Are you enjoying these promises day by day? Are they building up your faith in Christ? Are you learning to trust Him and His promises? As you study these promises, your faith will increase, and so will your trust and and your joy will increase as you claim these promises for a better life and trust Him to do as He says He will do. Remember our walk with Him must increase hour by hour and day by day as we continue to walk in His presence. We don't become perfect overnight, it would be nice if we did, but it is a surrendering of our life day by day and sometimes hour by hour and minute by minute, and asking Him to 'create in me a clean heart O God and renew a right Spirit within me'. When you are tempted to do wrong, just say 'Jesus help me' and He will be there to aid you.
The following verses are pretty long and I will try to point out the high parts by highlighting them.
Ephesians 1:3-14 "Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places in Christ , just as He chose us in Him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before Him in love, having predestined us to adoption as sons by Jesus Christ Himself, according to the good pleasure of His will, to the praise of the glory of His grace, by which He made us accepted in the Beloved. In Him we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of His grace which He made to abound toward us in all wisdom and prudence, having made known to us the mystery of His will, according to His good pleasure which He purposed in Himself that in the dispensation of the fullness of the times He might gather together in one all things in Christ, both which are in heaven and which are on earth--in Him. In him also we have obtained an inheritance, being predestined according to the purpose of Him who works all things according to the counsel of His will, that we who first trusted in Christ should be to the praise of His glory. In Him you also trusted, after you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation in whom also, having believed, you were sealed with the Holy Spirit of promise, who is the guarantee of our inheritance until the redemption of the purchased possession, to the praise of His glory."
I think the above verses more or less explain them selves if you read them carefully and absorb what God is telling us.
Ephesians 2:1 "And you He made alive, who were dead in trespasses and sins."
Ephesians 2:4-10 "But God who is rich in mercy, because of His great love with which He loved us, even when we were dead in trespasses, made us alive together with Christ (by grace you have been saved) and raised us up together in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus, that in the ages to come He might show the exceeding riches of His grace in His kindness toward us in Christ Jesus. For by grace you have been saved through faith and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God, not of works, lest anyone should boast. For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them."
Christ loved us even when we were dead in trespasses and sin and we have been saved by His grace not because of any works that we have done, it is His gift to us who have surrendered to His work-manship created in Him for good works so that we would not have anything to boast about. He does the works in us which He has prepared for us to walk in them. Doesn't that sound quite easy, letting Him do His works in us? I think we have covered some good promises today, and we will continue with Ephesians the next time. Read it over and over if you have to and absorb what God is saying through Paul. One thing I am sure of is that Paul practiced what he preached. His life is a good example of what Christ can do in our life if we let Him. Grandma Joan
Friday, June 30, 2017
Tuesday, June 27, 2017
Promises from the Book of Galatians
For some reason, I always think of the books Galatians, Ephesians, Philippians, Colossians as the little gospels, I guess because they are full of helps for our walk with God. I love to read them and there are lots of promises here to so today we will do the book of Galatians.
Galatians 2:20 "I have been crucified with Christ; it is no longer I who live but Christ lives in me; and the life I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me."
This verse tells us that when we accept Christ, it is no longer us that lives, it is Christ that lives in us.
And we live this life by faith in Christ who loves us and gave His life for us. This is why we can be growing into the character of Christ day by day, hour by hour.
Galatians 3:13,14 "Christ has redeemed us from the curse of the law, having become a curse for us (for it is written, 'cursed is everyone who hangs on a tree'.) That the blessing of Abraham might come upon the Gentiles in Christ Jesus, that we might receive the promise of the Spirit through faith."
The law points out sin in our lives and when we are redeemed from the curse of the law, we are not living under the curse any longer because we have Christ in us and we will be blessed like faithful Abraham and receive the promise of the Spirit of God, through faith like Abraham had.
Galatians 3:26-29 "For you are all sons of God through faith in Christ Jesus. For as many of you as were baptized into Christ have put on Christ. There is neither Jew or Greek, there is neither slave nor free, there is neither male nor female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus. And if you are Christ's then you are Abraham's seed, and heir's according to the promise."
We are all Sons of God through faith in Christ. When we are baptized (by immersion) we have been washed clean from all sin and can start a new life in Christ and if we are Christ's then we are of the lineage of Abraham and heir's according to the promise.
Galatians 6:8 last part. "He who sows to the Spirit will of the Spirit reap everlasting life.
Whoever shares his faith with others will of the Spirit reap everlasting life.
Galatians 6:15,16 "For in Christ Jesus neither circumcision nor uncircumcision avails anything, but a new creation. And as many as walk according to this rule, peace and mercy be upon those and upon the Israel of God."
In Christ what counts is that we are a new creation and we will walk in this life like Christ walked.
Peace and mercy will be upon us.
This was not a long study but a very rewarding one. There is a saying that, 'it is easier to be saved than to be lost'. I believe that is a true saying and the reason being. When we are living in sin and know it, we are burdened with guilt and that guilt never leaves us until we surrender our lives to Christ and then we are from that guilt that holds us in bondage. Does that make sense? It seems to me that it is much easier to live in Christ than to be burdened down with the sins of this world. I would be totally miserable in that condition. Christ is coming, let's be ready. Grandma Joan
PS. I am having a heart valve replacement tomorrow after noon around 2:00 o'clock. Would appreciate the prayers of any of you that would like to pray for me. I won't be posting for a couple of days at least, maybe more if I'm in need of more care. Please don't go away, I will be back in at least four days and hopefully two. Thank you for your prayers for me.
Monday, June 26, 2017
Promises from the Book of Second Corinthians
There are so many promises in the Bible, that it covers everything that we need, I'm sure. Like I suggested in one of the other studies, it might be wise to categorize each promise that you read under a special heading according to subject. That way when you need assurance for some certain thing you can find it easy. Just a thought.
2 Corinthians 1:3-5 "Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies and God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our tribulation, that we may be able to comfort those who are in any trouble, with the comfort with which we ourselves are comforted by God. For as the sufferings of Christ abound in us, so our consolation also abounds through Christ." God is our merciful Father and comforts us in all our trials so that we also may comfort others in their trials.
2 Corinthians 2:14 "Now thanks be to God who always leads us in triumph in Christ, and through us diffuses the fragrance of His knowledge in every place." Always leads us to victory in Christ,
2 Corinthians 3:17,18 "Now the Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty. But we all, with unveiled face, beholding as in a mirror the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from glory to glory, just as by the Spirit of the Lord." See how we have all the help we need to transform our lives into the same image as our Lord. Isn't it wonderful!!
2 Corinthians 4:16 "Therefore we do not lose heart. Even though the outward man is perishing, yet the inward man is being renewed day by day." Our bodies might be getting older and we may not be the person we were a few years ago, but don't lose heart. Even so, our inward man is being renewed day by day. I love that.
2 Corinthians 5:7 "For we walk by faith, not by sight.
2 Corinthians 6:2 "For He says, 'In an acceptable time I have heard you, and in the day of salvation I have helped you."
2 Corinthians 6:16-18 "And what agreement has the temple of God with idols? For you are the temple of the living God. As God has said, 'I will be their God, and they shall be My people. Therefore come out from among them and be separate, says the Lord. Do not touch what is unclean, and I will receive you, and I will be a Father to you, and you shall be My sons and daughters, says the Lord Almighty." The last three verses are pretty well understood without any comments from me, but just want to say I love for Him to be my Father and to be His daughter. It is a wonderful thought.
2 Corinthians 7:1 "Therefore, having these promises, beloved, let us cleanse ourselves from all filthiness of the flesh and spirit, perfecting holiness in the fear of the Lord." This is what God wants us to do, to let Him forgive us and cleanse us from all sin and let Him perfect us in holiness.
2 Corinthians 12:9,10 "And He said to me, 'My grace is sufficient for you, for My strength is made perfect in weakness. Therefore I take pleasure in infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me. 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."
I am 86 years old, and I am still able to study and show myself approved unto God. So there is hope for all because when we are weak, through Christ we are made strong. So many promises, mean so much to me. Without them I would not be growing more and more like Him each day until my life is over and I know if I stay close to Him and His word, I will be saved, it is a wonderful thought and takes little effort to follow Him because He gives us the strength and all we need to stay close to Him.
Take heart my friend and spend time with Him each day, read these promise studies over and over if you have to, until you are strong in the faith and through Christ able to have the victories that you need. I don't know what your need is but I do know that He is faithful who has promised. Grandma Joan
2 Corinthians 1:3-5 "Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies and God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our tribulation, that we may be able to comfort those who are in any trouble, with the comfort with which we ourselves are comforted by God. For as the sufferings of Christ abound in us, so our consolation also abounds through Christ." God is our merciful Father and comforts us in all our trials so that we also may comfort others in their trials.
2 Corinthians 2:14 "Now thanks be to God who always leads us in triumph in Christ, and through us diffuses the fragrance of His knowledge in every place." Always leads us to victory in Christ,
2 Corinthians 3:17,18 "Now the Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty. But we all, with unveiled face, beholding as in a mirror the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from glory to glory, just as by the Spirit of the Lord." See how we have all the help we need to transform our lives into the same image as our Lord. Isn't it wonderful!!
2 Corinthians 4:16 "Therefore we do not lose heart. Even though the outward man is perishing, yet the inward man is being renewed day by day." Our bodies might be getting older and we may not be the person we were a few years ago, but don't lose heart. Even so, our inward man is being renewed day by day. I love that.
2 Corinthians 5:7 "For we walk by faith, not by sight.
2 Corinthians 6:2 "For He says, 'In an acceptable time I have heard you, and in the day of salvation I have helped you."
2 Corinthians 6:16-18 "And what agreement has the temple of God with idols? For you are the temple of the living God. As God has said, 'I will be their God, and they shall be My people. Therefore come out from among them and be separate, says the Lord. Do not touch what is unclean, and I will receive you, and I will be a Father to you, and you shall be My sons and daughters, says the Lord Almighty." The last three verses are pretty well understood without any comments from me, but just want to say I love for Him to be my Father and to be His daughter. It is a wonderful thought.
2 Corinthians 7:1 "Therefore, having these promises, beloved, let us cleanse ourselves from all filthiness of the flesh and spirit, perfecting holiness in the fear of the Lord." This is what God wants us to do, to let Him forgive us and cleanse us from all sin and let Him perfect us in holiness.
2 Corinthians 12:9,10 "And He said to me, 'My grace is sufficient for you, for My strength is made perfect in weakness. Therefore I take pleasure in infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me. 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."
I am 86 years old, and I am still able to study and show myself approved unto God. So there is hope for all because when we are weak, through Christ we are made strong. So many promises, mean so much to me. Without them I would not be growing more and more like Him each day until my life is over and I know if I stay close to Him and His word, I will be saved, it is a wonderful thought and takes little effort to follow Him because He gives us the strength and all we need to stay close to Him.
Take heart my friend and spend time with Him each day, read these promise studies over and over if you have to, until you are strong in the faith and through Christ able to have the victories that you need. I don't know what your need is but I do know that He is faithful who has promised. Grandma Joan
Sunday, June 25, 2017
Promises from First Corinthians
These promises are so powerful, I hope you are enjoying these studies, we need them in order to be equipped with the divine nature of Christ, and be an overcomer. See 2 Peter 1:4.
1 Corinthians 1:18 "For the message of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God." What is the message of the cross? It is the power of God to those who are being saved. How wonderful!!!
1 Corinthians 2:5 "Your faith should not be in the wisdom of men but in the power of God." Make sure when you study your Bible, you take it just as it reads. DO NOT let others interpret it for you. If you ask for the Holy Spirit's guidance, you will understand what it is saying. We must have faith in the Scriptures as God's word to us.
1 Corinthians 2:9,10 "Eye has not seen, nor ear heard, nor have entered into the heart of man the things which God has prepared for those who love Him. But God has revealed them to us through His Spirit. For the Spirit searches all things, yes, the deep things of God." Be faithful my friend, the glories of heaven and the new earth are far beyond the beauty and glory of our imagination.
1 Corinthians 2:12 "Now we have received, not the spirit of the world, but the Spirit who is from God, that we might know the things that have been freely given to us by God."
1 Corinthians 2:16 "For who knows the mind of the Lord that he may instruct Him? But we have the mind of Christ." Philippians 2:5 "Let this mind be in you which was also in Christ Jesus." How do we get the mind of Christ, well for one, it is promised to us right there and the way we get it is studying His promises and applying them to our lives.
1 Corinthians 10:13 "No temptation has overtaken you except such as is common to man; but God is faithful, who will not allow you to be tempted beyond what you are able, but with the temptation will also make a way of escape, that you may be able to bear it." God will make a way to escape from falling into the temptation and also help us to be able to bear it."
1 Corinthians 15:57 "But thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ."
Thank you Jesus for the victory that you gives us through the life you lived and the blood you shed for us on the cross.
I want to explain something about these studies, I have many readers from many countries, and that is the reason, I try to help them understand what the verse is saying. I know there are some whose education is not adequate and also there are people who are not acquainted with the Scriptures and sometimes if you skim over them without thinking, you miss the whole meaning of the verse. So please bear with me as I try to make the verses clear to those who do not understand as you do. I want everyone to enjoy these studies and benefit from them with a stronger faith in God and a better life. Love all of you and want to be your neighbor in heaven and on the new earth. Grandma Joan
1 Corinthians 1:18 "For the message of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God." What is the message of the cross? It is the power of God to those who are being saved. How wonderful!!!
