Walking the Way God Desires, is the ONLY Path to True Success!

05 Nov 2024 Leave a comment

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

Isaiah 30:21.        And thine ears shall hear a word behind thee, saying, This is the way, walk ye in it, when ye turn to the right hand, and when ye turn to the left.

Well it’s here at last, Tuesday November 5th 2024! The day the whole world’s been waiting for with bated breath. And what’s so special about this day? Ah, it’s simply the main day of voting for the President of the United States of America! And after the gazillions of money wasted on one of the nastiest and most degrading and demeaning election campaigns ever, the outcome is set to cause even more problems, whoever ends up the eventual winner. 

If Trump wins, the policies and face of America could change drastically. Meanwhile, if Harris wins, Trump and his supporters can create more conflict and chaos than they did the last time in 2020. However it turns out, things will change for America, and a lot of the world, who are tied to its apron strings. Let’s hope and pray for the best outcome…whatever that might be! 

And with that prayer in our hearts, let’s turn to this fascinating writing from Our One Year Book of Bible Promises with writings by Ruth Harms Calkin. This one’s interestingly titled ‘Competition with God.’  And I don’t believe I’ve ever shared this one before, because it doesn’t even sound vaguely familiar to me. (smile) 

Please read with me: ‘Often we must ask, what is my competition with God? When life seems to stand still, when my thoughts saunter through blind alleys, those very thoughts become my competition with God. When I embrace my personal desires instead of giving allegiance to God, desire becomes my competition with God. When I waste valuable time, ignoring God-assigned tasks, time becomes my competition with God. 

When personal possessions erase my concern for a desperately needy world, possessions become my competition with God. If we allow a controversy in our lives, our praying may be with pretense, but it will not be with power. Walking the path of self-indulgence eventually leads to emptiness. Seeking first the Kingdom of God and his righteousness leads to freedom and joy.’ 

And does it ever my fellow believers. In fact seeking God and his kingdom is the only thing on the face of this earth that truly leads to freedom and joy! And we all know that, or are supposed to know it, from Jesus trying to pound it into our heads in Mattew 6:33! (smile) 

But what do we think about the main parts of the writing eh? Do we ever find ourselves in competition with God? And if so, how often? I believe that if we’re truthful, we’ll say that under the terms of the writing, we very often find ourselves in competition with God. (smile) 

Yes friends, the many times our thoughts, desires, time and possessions are more focused on worldly or personal things does detract from our work for the Lord. And with the world in its current chaotic state, we can be easily distracted by forces other than God-centered ones. But it’s ever so important that despite the many distractions and provocations by the enemy and his evil co-workers, who try to lead us on the wide and destructive path that leads to hellfire and damnation, that we stay on the straight and narrow path which leads to Jesus and eternal life. (Matt. 7:13-14) 

And the Bible Promise for today’s writing is one we all know but oftentimes don’t pay sufficient attention to. It’s this exhortation from the prophet Isaiah: ‘And thine ears shall hear a word behind thee, saying, This is the way, walk ye in it, when ye turn to the right hand, and when ye turn to the left.’ (Is. 30:21) That was a warning from the Lord to His people Israel about their disobedience and turning to worship idols of other nations. He will show them His graciousness and mercy after feeding them with ‘the bread of adversity, ad the water of affliction,’ for their rebellion. (Is. 30:20)  

It’s also what the Lord told Joshua when He made him leader of the Israelites after the death of Moses. ‘Only be thou strong and very courageous, that thou may observe to do all the law, which Moses my servant commanded thee: turn not from it to the right hand or to the left, that thou mayest prosper withersoserver thou goest.’ (Josh. 1:7) Yes my brethren, the way to success in this world is paved with the law of God, and nothing else!  

And I like how the scholars explain the bread of adversity and water of affliction. They say ‘that reference shows that God teaches us lessons through circumstances when we will not listen to our teachers, who call us to walk in the way (i.e., the way of God).’ Yes my people, we have all suffered the bread of adversity and water of affliction from the hand of God, for our many rebellious acts down through the years. 

