26 Mar 2025
by randyobrien50
in Christian Thoughts and Inspiration., Daily Devotion, Daily Inspiration, Inspirational Living, Spiritual Living
Tags: a true child of God, according to his riches in glory, all things work together for good, be of good cheer, be strong and of a good courage, be strong faithful and persevering, but of power love and a sound mind, called according to His purpose, carest thou not that we perish, Christ has given us the victory, christianity, do not fear, ever so glad to have Jesus, faith, faith is the antidote for fear, fear of life, God has not given us a spirit of fear, God is with us wherever we go, God shall supply all your needs, God's promised to look after us, halfway home, hands on the plough, he arose and rebuked the wind, he said unto them, He will not fail thee neither forsake thee, holy spirit, how is it that ye have no faith, I am with thee, i have overcome the world, I will help thee, I will uphold thee with the right hand of my righteousness, in me ye might have peace, in the world ye shall have tribulation, Jesus Christ, live in faith and in peace, LOVE, mercy, my eyes are fixed straight ahead, navigate through anything successfully, no need to fear, not looking back at the past, not turning back, our second wind day, peace be still, said unto the sea, salvation, satisfy all our needs, spiritual maturity, strange weather, thank God, the BIBLE, the breath of life is still flowing through me, the Lord thy God goeth before thee, the Navigator of All navigators, the wind ceased, there was a great calm, these things I have spoken unto you, to a glorious future with Jesus, to them that love God, truth, turbulent times, victory, Wednesday Wail, while we were yet sinners christ died for us, why are ye so fearful, wisdom, with Jesus at our helm, work everything out for our good
Mark 4:40. And he said unto them, why are ye so fearful? how is it that ye have no faith?
And then it was Wednesday, our second wind day, but the weather is certainly strange. Earlier on, there was some sunshine with clouds in the background, then some small white pieces of stuff began falling, then that went away after a few minutes, then the sun came out, then the clouds took over. Right now, at midday, it’s a mixture of cloud and sun, with who knows what’s going to happen next.
But that’s why we’re ever so glad to have Jesus! I say it every day, because whatever comes our way, whether it’s weatherwise or finances or sickness, or anything the evil and ungodly world throws at us, with Jesus at our helm, we will be able to navigate through it successfully, because He is the Navigator of All Navigators! Rocks and storms and strong winds or anything else are no problem for Him, because He is the One that created them all, and consequently can control them however He wants to.
Remember that marvellous and miraculous moment when Jesus was asleep in the stern of the boat as He crossed the Sea of Galilee with His disciples, when a big storm rose up and threatened to sink the boat, but Jesus remained calmly sleeping. The disciples in great fear, woke him up, asking ‘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 said unto them, why are ye so fearful? how is it that ye have no faith?’ (Mark 4:38-40)
Now friends, that’s exactly what Jesus is asking of many of us in these tough and turbulent times because we are sorely afraid of what’s happening around us and what might happen to us. But if you are a true child of God, there’s no need to fear, for He’s promised to look after us, satisfy all of our needs, and to work everything out for our own good. And if you don’t believe me, then listen to these scriptures that promise divine aid and intervention. First off in Isaiah, the Lord Promises: ‘Fear thou not; for I am with thee; yea, I will help thee; yea, I will uphold thee with the right hand of my righteousness.’ (Is. 41:10) What more do we want eh my people?
Then there’s this other promise: ‘But my God shall supply all your need according to his riches in glory by Jesus Christ.’ (Phil. 4:19) What’s in that that we don’t understand eh? Then we have the granddaddy of all promises: ‘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) Now, He doesn’t say that we will never have any problems, but in the end, He will work out all those tough times and things for our good. We just have to be strong, faithful, patient and persevering despite what comes against us, knowing that our great and wonderful God is always with us, wherever we go.
And that’s one of the oldest promises in the Bible, for Moses encouraged the Israelites thus before he gave up the leadership of the group to Joshua. ‘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. 31:6) And the Lord also pounded it into the ears of Joshua when He made him the leader of the Israelites after the death of Moses. You can read that very clearly in Joshua 1:7-9. So that’s nothing new, we should all be well aware, believe and expect the Lord to be with us at ALL TIMES!
And would you believe that the words or idea of ‘do not fear,’ occur very often in the Bible, because we still have that latent fear of life, of the devil and all his accomplices, despite the many assurances of God to hold the opposite emotion of faith. That brings us to this most telling exhortation from Bruh Paul to Timothy, and rebuke to us, who should know better. He steadfastly proclaims: ‘For God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of LOVE, and of a sound (disciplined) mind.’ (2 Tim. 1:7)
So why is there so much fear today amongst supposed believers eh, if we weren’t given a spirit of fear by our God but one of strong faith, etc. etc.? Who knows? I guess we all have to speak for ourselves, but to my mind, too many of us have not reached that level of spiritual maturity where we stop being afraid of what the world and all its cohorts can do to us. Oh yes, we are concerned and do our best to help ourselves, but in the long run our help all comes from the God who LOVED us so much back in olden times, and still LOVES us a whole lot today, despite our disobedience and rebellious ways, that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.’ (Rom. 5:8)
Now, that ought to tell us a lot about the wonderful nature and character of our God. But I guess it doesn’t, else we would not be behaving in the fearful and ungodly manner in which we’re currently behaving. For if we were not fearful and afraid, the devil would not be holding the world in as tight a stranglehold as he is right now. That alone shows how fearful and afraid we supposed believers are, otherwise we’d be out there fighting the devil and his evil doings mano a mano, step for step, and winning the battle, because we have the victory already assured by Jesus, we only have to keep it going.
And there’s no better verse of scripture to encourage us than this one from Christ Himself. ‘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) Wow mih bredrin! What encouragement and reassurance it ought to be knowing that our Lord and Saviour, Jesus has already overcome the evil world of Satan, and there’s no need for us to live in fear, but in faith and in His peace.
Now, let’s go home declaring our Wednesday Wail to all sundry, letting them know of our wonderful position in Christ Jesus. As one strong and sincere voice: ‘Wednesday, Wednesday, Wednesday: I’m so glad to be alive on this Wednesday! Wednesday, Wednesday, Wednesday: Thank God the breath of life is still flowing through me on this Wednesday! I am halfway home. My hands are fixed securely on the plough, and I’m not turning back. I’m not looking back at the past, not focusing on what has gone before. But my eyes are fixed straight ahead; straight ahead to a glorious future with Jesus. Glory Hallelujah!’
And if you truly believe, then it’s also been promised that if we endure to the end with Christ, that future will be even more glorious than we can ask or imagine. So, let’s pledge to meet there at the very end and enjoy that more than glorious future together nuh! Much LOVE!
…when fear comes calling…send faith to answer…because faith is the only antidote for fear…
Hear our podcast at https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/randy-obrien
14 Mar 2025
by randyobrien50
in Christian Thoughts and Inspiration., Daily Devotion, Daily Inspiration, Inspirational Living, Spiritual Living
Tags: a means of restoring faith in you, all the days of your life, anxiety, as I was with Moses, backsliders, be not dismayed, be of good cheer I have overcome the world, be strong and of good courage, Bible, bring down trouble on me, cast thy burden upon the Lord, cause them to inheit it, christianity, confusion, crying out for help, dire need, discontent, dissatisfaction, divine aid, do not give up, experience builds our faith, faith, fear thou not, for I am with thee, Friday chant, get on the good foot, give ear to my prayer, he shall sustain thee, he will not fail thee, holy spirit, I am thy God, i have overcome the world, I will not fail thee nor forsake thee, I will strengthen you, I will trust in thee, I will uphold you, improve our witness for Christ, in me ye might have peace, in the world ye shall have tribulation, Jesus Christ, lawless times, learning God's word, LOVE, meditating on god's word, mercy, moan noisly, neither forsake thee, never permit the righteous to be moved, no man, omnipotent help, problems escalating, prosperity, putting God's word into action, reassuring scripture, salvation, simmering unrest, so will I be with thee, stand strong in the Lord, strong trust in God, success, surrender, TGIF! Thank God it's Friday!, the error of their ways, the example we faithful believers set, the Lord doth go before thee, the Lord thy God, the Lord thy God with thee whithersoever thou goest, the oppression of the wicked, the plea of the fearful, the right hand of my righteousness, the throne of grace, the troubles of life, the voice of the enemy, the weekend, these things I have spoken unto you, they cast iniquity upon me, times of trouble, trust in God, trusting faith, truth, uncertain times, unexpected storms, ungodly times, wisdom
John 16:33. ‘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.’
