15 Jul 2025
by randyobrien50
in Christian Thoughts and Inspiration., Daily Devotion, Daily Inspiration, Inspirational Living, Spiritual Living
Tags: a brutish man knoweth not, a good living, as the heavens are higher than the earth, come to know and love him like we do, duty bound, finite understanding, God's infinite ways nd thoughts, holiday, holy spirit, how great are thy works, hurry, I will be glad and rejoice in thee, I will declare all all thy marvellous works, I will praise thee O Lord, I will sing praise to thy name, I will triumph in the works of thy hands, in every thing give thanks, in god's eyes, indisputable truth, internet connection, it is a good thing to give thanks unto the Lord, Jesus Christ, lock stock and barrel, LOVE, man's most important tasks, mercy, more heat warnings, my thoughts are not your thoughts, my thoughts higher than your thoughts, my ways are not your ways, neither doth a fool understand this, O thou most High, Praise the Lord, pray without ceasing, rejoice evermore, salvation, share His love with my neighbours, share the amazing love and friendship of Christ, so are my ways higher than yours, the beloved of God, the big part the internet plays in our lives, the whole wide world, this is the day the Lord has made, this is the will of God in Christ concerning you, thou hast made me glad through thy work, thy faithfulness every night, thy thoughts are very deep, to love the Lord, to show forth thy lovingkindness in the morning, trust my friend Jesus, truth, Tuesday Mantra, we will rejoice and be glad in it, wisdom, with my whole heart, worry, your word is spread worldwide
Psalm 9:1. I will praise thee, O Lord, with my whole heart; I will shew forth (tell of) all thy marvellous works.
So it’s Tuesday, the middle of the month of July, another hot day with more heat warnings, and thankfully I’ve finally gotten my internet reconnected. Yes friends, I need to apologize for not publishing a blog since last Friday. But that was because I lost my internet connection on Friday afternoon, and just got it reconnected today. It seems that that I wasn’t alone in my misery, (smile) there was a general outage in my area.
But Brother! You never realize what a big part that internet connection plays in our modern day lives until you don’t have it for some time. You simply feel lost; no phone, no television, no computer, no what’s ap messages! And you can only read so much. Although I have other things I could have done, I just was too lazy to do them, deciding instead to enjoy the holiday. (smile)
But that holiday is now over. Chuh man! Its’ back to the daily grind and common task; the everyday things that life is really about. So why don’t we do the appropriate thing in this situation, that’s give thanks to God for having our internet connection restored. For as Bruh Paul wrote to the Thessalonians: ‘In every thing give thanks: for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you.’ (1 Thess. 5:18)
And all God’s children said: ‘Thank you Lord for the restored internet connection through which your Word is spread worldwide. And we pray that it will not be interrupted again, because that means your Word will not be transmitted to those who sincerely need it. We pray it in Jesus’ Name! Amen!’ And to continue in thanksgiving mode, these words of Psalm 9 titled ‘Praise for God’s Judgement,’ seem to be very appropriate. Bruh David writes: ‘I will praise thee, O Lord, with my whole heart; I will shew forth (tell of) all thy marvellous works. I will be glad and rejoice in thee: I will sing praise to thy name, O thou most High.’ (Ps. 9:1-2)
Oh friends, those are the exact things that we were created for! To be glad and rejoice in God, as well as give Him thanks and praise and spread abroad His marvellous works. So many scriptures point them out that we could hardly forget them, although in our busy world lifestyle, we do. And we’re talking about scriptures like this seminal verse from Psalm 118, one we all know and quote, but don’t live up to as we ought. The psalmist writes: ‘This is the day which the Lord hath made; we will rejoice and be glad in it.’ (Ps. 118:24)
How many of us get up and say those words and then go out and have a most miserable day because in the busyness of the day, we have removed God from our thoughts? That’s why Bruh Paul instructed us to ‘Rejoice evermore, and to Pray without ceasing.’ (1 Thess. 5:16-17) When you have a glad heart filled with God, and you keep Him continually in your thoughts, then no matter what the world or it’s evil associates do, you won’t lose your peace and joy. For remember the joy of the Lord is your strength. (Neh. 8:10) That’s why we need to keep our joy in God as strong and continuous as possible.
Then these wonderful words of Psalm 92, titled ‘Give Thanks to the Lord’ say it all, my fellow believers. So please read with me: ‘It is a good thing to give thanks unto the Lord, and to sing praises unto thy name O most High: To shew forth (declare) thy LOVING-KINDNESS in the morning, and thy faithfulness every night. Upon an instrument of ten strings, and upon the psaltery (lute or lyre); upon the harp with a solemn (harmonic, melodious) sound. For thou, Lord, hast made me glad through thy work: I will triumph in the works of thy hands. O Lord, how great are thy works! and thy thoughts are very deep. A brutish (senseless) man knoweth not; neither doth a fool understand this.’ (Ps. 92:1-6)
What words of indisputable truth those are my brethren! We need to give thanks and praise to our great God, for it’s through Him that we have life and a good living, through His great works we enjoy all the benefits of the planet we’re living on, and it’s through His grace and mercy that we triumph in this difficult life. And it’s obvious that a senseless man or a fool cannot understand God’s greatness!
Even those of us who seek to do so will fall far short because as the prophet Isaiah declares on the Lord’s behalf: ‘For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, saith the Lord. For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways, and my thoughts higher than your thoughts.’ (Is. 55:8-9)
It’s as simple as that friends! The Lord God our Creator and Controller’s infinite ways and thoughts are so much higher than our puny and finite understanding. That means, as hard as we may try, we will never understand all that God does…not until we get to the other side. (smile) So it doesn’t make sense to fight what God says, just do it and say ‘Praise the Lord!’
And although all of that is much easier said than done, if we’re to be true believers and disciples of Christ, then we need to do what He says, remembering that He will never ask us to do something without giving us the wherewithal to do it. Now, for those of us who are sincerely trying to do His will, let’s go home declaring (steups!!!) our Tuesday Mantra, letting the whole world know to whom we belong, lock, stock and barrel.
