Blessed Sunday and first day of Advent to you all.

Prayer:  “Thank You, Lord, for helping me to understand that my witness is directly related to my life.  Help me to be mindful that what You want to do in me is more important than what I want to do in me.  Help me this day through the power of the Holy Spirit to abide in You as You abide in me.  Amen.”

“And we have seen and testify that the Father has sent the Son as Savior of the world.  Whoever confesses that Jesus is the son of God abides in him, and he in God.”

1 John 4:14

Happy Advent!  The season of Advent is the beginning of the church year.  Most denominations follow a lectionary throughout the year. Lectionary is a group of scriptures containing an Old Testament Lesson, a portion of a Psalm, an Epistle and a New Testament Lesson.  If you read all of these lessons in one sitting there is usually some type of common thread that connects them. 

Here’s the thing, from Genesis to Revelation, the connected story is the love story of God with us.  It is the story of Emmanuel.  We know of God’s love because of the story of the cross.  But even more powerful than that story is the intimate story of goes deeper than the Cross.  It is the story of God’s desire for His love to be in those who believe.  God loves us so very much that all he wants to do is to abide in us.  The life of the believer who abides in God’s love is a powerful witness for God in the world.  None of us can see God, but others can see God moving and living in us when we help others.  God gives us the powerful blessing of Advent every day of our lives because we carry “God with us” every day. 

Take joy in this Advent journey.  Wear comfortable shoes and get some sleep. Count your blessings and say your prayers.  Love and blessings to 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.