The Price Has Been Paid

What an Awesome price, the Son of God.  Who can fathom it, not me.  I am trying to understand how it can be that He would sacrifice His Son for me.

Ephesians 5:2  "And walk in love as Christ also has loved us and given Himself for us, an offering and a sacrifice to God for a sweet-smelling aroma."

SC 15  "The price paid for our redemption, the infinite sacrifice of our heavenly Father in giving His Son to die for us, should give us exalted conceptions of what we may become through Christ.  As the inspired apostle John beheld the height, the depth, the breadth of the Father's love toward the perishing race, he was filled with adoration and reverence; and failing to find suitable language in which to express the greatness and tenderness of this love, he called upon the world to behold it.  "Behold, what manner of love the Father hath bestowed upon us, that we should be called the sons of God." 1 John 3:1.  What a value this places upon man!  Through transgression the sons of man become subjects of Satan.  Through faith in the atoning sacrifice of Christ the sons of Adam may become the sons of God.  By assuming human nature, Christ elevates humanity.  Fallen men are placed where, through connection with Christ, they may indeed become worthy of the name 'sons of God'"

Have you thought yourself worthless, think that way no longer.  It cost the life of the Son of God to elevate you to be a son or daughter of God.  God is our Father indeed and we can be so proud to have a Father that is King of the universe, we should tell everyone how valuable they are in the sight of God.  This is the theme for the most profound meditation!  The matchless love of God for a world that did not love Him.
Grandma Joan

The Healing Jesus

I'm so sorry I have missed the last two days, please forgive.  I have been moving out of my home into a motorhome and just so busy I forgot to post.  Thank you all for your patience and love through all this.

One of the most beautiful songs I have ever heard is entitled 'The Healing Jesus'.  I would love to have it on my ipod.  Not sure where to find it.  Anyway, I found the most beautiful description of The Healing Jesus and want to share that with you.

Matthew 4:23,24  "And Jesus went about all Gallilee, teaching in their synagogues, preaching the gospel of the kingdom, and healing  all kinds of sickness and all kinds of disease among the people.  Then His fame went through out all Syria; and they brought to Him all sick people who were afflicted with various diseases and torments, and those who were demon possessed, epileptics, and paralytics and He healed them.

SC 11 "In describing His earthly mission, Jesus said, 'The Lord hath anointed Me to preach the gospel to the poor; He hath sent Me to heal the brokenhearted, to preach deliverance to the captives, and recovering of sight to the blind, to set at liberty them that are bruised.'  Luke 4:18.  This was His work.  He went about doing good and healing all that were oppressed by Satan.  There were whole villages where there was not a moan of sickness in any house, for He had passed through them and healed all their sick.  His work gave evidence of His divine anointing.  Love, mercy, and compassion were revealed in every act of His life.  His heart went out in tender sympathy to the children of men.  He took man's nature, that He might reach man;s wants.  The poorest and humblest were not afraid to approach Him.  Even little children were attracted to Him.  They loved to climb upon His knees and gaze into the pensive face, benignant with love."

Wouldn't you have loved to have been there?  I would.  But we can have His presence with us even now if we so decide.  It is up to us whether we spend time with Him or not, isn't that right?  I hope you decide it is worth it all.  I have. I have been touched by the Healing Jesus more than once and I would love to be touched again.  How about you?   Grandma Joan

God's Love For Man

Have you every questioned God's love for you?  Some people have been so horribly abused, they don't think God loves them, that's why the abuse.  A lot of people, especially children think that it's all their fault when they are abused.  They think they deserve it.  They haven't been taught that God is love and that sin is what has caused all their pain and heartache, it isn't God.

 1 John 4:8,16  "He who does not love, does not know God, for God is love.  We have known and believed the love that God has for us.  God is love, and he who abides in love abides in God, and God in him."

Those who abuse others, do not know God, because God is love and he who abides in love, abides in God.

SC 9,10  "God made man perfectly holy and happy; and the fair earth, as it came from the Creator's hand, bore no blight of decay or shadow of the curse.  It is transgression of God's law, the law of love that has brought woe and death.  Yet even amid the suffering that results from sin, God's love is revealed.  It is written that God cursed the ground for man's sake,Genesis 3:17.  The thorn and the thistle, the difficulties and trials that make his life one of toil and care, were appointed for his good as a part of the training needful in God's plan for his uplifting from the ruin and degradation that sin has wrought.  The world, though fallen, is not all sorrow and misery.  In nature itself are messages of hope and comfort.  There are flowers upon the thistles, and the thorns are covered with roses.

