11 Apr 2024
by randyobrien50
in Christian Thoughts and Inspiration., Daily Devotion, Daily Inspiration, Inspirational Living, Spiritual Living
Tags: as many as received Him, Bible, born not of blood or flesh but of God, but the world knew him not, christianity, courage, creativity, curse, dwell in the land of the shadow of death, enshrined in darkness, experienced the darkness, faith, formidable actions, glorify your father in heaven, god, have the light of life, He came unto his own, he that followeth me shall not walk in darkness, his own received him not, I am the light of the world, in the shadow of death, Jesus, Jesus Christ, John the Baptist, Let your light so shine before men, lighteth every man that cometh into the world, LOVE, miraculous appearance, negative word, prayer, prosper, repent, salt of the earth, salvation, seen a great light, self-control, success, supernatural strength, the dayspring from on high, the kingdom of heaven is at hand, the Messiah, the people that walked in darkness, the remission of sins, the tender mercy of our God, the world was made by him, they may see your good works, Thursday Blessings, to bear witness of the Light, to give knowledge of salvation, to give light to them that sit in darkness, to guide our feet in the way of peace, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, tooted his own horn, truth, upon them hath shined the light, witnessed unto himself, Ye are the light of the world, you can't enjoy the light
John 8:12. I am the light of the world: he that followeth me shall not walk in darkness, but shall have the light of life.
Ah Lord, why couldn’t today be like yesterday eh? Unfortunately, the bright and warm sunshine of Wednesday has been transformed into a wet, bleak, dreary, dark, uninviting Thursday morning. And yesterday afternoon I so enjoyed sitting on my front porch for the first time this year, very comfortably drinking in the activity on the street, whether they were humans, cars, dogs, or simply Mother Nature. That looks though, like it will just be a one day stand, (smile) as the computer is calling for rain today. But that’s okay, we’ll live with it, for we’ll enjoy the sunshine even more after having experienced the rain. As they say, you can’t enjoy the light, until you’ve experienced the darkness.
And that’s oh so true, especially when speaking of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. Before He came, we were totally enshrined in darkness, without any hope of ever getting out of it, but with His miraculous appearance and formidable actions, we did get out of the darkness into His glorious light! Glory be! As Isaiah so gloriously testified: ‘The people that walked in darkness have seen a great light: they that dwell in the land of the shadow of death, upon them hath shined the light.’ (Is. 9:2) And that prophesy was certainly fulfilled by the coming of Jesus!
As Matthew writes of Jesus’ teaching ministry. ‘Now when Jesus had heard that John (the Baptist) was cast into prison, he departed into Galilee; and leaving Nazareth, he came and dwelt in Capernaum, which is upon the sea coast, in the borders of Zabulon and Nephthalim: That it might be fulfilled which was spoken by Esaias (Isaiah) the prophet, saying, The land of Zabulon, and the land of Nephthalim, by way of the sea, beyond Jordan, Galilee of the Gentiles; The people which sat in darkness saw a great light; and to them which sat in the region and shadow of death light is sprung up (has dawned). From that time Jesus began preach, and to say, Repent: for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.’ (Matt. 4:12-17)
Yes friends, there’s no doubt that Jesus came a to shed light on our darkness. As Luke also writes of Zacharias’ speech at the birth of his son, John the Baptist. ‘And thou, child, shall be called the prophet of the Highest: for thou shalt go before the face of the Lord to prepare his ways; To give knowledge of salvation unto his people by the remission (forgiveness) of their sins, Through the tender mercy of our God; whereby the dayspring (the Dawn, the Messiah) from on high hath visited us, To give light to them that sit in darkness and in the shadow of death, to guide our feet into the way of peace. And the child grew, and waxed (became) strong in spirit, and was in the deserts till the day of his shewing (manifestation) unto Israel.’ (Luke 1:76-80)
And we all know that John the Baptist was the forerunner of Jesus, setting the stage for Him, talking of repentance, of baptism and the forgiveness of sins. The words of John the apostle also attest to those facts. ‘There was a man sent from God, whose name was John. The same came for a witness, to bear witness of the Light, that all men through him might believe. He was not that Light, but was sent to bear witness of the Light. That was the true Light, which lighteth every man that cometh into the world. He was in the world, and the world was made by him, and the world knew him not. He came unto his own, (own domain), and his own (his own people the Jews) received him not.
But as many as received him, to them gave he power (the right) to become the sons (children) of God, even to them that believe on his name. Which were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God. And the Word was made (became) flesh, and dwelt among us, (and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father,) full of grace and truth.’ (John 1:6-14) Oh my faithful brethren, Jesus was indeed the One sent by the Father to bring us out of darkness into His wonderful light.
And if you still don’t believe that He is, was, and will always be the Light of this world, then listen to Him say it Himself. He said to the disbelieving religious sect of the Jews, the Pharisees: ‘I am the light of the world: he that followeth me shall not walk in darkness, but shall have the light of life.’ (John 8:12) And the Pharisees did not believe, because He bore witness of Himself, or as we would say today, was tooting His own horn. But the fact still remains that if Jesus did not come to earth, die on the cross of Calvary to atone for our sins, then rise again on the third day, so we could do the same, we would still be forever shrouded in the darkness of Satan, the evil ruler of this world, who desires to keep us chained to his evil doings.
But Christ, the Light of the world, came and set us free! Glory Hallelujah! And to make it even better, He told us that when He left this world, that we, His true followers would assume that mantle. ‘Ye are the light of the world…Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven.’ (Matt. 5:14a, 16) And our God is so wonderful that He even gave us the tools, the undeserved blessings to do the job. We call them our Thursday Blessings, so let’s declare them now, so that they can be activated in our lives.
As one voice: ‘I declare that I am blessed with God’s supernatural wisdom and receive clear direction for my life! I declare today that I am blessed with creativity, courage, talent and abundance! I am blessed with a strong will, self-control and self-discipline! I am blessed with a great family, good friends, good health, faith, favour and fulfillment! I am blessed with success, supernatural strength, promotion and divine protection! I am blessed with a compassionate heart and a positive outlook on life! I declare that any curse or negative word that’s ever been spoken over me is broken right now in the name of Jesus! I declare that everything I put my hands to, will prosper and succeed! I declare it today and every day! Amen!’
Now, it’s our bounden duty to go out and put those blessings to work in the lives of others, as generously as the Lord shared them with us. Much LOVE!
…it’s high time that we Christians behave…like the real salt of the earth…and the true light of the world…
Hear our podcast at https://open.spotify.com/show/3aVfqIC1CqwGybISs9dZ
02 Apr 2024
by randyobrien50
in Christian Thoughts and Inspiration., Daily Devotion, Daily Inspiration, Inspirational Living, Spiritual Living
Tags: Bible, Easter Tuesday, except a man be born again, faith, forgive us our debts as we forgive our debtors, forgiveness, Goat races in Tobago, god, God so loved the world, Good Friday, hatred, he cannot enter into the kingdom of heaven, he gave his only begotten son, hurry, if ye forgive men their trespasses, in god's eyes, Jesus, Jesus Christ, LOVE, parties galore, quells the spontaneity, raucous, share His love with my neighbours, should not perish but have everlasting life, spontaneous, strife, the abundant life, the beloved of God, the exorbitant price to pay for sin, the Messiah, the ramifications of Easter, to be forgiven one needs to forgive, trust my friend Jesus, Tuesday Mantra, ungodly transgressions, whosoever believeth in him, wisdom, worry
Matthew 6:12. And forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors.
Then it was Easter Tuesday, time to get back to working for a living, therefore, most of the Easter hoopla has now been toned down. But not the celebrated Easter Tuesday Goat Races in that picturesque, seaside village of Buccoo in sweet Tobago. Ah friends, that’s gotten so big and popular now that in recent years they built a stadium to house those goat races. I remember the days when it used to be just an open field in the village betwixt some houses, with parties galore happening all around, and people standing along the side lines, shouting for their favourite goat or crab.
Obviously the event was much more raucous and spontaneous. But apparently, as things grow bigger, they need to be better handled and managed, thus the building of the stadium. However, to a certain extent that quells the natural spontaneity of the event, making it less colourful. But in some quarters, that’s called progress, (smile) and as it’s still a colourful event, we’ll see you later down in Buccoo at the Goat Races. Party Time!
