Sunday, September 17, 2017

We Have A Living Savior -31-

We have a living Savior.  He is not in Joseph's tomb; He is risen from the dead and has ascended on high as a Substitute and Surety for every believing soul.  "Therefore being justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ" (Romans 5:1).  The sinner is justified through the merits of Jesus, and this is God's acknowledgement  of the perfection of the ransom paid for man.  That Christ was obedient even unto the death of the cross is a pledge of the repenting sinner's acceptance with the Father.  Then shall we permit ourselves to have a vascillating experience of doubting and believing, believing and doubting?  Jesus is the pledge of our acceptance with God.  We stand in favor before God, not because of any merit in ourselves, but because of our faith in 'the Lord our righteousness."

Jesus stands in the holy of holies, now to appear in the presence of God for us.  There He ceases not to present His people moment by moment, complete in Himself. But because we are thus represented before the Father, we are not to imagine that we are to presume upon His mercy and become careless, indifferent, and self-indulgent.  Christ is not the minister of sin.  We are complete in Him, accepted in the Beloved, only as we abide in Him by faith.

Perfection through our own good works we can never attain.  The soul who sees Jesus by faith, repudiates his own righteousness.  He sees himself as incomplete, his repentance insufficient, his strongest faith but feebleness, his most costly sacrifice as meager, and he sinks in humility at the foot of the cross.  But a voice speaks to him from the oracles of God's Word.  In amazement he hears the message, 'Ye are complete in Him.'  Now all is at rest in his soul.  No longer must he strive to find some worthiness in himself, some meritorious deed by which to gain the favor of God."

Jesus is busy trying to impress all of us with His love for us.  He is pleading with His Father to accept His sacrifice for us when we repent of our sins and want to live His life and abide with Him day by day.  What a wonderful Savior we have who was willing to give us His life on the cross to save us. Grandma Joan

Friday, September 15, 2017

What Is Justification By Faith -30-

"As the repentant sinner, contrite before God, discerns Christ's atonement in his behalf and accepts this atonement as his only hope in this life and the future life, his sins are pardoned.  This is justification by faith.  Every believing soul is to conform his will entirely to God's will and keep in a state of repentance and contrition, exercising faith in the atoning merits of the Redeemer and advancing from strength to strength from glory to glory.

Pardon and justification are one and the same thing.  Through faith, the believer passes from the position of a rebel, a child of sin and Satan; to the position of a royal subject of Christ Jesus, not because of any inherent goodness, but because Christ receives him as His child by adoption.  The sinner receives the forgiveness of his sins, because these sins are borne by his Substitute and Surety.  The Lord speaks to his heavenly Father, saying: 'This is My child, I reprieve him from the condemnation of death, giving him My life insurance policy--eternal life--because I have taken his place and have suffered for his sins.  He is even My beloved son.'  Thus man, pardoned, and clothed with the beautiful garments of Christ's righteousness, stands faultless before God.

The sinner may err but he is not cast off without mercy.  His only hope, however, is repentance toward God and faith in the Lord Jesus Christ.  It is the Father's prerogative to forgive our transgressions and sins, because Christ has taken upon Himself our guilt and reprieved us, imputing to us His own righteousness.  His sacrifice satisfies fully the demands of justice.

Justification is the opposite of condemnation.  God's boundless mercy is exercised toward those who are wholly undeserving.  He forgives transgressions and sins for the sake of Jesus, who has become the propitiation for out sins.  Through faith in Christ, the guilty transgressor is brought into favor with God and into the strong hope of life eternal.

This little study is amazing and is our hope from a sinful life to a life eternally with Jesus who paid for our salvation with His life.  Do you love Him?  I love Him but probably not like I should, I want to love Him so much that I wouldn't think of doing anything to harm my salvation.  You can pray for me and I will certainly pray for you.  Grandma Joan

Thursday, September 14, 2017

Faith The Condition of Promise -28-

"Without the grace of Christ, the sinner is in a hopeless condition; nothing can be done for him; but through divine grace, supernatural power is imparted to the man and works in mind and heart and character.  It is through the impartation of the grace of Christ that sin is discerned in its hateful nature and finally driven from the soul temple.  It is through grace that we are brought into fellowship with Christ, to be associated with Him in the work of salvation.  Faith is the condition upon which God has see fit to promise pardon to sinners; not that there is any virtue in faith whereby salvation is merited, but because faith can lay hold of the merits of Christ, the remedy provided for sin.  Faith can present Christ's perfect obedience instead of the sinner's transgression and defection.  When the sinner believes that Christ is his personal Savior, then according to His unfailing promises, God pardons his sin and justifies him freely.  The repentant soul realizes that his justification comes because Christ, as his Substitute and Surety, has died for him, is his atonement and righteousness.

