10 May 2015
by randyobrien50
in Christian Thoughts and Inspiration., Daily Devotion, Daily Inspiration, Inspirational Living, Spiritual Living
Tags: a sin against God, a soft spot in my heart, admiration, adore, advice, appreciate, be grateful, Bruh Paul, bubble-buster, bundle of joy, by the wayside, charles stanley, cherish, compassionately, dire straits, disappoints me, distinction, dote, esteem, exhausting, faith, fallible, favour, forgive, friends, God's saving grace, godless, godly attitudes, godly guidance, good and acceptable before God, Happy Mother's Day, honour, honour thy father and mother, honour widows, in the land God gives you, In Touch Devotional, kudos, labour, left to languish, longevity, LOVE, love uncoditionally, loving kindness, magnanimity, make a big fuss, mercy, Mother's Day, Mothers, my six mothers, no charge, on god's earth, open to mistakes, orphan, overwhelming, painful, piety, pitiful, powerful things, privilege, put on a pedestal, recognition, requite, respect, responsibilities, revere, shirley Caesar, sin, smile, that thy days may be long, the best, the BIBLE, the Holy Spirit, the lifeblood of our society, the Lord has never let me down, the Lord thy God giveth, Timothy, undisciplined, unruly, what a letdowm, what a wonderful God we serve and worship, widows, wisdom, wombs
Exodus 20:12. Honour thy father and thy MOTHER: that thy days may be long upon the land which the Lord thy God giveth thee.
HAPPY MOTHER’S DAY!
Well a Happy Mother’s Day to all you wonderful and not so wonderful Mothers out there! That special day of the year, where we specially celebrate Mothers is upon us once again. And you know I’ve been wondering what to write for the last half an hour or so, while researching stuff in the Bible.
And I did come up with a few things. But then, the Lord in His wisdom guided me to read last year’s Mother’s Day Bit. And was I ever surprised, and somewhat disappointed, that last year I had already written about all the things I was now considering. Chuh! What a letdown! What bubble-buster!
Now I have to think about other stuff to say, because I can’t give exactly the same message as I did last year. And even if I do say so myself, I was rather taken with last year’s Mother’s Day Bit, for it covered a lot of ground, some of which is worth repeating.
But this is a different year, and I’m depending on the Holy Spirit to guide me in a somewhat different direction. Have faith Friends, for it will happen eventually. (smile) The Lord has never let me down yet, so why would He choose a day like today to do it eh?
You know it disappoints me some, that today we’ll make a big fuss over our mothers, but what happens to the rest of the year eh? Many of them are forgotten, left to languish as it were by the wayside. That’s certainly not right my people, because mothers are the lifeblood of our society.
They physically bear us in their wombs for nine months, then have a hard time getting us to come out. And even though the labour required for that can be quite painful and exhausting, as soon as we’re out, they forget about the pain and just dote on us, the beautiful bundle of joy they’ve just produced. (smile)
And then they spend the rest of their lives raising and nurturing us with LOVE and all the other good things that mothers do. All of it, for ‘NO CHARGE’ as the Shirley Caesar song I heard on the radio yesterday evening so truthfully declares. So why then don’t we pay more and better attention to our mothers eh?
Look at our Bit: ‘Honour thy father and thy MOTHER: that thy days may be long upon the land which the Lord thy God giveth thee.’
Our God taught it of such importance that He placed that directive in one of His ten most important rules to His people. Now if the Lord, in His great wisdom could make such a declaration, who are we to dispute it and not follow through with it eh? And please notice the last part of the commandment: ‘that thy days may be long upon the land which the Lord thy God giveth thee.’
Yes Friends, our longevity depends to a certain extent on the way we treat our parents. So you godless, unruly, undisciplined children out there, who treat their parents terribly, especially their mothers, I’d very strongly suggest that you smarten up right now and follow that directive of God, otherwise your days may just be short and pitiful on the earth.
And what exactly does our Bit mean by ‘HONOUR’ eh? I’ve found a whole lot of synonyms for that word, so let’s hear some of them. ‘HONOUR’ means to cherish, show respect, put on a pedestal, give kudos to, show esteem, favour, recognition, admiration and privilege, to look up to, to appreciate, to adore, revere, and show distinction.
Oh my people, there are so many ways to show ‘HONOUR’ to our parents, that we truly have NO excuse whatsoever for not doing so. And that’s one of the reasons why our world is such a mess; ignoring our parents, treating them terribly, especially our mothers, is a sin against Almighty God.
And from the In Touch Devotional message from Uncle Charles (Charles Stanley) for today, I picked up these wonderful guidelines for honouring our Mothers. First off, we should LOVE them unconditionally, just the way God LOVES us. Now that surely makes a lot of sense, because we can’t be truly godly folks if we’re not practicing godly attitudes and actions.
And then Uncle Charles says to forgive our mothers compassionately. We seem to forget that mothers are humans too and thus fallible and open to mistakes, and will have some baggage from their earlier days that made them a certain way. We’re no angels ourselves, so we should not judge them too harshly.
Then we’re to remember our mothers gratefully, consider all the things she’s done for us over the years; from bearing and raising us to oftimes burying us. And for all she’s done, there’s usually ‘NO CHARGE!’
And finally, we ought to treat our mothers kindly, make them feel LOVED and appreciated, even though in the natural many of them don’t seem to deserve it. But remember we didn’t, and still don’t deserve God’s saving grace, but because of His great LOVE and magnanimity, He bestowed it on us. Thus the least we can do is to also bestow it on others.
Ah Friends, when it comes to mothers, I have a very soft spot in my heart for them, beginning with my biological mother Molly who throughout my whole life showed me what a true mother ought to be like. Aye Molls baby, can you imagine that it’s now four years since you left me an orphan? (smile) But don’t worry sugar, you’ll always have a place of great esteem and respect in my heart and my memory banks. And so too will the five other mothers I’ve had during my lifetime.
And I know that some of you are laughing at that, but believe me people, there were several times when I was in dire straits and the Lord, in His mercy and LOVING-kindness, sent those women into my life to assist, to lead and guide me on the right path. How could I ever forget you eh my six mothers? No way! For without you all I definitely would not be writing these words today. Thank you all so much for showing and showering me with your LOVE and godly guidance.
And we’ll end today’s message with a word of advice, instructions concerning widows, from Bruh Paul to Timothy. ‘Honour widows that are widows indeed. But if any widow have children or nephews (grandchildren), let them learn first to show piety at home, and to requite (repay) their parents: for that is good and acceptable before God.’ (1 Tim.5:3-4)
Yes Friends, supporting our parents, especially our mothers, is indeed acceptable and wonderful in God’s sight. So please let’s get a move on and do it nuh, for it’s the wisdom of heaven. Much LOVE!
…a mother’s responsibilities are so overwhelming…that very few men can carry them out successfully…and her LOVE…ohhh…it is one of the most powerful things on God’s earth…
P.S. Yuh see mih people, the Lord didn’t disapoint me. (smile) He did guide me to write something somewhat different. That’s why I keep saying, what a wonderful God we serve and worship! He is definitely the BEST! Much LOVE!
09 May 2015
by randyobrien50
in Christian Thoughts and Inspiration., Daily Devotion, Daily Inspiration, Inspirational Living, Spiritual Living
Tags: a doer of the work, a fool's wisdom, a forgetful hearer, a man of action, a sense of balance, a tight rein, added unto you, all winter long, an unquenchable fire, anxieties, be ye doers of the word, belief, blessed, but seek ye first the kingdom of God, changes, Christians, cloistered up, come to faith in jesus, comfort, common sense, cross at Calvary, darkness, deceiving, deliverer, evil, faith, faithfully, for the better, forces of nature, fortress, founded on a rock, fractured souls, frustrations, God willing, good news, good weather, heareth my sayings and doeth them, high tower, Higher Power, hope, horn of my salvation, impregnable rock that's jesus, Jesus Christ, laid the foundation on a rock, liberating effect, LOVE, material things, my buckler, my god, my strength, not hearers only, observing his natural face in a mirror, our Lord and Saviour, peace, pent up anticipation, positive, rearranges, redeem, regenerating quality, renewed strength, righteousness., Robert Venniga, rocket science, rough economic times, salvation, Sermon on the Mount, shield, sick, sinful souls, spiritual beliefs, steadfastness, stirs up, strong foundation, stronghold, subastantial structure, the Good Book, the Mosaic Law, the perfect law of liberty, the royal law, the ruin, the solid rock that's Jesus, the teachings of Christ, to bounce back, to kill our faith, torrential mode, tranquility, troubled, trust, truth, understanding, ungodly world, uplifting, when the dust settles, whosoever cometh to me, wisdom
Luke 6:47. Whosoever cometh to me, and heareth my sayings, and doeth them, I will show you to whom he is like.
