10 Dec 2025
by randyobrien50
in Christian Thoughts and Inspiration., Daily Devotion, Daily Inspiration, Inspirational Living, Spiritual Living
Tags: a faithful man shall abound with blessings, a lack of trust in god's timing, Abraham and Sarah's impatience to have a child, Abraham's Son with Hagar, according to his glorious power, anger rests in the bosom of fools, avaricious society, be not hasty in thy spirit to be angry, be of good courage, be slow to wrath, better is the poor that walketh in his integrity, careful planning, continuing instant in prayer, desire without knowledge, diligence, endure to the end with Jesus, faith, family conflict, halfway home, hands on the plough, haste, hasty actions, he shall strengthen thine heart, he that hasteth with his feet sinneth, he that is hasty of spirit exalteth folly, he that is perverse in his lips and is a fool, he that is slow to wrath is of great understanding, he that maketh haste to be rich, holy spirit, impatience, inappropriate driving, Isaac, Ishmael, Jesus Christ, let every man be swift to hear, mercy, more haste less speed, mount up with wings as eagles, my eyes are fixed straight ahead, nor go by flight, not turning back, our wonderful position in Christ Jesus, patience, patience is a fruit of the Spirit, patience is the bedrock of the Christian life, patient in tribulation, rejoicing in hope, salvation, seeking wisdom before acting, serious consequences, serious mistakes, shall not go unpunished, slow to speak, slow to wrath, steadfast in prayer, strengthened with all might, suffer disappointment, thank God, that the soul be without knowledge, that the soul be without knowledge it is not good, the breath of life is still flowing through me, the God of Israel will be your rear guard, the Lord will go before you, the plans of the hasty lead to poverty, the thoughts of the diligent, the thoughts of the diligent tend only to plenteousness, they shall run and not be weary, they that wait upon the Lord shall renew their strength, to a glorious future with Jesus, truth, unto all patience and longsuffering with joyfulness, wait in faith I say on the Lord, wait in faith on the Lord, walk and not faint, Wednesday morning snow, Wednesday Wail, winter is in the air, wisdom, ye shall not go out with haste
Isaiah 52:12. ‘For ye shall not go out with haste, nor go by flight: for the Lord will go before you; and the God of Israel will be your rereward (rear guard).’
Well friends, it’s one of those days, when we are reminded that winter is in the air! (smile) And the snow began falling early this Wednesday morning, and in some places, like my area, it’s still falling. Therefore you can imagine what the morning commute was like, or rather is like. I’ve seen several pictures of accidents and road blocks caused by the snow and inappropriate driving. But it looks like the snow plows and sanders are our in full force and are doing their best to keep up with the falling snow.
Let’s hope and pray that by the time evening commute rolls around that things would have settled down and the roads will not be as dangerous, although there are always impatient and ignorant folks who try to go too fast and cause accidents. And I guess that’s a good enough reason for us to check out some scriptures on haste and impatience today. And I like the overview on the subject from this commentary. ‘Scriptures often caution against haste and impatience, linking them to foolishness, mistakes, and a lack of trust in God’s timing. Instead, the Bible encourages diligence, patience, and seeking wisdom before acting.’
And that’s the living truth. We see much loss in scripture by haste and not waiting on God’s timing, like how King Saul, the first king of Israel lost his kingship due to his impatience in offering a sacrifice. And Abraham and Sarah’s impatience to have a child of their own, led them to father one with their Egyptian maid Hagar, Ishmael, which only caused family conflict back then, with Isaac their natural son, and is till causing it today, between the Jews and the Muslims.
And Cousin Sol, the wisest man, had a lot to tell us about haste. Proverbs 19 opens with two dillies. ‘Better is the poor that walketh in his integrity, than he that is perverse in his lips, and is a fool. Also, that the soul be without knowledge, it is not good: and he that hasteth with his feet sinneth.’ (Prov. 19:1-2) Yes friends, desire without knowledge and hasty actions can certainly lead to serious mistakes and even more serious consequences.
Then in Proverbs 21, Cousin Sol offers this bit of awesome wisdom. ‘The thoughts (plans) of the diligent tend only (lead surely) to plenteousness; but every one that is hasty only to want (surely to poverty). (Prov. 21:19) And we all know there’s much truth in those words, as many of us have experienced them in our own lives, where instead of careful planning, we hastened to get plenty, but instead suffered disappointment. As the old people would say, more haste, less speed. And again, the Proverbs of Cousin Sol offers up this gem re hastiness. ‘He that is slow to wrath is of great understanding: but he that is hasty of spirit (impulsive) exalteth folly.’ (Prov. 14:29)
Meanwhile in Ecclesiastes, writing as the Preacher, Cousin Sol offers up this other tidbit on haste. ‘Be not hasty in thy spirit to be angry: for anger resteth in the bosom of fools.’ (Eccl. 7:9) More unadulterated truth! And the last piece of wisdom from Cousin Sol is this: ‘A faithful man shall abound with blessings: but he that maketh haste to be rich shall not be innocent (go unpunished).’ (Prov. 28:20) And we see that happening every day, especially in this current greedy and avaricious society, people rushing to get rich and falling flat on their faces.
But Isaiah however tells us about waiting on God’s timing. ‘For ye shall not go out with haste, nor go by flight: for the Lord will go before you; and the God of Israel will be your rereward (rear guard).’ (Is. 52:12) And we also get the same wise advice from Isaiah. 40. ‘But they that wait upon the Lord shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings like eagles; they shall run , and not be weary; and they shall walk, and not faint.’ (Is. 40:31) Yes my faithful brethren, God’s protection is always present when we wait on him, and don’t rush out in haste or fear. Furthermore, in Galatians, Bruh Paul lists patience (longsuffering) as a fruit of the Spirit. (Gal. 5:22-23)
Then in the epistle of James, he cautions us re patience and anger, when he writes: ‘Wherefore my beloved brethren, let every man be swift to hear, slow to speak, slow to wrath: For the wrath of man worketh not (does not produce) the righteousness of God.’ (James 1:19-20) Then Romans 12:12, tells us about patience in affliction as an aspect of faith ‘Rejoicing in hope; patient (persevering) in tribulation; continuing instant (steadfastly) in prayer.’ And in Bruh Paul’s letter to the Colossians, when talking about walking worthy of the Lord, he exhorts: ‘Strengthened with all might, according to his glorious power, unto all patience and longsuffering with joyfulness.’ (Col. 1:12)
There we have it friends, walking with God in patience and joyfulness despite what might happen to us. And we’ll close with this gem from the pen of Bruh David in Psalm 27 that we all know. ‘Wait (in faith) on the Lord: be of good courage, and he shall strengthen thine heart: wait (in faith) I say, on the Lord.’ (Ps. 27:14)
Now, with all those wise and wonderful words of scripture on haste and patience under our belts, lets’ go home declaring our Wednesday Wail, letting the whole world know of our wonderful position in Christ Jesus! As one strong and sincere voice: ‘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 the long and short of the story is that if we endure to the very end with Jesus, then we will enjoy a future even more glorious than we can ask or imagine. So, wisdom dictates that we endure to the very end, so we can enjoy that more than glorious future together! Much LOVE!
…patience is the bedrock of the Christian life…
Hear our podcast at https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/randy-obrien
02 Dec 2025
by randyobrien50
in Christian Thoughts and Inspiration., Daily Devotion, Daily Inspiration, Inspirational Living, Spiritual Living
Tags: a new creation, a tough row to hoe, acknowledge God is working everything out for our good, all things are become new, anger, apropos for these trying times, as you promised, be of good courage, both young and old men together, by faith, comfort them, developed a cold, did not appreciate God's goodness and mercy, discipleship, do a brand new thing in me, emotional fatigue, enable me to praise you, faith, give me rest from my sorrow, go through the trials of life, God knows best, God's thoughts and ways are higher than ours, grow spiritually, He is faithful that promised, hold fast the confession of our hope, holy spirit, hurry, I will do a new thing, if any man be in Christ, If any man will follow me, in god's eyes, in these crisis days, it takes time and experience to build strong faith, it's not easy walking with Christ, Jesus Christ, let him deny himself, let us hold fast the profession of our faith, lock stock and barrel, LOVE, make a way in the wilderness, mercy, moving lethargically, my cross to bear, not a Sunday evening stroll, now it shall spring forth, old things are passed away, on the late bus, one more thing, one of the most difficult things to do, One Year Book of Bible promises, ought not to lose faith, paid a high price for rebellion, piercing pain, praise is just so hard to come by in trying times, praise is the hardest thing of all, praise lifts our spirits, ravages your body and mind, rejoice from their sorrow, resentment, rest from my feaf, rest from the bondage that binds me, rivers in the desert, Ruth Harms Calkin, salvation, self-centredness, separate the sheep from the goats, shall ye not know it, share His love with my neighbours, share the amazing love and friendship of Christ, streams in my desert, strengthen thine heart, take up his cross daily and follow me, the beloved of God, The Hardest Thing, the Promised Land, the virgin rejoice in the dance, through all my lifetime, tied up in knots, to whom we belong, trials and tribulations, trust my friend Jesus, truth, Tuesday Mantra, turn their mourning into joy, wait in faith I say on the Lord, wait in faith on the Lord, waiting on God's timing, water in the wilderness, wisdom, without wavering, withstand tough circumstances, worry, you promised to be my God, you will keep your word
Isaiah 43:19a. ‘Behold, I will do a new thing; now it shall spring forth; shall ye not know it?
