23 Nov 2019
by randyobrien50
in Christian Thoughts and Inspiration., Daily Devotion, Daily Inspiration, Inspirational Living, Spiritual Living
Tags: a brighter tomorrow, a negative implication, a plan, a purpose, a solemn pact, an open door, Anselm, aspires to inspire, celebrate with, compassions, don't laugh, downhill, ephemeral, eternal hope, fallen world, fellowship, fellowshiprest with God, fight too hard, for every life, God is faithful, gone tomorrow, happiness, He won't give up, heaven, hell, here today, I go, I will come again, I would have told you, if it were no so, in a positive way, In my Father's house, intangible thing, largesse, let not your heart be troubled, life changes very quickly, life waiting for us, life we planned, like a thief in the night, like a yo-yo, live for eternity, look a gift horse in the mouth, make life miserable, many mansions, meet in heaven, not by chance but by choice, personal experience, personally trusted Christ, praise, prince of this world, quotes, receive you unto myself, ruling, salvation, Satan, serving, singing, sneaks in, tender mercies, the redeemed, to prepare a place for you, Triune God, turning and tossing, two options, wisdom, worship
John 14:2. In my Father’s house are many mansions (dwellings): if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you.
Yes mih people…we’ve been granted one more day of God’s tender mercies and inexhaustible compassions! And though we may not know why, we can be assured that there’s an important reason, because the Lord does have a plan and a purpose for every life He creates and leaves breathing here on earth.
So let’s accept His largesse with a good attitude nuh, and joyfully declare like the psalmist did so long: ‘This is the day the Lord has made, we will rejoice and be glad in it!’ (Ps.118:24) And that is wisdom personified, for as the ole people would say, you can’t look a gift horse in the mouth, and we all know that our God would never grant us bad stuff. So let’s get out there and enjoy the day, be it rain, sun, sleet, or shine!
And you’ll also notice that although it’s Saturday, the ole fella is up rather early. Chuh! I went to bed late but got up a couple hours later and could not go back to sleep, so after turning and tossing for about forty-five minutes, I decided to just get up and begin enjoying the day. (smile) And a part of that is reviewing the quotes our friend Anselm sent us this past week, as he sincerely aspires to inspire us for a better and brighter tomorrow.
Listen to this first one: ‘Life changes very quickly, in a very positive way, if you let it.’ Now I accept the first part without reservations, but not the second, because like many of us, I’ve learned from personal experience, that if you leave life to do its own thing, then it will more often take you downhill than up. And that’s because life in this fallen world is basically a negative implication rather than a positive one. Simply notice how hard you have to try and formulate and keep positive thoughts and actions, whereas the negative aspects come in droves, completely unbidden. And if the evil and negative Satan is the prince of this world, then that’s to be expected!
But hear this: ‘Happiness often sneaks in through a door you didn’t know you left open.’ Now that I have to chuckle at, because I’ve found that happiness more often sneaks out of the door you’ve left open than it sneaks in. In the first place, happiness is such an ephemeral and intangible thing that it’s here today and gone tomorrow. And when you’re happy, you tend to leave doors open, rather than close them, because life is so wonderful…and that’s when happiness escapes, like a thief in the night!
And that leads us to this quote: ‘Happiness is not by chance, but by choice.’ Now that’s more like the truth! You certainly can’t leave happiness to the whim of chance, or it will have you up and down like a yo-yo! You have to grab happiness by the horns and keep it under heavy manners, because as soon as you’re not looking, it’s liable to slip away unnoticed. So happiness is a state of mind you consciously acknowledge that you will embrace.
And this next one tells us: ‘We must be willing to let go of the life we planned so as to have the life that is waiting for us.’ And is that ever true my faithful brethren! That’s because, as we said at the beginning, God has a plan and a purpose for every life He creates, and usually that doesn’t mesh with the one we desire to have. And I can personally testify to that.
Yuh think the Bit you’re reading now is my idea? Definitely not! I never envisioned myself as a writer of scriptural stuff, but apparently that was the Lord’s plan, and though I fought it, He eventually won the battle. And here’s a li’l secret; He’ll always win, if He really desires to.
