God, Your Life Planner!

Good morning to all on this Monday after Christmas 2011. If your Christmas was as enjoyable and filled with love as ours was, then you had a good weekend. Given our schedules, Waine and I don't entertain often however we hosted a party Friday night and we had a blast with new and old friends. We had dinner at our house yesterday and I can officially say that I have mastered the art of cooking lamb! Waine and I woke up praising God for His goodness and for each other. I fall more in love with the guy daily! I had the occasion to watch a movie, Soul Surfer. If you haven't seen it then you should make time this week to catch it. It will make Jeremiah much more meaningful for you. Also one of the Special Treasures I was given was a DVD that contained moments from my past. My niece found some old 8 mm film and put together a montage of images of our family. I saw my mother when she was young. There was footage of my baby brother Yoshio and my Dad, both of whom have passed. There is footage of my brother Koichi playing football and participating in a karate match. It is truly the gift that will keep on giving.

I am emboldened and continuing my journey in Jeremiah 17 verses 9 - 18, "The heart is deceitful above all things and beyond cure. Who can understand it? I the LORD search the heart and examine the mind, to reward each person according to their conduct, according to what their deeds deserve. Like a partridge that hatches eggs it did not lay are those who gain riches by unjust means. When their lives are half gone, their riches will desert them, and in the end they will prove to be fools. A glorious throne, exalted from the beginning, is the place of our sanctuary. LORD, you are the hope of Israel; all who forsake You will be put to shame. Those who turn away from You will be written in the dust because they have forsaken the LORD, the Spring of Living Water. Heal me, LORD, and I will be healed; save me and I will be saved, for you are the one I praise. They keep saying to me, “Where is the Word of the LORD? Let it now be fulfilled!” I have not run away from being your shepherd; you know I have not desired the day of despair. What passes my lips is open before you. Do not be a terror to me; you are my refuge in the day of disaster. Let my persecutors be put to shame, but keep me from shame; let them be terrified, but keep me from terror. Bring on them the day of disaster; destroy them with double destruction. Amen. May the Lord add a blessing to the reading and hearing of His Word.

Jeremiah truly had a 1 on 1 relationship with God. He talked to God; he conversed with his Lord and spoke the things that were on his mind. Jeremiah knew the Lord could read his thoughts and that the Lord knew his heart. That being said Jeremiah is still speaking his heart out to God. Jeremiah was being persecuted for his beliefs and wanted assurance from God that He would continue to be the Refuge that Jeremiah needed. God loves this! If you believe in God enough to tell Him about your fears; about your need to know that there will be retribution for the persecution you have undergone;about your desire for prosperity, God will reward your faith. It is hard to have perspective when you are up close to a situation; when you are in the heat of battle you only see the enemy in front of you. That is the time to remember that God always has a 50,000 feet view of you. He has your front, your back, your left side, your right side, your top and your bottom. You are not vulnerable other than to your own doubt. Be encouraged today and pray for your enemies because God will deal with them for you. The God of Jeremiah, of Abraham, of Issac, of Paul and of Peter is your God. He is the SAME, yesterday, today and forever.  "For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the LORD, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future." Amen and hallelujah!

Now may the LORD bless you and keep you; may the LORD make His face shine on you and be gracious to you; may the LORD turn His face toward you and give you peace.

Stephanie

What Color Are Your Leaves?

Good morning to all on this wonderful December Sunday morning. Waine and I are in Thomaston, Georgia and are enjoying a restful morning. I had 9 babies in the nursery this morning but still was able to make rounds and be back at the hotel by 9 AM to watch CBS Sunday Morning, one of our beloved Sunday rituals. Freddie sent a beautiful picture of our 2 newest grand pickneys and I tell you the truth I can be having an intense day and then I look at a picture of any of my grandchildren and a smile will come across my lips. I hope you are also having a great Sunday morning!

I am continuing my journey in Jeremiah chapter 17 verses 1-8 “Judah’s sin is engraved with an iron tool, inscribed with a flint point, on the tablets of their hearts and on the horns of their altars. Even their children remember their altars and Asherah poles beside the spreading trees and on the high hills. My mountain in the land and your wealth and all your treasures I will give away as plunder, together with your high places, because of sin throughout your country. Through your own fault you will lose the inheritance I gave you. I will enslave you to your enemies in a land you do not know, for you have kindled my anger, and it will burn forever.”  This is what the LORD says: "Cursed is the one who trusts in man, who draws strength from mere flesh and whose heart turns away from the LORD. That person will be like a bush in the wastelands; they will not see prosperity when it comes. They will dwell in the parched places of the desert, in a salt land where no one lives. But blessed is the one who trusts in the LORD, whose confidence is in Him. They will be like a tree planted by the water that sends out its roots by the stream. It does not fear when heat comes; its leaves are always green. It has no worries in a year of drought and never fails to bear fruit. Amen! May the Lord add a blessing to the reading and hearing of His Word.

As Christians we are to be known by the "fruits" that we bear which is a beautiful metaphor to reflect what we are intrinsically; what we are at our core is what will eventually manifest itself especially in times of stress. I was driving on Friday; my usual Friday errands run. I was on a street with only two lanes and my lane was stopped because a care that was 2 cars ahead of mine was trying to turn left and was waiting for the the traffic in the opposite lane to clear. There was a man two cars behind me who began to beep his horn very vigorously even though he could see that there was no where to go. The traffic began to move at which point I approached the shopping center I wanted to go to. I slowed down to turn right and now the same man was behind me and beeping, waving his hand and had a beet red face. I really didn't understand why it was important for this man to insult my humanity over his frustration with traffic. I remember thinking would I trust this man to teach my children, fix my car, handle my money? His core, his intrinsic values bubbled to the top under the stress of going from point A to point B. I also reflected whether my core values as a Christian were evident to people I interact with and I admit that when I am not stressed it is infinitely easier to move myself out of the way and let the Love of God through Christ shine through. These verses underscore that as Christians we are planted in the love of God. Our roots receive nourishment regardless of the circumstances we find ourselves in and as we spread our branches so that others will experience the Love of God through Christ, our roots become that much stronger.

I don't know where you find yourself today but I know that if you have professed a belief in God you truly do not have anything to be concerned with. Now may the LORD bless you and keep you; may the LORD make His face shine on you and be gracious to you; may the LORD turn His face toward you and give you peace.

Stephanie



They Will Know That My Name is Lord!

Good  morning to all on this Monday  morning. The weather is overcast in Georgia and temps hovering during the day in the 50's and 60's. The temps are going into the mid 30's at night which makes for good weather to light a fire. Waine and I were in Thomaston over the weekend and we need your prayers as we seek God's guidance in starting a practice there. The community is only about 70 miles south of Atlanta which will make it easy for us to come home on the weekends that I am not covering the hospital. There is a ready made practice and it would appear that God wants us there because when I tell you every thing has been going smoothly, it is not an exaggeration. So keep us and this project in your prayers.

During this Advent Season, I am continuing my journey in Jeremiah 16 verses 14-21; "However, the days are coming,” declares the LORD, “when it will no longer be said, ‘As surely as the LORD lives, who brought the Israelites up out of Egypt,’ but it will be said, ‘As surely as the LORD lives, who brought the Israelites up out of the land of the north and out of all the countries where He had banished them.’ For I will restore them to the land I gave their ancestors. “But now I will send for many fishermen,” declares the LORD, “and they will catch them. After that I will send for many hunters, and they will hunt them down on every mountain and hill and from the crevices of the rocks. My eyes are on all their ways; they are not hidden from me, nor is their sin concealed from my eyes. I will repay them double for their wickedness and their sin, because they have defiled my land with the lifeless forms of their vile images and have filled my inheritance with their detestable idols.” LORD, my strength and my fortress, my refuge in time of distress, to you the nations will come from the ends of the earth and say, “Our ancestors possessed nothing but false gods, worthless idols that did them no good. Do people make their own gods? Yes, but they are not gods! Therefore I will teach them— this time I will teach them my power and might. Then they will know that My Name is the LORD. " Amen and hallelujah! They will know that My Name in Lord!