Ah friends, it’s Tuesday, and we’re on a somewhat late bus because the ole fella has developed a cold that has me moving slowly and rather lethargically. (smile) Like it wasn’t enough for me to be running around in T&T in the rain etc., but now to be doing it in the snow and get this flu, which causes a runny nose and ravages your body and mind like a cancer, and has you feeling lousier than ever. It’s a good thing I only get them once or twice a year. But right now it’s my cross to bear, and I will do my best to bear it valiantly. (smile)
And today we’ll look at a poem from Our One Year Book of Bible Promises with writings by Ruth Harms Calkin that is very apropos for these trying times in which we’re currently living. It’s simply titled ‘The Hardest Thing.’ So please read with me. ‘O God In these crisis days Of piercing pain And emotional fatigue Do a brand new thing in me. Give me water in the wilderness And streams in my desert. You have promised to be my God Through all my lifetime. Surely You will keep your word! As You promised Give me rest from my sorrow And from my fear And from the bondage That binds me. One thing more, dear Lord: Enable me to praise you when to praise is the hardest thing of all.’
And believe me friends, that last request is a tough but oh so necessary one, for when we are going through the many trials and tribulations of life, praising God doesn’t often seem like an option. Sometimes we feel that He’s let us down, not with us as He promised, and praise is just so hard to come by in those trying times. But yuh know what; it’s in those trying times that we need praise the most, because it lifts our spirits and brings us back into our sturdy and faithful relationship with God. We acknowledge that His thoughts and ways are higher than ours (Is. 55:8-9) and thus He knows best and has good reason(s) for allowing whatever hardship has come against us.
Most of the time, we don’t or won’t understand it, but by faith we must acknowledge that He is working everything out for our good, otherwise we will just get ourselves tied up in knots of resentment, anger, worry and self-centredness. And no, it’s not easy walking with and working for Christ. That’s one of the first things we ought to learn as believers. Following Christ was never, and will never be a Sunday evening stroll in the park. By it’s very nature, it’s a tough row to hoe, as Jesus indicated when He set out this definition of discipleship. ‘If any man will (desires to) come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow me.’ (Luke 9:23)
Now that certainly doesn’t evoke or bring to mind any Sunday evening strolls in the park. No! It’s all about sacrifices and DAILY taking up our crosses and walking in whatever direction Jesus chooses for us. And in all of our trials and tribulations, there is one thing we must hold on to if we are to survive them; it’s as this scripture from 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)
And that’s where the power and strength of our faith comes in. If we truly believe that God will fulfill all of His promises, in His own time, then we won’t’ be as worried and dismayed as if we don’t believe it. And right there is where we separate the sheep from the goats; those who sincerely believe and thus can withstand the tough circumstances, and those who’s faith is still too small to handle them. The real crux of the problem though is that it takes time and experience to build strong faith. Faith doesn’t just come overnight, so we will only grow spiritually when we go through the trials in our lives.
Now, in the poem we also ask God to do a new thing in us with water in the wilderness and streams in the desert. But haven’t you heard, don’t you know that the Lord promised that very thing a long time ago. Listen as Isaiah tells us about it. ‘Behold, I will do a new thing; now it shall spring forth; shall ye not know it? I will even make a way in the wilderness, and rivers in the desert.’ (Is. 43:19) And that is exactly what the Lord did as He carried the children through the wilderness to the Promised Land.
The problem though is they did not appreciate His goodness and mercy and subsequently rebelled, then had to pay a high price in the consequences of said rebellion. The same goes for us today; we want everything quickly, but God does not move quickly unless it’s absolutely necessary. And that’s something we very badly need to learn. Nothing’s wrong in calling out for help, but when the Lord doesn’t answer right away we ought not lose faith, for in His mind there’s a good reason for not moving quickly. And remember we already said that His mind and ways are higher than ours, so we must learn to wait in faith.
And the new thing the Lord does begins when we come to salvation. As Bruh Paul writes: ‘Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature (creation): old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new.’ (2 Cor. 5:17) Yes friends, when we come to Christ, we are completely changed into a new person with Christ-like behaviour and urges. We forget about, give up our past lives, all for the new one that Jesus gives. And as the Bible Promise for our poem today tells us: ‘Then shall the virgin rejoice in the dance, both young men and old together: for I will turn their mourning into joy, and will comfort them, and make them rejoice from their sorrow.’ (Jer. 31:13)
Yes my people, that’s what the Lord will do for us, but we have to do like Bruh David says in Psalm 27: ‘Wait (in faith) on the Lord: be of good courage, and he shall strengthen thine heart: wait(in faith), I say, on the Lord.’ (Ps. 27:17) Now that’s not always easy to do, but until we learn to do it, we will constantly be beset by numerous fears and worries that will substantially limit our faith. Now let’s go home declaring (chuh man!) our Tuesday Mantra, letting all and sundry know to whom we belong lock stock and barrel.
As one strong and sincere voice: ‘In God’s eyes, I’m not what I do. I’m not what I have. I’m not what people say about me. I am the beloved of God, that’s who I am. No one can take that from me. I don’t have to worry. I don’t have to hurry. I can trust my friend Jesus and share His LOVE with my immediate neighbours, as well as with the whole wide world! Glory be!’
And having said that, we are now bound to go out and share the amazing LOVE and friendship of Christ with others, so that they too can come to know and LOVE Him like we do! Much LOVE!
…waiting on God’s timing…is probably the most difficult thing for Believers to do…
Hear our podcast at https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/randy-obrien
09 Sep 2025
by randyobrien50
in Christian Thoughts and Inspiration., Daily Devotion, Daily Inspiration, Inspirational Living, Spiritual Living
Tags: a confident and dependent trust in God, a warm welcome, Abraham's faith, abundant redemption, accepted in God's sight, be gracious unto you, be of good courage, being not weak in faith, blessed are all they that wait for him, challenges, considered not his own body dead, convinced that God could keep His promises, delivered for our offences, faith, faith has a purpose, faith must have a valid content, faith must have a valid object, faith produces works, giving God the glory, have mercy upon you, he shall strengthen thine heart, holy spirit, hope and quietly wait for the salvation of the Lord, hurry, I wait for the Lord, if God spares life, if we beleive on him that raised Jesus from the dead, imputed to him for righteousness, in god's eyes, in his word I do hope, it is good that a man, Jesus Christ, Jesus' righteousness is available to all, let Israel hope in the Lord, lock stock and barrel, LOVE, mercy, more than they that watch for the morning, my soul doth wait, my soul waiteth for the Lord, no element of uncertainty, not written for his sake alone, plenteous redemption, proble, raised again for our justification, recued us from the throes of sin and death, redeem Israel from all his iniquities, salvation, share His love with my neighbours, strong in faith, the beloved of God, the deadness of Sarah's womb, the difficulty of waiting on God, the father of many nations, the Lord is a God of justice, the Lord is good unto them that wait for him, therefore will the Lord wait, to the soul that seeketh him, to whom it shall be imputed, trust my friend Jesus, truth, Tuesday Mantra, wait in faith on the Lord, waiting, waiting on God is not easy but it's wise, wavered not at God's promise through unbelief, who against hope believed in hope, with the Lord there is mercy, worry
Lamentations 3:25. The Lord is good unto them that wait for him, to the soul that seeketh him.
A warm welcome to Tuesday, a sunny and fairly warm day, when all the stress and frustrations of Monday have been washed clean from the slate of life, and we’re only dealing with Tuesday and its problems and challenges! Wow! What a nice Bruh Paulean sentence! (smile) At least I am like Bruh Paul in one respect, I can write long and convoluted sentences.
Anyway, it’s another great day on God’s Planet Earth, so let’s enjoy it the best we can, which includes contemplating a couple of interesting verses from the Lamentations of Jeremiah. They come from that famous chapter 23, and say: ‘The Lord is good unto them that wait for him, to the soul that seeketh him. It is good that a man should both hope and quietly wait for the salvation of the Lord.’ (Lam. 3:25-26) And those verses are ever so true and resonate with a sense of the difficulty we all have of waiting patiently and earnestly on God.
It’s like the prophet Isaiah wrote re God’s graciousness and mercy in spite of Israel’s rebelliousness. ‘And therefore will the Lord wait, that he may be gracious unto you, and therefore will he be exalted, that he may have mercy upon you: for the Lord is a God of judgement (justice): blessed are all they that wait for him.’ (Is. 30:18) And the scholars offer this explanation. ‘Because God is gracious and has been willing to wait for His people to return to Him, He will certainly bless those who wait for him. “Waiting” is a confident and dependent trust in God.’
