28 Jan 2025
by randyobrien50
in Christian Thoughts and Inspiration., Daily Devotion, Daily Inspiration, Inspirational Living, Spiritual Living
Tags: a chaotic mess, a just man falls seven times, addresses the problem, anchored to you, anxious, be a weatherer, bends but doesn't break, Bible, by my side, christianity, Christians, come to know and love him like we do, controlled by circumstances, controlled by Satan, diligence, endures peacefully, evil and ungodly times, excellence, experience every day, explores uncertainty with gentleness, faint in the day of adversity, faith, fear of man, fear of negative circumstances, fearful, God is in the middle of our every battle, good or bad, Guide, he delights in his way, he shall not be utterly cast down, holy spirit, hurry, I can't take it anymore, in a timely and efficient manner, in god's eyes, in Jesus' name, in the face of overwhelming odds, in the swing of things, In Touch Devotional, Jesus Christ, know who we are in Christ, laughs easily, learn from our mistakes, learn the word, like an ocean wave, lock stock and barrel, Lord and Saviour, LOVE, make mistakes, many are the afflictions of the righteous, mercy, mount up with wings as eagles, mourns losses wholeheartedly, negativity, no resilience in us, none of his bones are broken, one who celebrates victories liberally, overwhelming odds, pilot, rewards are worth the sacrifice, rise fall and carry on, rises up again, run and not be weary, salvation, shall renew their strength, share His love with my neighbours, share the amazing love and friendship of Christ, storms of life, stumble into calamity, successfully navigate the storms, surfing, surrender our all to Christ, teach me to ride each circumstance, the beloved of God, the Lord delivers him out of them all, the Lord upholds him with his hand, the poisonous atmosphere of the world, the steps of a good man are ordered by the Lord, the wicked shall fall into mischief, the world is troubled, they that wait upon he Lord, though he fall, thy strength is small, to determine the shape of my life, to whom we belong, trust my friend Jesus, truth, Tuesday Mantra, walk and not faint, wisdom, worry
Proverbs 24:16. For a just man falleth seven times, and riseth up again: but the wicked shall fall into mischief (stumble into calamity).
And after Monday comes Tuesday; a day we don’t dislike half as much as Monday. (smile) That’s because by the time Tuesday rolls around, we’ve sort of gotten back into the swing of things. You’ll be surprised at how anxious or even fearful one can become on returning to work after a mere two days off, because anything untoward could have happened in the break, especially in these ungodly and evil times. And this prayer from the January In Touch Devotional addresses the problem in a most timely and efficient manner.
So, please pray with me: ‘Lord, the world is so troubled. Sometimes I can’t take it anymore. But I don’t want negativity to determine the shape of my life. God, don’t let me be controlled by circumstances. Instead, teach me to ride each one, good or bad, like an ocean wave – to rise, fall, and carry on. Let me be a weatherer: one who bends but doesn’t break, no matter what comes my way – a person who celebrates victories liberally, mourns losses wholeheartedly, explores uncertainty with gentleness, laughs easily, and endures peacefully. May I be anchored to You through it all, knowing You experience every day by my side. In Jesus’ name, amen.’
Now that’s a good prayer, and if many more believers could follow that behaviour, our world would definitely not be in the chaotic mess that it’s currently in. But too many of us cannot weather the storms of life, we bend and do break. There’s no resilience in us. Who knows why? Perhaps through fear of man, and fear of our very negative, heartbreaking and painful circumstances. We lack encouragement to stand strong in the face of overwhelming odds. And that will most certainly be the case if we don’t have Jesus Christ as our Lord and Saviour, our Guide and Pilot though the many storms that life throws at us.
That’s why the prayer pleads to be anchored to God through all our ups and downs, for He is right there in the middle of them all with us. Not by the side, or somewhere off in the distant, but right in the middle of every battle that we’re called on to fight. Therefore, accepting Christ Jesus as Lord and Saviour is the number One priority in any human’s life, because it’s only with His help, though His Holy Spirit Living in us, that we can ever successfully navigate the stormy, evil and poisonous atmosphere of this world, currently controlled by Satan and his dangerous cronies.
And I like how the prayer asks for the ability to ride out each circumstance, be it good or bad. It brings to mind the sport of surfing, where adventurous people attempt to ride the high and ofttimes rough waves as they crash toward the shore. Now, like everything else we desire to be good at, that takes much practice. You have to fall off, get enveloped in the waves, and on occasion even feel like you’re drowning, but with each unsuccessful attempt, it’s ever so necessary to get back up and try again, until you can perform the feat successfully.
And life is just like learning to surf my fellow believers. You’re going to make mistakes, but each time you have to get back up and learn from it. That’s why Cousin Sol offers this lifesaving advice. ‘For a just man falleth seven times, and riseth up again: but the wicked shall fall into mischief (stumble into calamity).’ (Prov. 24:16) Yes friends, falling is a natural aspect of life, but getting up is where the boys are separated from the men. And you can only do that on a consistent basis if you have the Lord God Jehovah, He of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob as your God.
That’s what Jesus enables us to do; get back up and move forward with vim and vigour. And this verse from the prophet Isaiah exemplifies it like no other. ‘But they that wait upon the Lord shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings like eagles; they shall run and not be weary; and they shall walk, and not faint.’ (Is. 40:31) Now, isn’t that a most excellent reason to make Jesus the Lord and Saviour of your life? Of course it is! Because we are all struggling for health, wealth and strength in this difficult and disastrous world, and ONLY Jesus promises to help us achieve our goals.
However, what we must realize from the very outset is, although we’re in league with Jesus, we will still face problems; many of them, and big ones too. Jesus is not there to always take away our problems, but mostly to help us through them. As Bruh David says in Psalm 34: ‘Many are the afflictions of the righteous: but the Lord delivereth him out of them all. He keepeth all his bones: not one of them is broken.’ (Ps. 34:19-20) And in Psalm 37, Bruh David again tells of God’s delight in a good man. ‘The steps of a good man are ordered (established) by the Lord: and he delighteth in his way. Though he fall, he shall not be utterly cast down: for the Lord upholdeth him with his hand.’ (Ps. 37:23-24)
Yes friends, that’s how it is when we obey the Lord’s will and stay in His good graces. But the onus is on us to get close to God, and stay close to Him. And that can only be done if we seek God sincerely, through His Son Jesus Christ. That requires surrendering our all to Him, asking Him to come into our lives and lead and guide us from henceforth. Then we have to learn His Word, the Bible, so that we can know who we are in Christ. For we are nothing without Him! Then live the new life He desires of us with diligence and excellence. It’s not easy, but the rewards are certainly worth it. And you’ll never know about it until you try it.
So, if you’ve never tried Jesus, please do so today nuh. It’s the best decision you’ll ever make in this mortal life. Now let’s go home declaring (yesss!!!) our Tuesday Mantra, letting all and sundry know to whom we belong, lock, stock and barrel. As one strong and sincere voice: ‘In God’s eyes, I’m not what I do. I’m not what I have. I’m not what people say about me. I am the beloved of God, that’s who I am. No one can take that from me. I don’t have to worry. I don’t have to hurry. I can trust my friend Jesus and share His LOVE with my immediate neighbours, as well as with the whole wide world! Glory be!’
And having said that, it now behooves us to go out into the world 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!
…if thou faint in the day of adversity…thy strength is small… (Prov. 24:10)
Hear our podcast at https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/randy-obrien
21 Jan 2025
by randyobrien50
in Christian Thoughts and Inspiration., Daily Devotion, Daily Inspiration, Inspirational Living, Spiritual Living
Tags: a bad influence, a bed of pain, a broken world, a lamp unto my feet, a light unto my path, a valuable experience, all things are possible, an open door, an unworthy friend, bad attitudes, beside still waters, Bible, build a new life, bury the hatchet, calamity, chaotic world, christianity, Christians, cleans up collected clutter, comforting us, concentrate on today's troubles, courage to discard, desires trouble, discover new skills, do all things, Dr. Robert H Schuller, drying our tears, duty bound, embrace Jesus as Lord and Saviour, faith, friendship of Christ, frustrates you, future troubles, gospel truth, green pastures, hardships, hidden talents, hiding your real talents, holy spirit, Hour of Power Devotional, hurry, in god's eyes, interesting possibilities, Jesus Christ, leads you down a new road, lock stock and barrel, LOVE, lurks furtively in your path, lying undetected, makes a cold heart warm, makes a greedy man generous, makes a hard man compassionate, makes a person forget himself, makes you furious enough, mercy, no courage to leave, opportunities in disguise, paths of righteousness, problems, protects you from an unknown hazard, quit a job, renew, renewing our joy, restoring our souls, salvation, share His love with my neighbours, shelters you from a sin, slams a door in your face, start thinking of others, sufficient unto the day is the evil thereof, tears out of your life, the amazing love of Christ, the beloved of God, the dustbin of history, the good shepherd, the throes of trouble, through Christ who strengthens me, to fight for a good cause, to our advantage, too arrogant to believe, too blind to see, too busy to serve, too highly valued, too stubborn to accept, trouble, trouble teaches you valuable lessons, trust my friend Jesus, truth, Tuesday Mantra, unable to help, under cabbage fields, uplift, veins of gold, waiting to tempt you, When trouble is not trouble, wisdom, work week frustrations, worry
Matthew 6:33b. Sufficient unto the day is the evil (trouble, calamity) thereof.