So please, don’t do like I did. When He comes to you with some idea that you don’t like, don’t laugh because you consider it implausible, or fight it too hard, because He won’t give up, but will make life so miserable and unbearable that you will eventually give in. But the wonderful thing about our God is that He’s faithful to a fault. Anything He asks you to do, He WILL enable you to do it. Just look at my example; when I began writing the Bit, I didn’t know anything, now I know too much. (smile)
And I always try to leave the best for last. ‘Some people look for a beautiful place. Others make a place beautiful.’ And isn’t that the gospel truth! That’s also how it ought to be with followers of Christ? And there’s no more beautiful promise in the scripture than that found in these wonderful words of Jesus. ‘Let not your heart be troubled: ye believe in God, believe also in me. In my Father’s house are many mansions (dwellings): 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)
Jesus was there comforting His disciples, assuring them that all He said would come to pass, and He would be back to take them with Him some day to a beautiful place, an eternal home, He called heaven. Now hear the scholars’ thoughts on that marvellous place: ‘14:2. Heaven is a place and the eternal hope of the saved. Scripture describes it as a beautiful city where the redeemed will live for eternity. The activities in heaven include singing (Rev.15:3), worship (Rev.5:9), serving (Rev.2:17), ruling (2 Tim.2:12; Rev.22:5), fellowship with others (Matt.17:3), and eating (Rev.2:17).
Illustration: The quality of existence in heaven is a life of fellowship with God (Rev.22:4), a life of rest (Rev.14:13), a life of service (Rev.22:3), a life of growth (Rev.22:2), and a life of worship (Rev.19:1). Application: The glories of heaven belong only to those who have personally trusted Christ for their salvation. Christians who work to win souls are gathering friends who will spend eternity with them in heaven. (First Ref. Gen.1:1; Primary Ref. Rev.21:1-5; cf. Matt.24:33.)’
Oh friends, in light of all that wonderful info, please, let’s make a serious and solemn pact, that we’ll all meet in heaven one day to celebrate with, praise and worship our great and Triune God. Much LOVE!
…only two options in eternity…heaven…or hell…you choose…by whom you believe in…
06 Jun 2019
by randyobrien50
in Christian Thoughts and Inspiration., Daily Devotion, Daily Inspiration, Inspirational Living, Spiritual Living
Tags: a compassionate heart, a constant struggle, abundance, as for me an my house, baptizing, Beelzebub, curse, examples of our lives, faithful service, fleshly self, foolish personalities, generously, god, haughty, Joshua, kind, lay not up earthly treasures, lazy, logic, loving, making disciples, meritorious benefits, moth and rust doth corrupt, motives of the heart, negative word, not rich towards God, parable of the rich fool, proud, saints of Christ, self-control, self-discipline, selfishly hoard, selfless, sit on the fence, spiritual being, talent, the devil, the Father, the Holy Spirit, the prince of darkness, the SON, there is your heart, thieves break through and steal, Thursday Blessings, treasures in heaven, two options, we will serve the Lord, where your treasure is, wisdom, worthless baubles of the world, you got to bow to somebody
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.
Well it’s wet and somewhat cloudy…but that’s nothing new! (smile) And it’s certainly not going to stop we saints of Christ from going about His business, witnessing to the unsaved, making disciples of them, baptizing them in the name of the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit and leading lives that exemplify the glory and LOVING-kindness of Jesus!
Oh friends, that’s what we are called on to do, and do it we must, or the world will just be more strife-filled and sink even deeper into the mire of evil and ungodliness. It’s too bad already! Can you imagine it getting worse? But that’s what will happen if we don’t stand up NOW and be counted!
Just think about your children or grandchildren living in such an ungodly and evil world nuh. Think about them not knowing or even hearing about Jesus and the awesome stuff He’s done for mankind, and the wonderful treasures He has stored up for those who sincerely LOVE and obey Him. What kind of life would they be living eh? A satanic life of greed, selfishness, lust, envy and all the other stuff that will have them heading straight for hell and eternal damnation!
That means you won’t be seeing them in heaven, won’t be congregating with them in better circumstances that this evil earth. Like the rich man and the beggar Lazarus, they’ll be begging you to send a drop of water to cool their burning tongues in the raging fires of Hades and you’ll be unable to help them in the least bit! So let’s think on these things nuh and try to do better in our teaching and the examples our lives portray.
Oh, none of us are perfect, but we can all certainly improve and do better with the help of God. The problem though is that we are either too lazy, or too interested in the fancy but worthless baubles of the world…and asking God for help, well that’s definitely not in some of our proud, haughty and foolish personalities! But please remember people, in this world you got to bow to somebody, and the two main options are God and the devil himself!
