11 Dec 2025
by randyobrien50
in Christian Thoughts and Inspiration., Daily Devotion, Daily Inspiration, Inspirational Living, Spiritual Living
Tags: a compassionate heart, abundance, believe me for the very work's sake, believe me that I am in the Father, blessed with God's supernatural widom, born of the virgin Mary, come to know and love christ like we do, courage, creativity, curse, disobedience is the Christian's downfall, divine protection, divinity, do our own thing, faith, favour, follow Jesus example of obedience, from hencefort ye know him and have seen him, go our own way, God's character words and deeds are manifested in jesus, God's nature is revealed through Jesus, God's plan of salvation, he that hath seen me hath seen the Father, holy spirit, human sinfulness, I am the way the truth and the life, I came down from heaven, I speak not of mine own authority, it will satisfy us, Jesus Christ, Jesus is the perfect revelation of God, Jesus was obedient to the Father's will, Jesus' incarnate birth, Jesus' oneness with the Father, LOVE, mercy, more obedient to the dictates of Jesus, my judgement is just, my meat is to do the will of him who sent me, negative word, no man cometh unto the Father but by me, not to do my own will, promotion, prosper, salvation, shew us the Father, six feet under, succeed, talent, the Father doeth the works, the father in me, the Father that dwelleth in me, the penultimate day of our work week, the same divine essence, the thoughts of Christin our hearts, the wealth and power of the world, the will of him that sent me, the words that I speak unto you, thine ears shall hear a word behind thee, this is the way walk ye in it, thoughts of christ getting more intense, to understand Jesus is to understand God, truth, unity, when ye turn to the left, when ye turn to the right hand, wisdom
John 14:11. Believe me that I am in the Father, and the Father in me: or else believe me for the very works’ sake.
And then it was Thursday, the penultimate day of our work week. Thankfully, the snow has stopped falling and the sun is shining but it’s cold. However, we’ll take the cold with the bright shining sun any day though, rather than the white stuff falling from the skies. (smile) And as we move closer to Christmas Day, the preparations are ramping up and getting even more intense. Let’s hope that the thoughts of Christ in our hearts, souls, bodies and minds are also getting more intense, as we look forward to that awesome day when we celebrate His incarnate birth.
How He was born of the virgin Mary, with the Holy Spirit planting the godly seed in Mary’s womb, so He could become human, but not have a human being as his biological father. It was the first step in God’s enormous and awesome plan of salvation for His human creation; Jesus being born sinless, so that He could eventually pay the hefty, soul draining price for our sinfulness.
But He also came to earth to show us what the Father, the God we’d worshipped for so long was really like, not in body, because the Father is a Spirit, but in ways and means, hopefully giving us a better understanding of what He expects from us. Remember Jesus talking to the disciples about His going away, and they claiming to not know where He was going and how. (John 14:3-4).
‘Then Thomas saith unto him, Lord we know not whither thou goest; and how can we know the way? Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh to the Father but by me. If ye had known me, ye should have known my Father also: and from henceforth ye know him, and have seen him. Philip saith unto him, Lord shew us the Father, and it sufficeth (will satisfy) us.
Jesus saith unto him, Have I been so long with you, and yet hast thou not known me Philip? he that hath seen me hath seen the Father: and how sayest thou then, Shew us the Father? Believest thou not that I am in the Father, and the Father in me? the words that I speak unto you I speak not of myself (of my own authority): but the Father that dwelleth in me, he doeth the works. Believe me that I am in the Father, and the Father in me: or else believe me for the very works’ sake.’ (John 14:5-11)
Yes friends, as Jesus told Philip, when we see Him, we also see the Father, for although they are separate, they are one in certain respects. And I like how this commentary puts it. ‘Jesus asserts his oneness with the Father, indicating they share the same divine essence, emphasizing their unity, divinity, and the Father’s presence in Jesus’ words and works, revealing God’s nature through Him. Jesus acts as the perfect revelation of God; to understand Jesus is to understand God, as God’s character, words, and deeds are fully manifested in Him.’
And that was exactly what Jesus did while living as a human being here on earth; teach us about the ways and character of God, through His works, deeds and words. Remember He said that His words and actions were not from His own authority, but from the Father’s. And throughout His earthly sojourn He made it crystal clear that He was obeying the will of His Father, not His own.
And we see that in verses like these. ‘My meat (food) is to do the will of him that sent me, and to finish his work.’ (John 4:34) Then in John 5, Jesus declares: ‘I can of mine own self do nothing: as I hear, I judge: and my judgement is just (righteous); because I seek not mine own will, but the will of the Father which hath sent me.’ (John 5:30) And again in John 6, Jesus says; ‘For I came down from heaven, not to do mine own will, but the will of him that sent me.’ (John 6:38)
Ah friends, if there’s one thing Jesus modelled perfectly was obedience. He did nothing without consulting His Father, for it was His will Jesus came to earth to pursue. That’s why Isaiah reminds us: ‘And thine ears shall hear a word behind thee, saying, This is the way, walk ye in it, when ye turn to the right hand, and when ye turn to the left.’ (Is. 30:21)
Oh, my fellow believers, the Holy Spirit is trying to lead and guide us in a godly and righteous manner, and how much better off we would all be if we could be even a tad more obedient to the dictates of Jesus, as His followers and ambassadors. For one of our greatest failings is we simply like to go our own way and do our own thing. But please, let’s look at the example Jesus set for us and do our best to follow it nuh. Killing ourselves to acquire the pleasures, wealth and power of the world won’t do us any good when we’re six feet under. But living seriously for Jesus now, will certainly help us in the next life.
And the Father has been so good to us, even to the extent of bestowing undeserved blessings on us to do His earthly work. So why not be wise and live for Him eh? And in keeping with that great idea, (smile) let’s now declare and activate those Thursday Blessings, that we can rise to our calling. As one strong and sincere 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!!!) we are now expected to go out and use those blessings to help others, just as generously as the Lord shared them with us, so that they too can come to know and LOVE Him like we do! Much LOVE!
…disobedience is the Christian’s downfall…
Hear our podcast at https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/randy-obrien
01 Dec 2025
by randyobrien50
in Christian Thoughts and Inspiration., Daily Devotion, Daily Inspiration, Inspirational Living, Spiritual Living
Tags: a divine promise from God, a light unto my path, a merciful forgiving and gracious God, a spiritual message, abandon our hopes, all sinned and disobeyed your word, an inner sense of direction, assuring us of His guidance, be ruled by our emotions, be thou strong and very courageous, become better Chrsitian witnesses, behind the wheel, building trust, choose peace, clean up our act, common sense, Consider This, decision, divine help, do all acording to the law, emotional desires, encourages listening to God's will, experience the peace that comes only from God, faith, faithfully promised to hear and answer our prayers, falling prey to ungodly decisions, feel lost and uncertain, God is in the driver's seat, God will never lead us astray, God will never let us down, God will provide the right path, God will work all things out for our good, help me, hold my hopes with open hands, holy spirit, humble ourselves, humble servants, ignore our feelings, In Touch Magazine, Jehovah Rapha, Jesus Christ, let all thy ways be established, let thine eyelids look straight before thee, let thine eyes look right on, LOVE, mass confusion, mercy, Moses my servant commanded thee, not allowing temptations to derail us, not be governed by my emotions, not easy to navigate on God's behalf, not the advice of others, our Father who art in heaven, place our lives in the hands of God, ponder the path of thy feet, praise Your Holy Name, pray, prosper wherever you go, put our trust in Almighty God, puts space between us and our desires, regardless of the choices, remove thy foot from evil, ruled by our emotions, salvation, sincere repentance, sincerely seek your face, staying focused on a righteous path, strong faith in Christ, thank you for life, the first day of the work week, the God who heals, the gospel truth, the infallible truth, the passenger seat, the throne of grace, the topic of problems, they word is a lamp unto my feet, thine ears shall hear a word behind thee, this is the way walk ye in it, through scripture, trust you for everything, trusting that God will guide us, trusting the Lord feels risky, truth, turn away from our own ways, turn from our evil ways, turn not from it to the right hand or to the left, turn not to the right hand nor to the left, warning words, we want to know how god will fix our problems, welcomes God, when you turn to the left, when you turn to the right hand, wisdom, wise guidance, wishy-washy society
Proverbs 4:26-27. Ponder the path of thy feet, and let all thy ways be established. Turn not to the right hand nor to the left: remove thy foot from evil.’
