How many of you need this kind of healing? I can tell you for sure that I do and I am probably not alone.
It is the greatest longing of my heart to have this kind of healing in my life, I can't think of anything greater to long for. How about you?
If you have an empty feeling in your heart that is not being filled, this is probably it. If you feel that you are lost, this is probably it, if you are confused, this is probably it, if you have a longing for something better, this is probably it, if you have messed up your life something terrible, I know this is it.
I have had this subject on my heart for a while now and didn't know what to do with it, I knew I needed this and felt that this morning might be the time to study it out, to tell the truth, I had to study this one some before posting it because I felt such a great need myself and hope that this will bless you as well as I think it is going to bless me.
First we need to know where our Spiritual healing comes from and the Scriptures are very plain about this.
Isaiah 53:5 "But He was wounded for our transgressions, He was bruised for our iniquities, The chastisement for our peace was upon Him, and by His stripes we are healed." To put it more plainly, He was wounded for our sins, He was bruised for our wickedness, the punishment for our peace was upon Him and by His floggings we are healed, spiritually healed as well. He provided the way for our Spiritual Healing. For Great Spiritual Healing.
Jeremiah 17:14 "Heal me, O Lord, and I shall be healed: Save me, and I shall be saved, For You are my praise." An excellent prayer for any of us to find the healing we need. We also need to praise Him for this healing that He supplies.
Next it is important to know why we need this Great Spiritual Healing.
Psalms 41:4 "I said, 'Lord, be merciful to me, Heal my soul, for I have sinned against You." We have sinned, that is why we need healing, so the truth is we all need Spiritual Healing.
Jeremiah 3:22 "Return, you backsliding children, and I will heal your backslidings." I am pretty sure that we have all backslidden at times in our Christian walk. We slip into it without even knowing it at times and at times we fall into it knowing full well what we are doing. Our old nature creeps in and says, 'it's ok this once so don't worry about it, you can repent and it will be alright. The truth is we can repent, but we lose so much when we deliberately or willfully sin. If we have backslidden, we need Great Spiritual Healing.
Great Spiritual Healing is provided for all who are:
Psalms 147:3 "He heals the brokenhearted, and binds up their wounds." Are you brokenhearted, He will provide Great Spiritual Healing for You, I have been there and He has done wonders for me.
2 Chronicles 7:14 "If my people who are called by My name will humble themselves, and pray and seek My face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin and heal their
land." Great Spiritual Healing for His people who humble themselves before Him and pray and seek His face and turn from their wicked ways, then He will hear and heal us Spiritually.
Malachi 4:2 "But to you who fear My name, The Sun of Righteousness shall arise with healing in His wings; and you shall go out and grow fat like stall-fed calves." It is speaking of being fat Spiritually, not physically. We want to grow fat Spiritually and 'fear His name' is to reverence His name, not to use it in a profane way as so many do today. Great Spiritual Healing is for those who Reverence His name.
Acts 10:38 "How God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Spirit and with power, who went about doing good and healing all who were oppressed by the devil, for God was with Him." Great Spiritual Healing is for the depressed or oppressed by the devil. Satan loves to get us down under his oppression, and then laugh at us. It is a disease that he causes so we will give up on Jesus.
This was so enlightening to me and I will go over it again and again, it was something that I really needed to get my life straightened out so there is nothing to be confused about. I love the way that God brings our needs to the forefront so we can see what our Great need is. It is marvelous how He works and heals.
Trust Him to do your Great Spiritual Healing and He will, I promise, my promises aren't worth much but His are worth Eternal Life so trust Him to Heal you. Grandma Joan
Monday, September 30, 2013
Sunday, September 29, 2013
God Will Take Care of You
Do you believe that? It is so true. I had an experience this week that really helped me in my faith in God. He really stepped in and stopped what could have been a disaster.
I have told you that my home is for sale and this man came in and wanted to buy it, he even put his car in the garage to see if it fit. I thought that was strange but you never know. Anyway, I called my daughter who has been in real estate and she came and my son was already here and so we talked and he made an offer and we agreed that we could possibly live with it but he told us to take our time in thinking about it and then all of a sudden he wanted papers signed in two days and that overwhelmed me. He left with that idea and we began to think about all the things he had said, 'take our time, and then in two days' and my daughter told him she was going to do a credit check on him and a background check and this was said before the two day thing. After he left I felt nervous and sick, just really unsettled and my daughter called me the next day and said, I don't think we ought to do it and I absolutely agreed.
We got to thinking about the whole thing and there were several things we couldn't put together and we decided that God was trying to tell us something. I think we will find out shortly what it was.
That is just one incident where God stepped in and stopped a transaction that was not to be done. I can't elaborate to much on it but it was really scary. His license plate was of this state but his residence was of another country far away. Anyway, I am so thankful that God takes care of us.
There is a song entitled, 'God Will Take Care of You' and it is so true.
Matthew 6:25,34 "Therefore I say unto you, do not worry about your life what you will eat or what you will drink; nor about your body, what you will put on. Is not life more than food and the body more than clothing? Therefore do not worry about tomorrow for tomorrow will worry about its own things. Sufficient for the day is its own trouble.."
I still believe with all my heart that God takes care of those that stay close to Him and I am trying to do that even though I don't feel like I am as close as I should be. I know He is taking care of me and will take care of me as long as He is my all in all.
Psalms 91:1-3 "He who dwells in the secret place of the Most High shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty. I will say of the Lord, 'He is my refuge and my fortress; My God, in Him I will trust. Surely He shall deliver you from the snare of the fowler and from the perilous pestilence."
I am not sure what a fowler is, but it isn't good according to these verses and I believe that I was delivered from it. If we dwell in the secret place of the Most High we will abide under His shadow and He WILL take care of us, I know that for sure.
I can't stress it enough to abide in His presence and He will take care of you!!! I hope you believe that, it is absolutely necessary in this sinful world to stay close to Jesus all the time, we never know what the day may bring, just like this week for me. We just never know and I am so glad to be able to share with you each day how important it is to stay in the secret place of the Most High so He can take care of everything we do and even say. I have noticed that my spirit is changing because of these studies I am having and sharing with you. May God bless you as you study along with me each morning and may you grow in your walk with God and trust His abiding presence in your life. Grandma Joan
I have told you that my home is for sale and this man came in and wanted to buy it, he even put his car in the garage to see if it fit. I thought that was strange but you never know. Anyway, I called my daughter who has been in real estate and she came and my son was already here and so we talked and he made an offer and we agreed that we could possibly live with it but he told us to take our time in thinking about it and then all of a sudden he wanted papers signed in two days and that overwhelmed me. He left with that idea and we began to think about all the things he had said, 'take our time, and then in two days' and my daughter told him she was going to do a credit check on him and a background check and this was said before the two day thing. After he left I felt nervous and sick, just really unsettled and my daughter called me the next day and said, I don't think we ought to do it and I absolutely agreed.
We got to thinking about the whole thing and there were several things we couldn't put together and we decided that God was trying to tell us something. I think we will find out shortly what it was.
That is just one incident where God stepped in and stopped a transaction that was not to be done. I can't elaborate to much on it but it was really scary. His license plate was of this state but his residence was of another country far away. Anyway, I am so thankful that God takes care of us.
There is a song entitled, 'God Will Take Care of You' and it is so true.
Matthew 6:25,34 "Therefore I say unto you, do not worry about your life what you will eat or what you will drink; nor about your body, what you will put on. Is not life more than food and the body more than clothing? Therefore do not worry about tomorrow for tomorrow will worry about its own things. Sufficient for the day is its own trouble.."
I still believe with all my heart that God takes care of those that stay close to Him and I am trying to do that even though I don't feel like I am as close as I should be. I know He is taking care of me and will take care of me as long as He is my all in all.
Psalms 91:1-3 "He who dwells in the secret place of the Most High shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty. I will say of the Lord, 'He is my refuge and my fortress; My God, in Him I will trust. Surely He shall deliver you from the snare of the fowler and from the perilous pestilence."
I am not sure what a fowler is, but it isn't good according to these verses and I believe that I was delivered from it. If we dwell in the secret place of the Most High we will abide under His shadow and He WILL take care of us, I know that for sure.
I can't stress it enough to abide in His presence and He will take care of you!!! I hope you believe that, it is absolutely necessary in this sinful world to stay close to Jesus all the time, we never know what the day may bring, just like this week for me. We just never know and I am so glad to be able to share with you each day how important it is to stay in the secret place of the Most High so He can take care of everything we do and even say. I have noticed that my spirit is changing because of these studies I am having and sharing with you. May God bless you as you study along with me each morning and may you grow in your walk with God and trust His abiding presence in your life. Grandma Joan
Saturday, September 28, 2013
Great Faith, Little Effort
Most people including me, have thought or do think that it takes a lot of strength and effort, brain power or something of that nature to have faith in God. It seems like something mysterious that we have to do something in order to charge up our faith. Let me ask a few questions to myself and you who are reading this.
Does it take great faith to sit on a chair, how do you know it won't collapse?
Does it take great faith to cross a bridge, how do you know it won't collapse?\
Does it take great faith to drive on the freeway or better yet a two lane? Is there a guarantee that someone isn't going to hit you?
These are just simple things that most of us do every day without thinking about it. I think it might be a good idea when going out on the road to offer a prayer of protection but otherwise we just do it without a thought.
We will even back up and sit down in a chair, knowing it will hold us and even the fact that it is even there.
As far as crossing a bridge, I cross one every time I go to the market and if I go to the big town I cross lots of them without a thought if it is going to hold me up.
I am beginning to see that faith is very simple, so why is it so hard to have faith in God's promises? Is it because we can't see Him or maybe it is because we don't know Him. Remember, this study is pointing at me, not you. You may have great faith and I hope you do. I have some faith but I need more and so the reason for this study. To get to know somebody, you have to spend time with them. Sometimes to spend time with them you have to let other things go. If someone calls and wants you to go somewhere with them and they are a special friend, you wouldn't mind letting some things go in order to go with them, well, that is the way it is with God. We need to take time to know Him and I really do need to take time to know Him personally, not just a a giver of gifts or whatever but as a true friend that has only my very own good on His mind.
Our faith is obtained from the scriptures and so we need to spend more time in His Word to increase our
faith.
John 20:30,31 "And truly Jesus did many other signs in the presence of His disciples, which are not written in this book; but these are written that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ the Son of God, and that believing you may have life in His name." I just found this verse, very good! Believing in what is written in this book, we will have life in His name. Believing is faith and so studying His word will give us more and more faith. I believe my faith has increased a lot lately but I need more. To have life in His name means a lot more than we can imagine. It means to live His life. Living and doing for others. I think I am catching on.
Romans 10:17 "So then faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of God." Maybe you have something to listen to, to hear the Word of God. Then you could listen while you work or do crafts, whatever you can do to plant the Word in your mind, that is what we need to do. I have an ipod with the Bible on it and I did picture puzzles last winter and listened to my ipod Bible while I did them. It is surprising what you can learn and also remember. There's lots of things we can do and still listen to the Word being read.
I am hoping and praying each day that my studies will help you in your walk with God. And today, I hope that you will see how we can have great faith with little effort. How much effort does it take to listen to God's Word or read His Word each and every day to increase our faith in Him. What a blessing this has been to me and I hope it has blessed you. I just want to be a blessing through Him because He is blessing me through these studies. If there is just one person being helped, I praise the Lord for that one. May God
bless you very much if you are that one. I am praying for you. Grandma Joan
Does it take great faith to sit on a chair, how do you know it won't collapse?
Does it take great faith to cross a bridge, how do you know it won't collapse?\
Does it take great faith to drive on the freeway or better yet a two lane? Is there a guarantee that someone isn't going to hit you?
These are just simple things that most of us do every day without thinking about it. I think it might be a good idea when going out on the road to offer a prayer of protection but otherwise we just do it without a thought.
We will even back up and sit down in a chair, knowing it will hold us and even the fact that it is even there.
As far as crossing a bridge, I cross one every time I go to the market and if I go to the big town I cross lots of them without a thought if it is going to hold me up.
I am beginning to see that faith is very simple, so why is it so hard to have faith in God's promises? Is it because we can't see Him or maybe it is because we don't know Him. Remember, this study is pointing at me, not you. You may have great faith and I hope you do. I have some faith but I need more and so the reason for this study. To get to know somebody, you have to spend time with them. Sometimes to spend time with them you have to let other things go. If someone calls and wants you to go somewhere with them and they are a special friend, you wouldn't mind letting some things go in order to go with them, well, that is the way it is with God. We need to take time to know Him and I really do need to take time to know Him personally, not just a a giver of gifts or whatever but as a true friend that has only my very own good on His mind.
Our faith is obtained from the scriptures and so we need to spend more time in His Word to increase our
faith.
John 20:30,31 "And truly Jesus did many other signs in the presence of His disciples, which are not written in this book; but these are written that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ the Son of God, and that believing you may have life in His name." I just found this verse, very good! Believing in what is written in this book, we will have life in His name. Believing is faith and so studying His word will give us more and more faith. I believe my faith has increased a lot lately but I need more. To have life in His name means a lot more than we can imagine. It means to live His life. Living and doing for others. I think I am catching on.
Romans 10:17 "So then faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of God." Maybe you have something to listen to, to hear the Word of God. Then you could listen while you work or do crafts, whatever you can do to plant the Word in your mind, that is what we need to do. I have an ipod with the Bible on it and I did picture puzzles last winter and listened to my ipod Bible while I did them. It is surprising what you can learn and also remember. There's lots of things we can do and still listen to the Word being read.
I am hoping and praying each day that my studies will help you in your walk with God. And today, I hope that you will see how we can have great faith with little effort. How much effort does it take to listen to God's Word or read His Word each and every day to increase our faith in Him. What a blessing this has been to me and I hope it has blessed you. I just want to be a blessing through Him because He is blessing me through these studies. If there is just one person being helped, I praise the Lord for that one. May God
bless you very much if you are that one. I am praying for you. Grandma Joan
Thursday, September 26, 2013
Faithfulness and Self-control & Reward
The three go hand in hand. I am wondering, 'am I faithful to what I know is truth?' Can I be more faithful to God who is so generous to me in all things. I cannot complain about God's dealings with me, even though sometimes things get rough for me, like yesterday. There is a reason and sometimes it brings me to my knees so to speak and with tears. I start out by searching my heart for a reason, or my actions to see what has happened to me that would cause a gap in my relationship with God. By the way, there is always a reason. If we find even a small gap, there is a reason for it. I like to think about Daniel and his faithfulness even in the face of the Lion's Den.
When Daniel was taken captive and taken into Babylon, Daniel and his three friends were picked out as promising young men to serve the king. They were given the privilege of sitting at a table with the king's food placed before them, and of course Daniel was raised by godly parents evidently because he refused to eat the king's meat or drink and requested a plant based diet because he had purposed in his heart not to eat of the king's delicacies. He had made up his mind to serve the Lord regardless if it meant his life, and so he asked for a ten day trial. 'At the end of the ten days their features appeared better and fatter in flesh than all the young men who ate the portion of the king's delicacies.' Daniel 1: 15.
Daniel 1:17 "As for these four young men, God gave them knowledge and skill in all literature and wisdom, and Daniel had understanding in all visions and dreams. " God rewarded these men with knowledge and wisdom and Daniel with understanding visions and dreams. They were faithful to God even as teenagers and that is an encouragement to me, if young people can be that faithful and have self-control, then so can I.
I mentioned Daniel and the Lion's Den at the beginning and his faithfulness even in the face of death is some-thing that is astounding to me. I don't think we realize what real faithfulness is until we read a story like that. Some people say the lions weren't hungry but when Daniel was brought up out of the den and the men that tricked the king into signing that paper that sent Daniel there, were cast in, the lions had them before they hit the bottom of the den. So we know that it was Daniel's faithfulness to God that saved him.
Some people say, 'O we can't be like that, but I say, Daniel wasn't any different than we are. He was a captive in Babylon and made a Eunuch and we are not captives of another country and haven't had our bodies tampered with, so what today is our excuse for our unfaithfulness. I can't think of any myself, and it's not because I don't make any, I am no different than anyone else. I would probably find a flimsy one and then be ashamed of it. In fact I have and they are very flimsy. Right now I don't know what they are. I am thinking more at the moment of the power of God that Daniel and his friends had how I can apply that to my life and have more power over the temptations that come to me.