There is so much hope in these verses, not because of anything the Israelites were doing about turning from their practice of worship of idols; the hope here is that God never breaks His promises!! His promise was to Abraham and He intends to keep His promise DESPITE the disobedience of this set of Israelites. They are going to reap the wages of their sins but the inheritance promised to Abraham would go forward for future generations. As Christians, we are under the New Dispensation or New Covenant so as it says in  Romans 11:29, “God’s gifts and His call are irrevocable”. The promise of abundance that God made with us through Christ is irrevocable. Nothing can separate us from the love of God; nothing including our knuckle head behavior. We may have starts and stops; we may have hiccups but our course to abundance has been set not by our own merits but by the Merits from the Blood of the Lamb! Hallelujah for the Love of God that is a constant in the sea of our own sins and disbelief.  During this Advent Season wake up each day praising God for the abundance that will be revealed to you this day. Thank Him that when you thought all was lost, He was there to calm your seas; thank Him because when you gave up on yourself He was there as your strength and fortress.  I thank God for His Son and His unwavering love for you and me.

Now may the LORD bless you and keep you; may the LORD make His face shine on you and be gracious to you; may the LORD turn His face toward you and give you peace.

Stephanie

Just Two!!

Good  Sunday morning to all from Hawkinsville, GA. Waine and I are working covering Taylor Memorial Hospital and Waine is also playing in a golf tournament at Southern Hills Country Club which is a very nice Club here in Hawkinsville. The weather is very pleasant at 60 degrees and although I have been busy I have been able to enjoy the outdoors each day. Waine and I watched LSU beat the Georgia Bulldogs yesterday in the second half and of course this has been the topic of conversation throughout Hawkinsville today; that and Tiger's quest for his first win in over 2 years. Aleron's birthday is on 12/5/11 and I can't believe our "baby" boy will be 30. Wow! Waine is getting old!

I am continuing my journey in Jeremiah 16, verses 1-13 "Then the word of the LORD came to me: You must not marry and have sons or daughters in this place. For this is what the LORD says about the sons and daughters born in this land and about the women who are their mothers and the men who are their fathers: “They will die of deadly diseases. They will not be mourned or buried but will be like dung lying on the ground. They will perish by sword and famine, and their dead bodies will become food for the birds and the wild animals.” For this is what the LORD says: “Do not enter a house where there is a funeral meal; do not go to mourn or show sympathy, because I have withdrawn my blessing, my love and my pity from this people,” declares the LORD. “Both high and low will die in this land. They will not be buried or mourned, and no one will cut themselves or shave their head for the dead. No one will offer food to comfort those who mourn for the dead—not even for a father or a mother—nor will anyone give them a drink to console them. And do not enter a house where there is feasting and sit down to eat and drink. For this is what the LORD Almighty, the God of Israel, says: Before your eyes and in your days I will bring an end to the sounds of joy and gladness and to the voices of bride and bridegroom in this place. When you tell these people all this and they ask you, ‘Why has the LORD decreed such a great disaster against us? What wrong have we done? What sin have we committed against the LORD our God?’ then say to them, ‘It is because your ancestors forsook me,’ declares the LORD, ‘and followed other gods and served and worshiped them. They forsook me and did not keep my law. But you have behaved more wickedly than your ancestors. See how all of you are following the stubbornness of your evil hearts instead of obeying me. So I will throw you out of this land into a land neither you nor your ancestors have known, and there you will serve other gods day and night, for I will show you no favor." Amen. May the Lord add a blessing to the reading and hearing of His Word.

One of the reasons that Jeremiah has been a struggle for me is that this is not the God I know. The God I know through Christ is compassionate and forgiving. This God of wrath in the Old testament is not the God that is revealed to us Christians because of the sacrifice of Christ. This is a sacrifice that erased and erases our sins on a consistent basis which means that God only sees us through His Son, Jesus the Christ or through the eyes of perfect LOVE. In these scriptures God is telling Jeremiah that he must conduct himself as one who expects to see his country ruined very shortly. In the prospect of sad times, he is to abstain from marriage, mourning for the dead, and pleasure. In other words, those who would convince others of the truths of God, must make it appear by their self-denial, that they believe it themselves. By so doing, the peace of God that should be present, inward and outward, can be acknowledged to be wholly the work of God. By withholding His loving kindness and mercy the disobedient people of Israel will now experience the natural distress which is a consequence of God withdrawing His forgiveness and peace. God is also telling Jeremiah that there may be times when it is proper to avoid things that bring us pleasure and comforts as a demonstration to those watching that a relationship with God is a serious matter. Also, Jeremiah is being given guidance for those who quarrel at the Word of God, instead of humbling and condemning themselves and who justify themselves, as though God did them wrong. A plain and full answer is given. Jeremiah is instructed to tell them that they were more obstinate in sin than their fathers, walking every one after the devices of their own heart as opposed to hearkening to the instructions of God; they shall be hurried away into a far country, a land they know not. They will be driven there without God's favour which will result in their captivity and subjugation by the idol worshippers. Thank God for the Blood of the Lamb that covers my transgressions! Hallelujah!

Whether in the Old or New Testaments, God states that there are TWO (2), just two commandments that we must abide by that is to Love the Lord with all of our hearts, mind and soul. Forsaking any worship of any other man made gods or idols. God also instructs that we are then to love each other as God has loved us. This supernatural love would then dictate our behavior as being that of Christ --long suffering and forgiving.  God says on these two commandments hang ALL the laws of the Universe. Just 2! We are commanded to follow JUST 2 commandments--so why then does man make up so many rules that cloud the simple relationship we are to have with God through Christ. My belief is that man seeks to be god through these rule makings as opposed to just following the Commandments of God. This sin nature has been present since the beginning of time starting with Lucifer, continuing through Eve and then Adam and through us. Our sin nature will full you into thinking that you are in control of your life and destiny. I would invite all who believe that to delve into the Old testament and read what happens to people who turn their face from God and try to become gods themselves. I am convinced that God never allows that to happen.

During this Advent season leading up to the celebration of the Birth of the Christ, it is a good time to get back to the Basics of what makes us Christians. Love God and then love someone who you find it hard to love.

Now may the LORD bless you and keep you; may the LORD make His face shine on you and be gracious to you; may the LORD turn His face toward you and give you peace.

Stephanie

Keeping Your Focus

Good morning to all on this first Sunday morning after Thanksgiving. Waine and I had a house full of children, grandchildren and friends in Atlanta and although I was exhausted I was none the less content. I remarked to my husband that I needed a bigger  house and he reminded me that I feel that way once a year at Thanksgiving which is not a reason to have a bigger house. I think he is almost convinced to give me a bigger kitchen though. A special shout out to  my daughters, Tracy and Melanie who were the chief bottle washers. Without them I would not have been able to keep up with the cooking and serving. My husband and children remarked that it was the best turkey and dressing I have ever made, which made the effort expended worth while, indeed. I trust that this Thanksgiving found each of you in the company of people that love you and that you in turn love. If so we all have a lot to be thankful for.

I am continuing my journey in Jeremiah 15 verses 11-21, "The LORD said, Surely I will deliver you (Jeremiah) for a good purpose; surely I will make your enemies plead with you in times of disaster and times of distress. “Can a man break iron— iron from the north—or bronze? “Your wealth and your treasures I will give as plunder, without charge, because of all your sins throughout your country. I will enslave you to your enemies in a land you do not know, for my anger will kindle a fire that will burn against you." LORD, you understand; remember me and care for me. Avenge me on my persecutors. You are long-suffering—do not take me away; think of how I suffer reproach for your sake. When your words came, I ate them; they were my joy and my heart’s delight, for I bear your name, LORD God Almighty. I never sat in the company of revelers, never made merry with them; I sat alone because your hand was on me and you had filled me with indignation. Why is my pain unending and my wound grievous and incurable? You are to me like a deceptive brook, like a spring that fails. Therefore this is what the LORD says: “If you repent, I will restore you that you may serve me; if you utter worthy, not worthless, words, you will be my spokesman. Let this people turn to you, but you must not turn to them. I will make you a wall to this people, a fortified wall of bronze; they will fight against you but will not overcome you, for I am with you to rescue and save you,” declares the LORD. “I will save you from the hands of the wicked and deliver you from the grasp of the cruel.” Amen and may the Lord add a blessing to the reading and hearing of His Word.

