Tuesday, February 28, 2017

Spiritual Beauty

Everyone wants to be beautiful or handsome, which ever gender you talk about.  I learned when I was a teenager that beauty is only skin deep.  We, meaning my family had a close friend that was a plain Jane, but that was only skin deep.  Her character shone through the skin into a very lovely person.  I have found that it is very true that beauty is only skin deep. Some beautiful people have very ugly characters, isn't that true?  And, some very ugly people have beautiful characters and you never notice anything but the beautiful character.  Today I would like to study about Spiritual Beauty and see what we come up with.

Psalm 149:4  "For the Lord takes pleasure in His people:  He will beautify the meek with salvation."

Ezekiel 16:14  "And thy renown went forth among the heathen for thy beauty; for it was perfect through My comeliness, which I had put upon thee, saith the Lord God."

Ephesians 5:27  "That He might present it to himself a glorious church, not having spot, or wrinkle, or any such thing; but that it should be holy and without blemish."

1 Peter 3:3,4  "Whose adorning let it not be that outward adorning of plaiting the hair, and of wearing of gold or of putting on of apparel; but let it be the hidden man of the heart, in that which is not corruptible, even the ornament of a meek and quiet spirit, which is in the sight of God of great price.

From this study, I see Spiritual Beauty as meek or humble, perfect beauty through Jesus, which He puts on us, a heart that  is not corruptible, and a meek and quiet spirit, which in the sight of God of great price.  I want to have the Spiritual Beauty that these verses are talking about, don't you?  We don't have to be loud to draw attention to us.  The beauty of Christ will do the drawing and our love through Him will make them want that same beauty, don't you think. Grandma Joan


Monday, February 27, 2017

Companionship

This is a followup of the post on separating from evil.  I hope it helps someone as much as it has helped me.  We must be very, very careful of who we choose for friends.  I have found that out the hard way.  Friends can lift you up if you choose the right ones or they can drag you down into the gutter. So be careful who you choose for friends.  I say this from experience and sometimes the other individual doesn't want you to withdraw from them, so choose carefully, please!

Exodus 34:12  "Take heed to thyself, lest thou make a covenant with the inhabitants of the land whither thou goest, lest it be for a snare in the midst of thee:"

Psalm 1:1  "Blessed is the man that walks not in the counsel of the ungodly, nor stands in the way of sinners, not sits in the seat of the scornful."

Proverbs 4:14  "Enter not into the path of the wicked, and go not in the way of evil men."

Proverbs 24:1  "Be not thou envious against evil men, neither desire to be with them."

1 Corinthians 5:11  "But now I have written unto you not to keep company, if any man that is called a brother be a fornicator, or covetous, or an idolater, or a railer, or a drunkard, or an extortioner; with such a one no not to eat."

2 Corinthians 6:14  "Be ye not unequally yoked together with unbelievers; for what fellowship hath righteousness with unrighteousness? and what communion hath light with darkness?"

Some more helpful texts for me and I hope they help someone today.  As you can see by the posts, that I have been having some problems with my choices of friends and companions and I needed these verses to help me to know how to better choose and if I choose wrongfully, that I can withdraw and do it quietly and respectfully.  This has been very helpful.  God never lets me down.  I pray that this will help someone today.  Christian love to all of you who are struggling and to those who are not.  I believe most of us are a struggling Christian in this world of sin.  So cheer up and follow on to know your Lord and Savior.  You are on the right path.  Grandma Joan

Cheer Up Ye Saints of God

Do you like to be a cheerful person?  I do, lately when I get up and start my day, I notice a dark cloud hanging over me, then I remember that Satan is the cause of that and I turn to God and ask Him to protect me from Satan's power and it goes away.  I am very sensitive to the devil and his tools of discouragement and a downcast spirit.  I don't like it at all.  If this happens to you which it will if you are living a life of fulfillment with God.  Satan doesn't like it at all and will try to discourage you to give up and let him have control.  Don't do it, call upon God immediately, if all you can say is 'Jesus Save Me' that is enough to send Satan running.  He can't stay around at the name of Jesus. Sometimes you may have to do that several times a day until the devil knows you mean it and even then he doesn't give up on trying to destroy us.  So ask God to fill you with courage and cheerfulness and He will do that and we are also told to, 'Resist the devil and he will flee, and to draw nigh to God and He will draw nigh to us'.  So let's cause him to flee and be filled with heavenly joy.  The following verses will help you.

Psalm 15:13  "A merry heart makes a cheerful countenance; but by sorrow of the heart the spirit is broken."

Proverbs 17:22  "A merry heart does good like a medicine; but a broken spirit dries the bones."

I would like to comment on these two previous verses.  Sorrow of heart does cause a broken spirit and a broken spirit does dry up the bones.  A little testimony to this fact.  Years ago I was in my fifties and some friend of my son-in-law came by and started sharing some cultish ideas with him and almost before I knew it they had convinced them to join them, in the process of all this they took three of my children and their families with them.  I cannot tell you the sorrow of heart that followed. If you know anything about cults, you know that they are not allowed to remain in contact with their families because they might be influenced to stay away from them.  I wept for weeks over that and tried to get counseling and it just wouldn't work out.  In time I came down with Osteoporosis and since have broken all my vertebrae twice, broken ribs over twenty times, a broken hip and am still breaking vertebrae, just a couple weeks ago, our car hit a bump on the freeway and one snapped.
I have had surgery and had seven filled which has helped the pain, but let me tell you the pain has been out of this world.  All because I let stress take over my life for twenty years, I only saw my children very rarely.  And it just ate away at me that long.  A broken spirit needs God's healing hand immediately, and I didn't understand that, or anything that would help, I was so broken. I needed help but there was no one to help me through it. My husband was broken too, but it didn't affect him the same way as it did me. But he was so good to me through all the breaking that my body endured and took care of me in the kindest way. One doctor that saw my Xrays said, 'Lady, you have to be in a world of pain', and yes I was, for sure.  So just let me say, 'A merry heart is good like a medicine', it has taken me years to understand how to have that 'merry heart'.  God is the only One who can give us that kind of heart.  Please, don't let stress break your heart like I did.  There are ways around it.

John 16:33  (Jesus speaking)  "These things I have spoken unto you, that in Me ye might have peace. In the world ye shall have tribulation but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world."

Acts 27:25  "Wherefore, sirs, be of good cheer for I believe God, that it shall be even as it was told me."

Acts 27:36  "Then were they all of good cheer, and they also took some meat."

Peace in a world of woe is so precious to me.  I have learned lots of lessons through all this and hope that my little testimony has helped you see what stress does to us if we don't turn to God for help.  I thought I was a Christian and living a life of a Christian but it took something awful to wake me up and turn me around and I have only had this kind of peace a short time out of my 86 years.  So please if you don't learn anything else, learn to let God have full control of your life and you can be of good courage and have the peace that passes all understanding and have a cheerful heart too.  It is possible!
Grandma Joan

Sunday, February 26, 2017

What About Our Associations?

I have been pummeling over something lately that I believe this study has the answer.  Have you ever tried to befriend someone and no matter what you said or did or how hard you tried to be their friend, nothing seemed to penetrate their mind. As you probably know, my greatest desire in life is to be the kind of Christian that follows God no matter what and when I see someone that looks like they need a friend, I feel sorry for them and want to help.  Well, it doesn't always work, I can tell you that and I was beside myself with what to do.  I could  see that helping them spiritually was of no avail.  Their mind was in the gutter all the time, all the time, and I cannot live like that or think like that, I will not. I didn't know what to do and I was being used the whole time too.  Well, guess what?  I found the answer.  Here it is.

