25 Aug 2021
by randyobrien50
in Christian Thoughts and Inspiration., Daily Devotion, Daily Inspiration, Inspirational Living, Spiritual Living
Tags: a glorious future with Jesus, a man's enemies are the men of his own house, a roof over our heads, climate change, do evil with both hands, economic sufferartion, endure to the end, faithfulness, fraud, gone out of style, halfway home, hands on the plough, her that lieth in your bosom, I will look unto the Lord, I will wait for the God of my salvation, in limbo, keep the doors of thy mouth, lavish living, lol around and do nothing, looking forward to, LOVE, loyalty, mid-week blues day, my God will hear me, no longer have a heart for God, no man's land, not looking back, now shall be their perplexity, out for blood, pandemic, put ye not confidence in a guide, putting bread on our tables, sharper than a thorn hedge, so glad to be alive, still flowing through me, strife and war, thank God, the best of them is as a brier, the breath of life, the dark abyss of depravity, the daughter riseth up against her mother, the good man is perished, the judge asketh for a reward, the moral sins of Israel, the most upright, the poor get poorer, the prince asketh for gifts, the rich get richer, the son dishonoureth the father, the wide and winding path to destruction, there is none upright, through Jesus Christ the Son, thy visitation cometh, to God the Father be the glory, too few have too much, too many have too little, trust ye not in a friend, we all get our comeuppance, Wednesday Wail, weeping and gnashing of teeth, white collar crime, wine women and song
Micah 7:7. Therefore I will look unto the Lord; I will wait for the God of my salvation: my God will hear me.
Oh my, it’s the mid-week blues day…Wednesday! Yes, only two days of the working week have gone by, and there are two more still left to go, which leaves you in a sort of no man’s land, in limbo, not knowing whether to be happy that half the week’s gone, or sad that there’s still another half to go. Thus the blues day of Wednesday!
Ah mih people, we can be so trifling and petty! Instead of thanking the Lord for another day on His beautiful earth with His many blessings, and that we at least have a job to go to, unlike so many others in these troubled and trying times. Although we may not like or appreciate our job, the hard, cold fact of the matter is that it takes care of our basic necessities, putting bread on our tables and a roof over our heads. But no, too many of us would rather lol around and do nothing all day. How could we ever get any satisfaction from constantly doing nothing eh? Especially when you don’t even have the funds, or the wherewithal to do fun nothings! (smile)
In our rush to achieve material things and earthly power, our society has reached such immoral and evil heights that we no longer have a heart for God nor each other. It recalls the prophet Micah’s lament over the moral sins of Israel way back when. In his despair, he laments: ‘The good (loyal, faithful) man is perished out of the earth: and there is none upright among men: they all lie in wait for blood; they hunt every man his brother with a net.
That they may do evil with both hands earnestly (successfully), the prince asketh (asks for gifts), and the judge asketh for a reward (bribe); and the great man he uttereth his mischievous (evil) desire: so they wrap it up (scheme together). The best of them is as a brier (thorny or prickly plant): the most upright is sharper than a thorn hedge: the day of thy watchmen and thy visitation (punishment) cometh; now shall be their perplexity.’ (Mic. 7:2-4)
And if we are truthful friends, we will admit that’s a very good and accurate description of our current society! Things like loyalty and faithfulness have gone out of style. Some of our young people don’t even know the meaning of those words, having never encountered the situations and behaviour to which they refer. Too many of us are just out for blood, just out to get whatever we can from whomever we can, and be it family, friend, or foe, it doesn’t matter in the least. We just want whatever we think should be coming to us. Even the best of us is sharp and prickly like a thorn bush, which isn’t a good recommendation!
And we have gone so far along the wide and winding path to destruction, like Israel did, that Micah’s advice and warning now stands us in good stead, just like it did Israel. It’s so sad when he warns: ‘Trust ye not in a friend, put ye not confidence in a guide (companion): keep (guard) the doors of thy mouth from her that lieth in thy bosom. For the son dishonoureth the father, the daughter riseth up against her mother, the daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law; a man’s enemies are the men of his own house.’ (Mic. 7:5-6)
Yes friends, it’s all true! You can’t be too careful, because nowadays everyone seems to have some nefarious scheme up their sleeves. And if you can’t trust your lifelong friend, or your wife, who can you trust then eh? In actual fact NOBODY! And we are seeing an increase in family quarrels and sibling rivalry, as well as increased litigation over petty and unimportant stuff. Fraud, or as we so nicely label it, ‘white collar crime’ is so rampant that we can’t keep up with it, even if we dared to try.
And the sad part is that all these fraudsters are doing with the money they get by fraudulent means is spending it wastefully on lavish living. You can only own and enjoy so many, houses, cars, boats, yachts and planes, as well as indulge in only so much wine, women and song. Your body will eventually give out, if your funds don’t depart first. But friends, there is good news… yes good advice from Micah. Despite all the immorality and evil around him, he unabashedly declares: ‘Therefore I will look unto the Lord; I will wait for the God of my salvation: my God will hear me.’ (Mic. 7:7)
And that my brethren is the only hope for our society. If we don’t turn to the God of our forefathers, the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob very soon, like right now, our society will keep plunging into the dark abyss of depravity and sin, and will eventually become of no account, or extinct, like so many other immoral and depraved ones that have gone before. That’s the long and short of the story my people! Without our turning back to Jehovah God, and allowing His Son Jesus Christ to come into our hearts and show us the way to the Father, we’re done, like dinner.