One thought I had about Daniel and his prayer three times a day was that Daniel could have closed the window went to a secret place but he didn't and he knew what the penalty would be if he were caught. Could we do the same? It would be hard but knowing we are in Christ and He is in us would make all the difference.
Read Daniel 1 and 6 and in between too if you so desire. It is a good story, just like Joseph's story. There is so much good reading in the Bible, we are missing a lot when we ignore it. Not only that, we are missing the good life that God had planned for us.
I hope you will be like Daniel and purpose in your heart not to defile your body with the king's delicacies which destroy our immune system and will eventually destroy us. We must be faithful to God and have the self-control that Daniel and his friends had. I pray that I do and will, I am still struggling and praying for God's help in my life and will continue to do so as long as I have breath. It isn't an overnight thing, to some people it is but not for me and maybe not for you but with God's help we can do it. Right? Grandma Joan
When Daniel was taken captive and taken into Babylon, Daniel and his three friends were picked out as promising young men to serve the king. They were given the privilege of sitting at a table with the king's food placed before them, and of course Daniel was raised by godly parents evidently because he refused to eat the king's meat or drink and requested a plant based diet because he had purposed in his heart not to eat of the king's delicacies. He had made up his mind to serve the Lord regardless if it meant his life, and so he asked for a ten day trial. 'At the end of the ten days their features appeared better and fatter in flesh than all the young men who ate the portion of the king's delicacies.' Daniel 1: 15.
Daniel 1:17 "As for these four young men, God gave them knowledge and skill in all literature and wisdom, and Daniel had understanding in all visions and dreams. " God rewarded these men with knowledge and wisdom and Daniel with understanding visions and dreams. They were faithful to God even as teenagers and that is an encouragement to me, if young people can be that faithful and have self-control, then so can I.
I mentioned Daniel and the Lion's Den at the beginning and his faithfulness even in the face of death is some-thing that is astounding to me. I don't think we realize what real faithfulness is until we read a story like that. Some people say the lions weren't hungry but when Daniel was brought up out of the den and the men that tricked the king into signing that paper that sent Daniel there, were cast in, the lions had them before they hit the bottom of the den. So we know that it was Daniel's faithfulness to God that saved him.
Some people say, 'O we can't be like that, but I say, Daniel wasn't any different than we are. He was a captive in Babylon and made a Eunuch and we are not captives of another country and haven't had our bodies tampered with, so what today is our excuse for our unfaithfulness. I can't think of any myself, and it's not because I don't make any, I am no different than anyone else. I would probably find a flimsy one and then be ashamed of it. In fact I have and they are very flimsy. Right now I don't know what they are. I am thinking more at the moment of the power of God that Daniel and his friends had how I can apply that to my life and have more power over the temptations that come to me.
One thought I had about Daniel and his prayer three times a day was that Daniel could have closed the window went to a secret place but he didn't and he knew what the penalty would be if he were caught. Could we do the same? It would be hard but knowing we are in Christ and He is in us would make all the difference.
Read Daniel 1 and 6 and in between too if you so desire. It is a good story, just like Joseph's story. There is so much good reading in the Bible, we are missing a lot when we ignore it. Not only that, we are missing the good life that God had planned for us.
I hope you will be like Daniel and purpose in your heart not to defile your body with the king's delicacies which destroy our immune system and will eventually destroy us. We must be faithful to God and have the self-control that Daniel and his friends had. I pray that I do and will, I am still struggling and praying for God's help in my life and will continue to do so as long as I have breath. It isn't an overnight thing, to some people it is but not for me and maybe not for you but with God's help we can do it. Right? Grandma Joan
Tuesday, September 24, 2013
The Lord Made Him To Prosper
Everyone wants to be prosperous including me. How about you? I think it is the desire of most everyone to be successful in whatever they decide to do in life. There is a successful person in the Bible that I would like to draw a lesson from, his name is Joseph. Do you remember Joseph?
His brothers hated him because Joseph and his brother Benjamin were their father's favorites and when his father sent him to take food to his brothers who were herding sheep a long distance from home, his brothers saw him coming and decided to harm him, actually get rid of him and one of the brothers didn't want them to hurt him so they decided to sell him as a slave to some Ishmaelites who were passing by. An officer of the king bought him and it seemed that everything that Joseph did prospered and so the officer put Joseph in charge of his whole household.
It happened that the officer's wife kept looking longingly at Joseph and wanted him to lie with her and finally she grabbed him and he fled and left his coat in her hand and she told her husband that Joseph tried to lie with her and he fled and left his garment with her and when he fled he said, "how can I do this great wickedness and sin against God."
He ended up in prison and the keeper of the prison saw how faithful Joseph was with his duties etc. and gave him charge of the prison and everything that Joseph did prospered again. The lord prospered Joseph in everything he did, do you know why? I think the reason was because God came first in Joseph's life and he would not sin against God even when enticed.
Joseph eventually became, you might call him the prime minister of the land of Egypt and everything he did prospered again. You can read his story in Genesis 39 & 40.
I was thinking about how God prospered Joseph and how he prospered Daniel too and saw how far we have wandered away from God so that we don't seem to worry about our relationship with Him or what He thinks about us, it is no wonder why we are not prospering like Joseph did in his work. We need to get serious about our relationship with God and think seriously about what He really wants to do with our lives and why He can't bless us like He blessed Joseph in Egypt
Would you consider this story and search your hearts like I am searching mine and see what is hindering us from being prosperous like Joseph. It is not just monetary prospering that God wants to bless us with, it is our health and our emotional and spiritual life as well.
I think the story of Joseph is my very favorite story in the Bible. There is a lot more to it than what I mentioned in this study, you need to read it and see what happened when the famine came and how his family came back together again. It truly is a wonderful story. Take the lesson to heart and it will help us in our daily walk with God. Grandma Joan
His brothers hated him because Joseph and his brother Benjamin were their father's favorites and when his father sent him to take food to his brothers who were herding sheep a long distance from home, his brothers saw him coming and decided to harm him, actually get rid of him and one of the brothers didn't want them to hurt him so they decided to sell him as a slave to some Ishmaelites who were passing by. An officer of the king bought him and it seemed that everything that Joseph did prospered and so the officer put Joseph in charge of his whole household.
It happened that the officer's wife kept looking longingly at Joseph and wanted him to lie with her and finally she grabbed him and he fled and left his coat in her hand and she told her husband that Joseph tried to lie with her and he fled and left his garment with her and when he fled he said, "how can I do this great wickedness and sin against God."
He ended up in prison and the keeper of the prison saw how faithful Joseph was with his duties etc. and gave him charge of the prison and everything that Joseph did prospered again. The lord prospered Joseph in everything he did, do you know why? I think the reason was because God came first in Joseph's life and he would not sin against God even when enticed.
Joseph eventually became, you might call him the prime minister of the land of Egypt and everything he did prospered again. You can read his story in Genesis 39 & 40.
I was thinking about how God prospered Joseph and how he prospered Daniel too and saw how far we have wandered away from God so that we don't seem to worry about our relationship with Him or what He thinks about us, it is no wonder why we are not prospering like Joseph did in his work. We need to get serious about our relationship with God and think seriously about what He really wants to do with our lives and why He can't bless us like He blessed Joseph in Egypt
Would you consider this story and search your hearts like I am searching mine and see what is hindering us from being prosperous like Joseph. It is not just monetary prospering that God wants to bless us with, it is our health and our emotional and spiritual life as well.
I think the story of Joseph is my very favorite story in the Bible. There is a lot more to it than what I mentioned in this study, you need to read it and see what happened when the famine came and how his family came back together again. It truly is a wonderful story. Take the lesson to heart and it will help us in our daily walk with God. Grandma Joan
Monday, September 23, 2013
Spiritual Battles
Are you a fighter? I do not, and I repeat do not like fights and do not like to fight, even with words. It's takes a lot out of me when someone tries to argue with me, or pick on me, even if it is a child, I would rather run than fight or stand up against someone over whatever it might be.
There are battles that we sometimes have to engage in whether we like to or not and I am speaking of spiritual battles. Battling for ones faith. You might call them struggles instead but in essence we are fighting the good fight of faith, to hold on to something that is ever so important to us and eternal life.
It depends on how far along we are in our walk with the Lord, I am not sure about that, but I do know it is a real battle and that can't be denied. Maybe after we are a full blown Christian it becomes easier, I don't know about that either, it seems to me that my battles over sin are getting more severe all the time and my faith is being tested all the time and I am OK with that, just wish it were easier. So let's see if I can find some Bible texts to help me understand this subject.
James 4:1-3 "Where do wars and fights come from among you? Do they not come from your desires for pleasure that war in your members? You lust and do not have, you murder and covet and cannot obtain, you fight and and war, yet you do not have because you do not ask. You ask and do not receive because you ask amiss, that you may spend it on your pleasures."
Your probably saying, what in the world does that have to do with a spiritual battle? Well, here is the way I
I have interpreted this for my own situation. I don't usually have words with anyone if I can at all avoid it. So I see it as warring and fighting for my spiritual life and usually it is something that Satan has overcome me with previously, like appetite or something similar. If I don't ask for help, then it seems to me that I am depending on my own power to fight the temptation. We usually ask amiss because it is something pleasurable that we want to do. Right? I was wasting my time doing an unprofitable pleasure when I should have been spending my time studying for my blog. Most people wouldn't think anything of doing a Sudoku puzzle as sin, but it was taking my time away from God, because I am addicted to them, so the struggle was real and justifiably so. It took me several days to conquer and in the mean time, I was struggling with my worships and working on my blog. Here's the text that convinced me.
1 Timothy 6:12 "Fight the good fight of faith, lay hold on eternal life, to which you were also called and have confessed the good confession in the presence of many witnesses."
I am so thankful God is patient with me, sometimes it takes a lot to jolt me to reality and this was one of those times.
I really appreciated this little study, it has meant a lot to me just to know that God really is working in my life to get me ready to dwell with Him eternally. I want to be ready and I hope that you do too. It may not be a puzzle that's keeping you from reading and studying His word, it may be many other things, I will let you be the judge of that, but please don't let anything get between you and your Savior. He is very anxious to save you and be with you forever. Grandma Joan
There are battles that we sometimes have to engage in whether we like to or not and I am speaking of spiritual battles. Battling for ones faith. You might call them struggles instead but in essence we are fighting the good fight of faith, to hold on to something that is ever so important to us and eternal life.
It depends on how far along we are in our walk with the Lord, I am not sure about that, but I do know it is a real battle and that can't be denied. Maybe after we are a full blown Christian it becomes easier, I don't know about that either, it seems to me that my battles over sin are getting more severe all the time and my faith is being tested all the time and I am OK with that, just wish it were easier. So let's see if I can find some Bible texts to help me understand this subject.
James 4:1-3 "Where do wars and fights come from among you? Do they not come from your desires for pleasure that war in your members? You lust and do not have, you murder and covet and cannot obtain, you fight and and war, yet you do not have because you do not ask. You ask and do not receive because you ask amiss, that you may spend it on your pleasures."
Your probably saying, what in the world does that have to do with a spiritual battle? Well, here is the way I
I have interpreted this for my own situation. I don't usually have words with anyone if I can at all avoid it. So I see it as warring and fighting for my spiritual life and usually it is something that Satan has overcome me with previously, like appetite or something similar. If I don't ask for help, then it seems to me that I am depending on my own power to fight the temptation. We usually ask amiss because it is something pleasurable that we want to do. Right? I was wasting my time doing an unprofitable pleasure when I should have been spending my time studying for my blog. Most people wouldn't think anything of doing a Sudoku puzzle as sin, but it was taking my time away from God, because I am addicted to them, so the struggle was real and justifiably so. It took me several days to conquer and in the mean time, I was struggling with my worships and working on my blog. Here's the text that convinced me.
1 Timothy 6:12 "Fight the good fight of faith, lay hold on eternal life, to which you were also called and have confessed the good confession in the presence of many witnesses."
I am so thankful God is patient with me, sometimes it takes a lot to jolt me to reality and this was one of those times.
I really appreciated this little study, it has meant a lot to me just to know that God really is working in my life to get me ready to dwell with Him eternally. I want to be ready and I hope that you do too. It may not be a puzzle that's keeping you from reading and studying His word, it may be many other things, I will let you be the judge of that, but please don't let anything get between you and your Savior. He is very anxious to save you and be with you forever. Grandma Joan
Sunday, September 22, 2013
Discouraged Over The Sin In Your Life?
Yes, I get discouraged over the sin in my life, I am sure that we all do at some point. If some sin like appetite for example has been ingrained in us since childhood, it is going to be a battle to overcome. Ask me. That has been my greatest battle, I love to cook and I love to eat and that's the way it goes with every sin. We love it or we wouldn't do it, isn't that right?
We have to learn to hate sin of any sort, but especially those that haunt us personally. If we learn to hate it we probably won't do it, it is pretty hard to do something that we hate to do. Think about it, if there is a certain task that you hate to do, you put it off until the very last minute before you tackle it and sometimes don't tackle it.
The best way to learn to hate sin is to literally see what it did to the Son of God hanging on the cross and the suffering He went through to give us the victory that He had over sin. If I could just keep that on my mind all the time, it would be a lot easier to let it go.
There are some sins that you can't hide, if you are an overeater you gain weight, if you smoke, you smell like a cigarette, if you speed, you get a ticket, if you drink you do strange things but there are sins that you can hide and think no one sees them or knows about them.
King David was one of those when he saw a woman bathing on her roof top and ended up committing adultery and then to cover that sin he had her husband killed in battle. But God sees everything and He saw that and sent the prophet to rebuke David and told him the child that was conceived would die. David was truly sorry, read Psalms 51. Sometimes I pray this prayer I feel so bad over my mistakes and discouragement. You can do that too, it is a wonderful prayer of confession and repentance.
Sometimes like David, we have to pay miserably for what we have done and the mistakes we have made, and like David we need to confess them and repent of them in true heartfelt sorrow.
David is not the only one who had to pay for his sin. I think of Moses just before entering the promised land the children of Israel were complaining about having no water and his impatience when he struck the rock instead of speaking to it, caused him to have to lay down his life before going over Jordan. Deuteromony 32:48-52. I am sure that Moses was disappointed that he didn't get to lead the people into the promised land but had to turn the leadership over to Joshua. That was a pretty severe price to pay for one sin, but when God tells us something is sin, we need to listen and with heartfelt prayer, give it to Him and leave it there, so many times we don't leave it there, we take it up again, and the battle starts all over. I believe that is where I fail the most and that is, I don't leave it there, I lay it down and then take it up again to start all over with the same struggle.
I told you these studies were for me, this was a good one and I needed it, did you? I hope with all my heart it has helped you too. I pray that I will lay them down at His feet and truly leave them there and save all this discouragement over sins and mistakes that hurt us so much. Will you join me? Grandma Joan
We have to learn to hate sin of any sort, but especially those that haunt us personally. If we learn to hate it we probably won't do it, it is pretty hard to do something that we hate to do. Think about it, if there is a certain task that you hate to do, you put it off until the very last minute before you tackle it and sometimes don't tackle it.
The best way to learn to hate sin is to literally see what it did to the Son of God hanging on the cross and the suffering He went through to give us the victory that He had over sin. If I could just keep that on my mind all the time, it would be a lot easier to let it go.
There are some sins that you can't hide, if you are an overeater you gain weight, if you smoke, you smell like a cigarette, if you speed, you get a ticket, if you drink you do strange things but there are sins that you can hide and think no one sees them or knows about them.
King David was one of those when he saw a woman bathing on her roof top and ended up committing adultery and then to cover that sin he had her husband killed in battle. But God sees everything and He saw that and sent the prophet to rebuke David and told him the child that was conceived would die. David was truly sorry, read Psalms 51. Sometimes I pray this prayer I feel so bad over my mistakes and discouragement. You can do that too, it is a wonderful prayer of confession and repentance.
Sometimes like David, we have to pay miserably for what we have done and the mistakes we have made, and like David we need to confess them and repent of them in true heartfelt sorrow.