"Abraham believed God, and it was counted unto him for righteousness.  Now to him that works is the reward not reckoned of grace, but of debt.  But to him that works not, but believes on Him that justifies the ungodly, his faith is counted for righteousness'  (Romans 4:3-5).  Righteousness is obedience to the law.  The law demands righteousness, and this the sinner owes to the law; but he is incapable of rendering it.  The only way in which he can attain to righteousness is through faith.  By faith he can bring to God the merits of Christ, and the Lord places the obedience of His Son to the sinner's account.  Christ's righteousness is accepted in place of man's failure, and God receives, pardons, justifies, the repentant, believing soul, treats him as though he were righteous, and loves him as He loves His Son.  This is how faith is accounted righteousness; and the pardoned soul goes on from grace to grace, from light to a greater light.  He can say with rejoicing, 'not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to His mercy He saved us, by the washing of regeneration, and renewing of the Holy Ghost; which He shed on us abundantly through Jesus Christ our Savior, that being justified by His grace, we should be made heirs according to the hope of eternal life' (Titus 3:5-7).

Again it is written, 'But as many as received Him, to them gave He power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on His name: which were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God' (John 1:12,13).  Jesus said, 'Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God' (John 3:3).  Except a man be born of water and of the Spirit,  he cannot enter into the kingdom of God' (verse5).

Christ looks at the spirit, and when He sees us carrying our burden with faith, His perfect holiness atones for our short comings. When we do our best, He becomes our righteousness.  It takes every ray of light that God sends to us to make us the light of the world."

I want to be a light to the world, don't you?  It's such good news that when we surrender our all He does the righteousness in us and our character and life completely changes for our good and for the good of those we share this precious message with.  Grandma Joan

Wednesday, September 13, 2017

A Doctrine Full Of Deception -27-

"Self-righteousness is the danger of this age; it separates the soul from Christ.  Those who trust in their own righteousness cannot understand how salvation comes from Christ.  They call sin righteous-ness and righteousness sin.  They have no appreciation of the evil of transgression, no understanding of the terror of the law; for they do not respect God's moral standard of righteousness, men have erected a standard of their own by which to measure character.  They see through a glass darkly and present false ideas of sanctification to the people, thus encouraging egotism, pride, and self-righteousness.  The doctrine of sanctification advocated by many is full of deception because it is flattering to the heart; but the kindest thing that can be preached to the sinner is the truth of the binding claims of the law of God.  Faith and Works must go hand in hand; for faith without works is dead, being alone.

The prophet declares a truth by which we may test all doctrine.  He says, 'To the law and to the testimony if they speak not according to this word, it is because there is no light in them.' (Isaiah 8:20.  Although error abounds in the world, there is no reason why men and women need to remain in deception.  The truth is plain and when it is contrasted with error, its character may be discerned.  All the subjects of God's grace may understand what is required of them.  By faith, we may conform our lives to the standard of righteousness, because we can appropriate to ourselves the righteousness of Christ.

In the Word of God, the honest seeker for truth will find the rule for genuine sanctification.  The Apostle says: 'There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit....For what the law could not do, in that it was weak through the flesh, God sending His own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh, and for sin, condemned sin in the flesh; that the righteousness of the law might be fulfilled in us, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit.  For they that are after the flesh do mind the things of the flesh; but they that are after the Spirit the things of the Spirit.  For to be carnally minded is death; but to be spiritually minded is life and peace.  Because the carnal mind is enmity against God: for it is not subject to the law of God, neither indeed can be.  So then they that are in the flesh cannaot please God.  But ye are not in the flesh, but in the Spirit, if so be that the Spirit of God dwell in you.'  (Romans 8:1-9).  F&W 96 & 97

God bless every seeker of truth, and may you find the real truth, not a deceptive truth, as you study God's Word.  Grandma Joan

Tuesday, September 12, 2017

Talk Faith, Live Faith and Act Faith -26-

"Now, Friends,  you have educated yourselves so much in doubts and questionings that you have to educate your souls in the line of faith.  You have to talk faith, you have to live faith, you have to act faith, that you may have an increase of faith.  Exercising that living faith, you will grow to strong men and women in Christ Jesus.

