Good morning to all on this glorious Sunday morning! Waine and I are in Hawkinsville and the weather has been above 80 everyday. The Dogwoods and azaleas are in full bloom! My sister, Velma, was having chest pain last night so I directed her to the ER. All her tests were normal, thank God and she is still among us. As I waited on her test results, being so far away, I had to rely on God's promises and my faith that she would be fine. Her daughter who lives in Miami where Velma lives ordinarily would be available to be with her, but was babysitting for Tracy and Freddie in Orlando; Velma had to rely on her faith and her resolve that no matter what happens she would either be on this side of Jordan with Christ or if she crossed over would awake in paradise. Hallelujah even when you don't know what the future holds, if you know the One that holds the future you can be calm in the midst of a storm. I thank God for just being God and taking care of each of us and especially my sister. This thing we call Life is very fleeting on this side of Jordan. If you are quarreling with someone, let it go and embrace the power of love that lives within you as your reasonable obedient service to God.
I am continuing my journey in Jeremiah 23 verses 1-8 “Woe to the shepherds who are destroying and scattering the sheep of My pasture! declares the LORD. Therefore this is what the LORD, the God of Israel, says to the shepherds who tend My people: Because you have scattered My flock and driven them away and have not bestowed care on them, I will bestow punishment on you for the evil you have done,” declares the LORD. I myself will gather the remnant of My flock out of all the countries where I have driven them and will bring them back to their pasture, where they will be fruitful and increase in number. I will place shepherds over them who will tend them, and they will no longer be afraid or terrified, nor will any be missing, declares the LORD. The days are coming, declares the LORD, when I will raise up for David a Righteous Branch, a King who will reign wisely and do what is just and right in the land. In His days Judah will be saved and Israel will live in safety. This is the name by which He will be called: The LORD Our Righteous Savior. So then, the days are coming, declares the LORD, when people will no longer say, ‘As surely as the LORD lives, who brought the Israelites up out of Egypt,’ but they will say, ‘As surely as the LORD lives, who brought the descendants of Israel up out of the land of the north and out of all the countries where He had banished them.’ Then they will live in their own land.” Amen. May the Lord add a blessing to the reading and hearing of His Word.
Isn't it great that we serve and know a God that always has a plan! For 22 chapters we have heard and felt the lament of God and Jeremiah over the sinfulness of the Israelites. We have grieved with God that the Israelites allowed themselves to sink into idolatry, turning their face away from God and the Promise made to Abraham. And yet God already had a plan for them and us! He was already planning on the Birth of Christ through the lineage of David--the Righteous Branch, Jesus the Christ. God had already named Him even though it would be hundreds of years before the birth of Christ! God not only knows about your today's, He knows and holds your tomorrows which is why he admonishes us to live in the moment and let tomorrow take care of itself. When we are always living in tomorrow, we will miss the lessons that have to be learned today so that we can embrace tomorrow. Anxiety is often upon us because we are using the "shekels" of today to pay for tomorrow. Can't be done. We have enough shekels to pay for today and today only; I don't care if you are a pauper or a prince YOU only have enough for today because tomorrow is literally not promised to you. My sister faced this reality yesterday.
How much more can we glean from today if our faith is directed to the tasks at hand minute by minute. How much happier would you be as you focus on the blessings of just today. Don't let Satan rob you of your joy and peace today because he has you focused on tomorrow. God has blessed you this day with abundance, enjoy it. A word to those false prophets who mis-lead the world. There is a reckoning for you as well. If you have been deceived to believe that there is no God the punishment that awaits the false prophets will be great because God just said so in these verses. We who know the truth need not shrink from it. Be bold in your faith today because God is real and His mercy and grace abounds because while the Israelites were yet in sin, while we were yet in sin, while I was yet in sin God had a plan that all my tomorrows would be lived in abundunce. The Rightoues King Jesus, Savior of the world, is as real today as He was 2000+ years ago. His message of love and redemption can be embraced by this sin sick world if we who know the truth will only just let our life Shine in the security of our faith. Don't let the Great Deceiver have your worried about what might happen tomorrow and rob you of the joy of 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.
Stephanie
No comments:
Post a Comment