Reflection

So this Sunday is not only the last Sunday of the year, it’s the last Sunday of this decade. On Wed we begin the new year and the new decade—2020.

It is sometimes a good thing to sit down and take an inventory of where you are now versus where you were at a specific period in time; and the end of a decade is a good time to reflect.

So as I reflect back to the beginning of the decade, 2010 came with who was arguably the best president of the United States we’ve ever experienced, President Barak Obama. He was the first Black president we’ve ever had, there were no scandals, he accomplished many things, despite all of the opposition he had to deal with and he did it—with swag.

So as I reflect back to the beginning of the decade, 2010 came with who was arguably the best president of the United States we’ve ever experienced, President Barak Obama. He was the first Black president, there were no scandals, he accomplished many things, despite all of the opposition he had to deal with and he did it—with swag.

His wife Michelle is an intelligent, beautiful, gracious, well put together woman who set a standard for First Ladies that can only be described as classy and real. There was nothing fake or pretentious about her as First Lady. She laughed, played with children, planted a garden, invited people over to the house, jumped rope, danced, started an initiative to get our nation healthy and dared to go sleeveless.

His wife Michelle was an intelligent, beautiful, gracious, well put together woman who set a standard for First Ladies that can only be described as classy and real. There was nothing false or pretentious about her. She laughed, played with children, planted a garden, invited people over to the house, jumped rope, danced, started an initiative to get our nation healthy and dared to go sleeveless.

What a great beginning to the decade—only to end with the worst president in US history, who I will only refer to as 45. A divisive, racists, egotistical man who fires anyone who dares to disagree with him, making this administration one with more turn over than any other in history.

What a great beginning to the decade—only to end with the worst president in US history, who I will only refer to as 45. A divisive, racists, egotistical man who fires anyone who dares to disagree with him, making this administration one with more turnover than any other in history.

We’ve been faced with the issues of climate change, Russian interference in our elections, gerrymandering, wildfires, school and mass shootings, Osama Bin Laden, the man responsible for the worst terrorist attack in US history was found and taken out, the #MeToo movement, the #BlackLivesMatter movement, and same sex marriages, just to name a few.

On a personal note, for me this decade began with a new baby, the start of my own editing company, an end to my military career, and a move to what we now call home. It included starting a real estate company along with a couple of other endeavors, earning a Master’s and Doctoral degree and carrying out the assignment to start and pastor a church with my husband.

I’ve met some great people along the way, I’ve had to say goodbye to some family and friends. Some were, see you later and safe travels, while others were see you in heaven goodbyes. I have a daughter-in-law, who I simply adore, and she and my son live in Wisconsin (a sentence I never thought I’d be saying).

I’ve met some great people along the way, I’ve had to say goodbye to some family and friends. Some were see you later and safe travels, while others were see you in heaven goodbyes. I have a daughter-in-law, who I simply adore, and she and my son live in Wisconsin (a sentence I never thought I’d be saying).

Reflection.

Sometimes we must reflect to determine where we want and need to go; to figure out what’s next. The best place to find out what’s next is to look to the Lord. It sounds so cliché, but the fact of the matter is, it is still the truth.

Sometimes we must reflect to determine where we want and need to go; to figure out what’s next. The best place to find out what’s next is to look to the Lord. It sounds so cliche’, but the fact of the matter is, it is still the truth.

Turn to

This passage of Scripture is a letter Jeremiah is writing to the Children of Israel and prophets who are being held captive in Babylon. Jeremiah is telling them in essence to settling in, it’s going to be a minute. This captivity is not going to be a short one as the false prophets with you are saying, so build homes, plant gardens, and eat the food you produce. Get married, have children then find spouses for them and have many grandchildren. Multiply—don’t dwindle away.

The title of today’s message is “Reflection, Then What”

Work for the peace and prosperity of the city you’re exiled to, pray for the city, because the welfare of the city will determine your welfare. In other words, make the best of your situation. Your circumstance may not be ideal, but make the best of a bad situation.

This passage of Scripture is a letter Jeremiah is writing to the Children of Israel and prophets who are being held captive in Babylon. Jeremiah is telling them in essence to settle in, it’s going to be a minute. This captivity is not going to be a short one as the false prophets with you are saying, so build homes, plant gardens, and eat the food you produce. Get married, have children then find spouses for them and have many grandchildren. Multiply—don’t dwindle away.

