09 Dec 2025
by randyobrien50
in Christian Thoughts and Inspiration., Daily Devotion, Daily Inspiration, Inspirational Living, Spiritual Living
Tags: 24 hours to do good work in Jesus' name, a brand new day, a little while and ye shall not see me, a replica of Jesus, abide with you forever, according to the will of God, all my desire is before you, all the things the Father hath are mine, come to know and love jesus like we do, could not put two decent words of prayer together, dead on my feet, difficult to think coherently, divine omniscience, faith, from cover to cover, God's awesome power boosted me, guide you into all truth, He makes intercession for the saints, he shall glorify me, he shall not speak of himself, He that searcheth the hearts, holy spirit, hurry, I go to the Father, I trust so, in god's eyes, Jesus Christ, knows the mind of the Spirit, lock stock and barrel, LOVE, mercy, my grace is sufficient for thee, my strength is made perfect in weakness, my worst praying is really my best, new insights into our lives, O God, One Year Book of Bible promises, perhaps to your ears, pray the Father to give you another Comforter, put our hands on the plough, put our heads and hearts together, receive what's mine, Ruth Harms Calkin, share His love with my neighbours, show it unto you, show you things to come, so fragmented, so weary, so worn, the action arm of the Holy Trinity, the beauty of knowing the Lord's promises, the beloved of God, the gospel truth, the Lord rules our lives, the Lord who searches our hearts, the Spirit also helpeth our infirmities, the Spirit makes intercession, the Spirit of truth, the Spirit's interpretation of the believer's innermost feelings, to pray with any kind of sequence, to whom we belong, trust my friend Jesus, truth, Tuesday Mantra, wake up this dark and evil world for jesus, we know not what we should pray, when the Spirit of truth is come, wisdom, with groanings which cannot be uttered, worry, Worst - Best
Romans 8:26. Likewise the Spirit also helpeth our infirmities (weaknesses): for we know not what we should pray for as we ought: but the Spirit itself maketh intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered.
It’s a brand new day friends, Tuesday, that means we have another twenty four hours to do good work in Jesus name. And you know, when you’re walking with and working for Him, any and everything is possible. So let’s put our heads and hearts together, and our hands on the plough and wake up this dark and evil world for Jesus!
And today we’ll look at an interesting poem from our One Year Book of Bible Promises with writings by Ruth Harms Calkin simply titled ‘Worst – Best.’ And as always, we’ll note that I don’t know if I’ve shared it before, because I don’t keep a record, but for sure they are all worth hearing over and over again, because they bring such fresh and new insight into out thinking and lives.
So please read with me. ‘O God It is difficult for me to think coherently To pray with any kind of sequence today. I am so weary, so worn, so fragmented. But, Lord, perhaps to your ears Sometimes my worst praying Is really my best. I trust so … I trust so. One thing I do know: All my desire is before you.’ And my friends that’s always the most important thing; that all our desire is before the Lord! That He is the one ruling our lives from cover to cover.
Now, I don’t know about you all, but last week for a couple of days when the cold was really getting me down, that’s how I felt; like I couldn’t put two decent words of prayer together. But yuh know what? That’s when the Lord really and truly reaches down and pick us up. For as He says in that marvellous scripture when Bruh Paul asked three times for a thorn to be removed from His flesh: ‘My grace is sufficient for thee: for my strength (power) is made perfect in weakness.’ (2 Cor. 12:9a)
And that is the gospel truth friends, which I had the fortune or misfortune (smile) to call up a couple times in the last month, when I was dead on my feet, and the Lord faithfully responded by giving me the wherewithal to continue; His awesome power boosted me and carried me through. So how can I ever doubt that scripture eh? Even if I doubted it before, I can’t now, because it’s been performed in my life at least a couple of times.
And that’s the beauty of knowing the promises that the Lord has given us in His Word, for we don’t know when, in a moment of weakness or surprise, a time might come when we need to use it, and if you don’t know it, then you obviously can’t use it. Thus it behooves us to get familiar with those wonderful promises, for our world is getting more evil and ungodly every day, which means we might now have much more use for those promises than before.
And the Bible Promise for our poem comes from that most interesting and moving chapter of Scripture, Romans 8, where it says: ‘Likewise the Spirit also helpeth our infirmities (weaknesses): for we know not what we should pray for as we ought: but the Spirit itself maketh intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered. And he that searcheth the hearts knoweth what is the mind of the Spirit, because he maketh intercession for the saints according to the will of God.’ (Rom. 8:26-27)
Oh friends, that’s also such a timely and important scripture, for when we are so weak or lost and don’t know what to pray, the Holy Spirit intercedes for us with “groanings” much like ours. Or as the scholars explain it: ‘The Spirit also groans along with creation and the believer. The reference is to the Spirit’s interpretation of the believer’s innermost feelings, which cannot be put into words.’ Then through divine omniscience the Lord who searches our hearts, reads the Spirit’s mind, and thus understands what’s truly happening with us.
So, you see, that’s another very important aspect of the Holy Spirit; interceding for us when we can’t help ourselves. No wonder we’re advised to pay great attention to the Holy Spirit, for He performs a number of important jobs in our lives; leading, guiding, reminding, comforting, interceding etc. etc. Unfortunately though, many of us supposed believers don’t take the Holy Spirit as seriously as we ought to, and thus don’t make use of all the purposes and benefits He can offer.
Remember how Jesus spoke of the Holy Spirit. ‘If ye LOVE me, keep my commandments. And I will pray the Father, and he shall give you another Comforter (helper), that he may abide with you for ever; Even the Spirit of truth; whom the world cannot receive, because it seeth him not, neither knoweth him: but ye know him; for he dwelleth with you, and shall be in you.’ (John 14:15-17) That was the promise that eventually all believers would eventually be imbued, be filled internally, with the Holy Spirit, which happened at the first Pentecost after Jesus’ ascension. (Acts 2:1-4)
And later on Jesus again tells the disciples about the Holy Spirit. ‘I have yet many things to say unto you, but ye cannot bear them now. Howbeit when he, the Spirit of truth, is come, he will guide you into all truth: for he shall not speak of himself (on his own authority); but whatsoever he shall hear, that shall he speak; and he will shew you things to come. He shall glorify me: for he shall receive of mine (what’s mine), and shall shew (declare) it unto you. All the things the Father hath are mine: therefore said I, that he shall take of mine, and shall shew it unto you. A little while, and ye shall not see me: and again, a little while, and ye shall see me, because I go to the Father.’ (John 16:12-16)
Oh my people, all of that simply shows how important the Holy Spirit is to us! It’s like a replica of Jesus living and working within us, while Jesus Himself sits on the throne beside the Father interceding on our behalf. So please, let’s wake up and see how important the Holy Spirit is in the lives of believers, and begin using Him to greater benefit!
Now let’s go home declaring our Tuesday Mantra, letting all and sundry 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 said that, we’re now duty bound 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!
…the Holy Spirit is…the action arm of the Holy Trinity…
Hear our podcast at https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/randy-obrien
18 Nov 2025
by randyobrien50
in Christian Thoughts and Inspiration., Daily Devotion, Daily Inspiration, Inspirational Living, Spiritual Living
Tags: a thousand years as one day, all filled with the Holy Ghost, as of a rushing mighty wind, as the spirit gave them utterance, be witnesses unto me, began to speak with other tongues, bring all things to your remembrance, cloven tongues like as of fire, come to know and love christ like we do, faith, guide you into all truth, he shall glorify me, he shall not speak of himself, he shall receive of mine and declare it unto you, he shall testify of me, holy spirit, hurry, in god's eyes, it is not for you to know the times or the season, it sat upon each of them, Jesus Christ, let not your heart be troubled, lock stock and barrel, LOVE, mercy, my peace I give unto you, neither let it be afraid, not as the world giveth give I unto you, one day with Lord is as a thousand years, Peace i leave with you, Pentecost day, salvation, share His love with my neighbours, share the amazing love and friendship of Christ, show you things to come, suddenly there came a sound from heaven, teach you all things, the beloved of God, the Comforter, the eternal procession of the Spirit, the Holy Ghost, the Holy spirit is the promise of the Father to every believer, the Holy Trinity, the Spirit of truth, there appeared unto them cloven tongues, three in one and one in three, toto guide and comfort us, trust my friend Jesus, truth, Tuesday Mantra, unto the uttermost parts of the earth, when he the Spirit of truth is come, when the Comforter is come, whom the Father will send in my name, wisdom, worry, ye shall receive power when the Holy ghost is come upon you, you shall also bear witness
John 16:13a. Howbeit when he, the Spirit of truth, is come, he will guide you into all truth:
Ah mih people, Monday has come, and gone and Tuesday is here, just like the Lord designed it. (smile) Let’s hope that your Monday was good, and that your Tuesday will be even better, since we’ve now gotten into the swing of things of this new work week. And if you’re not feeling comfortable with this new week as yet, then simply turn to the Holy Spirit and ask for help, because that’s what He’s there for; to help and guide and comfort us in our trying times.
