17 Apr 2017
by randyobrien50
in Christian Thoughts and Inspiration., Daily Devotion, Daily Inspiration, Inspirational Living, Spiritual Living
Tags: above every name, almighty god, at the name of Jesus, aura of love, confidence, Drunk or sober mind yuh business, Easter Monday, enthusiasm, every knee should bow, every tongue should confess, faith, fire water, fleshly realities, friends, given him a name, glorious kingdom, gluttonous, God hath highly exalted him, Granny's advice, He is faithful that promised, holy spirit, hope, humble servants, humility, invincible, Jesus Christ, Jesus christ is Lord, Jesus' resurrection, jobs, joy, keeping families together, let this mind be in you, lies, LOVE, love to hate day, loving kindness, mercy, Monday Morning Battle Hymn, no reputation, obedience, obedient unto death, rejuvenation of spirit, relaxation, renewed vitality, rest, rewards, salvation, sing up a storm, sins, spiritual armour, spiritual implications, steadfast faith, taunts, Thank You Lord, the form of a servant, to the glory of God, trust, ungodly world, uplift their spirits, wiles, wisdom
Philippians 2:9. Wherefore God also hath highly exalted him, and given him a name which is above every name.
Well mih people, it’s Monday, our favourite LOVE to hate day! (smile) But since today is Easter Monday, and a holiday for many of us, I am only hearing moaning and groaning and other unprintable remarks from a small portion of the populace. The majority of us are just rolling over with a big smile and saying ‘Thank You Lord!’ and going back to sleep.
But before you do that, we need to sing our Monday Morning Battle Hymn with our less fortunate brethren, those who have to go out and labour today, help uplift their spirits and dampen their jealousy. (smile) You know there’s comfort in fellowship and all that…Hn, hn! And I hear even more negative stuff coming from the unfortunate throng.
So as one voice, let’s sing up a storm this Monday morning nuh. ‘Oh Lord God Almighty, Creator of the universe and all therein! We, your humble servants, praise your Holy Name and thank you that this Monday morning we have jobs to go to; jobs we don’t like, jobs that are unfair, difficult and even dangerous, but which serve a useful purpose here on earth; keeping lives and families together.
We also thank you Father for the renewed vitality and enthusiasm you’ve wrought in our weary souls over the last two days. It’s that rejuvenation of Spirit which allows us now to sally forth with confidence into the evil, ungodly world that surrounds us, to begin a new week of work, constantly buffeted and bombarded by the enemy’s wicked taunts, wiles and lies.
But heavenly Father, we’re not afraid, for we know we’re invincible, sure conquerors, once we’re wearing your powerful, protective spiritual armour. We surrender our all to you, and humbly ask that you let your incredible aura of LOVE, the Holy Spirit, lead and guide all your servants as we go out to meet the enemy in battle.
Fill us with steadfast faith, so that we can make worthwhile inroads into the enemy’s ranks, and thereby further your glorious kingdom. We pray this in the Holy Name of your Son, and our Saviour, Jesus Christ. AMEN!’
Oh friends, that was surely loud, but also raucous and not very harmonious. And as usual, the loudest and most raucous voices came from those who don’t have to work today. Jesus, our choirmaster, just had to shake His head in frustration and understanding.
And for those of us who are home today, please don’t use the Easter celebrations as an excuse to imbibe too much fire water, or become gluttonous, with the wide array of food and drink available, and thus give the deceitful Lucifer any loopholes to enter our souls. Consider the spiritual implications of Jesus’ wonderful work more than the fleshly realities. (smile) And please remember Granny’s words of wisdom: ‘Sonny boy, drunk or sober, please mind yuh business.’ Those are words that will always stand us in good stead my brethren.
And since we are still in the Resurrection celebration mode, it’s useful to see what the Father did after Jesus rose from the grave. But before we get to that, let’s check up on Jesus’ earthly attitude.
Bruh Paul advises the Philippians thus: ‘Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus: Who, being in the form of God, thought it not robbery to be equal with God: But made himself of no reputation, and took upon him the form of a servant, and was made in the likeness of men. And being found in fashion (appearance) as a man, he humbled himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death on the cross.’ (Phil.2:5-8)
Yuh see friends, though Jesus was God incarnate, when He became man, He didn’t abuse His godly powers, but focused on His human nature and was obedient to the Father’s every will, even going to the cross to die for our abominable sins. Hn! The strange thing is that none of us have His godly powers, but yet plenty of us are bombastic enough to act like God unto our fellow man.
Now we’ll see how God rewarded Him for His obedience and faithfulness. Our Bit tells us: ‘Wherefore God also hath highly exalted him, and given him a name which is above every name.’ Yes my people, the heavenly Father rewarded Jesus by exalting His name to the highest available position; second only to His!
And furthermore: ‘That at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of (those) things in heaven, and (those) things in earth, and (those) things under the earth; And that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.’ (Phil.2:10-11) Ah my brethren, what a wonderful God we serve and worship! He is indeed a rewarder of those who sincerely seek and obey Him.
As the author of Hebrews reminds us: ‘Let us hold fast the profession (confession) of our faith (hope) without wavering;) for he is faithful that promised;) (Heb.10:23) That simply means, that as believers, we need to remain steadfast, humble and obedient to the will of God, and in due time He will reward us with such a multiplicity of rewards, both down here on earth and in heaven, that we won’t know what to do with them!
Wow! Now, I don’t know about you all, but that surely sounds like perfect wisdom to me, and I will surely do my best to be eligible for as many rewards as possible. Why don’t you join me? Much LOVE!
…there’s nothing like humility and obedience…to win God’s favour…
16 Apr 2017
by randyobrien50
in Christian Thoughts and Inspiration., Daily Devotion, Daily Inspiration, Inspirational Living, Spiritual Living
Tags: assurance of life after death, at his coming, believe, blessed be God, bt man came death, by man came also the resurrection, Charles Wesley, Christ is risen from the dead, Christ the Lord is risen today, Christ's Resurrection, christianity, crucified, darkness, Easter Sunday, eternal life, eternal separation from God, everlasting life, faith, Gentiles, glory hallelujah, glory to God, God's grace, Good Friday, gratitude, harvest, in Adam all die, in Christ shall all live, incorruptible, inheritance, King Agrippa, king of glory, living hope, LOVE, love's redeeming work, mercy, negative elements of sin, pay our sin debt, rejoice the Lord is risen, reserved in heaven, revealed in the last time, salvation, soul of bliss, the first fruits, the power of God, the Rapture, them that died, triumph over hell death and the grave, trust, undefiled
1 Corinthians 15:20. But now is Christ risen from the dead, and become the first fruits of them that slept (have fallen asleep, have died).
HAPPY EASTER!
Oh my beautiful fellow believers, at last it’s Easter Sunday! Glory to God! And we all know what happened on this faithful, blessed, unforgettable day some two thousand years ago: our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ rose triumphantly from the dead, having been crucified on Good Friday to pay our sin debt in full!
Wow! What a magnificent triumph that was over hell, death and the grave! The negative elements of sin and darkness were put to flight by the brilliant, blazing light of new life embodied by Christ’s Resurrection!