So, at long last it’s Friday, and we can all shout, ‘TGIF! Thank God it’s Friday!’ And it’s another beautiful, sunshiny one to start the weekend, with reasonable temperatures too. And, as Cousin James, James Brown, would enthusiastically shout: ‘Let’s get on the good foot!’ Yes friends, we need to begin taking our faith and our duties to it more seriously, especially in these lawless and chaotic times, for it’s only our surrender to and strong trust in Jehovah God that will get us through them.
These are very scary and uncertain times that not many of us have ever faced, but because we’ve had some experience with God in previous times of trouble, we do know that He will see us through, if we abide by His will and put our fate in His wonderful, helping and strengthening hands. And the Bible gives us a whole lot of those reassuring scriptures, verses like this one from Isaiah: ‘Fear thou not; for I am with thee: be not dismayed; for I am thy God: I will strengthen thee; yea, I will help thee; yea, I will uphold thee with the right hand of my righteousness.’ (Is. 41:10)
What a beautiful and reassuring verse of scripture my people! And even before that, Moses’ words when he turned over the leadership of Israel to Joshua is an inspiring scripture: “Moses said unto him in the sight of all Israel, Be strong and of good courage: for thou must go with this people unto the land which the Lord hath sworn unto their fathers to give them; and thou shalt cause them to inherit it. And the Lord, he it is that doth go before thee; he will be with thee, he will not fail thee, neither forsake thee: fear not, neither be dismayed.’ (Deut. 31:7-8)
And we know how the Lord Himself later on reiterated and pounded Moses’ words into Joshua’s ears after Moses died and he actually took over. First though, He promised Joshua: ‘There shall not any man be able to stand before thee all the days of thy life: as I was with Moses, so will I be with thee: I will not fail thee, nor forsake thee.’ (Josh. 1:5)
Now that’s a wonderful reassurance, but it also came with great responsibility, like we see in verses 7-9. Being strong and courageous and constantly meditating on God’s Word and putting it into practice was essential, because that is what would bring prosperity. And I just LOVE verse 9. ‘Have I not commanded thee? Be strong and of a good courage; be not afraid, neither be thou dismayed: for the Lord thy God is with thee whithersoever thou goest.’ (Josh. 1:9)
Oh my people, it couldn’t get any better than that! God Himself is still promising to be with us wherever we go if we put Him first place in our lives. And Bruh David also knew this, that’s why in Psalm 55, The Plea of the Fearful, he cries out: ‘Give ear to my prayer, O God; and hide not thyself from my supplication. Attend unto me, and hear me: I mourn (wander) in my complaint, and make a noise (moan noisily); because of the voice of the enemy, because of the oppression of the wicked: for they cast iniquity (bring down trouble) upon me, and in wrath they hate me.’ (Ps. 55:1-3)
And I know that many of us are feeling the same fearful way in these fearful times, and are calling out to God for help, and might not be receiving any. But I beg of you not to give up, for our God is faithful and if He promised it, He will do it. Instead, let’s do like Bruh David; after crying out his complaints to God, he says at the end of the psalm. ‘Cast thy burden upon the Lord, and he shall sustain thee: he shall never suffer (permit) the righteous to be moved (shaken). But thou, O God, shall bring them down into the pit of destruction: bloody (bloodthirsty) and deceitful men shall not live out half their days: but I will trust in thee.’ (Ps. 55:22-23)
And that last phrase there my brethren ‘but I will trust in thee,’ is probably the most important of all the psalm and of all the scriptures, for without total trust in Almighty God, nothing is going to work for us. Trust is the most important aspect of our walk with Him, because that’s what causes our faith and strength to rise up in times of trouble and uncertainty. We trust Him to look after us. So it’s obvious, that above all else, we need to build our trust in God if we hope to endure the trials and tribulations that will come against us.
However, that trust only comes from learning His Word and putting it in action, standing strong on it when the troubles of life hit, so we can gain the necessary experience that builds our faith. And there are many scriptures both in the Old and New Testaments that encourage us to stand strong in the Lord, but time will only permit us this last one. And it’s this marvellous one from Jesus Himself. ‘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)
Now, that’s something all of us should be working towards, having peace in Jesus despite the chaos around us. And to help us do it, let’s go to the throne of grace, through our Friday Chant, seeking divine aid in these times of dire 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 having said all of that, it now behooves us to improve our witness for Christ because it’s definitely not as good as it ought to be, and no divine aid will be forthcoming until we do better. Much LOVE!
…true prosperity and success can only be attained…by knowing God’s Word…and then actioning it in our lives…
Hear our podcast at https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/randy-obrien
03 Mar 2025
by randyobrien50
in Christian Thoughts and Inspiration., Daily Devotion, Daily Inspiration, Inspirational Living, Spiritual Living
Tags: a deep desire for personal righteousness, a fool, a new work week, a two way partnership with God, a word to the wise is sufficient, an evildoer, answer our prayers, anyone seeking to do evil against believers will fail, as a bride adorned for her husband, be of good cheer, be their God, burdensome, christianity, coming down from God out of heaven, confidence, conquering power, ease the pain, even our faith, every tongue that rises against you shall be condemned, evil and ungodly times, faith, faithfully keep your promise, find favour with God, God assures us of the victory, God himself shall be with them, God is sovereign, God shall wipe away all tears, God will dwell with them, have access to God, he that believes Jesus is the Son of God, his commandments are not grievous, holy spirit, humble ourselves, I am persuaded, i have overcome the world, I heard a great voice out of heaven, I John saw the holy city, in all these things, in me ye might have peace, in the world, Jehovah Rapha, Jesus Christ, Jesus' power over the world and the devil, LOVE, mass confusion in our world, mercy, neither sorrow, New Jerusalem, no more crying, no more death, no more pain, no weapon formed against us shall prosper, nor height nor depth, nor principalities nor powers, nor things present nor things to come, nothing shall separate us from the love of God, of the many suffering from negative situations, or any other creature, our daily attitude, place our sincere trust in Jesus, pray, responsibilities, salvation, show them your awesome grace and mercy, sincere repentance, sincerely seek your face, strong faith in Christ, strong trust in Christ, Thanks be to God, that neither death nor life nor angels, the BIBLE, the former things are passed away, the God who heals, the heritage of the servants of the Lord, the power to solve our many problems, the tabernacle of god is with men, the throne of grace, these things I have spoken unto you, they shall be his people, this is the love of God, through our Lord Jesus christ, to alleviate our problems, to prosper us, truth, turn from our evil ways, we are more than conquerors, we can handle whatever comes against us, we keep His commandments, whatsoever is born of God overcometh the world, who gives us the victory, who is he that overcometh the world, wisdom, wise guidance, you shall have tribulation
1 Corinthians 15:57. But thanks be to God, which giveth us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ!
Aye mih people, it’s a new Monday and a new work week, and who knows what joys and sorrows we will encounter this week, but be encouraged that with Jesus as our Lord and Saviour, we will be able to handle whatever comes against us with a strong trust and confidence in the One who strengthens us and provides for all of our needs! How did Bruh Paul put it in his first missive to the Corinthians? ‘But thanks be to God, which giveth us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ!’ (1 Cor. 15:57) And that’s a mighty big thanks my faithful brethren!
It’s such a big deal that there are several scriptures that attest to it. Verses like this magnificent encourager from Isaiah. ‘No weapon that is formed against thee shall prosper; and every tongue that shall rise against thee in judgement thou shalt condemn. This is the heritage of the servants of the Lord, and their righteousness is of (from) me, saith the Lord.’ (Is. 54:17) Now doesn’t that just your get your dander up and make you feel like you could face the world and beat it with God on your side! Of course! (smile)
But what does that mean? This commentary tells us: ‘Simply put, God was stating that anyone who is seeking to do evil against believers will fail. Though for a time it may seem that we are defeated in a situation, God assures us the victory.’ And that’s an attitude we need to walk around with every day my fellow believers.
