29 Sep 2025
by randyobrien50
in Christian Thoughts and Inspiration., Daily Devotion, Daily Inspiration, Inspirational Living, Spiritual Living
Tags: accompanying this ignorance, all things that are reproved, arise from the dead, awake thou that sleepest, begin on a good footing, bring sins to light, but rather reprove them, Christ shall give thee light, Christian witness, constant temptations, darkness encompassed people, discerning what is acceptable to the Lord, divine aid, ease the pain, expose them, exposed sins, faith, fellowship, fooling ourselves, guilt and misery, happiness, have no fellowship, hear and answer our prayers, hideous nature, holy spirit, humble ourselves, humble servants, immorality, in all goodness righteousness and truth, indulge in the sins of the unsaved, it is a shame, Jehovah Rapha, Jesus Christ, keep the enemy at bay, keep your promise to prosper us, knowledge of the truth, light in the Lord, LOVE, made manifest by the light, made visible by the gospel, mass confusion, mercy, moral purity, now ye are light in the Lord, pleading for wise guidance, pray, pretend we're walking in the light, proving what is acceptable unto the Lord, religiously informed, rousing unbelievers, salt and light, salvation, show them your awesome grace and mercy, sincere repentance, sincerely seek God's face, solicitations to evil, spiritual darkness, spiritually unenlightened, stop committing those sins, strong faith in Christ, terrible consequences, the error of their ways, the everlasting light of Christ, the first day of the week, the first day of the workweek, the fruit of the spirit, the fruitful works of darkness, the God who heals, the light of Christ, the many suffering from negative situations, the power to solve our problems, the unfruitful works of darkness, to alleviate our problems, to speak of those things done in secret, truth, turn away from hideous sins, turn from our evil ways, unadvisable sleep, walk as children of light, walk in darkness, whatsoever doth make manifest is light, wisdom, ye were sometimes darkness
Ephesians 5:8. For ye were sometimes (once) darkness, but now ye are light in the Lord: walk as children of light:
And after Sunday, the first day of the week, comes Monday, the first day of the work week. Now, let’s hope that we are all ready for it, because if we’re not, then things can definitely go downhill for the remainder of the week, since the strongly held belief by some that a bad beginning makes for a good ending is not always true, for sometimes a bad beginning just makes for a worse ending. So, it’s always best to try and begin on a good footing rather than a bad one. (smile)
And today, I want to continue with a passage that we did not get to put into the Bit yesterday, since it would have made it much too long and complicated. It’s about the light of Christ that Christians ought to be avidly and vividly proclaiming, walking as children of light, as written by Bruh Paul to the Ephesians.
He compassionately informs them: ‘For ye were sometimes (once) darkness, but now ye are light in the Lord: walk as children of light: (For the fruit of the Spirit is in all goodness and righteousness and truth;) Proving what is acceptable unto the Lord. And have no fellowship with the fruitful works of darkness, but rather reprove (expose) them.
For it is a shame even to speak of those things which are done of them in secret. But all things that are reproved (exposed) are made manifest by the light: for whatsoever doth make manifest is light. Wherefore he saith, Awake thou that sleepest, and arise from the dead, and Christ shall give thee light.’ (Eph. 5:8-14)
Yes friends, once upon a time we lived in spiritual darkness, or as the scholars’ state, ‘spiritually unenlightened, and accompanying this ignorance was immorality with its resultant guilt and misery.’ However, since we’ve received Jesus, who is the Light, the scholars say ‘that denotes that the recipients are now to be religiously informed. Their knowledge of the truth is attended by moral purity and happiness. And because of constant temptations and solicitations to evil, believers must always be proving or discerning what is and what is not acceptable unto the Lord.’
Furthermore, ‘the believer’s duty is expressed here in two ways. Negatively, he is not to have any fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness, that is not to indulge in the sins of the unsaved. Positively, he is to “expose” (reprove) these sins, that is, bring them to light and show them for what they really are, so that the unbeliever may see their hideous nature and their terrible consequences.’
Yes my brethren, it’s always best to uncover and expose those terrible sins of darkness that are constantly taking place in our rather evil world, so that those who are lost can see and understand the error of their ways and the terrible consequences that they will incur if they stay in that state of sinful darkness. And as the scholars point out, if it’s indecent or ‘shameful to even speak of those iniquities in decent company (vs. 3), then how much worse is the committing of these sins. Hence the need to bring them to the light.’
Now that’s what we’re here for, to stop committing those sins, and instead expose them to the light. And per vs. 13, the scholars have an interesting explanation of it. They say: ‘This verse may be paraphrased: All sins that are exposed are made visible by the gospel, for whatever sin is made visible becomes light.’ And that’s understandable, because the gospel allows us to expose those sins, not only by bringing them to light, but also making them light so that they can inform others.
Then re vs.14, they tell us: ‘Since exposing sin is beneficial, God invites the unbeliever (thou that sleepest) to turn from his sin (arise from the dead), with the promise that he will be granted the spiritual enlightenment and help needed (Christ shall give thee light).’ Ah my people, I do hope that we see how important it is for us to both live in the light and help others to do the same, because that’s the only way we will first, keep the enemy at bay, and then eventually win his darkness encompassed people to the bright, enlightening and everlasting light of Christ.
That means it’s imperative we get out into the world this Monday, the second to last day of September and begin rousing the unbelievers from their inadvisable sleep, so that they can start turning away from their hideous sins. Oh, by the way, many of us supposed believers also have secretly hidden hideous sins, which we are also expected to give up. (smile) Now, for help in all that we are meant to do, let’s go to the throne of grace through our Monday Morning Battle Hymn, seeking powerful divine aid.
Altogether: ‘Our Father, who art in heaven, we, Your humble servants, praise Your Holy Name and thank You this Monday morning for life and strong faith in Christ, despite the mass confusion in our world. Heavenly Father, You are the ONLY ONE with the power to solve our many problems.
Yes, we have all sinned and seriously disobeyed Your Word, but You are a merciful, forgiving and gracious God, who has faithfully promised to hear and answer our prayers when we humble ourselves, pray, and sincerely seek Your face. So, we come to You now, with sincere repentance in our hearts, pleading for wise guidance and direction to alleviate our problems.
Oh Father, please ease the pain of the many suffering from negative situations, show them Your awesome grace and mercy. And faithfully keep Your promise to prosper us if we turn from our evil ways. Show this evil world that You are indeed Jehovah Rapha; the God who heals! We pray this in the holy and blessed name of Your Son, our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ! Amen! And again, we say: Amen!’
And my fellow believers, let’s not kid ourselves, for we know that we’re not as salt and light as we ought to be, that’s why our Christian witness is sadly lacking, so if we truly want to fulfill our mandate as disciples of Christ, let’s sincerely begin humbling ourselves, praying, seeking His face, and turning from our evil ways. That’s the only way we will ever get true divine aid! Much LOVE!
…how can so many of us believers…walk in darkness…and yet pretend we’re walking in the light…we’re only fooling ourselves…not God…
Hear our podcast at https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/randy-obrien
08 Sep 2024
by randyobrien50
in Christian Thoughts and Inspiration., Daily Devotion, Daily Inspiration, Inspirational Living, Spiritual Living
Tags: a beacon in darkest times, a candle in every soul, a family whose hearts are blazing, a light unto my path, and glorify your Father in heaven, arise from the dead, awake thou that sleepest, Bible, blessings, Christ shall give thee light, christianity, confidence in our faith, confused, deliverance, drowning in the mire of Satan, faith, fellowship, frustrated brother, Go light your world, god, have the light of life, he that followeth me shall not walk in darkness, holds a candle without a flame, holy spirit, I am the light of the world, Jesus Christ, let your light so shine, light your candle, LOVE, men may see your good works, much-needed relief, negative sentiments, now are ye light in the Lord, praying to the Father, renewed strength, run to the darkness, salvation, seek out the helpless, sin darkened world, strife, the darkness comprehended it not, the light shineth in the darkness, the source of ligght, the straight and narrow path, the unfruitful works of darkness, thy word is a lamp unto my feet, torn, truth, walk as children of light, walking in sin, wisdom, worship, ye were sometimes darkness
Ephesians 5:8. ‘For ye were sometimes (once) darkness, but now are ye light in the Lord: walk as children of light:
Then it was Sunday once again… and all roads lead to the Lord’s house to spend the most pleasurable time in a believer’s week, that of celebrating in worship and fellowship with other believers, giving praise to God and encouragement to the saints, while receiving blessings and renewed strength and confidence in our faith from our heavenly Father.
