Thanks for the scriptures Miss June Geiman-Stephenson Love you .

YESTERDAY MRS. ALEDA SMALLWOOD ALMOST 99 YEARS OF SHARED LOVE WITH JESUS HER BIBLE AND HER FAMILY AND NEIGHBORS AND FRIENDS. HAVING GROWN UP WITH HER CHILDREN EDWARD "ED" AND DAVID "DAVE" WE WERE BLESS TO HAVE HER AS OUR MOTHERS FRIEND. MOTHER, GARNETTE BINGHAM STEPHENSON WROTE A VERSE AS A SOPHOMORE AT THE OLD CRITTENDEN HIGH SCHOOL IN GRANT COUNTY WHICH DEPICTS THE LIFE OF Aleda SMALLWOOD and her devotion to reading her complete Bible from cover to cover for over a half of century with Love .

She has been praying for our Country and World and her examples are being shared around the World.

TWO GREAT FRIENDS ARE BACK TOGETHER IN HEAVEN.

THIS IS WHAT MY MOTHER GARNETTE BINGHAM SAID AS A SOPHOMORE AT THE OLD CRITTENDEN HIGH SCHOOL. Mother's are a blessing to all. I hope you appreciate what she wrote as much as I have. Dad lived to be 86 and died in 1992 the year I was elected as the last elected Superintendent of Education for the Commonwealth of Kentucky. Dad, Alton Charles Stephenson died in the arms of a Baptist Minister after a auto accident. Both Mom and Dad spent their lives in the service of Jesus Christ and their Lord. AS DID YOUR MOTHER ADLEDA SMALLWOOD TO FEBRUARY 27TH 2024 LOVE FROM JOHNNY AND ALL THE CHILDREN OUR MOTHERS SHARED LOVE AND THE SCRIPTURES.

THE BEAUTY OF A LIFE SPENT IN SERVICE FOR GOD AND HUMANITY

By Garnette Bingham (STEPHENSON)

There is nothing in the world more beautiful than a life spent in the unselfish service to others. Sometimes it may seem to the world that a life is humble and lowly and of not much value; but there are many instances where these lives are like the modest violet sending out a beauty and fragrance that is appreciated by both God and man.

The earth is the Lord's and the fullness thereof the world and they that dwell therein. We are all stewards. There is not an owner anywhere of anything God alone owns. He estimates our gifts for the advancement of His cause, not by their size but by what we have left.

May we labor on, seeking not for glory and applause, knowing that He, who clothes the lilies of the field, and hears the ravens when they cry, will richly repay. Oh, the wrongs that we may righten! Oh, the hearts that we may lighten! Oh, the skies that we may brighten! Helping just a little.

In the field of destiny we shall reap as we have sown; let us therefore put a little sunshine into unfortunate lives. Our mercies are doubly sweet when they are shared with those who would otherwise feel the bitterness of want. Big deeds are often glass, while the small ones are diamonds.

Wrought into gold, we that pass down life's hours so carelessly, might make the dusty way a path of flowers if we would try, then every gentle deed we've done or kind word given ------into gold would made us wondrous rich in heaven.

Life and living are mighty themes. Life is no mere dream, but a sincere reality and a supreme stewardship of which we shall one day have to render an account. Hence, let us all faithfully strive to fulfill life's greatest purpose.

Build a little fence of trust around today. Fill the space with living deeds and therein stay, look not through the sheltering bars upon tomorrow God will help you to bear the burden of others for Him along life's way.

Without the shadow, we would not appreciate the sunshine. Clouds need not eclipse the joy in your heart, even though the skies drizzle, your eyes can be bright. Just because it rains is no reason it should be gloomy.

Life's struggle is hard enough at the best, so let us give every uplift possible.

Personally, we would rather be a stepping stone on the road to progress than occupy a useless position as an ornament at the pinnacle where there is nothing to be done.

Remember, that life is not all song. There is much wrong in all of us, so be ready to give a lift where needed. Some lead dreary ways and toil beneath heavy loads. When we find one of our fellowmen on the downward road, don't pass him with a gloomy frown, you may have troubles too, but he needs a smile from you. Say, brothers, lend a helping hand, upon the side of the weakness stand. Another's burden shared by you will give him courage new; the world has need of friendships true, so give a lift..