And wouldn’t you know it, Monday, the first day of the work week, and in this case the first day of December 2025, has rolled around again friends, just like it has done for eons, and yet many of us still find it difficult to handle. (smile) Now, the weather should not be a problem since most of the snow from yesterday’s storm has melted, so that’s one item in our favour. And today we have some important and interesting info to share on the topic of problems from the ‘Consider This’ Section of the November Edition of the In Touch Magazine.
So please read with me: ‘When there’s a problem, we want to know how God will fix it. But we never know exactly what He’ll do. In these moments, trusting the Lord feels risky (when it’s actually anything but). A good way to begin building trust is to choose peace rather than be ruled by our emotions. This doesn’t mean we abandon our hopes or ignore our feelings – but simply that we keep them in the passenger seat rather than behind the wheel.
This decision puts space between us and our desires and welcomes God in them. And by doing so, we’re better able to receive whatever he has planned – whether it’s what we imagined or something altogether different. So how do we begin? With a prayer like this: “Lord, I want to experience the peace that comes only from You and not be governed by my emotions. Help me hold my hopes with open hands and trust you for everything. In Jesus’ name. Amen.”
Ah mih people, what wise information! Because in this wishy-washy society in which we currently live, with so many distractions and evil schemes, too many of us are ruled by our emotions and not good common sense which advises us to put our trust in Almighty God, who sincerely LOVES and cares for us and will never lead us astray. And there are several scriptures that warn of falling prey to unwise, ungodly distractions, and live by God’s Word and His guidance instead.
Listen as the prophet Isaiah warns us, while telling his people Israel about God’s graciousness and mercy. He writes: ‘And thine ears shall hear a word behind thee saying, This is the way, walk ye in it, when ye turn to the right hand, and when ye turn to the left.’ (Is. 30:21) Yes friends, it’s a divine promise from God to His people, assuring us of His guidance if we will turn away from our own ways and listen to Him.
And this commentary offers this explanation as per the ‘Spiritual interpretation: The phrase is interpreted as a spiritual message that regardless of the choices one faces, God will provide the correct path. It is a call to trust in divine guidance and be attentive to the “voice” of God, whether through scripture, the Holy Spirit, or an inner sense of direction.’ And per the ‘Practical application: For believers, the message encourages listening to God’s will rather than the advice of others and trusting that He will guide them, even when they feel lost or uncertain.’
And is that ever the infallible truth! Of course! For it’s the very same thing the Lord told Joshua when He made him the leader of the Israelites after the death of Moses. ‘Only be thou strong and very courageous, that thou may observe to do according to all the law, which Moses my servant commanded thee: turn not from it to the right hand or to the left, that thou mayest prosper whithersoever thou goest.’ (Josh. 1:7) It could not be put any plainer than that my faithful brethren.
Then we also have these warning words from Cousin Sol in Proverbs re swerving from God’s path, where he solemnly advises: ‘Let thine eyes look right on, and let thine eyelids look straight before thee. Ponder the path of thy feet, and let all thy ways be established. Turn not to the right hand nor to the left: remove thy foot from evil.’ (Prov. 4:25-27) There again we have a warning about staying focused on a righteous path, not allowing temptations to derail us from it through emotional desires.
Remember, God is in the driver’s seat, not our emotions. That’s why Cousin Sol tells us to specifically watch where we walk. It’s also like the psalmist says: ‘Thy word is a lamp uno my feet, and a light unto my path.’ (Ps. 119:105) And that’s exactly why the Lord gave us His Word, so it can light our path and guide our feet. But none of this will happen if we don’t know the Word and then place our lives in the hands of God, trusting Him to eventually work all things out for our good, because that’s His promise. (Rom. 8:28)
And though all we’re saying is the gospel truth, it’s still not easy to navigate on God’s behalf in this evil world. That’s why we can go confidently to the throne of grace seeking divine help in times of need. So, let’s do that right now nuh, through our Monday Morning Battle Hymn. As one strong and sincere voice: ‘Our Father, who art in heaven, we, Your humble servants, praise Your Holy Name and thank You this Monday morning for life and strong faith in Christ, despite the mass confusion in our world.
Heavenly Father, You are the ONLY ONE with the power to solve our many problems. Yes, we have all sinned and seriously disobeyed Your Word, but You are a merciful, forgiving and gracious God, who has faithfully promised to hear and answer our prayers when we humble ourselves, pray, and sincerely seek Your face. So, we come to You now, with sincere repentance in our hearts, pleading for wise guidance and direction to alleviate our problems.
Oh Father, please ease the pain of the many suffering from negative situations, show them Your awesome grace and mercy. And faithfully keep Your promise to prosper us if we turn from our evil ways. Show this evil world that You are indeed Jehovah Rapha; the God who heals! We pray this in the holy and blessed name of Your Son, our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ! Amen! And again, we say: Amen!’
And it’s all well and good to remind God of His promise to prosper us, but what about the conditions that must first be met eh? That’s our turning from our evil ways. The point is, until we clean up our act and become better Christian witnesses and ambassadors, God will not cause us to prosper. So let’s concentrate on doing that nuh … if we indeed desire divine help. Much LOVE!
…when we sincerely place our lives in God’s hands…He will never let us down…
Hear our podcast at https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/randy-obrien
24 Aug 2025
by randyobrien50
in Christian Thoughts and Inspiration., Daily Devotion, Daily Inspiration, Inspirational Living, Spiritual Living
Tags: a disciplined mind, a light unto my path, all I'm asking from you, all that I am, ammunition, as many as are led by the Spirit of God, be not afraid neither be thou dismayed, be strong and of a good courage, but of power love and a sound mind, cheating, crime, crowding my mind, do you remember, every tongue, fighting the good fight for Christ, For God hath not given us a spirit of fear, for God so loved the world, give me the strength, glorified together, have everlasting life, he gave his only begotten son, heirs of God, help me believe, help me today, holy spirit, I have to climb, I'm only human, if we suffer with Christ, if you're looking below, in what I could be, it's worse now than then, Jesus Christ, join the joyful throngs, joint heirs with Christ, LOVE, Marvia Providence, mercy, need to listen carefully, no weapon formed against thee shall prosper, one day at a time, one day at a time sweet Jesus, praise, pushing and shoving, responsibly handle the challenges of today, rise against thee in judgement, salvation, show me the stairways, show me the way, stealing, sufficient unto the day is the evil thereof, take therefore no thought for tomorrow, thanksgiving, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, the bells are ringing, the children of God, the heritage of the servants of the Lord, the leading and guiding of the Holy Spirit, the Lord thy God is with thee wherever you go, the Lord's faithful promise, the Lord's sanctuary, the morrow, the Sermon on the Mount, the Spirit of adoption, the spirit of bondage, their righteousness is from me, they are the sons of God, thine ears shall hear a word behind thee, thou shalt condemn, thy word is a lamp unto my feet, to do everything I have to do, tomorrow may never be mine, tomorrow shall take thought for the things of itself, truth, turn to the left, violence, walk in the footsteps of Christ, we cry Abba Father, we're born to faith not fear, when ye turn to the right hand, when you walked among men, where our bread is buttered, wisdom, with God as our guide, worship
Romans 8:14. ‘For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, they are the sons (daughters) of God.
The bells are ringing on this beautiful but a tad cloudy Sunday morning my people! That means it’s time to join the joyful throngs heading to the Lord’s sanctuary to offer up praise, worship and thanksgiving and receive grace, mercy, forgiveness and strength to fight the good fight for another week. And opening today’s worship is a Christian contemporary song authored by Marijohn Wilkins and Kris Kristofferson, most appropriately titled, ‘One Day At A Time Sweet Jesus.’ And that’s all we can handle, even if we foolishly and selfishly wish for more.