Work for the peace and prosperity of the city you’re exiled to, pray for the city, because the welfare of the city will determine your welfare. In other words, make the best of your situation. Your circumstance may not be ideal, but you can still make the best of a bad situation.

This is what we’re to do, while we’re here on this earth. It’s not our permanent home, yet we have a responsibility to get engaged in what’s happening to the world in which we live. We should care about the environment, take care of our planet, pray for our leaders, get involved in the processes that will determine our quality of life.

Take care of your bodies, as best you can, eat right, exercise, get the proper amount of sleep, because even though there is a new body waiting for us in eternity, we need to take care of this one, so our quality of life will be one we enjoy, not one in which we have a miserable existence.

This is what we’re to do, while we’re here on this earth. It’s not our permanent home, we are in this world, but we’re not of this world, yet we have a responsibility to get engaged in what’s happening to the world in which we live. We should care about the environment, take care of our planet, pray for our leaders, get involved in the processes that will determine our quality of life.

Don’t be fooled or swayed by those who would try to tell you, you’re just one person, you can’t make a difference. It just takes one person to start a movement, one person who is not afraid to speak their truth, one person, to call out injustice, inequality and inhumane practices. Start where you are and use the resources at your disposal. Be bold, be courageous and be unapologetic when you stand to say, not on my watch or follow me as I follow Christ. Christ set the standard for who we are to be, how we are to behave and where we are to go. Can you say and mean it, where he leads me, I will follow, I’ll go with him, all the way?

Take care of your bodies, as best you can, eat right, exercise, get the proper amount of sleep, because even though there is a new body waiting for us in eternity, we need to take care of this one, so our quality of life will be one we enjoy, not one in which we have a miserable existence.

Don’t be fooled or swayed by those who would try to tell you, you’re just one person, you can’t make a difference. It just takes one person to start a movement, one person who is not afraid to speak their truth, it just takes one person, to call out injustice, inequality and inhumane practices. Start where you are and use the resources at your disposal. Be bold, be courageous and be unapologetic when you stand to say, not on my watch or follow me as I follow Christ. Christ set the standard for who we are to be, how we are to behave and where we are to go. Can you say and mean it, where he leads me, I will follow, I’ll go with him, all the way?

There are those who will try to trick you, forecasting the time of Jesus’ return, when he clearly said, no one except the Father, knows the day nor the hour when the Son of man will return, so be ready. But in the mean time, in between time, live life to the fullest.

At the time this letter was written they had an advantage, God had communicated to Jeremiah exactly how long the exile would last, seventy years. He didn’t leave them with no hope, wondering how long they were going to have to endure this suffering. After seventy years, God was going to bring them home again. God made them a promise and it’s one we can stand on today.

There are those who will try to trick you, forecasting the time of Jesus’ return, when he clearly said, no one except the Father, knows the day nor the hour when the Son of man will return, so be ready. But in the meantime, in between time, live life to the fullest.

Jeremiah writes, “For surely I know the plans I have for you”, says the Lord.” How many like to know what you’re going to be doing when you join an organization or group? Even a church. We give a spiritual gifts assessment to each new member to determine what gifts God has given them so we can place them in the proper ministry. Working is so much easier when you’re doing something you’re comfortable or gifted to do. Just as God is sure about the plans He has for you, there is something for you to do in this ministry. Just keep coming, show yourself faithful and doors and opportunities will open.

At the time this letter was written they had an advantage, God had communicated to Jeremiah exactly how long the exile would last, seventy years. He didn’t leave them with no hope, wondering how long they were going to have to endure this suffering. After seventy years, God was going to bring them home again. God made them a promise and it’s one we can stand on today.

What is important to remember though, is the reason they were in this situation. In a word, disobedience. Disobedience is sin and sin has consequences. So when you find yourself in a place you don’t want to be, take a look at your life, take a look around you.

So it should be of great comfort to hear that God knows the plans He has for your life. You are not here on this earth, in this town, in this church by accident. Your life has been planned out since before you were formed in your mother’s womb—since the beginning of time.

And—you can also joy in the fact that not only does God have plans for you, that’s plans with an “s”, the plans God has for you are, “for good and not for disaster”. How much better does it make you feel that the creator of the universe has good plans for you? Not plans for disaster, but for good.

The company you keep matters, ask anyone in prison because they were in the wrong place, at the wrong time, with the wrong people. You can repent, but there are still consequences for sin, so don’t blame God when things go wrong. When a nation turns its back on God there are consequences. What is the nation doing?

