25 Oct 2025
by randyobrien50
in Christian Thoughts and Inspiration., Daily Devotion, Daily Inspiration, Inspirational Living, Spiritual Living
Tags: a permanent guest, above all that we ask or think, according to the power that worketh in us, according to the riches of his glory, all saints derive their spiritual life from God, as the heavens are higher than the earth, be a true reflection of Christ, be able to comprehend, be divinely enabled, be filled with all the fullness of God, being confident of this very thing, being rooted and grounded in Love, Christ feels at home in us, Christ may dwell in your hearts by faith, deepen my breath, divinely strengthened, exceeding abundantly, faith, for this cause I bow my knees, God may grant you, greater intimacy with God, growing in spiritual maturity, he which has begun a good work in you, holy spirit, I may know you all the more, I praise you for your unceasing nearness, I want to be with you now, in God' the potter's hands, in the inner man, increase my awareness of you today, Jesus Christ, lazy-day Saturday, Lazy-Day Saturday Prayer, live the kind of lives God desires, LOVE, mercy, my thoughts are not your thoughts, my thoughts higher than your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, perform it until the day of jesus, put it into practice, quiet my soul, relax my muscles, right and sincere motives, salvation, slow my thoughts, so are my ways higher than your ways, spiritual awareness, take it all to heart, thank you for this tenderness, the breadth and depth of God's love, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the life character and virtues of God, the whole family in heaven and earth is named, time is of the essence, to be at ease, to be awakened and enlightened, to be strengthened with might by his Spirit, to comprehend with all saints, to know the love of Christ which passeth knowledge, to live the Christian life successfully, truth, understand the enormous love of God, unto Him be glory in the church, unto him that is able to do, wisdom, world without end, you can't be contained, your love both surrounds and fills me, your peace and love are present
Ephesians 3:16b. to be strengthened with might by his Spirit in the inner man;
It’s our lazy-day Saturday friends! Where we lie around and do as little as we want, even to the point of doing nothing! (smile) And isn’t it a good feeling? It surely is! I even enjoyed some lazy-day sleep in, but that’s mainly because I went to bed at a rather late hour, so that might not count. (smile) Anyway, let’s get the ball rolling right away, for time is of the essence. And we’ll begin by offering up our Lazy-Day Saturday Prayer.
So, as one strong and sincere voice: ‘Lord, I want to be with You now. Please slow my thoughts and quiet my soul. Let my muscles relax, my breath deepen. You are here with me – Your peace and LOVE are present. I marvel to think You can’t be contained, that Your LOVE both surrounds and fills me. Thank You for this tenderness, Lord. I praise You for Your unceasing nearness. Increase my awareness of You today, that I may know You all the more. Amen!’
And as always, if we’re sincere, we’ll soon feel an extra special calm and peace filling our souls, because our wonderful God just LOVES to offer them to those who come desiring greater intimacy with Him. It’s one request He’ll NEVER turn away, if our hearts are truly sincere. And remember, He checks out our hearts before He answers our prayers to see if we have right and sincere motives, so it doesn’t make sense going to Him unless we fulfill those two scenarios.
That brings us to this interesting prayer Bruh Paul prayed for the Ephesians in his letter to them. He writes: ‘For this cause I bow my knees unto the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. Of whom the whole family in heaven and earth is named. That he would grant you, according to the riches of his glory, to be strengthened with might by his Spirit in the inner man; That Christ may dwell in your hearts by faith; that ye being rooted and grounded in LOVE, May be able to comprehend (understand) with all saints what is the breadth (width), and length, and depth, and height; And to know the LOVE of Christ , which passeth knowledge, that ye might be filled with all the fullness of God.’ (Eph. 3:14-20)
Wow! What an interesting prayer. Please note that Bruh Paul did not pray for earthly stuff but more for their spiritual awareness to be awakened and enlightened. And what does it all mean? The scholars offer these explanations. As per vs. 14, they explain: ‘For this cause. This expression resumes the apostle’s prayer begun in verse 1 but delayed by the discussion of verses 2-13.’ And that first verse simply says: ‘For this cause I Paul, the prisoner of Jesus Christ for you Gentiles,’ It is just an introduction to what he says in verse 14 onward, but got diverted before he could get into the prayer.
And as per verse 15: ‘Is named means “is derived.” The whole Christian family, including those saints now departed and in heaven, and those saints still living on earth – all of them derive their spiritual life from God.’ Then in verses 16-19, ‘Paul makes three prayer requests for the addressees: (1) That they would be strengthened with might by his Spirit (vs. 16), that is, they be divinely enabled to successfully live the Christian life.
(2) That the readers be able to comprehend … the LOVE of Christ, that is, to better understand the enormous LOVE Christ has for them. And (3) that they might be filled with all the fullness of God, that is, that the life, character, and virtues of God Himself may be fully developed in them.’ Yuh see friends, it’s all about understanding the enormity of God’s LOVE for us and wanting us to be truly a reflection of the image of Christ.
Then the scholars further break down verse 17, by saying: ‘This verse expresses the result of vs. 16: Christ will dwell in the lives of those who are recipients of the Holy Spirit. Jesus already lives in them and in all Christians. The Greek word translated “dwell” means to settle down and be at home, to be at ease. When they are divinely strengthened (vs. 16), they will then live the kind of lives God desires. When they thus please God, Christ will then be “at home” or “at ease” in their lives. As a permanent guest, He will enjoy living with them.’
Now the big question here is whether Christ is at home, or at ease in us, does He enjoy residing with us? And until we can answer that question with a strong affirmative, we have work to do. Well … we will always have work to do, but the point is, are we growing in spiritual maturity? And remember, even if we aren’t working on us, the Lord is. Bruh Paul states it quite plainly to the Philippians. ‘Being confident of this very thing, that he which hath begun a good work in you will perform (continue) it until the day of Jesus.’ (Phil. 1:6) That means we will be in God, the Potter’s hands from the moment we receive Christ as Lord and Saviour until He takes us home, or Christ returns, whichever happens first.
And Bruh Paul finishes his prayer for the Ephesians in style. ‘Now unto him that is able to do exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that worketh in us. Unto him be glory in the church by Christ Jesus throughout all ages, world without end. Amen.’ (Eph. 3:20-21)
And the scholars tell us there that ‘Paul, has not asked for too much. For he prays unto him that is able to do exceeding abundantly above all that he can ask or think.’ And we all know that’s the gospel truth! Our great God can do much more than we can ever ask or think. He created us, therefore He must be a much higher power then us, His lowly creations. And He informs us of that most salient fact, very clearly through the prophet Isaiah. ‘For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, saith the Lord. For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways, and my thoughts higher than your thoughts.’ (Is. 55:8-9)
Yes friends, the Lord states it as it is, and I pray that on this lazy-day Saturday we will take to heart all that we’ve said, and also put it into practice, so that we can keep growing in spiritual maturity as our wonderful God desires of us. Much LOVE!
…until Christ feels at home in us…we need to keep growing…
Hear our podcast at https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/randy-obrien
21 Sep 2025
by randyobrien50
in Christian Thoughts and Inspiration., Daily Devotion, Daily Inspiration, Inspirational Living, Spiritual Living
Tags: awakened from a troubled sleep, be able to comfort them which are in trouble, blessed be God, by the comfort wherewith we ourselves are comforted of God, declare all thy works, destroyed all them who go a whoring from thee, don't lose faith, entrepreneurial crisis, envious of the wicked's prosperity, facing bankruptcy, faith, fellowship, God has us in the palm of his hand, God is the strength of my heart, God on the Mountain, God took them through the valley, God will make them right, holy spirit, I will fear no evil, in the presence of mine enemies, it is good for me to draw near to God, it's down in the vallesy, Jesus Christ, know it deep down in our hearts, life is easy when you're on the mountain, LOVE, mercy, my cup runneth over, my flesh and my heart faileth, my portion for ever, of whom shall I be afraid, peace of mind like you've never known, prayers of praise and thanksgiving, put it into action, put my trust in the Lord God, reward of God's goodness and grace, salvation, still God in the bad times, still God in the night, still God in the valley, stood strong in faith, swimming pool business, talk comes easy, talk of faith, the day of the Lord, the Father of mercies, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the God of All Comfort, The God of the day, the God of the good times, the God on the mountain, the gospel truth, the indisputable truth, the Lord is my light and my salvation, the Lord is the strength of my life, the trials and tribulations of life, their world seemed to be falling apart, they that are far from thee shall perish, thou anointest my head with oil, thou art with me, thou preparest a table before me, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, thy rod and thy staff they comfort me, Tracy Dartt, trials and temptations, truth, ungodly times, up on the mountain, we ourselves are comforted by God, when life's at its best, when things change, when things go wrong, when you're down in the valley, who comforteth us in all our tribulation, whom shall I fear, wisdom, you're never alone, your faith is put to the test
Psalm 23:4. Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil: for thou art with me; thy rod and thy staff they comfort me.