Are the blinkers put over our eyes by Satan so strong that we can’t see the gradual, but ever quickening demise of our society, even the earth we inhabit? When have we ever experienced so many disastrous natural disasters all at once eh? Right now, we have wildfires burning all over the world. Many are suffering from drought and famine, while many more are suffering from excessive rainfall and floods. And we also have volcanoes going off all over the world like crazy. But we are fighting over climate change, instead of seriously dealing with it.
Look at the pandemic that’s so suddenly hit us and doesn’t seem like it’s going away any time soon because we can’t agree on what it is and how to handle it. And I won’t even mention the widespread strife and many wars that are currently taking place in so many divided places around the globe. And if you want to, you can also consider the enormous state of poverty and economic suffering that currently exists in a world that has enough for everybody, because a few have too much, while many have too little.
And it’s so cruel and heartbreaking to see that even in this time of pandemic that the rich are getting richer, while the poor are getting poorer. And what really hurts is that the rich have no conscience, they go around boasting about their increase in material wealth, while they keep the poor in economic sufferation! But as Micah said so long ago: ‘the day of thy watchmen and thy visitation (punishment) cometh; now shall be their perplexity.’ Yes people, we all shall get our comeuppance sooner or later, and if we don’t repent and turn away from our evil deeds now, there will soon be much weeping and gnashing of teeth. End of Sermon.
Now for those of us who are sincerely trying to make a difference, let’s go home declaring (awright!!!) our Wednesday Wail, letting all and sundry know of 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 though it’s difficult under our current circumstances, please, let’s never forget that if we endure to the very end, that future will be even more glorious than we can ever ask or imagine! Much LOVE!
…to God the Father be the glory…through Jesus Christ the Son…
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20 Aug 2019
by randyobrien50
in Christian Thoughts and Inspiration., Daily Devotion, Daily Inspiration, Inspirational Living, Spiritual Living
Tags: a bed of pain, an open door, be of good cheer, beloved of God, bounden duty, build our faith, bury the hatchet, Christ's gospel, Christianity 101, complacent lives, complain, faith, friend of Jesus, from softness, fruitful difficulty, help us grow, hurry, i have overcome the world, I have spoken to you, in disappointment, in god's eyes, in me, in peace and freedom, in the world, lazy, life will be rough, life's priceless times, live godly in Christ, look up, many are the afflictions, more than conquerors, more than unbelievers, never a sweet easy walk, not what I do, not what I have, of the righteous, produce calluses, refusing to renounce christ's name, rejoice, save my spirit, settle down, shake His head, share His love, shout for joy, slammed in my face, spoiled, standing strong, suffer persecution, suffering persecution, the path of righteousness, these things, times of adversity, to face difficulties, too blind to see, Tuesday Mantra, victory, wine women and song, wonderful news, worry, worship Christ, ye might have peace, ye shall have tribulation, you already have the victory
John 16:33. These things I have spoken unto you, that in me ye might have peace. In the world ye shall have tribulation: but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world.
And then it was Tuesday – the day after the ever-difficult day of Monday! (smile) Hope that all is well this morning and that we have less difficulty going out today than we did yesterday. But the problem is that difficulties have a way of helping us to grow, for when we just enjoy the good life we don’t grow in Christ at all.
And this morning I have a li’l something from Gramps Schuller (Dr. Robert H. Schuller) from his Hour of Power Devotional that reminds us of the sublime purpose of difficulties in our lives. He calls it ‘To Face Difficulties.’
Please pray with me. ‘Truly, Father, all things work together for good to those who LOVE You. Thank you for the difficulties that produce divine dividends. I know that pain is only a phase of the growing process: that seed buried alive under suffocating ground in a windowless grave agonizes before it ruptures into new life. I know that I build hard muscles in my heart, mind, and body only when I lift heavy loads.
I thank you for tough times that produce calluses that could save my spirit from softness that could be weakness. There have been times, O Lord, when only through great difficulty have I learned the valuable lessons. I was too blind to see, too arrogant to believe, or too stubborn to accept any other way than by a bed of pain.
I praise you for the times an open door slammed in my face and forced me out of an old rut that I never would have had the courage to leave, and led me down the road to a beautiful new life. I thank you for heartbreak which caused me to bury the hatchet and speak to someone with whom I had for far too long been out of touch. Thank you, Father, for life’s priceless times of fruitful difficulty. Amen!’
And yes friends, only when we can thank the Lord for those difficult times that build our faith and strength and trust in Him can we truthfully say that we’re growing in Christ! That’s Christianity 101!
That leads me to think of all those believers out in the eastern parts of the world who are currently and constantly suffering persecution for simply believing in Christ, and are steadfastly refusing to renounce His precious name, standing strong through their difficulties, and thus growing in their faith.
And that’s as opposed to us out here in the free western world where we can worship Christ in peace and freedom, we bitch and complain about every li’l problem and difficulty that crops up in our spoiled, lazy and complacent lives. Chuh! I’m tired hearing supposed Christians complain! And it’s even possible that we complain more than the unbelievers too. We live better than 90 percent of the world, but we also complain more than them. Life is just too nice and easy with us.
And many believers feel that because they believe in Christ life should be just one, long, sweet, easy walk down the path of righteousness. But friends I have some unfortunate news for us; the path of righteousness has NEVER, and will NEVER be a sweet, easy walk! Just check out what Jesus had to go through nuh. And though we won’t go through as rough a time as He did, it certainly won’t be all wine, women and song!
