The Christian’s Call to Faith and Greater Intimacy with God!

11 Apr 2026 Leave a comment

by randyobrien50 in Christian Thoughts and Inspiration., Daily Devotion, Daily Inspiration, Inspirational Living, Spiritual Living Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Philippians 4:4.         Rejoice in the Lord always: and again I say, Rejoice.

And yes, on this fairly warm, spring time lazy-day Saturday, we have already reached double figures in the days of April! But didn’t we just celebrate Easter last week at the beginning of April?  Yes, but that should remind us how quickly the days are moving, and we have to get with them, especially in receiving Jesus as Lord and Saviour, unless we want to get lost in eternal separation from Almighty God.

 Many people are calling these the last days, and who knows if they are right, but just in case they are, we don’t want to be caught napping when Jesus returns. Remember He said He could return at any time, like a thief in the night, so we have to be prepared at all times for such an occasion. So let’s begin today by offering up our Lazy-Day Saturday Prayer with all sincerity and truth.

As one strong 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 that’s a prayer the Lord will always cherish and answer, because it means we want to get into greater intimacy with Him, and there’s nothing His heart desires more than intimacy with His greatest though very disobedient creation. (smile) So, if our words were sincere and heartfelt, then that peace, that calm and understanding that surpasses all human understanding will soon be flowing through us, bringing the best accoutrement or trimming for a fine lazy-day Saturday. (smile)

The only problem though is that we need to get intimate with our heavenly Father every day, not only on one day. And that’s why Bruh Paul, then resident in a Roman jail, wrote thus to the Philippians: ‘Rejoice in the Lord always: and again I say, Rejoice. Let your moderation (graciousness or gentleness) be known unto all men. Be careful (anxious) for nothing; but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God. And the peace of God which passeth all understanding, shall keep (guard) your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.’ (Phil. 44-7)

Now Bruh Paul says a lot in those 4 verses. First of all we need to be in a state of continual rejoicing. And as the scholars explain: ‘This command to rejoice at all times and in all circumstances is nothing less than a call to faith. For if the Christian believes that his life and all its circumstances are in the hands of a sovereign, wise, and LOVING God who is always working to accomplish good for him, then he can indeed ‘rejoice always.’ Wow! What a call to faith indeed!

And as per moderation, the scholars tell us that ‘The believer who is at peace with his fellow Christian (vs.2) and who rejoices always (vs.4) is indeed a gracious, reasonable person.’ You can’t help but be gracious under those circumstances! Then ‘The Lord is at hand means two things. First, His return to earth is near. His imminent coming as judge encourages the Christian to be “gracious” unto all men, for He will judge the believer for all his actions toward all people, and will avenge all wrongs committed by others against him.

Second, the Lord is at hand spiritually. The Lord’s being presently near should free the Christian from fear and anxiety. Hence the command of verse 6.’ And that says, be careful for nothing, meaning don’t worry about anything. And per the scholars. ‘The Lord’s nearness (vs.5b) leads Paul to forbid his readers from worrying. This is no summons to irresponsibility or an invitation to dismiss legitimate concern. The solution to undue anxiety is prayer in every thing, “in any matter of life.”

The way to be free of anxiety is to be prayerful about everything. However, while God is eager to hear our requests, they are to be accompanied with thanksgiving.’ Meanwhile, The peace of God is that tranquility of mind that frees the believer from fear and worry. And  the peace which passeth all understanding means (1) peace divinely bestowed in times of anxiety, so wonderful that it exceeds one’s ability to understand it; and (2) God’s peace far surpassing one’s own understanding of the problem, and His ability to cope with and solve it.’

Yes friends, that peace which comes from our God is truly magnificent and is certainly above our level of understanding. And I like how this commentary explains it. ‘The “peace that passes all understanding” is a profound, divine tranquility that transcends human logic and emotional reasoning, shielding hearts and minds from anxiety, as described in Philippians 4:7. This inner calm is seen as a gift from God, often experienced during extreme challenges when human understanding would dictate fear.’

And isn’t that the awesome truth! When fear captures our souls, there’s nothing like the peace of God to drive it away! But as Bruh Paul assures us, that will not happen unless we cultivate that intimacy, that prayer with thanksgiving, the moderation with which we live our daily lives, and not being devastated by worry, especially in crucial and critical times like we’re now experiencing.

And from a practical standpoint, Bruh Paul then offers these recommendations. ‘Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest (noble), whatsoever things are just, whatsoever thigs are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise (anything praiseworthy), think (meditate) on these things. Those things which ye have both learned, and received, and heard, and seen in me, do: and the God of peace shall be with you.’ (Phil. 4:8-9)

And yes my fellow believers, it’s all easier said than done, but the Lord has already granted us all the tools we need to do it, we just need to become passionate and put them into action. Now that’s something we ought to ponder, to seriously consider this lazy-day Saturday. How are we using the tools God gave us, and what benefit, if any, are we deriving from them? Then ask the Lord to help us do better, for we all have room for improvement! Much LOVE!