And today we’re going to offer up a rich, scintillating, Reggae version of the song, per Jamaican Gospel Artiste, Marvia Providence. So, let’s open our mouths and hearts and allow sweet sacrifices of praise to reach up to high heaven, beginning with the rocking chorus. Singing! ‘(Chorus: One day at a time sweet Jesus That’s all I’m asking from you Give me the strength To do everything that I have to do Yesterday’s gone sweet Jesus And tomorrow may never be mine Help me today, show me the way One day at a time)
I’m only human I’m just a woman (man) Help me believe in what I could be and all that I am. Oh show me the stairways I have to climb Lord for my sake teach me to take One day at a time. (Chorus) Oh do you remember? When you walked among men? Well Jesus you know If you’re looking below That its worse now than then Oh there’s Cheating and stealing, violence and crime. There’s pushing and shoving And its crowding my mind So Lord for my sake teach me to take One day at a time.
(Chorus: One day at a time sweet Jesus That’s all I’m asking from you Just give me the strength To do everything that I have to do Yesterday’s gone sweet Jesus And tomorrow may never be mine Help me today, show me the way One day at a time Oh help me today Show me the way One day at a time… One day at a time…Sweet Jesus…Teach me to take One day at a time…One day at a time…Lord help me today…Show me the way…One day at a time.’
And if you are sincere, He will help you to do just that. For remember we recently read in the Sermon on the Mount, where Jesus offered that exact wise advice, when He said: ‘Take therefore no thought for the morrow: for the morrow shall take thought for the things of itself. Sufficient unto the day is the evil (trouble) thereof.’ (Matt. 6:34) That means, everyday has its own problems, that need to be handled right then, and although we should make some rough plans for the morrow, we ought to concentrate on what’s happening today, and not too much about tomorrow.
For if we don’t responsibly handle the challenges and responsibilities of today, we might not even get to tomorrow. Yes, as the song says; ‘tomorrow may never be mine.’ But if we do see tomorrow, with God as our guide, we will be able to responsibly handle those troubles and problems it creates. That’s our Lord’s faithful promise. But believe me, with all the confusion and otherwise that’s constantly happening around us, learning to take one day at a time is not always easy, that’s why the song asks for help to do it.
We’re only human, frail and fragile beings, so we need help to believe in what we could be and what we truly are. And there are a few scriptures that can help us do just that beginning with this most encouraging scripture from Bruh Paul to Timothy. ‘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) That’s the first thing we must acknowledge; we’re not born to fear, but to faith.
Then know who we are in Christ. As Bruh Paul writes the Roman church. ‘For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, they are the sons (daughters) of God. For ye have not received the spirit of bondage again to fear; but ye have received the Spirit of adoption, whereby we cry, Abba, Father. The Spirit itself beareth witness with our spirit, that we are the children of God: and if children, then heirs; heirs of God, and joint heirs with Christ; if so be that we suffer with him, that we may be also glorified together.’ (Rom. 8:14-17)
Ah my brethren, if we believe in Christ, we need to realize that He’s freed us from fear and eternal death, and thus caused God to adopt us. And if we are children of God, then nothing can harm us. ‘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) More ammunition for us to be strong and not fear, once we link up with Jesus.
That brings us to this magnificent scripture, where the Lord Himself warned Joshua when He made him leader of the Israelites after the death of Moses. ‘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) Now that is scripture we should have at the forefront of our lives, every day! For it’s the backbone of our faith; the continual and everlasting presence of our wonderful and faithful God walking beside us all the time.
As the prophet Isaiah further reminds us. ‘And thine ears shall hear a word behind thee, saying, This is the way, walk ye in it, when ye turn to the right hand, and when ye turn to the left.’ (Is. 30:21) That’s the guiding and leading of the Holy Spirit that indwells us, softly whispering to us as we daily try to walk in the footsteps of Christ. The problem though is that if we truly want to hear that guiding voice, we need to listen carefully, for it’s not a loud, invasive or intrusive one, but a gentle, comforting voice.
And we cannot end without possibly the most important verse of scripture in the entire Bible; these marvellous, reassuring words of Jesus to Nicodemus: ‘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) Now that shows just how much the Lord cares for His human creation. Therefore, let us stand strong in the Lord, and keep fighting the good fight for Christ, for that’s where our bread is buttered! Much LOVE!
…thy word is a lamp unto my feet…and a light unto my path… (Ps. 119:105)
Hear our podcast at https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/randy-obrien
19 Oct 2023
by randyobrien50
in Christian Thoughts and Inspiration., Daily Devotion, Daily Inspiration, Inspirational Living, Spiritual Living
Tags: a positive outlook on life., a price to pay for disobedience, a reward for obedience, as a beacon upon the top of a mountain, as an ensign on a hill, as the light of seven days, be careful for nothing, be of good courage, blessed are all they that wait for him, by prayer and supplication, courage, crying out for rest, curse, give the rain for thy seed, graven images of silver, he shall strengthen thine heart, holy spirit, in every thing, Jesus Christ, keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus, leave all the consequences to Him, let your requests be made known unto God, LOVE, mercy, molten images of gold, negative word, obey God, passeth all understanding, the bread of adversity, the light of the moon as the light of the sun, the Lord is a God of justice, the peace of God, the still calm voice of the Holy Spirit, the sun shall be sevenfold, the water of affliction, thine ears shall hear a word behind thee, this is the way walk ye in it, Thursday Blessings, thy cattle shall feed in large pastures, turn from the straight and narrow path, wait I say on the Lord, wait on the Lord, with thanksgiving
Isaiah 30:18b. for the Lord is a God of judgement (justice): blessed are all they that wait for him.
And then it was Thursday; the penultimate day of our workweek. And some of us are just dying to see Friday afternoon because the week has been so hectic and confusing, and our old bones are crying out for rest! But not to worry my fellow believers, for if you sincerely have Jesus in your heart, then He will calm your storm and get you to a safe port all in one piece. That’s what He promised, and He keeps His promises, unlike the selfish, greedy, evil and ungodly world of men, in which we live. So please stop fretting and being anxious and let Jesus hold your hand and guide you to a place of rest and quiet.
And in a world so filled with untold disaster and widespread tribulation, it will do us good today to remember these encouraging words of Bruh Paul to the Philippians. ‘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. 4:6-7) And that my friends is the best advice we can follow today! Just give it all to Jesus, for what we can’t handle, He’s most capable of handling.
Now, let’s see what the Lord had to say to His rebellious people Judah from yesterday, after promising that they would pay for their rebellious ways, and flee, till only a handful were left, ‘as a beacon (pole) upon the top of a mountain, and as an ensign (flag, banner) on an hill.’ (Is. 30:17) The prophet Isaiah then talks of graciousness and mercy as he writes on the Lord’s behalf. ‘And therefore will the Lord wait, that he may be gracious unto you, and therefore will he be exalted, that he may have mercy upon you: for the Lord is a God of judgement (justice): blessed are all they that wait for him.’ (Is. 30:18)
And is that ever the glorious truth my fellow believers! Those who wait patiently and expectantly on Jehovah God will indeed be blessed when He is ready! And nowhere is it better said than in Psalm 27, in the words of Bruh David. ‘Wait on the Lord: be of good courage, and he shall strengthen thine heart: wait, I say, on the Lord.’ (Ps. 27:14)
Then Isaiah continues with the good news. ‘For the people shall dwell in Zion at Jerusalem: thou shalt weep no more: he will be very gracious unto thee at the voice of thy cry; when he shall hear it, he will answer thee. And though the Lord give you the bread of adversity, and the water of affliction, yet shall not thy teachers be removed into a corner any more, but thine eyes shall see thy teachers.’ (Is. 30:19-20) That’s in direct contrast to yesterday where in their rebellion they didn’t want to hear the truth and caused the teachers and prophets to tell them lies to satisfy their lustful desires.
