The Overwhelming Importance of Believers Knowing God’s LOVE for the Unfortunates, and Acting Like Him on Their Behalf!

Deuteronomy 10:18.        He (the Lord) doth execute the judgement (justice) of the fatherless and widow, and LOVETH the stranger, in giving him food and raiment (clothing).

And Tuesday has morphed into a sunshiny Wednesday, our second wind day! And many of us do need to catch that second wind after the harrowing last few days with the winter snowstorm and the resultant digging out and cleaning up. But let’s remember that we’re are children of God, believers in Christ Jesus and thus can do anything He desires us to do, because He enables, He strengthens us to do His will. And all God’s children said a loud and grateful ‘Amen!’ 

 Now, let’s to look at this month’s prayer from the In Touch Devotional, which is certainly an interesting and most appropriate one. So, please pray with me: ‘Lord, when suffering overwhelms me inside and out, help me remember what seems hopeless isn’t hopeless to You. You give food to the hungry and set prisoners free. You open the eyes of the blind and lift up the brokenhearted. You cherish those who follow You and care for the orphans and widows, 

You protect strangers and unravel plans meant for evil. You do. You do. You do. In every place where there’s suffering, You’re there – tending, healing, restoring. That is who You are in the world. That is who You are in my life. When despair whispers, “Nothing changes,” remind me of all the ways You’re working. Let hope rise in me as I rest in your care. In Jesus’ name, amen.’ 

Oh my people, that prayer surely resonated with me, because in the last couple of months I’ve just been plagued with all kinds of illness, one directly after the other and if my faith wasn’t fairly strong, I’d be toast right now. And I have to laugh here, because right now I’m going through another unexpected difficulty; my right knee began seriously acting up a couple of days ago, although I was at home during the snow storm and did not do anything too strenuous to disturb it. And although I have intermittent knee pains, this was the worst I’ve ever felt, like my whole knee was going to disintegrate on me. 

So, here I’ve been for the last two days hobbling around the house, in excruciating, non-understandable pain (smile) trying to get down to the basement to write the Bit, then get back upstairs. And I must admit that today the pain in the right knee has calmed somewhat, but because of my having to use the left one to compensate for the right, the left one is now beginning to act up. Ah Lord eh! As the old people would say, if it’s not one thing, then it’s another. And I know that this too shall pass, but the problem is when? 

But the truth of the matter is that our wonderful God is always with us, healing, cleansing and comforting us. So although I’m in pain that I don’t like, I know that the Lord is working, and in His own time, He will bring the matter to a successful end. And I just have to grin and bear it, and say the Lord be praised! (smile) But on a more serious note the Lord has always been partial to the sick and suffering, the poor and brokenhearted, widows, orphans and strangers. And it’s no coincidence that right from the beginning the Lord warned the Israelites about looking after those kinds of people. 

Listen to His directives through Moses in Exodus, as they begin their journey through the wilderness to the Promised Land. ‘Thou shalt neither vex a stranger (sojourner), nor oppress him: for ye were strangers in the land of Egypt. Ye shall not afflict any widow, or fatherless child. If thou afflict them in any wise, and they cry at all unto me, I will surely hear their cry; And my wrath shall wax hot, and I will kill you with the sword; and your wives shall be widows, and your children fatherless.’ (Ex. 22:21-24) Oh friends, it could not be put any clearer than that. 

Then in Deuteronomy, Moses reminds the younger generation of God’s directives. ‘For the Lord your God is God of gods, and Lord of lords, a great God, a mighty, and a terrible, which regardeth not persons, nor taketh reward (the great God, mighty and awesome who shows no partiality nor takes a bribe). He doth execute the judgement (justice) of the fatherless and widow, and LOVETH the stranger, in giving him food and raiment (clothing). LOVE ye therefore the stranger: for ye were strangers in the land of Egypt.’ (Deut. 10:17-19) And I like how the Lord keeps reminding them that at one time they were strangers in Egypt and were treated handsomely by the Egyptians. 

Meanwhile in Psalm 67, which advises us to ‘Trust in the Lord,’ the psalmist writes: ‘Happy is he that hath the God of Jacob for his help, whose hope is in the Lord his God: Which made heaven, and earth, the sea, and all that therein is: which keepeth truth for ever: Which executeth judgement (justice) for the oppressed: which giveth food to the hungry. The Lord looseth (gives freedom to) the prisoners: 

The Lord openeth the eyes of the blind: the Lord raiseth them that are bowed down: the Lord LOVETH the righteous: The Lord preserveth (watches over) the strangers; he relieveth the fatherless and widow: but the way of the wicked he turneth upside down (makes crooked). The Lord shall reign for ever, even thy God, O Zion, unto all generations. Praise ye the Lord.’ (Ps. 146:5-10) 

Yes my fellow believers, that’s the nature of our great and wonderful God, and there are several other scriptures that describe Him in that manner, but the important point here is if we consider ourselves children of God, then our actions should be similar. Unfortunately though, our actions don’t seem to be similar, otherwise in this world of plenty, so many would not be suffering. So let’s take those words  we’ve read today very seriously nuh, write them deep and indelibly in our hearts, and vow to improve our efforts to help the poor and suffering. 

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

And if we truly LOVE Jesus, then we will endure with Him to the very end, so that together we can enjoy the promise of an even more glorious future than we can either ask or imagine! Much LOVE!

…God LOVES us all…but He takes umbrage when we abuse or mistreat our fellow man…

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

Today’s Scrip-Bit 27 October 2014 Psalm 47:1-2

 Psalm 47:1-2.   O clap your hands, all ye people; shout unto God with the voice of triumph. For the Lord most high is terrible (awesome); he is a great King over all the earth.