Why? Because it plays right into this other well-known scripture, where Bruh Paul in writing to the Romans, about persecution befalling believers, states in no uncertain terms: ‘Nay, in all these things we are more than conquerors, through him that LOVED us. For I am persuaded, that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come, Nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the LOVE of God, which is in Christ Jesus.’ (Rom. 8:37-39)
Now that’s another noteworthy scripture that should be amongst our go to ones in times of doubt, trial and worry. Then John in his first epistle steadfastly proclaims: ‘For this is the LOVE of God, that we keep his commandments: and his commandments are not grievous (burdensome). For whatsoever is born of God overcometh the world: and this is the victory that overcometh the world, even our faith. Who is he that overcometh the world, but he that believeth that Jesus is the Son of God.’ (1 John 5:3-5)
Wow! What an uplifting scripture! And the scholars explain those verses thus: ‘Whatsoever refers to every believer born of God. There is conquering power through this confession because God is sovereign over the world, and only through the Son of God does man have access to and find favour with God.’ And who wouldn’t want to have access to God and find favour with Him eh? Only a fool or an evildoer.
Now we cannot go home without featuring these revolutionary words from Jesus Himself, that He issued when warning the disciples of coming persecution and hard times. ‘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) Yes friends and fellow believers, when we place our sincere trust in Jesus, then we can have peace and calm despite the trials and tribulations we might face, because His authority and power over the world and the devil, enables us to do it.
And we’ll close this Bit on the victories of God on our behalf through Christ Jesus, with the one that we’re all looking forward to. In the prophetic words of John the Revelator: ‘And I John saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down from God out of heaven, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband.
And I heard a great voice out of heaven saying, Behold, the tabernacle of God is with men, and he will dwell with them, and they shall be his people, and God himself shall be with them, and be their God. And God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes; and there shall be no more death, neither sorrow, nor crying, neither shall there be any more pain: for the former things are passed away.’ (Rev. 21:2-4)
It could not get any better than that my fellow saints! And after what I’ve been through these last few months, I for one am looking forward to the day when there will be no more pain! Yuh better believe it! (smile) Now, let’s go to the throne of grace in humble confidence seeking help to handle all that ails us in these evil and ungodly times.
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!’
But please, let’s remember that we’re in a two way partnership with God; He has responsibilities, and so do we, and to get His help, we need to better carry out ours. Nuff said! Much LOVE!
… a word to the wise is sufficient…
Hear our podcast at https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/randy-obrien
23 Sep 2024
by randyobrien50
in Christian Thoughts and Inspiration., Daily Devotion, Daily Inspiration, Inspirational Living, Spiritual Living
Tags: a tender planta man of sorrows, always abounding in the work of the Lord, an offence unto me, ascension, be of good cheer, be steadfast, Bible, borne our griefs, bruised for our iniquities, christianity, confidence, death, death is swallowed up in victory, faith, fellowship, fighting against oppression, freed from the agony of death, generous, get thee behind me Satan, god, God raised him from the dead, human rights, humble ourselves, humble servants, i have overcome the world, immortality, in me ye might have peace, in the world, in the world ye shall have tribulation, incorruption, inequality, Jehovah Rapha, Jesus Christ, justice, LOVE, mass confusion in our world, merciful, mercy, merry-go-round, o death where is thy sting, o grave where is thy victory, peace, pray, Redemption Sound steelband, resurrection, salvation, sincerely seek your face, smitten of God, Thanks be to God, the chastisement of our peace, the God who heals, the Prince of Peace, the Rapture, the sting of death is sin, the strength of sin is the law, the things of God, the things of men, the throne of grace, the zeal of the Lord of hosts, these things I have spoken unto you, through our Lord Jesus christ, to God the Father, truth, turn from our evil ways, unto us a son is given, victorious over death, who gives us the victory, wisdom, with his stripes we are healed, worship, your labour is not in vain
1 Corinthians 15:57. But thanks be to God, which giveth us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.
And the weekly merry-go-round of workdays, begins again with another Monday on our plate. But we’re not afraid, worried or anxious about it in the least, for we have been well rested and renewed in the strength of our faith through worship and fellowship. That means we have every confidence that we can handle Monday and whatever it brings against us, like the rainy and cloudy start to the day! And Jesus reminds us of that awesome power when He says: ‘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 so He has! His death, resurrection and ascension assure us of victory over the world. And this commentary gives us a brief, insightful look into what that means. ‘Jesus proved then and there that He was victorious over death. The grave could not hold him. Acts 2:24 says it this way: “But God raised Him from the dead, freeing him from the agony of death, because it was impossible for death to keep its hold on Him.” No one should be surprised. Jesus had been saying this all along.”
Yes, He had been telling the disciples that He must die, then rise again, although they did not fully understand His meaning, and Peter quite boldly told Him that that would never happen. Then Jesus famously rebuked Peter: ‘Get thee behind me, Satan: thou art an offence unto me: for thou savourest not (are not mindful of) the things that be of God, but those that be of men.’ (Matt. 16:21-23)
Then there are these famous words of Bruh Paul to the Corinthians re Jesus’ victory over death. ‘So, when this corruptible (body) shall have put on incorruption, and this mortal (body) shall have put on immortality (through the Rapture of the church), then shall be brought to pass the saying that is written, Death is swallowed up in victory.
O death, where is thy sting? O grave, where is thy victory? The sting of death is sin; and the strength of sin is the law. But thanks be to God, which giveth us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ. Therefore, my beloved brethren, be ye steadfast, unmoveable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, forasmuch as ye know that your labour is not in vain (futile) in the Lord.’ (1 Cor. 15:54-58)
Yes, my fellow believers, that victory of Christ over hell, death and the grave ought to encourage and reassure us to stand strong and steadfast in Christ, doing His work with all diligence and excellence! That’s sacrificing where necessary, being generous, merciful, compassionate, LOVING and kind, fighting against oppression and inequality, for justice and human rights, because when we live that way, when we allow the fruit of the Spirit to flourish in us, then are we true disciples, and will be well rewarded in due course of time.
And just to show how Bruh Paul was a master of putting scriptures together to suit his purpose, that verse above ‘Death is swallowed up in victory,’ comes from Isaiah 25:8. And the one about ‘O death, where is thy sting?’ comes from Hosea 13:14, which simply means that in many cases, the New Testament is a reflection of the Old Testament, except that in the former, Jesus is formally introduced to fulfill the Old Testament Prophecies.
One of which was to conquer sin and death. As Isaiah so confidently tells us of Jesus’ birth: ‘For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given: and the government shall be upon his shoulder: and his name shall be called Wonderful, Counsellor, the mighty God, the Everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace. Of the increase of his government and peace there shall be no end, upon the throne of David, and upon his kingdom, to order it, and to establish it with judgement and with justice from henceforth for ever. The zeal of the Lord of hosts will perform this.’ (Is. 9:6-7)
And the zeal of the Lord certainly gave us the incarnate Son of God, the Messiah, when the time was right! And Isaiah also prophesied of Jesus tough earthly days and His excruciating death characterizing Him as a Man of Sorrows. ‘Who hath believed our report? and to whom is the arm (power) of the Lord revealed? For he shall grow up before him as a tender plant, and as a root out of a dry ground: he hath no form (stately form) nor comeliness (splendour); and when we shall see him, there is no beauty (appearance) that we should desire him.
He is despised and rejected of (forsaken by) men; a man of sorrows (pains), and acquainted with grief (sickness): and we hid as it were our faces from him; he was despised, and we esteemed him not. Surely he hath borne our griefs (sickness), and carried our sorrows (pains): yet we did esteem (reckon) him stricken, smitten of (struck down by) God, and afflicted. But he was wounded (pierced through) for our transgressions, he was bruised (crushed) for our iniquities: the chastisement (correction, discipline) of our peace was upon him; and with his stripes (the wounds he suffered) we are healed.’ (Is. 53:1-5)
And we know that all of that was fulfilled in Jesus’ life, as well as the other verses that we don’t have time for, that explained Him being like A Lamb to the Slaughter (Is. 53:6-9), and An Offering for Sin, verses 10-12. So, from the beginning of the Bible, right to the very end, it’s all a Testament to Jesus and His marvellous work on mankind’s behalf. Therefore, with that in mind, let’s go to the throne of grace seeking divine aid.
