Abiding

1 John 2:24-25 Let what you heard from the beginning abide in you. If what you heard from the beginning abides in you, then you too will abide in the Son and in the Father. And this is the promise that he made to us–eternal life. ESV #bible

This word “abide” means several things, for example in this verse. To abide in what you heard from the beginning, to be held, remain, continue, to dwell, be present, to stand, to remain as one, not to become another or different.
We have the pleasure of dwelling in the Father God and The Son Jesus standing and not moving from Them.
The Spirits of God the Father and the Son Jesus reside or dwell, or stand in us, firmly.
The Holy Spirit is our companion in this life, and He abides in the Father and the Son and they also abide in Him.
John is encouraging us here to continue, and abide in what we heard from the beginning. Not leaving or changing anything but abiding in what we have heard and learned.
If we continue abiding we have a wonderful reward awaiting, eternal life abiding with and in the Father God and Jesus the Christ.
If we walk away, naturally we no longer abide, we have altered our relationship, and the consequences of our life are now absent from God’s care because we no longer abide in Him. We are subject to the effects of this world, and the god of this world.
The bible has all sorts of wonderful descriptions of what it will be like to abide in God in Heaven. All we have to do is abide, remain, stand in our God, and what we have heard from the beginning. This is our Fathers care for us in this life.

Joy

James 1:2-4 Count it all joy, my brothers, when you meet trials of various kinds, for you know that the testing of your faith produces steadfastness. And let steadfastness have its full effect, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing. ESV #Bible

How’s your attitudie?  That’s what I ask my children when they are angry or frustrated.
Of course they understand I expect them to answer “its fabulous”. Why because I desire them to maintain their emotions, even to control them.
It is our attitude that makes the difference between a good life and a bad life.
When we realize we are on the throne of our life, and submitted to our Saviour Jesus the Christ, we can manage and control our emotions or feelings.
We don’t have to be a pinball bouncing off of the  paddles of our emotions and feelings.
We have been set free, we are no longer slaves to the evils of sin found in our flesh, or human nature.
James is telling us to adjust to, or count it all joy when we meet or are confronted by trials of various kinds.
Notice James is telling us to do this, we are capable of this attitude.
Remember, we are filled with power from on high, the Holy Spirit, our Companion. He will help us to accomplish a Joyful attitude, and maintain it in steadfastness with confidence. That we may reach perfection, or completeness, as we rise above with joy, the various trials we meet along life’s path. Remember you cannot stay angry or sad when you put a smile on your face.