Now let’s get serious about the real ramifications of this Easter weekend. On Good Friday, Christ sacrificed His sinless life on the cross of Calvary so that our sin debt could be paid in full. That was the exorbitant price required by the Father for that situation to be solved. And Christ paid it without any hard feelings, despite the gross ‘sufferation’ He was forced to endure. As Isaiah so rightly says: ‘All we like sheep have gone astray, we have turned every one to his own way; and the Lord hath laid on him the iniquity of us all.’ (Is. 53:6)
Yes my fellow believers, the Lord laid ALL of our abominable sins on the shoulders of Christ that Good Friday day two thousand years ago. Meaning He was totally weighed down with, and made responsible for our ungodly transgressions. That means we now have forgiveness of our sins. However, that doesn’t come automatically or naturally. No! As Jesus said to the Jewish Leader, Nicodemus: ‘Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born again, (or from above), he cannot see the kingdom of God. … Except a man be born of water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of heaven.’ (John 3:3, 5)
Now, that means to be forgiven of our sins and thus be able to enter in God’s kingdom we also have to do something. And what’s that, you ask? Listen to Jesus tell it. ‘For God so LOVED the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved. He that believeth on him is not condemned: but he that believeth not is condemned already, because he hath not believed in the name of the only begotten son of God.’ (John 3:16-18)
There you have it friends; what we need to do so that we can be saved. It’s simple and straightforward: Believe in Christ Jesus! Believe that He is the Son of God; the promised Messiah; be born again of the Holy Spirit and be baptized in water, as an outward show of our inner sincerity! That makes us saved and eligible to enter heaven. But within that new born again life there are a couple of things that are necessary to live the Christian life; the life Christ died for us to have. As He says: ‘The thief cometh not, but for (except) to steal, and to kill, and to destroy: I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly.’ (John 10:10)
So, if we believe in Jesus and live the way He desires of us, we will have an abundant life beginning right down here on earth. But before we move on to heavenly matters, (smile) there is one earthly thing we must remember and get absolutely right, and it deals with the forgiveness of sins. Christ died so that that could be achieved, that we could renew a right relationship with the Father, but there’s one codicil to it, that regarding the sins of the individual. Jesus specifies it quite plainly in His Sermon on the Mount, when teaching His disciples to pray. It’s this simple but ever so important line of what we call the Lords’ Prayer. ‘And forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors.’ (Matt. 6:12)
Oh my people, that is the most important thing we need to remember and do after we believe in Jesus. Otherwise, He continues: ‘For if ye forgive men their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you: But if ye forgive not men their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses.’ (Matt. 6:14-15) It could not get any clearer than that my brethren. Forgiveness of other’s sins against us must be meted out, if we want forgiveness from our heavenly Father. But sadly, in this strife-filled, angry and hateful world, unforgiveness is one of the major drawbacks in turning things around.
Our human selfishness is showing up ever so greatly with our refusal to forgive others the way we want the Lord to forgive us. And that’s what causing so much of the negativity in our embattled and turbulent world. Now we all know that a lot of harsh and hurting things are done each and every day to numerous people, and it’s very difficult to forgive some of those trespasses, but the fact is that we must try, through prayer and heavenly help, if we want our own sins to be forgiven and our world to therefore become a better place.
And it’s so sad to realize that much of the strife and hatred now in place began centuries ago, and some of those now involved in the negativity don’t even know what they’re really fighting and hating for. That’s how bad our inhumanity and unforgiveness has become. What more can I say eh friends, when these days, finding a country where there’s no strife or very little, is like searching for the proverbial needle in a haystack. And unfortunately, things will not get better until we begin forgetting and forgiving the sins and trespasses of our individual neighbors and those worldwide.
And if God spares life, tomorrow we’ll continue with the heavenly mattes we spoke about earlier on. (smile) But for those of us who are trying to live the abundant life in these tough circumstances, let’s go home now declaring (yesss!!!) our Tuesday Mantra, letting all and sundry know to whom we belong, lock and barrel. As one strong and sincere voice: ‘In God’s eyes, I’m not what I do. I’m not what I have. I’m not what people say about me. I am the beloved of God, that’s who I am. No one can take that from me. I don’t have to worry. I don’t have to hurry. I can trust my friend Jesus and share His LOVE with my immediate neighbours, as well as with the whole wide world! Glory be!’
And having said that, it now becomes our bounden duty to go out and share the amazing LOVE and friendship of Christ with others, so that they too can come to know and LOVE Him like we do! Much LOVE!
…to be forgiven…one needs to forgive…
Hear our podcast at https://open.spotify.com/show/3aVfqIC1CqwGybISs9dZ
29 Mar 2024
by randyobrien50
in Christian Thoughts and Inspiration., Daily Devotion, Daily Inspiration, Inspirational Living, Spiritual Living
Tags: a crying shame, a root out of a dry ground, abused, acquainted with grief, afflicted, arm of the Lord, atonement for our sins, Bible, bondage of sin, bruised for our iniquities, carried our sorrows, christianity, crucifixion of christ, debased, divine power, faith, god, Good Friday, gratitude in our hearts, he hath borne our griefs, he shall grow up as a tender plant, His message is rejected, His mission is misunderstood, humble origin, Jesus, Jesus Christ, lack of faith, like a lamb to the slaughter, LOVE, negative attributes of Satan, no beauty, no form of comeliness, salvation, sever pains, shamed, smitten of God, spiritual sickness, stumble in unbelief, sufferation, the agony in the Garden of Gethsemane, the chastisement of our peace, the Davidic line, the light of the world, the man of sorrows, the Messiah, the salt of the earth, the Son of God, we did esteem him stricken, with his stripes we are healed, wounded for our transgressions
Isaiah 53:4. Surely he hath borne our griefs (spiritual sickness), and carried our sorrows (severe pains): yet we did esteem (reckon) him stricken, smitten of (struck down by) God, and afflicted.
And the loud shouts of ‘TGIF! Thank God it’s Friday!’ usually heard around the world on a Friday, the last day of the work week, are somewhat muted today, with a modicum of sorrow and sadness, because today we commemorate the crucifixion of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ on the rugged hill of Calvary. What an awful time that must have been for Him, abused, debased, and shamed to the nth degree, all for our benefit. And though we know it was the price that had to be paid so our sins could be forgiven, it’s still difficult and somewhat overwhelming the things, the unimageable ‘sufferation,’ He was forced to bear, so we could be set free from the terrible bondage of sin.
The Father didn’t deal gently with him at all, such was the high price required for our freedom. But, knowing that all our hopes and dreams were on His shoulders, our Saviour bore it all in silence, bore it like the strong man, the humble Son of God that He was. And these prophetic words of the Isaiah, spoken long before Christ’s birth and death, tell us of some of the problems He had to bear on our behalf. Isaiah speaks thus of the ‘Man of Sorrows.’
‘Who hath believed our report? and to whom is the arm (divine power) of the Lord revealed? For he shall grow up before him as a tender plant, and as a root out of a dry ground: he hath no form (no stately form) nor comeliness (splendour); and when we shall see him, there is no beauty (appearance) that we should desire him. He is despised (disdained, scorned) and rejected (forsaken, abandoned) of men; a man of sorrows (severe pains), and acquainted with grief (sickness, injuries): and (because of His personal suffering) we hid as it were our faces from him; he was despised (disdained, scorned), and we esteemed him not.
Surely he hath borne our griefs (spiritual sickness), and carried our sorrows (severe pains): yet we did esteem (reckon) him stricken, smitten of (struck down by) God, and afflicted. But he was wounded (pierced through) for our transgressions (sins), he was bruised (utterly crushed) for our iniquities: the chastisement (correction, discipline) of our peace was upon him, and with his stripes (blows that cut into His body) we are healed. (Is. 53:1-5)
Wow friends! What an accurate prophecy of Jesus, His life and sufferings on our behalf. And the scholars explain thus: ‘In these verses we see the personal Messiah, the Son of God, who alone can atone for sin. His message is rejected (vs.1); His person is refused (vs.2); and His mission is misunderstood (vs.3). Nevertheless His vicarious (second hand) suffering provides atonement for our sins (vs. 4-6); and though He suffers (vs.7) death (vs.8) and burial (vs. 9, He will ultimately be exalted (vs. 10-12). To miss the fact that Jesus Christ is the central figure in this passage is to stumble in unbelief over the cornerstone and foundation of all the gospel.’
And sadly many in Jesus’ time, and many today, still miss that central fact that Jesus is the foundation, the cornerstone of our faith. Now let’s get some broken down explanations from the scholars. ‘They say: ‘The rhetorical question Who hath believed our report? is more of an exclamation than an interrogation. Speaking for all the prophets, Isaiah calls attention to the world’s lack of faith in general. The arm of the Lord is the emblem of divine power (cf. 51:9; 52:10). The Servant is described as a tender plant (suckling or shoot) and a root out of a dry ground, which has already been described as springing from the stump of Jesse (hence the Davidic line).
No form or comeliness denotes His humble origin rather than His personal appearance. Beauty may be read “elegance.” This description does not mean that He will be homely or ugly, but that He will not appear on the scene in the regalia of a king. He will come as one who is common. Nothing could better describe the humble appearance of Jesus as a common rabbi.’
Ah mih people, Jesus suffered so much on our behalf, that’s it’s a crying shame that so many of us have rejected Him down through the ages, and are still rejecting Him, at a crucial time when we need Him the most, when our world is overrun by evil, ungodliness and all the other negative attributes of Satan.
And as the scholars further explain: ‘The description of Christ’s suffering in the New Testament Gospels clearly indicates the severity of His physical suffering: the agony in the Garden of Gethsemane, His battered face, the severe scourging (beating), and the torture of the crucifixion itself. His substitutionary atonement is clearly taught by the words, ‘he hath borne our griefs, and carried our sorrows: stricken, smitten of God and afflicted, wounded for our transgressions, bruised (struck down) for our iniquities, the chastisement of our peace was upon him; the Lord disciplined Jesus so that we could be at peace with Him.’
That’s how much our Saviour paid for us to have the right of forgiveness of sin and eternal life. And yuh know the best part of it all friends, is by his stripes (his terribles wounds, injuries) we are healed! Just imagine that nuh. Although we have all turned away from God, in a totality of sinful humanity, the Lord laid all of our sins, our transgressions on Christ, struck Him down violently, because that was the only way our sins could be paid for. And to the acclamation of Jesus, He opened not His mouth throughout all the ‘sufferation,’ but went quietly, like a lamb to the slaughter on our behalf!