‘And thine ears shall hear a word behind thee, saying, This is the way, walk ye in it, when ye turn to the right hand, and when ye turn to the left.’ (Is. 30:21) Isn’t it the same way it is with us today? Whenever we turn from the straight and narrow path, to the right or to the left, we hear the quiet voice of the Holy Spirit encouraging us to turn back to the right way. The problem though, is do we listen to that still, calm voice? Let’s hope we do.
Then, having found the right way, Isaiah declares (yesss!!!): ‘Ye shall defile also the covering of thy graven images of silver, and the ornaments of thy molten images of gold: thou shalt cast them away as a menstruous (unclean) cloth; thou shalt say unto it, Get thee hence. Then shall he give the rain of (for) thy seed, that thou shalt sow the ground withal; and bread of the increase of the earth, and it shall be fat (rich) and plenteous: in that day shall thy cattle feed in large pastures. The oxen likewise and the young asses (donkeys) that ear (work) the ground shall eat clean provender (cured fodder, good grain), which had been winnowed with the shovel and with the fan.
And there shall be upon every high mountain, and upon every high hill, rivers and streams of waters in the day of the great slaughter, when the towers fall. Moreover the light of the moon shall be as the light of the sun, and the light of the sun shall be sevenfold, as the light of seven days, in the day that the Lord bindeth up the breach (bruise) of his people, and health the stroke of their wound.’ (Is. 30:22-26)
Yes, my fellow saints, that is what’s going to come that final day of judgement. God’s goodness and mercy is going to be there for those who walk the right path and wait on Him. The wicked and rebellious will be destroyed, but those that wait upon the Lord shall inherit the earth! And the scholars add these explanations. ‘Because God is gracious and has been willing to wait for His people to return to Him. He will certainly bless those who wait for him. “Waiting” is a confident and dependent trust in God. The reference to the bread of adversity, and the water of affliction shows that God teaches us lessons through circumstances when we will not listen to our teachers who call us to walk in the way (i.e., the way of God).’
Oh friends, the moral of the story is that there’s always a price to pay for disobedience…and a reward for obedience… So let’s be wise and follow the path of obedience nuh, especially since God has gifted us with some undeserved blessings we call our Thursday Blessings, so that we can use them to do His work. Let’s now activate them by declaring (awright!!!) them out loud.
Altogether: ‘I declare that I am blessed with God’s supernatural wisdom and receive clear direction for my life! I declare today that I am blessed with creativity, courage, talent and abundance! I am blessed with a strong will, self-control and self-discipline! I am blessed with a great family, good friends, good health, faith, favour and fulfillment! I am blessed with success, supernatural strength, promotion and divine protection! I am blessed with a compassionate heart and a positive outlook on life! I declare that any curse or negative word that’s ever been spoken over me is broken right now in the name of Jesus! I declare that everything I put my hands to, will prosper and succeed! I declare it today and every day! Amen!’
Now, having activated those blessings, it’s our bounden duty to go out and use them on behalf of others, just as generously as the Lord bestowed them on us! Much LOVE!
…as Uncle Charles (Dr. Charles Stanley) would say…the best way to live this life…obey God…and leave all the consequences to Him…
Hear our podcast at https://open.spotify.com/show/3aVfqIC1CqwGybISs9dZ
09 Aug 2023
by randyobrien50
in Christian Thoughts and Inspiration., Daily Devotion, Daily Inspiration, Inspirational Living, Spiritual Living
Tags: a still small voice, bring all things to your remembrance, drown out the voice of the Holy Spirit, endure down to the end, eyes fixed straight ahead, God teaches us lessons through circumstances, hands on the plough, He shall teach you all things, holy spirit, in a covenant relationship with Christ, Jesus Christ, let not your heart be troubled, listen to the Holy Spirit, longing for sunshine and warm weather, LOVE, my peace I give unto you, neither let it be afraid, not as the world giveth, not looking back, Peace i leave with you, seek ye first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, thank God, the bread of adversity, the breath of life, the Comforter, the loud noises of the world, the peace of Christ, the water of affliction, the way of God, thine ears shall hear a word behind thee, this is the way walk ye in it, to a glorious future with Jesus, too much in love with the things of the world, turn to the left hand, Wednesday Wail, when ye turn to the right hand
Isaiah 30:21. And thine ears shall hear a word behind thee, saying, This is the way, walk ye in it, when ye turn to the right hand, and when ye turn to the left hand.
Oh friends, I can’t believe it’s already Wednesday nuh! The days are flying by so quickly, leaving me helplessly in their wake, unprepared and not doing any of the things I desire to do. But it’s a beautiful summer’s day in my area though, bright, sunshiny and cool, and if I’m smart, I’ll enjoy it to the last drop, because soon there won’t be any more of these kinds of days.
In fact, as soon as September begins, with the passing of Labour Day, the cold weather creeps back in and drives the beautiful thoughts and actions of summer away. But that’s just how it is in these northern climes. You know it, but never get accustomed to it, always longing for the sunshine and warm weather.
Anyway, with the Holy Spirit of Jesus in us and by our sides, leading and guiding us in the good way, we have nothing to worry about, regardless of what comes against us. But that doesn’t happen automatically. No sir. And why not you ask? Because we’re in a covenant relationship with Christ, which means we also have a part to play; that’s to listen to the Holy Spirit and then follow His godly guidance.
It’s like Isaiah said to the people of Israel, re God’s graciousness and mercy. ‘And though the Lord give you the bread of adversity, and the water of affliction, yet shall not thy teachers be removed into a corner any more, but thine eyes shall see thy teachers. And thine ears shall hear a word behind thee, saying, This is the way, walk ye in it, when ye turn to the right hand, and when ye turn to the left hand.’ (Is. 30:20-21)
Yes friends, that’s the way the Holy Spirit operates, guiding us with a still, small voice, that we can only hear if we’re paying attention. However, not paying attention, not listening for that still, small voice is what so many of us supposed believers are doing, that’s why so many of us are going astray, and thus ‘eating the bread of adversity, and drinking the water of affliction.’ The scholars tell us that ‘the reference to the bread of adversity and the water of affliction shows that God teaches us lessons through circumstances when we will not listen to our teachers who call us to walk in the way (i.e., the way of God).’
Oh my people, that’s why it’s of the utmost importance to listen to the voice of the Holy Spirit if we desire to know the true direction the Lord wants us to follow. That was Jesus’ direction to the disciples when He told them of the Holy Spirit’s coming. He said: But the Comforter (Helper), which is the Holy Ghost, whom the Father will send in my name, he shall teach you all things, and bring all things to your remembrance, whatsoever I have said unto you. Peace I leave with you, my peace I give unto you: not as the world giveth, give I unto you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid.’ (John 14:26-27)
And it’s that peace of Jesus that enables us to hear the voice of the Holy Spirit. And if we don’t have that peace, then we cannot listen, and thus cannot be taught. And that’s the sad part of Christianity today. Too many of us don’t have the peace of Jesus, and therefore allow the loud noises of the world to drown out the whispers of the Holy Spirit. Our hearts have become hard, by being too much in LOVE with the things of the world, consequently we cannot hear the quiet guidance of God’s Spirit, and then, when we’re overwhelmed by our negative circumstances because of our unwise decisions, we’re quick to blame God.
But the fault is usually ours, for being too much in LOVE with the deceptive and perishable wealth and things of the world, and not enamoured enough of the imperishable things of God. Remember what Jesus said in the Sermon on the Mount about the best way to live. ‘But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you.’ (Matt. 6:33)
Yes my brethren, if we seek God’s kingdom and His righteousness first, God will ensure that we do not lack anything. And remember, He owns the universe and all therein, and if He wants to make you filthy rich, He can, just like He made Cousin Sol the richest and most powerful man ever, although he did not ask for riches or glory, but wisdom and strength to guide his people. And there are many filthy rich and powerful believers out there in the world, so it’s not like we can’t acquire the good things that the world has to offer, but we have to do it through the auspices, the power of God and not of men or of Satan.
And there’s some more stuff I’d like to talk about, but it will make the Bit too long, (smile) so we’ll leave that until tomorrow, the Lord willing. Now let’s go home declaring (steupsss!!!) our Wednesday Wail letting all and sundry know of our marvellous position in Christ Jesus.
