28 Dec 2025
by randyobrien50
in Christian Thoughts and Inspiration., Daily Devotion, Daily Inspiration, Inspirational Living, Spiritual Living
Tags: a just man falleth seven times and riseth up again, a refusal to quit, about the tough rows that I've hoed, all at once, all things work together for good, always get up one more time, amass a lot of earthly wealth, called according to His purpose, courage to go on living, defining characteristic, don't worry about that much, Drinking from my Saucer, eternal life, faith, fall seven times stand up eight, falling isn't the end, fellowship, go along life's journey, God's love never fails, going through some rough times, grateful for God's grace and mercy, grin and bear our burdens, haven't got a lot of riches, holy spirit, I pronounce a blessing on your life, I'll not ask for other blessings, I'm already blessed enough, I'm happy anyhow, I've got a friend in Jesus, I've never made a fortune, if God gives me strength, in the name of Jesus, Jabez, Jesus Christ, keep drinking from my saucer, keep on fighting the good fight, Lord help me not to grumble and complain, LOVE, make the dark clouds disappear, make the sun to shine again, may I never be too busy, mercy, my cup has overflowed, my faith wore somewhat thin, never give up, nothing to complain about, our cup is still overflowing, perseverance through life's trials, persistence, prosper and be in good health, reaping better than I sow, reconciliation, resilience, rising is what matters, salvation, setbacks are temporary, sometimes the going's rough, thank God for all his blessings, that makes me rich enough, the dark clouds broke, the greatest gift ever given to man, the just recover from setbacks, the key to overcoming life's challenges, the mercies he's bestowed, the modus operandi of christians, the pilgrim's life, the sacrifices Jesus endured for us, the storms of life, the sun peeped through again, the wicked shall fall into mischief, the wicked shall stumble into calamity, the wicked succumb to calamity, there is no giving up in Jesus' kingdom, times when things went wrong, to help others bear their loads, to them that love God, too late now, truth, we worship you Lord, when the way grows steep and rough, wisdom, with all of our hearts souls bodies and minds
Proverbs 24:16. For a just (righteous) man falleth seven times, and riseth up again: but the wicked shall fall into mischief (stumble into calamity).
So it’s the first Sunday after Christmas and many of us are tired from all the preparing and celebrating, but please, let’s not forget the necessity for going to the Lord’s house today to thank Him for all He’s done, is doing and has promised to do for us, especially sending us the greatest gift ever; Jesus, to live and die and bring us salvation, eternal life, and wonderful reconciliation with Himself. Nothing can be better than that my people!
That’s why today we’ll sing this most appropriate song, Drinking From My Saucer, letting the Lord know how grateful we are for His grace and mercy. And we’ll do the song in the slow, soulful, heartfelt manner as that done by the Jamaican Gospel Artist, Jabez. First, we pray: ‘We Worship You Lord, we worship You with all of our hearts, souls, bodies and minds.’
Then we offer up our sweet sacrifices of praise, singing: ‘I’ve Never Made A Fortune, And It’s Probably Too Late Now, Oh but I Don’t Worry About That Much, Cause I’m Happy Anyhow. And As I Go Along Life’s Journey, I’m Reaping Better Than I Sow. I’m Drinking From My Saucer, Because My Cup Has Overflowed. I haven’t Got A Lot Of Riches, And Sometimes The Going’s Rough, But I’ve Got a friend in Jesus, And That Makes Me Rich Enough. I Thank God For all His Blessings on me, And The Mercies He’s Bestowed. I’m Drinking From My Saucer Because My Cup Has Overflowed.
I Remember Times When Things went Wrong, And my Faith Wore Somewhat Thin, But All At Once The Dark Clouds Broke, And the Sun Peeped Through Again, (Monologue) You know, right now you may be going through some rough times in your life, but I’m here to encourage you today, not to give up. NEVER, NEVER, NEVER GIVE UP! I pronounce a blessing upon your life, upon your family. You must prosper and be in good health in the name of Jesus. I believe it with all my heart’ (singing:)
So Lord, Help Me Not To Grumble and complain About The Tough Rows That I’ve Hoed. I’m Drinking From My Saucer Because My Cup Has Overflowed. And If God Gives Me Strength And Courage to go on living, When The Way Grows Steep And Rough I’ll Not Ask For Other Blessings Jesus, For I’m Already Blessed Enough, And May I Never Be Too Busy, To Help Others Bear Their Loads, Then I’ll Keep Drinking From My Saucer Lord, Because My Cup Has Overflowed! Yes, I’ll keep drinking from my saucer Lord, Cause my cup has overflowed, Oh my cup has overflowed…. Yes My cup has overflowed…’
And yes my fellow believers, did our cups ever overflow that Christmas night two thousand years ago when Jesus Christ was born in that smelly barn in Bethlehem. And what’s even better, is that our cup is still overflowing with the great sacrifices He’s so selflessly endured for us. As the song so rightfully says, most of us will never amass a lot of earthly wealth, and in any case, it might just be too late for some of us to do that, but the good thing about it all is that we’re not worried, because we’re still happy, and as we go along life’s journey, we’re reaping better than we sow; so much so that our cup is overflowing, causing us to drink from our saucer.
Now what else can we ask for eh friends? When one’s reaping more than one sows, and your cup is overflowing so that you are forced to drink from the saucer, then there’s nothing whatsoever to complain about. And even though the going ofttimes gets rough, we don’t question it, because we know that we have a wonderful friend named Jesus, who will look after us through all the storms of life, and will eventually make the dark, stormy clouds disappear and the sun to shine again.. And that makes us rich enough! Glory be!
And the monologue is very encouraging, exhorting us to NEVER, NEVER GIVE UP! Now that is a veritable no-no for believers in Christ Jesus, for in His kingdom, there is NO giving up whatsoever! It’s as Cousin Sol says in Proverbs: ‘For a just (righteous) man falleth seven times, and riseth up again: but the wicked shall fall into mischief (stumble into calamity).’ (Prov. 24:16) And that’s the modus operandi of the Christian believer.
As this commentary explains: ‘The verse signifies that while good people face hardships and failures (falling), their defining characteristic is their resilience and persistence to get back up (rise again), contrasting with the wicked who collapse in disaster. The phrase “fall seven times, stand up eight” is a common interpretation, emphasizing that no matter how many times you’re knocked down, you must always get up one more time.
The core message is about perseverance through life’s trials, emphasizing that falling isn’t the end; rising is what matters. It highlights the difference between the just, who recover from setbacks, and the wicked, who ultimately succumb to calamity. In essence, this proverb serves as a powerful reminder that setbacks are temporary and that faith, persistence, and a refusal to quit are key to overcoming life’s challenges.’
Oh my faithful brethren, I could not have said it any better! So, let’s not grumble and complain about the tough times nuh, for it’s all a part of this pilgrim’s life we’re living down here on earth for Jesus, who is always blessing us, even when we don’t deserve it. That means we must grin and bear our burdens, hard though it may be, while helping others to bear theirs, for we have the greatest promise of all to look forward to, that from the book of Romans: ‘And we know that all things work together for good to them that LOVE God, to them who are called according to his purpose.’ (Rom. 8:28)
Yes friends, we must believe that God will eventually work everything out for our good as He’s so faithfully promised. Until then, we must keep on fighting the good fight, while drinking from our saucers, as our cups overflow with His grace, goodness and mercy. Much LOVE!
