Like being the salt of the earth and the light of the world. As Jesus, so simply but very astutely puts it: ‘Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven,’ (Matt. 5:16) And we need to remember that everything we do down here on earth ought to bring glory to God and not shame, as so many of us are doing, perpetrating the ungodly deeds and views of this evil and ungodly world.
And later on Jesus, when talking about the vine and the branches, said to the disciples: ‘If ye abide in me, and my words abide in you, ye shall ask what ye will, and it shall be done unto (for) you. Herein is my Father glorified, that ye bear much fruit; so shall ye be my disciples.’ (John 15:7-8) Ah friends, it’s made very clear there again, that we’re supposed to be doing good works, bearing good fruit so that the Father can be glorified. But the only way to do that is by abiding in Christ and have His words abide in us. And obviously we are not doing that to any sufficient degree, otherwise our world would not be in such a chaotic and lawless state.
And Peter also said the same thing, when he wrote to the Christian diaspora, spread all over the world. ‘Wherefore laying aside all malice, and all guile, and hypocrisies, and envies, and all evil speakings, As newborn babes, desire the sincere (pure) milk of the word, that ye may grow thereby: If so be ye have tasted that the Lord is gracious.’ (1 Pet. 2:1-3) Yes friends, we need to lay aside all that negative, ungodly stuff that’s so prevalent in our world today. And we can only do that by immersing ourselves in the pure milk of God’s Word, the ONLY thing that can keep us safe and secure from the evils of the world, so that we can become the Holy Priesthood we are meant to be.
And here’s some practical advice from Peter on how to do that. ‘Dearly beloved, I beseech you as strangers and pilgrims, abstain from fleshly lusts, which war against the soul; Having your conversation (conduct) honest (honourable) among the Gentiles: that whereas they speak against you as evildoers, they may by your good works, which they shall behold, glorify God in the day of visitation.’ (1 Pet. 2:11-12) There again my fellow believers we’re entreated to live a life that’s worthy of Christ and do works that will glorify our heavenly Father! How much more do we need to hear for us to get out there and live a Christ-worthy life eh?
Titus also specified the great need for good behaviour from believers, when he wrote: ‘Young men likewise exhort to be sober minded. In all things shewing thyself a pattern of good works: in doctrine shewing uncorruptness (integrity), gravity (reverence), sincerity (incorruptibility), Sound speech, that cannot be condemned; that he that is of the contrary part (an opponent) may be ashamed, having no evil thing to say to you.’ (Titus 2:6-8)
What more can I say eh friends? And those aren’t all the scriptures that speak of good conduct and good behaviour. There are many more throughout the Bible, which shows how important the subject is, for it’s only with our good behaviour and kind words will the unbeliever even consider turning to Christ. And it’s obvious we’re not doing such a good job, or, as we said earlier, our world would not be in such a disastrous state. That’s also why it’s ever so important, that RIGHT NOW, we need to make some changes, some improvements to our standard of spiritual maturity and living, so that the heathen can see the goodness and godliness in us, and want what we have.
Otherwise, our world will keep on sliding down the steep and slippery slope to hell fire and damnation. And I know we don’t want that happen, for it will show that we didn’t do such a good job as Christ’s disciples and ambassadors. So, let’s turn up our lights nuh mih people, make them shine as bright as ever, and restore the salty flavour to our lives, so that many others will desire to come to know and LOVE Jesus like we do. Now, let’s go home declaring our Wednesday Wail, letting all and sundry know of our wonderful position in Christ Jesus!
As one strong voice, in all sincerity and truth. ‘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 the good news is that if we endure to the very end with Jesus, the future will be even more glorious than we can ask or imagine. So, let’s be wise and endure to the very end nuh, that we can enjoy that glorious future together! Much LOVE!
…the Christian life is all about glorifying God…through good works…and godly behaviour…
Hear our podcast at https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/randy-obrien
06 May 2025
by randyobrien50
in Christian Thoughts and Inspiration., Daily Devotion, Daily Inspiration, Inspirational Living, Spiritual Living
Tags: a stream bubbling down to the open sea, a time of testing, acknowledge God's Lordship, apologies, because he delighted in me, becomes second nature, brought me forth unto a large place, caught him by his beard, christianity, Christians, confidence in the strength and faithfulness of God, courage, crying out to God for help, defied the armies of the living God, delivered me from my strong enemy, do it over and over again, encouragement, face adversity, faith, focus on the problems before m, from pillar to post, from them which hated me, go and the Lord be with thee, God's presence is a powerful fortress around you, hold God close to our hearts, holy spirit, hurry, I am strong, I can face anything, I fix my gaze on you, I will call upon the Lord, in god's eyes, in whom I will trust, its own merry way, Jesus Christ, lock stock and barrel, look to you with confidence, LOVE, mercy, my god my strength, my heart would fail, not persistent enough, nothing takes you by surprise, out of the hand of this Philistine, rejoice in God's might, salvation, saved from my enemies, share His love with my neighbours, smoet him, strong and confidence only comes from experience, thank you for giving me courage, the ability to stand strong in the face of unbeatable odds, the beloved of God, the BIBLE, the consequences of disobedience, the day of my calamity, the experience of going through difficulties, the Lord is my deliverer, the Lord is my rock and my fortress, the Lord moved heaven and earth to save him, the Lord was my stay, the Lord was my support, the Lord will deliver me, the struggle between faith and courage, the train to glory, this uncircumcised Philistine, through all the twists and turns of life, thy servant slew both the lion and bear, time isn't waiting on anyone, too strong for me, trust my friend Jesus, truth, Tuesday Mantra, went out after him, wisdom, with you to steady me, words of wisdom, worry, worthy to be praised, you are a great God, you surround me in every challenge, you're my rock, your plans never fail
Psalm 18:2a. The Lord is my rock, and my fortress, and my deliverer;
Prologue: Please accept my apologies for the lateness of the Bit, but I had an appointment with the dentist this morning, and spent longer than I expected. Thanks for understanding. (smile)
Now, what began as a somewhat wet and cloudy Tuesday morning, has thankfully turned into a dry one of more sunshine than cloud. Thank the Lord! And it’s certainly amazing and amusing that we are already into the sixth day of May, when the month only began a few days ago. But time is not waiting for lazy procrastinators, it’s moving forward on its own merry way, like a stream bubbling down to the open sea, and who doesn’t get on the train to glory, then they’ll be simply left behind. (smile)
Ah friends, there’s a lesson in there for all of us, we either get with Christ or get left behind to suffer the pangs, the consequences of disobedience and disbelief. And we know that living for Christ is not always easy, but it’s certainly doable if we use all the props the Lord has given us. And today we’ll focus on one of those props, that of Courage; the ability to stand up strong in the face of seemingly unbeatable odds. Now, to help us in this exercise, we’ll offer up a prayer on the subject from the Prayer Cards recently put out by the In Touch Ministry.