You can be just what Christ said His disciples should be--'the light of the world' (Matthew 5:14).  You should diffuse that light, hope, and faith to others.  You are not to go groaning your way onward in His service, as though He were a hard taskmaster, laying upon you burdens that you cannot carry. This is not the case.  He wants you to be filled with joy, to be filled with the blessing of God, to know the length and breadth and height and depth of the love of God, which passes knowledge.  When His name is mentioned He wants it to strike the keynote, and there will be a response in your hearts.  Then you can offer up thanksgiving and glory and honor and praise to Him that sitteth on the throne and to the Lamb.

You should learn to sing that song here; and when you are changed in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, you will know just where to strike the song of triumph with heavenly angels and with the redeemed saints.  We shall make heaven's arches ring with praise and glory.  Now, let the arches ring here.  Let this place waken praise in your hearts.  While you are upon this ground look at the lofty trees, the green velvet carpet, and let praise awaken in your hearts.  Praise God that we are privileged to be in this world, as beautiful as it is.  We are going to a better place.  This earth is going to be purified, melted over, and made without sin.

Have we not everything to make us heavenly minded?  Have we not everything to bring us up from this earthliness and sensuality, this cheap and nonsensical talk this jesting and joking, this false reporting, babbling, and evil surmising? Put it all away!  It is a disgrace to the church!  Ut enfeebles and weakens the church.

Let our conversation be holy.  As God is holy in His sphere, let us be holy in ours.  Let us rejoice in the precious Savior, who has died to redeem us, and reflect glory back to God.  Let us join with
heaven in our praises here and unite with the songs of the heavenly angels in the city of our God."
F & W 78 & 79
I hope and pray that this will be your desire and hope.  Grandma Joan


Sunday, September 10, 2017

Believe it Because God says it -25-

"Believe it because it is the truth, because God says it, and lay hold upon the meritorious blood of a crucified and risen Savior.  He is your only hope.  He is your righteousness, your substitute, your surety, your all in all.  When you realize that, you can bring to Him only an offering of praise.  But when you are not willing to come to Christ and acknowledge that He does it all, when you feel that you must first take a few steps, and come so far and then God will meet you; that is just exactly like Cain's offering.  He did not know Jesus , and he did not know that the blood of Jesus could cleanse his sins and make his offering acceptable to God.

The Bible is to be your standard, the living oracles of Jehovah are to be your guide.  You are to dig for the truth as for hidden treasures.  You are to find where the treasure is, and then you are to plow every inch of the field to get the jewels.  You are to work the mines of truth for new gems, for new diamonds, and you will find them.

God help us to be Bible students.  Until you can see the reason for it yourself and a 'thus saith the Lord' in the Scriptures, don't trust any living man to interpret the Bible for you.  And you can see this, you know it for yourself, and know it to be the truth of God.  You will say, 'I have read it, I have seen it, and my own heart takes hold upon it, and it is the truth, God has spoken to me from His Word.'  Now this is what we are to be--individual Christians.  We need to have an individual, personal experience.  We need to be converted, as did the Jews.  If you see a little light, you are not to stand back and say, 'I will wait until my brethren have seen it.  'If you do, you will go out in darkness.

God help us to have a knowledge of the truth, and if you have seen the truth of God, press right to the light and put up the bars behind you.  Make not flesh your arm; but have a living experience for yourselves, and then your countenance will shine with the glory of God.  You have walked with Him, and He has upheld you.  You have wrestled with Him and pleaded with Him, and He has let His light shine upon you."