Altogether: ‘Our Father, who art in heaven, we, Your humble servants, praise Your Holy Name and thank You this Monday morning for life and strong faith in Christ, despite the mass confusion in our world. Heavenly Father, You are the ONLY ONE with the power to solve our many problems. Yes, we have all sinned and seriously disobeyed Your Word, but You are a merciful, forgiving and gracious God, who has faithfully promised to hear and answer our prayers when we humble ourselves, pray, and sincerely seek Your face.
So, we come to You now, with sincere repentance in our hearts, pleading for wise guidance and direction to alleviate our problems. Oh Father, please ease the pain of the many suffering from negative situations, show them Your awesome grace and mercy. And faithfully keep Your promise to prosper us if we turn from our evil ways. Show this evil world that You are indeed Jehovah Rapha; the God who heals! We pray this in the holy and blessed name of Your Son, our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ! Amen! And again, we say: Amen!’
And as our prayer reminds us, the necessary requirements for divine aid are humbling ourselves, praying, sincerely seeking God’s face and turning from our evil ways! Much LOVE!
…to God the Father be the glory…for giving us redemption through Christ Jesus…
Hear our podcast at https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/randy-obrien
18 Jun 2024
by randyobrien50
in Christian Thoughts and Inspiration., Daily Devotion, Daily Inspiration, Inspirational Living, Spiritual Living
Tags: a calmitous and fearful place, artificial intelligence, be not afraid, be of good cheer, be strong and of a good courage, Bible, but of power love and a sound mind, christianity, climate change, crapaud smoke we pipe, deception, faith, god, God has not given us the spirit of fear, heat waves, holy spirit, hurry, I am the beloved of god, i have overcome the world, if any man will come after me, in god's eyes, in me ye might have peace, in the world ye shall have tribulation, Jesus, Jesus Christ, keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus, know the Word of God, let him deny himself, let not your heart be troubled, live the abundant life, LOVE, make thy way prosperous, misinformation, my peace I give unto you, natural disasters, neither be thou dismayed, not as the world gives, observe to do all that's written therein, Peace i leave with you, self-sacrifice, share His love with my neighbours, social media, sshall not depart out of thy mouth, take up his cross daily and follow me, that passes all understanding, the dustbin of history, the Father is with me, the Lord thy God is with thee, the peace of God, these things I have spoken unto you, thsi book of the law, tread very carefully, trust my friend Jesus, truth, Tuesday Mantra, wisdom, worry, yet I am not alone
2 Timothy 1:7. For God has not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of LOVE, and of a sound (disciplined) mind.
And then it was Tuesday…another Monday lost in the dustbin of history! And some of you are saying, ‘Thank the Lord!’ (smile) Anyway, according to my computer it’s going to very hot in my area again today with another strong, warm wind blowing it’s way through. But that’s what we expect from summer…well, except the continual strong winds. Right now though, too many places around the globe are having unexpected heat waves and unexpected rainfall, and other natural disasters, like tornadoes, earthquakes and volcano eruptions, very valid signs of climate change.
And those things, in conjunction with the strife-filled disasters that we ourselves have wrought, do serve to make our world a very calamitous and fearful place. That means one has to tread very carefully and examine everything we see and hear in a thorough manner just to ensure that it’s the truth and we’re not being deceived, as deception is rampant nowadays. Yes friends, with all the new technology, things like social media and Artificial Intelligence (AI) the stuff out there is very deceptive, slanted to either provide misinformation, or is often totally untrue.
That’s why believers must know the Word of God, so that they can protect themselves from the constant onslaught, the constant barrage of information being thrown at us in this Information Age. And the first thing we must know is that we’re not supposed to be afraid of engaging this world, for as Bruh Paul spells out in his message to Timothy, and consequently to us: ‘For God has not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of LOVE, and of a sound (disciplined) mind.’ (2 Tim. 1:7)
Now that’s a very powerful scripture for us to hold on to, because it drives away the constant fear that so many people right now posses in this turbulent and chaotic world. And then, to bolster those memorable words of Bruh Paul to Timothy, there are these wonderful soul-easing, reassuring words of Jesus, promising His divine peace, that He spoke to the disciples when telling them of the coming of the Comforter, the Holy Spirit, after He went away. ‘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 note friends, that the peace which our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ gives us is not like what the world calls peace. No! His peace is a higher kind of peace; one that is above the understanding of mankind. As Bruh Paul wrote to the Philippians: ‘And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep (guard) your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.’ (Phil. 4:7) Now that’s the kind of peace we have when we sincerely embrace Jesus and continually meditate on His word.
And I particularly like this promise of peace that He gave to the disciples later on just before His crucifixion. He said to them: ‘Behold the hour cometh, yea, is now come, that ye shall be scattered, every man to his own, and shall leave me alone: and yet I am not alone, because the Father is with me. 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 16:32-33)
Wow! What reassuring and uplifting words from our Lord and Saviour! Though we will certainly have tribulation in this evil and ungodly world, we ought not to be fearful, but be of good cheer, because through His death and resurrection He’s conquered the world! And though Jesus knew that all His followers would desert Him in the upcoming rough days, He was assured of His heavenly Father’s company. Likewise my brethren, when we put our sincere and total trust in Christ, we can also be assured that whatever is happening to us in this crazy and disaster-filled world, we are not alone, but have His holy and reassuring presence right there with us, helping us to handle whatever is troubling us.
Oh friends, Jesus never said that following Him would be easy, in fact He knew and said that it would be difficult. Just listen to the requirements for being one of His disciples nuh. ‘If any man will (desires to) come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily and follow me.’ (Luke 9:23) Now that’s indeed a rough row to hoe; being always ready for self-sacrifice and daily bearing one’s cross. But just as the Father never left Jesus alone in His earthly tribulation, Jesus will never leave us alone in ours, but will always help us to do His will.
And that’s where our faith comes in. All that we’ve spoken so far does not become real from little faith, but needs strong faith to carry them through. That’s why we need to spend much time in the word of God, also praying and talking to Him, so that our faith can be bolstered. And there’s no better direction on that than these words of the Lord to Joshua when He made him leader of the Israelites after the death of Moses. In no uncertain terms, the Lord said to Joshua:
‘This book of the law shall not depart out of (shall constantly 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. Have I not commanded thee? Be strong and of a good courage; be not afraid, neither be thou dismayed: for the Lord thy God is with thee whithersoever thou goest.’ (Josh. 1:8-9)
Oh my fellow believers there could be no better encouragement than that! But it’s up to each one of us to take it and work with it to achieve the plans God has for us, otherwise, crapaud smoke we pipe! It’s as simple as that! Now for those of us who are actively trying to live for Christ, let’s go home declaring (awright!!!) our Tuesday Mantra, letting the whole world know to whom we belong, lock, stock and barrel.
As one strong and sincere voice: ‘In God’s eyes, I’m not what I do. I’m not what I have. I’m not what people say about me. I am the beloved of God, that’s who I am. No one can take that from me. I don’t have to worry. I don’t have to hurry. I can trust my friend Jesus and share His LOVE with my immediate neighbours, as well as with the whole wide world! Glory be!’
And having said that, it now behooves us to go out and share the amazing LOVE and friendship of Christ with others, so that they too can come to know and LOVE Him like we do! Much LOVE!
…only by meditating on God’s word…then actioning it…can we truly live the abundant life…that Christ died for us to have…
Hear our podcast at https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/randy-obrien
17 Mar 2023
by randyobrien50
in Christian Thoughts and Inspiration., Daily Devotion, Daily Inspiration, Inspirational Living, Spiritual Living
Tags: a mature Christian, as the sparks fly, be of good cheer I have overcome the world, bring backsliders back to your fold, children of the Most High God Jehovah, every tongue that rises against you shall be condemned, every word of God is pure, Friday chant, full of trouble, growing in faith, he is a shield unto them that trust him, He shall cover thee with his feathers, his truth shall be thy shield and buckler, in me ye might have peace, in the world ye shall have tribulation, introduce a new flock of believers, LOVE, man is born unto trouble, man that is born of woman is of few days, no weapon that is formed aganst thee shall prosper, omnipotent help, pandemic, siblings of Jesus Christ, simmering unrest, TGIF! Thank God is Friday, the devil's advocate, the error of their ways, the heritage of the servants of the Lord, the Holy Spirit of Christ, the weather mavens, their righteousness is from me, these things I have spoken unto you, thou O Lord art a shield for me, trusting faith, under his wings shall thou take refuge, unexpected storm, wake up and smell the coffee, wise gudiance
Job 14:1. Man that is born of a woman is of few days, and full of trouble.