Because it’s only when we face rough and tough times that we can grow, through having to actually exercise our faith and trust in Christ Jesus, our supposed Lord and Saviour! The same way we build physical muscles by lifting heavy weights, the same way we need to face difficulties to build our Christian faith! But unfortunately, too many of us are so weak and wimpy that it makes Jesus shake His head in disappointment.
Please remember Jesus’ serious words to the disciples: ‘These things I have spoken unto you, that in me ye might have peace. In the world ye shall have tribulation: but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world.’
Yeh friends, in Jesus’ own inimitable style, He tells us the bad news along with the good, in one verse of scripture. Life will be rough, but settle down, look up, and be at peace, because I have already given you the victory. But so many of us are so spineless that we whimper and cry at the first sign of difficulty.
But hear how Bruh Paul told it to Timothy: ‘Yea, and all that will live godly in Christ Jesus shall suffer persecution.’ (2 Tim.3:12) And Bruh Paul was an excellent example of those words. We wouldn’t have the wonderful news of Christ’s gospel today if he had simply refused to go through the numerous difficulties he faced in spreading it.
And long before Bruh Paul, Bruh David said it thus: ‘Many are the afflictions of the righteous: but the Lord delivereth him out of them all. He keepeth all his bones: not one of them is broken.’ (Ps.34:19-20) And Bruh David also knew what it was to face stormy times, but such was his trust and faith in the God of his forefathers, Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, that he never wavered from it, even when his life was on the line.
So my fellow believers, it’s of the utmost importance that we stand strong and steadfast when difficulties come along, because we know that the Lord will never leave nor forsake us in the midst of them, but better still, He will help us to go through the fire and the flood and come out even stronger and more faithful than when we entered the time of storm! Now that’s a convoluted sentence of which Bruh Paul would be proud! (smile)
But hear his famous words on the subject to the church at Rome. ‘Nay, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him that LOVED us.’ (Rom.8:37) And indeed we are! Glory be mih breddren! Rejoice and shout for joy because our Jesus has given us the victory! Now let’s go home declaring (yo!) our Tuesday Mantra, letting the whole wide world know who and whose we are.
In strong voice, with sincere hearts: ‘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!’
Now mih people, let’s do our bounden duty by going out and cheerfully sharing the awesome LOVE and friendship of Jesus with others nuh, as he so desperately desires of us! Much LOVE!
…true believers in Christ…will show their joy and cheerfulness…during times of adversity…because of their overwhelming faith in Him…
18 Jul 2018
by randyobrien50
in Christian Thoughts and Inspiration., Daily Devotion, Daily Inspiration, Inspirational Living, Spiritual Living
Tags: a glorious future, a God of justice, a positive idea, a refuge, adversity, bear burdens, breath of life, complaining, confident, dependent trust, dr robert h schuller, eternal life, exalted, eyes fixed straight ahead, fainted, frustrations, God's help, good courage, goodness of the Lord, gracious, halfway home, hands on the plough, has not forsaken, have mercy, hearsay, heartaches, heaven, Hour of Power Devotions, I'm inspired, in the centre of your will, in the mind of a believer, Jesus, Micah, moral sins, My walk, non-understandable times, not looking back, personal experience, prayer, prosperous life, put my life, put their trust in thee, seek God's face, sincerity, strengthen thine heart, stronghold, suffering, summer days, the bad, The God of my salvation, the good, the land of the living, The Lord is good, the most powerful force, the oppressed, the soul that seeks him, times of trouble, to those who wait for him, truth, wait, wait in faith, waiting, walking in God's will, Wednesday Wail, wine women and song, wisdom, words of wisdom, working with Christ
Lamentations 3:25. The Lord is good unto them that wait for him, to the soul that seeketh him.
‘Glorious summer days are here again, so please let’s enjoy them now my friends, for soon glorious summer days will be no more, and then, we won’t have glorious summer day to enjoy again!’ True words of wisdom my brethren! The days of summer only come but once a year, and unlike the days of winter they quickly pass away, so if we’re smart we will enjoy each and every one of those summer days to the fullest.
And today we’ll share this li’l something from Gramps Schuller’s (Dr. Robert H Schuller) Hour of Power Devotions which I’ve shared before, but is a good pick-me-up for any day. It’s called ‘My Walk.’
Please pray with me: ‘O God, I’m inspired. For you have just impressed this truth into my mind: The most powerful force in the world is a positive idea in the mind of a believer who is walking in your will! I now reach forth my life and say, “God, put my life into the centre of your will.” Amen.’
Oh friends, asking Almighty God to put our lives front and centre in His will is the best prayer we can ever pray, because it means we’re truly surrendering our all to Him and that’s exactly what He desires! But when we do that, we have to be prepared to face the bad with the good, for working with Christ is not merely wine, women and song, but also frustrations, adversity and hard, non-understandable times.
That’s why Cousin Jeremiah, in all his heartaches and suffering could positively declare in our Bit: ‘The Lord is good unto them that wait for him, to the soul that seeketh him.’
Yes friends, our God is good to those who are willing to bear their burdens without too much complaining, as they do their work in His name. Remember, we can do nothing on our own, but everything is possible when we invoke God’s help, when we seek His awesome face in sincerity and truth.
As Bruh David says in Psalm 9 – Praise for God’s justice. ‘The Lord also will be a refuge (a stronghold) for the oppressed, a refuge in times of trouble. And they that know thy name will put their trust in thee: for thou, Lord, hast not forsaken them that seek thee.’ (Ps.9:9-10) And we know for a fact there my brethren that Bruh David is not speaking from hearsay, but from personal experience, so there’s no need to doubt this words.