…it’s a proven fact…that GOD’s LOVE NEVER FAILS…
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
11 Feb 2024
by randyobrien50
in Christian Thoughts and Inspiration., Daily Devotion, Daily Inspiration, Inspirational Living, Spiritual Living
Tags: another Sunday of love, be less than a man, build on life's sinking sand, by the grace of God, down on my knees, faith, fellowship, get together and share the joy of the Lord, holy spirit, I am the vine ye are the branches, I can't even walk without you holding my hand, I learned how to stand, Jesus Christ, LOVE, make it all alone, mercy, not in vain, not that we are sufficient of ourselves, number one would surely be me, our sufficiency is of God, salvation, the mountain is too high, the storms of life, the straight and narrow path, the valley too wide, to think anything of ourselves, wisdom, without me ye can do nothing
2 Corinthians 3:5. Not that we are sufficient of ourselves to think any thing as of ourselves; but our sufficiency is of God.
Welcome to another Sunday of LOVE, fellowship and worship in the Lord’s sanctuary, my fellow believers! It’s so good when we get together and share the joy of the Lord, and all the many good things He’s promised us in His Word. Promises that He will NEVER renege on, because He’s an ever-faithful God. And as Jesus said: ‘For where two or three are gathered together in my name, there am I in the midst of them.’ (Matt. 18:20). And yuh know friends, if Jesus is with us, then great joy, LOVE and peace will be continuously flowing, because that’s what He is all about.
So, let’s respond to His goodness and LOVING-kindness with sincere worship from the depths of our hearts, as we acknowledge in this marvellous and very truthful song, written by the husband-and-wife duo of Joyce and Colbert Croft and titled ‘I Can’t Even Walk Without You Holding My Hand.’ Therefore, let’s offer up sweet sacrifices of praise in a heartfelt, soulful version of the song, a la Jessy Dixon in the Gaither Homecoming Festival.
Singing. ‘I thought, that number one, would surely be me. I thought I could be what I wanted to be. I thought I could build on life’s sinking sand. But now I can’t even walk, without you holding my hand. I thought that I, could do a lot on my own, I thought, I could make it in this big world, all alone. I thought, thought of myself as a mighty, mighty, mighty big man, But Lord I can’t even walk, without you holding my hand. Oh Lord, I can’t even walk, without you holding my hand,
For the mountain, is too high, and the valley, is too wide, It’s down on my knees, that’s where I learned how to stand, Because I can’t even walk, without you holding my hand. I can’t even walk, without you holding my hand. Glory to God! And I think I’ll make Jesus my all and all. And if I’m in trouble, on that powerful name, I’ll call. And if I didn’t trust Him, I’d be less of a man ‘Cause Lord I can’t even walk without you holding my hand. Ohh Lord, I can’t even walk, without you holding my hand, For the mountain is too high, and the valley is too wide,
It’s down on my knees, I learned how to stand, I learned how to pray, Because I can’t even walk, without you holding my hand. I can’t even walk, without you holding my hand. Lord I’m lost without you. I don’t even know my way back home Lord unless you lead me. Yes my Saviour, I can’t even walk without you holding my hand. Thank you for teaching me that through your Word…I can’t even walk without, without holding your hand…Yes Lord, I can’t even walk without you holding my hand…’
Wonderful worship my people! And I’m sure it was much appreciated in heaven. And you know it’s oh so true that we can’t walk safely and securely unless Jesus holds our hand, for when we become born again, we’re like little children just learning to walk on the straight and narrow path, and if Jesus doesn’t hold our hands until we learn the way and can stand somewhat strong on our own, then we’ll surely falter, stumble and fall. But yet, so many of us still believe that we’re so big and strong and don’t need anyone’s help, and can walk this road of life alone, but that’s a fallacy, for in this rough and tumble world we always need help.
But foolishly we go off and build our lives on sinking sand, despite Jesus’ strong warning that anyone who doesn’t build on Him, the Rock, is building on sinking sand, and when the storms of life come they will be washed away. (Matt. 7:24:27) That’s why Cousin Sol also said in Ecclesiastes that two are better than one, because they can help each other if they fall and keep one another warm, something that a lone person cannot do. Ah friends, in these evil and ungodly times, we need all the help we can get, especially the help of Jesus.
And He said it very clearly too. ‘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) Oh my people, it couldn’t be put any plainer than that. If you don’t have Jesus and His Holy Spirit dwelling in you, your efforts to live this life successfully will be thwarted at every step. And furthermore, as Jesus continues: ‘If a man abide not in me, he is cast forth as a branch, and is withered; and men gather them, and cast them into the fire, and they are burned.’ (John 15:6)
So you see friends, if you don’t have Jesus securely holding your hand, then you are cast off like a dead branch and burned in the fires of hell. And Bruh Paul, in his second letter to the church at Corinth, said it thus: ‘Not that we are sufficient of ourselves to think any thing as of ourselves; but our sufficiency is of God.’ (2 Cor, 3:5) That means we cannot think that we are more than we are, because we are merely frail, fallible human beings with a short lifespan and whatever big works we do, they are all in the Lord’s grace and strength.
Bruh Paul explains that to the Corinthians in his first letter. ‘For I am the least of the apostles, that am not meet (worthy) to be called an apostle, because I persecuted the church of God. But by the grace of God I am what I am: and his grace which was bestowed upon me was not in vain; but I laboured more abundantly than they all: yet not I, but the grace of God which was with me.’ (! Cor. 15:9-10)
Yes, my fellow believers, Bruh Paul didn’t start out so good, being a persecutor of the church. But once Jesus got Him in grip, he was the hardest worker of all the apostles, and all the tragedies he suffered and all the great work he did could only have been done though God’s grace. And no one knew that better than him. And as Sister Joyce (Joyce Meyer) likes to say, ‘It’s not where or how you begin, but where and how you end up that’s most important.’ And that’s the indisputable truth! So please, this Sunday morning let’s remember that and make every effort to end with Jesus in heaven, for that’s our Promised Land. Much LOVE!
…on Jesus Christ…the solid Rock I stand…for all else is sinking sand…
Hear our podcast at https://open.spotify.com/show/3aVfqIC1CqwGybISs9dZ
03 Nov 2023
by randyobrien50
in Christian Thoughts and Inspiration., Daily Devotion, Daily Inspiration, Inspirational Living, Spiritual Living
Tags: accustomed to an easy amenity filled life, and dwelt among us, and the world knew him not, as many as receive him, be of good cheer, divine help, faith, Friday chant, Glory and Honour to the Lamb that was slain, he was in the world, His Name is Christ Jesys, holy spirit, i have overcome the world, Jesus Christ, keeps you in bondage, King of Kings, let not your heart be troubled, Lord of Lords, LOVE, mental illness, mercy, neither let it be afraid, not as the world giveth, obedience to God's will, our sins could be washed white as snow, Peace i leave with you, quack doctor, salvation, saving grace, sincerely seek His face, TGIF! Thank God it's Friday!, the light of the world, the storms of life, the throne of grace, the word was made flesh, the world was made b him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, truth, wisdom
John 1:10. He was in the world, and the world was made by him, and the world knew him not.
Wow! It’s that miracle day called Friday! And it’s sunny and twelve degrees in my area! Good reason to shout, ‘TGIF! Thank God it’s Friday and the weekend is here at last!’ What a way we look forward to Friday and our weekend off work. To some of us that’s such a saving grace, because we find it rather difficult to handle the five consecutive days of work, travelling back and forth through never-ending traffic jams and crowded public transportation. Yes, the daily rat race is stressful and debilitating, but unfortunately that’s the way it is in this Western Hemisphere, and there’s not much we can do about it, so we just have to make up our minds, get strong and go about our work week the best way we can, if we don’t want to fall apart, to break down with mental illness, which is currently wreaking havoc in our society.
And why is that? Because we don’t have the belly and the backbone that our forefathers had. We’re accustomed to an easy, amenity filled life, so when adversity strikes, we don’t know how to handle it, and simply fall to pieces, while running to some quack doctor who can’t do anything for you, and only keeps you in bondage to him, having you visit him for ages, while paying exorbitant fees you cannot afford. I’m here to tell you friends, that there is a better way! Yes, one where you don’t pay any money and are surer of healing than with the shrinks.