Well Friends, a good Saturday morning to all of you fine believers! It looks like it’s going to be another fine day in my area, and there’s a sense of pent up anticipation all ready to burst forth with the approach of the good weather. And how can you blame us after being cloistered up in clammy houses all winter long eh? All the pent up frustrations and anxieties are now being obviously let loose like a horse that’s been held on a tight rein for a long time.
That leads me to a comparison of good weather to faith. In particular this quote by Robert Venniga from my One More Day Daily Meditations for People with Chronic Illness, which I shared with you some time aback. It says: ‘Faith has a powerful effect in helping people recover a sense of balance, tranquility and hope.’
And isn’t that the absolute truth Friends! Just like good weather has a positive and uplifting and liberating effect on our spirits, so does faith bring peace, steadfastness and hope to our fractured souls.
You know we tend to lose faith in rough economic times, when we’re sick, or troubled about some problem we just can’t seem to solve. But the good news Friends, is that after a while, when the dust settles, we usually tend to bounce back with a renewed strength in our spiritual beliefs.
As the Daily Meditations say: ‘My belief in my Higher Power may have diminished for a while, but I take comfort in knowing that belief is always there.’ More glorious truth my people!
Once we believe, once we have that strong foundation in Jesus Christ, it’s very difficult to lose it. It might dim for a while, but it will never go out, because it has a regenerating quality built into it. And Jesus explains the quality we’re talking about, after prefacing it with our Bit. ‘Whosoever cometh to me, and heareth my sayings, and doeth them, I will show you to whom he is like.’
Ah mih people, what a great day in our life, possibly the greatest, when we come to faith in Jesus, and truly acknowledge Him as our Lord and Saviour. I don’t think there is any other feeling that compares to it, because it just stirs up, rearranges, changes everything for the better in our lives.
Now hear Jesus describe the person that believes in Him. ‘He is like a man which built a house, and digged deep, and laid the foundation on a rock: and when the flood arose, the stream beat vehemently upon that house, and could not shake it: for it was founded on a rock.’ (Luke 6:48)
Oh my people, my people, yuh see what faith in Jesus does for us. Though the forces of evil and darkness come against us, and though they threaten to kill our faith, they cannot, because our faith in Jesus is an unquenchable fire! Once it’s lit, it cannot go out. And that’s what happens when we build the foundation of our lives on the solid rock that’s Jesus!
Bruh David joyfully declared: ‘The Lord is my rock, and my fortress, and my deliverer; my God, my strength (my rock), in whom I will trust; my buckler (shield), and the horn (strength) of my salvation, and my high tower (stronghold).’ (Ps.18:2) Now Friends, that is exactly what Jesus is to those who sincerely follow Him. And when you join those glorious ranks, you show your wisdom and common sense.
Unlike the other character Jesus talks about ‘But he that heareth , and doeth not, is like a man that without a foundation built a house upon the earth; against which the stream did beat vehemently, and immediately it fell; and the ruin of that house was great.’ (Luke 6:49)
Ah mih breddren, it’s so sad that so many people in today’s evil and ungodly world choose to build their lives on a foundation of mere earth and not on the impregnable rock that’s Jesus! That’s as the Good Book says, a fool’s wisdom! How can we build any substantial structure without a strong foundation eh? It must fall sooner or later when the forces of nature come against it in torrential mode.
And that’s all the material things of the world have to offer; a foundationless life. And yuh know mih people, it’s not like Jesus doesn’t provide the material things of the world that we need, because He clearly says in the Sermon on the Mount. ‘But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you.’ (Matt.6:33)
So why do we refuse to listen to Him eh? And it’s not like there aren’t many wealthy Christians in the world. So I don’t know why we find it so difficult to put our trust and faith in the One who died on the Cross at Calvary to redeem our sinful souls. Steups! Ah Lord eh!
And we’ll end with some spirited words on the subject from James. ‘But be ye doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving your own selves. For if any be a hearer of the word, and not a doer, he is like unto a man beholding (observing) his natural face in a glass (mirror): For he beholdeth himself, and goeth his way, and straightway forgetteth what manner of man he was.
But whoso looketh into the perfect law of liberty, and continueth therein, he being not a forgetful hearer, but a doer of the work, this man shall be blessed in his deed (in what he does).’ (James 1:22-25) It’s all plain and straightforward my brethren, no rocket science involved. Just hear the word and faithfully do it.
And the scholars have this to say about that last verse. ‘1:25. The perfect law of liberty probably refers to the teachings of Christ and His apostles. This law is perfect, since Christ brought to completion the teachings and work of the Mosaic Law (cf. Matt.5:17-20; Rom.10:4). It is a law of liberty because it frees from the principles of sin and death (Rom.8:2-3; Gal.5:1, 13). James also describes it as the royal law (2:8) for it is the law of the messianic King (cf. Gal.6:2).’
And it would do us all good to check out those references, since they will increase our understanding of the scriptures. I just did, and they do verify the scholars’ contentions. Well Friends, until tomorrow, God willing, please walk in peace and LOVE with Almighty God. Much LOVE!
…to be a true follower of Jesus…one must first hear His Word…then put it into action…for above all else…Jesus is indeed a man of action…
08 May 2015
by randyobrien50
in Christian Thoughts and Inspiration., Daily Devotion, Daily Inspiration, Inspirational Living, Spiritual Living
Tags: a foothold in our lives, a modicum of circumspection, a pain in the butt, Abraham Isaac and Jacob, almighty god, angels, backyard parties, barbecues, Beelzebub, Bible, blessings of rain, boundaries, Bruh Paul, celebrate, Christ-like, convertibles, easily provoked, endures, faith, faithful, feed the poor, fellowship, food and drink, Friday chant, generous help, glorious kingdom, glory hallelujah, God's ever-loving heart, grateful, guile, Hades, heavenly Father, hellfire and damnation, henchmen, hopes, I put away childish things, I spoke as a child, iniquity, inveigle, Jesus Christ, learn to love, let our hair down, lies, LOVE, love doesn't brag, love envieth not, Love is kind, Love isn't arrogant, love isn't rude, Love makes the world go round, Love suffers long, loving, Lucifer, man's inhumanity to man, motorcycles, move mountians, mysteries, operative word, overstanding, Praise ye the Lord, prophecy, reconciled to God, rejoices in sin, relaxation, road construction, saved, saving grace, see through a glass dimly, selfish, shallow, sincere, sincerity, sounding brass, steadfast, strong, TGIF! Thank God it's Friday!, the greatest of these is love, the propitiation for our sins, the Way of LOVE, thou shalt love the Lord thy God, tinkling cymbals, tongues of men, truth, ungodly sinners, washed white as snow, when I was a child, wisdom, with all thy heart soul and mind, wondrous works, worthless
Matthew 22:37. Jesus said unto him, Thou shalt LOVE the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind.
Well Friends, I don’t need to tell you, (smile) but I will anyway: it’s Friday! And like clockwork, the working masses declare a loud and joyful: ‘Thank God it’s Friday! The weekend’s here! Glory Hallelujah! And what a weekend it will be, with Mother’s Day and the hot weather! Thank God for that yes!’
