The Wisdom of Putting Our Trust in God and His Word, and Recognizing the Destruction that God Bestows on the Wicked!

Psalm 52:8.         But I am like a green olive tree in the house of God: I trust in the mercy of God for ever and ever.

And then it was Thursday, our penultimate day of the work week. And as the past many days, it’s opened bright and sunshiny, with a cool breeze wafting through the trees, but although it’s not too hot at midday, who knows how much the temperature will increase as the afternoon rolls in. But whatever happens, we will manage it wisely and successfully with Jesus’ awesome help, because He has promised to never leave nor forsake us and help us whenever we call on Him.

And today, the Good Library opened at an interesting but little considered Psalm 52, titled ‘Evildoers Will Be Destroyed,’ written by Bruh David when the betrayer Doeg, the Edomite, went to king Saul and told him that David had come to the house of Ahimelech, the priest, at Nob, who had given him the hallowed shrew bread and Goliath’s sword aiding his efforts to escape from Saul’s murderous hand. And we can find that story in 1 Samuel 21.

The scholars tell us that the psalm is one of eight Bruh David wrote while fleeing from Saul. He begins this one thus: ‘Why boastest thou thyself in mischief (evil doing), O mighty man? the goodness (LOVING-KINDNESS) of God endureth continually. The tongue deviseth mischief (plans destruction); like a sharp razor, working deceitfully. Thou LOVEST evil more than good; and lying rather than to speak righteousness. Selah. Thou LOVEST all devouring words, O thou deceitful tongue.’ (Ps. 52:1-4)

Wow! Those are truly tough words. It’s like the prophet Ezekiel said of the people of Israel: ‘In thee are men that carry tales to shed blood (slander to cause bloodshed): and in thee they (are they who) eat upon the mountains: in the midst of thee they commit lewdness.’ (Ezek. 22:9) And isn’t that the very same thing that’s happening right now in our slanderous, dysfunctional and licentious society? Of course it is! For we have rejected God and His Word and are living like Satan dictates. No wonder the strife-filled and chaotic state of our world.

But getting back to the psalm, it’s interesting to note the scholars take on the first four verses. They say: ‘The description of Doeg is one of the most contemptuous in Scripture. But because of his betrayal Doeg will be destroyed.’ And Bruh David details that in the next verse. ‘God shall likewise destroy thee for ever, he shall take thee away, and pluck thee out of thy dwelling place, and root thee out of the land of the living. Selah.’ (Ps. 52:5)

Now that’s certainly a wish for thorough destruction. However something good will come from it. That is: ‘The righteous shall see, and fear, and shall laugh at him: Lo, this is the man that made not God his strength; but trusted in the abundance of his riches, and strengthened himself in his wickedness (destruction)’ (Ps. 52:6-7)

Yes friends, there are indeed valuable lessons to be learned from the destruction of the wicked. Unfortunately though, too many of us supposed believers don’t learn from it, and continue going in the way of the devil, down the wide and winding way that leads to destruction. But please remember, that all these scriptures about the destruction of the wicked are for our benefit, to enlighten us to the foolishness of following the diviner of darkness, Satan.

Instead we should be like Bruh David describes. ‘But I am like a green olive tree in the house of God: I trust in the mercy of God for ever and ever.’ (Ps. 52:8) Oh my faithful brethren, that’s what happens when we trust in the Lord’s goodness and mercy, we thrive and flourish like a green olive tree.

Or, as Jeremiah so beautifully puts it: ‘Blessed is the man that trusteth in the Lord, and whose hope the Lord is. For he shall be as a tree planted by the waters, and that spreadeth out her roots by the river, and shall not see (fear) when heat cometh, but her leaf shall be green; and shall not be careful (anxious) in the year of drought, neither shall cease from bearing fruit.’ (Jer. 17:7-8)

Oh my people, what a wonderful picture of what happens to those who trust in Almighty God! No wonder Bruh David ends the psalm thus: ‘I will praise thee for ever, because thou hast done it: and I will wait on thy name; for it is good before thy saints.’ (Ps. 52:9) That’s our best bet friends! Praising God for ever and ever is what it’s all about. And it’s one of the reasons He created us. So if we are wise and put our trust in God, then praise should come automatically. And consequently His goodness and mercy will follow us all the day long. It’s so simple and wonderful; praise and trust, bring goodness and mercy!

And also, through God’s great generosity, come undeserved blessings to do His earthly work. We call them our Thursday Blessings, 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 sincere declaration, we’re now duty bound to go out and use those blessings to help others, just as generously as the Lord bestowed them on us, so that they too can come to know and LOVE Him like we do! Much LOVE!