Isaiah 52:11 "Depart ye, depart ye, go ye out from thence, touch no unclean thing; go ye out from the midst of her; be ye clean that bear the vessels of the Lord."

John 15:19  "If ye were of the world, the world would love his own: but because ye are not of the world, but I have chosen you out of the world, therefore the world hates you."

Acts 2:40 "And with many other words did He testify and exhort, saying, save yourselves from this untoward generation."

Ephesians 5:11  "And have no fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness, but rather reprove them."

And  here is a command!

2 Thessalonians 3:6 "Now we command you brethren, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that ye withdraw yourselves from every brother that walks disorderly, and not after the tradition which he received from us."

Do you think this answers my troubled heart, yes, in many ways and it is what I have done, but I guess I needed proof that I was doing the right thing.  I have withdrawn myself according to this command.  Now I will let God do the rest.  Grandma Joan

Saturday, February 25, 2017

Mission Possible

A lot of people think that this mission is impossible but Jesus said in Matthew 19:26, "With men this is impossible but with God all things are possible."

Colossians 1:21,22  "And you, who were once alienated and enemies in your mind by wicked works, yet now He has reconciled in the body of His flesh through death, to present you holy and blameless, and above reproach in His sight."

Titus 3:5  "Not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to His mercy He saved us, through the washing of regeneration and renewing of the Holy Spirit."

2 Corinthians 5:17  "Therefore, if anyone is in Christ he is a new creature; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new."

John 1:12,13 "But as many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become children of God, to those who believe in His name, who were born not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of men, but of God."

John 6:63  "It is the Spirit that gives life; the flesh profits nothing.  The words that I speak to you are spirit and they are life."

John 3:7,8  "Marvel not that I said unto you; You must be born again.  The wind bloweth where it listeth; and thou hearest the sound thereof, but cannot tell where it comes from or where it goes; so it is with everyone that is born of the Spirit."

The following verses tell us how to complete this mission of transformation of character.

1John 5:14,15  "And this is the confidence that we have in him, that, if we ask any thing according His will, He heareth us:  And if we know that He hears us, whatsoever we ask, we know that we have the petitions that we desired of Him.

Do you desire to complete this mission that most people think is impossible.  The mission is possible through Christ who strengthens us and lives in us through His Holy Spirit and we know that if we ask anything according to His will, we know that we have the petition that we desire of Him, so let's ask Him to send His Holy Spirit to dwell in us and make us a new creature in Christ.  It is always God's will to save us, so lets ask Him.  Are you with me?  Grandma Joan

Friday, February 24, 2017

God a Fortress, A Hiding Place, a Refuge and a Shield

What else could we ask for?  He has promised so much, I can't get over all the promises that have been made in our behalf.  These next promises are for us when we are attacked by satan.  We need to be strong and the way we are made strong is through His promises to us.  Remember, 'Through His Promises we become partakers of His Divine Nature.  So study His promises and be strengthened.

God a Fortress

2 Samuel 22:2  "And He said, The Lord is my rock, and my fortress, and my deliverer."

Psalm 18:2  "The Lord is my rock, and my fortress, and my deliverer; my God, my strength, in whom I will trust; my buckler, and the horn of my salvation, and my high tower."

Psalm 91:2 "I will say of the Lord, He is my refuge and my fortress; my God, in Him will I trust."

Nahum 1:7  "The Lord is good, a strong hold in the day of trouble; and He knows them that trust in him."

A Hiding Place

Psalm 17:8  "Keep me as the apple of the eye, hide me under the shadow of Thy wings."

Psalm 27:5  "For in the time of trouble He hall hide me in His pavilion: in the secret of His tabernacle shall He hide me; He shall set me up upon a rock."

Psalm 31:20  "Thou shalt hide them in the secret of Thy presence from the pride of man: Thou shalt keep them secretly in a pavilion from the strife of tongues."

Psalm 32:7  "Thou art my hiding place; Thou shalt preserve me from trouble; Thou shalt compass me about with songs of deliverance."

Psalm 64:2,3  "Hide me from the secret counsel of the wicked; from the insurrection of the workers of iniquity: who whet their tongue like a sword, and bend their bows to shoot their arrows, even bitter words:"

Psalm 119:114  "Thou art my hiding place and my shield: I hope in Thy word."

Psalm 143:9  "Deliver me, O Lord, from mine enemies: I flee unto thee to hide me."

A Refuge

Psalm 31:20  "Thou shalt hide them in the secret of Thy presence from the pride of man: Thou shalt keep them secretly in a pavilion from the strife of tongues."

Psalm 46:1  "God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble."

Psalm 71:3 "Be Thou my strong habitation, whereunto I may continually resort: Thou  hast given commandment to save me; for Thou art my rock and my fortress."

Proverbs 14:26  "In the fear of the Lord is strong confidence: and His children shall have a place of refuge."

Proverbs 18:10  "The name of the Lord is a strong tower: the righteous runs into it, and is safe."

A Shield

Genesis 15:1  "After these things the word of the Lord came unto Abram in a vision, saying, Fear not, Abram: I am Thy shield, and Thy exceeding great reward."

Deuteronomy 33:29  "Happy art thou O Israel: who is like unto thee, O people saved by the Lord, the shield of thy help, and who is the sword of thy excellency!  And thine enemies shall be found liars unto thee; and thou shalt tread upon their high places."

Psalm 33:20  "Our soul waits for the Lord: He is our help and our shield."

Psalm 84:11  "For the Lord God is a sun and shield: the Lord will give grace and glory: no good thing will He withhold from them that walk uprightly."

Proverbs 30:5,6  "Every word of God is pure, He is a shield unto them that put their trust in Him. Add thou not unto His words; lest He reprove thee, and thou be found a liar."

I don't think I need to add a word unto these verses.  It is very great promises that He will protect us from the enemy of souls, wherever they are and whatever they do or say, we are always able to ask God to protect us and He will.  Please believe these promises and rest in His words.  Thats what I do and I am safe in His care, always.  Grandma Joan

Thursday, February 23, 2017

Precious Lord, Take My Hand

Taking the hand of another, has a comforting feeling, specially if a person is ill, or discouraged. A hug is even better, but let's just consider the taking of a person's hand. Has anyone ever taken your hand in theirs and taken their other hand and patted your hand.  To me, there is a special, comforting, fellowship and helpfulness in that handshake.  It has a special meaning in it of caring for how you are doing and maybe a hint of Christian love in it?  There was lots of love in Jesus taking your hand, His hand had a lot of meaning in it when He took your hand.  Let's take a look at someone taking your hand.

A Sign of Friendship

2 Kings 10:15  "And when he was departed thence, he lighted on Jehonadab the son of Rechab coming to meet him and he saluted him, and said to him.  Is thine heart right as my heart is with thy heart?   And Jehonadab answered, It is.  If it be, give me thine hand.  And he gave him his hand; and he took him up to him into the chariot."

A Little Girl Responds to the Healing Hand of Jesus

Matthew 9:25  "But when  the people were put forth, he went in, and took her by the hand, and the maid arose."

Even the Demon Possessed respond to the hand of Jesus

Mark 9:27  "But Jesus took him by the hand, and lifted him up, and he arose."

Feet and Ankles Respond to the Hand of Peter

Acts 3:7  "And he took him by the right hand, and lifted him up and immediately his feet and ankle bones received strength."