And there are many verses in scripture that talk about waiting on God, though it’s not always easy to do. So let’s examine a couple more nuh, like this passage from Psalm 130 which says: ‘I wait for the Lord, my soul doth wait, and in his word do I hope. My soul waiteth for the Lord more that they that watch for the morning: I say, more than they that watch for the morning. Let Israel hope in the Lord: for with the Lord there is mercy (LOVING-KINDNESS), and with him is plenteous (abundant) redemption. And he shall redeem Israel from all his iniquities.’ (Ps. 130:5-8)
Oh friends, that’s how we ought to hope, trust, have faith and wait in the Lord, for He’s promised us oodles of blessings if we wait on Him. And there’s no better example of patiently waiting, especially when there seemed to be no hope, than Abraham and God’s promise of a son from his own loins and thus becoming the father of many nations. It’s as Bruh Paul writes to the Romans re Abraham’s faith.
‘Who against (contrary to) hope believed in hope, that he might become the father of many nations, according to that which was spoken, So shall thy seed be. And being not weak in faith, he considered not his own body now dead, when he was about an hundred years old, neither yet the deadness of Sarah’s womb: he staggered (wavered) not at the promise of God through unbelief; but was strong (strengthened) in faith, giving God the glory. And being fully persuaded (convinced) that, what he had promised, he was also able to perform. And therefore it was imputed to him for righteousness.’ (Rom. 4:18-22)
Ah mih people, how many of us would have waited 25 years for God’s promise of a son eh, especially when the man was a hundred years old and the woman ninety? Not many of us. But Abraham believed that God was able to do what He promised, and thus waited patiently for it. And because of that strong faith and waiting ability, he was considered righteous. And you surely need a lot of faith to wait so long for something that went against the laws of nature.
And the scholars offer some interesting insights into those verses. ‘There are five essential characteristics of faith. (1) Faith must have a valid content. Paul quotes Gen. 17:5 (the promise to be the father of many nations); the content of Abraham’s faith was valid because that content was the revelation of God. (2) Faith must have a valid object. The object of Abraham’s faith was God, the giver of the revelation.
(3) Faith is contrary to hope and yet rests upon hope. This is a hope in which there is no element of uncertainty (vs. 18a). (4) Faith has a purpose. The purpose of Abraham’s faith was that he might become the father of many nations, realizing the promises given him in the Abrahamic covenant (cf. Gen. 12:1-3; vs. 18b). (5) Faith produces works. Abraham’s faith conditioned the way he lived. He staggered not (did not doubt) God’s promises.’
And these next verses are also very important. Bruh Paul writes: ‘Now it was not written for his sake alone, that it was imputed to him; But for us also, to whom it shall be imputed, if we believe on him that raised up Jesus our Lord from the dead; Who was delivered for (because of) our offences, and was raised again for (because of) our justification.’ (Rom. 4:23-25) Yes friends, Abraham’s testimony was also an example for us, to encourage us to believe in God, the Father who rescued us from the throes of sin and death by the sacrificing His Son Jesus Christ.
And here are some explanations from the scholars. ‘But for us also: The principle of justification valid for Abraham is valid for all believers. Raised again for our justification: Because Jesus was raised from the dead we know that His sacrifice on Calvary was accepted in God’s sight and Jesus’ righteousness is available to all.’
Now, there’s much more to say on the subject of waiting on and hoping in God, but it’s too much for this one session, so, as always, if God spares life, we’ll continue on this topic tomorrow. But here’s this classic scripture to end on: In the words of Bruh David: ‘Wait (in faith) on the Lord: be of good courage, and he shall strengthen thine heart: wait, I say, on the Lord.’ (Ps. 27:14) That’s wise advice my brethren, and with it under our belts, let’s go home now declaring (chuhhh!!!) our Tuesday mantra, letting all and sundry know to whom we belong, lock, stock and barrel.
As one strong and sincere voice: ‘In God’s eyes, I’m not what I do. I’m not what I have. I’m not what people say about me. I am the beloved of God, that’s who I am. No one can take that from me. I don’t have to worry. I don’t have to hurry. I can trust my friend Jesus and share His LOVE with my immediate neighbours, as well as with the whole wide world! Glory be!’
And now it behooves us to go out and share the amazing friendship and LOVE of Christ with others, so that they too can come to know and LOVE Him the way we do! Much LOVE!
…waiting on God is not easy…but it’s ever so wise…
Hear our podcast at https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/randy-obrien
11 Jul 2025
by randyobrien50
in Christian Thoughts and Inspiration., Daily Devotion, Daily Inspiration, Inspirational Living, Spiritual Living
Tags: a comforting reminder, a hot summer's day, a light to lighten the Gentiles, a red letter day, a state, above mine enemies round about me, all the days of my life, all them that looked for redemption in Jerusalem, answer me, be of good courage, be responsible, by the example your faithful believers set, can a woman forget her sucking child, can wake up and smell the coffee, christianity, defeat the simmering unrest in our land, deliver me not unto the will of mine enemies, departed not from the temple, discontent, dissatisfaction, embrace you love and compassion, faith, false witnesses are risen up against me, fateful words of Simeon, gave thanks likewise to God, give thanks to god, God promises to never abandon of forget those who trust in Him, God's steadfast love, God's timing is not our own, have mercy also upon me, he shall hide me in his pavilion, he shall strengthen thine heart, hear O Lord, hide not thy face far from me, holy spirit, I had fainted, I will dwell in the house of the Lord for ever, in the presence of mine enemies, in the secret of his tabernacle, in the time of trouble, in these ungodly times, in times of difficulty, introduce a new flock of believers, Jesus Christ, lead me in a plain path, leave me not, led by the Holy Spirit, LOVE, mercy, my cup runneth over, my heart said unto thee, my heart shall not fear, neither forsake me, night and day, not have compassion on the son of her womb, now shall mine head be lifted up, O God of my salvation, offer in his tabernacle, offered up his trust and confidence in God, omnipotent help, one thing I have desired of the Lord, our sinful world, our witness for Christ leaves a lot to be desired, perceived abandonment, petition for deliverance from his enemies, problems escalating, put not thy servant away in anger, return backsliders to your fold, sacrifices of joy, salvation, served God with fastings and prayers, set me upon a rock, show them the error of their ways, sing praises unto the Lord, stand on the faithful promises of God, stand strong and steadfast, stay safe, such as breathe out cruelty, surely goodness and mercy shall follow me, Teach me thy way O Lord, TGIF! Thank God it's Friday!, that I may dwell in the house of the Lord, the BIBLE, the glory of thy people Israel, the lord will take me up, the prophetess Anna, they may forget yet will I not forget thee, thou anointest my head with oil, thou hast been my help, thou preparest a table before me, thy face Lord will I seek, to behold the beauty of the Lord, to bring revelation to the Gentiles, to enquire in his temple, to see the goodness of God in the land of the living, truth, unexpected storms, unless I had believed, unwavering love, wait in faith I say on the Lord, wait in faith on the Lord, wait on God's timing, when I cry with my voice, when my mother and father forsake me, when you said seek my face, wisdom, wise guidance
Psalm 27:14. Wait (in faith) on the Lord: be of good courage, and he shall strengthen thine heart: wait (in faith), I say, on the Lord.
At long last it’s that most welcome day we call Friday! And the shouts of ‘TGIF! Thank God it’s Friday!’ have most assuredly being raised to high heaven from all over God’s great universe. And it’s a good day to give thanks to Almighty God, as we’re alive to see this partly sunny but hot summer’s day, with temperatures in the high twenties.
Now, today I want to keep looking at Psalm 27, that marvellous psalm of encouragement titled ‘My Heart Shall Not Fear.’ So, let’s continue from verse 4, where Bruh David continues to express his complete confidence and trust in God.. He writes: ‘One thing have I desired of the Lord, that I will seek after; that I may dwell in the house of the Lord all the days of my life, to behold the beauty (delightfulness) of the Lord, and to enquire in his temple.’ (Ps.27:4)
That reminds us of the red letter day in Christ’s life, when His parents brought him to the temple to be presented to the Lord. First, there was this older devout gentleman, Simeon, that hung around the temple, who had been promised life until he saw the Lord’s Christ. He was led by the Holy Spirit to the temple that day, and beheld Jesus, took him in his arms and blessed the Lord and spoke glowingly of Jesus being ‘A light to lighten (bring revelation to) the Gentiles, and the glory of thy people Isreal.’ (Luke 2:32).
Then there was the prophetess Anna, a widow of about eighty four years, ‘which departed not from the temple, but served God with fastings and prayers night and day. And she coming in that instant gave thanks likewise unto the Lord, and spake of him to all them that looked for redemption in Jerusalem.’ (Luke 2:37-38) Yes, there is something to be said for hanging around the Lord’s temple; you can experience His delightfulness and enquire about your life. (smile)
As Bruh David continues: ‘For in the time of trouble he shall hide me in his pavilion: in the secret of his tabernacle shall he hide me; he shall set me upon a rock. And now shall mine head be lifted up (in honour) above mine enemies round about me: therefore will I offer in his tabernacles sacrifices of joy; I will sing, yea, I will sing praises unto the Lord.’ (Ps. 27:5-6)
And having offered up his trust and confidence in God, Bruh David then presents his petition for deliverance from his enemies. ‘Hear, O Lord, when I cry with my voice: have mercy also upon me, and answer me. when thou saidst, Seek ye my face; my heart said unto thee, Thy face, Lord, will I seek. Hide not thy face far from me; put (turn) not thy servant away in anger: thou hast been my help; leave me not, neither forsake me, O God of my salvation.