As one strong and sincere voice: ‘In God’s eyes, I’m not what I do. I’m not what I have. I’m not what people say about me. I am the beloved of God, that’s who I am. No one can take that from me. I don’t have to worry. I don’t have to hurry. I can trust my friend Jesus and share His LOVE with my immediate neighbours, as well as with the whole wide world! Glory be!’
Now, we’re duty bound to go out and share the amazing LOVE and friendship of Christ with others, so that they too can come to know and LOVE Him like we do! Much LOVE!
…man’s most important tasks are…to LOVE the Lord…and give Him thanks and praise…
Hear our podcast at https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/randy-obrien
07 Nov 2024
by randyobrien50
in Christian Thoughts and Inspiration., Daily Devotion, Daily Inspiration, Inspirational Living, Spiritual Living
Tags: a compassionate heart, a disatrous and disgraceful state, a great family, a positive outlook on life., anything praiseworthy, ashamed of my own reluctance, be with you, Bible, cannot please God, christianity, clear direction for my life, coldness, curse, destruction, died to our sins, don't desire God, duty bound, end in chaos, faith, favour, for all eternity, for the benefit of others, get thee behind me Satan, give me grace, god, good freinds, good health, holy spirit, honest, if ye then be risen with Christ, Jesus Christ, John Henry Newman, just, LOVE, lovely, lustful appetites, make me desire you, mercy, mind the things of the flesh, moral and spiritual direction of God, negative word, noble, not on things of the earth, on the right hand of God, our world is in such shambles, prayer, Prayers through the Ages, prideful things of the earth, prosper, pure, rouse me from sloth, sacred reading, salvation, seek those things which are above, set your affection on things above, shambles, snare, spend eternity in heaven, succeed, success, supernatural strength, supernatural wisdom, teach me, temptations, the God of peace, the Spirit of God dwell in you, the things of heaven, the things of the Spirit, they that after the flesh, they that are after the Spirit, think on these things, thou savourest not the things of God, to love meditation, trap, truth, whatsoever things are true, whcih must engage my mind, where Christ sits, wisdom, with my whole heart, you are dead, your life is hid with Christ in god
Colossians 3:1. If ye then be risen with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ sitteth on the right hand of God.
And then it was Thursday; sunny and bright, but windy and somewhat chilly, with the warm weather of the last few days disappearing, the same way it surprisingly occurred. (smile) And today we want to share an interesting and most appropriate prayer from the pamphlet of Prayers Through the Ages, recently put out by the Anglican Diocese of Toronto, that we sampled last week. This prayer is credited to one John Henry Newman, 1801-1890.
So please pray with me: ‘Give me grace, O my Father, to be utterly ashamed of my own reluctance. Rouse me from sloth and coldness, and make me desire you with my whole heart. Teach me to LOVE meditation, sacred reading, and prayer. Teach me to LOVE that which must engage my mind for all eternity. Amen.’
Now my brethren, wouldn’t you say that many of us surely need the stuff that Mr. Newman was asking for way back when? We surely do! Talk about sloth and coldness…we supposed believers exhibit that behaviour oftentimes more than the unbelievers! And it’s obvious that we don’t desire God with our whole hearts. In fact too many of us don’t desire Him at all. Otherwise our world would not be in such a disastrous and disgraceful state.
And talking of meditation, sacred reading and prayer…Wow! Too many of us don’t even know what they are, much less to practice them continuously and fervently! Again, that’s one of the reasons why our world is sin such shambles; not enough sincere time spent in God’s word, neither enough communication with Him through prayer.
For as we spoke yesterday, a society that doesn’t have the moral and spiritual direction of Almighty God will surely end in chaos and destruction before too long, for it’s the moral and spiritual fibre of a society that keeps it working in harmony and longevity. And it’s obvious that too many of us don’t keep our minds on the things that ought to ‘engage our minds for all eternity,’ that’s keep our thoughts on things above instead of on the lustful and prideful things of the earth.
Bruh Paul wrote it thus to the Colossians: ‘If ye then be risen with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ sitteth on the right hand of God. Set your affection (mind) on things above, not on things on the earth. For ye are dead, and your life is hid with Christ in God.’ (Col. 3:1-3) Yes friends, if we died to our sins with Christ, then we can’t continue to live for the things of the earth.
And to the Philippians Bruh Paul gave some practical examples of what those things ought to be. ‘He writes: ‘Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest (noble), whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise (anything praiseworthy), think on these things. Those things which ye have both learned, and received, and heard, and seen in me, do: and the God of peace shall be with you.’ (Phil. 4:8-9)
So there we have some of the better things to think on while we live with and for Christ here on this fallen earth. And isn’t the conversation between Peter and Jesus interesting, after He told the disciples that He must go to Jerusalem, suffer many things at the hands of the scribes and Pharisees, be killed, then be raised on the third day. (Matt. 16:21)
The Bible tells us: ‘Then Peter took him (aside), and began to rebuke him, saying, Be it far from thee, Lord (God be merciful to you): this shall not be unto thee. But he turned and said unto Peter, Get thee behind me, Satan: thou art an offence unto me: for thou savourest not (are not mindful of) the things that be of God, but those that be of men.’ (Matt. 16:22-23)
And the scholars offer these explanations on those verses. As per His remark about ‘Satan: The Lord recognized in Peter’s words a repetition of the temptations to avoid the cross that He had undergone in the wilderness. The word translated offence means a “trap” or “snare.” Savourest means “You don’t look at things from God’s point of view, but from man’s.” It occurs in Romans 8:5 and Philippians 2:5, meaning to adopt and maintain an attitude of mind upon which one’s life and actions are based.’
And too many of us are certainly guilty of looking at the things of men rather than those of God. As Bruh Paul said to the church at Rome: ‘For they that are after the flesh do mind (set their minds on) the things of the flesh; but they that are after the Spirit, the things of the Spirit. For to be carnally minded is death; but to be spiritually minded is life and peace. Because the carnal mind is enmity against God: for it is not subject to the law of God, neither indeed can be. So then, they that are in the flesh cannot please God. But ye are not in the flesh, but in the Spirit, if so be that the Spirit of God dwell in you. Now if any man have not the Spirit of Christ, he is none of his.’ (Rom. 8:5-9)
That says it loud and clear my fellow believers; we can’t be both of the flesh and the Spirit at the same time, riding the fence, like so many of us try to do. It’s either one or the other. And we do have so many things that enable us to think of the things of God, if we use them. For instance these undeserved blessings that we call our Thursday Blessings, which the Lord has generously bestowed on us to do His earthly work. So let’s declare them right now, so that they can be activated in us.