Peter Lifted up the Dead by His Hand

Acts 9:41  "And he gave her (Dorcas) his hand and lifted her up, and when he had called the saints and widows, presented her alive.

Our hands can mean so much to others.  They can mean a lot of Christian love and they can also be used in the wrong way if our heart is not right with God.  We must have the love of Christ in our heart if we are truly Christians and then the touch of our hands will be comforting and tell the person that they mean a lot to you, that you love them with the love of Jesus in your heart.  I am so loved at the church I attend. I cannot explain how it has made such a difference in my life.  I am sure the people that love me, will probably never know.  I also like to make new friends by loving them with a touch or even a hug if it's a lady and I am not afraid to tell them that I love them, if I truly do.  I always receive more love than I give.  Try it you might just be overcome with the love of the saints.  Grandma Joan




Wednesday, February 22, 2017

Anxious?

The dictionary describes anxious with these words: worried, concern, uneasy, apprehensive, fearful, perturbed, troubled, disturbed, distressed, fretful, agitated, nervous, edgy, antsy, tense, overwrought,  and much more.

Do any of these words describe you?  I think I have experienced all of them sometime in my life. How about you?  None of these conditions are appealing are they.  The Bible has some suggestions regarding this state of mind.  Following are a few verses that might be helpful.

Luke 12:11,12  "And when they bring you unto the synagogue, and unto magistrates, and powers, take ye no thought how or what thing ye shall answer, or what ye shall say:  For the Holy Ghost shall teach you in the same hour what ye ought to say."  Wow! no worries how to answer.

Luke 12:26  "If ye then be not able to do that thing which is least, why take ye thought for the rest" The thought here is, if you can't do it, don't worry about it.  Maybe even get someone else to do it.

Philippians 4:6  "Be careful for nothing: but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God."  This is easy for me to understand.  Some verses I have to ask God for help but I think this one explains itself very well.

1 Peter 5:7  "Casting all your care upon Him, for He cares for you."  What a wonderful promise for out anxious moments.  I love this one very much."

The meaning of Anxious has so many meanings, it covers about every worry in life.  I'm so glad we have a heavenly Father that cares for us individually, aren't you?  It takes all that worry away. Try it you just might like the results.  Grandma Joan
                            

Tuesday, February 21, 2017

Faith Verses Anxiety, My Journey

I have learned a great lesson on faith, this is a subject that has bothered me for years and I have prayed over it, over and over again, for God to give me the faith that I read about in the Bible, the faith of Jesus.
Just not too long ago it was brought to my mind that faith is trusting God in everything and that sounds simple enough but then I realized all of a sudden that God had given me the faith that I had asked for and I didn't even know it.  You might ask, how do you have faith and not know it?  I'm not sure I can answer that except to say that He gives us lots of gifts and perhaps we don't realize it until we are in desperate need of them and all of a sudden there it is.  That's what happened to me.  Here's my story.

About six or seven years ago, I was diagnosed with heart failure, the beginning of it and they found I had an aorta heart valve that was closing up on me and that is what was causing my heart failure.  Thats what the doctor told me.  So they planned to give me a new heart valve, then they found ulcers in my stomach that was causing bleeding and couldn't do the heart valve surgery until the bleeding stopped and the bleeding is caused by a hiatal hernia and the hernia is so bad and I am too old to be operated on.  So where does that leave me.  I was told by my last Cardiologist visit that the valve is critical and I may have a year or two at the most.  How would you feel about this diagnosis?  I was concerned at first, when I was first diagnosed with heart failure, my husband was still alive and my concern was for him and I didn't take it very good but I am still here and He is gone.  This last diagnosis that they can't do anything for me, as far as I know, didn't bother me.  I was wondering why, then it came to me that I had peace, the peace that passes all understanding according to the Bible, I realized that I had left everything, I mean everything in God's hand, my health, my children, my future, everything.  I go to bed at night not knowing if I will wake up in the morning and it doesn't bother me.  I am not worried, I feel great about whatever God decides to do with me.  That's when I discovered I had faith.  What a revelation!!  God had given me faith not only over my health but over all the anxieties that satan can throw upon us.  When I realized the peace that He had given me, I was overwhelmed with the love that He has bestowed upon me, that's when I realized what faith is and that I already had lots of faith, so much so, that all anxiety is gone and whatever is His will, I am content with it.  I cannot describe it but I know it is true because I have no worries at all.  Everything is in His hands and because I know He loves me, I trust Him to take care of me.  That's faith.

For my family, if you are reading this, I want you to know that I pray for you every day and sometimes more often.  When I am gone, I know God will take care of you in a very special way and Jesus will continue to intercede on your behalf in my place so I have nothing to worry about there, He will take care of you.  And to my friends and family, I hope that my life has been a witness to the power of God and you have been blessed by me in some little way.  Life is difficult and we all make mistakes and I have made so many but God has promised forgiveness and I know He has done that for me.  I rest in His care for me day by day and that is faith too.

Do you understand faith a little bit more from my journey?  It has been a great revelation to me and I hope it will strengthen you.  Grandma Joan

Sunday, February 19, 2017

Promises of Ultimate Victory

Victory.  What is Victory?  The dictionary says it means, a success, triumph over an enemy, defeating an enemy, to win, to succeed.  Sounds great doesn't it?  When I was in high school, I loved football, no, I didn't play football, but I was a great promoter in the grandstand.  I would yell for our team until I was hoarse.  I'm not into sports anymore but at that time it was very important to me for our team to win.  We lived out on a farm, so I didn't get to go to many games but once in a while I would get a chance to stay for a home game, it was exciting.

I am asking myself, 'Is it as exciting today when I have a touchdown in my life and overcome some-thing that I have been battling for a long time.  Do I thank the One who has given me the victory over that obstacle that has been hounding me for a long time?  It might be appetite, under appetite we might list, food, overwork, sexual desires, an addiction of some kind, there are many ways we can have a sinful appetite. I don't know about you but I do know about me, and I know when I have a victory over some sin I feel so clean and good.  I know I am not alone in craving a pure life in Christ. It is something that all of us have a need for, so with that in mind, I would like to look at some promises of victory today.  Are you with me?

Over Evil Influences of men

Psalm 44:5  "Through Thee will we push down our enemies:  Through Thy name will we tread them under that rise up against us."

Over Malign Spiritual Forces

Luke10:19  "Behold, I give you power to tread on serpents,scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy: and nothing shall by any means hurt you."

Over Severest Afflictions

Romans 8:35  "Who shall separate us from the love of Christ?  shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or unkindness, or peril, or sword?

Romans 8:37  "No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through Him that loved us."

Over Worldly Allurements

1 John 5:4  "For whatsoever is born of God overcomes the world: And this is the victory that overcomes the world even our faith."

Over All Satanic Powers

Revelation 15:2  "And I saw as it were a sea of glass mingled with fire: and them that had gotten the victory over the beast, and over his image, and over his mark, and over the number of his name, stand on the sea of glass, having the harps of God."