…why don’t we LOVE, trust and praise our Creator…when He’s the one who’s given us all the good things we have…especially the breath of life…

Hear our podcast at https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/randy-obrien

The Uncertainty of Faith on the Earth when Jesus Returns!

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

The Healing Ministry of Jesus. Part 2.

Luke 8:50b.      ‘Fear not: believe only, and she shall be made whole.’

And it seems like our second wind day, Wednesday, is going to be another warm but cloudy day, with the possibility of rain later in the day. But once the stuff that’s falling isn’t white and cold, I don’t think we really care. (smile) And it’s certainly nicer to be playing in the rain than in the snow. I remember having fun doing that as a child. But I guess those simple joys of life no longer appeal to today’s sophisticated children, who refuse to leave their televisions, computers, video games and cell phones to go outside to play.

Oh no! Playing outside is not de rigueur, not fashionable in these modern times. That’s why the children are so sickly and obese; too much rich food and sedentary activities, not enough physical stuff. But who am I to tell these modern day wonders how to raise their children eh? (smile) So, since our good God has granted us the privilege of enjoying another day on His wonderful earth, let’s keep our promise to continue looking at some of the individual healing miracles that Jesus performed.

We stopped yesterday where Jesus was asked to leave the country of the Gadarenes on the other side of the lake after healing a demon possessed man called ‘Legion,’  then putting the demons into a herd of nearby swine, who promptly ran down a steep hill into the lake and drowned.  (Luke 8 -26-33) But when he returned home, He found another crowd there waiting for Him, and amongst them was one Jairus, a ruler of the synagogue, wanting Jesus to come and heal his twelve year old daughter who was on her deathbed.

But while Jesus was making His way there, with the crowd surrounding Him, a woman who had been sick with and issue (flow) of blood for twelve years, decided that if she could just touch the hem of Jesus’ garments she would be healed. And so she fought her way through the crowd ‘Came behind him and touched the border of his garment: and immediately her issue (flow) of blood stanched (stopped).’ Then Jesus asked who had touched Him? The disciples were astounded that He could ask such a question with the crowd surging all around him.

But Jesus said, ‘Somebody hath touched me: for I perceived that virtue (power) is gone out of me.’ Then the woman realizing what she’d done came and fell down before Jesus and confessed it all. ‘And he said to her, Daughter, be of good comfort (cheer): thy faith hath made thee whole (well); go in peace.’ However, while she was still speaking to Jesus someone from Jairus’ household came and told him to stop bothering Jesus, because his daughter had died. But when Jesus heard it, he said to Jairus, ‘Fear not: believe only, and she shall be made whole.’

Then Jesus went to Jairus’s house with Peter, James and John, and everybody wept and wailed over her death, But Jesus said to them, ‘Weep not; she is not dead, but sleepeth. And they laughed him to scorn knowing that she was dead.’ But He put everybody out of the room, took her by the hand, and called, saying, ‘Maid, arise. And her spirit came again, and she arose straightway: and he commanded to give her meat (food). And her parents were astonished: but he charged them that they should tell no man what was done.’ And all of that friends, you can find in Luke 8:40-56.

What a busy and unpredictable day that must have been for Jesus. First the demon possessed man on the other side of the lake, then back home, the woman with the issue of blood, and Jairus’ daughter. All one after the other. Oh my people, there are so many individual healings that Jesus did we cannot talk about them all, and we’ll have to be very concise with those we share.

Like this one when Jesus came down from the mountain after the Sermon on the Mount, followed by great multitudes, ‘a leper came and worshipped Him, saying Lord, if thou wilt, thou canst make me clean. And Jesus put forth his hand, and touched him, saying, I will; be thou clean. And immediately his leprosy was cleansed. And Jesus said to him, See, thou tell no man; but go thy way, shew thyself to the priest, and offer the gift that Moses commanded for a testament.’ (Matt. 8:1-4)

And the scholars note some interesting things about that healing, like when Jesus touched the leper, instead of it bringing uncleanness to Jesus, as it would to any other person who touched him, it caused the total cleansing of the leper. And the purpose of Jesus telling him to tell no man was to draw attention away from the miracle itself and appeal to the spiritual need in man. In the gospels the crowds were often attracted  by Jesus’ miracles, but not always by His message.

Shew thyself to the priest is in obedience to the Mosaic Law regarding cleansing. Offer the gift that Moses commanded. Those can be found in Leviticus 14:2-32, where a whole slew of things was laid out for the cleansing of a leper. The scholars say they are typical of Christ’s atonement and the cleansing it provided. For a testimony unto them: that is evidence to the priest that the leper had indeed been cleansed. Brother! It was a rather thorough interrogation, and took some eight days to work through all the stuff.

