Joyful's Ponderings

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Joyful
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Joyful's Ponderings

Post by Joyful » Fri Feb 16, 2018 2:06 pm

This is the message you heard from the beginning: We should love one another.
—1 John 3:11
If we want to know what Love really is we can look to John 3:16 For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish, but have eternal life
It is so easy to say I love you to someone but love is an action word. Love is a giving word putting others above ourselves just has Jesus did on the cross.
As we look at our world there is so much anger, bitterness and hatred. It is important has believers that we show love and care.
Dear lord help me today to love has you love so I can make a difference in this world. Let me demonstrate that love today to someone who feels no one cares for them. Lord, may my life be filled with your love so that I can impact others today. In Jesus name I ask Amen.

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Re: Love One Another

Post by Joyful » Fri Feb 16, 2018 2:19 pm


The love of God is greater far
Than tongue or pen can ever tell.
It goes beyond the highest star
And reaches to the lowest hell.
The guilty pair, bowed down with care,
God gave His Son to win;
His erring child He reconciled
And pardoned from his sin.
O love of God, how rich and pure!
How measureless and strong!
It shall forevermore endure—
The saints’ and angels’ song.
2
When hoary time shall pass away,
And earthly thrones and kingdoms fall;
When men who here refuse to pray,
On rocks and hills and mountains call;
God’s love, so sure, shall still endure,
All measureless and strong;
Redeeming grace to Adam’s race—
The saints’ and angels’ song.
3
Could we with ink the ocean fill,
And were the skies of parchment made;
Were every stalk on earth a quill,
And every man a scribe by trade;
To write the love of God above
Would drain the ocean dry;
Nor could the scroll contain the whole,
Though stretched from sky to sky.



Words & Music © 1923, Ren. 1951 by Hope Publishing Co., Carol Stream, IL 60188.

ldm

Re: Love One Another

Post by ldm » Fri Feb 16, 2018 5:03 pm

Yes this is the answer out of the mess we are in and applies to all humans. Compassion over agenda. Less of me is good but more of HIM is better. May we all be the change we want to see.
Last edited by ldm on Fri Aug 10, 2018 4:03 am, edited 1 time in total.

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Re: Joyful's Ponderings

Post by Joyful » Sun Feb 18, 2018 4:03 pm

God wants His people to pray. We need to pray in every circumstance looking to God for the answer.
I like to be specific when I pray and when the answer comes I give God all the glory because I know I have prayed and asked God and He has given the answer.
The bible says the fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much. Prayer does make a difference. Let us be be persistent in our prayers.

"Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need." (Hebrews 4:16)

God give us faith to pray and look to you for the answer.

DO YOU CARRY YOUR UMBRELLA?
We all have something to learn from this young girl.
As a drought continued for what seemed an eternity, a small community of farmers was in a quandary as to what to do. Rain was important to keep their crops healthy and sustain the townspeople's way of life.
As the problem became more acute, a local pastor called a prayer meeting to ask for rain.
Many people arrived. The pastor greeted most of them as they filed in. As he walked to the front of the church to officially begin the meeting he noticed most people were chatting across the aisles and socializing with friends. When he reached the front his thoughts were on quieting the attendees and starting the meeting.
His eyes scanned the crowd as he asked for quiet. He noticed an eleven year-old girl sitting quietly in the front row. Her face was beaming with excitement. Next to her, poised and ready for use, was a bright red umbrella. The little girl's beauty and innocence made the pastor smile as he realized how much faith she possessed. No one else in the congregation had brought an umbrella.
All came to pray for rain, but the little girl had come expecting God to answer.
-- Author Unknown\

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Re: Joyful's Ponderings

Post by Joyful » Sat Feb 24, 2018 5:36 pm

Just a note : Feel free to comment or ask a question on any of my pondering thoughts.
Colossians 4:2
Continue steadfastly in prayer, being watchful in it with thanksgiving.
Luke 18:1-8
And he told them a parable to the effect that they ought always to pray and not lose heart. He said, “In a certain city there was a judge who neither feared God nor respected man. And there was a widow in that city who kept coming to him and saying, ‘Give me justice against my adversary.’ For a while he refused, but afterward he said to himself, ‘Though I neither fear God nor respect man, yet because this widow keeps bothering me, I will give her justice, so that she will not beat me down by her continual coming.’” ...
Luke 18:7-8
And will not God give justice to his elect, who cry to him day and night? Will he delay long over them? I tell you, he will give justice to them speedily. Nevertheless, when the Son of Man comes, will he find faith on earth?”