1 Corinthians 2:5 "Your faith should not be in the wisdom of men but in the power of God." Make sure when you study your Bible, you take it just as it reads. DO NOT let others interpret it for you. If you ask for the Holy Spirit's guidance, you will understand what it is saying. We must have faith in the Scriptures as God's word to us.
1 Corinthians 2:9,10 "Eye has not seen, nor ear heard, nor have entered into the heart of man the things which God has prepared for those who love Him. But God has revealed them to us through His Spirit. For the Spirit searches all things, yes, the deep things of God." Be faithful my friend, the glories of heaven and the new earth are far beyond the beauty and glory of our imagination.
1 Corinthians 2:12 "Now we have received, not the spirit of the world, but the Spirit who is from God, that we might know the things that have been freely given to us by God."
1 Corinthians 2:16 "For who knows the mind of the Lord that he may instruct Him? But we have the mind of Christ." Philippians 2:5 "Let this mind be in you which was also in Christ Jesus." How do we get the mind of Christ, well for one, it is promised to us right there and the way we get it is studying His promises and applying them to our lives.
1 Corinthians 10:13 "No temptation has overtaken you except such as is common to man; but God is faithful, who will not allow you to be tempted beyond what you are able, but with the temptation will also make a way of escape, that you may be able to bear it." God will make a way to escape from falling into the temptation and also help us to be able to bear it."
1 Corinthians 15:57 "But thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ."
Thank you Jesus for the victory that you gives us through the life you lived and the blood you shed for us on the cross.
I want to explain something about these studies, I have many readers from many countries, and that is the reason, I try to help them understand what the verse is saying. I know there are some whose education is not adequate and also there are people who are not acquainted with the Scriptures and sometimes if you skim over them without thinking, you miss the whole meaning of the verse. So please bear with me as I try to make the verses clear to those who do not understand as you do. I want everyone to enjoy these studies and benefit from them with a stronger faith in God and a better life. Love all of you and want to be your neighbor in heaven and on the new earth. Grandma Joan
Saturday, June 24, 2017
More Promises from the Book of Romans
Let's refresh our minds a bit. The reason for these studies on Promises, is found in 2 Peter 1:4 "by which have been given to us exceedingly great and precious promises, that through these you may be partakers of the divine nature...." That is our goal to become like the divine so we may reign with Him throughout eternity. So we are studying the divine promises to increase our faith in God and become like Him through His word. We are in Romans right now.
Romans 8:1,2 "There is therefore now no condemnation to those who are in Christ Jesus, who do not walk according to the flesh, but according to the Spirit. For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus has made me free from from the law of sin and death." There is no condemnation to those who are in Christ, it has made us free from the law of sin and death. A wonderful promise for sure.
Romans 8: 10,11 "And if Christ is in you, the body is dead because of sin, but the Spirit is life because of righteousness. But if the Spirit of Him who raised Jesus from the dead dwells in you, He who raised Christ from the dead will also give life to our mortal bodies through His Spirit who dwells in you." A beautiful promise concerning the Holy Spirit.
Romans 8:26,27 "Likewise the Spirit also helps in our weaknesses. For we do not know what we should pray for as we ought, but the Spirit Himself makes intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered. Now He who searches the hearts knows what the mind of the Spirit is, because He makes intercession for the saints according to the will of God." Don't be afraid to trust in God because He has given us all the help we need and all the overcoming power to defeat the Devil. All we need to do is ask and live up to what we have learned and what He is teaching us today.
Romans 8:37 "Yet in all these things we are more than conquerors through Him who loved us."
Romans 10:8-11 "But what does the word say? The word is near you, in your mouth and in your heart (that is the word of faith which we preach): that if you confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus and believe in your heart that God has raised Him from the dead you will be saved. For with the heart one believes unto righteousness, and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation. For the Scriptures says, 'whoever believes on Him will not be put to shame." We must not be ashamed to confess Christ to others by the life we live and the words from our mouth. Can you bow your head and offer thanksgiving for your meal at the table when you are eating out? That is confessing Christ to those around you. There are so many ways that we can show that we are a Christian. We are not to brag about it, just live it. Let others see Christ in us.
Romans 10:11-13 "For the Scripture says, 'whoever believes on Him will not be put to shame. For there is no distinction between Jew and Greek, for the same Lord over all is rich to all who call upon Him. For whoever calls on the name of the Lord shall be saved."
Are you a whoever? Take the promises personally and praise God for the victories in your life. Isn't Romans a wonderful Book. A good study for sure and just what is needed in this day and time.
I pray that these studies are building your faith in the promises of God, we need these promises to assure us that we can have the divine nature of Christ. Exactly what we need, me included. I need Him most of all. Grandma Joan
Romans 8:1,2 "There is therefore now no condemnation to those who are in Christ Jesus, who do not walk according to the flesh, but according to the Spirit. For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus has made me free from from the law of sin and death." There is no condemnation to those who are in Christ, it has made us free from the law of sin and death. A wonderful promise for sure.
Romans 8: 10,11 "And if Christ is in you, the body is dead because of sin, but the Spirit is life because of righteousness. But if the Spirit of Him who raised Jesus from the dead dwells in you, He who raised Christ from the dead will also give life to our mortal bodies through His Spirit who dwells in you." A beautiful promise concerning the Holy Spirit.
Romans 8:26,27 "Likewise the Spirit also helps in our weaknesses. For we do not know what we should pray for as we ought, but the Spirit Himself makes intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered. Now He who searches the hearts knows what the mind of the Spirit is, because He makes intercession for the saints according to the will of God." Don't be afraid to trust in God because He has given us all the help we need and all the overcoming power to defeat the Devil. All we need to do is ask and live up to what we have learned and what He is teaching us today.
Romans 8:37 "Yet in all these things we are more than conquerors through Him who loved us."
Romans 10:8-11 "But what does the word say? The word is near you, in your mouth and in your heart (that is the word of faith which we preach): that if you confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus and believe in your heart that God has raised Him from the dead you will be saved. For with the heart one believes unto righteousness, and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation. For the Scriptures says, 'whoever believes on Him will not be put to shame." We must not be ashamed to confess Christ to others by the life we live and the words from our mouth. Can you bow your head and offer thanksgiving for your meal at the table when you are eating out? That is confessing Christ to those around you. There are so many ways that we can show that we are a Christian. We are not to brag about it, just live it. Let others see Christ in us.
Romans 10:11-13 "For the Scripture says, 'whoever believes on Him will not be put to shame. For there is no distinction between Jew and Greek, for the same Lord over all is rich to all who call upon Him. For whoever calls on the name of the Lord shall be saved."
Are you a whoever? Take the promises personally and praise God for the victories in your life. Isn't Romans a wonderful Book. A good study for sure and just what is needed in this day and time.
I pray that these studies are building your faith in the promises of God, we need these promises to assure us that we can have the divine nature of Christ. Exactly what we need, me included. I need Him most of all. Grandma Joan
Friday, June 23, 2017
Promises from the Book of Romans
Romans is Pauls greatest work, is placed first among his thirteen epistles in the New Testament. While the four Gospels present the words and works of Jesus Christ, Romans explores the significance of His sacrificial death. Using a question and answer format. Paul records the most systematic presentation of doctrine in the Bible. Romans is more than a book of theology; more than facts to be believed; it is also a life to be lived--a life of Righteousness befitting the person, 'justified freely by God's grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus. So let's begin finding the promises in Romans.
Romans 1:16,17 "For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ, for it is the power of God to salvation for everyone who believes, for the Jew first and also for the Greek. For in it the righteousness of God is revealed from faith to faith; as it is written, 'the just shall live by faith'." Paul knew all about the power of God when he met Him on the road to Damascus and how God saved him from himself and his sinful life.
Romans 4:7,8 "Blessed are those whose lawless deeds are forgiven, and whose sins are covered; Blessed is the man to whom the Lord shall not impute sin." We are very blessed when we are forgiven of our past sins, aren't we? We can have peace within and without knowing our slate is clean.
Romans 4:19-25 (speaking of Abraham when God promised him a son) "And not being week in faith, he did not consider his own body, already dead (since he was about 100 years old) and the deadness of Sarah's womb. He did not waver at the promise of God through unbelief, but was strengthened in faith, giving glory to God, and being fully convinced that what He had promised He was also able to preform. And therefore it was accounted to him for righteousness. Now it was not written for his sake alone that it was was imputed to him, but also for us. It shall be imputed to us who believe in Him who raised up Jesus our Lord from the dead, who was delivered up because of our offenses, and was raised because of our justification." We very much need the faith of Abraham and to take God at His word and believe the promises that He has given us.
Romans 5:1,2 "Therefore, having ben justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom also we have access by faith into this grace in which we stand, and rejoice in hope of the glory of God." Justification means 'Just as if we had not sinned'. So when God justifies us, we are just as if we had never sinned. Repentance, confession, and surrender follows by being justified by faith, just as if we had never sinned. A wonderful promise of cleansing from our past.
Romans 5:8,9 "But God demonstrated His own love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us. Much more than, having now been justified by His blood, we shall be saved from wrath through Him." We are justified through His blood and will be safe from wrath through Christ.
Romans 6:4-11 "Therefore we were buried with Him through baptism into death, that just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life. For if we have been united together in the likeness of His death, certainly we also shall be in the likeness of His resurrection, knowing this, that our old man was crucified with Him, that the body of sin might be done away with, that we should no longer be slaves of sin. For he who has died has been freed from sin. Now if we died with Christ, we believe we shall also live with Him, knowing that Christ, having been raised from the dead, dies no more. Death no longer has dominion over Him. For the death that He died, He died to sin once for all; but the life that He lives, He lives to God: Likewise you also, reckon yourselves to be dead indeed to sin, but alive to God in Christ Jesus our Lord."
When we are baptized in Christ we are buried with Him in death. Because when He died, He took all our sins upon Himself and all He asks of us is to walk through life as He did in newness of life. Paul has a lot to say about living for God. There will be more the next time on Romans too. It is such a good book, I am learning along with you. I have read it many times and it seems each time I learn something new. I pray that we will let God give us His divine nature through His promises has He has promised in 2 Peter. Grandma Joan
Romans 1:16,17 "For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ, for it is the power of God to salvation for everyone who believes, for the Jew first and also for the Greek. For in it the righteousness of God is revealed from faith to faith; as it is written, 'the just shall live by faith'." Paul knew all about the power of God when he met Him on the road to Damascus and how God saved him from himself and his sinful life.
Romans 4:7,8 "Blessed are those whose lawless deeds are forgiven, and whose sins are covered; Blessed is the man to whom the Lord shall not impute sin." We are very blessed when we are forgiven of our past sins, aren't we? We can have peace within and without knowing our slate is clean.
Romans 4:19-25 (speaking of Abraham when God promised him a son) "And not being week in faith, he did not consider his own body, already dead (since he was about 100 years old) and the deadness of Sarah's womb. He did not waver at the promise of God through unbelief, but was strengthened in faith, giving glory to God, and being fully convinced that what He had promised He was also able to preform. And therefore it was accounted to him for righteousness. Now it was not written for his sake alone that it was was imputed to him, but also for us. It shall be imputed to us who believe in Him who raised up Jesus our Lord from the dead, who was delivered up because of our offenses, and was raised because of our justification." We very much need the faith of Abraham and to take God at His word and believe the promises that He has given us.
Romans 5:1,2 "Therefore, having ben justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom also we have access by faith into this grace in which we stand, and rejoice in hope of the glory of God." Justification means 'Just as if we had not sinned'. So when God justifies us, we are just as if we had never sinned. Repentance, confession, and surrender follows by being justified by faith, just as if we had never sinned. A wonderful promise of cleansing from our past.
Romans 5:8,9 "But God demonstrated His own love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us. Much more than, having now been justified by His blood, we shall be saved from wrath through Him." We are justified through His blood and will be safe from wrath through Christ.
Romans 6:4-11 "Therefore we were buried with Him through baptism into death, that just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life. For if we have been united together in the likeness of His death, certainly we also shall be in the likeness of His resurrection, knowing this, that our old man was crucified with Him, that the body of sin might be done away with, that we should no longer be slaves of sin. For he who has died has been freed from sin. Now if we died with Christ, we believe we shall also live with Him, knowing that Christ, having been raised from the dead, dies no more. Death no longer has dominion over Him. For the death that He died, He died to sin once for all; but the life that He lives, He lives to God: Likewise you also, reckon yourselves to be dead indeed to sin, but alive to God in Christ Jesus our Lord."
When we are baptized in Christ we are buried with Him in death. Because when He died, He took all our sins upon Himself and all He asks of us is to walk through life as He did in newness of life. Paul has a lot to say about living for God. There will be more the next time on Romans too. It is such a good book, I am learning along with you. I have read it many times and it seems each time I learn something new. I pray that we will let God give us His divine nature through His promises has He has promised in 2 Peter. Grandma Joan
Wednesday, June 21, 2017
More Promises from the Book of John
The Book of John is full of promises. I hope you are not tired of me referring to them, they mean so much to me and I am hoping to strengthen your faith too as it has mine.