Are these verses encouraging?  They are to me.  I needed this little study today.  We can have the power to push down an enemy that is trying to keep us from serving God with all our heart.  Who shall separate us from the love of Christ?  We can be conquerors over all the power of the enemy through Christ who strengthens us and loves us.  If we are born of God, we can overcome the world.
What encouragement!  I hope you have been encouraged today.  I pray that we will let Christ reign in our hearts and we can overcome the enemy of our souls through our Loving Father in heaven.  We can have all the help we need.  Please help ME Lord Jesus, I need you so much.  Grandma Joan

Saturday, February 18, 2017

Promises to the Obedient

Some people do not think it is necessary to be obedient to God.  But I want to tell you that if you promised your children or anyone certain things if they were obedient to you or respected what the requirements were, you probably wouldn't pour out your blessings on them if they disrespected you and your requirements.  Do you see how that works.  I am not perfect but I do love Him and respect His authority and want His blessings and that is why I believe that His promises are for the obedient.  You understand that we all receive blessings from Him every day that we don't even ask for but it would be well to show our appreciation for them by thanking Him daily for those blessings.  So let's see what He has to say about this subject.

Exodus 20:6  "And showing mercy unto thousands of them that love me, and keep my commandments."

Exodus 23:22  "But if thou shall indeed obey His voice, and do all that I speak; then I will be an enemy unto thine enemies, and an adversary unto thine adversaries."

Deuteronomy 4:40  "Thou shall keep therefore His statutes, and His commandments, which I command thee this day, that it may go well with thee, and with thy children after thee, and that thou mayest prolong thy days upon the earth, which the Lord thy God giveth thee, for ever."

Deuteronomy 11:26,27  "Behold, I set before you this day a blessing and a curse;  A blessing, if ye obey the commandments of the Lord your God, which I command you this day."

Isaiah 1:19  "If ye be willing and obedient, ye shall eat the good of the land:"

Mark 3:35  "For whosoever shall do the will of God, the same is my brother, and my sister, and mother."

John 7:17  "If any man will do His will, he shall know of the doctrine, whether it be of God, or whether I speak of myself."

John 14:23  "Jesus answered and said unto him, 'If a man love Me, he will keep My words; and My Father will love Him,  and we will come unto him and make our abode with him."

God has so many promises to those who obey Him.  We do slip and fall, not on purpose but it is our sinful nature that causes this, but, we can jump right up from our all and confess our fall and repent of it and we are forgiven and go right on accepting His promises by faith to those who believe.  Are you a believer?  I think you are or you wouldn't be reading this.  Grandma Joan


Friday, February 17, 2017

Promises to the Liberal Giver

I knew a person who was willing to rob someone of their profit, to gain for themselves more money.
Selfishness is a sin, but we will catch that one later.  I want to show you some promises for those who are willing to forgo profit gains for themselves and give to others who are in need.

Psalm 41:1  "Blessed is he that considers the poor: The Lord will deliver him in time of trouble."

Provers 3:9  "Honor the Lord with thy substance, and the first fruits of all thine increase."

Proverbs 3:10  "So shall thy barns be filled with plenty, and thy presses shall burst out with new wine."

Proverbs 11:25 "The liberal soul shall be made fat, and he that waters shall be watered also himself"

Isaiah 58:10  "And if thou draw out they soul to the hungry, and satisfy the afflicted soul; then shall thy light rise in obscurity, and thy darkness be as the noonday."

Luke 6:38  "Give, and it shall be given unto you; good measure, pressed down and shaken together, and running over, shall men give into your bosom.  For with the same measure that ye mete withal it shall be measured to you again.

2 Corinthians 9:7  "Every man according to the purpose in his heart, so let him give, not grudgingly, or of necessity : for God loveth a cheerful giver."

These promises are for you who love to give and I am sure that many of you have received from God these promises and could relate your experience of giving.  We should never give grudgingly or because we think we have to because God loves to have us do it cheerfully.  We need to honor the Lord with our giving, don't you think.  I am sure that we will be blessed when we consider the poor. Grandma Joan

Thursday, February 16, 2017

Promises to Those Who Share God's Love

I love to share God's love with others and specially His promises.  I am not worthy to do this but I learn from sharing and it strengthens my spiritual life like nothing else can.  A year ago, I was struck with bleeding ulcers and was in a terribly weakened state, and I crawled in bed this one evening and just a moment later I was impressed to get up and ask my son to take me to the emergency room or it would be too late for me.  So I did as I was told and in my weakened state they gave me two units of blood, was in the hospital for a couple of days.  The same thing happened again some time later and had to go to the hospital again and receive more blood.  Then God showed me what I needed to do to help my bleeding myself with my diet.  I did as directed and the bleeding is still going on but it is just seeping now and my hemoglobin is staying up to normal.  Then the other day, I was feeling like I wasn't doing anything for God and was feeling pretty low about it and He reminded me that I had a blog and lots of things I could share with others and here I am back sharing and feeling great, not sure whats going on with my body as I can't see in there but I'm doing much better now that I am sharing again.  So today I want to share some promises to those who share God's love with others.  I pray that you will be blessed and want to share also.

Daniel 12:3  "And they that be wise shall shine as the brightness of the firmament; and they that turn many to righteousness, as the stars forever and ever."

Mark 9:41  "For whosoever shall give you a cup of water to drink in my name, because ye belong to Christ, verily I say unto you, he shall not lose his reward."

Romans 2:10  "But glory, honor and peace, to every man that works good; to the Jew first and also to the Gentile."

1 Corinthians 3:14  "If any man's work abide which he hath built thereupon, he shall receive a reward."

1 Corinthians 15:58  "Therefore, my beloved brethren, be ye stedfast, unmovable, alway abounding in the work of the Lord, forasmuch as ye know that your labor is not in vain in the Lord."

James 1:25  "But whoso looks into the perfect law of liberty, and continues therein, he being not a forgetful hearer, but a doer of the work, this man shall be blessed in his deed."

These promises are enough to spur me on in my desires to share God's word with others.  I hope you will be blessed with the desire to share too.  It truly blesses me in a great way and encourages me to keep on in my relationship with God who never fails me.  I also share on Facebook too, which helps me in my walk with the Lord.  There are many ways to share.  Just share what God has done for you, it will bless others to want to be blessed too.  God bless you with the desire to share God with your friends and family and others as the opportunity arises.  Grandma Joan

Wednesday, February 15, 2017

Special promises to the Poor

Are you poor?  God loves you and has special promises just for you.  He loves everyone, it doesn't matter to Him what our condition might be or how rich or poor we might be He has promises for all so that we might enjoy life eternal with Him.  He is there to help you!!  Trust Him.  Listen to these promises and let them take over your mind and trust Him.

Divine protection

Psalm 12:5  "For the oppression of the poor, for the sighing of the needy, now will I arise, saith the Lord, I will set him in safety from him that puffs at him." (Puff meaning a short burst of breath or wind.)

He overshadows us

Isaiah 25:4  "For Thou hast been a strength to the poor, a strength to the needy in his distress, a refuge from the storm, a shadow from the heat, when the blast of the terrible ones is as a storm against the wall."

Answer to our prayer

Isaiah 41:17  "When the poor and needy seek water, and there is none, and their tongue fails them for thirst, I the Lord will hear them, I the God of Israel will not forsake them."

Heavenly Inheritance

James 2:5  "Hearken, my beloved brethren, Hath not God chosen the poor of this world rich in faith, and heirs of the kingdom which he has promised to them that love Him?"

