Happy Tuesday!

I believe fall fell today! I am asking for your prayers as I write a rather lengthy paper on sacraments due next Wednesday. I am somewhat confident in my ability to write this paper except that one word in my professors notes “flawless” is intimidating! As you all know I am not a very good academic writer. This paper is the first one that must have footnotes and five sources. This makes me a bit nervous. Please pray for me as I continue to write and especially for the time to write. I tutor three mornings and two afternoons a week, so my time is limited.

1 Timothy 6:10 “For the love of money is the root of all evil.”

You know I usually do not disagree with scripture but I struggle with this one. I think the word I struggle with is “all.” When I think about money I think of myself as the “middle man.” I work for it, receive it and then just give it to someone else.

But I think in this scripture it is speaking of someone who has money, but does not share any of it. The old saying “You can’t take it with you,” comes to mind. That will never be an issue in this house!

So let’s think of this in another light. God does not view us as just spenders in the kingdom here on earth. He looks at us as vessels of giving that are expected to be emptied each day and allowed to be refilled by Him. God, because of His love for us and call to service gives us the gifts of love, faith, forgiveness and grace. His gives us these gifts through the sacrifice of Jesus. We do not have to work for these gifts and we are not the middle man in the eyes of God. Jesus emptied Himself for each of us upon that cross so that we never need to earn or work for the love of God, His forgiveness or grace. We need to just stay open to receive these gifts.

We need to stay ever empty so that He may continue to fill us with His abundant grace as we live a life of giving, sacrifice and abundance just as Jesus did for us. We need to use these gifts of love and grace as we go about our day sharing these gifts with others and prepare to be refilled with His goodness each day.

Take joy in the journey. Wear comfortable shoes, count your blessings and say your prayers. Let us continue to lift one another up in prayer each day. 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 moved only by what I believe and I believe God.