His name is Christ Jesus! The Lord of Lords and King of Kings, the One who created the world and all therein, then came to earth in the form of a man and sacrificed Himself on the cross of Calvary so that our sins could be washed, white as snow! And all God’s people gave a loud and grateful shout of: ‘Glory and honour be to the Lamb that was slain for our benefit! Praise His holy name, now and forever!’ Yes my brethren, that’s whom we need to turn to whenever we can’t handle this earthly life. And that, at least in my case, is oh so often, because the storms of life just keep coming; as soon as you deal with one, another one shows up.
For as Jesus so wisely and rightly told us long ago: ‘ 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) Please notice that Jesus’ peace is very different to the peace of the world. His peace stays with us, regardless of our circumstances, but the world’s peace fluctuates according to our circumstances. And then, later on Jesus again talks of His particular kind of the peace, when He says to the disciples: “These things I have spoken unto you, that in me ye might have peace. In the world ye shall have tribulation: but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world.’ (John 16:33)
And if you know anything about Jesus, you’d know that He overcame Satan in the battle for hell and the grave, then rose triumphantly on Easter morning, giving us the amazing victory that those who sincerely believe in Him, now possess! And that’s exactly why we need to turn to Jesus instead of the worldly shrinks? Because Jesus is our Creator and Controller! He made us and still reigns on His throne in heaven controlling things down here on earth. And since He made us, He knows us better than anyone else and thus can fix our problems if we will just turn from our evil ways, seek His face and live obediently to His will. Now that’s what is called everlasting wisdom!
But the problem is that too many of us are not practicing it, we’re too taken up with the perishable things of the world and not with the imperishable things of God. Therefore, we don’t posses the necessary parts to live this life in the abundant manner that Christ died for us to have. In other words, we’re shortchanging ourselves. Remember, Jesus Christ was the Light of the World! He came to take us out of the darkness, out of the sinful bondage in which Satan had us enveloped. Now, please pay serious attention to these words of John the gospel writer as He further writes of Jesus. ‘He was in the world, and the world was made by him, and the world knew him not. He came unto his own (His own domain, or universe), and his own received him not.’ (John 1:10-11)
Ah mih people, what a sad state of affairs. Jesus comes to the world that He created, in the form of the man that He’d created, but, in general, the world didn’t pay Him any mind, neither did the Jewish people, in whose apparel and culture He came. Both the world in general and the world of the Jews, His people rejected Jesus. Nevertheless, as John continues writing: ‘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.’ (John 1:12-13)
And all God’s people shouted: ‘Glory Hallelujah! Blessed is the name of Christ Jesus, who defeated the armies of Satan, so that we could be set free from his evil bondage! Consequently, Christ gave all those who believe in Him, were born again, not of blood, but of the spiritually of God, the amazing blessing and benefit to be called the children of God! Wow! How wonderful is our Lord and Saviour Jesus! And you’d notice that although He was rejected by so many people that He still remained obedient to the Father’s will, and His everlasting LOVE for us!
And this last scripture for today is ever so powerful and wise! John writes: ‘And the Word was made flesh (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 1:14) Yes my fellow saints, Christ came to earth clothed in the flesh of man, and showed us the true character of Almighty God, the One who revels in grace and truth! And Jesus’ marvellous example of earthly living is what He expects His followers to emanate. Now, though we’re not doing such a great job, Jesus still has faith in us, and if we truly believe, then we still have hope that a complete turnaround is possible.
So, let’s confidently but humbly, go to the throne of grace, asking for divine help in this time of great need. 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 if we know anything about our great God, it’s that obedience to His will and sincerely seeking His face are the two characteristics that will make Him offer divine help. So, there we have our answer! Much LOVE!
…only two options exist for mankind…hell and eternal damnation with Satan…or salvation and eternal life with Christ Jesus…which one will you choose…
Hear our podcast at https://open.spotify.com/show/3aVfqIC1CqwGybISs9dZ
23 Jul 2023
by randyobrien50
in Christian Thoughts and Inspiration., Daily Devotion, Daily Inspiration, Inspirational Living, Spiritual Living
Tags: a purpose for believers gathering, according to his riches in glory, all the days of your life, called according to His purpose, carest thou not that we perish, even the wind and the sea obey him, George Nooks, God is there with you, gratitude, he arose and rebuked the wind, He'll never leave you, hold on to Jesus, how is that ye have no faith, humbleness of heart, I will never leave thee nor forsake thee, LOVE, no man shall stand before you, peace be still, Ride out your storm, Sabbath Day, said unto the sea, the first name to roll off our tongue, the Lord thy God goes with thee, the Lord will provide all our needs, the Lord's Day, the storm calmer, the storms of life, the wind ceased and there was a great calm, they feared exceedingly, though the waters are troubled, to them that love him, trying times, we can do all things though Christ who strengthens us, West Indian music, what manner of man is this, why are ye so fearful, work all things out for good, you're never alone, your morning is coming, your nights of confusion
Mark 4:41. And they feared exceedingly, and said one to another, What manner of man is this, that even the wind and the sea obey him?
Another Sunday my fellow believers; another Sabbath Day to gather in fellowship in the Lord’s sanctuary and worship Him with great gratitude and humbleness of heart! And I guess these Sundays seem to come around so quickly because our heavenly Father knows how badly we need them to keep up our strength, faith and confidence in Him during these troubled and trying times. And renewing our trust and faithfulness in Almighty God is indeed one of the many benefits of attending church on the Sabbath. Giving Him thanks and praise through our worship celebrations is also one more purpose for believers gathering on the Lord’s Day.
Now, let’s begin the proceedings, by getting into worship mode right away, offering up sweet sacrifices of praise with some West Indian music, the sweetest gospel music there is (smile). It’s a reggae tune we all know and LOVE, popularized by the Jamaican gospel artist George Nooks and aptly titled, ‘Ride Out Your Storm.’ So, as one harmonious voice my people, let’s sing up a storm this Sunday morning!
The Intro simply says: ‘Don’t give up…yeah just ride out your storm.’ Then we break into song: ‘You’ve been in the storm and it seems like forever. And your nights of confusion have been too long. Your ship has lost anchor, and the storm’s got you drifting. Just hold on to Jesus And ride out your storm (Chorus: Ride out your storm, God is there with you, you may not feel him, but you’re not alone. You’re hurting now, but your morning is coming…Lord have mercy, just hold on to Jesus and ride out your storm)
Remember His promise, He said I’ll never forsake you, though the waters are troubled, they’ll do you no harm. Don’t give up the battle for your answer is coming, just hold on to Jesus, hold on to Jesus, and just ride out your storm. (Chorus: Ride out your storm God is still there with you, you may not feel him but you’re not alone. I know you’re hurting now but your morning is coming, Lord have mercy, just hold on to Jesus and ride out your storm.
Oh Ride out your storm God is there with you, you may not feel him, but you’re not alone. Although you’re hurting now, your morning is coming, just hold on to Jesus and ride out your storm. You know He’ll never leave you, so just hold on to Jesus, and just ride out your storm. Hold on to Jesus, and ride out your storm.’
Pretty music mih people, all heaven was singing and dancing with us too! Wow! And the song simply tells us the basic truth of accepting Jesus as our Lord and Saviour and thus surrendering our lives to Him; that He’ll never leave nor forsake us. And He’s said it several times. For example, right from the very beginning He had Moses reassure the Israelites thus: ‘Be strong and of a good courage, fear not, nor be afraid of them: for the Lord thy God, he it is that doth go with thee: he will not fail thee nor forsake thee.’ (Deut.31:5)
Then Moses said the same thing to Joshua personally before the whole Israelite camp. (Deut. 31:8). Then at the very beginning of Joshua’s leadership of the Israelites, after the death of Moses, the Lord told him the same thing. ‘There shall not any man be able to stand before thee all the days of thy life: as I was with Moses, so I will be with thee: I will not fail thee nor forsake thee.’ (Josh. 1:5) And all down throughout the Old Testament, we see the Lord encouraging those whom He asked to do His bidding, and also empowering them to do it.