Altogether now: ‘Wednesday, Wednesday, Wednesday: I’m so glad to be alive on this Wednesday! Wednesday, Wednesday, Wednesday: Thank God the breath of life is still flowing through me on this Wednesday! I am halfway home. My hands are fixed securely on the plough, and I’m not turning back. I’m not looking back at the past, not focusing on what has gone before. But my eyes are fixed straight ahead; straight ahead to a glorious future with Jesus. Glory Hallelujah!’
And there’s this added incentive, that if we endure right down to the very end with Jesus, that future will be even more glorious than we can ask or imagine! Wow! Hope to see you there! Much LOVE!
…without the peace of Christ in our souls…we won’t hear the voice of the Holy Spirit…
Hear our podcast at https://open.spotify.com/show/3aVfqIC1CqwGybISs9dZ
21 Oct 2021
by randyobrien50
in Christian Thoughts and Inspiration., Daily Devotion, Daily Inspiration, Inspirational Living, Spiritual Living
Tags: a still small voice, abundance, according to his riches in glory, all the days of my life, be ever ready to repel his assaults, be not afraid, be strong and of a good courage, clear direction for my life, curse, divine protection, he leadeth me beside still waters, he maketh me to lie down in green pastures, he restoreth my soul, holy spirit, I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me, I shall not want, I will dwell in the house of the Lord for ever, in the presence of mine enemies, keeps coming relentlessly against us, LOVE, make evil inroads into our lives, my cup runneth over, my God shall supply all my needs, negative word, neither be thou discouraged, our part to play, prosper, reading and studying god's word, stand strong and steadfast, succeed, supernatural wisdom, surely goodness and mercy shall follow me, talent, the awesome light of Jesus, the enemy though toothless and powerless, The Lord is my shepherd, the Lord thy God is with thee, the world and all its evil minions, thine ears shall hear a word behind thee, this is the way walk ye in it, thou anointest my head with oil, thou mayest prosper, thou preparest a table before me, Thursday Blessings, thy rod and thy staff they comfort me, whithersoever thou goest, wise guidance for everyday living
Psalm 23:1. The Lord is my shepherd, I shall not want.
Well, it’s definitely not a bright, sunshiny day in my area today. Unfortunately, it’s wet and cloudy. But as we keep reminding ourselves, the physical state, the colour of the day doesn’t really matter, once we have the awesome light of Jesus shining within us, through the amazing Holy Spirit. That means, every day is a bright and shining day for believers. Glory to God!
But it all doesn’t come automatically, we have our part to play in the relationship. The enemy, that’s the world and all its evil minions, though toothless and powerless, still keeps coming relentlessly against us, and if we falter, for even just one moment, he will make evil inroads into our lives. Therefore, we have to be ever ready to repel his assaults, and we can only do that successfully by consistently reading and studying God’s Word, then obeying it.
That recalls the serious words the Lord spoke to Joshua when He made him leader of the Israelites after Moses’ death. ‘Only be strong and very courageous, that thou mayest observe to do according to all the law, which Moses my servant commanded thee: turn not from it to the right hand or to the left, that thou mayest prosper (have success, act wisely) whithersoever thou goest.
This book of the law shall not depart out of thy mouth (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 discouraged: for the Lord thy God is with thee whithersoever thou goest.’ (Josh. 1:7-9)
Wow mih bredrin! What marvellous promises! But it’s only our holding to God’s word and the truth of His promises that will make us successful. And after Jesus came, we also got the Holy Spirit to help us. Listening to Him is a real Godsend, for He gives us good and wise guidance for everyday living. It’s like Isaiah said to the Israelites long ago, re turning to the Lord for help: ‘And thine ears shall hear a word behind thee, saying, This is the way, walk ye in it, when ye turn to the right hand, and when ye turn to the left.’ (Is. 30:21)
That’s the way the Holy Spirit usually guides us; through a still small voice in our souls and spirits. But as we specified yesterday, it is of the utmost importance to learn to listen to Him, and then follow His wise guidance. And no, living a good and righteous life in this evil and ungodly world is not easy to accomplish, but there again, Jesus doesn’t ever ask us to do something without giving us the wherewithal, the strength and wisdom to do it. That’s why we can confidently say: ‘I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me!’ (Phil. 4:13) But we must sincerely believe it, and then put it into action in our lives, otherwise it doesn’t work.
Oh friends, there are some promises of God that are unconditional, and some that are conditional, that means we have to do something to reap that promise, and standing strong and courageous in Christ Jesus is one of them. And when we do that, then promises like this one Bruh Paul made to the Philippians and also to us, will be fulfilled. ‘But my God shall supply all your need according to his riches in glory by Christ Jesus.’ (Phil. 4:19) Yes my fellow believers, when we stand strong for Christ, sacrifice for Him, the Lord will gloriously meet our needs in proportion to His unlimited resources, for everything in the world belongs to Him.
As Bruh Paul said to the church at Corinth in his second letter. ‘And God is able to make all grace abound toward you; that ye always having all sufficiency in all things, may abound to every good work.’ (2 Cor. 9:8) Our spiritual and financial needs will be met if we listen and obey. Furthermore, as Bruh David so confidently stated in our favourite Psalm: ‘The Lord is my shepherd, I shall not want.’ (Ps. 23:1)
And we see it in his life. Though he made many mistakes, and paid a hefty price for them, he never forsook the Lord, always kept Him first place in his life, and the Lord greatly rewarded him. And He will do the same for each of us my brethren, if we stand strong and steadfast for Him. And I believe this is a most opportune time for us to uplift our faith by repeating those marvellous words of Bruh David.
‘The Lord is my shepherd I shall not want. He maketh me to lie down in green pastures: he leadeth me beside the still waters. He restoreth my soul: he leadeth me in the paths of righteousness for his name’s sake. Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil: for thou art with me; thy rod and thy staff they comfort me. Thou preparest a table before me in the presence of mine enemies: thou anointest my head with oil; my cup runneth over. Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life: and I will dwell in the house of the Lord for ever.’ Amen…and Amen! (Ps. 23:1-6)
Yes friends, if those magnificent words of faith didn’t raise your spirits this wet and cloudy morning, I don’t know what will nuh. But for those of us who take it seriously, let’s go home declaring (steups!!!) our Thursday Blessings, which the Lord has so generously bestowed on us to do His earthly work.
Altogether now: ‘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 the only way those blessings will benefit us is if we now go out and share them with others, just as generously as the Lord shared them with us! Much LOVE!
…if we believe God…and do what He says…He won’t let us down…
Hear our podcast at https://open.spotify.com/show/3aVfqIC1CqwGybISs9dZJ8
01 Sep 2021
by randyobrien50
in Christian Thoughts and Inspiration., Daily Devotion, Daily Inspiration, Inspirational Living, Spiritual Living
Tags: born not of blood, but as many as received him, call out to Jesus for help, endure until the end, even to them that believe on his name, from the depths of your broken spirit and hurting heart, God sent not his son into the world, hands fixed securely on the plough, He came unto his own, He will immediately come running, his own received him not, I am halfway home, in bondage to sin, Jesus is the compassionate searching Herdsman, my eyes are fixed straight ahead, nor of the will of man...but of God, nor of the will of the flesh, not turning back, problems are weighing you down, saving work by faith and grace, seeking to save those who cannot save themselves, so glad to be alive, still flowing through me, thank God the breath of life, the Holy Spirit, the Lord and Saviour of this world, the safe and narrow path, the Son of man is come, thine ears shall hear a word behind thee, this day is salvation come to this house, this is the way walk ye in it, to a glorious future with Jesus, to become the sons of God, to condemn the world but to save it, to save all sick lonely and lost souls, to seek and save that which was lost, to them gave he power, too much stubborn pride, Wednesday Wail
Luke 19:10. For the Son of man is come to seek and to save that which was lost.