Yes friends, it’s just like Jesus said to the disciples. ‘These things have I spoken unto you, being yet present with you. But the Comforter (Helper), which is the Holy Ghost, whom the Father will send in my name, he shall teach you all things, and bring all things to your remembrance, whatsoever I have said unto you. Peace I leave with you, my peace I give unto you: not as the world giveth, give I unto you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid.’ (John 14:25-27) What a wonderful gift Jesus gave us when He returned to heaven! And since He could not be with us in person, He gave us the next best thing, His Spirit, to act just as He would, were He in the flesh with us.
Now, to show how very important the Holy Spirit was in Christ’s eyes, listen again to what He tells the disciples about it. ‘But when the Comforter is come, whom I shall send unto you from the Father, even the Spirit of truth, which proceedeth from the Father, he shall testify of me: and ye shall also bear witness, because ye have been with me from the beginning.’ (John 15:26-27)
And the scholars offer an interesting explanation of that passage. They say: ‘The action of the word translated “proceedeth” is “in the process – “continually proceeds.” The eternal procession of the Spirit means that He continually proceeds from beside, not out of, the Father. If the Holy Spirit came out of God, He would be less than God. To be more specific, the Holy Spirit not only proceeds from the Father, but also from the Son. This means the Father and the Son continually send the Holy Spirit.
This in no way suggests that the Spirit is less in deity than are the Father or Son. Instead it explains the relationship among the three eternal persons of the Trinity. Illustration: Just as Jesus came to do the will of His Father, so the Holy Spirit is sent to speak not of Himself, but of Jesus. (John 16:13) Application: In this sense the Holy Spirit is the Promise of the Father who has been given to every Christian. (Acts 1:4; 2:39).’
And I do hope that explanation clears up whatever misgivings we had about the relationships between the three figures of our Godhead. Sometimes I think about it with the Father as the General who gives the orders, then Christ comes and does the dirty work and the heavy lifting, and the Holy Spirit comes to clean up after Him. They all have their roles, but are separate persons.
And Jesus continues talking to the disciples about the Holy Spirit, when He warns them of what would happen to them for His names’ sake. ‘I have yet many things to say unto you, but ye cannot bear them now. Howbeit when he, the Spirit of truth, is come, he will guide you into all truth: for he shall not speak of himself (on his own authority); but whatsoever he shall hear, that shall he speak: and he will shew you things to come. He shall glorify me: for he shall receive of mine (what is mine), and shall shew (declare) it unto you.
All things that the Father hath are mine: therefore said I, that he shall take of mine, and shall shew it unto you. A little while, and ye shall not see me: and again, a little while, and ye shall see me, because I go to the Father.’ (John 16:12-16) Ah friends, Jesus’ “little while” is certainly a long one, for it’s been some two thousand years, and we still haven’t seen Him come again. I guess it’s like Peter says: ‘one day is with the Lord as a thousand years, and a thousand years as one day.’ (2 Pet. 3:8)
And even right before Jesus returned to heaven, He again mentioned the importance of the Holy Spirit to the disciples. They wanted to know when he would restore the kingdom again to Israel. ‘And he said unto them, It is not for you to know the times or the seasons, which the Father hath put in his own power (authority). But ye shall receive power, after that (when) the Holy Ghost is come upon you: and ye shall be witnesses unto me both in Jerusalem, and in all Judea, and in Samaria, and unto then uttermost parts of the earth.’ (Acts. 1:7-8)
And we all know that that happened on the Pentecost Day after Jesus’ departure. The Bible tells us: ‘And when the day of Pentecost was fully come, they were all with one accord (purpose, mind) in one place. And suddenly there came a sound from heaven as of a rushing mighty wind, and it filled all the house where they were sitting. And there appeared unto them cloven (divided) tongues like as of fire, and it sat upon each of them. And they were all filled with the Holy Ghost, and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance.’ (Acts. 2:1-4)
And from that day to this one, every believer is filled with the Holy Spirit when they receive Christ as Lord and Saviour. So the Holy Spirit is no joke; He is the One who acts on behalf of Jesus in our lives, and we ought to listen to His guidance very carefully if we want to live for Jesus. Now, let’s go home declaring 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 said that, it now behooves us 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!
…three in one…and one in three…that’s our Godhead…the Trinity…
Hear our podcast at https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/randy-obrien
07 Apr 2025
by randyobrien50
in Christian Thoughts and Inspiration., Daily Devotion, Daily Inspiration, Inspirational Living, Spiritual Living
Tags: a great calm, a modicum of hope and faith, a trade war, a world beset by evil, abide with you for ever, all have sinned, bear up under the stress and strain, called unto the fellowship of his son, calm our metaphorical storms, christianity, Christians, despite the trials and tribulations you are facing, disobeyed your word, ease the pain, endure hardness, establish you, faith, give you another Comforter, God is faithful, God-given desires, he dwells with you, He is faithful that promised, hold fast the confession of our faith, holy spirit, humble ourselves, humble servants, I will come to you, I will not leave you comfortless, I will pray the Father, if you love me keep my commandments, in the name of Jesus Christ, Jehovah Rapha, Jesus Christ, Jesus is the ONLY ONE, Jesus' light and love, keep you from evil, keep your promise to prosper us, leave you as orphans, life is not easy, like a good soldier of Christ, lost jobs, LOVE, mercy, monotonous regularity, negative situations, peace be still, praise Your Holy Name, pray, resolve to never give up, salvation, shall be in you, sincere repentance, sincerely seek your face, society is structured, stand up and fight, strong faith in Christ, tedious, that's the way, the best years of our life, the BIBLE, the church exploded with new saints, The Day of Pentecost, the God who heals, the living truth, the mass confusion in our world, the restrictive reins, the Spirit of truth, the storms of life, the throne of grace, the wind ceased, tiring, to alleviate our problems, to earn a living, to liven up the same old routine, trust our Triune God, truth, turn from our evil ways, unemployed, up and at 'em, when things are not going your way, who can offer comfort, wisdom, wise guidance, without wavering
John 14:18. I will not leave you comfortless (as orphans): I will come to you.
So, it’s up and at ‘em one more time, that means getting out to work on a Monday morning, something that many of us do with a monotonous regularity for numerous years of our life. Actually, for the best years of our lives. No wonder, after a while it becomes tedious and tiring and we just sometimes want to cry out for a change, for something to liven up the dreary same ole same ole routine.
Yes, we often long for a loosening of the restrictive reins that have us tied to a job that does not satisfy our capabilities or skills and act as a de facto killer to our God-given dreams and desires. But unfortunately, that’s the way our society is structured, and if you want to eat and have a roof over your head, then you’ve got to work, at least with some regularity. (smile)
On a serious note though, in this latest round of one foolish egotist’s doings, a trade war has erupted all over the world, and many have already lost their jobs, due to no fault of their own, and sadly, it appears that many more will if this nonsense isn’t curtailed as soon as possible. And it’s only when we don’t have a job to go to, with no prospects for one very soon either, that we do appreciate the boring, same ole, same ole tasks that we are forced to perform most days of our lives to earn a living.
Let’s hope that all those who find themselves summarily unemployed will wake up and see the light and turn their attentions seriously towards Jesus, for He is the ONLY ONE who can offer you comfort despite the trials and tribulations you might be facing. And I’ve been unemployed, so I know what I’m talking about. Jesus is always the best One to turn to when things aren’t going your way.
He might not always solve your problems quickly, or even solve them at all, but if you are sincere, He will provide you with a modicum of hope and faith that will keep you going through the tough times, in a calm, non-anxious manner, and not allow you to give up. And that’s always the first step in recovery; having a modicum of hope and the resolve to never give up.