Then there was the miracle of Jesus in Capernaum when the Centurion asked Him to heal his servant sick of the palsy, (paralyzed and greatly afflicted). Jesus said he would go and heal him. But the centurion replied that he wasn’t worthy for the Lord to come under his roof. He could just speak the word and his servant would be healed. Then he explained about his authority over soldiers who obeyed his orders, and likened Jesus unto himself in that regard. ‘When Jesus heard it, he marvelled, and said to them that followed, Verily I say unto you, I have not found so great a faith, no, not in Israel. …And Jesus said unto the centurion, Go thy way; and as thou hast believed, so be it done unto thee. and his servant was healed in the selfsame hour. ‘(Matt. 8:5-13)

Ah mih bredrin, Jesus was amazed at the strong belief in His healing ability that the Roman unbeliever possessed. Meanwhile His own Jewish people, ridiculed Him and treated His miracles more as a magic show than a real message. And those are just a few of the individual healing miracles Jesus did. You can read about others like the resurrection of Lazarus (John 11:17-44), the opening of the eyes of the blind beggar Bartimaeus in Jericho (Mark 10:46-52) and several others if you read and study the life and soul-saving Word of God! (smile)

Now let’s go home declaring (chuh!!!) 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 we’ll be wise if we hold on to the promise that all who endure with Jesus to the very end will enjoy a future more glorious than they can ever ask or imagine. See you there! Much LOVE!

…miracles can only happen…where there is strong belief or true faith…

Hear our podcast at https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/randy-obrien

The Importance of Believers understanding and appreciating God’s Breath of Life, and the Power of the Holy Spirit

Job 33:4.       The spirit of God hath made me, and the breath of the Almighty hath given me life.

Now, after a scorching Saturday, with a big shower of rain in the evening that cooled the place down some, Sunday, the Lord’s Day, has opened bright and sunshiny with another scorcher in the offing. And if it’s the Lord’s Day, then we should be saying like Bruh David says in the opening verse of Psalm 122: ‘I was glad when they said unto me, Let us go into the house of the Lord.’ (Ps. 122:1)

And I like how this commentary explains the verse. It says: ‘It was not a burden, not a duty, alone to worship the Lord. It was a joy because that’s where God was in His mercy and His grace to His people.’ Now that’s how we also ought to feel when we go to church, or wherever two or three of us are gathered in Christ’s name. It’s not a duty or a burden to gather to worship Christ. No, sir! It ought to be a joy and a pleasure because we know we’re going where God’s LOVE, mercy and grace are found!

And as we gather today, I want us to sing this marvellous Christian hymn, ‘Breathe on Me , Breath of God,’ authored by Edwin Hatch in 1878. Hatch was a Church of England vicar and the Professor of Classics at the University of Trinity College in Canada. It’s a short and simple but oh so powerful hymn.

One commentary describes it thus: “The simplicity of this profound hymn belies the education and knowledge of its author.” But isn’t that the way it often is, although we have a great education, we can write very simple but powerful stuff. So enough talk. Let’s get to offering up our sacrifices of praise in a mid-tempo, soulful, scintillating and heartfelt version.

Singing: ‘Breathe on me, Breath of God, fill me with life anew, that I may LOVE the way you LOVE, and do what you would do. Breathe on me, Breath of God, until my heart is pure, until my will is one with yours, to do and to endure. Breathe on me, Breath of God Till I am earthly thine Until this earthly part of me, Glows with thy fire divine. Breathe on me, Breath of God, So that I may be free, so shall I never die, but live with you the perfect life for all eternity. Ohh breathe on me!’

And isn’t it wonderful when we feel the Lord’s presence upon us, like He’s breathing on us? It certainly is! And when we sing ‘Breathe on me,’ this commentary tells us we’re relating ‘directly to the biblical imagery of God breathing life into Adam in Genesis 2:7 and Jesus breathing on the apostles in John 20:22. Both passages emphasize God’s active role in imparting life and the Holy Spirit.’

So, here are those two passages. ‘The first says: ‘And the Lord God formed man of the dust of the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living soul.’ (Gen. 2:7) Yes friends, man only came to life when God breathed His breath of life into Him. And the next passage deals with when Jesus first appears to the disciples, after His resurrection. Jesus greets them thus: ‘Peace be unto you: as my Father hath sent me, even so send I you. And when he had said this, he breathed on them, and saith unto them, Receive ye the Holy Ghost.’ (John 20:22)

That describes Jesus breathing on the apostles, anointing them with a temporary dose of the Holy Spirit, working on the outside, like it was given in the Old Testament for special ministries or tasks. But we see the marvellous moving of the Holy Spirit in Acts 2, when it finally came to dwell on the inside of Believers on that fateful Pentecost Day.

