The Utmost Necessity for Believers to Patiently Wait in Faith on Almighty God! Part 2.

10 Sep 2025 Leave a comment

by randyobrien50 in Christian Thoughts and Inspiration., Daily Devotion, Daily Inspiration, Inspirational Living, Spiritual Living Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Isaiah 40:31a.        But they that wait upon the Lord shall renew their strength;

Oh mih people, it’s Wednesday, our second wind day! And it’s a beautiful, warm sunshiny day in my neighbourhood. However, we’re on the late bus today, because our Wednesday morning group at church has reconvened after the summer hiatus, and then, as usual, I had to run a couple of errands afterwards. (smile) But it’s not too bad because we know what we’re talking about as God spared our lives to see another marvellous day on Planet Earth. 

Yes, as we promised yesterday, we’re continuing to look at scriptures on that ever important attitude of waiting on God. It’s not an easy task, but it’s oh so wise and beneficial. When we wait on God, we get the best of what He has to offer…and when we don’t, we get second rate stuff, or no stuff at all. And we’ll begin with one of the big scriptures on the subject of waiting, another one from the prophet Isaiah. 

When talking about the Greatness of God’s Might, he confidently proclaims: ‘Hast thou not known? hast thou not heard, that the everlasting God, the Lord, the Creator of the ends of the earth, fainteth not, neither is weary? there is no searching of his understanding. He giveth power to the faint (weak); and to them that have no might he increaseth strength. Even the youths shall faint  and be weary, and the young men shall utterly fall: But they that wait upon the Lord shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings as eagles; they shall run and not be weary; and they shall walk, and not faint.’ (Is. 40:28-31) 

Oh friends, what a glorious scripture that is! What a promise it contains for waiting on God! Wow! If we wait on God we can walk and not be weary, as well as soar like eagles, because He strengthens us and enables us to walk in His might and power! Now there’s nothing better than that! However, it all depends on our waiting on God for His timing. And yes, sometimes we can force an issue and have it come out all right, but the truth of the matter is that it never comes out as good as if we wait for God’s time to do it. 

And we see Bruh David advising that we wait on the Lord in several psalms. Listen to this from Psalm 25: ‘O my God, I trust in thee: let me not be ashamed, let not mine enemies triumph over me. Yea, let none that wait (in faith) on thee be ashamed: let them be ashamed which transgress without cause (deal treacherously). Shew me thy ways, O Lord; teach me thy paths. Lead me in thy truth, and teach me: for thou art the God of my salvation: on thee do I wait all the day.’ (Ps. 25:2-5) 

And then in that magnificent Psalm 34, Bruh David testifies: ‘This poor man cried, and the Lord heard him, and saved him out of all his troubles. The angel of the Lord encampeth round about them that fear him, and delivereth them. O taste and see that the Lord is good: blessed is the man that trusteth in him. O fear the Lord, ye his saints: for there is no want (lack) to them that fear him. The young lions do lack, and suffer hunger: but they that seek the Lord shall not want any good thing …The Lord redeemeth the soul of his servants: and none of them shall be desolate (condemned).’ (Ps. 34:6-10, 22) 

Yes my fellow believers, if we trust in the Lord, then we will wait upon Him, and then we shall not be ashamed of anything and want for anything. That’s His faithful promise! Now hear these verses from the end of this other mighty psalm, Psalm 37. Bruh David declares: ‘Mark the perfect (blameless) man, and behold the upright: for the end of that man is peace. But the transgressors shall be destroyed together: the end of the wicked shall be cut off. But the salvation of the righteous is of the Lord: he is their strength in the time of trouble. And the Lord shall help them, and deliver them: he shall deliver them from the wicked, and save them, because they trust in him.’ (Ps. 37:37-40) 

There again trusting in the Lord and therefore waiting on Him will bring redemption and deliverance! And there are many more scriptures about waiting on and trusting in God, but we’ll end with this one from James, Christ’s brother, as he talks about the Value of Patience and Prayer. He writes: ‘Be patient, therefore, brethren, unto the coming of the Lord. Behold, the husbandman (farmer) waiteth for the precious fruit of the earth, and hath long patience for it, until he receive the early and latter rain. Be ye also patient; stablish (establish) your hearts: for the coming of the Lord draweth nigh (has come near).’ (James 5:7-8)  

Yes friends, we need to build a solid attitude of patience like farmers have, and keep waiting in faith on God, for that is one of the best ways to show our faith and acknowledge His sovereignty. Now, let’s go home declaring (yesss!) 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 a codicil to that promise, which says, those who endure right to the very end with Jesus, will have an even more glorious future than we can ever ask or imagine. So please, let’s be wise and endure right the end with Christ nuh, so that we can be a part of that glorious future together! Much LOVE!