Yes, the weather’s been pretty good this past week, but still no blessings of rain, and today we’re expecting thirty-degree temps. Wow! Can you imagine the mess it’s going to be with cottages been opened, motorcycles and rag tops (convertibles) out in full swing.
The traffic won’t be any different, and with all the road construction and stuff going on, it’s going to be a real pain in the butt getting anywhere fast. The backyard parties will be a flourishing with barbecues a flaming and drinks and food being guzzled down.
But Friends, please let’s remember to do that all with a modicum of circumspection nuh, and not give the enemy a chance to get a foothold in our lives. For when we celebrate, we tend to let our hair down and thus give him room to deceitfully inveigle himself into our lives.
And as always, to help us gain the right perspective for the weekend, let’s chant our Friday Chant with sincerity, wisdom and overstanding. All together 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.’
Yes my people, we’ve got to set some hard and fast boundaries before we get into the celebrations, so that they won’t be marred by the guile and lies of Lucifer and his evil henchmen.
And the best way to do that is by concentrating on the words of our Bit. ‘Jesus said unto him, Thou shalt LOVE the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind.’
Oh Friends, there is no better way to keep Beelzebub out of lives than by focusing on Almighty God, He of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob!
And I guess by now you’ve realized that the operative word for today is again that wonderful emotion called LOVE! Ah my people, LOVE is what makes the world go round, not money or power, and it’s also what our world desperately needs right now, if we’re going to stop it from both imploding and exploding.
For sadly, man’s inhumanity to man has reached a very cruel and critical stage. We no longer seem to care if our fellow man lives or dies, once we’re doing okay. But that’s a very shallow and selfish way to look at life my brethren.
Just stop for a moment and think what we’d be like if the Father had said, ‘Oh chuh! Let’s just leave those worthless, ungodly sinners to suffer in their own mess yes.’
We’d be headed for Hades and the torments of hellfire and damnation! But instead, with His ever-LOVING heart, He developed a plan, a tough one too, on Him and His Son, so that we, the same ungodly sinners could be saved, washed white as snow, and be reconciled to Him!
And all God’s people gave a loud and glorious shout of ‘Praise ye the Lord, for His wondrous works and saving grace to the undeserving children of mankind!’
Yes my fellow believers in Jesus Christ we ought to be very, very grateful to our heavenly Father for all that He’s done for us. But enough talk, let’s get to the meat of the session. And since I can’t get some of you to go to your Bible, I’ve decided to bring the Bible to you in all its glorious and living colour.
Let’s hear Bruh Paul speak rather eloquently on the way of LOVE! Pay serious attention now class. (smile) ‘Though I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, and have not charity (LOVE), I am become as sounding brass, or a tinkling (clanging) cymbal.
And though I have the gift of prophecy, and understand all mysteries, and all knowledge; and though I have all faith, so that I could remove mountains, and have not charity (LOVE), I am nothing. And though I bestow all my goods to feed the poor, and though I give my body to be burned, and have not charity (LOVE), it profiteth me nothing.
Charity (LOVE) suffereth long, and is kind; charity (LOVE) envieth not; charity (LOVE) vaunteth not (does not brag on) itself, is not puffed up (arrogant). Doth not behave itself unseemly (rudely), seeketh not her own, is not easily provoked, thinketh no evil (keeps no accounts of evil); Rejoiceth not in iniquity, but rejoiceth in the truth; Beareth all things, believeth all things, hopeth all things, endureth all things.
Charity (LOVE) never faileth: but whether there be prophecies, they shall fail (cease); whether there be tongues, they shall cease; whether there be knowledge, it shall vanish away (cease). For we know in part, and we prophesy in part. But when that which is perfect (complete) is come, then that which is in part shall be done away.
When I was a child, I spake as a child, I understood as a child: but when I became a man, I put away childish things. For now we see through a glass (mirror) darkly (dimly); but then face to face: now I know in part; but then shall I know even as also I am known. And now abideth faith, hope charity (LOVE), these three; but the greatest of these is charity (LOVE).’ (1 Cor. 13:1-13)
And there you have it brethren, Bruh Paul’s famous treatise on God’s most wonderful attribute! Now let’s allow it all to sink deeply into our consciousness nuh, so that we can become all that God has planned for us to become; strong, steadfast, sincere, faithful and LOVING beings, just like Him.
We talk about becoming Christ-like, well the first step in that transformation is to learn to LOVE! Let’s take it nuh my people. Much LOVE!
…herein is LOVE…not that we LOVED God…but that He LOVED us…and sent His Son…to be the propitiation of our sins… (1 John 4:10)
05 May 2015
by randyobrien50
in Christian Thoughts and Inspiration., Daily Devotion, Daily Inspiration, Inspirational Living, Spiritual Living
Tags: a fool's wisdom, a stronghold in the day of trouble, abundant life, aches and pains, adversity, all that glitters is not gold, allergies, arthritis, at thy right hand, awesome power, baubles and bangles, bright lights, broad is the way that leads to destruction, child-like desire, Christ is the gate and the way, contrasts, dangerous, death, defeating hell, deliverance, encouragement, enter in at the strait gate, eternal life, eternity, evil, facades, faith, false conclusions, false fronts, few there be that find it, fleshly pleasures, gang up on me, glorify our heavenly Father, glory hallelujah, glory to God, God will never leave nor forsake us, golden curtain, grin and bear it, harbinger of rain, hell, humble apologies, in thy presence is fullness of joy, jehovah god, Jesus, joy, live righteously, living for Christ, LOVE, loving kindness, Lucifer, material things, merciful God, method of teaching, Most High God, my fortress, my god, my high tower, My Redeemer lives, my strength, O Lord my strength, One Year Book of Bible promises, personal experience, pleasures, pleasures for evermore, prisoners of hope, promises, promises of God, rain, reinforce, Ruth Harms Calkin, saved from mine enemies, sensible way, separation from God, Sermon on the Mount, sinful nature, surrender, the grave, the horn of my salvation, The Lord is my rock, the Promise of Abundant Life, the spirit is well, the things of the world, thou wilt show me the path of life, trials, truth, trying times, two man-rat can't live in the same hole, waiting arms, walking away from God, what a wonderful God we serve and worship, wide is the gate, wisdom, wisdom in a nutshell, wise, worthy to be praised
Psalm 16:11. Thou wilt show me the path of life: in thy presence is fullness of joy; at thy right hand there are pleasures for evermore.
Aye Friends, my most humble apologies for the Bit being this late. But it was just one of those mornings: I couldn’t roll out of bed as early as I wanted, and when I did roll out, all the aches and pains seemed to gang up on me, so I was moving around like a real old man for a while. Hn, Hn!
Don’t know if that’s the harbinger of rain or what, as some people seem to think, though we could certainly use some and it’s a tad cloudy outside. But that’s just the way it goes sometimes in the later days of one’s life, especially when you’re beset by the wonderful disease called arthritis.
And my lovely allergies have also decided to act up this morning. Chuh Steups! But realistically you’ve just got to grin and bear the adversity and trials, because you can’t do anything much about them.
However Friends, the important thing in all of that is that I know that my Redeemer lives! Glory to God! He died, was buried, then rose again from the grave, in the process defeating hell, Lucifer, death and the grave. Glory Hallelujah!
So though the body is aching and getting on in years, the spirit is well, it’s beautiful, and remains ever- young, and I can comfortably abide in all the great promises of Jehovah God, for I know from personal experience that He will faithfully keep them and never leave nor forsake me.
Wow mih breddren! As I keep saying, what a wonderful God we serve and worship! There’s none other like Him in the universe. And how could there ever be eh? No two beings could have such awesome power and exist together. As the old people would say, ‘two man-rat can’t live in the same hole!’
Hn, hn! Haven’t heard that one in some time, but it’s the absolute truth! And just to show what I’m talking about, check out this scene for May, from the One Year Book of Bible Promises, with writings by Ruth Harms Calkin.
It’s titled ‘The Promise of Abundant Life.’ And it says: ‘Lord, you always bring ultimate good to those who LOVE you. May I never surrender to the false conclusion that you have no more for me than what I already have.’