I don't think I can add a thing to this study.  Take hold of God's truth and let no one deter you.  It is a matter of eternal life or eternal death.  Grandma Joan

Friday, September 8, 2017

The Overcomers Portion -24-

"Did not our Savior have something to overcome?  Did not He keep up the battle with the prince of darkness until He was a victor on every point?  Then He left the work in the hands of His followers.  We have something to do.  Have we not the overcomers portion, to work out and gain the victory?  Have we not to follow on step by step to know the Lord until we shall know His goings forth are prepared as the morning?  Their light will shine forth until we come to the brighter light.  You will grasp it and go on and gather brighter light from the oracles of God as you supplicate the God of heaven.

Jacob was ensnared.  He defrauded his brother of his birthright.  As he wrestled with Christ, his sins came up before him.  And the angel wrestled with Christ, his sins came up before him.  And the angel wrestled with him and said, 'Let Me go,' and Jacob said, 'I will not let Thee god, except Thou bless me' (Genesis 32:26).

Will you do that?  Will you wrestle with God at this time until you know that He reveals Himself to you?  There are sins that afflict your souls; your sins grieve you.  Will you say; 'Now, Lord, I must have pardon written opposite my name,' and wrestle and plead with God, laying hold upon the righteousness of Christ, 'He must save; I believe in Him; I take Him at His word, 'Now, friends, what shall we do?'

Jacob obtained the victory, and his name was changed that day.  It was when he prevailed with God.  I am  so thankful that God has made a way that we may have full and free salvation.  We need not look at the shadows that Satan casts on our path.  He would eclipse heaven and Jesus and the light and power of heaven to us, and we keep talking of the power of Satan.  but we need not talk of that.  Isaiah presents it this way: 'unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given: and the government shall be upon His shoulder: and His name shall be called Wonderful, Counsellor, The mighty God, The everlasting Father, The Prince of peace' (Isaiah 9:6).  Does not that say that I and My Father are one?

God help us, friends, to wake up and stir ourselves now to do as much as the paralytic did to do as much as the impotent man did and as much as the one with the palsied arm did.  They did just as they were told.  God help us to believe on the Son of God and that He can save us to the utmost, and we shall have everlasting life.

Talk of Christ's love, talk of His power, praise Him.  If you have a voice to say anything, talk of God, talk of heaven, talk of eternal life. "With the heart man believeth unto righteousness, and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation"  (Romans 10:10).  F&W 75 & 76

I want to share something spiritual with you.  You can never, never reason out God's mind, or why He does what He does, or says what He does.  You can't reason out the plan of Salvation.  You can't reason out 'Christ in you the hope of glory', it is all impossible for us to reason out all that God does and says with our meager minds compared to His all-knowing mind.  If you try you will only become discouraged.  If you accept His promises because He made them then you will have peace of mind and be content in your beliefs, as long as they are in accordance with the Bible.  I pray that you will have the wisdom and understanding as you read these posts.  Grandma Joan

Thursday, September 7, 2017

The Crucial Point -23-

"Satan is the author of death.  What did Christ do after He brought Satan under the dominion of death?  The very last words of Christ while expiring on the cross were, 'It is finished'  (John 1930).
The devil saw that he had overdone himself.  Christ by dying accomplished the death of Satan and brought immortality to light.

And after Christ came up from the Resurrection, what did He do?  He grasped His power and held His scepter.  He opened the graves and brought up the multitude of captives, testifying to everyone in our world and in creation that He had the power over death and that He rescued the captives of death.

Not all that believed in Jesus were brought to life at that time.  It was only a specimen of what would be, that we may know that death and the grave are not to hold the captives because Christ took them to heaven.  And when He comes again with power and great glory, He will open the graves.  The prison house will be opened, and the dead will come forth again to a glorious immortality.

Here are the trophies which Christ took up with Him and presented to the universe of heaven and the worlds that God has created.  Any affection that ever they had for Lucifer, who was the covering cherub, is now destroyed.  God gave him a chance to work out his character.  If He had not done this, there might have been those who felt the accusation he brought against God that He didn't give him a fair chance was justified.