And today’s song of worship is none other than the Christopher Rice authored song of 2004, so appropriately titled for these trying and troubled times, ‘Go Light Your World’ as performed by Kathy Troccoli. We’ll do a spirited, scintillating, encouraging version that will have the saints, just bursting with excitement and enthusiasm to get out into the cruel world and light their candles to show the unbeliever the way to Jesus.
Singing: ‘There is a candle in every soul Some brightly burning, some dark and cold There is a Spirit who brings a fire Ignites a candle and makes His home. (Chorus: So carry your candle, run to the darkness Seek out the helpless, confused and torn Hold out your candle for all to see it Take your candle, and go light your world Take your candle, and go light your world.) Frustrated brother, see how he’s tried to Light his own candle some other way See now your sister, she’s been robbed and lied to Still holds a candle without a flame
(Chorus:…Carry your candle…) ‘Cause we are a family whose hearts are blazing So let’s raise our candles and light up the sky Praying to our Father, in the name of Jesus Make us a beacon in darkest times. (Chorus: So carry your candle, run to the darkness Seek out the hopeless, deceived and poor Hold out your candle for all to see it Take your candle, and go light your world… Repeat… Take your candle, and go light your world…Take your candle, and go light your world.’
Ah friends, that’s exactly what our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ expects of us! And we all know how dark and dreary our world has become, with all the strife, resentment and all the other negative sentiments and evil deeds that currently abound, and only candle or light carrying believers in Jesus can penetrate that darkness to bring some much-needed relief to a world drowning in the mire of Satan.
And it’s not like we don’t know that Jesus is the light bearer to Satan’s darkness, for He said it Himself, when He was down here on earth. ‘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 how is Jesus the light of your life? This commentary tells us: “Jesus is the light of life and the life of light. He embodies all that we know spiritual light is and does.” Jesus is the light of life (John 8:12) and the life of light (John 1:4).’ Yes, John spells it out right at the beginning of his gospel. ‘In him (Jesus) was life; and the life was in the light of men. And the light shineth in the darkness; and the darkness comprehended (apprehended) it not.’ (John 1:4-5)
And the scholars explain those verses thus: ‘In John’s writings, life represents salvation and deliverance through Christ, and light denotes Jesus’ revelation of God which calls men to accountability.’ Therefore, in Jesus there is both life or salvation and also enlightenment about God and what He expects of us. And to put it in its most basic context, according to this commentary, Jesus is called the light of the world ‘because he is the source of the light that quickens our understanding, because his teachings and his example illuminate our path, and because his power persuades us to do good.’
As the famous verse from Psalm 119 describes the Lord’s Word: ‘Thy word is a lamp unto my feet, and a light unto my path.’ (Ps. 119:105) Walking in darkness is therefore walking in sin, living by the dictates of Satan and this evil world, without Christ and without the benefit of God’s Word in our lives. Obviously then, we must trip and fall often when we cannot see where we’re going. But with Jesus in our lives, and the benefit of God’s word there is a light that guides us on the straight and narrow path.
However, before Jesus went back to heaven, He made a great pronouncement about the subject of light in this world. Namely: ‘Ye are the light of the world. A city that is set on a hill cannot be hid. Neither do men light a candle (lamp), and put it under a bushel (basket), but on a candlestick (lampstand); and it giveth light unto all that are in the house. Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is heaven.’ (Matt. 5:14-16)
In other words, my fellow believers, once Christ left the earth, we were the light bearers, and we were supposed to go out into the world do as the song says: ‘Seek out the helpless, confused and torn Hold out your candle for all to see it…Cause we are a family whose hearts are blazing…’
But that’s obviously not the truth, because the world is so badly clothed in darkness that most of its inhabitants cannot even see their hands right in front of their faces, for Satan has so blinded them with sin, and we supposed believers in Christ Jesus; the light bearers, have for whatever reason(s) been hiding our lights under a bushel, the very opposite of what Jesus desires of us. So if the presence of Jesus is not far flung, to all nations, what else can we expect but a dark, disgusting, sinful world.
Now here is another encouraging scripture to go home to. This one from Bruh Paul to the Ephesians. ‘For ye were sometimes (once) darkness, but now are ye light in the Lord: walk as children of light: (For the fruit of the Spirit is in all goodness and righteousness and truth;) Proving what is acceptable unto the Lord. And have no fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness, but rather reprove (expose) them.
For it is a shame even to speak of those things which are done of them in secret. But all things that are reproved (exposed) are made manifest by the light: for whatsoever doth make manifest is light. Wherefore he saith, Awake thou that sleepest, and arise from the dead, and Christ shall give thee light.’ (Eph. 5:8-14)
Ah my fellow saints, it’s indeed time for us to awake from our slumber and acknowledge the great darkness that’s enveloped our world, because of too many ‘dark and cold candles’ and do something to turn things around, because it all depends on us. And the song says it best: ‘So let’s raise our candles and light up the sky Praying to our Father, in the name of Jesus Make us a beacon in darkest times.’ Much LOVE!
…it’s high time for all believers to set their candles aflame…so that the light of Jesus…can erupt in this sin darkened world…
Hear our podcast at https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/randy-obrien
24 Jul 2024
by randyobrien50
in Christian Thoughts and Inspiration., Daily Devotion, Daily Inspiration, Inspirational Living, Spiritual Living
Tags: a spirit of power love and a sound mind, agents of Christ, anger, arise from the dead, awake thou that sleepest, be filled with the Spirit, be not afraid neither be thou dismayed, be not drunk with wine, be strong and of a good courage, belly and backbone, Bible, Christ shall give thee light, christianity, discern what is acceptable to God, do the right thing, expose ungodly behaviour, eyes fixed straight ahead, faith, For God hath not given us a spirit of fear, giving thanks always for all things, god, goodness, guts and gumption, hands on the plough, hatred, hiding our light under a bushel, I am with you always, in the fear of God, Jesus, Jesus Christ, let courage overcome fear, light in the Lord, LOVE, made manifest by the light, make disciples of all nations, making melody in your heart to god, not as fools but as wise, not looking back, our salt has lost its flavour, redeeming the time, resentment, righteousness, speaking to yourselves in psalms and hymns, strife, submitting yourselves one to another, teach all nations, thank God, the breath of life, the days are evil, the fruit of the spirit, the Great Commission, the light of the world, the Lord thy God is with thee, the salt of the earth, the unfruitful works of darkness, to a glorious future with Jesus, truth, walk as children of light, walk circumspectly, Wednesday Wail, wisdom, ye were sometimes darkness
Ephesians 5:14. Wherefore he saith, Awake thou that sleepest, and arise from the dead, and Christ shall give thee light.
So it’s Wednesday… What’s new in our world eh? Nothing really, just the same ole, same ole; lots of strife, resentment, anger and hatred, but comparatively little LOVE. What a sad situation! But it is what it is, and we believers in Christ Jesus have to learn to deal with it, to go forward with courage, to let our courage overcome our fear and go out into the foul and evil world and do the right thing. As per the Lord’s long ago directive to Joshua. ‘Have I not commanded thee? Be strong and of a good courage; be not afraid, neither be thou dismayed: for the Lord thy God is with thee whithersoever thou goest.’ (Josh. 1:9)
And that directive has not changed down through the years my fellow believers. Except that we can now add to the mix, Bruh Paul’s words to Timothy. ‘For God hath not given us a spirit of fear, but of power, and of LOVE, and of a sound or (disciplined) mind.’ (2 Tim. 1:7) So we have everything we need to get out there and make a difference. But just in case we’re still afraid, or we falter, let’s listen to these ever important words of Bruh Paul to the Ephesians, which are very appropriate for these times.