OUR PRAYERS ARE WITH THE ENTIRE CHRISTIAN FAMILY OF ALEDA SMALLWOOD LOVE FROM JOHN & JUNE GEIMAN-STEPHENSON.

ARE YOU READY? AND WITH OUR LIFETIME CHRISTIAN FRIEND GIL AND JAN HAMMOND OF WIOK 107.5 F.M. TRISTATE GOSPEL FALMOUTH KENTUCKY PO BOX 50 ZIP CODE 41040. THEY ARE IN NEED OF ASSISTANCE OF THE PUBLIC AND CHURCHES TO CONTINUE THEIR 32 YEARS OF GREAT GOSPEL PREACHING AND MUSIC AND NEWS. HOWEVER WE HAVE JESUS IN OUR HEARTS AND THIS WORLD IS NOT OUR HOME WE ARE JUST PASSING THROUGH. SO GIVE A "LIFT" .

Wednesday 2-28-24

Mark 9:30-10:12

Death and Resurrection Foretold

30 "From there they went out and began to go through Galilee, and He did not want anyone to know about it. 31 For He was teaching His disciples and telling them, “The Son of Man is to be delivered into the hands of men, and they will kill Him; and when He has been killed, He will rise three days later.” 32 But they did not understand this statement, and they were afraid to ask Him.

33 They came to Capernaum; and when He was in the house, He began to question them, “What were you discussing on the way?” 34 But they kept silent, for on the way they had discussed with one another which of them was the greatest. 35 Sitting down, He called the twelve and said to them, “If anyone wants to be first, he shall be last of all and servant of all.” 36 Taking a child, He set him before them, and taking him in His arms, He said to them, 37 “Whoever receives one child like this in My name receives Me; and whoever receives Me does not receive Me, but Him who sent Me.”

Dire Warnings

38 John said to Him, “Teacher, we saw someone casting out demons in Your name, and we tried to prevent him because he was not following us.” 39 But Jesus said, “Do not hinder him, for there is no one who will perform a miracle in My name, and be able soon afterward to speak evil of Me. 40 For he who is not against us is for us. 41 For whoever gives you a cup of water to drink because of your name as followers of Christ, truly I say to you, he will not lose his reward.

42 “Whoever causes one of these little ones who believe to stumble, it would be better for him if, with a heavy millstone hung around his neck, he had been cast into the sea. 43 If your hand causes you to stumble, cut it off; it is better for you to enter life crippled, than, having your two hands, to go into hell, into the unquenchable fire, 44 where their worm does not die, and the fire is not quenched.45 If your foot causes you to stumble, cut it off; it is better for you to enter life lame, than, having your two feet, to be cast into hell, 46 where their worm does not die, and the fire is not quenched.] 47 If your eye causes you to stumble, throw it out; it is better for you to enter the kingdom of God with one eye, than, having two eyes, to be cast into hell, 48 where their worm does not die, and the fire is not quenched.

49 “For everyone will be salted with fire. 50 Salt is good; but if the salt becomes unsalty, with what will you make it salty again? Have salt in yourselves, and be at peace with one another.”

Jesus’ Teaching about Divorce

10 Getting up, He went from there to the region of Judea and beyond the Jordan; crowds gathered around Him again, and, according to His custom, He once more began to teach them.

2 Some Pharisees came up to Jesus, testing Him, and began to question Him whether it was lawful for a man to divorce a wife. 3 And He answered and said to them, “What did Moses command you?” 4 They said, “Moses permitted a man to write a certificate of divorce and send her away.” 5 But Jesus said to them, “Because of your hardness of heart he wrote you this commandment. 6 But FROM THE BEGINNING of creation, GOD MADE THEM MALE AND FEMALE. 7 For this reason a man shall leave his father and mother, 8 and the two shall become one flesh; so they are no longer two, but one flesh. 9 What therefore God has joined together, let no man separate.”

10 In the house the disciples began questioning Him about this again. 11 And He said to them, “Whoever divorces his wife and marries another woman commits adultery against her; 12 and if she herself divorces her husband and marries another man, she is committing adultery.”

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Psalm 44

Former Deliverances and Present Troubles.

