Happiness in Obedience
Giving thanks unto the Father, which hath made us meet to be partakers of the inheritance of the saints in light: who hath delivered us from the power of darkness, and hath translated us into the kingdom of his dear Son. Colossians 1:12, 13.
Our future eternal happiness depends upon having our humanity, with all its capabilities and powers, brought into obedience to God and placed under the control of Divinity. Many have no faith in Jesus Christ. They say, “It was easy for Christ to obey the will of His Father, for He was divine.” But His Word declares He was “in all points tempted like as we are” (Hebrews 4:15). He was tempted according to and in proportion to His elevation of mind, but He would not weaken or cripple His divine power by yielding to temptation. In His life on earth Christ was a representative of what humanity may be through the privileges and opportunities granted them in Him. . . .
When Satan tempted our first parents . . . he tried to flatter them into believing that they should be raised above the sphere of humanity. But Christ, by the example He has set before us, encourages the members of the human family to be men, obeying the Word of God within the sphere of their humanity. He Himself became a man–not a bondslave to Satan to work out his attributes, but a man in moral power, obedient to the law of God, which is a transcript of His character. Those who would rebel against subjection to a wise and good law emanating from God are slaves to an apostate power.
Jesus became a man that He might mediate between man and God, . . . that He might restore to man the original mind which he lost in Eden through Satan’s alluring temptation. . . . Disobedience is not in accordance with the nature which God gave to man in Eden.
Through the moral power Christ has brought to man, we may give thanks unto God who hath made us meet for the inheritance with the saints in light. Through Jesus Christ every man may overcome in his own behalf and on his own account, standing in his own individuality of character.
That I May Know Him p. 291
““““““““““““““““““`
Prayer Requests
—–My boss’ father is in the hospital and is in really bad shape. He doesn’t even know who anyone is. Please pray that the doctors will find the cause and be able to treat it. Ron
—–Please pray for Ron to recover from the cold and cough that he has had for the past month or so. It has been coming and going since August actually. Rose
—– I have a friend that has been going through a lot of rough storms the last nine years. He is a christian & his faith is really being tested. Divorce with kids involved, health issues, financial issues, job loss & because of the health issues his doctor has told him to file for disability. Which he has & he has been waiting for his hearing – hasn’t heard when it will be. This process has been going on for about a year & a half or so. He has fell behind in his child support & his ex wife has her attorney taking it back to court. It is set up for right after Thanksgiving. He has an attorney but doesn’t know how long he will be able to keep him. The money just isn’t there and his ex will keep him in court until he just can’t do it anymore. She has done this off and on the past 9 years. This isn’t someone I have just met or anything. So I just want to assure you he is a christian. I feel for him because he has told me that this has gone on so long & his ex wife seems to get by with all the evil she has done & continues to do to him & the boys. He doesn’t understand how God will allow it to go on like this. – please keep him in your prayers. I told him I wouldn’t give out his name. The Lord knows who he is. Thank you & God bless. J.
“““““““““““““““““““““““““`
Dear Friends,
The other day, Ronnie Jay was talking to his big sister and soon it became apparent that he was teasing her. He was enjoying it, but she was not. Since she was on speaker phone, Ron reminded her that she had prayed for him. We all got a good laugh over remembering an incident from that time and all the teasing was forgotten.
When I was pregnant for Ronnie Jay, Eileen who was seven at the time, and I were in a store looking at baby clothes. A clerk came over to see if we needed any help. Smiling, she said to Eileen, “It looks like you will soon be a big sister! Isn’t that wonderful?”
Eileen exclaimed, “Yes! I prayed and prayed for a baby and finally Jesus said, ‘Oh, all right! You can have one.” Both the clerk and I had a difficult time keeping from bursting out laughing. The clerk said something like, “How nice.” and walked away. I was terribly embarrassed.
On the way home, we talked about answers to prayer. I explained to my little girl that God didn’t answer her prayer with exasperation because she had asked so much. He had answered her prayer because He saw that it was best for us to have a baby at that time. I stated that God answers our prayers even when they seem to go unanswered. He knows what is best for us. Jesus said, “your Father knoweth what things ye have need of, before ye ask him.” Matt 6:8
Our Dear Heavenly Father longs to answer our prayers, but there are conditions for answers to prayer. “Behold, the LORD’S hand is not shortened, that it cannot save; neither his ear heavy, that it cannot hear: But your iniquities have separated between you and your God, and your sins have hid his face from you, that he will not hear.” Isa 59:1,2 He yearns to fill us with the Holy Spirit that we may be powerful Christians. “If a son shall ask bread of any of you that is a father, will he give him a stone? or if he ask a fish, will he for a fish give him a serpent? Or if he shall ask an egg, will he offer him a scorpion? If ye then, being evil, know how to give good gifts unto your children: how much more shall your heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to them that ask him?” Luke 11:11-15
Our dear Saviour assures us, “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 This does not mean that we will get just what we ask for. James explains, “Ye ask, and receive not, because ye ask amiss, that ye may consume it upon your lusts.” James 4:3 If we abide in Him and ask according to His will, our request will be granted. “And this is the confidence that we have in him, that, if we ask any thing according to his will, he heareth us: And if we know that he hear us, whatsoever we ask, we know that we have the petitions that we desired of him.” 1 John 5:14,15 What a wonderful Father we have! He listens to our prayers and weighs each request. Then He answers them in the very way that we would want if we could see the end from the beginning.
Let us have confidence that He hears and gives us our requests according to His great knowledge and understanding. Let us trust Him to take complete control of our lives, allowing Him to guide us in every aspect. Let us reach out and grasp His outstretched hand and let Him lead us to His Heavenly Kingdom is my prayer.
Rose