Friday, March 2, 2018

Carry on What You have Learned

It is getting hard for me to blog but I want to share something with you that will help you a lot.

You can get books, CD's if you want to continue studying the lessons that we have been learning by

contacting 'Justified walk.com' on your computer.  Feel free to do this, it is a ministry and they are

free to you if you will share them and help others be ready for Jesus to come.  Frank Philips was an

evangelist and church pastor etc for 45 years.  Also you will find other authors too and sermons,

another one is Glenn Coon.  He shares experiences to help understand his topics and its good too.


I will remember to pray for my viewers and when Jesus comes we will get to meet in heaven.  I'll be looking forward to seeing you there.  Thank all of you for viewing my blog and I hope you were blessed by it.  "Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding."  I may drop in once in a while to see if anyone has been on the site.  I'll be 87 in May and it's time to rest my weary bones and my mind and get myself ready for Christ's return.  Grandma Joan.

Thursday, March 1, 2018

God's Yoke Is Also A Yoke of Service

Matthew 10:8  "Heal the sick, cleanse the lepers, raise the dead, cast out demons.  Freely you have received, freely give."

Matthew 20:26-28  "And whoever desires to be first among you, let him be your slave--just as the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve...."

The yoke is an instrument of service.  Cattle are yoked for labor, and the yoke is essential that they may labor effectually.  By this illustration Christ teaches us that we are called to service as long as life shall last. We are to take upon us His yoke, that we may be co-laborers with Him.

If you will seek the Lord and be converted every day; if you will of your own spiritual choice be free and joyous in God; if with gladsome consent of heart to His gracious call, you come wearing the yoke of Christ,--the yoke of obedience and service,--all your murmurings will be stilled, all your difficulties will be removed, all the perplexing problems that now confront you will be solved.

Whatever business engagements men may yoke up with, if Christians, they must wear the yoke of duty to Christ.  This is their allegiance.  They are to consider themselves bound by superior obligations.  The Master, Jesus Christ, has placed His yoke upon the neck of every disciple.  The life service is pledged to Him in accepting His yoke.  Anything that will mar or hinder his perfect service to God is to be broken off, whatever its nature or character may be...

I hope you are following on to know just what Christ intends to do for His people.  To me it is a wonderful experience.  There are times when the devil messes with our minds and we have to resist Him and draw near to God and he will flee. Then we have peace again because we know that we are following on to know God and Jesus His Son.  Remember He does the work in us and not ourselves.  Grandma Joan

Wednesday, February 28, 2018

Depression - A Way Out and Up

This will be a short lesson on depression.  For a month or so I have been listening to sermons on 'dying to self' and 'surrender' and I guess because of my age and it's getting more difficult for me to understand the deep things of God, I thought I was getting it but yesterday I found out that I wasn't getting all of it especially on these two subjects.  I decided I needed to share what happened to me and how I got help.

I got up yesterday morning and a dark cloud engulfed me, a dark depressive mental cloud.  I couldn't even read the Bible without crying.  It was the deepest and darkest pit I have ever been in and I couldn't shake it.  I asked my son if he would take me out for the day to the mall and just let me get away from this ugly spirit.  So he did.  I got some things that I needed and we had lunch there and gradually it started lifting a little then I ran into a sweet friend and that helped a little more but never mentioned to anyone the pit I was in.

Then by God's grace and promptings my daughter came by this morning and I hadn't seen her for about five weeks, she's been gone and got back Friday last week.  After we caught up on all the news I asked her if she could help me with a question I had.  She said, 'I'll try'.  So I said, 'How do you surrender or die to self?  In a nutshell she said, 'For one thing you have to know that God loves you, no matter what you have done, He loves you.  Take your eyes off your self and how you are doing spiritually.  Don't think about you at all, your salvation is not about you it's about Jesus and what He is doing in you.  Don't take your eyes off Jesus, Take them off yourself and others.  Concentrate on Jesus, keep looking up.  Let Him do the work in you and you just surrender to His working in you.  Ask to be filled with His Holy Spirit every morning and keep your eyes turned up all the time on Him.  (In your mind, you can't walk around doing things and run into stuff,  In other words keep Him in your thoughts, all the time as you do your work or whatever you are doing, and keep looking to Him for guidance and direction. 

She was baptized not too long ago and I have never seen a person so transformed into what she is today and she was.  She told me to day that she prayed before she went under the water that God would baptize her with His Spirit and she said He did.  I believe it because I have never in my 86 years someone transformed like she was.  I am so blessed to have a daughter like her.

You are welcome to use her experience in your life if you are under depression or if Satan is messing with your life in anyway, this will work, I am whole again and praise the Lord for using her to help me.  Grandma Joan.

Tuesday, February 27, 2018

Take Up God's Yoke / What is God's Yoke?

1 John 5:3  "For this is the love of God, that we keep His commandments, and His commandments are not burdensome."

This yoke, (which) you are afraid (to) put upon your neck because you fear it will gall, Jesus says is easy.  The burden you dare not touch--is light.  All that is required on your part is to resolutely lay hold upon it, and you will find it a support rather than a grievous burden.  That cross which seems so inconvenient  an instrument to lift, which seems too heavy to be raised, when you cheerfully lay hold upon it and lift it, it will lift you and be a support and strength to you.

What is God's Yoke?

John 6:38 "For I have come down from heaven, not to do My own will, but the will of Him who sent Me."

John 13:17  "If you know these things, blessed are you if you do them."

The yoke and the cross are symbols representing the same thing,--the giving up of the will to God.

What is "My yoke"?  It is perfect submission to God.

When you give up your own will, your own wisdom, and learn of Christ, you will find admittance into the kingdom of God.  He requires entire, unreserved surrender. Give up your life for Him to order, mold, and fashion. Take upon your neck His yoke. Submit to be led and taught by Him.  Learn that unless you become as a little child, you can never enter the kingdom of heaven.

Holiness is not rapture: it is an entire surrender of the will to God; it is doing the will of our heavenly Father; it is trusting God in trial, in darkness as well as in the light; it is walking by faith and not by sight; it is relying on God with unquestioning confidence, and resting in His love.

Holiness is constant agreement with God.

Do you think that you could be in constant agreement with God?  A good question isn't it?  I want to be, how about you.  Grandma Joan.

Monday, February 26, 2018

Do Not Take On False Yokes

Galatians 5:1  "Stand fast therefore in the liberty by which Christ has mad us free, and do not be entangled again with a yoke of bondage."

John 8:36  "Therefore if the Son makes you free, you shall be free indeed."

Does He not tell us the truth when He says, "My yoke is easy"?  If we manufacture yokes for ourselves, as many are doing, we shall find them extremely galling: but if we take the yoke that Christ has prepared for us, and become meek and lowly in heart, self will be hid with Christ in God.  This is the correct position for us to occupy.

We often think we are having a hard time in bearing burdens, and it is too often the case, because God has not made any provision for us to carry these burdens; but when we bear His yoke and carry His burdens, we can testify that the yoke of Christ is easy and His burdens are light, because He has made provision for these.

Jesus invites you to lay down the yoke you have been bearing, which has been galling your neck--the load of self-love, covetousness, pride, passion, jealousy, and evil surmising.  Yet how closely do men clasp these curses, and how loath are they to give them up.

Take Up God's Yoke

1 John 5:3  "For this is the love of God, that we keep His commandments.  And His commandments are not burdensome."

This yoke (which) you are afraid too put upon your neck because you fear it will gall, Jesus says is easy.  The burden you dare not touch--it is light.  All that is required on your part is to resolutely lay hold upon it, and you will find it a support rather than a grievous burden.  That cross which seems to you so inconvenient an instrument to lift, which seems too heavy to be raised, when you cheerfully lay hold upon it and lift it, it will lift you and be a support and strength to you.

There will be a few more studies on the yoke that we are asked to bear and we will find out how easy it is.  Do let each study soak in really good and two or three more studies will change your thoughts on this Bible verse that 'His yoke is easy and His burden is light'.  Hardly anyone understands this but it is a great burden lifted to me and probably to you too. So hang in and we will come out on top!!  Grandma Joan

Sunday, February 25, 2018

Receive Victory

2 Corinthians 2:14  "Now thanks be to God who always leads us in triumph in Christ...."

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 God."

In order to gain te victory over every besetment of the enemy, we must lay hold on a power that is out of and beyond ourselves.  We must maintain a constant, living connection with Christ, who has power to give victory to every soul that will maintain an attitude of faith and humility....As those who hope to receive the overcomer's reward, we must press forward in the Christian warfare, though at every advance we meet opposition....As overcomers, we are to reign with Christ in the heavenly court, and we are to overcome through the blood of the Lamb and the word of our testimony.  "Him that overcometh will I make a pillar in the temple of my God."

None will enter the holy city, the paradise of God, but as conquerors,...those who have separated themselves from the world, and stood in defense of the faith once delivered to the saints, and have fought the good fight of faith, looking constantly to "Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith; who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God.

Let us take the robe of His righteousness woven in the loom of heaven.  There is not a thread of humanity in that robe.  It is the robe of Christ's righteousness.  Let us put it on right here.  We want life.  We want to give the example of what Christ is and what we may be.  Oh, that we might manifest God to a fallen world.  We may be purified so that we may wear the robe of Christ's righteousness, and the crown of immortality.  God grant that this may be our lot; for Jesus loves us with a love that is infinite.  He does not want that any of us should perish, but that everyone may have that life that measures with the life of God.  God grant that we may secure that blessed inheritance.

