God's Timing

Good morning to all on this Sunday morning. As I write this Blog entry I hear the pitter patter of little feet and cherubic voices. Kai and Hailie are in Thomaston this weekend. I was about getting them ready to go to Atlanta and decided that I need to feed my Spirit first.  Waine was honored in Akron, Ohio last night so will meet us in Atlanta. I awoke with a lot of thanksgiving in my soul for today. I have been reminded in the last several weeks just to trust that God will see me through each day. It has made me much more reflective and calm. I thank God for this day and I thank Him for the gentleness with which he transforms me. I thank Him for good friends and family and I thank Him must of all for my husband who loves me completely.

 

I am continuing my journey in 2 Peter 3 verses 1-18, "Dear friends, this is now my second letter to you. I have written both of them as reminders to stimulate you to wholesome thinking.  I want you to recall the words spoken in the past by the holy prophets and the command given by our Lord and Savior through your apostles.  Above all, you must understand that in the last days scoffers will come, scoffing and following their own evil desires.  They will say, “Where is this ‘coming’ he promised? Ever since our ancestors died, everything goes on as it has since the beginning of creation.”  But they deliberately forget that long ago by God’s Word the heavens came into being and the earth was formed out of water and by water.  By these waters also the world of that time was deluged and destroyed.  By the same Word the present heavens and earth are reserved for fire, being kept for the day of judgment and destruction of the ungodly.  But do not forget this one thing, dear friends: With the Lord a day is like a thousand years, and a thousand years are like a day.  The Lord is not slow in keeping His promise, as some understand slowness. Instead He is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance.  But the day of the Lord will come like a thief. The heavens will disappear with a roar; the elements will be destroyed by fire, and the earth and everything done in it will be laid bare.Since everything will be destroyed in this way, what kind of people ought you to be? You ought to live holy and godly lives as you look forward to the day of God and speed its coming. That day will bring about the destruction of the heavens by fire, and the elements will melt in the heat.  But in keeping with His promise we are looking forward to a new heaven and a new earth, where righteousness dwells. So then, dear friends, since you are looking forward to this, make every effort to be found spotless, blameless and at peace with Him. Bear in mind that our Lord’s patience means salvation, just as our dear brother Paul also wrote you with the wisdom that God gave him. He writes the same way in all his letters, speaking in them of these matters. His letters contain some things that are hard to understand, which ignorant and unstable people distort, as they do the other Scriptures, to their own destruction.  Therefore, dear friends, since you have been forewarned, be on your guard so that you may not be carried away by the error of the lawless and fall from your secure position. But grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. To Him be glory both now and forever! Amen." May the Lord add a blessing to the reading and hearing of His Word!

 

There is so much strife in life. As I am writing this Blog I am listening to NPR in the background explaining the contentious fight at the House and Senate concerning the budget and the Affordable Care Act. It seems that this world feeds on contention. What Peter is saying is do not be fooled by the chatter. What God promises in His Word is true and will come to pass. You will not know these promises unless you read His word which is why I have been committed to read and understand the Bible. During times of uncertainty and stress it is only my understanding of His promises; His Grace and Mercy that keep me focused and by faith trusting that He loves me and wants only for my BEST. Not as I define it but as He has ordained it. When we are not still enough to reflect on His vision for our lives then He will stop TIME as it were to get our attention. I find my self in such a Spiritual Time Warp. It doesn't feel pleasant but I am trusting and without evidence of m ultimate success. Having said all of that I know the God who made Heaven and Earth for me; for all of us. His promises are never for our destruction but for our success. We just have to be patient to see His timing through for our lives! Hallelujah--Trusting in the Promises of God. Thank you Lord for this revelation and thank you that you love even me. Reflect on God's timing 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

 

 

 

Taste the Lord for He is Good

Good morning to all on the Glorious Sunday morning. Waine and I are in Thomaston this morning and he has just gone to play golf. This is my last day on call after 8 days so I will be near the hospital all morning. I wanted to sit with God this morning before I got busy doing other things. The calm of the morning is always GOOD!