Sunday has come around again my fellow believers! That wonderful day of our God, where we endeavour to visit His house, and with other believers offer up prayers of praise and thanksgiving and worship Him with a true and sincere heart. In return, we receive His strength and wisdom to face another week of work in these tough and ungodly times. And on our worship schedule for today is a song that’s very appropriate for these times and offers encouragement to those of us who are having a hard time managing the trials and tribulations of our lives.
The song’s aptly titled ‘God on the Mountain.’ It was written by Tracy Dartt in the mid 1970’s when his wife Sharon and himself were going through an entrepreneurial crisis, where there swimming pool business in California was facing bankruptcy, and to make matters worse, their partner became discouraged, threw in the towel, and signed everything over to them. That obviously caused them even more anxiety and stress for they had several swimming pools to build, but no money to build them with.
It so happened though that the Dartt’s were also country gospel music singers and per Mr. Dartt: ‘In the midst of the turmoil, I awakened from a troubled sleep one night. It was two o’clock in the morning. A tune was echoing in my troubled brain. I picked up a tablet and a pencil and began to write, “Life is easy when you’re up on the mountain, and you’ve got peace of mind like you’ve never known. But, when things change and you’re down in the valley, don’t lose faith, for you’re never alone.”
“Thank You, Lord,” I prayed, “for being God in my valley.” The chorus came, “The God on the mountain is still God in the valley. When things go wrong, He’ll make them right…” In all, it took about thirty minutes. I again prayed, “Thank You, Lord,” and then settled back down to sleep.’
And wouldn’t you know it, the next day he went off to work and through God’s goodness and mercy, he got a call for a new swimming pool. Then a few days later he got another call. And so it went, until as he writes: ‘Through the off-season, we ended up selling and building 12 pools in all, at a time when no one else was building pools. The building season came, and suddenly we were able to finish all of our construction and eliminate our debts. We were free and clear, without having to bankrupt the business. God had taken us through the valley.’
And believe me friends, that is not an exception but has happened to many believers down through the ages, who stood strong in their faith even when their world seemed to be falling apart around them. So now that we know some the song’s background, let’s offer up our sweet sacrifices of praise in a mid-tempo, soulful version of the song, a la the American Gospel Artiste, Lynda Randle.
Singing: ‘Life is easy, when you’re up on the mountain And you’ve got peace of mind, like you’ve never known But things change, when you’re down in the valley Don’t lose faith, for you are never alone For the God on the mountain, is still God in the valley When things go wrong, He’ll make them right And the God of the good times, is still God in the bad times The God of the day, is still God in the night We talk of faith way up on the mountain
But talk comes easy, when life’s at its best Now it’s down in the valleys, trials and temptations That’s where your faith is really put to the test For the God on the mountain, is still God in the valley, When things go wrong, He’ll make them right And the God of the good times, is still God in the bad times The God of the day, is still God in the night The God of the day, is still God in the night.’
And that’s the indisputable truth my people! Our God is the God of both the day and night, as well as of the valley and the mountain top. But we must know that deep down in our hearts and put it into action, like the Dartt’s did, if we want to experience the same kind of reward of God’s goodness and grace that they received.
And we all know that one of the most famous scriptures on being down in the valley is this one from Psalm 23, where Bruh David confidently affirms: ‘Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil: for thou art with me; thy rod and thy staff they comfort me. Thou preparest a table before me in the presence of mine enemies: thou anointest my head with oil: my cup runneth over.’ (Ps. 23:3-4)
Yes my brethren, the Lord has faithfully promised that He will never leave nor forsake us, (Heb. 13:5) that means wherever we are, He is there with us, leading and guiding us. However though, valley life is not easy. For as the song so rightfully points out. ‘We talk of faith way up on the mountain But talk comes easy, when life’s at its best Now it’s down in the valleys, trials and temptations That’s where your faith is really put to the test.’
Now that’s the gospel truth! When things are going well, we can always boast about our faith, but it’s down in the trenches of the valleys, when the darkness seems overwhelming, that our faith is really tested. And it’s where so many of us fail the test, because we cannot walk our talk of faith. But when we put our trust in God during those dark and dismal times, He helps us to get through them. It’s like the psalmist Asaph who found himself in the valley, being envious of the wicked, then went into the sanctuary of God and finally understood the wicked’s end. (Ps. 73:17).
Later, he declares: ‘My flesh and my heart faileth: but God is the strength (rock) of my heart, and my portion for ever. For, lo, they that are far from thee shall perish: thou hast destroyed all them that go a whoring from thee. But it is good for me to draw near to God: I have put my trust in the Lord God, that I may declare all thy works.’ (Ps. 73:26-28)
And we’ll close with possibly the most comforting scripture verses in the Bible. The words of Bruh Paul in his second letter to the Corinthians. ‘Blessed be God, even the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies, and the God of all comfort; Who comforteth us in all our tribulation, that we may be able to comfort them which are in any trouble (tribulation), by the comfort wherewith we ourselves are comforted of God.’ (2 Cor. 1:3-4)
Yes friends, our great God not only comforts us, but in such a manner that we can comfort others. Isn’t He wonderful? Of course He is! So, let’s remember, that though times are tough and seem to be getting tougher daily, our God Jehovah has us in the palm of his hand, but we need keep our faith strong, to even build it up, so that we can make it through the many death-like valleys that are appearing nowadays. Much LOVE!
…the Lord is my light and my salvation…whom shall I fear…the Lord is the strength of my life…of whom shall I be afraid…NO ONE… (Ps. 27:1)
Hear our podcast at https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/randy-obrien
01 Jun 2025
by randyobrien50
in Christian Thoughts and Inspiration., Daily Devotion, Daily Inspiration, Inspirational Living, Spiritual Living
Tags: a cloud received him out of their sight, a testament to God's goodness, baptized with the Holy ghost, be able to comfort those in trouble, blessed be God, by the same comfort we received from God, comforts us in all our tribulation, destroyed all them that go a whoring, destroyed all who are unfaithful to you, don't lose faith, down in the valley, faith, fellowship, fight the good fight of faith, file for bankruptcy, give God the reverence He deserves, God in the valley, God is a faithful God, God is the strength of my heart, God on the Mountain, God will make things right when they go wrong, holy spirit, I have put my trust in the Lord, I may declare all his works, I will fear no evil, in the midst of the turmoil, in the presence of mine enemies, it is good for me to draw near to God, Jesus Christ, life is easy when you're on the mountain, LOVE, mercy, my cup runneth over, my flesh and my heart faileth, none on earth I desire but you, salvation, Seventh Sunday of Easter, shall come again in like manner, sweet sacrifices of praise, swimming pools, taken up from you to heaven, talk of faith, the Ascension of Christ, the Father of mercies, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the God of All Comfort, the God of the bad times, The God of the day, the God of the good times, the god of the night, the gospel truth, the Great Commission, the Mount of Olives, the second coming of Christ, they that are far from thee shall perish, things change, this same Jesus, thou anointest my head with oil, thou art with me, thou preparest a table before me, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, thy rod and thy staff they comfort me, Tracy Dartt, trials and temptations, truth, use our innate wisdom, walking the talk, whom have I heaven but thee, wisdom, you have peace of mind, you're never alone, your faith is put to the test
Psalm 23:4. Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil: for thou art with me: thy rod and thy staff they comfort me.
And it’s another Sunday, this one the first day of June, the Seventh Sunday of Easter, when many churches celebrate the Ascension of Christ which happened this past week Thursday. The Lord spent forty days on earth after He rose from the grave, and on that day, while He gathered with the disciples on Mount Olivet (the Mount of Olives), He gave them the Great Commission (Matt. 28:18-20), also telling them to remain in Jerusalem until they were baptized with the Holy Ghost (Acts 1:4).
‘And when he had spoken these things, while they beheld (looked on), he was taken up; and a cloud received him out of their sight. And while they looked steadfastly toward heaven as he went up, behold two men stood by them in white apparel; Which also said, Ye men of Galilee, why stand ye gazing up into heaven? this same Jesus, which is taken up from you into heaven, shall so come in like manner as ye have seen him go into heaven.’ (Acts 1:9:11) Yes friends, Jesus went away, but He will come again, when He comes to judge the earth.