Please friends, let’s wake up and acknowledge that Jesus bore a lot for us, and we can only partially repay Him, by living sincerely for Him; being the salt of the earth and the light of the world, spreading His good news gospel all over the earth, so that others can come to know and LOVE Him like do. Let’s wake up this Good Friday and realize what a magnanimous gesture both the Father and Christ made on our behalf, and find the gratitude in our hearts to do the best we can, and not merely abuse the privileges granted us, as so many supposed believers are doing. Much LOVE!
…Good Friday…a day to contemplate…the extent of sin in our lives…
Hear our podcast at https://open.spotify.com/show/3aVfqIC1CqwGybISs9dZ
12 Mar 2024
by randyobrien50
in Christian Thoughts and Inspiration., Daily Devotion, Daily Inspiration, Inspirational Living, Spiritual Living
Tags: be not faithless, believe it when you see it, Bible, blessed are they that have not seen yet believed, Christian walk, christianity, climate cahnge, confidence, faith, faith is the substance of things hoped for, fellowship, god, gospel truth, hoe is necessary to life, hope, hurry, in god's eyes, Jesus, Jesus Christ, lock stock and barrel, LOVE, only believe, pay a heavy price, see it when you believe it, share His love with my neighbours, the air we breathe, the evidence of things not seen, the Messiah, the Son of God, the Son of the Blessed, the waremst winter, trust, trust my friend Jesus, Tuesday Mantra, wisdom, worry
John 20:29b. blessed are they that have not seen, and have yet believed.
Then it was Tuesday, another sunny, spring-like day in my neighborhood. And recently we’ve been having so many of them, that I’m puzzled. But then, this morning, I beheld a few buds on one of the tress in my front yard and that almost made me believe that we’re really having spring in early March. Almost…but not quite… (smile) Ah Lord eh! This climate change situation is playing such havoc with God’s fine tuning of His universe. But we only have our foolish selves to blame. I don’t know why we unwisely thought that we could abuse the planet and it’s finely tuned eco-system for ever and not pay a heavy price.
And while we’re having spring in early March, this winter has also been the warmest one on record. A sad tale for the many businesses based on snow and cold weather. And since all the changes did not happen overnight, they will not be fixed overnight either. If we ever get around to seriously fixing them, what with so many of us believing that climate change is a fraudulent theory set up by conspiracy theorists. But if you have lived in these parts for at least twenty years, and have any common sense, you will notice that the weather patterns have indeed changed over the years. And if you’ve lived here for over fifty years, like I’ve done, then it’s a cinch for you to notice serious climate changes from the earlier times, unless you prefer not to see or admit them.
But it all goes right back to the simple theory that our parents taught us; if you don’t hear, you will feel. And that’s exactly what we’re doing right now; feeling the pain of climate change and all that it entails, because we were too proud and haughty to think that our marvellous machinery would ever cause us climate problems. But how long can you go on spewing all the smoke filled with the many different toxins in the atmosphere, and spilling the many toxic chemicals in the waterways without it coming back to bite us at some stage eh? We’re simply getting our just deserts.
And since so many in power don’t believe it’s really happening, or say they don’t, fixing the problems are not happening, or are not going to happen with the urgency it deserves. But yuh know what, all of that is secondary if we sincerely believe in the grace and goodness of Almighty God! And I just opened the Good Library to an interesting scripture from the gospel of Mark. It’s at Jesus’s trial before the high priest, where that august hypocrite, asked Jesus: ‘Art thou the Christ, the Son of the Blessed? And Jesus said, I am: and ye shall see the Son of man sitting on the right hand of power, and coming in the clouds of heaven.’ (Mark 14:61-62)
Now, Christ’s reply incensed the high priest, made him tear off his clothes, and declared it the height of blasphemy, with the appropriate condemnation of death. However, for us believers, that answer was more than sufficient. It gives us confidence and keeps our faith strong in knowing that our Lord and Saviour is sitting at the God’s right hand and will eventually come back riding the clouds with His glorious army to take His people home at the Rapture of the church, then in the last days, after the Great Tribulation, His Millennial reign on earth!
That’s why HOPE and FAITH are so important in our Christian walk, for without them, we don’t have anything to hold on to. And what are those two things eh? Well, according to the 20th century Danish American Psychologist, Erik Erikson, ‘HOPE’ is necessary to life as the air we breathe. Hope is both the earliest and the most indispensable virtue inherent in the state of being alive. If life is to be sustained, hope must remain, even where confidence is wounded, trust impaired.’
And that’s the gospel truth friends! If there’s no hope, then you might as well be dead. And it’s also important to note that without HOPE, you cannot have FAITH; because HOPE is a prerequisite of FAITH. It’s the former that enables you to have and continually sustain the latter. And what’s FAITH? The Bible tells us that ‘FAITH is the substance (realization) of things hoped for, the evidence (conviction) of things not seen.’ (Heb. 11:1) In simple language, faith is hoping and believing for something that you don’t see at the present time, but expecting to get it at some later date.
It’s like Bruh Paul wrote to the church at Rome: ‘For we are saved by hope: but hope that is seen is not hope: for what a man seeth, why doth he yet hope for (it)? But we hope for that we see not, then do we with patience (perseverance, determination) (eagerly) wait for it.’ (Rom. 8:24-25) Yes friends, it’s all about HOPE and FAITH! And how do you get them? By sincerely believing in Christ Jesus, then studying God’s Word and living it in close fellowship with other believers.
Oh my people, belief is extremely important, for in God’s kingdom you don’t see it until you believe it, while in the world’s economy you have to see it before you believe it. That’s why HOPE and FAITH are so vital to Christianity. None of us have ever seen Jesus in the flesh, but we believe that He walked here on earth some two thousand years ago, and was who He said He was, the Messiah, the Son of God, and did the things they say He did, and will do the things He promised to do.
That’s why when His disciple Thomas refused to belief that Jesus was resurrected from the dead unless he personally saw Him and could touch His nail scarred hands and put his hands in His side, Jesus appeared to him and told him thus. ‘Reach hither thy finger, and behold my hands; and reach hither thy hand, and thrust it into my side: and be not faithless (unbelieving), but believing. And Thomas answered and said unto him, My Lord and my God. Jesus saith unto him, Thomas, because thou hast seen me, thou hast believed: blessed are they that have not seen, and have yet believed.’ (John 20:27-29)
And that’s us, my fellow saints, who haven’t seen Jesus in the flesh but yet, through hope and faith, believe that He is real and will continue to look after us to our dying day…and even beyond. Now, let’s go home declaring (awright!!!) our Tuesday Mantra, letting the whole world know to whom we belong, lock, stock and barrel. As one strong and sincere voice: ‘In God’s eyes, I’m not what I do. I’m not what I have. I’m not what people say about me. I am the beloved of God, that’s who I am. No one can take that from me. I don’t have to worry. I don’t have to hurry. I can trust my friend Jesus and share His LOVE with my immediate neighbours, as well as with the whole wide world! Glory be!’
And having made that declaration (yesss!!!) it’s now our duty to go out and the amazing LOVE and friendship of Christ with others, so that they too can come to know and LOVE Him like we do! Much LOVE!
…only believe…with the help of hope and faith…only believe…
Hear our podcast at https://open.spotify.com/show/3aVfqIC1CqwGybISs9dZ
17 Feb 2024
by randyobrien50
in Christian Thoughts and Inspiration., Daily Devotion, Daily Inspiration, Inspirational Living, Spiritual Living
Tags: all things work together for good, be as ashes under the soles of your feet, blowing his own horn, divine help, dwell in the land of the shadow of death, glorify your father in heaven, grow up as calves of the stall, have life more abundantly, have seen a great light, holy spirit, I am the door of the sheep, I am the good shepherd, I am the light of the world, increase my awareness of you, Jesus Christ, Jesus is the answer, know you all the more, Lazy-Day Saturday Prayer, Let your light so shine before men, lighteth every man that comes into the world, LOVE, quiet my soul, salvation, see your good works, sincere prayer, slow my thoughts, the good shepherd giveth his life for the sheep, the Messiah, the people that walked in darkness, the Sun of righteousness, the thief only comes to steal and to kill, the true light, tread down the wicked, upon them hath the light shined, warm the cockles of God's heart, wisdom
John 10:7. Verily, verily, I say unto you, I AM the DOOR of the SHEEP.
And this snow-white, chilly, lazy-day Saturday has opened up with brilliant sunshine! Glory to God! And isn’t it rather interesting and amazing how sunshine can alleviate even the worst of days, both physically and emotionally. I guess that’s just the normal response that the light of Jesus has on us, His oh so important creation. Remember, He created both the sun and us, and all His creations work hand in hand with each other as He’s built in an automatic chemistry between them. Yes friends, in God’s great and wonderful universe, all things work together, for good. (smile)
Now, let’s turn to our Lazy-Day Saturday Prayer and offer it up in all sincerity and truth. As one voice: ‘Lord, I want to be with You now. Please slow my thoughts and quiet my soul. Let my muscles relax, my breath deepen. You are here with me – Your peace and LOVE are present. I marvel to think You can’t be contained, that Your LOVE both surrounds and fills me. Thank You for this tenderness, Lord. I praise You for Your unceasing nearness. Increase my awareness of You today, that I may know You all the more. Amen!’