David is not the only one who had to pay for his sin. I think of Moses just before entering the promised land the children of Israel were complaining about having no water and his impatience when he struck the rock instead of speaking to it, caused him to have to lay down his life before going over Jordan. Deuteromony 32:48-52. I am sure that Moses was disappointed that he didn't get to lead the people into the promised land but had to turn the leadership over to Joshua. That was a pretty severe price to pay for one sin, but when God tells us something is sin, we need to listen and with heartfelt prayer, give it to Him and leave it there, so many times we don't leave it there, we take it up again, and the battle starts all over. I believe that is where I fail the most and that is, I don't leave it there, I lay it down and then take it up again to start all over with the same struggle.
I told you these studies were for me, this was a good one and I needed it, did you? I hope with all my heart it has helped you too. I pray that I will lay them down at His feet and truly leave them there and save all this discouragement over sins and mistakes that hurt us so much. Will you join me? Grandma Joan
Saturday, September 21, 2013
Don't Let Me Get Discouraged!
Sometimes the Christian life can seem like an uphill walk, but please don't let me get discouraged! Have you ever felt like that? Don't be ashamed to admit it, we are all human and we all stumble and sometimes fall flat on our face so to speak. I have done it so many times and I am sure that I am not alone. If you are one of us, please don't get discouraged.
There are so many good things in life to dwell upon and it is a good idea to make a list of those things and go over them every day or oftener if needed when you feel a wave of discouragement coming over you.
Whatever you do, don't be the cause of discouragement in another person's life. Life is tough enough without being the cause of making another's life miserable. Yesterday I spoke about encouraging others and I can tell you from experience that when as a child you get put down a lot, it sticks with you, it seems like forever, but of course we can break that cycle.
We are not alone in this battle of life and even in the Bible, some of the outstanding people had times of discouragement. Discouragement is the depression of one's spirit, we feel down and life becomes hard to deal with at times and we can't think clearly and wonder what to do to help ourselves. I have been there and I know the feeling. That's when it is time for someone to step in and use some encouraging tactics to help us get up and get going again. We can be one of those people if we are willing to be used of God in this way.
God will direct our words and actions if we are dwelling in His presence and will help us be an encouraging tool in someone else's life.
There are many causes for discouragement, some of them might be sickness that lingers on and on, then again it might be we failed at something that we thought was important, or we could be carrying a heavy burden that seems to weight us down. That's when it is time to read Psalms 55:22 "cast your burden on the Lord, and He shall sustain you; He shall never permit the righteous to be moved."
Another admonition from the Bible is in Mark 6:31 "And He said to them, 'Come aside by yourselves to a deserted place and rest a while.'" That is always good advice when we are discouraged, just take time to spend with God and talk things over with Him, it helps so much, even if you don't see an answer right at the moment, an answer will come.
Are you discouraged this morning? Try God's method of overcoming this spirit and if you know someone who is discouraged, try being the helper to lift his or her's discouragement and encourage them to cast their burden on the Lord and He will sustain them and maybe coming apart from the daily struggles to spend time with God and get things in order again. It is so important to have God in our lives and it keeps us from going into a deeper pit and actually brings us up to a higher level of thinking and acting. Why not try it if you haven't and see how much better you feel and then you can help someone else with the same problem. I am trying to be an encouragement instead of discouragement to others and it works pretty good at keeping ourselves from being discouraged. Try it you really might like it. Grandma Joan
There are so many good things in life to dwell upon and it is a good idea to make a list of those things and go over them every day or oftener if needed when you feel a wave of discouragement coming over you.
Whatever you do, don't be the cause of discouragement in another person's life. Life is tough enough without being the cause of making another's life miserable. Yesterday I spoke about encouraging others and I can tell you from experience that when as a child you get put down a lot, it sticks with you, it seems like forever, but of course we can break that cycle.
We are not alone in this battle of life and even in the Bible, some of the outstanding people had times of discouragement. Discouragement is the depression of one's spirit, we feel down and life becomes hard to deal with at times and we can't think clearly and wonder what to do to help ourselves. I have been there and I know the feeling. That's when it is time for someone to step in and use some encouraging tactics to help us get up and get going again. We can be one of those people if we are willing to be used of God in this way.
God will direct our words and actions if we are dwelling in His presence and will help us be an encouraging tool in someone else's life.
There are many causes for discouragement, some of them might be sickness that lingers on and on, then again it might be we failed at something that we thought was important, or we could be carrying a heavy burden that seems to weight us down. That's when it is time to read Psalms 55:22 "cast your burden on the Lord, and He shall sustain you; He shall never permit the righteous to be moved."
Another admonition from the Bible is in Mark 6:31 "And He said to them, 'Come aside by yourselves to a deserted place and rest a while.'" That is always good advice when we are discouraged, just take time to spend with God and talk things over with Him, it helps so much, even if you don't see an answer right at the moment, an answer will come.
Are you discouraged this morning? Try God's method of overcoming this spirit and if you know someone who is discouraged, try being the helper to lift his or her's discouragement and encourage them to cast their burden on the Lord and He will sustain them and maybe coming apart from the daily struggles to spend time with God and get things in order again. It is so important to have God in our lives and it keeps us from going into a deeper pit and actually brings us up to a higher level of thinking and acting. Why not try it if you haven't and see how much better you feel and then you can help someone else with the same problem. I am trying to be an encouragement instead of discouragement to others and it works pretty good at keeping ourselves from being discouraged. Try it you really might like it. Grandma Joan
Friday, September 20, 2013
Are You To Proud to Encourage Others?
Think about it! Why is it that we slack up when its time to encourage someone? Is it because we don't want them to feel good about what they are doing, when all the while they need our encouragement to keep going with what they are doing. Whether it is a project, or they need encouragement to improve their talent or talents, why do we hesitate to give them that extra boost? I am not really sure of the reason, I can only think about my own life and what it would have meant to me had someone given me the encouragement I needed.
When I was a child I loved the outdoors and I loved animals and we had a farm and it was my delight to milk cows and feed chickens and anything that was outdoors, in the barn or where ever as long as I was in God's world, as I call it. I loved to help my stepfather do whatever he was doing although he didn't seem to enjoy my help as I recall, but I thought if I worked hard enough he would learn to love me. This particular day he asked me to take a brush and dustpan and sweep the manger out, it was quite long and I was enjoying what I was doing and trying to do the best I knew how, I suppose I was 10 or 11. When I was done, I was so proud of my work and I just knew he was going to praise me for once, but no, it was far from good enough and I was so heart broken because he didn't like my work. When all it would have taken was a little encouragement and I would have done a much better job the next time, although I think it was a pretty good job then, I never could figure out why I couldn't please him.
Encouragement is such a powerful tool, used rightly, and takes such little effort to speak a few words that would make a world of difference to a child or anyone. As I mentioned on this blog another day that I loved to play the organ, and actually I played for two churches, one in Arkansas and the other in New Mexico, and one elderly couple in Arkansas told me after church that my playing sounded like an angel playing and that was all it took for me to try harder to sound better.
In 1 Samuel 23:15-17 Saul's son Jonathan encouraged David to not fear that he would be king, even though his father Saul sought to kill him.
God encourages us with all His promises to us, it is great encouragement to know that He cares and wants what is best for us. If you haven't done it yet, go through your Bible and color all the promises with a red pencil and see how many you can find and what they mean to you personally.
Paul encouraged the churches in Rome and thanked God for them that their faith is spoken of throughout the whole world. Romans 1:7,8.
Paul was always encouraging the churches where he ministered. In Corinth, Galatia, Ephesus, Phillipi and Colosse. So why shouldn't we encourage others, I am sure that I could do a lot more encouraging in fact I know that I could do a lot more. How about you?
A friend called me a little while ago and was telling me he had a knee replacement and was walking with a walker and I was telling him I hate to use my walker, it brings on too much attention and he said with my weak heart I needed to get out and walk with it to strengthen my heart. I told him I guess I had better get out there and do it, if he could do it, so could I. So guess what, a little encouragement goes a long way and I am going to get out there and do it. I guess that is all I needed, was some encouragement.
So find someone to encourage today and bless their heart with some encouragement. I know you can do it and so can I. So what is stopping us? Maybe a little pride, I really don't know. Grandma Joan
When I was a child I loved the outdoors and I loved animals and we had a farm and it was my delight to milk cows and feed chickens and anything that was outdoors, in the barn or where ever as long as I was in God's world, as I call it. I loved to help my stepfather do whatever he was doing although he didn't seem to enjoy my help as I recall, but I thought if I worked hard enough he would learn to love me. This particular day he asked me to take a brush and dustpan and sweep the manger out, it was quite long and I was enjoying what I was doing and trying to do the best I knew how, I suppose I was 10 or 11. When I was done, I was so proud of my work and I just knew he was going to praise me for once, but no, it was far from good enough and I was so heart broken because he didn't like my work. When all it would have taken was a little encouragement and I would have done a much better job the next time, although I think it was a pretty good job then, I never could figure out why I couldn't please him.
Encouragement is such a powerful tool, used rightly, and takes such little effort to speak a few words that would make a world of difference to a child or anyone. As I mentioned on this blog another day that I loved to play the organ, and actually I played for two churches, one in Arkansas and the other in New Mexico, and one elderly couple in Arkansas told me after church that my playing sounded like an angel playing and that was all it took for me to try harder to sound better.
In 1 Samuel 23:15-17 Saul's son Jonathan encouraged David to not fear that he would be king, even though his father Saul sought to kill him.
God encourages us with all His promises to us, it is great encouragement to know that He cares and wants what is best for us. If you haven't done it yet, go through your Bible and color all the promises with a red pencil and see how many you can find and what they mean to you personally.
Paul encouraged the churches in Rome and thanked God for them that their faith is spoken of throughout the whole world. Romans 1:7,8.
Paul was always encouraging the churches where he ministered. In Corinth, Galatia, Ephesus, Phillipi and Colosse. So why shouldn't we encourage others, I am sure that I could do a lot more encouraging in fact I know that I could do a lot more. How about you?
A friend called me a little while ago and was telling me he had a knee replacement and was walking with a walker and I was telling him I hate to use my walker, it brings on too much attention and he said with my weak heart I needed to get out and walk with it to strengthen my heart. I told him I guess I had better get out there and do it, if he could do it, so could I. So guess what, a little encouragement goes a long way and I am going to get out there and do it. I guess that is all I needed, was some encouragement.
So find someone to encourage today and bless their heart with some encouragement. I know you can do it and so can I. So what is stopping us? Maybe a little pride, I really don't know. Grandma Joan
Thursday, September 19, 2013
Is Confession Good?
You probably have heard that phrase, 'confession is good for the soul'? It really is true if it is straight from the heart and honest. The Bible says to 'not let the sun go down on your wrath', in other words take care of any problems before you go to sleep at night, if there are any hard feelings or whatever they might be that caused us to be angry.
There is an anger that is called righteous indignation and I have had that two or three times when I felt that God was being defamed or made fun of. I don't like that one bit and it flares up my anger like nothing else can, but it happens rarely.
There is an anger that is not righteous at all and that is the kind that needs confessed. My husband was raised with an angry father. I don't know why he was angry but he took it out on every one until he was pretty old. I hope that he was able to deal with it in Christ's name before he passed away, it caused him to be very miserable.
My husband came by the problem quite naturally and he was able to get angry pretty quick and consequently I picked up on it to some extent. If you live with an angry person, you naturally want to deal with it the same way but that is not Christ's way. There are so many things to learn in this life and the reason I am sharing these things with you is so you can deal with them differently. Anger breeds anger the same as any other sin breeds its own kind.
Confession is good for the soul, and I have learned that admitting that I am wrong is good for my soul and my husband and I never went to sleep angry with each other, we always made sure that things were made right for that day.
1 John 1:9 "If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and cleanse us from all unrighteousness."
He is faithful to forgive us and I am so thankful for that and that He has told us to not let the sun go down on our anger, but to confess them and accept His forgiveness.
What a wonderful God we serve!! Are you afraid to confess your faults to one another, it is good for the soul and also good for your health and happiness. Wishing you lots of good health and happiness. Give your anger to Him who will take it and cast it in the depths of the sea to be remember no more. Grandma Joan
There is an anger that is called righteous indignation and I have had that two or three times when I felt that God was being defamed or made fun of. I don't like that one bit and it flares up my anger like nothing else can, but it happens rarely.
There is an anger that is not righteous at all and that is the kind that needs confessed. My husband was raised with an angry father. I don't know why he was angry but he took it out on every one until he was pretty old. I hope that he was able to deal with it in Christ's name before he passed away, it caused him to be very miserable.
My husband came by the problem quite naturally and he was able to get angry pretty quick and consequently I picked up on it to some extent. If you live with an angry person, you naturally want to deal with it the same way but that is not Christ's way. There are so many things to learn in this life and the reason I am sharing these things with you is so you can deal with them differently. Anger breeds anger the same as any other sin breeds its own kind.
Confession is good for the soul, and I have learned that admitting that I am wrong is good for my soul and my husband and I never went to sleep angry with each other, we always made sure that things were made right for that day.
1 John 1:9 "If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and cleanse us from all unrighteousness."
He is faithful to forgive us and I am so thankful for that and that He has told us to not let the sun go down on our anger, but to confess them and accept His forgiveness.
What a wonderful God we serve!! Are you afraid to confess your faults to one another, it is good for the soul and also good for your health and happiness. Wishing you lots of good health and happiness. Give your anger to Him who will take it and cast it in the depths of the sea to be remember no more. Grandma Joan
Wednesday, September 18, 2013
Growing A Garden
No, not a garden of plants and shrubs and trees, but a garden of love in your heart. I was raised with love I know but more of a severe type that kept you in tow. Not a kind of love that would cause you to obey because of your love for them, but because you knew if you didn't all was not well. I am very sorry to say that I learned from my parents the wrong way to raise children. I know my mother loved me but I was never sure where I stood with my stepfather. I thought their way was the right way. If only--------I could do it over.
I still notice that even today, children of all ages seem to be cautious around me and I can tell you that I hate it. I want to be loved by children more than anything but evidently I still have that severe air about me. What is strange, I use to be a children's division leader of kindergarten, primary and junior ages and they all loved me, but when it came to my own children, I loved them dearly but couldn't show it for fear they wouldn't obey and respect me, little did I know that the reason was lack of Christ's love in my heart.
As I get older and realize so much how much I needed Christ's love in my heart, things would have been so different. My children would have loved to obey me if I had dealt with them differently. I would have had a happier home life myself growing up if my parents would have had Christ's love in their hearts.
I am just realizing how much of a difference it makes to be filled with His love and let His love shine out of my heart. It makes all the world of difference to those around you. To your children, grandchildren, friends and acquaintances, neighbors and on and on. Don't forget your spouse, and pets, they need love too.
No matter how old you are you can change and plant a garden of love in your heart, it doesn't happen over night, but it does happen if we spend time with Him and in His Word. Today my children love me and I can tell that they care and have forgiven me for my severity but I wish I had started soon much sooner. I love my grandchildren, some of them know it and some of them are still shy of me, but I will get it taken care of in time.
Read 1 Corinthians 13:1-13, this is the love chapter in the Bible and you will understand what I am talking about. I am so glad we have a Father in heaven who forgives and makes things right after so many years.
May I suggest that you plant a garden of love in your heart and accept God's forgiveness if you have had my experience. It is well worth the effort and just love everyone, faults and all. You cannot change them but they will see your love for them and want the same for themselves. Love to you, Grandma Joan
I still notice that even today, children of all ages seem to be cautious around me and I can tell you that I hate it. I want to be loved by children more than anything but evidently I still have that severe air about me. What is strange, I use to be a children's division leader of kindergarten, primary and junior ages and they all loved me, but when it came to my own children, I loved them dearly but couldn't show it for fear they wouldn't obey and respect me, little did I know that the reason was lack of Christ's love in my heart.
As I get older and realize so much how much I needed Christ's love in my heart, things would have been so different. My children would have loved to obey me if I had dealt with them differently. I would have had a happier home life myself growing up if my parents would have had Christ's love in their hearts.
I am just realizing how much of a difference it makes to be filled with His love and let His love shine out of my heart. It makes all the world of difference to those around you. To your children, grandchildren, friends and acquaintances, neighbors and on and on. Don't forget your spouse, and pets, they need love too.