Oh Friends, it’s ever so important that we keep our hopes up, be prisoners of hope always and forever, and never give up on the awesome potential and LOVING-kindness of our great and most merciful God!
For as the promise on which that poem is based, which is also our Bit, taken from a contemplation of Bruh David, where he wisely proclaims: ‘Thou wilt show me the path of life: in thy presence is fullness of joy; at thy right hand there are pleasures for evermore.’
Mama Mia! Now why would I want to walk away from such a Deity eh? One who shows me the way to live righteously, in whose presence I find everlasting joy, and who has innumerable pleasures for me to enjoy from now until eternity?
Steups! I would be real foolish my brethren to walk away from such a wonderful God, especially when I know that He always keeps His promises.
But sadly, a lot of mankind are doing just that; walking away from Jehovah God right into the waiting arms of an evil and dangerous Lucifer. That’s a fool’s wisdom, my people. For what can Lucifer do for us that the Most High God can’t do eh? NOTHING! ABSOLUTELY NOTHING!
Nothing but fool us with some material things that don’t last and a few earthly and fleshly pleasures that will only have us end up in hell, and thus endure everlasting separation from Almighty God. Steups! And that’s the WORST thing that can ever happen to a human soul.
So why do we still insist on fooling around with the things of the world, of the prince of darkness eh my people? I really don’t know nuh. I guess it’s partly because of our innate sinful nature and our child-like desire for bright lights and flashy baubles and bangles, none of which really have any substance, but are simply false fronts, facades to hide the evil and non- substantive stuff that lies behind the bright golden curtain.
Remember Friends, all that glitters is not truly gold!
Now let’s check out some scriptures that reinforce the wisdom of our Bit. And we don’t have to go far, just a couple Psalms over to 18, where Bruh David is giving thanks for deliverance from his enemies. Listen to these wonderful words of faith and encouragement my brethren!
‘I will LOVE thee, O Lord, my strength. The Lord is my rock, and my fortress, and my deliverer; my God, my strength. In whom I will trust; my buckler (shield), and the horn (strength) of my salvation, and my high tower (stronghold). I will call upon the Lord, who is worthy to be praised: so shall I be saved from mine enemies.’ (Ps.18:1-3)
Oh Friends, that’s the only wise way to live this earthly life! And if you don’t believe Bruh David, then listen to Jesus, as He delivers His teachings in the Sermon on the Mount.
‘Enter ye in at the strait (narrow) gate: for wide is the gate, and broad is the way, that leadeth to destruction, and many there be which go in thereat. Because strait (how narrow) is the gate, and narrow (difficult or confined) is the way, which leadeth unto life, and few there be that find it.’ (Matt.7:13-14)
Oh my people, what more can I say eh? Not much, except to give us some thoughts on the subject from the scholars. ‘7:13-14. The closing section of the Sermon on the Mount presents two choices to the listener. These are presented in a series of contrasts: two ways (vs.13-14); two trees (vs.15-20); two professions (vs.21-23); and two foundations (vs.24-29). This was a common method of teaching in both Jewish and Greco-Roman thought.
Enter ye in at the strait gate (narrow) means that one must come through the narrow gate in order to reach the path that leads to eternal life. Though many are on the broad…way, that leadeth to destruction (eternal separation from God), the gate that leads to life is so narrow that few there be that find it. Christ Himself is both the gate and the way (cf. John 14:6), and God enables men to find that gate (John 6:44).’
Oh Friends, that’s heavenly wisdom in a nutshell! Please, pretty please, let’s go out and practice it nuh, let’s put it into action in this ungodly world, so that we can glorify our heavenly Father, and ensure that we won’t be separated from Him eternally. Much LOVE!
…sincerely living for Christ in these trying times…is the only wise and sensible way to go…
04 May 2015
by randyobrien50
in Christian Thoughts and Inspiration., Daily Devotion, Daily Inspiration, Inspirational Living, Spiritual Living
Tags: all ye that labour and are heavy laden, anxieties, aura of love, blessings, burdens, card carrying Christians, cares, cast thy burden upon the Lord, christianity, come unto me, confidence, Creator of the universe, enthusiasm, evil, faith, fear, fellowship, glorious kingdom, gospel truth, grace, guidance, harmonious choir, He is faithful that promised, he shall never suffer the righteous to be moved, he shall sustain thee, hostile world, humility, I cried unto the Lord, I will give you rest, injustice, Isaiah, Jehovah, Jesus Christ, joy, lies, LOVE, loving kindness, make a living, mercy, Monday Morning Battle Hymn, mount up with eagles wings, my burden is light, my yoke is easy, Oh Lord God Almighty, opportunity, passion, peace, promises, protection, rejuvenation of spirit, renew their strength, righteousness., run and not be weary, soul-lifting words, spiritual armour, steadfast faith, thanksgiving, the Lord fainteth not, the Lord sustained me, trust, truth, ungodly world, walk and not faint, wisdom, worldly lusts
Psalm 55:22. Cast thy burden upon the Lord, and he shall sustain thee: he shall never suffer (permit) the righteous to be moved (shaken).
Awright Friends, most fortunately, Monday has rolled around once again! (smile) And hopefully, we have also rolled out of bed at a decent hour, so we don’t have to rush to get ready. And most importantly, we have also rolled out of bed with a prayer to Almighty God on our lips and in our hearts; a fervent prayer of thanksgiving for seeing another day, and one for wisdom, guidance and protection as we go out to work in a hostile world.
And yuh know mih people, since we don’t have much choice, we might as well enjoy it for what it is; an opportunity to make a living that will benefit us. So please put aside all the miserableness, the complaining and whining – which you shouldn’t be doing anyway, if you’re a follower of Jesus Christ – and just get on with the programme.
We do offer some help though, (smile) in the form of our Monday Morning Battle Hymn, so let’s blast it out with mucho passion. As one harmonious choir under the leadership of our awesome choirmaster Jesus, let’s sing:
‘Oh Lord God Almighty, Creator of the universe and all therein! We, your humble servants, praise your Holy Name and thank you that this Monday morning we have jobs to go to; jobs we don’t like, jobs that are unfair, difficult and even dangerous, but which serve a useful purpose here on earth; keeping lives and families together.
We also thank you Father for the renewed vitality and enthusiasm you’ve wrought in our weary souls over the last two days. It’s that rejuvenation of Spirit which allows us now to sally forth with confidence into the evil, ungodly world that surrounds us, to begin a new week of work, constantly buffeted and bombarded by the enemy’s wicked taunts, wiles and lies.
But heavenly Father, we’re not afraid, for we know we’re invincible, sure conquerors, once we’re wearing your powerful, protective spiritual armour. We surrender our all to you, and humbly ask that you let your incredible aura of LOVE, the Holy Spirit, lead and guide all your servants as we go out to meet the enemy in battle.
Fill us with steadfast faith, so that we can make worthwhile inroads into the enemy’s ranks, and thereby further your glorious kingdom. We pray this in the Holy Name of your Son, and our Saviour, Jesus Christ. AMEN!’
Oh mih breddren that was wonderful! Jesus was proud of us. Yuh see what can happen when we put our hearts and minds sincerely into something! Now let’s go out and show this ungodly world the power, the humility, the grace and LOVE that runs through our souls as sincere followers of Jesus.
And we’ll certainly be able to do so if we follow the wise advice of our Bit. ‘Cast thy burden upon the Lord, and he shall sustain thee: he shall never suffer (permit) the righteous to be moved (shaken).’
What soul-lifting words of gospel truth my people! Our God has promised to be always with us, to never leave us, and we can definitely rely on His promises, for the Good Book says: ‘for he is faithful that promised.’ (Heb.10:23b)
Now let’s hear what a couple of great men of faith have to say about casting our burdens on the Lord. Listen to Bruh David declare his faith and trust in the God of his fathers in Psalm 3 – A prayer of confidence in God. ‘I cried unto the Lord with my voice, and he heard me out of his holy hill (mountain). I laid me down and slept; I awaked; for the Lord sustained me. I will not be afraid of ten thousands of people, that have set themselves against me round about.’ (Ps.5:4-6)
What a bold proclamation of faith my Friends! Now how many of us can make such an unwavering statement of trust in the Most High God Jehovah eh? Not as many as should. But my brethren, until we get to that stage, we’ll be missing out on a lot of the Lord’s LOVING-kindness, for the greater our trust and faith, the more benefits and blessings we see.