Now, the scholars offer these explanations of those verses. ‘While they beheld suggests several things that are not apparent. Unlike the appearances and disappearances of the former 40 days in which Jesus instantly appeared and vanished, this was a gradual and visible departure. This was different and final. He would no longer appear to them. His next appearance on earth will be at the Second Coming when he visibly (Rev. 1:7) and bodily sets His feet on Mount Olivet (Zech. 14:4).’
And since Jesus left from the mountain, and will return to the mountain, it’s appropriate that we begin our worship today with the song, ‘God On the Mountain.’ (smile) The story of the song is a wonderful testament to God’s goodness and faithfulness. In a nutshell, Tracy Dartt, the author, was in California building swimming pools with a partner in 1974, and though on the outside things looked rosy, in reality they were not. They discovered they had more pools to build than they could afford, and nothing they did could alleviate the problems.
The partner wanted to file for bankruptcy, but Dartt felt that was right. So, in frustration, the partner turned everything over to him, including the massive debt. And all they could do was pray. And did they ever pray! However, while things were going good, Dart and his wife Sharon had founded a country gospel group with another couple, called ‘Country Congregation, for which he wrote all the music, and they were functioning fairly well with a recording contract in hand.
And as the Lord would have it, in the midst of the turmoil, he awoke from a troubled sleep at two o’clock one night with a tune echoing in his mind. He picked up pen and paper and began to write. The first verse came, and as he thanked the Lord for being his God in the valley, the chorus came. And in roughly thirty minutes the song was completed. He thanked the Lord and went back to sleep. The next morning things were still up in the air and they prayed for the Lord to show them His will.
Shortly after he got to his office, someone called and requested a pool for an injured athlete. A few days later another call came for another pool. And so it went on, until they built some 12 pools in the off season, when no one else was building any. And they were able to save their business. And yet, people still say that the Lord is not a good and faithful God and is always with you, wherever you are! Nonsense!
So, finally, let’s offer up our sweet sacrifices of praise in a soulful, heartfelt, mid tempo version of this testimonial song to our great God. Singing: ‘Life is easy, when you’re up on the mountain And you’ve got peace of mind, like you’ve never known. But things change, when you’re down in the valley. Don’t lose faith, for you’re never alone. (Chorus: For the God on the mountain, is the God in the valley. When things go wrong, He’ll make them right. And the God of the good times is still God in the bad times. The God of the day is still God in the night.)
You talk of faith when you’re up on the mountain. But talk comes so easy when life’s at its best. But its down in the valley, of trials and temptations That’s where your faith, is really put to the test. (Chorus: For the God on the mountain is the God in the valley. When things go wrong, He’ll make them right. And the God of the good times is still God in the bad times. The God of the day, is still God in the night. (2)’
And isn’t that gospel truth my faithful brethren! Our God, when we’re celebrating on the mountain top, is the very same God who walks with us when we’re in despair in the valley. That’s why Bruh David could famously proclaim from Psalm 23: ‘Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil: for thou art with me: thy rod and thy staff they comfort me. Thou preparest a table before me in the presence of mine enemies: thou anointest my head with oil; my cup runneth over.’’ (Ps. 23:4-5)
Yes friends, that how good our God can be to us when things look ever so bleak, with no apparent way out of our unfortunate situations. And that’s why the psalmist Asaph in Psalm 73 – Prosperity of the Wicked – could also write these marvellous words of assurance. ‘Whom have I in heaven but thee? and there is none on earth that I desire beside thee. My flesh and my heart faileth: but God is the strength (rock) of my heart, and my portion for ever. For, lo, they that are far from thee shall perish: thou hast destroyed all them that go a whoring from thee (who are unfaithful to thee). But it is good for me to draw near to God: I have put my trust in the Lord God, that I may declare all thy works.’ (Ps. 73:25-28)
Now that’s how Christians ought to be talking…while also walking the talk! For our God is undoubtedly a good God, who has promised to never leave not forsake us (Heb. 13:5), and He never breaks any of His promises, so we can stake our lives on any promises He’s made. And furthermore, as Bruh Paul writes of Him to the Corinthians: ‘Blessed be God, even the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies, and the God of all comfort; Who comforteth us in all our tribulation, that we may be able to comfort them, which are in any trouble (tribulation), by the comfort wherewith we ourselves are comforted of God.’ (2 Cor. 1:3-4)
Now what more can we ask for my fellow believers? We have a God who is always with us, whether we’re on the mountaintop or in the depths of the valley, one who comforts us in times of trouble, even to the extent that we can comfort others with the comfort we receive from Him! Wow! What a magnificent God we serve! If only we would use our innate wisdom to give Him the right gratitude and reverence He deserves, our lives would be so much better! Much LOVE!
…whether we’re on the mountaintop…or in the valley…Christians must always be fighting…the good fight of faith…
Hear our podcast at https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/randy-obrien
06 Apr 2025
by randyobrien50
in Christian Thoughts and Inspiration., Daily Devotion, Daily Inspiration, Inspirational Living, Spiritual Living
Tags: a future and a hope, a new work week, allow His joy and peace, an incomparable experience, and peace from God the Father, and will say destroy, Anthony Showalter, be able to comfort them which are in trouble, be as a tree planted by the waters, blessed be God, blessed is the man that trusteth in the Lord, boosting our faith, by the comfort, calamity, Christ my Saviour, christianity, contemplate what it means, disastrous times, Easter, Elisha Hoffman, faith, fellowship, from day to day, god of all comfort, grace be to you, He will thrust out the enemy before you, her leaf shall be green, holy spirit, how bright the path grows, how sweet to walk in this pilgrim's way, I have blessed peace, I know the thoughts I think toward you, I will not fear what man can do to me, I will trust in thee, In god I have put my trust, In God I will praise his word, in the year of drought, jehovah god, Jesus Christ, leaning on Jesus, leaning on the everlasting arms of Christ my Saviour, LOVE, mercy, not be anxious, not of evil, reassurance, renewing our confidence, replace our loneliness, safe and secure from all alarms, salvation, shall not fear when heat comes, song of worship, spreads out her roots, the BIBLE, the eternal God is your refuge, the Father of all comfort, the Father of mercies, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the God of All Comfort, the greatest source of comfort, the Lord jesus christ, the Lord's Day, the miraculous events of Easter, the necessary inspiration, thou wilt keep him in perfect peace, thoughts of peace, times of fear and trial, times of trouble, to find refuge in God's arms, to give you an expected end, truth, turn to God for comfort, underneath are the everlasting arms, we are comforted ourselves by God, what a blessedness, what a fellowship, what a joy divine, what a peace is mine, what have i to dread, what have I to fear, What time I am afraid, who comforts us in our tribulation, whose hope the Lord is, whose mind is stayed on thee, wisdom, with my Lord so near
2 Corinthians 1:3. Blessed be God, even the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the father of mercies, and God of all comfort;
And then it was Sunday, the Lord’s Day, one filled with sunshine, worship, fellowship, thanksgiving and joy, all serving to boost our faith and renew our confidence in our great God, so that we can go out tomorrow and begin a new work week with the necessary inspiration and strength to make Him proud. And today’s song of worship is a very interesting and appropriate one for the disastrous times our world is currently facing. It’s most aptly titled ‘Leaning On the Everlasting Arms.’
Now, the website Godtube offers this information on the background of the hymn. ‘Leaning on the Everlasting Arms is a hymn published in 1887 with music by Anthony J. Showalter and lyrics by Showalter and Elisha Hoffman. Showalter had received letters from two of his former pupils informing him their wives had died and were seeking consolation. When writing them back, he was inspired by the phrase in the Book of Deuteronomy 33:27 “The eternal God is your refuge, And underneath are the everlasting arms; He will thrust out the enemy from before you, And will say, ‘Destroy”.
But after thinking of the verse furthermore, he decided those words would make a great theme for a hymn. He then wrote the words for the refrain and music for the hymn “Leaning on the Everlasting Arms.” But he needed help with the stanzas, so he went to see Elisha Hoffman author of over 2000 gospel hymns. Hoffman provided the stanzas while Showalter created the refrain and music to this hymn.’
So, on this first Sunday morning in April, during this Lenten Season, with the miraculous events of Easter just around the corner, let’s offer up our sweet sacrifices of praise in a rousing, up-tempo rendition of the song, doing exactly as this commentary from the Hymnary.org website so wisely advises. ‘As the hymn is sung, contemplate what it means to find refuge in our heavenly Father’s arms in times of fear and trial, and to allow His joy and peace to replace our loneliness and anxiety.’