The Bible recounts that the early believers were  all in one place, when ‘suddenly there came a sound from heaven as of a rushing mighty wind, and it filled all the house where they were sitting. And there appeared unto them cloven (divided) tongues like as of fire , and it sat upon each of them. And they were all filled with the Holy Ghost, and began to speak with other tongues (in other languages), as the Spirit gave them utterance (enabled them).’ (Acts 2:2-4)

And that’s a very special moment in the church’s life, for it highlights the gift of God’s Spirit, His Breath of Life or ‘Ruach’ the Hebrew name for the Holy Spirit, to empower believers. Now, I guess these words of the hymn, ‘Breathe on me, Breath of God Till I am earthly thine Until this earthly part of me, Glows with thy fire divine.,’ refers to the miraculous fire of cloven tongues that fell on the believers on that Pentecost Day.

Meanwhile, this commentary tells us that the words ‘Breathe on Me, breath of God, expresses the hymn’s desire for the Holy Spirit to fill and transform the individual, bringing new life, purity, and a deeper relationship with God.’ And friends, do we all ever need that new life, purity and deeper relationship with Almighty God in these disastrous and ungodly times. We need the Holy Spirit to breathe on us, to set us free from all the sin and ungodliness that’s currently wreaking havoc in our world.

We need that Ruach, that Breath of God, so that we can be transformed, with obedience and surrender, and never die, but live with him eternally. It’s like Job’s friend Elihu says; ‘The spirit of God hath made me, and the breath of the Almighty hath given me life.’ (Job 33:4)

Oh my people, no matter how godly and religious we might feel, or be, let’s not fool ourselves, we all need to pray for the renewal and empowering presence of the Holy Spirit. So let’s seriously contemplate the power of the Holy Spirit in our lives  today, and then make the necessary changes so that our lives can be uplifted in Jesus’ name, and we can make a real difference here on earth. That’s my prayer for us this Sunday morning! Much LOVE!

…mankind cannot survive…without the infusion of God’s Breath of Life…so why are we so disobedient and ungodly…taking advantage of His LOVE…

Hear our podcast at https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/randy-obrien

The Remarkable Benefits Believers have Received from the Death and Resurrection of Jesus! Part 1

Psalm 103:2.        Bless the Lord, O my soul, and forget not all his benefits:

And then it was Wednesday, our second wind day of the work week! And I hope that we catch that second wind yes, because the last two days have been the proverbial hell on earth, with bright sunshine and temps in the mid-thirties ably accompanied by a hot wind. Thankfully though, today is not as hot, we’re in the mid-twenties, with cloudy skies overhead, a promise of rain, but also rising temps As the old people would say; ‘what a bam bam!’ Right now, we don’t know whether we’re coming or going, but with the marvellous help of Jesus, we can be assured that help is on the way! And all God’s people gave a loud and grateful shout of ‘Thank You Jesus!’

 And we should be grateful for all the things He’s done for us, as Psalm 103 reminds us: ‘Bless the Lord, O my soul, and forget not all his benefits: Who forgiveth all thine iniquities; who healeth all thy diseases; Who redeemeth thy life from destruction; who crowneth thee with LOVING-KINDNESS  and tender mercies; Who satisfieth thy mouth with good things; so that thy youth is renewed like the eagle’s.’ (Ps. 103: 2-5)

Yes friends, those are some of the reasons why Christ gave up His heavenly position and came to earth like a man, then selflessly gave His life for us on the cross of Calvary, bearing our sins, so that we can be reconciled with God the Father, from whom our abominable sins had wrenched us apart.

Bruh Paul writes it thus to the Philippians: ‘Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus: Who, being in the form of God, thought it not robbery to be equal with God: But made himself of no reputation, and took upon him the form of a servant, and was made in the likeness of men (emptied himself of his privileges): And being found in fashion (appearance) of a man, he humbled himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross.

Wherefore God also hath highly exalted him, and given him a name which is above every name: That at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of (those) things in heaven, and (those) things in earth, and (those) things under the earth; And that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.’ (Phil. 2:5-11)

Oh my people, that just goes to show what a great job Jesus did! So great that the Father exalted Him to the name that’s above every other, and that every tongue should consider Him Lord. But let’s look a little deeper into what His selfless work did for us. And in a nutshell, this commentary tells us what we derived from Christ’s death and resurrection. ‘Christ’s death and resurrection offer believers forgiveness of sins, new life, and the hope of eternal life, among other benefits. His sacrifice on the cross atones for our sins, while his resurrection conquers death, granting believers new life and the promise of eternal life.’

And as per forgiveness of sins, the Bible states: ‘For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.’ (Rom. 6:23) So through Christ’s death we achieved forgiveness of sin and basic reconciliation with the Father. Then as per a new life and the new identity we are given when we accept Him as Lord and Saviour (becoming a new creation in Christ; (2 Cor. 5:17) this new life frees us from the power of sin.