The Bible says that 'riches profits not in the day of wrath; but righteousness delivers from death." Proverbs 11:4.  So my friend, God loves you who are poor and will strengthen you in your distresses.  He will bless you when you trust in His promises.  He has promised you strength, and to be a refuge from the storm and a shadow from the heat of the terrible ones.   He has promised you safety, and that He will not forsake you.  He has chosen you to be heirs with Him in His kingdom, so trust Him and He will be with you, and put His arms of love around you and give you peace.  Grandma Joan


Tuesday, February 14, 2017

Promises to the Seekers of God's Word

Seeking God's word reminds me  of someone who is really determined to find out what life is all about and turns to God's word to remedy their life situations.  I've certainly remedied a lot of mine through the study of the Bible and you can too.  Some examples of curing life's maladies that I have experienced.  The amazing part of this seeking is that when God does a remedy, we don't always realize what he has done until after He has done it.  For example, I was very timid and I had prayed about getting over it and some time later I was impressed to give a friend some pretty scarves that I make, and so I did, then people asked her where she got them and this was at church,  and then somebody would say, ' Oh, your the lady that makes those pretty scarves'.  And before I knew what was happening a good share of the ladies had at least one of them and others more than one and then that led into great friends and the great friends taught me how to love all those around me and that led to some of the greatest friends I have ever had.  And I am still doing it.  Love making friends and loving them as well. Then I realized what God had done for me.  Some of it before I even asked.  I am so thankful to a loving God who has put His love in my heart and made me so many, many friends.  I've never had so many friends and received so many hugs and even kisses.   So let's see some promises for the Seekers.

Deuteronomy 4:29  "But if from thence thou shalt seek the Lord thy God, thou shall find Him, if thou seek Him with all thy heart and with all thy soul."

2 Chronicles 7:14  "If my people, which are called by My name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways; then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land."

Proverbs 8:17  "I love them that love Me, and those that seek me early shall find me."

Luke 11:9  "And I say unto you, Ask, and it shall be given you' seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you."

Do you see why I think it is so important to pray and seek the Lord through His word.  It works miracles in our lives and I also have learned to be a giver too.  I liked to give before but now it is just automatic to want to give my scarves away.  I gave four more away last night at our valentine party.  It is so much fun, it is something anyone can do.  I love it and I love them too.  Grandma Joan

Monday, February 13, 2017

Promises to the Tempted

Are you ever tempted to just give up and go your own way?  I think everyone has been there at one time or another. When you think of what Jesus gave up for us, it helps to strengthen us to go on and win the fight with evil.  Listen to this, "My grace is sufficient for thee: for My strength is made perfect in weakness." 2 Corinthians 12:9.  I am weak but He is strong, and His grace and strength is what pulls me through all my trials and there have been plenty, more than plenty.  His strength is made perfect in my weakness.  I praise Him for His everlasting grace and strength to pull me through every time.  If you come to Him in your weakness, you WILL find grace and strength to resist the devil and He will flee from you. James 4:7.  Let's see what God says about being tempted.

Power to tread on evil forces

Luke 10:19  "Behold, I give unto you power to tread on serpents and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy; and nothing shall by any means hurt you."

Safety through Christ's intercession

Luke 22:31,32  "And the Lord said, 'Simon, Simon, Satan has desired to have you, that he may sift you like wheat:  But I have prayed for thee, that thy faith fail not: and when thou art converted, strengthen thy brethren."

The bruising of the Serpent's head

Romans 16:20  "And the God of peace shall bruise Satan under your feet shortly.  The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with  you.  Amen"

A way of escape

1 Corinthians 10:13  "There hath no temptation taken you but such as is common to man: but God is faithful, who will not suffer you to be tempted above that ye are able; but will with the temptation make a way to escape, that ye may be able to bear it."

Help in the trying hour

Hebrews 2:18  (succor meaning help or assistance)  "For in that He Himself hath suffered being tempted, He is able to succor them that are tempted."

Final Victory

James 4:7  "Submit yourselves therefore to God.  Resist the devil, and he will flee from you."

Enthroned with Christ

Revelation 3:21  "To him that overcomes will I grant to sit with me in My throne, even as I also overcame, and am set down with My Father in His throne."

What do you think of these promises?  God has provided all the help we need.  We just need to claim His promises and we will succeed in our trials and temptations, even though they may be hard He is able to help us through them.  I have experienced this over and over and the reward is to be able to partake of His divine nature and be with Him forever and ever is worth every effort we put forth to have faith in His promises. Because we are weak, His strength is sufficient for us, always, and His help is always at our side.  Try Him, He is faithful.  Because He has suffered temptation, He is able to help us when we suffer temptation.  I love the promises of God, are you leaning on His promises?  Try them, He never fails, you may think He doesn't care but He does, He doesn't want one person to be lost.  Give up and let God take over in your life and you will be saved.  Grandma Joan

Sunday, February 12, 2017

Promises to the Afflicted -cont.

This is a continuation of yesterday's post.  I asked God this morning to give me a special promise for the pain I've been in, so we will see what He has in store for me.  He has never failed me and I know that He will not fail me today.  I hope it helps someone besides me today.  Thank you for reading.

Fellowship in Christ's sufferings

1 Peter 4:12,13  "Beloved, think it not strange concerning the fiery trial which is to try you, as though some strange thing happened unto you.  But rejoice, inasmuch as ye are partakers of Christ's sufferings, that, when His glory shall be revealed, ye may be glad also with exceeding joy."

Membership in the Company of the Redeemed

Revelation 7:13,14  "And one of the elders answered, saying unto me, What are these which are arrayed in white robes? and whence came they?  And I said unto him, Sir, thou knowest.  And he said to me, these are they which came out of great tribulation, and have washed their robes, and made them white in the blood of the Lamb."

Final Deliverance from sorrow and pain

Revelation 21:4  "And God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes, and there shall be no more death, neither sorrow nor crying, neither shall there be any more pain: for the former things are passed away."

God hasn't promised us a bed of roses, or no sorrow or pain, but He has promised us  to be with us through it all and we are not to think it strange when we have trials that try our faith, how else would our faith be strengthened?  He takes the pain away when we need it removed and He heals our sorrowing heart in time.  In this day there is a lot of sorrow, so much sin has caused so much sorrow and many, many families have been hit with horrible things that have caused so very much sorrow. It is impossible to have peace and joy without our God to heal our broken hearts and our broken bodies.  God tells us in Hosea 12:6 "Therefore turn thou to thy God, keep mercy and judgment, and wait on thy God continually."

A way of escape

1 Corinthians 10:13  "There has no temptation taken you but such as is common to man: but God is faithful, who will not suffer you to be tempted above that ye are able; but will with the temptation also make a way of escape, that ye may be able to bear it."

Take the way of escape and "Resist the devil and he will flee from you, Draw night to God and He will draw night to you."  James 4:7,8.  So many promises to help us in our journey in this world.
Hope that you love these promises and find them just the help that you need for your pain, sorrow and trials.  God bless you.  Grandma Joan

Saturday, February 11, 2017

Promises to the Afflicted

Are you afflicted with sickness and disease"  I am, and it is all my own fault, I know that, but God is merciful and wants to save us even if we have wandered and gone our own way in any portion of our life.  I started in my affliction with Osteoporosis, and have broken many bones, my hip, my ribs many times, and all my vertebrae twice and just last Friday another one for the third time.  I know what pain is and I have come to know who God is and that He is a merciful, kind and loving Father and doesn't want me to suffer like I have, but I have not always obeyed as I should and we do suffer the consequence of our disobedience.  But as you will see, 'Many are the afflictions of the righteous ut God delivers them'. So those that are serving God do suffer.Yesterday, I wanted to shower and I was in such pain I was afraid to try it for fear of falling, so I actually wept before God and asked Him to give me strength to take my shower without pain and to please heal this unbearable pain.  Well, I took my shower without any pain and the pain is much better but still unbearable at times, but I haven't lost faith that He is taking care of me.  I love Him and want to share the love that He has given me, and this is one way I am able to do it, so I pray that you are blessed with these promises today to the afflicted.