You have to choose one. You just can’t sit on the fence, as so many of us try to do, and hope that everything will work out right, because it won’t! The two powerful entities that control things want you all for themselves, don’t want to share one iota of you with the other, so they’ll both try their level best to get you fully into their camp. That means a constant struggle between the devil; your earthly and fleshly self, and the Lord; your heavenly and spiritual being!
So whom are you going to choose eh? Remember Jesus said that no man can serve two masters; you can’t serve God and mammon too. (Matt.6:24) That means you have to make a conscious choice. And hopefully we’ll all declare like Joshua did: ‘But as for me and my house, we will serve the Lord.’ (Josh.24:15d) Yeh friends, that’s the smart thing to do, the wise move to consciously make.
Why? Although Jesus calls on us to be more selfless, generous, LOVING and kind, sentiments that the world consider folly, the things that He has in store for us are way way more useful and important than the things Beelzebub, the prince of darkness has to offer.
And as always, Jesus put’s it so simply and succinctly: ‘Lay not up for yourselves treasures upon earth, where moth and rust doth corrupt (ruin), and where thieves break through and steal. But lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust doth corrupt, and where thieves do not break through nor steal: For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also.’ (Matt.6:19-21) Now doesn’t that sound like simple, sensible logic and wisdom? It certainly does!
That’s because all the treasures we amass here on earth, time and insects will eventually destroy, or people will steal them. And for sure we can’t carry any with us! Oh, I know some of us will have them place some in the box with us, (smile) but they’ll be no good on the other side, neither in heaven nor in hell. That’s why listening to Jesus, and following Him is the wiser of the two options we have. For if we do that, then we’ll end up in heaven, and will have treasures stored up their for us, that will be even better than those down here on earth.
Unfortunately though, many of us can’t see the forest for the trees, can’t see the bigger picture, always believing that a bird in the hand is better than two or three in the bush. But friends, with Jesus, we have to see it that way. And we can only do so by faith, believing for that which we don’t see. And yes, that’s not easy, especially with the kind of world we’re currently living in.
But as Jesus taught in the parable of the rich fool, (Luke 12:13-21) who, not caring about anybody but himself, kept building bigger and better and storing up treasures here on earth. And what happened when the Lord called him home unexpectedly eh? All his earthly treasure was left behind for others to fight over, and he had none in heaven to go to. ‘So is he that layeth up treasure for himself, and is not rich toward God.’ (Luke 12:21)
And it’s oh so important that we hear this explanation from the scholars. ‘6:19-21. The attention of the believer is directed toward treasures in heaven. The term treasures implies the addition or accumulation of things. The two kinds of treasures are conditioned by their place (either on earth or in heaven). The concept of laying up treasures in heaven is not pictured as one of meritorious benefits but rather of rewards for faithful service, as is illustrated elsewhere in the teaching of Jesus.’ So heavenly rewards depend more on the attitude of our hearts and service, than just what we deserve for doing good.
Now let’s go home declaring (yes!) our Thursday Blessings. In full voice and strong belief: ‘I declare that I am blessed with God’s supernatural wisdom and receive clear direction for my life! I declare today that I am blessed with creativity, courage, talent and abundance! I am blessed with a strong will, self-control and self-discipline! I am blessed with a great family, good friends, good health, faith, favour and fulfillment!
I am blessed with success, supernatural strength, promotion and divine protection! I am blessed with a compassionate heart and a positive outlook on life! I declare that any curse or negative word that’s ever been spoken over me is broken right now in the name of Jesus! I declare that everything I put my hands to will prosper and succeed! I declare it today and everyday! Amen!’
And please remember, those wonderful blessings haven’t been given to us to selfishly hoard, but to go out and share with the less fortunate…generously…and with the right motive in our hearts! Much LOVE!
…in all that we do…be it good or bad…the Lord looks for the motives in our hearts…
05 Apr 2019
by randyobrien50
in Christian Thoughts and Inspiration., Daily Devotion, Daily Inspiration, Inspirational Living, Spiritual Living
Tags: as for me and my house, bake, enter in, eternal damnation, eternal life, fellowship, few find it, Friday chant, fun, generous help, keep my peace, killing a cat, leadeth unto life, leads to destruction, mangoes, more than one way, most rewarding, my pound of flesh, narrow is the way, relaxation, rest, roti, saltfish, Scarborough, serving Jesus, slave driver, smoke fish, sprightly, strait is the gate, TGIF!, Thank God is Friday, the weekend, two options, we will follow the Lord, wide is the gate, workingman's song, young
Matthew 7:14. Because strait (how narrow) is the gate, and narrow (difficult or confined) is the way, which leadeth unto life, and few there be that find it.