Apparently, Jeremiah was being persecuted for his ministry to the point that he (Jeremiah) was asking God not to forget about his servant. God assures Jeremiah that he should not worry or be distressed because God has made Jeremiah as strong as iron and bronze. However Jeremiah seems to be having a pity party-- he remarks that he used to delight and look forward to God's Words but now he was complaining about his pain and the reproach that he suffers at the hands of the Israelites that he had been sent to preach to. This is a beautiful passage on the power of long suffering through difficult times. Jeremiah had been obedient to God's commandments and he was human. I am sure as a Jew himself, he felt alone most of the time because he was fighting against a tide of idolatry. I am sure his life was threatened; he felt alone other than for the communion he had with God.  I am sure when God first commissioned Jeremiah to be His prophet to a sinful Israel, Jeremiah thought the battle would be short and the victory assured. As the journey lingered, Jeremiah became impatient and weary and had no problem voicing his concerns to God. God, in His graciousness, reminds Jeremiah that He has His back. He has fortified Jeremiah and would deliver him from the hands of the wicked. Jeremiah had only to stay focused on the task at hand and believe that God had every thing else covered! Hallelujah.

Don't let Satan confuse you this day as to whether your life has a meaning. God gives it meaning daily. Don't worry about the waves and forget the purpose that you were chosen for. Our job is to make our lives a witness for Christ and  not be distracted about the "waves" that surround us daily. I am a good example of this. I was very frustrated about lots of things a few weeks back. Instead of focusing on the blessings in my life I stayed focused on the frustrations. Focusing on your frustrations will take you eye off Christ and you will sink but thank God, Christ will reach out and save you even from yourself. That certainly does not excuse my behavior of losing focus however this chapter in Jeremiah let's me know that we all can become distracted when focused on the wrong thing.  If you are not feeling blessed today then I know your focus is on the wrong thing. If you feel animosity towards anyone then you have forgotten what it means to be forgiven. If you can't love those that have offended you then you have forgotten what Kingdom building is all about. Time to get refocused and give Thanksgiving for the Christ that has risen so that all might experience the freedom that is in Christ Jesus. Hallelujah and praise God.

Now may the LORD bless you and keep you; may the LORD make His face shine on you and be gracious to you; may the LORD turn His face toward you and give you peace.

Stephanie

Your Ark is Secured!

Good day to all from Kingston Jamaica. Waine and I have had a fun filled week in both Runaway Bay and Kingston and a much needed rest. We are packed and are on our way to the US; Melanie and her crew are already in Atlanta so we are looking forward to hugs and kisses from our grandchildren Audrey and Vincent upon our return to be joined in short order by Kai and Hailie. What a home coming to come back to. As you and yours enter this Thanksgiving week, we pray for your safety and blessings for your health and continued prosperity.

I am continuing my journey in Jeremiah 15 verse 1-10, " Then the LORD said to me: “Even if Moses and Samuel were to stand before me, my heart would not go out to this people. Send them away from my presence! Let them go! And if they ask you, ‘Where shall we go?’ tell them, ‘This is what the LORD says: Those destined for death, to death; those for the sword, to the sword; those for starvation, to starvation; those for captivity, to captivity.’ I will send four kinds of destroyers against them,” declares the LORD, “the sword to kill and the dogs to drag away and the birds and the wild animals to devour and destroy. I will make them abhorrent to all the kingdoms of the earth because of what Manasseh son of Hezekiah king of Judah did in Jerusalem. Who will have pity on you, Jerusalem? Who will mourn for you? Who will stop to ask how you are? You have rejected Me,” declares the LORD. You keep on backsliding. So I will reach out and destroy you; I am tired of holding back. I will winnow them with a winnowing fork at the city gates of the land. I will bring bereavement and destruction on my people, for they have not changed their ways. I will make their widows more numerous than the sand of the sea. At midday I will bring a destroyer against the mothers of their young men; suddenly I will bring down on them anguish and terror. The mother of seven will grow faint and breathe her last. Her sun will set while it is still day; she will be disgraced and humiliated. I will put the survivors to the sword before their enemies, declares the LORD. Alas, my mother, that you gave me birth, a man with whom the whole land strives and contends! I have neither lent nor borrowed, yet everyone curses Me." May the Lord add a blessing to the reading and hearing of His Word.

Wow!! I think we have a clear picture of the fate of folk who are outside of the Circle of Love of God made possible through the sacrifice of Jesus the Christ! These verses fore tell what is going to happen to those who have not accepted Christ as their Savior when He comes for His Church, we the believers! Just remember when Moses was preaching to Pharaoh and Pharaoh's heart was hardened against the people of God, plagues and catastrophe hit Egypt inclusive of the death of the 1st born of each Egyptian household. Only those houses with the Blood of Lamb drawn across the threshold were saved. So too the households of those who have not given their life to Christ when the rapture happens. That is why we as Christians should be working over time to ensure that we are able to witness to those who have not given their lives to Christ; the time is drawing neigh that the last days will be upon us! This is serious business and there are plenty of examples for us to pay attention to. Remember Noah? He labored for hundreds of years building the Ark and preaching with his life that the people needed to get ready for this flood. Each person was afforded the chance of safety and salvation up to the day the door of the Ark was closed. When the door closed their cries went unheeded and the destroyer was upon them. I am sure the Destroyer convinced these folk to continue to eat, drink and be merry. The earth had never seen rain so why should they believe that water from heaven would destroy them. I am sure just as the false prophets of Jeremiah's time told the people that they would not be destroyed, the prophets of Noah's day said the same thing. What are the false prophets telling the people today? How are we counter-acting these false prophets? Who will be saved?

As Christians we have to be bold about our faith and be willing to stand up and declare the Day of the Lord because once the door is closed it will be too late. Who will be on the other side of this door for you? Your Mom, Dad, sister, brother, husband, wife son or daughter. Waine once attended the 80th birthday party for a woman he knew. When she was asked what she wanted as a birthday present, she looked around the room and said very distinctly, "I don't want to have to be looking for any of my children in Heaven! I want to make sure you all have professed the faith in Christ that is necessary so that we can all rejoice in eternity forever!" That is my Thanksgiving wish for each of you!

Now may the LORD bless you and keep you; may the LORD make His face shine on you and be gracious to you; may the LORD turn His face toward you and give you peace!

Happy Thanksgiving.

Stephanie and Waine

God Has Your Back and Ensures We Never Sees His!

Good Sunday to all of you. Waine and I are in Hawkinsville this weekend and will be heading to Kingston tomorrow for 10 days. I can't wait to get back on the island! Upon our return, Melanie and Don and their brood will be down for Thanksgiving week to be joined by Freddie and Tracy and their brood on Wednesday of the same week. This is the first Thanksgiving in along time that we will have three of our four children. I am so excited and can't wait!  Waine and I awake each morning and thank God for all the blessings He continues to bestow on our family and our Thanksgiving prayer for you and your family is that God's blessings continue for you.

I am continuing my journey in Jeremiah 14, verses 11-22, " Then the LORD said to me, “Do not pray for the well-being of this people. Although they fast, I will not listen to their cry; though they offer burnt offerings and grain offerings, I will not accept them. Instead, I will destroy them with the sword, famine and plague.” But I said, “Alas, Sovereign LORD! The prophets keep telling them, ‘You will not see the sword or suffer famine. Indeed, I will give you lasting peace in this place.’ Then the LORD said to me, “The prophets are prophesying lies in My name. I have not sent them or appointed them or spoken to them. They are prophesying to you false visions, divinations, idolatries and the delusions of their own minds. Therefore this is what the LORD says about the prophets who are prophesying in my name: I did not send them, yet they are saying, ‘No sword or famine will touch this land.’ Those same prophets will perish by sword and famine. And the people they are prophesying to will be thrown out into the streets of Jerusalem because of the famine and sword. There will be no one to bury them, their wives, their sons and their daughters. I will pour out on them the calamity they deserve. Speak this Word to them: Let my eyes overflow with tears night and day without ceasing; for the Virgin Daughter, my people, has suffered a grievous wound, a crushing blow. If I go into the country, I see those slain by the sword; if I go into the city, I see the ravages of famine.

Both prophet and priest have gone to a land they know not. Have you rejected Judah completely? Do you despise Zion? Why have you afflicted us so that we cannot be healed? We hoped for peace but no good has come, for a time of healing but there is only terror. We acknowledge our wickedness, LORD, and the guilt of our ancestors; we have indeed sinned against you. For the sake of your name do not despise us; do not dishonor your glorious throne. Remember your covenant with us and do not break it. Do any of the worthless idols of the nations bring rain? Do the skies themselves send down showers? No, it is you, LORD our God. Therefore our hope is in you, for you are the one who does all this. May the Lord add a blessing to the reading and hearing of His Word.

