Ponder --- if You Dare
Ponderings by Joy McCloud (joyfuljoy4944@gmail.com)
For those of us who have placed our faith in the Lord Jesus Christ, we are now alive & spiritually at peace in Him. All of our sins are now under the Blood of Christ. We are a forgiven people... There is quite a contrast between what we were & who we are now. But remember, this change has nothing to do with How good or 'not so good' we've been... or are... (now you don't have a license to go get foolish or anything... but...) Even our faith and how we respond to the Savior, comes from God. We can never be good enough & make ourselves righteous; it's all a gift from Him. Remember in your quiet moments... He declares us justified, & we will never be pronounced guilty again... Ponder that one!!!!! Oh what a God
Joy ...AZ
Think about this;
In Matthew 18:3&4 we are reminded to become like little children! Have you ever noticed, how when a child gets near a beautifully wrapped present, they just want to claim & open it!! God have given you a gift. You...personal...you.. Put your name in here & repeat it as often as you need!! He loves you so much.The enemy wants to steal your happiness, your personal & abundant joy every Christmas by making the season about everything except Jesus' birth & His reason for coming to earth. Heb 2:14-18 He does this every year!
God is love...
From Becky...PA
2 Peter 1:5-8
Be diligent...
As you add to your faith virtue; and to virtue knowledge, and to knowledge temperance; and to temperance patience; and to patience godliness; and to godliness brotherly kindness, etc. It is important that at no time... you lose anything from your growth in the Lord. The point is to add onto your faith/growth. And as you add on... your faith becomes stronger. But do not lose what you have developed in your walk with Christ. Because you have found something "new"... Your Christian walk will become more & more like Christ.
Nowhere in the scriptures do you find anything but strength & growing in Godliness....Christian Godliness! You will find humility. But upon consideration, it is strength in its way!
Another passage to ponder is 1 Tim.4:8, 12 & 16
Ponder
I was reading in Luke the other day & came upon one of those things you just need to ponder...
I was reading in chapter 1 where the angel Gabriel told Zacarias, Elizabeth, Zacarias' wife was going to have a child. In verse 18 Zacarias said.. 'Whereby shall I know this? For I am an old man, & my wife well stricken in years...'
I read on how he was struck “dumb” ...would not talk until the baby (John) was born.. This was because of his question!
I thought...boy that's kind of hard Lord... Mary was amazed when Gabriel came to her... her question in Luke 34 was...'How can this be seeing I know not a man?' And you didn't chastise her? <smile>
Well, if you have an idea...please feel free to share it with me... here is mine
Zacarias was a seasoned Christian & as such we are to believe God... no matter how strange it may seem... Mary was a very young lady & had much learning to still do.
In my mind, I feel as in Luke 12:48 For unto whomsoever much is given, of him much shall be required. There was my thought...how about yours??
Blessings as you grow in Christ!
--- Joy