…to wait…to wait…to wait in faith on the Lord…that ought to be the Christians’ motto…

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

The Overwhelming Importance of Believing that God is the Creator and Controller of this Universe!

07 Jul 2025 Leave a comment

by randyobrien50 in Christian Thoughts and Inspiration., Daily Devotion, Daily Inspiration, Inspirational Living, Spiritual Living Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Isaiah 40:25.           To whom then will ye liken me, or shall I be equal? Saith the Holy One.

Aye friends, as the song says: ‘Monday, Monday, Monday…Monday morning!’ And you better believe it’s another new work week, another of the numerous Mondays in our lives, where we get out into the crazy, misdirected world to earn a living. Let’s hope today is not as hot and humid as the last two days, especially when the living is already not easy. We don’t need the weather to make it any more difficult. (smile)

However, with the help of Jesus and His Holy Spirit dwelling within us we can make it successful, if we sincerely stand by their teaching and guidance. If we surrender, trust and obey God’s directives, then He’s promised to forgive our sins, heal our diseases, redeem us from destruction, shower us with blessings, with mercy and grace, and satisfy our mouths with good things, so that our youth is renewed like the eagle’s. (Ps. 103:3-5)

And who would not want those wonderful things eh? It seems like many of us don’t, because many of us don’t adhere to God’s commandments and His will for our lives. Why is that eh? Is it because we believe that we know more than God, and we don’t need Him to help run our lives? Granted, He gave us a modicum of free will, hoping that we would use it to choose His way and standard of living.

But apparently He was ever so wrong, since so many of us prefer to go our own way, and associate with Satan and his evil doing cohorts, than with Jesus and His goody, goody two shoes people. And when Jesus comes back and separates the sheep from the goats, (Matt. 25:31-46) and many of us end up on His left hand with the goats, we’ll wonder why, but it’ll be all because we did not value His importance enough to listen to Him and follow His directives.

Instead, to our great detriment, we followed idols and other man-made doctrines that have no power whatsoever. But there’s none that can compare to the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, who created the world and still rules over it, although with all of the current confusion, strife and hardship that’s currently manifesting itself, some of us might not think so. Ah my people, it’s time we paid serious attention to this passage from the Book of Isaiah, where he expounds on the Greatness of God’s Might.

‘To whom then will ye liken me, or shall I be equal? Saith the Holy One. Lift up your eyes on high, and behold who hath created these things, that bringeth out their host by number: he calleth them all by names by the greatness of his might, for that he is strong in power; not one faileth (is missing). Why sayest thou, O Jacob, and speakest, O Israel, My way is hid from the Lord, and my judgement (just claim) is passed over from my God?

Hast thou not known? hast thou not heard, that the everlasting God , the Lord, the Creator of the ends of the earth, fainteth not, neither is weary? there is no searching of his understanding. He giveth power to the faint (weak); and to them that have no might he increaseth strength. Even the youths shall faint and be weary, and the young men shall utterly fall: But they that wait upon the Lord shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings as eagles; they shall run, and not be weary; and they shall walk, and not faint.’ (Is. 40:25-31)

Yes friends, that’s what the Lord does for those who wait on Him! Can Satan or any of his evil cronies do that kind of thing for you? The obvious answer is a loud and resounding ‘NO!’ For they are created beings of God, just like us. So it’s utterly foolish to trust them and their evil and wicked schemes over the righteousness of God. And though life might be somewhat rough in this ungodly world when living for Jesus, we have these marvellous and encouraging words of Bruh Paul to the church at Corinth to bear us up.