Adopt Christ's Lifestyle Of Obedience and Service, Take Christ's Yoke

Matthew 11:28-30  "Come unto me , all ye that labour 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."

It is possible for us to overcome in the power that Christ does in us.  Some sins are tougher to give up but all are possible to give to Christ, it make take a few stumblings but don't give up, it's a matter of eternal life or eternal death, it's our choice.  We have the free choice to choose right or wrong, it is totally up to us.  But because Christ does the overcoming, it is our choice whether we will surrender our life to Him to do His pleasure in us.  May we make the right choice every day to stay with Him and live for Him.  Grandma Joan

Friday, February 23, 2018

Do Not Consult Your Feelings

Jeremiah 17:9  "The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked; who can know it?

Romans 10:17  "So then faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of God."

Proverbs 3:5,6  "Trust in the Lord with all your heart, an lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge Him, and He shall direct your paths."

If you look to yourself, you will see only weakness.  There is no Savior there.  You will find Jesus away from yourself.  You must look and live; (look) to Him who became sin for us, that we might be cleansed from sin and receive of Christ's righteousness.

Satan may try to bind you to his car (chariot) as a helpless soul.  But shout in victory that Christ has made you a free man.  Do not dishonor God by one expression of inefficiency and inability to overcome fully, entirely, and gloriously through Jesus Christ, who has died to redeem you and make you a free man,  conquer, yes conquer.  Put your will every moment on the side of God's will.  Think hopefully and courageously.  In faith cry out against Satan, and looking unto Jesus who is the author and finisher of your faith, say, "Jesus , my Redeemer, I am weak.  I cannot do anything without Your special help.  I hang my helpless soul on You.  Then let your imagination dwell on the thought that you are in the presence of Jesus, walking with God, your life hid with Christ in God....Then you will not glorify Satan by imagining yourself weak an helpless.  You will keep yourself uplifted into a pure and holy atmosphere.  You will receive the Holy Spirit as a omforter, as a sanctifier....You will have a calm, restful spirit in God.  You will say, "Jesus lives, and because He lives I will live also, He has conquered Satan in my behalf, and I will not be conquered by the devil once.  I will not disgrace my Lord and Leader; but I will triumph in His holy name, an come off more than conqueror.

If we believe in the power of Jesus' name, and present our petitions to God in His name, we shall never be turned away....Our help cometh from God, who holds all things in His own hands.  Our peace is in the assurance that His love is exercised toward us.  If faith grasps this assurance we have gained all; if we lose this assurance, all is lost.  When we surrender all we have and are to God, and are placed in trying and dangerous positions, coming in contact with Satan, we should remember that we shall have victory in meeting the enemy in the name and power of the Conqueror.  Every angel would be commissioned to come to our rescue when we thus depend upon Christ rather than that we should be permitted to be overcome.

Let's believe in the power of Jesus name and be total overcomers and let Him conquer Satan in our behalf.  Grandma Joan

Thursday, February 22, 2018

Cooperate With the Holy Spirit

Acts 1:8  "But you shall receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you and you shall be witnesses to Me in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria and to the end of the earth."

Ephesians 5:18  "And do not be drunk with wine, in which is dissipation; but be filed with the Spirit."

The only power that ca quicken the heart into activity is the power which will give life to the dead--the Holy Spirit of God.....hang your helpless soul upon your Mediator.  In and through Him, and Him alone, you can com to God...

The Spirit was to be given as a regenerating agent, and without this the sacrifice of Christ would have been of no avail.  The power of evil has been strengthening for centuries, and the submission of men to this satanic captivity  was amazing.  Sin could be resisted and overcome only through the mighty agency of the third person of the Godhead, who would come with no modified energy, but in the fullness of divine power.  It is the Spirit that makes effectual what has been wrought out by the world's Redeemer.  It is by the Spirit that the heart is made pure.  Through the Spirit the believer becomes a partaker of the divine nature.

Transformation of character is wrought through the operation of the Holy Spirit, which works upon the human agent, implanting in him according to his desire and consent to have it done, a new nature.  The image of God is restored to the soul, and day by day he is strengthened and renewed by grace, and is enabled more and more perfectly to reflect the character of Christ in righteousness and true holiness.

Christ has promised the gift of the Holy Spirit to His church....but like every other promise, it is given on conditions. There are many who believe and profess to claim the Lord's promise; they talk about Christ and about the Holy Spirit, yet receive no benefit.  They do not surrender the soul to be guided and controlled by the divine agencies.   We cannot use the Holy Spirit.  The Spirit is to us us....But many will not submit to this.  They want to manage themselves.  This is why they do not receive the heavenly gift.  Only to those who wait humbly upon God, who wait for His guidance and grace, is the Spirit given....This promised blessing, claimed by faith, brings all other blessings in its train.

You will know the Holy Spirit is in you when He reminds you of something in your life that doesn't belong there.  If you confess it and repent of it, you will  receive more of His directions.  It is an amazing thing but a true thing.  Grandma Joan

Wednesday, February 21, 2018

Receive New Life and Power "In Christ"

John 15:4  "Abide in Me and I in you."

Colossians  1:27  "To them God willed to make known what are the riches of the glory of this mystery among the Gentiles: which is Christ in you, the hope of glory."

1 Corinthians 3:16  "Do you not know that you are the temple of God and that the Spirit of God dwells in you."

Galatians 2:20  "I have been crucified with Christ; it is no longer I who lived, but Christ lives in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself for me."

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

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."

When the soul surrenders itself to Christ, a new power takes possession of the new heart.  A change is wrought which he can never accomplish for himself.  It is a supernatural work, bringing a supernatural element into human nature.  The soul that is yielded to Christ becomes His own fortress, which He holds in a revolted world, and He intends that no authority shall be known in it but His own.  A soul thus kept in possession by the heavenly agencies is impregnable to the assaults of Satan.

At the altar of self-sacrifice,--the appointed place of meeting between God and the soul,--we receive from the hand of God the celestial torch, which searches the heart, revealing our real need of an abiding Christ.  When we feel our heart need, when we long after the quickening influence of the Holy Spirit, Christ draws nigh to us.  Self is crucified.  Christ lives in us, and the power of the Spirit attends our efforts, then the soul is refined and elevated.  Light from the heavenly sanctuary shines upon us, and we are enabled to exert an influence which is a savor of life unto life.  By a union with Christ, by living faith, we are privileged to enjoy the efficacy of His mediation.  We are crucified with Christ, buried with Christ, risen with Christ, to walk in newness of life.

Do you ask , "How am I to abide in Christ?"  In the same way as you received Him at first.  "As you have therefore received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk ye in Him."  "The just shall live by faith" Col. 2:6 and Hebrews10:38.  You gave yourself to God, to be His wholly, to sevre and obey Him, and you took Christ as your Savior. You could not yourself atone for your sins or change your heart; but having given yourself to God, you believe that He for Christ's sake did all this for you.  By faith you became Christ's, and by faith you are to grow up in Him --by giving and taking.  You are to give all,--your heart, your will, your service,--give yourself to Him to obey all His requirements; and you must take all,--Christ the fullness of all blessing, to abide in your heart, to be your strength, your righteousness, your everlasting helper,,--to give you power to obey.

Christ works a change in our life that we sometimes are surprised when we realize what He has done.  That's what happened to me, I shared it a few studies back, how all of a sudden I found myself full of love for people I wasn't ever sure I could love them.  I had been praying for a heart full of love.
Now something else has happened, He has promised that when  we make a complete surrender to Him that a new power takes possession of a new heart.  He is faithful to warn us when we are about to step on dangerous ground, about to say something negative, when He wants us to talk positive and be happy, thats part of a new heart.  

Go back and reread the promises at the beginning of this study, it's all there.  Wonderful promises!
Grandma Joan





Tuesday, February 20, 2018

Agree to Being Emptied Of Self

Romans 8:12  "Therefore, brethren, we are debtors--not to the flesh, to live according to the flesh.  For if you live according to the flesh you will die; but if by the Spirit you put to death the deeds of the body, you will live."

Romans 13:14  "But put on the Lord Jesus  Christ, and make no provision for the flesh, to fulfill its lusts."

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 God."

Galatians 5:24,25  "And those who are Christ's have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires.  If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit."

1 John 2:16,17  "For all that is in the world--the lust of the flesh, the lustt of the eyes, and the pride of life--is not of the Father b;ut is of the world.  And the world is passing away, and the lust of it; but he who does the will of God abides forever."

The Lord bids us empty our hearts of the selfishness which is the root of alienation.  He longs to pour upon us His Holy Spirit in rich measure,  and He bids us clear the way by self-renunciation.  When self is surrendered to God, our eyes will be opened to see the stumbling stones which our un- Christlikeness has  placed in the way of others.  All these God bids us remove.

We cannot retain self and yet be filled with the fullness of God.  We must be emptied of self.  If heaven is gained by us at last, it will be only through the renunciation of self, and the receiving of the mind of Christ.  Pride and self-sufficiency must be crucified, and the vacuum supplied with the Spirit and power of God.  Are we willing to pay the price required of us for eternal life?  Are we ready to sit down and count the cost, and conclude that heaven is worth the sacrifice of dying to self, of having our will brought into perfect conformity with the will of God?  Until we are willing, the transforming grace of God will not b manifested upon us.  When we present our emptied nature to God, He will by his Holly Spirit supply the vacuum made by the renunciation of self, and give us of his fullness.
Grandma Joan

Monday, February 19, 2018

Agree To Dying To Self

Agree To Dying To Self

Luke 9:23  "Then He said to them all, "If anyone desires to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow Me.  For whoever desires to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for My sake will save it."