You can trust Him to always be by your side. Remember what He promised the disciples before His ascension: ‘If you LOVE me, keep my commandments. And I will pray the Father, and he shall give you another Comforter (Helper), that he may abide with you for ever; Even the Spirit of truth; whom the world cannot receive, because it seeth him not, neither knoweth him: but ye know him: for he dwelleth with you, and shall be in you. I will not leave you comfortless (as orphans): I will come to you.’ (John 14:15-18)
And He did come to them, and consequently to us, on that memorable day of Pentecost when the Holy Spirit began to indwell all believers and the church exploded with new saints. And since then, the Holy Spirit has indwelt every believer, acting as a Guide, Leader and Comforter on behalf of Jesus.
But there’s one thing that we must understand, that life is not easy, never was, and never will be, therefore we have to bear up under the stress and strain of whatever we’re going through, with the help of the Holy Spirit. As Bruh Paul sagely warns Timothy: ‘Thou therefore endure hardness (hardship), as a good soldier of Jesus Christ.’ (2 Tim. 2:3) That’s the living truth; we’ve got to stand up and fight the battles that come against us, all in the name of Jesus.
Meanwhile, the author of Hebrews puts it thus: ‘Let us hold fast the profession (confession) of our faith (hope) without wavering; (for he is faithful that promised;)’ (Heb. 10:23) And Bruh Paul also stated that fact, first to the church at Corinth: ‘God is faithful, by whom ye were called unto the fellowship of his Son Jesus Christ.’ (1 Cor. 1:9) And then to the Thessalonians: ‘But the Lord is faithful, who shall stablish (establish) you, and keep you from evil (the evil one).’ (2 Thess. 3:3)
That means we can faithfully trust our Triune God to look after us and keep us safe when the storms of life revolt against us. Remember what Jesus said to the stormy waves and howling winds on the sea of Galilee? ‘Peace, be still. And the wind ceased, and there was a great calm.’ (Mark 4:39) So, if He can calm the real physical storm, why won’t He be able to calm our metaphorical ones eh? No reason whatsoever!
Now, let’s go straight to the throne of grace for help, through our Monday Morning Battle Hymn as we’ve been instructed to do. Altogether: ‘Our Father, who art in heaven, we, Your humble servants, praise Your Holy Name and thank You this Monday morning for life and strong faith in Christ, despite the mass confusion in our world.
Heavenly Father, You are the ONLY ONE with the power to solve our many problems. Yes, we have all sinned and seriously disobeyed Your Word, but You are a merciful, forgiving and gracious God, who has faithfully promised to hear and answer our prayers when we humble ourselves, pray, and sincerely seek Your face. So, we come to You now, with sincere repentance in our hearts, pleading for wise guidance and direction to alleviate our problems.
Oh Father, please ease the pain of the many suffering from negative situations, show them Your awesome grace and mercy. And faithfully keep Your promise to prosper us if we turn from our evil ways. Show this evil world that You are indeed Jehovah Rapha; the God who heals! We pray this in the holy and blessed name of Your Son, our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ! Amen! And again, we say: Amen!’
So, it’s obvious from our prayer that there are certain things we need to do to get divine aid. We know them…so please let’s do them nuh! Much LOVE!
…in a world beset by darkness and evil…Jesus is the ONLY ONE who can overcome them…with His Light and LOVE…
Hear our podcast at https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/randy-obrien
24 Nov 2024
by randyobrien50
in Christian Thoughts and Inspiration., Daily Devotion, Daily Inspiration, Inspirational Living, Spiritual Living
Tags: a blade of grass, a strong will to live, abide with you for ever, accept Jesus as Lord and Saviour, all fear is gone, an empty grave, and i in him, as death gives way to victory, because He lives, Bill & Gloria Gaither, brings forth much fruit, calm assurance, church family, cloven tongues like as of fire, cross the river, death, died to buy my pardon, drug abuse, face uncertain days, faith, false accusations, feel the pride and joy, fellowship, fight life's final war, filled with the Holy Ghost, forgive, give you another Comforter, grace, he holds my future, he that abides in me, heal, hold a newborn baby, holy spirit, I am the vine ye are the branches, I can face tomorrow, I will not leave you comfortless, I will pray the Father, if thou faint in the day of adversity, if ye love me keep my commandments, inconsequential things, Jesus Christ, leave you as orphans, life is worth living, LOVE, mercy, mononucleosis, one day, prayer banned in public schools, proves my Saviour lives, racial tension, reach the sunshine of the world, salvation, see the lights of glory, shift in values, speak in other languages, speak with other tongues, strife, Ten Commandments, thanks and praise, the resurrection of Jesus, the Spirit of truth, thy strength is small, tough times, truth, victory, wisdom, without me ye can do nothing
Proverbs 24:10. If thou faint in the day of adversity, thy strength is small.
So friends, we’ve lived to see another brand new day; a Sunday to boot, which means we ought to gather in the Lord’s sanctuary with other faithful believers to give Him much thanks and praise for all the undeserved blessings, grace and mercy He’s bestowed on us this past week, and pray for a continuance of such goodness in the upcoming week. And today we’re going to open our worship with a truly inspirational song, one that we all know and LOVE, written by Gloria and William Gaither, based on a tough time in their lives. It’s simply but most appropriately titled; ‘Because He Lives.’
So, let’s raise our voices in sweet sacrifices of praise, and offer up a soulful, sincere, mid-tempo version of the song. Singing: ‘(Chorus: Because He lives, I can face tomorrow Because He lives, all fear is gone Because I know He holds my future, And life is worth the living Just because He lives.) (Repeat) God sent His son they called Him, Jesus He came to LOVE, heal and forgive He lived and died to buy my pardon An empty grave is there to prove my Saviour lives. (Chorus) How sweet to hold a newborn baby And feel the pride and joy he gives But greater still that calm assurance This child can face uncertain days because He lives
And then one day I’ll cross the river I’ll fight life’s final war with pain And then, as death gives way to vict’ry I’ll see the lights of glory and I’ll know He lives Because He lives, I can face tomorrow Because He lives, all fear is gone Because I know He holds my future And life is worth the living Just because He lives And life is worth the living Just because He lives And life is worth the living Just because He lives.’
Oh my people, that was a beautiful rendition of that most inspiring song. And I guess that’s why we sung it so sweetly, (smile) for all of us have been through hard times and it’s only the trust and faith in Jesus that’s pulled us through. Apparently, it was the same with the Gaither family back in the 1960’s, when a deep shift in values was taking place in their world. The winter of 1969 was particularly hard for them, because it was long and severe, and Bill fell ill with a bad case of mononucleosis.
Concurrently, there was also strife and false accusations amongst their church family. Gloria says she can remember sitting in their living room in fear and agony on New Year’s Eve, as the educational system was being infiltrated with the “God is dead” idea, while drug abuse and racial tension were increasing. And as always, everybody was blaming everybody else. Nothing has changed since then, except that the idea of God being dead, has blossomed, where schools no longer teach about God, where the Ten Commandments and prayer are now banned in public schools and those of higher education.
What a time for the Gaithers to discover they were about to have a baby! And though it was good news, they were also concerned about the wisdom of bringing a new life into that chaotic world. Then, one sunny day in the early spring, Bill, Gloria and Bill’s father George walked across the paved parking lot at their small A-frame offices. George called Bill and Gloria’s attention to a spot they had not noticed. He pointed out a tiny blade of grass that had pushed aside layers of dirt, rock and concrete to reach the sunshine of the world above. It had such a strong will to live; it had overcome all the odds to fulfill its destiny.
That blade of grass became a symbol to the Gaithers of how God works in His creation. And it inspired Gloria to write a song expressing the hope that was shaped by the resurrection of Jesus, as well as that blade of grass and the birth of her son. And that’s the story of the song. No doubt many of us also have such inspiring stories, although we have not written any songs about them. But that’s the way Jesus works in our lives; using small and apparently inconsequential things and moments to build our faith and trust in Him.
That’s why we can never give up hope, despite the many times we fall. That’s why Cousin Sol penned these words in Proverbs. First of all: ‘If thou faint in the day of adversity, thy strength is small.’ (Prov. 24:10) And then: ‘For a just man falleth seven times, and riseth up again: but the wicked shall fall into mischief (calamity).’ (Prov. 24:16) And we can do all of that only because of the completed work of Jesus. As the song says, ‘He came to LOVE, heal and forgive He lived and died to buy my pardon An empty grave is there to prove my Savior lives.’