‘We are troubled (hard pressed) on every side, yet not distressed (crushed); we are perplexed, but not in despair; Persecuted, but not forsaken; cast (struck) down, but not destroyed; always bearing about in the body the dying of the Lord Jesus, that the life also of Jesus might be made manifest in our body. For we which live are always delivered unto death for Jesus sake, that the life also of Jesus might be made manifest in our mortal flesh.’ (2 Cor. 4:8-11)

Yes my fellow believers, though we suffer and are persecuted for Christ, even killed for His sake, we can stand on His faithful promise that if we die with Him, we will also live with Him. So  let’s not give up on our faith when there seems to be no way out, for the Lord has promised that He will always make a way where there seems to be no way. (1 Cor. 10:13) And now having those words of encouragement lodged securely in our hearts, souls, bodies and minds, let’s go to the throne of grace, seeking divine aid to help us turn our world around.

Altogether: ‘Our Father, who art in heaven, we, Your humble servants, praise Your Holy Name and thank You this Monday morning for life and strong faith in Christ, despite the mass confusion in our world. Heavenly Father, You are the ONLY ONE with the power to solve our many problems.

Yes, we have all sinned and seriously disobeyed Your Word, but You are a merciful, forgiving and gracious God, who has faithfully promised to hear and answer our prayers when we humble ourselves, pray, and sincerely seek Your face. So, we come to You now, with sincere repentance in our hearts, pleading for wise guidance and direction to alleviate our problems.

Oh Father, please ease the pain of the many suffering from negative situations, show them Your awesome grace and mercy. And faithfully keep Your promise to prosper us if we turn from our evil ways. Show this evil world that You are indeed Jehovah Rapha; the God who heals! We pray this in the holy and blessed name of Your Son, our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ! Amen! And again, we say: Amen!’ 

Ah mih bredrin, our own prayer shows what we have to do to receive divine aid: humble ourselves, pray, turn from our evil ways, and sincerely seek God’s face. So, let’s get on with that nuh, if we truly desire heaven’s help! Much LOVE!

…why would created beings listen to other created beings…instead of their Creator eh…

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

The Importance of Believers fervently seeking to attain Spiritual Maturity!

09 Sep 2024 Leave a comment

by randyobrien50 in Christian Thoughts and Inspiration., Daily Devotion, Daily Inspiration, Inspirational Living, Spiritual Living Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Philippians 3:14.       I press toward the mark (goal) for the prize of the high (upward) calling of God in Christ Jesus.

And our nemesis, Monday, has shown up again, this time with a full work week. So, hope you had enough rest and relaxation to enable you to get through a full five days of back-breaking labour. (smile) Although it must be said that with all the amenities and helpful tools we currently have, not many of us do backbreaking work anymore. Sometimes we expend more energy getting to and from work, that doing the actual work itself. But that’s just how the cookie crumbles and we have to take it as it comes. 

And how do we do that? By standing strong and steadfast in our faith in Christ Jesus! Remember, He’s our Be All and End All, and we can do anything we need to through His awesome strength that flows through us. (Phil. 4:13) Then there’s also this awesome scripture from the prophet Isaiah on God’s great might. ‘Hast thou not known? hast thou not heard, that the everlasting God, the Lord, the Creator of the ends of the earth, fainteth not, neither is weary? there is no searching of his understanding. 

He giveth power to the faint (weak); and to them that have no might he increaseth strength. Even the youths shall faint and be weary, and the young men shall utterly fall: But they that wait upon the Lord shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings as eagles; they shall run, and not be weary; and they shall walk and not faint.’ (Is. 40:28-31) 

Wow my fellow believers! What a mighty God we serve! But, unfortunately, that faith and strength don’t come to us automatically or overnight. No, it’s something we must work at. It entails, hard work, sacrifices, perseverance and a determination to truly know Jesus. And that we can learn from Bruh Paul’s sentiments to the Philippians. 

‘That I may know him, and power of his resurrection, and the fellowship of his sufferings, being made conformable to his death; If by any means I might attain unto the resurrection of the dead. Not as though I had already attained (it), either were already perfect: but I follow after (press on), if that I may apprehend (lay hold of) that for which I also am apprehended of Christ.’ (Phil. 3:10-12) 

Ah friends, you see how badly Bruh Paul wants to be like Christ; he’s eager to become more like Him in His suffering and death, so he could obtain His physical resurrection, as the scholars say, ‘thus experiencing God’s power in one of its greatest aspects.’ And although Bruh Paul was probably the most hardworking and zealous of the apostles, he still believed that he hadn’t done enough to get close to Jesus’ state. 