Altogether: ‘I declare that I am blessed with God’s supernatural wisdom and receive clear direction for my life! I declare today that I am blessed with creativity, courage, talent and abundance! I am blessed with a strong will, self-control and self-discipline! I am blessed with a great family, good friends, good health, faith, favour and fulfillment!
I am blessed with success, supernatural strength, promotion and divine protection! I am blessed with a compassionate heart and a positive outlook on life! I declare that any curse or negative word that’s ever been spoken over me is broken right now in the name of Jesus! I declare that everything I put my hands to, will prosper and succeed! I declare it today and every day! Amen!’
And having activated those blessings, we’re now duty bound to go out and use for the benefit of others, just as generously as the Lord shared them with us! Much LOVE!
…if we intend to spend eternity in heaven…then we ought to keep our minds on the things of heaven…
Hear our podcast at https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/randy-obrien
15 Jan 2020
by randyobrien50
in Christian Thoughts and Inspiration., Daily Devotion, Daily Inspiration, Inspirational Living, Spiritual Living
Tags: a glorious future with Jesus, a lender and not a borrower, a mighty conqueror, a young man cleanse his way, above and not beneath, acclamations, according to his riches in glory, as much as in riches, authority of the commander, Beth, blessed art thou O Lord, Christian character, commandments, conform to heavenly standard, declared the judgement of thy mouth, delight myself in thy statutes, earthly behaviour, God will provide all my needs, God's decisions as a judge, God's revelation, going to happen through me, going to happen to me, halfway home, have I sought thee, have respect unto thy ways, hid in mine heart, if God be for us, ith my lips, judgements, knwoledge of God, look forward to, meditate in thy precepts, might not sin against thee, multi-faceted character, necessity of obeying, not forget thy word, not turning back, obedience, of thy testimonies, ordinances, positive scripture, rejoiced in the way, something good, statutes, take pleasure in God, taking heed to thy word, teach me thystatutes, testimonies, the breath of life, the flaming darts of the enemy, the head and not the tail, the hump day, The Lord's protective umbrella, this is the day the Lord has made, through Christ Jesus, thy word, unchangeable regulations, wander from thy commandments, we will rejoice and be glad in it, Wednesday Wail, who can be against us, with my whole heart
And then it was Wednesday – the hump day of the week – but even more importantly, another new day under the Lord’s safe and protective umbrella! Glory Hallelujah! Yeh friends, we’ve been granted another day of life on earth, for which we all ought to be thankful. So let’s do the acclamation thing nuh!
All together now: ‘This is the day the Lord has made we will rejoice and be glad in it! As for me and my house, we will serve the Lord! That’s for sure! If God be for us, who can be against us eh? Not a single soul! God will provide all my needs according to his riches in glory through Christ Jesus! I will be a lender and not a borrower! I’m the head and not the tail; above and not beneath; a mighty conqueror through Christ Jesus our awesome Lord and Saviour!’ And finally: ‘Something good is going to happen to me today! Yeah! Something good is also going to happen through me today!’
Mama Mia! What a whole lot of positive scripture to reinforce our faith my brethren! With all of that flourishing in our souls how can the evil one ever turn us away from Almighty God eh? No way Jose! Ah mih people, we need to know the Word, so when the enemy comes calling we can turn Him away with what our omnipotent and ever-faithful God says about us. That’s why this second section of Psalm 119 – BETH – with the superscription; ‘Thy word have I hid in mine heart’ is so important to a true believer.
Please read these miraculous, marvelous and momentous words of the psalmist with me. ‘Wherewithal shall a young man cleanse his way? By taking heed thereto according to thy word. With my whole heart have I sought thee: O let me not wander from thy commandments. Thy word have I hid in mine heart, that I might not sin against thee. Blessed art thou, O Lord: teach me thy statutes. With my lips have I declared all the judgements of thy mouth. I have rejoiced in the way of thy testimonies, as much as in all riches. I will meditate in thy precepts, and have respect unto (contemplate) thy ways. I will delight myself in thy statutes: I will not forget thy word.’ (Ps. 119:9-16)
Ah mih people, if only more supposed Christians would read those words and take them to heart eh! Chuh! What a wonderful place our world would be! The psalmist lets us know the right way, right up front: by following God’s Word. And what is God’s Word? According to the scholars: ‘Word (dabar) is an all-embracing term for God’s revelation in any form.’ And we have to be serious about seeking God and His Word. It can’t be just a wishy-washy, sometime, half-hearted thing like so many supposed believers engage in. The psalmist said, ‘with my whole heart.’ And that’s the way we need to come to God – with serious intentions!
And then he pleads that he be assisted in not straying from the Lord’s commandments. Oh friends, all of us need to plead with God for help on that matter! And what are his commandments? Per the scholars: ‘Commandments (mitswot) is a word assuming the authority of the commander and the inherent necessity of obeying the content of the charge.’ That means in simple terms, the commander is the boss, and we must obey his orders. And in this case, God is our commander and His word is the command we must obey.
And friends, our Bit says it all: ‘Thy word have I hid in mine heart, that I might not sin against thee.’ That’s the whole purpose of the exercise; not to sin against our heavenly Father! But we can only do that when we have His Word safely ensconced in our hearts, and more importantly, use it to thwart the flaming darts of the enemy that he sends against us. Then the psalmist asks to be taught the Lord’s statutes. And what are statutes? The scholars explain them thus: ‘Statutes (huqim) is related to a verb meaning “to engrave” and thus implies permanent and unchangeable regulations.’