Oh glory be my fellow believers! Without Jesus, we cannot do much of anything, as He so rightly says in the gospel of John. ‘I am the vine, ye are the branches: He that abideth in me, and I in him, the same bringeth forth much fruit: for without me ye can do nothing.’ (John 15:5) Yes friends, in the natural we are weak, weary and finite human beings. But if we accept Jesus Christ as Lord and Saviour, then His Holy Spirit comes and fills our souls and spirits with the power to do anything that He desires us to do.
It’s like He promised the disciples and those of us who believe in the future: ‘If ye LOVE me, keep my commandments. And I will pray the Father, and he shall give you another Comforter (Helper), that he may abide with you forever. Even the Spirit of truth; whom the world cannot receive, because it seeth him not, neither knoweth him: but ye know him; for he dwelleth with you, and shall be in you. I will not leave you comfortless (as orphans): I will come to you.’ (John 14:15-18)
And we all know that Jesus kept that promise, for on the day of Pentecost after His ascension, the Holy Spirit came down from heaven, ‘as a sound of a rushing mighty wind, and it filled all the house where they were sitting. And there appeared unto them, cloven (divided) tongues like as of fire, and it sat upon each of them. And they were all filled with the Holy Ghost, and began to speak with other tongues (in other languages), as the Spirit gave them utterance.’ (Acts 2:2-4)
And since that time my fellow saints, every time someone accepts Christ as Lord and Saviour, the Holy Spirit comes to dwell within them, to lead, guide and comfort them just like Jesus promised. So, let’s go home today, renewing our faith, promising ourselves to keep it strong and to get back every time we falter or fall, because Jesus empowers us through His Holy Spirit. and as the chorus of the song reminds us: ‘Because He lives, I can face tomorrow Because He lives, all fear is gone Because I know He holds my future, And life is worth the living Just because He lives.’ And that’s the gospel truth my people! Let’s never forget it! Much LOVE!
…with Jesus as our Lord and Saviour…our strength ought not to fail…
Hear our podcast at https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/randy-obrien
19 Aug 2024
by randyobrien50
in Christian Thoughts and Inspiration., Daily Devotion, Daily Inspiration, Inspirational Living, Spiritual Living
Tags: a born-again child of God, a refreshing bit of air, Bible, bought by Christ's blood, christianity, Comforter, conscience, divine aid, down payment, faith, gather together all things in one, God's gift of salvation, Guide, harmony, holy spirit, humble ourselves, I will not leave you comfortless, identification mark, in whom after ye believed, Jehovah Rapha, Jesus Christ, kept forever, LOVE, mass confusion, mercy, need for Jesus, on the outside looking in, orphans, promise of salvation, repentance, salvation, sealed with the Holy Spirit of promise, seek your face, the born again believer, the chaotic world, the earnest of our inheritance, the fullness of times, the God who heals, the mystery of his will, the power of God, the redemption of the purchased possession, the Spirit of truth, truth, turn from our evil ways, universal unity, wisdom, wise guidance
Ephesians 1:13b. in whom also after that ye believed, ye were sealed with that holy Spirit of promise,
Oh Monday, we’re so glad to see you! You’re like a refreshing breath of air! (smile) You challenge us like no other, to get back into the chaotic world, after a couple days of rest and continue the never-ending fight against the enemy who desperately desires to steal us away from Jesus! But please let him know that that’s an impossible feat, for once we become born again children of God, His Holy Spirit comes to live within us and secures us with an impregnable seal, one that can never be broken.
Yes friends, the seal of the Holy Spirit is the identification mark that the born-again believer is truly God’s own and is kept forever by the power of God. And this scripture on the redemption by Christ from Ephesians tells us about it. God, ‘Having made known unto us the mystery of his will, according to his good pleasure which he hath purposed in himself: That in the dispensation of the fullness of times he might gather together in one all things in Christ, both which are in heaven, and which are on earth; even in him:
In whom also we have obtained an inheritance, being predestinated according to the purpose of him who worketh all things after the counsel of his own will: That we should be to the praise of his glory, who first trusted in Christ. In whom ye also trusted, after that ye heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation: in whom also after that ye believed, ye were sealed with that holy Spirit of promise, Which is the earnest (down payment) of our inheritance until the redemption of the purchased possession, unto the praise of his glory.’ (Eph. 1:12-14)
And what does all of that mean eh? Basically, that God, in His own time, according to His own desire, will put everything both in heaven and on earth, under ONE rule, ONE Head, that’s Jesus Christ. So, as the scholars tell us: ‘In the near future, when the time is ripe, God will put His good purpose into effect and carry it out. And His “good pleasure” or intention is the restoration of original universal unity, when all things are brought back into harmony with Himself and under the headship of Christ.’
And the Lord got the ball rolling with Jesus coming to earth to give us a better understanding of what was to come. The Jewish Christians were the first to believe in Christ and were given the seal of the Holy Spirit, then, when we Gentiles believed, we were also sealed by the Holy Spirit as a down payment of our inheritance, or the Lord’s promise of salvation. As one commentary says: ‘We just discovered the foundational purpose of the Holy Spirit. He is the seal of our salvation, and He is the down payment of our inheritance.’
Or, as the scholars further clarify: ‘The Holy Spirit is here called the “earnest of our inheritance.” The word ‘earnest’ means ‘down payment’; as such the gift of the Spirit is viewed as an installment or as part of our salvation. God therefore assures the Christian that the realization of the rest of his salvation is forthcoming. How long is the believer assured of his salvation? Until the redemption of the purchased possession, or “until God glorifies and perfects the believer (the purchased possession) whom He has bought by Christ’s blood.”
Yes my people, that seal of the Holy Spirit represents the surety that we belong to God, regardless of what we think, or feel or whatever lies the enemy might throw at us! And I like how this commentary answers the question it poses: ‘How does the Holy Spirit seal believers? The Spirit Is Our Seal. By being present in the Spirit, God not only claims us for Himself, He also gives us claim on Him. The Spirit certifies His promise, His pledge to us. Indeed, the Spirit is God’s keeping of His promise.’
We can’t ask for more than that my fellow believers, since we know that our ever-faithful God keeps all of His promises. And the Holy Spirit is the workhorse of our Triune God. He does all the work that’s needed now, after Jesus came and did His thing. The Holy Spirit is our Comforter, our Guide, our Reminder, our Conscience, our Helpmeet, while working in the hearts of unbelievers to convict and convince them of their sin and of their need for Jesus.
Remember how Jesus characterized the Holy Spirit. ‘If ye LOVE me, keep my commandments. And I will pray the Father, and he shall give you another Comforter (Helper), that he may abide with you for ever; Even the Spirit of truth; whom the world cannot receive, because it seeth him not, neither knoweth him: but ye know him: for he dwelleth with you, and shall be in you. I will not leave you comfortless (as orphans): I will come to you.’ (John 14:15-18) And Jesus kept that promise by coming to believers through the Holy Spirit, which began indwelling believers on the day of Pentecost after Jesus’ ascension.
So, the Lord’s plan is motion, He’s done all He can. We know all about it, we have all the promises, the only thing left is for us to accept God’s gift of salvation, by accepting His Son Jesus Christ as Lord and Saviour, so that when the final bells toll, we won’t be eternally separated from God, because that is the worst thing that can ever happen to a human soul. Now, let’s go to God in prayer, through our Monday Morning Battle Hymn, seeking help to keep us on the straight and narrow path of life.
Altogether: ‘Our Father, who art in heaven, we, Your humble servants, praise Your Holy Name and thank You this Monday morning for life and strong faith in Christ, despite the mass confusion in our world. Heavenly Father, You are the ONLY ONE with the power to solve our many problems. Yes, we have all sinned and seriously disobeyed Your Word, but You are a merciful, forgiving and gracious God, who has faithfully promised to hear and answer our prayers when we humble ourselves, pray, and sincerely seek Your face.
So, we come to You now, with sincere repentance in our hearts, pleading for wise guidance and direction to alleviate our problems. Oh Father, please ease the pain of the many suffering from negative situations, show them Your awesome grace and mercy. And faithfully keep Your promise to prosper us if we turn from our evil ways. Show this evil world that You are indeed Jehovah Rapha; the God who heals! We pray this in the holy and blessed name of Your Son, our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ! Amen! And again, we say: Amen!’