As he continues to the Philippians. ‘Brethren, I count not myself to have apprehended (laid hold of it): but this one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind, and reaching forth (forward) unto those things which are before (ahead), I press toward the mark (goal) for the prize of the high (upward) calling of God in Christ Jesus.’ (Phil. 3:13-14) 

And that my faithful brethren, is the attitude we, as true believers in Christ Jesus, ought to have! A strong desire to press forward to achieve and obtain all that Christ died for us to have! It’s only with that kind of determined attitude will we ever achieve or attain the mark of maturity in Christ, with good strength and faith, knowing who we are in Christ; the children of God, justified, sanctified, reconciled, made righteous, joint heirs with Him in all that the Lord has given to Him, sitting with Him in heavenly places. 

Wow! Those are some of the things we need to know and believe deep in our hearts, if we want to be successful disciples of Christ. And we do that by doing as Bruh Paul earlier advised the Philippians. ‘Wherefore, my beloved, as ye have always obeyed, not as in my presence only, but now much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling. For it is God which worketh in you both to will and to do of (according to) his good pleasure.’ (Phil. 2:12-13) 

And what does that mean eh? Not to work for their salvation, for God has already granted that gift of salvation to them, but to work for the profit of others, by living a life that is worthwhile and pleasing to God, a life like Bruh Paul explains in practical terms in the following verses. 

‘Do all things without murmurings (grumbling) and disputings: That ye may be blameless and harmless (innocent), the sons (children) of God, without rebuke (fault), in the midst of a crooked and perverse nation (generation), among whom ye shine as lights in the world; Holding forth (fast to) the word of life; that I may rejoice in the day of Christ, that I have not run in vain, neither laboured in vain.’ (Phil. 2:14-16) 

Yes my fellow saints, that’s what it means to work out your own salvation, to basically live a life for Christ, with the appropriate sacrifices in obedience to God, putting others before yourselves, like Christ did for us. Or as one commentary says: ‘The command to ”work out” salvation is a directive to let the new birth in Christ translate into actions. As a part of this, believers should serve God without griping or complaining.’ And friends, the day we do that…what a wonderful day it will be in God’s kingdom! (smile) 

Now, let’s go to the throne of grace, through our Monday Morning Battle Hymn, for divine help to work out our salvation. Altogether: ‘Our Father, who art in heaven, we, Your humble servants, praise Your Holy Name and thank You this Monday morning for life and strong faith in Christ, despite the mass confusion in our world. Heavenly Father, You are the ONLY ONE with the power to solve our many problems. 

Yes, we have all sinned and seriously disobeyed Your Word, but You are a merciful, forgiving and gracious God, who has faithfully promised to hear and answer our prayers when we humble ourselves, pray, and sincerely seek Your face. So, we come to You now, with sincere repentance in our hearts, pleading for wise guidance and direction to alleviate our problems. 

Oh Father, please ease the pain of the many suffering from negative situations, show them Your awesome grace and mercy. And faithfully keep Your promise to prosper us if we turn from our evil ways. Show this evil world that You are indeed Jehovah Rapha; the God who heals! We pray this in the holy and blessed name of Your Son, our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ! Amen! And again, we say: Amen!’ 

Now, let’s remember, that until we turn from our evil ways and begin living a life well-pleasing to God, no divine aid will be forthcoming! Much LOVE!

…being confident of this very thing…that he which hath begun a good work in you…will perform (complete) it…until the day of Jesus Christ…

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

Today’s Scrip-Bit 13 August 2021 Hebrews 13:8.

13 Aug 2021 Leave a comment

by randyobrien50 in Christian Thoughts and Inspiration., Daily Devotion, Daily Inspiration, Inspirational Living, Spiritual Living Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Hebrews 13:8.     ‘Jesus Christ the same yesterday, and today, and for ever.’ 

Friday, oh Friday! Is about time yuh reach here yes! Even if you are the supposed bad mind, evil, Friday the thirteenth, ah still glad yuh finally reach, because ah tired. This work scene killing me! Is over a year now I didn’t have to come down in this ugly city five days a week to do this frustrating work. But then a couple weeks ago, mih boss call and said is time to come back down here. Oh mih child, you wouldn’t know how that long drive, twice a day in jam up traffic, wreaking havoc on mih nerves and mih life in general nuh. 