That therefore means God’s regulations are permanent and don’t change, like we tend to say and believe rather conveniently in these supposed modern times of the 21st century. Then the psalmist talks about declaring (yeah!) the Lord’s judgements. The scholars describe then thus: ‘Judgments (mispatim) or ordinances refers to decisions God has made as a judge in order to make earthly behaviour conform to His heavenly standard.’ And we all know that above all, our God is a God of justice and sin has no part in His character whatsoever; but much to our benefit, He is a righteous judge!
And I like the psalmist’s next statement about rejoicing in God’s testimonies as much as in the wealth of the world. Wish many more of us would treasure the Lord’s testimonies that much and not pay so much attention to earthly riches. And the scholars characterize ‘Testimonies (‘edot) emphasizes the content of the Word as that which God has testified of Himself and His will.’ And should we ever rejoice in the Lord’s testimonies my people, because it tells us of the greatness of our God!
Then the psalmist promises to meditate, ponder on God’s precepts and contemplate His ways. Now that friends, is the only manner in which God’s Word can be written in our hearts; through meditation, contemplation and ‘ponderation.’ (smile) And according to the scholars ‘Precepts (piqudim) refers to instructions from a superior regarding the duties of those under him, in this case, from God to man.’ Again, we can only know our duties by learning them and continually thinking about them as we make every effort to put them into action.
But yuh know friends, we will never get it right until we learn to take true pleasure in our God and all that He’s said and done, all on our behalf! We all know that we comprehend and understand stuff quicker and more deeply when we enjoy it. And that’s why so many supposed believers have problems understanding and adhering to God’s Word; they don’t take pleasure in it. But if we want to have a clean heart and a right spirit, then we must learn to enjoy God and all that He is! And He’s such a multi-faceted character that unless we spend real time with Him and His Word, we’ll never truly come to appreciate and LOVE and obey Him like we ought to. End of sermon! (smile)
Now let’s go home declaring (yeah!) our Wednesday Wail, letting all and sundry know of our wonderful and ecstatic position in our great God. In full voice and strong sense of purpose 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 when the joy of Jesus is securely planted in our hearts, then we’re assured that our future with Him will indeed be glorious…Mama Yo…more than we can ever ask or imagine! Much LOVE!
…our Christian character will show out…in direct proportion to our knowledge of…and obedience to God’s Word…
19 Jul 2017
by randyobrien50
in Christian Thoughts and Inspiration., Daily Devotion, Daily Inspiration, Inspirational Living, Spiritual Living
Tags: a billion, a future and a hope, a glorious future with Jesus, Abramovich, calamity, Chelsea Football Club, Chelsea Football Club Abramovich, commandments, computer rebooted, devious ways, devoted servant, earthly possessions, evil, expectant attitude, fear thy name, glory hallelujah, God is keeping account, god moves in mysterious ways, God's promise, God's way, halfway home, hundreds of millions, incline my heart, jealous wrath, Jeremiah, judgements, keep thy law, life in heaven, loot, Lucifer, negative stuff, not looking back, path of, poverty strife, power outage, precepts, reach out to God, reproach, reverential awe, revive me, righteousness., running from Saul, saints, singleness of purpose, statutes, steward of, super yachts, teach me thy way, testimonies, the breath of life, the fallen angel, the hard way, the thoughts I think towards you, thoughts of peace, understanding, unfocused mind, unite my heart, vanity, walk in thy truth, wasted money, Wednesday Wail, with my whole heart, worthless things
Psalm 86:11. Teach me thy way, O Lord; I will walk in thy truth: unite my heart (give me singleness of purpose) to fear (have reverential awe for) thy name.
Ah mih people, our God does move in mysterious ways yes…but the fallen angel Lucifer also moves in devious ways. But I’ll leave it up to you to judge who’s who and what’s what in this earlier situation. Hn!
Now I came down a while ago to write the Bit, but got involved in looking at a news article on some super yachts, 19 of them to be exact. Oh they were certainly beautiful and worth in the hundreds of millions.
After every one, I’d tell myself, enough now, time to get to the Bit. But I continued until around the 12th, there was a sudden outage of power and everything went black. I had to chuckle, thinking that might have been God’s way of getting me to stop looking at those expensive and exquisite yachts, or preventing me from loosing stuff that I had not saved.
However, when the computer was rebooted, the yachts appeared again, from right where I’d left off, and possibly the devil took over then, because I continued watching them until I got to the 19th.
Ah Lord eh! By the way, the cheapest was around ten million, the only one that low. The next cheapest was around 60, then they moved into the hundreds, with one owned by Chelsea Football club owner Abramovich costing over a billion.
Now there are two questions to be asked here: How did he come by all that loot? Note the term I used. (smile) And how much poverty and strife could that wasted money have eradicated eh? I guess we’ll never know.
But let’s remember friends that our heavenly Father is keeping account, and one day we’ll all have to answer for how we stewarded His earthly possessions. And I guess our Bit for today is rather appropriate for my wandering and unfocused mind. (smile)
‘Teach me thy way, O Lord; I will walk in thy truth: unite my heart (give me singleness of purpose) to fear (have reverential awe for) thy name.’
Yeh friends, the only way we can truly learn the Lord’s teachings is with His help. And Bruh David found out that principle the hard way; not only in his shepherding days, with the wild animals harassing the sheep, but more so later on when he was constantly running from Saul, who in his jealous wrath tried desperately to kill him.
And we have a passage from Psalm 119 that cries out –Give me understanding – which rather appropriately expands on the words of our Bit. ‘Teach me, O Lord, the way of thy statutes; and I shall keep it unto the end. Give me understanding, and I shall keep thy law; yea, I shall observe it with my whole heart.
Make me to go in the path of thy commandments; for therein do I delight. Incline my heart unto (cause me to long for) thy testimonies. Turn away mine eyes from beholding vanity (looking at worthless things); and quicken (revive) thou me in thy way.
Stablish (establish) thy word unto thy servant, who is devoted to thy fear (fearing thee). Turn away my reproach which I fear: for thy judgements are good. Behold, I have longed after thy precepts: quicken (revive) me in thy righteousness.’ (Ps.119:33-40)
Oh my brethren, as I wrote that, I just realized that it sort of encapsulates all of our wants and fears, and that it would be an excellent prayer to reach out to God with when our spirits are low and we can’t understand the negative stuff that’s happening in our lives.
