Happy Saturday! My apologies for not writing last evening, after the chili-cook off and the traditional payday out to dinner I was exhausted! The chili cook-off was a smashing success. I won three awards; one for the weirdest chili, one for the meatiest chili and I can’t remember the other one. And in the game of “Are You Smarter than a First Grader?”, the first graders “kicked parent butt!” We had the most wonderful time. We had a lot of parent participation and the kids looked really great all dressed in their Texas duds.

Travis and his plane arrived in New York without incident. One of the other planes had some cabin pressure problems and spent the majority of the night in the Nashville airport. It was a long day and long night for the kids and their chaperones. I think they finally landed at LaGuardia at around 5:00 am on Friday morning. I am very glad they did not compete until today and maybe got a good night’s sleep. (teenagers in New York resting? sure! ) As far as I know, all must be going well due to the fact that we (Bruce and I) haven’t heard from him yet. He will arrive home on Monday night. Please pray travel mercy as they continue their adventure. And pray for New York as it adjusts to all of those Texas babies descending upon the Big Apple!

Proverbs 12:22 says, “The Lord hates those who tell lies, but is pleased with those who keep their promises.”

All was going well in the Garden of Eden until God’s created being was thrown from heaven and landed in the garden. When Satan landed in the garden, lies and deceit entered the picture. When our kids were little we always encouraged them to tell the truth even if they had done something wrong. We have always told them that we would rather them tell the truth about the wrong doing than to do something wrong and then lie about it. Yes, consequences would be levied at the wrong doing, but if a lie was told or a deception was invented also, there is now an issue of trust or now distrust involved.

God loves the truth. 1 Corinthians 6: 9-10 places lies and deceit right up there with adultery, thieves, idolaters and a bunch of the other sins named in the passage of scripture. But the best part of this passage is the last verse, (10) says, “And this is what some of you used to be. But you were washed, you were sanctified, you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and in the Spirit of our God.”

As I read these two passages of scriptures I realized the power of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ as the presenter of our case before the Father. God does not hate us because we lie, God hates the lies we tell. Whether we tell lies to someone else, tell lies about someone else, tell lies to ourselves or tell lies to God (now there’s a smart move!) (LOL), He loves us so much and still wants to develop Himself within each of us. We do not serve a God who would lie. We serve a God of truth. Truth is one of the names of God. Since lies are not part of the character of God; lies are a sin that separate us from God.

God wants to live in every part of our live, but for God to live in every part of our lives, then lies and deceptions cannot live in us if we are to remain in fellowship with Him. The Corinthians scripture tells us that we “used” to be like that. But because Jesus came so that we could know Him and Jesus goes before the Father to plead for us when we ask forgiveness we are justified and sanctified because of the Father’s love for us in His Son, Jesus Christ and His grace.

Someday when we leave this earthly life we will be judged by God the Father. Jesus will go before us. I am sure that in the book of life everything that I have ever done will be written down and presented to The Judge (and it will be most embarrassing). As I stand there before the seat of Judgment and look upon God, Jesus will go before me and say to His Father, “Dad, this one is mine, please forgive her and let her live here forever.” Because God loves His Son so much and trusts Him completely, God will say, I forgive her and see you at supper.

Tomorrow at the 11:00 service I will sing the old hymn, It is Well with My Soul. This is a beautiful hymn born out of grief and sadness that the writer had at the loss of his children. His faith in God drew out these simple words of faith and peace and placed them in the writer’s heart. I ask you to pray as I sing in the morning that this piece will be a witness to all who seek Christ as the balm for their grieving souls.

Take joy in the journey friends and see you in worship. Love you all dear, dear friends, Bruce, Gaylene, Geni and Travis.

Gcapplenotes@aol.com

I am not moved by what I see. I am not moved by what I feel. I am moved only by what I believe and I believe God.