‘For ye were sometimes (once) darkness, but now ye are light in the Lord: walk as children of light: (For the fruit of the Spirit is in all goodness and righteousness and truth;) Proving what is acceptable unto the Lord. And have no fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness, but rather reprove (expose) them. For it is a shame even to speak of those things which are done of them in secret. But all things that are reproved (exposed) are made manifest by the light: for whatsoever doth make manifest is light.’ (Eph. 5:9-13)
Yes friends, we were once children of darkness, living in sin and evil and enjoying it. However, having received Jesus Christ as Lord and Saviour, we should now walk as children of light, flooded with the gospel of Christ, knowing truth from lies and wrong from right. And thus constantly trying to discern what is and what is not acceptable to God. At the same time, refusing to indulge in the sins committed by those who still live in darkness, some of which are so disgusting that they should not even be spoken of in decent company. And furthermore, doing our best to expose that ungodly behaviour, so the unbeliever can realize the appalling and revolting nature of their deeds and the terrible consequences they bear.
And having exhorted us thus, Bruh Paul continues the exhortation: (smile) ‘Wherefore he saith, Awake thou that sleepest, and arise from the dead, and Christ shall give thee light. See then that ye walk circumspectly (carefully), not as fools, but as wise, Redeeming the time, because the days are evil. Wherefore be ye not unwise, but understanding what the will of the Lord is. And be not drunk with wine, wherein is excess (dissipation); but be filled with the Spirit; Speaking to yourselves in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody in your heart unto the Lord; Giving thanks always for all things unto God and the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ; Submitting yourselves one to another in the fear of God.’ (Eph. 5:14-21)
Oh my faithful believers, this is indeed the time for us to put those immortal words of Bruh Paul into action, for we are way too lethargic and inactive in consciously and constantly living out our faith. True faith in Christ demands action, wise action, especially in these evil times, that are only getting worse because of our lackadaisical and lacklustre attitude. Remember, we are supposed to be the light of the world and the salt of the earth. But it seems like we’re hiding our light under a bushel (basket), perhaps through fear and/or mere apathy, so that the world cannot see it.
And our salt… chuh! That looks like it’s completely lost its flavour and is therefore no good but to be trampled underfoot by men, which is certainly what’s happening. Oh friends, instead of being lightless and saltless, we’re supposed to be embracing every opportunity to find out the Lord’s will and do it. That includes staying away from drunkenness where your thoughts and actions are controlled by the alcohol, and only leads to moral intemperance. Instead, we should endeavour to be filled with Holy Spirit, God’s will for us, where we can control our thoughts and actions, hopefully in a godly manner.
Doing things like singing psalms and hymns, making melody in our hearts to God, and giving Him thanks for all that He’s done for us through Jesus Christ. As well as putting the wishes of our fellow believers above our own, which pleases the Lord. Now, nobody ever said that living for Christ was easy, and in these very evil times it get’s even more difficult because the evil doers are fighting tooth and nail to repress the gospel of Christ and all the good things it entails. But that’s exactly why we followers of the Saviour have to come up even higher, stronger and more determined than ever to do the work He desires of us.
My people, Christ is depending on us. We are His agents, ambassadors, His legs, feet, eyes and ears down hear on the earth, and as such we have a great responsibility to carry out and live up to, which unfortunately we’re not doing conscientiously or living up to. Remember Christ’s directive in the Great Commission. ‘All power is given unto me in heaven and in the earth. Go ye therefore, and teach (make disciples) of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son and of the Holy Ghost: Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you always, even unto the end of the world.’ (Matt. 28:19)
And if we are truthful with ourselves, we will admit that we have not, and still are not doing as good a job as we can or should, else evil would not have the world in such a terrible headlock. End of Sermon! And no, I did not forget about the promise to keep on looking at patience, but this is where I was led today. (smile) Now, let’s go home declaring (yesss!!!) 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 if we endure to the very end with Jesus, then it’s been promised that the future will be even more glorious than we can ever ask or imagine! See you then at the very end! Much LOVE!
…truly working for Jesus requires…belly and backbone…guts and gumption…nothing else will do…
Hear our podcast at https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/randy-obrien
03 Jan 2022
by randyobrien50
in Christian Thoughts and Inspiration., Daily Devotion, Daily Inspiration, Inspirational Living, Spiritual Living
Tags: arise from the dead, awake thou that sleepest, bury them deep in our hearts, by understanding he established the heavens, children of disobedience, Christ shall give thee light, daily grind and common task, divine help, grace unto thy neck, he delivered them out of their distresses, he is good, his mercy endureth for ever, his wonderful works to the children of men, Jehovah Rapha, life unto thy soul, LOVE, Monday Morning Battle Hymn, not as fools but as wise, oh that men would praise the Lord, redeeming the time, spreading the good news of Christ's coming, strong faith in Christ, The Christmas season, the days are evil, the God who heals, the Lord by wisdom hath founded the earth, they cried unto the Lord in their trouble, to give thanks unto the Lord, walk as children of light, walk circumspectly
Ephesians 5:14. Wherefore he saith, Awake thou that sleepest, and arise from the dead, and Christ shall give thee light.
It’s Monday morning my people! The celebrations finish now until Valentine’s Day in February. (smile) Time to get back to the daily grind and common task we call everyday life. That’s the drama, the ups and downs of work, school, friends and family… and Covid problems, all while living for Jesus! And there was a great big sigh at the realization that the Christmas season is winding down to its inevitable end. But so it must my brethren, because we can’t always live on such a continual high.
It’s not we’ve forgotten Jesus, but we’re just normalizing life, getting back down to brass tacks, with the more serious task of spreading the good news of His coming kingdom and the amazing benefits it holds for all those who choose to follow Him. And today, in these dark and troubled times, I just want to share a few wise and uplifting scriptures that we need to get a hold of right at the beginning of this new year, hold on to the tightly, bury them deep in our hearts, and then put them into useful action.
Now let’s begin with some wise advice from Bruh Paul to the Ephesians, where he tells them: ‘Let no man deceive you with vain (empty) words: for because of these things (that’s immoral living – 5:3-5) cometh the wrath of God upon the children of disobedience. Be not ye therefore partakers with them. For ye were sometimes (once) darkness, but now are ye light in the Lord: walk as children of light. (For the fruit of the Spirit is in all goodness and righteousness and truth;) Proving what is acceptable to the Lord.’ (Eph. 5:6-10)
Yes friends, since we are now children of light, we ought not to get involved in the behaviour associated with darkness, except to expose it, to the light of Christ. And time is of the utmost importance, that’s why Bruh Paul later advises: ‘Wherefore he saith, Awake thou that sleepest, and arise from the dead, and Christ shall give thee light. See then that ye walk circumspectly (carefully), not as fools, but as wise. Redeeming the time, because the days are evil.’ (Eph. 5:14-16)
Ah my people, there’s absolutely no doubt that we are living in very evil times, and thus need to walk carefully, watch how we live, but at the same time take every opportunity granted to us to witness to the lost, to those who still walk in darkness. But to do that we also have to be wise, to acquire that wonderful attribute of wisdom. And how do we do that eh? Cousin Sol tells us right up front that wisdom begins with the fear and reverence of the Lord. ‘The fear (reverential awe) of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge: but fools despise wisdom and instruction.’ (Prov. 1:7) Oh, how true that all is!
And why does wisdom begin with submission to God’s will and revelation? Because as Cousin Sol informs us later on: ‘The Lord by wisdom hath founded the earth; by understanding hath he established the heavens. By his knowledge the depths are broken up, and the clouds drop down dew.’ (Prov.3:19-20) Yes my fellow believers, it’s wisdom and understanding the Lord used to create our universe and all therein! That’s how important it is! So if we want to do good and God-like things, then it’s necessary for us to obtain the wisdom and understanding that comes from God.
Then Cousin Sol warns his son about the beneficial effects of wisdom and understanding. ‘My son let them not depart from thine eyes: keep sound wisdom and discretion: So shall they be life unto thy soul, and grace (favour) to your neck. Then shalt thou walk in thy way safely, and thy foot shall not stumble. When thou liest down, thou shalt not be afraid: yea, thou shalt lie down, and thy sleep shall be sweet.’ (Prov. 3:21-24) Isn’t that wonderful my brethren? When we have the wisdom and understanding that comes from Almighty God, we will make good decisions and not have to fear about whatever comes against, so we can sleep like a baby. (smile)
But then the problem crops of how to go about getting that godly wisdom and understanding, when we are in a turbulent and unsatisfactory situation like our world is currently undergoing. The psalmist tells us straight and plain: ‘Then they cried unto the Lord in their trouble, and he delivered them out of their distresses. And he led them forth by the right way, that they might go to a city of habitation. Oh that men would praise the Lord for his goodness, and for his wonderful works to the children of men.’ (Ps. 107:6-8)
Now that again is wisdom; asking the wise Creator for help, and then praising Him after He’s provided the help. But we seem to do neither ask nor praise, so we get nothing. So today, let’s put the first action of achieving wisdom into motion nuh, by crying out unto our God for His awesome help through our Monday Morning Battle Hymn.