Consequently what better song of praise can we sing this Sunday morning than that penned for the occasion by Charles Wesley way back in 1739: ‘Christ the Lord is risen today, Alleluia!?’ None my brethren!
So in full voice, with overwhelming enthusiasm and gratitude, let’s sincerely offer up the sacrifice of praise this Easter morn, so that in heaven on high, there can be no doubt of our thankfulness for Jesus’ great victory over the enemy.
All together now: Christ the Lord is risen today, Alleluia! Earth and heaven in chorus say, Alleluia! Raise your joys and triumphs high, Alleluia! Sing, ye heavens, and earth reply, Alleluia! LOVE’S redeeming work is done, Alleluia! Fought the fight, the battle won, Alleluia! Death in vain forbids him rise, Alleluia! Christ has opened paradise, Alleluia! Lives again our glorious King, Alleluia!
Where, O death, is now thy sting? Alleluia! Once he died our souls to save, Alleluia! Where’s thy victory, boasting grave? Alleluia! Soar we now where Christ has led, Alleluia! Following our exalted Head, Alleluia! Made like him, like him we rise, Alleluia! Ours the cross, the grave, the skies, Alleluia! Hail the Lord of earth and heaven, Alleluia! Praise to thee by both be given, Alleluia!
Thee we greet triumphant now, Alleluia! Hail the Resurrection, thou, Alleluia! King of glory, soul of bliss, Alleluia! Everlasting life is this, Alleluia! Thee to know, thy power to prove, Alleluia! Thus to sing, and thus to LOVE, Alleluia!’
Yes friends, that was wonderful, although there are really no words to truly convey the gratitude we owe to Jesus and our heavenly Father for making it possible to flee sin and return to the warm cockles of their everlasting LOVE!
And today I don’t want to get into all the stuff that happened in the garden at the tomb because we know all of that well enough. Instead I want to show and describe what Jesus’ resurrection really means for us as believers; namely the assurance of life after death for ALL who sincerely believe and put their heart-felt trust in Him.
Listen to our Bit: ‘But now is Christ risen from the dead, and become the first fruits of them that slept (have fallen asleep, have died). Oh my people, the first fruits are an important symbol in our faith; the first of anything, the part we offer to God.
And according to the scholars: ‘15:20. First fruits (cf. Lev.23:9-14): The “first fruits” in Israel always anticipated a harvest.’ Glory be my people! For that means if Jesus was the first fruit of the resurrection, then there is an abundant harvest, namely His believers and followers that will be coming after Him. What a wonderful assurance of salvation and eternal life for us!
And Bruh Paul elucidates on that after our Bit. ‘For since by man came death, by man came also the resurrection of the dead. For as in Adam all die, even so in Christ shall all be made alive. But every man in his own order; Christ the first fruits; afterward they that are Christ’s at his coming.’ (1 Cor.15:21-23)
And the scholars offer this explanation of those verses. ‘15:23-26. Order (lit. “group”): Afterward they that are Christ’s at his coming: When Christ comes for the church at the Rapture, believers will also experience resurrection (cf. 1 Thess.3:13; 4:14-18).’
Now why would be so foolish as to accept eternal separation from God, instead of Christ’s offer, His personal assurance of eternal life with God eh? I surely don’t know, but unfortunately many of us are foolishly doing it. And to further corroborate our Bit, hear Bruh Paul in his monologue to King Agrippa, as he testified of his conversion to Christianity.
‘Having therefore obtained help of God, I continue unto this day, witnessing both to small and great, saying none other things than those which the prophets and Moses did say should come: That Christ should suffer, and he should be the first that should rise from the dead, and should show (would proclaim) light unto the people, and to the Gentiles.’ (Acts 26:22-23)
And we are the Gentiles my people! And for God’s good grace to bring us into His fold, we ought to shout a grateful ‘Glory Hallelujah!’ He didn’t have to, but His LOVE was so great for ALL His creation that He couldn’t leave us out.
Now let’s close with some words from Peter as he talks about salvation wrought by Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. ‘Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, which according to his abundant mercy hath begotten us again unto a lively (living) hope by the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead. To an inheritance incorruptible, and undefiled, and that fadeth not away, reserved in heaven for you. Who are kept by the power of God through faith unto salvation ready to be revealed in the last time.’ (1 Pet.1:3-5)
Yes friends, when we accept Jesus Christ as our Lord and Saviour we become new creatures, and receive hope and faith through God’s power to handle anything that comes against us, knowing that we are assured of salvation, it’s guaranteed, because of Jesus’ resurrection. So today, let us rejoice that the Lord is risen and consequently we will arise at the end times too. Much LOVE!
…He is Risen…He is Risen…Christ is Risen indeed…
15 Apr 2017
by randyobrien50
in Christian Thoughts and Inspiration., Daily Devotion, Daily Inspiration, Inspirational Living, Spiritual Living
Tags: Abide in me, all things are possible, battle armour, beliefs, Christian faith, Drunk or sober mind yuh business, Easter, events, faith in Jesus Christ, glory hallelujah, glory to God, God's LOVE, Good Friday, gospel truth, grace, hope, human trait, I am the vine, I can do all things through Christ, Lent, lifting our spirits, look on the bright side, LOVE, Lucifer, negative manner, nomadic life, not in vain, not sufficient in ourselves, optimism, our sufficiency is in God, Paul, persecuted the church of God, positive, preaching Christ crucified, reconciliation with the Father, Resurrection Sunday, thanks and praise, the Corinthians, the grace of God, the moral of the story, the Philippians, the power to make me happy, this is the day the Lord has made, true potential, trust, without me ye can do nothing, ye are the branches, yesterday is dead
Philippians 4:13. I can do ALL THINGS through Christ which strengtheneth me!
Well friends, it’s Easter Saturday; another season of Lent is over with the passing of Good Friday and Jesus is resting quietly in His tomb. Glory to God! We’re only waiting for the big day now; Resurrection Sunday, possibly the greatest day in the history of the Christian faith.
I know many people prefer Christmas to Easter, but without Easter there could be no death, thus no payment for sins, no Resurrection and consequently no reconciliation with the Father, salvation and eternal life. We’d be left forever wallowing in the deep and deadly mire of sin.
So Easter is indeed a most important time in our faith, that’s why we ought to celebrate it with joy and gladness, offering up songs of thanks and praise to our heavenly Father who made it all possible through His awesome, amazing, undaunted, unconditional LOVE for us.
But please remember, that though Lent is over and the celebrations will begin today, we must not overdo it, and give occasion to Lucifer to penetrate our spiritual battle armour. So let’s take Granny’s advice to heart, one more time; ‘Sonny boy, drunk or sober, please mind yuh business!’ (smile) And that truly is some of the best advice we can ever receive my brethren.
Now since today is Saturday, I guess we ought to take a look at some other advice, this from our friend Anselm, who aspires to inspire us in our daily living. He had some interesting advice this week. Listen to this one. ‘Each morning when I open my eyes I say to myself: I, not events, have the power to make me happy or unhappy today. I can choose which it shall be. Yesterday is dead, tomorrow hasn’t arrived yet. I have just one day, today, and I’m going to be happy in it.’