And the prophet Micah, when talking about the moral sins of Israel, which are also a clear reflection of our current times, declared thus: ‘Trust ye not in a friend, put ye not confidence in a guide (companion): keep (guard) the doors of thy mouth from her that lieth in thy bosom.
For the son dishonoureth the father, the daughter riseth up against her mother, the daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law; a man’s enemies are the men of his own house. Therefore I will look unto the Lord; I will wait for the God of my salvation: my God will hear me.’ (Mic.7:5-7)
And so shall He my faithful fellow believers! That is His promise, and we know that He keeps each and every promise that He makes! So it only makes sense to seek the Lord, to call on Him and to wait on Him if you truly want to live a successful and prosperous life down here on earth and eventually graduate to eternal life in heaven with Him.
Listen to Isaiah as he appeals for his people to turn to the Lord for help, and I’m appealing to us today to do the very same thing. ‘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: ‘30:18-33. 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.’
Amen mih breddren! What’s the purpose of having a God eh, if we can’t put our sincere trust in Him and wait confidently on Him eh? None whatsoever! We might as well just look after ourselves. And the last scripture for today comes from Bruh David, Psalm 27 – The Lord is my light and my salvation.
Hear these immortal words of wisdom and truth. ‘I had fainted, unless I had believed to see the goodness of the Lord in the land of the living. Wait (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) Truer words were never spoken my people!
So let’s go home now with all that wisdom and truth filling our hearts, souls, bodies and minds with the unbelievable joy that’s found in Jesus, as we declare to the entire world our serious position in Him, by proclaiming our Wednesday Wail.
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 will it ever be a glorious future for those who get to spend eternity with Jesus! Please make sure you are a part of that in-crowd by sincerely embracing Him down here on earth! Much LOVE!
…it’s such a joy to be involved with Jesus…that my heart just boils over with LOVE…whenever I think of Him…
18 Nov 2016
by randyobrien50
in Christian Thoughts and Inspiration., Daily Devotion, Daily Inspiration, Inspirational Living, Spiritual Living
Tags: a food man, a right heart, Abraham Isaac and Jacob, adventure, afraid, all weekend, among the heathen, another week of work, at the forefront of our lives, blessed be my Rock, bombarding heaven, confidence, dealt bountifully, deliverance, diligently, discretion, drinking, enjoyment, esteem, evil tidings, exalted, fallacy, favour, fellowship, fete, frail minds and bodies, Friday chant, friends, from dusk to dawn, fun, furthering your glorious kingdom, generous help, Gentiles, give thanks, given to the poor, gnash with his teeth, God avenges me, guide his affairs, honour, horn, I am helped, I will praise him, in Jesus' name, jamming, licentious, LOVE, loving kindness, melt away, mercy, move mountains, my heart rejoices, my heart trusted in him, my shield, my song, negative circumstances, pleasure seeking attitude, prayers, refreshed, rejoice in thy salvation, relaxation, remembrance, renewed, rewards, righteousness, salvation, seek the Lord first, spiritual strength, strain, stress, testify, tests, TGIF! Thank God is Friday, thanksgiving, the desire of the wicked, The Lord is my strength, the Lord liveth, the one and only true living God, the righteous, the weekend, trials, trust, trusting in the Lord, ungodly ways, who vex loss, wine women and song, with God's help
Psalm 28:7. The Lord is my strength and my shield; my heart trusted in him, and I am helped: therefore my heart greatly rejoiceth; and with my song will I praise him.
And then it was Friday… And mama yo, I couldn’t stand the noise in mih ears, the raucous singing of ‘TGIF! Thank God is Friday! We going to be jamming all weekend! Is fete and more fete! We drinking…drinking from dusk till dawn! We doh care who vex… For as they say, who vex loss. Thank God is Friday yes! Thank God for the weekend oui!’
Oh friends, sadly, that is the pleasure seeking attitude of a large portion of our society towards the weekend.
Ah Lord eh! They think it’s okay to waste it in wine, women and song, but that’s a serious fallacy. The weekend is for some enjoyment yes, but not totally. But try as we can, we can’t get that segment of our population to give up their licentious and ungodly ways on the weekend.
Anyhow, we have a different song we sing; our Friday Chant, which shows a better and godlier way to use the weekend. Let’s chant it in all sincerity now nuh. In unison: ‘Oh Lord, thanks for getting me safely through another week of work! It hasn’t been easy, but with your generous help, I made it through.
Now, please help me to get sufficient fun, fellowship, rest and relaxation in these two short days off, so that I can be renewed and refreshed in soul, body and mind, to go back out and do it all over again next week, furthering your glorious kingdom with each step I take. I pray this in Jesus name. Amen.’
Yes my people, that is indeed the better way to celebrate the weekend! We need to refresh ourselves for another week of work, not continue to stress and strain our already frail minds and bodies.
But we can only do those kinds of things when we have a sincere faith and trust in the ONE and ONLY TRUE and LIVING God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob!
Where we can confidently say like Bruh David does in our Bit: ‘The Lord is my strength and my shield; my heart trusted in him, and I am helped: therefore my heart greatly rejoiceth; and with my song will I praise him.’
Oh my people, my people, when that kind of confidence dwells in us, then our spiritual strength is so strong, that we can certainly move mountains with the Lord’s help!
Look at the amount of negative circumstances Bruh David overcame, not because he was a saint, but because he held God in the greatest esteem possible and always communicated with Him, regardless of the circumstances.