Brighter days

Psalm 30:5  "For his anger endures but a moment; in His favor is life, weeping may endure for a night, but joy comes in the morning."  (I do have joy in the Lord, even in my pain.)

Deliverance

Psalm 34:19 "Many are the afflictions of the righteous, but the Lord delivers him out of them all."

Divine care in sickness

Psalm 41:3  "The Lord will strengthen him upon the bed of languishing; Thou will make all his bed in his sickness."

Comfort of God's presence

Isaiah 43:2  " When thou pass through the waters, I will be with thee, and through the rivers, they shall not overflow thee:  when thou walk through the fire, thou shall not be burned, neither shall the flame kindle upon thee."

An Eternal Home

John 14:1,2  "Let not your heart be troubled: ye believe in God, believe also in Me. (Jesus speaking)
In My Father's house are many mansions" if it were not so, I would have told you.  I go to prepare a place for you."

All things work for the Believers Good

Romans 8:28  "And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God to them who are the called according to His purpose."
2 Corinthians 4:17  "For our light affliction which is but for a moment, works for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory."

Sufficiency of Divine Grace

2 Corinthians 12:9  "And He said unto me, My grace is sufficient for thee: for my strength is made perfect in weakness.  Most gladly therefore will I rather glory in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me."

I know God loves us even in our waywardness, even though He does not approve of our ways, He forgives if we repent and are not deliberately sinning just to see if He will help us.  No that is not the way to look at His loving kindness.  He loves us and does not want us to suffer but we have a free choice whether we will obey or have our own way.  I have learned some very hard lessons on this very thing, but I can tell you this, my afflictions have not turned me away from Him, they have drawn me closer and closer as my need has increased, pain and all.  There is more on this subject tomorrow so hang in there and be blessed.  Grandma Joan

Friday, February 10, 2017

Promises to the Repentant and the Humble

Repentance must come from a humble heart that realizes that their sin is keeping them from having a beautiful relationship with God.  If we study God's word and realize that we are sinners in need of a Savior, it is important for us to humble ourselves in the sight of God in order to be lifted up into His presence.  Micah 6:8 says, 'Humble yourself in the sight of the Lord and He will lift you up.'  I want to be lifted up into His presence, don't you?  I'm sure we all do.  It is the longing of the human heart to better ourselves and there is no better way than to humble ourselves and repent of our sins and let God lift us up into His presence.

Psalm 34:18  "The Lord is nigh unto those that are of a broken heart; and saveth such as be of a      contrite spirit."  (Contrite meaning, repentant, remorseful, sorry)

Jeremiah 3:22  "Return, ye backsliding children, and I will heal your backslidings.  Behold, we come unto thee, for Thou art the Lord our God."

Joel 2"13  "And rend your heart, and not your garments, and turn unto the Lord your God: for he is gracious and merciful, slow to anger, and of great kindness, and repenteth him of the evil."

Micah 7:18  "Who is a God like unto Thee, that pardoneth iniquity, and passeth by the transgression of the remnant of His heritage?  He retaineth not his anger for ever, because He delighteth in mercy."

Luke 15:7  "I say unto you, that likewise joy shall be in heaven over one sinner that repenteth, more than over ninety and nine just persons, which need no repentance."

Acts 2:38  "Then Peter said unto them.  Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost."

Acts 3:19  "Repent ye therefore, and be converted that your sins may be blotted out, when the times of refreshing shall come from the presence of the Lord."

I pray that you are being blessed from all these promises from God.  Remember that this is how we become partakers of His nature, by believing in His promises. God bless you.  Grandma Joan

Thursday, February 9, 2017

Divine Promises

God's word is full of His promises, we only have to believe them and live our life fully for Him and then they will be fulfilled.  He never fails but we must not fail Him either.  We do of course, but He is a loving and forgiving God.  We must not be presumptuous and think that we can do whatever we want and God loves us so much that He won't care what we do, He will still bless us anyway.  That is not true.  We owe God our allegiance and our life.  He put us here for a purpose and that is to let His love shine through us to those around us and then we can count on Him to fulfill His promises to us.  His great and precious promises.  Here are some more, I hope you are being blessed by them.

Unfailing

1 Kings 8:56  "Blessed be the Lord, that hath given rest unto his people Israel, according to all that He promised:  there hath not failed one word of a His good promise, which He promised by the hand of Moses His servant."

Promises assured by Divine ability

Romans 4:21  "And being fully persuaded, that what He had promised, He was able to perform."

Grounded in Christ

2 Corinthians 1:20  "For all the promises of God in Him are yes, and in Him Amen, unto the glory of God by us."

Of Infinite Value

2 Peter 1:4  "Whereby are given unto us exceeding great and precious promises that by these ye might be partaker of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that  is in the world through lust."

Culminate in Everlasting Life

1 John 2:25  "And this is the promise that He hath promised us, even eternal life."

I hope you are catching on to what God really wants to do for you.  He only asks two things from us, Believe and follow Me.  Are you willing?  I am.  I am by nature a very stubborn person and in a way that is a good thing but in another way it is not a good thing at all.  If I am set in my beliefs that God does not approve, that is a bad thing, but if I am convinced that what He says He will do and I am stubborn enough to not let go of this, that is a good thing.  We must hang on to what God says and let go of our ways that don't agree with His ways.  Does that make sense to you?  It does to me, sometimes I have a hard time expressing myself but I always pray that God will bless my little study and that it will help someone in need of the very words that are printed here.  May God really bless you abundantly as you read His promises, they are for you.  More tomorrow.  Grandma Joan

Wednesday, February 8, 2017

Precious Promises to Believers

I love the promises in the Bible and I like to share them.  I hope you don't mind.  Today I would like to share special promises to believers.  Are you a believer?  These promises are for you if you believe.  Remember that God does not give these promises to just anyone, we must do our part to receive them and our part is to lovingly submit to His will and He will keep His promises to us.

Daily Supplies

Psalm 37:3  "Trust in the Lord, and do good, so shalt thou dwell in the land, and verily thou shall be fed."

Unlimited Blessings

Mark 9:23  "Jesus said unto him, If thou canst believe, all things are possible to him that believeth."

Answers to prayer

Mark 11:24  "Therefore I say unto you, What things soever ye desire, when ye pray, believe that ye receive them, and ye shall have them."

Removal of Obstacles

Luke 17:6  "And the Lord said, If ye had faith as a grain of mustard seed, ye might say unto this sycamore tree, Be thou plucked up by the root, and be thou planted in the sea; and it should obey you." (Whatever is keeping you from Jesus, you can ask Him to remove it and it will be done, it could be habits or we might call them addictions, whatever they are, God will remove them if we ask in all sincerity, and in the sea is a good place for them to be planted.)

Divine Sonship

John 1:12  "But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on His name.

Everlasting Life

John 3:14,15  "And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of man be lifted up:  That whosoever believeth in Him should not perish, but have eternal life."

Spiritual Fullness

John 6:35  "An Jesus said unto them, I am the bread of life; he that cometh to Me shall never hunger and he that believeth on Me shall never thirst."

Spiritual Light

John 12:46  "I am come a light into the world, that whosoever believeth on Me should not abide in darkness."

Power for Service

John 14:12  "Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that believeth on me, the works that I do shall he do also; and greater works than these shall he do; because I go unto my Father."