John 14:21 "He who has My commandments and keeps them, it is he who loves Me. And He who loves Me will be loved of My Father, and I will manifest (reveal) Myself to him." He does reveal Himself to us in many ways, in guiding us in the right way when we don't know which way to turn. He gives us warnings when something is wrong, He warned me one evening to get to the ER now, and I did and was losing blood internally and had to have two pints to bring my blood count up. I knew I was weak but had been told I was making it up, so listen to God. He has other ways of warning us too. We must guard our reputation by choosing proper friends. God will guide us in the right way if we are willing.
John 14:23 "If anyone loves Me, he will keep My word; and My Father will love him, and We will come to him and make Our home with him." When He lives within us by His Holy Spirit, we will never be the same again. We want Him to make His home with us.
John 14:27 "Peace I leave with you, My peace I give to you; not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid." I cannot describe the peace God gives us when we willingly give our hearts to Him. It really is out of this world, it is from above.
John 15:3-8 "You are already clean because of the word which I have spoken to you. Abide in Me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, unless it abides in the vine, neither can you, unless you abide in Me. I am the vine, you are the branches. He who abides in Me, and I in him, bears much fruit; for without Me you can do nothing. If anyone does not abide in Me, he is cast out as a branch and is withered; and they gather them and throw them into the fire, and they are burned. If you abide in Me and My words abide in you, you will ask what you desire, and it shall be done for you. By this My Father is glorified, that you bear much fruit, so you will be My disciples." These verses tell it just exactly how it is with God and how we can glorify His name. God wants us to have His divine nature so we can glorify Him totally and do and say the things that glorify His name. We must abide in Him daily and daily partake of His divine nature through His promises and believing in them.
John 15:16 "You did not choose Me but I have chosen you and appointed you that you should go and bear fruit, and that your fruit should remain that whatever you ask the Father in My name He may give you." God has chosen you to be one of His followers, will you answer His call? The blessings are beyond our imagination! All must be done out of love for Him and for what He has done to save us.
John 20:29-31 "Jesus said to him, 'Thomas, because you have seen Me, you have believed. Blessed are those who have not seen and yet believe. 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." It is easy to believe when we can see it, but to believe in a God we cannot see takes faith, and faith is a gift from God so we really have no excuse for not believing. Can you step out in faith and believe that you can have His divine nature through belief in His promises. Study the promises, the more you read them the stronger your faith will become. He doesn't ask us to believe without a reason, He gives us plenty of reasons for believing. Pray for faith and for the gift of His Holy Spirit. Grandma Joan
John 14:21 "He who has My commandments and keeps them, it is he who loves Me. And He who loves Me will be loved of My Father, and I will manifest (reveal) Myself to him." He does reveal Himself to us in many ways, in guiding us in the right way when we don't know which way to turn. He gives us warnings when something is wrong, He warned me one evening to get to the ER now, and I did and was losing blood internally and had to have two pints to bring my blood count up. I knew I was weak but had been told I was making it up, so listen to God. He has other ways of warning us too. We must guard our reputation by choosing proper friends. God will guide us in the right way if we are willing.
John 14:23 "If anyone loves Me, he will keep My word; and My Father will love him, and We will come to him and make Our home with him." When He lives within us by His Holy Spirit, we will never be the same again. We want Him to make His home with us.
John 14:27 "Peace I leave with you, My peace I give to you; not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid." I cannot describe the peace God gives us when we willingly give our hearts to Him. It really is out of this world, it is from above.
John 15:3-8 "You are already clean because of the word which I have spoken to you. Abide in Me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, unless it abides in the vine, neither can you, unless you abide in Me. I am the vine, you are the branches. He who abides in Me, and I in him, bears much fruit; for without Me you can do nothing. If anyone does not abide in Me, he is cast out as a branch and is withered; and they gather them and throw them into the fire, and they are burned. If you abide in Me and My words abide in you, you will ask what you desire, and it shall be done for you. By this My Father is glorified, that you bear much fruit, so you will be My disciples." These verses tell it just exactly how it is with God and how we can glorify His name. God wants us to have His divine nature so we can glorify Him totally and do and say the things that glorify His name. We must abide in Him daily and daily partake of His divine nature through His promises and believing in them.
John 15:16 "You did not choose Me but I have chosen you and appointed you that you should go and bear fruit, and that your fruit should remain that whatever you ask the Father in My name He may give you." God has chosen you to be one of His followers, will you answer His call? The blessings are beyond our imagination! All must be done out of love for Him and for what He has done to save us.
John 20:29-31 "Jesus said to him, 'Thomas, because you have seen Me, you have believed. Blessed are those who have not seen and yet believe. 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." It is easy to believe when we can see it, but to believe in a God we cannot see takes faith, and faith is a gift from God so we really have no excuse for not believing. Can you step out in faith and believe that you can have His divine nature through belief in His promises. Study the promises, the more you read them the stronger your faith will become. He doesn't ask us to believe without a reason, He gives us plenty of reasons for believing. Pray for faith and for the gift of His Holy Spirit. Grandma Joan
Tuesday, June 20, 2017
Promises from the Book of John
Just a note. I am out of town and wasn't able to get on the internet for the last two or three days. So sorry. I believe I can now, so thanks for being patient. Still sharing promises which are so very important.
These promises are so faith building, I must keep sharing for my own personal benefit, even if no one else benefits. I love God's promises and must remind you that we must seek Him daily to benefit from them in their fullness. Remember God loves everyone, sinners and all and many times He leads us in unknown paths to cause us to seek Him fully and then we realize all the things we have missed. If you feel like I do, I wish I could live my life over, but I know that I can't but I can start over today and renew my walk with God and go on from here. Great Blessing involved.
John 8:31,32 "Then Jesus said to those Jews who believed Him, If you abide in My word, you are My disciples indeed. And you shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free." This is how to become a disciple of Christ's. A great promise.
John 8:36 "Therefore if the Son makes you free, you shall be free indeed." Free from what? Free from sin which causes ALL our problems. Can you imagine being FREE INDEED.
John 10:27,28 "My sheep hear My voice, and I know them, and they follow Me. And I gave them eternal life, and they shall never perish; neither shall anyone snatch them out of My hand." Are we His sheep, I hope so, I want to belong to Him totally.
John 12:25,26 "He who loves his life will lose it, and he who hates his life in this world will keep it for eternal life. If anyone serves Me, let him follow Me; and where I am, there My servant will be also. If anyone serves Me, him My Father will honor." I believe that the reason we should hate our lives as it says is because we often have to fall at the feet of Jesus in repentance and we hate it when we fail Him, but if we lose our life in Him we sill serve Him and His Father will honor us, not that we are seeking honor but just because He loves us so much.
John 12:35,36 "Then Jesus said to them, 'A little while longer the light is with you. Walk while you have the light, lest darkness overtake you; he who walks in darkness does not know where he is going. While you have the light, believe in the light, that you may become sons of light." When we turn our backs on God, darkness does overtake us, but it doesn't have to be permanent, we should repent and turn around, God loves us and is a gracious, forgiving God. Don't forget that.
John 14:1-3 "Let not your heart be troubled; you believe in God, believe also in Me. 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. And if I go to prepare a place for you, I will come again and receive you to Myself; that where I am, there you may be also." There you have it, He is coming to get His children and is preparing a place for them while He is absent from us. So let's not be troubled, let's believe God's promise to return for us, if we are faithful. I want to be one of those, don't you?
John 14:12-18 "Most assuredly, I say to you, he who believes in Me, the works that I do he will do also; and greater works than these will he do, because I go to the Father. And whatever you ask in My name, that will I do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son. If you ask anything in My name, I will do it. If you love Me keep My commandments. And I will pray the Father, and He will give you another Helper, that He may abide with you forever. The Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it neither sees Him or knows Him; but you know Him, for He dwells with you and will be in you. I will not leave you orphans; I will come to you."
These are the most wonderful promises, if we want to be partakers of them we must seek the Lord with all our hearts and lean not on our own understanding. It is dangerous and I mean dangerous to interpret scripture to our own understanding if we don't like what it says. Satan is ready to interpret it for us if we have that mindset. Take the Bible as it reads, I cannot emphasize that enough. Also be careful how you put it together. It is the best to let the Holy Spirit lead you in your study, then there will be no mistake. God loves you and wants you to understand His will for you, so seek him daily and you will come off victorious in Him. Grandma Joan
These promises are so faith building, I must keep sharing for my own personal benefit, even if no one else benefits. I love God's promises and must remind you that we must seek Him daily to benefit from them in their fullness. Remember God loves everyone, sinners and all and many times He leads us in unknown paths to cause us to seek Him fully and then we realize all the things we have missed. If you feel like I do, I wish I could live my life over, but I know that I can't but I can start over today and renew my walk with God and go on from here. Great Blessing involved.
John 8:31,32 "Then Jesus said to those Jews who believed Him, If you abide in My word, you are My disciples indeed. And you shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free." This is how to become a disciple of Christ's. A great promise.
John 8:36 "Therefore if the Son makes you free, you shall be free indeed." Free from what? Free from sin which causes ALL our problems. Can you imagine being FREE INDEED.
John 10:27,28 "My sheep hear My voice, and I know them, and they follow Me. And I gave them eternal life, and they shall never perish; neither shall anyone snatch them out of My hand." Are we His sheep, I hope so, I want to belong to Him totally.
John 12:25,26 "He who loves his life will lose it, and he who hates his life in this world will keep it for eternal life. If anyone serves Me, let him follow Me; and where I am, there My servant will be also. If anyone serves Me, him My Father will honor." I believe that the reason we should hate our lives as it says is because we often have to fall at the feet of Jesus in repentance and we hate it when we fail Him, but if we lose our life in Him we sill serve Him and His Father will honor us, not that we are seeking honor but just because He loves us so much.
John 12:35,36 "Then Jesus said to them, 'A little while longer the light is with you. Walk while you have the light, lest darkness overtake you; he who walks in darkness does not know where he is going. While you have the light, believe in the light, that you may become sons of light." When we turn our backs on God, darkness does overtake us, but it doesn't have to be permanent, we should repent and turn around, God loves us and is a gracious, forgiving God. Don't forget that.
John 14:1-3 "Let not your heart be troubled; you believe in God, believe also in Me. 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. And if I go to prepare a place for you, I will come again and receive you to Myself; that where I am, there you may be also." There you have it, He is coming to get His children and is preparing a place for them while He is absent from us. So let's not be troubled, let's believe God's promise to return for us, if we are faithful. I want to be one of those, don't you?
John 14:12-18 "Most assuredly, I say to you, he who believes in Me, the works that I do he will do also; and greater works than these will he do, because I go to the Father. And whatever you ask in My name, that will I do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son. If you ask anything in My name, I will do it. If you love Me keep My commandments. And I will pray the Father, and He will give you another Helper, that He may abide with you forever. The Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it neither sees Him or knows Him; but you know Him, for He dwells with you and will be in you. I will not leave you orphans; I will come to you."
These are the most wonderful promises, if we want to be partakers of them we must seek the Lord with all our hearts and lean not on our own understanding. It is dangerous and I mean dangerous to interpret scripture to our own understanding if we don't like what it says. Satan is ready to interpret it for us if we have that mindset. Take the Bible as it reads, I cannot emphasize that enough. Also be careful how you put it together. It is the best to let the Holy Spirit lead you in your study, then there will be no mistake. God loves you and wants you to understand His will for you, so seek him daily and you will come off victorious in Him. Grandma Joan
Saturday, June 17, 2017
Promises from the Book of Luke
I want to remind you that these promises are for those seeking the divine nature of Christ. It is very important that we know that God loves sinners as much as He loves us but His blessings are bestowed upon those who are seeking Him. He does know the end from the beginning and does lead those whom He knows are seeking Him, even if it is a small manner but He cares and wants to help them find Him, so you will see His promises fulfilled in your life, sometimes even before you have found Him, you will remember how He led you to seek Him first. I love Him and have seen this very thing in my life and my children's lives. So let's look at some promises from the book of Luke.
Luke 11:9,10 "So I say to you, 'ask, and it will be given you; seek,and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives, and he who seeks finds, and to him who knocks it will be opened." We must be willing to seek Him and we will find Him.
Luke 11:13 "If you then being evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to those who ask Him." We need this special gift of the Holy Spirit in our lives in order to be filled with the divine nature of Christ. And He is more willing to give us His gift of His Spirit than we are to give good gifts to our children. What a promise!
Luke 12:8 "Also I say to you, whoever confesses Me before men, him the Son of Man also will confess before the angels of God." We must live what we believe before men and not be afraid to give God the glory for the change in our lives and then He can share our names before His Angels.
Luke 12:11,12 "Now when they bring you to the synagogue and magistrates and authorities, do not worry about how or what you should answer, or what you should say. For the Holy Spirit will teach you in that very hour what you ought to say." Amazing! isn't it? What God will do for us, even when we think we don't know what we ought to say or answer. Always keep this in mind, and don't worry if we are asked about what we believe, we will have the right things to answer.
Luke 12:29-31 "And do not seek what you should eat or what you should drink, nor have an anxious mind. For all these the nations of the world seek after, and your Father knows that you need these things. But seek first the kingdom of God and all these things shall be added to you." We just read this promise in Matthew, so it must be an important message for us today. Seek first His kingdom and He will add these other things to our life.
Luke 12:32 "Do not fear, little flock, for it is your Father's good pleasure to give you the kingdom."
No need to be afraid, is there?