1 Corinthians 15:31  " I die daily."

Romans 6:1-4  "What shall we say then?  Shall we continue in sin that grace may abound?  Certainly not!  How shall we who died to sin live any longer in it?  Or do you not know that as many of us as were baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into His death?  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."

Jesus bade His followers take up the cross and bear it after Him.  To the disciples His words, though dimly comprehended, pointed to their submission to the most bitter humiliation,--submission even unto death for the sake of Christ.  No more complete self-surrender could the Savior's words have pictured.

It is because men are not more than half converted that the church is so dead and lifeless.  There are many who are and have been all their lives been half Christians.  Their names are in the Book of Life, and if they turn to the Lord with full purpose of heart, they then respect the voice that says unto them, "Seek ye My face," and reply, "Thy face, Lord will I seek," and they shall see God with a clear, elevated, spiritual sense.  The religious sentiment awakened in the heart is recognized as God's call, and is obeyed.  Everyone will be tested and tried in the very way that is the most trying.  Men cannot trust to their own wisdom.  Self-sufficiency, if indulged, will be their stumbling block.  Self must die and not have a resurrection every other day.  The words must be truly spoken, "I live, yet not I, but Christ liveth in me."  The "I" is a very hard personality to kill.  "I" rises into life in full proportions if given the least opportunity or encouragement.  Then, confident in their own supposed wisdom, men forsake the right way.

Why is it so hard to lead a self-denying life?  Because professed Christians are not dead to the world.  It is easy living after we are dead.

The new birth is a rare experience in this age of the world.  This is the reason why there are so many perplexities in the churches.  Many so many, who assume the name of Christ are unsanctified and unholy.  They have been baptized, but they were buried alive.  Self did not die, and therefore they did not rise to newness of life in Christ.

We cannot retain self and yet be filled with the fullness of God.  We must be emptied of self.  If heaven is gained by us at last, it will be only through the renunciation of self and the receiving of the mind of Christ.

We must give up the world and all worldliness and cling to Christ and His character traits if we would enter the kingdom of heaven and dwell in the beautiful new earth.  It is so beyond my imagination I just can't comprehend it at all.  So far beyond anything this world has to offer, so peaceful, so joyful, I just love to talk about it.  Grandma Joan

Sunday, February 18, 2018

Be Transformed Through Dying to Self

Be Transformed Through Dying to Self

Psalm 51:17  "The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit, a broken and a contrite heart--these O God, You will not despise."

Psalm 34:18  "The Lord is near to those who have a broken heart....."

We must fall upon the Rock and be broken before we can be uplifted in Christ.  Self must be dethroned, pride must be humbled, if we would know the glory of the spiritual kingdom.  The Jews would not accept the honor that is reached through humiliation.  Therefore they would not receive their Redeemer.  He was a sign that was spoken against.

You say, "The surrender of all my idols will break my heart."  This is what is needed.  In giving up all for God you fall upon the rock and are broken.  Give up all for Him without delay, for unless you are broken, you are worthless.

This is a hard saying, but if you reason it out, you can see how true it is.  We must give up all our idols, which is anything that stands between us and our God, that would keep us from obeying Him and following Him all the way in our Christian walk.  When you think of a home in the earth made new and all the beauties there, no more pain, no more sorrow, no more sickness, no more hospitals, doctors, police, ambulances, nurses, stores, instead there will be eternal life without  any of these things plus a city with walls a few stories high and a home in the city, gates of pearls, walls probably made from pure gold, I know there will be streets of gold, jewels of all kinds and a home in the country outside the city.  No taxes, it won't cost us a cent, no more money there.  

Beautiful flowers, fruit of all kinds, the lamb and the lion will lie down together.  I always say I want a big shaggy lion for a pet there and the most beautiful garden that I can possibly imagine.  Let's follow God and be obedient to all He asks us to do even to getting rid of all our idols, things that are keeping us from following Him.  I'm really looking forward to being in heaven and the earth made new won't you join me?  Grandma Joan

PS  Read Revelation for a good description of our reward for serving Him.

Saturday, February 17, 2018

Be Transformed Through Secret Prayer

Be Transformed Through Secret Prayer

Psalm 46:10  "Be still, and know that I am God; I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth."

Habakkuk 2:10  "The Lord is in His holy temple.  Let all the earth keep silence before Him."

Matthew 6:6  "But you, when you pray, go into your room, and when you have shut your door, pray to your Father who is in the secret place; and your Father who sees in secret will reward you openly."

Prayer is a necessity; for it is the life of the soul.  Family prayer, public prayer, have their place; but it is secret communion with God that sustains the soul life.

You will receive more strength by spending one hour each day in meditation, and mourning over your failings and heart-corruptions, and pleading for God's pardoning love, and the assurance of sins forgiven, than you would by spending many hours and days in studying the most able authors, and making yourself acquainted with every objection to our faith, and the most powerful evidences in favor of our faith.

When every other voice is hushed, and in quietness we wait before Him, the silence of the soul makes more distinct the voice of God.  He bids us, 'Be still and know that I am God.'  Ps. 46:10.  Here alone can true rest be found.  And this is the effectual preparation for all who labor for God.  Amid the hurrying throng, and the strain of life's intense activities, the soul that is thus refreshed will be surrounded with an atmosphere of light and peace.  The life will breathe out fragrance, and will reveal a divine power that will reach men's hearts.

How shall this victory over the world be obtained?  Go to your closet, dear reader, and there plead with God: "Create in me a clean heart, O God, and renew a right spirit within me."  Be in earnest; be sincere; Jacob-like, wrestle in prayer.  Do not leave your closet until you feel strong in God.  Remain until unutterable longings for salvation are awakened in your heart, and the sweet evidence is obtained of pardoned sin.  Then when you leave your closet, watch; and so long as you watch and pray, the grace of God will appear in your life.

In no case neglect secret prayer; for it is the soul of religion. If you expect salvation, you must pray.  Take time.  Be not hurried and careless in your prayers.  Intercede with God to  work in you a thorough reformation, that the fruits of the Spirit may dwell in you, and that , by your godly life you may shine as a light in the world.  When you sincerely feel that without the help of God you perish when you pant after Him as the hart pants  after the water-brooks, then will the Lord strengthen you speedily, and you will have that peace that passes understanding.

Many, even in their seasons of devotion, fail of receiving the blessing of real communion with God.  They are in too great haste.  With hurried steps they press through the circle of Christ's loving presence, pausing perhaps a moment within the sacred precincts, but not waiting for counsel.  They have no time to remain with the divine Teacher.  With their burdens they return to their work.

These workers can never attain the highest success until they learn the secret of strength. They must give themselves time to think, to pray, to wait upon God for a renewal of physical, mental an spiritual power.  They need the uplifting influence of His Spirit.  Receiving this, they will be quickened by fresh life.  The wearied  frame and tired brain will be refreshed, the burdened heart will be lightened.

Let's learn the secret of spiritual strength and the blessing of real communion with God.  So important for a close walk with God.  I want a closer walk with God, don't you?  Let's strive for that kind of closeness with God.  OK?  Grandma Joan

Friday, February 16, 2018

Be Transformed Through Receiving God's Word

Be Transformed Through Receiving God's Word

Psalm 119: 11  "Your word have I hid in my heart that I might not sin against You."

John 17:17  "Sanctify them by Your truth.  Your word is truth."

John 8:32  "And you shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free."

Romans 10:17  "So then faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of God."

Romans 12:2  "And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God."

2 Corinthians 3:18  "But we all, with unveiled face, beholding as in a mirror the glory, of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from gory to glory, just as by the Spirit of the Lord."

The Scriptures are the great agency in the transformation of character.  Christ prayed, "Sanctify the through Thy truth, Thy word is truth."  If studied and obeyed, the word of God works in the heart, subduing every unholy attribute.  The Holy Spirit comes to convict of sin, and the faith that springs up in the heart works by love to Christ, conforming us in body, soul, and spirit to His own image.  Then God can use us to do His will.  The power given us works from within outwardly, leading us to communicate to others the truth that has been communicated to us.

Received into the heart, the leaven of truth will regulate the desires, purify the thoughts, and sweeten the disposition.  It quickens the faculties of the mind and the energies of the soul.  It enlarges the capacity for feeling, for loving.

The  purity, the holiness, of the life of Jesus as presented from the Word of God, possess more power to reform and transform the character then do all the efforts put forth in picturing the sins and crimes of men and the sure results.  One steadfast look to the Savior uplifted upon the cross will do more to purify the mind and heart fro every defilement than will all the scientific explanations by the ablest tongue.

The Bible is the storehouse that supplies their souls with nourishing food.  They meditate upon the incarnation of Christ, they contemplate the great sacrifice made to save them from perdition, to bring in pardon, peace and everlasting righteousness.  The soul is aglow with these grand and elevating themes.  Holiness and truth, grace and righteousness, occupy the thoughts.  Self dies, and  Christ lives in His servants.  In contemplation  of the work their hearts burn within them as did the hearts of the two disciples while they went to Emmaus and Christ walked with them by the way and opened to them the scriptures concerning Himself.