Then, in the New Testament, Jesus, while giving out the Great Commission faithfully promised the disciples and us: ‘…and, lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the world.’ (Matt. 28:20b) Now doesn’t that stand for, or mean anything to us? It surely should! And later on, the author of Hebrews reiterates the sentiment: ‘…for he hath said, I will never leave thee nor forsake thee.’ (Heb. 13:5b) Don’t know how much more assurance we need before we believe and react courageously.
And, as per helping us to ride out our storms in times of trouble and sickness, there’s no one better at doing that than Jesus, for He is the original Storm Calmer! And you cannot get a better example of Jesus’ skills as a calmer of storms than this one when He was crossing the sea of Galilee with the disciples and a great storm suddenly arose, but Jesus was asleep in the stern of the boat oblivious to it all.
But when the boat started taking in water and it seemed like they would drown, the scared disciples woke Jesus and said to Him: ‘Master, carest thou not that we perish? And he arose and rebuked the wind, and said unto the sea, Peace, be still. And the wind ceased, and there was a great calm. And he (Jesus) said unto them, Why are ye so fearful? how is it that ye have no faith?’ (Mark 4:38-40)
And my fellow believers, that’s the same question Christ is asking all of us today: how come our faith is so small that we are constantly afraid of the storms of life, when we have Him to protect us from them, to calm them and/or to help us ride them out? Too many of us display the reaction the disciples displayed on that fateful day. ‘And they feared exceedingly, and said one to another, What manner of man is this, that even the wind and the sea obey him?’ (Mark 4:41) Well, He is the man who originally created the winds and the seas, and still controls them, so they just naturally obey Him, like we who claim to believe in Him ought also to do!
Oh my fellow saints, especially in what looks like the last days, we need to have great faith and courage in Jesus, if we hope to make it through. We need to remember that Jesus is our Be All and End All: That we can do all things through Him who strengthens us, (Phil. 4:13) and that He will provide all of our needs according to his riches in glory. (Phil. 4:19) And that the Lord will eventually work out everything for good to those who LOVE Him and are called according to His purpose. (Rom. 8:28)
These are some of the scriptures we must have written indelibly in our hearts, so that we can remember them in times of need and have them boost our faith. That’s the only way we’ll live the abundant and successful life that Jesus died for us to have! Much LOVE!
…in the storms of life…JESUS…is the first name that should roll off our tongue…
Hear our podcast at https://open.spotify.com/show/3aVfqIC1CqwGybISs9dZ
15 Jan 2023
by randyobrien50
in Christian Thoughts and Inspiration., Daily Devotion, Daily Inspiration, Inspirational Living, Spiritual Living
Tags: a dispensary of spiritual food and medicine, an outward indication of an inner condition, Give God thanks and praise, God's joy and peace, have good success, how bright the path grows, how sweet to walk in this pilgrim's way, in the palms of our hands, leaning on the everlasting arms, LOVE, make thy way prosperous, meditate therein, my light and my salvation, of whom shall I be afraid, our loneliness and anxiety, ready for the taking, safe and secure from all alarms, shall not depart out of thy mouth, the church provides opportunity for reciprocal encouragement, the eternal God is thy refuge, The Lord is my strength, the storms of life, this book of the law, underneath are the everlasting arms, what a fellowship what a joy divine, what have i to dread
Deuteronomy 33:27a. The eternal God is thy refuge, and underneath are the everlasting arms:
Come Sunday, it will be all right… Yes friends, come Sunday everything will be fine as we gather in the Lord’s sanctuary on His day to give Him thanks and praise for His awesome goodness to His children! Nothing could be better than communing with our heavenly Father all in one place at one time. As the Lord’s word reminds us in Hebrews: ‘And let us consider one another to provoke (stir up) unto LOVE, and unto good works: Not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as the manner of some is; but exhorting one another: and so much more as ye see the day approaching.’ (Heb. 10:24-25)
And the scholars tell us that ‘This admonition involves far more than erratic attendance. It involves the entire worship of Christ and is an outward indication of an inner condition. The assembling of God’s people provides opportunity for reciprocal encouragement, strengthening, and the stirring up that can be gained from one another (cf. Col. 3:12-16). It consists of participation in worship and fellowship. The church is a body interacting (1 Cor. 12:14-27); it is not merely a dispensary of spiritual food and medicine.’
And having been told off in no uncertain terms (smile) let us proceed to interact by offering up some sacrificial praise through this marvellous song of encouragement and strengthening, aptly titled, ‘Leaning On the Everlasting Arms.’ And as we raise our voices in sweet harmony, in an up-tempo version of the hymn, let’s do as the website Hymnary.org advises: ‘As the hymn is sung, contemplate what it means to find refuge in our heavenly Father’s arms in times of fear and trial, and to allow His joy and peace to replace our loneliness and anxiety.’
We definitely can’t go wrong, doing that my fellow believers. So let God’s people sing: ‘‘What a fellowship, what a joy divine, leaning on the everlasting arms; what a blessedness, what a peace is mine, leaning on the everlasting arms. (Refrain: Leaning, leaning, safe and secure from all alarms; leaning, leaning, leaning on the everlasting arms.) O how sweet to walk in this pilgrim’s way, leaning on the everlasting arms; O how bright the path grows from day to day, leaning on the everlasting arms.
[Refrain]What have I to dread, what have I to fear, leaning on the everlasting arms? I have blessed peace with my Lord so near, leaning on the everlasting arms. Leaning, leaning, safe and secure from all alarms; leaning, leaning, leaning on the everlasting arms, Leaning, leaning, safe and secure from all alarms; leaning on the everlasting arms…leaning on the everlasting arms of Jesus… oh how good it is to be, leaning on the everlasting arms of Christ my Saviour….’
And you’d better believe that there is certainly no better place to lean than on the everlasting arms of Jesus! The story goes that the hymn came about from the letters of two past pupils of Anthony J Showalter, who informed him that their wives had died, and they were seeking consolation. And while answering their letters he was inspired by these marvellous words of comfort found in Deuteronomy 33:27. ‘The eternal God is thy refuge, and underneath are the everlasting arms: and he shall thrust out the enemy from before thee; and shall say, Destroy them.’
Apparently though, Showalter had some problems putting the hymn together, so he approached Elisha Hoffman, a prolific gospel writer for help, and together they wrote the song which was eventually published in 1887. Wow! Another oldie but goldie! And it’s revered as one of the greatest hymns for times of solace, as it encourages us to keep ‘leaning on the everlasting arms’ of God when seeking comfort.
And why not eh, when Bruh Paul writes it so plainly in his first missive to the church at Corinth. ‘Blessed be God, even the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies, and the God of all comfort, Who comforteth us in all our tribulation, that we may be able to comfort them which are in any trouble (tribulation), by the comfort wherewith we ourselves are comforted of God.’ (2 Cor. 1:3-4)
Mama Mia! What a wonderful God we serve and worship my faithful brethren! He comforts us in our trials, so that we can comfort others in their time of need! What a simple but every effective way to do it. And that’s one of the reasons why consistent church going is important; you can’t be encouraged if you’re not associating with your fellow believers. And the opening lines of the hymn just exude comfort and consolation. ‘What a fellowship, what a joy divine…what a blessedness, what a peace is mine, leaning on the everlasting arms.’