That’s how we need to live in these uncertain and confusing times my brethren! Without God at the forefront of our lives, we stand little chance of getting through this life successfully.
But enough of me, (smile) let’s get to some scripture which emphasizes what we’re talking about; trust and confidence in Almighty God. Listen to Bruh David from Psalm 13 – How long, O Lord, how long?
‘But I have trusted in thy mercy (LOVING-kindness); my heart shall rejoice in thy salvation. I will sing unto the Lord, because he hath dealt bountifully with me.’(Ps.13:5-6)
Oh friends, I can certainly testify to that, because the Lord has indeed dealt bountifully with me. Glory to God! It doesn’t mean you have an easy life – in fact it’s often more difficult as the Lord tests you, but the rewards, the adventure and pleasure involved, are certainly worth the trials He might put you through.
Now hear Bruh David again, this time from Psalm 112 – Blessed is the man that feareth the Lord. ‘A good man showeth favour (is gracious), and lendeth: he will guide his affairs with discretion.
Surely he shall not be moved (shaken) for ever: the righteous shall be in everlasting remembrance. He shall not be afraid of evil tidings: his heart is fixed (steadfast), trusting in the Lord. His heart is established, he shall not be afraid, until he see his desire upon his enemies.
He hath dispersed (distributed abroad), he hath given to the poor; his righteousness endureth for ever, his horn (strength) shall be exalted with honour. The wicked shall see it, and be grieved; he shall gnash with his teeth, and melt away: the desire of the wicked shall perish.’ (Ps.112:5-10)
That is what happens my brethren when we seek the Lord first in everything that we do. Now let’s end with some more confident words from Bruh David from Psalm 18 – Thanksgiving for deliverance.
‘The Lord liveth; and blessed be my Rock; and let the God of my salvation be exalted. It is God that avengeth me, and subdueth the people under me. He delivereth me from mine enemies: yea, thou liftest me up above those that rise up against me: thou hast delivered me from the violent man.
Therefore will I give thanks unto thee, O Lord, among the heathen (Gentiles), and sing praises unto thy name. Great deliverance giveth he to his king; and showeth mercy to his anointed, to David, and to his seed (descendants) for evermore.’ (Ps.18:46-50)
Ah friends, I do hope that all that positive scripture raised our confidence level and trust in Almighty God this Friday morning, and will allow us to rise to any occasion that comes our way, for that’s its purpose. Much LOVE!
…the Lord God works diligently on our behalf…when we diligently seek Him with a right heart…
P.S. Let’s remember to keep on praying for Scotty, our Scrip-Bit family member who is currently in the hospital. I hear he’s doing a li’l better. So please, let’s keep bombarding heaven with our prayers for him. Much LOVE!
18 Mar 2016
by randyobrien50
in Christian Thoughts and Inspiration., Daily Devotion, Daily Inspiration, Inspirational Living, Spiritual Living
Tags: allegations, almighty god, another week of work, attuned to God, balanced weekend, calypsos, celebrate, change, chastize, Christ-like, Christian's life, confidence, discombobulated world, dogs, economic slavery, enthusiasm, faith, fellowship, Friday chant, fun, generous help, give ear, give thanks, glorious kingdom, greedy, hear, hypocrite, I the alligator, joyful, LOVE, loving kindness, lusting for power, material things, merciful outlook, mercy, moderation, o ye kings, o ye princes, party, perspective, Philippians, pittance for pay, prayer, Rejoice in the Lord always, relationship, relaxation, resentful, rest, sing and praise, sing praise, slave master, slave work, spiritual image, St. Joseph's Day, St.Patrick's Day, supplication, TGIF! Thank God is Friday, thankfulness, thanksgiving, The God of Israel, the heathen, the Lord is at hand, the peace of God, truth, unbeliever, whips, wine women and song, wisdom
Judges 5:3. Hear, O ye kings; give ear, O ye princes: I, even I, will sing praise to the Lord God of Israel.
Aye mih people, how it going this cloudy Friday morning eh?
The somewhat snotty reply was: ‘But what yuh expect eh brother? Is Friday. That means it going beautifully! Yuh don’t hear everybody joyfully declaring, ‘TGIF! Thank God is Friday!’
The weekend is upon us, and everybody’s just holding their breath, can’t wait for evening to come, so that they could party, celebrate another week of slave work over, with only a mere pittance for pay, under the greedy slave master and them.
The only difference now is that they don’t have no whips nor dogs to keep you in line, now is economic slavery. That is why everybody so happy when Friday come, and joyfully shouting ‘Thank You Lord for Friday!’
Now who am I to dispute those allegations eh? I’m certainly not going to jump up and say ‘I the alligator sir!’ as a politician in Tobago was reputed to have said in the House of Assembly many moons back. (smile)
I can only say that spending too much time partying and wasting away the supposed pittance you’re paid on wine, women and song is not a very wise move. We’d all be better off with a balanced weekend as our Friday Chant advises. So let’s chant it up with plenty enthusiasm and thankfulness nuh.
As one now: ‘Oh Lord, thanks for getting me safely through another week of work! It hasn’t been easy, but with your generous help, I made it through.
Now, please help me to get sufficient fun, fellowship, rest and relaxation in these two short days off, so that I can be renewed and refreshed in soul, body and mind, to go back out and do it all over again next week, furthering your glorious kingdom with each step I take. I pray this in Jesus name. Amen.’