And we’ll end with these powerful words from Isaiah; words that we know, but don’t allow to truly reverberate in our lives. Listen up: ‘Hast thou not known? hast thou not heard, that the everlasting God, the Lord, the Creator of the ends of the earth, fainteth not, neither is weary? there is no searching of his understanding. He giveth power to the faint (weak); and to them that have no might he increaseth strength.
Even the youths shall faint and be weary, and the young men shall utterly fall: But they that wait upon the Lord shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings as eagles; they shall run, and not be weary; and they shall walk, and not faint.’ (Is.40:28-31)
Oh mih people, mih people, what beautiful words of hope and encouragement! But unfortunately most of Jesus’ supposed followers don’t seem to truly believe and appreciate them, else there wouldn’t be so much doubt, fear, distrust and anxiety amongst card carrying Christians.
And I’ll reiterate here, that until we put that faith and trust we claim to have into serious action; by truly surrendering our all to Christ, casting our every care on Him, and waiting patiently and expectantly for Him to lead and guide us, we’ll only be shortchanging ourselves, doing ourselves a great injustice. And that my Friends, is no kind of wisdom at all!
So this Monday morning in early May, please, let’s cast aside the foolish worldly lusts that seem to be driving us away from God, and instead drop all our burdens and cares and anxieties in His lap, for that is what He desires of us. Much LOVE!
…come unto me…all ye that labour…and are heavy laden…and I will give you rest…for my yoke is easy…and my burden is light…
03 May 2015
by randyobrien50
in Christian Thoughts and Inspiration., Daily Devotion, Daily Inspiration, Inspirational Living
Tags: a no-brainer, blessings, cast thy burden upon the Lord, Christians, confident prayer for help, cursing, day of rest, dwell in your land safely, eat your bread to the full, encouragement, everlasting strength, face the heathen, faith, fellowship, friends, glorify God, he shall never suffer the righteous to be moved, he shall sustain thee, I will not fear what flesh can do to me, In god I have put my trust, in our best interest, in the love of Jesus, let not your heart be troubled, LOVE, Most High God, One Body, outpouring of love, Peace i leave with you, peace in the land, pilgrim's journey, piqued our interest, praise and worship, promises, rain in due season, relaxation, remember the Sabbath day, reputation, rest, rock of ages, spiritual upliftment, stand strong and steadfast, Sunday, surrender, the church, The Israelites, the Lord's sanctuary, the LOVE of Jesus, the most important day of the week, the Promised Land, the Sabbath, thou wilt keep him in perfect peace, trust in the Lord, what a wonderful God we serve and worship, What time I am afraid, whose mind is stayed on thee, wisdom
Psalm 55:22. Cast thy burden upon the Lord, and he shall sustain thee: he shall never suffer (permit) the righteous to be moved (shaken).
So Friends, it’s Sunday, and I do hope that a significant part of our day has been allotted to going to the Lord’s sanctuary to praise and worship Him with other believers, for that’s what He expects of us on this first day of the week.
And some serious rest and relaxation should also be included, so that we can rise refreshed and renewed tomorrow to go out and face the heathen in the work world, strong and steadfast in the LOVE of Jesus.
Yes Friends, Sunday is possibly the most important day of the week in the lives of those Christians who celebrate the Sabbath, the Lord’s Day of rest on that day. In fact, on whichever day you celebrate the Sabbath, that should be the most important day of the week for you, for we have been commanded to ‘Remember the Sabbath day, to keep it holy. Six days shalt thou labour and do all thy work.’ (Ex.20:8-9)
And keeping it holy means getting together with the Father in a big way, spending most of the day resting and concentrating on Him and His wonderful promises and deeds on our behalf. And now that I’ve reminded us of all that, let’s hope that I’ve more than just piqued our interest in church and God this morning. (smile)
That means if you are physically able, you will get up and go out to church and praise and glorify God, and in return get godly encouragement, Christian fellowship and spiritual ‘upliftment’ from associating with other believers. Yeh mih breddren, associating with other believers is a very important part of our pilgrim’s journey, for Jesus wants us to be like one total, composite body, though we are individuals and all have our separate roles to play.
He’s staked His reputation on the one body, the church, made of all His followers from all parts and cultures of the earth. So please, let’s try and come together in His name nuh, rather than the serious separation we’re unfortunately witnessing these days.
And one way we can enable and ensure that that happens is by all of us seriously taking the advice of our Bit and putting it into sincere and positive action. ‘Cast thy burden upon the Lord, and he shall sustain thee: he shall never suffer (permit) the righteous to be moved (shaken).’
Oh Friends, what a wonderful God we serve and worship! No other supposed deity makes promises, faithful promises like that, and it is definitely in our best interest to take Him up on His word.
Now let’s look at some scriptures that support our contention. And to start, we’ll go all the way back to the Israelites on their journey to the Promised Land. Many blessings would befall them, if they walked in obedience to God’s Word.
Listen to Moses tell it: ‘If ye walk in my statutes, and keep my commandments and do (observe) them; Then I will give you rain in due season, and the land shall yield her increase, and the trees of the field shall yield their fruit. And your threshing shall reach unto the vintage, and the vintage shall reach unto the sowing time: and ye shall eat your bread to the full, and dwell in your land safely.
And I will give peace in the land, and ye shall lie down, and none shall make you afraid: and I will rid evil beasts (eliminate wild beasts) out of the land, neither shall the sword go through your land.’ (Lev.26:3-6)
Yes Friends, that is what happens when we surrender our lives to God, and walk in obedience to His will. He blesses us and our land mightily. And you can read the rest of the blessings for yourself from Leviticus 26:7-13.
Now hear Bruh David from Psalm 56 – a confident prayer for help. ‘What time I am afraid, I will trust in thee. In God I will praise his word, in God I have put my trust; I will not fear what flesh can do to me.’ (Ps.56:3-4)
Ah mih people, what powerful words of faith and encouragement! But we can only be so brave and bold when we have definitely cast all of our cares on God and are sincerely trying to do His will.
And Isaiah wisely tells us in his hymn of praise: ‘Thou wilt keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on (sustained by) thee. Trust ye in the Lord for ever: for in the Lord Jehovah is everlasting strength (the Rock of Ages).’ (Is.26:3-4)
Yuh see my brethren, all these men of great faith had at least one thing in common; they believed in the Most High God; He of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, and displayed the utmost faith in His promises because they saw them being fulfilled.
Now why can’t you and I develop such awesome trust and faith eh? I don’t know nuh. But I do know that until we totally surrender to Jesus, cast all our cares upon Him, and be obedient to His commandments, we will not be blessed as abundantly as we can and should be.
It all depends on us now Friends; our lives will be blessed or cursed by our response and reaction to Jesus’ outpouring of LOVE. So we have no one to blame but ourselves, for the way our lives turn out in the long run.
And to solidify all of that advice and promise, I’ll leave us with another most wonderful promise and bit of encouragement from our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. ‘Peace I leave with you, my peace I give unto you: not as the world giveth, give I unto you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid.’(John 14:27)
Oh Friends, oh Friends, how can we not be moved by such heartfelt words of heavenly wisdom eh! Now let’s go and put them into action, so that we can become the strong body of the church that Jesus desires and is depending on, to do His will here on earth. Much LOVE!
