Happy Wednesday!

I have completed my Old Testament reading and completed my paper which is due next Tuesday. I have my writing to finish, but I have that scheduled for Monday. I am slowly working out this whole “new normal.” I have learned that if I get to Brite at 7:40 each day I can get a parking space. So on Tuesday and Thursday my class does not begin until 9:30 AM and I have extra study time. My Wednesday and Friday classes begin at 8:00 AM so I have time to eat a quick breakfast and get to class. I am learning to read more critically and trying really hard to comprehend what I read as text and the questions that go with the readings. This is a serious retraining of the brain.

Prayer: “Father, thank You for the salvation You have provided in Jesus. I confess that this incredible gift of salvation and life is a gift of Your grace, not a product of my deserving deeds. I am humbled by Your graciousness, and I pray that You will empower me to live in light of this grace today. Amen.”

John 3: 13, 15, 16 “No one has ascended to heaven but He who came down from heaven, that is the Son of Man who is in heaven…that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have eternal life. For God so loved the world that he gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life.”

John 3:16 was always Casey’s favorite verse. My best friend Carme even printed a card with a picture of Travis lifting and this verse on the other side. The picture with the verse came from Casey’s shirt that that she wears often.

I think this is the most well known memory verse of all time. Even those who are not people of faith are at lease familiar with this verse. Being familiar with this verse is not really enough. If we are familiar with something then it usually means that we know something about it, but not necessarily anything in depth. As believers we need to know the depth of this verse and drink deeply of the richness of meaning of this passage on which we anchor our faith. This verse is the reality of what God has done for each of us in Jesus.

When God set out to save the world He did not staff it out or outsource this task. He sent His only begotten Son - the One unique Son of God - to rescue us from sin and death. God did this because we are not able to rescue ourselves. Jesus, this One and only begotten Son of God, stood in the place of our sinfulness and took our sin upon Himself as the perfect sinless sacrifice. Because of what God has done through Jesus, we do not have to experience condemnation or eternal separation from our loving God. Because we believe in the Person of Jesus Christ we will live with God forever.

Take joy in the journey. Wear comfortable shoes. Count your blessings and say your prayers. May we never fail to stand in awe of the wonder of how God loves us. 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.