Now that line of thinking provides a much better perspective on the matter my people. And before I forget, let me make some apologies. In yesterday’s Bit I talked about growing up in T&T celebrating St. Paddy’s Day, but apparently I was wrong. A friend wrote and told me that instead we celebrated St. Joseph’s Day on March 19.
To tell the truth, I really don’t remember what day we celebrated back then. I only remember that we’d be anxiously waiting for that one day in the middle of Lent when you could drink and party and hear calypsos on the radio with a free conscience. (smile)
And on the other hand, I’ve been celebrating St. Paddy’s Day up here for the last forty something years, so the memory of down south in that respect is somewhat dim. (smile)
Now yuh see friends, that is the kind of feedback I require, that I need. Please, when I make mistakes, as I’m won’t to do every so often, being an ageing human, let me know nuh. I very much dislike putting stuff in the Bit that isn’t true. Anyway, thanks for that Miss T. (smile)
Now here’s our Bit. ‘Hear, O ye kings; give ear, O ye princes: I, even I, will sing praise to the Lord God of Israel.
And yes, our Bit is the same one as the last couple days, because thanks and praise are such integral aspects of a Christian’s life, and I don’t believe that we’re doing it as well as we ought to. Our hearts don’t really seem to be in that space where we’re happy to seek God; to sing and praise Him for His LOVING-kindness and His most merciful outlook upon us.
Oh my fellow believers, that is just such a sorrowful statement on our part. And I do believe it’s true. Just look around us and you’ll see the way we Christians behave, almost as badly as the heathen, as the unbelievers; greedy, resentful, lusting for power and the material things of the world.
Now that has got to change, if we ever hope to make any significant change(s) in our crazy, discombobulated world. I know several people who refuse to go to church because of the unchristian way those already in the church behave. But I keep telling them to go and add one more hypocrite to the bunch already there.
Oh friends, we’re all hypocrites to some degree, because we all do things we’re not suppose to, then chastise others for doing the same stuff. So what does that make us eh? Definitely not a true Christian! And besides, it’s more difficult trying to change things from the outside. You stand a much better chance if you’re on the inside too.
Anyway, that’s just my take on the situation. Let’s get to some appropriate scripture. And there’s none more suitable then this admonishment of Bruh Paul to the Philippians. ‘Rejoice in the Lord always: and again I say, Rejoice. Let your moderation be known unto all men. The Lord is at hand,
Be careful (anxious) for nothing; but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your request be made known unto God. And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep (guard) your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.’ (Phil.4:4-7)
Oh my people, what true and wise and wonderful advice! Actually, it should be a no-brainer for even the elementary Christian because from day one we’re advised to sing and praise and give thanks to God in ALL circumstances, and bring EVERY problem to Him in prayer, be they large or small.
For whatever reason though, we just are not doing those things sufficiently, that’s why our individual lives and the lives of our churches are not as joyful and Christ-like as they should be.
So let me plead with us this morning to get back to the basics of our faith. Remember, it’s all about our relationship with Almighty God; seeking Him, praising and glorifying Him. That’s the wisdom of the ages! Much LOVE!
…man was made in the spiritual image of God…so that his spirit would be closely attuned to God….
21 Mar 2014
by randyobrien50
in Christian Thoughts and Inspiration., Daily Devotion, Daily Inspiration, Inspirational Living, Spiritual Living
Tags: a fighting chance, a foothold in our lives, a sheep in wolves' clothing, absolute truth, almighty god, anger, another week of labour, asaph, awesome words of wisdom, believers in Jesus Christ, bet your bottom dollar, but flesh, circumspect about our behaviour, compassion, Creator, cross at Calvary, destroyed them not, disobedience, earthly wealth, every hour, every minute, faith walk, fellowship, fleshly enjoyment, fleshly lusts, forgave their iniquity, forgiveness, frailties, free, Friday chant, fun, generous help, glorious kingdom, God of many chances, grieve him in the desert, hungering, in Jesus' name, infiltrate our souls, iniquity, Israel, Joshua, leaps and bounds, legacy, material things, meditate, mindset of our society, Moses, obeying the Word of God, of every day, prosperous, provoke, rebel, relaxation, remembered not his power, renewed and refeshed, renewed in body soul and mind, repent, return to worshipping Almighty God, rise from the ashes, rise from the mire, sacrificed His life, safe parameters, short memory, sin, sinfulness, sinless Son of God, tables have turned, technology, temptation, tempted God, TGIF! Thank God is Friday, thanks, the enemy, the enemy's lurking nearby, the evil one, the Good Book, the Holy One of Israel, the law, the Lord God of their fathers, thirsting, time to enjoy the weekend, turned away from God, turned his anger away, weaknesses, wine women and song, worthless things of the world, wrath
Psalm 78:38. But he, being full of compassion, forgave their iniquity, and destroyed them not: yea, many a time turned he his anger away, and did not stir up all his wrath.
Aloha Friends! Yuh know it’s Friday…? Apparently you do, because I can hear you round the corner singing loud and clear: ‘TGIF! Thank God is Friday yes! Another week of labour done. And now is my time… my time to enjoy the weekend as I please… Free from massa slavery…!’
Now that’s quite true my brethren, but it’s also not the entire picture. Though we are indeed free to do whatever we so desire on the weekend, as believers in Jesus Christ, the holy and sinless Son of God, who selflessly sacrificed His life for us on the cross at Calvary, we have other things to consider besides fleshly enjoyment.
Things like not overdoing the party scene and allowing the evil one to get a foot hold in our lives, anymore than he already has. We need to control our fleshly lusts, be somewhat circumspect about our behaviour.