Yes friends, we’ve all had times of trouble, when we needed to turn to God for comfort and strength and lean on His everlasting arms. So, as we sing, let’s remember some of those times and allow our gratitude and thanks to flow from our hearts for those many moments of comfort we’ve so graciously and mercifully received.
Singing: ‘What a fellowship, what a joy divine, leaning on the everlasting arms; what a blessedness, what a peace is mine, leaning on the everlasting arms. (Refrain: Leaning on Jesus, leaning on Jesus, safe and secure from all alarms; leaning, leaning, leaning on the everlasting arms.) O how sweet to walk in this pilgrim’s way, leaning on the everlasting arms; O how bright the path grows from day to day, leaning on the everlasting arms.
[Refrain] What have I to dread, what have I to fear, leaning on the everlasting arms? I have blessed peace with my Lord so near, leaning on the everlasting arms. Leaning on Jesus, leaning on Jesus, safe and secure from all alarms; leaning, leaning, leaning on the everlasting arms, Leaning, leaning, safe and secure from all alarms; leaning on the everlasting arms…leaning on the everlasting arms of Jesus… oh how good it is to be, leaning on the everlasting arms of Christ my Saviour….’
And yuh better believe it’s not only good to be leaning on Christ’s arms, but you’ll also understand that it’s an incomparable experience! No other sense of comfort and strength compares to that of our God. That’s why it’s one of the greatest hymns for solace. There’s nothing better than ‘leaning on the everlasting arms’ of God when seeking comfort.
As Bruh Paul so beautifully proclaims in his second letter to the Corinthians. ‘Grace be to you and peace from God our Father, and from the Lord Jesus Christ. Blessed be God, even the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the father of mercies, and God of all comfort; Who comforteth us in all our tribulation, that we may be able to comfort them which are in any trouble (tribulation), by the comfort wherewith we are comforted ourselves of God.’ (2 Cor. 1:2-4)
What powerful and encouraging verses of Scripture my fellow believers! And what I particularly like about the sentiments is that God not only comforts us, but does so in such a manner that we are also able to comfort others! Now, let’s look at a few of the many other scriptures that talk about God’s comfort and reassurance, beginning with this marvellous one from Isaiah, where he proclaims with the utmost confidence. ‘Thou wilt keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on (sustained by) thee: because he trusteth in thee. Trust ye in the Lord for ever: for in the Lord JEHOVAH is everlasting strength.’ (Is. 26:3-4)
Then there’s this one from Jeremiah. ‘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 yielding fruit.’ (Jer. 17:7-8)
Yes friends, the Lord has made many promises to comfort and care for us, but on the other hand, we must also place our sincere trust in Him if we expect the relationship to work. And I like these verses that Bruh David writes in Psalm 56, when he ran to the Philistines in Gath. He declares: ‘What time I am afraid, I will trust in thee. In God I will praise his word, in God I have put my trust; I will not fear what flesh (mere mortals) can do unto me.’ (Ps. 56:3-4)
Can you imagine Bruh David’s predicament, running from one enemy, Saul, only to end up in the hands of the Philistines, Israel’s constant foes. He was certainly between a rock and a hard place, but his exemplary trust and confidence in the God of his forefathers, kept him sane and confident, while in the hands of his mortal enemies.
And we’ll close with this favourite verse from Jeremiah: ‘For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, saith the Lord, thoughts of peace, and not of evil (calamity), to give you an expected end (a future and a hope).’ (Jer. 29:11) Oh my people, with all those sincere and faithful promises of peace and LOVE and joy, how can we not LOVE and honour the Lord eh? We must be a foolish people, if we don’t! Much LOVE!
…the greatest source of comfort…comes from the Father of all comfort…Jehovah God…
Hear our podcast at https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/randy-obrien
12 Jan 2025
by randyobrien50
in Christian Thoughts and Inspiration., Daily Devotion, Daily Inspiration, Inspirational Living, Spiritual Living
Tags: a grain of mustard seed, accept calamity, all the days of my life, an encouragement to many people, bankrupt the business, Bible, blessed be God, bnelievers in Christ Jesus, burn out, Christian, christianity, comforts us in all tribulation, curse God and die, don't lose faith, eliminate debts, faith, fellowship, for being god in my valley, God on the Mountain, God will come through for you, have faith in God, He'll make them right, holy spirit, I will dwell in the house of the Lord for ever, I will fear no evil, in God's name, in the presence of mine enemies, is still god in the bad times, is still god in the night, is the God in the valley, it's down in the valley, Jesus Christ, life is easy when you're on the mountain, loaded with debt, LOVE, make serious inroads into, mercy, mired in negative situations, my cup runneth over, not receive evil, O ye of little faith, our God is a good God, receive good at God's hand, retain your integrity, retake the world, reverence God, salvation, surely goodness and mercy shall follow me, sweet sacrifices of praise, swimming pools, talk a good talk of faith, talk comes easy, thank you locrd, the evil world system, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the gifts we're given to share with others, the God of Comfort, The God of the day, the God of the good times, the God on the mountain, the grace to comfort others, the valley of the sahdow of death, therapy, things change, thou anointest my head with oil, thou art with me, thou preparest a table before me, though I walk through, thy rod and thy staff they comfort me, Tracy Dartt, trials and temptations, truer words were never spoken, truth, up on the mountain, up our ante, wake up from slumber, we are comforted by God, we can comfort those in trouble, when life's at its best, when things go wrong, when you're down in the valley, where your faith is really tested, why are ye fearful, wisdom, worship, you have peace of mind, you're never alone
Psalm 23:4. Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil: for thou art with me; thy rod and thy staff they comfort me.
Now, the year 2025, and the month of January seem to be making a headlong dash for some unknown winner’s wire, because both of them started out so quickly. We just celebrated New Years, and the month is already half done. That means we believers in Christ Jesus have to up our ante right away, if we intend to make any serious inroads into the evil world system. And this Sunday, the second of the year gives us the opportunity to do just that, as we gather in the Lord’s sanctuary to fellowship, worship, give thanks and receive encouragement in our faith.
So let’s get to some worship right away, by singing that soulful, but oh so true song, written by Tracy Dart, in the mid 1970’s, so aptly titled ‘God On the Mountain.’ Yes, let’s offer up sweet sacrifices of praise in a soulful, heartfelt version, sincerely meaning all we say. Singing: ‘Life is easy, when you’re up on the mountain And you’ve got peace of mind, like you’ve never known. But things change, when you’re down in the valley. Don’t lose faith, for you’re never alone. For the God on the mountain, is the God in the valley. When things go wrong, He’ll make them right. And the God of the good times is still God in the bad times. The God of the day is still God in the night.
You talk of faith when you’re up on the mountain. But talk comes so easy when life’s at its best. But it’s down in the valley, of trials and temptations That’s where your faith, is really put to the test. For the God on the mountain is the God in the valley. When things go wrong, He’ll make them right. And the God of the good times is still God in the bad times. The God of the day, is still God in the night. The God of the day, is still God in the night.’
And isn’t that the living truth my fellow believers! Our God is the One and Only True God; meaning He’s there in the day and the night, in the tough times and the good ones, as well as up on the mountain top or down in the valley. He is omnipresent, all-pervasive, as no other supposed God is! That’s why we worship and LOVE and give Him the thanks and praise that we do!
And the story behind the birth of that song is really interesting. Apparently in 1974, Dartt and his wife were building swimming pools in the California desert, in partnership with a friend. Things were going well, and they even founded a country gospel group called the ‘Country Congregation’ that sounded pretty good, with Dart writing most of their music. However, as life unfurled, their business began to fail, and eventually his partner, who had suffered a severe case of burn out while trying to right the business, gave the business to him loaded with debt and no money to build the swimming pools they had on order.
But our God is a good God, and if you believe and have faith, even as much as grain of mustard seed, He will come through for you. Mr. Dart writes: ‘In the midst of the turmoil, I awakened from a troubled sleep one night. It was two o’clock in the morning. A tune was echoing in my troubled brain. I picked up a tablet and a pencil and began to write, “Life is easy when you’re up on the mountain, and you’ve got peace of mind like you’ve never known. But, when things change and you’re down in the valley, don’t lose faith, for you’re never alone.”
“Thank You, Lord,” I prayed, “for being God in my valley.” The chorus came, “The God on the mountain is still God in the valley. When things go wrong, He’ll make them right…” In all, it took about thirty minutes. I again prayed, “Thank You, Lord,” and then settled back down to sleep. Morning came, breakfast and prayer time. “Lord, show us Your will.” I went off to work.
