Only Then Does One Feel That

“The best remedy for those who are afraid, lonely or unhappy is to go outside, somewhere where they can be quite alone with the heavens, nature and God. Because only then does one feel that all is as it should be….” Anne Frank

Abiding in Christ

Jesus Christ offers every believer His life. It is like the life of a vine whereby the branches draw their life from the trailing plant. The believer shares in the life of the Vine.

The soul of the believer is in Christ and through our vital union with Him we receive spiritual nourishment. The Christian life is like the entwined vine with every fiber “like the ivy in an ancient wall.”

The Christian is permitted to enjoy “such ravishing tastes of heavenly joys” in Christ.

Brainerd described the life in the Vine as “lively acting of a holy temper and heavenly disposition, such vigorous exercise of that divine love which cast out fear.”

The apostle Paul described this deep entering into the divine life of Christ for him as to live and to die, “for to me to live is Christ and to die is gain.” It is, “Not I, but Christ.”

Jonathan Edwards described it as “a calm, sweet abstraction of soul from all the concerns of this world; and sometimes a kind of vision or fixed idea of being alone in the mountains, or some solitary wilderness far from all mankind, sweetly conversing with Christ, and rapt and swallowed up in God.”

Uninterrupted communion with Christ is the hunger and desire of every born again Spirit-filled believer in Christ Jesus.

We are in Christ by faith and therefore one with Him in unchangeable justification which enwraps the root, branches, leaves and fruit into one vine.

Christ our Vine is not limited, and we are only limited by our being available to Him. Why should we therefore limit God? It is easy to get involved in “show and tell” forms of legalism that emphasize seeking fruit from without instead from within. We look for adornments instead of the fruit of the Spirit.

“All that Christ has now becomes the property of the believing soul; all that the soul has, becomes the property of Christ,” writes Luther. We are one with Christ.

The secret to fellowship and fruitfulness in the Christian life is abiding in Christ. “Remain in me, and I will remain in you.” This is not salvation; it is communion. We are to live such lives that Christ will continue to abide in us. This is our responsibility. You cannot separate these two abidings because it is necessary for this vital union in Christ.

We abide by being available to Him and obedient to His Word. We can never be kept from sin and in intimate fellowship with Him except by careful attention to God’s Word. The Holy Spirit applies His word to our daily lives and the blood of Jesus continues to cleanse us of all sin. This is the Father’s pruning effort upon our daily lives.

“Apart from Me you can do nothing.” Without Christ the most eloquent preaching and Bible discussion will be like a bottle of mist that quickly evaporates into thin air.

Without Him we can do nothing. Let those words penetrate to the depths of your soul.

I am nothing; Christ is everything.

To “abide in Christ” is a conscious experience. The fact that our lives are producing the fruit of the Spirit demonstrates that we are “in” Christ and abiding in Him. The fruit of Christ’s character in us is expressed in love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. When we look into the face of Jesus that is what we see.

When our Lord says: Abide in Me He is talking about the will, about the choices and the decisions we make. It is a volitional choice we make whereby we decide to do that which exposes us to Him and keeps us in contact with Him. We have been placed into Christ by the Holy Spirit. Now we must choose to maintain that fellowship by the decisions we make. We choose to expose ourselves to His Word in order to learn about Him and to relate to Him.

To remain in union with Christ, to abide in Christ, to dwell or continue in Him means you are already in Him. To “abide in Christ” is for those who are “in Christ.” Have you come to a saving knowledge of Christ? Are you in Him?Selah!

Message by Wil Pounds (c) 2006

I am Not Afraid Because

Don’t be afraid, for I am with you. Don’t be discouraged, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you. I will hold you up with my victorious right hand. Isaiah 41:10

I am not afraid because Jesus walks with me. I am not discouraged because He is my God and He helps me. He holds me up above the stormy waters in His hand that is victorious over all my troubles. Joseph- Anthony a Son of Jehovah

A Letter We Send to Him.

The Bible is a letter God has sent to us, prayer is a letter we send to Him.
Matthew Henry

With Those Who Created It

The heavens proclaim the glory of God. The skies display his craftsmanship. Psalm 19:1The Holy Bible, The New Living Translation

I do not know which place I love to sit with my Beloved Poppa, Jehovah, my most special friend, Jesus and my most amazing mentor, The Holy Spirit.