 

I am continuing my journey with Peter in 1 Peter 2, verses 1 - 25 " Therefore, rid yourselves of all malice and all deceit, hypocrisy, envy, and slander of every kind. Like newborn babies, crave pure spiritual milk, so that by it you may grow up in your salvation, now that you have tasted that the Lord is good.  As you come to Him, the living Stone—rejected by humans but chosen by God and precious to Him— you also, like living stones, are being built into a spiritual house to be a holy priesthood, offering spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ. For in Scripture it says: “See, I lay a stone in Zion, a chosen and precious cornerstone, and the one who trusts in Him will never be put to shame.” Now to you who believe, this Stone is precious. But to those who do not believe, "The Stone the builders rejected has become the Cornerstone,"  and, “A stone that causes people to stumble  and a rock that makes them fall.” They stumble because they disobey the message—which is also what they were destined for. But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, God’s special possession, that you may declare the praises of Him who called you out of darkness into His wonderful light. Once you were not a people, but now you are the people of God; once you had not received mercy, but now you have received mercy. 

 

Dear friends, I urge you, as foreigners and exiles, to abstain from sinful desires, which wage war against your soul.  Live such good lives among the pagans that, though they accuse you of doing wrong, they may see your good deeds and glorify God on the day He visits us.  Submit yourselves for the Lord’s sake to every human authority: whether to the emperor, as the supreme authority,  or to governors, who are sent by him to punish those who do wrong and to commend those who do right.  For it is God’s will that by doing good you should silence the ignorant talk of foolish people.  Live as free people, but do not use your freedom as a cover-up for evil; live as God’s slaves.  Show proper respect to everyone, love the family of believers, fear God, honor the emperor.  Slaves, in reverent fear of God submit yourselves to your masters, not only to those who are good and considerate, but also to those who are harsh.  For it is commendable if someone bears up under the pain of unjust suffering because they are conscious of God.  But how is it to your credit if you receive a beating for doing wrong and endure it? But if you suffer for doing good and you endure it, this is commendable before God.  To this you were called, because Christ suffered for you, leaving you an example, that you should follow in His steps.  "He committed no sin, and no deceit was found in His mouth.”  When they hurled their insults at Him, He did not retaliate; when He suffered, He made no threats. Instead, He entrusted Himself to Him who judges justly. “He himself bore our sins” in His body on the cross, so that we might die to sins and live for righteousness; “by His wounds you have been healed.” For “you were like sheep going astray,”but now you have returned to the Shepherd and Overseer of your souls." Amen and may the Lord add a blessing to the reading and hearing of His Word.

 

I have been going through a Spiritual growth phase lately. I prayed a while ago that God would help me discard all those qualities in me that prevented me from enjoying the abundant life He planned for me, even before I was conceived in my mother's womb and even before I was named. God has been working with me to rid myself of false pride and instead embrace the truth that resides in a committed walk with Him. All of the easy issues have come and gone and now He is working on the "hard core" stuff that I have been holding onto and the process is painful. I know that I should submit and release so that I can be at PEACE but yet I struggle. Who was to know that He would speak to me through these verses this morning. I actually laughed out loud. The burden is not totally lifted but score 1 for God as the Devil has been rebuked this morning. You see the Devil will have you believe that during tough times God has abandoned us. The truth is  He is ALWAYS THERE WITH US! We can't see Him because we are blinded by Sin. When you rebuke the Devil the cloud is removed from your eyes and as you step out on FAITH, your life is that much sweeter. Those that mean to harm you cannot touch you. Those that mean things for your destruction will not win. Instead God uses every event in your life to give you ultimate victory if you just keep your eyes on the Cross. When we suffer in this life because of our own stupidity, we will at times bear the consequences but even then, even then God only allows so much to happen to you. Praise God! Hallelujah! Nothing stops His plan for your life not even you! O' taste the Lord for He is Good. Thank you Jesus! Thank you Lord.