The Prince of Life and the prince of darkness were in conflict.  The Prince of Life prevailed, but at an infinite cost.  His triumph is our salvation.  He is our Substitute and Surety, and what He says to him that overcometh tells whether man has anything to do or not.  How?  'To him that overcometh will I grant to sit with Me in My throne, even as I also overcame, and am set down with My Father in His throne'  (Revelation 3:21)."  F&W 74

Wednesday, September 6, 2017

You Cannot Save Yourself - 22-

Have you ever thought that through your efforts you will be saved?  It it a common belief that we have to do something to be saved.  It's true we do have to do something and that something is the hardest thing in the world to do. Surrendering your all to God is your part in your salvation.  That's all.  Read the following paragraphs and see if this is true.

Now you may cling to your righteousness, and you may think that you have tried to do everything right, and that, after all, you will be saved in doing this.  You cannot see that Christ does it all.  'I must repent first,' some say.  'I must go so far on my own without Christ, and then Christ meets me and accepts me.'

You cannot have a thought without Christ.  You cannot have an inclination to come to Him unless He sets in motion influences and impresses His Spirit upon the human mind.  And if there is a man on the face of the earth who has any inclination toward God, it is because of the many influences that are set to work to bear upon his mind and heart.  Those influences call for the allegiance to God and an appreciation of the great work that God has done for him.

Then don't let us ever say that we can repent of ourselves, and then Christ will pardon.  No, indeed.  It is the favor of God that leads us by His power to repentance.  Therefore, it is all of Jesus Christ, everything of Him, and you want to just give back glory to God.  Why dont you have the quickening influence of the Spirit of God when the love of Jesus and His salvation are presented to you? It is because you do not see that Christ is first and last and best, and the Alpha and the Omega, the beginning and the end, the very Author and Finisher of our faith.  You don't realize this, and therefore you remain in your sins.  Why is this?  It is because Satan is here wrestling and battling for the souls of men.  He casts his hellish shadow right athwart our pathway, and all that you can see is the enemy and his power.

Look away from his power to the One that is mighty to save to the utmost.  Why doesn't your faith plow through the shadow to where Christ is?  He has led captivity captive and given gifts unto men. He will teach you that Satan claims every soul that does not join with Him as his property."  F&W 73

Pray over this problem and let Christ convince you that He does everything after we have surrendered our all to Him.  I know its true because Ive experienced it.  Grandma Joan

Tuesday, September 5, 2017

Are We Saved In Indolence? -21-

We want the faith that Christ's righteousness provides for our salvation.  I want to have that faith, don't you?  I'm sure you do or you wouldn't be reading these posts.  I am thankful that you are reading them and I pray for you that you will accept Christ's righteousness which is His power to save us from our sin, not in our sin.  Are we saved in indolence.  Let's find out.


"Will man be saved in indolence?  Can he be saved in doing nothing? Never, never!  He must be a colaborer with Jesus Christ.  He cannot save himself.  'We are laborers together with God' 1 Corinthians 3:9.  And how is it?  All heaven is laboring to elevate the human race from the degradation of sin.  All heaven is open to the inhabitants of earth.  The angels of God are sent to minister to those who shall be heirs of salvation.  'It is God which worketh in you both to will and to do of His good pleasure'  (Philippians 2:13)."

"And it is that faith which works that you want.  How does it work?  It works by love. What love? The love flashing from the cross of Calvary.  It is set up midway between earth and heaven, and salvation is gained by looking at this cross.  The Father has accepted it, and the angelic host have come to that cross, and God Himself has bowed in acceptance of the sacrifice.  It answers the demand of Heaven, and man can be saved through Jesus Christ, if we only have faith in Him.  Man is reconciled to God and God to man, through the full and perfect and entire sacrifice."

"Mercy and truth are met together; righteousness and peace have kissed each other', (Psalm 85:10).
When we see a ray of light we want to lay hold upon it.  The devil is working against this all the time.  It is the faith that works by love that is witnessed by Jesus Christ on the cross of Calvary.  It is the love that He has had for my soul.  Christ has died for me.  He has purchased me at an infinite cost, and He has atoned for everything that is offensive to Him.  I must be a laborer with Him.  I must take His yoke upon myself.  I must wear the yoke of Christ.  I must lift His burdens.  I must teach others how to be lifted from the sinful state that I was in and to grasp by living faith the righteousness that is in Christ Jesus.  That is the only way that the sinner can be saved."