…surrendering our lives to Jesus…is a complete no brainer…for when we do…He faithfully grants us His wonderful blessings…
02 May 2015
by randyobrien50
in Christian Thoughts and Inspiration., Daily Devotion, Daily Inspiration, Inspirational Living, Spiritual Living
Tags: a roaring lion, aboslute truth, adversary, afflictions, be sober, be vigilant, bear the trials, belifef, best school of life, Bruh David, cast thy burden upon the Lord, cease from anger, christ jesus, Commit thy way to the Lord, compassion, dignity, disobedience, don't lose hope, evil, evildoers shall be cut off, excellence, faith, forsake wrath, fret not thyself, gospel of Matthew, he shall never suffer the righteous to be moved, he shall sustain thee, hearts are right, hope, humble yourselves, inherit the earth, integrity, judgement, knowledge, living for Jesus, LOVE, mirror image of Christ, motives are pure, noonday, not something to sneeze at, ordered by the Lord, peace, Peter, promises, Rest in the Lord, righteousness., Saturday morning, Scrip-Bit family, seek ye first the kingdom of God, Sermon on the Mount, stand your bounce, surrender, take heart, take no thought for your life, talk to the Father, the devil, the God of all grace, the Lord wills it, the steps of a good man, the true state of the wicked, trust, trust also in him, under the mighty hand of god, understanding, ungodly world, wait on God., wait patiently for the Lord, well rewarded, wisdom
Psalm 55:22. Cast thy burden upon the Lord, and he shall sustain thee: he shall never suffer (permit) the righteous to be moved (shaken).
Well a pleasant Saturday morning to you, my Scrip-Bit family! I do hope that all is well with you, but just in case it isn’t, then please take heart, our heavenly Father knows what you are going through, and will eventually work it all out to your benefit in His way and time. If you have surrendered your life to Him, then you don’t have a choice, you have to bear the trials that come your way.
But be assured that if you stand your bounce, you will be well rewarded. Living for Jesus is not easy, but it’s the best school of life there is. When you graduate, you find yourself full of wisdom, knowledge, peace, compassion, understanding and many other wonderful things, especially LOVE! And that’s not something to sneeze at my people. Being a mirror image of Christ is the greatest thing that can happen to us.
Sorry, it doesn’t just happen, the Lord wills it, and we play our part with belief, hope, faith, trust, dignity, integrity and excellence. So if things aren’t going your way, please don’t lose hope and heart, and above all, talk to the Father, let Him know how you feel. He will never turn you away, but will listen with an open mind and answer your pleas as He sees fit.
The problem with us though, is that oftimes we want what we want, when we want it, and don’t want to wait on God to say, yay, nay, or not now. But my people, one of the greatest lessons we can ever learn is that taught by our Bit. ‘Cast thy burden upon the Lord, and he shall sustain thee: he shall never suffer (permit) the righteous to be moved (shaken).’
That’s one of our God’s biggest promises. And if you don’t believe, me then turn to the gospel of Matthew, the Sermon on the Mount, where Jesus talks about serving one master, and then goes on to say: ‘Therefore I say unto you, Take no thought for (do not worry about) your life, what you shall eat, or what ye shall drink: nor yet for your body, what ye shall put on. Is not life more than meat (food), and the body than raiment (clothing)? … But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things will be added unto you.’ (Matt.6:25, 33)
Ah Friends, we all know the scripture, but putting it into action is something else. As I said before, sincerely serving Jesus in this evil, ungodly word is not easy, but if you are faithful and do your best, He will lead you through some experiences that will amaze you. I can tell you that from personal experience, and I haven’t gotten that far in His school as yet. (smile)
And there are several scriptures in the Good Book that advise us to put it all in God’s hands from people who actually did so. Hear Bruh David from Psalm 37 – The true state of the wicked. ‘Commit thy way unto (roll off on to) the Lord; trust also in him: and he shall bring it to pass. And he shall bring forth thy righteousness as the light, and thy judgement (justice) as the noonday.
Rest in the Lord, and wait patiently for him: fret not thyself because of him who prospereth in his way, because of the man who bringeth wicked devices (schemes) to pass. Cease from anger, and forsake wrath: fret not thyself in any wise to do evil (it only causes harm). For evildoers shall be cut off (destroyed): but those that wait upon the Lord, they shall inherit the earth.’ (Ps.37:5-9)
Oh Friends, I couldn’t put it any better. And we all know how Bruh David placed his trust in the Lord, and the Lord never let him down, despite his disobedience. That’s what happens when the Lord sees that our hearts are right, that our motives are pure.
And in that same Psalm 37, Bruh David makes this most encouraging statement. ‘The steps of a good man are ordered by the Lord: and he delighteth in his way. Though he fall, he shall not be utterly cast down: for the Lord upholdeth him with his hand.’ (Ps.37:23-24) Words of wisdom and absolute truth my brethren, as can be seen from Bruh David’s own life!
And we’ll end today’s message on complete surrender to God, and then depending on Him for all things, with the words of another stalwart, Peter. He tells us: ‘Humble yourselves therefore under the mighty hand of God, that he may exalt you in due time: Casting all your care upon him: for he careth for you. Be sober, be vigilant, because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour:
Whom resist steadfast in the faith, knowing that the same afflictions are accomplished in (experienced by) your brethren that are in the world. But the God of all grace, who hath called us unto his eternal glory by Christ Jesus, after that ye have suffered a while, make you perfect, stablish (confirm), strengthen, settle you. To him be glory and dominion for ever and ever. Amen.’ (1 Pet.5:6-11)
Ah Friends, we can get no better advice than that. So please, I implore us to take it seriously. In fact, let’s take all the advice that’s been giving in our Bit today; from Jesus, Bruh David, from Peter, and even the little that I gave, (smile) and let’s put it into action nuh, for it is all indeed heavenly wisdom, and will only serve to benefit us, down here on earth now, and later on up in heaven. Much LOVE!
…to our God…surrender means totally giving up our will…and depending on Him completely…
01 May 2015
by randyobrien50
in Christian Thoughts and Inspiration., Daily Devotion, Daily Inspiration, Inspirational Living, Spiritual Living
Tags: a living dog is better than a dead lion, a red flag, a source of happiness, a toehold, a two way street, And now Lord what wait I for, another iron in the fire, bad moods, Beelzebub, caused me to trust, Cervantes, compassion, constant companion, dance the maypole, depression, direction, Don Quixote, Ecclesiastes, evil thoughts, faith, faithful promise, forget our problems, forgiveness, Friday chant, friends, glorious kingdom, glory to God, grace, he that took me out of the womb, hearts minds and bodies, hope, humble servants, in vain is salvation hoped for from the hills, Jesus Christ, joy, keeps our mojo working, let me not be ashamed of my hope, LOVE, May Day, Maypole, mercy, Miguel Cervantes, my hope is in thee, observe thy statutes, one-way lane, our realtionship with God, peace, pilot light, psalm 119, renewed vitality, resonate, rest, reverberate, right perspective, righteousness., salvation, slaving for massa, steadfast faith, strength, TGIF! Thank God it's Friday!, that keeps us tuned into God, the eternal channel, the Lord God Jehovah, the mainstay, there can be no evil, thou didst make me hope, to titillate our senses, trust, truth, uphold me according to thy word, weekend, when I was upon my mother's breast, where there is music, while there's life there's hope, wisdom
Psalm 22:9. But thou art he that took me out of the womb: thou didst make me HOPE (caused me to trust) when I was upon my mother’s breast.
And then it was Friday – the first day of May – May Day, May Day!
And the working population readily chimes in with: ‘TGIF! Thank God it’s Friday, and the weekend is here! Thank God it’s Friday yes! This has been a brutal week, and we do need the rest from slaving for massa.’
Now that might be so, but here’s another iron in the fire. Do you remember those May Day High School dances, the first Saturday in May, where we’d dance the maypole? If you do, then you are a real old-timer, but one filled with lots of wisdom and experience.
Ah Friends, it’s another glorious morning to be alive, brimming with the joy, LOVE, peace, mercy, grace, compassion and forgiveness that’s only to be found in Jesus Christ! Glory be to God!
Now here’s an interesting quote from Cervantes (Miguel Cervantes 1547-1616) the famous Spanish writer, whose novel Don Quixote, was supposedly the first novel to gain international acclaim. Anyway, Cervantes reputedly said that ‘Where there is music, there can be no evil.’