Shortly after arriving at the office, the phone rang, “Mr. Dartt, could you please help us?” I grabbed my brief case and went to see the people who had called. Their son was a gifted athlete, but had been in a motorcycle accident and was paralyzed from the waist down. His doctor had recommended a swimming pool for the therapy the young man needed in order to walk again. I began the process of designing and building a pool for them.
A few days later, another call came, “Mr. Dartt could you come talk to me about a pool?” So, through the off-season, we ended up selling and building 12 pools in all, at a time when no one else was building pools. The building season came, and all of a sudden, we were able to finish all of our construction and eliminate our debts. We were free and clear, without having to bankrupt the business. God had taken us through the valley.’
What more can you say eh? And that’s precisely why we praise and worship and glorify the Lord God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob! Now,the song has been recorded by numerous artists and translated into several languages. And as Dartt says: ‘This simple little song, comprised of 72 words and 4 chords, has been an encouragement to thousands of people. “Thank you, Lord, for the mountains and the valleys, and the gifts we are given to share with others.” And that’s exactly how our great God works; giving us gifts in times of need to share with others.
And what better scripture to reflect that, than these famous words of Bruh David from Psalm 23: ‘Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil: for thou art with me; thy rod and thy staff they comfort me. Thou preparest a table before me in the presence of mine enemies: thou anointest my head with oil: my cup runneth over. Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life: and I will dwell in the house of the Lord for ever.’ (Ps. 23:4-6) Truer words were never spoken my people!
And another famous scripture on faith during adversity is this one from Job, when the Lord allowed Satan to bring him low. While Job was scraping the boils from his body in the ashes, his wife said to him: ‘Dost thou still retain thine integrity? curse God, and die. But he said unto her, Thou speakest as one of the foolish women speaketh. What? shall we receive (accept) good at the hand of God, and shall we not receive evil (accept calamity)? In all this did not Job sin with his lips.’ (Job 2:9-10) I wonder how many of us could have lost all of our many material possessions and children through no fault of our own, and still retain our integrity like Job did? Not many.
And we’ll close with this all embracing and true scripture passage, titled the Comfort of God. Bruh Paul writes to the Corinthians: ‘Blessed be God, even the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies, and the God of all comfort; who comforteth us in all our tribulation, that we may be able to comfort them which are in any trouble (tribulation), by the comfort wherewith we ourselves are comforted of God.’ (2 Cor. 1:3-4)
Yes friends, our God can comfort us in any situation, and that also gives us the grace to comfort others who are mired in negative situations. What a great and merciful God we serve! And if we truly reverence Him, then, please, let’s wake up from our slumber and retake the world in His awesome name nuh! Much LOVE!
…why are ye fearful…oh ye of little faith… (Matt. 8:26)
Hear our podcast at https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/randy-obrien
05 Jan 2024
by randyobrien50
in Christian Thoughts and Inspiration., Daily Devotion, Daily Inspiration, Inspirational Living, Spiritual Living
Tags: a means of restoring faith in you, above all that we ask or think, according to the power that worketh in us, according to the riches of his glory, be filled with all the fullness of God, being rooted and grounded in Love, burn the candle at both ends, Christ may dwell in your hearts by faith, comprehend with all the saints, crying out for help, develop the character of God, exceeding abundantly, faith, Friday chant, holy spirit, I bow my knees, improve our Christ-like behaviour, in whom the whole family is named, Jesus Christ, LOVE, my tribulations for you, prayer from true faith is always effective, simmering unrest, TGIF! Thank God it's Friday!, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the wise guidance, to be strengthened with might by his Spirit, to know the Love of Christ, trusting faith, unexpected storms, unto Him be glory in the church, unto him that is able to do, wake up and smell the coffee, which passeth knowledge, wisdom, world without end, ye faint not
Ephesians 3:16b. to be strengthened with might by his Spirit in the inner man;
Ah friends, I guess we ought to be thankful for the one day of sunshine we got yesterday, because today we’re back to the cloudy weather situation. And as we all offer up the mantra of ‘TGIF! Thank God it’s Friday!’ many of us are glad for the short work week and thus the quick arrival of the weekend, not so much as it allows us time to party, but more so to rest from all the partying of the last couple of weeks. (smile)
Yes, when we desire a weekend to truly rest, you must know that things are bad with us. But, unfortunately, that’s how it works. you can’t expect to burn the candle at both ends and it not take its toll eventually. Now, it’s time for us to settle down and sincerely and seriously do the work that Jesus desires of us. And there’s a lot of work to be done if we expect to make any significant changes in this evil and ungodly world.
And the first thing we need is prayer to strengthen and encourage us. And one of the most appropriate prayers in the Bible is that of Bruh Paul on behalf of the Ephesians, when he didn’t want his suffering to cause them to lose faith, but rather increase it. Thus he writes: ‘Wherefore I desire (ask) that ye faint not (not lose heart) at my tribulations for you, which is your glory.’ (Eph. 3:13) There he’s saying that the Lord will use his tribulations in the ministry to spiritually uplift and benefit the Ephesians. That upliftment will then cause them to praise and glory and honour the Lord.
Then Bruh Paul continues: ‘For this cause I bow my knees unto the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, Of whom the whole family in heaven and earth is named, That he would grant you, according to the riches of his glory, to be strengthened with might by his Spirit in the inner man; That Christ may dwell in your hearts by faith: that ye, being rooted and grounded in LOVE, May be able to comprehend (understand) with all the saints what is the breadth (width), and length, and depth, and height; and to know the LOVE of Christ, which passeth knowledge, that ye might be filled with all the fullness of God.’ (Eph. 3:14-19)
Wow mih bredrin! What a powerful and most appropriate prayer! And you’ll notice that most of the times Bruh Paul prayed for others, it wasn’t so much for healing, prosperity or such things, but most often that they would be granted wisdom that would increase their spiritual maturity. He was always about believers spiritual growth, which was, and still is, one of the most important aspects of our Christian faith, for if we don’t grow, then we remain stagnant and can’t do the job that Jesus desires of us. That’s why he prayed there that the Lord, Father of Christ, from whom our Christian name and faith is derived, would strengthen them ‘with might by his Spirit in the inner man.’
And according to the scholars: ‘In these verses (16-19), Paul makes three prayer requests for the Ephesians. (1) That they would be strengthened with might by his Spirit (vs.16). That is, that they be divinely enabled to successfully live the Christian life. (2) That the readers be able to comprehend… the LOVE of Christ, that is to better understand the enormous LOVE Christ has for them. And (3) that they might be filled with all the fullness of God, that is, that the life, character, and virtues of God Himself may be fully developed in them.’
Now that’s what we call ‘top-of-the-line prayer.’ (smile) It could not get any better than that! Not that other more simple or less specific payers are not good or powerful in their own way too, but that we’re simply not accustomed to such hifalutin stuff in our everyday prayer life. (smile) Then Bruh Paul ends with this reassurance. ‘Now unto him that is able to do exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that worketh in us. Unto him be glory in the church by Christ Jesus throughout all ages, world without end. Amen.’ (Eph. 3:20-21)
That’s Bruh Paul praying to a God who can do all that he asked for in vs. 16-19. Yes sir, because our omnipotent, omniscient and omni-present God can do ANYTHING, especially anything that we lesser and finite human beings can ask or think! And that my fellow saints is our faithful prayer for all of us in this new year of 2024; that we will all be filled, be strengthened in our inner being by the prevailing presence of the Holy Spirit, which will then enable us to go out and do good work for Christ.
Now, let’s go to the throne of grace, through our Friday Chant, asking for divine help in these uncertain and troubled times. Altogether: ‘Oh Lord, thanks for getting me safely through this past week. You know it’s been rough… because our many serious problems are escalating instead of improving. And it’s obvious we can’t fix them on our own, so Lord, we’re desperately crying out for your help. Oh heavenly Father, with your omnipotent help, and our trusting faith, we know that we can stand strong and steadfast and defeat the simmering unrest in our land. We therefore ask you Lord to give our leaders the wise guidance to handle these unexpected storms properly.
And please help the rest of us to be responsible and to stay safe amidst all the anxiety and confusion of these ungodly times. We fervently pray too Lord that you’ll use the discontent and dissatisfaction in our land as a means of restoring faith in you. Return backsliders to your fold. Show them the error of their ways. And please introduce a new flock of believers, who will embrace your LOVE and compassion by the example, we, your faithful believers set. So that our sinful world can wake up and smell the coffee, wake up and smell it sweet and strong! We pray this in the name of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ! Amen!’
And now friends, for heaven to even consider our requests, we need to improve our Christ-like behaviour, and begin being truly faithful believers! Much LOVE!