And then it was Tuesday! Yes friends, I know it’s somewhat surprising the speed with which Monday disappeared. No sooner had it shown up with its new work week frustrations, then it was gone! That’s the way the days seem to work nowadays. Remember what Jesus said: ‘Sufficient unto the day is the evil (trouble, calamity) thereof.’ (Matt. 6:33b). That means we have to concentrate on the troubles of the reigning day. However, by the time you can get a handle on the problems of a sunny and very cold Tuesday, that too will be thrown into the dustbin of History, never to be remembered, and you’ll be dealing with the calamities of Wednesday!
Ah Lord eh! It just seems to be another set of troubles day after day, especially in this currently chaotic and disastrous world Before you can finish with one, another one pops up. That’s why it’s so wonderful to have Jesus in our lives, because with His Holy Spirit indwelling us, and the tools and promises to be found in His Word, we are guaranteed a way to handle even the most worrying and troubling of troubles! (smile)
And talking about trouble, I want to share an interesting expose on the subject from Dr. Robert Schuller’s Hour of Power Book of Daily Meditation and Inspiration. This meditation is titled: ‘When is Trouble not Trouble?’ So please read with me. ‘When is trouble not trouble, you ask? When it protects you from an unknown hazard on the road ahead, or shelters you from a sin that, unknown to you, lurks furtively in your path waiting to tempt and trip you, then trouble is not trouble!
When trouble cleans up collected clutter that you valued too highly and did not have the courage to discard or destroy, or when it tears out of your life an unworthy friend whom you were unable to help and who was not a good influence on your life, then trouble is not trouble! When trouble makes you furious enough to fight for a good cause you were too busy to serve, or frustrates you so that you quit a job that was too long hiding your real talents and forces you to discover new skills and hidden talents that were lying undetected like veins of gold under cabbage fields, then trouble is not trouble!
When trouble cause two parties, long unspeaking, to bury the hatchet; when it makes a person forget himself and start thinking of others; when it makes a greedy man generous, a hard man compassionate, a cold heart warm, a thoughtless man considerate – then trouble is not without its reward! When trouble teaches you valuable lessons that you would have been too blind to see, too arrogant to believe, or too stubborn to accept any other way than by this bed of pain; when it slams a door in your face to force you out of a rut that you would never have had the courage to leave and leads you down a new road through an open door, then trouble may be a most valuable experience!’
And isn’t that gospel truth my people! What we consider trouble often unexpectedly opens up our hearts, minds, souls and bodies to better things, more interesting possibilities and exposes bad attitudes that we might be holding on to too tightly. Granted, none of us desires to have troubles, but since we’re living in a broken, troubled world, we’re all going to experience trouble at some time or the other. And when we do, it will be to our great advantage to try and learn something from it, for as they say, problems are merely opportunities in disguise, meaning that though they may show up as hardships, they are actually means to help us live a fuller and better life.
However, we have to look at those problems in a more thoughtful way to divine the hidden opportunities they may present. And I know that all of us have had experiences with several, or even all of those trouble not being trouble scenarios that Dr. Schuller has pointed out. Hopefully, we have been wise enough to have seen the hidden opportunities that they presented. And if not, knowing what we now know, then in the future, we will endeavour to seek out those hidden opportunities, so that we can uplift, renew or even build a new life around.
And please don’t open your eyes in surprise about future troubles,, because it’s certain that while we’re living in this troubled world, we will always have troubles, be they piddling or mind-boggling. (smile) The important thing to understand is that with Jesus as our Lord and Saviour, all things are possible, and therefore we can do all things through the strength He provides us. (Phil. 4:13)
And if He is our Guiding Light, then we will understand that His Word is a lamp unto our feet and a light unto our paths. (Ps. 119:105) That means He will be our Good Shepherd, leading us down the paths of righteousness to green pastures, beside still waters, restoring our souls, renewing our joy, and drying our tears; in other words, comforting us whenever we are engulfed in the throes of trouble. (Ps. 23)
And now, with all of this trouble stuff fully understood, (smile) let’s go home declaring (yesss!!!) 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 all of that, we’re now duty bound to go out and share the amazing LOVE and friendship of Christ with others, so that they too can come to know and LOVE Him like we do! Much LOVE!
…trouble is only trouble…when you think it’s trouble…
Hear our podcast at https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/randy-obrien
14 Jan 2025
by randyobrien50
in Christian Thoughts and Inspiration., Daily Devotion, Daily Inspiration, Inspirational Living, Spiritual Living
Tags: a deeper unserstanding, a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart, a leather belt, an individual and corporate matter, Bible, by grace ye have been saved through faith, challenges, Christian, christianity, conquer the enemy, cut us down to size, divine aid, dressed in God's spiritual armour, duty bound, eagerness, faith, feet shod, girded your waist with truth, hand to hand combat, having your loins girt about with truth, holy character, holy spirit, hurry, in god's eyes, Jesus Christ, knowledge of the truth, logos, LOVE, mercy, moral conduct, obedience to known truth, of the joints and marrow, offense is the best part of defence, our omnipotent God, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, prayer is indispensable, praying always with all prayer, produces a godly life, quench the fiery darts of the wicked one, responsibly handled, rhema, righteousness, salvation, share His love with my neighbours, share the amazing love and friendship of Christ, sharper than any twoedged sword, spiritual belt, spiritual combat, spiritual warfare, stand, sufficient unto the day is the evil thereof, the armour of God, the assurance of salvation, the beloved of God, the breastplate of righteousness, the gospel frees the believer from anxiety, the gospel of peace, the helmet of salvation, the Holy Spirit's help in prayer, the hope of salvation, the preparation of the gospel of peace, the shield of faith, the sword of the Spirit, the Word of god, the Word of God is quick and powerful, troubles, trust my friend Jesus, truth, Tuesday Mantra, we cannot achieve victory without prayer, willingness to take the fight to the devil, win the spiritual war, wisdom, with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, worry
Ephesians 6:14a. Stand therefore, having your loins girt about with truth (girded your waist with truth),
So it’s Tuesday, and we have forgotten Monday’s problems, and are instead concentrating on the current ones that Tuesday is bringing, because that’s what Jesus said to do. (smile) ‘Sufficient unto the day is the evil (trouble) thereof.’ (Matt. 6:34b). And the scholars explain: ‘That means each day has its own troubles and challenges to be responsibly handled, without worrying about the hypothetical problems that could arise tomorrow.’ And one of the problems that can and will arise today and every day is that of putting on and keeping on the armour of God which helps us to fight against the deadly attacks of the enemy.
Now, yesterday we talked about what it meant to put on the armour of God and why it was necessary, today we will delve into exactly what it is. Bruh Paul defines them thus, in his epistle to the Ephesians. ‘Stand therefore, having your loins girt about with truth (girded your waist with truth), and having on the breast plate of righteousness; And your feet shod with preparation of the gospel of peace; Above all, taking the shield of faith, wherewith ye shall be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked (one). And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God.’ (Eph. 6:14-17)
Those are the six pieces of the armour of God, which we should always be clothed in, if we desire to effectively turn away, and eventually conquer the enemy. And what does it all mean? It’s essentially the six pieces of protection that a Roman soldier went into battle with, or any soldier should never go into hand to combat without. It begins with the truth, or knowledge of the truth of God’s Word girded about one’s waist. And per the scholars, ‘The ancient soldier’s loins (waist) were girt about with a leather belt which held most of the other pieces of armour in place. Similarly, the other pieces of the Christian’s armour depend on, and are held in place by, his spiritual “belt” or his knowledge of the “truth” of scripture.’
Then the second piece of protection in a soldier’s armoury was his breastplate, a device worn over the torso or chest to protect it from injury. The scholars say that ‘The breastplate of righteousness may be read “the breastplate which is righteousness.” It represents a holy character and moral conduct. Obedience to the “truth” known produces a godly life (righteousness).’