Well, well, well! If it isn’t that day that we all look forward to so much – Friday! The day we throw all our cares away! (smile) That means I’ve been in sweet Tobago for ten days, for two Fridays already… What a way the time travelling fast boy! Mih li’l vacation soon done and I don’t even know it! (smile) But yes, I know that the Bit late and all that, but as I explained earlier on the week, now is vacation time and the Bit won’t always be the first thing on the agenda.
And that was exactly what happened this morning. The duchess and I were both up pretty early, and as she wasn’t feeling too perky, I decided to take her out to breakfast at this place called ‘Dexter’s’ that had been highly recommended. We left here sometime after nine and after about a ten to fifteen minute drive we found it. And it was as recommended and even more, the food was good, and the ambiance of the place was nice.
But hear tory nuh: As I went in, it was upstairs the building, I asked for Dexter and talked about how I’d come so far just to check it out. The slim, middle-aged, medium height negro fella behind the counter with the grey and white scraggly beard assured me that that was Dexter’s and the food was indeed good. So I told him all I want is for the duchess to be happy when we left. Again, he assured me that she would be.
And believe me people, she was! Ah never see the duchess eat up everything on her plate so yet. And I wasn’t backward either, the bake and smoke fish and saltfish was going down good with the sorrel drink, and I wanted to eat it all at once…but common sense prevailed, and I left some to bring home for later. Right now though, as I write in the living cum dining room, because it’s too hot to write outside, the sweet smell of some mangoes sitting on the counter opposite are just assaulting me like crazy. (smile) Think I’ll return the assault when I’m done here!
But getting back to Dexter. When we finish eating, we talking, and he tell me about having a blessed day and thanks for coming and such. So I think he just being friendly and Christian, but when I was ready to pay, and ask him if he takes visa, he come back with, ‘Wuh yuh doing me pappy? I didn’t just tell you to have a blessed day and doh worry about nothing!’
It took me a few seconds to realize that he was saying I didn’t have to pay for the food. And he continued with a laugh: ‘Somebody else already paid for your food!’ Well I couldn’t do anything else but laugh too, say thanks, and promise to come back sometime to check out the breakfast and the roti he sells downstairs, since he boast about how is the best roti in Tobago, and he would compete with even the best in Trinidad!
Ah hope so yes, because I haven’t eaten a roti since ah here. Went to check out some place called Rena’s in town yesterday, but they had run out. Finally went into Scarborough yesterday, but wasn’t thrilled with it, but that’s a story for another time. Anyway on the way back home this morning, we stopped at a supermarket to pick up some things we believe we needed. And yuh know that means walking through the whole supermarket, even though you just come out with a couple bags. (smile)
So by the time we reach home was after eleven, and since we not as young and sprightly as we used to be, we had to rest first, only thing is that rest lasted for about two hours, so that’s why I’m now writing the Bit. And all of that is the gospel truth mih people! But ah done take up too much time with my nonsense, so leh we listen to the workingman as he waiting impatiently in the wings to sing his Friday song.
And as always he bellows out: ‘TGIF! Thank God is Friday oui, and slave labour done for another week yes! The darm slave driver and dem look like they want you to make blood from stone, they driving you so hard every blooming day! Yuh can’t take a li’l break without deh eyes boring into you, as if to say, who tell you you could take a break eh? But thankfully I doh bother with them nuh, because I know I does do my work and they can’t tell me no nonsense bout that! Steups!
Look, sometimes I does just want to wring the so and so slave driver and them neck when ah see how they taking advantage of the junior employees. But that not going to solve the problem, so I try and keep mih peace and get my pound of flesh some other way, because my mammy tell me it have more than one way of killing a cat yes! And my mammy never lie to me yet! (smile) But the long and short of the story is that today is Friday and the weekend, my time starting now. So I going to do my own thing and doh bother with nobody else nuh! Thank God for Fridays and weekends yes mih breddren!’
And I know that many of us believers in Jesus Christ also declare (right ho) the same sentiments too, though we can’t be as border less and boundary less as he can be. So let’s chant up our Friday Chant now showing our gratitude for the weekend nuh. All together now with verve and sincerity:
‘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.’