Altogether now: ‘Our Father, who art in heaven, we, Your humble servants, praise Your Holy Name and thank You this Monday morning for life and strong faith in Christ, despite the mass confusion in our world. We desperately need Your divine help, for You are the ONLY ONE with the power to solve our many problems.
Heavenly Father, we admit that we have all sinned and seriously disobeyed Your Word, but we know that You are a merciful, forgiving and gracious God, who has faithfully promised to hear and answer our prayers when we humble ourselves, pray, and sincerely seek Your face. That’s why we come to You now, with sincere repentance in our hearts, pleading with You to give us wise guidance and direction to alleviate our problems.
And Father, we pray that you will ease the pain of the many who are suffering from negative situations. Please show them Your awesome grace and mercy, and keep Your promise that You’ll hear our prayer, forgive us, and heal our land if we turn from our evil ways. Show this evil world that You are indeed Jehovah Rapha; the God who heals! We pray this in the holy and blessed name of Your Son, our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ! Amen! And again, we say: Amen!’
But let’s remember that we first have to keep our promises before the Lord keeps His! Much LOVE!
…O give thanks unto the Lord…for he is good…for his mercy endureth for ever… (Ps. 107:1) Hear our podcast at https://open.spotify.com/show/3aVfqIC1CqwGybISs9dZJ8
06 Oct 2021
by randyobrien50
in Christian Thoughts and Inspiration., Daily Devotion, Daily Inspiration, Inspirational Living, Spiritual Living
Tags: all things are open and naked before God, believers remind sinners of their sin, cometh the wrath of God, consumed by the evil enemy, darkness keeps one trapped in sin, dwell in the land of the shadow of death, endure to the end, everyone that doeth evil hateth light, glad to be alive, halfway home, have no fellowship, have seen a great light, heralded the coming of Jesus, Jesus chases the evil darkness away, light brings truth and happiness, light exposes the darkness of sin, LOVE, men loved darkness rather than light, my eyes are fixed straight ahead, my hands are fixed securely on the plough, not indulge in the sins of the unsaved, not turning back, not wanting to know the truth, now ye are light in the Lord, proving what is acceptable unto the Lord, rebels in our hearts, running to hide from God, scatter like roaches exposed to daylight, separated from God by sin, the breath of life, the light is come into the world, the light of the world, the people that walked in darkness, the Prince of Peace, the unfruitful works of darkness, their deeds were evil, this is the condemnation, to a glorious future with Jesus, upon the children of disobedience, upon them hath a light shined, walk as children of light, Wednesday Wail, ye were sometimes darkness
Ephesians 5:8. For ye were sometimes (once) darkness, but now ye are light in the Lord: walk as children of light.
No more rain…And the sun is finally peeking out…Glory! Oh, the dark clouds are not all gone, but there is a great possibility of light, (smile) much more than we’ve had for the past few days. And that’s exactly how our Jesus comes and shines through our personal darkness. When we think that there is no hope, that the darkness will overwhelm us, He shows up unexpectedly with the bright light of His presence and chases the evil darkness away! Give Him some thanks and praise my faithful brethren for He is indeed a Saviour to those whose lives are consumed by the evil enemy.
As the prophet Isiah so prophetically declared long ago, re the Prince of Peace: ‘The people that walked in darkness have seen a great light: they that dwell in the land of the shadow of death, upon them hath a light shined.’ (Is. 9:2) And that’s one of the most potent and prophetic prophecies ever prophesied! (smile) It heralded the coming of Jesus…the light of the world!
But the sad news is that, as Jesus said: ‘And this is the condemnation that (the) light is come into the world, and men LOVED darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil. For every one that doeth (practices) evil hateth light, neither cometh to the light, lest his deeds should be reproved (exposed).’ (John 3:19-20)
And that’s the gospel truth my people! Those of us with evil deeds in our repertoire hate the light and will refuse to accept Jesus because we are afraid that those evil deeds will be exposed, for that’s what light does; it exposes the darkness, the sin, the evil in our souls! And we are not talking about physical light, but spiritual light, ‘light that shines on our hearts.’
I like how this article on thebereancall.org website with a conversation between Dave Hunt and T.A. McMahon describes the situation. T. A. McMahon says: ‘And men loved darkness rather than light. Dave, is this in the statistical manual it talked about earlier? (Referring there to a manual on the power of DNA to operate without words or a language).
Dave Hunt replies: ‘Yeah, they don’t want to know the truth. I would say that whole statistical manual is a witness to this fact; men loved darkness rather than light. Instead of accepting the truth that we are separated from God by sin, that we are rebels in our hearts, that we need to be reconciled to God, we need to recognize that Jesus Christ is God who became a man to die for our sins, paid the penalty for our sins, died for our sins, rose from the dead and we open our hearts to Him and we allow Him to come in and He changes us completely.
We are born again of the Word of God, Peter says. This Word that brings understanding, the truth that is the light that Jesus brought. Now, it says they hated me without a cause because the light of Jesus Christ shows up the darkness, the darkness being what? Well, rebellion against God, running to hide from God, not wanting to know the truth and so forth.’
Now this passage from an article on the subject on the mtvchurchofchrist.org, further enlightens us. ‘The reason for the world’s LOVE affair with darkness is that it hides sin, or so it is believed. As long as it is dark, as long as there is no light of truth, those in sin can perpetuate their evil. But let one beam of truth pierce the darkness of sin and error, let one ray of goodness break through, and those in darkness scatter like so many roaches exposed to daylight. But the feeling of having hidden sin is only an illusion, for all things are open and naked before God (Heb. 4:13).’
And I’ll just insert that verse here. ‘Neither is there any creature that is not manifest in his sight (hidden from his sight): but all things are naked and opened unto the eyes of him with whom we have to do (must give account).’ (Heb. 4:13) So, as we well know, there is absolutely no hiding from God, but many of us still foolishly try to retain the illusion.
The article then continues with this interesting slant. It says: ‘One of the reasons, if not the main reason, those in the world often feel uncomfortable around faithful Christians is that the faithful child of God reminds sinners of their sins. The faithful child of God might well feel uncomfortable around the sinner, as well (Eph. 5:11).’ Oh friends, I surely hope we do feel uncomfortable around evil doers, but nonetheless show them the light of Christ shining through our words and actions.
And to substantiate all that we’ve said, let’s listen to the words of Bruh Paul to the church at Ephesus on the ways of the believer. ‘Let no man deceive you with vain (empty) words: for because of these things cometh the wrath of God upon the children of disobedience. Be ye not partakers with them. For ye were sometimes (once) darkness, but now ye are light in the Lord: walk as children of light. (For the fruit of the Spirit is in all goodness and righteousness and truth;) Proving what is acceptable to the Lord. And have no fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness, but rather reprove (expose) them. For it is a shame even to speak of those things which are done of them in secret.’ (Eph. 5:6-12)
Yes my brethren, once upon a time we too walked in darkness, but then we saw the light of Christ, and our lives were transformed. And the scholars explain it all thus: ‘5:8. Our knowledge of the truth is attended by moral purity and happiness. 5:10. Because of constant temptations and solicitations to evil, believers must always be proving or discerning what is and what is not acceptable unto the Lord.
5:11. Reprove is better translated “expose.” The believer’s duty is expressed here in two ways. Negatively, he is not to have any fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness, that is, not indulge in the sins of the unsaved. Positively, he is to “expose” (reprove) these sins, that is bring them to light and show them for what they really are, so that the unbeliever may see their hideous nature and their terrible consequences. 5:12. For tells why the Christian must expose the sins of the lost. If it is shameful even to discuss their iniquities in decent company how much the worse is the committing of these sins. Hence the need to bring them to light.’
Ah my fellow saints, I do hope that all the above has now elucidated and enlightened us about walking in darkness and light, (smile) so that we are now capable of making good decisions on it. Now, for those of us who are sincerely trying to walk in the light, let’s go home declaring (oh yes!!!) our Wednesday Wail, letting all and sundry know our wonderful position in Christ Jesus.