Meanwhile, the third piece of the believer’s armour, the ‘preparation of the gospel of peace, means “eagerness that comes from the gospel of peace.” That is, as the Roman soldier wore special shoes called caligae (heavy-soled hobnailed military sandal-boots) on his feet, enabling him to advance against the enemy, so the Christian must have on his feet (possess) a sense of “eagerness” or “willingness” to advance against the Devil and take the fight to him. Such “eagerness” to contend with Satan “comes from the gospel of peace.” The gospel gives peace to the believer, freeing him from anxiety though he advances against such a powerful opponent.’ That ought to remind us of the old adage; offense is the best part of defense. And that’s oh so true, especially in our spiritual warfare with Satan and his evildoers.
That brings us to the fourth part of our Godly spiritual armour; The shield of (which is) faith, the handheld protection that a soldier used to protect himself from the arrows launched at him, or from the enemy’s weapons in hand-to-hand combat. As per its spiritual interpretation, the scholars say, ‘it means taking God at His word by believing His promises. Such doubts will protect one from the doubts induced by Satan.’
Then there’s the fifth part of the armour, the helmet of salvation. And we know that soldiers going into battle all wear a helmet, or protection for their heads. The scholars put forth that ‘Since the readers are already Christians (Eph. 2:8), they are not here urged to be saved. First Thessalonians 5:8 describes this helmet as “the hope of salvation” that is the certainty (assurance) of salvation.’
And just because I like to spoil us so much, (smile) I will quote the two references that the scholars gave above. The first about Christians already being saved is a verse we all should know and LOVE, for it’s the very basis of our faith. ‘For by grace are ye (you have been) saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God.’ (Eph. 2:8) Please let’s remember that salvation has nothing to do with our works or otherwise, but all to do with God’s great LOVE and compassion for us! And the verse from first Thessalonians about the helmet of salvation, says: ‘But let us, who are of the day, be sober, putting on the breast plate of faith and LOVE; and for an helmet, the hope of salvation.’ (1 Thess. 5:8)
And finally, the sixth part of our spiritual armour: ‘The sword of the Spirit, which is the Word of God.’ Now, according to the scholars, ‘The Greek term rendered “word” is not logos, referring to the whole Word of God, but rhema, referring to certain portions or selected verses of Scripture.’ However, when we wield those verses at the enemy, they’re powerful enough to cut them down to size. For remember what the Bible says about God’s word?
‘For the Word of God is quick (alive), and powerful, and sharper than any two edged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and is a discerner of (able to judge) the thoughts and intents (intentions) of the heart.’ (Heb. 4:12) Yes friends, the Word of our omnipotent God is living, powerful, can cut us down to size, and can judge all of our thoughts and intentions. In other words, we cannot hide from it.
And that’s the six basic pieces of our spiritual armour. But there’s one more piece that doesn’t pertain to the Roman soldier’s armour. And Bruh Paul reveals it in this later verse. ‘Praying always with all prayer and supplication in the spirit, and watching thereunto with all perseverance and supplication for all saints.’ (Eph. 6:18)
Oh my people, all our armour is of no use unless we pray! The scholars tell us that ‘Without prayer God’s armour is inadequate to achieve victory. Because prayer is indispensable!’ And we have to pray whenever Satan attacks, seeking divine aid with the help of the Spirit. Furthermore, we are to be very vigilant in the matter of prayer, and to pray not only for ourselves, but also for all our fellow believers. Because spiritual combat is both an individual and corporate matter.’ And there we have it, the whole armour of God, that we need to fight the enemy. So please, let’s study, meditate on it, and put it on, so that we can have God’s protection in this our deadly spiritual war.
Now, let’s go home declaring (yesss!!!) our Tuesday Mantra, letting all and sundry know to whom we belong, lock, stock and barrel. As one strong and sincere voice: ‘In God’s eyes, I’m not what I do. I’m not what I have. I’m not what people say about me. I am the beloved of God, that’s who I am. No one can take that from me. I don’t have to worry. I don’t have to hurry. I can trust my friend Jesus and share His LOVE with my immediate neighbours, as well as with the whole wide world! Glory be!’
And having made that commitment, we’re now duty bound to go out and share the amazing LOVE and friendship of Christ with others, so that they too can come to know and LOVE Him like do! Much LOVE!
…only dressed in God’s spiritual armour…with the Holy Spirit’s help in prayer…can we win the spiritual war…
Hear our podcast at https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/randy-obrien
07 Jan 2025
by randyobrien50
in Christian Thoughts and Inspiration., Daily Devotion, Daily Inspiration, Inspirational Living, Spiritual Living
Tags: after all these things do the Gentiles seek, anxious care is the direct opposite of faith, bring us to the truth of God's faithfulness, build our faith in God, can add one cubit unto his stature, challenges, deprivation, deprive oneself, doing our best, don't worry about tomorrow, even Solomon in all his glory, faith, gather in barns, God knows you need these things, God's most precious creation, holy spirit, hurry, I am the beloved of god, if God so clothes the grass which today is, in god's eyes, inner mental stability, Jesus Christ, leaving the rest to God, life is more than meat, live in perpetual insecurity, LOVE, mercy, neither do they reap, neither do they spin, O ye of little faith, outward physical provisions, personal experience, placing it all in God's faithful hands, put God Number One, salvation, seek first the things of heaven, seek ye first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, Sermon on the Mount, shall he not much more clothe you, share His love with my neighbours, sufficient unto the day is the evil thereof, take no thought for your life, take therefore no thought for tomorrow, the best earthly life, the body is more than clothing, the fowls of the air, the lilies of the field, the morrow shall take thought for itself, the spirit of man, the spiritual blessings of God, they sow not, they toil not, thrown into the dustbin of time, to be forgotten forever, to be responsibly handled, to set one's heart on material possessions, tomorrow is cast into the oven, troubles, trust my friend Jesus, truth, Tuesday Mantra, was not arrayed like one of these, what people say about me, which of you by taking thought, who can add one cubit unto his height by worrying, why worry about clothing, wisdom, worry, worry about the lack of material possessions, you can't serve God and mammon, your heavenly Father feeds them
Matthew 6:34a. Take therefore no thought for the morrow (don’t worry about tomorrow): for the morrow shall take thought for the things of itself.
Oh friends, thankfully we’ve lived to see Tuesday, while Monday, with all its frustrations has been thrown into the dustbin of time to be forever forgotten. That’s why we need to find a balance between taking each day seriously and not taking it too seriously. And possibly the best advice on that subject comes from Jesus Himself, when, in the Sermon on the Mount, he taught us thus:
‘Therefore I say unto you, Take no thought for (don’t worry about) your life, what ye shall eat, or what ye shall drink; nor yet for your body, what ye shall put on. Is not the life more than meat (food), and the body than raiment (clothing)?’ (Matt. 6:25) What an awesome statement that is my brethren! It encompasses so much. Prior to this Jesus spoke about trying to serve God and mammon. (Matt. 6:24)
That therefore explains the scholars’ opening remarks. ‘Jesus now deals with the equally dangerous tendency of those who have few possessions: worry! Take no thought means “Do not be anxious.” Meaning to be so disturbed about material needs that we distrust God and are distracted from faithfully doing His will. Anxious care is the direct opposite of faith. Therefore, even the poor are not to worry needlessly about what they should eat, drink, or wear.
The question Is not the life more than meat, and the body more than clothing? indicates that inner mental stability must come from the spirit of a man and not from outward physical provisions. To set one’s heart on material possessions or to worry about the lack of them is to live in perpetual insecurity and to deprive oneself of the spiritual blessings of God.’
Oh my people, that’s a lot to take in, and also much easier said than done when we’re going through serious deprivation. However, it’s in those times when we can build out faith in God, by doing what we can, then leaving the rest to Him, placing it all in His faithful and generous hands. And I can tell you from personal experience that that’s not very easy to do when you have no idea how your going to make both ends meet. But, if we’re true believers in Christ Jesus, that’s exactly when we have to take a leap of faith and trust in Him, surrender our all to Him.
And that kind of faith doesn’t grow overnight; it takes trusting Him on several occasions and seeing Him come through on each one, before your faith will start to grow. And each time you lay your trust in God, it becomes easier to believe and have faith that He will faithfully do what He’s promised. Yes friends, that’s how faith grows. Unfortunately, there’s no easy way to grow it; only personal experience can bring us to the truth of God’s faithfulness and trust.
And I like how Jesus illustrates His point in that verse by using the things of nature around Him. ‘Behold the fowls of the air: for they sow not, neither do they reap, nor gather in barns; yet your heavenly Father feedeth them. Are ye not much better than they? Which of you by taking thought (by worrying) can add one cubit unto his stature (height)? And why take ye thought for raiment (worry about clothing)?
Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow; they toil not, neither do they spin: And yet I say unto you, That even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed (clothed) like one of these. Wherefore if God so clothe (clothes) the grass of the field, which today is, and tomorrow is cast into the oven, shall he not much more clothe you, O ye of little faith?’ (Matt. 6:26-30)
And truthfully friends, we can’t argue with any of Jesus’ statements, for the birds of the air, the lilies of the field and the grass of the earth are all fed and made beautiful by the Lord God Almighty. And if those less important things are so well looked after, why wouldn’t our heavenly father look after His most precious creation eh? No reason whatsoever!
That’s why Jesus exhorts us: ‘Therefore take no thought (do not worry), saying, What shall we eat? or, What shall we drink? or Wherewithal shall we be clothed? (For after all these things do the Gentiles seek:) for your heavenly Father knoweth that ye have need of all these things. But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you.’ (Matt. 6:31-33)
Yes my people, that’s the right way to go. Having pledged allegiance to God, we must continue seeking His kingdom and His righteousness above everything else. If we put God as Number ONE in our lives, we will be blessed with all that we need. Please note, not necessarily what we want, but what we need, for our needs and wants are not always the same, neither do they always match up with God’s will for our lives. (smile)
And to end the subject of worry, Jesus leaves us with this tidbit of advice. ‘Take therefore no thought for the morrow (don’t worry about tomorrow): for the morrow shall take thought for the things of itself. Sufficient unto the day is the evil (trouble ) thereof.’ (Matt. 6:34) And the scholars tell us; “This means that each day has its own troubles and challenges to be responsibly handled, without worrying about hypothetical problems that could arise tomorrow.’
Yes my fellow saints, living for Christ is not a cakewalk, but if we take what He says seriously and put it into practice, we will live a life that’s incomparable, and one that shines bright like the sun at noonday! We will be blessed with the abundant life that Christ died for us to have! God will faithfully keep His part of the bargain, if we keep ours. Now let’s concentrate on keeping ours by declaring (chuh!!!) our Tuesday Mantra, letting all and sundry know to whom we belong, lock, stock and barrel.
As one strong and sincere voice: ‘In God’s eyes, I’m not what I do. I’m not what I have. I’m not what people say about me. I am the beloved of God, that’s who I am. No one can take that from me. I don’t have to worry. I don’t have to hurry. I can trust my friend Jesus and share His LOVE with my immediate neighbours, as well as with the whole wide world! Glory be!’
And having made that pledge, it’s now our 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!
…for the best earthly life…seek first the things of heaven…
Hear our podcast at https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/randy-obrien
31 Dec 2024
by randyobrien50
in Christian Thoughts and Inspiration., Daily Devotion, Daily Inspiration, Inspirational Living, Spiritual Living
Tags: a central truth of God's saving grace, a person's heart condition, acknowledge God's sovereignty, as a man thinks so is he, Christ above me, Christ be with me, Christ behind me, Christ beneath me, Christ in every ear that hears me, Christ in every eye that sees me, christ in me, Christ in the heart of, Daily Prayers for Spiritual Renewal, duty bound, everyone who thinks of me, faith, forsake their own mercy, God's wrath, holy spirit, humans cannot save themselves, hurry, I will pay that i have vowed, I will sacrifice unto thee, imbibing, in god's eyes, in the belly of the whale, in the hands of the evil one, Jesus Christ, learn the truth of our situations, look not on his countenance, lost souls, LOVE, man looks on the outward appearance, may our salvation be ever with us, mercy, mired in some unfortunate situation, motives of our hearts, New Year's Eve, nor the height of his stature, observe lying vanities, our omniscient God, Pamphlet of Prayers through the Ages, Prayer of St. Patrick, salvation, Salvation is of Christ, salvation is of the Lord, saving grace, sentence of good theology, share His love with my neighbours, the beloved of God, the earth with her bars, the foundation of our faith, the gospel truth, the Lord looks on the heart, the Lord sees not as man sees, the voice of thanksgiving, the weeds wrapped about his head, trust my friend Jesus, truth, Tuesday Mantra, ungodly schemes, vices, was about him forever, welcome in 2025, wisdom, with a clean slate, worry, worship worthless idols
Jonah 2:9c. Salvation is of the Lord.
Well, at long last we seem to be blessed with a dry and somewhat sunshiny day! And I was just about to write that I hope it stays that way for the party goers later on this New Year’s Eve day, when I glanced down at the weather blob on my computer and saw ‘snow this afternoon.’ And a minute or so later I glanced at it and saw ‘2 cm of snow later.’ I’m sorry for those party goers if that actually happens, but it won’t affect me in the least because I’m not going anywhere tonight.
However, I do remember the many New Year’s Eves when the Duchess and I would be driving back and forth through snow to all parts of the city to party. But somehow or the other it never felt as dangerous as it does now. I guess we were younger and more foolish then. (smile) And now, we party at home on New Year’s Eve, with very little imbibing, not that we were ever great imbibers. (smile)
But let’s hope and pray that there are no serious accidents or incidents this New Year’s Eve, let’s welcome in 2025 with as clean as slate as possible. And to help us do that, let’s say this most interesting prayer from the Pamphlet of Prayers Through the Ages – Daily Prayers for Spiritual Renewal – recently published by the Anglican Diocese of Toronto. This prayer is attributed to St. Patrick of Ireland (387- 461)
Please pray with me: ‘Christ, be with me, Christ before me, Christ behind me, Christ in me, Christ beneath me, Christ above me, Christ on my right, Christ on my left, Christ where I lie, Christ where I sit, Christ where I arise, Christ in the heart of everyone who thinks of me, Christ in every eye that sees me, Christ in every ear that hears me, Salvation is of the Lord, Salvation is of Christ, May our salvation, O Lord, be ever with us.’
What a fantastic prayer, my fellow believers! Christ being in us, and all around us, as well as in those who think about us, and see and hear us! Wow! That would certainly spread Him all over, much more than He is right now! And in all of that St. Patrick made sure that we remembered on which side our bread was buttered: ‘Salvation is of the Lord, Salvation is of Christ.’
And so it is my faithful brethren. Please, let’s never forget that. Whatever else we may do and believe, let’s never forget that the most important part of our livelihood, SALVATION, comes from Almighty God, and without it, we are separated from God, lost souls in the hands of the evil one.
That reminds us of this seminal, most important verse of scripture from the Book of Jonah, when he prayed, fervently and sincerely, in the belly of the large fish that had swallowed him. ‘They that observe lying vanities (worthless idols) forsake their own mercy (LOVING-KINDNESS). But I will sacrifice unto thee with the voice of thanksgiving; I will pay that that I have vowed. Salvation is of the Lord.’ (Jon. 2:8-9) Yes friends, that is the gospel truth; Salvation only comes from and through our God!
As one commentary informs us: ‘Salvation is entirely dependent on God and comes from Him alone: The phrase is a central truth of God’s saving grace, which means that humans are unable to save themselves from God’s wrath. The only contribution humans make to salvation is the sin that was laid on Jesus Christ at the cross.’ More indisputable truth. We can only receive salvation, through God’s good grace.
And I like what this other commentary says about the situation with Jonah, when he made that amazing acknowledgment that Salvation comes from God alone. It says: ‘Jonah learned this sentence of good theology in a strange college. He learned it in the whale’s belly, at the bottom of the mountains, with the weeds wrapped about his head, when he supposed that the earth with her bars was about him for ever.’
And unfortunately, so it is with many of us, we don’t learn the truth of our situations until we are mired in some unfortunate circumstance, and wisdom suddenly pops into our consciousness. And we all know what happened after Jonah made that pronouncement. The Bible tells us: ‘And the Lord spake unto the fish, and it vomited Jonah upon the dry land.’ (Jon. 2:10)
Oh my people, are we entangled in any such situations right now and we can’t make heads or tails of them? Then our only recourse is to turn to the Lord and ask for His help. Once we acknowledge His sovereignty, like Jonah did, He will most certainly help us. And let’s remember we need to acknowledge it not only with our lips, but more importantly with our hearts, because that’s where the Lord looks to discover our sincerity and our true motives.
As He so plainly told Samuel when He sent him to anoint a new king of Isreal from the sons of Jesse. Samuel saw and admired the physical attributes of the first son, Eliab and thought he was fit to be the next king. ‘But the Lord said unto Samuel, Look not on his countenance, or on the height of his stature, because I have refused (rejected) him: for the Lord seeth not as man seeth; for man looketh on the outward appearance, but the Lord looketh on the heart.’ (1 Sam. 17:7)
Now that’s something we ought never to forget, as we practice all our li’l ungodly schemes and vices. Man might not see us, or know the depravity of our hearts, but be sure that our God most certainly will! And this commentary adds a wise flavour to the subject. It asks: ‘What does it mean when God looks at the heart?’ And answers: ‘1 Samuel 16:7 agrees with the above passage in that it says our omniscient God knows our hearts – every one of our hearts. He knows each person’s heart condition and the motives behind everything we think, say, and do. Man cannot see another’s heart; only God can see a man’s heart — the seat of who he intrinsically is.’