No matter how old you are you can change and plant a garden of love in your heart, it doesn't happen over night, but it does happen if we spend time with Him and in His Word. Today my children love me and I can tell that they care and have forgiven me for my severity but I wish I had started soon much sooner. I love my grandchildren, some of them know it and some of them are still shy of me, but I will get it taken care of in time.
Read 1 Corinthians 13:1-13, this is the love chapter in the Bible and you will understand what I am talking about. I am so glad we have a Father in heaven who forgives and makes things right after so many years.
May I suggest that you plant a garden of love in your heart and accept God's forgiveness if you have had my experience. It is well worth the effort and just love everyone, faults and all. You cannot change them but they will see your love for them and want the same for themselves. Love to you, Grandma Joan
Tuesday, September 17, 2013
Learning Self-Control
I believe that God hit the nail on the head when He impressed me to do this study. I really need to learn to control myself in all situations, how about you? I think the hardest area for me is probably appetite, I have what I should eat down pretty pat, but I love to nibble and I don't have that down so pat, but it is much better. I think because that is where sin began in this world on appetite, that it is the hardest sin to overcome.
There are lots of forms of appetite, food, beverages, sex, money, speech, and other things that you probably can think of that doesn't cross my mind just now. It takes self-control to become victorious over anyone or all of these and more. So what is the answer to self-control. I am anxious to find out.
Jesus healed the demon possessed man of the Gadarenes and he received control of himself once again. In Luke 8:35. And in 2 Peter 1:6 Self-control is one of the Christian graces. If we are truly a Christian, we will have self-control or at least be letting God Sanctify us through His Spirit so that we will have have self-control.
Ruling one's spirit takes self-control.
Colossians 3:14-17 "But above all these things put on love, which is the bond of perfection. And let the peace of God rule in your hearts to which also you were called in one body; and be thankful. Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom, teaching and admonishing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with grace in your hearts to the Lord. And whatever you do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus giving thanks to God the Father through Him."
Romans 12:3 "For I say, through the grace given to me, to everyone who is among you, not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think, but to think soberly, as God has dealt to each one a measure of faith."
1 Corinthians 9:27 "But I discipline my body and bring it into subjection, lest, when I have preached to others, I myself should become disqualified."
It takes self-control to not think more highly of ourselves than we ought, especially when we have made some great achievement and also it takes self-control to discipline our bodies and bring them into subjection to Christ who wants us to be healthy and happy.
The only way as I see it, that we can have self-control is through entire submission to Christ's way of life and He is the ONLY One who can give us that kind of self-control.
I am going to ask you a hard question. Do you really want self-control? If you do, you can have it through Christ who 'supplies all our need according to His riches in glory'. Philippiians 4:19. I want to have a lot more self-control than I have and I am praying that God will give me the grace of self-control. I thank Him for showing me what I need this morning. I hope it was a blessing to you. Grandma Joan
There are lots of forms of appetite, food, beverages, sex, money, speech, and other things that you probably can think of that doesn't cross my mind just now. It takes self-control to become victorious over anyone or all of these and more. So what is the answer to self-control. I am anxious to find out.
Jesus healed the demon possessed man of the Gadarenes and he received control of himself once again. In Luke 8:35. And in 2 Peter 1:6 Self-control is one of the Christian graces. If we are truly a Christian, we will have self-control or at least be letting God Sanctify us through His Spirit so that we will have have self-control.
Ruling one's spirit takes self-control.
Colossians 3:14-17 "But above all these things put on love, which is the bond of perfection. And let the peace of God rule in your hearts to which also you were called in one body; and be thankful. Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom, teaching and admonishing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with grace in your hearts to the Lord. And whatever you do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus giving thanks to God the Father through Him."
Romans 12:3 "For I say, through the grace given to me, to everyone who is among you, not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think, but to think soberly, as God has dealt to each one a measure of faith."
1 Corinthians 9:27 "But I discipline my body and bring it into subjection, lest, when I have preached to others, I myself should become disqualified."
It takes self-control to not think more highly of ourselves than we ought, especially when we have made some great achievement and also it takes self-control to discipline our bodies and bring them into subjection to Christ who wants us to be healthy and happy.
The only way as I see it, that we can have self-control is through entire submission to Christ's way of life and He is the ONLY One who can give us that kind of self-control.
I am going to ask you a hard question. Do you really want self-control? If you do, you can have it through Christ who 'supplies all our need according to His riches in glory'. Philippiians 4:19. I want to have a lot more self-control than I have and I am praying that God will give me the grace of self-control. I thank Him for showing me what I need this morning. I hope it was a blessing to you. Grandma Joan
Monday, September 16, 2013
Success in All Things
Have you been successful in the things of this life? If not, why not? A couple of good questions aren't they? I have been successful in a few things and it always feels good to accomplish your goals. One of my goals, probably the biggest one I ever attempted was passing the test of a Nursing Home Administrator. I wasn't a nurse or have a degree so it was a challenge but with God's help I passed, strictly God's help, because I was totally at a loss to answers on the test and it was multiple choice and I prayed over each question and checked the box I thought was right and that's the way the whole test went and it was a long one and I passed. As I said with God's help.
There are several rules for success in the Bible and several reasons why there is no success, so let's study it out, I didn't know these things when I passed my test, God is so merciful when we are ignorant.
Matthew 6:32-34 "For after all these things the Gentiles seek. For your heavenly Father knows that you need all these things. But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you. Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about its own things. Sufficient for the day is its own trouble.'
The first thing we need to do to be successful is seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness. A very simple rule.
Joshua 1:7-9 "Only be strong and very courageous, that you may observe to do according to all the law which Moses My servant commanded you; do not turn from it to the right hand or to the left, that you may prosper wherever you go. This Book of the Law shall not depart from your mouth, but you shall meditate in it day and night, that you may observe to do according to all that is written in it. For then you will make your way prosperous, and then you will have good success. Have I not commanded you? Be strong and of good courage; do not be afraid nor be dismayed for the Lord your God is with you wherever you go."
The second thing we need to do to be successful is to be strong and courageous because it takes strength and courage to keep God's law and not turn from it. He wants us to obey so He can bless us.
Philippians 3:13,14 "Brethren, I do not count myself to have apprehended; but one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind and reaching forward to those things which are ahead, I press toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus."
The third thing to be successful is to forget the past and press toward the goal that God has set before us.
Galatians 6:9 "And let us not grow weary while doing good, for in due season we shall reap if we don't lose heart."
The fourth thing to be successful, is to not lose heart, don't get discouraged.
Then there are reasons that we are not successful.
Hebrews 4:6 "Since therefore it remains that some must enter it, and those to whom it was first preached did not enter because of disobedience."
One reason for not being successful is disobedience, God wants us to obey His instructions so He can bless us.
Nehemiah 4:1-23 (I don't want to type out all those verses, but it is an interesting story of how satan stirred up enemies to try to hinder the rebuilding of the walls of Jerusalem and Nehemiah was strong in the Lord and did not let them scare him. This is the way we have to be in order to resist the devil in his traps to get us to be disobedient. Read the story, you will be blessed.)
Proverbs 24:30-34 "I went by the field of the lazy man, and by the vineyard of the man devoid of understanding; And there it was, all overgrown with thorns: Its surface was covered with nettles; Its stone wall was broken down. When I saw it, I considered ti well; I looked on it and received instruction; A little sleep, a little slumber, A little folding of the hands to rest; So shall your poverty come like a prowler, and your need like an armed man.
Laziness causes a lot of people to lose out in life when it comes to success.
Matthew 16:26 "For what profit is it to a man if he gains the whole world, and loses his own soul? Or what will a man give in exchange for his soul?
Worldliness can keep us from being successful. We can apply these rules to our spiritual life's success or we can apply them to our material success and physical success. Either way we apply them, they tell us exactly what God wants us to do to be successful. I want to be blessed with Spiritual success more than anything, I don't have many years left for material success but if God blesses me in that way, I will praise Him, also with physical success, I really am trying to get my health back as much as is possible and pray that He will bless my efforts in that also.
I hope and pray that your life will be very successful in all these ways and that you will be happy in the Lord.
Grandma Joan
There are several rules for success in the Bible and several reasons why there is no success, so let's study it out, I didn't know these things when I passed my test, God is so merciful when we are ignorant.
Matthew 6:32-34 "For after all these things the Gentiles seek. For your heavenly Father knows that you need all these things. But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you. Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about its own things. Sufficient for the day is its own trouble.'
The first thing we need to do to be successful is seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness. A very simple rule.
Joshua 1:7-9 "Only be strong and very courageous, that you may observe to do according to all the law which Moses My servant commanded you; do not turn from it to the right hand or to the left, that you may prosper wherever you go. This Book of the Law shall not depart from your mouth, but you shall meditate in it day and night, that you may observe to do according to all that is written in it. For then you will make your way prosperous, and then you will have good success. Have I not commanded you? Be strong and of good courage; do not be afraid nor be dismayed for the Lord your God is with you wherever you go."
The second thing we need to do to be successful is to be strong and courageous because it takes strength and courage to keep God's law and not turn from it. He wants us to obey so He can bless us.
Philippians 3:13,14 "Brethren, I do not count myself to have apprehended; but one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind and reaching forward to those things which are ahead, I press toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus."
The third thing to be successful is to forget the past and press toward the goal that God has set before us.
Galatians 6:9 "And let us not grow weary while doing good, for in due season we shall reap if we don't lose heart."
The fourth thing to be successful, is to not lose heart, don't get discouraged.
Then there are reasons that we are not successful.
Hebrews 4:6 "Since therefore it remains that some must enter it, and those to whom it was first preached did not enter because of disobedience."
One reason for not being successful is disobedience, God wants us to obey His instructions so He can bless us.
Nehemiah 4:1-23 (I don't want to type out all those verses, but it is an interesting story of how satan stirred up enemies to try to hinder the rebuilding of the walls of Jerusalem and Nehemiah was strong in the Lord and did not let them scare him. This is the way we have to be in order to resist the devil in his traps to get us to be disobedient. Read the story, you will be blessed.)
Proverbs 24:30-34 "I went by the field of the lazy man, and by the vineyard of the man devoid of understanding; And there it was, all overgrown with thorns: Its surface was covered with nettles; Its stone wall was broken down. When I saw it, I considered ti well; I looked on it and received instruction; A little sleep, a little slumber, A little folding of the hands to rest; So shall your poverty come like a prowler, and your need like an armed man.
Laziness causes a lot of people to lose out in life when it comes to success.
Matthew 16:26 "For what profit is it to a man if he gains the whole world, and loses his own soul? Or what will a man give in exchange for his soul?
Worldliness can keep us from being successful. We can apply these rules to our spiritual life's success or we can apply them to our material success and physical success. Either way we apply them, they tell us exactly what God wants us to do to be successful. I want to be blessed with Spiritual success more than anything, I don't have many years left for material success but if God blesses me in that way, I will praise Him, also with physical success, I really am trying to get my health back as much as is possible and pray that He will bless my efforts in that also.
I hope and pray that your life will be very successful in all these ways and that you will be happy in the Lord.
Grandma Joan
Sunday, September 15, 2013
Impossibilities
Are there some things that are impossible for you to do? I can think of a lot of things that I can't do anymore, but there have always been things that are impossible in my life. What are the impossibilities in your life? Did you know that the Bible says there are some things that are impossible for us to do? I would like to check these things out and see what they are, how about you? This should be interesting.
Jeremiah 13:23 "Can the Ethiopian change his skin or the leopard its spots? It is impossible for us to change our skin color except for the tan we receive during the summer months. I remember when we lived in New Mexico, the Mexicans would laugh and say I looked just like them, I would get so brown in the summer time. I am an outdoors person and live out doors when its summer.
James 3:7&8 "For every kind of beast and bird, or reptile and creature of the sea, is tamed and has been tamed by mankind. But no man can tame the tongue. It is an unruly evil, full of deadly poison." Our tongue can cause us more trouble than anything else and I am guilty of letting my tongue control my life a lot of times.
What can we do about our tongue being out of control? We have to surrender our tongue to the Lord for Him to control.
James 4:7&8 "Therefore submit to God, resist the devil and he will flee from you.. Submit means surrender, and this is the secret of living a holy life in Christ. We let God control our tongue and He really does do it.
Mark 10:26 & 27 "And they were greatly astonished, saying among themselves, 'who then can be saved?'
But Jesus looked at them and said, 'With men it is impossible, but not with God; for with God all things are possible." It is impossible for us to save ourselves and by this time in my life, I hate to admit it, but I realize that there is no way in this world to earn any part of my salvation, it is ALL God if I am saved at all, it has nothing to do with anything that I can do. God MUST get all the glory.
Titus 1:2 "In hope of eternal life which God, who cannot lie, promised before time began." The Bible says it is impossible for God to lie and I believe that, so let's trust His promises to the fullest, it is impossible for His promises to fail.
John 10:27-29 "My sheep hear My voice and I know them, and they follow Me. And I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish; neither shall anyone snatch them out of My hand." It is impossible for God's people to perish, did you get that? What greater promise can you find in the Bible than to know that if you are following God with all your heart and staying in His presence day by day, that you will never perish. That is a promise above all promises.
To sum up this little Bible study, it is impossible to change our color, it is impossible for us to tame our tongue, it is impossible for us to save ourselves, and it is impossible for God to lie and it is impossible for us to perish. That takes a big burden off my heart, God tames the tongue, and saves us, and never lies, so His promises are sure, and and it is impossible for us to perish.
It is our choice to decide if we are going to follow God or our worldly gods and if we choose to serve God, then we must surrender out lives to Him to have full control, can you understand what a load that will take off your heart and mind and my heart and mind. It sounds like such a big relief and I want that kind of life, don't you? I am sure that you do, so lets choose to serve Him and surrender to Him so that we can have that kind of life. Grandma Joan
Jeremiah 13:23 "Can the Ethiopian change his skin or the leopard its spots? It is impossible for us to change our skin color except for the tan we receive during the summer months. I remember when we lived in New Mexico, the Mexicans would laugh and say I looked just like them, I would get so brown in the summer time. I am an outdoors person and live out doors when its summer.
James 3:7&8 "For every kind of beast and bird, or reptile and creature of the sea, is tamed and has been tamed by mankind. But no man can tame the tongue. It is an unruly evil, full of deadly poison." Our tongue can cause us more trouble than anything else and I am guilty of letting my tongue control my life a lot of times.
What can we do about our tongue being out of control? We have to surrender our tongue to the Lord for Him to control.
James 4:7&8 "Therefore submit to God, resist the devil and he will flee from you.. Submit means surrender, and this is the secret of living a holy life in Christ. We let God control our tongue and He really does do it.
Mark 10:26 & 27 "And they were greatly astonished, saying among themselves, 'who then can be saved?'
But Jesus looked at them and said, 'With men it is impossible, but not with God; for with God all things are possible." It is impossible for us to save ourselves and by this time in my life, I hate to admit it, but I realize that there is no way in this world to earn any part of my salvation, it is ALL God if I am saved at all, it has nothing to do with anything that I can do. God MUST get all the glory.
Titus 1:2 "In hope of eternal life which God, who cannot lie, promised before time began." The Bible says it is impossible for God to lie and I believe that, so let's trust His promises to the fullest, it is impossible for His promises to fail.
John 10:27-29 "My sheep hear My voice and I know them, and they follow Me. And I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish; neither shall anyone snatch them out of My hand." It is impossible for God's people to perish, did you get that? What greater promise can you find in the Bible than to know that if you are following God with all your heart and staying in His presence day by day, that you will never perish. That is a promise above all promises.
To sum up this little Bible study, it is impossible to change our color, it is impossible for us to tame our tongue, it is impossible for us to save ourselves, and it is impossible for God to lie and it is impossible for us to perish. That takes a big burden off my heart, God tames the tongue, and saves us, and never lies, so His promises are sure, and and it is impossible for us to perish.