Then the chorus declares: ‘leaning safe and secure from all alarms;’ How could we not like this wonderful hymn eh? And for good measure, let’s hear some more of those comforting sentiments. (smile) ‘Oh how sweet to walk in this pilgrim’s way…O how bright the path grows from day to day, leaning on the everlasting arms.’ It certainly does my people. Therefore, ‘What have I to dread, what have I to fear, I have blessed peace with my Lord so near.’ Absolutely!
That’s why the psalmist could unequivocally state in Psalm 91: ‘I will say of the Lord, He is my refuge and my fortress: my God, in him will I trust.’ (Ps. 91: 2) Likewise Bruh David in Psalm 27 was not afraid to proclaim: ‘The Lord is my light and my salvation; whom shall I fear? The Lord is the strength of my life; of whom shall I be afraid?’ (Ps. 27:1) And we certainly can’t doubt Moses when he sings in his famous song: ‘The Lord is my strength and song (fortress, defense), and he is become my salvation: he is my God, and I will prepare him a habitation (praise him); my father’s God, and I will exalt him.’ (Ex. 15:2)
Yes friends, that magnificent Library of God’s Word, is filled with such sentiments throughout its pages. And not from hearsay either nuh, but from personal experience, thus it‘s ever so important for us to read, study and sincerely consider the many encouraging and uplifting anecdotes found therein.
And if you don’t believe me, then listen to the Lord as He speaks to Joshua when He made him the leader of the Israelites on the death of Moses. ‘This book of the law shall not depart out of (shall continually be in) thy mouth; but thou shalt meditate therein day and night, that thou mayest observe to do according to all that is written therein: for then thou shalt make thy way prosperous, and then thou shalt have good success.’ (Josh. 1:8)
Yes my fellow saints, that’s really the only scripture we need to ever learn and follow yes! So please let’s begin doing it seriously and sincerely as of right now nuh. For then we will make our way prosperous and have good success. I‘m sure we all desire that. And it’s right there in the palms of our hands, ready for the taking. So please, let’s be wise and do it. Much LOVE!
…in the storms of life…there is no where else to find true peace and comfort…than leaning on the everlasting arms of Christ our Saviour…
Hear our podcast at https://open.spotify.com/show/3aVfqIC1CqwGybISs9dZ
25 Mar 2022
by randyobrien50
in Christian Thoughts and Inspiration., Daily Devotion, Daily Inspiration, Inspirational Living, Spiritual Living
Tags: a means of restoring faith in you, and even to hoar hairs will I carry you, blessed be the Lord, borne by me from the belly, Covid 19 virus, faithful believers, feed his flock like a shepherd, Friday chant, give his angels charge over thee, his arm shall rule for him, his reward is with him, LOVE, omnipotent, omnipotent help, omnipresent, omniscient, praise the Lord for His goodness, right motives in our hearts, stand strong and steadfast, the God of our salvation, the storms of life, to them who are called according to his purpose, to those that love God, tries our faith to the very limit, unrest in the streets, wake up and smell the coffee, we know that all things work together for good, when we are faithful God is faithful, who daily loadeth us with benefits, wise guidance, with Christ you can overcome everything, with God all things are possible, with long life will I satisfy him
Romans 8:28. And we know that all things work together for good to those that LOVE God, to them who are the called according to his purpose.
Another brand new day friends, a Friday to boot, when our names don’t show up in the obits! Praise the Lord for His goodness! And though the day may begin damp and cloudy, what really matters is that we have Jesus, the awesome Son of God dwelling in our hearts and souls through His Holy Spirit! Nothing can beat that my faithful brethren, because with Christ Jesus in our lives we can undergo and withstand anything that comes against us!
Yes, sometimes, like in the last couple of years, life can get real rough, but if we truly believe, we know that Christ makes everything all right in His own time. We just have to keep this great and everlasting promise in the forefront of our lives, as Bruh Paul wrote to the church at Rome. ‘And we know that all things work together for good to those that LOVE God, to them who are the called according to his purpose.’ (Rom. 8:28)
Oh friends, that’s one of the greatest promises in the Good Book, but it’s definitely the hardest to hold on to! Because it often tries our faith, trust and surrender to God right to the very limit. In so many situations we have to conjure up thoughts of peace, LOVE and joy even when it seems impossible. But please remember that when talking about a camel going through the eyes of a needle, Jesus gave us this divine assurance. ‘With men this is impossible; but with God all things are possible.’ (Matt. 19:26)
And that’s the indisputable truth my fellow believers! The Lord God Jehovah who made the earth, heavens and all therein has the ability and power to do anything He desires! He is omnipotent, omniscient, and omnipresent! Meaning He is ALL powerful, sees everything and is present everywhere at the same time! Now that’s what you call a mighty God! And if it’s one thing I’m sure about is that our God is indeed mighty… and mighty in all aspects of life, because I’ve seen Him in action, both personally and in the lives of others!
So there is really no need to fear although the storms of life come against us, for He will always bear us up with His righteous right hand. And I think in these perilous and uncertain times we need to hear some scripture that reassures us of God’s awesome care and concern for us, His most valuable creation. So listen up, pay careful attention, and let these scriptures seep into our hearts and souls and keep us faithful and strong.
And we’ll begin with this marvellous verse of solid, everyday promise from Psalm 68 – God has gone before his people. Bruh David proclaims without any hesitation whatsoever: ‘Blessed be the Lord, who daily loadeth us with benefits, even the God of our salvation. Selah.’ (Ps. 68:19) Now, how reassuring is it to know that every day the great God of our salvation gives us benefits untold to help in our earthly journey!
And if you don’t believe that, then hear the prophet Isaiah corroborate it. ‘Behold, the Lord God will come with strong hand (strength), and his arm shall rule for him: behold, his reward is with him, and his work (wage) before him. He shall feed his flock like a shepherd: he shall gather the lambs with his arm, and carry them in his bosom, and shall gently lead those that are with young.’ (Is. 40:10-11) Oh my brethren, if you are a faithful believer in Jesus that should be all you need to reassure your faith in the mighty God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob!
But if that isn’t enough, then listen to this other scripture from Isaiah. ‘Hearken unto me, O house of Jacob, and all the remnant of the house of Israel, which are borne (upheld) by me from the belly (birth), which are carried from the womb: And even to your old age I am he; and even to hoar hairs (gray hairs) will I carry you: I have made, and I will bear; even I will carry, and will deliver you.’ (Is. 46:3-4) Yes my people, the Lord conceived us in the womb and will take us right through life from conception to birth, to death and then to eternal life!
And just to reinforce those promises, (smile) let’s listen to the psalmist as he expounds on the subject from Psalm 91 – God is a refuge and fortress. He says: ‘Because thou hast made the Lord, which is my refuge, even the Most High, thy habitation (dwelling place); There shall no evil befall thee, neither shall any plague come nigh thy dwelling. For he shall give his angels charge over thee, to keep thee in all thy ways. They shall bear (lift) thee up in their hands, lest thou dash (strike) thy foot against a stone.
Thou shalt tread upon the lion and adder (cobra): the young lion and the dragon (serpent) shalt thou trample underfoot. Because he hath set his LOVE upon me, therefore will I deliver him: I will set him on high, because he hath known my name. he shall call upon me, and I will answer him: I will be with him in trouble; I will deliver him, and honour him. With long life (length of days) will I satisfy him, and show him my salvation.’ (Ps. 91:9-16)
Oh saints of Christ, what more can we ask or expect from our wonderful God eh? He’s promised us everything there, and we know he keeps His promises because He LOVES us unconditionally! So much so that He sent His only Son Jesus to die for the atonement of our sins! And if He could go to such awesome lengths to save us, why would He refuse us any lesser thing eh? No reason whatsoever! So, on this Friday morning filled with worldwide problems, let’s take the opportunity to do what He says in that scripture above there nuh, call on Him in time of trouble, so He can answer and deliver us.