And if we’re wise, and truly desire divine aid, then we’d better start by changing our evil ways! Much LOVE!
…come the fullness of time…being on the outside…looking in…won’t be pleasant…
Hear our podcast at https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/randy-obrien
20 Jul 2024
by randyobrien50
in Christian Thoughts and Inspiration., Daily Devotion, Daily Inspiration, Inspirational Living, Spiritual Living
Tags: a concerted effort, a sound from heaven, as of a rushing mighty wind, ask the Holy Spirit for help, christianity, cloven tongues like as of fire, crying out for God's presence, deepen my breath, faith, give you an heart of flesh, glorify God in your body, god, grow in spiritual maturity, guide you into all truth, holy spirit, increase my awareness of you, Jesus, Jesus Christ, Lazy-Day Saturday Prayer, LOVE, meditate on the Word, pray, put my spirit within you, quiet my soul, relax my muscles, slow my thoughts, spiritually hungry and thirsty, talking to the Holy spirit, the flesh lusteth against the Spirit, the Holy spirit leads guides and comforts us, the peaceful and calming presence of God, the Spirit of truth, truth, unites the believer with Christ, walk in the Spirit, wisdom, ye shall not fulfill the lust of the flesh, you are bought with a price, your body is the temple of the holy Ghost
Galatians 5:16. This I say then, Walk in the Spirit, and ye shall not fulfil the lust of the flesh.
So we’ve finally come to our lazy-day Saturday, but many of us cannot afford to laze around on this beautiful summer’s day, because there’s still lots of cleaning up to do and considerations to undertake to prevent this week’s tragedies from happening again. It’s a big task, both for the various levels of government as well the individual homeowners. And who knows if we’ll ever be able to stop God’s hand, but we must do something to reduce the risks. And as always, the first thing to do is pray.
So let’s do just that nuh, as we offer up our Lazy-Day Saturday Prayer, 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!’
And we know that our prayer has been heard and actioned, because it’s crying out for God’s presence, for a greater awareness of Him in our lives, and those kinds of prayers He answers right away, because it’s what He truly desires of us. So, although your life might be filled with serious concerns, please take some time to enjoy the peaceful and calming presence of God that’s flowing through you at this very moment. And it will not only calm your spirit, but also give you the energy or the resolve to handle your current concerns.
That’s the awesome power of God working in us through His Holy Spirit, who dwells within us to lead, guide, comfort and teach us what the Father desires. As this commentary tells us about the significance of the Holy Spirit in the Bible? ‘The Holy Spirit unites the believer with Christ and places him in the body of Christ, the church. He also unites the believer with Christ in His death, enabling him to live victoriously over sin. The Holy Spirit controls the believer who yields to God and submits himself to God’s Word.’
Oh friends, there’s no better system than that in all the world! The only problem is that we have to learn to listen to the still, small voice of the Holy Spirit and respond positively to its guidance. And that’s not always easy to do, especially in these turbulent times, with all the noise and the many voices that are competing to get our attention. And the Bible tells us a lot about walking with the Holy Spirit, so let’s see if we can find a few scriptures that will help us in that matter.
But first, listen to this other commentary that gives us an interesting insight into walking with the Holy Spirit. It says: ‘If you want to walk in the Holy Spirit, start with talking to the Holy Spirit. Throughout the day address Him, welcome Him, thank Him and worship Him. You should not feel guilty for not spending time with the Holy Spirit but you should feel thirsty. He wants relationships, not rules.’
And that’s the very basis of our Christian lives…we ought to feel hungry and thirsty for the Lord and His Word! Otherwise there won’t be any impetus for us to truly get involved. It’s just like when our bodies hunger for food, we run to fill them, because we cannot go on living without the nourishment and energy that food provides to our bodies. And it’s the same with our spiritual needs. We cannot function on any decent spiritual level without the impetus of hunger and thirst driving us forward to grow in spiritual maturity.
And the first scripture we’ll look at is this one from Ezekiel, where the Lord long ago promised to cleanse His people. ‘A new heart also will I give you, and a new spirit will I put within you: and I will take away the stony heart out of your flesh, and I will give you an heart of flesh. And I will put my spirit within you, and cause you to walk in my statues, and ye shall keep my judgements, and do them.’ (Ezek. 36:26-27) Yes friends, that God’s promise, which was fulfilled after Jesus came to earth and did His thing. After that, all believers were filled with the Holy Spirit.
Then there’s this from John’s Gospel, where after Jesus tells the disciples it would be advantageous for them if He goes away, otherwise the Holy Spirit won’t come, He says: ‘I have many things to say unto you, but ye cannot bear them now. Howbeit when he, the Spirit of truth, is come, he will guide you into all truth: for he shall not speak of himself (on his own authority); but whatsoever he shall hear, that shall he speak: and will shew you things to come. He shall glorify me: for he shall receive of mine (what is mine), and shall shew it (declare) it unto you.’ (John 16:12-14)
So the Holy Spirit liaisons between Christ and His followers. And we all know that Jesus, before His ascension told the disciples to wait in Jerusalem until they were baptized with the power of the Holy Spirit. (Acts 1:8) And that momentous occasion occurred on the Day of Pentecost when ‘a sound from heaven as of a rushing mighty wind, filled all the house where they (the fledgling church) were sitting. And there appeared unto them cloven (divided) tongues like a of fire, and it sat upon each of them. And they were filled with the Holy Ghost, and all began to speak with other tongues (languages), as the Spirt gave them utterance.’ (Acts 2:2-4)
And that day Peter preached his big sermon and some three thousand souls were saved. Thus began the growth of Christ’s new church. Then there are these solemn words of Bruh Paul to the Corinthians: ‘What? know ye not that your body is the temple of the Holy Ghost which is in you, which ye have of God, and ye are not your own? For ye are bought with a price: therefore glorify God in your body, and in your spirit, which are God’s.’ (1 Cor. 6:19-20) Yes my brethren, as believers in Christ Jesus, we do not belong to ourselves, but to God, for Christ paid a price to redeem us back to God.
And since the Holy Spirit of God dwells within each believer, then each believers body is a temple or church of God, and therefore we need to keep it holy. And to help us do that, Bruh Paul wrote these words to the Galatians. ‘This I say then, Walk in the Spirit, and ye shall not fulfil the lust of the flesh. For the flesh lusteth against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh: and these are contrary the one to the other: so that ye cannot do the things that ye would.’ (Gal. 5:16-17)
Oh my fellow believers, that’s much easier said than done, because the lusts or desires of our flesh are so numerous and so strong, that it takes a concerted effort to walk in the Spirit. But if we are serious about doing that, then we just have to buckle down, meditate on the Word, pray and ask the Holy Spirt for help! That’s the starting point for all of us! Much LOVE!
…one cannot live a truly Christian life…without the Holy Spirit’s guidance…
Hear our podcast at https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/randy-obrien
18 Apr 2024
by randyobrien50
in Christian Thoughts and Inspiration., Daily Devotion, Daily Inspiration, Inspirational Living, Spiritual Living
Tags: a grateful heart, A Prayer of thanks, according to his riches in glory, all my love and adoration, be gracious unto thee, being my guide, being my sustainer in life, Between Freinds newsletter, cast thy burden upon the Lord, christianity, curse, disobedience, divine protection, express my gratitude to you Lord, faith, forgiving my sins, give you his peace, god, God commendeth his own love toward us, God so loved the world, great is thy faithfulness, have everlasting life, he gave his only begotten son, he shall sustain thee, his compassions fail not, holy spirit, I bless your holy name, I give you glory, It is of the Lord's mercies that we're not consumed, Jesus, Jesus Christ, lift up his countenance on you, LOVE, make his face shine upon thee, mercy, my God shall supply all your needs, negative word, prayer, rebellion, seek ye first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, self-control, thank you for being my provider, thank you for Loving me, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, the Friends of the Society of the Little Flower, The Lord bless thee and keep thee, the Spirit of truth, therefore I have hope, this I recall to mind, thou has lacked nothing, Thursday Blessings, while we were yet sinners christ died for us, wisdom, your kindness and grace
Philippians 4:19. But my God shall supply all your need according to his riches in glory by Christ Jesus.