And who knows if our world is not suffering one of those painful lessons for the atrocious and disgusting manner in which, in this supposed age of enlightenment, we’re trying to kick God out of our society. And though our world is falling apart, and nothing we’ve tried is working, we refuse to even consider that it might be the hand of God issuing a warning, and calling us to return to Him and His righteous ways. 

But although the Israelites didn’t have as much book learning as we now do, they had much more common sense, for every time they rebelled and felt the whip of correction, they quickly realized on which side their bread was buttered and returned to the God of their forefathers. However, we’re so full of pride and heifer dust that we believe we have no use for God in our lives. Well then, we’ll just pay the price; ‘the bread of adversity and the water of affliction,’ until we learn once more to walk in God’s way; that’s one of righteousness, of peace, joy and LOVE! 

And doesn’t it even make us thoughtful that those four attributes of walking with God are very lacking in our current society? That instead, the negative things like hatred, anger, strife, dissension, deceit, jealousy, greed, blasphemy, evildoing, etc. etc. are in ascendance? 

Oh my fellow saints, that unrighteous situation, one of too much competition with God, ought to trouble us; trouble us so much that we get up and do something about it. For we do have the power and the tools, though not the mind or backbone to turn things around. But please don’t say we were not warned. 

Anyway, with all that stuff on our chest, let’s go home now 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!’ 

And having said that, 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!

…competing with God is foolish…for He is the omnipotent Creator…and we’re just the minions He created…

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

Today’s Scrip-Bit   24 December 2021 Matthew 2:2.

24 Dec 2021 Leave a comment

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

Matthew 2:2.      Where is he that is born King of the Jews? for we have seen his star in the east, and are come to worship him.

So it’s Christmas Eve mih people! Just one more day to the Big One. Imagine nuh, tomorrow this time the celebrations, the Christmas festivities will be in full swing. But please, please, let’s remember the ultimate reason for the season, in fact the one and only reason for the season; that’s the birth of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ! 

And don’t only concentrate on the food and gifts, but spend a few moments considering and contemplating the wonderful present that our heavenly Father gifted us with some two thousand years ago, and how things would have been in an even more disastrous mess, if He hadn’t given us the greatest gift ever, His One Son, Christ Jesus to save us from the bondage of sin! 

But it’s sad that the greatest gift ever given to man has been turned into one of the greatest economic and money-making events in today’s world, with the real reason for Christmas totally forgotten, with people even refusing to say Merry Christmas, but talking nonsense about ‘Happy Holidays!’ Where did the blooming happy holidays come from eh? From the birth of Christ! That’s where! So please let’s give Him the accolades He deserves nuh, and stop trying to remove Him from our society. And then we wonder why our world is in such a calamitous state! 

The answer begins right there; trying to kick God out, being disobedient and ungodly! Remember what He did to Satan when the foolish archangel, a mere creation, tried to overthrow Him in heaven? He kicked him out of the plush job and comfortable surroundings he had, to wander the earth in shame and disgrace and shack up in the fires of hell! Now we, another creation, are listening to that fool and his evil minions and are trying to rid our society of its Maker and Controller. Why do you think we will suffer a fate any different to Satan’s eh? 

And that’s exactly why He sent Jesus to earth, to give us another option beside that offered by his evil highness. But we’re so full of ourselves, figure we’re such hot shots with our high-class civilization, that we no longer need God. What a joke! Can’t we see my brethren, or has Satan blinded our eyes so much to the fact that all we have, all we are and all we have achieved and accomplished have come through the graceful and merciful auspices of Jehovah God Himself? I guess not, otherwise we would not be in such a hurry to move Him out and forget Him. 

Remember the birth of Jesus was so important that three wise men (magi) from far off lands made the long journey to see the li’l baby boy born in the stable, wrapped in swaddling bands, lying in a manger (feed trough). And note what they said: ‘Where is he that is born King of the Jews? for we have seen his star in the east, and are come to worship him.’ (Matt. 2:2) 

Yes friends, other people also knew about the coming of the Messiah, possibly descendants of the Jews, from their sojourn in distant lands through captivity and migration, and it was so important to them that they travelled a far distance to behold the miraculous moment in time. And to top it all off, they brought gifts, expensive and most appropriate for a king; gold, frankincense and myrrh. 