…only as we grow closer to God…can we experience all that He has in store for us…

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

The Overwhelming Importance of Believers truly having the Peace of God ruling in Their Hearts.

03 Oct 2024 Leave a comment

by randyobrien50 in Christian Thoughts and Inspiration., Daily Devotion, Daily Inspiration, Inspirational Living, Spiritual Living Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Colossians 3:15a.       And let the peace of God rule in your hearts,

Wow! Is it really Thursday already? I can’t believe it. The week just began …and it’s already almost at an end. (smile) Something curious and serious is happening in the world; time and weather are moving along in extreme circumstances. The well-planned and hitherto normal cycles of God’s universe have been seriously disturbed by mankind; thus we are suffering the negative effects of their disruption. And that’s why they say B.S. baffles brains! (smile) 

Believe me though, there’s a lot of heifer dust out there that’s baffling the brains of many, else why would our world be in such a sad state of unbelief and heathenism eh? Why are we refusing to accept the truth of Jesus and His gospel, which leads to salvation and eternal life, but believing Beelzebub and his B.S. which leads to hell fire, damnation and eternal separation from God? 

Oh my people, in these trying times, which might just be the last days of the church age, we need the truth of Jesus more desperately than ever before, because of the great number of deadly and negative distractions fighting for our minds, bodies and souls. And Jesus is the only one who can bring us the kind of peace and understanding we need to handle all the unfortunate stuff that’s currently wreaking havoc in our world. That’s why, Jesus, before He left earth, reassured us with these encouraging words: ‘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) 

Yes friends, when we have the peace that Jesus gives, which is nothing like what the world offers as peace, we don’t need to be troubled or afraid. That’s also why Bruh Paul wrote these words of encouragement and warning to the church at Philippi. ‘Rejoice in the Lord always: and again I say rejoice. Let your moderation (gentleness) be known unto all men. The Lord is at hand. Be careful (anxious) for nothing; but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your request be made known unto God. And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep (guard) your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.’ (Phil. 4:5-7) 

And that’s all ever so true my fellow believers! If we are saved and our names are written in the Lamb’s Book of Life, then that’s more than sufficient cause to rejoice. And when we rejoice, we will most likely be gracious and reasonable with our fellow believers. 

And I like how the scholars explain the Lord is at hand. They say it means two things; ‘His return to earth is near. His imminent coming as judge encourages the Christian to be “gracious” unto all men, for He will judge the believer for all of his actions toward all people, and will avenge all wrongs committed by others against him. Second, “the Lord is at hand” spiritually. The Lord’s being presently near should free the Christian from fear and anxiety. Hence the command of verse 6. Be careful for nothing.’ 

Yes my people, when we hold close to Jesus and carry everything to him in prayer, with thanksgiving, we don’t need to worry about all the stuff that’s happening to and around us. And as the scholars remind us, ‘This is no summons to irresponsibility or an invitation to dismiss legitimate concerns.’ Not at all. We have to still be on our p’s and q’s but not given to overall worry, since God’s peace is with us. As the scholars describe it. ‘That tranquility of mind that frees the believer from fear and worry.’ 

And it passes all understanding because ‘it’s a peace that’s divinely bestowed in times of anxiety, so wonderful that it exceeds one’s ability to understand it.’ It also means that God’s peace far surpasses our understanding, and He is thus able to handle and solve our problems better than us. 

And this commentary gives us a brief, simple, but excellent idea of what’s meant by the peace of God that passes all understanding. It says: ‘This is a peace that transcends, outdoes, surpasses, excels, rises above, goes beyond and over the top of any other kind of peace. The implication is that people may try to find peace in other places, but there is no peace like the peace of God.’ And that’s no lie my brethren! There’s definitely no peace like that of our great God! 

That’s also why Bruh Paul in writing to the Colossians about putting on the new man in Christ, included this verse. ‘And let the peace of God rule in your hearts, to the which also ye are called in one body, and be ye thankful.’ (Col. 3:15) Obviously the peace of God is very important for believers to possess if they are to be successful in living a truly Christian life, and spreading the gospel of Christ to all nations, to all the earth. 

And our God, who is so wise and wonderful, and knows all our needs, even gave us undeserved blessings to help us do just that. We call them our Thursday Blessings, so let’s declare (ah Lord eh!!!) them, so that they can be activated in our souls and spirits. 

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 made that declaration (yesss!!!) it now behooves us to go out and use those blessings to help others, just as generously as the Lord shared them with us! Much LOVE!

…if the peace of God truly ruled in the hearts of believers…His church would not be so divided and in such chaos…

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