 

To know Him is to Love Him! To Love Him is to Serve Him. To Serve Him is to Love His People. 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.

Birth into a Living Hope!

Good morning to all on this fall Sunday. Waine and I are in Hawkinsville and got a chance to go out and walk for an hour. What a treat!! These walks are so meaningful for me. We talk about everything from soups to nuts. My Great Nephew Kenzo celebrated his 1st birthday yesterday. My sister was thrilled. My mother and father will continue to live in all of their children and grandchildren.

 

I am starting my journey with Peter, an apostle of Jesus Christ. 1 Peter 1 verses 1- 25, " To God’s elect, exiles scattered throughout the provinces of Pontus, Galatia, Cappadocia, Asia and Bithynia, who have been chosen according to the foreknowledge of God the Father, through the sanctifying work of the Spirit, to be obedient to Jesus Christ and sprinkled with his blood. Grace and peace be yours in abundance.  Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! In His great mercy He has given us new birth into a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead,  and into an inheritance that can never perish, spoil or fade. This inheritance is kept in heaven for you, who through faith are shielded by God’s power until the coming of the salvation that is ready to be revealed in the last time.  In all this you greatly rejoice, though now for a little while you may have had to suffer grief in all kinds of trials.  These have come so that the proven genuineness of your faith—of greater worth than gold, which perishes even though refined by fire—may result in praise, glory and honor when Jesus Christ is revealed. Though you have not seen Him, you love Him; and even though you do not see Him now, you believe in Him and are filled with an inexpressible and glorious joy,  for you are receiving the end result of your faith, the salvation of your souls.

 

Concerning this salvation, the prophets, who spoke of the grace that was to come to you, searched intently and with the greatest care,  trying to find out the time and circumstances to which the Spirit of Christ in them was pointing when He predicted the sufferings of the Messiah and the glories that would follow.  It was revealed to them that they were not serving themselves but you, when they spoke of the things that have now been told you by those who have preached the gospel to you by the Holy Spirit sent from heaven. Even angels long to look into these things.

 

Therefore, with minds that are alert and fully sober, set your hope on the grace to be brought to you when Jesus Christ is revealed at His coming. As obedient children, do not conform to the evil desires you had when you lived in ignorance.  But just as He who called you is holy, so be holy in all you do; for it is written: “Be holy, because I am holy.”  Since you call on a Father who judges each person’s work impartially, live out your time as foreigners here in reverent fear. For you know that it was not with perishable things such as silver or gold that you were redeemed from the empty way of life handed down to you from your ancestors, but with the precious blood of Christ, a lamb without blemish or defect.  He was chosen before the creation of the world, but was revealed in these last times for your sake.  Through Him you believe in God, who raised Him from the dead and glorified Him, and so your faith and hope are in God.  Now that you have purified yourselves by obeying the truth so that you have sincere love for each other, love one another deeply, from the heart. For you have been born again, not of perishable seed, but of imperishable, through the living and enduring Word of God.  For, “All people are like grass, and all their glory is like the flowers of the field; the grass withers and the flowers fall,  but the Word of the Lord endures forever.”And this is the Word that was preached to you." Amen and may the Lord add a blessing to the reading and hearing of His Word.

 

Waine and I watch CBS Sunday Morning most Sunday's. One of this morning's features was on a Rockefeller granddaughter who just wrote a book on the joys and perils of being a Rockefeller. When asked about her inheritance, she answered that she doesn't count her money. She acted annoyed that anyone would wonder how much  money she had or what her net worth was. This is the same answer people like Bill Gates and Warren Buffet give--i.e. they have so much wealth that they leave the counting to others!