As Bruh Paul writes to the Romans: ‘Know ye not, that so many of us as were baptized into Jesus Christ were baptized into his death? Therefore we are buried with him by baptism into death: that like (just) as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we should walk in newness of life. For if we be planted together (united) in the likeness of his death, (certainly) we shall be also in the likeness of his resurrection:’ (Rom. 6:3-5)

Yes my brethren, if we die with Christ, then we will automatically be raised with Him. And that resurrection is oh so beautiful, because it enables us to have eternal life; to spend eternity with Jesus and the Father! Jesus said it quite plainly to Nicodemus, the Jewish leader who came to him under cover of night seeking answers. ‘For God so LOVED the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved.’ (John 3:16-17)

And as we mentioned before that Jesus resurrection gives us freedom from sin, these words of Bruh Paul to the Corinthians, shine bright light on that new situation. ‘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) 

However, since time and space are running out on us, if God spares life tomorrow, then we’ll continue looking at some more of the great benefits Christ’s death and crucifixion accomplished on our behalf. But let’s leave with this exhortation from Bruh Paul. ‘Therefore, my beloved brethren, be ye steadfast, unmoveable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, forasmuch as ye know that your labour is not in vain (futile) in the Lord.’ (1 Cor. 15:58) And that’s exactly how we ought to behave as true saints of God!  

Now, it’s time to declare our Wednesday Wail, letting all the 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 let’s remember that for those who endure with Jesus right to the very end, there’s a promise of an even more glorious future than our finite minds can imagine. So wisdom behooves us to be there at the very end, so that we can enjoy that more than glorious future together! Much LOVE!

…without the selfless sacrifice of Jesus…mankind would have eventually been nothing but toast…

Hear our podcast at https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/randy-obrien

Only in Almighty God can Believers find Safety and Refuge in this Evil and Ungodly world!

Psalm 46:1.       ‘God is our refuge and strength, a very present help (an abundantly available help) in time of trouble.

So it’s Wednesday my people, our second wind day. It opened bright and sunshiny and somewhat cool, but it’s warming up, and we on the late bus, because after church, I ran around and did a couple errands, then had to come home and rest before writing the Bit. Yuh know the ole fella’s not as young as he used to be, and unfortunately can’t light the candle at both ends again. (smile)

And today, as we witness all the strife, the anger, the carnage and all the other negative things that are so prevalent in our world, I believe this word from the Sons of Korah in Psalm 46, is a good scripture for us to hold close to our hearts. So please read with me: ‘God is our refuge and strength, a very present help (an abundantly available help) in time of trouble. Therefore will not we fear, though the earth be removed, and though the mountains be carried into the midst (heart) of the sea; Though the waters thereof roar and be troubled, though the mountains shake with the swelling thereof. Selah.’ (Ps. 46:1-3)

Yes my fellow believers, that’s how strong our faith ought to be; winning out even in the most serious predicaments. That’s because the Lord God Almighty; our omnipotent, omniscient and omni-present Deity has us in the palm of His hands and has promised to take care of us. Like Bruh Paul says in his letter to the Romans: ‘And we know that all things work together for good to them that LOVE God, to them who are the called according to his purpose.’ (Rom. 8:28)

So, though we will have problems in this ungodly world, the Lord’s promised that in the end He will work it all out for the good of those who put their trust in Him. And Jesus reinforces that promise when He says: ‘These things I have spoken unto you, that in me ye might have peace. In the world ye shall have tribulation: but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world.’ (John 16:33) And He certainly has, by defeating hell, death and the grave through His death and resurrection!

That means we ought not to be afraid of what man can do to us, but be more concerned about what the Lord Jehovah can do. As Jesus said: ‘And fear not them which kill the body, but are not able to kill the soul: but rather fear him which is able to destroy both soul and body in hell.’ (Matt. 18:28) And what does all of the mean?

This commentary explains that verse thus: ‘Jesus encourages his followers not to be afraid of those who might persecute or kill them for their faith, as such people can only affect their physical body. The verse contrasts this with the fear of God, who has authority over both the physical and spiritual realms. The phrase “destroy both body and soul in hell” refers to the concept of eternal punishment, where the soul is also eternally separated from God. This verse highlights God’s sovereignty over life and death and the importance of prioritizing Him over any human authority.’

