Family Conference Minus 6 Days, Spain Minus 10 Days

The GFC leadership is busy with many things these days. In addition to working with the various fellowship groups, preparing for the family conference, a visit from a missionary we support, and a group going to Spain, we meet in a few days to deal with our regular November business and preparation of a budget to propose to the GFC congregation in their December meeting. Sunday, December 2 will be a big day in the life of GFC as we have a dinner and a report from our Spain team. We've recently been seeing many building and grounds improvements. People in GFC have been changing jobs, changing homes, being hospitalized, and most everything else under the sun.
Today's reading from the Old Testament was Jeremiah 23.1-20. God's message through Jeremiah here should be convicting to all who lead others in Christ. He points out the bad shepherds' leading people astray in very strong language. Verses 16-17 say "Thus says the LORD of hosts: 'Do not listen to the words of the prophets who prophesy to you, filling you with vain hopes. They speak visions of their own minds, not from the mouth of the LROD. They say continually to those who despise the word of the LORD, "It shall be well with you"; and to everyone who stubbornly follows his own heart, they say, "No disaster shall come upon you.'"
Every one of us who has led others, taught others, counseled others, should be convicted by this. Pray for the GFC leaders. They fail daily. Regularly we guide and counsel others with our own opinion and fail to bring God's word into lives. We are tempted regularly to encourage people that they are all right when they are not. We deceive ourselves in the same way, just like everyone else. Even when we try very hard to lead people in righteousness, we fail.
Where's the hope in all this? In Jeremiah 23.7-8 we see that there is a day coming when people we rejoice in the Lord who has led people out of captivity. We realize our captivity to sin and the deliverance given us in Jesus Christ. Please pray for your GFC leadership, the Spain team, and all your fellow believers to depend on Christ's work, to trust Christ's righteous judgment, to proclaim the Word of God in Christ boldly as the only sure hope in this lost and dying world. May we walk not according to our own understanding and opinion, but according to the perfect love of God in Christ, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world!