Ephraim feedeth on wind, and followeth after the east wind: he daily increaseth lies and desolation; and they do make a covenant with the Assyrians, and oil is carried into Egypt.
The LORD hath also a controversy with Judah, and will punish Jacob according to his ways; according to his doings will He recompense him.
He took his brother by the heel in the womb, and by his strength he had power with God:
Yea, he had power over the angel, and prevailed: he wept, and made supplication unto Him: He found him in Beth-el, and there He spake with us;
Even the LORD God of hosts; the LORD is His memorial.
Therefore turn thou to thy God: keep mercy and judgment and wait on thy God continually.
He is a merchant [Or, Canaan], the balances of deceit are in his hand: he loveth to oppress.
And Ephraim said, Yet I am become rich, I have found me out substance: in all my labours they shall find none iniquity in me that were sin.
And I that am the LORD thy God from the land of Egypt will yet make thee to dwell in tabernacles, as in the days of the solemn feast.
I have also spoken by the prophets, and I have multiplied visions, and used similitudes, by the ministry of the prophets.
Is there iniquity in Gilead? surely they are vanity: they sacrifice bullocks in Gilgal; yea, their altars are as heaps in the furrows of the fields.
And Jacob fled into the country of Syria, and Israel served for a wife, and for a wife he kept sheep.
And by a prophet the LORD brought Israel out of Egypt, and by a prophet was he preserved.
Ephraim provoked Him to anger most bitterly: therefore shall He leave his blood upon him, and his reproach shall his Lord return unto him (Hosea 12: 1-14).
It’s about time for the Smashwords Store sale, which is starting July 1st and lasts all of July. All my books, including my new one, Contagion Phase 1: Biosphere, will be free.
Meanwhile, the typing up of Contagion Phase 2: Beginnings is underway. And I’ve completed the first round of editing of the Mind Master Chronicles: The Pretender (Book 3). Here is the summary:
The Mind Master emerges from the shadows in order to play a game. Only it’s not the game he sold to his contestants online. No, that was a simple reality TV show, a promotional tool for their futures. In reality, the Mind Master’s game is a battle of wits to the death.
The editing for Mind Master Chronicles: The Pretender is going faster than it did with Biosphere. I had to make a lot more content changes with Biosphere.
I haven’t been writing as much as I’d like. I read an article recently on budgets — how you can focus on the interest rate or on the balance as your primary goal. I’m an interest rate person since it is the most efficient. Still, when you chip away at a lot of things rather than get fewer things done faster, you oftentimes don’t feel like you’re getting anywhere. And that can affect your morale. Still, I’m planning on continuing to try to do two pages a day per book because it keeps the pacing right for a book length story. Trying to add content later if you find the book is too short tends to harm the book. I will just have to dig deep and try to resume my schedule. Yes, I believe in taking breaks on occasion when I hit blocks. Putting too much pressure on yourself just creates anxiety. But you do have to prod yourself from time to time as well in order to keep the momentum going.
Update: Amazon is again offering up to $3.00 per transaction for Prime No-Rush and Amazon Delivery Day Rewards. The amount of Digital Rewards given seems dependent on the quantity of items purchased and what day of the week you purchase the items. It seems you need to buy four items at a time to qualify for the $3.00. The books I write qualify for Digital Rewards, so in theory you can get one of my eBooks if you get the $3.00 maximum reward once.
When Israel was a child, then I loved him, and called My son out of Egypt.
As they called them, so they went from them: they sacrificed unto Baalim, and burned incense to graven images.
I taught Ephraim also to go, taking them by their arms; but they knew not that I healed them.
I drew them with cords of a man, with bands of love: and I was to them as they that take off the yoke on their jaws, and I laid meat unto them.
He shall not return into the land of Egypt, but the Assyrian shall be his king, because they refused to return.
And the sword shall abide on his cities, and shall consume his branches, and devour them, because of their own counsels.
And My people are bent to backsliding from Me: though they call them to the Most High, none at all would exalt Him.
How shall I give thee up, Ephraim? how shall I deliver thee, Israel? how shall I make thee as Admah? how shall I set thee as Zeboim? Mine heart is turned within Me, My repentings are kindled together.