As one confident but humble voice, let’s declare our Friday Chant. ‘Oh Lord, thanks for getting me safely through this past week. You know it’s been rough… what with all the anxiety, the confusion and havoc that the Covid-19 virus and our many other problems are causing. We can’t seem to fix it on our own Lord, that means we desperately need your help. Oh heavenly Father, with your omnipotent help, and our trusting faith, we know that we can stand strong and steadfast and defeat both the virus and the unrest in our streets.
So Lord, we sincerely ask you today to give the governments and those involved in the forefront of this serious and unexpected storm, the wise guidance to handle the situation properly, with the least amount of loss to life and property as possible. And please help those of us who must go out to work amidst all the confusion, to be responsible and to stay safe, and avoid any more serious setbacks.
And Lord, we fervently pray that You’ll use this situation to bring a lot of backsliders back to your fold, show them the error of their ways. And please introduce a whole new flock, who will embrace your LOVE and compassion by the example, we, your faithful believers set. Yes Lord, please use this pandemic and the unrest in the streets as a means of restoring faith in You, so that our sinful world can wake up and smell the coffee, sweet and strong! We pray this in the name of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ! Amen!’
But please note, my fellow saints, that God will only answer us positively if we behave like true faithful believers and our hearts are led by the right motives. Much LOVE!
…when we are faithful…God is faithful…
Hear our podcast at https://open.spotify.com/show/3aVfqIC1CqwGybISs9dZJ8
30 Jun 2021
by randyobrien50
in Christian Thoughts and Inspiration., Daily Devotion, Daily Inspiration, Inspirational Living, Spiritual Living
Tags: a believer in Christ Jesus, a wide range of revelation, being confident of this very thing, conform to God's heavenly standard on earth, for therein I do delight, give me understanding, halfway home, he which hath begun a good work, I shall keep it unto the end, I shall keep thy law, I shall observe it with all my heart, I'm so glad to be alive, in a positive and godly manner, in the path of thy commandments, Incline mine heart unto thy testimonies, leave all the consequences to Him, make me to go, moving on, my eyes are fixed straight ahead, my hands on the plough, not looking back, obey God, oodles of promisesto help you feel better, our entrance exams for heaven, our road map to earthly living, permanent and unchangeable regulations, quicken me in thy righteousness, reap a bushel of blessings, stablish thy word unto thy servant, teach me O Lord, thank God, the breath of life, the entire gamut of human response to God's Word, the joy of the Lord is our strength, the storms of life, the way of thy statutes, the Word of god, thy judgements are good, to a glorious future with Jesus, turn away my reproach which I fear, turn mine eyes away from beholding vanity, uproarious love for God's word, Wednesday Wail, will perform it until the day of Jesus
Psalm 119:34. Give me understanding, and I shall keep thy law, yea, I shall observe it with all my heart.
Well, it looks like a new day, Wednesday to be exact. So I guess that means we’re moving on, hopefully in a positive and godly manner, for those are the only ways we will ever be truly successful! And if we’re being godly, then we most certainly will give, or will have given thanks for the wonderful blessing of being able to see another glorious day on God’s great earth, only rivalled by the exotic pleasures of heaven.
Ah mih people, if we’re down here now, we might as well enjoy it, since being miserable and unhappy won’t solve matters. And furthermore, if you’re a believer in Christ Jesus, then you have oodles of promises to help you feel better in the many storms of life and handle them in a positive manner, with your Lord and Saviour at the helm of your tossed and battered ship. Remember the joy of the Lord is our strength, and once we have Him bubbling up in us, we can handle anything that comes against us.
And if we’re finding it difficult to handle our current circumstances then listen to these words of comfort from Psalm 119, the section titled – ‘Give me understanding.’ Please pray with me: ‘Teach me, O Lord, the way of thy statutes; and I shall keep it unto the end. Give me understanding, and I shall keep thy law, yea, I shall observe it with all my heart. Make me to go in the path of thy commandments; for therein do I delight.
Incline my heart unto (cause me to long for) thy testimonies, and not to covetousness. Turn away mine eyes from beholding vanity (looking at worthless things); and quicken (revive) thou me in thy way. Stablish thy word unto thy servant, who is devoted to thy fear (to fearing thee). Turn away my reproach which I fear: for thy judgements are good. Behold, I have longed after thy precepts: quicken (revive) me in thy righteousness.’ (Ps. 119:33-40)
Yes friends, therein lies a path of prayer to understanding. (smile) Now, here are some explanations from the scholars on the meaning of some of the terminology found in the psalm. ‘The multifaceted character of God’s Word is revealed by at least eight key synonyms for it in the psalm. (1) Law (torah) is the most frequent of the words. It comes from a verb meaning “to teach,” and thus came to be applied to a wide range of revelation, from an individual directive to the entire Pentateuch (the first five books of the Bible). It emphasizes that God has taught us in His Word what He requires of us.
(2) Testimonies (‘edot) emphasizes the content of the Word as that which God has testified of Himself and His will. (3) Precepts (piquidim) refers to instructions from a superior regarding the duties of those under him, in this case, from God to man. (4) Statutes (huqim) is related to a verb meaning “to engrave” and thus implies permanent and unchangeable regulations. (5) Commandments (mitswot) is a word assuming the authority of the commander and the inherent necessity of obeying the content of the charge.
(6) Judgements (mispatim) or ordinances refers to decisions God has made as a judge in order to make earthly behaviour conform to His heavenly standard. (7) Word (dabar) is an all-embracing term for God’s revelation in any form. (8) Word (imra) might also be translated “promise,” though the translation does not distinguish it from the preceding term to whose meaning it relates closely. It comes from the verb “to say” and assumes that the content of revelations is from the mouth of God. Other terms that seem to speak of God’s Word include ways (vs. 3, 37), name (vs. 55), and faithfulness (vs. 90).
With these key words to express the substance of God’s revelation, the psalmist explores the entire gamut of human response to the Word of God: praise and thanksgiving for it, petitions that it may be kept, petitions that the psalmist may experience its comfort or conviction, confidence that its promises will be fulfilled, prayer for the ability to understand it, petitions that those who disregard it (the wicked) may be judged and so on. Because of this exaltation of the Word of God, this psalmist has sometimes been accused of worshiping the Word itself. However, his adoration of the Word always leads to its Author who inspired it. All believers should be accused of this kind of LOVE for the Bible.’
What a day that would be eh my people, when we are accused of such an uproarious LOVE for God’s word! Glory Hallelujah! But seriously though, that’s the direction in which our lives ought to be moving every day that we draw breath; a greater LOVE for God and His Word! That’s why we talk about moving up from glory to glory; everyday improving our understanding of the Word and becoming a li’l more like Jesus character wise.
Oh friends, if we’re not growing, becoming more mature in our faith, then we are not fulfilling the Lord’s desire for our lives. Remember Bruh Paul’s prayer of thanksgiving to the church at Philippi, where he declares: ‘Being confident of this very thing, that he which hath began a good work in you will perform (complete) it until the day of Jesus Christ.’ (Phil 1:6)
Yes my faithful brethren, our God will not stop working His goodness in us until His Son returns. That means we also have a responsibility to learn what He desires of us and behave the way He has set out in His Word. We have no excuses whatsoever, for He has laid out exactly what He desires in His Law. His testimonies are sure and true. In His superior position, He has made clear His precepts, the duties He expects us to perform and live up to.
And because His Word is so important to our earthly lives, He expects His statutes, steadfast and unchangeable as they are, to be engraved in and on our hearts, so that we can dutifully obey His commandments as our Guide and Leader. And if we don’t conform to His heavenly standard here on earth, then we will be subjected to His divine judgement, which can be pretty tough at times.