When my mother and father forsake me, then the Lord will take me up (take care of me). Teach me thy way, O Lord, and lead me in a plain (smooth) path, because of mine enemies. Deliver me not over unto the will of mine enemies: or false witnesses are risen up against me, and such as breathe out cruelty (violence).’ (Ps. 27:7-12)
Oh my people, Bruh David opened up his heart to the Lord for assurance of His help. And there are certain promises of God for all that’s been asked.. He will protect His LOVED ones from the enemy. As Bruh David writes in Psalm 23: ‘Thou preparest a table before me in the presence of mine enemies: thou anointest my head with oil; my cup runneth over. Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life: and I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever.’ (Ps. 23:5-6)
And as per forsaking us, hear this amazing promise from the writings of the prophet Isaiah. ‘Can a woman forget her sucking (nursing) child, that she should not have (and not have) compassion on the son of her womb? Yea, they may forget, yet will I not forget thee.’ (Is. 49:15) Yes friends, as this commentary tells us, ‘That’s a powerful statement of unwavering LOVE and commitment, This verse emphasizes God’s promise to never abandon or forget those who trust in Him, even if a parent were to forget their child, which is considered a near impossibility. The verse is a comforting reminder of God’s steadfast LOVE and presence in times of difficulty and perceived abandonment.’
How much more reassurance do we need eh? Hopefully none. But as is Bruh David’s won’t, the scholars say: ‘Finally, he returns full-circle to the trust previously stated as the only proper attitude of one who must now wait for God to act.’ He therefore writes: ‘I had fainted, unless I had believed to see the goodness of the Lord in the land of the living. Wait (in faith) on the Lord: be of good courage, and he shall strengthen thine heart: wait (in faith), I say, on the Lord.’ (Ps. 27:13-14)
And there’s the whole crux of the matter my brethren; waiting on God in faith after we have offered up our prayers and petitions. It’s where many of us get lost, by not realizing that God’s timing is very seldom our own, and we must wait until He judges it the right time to give us whatever was ask for. Now, let’s go to the throne of grace, through our Friday Chant, seeking divine help in these terrible times.
Altogether: ‘Oh Lord, thanks for getting me safely through this past week. You know it’s been rough… because our many serious problems are escalating instead of improving. And it’s obvious we can’t fix them on our own, so Lord, we’re desperately crying out for your help. Oh heavenly Father, with your omnipotent help, and our trusting faith, we know that we can stand strong and steadfast and defeat the simmering unrest in our land. We therefore ask you Lord to give our leaders the wise guidance to handle these unexpected storms properly. And please help the rest of us to be responsible and to stay safe amidst all the anxiety and confusion of these ungodly times.
We fervently pray too Lord that you’ll use the discontent and dissatisfaction in our land as a means of restoring faith in you. Return backsliders to your fold. Show them the error of their ways. And please introduce a new flock of believers, who will embrace your LOVE and compassion by the example, we, your faithful believers set. So that our sinful world can wake up and smell the coffee, wake up and smell it sweet and strong! We pray this in the name of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ! Amen!’
And despite all our gushing words, we all know that our witness for Christ, leaves a lot to be desired, so let’s try and do better nuh. Much LOVE!
…it pays to stand on the faithful promises of God…and wait on His wise timing…
Hear our podcast at https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/randy-obrien
27 May 2025
by randyobrien50
in Christian Thoughts and Inspiration., Daily Devotion, Daily Inspiration, Inspirational Living, Spiritual Living
Tags: asking for intervention, at the top of our game, await your blessings, be of good courage, becoming Christ-like, besieged by doubts, beyond repair, chaos in our world, come to know and love him like we do, count your blessings, craving speed, duty bound, faith, false wisdom, give thanks always, God always answers, God is our main source of hope, God wipes away all tears from our eyes, greed, he shall direct your paths, he shall strengthen your heart, he will save us, holy spirit, hurry, I put my hope in you, impatience, impatient society, in all thy ways acknowledge him, in god's eyes, in Jesus' name, in need of a miracle, in need of restoration, In Touch Devotional Magazine, Jesus Christ, lacking in common sense, lean not unto thine own understanding, leaning on you is all I know to do, LOVE, mercy, negative things, no more crying, no more death, no more pain, no more sorrow, our guiding light, power-hunger, risky to ask for your help, salvation, Satan's playbook, self-aggrandizement, selfishness, share His love with my neighbours, share the Love and friendship of Christ, speed kills, spiritual growth, the beloved of God, the former things are passed away, the Master Planner, the Millennial kingdom, things in my life, this is our God we have waited for him, times of uncertainty, trials and tribulations, Trust in the Lord with all thine heart, trust my friend Jesuss, truth, Tuesday Mantra, turn to Christ in times of uncertainty, wait I say on the Lord, wait in faith on the Lord, we will be glad and rejoice in his salvation, what if you don't answer, whatever the outcome, wisdom, worry, you'll be with me
Proverbs 3:5. Trust in the Lord with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding.
Oh, it’s a good looking Tuesday, sunshiny and bright! And they say the temps will be in the high teens, if not higher, so let’s give thanks for the good weather, life and LOVE and all the other wonderful things we enjoy in this blessed land! Yes, though life might be somewhat on the rough side, it’s always to our benefit to give thanks, as we said on Sunday when we sang the hymn, Count Your Blessings, because, if we do that, we’ll find that our blessings outweigh our troubles…every time. And to help us do that, here’s this interesting prayer from the In Touch Devotional Magazine for May.
Please pray with me. ‘Lord, things in my life feel beyond repair, in need of a miracle. Yet it feels risky to ask for Your help. What if You don’t answer? But leaning on You is all I know to do. So here I am, God, in need of restoration. Here I am, asking for intervention, knowing, whatever the outcome, You’ll be with me. I put my hope in You and await your blessings. In Jesus’ name. Amen!’
Ah friends, that prayer says a whole lot, gets right down to the nitty gritty of the problem. We need help, but we’re not sure what to do. God is supposed to be our main source of hope, but we’re afraid that He might not answer our cries for help. However, our hope and trust in Him does win out in the long run. And that’s just the way it ought to be my faithful brethren. We all have troubles, and are ofttimes besieged by doubts, but if we claim that Jesus Christ is our Lord and Savior, then He’s the One we should always turn to in times of uncertainty.
And as per that comment that we’re afraid God might not answer our petitions, that’s never true. For God always answers; sometimes He may say yes, sometimes wait, and sometimes no. But there’s always an answer. We might not like it, but it’s usually in our best interest. And I like the line that says; ‘But leaning on You is all I know how to do.’ And so it should be, if we follow Cousin Sol’s directive in Proverbs. ‘Trust in the Lord with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding. In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct (make straight or smooth) thy paths.’ (Prov. 3:5-6)
Yes my people, when we make that our guiding light, then there’s nothing else we’ll know how to do, except turn to God! And that’s exactly what our wonderful God desires of us; turning to Him, in every situation and circumstance. And I know sometimes that’s hard to do, because we believe we have all the answers to the situation, but it’s never wrong or foolish to run them by our Creator before we try to put them into action, for He’s the One that knows all, sees all and has all power. So who better to turn to than Him eh?
But with our impatience and false wisdom we feel we know it all, so we move on with our plans without running them by the Master Planner, perhaps afraid that He might give us a negative decision, when we’re so sure that what we want to do is right. Or He might just hold us up for too long … until the opportunity disappears. But that might be His way of telling us it’s not a good decision, or it’s not the right time. And I can tell you from hard experience, that it’s always best to consult with the Lord before you make any important moves or decisions, for He will never lead you astray, and yes, sometimes He might tell you to wait, but He knows best.
For as Bruh David, from personal experience so wisely advises in Psalm 27: ‘Wait (in faith) on the Lord: be of good courage, and he shall strengthen thine heart: wait (in faith), I say on the Lord.’ (Ps. 27:14) Oh my brethren, that is such wonderful advice, although we so often ignore it, much to our detriment. Yuh think Bruh David would ever have become king of Israel, although he had been anointed for it, had he not patiently gone through the trials and tribulations that befell him after the anointing. No way! That was a learning and testing and waiting period. And in our spiritual growth, in becoming Christ,-like, we will all encounter such periods.
And the prophet Isaiah makes a glorious statement on the subject when speaking about death being swallowed up in victory. ‘And it shall be said in that day (the beginning of the millennial kingdom), Lo, this is our God; we have waited for him, and he will save us: this is the Lord, we have waited for him, we will be glad and rejoice in his salvation.’ (Is. 25:9) Now that’s true waiting! So, if we can’t wait for a little time for Him to deal with our small earthly problems, how will we ever be able to wait for the big day eh? That day when God wipes away all tears from our eyes, with no more death, neither sorrow, nor crying, nor pain, for all the former things are passed away. (Rev. 21:4)
Ah mih people, we have to learn to wait. Unfortunately though, our current society is filled with impatience, and requires speed in everything, but the truth is that speed can be very inefficient, and speed also kills, as we can testify by the numerous speeding deaths we have on our roadways. But sadly that doesn’t stop us from craving speed, from crying out for it, and also dying from it. How foolish and lacking in common sense we’ve recently become, although we claim to have so much wisdom, to be at the top of our game.