Well mih people, it’s Wednesday 1st of September 2021…and the cooler weather has already begun! (smile) Anyway, what’s new with you eh? Has Covid 19 and all the other problems we’re facing brought you so low down that you don’t know what else to do? I hope not, but just in case your problems are weighing you down, here’s the best advice I can give you….Call out to Jesus for help! Cry out to Him from the depths of your broken spirit and hurting heart! He will immediately come running to your side and offer whatever help you need!
Yes friends, that’s the name our world needs to cry out to right now amidst all the many problems we’re currently facing! He is the Lord and Saviour of this world; whose main job is to save all sick, lonely and lost souls. I didn’t say it, Jesus Himself did…and several times too. Listen to Him before He told His disciples the parable of the lost sheep. ‘For the Son of man is come to save that which is lost.’ (Matt. 18:11)
Then at the repentance of Zaccheus, the chief tax collector, He joyfully declares: ‘This day is salvation come to this house, forasmuch as he also is a son of Abraham. For the Son of man is come to seek and to save that which was lost.’ (Luke 19:10) Yes my fellow believers, as the scholars explain: ‘Jesus is the compassionate, searching Herdsman who seeks to save those who can by no means save themselves.’
Meanwhile, in the gospel of John, Jesus solemnly informs the Jewish leader Nicodemus: ‘For God so LOVED the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. For God sent not his son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved.’ (John 3:16-17) Oh my brethren, it’s all about God, through Jesus, doing great saving work by faith and grace!
And I like how Stephen J Cole puts it in his commentary found on the bible.org website. He says: ‘When Jesus says in our text that “the Son of Man has come to seek and to save that which was lost,” He was thus referring to the fact that as the second person of the Trinity, He had taken on human flesh and had come to this earth to offer Himself in the place of sinners. He took our penalty on Himself, so that we could be saved from the penalty we deserve. God would not have taken such extreme measures as the incarnation and death of His Son if lost people were able to save themselves. They are lost and so they must be sought and found. Christ came to seek the lost.’
Ah friends, how wonderful is Jesus, our Lord and Saviour eh? He took the initiative and came to seek us worthless sinners out, so that we could be saved, be reconciled to the Father after being in bondage to sin for so long. And as Stephen J Cole continues: ‘Salvation is not due to the will of man, but rather to the will of God (John 1:12-13). His purpose in saving the lost is never frustrated by the rebellious will of sinners.’
And that’s an indisputable fact friends! If Jesus wants you, He will get you, one way or another! Your rebellious will certainly won’t stop Him. I can personally testify to that, as I continually refused to accept His offer to write the Bit, but He eventually wore me down, and here I am doing it for over fourteen years now, (smile) obviously with His awesome help! And just in case you don’t know the two verses that Mr. Cole talks about above, let me spoon feed us. (smile)
John writes about Jesus: ‘He came unto his own, and his own received him not. But as many as received him, to them gave he power (the right) to become the sons (children) of God, even to them that believe on his name: Which were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God.’ (John 1:11-13)
That says it all my fellow saints! Jesus came to earth to save us, but many of us refused, and are still refusing, to acknowledge Him. However those who were wise and did, or do sincerely believe in Him, acknowledge His Lordship, He gave us the right to call ourselves children of God, which means we are spiritually reborn, we no longer take orders from the evil one, but from Christ Himself, through the Holy Spirit which dwells within us to lead and guide us on the safe and narrow path that leads to salvation and the waiting and ever-LOVING arms of the Father! Glory be mih people!
I don’t know what else we need to wake up and heed Christ’s call nuh. He left the comfort of heaven, came to earth, died for our sins, paid a hefty price with His own sinless life, gave us all the tools we need, including the Holy Spirit to lead and guide us! What else can He do eh? It’s all up to us now friends. We either believe and live, or don’t believe and die! That’s the long and short of the story!
And re, the guiding of the Holy Spirit, I like how Isaiah said it way back when: ‘And thine ears shall hear a word behind thee, saying, This is the way, walk ye in it, when ye turn to the right hand, and when ye turn to the left.’ (Is. 30:21) And that’s exactly how it is! But the most important thing is, do we listen, are we listening to the still small voice of the Holy Spirit as we live our lives and allowing it to guide us? That is what makes all the difference!
As they say, you can lead a horse to water, but you cannot make him drink. The same thing applies to finding Jesus – you can be led to Him, but you must make a conscious decision to follow Him. Now, for those of us who have made that conscious decision, let’s go home declaring (yeah!!!) our Wednesday Wail, letting all and sundry know of our wonderful position in Christ Jesus.
As one mighty voice now: ‘Wednesday, Wednesday, Wednesday: I’m so glad to be alive on this Wednesday! Wednesday, Wednesday, Wednesday: Thank God the breath of life is still flowing through me on this Wednesday! I am halfway home. My hands are fixed securely on the plough, and I’m not turning back. I’m not looking back at the past, not focusing on what has gone before. But my eyes are fixed straight ahead; straight ahead to a glorious future with Jesus. Glory Hallelujah!’
Yes my brethren, living for Jesus is wonderful, but we need to endure until the end, when that future will be even more glorious than we ask or imagine! Much LOVE!
…if God can come to seek and find us when we are lost…why can’t we accept His wonderful offer of salvation eh…too much stubborn pride…
Hear our podcast at https://open.spotify.com/show/3aVfqIC1CqwGybISs9dZJ8
28 Jul 2021
by randyobrien50
in Christian Thoughts and Inspiration., Daily Devotion, Daily Inspiration, Inspirational Living, Spiritual Living
Tags: a still small voice, catching my second wind, endure to the end, fellow saints in Christ, getting myself in gear, glory hallelujah, God desires to lead, God doesn't brow beat or force you, God doesn't try to control, God's grace empowers us, God's Holy Spirit, I am halfway home, I'm not looking back, is still flowing through me, knocking on the door of your heart, listen carefully, living a life of peace and love, LOVE, most private of private spaces, my eyes are fixed straight ahead, my grace is sufficient for thee, my hands are fixed securely on the plough, my strength is made perfect in weakness, obstinate disobedience, pay our sin debt in full, repercussions for unwise decisions, roadblocks, send faith to answer it, so glad to be alive, spiritual powers, temptations, thank God the breath of life, thankful for small mercies, the future will be even more glorious, thine ears shall hear a word behind thee, this is the way walk ye in it, to a glorious future with Jesus, Wednesday Wail, when fear comes knocking, when ye turn to the left, when ye turn to the right hand
Isaiah 30:21. And thine ears shall hear a word behind thee, saying, This is the way, walk ye in it, when ye turn to the right hand, and when ye turn to the left.
Where is the week running off to eh friends? I feel like it’s leaving me behind. (smile) Can you believe that it’s already Wednesday, and I’m only now getting myself in gear? When I should be catching my second wind, I’m only now capturing my first. But I am thankful for small mercies…at least I am catching my wind, late though it may be. (smile)
However, that’s the wonderful think about our God; though you may come late to His party, He makes sure that you don’t miss out on anything. All He has is always on display for you to check out. And all you have to do is talk to Him about whatever concerns you. He doesn’t try to brow beat or force you to do anything, just gives you the options and allows you to make up your mind.
Now which other supposed god is like that eh? NONE! All those other false gods try to instill their will upon you and make you do what they want, but the One and Only True Living God, He of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob gives you free will to do whatever you want. That doesn’t mean there are no repercussions for unwise decisions and obstinate disobedience, but you have the right to choose, He will not involve Himself in your affairs unless you ask Him to.
He will however keep knocking on your door, that’s the door of your heart, seeking entrance to come in and dine with you. But it’s all up to you whether you let Him in or not. Obviously, it’s wise to allow Him to enter your heart, because He can do so much good in your life, but that’s your personal decision…to allow, or not to allow Him into your heart, your most private of private spaces. That’s what He really wants, because He works best from the very inside.