Luke 21:12-15 "But before all these things, they will lay their hands on you and persecute you, delivering you up to the synagogues and prisons. You will be brought before kings and rulers for My names sake. But it will turn out for you as an occasion for testimony. Therefore settle it in your hearts not to meditate before hand on what you will answer; for I will give you a mouth and wisdom which all your adversaries will not be able to contradict or resist." Isn't this a wonderful promise, no need to be afraid of anything when we follow Jesus.
Luke 21:33 "Heaven and earth will pass away, but My words will by no means pass away." A promise to guarantee that His word will always be, and nothing can change that. Isn't it a miracle of God that we still have our Bibles after all these many years and it is still in tact bringing this verse into reality for sure.
Luke 21:36 "Watch therefore, and pray always that you may be counted worthy to escaped all these things that will come to pass, and to stand before the Son of Man." Watch and pray is our admonition so we can be found faithful when Christ's comes. I want to be ready, don't you? Grandma Joan
Luke 11:9,10 "So I say to you, 'ask, and it will be given you; seek,and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives, and he who seeks finds, and to him who knocks it will be opened." We must be willing to seek Him and we will find Him.
Luke 11:13 "If you then being evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to those who ask Him." We need this special gift of the Holy Spirit in our lives in order to be filled with the divine nature of Christ. And He is more willing to give us His gift of His Spirit than we are to give good gifts to our children. What a promise!
Luke 12:8 "Also I say to you, whoever confesses Me before men, him the Son of Man also will confess before the angels of God." We must live what we believe before men and not be afraid to give God the glory for the change in our lives and then He can share our names before His Angels.
Luke 12:11,12 "Now when they bring you to the synagogue and magistrates and authorities, do not worry about how or what you should answer, or what you should say. For the Holy Spirit will teach you in that very hour what you ought to say." Amazing! isn't it? What God will do for us, even when we think we don't know what we ought to say or answer. Always keep this in mind, and don't worry if we are asked about what we believe, we will have the right things to answer.
Luke 12:29-31 "And do not seek what you should eat or what you should drink, nor have an anxious mind. For all these the nations of the world seek after, and your Father knows that you need these things. But seek first the kingdom of God and all these things shall be added to you." We just read this promise in Matthew, so it must be an important message for us today. Seek first His kingdom and He will add these other things to our life.
Luke 12:32 "Do not fear, little flock, for it is your Father's good pleasure to give you the kingdom."
No need to be afraid, is there?
Luke 21:12-15 "But before all these things, they will lay their hands on you and persecute you, delivering you up to the synagogues and prisons. You will be brought before kings and rulers for My names sake. But it will turn out for you as an occasion for testimony. Therefore settle it in your hearts not to meditate before hand on what you will answer; for I will give you a mouth and wisdom which all your adversaries will not be able to contradict or resist." Isn't this a wonderful promise, no need to be afraid of anything when we follow Jesus.
Luke 21:33 "Heaven and earth will pass away, but My words will by no means pass away." A promise to guarantee that His word will always be, and nothing can change that. Isn't it a miracle of God that we still have our Bibles after all these many years and it is still in tact bringing this verse into reality for sure.
Luke 21:36 "Watch therefore, and pray always that you may be counted worthy to escaped all these things that will come to pass, and to stand before the Son of Man." Watch and pray is our admonition so we can be found faithful when Christ's comes. I want to be ready, don't you? Grandma Joan
A Great and Precious Promise in Mark
If you have not read the first Promise study on Mathew, you need to read it before you go on. I am going to repeat this each time as it is important to know how and when we can expect to receive the promises in the Bible. So please go back and read the ones from Mathew.
Mark 11:22-24 "Have faith in God. For assuredly I say to you, whoever says to this mountain, 'be removed and be cast into the sea,' and does not doubt in his heart but believes that those things he says will be done, he will have whatever he says. Therefore I say to you whatever things you ask when you pray, believe that you receive them, and you will have them."
A lot of people think that the mountain is a literal mountain, but when studying it, I believe it is speaking of mountains of sin, because He does say that He will cast our sins in the depths of the sea and remember them no more. That is a wonderful promise. We must confess them and repent with sorrow over them because we have wounded our Savior, when He has done so much for us, and He has promised whatever we ask when we pray, we must believe that we receive our request and He will do it. We can start over each day with a clean slate and leave our past in the depths of the sea. You will find that promise in Micah :1:9 and Hebrews 8:12.
Have you every thought that you can start with a new life, tomorrow? If God doesn't want to remember our sins, then why should we dwell upon them and let Satan keep hammering us with them. It's his way of discouraging us and God doesn't want us to listen to him and become overwhelmed by our past. So let's start a new life tomorrow and if we do fall He has the answer for that too, in 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."
So dear Friend, take God at His word and believe His precious promises and start your life anew each day and God will see you through. Grandma Joan
Mark 11:22-24 "Have faith in God. For assuredly I say to you, whoever says to this mountain, 'be removed and be cast into the sea,' and does not doubt in his heart but believes that those things he says will be done, he will have whatever he says. Therefore I say to you whatever things you ask when you pray, believe that you receive them, and you will have them."
A lot of people think that the mountain is a literal mountain, but when studying it, I believe it is speaking of mountains of sin, because He does say that He will cast our sins in the depths of the sea and remember them no more. That is a wonderful promise. We must confess them and repent with sorrow over them because we have wounded our Savior, when He has done so much for us, and He has promised whatever we ask when we pray, we must believe that we receive our request and He will do it. We can start over each day with a clean slate and leave our past in the depths of the sea. You will find that promise in Micah :1:9 and Hebrews 8:12.
Have you every thought that you can start with a new life, tomorrow? If God doesn't want to remember our sins, then why should we dwell upon them and let Satan keep hammering us with them. It's his way of discouraging us and God doesn't want us to listen to him and become overwhelmed by our past. So let's start a new life tomorrow and if we do fall He has the answer for that too, in 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."
So dear Friend, take God at His word and believe His precious promises and start your life anew each day and God will see you through. Grandma Joan
Friday, June 16, 2017
Promises in Mathew
I am going to share some promises with you from the Bible and there is a reason for this. God has told us in 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."
God has told US that He has given us exceeding great and precious promises so that we can be partakers of His divine nature and by accepting His precious promises we will escape the corruption that is in this world. So because of this I want to help you and while I am helping you I will be helping myself to have more faith and more trust in Him and in His promises. It might be a good idea when you are reading these promises, to list them under headings. I haven't been able to do that yet but I think its a good idea, that way when a problem comes up you will have several promises under that heading to depend on, don't forget they are exceeding great and precious promises and they will cause us to become partakers of His divine nature, which is what I want most of all.
God has given me a heart full of love for most all people, He is still helping me to love everyone and I am anxious to His full love to fill me. This is just one thing He has done for me. There are many and maybe I can share some as we go along in our studies.
Mathew 6:31-33 "Therefore take no thought, saying. What shall we eat? or What shall we drink? or Where withal shall we be clothed? (For after all these things do the Gentiles seek:) For your heavenly Father knows that you have need of all these things. But seek first the kingdom of God, and His righteousness and all these things shall be added unto you."
I would like to add in here that the last sentence of those verses is the condition on all God's promises. In other words, why would He make promises to us like this if we were living in sin and didn't want to live any better? It just makes sense that His promises are for those that want to be a partaker of His divine nature, just like 2 Peter says. We must take God's word just as it reads if we want to be able to partake of His promises.
Mathew 11:28-30 "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."
Yoke up to Jesus, He wants to give you rest and His yoke is easy and His burden is light. It takes all your worries away because He has the solutions that you are needing and He wants to share them with you. It is the only way to live, I want to learn more about these promises that He has given us, don't you? We need His presence in our lives so that we can become partakers of His great and precious promises and become a partaker of His divine nature. Grandma Joan
God has told US that He has given us exceeding great and precious promises so that we can be partakers of His divine nature and by accepting His precious promises we will escape the corruption that is in this world. So because of this I want to help you and while I am helping you I will be helping myself to have more faith and more trust in Him and in His promises. It might be a good idea when you are reading these promises, to list them under headings. I haven't been able to do that yet but I think its a good idea, that way when a problem comes up you will have several promises under that heading to depend on, don't forget they are exceeding great and precious promises and they will cause us to become partakers of His divine nature, which is what I want most of all.
God has given me a heart full of love for most all people, He is still helping me to love everyone and I am anxious to His full love to fill me. This is just one thing He has done for me. There are many and maybe I can share some as we go along in our studies.
Mathew 6:31-33 "Therefore take no thought, saying. What shall we eat? or What shall we drink? or Where withal shall we be clothed? (For after all these things do the Gentiles seek:) For your heavenly Father knows that you have need of all these things. But seek first the kingdom of God, and His righteousness and all these things shall be added unto you."
I would like to add in here that the last sentence of those verses is the condition on all God's promises. In other words, why would He make promises to us like this if we were living in sin and didn't want to live any better? It just makes sense that His promises are for those that want to be a partaker of His divine nature, just like 2 Peter says. We must take God's word just as it reads if we want to be able to partake of His promises.
Mathew 11:28-30 "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."
Yoke up to Jesus, He wants to give you rest and His yoke is easy and His burden is light. It takes all your worries away because He has the solutions that you are needing and He wants to share them with you. It is the only way to live, I want to learn more about these promises that He has given us, don't you? We need His presence in our lives so that we can become partakers of His great and precious promises and become a partaker of His divine nature. Grandma Joan
Tuesday, June 13, 2017
Genuine Conversion
Everyone should be genuinely truthful in all that we do. We need to be genuinely God's and our conversion to Him should be genuine, shouldn't it. God knows our hearts and He knows whether we are fake or not, whether we are really repenting of our past or faking it, He knows and we need to remember that He knows our hearts, it will help us to be genuinely His.
The following quotation is from the Review and Herald July 22, 1890.
"Sin then appears in its true hideousness, and his self-esteem was gone. He became humble. He no longer ascribed goodness and merit to himself. He ceased to think more highly of himself that he ought, and be ascribed all the glory to God. He was no longer ambitious for greatness. He ceased to want to avenge himself and was no longer sensitive to reproach, neglect, or contempt. He no longer sought earthly alliance, station or honor. He did not pull others down to uplift himself. He became gentle, condescending, meek and lowly of heart, because he had learned his lesson in the school of Christ. He talked of Jesus and His matchless love, and grew more and more into His image. He bent his whole energy to win souls to Christ. When trial came upon him because of his unselfish labor for souls, he bowed in prayer, and his love for them increased. His life was hid with Christ in God, and he loved Jesus with all the ardor of his nature. Every church was dear to him , every church member was a person of interest to him. For he looked on every soul as the purchase of the blood of Christ."
This was talking about Genuine Conversion, I couldn't pass up such a beautiful example of what a disciple of Christ would be like. It could have been talking about any one of the disciples, they all experienced genuine conversion one way or another. It should be talking about us individually. If we are a genuine convert to Christ, this will be said of us by our God. I want this said of me, don't you?
We don't want a big ego or lots of praise, or money because we love and bless others with our caring spirit. Let's just be like Jesus in our conduct and in our relationship with others. We in turn will be blessed beyond our comprehension. Also we will be numbered among the saved at last. Grandma
Joan
PS I know this was short but it was so powerful, I just had to share it.
The following quotation is from the Review and Herald July 22, 1890.
"Sin then appears in its true hideousness, and his self-esteem was gone. He became humble. He no longer ascribed goodness and merit to himself. He ceased to think more highly of himself that he ought, and be ascribed all the glory to God. He was no longer ambitious for greatness. He ceased to want to avenge himself and was no longer sensitive to reproach, neglect, or contempt. He no longer sought earthly alliance, station or honor. He did not pull others down to uplift himself. He became gentle, condescending, meek and lowly of heart, because he had learned his lesson in the school of Christ. He talked of Jesus and His matchless love, and grew more and more into His image. He bent his whole energy to win souls to Christ. When trial came upon him because of his unselfish labor for souls, he bowed in prayer, and his love for them increased. His life was hid with Christ in God, and he loved Jesus with all the ardor of his nature. Every church was dear to him , every church member was a person of interest to him. For he looked on every soul as the purchase of the blood of Christ."
This was talking about Genuine Conversion, I couldn't pass up such a beautiful example of what a disciple of Christ would be like. It could have been talking about any one of the disciples, they all experienced genuine conversion one way or another. It should be talking about us individually. If we are a genuine convert to Christ, this will be said of us by our God. I want this said of me, don't you?
We don't want a big ego or lots of praise, or money because we love and bless others with our caring spirit. Let's just be like Jesus in our conduct and in our relationship with others. We in turn will be blessed beyond our comprehension. Also we will be numbered among the saved at last. Grandma
Joan
PS I know this was short but it was so powerful, I just had to share it.
Monday, June 12, 2017
False Teachers
There have been false teachers since Eve sinned. I would consider Esau the first one, since he tried to get his brother to agree with his sacrifice and when Abel refused to agree with him, he slew him and buried him. God put a mark on Esau and he was a marked man from then on. And from then on there have always been false teachers. A lot of false teachers do it for money, some do it to draw men after them, others do it to feed their ego. There are lots of reasons, but the Bible is the only true and honest guide we can go by so when you hear a sermon, be like the Bereans, go home and study it out and make sure it was truth. There will be no false anything in heaven. Everything will be pure and honest.
Romans 16:17,18 "NowI beseech you brethren, mark them which cause divisions and offences contrary to the doctrine which ye have learned; and avoid them. For they that are such serve not our Lord Jesus Christ, but their own belly; and by good words and fair speeches deceive the hearts of the simple." This verse is right to the point and no need to misunderstand it.
