Blessed Sunday to you all!

Worship today was so uplifting and ever mindful that we are to give glory to God and that we owe our every dependence on Him. This theme was given through the worship music, the scriptures and the message. The worshipers today were engaged as we explored that God has revealed Jesus to us.

John 1: 31 “I did not recognize Him as the Messiah, but I have been baptizing with water so that He might be revealed to Israel.

John 1: 33 “I didn’t know He was the one, but when God sent me to baptize with water, He told me. “The one on whom you see the Spirit descend and rest is the one who will baptize with the Holy Spirit.”

Did you ever have the experience of being in worship and the pastor seems to be looking right at you and speaking words only you are meant to hear? I have had that experience and, in the message today, so did John the Baptist. John was cousin to Jesus. I am sure they had spent time together as children, but to John, Jesus was just his cousin from Nazareth. But something happened to John that caused him to leave the temple and receive a special calling to announce Jesus to the world. John was the forerunner to Jesus and was given the task to baptize in the name of the One who would be called the Messiah. The Holy Spirit spoke God’s Word to John and revealed to Him that Jesus was the Messiah, the Holy One of God coming to save the world.

The scripture says that God did not tell the crowd, but spoke through the Holy Spirit to John the Baptist. When John saw the Holy Spirit descend like a dove upon Jesus, John knew without any doubt that it was Jesus, the Chosen One of God. John was reluctant to baptize Jesus, but Jesus confirmed the Father’s Word by commanding John to baptize Him and to fulfill the scriptures.

I think those moments in our worship when the sermon or music or scriptures seem to be for our ears only is God speaking through the Holy Spirit in ways that only the one who is to receive the message is to hear and act upon. No one else in that crowd heard the message of God that day except John. When God speaks to us, He speaks to us in language we understand and leaves no doubt that He has spoken and we are to act on His Word. May God be glorified in our lives as we seek to do His will because we have listened and acted in obedience.

Take joy in the journey. Wear comfortable shoes. Count your blessings and say your prayers. Let us continue to lift one another us in prayer each day. Love you all, 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.