And though it’s a wet, cloudy day, we all still shouted ‘TGIF! Thank God is Friday and the work week done!’ Yes, the work week is finally finished, but for some reason or other the lasts few Fridays have all seen bad weather, although the previous days in the week have been fine, bright and sunshiny. I guess because we are so into Friday, the weather mavens are playing the devil’s advocate with us, trying to put a spoke into our wheel on one of the days we look forward to. (smile)
But little do they know that we can handle anything they throw at us because were the siblings of Jesus Christ, children of the Most High God Jehovah; Creator of heaven, earth and all therein! Yes friends, the devil and his evil cronies might try to make life difficult for us but when we’re imbued with the Holy Spirit of Christ, our Lord and Saviour, as well as our Big Brother, our High Priest, Advocate, Intercessor and whatever else we need, then we can handle ANYTHING that comes against us in His mighty name!
How did the prophet Isaiah put it so long ago? ‘No weapon that is formed against thee shall prosper; and every tongue that shall rise against thee in judgement thou shalt condemn. This is the heritage of the servants of the Lord, and their righteousness is of (from) me, saith the Lord.’ (Is. 54:17) Ah my people, what a strong, stalwart, ever-faithful and LOVING God we serve! If He says it, then we can be assured that we will be protected and come out the victor in the end!
Now, this doesn’t mean we won’t be attacked or be struck by a weapon, for we will have trials and tribulations, tests and sufferings of many kinds, for as Job so rightly says a couple times: ‘Yet man is born unto trouble (toil), as the sparks fly upward.’ (Job 5:7) And again: ‘Man that is born of a woman is of few days, and full of trouble.’ (Job 14:1) Then Jesus said it very clearly: ‘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)
So friends, it’s not that we won’t be attacked or suffer unjustly, but the promise is that NONE of the negative stuff that we encounter will PROSPER against us! In the end we will certainly be victorious! And that’s a very useful promise to hold on to, especially in these very rough and trying times, where our world suddenly seems to have gone crazy with all sorts of negative things happening all at once. Yes, some days it is difficult to stay faithful, but with each day that you do so, your faith in Christ grows, and life becomes a li’l easier for you to handle.
And that’s what we need to concentrate on; growing our faith, becoming more mature Christians, and thus better able to handle the vicissitudes, that’s the changes, variations and vagaries of this evil and ungodly world. To do that successfully though, means we must know the scriptures; know the Lord’s Word, which is the ONLY thing that will keep us strong and willing to stay on that straight and narrow path that leads to Jesus, salvation and eternal life. And you can only know the word by spending serious and sincere time in it; meditating on it, allowing it to caress your heart, mind, body and soul so that it forms a shield around you.
And if you don’t believe me, then listen to a few of the may scriptures that describe our God and His word as a shield. Beginning with Samuel’s declaration (oh yeah!!!): ‘As for God, his way is perfect; the word of the Lord is tried (proven): he is a buckler (shield) to all them that trust him.’ (2 Sam. 22:31) Then Bruh David adds his two cents worth from Psalm 3, as he states: ‘Many there be which say of my soul, There is no help for him in God. Selah. But thou, O Lord art a shield for (around) me; my glory, and the lifter up of mine head (the one who lifts up my head).’ (Ps. 3:2-3)
Then listen to this verse from Psalm 91: ‘He shall cover thee with his feathers, and under his wings shalt thou trust (take refuge): his truth shall be thy shield and buckler (small shield).’ (Ps. 91:4) And we all know that Cousin Sol had something to say on almost everything…if not everything. (smile) Listen as he tells it. ‘Every word of God is pure (tried, found pure): he is a shield unto them that put their trust in him.’ (Prov. 30:5) So, my fellow saints, you don’t have to take my word for it, you have the true and faithful testimony of several great men of God, who did exactly as I am asking us to do, put our sincere and deep trust in Almighty God, for He will not let you down. No, NEVER!
Now, let’s go to Him prayer, through our Friday Chant asking for His divine help to keep us strong and sincere. As one voice: ‘Oh Lord, thanks for getting me safely through this past week. You know it’s been rough… what with all the confusion and anxiety caused by the pandemic and our many other serious problems. We can’t fix them on our own Lord, so 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 the simmering unrest in our land.
So Lord, we sincerely ask you today to give those involved in the forefront of this serious and unexpected storm, the wise guidance to handle the situation properly, without further serious setbacks. And please help those of us who must go out to work amidst all the confusion, to be responsible and to stay safe. And Lord, we fervently pray that You’ll use this situation to 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.
Yes Lord, please use this pandemic, the bubbling discontent and dissatisfaction in our land, as a means of restoring faith in You, 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 want to see positive results from our petitions, then we have to make positive, godly changes to our lives. Much LOVE!
…if you can’t trust God…then whom can you trust eh…
Hear our podcast at https://open.spotify.com/show/3aVfqIC1CqwGybISs9dZ
31 Dec 2022
by randyobrien50
in Christian Thoughts and Inspiration., Daily Devotion, Daily Inspiration, Inspirational Living, Spiritual Living
Tags: according to his riches in glory, all scripture is given by inspiration of God, aspires to inspire us for a better tomorrow, be of good cheer, belief creates the actual fact, do not allow others to dim your shine, enjoy the abundant life Jesus promised, go to bed satisfied, I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me, i have overcome the world, in me ye might have peace, in the world ye shall have tribulation, LOVE, my God shall supply all my needs, New Year's Eve, open doors for yourself, our attitude affects our reactions, prepare yourself through prayer and study of god's word, profitable for doctrine reproofcorrection, shine brightly, stop knocking on closed doors, the hard knocks of life, the only true facts are found in the Bible, these things I have spoken unto you, truth is whatever you believe, wake up determined, we are the light of the world
Philippians 4:13. I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me.
Now, it’s a wet, drizzly and cloudy New Year’s Eve in my neighbourhood, but I definitely prefer that to the white stuff some people are getting, and others have not dug themselves out of since the big snowfall on Christmas weekend. It’s been a rough time for many North Americans, thankfully though, my area didn’t get the snow others got, we just got rain and howling winds for a couple of days.
And though the rain will no doubt dampen some of the New Year’s Eve excitement, I’m sure it won’t curtail the basic exuberance of many partygoers, who will party on, come rain, snow or shine. (smile) But since it’s Saturday, let’s take a look at the quotes our friend Anselm sent us this past week, as he aspires to inspire us for a better tomorrow.
And the first one says: ‘Belief creates the actual fact.’ Now that’s something that’s spouted by the world, but it certainly isn’t true. Yes, what you believe might become a fact to you, but that doesn’t mean it’s actually a truthful fact. For example, many people, believe there is no God, does that make it a fact that there is no God! Absolutely not! It’s the same way back in time when they believed that the world was flat, but that didn’t mean it was flat, although some still argue that fact today. (smile).
And in today’s confused society there are so many truths that you will trip over them if you’re not careful. Whatever you believe nowadays is considered truth; that’s your truth, but that doesn’t make it factual or even true. The only things we can believe that are true and also factual are the words of God written in His venerable library, the Bible. Why? Because it is a collection of ‘divine instruction.’
As Bruh Paul wrote to Timothy. ‘All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness: That the man of God may be perfect, thoroughly furnished (equipped) unto all good works.’ (2 Tim. 3:16-17) Now that’s where belief meets truth and facts!
Then there’s this quote: ‘I’m not going to continue knocking on that old door that doesn’t open for me. I’m going to create my own door and walk through that.’ Now the first part of that statement makes sense, why bother knocking on a door that’s no longer opening for you. However, the next part of the statement is somewhat tricky, especially if you are a believer in Christ Jesus. The world says that you must press ahead and open doors for yourself, but Almighty God desires that you wait and let Him open doors for you.
In His divine plan for our lives, He closes them and also opens them as He sees fit. And the worst mistake we can ever make is to try and open doors for ourselves that the Lord doesn’t want us to go through, or He’s not ready for us to go through. I can speak on that from personal experience. You’ll just keep bouncing your head until you wake up and realize your mistake, or He thinks it’s time to open that door.