And that’s very true to a large extent, for when sweet music is bubbling forth from our hearts how can we ever imagine evil thoughts eh? Plus music lifts us out of our bad moods, out of our depression, and helps us forget our problems for a while. It’s also a special source of happiness that we can take with us wherever we go.
And I can personally vouch for all of that Friends, for music has been the mainstay, the constant companion of my many years on this earth. When Friends and family forsake you, music NEVER will. And hopefully it will continue to be my companion for the rest of my days, and even afterwards in heaven, where music and singing seem to be a big thing.
And since we seem to be into music this morning, let’s chant our Friday Chant nuh, with all the passion it deserves. ‘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, regardless of the day, the celebration or occasion, we need to have the right perspective on the weekend, if we’re going to be ready for Monday when it comes around. And that means being careful not to give Beelzebub even a toehold in our lives.
And one way to do that is through HOPE, the HOPE that is found in Jesus! For as Bruh David truthfully declares in our Bit: ‘But thou art he that took me out of the womb: thou didst make me HOPE (caused me to trust) when I was upon my mother’s breast.’
Yes my people, our Creator wisely put that never give up emotion of HOPE in our hearts from the moment we were born! And we’d be very foolish to let it go out, disappear from our souls, for it’s our pilot light, the steady flame that keeps our mojo working at all times. (smile)
Now let’s see what great scriptures on the subject we can find in the Good Book to titillate our senses. And we’ll begin with an interesting verse from Ecclesiastes, where the Preacher informs us that: ‘For to him that is joined to all the living there is HOPE: for a living dog is better than a dead lion.’ (Eccl.9:4) I guess he is just saying what we believe, that while there is life there’s always HOPE.
Now listen to Jeremiah: ‘Truly in vain is salvation HOPED for from the hills, and from the multitude of mountains: truly in the Lord our God is the salvation of Israel.’ (Jer.3:23) Yes my brethren, ONLY from the Lord God Jehovah can salvation be HOPED for and truly found!
And the author of Psalm 119, the longest chapter in the Bible, has this to say on the subject. ‘Uphold me according unto thy word, that I may live: and let me not be ashamed of my HOPE. Hold thou me up (uphold me), and I shall be safe: and I will have respect unto thy statutes (observe thy statutes) continually.’ (Ps.119:116-117)
Oh my people our God will NEVER let us be ashamed of our HOPE in Him! That’s a forgone conclusion! All who HOPE in Him will be upheld with His powerful right hand! That’s His faithful promise!
But by the same token, we have our part to play in the relationship; to observe His statutes. And sadly that’s where the relationship usually breaks down. We want to have our HOPE upheld, but aren’t too keen on observing God’s commands. And that just can’t work Friends, for the relationship with God is a two way street, not just a one-way lane.
And we’ll end this series of messages on HOPE with a rather appropriate verse from Psalm 39, where Bruh David is praying for self-understanding. In the midst of his prayer, he loudly proclaims: ‘And now, Lord, what wait I for? My HOPE is in thee.’ (Ps.39:7)
Words of absolute truth and wisdom my fellow believers! Let’s keep that verse as a red flag always before us, so that we know why, and where our HOPE in this evil world comes from.
And I do HOPE that all we’ve said about HOPE in these past few days will continue to resonate and reverberate in our hearts, minds and bodies, so that we don’t lose our strength, faith and direction that’s to be found in our Lord and Saviour, Jesus Christ. Much LOVE my fellow believers!
…HOPE…it is the eternal channel…that keeps us tuned into…our Creator…the Most High God Jehovah…
29 Apr 2015
by randyobrien50
in Christian Thoughts and Inspiration., Daily Devotion, Daily Inspiration, Inspirational Living, Spiritual Living
Tags: a state of confusion, a tree of life, action, all ye that hope in the Lord, ambassadors for Jesus, and he shall strengthen thine heart, be of good courage, bet the bank on that, bide our time, Bruh David, caused me to trust, comprehend, Cousin Sol, depresses, disappointed, dissipates tension, don't give in, don't give up, don't look back, elementary potential, encouragement, endurance, enthusiasm, ever-faithful, excellently, exhortation, finite minds, glory hallelujah, God is on the throne, God will never disappoint us, God-awesome truth, he that took me out of the womb, hope, hope deferred makes the heart sick, hope is the anchor of our souls, hope thou in God, humour, I shall yet praise him, I trust you, Jesus is the same yesterday today and for ever, keep keeping on, keep pressing on, laughter is the best free remedy, mine hope hath he removed like a tree, move from strength to strength in Jesus, my god, no hope in our souls, no reason for living, omnipotent, on an April morning, One Year Book of Bible promises, opportunity, patience, patiently, perseverance, Praise the Lord, promise, Proverbs, purpose, revitalizes, Ruth Harms Calkin, security, sense of safety, serve God, the health of my countenance, the universe is unfolding as it ought to, thou didst make me hope, Trust me, truth, turmoil, unchangeable position, Wednesday, when I was upon my mother's breast, Why art thou cast down o my soul, why art thou disquieted within me, wisdom
Psalm 22:9. But thou art he that took me out of the womb: thou didst make me HOPE (caused me to trust) when I was upon my mother’s breast.
Well Friends, it’s a wonderful Wednesday! We’re alive, the sun’s shining brightly, it’s fairly warm, God is still on His throne, and the universe is unfolding as it ought! Glory Hallelujah!
It also means that we’re now halfway through our work week, so please don’t give in or give up, don’t look back, just keep pressing patiently and excellently forward in Jesus’ name!
And all God’s people gave a mighty shout of ‘Praise the Lord!’
And I couldn’t resist sharing this poem from the One Year Book of Bible Promises with writings by Ruth Harms Calkin, it seemed so appropriate. It’s titled, ‘ I TRUST YOU.’
And it says: ‘Lord, it was on an April morning So many years ago That You said to me so clearly “Trust Me and you won’t be disappointed.” Having heard You on that special morning I simple cannot “unhear” you now.
I can’t forget that morning Nor do I think You want me to. Because You live in an eternal Now Your words are just as relevant today As they were that long-ago morning. I trust You. You will not disappoint me!’
And that’s the God-awesome truth my people! Once we have paid attention to, accepted God’s call on our lives, He will NEVER, NEVER disappoint us! You can bet the bank on that!
Why? Because our God is omnipotent and ever-faithful, and as the Bible Promise used for that poem says: ‘Jesus Christ (is) the same yesterday, and today, and for ever.’ (Heb.13:8) More God-awesome truth Friends!
And that unchangeable position provides us with a strong, uncompromising sense of safety and security. So we’re not surprised or confounded when Bruh David solemnly declares in our Bit: ‘But thou art he that took me out of the womb: thou didst make me HOPE (caused me to trust) when I was upon my mother’s breast.’
Ah mih people, the Lord knew exactly what He was doing when He breathed His wonderful breath of live into our little bodies. And that word ‘HOPE’ is such a marvellous and magnificent word that with our finite minds, we can never really begin to comprehend its awesome meaning. But I’ve tried to break it down to it’s elementary potential.
‘H’ stands for Humour. Humour dissipates tension, cools situations like nothing else. And laughter is the best free remedy and medicine in the world! ‘O’ stands for Opportunity. We need to be always on the lookout for opportunities to serve God, for they crop up when we least expect them to.
‘P’ stands for Patience and Perseverance. We need to bide our time quietly, but still keep keeping on with the perseverance Christ expects of us. And ‘E’ stands for Enthusiasm, Endurance, Encouragement, Exhortation and all the other good stuff that lifts our spirits!