Please remember God’s promise as told through Jeremiah. ‘For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, saith the Lord, thoughts of peace, and not of evil (calamity), to give you an expected end (a future and a hope).
Then shall ye call upon me, and ye shall go and pray unto me, and I will hearken (listen) unto you. And ye shall seek me, and find me, when ye shall search for me with all your heart.’ (Jer.29:11-13)
So precious people of God, let’s never fear or forget to turn to our wonderful Creator when we are disturbed and unsure about ANYTHING in our lives. For He made us and has a marvellous plan in store for us, we just have to go to Him sincerely and ask for His guidance.
Remember too, He wants to be involved in EVERY aspect of our lives! And when we leave Him out of ANYTHING, He feels heartbroken. Nothing is too small or too unimportant for His consideration.
So my brethren, I do hope these few words (smile) offer encouragement and assurance and help us to keep looking to God ALL THE TIME, for that is exactly where our gaze is supposed to be fixed as true believers in Jesus Christ.
Now let’s go home declaring our Wednesday Wail in all sincerity and truth.‘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!’
Let’s keep that expectant attitude going now friends! Much LOVE!
…O ye saints…look ahead…look ahead.. to life in heaven with Jesus…
01 Jul 2017
by randyobrien50
in Inspirational Living
Tags: a merry-go-round of sickness, a positive way, Anselm's quotes, ask, big pharma, british north america act, charles stanley, consequences, covet, Dominion of Canada, don't worry about the future, drugs, eat and sleep well, endeared Him to me, exercise regularly, faith, give me understanding, give yourself, God's will, grow in faith, Happy Birthday Canada, have faith in god's promises, have not, heart body and soul, imperfect beings, keep thy law, kill, knock, learn to take criticism, living for God, lust, obedience, obey God, observe it, positive emotions, pride, seek, shrinks, social media, something productive to offer, start your day, stay practical, surrender, technological age, test our faith, the best big country in the wrld, the desires of my heart, the Holy Spirit, the last minute, The Lord's timing, the wisdom of God, therapy, times of trial, tomorrow will take care of itself, trust, understanding, with my whole heart, worldliness, ye ask not
Psalm 119:34. Give me understanding, and I shall keep thy law; yea, I shall observe it with my whole heart.
HAPPY BIRTHDAY CANADA!
Happy Birthday to You! Happy Birthday to You! Happy One fiftieth Dear Canada! Happy Birthday to You! Yeh friends, Canada is one hundred and fifty years old today!
That takes us back to July 1. 1867 when the British North America Act was signed, paving the way for the Confederation of the three separate colonies of Canada, Nova Scotia and New Brunswick to become the Dominion of Canada. And what a colourful history it has complied over the years; both good and bad, and is now aspiring to move to the forefront in this new technological age.
And regardless of what anybody else says or thinks, I will keep on saying that right now, it is the best big country in the world. Matter done! (smile)
So let’s move on to some of our friend Anselm’s quotes of this past week nuh, as he tries to inspire us to a better tomorrow. And this first one is rather appropriate. ‘Start your day in a positive way.’ Simple and to the point my brethren! There’s no better way to begin our day than on a positive note.
And that leads us to this long one. ‘Mindfully move through your day. When you spend your time in the present moment then it becomes so much easier to access positive emotions and to stay practical about what you can actually do about something in your life.’
But it’s true. We need to live much more in the present than in the past or the future. What did Jesus say, words to the effect that we should not worry about the future, but more about today, for tomorrow will take care of itself. (Matt.6:34)
That then leads to this wise advice. ‘Exercise regularly and eat and sleep well.’ Now that is godly wisdom that too many of us refuse to follow in this oh so busy world, where everything is go, go, go! And the big pharma companies and shrinks are making a killing on all the therapy, drugs and over the counter stuff we use to counter the effects of poor sleeping, eating and exercising habits.
And this last quote is very useful: ‘Learn to take criticism in a healthy way.’ But we need to take it with a grain of salt, because there are a lot of folks out there who just like to criticize, but don’t have a clue what they’re talking about. And it’s getting even worse with all the social media and evolving technology, where everybody is a critic. So just make sure you listen to someone who has something productive to offer.
And there is no better way of acquiring discernment than by following the advice of our Bit and sincerely asking the Lord: ‘Give me understanding, and I shall keep thy law; yea, I shall observe it with my whole heart.’
Yeh friends, when you have the wisdom of God flowing through you, accentuated by His Holy Spirit, you can work wonders and move mountains! And how do we come by that awesome wisdom of God?
Listen as James explains it. ‘If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God, that giveth to all men liberally, and upbraideth not (without reproach); and it shall be given him. But let him ask in faith, nothing wavering (not doubting). For he that wavereth (doubts) is like a wave of the sea driven with the wind and tossed. For let not that man think that he shall receive any thing of the Lord. A double-minded man is unstable in all his ways.’ (James 1:5-8)
Oh my brethren, godly wisdom is easy to come by, we just have to ask the Lord for it, but we have to do so in strong faith, not doubting. Jesus said: ‘Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you. For everyone that asketh receiveth; and he that seeketh findeth, and to him that knocketh it shall be opened.’ (Matt.7:7-8)
Yes my fellow believers, we need to sincerely ask and seek and knock, otherwise we won’t receive much. And James admonishes us when he talks about worldliness’ and pride. ‘Ye lust, and have not: ye kill (murder), and desire to have (covet), and cannot obtain: ye fight and war (battle), yet ye have not, because ye ask not. Ye ask, and receive not, because ye ask amiss, that ye may consume it upon your lusts (pleasures).’ (James 4:2-3)
Oh friends, it’s all right there in black and white: we don’t receive because we don’t ask, and when we do ask, we ask for the wrong things, things that are not in the will of God! And it’s obvious that if we ask for things outside of God’s will, He will not grant them to us. So we try to do stuff on our own and fail miserably. What a waste of time and effort friends, when we could be getting good things from God.