Altogether now: ‘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 believe me, if we endure until the very end, then that future will be even more glorious than we ask or imagine. So please, let’s hang in there my faithful brethren! Much LOVE!
…if light brings truth and happiness…why fool with darkness…which only keeps one trapped in sin and rebellion towards God…
Hear our podcast at https://open.spotify.com/show/3aVfqIC1CqwGybISs9dZJ8
23 Sep 2021
by randyobrien50
in Christian Thoughts and Inspiration., Daily Devotion, Daily Inspiration, Inspirational Living, Spiritual Living
Tags: a compassionate heart, and the life was the light of men, as calves in the stall, curse, divine protection, dwell in the land of the shadow of death, glorify your father in heaven, go forth and grow up, have seen a great light, He is faithful that promised, he that doeth truth cometh to the light, he that followeth me, I am the light of the world, I came not to judge the world but to save the world, in him was life, Jesus turns our darkness into light, keep our hope alive, lay your burdens at the foot of the cross, Let your light so shine before men, LOVE, men loved darkness rather than light, negative word, promotion, self-control. self-discipline, shall have the light of life, shall not walk in darkness, shall the Sun of righteousness arise, shine through the darkness, swallow us up without a prayer, take a leap of faith, that they may see your good works, the believer's bounden duty, the darkness comprehended it not, the light shineth in the darkness, the night shineth as the day, the people that walked in darkness, the power and light and LOVE of Jesus, their deeds were evil, Thursday Blessings, unto you that fear my name, walk as children of light, with healing in his wings
John 8:12. I am the light of the world: he that followeth me shall not walk in darkness, but shall have the light of life.
Oh no friends, it did not clear up nicely in my area yesterday. In fact, it rained all day and during most of the night. But thankfully it seems to have stopped now and the sun is poking it’s bright and beautiful face out through the remaining dark clouds. And that’s how our God, our Jesus works in our lives; when the rain and dark clouds threaten to consume us, if we just keep our hope alive, we will soon see the power and light and LOVE of Jesus begin to shine through all the darkness that threatens to swallow us up without a prayer.
But we always have a prayer, and when we use it, our Jesus will turn our darkness into light. Yes, He will turn it around with His majestic power and glory. And why do I think that eh? Because I’ve seen him do it numerous times in my life and the lives of others who sincerely believe in Him. And if you know His Word, you will know this major pronouncement He made many years ago while dwelling here on earth. He truthfully declared: ‘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 if you take the leap of faith and trust Him on that matter, then you will see much more light in your life than darkness. For He is faithful that promised! But if you want to see light, the light of Christ, flooding your soul, life and spirit, then you have to take Him up on His promise and lay your burdens at the foot of His cross. And it’s not a promise that was just made in Jesus’ time, but long, long ago, the Lord promised it through the prophet Isaiah, when he prophesied: ‘The people that walked in darkness have seen a great light: they that dwell in the land of the shadow of death, upon them hath the light shined.’ (Is. 9:2)
And that light was the promise of Jesus coming to save the world from the sin and darkness that contaminated it. The prophet Malachi also told us about the coming of Light when he declared on the Lord’s behalf: ‘But unto you that fear my name shall the Sun of righteousness arise with healing in his wings; and ye shall go forth, and grow up as calves of the stall (grow fat like stall fed calves). And ye shall tread (trample) down the wicked; for they shall be ashes under the soles of your feet in the day that I shall do this, saith the Lord of hosts.’ (Mal. 4:2-3)
And the Father kept His promise when He sent Jesus to earth to save our souls from death and eternal separation from Him, by paying the price of our sins on the cross of Calvary and defeating hell, death and the grave when He rose triumphantly from the bowels of hell on that glorious Easter morn some two thousand years ago! Now that momentous occasion birthed the presence of the Light of Jesus in our lives, where, if we accept Him as Lord and Saviour, His Holy Spirit comes to dwell within us, to help dispel the darkness of this world, and we will forever live in His glorious Light!
As John so eloquently and truthfully says in the beginning of his gospel: ‘All things were made by him (Jesus); and without him was not any thing made that was made. In him was life; and the life was the light of men. And the light shineth in the darkness; and the darkness comprehended (apprehended) it not.’ (John 1:3-5) Yes friends, the darkness of this world cannot comprehend, apprehend or take hold of the Light that’s Jesus Christ! And there are so many important scriptures that deal with light and Jesus being light, that I don’t know what to choose. (smile) So let’s choose a few random ones to refresh our memories.
Hear Jesus to the Jewish rulers of His time. ‘I am come a light into the world, that whosoever believeth on me should not abide in darkness. And if any man hear my words, and believe not, I judge him not: for I came not to judge the world, but to save the world.’ (John 12:46-47) Oh my people, Jesus didn’t come to judge, but to save, so please let’s remember that nuh.
Now here is this most appropriate scripture, as Jesus says: ‘And this is the condemnation, that (the) light is come into the world, and men LOVED darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil. For every one that doeth (practices) evil hateth the light, neither cometh to the light, less his deeds should be reproved (exposed). But he that doeth truth cometh to the light, that his deeds may be made manifest, that they are wrought in God.’ (John 3:19-21) That was true in Jesus’ time, and it’s still true in our time. Evil doers hate the light because they don’t want their evil deeds to be exposed.
And unfortunately, right now, the evil deeds in our society seem to be outweighing the good and truthful ones, that’s why so many of us are hiding from the light in the darkness. But friends, please remember that the darkness doesn’t hamper the sight of our God, for as Bruh David says in Psalm 139: ‘Yea, the darkness hideth not from thee (is not dark to thee); but the night shineth as the day: the darkness and the light are both alike to thee.’ (Ps. 139:12) So friends, trying to hide in the darkness from God is useless, as trying to hide from Him period!
Then listen to some more useful words on light from the psalms. Bruh David declares in Psalm 18: ‘For thou wilt save the afflicted people; but wilt bring down high (haughty) looks. For thou wilt light my candle (lamp): the Lord my God will enlighten my darkness. For by thee I have run through (can run against) a troop; and by my God have I leaped (can leap) over a wall.’ (Ps. 18:27-29) And if that didn’t do anything for you, then listen to this most mighty verse of scripture from Psalm 119: ‘Thy word is a lamp unto my feet, and a light unto my path.’ (Ps. 119:105)
Yes friends, the word of God indeed lights our way as we walk through this dark and sinful world. And if we are wise, we will take it to heart and practice it sincerely as these words of Jesus so wisely advised. ‘Yet a little while is the light with you. Walk while ye have the light, lest darkness come upon you: for he that walketh in darkness knoweth not whither he goeth. While ye have the light, believe in the light, that ye may be the children of light.’ (John 12:35-36)
Now that’s the crux of the problem right there my fellow saints; we must be children of light. Jesus was the light of the world while He was here on earth, but after He went back to heaven, He declared that His followers, that’s us, are now the light of the world. (Matt. 5:14) And as Bruh Paul told the Ephesians: ‘For ye were sometimes (once) darkness, but now are ye light in the Lord; walk as children of light.’ (Eph. 5:8) Yes, my fellow believers, that’s exactly how we ought to walk in this dark and evil world, ‘as children of light,’ so that we can fulfill Jesus’ desire. ‘Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father in heaven.’ (Matt. 5:16)
And the wonderful thing about our Lord and Saviour is that He doesn’t just tell us what to do, but He also gives us the wherewithal to do it. Consequently, we have his Word, His Holy Spirit and numerous other tools that we call our Thursday Blessings that enable us to shine brightly in this dark world. So please, let’s declare those blessings now nuh, that we can invoke them in our spirits.
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 let’s go out and shine brightly for Jesus, by sharing those blessings just as generously with others as he shared them with us. Much LOVE!