Now there’s no rain on this Thursday morning, but the clouds are battling with the sun to see who will win the day. Let’s hope the latter will be triumphant as the Son was against the dark and evil Satan. And there’s no better way to begin today than with a prayer for all that our wonderful God has done for us. It comes from the Between Friends Newsletter published by the Friends of the Society of the Little Flower, and it’s simply entitled ‘A Prayer of Thanks.’ So please pray with me:
‘Gracious Lord, Thank You for this LOVELY day. I come before You with a grateful heart. Thank You for all of your blessings and goodness in my life. It is only because of your kindness and grace that I am able to get through each day. I give You glory. I give You all my LOVE and adoration. Thank You for LOVING me and forgiving my sins. I want to express my gratitude to You, Lord, for everything You have done in my life. Thank You for being my Provider, I appreciate your works in my life. Thank You for being my Guide and helping me make good decisions. Thank You for being my Sustainer in life. Even when things are difficult, I trust that You are working and that You will always see me through. Thank You, Lord, for all that You do in my life. I bless your holy name. Amen.’
Ah friends, like a good cup of tea hits the spot in our stomachs, so that prayer hits the prayer spot in our souls! It seems to cover all of the major elements of our God’s grace and mercy towards us. So, let’s see what scriptures we can find that exemplify some of the things that our God is to us. And I guess the first scripture we should state is the first blessing that the Lord instituted among the Israelites, where He said unto Moses.
‘Speak unto Aaron and unto his sons, saying, On this wise ye shall bless the children of Israel, saying unto them, The Lord bless thee and keep thee: The Lord make his face to shine upon thee, and be gracious unto thee: The Lord lift up his countenance upon thee, and give thee peace. And they shall put (invoke) my name on the children of Israel; and I will bless them.’ (Num. 6:22-27) And yuh know what friends, many thousands of years later we are still invoking the Lord’s name over us and receiving His blessings! Give him much thanks and praise!
And per God’s kindness and grace, I just adore this scripture from Jeremiah’s Lamentations. ‘Remembering mine affliction and my misery, the wormwood and the gall (bitterness). My soul hath them still in remembrance, and is humbled (bowed down) in me. This I recall to my mind, therefore have I hope. It is of the Lord’s mercies that we are not consumed, because his compassions fail not. They are new every morning: great is thy faithfulness.’ (Lam. 3:19-23) Oh my fellow believers, truer words were never spoken! It’s only because of God’s grace and LOVING-kindness that we haven’t been totally destroyed, for that’s what we deserve for our rebellion and disobedience.
But our God LOVED us so much that He broke His own heart and sent His one Son, Jesus Christ, a sinless lamb to die on the cross so that our sins could be forgiven. As Bruh Paul writes to the Romans, one of my favourite scriptures: ‘But God commendeth (demonstrated) his (own) LOVE toward us, in that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.’ (Rom. 5:8) Now if that isn’t a true showing, or rather the greatest example of LOVE, then I don’t know what is. And Jesus Himself said it so well: ‘For God so LOVED the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved.’ (John 3:16-17)
And as for being our Provider, there are so many scriptures on the subject that we can only quote a few, like this one that Moses pointed out to the Israelites: ‘these forty years the Lord thy God hath been with thee; thou has lacked nothing.’ (Deut. 2:7b) And that was the indisputable truth! They had food, clothing, health and every thing they needed. That’s why Bruh Paul could later on make this astounding but real proclamation: ‘But my God shall supply all your need according to his riches in glory by Christ Jesus.’ (Phil. 4:19).
And Jesus could confidently announce: ‘Therefore take no thought (do not worry), saying, What shall we eat? or, What shall we drink? or, Wherewithal shall we be clothed? (For after all these things do the Gentiles seek:) for your heavenly Father knoweth that ye have need of all these things. But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you.’ (Matt. 6:31-33) And you will discover that it’s the gospel truth, if you seek and keep God first place in your life.
There are also numerous scriptures about God being our guide. Let’s highlight a couple. This one from Isaiah is a popular one: ‘And thine ears shall hear a word behind thee, saying, This is the way, walk ye in it, when ye turn to the right hand, and when ye turn to the left.’ (Is. 30:21) And that voice we hear guiding us is the voice of the Holy Spirit, as Jesus said: ‘Howbeit when he, the Spirit of truth, is come, he will guide you into all truth: for he shall not speak of himself (on his own authority); but whatsoever he shall hear, that shall he speak; and he will shew you things to come. He shall glorify me: for he shall receive of mine (what’s mine), and shall shew (declare) it unto you’ (John 16:13-14)) So both the Word of God and the Holy Spirit are our guides in these troubled times, therefore if we need wise guidance, then we must meditate on the Word and listen to the still small voice of the Holy Spirit.
And as God being our Sustainer, we only have room for a few of the many scriptures that exist. Listen to Bruh David as he says in Psalm 55 – The Plea of the Fearful. ‘Cast thy burden upon the Lord, and he shall sustain thee: he shall never suffer (permit) the righteous to be moved (shaken).’ (Ps. 55:22) That’s the indisputable truth my people! And Isaiah said it thus: ‘Thou wilt keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on (sustained by) thee: because he trusteth in thee.’ (Is. 26:3) And Jesus wraps it all up when He solemnly declares: (yesss!!!) ‘Peace I leave with you, my peace I give unto you: not as the world giveth, give I unto you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid.’ (John 14:27)
That says it all my brethren! Now let’s turn to those underserved blessings we call our Thursday Blessings, which the Lord has given us to do His earthly work. Let’s declare them so that they can be activated. 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!’
And having accepted those blessings, we must now go out and share them with others, just as generously as the Lord shared them with us, so that others can come to know and LOVE Him like we do! Much LOVE!
…like the great planner He is…the Lord has made preparation for ALL of our needs…
Hear our podcast at https://open.spotify.com/show/3aVfqIC1CqwGybISs9dZ
15 Apr 2024
by randyobrien50
in Christian Thoughts and Inspiration., Daily Devotion, Daily Inspiration, Inspirational Living, Spiritual Living
Tags: a good attitude, abide with you forever, another comforter, bring all things to your remembrance, christianity, degeneration of our well being, divine help, ease the pain, faith, forgiving God, full spiritual armour, gentle leading, god, God-centred lives, grace, guide you into all truth, he shall testify of me, holy spirit, I will pray the Father, if ye love me keep my commandments, in the holy name of Jesus, Jehovah Rapha, Jesus, Jesus Christ, leave you comfortless, let not your heart be troubled, LOVE, mercy, method to God's madness, Monday Morning Battle Hymn, my peace I give unto you, negative situations, neither let it be afraid, our Triune God, Peace i leave with you, Pentecost Sunday, rat race, repentance in our hearts, road rage, send in my name, stressful factors, teach you all things, the calming power of Jesus, the God who heals, the Holy Ghost, the Holy Trinity, the pittance, the Spirit of truth, truth, turn from our evil ways, unsavoury work mates, until our dying day, weekend reverie, wisdom
John 14:16. And I will pray the Father, and he shall give you another Comforter (Helper), that he may abide with you for ever;
And as always, after Sunday comes Monday – the day we rather unfairly dislike. And why do we dislike Monday? Because it disturbs our weekend reverie, sending us back out into never ending rat race of the workday world, with endless traffic jams, that breed bitter road rage, and on top of all that, unsavoury work mates. (smile) But if we want to keep a roof over our heads and food on the table, then we have to bite the bullet, get out there and labour for the pittance our selfish and greedy masters believe we’re worth.