The work of transformation from unholiness to holiness is a continuous work.  Day by day God labors for man's sanctification, and man is to cooperate with Him by putting forth persevering efforts in the cultivation of right habits.  The way in which we are to work out our own salvation is plainly specified in the first chapter of Second Peter.  Constantly we are to add grace to grace, and as we do this, God will work for us upon plan of multiplication.  He is always ready to hear and answer the prayer of the contrite heart, and grace and peace are multiplied to his faithful ones.  Gladly he grants them the blessings that they need in their struggle against the evils that beset them.  Those who listen to the counsels of his Word shall not want any good things.

All I can add to this is that it really works.  Don't give up, as the days and weeks go by you will notice changes in your life and it will be most welcome.  You will be so thankful that you didn't give up on your walk with God.  Grandma Joan




Thursday, February 15, 2018

Receive Pardon And Christ's Righteousness

Receive Pardon And Christ's Righteousness

Romans 5:1  "Therefore, having been justified by faitih, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ."

Romans 5:19 "For as by one man's disobedience many were made sinners, so also by one Man's obedience many will be made righteous."

2 Corinthians 5:21  "For He made Him sho knew no sin to be sin for us, that we might become the righteousness of God in Him."

What is justification by faith?  It is the work of God in laying the glory of man in the dust, and doing for man that which it is not in his power to do for himself.  When men see their own nothingness, they are prepared to be clothed with the righteousness of Christ."

The thought that the righteousness of Christ is imputed to us, not because of any merit on our part, but as a free gift from God, is a precious thought.  The enemy of God and man is not willing that this truth should be clearly  presented; for he knows that if the people receive it fully, his power will be broken.

It was possible for Adam, before the fall, to form a righteous character by obedience to God's law.  But he failed to do this, and because of his sin our our natures are fallen and we cannot make ourselves righteous.  since we are sinful, unholy, we cannot perfectly obey the holy law. We have no righteousness of our own with which  to meet the claims of the law of God.  But Christ has made a way of escape for us.  He lived on earth amid trials and temptations such as we have to meet.  He lived a sinless life. He died for us, and now He offers to take our sins and give us His righteousness.  If you give yourself to Him, and accept Him as your Savior, then, sinful as your life may have been, for His sake you are accounted righteous.  Christ's character stands in place of your character, and you are accepted before God just as if you had not sinned.

All who have a sense of their deep soul poverty, who feel that they have nothing good in themselves, may find righteousness and strength by looking unto Jesus.  He says, "Come unto Me, all ye that labor ad are heavy laden"  Matthew 11:28.  He bids you exchange your poverty for the riches of His grace.  We are not worthy of God's love, but Christ, our surety, is worthy, and is abundantly able to save all who shall come unto Him.  Whatever may have been your past experience, however discouraging your present circumstances, if you will come to Jesus just as  your are, weak, helpless, and despairing, our compassionate Savior will meet you a great way off, and will throw about you His arms of love and His robe of righteousness.  He presents us to the Father clothed in the white raiment of His own character.  He pleads before God in our behalf, saying; I have taken the sinner's place  Look not upon this wayward child, but look on Me.  Does Satan plead loudly against our souls, accusing of sin, and claiming us as his prey, the blood of Christ pleads with greater power.

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 our sins.  Through faith in Christ the guilty transgressor is brought into favor with God and into the strong hope of life eternal.

Jesus sees the guilt of the past, and speaks pardon and we must not dishonor Him by doubting
His love.  This feeling of guiltiness must be laid at the foot of the cross of Calvary.  . .Jesus says, "Lay it all on Me.  I will take your sins; I will give you peace.  Banish no longer your self-respect, for I have bought you with the price of My own blood.  You are Mine.  Your weakend will I  will strengthen; your remorse for sin I will remove.

Isn't this wonderful news.  I hope this great news is impressing your heart and mind with the reality of these words and you are preparing to spend eternity with your Savior.  This is the whole reason for these blogs.  I can't wait to see you in heaven.  Grandma Joan

Wednesday, February 14, 2018

Make an Unreserved Surrender

Make an Unreserved Surrender

Joshua 22:5  "But take careful heed to do the commandment and the law which Moses the servant of the Lord commanded you, to love the Lord your God, to walk in all His ways, to keep His commandments, to hold fast to Him, and to serve Him with all your heart and with all your soul."

Romans 12:1 "I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that you present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God, which is your reasonable service."

True victory is gained only when the repentant sinner pledges himself to unconditional obedience to God,--only when he pledges himself to honor God in every word, every business transaction, every act of his life.

It is through the truth, by the power of the Holy Spirit, that we are to be sanctified,--transformed into the likeness of Christ.  And in order for this change to be wrought in us, there must be an unconditional, wholehearted acceptance of the truth, and unreserved surrender of the soul to its transforming power.

God will accept nothing less than unreserved surrender.  Half-hearted, sinful Christians can never enter heaven.  There they would find no happiness; for they know nothing of the high, holy principles that govern the members of the royal family.

There are some who seem to be always seeking for the heavenly pearl.  But they do not make an entire surrender of their wrong habits.  They do not die to self that Christ may live in them.  Therefore they do not find the precious pearl.  They do not take up the cross and follow Christ in the path of self denial and sacrifice.  Almost Christians, yet not fully Christians, they seem near the kingdom of heaven, but they cannot enter there.  Almost but not wholly saved, means to be not almost but wholly lost.

We don't want to be in the class that is almost saved, but wholly lost.  Please make a wholehearted surrender to God.  Wholehearted surrender means dying to self and living for God.  This is the cross we are to bear.  It may seem a hard cross to bear, but as we cling to Christ, His thoughts are our thoughts and His ways will be our ways and it becomes easier as we enter fellowship with Him.  Don't give up.  He gave up all for us!!!  Can we do any different? I'm struggling right now too, so you are not alone in this path to heaven.  It will be worth it all to live eternally with Jesus our Savior and the Father and all the holy angels and our family and all those that we have helped get there.  A great reunion.  Let's not miss out.  Grandma Joan

Tuesday, February 13, 2018

Humbly Confess Sin

Humbly Confess Sin

Proverbs 28:13  "He who covers his sins will not prosper, But whoever confesses and forsakes them will have mercy."

James 5:16  "Confess your trespasses to one another and pray for one another, that you may be healed.  The effective, fervent prayer of a righteous man avails much."

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."

Psalms 34:18 "The Lord is near to those who have a broken heart, and saves such as have a contrite spirit."

By Prayer and confession of sin we must clear the King's highway.  As we do this, the power of the Spirit will come to us.  We need the Pentecostal energy.  This will come, for the Lord has promised to send His Spirit as the all-conquering power.

Those who have not humbled their souls before God in acknowledging their guilt, have not yet fulfilled the first condition of acceptance....Confession of sin, whether public or private, should be heartfelt and freely expressed.  It is not to be urged from the sinner.  It is not to be made in a flippant and careless way, or forced from those who have no realizing sense of the abhorrent character of sin.  True confession is always of a specific character, and acknowledges particular sins.  They may be of such  as to be brought before God only' they may be wrongs that should be confessed to individuals who have suffered injury through them; or they may be of a public character, and should then be as publicly confessed.  But all confession should be definite and to the point, acknowledging the very sins of which you are guilty.

This is not an easy thing to do but Oh the peace that it brings is beyond our expectations.  You will find peace and joy that you have never before had.  A huge burden rolls off your shoulders and the weight of the sins that you have harbored or carried in your heart  is gone forever.  Christ then takes control of our lives as long as we cling to Him and stay in His presence

Repent and Turn From Sin

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

Acts 17:30  "Truly, these times of ignorance God overlooked, but now commands all men everywhere to repent."

Repentance includes sorrow for sin and a turning away from it .  We shall not renounce sin unless we see its sinfulness; until we turn away fro it in heart, there will be no real change in the life."

Come to Jesus in repentance and true confession and you will NEVER, EVER be sorry.  Grandma Joan

Monday, February 12, 2018

Choose a Better Way

Choose a Better Way

Philippians 2:13  "Work out your own salvation with fear and trembling; for it is God who works in you both to will and to do for His good pleasure."

Through yielding to sin, man placed his will under the control of Satan.  He became a helpless captive in the tempter's power.  God sent His Son into our world to break the power of Satan, and to emancipate the will of man.  He sent Him to proclaim liberty to the captives, to undo the heavy burdens, and to let the oppressed go free.  By pouring the whole treasury of heaven into this world, by giving us in Christ all heaven, God has purchased the will, the affections, the mind, the soul, of every human being.  When man places himself under the control of God, the will becomes firm and strong to do right, the heart is cleansed from selfishness, and filled with Christlike love.  The mind yields to the authority of the law of love, and every thought is brought into captivity to the obedience of Christ.  When the will is placed on the Lord's side, the Holy Spirit takes that will and makes it one with the divine will.

It is impossible for us, of ourselves, to escape from the pit of sin in which we are sunken.  Our hearts are evil, and we cannot change them.  "Who can bring a clean thing out of an unclean? Not one."  The carnal mind is enmity against God: for it is not subject to the law of God, neither indeed can be."  Job 14:4 and Romans 8:7.  Education, culture, the exercise of the will, human effort, all have their proper sphere, but here they are powerless.  They may produce an outward correctness of behavior, but they cannot change the heart; they cannot purify the springs of life.  There must be a power working from within, a new life from above, before men can b changed from sin to holiness.  That power is Christ.  His grace alone can quicken the lifeless faculties of the soul and attract it to God, to holiness.