Salvation

Romans 1:16  "For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ: for it is the power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth; to the Jew first, and also to the Greek."

There are conditions to all the promises of God, we must believe on Him, and follow Him in all the ways that He has commanded us.  So study His word to see what He expects from us and be willing to follow and His promises are for you and me.  All who come to Him with a willing and humble heart.  Jesus has said, "Come unto me, all ye that labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take My yoke upon you, and learn of Me, for I am meek and lowly in heart; and ye shall find rest unto your souls.  For My yoke is easy, and my burden is light."  Matthew 11:28-30.  The reason His yoke is easy and His burden is light when He gives it to us to bear, is because we are yoked up to Him and He is taking the load, we are connected to Him and it is light.  Does that make sense?  Thats the way it works, I have experienced it and it makes life so much easier.  Try it, you may never go back to bearing it alone.  Grandma Joan








Tuesday, February 7, 2017

Through His Promises

Remember yesterday we studied 2 Peter and the fourth verse states that we are given exceeding great and precious promises that by these we might become partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust.  Lust means, ardor, desire, passion, crave, covet, I think we get the meaning.  How do we escape this lust that burns in us?  By partaking in His precious promises we become a partaker of His divine nature.  

This chapter in second Peter has meant so much to me and I want so much to be a partaker of His divine nature, it's a thousand times better than my human nature and truly blesses me in so many ways when I surrender my all to Him each morning, sometimes my whole thought patterns have changed without me knowing it, and also the peace that I have knowing my heart is giving out on me, and I keep going and have such peace about it.  All this is so wonderful and has come about because I love to read His promises and apply them to my life. There are so many!!

Unfailing

1 Kings 8:56  "Blessed be the Lord, that hath given rest unto his people Israel according to all that he promised: there hath not failed one word of all His good promises which He promised by the hand of Moses His servant."

Assured by Divine Ability

Romans 4:21  "And being fully persuaded, that what He had promised, He was also able to perform."

Grounded in Christ

2 Corinthians 1:20  "For all the promises of God in Him are yes, and in Him Amen, unto the glory of God by us."

Of Infinite Value

2 Peter 1:4  "Whereby are given unto us exceeding great and precious promises that by these ye might be partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust."

Culminate in Everlasting Life

1 John 2:25  "And this is the promise that He has promised us, even eternal life."

Do you believe these promises?  If you do, you are on the path to being a partaker of His divine nature.  What more could we ask of Him, than to be a partaker of His nature.  I am overwhelmed with the thought.  Day by day this can be our life as we submit to Him.  We must submit to His will and believe His promises.  It may take the rest of your life but believe me, it's worth it.  This study today has been such a blessing to me again.  I need to go over it again and again.  It gives me strength to go on and get up every morning knowing my day is walking with Him.  What a blessing!!  Grandma Joan

We Can Be A Partaker of His Divine Nature

There is one chapter in the Bible that I dearly love, well, I do love God's word from beginning to the end but you know what I mean, there is just this special place that means so much to me and I nicknamed it 'Peter's ladder', it seemed to me to be the way to eternal life, climbing this ladder, so let me share it with you, please.

2 Peter 1:1,2  "Simon Peter, a servant and an apostle of Jesus Christ, to them that have obtained like precious faith with us through the righteousness of God and our Saviour Jesus Christ:  Grace and peace be multiplied unto you through the knowledge of God, and of Jesus our Lord."

How do we get this peace?  Through Christ's righteousness and it will be multiplied unto us through the knowledge of God and of Jesus our Lord.  How do we get that knowledge, through studying His word as we have been learning.

Verse 3,  "According as His divine power hath given unto us all things that pertain unto life and godliness, through the knowledge of Him that hath call us to glory and virtue:"

His divine power has given us everything that pertains to life and godliness, how? Through the knowledge of Him who has called us to glory and virtue.  Where do we get this knowledge? Through the reading of His word.  Stick with me, we are coming to Peter's ladder.  Remember I promised we would talk about His promises.  Well, listen to this.

Verse 4, Whereby are given unto us exceeding great and precious promises: that by these ye might be partakers of the divine nature having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust."

We have been given, EXCEEDING GREAT AND PRECIOUS PROMISES that we might be PARTAKERS of His DIVINE NATURE and thus escaping the corruption that is in the world.  How do we receive HIS DIVINE NATURE?  Through His promises.  Ok, here's the ladder to heaven, I believe.  It covers everything and I'll try to explain it in our words, if I may.

Verses 5,6,7,  "And beside this, giving all diligence, (diligence meaning: making an all out effort), add to your faith virtue, (virtue meaning: goodness, righteousness, morality, honor and nobility); and to virtue knowledge, (we know how to get knowledge through God's word), and to knowledge temperance ( meaning abstinence, self-restraint, moderation especially in eating and drinking), and to temperance patience, (forbearance, tolerance, persistent courage in trying circumstances), and to patience godliness, (godlikeness, devout, humble etc), and to godliness brotherly kindness, and to brotherly kindness, charity, (meaning love)

Verse 8, "For if these things be in you and abound, they make you that ye shall never be barren nor unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ."

Verses 9,10,11  "But he that lacketh these things is blind, and cannot see afar off, and hath forgotten that he was purged from his old sins.  Wherefore the rather, brethren, give diligence to make your calling and election sure: for if ye do these things, ye shall never fall: (a Promise) for so an entrance shall be ministered unto you abundantly into the everlasting kingdom of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ." (Another promise)

We have learned that we have been given EXCEEDING GREAT AND PRECIOUS PROMISES THAT WE MIGHT BE PARTAKERS OF HIS DIVINE NATURE and I know that we all want to be partakers of His divine nature, so tomorrow we will discuss some of those promises. I have already given you two great promises and  I thought I would get to some others today but I needed to show you how important it is for us to study those promises that make us partakers of His divine nature, so please bear with me and tomorrow we will get to those promises.  Grandma Joan


Sunday, February 5, 2017

Your Thirsts Shall Be Satisfied

Have you been so thirsty that you are just dying for a nice refreshing drink of water?  God will put in our heart a great desire for His word, if we ask Him. It could be that the nice refreshing drink of water is a thirst for a close walk with Jesus. I have been there, wandering around, wondering what was missing in my life, and not being satisfied with anything until I heard a still small voice in my mind telling me, 'you need Me, talk to Me and I will talk to you through My word.'  Nothing in this world satisfies like the word of God.  Let's check it out and see if I'm right.

Psalm 36:8  "They shall be abundantly satisfied with the fatness of Thy house, and Thou shalt make them drink of the river of Thy pleasures."

Isaiah 55:1  "Ho, every one that thirsteth, come ye to the waters, and he that hath no money, come ye, buy, and eat: yea, come, buy wine and milk without money and without price."

Matthew 5:6  "Blessed are they which do hunger and thirst after righteousness for they shall be filled."

John 4:14  "but whosoever drinketh of the water that I shall give him shall never thirst; but the water that I shall give him shall be in him a well of water springing up into everlasting life."

John 7:37  "In the last day, that great day of the feast, Jesus stood and cried, saying, If any man thirst, let him come unto Me, and drink."

Revelation 7:16  "They shall hunger no more, neither thirst any more; neither shall the sun light on them, nor any heat."

Revelation 22:17  "And the Spirit and the bride say, Come. And let him that heareth say, Come.  And let him that is thirsty come.  And whosoever will, let him take the water of life freely."