…to shine brightly for Jesus…in this dark world…that’s the believer’s bounden duty…
Hear our podcast at https://open.spotify.com/show/3aVfqIC1CqwGybISs9dZJ8
12 Jan 2016
by randyobrien50
in Christian Thoughts and Inspiration., Daily Devotion, Daily Inspiration, Inspirational Living, Spiritual Living
Tags: a fearful heart, a friend of my Lord and Saviour, a hope and a future, a witness, be strong, blankets of white, commute, darkness, dream on dreamer, enlightenend, faith, fear not, forgiveness of sins, glory to God, God doesn't change, God is a good god, good for the eyes, gracious God, guilt, happiness, his inheritance in the saints, humbles, I am Jesus, I am the beloved of god, I can trust my friend Jesus, I don't have to hurry, I don't have to worry, I'm not what I do, I'm not what I have, I'm not what people say about me, immorality, interested in the welfare of his people, Isaiah, King Agrippa, knowledge of truth, lifts me up, light, loved by my Creator, loving kindness, merciful, mid- January, misery, moral purity, open our hearts, open their eyes, Panorama, promises, prophecy, recompense, religiously informed, sanctified, share His love with the world, streams in the desert, stuffy nose, take for granted, the ears of the deaf, the eyes of the blind, the eyes of your understanding, the Gentiles, the goodness, the hope of his calling, the lame man leap as a hart, the light of Jesus, the lovely vista, the power of Satan, the riches of glory, the tongue of the dumb sing, to make thee a minister, touches a soft spot, Tuesday Mantra, turn them from darkness to light, vengeance, walk as children of light, warm confines, wheezing chest, who art thou Lord, why persecutest thou me, winter squall
Ephesians 1:18. The eyes of your understanding being enlightened; that ye may know what is the hope of his calling, and what the riches of the glory of his inheritance in the saints.
Oh mih people, the ole fella’s neighbourhood is nothing but a beautiful panorama of white this Tuesday morning in mid January! (smile)
Between yesterday afternoon and last night a winter squall passed and deposited a few inches of snow in the area. All the housetops and trees are definitely looking wintry in their blankets of white.
It’s all very good for the eyes, but on the other hand it’s going to be a terrible commute this morning for those who have to brave the white stuff and try to get to work, school or home.
Chuh! If the snow would only fall on the banks and not on the roads eh… dream on dreamer. (smile) I guess too the fellow that I’ve been paying to clean my driveway will finally have some work to do. It’s one of those days if you don’t have to go out, just don’t. And the operative words there are ‘have to.’
I have been fighting a cold for the last few days and you’re certainly not going to catch me out there. I’m just going to stay in my warm confines with my stuffy nose and wheezing chest and admire the lovely vista out there.
And since today is Tuesday, then let’s declare our Tuesday Mantra with sincerity and truth. As one now: ‘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!’
Oh Friends, I can’t help but repeat my self, for every time we declare that Mantra, it just touches a soft spot in my heart and soul!
Just imagining myself being LOVED by my Creator, and also being a friend of my Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ…. it humbles, as well as lifts me up to think that such wonderful Beings truly care about me. And not about me alone, but about all those who sincerely believe in them.
Oh glory to God my brethren! Let’s not forget, nor take for granted the goodness and LOVING-kindness of our most merciful and gracious God, who first gave us life, then provides for us down here on planet earth.
Now let’s turn to our Bit. ‘The eyes of your understanding being enlightened; that ye may know what is the hope of his calling, and what the riches of the glory of his inheritance in the saints.’
Yes Friends, we’ll continue looking at enlightening the eyes of our understanding by lauding scripture passages that deal with the subject. And we’ll start with promises, prophecy from Isaiah, re the restoration of Israel to Zion, a message of hope.
‘Say to them that are of a fearful heart, Be strong, fear not: behold, your God will come with vengeance, even God with a recompense; he will come and save you. Then the eyes of the blind shall be opened, and the ears of the deaf shall be unstopped. Then shall the lame man leap as a hart (deer), and the tongue of the dumb (mute) sing: for in the wilderness shall waters break out, and streams in the desert.’ (Is.35:4-6)
Oh glory to God for His goodness and mercy to the undeserving children of men! Yes my precious people, our God is a good God, one who’s interested in the welfare of His people. And since He doesn’t change, then it means that He’s still interested in our welfare today.
But we have to give Him the chance to work in our lives, to open our eyes of understanding and show us the good plan He has for us, to give us a hope and a future. It’s therefore essential then that we open our hearts, souls and minds to Almighty God and His Word, otherwise we won’t be able to claim the riches of His glory and His inheritance as saints.
Now hear this exciting scripture when Bruh Paul testified before King Agrippa, re his conversion on the road to Damascus. At midday, a bright light from heaven struck down him and his posse.
‘And when we were all fallen to the earth, I heard a voice speaking unto me, and saying in the Hebrew tongue (language), Saul, Saul, why persecutest thou me? it is hard for thee to kick against the pricks (goads, thing that torments). And I said, Who art thou, Lord?
And he said, I am Jesus, whom thou persecutest. But rise, and stand upon thy feet: for I have appeared unto thee for this purpose, to make thee a minister and a witness both of these things which thou hast seen, and of those things in the which I will appear (reveal) unto thee.
Delivering thee from the people, and from the Gentiles, unto whom I now send thee, To open their eyes, and to turn them from darkness to light, and from the power of Satan unto God, that they may receive forgiveness of sins, and inheritance among them which are sanctified (set apart) by faith that is in me.’ (Acts 26:14-18)
Oh friends, our God is very interested in opening our eyes and enlightening us as to who He is, but won’t do it without our permission. So please, let’s open our hearts today and let Him in nuh, so that He can fulfill His dream for us.
And we’ll end with this reminder from Bruh Paul to the Ephesians. ‘For ye were sometimes (once) darkness, but now are ye light in the Lord: walk as children of light.’ (Eph.5:8).
And the scholars offer this explanation. ‘5:8. Darkness indicates that the readers used to be spiritually unenlightened, and accompanying this ignorance was immorality with its resultant guilt and misery. Light denotes that the recipients are now to be religiously informed. Their knowledge of the truth is attended by moral purity and happiness.’
Oh my brethren, I sincerely hope and pray that we have all seen the light! Much LOVE!
…the only antidote for darkness…is the light of Jesus…
18 Aug 2015
by randyobrien50
in Christian Thoughts and Inspiration., Daily Devotion, Daily Inspiration, Inspirational Living, Spiritual Living
Tags: a beacon, anxiety, basic purpose on earth, be on our p's and q's, bright light, bright light of Jesus' resurrection, Christian, Christian charter, Christian soldiers, darkness, darkness of the world, discerning, Do's, don't ever give up, Don't's, enlarges faith, every nook and cranny, evil deeds, faith, fascination, fear, followers of Jesus, forgiving, glory to God, goodness, guilt, happiness, immorality, it's working, Jesus' love and light, light, light of jesus, LOVE, misery, moral purity, nothing to do with God, One Year Book of Bible promises, our heavenly Father, pay compliments, permeate your home with love, persist in prayer, personal agendas, practice forgiving, pretend, promise of eternal life, proving what is acceptable unto the Lord, puncture, push, put it into practice, religiously informed, right and wrong, righteousness., Ruth Harms Calkin, self-esteem, showing the way to Jesus, solicitations to evil, spiritually unenlightened, successful Christian lives, temptations, thanks, the best of our ability, the confusion of life, the fruit of the spirit, the ways of the believer, truth, walk as children of light, warms the cockles of my heart, with God's help, worry
Ephesians 5:10. Proving what is acceptable unto the Lord.
Forward on Christian soldiers, the battle awaits! And though this Tuesday morning might be gloomy and cloudy on the outside, on the inside the followers of Jesus are burning with the bright light of His resurrection that fulfills the promise of eternal life! Glory to God!
Yeh mih people, once we’re truly connected to Jesus there is no need for fear and worry because His LOVE and LIGHT displaces all the darkness within us. Now isn’t that wonderful? Yes, it truly is! That’s why despite what the weather might look like, we always have a bright light shining out from us; a beacon showing the way to Jesus. Glory Hallelujah!
And to show the truth and the practicality of all that, here is something from our One Year Book of Bible Promises with writings by Ruth Harms Calkin. It’s titled ‘On the Way to the Airport.’
It says: ‘The women’s retreat had ended, and I was on my way out the door. I had only a little while to get to the airport for my plane trip home. As I hurried toward the waiting car, a charming young wife followed me. I sensed her deep anxiety when she asked, “How can I live before my husband who wants nothing to do with God?”