It is our choice to decide if we are going to follow God or our worldly gods and if we choose to serve God, then we must surrender out lives to Him to have full control, can you understand what a load that will take off your heart and mind and my heart and mind. It sounds like such a big relief and I want that kind of life, don't you? I am sure that you do, so lets choose to serve Him and surrender to Him so that we can have that kind of life. Grandma Joan
Saturday, September 14, 2013
A Different Slant on Selfishness
Most people when they think of selfishness think of not sharing or taking something when someone else needs it worse. There are so many traits of selfishness, I know that I can't cover them all but there is one that may not be thought of as being selfish that really is. This is the thought for today's study.
I experienced it that is why I need the study on it. Pretty revealing to say the least. Have you ever thought that when you get upset, it is usually because someone didn't please you. Or when someone gets angry with you or someone else, it is because they were not pleased with what you or someone else did. If it doesn't please ME, who am I thinking about, the other person or my self? If I get upset with someone, why am I upset, it is because they did something that didn't please ME.
Did you ever think that maybe this is a very common form of selfishness? It is very common and when you think about it, it is very selfish. Did you know that jealousy is a fruit of selfishness? Also stubbornness too?
If you are jealous of anyone it is usually because they have something that YOU want or need. If you are stubborn, it is usually because YOU are not getting YOUR way.
When I thought of this and am thinking about just now, I see that I have some surrendering to do. I need to surrender my selfish nature entirely to Christ and let Him take control of my nature. I can see that I am not what Jesus wants me to be and by His grace I will give it to Him.
Selfishness means loving one's self first. The Bible does have some things to say about this, let's see what they are.
Philippians 2:21 "For all seek their own, not the things which are of Christ Jesus. Self-seeking.
2 Timothy 3:2 "For men will be lovers of themselves..."
THE REMEDY
1 Corinthians 10:24 "Let no one seek his own, but each one the other;s well being." Seeking the good of others.
Philippians 1:21 "For me to live is Christ, and to die is gain." Putting Christ first in our lives.
1 Corinthians 13:4-8 "Love suffers long and is kind; love does not envy; love does not parade itself, is not puffed up; does not behave rudely, does not seek its own, is not provoked, thinks no evil; does not rejoice in iniquity; but rejoices in the truth; bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things. LOVE never fails.
Seeking others well being, putting Christ first and by manifesting love to others, we can get rid of the selfishness in our natures. It sounds like a hard job doesn't it? Actually the hard part is surrendering our natures to Christ to be made over in His image. He does the work if we give ourselves to Him. Most of us want to hang on to our worldly natures and don't want to give them up to be transformed into His image.
Let us seek the good of others and not ourselves and put Christ first and I am sure we will be a much happier people, don't you think? This was heavy for me, but I needed it very much. Thank you for listening
or having part in my worship this morning. I hope it was a great help to you as it has been to me.
Grandma Joan
I experienced it that is why I need the study on it. Pretty revealing to say the least. Have you ever thought that when you get upset, it is usually because someone didn't please you. Or when someone gets angry with you or someone else, it is because they were not pleased with what you or someone else did. If it doesn't please ME, who am I thinking about, the other person or my self? If I get upset with someone, why am I upset, it is because they did something that didn't please ME.
Did you ever think that maybe this is a very common form of selfishness? It is very common and when you think about it, it is very selfish. Did you know that jealousy is a fruit of selfishness? Also stubbornness too?
If you are jealous of anyone it is usually because they have something that YOU want or need. If you are stubborn, it is usually because YOU are not getting YOUR way.
When I thought of this and am thinking about just now, I see that I have some surrendering to do. I need to surrender my selfish nature entirely to Christ and let Him take control of my nature. I can see that I am not what Jesus wants me to be and by His grace I will give it to Him.
Selfishness means loving one's self first. The Bible does have some things to say about this, let's see what they are.
Philippians 2:21 "For all seek their own, not the things which are of Christ Jesus. Self-seeking.
2 Timothy 3:2 "For men will be lovers of themselves..."
THE REMEDY
1 Corinthians 10:24 "Let no one seek his own, but each one the other;s well being." Seeking the good of others.
Philippians 1:21 "For me to live is Christ, and to die is gain." Putting Christ first in our lives.
1 Corinthians 13:4-8 "Love suffers long and is kind; love does not envy; love does not parade itself, is not puffed up; does not behave rudely, does not seek its own, is not provoked, thinks no evil; does not rejoice in iniquity; but rejoices in the truth; bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things. LOVE never fails.
Seeking others well being, putting Christ first and by manifesting love to others, we can get rid of the selfishness in our natures. It sounds like a hard job doesn't it? Actually the hard part is surrendering our natures to Christ to be made over in His image. He does the work if we give ourselves to Him. Most of us want to hang on to our worldly natures and don't want to give them up to be transformed into His image.
Let us seek the good of others and not ourselves and put Christ first and I am sure we will be a much happier people, don't you think? This was heavy for me, but I needed it very much. Thank you for listening
or having part in my worship this morning. I hope it was a great help to you as it has been to me.
Grandma Joan
Friday, September 13, 2013
I Want to be Clean
Have you ever been so dirty that you wondered if you would ever get clean, or had to do a very dirty job that was really dirty and it just made you feel filthy? There are times in our life that these things happen to us that are unexpected and we just have to deal with it. There are jobs that are not pleasant to deal with, like being a plumber and unplugging a sewer line, or being a nurse and cleaning up after a patient has an accident or really cleaning up someone who has had a bad accident and is bruised and bleeding. These are not pleasant clean-up jobs but have to be done.
Then there is another kind of clean-up that we all need, clean up from sin and that is the best clean up that we can ever have done and I want to be clean, don't you. Let's see what the Bible has to say about getting clean and staying clean. I know there has to be promises concerning this and I want to know what they are because I need His cleansing power in my life.
Jeremiah 33:8 "I will cleanse them from all their iniquity by which they have sinned against Me, and I will pardon all their iniquities by which they have sinned and by which they have transgressed against Me."
1 John 1:7,9 "But if we walk in the light as He is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus Christ His Son cleanses us from all sin. If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness."
These two promises are for us, for me that I might be cleansed from ALL my sins and stand before Him just as if I had never sinned which is what justification means when the Bible says we are justified by faith, He has promised to cleanse us if we confess them to Him, He is faithful and just to forgive us and I need forgiven, how about you? I want to be clean more than anything else. It is important for us to realized that Jesus sacrifice on the cross and the blood He shed there was for the cleansing of our sins and making us clean before Him. We must accept this sacrifice that He made for you and me.
Ephesians 5:25-27 "Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ also loved the church and gave Himself for her, that He might sanctify and cleanse her with the washing of water by the word, that He might present her to Himself a glorious church, not having spot or wrinkle or any such thing, but that she should be holy and without blemish."
This promise is for His church and His people and the way we are washed clean is through studying His Word, as we are doing now that He might present us as a glorious church and people to His Father. Just take time each morning or sometime during the day, mornings are best for me, because my mind is clear and I am able to concentrate better. But take time to read some portion of His word and contemplate on it, but first ask God to show you what you need to read and then apply it to your life and ask Him also to help you live what you are studying. Following are two prayers of David that I like to say are my prayers.
Psalms 19:12-14 "Who can understand his errors? Cleanse me from secret faults. Keep back Your servant also from presumptuous sins, Let them not have dominion over me, Then I shall be blameless and I shall be innocent of great transgression. Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be acceptable in Your sight O Lord, my strength and my Redeemer."
Do you have secret faults that need forgiven or are you in the habit of sinning presumptuously? Presumptuous sins are those sins that we know are wrong to do, but do them anyway thinking that God is so good He won't hold me accountable for this. That is a presumptuous sin. So we need to ask God to help us not to sin presumptuously, to hold us back from doing it.
Psalms 51:1,2,3 "Have mercy upon me, O God, according to Your loving kindness, according to the multitude of Your tender mercies, blot out my transgressions, wash me thoroughly from my iniquity, and cleanse me from my sin. For I acknowledge my transgressions, and my sin is always before me."
This prayer of David was after he committed the terrible act of adultery and murder, and he was humbled by his sin and confessed it before God and I like the phrase 'according to your loving kindness, and tender mercies'. God is always willing to hear our confessions and to forgive us of ALL our sins. He is a merciful and faithful God, isn't He? David wanted to be washed thoroughly from his sin and we need to be the same, wanting to be washed thoroughly from our sins. He is willing to forgive, are you willing to confess? That's all it takes to be clean and I want to be clean.
I hope you have been blessed by this little study on being washed clean. I have and it is my desire to be clean all the way through, everything. I hope it is your desire also. Grandma Joan
Then there is another kind of clean-up that we all need, clean up from sin and that is the best clean up that we can ever have done and I want to be clean, don't you. Let's see what the Bible has to say about getting clean and staying clean. I know there has to be promises concerning this and I want to know what they are because I need His cleansing power in my life.
Jeremiah 33:8 "I will cleanse them from all their iniquity by which they have sinned against Me, and I will pardon all their iniquities by which they have sinned and by which they have transgressed against Me."
1 John 1:7,9 "But if we walk in the light as He is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus Christ His Son cleanses us from all sin. If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness."
These two promises are for us, for me that I might be cleansed from ALL my sins and stand before Him just as if I had never sinned which is what justification means when the Bible says we are justified by faith, He has promised to cleanse us if we confess them to Him, He is faithful and just to forgive us and I need forgiven, how about you? I want to be clean more than anything else. It is important for us to realized that Jesus sacrifice on the cross and the blood He shed there was for the cleansing of our sins and making us clean before Him. We must accept this sacrifice that He made for you and me.
Ephesians 5:25-27 "Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ also loved the church and gave Himself for her, that He might sanctify and cleanse her with the washing of water by the word, that He might present her to Himself a glorious church, not having spot or wrinkle or any such thing, but that she should be holy and without blemish."
This promise is for His church and His people and the way we are washed clean is through studying His Word, as we are doing now that He might present us as a glorious church and people to His Father. Just take time each morning or sometime during the day, mornings are best for me, because my mind is clear and I am able to concentrate better. But take time to read some portion of His word and contemplate on it, but first ask God to show you what you need to read and then apply it to your life and ask Him also to help you live what you are studying. Following are two prayers of David that I like to say are my prayers.
Psalms 19:12-14 "Who can understand his errors? Cleanse me from secret faults. Keep back Your servant also from presumptuous sins, Let them not have dominion over me, Then I shall be blameless and I shall be innocent of great transgression. Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be acceptable in Your sight O Lord, my strength and my Redeemer."
Do you have secret faults that need forgiven or are you in the habit of sinning presumptuously? Presumptuous sins are those sins that we know are wrong to do, but do them anyway thinking that God is so good He won't hold me accountable for this. That is a presumptuous sin. So we need to ask God to help us not to sin presumptuously, to hold us back from doing it.
Psalms 51:1,2,3 "Have mercy upon me, O God, according to Your loving kindness, according to the multitude of Your tender mercies, blot out my transgressions, wash me thoroughly from my iniquity, and cleanse me from my sin. For I acknowledge my transgressions, and my sin is always before me."
This prayer of David was after he committed the terrible act of adultery and murder, and he was humbled by his sin and confessed it before God and I like the phrase 'according to your loving kindness, and tender mercies'. God is always willing to hear our confessions and to forgive us of ALL our sins. He is a merciful and faithful God, isn't He? David wanted to be washed thoroughly from his sin and we need to be the same, wanting to be washed thoroughly from our sins. He is willing to forgive, are you willing to confess? That's all it takes to be clean and I want to be clean.
I hope you have been blessed by this little study on being washed clean. I have and it is my desire to be clean all the way through, everything. I hope it is your desire also. Grandma Joan
Thursday, September 12, 2013
To Proud to Ask
Remember the other day I said, ooooooh maybe it is pride that is in my way, well I am going to elaborate on that a little this morning because maybe, just maybe I need it, even though I know that other things get in the way of asking for help, like, maybe they think I am just putting on this pain or can't lift things and so I try to do it myself to my own hurt.
I know pride is a terrible thing to get in our way of life and can cause a lot of harm to us and others. Really, I don't have anything to be proud of and as soon as it creeps in I mess up.
1 John 2:16 " For all that is in the world--the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life--is not of the Father but is of the world."
Proverbs 13:10 "by pride comes nothing but strife, but with the well advised is wisdom."
Proverbs 16:18,19 "Pride goes before destruction, and a haughty spirit before a fall. Better to be of a humble spirit with the lowly, than to divide the spoil with the proud."
I agree that pride is destructive and a haughty spirit can bring you down in a hurry, it is God's way of dealing with something so destructive and I sure don't want to be guilty of anything that even resembles pride. It does bring strife and surely is of the world. Do you agree?
I want to have a humble spirit even when asking for help, don't you?
Colossians 3:12-17 "Therefore, as the elect of God holy and beloved, put on tenderness, mercies, kindness, humility, meekness, longsuffering, bearing with one another, forgiving one another, if anyone has a complaint against another; even as Christ forgave you; so you also must do. But above all these things put on love, which is the bond of perfection. And let the peace of God rule in your hearts, to which also you were called in one body; and be thankful. Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom, teaching and admonishing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with grace in your hearts to the Lord. And whatever you do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through Him."
Doesn't that sound like a beautiful life? I want so much to be like that and get rid of all the rubbish that I have carried around in my character. Let the peace of God rule in my life and be thankful. And by all means let the word of Christ dwell in me richly in wisdom, and singing with a song in my heart with grace in my heart and being thankful. I can't think of a better way to be. It is my great desire to be like Christ, how about you? Forget the pride in my life and the proud spirit that is too proud to ask for help when I really need it.
I believe this was a good study for me, what do you think? I guess we could all benefit from it but I know that it was a good lesson for me. I hope my experiences touched your heart in some way to benefit you in your walk with God. Blessings, Grandma Joan, I am blessed this morning.
I know pride is a terrible thing to get in our way of life and can cause a lot of harm to us and others. Really, I don't have anything to be proud of and as soon as it creeps in I mess up.
1 John 2:16 " For all that is in the world--the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life--is not of the Father but is of the world."
Proverbs 13:10 "by pride comes nothing but strife, but with the well advised is wisdom."
Proverbs 16:18,19 "Pride goes before destruction, and a haughty spirit before a fall. Better to be of a humble spirit with the lowly, than to divide the spoil with the proud."
I agree that pride is destructive and a haughty spirit can bring you down in a hurry, it is God's way of dealing with something so destructive and I sure don't want to be guilty of anything that even resembles pride. It does bring strife and surely is of the world. Do you agree?
I want to have a humble spirit even when asking for help, don't you?
Colossians 3:12-17 "Therefore, as the elect of God holy and beloved, put on tenderness, mercies, kindness, humility, meekness, longsuffering, bearing with one another, forgiving one another, if anyone has a complaint against another; even as Christ forgave you; so you also must do. But above all these things put on love, which is the bond of perfection. And let the peace of God rule in your hearts, to which also you were called in one body; and be thankful. Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom, teaching and admonishing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with grace in your hearts to the Lord. And whatever you do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through Him."
Doesn't that sound like a beautiful life? I want so much to be like that and get rid of all the rubbish that I have carried around in my character. Let the peace of God rule in my life and be thankful. And by all means let the word of Christ dwell in me richly in wisdom, and singing with a song in my heart with grace in my heart and being thankful. I can't think of a better way to be. It is my great desire to be like Christ, how about you? Forget the pride in my life and the proud spirit that is too proud to ask for help when I really need it.
I believe this was a good study for me, what do you think? I guess we could all benefit from it but I know that it was a good lesson for me. I hope my experiences touched your heart in some way to benefit you in your walk with God. Blessings, Grandma Joan, I am blessed this morning.
Wednesday, September 11, 2013
Is Our Repentance Genuine?
Have you ever wondered if you are truly sorry? I have and I hope that I am but I want to make sure that I am, because it is a vital concern regarding our eternal life. So this morning I am going to share some verses so you can examine your own heart and I can examine mine.
2 Chronicles 7:14 "If My people who are called by My name will humble themselves, and pray and seek My face, and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin and heal their land." Humble means: Marked by meekness or modesty. How do you humble yourself? The publican humbled himself, when he said, 'God be merciful to me a sinner'.Luke 18:13. So if we are called by His name and come to Him in prayer honestly seeking forgiveness and admit our faults and sins, it is a humbling experience, when we admit that we are a sinner in need of God's grace, it is very humbling.