Satan cannot read our thoughts and so in order to take our will out of his control, we must tell him out loud that he no longer has control of our will, we have given it to Christ to control.  Then Christ can control our thoughts and our lives and give us the victory that we cannot have without Him.  It is not God's will for us to repent and sin, repent and sin,  He wants to give us the victory over sin.  That does not mean that we will never sin, but it won't be a deliberate sin, it will happen without a warning and Christ has covered it for us because we are abiding in His presence as we have learned in the last several weeks.

I have been asking God to tell me what He wants on this blog and so the next several, maybe many are an answer to my prayer.  Pray over them and ask God to give you victory in your life and learn to die to your selfish way of life and you will live a life like you never thought existed.  It is wonderful to spend your days in His arms of love and all your worries evaporate.  Grandma Joan

Saturday, February 10, 2018

A Changed Life

I have to tell you that two little books have changed my life completely.  The one I shared on my blog the last few weeks entitled "The Branch and the Vine" and the other one is entitled "His robe or mine".  I have never enjoyed my walk with God as I do now and I can talk to Him anytime, anywhere and He has been guiding me each day in all that I do and say.  He has shown me when a thought is a temptation from the Devil and what to do about it.  I instantly ask God to take care of Satan and He instantly flees, just like the Bible says, "Resist the devil and he will flee, draw nigh to God and  He will draw nigh to you."  James 4:7,8.  God does draw nigh to us as soon as we sincerely want to draw nigh to Him and stay there in His presence.  We can go about our daily duties and still stay in His presence always making sure the channel is open between God and our own soul.  It is an absolute joy to be in fellowship with Him.

For years I have read verses over and over and never put them together or just couldn't understand them.  I was blinded by satan and would ask someone about it and never got a decent answer.  No one seemed to know what the verses meant until I read these two books and it became so plain to me to see how satan confuses us and doesn't want us to have a life of victory, but God does and the most important thing I learned and experienced is that we cannot get rid of temptation ourselves, we cannot fight with the devil, it is impossible, Christ made sure he was a defeated foe at the cross by dying for our sins and for us allowing Him to do our battles for us.

I want to share some thoughts with you out of the little book "His robe or mine" in the next blogs so you can get the real meaning of how to live a life of victory.  It is the most important thing I have ever learned and has caused me great peace and joy and love in my heart even when someone has hurt me.  I will be repeating some things from the book that I just shared with you but it is well worth repeating so we can get things down pat and we can be saved at last.  Please be patient with me.  This is so worthwhile I just have to share it.  I would love to meet each of you in person in heaven when Christ comes to take us home with Him.  Love, Grandma Joan

Friday, February 9, 2018

A Glorious Conclusion and a Prayer for each one of us.

A Glorious Conclusion

God wants us to have this kin of confident experience on a daily basis.  As Meade MacGuire put it,

"In this abiding experience lies our daily victory over sin our ability to bring forth to His glory, our unlimited success in prayer, and our assurance of being ready to meet our King when He returns in glory."

These are God's great incentives for pursuing the abiding experience.

A Prayer For Each One Of Us:

Our Heavenly Father, we have been touching some of the most critical and important truths that your Word contains, for truly it speaks the truth when it says that without You, we can do nothing.  Lord, we are helpless--totally helpless.  As a branch cut off from its source of life simply withers and is only fit for the fire, so we are only fit for the fire unless we abide in you.  Lord, we may realize this more and more every day.  May we rely upon You, trust You, believe You and appropriate Your Word in our lives, so that we might bear fruit.  May that fruit dear Lord, be the fruit of the Spirit--love, joy, peace, long-suffering, gentleness, goodness, patience, temperance--these characteristics, Lord, that we need so badly if we are to reflect Your character to a world that needs to see them, especially in God's people, that they might be drawn to Christ through us.  Hear our prayer.  Thank You, dear Lord, for listening to us; and we ask for all of these blessings in the name of Jesus, Who died, rose again, and is our Savior at this moment.  We pray and ask all these things in His name.  Amen

This is the end of this little book and so well worth the while to study it over and over again.  I am one blessed  person to have discovered this little book and that's why I have chosen to share it with you.  I hope that you have been as blessed as I have been.  May God hear our prayers for help if all we can say is "Jesus Help Me"  He will come to our side and give us the help we need.  What a wonderful Savior we have!!  Please I can't stress it enough, read it over and over again until you have it down pat and can share it with others.  Who knows how many souls will be in heaven because we have shared it.  I love you even if I don't know you and I know Jesus loves you much, much more so keep abiding every day until you know that you are safe in His arms.  That's what I am doing.  
Grandma Joan

PS  Tomorrow will be something along this line that will help in our daily walk.  I'm looking forward to what God has planned for us.

Thursday, February 8, 2018

Three More Incentives to help us on our Journey

Incentive # 2  We will bring forth fruit.

"He that abides in Me, and I in him, the same brings forth much fruit: for without Me you can do nothing"  John 15:5.

The fruit we have been studying, the fruit of the Spirit, is the fruit of the character of Jesus that God reproduces in us, and keeps coming as the branch continually receives sap from the Vine.  If we cease abiding, this sap will stop flowing, and the character will be marred.

Incentive #3  We will enjoy success in prayer.

"If you abide in Me, and My words abide in you, youshall ask what you will, and it shall be done unto you."  John 15:7.

If we abide, we can expect to produce the fruit of God's character in our lives. As Jesus bore the fruit of the Father, so we will produce the fruit of Jesus Christ--the branch will bear the same kind of fruit as the Vine!  If the vine is a grapevine, there's going to be grapes; you won't find peaches!  God has ordained the simple abiding process to bring about the right kind of fruit--the fruit of God's character.  This is a truly simple process.

Incentive #4  We will not be ashamed at His coming.

"And now little children, abide in Him; that, when He shall appear, we may have onfidence and not be ashamed before Him at His coming." 1 John 2:28

What a glorious privilege to know that as we abide in the Lord Jesus we don't need to fear His coming; rather, we can look forward with confidence--with joy and gladness, with great anticipation--to His Second Coming.

Now this does not mean that we will not stumble and fall but it does mean that we will not deliberately turn our backs on Jesus and sin.  There may be mistakes; the devil may come along with some blight-causing attraction, but it will pass away for Jesus will take care of that.  Your record will continue to read that the character of God is yours--that character will be credited to you even if you make an unintentional mistake.  This speaks to the difference between sin and sins, the difference  between intentional rebelliousness that comes out of the natural heart and life that has not been born again and needs to die, and unintentional mistakes that can come as we are seeking to abide in Christ.  Abiding in Christ the natural man is taken care of.

Those incentives are enough to keep me going, How about you?  I don't want to miss out on a stress free life while I'm here on this earth and I don't want to miss out on eternal life in the earth made new. When we are saved at last, no sin will ever mar our characters, nothing will mar the beauty of the new earth, there will be no sickness or sin that causes it.  I will be able to run and walk as much as I want to and never get tired again forever.  Can you think of anything better than that?  I can't, not at all.  I'm looking forward to seeing Jesus, the One who died for me to save me in this marvelous way.
Please reread if you have too.  It is well worth your while.  Tomorrow will be our last on this little book.  we will do something else, I am waiting for God to show me what we need next.  Grandma Joan

Wednesday, February 7, 2018

Chosen by the Vine / Four Great Incentives

Chosen by the Vine

Jesus followed up, saying in John 15:16:

"You have not chosen Me, but I have chosen you, and ordained you, that you should go and bring forth fruit, and that your fruit should remain."

The only way fruit can remain is if the branch abides in the Vine.  Why is this?  Because the branch is continually growing and producing fruit.  And the same kind of fruit will be produced day after day.  We won't be looking for cherries one day ad peaches the next.  No, every time we go to that tree we will find the same kind of fruit, even if the fruit is in a different stage of development.  And it is in the context of producing fruit that Jesus says, "Whatsoever you shall ask of the Father in My name, He may give it you."  John 15:16.

Four Great Incentives

What a wonderful thing it would be if our eyes could be opened to really understand what it means to abide in Christ and to experience the blessings that come through abiding.  Meade MacGuire's "Life of Victory" suggests four great incentives--objectives might be another way to put it--for seeking the abiding experience:

1.  "Whosoever abides in Him sins not:  Whosoever sins hath not seen Him, neither known Him."

It is only as we abide in Christ that we cease sinning.  It's impossible for the abiding Christian to commit sin.  This abiding experience results in freedom from sin.  It doesn't mean temptation will disappear, nor does it mean there won't be an occasional stumble or fall; but it does mean we are not going to deliberately turn our backs on the Lord Jesus if we are abiding in the Vine. Satan may come along with something very attractive, but if we continue abiding in the Vine, the attraction will pass--God will take responsibility for that.  All the while the character of the Lord Jesus will continue abiding in the Vine, while the character of the Lord Jesus will continue to be credited to us so long as we are abiding, even if we make an unintentional mistake.  Intentional rebelliousness that proceeds out of an unborn natural heart that hasn't ye died will be past history.  Jesus says that being born again and abiding will take care of this.