 

It struck me that I have a similar inheritance and birthright. My spiritual inheritance is so vast that I need not count it--however I can COUNT on it whenever I want or need to. I was born into a Living Hope and Inheritance made possible by the death and resurrection of Jesus the Christ.   When I claim this inheritance I am FREE to live the life talked about in the scriptures. When you are FREE of worry and strife you can take a deep breath and have PEACE. Unlike this Rockefeller our inheritance will never perish or tarnish. Our inheritance is Living  and nourishes our spirit on a daily basis. There is true power in this Living Hope. We need not be weary or tired; we need not be a afraid of tomorrow or today. Have you claimed your birthright 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

 

 



Be Imitators of God

Good morning to all on this glorious Sunday morning. Waine and I are in Atlanta this weekend and as it turns out this may be the last weekend we spend at 3151 Rilman Road. We got an offer on our house and we accepted it. It was an all cash offer which is what God told me it would be. But let me back up. I am getting ahead of myself. When we moved to Thomaston--specifically when God blessed us with a home there, Waine wanted to put our home in Atlanta on the market. I kept resisting him and then one day during my devotion God convicted me. He reminded me that as Christians we can never take a hold of the plough looking backwards. If I truly believed that God led us to Thomaston, I would have to let go of the past so I agreed. We literally have had the house on the market for 2 weeks and received an all cash offer. We received 2 offers on the house but when asked which one we should take I chose the all cash offer because when I became obedient and listed the house God revealed to me that it would be an all cash offer. We are now being told by friends that the house sold so quickly because we under priced the house. This house sold quickly because God ordained it! I continue to be a witness that when you are in the Will of God, nothing can stand in the way of your blessings except you. When you get yourself out of the way--the blessings literally flow pressed down and multiplied. I am not sad or nostalgic. We have 18 years of memories here and are building new ones in Thomaston. In fact when I awakened this morning, I was sad that I was not awakening in my Thomaston house. Waine just built me a Koi pond with a waterfall and the sound of the waterfall is wonderful. You all come and see it when you can.

 

I am continuing my journey with 3 John 1 verses 1-4 "To my dear friend Gaius, whom I love in the truth. Dear friend, I pray that you may enjoy good health and that all may go well with you, even as your soul is getting along well. It gave me great joy when some believers came and testified about your faithfulness to the truth, telling how you continue to walk in it. I have no greater joy than to hear that my children are walking in the truth. Dear friend, you are faithful in what you are doing for the brothers and sisters, even though they are strangers to you. They have told the church about your love. Please send them on their way in a manner that honors God. It was for the sake of the Name that they went out, receiving no help from the pagans. We ought therefore to show hospitality to such people so that we may work together for the truth. I wrote to the church, but Diotrephes, who loves to be first, will not welcome us. So when I come, I will call attention to what he is doing, spreading malicious nonsense about us. Not satisfied with that, he even refuses to welcome other believers. He also stops those who want to do so and puts them out of the church. Dear friend, do not imitate what is evil but what is good. Anyone who does what is good is from God. Anyone who does what is evil has not seen God. Demetrius is well spoken of by everyone—and even by the truth itself. We also speak well of him, and you know that our testimony is true. I have much to write you, but I do not want to do so with pen and ink. I hope to see you soon, and we will talk face to face. Peace to you. The friends here send their greetings. Greet the friends there by name." Amen and may the Lord add a blessing to the reading and hearing of His Word.

 

Even back in the history of the early church you had people who professed to have the love of God who really only had love of self. These folk profess the love of God through Christ but when you look at their lives there is one common theme--Look at Me and What I am Doing. These people can be found in every church--creating mischief and promoting strife. Unless they are at the center of attention, they spend their time disrupting the Peace that should be found among believers.  We are not to imitate them. We are to pray for them and admonish them if the Holy Spirit leads you to do so. Following His lead, the still small voice of God is always a good thing to do just as in the example of my submitting my will to that of God and letting go of this house.  When we hold on to material things it is out of fear of  loss-but there is no fear in Love or God. There is only fear in sin. Perfect Love (God) casts out all fear so when you are experiencing fear just know it is not of God. Look at the example of Job. He lost everything and when he still praised God he was restored 10 fold. Some call it a miracle. I call it living with God day-2-day.