And it’s best we do it with a good attitude, for anything less will only lead to further degeneration of our wellbeing. We cannot be overwhelmed by the stressful factors of this busy world and yet lead productive, God-centred lives. Thus, we need the calming power of Jesus at the forefront of all that we do, through the leading and guidance of His Holy Spirit that dwells within us to accomplish that very task. Remember Jesus’ promise to the disciples, when He informed them of His return to heaven in the near future? ‘If ye LOVE me, keep my commandments. And I will pray the Father, and he shall give you another Comforter (Helper), that he may abide with you for ever;’ (John 14:15-16)
Please note that last phrase, the Comforter is to be with them and us forever! So, from the day we believe in Christ, and that Comforter comes to dwell within us, He never leaves until our dying day. Now, that ought to give us a wellspring of confidence, but unfortunately not enough of us supposed believers enjoy it, because we don’t follow the Comforter’s gentle leading. We talk the talk, but in reality don’t walk the walk. And what’s this Comforter all about eh? As per Jesus: ‘Even the Spirit of truth; whom the world cannot receive, because it seeth him not, neither knoweth him; for he dwelleth with you, and shall be in you. I will not leave you comfortless (as orphans): I will come to you.’ (John 14:17-18)
And there Jesus promises that He will always be with us through the Spirit of truth, which the world doesn’t and cannot know, but that we know and will eventually have dwelling in us. Then later on He expands on the Spirit of truth and what it would do. ‘These things I have spoken unto you, being yet present with you. But the Comforter (Helper), which is the Holy Ghost, whom the Father will send in my name, he shall teach you all things, and bring all things to your remembrance, whatsoever I have said unto you. Peace I leave with you, my peace I give unto you: not as the world giveth, give I unto you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid.’ (John 14:25-27)
Ah friends, what comforting words from our Lord and Saviour! Yes, the Comforter or Helper, would be the Holy Spirit, the third member of the Holy Trinity, our Triune God! And according to Jesus, He would enable the apostles to remember all His words and works as they endeavoured to do His bidding and put quill to parchment to ensure that His earthly legacy endured down through the ages. And that’s exactly what the Holy Spirit did back then when He filled the believers on that fateful Pentecost Sunday in Jerusalem and the church of Christ was born, and what He’s still doing to this day for us who have believed because of what the disciples have written; that’s the New Testament.
And if there’s one thing to be said for Jesus, He was always encouraging His followers. As we saw above there, He blessed them with His particular kind of peace, unlike any the world could provide, and that they should not be worried because He had things under control. And in the next chapter, He reiterates His earlier encouragement. ‘But when the Comforter (Helper) is come, whom I will send unto you from the Father, even the Spirit of truth, which preceedeth from the Father, he shall testify of me: And ye shall also bear witness, because ye have been with me from the beginning.’ (John 15:26-27)
Then Jesus expands on that when He tells them: ‘I have yet many things to say unto you, but ye cannot bear them now. Howbeit when he, the Spirit of truth, is come, he will guide you into all truth: for he shall not speak of himself (on his own authority); but whatsoever he shall hear, that shall he speak: and he will shew you things to come. He shall glorify me: for he shall receive of mine (what is mine), and shall shew (declare) it unto you.’ (John 1612-14) Now that’s certainly an interesting scripture and as the scholars point out: ‘Just as Jesus came to do the will of His Father, so the Holy Spirit is sent to speak not of Himself, but of Christ.’
So what’s the long and short of the story? That if we have Jesus, His peace, LOVE, grace, mercy etc. as well as the Holy Spirit to lead and guide us and remind us of Jesus, then we ought not to be afraid of this evil and ungodly world, and should get out there on Mondays, in full spiritual armour, just rearing to go and to do serious battle in the holy name of Jesus! And to help us keep everything in perspective, let’s go to the throne of grace right now, through our Monday Morning Battle Hymn seeking divine help.
Altogether: ‘Our Father, who art in heaven, we, Your humble servants, praise Your Holy Name and thank You this Monday morning for life and strong faith in Christ, despite the mass confusion in our world. Heavenly Father, You are the ONLY ONE with the power to solve our many problems. Yes, we have all sinned and seriously disobeyed Your Word, but You are a merciful, forgiving and gracious God, who has faithfully promised to hear and answer our prayers when we humble ourselves, pray, and sincerely seek Your face.
So, we come to You now, with sincere repentance in our hearts, pleading for wise guidance and direction to alleviate our problems. Oh Father, please ease the pain of the many suffering from negative situations, show them Your awesome grace and mercy. And faithfully keep Your promise to prosper us if we turn from our evil ways. Show this evil world that You are indeed Jehovah Rapha; the God who heals! We pray this in the holy and blessed name of Your Son, our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ! Amen! And again, we say: Amen!’
And if we do as we prayed; turn from our evil ways, by humbling ourselves, praying and sincerely seeking God’s face, then divine help will surely be forthcoming! Much LOVE!
…there is method to God’s supposed madness…as first He operated through Jesus…and now operates through the Holy Spirit…
Hear our podcast at https://open.spotify.com/show/3aVfqIC1CqwGybISs9dZ
28 Dec 2023
by randyobrien50
in Christian Thoughts and Inspiration., Daily Devotion, Daily Inspiration, Inspirational Living, Spiritual Living
Tags: believe not every spirit, bow to the master of darkness, clear direction for my life, climate change, curse, English weather, every spirit that confesseth Jesus Christ is come in the flesh, faith, favour, get a foothold in our lives, greater is he that is in you, he that knoweth God heareth us, holy spirit, is of God, Jesus Christ, LOVE, many false prophets are in the world, mercy, negative word, positive outlook on life, prosper, renounce God's presence, Seasonal Affective disorder, spirit of the antichrist, succeed, than he that is in the world, the spirit of error, the spirit of the antichrist, the Spirit of truth, therefore speak they of the world, they are of the world, Thursday Blessings, truth, try the spirits whether they be of God, we are of God, ye are of God
1 John 4:4b. … greater is he that is in you, than he that is in the world.
Brother! Can you believe it’s another wet, drizzly, cloudy day? It’s at least the sixth day in a row that we haven’t had even a hint of sunshine. No wonder SAD (Seasonal Affective Disorder) takes its toll during such long durations of gloomy, uninspiring weather. I have a light on the deck in my backyard to frighten away animals at night, it runs on solar power, but I haven’t seen it lit for a while now, because there’s been no sunlight to recharge its battery. I believe this is what is known as English weather. (smile) And it’s a sure sign of climate change, if all we’re getting at the end of December is light rain and absolutely no snow.
Now, it’s highly unlikely that we won’t get any snow at all, but by this time of year, we’ve usually had a few snowfalls. And yet many people still doubt the fact that climate change is occurring. As always though, when we don’t hear, we feel. But that’s also why we have Jesus as Lord and Saviour; to guide and protect us, to lead us in the way everlasting; in the way of truth and righteousness! Without Him, none of that is possible, for we cannot live a righteous and truthful life in our own strength, especially not with the immense pressure being exerted in these evil times for mankind to renounce the presence of Almighty God and bow to the master of darkness, Beelzebub himself!
And John, in his first epistle explains that though Satan is fighting to gain power over us, we have all the tools to resist him He writes: ‘Beloved, believe not every spirit, but try (test) the spirits, whether they are of God: because many false prophets are gone out into the world.’ (1 John 4:1) And that last phrase is the absolute truth my people; false teachers and prophets abound in these ungodly and evil times, and thus numerous spirits are flitting about trying to get a foothold in our lives.
And yes, the Holy Spirit of God does assure us, but with the many spirits that are currently out and about trying to wreak even more havoc and chaos than is already happening, we still need to be very careful what and whom we listen to, and test whatever we hear. So John explains how we can test those spirits. ‘Hereby know ye the Spirit of God: Every spirit that confesseth that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh is of God. And every spirit that confesseth not that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh is not of God: and this is the spirit of the antichrist, whereof ye have heard that it should come; and even now already is it in the world.’ (1 John 4:2-3)
Now we need to make a distinction between the person of ‘The Antichrist’ who is supposed to reign in terror over the world during the Great Tribulation, and what John is talking about here, more like a group, a body of ‘antichrists’ who are already in the world deceiving people and turning them away from the truth of God. The scholars tell us that ‘John’s opponents may have claimed to follow Christ, but without accepting that the Son who came in flesh was also one with the Father. This position was held by many Gnostics. John says that the Spirit will enlighten true believers to confess that Christ did come in the flesh. Jesus himself speaks of those who call Him “Lord” but are false followers. (Matt. 7:21-23; Luke 6:46)’
Yes friends, there are many around who pretend to be Christians, but are not true followers of Christ, just using His name for their own personal purposes. And per the Gnostics spoken of above: It’s said that ‘Gnosticism is a collection of religious ideas and systems that coalesced in the late 1st century AD among Jewish and early Christian sects. These various groups emphasized personal spiritual knowledge above the proto-orthodox teachings, traditions, and authority of religious institutions.’