Well hello there mih LOVELIES… its’ worky, worky time! (smile) I’m trying to tell us nicely that it’s Monday morning and we need to rise and shine and get ourselves ready to go back out to labour for massa’s pittance.

And please remember too that the tone we set for today, the attitude we go out with this morning, will most likely dictate our mental, emotional and physical state for the rest of the work week. For as the days increase, so will our enthusiasm and strength decrease. That’s why it’s always best to start out from a position of strength, rather than from one of weakness.

That’s why I also encourage us to use Sundays, the first day of the week, as a day of preparation for Monday, and thus be able to get back into the work flow as easily as possible.

Hn, hn! But all my well intentioned pleas just seem to fall on deaf ears. (smile) We’re still overdoing it on the weekends, and moaning and groaning and complaining come Monday morning.

Ah Friends, when will we learn eh? Soon, I hope, because we’re slowly killing ourselves when we get out there on Mondays, starting the way we should be ending; tired and miserable.

Anyway, let’s see if we can’t lively up ourselves some by singing our Monday Morning Battle Hymn with a strength and sense of purpose we don’t really feel, hoping that as we fake it, it will eventually become real. Or as they say; fake it, till you make it! (smile)

With one accord now, let’s all loudly and lustily declare: ‘Oh Lord God Almighty, Creator of the universe and all therein! We, your humble servants, praise your Holy Name and thank you that this Monday morning we have jobs to go to; jobs we don’t like, jobs that are unfair, difficult and even dangerous, but which serve a useful purpose here on earth; keeping lives and families together.

We also thank you Father for the renewed vitality and enthusiasm you’ve wrought in our weary souls over the last two days. It’s that rejuvenation of Spirit which allows us now to sally forth with confidence into the evil, ungodly world that surrounds us, to begin a new week of work, constantly buffeted and bombarded by the enemy’s wicked taunts, wiles and lies.

But heavenly Father, we’re not afraid, for we know we’re invincible, sure conquerors, once we’re wearing your powerful, protective spiritual armour. We surrender our all to you, and humbly ask that you let your incredible aura of LOVE, the Holy Spirit, lead and guide all your servants as we go out to meet the enemy in battle.

Fill us with steadfast faith, so that we can make worthwhile inroads into the enemy’s ranks, and thereby further your glorious kingdom. We pray this in the Holy Name of your Son, and our Saviour, Jesus Christ. AMEN!’  

Oh my people, that rendition wasn’t really so hot nuh; too many hoarse, scratchy and out of tune voices, not enough enthusiasm, etc. etc. It had Jesus shaking His head, sighing and concernedly saying: ‘What’s to become of them eh? They just don’t learn! Is just a setta hard-ears pickney (stubborn, disobedient children)!’ (smile)

But Friends, as we all know, where there is life there certainly is hope, which means we can definitely improve. But until then, we just have to go out and do the work Jesus calls us to do, in whatever state or condition we find ourselves. And though He might not be too thrilled with us, He will surely enable us to do the work if we come to Him in sincere prayer.

That’s just the wonderful kind of Lord and Saviour He is! And that’s why He also deserves many glorious accolades from us, like the one highlighted in our Bit. ‘O clap your hands, all ye people; shout unto God with the voice of triumph. For the Lord most high is terrible (awesome); he is a great King over all the earth.’

And again my brethren, we can’t help but acknowledge that as gospel truth! No wonder then, when Nehemiah was rebuilding the walls of Jerusalem and met fierce opposition from his enemies, he took this unassailable position in his omnipotent God.

‘And I looked, and rose up, and said unto the nobles, and to the rulers, and to the rest of the people, Be not afraid of them: remember the Lord, which is great and terrible (awesome), and fight for your brethren, your sons, and your daughters, your wives, and your houses.’ (Neh.4:14)

And Friends, they did just that, and rebuilt the wall in record time, something like 52 days! Yes my people, we have to invoke the help of our mighty and magnanimous God in ALL of our problems, if we truly desire to be victorious in them!

And as Moses so eloquently and truthfully exhorted the Israelites as they journeyed through the wilderness to the Promised Land. ‘Circumcise therefore the foreskin of your heart, and be no more stiffnecked (stubborn, rebellious). For the Lord your God is God of gods, and Lord of lords, a great God, a mighty, and a terrible, which regardeth not persons, nor taketh reward (the great God, mighty and awesome, who shows no partiality, nor takes a bribe).

He doth execute the judgement of the fatherless and widow, and LOVETH the stranger, in giving him food and raiment. LOVE ye therefore the stranger: for ye were strangers in the land of Egypt. Thou shalt fear the Lord thy God; him shalt thou serve, and to him shalt thou cleave (hold fast), and swear by his name.

He is thy praise, and he is thy God, that hath done for thee these great and terrible (awesome) things, which thine eyes have seen. Thy fathers went down into Egypt with threescore and ten persons; and now the Lord thy God hath made thee as the stars of heaven for multitude.’ (Deut. 10:16-22)

Now Friends, there’s simply no refuting any of that! So I implore us, let’s take it all to heart nuh, and diligently run our race of life with it as a guiding light, a shining beacon in this dark and troubled world. For it is only as we walk and talk sincerely with Almighty God that we will have true success and lasting prosperity! Much LOVE!

…this book of the law shall not depart out of thy mouth…but thou shalt meditate therein day and night…that thou mayest observe to do according to all that is written therein…for then thou shalt make thy way prosperous…and then thou shalt have good success… (Josh.1:8)