Yes friends, we need to walk a narrower path than the world, because as Jesus says: ‘Enter ye in at the strait (narrow) gate: for wide is the gate, and broad is the way, that leadeth to destruction, and many there be which go in thereat. Because strait (how narrow) is the gate, and narrow (difficult or confined) is the way, which leadeth unto life, and few there be that find it.’ (Matt.7-13-14)
Mama oh Mama! That’s it friends, only two choices, two options in this life; the narrow and strait way that leads to Jesus and eternal life, or the broad and destructive one that leads to eternal damnation! The choice is ours. Let’s hope that most of us will say like Joshua: ‘As for me and my house, we will serve the Lord!’ (Josh.24:15) That’s wisdom of eternal proportions! Much LOVE!
…serving Jesus might not be easy…but it sure is most rewarding…
14 Mar 2019
by randyobrien50
in Christian Thoughts and Inspiration., Daily Devotion, Daily Inspiration, Inspirational Living, Spiritual Living
Tags: a compassionate heart, a positive outlook on life, abundant life, accept Jesus, achieving success, be of good cheer, believeth on him that sent me, condemn the world, condemnation, curse, equality, evil, evil cronies, fighting us tooth and nail, grees, guide us safely, hath everlasting life, he that heareth my word, horrors of sin, I can do all things, i have overcome the world, I say unto you, idle promises, if God be for us, inspirational author, Jesus Christ, Jesus is the only way, judgement, just as you are, justice, life after death, LOVE, lust for power, negative word, no man comes to the Father, nobody, Orison Swett Marden, our Lord and Saviour, passed from death to life, positive philosophy, prosper, rain, reign forever, reject Jesus, Satan, save the world, sees success, selfishness, share the blessings, success, Success magazine, the heavenly Triune, the hopeful man, the Life, the Truth, the Way, this is the day the Lord has made, through Christ who strengthens me, Thursday's Blessings, tribulation in the world, trying times, two options, ungodly world, verily, warm the cockles of Jesus' heart, we will be glad and rejoice in it, where others see failure, who can be against us, ye might have peace
John 5:24. Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that heareth my word, and believeth on him that sent me, hath everlasting life, and shall not come into condemnation (judgement); but is passed from death into life.
It’s a grey, cloudy looking kind of day in my neighbourhood, with the promise of unwanted precipitation, though thankfully the precipitation will most likely be rain and not snow since the temperature is above freezing. Not much, but enough to bring rain and not the white stuff.
However, despite all of those physical, negative possibilities, the saints of Jesus are nonetheless declaring (steups! wrong again) that ‘This is the day the Lord has made, we WILL rejoice and be glad in it!’ And moreover, ‘The Lord will provide all our needs through His riches in glory in Christ Jesus!’
And they boost their spirits even more with words like ‘I can do ALL things through Christ who strengthens me! And as for me and my house, we WILL follow the Lord, make no mistake about it!’ That means, ‘If God be for me who can be against me eh? NOBODY!’ Yeh friends, that’s one of the remarkable things of being a follower of Jesus Christ; we can boost our spirits with spoken words, promises that He’s declared over our lives! No other faith can do that!
And that brings us to these inspirational words attributed to Orison Swett Marden (1848-1924), ‘an American inspirational author who wrote about achieving success in life and founded Success Magazine in 1897.’ Marden claims: ‘The hopeful man sees success where others see failure, sunshine where others see shadows and storm.’
He’s talking about us there friends, believers in the positive philosophy and promises of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ! All thanks and praise be to our Lord and Saviour for the wonderful and abundant life that He died to give us! We now need to hold on to His promises, and His hand tightly and let Him guide us safely and positively through these trying times in this evil and ungodly world! That’s the only way we will ever be successful my people!
Jesus warned early on: ‘Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that heareth my word, and believeth on him that sent me, hath everlasting life, and shall not come into condemnation (judgement); but is passed from death into life.’ Yes friends, Jesus is the ONLY WAY to achieve life after death! When we believe in Him and the Father who sent Him then our bodies will die, but our spirits wont. They shall reign forever with the heavenly Triune!
And Jesus confirms it all by saying: ‘I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father but by me.’ (John 14:6) And we know He does not lie! So it only makes mucho sense to hitch our carts to His superior horse! And if you want even more encouragement, then check out these fabulous, though hard to put into action words of Jesus. ‘These things have I spoken unto you, that in me ye might have peace. In the world ye shall have tribulation: but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world.’ (John 16:33)
Aren’t those wonderful words friends…and words of truth too? They certainly are! Jesus did His part, but now we have to do ours, by using our faith in Him to stand strong and steadfast when Satan and his evil cronies are fighting us tooth and nail for world control. We are the only ones who are fighting on the basis of LOVE, justice and equality, the rest are all infused with greed, lust for power and selfishness!