I will not execute the fierceness of Mine anger, I will not return to destroy Ephraim: for I am God, and not man; the Holy One in the midst of thee: and I will not enter into the city.
They shall walk after the LORD: He shall roar like a lion: when He shall roar, then the children shall tremble from the west.
They shall tremble as a bird out of Egypt, and as a dove out of the land of Assyria: and I will place them in their houses, saith the LORD.
Ephraim compasseth Me about with lies, and the house of Israel with deceit: but Judah yet ruleth with God, and is faithful with the saints [Or, with the Most Holy] (Hosea 11: 1-12).
Most people are born with a sensitive side. Society increasingly appears to have a pathological hatred of it. It’s possibly because you need God if you have a sensitive side in order to keep your sensitive side alive. Whereas those who don’t have a sensitive side are convinced that they don’t need Him. And perhaps they don’t want to need Him, and they don’t want others to need Him either. Regardless, there is an open antagonism toward sensitivity in our society. Society has encouraged people to have no sensitive side and forgo attachments.
Our socialization process in the school system seems to be geared toward giving children a “thicker skin.” Having a thicker skin is considered a good thing, feelings are not. But without a sensitive side and attachments people become disposable.
And the attack on sensitivity has never been worse than it is now. Now they are going after children sexually. And sex is a very effective way to destroy a person’s sensitive side. But the UN, the WHO, and the WEF are all pushing for the sexualization of children. There are no good reasons to do this — only bad. Reducing sex to an act of mere physical stimulation reduces the odds of incorporating emotional, mental, and spiritual components to the act. People, especially sensitive people, want more than just physical stimulation. But how can you achieve that experience — sex as a part of love — if it’s been made into only a physical reality?
Physical sex alone also suffers from the law of diminishing returns. Like a drug addiction, over time the high diminishes and you require something additional such as drugs or violence (such as sadomasochism) to keep things interesting. This flies in the face of the argument that training children to engage in sex as a mere physical act is a good thing. In reality, the sooner you start, the sooner you will lose interest. Which brings us to the real reason why there is a push to sexualize children: pedophilia. For some adults traditional sex no longer holds any interest. Only debauching the innocent and the sensitive seems to turn them on. So, they are seeking access to a victim pool. They are looking to normalize it into society. They are trying to convince people that reducing sex to a mere physical act at a younger age is a good thing for children — when clearly it is not. It’s all about insensitive people trying to find stimulation because they are cold and jaded. Because you can’t be satisfied with anything without a sensitive side. And unless you have an irrational aversion to sensitivity and a hatred of God, why would you want to destroy that element in any human being — let alone a child? In the end, by introducing children to sex as an act of mere physical stimulation you are preventing them from experiencing it as an act of love. Children need to spend their formative years learning who they are as a total person, which includes mental, emotional, and spiritual development. Sex at an early age could also potentially kill a child’s sensitive side. We need to stop catering to adults looking for more and more sexual stimulation. It’s gone too far already. But for those who have convinced themselves that sex among children is no big deal, I will submit that this need for stimulation in the adults who advocate for it could still progress even further. What’s to stop torture and murder from coming next?
At the same time came the disciples unto Jesus, saying, Who is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven?
And Jesus called a little child unto Him, and set him in the midst of them,
And said, “Verily I say unto you, Except ye be converted, and become as little children, ye shall not enter into the kingdom of heaven.
“Whosoever therefore shall humble himself as this little child, the same is greatest in the kingdom of heaven.
“And whoso shall receive one such little child in My name receiveth Me.
“But whoso shall offend one of these little ones which believe in Me, it were better for him that a millstone were hanged about his neck, and that he were drowned in the depth of the sea.
“Woe unto the world because of offences! for it must needs be that offences come; but woe to that man by whom the offence cometh!
“Wherefore it thy hand or thy foot offend thee, cut them off, and cast them from thee: it is better for thee to enter into life halt or maimed, rather than having two hands or two feet to be cast into everlasting fire.
“And if thine eye offend thee, pluck it out, and cast it from thee: it is better for thee to enter into life with one eye, rather than having two eyes to be cast into hell fire.