Now those are some things that we ought to take into serious consideration as we walk amongst all the evil and ungodly doings that are currently running rampant in our world. We all are human, and fear does come upon us at some time or other, but the important thing to remember is that God is sovereign over the entire universe, and as a child of God, you have His protection and ought not to let fear overtake you for any length of time. Remember these marvellous words of Bruh Paul to Timothy: ‘For God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of LOVE, and of a sound (disciplined) mind.’ (2 Tim. 1:7)

And if that doesn’t set your heart and soul free of fear, then listen to these most assuring words of Bruh David from Psalm 62, titled My Rock and My Salvation. He writes: ‘My soul, wait thou (silently) only upon God; for my expectation (hope) is from him. He only is my rock and my salvation: he is my defence; I shall not be moved (shaken). In God is my salvation and my glory: the rock of my strength, and my refuge, is in God. Trust in him at all times; ye people, pour out your heart before him: God is a refuge for us. Selah’ (Ps. 62:5-8)

And if there’s one thing we can say about both Bruh David and Bruh Paul is that they not only talked the words of God, but they also walked them. They both had oodles of trials and tribulations, many more serious than any we will ever have, but they never once gave up on their faith, never once feared that the Lord would not come through for them. Now that’s the kind of faith we all need to build in these fearful and troubled times. However, unfortunately, faith is only built when we go through trials and tribulations, when we personally endure tough times.

We don’t need faith when the going’s good; but we surely need it when we don’t have the foggiest notion how to handle our tough situations. And that’s the time to call upon Almighty God for help, and believe that He will see you through! But more importantly, take a page from Bruh David’s book and continually call on Him. (smile) Bruh David constantly called on the Lord, even when thinks were good. That’s when we need to give Him praise and thanks for keeping our souls and lives together.

We can’t only know Him when things are rough. But sadly, that’s the only time many of us call on Him. No friends, the Lord God Jehovah must always be in our sights, be our times good or bad, for that’s when He knows that we truly care for Him, and are not only interested in what He can do for us. And with all that glorious information under our belt, (smile) let’s go home declaring our Wednesday Wail.

As one, in a strong and sincere voice: ‘Wednesday, Wednesday, Wednesday: I’m so glad to be alive on this Wednesday! Wednesday, Wednesday, Wednesday: Thank God the breath of life is still flowing through me on this Wednesday! I am halfway home. My hands are fixed securely on the plough, and I’m not turning back. I’m not looking back at the past, not focusing on what has gone before. But my eyes are fixed straight ahead; straight ahead to a glorious future with Jesus. Glory Hallelujah!’ 

And if you truly know the Lord, then you’ll know of the promise that those who endure right to the very end with Jesus, will have a future even more glorious than we can ever ask or imagine. So please, let’s be wise and make plans to endure right to the very end nuh, and so enjoy that glorious future together! Much LOVE!

…only in God…can we be truly safe…from the ravages of this evil world…

Hear our podcast at https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/randy-obrien

The Baptism of the Holy Ghost on the Day of Pentecost!

Acts 2:3.        And there appeared unto them cloven (divided) tongues like as of fire, and it sat upon each of them.

And then it was Pentecost Sunday, when we celebrate the day the early church was baptized with the Holy Ghost! But, as this commentary tells us, ‘in the Old Testament, Pentecost, also known as the Feast of Weeks or Shavuot, was a celebration commemorating the harvest of wheat and barley, as well as the anniversary of God giving the Ten Commandments to Moses on Mount Sinai. It was a time of thanksgiving for God’s provision and a reaffirmation of the covenant between God and Israel.’ 

And, as we all know, Jesus ascended back to heaven forty days after His resurrection. However, before He left, He commanded the disciples and the other followers to remain in Jerusalem and ‘wait for the promise of the Father, which, saith he, ye have heard of me. For John truly baptized with water; but ye shall be baptized with the Holy Ghost not many days hence.’ (Acts 1:4-5) So, being obedient to His desire, they stayed in Jerusalem. And this is the amazing and mind boggling scenario the Lord contrived, some two thousand years ago on the Pentecost Sunday, that fell ten days after Jesus ascended to heaven. 

The Bible tells us: ‘And when the day of Pentecost was fully come, they (the followers) were all with one accord (one purpose or mind) in one place. And suddenly there came a sound from heaven as of a rushing mighty wind, and it filled all the house where they were sitting. And there appeared unto them cloven (divided) tongues like as of fire, and it sat upon each of them. And they were all filled with the Holy Ghost, and began to speak with other tongues (other languages), as the Spirit gave them utterance (enabled them to do).’ (Acts. 2:1-4) 

Yes friends, on that day the Christian church was officially born, with the Holy Spirit alighting on each of the believers, showing that the Spirit’s baptism included them all. This spiritual baptism also fulfilled the promise of a New Covenant between God and Israel, as prophesied by Ezekiel 36: 26-27: ‘A new heart will I give you, and a new spirit will I put within you: and I will take away the stony heart out of your flesh, and I will give you an heart of flesh. And I will put my spirit within you, and cause you to walk in my statutes, and ye shall keep my judgements and do them.’ 