These Israelites have finally come to their senses, however it is too late. God has pleaded with them for 13 chapters to turn from worshipping other gods and now their sin of disobedience has sealed their fate. Their pleas are falling on deaf ears and they don't even know it because the same prophets that encouraged them to sin are now telling them that God has not abandoned them. Their fate, along with that of the Israelites, is sealed. None of them will survive the drought and famine.  Thank God for the Blood of Jesus that covers our sins so that God never turns His back on us. Unlike the Israelites, Jesus has our backs and therefore we never have to see the back of God because He never turns His face from us. Hallelujah! What a wonderful promise. God never turns His back on us so what ever situation you find yourself in, PRAISE GOD because your deliverance is at hand 100% of the time. You only need to claim it. Unlike the unfortunate Israelites in Jeremiah 14, God never abandons us; His covenant with us is full proof because He only sees Jesus and His sacrifice when He , God, looks at us! Our life is complete and fulfilled. You only need claim it. God bless you and I thank God because His Promise is full and complete in you and me.

Now may the LORD bless you and keep you; may the LORD make His face shine on you and be gracious to you; may the LORD turn His face toward you and give you peace.

Stephanie

Abundance and not Abandonment

Good morning to all on this wonderful fall day. Waine and I are in Thomaston and have had a nice relaxing weekend. We watched the LSU/Alabama football game last night; Waine rooted for Alabama and I for LSU. Of course LSU won--but the defense on both teams were tough and awesome!!  I had the blessing to visit retired Senior citizens last week. What an eye opener!!! If you are over 55 and have your health, then praise God each day you wake up. If you are over 55 and have an active relationship with your spouse, your children and grandchildren then you are BLESSED!!! There are some very lonely people out there who just stay in their homes; they crave company and a simple conversation with someone who cares. Take some time this week to visit a home bound senior citizen and give of yourself. God will bless you richly. Also a GREAT book to read is the "Immortal life of Henrietta Lacks". You won't be able to put the book down and your life will be richer for it. Mackenzie, our oldest grandchild, wants to be a researcher/physician so I recommended it to her to read.

I am continuing my JOURNEY in Jeremiah chapter 14 verses 1- 10, "This is the Word of the LORD that came to Jeremiah concerning the drought: “Judah mourns, her cities languish; they wail for the land, and a cry goes up from Jerusalem. The nobles send their servants for water; they go to the cisterns but find no water. They return with their jars unfilled; dismayed and despairing, they cover their heads. The ground is cracked because there is no rain in the land; the farmers are dismayed and cover their heads. Even the doe in the field deserts her newborn fawn because there is no grass. Wild donkeys stand on the barren heights and pant like jackals; their eyes fail for lack of food. Although our sins testify against us, do something, LORD, for the sake of Your name. For we have often rebelled; we have sinned against You. You Who are the hope of Israel, its Savior in times of distress, why are you like a stranger in the land, like a traveler who stays only a night? Why are you like a man taken by surprise, like a warrior powerless to save? You are among us, LORD, and we bear your name; do not forsake us! This is what the LORD says about this people: “They greatly love to wander; they do not restrain their feet. So the LORD does not accept them; He will now remember their wickedness and punish them for their sins."  May the Lord add a blessing to the reading and hearing of His Word.

Thank God that the Blood of Jesus that covers us so that God will not SEE and therefore not REMEMBER our wickedness! For 13 chapters we have witnessed God asking these Israelites to turn their face to Him and not to the idols and false gods that they were worshipping. That is the one thing as humans we are charged not to do! There is only One God and His name is Jehovah!  For 13 chapters we witnessed God, through Jeremiah, plead with these folk to turn from their sin of worshipping false gods so that disaster could be avoided. We have witnesses Jeremiah's intervention on behalf of the Israelites with God and Now, Now, Now the drought is upon them. Their land is drying up. Nothing is growing; they go hungry and even the wild animals are starving and yet they do not turn from their sin of idol worship. Can Satan's deception really be that great? That even in the face of this destruction can human beings still rationalize that there is more than one true God? Amazing!

As Christians, we are immune to this type of alienation from God. He never turns His face from us nor does He give us droughts. So why do Christians experience "droughts"?? I have Christian friends who are going through some tough times and they think its because of some sin they committed. John 10:10 states "The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full. THIS IS A PROMISE!!!!!!! If their is confusion and despair in the life of a Christian then that Christian needs to evaluate why he or she is allowing satan to deceive them. Christians, have as a birth right ABUNDANCE!! We only need to claim it. So many of us have PAWNED our abundant life in the Pawn Shop called DOUBT. We only need to realize and REJOICE daily that God has a Plan of Abundance for us. Even if you are experiencing what you consider to be hard times, REJOICE and keep on rejoicing until you see clearly the abundance that is yours today. Joel Olstein's ministry is criticized by some as a "Cotton Candy" ministry--always emphasizing the Joy and abundance of Christianity. Why shouldn't we emphasize the JOY of Christianity?? No death can claim us; no destruction can claim us; no calamity can be fall us; no disease can destroy us; no financial ruin can befall us. God will turn time backwards for us IF ONLY YOU BELIEVE. Something so simple and YET SO HARD FOR MANY OF US. Why you ask? Because Satan will confuse you into thinking that God has abandoned you. Roman 8:38-39 says (and this is Paul speaking) "For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers,  neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord." Hallelujah!!

Don't get stuck on the street of Doubt. Praise God today for your abundance even if you can't see it. Really praise Him and be happy right in this moment. Don't worry for anything especially not tomorrow for all of us KNOW that tomorrow is not promised so don't act like it is. Now may the  LORD bless you and keep you; may the LORD make His face to shine on you and be gracious to you; may the LORD turn His face toward you and give you peace! Amen and amen.

Stephanie

We have been Cleansed!

Good Sunday to all. Waine and I are enjoying the great fall weather here in Georgia, where the nights are cool and good for cuddling and the days are warm. The fall colors on the trees are vibrant and you just want to be outside enjoying all the God provides. Waine and I are in GREAT health as are our children, grandchildren and Waine's mother Violet. Please send up a special prayer for Ms. Bertha and her family; her 98 year old father crossed over the River Jordan last night. He was able to celebrate his 98th birthday with his children 2 weeks ago and quietly met God face to face last night.

I am continuing my journey in Jeremiah 13 verses 15-27, "Hear and pay attention, do not be arrogant, for the LORD has spoken. Give glory to the LORD your God before He brings the darkness, before your feet stumble on the darkening hills. You hope for light, but He will turn it to utter darkness and change it to deep gloom. If you do not listen, I will weep in secret because of your pride; my eyes will weep bitterly, overflowing with tears, because the LORD’s flock will be taken captive.  Say to the king and to the queen mother, “Come down from your thrones, for your glorious crowns will fall from your heads.” The cities in the Negev will be shut up, and there will be no one to open them. All Judah will be carried into exile, carried completely away. Look up and see those who are coming from the north. Where is the flock that was entrusted to you, the sheep of which you boasted? What will you say when the LORD sets over you those you cultivated as your special allies? Will not pain grip you like that of a woman in labor? And if you ask yourself, “Why has this happened to me?”— it is because of your many sins that your skirts have been torn off and your body mistreated. Can an Ethiopian change his skin or a leopard its spots? Neither can you do good who are accustomed to doing evil. I will scatter you like chaff driven by the desert wind. This is your lot, the portion I have decreed for you,” declares the LORD, “because you have forgotten me and trusted in false gods. I will pull up your skirts over your face that your shame may be seen— your adulteries and lustful neighings, your shameless prostitution! I have seen your detestable acts on the hills and in the fields. Woe to you, Jerusalem! How long will you be unclean?” Amen and amen! My God add a blessing to the reading and hearing of His Word!