…prayer that comes from true faith…is always effective…
Hear our podcast at https://open.spotify.com/show/3aVfqIC1CqwGybISs9dZ
28 May 2023
by randyobrien50
in Christian Thoughts and Inspiration., Daily Devotion, Daily Inspiration, Inspirational Living, Spiritual Living
Tags: a family that loves you, a sound from heaven, as of a rushing mighty wind, as the spirit gave them utterance, began to speak with other tongues, blessed be God, but of power love and a sound mind, by the comfort, cloven tongues like as of fire, filled with the Holy Ghost, God on the Mountain, I will fear no evil, it shall come to pass, life is easy when you're on the mountain, on the brink of bankruptcy, sing and be merry, still God in the bad times, still God in the night, sweet smelling sacrifices of praise, the Comforter, The Day of Pentecost, the Father of mercies, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Feast of weeks, the God of all mercies, The God of the day, the God of the good times, the Helper, the Lord hath not given us a spirit of fear, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, thy rod and thy staff they comfort me, times of adversity, Tracy Dartt, we are comforted ourselves by God, who comforteth us in all our tribulation, you've got peace of mind
2 Corinthians 1:3. Blessed be God, even the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies, and the God of all comfort;
Welcome my Scrip-Bit friends and family to the Lord’s sanctuary, on one of the most auspicious Sundays on our Christian Calendar, the Day of Pentecost! Wow! It’s a day of plenty drama, the day that Christ’s Church was officially born. The day that our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ kept His promise to the disciples to baptize them with the amazing power of the Holy Spirit, the Comforter or Helper that the Father would send to replace Him. The Spirit that would remind them of all the things He had spoken about to them, and to lead and guide them in doing His earthly work, the Great Commission.
The Good Library tells the story thus: ‘And when the day of Pentecost was fully come, they 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 (in other (languages) as the Spirit gave them utterance.’ (Acts 2:1-4)
And from that day, the Holy Spirit of God has indwelt ALL believers! That’s about the first thing that happens to you when you put your trust in Christ Jesus and accept Him as Lord and Saviour. And yuh better believe when that information got out into the great crowd from all over the known world, that was then in Jerusalem to celebrate the Feast of Weeks, and they heard the believers speak in their native tongues or languages, they were amazed and wondered what was happening. Some even mocked them, saying that the believers were drunk.
But Big Peter set them straight, getting up and telling them that they were not drunk at nine o’clock in the morning, but it was the fulfillment of the promise made by the prophet Joel. ‘And it shall come to pass in the last days, saith God, I will pour out of my spirit upon all flesh, and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, and your young men shall see visions, and your old men shall dream dreams.’ (Acts 2:17) Then Peter went on to explain the rest of Joel’s prophecy and the significance of the day, preaching the greatest sermon of His life and one of the best and most important in the annals of Christianity.
You can read all about in it Acts 2: 18-47. And the prophecy of Joel can be found in Joel 2:28-32. Please read both passages, so you can become more mature and learned in the scriptures. (smile) And having said all of that, let’s turn to some praise and worship, singing this popular song written by Tracy Dartt in 1974, when, as a builder of swimming pools in California he was experiencing some significant business troubles, his partner gave up his half of the business, leaving him on the brink of bankruptcy.
And he writes: ‘In the midst of the turmoil, I awakened from a troubled sleep one night. It was two o’clock in the morning. A tune was echoing in my troubled brain. I picked up a tablet and a pencil and began to write, “Life is easy when you’re up on the mountain, and you’ve got peace of mind like you’ve never known. But, when things change and you’re down in the valley, don’t lose faith, for you’re never alone.” “Thank You, Lord,” I prayed, “for being God in my valley.” The chorus came, “The God on the mountain is still God in the valley. When things go wrong, He’ll make them right…” In all, it took about thirty minutes. I again prayed, “Thank You, Lord,” and then settled back down to sleep.
Morning came, breakfast and prayer time. “Lord, show us Your will.” Then he went off to work, and like a miracle, during the next little while several calls came through for new swimming pools, and they were able to finish all their projects and eliminate all debts without bankrupting the business. As he says: ‘God had taken us through the valley.’ And that’s what He will do for you too my friends, if you stick closely to Him. Now let’s send up some sweet smelling sacrifices of praise by singing a soulful, heartfelt version of that song ‘God on the Mountain,’ which went on to become a number one hit and has been recorded by numerous artists over the years.
Singing: ‘Life is easy, when you’re up on the mountain And you’ve got peace of mind, like you’ve never known. But things change, when you’re down in the valley. Don’t lose faith, for you’re never alone. For the God on the mountain, is the God in the valley. When things go wrong, He’ll make them right. And the God of the good times is still God in the bad times. The God of the day is still God in the night.
You talk of faith when you’re up on the mountain. But talk comes so easy when life’s at its best. But it’s down in the valley, of trials and temptations That’s where your faith, is really put to the test. For the God on the mountain is the God in the valley. When things go wrong, He’ll make them right. And the God of the good times is still God in the bad times. The God of the day, is still God in the night.’
And is that ever the gospel truth my friends! It’s the same God we worship if we’re up or if we’re down, and the same one who will eventually work everything out for our good, just like He did for Tracy Dartt, in an unexpected, miraculous fashion. It’s all about sincere faith and trust, and not just talking it, but more importantly living it. And I’m sure if you’ve been walking with Christ for any length of time you can also remember those times when things looked really rough and you had no idea what to do, but in some small and seemingly insignificant manner He put things in motion to make it right.
And who do you think comforted Mr. Dartt that troubled night, gave him the words of comfort and peace and a song that would make world history? The Holy Spirit, our heavenly Comforter and Helper, that’s who! And there are so many scriptures that encourage us to stand strong and steadfast and trust in the Lord during times of adversity, that we only have time and space for a few.
Listen to this one by Bruh Paul to the church at Corinth. ‘Blessed be God, even the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies, and the God of all comfort; Who comforteth us in all our tribulation, that we may be able to comfort them which are in any trouble (tribulation), by the comfort wherewith we ourselves are comforted of God.’ (2 Cor. 1:3-4) Now can you beat that for comfort? Obviously not! Because it comes from the God of all comfort.
Then there is this li’l gem. ‘For the Lord hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of LOVE, and of a sound (disciplined) mind.’ Wow! More comforting scripture from 2 Tim. 1:7. And as always, we’ve saved the best for last. These magnificent words of faith, comfort and trust from Bruh David’s paean or tribute to our wonderful God, Psalm 23. ‘Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil: for thou art with me: thy rod and thy staff they comfort me. (Ps.23:4)
Oh my people, what more do we need the Good Shepherd to do eh? He’s promised to lead and guide us even in the valley of the shadow of death, so please let’s get out there on this day of Pentecost and sing and be merry and not be afraid, for we have the Creator of the Universe, the God of all comfort, to look after us! Much LOVE!
… when you believe God’s promises…they will be fulfilled in your life…
Hear our podcast at https://open.spotify.com/show/3aVfqIC1CqwGybISs9dZ
18 Nov 2020
by randyobrien50
in Christian Thoughts and Inspiration., Daily Devotion, Daily Inspiration, Inspirational Living, Spiritual Living
Tags: adoration, as one whom his mother comforteth, assured by our heavenly Father, begins in God's bosom, blessed be God, blessed us all with spiritual blessings, but are not able to kill the soul, comfort of the faithful, deliverance from sin and Satan, deliverance from the world, eyes fixed straight ahead, fear him which is able to destroy both soul and body, fear not them which kill the body, feared continually, fellow saints in Christ, forgetteh the Lord thy Maker, from the Lord Jesus Christ, gently dawdling down, God's awesome comfort and mercy, grace, grace be to you, halfway home, hands fixed securely on the plough, heavenly blessings, his indignation to his enemies, hope, I am he that comforteth you, in adversity, inheritance, known to his servants, laid the foundation of the earth, LOVE, magnificent and magnanimous God, mercy, not looking back, peace from God our Father, plenteous in mercy, praise, ready to forgive, snow, so will I comfort you, sonship, that we may be able, the breath of life, the comfort of man, the Father is characterized by mercy, the Father of mercies, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the fury of the oppressor, the God of All Comfort, the hand of the Lord, the Son of man, them that call upon him, to a glorious future with Jesus, to comfort them which are in trouble, treasure, unconditional LOVE, undeserved goodness and favour, we don't have to worry, Wednesday Wail, well spoken of, which shall be made as grass, who comforteth us in all our tribulation, ye shall be comforted in Jerusalem
2 Corinthians 1:3. Blessed be God, even the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies, and the God of all comfort,
Aye mih people in my area, I think the time has finally come for us to begin experiencing that small white, cold, fluffy substance called snow! (smile) Yes, it’s all a part of living in the northern climes, but yet still when we see it for the first time in a year, it still astonishes us, although we’ve been expecting it all along. So I saw some of the wet stuff yesterday on my way out the street, and this morning I saw some flakes gently dawdling down from the cloudy sky. Don’t think there’s any risk of the real hard stuff falling right now, but just giving us a heads up, because it will come hard and fast eventually. (smile)
But yuh know what? When it comes we don’t have to worry because we have been assured by our heavenly Father of His awesome comfort and mercy in whatever adversity comes against us. Wow! What a magnificent and magnanimous Deity we serve my brethren! Hear how Bruh Paul puts it to the church at Corinth nuh.