And you know it all boils right back down to Jesus’ advice: ‘But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness: and all these things shall be added unto you.’ (Matt.6:33) And I can tell you from personal experience my fellow believers, once you sincerely try living for God, there won’t be a whole lot of things you’ll have to ask Him for. He will provide most of what you need at the time you need it.
As I keep saying, my only problem with the Lord is His timing. Now I know without a doubt that He will show up on time, but too often He waits for the last minute! But I guess that’s just another way to test our faith.
Oh friends, our God is a good God; or rather a most excellent God! You just have to surrender your life to Him, trust Him and have faith in the promises in His word. And as you grow in faith, you’ll see the wonders He works in your life.
Right now the Lord has me on a merry-go-round of sickness, and I believe that He will eventually work it all out for my good, but what took me by surprise, and what has endeared Him even more to me, is that even in these times of trial, He is also helping to bring the desires of my heart to fruition!
And those are the desires that He placed there! So how can I not LOVE Him then eh mih breddren and try my best to please Him? And He will do the same for you, if you give yourself, heart, body and soul to Him. He doesn’t expect us to be perfect, for He knows He made us as imperfect beings, but He does ask for obedience, above all things. Much LOVE!
…as Uncle Charles (Charles Stanley) so eloquently puts it…obey God…and leave all the consequences to Him…
30 Jun 2017
by randyobrien50
in Christian Thoughts and Inspiration., Daily Devotion, Daily Inspiration, Inspirational Living, Spiritual Living
Tags: a foothold, another week of work, better to not vow, boundaries, brave, Canada's 150 birthday, carnal lust, Christian, consequences, courageous, delay not to pay it, discernment, Drunk or sober mind yuh business, Ecclesiastes, extra special weekend, fellowship, Friday chant, fun, furthering your glorious kingdom, generous help, get a toehold, glory to God, God's will, Granny's warning, Happy Birthday Canada, hath no pleasure in fools, in Jesus' name, jumping and shouting, keep thy law, knowledge, let it all hang out, let our hair down, LOVE, mas like crazy, mistakes, motives, never turn us down, observe it, overwhelming spirit, problems, ramajaying, refreshed, relaxation, renewed, request, rest, reverential awe, right attitude, right hearts, righteousness, safely through, selfish world, sincerity, soul body and mind, TGIF! Thank God is Friday, the best big country, the enemy, the partying, the paths of justice, the way of saints, the workingman's song, truth, understanding, vow and not pay, vowest a vow, wisdom, with my whole heart
Psalm 119:34. Give me understanding, and I shall keep thy law; yea, I shall observe it with my whole heart.
Awright mih people, one of the biggest, if not the biggest weekend of the year is upon us! Wow! We’re talking about the one hundred and fiftieth birthday of this great country called Canada! Glory to God my people! For it’s only with God’s help that we’ve come so far!
Yeh friends, tomorrow, the first of July, the BEST BIG COUNTRY in the world will be 150 years old! Oh, I know that in terms of age, it’s very young compared to many others, but its spirit is overwhelming!
So you can just imagine how the ordinary workingman is carrying on this weekend. ‘Oh, Mama Yo! TGIF! Thank God is Friday oui! But this is an extra special weekend, because we big country Canada, is a hundred and a half!
Oh brother, the partying will be big…an beautiful…an loud…mas like crazy…with everybody ramajaying deh body…just jumping and shouting…Happy Birthday Canada! Ah just can’t wait to get started nuh! Oh thank God for Fridays and them kinda weekends like this one yes!’
Yes mih breddren, my sentiments exactly, but unfortunately we can’t afford to let down our hair too much and cater to the carnal lust of the flesh that comes out in these joyful situations.
And I would certainly be amiss if I didn’t remind us of Granny’s wise warning: ‘Sonny boy, drunk or sober, please, ah beg yuh, please mind yuh business this weekend!’
And we couldn’t get any better advice for this national party weekend friends, because when we let it all hang out, the enemy can easily get a toehold, even a foothold, in our lives. And we definitely don’t want that to happen.
So here’s how the average Christian ought to play it out. Please join me as we declare our Friday 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, I know it sounds staid and stuffy in comparison to the workingman’s song, but it’s the safe and right attitude to adopt if we want to keep our righteousness intact. Nobody’s saying we can’t party, but we just have to do so within certain boundaries, since getting outside of them can cause serious heartache and numerous problems with everlasting consequences.
So now that all the warning is done (smile), let’s turn to our Bit, which helps us handle the warnings, as we sincerely ask the Lord: ‘Give me understanding, and I shall keep thy law; yea, I shall observe it with my whole heart.’
Now that’s a very good request, but please note that it’s a big and often times tough one to handle, for it comes with the serious promise at the end. We’re promising to sincerely observe God’s law if He helps us to understand it.
Remember the wise words of Cousin Sol in Ecclesiastes. ‘When thou vowest a vow unto God, defer (delay) not to pay it; for he hath no pleasure in fools: pay that which thou hast vowed. Better is it that thou shouldest not vow, than that thou shouldest vow and not pay.’ (Eccl.5:4-5)
And that goes for not only vows to God, but promises to each other in this lying, fraudulent and selfish world. However, if we are sincerely looking for understanding of God’s law, He will graciously grant it to us.
As Cousin Sol so wisely expatiates early on in Proverbs. ‘Yea, if thou criest out after knowledge (discernment), and liftest up thy voice for understanding; If thou seekest her as silver, and searchest for her as for hid treasures; Then shalt thou understand the fear (reverential awe) of the Lord, and find the knowledge of God.
For the Lord giveth wisdom: out of his mouth cometh knowledge and understanding. He layeth up (stores up) sound wisdom for the righteous: he is a buckler (shield) to them that walk uprightly. He keepeth the paths of judgement (guards the paths of justice), and preserveth the way of the saints.’ (Prov.2:3-8)
Oh my people, yuh see how willing our great God is to grant us wisdom and understanding if we come asking for it in all sincerity and truth!
And don’t worry, don’t be afraid, for the Lord expects us to make mistakes along the way. We just have to ensure that our motives and our hearts are right when He searches them.
