Happy Monday!

The services for David Russell’s mother, Jane, will be Friday, April 20 in McKinney, Texas. The burial will be at the National Cemetery in Grand Prairie, Texas beside her beloved husband, Richard. Due to our commitments with the Kairos Prison Ministry Weekend in Wichita Falls, Bruce and I will be unable to attend. In our absence Geni will not only be attending, but will lift her beautiful voice and sing the service. Please continue to pray for this most precious family as they mourn their loss, but celebrate the life of this most precious woman. Pray for Geni as she shares her God given gift of a glorious voice raised in praise to the living God.

Also, please pray for Travis. Tomorrow he goes for a mock interview for an assistant manager’s position within Starbucks. He will go in on Friday for the real interview with the district manager. If he is offered the position of assistant manager he will have to leave the Randol Mill Store and will work at the Starbucks by Central Market in Fort Worth. This is a wonderful opportunity for Travis and Starbucks will gain a wonderful young man on his way up!

Prayer: Father, this week is Your week. Speak truth and hope into my life. Give me ears to hear You speak. Grant me discipline to open Your Word in order to listen to Your voice. Whatever is before me, give me what I need at that moment. Even now, I listen to You. May You alone be praised. Amen.

James 5: 13, 14 Is anyone among you suffering? Let him pray. Is anyone cheerful? Let him sing psalms. If there anyone among you sick? Let him call for the elders of the church, and let them pray over him, anointing him with oil in the name of the Lord.

Do you love to pray? If any of you know me, you know that I love to pray. Prayer occurs when we bring something before God and then listen to what God has to say to us. Upon the authority of God’s Word we are commanded to call upon the church spiritual leaders and ask them to pray over us when we are sick. So many of us do not think to pray first. We try to work things out for ourselves before inviting God to be a part of helping us work things out. Sometimes we are so overwhelmed that we ask God just to take it and work it out for us. When there are those around us who are in desperate need, then whatever their need may be, we must offer the need to the highest level; the throne of grace on which the King of Glory sits. We ask God to step into the situation in a personal and miraculous way, making His Presence known.

We all have needs which must be met. Pride will take us by the hand and tell that we can work it out ourselves. Stubbornness in us will cause us to just try to wait it out and believe that things will simply improve. That is sort of like trying to teach a child to read. As someone who has taught a great number of children to read, I don’t stop after the first lesson. I continue to teach until the learner has grasped not only the calling of the words, but the meaning of the text.

By continuing to pray past the first time, we can discern hidden messages of God meant for us. We get to hear these messages because we are covered in the Holy Spirit and believe in the name of Jesus. When we talk to God let us invite the promise of the day to each of us through the voice of the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit will move into our thoughts and hearts giving the confidence that God will move upon us and assure us with his Holy Presence.

Take joy in the journey. Wear comfortable shoes. Count your blessings and say your prayers. 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 only moved by what I believe and I believe God.