Thank God for the Blood of the Lamb! Thank Jesus the Christ for His sacrifice for my sins. Thank the Holy Spirit who continues to comfort me and intercedes on my behalf through Jesus the Christ. These Israelites didn't have any of the interference we have. There is no difference between their weaknesses and the ones we find ourselves in. The only difference is that we are not judged by our behavior but by our belief in the redemption from SIN by the power of the Sacrifice made by Jesus. As soon as we confess our sins and accept Jesus the Christ as Lord, we are in a permanent relationship with God. All God sees is the His Son Jesus which keeps us in a positive relationship with God. The only thing that can separate us from the abundance of His love is our own behavior. Nothing, however, can separate us form the Love of God.

Waine and I were fortunate to be channel surfacing and happened on a sermon by Joel Olstein. He was preaching that Christians should remove themselves from negative influences, negative information, and negative people. These negativisms just fill us up with NEGATIVE Junk when we can withdraw ourselves and start filling ourselves up with POSITIVE thinking. I then reflected on how Satan works. He introduces a negative thought or emotion and then has you chew on it like a dog with a bone. Your involvement in the negative thinking then takes over as you convince yourself that bad things will happen. God tells us not to fret about anything but in all things give thanks. This is a spiritual muscle that takes practice and it starts with your willingness to leave negative influences behind. Unlike the Israelites who had to constantly work and give sacrifices to walk the Spiritual road, we as Christians have the Holy Spirit to guide us. Hallelujah and thank you Jesus! No matter what is going on in your life, it is not greater than Jesus. If you can't do anything else just say the name of Jesus over and over until Satan is no longer in your presence.

Now may the LORD bless you and keep you; now may the LORD make His face shine on you and be gracious to you; may the LORD turn His face toward you and give you peace!

Stephanie

What Is Your Wineskin Filled With?

Good morning to all on this Thursday morning. Thank you for your prayers for Violet (Waine's Mom). Her shoulder has healed and she is much better. Tomorrow is Freddie's birthday so Waine and I will be in Orlando with Freddie, Tracy and the cherubs. Can't wait to see them. I was wakened by Joyce Meyers this morning so I have already been blessed. Her message was centered on perseverance and not becoming discouraged. Good lessons for me.

I am continuing my spiritual journey in Jeremiah chapter 13 verses 12-14 "Say to them: This is what the LORD, the God of Israel, says: Every wineskin should be filled with wine. And if they say to you, ‘Don’t we know that every wineskin should be filled with wine? then tell them, This is what the LORD says: I am going to fill with drunkenness all who live in this land, including the kings who sit on David’s throne, the priests, the prophets and all those living in Jerusalem. I will smash them one against the other, parents and children alike, declares the LORD. I will allow no pity or mercy or compassion to keep Me from destroying them." Amen and amen.

I had to read a commentary on these verses because they were confusing to me. Why would God get upset with the response from the Israelites? Their response seems logical. I have been pondering this question for several days and then it struck me this morning. What God desired was for the Israelites was for them to ask Him what kind of wine should their wine skins be filled with? God knew that their wine skins (lives) were filled with every thing but Him. The Israelites had filled their lives with idolatry, wickedness wanton disregard for a life dedicated to worshiping Him. His response to their sin was to have Jeremiah tell them that they would be destroyed because of their wickedness. This story is repeated in the Old Testament over and over. God desired to have the Israelites in a spiritual relationship with Him and they continuously turned to pagan worship and behavior that was contrary to the Promise.

Likewise, what are our lives filled with. When we awakened, what fills our minds? do we wake up with praise for God on our lips? Do we awakened with worship in our hearts? Or do we waken with what has to be done in the day. What I think God desires is that we awaken and fill our hearts and minds with thoughts of Him. When we turn our lives over to Him, then He can order our steps and complete our day. when we turn our day over to Him, He will take this gift from our hearts and give us the most fulfilling day ever. Can this be done when have responsibilities, jobs, tasks to complete? Well I am going to find out today. I am turning my day over to God and let Him fill my "wineskin" according to the will He has for me today! Hallelujah and thank you Lord for this revelation and your LOVE for me. Thank you Lord that your plans for me will exceed any that I have planned for myself today. Fill me with your Presence and thank you that the Holy Spirit will comfort and fulfill me today. Amen and Amen!

Now may the LORD bless you and keep you. May the LORD make His face to shine on you and be gracious to you; may the LORD turn His face toward you and give you peace.

Stephanie

God: Your Flexible Band of support, protection and defense!

Good morning to all, SINCERELY!!!!!!! I have been ill for the past week. Last week Monday and Tuesday I was unable to get out of bed with fever, body aches, and generalized weakness. I thought I had the flu but as it turns out had a fairly serious illness. Thanks to the care of a loving husband, the prayers of many, and a physician son who reminded me that "if a physician treats themselves they have a patient for a fool" I am back to 100%. I have never been ill in my life and it has given me a healthy appreciation for the sick who awaken everyday and are not able to eat, or break a fever, or unable to rid themselves of pain. I couldn't even read because the ability to comprehend was clearly an issue. The past week is really a blur! But I am a testament that calling out to God works! There were a couple of times that I couldn't punch past the moment and told God I needed Him to move my mountain for me immediately. He reminded me that I need only ask. When Christians experience adversity, they do only need to ask and I am learning on my journey just how to ask.

I am continuing my journey in Jeremiah 13 verses 1-11 "This is what the LORD said to me: “Go and buy a linen belt and put it around your waist, but do not let it touch water.” So I bought a belt, as the LORD directed, and put it around my waist. Then the word of the LORD came to me a second time: Take the belt you bought and are wearing around your waist, and go now to Perath and hide it there in a crevice in the rocks. So I went and hid it at Perath, as the LORD told me. Many days later the LORD said to me, “Go now to Perath and get the belt I told you to hide there. So I went to Perath and dug up the belt and took it from the place where I had hidden it, but now it was ruined and completely useless. Then the Word of the LORD came to me: “This is what the LORD says: ‘In the same way I will ruin the pride of Judah and the great pride of Jerusalem. These wicked people, who refuse to listen to My words, who follow the stubbornness of their hearts and go after other gods to serve and worship them, will be like this belt—completely useless! For as a belt is bound around the waist, so I bound all the people of Israel and all the people of Judah to Me,’ declares the LORD, ‘to be My people for my renown and praise and honor. But they have not listened." Amen and may the Lord add a blessing to the reading and hearing of His Word.

I looked up the definition of the word "belt" and found this wonderful iteration of this familiar word - "A Flexible Band of support, protection and defense". Isn't that a wonderful way of thinking about our Lord? Hallelujah! God is truly flexible--He was trying every which way to save the Israelites from themselves but to no avail. Likewise He deals with us with a maximum amount of flexibility to get us off the "dime" so to speak in our personal lives. All of us have the ability and tendency to put gods on the throne of our lives when we know God should be there 100% of the time--whether its anger, envy, unforgiveness, deceit or other such gods, we displace the true God from the throne in our life. But unlike the people of the Old Testament, we have the Blood of Jesus that covers this transgression. That still doesn't make it right nor does it absolve our need to be more mature in our Christian walk.

I watched the HBO special this weekend on the ex-Beatle George Harrison "Living in a Material World". This man had a life long quest to enhance the spirituality of his life and increasingly turned to the religions of the East, the religions of Hare Krishna and Buddha, to find this fulfillment. In his song, My Sweet Lord, you can hear his longing to find spiritual balance and fulfillment. He was raised in the Catholic Church put did not turn to Christianity for this fulfillment. I also got my fill of the weekend press concerning the Southern Baptist pastor of Rick Perry calling Mormonism a cult and then have been bombarded with commercials concerning the diversification of the Mormon followers. I could certainly see the Fruits of the Spirit in those that were shown to worship Lord Krishna; I heard the testimonies of fulfillment of the people who were professing Mormonism. The angry white man who is Rick Perry's Pastor had neither!  Folks, Christians are the reason why so many people run away from Christ. They don't see the Love of God in us. Don't experience that we, as Christians, view God as our Flexible Band of support, protection and defense. They just see the strife and run in the other direction. Shame on us! We will have to answer for these transgressions. The Love of God and the knowledge that He is our belt should make us humble and introspective enough that His true love and identity shine through. Oh My Sweet Lord, that I could really come to know you and be your messenger!

Now may the LORD bless you and keep you; may  the LORD make His face shine on you and be gracious to you; may the LORD turn His face toward you and give you peace.