But just look around at the chaos and disaster that typifies our world, and then tell me if that’s the product of wisdom. That isn’t even man’s wisdom, much less God’s! That’s only selfishness, greed, power-hunger, self-aggrandizement and all the negative things that come from Satan’s playbook. And, very unwisely, too many of us believers are following those bad plays, that’s why our world is getting worse and worse every day. But we desperately need to stop it from sliding right down into the quagmire of Satan’s desire.
So please, let’s stand up like the strong, wise and courageous disciples of Jesus that we are nuh, and begin fighting back and turning things around in Jesus’ name. That’s our purpose and destiny! And for those of us who are already trying to do that, let’s go home declaring our Tuesday Mantra, letting the whole world know to whom we belong, lock, stock and barrel. As one strong and sincere voice: ‘In God’s eyes, I’m not what I do. I’m not what I have. I’m not what people say about me. I am the beloved of God, that’s who I am. No one can take that from me. I don’t have to worry. I don’t have to hurry. I can trust my friend Jesus and share His LOVE with my immediate neighbours, as well as with the whole wide world! Glory be!’
And having made that declaration, we are now duty bound to go out and share the amazing LOVE and friendship of Christ with others, so that they too can come to know and LOVE Him like we do! Much LOVE!
…leaning on God…and waiting in faith on Him…are two of the wisest decisions we can ever make…
Hear our podcast at https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/randy-obrien
09 May 2025
by randyobrien50
in Christian Thoughts and Inspiration., Daily Devotion, Daily Inspiration, Inspirational Living, Spiritual Living
Tags: a means of restoring faith in you, a new flock of believers, backsliders, be of good courage, both hope and wait quietly, by the example your faithful believers set, Christian witness, christianity, Christians, divine help, error of their ways, faced with challenges, faith, for the salvation of the Lord, Friday chant, gospel truth, great grief of soul, he shall strengthen your heart, holy spirit, I am vile, I had fainted, I will hope in him, in times of difficulty, it is good, it is good for me to draw near to God, it is good that a man, Jesus Christ, lay my hand upon my mouth, lean on God in total confidence, LOVE, mercy, Mother's Day weekend, my flesh and my heart faileth, omnipotent help, our sinful world can wake up, perfect peace, persevere in one's faith, problems escalating, put my trust in the Lord God, resilience, salvation, shalom, smell the coffee, stand strong and steadfast, TGIF! Thank God is Friday, the BIBLE, the Lord God Jehovah, the Lord is my portion saith my soul, the object of Faith, the simmering unrest, the throne of grace, thou will keep him in perfect peace, to see the goodness of God in the land of the living, true courage comes from relying on God, trust in the Lord for ever, trusting faith, truth, unless I had believed, wait in faith on the Lord, waiting for Christ is action oriented, whose mind is stayed on thee, wisdom
Lamentations 3:26. It is good that a man should both hope and quietly wait for the salvation of the Lord.
And it’s a bright, sunshiny Friday, though only about 12 degrees Celsius, but that didn’t stop all the ‘Thank God it’s Friday and the weekend is here!’ shouts from rising to heaven. Now, everybody’s excited about this weekend, especially the merchants, because this is another celebratory occasion on which we spend big bucks. Yes friends, this is the Mother’s Day weekend, so you know all the attention will be on Mom, and she will be showered with flowers, cards, and all kind of other gifts, to celebrate this her special Day.
But unfortunately, the rest of the year we don’t seem to appreciate, or even remember her as much. How hollow and ungrateful is that eh? Forgetting, or not paying sufficient attention to the one who spent nine long months carrying you in their womb, much to their own pain and discomfort, then bore the maddening pain of childbirth, suckling you at her tender breast, then enduring the even more maddening years of raising you to be the godly person you are today. Please, let’s not only remember our Mothers on this one day of the year, but every single day, because what she did for us was a God-given task, that no one else could ever do for us. End of Sermon! (smile)
Today, the Good Library opened unto the Book of Lamentations, to some interesting and important scriptures that the prophet Jeremiah wrote in his time of sadness and despondency. Although he was going through a rough time seeing Jerusalem destroyed and his own imprisonment, yet when he sat and thought about it all, he was still able to come up with these most encouraging and true words. ‘The Lord is my portion, saith my soul; therefore will I hope in him. The Lord is good unto them that wait for him, to the soul that seeketh him. It is good that a man should both hope and quietly wait for the salvation of the Lord.’ (Lam. 3:24-26)
And all that’s the gospel truth my people, as corroborated by many other people of God who while going through their own trials and tribulations still adhered to and extolled the hope and faithfulness found in Almighty God. And the scholars agree when they say, ‘Jeremiah’s observation resembles those of other saints who have experienced great grief of soul.’ And we have some great examples like this one from Job, who having first challenged God, then the Lord turned the tide and asked him,
‘Shall he that contendeth with the Almighty instruct him? he that reproveth (rebukes) God, let him answer it. Then Job answered the Lord, and said, ‘Behold, I am vile; what shall I answer thee? I will lay mine hand upon my mouth. Once have I spoken; but I will not answer: yea, twice; but I will proceed no further.’ (Job 40:2-5) And as the scholars inform us. ‘Job’s reply is one of humble submission in the face of an omnipotent and omniscient God.’ Oh, how I hope and pray that many more of us would come to such a wise conclusion and be so humble before our Creator and heavenly Father!
And we all know of Isaiah’s famous encouraging words. ‘Thou wilt keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on thee: because he trusteth in thee. Trust ye in the Lord for ever: for in the Lord JEHOVAH (Yahweh) is everlasting strength (the Rock of Ages).’ (Is. 26:3-4) And the scholars explain all of that thus: ‘Israel is promised perfect peace (shalom, shalom). This emphatic expression indicates a peace that goes beyond human comprehension (cf. Phil. 4:7). To have one’s mind…stayed means to lean on God in total confidence and security. Trust is the ultimate expression of that confidence. Notice that the object of one’s faith is as important as the act of trust. Here the object of faith is the Lord JEHOVAH.’
Then we have these very humbling words of the psalmist Asaph, after understanding that being worried about the prosperity of the wicked is not worth it. At the end of Psalm 73, he writes: ‘Whom have I in heaven but thee? and there is none upon earth that I desire beside thee. My flesh and my heart faileth: but God is the strength (rock) of my heart, and my portion for ever. For, lo, they that are far from thee shall perish: thou hast destroyed all them that go a whoring from thee (that are unfaithful to thee). But it is good for me to draw near to God: I have put my trust in the Lord God, that I may declare all thy works.’ (Ps. 73:25-28)
Truer words were never spoken my people. But we cannot talk about waiting and trusting in God without these most poignant verses of Bruh David’s from psalm 27: ‘I had fainted, unless I had believed to see the goodness of God in the land of the living. Wait (in faith) on the Lord: be of good courage, and he shall strengthen thine heart: wait, I say, on the Lord.’ (Ps. 27:13-14) And this commentary breaks down the phrase ‘wait on the Lord’ for us. As per the ‘Meaning of “wait on the Lord”: This phrase doesn’t imply idle waiting. It signifies a state of expectancy, seeking, and relying on God’s guidance and provision. It’s a posture of faith and trust in His promises.
As per Courage and Strength: The verse emphasizes that while believers wait on the Lord, they should also be of good courage. God promises to strengthen their hearts, providing them with resilience and strength in times of difficulty. And as per Relevance for believers: The phrase encourages believers to persevere in their faith, even when faced with challenges. It reminds them that true strength and courage come from relying on God, not from their own abilities.’
And having heard all of that encouraging scripture, let’s go to the throne of grace, through our Friday Chant, to find divine aid in these most difficult times. Altogether now: ‘Oh Lord, thanks for getting me safely through this past week. You know it’s been rough… because our many serious problems are escalating instead of improving. And it’s obvious we can’t fix them on our own, so Lord, we’re desperately crying out for your help. Oh heavenly Father, with your omnipotent help, and our trusting faith, we know that we can stand strong and steadfast and defeat the simmering unrest in our land.
We therefore ask you Lord to give our leaders the wise guidance to handle these unexpected storms properly. And please help the rest of us to be responsible and to stay safe amidst all the anxiety and confusion of these ungodly times. We fervently pray too Lord that you’ll use the discontent and dissatisfaction in our land as a means of restoring faith in you. Return backsliders to your fold. Show them the error of their ways. And please introduce a new flock of believers, who will embrace your LOVE and compassion by the example, we, your faithful believers set. So that our sinful world can wake up and smell the coffee, wake up and smell it sweet and strong! We pray this in the name of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ! Amen!’
And friends, having offered up that prayer for divine help, we now need to improve our faithfulness as believers in Christ, because we all know that our Christian witness is not as good as it ought to be, otherwise our world would not be in such chaos. Much LOVE!