That reminds us of another important scripture on the heart, from the wisdom of Cousin Sol in Proverbs. ‘For as he (a man) thinketh in his heart, so is he:’ (Prov. 23:7a) And these commentaries explain it thus. The first one says: ‘The verse suggests that a person’s true character is reflected in their innermost thoughts and beliefs. It implies that our thoughts shape our actions and ultimately determine who we become.’
While the second informs us: ‘What you see in this verse is a person who is saying one thing with their mouth—but their heart is in a completely different place. When faced with this conundrum, which one do you believe? You believe what’s in the heart. The thoughts and inclinations of the heart shape the reality of who you are.’
Oh my fellow saints, what plentiful truth we have uncovered today…or should I say renewed in our hearts, souls, minds and bodies? (smile) But whatever it is, please let’s hold on to them for dear life, for they are the foundation of our faith, and thus our lives. Now, let’s go home declaring (chuh!!!!) our Tuesday Mantra, letting all and sundry know to whom we belong, lock, stock and barrel.
As one strong and sincere voice: ‘In God’s eyes, I’m not what I do. I’m not what I have. I’m not what people say about me. I am the beloved of God, that’s who I am. No one can take that from me. I don’t have to worry. I don’t have to hurry. I can trust my friend Jesus and share His LOVE with my immediate neighbours, as well as with the whole wide world! Glory be!’
And having made those statements, we are now duty bound to go out and share the amazing LOVE and friendship of Christ with others, so that they too can come to know and LOVE Him like we do! Much LOVE!
…the ONLY saving grace in this life is…salvation…which comes ONLY from God Almighty…
Hear our podcast at https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/randy-obrien
24 Dec 2024
by randyobrien50
in Christian Thoughts and Inspiration., Daily Devotion, Daily Inspiration, Inspirational Living, Spiritual Living
Tags: a correct picture, a faithful saying, a paatern, an abomination to the human soul, anger, be not dismayed, bear thee up in their hands, Bible, bitterness, christianity, Christmas, concentrate my thoughts on you, Dietrich Bonhoeffer, disastrous times, don't understand your ways, dwell in the land of the shadow of death, early in the morning I cry to you, enable me to live now, faith, fear not, feeble in heart, give his angels charge over thee, hatred, have the light of life, he is my refuge and my fortress, he that follows me, he;lp me to pray, help in you, holy spirit, hurry, I am lonely, I am the light of the world, I am thy God, I cannot do this alone, I will say of the Lord, I will strengthen you, in god's eyes, in him will I trust, In me there's darkness, Jesus Christ, keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus, last minute preparations, let not your heart be troubled, life everlasting, light emanates from God, lock stock and barrel, longsuffering, LOVE, mercy, my god, my peace I give unto you, my thoughts are not your thoughts, my thoughts higher than your thoughts, my ways are not your ways, my ways higher than your ways, negative emotions, neither let it be afraid, never enough time, no evil shall befall thee, no need of the sun or moon, no plague shall come nigh thy dwelling, not as the world gives, pateince, patience, peace, persih, restless, salvation, seen a great light, shall not walk in darkness, share His love with my neighbours, strife-filled world, strive with thee, suprasses all understanding, Thank You Lord, the beloved of God, the glory of God illuminated it, the gospel truth, the grace of God, the heavens are higher than the earth, the Lamb, the light thereof, the peace of God, the people that walked in darkness, to keep thee in all thy ways, trust my friend Jesus, truth, Tuesday Mantra, uphold thee with the right hand of my righteousness, upon them hath the light shined, wisdom, with you there's light, without me ye can do nothing, worry, worthy of all acceptance, you never leave me
John 8:12. I am the light of the world: he that followeth me shall not walk in darkness, but shall have the light of life.
Well a Happy Christmas Eve to all you my Scrip-Bits friends and families. I sincerely hope that today meets you in good health and that you are busy making your last minute preparations for the big day tomorrow! (smile) Oh, it amuses me when I see people running around like chickens with their heads cut off to get all their Christmas activities together. I just smile and say, ‘Thank You Lord!’ Why? Because I’ve learned over the last few years to do whatever little I intend to do, as early as possible so as not to get involved in all the last minute rushing and pushing.
It just seems that at Christmas time, there’s always so much we want to do, but there’s never enough time to do it, either because we’ve left too much for too late, or we’re simply trying to do much. But who am I to question the overflowing attitudes of others eh? (smile) And to help us get through all the ‘confufflations’ of the day, let’s sincerely offer up this prayer from the Prayers Through The Ages Pamphlet – Prayers for Spiritual Renewal – recently put out by the Anglican Diocese of Toronto. This prayer is attributed to Dietrich Bonhoffer, a martyred German theologian, (1904-1945).
Please pray with me. ‘Oh God, early in the morning I cry to you. Help me to pray and to concentrate my thoughts on you: I cannot do this alone, In me there is darkness, but with you there is light, I am lonely, but you do not leave me; I am feeble in heart, but in you there is help; I am restless, but with you there is peace. In me there is bitterness, but with you there is patience; I do not understand your ways, but you know the way for me… Restore me to liberty, and enable me to live now That I may answer before you and before me. Lord, whatever this day may bring, your name be praised.’
And is that ever a correct picture of the human soul in these disastrous times! And do we ever need the Lord’s help, because we cannot do anything on our own. For as Jesus so rightly said; ‘for without me, ye can do nothing.’ (John 15:5) And I like the contrasts that the prayer makes: There is darkness in the human soul, but only light emanates from the Godhead. How did Jesus put it? ‘I am the light of the world: he that followeth me shall not walk in darkness, but shall have the light of life.’ (John 8:12)
Now that’s the gospel truth, it also fulfills the prophecy of the prophet Isaiah: ‘The people that walked in darkness have seen a great light: they that dwell in the land of the shadow of death, upon them hath the light shined.’ (Is. 9:2) And that’s how it is for all those who walk with Jesus; we walk in the light, because He is the light of the world. It will be also as John says in Revelation: ‘And the city had no need of the sun, neither of the moon, to shine in it: for the glory of God did lighten (illuminate) it, and the Lamb is the light thereof.’ (Rev. 21:23)
That brings us to where the prayer says we’re lonely, which is oh so true in these days of deceit and strife, and though we may be amongst a crowd of people, our hearts can still be lonely. But the good news is that our God is always with us, He never leaves us. Though He may seem to be far away, the truth is that He is always around us, present and ready for action on our behalf, through His Holy Spirit that indwells us. And Psalm 91 – The Secret Place of the Most High – gives us that assurance:
‘I will say of the Lord, he is my refuge and my fortress: my God; in him will I trust… Because thou hast made the Lord, which is my refuge, even the most High, thy habitation (dwelling place); There shall no evil befall thee, neither shall any plague come nigh thy dwelling. For He shall give his angels charge over thee, to keep thee in all thy ways. They shall bear (lift) thee up in their hands, lest thou dash (strike) thy foot against a stone.’ (Ps. 91:2,9-12)
Oh friends, we cannot ask for any more assurance of our safety and closeness to Almighty God! And though we are also feeble in heart, when we place our trust in the Most High God, He of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, there’s much help to be had. As the prophet Isaiah promised in His name: ‘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. Behold, all they that were incensed against thee shall be ashamed and confounded (disgraced): they shall be as nothing; and they that strive with thee shall perish.’ (Is. 41:10-11)
Oh my people, there’s no greater assurance than the faithful help of our Creator and Provider! None whatsoever! And though there’s a restless spirit within us, when we turn to Him, we find peace, the peace that’s not like what the world offers. As Jesus says: ‘Peace I leave with you, my peace I give unto you: not as the world giveth, give I unto you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid.’ (John 14:27) Yes friends the peace of Christ far surpasses any other peace we might know. It’s that ‘peace of God which passeth all understanding, and which shall keep (guard) your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.’ (Phil. 4:7)
And sadly with our strife-filled world, bitterness, anger, hatred and all the negative emotions are ever so prevalent, but thankfully in God, there’s patience. And did Bruh Paul ever know and experience God’s patience! Here’s what he told Timothy: ‘And the grace of our Lord was exceeding abundant with faith and LOVE which in in Christ Jesus. This is a faithful saying, and worthy of all acceptation, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners; of whom I am chief. Howbeit for this cause I obtained mercy, that in me first Jesus Christ might shew forth all longsuffering (patience), for a pattern to them which should hereafter believe on him to life everlasting.’ (1 Tim. 1:14-16)
Yes friends, our God showed much patience with Bruh Paul while he was persecuting the early Christian church, until He was ready to reform him and turn him into the most zealous of the apostles. So there is no need to fear, for He will do the same with us, when He’s ready. And because we are only a creation of God, with only finite understanding, we cannot understand how He operates.