Things we will need to keep on our Spiritual Journey
Prayer is believing that God hears our prayers and that when we pray we have an audience with God. It is understanding that God is pleased when we come to Him in Prayer. When we enter into God’s presence we realize he tells us what’s impossible with man is possible with God. So don’t limit God when you Pray.
This causes us to look beyond our circumstances to our God because nothing is too hard for God.
We need to keep praying and not to give up.
Prayer is not a 911 number but it is an everyday thing where we fellowship with God and share the concerns of our heart. Because the word says cast your cares on God because he cares for you. God has not left us He is very much interested in what concerns us. The bible tells us God is able to perfect that which concerns us.
Prayer understands that God has made many precious promises to us in His word and we lay hold of them in prayer.
The bible exhorts us to continue in prayer. If for some reason you have let go of praying in your spiritual journey its time you once again come to God in prayer and bring all your needs to the altar knowing God is able to help you.
Every area of our life needs to be covered in prayer. We cannot let down or slacken our prayer life in this hour we live in. It is a necessity that has believers we Keep on Praying!

Next time we will look at the second thing that we have to keep in our Generation: The word of God.

ldm

Re: Joyful's Ponderings

Post by ldm » Sat Feb 24, 2018 7:08 pm

Nevertheless, when the Son of Man comes, will he find faith on earth?” Good question. What do you think? It is kind of hard when you are going up against evil called good and the good are called evil. It is getting impossible to find true believers anymore and maybe that is an end time thing. That is why relationship over membership is so important and what it is all about. Look to God and not man.

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Re: Joyful's Ponderings

Post by Joyful » Sun Feb 25, 2018 4:57 pm

Thank You sunsets and yes prayer and bible study is an essential part of our spiritual Journey

Sunsets wrote:
Sat Feb 24, 2018 6:55 pm
Joyful wrote:
Sun Feb 18, 2018 4:03 pm
God wants His people to pray. We need to pray in every circumstance looking to God for the answer.
I like to be specific when I pray and when the answer comes I give God all the glory because I know I have prayed and asked God and He has given the answer.
The bible says the fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much. Prayer does make a difference. Let us be be persistent in our prayers.

"Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need." (Hebrews 4:16)

God give us faith to pray and look to you for the answer.

DO YOU CARRY YOUR UMBRELLA?
We all have something to learn from this young girl.
As a drought continued for what seemed an eternity, a small community of farmers was in a quandary as to what to do. Rain was important to keep their crops healthy and sustain the townspeople's way of life.
As the problem became more acute, a local pastor called a prayer meeting to ask for rain.
Many people arrived. The pastor greeted most of them as they filed in. As he walked to the front of the church to officially begin the meeting he noticed most people were chatting across the aisles and socializing with friends. When he reached the front his thoughts were on quieting the attendees and starting the meeting.
His eyes scanned the crowd as he asked for quiet. He noticed an eleven year-old girl sitting quietly in the front row. Her face was beaming with excitement. Next to her, poised and ready for use, was a bright red umbrella. The little girl's beauty and innocence made the pastor smile as he realized how much faith she possessed. No one else in the congregation had brought an umbrella.
All came to pray for rain, but the little girl had come expecting God to answer.
-- Author Unknown\
Joyful, I am so excited that you started these posts! This is absolutely beautiful and so very true! When I don't spend time in prayer and the Word of God, my life is full of despair. Daily time with God and His Word are essential for peace and joy in our lives! Thank you for your postings of wisdom and encouragement!

"Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God; and the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus." Philippians 4:6-7

"For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, says the Lord, thoughts of peace and not of evil, to give you a future and a hope. Then you will call upon Me and go and pray to Me, and I will listen to you. And you will seek Me and find Me, when you search for Me with all your heart." Jeremiah 29:11-13

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Re: Joyful's Ponderings

Post by Joyful » Sun Feb 25, 2018 5:00 pm

Thank you for sharing LDM and yes it is important to have faith in our day. This is one of the areas which we will look at and how important it is to Keep the faith in this hour we live in.
ldm wrote:
Sat Feb 24, 2018 7:08 pm
Nevertheless, when the Son of Man comes, will he find faith on earth?” Good question. What do you think? It is kind of hard when you are going up against evil called good and the good are called evil. It is getting impossible to find true believers anymore and maybe that is an end time thing. That is why relationship over membership is so important and what it is all about. Look to God and not man.

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Re: Joyful's Ponderings

Post by Joyful » Wed Feb 28, 2018 2:43 pm

Bless the LORD, O my soul, and forget not all his benefits Psalm 103:2
The psalmist cannot help but bless the lord for His goodness.
When we personally ask Jesus in our lives. There are so many benefits we can participate in. Salvation, Hope, joy peace, grace , faith etc.
Bless the Lord, O my soul, And forget not all His benefits:. Psalm 103:2
Some things in life we would rather forget but the Psalmist wants to be reminded of all God has done for him.
Some of the wonderful benefits are listed in verses
Psalm 103:3-5
3 Who forgiveth all thine iniquities; who healeth all thy diseases;
4 Who redeemeth thy life from destruction; who crowneth thee with lovingkindness and tender mercies;
5 Who satisfieth thy mouth with good things; so that thy youth is renewed like the eagle's.

Today we can count our blessings and realize the Lord is good to us.

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Re: Joyful's Ponderings

Post by Joyful » Wed Mar 07, 2018 6:11 pm

Things we need to keep on our Spiritual Journey
Last week we look at the first thing we need to keep on our Spiritual Journey: Prayer
The bible tells us to Continue in Prayer
Prayer without ceasing
Keep asking , Seeking and knocking
Today we will look at the next thing we will need to keep on doing if we want our spiritual walk to be all God intended it to be.
2: Keep the word
Lets look at a few scriptures that tell us to keep the word.

Psalms 119:5 |
O that my ways were directed to keep thy statutes!
Psalms 119:33 |
Teach me, O LORD, the way of thy statutes; and I shall keep it unto the end.
Psalms 119:44 |
So shall I keep thy law continually for ever and ever.
15 “aIf you love Me, you will keep My commandments. John 14:15
If we want to be a blessed people we need to read, study and keep the word of God. This word will make us wise. Anyone who follows and keeps the word of God is wise. Maybe not in the sight of man but In God’s eyes we are.
Now it says here: you did not receive this word as though it was the word of men, or just people preaching. You received it as the word of God.
We have to realize the importance of God’s word. Do we realize that down through history people were persecuted , gave their lives to bring us this word.
How can we take it lightly?
The word will make a change in our lives.
To keep the word of God we need to make personal application in our lives.
This is what it means for one to study and hear the word of God and apply it to our lives.
James 1:23
23 For if any be a hearer of the word, and not a doer, he is like unto a man beholding his natural face in a glass:
It is sad to say that many Christians hear and know the word of God but do not keep it.
We just don’t want to hear it and let it slip. We want to make sure the word of God makes a difference in our lives. I pray that our lives are not so busy that we don’t allow the word of God to sink deep into our heart.
Psalms 119:12 - Blessed art thou, O LORD: teach me thy statutes
Psalms 119:44 |
So shall I keep thy law continually for ever and ever.
Here he is personal I and a commitment to continue to follow God’s word.
I pray we will never be has those who Jesus said in : (John 5:35).
ye rejoiced in his light for a season”
Paul told timothy : For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine; but after their own lusts shall they heap to themselves teachers, having itching ears;
Psalms 119:101 |
I have refrained my feet from every evil way, that I might keep thy word.
There is a way that may seems right to man but the word of God will keep us on the true path of life. Because has this scripture tells us there are some things we will have to refrain our feet from following if we want to follow God completely. Notice why he would refrain his feet-to keep the word of God. Yes there will be a dividing line if we want to walk God’s way. But let me tell you if you go God’s way at the end of the day there will be no regrets.
Let our choice be that of the Psalmist in:
Psalm 119:173 Let thine hand help me; for I have chosen thy precepts
If we are going to be mature Christians and stable in our walk with God we too will have to choose to Keep the word of God.

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