Acts 20:30 "Also from among yourselves men will rise up speaking perverse things, to draw away disciples after themselves."
Ephesians 4:14 "We should no longer be children tossed to and fro and carried about with every wind of doctrine by the trickery of men, in the cunning craftiness of deceitful plotting."
1 Timothy 4:1,2 "Now the Spirit expressly says that in latter times some will depart from the faith, and giving heed to deceiving spirits and doctrines of demons, speaking lies in hypocrisy, having their own conscience seared with a hot iron."
Titus 1:10,11 "For there are many insubordinate, both idle talkers and deceivers, especially of the circumcision, whose mouths must be stopped, who subvert whole households, teaching things which they ought not, for the sake of dishonest gain. Could that be talking about money, giving their tithe and offerings to them. That happens a lot.
2 Peter 2:1-3 "But there were also false prophets among the people, even as there will be false teachers among you, who will secretly bring in destructive heresies, even denying the Lord who bought them, and bring on themselves swift destruction. And many will follow their destructive ways, because of whom the way of truth will be blasphemed. By coveteousness they will exploit you with deceptive words; for a long time their judgment has not been idle, and their destruction does not slumber."
Satan has his workers and he knows all about deceit and lies and how to turn us from truth to fables. We must be students of the word and give diligence to God's word. It is a matter of life and death, or living forever and dying and never living again. I want to live forever with my Savior, don't you. Let's not let anything or anybody come between us and our God. Take the Bible just as it reads and don't add any words to it or don't take any words out of it. Then we will be safe from Satan's tactics.
Grandma Joan
Romans 16:17,18 "NowI beseech you brethren, mark them which cause divisions and offences contrary to the doctrine which ye have learned; and avoid them. For they that are such serve not our Lord Jesus Christ, but their own belly; and by good words and fair speeches deceive the hearts of the simple." This verse is right to the point and no need to misunderstand it.
Acts 20:30 "Also from among yourselves men will rise up speaking perverse things, to draw away disciples after themselves."
Ephesians 4:14 "We should no longer be children tossed to and fro and carried about with every wind of doctrine by the trickery of men, in the cunning craftiness of deceitful plotting."
1 Timothy 4:1,2 "Now the Spirit expressly says that in latter times some will depart from the faith, and giving heed to deceiving spirits and doctrines of demons, speaking lies in hypocrisy, having their own conscience seared with a hot iron."
Titus 1:10,11 "For there are many insubordinate, both idle talkers and deceivers, especially of the circumcision, whose mouths must be stopped, who subvert whole households, teaching things which they ought not, for the sake of dishonest gain. Could that be talking about money, giving their tithe and offerings to them. That happens a lot.
2 Peter 2:1-3 "But there were also false prophets among the people, even as there will be false teachers among you, who will secretly bring in destructive heresies, even denying the Lord who bought them, and bring on themselves swift destruction. And many will follow their destructive ways, because of whom the way of truth will be blasphemed. By coveteousness they will exploit you with deceptive words; for a long time their judgment has not been idle, and their destruction does not slumber."
Satan has his workers and he knows all about deceit and lies and how to turn us from truth to fables. We must be students of the word and give diligence to God's word. It is a matter of life and death, or living forever and dying and never living again. I want to live forever with my Savior, don't you. Let's not let anything or anybody come between us and our God. Take the Bible just as it reads and don't add any words to it or don't take any words out of it. Then we will be safe from Satan's tactics.
Grandma Joan
Sunday, June 11, 2017
False Friends
Wow! even false friends? Yes, false friends. I have had some of those too. Have you? It really is dangerous to have false friends, let's see why.
Matthew 7:16 "You will know them by their fruits."
1 Corinthians 15:33 "Do not be deceived, evil company corrupts good habits."
Psalm 28:3 "Do not take me away with the wicked and with the worker of iniquity, who speak peace to their neighbors, but evil is in their hearts."
Psalm 41:9 "Even my own familiar friend in whom I trusted, who ate my bread, has lifted up his heel against me."
Psalm 55:21 "The words of his mouth were smoother than butter, but war was in his heart; His words were softer than oil, yet they were drawn swords."
Proverbs 11:13 "A talebearer reveals secrets,but he who is of a faithful spirit conceals a matter."
Proverbs 12:26 "The righteous should choose his friends carefully. For the way of the wicked leads them astray."
Proverbs 16:28 "A perverse man sows strife and a whisperer separates the best of friends."
Proverbs 19:6,7 "Many entreat the favor of nobility, and every man is a friend to one who gives gifts. All the brothers of the poor hate him; how much more do his friends go far from him! He may pursue them with words, yet they abandon him."
Proverbs 20:19 "He who goes about as a tale bearer reveals secrets; Therefore do not associate with one who flatters with his lips."
Proverbs 23:6,7 "Do not eat bread of a miser, nor desire his delicacies; for as he thinks in his heart, so is he. Eat and drink, he says to you, but his heart is not with you."
Proverbs 27:5,6 "Open rebuke is better than love carefully concealed. Faithful are the wounds of a friend, but the kisses of an enemy are deceitful."
Proverbs 21:20 "Where there is no wood, the fire goes out; and where there is no talebearer, strife ceases."
Psalm 22:24 "Make no friendship with an angry man. And with a furious man do not go, lest you learn his way and set a snare for your soul."
Make no mistake, this was a heavy study and well worth the time. I can see how choosing the right friends can make or break a person. I have done that and it is hard to deal with when you find out that they are trying to push off their filth on you. But I was able to handle it with God's help, otherwise I might have been totally undone. It was so bad that I almost became sick over it. I don't like to hurt anyone and I really don't think I did, it seemed that I was the one who was hurt, it didn't seem to faze the one that I rebuked. Just from my experience, I warn you to be very careful who you pick as friends. Another thing, if the person is well known and people know what they are like, and see you associating with them, they think you are of the same mind, and unless you are you had better run the opposite direction as I have had to do. Grandma Joan
Matthew 7:16 "You will know them by their fruits."
1 Corinthians 15:33 "Do not be deceived, evil company corrupts good habits."
Psalm 28:3 "Do not take me away with the wicked and with the worker of iniquity, who speak peace to their neighbors, but evil is in their hearts."
Psalm 41:9 "Even my own familiar friend in whom I trusted, who ate my bread, has lifted up his heel against me."
Psalm 55:21 "The words of his mouth were smoother than butter, but war was in his heart; His words were softer than oil, yet they were drawn swords."
Proverbs 11:13 "A talebearer reveals secrets,but he who is of a faithful spirit conceals a matter."
Proverbs 12:26 "The righteous should choose his friends carefully. For the way of the wicked leads them astray."
Proverbs 16:28 "A perverse man sows strife and a whisperer separates the best of friends."
Proverbs 19:6,7 "Many entreat the favor of nobility, and every man is a friend to one who gives gifts. All the brothers of the poor hate him; how much more do his friends go far from him! He may pursue them with words, yet they abandon him."
Proverbs 20:19 "He who goes about as a tale bearer reveals secrets; Therefore do not associate with one who flatters with his lips."
Proverbs 23:6,7 "Do not eat bread of a miser, nor desire his delicacies; for as he thinks in his heart, so is he. Eat and drink, he says to you, but his heart is not with you."
Proverbs 27:5,6 "Open rebuke is better than love carefully concealed. Faithful are the wounds of a friend, but the kisses of an enemy are deceitful."
Proverbs 21:20 "Where there is no wood, the fire goes out; and where there is no talebearer, strife ceases."
Psalm 22:24 "Make no friendship with an angry man. And with a furious man do not go, lest you learn his way and set a snare for your soul."
Make no mistake, this was a heavy study and well worth the time. I can see how choosing the right friends can make or break a person. I have done that and it is hard to deal with when you find out that they are trying to push off their filth on you. But I was able to handle it with God's help, otherwise I might have been totally undone. It was so bad that I almost became sick over it. I don't like to hurt anyone and I really don't think I did, it seemed that I was the one who was hurt, it didn't seem to faze the one that I rebuked. Just from my experience, I warn you to be very careful who you pick as friends. Another thing, if the person is well known and people know what they are like, and see you associating with them, they think you are of the same mind, and unless you are you had better run the opposite direction as I have had to do. Grandma Joan
Saturday, June 10, 2017
False Doctrine
Paul was met with false teachers and false doctrine and he met it with vigor, trying to save his new converts. We should do the same, if we know false doctrine is being spread around, we need to be firm in what we believe as long as it is Biblical, if it is not Biblical, meet it head on and try to save the ones who are being led astray. Here is what Paul says about it.t
Galatians 1:9 "As we have said before, so now I say again if anyone preaches any other gospel to you than what you have received, let him be accursed." It must be pretty important, because thats a pretty strong statement.
Ephesians 4:14 "We should no longer be children, tossed to and fro and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the trickery of men in the cunning craftiness of deceitful plotting."
1 Timothy 1:3,4 "As I urged you when I wen into Macedonia - remain in Ephesus that you may charge some that they teach no other doctrine, nor give heed to fables and endless geneologies, which cause disputes rather than godly edification which is in faith."
2 Timothy 2:16-18 "But shun profane and idle babblings, for they will increase to more ungodliness. And their message will spread like cancer. Hymenaues and Philetus are of this sort who have strayed concerning the truth, saying that the resurrection is already past; and they overthrow the faith of some."
Hebrews 13:9 "Do not be carried about with various and strange doctrines."
2 Peter 3:17 "You therefore, beloved, since you know this beforehand, beware lest you fall from your own steadfastness, being led away with the error of the wicked."
This is a short study but to the point. We must be sure of what we believe and know that it is entirely Biblical and doesn't have error mixed in with it. Satan is very subtle and loves to discourage and trick us up with false doctrine. We really must be aware of his tricks because he is out to destroy us with anything that we might fall for. I have been led astray by him and his tricks and I know how subtle he is, especially if we have been hurt by someone in the church as we were. We are easy prey.
So please be careful and don't let this happen to you. Grandma Joan
Galatians 1:9 "As we have said before, so now I say again if anyone preaches any other gospel to you than what you have received, let him be accursed." It must be pretty important, because thats a pretty strong statement.
Ephesians 4:14 "We should no longer be children, tossed to and fro and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the trickery of men in the cunning craftiness of deceitful plotting."
1 Timothy 1:3,4 "As I urged you when I wen into Macedonia - remain in Ephesus that you may charge some that they teach no other doctrine, nor give heed to fables and endless geneologies, which cause disputes rather than godly edification which is in faith."
2 Timothy 2:16-18 "But shun profane and idle babblings, for they will increase to more ungodliness. And their message will spread like cancer. Hymenaues and Philetus are of this sort who have strayed concerning the truth, saying that the resurrection is already past; and they overthrow the faith of some."
Hebrews 13:9 "Do not be carried about with various and strange doctrines."
2 Peter 3:17 "You therefore, beloved, since you know this beforehand, beware lest you fall from your own steadfastness, being led away with the error of the wicked."
This is a short study but to the point. We must be sure of what we believe and know that it is entirely Biblical and doesn't have error mixed in with it. Satan is very subtle and loves to discourage and trick us up with false doctrine. We really must be aware of his tricks because he is out to destroy us with anything that we might fall for. I have been led astray by him and his tricks and I know how subtle he is, especially if we have been hurt by someone in the church as we were. We are easy prey.
So please be careful and don't let this happen to you. Grandma Joan
Friday, June 9, 2017
False Converts
There are those we converted to Christ, that are really sincere and honestly want to do right and then there are those who are converted out of fear of hell fire and don't want to be destroyed by fire. Sometimes the ones that are converted our of fear, and their heart is not really cleansed and made new, think that they can teach and convert people to their way of thinking, which has been warped by their fear. Fear is not a reason to come to God. Repentance is the acceptable way to come to Christ in confession of the past and renewed by the power of God. Let's pray that our conversion is from a true heart with confession and repentance of our past sins. We don't want to be a False Convert.
Romans 16:17,18 "Now I urge you brethren, note those who cause division and offenses, contrary to the doctrine which you learned and avoid them. For those who are such do not serve our Lord Jesus Christ, but their own belly and deceive the hearts of the simple."
1 Corinthians 6:9,10 "Do you not know that the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived. Neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor homosexuals, nor sodomites, nor coveteous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor extortioners will inherit the kingdom of God."
1 Timothy 4:3,4 "For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine but according to their own desires, because they have itching ears, they will heap up for themselves teachers, and they will turn their ears away from truth and be turned aside to fables."
2 Peter 2:1 "But there were also false prophets among the people, even as there will be false teachers among you, who will secretly bring in destructive heresies, even denying the Lord who bought them, and bring on themselves swift destruction."
Jude 1:4 "For certain men have crept in unnoticed, who long ago were marked out for this condemnation, ungodly men, who turn the grace of our God into lewdness and deny the only Lord God and our Lord Jesus Christ."
Revelation 22:15 "But outside are dogs and sorcerers and sexually immoral and murderers and idolators, and whoever loves and practices a lie."
We can see what False Converts are by these verses, and we must beware that we don't get carried away with their subtle teachings. That's how the devil gets in the church and tries to destroy it. So beware my friends and don't let that happen to you. Grandma Joan
Romans 16:17,18 "Now I urge you brethren, note those who cause division and offenses, contrary to the doctrine which you learned and avoid them. For those who are such do not serve our Lord Jesus Christ, but their own belly and deceive the hearts of the simple."