But if we allow Him to lead us, these words of His ought to give us peace and not worry about the way we go. ‘For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, saith the Lord. For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways, and my thoughts higher than your thoughts.’ (Is. 55:8-9) That explains it all, my people.
Now, let’s go home declaring (steupsss!!!) 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 now it 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!
…in Jesus Christ…the human being finds…all they need to live a good life…
Hear our podcast at https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/randy-obrien
10 Dec 2024
by randyobrien50
in Christian Thoughts and Inspiration., Daily Devotion, Daily Inspiration, Inspirational Living, Spiritual Living
Tags: a barren woman, all generations shall call me blessed, Bible, blessed art thou among women, blessed is the fruit of thy womb, christianity, Christmas Season, deep conviction, divine understanding, duty bound, Elisabeth was filled with the Holy Ghost, exalted them of low degree, faith, filled the hungry with good things, he that is mighty hath done to me great things, helpd his servant israel, her cousin Elisabeth, holy is his name, holy spirit, hurry, I am the beloved of god, in god's eyes, in remembrance of his mercy, inclement weather, Jesus Christ, joy, lock stock and barrel, LOVE, man's finite understanding, Mary kept all these things, mercy, my soul doth magnify the Lord, my spirit hath rejoiced in God my Saviour, my thoughts are higher than your thoughts, my thoughts are not your thoughts, my ways are higher than your ways, my ways are not your ways, pondered them in her heart, regarded the low esteem of his handmaiden, sacrifices, salvation, scattered the proud, share His love with my neighbours, take u our crosses every day, the babe leaped in her womb, the house of Zacharias, the imaginations of their hearts, the Magnificat, the mother of my Lord, the rich he sent away empty, to light the way, true disciples, trust my friend Jesus, truth, wisdom, with God nothing is impossible, worry
Luke 1:46-47. And Mary said, My soul doth magnify (exalt) the Lord, And my spirit hath rejoiced in God my Saviour.
This Tuesday morning, a couple of weeks before Christmas doesn’t give one the enthusiasm to be up and about the Father’s business, because it’s wet, cloudy and chilly, with no signs whatsoever of the sun hovering in the background. There’s even an advisory warning about fog. But despite the inclement weather, we still need to get out there and work for Jesus. Remember, to be true disciples, we need to pick up our crosses every day and bear them the way that He did His.
And in this Christmas Season, there’s nothing better to put a smile on our faces and a li’l pep in our steps than remembering all the drama, the machinations and nuances the Lord placed in the amazing story of Christ’s miraculous birth. So, let’s continue from where we left off yesterday, where the angel spoke to Mary about the birth of Jesus, and then Joseph was advised to marry her despite the very serious circumstances.
Now, what does Mary do after she gracefully informs the angel Gabriel: ‘Behold, the handmaid of the Lord; be it unto me according to thy word.’ (Luke 1:38) Well the Bible tells us: ‘And Mary arose in those days, and went into the hill country with haste, into a city of Juda; And entered into the house of Zacharias, and saluted (greeted) Elisabeth. And it came to pass, that, when Elisabeth heard the salutation (greeting) of Mary, the babe leaped in her womb; and Elisabeth was filled with the Holy Ghost:
And she spake out with a loud voice, and said, Blessed art thou among women, and blessed is the fruit of thy womb. And whence (why) is this to me, that the mother of my Lord should come to me? For, lo, as soon as the voice of thy salutation (greeting) sounded in mine ears, the babe leaped in my womb for joy. and blessed is she that (who) believed: for there shall be a performance of those things which were told her from the Lord.’ (Luke 1:39-45)
Oh friends, isn’t our God a great dramatist? Of course! Who else would have thrown in a li’l tidbit to Mary about her cousin Elizabeth’s pregnancy, knowing that it would drive Mary to seek out the hitherto barren woman? And who else would have filled Elisabeth with the knowledge of what was happening with Mary but the Holy Ghost who made His sudden appearance when Mary greeted her. What I like most about that story though is how John the Baptist leaped with joy in his mother’s womb when he heard Mary’s call. He knew that the mother of his cousin Jesus, the one he was coming to light the way for was nearby.
Oh my people, only our good God could make such miraculous things a reality. And who knows, if Mary had already been impregnated by the Holy Ghost, the two children might have had their own womb-based conversations. (smile) For remember, with God, nothing is impossible! Now, how is that for a story to put a smile on your face this inclement Tuesday morning eh! And since it’s all about Jesus, it must be out of the ordinary, dramatic and not always understandable by mere humans.
It’s like the Lord said through the prophet Isaiah. ‘For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, saith the Lord. For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways, and my thoughts higher than your thoughts.’ (Is. 55:8-9) That’s telling us friends! Most of what God does is way beyond our finite understanding, and if were able to understand it all, then we wouldn’t have any need for a God.
And after Elisabeth’s blessing and encouragement, comes one of the most beautiful passages of scripture, one we call ‘The Magnificat.’ Joyful words mouthed by Mary that shows her deep conviction. Please read those beautiful words of divine understanding with me. ‘And Mary said, My soul doth magnify (exalt) the Lord, And my spirit hath rejoiced in God my Saviour. For he hath regarded the low esteem (lowly state) of his handmaiden (maidservant): for, behold, from henceforth all generations shall call me blessed. For he that is mighty hath done to me great things; and holy is his name.
And his mercy is on them that fear him from generation to generation. He hath shewed strength with his arm; he hath scattered the proud in the imagination of their hearts. He hath put down the mighty from their seats (thrones), and exalted them of low degree (lowly). He hath filled the hungry with good things; and the rich he hath sent empty away. He hath holpen (helped) his servant Israel, in remembrance of his mercy; As he spoke to our fathers, to Abraham, and to his seed for ever.’ (Luke 2:46-55)
Now, how many teenagers today could rattle off such scriptural stuff eh? Not many, if any. And though back then the children were brought up learning and memorizing scripture from early days, we can still see the power of the Holy Ghost working in Mary as she emptied her soul before the Lord. I wonder though, if she understood right then, how hard it would be for her as her esteemed Son went through a most difficult life.
I guess that’s why having given birth to Jesus in the stable and the shepherds came and saw him and noised about all that they had heard from the heavenly host, the Bible tells us: ‘But Mary kept all these things, and pondered them in her heart.’ (Luke 2:19) And that’s not the only time it says so. Obviously Mary was a thoughtful woman. She had to be after undergoing such extraordinary godly favour.
But on the other side of the coin, the reality of the situation, that she could do nothing about, seeing the ‘sufferation’ her fist born son had to endure, must have broken her heart several times during her lifetime. But sometimes that’s the price we have to pay while doing God’s work, the sacrifices we make, as we daily take up our crosses and follow Him.
The Bible then concludes that aspect of Mary’s story by saying, ‘And Mary abode with her (Elisabeth) about three months, and returned to her own house.’ (Luke 1:56) Can you imagine the conversations between those two blessed women, or those between Jesus and John the Baptist in their wombs? (smile) Remember, anything’s possible with our God!
And, having put a smile on our faces, and lifted our spirits some, let’s go home declaring our Tuesday Mantra, letting all the 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!’
Now friends, we are duty bound to go out and share the amazing LOVE and friendship of Christ with others, so that they too can come to know and LOVE Him like we do! Much LOVE!
…without the birth of Jesus…there’d be no Christmas…or eventual salvation…
Hear our podcast at https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/randy-obrien
26 Nov 2024
by randyobrien50
in Christian Thoughts and Inspiration., Daily Devotion, Daily Inspiration, Inspirational Living, Spiritual Living
Tags: a fighting spirit, a sesne of shame, abusive words, author and finisher of our faith, avenge not yourselves, be the children of your Father in heaven, be ye therefore perfect, bless them that curse you, bounden duty, despising the shame, do good to them that hate you, doing good towards our enemies, endured the cross, everything will go wrong, faith, feed him, forgiveness seems impossible, give him drink, give place unto wrath, hate thine enemy, he makes his sun to rise, heap coals of fire on his head, help me breathe and trust you, holy spirit, humility, hurry, I fear, I will repay, if thine enemy hunger, immediate attention, in god's eyes, IN Touch Devotional Prayer, it makes no sense, Jesus Christ, Jesus is our best example, long-suffering, LOVE, love thy neighbour, Love your enemies, offer grace, on the evil and the good, on the just and the unjust, perseverance, pray for them which spitefully use you, remorse, retaliation, revenge, rises up in us, salvation, salvation is all about love, sends rain, share His love with my neighbours, take a deep breath, tax collectors, the beloved of God, the joy that was set before Him, the only thing on my mind, trust my friend Jesus, truth, try to protect myself, turn it over to God, unforeseen issues, vengeance is mine, vindication, whatever si necessary to ease our pain, when I get defensive, when I've been hurt, wisdom, worry
Roman 12:19b. Vengeance is mine; I will repay, saith the Lord.