Stephanie

Good morning to all on this 1st Sunday of fall. Waine and I are in Hawkinsville and just enjoying the beautiful weather and each other. Waine's mother, Violet, fell while trying to get into her wheel chair and fractured her shoulder. She is 89 and although frail still has her wits about her. Please pray for her healing.  I am reminded daily of God's Hand on and in my life and I thank Him for His mercies.

I am continuing my trek through Jeremiah 12 verses 5 - 17 "If you have raced with men on foot and they have worn you out, how can you compete with horses? If you stumble in safe country, how will you manage in the thickets by the Jordan? Your relatives, members of your own family— even they have betrayed you; they have raised a loud cry against you. Do not trust them, though they speak well of you. I will forsake my house, abandon My inheritance; I will give the one I love into the hands of her enemies. My inheritance has become to Me like a lion in the forest. She roars at me; therefore I hate her. Has not my inheritance become to me like a speckled bird of prey that other birds of prey surround and attack? Go and gather all the wild beasts; bring them to devour. Many shepherds will ruin My vineyard and trample down My field; they will turn my pleasant field into a desolate wasteland. It will be made a wasteland, parched and desolate before Me; the whole land will be laid waste because there is no one who cares. Over all the barren heights in the desert destroyers will swarm, for the sword of the LORD will devour from one end of the land to the other; no one will be safe. They will sow wheat but reap thorns; they will wear themselves out but gain nothing. They will bear the shame of their harvest because of the LORD’s fierce anger. This is what the LORD says: “As for all my wicked neighbors who seize the inheritance I gave my people Israel, I will uproot them from their lands and I will uproot the people of Judah from among them. But after I uproot them, I will again have compassion and will bring each of them back to their own inheritance and their own country. And if they learn well the ways of My people and swear by My name, saying, ‘As surely as the LORD lives’—even as they once taught My people to swear by Baal—then they will be established among my people. But if any nation does not listen, I will completely uproot and destroy it,” declares the LORD. Amen. May the Lord ass a blessing to the reading and hearing of His Word.

In the previous four (4) verses Jeremiah was lamenting how it appeared that the evil doers prospered and basically God's response is that Jeremiah had to learn how to take the heat or get out the kitchen. God also brought some light to Jeremiah's complaint reminding him, that those folk who he was admiring for worldly riches would soon have their lives torn from them because of their disobedience; so while Jeremiah is busy wanting to be on the other side of the fence God was reminding him that in due season, that fence would be torn down, trampled, stepped on and the people put to ruination. This whole disobedience of the chosen ones greatly troubled God; their propensity for worshipping idols and false gods weighed heavily on our God. His heart is broken because His promise to Abraham was continually being challenged by Abraham's descendant so much so God is now opening the door to the "promise" to the Gentiles, "As surely as the LORD lives’—even as they once taught My people to swear by Baal—then they will be established among my people."  I praise God for that foresightfulness and His plan that all should benefit the inheritance He promised to Abraham through the sacrifice of Christ the Lord. Hallelujah!

Be careful when looking over the fence that you do not get confused with the landscape. Most of us have enough junk in of own backyard to deal with to be worried about the junk in someone elses yard. When we commit a request to God, He will honor that request and provide the abundance when we are ready to receive it. When it will further our Kingdom building efforts and more will come to know Him because of the light that shines in our life. As CChristians, we are to take on the entire armor of God daily so that we can fight the Good Fight and others will come to know God through us. Be encouraged and allow God's work to take hold in your life.

Now, may the LORD bless you and keep you; may the LORD make His face to shine on you and be gracious to you; may the LORD turn His face toward you and give you peace.

Stephanie

With What Do You Measure God's Love?

Good day to all on this 26th day of September. I had an entire weekend at home!!!!!!! Didn't know what to do with myself so Waine and I entertained which we hadn't done in more than a "minute". The weather is just so great! Its days like this that remind me why we love living in Georgia so much. Waine and I fellowshipped with friends at their church yesterday and were blessed! I was home by 10:30 AM and had the whole day ahead of me which was also wonderful. The pastor also taught from Jeremiah but not a passage I have come to yet so now I am looking forward to it. Also, two different people recommended that I read "Cutting for Stone". I haven't started reading it but wanted to pass on the recommendation.

I am continuing my journey in Jeremiah 12, verses 1-5 " You are always righteous, LORD, when I bring a case before you. Yet I would speak with You about Your justice: Why does the way of the wicked prosper? Why do all the faithless live at ease? You have planted them, and they have taken root; they grow and bear fruit. You are always on their lips but far from their hearts. Yet You know me, LORD; You see me and test my thoughts about You. Drag them off like sheep to be butchered! Set them apart for the day of slaughter! How long will the land lie parched and the grass in every field be withered? Because those who live in it are wicked, the animals and birds have perished. Moreover, the people are saying, “He will not see what happens to us.” Wow. May the Lord add a blessing and understanding to the reading and hearing of His Words!

Do you think Jeremiah was a little miffed? Here he is preaching and living the Word of God and it seems that all the idolaters are prospering even though they do not obey God. Boy was this a revelation for me!  I often have these thoughts and often wonder why people prosper who have not given their lives over to God. I look at the people on Wall Street; look at the people in power and I have had the same conversation with God. At times I find myself in a "pity party" until the Holy Spirit remind me of the "measuring spoon" that I am using. The Holy Spirit also reminds me that I cannot appreciate my own bountiful garden when I am busy looking over the fence at someone elses' garden. The Holy Spirit then also CONVICTS me as to where my treasure lies and then I am humbled. These last several months have been a tour of my faith and the power of my faith. No one can write the end of any of  my "stories" just me and God and I truly praise God for reminding me daily of His Divine presence and intervention in my life and the lives of my family. If you have been measuring your blessings using any thing other than the FULL MEASURE OF GOD's GRACE then I would suggest you retire that spoon and ask God to really reveal all the blessing you are provided daily.  Get you head and heart into the Love of Jesus and I can guarantee you that your cup will run over!

Now may the LORD bless you and keep you; may the LORD make His face shine on you and be gracious to you; may the LORD turn His face toward you and give you peace. Amen

God Has Your Back!

Good morning to all on this 20th day of September. Where has the year gone? My husband is always saying that the older he gets the more time seems to fly. This year certainly has flown by for us. Waine and I are in Atlanta and will enjoy a rare weekend at home and I am thanking God for this blessing. Its just good to wake up in your own bed sometimes. The weather in Atlanta has gone from triple digits to double digits and you can actually wake up and open your windows in the morning and again at night. Please continue to keep the US in your prayers and President Obama in your prayers. You know that God tells us to "owe no man anything except to love him". I am thinking that the debt problem we are having in America is a result of our sin and reliance on a lesser god, money. I am also thinking that America, and indeed the world, should turn to the one and only true God so that this monetary crisis can be solved.

That being said, I am continuing my journey in Jeremiah verses 18-23, "Because the LORD revealed their plot to me, I knew it, for at that time He showed me what they were doing. I had been like a gentle lamb led to the slaughter; I did not realize that they had plotted against me, saying, 'Let us destroy the tree and its fruit; let us cut him off from the land of the living, that his name be remembered no more.' But you, LORD Almighty, who judge righteously and test the heart and mind, let me see Your vengeance on them, for to You I have committed my cause. Therefore this is what the LORD says about the people of Anathoth who are threatening to kill you, saying, “Do not prophesy in the name of the LORD or you will die by our hands” therefore this is what the LORD Almighty says: “I will punish them. Their young men will die by the sword, their sons and daughters by famine. Not even a remnant will be left to them, because I will bring disaster on the people of Anathoth in the year of their punishment.” May the Lord add a blessing to the reading and hearing of His Word.

When men and women of God bring forth the Gospel we should expect to be talked about and plotted against. Satan cannot stand that the Word of God be preached to all the nations because that would mean his dominance and dominion in eternity is diminished. Remember that Lucifer fell because he wanted to be greater than his Creator. Instead of worshipping his Creator, he wanted the Creator and all the angels to worship him. His quest and struggle continues even today. There are so many 'gods" that are offered as role models to worship. I recently heard an NPR news articles that interviewed teenagers in Portland and Seattle who were actually idolizing Kurt Cobain, the rock and roll musician who abused drugs and then committed suicide. These teens were actually describing this disturbed musician as someone who should be revered and honored. I immediately began to pray for these kids because that level of confusion only comes from satan.