“Take heed that ye despise not one of these little ones; for I say unto you, That in heaven their angels do always behold the face of My Father which is in heaven.
“For the Son of Man is come to save that which was lost.
“How think ye? if a man have an hundred sheep, and one of them be gone astray, doth he not leave the ninety and nine, and goeth into the mountains, and seeketh that which is gone astray?
“And if so be that he find it, verily I say unto you, he rejoiceth more of that sheep, than of the ninety and nine which went not astray.
“Even so it is not the will of your Father which is in heaven, that one of these little ones should perish.” (Matthew 18: 1-14)
Israel is an empty vine, he bringeth forth fruit unto himself: according to the multitude of his fruit he hath increased the altars; according to the goodness of his land they have made goodly images.
Their heart is divided [Or, He hath divided their heart]; now shall they be found faulty: He shall break down their altars, He shall spoil their images.
For now they shall say, We have no king, because we feared not the LORD; what then should a king do to us?
They have spoken words, swearing falsely in making a covenant: thus judgment springeth up as hemlock in the furrows of the field.
The inhabitants of Samaria shall fear because of the calves of Beth-aven: for the people thereof shall mourn over it, and the priests thereof that rejoiced on it, for the glory thereof, because it is departed from it.
It shall be also carried unto Assyria for a present to King Jareb: Ephraim shall receive shame, and Israel shall be ashamed of his own counsel.
As for Samaria, her king is cut off as the foam upon the water.
The high places also of Aven, the sin of Israel, shall be destroyed: the thorn and the thistle shall come up on their altars; and they shall say to the mountains, Cover us; and to the hills, Fall on us.
O Israel, thou hast sinned from the days of Gibeah: there they stood: the battle in Gibeah against the children of iniquity did not overtake them.
It is in My desire that I should chastise them; and the people shall be gathered against them, when they shall bind themselves in their two furrows.
And Ephraim is as an heifer that is taught, and loveth to tread out the corn; but I passed over upon her fair neck: I will make Ephraim to ride; Judah shall plow, and Jacob shall break his clods.
Sow to yourselves in righteousness, reap in mercy; break up your fallow ground: for it is time to seek the LORD, till He come and rain righteousness upon you.
Ye have plowed wickedness, ye have reaped iniquity; ye have eaten the fruit of lies: because thou didst trust in thy way, in the multitude of thy mighty men.
Therefore shall a tumult arise among thy people, and all thy fortresses shall be spoiled, as Shalman spoiled Beth-arbel in the day of battle: the mother was dashed in pieces upon her children.
So shall Beth-el do unto you because of your great wickedness: in a morning shall the king of Israel utterly be cut off (Hosea 10: 1-15).
Rejoice not, O Israel, for joy, as other people: for thou hast gone a whoring from thy God, thou hast loved a reward upon [Or, in] every cornfloor.
The floor and the winepress [Or, wine fat] shall not feed them, and the new wine shall fail in her.
They shall not dwell in the LORD’s land; but Ephraim shall return to Egypt, and they shall eat unclean things in Assyria.
They shall not offer wine offerings to the LORD, neither shall they be pleasing unto Him: their sacrifices shall be unto them as the bread of mourners; all that eat thereof shall be polluted: for their bread for their soul shall not come into the house of the LORD.
What will ye do in the solemn day, and in the day of the feast of the LORD?
For, lo, they are gone because of destruction: Egypt shall gather them up, Memphis shall bury them: the pleasant places for their silver, nettles shall possess them: thorns shall be in their tabernacles.
The days of visitation are come, the days of recompence are come; Israel shall know it: the prophet is a fool, the spiritual man is mad, for the multitude of thine iniquity, and the great hatred.
The watchman of Ephraim was with my God: but the prophet is a snare of a fowler in all his ways, and hatred in the house of his God.
They have deeply corrupted themselves, as in the days of Gibeah: therefore He will remember their iniquity, He will visit their sins.
I found Israel like grapes in the wilderness; I saw your fathers as the firstripe in the fig tree at her first time: but they went to Baal-peor, and separated themselves unto that shame; and their abominations were according as they loved.
