Walk together

My big sister Rosie and I were just two years apart and here we are walking together back in the day. The cars in the picture give you a clue just how many years have passed by since that walk.

Jesus said “If ye abide in Me, and My words abide in you, ye shall ask what ye will, and it shall be done unto you” (John 15:7).

Wow, that is some promise!

To abide with someone, we must simply walk hand in hand in agreement with them about where we are going.

How can two walk together unless they agree? Amos 3:3

When we walk in agreement with JESUS (which according to HIS word) we get to know HIM better and better. We learn how HE thinks and what HE wants (Philippians 2:13, Hebrews 10:16).

But for HIS word to abide in us, we must know it. So, we need to take some time every day to grow in our knowledge of HIM by spending time in HIS word and prayer (2 Peter 1:1-4). Then as we walk hand in hand with JESUS desiring HIS will, the HOLY SPIRIT will bring HIS words to our minds (John 14:26) and as we comply to those nudges to act HIS word abides in us and we can ask what we will, and it will be done for us.

Isn’t the simplicity of CHRIST amazing and beautiful?

Hugs

Sharon

How does it happen?

Do you ever feel like Peter when he went to JESUS and asked, “How often do I have to forgive someone for the same thing, up to 7 times?” (Matthew 18:21 paraphrased). 

JESUS’s response must have blown Peter’s mind, for the LORD answered, “No, not 7 times but 70 times 7” (Matthew 18:22 paraphrased).  Just think how hard that would be.  But that is what JESUS wants.  This is how GOD taught me how to really forgive and the biblical principle to look to JESUS to find out what to do.

One day this person did it again.  He’d done it over and over and it was so wrong and so unfair!  I told the LORD all about it and you know what happened?  It was like GOD switched on a video in living color and I began remembering time after time the LORD forgave me.  I was no longer mad at that person for I forgave him.  I saw how little his offense was compared to the many of mine that GOD had to forgive.  I learned how and was strengthened to forgive by watching GOD forgive me. (2 Corinthians 3:18).

Still in John 15, today I read verse 9.  “As the FATHER has loved ME, I also have loved you: abide in MY love.”

Yesterday I mentioned that to abide means to stay connected/ receive nourishment from.  We abide in JESUS/ stay connected to and are nourished and strengthened by JESUS by meeting with HIM in HIS word and pouring out our hearts to the LORD/ consulting HIM in everything expecting HIS input and direction.  GOD does that by impressing truth in our hearts (Philippians 2:13) and by directing our thoughts (Proverbs 21:1) and remember it will always be in accord with the word of GOD (Isaiah 8:20). 

Now today I saw that I am also to abide in JESUS’ love. How can I abide (be nourished) in JESUS love?  HE tells us how.

“If you keep MY commandments you abide in MY love just as I kept MY FATHER’s commandments and abide in HIS love…This is MY commandment that you love one another as I have loved you.  Greater love has no man than this, that HE lay down his life for his friends (put another’s good before his own)” (John 15:10, 12-13).

Just as I was strengthened that day years ago to forgive by seeing how GOD had and continues to forgive me, so I allow HIS love to flow through me as I see what JESUS did for me.  How HE 1^st loved me by laying down HIS life for me (John 15:12-13).

“…beholding (catching a glimpse of) the glory (magnificent character) of the LORD (we) are being transformed (like from a caterpillar to a butterfly) into the same image from glory to glory (little by little as we progressively see JESUS more clearly) by the SPIRIT of the LORD” (2 Corinthians 3:18). 

But what is my part? To abide in JESUS and in HIS love, we need to receive and act on what GOD shows us (Philippians 2:12).  Those things I call the nudges and the little reminders the HOLY SPIRIT gives by bringing Scripture to our minds.

As we abide in JESUS and HIS love, through looking to HIM and doing what HE says, we are being changed into JESUS likeness (Romans 8:29) little by little by the HOLY SPIRIT.  Isn’t that amazing?

Hugs

Sharon

Can’t see the forest?

The menacing clouds of troubles loom over my head.  When I FOCUS on these serious situations (and there are several) I can’t see the forest (GOD at work) because of the trees blocking my view. 

Is there something in your life or world that is troubling you? Does it hang over you clouding your mind?  Do your thoughts keeps going back to it?  

The word GOD gave me this morning : JESUS said, “What I am doing now you do not know, but later you will know” (John 13:7 paraphrased).  In other words this doesn’t make sense now, but later it will.

In Ezekiel 14:23 paraphrased GOD declared it this way, “later you will be comforted, and you shall know that I have done (allowed) nothing (not one thing) without a cause (good reason).”