Now that doesn’t mean you just sit and do nothing while waiting for God to open the next door. No! You prepare yourself through prayer and study of His word and whatever is behind the door that will be opened. For lots of time the door doesn’t open because you’re not ready, knowledgeable and experienced enough to manage the promotion that opened door will bring.
And the next quote advises: ‘Wake up determined, go to bed satisfied.’ Yes, that’s certainly an interesting quote, one to which we should all aspire! We should be determined every day to do God’s will, whatever it might be! After giving thanks for seeing another morn, then we ask for His purpose and guidance, our daily bread, so that we can fulfill His desires for that day. Then we get moving and are obedient to His will. That way, we can go to bed at night satisfied!
And in the process of doing God’s will, the next quote tells us: ‘Do not allow people to dim your shine because they are blinded. Tell them to put some sunglasses on.’ Now is that ever so true, since in our daily journey the enemy will send naysayers to belittle or lessen us in the eyes of the world. But once we know we are doing God’s will, let’s not allow them to do that!
Yes, if they think we’re shining too brightly, then they ought to put on sunglasses, because Jesus said that we’re the light of the world, and we should shine, shine bright and sparkling all over the world! On the other hand, if they would just accept Jesus as their Lord and Saviour, they would be able to shine bright and sparkling like us! (smile)
And the last quote says: ‘Not having the best situation, but seeing the best in your situation is the key to happiness.’ That certainly has some truth to it. It’s a proven fact that our attitude towards our situations always affects our reactions to them. And it’s definitely the key to our response. A negative attitude will engender or produce doubt, fear and an inability to deal successfully with the situation. However, a positive attitude, though it might not change the circumstances, will allow you to think clearly and find a way out without the added baggage of fear and doubt.
But overall, that consistent kind of positive attitude is only possible when Jesus is your Guide and Leader, since He is the One who empowers us to have that attitude. Remember these words of Bruh Paul: ‘I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me.’ (Phil. 4:13) Yes, it’s through His power that we are able to stand strong and steadfast through whatever circumstances we encounter. It’s through belief in His goodness and mercy, like Bruh Paul says later on: ‘But my God shall supply all your need according to his riches in glory by Christ Jesus.’ (Phil. 4:19)
Oh my fellow believers, we’re living in a tough, cruel and evil world, but if we believe the words of Jesus, like these enlightening and encouraging ones: ‘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 He has definitely done that through His death and resurrection.
So, if we allow words like those to continually simmer and bubble in our hearts and souls, ready to be used at an instant’s notice, then we will be able to overcome the hard knocks of life and enjoy the abundant life that He’s promised. But it all depends on us: on our sincere belief, trust and surrender to Him! Much LOVE!
…until you really get to know Jesus…you won’t really know how wonderful He is…
Hear our podcast at https://open.spotify.com/show/3aVfqIC1CqwGybISs9dZ
12 Jul 2022
by randyobrien50
in Christian Thoughts and Inspiration., Daily Devotion, Daily Inspiration, Inspirational Living, Spiritual Living
Tags: all's well with our world, be careful for nothing, be of good cheer I have overcome the world, continue ye in my love, God is LOVE, God so loved the world, he gave his only begotten son, hurry, I am the beloved of god, in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving, in god's eyes, in the world ye shall have tribulation, joy is rooted in who God is, let not your heart be troubled, LOVE, love one another as I have loved you, my joy might remain in you, my peace I give unto you, not as the world giveth, Peace i leave with you, reliable Tuesday, shall keep your hearts and minds through Jesus Christ, share His love with the world, should not perish but have everlasting life, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, the God of all hope fill you with all joy and peace, the joy of the Lord is our strength, the peace of God which passeth all understading, there's nothing to fear, these things I have spoken unto you, trust my friend Jesus, Tuesday Mantra, under the shadow of God's wings, worry, ye are my friends, ye may abound in hope, your joy shall be full, your sorrow shall be turned into joy
John 16:33b. In the world ye shall have tribulation: but be of good cheer: I have overcome the world.
Good, ole reliable Tuesday is here friends! Yes, it takes away the memory of Monday, the first day of the work week, which is usually somewhat mysterious and unsettling, or even intimidating, because we’re never sure what it will bring after a weekend away from the halls of labour. (smile) But Tuesday is always placid and calm, letting us know that there’s nothing to fear; Monday is in the box, and all’s well with our world!
And that’s exactly how our lives become when we accept Christ Jesus as our Lord and Saviour! There’s nothing to fear…and even if the world is actually falling apart around us, we’d still be able to say, ‘all is well with me. All is well with my soul!’ Why? Because Jesus has promised us peace, joy, LOVE and eternal life if we are wise and live under the shadow of His wings. Listen to some of His awesome promises nuh.
While speaking of the coming of the Holy Spirit, He told the disciples: ‘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) And later on, Jesus again encourages the disciples by telling them: ‘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)
Oh my fellow believers, how encouraging and reassuring is that eh? Knowing that your Lord and Saviour has overcome the world, destroyed the enemy and has in His hands the keys to hell, death and the grave, it surely is a comfort to the most unbelieving and discouraged heart! And then Bruh Paul offers his two cents worth when he writes to the church at Philippi: ‘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. 4:7)
What a legacy we have through Christ my people! We’ll receive the peace of God, that divine tranquility that transcends all human understanding, when through prayer and thanksgiving we take all our problems to Almighty God in Christ’s name! You could not do any better than that friends! That’s the ultimate in peace!
And as per joy, the Good Book tells us that the ‘joy of the Lord is our strength.’ (Neh. 8:10) That’s why the enemy always tries to steal our joy. He knows that if we lose it, we’ll be weak and easily defeated. However, it’s also important to note that joy doesn’t depend on our circumstances, it depends on our faith in God. Happiness is the fleeting emotion that’s ruled by our circumstances.
And I like how this commentator on the biblestudytools.com website puts it. ‘Bible verses about joy can help Christians who may be going through a difficult season as a reminder of calm happiness through faith in God. Joy is rooted in who God is. It is not fleeting or based on circumstances. Worldly possessions, accomplishments, even the people in our lives, are blessings that make us happy and fuel joyfulness. However, the Bible teaches that the source of all joy is Jesus. God’s plan from the beginning, the Word made flesh to dwell among us is rock solid, allowing us to navigate difficult situations in the absence of happiness while sustaining our joy.’
Oh friends, what joy is found in Jesus! As Jesus told the disciples: ‘These things I have spoken unto you, that my joy might remain in you, and that your joy shall be full.’ (John 15:11) And as Bruh Paul wrote to the church at Rome. ‘Now the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, that ye may abound in hope, through the power of the Holy Ghost.’ (Rom. 15:13)
Then Jesus, after telling the disciples about His return to heaven: ‘A little while, ye shall not see me: and again, a little while, and ye shall see me, because I go to the Father.’ (John 16:16) He saw their sorrowful look, indicating a lack of understanding, and reassured them. ‘Verily, verily, I say unto you, That ye shall weep and lament, but the world shall rejoice: and ye shall be sorrowful, but your sorrow shall be turned into joy.’ (John 16:20)
Then He compared their situation to a pregnant woman afraid of the upcoming labour pains, but once it’s over, she no longer remembers the pain but is filled with joy that a child was born. ‘And ye now therefore have sorrow: but I will see you again, and your heart shall rejoice, and your joy no man taketh from you…Hitherto have ye asked nothing in my name: ask, and ye shall receive, that your joy may be full.’ (John 16:22, 24)
Oh what a wonderful Lord and Saviour we have my brethren! He fills our lives with joy despite our circumstances, and we can ask the Father for anything in His name. Now that doesn’t mean we’ll always get what we ask for, especially if it is not in the Father’s will for our lives, or we’ll get it when we ask for it, but we are always assured of a hearing in heaven. That’s indeed a good beginning.
And when we start talking about LOVE and Jesus…well friends, there’s nothing greater, because they are one and the same! John says it plainly: ‘For God is LOVE.’ (1 John 4:8) And if the Father is LOVE, then the Son must be LOVE too. And there are numerous passages of scripture extolling Christ’s LOVE, but I think this one from John’s gospel puts it all in proper perspective.