It took me ten years to get accustomed to driving downtown in the traffic every single day. But then it only took me a li’l more than a year to unlearn it. And you can imagine how bad it going to be when we come out of all the covid restrictions, and the traffic really start to hit it the road? It going to be real awful. 

And to make matters worse, when I tell mih boss about how the downtown drive nerve wracking, yuh know what this boldfaced man look me in mih eye and tell me point blank. ‘I’m sorry my dear, if you can’t do the drive, then get a house closer to your work. And have no fear, if you don’t want the job, I have plenty others who are willing to take it for less pay!’ But imagine my crosses nuh! After I done slave for this imbecile man for so long, he have the nerve and bad manners to tell me such a thing!’ 

Yes friends, that’s life! As the old people would say, if life doesn’t get you one way, it will get you another. And that’s the gospel truth! This woman apparently didn’t get sick and had it fairly easy during the big covid lockdown, possibly working from home, so she got quite used to the situation. But then, when life struck, as it takes pleasure in doing, and she had to go back out to work, it was a horse of a different colour. Life does us that all the time friends: set you up one way, only to drag you down in another. 

And it is our responsibility, ofttimes a difficult one, to not allow it to take us to the cleaners. It means we need to find a constant in our lives; something or someone that that doesn’t play terrible games like life does. And believe me people, the ONE and ONLY constant, unchangeable force in this world is the Lord God Almighty; He of Abraham, Jacob and Isaac! Yes friends, wisdom dictates that we tie ourselves, bind ourselves securely to the ONE and ONLY Living God, through His mighty Son, Jesus Christ, the King of Kings, the Prince of Peace, the Lord and Saviour of this lost, sinful and evil world! 

And why is that you ask? Simple! Because He is the ONLY thing or person in this universe that does not change, and He is also trustworthy, therefore He can be depended on to look after our affairs in accordance with His will. And I know you don’t like that last part about accordance with His will, but we need to remember that Jehovah God is the Creator and Ruler of this universe; in other words, He is the BOSS, and like in the story above, what the Boss says, goes. (smile) 

So, now that we have established that most important fact, that God runs things His way, (smile) let’s look at the immutability, the unchanging character of God, and see how it can greatly benefit us. Here are some scriptures from the Good Book, the Lord’s Holy Word, which let us know in no uncertain terms of His forever constant nature. The writer of Hebrews puts it very simply and clearly when He talks of ‘Jesus Christ the same yesterday, and today, and for ever.’ (Heb. 13:8) 

But if that’s too simple for you, because mankind tends to think that only complicated things are worthwhile, then let’s consider the more complicated terms of Psalm 102. The psalmist confidently declares: ‘Of old hast thou laid the foundation of the earth: and the heavens are the work of thy hands. They shall perish, but thou shalt endure (continue): yes, all of them shall wax (grow) old like a garment; as a vesture (cloak) shalt thou change them, and they shall be changed: But thou art the same, and thy years shall have no end.’ (Ps. 102:25-27) 

Now does that impact you more forcefully? I certainly hope so, because if you do not engage the Lord God Jehovah, through Jesus Christ, as your stronghold and salvation, then you are in for a very rough ride in this life and then eternal separation from the Creator at the end time. But here are some marvellous verses of scripture that you ought to seriously consider. It comes from the prophet Isaiah. 

‘Hast thou not known? hast thou not heard that the everlasting God, the Lord, the Creator of the ends of the earth, fainteth not, neither is weary? there is no searching of his understanding. He giveth power to the faint (weak); and to them that have no might he increaseth strength. Even the youths shall faint and be weary, and the young men shall utterly fall: But they that wait upon the Lord shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings as eagles; they shall run, and not be weary; and they shall walk and not faint.’ (Is. 40:28-31) 

Now that ought to capture you attention! (smile) But seriously friends, not only does the Lord not change, but He also gives power and strength to the weak and weary. And if you’re still not sure, then listen to this wonderful invitation from Jesus nuh. ‘Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.’ (Matt. 11:28) Now which other supposed god or idol offers that kind of invitation eh? None whatsoever. And even if they did, they could not fulfill it, because it’s only the Living God who has the power to do it! 