Jeremiah 29:13 "And you will seek Me and find Me when you search for Me with ALL your heart." (my emphasis) When it is our highest priority to seek God with ALL our hearts, then He knows we are sincere in our repentance.
Mark 11:24 "Therefore I say to you, whatever things you ask when you pray, believe that you receive them and you will have them." I am pretty sure that if you are humble and seek God with ALL your heart that your belief will be stronger and your prayers will be more earnest.
James 5:16 "Confess your trespasses to one another, and pray for one another, that you may be healed. The effective, fervent prayer of a righteous man avails much." If we have hurt anyone in any way, we are to confess our wrong to them and make things right, if they don't accept our apology, it will become their problem but we will be right before God. Make sure you are sincere, even to tears if that is what it takes.
1 John 3:22 "And whatever we ask we receive from Him, because we keep His commandments and do those things that are pleasing in His sight." If you don't know whether you are keeping His commandments, then go to Exodus 20 and read them over again and pray over them and God will show you whether you are or not.
This was a heavy subject, wasn't it? Let's review it just a bit. We need to humble ourselves before God and seek Him with ALL our heart and also believe with all our heart that what He promises He will do and He has promised to forgive us, hasn't He. Then if we have wronged someone, we need to confess the wrong to them and then to God and then review the commandments and see if we are keeping His commandments according to His will. Then if we can surrender all these things and be honest with God, then we will know that our repentance is sincere and genuine.
I am going to have to go over this again and make sure my repentance has been and is sincere and genuine.
How about you, it doesn't hurt to review our condition, it is a challenge and I love challenges so let's accept this challenge and move forward in God's grace. How about it? Grandma Joan
2 Chronicles 7:14 "If My people who are called by My name will humble themselves, and pray and seek My face, and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin and heal their land." Humble means: Marked by meekness or modesty. How do you humble yourself? The publican humbled himself, when he said, 'God be merciful to me a sinner'.Luke 18:13. So if we are called by His name and come to Him in prayer honestly seeking forgiveness and admit our faults and sins, it is a humbling experience, when we admit that we are a sinner in need of God's grace, it is very humbling.
Jeremiah 29:13 "And you will seek Me and find Me when you search for Me with ALL your heart." (my emphasis) When it is our highest priority to seek God with ALL our hearts, then He knows we are sincere in our repentance.
Mark 11:24 "Therefore I say to you, whatever things you ask when you pray, believe that you receive them and you will have them." I am pretty sure that if you are humble and seek God with ALL your heart that your belief will be stronger and your prayers will be more earnest.
James 5:16 "Confess your trespasses to one another, and pray for one another, that you may be healed. The effective, fervent prayer of a righteous man avails much." If we have hurt anyone in any way, we are to confess our wrong to them and make things right, if they don't accept our apology, it will become their problem but we will be right before God. Make sure you are sincere, even to tears if that is what it takes.
1 John 3:22 "And whatever we ask we receive from Him, because we keep His commandments and do those things that are pleasing in His sight." If you don't know whether you are keeping His commandments, then go to Exodus 20 and read them over again and pray over them and God will show you whether you are or not.
This was a heavy subject, wasn't it? Let's review it just a bit. We need to humble ourselves before God and seek Him with ALL our heart and also believe with all our heart that what He promises He will do and He has promised to forgive us, hasn't He. Then if we have wronged someone, we need to confess the wrong to them and then to God and then review the commandments and see if we are keeping His commandments according to His will. Then if we can surrender all these things and be honest with God, then we will know that our repentance is sincere and genuine.
I am going to have to go over this again and make sure my repentance has been and is sincere and genuine.
How about you, it doesn't hurt to review our condition, it is a challenge and I love challenges so let's accept this challenge and move forward in God's grace. How about it? Grandma Joan
Tuesday, September 10, 2013
My Journey
I was lying in bed this morning, 3 AM and thinking about my blog and how much it has helped me in my walk with the Lord and wondering if it was helping anyone else and got up shortly after and was checking my email and found out it was helping someone else too. Thank you friend for your comment on Don't Worry.
I hope you have a blessed day with no worries.
This has been a journey and a half for me. Since my husband passed away, I have been praying that God would give me a way to share my faith with others and another friend from Oregon was visiting me and was telling me about her blog and offered to make me one and I thought 'why not?' but didn't exactly know what to call it or what to do with it and then I remembered my prayer for something to do to share my faith and I thought about it and I love to talk to the Lord in the mornings and was impressed to share what God was doing with my life. So that is what I have been doing. It has been quite a journey but I must say, it has been worth every minute of it. I look forward to my worships more than ever now and also look forward to sharing them with you, whoever you are. I have been blessed with quite a few viewers and a few comments.
Actually all over the world, which is quite thrilling to me. Isn't God good to us?
I know that He has been good to you too, in someway you are blessed and He wants to bless us more with the peace that passes understanding. I don't understand it all but I know it is there for us if we just ask.
The thing that I am thinking about this morning and which I really need to concentrate on is rejoicing in the Lord. It is not easy to be happy when you have lost a loved one after so many years together, but I can rejoice that he is resting in peace and have the promise of seeing him again on the resurrection morning. I look forward to that and now I need to start rejoicing in my walk with the Lord.
Philippians 4:4 "Rejoice in the Lord always, Again I will say, rejoice." We can rejoice that He answers our prayers, we can rejoice that He forgives our transgressions against Him and others. There are so many things that we can be happy about, I can't begin to name them all but you can make a list and then start rejoicing too.
At 82 years young, I rejoice for a good nights rest and for a new day each morning when I wake up that God has given me another day to serve Him and write on my blog to bless others who are going through the same things that I have been dealing with.
Check out your Bible for the verses of rejoicing and you will be amazed at how many there are. Have a great day rejoicing in the Lord and be blessed. Grandma Joan
I hope you have a blessed day with no worries.
This has been a journey and a half for me. Since my husband passed away, I have been praying that God would give me a way to share my faith with others and another friend from Oregon was visiting me and was telling me about her blog and offered to make me one and I thought 'why not?' but didn't exactly know what to call it or what to do with it and then I remembered my prayer for something to do to share my faith and I thought about it and I love to talk to the Lord in the mornings and was impressed to share what God was doing with my life. So that is what I have been doing. It has been quite a journey but I must say, it has been worth every minute of it. I look forward to my worships more than ever now and also look forward to sharing them with you, whoever you are. I have been blessed with quite a few viewers and a few comments.
Actually all over the world, which is quite thrilling to me. Isn't God good to us?
I know that He has been good to you too, in someway you are blessed and He wants to bless us more with the peace that passes understanding. I don't understand it all but I know it is there for us if we just ask.
The thing that I am thinking about this morning and which I really need to concentrate on is rejoicing in the Lord. It is not easy to be happy when you have lost a loved one after so many years together, but I can rejoice that he is resting in peace and have the promise of seeing him again on the resurrection morning. I look forward to that and now I need to start rejoicing in my walk with the Lord.
Philippians 4:4 "Rejoice in the Lord always, Again I will say, rejoice." We can rejoice that He answers our prayers, we can rejoice that He forgives our transgressions against Him and others. There are so many things that we can be happy about, I can't begin to name them all but you can make a list and then start rejoicing too.
At 82 years young, I rejoice for a good nights rest and for a new day each morning when I wake up that God has given me another day to serve Him and write on my blog to bless others who are going through the same things that I have been dealing with.
Check out your Bible for the verses of rejoicing and you will be amazed at how many there are. Have a great day rejoicing in the Lord and be blessed. Grandma Joan
Monday, September 9, 2013
Weakness is it OK or Not
I am a weak one in lots of ways and I do have a strong point here and there but Spiritually I am really weak, I have to depend on Christ all the time, do you think it's OK to do that? My husband taught me to be very independent soon after we were married, or I should say tried to, but what it did do for me, it took away some of my timidity and then we bought a nursing home and I became independent as the years went by, and it took away my shyness and I had to do things I never thought was possible for me. Like hiring, firing and bossing people around, it was the hardest thing I ever tried to accomplish but when we sold it, I realized that I didn't like the person I had become, have you ever felt that way? I detested what I had become, I liked the timid, dependent person I use to be.
I asked the Lord to help me go back and become a quiet, not too timid and not too independent person. That's what God did for me, it took a while, some times we have to work through things to get where we want to go. I did a lot of that, believe me and now I have been alone for two years or more and I am going to have to work on getting out more and associating more with other people. Seems like there is always something to work on or to let God work on in my life, but I sort of enjoy his pruning, and hope He keeps it up until I am where He wants me to be and what He wants me to be.
So what does this have to do with weakness, well, we can have a strong character that God has to deal with to let us see how weak we really are. In other words, I can be stubborn, which I am, and I can be strong headed, which I have been and probably still are to some extent. I am not saying that stubborn is all that bad if we are standing up for God, we need a stubborn attribute and strong headed is the same.
But when it comes to our Spiritual life, and resisting temptation, that's another story, we aren't so strong then, are we?
2 Corinthians 12:10 "Therefore I take pleasure in infirmities, in reproaches, in needs, in persecutions, in distresses, for Christ's sake. For when I am weak, then I am strong." Notice, all those things are for Christ's sake. Not for our sake.
2 Corinthians 12:9 "And He said to me, 'My grace is sufficient for you, for My strength is made perfect in weakness. Therefore I take pleasure in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me", O, did I ever need that one. I need to take pleasure in my infirmities. That is hard to do, but He will help me, I am sure of that, if He says we should take pleasure in them, then I need to learn that lesson.
Isaiah 40:29 "He gives power to the weak, and to those who have no might He increases strength. (verses 30, 31 are great words of encouragement.) Even the youths shall faint and be weary, and the young men shall utterly fall,, but those who wait on the Lord Shall renew their strength; They shall mount up with wings like eagles, They shall run and not be weary, They shall walk and not faint." Isn't that a great promise, especially for those of us who have infirmities, I would love to walk again for exercise, it would be a grand thing for me and I think many others. I am waiting for that day, I hope patiently.
Matthew 26:41 "Watch and pray, lest you enter into temptation, The spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak." We can have a very willing spirit but our carnal nature is very weak and we cannot resist temptation without the power of Christ in our lives. I am so glad that we have His help against temptation. He says that His strength is made perfect in our weakness. So we can become strong through Him. Is that right?
I can see that I have some surrendering to do, how about you? May the power of Christ rest upon us so that we may become strong through HIS strength. To answer the Title question, I believe it is OK to be weak as long as we let His strength strengthen us, we don't want to be so strong that we don't feel our need of Him. So it's OK to be weak as long as we recognize our weakness and ask for His strength to replace our weakness. Have a great day in His strength.!!!! Grandma Joan
I asked the Lord to help me go back and become a quiet, not too timid and not too independent person. That's what God did for me, it took a while, some times we have to work through things to get where we want to go. I did a lot of that, believe me and now I have been alone for two years or more and I am going to have to work on getting out more and associating more with other people. Seems like there is always something to work on or to let God work on in my life, but I sort of enjoy his pruning, and hope He keeps it up until I am where He wants me to be and what He wants me to be.
So what does this have to do with weakness, well, we can have a strong character that God has to deal with to let us see how weak we really are. In other words, I can be stubborn, which I am, and I can be strong headed, which I have been and probably still are to some extent. I am not saying that stubborn is all that bad if we are standing up for God, we need a stubborn attribute and strong headed is the same.
But when it comes to our Spiritual life, and resisting temptation, that's another story, we aren't so strong then, are we?
2 Corinthians 12:10 "Therefore I take pleasure in infirmities, in reproaches, in needs, in persecutions, in distresses, for Christ's sake. For when I am weak, then I am strong." Notice, all those things are for Christ's sake. Not for our sake.
2 Corinthians 12:9 "And He said to me, 'My grace is sufficient for you, for My strength is made perfect in weakness. Therefore I take pleasure in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me", O, did I ever need that one. I need to take pleasure in my infirmities. That is hard to do, but He will help me, I am sure of that, if He says we should take pleasure in them, then I need to learn that lesson.
Isaiah 40:29 "He gives power to the weak, and to those who have no might He increases strength. (verses 30, 31 are great words of encouragement.) Even the youths shall faint and be weary, and the young men shall utterly fall,, but those who wait on the Lord Shall renew their strength; They shall mount up with wings like eagles, They shall run and not be weary, They shall walk and not faint." Isn't that a great promise, especially for those of us who have infirmities, I would love to walk again for exercise, it would be a grand thing for me and I think many others. I am waiting for that day, I hope patiently.
Matthew 26:41 "Watch and pray, lest you enter into temptation, The spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak." We can have a very willing spirit but our carnal nature is very weak and we cannot resist temptation without the power of Christ in our lives. I am so glad that we have His help against temptation. He says that His strength is made perfect in our weakness. So we can become strong through Him. Is that right?
I can see that I have some surrendering to do, how about you? May the power of Christ rest upon us so that we may become strong through HIS strength. To answer the Title question, I believe it is OK to be weak as long as we let His strength strengthen us, we don't want to be so strong that we don't feel our need of Him. So it's OK to be weak as long as we recognize our weakness and ask for His strength to replace our weakness. Have a great day in His strength.!!!! Grandma Joan
Sunday, September 8, 2013
Another Faithful Saying
Remember we studied about God's faithfulness, well there is something else He does for us in the line of His faithfulness. I love the book of First John in the Bible, it is so full of instruction and hope and I was reading
1 John 1:9 "If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness."
He is faithful and just to forgive us and cleanse us from ALL unrighteousness. We have all sinned and come short of the glory of God. Romans 3:23. And we all need forgiven, God is faithful to forgive but we must be faithful to confess and repent of our sins so that He can forgive.
Sometimes it is hard to confess something that has hurt someone else and we must go to that person first and then come to God with our confession and repentance. I remember a lot of times I had to admit I was wrong and had to write letters of confession, or make a phone call with confession before I had peace with God because I knew and know that He is faithful to forgive.
When He comes to us with a thought about something that is not right in our life, and we try to shine it or ignore it and it comes again, we are not going to have peace unless we deal with it, I can vouch very well for that. It has happened to me so many times, I am ashamed to admit it but He is relentless in wanting us to be a part of His kingdom, so He doesn't give up until we tell Him to leave us alone. Can you imagine how sad that must make Him.
I know how embarrassing it is to admit you are wrong, or you shouldn't have said or done that. It takes a lot of courage to step to the plate and admit your shortcomings and apologize for hurting someone. It is not an easy task but must be done and we can do it by God's grace and the feeling afterwards is of such peace, I have always had such peace of mind and heart after I have made things right. It is worth all of the courage it takes, believe me. And to have the peace of God that passes all understanding is out of this world. Literally out of this world.!!!!!
I am so thankful He is faithful in giving us all the instruction we need to have a great life in Him and that He has told us all about having peace after forgiveness, remember He is faithful to forgive and we must be faithful in confessing and repenting of our sins, first to those we have hurt and then go God who abundantly pardons.
Isn't it wonderful to have a Savior who is faithful to pardon all our sins and cleanse us so we can stand before Him just as if we had never sinned, that is what justification means. I want to be justified, don't you?
Grandma Joan
1 John 1:9 "If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness."
He is faithful and just to forgive us and cleanse us from ALL unrighteousness. We have all sinned and come short of the glory of God. Romans 3:23. And we all need forgiven, God is faithful to forgive but we must be faithful to confess and repent of our sins so that He can forgive.
Sometimes it is hard to confess something that has hurt someone else and we must go to that person first and then come to God with our confession and repentance. I remember a lot of times I had to admit I was wrong and had to write letters of confession, or make a phone call with confession before I had peace with God because I knew and know that He is faithful to forgive.
When He comes to us with a thought about something that is not right in our life, and we try to shine it or ignore it and it comes again, we are not going to have peace unless we deal with it, I can vouch very well for that. It has happened to me so many times, I am ashamed to admit it but He is relentless in wanting us to be a part of His kingdom, so He doesn't give up until we tell Him to leave us alone. Can you imagine how sad that must make Him.
I know how embarrassing it is to admit you are wrong, or you shouldn't have said or done that. It takes a lot of courage to step to the plate and admit your shortcomings and apologize for hurting someone. It is not an easy task but must be done and we can do it by God's grace and the feeling afterwards is of such peace, I have always had such peace of mind and heart after I have made things right. It is worth all of the courage it takes, believe me. And to have the peace of God that passes all understanding is out of this world. Literally out of this world.!!!!!