1 Corinthians 6:9,10 "Do you not know that the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived. Neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor homosexuals, nor sodomites, nor coveteous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor extortioners will inherit the kingdom of God."
1 Timothy 4:3,4 "For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine but according to their own desires, because they have itching ears, they will heap up for themselves teachers, and they will turn their ears away from truth and be turned aside to fables."
2 Peter 2:1 "But there were also false prophets among the people, even as there will be false teachers among you, who will secretly bring in destructive heresies, even denying the Lord who bought them, and bring on themselves swift destruction."
Jude 1:4 "For certain men have crept in unnoticed, who long ago were marked out for this condemnation, ungodly men, who turn the grace of our God into lewdness and deny the only Lord God and our Lord Jesus Christ."
Revelation 22:15 "But outside are dogs and sorcerers and sexually immoral and murderers and idolators, and whoever loves and practices a lie."
We can see what False Converts are by these verses, and we must beware that we don't get carried away with their subtle teachings. That's how the devil gets in the church and tries to destroy it. So beware my friends and don't let that happen to you. Grandma Joan
Thursday, June 8, 2017
False Believers
Yes, there are false believers and plenty of them. Same as in Bible times except probably a lot more because there are a lot more people in the world. What is a False Believer? Let's do a little studying and find out, OK?
Isaiah 29:13 "Therefore the Lord said: In as much as these people draw near with their mouths and honor Me with their lips, but have removed their hearts far from Me, and their fear towards me is taught by the commandment of men." Matthew 15:8 says the same. We can talk like we are a saint and honor God with our mouths and our hearts may be far from Him and we may be living a lie.
Luke 6:46 "But why do you call Me 'Lord, Lord', and do not the things which I say." Our mouth is getting in the way again. This sounds like a hypocrite, doesn't it?
John 14:6 "Jesus said to him, 'I am the way, the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me." This is the only way that we can come to the Father, is through Jesus our intercessor. It is the only way we can be secure in our faith and beliefs, if Jesus is the way, the truth and the life, then this is the way for us to follow.
Titus 1:16 "They profess that they know God, but in works they deny Him, being abominable, and disobedient, and unto every work reprobate." By their fruits you will know them, we cannot judge motives but can see what kind of fruits are visible.
James 1:26 "If anyone among you thinks he is religious, and does not bridle his tongue but deceives his own heart, this one's religion is useless."
1 John 2:4 "He who says, 'I know Him', and does not keep His commandments, is a liar, and the truth is not in him."
1 John 2:9 "He who says he is in the light and hates his brother, is in darkness until now."
1 John 3:6 "Whoever abides in Him does not sin, (willfully)Whoever sins has neither seen Him or known Him."
Do these verses explain what a False Believer is. I think they are pretty plain and the only way we can be secure against error is to study to show ourselves approved by studying His word which is what we are doing just now. Our strength to do His will comes only from Him who is the way, the truth and the life. Press on friends, Christ is our hope, our only hope in this wicked world. Grandma
Joan
Isaiah 29:13 "Therefore the Lord said: In as much as these people draw near with their mouths and honor Me with their lips, but have removed their hearts far from Me, and their fear towards me is taught by the commandment of men." Matthew 15:8 says the same. We can talk like we are a saint and honor God with our mouths and our hearts may be far from Him and we may be living a lie.
Luke 6:46 "But why do you call Me 'Lord, Lord', and do not the things which I say." Our mouth is getting in the way again. This sounds like a hypocrite, doesn't it?
John 14:6 "Jesus said to him, 'I am the way, the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me." This is the only way that we can come to the Father, is through Jesus our intercessor. It is the only way we can be secure in our faith and beliefs, if Jesus is the way, the truth and the life, then this is the way for us to follow.
Titus 1:16 "They profess that they know God, but in works they deny Him, being abominable, and disobedient, and unto every work reprobate." By their fruits you will know them, we cannot judge motives but can see what kind of fruits are visible.
James 1:26 "If anyone among you thinks he is religious, and does not bridle his tongue but deceives his own heart, this one's religion is useless."
1 John 2:4 "He who says, 'I know Him', and does not keep His commandments, is a liar, and the truth is not in him."
1 John 2:9 "He who says he is in the light and hates his brother, is in darkness until now."
1 John 3:6 "Whoever abides in Him does not sin, (willfully)Whoever sins has neither seen Him or known Him."
Do these verses explain what a False Believer is. I think they are pretty plain and the only way we can be secure against error is to study to show ourselves approved by studying His word which is what we are doing just now. Our strength to do His will comes only from Him who is the way, the truth and the life. Press on friends, Christ is our hope, our only hope in this wicked world. Grandma
Joan
Wednesday, June 7, 2017
Can We Become Perfect?
This is such a good question and worth checking into because I dare say that there are only a few that believe we can become perfect. But we need to know if this is true or a false belief. Lets check it out.
In the old testament there were men that God called blameless and just.
Genesis 6:8,9 "But Noah found grace in the eyes of the Lord. This the geneology of Noah. Noah was a just man, perfect in his generations. Noah walked with God."
Genesis 17:1 "When Abram was ninety-nine years old, the Lord appeared to Abram and said to him, 'I am Almighty God; walk before Me and be blameless."
Job 1:1 "There was a man in the land of Uz, whose name was Job; and that man was blameless and upright, and one who feared God and shunned evil."
Psalm 18:32 "It is God who arms me with strength, and makes my way perfect."
Psalm 19:7-11 "The law of the Lord is perfect, converting the soul: the testimony of the Lord is sure, making wise the simple. The statutes of the Lord are right, rejoicing the heart: the commandment of the Lord is pure, enlightening the eyes. The fear of the Lord is clean, enduring forever: the judgments of the Lord are true and righteous altogether. More to be desire are they than gold, yea, than much fine gold: sweeter also than honey and the honeycomb. Moreover by them is thy servant warned: and in keeping of them there is great reward."
Psalm 138:8 "The Lord will perfect that which concerns me, Your mercy O lord, endures forever; Do not forsake the work of your hands."
John 17:23 (Jesus prayer for us) "I in them, and You in Me; that they be made perfect in one, that the world may know that You have sent Me, and have loved them as You have loved Me."
2 Corinthians 7:1 "Therefore, having these promises, beloved, let us cleanse ourselves from all filthiness of the flesh and spirit, perfecting holiness in the fear of the Lord."
2 Corinthians 12:9 "And He said to me, 'My grace is sufficient for you, for my strength is made perfect in weakness."
Colossians 1:28 "Him we preach, warning every man in all wisdom, that we may present every man perfect in Christ Jesus."
Colossians 3:14 "But above all these things put on love, which is the bond of perfection."
2 Timothy 3:16,17 "All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, reproof, correction, for instruction in righteousness, that the man of God may be complete, thoroughly equipped for every good work."
1 Peter 5:10 "But may the God of all grace who called us unto His eternal glory by Christ Jesus, after you have suffered a while, perfect, establish and strengthen and settle you."
1 John 2:5 "Whoever keeps His word, truly the love of God is perfected in Him. By this we know that we are in Him."
Philippians 3:12 (This is Hope) "Not that I have already attained or am already perfected but I press on that I may lay hold of that for which Christ Jesus has also laid hold of me."
I know this is a hard thing to understand, but if we listen closely to what Jesus is telling us in His word, it is as simple as simple can be. The reason it is hard is because we have an aversion to being what God truly wants us to be, because we think in our sinful mind that it is impossible but with God all things are possible. We follow on to know the Lord minute, by minute, day by day and so on until He comes. It is not for us to perfect our characters, it is God's job and He knows how to do it best. It may come through trials, or suffering, but even then isn't it worth everlasting life which can never be taken away from us? Sanctification is the work of a life time. It doesn't happen over night or even in a year or years. We are made perfect day by day as we encounter Him through His word. If we fall which we can easily do if we take our eyes off Him even for a moment, He will pick us up and give us the strength to go on. I want to stress, it is not our work, 'it is God that works in us to will and to do of His good pleasure' so give your life to Him and let Him have complete control and see the difference this makes in your life and mine. It will be entirely new, I can vouch for that. It makes you a new creation in Christ. Grandma Joan
In the old testament there were men that God called blameless and just.
Genesis 6:8,9 "But Noah found grace in the eyes of the Lord. This the geneology of Noah. Noah was a just man, perfect in his generations. Noah walked with God."
Genesis 17:1 "When Abram was ninety-nine years old, the Lord appeared to Abram and said to him, 'I am Almighty God; walk before Me and be blameless."
Job 1:1 "There was a man in the land of Uz, whose name was Job; and that man was blameless and upright, and one who feared God and shunned evil."
Psalm 18:32 "It is God who arms me with strength, and makes my way perfect."
Psalm 19:7-11 "The law of the Lord is perfect, converting the soul: the testimony of the Lord is sure, making wise the simple. The statutes of the Lord are right, rejoicing the heart: the commandment of the Lord is pure, enlightening the eyes. The fear of the Lord is clean, enduring forever: the judgments of the Lord are true and righteous altogether. More to be desire are they than gold, yea, than much fine gold: sweeter also than honey and the honeycomb. Moreover by them is thy servant warned: and in keeping of them there is great reward."
Psalm 138:8 "The Lord will perfect that which concerns me, Your mercy O lord, endures forever; Do not forsake the work of your hands."
John 17:23 (Jesus prayer for us) "I in them, and You in Me; that they be made perfect in one, that the world may know that You have sent Me, and have loved them as You have loved Me."
2 Corinthians 7:1 "Therefore, having these promises, beloved, let us cleanse ourselves from all filthiness of the flesh and spirit, perfecting holiness in the fear of the Lord."
2 Corinthians 12:9 "And He said to me, 'My grace is sufficient for you, for my strength is made perfect in weakness."
Colossians 1:28 "Him we preach, warning every man in all wisdom, that we may present every man perfect in Christ Jesus."
Colossians 3:14 "But above all these things put on love, which is the bond of perfection."
2 Timothy 3:16,17 "All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, reproof, correction, for instruction in righteousness, that the man of God may be complete, thoroughly equipped for every good work."
1 Peter 5:10 "But may the God of all grace who called us unto His eternal glory by Christ Jesus, after you have suffered a while, perfect, establish and strengthen and settle you."
1 John 2:5 "Whoever keeps His word, truly the love of God is perfected in Him. By this we know that we are in Him."
Philippians 3:12 (This is Hope) "Not that I have already attained or am already perfected but I press on that I may lay hold of that for which Christ Jesus has also laid hold of me."
I know this is a hard thing to understand, but if we listen closely to what Jesus is telling us in His word, it is as simple as simple can be. The reason it is hard is because we have an aversion to being what God truly wants us to be, because we think in our sinful mind that it is impossible but with God all things are possible. We follow on to know the Lord minute, by minute, day by day and so on until He comes. It is not for us to perfect our characters, it is God's job and He knows how to do it best. It may come through trials, or suffering, but even then isn't it worth everlasting life which can never be taken away from us? Sanctification is the work of a life time. It doesn't happen over night or even in a year or years. We are made perfect day by day as we encounter Him through His word. If we fall which we can easily do if we take our eyes off Him even for a moment, He will pick us up and give us the strength to go on. I want to stress, it is not our work, 'it is God that works in us to will and to do of His good pleasure' so give your life to Him and let Him have complete control and see the difference this makes in your life and mine. It will be entirely new, I can vouch for that. It makes you a new creation in Christ. Grandma Joan
Tuesday, June 6, 2017
An Overcomer, Is It Possible?
There is s doctrine going around that we can be saved in our sin. I have a question to ask you and I have thought about it quite a bit. If we are saved in our sin instead of from our sin, how will heaven be any different than this earth is now? If we take sin into heaven we might as well stay here and enjoy our sin for the time we are here. It doesn't exist in heaven so lets see what we can do to assure our home in heaven.
Philippians 4:13 "I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me." Lets remember this verse as we study the others.
Psalm 3:3 "But You, O Lord, are a shield for me, my glory and the One who lifts up my head." When we are down and out and feel depressed with our life, God is our shield and our glory and will lift us up.
Psalm 16:8 "I have set the Lord always before me; because He is at my right hand I shall not be moved."
Psalm 55:22 "Cast your burden on the Lord, and He shall sustain you; He shall never permit the righteous to be moved."
Psalm119:50 "This is my comfort in my affliction, for Your word has given me life." His word will give us life as long as we read and study it for it's life-giving messages. And there are plenty of those in the Bible, we just need to search them out and if we are sincere it will become fun to search them out and will be life-saving to us. I can vouch for that.
Psalm120:1 "In my distress I cried to the Lord, and He heard me." This is so true, Satan has been trying to beat me down for a month now and I keep asking God to deliver me from this dark cloud that He is trying to discourage me with, and when I turn to the word as I am now, He lifts it. He truly does.
Proverbs 3:5,6 "Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge Him, and He shall direct your paths." In other words, don't trust yourself to lift you up, Trust in God to do it and acknowledge that it is God that does it, Give Him all the glory when He has answers your prayer for help.
Isaiah 41:10 "Fear not, for I am with you; Be not dismayed; for I am your God. I will strengthen you, yes, I will help you, I will uphold you with My righteous right hand."
Luke 1:37 "For with God nothing will be impossible."