Meanwhile, the author of Hebrews records it thus: ‘For this is the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel after those days, saith the Lord; I will put my laws into their mind, and write them in their hearts: and I will be to them a God, and they shall be to me a people: And they shall not teach every man their neighbour, and every man his brother, saying, Know the Lord: for all shall know me. From the least to the greatest. For I will be merciful to their unrighteousness, and their sins and their iniquities (lawless deed) will I remember no more.’ (Heb. 8:10-13) 

And did He ever do all of that in a majestic and breath-taking manner! First, sending Jesus to die on the cross for our sins, then filling every believer after that with the promise of the Holy Spirit, as Guide, Comforter and Helper. And also fulfilling another Old Testament promise as prophesied by Isaiah. ‘I, even I, am he that blotteth out thy transgressions for mine own sake, and will not remember thy sins.’ (Is. 43:25) Wow! What a great and faithful God we serve my brethren! Who calls things as though they were, (Rom. 4:17) then turns around and fulfills them. 

Now, having opened up our spirits, hearts and minds with scripture and understanding of it, this warm, bright and sunny Pentecost Sunday, let’s raise the roof of the Lord’s sanctuary with sweet sacrifices of praise as we offer up a mid-tempo, soulful and scintillating version of a hymn that’s usually sung at this time. It’s aptly titled, ‘Breathe on Me , Breath of God, an English Christian Hymn, written by Edwin Hatch, a Church of England vicar and the Professor of Classics at the University of Trinity College in Canada. It was first published privately in 1878 and publicly published in 1886. 

It’s a short and simple, but very meaningful hymn. One commentary says: ‘The hymn expresses a desire for the Holy Spirit to fill and transform the individual, bringing new life, purity, and a deeper relationship with God.’ While another describes it thus: ‘The author invokes the Holy Spirit to come into his life and transform it. Using the first-person perspective throughout the hymn adds to the hymn’s power as the singer seeks the breath of God (Genesis 2:7) as a source for renewal.’ 

But enough talk, let’s do exactly as those commentaries say; seeking a more meaningful and intimate relationship with God through the power of the Holy Spirit as we sing this marvellous hymn. But wait, before we begin, let’s note that one video version had this most appropriate scripture from Job 33:4, as a prologue, and I want it to be our prologue too. So let’s declare it:  ‘The Spirit of God has made me, And the Breath of the Almighty gives me life.’ That’s the gospel truth friends!  

So, finally singing: ‘Breathe on me, Breath of God, fill me with life anew, that I may LOVE the way you LOVE, and do what you would do. Breathe on me, Breath of God, until my heart is pure, until my will is one with yours, to do and to endure. Breathe on me, Breath of God Till I am earthly thine Until this earthly part of me, Glows with thy fire divine. Breathe on me, Breath of God, So that I may be free, so shall I never die, but live with you the perfect life for all eternity. Ohh Lord… breathe on me! Yes Lord…breathe your ever-LOVING, life giving breath on me…’

Oh my people, what an outstanding rendition! All heaven was moved by our heartfelt, soulful sacrifices of praise! And as this commentary expresses: ‘The hymn’s request to “breathe on me” directly relates to the biblical imagery of God breathing life into Adam in Genesis 2:7 and Jesus breathing on the apostles in John 20:22. Both passages emphasize God’s active role in imparting life and the Holy Spirit.’

 Now, nuff said, let’s go home, with hearts rejoicing after much praise and thanksgiving in the Lord’s house, hopefully, with all of our spiritual tanks refilled to overflowing with God’s Holy Spirit, this Pentecost Day of 2025. Much LOVE!

… And the Lord God…formed man of the of the dust of the ground…and breathed into his nostrils…the breath of life…and man became a living soul…  (Gen. 2:7) 

Hear our podcast at https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/randy-obrien

Obeying God’s Commandments brings Life and Many Other Good Benefits!

Matthew 22:37.       Thou shalt LOVE the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind. This is the first and great commandment.

And it’s going to be another beautiful summer’s day, with high temps and a cool breeze to nullify the heat. So what more can we ask eh? Nothing really, except that we step up to the plate and truly do as Jesus tells us in reply to the uppity, arrogant lawyer’s question. ‘Master, which is the great commandment in the law? Jesus said unto him, Thou shalt LOVE the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind. This is the first and great commandment. And the second is like unto it, Thou shalt LOVE thy neighbour as thyself. On these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets.’ (Matt. 22:37-40) 

Yes mih friends, those two commandments are the basic foundation of God’s law…LOVE God – dedicate your life to Him, and LOVE your neighbour as you LOVE yourself – treat others with the same care and compassion that we give ourselves. It’s all about LOVE! The greatest emotion and attribute of God and mankind! Hopefully we’ll LOVE ourselves with a good LOVE, not a narcissistic, arrogant, selfish and demanding kind, and we can then transfer that wholesome LOVE to our neighbours. Wow! What a wonderful world this would be if we could only live that way! 