I am so thankful He is faithful in giving us all the instruction we need to have a great life in Him and that He has told us all about having peace after forgiveness, remember He is faithful to forgive and we must be faithful in confessing and repenting of our sins, first to those we have hurt and then go God who abundantly pardons.
Isn't it wonderful to have a Savior who is faithful to pardon all our sins and cleanse us so we can stand before Him just as if we had never sinned, that is what justification means. I want to be justified, don't you?
Grandma Joan
Saturday, September 7, 2013
A Faithful Saying
Faithful means loyal and loyal means steadfast allegiance. If you promise something, are you faithful to keep your word? Sometimes we forget what we have promised until someone reminds us. Here's one for you: Are you on time for appointments, are you on time meeting a friend or business associate? Do you think it doesn't matter if you are a few minutes late? I know someone that can be an hour late and think nothing of it.
I am not sure what people are thinking when they are not faithful to appointments or faithful to their word. Is it because in their mind other people's time isn't important or what do you think it might be? I really am not sure as I love to be early for mine, I would rather wait than have someone wait on me, but this study isn't about me, it is for me. There is something I need in this particular study, so let's see what it is.
2 Timothy 2:11-13 "This is a faithful saying: For if we died with Him, We shall also live with Him: If we endure, We shall also reign with Him: If we deny Him, He also will deny us: If we are faithless, He remains faithful: He cannot deny Himself."
In other words, God is faithful even if we are not. When it says if we died with Him, it means that if we have died to our self and our wishes. If we endure, we shall also be with Him forever; it is not easy to endure unless we have Him right there beside us; if we deny Him , he will deny us; we don't want that to happen do we? We want to be sure that we don't deny Him in our actions, our speech, and we can also deny Him by the look on our countenance. In other words He wants us to copy His faithfulness.
What is your picture of God? I had a mean, jealous stepfather and I didn't realize it but as I grew older, I pictured God that way and it was only about ten years ago that I realized that I was doing that. It is normal for a child to look up to their father as he must represent God to them and so children grow up picturing God like their father was. Sometimes it is a great thing with the right kind of father but with me, the first father I knew was an alcoholic and the second one was mean and jealous. The first one tried to kill my mother and I heard her screaming in the night and ran to see what was wrong and it saved her life. So what kind of picture of God do you think I formed with this kind of example? Not a good one to be sure.
I saw God as glowering at me and waiting to get me for something I did wrong. What a picture for a person to have of a loving, forgiving and faithful God. He is our Father you know, so we need to forget about all the stuff we have pictured Him as and remember His faithful sayings, because He is faithful in all that He does for us and will always be faithful, so if you have had a distorted picture of God, see Him as smiling at you with a very loving, forgiving countenance and begging you to be like Him and welcoming you home someday. It is our reward for believing in His faithfulness, can it get any better than that? Grandma Joan
I am not sure what people are thinking when they are not faithful to appointments or faithful to their word. Is it because in their mind other people's time isn't important or what do you think it might be? I really am not sure as I love to be early for mine, I would rather wait than have someone wait on me, but this study isn't about me, it is for me. There is something I need in this particular study, so let's see what it is.
2 Timothy 2:11-13 "This is a faithful saying: For if we died with Him, We shall also live with Him: If we endure, We shall also reign with Him: If we deny Him, He also will deny us: If we are faithless, He remains faithful: He cannot deny Himself."
In other words, God is faithful even if we are not. When it says if we died with Him, it means that if we have died to our self and our wishes. If we endure, we shall also be with Him forever; it is not easy to endure unless we have Him right there beside us; if we deny Him , he will deny us; we don't want that to happen do we? We want to be sure that we don't deny Him in our actions, our speech, and we can also deny Him by the look on our countenance. In other words He wants us to copy His faithfulness.
What is your picture of God? I had a mean, jealous stepfather and I didn't realize it but as I grew older, I pictured God that way and it was only about ten years ago that I realized that I was doing that. It is normal for a child to look up to their father as he must represent God to them and so children grow up picturing God like their father was. Sometimes it is a great thing with the right kind of father but with me, the first father I knew was an alcoholic and the second one was mean and jealous. The first one tried to kill my mother and I heard her screaming in the night and ran to see what was wrong and it saved her life. So what kind of picture of God do you think I formed with this kind of example? Not a good one to be sure.
I saw God as glowering at me and waiting to get me for something I did wrong. What a picture for a person to have of a loving, forgiving and faithful God. He is our Father you know, so we need to forget about all the stuff we have pictured Him as and remember His faithful sayings, because He is faithful in all that He does for us and will always be faithful, so if you have had a distorted picture of God, see Him as smiling at you with a very loving, forgiving countenance and begging you to be like Him and welcoming you home someday. It is our reward for believing in His faithfulness, can it get any better than that? Grandma Joan
Friday, September 6, 2013
Hope Postponed
How's your hopes today? I have been wanting to study this subject and get to the bottom of it if I can. Not sure just how much information I can gather on it. But hope that it will be a blessing to all of us.
Have you ever had your hopes all up about doing something or going somewhere and then it didn't turn out? I have and it isn't fun is it? Here's an example from me. I had high hopes that I would sell my home this summer and be able to go visit my eldest son in Missouri and now the summer is nearly over and it hasn't sold yet. Then I read this verse in the Bible.
Proverbs 13:12 "Hope deferred (or postponed) makes the heart sick, But when the desire comes, it is a tree of life." I take that to mean that when it does come about, it will be a greater blessing than you would expect it to be. I can't wait to see what God has in store for me. I am sure I will be thankful that He waited to sell my home.
For a while my heart was sick because both my son in Missouri and I were really looking forward to spending the summer together, he likes to garden and so do I, but I can't do much any more but I try to do what I can. It was a great hope, but then I read the verse about hope deferred and decided I had better be patient and see what God has in store for me. Which is a lot better than stewing over what hasn't happened.
Lamentations 3:26 "It is good that one should hope and wait patiently for the salvation of the Lord"
So there it is, it is good to hope and wait patiently for the Lord to do His work in and for us. Here's another verse that helps with hope being deferred.
Romans 5:5 "Now hope does not disappoint, because the love of God has been poured out in our hearts by the Holy Spirit who was given to us." And that is so true, when I read about hope being deferred and when the desire came about it would be like a tree of life, I now understand why I was able to get over the disappointment and look forward to a better sale or whatever God has in store.
There is nothing wrong with hoping but we need to be patient with our hopes just in case God has something better planned for us and He never disappoints us. It will be interesting to know just what He has planned for me. I know I won't be disappointed.
How about you, do you have hopes that have been deferred? I am sure that most everyone has and it is so true that it does make the heart sick when it doesn't come to pass like we had planned, but when our desires are realized, it is like a tree of life. What does it mean when it says, 'it is like a tree of life'? I believe it means that it will be something that we will be overjoyed with and glad that we were patient.
Once in a while someone will come and look at the house etc. and I would sort of get my hopes up and nothing happens, so now when someone comes to look, I let them look and leave it with God to do as He pleases with my home. I am positive it will be the best thing that I could have done.
So don't give up, whatever your hopes are, be patient and let God have His way with your hopes and dreams. He will come through if you allow Him to. Grandma Joan
Have you ever had your hopes all up about doing something or going somewhere and then it didn't turn out? I have and it isn't fun is it? Here's an example from me. I had high hopes that I would sell my home this summer and be able to go visit my eldest son in Missouri and now the summer is nearly over and it hasn't sold yet. Then I read this verse in the Bible.
Proverbs 13:12 "Hope deferred (or postponed) makes the heart sick, But when the desire comes, it is a tree of life." I take that to mean that when it does come about, it will be a greater blessing than you would expect it to be. I can't wait to see what God has in store for me. I am sure I will be thankful that He waited to sell my home.
For a while my heart was sick because both my son in Missouri and I were really looking forward to spending the summer together, he likes to garden and so do I, but I can't do much any more but I try to do what I can. It was a great hope, but then I read the verse about hope deferred and decided I had better be patient and see what God has in store for me. Which is a lot better than stewing over what hasn't happened.
Lamentations 3:26 "It is good that one should hope and wait patiently for the salvation of the Lord"
So there it is, it is good to hope and wait patiently for the Lord to do His work in and for us. Here's another verse that helps with hope being deferred.
Romans 5:5 "Now hope does not disappoint, because the love of God has been poured out in our hearts by the Holy Spirit who was given to us." And that is so true, when I read about hope being deferred and when the desire came about it would be like a tree of life, I now understand why I was able to get over the disappointment and look forward to a better sale or whatever God has in store.
There is nothing wrong with hoping but we need to be patient with our hopes just in case God has something better planned for us and He never disappoints us. It will be interesting to know just what He has planned for me. I know I won't be disappointed.
How about you, do you have hopes that have been deferred? I am sure that most everyone has and it is so true that it does make the heart sick when it doesn't come to pass like we had planned, but when our desires are realized, it is like a tree of life. What does it mean when it says, 'it is like a tree of life'? I believe it means that it will be something that we will be overjoyed with and glad that we were patient.
Once in a while someone will come and look at the house etc. and I would sort of get my hopes up and nothing happens, so now when someone comes to look, I let them look and leave it with God to do as He pleases with my home. I am positive it will be the best thing that I could have done.
So don't give up, whatever your hopes are, be patient and let God have His way with your hopes and dreams. He will come through if you allow Him to. Grandma Joan
Thursday, September 5, 2013
Days of Trouble
I shouldn't even ask this question because I don't know of anyone who hasn't had days of trouble, but I will ask anyway, Have you had days of trouble? Or maybe I should ask you if you never have had days of trouble? I am sure you have had days that were actually overwhelming, I know that I have. I clearly remember a time a few years back when the tears wouldn't stop for days, I even sought counseling to help me, by the way it had nothing to do with my husband. Nothing worked that I said or did and finally I left it in the Lord's hands to do whatever He needed to do to make it come out alright. I know that some of you have been through times of trouble such as that was and I sympathize with you completely. It is a hard road to walk, and there are times when we don't know if we will make it but there is a way out, and it really is an easy way out.
Psalms 50:15 "Call upon Me in the day of trouble; I will deliver you, and you shall glorify Me." I was really truly delivered, from my time of trouble at that particular time. God did it too, I had nothing to do with it and couldn't have done anything anyway, it was out of my hands.
Psalms 27:5 "For in the time of trouble He shall hide me in His pavilion; In the secret place of His tabernacle He shall hide me; He shall set me high upon a rock. I don't remember being set high upon a rock but I do remember of being able of doing something that I had often yearned to do and that was being a church organist. I loved it and have never forgotten the privilege that was mine to play for church. He also hid me in His pavilion long enough for me to survive my days of trouble and for that I am forever grateful.
Psalms 91:15 "He shall call upon Me, and I will answer him; I will be with him in trouble; I will deliver him; and honor him." I have called so many times in my life and He has answered so many more times than I have called, even before I called. I don't know about Him honoring me, am not sure about that but some day perhaps He will or has and I didn't recognize it. Sometimes I am pretty slow at catching on.
I have survived all the troubles so far that have come to me by His grace and His excellent promises that mean so much to me. I know some of you are going through days of trouble right now or have been and I pray that you will be faithful in calling upon Him who is always ready to deliver you. Be faithful my friend and you will be honored by Him who loves you so much. Grandma Joan
Psalms 50:15 "Call upon Me in the day of trouble; I will deliver you, and you shall glorify Me." I was really truly delivered, from my time of trouble at that particular time. God did it too, I had nothing to do with it and couldn't have done anything anyway, it was out of my hands.
Psalms 27:5 "For in the time of trouble He shall hide me in His pavilion; In the secret place of His tabernacle He shall hide me; He shall set me high upon a rock. I don't remember being set high upon a rock but I do remember of being able of doing something that I had often yearned to do and that was being a church organist. I loved it and have never forgotten the privilege that was mine to play for church. He also hid me in His pavilion long enough for me to survive my days of trouble and for that I am forever grateful.
Psalms 91:15 "He shall call upon Me, and I will answer him; I will be with him in trouble; I will deliver him; and honor him." I have called so many times in my life and He has answered so many more times than I have called, even before I called. I don't know about Him honoring me, am not sure about that but some day perhaps He will or has and I didn't recognize it. Sometimes I am pretty slow at catching on.
I have survived all the troubles so far that have come to me by His grace and His excellent promises that mean so much to me. I know some of you are going through days of trouble right now or have been and I pray that you will be faithful in calling upon Him who is always ready to deliver you. Be faithful my friend and you will be honored by Him who loves you so much. Grandma Joan
Wednesday, September 4, 2013
Transforming our Communication
I like to visit with people, how about you? I think I am becoming one who really enjoys being alone and I am not sure I like that but I have noticed that when I am with family any part of my family, I really enjoy that to the fullest. I am recovering from my husband's death even though I still miss him and at times wonder if I am recovering but I know that I am and God has been so good to me. I do miss having someone to lean on and talk to who understands me and where I am coming from but as a whole I am doing fine.
Today I was impressed with the thought that our communication needs some transforming, I don't know about you but I am sure I will benefit from this study and hope everyone else does too.
It is very easy to fall into the trap of having some favorite 'by words' so to speak, I use to have quite a few to be honest with you and most of them didn't make any sense at all and I noticed that people I was around would pick them up from me and it started me thinking about what I was saying. Have you noticed that?
Right now I am talking about innocent phrases that pop out without thinking but then there are other words that are not so innocent, such as using God's name in vain when the Bible is so very clear about that in the Commandments in Exodus 20;7 "Thou shalt not take the name of the Lord your God in vain, for the Lord will not hold him Guiltless who takes His name in vain." God's name is on the lips of so many these days that it actually makes me cringe with horror when I think of the end results of using it so frivolously. He is a Holy God and worthy of our reverence and our praise but certainly not using His name in a frivolous manner.
Then there is the filthy words that come out of people's mouths and I can't understand why. Why do people fall for the filth of this world as their bases of communication? In fact I have heard words that I haven't even known the meaning of until someone explained it to me.
Ephesians 4:29 "Let no corrupt word proceed out of your mouth, but what is good for necessary edification, that it may impart grace to the hearers." Our speech should impart grace to others who are listening. I pray that mine does.
I use to think it was smart to say catchy phrases and sometimes it caused me to get attention and that was great too. But the more I study the Word of God the more I am conscious of what I say or repeat of what others say.
God knew what the world was coming to and so He gave us all the cautions to protect us from falling into the devil's trap. Like this one:
Colossians 3:8-10 "But now you yourselves are to put off all these: anger, wrath, malice, blasphemy, filthy language out of your mouth. Do not lie to one another, since you have put off the old man with his deeds, and have put on the new man who is renewed in knowledge according to the image of Him who created him."
That about covers it doesn't it? Blasphemy means to speak of in an irreverent, impious manner, so any time we use God's name or any thing concerning the Godhead, in an irreverent way, we are blaspheming His Holy name. It gives me the shivers to think that I could be guilty of such a thing. I truly pray that you are not.
Here is what our words should be:
Psalms 18:14 "Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be acceptable in Your sight O Lord, my strength and my Redeemer."
I hope this little study helped you as much as it has me, I don't want my speech to belittle my Best Friend in the sight of others. What must they think of me if I do this, my light wouldn't shine very far, would it?
I have to tell you a little story about my eldest son, he was out in the world living a hard life and I probably wouldn't want to know it all, but one day he called me and said, 'Mom, I really want to be a Christian but I don't know how', and I tried my best to tell him to lay all his sins at the foot of the cross and ask God to take them and then tell him how sorry you are that you have hurt Him like you have. This he did, and he called me back and told me that when he had called me, he was craving a smoke so bad his lungs were hurting and he finally gave in to my suggestion and he said that immediately it left him and never came back. He also said that when he went to work the next day that a huge piece of wood fell on his foot and normally a whole long list of bad words would come out and all he said was 'ouch' and it startled him to think that God had even cleaned up his language and his chewing and his drinking and drugs and made a new person out of him right then and there. God is such an amazing God, when we mean what we say, He means what He says and His promises come true in our life. Why not let him clean up your life in such an amazing way? He will do it.