And I just espied this wonderful and most appropriate scripture for what we are talking about. When the Lord enters your heart, the Good Book says: ‘And thine ears shall hear a word behind thee, saying, This is the way, walk ye in it, when ye turn to the right hand, and when ye turn to the left.’ (Is. 30:21)
Ah mih people, that’s the beauty of our God; He doesn’t try to control, He desires to lead, and He leads you from the inside through His Holy Spirit that comes to dwell within you when you answer His knock on your heart door and allow Him to enter therein. But you have to listen, ofttimes very carefully, because He doesn’t shout either. It’s usually a still, small voice that He leads with, so unless you are paying serious attention you will often miss His awesome directions and thus suffer dire consequences.
So, once you allow Almighty God to enter your Sanctus sanctorum, your most private place, through your belief in His Son Jesus Christ, who paid for your sins on the cross at Calvary and the indwelling of His Holy Spirit, it then becomes your responsibility to listen for His guidance. If you don’t, then you stand to lose out on some of the wonderful plans, adventures and good times that the Lord has in store for you. And you say that you didn’t know He had good things in store for you…But of course.
Listen to this other marvellous scripture of promise from the prophet Jeremiah. ‘For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, saith the Lord, thoughts of peace, and not of evil (calamity), to give you an expected end ( a future and a hope). (Jer. 29:11) And He kept that promise when He sent His Son Jesus Christ into the world to die for our sins, and pay our sin debt in full! Glory Hallelujah!
Yes friends, Jesus is our future and our hope. He is the One that leads us to the Father, to salvation and eternal life! Only through Him do we get that glorious future the Lord promised. And all it takes is sincere belief in Him and living a life of peace, LOVE, helpfulness and selflessness like He did when He was down here on earth. Now how hard can that be eh?
To be truthful, that can be very hard, because there are all kinds of people and spiritual powers who don’t want you to live a life that’s worthy of Jesus, so they throw up all sorts of roadblocks and temptations in your way. But please remember, that the Lord, through His Holy Spirit has given us the power to refute and refuse all those evil and ungodly things that come against us.
And like God told Bruh Paul after he pleaded with Him three times to remove some affliction in his body: ‘My grace is sufficient for thee: for my strength (power) is made perfect in weakness (weaknesses).’ (2 Cor. 12:9) Yes my fellow saints in Christ, the Lord’s amazing power does show out in times when our weaknesses show up. His grace, His anointing, is upon us all, as we walk worthy of Him.
And as Bruh Paul reminded Timothy, and I want to remind us now of this magnificent scripture: ‘For God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of LOVE, and of a sound or disciplined mind.’ (2 Tim. 1:7) Please, let’s never forget that. As long as we are walking with Christ, we will always be able to overcome whatever comes against us, for His grace empowers us to do whatever we need to do in His name.
So, for those of us who truly believe, and try to walk faithfully, let’s go home declaring (awright!) our Wednesday Wail, letting all and sundry know of our wonderful position in Christ Jesus. Altogether now: ‘Wednesday, Wednesday, Wednesday: I’m so glad to be alive on this Wednesday! Wednesday, Wednesday, Wednesday: Thank God the breath of life is still flowing through me on this Wednesday!
I am halfway home. My hands are fixed securely on the plough, and I’m not turning back. I’m not looking back at the past, not focusing on what has gone before. But my eyes are fixed straight ahead; straight ahead to a glorious future with Jesus. Glory Hallelujah!’
And this last thing to remember…if we endure to the end with Jesus, then the future will be even more glorious than we can ask or even imagine. Now isn’t that something to look forward to? It certainly is! Much LOVE!
…when fear comes knocking…send faith to answer it…
Hear our podcast at https://open.spotify.com/show/3aVfqIC1CqwGybISs9dZJ8
17 Nov 2020
by randyobrien50
in Christian Thoughts and Inspiration., Daily Devotion, Daily Inspiration, Inspirational Living, Spiritual Living
Tags: a desperately needy world, a good listening ear, after the Spirit, all these things will be added unto you, Bright Morning Star, callously disregard God's words, can one find true freedom, Competition with God, condemnation, confusion, controversy, cower and run, demonic thoughts, embrace personal desires, erase my concern, frail and finite created, giving allegiance to God, God's adversary, hellfire and damnation, I don't have to hurry, I don't have to worry, ignoring God-assigned tasks, in god's eyes, leads to emptiness, Lucifer, no condemnation, One Year Book of Bible promises, only in Christ, permeating my very being, personal possessions, praying with pretense, precious saints of God, satanic encouragement, satanic majesty, seek ye first the kingdom of God, share His love with the world, speaks in a still small voice, the beloved of God, the bright sunshine of Jesus, the Holy Spirit, the overwhelming power of God, the path of self-indulgence, the state of affiars, the undeserving children of men, thine ears shall hear a word behind thee, this is the way, thoughts saunter through blind alleys, to them which are in Christ Jesus, tried to overthrow God, trust my friend Jesus, Tuesday Mantra, walk not after the flesh, walk the godly path, walk ye in it, waste valuable time, when ye turn to the left, when ye turn to the right hand, wonderful sacrifices and gits, you were destined to walk
Isaiah 30:21. And thine ears shall hear a word behind thee, saying, This is the way, walk ye in it, when ye turn to the right hand, and when ye turn to the left.
Well this Tuesday morning has opened somewhat hazy and cloudy in my area. Let’s hope that will not be the state of affairs for the day, because I have to go out the street and run some errands later on in the day. But be that as it may, I will not cower and run from the physical weather, (smile) because I have the bright sunshine of Jesus Christ, our Lord and Saviour permeating my very being, and with that holy presence in me, and also in you believers, we can withstand anything that comes against us, with an amazing attitude of peace and joy too! Oh glory be to Jesus my people for all His wonderful sacrifices and gifts to us, the very undeserving children of men!
And I recently came upon a rather interesting poem from our One Year Book of Bible Promises with writings by Ruth Harms Calkin that seem very appropriate for these confusing, uncertain and strife-filled times. It’s titled ‘Competition with God.’ Now doesn’t that stir up some puzzled and/or scary thoughts, leading us to think and ask, just how could we be in competition with God eh? Well here’s the substance of it all. (smile)
Please read with me: ‘Often we must ask, what is my competition with God? When life seems to stand still, when my thoughts saunter through blind alleys, those very thoughts become my competition with God. When I embrace my personal desires instead of giving allegiance to God, desire becomes my competition with God. When I waste valuable time, ignoring God-assigned tasks, time becomes my competition with God.
When personal possessions erase my concern for a desperately needy world, possession become my competition with God. If we allow a controversy in our lives, our praying may be with pretense, but it will not be with power. Walking the path of self-indulgence eventually leads to emptiness. Seeking first the kingdom of God and His righteousness leads to freedom and joy.’
Oh my people, I couldn’t have put it any better than that! And that’s why Jesus specifically spoke those awesome words. ‘But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you.’ (Matt. 6:33) But the truth of the matter is that we callously disregard His words, believing that we know better, and that we can make it happen in our own strength! No wonder our world is in such a shameful and confused state right now! With our every gain in knowledge and technology we become less comfortable and less believing in the Word of God and end up in foolish competition with Him.
Friends, that’s a competition we can NEVER win because God is the Creator and we’re simply the frail and finite created. Please remember the archangel’s Lucifer (Bright Morning Star) fall from heaven when he foolishly tried to overthrow God. (Is. 14:12-16) That’s the same foolish path on which we’re now engaged, which the world is hell bent on treading, obviously with his satanic encouragement, because he’s now God’s adversary.
But please, let’s stop for a moment and seriously consider the situation nuh. If the powerful archangel Lucifer, couldn’t overthrow God, how can we so much lesser mortals do it eh? No way! But we still allow him to keep egging us on, and he’s very persuasive, so we have to be real careful. My people, nobody knows better than his satanic majesty the overwhelming power of God, and he’s just trying to bring us down to his foolish level as a means of getting back at God.
But please, please, I’m asking, no, pleading with us to rebuke him, and refuse to become a part of his most foolish and doomed to failure plan. Instead, let’s stand strong with God. Let’s stop being in competition with Him. Let’s allow our thoughts, our desires and our time to line up with His demands instead of our own. Let’s not allow controversy and self-indulgence to fill our lives with demonic thoughts, sentiments and behaviour, which only lead to even more confusion and condemnation and eventually emptiness.