44:1 "O God, we have heard with our ears,

Our fathers have told us

The work that You did in their days,

In the days of old.

2 You with Your own hand drove out the nations;

Then You planted them;

You afflicted the peoples,

Then You spread them abroad.

3 For by their own sword they did not possess the land,

And their own arm did not save them,

But Your right hand and Your arm and the light of Your presence,

For You favored them.

4 You are my King, O God;

Command victories for Jacob.

5 Through You we will push back our adversaries;

Through Your name we will trample down those who rise up against us.

6 For I will not trust in my bow,

Nor will my sword save me.

7 But You have saved us from our adversaries,

And You have put to shame those who hate us.

8 In God we have boasted all day long,

And we will give thanks to Your name forever."

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MY UTMOST By Oswald Chambers

February 28

DO YOU NOW BELIEVE?

"By this we believe…." Jesus answered them, "Do you now believe?" —John 16:30-31

“Now we believe….” But Jesus asks, “Do you…? Indeed the hour is coming…that you…will leave Me alone” (John 16:31-32). Many Christian workers have left Jesus Christ alone and yet tried to serve Him out of a sense of duty, or because they sense a need as a result of their own discernment. The reason for this is actually the absence of the resurrection life of Jesus. Our soul has gotten out of intimate contact with God by leaning on our own religious understanding (see Proverbs 3:5-6). This is not deliberate sin and there is no punishment attached to it. But once a person realizes how he has hindered his understanding of Jesus Christ, and caused uncertainties, sorrows, and difficulties for himself, it is with shame and remorse that he has to return.

We need to rely on the resurrection life of Jesus on a much deeper level than we do now. We should get in the habit of continually seeking His counsel on everything, instead of making our own commonsense decisions and then asking Him to bless them. He cannot bless them; it is not in His realm to do so, and those decisions are severed from reality. If we do something simply out of a sense of duty, we are trying to live up to a standard that competes with Jesus Christ. We become a prideful, arrogant person, thinking we know what to do in every situation. We have put our sense of duty on the throne of our life, instead of enthroning the resurrection life of Jesus. We are not told to “walk in the light” of our conscience or in the light of a sense of duty, but to “walk in the light as He is in the light…” (1 John 1:7). When we do something out of a sense of duty, it is easy to explain the reasons for our actions to others. But when we do something out of obedience to the Lord, there can be no other explanation— just obedience. That is why a saint can be so easily ridiculed and misunderstood."

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WISDOM FROM OSWALD

"We are not to preach the doing of good things; good deeds are not to be preached, they are to be performed."

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Tuesday 2-27-24

Mark 9:1-29

The Transfiguration

9:1 "And Jesus was saying to them, “Truly I say to you, there are some of those who are standing here who will not taste death until they see the kingdom of God after it has come with power.”

2 Six days later, Jesus took with Him Peter and James and John, and brought them up on a high mountain by themselves. And He was transfigured before them; 3 and His garments became radiant and exceedingly white, as no launderer on earth can whiten them. 4 Elijah appeared to them along with Moses; and they were talking with Jesus. 5 Peter said to Jesus, “Rabbi, it is good for us to be here; let us make three tabernacles, one for You, and one for Moses, and one for Elijah.” 6 For he did not know what to answer; for they became terrified. 7 Then a cloud formed, overshadowing them, and a voice came out of the cloud, “This is My beloved Son, listen to Him!” 8 All at once they looked around and saw no one with them anymore, except Jesus alone.

9 As they were coming down from the mountain, He gave them orders not to relate to anyone what they had seen, until the Son of Man rose from the dead. 10 They seized upon that statement, discussing with one another what rising from the dead meant. 11 They asked Him, saying, “Why is it that the scribes say that Elijah must come first?” 12 And He said to them, “Elijah does first come and restore all things. And yet how is it written of the Son of Man that He will suffer many things and be treated with contempt? 13 But I say to you that Elijah has indeed come, and they did to him whatever they wished, just as it is written of him.”