Have you ever laid in a tent in the desert at night when there is not a sound? The stars look so close it feels as if you can reach up and touch them.

Have you ever sat on the shore of an ocean and looked at the stars? It looks as if the night sky, the stars and the ocean all melt into one. It is an incredible sight to witness.

Have you ever sat in the forest at night in the winter when there is not a sound to be heard and gaze up into the night sky a been mesmerized by the stars incredible beauty? The only word I can ever say to describe it is Wow.

The thing that makes each of these majestic creations to awesome is that they are being share with the ones I love the most: Jehovah, Jesus and The Holy Spirit. It is the most loving, extraordinary escapade I have ever had.

I do not know which place I love to sit with my Beloved Poppa, Jehovah, my most special friend, Jesus and my most amazing mentor, The Holy Spirit but I do know that they are what makes it so special.

“The most universally awesome experience that mankind knows is to stand alone on a clear night and look at the stars.” J. I. Packer

Prayer: Thank you Jehovah Immeka (Judges 6:12 The LORD Is with You ) for blessing me with so many opportunities to share special time with you in Your special places. I praise You in the name of He with whom I love to share time with in Your wonderful creation, Jesus Christ. Amen

May you be blessed with numerous opportunities to share in the wondrous beauty of the night sky with those who created it and that love you more than you can ever imagine. Joseph a son of Jehovah

This article and photo @ 2021 Joseph a son of Jehovah. All rights reserved. Used only by permission of the author

Wonderful Secret Places

“My love speaks and says to me, ‘Get up, my love, my beautiful one, and come with me. For see, the winter is past. The rain is over and gone. The flowers are coming through the ground. The time for singing has come. The voice of the turtle-dove has been heard in our land. The fig tree has its fruits. The flowers on the vines spread their sweet smell. Get up, my love, my beautiful one, and come with me! O my dove, hidden in the rock, in the secret place in the mountain-side, let me see you. Let me hear your voice. For your voice is sweet, and you are beautiful. Song of Solomon 2:10-14 The Holy Bible, The New Life Version

Prayer: Thank you my cherished Father Jehovah Bore (Isaiah 40:28 The LORD Creator ) for blessing me with so many wonderful secret places in Your creation where the two of us can be alone while drinking in the beauty and wonder of Your creation.

It is here that we share the most intimate conversations.

It is here that we are the closest.

It is here with You that I experience the closest thing in Heaven except the real thing.

I thank You for this treasured gift in the name of He who was there when it was created Jesus Christ. Amen

May your house be filled with joy in the morning and sweet dreams at night. May it be a home where love has come to live. Joseph a son of Jehovah

This article and photo @ 2020 Joseph a son of Jehovah. All rights reserved. Used only by permission of the author.

You are Jehovah Elohay Mishpat

“I don’t mean to say that I have already achieved these things or that I have already reached perfection. But I press on to possess that perfection for which Christ Jesus first possessed me. No, dear brothers and sisters, I have not achieved it, but I focus on this one thing: Forgetting the past and looking forward to what lies ahead, I press on to reach the end of the race and receive the heavenly prize for which God, through Christ Jesus, is calling us.” Philippians 3:12-14 The Holy Bible, The New Living Translation

Prayer: Oh my Beloved Jehovah Rapha (God my healer)Jeremiah 33:6 ) the cuts are deep of past injuries committed by others. There is anger, bitterness and hurt that can only be healed by Thy loving touch.

Help me to concentrate on our loving relationship instead of the toxic one from the past.

Help me free myself of abusive toxic folks no matter who they are, including family.

I depend upon You, Holy Spirit to help me set Godly boundaries in my relationships. I depend upon You to guide me in the proper use of these skills to nurture loving relationships while purging myself of toxic folks who only bring unnecessary drama and chaos to my life. Joseph a son of Jehovah

Help me to have faith also that you are Jehovah Elohay Mishpat (the God of Justice! Romans 12:19 ) and that if the wicked refuse to repent they shall suffer seven time more than they have caused me to suffer by Your just hand.