And that’s certainly an option that’s open to us all. It’s like the verse from Psalm 118 that we often declare: ‘This is the day the Lord has made, we will rejoice and be glad in it.’ It’s our choice how we view and then spend the day; it can either be in a positive or negative manner.
That brings us to this next quote: ‘Optimism is the most important human trait, because it allows us to evolve our ideas, to improve our situation, and to hope for a better tomorrow.’
Now I don’t know if optimism is indeed the most important human trait, but it surely is a very important one, because it allows us to look on the bright side of every situation and gives us hope that things can get better, thereby lifting our troubled and worried spirits..
And this last quote reinforces all the others. ‘Beliefs have the power to create and the power to destroy. Human beings have the awesome ability to take any experience of their lives and create a meaning that disempowers them or one that can literally save their lives.’
And nobody knows that better than we Christian believers! Our faith in Jesus Christ can cause us to move mountains, as we believe that with our great God ALL THINGS are possible!
And that brings us to our Bit: ‘I can do ALL THINGS through Christ which strengtheneth me!’ Glory Hallelujah my believing brethren!
Like in Bruh Paul’s life, when he made that statement to the Philippians, our God places us in certain situations, and then gives us the enabling power to handle them. Whether we be rich or poor, abounding or abased, weak or strong, God gives us the strength, the power to be content in them all, regardless of their complexity and/or painfulness.
And we see this attitude and belief in all of Bruh Paul’s teachings, though how else could it be eh, seeing the rough, dangerous, nomadic life he led once he began preaching Christ crucified?
Listen to him in the first epistle to the Corinthians. ‘ For I am the least of the apostles, that am not meet (worthy) to be called an apostle, because I persecuted the church of God. But by the grace of God I am what I am: and his grace which was bestowed upon me was not in vain; but I laboured more abundantly than they all: yet not I, but the grace of God which was with me.’ (1 Cor.15:9-10)
Yeh friends, it’s only through God’s saving grace that Bruh Paul could have survived all the dangers and rough times he encountered during his missionary journeys. And the same thing goes for us; only through God’s grace are we able to bear the trials and tribulations of this earthly life.
Now hear him in the second epistle to the Corinthians, as he talks about ministers in the New Testament. ‘And such trust have we through Christ to God-ward: Not that we are sufficient of ourselves to think anything as of ourselves; but our sufficiency is of God:’ (2 Cor,3:4-5) Yes friends, we are indeed nothing without God!
Now let’s end with the immortal and authoritative words on the subject, from the mouth of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ Himself. ‘Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, except it abide in the vine; no more can ye, except ye abide in me. I am the vine, ye are the branches: He that abideth in me, and I in him, the same bringeth forth much fruit: for without me ye can do nothing.’ (John 15:4-5)
And if there ever was real gospel truth, that’s it! Without an association with Christ we are powerless to do anything, much less to bear much good fruit in this life. So the moral of the story is to get in good with Christ, and stay attuned to Him all the days of our lives. And there’s no better time to do so than right now at Easter; the time of His awesome, world changing Resurrection! Much LOVE!
…only in and through Christ…do our lives live up to their true potential…
10 Apr 2017
by randyobrien50
in Christian Thoughts and Inspiration., Daily Devotion, Daily Inspiration, Inspirational Living, Spiritual Living
Tags: adrenaline, aura of love, be not proud, catastrophe, confidence, enthusiasm, eternal life, evil, faith, fellowship, friends, give ear, glory hallelujah, gospel truth, hear ye, holy spirit, Holy Week, humble yourselves, invincible, Jesus Christ, joy, Judah, lies, LOVE, loving-kindness, Monday Morning Battle Hymn, our hearts are right, Palm Sunday, rejuvenation of spirit, relaxation, renewed vitality, rest, salvation, spiritual armour, steadfast faith, the flesh is weak, the Lord has spoken, trust, truth, ungodly world, wisdom
Jeremiah 13:15. Hear ye, and give ear, be not proud: for the Lord hath spoken.
Ah mih people, I do hope we had a good Palm Sunday, and did not overdo it with too much rejoicing, (smile) for today is Monday and also the beginning of Holy Week. That means we need to get up and go out strong to work as well as be ready to go prayerfully into Holy Week and all the wonderful aspects of our faith that happen at the end of it.
And the Lord knows that although our flesh is weak, our hearts are in the right place. So let’s get a move on by singing our Monday Morning Battle Hymn which hopefully will get our engines started and our adrenaline richly flowing.
All together now: ‘Oh Lord God Almighty, Creator of the universe and all therein! We, your humble servants, praise your Holy Name and thank you that this Monday morning we have jobs to go to; jobs we don’t like, jobs that are unfair, difficult and even dangerous, but which serve a useful purpose here on earth; keeping lives and families together.
We also thank you Father for the renewed vitality and enthusiasm you’ve wrought in our weary souls over the last two days. It’s that rejuvenation of Spirit which allows us now to sally forth with confidence into the evil, ungodly world that surrounds us, to begin a new week of work, constantly buffeted and bombarded by the enemy’s wicked taunts, wiles and lies.
But heavenly Father, we’re not afraid, for we know we’re invincible, sure conquerors, once we’re wearing your powerful, protective spiritual armour. We surrender our all to you, and humbly ask that you let your incredible aura of LOVE, the Holy Spirit, lead and guide all your servants as we go out to meet the enemy in battle.
Fill us with steadfast faith, so that we can make worthwhile inroads into the enemy’s ranks, and thereby further your glorious kingdom. We pray this in the Holy Name of your Son, and our Saviour, Jesus Christ. AMEN!’
Now that wasn’t a bad rendition at all my people, but certainly not good enough to make all heaven stand up and rejoice. So now that we have the adrenaline flowing, let’s go out into the evil world and do our ambassadorial duties much better than our singing nuh. (smile).
That brings us to our Bit. ‘Hear ye, and give ear, be not proud: for the Lord hath spoken.’ Yeh friends, it’s ever so important for us to hear and pay serious attention when the Lord speaks.
And what did He say: ‘Give glory to the Lord your God, before he cause darkness, and before your feet stumble upon the dark mountains, and, while ye look for light, he turn it into the shadow of death, and make it gross darkness.’ (Jer.13:16)
Oh my brethren, are we giving God the glory He so richly and rightfully deserves? I don’t think so nuh, because our world has become so evil and ungodly that a whole generation doesn’t even know Him. Such was the state of Judah in Jeremiah’s time. And the Lord used parable- like lessons through Jeremiah to teach them of their backsliding and the possible consequences if it continued.
Listen to what comes next: ‘But if ye will not hear it, my soul shall weep in secret places for your pride; and mine eye shall weep sore, and run down with tears, because the Lord’s flock is carried away captive. Say unto the king and to the queen (mother), Humble yourselves, sit down: for your principalities shall come down (collapse), even the crown of your glory.’ (Jer.13:17-18)
Yes precious people, we need to step back and take a serious look at our society, what is currently happening and what can possibly happen because of our ungodliness and prideful walk.