       "God is love" is written upon every opening bud, upon every spire of springing grass.  The lovely birds making the air vocal with their happy songs, the delicately tinted flowers in their perfection perfuming the air, the lofty trees of the forest with their rich foliage of living green, all testify to the tender, fatherly care of our God and to His desire to make His children happy."

Aren't you glad God loves you, I am, I love nature. In heaven, I think I will just live outside for a long time.

The flowers will never die, no death, sorrow or tears or sickness any more.  God loves us all and wants us to be with Him eternally.  Grandma Joan

Your Joys and Sorrows, Your Wants and Fears

Bring them all to Jesus.

Isaiah 51:11  "So the ransomed of the Lord shall return, and come to Zion with singing.  With everlasting joy on their heads.  They shall obtain joy and gladness;  Sorrow and sighing shall flee away."

Commentary  "Keep your wants, your joys, your sorrows, your cares and your fears before God.  You cannot burden Him.  His heart of love is touched by our sorrows and even by our utterance of them. Nothing is too great for Him to bear, for He holds up worlds, He rules over all the affairs of the universe.  Nothing that in any way concerns our peace is too small for Him to notice."

Proverbs 16:20  "...whoso trusteth in the Lord, happy is he."  Trusting in Him is the true secret to happiness and overcoming sorrows, cares and fears.  It is what has brought me this far.  Grandma Joan

There Is Always A Tomorrow

But tomorrow never comes, isn't that right.  Here is some good advice concerning tomorrow.

Matthew 6:34  "Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about its own things.
Sufficient for the day is its own trouble."

Commentary  "Grace for tomorrow you do not need.  You should feel that you have only to do with today.  Overcome for today; deny self for today; watch and pray for today; obtain victories in God for today."

That takes all the worries for the future away.  Can you handle that?  I think I can.  What a relief to know that we don't have to worry about anything if we will just trust in Him.  Grandma Joan

Radiating Light

I want to radiate light, don't you?  It seems normal for a Christian to want his or her face to shine with the love of Jesus, that is what I want, to be a shining light for Him.  Let's check it out.

John 15:4,5  "Abide in Me, and I in you.  As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, unless it abides in the vine; neither can you, unless you abide in Me.  I am the vine, you are the branches.  He who abides in Me, and I in him, bears much fruit; for without Me you can do nothing."

Commentary  "By contemplating the lofty ideal He has place before you, you will be uplifted into a pure and holy atmosphere, even the presence of God.  When you abide here, there goes forth from you a light which radiates all who are connected with you."

The fruit that Jesus is talking about here is found in Galatians 5:22,23.  This is some reading for you to do on your own, a good study for you to do.  Grandma Joan

Changing My Blog -Looking to Christ

This morning I decided with God's help and direction, to change my blogging to 'Favorite Texts' and 'Favorite Commentaries'.  So from now you will read my favorite text that I love and a commentary that goes along with it.  It will be just one text and one commentary.  They will probably be a lot shorter but for the busy person that will fit in.  This will make the texts come to life for you as it does me and I have noticed that I do that a lot in my study and it helps me so much I was impressed to share these texts and thoughts with you.  I do hope you will enjoy this new idea of study and if you feel so inclined, memorize the ones that really help you.  That's what I am doing, it keeps me focused on my goal.  Let's start this day with a text from;
John 12:32 Jesus speaking of His crucifixion;  "And I, if I am lifted up from the earth, will draw all peoples to Myself."

Commentary from a little book called Gospel Workers.  "Habitually dwelling upon Christ, His exalted character and the all-sufficient merits of His sacrifice, increases faith, sharpens the imaginative powers, strengthens the longing desire to be like Him, increases holy earnestness in prayer that makes it efficacious."

We can all use our faith strengthened, it will help us to imagine just what Christ went through for us, all the pain and torture and His sacrifice was all-sufficient to cover all our sins when we repent of them, and it will increase the earnestness of our prayer life and efficacious means 'the power to bring about the desired result.
Let Him draw you to Himself that this promise will become a reality in your life.  Grandma Joan