And from where do we get that fighting spirit for the good things? From possibly the most important words in the Good Book; Jesus’ immortal declaration: ‘For God so LOVED the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved.’ (John 3:16-17)
There you have it in black and white my fellow believers; Jesus’ purpose for coming to earth…to save us, from ourselves and from the horrors of sin! So the ongoing logic and reasoning are very simple: If you want to be saved and live an everlasting life, then you accept Jesus Christ as your Lord and Saviour. If you don’t want to live and see life eternal, but prefer to be on the outside looking in with the evil one, then you simply continue in your evil ways and don’t accept Jesus.
Those are the only two options we have my brethren! And believe me, the last option might look good and pleasurable in the here and now, but in the hereafter it will be terrible! The Lord promised it, and we know He doesn’t make idle promises! So please, I implore us to take the first option; wisdom dictates it. It might be somewhat difficult now, but the rewards you’ll reap later will be oh so worth that difficulty!
Now for those of us who truly believe, let’s go home declaring (wrong again) our Thursday Blessings, which the Lord have poured down on us in His awesome generosity. All together now, in sincere and strong voice: ‘I declare that I am blessed with God’s supernatural wisdom and receive clear direction for my life! I declare today that I am blessed with creativity, courage, talent and abundance! I am blessed with a strong will, self-control and self-discipline!
I am blessed with a great family, good friends, good health, faith, favour and fulfillment! I am blessed with success, supernatural strength, promotion and divine protection! I am blessed with a compassionate heart and a positive outlook on life! I declare that any curse or negative word that’s ever been spoken over me is broken right now in the name of Jesus! I declare that everything I put my hands to will prosper and succeed! I declare it today and everyday! Amen!’
Yuh see what happens when you live for Jesus! But a word of caution here; those blessings are not for us to hoard but to share with the less fortunate in our unjust society. So let’s go out and do just that nuh, and thus warm the cockles of Jesus’ heart! Much LOVE!
…Jesus is the ONLY ONE…who will take you just as you are…and make you what He wants you to be…
08 Feb 2019
by randyobrien50
in Christian Thoughts and Inspiration., Daily Devotion, Daily Inspiration, Inspirational Living, Spiritual Living
Tags: all for our benefit, bad weather, be wise, broad is the way, choose life, Christians, clear as noonday, confined, dead to Jesus, difficult the way, do as I please, drinking, eating, endeavours, energy, enthusiasm, eternal life, eternally separated, evil, fellowship, few find it, field of vision, Friday chant, full mih belly, fun, furthering your glorious kingdom, generous help, get a foothold, get sidetracked, gloomy winter's day, gospel truth, head and not the tail, his riches in glory, I am the way, in Jesus name, Jesus, karay mih body, leadeth to destruction, leadeth unto life, leggo beast, let it all hnag out, liable to get bite, live for the weekend, narrow, narrower boundaries, no one comes to the Father, on the outside looking in, one bad apple, overcomers, partying, relaxation, rest, restraint, slave driver, strait is the gate, strength, supply all my needs, sweet music, TGIF!, Thank God is Friday, that kinda behaviour, the Life, the Truth, the weekend, the workingman's song, this is the day the Lord has made, two options, ungodly world, we will rejoice and be glad in it, wide is the gate
Matthew 7:14. Because strait (how narrow) is the gate, and narrow (difficult, confined) is the way, which leadeth unto life, and few there be that find it.
And then it was Friday…another gloomy winter’s day? Most likely! But who knows…and who cares eh? Not us believing Christians! We have Christ Jesus our Lord and Saviour constantly looking over us, so we don’t let li’l things like the weather bother us, or keep us from doing His will! We get up and decide, whatever the weather or our circumstances: ‘This is the day the Lord has made, we WILL rejoice and be glad in it!’ Wow! What confidence we have in our Saviour!
And if that doesn’t do the trick, then we continue: ‘The Lord will provide all my needs through His riches in glory!’ And furthermore: ‘If God be for me, who can be against me eh?’ Not a single soul! And since we are overcomers, the head and not the tail, above and not beneath, through Christ who gives us the strength to do all that He calls us to do, then we can be steadfast and strong, and conclude that ‘As for me and my house, we WILL follow the Lord!’