‘As the Father hath LOVED me, so have I LOVED you: continue ye (abide) in my LOVE. If ye keep my commandments, ye shall abide in my LOVE; even as I have kept the Father’s commandments , and abide in his LOVE… This is my commandment, That ye LOVE one another, as I have LOVED you. Greater LOVE hath no man this, that a man lay down his life for his friends.
Ye are my friends, if ye do whatsoever I command you. Henceforth I call you not servants; for the servant knoweth not what his lord doeth: but I have called you friends; for all things that I have heard of my Father I have made known unto you. Ye have not chosen me, but I have chosen you, and ordained (appointed) you, that ye should go and bring forth fruit, and that your fruit should remain… These things I command you, that ye LOVE one another.’ (John 15:9-10, 12-17) It couldn’t get any clearer than that my people. LOVE is the number ONE requirement amongst Christ’s followers. As John said: ‘He that LOVETH not knoweth not God; for God is LOVE.’ (1 John 3:8)
Now, as per eternal life, since time and space are running out on us, we can only get in these two verses on the subject. However, they are more than enough to prove the point. We all know this magnificent verse: ‘For God so LOVED the world, that he gave his only begotten son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.’ (John 3:16) And then there’s this verse where John the Baptist testifies of Jesus. ‘He that believeth on the Son hath everlasting life: and he that believeth not the Son shall not see life; but the wrath of God abideth (remains) on him.’ (John 3:36) That says it all friends: believe and you’ll see eternal life; do not believe, and you’ll perish under God’s wrath.
Now for those of us who believe and are doing our best to live for Christ, let’s go home declaring (ah Lord eh!!!) our Tuesday Mantra, letting the whole world know to whom we belong, lock, stock and barrel. As one strong and sincere voice: ‘In God’s eyes, I’m not what I do. I’m not what I have. I’m not what people say about me. I am the beloved of God, that’s who I am. No one can take that from me. I don’t have to worry. I don’t have to hurry. I can trust my friend Jesus and share His LOVE with the world. Amen!’
And having made that declaration, (yesss!!!) it’s now our bounden duty to go out and share the amazing LOVE and friendship of Christ with others, so that they too can come to know and LOVE Him like we do. Much LOVE!
…need a continual flow of LOVE, joy and peace that ends in eternal life …then Jesus is your answer…the ONLY answer…
Hear our podcast at https://open.spotify.com/show/3aVfqIC1CqwGybISs9dZJ8
31 Jan 2022
by randyobrien50
in Christian Thoughts and Inspiration., Daily Devotion, Daily Inspiration, Inspirational Living, Spiritual Living
Tags: all about self and selfishness, always abounding in the work of the Lord, be a cakewalk, be of good cheer, be ye steadfast unmovable, but of power love and a sound mind, Covid-19 restrictions, death is swallowed up in victory, ease the pain, empower your life, encourage your heart, endurance and perseverance, find victory in death, God always wins, God and His people are victorious, he that believeth that Jesus is the Son of God, he will swallow up death in victory, heal our land, humble servants, i have overcome the world, in me ye might have peace, infect our souls and spirits, Jehovah Rapha, keep your promise, led as sheep to the slaughter, Monday Morning Battle Hymn, o death where is thy sting, of power, overcome cahllenges, PaulEChapman.com, show this evil world, sincerely seek your face, suffering from negative situations, thanks be to God who gives us the victory, the bad dragon day, the doorway to eternal bliss, the Lord hasn't given us a spirt of fear, the sting of death is sin, these things I have spoken unto you, through our Lord Jesus christ, triumph over the world, turn from our evil ways, We can do all things through Christ, whatsoever is born of God overcometh the world, wipe away tears from all eyes, wise guidance and direction, ye shall tribulation, your labour is not in vain
1 Corinthians 15:57. But thanks be to God, which giveth us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.
Awright friends, are we ready for Monday, the bad dragon day of the week? Of course we are! We fellowshipped with other believers yesterday and received renewed blessings from our great God, enabling us to go out today and fight His battles in this evil and ungodly world. And let’s remember that God’s grace is ALWAYS sufficient to do whatever He desires us to do. He will NEVER give us less than we need. So please don’t allow any fear or dread to infect our souls and spirits as we head out to do God’s bidding today. For we know that He hasn’t give us a spirit of fear, but of power, LOVE and a sound or disciplined mine (2 Tim. 1:7).
And on top of that, Bruh Paul has also reinforced that we can do all things through Christ who strengthens us. (Phil. 4:13) That means we have all the tools we need to face the enemy and his evil minions. That’s why this Monday morning should be a cakewalk for believers who set out to do battle in Jesus’ name. (smile) Oh, I know that it won’t be as simple and easy, but with our endurance and perseverance we will eventually win the day.
And here in our Province of Ontario, I believe that some of the Covid-19 restrictions and regulations will be toned down today. So that’s one less matter to be anxious about. Now we must still be careful and concerned about it, because it’s not going away anytime soon, but we will have a little more leeway to operate, a little more freedom to live, as the restrictions will not be as onerous as they were before.
That though can be a major problem, as freedom is not an easy thing for many of us to navigate, for freedom requires a sense of responsibility, a sense of thinking about and considering others, which is not a currently paramount attitude in our society. Right now, it’s all more about self and selfishness. But that’s a story for another day. (smile)
Let me apologize right here for the Bit being so late though. It seems like the last few Mondays have all been bad dragon days for me, stuff happening, either with the snow, car or household problems that have caused me to relegate the Bit to a much later hour than I desired. And today was no different. But I’ve finally put all that stuff behind me and can turn my full attention to the Bit. And as I said earlier on, dealing with Monday and its problems is not always easy, but God always gives us the wherewithal to overcome them. And I did have success in my undertakings, but it took a lot of that other commodity that we don’t have so much of, that’s time.
But then, when you’ve successfully completed those time sensitive tasks, you find yourself too tired, mentally, physically and emotionally to properly handle the other stuff that you had to postpone. And that’s what’s been happening to me. So today, I believe we should look at a few scripture verses that deal with victory in the Christian’s life.
And I like how this article on the subject on the website PaulEChapman.com begins. It says: ‘The Bible can encourage your heart and empower your life. What verses inspire you to overcome challenges and triumph over the world? …Our God is victorious. He ALWAYS WINS. He has never lost a battle. He has no equal to challenge His sovereignty. Although we know this truth by the fact of history and the choice of faith, our experience in this life can make it seem like we are losing at times.
Our limited perspective can create doubt and discouragement. Allow me to encourage you in the Lord. If you are born again, you are on the winning side! God has revealed the last chapter of history. There is no doubt of how the future will end. God and His people are victorious! Even when the people of the Lord are led as sheep to the slaughter, they find victory in death. God has transformed man’s greatest enemy into the doorway to eternal bliss. Marvel at the awesomeness of our God!’
Yes friends, that’s such a wonderful, encouraging and reassuring thing to do, because it builds up our faith in our heavenly Father and keeps us willing and able to do His earthly work even in the most difficult of times and circumstances. But enough talk, (smile) let’s check out those scriptures on success. And I believe these immortal words of Bruh Paul to the church at Corinth ought to be first.
‘So when this corruptible shall have put on incorruption, and this mortal shall have put on immortality, then shall be brought to pass the saying that is written, Death is swallowed up in victory. O death, where is thy sting? O grave, where is thy victory? The sting of death is sin; and the strength of sin is the law. But thanks be to God, which giveth us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ. Therefore, my beloved brethren, be ye steadfast, unmovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, forasmuch as ye know that your labour is not in vain (futile) in the Lord.’ (1 Cor. 15:54-58)
And that’s exactly how we’ve gained victory, through Christ Jesus, and how we keep it, by being steadfast and strong! Now listen to John from his first epistle. ‘For whatsoever is born of God overcometh the world: and this is the victory that overcometh the world, even our faith. Who is he that overcometh the world, but he that believeth that Jesus is the Son of God?’ (1 John 5:4-5)
And the scholars explain: ‘5.5. There is conquering power through this confession because God is sovereign over the world, and only through the Son does man have access to and find favour with God.’ And that’s the indisputable truth my brethren, only when we are born again, trust Jesus as our Lord and Saviour, that we have access to the Father and all the victory that He radiates!