Grandma Joan
Today I was impressed with the thought that our communication needs some transforming, I don't know about you but I am sure I will benefit from this study and hope everyone else does too.
It is very easy to fall into the trap of having some favorite 'by words' so to speak, I use to have quite a few to be honest with you and most of them didn't make any sense at all and I noticed that people I was around would pick them up from me and it started me thinking about what I was saying. Have you noticed that?
Right now I am talking about innocent phrases that pop out without thinking but then there are other words that are not so innocent, such as using God's name in vain when the Bible is so very clear about that in the Commandments in Exodus 20;7 "Thou shalt not take the name of the Lord your God in vain, for the Lord will not hold him Guiltless who takes His name in vain." God's name is on the lips of so many these days that it actually makes me cringe with horror when I think of the end results of using it so frivolously. He is a Holy God and worthy of our reverence and our praise but certainly not using His name in a frivolous manner.
Then there is the filthy words that come out of people's mouths and I can't understand why. Why do people fall for the filth of this world as their bases of communication? In fact I have heard words that I haven't even known the meaning of until someone explained it to me.
Ephesians 4:29 "Let no corrupt word proceed out of your mouth, but what is good for necessary edification, that it may impart grace to the hearers." Our speech should impart grace to others who are listening. I pray that mine does.
I use to think it was smart to say catchy phrases and sometimes it caused me to get attention and that was great too. But the more I study the Word of God the more I am conscious of what I say or repeat of what others say.
God knew what the world was coming to and so He gave us all the cautions to protect us from falling into the devil's trap. Like this one:
Colossians 3:8-10 "But now you yourselves are to put off all these: anger, wrath, malice, blasphemy, filthy language out of your mouth. Do not lie to one another, since you have put off the old man with his deeds, and have put on the new man who is renewed in knowledge according to the image of Him who created him."
That about covers it doesn't it? Blasphemy means to speak of in an irreverent, impious manner, so any time we use God's name or any thing concerning the Godhead, in an irreverent way, we are blaspheming His Holy name. It gives me the shivers to think that I could be guilty of such a thing. I truly pray that you are not.
Here is what our words should be:
Psalms 18:14 "Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be acceptable in Your sight O Lord, my strength and my Redeemer."
I hope this little study helped you as much as it has me, I don't want my speech to belittle my Best Friend in the sight of others. What must they think of me if I do this, my light wouldn't shine very far, would it?
I have to tell you a little story about my eldest son, he was out in the world living a hard life and I probably wouldn't want to know it all, but one day he called me and said, 'Mom, I really want to be a Christian but I don't know how', and I tried my best to tell him to lay all his sins at the foot of the cross and ask God to take them and then tell him how sorry you are that you have hurt Him like you have. This he did, and he called me back and told me that when he had called me, he was craving a smoke so bad his lungs were hurting and he finally gave in to my suggestion and he said that immediately it left him and never came back. He also said that when he went to work the next day that a huge piece of wood fell on his foot and normally a whole long list of bad words would come out and all he said was 'ouch' and it startled him to think that God had even cleaned up his language and his chewing and his drinking and drugs and made a new person out of him right then and there. God is such an amazing God, when we mean what we say, He means what He says and His promises come true in our life. Why not let him clean up your life in such an amazing way? He will do it.
Grandma Joan
Tuesday, September 3, 2013
Learning to Lean
Learning is acquiring knowledge through experience or instruction. I like to say that life is the greatest teacher. I have been leaned on and I have leaned on. How about you? There is always something to learn and I am still learning and probably will never quit.
I am learning something that I didn't plan on learning, and that is to lean on others for help when you need it. I hate to say this but I feel very embarrassed to ask for help even if I really need it and suffer by not asking. Is that something you are acquainted with? I may be an odd ball when it comes to that but it hurts me to ask for help. I didn't want to get like this and it has taken a lot of pain, to learn this hard lesson.
Others will help and willingly if we ask. It is just the asking that hurts. I would rather suffer than ask. Am I odd or what? Oooooh, it just dawned on me that my pride is getting in the way of asking for help. Really, it just dawned on me that it is pride, I knew that I had a proud spirit but I thought God had taken it away but here it is getting in my way again. Please God help me with this ugly truth.
I wasn't afraid to ask Him to give me peace the other evening and He granted my request immediately, but maybe there are other things that I am more timid or more prideful about asking? I don't know. I just know it is hard. I guess I need to do another study on pride, are you up to it? Maybe next time.
Philippians 4:19 "But my God shall supply all your need according to His riches in glory by Christ Jesus"
The Bible says that He will supply ALL my needs according to His riches in glory by Christ Jesus. According to His riches, that has to be a never ending supply and it is all for me, can I comprehend that? Not sure. I'm trying to. That could mean Spiritual, Physical, emotional, and mental. I probably could use it all, so why not ask?
John 14:14 "If you ask anything in my name, I will do it".
John 16:24 " Until now you have asked nothing in my name, ask and you will receive that your joy may be full."
I read a statement on asking in His name the other day but don't remember where I read it but it went something like this, "but to pray in Jesus name means more than just at the beginning of or ending your prayer in His name, it means praying in the mind of Jesus."
I took that to mean that what Jesus would want for us, we can be sure that it is OK to pray for that particular thing. I also would like to have that fullness of joy that is mentioned in John 16:24. I know He wants us to be joyful and He also wants us to be healthy but in order to receive those gifts, He wants us to follow Him in a close fellowship and to lean on Him instead of our earthly friends and family, so I guess according to this study, I need to bury my pride and not be afraid to ask for help from friends and family or from God which is the most important. I hope this made sense to you and was a help. It was a discovery to me, God is so good at helping me to see myself just the way I am. Someone may say, 'I wouldn't like that' but I do like it because it is making me a better person for Him, so grit your teeth and ask Him to show you what you need to see and then lean on Him for the help you need to overcome. Enlightening for me to say the least. Grandma Joan
I am learning something that I didn't plan on learning, and that is to lean on others for help when you need it. I hate to say this but I feel very embarrassed to ask for help even if I really need it and suffer by not asking. Is that something you are acquainted with? I may be an odd ball when it comes to that but it hurts me to ask for help. I didn't want to get like this and it has taken a lot of pain, to learn this hard lesson.
Others will help and willingly if we ask. It is just the asking that hurts. I would rather suffer than ask. Am I odd or what? Oooooh, it just dawned on me that my pride is getting in the way of asking for help. Really, it just dawned on me that it is pride, I knew that I had a proud spirit but I thought God had taken it away but here it is getting in my way again. Please God help me with this ugly truth.
I wasn't afraid to ask Him to give me peace the other evening and He granted my request immediately, but maybe there are other things that I am more timid or more prideful about asking? I don't know. I just know it is hard. I guess I need to do another study on pride, are you up to it? Maybe next time.
Philippians 4:19 "But my God shall supply all your need according to His riches in glory by Christ Jesus"
The Bible says that He will supply ALL my needs according to His riches in glory by Christ Jesus. According to His riches, that has to be a never ending supply and it is all for me, can I comprehend that? Not sure. I'm trying to. That could mean Spiritual, Physical, emotional, and mental. I probably could use it all, so why not ask?
John 14:14 "If you ask anything in my name, I will do it".
John 16:24 " Until now you have asked nothing in my name, ask and you will receive that your joy may be full."
I read a statement on asking in His name the other day but don't remember where I read it but it went something like this, "but to pray in Jesus name means more than just at the beginning of or ending your prayer in His name, it means praying in the mind of Jesus."
I took that to mean that what Jesus would want for us, we can be sure that it is OK to pray for that particular thing. I also would like to have that fullness of joy that is mentioned in John 16:24. I know He wants us to be joyful and He also wants us to be healthy but in order to receive those gifts, He wants us to follow Him in a close fellowship and to lean on Him instead of our earthly friends and family, so I guess according to this study, I need to bury my pride and not be afraid to ask for help from friends and family or from God which is the most important. I hope this made sense to you and was a help. It was a discovery to me, God is so good at helping me to see myself just the way I am. Someone may say, 'I wouldn't like that' but I do like it because it is making me a better person for Him, so grit your teeth and ask Him to show you what you need to see and then lean on Him for the help you need to overcome. Enlightening for me to say the least. Grandma Joan
Monday, September 2, 2013
Don't Worry!
I have been a worrier, how about you and my eldest son took up my worrying and that's probably why I have nearly a white head. I was always thinking the worst of the happenings and my son would lay awake at night waiting for his dad to come home. Burt loved auctions and almost every Thursday night you could find him at the auction barn. Well, Ken would lay awake until he came home and then go to sleep. I wasn't that bad but bad enough to think of all kinds of things happening if he didn't come home from work on time or whatever the lateness might be.
My youngest son and my grandson are living with me right now and he always gets home by 6:15 - 6:30 from work, and he didn't come and he didn't come and it was 8:15 and he wasn't here and I was in one of my worry moods and could see accidents, hospitals and all that stuff and I was sitting here thinking about all of that when all of a sudden I realized the sin of what I was doing and what it was doing to me and I said 'Please Lord, give me peace' and that quick a wave of peace came over me and the thought of 'he's working late' and I was just fine and my granddaughter called me and told me the same thing, 'he's probably working late'.
I didn't realize until then that God takes care of EVERYTHING even my peace and I can't tell you what that did for my faith. All of a sudden I realized how faithless I am and how much I need my Savior in everything I do, and even think. My blood pressure was starting to rise and I knew I was in trouble if I didn't 'quit it'.
Philippians 4:6,7 says, "Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God; and the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus."
May I translate this verse into my words. "Don't worry, just ask Me and I will answer and give you peace that you do not understand and it surpasses anything you would understand and I will guard your heart and mind through Christ Jesus."
I didn't understand it but I can tell you I did appreciate that peace that He sent immediately and I was still thanking Him when I went to bed.
I don't know if you are guilty of that kind of worry or not but if you are, you know what I am talking about, when my husband would be very late, when he would come home, I would be so happy to see him that I would burst out crying from relief.
God has been so good to me lately and I am sharing these little stories with you to strengthen your faith in Him who loves you more than any earthly person. I hope you don't mind.
I have noticed that when we call He will answer and when He does answer, we should be as quick to thank Him for His love and care towards us. He has been working on my heart each day to improve my Christian walk and I hope He is working on your heart also. The closer we come to Jesus the more faulty we will look in our own eyes because we are looking at His perfect life, but it is a sign that the Holy Spirit is working in our behalf to help us in our walk with Him each day.
Be blessed with the peace that Jesus gives us and stop worrying about anything, let Him take care of it. Grandma Joan
My youngest son and my grandson are living with me right now and he always gets home by 6:15 - 6:30 from work, and he didn't come and he didn't come and it was 8:15 and he wasn't here and I was in one of my worry moods and could see accidents, hospitals and all that stuff and I was sitting here thinking about all of that when all of a sudden I realized the sin of what I was doing and what it was doing to me and I said 'Please Lord, give me peace' and that quick a wave of peace came over me and the thought of 'he's working late' and I was just fine and my granddaughter called me and told me the same thing, 'he's probably working late'.
I didn't realize until then that God takes care of EVERYTHING even my peace and I can't tell you what that did for my faith. All of a sudden I realized how faithless I am and how much I need my Savior in everything I do, and even think. My blood pressure was starting to rise and I knew I was in trouble if I didn't 'quit it'.
Philippians 4:6,7 says, "Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God; and the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus."
May I translate this verse into my words. "Don't worry, just ask Me and I will answer and give you peace that you do not understand and it surpasses anything you would understand and I will guard your heart and mind through Christ Jesus."
I didn't understand it but I can tell you I did appreciate that peace that He sent immediately and I was still thanking Him when I went to bed.
I don't know if you are guilty of that kind of worry or not but if you are, you know what I am talking about, when my husband would be very late, when he would come home, I would be so happy to see him that I would burst out crying from relief.
God has been so good to me lately and I am sharing these little stories with you to strengthen your faith in Him who loves you more than any earthly person. I hope you don't mind.
I have noticed that when we call He will answer and when He does answer, we should be as quick to thank Him for His love and care towards us. He has been working on my heart each day to improve my Christian walk and I hope He is working on your heart also. The closer we come to Jesus the more faulty we will look in our own eyes because we are looking at His perfect life, but it is a sign that the Holy Spirit is working in our behalf to help us in our walk with Him each day.
Be blessed with the peace that Jesus gives us and stop worrying about anything, let Him take care of it. Grandma Joan
Sunday, September 1, 2013
The Heavy Burdens of Life
We all have carried heavy burdens at some time or another, and I know from experience that it can be too heavy at times, way too heavy.
Are you carrying a heavy burden that is almost to hard for you to bear? Or perhaps you have more than one burden that you are trying to carry. Are you trying to carry it alone? It is a tough thing to try and do and an impossible task. We all need help and sometimes our family will step in and help us and sometimes we are all alone trying to carry our burdens. If you are alone trying to bear your cares all by yourself and you feel that you could sure use some help, well, I have good news for you, there is help at your fingertips.
Psalms 121: 1-8 "I will life up my eyes to the hills--from whence comes my help? My help comes from the Lord, who made heaven and earth. He will not allow your foot to be moved: He who keeps you will not sleep. The Lord is your keeper; The Lord is your shade at your right hand. The sun shall not strike you by day, Nor the moon by night. The Lord shall preserve your soul. The Lord shall preserve your going out and your coming in from this time forth, and even forevermore."
I have a good idea when reading verses like these. Instead of reading 'your', read 'my', it makes it so much more personal. "He will not allow MY foot to be moved: He who keeps ME will not sleep. The Lord is MY keeper, The Lord is MY shade at MY right hand. The sun shall not strike ME by day, nor the moon by night. The Lord shall preserve MY soul. The Lord shall preserve My going out and MY coming in from this time forth, and even forevermore."
See how much more personal this is, you can do this with lots of promises and if you TRUST in the Lord, He will keep His promises to you personally. He LOVES to lift our burdens for us, He LOVES to be our keeper.
So trust Him with your burdens today and the load will be lifted from your shoulders because He says, "Cast your burden on the Lord, And He shall sustain you; He shall never permit the righteous to be moved."
Psalms 55:22
Matthew 11:30 " My yoke is easy and my burden is light."
Let Him take your load and carry it for you, I have done that and it doesn't weigh hardly anything when He carries it. He will even carry you when you need Him to. I hope your burden has been lifted and you have a blessed day. Grandma Joan
Are you carrying a heavy burden that is almost to hard for you to bear? Or perhaps you have more than one burden that you are trying to carry. Are you trying to carry it alone? It is a tough thing to try and do and an impossible task. We all need help and sometimes our family will step in and help us and sometimes we are all alone trying to carry our burdens. If you are alone trying to bear your cares all by yourself and you feel that you could sure use some help, well, I have good news for you, there is help at your fingertips.
Psalms 121: 1-8 "I will life up my eyes to the hills--from whence comes my help? My help comes from the Lord, who made heaven and earth. He will not allow your foot to be moved: He who keeps you will not sleep. The Lord is your keeper; The Lord is your shade at your right hand. The sun shall not strike you by day, Nor the moon by night. The Lord shall preserve your soul. The Lord shall preserve your going out and your coming in from this time forth, and even forevermore."
I have a good idea when reading verses like these. Instead of reading 'your', read 'my', it makes it so much more personal. "He will not allow MY foot to be moved: He who keeps ME will not sleep. The Lord is MY keeper, The Lord is MY shade at MY right hand. The sun shall not strike ME by day, nor the moon by night. The Lord shall preserve MY soul. The Lord shall preserve My going out and MY coming in from this time forth, and even forevermore."
See how much more personal this is, you can do this with lots of promises and if you TRUST in the Lord, He will keep His promises to you personally. He LOVES to lift our burdens for us, He LOVES to be our keeper.
So trust Him with your burdens today and the load will be lifted from your shoulders because He says, "Cast your burden on the Lord, And He shall sustain you; He shall never permit the righteous to be moved."
Psalms 55:22
Matthew 11:30 " My yoke is easy and my burden is light."
Let Him take your load and carry it for you, I have done that and it doesn't weigh hardly anything when He carries it. He will even carry you when you need Him to. I hope your burden has been lifted and you have a blessed day. Grandma Joan
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)