Remember how Bruh Paul put it to the church at Rome? ‘There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit. For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus hath made me free from the law of sin and death.’ (Rom. 8:1-2) What beautiful words and sentiments my brethren! It just assures us that when we walk with Jesus, in the law of His Spirit, we find freedom, but with the law of the flesh, the carnality of Satan’s world, all we find is sin and death; hellfire and damnation!
And Jesus Himself made it abundantly clear when He told the hypocrite Pharisees, whom He called children of the devil. (John 8:44) ‘If the Son therefore shall make you free, ye shall be free indeed.’ (John 8:36) Mama Mia! Glory to God, for whom the Son sets free is indeed free and cannot be taken captive by Satan and his evil minions! What life changing sentiments my brethren! But we must take them to heart and consciously practice them in our earthly lives if they are to be helpful to us.
And how do we do that? The Bible verse that’s the promise for our poem above, gives us this direction. ‘And thine ears shall hear a word behind thee, saying, This is the way, walk ye in it, when ye turn to the right hand, and when ye turn to the left.’ (Is. 30:21)
Yes precious saints of God, the Holy Spirit of Christ which indwells every believer is our guide and director. He tells us where to walk and where not to walk. But we have to listen to Him, pay serious attention to Him, because He usually speaks in a still, small voice. He doesn’t shout out often, so you have to develop the skill and a good listening ear if you want to walk the true and godly path you were destined to walk.
And God said it to Joshua way back when He made him the leader of the Israelites after Moses’ death. ‘Only be thou strong and very courageous, that thou mayest observe to do according to all the law, which Moses my servant commanded thee: turn not from it to the right hand or to the left, that thou mayest prosper withersoserver thou goest.’ (Josh. 1:7) And nothing has changed since then friends, walking in the way of the Lord is still the only sure way to have success or to act wisely.
So with all of that in mind this fateful Tuesday in November, in this crazy and eccentric year of 2020, let’s go home now declaring (yeahh!) our Tuesday Mantra, letting all and sundry know who and whose we are. In strong voice with sincere hearts: ‘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 let’s go out and do just that nuh; share His awesome LOVE with the world! Much LOVE!
…ONLY in Christ…can one find true freedom…
08 Sep 2015
by randyobrien50
in Christian Thoughts and Inspiration., Daily Devotion, Daily Inspiration, Inspirational Living, Spiritual Living
Tags: act wisely, allegiance to God, back to school, be strong and very courageous, blind alleys, common sense, Competition with God, controversy, do according to all the law, embrace personal desires, emptiness, freedom, God-assigned tasks, gospel truth, happen haphazardly, have success, heavenly blessings, it may be well with thee, joy, Labour Day, lazy hazy days of summer, Moses, obeying God's dictates, peace, personal possessions, productive work, prosperity, righteousness., Ruth Harms Calkin, seek ye first the kingdom of God, self-indulgence, summer vacations, the One Year Book of Bible Promises, the party done now, the straight and narrow path, the things of God, the time is drawing nigh, thine ears shall hear a word behind thee, this is the way, too late to look to Jesus, turn not from it to the right hand or to the left, understanding, vikey-vie, walk ye in it, waste time, when ye turn to the left, when ye turn to the right hand, wisdom, worshipping the God of our Fathers, ye may live
Isaiah 30:21. And thine ears shall hear a word behind thee, saying, This is the way, walk ye in it, when ye turn to the right hand, and when ye turn to the left.
Well Friends, the party done now! Labour Day is over and that means the summer vacation is also history; time to get back to school and work and serious pastimes now, no more lazy, hazy days of summer. (smile)
And on this Tuesday morning after Labour Day, many of us are feeling like it’s Monday morning and thus having difficulty in getting up and going back to work.
But them’s the breaks Friends, we can’t party all the time, there must be some sort of productive work involved in our lives, and we need to plan properly for it, not just let it happen vikey-vie (haphazardly).
One good thing though, in my area we arose to a wet and cloudy Tuesday. Thank the Lord! The parched ground has been crying out for at least two weeks for heavenly blessings, and at last its prayers have been answered.
Don’t know how much it will receive, possible not enough to satiate its hungry appetite, but these days we’re thankful for any blessings whatsoever from heaven.
And with all that, listen to this interesting and ever so true passage from our One Year book of Bible Promises with writings by Ruth Harms Calkin. This one’s entitled ‘Competition with God.’
It says: ‘Often me must ask, what is my competition with God? When life seems to stand still, when my thoughts saunter through blind alleys, those very thoughts become my competition with God. When I embrace personal desires instead of giving allegiance to God, desire becomes my competition with God.
When I waste valuable time, ignoring God-assigned tasks, time becomes my competition with God. When personal possessions erase my concern for a desperately needy world, possessions become my competition with God. If we allow a controversy in our lives, our praying may be with pretense, but it will not be with power.
Walking the path of self-indulgence eventually leads to emptiness. Seeking first the Kingdom of God and His righteousness leads to freedom and joy.’
Oh what gospel truth that is my believing brethren! And all the other stuff about our competition with God is also true, because many a time we do those things; putting our personal interests and desires before those of God, which we know is wrong. But our wonderful God knows our weaknesses and frailties and gently and LOVINGLY nudges us back to His will.
And the biblical promise for that writing is also our Bit for today. It comes from Isaiah’s appeal to his people to turn to the Lord for help. ‘And thine ears shall hear a word behind thee, saying, This is the way, walk ye in it, when ye turn to the right hand, and when ye turn to the left.’
Oh Friends, likewise, today I’m encouraging us to turn back to truly and sincerely worshipping the God of our fathers, so that peace and prosperity can return to our land. Please remember God’s fateful words to Joshua when He made him leader after Moses’ death.
‘Only be thou strong and very courageous, that thou mayest observe to do according to all the law, which Moses my servant commanded thee: turn not from it to the right hand or to the left, that thou mayest prosper (have success, act wisely) withersoever thou goest.’ (Josh.1:7)
Yes my people we have to stay on the straight and narrow path that leads to Jehovah God, not turn to the right or to the left, if we want to be prosperous and successful. It is the only true and lasting way!
And that’s one of our major problems today, our big stumbling block in this so-called advanced society; we have stopped following the Word of God. How foolish is that eh my brethren? All through the Good Book we’ve been warned about turning away from God, but do you think we listen.
Not at all! We all want to do our own thing. But when the mark, our bubble, bursts on us, we quick to run to God for help and boldfacely expect Him to just jump up and help us. Steups!
Unfortunately though, life doesn’t work like that friends. The Lord will jump to help those who worship and serve Him faithfully. It’s no different with us; for we run to help those who help us, not those who don’t.
Now listen to this scripture from way back when, when Moses was trying to calm the Israelites fear in the wilderness. ‘Ye shall observe to do therefore as the Lord your God hath commanded you: ye shall not turn aside to the right hand or to the left.
Ye shall walk in all the ways which the Lord your God hath commanded you, that ye may live, and that it may be well with you, and that ye may prolong your days in the land which ye shall possess.’ (Deut.5:32-33)
Oh Friends, from day one, God has been telling us the right and proper way to be come successful and prosperous is by following His Word! And we’ve seen much evidence that it’s true. So what’s it going to take to bring us back to him eh? When are we going to wake up from our foolish slumber and realize that we’re heading down the rocky road to oblivion, death, hell and total damnation eh my people?
And even when Jesus came, He told us the same thing, just in somewhat different words. ‘But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you.’ (Matt.6:33)
Oh Friends, for all our sakes, plus those of our children, and our children’s children, please, I implore us, let’s take those words of Jesus to heart nuh, and put them into practice, ASAP, for the days are growing short, and the time is drawing nigh, when all things in the Good Book will be fulfilled, and then it will be too late to look to Jesus.
Please, let’s make wisdom and understanding in the things of God our watchwords and desire this day and forever more. Amen! Much LOVE my fellow believers!
…it’s simple common sense…that if God created the world…and still controls it…that true success can only come from obeying His dictates…
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