There are three more incentives but the study could get a little long so will continue with the other three tomorrow.  I hope you are joining with those who are taking these studies to heart and practicing them.  I've been practicing them and it is wonderful to know that Christ is taking care of our sins by putting His life in our place when we are sorry for our sin and repent.  It is such a relief to know that all we have to do is surrender our lives to Him and He does the rest as long as we stay surrendered.  I know it's not easy after a life time of trying to do everything ourselves, it is very difficult to give up on our selves and give in to Christ but once you catch on to it, it becomes easier and it is such a relief and blessing to know we are  being saved day by day as we walk with Him and stay abiding.  I love this kind of life.  Grandma Joan

Monday, February 5, 2018

Conditions and Prayer / Praying in Christ's Name

What was Jesus referring to when He said "hitherto"?  He was saying, "Up to this point, up to now, you have 'asked nothing in My name'".  John 16:24.  Analyzing this, we find help in John 15:16, where He said, "ye have not chosen Me, but I have chosen you, and ordained you that ye should go and bring forth fruit, and that your fruit should remain; that whatsoever ye shall ask of the Father in My name, He may give it you."

Notice the little word "may" that comes at the end of this verse.  Why does Jesus say "may"?  He's reminding us that asking and receiving of the Father depends on certain conditions being met.  In other words, God can only respond to our request if we prepare the way, and there is only one way.  And what is that one way?  Meeting His conditions!  What are these conditions?  Combining John 15:16 and John 16:23,24, we find a glorious blanket promise that includes anything and everything without reservations.  Notice the following statement:

"But to pray in Christ's name means much."  It means that we are to accept His character, manifest His spirit, and work His works.  The Savior's promise is given on condition.  "If you love Me,' He says, 'keep My commandments.'  He saves men, not in sin, but from sin; and those who love Him will show their love by obedience."

Praying in Christ's Name

To Pray in Christ's name means much."  Recall that Jesus had said that up to that particular moment they had not asked in His name.  I wonder, Have you ever asked, really asked, in Jesus' name?  "To pray in Christ's name means much.  It means that we are to accept His character."  What's that?  His character of love.  That's what we call sanctification, which is the practical impartation of the character of Christ, and is what God wants to do for us.  Sanctification follows justification, includes the crediting of His character to our account, and continues the rest of our lives as God keeps giving, and we keep receiving, the character of Jesus Christ.

Continuing, "To pray in Christ's name means much.  It means that we are to accept His character, manifest His Spirit (--it gets harder as we go; I would suggest more beautiful, but also more binding upon us--) and work His works."  What was His work?  Reflecting the love of God.  What should be our work?  Reflecting the love of Jesus.  That's why He said, "This is My commandment, 'That ye love one another" John 15:12.

It all comes back to this matter of love.  If we have this love we will be abiding, because it is impossible to reflect this love and not abide.  Jesus said, "Abide in Me, and I in you.  As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, except it abide in the vine; no more can ye, except ye abide in Me"  John 15:4.  The branch must receive love from the Vine in order to reflect love.  It cannot be manufactured;  it cannot come from anything except the genuine stock.  So we are told, "To pray in Christ's name means much. It means to accept His character, manifest His Spirit, and work His works."  This "anything" promise is genuine, but it is given on condition of the love that we have been studying about.

Perhaps you are asking, "What does this mean on a practical basis?"  It means surrendering to the Lord, accepting Him because we recognize our need, and saying "Lord, please enter, I accept You."  If we are praying honestly, if we are willing to accept His character, if we are willing to live His life and do His work, than we can pray in the name of Jesus as He encouraged His disciples to do, and have every expectation of obtaining the answer.

Now, why did Jesus say that the disciples had not been praying in His name prior to that time?   Because they had not felt the need to do so up to then.  Though they cherished His physical presence and sought to be close to Him, though they felt uncomfortable away from Him, they were wholly unacquainted with the need of His indwelling presence.  The didn't know about the need to be born again any more than Nicodemus knew about it.  Though the disciples had been with Jesus a long time, they still didn't understand.  I wonder if things have changed very much in our day?  Though many of us have been members of the church for a long time, we sadly neither understand the need to be born again nor the need to have the old animal nature die.

This study is so very important for us to understand and tells us the reason our prayers are not answered.  It's so important for us to know these things and apply them to our lives if we want to have the pure joy of heaven in our hearts.  Surrendering keeps coming up again and again and it's because most people do not surrender their ALL to God on a daily basis. It's a very important duty of the Christian.  Surrender and Abiding, Sooooo important!!  If you have to, go over these lessons again and again until you have it down so well you can share it with anyone to help them on their Christian journey.  People need to understand the basics of obedience and surrender and  prayer and answers to prayer.  Please reread if you have to.  None of us want to be lost for eternity and this is one very important study, actually all of them are, so be patient and get it all down pat for your own eternal good.  Grandma Joan


Sunday, February 4, 2018

Sorrow Makes Way for this Joy

Notice John 16:21,22:

A woman when she is in travail hath sorrow; because her hour is come: but as soon as she is delivered of the child, she remembers no more the anguish, for joy that a man is born into the world."

This is an interesting thought so far as physical life is concerned, for it illustrates the new birth process as regards the death of the old man and the birth of the new man.  Verse 22 continues:

"And ye now therefore have sorrow: but I will see you again and your heart shall rejoice, and your joy no man taketh from you."

Here we are told of a joy that cannot be taken away.  What brings this joy?  Abiding in the Vine; abiding is the only thing that maintains this joy.  "In the world," Jesus said, "ye shall have tribulation". John 16:33.  This is not surprising, since we immediately find ourselves back in the world if we are cut off from the Vine.  This doesn't mean that abiding in the Vine will somehow cause us to escape the physical world, but it does mean that we can be in the world but not of the world, as we maintain the abiding relationship.  Let me restate that:  Though we must live in the world, it doesn't mean that we live the way the world lives.  Being born again changes how we live in the world, and modifies the kind of joy we experience; and the joy that brims up in our hearts as a result, can't be taken away under any circumstance.  The question might be asked, "Why do we so often lose our joy?"  Is it because someone has taken it away?  We like to blame other people when we become unhappy, but is it their fault?  Have you ever blamed your spouse for something?  Notice what Jesus said in John 16:22-24:

"And ye now therefore have sorrow: but I will see you again, and your heart shall rejoice, and your joy no man takes from you.  And in that day ye shall ask Me nothing.  Verily, verily, I say unto you, Whatsoever ye shall ask the Father in My name, He will give it you.  Hitherto have ye asked nothing in My name: ask, and ye shall receive, that your joy may be full.

Would you like to have His joy?  I am pretty sure that everyone would like this kind of joy, don't you?
We can lose our joy just by separating from the Vine or from Jesus side.  What a tragedy that is, but you and I both know that Jesus is a forgiving Savior and we don't have to slip away for a long time.  We can confess our slip and repent with our whole heart and we are right back filled with His joy again.  This is what I am learning day by day as I go over these studies.  Grandma Joan

Another Kind of Commandment / A New Friendship and Joy

Another Kind of Commandment

Returning to John 15:10 and Jesus' words, "If ye keep My commandments," we are immediately reminded of the Old Testament commandments--the "Thou shalt have no other Gods before Me"commandments--and the rest of the imperatives given through Moses.  Is this what Jesus was talking about?  They are part of it, but there is more, for Jesus clarified Himself in John 15:12 when He said, "This is My commandment, That ye love one another, as I have loved you."  Christ was speaking of what happens when we abide in His love, and of His desire that we reflect the love that we have experienced in the abiding relationship to our fellow men.  Love is the central theme here, however He places the word love in even more endearing terms in verse 13 and onward, when He associates it with the word "friends."

A New Friendship and Joy

The word "friends" comes from the Greek word philos  and derives from the same root as love, referring to a love that is authentic and true.  For example, when we speak of "loved ones," we are primarily referring to relatives.  If we speak of "loved ones at home," we are talking about our own family members, not friends who have dropped by keeping in mind the Greek philos background, becoming "friends,"--becoming sons and daughters of God's family through the adoption process--takes on new meaning.  So Jesus was not only talking about the Vine and the branches, and the abiding relationship and fruit-bearing, but He was also saying that if we do these things and abide in His love, we will actually become His 'friends."

In John 15:11 we learn about the outcome of the relationship: "These things have I spoken unto you, that My joy might remain in you, and that your joy might be full." Who would have ever thought that the recipe for joy and happiness could be enumerated in such a simple formula?  People seek joy in every way--producing things, pursuing materialism, developing a wide circle of friends, going after self-centered aspirations--but not in following His recipe for complete joy.

Do you want to be a friend of Jesus?  I do and most people would be honored to be His close friend.  I would and I am working towards that goal or I should say that I am letting Him work through me towards that goal.  I know from my studies that I can do nothing to save myself but He can save me if I am willing to surrender my life fully to Him.  Works has been such a big part of my life that I am having a hard time letting go of the idea that I have to do something to save myself, when the only thing I CAN do is surrender my life to Him, for it is God which works in you to will and to do of His good pleasure Philippians 4 :13. What an awesome thought for a weak human being like me.  Don't you think that verse is a wonderful promise?  I do.  Grandma Joan


Friday, February 2, 2018

Two Kinds of Life

It's helpful to note that the word 'life' that Jesus was using here is psuche in the Greek, and refers to "animal" or natural" life By way of contrast, 'zoe' is what I term 'active' life.  Both have breath connected with them, but they are entirely different.  The first is the natural or animal life; the other is the active, physical life.

Turn with we to Matthew 10:38, 39, where the word psuche is used, and refers to the animal life.

"He that taketh not his cross, and follows ofter Me, is not worthy of Me.  He that finds his life shall lose it: and he that loses his life for My sake shall find it."