Hear the scholars. ’13:15-17. A third illustration (parable-like lesson) concerns a weary traveller in danger of being overtaken by the falling darkness of night. Such was Judah. It must renounce all pride and give God His rightful glory before the final darkness of national catastrophe engulfs it.’
Oh friends, I couldn’t put it any better nuh. The darkness of night has overtaken our world so horribly, that darkness is all some of us know. Light, the bright burning flame of Jesus many of us have never encountered. Fortunately though, we believers, like Jeremiah, have been given the task of bringing Jesus’ light to this darkened world.
We are the ambassadors, the modern- day equivalent of the disciples that Jesus instructed: ‘Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost: Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you always, even unto the end of the world.’ (Matt.28:19-20)
Now that is our task for today my fellow believers. So let’s get out there with diligence, hard work and excellence, perseverance and LOVING-kindness and do what we’ve been commanded to do nuh, like faithful and obedient ambassadors. Otherwise, our ungodly and wicked world is very liable to collapse around us in God’s wrath. And we wouldn’t want that now would we? Much LOVE!
…in a world full of darkness…only God’s people can bring light to it…
03 Apr 2017
by randyobrien50
in Christian Thoughts and Inspiration., Daily Devotion, Daily Inspiration, Inspirational Living, Spiritual Living
Tags: a heartbeat, adversity, antidote, aura of love, battlefield, Beelzebub, believers, Boaz, choirmaster, Christ's Church, complaining, confidence, enthusiasm, eternal life, evil, faithfulness, fight the good fight, friends, Gentile, glorious kingdom, hate day, holy spirit, humble servants, invincible, Israelites, Jesse, Jesus Christ, Jew, jobs, joy, licentious weekend, lies, LOVE, Moab, Monday, Monday Morning Battle Hymn, Naomi, Obed, Orpah, prince of darkness, prince of peace, rejuvenation of spirit, relaxation, renewed vitality, Ruth, salvation, spiritual armour, steadfast faith, the God of Abraham Isaac and Jacob, trust, truth, ungodly world, union of Jew and Gentile, wisdom
Joshua 24:15(a). …choose you this day whom ye will serve…
Oh friends, it’s Monday, our favourite hate day! (smile) And we only hate it because it means we have to get up and go out and labour, after spending a soft, cushy, licentious weekend. But them’s the breaks my people. You either go and work or be homeless and starve.
And yuh better believe you’re darm lucky and blessed if you have a job, because there are millions of people out there who don’t have one and will gladly take yours in a heartbeat. So let’s start living right over the weekend nuh, so that on Monday we don’t have the set of steupsing and complaining we currently have.
In any case, let’s take the antidote for that there illness right now; the glorious singing of our Monday Morning Battle Hymn. In full voice and perfect harmony, let’s belt it out: ‘Oh Lord God Almighty, Creator of the universe and all therein! We, your humble servants, praise your Holy Name and thank you that this Monday morning we have jobs to go to; jobs we don’t like, jobs that are unfair, difficult and even dangerous, but which serve a useful purpose here on earth; keeping lives and families together.
We also thank you Father for the renewed vitality and enthusiasm you’ve wrought in our weary souls over the last two days. It’s that rejuvenation of Spirit which allows us now to sally forth with confidence into the evil, ungodly world that surrounds us, to begin a new week of work, constantly buffeted and bombarded by the enemy’s wicked taunts, wiles and lies.
But heavenly Father, we’re not afraid, for we know we’re invincible, sure conquerors, once we’re wearing your powerful, protective spiritual armour. We surrender our all to you, and humbly ask that you let your incredible aura of LOVE, the Holy Spirit, lead and guide all your servants as we go out to meet the enemy in battle.
Fill us with steadfast faith, so that we can make worthwhile inroads into the enemy’s ranks, and thereby further your glorious kingdom. We pray this in the Holy Name of your Son, and our Saviour, Jesus Christ. AMEN!’
Not bad friends, not bad, but not good enough to get a big rise out of our choirmaster Jesus. Anyway, with that adrenaline antidote taking effect, as it courses through our bodies, raising both our physical and spiritual capacity, let’s get a move on, for Jesus is waiting for us out on the battlefield, so we can fight the good fight with Him. Time to move out mih people!
That brings us to our Bit: ‘…choose you this day whom ye will serve…’
Yes friends, we can either serve the prince of this evil world, Beelzebub, or the Prince of Peace, of Light and Eternal Life, Jesus Christ. The decision is totally yours. But let me give you a li’l bit of wise advice. It will be better for you, if you serve Jesus Christ, for He is the mighty conqueror of hell, death and the grave, Beelzebub’s territory! That’s why Beelzebub now has no power over true believers, unless we fall for his lies and deceits.
Now we all know the numerous times the Israelites turned away from God and suffered adversity, then caught themselves, repented and were welcomed back into the fold of God. Anybody with a bit of common sense can do that, but let’s check out an individual circumstance, where the reward of a Gentile for choosing the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob was immeasurable.
We’re talking about the story of Ruth, the Moabitess, who immigrated to Bethlehem with her mother-in-law Naomi from her own land of Moab, after her husband, brother and father in-law had died, leaving three widows behind. Now Naomi, having heard that the ‘Lord had visited (attended to) his people in giving them bread,’ (Ruth 1:6) she decided to return to her people in Bethlehem, where it might be possible for a Jewish widow to scrape together a half-decent living.
So she kissed and blessed her two daughters’ –in- law and told them to go back to their own people. But they wept and refused. However, eventually the one named Orpah did leave Naomi, ‘but Ruth clave (clung) unto her. (Ruth 1:7-15)
‘And Ruth said, Entreat me not (urge me not) to leave thee, or return from following after thee: for whither thou goest, I will go; and where thou lodgest, I will lodge: thy people shall be my people, and thy God my God: Where thou diest, will I die, and there will I be buried: the Lord do so to me, and more also, if aught but death part thee and me.’ (Ruth 1:16-17)
And the scholars tell us thus: ‘1:16-17. Ruth’s faith and faithfulness are in evidence throughout the book, as expressed here in her commitment to Naomi’s God as her own. Ruth’s own concern for Naomi is bound by a strong oath made before the Lord Himself.’
And how did the Lord repay Ruth’s faithfulness? By causing her to marry the richest man in the city and having a baby boy whom Naomi the grandmother nursed. ‘And the women her neighbours gave it a name, saying, There is a son born to Naomi; and they called his name Obed: he is the father of Jesse, the father of David.’ (Ruth 4:17)
Ah friends, you never know what our great and wonderful God will do nuh! For from that union of Jew, Boaz, and Gentile, Ruth, came Bruh David and later his descendant Jesus! So one more mysterious but wise working of our great God!
And as the scholars declare: ‘from the union of Jew and Gentile would ultimately come the Saviour of all men. (Acts 4:12). The marriage of Boaz and Ruth may thus serve as a picture of Christ and His church through whom all believers become one (Eph.2:11-22).’
No better way to end today my brethren! Much LOVE!