Lord, I’ve been stuck in the past in so many ways. Guilt. Anger. Unforgiveness. It is robbing me of the joy I know You long for me to have. It inhibits my service to You and the relationships with those I care so much about.

Please forgive me for getting stuck there and help me get off to a fresh start.

Like Paul, help me forget the past and look forward to what lies ahead as I take this journey with you.

Whenever negative thoughts attempt to enter into my mind please replace them with joyful reminders of the amazing times we have spent together. In the name of He with whom I look forward to sharing a Heavenly hug with when He welcomes me home Jesus Christ, I humbly pray. Amen .

May you be blessed with abundant joy in your heart filled with love and your life overflowing with laughter every day this year. Joseph a son of Jehovah

This article and photo @ 2020 Joseph a son of Jehovah. All rights reserved. Used only by permission of the author.

Joyful are Those Who.

Joyful are those who obey his laws and search for him with all their hearts. Psalm 119:2 The Holy Bible, The New Living Translation

Prayer: Please Jehovah El-Deah ( God of knowledge. Romans 11:33 ) bless me with more knowledge of You, Jesus and the Holy Spirit. Thank you for the devotionals you send me in the email and the quiet time we spend together reading them. And then, we spend the most precious time of the day, prayer time where I pour my heart out to you with joy, sorrow, pain and gratitude every morning and evening. I thank you in the name of He who I love to spend time with which makes it the most quality time of my day, Jesus Christ. Amen

May love be in your life, may hope be in your heart and may peace be in your every day walk with Christ. Joseph a son of Jehovah

This article and photo @ 2020 Joseph a son of Jehovah. All rights reserved. Used only by permission of the author.

The Lord Is With

Obscene stories, foolish talk, and coarse jokes—these are not for you. Instead, let there be thankfulness to God. Ephesians 5:4 The Holy Bible, The New Living Translation

A good example of obscene stories in like how many women you have had sex with, how much you drank on the weekend, how you are such a great fighter. Not only are they vulgar but they are also big headed (you are full of pride).

Foolish talk could be about talking about TV shows, movies and sports as if they are of ultimate importance.

How about gossip?

Not only is it foolish but it is also destructive. You are hurting those you are gossiping about.

Course jokes are the type with a lot of vulgarity in them. They usually center around sex.

Jehovah is so good to us we should have a huge repertoire of events to share with others with cheerful gratitude for the Giver. These should be simple and true. Yet, in telling them they should also inspire others to have a deep desire to what Jesus in their lives. Joseph a son of Jehovah

Prayer: Thank you Jehovah’ Immeku (The Lord Is With You Judges 6:12 ) for blessing me with countless awesome experiences in my walk with You as well as the numerous quiet times we have enjoyed together, especially in Your Cathedral- nature.

I love to share these wonderful times with others so as to give glory to You and to encourage others to desire to join Your Holy Family.

I exalt You in the name of He who was walked many decades with me through feast and famine, Jesus Christ. Amen

May you be blessed with abundant joy in your heart filled with love and your life overflowing with laughter every day this year. Joseph a son of Jehovah

This article and photo @ 2020 Joseph a son of Jehovah. All rights reserved. Used only by permission of the author.

Thank you Jehovah El Simchath

“For the Lord your God is living among you. He is a mighty savior. He will take delight in you with gladness. With his love, he will calm all your fears. He will rejoice over you with joyful songs.” Zephaniah 3:17 The Holy Bible, The New Living Translation

Prayer: Thank you Jehovah El Simchath Gili (Psalms 43:4 GOD My Exceeding Joy ) that most of my life brings You joy (except for when I am naughty) but also that You bring joy such as can only be experienced with a loving relationship with You. There is nothing to even compare it with much less excel our joy.

I praise You in the name of whose mention always makes my heart dance a Heavenly jig of joy, Jesus Christ. Amen

Christ blesses us with love, peace and joy. May you be blessed with many opportunities to share these with others today.   Joseph a son of Jehovah 

This article and photo @ 2020 Joseph a son of Jehovah. All rights reserved. Used only by permission of the author.