…waiting for Christ is not a passive situation…but an active one…
Hear our podcast at https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/randy-obrien
25 Jul 2024
by randyobrien50
in Christian Thoughts and Inspiration., Daily Devotion, Daily Inspiration, Inspirational Living, Spiritual Living
Tags: adversity, be of good courage, Bible, Blessed be the name of the Lord, count it all joy, creativity, curse, curse God and die, enduring to the end, faith, favour, fret not because of him who prospers, fret not thyself, fruit of the Spirit, god, He also shall be my salvation, he shall strengthen thine heart, he who endures to the end shall be saved, health, in your patience posses ye your souls, Jesus, Jesus Christ, Job prayed for his friends, longsuffering, LOVE, naked came I out of my mother's womg, naked shall I return thither, negative word, one who lives by faith and not by sight, pateince is bitter but its fruit is sweet, patience, perseverance, Rest in the Lord, shall we not receive evil, shall we receive good at the hand of God, talent, the drudgery of work, the Lord blessed the latter end of Job more than his beginning, The Lord gave and He hath taken away, Though he slay me, to lose patience is to lose the battle, trials produce patience, trials test our faith, tribulation worketh patience, truth, unquenchable faith, wait in faith on the Lord, wait patiently for him, yet will I trust him
Luke 21:19. In your patience possess ye your souls.
It’s Thursday friends! One more day to Friday, our day of escape from the drudgery of work! (smile) And though work might not be to our liking, let’s realize its utmost importance in our lives, for remember, if we don’t work, most likely we won’t eat. Nuff said. Now, let’s fulfill our promise of a couple of days ago to continue looking into that magnificent, but oh so hard to cultivate, fruit of the Spirit called patience.
The last time we saw how James talked about counting it all joy when we fall into various trials, because those trials test our faith and produce patience. (James 1:2-3) And that’s the cut-tail thing about patience, it can only grow through adversity, through disappointments and such. Because patience is not only waiting for whatever we expect, but also waiting with a good temperament and behaviour.
That’s why Bruh David says in Psalm 27: ‘Wait (in faith) on the Lord: be of good courage, and he shall strengthen thine heart: wait, I say on the Lord.’ (Ps. 27:14) And again in Psalm 35, he advises: ‘Rest in the Lord, and wait patiently for him: fret not thyself because of him who prospereth in his way, because of the man who bringeth wicked devices (schemes) to pass.’ (Ps. 35:7)
But what does it mean to wait on the Lord? This commentary puts it quite simply. ‘In the scriptures, the word wait means to hope, to anticipate, and to trust. To hope and trust in the Lord requires faith, patience, humility, meekness, long-suffering, keeping the commandments, and enduring to the end.’ Yes friends, we need all of those things to be able to acquire that elusive attribute overall called patience. And we cannot grow in spiritual maturity without it. and no, it’s not easy to acquire, but it’s an essential part of true discipleship.
Look at the story of Job, where the Lord allowed Satan to come against him. He was a righteous man and had not done any apparent wrong, but yet, in short time he lost everything; health, wealth, children. And when he heard the terrible news, what was his response? The Bible tells us: ‘Then Job arose, and rent (tore) his mantle (robe), and shaved his head, and fell down on the ground, and worshipped. And said, Naked came I out of my mother’s womb, and naked shall I return thither: the Lord gave, and the Lord hath taken away; blessed be the name of the Lord. In all this Job sinned not, nor charged God foolishly (accused Him with wrong).’ (Job. 1:20-22)
Now, how many of us would have had that reaction to such a terrible loss? Very few, if any. But that was Job’s reaction. Then his wife said to him: ‘dost thou still retain thine integrity? curse God and die. But he said unto her, Thou speakest as one of the foolish women speaketh. What? shall we receive (accept) good at the hand of God, and shall we not receive (accept) evil? In all this did not Job sin with his lips.’ (Job 2:9-10)
And when three of Job’s supposed friends showed up to ostensibly comfort him, all they could think of and harp on was that Job had committed some big sin, that’s why such disaster had befallen him. And although he kept telling them he had committed no terrible sin, they still lectured him as though he had. Fine friends those. But here’s the very essence of Job’s faith. Despite his disaster, he could still declare: ‘Though he slay me, yet will I trust him: but I will maintain (defend) mine own ways before him. he also shall be my salvation: for an hypocrite shall not come before him.’ (Job 13:15-16)
Oh my fellow believers, what faith! As the scholars say; Job’s words ‘express the unquenchable faith of one who lives by faith, not by sight. Even when it appears that God Himself has turned against Job, he will still trust God.’ Now that’s the kind of faith we all need to have in these evil times if we desire to make a difference, to be the salt and light that Jesus desires us to be. Unfortunately though few of us have it…and even fewer want to develop it, because it takes sacrifice and adversity.
But look at Job’s final situation. The Bible informs us that when Job prayed for his friends, the Lord gave him twice as much as he had before. (Job 42:10) Also: ‘The Lord blessed the latter end of Job more than his beginning:’ and it goes on to tell of all the wealth and children Job received. (Job 42:12-15) And furthermore: ‘After this lived job an hundred and forty years, and saw his sons, and his sons’ sons, even four generations. So Job died, being old and full of days.’ (Job 42:16-17)
Yes friends, it’s a great story, and it’s why Job is called the Father of Patience. But it’s certainly not an easy story to enact, especially in these times of ease, wealth and much entitlement. However, we do have to do better than we’re currently doing; increasing our patience, and thus our faith, and putting it as best we can into action…right now!
Note too, this commentary on what Jeus taught on patience. ‘Jesus said, “In your patience possess ye your souls” (Luke 21:19). He also emphasized, “He who endures to the end shall be saved” (Matt. 24:13 NKJV). Some things don’t happen overnight, and it takes patience to get there.’ And that’s for certain sure my brethren, as these famous words of Bruh Paul to the church at Rome indicate.
‘Therefore being justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ: By whom also we have access by faith into this grace wherein we stand, and rejoice in hope of the glory of God. And not only so, but we glory in tribulations also: knowing that tribulation worketh patience (produces perseverance); And patience, experience (character); and experience hope: And hope maketh not ashamed (does not disappoint); because the LOVE of God is shed abroad (has been poured out) in our hearts by the Holy Ghost which is given unto us.’ (Rom. 5:1-5)
Yes my people, patience is a difficult thing to acquire, but if we want to be true followers of Christ, we must sincerely seek to acquire it. Now let’s go home declaring (steupsss!!!) our Thursday Blessings so we can activate those blessings that the Lord has very generously bestowed on us to do His earthly work.
As one voice: ‘I declare that I am blessed with God’s supernatural wisdom and receive clear direction for my life! I declare today that I am blessed with creativity, courage, talent and abundance! I am blessed with a strong will, self-control and self-discipline! I am blessed with a great family, good friends, good health, faith, favour and fulfillment!
I am blessed with success, supernatural strength, promotion and divine protection! I am blessed with a compassionate heart and a positive outlook on life! I declare that any curse or negative word that’s ever been spoken over me is broken right now in the name of Jesus! I declare that everything I put my hands to, will prosper and succeed! I declare it today and every day! Amen!’
Now, we’re duty bound to go out and use those blessings on behalf of others, just as generously as the Lord shared them with us! Much LOVE!
… “To lose patience is to lose the battle. —Mahatma Gandhi… “Patience is bitter, but its fruit is sweet.” —Jean-Jacques Rousseau…
Hear our podcast at https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/randy-obrien
11 Jun 2023
by randyobrien50
in Christian Thoughts and Inspiration., Daily Devotion, Daily Inspiration, Inspirational Living, Spiritual Living
Tags: a feeling of love and compassion, a nature that is peace, a pipeline that connects us with His nature, abundance, abundant in goodness and truth, all my days, all my life you have been faithful, an uprightness of heart and life, care for others with a pure spirit, from the moment that I wake up, God's promises, goodness is action, guidance and protection, how great is thy goodness, I had fainted, I love you Lord, i love your voice, I will sing of the goodness of God, I've been held in your hand, in my darkest night, Jenn Johnson, know how to give good gifts, longsuffering, merciful and gracious, oh that men would praise the Lord for His goodness, Praise the Lord, the goodness of God, the Lord God, the week has come full circle, to see the goodness of God in the land of the living, unless I had believed, until I lay my head down, victory, wait in faith on the Lord, we expereince the goodness of God through His word, we partake of His nature, what a joy to know you God, with every breath that I am able, you have led me through the fire, you lead in glory by your Spirit, you were close like no other, you're everything to me, your goodness is running after me, your mercy never fails me
Psalm 27:13. I had fainted unless I had believed to see the goodness of the Lord in the land of the living.
And the week has come full circle; it’s Sunday again, that beautiful day when Christ’s church gathers to give Him much thanks, praise, worship, glory and exaltation! And all Christ’s people said a loud and grateful ‘Praise the Lord!’ And to open today’s proceedings, we’ll blast off with the great favourite of Contemporary Christian Music, ‘The Goodness of God.’
It touched me when I heard it earlier in the week and immediately decided that we would sing it this Sunday. There’s something about it that just touches you. It’s a song of praise to our good and faithful Lord, written by Jenn Johnson, who sings it with the Bethel Church group.