It is interesting that Jesus connects the person dying to self with the cross.  We often assume that the cross always refers to an event that happened to Jesus, but it may surprise you to learn that Jesus, when speaking of the cross, always referred to it as our cross and not His.  He said,

"If any man will come after Me, let him deny himself, take up his cross daily, and follow Me."  Luke 9:23.

What cross was Jesus referring to?  It was the cross of dying to self!  What ross did Jesus bear?  The same cross: death to self!  We read that keeping His glory veiled was the most difficult thing that Jesus undertook.  Can you see, then that it was as difficult for Jesus to live on the level of humanity as it is for us to live on the level of divinity?

Now turn with me to Matthew 16:24,25, where Jesus repeats:

"If any man will come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, an follow Me.  For whosoever will save his life shall lose it an whosoever will lose his life for My sake shall find it."

The word "life" in verse 25 is psuche, the animal or natural life into which we are born.

Jesus told some Greeks about the necessary outcome of the animal nature when He said, "Except a corn of wheat fall into the ground and die, it abides alone".  John 12:24.  He was telling them that the natural self had to die.

Paul would later tell the Corinthians that we become new creatures in Christ, 2 Corinthians 5:17.  What did Paul mean by this?  Did he mean a partial change?  No.  He asserted that when a man or woman is born again--when the eath he was referring to actually takes place--we become new creatures, from th soles of our feet to the top of our heads.  That doesn't mean the old man won't show up occasionally, or that we will never stumble; but his appearance only proves that Satan understands the old animal nature and knows how to produce circumstances and situations that are calculated to bring about our downfall.

In the context of what we have learned about "psuche", we can then appropriately translate the verse as follows:  "whoever shall save his animal nature shall lose the natural man, and will be completely lost!  But whoever shall lose His psuche and is born again for My sake, shall find it--which is what the new birth, and the discovery of the need for it, and the complete surrender to the Lord Jesus Christ, is all about.

Did you understand all of that, it may take reading it again and even again.  I've gone over it until I think I get it, but will probably read it again just to be sure that I can remember it.  I never thought of it that way but it is a proven principle from the Bible and it makes more sense than to believe that we can die for a friend and thats the dying it's talking about.  Dying to self is so much harder to do, to surrender my will and my ways to God is not an easy task but it has to be done if we will be saved at last.  Grandma Joan

Thursday, February 1, 2018

The Commandment and Abiding

"As the Father hath loved Me, so have I loved you; continue ye in My love.  If ye keep My commandments, ye shall abide in My love; even as I have kept My Father's commandments and abide in His love.  These things have I spoken unto you, that My joy might remain in you, and that your joy might be full.  This is My commandment, That ye love one another; as I have loved you".  John 15:9-12

These verses belong together and provide much to ponder.  Jesus first said, "If ye keep My commandments, ye shall abide in My love."  then skipping to verse 12 we read, "This is My commandment, That ye love one another."  This is a chain of command--the chain of love--that envisions God revealing Himself through Christ, and Christ revealing Himself through us.  It was necessary for God to reveal His character of love because Satan had successfully intimated that, instead of God being love, He was actually a phony, and unloving despot, in spite of assertions otherwise.  To meet the challenge, Jesus was sent to reveal God's love and in the process of revealing that love, gave Himself completely.  The greatest manifestation of that love was at Calvary, but Calvary was a long time ago, and God needs representatives that will reflect His love in the same way, and to the same degree, in our day.

Jumping to verse 13, Jesus added the following thought:  "Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends."

This is an important consideration because more times than not we think giving one's physical life for another person is the epitome of love.  I would propose that this verse refers to something more, for it is actually easy for a person to give his or her physical life, and even be proud of doing so; and many men and women have willingly taken the deathblow for the sake of love.  Is this what Jesus was talking about?  No, He wasn't taking about that kind of thing at all.

I always thought it was physically dying for someone else, but tomorrow we will find out what it really means.  Which might be harder than physically dying. We will see what the answer is next time.
I hope you are enjoying the fact that we can have a close relationship with Christ, it is our choice if we do or don't.  I am praying that you do.  It is so important to have the fruit of the Spirit, everybody wants these fruits, love, joy, peace, long-suffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, Meekness, and temperance but not everyone wants them enough to choose to abide with Christ full time, by that I mean, always be in the attitude of prayer, so you can call on Him anytime and anywhere, let Him be on your mind in everything you do and say and you will have those fruits.  Grandma Joan

Wednesday, January 31, 2018

Introductory Thoughts on the last chapter of the Little Book "Branch and the Vine"

There will be several days studies and then the little book will be finished.  It's been a revelation to me, all the things I've learned through these studies, you can always read them over again.  They are all listed in sequence on the right side of the page, just scroll down to find them.

"As the Father has loved Me, so have I loved you; continue ye in My love.  If ye keep My commandments, ye shall abide in My love; even as I have kept My Father's commandments, and abide in His love.  These things have I spoken unto you, that My joy might remain in you, and that your joy might be full.  This is My commandment, That ye love one another, as I have loved you".  John 15:9-12

Last time we concentrated on John 15:9, where the disciples learned that God made Jesus His personal Representative for the purpose of revealing love, and His character of love, to the entire universe.  God--we are speaking of the "Triune God" (or what many people call the Trinity)--needed such a representation, and was going to succeed or fail on the basis of the manifestation of Himself in the life of Jesus, a responsibility that Jesus carried by Himself.

WE also learned that Jesus has placed a similar representational responsibility on us.  Just as Jesus represented God to the universe, so we are to represent Jesus to our fellow men.  Jesus has commissioned us for this role in spite of our sinfulness, weakness, and frailty.  Fortunately, He has assigned our task and told us precisely how to execute it.

Describing His Own role, Jesus told the disciples He had been sent to accomplish the will of the Father.  Regarding our role, Jesus said, I'm sending you the same way My Father sent Me.  Fundamental to the way the Father sent Jesus, was Jesus' continued dependence on His Father.  As a result Jesus could say, "Of Myself I can do nothing."  So the Bible says, "God was in Christ, reconciling the world unto Himself "  2 Corinthians 5: 19.  In the same way, Jesus is presently in this world through His human representatives and is choosing us to be His representatives in the same way the Triune God chose Him to represent them to the universe.  That's why Jesus said, "You have not chosen me, but I have chosen you"  John 15:16.

Reflect for a moment on what it meant for God to make Jesus His Representative, and what it means for Jesus to make us His representatives.  If you were to select a person to represent you such that the authority of your name could be used for any purpose, what level of confidence would you need to place in that person?  Complete confidence!  Complete confidence is what God placed in Jesus, and complete confidence is what Jesus places in us.  As a result, Jesus could say, "If ye shall ask anything in My name, I will do it"  John 14:14.  I've thought about that many times, because it is like an ambassador being sent to a foreign country and using the authority vested in his sovereign's name to transact any and all business.  When we use the name of the Lord Jesus Christ, we are enjoying the same privileges, and operating under the same mandates, as that ambassador.

My thoughts are, What a responsibility we have as Christ's ambassadors.  We must not let Him down and when we do, we must repent and confess the fact that we let Him down and we are as if we had never sinned.  What a wonderful Savior we have, there is nothing He won't do for us to save us, we need to trust Him with all our strength and know that He loves us with that love that never ends.  Can Jesus have complete confidence in us?  I hope so.  Grandma Joan

Monday, January 29, 2018

Enjoying Life to the Full

Now Jesus said He wants us to have His joy.  What is that joy?  Real joy is living and enjoying life to its maximum Potential, something that is only possible in the abiding relationship.  However, no one, and I mean this from the bottom of my heart, no one can have the joy Jesus was speaking of while going against any of the principles of God's Word which are known to be right--it can't be done; it's utterly impossible.  The person who is going against his conscience is only making himself miserable.

Let me get more specific: The individual who hangs onto even one thought that is not based on the Word of God and His truth is walking down a roadway to misery, heartache, and complete destruction, the final outcome of which will be death.  What will it take for us to learn this lesson?  How is it that the Devil can come along and subtly--"brazenly" is a better description when you consider the controversy that is going on--allure us down the wrong pathway and suggest it won't matter?  How did Jesus respond to Satan's suggestions?  Did He risk hanging onto any prop--in His case, perhaps supernatural power or personal desire?  No!  Did He hang onto anything?  No.  He din't hang onto even one thing.  What did He do?  He completely submitted Himself to carrying out one mission: reflecting the image of His Father's character in a world that didn't know Him.  Jesus asks us to do the very same thing.

Here is a sobering thought in Christ's Object Lessons that is suggested by Mark 4;29.  When the fruit is brought forth, immediately He puts in the sickle, because the harvest is come"  Mark 4;29.

What is being talked about here?  Fruit--fruit that comes as a result of abiding.  It says the branch abides in the Vine until it bears fruit, and when the fruit emerges, He immediately puts in the sickle, for the harvest has come.

"Christ is waiting with longing desire for the manifestation of Himself in His church.  When the character of Christ shall be perfectly reproduced in His people, then He will come to claim that as His Own."  COL 69.

W

Sunday, January 28, 2018

The Church and the Image of Jesus

We have a bit of a quandary here: seeking this joy, but seeking it in the wrong way, which is an ongoing challenge.  Too often, when hearing Jesus' call, we respond by going out, knocking on doors, asking people if they are Christians, and inviting them to study the Bible with us.  That's our usual way of responding, and please understand there is nothing wrong with visiting our neighbors and studying the Bible with them--in fact, everything is right about it.  But that 's not what reflecting the image of Jesus is all about!