…as for me and mine…we WILL serve the Lord…
31 Mar 2017
by randyobrien50
in Christian Thoughts and Inspiration., Daily Devotion, Daily Inspiration, Inspirational Living, Spiritual Living
Tags: adversities, anger, authority, balanced weekend, beauty, bread, causes the grass to grow, cold and rainy, commit my spirit, confusion, darkness, depression, fellowship, focused on Jesus, Friday chant, fun, generous help, gladness, glorious kingdom, God's LOVE, good for nothing, herb, Jesus Christ, Jesus dwells withn us, joy, Lent, LOVE, loving-kindness, maketh glad the heart, man's heart, manhandling, mercy, oil, our Lord and Saviour, party to the max, power, Praise the Lord, precipitation, refreshed, relaxation, renewed, rest, sincerity, snow, surety of Almighty God, TGIF! Thank God is Friday, the enemy, the fruit of his works, the service of man, the weather, the workingman, this is the day the Lord has made, too much of anything, Top o' the morn, troubles, true belief, trust, vain idols, vegetation, waters the hills, we will rejoice and be glad in it, week of work, weekends, wine, wisdom
Psalm 118:24. This is the day which the Lord hath made; we will rejoice and be glad in it.
Aye mih Scrip-Bit friends and family! Top O’ the morn to you! Despite it being a cold and rainy one. (smile) But the weather in these current times is really something else yes!
Yesterday afternoon I went to have a nap, and though it wasn’t bright and sunny, there wasn’t any hint of precipitation in the air. So you can imagine my surprise and consternation when I got up a couple of hours later and found the place all white with snow!
‘Snow!’ I righteously exclaimed. Snow was the furthest thing from my mind, and I was even less thrilled because I had to go out and run a few errands.
And by the time I was ready to go out, the precipitation had become a mixture of wet snow and rain, which can be more dangerous than either pure snow or pure rain. But them’s the breaks, we just have to live with whatever we receive.
And it’s certainly not bothering the ordinary workingman today, because he’s still out there singing: ‘Ole! Ole! Thank God is Friday! Thank God is the weekend! The time for partying is here! We going to party to the max! No stopping us…even though is Lent! Thank God for Fridays and the weekends oui!’
And as I keep saying, the sentiments are understandable, but they are not wise, for as the ole people would say: too much of anything is good for nothing. And that’s no lie. But our Friday Chant provides a much better way to celebrate the weekend.
So let’s chant it now with sincerity and true belief nuh. ‘Oh Lord, thanks for getting me safely through another week of work! It hasn’t been easy, but with your generous help, I made it through.
Now, please help me to get sufficient fun, fellowship, rest and relaxation in these two short days off, so that I can be renewed and refreshed in soul, body and mind, to go back out and do it all over again next week, furthering your glorious kingdom with each step I take. I pray this in Jesus name. Amen.’
Yeh friends, we have to have a balanced weekend, if we’re to come up over the new week with authority and power, instead of it manhandling us. But while balancing our act, it’s also necessary to do as our Bit says: ‘This is the day which the Lord hath made; we will rejoice and be glad in it.’
Yes my people, we’re back to that Bit. It just didn’t fit yesterday’s sermon (smile). Oh, is it ever necessary to enjoy, or appreciate every day that the Lord has granted us on this planet earth. That was His intention behind making the earth and making us to populate it.
Why yuh think He made the world so beautiful eh? So that His people could admire and enjoy it, and consequently praise Him for His LOVING-kindness. Our eyes need to see beautiful things and our hearts need LOVE to warm them.
And though beauty and LOVE are not prominent in our world, they are prominent in our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ! Praise the Lord!
And that’s where we must keep our minds and hearts focused – EVERYDAY – if we’re to truly rejoice and be glad in it. For the world in its sad and rotten current state will only give us darkness and anger, depression and confusion, if we rely on it.
ONLY Jesus can give us joy and peace in the midst of our worldly storms! And until we realize that, we’ll always be lacking something important in our lives.
Now let’s hear a couple of scripture passages that back up our theory, beginning with the immortal words of Bruh David, from Psalm 31 – In thee O Lord, do I put my trust. ‘Into thine hand I commit my spirit: thou hast redeemed me, O Lord God of truth. I have hated them that regard lying vanities (vain idols): but I trust in thee Lord.
I will be glad and rejoice in thy mercy: for thou hast considered my trouble; thou hast known my soul in adversities (troubles). And hast not shut me up into the hand of (given me over to) the enemy: thou hast set my feet in a large room.’ (Ps.31:5-8)
Yuh see friends, when your trust is centred in the unwavering surety of Almighty God, it is possible to rejoice and be glad even in the rough times. And we’ll close with these words from Psalm 104 –God’s preservation of nature.
‘He watereth the hills from his (upper) chambers: the earth is satisfied with the fruit of his works. He causeth the grass to grow for the cattle, and herb (vegetation) for the service of man: that he may bring forth fruit out of the earth; and wine that maketh glad the heart of man; and oil to make his face shine, and bread which strengtheneth man’s heart.’ (Ps.104:13-15)
Ah mih breddren, yuh see I wasn’t lying when I said that God made the earth and all therein for us to enjoy! (smile)
So let’s seriously contemplate those words nuh, and allow them to fill our hearts, minds, souls and bodies, with God’s LOVE and joy, for that is wisdom to the nth degree! Much LOVE!
…oh what joy and gladness fills our souls…when Jesus dwells intimately within us…
29 Mar 2017
by randyobrien50
in Christian Thoughts and Inspiration., Daily Devotion, Daily Inspiration, Inspirational Living, Spiritual Living
Tags: a bad Father, a cry of distress, a glorious future with Jesus, best friend, boost our spirits, breath of life, by your side, confide, Covenant House, do good, eat and drink, Ecclesiastes, enjoy the good of his labour, faith, faithful to God, focusing ahead, friend, glad to be alive, God-given breath, God-inspired, grace, gracious help of God, halfway home, hands on the plough, heartfelt prayer, heaven and earth, Herculean best, homeless teenagers, human beings, humble, I'll be your friend, immortal words, inconveniences, inherit, inspired Word, Jesus, Judah, love his name, loving-kindness, magnifiy the Lord, mercy, my door is open, need to cry, not looking back, orphans, pilgrim's journey, pitfalls, poor, praise the name of god, prisoners, put it into action, rejoice, relationship, salvation, servants, sorrowful, thanksgiving, the fullness of God, the gift of God, the Preacher, this is the day the Lord has made, to be loved, tooth and nail, trust, uplift our lives, value, we will rejoice and be glad in it, Wednesday Wail, with a song, worthy of your attention, Zion
Psalm 118:24. This is the day which the Lord hath made; we will rejoice and be glad in it.
Oh friends, it was indeed a late beddy-byes time this morning, and the ole body fought me tooth and nail to get up at a half-decent hour, so I’m not necessarily at my Herculean best this Wednesday morning. (smile)
However, with the gracious help of the Lord God Jehovah, we WILL write something that is worthy of your attention. Hn, hn! And we’ll begin with this interesting and heartfelt prayer from Antoinette, a former resident of Covenant House.