“If we are to gaze into the face of GOD, we must look beyond our present circumstances.” AW Tozer

2 Corinthians 4:15-18 tells us ALL things are for our benefit and our troubles are in reality achieving awesome eternal things for us.  It instructs us to look past what we can see and by faith in GOD’s word look to what HE is accomplishing for us through the struggles because what we see is temporary but what HE is achieving for us will last forever.

GOD reveals to us in HIS Word that HE uses all things, mixing good and bad, stirring them up together for an end result of good to us who love HIM and prove we are the called by calling upon the name of the LORD (Romans 8:28, 1 Corinthians 1:2).

As I often remind myself, GOD’s ways and thoughts are not like mine, but they are and will accomplish all that HE wants done (Isaiah 55:8-11).

For all of you who have believed in JESUS and have called on the name of the LORD to save you, whatever your struggle, remember our LORD is with you, HE loves you and is working on your behalf (Hebrews 7:25, 13:5).

For those of you who have not come to JESUS, I urge you in CHRIST’s stead believe on the LORD JESUS CHRIST whom GOD the FATHER sent to die your sins that you might be forgiven and adopted into HIS family.  As JESUS was risen from the dead all who believe in HIM will also be raised and live forever with HIM.  “For the one who believes on the SON has everlasting life, but the one who believes not on the SON shall not see life; but the wrath of GOD abides on him” (John 3:36).

Hugs

Sharon

What did JESUS call Peter?

Why did JESUS call one of HIS closest disciples ‘Satan’? 

JESUS had just told his disciples, how that HE must go unto Jerusalem, and suffer many things of the elders and chief priests and scribes, and be killed, and be raised again the third day (Matthew 16:21).

Then Peter took JESUS, and began to rebuke JESUS, saying, Be it far from YOU, LORD: this shall not happen to YOU!

Listen as JESUS responds to Peter.

But HE turned, and said unto Peter, Get behind me, Satan: you are an offence/temptation to me: for you savor (value, delight in) not the things that be of GOD, but those that be of men (Matthew 16:23).

Then again in Ephesians 2:2-3 “…you walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air (Satan), the spirit that now works in the children of disobedience:

Among whom also we all had our conversation in times past in the lusts of our flesh, fulfilling the desires of the flesh and of the mind; and were by nature the children of wrath, even as others.

Peter learned that once we come to JESUS and are saved by calling on the name of the LORD (Romans 10:13), we have just begun a journey.  Just as a tiny newborn baby must slowly grow and develop so “As newborn babes, desire the sincere milk of the word, that you may grow thereby” (1 Peter 2:2).

Are you savoring the things of this world instead of the things of GOD?

Are walking according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air (Satan)?

Or are you devouring the Word of GOD hungry to know HIM and growing thereby?

Hmmm

Hugs

Sharon

Walk together

My big sister Rosie and I were just two years apart and here we are walking together back in the day. The cars in the picture give you a clue just how many years have passed by since that walk.

Jesus said “If ye abide in Me, and My words abide in you, ye shall ask what ye will, and it shall be done unto you” (John 15:7).

Wow, that is some promise!

To abide with someone, we must simply walk hand in hand in agreement with them about where we are going.

How can two walk together unless they agree? Amos 3:3

When we walk in agreement with JESUS (which according to HIS word) we get to know HIM better and better.  We learn how HE thinks and what HE wants (Philippians 2:13, Hebrews 10:16).

But for HIS word to abide in us, we must know it. So, we need to take some time every day to grow in our knowledge of HIM by spending time in HIS word (2 Peter 1:1-4).  Then as we walk hand in hand with JESUS desiring HIS will, the HOLY SPIRIT will bring HIS words to our minds (John 14:26) and as we comply to those nudges to act HIS word abides in us and we can ask what we will, and it will be done for us.

Isn’t the simplicity of CHRIST amazing and beautiful?

Hugs

Sharon

Walk hand in hand

“And now, just as you accepted CHRIST JESUS as your LORD, you must continue to follow HIM.  Let your roots grow down into HIM, and let your lives be built on HIM.  Then your faith will grow strong in the truth you were taught, and you will overflow with thankfulness” (Colossians 2:6-7).

Jesus said “If ye abide in Me, and My words abide in you, ye shall ask what ye will, and it shall be done unto you” (John 15:7).

To abide with someone, we simply walk hand in hand in agreement with them where we are going.  Therefore, if we walk in agreeance with JESUS and with HIS word, we get to know how HE thinks and what HE wants.  But for HIS word to abide in us, we must know it.  So, we need to take some time every day to grow in our knowledge of HIM by spending time in HIS word (2 Peter 1:1-4).

Then as we walk hand in hand with JESUS desiring HIS will, the HOLY SPIRIT will bring HIS words to our minds and as we comply to those nudges HIS word abides in us and we can ask what we will, and it will be done for us.

Isn’t the simplicity of CHRIST amazing and beautiful?

Hugs

Sharon

Ps this is me and my big sister.