I also couldn't help but think that we as Christians are not doing our best at Kingdom building if our youth make demi-gods from the likes of rock and roll artists, sports athletes, movie and television stars. Christ and His message is not getting to the masses and because their lives have a void it gets filled with the "trash" of the world instead of the Good News that Christ died for our sins WHILE WE WERE YET SINNERS. If you really stop and think about it what else could the world want if it really understood the Message of the Good News! The message of Grace and Mercy has to get out to this world so that our children will not be defiled by the evil one. Trust me, the world is becoming a very hostile place for Christians and the good that you would do is not going to be appreciated by many, but if its absorbed by ONE then that is one more person that will know the  Love of God.

In my quiet time I pray for God's blessings of salvation and prosperity on those that have harmed me or grieved me. It took me a while but in so doing I have changed myself. There is less junk in my trunk. Just like Jeremiah, as obedient servants of Christ, we have to press on to deliver the Good News regardless of the consequences that people want to scare you with. God has you back, front, top, bottom and sides and He will take care of your enemies. When God fights your battles they are fought indeed. Don't get distracted today with the "noise" level of the world. Instead let your light so shine that others may come out of the darkness into the light. Be blessed today.

Now may the LORD bless you and keep you; may the LORD make His face to shine on you and be gracious to you; may the LORD turn His face toward you and give you peace!

Stephanie



Breaking Your Covenant With God

Good morning to all on this 13th day of September. I hadn't realized that it has been 12 days since my last posting. No excuses. Waine and I are in Atlanta and enjoying the cool mornings that the fall brings. It has been a welcomed respite from the triple digit weather we have been experiencing in the South. We spent the last weekend with Kai and Hailie and their parents. They are two of the most enjoyable kids ever. Hailie can light up a room with her smile and Kai has Freddie beat for the "affection meter". My sister Velma drove from Miami to be with us and I appreciated her warmth and love for Freddie and his family. This is the age that I really enjoy my grand children and we are looking forward to Melanie and her family joining us for Thanksgiving. It is a real commitment on their part as they trek from Portland. Their presence will make this an especially memorable Thanksgiving.  God is teaching me daily about FAITH--the ability to believe in the substance of my prayers before they happen. I thought I had learned that lesson but since God is still revealing His truths in this area to me I accept His blessing and thank Him in advance for my abundance.

I am continuing my journey in Jeremiah 11, verses 6-17 "The LORD said to me, “Proclaim all these words in the towns of Judah and in the streets of Jerusalem: ‘Listen to the terms of this covenant and follow them. From the time I brought your ancestors up from Egypt until today, I warned them again and again, saying, “Obey Me.”  But they did not listen or pay attention; instead, they followed the stubbornness of their evil hearts. So I brought on them all the curses of the covenant I had commanded them to follow but that they did not keep. Then the LORD said to me, “There is a conspiracy among the people of Judah and those who live in Jerusalem. They have returned to the sins of their ancestors, who refused to listen to My words. They have followed other gods to serve them. Both Israel and Judah have broken the covenant I made with their ancestors. Therefore this is what the LORD says: ‘I will bring on them a disaster they cannot escape. Although they cry out to me, I will not listen to them. The towns of Judah and the people of Jerusalem will go and cry out to the gods to whom they burn incense, but they will not help them at all when disaster strikes. You, Judah, have as many gods as you have towns; and the altars you have set up to burn incense to that shameful god Baal are as many as the streets of Jerusalem. Do not pray for this people or offer any plea or petition for them, because I will not listen when they call to me in the time of their distress. What is my beloved doing in My temple as she, with many others, works out her evil schemes? Can consecrated meat avert your punishment? When you engage in your wickedness, then you rejoice. The LORD called you a thriving olive tree with fruit beautiful in form. But with the roar of a mighty storm He will set it on fire, and its branches will be broken. The LORD Almighty, who planted you, has decreed disaster for you, because the people of both Israel and Judah have done evil and aroused My anger by burning incense to Baal." Amen and may the Lord add a blessing to the reading and hearing of His Words.

These physical descendants of Abraham were given a COVENANT with God, Jehovah. The covenant was a PROMISE and had conditions - 1) love and serve the One True God, Jehovah and 2) obey His commandments. Now these physical children of Abraham were great at recording history and teaching them to their young. They knew the story of Abraham, of Moses and of Arron. They knew that they as a people were provided a covenant with God because of the faithfulness of Abraham and their other forefathers and what do they do? They start worshipping other gods and disobeying God Jehovah. They broke the covenant and in these series of verses God is telling Jeremiah to tell the Israelites that they would suffer the consequences of this breach in the Covenant. Just as Adam and Eve suffered the consequences of breaking their covenant with God, so too would the children of Israel. There is a lesson in this. God never breaks His covenants and covenants always comes with conditions.

We are the spiritual descendant of Abraham and we too have a covenant with God through Christ. The conditions are the same - 1) love and serve the One True God, Jehovah through Jesus the Christ and 2) obey His commandment to love one another just as we have been loved by God through Christ. When we breach this covenant relationship we allow calamity to enter our lives AND block the abundance that God has REALIZED for us. You see, we never have to wait on God for His portion of the Covenant with us. Once He speaks the covenant (eternal life through acceptance of His Son, Jesus the Christ) God has deposited His portion into our Spiritual bank. So why are there so many stressed out, unhappy Christians?  Simply put, we don't believe the Promise. We talk the Pomise but don't walk the Promise. We are always looking to FULFILL for some future date the result of the covenant when all we have to do is CLAIM AND THEN ACCEPT THE COVENANT BLESSING. I am reminded of the children of the Exodus. The Promised Land could be seen all during the time they wandered in the wilderness. A journey that took 40 YEARS was meant to take 2 days. Why?? The sins of the Children of Exodus!!

What "40 year" journey are you on? Tired of traveling. Tired of looking for your abundant future. Then STOP, DROP and ROLL and proclaim this day that your abundance has arrived! Hallelujah and I pray that you will realize this day the abundance that God has for you, not in the future but today.

Now may the LORD bless you and keep you; may the LORD make His face shine on you and be gracious to you; may the LORD turn His face toward you and give you peace. Amen.

Stephanie

The Covenant, Jesus the Christ

Good morning to all. I just finished reading the "Help" today and was inspired to Blog about what I gleaned. I had to keep reminding myself that this was a White woman writing in the voice of Black women. It wasn't just the Ebonics; it was the unspoken connotations of what Aibileen and the other maids shared with the reader, which came out of the mouth of the White author, Kathryn Stockett. How can this be I ask myself and the words of Aibileen came back to me - we are all the same people underneath it all. Don't I wish more white people embraced this concept!  We all have the potential to be all the characters in this novel given the correct circumstances. Having said all of that, the South (white southerns) have gotten rich off the free labor of Black people and there has never been any reparations. Perhaps this Ms. Stockett should go ahead and pay the real Aibileen her $75,000 as her contribution to the reparations that never happened for my forefathers or to the forefathers of many of you. Anyway, its still a good read and I think the younger generation of African Americans should also read it to understand that we come from a people that did not rely on Welfare--we worked hard and made do with very little. This cancer/opium of Welfare just serves to enslave poor people and supports the middle class and allows wealthy Americans that broker poverty programs on Wall Street to get that much richer. If the cycle of poverty is going to be broken it has to be broken by people who have an investment in the future of African American, Hispanic American, Native Americans and all impoverished Americans.

Enough with my soap box, I am continuing my journey in Jeremiah 11: 1-5 "This is the Word that came to Jeremiah from the LORD: Listen to the terms of this covenant and tell them to the people of Judah and to those who live in Jerusalem. Tell them that this is what the LORD, the God of Israel, says: ‘Cursed is the one who does not obey the terms of this covenant— the terms I commanded your ancestors when I brought them out of Egypt, out of the iron-smelting furnace.’ I said, ‘Obey Me and do everything I command you, and you will be my people, and I will be your God.  Then I will fulfill the oath I swore to your ancestors, to give them a land flowing with milk and honey’—the land you possess today.” I answered, “Amen, LORD.”

