Sermon Tone Analysis

- 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,

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.

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.

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.

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.

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

Turn to

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,

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.