Now, obviously since they were expecting a king to be born, the magi went to Jerusalem, the royal capital of Israel, to Herod the current king to find out His whereabouts. Herod knew nothing about any king being born, but found out through the Jewish leaders where the Messiah was supposed to be born; Bethlehem of Judea. And I like how the Good Book puts it. ‘And he (Herod) sent them to Bethlehem, and said, Go and search diligently for the young child; and when ye have found him, bring me word again, that I may come and worship him also. 

When they had heard the king, they departed; and, lo, the star, which they saw in the east, went before them, till it came and stood over where the young child was. When they saw the star, they rejoiced with exceeding great joy. And when they were come into the house, they saw the young child with Mary his mother, and fell down and worshipped him: and when they had opened their treasures, they presented unto him gifts; gold, frankincense, and myrrh. And being warned of God in a dream that they should not return to Herod, they departed into their own country another way.’ (Matt. 2:8-12). 

Yuh see mih bredrin, that was our God moving in those mysterious ways of His, His wonders to perform. First having a star guide them to the birth place of Jesus, then a divine revelation not to go back to Herod. And as the scholars explain ‘His star’ (vs 2) could not have been merely a natural phenomenon, since it led the wise men to Jerusalem and later to Bethlehem. It almost certainly was a divine manifestation used by God to indicate the fact and place of the Messiah’s birth.’ 

That’s the gospel truth my people, it was nothing less than our omnipotent God’s divine handiwork! The same way it was shortly after when Joseph, Jesus’ father had a vision to take his family to Egypt because Herod would soon be on the warpath, killing Jewish children under two years of age, in a jealous fit of rage that some uppity Jewish child would want to take his throne away from him and his family. Just like us, Herod didn’t realize that he was just a man, created by a higher being than himself, who could pull victory from seeming defeat. 

Oh my fellow saints, this Christmas Eve day, let’s wake up and see the writing on the wall nuh. The Lord is on His throne in the high heavens, controlling things, and unless we come to our senses and refute Satan and all that he stands for, we will end up just like him; in the fires of Hades, with no chance whatsoever of making it to heaven. So, in wisdom and understanding, let’s go to God in prayer, through our Friday Chant, pleading for His divine help. 

As one strong, confident, sincere but humble voice: ‘Oh Lord, thanks for getting me safely through this past week. You know it’s been rough… what with all the anxiety, the confusion and havoc that the Covid-19 virus and our many other problems are causing. We can’t seem to fix it on our own Lord, that means we desperately need your help. Oh heavenly Father, with your omnipotent help, and our trusting faith, we know that we can stand strong and steadfast and defeat both the virus and the unrest in our streets. 

So Lord, we sincerely ask you today to give the governments and those involved in the forefront of this serious and unexpected storm, the wise guidance to handle the situation properly, with the least amount of loss to life and property as possible. And please help those of us who must go out to work amidst all the confusion, to be responsible and to stay safe, and avoid any more serious setbacks. And Lord, we fervently pray that You’ll use this situation to bring a lot of backsliders back to your fold, show them the error of their ways. 

And please introduce a whole new flock, who will embrace your LOVE and compassion by the example, we, your faithful believers set. Yes Lord, please use this pandemic and the unrest in the streets as a means of restoring faith in You, so that our sinful world can wake up and smell the coffee, sweet and strong! We pray this in the name of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ! Amen!’ 

Now, it’s the same as it has always been; if we keep our promises and be obedient to God’s will, then He will answer our prayers in a positive manner. Much LOVE!

…to truly celebrate Christ’s birth…means we must be truly living for Him…                                               

Hear our podcast at https://open.spotify.com/show/3aVfqIC1CqwGybISs9dZJ8