We use that word disaster so loosely at times, but know that when you find yourself in an unpleasant or unplanned situation, it was not in God’s plan for you.

· We have exploited the poor and called it the lottery.

God’s plans for you include a future and a hope. What are you hoping for in the next decade? Well let’s put some things in perspective. A decade from now

· We have rewarded laziness and called it welfare.

· We have killed our unborn and called it choice.

Angel will be 21

· We have shot abortionists and called it justifiable.

Jeremiah will be 15

We will have high school and college graduates

Love Christian Center will be celebrating 18 years in existence, in our own building

· We have neglected to discipline our children and called it building self-esteem.

We will have a thriving ministry, to include a youth ministry, a team of deacons and other ministries

· We have abused power and called it politics.

· We have coveted our neighbor’s possessions and called it ambition.

Tell me what you see happening in the next 10 years.

You have to believe that God wants to bless you, that he wants you to prosper and be in health, that he wants to give you a future and a hope. How do we tap into the plans God has for us?

· We have polluted the air with profanity and pornography and called it freedom of expression.

· We have ridiculed the time-honored values of our forefathers and called it enlightenment.

Prayer! Jeremiah’s letter continues with, “Then when you call upon me and come and pray to me, I will hear you.” God hears and answers our prayers, when we pray according to His will. And how do we know what his will is? We read the manual. His will is not a secret, it’s not a moving target, He said, I am God, I change not, I am the same yesterday, today and forever.

· We have allowed prayer to be taken out of schools and it has been replaced with guns.

Read the Word, meditate on it day and night and you will see what to pray for, you will know what to expect. Life won’t be a surprise, except how much God will bless you.

Look for God wholeheartedly, with your whole heart and you will find him. He’s not hiding. Isaiah has this to say, -“Is anyone thirsty? Come and drink— even if you have no money! Come, take your choice of wine or milk— it’s all free! 2 Why spend your money on food that does not give you strength? Why pay for food that does you no good? Listen to me, and you will eat what is good. You will enjoy the finest food. 3 “Come to me with your ears wide open. Listen, and you will find life. I will make an everlasting covenant with you. I will give you all the unfailing love I promised to David. 4 See how I used him to display my power among the peoples. I made him a leader among the nations. 5 You also will command nations you do not know, and peoples unknown to you will come running to obey, because I, the Lord your God, the Holy One of Israel, have made you glorious.” 6 Seek the Lord while you can find him. Call on him now while he is near.”

This country needs prayer and we, the saints are the only ones to do it, the only ones with a true connection to the One who can change things. “If my people, which are called by my name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways; then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land.”

What is it you’re waiting on God to do for you? What blessing were you expecting in 2019 that has yet to come to pass? Well we still have a couple of days left, so you never fully know what God’s plan is for your life.

When you are part of a church family, God can also show you things for the church, so let me just say right here and now, if God gives you a vision for the church, don’t be shy about sharing it with Pastor Ed and myself. Chances are if God showed you, He’s already shown us and we’re just waiting on the manifestation of what He’s said.

Love Christian Center is growing forward in Jesus name, to do things for a great God in this community and beyond. What’s your role going to be? Where will you fit in? What are you bringing to the table? We all have something, from the youngest to the oldest we all have something to contribute.

Your contribution begins by giving your life to Christ, if you’ve never accepted Jesus as your personal Lord and Savior, there’s no better way to end the decade.

Perhaps you’ve already made that decision, but you need a church home where you can get busy carrying out the plans God has for your life. God has great plans for this ministry, are you a part of that plan? The doors of the church are open for membership.

Rededication

3 “Come to me with your ears wide open. Listen, and you will find life. I will make an everlasting covenant with you. I will give you all the unfailing love I promised to David. 4 See how I used him to display my power among the peoples. I made him a leader among the nations. 5 You also will command nations you do not know, and peoples unknown to you will come running to obey, because I, the Lord your God, the Holy One of Israel, have made you glorious.”

Jeremiah writes, “For surely I know the plans I have for you”, says the Lord.” How many like to know what you’re going to be doing when you join an organization or group? Even a church. We give a spiritual gifts assessment to each new member to determine what gifts God has given them so we can place them in the proper ministry. Working is so much easier when you’re doing something you’re comfortable with or gifted to do. Just as God is sure about the plans He has for you, there is something for you to do in this ministry. Just keep coming, show yourself faithful and doors and opportunities will open for you.