 

My life with God is such a wonderful life. He has walked me through many land-mines most of which I created through disobedience. God, however, never turned his back on me. He patiently waited for me to repent my sins and turn my face to Him. Even when I had to face my disobedience, He was still there and the consequences were not life threatening. God is always faithful even when we are not.

 

Pray for one another and continue to pray for me. 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



Turn our face to the One Who love You--God through Christ.

Good morning to all on this 1st Sunday in September. Waine and I are in Thomaston and enjoying a nice fall day. The temperatures have been in the 80's but the humidity is not as bad. The US Tennis Open is on and today we get to watch Sloan and Serena which should be quite a match. We hired a new Nurse Practitioner to assist us in the Thomaston location which is a true blessing for me. Pray that all goes well. God is good every day and His mercies and truth abound. We need only step out on faith.

 

We have finished the 1st Book of John and I am continuing in the 2nd Book of John verses 1 - 13 "The elder, To the lady chosen by God and to her children, whom I love in the truth—and not I only, but also all who know the truth— because of the truth, which lives in us and will be with us forever:

Grace, mercy and peace from God the Father and from Jesus Christ, the Father’s Son, will be with us in truth and love. It has given me great joy to find some of your children walking in the truth, just as the Father commanded us.  And now, dear lady, I am not writing you a new command but one we have had from the beginning. I ask that we love one another. And this is love: that we walk in obedience to His commands. As you have heard from the beginning, His command is that you walk in love. I say this because many deceivers, who do not acknowledge Jesus Christ as coming in the flesh, have gone out into the world. Any such person is the deceiver and the antichrist. Watch out that you do not lose what we have worked for, but that you may be rewarded fully. Anyone who runs ahead and does not continue in the teaching of Christ does not have God; whoever continues in the teaching has both the Father and the Son.  If anyone comes to you and does not bring this teaching, do not take them into your house or welcome them.  Anyone who welcomes them shares in their wicked work.  I have much to write to you, but I do not want to use paper and ink. Instead, I hope to visit you and talk with you face to face, so that our joy may be complete. The children of your sister, who is chosen by God, send their greetings." May the Lord add a blessing to the reading and hearing of His Word.

 

John is actually writing to another congregation. The "lady and her children" is a euphemism for the church and its believers. John was encouraging them to love one another in the Truth of God--that Christ was the Son of God and died for our sins. Apparently, then as now, there are many who want you to believe that it is enough just to be a moral person. That there are many pathways to God. As a preacher once said, Buddha was born, he lived and he died. Confucius was born, he live and he died. Muhammad was born , he lived and he died. Christ was born, He lived , He died....AND HE ROSE AGAIN! Hallelujah!  There is only One Path to God and that is through Christ, His Son. All other paths are the lies of the antichrist who is alive and well and constantly looks for the souls of men to deceive.

 

It is very puzzling to me how anyone could live in this world and not believe that God exists. How can you look at a sunrise and not believe in God? How can you see birds in flight and not believe in God? How can you participate in the miracle of life and not believe in God?  The life we can see is not all that there is. The life we cannot see and have to accept on Faith is much larger and infinite than this life we share for 70 or 80 years. Most people live this finite life in misery and pain--struggling just to survive because they reject the abundance that can come through Christ. What is it in humans that strive to deny the existence of God? I don't get it. We are all slaves to some Master--why not become the children of the One Master who will love you with open arms. Has the Power of Life and Death--Has conquered the Grave--Who wants us to stop struggling and accept the Life of Abundance that He died and paid for. Our only job is to Love Him and Love each other. Why is that so hard for everyone?  SIN!!!!! We think we have the answer in and of ourselves. What a huge waste of time and energy.

 

If you lack joy this morning, turn to Christ. If you lack peace this morning, turn to Christ. If you are in ill health this morning, turn to Christ. If you are frustrated this morning, turn to Christ. If you lack anything this morning, turn to Christ.

 

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