God loves us and wants us to come to Him and be satisfied.  There is no other place to go to receive the kind of blessings He has to offer.  You can search the world over and you will not find the peace and wholeness that you are thirsting for until you come to Him in complete surrender and then He provides the peace that passes all understanding.  Do I understand how this takes place?  No.  Do I understand that it does take place?  Yes.  Am I perfect?  By no means, I don't claim to be but I do know by experience that He answers my prayers and also keeps His promises.  How about studying some of His promises tomorrow and I will share how He has dealt with me in such a loving way, I have no doubt that He is quenching my dying thirst for the water of life.  Grandma Joan

Saturday, February 4, 2017

Evil Words

Evil words should never be spoken.  What kind of words are evil?  Let's check it out.

Irritating words.

Proverbs 15:1  "Grievous words stir up anger."

Hasty words.

Proverbs 29:20  "Seest thou a man that is hasty in his words?  There is more hope of a fool than of him."

Irreverent words.

Malachi 3:13,14  "Your words have been stout against me, saith the Lord.  Yet ye say, What have we spoken so much against thee?  Ye have said, It is vain to serve God: and what profit is it that we have kept his ordinance, and that we have walked mournfully before the Lord of hosts?"

Enticing words.

Colossians 2:4  "And this I say, lest any man should beguile you with enticing words."

Flattering words.

1 Thessalonians 2:5  "For neither at ay time used we flattering words, as ye know."

Insincere words.

2 Peter 2:3  "And through covetousness shall they with feigned words make merchandise of you:"
(Feign meaning fake)

Proud words.

2 Peter 2:18  "For when they speak great swelling words of vanity, they allure through the lusts of the flesh, through much wantonness."  (wanton, meaning immoral, indecent, or malicious, spiteful, cruel)

Malicious words.

3 John 10  "Wherefore, if I come, I will remember his deeds which he doeth, prating against us with malicious words."

These are words that a true Christian will leave out of his vocabulary.  We don't want to be guilty of speaking in this manner, I'm sure.  I know I don't and I'm pretty sure that you don't either.  Life is too short to spend our time speaking these kind of words, isn't it?  Grandma Joan

Friday, February 3, 2017

Our Words

Are you someone who speaks before they think?  I have with many regrets. I am learning that our words are an important part of our life and can mean we love or hate, we want friends, or we don't, we care about others or we don't care, we care about how others feel or we don't care how they feel, we can hurt with our words and don't care if we do.  I hope that none of us fit into this bracket.

Our words can also show how much we love others, can make wonderful friends, can lead others to Christ, can be comforting, can be full of wisdom and counsel, and can heal a hurting soul.  Now, that is the kind of words that I want to speak, don't you?  Let's check out our words with scripture.

Pleasant words.

Proverbs 16:24 "Pleasant words are as an honeycomb sweet to the soul, and health to the bones."

Appropriate words.

Proverbs 25:11  "A word fitly spoken is like apples of gold in pictures of silver."

Gracious words.

Ecclesiastes 10:12  "The words of a wise man's mouth are gracious;"

Comforting words.

Isaiah 50:4  "The Lord God hath given me the tongue of the learned, that I should know how to speak a word in season to him that is weary: he wakeneth morning by morning, he wakeneth mine ear to hear as the learned."

Kind words.

Proverbs 15:1  "A soft answer turneth away wrath:"

Wise words.

Proverbs 15:2  "The tongue of the wise useth knowledge aright:"

Has this helped you in choosing the right words in our daily conversations? I hope so, it has helped me to guard my tongue but most of all to ask the Holy Spirit to speak through me so that I do not injure anyone with my tongue. It is so important that we speak with words of love in our hearts.  It will go a long way in winning souls for Christ.  Grandma Joan

Altering and Diminishing God's Word

In other words changing the meaning of words or sentences.  It happens a lot and sometimes we don't realize it's been tampered with.  But we have warnings about it in the Bible.  God's Word is Sacred and we don't have any business playing around with it.  It says what it means and we should take it as it reads.

Deuteronomy 4:2  "Ye shall not add unto the word which I command you, neither shall ye diminish ought from it, that ye may keep the commandments of the Lord your God which I command you."

Deuteronomy 12:32  "What thing soever I command you, observe to do it: thou shalt not add thereto, nor diminish from it."

Proverbs 30:6  "Add thou not unto His words lest He reprove thee, and thou be found a liar."

Revelation 22:19  "And if any man shall take away from the words of the book of this prophecy, God shall take away his part out of the book of life, and out of the holy city, and from the things which are written in this book."

It sounds pretty serious to me to tamper with God's word, don't you think?  Let's be very careful when we study His word that we don't try to change the meaning of things to our way of thinking, because we could have been taught wrong.  Careful study is the way to search the Scriptures.  Grandma Joan





Thursday, February 2, 2017

The Word is an Abundance of:

Today my internet went off and didn't get it  on until just a while ago.  So sorry, missed all of you.

Today we will study about how the Word supplies us with an abundance of things.  I love the word abundant.  It sounds so good when you think about Spiritual things.  So let's see what the abundance is.

Abundant joys.

Psalm 36:8  "They shall be abundantly satisfied with the fatness of thy house; and thou shalt make them drink of the river of Thy pleasures."

Abundant life.

John 10:10  "The thief cometh not, but for to steal, and to kill, and to destroy:  I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly."

Abundant Grace.

2 Corinthians 9:8  "And God is able to make all grace abound toward you, always having all sufficiency in all things, may abound to very good work."

Abundant Power.

Ephesians 3:20  "Now unto Him that is able to do exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that works in us."

Abundant Supplies.

Philippians 4:19  "But my God shall supply all your need according to his riches in glory by Christ Jesus."

Abundant Entrance.

2 Peter 1:11  "For so an entrance shall be ministered unto you abundantly into the everlasting kingdom of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ."

ABUNDANT joy, life, grace, power, supplies and Entrance into His kingdom.  What an abundant love has been manifest towards us because Jesus was willing to die for our sins that we might be forgiven and enjoy life forever more in His Kingdom.  We love you Lord Jesus for what you have done for us and are doing for us  day by day.  Grandma Joan

Wednesday, February 1, 2017

The Word Written in Our Hearts

I want God's Word to be written in my mind and heart, don't you?  And the way to achieve this is to study His word daily and let His words sink in to our thinking.  I don't memorize as good as I use to but I like to try once in a while when I find a text that really means a whole lot to me and it helps me in my daily walk. I think our minds would benefit greatly by memorization.

Deuteronomy 6:6  "And these words, which I command thee this day, shall be in thine heart."

Deuteronomy 11:18  "Therefore shall ye lay up these, My words in your heart and in your soul and bind them for a sign upon your hand, that they may be as frontlets between your eyes."

Psalm 119:11  "Thy word have I hid in mine heart, that I might not sin against thee."

Luke 2:51  "And he went down with them, and came to Nazareth, and was subject unto them: but his mother kept all these sayings in her heart."

Romans 10:8  "But what saith it?  The word is nigh thee, even in thy mouth, and in thy heart: that is, the word of faith, which we preach:"

Colossians 3:16  "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."

Wouldn't you just love to have the words of Christ dwelling in you richly in all wisdom; teaching and admonishing one another in psalms and hymns and spirituals songs, singing with grace in your hearts to the Lord?  I would just love to be like that all the time, but it takes effort and a willingness to spend the time, it doesn't come automatically.  Pray for a willing heart to do this and you will be blessed.  I guarantee it.  Grandma Joan