‘Grace be to you and peace from God our Father, and from the Lord Jesus Christ. Blessed be God, even the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies, and the God of all comfort, Who comforteth us in all our tribulation, that we may be able to comfort them which are in any trouble (tribulation), by the comfort wherewith we ourselves are comforted of God.’ (2 Cor, 1:3-4) Oh my fellow saints in Christ, isn’t our God wonderful? He surely is! Comforting us in our troubles so that we can comfort others in theirs.
And I just want to add a note from the scholars. ‘1:3-4. Blessed (Gr. eulogetos, “well spoken of”) is used in the New Testament of God, (e.g., Eph. 1:3). It is a term of adoration and praise. The Father of mercies: The mercies in view here include everything from deliverance from the world, sin, and Satan, to participation in sonship, light, and life. But the force is even more than this. The stress is that the Father is characterized by mercy (cf. Ps. 86:5: Dan. 9:9, Mic. 7:18).’
Oh friends, until we fully realize that one of our God’s greatest attributes is His merciful character, we will never fully understand and appreciate how great a God He is! It all begins with His unconditional LOVE, where He simply cannot disregard His most wonderful creation. That then leads Him to be merciful unto us, with forgiveness and redemption and reconciliation through the sacrifice of Christ on the cross, all of it is a free gift through His awesome grace! Now after all of that mercy and grace, undeserved goodness and favour, how can we not bless, adore and praise Him eh?
Hear how Bruh David says it in Psalm 86 – Teach me thy way, O Lord. ‘For thou, Lord, art good, and ready to forgive; and plenteous in mercy unto them that call upon thee. (Ps. 86:5) But it’s all important that we acknowledge the last aspect of Bruh David’s words there: ‘them that call upon thee.’ We do need to sincerely call upon God to receive His blessings and mercies.
And as Bruh Paul said to the church at Ephesus: ‘Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who hath blessed us with all spiritual blessings in heavenly places in Christ.’ (Eph. 1:3) Yes friends, our Lord is indeed worthy of much praise because He has bestowed so many heavenly blessings on us through Christ. Things like our citizenship (Phil. 3:20), our high priest (Heb. 4:14), our hope (Col. 1:5), our inheritance (1 Pet. 1:4) our treasure (Matt. 6:20-21). So there is much to be thankful for through Christ.
But getting back to our major point of comfort from God, let’s hear some relevant scriptures nuh. And the prophet Isaiah had a lot to say about it. In talking about the comfort of the faithful, he says on God’s behalf: ‘I, even I, am he that comforteth you: who art thou, that thou shouldest be afraid of a man that shall die (a mortal man), and of the son of man which shall be made as grass; And forgetteh the Lord thy maker, that hath stretched forth the heavens, and laid the foundation of the earth; and hast feared continually every day because of the fury of the oppressor, as if he were ready (as when preparing) to destroy? and where is the fury of the oppressor?’ (Is. 51:12-13)
Yes my people, down through the ages we have indeed feared man rather than God, but please remember these momentous words of Jesus: ‘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.’ And the only person who can do that is God Almighty, so it’s about time we learn to fear Him, rather than mankind which shall perish as the grass in the noonday sun.
And now this last word on comfort from our Lord God, as spoken through His prophet, Isaiah on the future hope of Zion: ‘As one whom his mother comforteth, so will I comfort you; and ye shall be comforted in Jerusalem. And when ye see this, your heart shall rejoice, and your bones shall flourish like an herb (grass): and the hand of the Lord shall be known toward (to) his servants, and his indignation toward (to) his enemies.’ (Is. 66:13-14)
Oh precious people of God, our heavenly Father has done so much to relieve us of fear, anxiety and tension through the fulfilled promises of His word, I don’t see how we can still be so fearful and anxious about life nuh. From the day He created the world and its life, right through to the day He promises to destroy it, He has ensured safety for those who belief in and look to Him for help and succour. He even sacrificed His only son Jesus for us, so I don’t know what more He needs to or can do to make us believe in Him.
So the ball is in our court; each of us has to make that fateful decision; to believe, or not to believe. And just a li’l tip, the smart money is on believing. Now for those of us who have chosen the wise way, let’s go home declaring (steups!) our Wednesday Wail, letting the world know of our most wonderful position in Almighty God and His most wonderful Son, our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ.
In strong voice, with sincere hearts: ‘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 remember, we’re guaranteed that if we endure until the end, our future will be even more glorious than we can ask or imagine!Much LOVE!
…the comfort of man…begins in the bosom of God…
08 Aug 2018
by randyobrien50
in Christian Thoughts and Inspiration., Daily Devotion, Daily Inspiration, Inspirational Living, Spiritual Living
Tags: a glorious future, a good impression, a possibility in disguise, adoration, blessed be God, character of mercy, compassion, deliverance, divine favour, dr robert h schuller, dying, forgiveness, God exists, god of all comfort, hands on the plough, healing, heaven is for real, Hour of Power Devotional, immeasurable mercy of God, inferior stuff, just deserts, life, life beyond death, light, LOVE, loving-kindness, mercy, negative occurrences, not looking back, opportunity, our rescue, pardoneth iniquity, personal abuse, plenteous in mercy, positive potential, Possibility Thinkers, Praise the Lord, rising again, sacrificed, saints, Satan, sicness, sin, sinless life, sinners, siren call, sonship, soothing rain, sorrow, spiritual possibilities, the breath of life, the Father of mercies, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, to live for Jesus, transgression, Undetected Possibilities, Wednesday Wail
2 Corinthians 1:3. Blessed be God, even the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies, and the God of all comfort.
Ah friends, some more gentle soothing rain fell in my area this morning. Praise the Lord! And this time it was no big shower, but just a light, continuous drizzle. I was already up, but it’s soothing properties drove me back to bed, I just could not resist its siren call. (smile) That’s why the Bit might be a bit late.
And we are going to begin with some inspirational and wise words from Gramps Schuller (Dr. Robert H. Schuller) from his Hour of Power Devotional, where he talks about ‘Undetected Possibilities.’
And he reminds us that ‘To Jesus every problem was a possibility in disguise. Sickness was an opportunity for healing. Sin was an opportunity for forgiveness. Sorrow was an opportunity for compassion. Personal abuse was an opportunity to leave a good impression and show the world how Possibility Thinkers react. To Jesus every person was a gold mine of undiscovered, hidden possibilities…!
To Jesus the important fact about you and me is not that we are sinners, but that we can be saints. So Jesus proclaimed the greatest possibility: the immeasurable mercy of God.’
Yes my people, in most negative occurrences or circumstances there is a seed of positive undertaking, if we will only look for it, and not concentrate solely, or so much on the negative aspect of the problem.
And there is no better example than the one quoted above, where Jesus didn’t concentrate on the fact that we were sinners, for if He had done so, if He had thought that we couldn’t change, wasn’t worth saving, He might never have sacrificed His sinless life for us.
But thank the Lord He saw possibilities in us! And likewise, He is calling on us to see the enormous possibilities in others and ourselves. As they say, God doesn’t make inferior stuff, so whatever He has made has positive potential.
And Gramps Schuller continues: ‘To Jesus the whole world was jammed, pregnant, loaded, bulging with untapped, undiscovered, undetected possibilities! Jesus really believed in the supreme spiritual possibilities! Man can be born again! Character can be changed! You can become a new person! Life can be beautiful! There is a solution to every problem! There is a light behind every shadow!’
And so should we as His followers. ‘Yes! Jesus had an unshakable faith in these ultimate spiritual possibilities: God exists! Life goes on beyond death! Heaven is for real! Jesus was prepared to prove it. By dying – and rising again! Jesus was impressed by what the world could become – never depressed by what the world does.’
And friends, if we as Jesus’ followers adopt His positive attitude, we will be able to change the world, just like He did! Glory be my people! Jesus was the greatest Possibility thinker ever! And a good thing too, else we’d be Hades bound with nary a hope of redemption.
