Happy Tuesday!

I have come to the end of a very long but wonderful day. I have preached my final sermon for preaching class. I preached on the passage from Genesis 45 about Joseph being reconciled with his family. I tried something just a bit different during this sermon. I wore a scarf as a pastor would wear a stole and sandals with large jeweled looking beads on the thong part of the sandal. As I related Joseph leaving his throne in the palace of Pharaoh and setting aside his royal position I remove the scarf and step out of the sandals using this as visualization of Joseph placing family over his position in Egypt. It worked out pretty well.

Psalms class was completely brilliant as we studied different ways to look at suffering in the Psalms. It is always a great day when I have learned something wonderful!

Prayer: Father, thank You for getting me up early this morning to hear from You. Your Spirit has drawn me to the prayer room of my heart. Help me to hear exactly what Jesus has to say to me through the voice of the Holy Spirit. O Lord, speak Your truths into my heart and grant me wisdom to respond to Your will and direction. Use me for Your glory and honor. Thank You, heavenly Father, for speaking to my heart. I love You and praise Your Holy name. Amen.

I Corinthians 2: 13 When we tell you these things, we do not use words that come from human wisdom. Instead, we speak words given to us by the Spirit, using the Spirit’s words to explain spiritual truths.

If you are a parent and spend daily contact with a baby then I hope you will understand this analogy. Whichever parent in the family spends the greatest amount of time with the baby begins to figure out how the baby communicates wants and needs. The baby does not use words or sentences but, by the use of certain syllables and attempts at language and a very attentive care giver, the language (while still developing) is figured out. Such as Casey’s word for hot dogs was “ga-gas.” He did not sound the word “hotdogs”, but we learned what he wanted by being very attentive to this repeated language for one of his favorite snacks.

If we want to understand the language of the Holy Spirit that gives us direction for our lives then we must be attentive to the language of discernment to understand. We learn this language because we live daily lives of prayer and study of God’s Word as it speaks to us and we learn to know God through Jesus more fully. When we pray we must be so bold as to pray for the Holy Spirit to teach us the Word of God. I would love to tell you that I understand the first time or even the tenth time when I read a scripture. I can tell you that as long as I continue to read, study and listen, the more I learn. Finally, the discerning Word of God communicated by the Holy Spirit speaks in a language I can understand and I will know what the Word is for me.
God’s precious Word is the “lamp unto my feet and a light unto my path” (Ps. 119: 105). The right pathway and direction comes from daily walking with God and being taught by the Holy Spirit.

Take joy in the journey. Wear comfortable shoes. Count your blessings, study God’s Word, listen for instructions and say your prayers. Love you all so very much, 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.