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
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