And there are many other scriptures we can quote about God’s unchangeability, strength and magnanimous character, but time and space prevent us. So, we hope that what we’ve said will hit home to you, and help you to draw closer to Christ, because that’s where your bread is truly buttered. Now, let’s take our problems to God in prayer, another wonderful facet of being under His everlasting yoke of comfort, safety and rest. 

As one strong and sincere voice, let’s declare our Friday Chant. ‘Oh Lord, thanks for getting me safely through this past week. You know it’s been rough… what with all the anxiety, the confusion and havoc that the Covid-19 virus and our many other problems are causing. We can’t seem to fix it on our own Lord, that means we desperately need your help. Oh heavenly Father, with your omnipotent help, and our trusting faith, we know that we can stand strong and steadfast and defeat both the virus and the unrest in our streets. 

So Lord, we sincerely ask you today to give the governments and those involved in the forefront of this serious and unexpected storm, the wise guidance to handle the situation properly, with the least amount of loss to life and property as possible. And please help those of us who must go out to work amidst all the confusion, to be responsible and to stay safe, and avoid any more serious setbacks. And Lord, we fervently pray that You’ll use this situation to bring a lot of backsliders back to your fold, show them the error of their ways. 

And please introduce a whole new flock, who will embrace your LOVE and compassion by the example, we, your faithful believers set. Yes Lord, please use this pandemic and the unrest in the streets as a means of restoring faith in You, so that our sinful world can wake up and smell the coffee, sweet and strong! We pray this in the name of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ! Amen!’ 

Now, please my brethren, let’s remember, that God’s answer totally depends on the example we set…that is of faithful believers. Much LOVE!

…if you are living under Christ’s all-embracing yoke…you don’t have to worry about a thing…just do as He says…and all will be right with your world…                                                                                                                    

Hear our podcast at https://open.spotify.com/show/3aVfqIC1CqwGybISs9dZJ8                

Today’s Scrip-Bit 17 July 2021 Hebrews 13:8.

17 Jul 2021 Leave a comment

by randyobrien50 in Christian Thoughts and Inspiration., Daily Devotion, Daily Inspiration, Inspirational Living, Spiritual Living Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Hebrews 13:8.     Jesus Christ the same yesterday, and today, and for ever.

One more rainy day, sleeping-in summer Saturday! And we sure are having a few of them. But who’s complaining eh? Certainly not me. (smile) I guess the Lord’s trying to make us appreciate the sunshine more when we do get it. And imagine, at nine o’clock on a summers’ day, the temperature is only 19 degrees. And this the height of summer. The weather patterns sure are changing. But thank God that One situation, or pattern NEVER changes: that’s Almighty God sitting strong and sure upon His heavenly throne controlling ALL things! Glory to God my faithful brethren! 

And by the way, I did not receive any quotes from our friend Anselm this week, so we just have to fly by the seat of our pants today. (smile) But the Lord has already pointed out the direction in which He wishes us to proceed; His unchanging and thus stable nature. And on the Pastor’s Corner Website, I found this interesting commentary on the subject by Brian Moore – not the one that some of us know (smile). 

It opens thus: ‘The God of the Bible never changes. He is the same yesterday, today and tomorrow. That is why He is the only secure place man can put his faith and trust in. The fact that God is eternally unchanging makes Him unlike any other being in existence. Everything and everyone else in life changes constantly. Relationships change, people change, landscapes change, health changes, culture changes, etc. With everything around us changing so rapidly and our immediate future being filled with such uncertainty, we need to find an unchanging place to put our hope in. 

Lamentations 3:22-24 says, “Through the Lord’s mercies we are not consumed, Because His compassions fail not. They are new every morning; Great is Your faithfulness. “The Lord is my portion,” says my soul,“Therefore I hope in Him!”” Malachi 3:6 says, “For I am the Lord, I do not change; Therefore you are not consumed, O sons of Jacob.” God is unchanging in His existence, in His Attributes, and in His counsel. That is why He is where unshakeable hope comes from.’ 