So, please pray with me. ‘God, thank You for giving me courage. If I were to focus on the problems before me, my heart would fail. But when I fix my gaze on You, I am strong. Help me remember that You surround me in every challenge. With You to steady me, I can face anything. You’re my rock, my fortress, and my deliverer. Nothing takes You by surprise, and Your plans never fail. I will look to You with confidence through all the twists and turns of life. You are a great God!’
Words of wisdom, truth and encouragement, my fellow believers. But it all begins with our belief, our confidence in the strength and faithfulness of God! However, that belief and confidence doesn’t come without a price, that’s the experience of going through difficulties and crying out to God for help, and that struggle between faith and courage in one’s problems are shown most readily in the psalms, especially those of Bruh David. He went through many unfortunate trials and tribulations, through no fault of his own, but the confidence he developed with the Lord while out in the fields shepherding his father’s sheep, gave him the courage to keep on keeping on, even when crying out to the Lord for help.
When king Saul refused to let him go out and fight Goliath, Bruh David calmy informed him that while keeping his father’s sheep a lion and a bear came and took a lamb from the flock, ‘And I went out after him, and smote (struck) him, and delivered it out of his mouth: and when he arose against me, I caught him by his beard, and smote him, and slew him. Thy servant slew both the lion and the bear: and this uncircumcised Philistine shall be as one of them, seeing he hath defied the armies of the living God. David said moreover, The Lord that delivered me out of the paw of the lion, and out of the paw of the bear, he will deliver me out of the hand of this Philistine. And Saul said unto David, Go, and the Lord be with thee.’ (1 Sam. 17:34-37)
Oh friends, what more could Saul say to Bruh David after making such a good argument on God’s help and strength. But sadly, that kind of courage and confidence only comes from experience. And yes Bruh David went out and defeated Goliath, but he never realized that one day he would be up against a greater and more persistent enemy, the same king Saul, who spent many years trying to kill him. And although Bruh David was still confident and believed in God’s promise that he would be king of Israel, he never thought he would have to face so much adversity over such a long period of time, before it happened.
But that’s how our God works. He gives you a promise of greater things to come, then He puts you through a time of testing, to see if you can handle the promotion. And many of us fail the test simply because we’re not persistent enough; we don’t hang in there till God judges that we can handle the promotion. One thing our God does not encourage is giving up. And we see that in Bruh David’s life, where although Saul harassed him from pillar to post, he never gave up, even foregoing a chance to kill Saul.
And finally with deliverance from the hand of his enemies, including Saul, Bruh David wrote thus in Psalm 18: ‘I will LOVE thee, O Lord, my strength. The Lord is my rock, and my fortress, and my deliverer; My God, my strength (lit. my rock)), in whom I will trust; my buckler (shield), and the horn (strength) of my salvation, and my high tower (stronghold). I will call upon the Lord, who is worthy to be praised: so shall I be saved from mine enemies.’ (Ps. 18:1-3)
Now friends, those are sentiments that we also should be putting forth, but it takes much more than just mouthing the words, although sincerely mouthing them might give us a smidgen of courage. (smile) We have to sincerely believe them and then act upon them. And we have to do it over and over, until it becomes second nature. That’s the only way to get that courage and strength that our Lord provides, to sink deep into our souls. So please, when the trials and tribulations of life come upon us, before we do anything else, let’s turn our minds to Almighty God, then cry out to Him for help. As Bruh David writes later in Psalm 18: ‘In my distress I called upon the Lord, and cried unto my God: he heard my voice out of (from) his temple, and my cry came before him, even unto his ears.’ (Ps. 18:6)
Unfortunately, we don’t have time nor space to review all that Bruh David said then, but the gist is that the Lord moved heaven and earth to save him. (Ps. 18:7-16) And at the end of it all, he joyfully proclaims: ‘He delivered me from my strong enemy, and from them which hated me: for they were too strong for me. They prevented (confronted) me in the day of my calamity: but the Lord was my stay (support). He brought me forth also unto a large (broad) place; he delivered me, because he delighted in me.’ (Ps. 18:17-19) And that’s what the Lord will do for all of us if we hold Him close to our hearts and sincerely acknowledge His Lordship.
Now, let’s go home declaring our Tuesday Mantra, letting the whole world 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 amazing LOVE and friendship of Christ with others, so that they too can come to know and LOVE Him like we do! Much LOVE!
…God’s presence is a powerful fortress around you…rejoice in His might…
Hear our podcast at https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/randy-obrien
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