From the car window I said, “Let me give you four DON’T’S and four DO’S. 1. Don’t push. 2. Don’t preach. 3. Don’t pretend. 4. Don’t puncture his self-esteem. 1. Do permeate your home with LOVE. 2.Do practice forgiving. 3. Do pay compliments to him often. 4. Do persist in prayer. “Oh, yes, one more DON’T: Don’t ever, ever, ever give up!”
The young woman reached inside her purse for her personal card. With gentle persuasion she asked, “Would you be willing to write all of that down for me when you get home?” I promised I would.
We’ve never seen each other again, but almost a year after the retreat I found a short note in our mailbox. Just three words and her name. “Thanks! It’s working!”
Oh Glory to God my people! It does warm the cockles of one’s heart and enlarges one’s faith when good advice is given, it’s taken seriously, and then it works!
Now that particular problem might not be present in our own home, but there are many homes where one spouse is a practicing Christian while the other is not, and it does cause some awkward and uncomfortable situations, and that is exactly the kind of response the Christian partner ought to have.
But yuh know what Friends; in actual fact, that is the kind of atmosphere that ought to permeate EVERY Christian home, be they all followers of Christ or not! No pushing, no preaching, no pretending, no puncturing of self-esteem. But a place where LOVE permeates every nook and cranny, where forgiving is paramount, compliments are paid, and prayer is continuous. Actually, that’s the Christian Charter in a simplified form!
Oh my people, if only half the supposed Christian homes were run like that, Christianity would be so much further ahead. But unfortunately, in these troubled and trying times, most families are not run like that. Too many of us are too busy occupied with our own personal agendas to give the needed time to others.
And the Bible verse associated with that writing is also our Bit for today. ‘Proving what is acceptable unto the Lord.’
Oh Friends, that behaviour is not only acceptable to the Lord, it is what He expects from every believer!
Bruh Paul is here explaining the ways of the believer to the Ephesians, encouraging them not to associate with unbelievers, or those who practice the evil deeds of the world. (Eph.5:1-6)
As he says before our Bit: ‘Be not ye therefore partakers with them. For ye were sometimes (once) darkness, but now are ye light in the Lord: walk as children of light: (For the fruit of the Spirit is in all goodness and righteousness and truth:)’ (Eph.5:8-9) And indeed that’s what the fruit of the Spirit is, my brethren!
And before we go any further, let’s get some explanations from the scholars. ‘5:8. Darkness indicates that the readers used to be spiritually unenlightened, and accompanying this ignorance was immorality with its resultant guilt and misery. Light denotes that the recipients are now to be religiously informed. Their knowledge of the truth is attended by moral purity and happiness.’
‘5:10. Because of constant temptations and solicitations to evil, believers must always be proving or discerning what is and what is not acceptable unto the Lord.’
Yes Friends, we need to always be on our p’s and q’s as to what’s right and wrong in the Lord’s sight, as we make our pilgrim’s journey through this dark, evil and deceitful world. It’s not always easy to do, especially when we get caught up in the confusion that’s modern life.
But as believers, we need to make the effort, and as always, with God’s help we can and will do it to the best of our ability. Now let’s review and consider and ponder on all that we’ve said today, and with the sure assistance of our heavenly Father, try to put it all into practice, so that we can all lead successful Christian lives. For that is our basic purpose here on earth. Much LOVE!
…once we have encountered the brilliant light of Jesus…the darkness of the world…ought to hold no fear or fascination for us…
P.S. Please excuse the lateness of the Bit Friends. The ole fella’s just been a tad under the weather these last few days with a cold and cough. Thankfully though, with the Lord’s help, they are now on their way out. Much LOVE!
02 Aug 2015
by randyobrien50
in Christian Thoughts and Inspiration., Daily Devotion, Daily Inspiration, Inspirational Living, Spiritual Living
Tags: a city that is set on a hill cannot be hid, a close relationship with God, a tight hold on our reins, a torch of hope, Anselm, antidote, apathy, be thankful for what you have, believe in the light, Bruh Paul, Caribana, Christian homes, communion between believers, complaining about what we don't have, defense, do not practice the truth, ephemeral Being, Ephesians, ethical overtones, eyewitness, fairy-tale king, give thanks, God dwells within us, God is always right beside us, God is light, God's will, gospel truth, guidance, guilt, happiness, ignorance, immorality, in him is no darkness at all, Jesus Christ, laziness, lifts your spirits, light in the Lord, lighthouses, like pulling teeth, mere mortals, misery, moral purity, never get it, obedience, opposition to God, ordained by God, party people, petty excuses, practicing Christians, priae, profess to love God, reciprocating love, reconciled to God, reinvigorated, sacrifice, satanic world, set a proper example, sin's presence and power, spiritually unenlightened, Sunday, surrender, that ye may be the children of light, the bondage of sin, the heathen, the Holy Spirit, the infidel, the message we have heard, the shed blood of jesus christ, the things of this world, truth, violent death on the cross, walk as children of light, walk in darkness, walking in sin, wanty wanty, we lie, worship, Ye are the light of the world, ye were sometimes darkness
Matthew 5:14. Ye are the light of the world. A city that is set on a hill cannot be hid.
Okay all you party people, it’s Sunday, time to get up and get yourselves to church, for this is the day that was ordained by God for His children to gather in His sanctuary every week to worship Him and to revive and refresh our faith and witness. Yes Friends, leaving church makes you feel reinvigorated, renewed, and lifts your spirits.
And we don’t want any petty excuses like I’m tired because I was out partying till late. You should have thought about that before. When you came home from work or wherever, you were tired too, but that didn’t stop you from going out to party, so please don’t let a little tiredness, plus a lot of apathy and laziness stop you from going to praise and worship and give thanks to your heavenly Creator this Caribana Sunday morning of 2015!
I’m chuckling here Friends, but seriously, that is the exact scenario that’s playing out in many Christian homes this Sunday morning. What is it eh about going to church that makes it feel like pulling teeth, but going out to parties requires a tight hold on our reins?
And yet we still profess to LOVE God so much. But how can you LOVE Him when you don’t want to go to His house and make nice with Him eh? I guess it’s partly because we still have this idea of God being some faraway, ephemeral Being, more like a fairy-tale king, who just sits on His throne in heaven on high and looks down on us mere mortals with only a cursory glance and an occasional nod.
But that’s the furthest thing from the truth Friends, because our wonderful God is always right beside us. In fact He dwells within us through the power of His Holy Spirit and He is very much interested in EVERY thing we do, because He truly LOVES us, with a LOVE so great that He even gave His one and only son Jesus Christ as a sacrifice so that we could be reconciled to Him! Now if that isn’t real true LOVE, I don’t know what is.
Somehow though, we seem to have a real problem reciprocating that LOVE! But if we truly want to spend eternity with Him in heaven, my people we have to get to a point of true LOVE, surrender and obedience to the Father’s will. Another part of our problem is that we’re too much into the things and ways of this wicked world, which are in complete opposition to those of God.
That brings to mind a recent interesting quote from our friend Anselm, who delights in inspiring us for a better tomorrow. And Anselm warns; ‘Be thankful for what you have; you’ll end up having more. If you concentrate on what you don’t have, you will never have enough.’
And that’s gospel truth my brethren! Many of us don’t have enough because we are always concentrating on and complaining about what we don’t have, which only aggravates our spirits and drives us nuts. However, when we’re thankful for whatever we have, we bring a different element, a different emotion to the table; one of contentment, of sufficiency, at least for the time being, instead of constantly being uptight and wanting.
Remember the ole Jamaican saying: ‘Wanty wanty, never get it?’(smile) That’s also indisputable truth! As sincere, practicing Christians though, what we need to do is to set a proper example for the rest of the world, for the infidel, the heathen, to follow.
As Jesus so wisely puts it our Bit: ‘Ye are the light of the world. A city that is set on a hill cannot be hid.’ And we all know that to be true, that’s why lighthouses were always built on hilly ground, so that their light could be seen from far and wide and give good guidance to the travellers seeking it.
That’s our mission on this earth people; to be guiding lights in a world of darkness. Not necessarily as overblown as a light house, but certainly at least as a large lamp.
As Bruh Paul advised the Ephesians when talking about the ways of the believer: ‘For ye were sometimes (once) darkness, but now are ye light in the Lord: walk as children of light.’ (Eph.5:8) Yes my people, that’s certainly Jesus’ expectation of His followers.