John 16:33 "These things I have spoken to you, that in Me you may have peace, in the world you will have tribulation; but be of good cheer, I have overcome the world." If He has overcome the world, do you think He doesn't have the power to give you the same overcoming power and is more than willing to give us that power all in His name.
Romans 8:37 "Yet in all these things we are more than conquerors through Him who loved us."
1 Corinthians 15:57 "But thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ."
2 Timothy 1:7 "For God has not given us the spirit of fear, but of power and of love, and of a sound mind."
1 John 4:4 "You are of God, little children, and have overcome them, because He who is in you is greater than he who is in the world." This is our hope, because we belong to God, we can be overcomers, because of His greatness in us we can do it. please don't give up to Satan's illusions.
He is trying to destroy all of us but we have a power much higher and greater in us than anything he has to use against us. When you are tempted or even overcome by satan, if all you can say is, 'Jesus save me' He will save you if you ask. Remember you are God's child and He loves you like He loves His Son and nothing is impossible with Him. Grandma Joan
Philippians 4:13 "I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me." Lets remember this verse as we study the others.
Psalm 3:3 "But You, O Lord, are a shield for me, my glory and the One who lifts up my head." When we are down and out and feel depressed with our life, God is our shield and our glory and will lift us up.
Psalm 16:8 "I have set the Lord always before me; because He is at my right hand I shall not be moved."
Psalm 55:22 "Cast your burden on the Lord, and He shall sustain you; He shall never permit the righteous to be moved."
Psalm119:50 "This is my comfort in my affliction, for Your word has given me life." His word will give us life as long as we read and study it for it's life-giving messages. And there are plenty of those in the Bible, we just need to search them out and if we are sincere it will become fun to search them out and will be life-saving to us. I can vouch for that.
Psalm120:1 "In my distress I cried to the Lord, and He heard me." This is so true, Satan has been trying to beat me down for a month now and I keep asking God to deliver me from this dark cloud that He is trying to discourage me with, and when I turn to the word as I am now, He lifts it. He truly does.
Proverbs 3:5,6 "Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge Him, and He shall direct your paths." In other words, don't trust yourself to lift you up, Trust in God to do it and acknowledge that it is God that does it, Give Him all the glory when He has answers your prayer for help.
Isaiah 41:10 "Fear not, for I am with you; Be not dismayed; for I am your God. I will strengthen you, yes, I will help you, I will uphold you with My righteous right hand."
Luke 1:37 "For with God nothing will be impossible."
John 16:33 "These things I have spoken to you, that in Me you may have peace, in the world you will have tribulation; but be of good cheer, I have overcome the world." If He has overcome the world, do you think He doesn't have the power to give you the same overcoming power and is more than willing to give us that power all in His name.
Romans 8:37 "Yet in all these things we are more than conquerors through Him who loved us."
1 Corinthians 15:57 "But thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ."
2 Timothy 1:7 "For God has not given us the spirit of fear, but of power and of love, and of a sound mind."
1 John 4:4 "You are of God, little children, and have overcome them, because He who is in you is greater than he who is in the world." This is our hope, because we belong to God, we can be overcomers, because of His greatness in us we can do it. please don't give up to Satan's illusions.
He is trying to destroy all of us but we have a power much higher and greater in us than anything he has to use against us. When you are tempted or even overcome by satan, if all you can say is, 'Jesus save me' He will save you if you ask. Remember you are God's child and He loves you like He loves His Son and nothing is impossible with Him. Grandma Joan
Monday, June 5, 2017
Pride - 2
Some more on pride. Since it is the root of all sin, it might be a good idea to do a second study on it.
Have you every noticed that it is hard to be friends with a proud person. Since I've been there and done that, I sense what it is like to try to be friends with or even live with someone who has a proud heart. They are very critical and hard to please and sometimes just plain obnoxious. I hate to think I might have been like that at one time. God forbid that I should take that path again. I want to be a humble servant to God and just love people for who they are and not for who I want them to be.
Psalm 10:4 "The wicked in his proud countenance does not seek God; God is in none of his thoughts."
Romans 12:16 "Do not set your mind on high things, but associate with the humble. Do not be wise in your own opinion."
1 Corinthians 13:4 "Love suffers long, and is kind; love does not envy; does not parade itself, is not puffed up."
1 Samuel 2:3 "Talk no more so very proudly; let no arrogance come from your mouth, for the Lord is the God of knowledge; and by Him actions are weighted."
Psalm 5:5 "The boastful shall not stand in Your sight, You hate all workers of iniquity." God does not hate the individual but hates the sin that is being held on to.
Psalm 17:10 "They have closed up their fat heartts; with their mouths they speak proudly."
Psalm 94:4 "They utter speech, and speak insolent things; all the workers of iniquity boast of themselves."
Isaiah 13:11 "I will punish the world for its evil and the wicked for their iniquity; I will halt the arrogance of the proud and will lay low the haughtiness of the terrible."
Galatians 6:7,8 "Do not be deceived, God is not mocked; for whatever a man sows, that he will also reap. For he who sows to the flesh will of the flesh reap corruption, but he who sows to the Spirit, will of the Spirit reap everlasting life."
I want to reap everlasting life, don't you? Life is too short to waste it on pride and conceit. It is so much fun to love others and be a humble servant to them. My joy now is to love people and be a humble friend. The love in return is worth more than anything I can think of in this world. I know someone that everytime they talk it is about all the things they are doing for the Lord, they are head this and head that in the church and hold numerous offices and thats all they talk about is what they are doing for the Lord. Is it for the Lord or for their own ego? You be the judge. I can hardly hold a conversation with them, it is so nauseating. I pray that God will have mercy on us and lead us in the way everlasting and not let us get caught up in the pride arena. Keep us your humble servants, Lord Jesus. Grandma Joan
Have you every noticed that it is hard to be friends with a proud person. Since I've been there and done that, I sense what it is like to try to be friends with or even live with someone who has a proud heart. They are very critical and hard to please and sometimes just plain obnoxious. I hate to think I might have been like that at one time. God forbid that I should take that path again. I want to be a humble servant to God and just love people for who they are and not for who I want them to be.
Psalm 10:4 "The wicked in his proud countenance does not seek God; God is in none of his thoughts."
Romans 12:16 "Do not set your mind on high things, but associate with the humble. Do not be wise in your own opinion."
1 Corinthians 13:4 "Love suffers long, and is kind; love does not envy; does not parade itself, is not puffed up."
1 Samuel 2:3 "Talk no more so very proudly; let no arrogance come from your mouth, for the Lord is the God of knowledge; and by Him actions are weighted."
Psalm 5:5 "The boastful shall not stand in Your sight, You hate all workers of iniquity." God does not hate the individual but hates the sin that is being held on to.
Psalm 17:10 "They have closed up their fat heartts; with their mouths they speak proudly."
Psalm 94:4 "They utter speech, and speak insolent things; all the workers of iniquity boast of themselves."
Isaiah 13:11 "I will punish the world for its evil and the wicked for their iniquity; I will halt the arrogance of the proud and will lay low the haughtiness of the terrible."
Galatians 6:7,8 "Do not be deceived, God is not mocked; for whatever a man sows, that he will also reap. For he who sows to the flesh will of the flesh reap corruption, but he who sows to the Spirit, will of the Spirit reap everlasting life."
I want to reap everlasting life, don't you? Life is too short to waste it on pride and conceit. It is so much fun to love others and be a humble servant to them. My joy now is to love people and be a humble friend. The love in return is worth more than anything I can think of in this world. I know someone that everytime they talk it is about all the things they are doing for the Lord, they are head this and head that in the church and hold numerous offices and thats all they talk about is what they are doing for the Lord. Is it for the Lord or for their own ego? You be the judge. I can hardly hold a conversation with them, it is so nauseating. I pray that God will have mercy on us and lead us in the way everlasting and not let us get caught up in the pride arena. Keep us your humble servants, Lord Jesus. Grandma Joan
Sunday, June 4, 2017
Pride -1
Pride = Pride is at the root of all sin. Conceit, egotism, vanity, vainglory, over ones own appearance or status in life or in the church. It's an inwardly emotion that can easily offend others and carries with it a connotation that displays an inflated sense of ones own worth or personal status and typically makes one feel a sense of superiority over others and can easily make someone look down at others.
James 4:6 "God resists the proud, but gives grace to the humble."
James 4:10 Humble yourself in the sight of the Lord, and He will lift you up."
Philippians 2:3 "Let nothing be done through selfish ambition or conceit, but in lowliness of mind let each esteem others better than himself."
Proverbs 8:13 "The fear of the Lord is to hate evil; Pride and arrogance and the evil way and the perverse mouth I hate."
Proverbs 11:2 "When pride comes, then comes shame, but with humility is wisdom."
Proverbs 13:10 "By pride comes nothing but strife."
Proverbs 16:5 "Everyone proud in heart, is an abomination to the Lord."
Proverbs 16:18 "Pride goes before destruction and a haughty spirit before a fall."
Proverbs26:12 "Do you see a man wise in his own eyes? There is more hope for a fool than for him."
Proverbs 27:2 "Let another man praise you, and not your own mouth; a stranger, and not your own lips."
Proverbs 29:3 "A mans pride will bring him low."
God resists the proud but gives grace to the humble. I think everyone has been hit with the sin of pride, arrogance, conceit, whatever you want to call it. It has several names and they all come under the one word pride. Thinking we are better than others, more talented than others or that we are the only ones that can do a thing right. No one else has our capability, when there might be many others that could do the job even better if given the opportunity.
I am ashamed to say that I have been there and done that and it absolutely will bring a person to a low estate. It causes strife, it brings shame, God hates the sin of pride, I'm sure He hates all sin, but evidently pride is at the top of the list. So let others praise you and not your own mouth, even a stranger and not your own lips. If we hang on to it, it will bring us down to a low level. So let it go, and forfeit the opportunity to be brought down to a low level. Grandma Joan
James 4:6 "God resists the proud, but gives grace to the humble."
James 4:10 Humble yourself in the sight of the Lord, and He will lift you up."
Philippians 2:3 "Let nothing be done through selfish ambition or conceit, but in lowliness of mind let each esteem others better than himself."
Proverbs 8:13 "The fear of the Lord is to hate evil; Pride and arrogance and the evil way and the perverse mouth I hate."
Proverbs 11:2 "When pride comes, then comes shame, but with humility is wisdom."
Proverbs 13:10 "By pride comes nothing but strife."
Proverbs 16:5 "Everyone proud in heart, is an abomination to the Lord."
Proverbs 16:18 "Pride goes before destruction and a haughty spirit before a fall."
Proverbs26:12 "Do you see a man wise in his own eyes? There is more hope for a fool than for him."
Proverbs 27:2 "Let another man praise you, and not your own mouth; a stranger, and not your own lips."
Proverbs 29:3 "A mans pride will bring him low."
God resists the proud but gives grace to the humble. I think everyone has been hit with the sin of pride, arrogance, conceit, whatever you want to call it. It has several names and they all come under the one word pride. Thinking we are better than others, more talented than others or that we are the only ones that can do a thing right. No one else has our capability, when there might be many others that could do the job even better if given the opportunity.
I am ashamed to say that I have been there and done that and it absolutely will bring a person to a low estate. It causes strife, it brings shame, God hates the sin of pride, I'm sure He hates all sin, but evidently pride is at the top of the list. So let others praise you and not your own mouth, even a stranger and not your own lips. If we hang on to it, it will bring us down to a low level. So let it go, and forfeit the opportunity to be brought down to a low level. Grandma Joan
Saturday, June 3, 2017
Power Of The Tongue
Have you been spoken evil of? Or have you spoken evil of someone? Maybe I shouldn't ask those questions, because it may bring up unpleasant memories. Of course most of us have been spoken evil of, if we haven't we are very blessed. And sad to say most of us have spoken evil of someone, some time in our life, and if we haven't, we are really blessed. I've been spoken evil of and also spoken evil to someone and had to apologize and make it right or about someone. The power of the tongue is hard to control sometimes but hard to control is not an excuse for sinning with our tongue.
Psalm 39:1 "I said, I will guard my ways, lest I sin with my tongue; I will restrain my mouth with a muzzle." I had a friend for a short time that because we were new in the town and church where we live, she seem to think we needed to know all the bad things about everybody and some of it was terrible. Had to discontinue the friendship for my own well being.
Leviticus 19:16 "You shall not go about as a tale bearer among your people:"
Psalm 52:2 "Your tongue devises destruction, like a sharp razor, working deceitfully."
Proverbs 13:3 "He who guards his mouth preserves his life."
Proverbs 15:28 "The mouth of the wicked pours out evil."
Proverbs 15:4 "A wholesome tongue is a tree of life, but perverseness in it breaks the spirit."
Proverbs 11:9 "He who covers a transgression seeks love. But he who repeats a matter separates friends."
Proverbs 18:21 "Death and life are in the power of the tongue, and those who love it will eat its fruit."
Matthew 12:36,37 "But I say to you that for every idle word men shall speak, they will give account of it in the day of judgment. For by your words you will be justified and by your words you will be condemned."
Ephesians 4:15 "Speaking the truth in love, may grow up in all things unto him who is the head, -Christ."
James 1:19 "So then, my beloved brethren, let every man be swift to hear, slow to speak, slow to wrath."
As it says in this last verse, let us be swift to hear, slow to speak, and slow to wrath. Good counsel.
If you are a step parent, I pray that you are a good and kind one, full of love and not condemnation.