Oh friends, if you all didn’t need that li’l pick me up this morning, good for you, but the ole fella certainly needed it! But with the Lord’s help, we back on track now…praise His holy name!
So let’s hear what the workingman has to say this gloomy Friday morning. And I just LOVE his undaunted enthusiasm! ‘TGIF! Thank God is Friday…La la la la la la! It might be winter…and cold and miserable, but why should that make me miserable too eh? Especially when is Friday and the weekend upon me…when is my time to do as I please. I’d be real chupid to let a li’l bad weather stop me from enjoying the couple days off I have from the slave driver’s work yes!
So who want to let that bother them or stop them from eating and drinking and partying, that is their business, but it not going to stop me, because I just live for the weekend and the li’l chance to karay mih body to some sweet music, and full mih belly with good food and drink, especially in them kinda cold weather here! I need strength, energy and enthusiasm to handle them oui! So thank God for Fridays and the weekends and them yes!’
Yes mih people, the workingman is certainly off and running today. And I know that plenty of us supposed Christians think like him, and would like to behave leggo beast like him, but Jesus doesn’t like that kinda behaviour in His organization, so we cool it down, and instead chant we Friday Chant, a somewhat more controlled song, with narrower boundaries. So let’s chant up a storm now nuh!
As one chanter: ‘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.’
Ah mih breddren, a li’l restraint never hurt nobody yet nuh, but when you let it all hang out, yuh liable to get bite, as the long time calypso did say. (smile) And that’s all Jesus is trying to do yes with His narrow way; preventing us from getting bite! It’s all for our benefit, because yuh know how the enemy always lurking in the background ready to snap and bite at any chance we give him, so he could get a foothold in we souls and just spoil everything.
Remember, it does only take one bad apple to spoil the whole basket! And Jesus doesn’t want that to happen to us, that’s why He advocates the narrow, less travelled way. ‘Enter ye in at the strait (narrow) gate: for wide is the gate, and broad is the way, that leadeth to destruction, and many there be which go in thereat: Because strait (how narrow) is the gate, and narrow (difficult, confined) is the way, which leadeth unto life, and few there be that find it.’ (Matt.7:13-14)
And that’s the gospel truth friends! But we don’t even need Jesus us to tell us that, because logically speaking, the wider or broader your field of vision or your endeavours, the more problems you’re liable to have, just because so much more is involved.
But getting back to Jesus, who wants to suffer destruction by being eternally separated from Him eh? Nobody in their right minds! So if we’re wise and sensible, although I know common sense isn’t in vogue these days (smile) we will choose the strait and narrow way which is through Jesus as He so sweetly and graciously enlightens us: ‘I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but my me.’ (John 14:6) End of story friends!
If you want to get to the Father, then you have to go through His Son Jesus! That’s all there is to it! It’s just like our earthly set up; to get to the boss, you have to go through His secretary. (smile) So just consider Jesus the Father’s Administrative Assistant, and if you don’t deal with Him, you won’t get a chance to deal with the Father! Clear as noonday my brethren!
So let’s take a few moments today and ponder which road we’re currently travelling on nuh, because it’s so easy to get sidetracked in this evil, ungodly world, that we need to constantly be on our p’s and q’s so we stay on the straight and narrow with Jesus. Much LOVE!
…only two options available…the strait and narrow with Jesus…and enjoy eternal life…or the broad and busy highway…and end up on the outside looking in…dead to Jesus…be wise…choose life…
11 Jan 2019
by randyobrien50
in Christian Thoughts and Inspiration., Daily Devotion, Daily Inspiration, Inspirational Living, Spiritual Living
Tags: alive and well, another week of work, atrophy, august leader, bacchanal, Bacchus, broad is the way, but by me, capitalist slave master, chutzpah, comes to the Father, common task, confined, daily grind, damnation, destructive path, difficult, each step I take, enter in, eternal life, eternity, fellowship, few there be that find it, flippant attitude, four day workweek, Friday chant, fun, furthering your kingdom, generous help, goes though Jesus, heaven, hell, I am the way, in Jesus name, Jesus Christ, keep promises, killing our society, lack of productivity, laziness, leads to life, looming large, more beneficial, narrow is the way, no one, on your p's and q's, relaxation, renewed and refreshed, rest, salvation, Satan, sense of direction, slavery, strait is the gate, technological society, technology, TGIF!, Thank God is Friday, thanks, that leads to destruction, the enemy, the Life, the Truth, the weekend, tiredness, two options, verve, wide is the gate, work five days in a row, workingman's song
Matthew 7:14. Because strait (how narrow) is the gate, and narrow (confined or difficult) is the way, which leadeth unto life, and few there be that find it.