The Lord is reminding Jeremiah of the Covenant that was made between God and Abraham and extended through Moses. The right to be "chosen" was predicated on the children of Israel obeying God's commandments. Since this conversation predates the birth, death and resurrection of Christ, God is instructing Jeremiah to remind the children of Israel that the covenant is fulfilled through the life and breath of the Ten Commandments. What this also means, specifically to the tribe of Judah, is that they were not fulfilling their relationship covenant with God by embracing the 10 Commandments which is important for this tribe because the mortal lineage of Christ would be established through this tribe. God knows this; He already has a plan in place to bring Jesus forward, so He has to find the faithful few that He can rely on to embrace Him as God and He embrace them as His flock.

It is not so different today. God is looking for the faithful few who have embrace the Covenant through Jesus. When we are distracted by the world, we cannot concentrate on the Kingdom building job we have on a daily basis. When our own needs supersedes those of God, we are very much like the people to whom Jeremiah was preaching to. If the Fruits of the Spirit are not evident in your life for all to see, then the Covenant with the Promise cannot be manifest in your life until you move on toward the life Christ died for.

Now may the LORD bless you and keep you; may the LORD make His face to shine on you and be gracious to you; may the LORD turn His face toward you and give you peace.

Stephanie

Lord Discipline Me but Not in Your Anger.

Good day to all on this Sunday the 28th of August. Waine and I are in Upson, GA this weekend and as I write this blog, he is competing in a golf tournament so I am anticipating that he did well and will be anxious to tell me all about his day.  I had a good work out today; I use these weekend jaunts to catch-up on my cardio and my reading. I purchased "The Help" on my Kindle reader and although I am not enamored with the author or her motivations, the story is a good read. Freddie and Tracy just sent me a video of Hailie playing in the bath tub and saying Oh-oh. Where does the time past. My grandchildren can light up my face on a cloudy day and I thank God for them. Thank you for your prayers for K. She is fine and her baby boy is also okay. Please pray for their complete recovery. I am reminded everyday how God takes care of us all. He sends the rain for the just and un-just. He provides shelter from the storms of life. I just get goose pimples when I am reminded of His awesome love for me.  Koichi had a birthday on August 26th and is staring in the face of the big 50 next year! He's getting old.

I am continuing my journey in Jeremiah 10, verses 17 - 25 "Gather up your belongings to leave the land, you who live under siege for this is what the LORD says: At this time I will hurl out those who live in this land; I will bring distress on them so that they may be captured. Woe to me because of my injury! My wound is incurable! Yet I said to myself, This is my sickness, and I must endure it.  My tent is destroyed; all its ropes are snapped. My children are gone from me and are no more; no one is left now to pitch my tent or to set up my shelter. The shepherds are senseless and do not inquire of the LORD; so they do not prosper and all their flock is scattered. Listen! The report is coming— a great commotion from the land of the north! It will make the towns of Judah desolate, a haunt of jackals. "LORD, I know that people’s lives are not their own; it is not for them to direct their steps. Discipline me, LORD, but only in due measure— not in your anger, or you will reduce me to nothing. Pour out your wrath on the nations that do not acknowledge you, on the peoples who do not call on your name. For they have devoured Jacob; they have devoured him completely and destroyed his homeland." May the Lord add a blessing to the reading and hearing of His Word. "LORD DISCIPLINE ME NOT IN YOUR ANGER!"

Jeremiah has been having a tough time for 10 chapters delivering the Word of God to a disobedient people. He knows first hand that the people of Israel cannot exist without the love of God on their side but yet they will not give up the worship of idols to serve only God. Jeremiah has seen, first hand the wrath of God and in these verses he has finally realized that he too is probably not without sin so he prays for the discipline of God but not through anger but through Love. Hallelujah! Jeremiah has a personal relationship with God. He had to, to request that God not destroy him with His anger and Jeremiah had no problem asking that God discipline him but not in anger.  Have you ever asked God to give you a "pass" on some area of your life in which you have been disobedient? The first time I heard this concept was from a friend of mine in Madison, Wisconsin. We were praying and she asked God for a "pass". I am like, this is very revolutionary. You know you are wrong; you didn't handle something with the love of God in your heart. You acknowledge and ask God for a "pass". You know what? His Grace and Mercy is available to give you a pass. He only desires that we acknowledge our sin; move from it and let the Fruits of the Spirit shine through us. He doesn't want us to dwell on our sins; He wants us to ask for forgiveness and move on. He wants to however, let us know that our sins will block the abundance of life He wants to provide for us. So now you have another resource. Ask God to discipline you but not in anger. There is Power in the Name of Jesus and He will give you the "pass" that you need at any point you ask for it! Amen and hallelujah!

Now may the LORD bless you and keep you; may the LORD make His face to shine on you and be gracious to you; may the LORD turn His face toward you and give you peace!

Stephanie

The Lord Almighty is His Name!

Good morning to all on this Tuesday morning. Waine and I are safely back in Atlanta and I was compelled to praise God this morning even as I opened my eyes. He is such a good God and will heal any wrong if we just let Him. I am saddened by so many people who are not loved and have no safe havens for love. Those of us who are loved can never take for granted the love that is shared with us by those close and far. I am overwhelmed with how blessed Waine and I are to have family and friends who love and care about us and I wanted to thank God and you. Please pray for K and her baby. Pray for their safety and healing.

I am continuing my journey in Jeremiah 10 verses 1-16 "Hear what the LORD says to you, people of Israel. This is what the LORD says: Do not learn the ways of the nations or be terrified by signs in the heavens, though the nations are terrified by them. For the practices of the peoples are worthless; they cut a tree out of the forest, and a craftsman shapes it with his chisel. They adorn it with silver and gold; they fasten it with hammer and nails so it will not totter. Like a scarecrow in a cucumber field, their idols cannot speak; they must be carried because they cannot walk. Do not fear them; they can do no harm nor can they do any good. No one is like You, LORD; You are great, and Your Name is mighty in power. Who should not fear you, King of the nations? This is your due. Among all the wise leaders of the nations and in all their kingdoms, there is no one like you. They are all senseless and foolish; they are taught by worthless wooden idols. Hammered silver is brought from Tarshish and gold from Uphaz. What the craftsman and goldsmith have made is then dressed in blue and purple— all made by skilled workers. But the LORD is the true God; He is the living God, the eternal King. When He is angry, the earth trembles; the nations cannot endure His wrath. Tell them this: ‘These gods, who did not make the heavens and the earth, will perish from the earth and from under the heavens. But God made the earth by His power;  He founded the world by His wisdom and stretched out the heavens by His understanding. When He thunders, the waters in the heavens roar;  He makes clouds rise from the ends of the earth. He sends lightning with the rain and brings out the wind from His storehouses. Everyone is senseless and without knowledge; every goldsmith is shamed by his idols. The images he makes are a fraud; they have no breath in them. They are worthless, the objects of mockery; when their judgment comes, they will perish. He who is the Portion of Jacob is not like these, for He is the Maker of all things, including Israel, the people of His inheritance— the LORD Almighty is His name." Amen!

There is Power in the NAME of Jesus! Some folk don't understand that by just saying the Name of Jesus you can cause the World to Stand still! We serve a mighty and gracious God. The Children of Israel did not See this God as I do. They crafted images to worship from wood, gold and silver without ever thinking Who made these elements possible for them to even craft such images. In our day and time, people worship the wind, the air, the rain and miss the fact that God I serve made the earth with His Power. He SPOKE and then there was the firmament; He SPOKE and parted the waters from the firmament; He SPOKE and hung the stars; He SPOKE and the sun shone. In stead of worshipping the CREATOR,  fools worship what the CREATOR created and I ask myself WHY? BECAUSE SATAN WILL HAVE YOU BELIEVE IN CHANCE. Satan understands that your folly will continue to confuse you and in your confusion Satan wins. You see, we all have an innate need to worship and believe in a Power higher than ourselves. For some it is money; for some it is power; for some it is outward beauty and the pursuit of it--people need to worship something.  What God wants us to do is worship Him. This is the sole reason we were created! Align our interests with His and worship the Master, Who when He thunders, the waters in the heavens roar!  Hallelujah! Isn't that a wonderful statement! When our God thunders, the waters in the heavens roar. What a mighty God we serve! What is even more awesome is that we matter to Him just as the children of Israel did. He never gave up on them and has not and will not give up on us.  The world needs Jesus today and what are you going to do about it? Be about kingdom building today.

Now may the LORD bless you and keep you; may the LORD make His face shine on you and be gracious to you; may the LORD turn His face toward you and give you peace. Be blessed today because God ordains it.

Stephanie