I bring that up because I was a step child and my step father was so very jealous of my mother's love for me, he just couldn't stand it. I don't know what his plans were but I do know it was dangerous for me to be alone with him, and if my mother was gone for a few hours, I would have to hide out until I was safe again. So I learned to hate him and told him so one day after I was married and was safe. I never apologized to him, he died of a severe heart attack when he was 63 years old. A few years down the road, God brought that up to me and I felt so bad that I did not apologize to him, and God showed me that he had a heart too and that I could forgive him and in my heart and that I actually could love him. His daughter was dying and he came by to tell me and to weep and I put my arms around him and tried to comfort him, he was gone 3 months later. So I guess I did forgive him to some degree and not knowing it. I try very hard to let God control my tongue. James says the tongue is a world of fire. I want my to be a world of blessing, don't you? Grandma Joan
Psalm 39:1 "I said, I will guard my ways, lest I sin with my tongue; I will restrain my mouth with a muzzle." I had a friend for a short time that because we were new in the town and church where we live, she seem to think we needed to know all the bad things about everybody and some of it was terrible. Had to discontinue the friendship for my own well being.
Leviticus 19:16 "You shall not go about as a tale bearer among your people:"
Psalm 52:2 "Your tongue devises destruction, like a sharp razor, working deceitfully."
Proverbs 13:3 "He who guards his mouth preserves his life."
Proverbs 15:28 "The mouth of the wicked pours out evil."
Proverbs 15:4 "A wholesome tongue is a tree of life, but perverseness in it breaks the spirit."
Proverbs 11:9 "He who covers a transgression seeks love. But he who repeats a matter separates friends."
Proverbs 18:21 "Death and life are in the power of the tongue, and those who love it will eat its fruit."
Matthew 12:36,37 "But I say to you that for every idle word men shall speak, they will give account of it in the day of judgment. For by your words you will be justified and by your words you will be condemned."
Ephesians 4:15 "Speaking the truth in love, may grow up in all things unto him who is the head, -Christ."
James 1:19 "So then, my beloved brethren, let every man be swift to hear, slow to speak, slow to wrath."
As it says in this last verse, let us be swift to hear, slow to speak, and slow to wrath. Good counsel.
If you are a step parent, I pray that you are a good and kind one, full of love and not condemnation.
I bring that up because I was a step child and my step father was so very jealous of my mother's love for me, he just couldn't stand it. I don't know what his plans were but I do know it was dangerous for me to be alone with him, and if my mother was gone for a few hours, I would have to hide out until I was safe again. So I learned to hate him and told him so one day after I was married and was safe. I never apologized to him, he died of a severe heart attack when he was 63 years old. A few years down the road, God brought that up to me and I felt so bad that I did not apologize to him, and God showed me that he had a heart too and that I could forgive him and in my heart and that I actually could love him. His daughter was dying and he came by to tell me and to weep and I put my arms around him and tried to comfort him, he was gone 3 months later. So I guess I did forgive him to some degree and not knowing it. I try very hard to let God control my tongue. James says the tongue is a world of fire. I want my to be a world of blessing, don't you? Grandma Joan
Friday, June 2, 2017
Pure Religion
Definition: James 1:27 "Pure and undefiled religion before God and the Father is this: to visit orphans and widows in their trouble, and to keep oneself unspotted from the world."
Genesis 17:1 "When Abram was ninety-nine years old, the Lord appeared to him and said, "I am Almighty God; walk before me and be blameless."
If we read and study the Bible the following verses will be our reward, please take them seriously.
Psalm 19:7-11 "The law of the Lord is perfect, converting the soul; The testimony of the Lord is sure, making wise the simple; The statutes of the Lord are right, rejoicing the heart; The commandment of the Lord is pure, enlightening the eyes; The fear of the Lord is clean, enduring forever; The judgements of the Lord are true and righteous altogether, more to be desired are they than gold, than much fine gold; Sweeter also than honey and the honey comb. Moreover by them Your servant is warned, and in keeping them there is great reward." By these verses we are warned and in keeping them there is great reward. We need a converted soul, we are simple and need wisdom, we also need joy in our heart. We need our discernment enlightened and we need to be clean. So much help here in these verses, so much guidance.
Philippians 4:8 "Finally, brethren, whatever things are true, what ever things are noble, just, pure, lovely and of a good report, If there is anything praise worthy, meditate on these things." These verses help us know what our thoughts ought to be on and we would be so much different if our thoughts could constantly be on things above and not on this world. God has given us all kinds of instruction to keep us happy and well in our walk with Him.
2 Timothy 3:16,17 "All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness, that the man of God may be complete, thoroughly equipped for every good work." Some more good counsel, and is profitable for doctrine, reproof, correction, instruction in righteousness and the result will be that we may be complete in Him and prepared for His good works.
Please read the following texts, it is Peter's ladder to holiness and is a guide to everlasting life.
2 Peter 1:2-8 "Grace and peace be multiplied unto you through the knowledge of God and of Jesus our Lord, According as His divine power hath given unto us all things that pertain unto life and godliness, through the knowledge of Him that has called us to glory and virtue: 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. And beside this, giving all diligence, add to your faith virtue; and to virtue knowledge; and to knowledge temperance; and to temperance patience; and to patience godliness; and to godliness brotherly kindness; and to brotherly kindness love. For if these things be in you, and abound they make you that ye shall neither be barren nor unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ.?
2 John 6:9 "This is love, that we walk according to His commandments. This is the commandment, that as you have heard from the beginning that we love one another." Loving others becomes the joy of our hearts and knowing that we are walking in His commandments makes it all the more joyful.
Loving God and our neighbors as ourselves is pure religion and will bring forth the joy that only serving God with all our hearts can do. I pray that your religion is pure and your joy is full. Grandma Joan
Genesis 17:1 "When Abram was ninety-nine years old, the Lord appeared to him and said, "I am Almighty God; walk before me and be blameless."
If we read and study the Bible the following verses will be our reward, please take them seriously.
Psalm 19:7-11 "The law of the Lord is perfect, converting the soul; The testimony of the Lord is sure, making wise the simple; The statutes of the Lord are right, rejoicing the heart; The commandment of the Lord is pure, enlightening the eyes; The fear of the Lord is clean, enduring forever; The judgements of the Lord are true and righteous altogether, more to be desired are they than gold, than much fine gold; Sweeter also than honey and the honey comb. Moreover by them Your servant is warned, and in keeping them there is great reward." By these verses we are warned and in keeping them there is great reward. We need a converted soul, we are simple and need wisdom, we also need joy in our heart. We need our discernment enlightened and we need to be clean. So much help here in these verses, so much guidance.
Philippians 4:8 "Finally, brethren, whatever things are true, what ever things are noble, just, pure, lovely and of a good report, If there is anything praise worthy, meditate on these things." These verses help us know what our thoughts ought to be on and we would be so much different if our thoughts could constantly be on things above and not on this world. God has given us all kinds of instruction to keep us happy and well in our walk with Him.
2 Timothy 3:16,17 "All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness, that the man of God may be complete, thoroughly equipped for every good work." Some more good counsel, and is profitable for doctrine, reproof, correction, instruction in righteousness and the result will be that we may be complete in Him and prepared for His good works.
Please read the following texts, it is Peter's ladder to holiness and is a guide to everlasting life.
2 Peter 1:2-8 "Grace and peace be multiplied unto you through the knowledge of God and of Jesus our Lord, According as His divine power hath given unto us all things that pertain unto life and godliness, through the knowledge of Him that has called us to glory and virtue: 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. And beside this, giving all diligence, add to your faith virtue; and to virtue knowledge; and to knowledge temperance; and to temperance patience; and to patience godliness; and to godliness brotherly kindness; and to brotherly kindness love. For if these things be in you, and abound they make you that ye shall neither be barren nor unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ.?
2 John 6:9 "This is love, that we walk according to His commandments. This is the commandment, that as you have heard from the beginning that we love one another." Loving others becomes the joy of our hearts and knowing that we are walking in His commandments makes it all the more joyful.
Loving God and our neighbors as ourselves is pure religion and will bring forth the joy that only serving God with all our hearts can do. I pray that your religion is pure and your joy is full. Grandma Joan
Thursday, June 1, 2017
Reputation
Reputation = Estimation of a person in the sight of God or other people. Being held in good opinion or bad by others. How is your reputation? We want to have a good reputation in the sight of God, don't we? Of course it will cause others to have a good opinion of us too, usually. Unless they are driven by satan to hate Christianity. To me, loving others is a big factor in having a good reputation. People need loved and love has broken many barriers down. If you let people know that you love them, it makes a world of difference in there life. Whenever they see you, their countenance lights up and a big smile will develop, I know from experience. I never knew how much love played in the life of the Christian until two or three years ago, and it makes all the difference in the world. Really it does. So if you want a good reputation, love others and be humble in doing it.
Proverbs 22:1 "A good name is to be chosen rather than great riches, loving favor rather than silver or gold."
Daniel 6:4 "So the governors and satraps sought to find some charge against Daniel concerning the kingdom, but they could find no charge or fault, because he was faithful, or was there any error or fault found in him." Daniel had a good reputation with God, didn't he? We don't always have that kind of reputation with the world if we serve God, I'm sure we will meet Daniel in heaven because of his good reputation with God. Can't wait to meet all God's warriors of old, Daniel, Moses, Abram, Joseph, so many that fought a good fight and kept the faith. There are many others too, but you know what I mean. To hear their life story or their experience in overcoming will be fabulous. If they want to talk about it, they may be so happy to be there that they will forget all about their earthly woes.
Acts 6:3 "Therefore brethren, seek out from among you seven men of good reputation, full of the Holy Spirit and wisdom, whom we may appoint over this business." The business they were talking about was the work of the church. The apostles wanted to spend their time studying with people and preaching the gospel, and there were members in the church that needed assistance and they couldn't do it all, so they appointed seven men called deacons to take care of the needs of the people.
Romans 16: 14,18 "Now I urge you, brethren, note those who cause divisions and offenses, contrary to the doctrine which you learned and avoid them. For those who are such do not serve our Lord Jesus Christ, but their own belly, and by smooth words and flattering speech deceive the hearts of the simple." These don't have a very good reputation, do they?
James 4:4 "Adulterers and adultresses! Do you not know that friendship with the world is enmity with God? Whoever therefore wants to be a friend of the world makes himself an enemy of God."
And neither do these.
1 John 4:5,6 "They are of the world. Therefore they speak as of the world, and the world hears them. We are of God. He who knows God hears us; He who is not of God does not hear us. By this we know the spirit of truth and the spirit of error." This is how we know a good reputation and a bad one.
If someone has a stern countenance, and seldom smiles, there is something wrong with their spiritual life. I am not the judge but 'by their fruits you will know them' so it seems to be alright to judge the fruits of people you want to associate with and also to be your friends, because friends can either lift you up or pull you down, and pulling a person down is a good sign their reputation is of no value to you, so beware. Search out those who lift you up in a spiritual way and you will be safe. I hope this study has encouraged you to have the best reputation possible and to love others as Christ loves you and you will have an excellent reputation. Grandma Joan
Proverbs 22:1 "A good name is to be chosen rather than great riches, loving favor rather than silver or gold."
Daniel 6:4 "So the governors and satraps sought to find some charge against Daniel concerning the kingdom, but they could find no charge or fault, because he was faithful, or was there any error or fault found in him." Daniel had a good reputation with God, didn't he? We don't always have that kind of reputation with the world if we serve God, I'm sure we will meet Daniel in heaven because of his good reputation with God. Can't wait to meet all God's warriors of old, Daniel, Moses, Abram, Joseph, so many that fought a good fight and kept the faith. There are many others too, but you know what I mean. To hear their life story or their experience in overcoming will be fabulous. If they want to talk about it, they may be so happy to be there that they will forget all about their earthly woes.
Acts 6:3 "Therefore brethren, seek out from among you seven men of good reputation, full of the Holy Spirit and wisdom, whom we may appoint over this business." The business they were talking about was the work of the church. The apostles wanted to spend their time studying with people and preaching the gospel, and there were members in the church that needed assistance and they couldn't do it all, so they appointed seven men called deacons to take care of the needs of the people.
Romans 16: 14,18 "Now I urge you, brethren, note those who cause divisions and offenses, contrary to the doctrine which you learned and avoid them. For those who are such do not serve our Lord Jesus Christ, but their own belly, and by smooth words and flattering speech deceive the hearts of the simple." These don't have a very good reputation, do they?
James 4:4 "Adulterers and adultresses! Do you not know that friendship with the world is enmity with God? Whoever therefore wants to be a friend of the world makes himself an enemy of God."
And neither do these.
1 John 4:5,6 "They are of the world. Therefore they speak as of the world, and the world hears them. We are of God. He who knows God hears us; He who is not of God does not hear us. By this we know the spirit of truth and the spirit of error." This is how we know a good reputation and a bad one.
If someone has a stern countenance, and seldom smiles, there is something wrong with their spiritual life. I am not the judge but 'by their fruits you will know them' so it seems to be alright to judge the fruits of people you want to associate with and also to be your friends, because friends can either lift you up or pull you down, and pulling a person down is a good sign their reputation is of no value to you, so beware. Search out those who lift you up in a spiritual way and you will be safe. I hope this study has encouraged you to have the best reputation possible and to love others as Christ loves you and you will have an excellent reputation. Grandma Joan
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