Perhaps I am exaggerating here, but I think we primarily approach reflecting the image of Jesus as an activity.  What  was the early church up to when they were doing God's work?  Their one supreme object was to reflect the image of Jesus--that's all--and do whatever they could to further God's work.  It wasn't a matter of members being coerced to do this or that, committees mandating some activity or the apostles using some spiritually-contrived artificial pressure to get the members out.  No, their supreme object was reflecting the image of Jesus and doing whatever they could to further the work of God.  God performed a miracle in their hearts that enabled them to do just that, and they did it in a manner and with a sense of urgency that the far exceeded anything human coercion or pressure could have effected.

It might help if we pause for a few moments and consider the church--and I want to say at the outset that I do this reverently because Jesus died for the church and loved the church with a supreme love in spite of the church's imperfection.  The message to the Laodicean church found in Revelation 3:14-21 includes a less than wonderful description: wretched, miserable, blind, poor, and naked.  Unfortunately, the church doesn't even recognize its true condition.  The description in Revelation 3 is unflattering, but it is God's pronouncement of us, and we shouldn't get upset or discouraged by reading it; just recognize that we've gotten ourselves into a mess as human beings.  Fortunately, the same message that accurately describes our condition also enumerates Gods remedy and which constitutes that perfect provision which has in it "not one thread of human devising.

I can't add to his at all except to say that I want to wear His robe of righteousness that does not have one thread of human devising.  Let's work toward this goal and abide with Christ on a continual basis so that we will be able to His robe of righteousness.  Grandma Joan


Saturday, January 27, 2018

That My Joy Might Remain in You - Part 61

"These things I have spoken unto you, that My joy might remain in you, and that your joy might be full".  John 15:11.

We could so easily spend another evening on what we've been talking about, because it is so hard for us to grasp the power that comes through the indwelling presence of Christ.  Do you realize that Jesus doesn't want you going through life restraining badness, but experiencing the power that comes through His indwelling?  Now, Jesus adds, "These things have I spoken unto you,"--I've counseled you, I've guided you, I've told you these things--"that My joy might remain in you."

In Jesus' day, they didn't understand His joy, and I don't think we understand His joy any better in our day.  In our day joy is often equated with frivolity, and we think of a "slap happy" person.  We admire people who are silly, we like people who create laughter, and in fact sometimes describe these people as the "life of the party".  That's what we call joy.

But Christ's joy was different.  His joy drew little children to come and sit on His lap, for they were naturally attracted to Him and His authentic love.  The adults of His day were also attracted by His love, regardless of their culture, their standing, their gender, or any other cultural dividing line that might have existed.  Desiring Him they went from place to place to find and be with Him.  Why?  Because they were attracted by His love, because they were attracted by His joy.  The joy that attracted them to Jesus was the kind He referred to when He said, "That My joy might remain in you."  John 15:11.

What then was Christ's joy?  It was seeing people recognize in Him the reflection of His Father--something they weren't seeing in anyone else--and knowing He was accomplishing His Father's will for Him. His joy wasn't ego-centered.  No, it was all about reflecting His Father's image.  Our joy will come in the same way: reflecting the image of Jesus, So Jesus accordingly asks,  "Would you like to experience the joy that comes from reflecting My image?

I can't think of a better thing to do.  Jesus needs to be our all in all, every moment of every day.  I want to reflect His image, don't you?  I'm learning to love like Jesus loves and it has brought great joy to my life, but I'm just learning, I probably have a long way to go and I can just imagine the great joy my heart will have when He is finished with me.  Actually, I don't think He is ever finished with us.  He wants His joy to remain in us and I want it to remain in me and grow into the image of Jesus.
Grandma Joan

Friday, January 26, 2018

Keeping God's commandments - Part 59 Continued from yesterday

Mount of Blessings p. 141  "The Christian life is a battle and a march.  But the victory to be gained is not won by human power.  The field of conflict is the domain of the heart.  The battle which we have to fight--the greatest battle that was ever fought by man--is the surrender of self to the will of God, the yielding of the heart to the sovereignty of love.  The old nature born of blood and of the will of the flesh, cannot inherit the Kingdom of God.  The hereditary tendencies, the former habits, must be given up.

He who determines to enter the spiritual kingdom will find that all the powers and passions of an unregenerate nature, backed by the forces of the kingdom of darkness, are arrayed against him.  Selfishness and pride will make a stand against anything that would show them to be sinful.  We cannot of ourselves, conquer the evil desires and habits that strive for the mastery.  We cannot overcome the mighty foe  who holds us in his thrall.  God alone can give us the victory.  He desires us to have the mastery over ourselves, our own will and ways.  But He cannot work in us without our consent and cooperation.  The divine Spirit works through the faculties and powers given to man.  Our energies are required to cooperate with God.

The victory is not won without much earnest prayer; without the humbling of self at every step.  Our will is not to be forced into cooperation with divine agencies, but it must be voluntarily submitted.  Were it possible to force upon you with a hundredfold greater intensity the influence of the Spirit of God, it would not make you a Christian, a fit subject for Heaven.  The stronghold of Satan would not be broken.  The will must be placed on the side of God's will.  You are not able, of yourself to bring your purposes and desires and inclinations into submission to the will of God' but if you are 'willing to be made willing,' God will accomplish the work for you, even casting down imaginations, and every high thing that exalteth itself against th kowledge of God, and bringing into  captvity every thought to the obedience of Christ.' 2 Corinthians 10:5.  Then your will 'work out your own salvation with fear and trembling.  For it is God Which worketh in you both to will and to o of His good pleasure.  Philippians 2:12,13.

God's nature dwelling in you will keep you from having any desire to tell that lie.  Does that mean Satan won't tempt?  Absolutely not!  He will tempt, and will tempt as much as he can, just as he continually tempted Christ--so much in fact that it could be said that Christ was "in all points tempted like as we are, "fortunately, "yet without sin"  Hebrews 4:15.

Perhaps you ask, "When does temptation become sin?  Is it when we succumb to the evil suggestion and act on it?  No!  Are you shocked by my answer?  Well, when do we sin?  When we let our minds dwell upon the suggestion.    Let me put it another way: Temptation becomes sin when we contemplate it!  Proverbs 23:7 says, "As a man thinketh in his heart, so is be."  Where, then, is the sin?  In the heart!  To eradicate the act, sin must first be eradicated from the heart.  If my heart is clinging to a sin, but I find a way to resist the temptation, I'm only being hypocritical.  Why?  I'm doing something that I'm not.  Someone said, "Restrained badness is the worst kind of goodness."  Did you know that unrestrained badness is the kind of goodness the world expects?  The world says, "Don't do this or that where people can see you."  Apparently sin is okay if no one else knows about it.  Was restrained badness the kind of goodness Jesus was referring to when He said, "Keep My commandments"?  I don't think so.  Jesus said, "If you keep My commandments, you shall abide in My love; even as I have kept My Father's commandments, and abide in His love"  John 15;10.

Do you see why I love this truth?  All I have to do is surrender my life to God and stay surrendered!
The work that I do is staying surrendered, sometimes the old nature shows up and we slip up and fall.
What do we do then?  We get up confess our fall, whatever it was and sincerely ask God to forgive us.
Next time that sin  crops up, we may resist it or fall again, but we are always forgiven if we are sincere about our repentance.  Eventually we won't commit that sin again.  God may take it away immediately as He sometimes does and other times He  lets us fall so we can see how weak we are without Him.  It is in the daily abiding that we have the victory.  Grandma Joan

Thursday, January 25, 2018

Keeping God's Commandments - Part 59

John 15:10  "If ye keep My commandments, ye shall abide in M love; even as I have kept My Father's commandments and abide in His love."

We desperately need  to get away from the idea that commandment keeping and reflecting the image of Jesus are the same thing.  They may be similar at some level, but our understanding of them is different, and our practical application  of them should also be different.  One of the reasons we lump commandment-keeping and reflecting Christ's image together is that our concept keeping the Ten Commandments is so inadequate.

In John 15:10 Jesus was talking about love.  Notice the words recorded in John 15:12, where we find Him saying, "Love one another, as I have loved you."  He was in effect saying, "I have reflected the character of My Father.  I have revealed Him, and I have completed the task that He gave Me.  God asked Me to reflect His image in perfectly representing His character to the universe. Now you do the same thing, reflecting My image even as I reflected His image.  Do this if you love Me."

Were His thoughts limited to Sabbath-keeping?  Was He admonishing against theft or prevarication?
Was He rebuking adultery?  Thy were included, but keeping His commandments encompassed so much more than the "dos" and the "don'ts" that we so often think of.  Not breaking the Sabbath, not stealing or telling lies, not committing adultery, all of these are to be as far away from our lives as they were from Christ's life on Earth--they shouldn't  enter into our minds in even the slightest way and we're not talking about the new life that is experienced when Jesus is allowed to dwell within.

Does victory come through resolve and struggle?  Is it the kind of thing where you decide to be truthful, grit your teeth, and resist the temptation?  I can almost hear someone quoting "Mount of Blessings, page 141, where it says, "The Christian life is a battle and a march." and there are a lot of people who are fighting the Devil every inch of the way, and they look battle scared,  But what does it really say?

We will continue this thought tomorrow, you will be surprised at what it really says.  I love this subject, it is such a relief to know that the battle is not mind but God's. Everyone needs to know this truth.  I would solve all our problems if we believed it and applied it to our lives on a daily basis.
Ask God to help you understand this great truth and you will be totally blessed.  Grandma Joan