And that’s the everlasting truth my people! Our God never changes, and because some of us don’t believe it, or still have some doubts, today we are going to look at some scriptures that authenticate that statement. We’ve already heard what Malachi and Jeremiah has to say, so let’s move on to Hebrews, and the author of that Book, which many believe was written by Bruh Paul, unequivocally says: ‘Jesus Christ the same yesterday, and today, and for ever.’ (Heb. 13:8) 

Oh friends, you could not get any closer to unchanging than that! Meanwhile James, Jesus’ brother, tells us in no uncertain terms: ‘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) And the scholars add their two cents worth to James’ statement. 

On the Immutability of God, which James specifies in that verse, they say: ‘Since all changes are either for the better or for the worse, God is unchanging because He is perfect and cannot get any better nor become worse. The Scriptures describe God’s nature, will and character as immutable or unchanging. Illustration: To be immutable, however does not mean to be immobile. God also has the qualities of personality and can act, think, create, and make decisions. Application: God is unchanging, therefore, Christians can depend on His LOVE and power, because God has not changed since biblical times, (First Ref. Ps. 9:7; Primary Ref. James 1:17; cf. Lev. 19:2).’ 

Now a tidbit from Isaiah on the subject. ‘The grass withereth, the flower fadeth: but the word of our God will stand for ever.’ (Is. 40:8) Mama O Mama! What constancy and stability we have in the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob! Now hear these remarkable, but oh so true words from the psalmist as he cries out for help to the Lord. 

‘I said, O my God, take me not away in the midst of my days: thy years are throughout all generations. Of old hast thou laid the foundations of the earth: and the heavens are the work of thy hands. They shall perish, but thou shalt endure (continue): yea, all of them shall wax (grow) old like a garment; as a vesture (cloak) shalt thou change them, and they shall be changed: But thou art the same, and thy years shall have no end.’ (Ps. 102:24-27) 

Oh my people, my people, how much more do we need to satisfy us that our God is not only good, LOVING, generous, merciful and kind, but also unchangeable eh?  And don’t think for one moment that we’ve run out of scripture that attest to that fact nuh. (smile) So listen up. The psalmist declares with sure authority: ‘The counsel of the Lord standeth for ever, the thoughts of his heart to all generations. Blessed is the nation whose God is the Lord; and the people whom he hath chosen for his own inheritance.’ (Ps. 33:11-12) 

What wonderful assurance of stability! And doesn’t it make you feel like you’re riding on a cloud of joy, knowing that you are one of those people whom the unchangeable, everlasting, ever-LOVING God has chosen for His own inheritance? It ought to. And we can never leave out these marvellous words of Isaiah. ‘Hast thou not known? hast thou not heard, that the everlasting God, the Lord, the Creator of the ends of the earth, fainteth not, neither is weary? there is no searching of his understanding.’ (Is. 40:28) 

What more can we ask eh friends? But just in case you still have doubts, let’s listen to Moses, who probably had more intimate dealings with God during his lifetime, than any other human being. He says in his only Psalm. ‘Lord, thou hast been our dwelling place (refuge) in all generations. Before the mountains were brought forth, or ever thou hadst formed (given birth to) the earth and the world, even from everlasting to everlasting thou art God.’ (Ps. 90:1-2) 

And yuh know what everlasting means mih people; never-ending, endless, without end, perpetual, undying…that means forever! So, if you want something or someone to hold on to that does not change or die, then the Lord God of Israel is the One to hold on to. 

And we are going to end with the best scripture of all time: ‘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.’ (John 3:16) And that’s the crowning scripture my fellow saints in Christ, for without that magnanimous gesture on the part of our great God, everything else is meaningless. 

So please, let’s not allow it go to waste nuh, let’s accept Christ as our Lord and Saviour, so that we can dwell with Him, the Father, and the Holy Spirit right down through eternity. That’s wisdom of eternal proportions! Much LOVE!

…our God is a rock…a fortress… a strong foundation…on which to lean and build on…                                                                                         

Hear our podcast at https://open.spotify.com/show/3aVfqIC1CqwGybISs9dZJ8                      

Today’s Scrip-Bit 4 May 2021 Matthew 19:26.

04 May 2021 Leave a comment

by randyobrien50 in Christian Thoughts and Inspiration., Daily Devotion, Daily Inspiration, Inspirational Living, Spiritual Living Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Matthew 19:26. ‘With men this is impossible; but with God all things are possible.’ 

Come on down Tuesday and let’s get going for Jesus! No time to waste or linger, for time is in short supply! All roads this morning are leading to the cross of Jesus, those two pieces of old wood upon which He fashioned the greatest miracle and gift of all time; salvation for sinners like you and I! 