And it’s not only on the weekends that we need to be careful in our faith walk – the weekends just provide more freedom to do so – but each and every minute and hour of every day, because the enemy doesn’t ever take a break from trying to infiltrate our souls.
Sometimes it might seem like he’s leaving us alone, but you can bet your bottom dollar that he’s lurking somewhere nearby, possibly in disguise too, like a sheep in wolves’ clothing, just waiting to pounce when we step out of God’s will.
Anyhow, as always, let’s chant our Friday Chant to help us remember that the weekend is not all about wine, women and song, but also very much about Almighty God!
So as one, big, honey-voiced, harmonious chanteuse, (smile) let’s chant. ‘Oh Lord, thanks for getting me safely through another week of work! It hasn’t been easy, but with your generous help, I made it through.
Now, please help me to get sufficient fun, fellowship, rest and relaxation in these two short days off, so that I can be renewed and refreshed in soul, body and mind, to go back out and do it all over again next week, furthering your glorious kingdom with each step I take. I pray this in Jesus name. Amen.’
Yeh mih people, we have to try and stay within certain safe parameters, so that we don’t need to invoke our Bit too often: ‘But he, being full of compassion, forgave their iniquity, and destroyed them not: yea, many a time turned he his anger away, and did not stir up all his wrath.’
And why did the Lord restrain His anger? Because as our Creator, He knows all our weaknesses and frailties. And as Asaph, the psalmist continues: ‘For he remembered that they were but flesh; a wind that passeth away, and cometh not again. How oft did they provoke (rebel against) him in the wilderness, and grieve him in the desert!
Yea, they turned back and tempted God, and limited the Holy One of Israel. They remembered not his hand (his delivering power), nor the day when he delivered them from the enemy.’ (Ps.78:39-41)
Yes Friends, Israel’s memory was very short indeed! Once they became free and/or prosperous, they forgot the Lord God of their fathers, He of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, their Redeemer and strong shield, and they began hungering and thirsting for the worthless things of the world.
And yuh know what my people? That is exactly what we are doing today!
During the last few decades, as our technology improved by leaps and bounds, and our lives became filled with earthly wealth and material things, we gradually turned away from the God who had made all that prosperity possible.
Oh my fellow believers, our society only prospered because we were walking more in God’s Will back then, than in disobedience. However, now the tables have turned; since we’re walking in much more disobedience and sinfulness, our prosperity has also declined – and a whole lot too.
Like Israel, we have forgotten who brought us to the dance, we have forgotten those awesome and immortal words of wisdom and absolute truth that the Lord spoke to Joshua when He appointed him the new leader of Israel, after the death of Moses.
‘Only be thou strong and very courageous, that thou mayest observe to do according to all the law, which Moses my servant commanded thee; turn not from it to the right hand or to the left, that thou mayest prosper (have success or act wisely) whitherseover thou goest.
This book of the law shall not depart out of (be constantly in) thy mouth; but thou shalt meditate therein day and night, that thou mayest observe to do according to all that is written therein; for then shalt thou make thy way prosperous, and then thou shalt have good success.’ (Josh.1:7-8)
Oh my people, what’s so difficult to understand there eh? Nothing! It’s as plain as day!
And those are possibly two of the most important verses in the entire Good Book, for if we follow them conscientiously, we WILL have success and prosperity!
And if you’re wondering why our western society is floundering and quickly going down hill, just consider those two verses and our current relationship to them.
Oh my fellow believers, if we ever hope to restore our success and prosperity we need to repent and return to worshipping Almighty God, like the Israelites did!
It’s not too late, because our God is a God of many chances, but never believe that He won’t destroy us, if we don’t comply with His law. So let’s rise up today, in fact, RIGHT NOW, and try to change the foolish, disobedient mindset of our society.
That’s the ONLY WAY we’ll ever rise from the mire in which we’re now steadily sinking, and thus give those who come after us, a fighting chance to enjoy success and prosperity all the days of their lives.
Please, let’s make that our everlasting legacy nuh! Much LOVE!
…a society can only rise from its ashes…like the phoenix…when it sincerely repents…and genuinely returns to obeying the Word of God…
04 Mar 2014
by randyobrien50
in Christian Thoughts and Inspiration., Daily Devotion, Daily Inspiration, Inspirational Living, Spiritual Living
Tags: after one time is two, apostasy, archives of our memory, awesome truth, bacchanalian festival, bear fruit for Jesus, blasphemers, blazing sunshine, blessings, boasters, Bruh Paul, cares and riches, Carnival, Christ's return, cold weather, conclusion, corrupt minds, Cousin Sol, covetous, crescendo, deathly cold morning, disobedient, divers lusts, down south, faith, false teachers, fleeting pleasures of the world, folly, foolishness, fruit, futile, God's Word, godliness, good memories, gospel true, haughty, he who loves pleasure, he who loves wine and oil, I AM, in the hot sun, injustice, Jesus Christ, knowledge of the truth, life experiment, LOVE, lovers of God, lovers of pleasure, LOVETH, mas, maturity, meaningless, memories of carnival, merriment, Moses, neck of the woods, New Orleans, no self-control, northern climes, parable of the sower, perilous times, physcial warmth, playing mas, profound, proud, quest for truth, reckless, religion without power, reprobate, resist the truth, rewards in heaven, Rio, ruin, shall be a poor man, shall not be rich, silly women, sinful minions, slanderers, spiritual life, splendour of costumes, spontaneity of action, T&T, thanks and praise, the church age, the Good Lord, the last days, thrown to the wind, Timothy, unsatisfying, vain, warning, wine women and song, wisdom
Proverbs 21:17. He that LOVETH pleasure shall be a poor man: he that LOVETH wine and oil shall not be rich.