As for Ephraim, their glory shall fly away like a bird, from the birth, and from the womb, and from the conception.
Though they bring up their children, yet will I bereave them, that there shall not be a man left: yea, woe also to them when I depart from them!
Ephraim, as I saw Tyrus, is planted in a pleasant place: but Ephraim shall bring forth his children to the murderer.
Give them, O LORD: what wilt Thou give? give them a miscarrying womb and dry breasts.
All their wickedness is in Gilgal: for there I hated them: for the wickedness of their doings I will drive them out of Mine house, I will love them no more: all their princes are revolters.
Ephraim is smitten, their root is dried up, they shall bear no fruit: yea, though they bring forth, yet will I slay even the beloved fruit of their womb.
My God will cast them away, because they did not hearken unto Him: and they shall be wanderers among the nations (Hosea 9: 1-17).
Set the trumpet to thy mouth. He shall come as an eagle against the house of the LORD, because they have transgressed My covenant, and trespassed against My law.
Israel shall cry unto Me, My God, we know Thee.
Israel hath cast off the thing that is good: the enemy shall pursue him.
They have set up kings, but not by Me: they have made princes, and I knew it not: of their silver and their gold have they made them idols, that they may be cut off.
Thy calf, O Samaria, hath cast thee off; Mine anger is kindled against them: how long will it be ere they attain to innocency?
For from Israel was it also: the workman made it; therefore it is not God: but the calf of Samaria shall be broken in pieces.
For they have sown the wind, and they shall reap the whirlwind: it hath no stalk [Or, standing corn]: the bud shall yield no meal: if so be it yield, the strangers shall swallow it up.
Israel is swallowed up: now shall they be among the Gentiles as a vessel wherein is no pleasure.
For they are gone up to Assyria, a wild ass alone by himself: Ephraim hath hired lovers.
Yea, though they have hired among the nations, now will I gather them, and they shall sorrow a little for the burden of the king of princes.
Because Ephraim hath made many altars to sin, altars shall be unto him to sin.
I have written to him the great things of My law, but they were counted as a strange thing.
They sacrifice flesh for the sacrifices of Mine offerings, and eat it;but the LORD accepteth them not; now will He remember their iniquity, and visit their sins: they shall return to Egypt.
For Israel hath forgotten his Maker, and buildeth temples; and Judah hath multiplied fenced cities: but I will send a fire upon his cities, and it shall devour the palaces thereof (Hosea 8: 1-14).
When I would have healed Israel, then the iniquity of Ephraim was discovered, and the wickedness of Samaria: for they commit falsehood; and the thief cometh in, and the troop of robbers spoileth without.
And they consider not in their hearts that I remember all their wickedness: now their own doings have beset them about; they are before My face.
They make the king glad with their wickedness, and the princes with their lies.
They are all adulterers, as an oven heated by the baker, who ceaseth from raising after he hath kneaded the dough, until it be leavened.
In the day of our king the princes have made him sick with bottles of wine [Or, with heat through wine]; he stretched out his hand with scorners.
For they have made ready [Or, applied] their heart like an oven, whiles they lie in wait: their baker sleepeth all the night; in the morning it burneth as a flaming fire.
They are all hot as an oven, and have devoured their judges; all their kings are fallen: there is none among them that calleth unto Me.
Ephraim, he hath mixed himself among the people; Ephraim is a cake not turned.
Strangers have devoured his strength, and he knoweth it not: yea, gray hairs are here and there upon him, yet he knoweth not.
And the pride of Israel testifieth to his face: and they do not return to the LORD their God, nor seek Him for all this.
Ephraim also is like a silly dove without heart: they call to Egypt, they go to Assyria.
When they shall go, I will spread My net upon them; I will bring them down as the fowls of the heaven; I will chastise them, as their congregation hath heard.
Woe unto them! for they have fled from Me: destruction unto them! because they have transgressed against Me: though I have redeemed them, yet they have spoken lies against Me.
And they have not cried unto Me with their heart, when they howled upon their beds: they assemble themselves for corn and wine, and they rebel against Me.
Though I have bound and strengthened their arms, yet do they imagine mischief against Me.