There are many ways you can be a laborer together with Christ.  First ad foremost, you can live a pure life for others to take note of and they may ask about it.  You can give a piece of literature to help them.  You can share a meal, you can give clothing, you can give of your time in helping others.
You can share on the internet like I am doing.  There are so many ways to share Christ with others.  One thing I do besides this is God has given me a love for just about everyone and I love them sincerely and they know it.  I am still working on that but  God is so good as to help me through my timidness.  This really works.  Hope you have caught a glimpse of what you can do for Jesus as He has done so much for us and loves us so much, He wants us to be with Him forever.  Grandma Joan

Monday, September 4, 2017

Christ Our Righteousness -20-

"What is it to believe?  It is to fully accept that Jesus Christ died as our sacrifice; that He became the curse for us, took our sins upon Himself, and imputed unto us His own righteousness.  Therefore we claim this righteousness of Christ, we believe it, and it is our righteousness.  He is our Savior.  He saves us because He said He would.  Are we going to go into all the explanations as to how he can save us?  Do we have the goodness in ourselves that will make us better and cleanse us from the spots and stains of sin, enabling us then to come to God?  We simply cannot do it."

Don't you know that when the young man came to Christ and asked Him what he should do that he might have life, Christ told him to keep the commandments?  Said he, "I have done it."  Now the Lord wanted to bring this lesson home to him.  "What lack I yet?  I am perfectly whole"  (Matthew 19:20.  He did not see that there was a thing the matter with him or why he should not have eternal life.  "I have done it," he said.  Now Christ touches the plague spot of his heart.  He says, "Come, follow Me, and ye shall have life."

What did he do?  He turned away very sorrowful, for he had great possessions."

"Now he had not kept the commandments at all.  He should have accepted Jesus Christ as his Savior and taken hold of His righteousness.  Then, as he had the righteousness of Christ, he could keep the law of God.  The young ruler could not trample that law under his feet.  He must respect it; he must love it.  Then Christ would bring divine power to combine with man's efforts."

"Christ took upon Himself humanity for us.  He clothed His divinity, and divinity and humanity were combined.  He showed that the law which Satan declared could not be kept, could be kept.  Christ took humanity to stand here in our world, to show that Satan had lied.  He took humanity upon Himself to demonstrate that with divinity and humanity combined, man could keept the law of Jehovah.  Separate humanity from divinity, and you can try to work out your own righteousness from now till Christ comes, and it will be nothing but a failure."

"By living faith, by earnest prayer to God, and depending upon Jesus' merits, we are clothed with His righteousness we are saved.  "Oh, yes," some say, "we are saved in doing nothing.  In fact, I am saved.  I need not keep the law of God.  I am saved by the righteousness of Jesus Christ."  Christ came to our world to bring all men back to allegiance to God.  To take the position that you can break God's law, for Christ has done it all, is a position of death, for you are so verily a transgressor as anyone."

"Then what is it?  It is to hear and to see that with the righteousness of Christ which you hold by faith, righteousness supplied by His efforts and His divine power, you can keep the commandments of God."

I hope this is clear enough to understand, if not pray over it and ask God to direct your thoughts and give you the wisdom to understand it.  A miracle will happen in your life that will amaze you. It happened to me.  I started praying and asking for help in my Christian walk and was impressed to surrender my all to Him and allow Him to work in me to 'will and to do of His good pleasure' and I think a few weeks passed as I prayed this prayer.  One day I was just thinking about all this and all of a sudden I realized that some things I use to do and say, were no longer there.  Actually, I was amazed and so thankful that God was working in my life.  I like to let Him control my life day by day and see what happens.  Please give your all to Him and see what He will do for you.  Grandma Joan

PS  Taken from 'Faith and Works p. 70 & 71.