So friends, the long and short of the story is that we are God’s creation, and He desires us to be obedient to Him and His dictates, otherwise there will be a price to pay. As Uncle Charles (Charles Stanley) likes to say: ‘The best way to live is to obey God, and leave all the consequences up to Him.’ And that’s wisdom in spades friends. If we obey God to the best of our ability, we will reap a bushel of blessings.
And now, since it’s Wednesday, let’s go home declaring (awright!!!) our Wednesday Wail, letting all and sundry know of our most wonderful position in Christ Jesus! As one strong, sincere and confident voice: ‘Wednesday, Wednesday, Wednesday: I’m so glad to be alive on this Wednesday! Wednesday, Wednesday, Wednesday: Thank God the breath of life is still flowing through me on this Wednesday! I am halfway home. My hands are fixed securely on the plough, and I’m not turning back. I’m not looking back at the past, not focusing on what has gone before. But my eyes are fixed straight ahead; straight ahead to a glorious future with Jesus. Glory Hallelujah!’
And we all know that if we faithfully endure to the end, that future will be even more glorious that we can ask or even imagine. Much LOVE!
…the Word of God…our guide, our road map to earthly living…our entrance exams for heaven…
Hear our podcast at https://open.spotify.com/show/3aVfqIC1CqwGybISs9dZJ8
26 Oct 2020
by randyobrien50
in Christian Thoughts and Inspiration., Daily Devotion, Daily Inspiration, Inspirational Living, Spiritual Living
Tags: acknowledge God in all thy ways, awesome grace and mercy, be as a tree planted by the waters, blessed is the man that trusteth in the Lord, cease ye from man, come short in obedience, cursed be the man, depart from evil, desperately wicked, for we have all sinned, happy is he, he returneth to his earth, he shall be like the heath in the desert, heal our land, her leaf shall be green, his breath goeth forth, his thoughts perish, holding on tightly to Jesus, honour the Lord with thy substance, I the Lord search the heart, I try the reins, in a salt land not inhabited, in that very day, in the year of drough, in these troubled times, in whom there is no help, inhabit the parched places in the wilderness, Jehovah Rapha, lean not unto thine own understanding, maketh flesh his arm, mass confusion, merciful forgiving God, Monday Morning Battle Hymn, neither shall cease from yielding fruit, nor in the son of man, pandemic of Covid 19, put not your trust in princes, salvation, shall not be careful, shall not fear when heat comes, shall not see when good cometh, show this evil world, sincere repentance, spreadeth out her roots by the river, that hath the God of Jacob for his help, that trusteth in man, the confusion that's currently reigning, the God who heals, the heart is deceitful, the storms of life, the valley of the shadow of death, this fallen wolrd, to give every man according to his ways, trust can only be earned through faithfulness, trust in the Lord, trust to tell us the truth, wherein is he to be accounted of, whose breath is in his nostrils, whose heart departeth from the Lord, whose hope is in the Lord his God, whose hope the Lord is, with all thine heart
Psalm 146:5. Happy is he that hath the God of Jacob for his help, whose hope is in the Lord his God:
‘Come Monday, everything will be all right. Come Monday, I’ll be holding you tight.’ Ah friends, just hoping that this Monday morning in this crazy year of 2020, we’ll be holding on tightly to Jesus and nobody else, because, as we can see from the confusion that’s currently reigning, there’s no one else that we can trust to tell us the truth in these troubled times.
That’s why the psalmist wisely warned us so long ago. ‘Put not your trust in princes, nor in the son of man (a human being), in whom there is no help (salvation). His breath goeth forth (his spirit departs, he dies), he returneth to his earth; in that very day his thoughts perish.’ (Ps. 146:3-4) Yeh friends, once the prince, or the human being dies, all his thoughts perish with him, and he is no longer of any real use to you, can’t offer any advice or do anything for you.
As Isiah concurs with the palmist. ‘Cease ye from man, whose breath is in his nostrils, for wherein is he to be accounted of?’ (Is. 2:22) Good question my brethren. And Jeremiah puts it this way: ‘Thus saith the Lord; cursed be the man that trusteth in man (man’s strength), and maketh flesh his arm, and whose heart departeth from the Lord. For he shall be like the heath (a shrub) in the desert, and shall not see when good cometh; but shall inhabit the parched places in the wilderness, in a salt land and not inhabited.’ (Jer. 17:5-6)
Yuh see what trusting mankind brings? And I think that should be enough scripture for now to show us that trusting in mankind is definitely not wisdom. However, listen as the psalmist continues: ‘Happy is he that hath the God of Jacob for his help, whose hope is in the Lord his God:’ (Ps. 146:5)
Brother, oh brother! What wisdom! And Jeremiah corroborates it when he proclaims the blessedness of trusting the Lord. ‘Blessed is the man that trusteth in the Lord, and whose hope the Lord is. For he shall be as a tree planted by the waters, and that spreadeth out her roots by the river, and shall not see (fear) when heat cometh, but her leaf shall be green; and shall not be careful (anxious) in the year of drought, neither shall cease from yielding fruit.’ (Jer. 17:7-8)
Ah mih people, who else can make those kinds of true and faithful promises eh? Nobody but the Lord God Jehovah; He of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob! That’s why He’s the ONLY person we should put our total trust in, because He’s the ONLY One with the power, might and whatever else it takes to bring us successfully through the valley of the shadow of death and the storms of life that constantly buffet and harry us!
And that’s the gospel truth, for hear what Jeremiah says about the human condition. ‘The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked (incurably sick): who can know it?’ (Jer. 17:9) Only God alone! For He says: ‘I the Lord search the heart, I try (test) the reins (mind, the most secret parts), even to give every man according to his ways, and according to the fruit of his doings (his deeds).’ (Jer. 17:10)
Yes my brethren, I hope those scriptures were sufficient to have us thinking in a wise and godly manner, re putting too much trust in mankind. But just in case it wasn’t, here is some lagniappe from Cousin Sol. (smile) ‘Trust in the Lord with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding. In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct (guide) thy paths.
Be not wise in thine own eyes: fear the Lord, and depart from evil. It shall be health to thy navel (body), and marrow (strength) to thy bones. Honour the Lord with thy substance (possessions), and with the first fruits of all thine increase: So shall thy barns be filled with plenty, and thy presses (vats) shall burst out with new wine.’ (Prov. 3:5-10)
I rest my case friends. We’ll let the Holy Spirit work those scriptures into your spirit now. I’ve done all I can. Oh sorry, there’s one more thing I can do, (smile) that’s lead us in prayer, our Monday Morning Battle Hymn, taking all our problems to God in prayer, as He desires us to do. So altogether now in strong voice, in humble confidence:
‘Our Father, who art in heaven, we, Your humble servants, praise Your Holy Name and thank You that this Monday morning we’re alive and standing in faith despite the mass confusion that’s currently prevailing in our world. We desperately need Your divine help, for You are the ONLY ONE with the power to solve our many problems; the pandemic of Covid -19, the racial, political, and religious strife that’s ignited worldwide, plus the natural disasters like storms, famine, drought, plagues, climate change, wildfires, earthquakes and erupting volcanoes that suddenly seem to be blossoming more and more as time goes by.
Heavenly Father, we admit that we have all sinned and seriously come short in obedience and compliance to Your Word, but we know that You are a merciful, forgiving and gracious God, and You have 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, ordinary folks, as well as our leaders, employers and medical personnel, wise guidance and direction to bring our problems under control.
And for those who are currently suffering from the many negative situations, we pray that You will ease their suffering and heal them. Father, 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!’
And please remember the Lord is searching our hearts to see if we’re since about that repentance, and it’s not just talk. So we have to make good our vows. Much LOVE!