Wow…and more Wow! What a lot of thanks and praise is floating up to heaven today because it’s Friday, and the impending weekend that will give our tired souls and bodies a break from the daily grind and common task, after the first full week of work in this new year of 2019! No more traffic jams and crowds of people for two whole, big days…that is unless we want it. Glory be!
Ah friends, our bodies and minds are not as strong and able as they use to be even one generation ago. That’s because we’ve become accustomed to an easy style of living in our technologically advanced society that doesn’t require a whole lot of hard, physical work. Not like back in the days when agriculture was king and technology was just coming into its own.
Now technology is indeed useful, if we use it to our advantage. But unfortunately these days we’re allowing technology to use us, run our lives, do almost everything besides discharge our bodily secretions. And soon it might even be able to do that too! (smile)
Seriously though friends, technology is killing our society at the same time it is providing us with some interesting perks. We’re thinking less and doing less for ourselves, and if we continue this way, our minds and bodies will eventually atrophy, lose their effectiveness, shrivel up and become vegetative because of lack of use.
Please notice that every great society in our history began to fail and fall the day they became overly prosperous. That’s because too much prosperity leads to laziness, and therefore lack of productivity and ingenuity, which keep a society growing.
Now tell me, how did I get on this track eh? (smile) Some days I just don’t know nuh…although it makes sense. However, it’s Friday, and everybody is waiting to hear the workingman sing his song. And though he’s tired, he still finds the energy to belt it out: ‘TGIF! Thank God is Friday…and the weekend looming large! Brother, what a week that was! Ah can’t remember when last ah work five full days in a row nuh. But that is surely slavery yes!
Why should a man have to work five straight days out of seven eh, especially with we big technological society now eh? Whatever happen to the four-day workweek that they promise we eh? It nowhere in sight! Steups! Should have known that the capitalist slave master doh keep promises. But anyway, the weekend here and ah have time to rest some…but also to party some! Hn, hn! Can’t let the whole weekend go by and doh party…that is a sin before God! Thank God for Fridays and weekends yes!’
Ah mih people, even in the midst of tiredness, Bacchus, the god of bacchanal, still raises his ugly head. That’s how our society has been programmed. But thankfully not all of us though. We believers know the value of rest and of play, and when to indulge in either, that’s why our Friday Chant is not as extreme as the workingman’s song. So let’s chant it now with much verve and chutzpah nuh. (smile)
As one: ‘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!’
We seriously give thanks and praise to God, not the flippant attitude that the workingman displays, and we stay on track most of the time, or at least try to, while the workingman goes running hither, thither and yon, without any sense of direction.
That’s why our august Leader, Jesus Christ warned: ‘Enter ye in at the strait (narrow) gate: for wide is the gate, and broad is the way, that leadeth to destruction, and many there be which go in thereat: Because strait (how narrow) is the gate, and narrow (confined or difficult) is the way, which leadeth unto life, and few there be that find it.’ (Matt.7:13-14)
Yes friends, the way to hell and damnation is broad, wide and easy to find. But the path that leads to salvation and eternal life is narrow and hard to find. And why is that eh? Because it all goes through Jesus; both the gate and the way! As He so emphatically said unto his doubting disciple, Thomas: ‘I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.’ (John 14:6)
Yeh mih people, there are only two options in this life, the wide destructive path that Satan offers, or the straight and narrow one that leads through Jesus to our heavenly Father. The billion-dollar question is, which path will each of us take? I implore us to take the latter that goes through Jesus! Yes it is the more difficult path, but ultimately it is indeed the more beneficial. Much LOVE!
…two paths to eternity…the one to heaven…and the one to hell…which one will you choose…hopefully…the former…
P.S. Ah friends, the enemy is alive and well, and can come at us from any direction at any time. Would you believe that just as I was going to type in Jesus’ directive to Thomas, I paused to take a sip of water, and darkness suddenly filled the room? Just for a second though. So I had to reboot and wait for everything to come back. It’s a good thing that I’ve learned from earlier mistakes and save stuff as I go along. So please be on your p’s and q’s! Much LOVE!
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