So let’s give Him much thanks and praise for that indomitable feat, that selfless act of great courage, His awesome LOVE and outstanding obedience! If we only had one iota… sorry, that should be, if we had only shown one iota of the courage, LOVE and obedience that Jesus showed, our world would definitely not be in the mess that it currently is in. 

Yes friends, it’s not that we believers don’t have the parts to change the world, but rather, we have not used them sufficiently for that purpose. Consequently, the evil enemy has stepped into the breach that we left wide open, took advantage of our lackadaisical attitude and set up his dominion, and now has a stranglehold on our society. That means we must work even harder than ought to be necessary, to remake our world into a Christian stronghold. 

And, based on the authoritative words of Jesus, that’s not an impossible feat my fellow believers. Remember what He told the disciples after mentioning that it was easier for a camel to go a needle’s eye, than for a rich man to enter into the kingdom of God? (Matt. 19:24) ‘With men this is impossible; but with God all things are possible.’ (Matt. 19:26) That needs to be in the forefront of our thinking friends: ALL things are possible with God! When we sincerely believe that, then we can truly go on to move mountains in His omnipotent name! 

So, it’s up to us, the die-hard followers of Christ, to get a move on and begin changing the terribly negative situation in our world. Jesus is depending on us to do it. It won’t be easy, but if we put our best foot forward, we will make a sizeable impact, because right now, with all the strife and sickness that’s in our world, people are desperately seeking solace and sustenance like never before. That means, now is our time to shine, our time to roll out all the wonderful things that Jesus has bestowed on us to help our fellow human beings. 

And before we give up and claim that the task is too great, let’s hearken back to these encouraging words of the prophet Isaiah. ‘Hast thou not known? hast thou not heard, that the everlasting God, the Lord, the Creator of the ends of the earth, fainteth not, neither is weary? There is no searching of his understanding.’ (Is. 40:28) Yes friends our mighty God doesn’t faint or get weary, and neither can we understand how He moves, because as He says later on in Isaiah, that His thoughts and ways are much higher than ours. (Is. 55:8-9) 

So please stop using our finite minds to judge what the Creator of the universe can or cannot do. Instead, let’s believe that nothing is impossible to Him, and live our lives on that solid premise of faith! Remember these momentous words of Isaiah. ‘He giveth power to the faint (weak); and to them that have no might he increaseth strength. Even the youths shall faint and be weary, and the young men shall utterly fall: But they that wait upon the Lord shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings as eagles; they shall run, and not be weary; and they shall walk, and not faint.’ (Is. 40:29-31) 

Oh my people, what encouraging words in this time of pandemic and strife; words that we so desperately need to hear, understand and believe, if we are going to make a serious difference in the current world! Yes friends, now, in this time of much fainting and weariness, it therefore behooves us to not fall into those categories, but instead to turn to our great God and let Him renew our strength, so that we can rise up with wings like eagles, and walk and run as necessary, but certainly not faint! 

That’s the only way we will ever take back what the enemy has stolen from us and remake the world into what Jesus desires it to be! Oh yeah, I know that we won’t fully accomplish our task until Jesus comes back, but in the meantime, we have to do our best, do what we can, so that souls are not lost to the enemy, but won for Christ. That’s our job as His ambassadors, as His earthly representatives; to show the world what wonderful opportunities He provides for those who believe in and follow Him. The end results being salvation and eternal life! 

Consequently, my fellow believers, this is not a time to give up, but to rise up, for we were made for such a time as this, when we can stand strong and show the world what Jesus is really all about, and the immense, the eternal value that He offers to fallen human beings! 

Now, let’s go home declaring (ah Lord eh!) our Tuesday Mantra, telling the whole world who and whose we are, to whom we so safely and strongly belong! 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 the world. Amen!’  

And the obvious consequence to that declaration, (yeah!!!) is for us to now go out and generously share the awesome LOVE and friendship of Christ with others, so they too can receive the amazing benefits He bestows on His followers. Much LOVE!

…when times get tough…the tough…that’s Christians…rise up and show their mettle… 

Hear our podcast at https://open.spotify.com/show/3aVfqIC1CqwGybISs9dZJ8