And what is the spiritual meaning of goodness you ask? This commentary tells us: ‘Goodness is action; it’s not something we do only for the sake of being virtuous. When we strive to be “good” only for our own benefit, it is not truly goodness that we possess. In Greek, the word goodness, “agathosune,” means “an uprightness of heart and life”
And how do we experience the goodness of God? This other commentary explains it thus: ‘It’s through the promises of God’s Word that we partake of His nature—a nature that is peace, abundance, healing, victory, guidance and protection. His promises are a pipeline that connects us with His nature. And His promises are exceedingly great and precious (2 Peter 1:3-4).’
But enough talk, let’s offer up our sweet sacrifices of praise in scintillating riddim and glorious voices, in an up-tempo rendition of the song. Singing: ‘I LOVE You Lord Oh Your mercy never fails me And all my days I’ve been held in Your hands From the moment that I wake up Until I lay my head down, Oh I will sing of the goodness of God (Chorus: All my life You have been faithful And All my life You have been so, so good. With every breath that I am able, Oh I will sing of the goodness of God.)
I LOVE your voice. You have led me through the fire. In my darkest night, you were close like no other. I’ve known you as a Father, I’ve known you as a friend, Oh I have lived, in the goodness of God. (Chorus: Yeahhh! And all my life You have been faithful…I will sing of the goodness of God) Yeah, yeah, it’s so good! Your goodness is running after, It’s running after me. Your goodness is running after, it’s running after me. With my life laid down, I’m surrendered now, I give you everything, cause your goodness is running after, It’s running after me.
Oh cause Your goodness is running after, it’s running after me. And All my life You have been faithful And All my life You have been so, so good With every breath that I am able, Oh I’m going to sing, Oh I’m going to sing of the goodness of God. For all my life you have been faithful, all my life you have been so good.
Oh you lead me in glory…ever-faithful, you are my anchor in the wind and the waves… you are my provider…Oh yeah…and you lead me in glory by your spirit…you are my joy…my joy…every day…Oh shepherd of my soul…what a joy to know you…Oh, the joy of knowing you God…you’re everything to me…so wonderful…so wonderful in all your ways…in all your ways. That’s why I will always sing of your goodness Lord…always sing of your goodness Lord.’
Mama oh Mama! What heart-felt words and glorious sentiments! No wonder we want to sing of the goodness of our marvellous God! And the Lord Himself informed of His goodness when He descended in the cloud and stood with Moses on the mountain top, the second time He wrote the Ten Commandments. The Bible tells us: ‘And the Lord passed by before him (Moses), and proclaimed, The Lord, The Lord God, merciful and gracious, longsuffering, and abundant in goodness and truth.’ (Ex. 34:6)
Yes friends, the Lord described Himself to a T. All He said there is the gospel truth, and as such we need to follow His example if we’re to be His true followers. And how do we do that, how do we Christians show the goodness of God? Listen to this commentary: ‘We Choose Kindness. It means to show kindness and goodness to everyone you meet. It means Jesus recognized what we needed before we did. It also means that He wants us to be compassionate and understanding; to care for others with a pure spirit; and to realize that true life only comes through Christ.’
More gospel truth there my faithful brethren: true life only comes through Christ! If you don’t have Him leading and guiding you then you will never ever attain that wonderful feeling of true living. And all through the Good Library, especially in the Psalms, you can find oodles of references to the goodness of our great God. So let’s check out a few for our enlightenment. (smile) Listen to these words from Psalm 107: ‘Oh that men would praise the Lord for his goodness (LOVING-kindness), and for his wonderful works to the children of men. For he satisfieth the longing soul, and filleth the hungry soul with goodness.’ (Ps. 107:8-9)
Then there’s this from Psalm 31, some verses aptly titled ‘God’s Goodness.’ ‘Oh how great is thy goodness, which thou hast laid up for them that fear (reverence) thee; which thou hast wrought for them that trust in thee before the sons of men! Thou shalt hide them in the secret of thy presence (secret place) from the pride (plots) of man: thou shalt keep them secretly in a pavilion (shelter) from the strife of tongues. Blessed be the Lord: for he hath shewed me his marvellous kindness in a strong city.’ (Ps. 31:19-21)
Now what can be better than that eh my people? Only perhaps these words of Bruh David from Psalm 27. ‘I had fainted unless I had believed to see the goodness of the Lord in the land of the living. Wait (in faith) on the Lord: be of good courage, and he shall strengthen thine heart, (wait (in faith), I say, on the Lord.’ (Ps. 27: 13-14)
Ah friends, life would certainly be even more difficult than it already is, if we hadn’t planned on seeing the goodness of God down here. And we’ll end with some words of Jesus on the subject, when He made those famous statements about asking and receiving, (Matt:7:7-12) amongst them this one: ‘If ye then, being evil, know how to give good gifts unto your children, how much more shall your Father which is in heaven give good things to them that ask him?’ (Matt. 7:11) Now that’s a question on which we need to spend some pondering time today, so that we can get it right. Much LOVE!
…God’s goodness stems from…His great LOVE for us…
Hear our podcast at https://open.spotify.com/show/3aVfqIC1CqwGybISs9dZ
23 Jun 2022
by randyobrien50
in Christian Thoughts and Inspiration., Daily Devotion, Daily Inspiration, Inspirational Living, Spiritual Living
Tags: a man's heart plans his way, all the ways of man are clean in his own eyes, cease from anger forsake wrath, Commit thy way to the Lord, courage, creativity, curse, delight thyself also in the Lord, evildoers shall be cut off, faith, favour, Fret not thyself over evildoers, he shall give thee the desires of thine heart, leaving me behind, LOVE, negative word, rest in the Lord wait patiently for Him, self-control, the answer of the tongue, the creator's elixir, the Lord directeth his steps, the Lord is a discerner of motives, the Lord weigheth the spirits, the preparations of the heart, those that wait upon the Lord shall inherit the earth, Thursday Blessings, time waits on no one, wait in faith on the Lord
Proverbs 16:1. The preparations of the heart in man (the plans of the heart belong to man), and the answer of the tongue is from the Lord.
Well, sunny days are here again…Glory Hallelujah! Yes friends, summer seems to have gotten into full swing right away, and we are indeed glad for that after the long dreary, winter months, but right now we could use a li’l rain, a li’l heavenly blessing to ease the pressure, ease the thirst of the plants. (smile) They haven’t been able to drink of their creator’s elixir for several days now, and that just makes them listless and faint and dulls their amazing beauty. So please, let’s pray for a few renewing showers. Not floods, but just enough to keep everything strong and beautiful, the way the Lord intended it to be.
And I find it difficult to believe that today is already Thursday, the penultimate day of our workweek, and also that we are nearing the end of June which just began. Can somebody please tell where the time is going, because it seems to be flying right by and sadly leaving me behind in its riotous wake. (smile) Every day I ask the duchess about it, and she just smiles benevolently and replies that time waits on no one, so I had better get my act together.
And I do try, but something always crops up that forestalls my best laid plans. I guess that I either plan to do too many things or am simply not interested in doing them and find excuses not to do them. I also ask the Lord for help, but He seems to be ignoring me. It’s either that He wants me to go along and do just what I’m doing, or He’s waiting for me to get up off my fat, no, off my lean fanny, and get moving on my own. And don’t get me wrong, it’s not that I am not doing stuff, but there’s so much I want to do, but what I’m actually doing doesn’t satisfy my ego or pride, or whatever you call it.
So, what is one to do eh? I guess that I will keep calling on the Lord for help and doing what I can in my own strength, or weakness, for as Cousin Sol so wisely says in Proverbs: ‘The preparations of the heart in man (the plans of the heart belong to man), and the answer of the tongue is from the Lord. All the ways of a man are clean in his own eyes; but the Lord weigheth the spirits… A man’s heart deviseth (plans) his way: but the Lord directeth his steps.’ (Prov. 16:1-2, 9)
The scholars tell us that means ‘the Lord is sovereign even over a man’s thoughts and words, over his scheming and planning. He is also the great discerner of motives.’ And if we believe His word, then that’s obviously true. So how do we accomplish anything then eh? Cousin Sol also provides the answer to that question. ‘Commit thy works unto the Lord, and thy thoughts shall be established.’ (Prov. 16:3)
Now, if the Lord is indeed sovereign over man’s thoughts, words and plans, then that makes perfect sense. We ought to first go to Him and consult Him on what plans He has for us, because He has a detailed plan for each of our lives, which dovetails with a general one for all of His creation. It’s like Bruh David says in Psalm 37 – The true state of the wicked. ‘Delight thyself also in the Lord; and he shall give thee the desires of thine heart. Commit thy way unto the Lord, trust also in him: and he shall bring it to pass.’ (Ps. 37:4-5)
And that’s excellent advice; advice that both Burh David and Cousin Sol took, that’s why we are reading about them thousands of years later. But all of that is comparatively easy when you take these other words of Bruh David into account. ‘Rest in the Lord, and wait patiently for him: fret not thyself because of him who prospereth in his way, because of the man who bringeth wicked devices (schemes) to pass.’ (Ps. 37:7)
Now that’s the difficult part for most of us; waiting on God’s timing, especially in this now for now society, and when we see the wicked prospering and the good not getting ahead like them. However, we need to be patient and believe God’s promises. As Bruh David wisely advises. ‘Cease from anger, and forsake wrath: fret not thyself in any wise to do evil (for it only causes harm). For evildoers shall be cut off (destroyed): but those that wait upon the Lord, they shall inherit the earth.’ (Ps. 37:8-9)
That’s the cut-tail part of it all my brethren; waiting on the Lord’s timing. It’s not easy, but if we want to prosper in His kingdom, we need to learn that most important lesson, because there’s no getting away from it. The Lord moves in His own time. And though it seems like He’s always holding us back, like He has us on a tight rein, He is never late! He’s always right on time! I can vouch for that from personal experience. Many times in difficult situations I’ve wondered where He’s been, but He’s always showed up before disaster strikes. He’s never left me in the lurch.