That prayer touches my heart, and I know it touches God’s too, because it’s simple and to the point; desiring more of God in our lives, to truly feel His awesome presence and LOVE flowing around, in and through us. And the Lord always answers sincere prayers like that, because they warm the cockles of His heart, letting Him know that His people truly desire Him to be with them. And that’s why, if we were sincere in that prayer, our hearts and souls are now quiet and at peace, and we can say ‘Thank You Lord, for Your peace and LOVE!’
Now, yesterday we began looking at the many I AM’s that Jesus declared (yes!!!) Himself to be, while here on earth, but because of much talking, (smile) was only able to finish the first one; ‘I AM the BREAD of LIFE!’ So without further ado, let’s look at the second one, ‘I AM the LIGHT of the WORLD!’ (John 8:12) Jesus made that magnanimous statement to a group of unbelieving Pharisees, who figured that it could not be true because he was ‘bearing record’ or witnessing of His own self, in other words blowing His own horn.
But if the foolish, hypocritical Pharisees had taken time to consult the scriptures, the Old Testament, since there was as yet no New Testament, they would have seen several references to Christ as the bearer of spiritual light. Scriptures like this one from Isaiah: ‘The people that walked in darkness have seen a great light: they that dwell in the land of the shadow of death, upon them hath the light shined.’ (Is. 9:2) To whom does that refer, if not to Jesus, the coming Messiah?
And this scripture from Malachi also refers to Jesus. ‘But unto you that fear my name shall the Sun of righteousness arise with healing in his wings; and ye shall go forth, and grow up as calves of the stall (grow fat like stall-fed calves). And ye shall tread down (trample) the wicked; for they shall be ashes under the soles of your feet in the day that I shall do this, saith the Lord.’ (Mal. 4:2-3) Yes friends, as the scholars explain, ‘the Sun of righteousness is a figurative representation of the Messiah,’ our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ.
And we all know that the main purpose of the Sun is to bring light to the darkness, therefore Jesus’ coming, brought light to this dark and evil world. And John 1:1-9 gives us further enlightenment on Jesus’ claim to be the light of the world. But because of time and space we can only quote this verse: ‘That was the true light, which lighteth every man that cometh into the world.’ (John 1:9) John the Baptist only came to bear news of the Light, that was Jesus. And most importantly, now that Jesus is no longer on earth in physical form, He’s bequeathed to us, His followers, that designation, when He said: ‘Ye are the light of the world… Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven.’ (Matt. 6:14 &16)
That means we have our work cut out for us here, in this world of near total darkness. But that’s a sermon for another day,let’s turn now to the Jesus’ next declaration (yeah!!!) of ‘I AM,’ which has to do with being the door to the sheep enclosure. As He specifies: ‘Verily, verily, I say unto you, I AM the DOOR of the SHEEP. All that ever came before me are thieves and robbers: but the sheep did not hear them. I AM the DOOR: by me if any man enter in, he shall be saved, and shall go in and out and find pasture. The thief cometh not, but for (except) to steal, and to kill, and to destroy: I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly.’ (John 10:7-10)
Isn’t that ever so wonderful my people, that Jesus is the door to our salvation! Anyone else who claims to be our Saviour is a liar and a thief, and only comes to disrupt the sheepfold and bring further calamity. But Jesus refuses to allow it, as He says in His next ‘I AM,’ statement. ‘I AM the GOOD SHEPHERD: the good shepherd giveth his life for the sheep. But he that is an hireling (a hired man), and not the shepherd, whose own the sheep are not, seeth the wolf coming, and leaveth the sheep, and fleeth: and the wolf catcheth them, and scattereth the sheep. The hireling (hired man) fleeth because he is an hireling, and careth not for the sheep. I AM the GOOD SHEPHERD, and know my sheep, and am known of them.’ (John 10:11-14)
Oh my fellow saints, do we truly know and believe that Jesus Christ is the Good Shepherd of our Christian flock, and the door by whom we must enter to receive salvation? I certainly hope so, otherwise we’ll be left out in the cold when Jesus returns. And if you think things are bad now, believe me, they’ll be ever so much worse if Jesus returns and you’re not numbered amongst the sheep of His fold. So please, on this first lazy-day Saturday in Lent, let’s take the time to analyze both our physical and spiritual selves and see if we are in sync with Jesus. And if not, let’s go to the Father, through the Holy Spirit, and ask for divine help to make it so. Turning to the Father for divine help is always the best decision in any situation! Much LOVE!
…whatever your situation calls for…Jesus is the answer…
Hear our podcast at https://open.spotify.com/show/3aVfqIC1CqwGybISs9dZ
13 Oct 2023
by randyobrien50
in Christian Thoughts and Inspiration., Daily Devotion, Daily Inspiration, Inspirational Living, Spiritual Living
Tags: a fruitful bough, be responsible, blessings of heaven above, blessings of the breasts, crying out for help, divine help, Friday chant, Friday the 13th, he whom thy brethren shall praise, Him to Whom It Belongs, his clothes in the blood of grapes, introduce a new flock of believers, Jesus Christ, Lion of the tribe of Judah, LOVE, on the crown of the head, on the neck of thine enemies, one truth from the Bible, return backsliders to your fold, simmering unrest, TGIF! Thank God it's Friday!, the error of their ways, the example your faithful believers set, the Messiah, the sceptreshall not depart from Judah, the twelve tribes of Israel, the unexpected storms, the weekend, thy father's children shall bow down before thee, until Shiloh come, wake up and and smell the coffee, washed his garments in wine, wise guidance, worth more than all the wisdom of man
Genesis 49:8. Judah, thou art he whom thy brethren shall praise: …thy father’s children shall bow down before thee.
And it’s one of those Friday the 13th days, when all the old wives tales surface. Tales like don’t walk beneath a ladder today, or don’t let a black cat cross your path. There’s also the superstition that the number 13 itself is unlucky, that’s why you don’t find 13th floors in buildings or elevators. But be that as it may, we’ll still joyfully declare ‘TGIF! Thank God it’s Friday and the weekend is here at last!’ Although this was just a four-day work week. (smile) So, without further ado, let’s get down to the Father’s business. That means to continue looking at Bruh Joseph’s amazing and intriguing story, as we promised if God spared life. And since He most mercifully did so, let’s get to it!
We’ve reached the point where the old patriarch Jacob, hitherto known as Israel, calls his sons together to bless them. And it’s from him that we derive the twelve tribes of Israel. Now there are actually eleven sons of his loins, but we’ve seen where He adopts or calls the first two sons of Bruh Joseph his. But when the Promised Land is divided up, Bruh Joseph doesn’t have a tribe, but his two sons do, which makes it twelve. Anyway, Jacob on his deathbed calls his sons together and blesses them according to the order of their birth, with Reuben the oldest first, and Benjamin, the youngest last.
The scholars tell us: ‘Jacob concludes his life as other saints who spoke a blessing before their end: Isaac (Gen. 27), Moses (Deut. 33), Joshua (Josh. 24), and Samuel (1 Sam. 12).’ Now, we don’t have either time nor space to go through all the blessings, so we’ll only go through the two most important ones, Bruh Joseph’s, because it’s his story we’re dealing with, and Judah’s because his line turned out to be the most influential. And just for interest’s sake, those two have the longest blessings.
So, let’s begin with Bruh Joseph’s blessing. Jacob said: ‘Joseph is a fruitful bough, even a fruitful bough by a well; whose branches run over the wall. The archers have sorely (bitterly) grieved him, and shot at him, and hated him: But his bow abode in strength (remained strong), and the arms of his hands were made strong by the hands of the mighty God of Jacob; (from thence is the shepherd, the stone of Israel:)
Even by the God of thy father, who shall help thee; and by the Almighty, who shall bless thee with blessings of heaven above, blessings of the deep that lieth under (beneath), blessings of the breasts, and of the womb: The blessings of thy father have prevailed (excelled) above the blessings of my progenitors (ancestors) unto the utmost bound of the everlasting hills: they shall be on the head of Joseph, and on the crown of the head of him that was separate from his brethren.’ (Gen. 49:22-26)
Yes friends, though Bruh Joseph was separated from his brothers through envy and jealousy, the Lord God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob kept him strong, showed him favour in his many trials, and eventually blessed him with great honour and material wealth, and he would go on to do well, if he kept walking with the Lord.
As for Judah, Jacob said: ‘Judah, thou art he whom thy brethren shall praise: thy hand shall be in (on) the neck of thine enemies; thy father’s children shall bow down before thee (reminiscent of Bruh Joseph’s dream). Judah is a lion’s welp: from the prey, my son, thou art gone up: he stooped (crouches), he couched (lies) down as a lion, and as an old lion; who shall rouse him up?
The sceptre (symbol of kingship) shall not depart from Judah, nor a lawgiver from between his feet, until Shiloh come; and unto him shall the gathering (obedience) of the people be. Binding his foal (donkey) unto the vine, and his ass’s (donkey’s) colt unto the choice vine; he washed his garments in wine, and his clothes in the blood of grapes: His eyes shall be red with (darker than) wine, and his teeth white with (whiter than) milk.’ (Gen. 49:8-12)
And what does all of that mean eh? Let’s get some insight from the scholars. They say ‘The key thought is expressed as the sceptre shall not depart from Judah, nor a lawgiver from between his feet, until Shiloh come; and unto him shall the gathering of the people be. The sceptre was a symbol of royal power. Lawgiver, according to Speiser, refers to a mace. Etymologically (in its origins), it is something pertaining to a legislator or one in authority, and from the context, an analogue of (comparison to) the sceptre. When a dignity was seated, the staff would rest between his feet.