Covenant House is an institution in Toronto that takes in, cares for and teaches homeless teenagers how to build strong lives. The prayer is titled ‘I’ll be There.’
Please pray with me. ‘When you need to talk, I’ll be your friend. When you need to cry, I’ll be by your side. When you need a hand, mine I will lend. When you need to trust in me, you can confide. When you need to be LOVED, I’ll be there. I’ll be there when you need someone. My door is open when you want to come in. Amen.’
Oh my people, so sweet, simple and to the point! And I do hope that there is at least one somebody in our lives that we can say those touching and God-inspired words to, and one somebody who can say them to us. Otherwise, our lives are sadly missing one of the most important things in God’s great universe; a true friend.
Now Jesus will ALWAYS be our BEST FRIEND, but we do need some other human being to sufficiently value us, and be of sufficient value to us, that we will ALWAYS be there for one another, regardless of the circumstances, regardless of the pitfalls and inconveniences. There is no greater relationship between human beings.
And it always amuses me at how I come upon these prayers, most of the time hidden under some forgotten paperwork on my desk, like this one I discovered last night, or in some other obscure place. Our wonderful Lord knows just when to bring them to the light of day, so we can share them and boost our spirits and uplift our lives.
That’s why it’s ever so important to respond to each day that we breathe a God-given breath and see the rising sun in the manner our Bit describes. ‘This is the day which the Lord hath made; we will rejoice and be glad in it.’
Yeh mih people, that’s why the Lord made us to see it, so that we can be glad and rejoice in His mercy, grace and LOVING-kindness, while fulfilling the wonderful plan He has for our lives!
It doesn’t make sense to just go through this earthly life all sad and dreary, lacking the fullness of God, specially designed to be an integral part of our pilgrim’s journey. So let’s stop behaving as though we are orphans nuh, with no heavenly Father to care for and look after us, for that makes Him look like a bad Father, and that He certainly isn’t!
Now let’s turn to His holy and inspired Word to see just how much He desires us to be glad and rejoice, even in these rough earthly times. Listen to Bruh David from Psalm 69 – A cry of distress. ‘But I am poor and sorrowful: let thy salvation, O God, set me up on high.
I will praise the name of God with a song, and will magnify him with thanksgiving. This also shall please the Lord better than an ox or bullock that hath horns and hoofs. The humble shall see this, and be glad: and your heart shall live that seek God. For the Lord heareth the poor, and despiseth not his prisoners.
Let the heaven and earth praise him, the seas, and everything that moveth therein. For God will save Zion, and will build the cities of Judah: that they may dwell there, and have it in possession. The seed (descendants) also of his servants shall inherit it: and they that LOVE his name shall dwell therein.’ (Ps.69:30-36)
Yuh see friends, even in Bruh David’s cry of distress, he realizes that raising his voice in song and thanksgiving and being faithful to the God of his fathers is the wise and sensible thing to do.
Now hear these immortal words from Cousin Sol, writing as the Preacher in Ecclesiastes. ‘I know that there is no good in them (nothing better for them), but for a man to rejoice, and do good in his life. And also that every man should eat and drink, and enjoy the good of all his labour, it is the gift of God.’ (Eccl.3:12-13)
Oh my brethren, those are words that many of us know, yet we refuse to follow them! Why eh? Is it that we don’t believe them? As true believers we ought to, and thus live by them.
Being glad and rejoicing is truly a gift of God, and when we don’t do it, He feels disappointed. And since we don’t want to disappoint our heavenly Father, let’s perk up and live the way He desires nuh.
Now it’s time to declare our Wednesday Wail with all sincerity and truth. ‘Wednesday, Wednesday, Wednesday: I’m so glad to be alive on this Wednesday! Wednesday, Wednesday, Wednesday: Thank God the breath of life is still flowing through me on this Wednesday!
I am halfway home. My hands are fixed securely on the plough, and I’m not turning back. I’m not looking back at the past, not focusing on what has gone before. But my eyes are fixed straight ahead; straight ahead to a glorious future with Jesus. Glory Hallelujah!’
And if you truly believe that, then let’s go out and put it into action! Much LOVE!
…faith without action is of no use whatsoever…
27 Mar 2017
by randyobrien50
in Christian Thoughts and Inspiration., Daily Devotion, Daily Inspiration, Inspirational Living, Spiritual Living
Tags: adrenaline, anointed, antidote, aura of love, be weary, blues, book off sick, Christians, complaints, confidence, conquerors, do god's work, doom and gloom, enthusiasm, evil, faint, followers of Jesus, friends, glorious kingdom, holy spirit, humble servants, invincible, Jesus Christ, jobs, joy, lies, like eagles, LOVE, LOVE to hate, Messaih, Monday Morning Battle Hymn, peace, promises, pumped, recalcitrance, refuse to acknowledge, rejuvenation of spirit, relaxation, renege, renewed vitality, righteousness., run, salvation, shield, spiritual armour, steadfast faith, strangling ourselves, strength, stubbornness, swagger, taunts, the bit and bridle, the lord will bless his people, the Lord will give strength, trust, truth, ungodly world, vacation, walk, wiles, wisdom, youths
Psalm 29:11. The Lord will give strength unto his people; the Lord will bless his people with peace.
So our LOVE-to-hate friend, Monday, has rolled around again. And as we’re won’t to do every week, come this time, we’re strangling ourselves, refusing to acknowledge, not accepting the urging of the bit and bridle that wants us to get a move on, to get out into the world and do God’s work with enthusiasm and confidence.
Ah friends, our stubbornness and recalcitrance are legendary on a Monday morning, even though we know that there’s not much of a choice. You can only book off sick so often and take so much vacation. After that, you can only quit, and we all know what such a rash and ofttimes foolish move entails; no food, no roof over your head.
So why we allow these Monday blues and complaints to be such a large part of our lives, I truly don’t know. What I do know though, is that we have the sure antidote for whatever is ailing you this Monday morning: it’s called the Monday Morning Battle Hymn, and when you sing it with exuberance and sincerity it just displaces all the doom and gloom in your soul, raises your adrenaline level and has you just chomping at the bit, ever eager to get out onto the battle field beside Jesus.
So let’s sing it out loud and proud nuh, raising up a storm of praise and thanks in heaven. As one harmonic choir now: ‘Oh Lord God Almighty, Creator of the universe and all therein! We, your humble servants, praise your Holy Name and thank you that this Monday morning we have jobs to go to; jobs we don’t like, jobs that are unfair, difficult and even dangerous, but which serve a useful purpose here on earth; keeping lives and families together.
We also thank you Father for the renewed vitality and enthusiasm you’ve wrought in our weary souls over the last two days. It’s that rejuvenation of Spirit which allows us now to sally forth with confidence into the evil, ungodly world that surrounds us, to begin a new week of work, constantly buffeted and bombarded by the enemy’s wicked taunts, wiles and lies.