And that’s my take on the word ‘HOPE.’ Hope it makes sense. (smile)
Now let’s look at some scriptures that deal with ‘HOPE’ in all its different circumstances. And we’re going to begin with a statement from Job, who after enduring the cruel remarks and judgements of his supposed friends, says of God: ‘He hath destroyed me (breaks me down) on every side, and I am gone: and mine HOPE hath he removed (uprooted) like a tree.’ (Job 19:10)
Oh Friends, it’s such a sad and desolate time when our HOPE dies! We need to avoid that happening like the plague. For if there’s no HOPE in our souls, then there’s no reason really for living. For as Cousin Sol so wisely tells us in Proverbs. ‘HOPE deferred maketh the heart sick, but when the desire cometh, it is a tree of life.’ (Prov.13:12)
What a powerful statement my people! And the scholars explain it thus: ‘13:12. HOPE deferred depresses, but its fulfillment revitalizes.’
What a powerful truth, for when we lose HOPE our lives just seem to fall apart. But when we recapture that strong emotion, oh mih breddren, our lives are just flooded with purpose and promise, and we move on from strength to strength in Jesus.
Now listen to the Sons of Korah on the subject from Psalm 42 – An intense longing for God. ‘Why art thou cast down , O my soul? And why art thou disquieted within me? HOPE thou in God: for I shall yet praise him, who is the health of my countenance (help, salvation), and my God.’ (Ps.42:11)
Yes Friends, that is wisdom personified! Being merely frail and fickle humans, our HOPES and fears and dreams are always in a state of confusion, a state of turmoil, that’s why it’s ever so necessary and important to hold on to the HOPE we find in Almighty God.
As we saw yesterday, the Good Book tells that ‘HOPE is the anchor of our soul.’ (Heb.9:19) What a promise, what an anchor my brethren! We couldn’t want for a better anchor than that which is secured in heaven!
And we shall end with a most encouraging and appropriate verse on the subject from Psalm 31. Bruh David wisely advises us: ‘Be of good courage, and he shall strengthen your heart, all ye that HOPE in the Lord.’ (Ps.31:24)
That my Friends is heavenly wisdom at its peak! So please let’s go out and put it into action in our lives today, so that we can be worthwhile ambassadors for Jesus. That’s all He really desires of us. Much LOVE!
…without HOPE…a man’s life is technically over…
27 Apr 2015
by randyobrien50
in Christian Thoughts and Inspiration., Daily Devotion, Daily Inspiration, Inspirational Living, Spiritual Living
Tags: absolute truth, affliction, All praise to God, always goes before us, aura of love, bedrock, belief, boost our spirits, Bruh Paul, caused me to trust, confidence, elixir, enthusiasm, foundation stone, friends, gall, General Jesus Christ, glorious kingdom, God's mercy, gospel truth, great is thy faithfulness, gusto, harmony, he that took me out of the womb, holy spirit, hope, hope that is seen is not hope, humble servants, I have hope, innate instinct, invincible, Jeremiah, Jesus Christ, joy, Lamentations, leader, lies, living colour, logic, LOVE, mercy, misery, Monday Morniing Battle Hymn, Oh Lord God Almighty, omnipotent, patience, peace, perseverance, rejuvenation of spirit, relaxation, renewed vitality, resonating, rest, reverberating, rocket science, salvation, sincerity, spiritual armour, steadfast faith, the Good Book, the Lord is my portion, the Lord's compassions, the salvation of the Lord, thou didst make me hope, trust, truth, ungodly world, wait eagerly, we are saved by hope, when I was upon my mother's breast, wicked taunts, wisdom, wormwood
Psalm 22:9. But thou art he that took me out of the womb: thou didst make me hope (caused me to trust) when I was upon my mother’s breast.
Ah Friends, it’s Monday morning once again and the soaring sound of the trumpet is calling us to the battle lines, where our fearless and omnipotent General Jesus Christ is there waiting for us. And I must reiterate that our wonderful Leader always goes before us! He takes His role as a leader to heart and leads. He doesn’t follow, as so many other inferior generals do.
And all God’s people loudly declared: ‘All praise to God for our marvellous Leader Jesus Christ! He is indeed the finest and fairest Leader in all the universe!’
And having said that Friends, let’s sing our Monday Morning Battle Hymn with much gusto, harmony and sincerity to boost our spirits before we hit the road.
Like one heavenly choir now, let’s sing: ‘Oh Lord God Almighty, Creator of the universe and all therein! We, your humble servants, praise your Holy Name and thank you that this Monday morning we have jobs to go to; jobs we don’t like, jobs that are unfair, difficult and even dangerous, but which serve a useful purpose here on earth; keeping lives and families together.
We also thank you Father for the renewed vitality and enthusiasm you’ve wrought in our weary souls over the last two days. It’s that rejuvenation of Spirit which allows us now to sally forth with confidence into the evil, ungodly world that surrounds us, to begin a new week of work, constantly buffeted and bombarded by the enemy’s wicked taunts, wiles and lies.
But heavenly Father, we’re not afraid, for we know we’re invincible, sure conquerors, once we’re wearing your powerful, protective spiritual armour. We surrender our all to you, and humbly ask that you let your incredible aura of LOVE, the Holy Spirit, lead and guide all your servants as we go out to meet the enemy in battle.
Fill us with steadfast faith, so that we can make worthwhile inroads into the enemy’s ranks, and thereby further your glorious kingdom. We pray this in the Holy Name of your Son, and our Saviour, Jesus Christ. AMEN!’
That was pretty good Friends because we paid attention to the direction of the wonderful choirmaster, Jesus. Now let’s see if we can pay the same attention to Him out on the battlefield that’s the workday world and thus do as good a job in His name.
But yuh know what Friends? It all begins with that marvellous, magical, miraculous emotion termed HOPE; which, when mixed with belief, becomes the elixir called faith, which just grows and grows and grows, regardless of the circumstances or situations. Ah mih people HOPE is an innate instinct that we’re born with; our Creator provides us with it from birth.
That’s why Bruh David could justify his hope, faith and everlasting trust in the God of his fathers with the words of our Bit. ‘But thou art he that took me out of the womb: thou didst make me hope (caused me to trust) when I was upon my mother’s breast.’
Yesterday we looked at some scripture passages that dealt with HOPE, today we’re going to do the same. And my people God’s word is so chocked full of passages on HOPE, in all different kinds of situations, that it might just take me a couple of weeks to go through them all. Hn, Hn! Doh worry Friends, I’m only joking, but the Good Book does have a lot to say on the subject.
And we’ll begin with this rather interesting passage from Bruh Paul to the church at Rome. ‘For we are saved by HOPE: but HOPE that is seen is not HOPE: for what a man seeth, why doth he yet HOPE for? But if we HOPE for that we see not, then do we with patience (perseverance) wait (eagerly) for it.’ (Rom.8:24-25)
And that is not rocket science my brethren, but simple common sense! For if we see something in living colour, why would we still HOPE for it eh? But if we don’t see it in living colour, only through the eyes of faith, then we should HOPE for it, and wait with eager patience for it to appear in living colour.
And that’s where HOPE is tied into faith; it is the bedrock, the foundation stone of faith. (Heb.11:1) Without HOPE you cannot have faith, which is the next step in the process.
Now hear these words from Jeremiah’s Lamentations that tie in so nicely with what we’ve been talking about. Jeremiah is here talking about HOPE and relief through God’s mercy.
‘Remembering mine affliction and my misery, the wormwood and the gall (bitterness). My soul hath them still in remembrance, and is humbled (bowed down) in me. This I recall to my mind, therefore have I HOPE. It is of the Lord’s mercies that we are not consumed, because his compassions fail not. They are new every morning: great is thy faithfulness.
The Lord is my portion, saith my soul; therefore will I HOPE in him. The Lord is good unto them that wait for him, to the soul that seeketh him. It is good that a man should both HOPE and quietly wait for the salvation of the Lord.’ (Lam.3:19-26)
Oh Friends, those are indeed beautiful words of absolute truth! Words for all true believers to live by!
Therefore my people, logic dictates that we end here, with them resonating and reverberating through our hearts, minds and souls, to buoy and boost us up, as we go out to do the Lord’s work today. Go in the LOVE, peace and wisdom of God, my brethren. Much LOVE!
…without HOPE…what’s a man living for eh…he might as well be dead…
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