And the scholars give us this bit of info on that verse. ‘5:8. Darkness indicates that the readers used to be spiritually unenlightened, and accompanying this ignorance was immorality with its resultant guilt and misery. Light denotes that the recipients are now to be religiously informed. Their knowledge of the truth is attended by moral purity and happiness.’
Ah mih breddren, what is it going to take for us to really wake up and see and truthfully accept the light eh? We have to do it real soon Friends, because Jesus can return at any moment, and then it will be too late.
Listen to how John describes God’s light in his first epistle. ‘This then is the message which we have heard of him, and declare unto you, that God is light, and in him is no darkness at all. If we say that we have fellowship with him, and walk in darkness, we lie, and do not (practice) the truth. But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship one with another, and the blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanseth us from all sin.’ (1John 1:5-7) What awesome consolation Friends!
And the scholars offer this info on those verses. ‘1:5. Again John implies his eyewitness status, having heard of him, that is, Jesus. John passes on to the church teaching he first received from Jesus. Light and darkness here have ethical overtones. John is saying that God is perfect and good; there is thus no sin or evil in Him. This will have implications for followers of this God in the following verses.’
‘1:6. Walk in darkness means walking in sin. John may have had in mind people who claimed to be enjoying a close relationship with God, but whose lives were clearly characterized by sin. Such a state of affairs, John say boldly, is impossible; such persons are lying.’
‘1:7. “God is light” (v.5): To walk in this light, which is to live free from the bondage of sin (cf. Rom 6:18), is to make true communion between believers possible. Jesus’ violent death on the cross, which is what blood signifies, is the initial antidote for and ultimate defense against sin’s presence and power.’
Voilà! There we have it Friends! The only antidote and the best defence against Lucifer’s evil presence and power: the shed BLOOD of Jesus Christ! So please, let’s be wise and go to the cross and take hold of it nuh, so that we can run with it blazing like a brilliant torch of hope in the darkness of this satanic world. That’s wisdom everlasting! Much LOVE!
…while ye have light…believe in the light…that ye may be…the children of light… (John 12:36a)
22 Jan 2014
by randyobrien50
in Christian Thoughts and Inspiration., Daily Devotion, Daily Inspiration, Inspirational Living, Spiritual Living
Tags: accedptable to God, admonishing, arise from the dead, armour of light, awake, be not unwise, beautiful morning, beautiful morning in Paradise, blessed light of Jesus, character, charles stanley, children of disobedience, Christ's return, conformity, confront hypocrites, daily decisions, dark clouds, darkness, darkness of this world, deceive, desire to do God's will, dissipation, doing good, don't be drunk, earnestly, embrace outcasts, Ephesians, equip leaders, evil power, excess, exhortations, expose, filled with the Spirit, frivolity, fruit of the Spirit, giving thanks always, goal, God's little Acre, God's plan, goodness, hearts minds and souls, heavenly blessing, heavenly wisdom, hovering overhead, humbly, humility of Spirit, hustling pace, hymns, Jesus Christ, Jesus' 2nd coming, Jesus' work, joyous coming again, light, light in the Lord, long term basis, lord jesus christ, Lucifer, making melody in your heart to god, more like Jesus, morning splendour, obedience, onerous goals, partakers, patience, perseverance, poetic licence, ponder, priorities, psalms, rain, restore broken lives, reverence of God, righteousness., secret, seek God, serve others, shame, signs, spiritual songs, teach God's Word, the sun rose, time, time's moving fast, truth, understand the will of God, unfruitful works of darkness, vain empty words, walk as children of light, walk circumspectly, walk like Jesus, ways of a believer, We could handle this, works of darkness, write indelibly
Romans 13:12. The night is far spent, the day is at hand: let us therefore cast off the works of darkness, and let us put on the armour of light.
Well Friends, it’s another beautiful morning in Paradise! Wow! Since I’ve been here that’s been a recurring occurrence. (smile) And would you believe that I’ve already been here for almost a week? I left T.O. last Wednesday night.
Mama! Time sure is moving fast! A little too fast for my liking though. I need it to slow down some, to just an easy walk, so that I can properly enjoy my time on God’s Little Acre, rather than the hustling pace it seems all geared up for.
And by the way, I finally experienced my first rainfall since I arrived. Sometime last evening, while we were inside, we suddenly heard an unexpected loud, drumming kind of noise on the roof, and wondered if it was rain, so I went outside to investigate the matter. And behold it was indeed heavenly blessing!
However, after a minute or so, it stopped just as suddenly as it had begun. It wasn’t all that surprising, because over the past week, there have been numerous dark rain clouds in the sky, but nothing has ever happened. Apparently the strong breezes simply blow them away. Even when I went outside earlier this morning, there were dark clouds hovering overhead, but soon thereafter, the sun rose in all its earthly morning splendour.
Ah mih people, as the Duchess and I keep on saying: ‘We could handle this, yuh know – on a long term basis.’ (smile) And hopefully, one day we will, provided it falls into line with God’s plan for our lives.
But enough of my frivolity, let’s get serious with Jesus’ work. And this morning I found this note amongst my papers, which I’m being guided to share with you. It looks like something I scribbled down from one of Uncle Charles’ (Charles Stanley) sermons. It talks about the 7 Priorities of Jesus’ Daily Decisions.
And they are: (1) He sought the Father. (2) He embraced the outcasts of society. (3) He restored broken lives. (4) He confronted hypocrites. And did He ever! (5) He taught God’s Word. (6) He served others in humility of spirit. (7) He equipped leaders – providing training in obedience and a desire to do God’s will.
So Friends, if we want to be more like Jesus, bring our character into greater conformity with His, then we too have to make those things our priorities. They’re not onerous goals, but they do take time, perseverance and patience to build, obviously with God’s help. And who knows how much time we have left on this earth eh – either in terms of our personal lives, or Jesus’ 2nd Coming?
For as our Bit so wisely and rightly reminds us. ‘The night is far spent, the day is at hand: let us therefore cast off the works of darkness, and let us put on the armour of light.’
And as we saw yesterday, the night refers to Jesus’ absence from the world, when the evil power of Lucifer rules, while the day hails His joyous coming again. And without a doubt my fellow believer, from all the signs He’s given us, that day isn’t as far away as many of us believe.
And having heard Jesus’ serious pronouncement on the subject of His Second Coming yesterday, today we’re going to investigate some scriptures which encourage us to give up the foolish darkness of this world and wisely move into the blessed light of Jesus’ heavenly abode.
Let’s begin with some powerful admonishing and ‘exhortatious’ words (smile – poetic licence- it just sounded better) from Bruh Paul to the Ephesians, re the ways of a believer.
‘Let no man deceive you with vain (empty) words: for because of these things cometh the wrath of God upon the children of disobedience. Be not ye therefore partakers with them. For ye were sometimes (once) darkness, but now are ye light in the Lord: walk as children of light: (For the fruit of the Spirit is in all goodness and righteousness and truth;) Proving what is acceptable unto the Lord.
And have no fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness, but rather reprove (expose) them. For it is a shame even to speak of those things which are done of them in secret. But all things that are reproved (exposed) are made manifest (known) by the light: for whatsoever doth make manifest is light. Wherefore he saith, Awake thou that sleepest, and arise from the dead, and Christ shall give thee light.
See then that ye walk circumspectly (carefully), not as fools, but as wise. Redeeming the time, because the days are evil. Wherefore be ye not unwise, but understanding what the will of the Lord is. And be not drunk with wine, wherein is excess (dissipation); but be filled with the Spirit;
Speaking to yourselves in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody in your heart to the Lord; Giving thanks always for all things unto God and the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ; Submitting yourselves one to another in the fear (reverence) of God.’ (Eph.5:6-21)
Oh Friends, I have to chuckle here because I never intended to use all of that scripture, but after reading it, I couldn’t find anywhere to break off and not lose the sense of the passage, since it all speaks so earnestly and appropriately to our Bit; being ready for Christ’s return, and the behaviour that’s necessary to achieve such a wonderful and important goal.
So please, let’s ponder all the stuff we’ve heard today, write them indelibly in our hearts, mind and souls, and walk accordingly, thereby bringing more righteousness to our lives and also improving our readiness for Jesus’ Second Coming. That’s heavenly wisdom! Much LOVE!
…to be truly ready for Jesus…we must daily walk like He walked…humbly doing good…
SCRIP-BITS 