But heavenly Father, we’re not afraid, for we know we’re invincible, sure conquerors, once we’re wearing your powerful, protective spiritual armour. We surrender our all to you, and humbly ask that you let your incredible aura of LOVE, the Holy Spirit, lead and guide all your servants as we go out to meet the enemy in battle.
Fill us with steadfast faith, so that we can make worthwhile inroads into the enemy’s ranks, and thereby further your glorious kingdom. We pray this in the Holy Name of your Son, and our Saviour, Jesus Christ. AMEN!’
Oh mih people, mih people, that was most excellent! We even added a bit of a swagger to it, which lit up the eyes of our choirmaster Jesus and produced a big, encouraging smile on His handsome face! Wow! I haven’t seen Jesus so pumped in a long while! (smile)
So now, with the adrenaline just rushing through our bodies, let’s give it the big push this Monday morning nuh, and get up and get out there and let the evil world see what we Christians, we believers, we followers of Jesus are made of; that we’re the salt and the light of this earth!
Consequently, our Bit declares the everlasting truth. ‘The Lord will give strength unto his people; the Lord will bless his people with peace.’
Ah friends, those are promises of our God which will never fail, because He is not the kind of God who reneges on His promises. Of the many thousands found in His word, not a single one has He ever reneged on, and He will never renege on ANY! That’s because His word is sure and strong!
Listen to some corroborating scriptures. From Psalm 28 – A prayer for God’s help, Bruh David proudly and confidently proclaims: ‘The Lord is my strength and my shield; my heart trusted in him, and I am helped: therefore my heart greatly rejoiceth; and with my song will I praise him. The Lord is their strength, and he is the saving strength of his anointed (Messiah, commissioned one). (Ps.28:8-9)
Yeh mih breddren, the Lord God Jehovah is the strength of everyone; even down to our Messiah, Jesus Christ!
Now listen to Bruh David again, this time from Psalm 68 – God has gone before his people. ‘Sing unto God, ye kingdoms of the earth; O sing praises unto the Lord. Selah. To him that rideth upon the heavens of heavens, which were of old; lo, he doth send out his voice, and that a mighty voice.
Ascribe ye strength unto God: his excellency is over Israel, and his strength is in the clouds. O God, thou art terrible (awesome) out of thy holy places: the God of Israel is he that giveth strength and power unto his people. Blessed be God.’ (Ps.68:32-35)
And if that still doesn’t convince you, then listen to these awesome words of Isaiah. ‘Hast thou not known? hast thou not heard, that the everlasting God, the Lord, the Creator of the ends of the earth, fainteth not, neither is weary? there is no searching of his understanding. He giveth power to the faint (weak); and to them that have no might he increaseth strength.
Even the youths shall faint and be weary, and the young men shall utterly fall: But they that wait upon the Lord shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings as eagles; they shall run, and not be weary, and they shall walk, and not faint.’ (Is.40.28:31)
Yes friends, that is what happens when people place their trust in the Lord God of Israel! Now the choice is yours, please choose wisely. Much LOVE!
…who else can give you strength…but your Creator…
20 Mar 2017
by randyobrien50
in Christian Thoughts and Inspiration., Daily Devotion, Daily Inspiration, Inspirational Living, Spiritual Living
Tags: adrenaline, an easy row to hoe, antidote, aura of love, Christ is Lord indeed, complaints, confidence, contention, cry out to thee of violence, dangerous, disease, enthusiasm, every foe is vanquished, first day of spring, glorious kingdom, habakkuk, how long shall I cry, humble servants, hunger, iniquity, injustice, Jesus' face, Jesus' Second Coming, jobs, judgement, justice, keeping families together, let not your heats be trouble, lies, LOVE, mansions, Monday blues, Monday Morning Battle Hymn, my Father's house, plundering, poverty, Praise the Lord, rain, rejuvenation of spirit, relaxation, renewed vitality, replica, salvation, spiritual armour, stand up for Jesus, steadfast faith, strife, surrender, surround, taunts, the Babylonian Empire, the dust of the earth, the Great War, The Israelites, the Rapture, the righteous, the trumpet call obey, thou wilt not hear, thou wilt not save, trust, truth, undeserving children of men, unfair, ungodly world, useful purpose, violence, wickedness, wiles, wisdom, woes
Habakkuk 1:2. O Lord, how long shall I cry, and thou wilt not hear! even cry out unto thee of violence, and thou wilt not save!
Oh friends, welcome to this the first day of spring in the northern climes!
Now isn’t that something wonderful for sore ears to hear on this crisp Monday morning? It surely is! But spring weather is not guaranteed friends; according to the weather forecasters, we should have a high of about 2 degrees Celsius and possibly a drizzle of rain in the morning hours.
However, just like we’ve had much spring time weather in winter, the tables can, and most likely will be turned somewhat. But there’s nothing to worry about, for we have you covered with our Monday Morning Battle Hymn, the antidote for all your Monday morning blues and woes and complaints.
So let’s sing it like we truly mean it nuh; in strong voice and with lots of enthusiasm so that a big beautiful smile will have no alternative but to blossom on our choirmaster, Jesus’ face.
Altogether now: ‘Oh Lord God Almighty, Creator of the universe and all therein! We, your humble servants, praise your Holy Name and thank you that this Monday morning we have jobs to go to; jobs we don’t like, jobs that are unfair, difficult and even dangerous, but which serve a useful purpose here on earth; keeping lives and families together.
We also thank you Father for the renewed vitality and enthusiasm you’ve wrought in our weary souls over the last two days. It’s that rejuvenation of Spirit which allows us now to sally forth with confidence into the evil, ungodly world that surrounds us, to begin a new week of work, constantly buffeted and bombarded by the enemy’s wicked taunts, wiles and lies.
But heavenly Father, we’re not afraid, for we know we’re invincible, sure conquerors, once we’re wearing your powerful, protective spiritual armour. We surrender our all to you, and humbly ask that you let your incredible aura of LOVE, the Holy Spirit, lead and guide all your servants as we go out to meet the enemy in battle.
Fill us with steadfast faith, so that we can make worthwhile inroads into the enemy’s ranks, and thereby further your glorious kingdom. We pray this in the Holy Name of your Son, and our Saviour, Jesus Christ. AMEN!’
Wow friends! That was indeed wonderful! And a bright smile did blossom on Jesus’ face! Glory Be! I don’t know if it was the thought of spring being in the air or what, but we did make an impact on heaven this Monday morning. Praise the Lord! So let’s see if we can’t take that same adrenaline fuelled attitude out with us now and do some mighty deeds in Jesus’ name, as He desires and expects of us.
But the reality of the situation my brethren is that it’s not an easy row to hoe. We might have all the good intentions in the world, but the evil enemy will not let us go forward without a fight. And as I was seeking a Bit this morning, I was drawn to the cry of the prophet Habakkuk back when Israel was in a most ungodly and evil state. ‘O Lord, how long shall I cry, and thou wilt not hear! even cry out unto thee of violence, and thou wilt not save!’