Jacob was not saying his (Judah’s) rule would end when Shiloh came. On the contrary, this term denotes the turning point at which the superiority of Judah will continue, and at that time to be enlarged to embrace all nations. Shiloh is a hidden name for Messiah; it is made up of three grammatical parts (sh–l– oh) meaning “Him to Whom it (the Sceptre or Kingdom ) Belongs.” It is not to be taken as a proper name for Messiah, nor does it refer to the town where the tabernacle was later established, for this would be meaningless prophetically.
The phrase and unto him shall be the gathering of the people be means, literally, “And unto him shall be the obedience of the peoples.” This can refer only to the Messiah. Thus the reference to a lion in verse 9 points to that One who is called “the Lion of the tribe of Judah.” (Rev. 5:5). Verses 11 and 12 describe the millennial prosperity (cf. Is. 11:1-9; Ezek. 34:23-31; Amos 9:11-15).’
Yes my people, it sounds very complicated and difficult to understand, but the long and short of the story is that Judah would be the tribe, the line from which the Messiah, our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ would come. That’s why Jacob prophesied so mightily in Judah’s blessing. And it just goes to show all the foreshadowing that the Lord did when compiling His Word. Even from the days of Jacob a Messiah was in the works. That’s why we say the Lord is indeed the greatest dramatist there is! But He is also the Creator and Controller, the One to whom we need to go for divine help for our earthly problems. So, let’s do that right now nuh, through our Friday Chant.
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 the operative words in that prayer my people are ‘by the example, we, your faithful believers set.’ So please, let’s be about setting a good example nuh. Much LOVE!
…one truth from the Bible…is worth…more than all the wisdom of man…
Hear our podcast at https://open.spotify.com/show/3aVfqIC1CqwGybISs9dZ
02 Sep 2022
by randyobrien50
in Christian Thoughts and Inspiration., Daily Devotion, Daily Inspiration, Inspirational Living, Spiritual Living
Tags: a means of restoring faith in you, an inherent need for responsibility, anointed me to preach the gospel, be responsible and stay safe, bring backsliders back to your fold, divine help, embrace Jesus as Lord and Saviour, freedom, freedom is a figmnet of our imagination, Friday chant, heal the brokenhearted, I am the way the truth and the life, if the Son sets you free, if ye continue in my word, in the name of freedom, introduce a whole new flock, Jesus' work on the cross, LOVE, no man cometh unto the Father but by me, offer derogatory comments, right motives in our hearts, show them the error of their ways, stand strong and steadfast, TGIF! Thank God it's Friday!, that magnificent orb, the elixir of the human spirit, the Messiah, the pearly gates, the truth shall make you free, trusting faith, wake up and smell the coffee, we must all bow to somebody, wise guidance, ye are my disciples indeed, ye shall be free indeed, ye shall know the truth
John 8:32. And ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.
Oh friends, today as the rising of the sun begins, as that magnificent orb makes its daily journey around the world, many different voices in many different languages will loudly and harmoniously chorus: ‘TGIF! Thank God it’s Friday! Thank God for the weekend and all the freedom it brings!’
Ah Lord eh, do we ever like and fantasize about that thing called freedom. And down through the ages, so many of us have died shouting out its name, but we don’t really know the heavy price that supposed elixir of the human spirit demands. For to be truly free, one needs to be responsible, not lawless like so many of us believe. Freedom carries with it an inherent need for responsibility, loyalty, self-control, self-discipline and level headedness. It calls for mercy, LOVE, grace, forgiveness, goodness and godliness.
It doesn’t give us the right, as so many of us believe to do exactly what we want, when we want, regardless of the consequences to those around us. It doesn’t mean chaos, selfishness and disregard for our fellow man. In fact, it demands just the opposite; a healthy and responsible care and compassion for our fellow human beings.
And I guess that’s why all the revolutions and wars and other negative circumstances that have occurred in the name of freedom have never succeeded, because in the end, those at the forefront of those uprisings, end up doing exactly what their oppressors and suppressors were doing; oppressing and suppressing somebody in the supposed name of freedom! But yet, we still constantly hear the battle cry for freedom: freedom from this, freedom from that, freedom from responsibility, freedom from paying taxes, freedom from God and His law.
Hn! Yet we still desire all those things that a responsible freedom bring. But in reality, freedom is only, and will always be a figment of our imagination, for as the song so truly says: we all must bow to somebody; to either God or Satan. And once you’re bowing to someone, you’re never free. Bowing to Satan will never make you free, because he is only interested in keeping his selfish claws in you, restraining you from rising to the level for which you were created, and thus making hellfire and damnation your eternal home.
The closest we can ever get to that thing called freedom is by reverently bowing to our Maker, Our Creator and Provider, our Way-maker and Forgiver, the enabler of Eternal Life. And that can only happen when we sincerely embrace His majestic Son, Jesus Christ as our Lord and Saviour. Yes, friends, only through the intervention of the Son, can one get to all the magnificent benefits and freedoms that the Father provides. Listen up as Christ enlightens us on the subject.
First off, He sets us straight by imparting this startling, but ever so true information: ‘I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father but by me.’ (John 14:6) Oh my people, unless we believe that, and act seriously upon it, we will never see the bright lights of heaven and enjoy the promise of eternal life! That’s the truth, and nothing but the God-awesome truth! Only sincere belief in Christ Jesus will enable us to enter through those pearly gates we all talk and dream about so much!
And likewise, the only source of true freedom is Christ Jesus. And why do we know this? Listen as He taught in the synagogue of His hometown of Nazareth. On that momentous Sabbath day in the temple, Jesus read thus from the Book of Isaiah. ‘The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he hath anointed me to preach the gospel to the poor; he hath sent me to heal the brokenhearted, to preach deliverance to the captives, and recovering of sight to the blind, to set at liberty them that are bruised (oppressed). To preach the acceptable year of the Lord….This day is this scripture fulfilled in your ears (hearing)’ (Luke 4:18-19, 21)
Oh my people, Jesus was letting His hometown know that He was the chosen One, the Messiah, the One sent to set the captives free, to heal their broken hearts, souls and spirits. But, as it so often happens, when someone close to us, just like us, rises up to another level, we tend to offer derogatory comments rather than gladly accept their new status. And that’s exactly what happened to Jesus in His hometown of Nazareth.
They didn’t believe that the lowly carpenter’s son of Joseph and Mary, who grew up amongst them could ever be the Messiah. His words so annoyed them that they eventually forced him out of the city and tried to throw Him down a hill. Thankfully though, as the Good Book says: ‘But he passing through the midst of them went his way.’ (Luke 4:30) And the scholars offer this explanation on the verse. ‘It is not clear whether this is a miraculous deliverance, or whether Jesus, by dint of His imposing presence, was able to stare His opponents down and then walk away untouched.’ I like to think it was the latter, just to show the unbelieving fools that He was not scared of them. (smile)
Now, this final word from Jesus re freedom. He said to a crowd of Jews that supposedly believed in Him. ‘If ye continue (abide) in my word, then ye are my disciples indeed; And ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.’ (John 8:31-32) And when they claimed they were never in bondage, so how could they be made free, Jesus explained to them that they were in bondage to sin. However, ‘If the Son therefore shall make you free; ye shall be free indeed.’ (John 8:36)
And is that ever the glorious truth my brethren! Only through the work of Jesus on the cross of Calvary, His shed blood, His death and resurrection, can we be truly made free. Free from sin, free from our most noted enemy, Satan and the sinful life that he espouses and tries to get us to also espouse, so that we can eventually end up like him, in the lake of fire. But thankfully, we’re wiser than that! We’re following Jesus! Glory Hallelujah! So, let’s go to Him in prayer, through our Friday Chant, asking for His divine help in our troubled world.
As one confident voice: ‘Oh Lord, thanks for getting me safely through this past week. You know it’s been rough… what with all the anxiety, the confusion and havoc that the Covid-19 and monkey-pox viruses, as well as our many other problems are causing. We can’t seem to fix it on our own Lord, that means we desperately need your help. Oh heavenly Father, with your omnipotent help, and our trusting faith, we know that we can stand strong and steadfast and defeat both the viruses and the unrest in our streets.
So Lord, we sincerely ask you today to give the governments and those involved in the forefront of this serious and unexpected storm, the wise guidance to handle the situation properly, with the least amount of loss to life and property as possible. And please help those of us who must go out to work amidst all the confusion, to be responsible and to stay safe, and avoid any more serious setbacks. And Lord, we fervently pray that You’ll use this situation to bring a lot of backsliders back to your fold, show them the error of their ways.
And please introduce a whole new flock, who will embrace your LOVE and compassion by the example, we, your faithful believers set. Yes Lord, please use this pandemic and the unrest in the streets as a means of restoring faith in You, so that our sinful world can wake up and smell the coffee, sweet and strong! We pray this in the name of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ! Amen!’
Now friends, if we truly expect positive divine help, then it’s up to us keep the promises we’ve just made, and show right motives in our hearts. Much LOVE!