But for that to happen Jesus had to proclaim, like Gramps Schuller says above: ‘the immeasurable mercy of God.’ Yeh friends, it’s only through God’s mercy, not giving us what we deserve, His divine favour, His wonderful compassion, that drove Him to send Jesus to our rescue, so we can now stand up proud and strong.
As Bruh Paul puts it so appropriately in our Bit: ‘Blessed be God, even the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies, and the God of all comfort.’ What an awesome God we serve and worship my people!
And the scholars offer this explanation: ‘1:3-4. Blessed (Gr. eulogetos, “well spoken of”) is used in the New Testament of God (e.g. Eph.1:3). It is a term of adoration and praise. The Father of mercies: The mercies in view here include everything from deliverance from the world, sin, and Satan, to participation in sonship, light, and life. But the force is even more than this. The stress is that the Father is characterized by mercy (cf. Ps. 86:5: Dan. 9:9; Mic.7:18).’
And are we ever grateful for that merciful character of our wonderful God! Now let me spoon feed you with those scriptures mentioned above. (smile) Bruh David proclaims in Psalm 86: ‘For thou, Lord, art good, and ready to forgive; and plenteous in mercy unto all them that call upon thee.’ (Ps.86:5) What truth!
Meanwhile, in Daniel’s prayer for his people, he solemnly declares: ‘To the Lord our God belong mercies and forgivenesses, though we have rebelled against him.’ (Dan.9:9) How magnanimous is the God we serve, not giving us our just deserts!
And Micah says with strong authority and experience, as he talks about God’s concern for His people. ‘Who is a God like unto thee, that pardoneth iniquity, and passeth by (over) the transgression of the remnant of his heritage? he retaineth not his anger for ever, because he delighteth in mercy (LOVING-kindness).
He will turn again, he will have compassion on us; he will subdue our iniquities; and thou wilt cast all their (our) sins into the depths of the sea. Thou wilt perform (give) the truth to Jacob, and the mercy (LOVING-kindness) to Abraham, which thou hast sworn unto our fathers from the days of old.’ (Mic.7:18-20)
Oh friends, our God isn’t only merciful, but faithful to His promise! Praise His Holy Name! And because of all that, we the faithful believers in His Son Jesus Christ, can boldly declare our Wednesday Wail, which shows our position in the ongoing universal catharsis. (smile)
Altogether now: ‘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 we’re wise, we’ll continue on that path of eternal wisdom. Much LOVE!
…to live for Jesus…is the only thing worth living for…
24 Jun 2016
by randyobrien50
in Christian Thoughts and Inspiration., Daily Devotion, Daily Inspiration, Inspirational Living, Spiritual Living
Tags: a spring of water, a watered garden, Abraham, abyss, Always there, anger, believers in Christ, blessed be God, comfort, compassion, confusion of face, conviction, cry out, Daniel, deity, despair, dregs, drought, fellowship, fires of Hades, forgiveness, forgiving, Friday chant, fun, generous help, God is ever-faithful, God's glorious kingdom, Hades, helplessness, I call your name, impoverished, iniquity, Jacob, leggo beast, LOVE, loving kindness, mankind, massa, mercies, merciful, mercy, Micah, One Year Book of Bible promises, pardons, partying, perspective, promise, rebelled, rebellion, refreshed, relaxation, renewed, repentance, rescue, rest, rock bottom, Ruth Harms Calkin, satisfy thy soul, self-sufficiency, shame, sinned, slain for our benefit, spotless Lamb, strengthen thy bones, taste the dregs, TGIF! Thank God it's Friday!, the bottom of the abyss, the depths of despair, the depths of the sea, the Father of mercies, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the God of All Comfort, the redemptive work of Christ, the working class, transgression, trials, tribulations, truth, umbrella of love, vanish, work soon done
2 Corinthians 1:3. Blessed be God, even the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies, and the God of all comfort.
And then it was Friday; that day the working class holds so dearly, because it heralds the upcoming weekend, the couple of days off from work when they can do their own thing.
That’s why they continually declare, ’TGIF! Thank God it’s Friday and massa work soon done! The weekend is upon us, and the time will be fine, partying and carrying on like leggo beast! Thank God for Friday and the weekend!’
Ah friends, as we keep on saying, some partying on the weekend is fine, but the overdoing and leggo beast thing is definitely not. The weekend is made for a sensible mixture of rest and otherwise. So let’s chant our Friday Chant nuh, so we that can get a better perspective on how to use the couple days off we have.
As one now: ‘Oh Lord, thanks for getting me safely through another week of work! It hasn’t been easy, but with your generous help, I made it through.
Now, please help me to get sufficient fun, fellowship, rest and relaxation in these two short days off, so that I can be renewed and refreshed in soul, body and mind, to go back out and do it all over again next week, furthering your glorious kingdom with each step I take. I pray this in Jesus name. Amen.’
Yes my people, that’s putting the weekend to much better use! The important thing there is that we’re healthy, rested and ready to undertake next week’s work in the proper manner befitting a child of God, so that our work, character and attitude will glorify Him. Anything less than that is not good enough!
Now here is an interesting poem from our One Year Book of Bible Promises with writings by Ruth Harms Calkin, which many of us can no doubt attest to in our own lives. It’s simply titled ‘Always There.’
And it says, in all sincerity and truth: ‘So often, Lord I reach the bottom of the abyss. So often I taste the dregs Of my own helplessness. Yet it is there, exactly there That you come to my immediate rescue. When I feel totally impoverished Of all self-sufficiency When I want to vanish into nowhere From the depths of despair I call your name And you are always there for me.’
And isn’t that the awesome living truth my fellow believers in Christ? It surely is! For many of us don’t call to God until we reach rock bottom and the searing fires of Hades are burning all around us. But our God is such a wonderful Deity that whenever we do cry out, in sincere conviction and repentance, He will come to us and bring us safely through our trials and tribulations.
Oh, what a majestic, magnanimous and magnificent God we serve my brethren!
And the Bible promise attached to that poem comes from Isaiah. ‘And the Lord shall guide thee continually, and satisfy thy soul in drought (dry places), and make fat (strengthen) thy bones: and thou shalt be like a watered garden, and like a spring of water, whose waters fail not.’ (Is.58:11)
Oh what a beautiful promise precious people of God! And we know that God is ever faithful, and will keep every promise that He’s made, so there’s absolutely no need to worry if we’re travelling under His umbrella of LOVE!
And that ties in ever so nicely with our Bit. ‘Blessed be God, even the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies, and the God of all comfort.’
Yes friends, our God is indeed a God of mercy and comfort! He showers us with mercy and comfort so that we can go out and share it with others who desperately need it. So through us, He accomplishes His holy desire.
Now let’s turn to some scriptures which complement our Bit. Listen first to the prophet Daniel. ‘O Lord, to us belongeth confusion of face (shame), to our kings, to our princes, and to our fathers, because we have sinned against thee. To the Lord our God belong mercies and forgiveness, though we have rebelled against him.’ (Dan.9:8-9)
Yes my brethren, yuh see the vast difference between our God and us? We are rebellious, but He is merciful and forgiving, in spite of that rebellion! How can we ever want for a better Deity eh?
Now hear Micah, as he extols the wonders of our great and mighty God. ‘Who is a God like unto thee, that pardoneth iniquity, and passeth by (over) the transgression of the remnant of his heritage? He retaineth not his anger for ever, because he delighteth in mercy (LOVING-kindness)?
He will turn again, he will have compassion upon us; he will subdue our iniquities; and thou wilt cast their (our) sins into the depths of the sea. Thou wilt perform (give) the truth to Jacob, and the mercy (LOVING-kindness) to Abraham, which thou hast sworn unto our fathers from the days of old.’ (Mic.7:18-20)
Now what can be more assuring and uplifting that that eh friends? Nothing really! So as we go about doing the Lord’s work today my brethren, let’s remember these promises, keep them throbbing in our hearts, so that we can be confident in all that we do and say.
And let us never forget, as the scholars tell us: ‘7-18. The forgiveness and pardon of a merciful and gracious God toward sinful mankind is declared by the Scriptures to be based on the redemptive work of the Saviour.’
And all Christ’s followers declared a loud, proud and hearty shout of ‘All praise, honour and glory be to the innocent, spotless Lamb that was slain for our benefit, for our forgiveness of sins. May He live and reign forever!’ Much LOVE my people!
…oh, what would we worthless sinners do….without a merciful, forgiving and compassionate God eh…
P.S. Just one of those days. (smile) Much LOVE!
Previous Older Entries
SCRIP-BITS 