Happy Weekend!

This was started on Friday night, then the weekend happened.

The great Advent Lutheran Church Chili Cook-Off was held Friday night. The winner was Paul Gabrielson. Congratulations Paul! He received prizes ranging from a small case of Tums to a nice Dutch Oven. I entered the cook-off at the last minute. I had been stewing some stew meat with the intention of making beef stew for dinner and ended up turning it into chili. I did not win a prize but it was pretty good and all of it was eaten. So that makes me happy!

Prayer: “Omniscient God, before You I lay naked. As honestly as I know how, I bear my soul to You. You are the thoughts and intent of my heart. I confess my sin and iniquity and ask Your forgiveness through the blood of Your Son. May I start my day clean and fresh before You. Amen.”

John 1: 49 “Nathanael answered and said to Him, “Rabbi, You are the Son of God! You are the King of Israel!”

What are you skeptical about? My favorite is the weight loss product that promises that if you go to bed a size 16 you will awake a size 2 without changing anything in your life. These product claims make me very skeptical to the point that I am not willing to try any of these products.

Nathanael was a pretty sincere skeptic. He really did doubt that anything good could come out of Nazareth. But even in his skepticism Nathanael accepted Phillip’s invitation to “come and see.” When Nathanael met Jesus, Nathanael was open enough to listen to this One called Jesus. Jesus knew everything about Nathanael even though they had never even met. Nathanael realized that this man must be the Messiah! He was so sure who Jesus was that he made a public claim that Jesus was, “the Son of God! You are the King of Israel.”

How does this passage play out for us? Well, Jesus met a man for the first time and told him everything about his life. That says to me that Nathanael could not hide anything from Jesus. I think the same is true for us.

My meditation describes this through the episode of Adam and Eve after they realized their sin and tried to hide themselves from God with fig leaves. But God knows us inside out. We cannot hide from God. Because of Jesus, the sins we believe we have hidden are exposed and, by God’s grace through the crucified and risen Christ, are forgiven. Of this forgiveness we need not ever be skeptical or have any doubt!
Today, let us go to God with an open heart. Let us humbly ask for forgiveness of our sins and proclaim that “Jesus is Lord not just of Israel but of each of us today and forever!”

Please continue to play for our friends in their times of trouble, loss and sorrow. Pray victory in Jesus name!

Take joy in the journey. Wear comfortable shoes. Count your blessings and say your prayers. Love you all so very much friends and mighty prayer warriors, 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 only moved by what I believe and I believe God.