…ONLY through belief in Christ Jesus…can we gain whatever freedom is possible in this earthly life…
Hear our podcast at https://open.spotify.com/show/3aVfqIC1CqwGybISs9dZJ8
10 Apr 2022
by randyobrien50
in Christian Thoughts and Inspiration., Daily Devotion, Daily Inspiration, Inspirational Living, Spiritual Living
Tags: a conquering hero., a name above every other name, a name written, All Hail the Power of Jesus' Name, all power is given unto me in heaven and earth, at the name of Jesus, became obedient unto death, Blessed is he that comes in the name of the Lord, Christ has universal sovereignty, church disunity, crown him Lord of all, every knee should bow, faithful and true, hail him who saves you by his grace, he hath on his vesture and on his thigh, Hosanna in the highest, Hosanna to the son of David, I am Alpha and Omega, Jesus' triumphal entry into Jerusalem, join the everlasting song, King of Kings and Lord of Lords, let angels prostrate fall, LOVE, no more tears sorrow pain, on his head were many crowns, out of his mouth goeth a sharp sword, Palm Sunday, sacrifices of praise, strictly peace and love, the blessed and only Potentate, the fierceness and wrath of Almighty God, the former things are passed away, the Messiah, the new heaven and earth, the prophet of Nazareth of Galilee, ye chosen seed of Israel's race, ye ransomed of the fall, your God is a God of gods
Revelation 19:16. And he hath on his vesture (robe) and on his thigh a name written, KING OF KINGS, AND LORD OF LORDS.
Another Sunday has rolled around my people! And this is a very blessed and special Sunday in the Christian calendar. We call it Palm Sunday, recalling Christ’s triumphal entry into Jerusalem two thousand years ago, the week before He was crucified, riding on a donkey, like the kings who brought peace, the fateful day when He officially offered Himself to the nation of Israel as her long awaited Messiah!
Wow! It was a marvellous day with the many visitors to Jerusalem thronging the streets to see Jesus, spreading their clothing and tree branches in His way, greeting Him like a conquering hero. The Good Book describes it thus: ‘And the multitudes that went before, and that followed, cried saying, Hosanna to the son of David: Blessed is he that cometh in the name of the Lord: Hosanna in the highest. And when he was come into Jerusalem, all the city was moved, saying, Who is this? And the multitude said, This is Jesus, the prophet of Nazareth of Galilee.’ (Matt. 21:9-11)
Yes, it was a great day friends, but yuh know what, Palm Sunday also foreshadows Jesus’ return to earth to set up His millennial kingdom in Jerusalem. So, it’s both a triumphant day of the past and one that will again erupt with joy when Christ returns to rule the world. But enough talk, as we’re all looking forward to singing a wonderful song in Christ’s honour this Palm Sunday morning. And it’s indeed a popular hymn, so popular that it’s often called ‘The National Anthem of Christendom,’ and is aptly titled ‘All Hail the Power of Jesus’ Name.’
‘The lyrics were written by Edward Perronet (1721-1792) a prominent British Pastor at one time affiliated with the Wesley’s of the Methodist persuasion, but afterwards became a pastor of a dissenting congregation.’ Another sad instance of church disunity, that just keeps on increasing the enemy’s power and lessening its own. Anyway, we know all about that and are working diligently to correct it, and the best way to do that right now is to lift up our voices in sweet sacrifices of praise, letting heaven an all earth know how much we LOVE and adore our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ.
So, in a soulful, scintillating, mid-tempo, joyful version, let’s sing: ‘All hail the power of Jesus’ Name! Let angels prostrate fall; Let angels prostrate fall; Bring forth the royal diadem, And crown him, crown him, crown him, And crown him Lord of all. Ye chosen seed of Israel’s race, Ye ransomed of the fall, Ye ransomed of the fall, Hail him who saves you by his grace, And crown him, crown him, crown him, And crown him Lord of all.
Let ev’ry kindred, ev’ry tribe, On this terrestrial ball, On this terrestrial ball, To him all majesty ascribe, And crown him, crown him, crown him, And crown him Lord of all. O that with yonder sacred throng We at his feet may fall; We at His feet may fall; We’ll join the everlasting song, And crown him, crown him, crown him, And crown him Lord of all.’
Oh, certainly my fellow saints, Jesus must be crowned Lord of ALL, because He is indeed Lord of ALL! That’s what the Good Book says, and the Good Book doesn’t lie. Listen to how Bruh Paul explained it when he wrote to the church at Philippi. ‘And being found in fashion (appearance) as a man, he humbled himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross. Wherefore, God also hath highly exalted him, and given him a name which is above every other name: That at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of (those) things in heaven, and (those) things in earth, and (those) things under the earth. And that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.’ (Phil. 2:8-11)
Mamma Mia! What power resides in our Jesus! For His undaunted obedience, the Father made His name the highest name therein all the earth and heaven, to whom all knees must bow and confess that He is Lord. Jesus Himself said it to the disciples before He gave them the Great Commission: ‘All power (authority) is given unto me: in heaven and in earth.’ (Matt. 28:18) Even the heathen king of Babylon, Nebuchadnezzar, recognized the might and power of Almighty God, after Daniel revealed the secret of his dream. He said to Daniel: ‘Of a truth, it is that your God is a God of gods, and a Lord of kings, and a revealer of secrets, seeing thou couldest reveal this secret.’ (Dan. 2:47)
Meanwhile in 1 Timothy, Bruh Paul tells the young preacher: ‘That thou keep this commandment without spot, unrebukable (blameless), until the appearing of our Lord Jesus Christ: Which in his times he shall show (manifest) who is the blessed and only Potentate (Sovereign Ruler), the King of kings, and Lord of lords.’ (1 Tim. 6:14-15) And if you still don’t believe, then let’s go right to the end of the story and get all the facts straight! (smile)
Right at the opening of John’s vision recorded in Revelation, Jesus said to him: ‘I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the ending, which is, and which was, and which was to come, the Almighty.’ (Rev. 1:8) That set the scene for John’s later recounting of the rider on the white horse; ‘And he that sat upon him was called Faithful and True, and in righteousness he doth judge and make war. His eyes were as a flame of fire, and on his head were many crowns, and he had a name written, that no man knew, but he himself…
And out of his mouth goeth a sharp sword, that with it he should smite the nations: and shall rule them with a rod of iron: and he treadeth the winepress of the fierceness and wrath of Almighty God. And he hath on his vesture (robe) and on his thigh a name written, KING OF KINGS, AND LORD OF LORDS.’ (Rev. 19:11-12, 15-16)
Yes, all you beautiful saints of Christ, those mighty words describe our Lord and Saviour when He shall come in all His glory to rule the earth! As the scholars tell us: ‘He is the revelation of God Himself. In His first advent (coming) Jesus especially revealed the LOVE and grace of God. But in His second advent, He will reveal the holiness, justice and judgement of God. Christ will smite the nations, that is destroy all unbelievers, and will subject all nations to Himself, and destroy all His enemies. He has universal sovereignty. The many crowns mean He is King over all who call themselves kings, and Lord over all who call themselves lords.’ Glory Hallelujah my faithful brethren!
That’s how the story plays out; with Jesus the conquering Hero spreading God’s wrath far and wide, cleaning up the earth in anticipation of a time with strictly peace and LOVE, no more tears, nor death, nor sorrow, nor crying, nor pain, for the former things (the negative things of the previous world) are passed away. (Rev. 21:4) And that’s how it’s going to be people. Now let’s hope that we will all be amongst that marvellous crowd on that thrilling day. Much LOVE!
…will you be in the new heaven and earth…only if you sincerely believe in Christ Jesus…it’s glorious ruler…
Hear our podcast at https://open.spotify.com/show/3aVfqIC1CqwGybISs9dZJ8
16 Mar 2022
by randyobrien50
in Christian Thoughts and Inspiration., Daily Devotion, Daily Inspiration, Inspirational Living, Spiritual Living
Tags: a benevolent ruler, atone for our sins, be obedient to the Spirit's guidance, be strong fear not, catch our second wind, Christ defeated death, confess that Jesus is the Son of God, end up in hades, endure to the end, endure until the end, establish it with judgement and with justice, even God with recompense, for God so loved the world, for His goodness to the children of men, for the Lord is our judge, game set and match, Give God thanks and praise, God's awesome promises have been fulfilled, have everlasting life, he gave his only begotten son, he will save us, I am halfway home, I'm not turning back, I'm so glad to be alive, my eyes are fixed straight ahead, my hands are on the plough, not to condemn the world but to save it, of the increase of his government, offers eternal life, prince of peace, thank God, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, the breath of life is still flowing through me, the leading and guiding of the Holy Spirit, the Lord is our king, the Lord is our lawgiver, the Messiah, the salvation of the righteous is of the Lord, the Saviour of the world, them that are fearful of heart, this is our God we have waited for him, to a glorious future with Jesus, to any who believe, unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given, we will be glad and rejoice in his salvation, Wednesday Wail, Wonderful Counsellor, your God will come with vengeance
Isaiah 33:22. For the Lord is our judge, the Lord is our lawgiver, the Lord is our king; he will save us.
And now that we’ve come to Wednesday, the middle of the work week, hopefully we can take a restful breath and catch our second wind, especially after the snowfall we endured yesterday afternoon that tied up the traffic and caused numerous problems, as it has the bad habit of doing. (smile) But, as believers in Christ Jesus, we are expected, hard as it might be at times, to rise above the worries and problems of this world, through the leading and guiding of Christ’s Holy Spirit that dwells within us for that very purpose.
However, that only happens when we listen and are obedient to the Spirit’s guidance. So, to all of us, I plead, please, please, let’s pay serious attention to the Holy Spirit nuh, so that our earthly journeys can be less difficult and frustrating than they otherwise will be. End of sermon! (smile)
And since the Lord has seen it fit to give us another day on earth to continue His important work, let’s return to those marvellous words of Isaiah that we’ve been studying for the last couple days. ‘For the Lord is our judge, the Lord is our lawgiver, the Lord is our king, he will save us.’ (Is. 33:22) Yes friends, our God is all of those things to His most magnificent creation. Give Him thanks and praise for His goodness to us underserving children of men!