They return, but not to the Most High: they are like a deceitful bow: their princes shall fall by the sword for the rage of their tongue: this shall be their derision in the land of Egypt (Hosea 7: 1-16).
Masters, give unto your servants that which is just and equal; knowing that ye also have a Master in heaven.
Continue in prayer, and watch in the same with thanksgiving;
Withal praying also for us, that God would open unto us a door of utterance, to speak the mystery of Christ, for which I am also in bonds:
That I may make it manifest, as I ought to speak.
Walk in wisdom toward them that are without, redeeming the time.
Let your speech be alway with grace, seasoned with salt, that ye may know how ye ought to answer every man.
All my state shall Tychicus declare unto you, who is a beloved brother, and a faithful minister and fellowservant in the Lord:
Whom I have sent unto you for the same purpose, that he might know your estate, and comfort your hearts;
With Onesimus, a faithful and beloved brother, who is one of you. They shall make known unto you all things which are done here.
Aristarchus my fellowprisoner saluteth you, and Marcus, sister’s son to Barnabas, (touching whom ye received commandments: if he come unto you, receive him;)
And Jesus, which is called Justus, who are of the circumcision. These only are my fellowworkers unto the kingdom of God, which have been a comfort unto me.
Epaphras, who is one of you, a servant of Christ, saluteth you, always labouring fervently for you in prayers, that ye may stand perfect and complete in all the will of God.
For I bear him record, that he hath a great zeal for you, and them that are in Laodicea, and them in Hierapolis.
Luke, the beloved physician, and Demas, greet you.
Salute the brethren which are in Laodicea, and Nymphas, and the church which is in his house.
And when this epistle is read among you, cause that it be read also in the church of the Laodiceans; and that ye likewise read the epistle from Laodicea.
And say to Archippus, Take heed to the ministry which thou hast received in the Lord, that thou fulfil it.
The salutation by the hand of me Paul. Remember my bonds. Grace be with you. Amen (Colossians 4: 1-18).
If ye then be risen with Christ, seek those things which are above, for Christ sitteth on the right hand of God.
Set your affection on things above, not on things on the earth.
For ye are dead, and your life is hid with Christ in God.
When Christ, who is our life, shall appear, then shall ye also appear with Him in glory. Mortify therefore your members which are upon the earth; fornication, uncleanness, inordinate affection, evil concupiscence, and coveteousness, which is idolatry:
For which things’ sake the wrath of God cometh on the children of disobedience:
In the which ye also walked some time, when ye lived in them.
But now ye also put off all these; anger, wrath, malice, blasphemy, filthy communication out of your mouth.
Lie not one to another, seeing that ye have put off the old man with his deeds;
And have put on the new man, which is renewed in knowledge after the image of Him that created him:
Where there is neither Greek nor Jew, circumcision nor uncircumcision, Barbarian, Scythian, bond nor free: but Christ is all, and in all.
Put on therefore, as the elect of God, holy and beloved, bowels of mercies, kindness, humbleness of mind, meekness, longsuffering;
Forbearing one another, and forgiving one another, if any man have a quarrel against any: even as Christ forgave you, so also do ye.
And above all these things put on charity, which is the bond of perfectness.
And let the peace of God rule in your hearts, to the which also ye are called in one body; and be ye thankful.
Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom; teaching and admonishing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with grace in your hearts to the Lord.
And whatsoever ye do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God and the Father by Him.
Wives, submit yourselves unto your own husbands, as it is fit in the Lord.
Husbands, love your wives, and be not bitter against them.
Children, obey your parents in all things: for this is well pleasing unto the Lord.
Fathers, provoke not your children to anger, lest they be discouraged.
Servants, obey in all things your masters according to the flesh; not with eyeservice, as menpleasers; but in singleness of heart, fearing God:
And whatsoever ye do, do it heartily, as to the Lord, and not unto men;
Knowing that of the Lord ye shall receive the reward of the inheritance: for ye serve the Lord Christ.
But he that doeth wrong shall receive for the wrong which he hath done: and there is no respect of persons (Colossians 3: 1-25).
jenniferalicechandler 