And the raging, unforgiving, unrepentant cold weather continues unabated in the northern climes, while down south, under blazing sunshine, mas and merriment are being joyfully made! What injustice! (smile)
But that’s the way the great I AM planned and created His awesome universe, so who are we, his sinful minions to dispute His higher than high ways, wisdom and understanding eh?
Yes Friends, it’s another deathly cold morning in my neck of the woods, while later today, down in Rio, New Orleans, T&T and wherever else, the crescendo of carnival is building up to its climax on the final day of the bacchanalian festival.
Oh that I was somewhere down there to enjoy the physical warmth, the splendour of the costumes, the joy, the spontaneity of action when the music blasts into your soul!
Oh Friends, there’s no feeling like playing mas in the hot sun, with the music, be it brass or steel, just jamming, and you singing and jumping to the high heavens! Ah Lord eh!
That’s why I keep reminding us to make good memories, because that’s all the ole fella has now – memories of carnival in yesteryear, when he made a fool of himself… oh but what enjoyable foolishness! (smile)
But as they so rightly and wisely say, after one time is two times. So all we ole fogeys who can’t jump and prance again, just have to delve into the archives of our memory and retrieve the good ones of a time when we were much less physically and mentally challenged. Hn, hn!
And at the same time, let’s all remember to give the Good Lord some thanks and praise for bringing us so far along into this life, and blessing us with all the blessings that so many others never received.
But my people, please, please never forget these extremely wise, very profound and gospel true words of our Bit: ‘He that LOVETH pleasure shall be a poor man: he that LOVETH wine and oil shall not be rich.’ It’s the awesome, awesome truth!
And we saw that yesterday, saw how Cousin Sol proved it with his great life experiment. (Eccl.2:1-11) And also as the scholars so wisely noted, that three thousand years after Cousin Sol’s empirical and factual conclusion to the contrary, mankind is still trying to find satisfaction and meaning in the unsatisfying, meaningless and fleeting good feelings of the pleasures of the world.
Yes my brethren, wine, women and song are pleasurable for the moment, but they have nothing of real and true lasting value. Only the things of God have true lasting value, can stand the test of time and the fire that our deeds will be eventually tested with.
So let’s now see what the scriptures have to say re Cousin Sol’s pronouncement that seeking a life of earthly pleasure is vain and futile.
And no words can be more telling than those of our Leader, Lord and Saviour, Jesus Christ! Listen to Him as He talks about the parable of the sower, explaining what happens to the seeds that fall in different places when they are thrown to the wind.
‘And that which fell among thorns are they, which, when they have heard, go forth, and are choked with cares and riches and pleasures of this life, and bring no fruit to perfection (maturity).’ (Luke 8:14)
Oh my fellow believers, if we’re only concerned with the cares, riches and pleasures of this world, we’ll NEVER bear fruit for Jesus! And thus our rewards in heaven, if we do get there, will be severely limited.
Now, are you willing to take the chance on any of those two scenarios happening in your life? I certainly hope not! For as Bruh Paul warns Timothy about the apostasy of the last days.
‘This know also, that in the last days perilous times shall come. For men shall be LOVERS of their own selves, covetous (money lovers), boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy, Without natural affection, trucebreakers (irreconcilable), false accusers (slanderers), incontinent (without self-control), fierce (brutal), despisers of those that are good,
Traitors, heady (reckless), high-minded (haughty), LOVERS of pleasures more than (rather than) LOVERS of God; Having a form of godliness, but denying the power thereof: from such turn away. For of this sort are they which creep into houses, and lead captive silly women laden with sins, led away with divers lusts.
Ever learning, and never able to come to the knowledge of the truth. Now as Jannes and Jambres withstood Moses, so do these also resist the truth: men of corrupt minds, reprobate (disapproved) concerning the faith. But they shall proceed no further: for their folly shall be manifest unto all men, as theirs also was.’ (2 Tim.3:1-9)
Oh Friends, I couldn’t say it any better than Bruh Paul! But there are some words from the scholars that I think are important for us to know, although it will make the Bit longer. But what are a few more words when they help us to understand God’s Word eh? (smile)
And the scholars declare: ‘3:1-4. The last days began with the birth of Christ and will culminate in Christ’s return to the earth to set up His kingdom. The prediction of perilous times indicate that apostasy will characterize the final days of the church age.’
‘3:5-9. A form of godliness is mere religion without power or spiritual life. Paul commands Timothy to turn away from these false teachers who prey upon silly women laden with sins, who are especially susceptible to false teachers.
Ever learning and never able to come to the knowledge of the truth condemns not intense study but some esoteric quest for truth apart from God’s Word. Jannes and Jambres, according to Jewish tradition, were the two magicians in Pharaoh’s court who attempted to duplicate Moses’ miracles (cf. (Ex. 7:11; 9:11).’
So Friends, it’s obvious that our total concentration on the pleasures of this world, only leads us to ruin! And daily we see lots of evidence of it around us. So please, I’m pleading with us, let’s all take serious note of it nuh, and consequently restructure and conduct our lives in a more appropriate fashion, one that suits true believers. Now that’s wisdom in spades! Much LOVE!
…he who LOVES the pleasures of this world…will not receive much LOVE from heaven…
SCRIP-BITS 