Now, today we will tackle the last and possibly the most important aspect of them all, ‘he will save us.’ And why is that you ask? Because God can be our judge, lawgiver and king, but if He doesn’t save our sinful souls, we’ll still be ending up in ole hades with the demonic master. So, saving us is of the utmost importance! And Jacob, the father of the twelve tribes of Israel, knew this, for when prophesying over His sons, said about Dan: ‘I have waited for thy salvation, O Lord.’ (Gen. 49:18)
But, being the wise and wonderful Deity that He is, Jehovah God obviously had a plan for that from the very beginning, and made it clear in several passages of His Guide Book for Earthly Living: the Bible. And if you don’t believe me, then listen to these magnificent scriptures of the promise of salvation, beginning with these most encouraging and reassuring words from Bruh David from Psalm 37 – The true state of the wicked.
He ends the psalm thus: ‘But the salvation of the righteous is of the Lord: he is their strength in the time of trouble. And the Lord shall help them, and deliver them: he shall deliver them from the wicked, and save them, because they trust in him.’ (Ps. 37:39-40). And we know that our God doesn’t make idle promises!
Then Isaiah, in talking about Israel’s restoration to Zion, delivers this message from God: ‘Say to them that are of a fearful heart, be strong, fear not: behold, your God will come with vengeance, even God with a recompense: he will come and save you.’ (Is. 35:4) All through His word the Lord’s been reassuring His people of salvation and a good end. And Isaiah again, in The song of praise by the redeemed, confidently declares: ‘And it shall be said in that day, Lo, this is our God, we have waited for him, and he will save us: this is the Lord; we have waited for him, we will be glad and rejoice in his salvation.’ (Is. 25:9)
Yes, my faithful brethren, ONLY, the Lord God Jehovah can give us salvation! And He spelt it right out, so that there could be no misunderstanding, through this mighty promise of scripture from Isaiah that we all know, re the birth of the Prince of Peace, Jesus, the Messiah, the Saviour of the world.
‘For unto us a child is born, unto us a Son is given: and the government shall be upon his shoulder: and his name shall be called Wonderful, Counsellor, The mighty God, The everlasting Father, the Prince of Peace. Of the increase of his government and peace there shall be no end, upon the throne of David, and upon his kingdom, to order it, and to establish it with judgement and with justice from henceforth even for ever. The zeal of the Lord of hosts will perform this.’ (Is. 9:6-7)
Oh, what a powerful picture that is my people of our Lord and Saviour, Immanuel! A benevolent ruler, who will eventually bring peace and LOVE to our fractured world! And that Prince of Peace, Jesus Christ was born on Christmas Day and grew into the man who declared His Sonship of God, and the fulfillment of God’s promises, His mighty plans of deliverance and salvation for His people, through these awesome words. ‘For God so LOVED the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him, should not perish, but have everlasting life. For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world ; but that the world through him might be saved.’ (John 3:16-17)
Game, set and match, mih bredrin! Matter done! Salvation has been provided! God’s awesome promises have been fulfilled! And it’s so simple: all we have to do is believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God and truly died on the cross of Calvary to atone for our sins! John, the apostle, who walked with Christ, agrees and says it thus: ‘And we have seen and do testify that the Father sent the Son to be the Saviour of the world. Whosever shall confess that Jesus is the Son of God, God dwelleth in him, and he in God.’ (1 John 4:14-15)
Wow! None of the other supposed gods make it that easy to come to them. They can’t, because they don’t exist. But the Lord God Jehovah can do so because He is the One True and Living God who has the omnipotent power to save with righteousness and justice! All glory be to His mighty and holy name!
Ah friends, all I can say is that the option Jesus provides is much better than that provided by the enemy Satan. And since there are only two options, I believe, or rather I know, that Jesus is the wiser choice. However, we each have to make our own decisions. But please remember that there are serious consequences to either choice, and do take the consequences into consideration before making your personal choice.
For those of us though, who have already made the decision to follow Jesus, let’s go home declaring (yesss!!!) our Wednesday Wail, letting all and sundry know of our wonderful position in Jesus. As one confident voice 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 as we remind ourselves every Wednesday; if we endure to the end, the future will be even more glorious than we can ask or imagine! So please let that encourage us to endure to the end nuh! Much LOVE!
…JESUS…the Saviour of the world…He defeated death…and now offers Eternal Life…to any who believe…
Hear our podcast at https://open.spotify.com/show/3aVfqIC1CqwGybISs9dZJ8
31 May 2021
by randyobrien50
in Christian Thoughts and Inspiration., Daily Devotion, Daily Inspiration, Inspirational Living, Spiritual Living
Tags: cursed are the ungodly, divine assistance, fear ye not stand still, God does not make empty promises, hear our prayer, humble our selves, I should obey his voice, if we pray unto him, Jehovah Rapha, Monday Morning Battle Hymn, see the salvation of the Lord, seek righteousness, sincere repentance, sincerely seek your face, strong faith in Christ, ten plagues of Egypt, the day of the Lord, the Egyptians whom ye have seen today, the feast of the Passover, the God who heals, the Great tribulation, the mass confusion, the Messiah, the motives of our hearts, the righteous are blessed, the Sun of righteousness, the that shall burn like an oven, the wicked are judged, what is the Almighty that we should serve him, what profit should we have, who is the Lord, will arise with healing in His wings, wise guidance and direction, ye shall see them again no more for ever
Job 21:15. What is the Almighty, that we should serve him? And what profit should we have, if we pray unto him?
Oh brother, it’s Monday again! That means another week has begun! Some people think that in this time of pandemic, the days are moving ever so slowly, in fact they would say that they are practically dragging, (smile) but for me the weeks are passing ever so quickly! And the sad part is that I am not accomplishing most of what I plan to accomplish.
So what’s going on eh? Is it that I am simply planning to accomplish too much? I don’t think so. I think the time just gets away from me…(smile) Good excuse eh. But I am promising myself that this week, I won’t allow the time to get away from me, and I will make a big dent in my scheduled plans. Stay tuned for a good report next Monday…provided the Lord sees fit to give us life at that time.
And today we are going to look at an interesting verse of scripture as Job bemoans the prosperity of the wicked. In his sorrow and discouragement, he asks? ‘What is the Almighty, that we should serve him? And what profit should we have, if we pray unto him?’ (Job 21:15) Now why does Job ask such a question eh? He is refuting his friends’ assumption that the wicked are judged and the righteous are blessed. He considered himself righteous, but look at what happened to him. In a cruel moment he lost everything, which led his friends to believe that he was wicked.
And the scholars tell us that ‘if one looks at life objectively: the wicked’s children are established (vs.8), his house is safe (vs.9), his cattle reproduce (vs.16), and so on. He even receives an honourable burial (vs. 32-33).’ And it’s hard to argue with Job’s points, even today friends, but it is indeed wisdom to serve and pray to the Lord. Why you ask? It’s good to look back at another instance where a mortal man asked the same question that Job does above. We talking about the Pharaoh of Egypt.
When Moses asked him to allow the Israelites to go into the wilderness and feast and worship the Lord, his arrogant reply was: ‘Who is the Lord, that I should obey his voice to let Israel go? I know not the Lord, neither will I let Israel go.’ (Ex. 5:2) And instead of letting them go into the wilderness to sacrifice to their God, he made their labour heavier. And despite several entreaties by Moses, and several plagues that fell upon the land of Egypt, Pharaoh refused to set God’s people free.
Not until the tenth plague did he agree to let them go. That’s when all the first born of Egypt, of man and beast, died, and those of Israel survived, because they followed God’s instructions and sacrificed an unblemished lamb, placing its blood on the front of their houses, so when the angel of death passed over and saw the blood they did not destroy those within it. And that’s how the feast of the Passover came to be. That story can be found in Exodus 12. But Pharaoh was still so arrogant and full of himself, that even after allowing them to leave, he pursued them with his mighty army.
And we have another wonderful example of why it’s important to serve and pray to Almighty God. The Lord parted the Red Sea for the Israelites to cross over on dry land, but drowned Pharaoh and all his host, fulfilling His promise to the Israelites as they stood afraid on the banks of the Red Sea watching Pharaoh and his mighty host approach. ‘And Moses said unto the people, Fear ye not, stand still, and see the salvation (deliverance) of the Lord, which he will show to you today: for the Egyptians whom ye have seen today, ye shall see them again no more for ever. The Lord shall fight for you, and ye shall hold your peace (be quiet).’ (Ex. 14:13-14)
Yes friends, our God does not make empty promises, so please listen carefully to this one from the prophet Malachi, re the coming day of the Lord, a promise that pointedly ends the Old Testament. ‘For, behold, the day cometh, that shall burn as an oven; and all the proud, yea, and all that do wickedly, shall be stubble: and the day that cometh shall burn them up, saith the Lord of hosts, that it shall leave them neither root nor branch.