All Things Possible

14 When they came back to the disciples, they saw a large crowd around them, and some scribes arguing with them. 15 Immediately, when the entire crowd saw Him, they were amazed and began running up to greet Him. 16 And He asked them, “What are you discussing with them?” 17 And one of the crowd answered Him, “Teacher, I brought You my son, possessed with a spirit which makes him mute; 18 and whenever it seizes him, it slams him to the ground and he foams at the mouth, and grinds his teeth and stiffens out. I told Your disciples to cast it out, and they could not do it.” 19 And He answered them and *said, “O unbelieving generation, how long shall I be with you? How long shall I put up with you? Bring him to Me!” 20 They brought the boy to Him. When he saw Him, immediately the spirit threw him into a convulsion, and falling to the ground, he began rolling around and foaming at the mouth. 21 And He asked his father, “How long has this been happening to him?” And he said, “From childhood. 22 It has often thrown him both into the fire and into the water to destroy him. But if You can do anything, take pity on us and help us!” 23 And Jesus said to him, “‘If You can?’ All things are possible to him who believes.” 24 Immediately the boy’s father cried out and said, “I do believe; help my unbelief.”

25 When Jesus saw that a crowd was rapidly gathering, He rebuked the unclean spirit, saying to it, “You deaf and mute spirit, I command you, come out of him and do not enter him again.” 26 After crying out and throwing him into terrible convulsions, it came out; and the boy became so much like a corpse that most of them said, “He is dead!” 27 But Jesus took him by the hand and raised him; and he got up. 28 When He came into the

house, His disciples began

questioning Him privately,

“Why could we not drive it out?”

29 And He said to them, “This kind cannot come out by anything but prayer.”[and fasting]

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Psslm 43

Prayer for Deliverance.

43:1 "Vindicate me, O God, and plead my case against an ungodly nation;

O deliver me from the deceitful and unjust man!

2 For YOU ARE THE GOD OF MY STRENGTH; why have You rejected me? Why do I go mourning because of the oppression of the enemy?

3 O send out Your light and Your truth, let them lead me;

Let them bring me to Your holy hill

And to Your dwelling places.

4 Then I will go to the altar of God,

To God my exceeding joy;

And upon the lyre I shall praise You, O God, my God.

5 Why are you in despair, O my soul?

And why are you disturbed within me?

HOPE IN GOD, for I shall again praise Him,

THE HELP OF MY COUNTENANCE and MY GOD."

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MY UTMOST By Oswald Chambers

February 27

THE IMPOVERISHED MINISTRY OF JESUS

"Where then do You get that living water?" John 4:11

“The well is deep” — and even a great deal deeper than the Samaritan woman knew! (John 4:11). Think of the depths of human nature and human life; think of the depth of the “wells” in you. Have you been limiting, or impoverishing, the ministry of Jesus to the point that He is unable to work in your life? Suppose that you have a deep “well” of hurt and trouble inside your heart, and Jesus comes and says to you, “Let not your heart be troubled…” (John 14:1). Would your response be to shrug your shoulders and say, “But, Lord, the well is too deep, and even You can’t draw up quietness and comfort out of it.” Actually, that is correct. Jesus doesn’t bring anything up from the wells of human nature— He brings them down from above. We limit the Holy One of Israel by remembering only what we have allowed Him to do for us in the past, and also by saying, “Of course, I cannot expect God to do this particular thing.” The thing that approaches the very limits of His power is the very thing we as disciples of Jesus ought to believe He will do. We impoverish and weaken His ministry in us the moment we forget He is almighty.

The impoverishment is in us, not in Him. We will come to Jesus for Him to be our comforter or our sympathizer, but we refrain from approaching Him as our Almighty God.

The reason some of us are such poor examples of Christianity is that we have failed to recognize that Christ is ALMIGHTY. We have Christian attributes and experiences, but there is NO ABANDONMENT OR SURRENDER to Jesus Christ. When we get into difficult circumstances, we impoverish His ministry by saying, “Of course, He can’t do anything about this.” We struggle to reach the bottom of our own well, trying to get water for ourselves. Beware of sitting back, and saying, “It can’t be done.” You will know it can be done if you will look to Jesus.

The well of your incompleteness runs deep, but make the effort to look away from yourself and to look toward Him."

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WISDOM FROM OSWALD

"We are all based on a conception of importance, either our own importance, or the importance of someone else; Jesus tells us to go and teach based on the revelation of His importance. “All power is given unto Me.… Go ye therefore ….”