Sunday, September 3, 2017

The Impotent Man & The Brazen Serpent -18 -

The Impotent Man

There was an impotent man, and as Christ talked with him, he told the pitiful story of how, just as soon as he would go down into the water to be healed, somebody else would step in before him.  Christ asked him, 'wilt thou be made whole?'  John 5:6.  What a question!  That was what he was there for, but Christ wanted to call forth the expression of desire in that man's heart to be made whole.  And when Christ bade him to rise, take up his bed and walk, he did just as Christ told him to do.  He did not say, 'Why I have been here thirty years and have not taken a step during that time'  He did not stop to argue, but did just as he was bidden.  He took up his bed and walked out and was healed from that time." F&W 68.

"This is the faith that we need.  But if you stop to explain everything and reason out every point, you will die in your sins, because you will never be satisfied."  F&W 68

The Brazen Serpent

"Here is another case Christ presented before Nicodemus--the serpent that was lifted up in the wilderness--and declared, 'Even so must the Son of man be lifted up'  John 3:14.  And if He is lifted up, He will draw all men unto Him, 'that whosoever believeth in Him should not perish but have eternal life' (verse 15)  Now just look at that brazen serpent.  The children of Israel had not realized that God had been keeping them by His angels sent to be their help and their protection.  The people had not been destroyed by the serpents in their long travels through the wilderness.  They had been an ungrateful people."  F&W 69.

We are an ungrateful people too.  "We do not realize a thousand dangers that our heavenly Father has kept us from.  We do not realize the great blessing that He has bestowed upon us in giving us food and raiment, in preserving our lives by sending the guardian angels to watch over us.  Every day we should be thankful for this.  We ought to have gratitude stirring in our hearts and come to God with a gratitude offering every day.  We ought to gather around the family altar every day and praise Him for His watch care over us.  The children of Israel had lost sight that God was protecting them from the venomous beasts.  But when He withdrew His hand their sting was upon them."  F&W 69

"What then?  Christ Himself told Moses to set up a pole and make a brazen serpent and put it upon that pole and to raise it in the sight of the Israelites, that everyone who looked upon it might live.  They had no great work to do.  They were to look because God said it should be."  F&W 69

"Now, suppose that they had stopped to reason it out and said, 'it cannot be that by looking at that brazen serpent we will be healed!  There is no life in it!'  But the look of faith did heal them just as God and told them it would.  Those who looked lived.  Those who stopped to argue and explain it died."

"What are we to do?  Look and live.  'And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of Man be lifted up'  (John 3:14).  The reason?  That those who behold Him 'should not perish, but have everlasting life' (John 3:16)."  F&W70

"What kind of faith is that?  Is it to believe simply or is it a faith of admission?  There are many who have that kind of faith.  You believe that Jesus was the Son of God;  but do you have a personal faith in regard to your own salvation?  Do you believe that Jesus is your Savior?  that He died on Calvary's cross to redeem you?  that He has offered you the gift of everlasting life if you believe on Him?"  F&W 70

How do you answer these questions?  I pray that you will believe that Jesus is your Savior and that He died on Calvary's cross for you that He is offering you the gift of everlasting life if you believe on Him.  It's so important in this day when everything is in turmoil, that we have the faith to take us through to be with Him forever.  Let's make that our goal.  Grandma Joan

Saturday, September 2, 2017

The Faith Of The Paralytic -17 -

This is a great story of faith.  I have often wished that I could have that kind of faith to just get up and walk.  Perhaps I do and don't know it.  It seems such a miracle and yet I remember when my legs were paralyzed and couldn't move them and this one morning I was talking to God about my condition and I told him I would like to be well but if it wasn't his will, it was OK with me and I noticed that the pain was gone in my back and I sat up and then I stood up and fell back on the couch which I had been laying in traction on for 11 days.  My husband walked in about then and I had him check the swelling on my spine and it was gone.  With him standing there, I walked and was so amazed at what God had done.  I was totally well.  That was probably 30 years ago.  I have a deteriorating hip now and can barely walk if I'm careful.  I would love to feel His touch again, I would be so grateful.  If you wouldn't mind, I would really appreciate your prayers to be relieved of the pain I'm in, in my back and hip.  I believe God has a plan for me to fulfill and I want to be able to do it.  Thank you.  Now for the paralytic story.