But unto you that fear my name shall the Sun of righteousness arise with healing in his wings; and ye shall go forth, and grow up as calves in the stall (grow fat like stall fed calves). And ye shall tread down (trample) the wicked: for they shall be ashes under the soles of your feet in the day that I shall do this, saith the Lord of hosts.’ (Mal. 4:1-3)
Oh my people, that day of the Lord is the coming of the Great Tribulation, and I don’t think we want to be involved in it nuh, for much anguish and pain will befall the wicked, that’s Satan and his followers. But please notice, that Sun of righteousness, the Messiah, our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ, has already made His entrance, with healing in His wings. So please don’t doubt that the rest of the promise will also come true. Thus, in light of that, I’m asking those of us who sincerely serve the Lord and seek righteousness, to join me right now, in prayer to our wonderful God, for His divine assistance with our many problems.
As one strong voice, let’s send up our Monday Morning Battle Hymn to heaven. ‘Our Father, who art in heaven, we, Your humble servants, praise Your Holy Name and thank You this Monday morning for life and strong faith in Christ, despite the mass confusion in our world. We desperately need Your divine help, for You are the ONLY ONE with the power to solve our many problems.
Heavenly Father, we admit that we have all sinned and seriously disobeyed Your Word, but we know that You are a merciful, forgiving and gracious God, who has faithfully promised to hear and answer our prayers when we humble ourselves, pray, and sincerely seek Your face. That’s why we come to You now, with sincere repentance in our hearts, pleading with You to give us wise guidance and direction to alleviate our problems.
And Father, we pray that you will ease the pain of the many who are suffering from negative situations. Please show them Your awesome grace and mercy, and keep Your promise that You’ll hear our prayer, forgive us, and heal our land if we turn from our evil ways. Show this evil world that You are indeed Jehovah Rapha; the God who heals! We pray this in the holy and blessed name of Your Son, our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ! Amen! And again, we say: Amen!’
Now, please remember that the Lord will only answer our prayer positively, after checking the motives of our hearts and seeing that they are right and sincere. Much LOVE!
…blessed are the righteous…and cursed are the ungodly…
Hear our podcast at https://open.spotify.com/show/3aVfqIC1CqwGybISs9dZJ8
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SCRIP-BITS 
Today’s Scrip-Bit 2 September 2022 John 8:32.
02 Sep 2022 Leave a comment
by randyobrien50 in Christian Thoughts and Inspiration., Daily Devotion, Daily Inspiration, Inspirational Living, Spiritual Living Tags: a means of restoring faith in you, an inherent need for responsibility, anointed me to preach the gospel, be responsible and stay safe, bring backsliders back to your fold, divine help, embrace Jesus as Lord and Saviour, freedom, freedom is a figmnet of our imagination, Friday chant, heal the brokenhearted, I am the way the truth and the life, if the Son sets you free, if ye continue in my word, in the name of freedom, introduce a whole new flock, Jesus' work on the cross, LOVE, no man cometh unto the Father but by me, offer derogatory comments, right motives in our hearts, show them the error of their ways, stand strong and steadfast, TGIF! Thank God it's Friday!, that magnificent orb, the elixir of the human spirit, the Messiah, the pearly gates, the truth shall make you free, trusting faith, wake up and smell the coffee, we must all bow to somebody, wise guidance, ye are my disciples indeed, ye shall be free indeed, ye shall know the truth
John 8:32. And ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.
Oh friends, today as the rising of the sun begins, as that magnificent orb makes its daily journey around the world, many different voices in many different languages will loudly and harmoniously chorus: ‘TGIF! Thank God it’s Friday! Thank God for the weekend and all the freedom it brings!’
Ah Lord eh, do we ever like and fantasize about that thing called freedom. And down through the ages, so many of us have died shouting out its name, but we don’t really know the heavy price that supposed elixir of the human spirit demands. For to be truly free, one needs to be responsible, not lawless like so many of us believe. Freedom carries with it an inherent need for responsibility, loyalty, self-control, self-discipline and level headedness. It calls for mercy, LOVE, grace, forgiveness, goodness and godliness.
It doesn’t give us the right, as so many of us believe to do exactly what we want, when we want, regardless of the consequences to those around us. It doesn’t mean chaos, selfishness and disregard for our fellow man. In fact, it demands just the opposite; a healthy and responsible care and compassion for our fellow human beings.
And I guess that’s why all the revolutions and wars and other negative circumstances that have occurred in the name of freedom have never succeeded, because in the end, those at the forefront of those uprisings, end up doing exactly what their oppressors and suppressors were doing; oppressing and suppressing somebody in the supposed name of freedom! But yet, we still constantly hear the battle cry for freedom: freedom from this, freedom from that, freedom from responsibility, freedom from paying taxes, freedom from God and His law.
Hn! Yet we still desire all those things that a responsible freedom bring. But in reality, freedom is only, and will always be a figment of our imagination, for as the song so truly says: we all must bow to somebody; to either God or Satan. And once you’re bowing to someone, you’re never free. Bowing to Satan will never make you free, because he is only interested in keeping his selfish claws in you, restraining you from rising to the level for which you were created, and thus making hellfire and damnation your eternal home.
The closest we can ever get to that thing called freedom is by reverently bowing to our Maker, Our Creator and Provider, our Way-maker and Forgiver, the enabler of Eternal Life. And that can only happen when we sincerely embrace His majestic Son, Jesus Christ as our Lord and Saviour. Yes, friends, only through the intervention of the Son, can one get to all the magnificent benefits and freedoms that the Father provides. Listen up as Christ enlightens us on the subject.
First off, He sets us straight by imparting this startling, but ever so true information: ‘I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father but by me.’ (John 14:6) Oh my people, unless we believe that, and act seriously upon it, we will never see the bright lights of heaven and enjoy the promise of eternal life! That’s the truth, and nothing but the God-awesome truth! Only sincere belief in Christ Jesus will enable us to enter through those pearly gates we all talk and dream about so much!
And likewise, the only source of true freedom is Christ Jesus. And why do we know this? Listen as He taught in the synagogue of His hometown of Nazareth. On that momentous Sabbath day in the temple, Jesus read thus from the Book of Isaiah. ‘The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he hath anointed me to preach the gospel to the poor; he hath sent me to heal the brokenhearted, to preach deliverance to the captives, and recovering of sight to the blind, to set at liberty them that are bruised (oppressed). To preach the acceptable year of the Lord….This day is this scripture fulfilled in your ears (hearing)’ (Luke 4:18-19, 21)
Oh my people, Jesus was letting His hometown know that He was the chosen One, the Messiah, the One sent to set the captives free, to heal their broken hearts, souls and spirits. But, as it so often happens, when someone close to us, just like us, rises up to another level, we tend to offer derogatory comments rather than gladly accept their new status. And that’s exactly what happened to Jesus in His hometown of Nazareth.
They didn’t believe that the lowly carpenter’s son of Joseph and Mary, who grew up amongst them could ever be the Messiah. His words so annoyed them that they eventually forced him out of the city and tried to throw Him down a hill. Thankfully though, as the Good Book says: ‘But he passing through the midst of them went his way.’ (Luke 4:30) And the scholars offer this explanation on the verse. ‘It is not clear whether this is a miraculous deliverance, or whether Jesus, by dint of His imposing presence, was able to stare His opponents down and then walk away untouched.’ I like to think it was the latter, just to show the unbelieving fools that He was not scared of them. (smile)
Now, this final word from Jesus re freedom. He said to a crowd of Jews that supposedly believed in Him. ‘If ye continue (abide) in my word, then ye are my disciples indeed; And ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.’ (John 8:31-32) And when they claimed they were never in bondage, so how could they be made free, Jesus explained to them that they were in bondage to sin. However, ‘If the Son therefore shall make you free; ye shall be free indeed.’ (John 8:36)
And is that ever the glorious truth my brethren! Only through the work of Jesus on the cross of Calvary, His shed blood, His death and resurrection, can we be truly made free. Free from sin, free from our most noted enemy, Satan and the sinful life that he espouses and tries to get us to also espouse, so that we can eventually end up like him, in the lake of fire. But thankfully, we’re wiser than that! We’re following Jesus! Glory Hallelujah! So, let’s go to Him in prayer, through our Friday Chant, asking for His divine help in our troubled world.
As one confident voice: ‘Oh Lord, thanks for getting me safely through this past week. You know it’s been rough… what with all the anxiety, the confusion and havoc that the Covid-19 and monkey-pox viruses, as well as our many other problems are causing. We can’t seem to fix it on our own Lord, that means we desperately need your help. Oh heavenly Father, with your omnipotent help, and our trusting faith, we know that we can stand strong and steadfast and defeat both the viruses and the unrest in our streets.
So Lord, we sincerely ask you today to give the governments and those involved in the forefront of this serious and unexpected storm, the wise guidance to handle the situation properly, with the least amount of loss to life and property as possible. And please help those of us who must go out to work amidst all the confusion, to be responsible and to stay safe, and avoid any more serious setbacks. And Lord, we fervently pray that You’ll use this situation to bring a lot of backsliders back to your fold, show them the error of their ways.
And please introduce a whole new flock, who will embrace your LOVE and compassion by the example, we, your faithful believers set. Yes Lord, please use this pandemic and the unrest in the streets as a means of restoring faith in You, so that our sinful world can wake up and smell the coffee, sweet and strong! We pray this in the name of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ! Amen!’
Now friends, if we truly expect positive divine help, then it’s up to us keep the promises we’ve just made, and show right motives in our hearts. Much LOVE!
…ONLY through belief in Christ Jesus…can we gain whatever freedom is possible in this earthly life…
Hear our podcast at https://open.spotify.com/show/3aVfqIC1CqwGybISs9dZJ8