Oh my people, tell me if Habakkuk’s description of Israel doesn’t very closely resemble that of our current world, as he continues his cry to the Lord? ‘Why dost thou show me iniquity, and cause me to behold grievance (trouble or toil)? for spoiling (plundering) and violence are before me: and there are that raise up strife (there is strife) and contention. Therefore the law is slacked (powerless), and judgement (justice) doth never go forth: for the wicked doth compass about (surround) the righteous; therefore wrong (perverse) judgement proceedeth.’ (Hab.1:3-4)
Yes friends, our world is indeed a perfect replica of Israel back then! The violence and strife and endless toil for insufficient pay, the plundering, the wickedness, the slackness of the law which inevitably leads to injustice, the widespread hunger, poverty, sickness and disease are all very prevalent in our time too; a time that’s been the most progressive since the Lord made man from the dust of the earth and breathed His breath of life into him. Steups!
Ah Lord eh! What’s to become of our society eh friends? Let’s hope it’s not like what befell the Israelites, where God used the Babylonian Empire to teach them a lesson; destroy them and take them away captive. Let’s hope the Rapture, Jesus’ Second Coming, occurs before World War III breaks out, because at the rate we’re currently going, that last Great War seems unavoidable.
But be not afraid my precious people of God, remember our Lord and Saviour’s promise. ‘Let not your hearts be troubled: ye believe in God, believe also in me. In my Father’s house are many mansions: if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you unto myself; that where I am, there ye may be also.’ (John 14:1-3)
Wow mih brethren! What a wonderful promise! And we all know that Jesus never reneges on any of His promises, so once we consistently abide in Him, and He in us, we’re set for eternity!
And all God’s people declared a loud and grateful: ‘Praise the Lord for His goodness to the undeserving children of men. Bless His Holy Name!’
Now friends, let’s go out and do His work without fear of the evil enemy, blessed by the confidence and assurance His word inspires in us. That’s what true followers and believers do. Much LOVE!
…stand up…stand up for Jesus…the trumpet call obey…till every foe is vanquished…and Christ is Lord indeed…
18 Mar 2017
by randyobrien50
in Christian Thoughts and Inspiration., Daily Devotion, Daily Inspiration, Inspirational Living, Spiritual Living
Tags: a godly manner, a good foundation, an assurance, confide in god, couch potato, earthly possessions, eternal life, eternity, failure, faith, fear of success, financial resources, following Jesus, generosity, generous, good works, grocery shopping, haughty, heavenly rewards, highminded, household chores, lazy, liberal in giving, LOVE, moth and rust doth corrupt, procrastination, responsibility, rich, ruin, salvation, selfish world, sharing, sleeping in, step of faith, the living God, the Lord loves a generous giver, the message of Jesus, treasures upon earth, trust, trust in uncertain riches, warning, wealth, words of wisdom
Matthew 6:19. Lay not up for yourselves treasures upon earth, where moth and rust doth corrupt (ruin), and where thieves break through and steal.
Ah mih people, the ‘confuffling’ day called Saturday is upon us once again. It’s ‘confuffling’ in the sense that for some it signifies sleeping in and a couch potato existence. However, for others it entails numerous household chores as well as grocery shopping and other running around.
That means some people work harder on Saturdays at home, than they do all week at their place of employment. What an ironic side to our modern-day, have all the gadgets to make life easier society!
Anyway, enough of my snide comments, let’s turn to some of our friend Anselm’s quotes of this past week. You know he always aspires to inspire us with his quotes. Listen to this first one: ‘To think too long about doing a thing often becomes its undoing.’ And there’s much truth to that, for we often sit down and ponder doing something for so long, that we end up not doing it.
That leads us to this second quote. ‘Procrastination is the fear of success. People procrastinate because they are afraid of the success that they know will result if they move ahead now. Because success is heavy, carries a responsibility with it, it is much easier to procrastinate and live on the ‘someday I’ll’ philosophy.’
Oh friends, I don’t know if that’s the real reason people procrastinate nuh, although I’ve had that experience with someone sometime aback. I wondered why they didn’t accept the opportunity that I was giving them to do something at which they were good at. I found out later from a close relative that it was because they were afraid of succeeding, and the added responsibility that would bring. I don’t think I procrastinate because I’m afraid of success nuh, I think I procrastinate because I’m just downright lazy. (smile)
And I like this last quote because it’s so appropriate to our faith. ‘You don’t have to see the whole staircase, just take the first step.’ That’s ever so true when it comes to following Jesus! It’s like the staircase; once you know that it’s there, you don’t need to see all the steps at once, since some of them wind out of sight. So you just climb it, expecting that there will be another step, and another one until it reaches to the top of wherever it is going.
Following Jesus involves the same action, we just call it faith. Once you’ve accepted Him as your Lord and Saviour, you know that He will always be there for you because of the promises He’s made in His word. The problem in trusting Him in our early faith walk comes from our fear of failure.
But like climbing the staircase, until you take that first step of faith, you’ll never know whether He’ll be there for you and keep His promises. We just have to step out in faith my people. And after you’ve stepped out a few times and seen His awesome promises fulfilled, each step becomes a little easier.
Consequently, we ought also to listen to His words of wisdom and warning in our Bit. ‘Lay not up for yourselves treasures upon earth, where moth and rust doth corrupt (ruin), and where thieves break through and steal.’
Now Jesus must know what He’s talking about since He’s been to both heaven and earth. But many of us still doubt His warning, much to our detriment. So let’s get some commentary on the subject from someone else, Bruh Paul, in his first letter to Timothy.
‘Charge (command) them that are rich in this world (present age), that they be not highminded (haughty), nor trust in uncertain riches, but in the living God, who giveth us richly all things to enjoy. That they do good, that they be rich in good works, ready to distribute (give), willing to communicate (share). Laying up in store for themselves a good foundation against the time to come, that they may lay hold on eternal life.’ (1 Tim.6:17-19).
That’s Bruh Paul’s recommendation for those who have much earthly possessions. So it doesn’t mean if you are rich you can’t go to heaven. You have to use those riches in a good and godly manner.
Now hear these explanations from the scholars. ‘6:17-18. Paul charges wealthy believers (1) not to be proud and look down on those who are not rich, (2) to confide in God rather than in unstable riches, (3) to be rich in good works by generously sharing their surplus of financial resources with the needy. To be ready to distribute is to be generous in sharing. To be willing to communicate is to be liberal in giving.’
‘6:19. When wealthy believers generously share (v.18), they secure an assurance (laying up in store for themselves a good foundation) that in the future (against the time to come) they will indeed enter heaven (lay hold on eternal life). Salvation is not purchased by the giving of money, but generosity demonstrates the reality of one’s faith. Since the believer trusts God and not money, he gives. This giving shows where his heart is and that he views his wealth in light of eternity.’
So friends, this Saturday morning, let’s ponder our wealth and what we are doing with it nuh. Are we giving generously, or frugally? Remember the Lord LOVES a generous giver! And there is so much need in our crazy, disjointed and selfish world, that only through generous giving will it ever be lessened. So as true believers, let’s try and give even a li’l more than we’re currently giving nuh. You’ll be amazed at what it will do for your heavenly rewards. Much LOVE!
…to give…from our hearts…and yet to give…that is the message of Jesus…
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