"The paralytic had not used his limbs for many years.  There he was on a mat.  The priests, the rulers, and the scribes examined his case and pronounced it hopeless.  They told him that by his own sin he had brought himself into this condition, and that there was a man called Jesus who was doing mighty works.  He was healing the sick, and He had even raised the dead.  "But how can I go to Him?" he said. "We will carry you to Jesus," his friends replied, "right into His presence; we have heard He has come to such a place."

"And so they took the hopeless man and bore him to where they knew Jesus was.  But the multitude surrounded the building so closely where Jesus was that there was no chance for them not so much as to come in at the door.  What were they going to do?  The paralytic  suggested that they open the roof and take off the tiling and let him down through the roof."

"And so he manifested his earnest faith.  They did it, and he was brought right before Jesus, where He could look at him.  And Jesus as He looked at him, pitied him, and He said, 'Son, thy sins be forgiven thee.'  What a relief came to his mind!  What hope filled his heart!"

"Then the feelings arose in the hearts of the Pharisees, 'Who has this power to forgive sins?  It is God alone that has this power."

"Then Jesus said to them, "That ye may know that the Son of man hath power upon earth to forgiv sins,  (He said unto the sick of the palsy,)  I say unto thee, Arise, and takae up thy couch and go into thy house'  Luke 5:24.  What, take up his bed with his palsied arms!  What, get upon his feet with his palsied limbs!  What did he do?  He did just as he was bidden.  He did what the Lord told him to do.  The power of the will was set to move his palsied limbs and arms, and they responded, when they had not responded for a long time.  This manifestation showed before the people that there was One in their midst that could not only forgive sins but that could heal the sick."

"But the mighty evidence given to the Pharisees did not convert them.  Men can so encase themselves in unbelief, doubt, and infidelity that the raising of the dead would not convict them.  Because of their unbelief they would be in the same unbelieving position, unconvicted, unconverted.  but all those who have a heart to receive the truth and ears to hear, glorify God.  They exclaim, 'We have never see it on this wise before!"  F&W 67 & 68

Lets have a heart to receive the truth and ears to hear it and glorify God.  Also lets have the faith of the paralytic and believe what God says in His word and not let doubt creep in.  I know its hard and I am with the rest of you but we must have it if we want to be with Jesus forever.  Grandma Joan

Friday, September 1, 2017

Reasoning it Out -16-

I have tried to reason out Righteousness by Faith, Justification, Sanctification an it is impossible.  It is all accepted by faith in God, we do not have the power of mind to reason out the things of God, we must accept the promises by faith in Him and nothing of ourselves.  This is hard for us humans to comprehend, so the best thing for us to do is pray for the faith of Jesus and we will be satisfied.

John 3:8  "The wind blows where it wishes and you hear the sound of it, but cannot tell where it comes from and where it goes. So is everyone who is born of the Spirit."

"No more can you explain the things of God upon the human heart.  You cannot explain this faith that lays hold upon the merits of the blood of a crucified and risen Savior to bring Christ's righteousness into your life.  Clothed with the righteousness of Christ and not your own righteousness, you will not depend upon what you can do or what you will do.  Don't you know you cannot o anything without Christ?  "Without Me,' he says, 'you can do nothing."  John 15:5.  F&W 65

We cannot judge God's word and decide whats truth and what isn't or take someone else's word over God's word.

Isaiah 8:20  "To the law and to the testimony: if they speak not according to this word, it is because there is no light in them."

"If ever a people needed light, it is those who are living in the very closing days of this earth's history.  We want to know what saith the Scripture.  We want to come to the living oracles of God.  We want that living faith which grasps the arm of infinite power, and we want to rely with all our being upon Jesus Christ, our righteousness.  And we may do it.  Yes, we do it profitably to our own soul's interest."  F&W 66

"You may be united to the Living Vine.  Every member of your whole being may be united to that Vine, and the sap and nourishment that come from the Vine will nourish the branch that is in the Vine, until you are one with Christ as He was one with the Father. Thus His blessings will be imparted to you. But friends, we have not had faith.  We have dishonored God by unbelief long enough."  F&W 67.

I am sure that a lot of this is new to you, but I have given you many texts through out the lessons so you can study this all out yourself and prove from the scripture that we may be attached to the Living Vine and live a godly life in Christ.  Keep reading these studies.  They are so good.  Grandma Joan