So it should be of great comfort to hear that God knows the plans He has for your life. You are not here on this earth, in this town, in this church by accident. Your life has been planned out since before you were formed in your mother’s womb—since the beginning of time.

6 Seek the Lord while you can find him. Call on him now while he is near. but he did say to seek him while he may be found

And—you can also joy in the fact that not only does God have plans for you, that’s plans with an “s”, the plans God has for you are, “for good and not for disaster”. How much better does it make you feel that the creator of the universe has good plans for you? Not plans for disaster, but for good.

We use that word disaster so loosely at times, but know that when you find yourself in an unpleasant or unplanned situation, it was not in God’s plan for you.

God’s plans for you include a future and a hope. What are you hoping for in the next decade? Well let’s put some things in perspective. A decade from now

• Angel will be 21

• Jeremiah will be 15

• We will have high school and college graduates

• Love Christian Center will be celebrating 18 years in existence, in our own building

• We will have a thriving ministry, to include a youth ministry, a team of deacons and other ministries

Tell me what you see happening in the next 10 years.—

You have to believe that God wants to bless you, that he wants you to prosper and be in health, that he wants to give you a future and a hope. How do we tap into the plans God has for us?

Prayer! Jeremiah’s letter continues with, “Then when you call upon me and come and pray to me, I will hear you.” God hears and answers our prayers, when we pray according to His will. And how do we know what his will is? We read the manual. His will is not a secret, it’s not a moving target, He said, I am God, I change not, I am the same yesterday, today and forever.

Read the Word, meditate on it day and night and you will see what to pray for, you will know what to expect. Life won’t be a surprise, except how much God will bless you.

Look for God wholeheartedly, search for Him with your whole heart and you will find him. He’s not hiding. Isaiah has this to say, -“Is anyone thirsty? Come and drink— even if you have no money! Come, take your choice of wine or milk— it’s all free! 2 Why spend your money on food that does not give you strength? Why pay for food that does you no good? Listen to me, and you will eat what is good. You will enjoy the finest food. 3 “Come to me with your ears wide open. Listen, and you will find life. I will make an everlasting covenant with you. I will give you all the unfailing love I promised to David. 4 See how I used him to display my power among the peoples. I made him a leader among the nations. 5 You also will command nations you do not know, and peoples unknown to you will come running to obey, because I, the Lord your God, the Holy One of Israel, have made you glorious.” 6 Seek the Lord while you can find him. Call on him now while he is near.”

What is it you’re waiting on God to do for you? What blessing were you expecting in 2019 that has yet to come to pass? Well we still have a couple of days left, so you never fully know what God’s timing is for your life.

When you are part of a church family, God can also show you things for the church, so let me just say right here and now, if God gives you a vision for the church, don’t be shy about sharing it with Pastor Ed and myself. Chances are if God showed you, He’s already shown us and we’re just waiting on the manifestation of what He’s said.

Love Christian Center is growing forward in Jesus name, to do things in this community and beyond for a great God. Reflection, then what? Then what is you get busy about the future and what it is God has ordained for your life. What’s your role going to be? Where will you fit in? What are you bringing to the table? We all have something, from the youngest to the oldest we all have something to contribute.

Your contribution begins by giving your life to Christ, if you’ve never accepted Jesus as your personal Lord and Savior, there’s no better way to end the decade.

Perhaps you’ve already made that decision, but you need a church home where you can get busy carrying out the plans God has for your life. God has great plans for this ministry, are you a part of that plan? The doors of the church are open for membership.

Rededication

Reflection

- 11 For surely I know the plans I have for you, says the Lord, plans for your welfare and not for harm, to give you a future with hope. 12 Then when you call upon me and come and pray to me, I will hear you. 13 When you search for me, you will find me; if you seek me with all your heart,

For surely I know the plans I have for you, says the Lord, plans for your welfare and not for harm, to give you a future with hope. 12 Then when you call upon me and come and pray to me, I will hear you. 13 When you search for me, you will find me; if you seek me with all your heart,

For surely I know the plans I have for you, says the Lord, plans for your welfare and not for harm, to give you a future with hope. 12 Then when you call upon me and come and pray to me, I will hear you. 13 When you search for me, you will find me; if you seek me with all your heart,