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
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