So let’s be brave and courageous today nuh, and ask for whatever we know is right, whatever we need, to help us live a truly godly life. Our God will NEVER turn us down, once it is in accordance with His will. Much LOVE!
…without God’s help…we can never truly understand His law…
29 Aug 2015
by randyobrien50
in Christian Thoughts and Inspiration., Daily Devotion, Daily Inspiration, Inspirational Living, Spiritual Living
Tags: another footnote in the annals of history, awesome truth, blessed art thou Lord, by taking heed to God's Word, by the sweat of thy brow, casino gambling, everlasting wisdom, God's Holy word, God's testimonies, God's Word, gopsel truth, hard work, harvest, how shall a young man cleanse his way, I have hidden thy word in my heart, I have sought thee, I will not forget thy word, in the sweat of thy face, lack of a work ethic, laziness, let me not wander from thy commandments, lottery ticket, lottery tickets, mind-grasping, most important thing on earth, one in a million, perseverance, poverty, procrastination, prosperous, pundits of writing, rewards, Saturday morning, shadows of our former selves, shall constantly be in thy mouth, striving for success, successful, teach me thy statutes, the God of Abraham Isaac and Jacob, the mire of ungodliness, this book of the law, thou shalt eat bread, thrilling, thy word, trained how to handle money, truth, trying to harvest where you haven't planted, two steps ahead of the law, unorthodox greeting, wisdom, with my whole heart, without hard work, worldly riches, you shall reap what you sow
Psalm 119:9. Wherewithal shall a young man cleanse his way? By taking heed thereto according to thy word.
Ah Friends, this Saturday morning is one of those where I don’t know what to write. I can’t come up with a nice, unorthodox greeting, something to get you all hot and bothered and excited to hear what comes next, where you just hang on my every word, as the pundits of writing decree one’s opening remarks should do. (smile)
So please excuse the ole fella if today’s Bit is not as thrilling and delightful as it ought to be. But I know one thing for sure; it will contain God’s holy and truthful and profitable Word, and that is the most important thing on the face of this earth! So I’m not worried about the lack of a mind-grasping beginning or a thrilling ending, because ALL of God’s Word is mind grasping and thrilling. And that’s the awesome truth my people!
Now here is something interesting from our Friend Anselm, who aspires to inspire us for a better tomorrow. He claims that ‘Striving for success without hard work is like trying to harvest where you have not planted.’
Those again are words of gospel truth and everlasting wisdom, for they reflect the basic principle of God’s world; what you sow, that shall you reap, and also, in proportion to how much labour, energy and thought you put into a project, so shall your rewards and harvest be.
Therefore, with the laziness, lack of work ethic and procrastination so prevalent today, it is no wonder that a lot of people, especially amongst the young, are unsuccessful. We all want to be rich and successful, but we don’t want to invest the time and energy that it requires. And we see that so blatantly in the current explosion of casino gambling and lottery tickets.
Everybody wants to be a winner by simply rolling a few dice, pulling the handle on a crooked machine, turning over a few cards or purchasing a lottery ticket. The chances of doing so are one in many millions. And the few who are lucky enough to do it, soon lose or spend it all, because they have no sense, or appreciation, of having put in a real effort to get it, neither have they been trained in how to handle money successfully.
Remember, it’s easier to make a million dollars than to keep it. Just look at all the people who have made millions several times and still don’t have anything to show for it. It’s a good thing I was never much into those things. The few times I bought a lottery ticket I hardly ever got more than two numbers. I was taught that by the sweat of my brow I shall earn bread. (smile)
And the one gambling vice I had, betting on horses, soon disappeared too, because my losses constantly outweighed my winnings. Now I can easily go to a racetrack, watch a few races and don’t bet on any, without any qualms whatsoever. Praise the Lord!
What we don’t seem to realize is that to be a success in, or at anything at all, plenty hard work and perseverance are involved. Even to be a successful crook or criminal, one has to work extra hard so you can always be two steps ahead of the law.
That brings us to our rather appropriate Bit. ‘Wherewithal shall a young man cleanse his way? By taking heed thereto according to thy word.’ Yes Friends, that’s exactly where young people ought to begin setting the standards for their lives; by following God’s Word!
The psalmist further declares: ‘With my whole heart have I sought thee: O let me not wander from thy commandments. Thy word have I hid in mine heart, that I might not sin against thee. Blessed art thou, O Lord: teach me thy statutes. With my lips have I declared all the judgements of thy mouth. I have rejoiced in the way of thy testimonies, as much as in all riches. I will meditate in thy precepts, and have respect unto (contemplate) thy ways. I will delight myself in thy statutes: I will not forget thy word.’ (Ps.119:10-16)
Oh my people, what marvelous sentiments from the psalmist. But how many of us today even read the Word, much less meditate and ponder on it eh? And how many of us can ever say that we have rejoiced in the way of God’s testimonies, as we do in worldly riches? Definitely not too many of us, and for sure not enough!
But Friends, in God’s Word is where we find the formula for prosperity and success. The Lord Himself told it to Joshua in no uncertain terms, when He made him leader of the Israelites after the death of Moses. ‘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 thou shalt make thy way prosperous, and then thou shalt have good success.’ (Josh.1:8)
Ah mih breddren, our God could not have made it any simpler or more straightforward! Constantly read and understand and practice my word, and you will be prosperous and successful. Friends, it’s not rocket science! And we know that when the Israelites did as the Lord decreed, they were successful and prosperous. And when they fell by the wayside, they suffered serious negative consequences.
Even our nations, when they were first formed as Christian nations they were successful and prosperous. But like so many other nations before us, when we reached those heights, we forgot who brought us to the dance, and began to dismantle our godly society, and consequently our success and prosperity began to wane, until now we are merely hulking shadows of our former selves, sinking deeper and deeper into the mire of ungodliness and poverty.
And until we wise up and realize on which side our bread is buttered, and repent and return to sincerely worshipping and serving the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, our society will keep on disintegrating, until we’re simply another footnote in the annals of history.
Please my people, for our children’s sake, let’s try our best, obviously with God’s help, not to let that happen, for it would make all of Jesus’ sacrifice of no account. Much LOVE!