…trust can only be earned through faithfulness…and in this fallen world…ONLY the Lord God Jehovah is truly faithful…
07 Oct 2020
by randyobrien50
in Christian Thoughts and Inspiration., Daily Devotion, Daily Inspiration, Inspirational Living, Spiritual Living
Tags: a wet and dreary looking morning, an accurate perception, avoid the pitfalls, becoming spiritually stronger, being fruitful in every good work, delivered us from, do not cease to pray fro you, either heaven or hell, Epaphras, ever coming to know the Lord better, everlastingly mighty, filled with the knowledge of God's will, forbearing the faults of others, foundering on the rocks of total disaster, giving thanks unto the Father, God's generous grace and mercy, halfway home, hands fixed on the plough, happiness, have Jesus for our Comforter, immorality, in practical situations, in the comfort of heaven, increasing in the knwoledge of god, into the kingdom of his dear Son, into the true nature of things, joyfulness, live in darkness, long-suffering, LOVE, made us meet, mire of quicksand, misery, morality, my eyes are fixed straight ahead, not a static understanding, not turning back, nothing can stop us, our faith doesn't grow, partakers of the inheritance, pateince, persevering through problems, productive in Christian service, run some errands, sincerely expressing gratitude to god, spiritual food, spiritual understanding, strife and sickness, the breath of life, the misery of hell, the people perish, the pleasant and unpleasant experiences of life, the power of darkness, the skillful application of wisdom, the storms of life, to a glorious future with Jesus, translated us, two ways to live out eternity, unto all pateince, unto all pleasing, walk worthy of the Lord, wallowing in the mire, we can ever ask or imagine, Wednesday Wail, wisdom, with Jesus beside us we are invincible, without a visison, withstand the wiles of the devil
Colossians 1:10. That ye might walk worthy of the Lord unto all pleasing, being fruitful in every good work, and increasing in the knowledge of God;
Chuh man! It’s a wet and dreary looking Wednesday morning in my neck of the woods! But it would not really matter to me if I didn’t have to go out the street later to run some errands. Let’s hope the rain stops by then. But be that as it may, the most important thing though is that we are alive and kicking, meaning that there’s work for us to do, and we have Jesus for our Comforter, Guide and Saviour! Glory Be!
That means nothing can stop us, because when He’s walking beside us we’re unstoppable, invincible and everlastingly mighty! (smile) That’s the power He has and so generously shares with us. Give Him some much deserved thanks and praise my fellow saints!
And today I think we should take a look at Bruh Paul’s prayer for the church at Colossae, a church and people he had never seen but had heard of their problems from his friend in ministry, Epaphras, who had planted the church. Now hear his prayer: ‘For this cause we also, since the day we heard it, do not cease to pray for you, and to desire that ye might be filled with the knowledge of his will in all wisdom and spiritual understanding;’ (Col. 1:9) Please notice the first thing Bruh Paul desires for the Colossians; ‘a knowledge of God’s will in all wisdom and spiritual understanding.’ Not clothes, or food or money or some material stuff, but spiritual food.
And the scholars explain that verse thus:‘1:9. Wisdom is an accurate perception into the true nature of things. Understanding is the skillful application of this wisdom in practical situations.’ And oh my people, how insanely important it is in these perilous and troubled times for us all to pray for wisdom and understanding; the knowledge of truth and how to practically apply it, because we definitely lack it right here and now, when we need it most, that’s why we are foundering on the rocks of total disaster!
Remember, without a vison, the people perish. (Prov. 29:18a) That’s Cousin Sol’s wisdom, and there certainly doesn’t seem to be any revelation of God’s will, and thus a morality based on it, in our current society. That’s why we are now wallowing in the mire of strife and sickness and sinking fast, like we’re in quicksand. And Bruh Paul continues: ‘That ye might walk worthy of the Lord unto all pleasing, being fruitful in every good work, and increasing in the knowledge of God;’(Col. 1:10)
Yeh friends, knowledge of God helps us to walk worthy of Him, and what Bruh Paul so desired for the Colossians, is also what we desperately need today. And not only a static understanding of our Lord and God, but even more importantly, an ever increasing and growing knowledge that will enable us to stay on the straight and narrow path.
And Bruh Paul then breaks it down: ‘Strengthened with all might, according to his glorious power, unto all patience and long suffering with joyfulness; Giving thanks unto the Father, which hath made us meet (qualified us) to be partakers of the inheritance of the saints in (the) light: Who hath delivered us from the power of darkness, and hath translated (transformed) us into the kingdom of his dear Son (the Son of His LOVE):’ (Col. 1:11-13) What a powerful message my brethren! One that we need ever so badly today, if we are going to avoid the many pitfalls that are heading our way.
But let’s hear the scholars now with some interesting explanations of all that wonderful scripture.‘1:10.This verse expresses the reason that in verse 9 Paul wants the Colossians to obtain a knowledge of God’s will. It is that they may walk (live) properly and fully please God. In Greek, the four explanatory participles of verses 10b-12 spell out and precisely define what a worthy walk entails: the believer is (1) fruitful in every good work, productive in Christian service; (2) constantly increasing in the knowledge of God, ever coming to know the Lord better; (3) always strengthened with all might, becoming spiritually stronger and stronger; and (4) in the habit of giving thanks, sincerely expressing gratitude to God in both the pleasant and unpleasant experiences in his life.’
Mama Mia! It’s definitely not an easy walk that Bruh Paul’s asking and praying for, but he knows, from his own personal experience, that the Lord won’t ask it of us and not give us His divine help to accomplish it. And sadly, that’s where many of us fall down. We don’t acquire the ever-increasing knowledge and wisdom of God and thus our faith doesn’t grow, so we’re not able to withstand the wiles and lies of the devil and the storms of life that naturally come against us.
Hear the scholars further: ‘1:11. Patience is persevering through problems, trials, tribulations, and so forth. Long-suffering is forbearing the faults and offences of others.’ But with ever increasing knowledge of God, and His generous grace and mercy, it is all possible. And some more from the scholars: ‘1:12. This verse also might be translated “thanking the Father, for He made us fit to share in the salvation belonging to the saints who are in the light.” Light is the ethical condition in which God’s children live, namely, that of spiritual understanding with its accompanying morality and happiness.’
And finally from the scholars.‘1:13. Darkness is the religious state in which unbelievers exist, namely, that of spiritual ignorance with its attending immorality and misery.’ Thus friends, I guess it all boils down to whether we want to live in darkness with immorality and misery, or in the light, with its attendant morality and happiness. We have to choose one or the other, we can’t live on the fence, as so many of us are trying to do. It’s either heaven or the world that eventually leads to hell, we can’t have both.
And in my humble opinion, heaven is indeed the better choice, although the pathway to it might be a tad more difficult. (smile) But as we keep on saying, if we choose heaven, God will give us the tools, the grace, mercy and wherewithal to make it safely and successfully. Now it’s up to you to choose your eternal destiny. But for those of us who have already chosen heaven, let’s go home now joyfully declaring (steups!) our Wednesday Wail, letting all and sundry know of our wonderful position in Christ Jesus.
In strong voice, with sincere hearts: ‘Wednesday, Wednesday, Wednesday: I’m so glad to be alive on this Wednesday! Wednesday, Wednesday, Wednesday: Thank God the breath of life is still flowing through me on this Wednesday! I am halfway home. My hands are fixed securely on the plough, and I’m not turning back. I’m not looking back at the past, not focusing on what has gone before. But my eyes are fixed straight ahead; straight ahead to a glorious future with Jesus. Glory Hallelujah!’
And if we stick it out to the end, the future will be indeed even more glorious than we can ever ask or imagine!Much LOVE!
…two ways to live out eternity…in the comfort of heaven…or the misery of hell…take your pick…
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