Ah friends, you wouldn’t know how good it feels to finally get to writing the Bit. I woke up late, because I went to bed in the early hours of the morning, (smile) then I had to deal with a couple of unforeseen issues around the house. Those of you who own houses know the frustrating way things can happen around it that need your immediate attention. So it’s now midday that I’m finally sitting down to the computer to see what the Lord wants us to talk about this cold, drizzly Tuesday afternoon in the season of autumn 2024, when our world is going crazy all around us.
The first thing He suggests is that we offer up this month’s prayer from the In Touch Devotional. So please pray with me. ‘Father, when I’ve been hurt, help me breathe and trust You. When I get defensive and try to protect myself, help me breathe and trust You. when retaliation is the only thing on my mind, help me to breathe and trust You. When I fear everything might go wrong again, help me breathe and trust You. When forgiveness seems impossible, help me breathe and trust You. When I offer grace (even when it makes no sense), help me breathe and trust You, In Jesus’ name, amen.’
Oh my fellow believers that prayer certainly makes a lot of sense, because it’s exactly how most of us behave, or feel like behaving when we’ve been hurt. All at once the fighting spirit rises up in us, and declares we must have vindication, revenge, or whatever we think is necessary to ease our pain. But ofttimes, that’s the wrong reaction, for it can blow up the situation to unnecessary proportions, and cause even worse problems. The right way to handle it, is as the prayer says; take a deep breath, and turn it over to God.
Remember Bruh Paul’s words to the church at Rome? ‘Dearly beloved, avenge not yourselves, but rather give place unto wrath: for it is written, Vengeance is mine; I will repay, saith the Lord. Therefore if thine enemy hunger, feed him; if he thirst, give him drink: for in so doing thou shalt heap coals of fire on his head. Be not overcome of evil, but overcome evil with good.’ (Rom. 12:19-21)
Yes friends, from way back when, for example in Leviticus 19:18 and Deuteronomy 32:35, the Lord warned the Israelites about taking revenge, and clearly stated that that was His prerogative. And Bruh Paul is here advocating, treating our enemies or tormentors with a good heart. Piling coals of fire on their heads, as the scholars say, might ‘refer to a sense of shame or remorse engendered when we treat an evildoer kindly. Paul is discussing personal not national enemies. He is not teaching pacifism.’
And I like this commentary which answers the question ‘Why did God say Vengeance is mine? When God says that vengeance is His, it means that He will handle it. He will handle ensuring that justice is served to the individual or individuals who are persecuting you. It means that He will repay the individual or individuals for the wrongs that have been done or are being done to you.’ Simple and straightforward!
But in these days where hate, anger, revenge and all the other negative emotions predominate, few of us are willing to leave the vengeance to God, but instead want to take it into our own hands, because we feel it’s our right to do so, and it will give us the satisfaction we so rightly deserve. However, if you consider yourself a true believer in and follower of Christ, you might be getting your priorities somewhat mixed up, for Jesus taught the exact opposite of what we so often want to do.
In the Sermon on the Mount, He said it thus: ‘Ye have heard that it hath been said, Thou shalt LOVE thy neighbour, and hate thine enemy. But I say unto you, LOVE your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully (spitefully) use you, and persecute you. That ye may be the children of your Father which is in heaven: for he maketh his sun to rise on the evil and on the good, and sendeth rain on the just and the unjust.
For if ye LOVE them which LOVE you, what reward have ye? do not even the publicans (tax collectors) the same? And if ye salute (greet) your brethren only, what do ye more than others? do not even the publicans (tax collectors) so? Be ye therefore perfect, even as your Father which is in heaven is perfect.’ (Matt. 5:43-48)
There you have it my fellow saints, plain and straightforward, in black and white or red, according to which Bible you’re reading. (smile) And we obviously cannot be as perfect or complete as our heavenly Father but we can try to get as close as possible to perfection, by showing LOVE to our enemies, which means doing good toward them so that we can win them over to Christ. And when we do show true brotherly LOVE to our enemies, we prove that we’re truly the children of God, as LOVE is a necessary proof of salvation.
And the good thing about Bruh Paul and Jesus is that they didn’t just talk the talk, NO, they also walked the walk. As this scripture from Hebrews so vividly shows of Jesus’ behaviour. ‘Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher (originator and perfector) of our faith; who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God. For consider him that endured such contradiction (hostility) of sinners against himself, lest ye be wearied and faint not (become discouraged).’ (Heb. 12:2-3)
Yes friends, Jesus is the greatest example of humility, perseverance and long-suffering! Please note that in all the ‘sufferation’ He endured, He did not even once retaliate or say an abusive word to His detractors and abusers. And yes, that’s difficult to do in this aggressive, abusive and vengeful world. But we have the example of Jesus, and the tools He gave us to do it, so let’s start using them and being better witnesses for His holy cause nuh. It’s what He desires and expects of us.
Now, let’s go home declaring (yesss!!!) 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 spouted all of that goodness and holiness, (smile) it’s now our bounden duty to go out and share the amazing LOVE and friendship of Jesus with others, so that they too can come to know and LOVE Him like we do! Much LOVE!
…salvation is all about LOVE…LOVE from God for us…and from us to God… and LOVE for ourselves and our neighbours…
Hear our podcast at https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/randy-obrien
19 Nov 2024
by randyobrien50
in Christian Thoughts and Inspiration., Daily Devotion, Daily Inspiration, Inspirational Living
Tags: agents, ambassadors, be of good cheer, being warned by God, believe what one has not seen, believe without seeing, by faith Noah, conviction, conviction is faith relating to the present, courage, disciples, faith, faith relating to the future, faithfulness, form me fully in your likeness, form peace, from the beauties form love, from the frustrations of this day, from the joy form strength, from the struggles form courage, frustrations, gentleness, goodness, he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek Him, he that comes to God, holy spirit, hope, hurry, i have overcome the world, in god's eyes, in me ye might find peace, interactions of this day, Jesus Christ, kindness, life cycle, lock stock and barrel, LOVE, mercy, moved with fear, must believe that he is, patience, Prayers through the Ages, prepared an ark, reverence, Richard Foster, salvation, seeing before believing, self-control, share His love with my neighbours, spiritual maturity, struggles, take the bull by the horns, the beloved of God, the Christian life, the dire state of our world, the evidence of things not seen, the fruit of the spirit, the Great Commission, the heir of the righteousness by faith, the light of the world, the salt of the earth, the substance of things hoped for, things not yet seen, to form your will in me, to the saving of his house, trials, tribulations, true faith in Christ, trust my friend Jesus, truth, use the circumstance, wisdom, without faith it is impossible to please God, worry
Hebrews 11:6a. But without faith it is impossible to please him (God):
And as Monday morphs into Tuesday, and the life cycle continues to spin the way Almighty God, it’s creator intended, we created beings ought to be ramping up our spiritual maturity through Bible reading, meditation, prayer and thanksgiving, and not the ungodly and fleshly stuff that so many of us busy ourselves with. Now, here is an interesting prayer from the Prayers Through the Ages Pamphlet recently put out by the Anglican Diocese of Toronto, that helps us to improve in our godly walk. This prayer was written by one Richard Foster, a theologian and author in the Quaker tradition.
Please pray with me. ‘O Lord, my God. Form me more fully in your likeness. Use the circumstance and interactions of this day to form your will in me. From the frustrations of this day form peace. From the joy of this day form strength. From the struggles of this day form courage. From the beauties of this day form LOVE. In the name of Jesus Christ, who is all peace and strength and courage and LOVE. Amen.’
Oh friends, that’s indeed a marvellous prayer for handling the trials and tribulations of this world. And I like how the author lays it out so that the Lord can use the trials and frustrations of this world to enable us to end up with all that Jesus is; peace, strength, courage and LOVE. But it’s like Jesus said, we will have trials and tribulations in this world, but we can have His peace and be of good cheer, because He has already overcome the world. (John 16:33)
problem though, is that we have to acknowledge and accept those promises in order for them to be of benefit to us. However, too many of us supposed believers ignore the promises, and simply look on the dark and negative side, so obviously the promises won’t work in our lives. Oh my people, the Christian life is all about FAITH; ‘that substance (realization) of things hoped for, the evidence (conviction) of things not seen.’ (Heb. 11:1) That basically means believing so strongly in the promises of God, that we believe for what we need without seeing it. In the world they talk about seeing is believing, but in God’s economy, it’s the other way around, believe it before you see it.
