Blessed Sunday to you all! 

The newlyweds got back to Arlington around noon. They stopped at Sarah’s Mom and Dad’s to pick up the gifts brought to the wedding, her car and her dog Sophie. They then arrived at our house to do basically the same things. We had lunch together with all five of us present. They were slightly sunburned, somewhat sleepy, but smiling and glad to be going to their own home together. 

I will begin a five day intensive study class in the morning through the Hebrew Bible Studies called  Special Topics in Hebrew Bible—From God and a Woman:  Biblical Hermeneutics and Cultural Criticism Through Womanist/Feminist Lenses.  I think that is the longest title for a class in the free world!  The expectation is for the students to read 50 pages per night and write journal entries. This class will be different and I am sure really interesting. And if I am wrong, it only lasts five days and I will have an entire semester’s work complete. Pretty cool!

Prayer:  Holy Spirit, Thank you for being the Presence of the living God within each of us who believe. It is Your presence that allows us to do what God has called us to do. Thank you for being the channel of God’s love that teaches us how to love our neighbor as You love. By the power of the Holy Spirit and in Jesus name, I pray. Amen.

“And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Advocate, to be with you forever. This is the Spirit of Truth whom the world cannot receive, because it neither sees him nor knows him. You know him, because he abides with you, and he will be in you.”

John 14: 14 and 16

It is the day of Pentecost, the day we call the birthday of the church. In Acts 2 are the recorded events of the day. All the people were gathered and the promised Holy Spirit came upon them allowing them to hear the good news in their own language even though there were many different languages among those who were gathered. 

When Jesus was crucified the Disciples fled in fear for their very lives. They disappeared and hid. They were unable to continue to ministry of Jesus because they were so scared.  They were, however, present at the day of Pentecost and the Holy Spirit entered their hearts. Once they received the power of the Holy Spirit they were able to go out and preach the gospel of Jesus. They were willing to go to prison and continue that ministry to those incarcerated with them. They were willing to suffer persecution and die because of the power of the Holy Spirit that was now within them.

We were given that same power of the Holy Spirit when we came into relationship with Jesus. This is the deepest connection to God we have. That is how we can go to God at anytime because God is already present within us at all times. We may lose sight of God at times, but because of the Holy Spirit, we are in constant connection with God through our faith in Jesus.  When we make connection with the Holy Spirit and make our needs, desires, pleadings and joys known in prayer, the prayer is received instantly to the One who hears all prayers. Acts 17: 28 “For in him we live and move and have our being.’ As some of your poets have said, ‘We are his offspring.’”  Let us allow the Holy Spirit to occupy all of our being and include this mysterious presence in our awareness and in our daily lives. 

Take joy in the journey remembering that hope does not disappoint! Wear comfortable shoes, pray with a grateful heart and get some sleep. Love you all, Bruce and Gaylene.

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.