And John continues: ‘Ye are of God, little children, and have overcome them: because greater is he that is in you, than he that is in the world.’ (1 John 4:4) And that’s no lie! Christ who indwells believers is greater than Satan who is trying to cause chaos amongst us. But because we are born of God, and Christ has already defeated Satan, we don’t have to be afraid, just make sure that we are diligent in our worldly dealings. ‘They (those ruled by the spirit of the antichrist) are of the world, therefore speak they of the world, and the world heareth them. We are of God: he that knoweth God heareth us; he that is not of God heareth not us. Hereby know we the spirit of truth, and the spirit of error.’ (1 John 4:5-6)
It’s obvious that those who are ruled by the spirit of the antichrist will find the world’s teaching more appealing than the truth of God. And the scholars explain verse six thus: ‘Those who acknowledge the truth of the apostolic (New Testament) witness to Christ will recognize and conform to the teaching John is presenting. Those who do not, are animated by a common and unifying spirit of error. John warns the readers against this spirit by contrasting their false views of Christ with the views that he, a personal follower and witness of Christ proclaims.’
Oh my people, our world today is full of heresy, blasphemy and outright lies about our faith, but we know that our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ is the King of Kings and Lord of Lords, our Giver of eternal life and all the other wonderful things like grace and mercy, provided through the indwelling of His Holy Spirit in each and every believer. Therefore, we do not need to fear what the world says about us, or does to us, we just need to keep on faithfully believing, following the leading of the Holy Spirit, and be careful of whom and what we let into our lives. Now, let’s go home declaring (yesss!!!) and thus activating our Thursday Blessings which the Lord has generously bestowed on us to do His earthly work.
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!’
And having activated those blessings, we’re now obligated to go out and use them to help others, just as generously as the Lord shared them with us! Much LOVE!
…to truly know Christ and be fruitful in Him…one must be obedient to the Holy Spirit…
Hear our podcast at https://open.spotify.com/show/3aVfqIC1CqwGybISs9dZ
17 Jul 2023
by randyobrien50
in Christian Thoughts and Inspiration., Daily Devotion, Daily Inspiration, Inspirational Living, Spiritual Living
Tags: a sound from heaven, abide in you forever, as a rushing mighty wind, bear fruit for the kingdom, bring all things to your remembrance, cloven tongues like as fire, come Monday, filled with the Holy Ghost, follow the rules, give you another Comforter, holy spirit, I am the vine ye are the branches, I will not leave you comfortless, I will pray the Father, if ye love me keep my commandments, Jehovah Rapha, Jesu promised heavenly help, life and strong faith in Christ, LOVE, Monday Morning Battle Hymn, Pentecost day, people falling by the wayside, teach you all things, the Comforter, the divine - human relationship, the God who heals, the lead and guidance of the Holy Spirit, the New Testament Covenant, the Spirit of truth, without me ye can do nothing, ye love one another as I have loved you
John 14:15. If ye LOVE me, keep my commandments.
Come Monday, we’ll be alright! Yes, friends, come Monday, we’ll be alright, because we have Jesus, our Lord and Saviour looking after us through His Holy Spirit! But it won’t all just automatically fall in our laps; we also have some responsibilities to fulfil. Like first believing in Jesus, accepting Him sincerely as Lord and Savour; then doing the things He desires of us, like being obedient to His commands and following the lead and guidance of His Holy Spirit.
And that’s why many of us supposed believers are finding it difficult to make any serious headway in this evil and ungodly world. How can you reap the benefits of something when you’re not fulfilling the requirements eh? Listen to how Jesus put it to the disciples, and consequently to us. ‘If ye LOVE me, keep my commandments.’ (John 14:15) Now that’s quite plain and straightforward. If you’re truly for Jesus, then the first thing you need to do is what He asks of you. It’s the same with any group or organization; you follow the rules and guidelines if you want it to function properly.
However, not all rules or commandments are easy to follow, but Jesus also promised heavenly help to help us follow His commandments. Listen as He continues: ‘And I will pray the Father, and he shall give you another Comforter (Helper), that he may abide with you for ever; even the Spirit of truth; whom the world cannot receive, because it seeth him not, neither knoweth him: but ye know him: for he dwelleth with you, and shall be in you. I will not leave you comfortless, (as orphans): I will come to you.’ (John 14:16-18)
Yes my fellow believers Jesus promised to send us divine help from heaven when He returned there, divine help that will be with us forever, in the person of the Holy Spirit, the third person of the Holy Trinity, our Triune Godhead. Back then the Holy Spirit was with some people, as an outward force, but Jesus promised that eventually it would dwell within all believers, which happened on Pentecost Day when the followers were sitting in the upper room in Jerusalem waiting for Jesus to keep that promise.
The Bible tells us: ‘And suddenly there came a sound from heaven as of a rushing mighty wind, and it filled all the house where they were sitting. And there appeared unto them cloven (divided) tongues like as of fire, and it sat on each of them. And they were all filled with the Holy Ghost, and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance.’ (Acts 2:2-4) And that was the official birth of the Christian Church, when the Holy Spirit, the promised Helper, the Comforter began indwelling each believer as they came to Christ.
Now let’s look a little closer at the purpose(s) of the Holy Spirit in the lives of believers. Jesus said to the disciples: ‘These things I have spoken unto you, being yet present with you. But the Comforter (Helper) which is the Holy Ghost, whom the Father will send in my name, he shall teach you all things, and bring all things to your remembrance, whatsoever things have said unto you.’ (John 14:25-26) There we see that the Holy Spirit is a teacher in its own right, as well as a reminder of the things that Jesus taught in His earthly sojourn.
For example, per the scholars; ‘The Holy Spirit would enable the apostles to remember all the words and works of Jesus when they were writing the New Testament.’ Now that was what Jesus would be doing for the disciples, meanwhile the disciples were expected to use Jesus words and works and the power of the Holy Spirit to bear fruit for His kingdom, that’s help others to come to know and LOVE Him. And in chapter 15 of John, as always, Jesus spells it out plain and simple, using the analogy of a grapevine to explain the divine-human relationship.
He was the vine, and the Father, the vinedresser or caretaker of the vine. And the vine dresser is continually pruning the vine, so that it can bear more and better fruit. (John 15:1-3) Then He delves even deeper: ‘Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, except it abide in the vine; no more can ye except ye abide in me. I am the vine, ye are the branches: he that abideth in me, and I in him, the same bringeth forth much fruit: for without me ye can do nothing.’ ( John 15:4-5)
Now that says it all right there friends! Unless we abide in Jesus, and He in us, we are worthless to bear fruit, to do productive work for the kingdom. So you see, like all covenants are, this covenant of the New Testament is a two-way street, with each side having responsibilities to fulfill. Jesus has already fulfilled His part by sacrificing His life to save us, then sending the Holy Spirit to lead, guide, teach and remind us of our duties. Now it’s our turn to do our thing; that’s read and study His word so that we can keep His commandments, then share it, and above all, live in LOVE, the way He desires of us.
Jesus spells it out loud and clear: ‘This is my commandment, That ye LOVE one another, as I have LOVED you.’ (John 15:12) It could not get any clearer or simpler than that my fellow saints. So, shall we continue letting Jesus down by not living in LOVE, like He prescribes? Or are we going to change, step up to the plate and make Him proud of us? I surely hope and pray that we’ll do the latter as we see the evil and ungodliness of our world becoming more prevalent each and every day, with more and more people falling by the wayside as a result.
Therefore, through our Monday Morning Battle Hymn, let’s go to the throne of grace seeking the divine help we so badly need. As one voice: ‘Our Father, who art in heaven, we, Your humble servants, praise Your Holy Name and thank You this Monday morning for life and strong faith in Christ, despite the mass confusion in our world.
Heavenly Father, You are the ONLY ONE with the power to solve our many problems. Yes, we have all sinned and seriously disobeyed Your Word, but You are a merciful, forgiving and gracious God, who has faithfully promised to hear and answer our prayers when we humble ourselves, pray, and sincerely seek Your face. So, we come to You now, with sincere repentance in our hearts, pleading for wise guidance and direction to alleviate our problems.
Oh Father, please ease the pain of the many suffering from negative situations, show them Your awesome grace and mercy. And faithfully keep Your promise to prosper us if we turn from our evil ways. Show this evil world that You are indeed Jehovah Rapha; the God who heals! We pray this in the holy and blessed name of Your Son, our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ! Amen! And again, we say: Amen!’
And if we truly want to have heavenly help, then we need to improve our earthly ways. It’s as simple as that! Much LOVE!
…the Holy Spirit is ready, willing and able…are we ready to fulfill…our part of the New Testament Covenant…
Hear our podcast at https://open.spotify.com/show/3aVfqIC1CqwGybISs9dZ
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