Or as the scholars explain, re of things hoped for and of things not seen. ‘The first involves future hope; the second involves present realities that are unseen. The first includes the hope of the resurrection, the return of Christ, and the glorification of the saints. The second involves unseen realities, such as the forgiveness of sin through Christ’s sacrifice and the present intercession of Christ in heaven. Hope is faith relating to the future; conviction is faith relating to the present.’
That’s why the author of Hebrews also informs us: ‘But without faith it is impossible to please him (God): for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him.’ (Heb. 11:6) Yes friends, to enjoy the kingdom of God and all its benefits, one must believe that God exists, and that He rewards those who diligently seek Him.
And that faith experience of not seeing and believing is fully brought out by this next verse from Hebrews. ‘By faith Noah, being warned of God of things not seen as yet, moved with fear (reverence), prepared an ark to the saving of his house; by the which he condemned the world, and became heir of the righteousness which is by faith.’ (Heb. 11:7)
And believe me, that was no small faith on Noah’s part. For the Lord told him to build an ark because of an upcoming flood. But Noah had never seen rain, (Gen. 2:5) nor a flood, however, He listened to God, showed great faith, and did things that, as the scholars put it were; ‘incongruous with (contrary to) his former experience.’
Now that’s the kind of faith we believers need to exhibit in these disastrous, chaotic and ungodly times. Times when we should be rising up in faith and proclaiming the gospel of Christ, sincerely carrying out His Great Commission, being the salt of the earth and the light of the world, so that the ungodly can see the goodness, mercy, grace and LOVE of God shining in and through us, and thus decide to enter into His wonderful fold.
That’s the only way we will ever truly win others to Christ my fellow believers. If we don’t show the fruit of His Spirit; (LOVE, joy, peace, patience, goodness, gentleness, kindness, faithfulness and self-control) flourishing in us, then others won’t want to come to Him. Remember, we are His disciples, His ambassadors, and agents in the world, and He’s depending on our good conduct and behaviour to draw others to Him, otherwise His sacrifices down here on earth would have been a wasted effort. And we certainly cannot allow that to happen.
So please, let’s wake up and see the dire state of our world nuh, because we are not doing a good enough job for Christ, and let’s take the bull by the horns and start turning things around to the way they ought to be. And for those of us who are willing to take up that challenge, 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 my immediate neighbours, as well as with the whole wide world! Glory be!’
And having made that declaration (yesss!!!) we are now obliged 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!
…to have true faith in Christ…one must be willing to believe things…one has not seen…
Hear our podcast at https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/randy-obrien
12 Nov 2024
by randyobrien50
in Inspirational Living
Tags: a, a christlike desire, a dwelling place for good things, are worth nourishing, believers use the word desire, Bible, bitter envying, blessed are they, can't stop thinking of someone you love, christianity, confusion, Consider This, consumed by lust, demonic, demonic schemes, desires can also be good, do not boast, earthly, easy to be intreated, enter into the kingdom of heaven, envy, epeaceable, except your righteousness exceeds that of the scribes and Pharisees, faith, feel the urge, focus our attention on, full of mercy, gentle, glory not, god, good fruits, greed, holy spirit, in a negative mannerbelievers use the word desire, in god's eyes, In Touch Devotional, insatiable longings, Jesus Christ, lay up treasures in heaven, lean into that yearning, light a fire under us, long to pursue a God-given dream, longings, LOVE, may abound more and more, meditate, mercy, noble, of virtue, on earth as it is in heaven, only half the picture, persecuted for righteousness sake, priseworthy, pure, Remembrance Day, right activities, right thoughts, salvation, seek first God's kingdom, sensual, sensuality, shall be with you, share His love with my neighbours, sown in peace, stife, that bring heaven to earth, the beloved of God, the fruit of righteousness, the God of peace, the wisdom from above, the work of righteousness shall be peace, theirs is the kingdom of heaven, things that are honest, things that are pure, think about good and heavenly things, think on these things, those things that relfect God's character, thy kingdom come, thy will be done, to celebrate a friend's accomplishment, trust my friend Jesus, truth, Tuesday Mantra, wisdom, without hypocrisy, without partiality, worry, ye shall in no case, your love
James 3:18. And the fruit of righteousness is sown in peace of them that make peace.
Then it was Tuesday…and all the hoopla over Remembrance Day is over, and we put the dead and the remaining few veterans back into their box for another year. And as one commentator said, sadly, every year the remembrances get a li’l less significant. He remembers the celebrations being much bigger and better attended in earlier years. But I guess that’s life; as more of us who lived during the wars die out, and our History is not being properly and correctly taught in our schools, fewer people will pay attention to those kinds of celebrations, and thus they will become less important as time goes by.
But be that as it may, this morning I want to share an interesting comment from the ‘Consider This’ Section of this month’s InTouch Devotional. Please read with me: ‘When believers use the word ‘desire,’ it’s often negative. We use it to describe being consumed by lust, envy, greed, or other insatiable longings. But that’s only half the picture. Desires can also be good. When you feel the urge to celebrate a friend’s accomplishment, long to pursue a God-given dream, or can’t stop thinking about a person you LOVE, lean into that yearning.
Those are feelings God wants us to experience. So, the next time you desire something, take the opportunity to pause. Prayerfully ask yourself what about the desire might be Christlike and what isn’t. When the Holy Spirit is living inside you, you become a dwelling place for good things. And those longings – the ones that bring heaven to earth – are worth nourishing.’
Yes friends, anything that brings heaven to earth is worth nourishing and encouraging! For as Jesus said in the prayer we call The Lord’s Prayer – ‘Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done in earth, as it is in heaven.’ (Matt. 6:10)
Oh my people, we are intended and expected to replicate whatever happens in heaven as much as possible on this earth. That’s why we lay up treasures for ourselves in heaven, and not on earth. (Matt. 6:19-21) Why we seek God’s kingdom and His righteousness first before anything else on earth. (Matt; 6:33) Why we think about good and heavenly things as much as possible.
That’s why Bruh Paul encourages the Philippians and consequently us: ‘Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest (noble), whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise (anything praiseworthy), think (meditate) on these things. Those things, which ye have both learned, and received, and heard, and seen in me, do: and the God of peace shall be with you.’ (Phil. 4:8-9)
That’s invaluable information my fellow believers. To keep God’s peace, we need to occupy our minds with the right thoughts, and busy ourselves with the right activities. And I like how this commentary explains those verses. It says: ‘The point of this passage is that we focus our attention on those things that reflect God’s character and on those things that come from Him. God wants us to fill our minds with the truth and to contemplate those things that are right.’ And that’s the only way we can be and remain godly in this evil filled world!
And James, in his epistle, explains it thus: ‘But if ye have bitter envying and strife in your hearts (self-seeking exist), glory not (do not boast), and lie not against the truth. This wisdom descendeth not from above, but is earthly, sensual, devilish (demonic). For where envying and strife is (self-seeking exist), there is confusion and every evil work. But the wisdom that is from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, and easy to be intreated (willing to yield), full of mercy and good fruits, without partiality, and without hypocrisy. And the fruit of righteousness is sown in peace of them that make peace.’ (James 3:14-18)
That obviously tells us that most of the stuff that’s currently going on in our world is certainly not from heaven or God-centered, because it’s overly filled with those things James mentioned as not being good, namely, strife, envying, confusion, earthly sensuality and demonic schemes that lead to evil doings.
That also reminds us of these words form Bruh Paul to the Philippians. ‘And this I pray, that your LOVE may abound yet more and more in knowledge and in all judgement (discernment); That ye may approve things that are excellent; that ye may be sincere and without offence till the day of Christ; Being filled with the fruits of righteousness, which are by Jesus Christ, unto the glory and praise of God.’ (Phil. 1:9-11)
Ah friends our earthly journey is supposed to be all about, LOVE, peace, goodness, and righteousness. As Isaiah writes on the Effects of Righteousness. ‘Then judgement shall dwell in the wilderness, and righteousness remain in the fruitful field. And the work of righteousness shall be peace; and the effect of righteousness quietness and assurance for ever.’ (Is. 32:16-17) So please, let’s get our lives straight and begin seriously seeking those things that be of God, and not those that be of man and this evil, demonic world.
And these words of Jesus ought to light a fire under us. ‘For I say unto you, That except your righteousness shall exceed the righteousness of the scribes and Pharisees, ye shall in no case (by no means) enter into the kingdom of heaven.’ (Matt. 5:20) Now, 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, we are now obligated 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!
…blessed are they…which are persecuted for righteousness sake…for theirs is the kingdom of heaven… (Matt. 5:10)
Hear our podcast at https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/randy-obrien
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