Therefore, if you follow the advice of Bruh David and Cousin Sol, especially the waiting on His timing, you’ll do very well. It won’t always be easy, especially with disaster staring you in the face, (smile) but the wait will surely be worth it. And having said all of that, it’s now time to turn to our Thursday Blessings, undeserved blessings bestowed on us to enable us to accomplish God’s work, for our God doesn’t ask us to do anything without giving us the wherewithal, the tools, the grace to do it.
So let’s declare (brother!!!) those Thursday Blessings right now so we can activate them. In confident and sincere voice. ‘I declare that I am blessed with God’s supernatural wisdom and receive clear direction for my life! I declare today that I am blessed with creativity, courage, talent and abundance! I am blessed with a strong will, self-control and self-discipline! I am blessed with a great family, good friends, good health, faith, favour and fulfillment!
I am blessed with success, supernatural strength, promotion and divine protection! I am blessed with a compassionate heart and a positive outlook on life! I declare that any curse or negative word that’s ever been spoken over me is broken right now in the name of Jesus! I declare that everything I put my hands to, will prosper and succeed! I declare it today and every day! Amen!’
Now, my fellow saints, it’s time for us to get out into the evil world and use those blessings just as generously as Christ shared them with us, to encourage others to come to Him. Much LOVE!
…wait in faith on the Lord…wait… I say…on the Lord…
Hear our podcast at https://open.spotify.com/show/3aVfqIC1CqwGybISs9dZJ8
07 Jun 2022
by randyobrien50
in Christian Thoughts and Inspiration., Daily Devotion, Daily Inspiration, Inspirational Living, Spiritual Living
Tags: a light unto my path, but of power love and a sound mind, Christ is the answer, come hell or high water, do we with patience wait for it, faith is the substance of things hoped for, For God hath not given us a spirit of fear, he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek Him, he shall strengthen thine heart, he that cometh to God must believe, he that followeth me shall not walk in darkness, hope that is seen is not hope, I am the beloved of god, I am the light of the world, I had fainted, in god's eyes, LOVE, shall have the light of life, share His love with the world, the deadliest sins don't leap up on us they creep up, the evidence of things not seen, the forgiveness of sins, the glorification of the saints, the hope of the resurrection, the present intercession of Christ in heaven, thy word is a lamp unto my feet, to see the goodness of God in the land of the living, trust my friend Jesus, Tuesday Mantra, unless I had believed, wait in faith on the Lord, we are saved by hope, without faith it is impossible to please God
Psalm 119:105. Thy word is a lamp unto my feet, and a light unto my path.
Well, a good Tuesday morning to all you my wonderful Scrip-Bit friends and families! And I sincerely hope that all of us have the wonderful light of Jesus shining in us this day, regardless of the weather we are currently experiencing, which, in my case, is wet and cloudy. (smile) But that’s the good thing about the light of Jesus, it shines whatever the actual state of the weather. Bless His Holy name! Consequently, I can’t understand why many more people are not turning to Jesus in these dark, dreary, confused and strife-filled times, when He is the epitome of light shining in the darkness.
He said it Himself: ‘I am the light of the world: he that followeth me shall not walk in darkness, but shall have the light of life.’ (John 8:12) And though the Pharisees didn’t believe Him, because He witnessed to Himself, or blew His own horn, the truth is, He is indeed the ONLY ONE who can light our way when the enemy and his dark and evil schemes come marching, or rather creeping up on us. For let us remember that the deadliest sins don’t leap up on us, but they creep up stealthily like the wily devil, their originator.
That’s why this magnificent, reassuring and poignant verse of scripture should be written deep in our hearts and thus always be at the tip of our tongues when the forces of darkness try to overcome us. So please say it with me, with strong conviction and confidence: ‘Thy word is a lamp unto my feet, and a light unto my path.’ (Ps. 119:105) And yuh better believe it is my friends! For it is only through the grace and mercy of God’s Word can we ever make it successfully through this earthly life.
And if by chance God’s Word isn’t currently a lamp unto your feet and a light unto your path, then you’d better make it so real soon, like today, like right now, if you truly desire to see the goodness of the Lord in the land of the living. Bruh David said it in so many words. ‘I had fainted, unless I had believed to see the goodness of the Lord in the land of the living.’ (Ps. 27:13) Yes friends, if we don’t believe in God, His goodness and mercy, His unconditional LOVE and compassionate heart, then there’s little. or no chance, of seeing His goodness in our lives.
Then Bruh David went on to make another monumental statement: ‘Wait (in faith) on the Lord, and he shall strengthen thine heart: wait (in faith), I say, on the Lord.’ (Ps. 27:14). That’s the other part to the story my people: first we believe, then we wait patiently, that’s in faith, on the Lord ‘s timing. For remember this other scripture which says so explicitly: ‘But without faith it is impossible to please him (God): for he that cometh to God must believe that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him.’ (Heb. 11:6)
That’s why faith is so important in our Christian walk. In fact, it’s the very basis, the Christ-like foundation on which we ought to build our lives. For as the author of Hebrews says about faith at the beginning of that chapter: ‘Now faith is the substance (realization) of things hoped for, the evidence (conviction) of things not seen.’ (Heb. 11:1) And as the scholars tell us, that isn’t so much a definition of faith, but what faith does. It provides substance and also evidence. That’s assurance and a sense of proof that results in conviction.
And the scholars go on to explain: ‘The difference between assurance and evidence would be minimal were it not for the phrase qualifying each: of things hoped for and of things not seen. The first involves future hope; the second involves present realities that are unseen. The first includes the hope of the resurrection, the return of Christ, and the glorification of the saints (that’s us). The second involves unseen realities, such as forgiveness of sin through Christ’s sacrifice and the present intercession of Christ in heaven. Hope in faith relating to future conviction is faith relating to the present.’
So friends, regardless of whether we’re dealing with, or thinking about the present or the future, hope or great expectations, that lead to faith, is absolutely essential. In fact, in all walks of life, not only Christianity, is hope and faith totally necessary if we are to grow personally, or our organizations are to improve and become successful. And I believe these marvellous words of Bruh Paul in his letter to the Roman church, admirably describes it. ‘For we are saved by hope, but hope that is seen is not hope: for what a man seeth, why doth he yet hope for? But if we hope for that we see not, then do we with patience (perseverance) wait (eagerly wait) for it.’ (Rom. 8:24-25)
So, life in general, and our Christian walk in particular, calls for certain words and characteristics if they are to be successfully attained. Words like; hope, belief, faith, waiting, patience, perseverance, expectation, and doing them all with a modicum of eagerness even when there seems to be total darkness surrounding us. Life is a challenge friends, and the Christian one even a bigger hill to climb. The Lord didn’t make us to be soft and fragile, spinless and fearful, but full of belly and backbone so we can do His work.
That brings us to these words of reassurance from Bruh Paul to Timothy, which we all know, but obviously don’t invoke, or use as often and as faithfully as we ought. So please declare with me: ‘For God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of LOVE, and of a sound (disciplined) mind.’ (2 Tim. 1:7) And those are words for us to continually live by my fellow saints! That’s because they reinforce the words we earlier spoke of, that God’s Word is a lamp unto our feet and a light unto our path.
And with all of that under our belts; that is, written in our hearts, souls, bodies and minds, ready to be put into action at a moment’s notice, there is no chance whatsoever for the powers of darkness to cover us and thus block out the light that’s our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ! So please, let’s give Him the ultimate praise and thanks that we can ever give, not that from our mouths, but from the way we live our lives in His mighty name!
Now for those of us who are sincerely trying to do that, let’s go home declaring (awright!!!) our Tuesday Mantra, letting the whole world know to whom we belong lock, stock and barrel! Altogether now: ‘In God’s eyes, I’m not what I do. I’m not what I have. I’m not what people say about me. I am the beloved of God, that’s who I am. No one can take that from me. I don’t have to worry. I don’t have to hurry. I can trust my friend Jesus and share His LOVE with the world. Amen!’
And having declared that, we must now go out and share that awesome LOVE and friendship of Christ with others, just as generously as He’s shared it with us, so that they too can come to know and LOVE Him like we do! Why, you ask? Simply because it’s our bounden duty! (smile) Much LOVE!
…come hell or high water…Christ is the answer…
Hear our podcast at https://open.spotify.com/show/3aVfqIC1CqwGybISs9dZJ8
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