…in the sweat of thy face…shalt thou eat bread…till thou return unto the ground…for out of it wast thou taken… (Gen.3:19)
27 Jul 2014
by randyobrien50
in Christian Thoughts and Inspiration., Daily Devotion, Daily Inspiration, Inspirational Living, Spiritual Living
Tags: a song of praise, abundance, acceptance, adore, all knees will bow, all tongues confess, apologetic, Ark of the Covenant, ashamed of Jesus, Author and Finisher, be glad and rejoice, Bruh David, christ jesus, Christ's blood, convincing, Creator, embarassed, enjoyment, exalt, exalting Jesus, extol, exuberance, faith, faithful, fellowship, good news of Christ, grateful fellowship, honour and glorify God's name, ice-cold, Jesus Christ, joy, joyful worship, just what the doctor ordered, King of Kings, life, Lord and Saviour, Lord of Lords, loving, lukewarm, manifestation of joy, marvelous works, partaking of the cup, passion, passionate, praise and thanks, red hot, rejoice, rejoice always, sacrifical flesh of christ's body, sacrifice of Jesus, sharing, sing and dance, singing praises to God, sins, so-so, spit, step up to the plate, stodgy, Sunday, thanks always on our lips, time to worship, truth, venerate, vomit, walk of faith, with my whole heart, witness, wonderful feeling in our souls, worship Almighty God
Psalm 9:1. I will praise thee, O Lord, with my whole heart; I will show forth (tell of) all thy marvelous works.
And then it was Sunday… And all the people joyfully sang: ‘Sunday, oh Sunday; time to go to the sanctuary; time to give praise and thanks; time to let the Lord know how much we LOVE Him; time to worship in true and grateful fellowship with my brethren, partaking of the cup of Christ’s blood, and the sacrificial flesh of His body, to let Him know that we remember Him in faith and truth, and also honour and glorify His holy name, for ever and ever. Amen!’
Oh Friends, at the rate we’re going, we’ll soon have a song of praise for every day! (smile) And that’s definitely not a bad thing, but rather it’s wonderful! For waking up each and every day and singing praises to our awesome God is just what the doctor, and God Himself have ordered.
And believe you me, we can never praise and glorify our omnipotent Creator too much. So let’s get ready to go to His house and worship Him this Sunday morning nuh, with plenty passion and truth.
However Friends, one of the unfortunate things I’ve discovered about us Christians; is that we’re not as passionate and convincing about Jesus as we should be. Most other faiths seem to continually extol, exalt and adore the object of their veneration, but we seem to be merely lukewarm about our Lord and Saviour, who has done so much for us.
Oftimes we seem even ashamed to call His name in public, or let others know that we believe in the Mighty King and Warrior known as Jesus Christ; King of Kings, and Lord of Lords, to whom all knees will eventually bow, and all tongues confess and acknowledge Him as Lord.
Yes, in the church buildings we sing and dance and praise His holy name, but once we’re out of the buildings we seem to adopt a stodgy, embarrassed and even apologetic attitude.
Oh my people, there’s nothing to be embarrassed about or to apologize for in exalting Jesus! For He is indeed the author and finisher of our faith! The one who selflessly and willingly gave up His ease and comfort in heaven to come to this mish-mash earth and die for our abominable sins, so that we could be granted salvation and eternal life.
Now isn’t that something to jump for joy about, and shout from the rooftops and mountains to all the world? It certainly is my brethren! For what other supposed deity has done anything even closely resembling Jesus’ sacrifice for his followers eh? NONE WHATSOEVER!
Oh Friends, please remember what Jesus said to the church at Laodicea: ‘I know thy works, that thou art neither cold nor hot: I would (wish) thou wert (were) cold or hot. So then because thou art lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I will spew (spit or vomit) thee out of my mouth.’ (Rev.3:15-16)
Yes my people, we either have to be red hot, meaning passionate, or ice-cold, not merely so-so in our acceptance and following of the greatest teacher who ever lived, Christ Jesus!
Oh my fellow believers, it’s time we all rose up and passionately do like Bruh David says in our Bit and the verse following: ‘I will praise thee, O Lord with my whole heart; I will show forth (tell of) all thy marvelous works. I will be glad and rejoice in thee: I will sing praise to thy name, O thou Most High.’ (Ps.9:1-2)
And my people, we ought to do that not only in the churches or wherever we officially worship Almighty God, but in all our doings, wherever we go; at home, at school, at work, at play, the thanks and praise to our wonderful Creator ought always to be on our lips.
How did Bruh Paul put it? ‘Rejoice in the Lord always: and again I say, Rejoice.’ (Phil.4:4)
And remember too how Bruh David danced before the Lord when the Ark of the Covenant was brought to Jerusalem. (2 Sam.6:14) He wasn’t ashamed to exalt and extol His ever-faithful and ever-LOVING God in public, like so many of us sadly are.
But we shouldn’t be ashamed of our Saviour, my brethren. Jesus said that He came to earth to give us life and joy, and give them in great abundance. (John 10:10) And joy is such a wonderful feeling in our souls that it usually just comes pouring out of us and we are glad to share it.
Therefore Friends, if we have joy in Jesus, then why aren’t we sharing it passionately with all and sundry eh, instead of foolishly and selfishly keeping it locked up inside of us? We should be exceedingly glad to share it with everybody, to noise it all over the world!
So today my people, when we’re finished joyfully worshipping in church, let’s come outside and continue that joyful worship nuh. Joyful worship does nothing for the inanimate buildings; it’s meant to be partaken of, to be spread amongst people. And how can we expect believers to come to Jesus through our witness, when we are only lukewarm in our walk of faith, in our exuberance, our manifestation of joy eh? That won’t ever happen!
It’s time we step boldly up to the plate and witness with true joy, so that others may belief. It’s what we’ve been placed here to do, therefore let’s do our duty with relish and verve and fervour nuh! It’s the ONLY way to go! Much LOVE!
…merely talking in hushed tones about the good news and deeds of Christ…and not showing real enjoyment in, and passion for them…will never endear Him to others…
SCRIP-BITS 