And this commentary explains the purpose of the Great Commandment thus. ‘The “Great Commandment,” as cited by Jesus in the New Testament, refers to two fundamental principles: LOVING God with all your being and LOVING your neighbor as yourself. It’s not a single commandment but two intertwined ones, representing the essence of God’s law and the basis for a fulfilling life. These two commandments are presented as the foundation upon which the entire law and the prophets rest. They are not a replacement for the Ten Commandments but a distillation of their meaning, emphasizing the importance of a heart-felt LOVE for God and for others.’ 

And that’s nothing new, for Moses reiterated the Great Commandment at least three times for the children of Israel in the book of Deuteronomy. So, let’s check them out nuh. In chapter 6, Moses declares: ‘Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God is one Lord: and thou shalt LOVE the Lord thy God with all thine heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy might.’ (Deut. 6:4-5) 

Then in chapter 10, he says: ‘And now, Israel, what doth the Lord thy God require of thee, but to fear the Lord thy God, to walk in all his ways, and to LOVE him, and to serve the Lord thy God with all thy heart and with all thy soul. To keep the commandments of the Lord, and his statutes, which I command thee this day for thy good (benefit or welfare).’ (Deut. 10:12-13) And please note that last verse specifies that keeping the Lord’s commandments are not for His good but for ours! 

When are we going to wake up and realize that everlasting truth eh my people? So that our world can become a much better place for our children’s children, because what we’re currently bequeathing to them is nothing less that a hell hole, a tragically hell bound world!  

Then in chapter 30, Moses again tells the Israelites about their basic duty to God. ‘And the Lord thy God will circumcise thine heart, and the heart of thy seed, to LOVE the Lord thy God with all thine heart, and with all thy soul, that thou mayest live.’ (Deut. 30:6) Please note that last phrase ‘that thou mayest live.’ Again, LOVING God and obeying His commandments will give us life, and by inference, doing the opposite will surely cut it short. How long is it going to take us to learn eh friends, that all the Lord says and does and expects of us is for our good? 

And as per LOVING and respecting our neighbour, hear these instructions from the Book of Leviticus. Moses writes: ‘Thou shalt not go up and down as a talebearer (gossip) among thy people: neither shalt thou stand against the blood (life) of thy neighbour: I am the Lord. Thou shalt not hate thy brother in thine heart: thou shalt in any wise (surely reprove, criticize, rebuke) thy neighbour, and not suffer sin upon him (bear sin because of him). Thou shalt not avenge (take vengeance), nor bear any grudge against the children of thy people, but thou shalt LOVE thy neighbour as thyself: I am the Lord.’ (Lev. 19:16-18) 

Unfortunately though, all those things that the Lord said we should not do, are exactly what we’re doing today. For, gossip, taking our neighbour’s lives, or putting them in jeopardy, rebuking, criticizing, bearing sin against our neighbours, hating our brothers, both biological and figurative, taking vengeance on others, and bearing unnecessary, even life-long grudges are the things that are most prominent in our current society.  What it does it say about out LOVE for God eh, about the reverence and obedience we have for Him! Nada!  We don’t consider Him important, else our behaviour would be entirely different. 

And then we wonder why our world is in such chaos and disaster, with strife, anger, hatred, resentment amongst the major ingredients of our lives. It’s simple friends: disobedience to God’s Word, and a strong desire to live the carnal and evil way that Satan promotes. But let’s remember that when the chips fall, Satan can’t help us, not even one iota, for all those who live like him will be headed straight to hellfire and damnation, with eternal separation from God. Therefore, this is a serious warning for us to clean up our act if we ever wish to see the pearly gates of heaven. 

Now, for those of us who are sincerely trying to live for Christ, let’s go home declaring our Wednesday Wail (chuh!!!) and let me apologize for a mindless blunder yesterday, calling our Tuesday Mantra, the Tuesday Wail. Don’t know where my head was. (smile) 

So with strong and sincere voice, let’s offer up our Wednesday Wail. ‘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 our puny, finite minds cannot picture the glorious future that awaits those who stick with Jesus right to the very end. Hope and pray to see you there! Much LOVE!

…God did not want His most marvellous creation to be robots…so He gave us free will…hoping that we would use it to live for Him…

Hear our podcast at https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/randy-obrien

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