And there’s no better way to end these scriptures on victory than with these marvellous words, this eternal promise of Jesus, where He tells us, in no uncertain terms that victory is ours. ‘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) What wonderful news my fellow saints. Please, let’s try and keep that first and foremost in our hearts souls and minds as we journey with God this day and every day nuh.
Now, let’s go to Him in prayer, through our Monday Morning Battle Hymn, asking for His omnipotent help in solving our many serious problems. As one, strong, sincere, confident, but humble voice: ‘Our Father, who art in heaven, we, Your humble servants, praise Your Holy Name and thank You this Monday morning for life and strong faith in Christ, despite the mass confusion in our world. We desperately need Your divine help, for You are the ONLY ONE with the power to solve our many problems.
Heavenly Father, we admit that we have all sinned and seriously disobeyed Your Word, but we know that You are a merciful, forgiving and gracious God, who has faithfully promised to hear and answer our prayers when we humble ourselves, pray, and sincerely seek Your face. That’s why we come to You now, with sincere repentance in our hearts, pleading with You to give us wise guidance and direction to alleviate our problems.
And Father, we pray that you will ease the pain of the many who are suffering from negative situations. Please show them Your awesome grace and mercy, and keep Your promise that You’ll hear our prayer, forgive us, and heal our land if we turn from our evil ways. Show this evil world that You are indeed Jehovah Rapha; the God who heals! We pray this in the holy and blessed name of Your Son, our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ! Amen! And again, we say: Amen!’
Now please remember that our answers all depend on our behaviour. Much LOVE!
…He will swallow up death forever in victory…the Lord God will wipe away tears from off all faces… (Is. 25:8a)
Hear our podcast at https://open.spotify.com/show/3aVfqIC1CqwGybISs9dZJ8
15 Jun 2021
by randyobrien50
in Christian Thoughts and Inspiration., Daily Devotion, Daily Inspiration, Inspirational Living, Spiritual Living
Tags: a bed of roses, all scripture is given by inspiration of God, all that will live godly in Christ, be of good cheer, Christ triumphantly rose from the dead, Christians, correction, evil men and seducers, fellow siants in christ, hurry, i have overcome the world, in all these things, in god's eyes, in me ye might have peace, in the world ye shall have tribulation, instruction in righteousness, known the holy scriptures, living examples of peace and joy, mano a mano, profitable for doctrine, reproof, Satan, share His love with the world, suffer persecution, the beloved of God, the day of salvation, the man of God may be perfect, the most joyful people on earth, the prince of darkness, the things thou hast learned, these things I have spoken unto you, trials and tribulations, trust my friend Jesus, Tuesday Mantra, walking in love with Christ, wax worse, we are more than conquerors, who shall separate us from the Love of Christ, wine roses and song, worry, wrested the keys of hell death and the grave
2 Timothy 3:16. All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness:
Ahoy there my fellow saints in Christ! Hope that you are having a wonderful Tuesday, walking in LOVE with our wonderful Lord and Saviour, Jesus Christ, for that’s what this life is all about; an interesting LOVE walk with Christ! Now nobody said it was going to be all wine, roses and song. No, it doesn’t mean life will be a bed of roses just because you’re walking with Jesus, for He didn’t have an easy earthly life and even promised that those who follow Him won’t have it easy either.
Please note these words of His: ‘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 that’s where we believers in Christ win them! Yes friends, we have the ability to be peaceful and cheerful during all and any storms, trials and tribulations, or negative experiences that come against us in this evil and ungodly world!
That’s because our Jesus has already conquered the prince of darkness, Satan, the evil ruler of this evil world. Mano-a mano, he wrested the keys of hell death and the grave from him! He did that when He triumphantly rose from the dead on that Easter Sunday morn some two thousand years ago, to live forever!
Wow! What a mighty conqueror is our Jesus! And since then, Satan has had no power or authority over believers, unless we foolishly give it to Him. And as Bruh Paul so confidently proclaimed in his message to the church at Rome. ‘Who shall separate us from the LOVE of Christ? Shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril or sword?…Nay, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him that LOVED us.
For I am persuaded that neither death, nor life; nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come,, Nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the LOVE of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.’ (Rom. 8:35, 37-39)
Now that’s something we all ought to confidently believe. Why? For as the scholars explain: ‘We cannot be separated from God’s LOVE, because it is set forth in a person who is God Himself, Jesus Christ, our Saviour. God’s desire to redeem believers cannot be frustrated, because He is infinitely greater than any potential enemy. His plan will be realized because it is His purpose (vs. 28).’
Yuh hear that mih people? NOTHING can separate us from the LOVE of God that’s found in Christ Jesus! But we must believe it sincerely and confidently, then act in a manner that speaks it out loud and clear! And Bruh Paul’s words to Timothy echo the action we need to do so.
‘Yea, and all that will live godly in Christ shall suffer persecution. But evil men and seducers (imposters) shall wax (grow) worse, deceiving, and being deceived. But continue thou in the things which thou hast learned and hast been assured of, knowing of whom thou hast learned them; And that from a child thou hast known the holy scriptures, which are able to make thee wise unto salvation through faith which is in Christ Jesus. All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness: That the man of God may be perfect, thoroughly furnished (equipped) unto all good works.’ (2 Tim. 3:12-17)
Yuh see that friends: this world is going to get even more evil, than it is already – if that is possible – but we have the wherewithal to overcome it if we live according to the Word of God, the life-map written for us. Now here are some explanations from the scholars. ‘3:14-17. Continue literally means “remain.” The things which thou hast learned were his oral instruction in the holy scriptures (the Old Testament, here) by his mother (Eunice) and grandmother (Lois). Inspiration of God (God-breathed) describes the unique character of Scripture.
It is not only written by men, but authored by God. For doctrine means to tell one what to believe. For reproof means to tell one what is wrong. For correction means to tell one how to correct wrong. For instruction in righteousness means to tell one how to live. Perfect (proficient, capable) is having everything needed to do what God wants. Thoroughly furnished means “thoroughly equipped.” God’s inspired word, properly used and applied, provides all we need for life and ministry.’
Oh Mama, Mama! We don’t need anything else to live this life friends but the inspired Word of God! But the most important thing though, is that it must be ‘properly used and applied.’ And unfortunately, that is not what’s happening in these last days, where men are becoming worse and worse, as Bruh Paul so aptly described in the earlier verses of that chapter (3:1-11). God’s Word is sadly not being preached properly, and even worse, is being used as justification for all sorts of wrongdoing and ungodly stuff. But have no fear, the workers of iniquity will eventually pay. That’s the Lord’s promise, and we know He is very faithful that promised! (smile)
And let us not forget this most meaningful bit of scripture, which allows us to live in peace. ‘But now in Christ Jesus ye (Gentiles) who sometimes (once) were far off are made nigh (near) by the blood of Christ. For he (Himself) is our peace, who hath made both one, and hath broken down the middle wall of partition (division) between us.’ (Eph. 2:13-14)
Yes friends, Jesus broke down the walls between Jews and Gentiles and made one new party, the Christian church, so there should be no more feuding between the two groups. He did that by taking all the sins of the world unto Himself and paying for them all with His sinless life on the cross of Calvary. Now, we need to be living examples of that peace and joy which His death and resurrection provided. And we do that by following the life laid out for us in the Word of God, confidently knowing that we can handle anything that comes against us.
Oh my fellow saints, when we have Jesus living in us through His Holy Spirit, to lead and guide us into all goodness and righteousness until the day of salvation, we simply can’t go wrong. And for those of us who are sincerely trying to live the good life in Christ, let’s go home proclaiming our Tuesday Mantra.
As one strong voice: ‘In God’s eyes, I’m not what I do. I’m not what I have. I’m not what people say about me. I am the beloved of God, that’s who I am. No one can take that from me. I don’t have to worry. I don’t have to hurry. I can trust my friend Jesus and share His LOVE with the world. Amen!’ Now, the upshoot of it all, is for us to go out and share that awesome LOVE and friendship of Jesus with those we meet. Much LOVE!
…Christians…ought to be the most joyful people in the world…not the poor me ones…so many of us look and behave like…
Hear our podcast at https://open.spotify.com/show/3aVfqIC1CqwGybISs9dZJ8
Previous Older Entries Next Newer Entries
SCRIP-BITS 