Happy Friday!

At noon today I completed my first semester as a full time graduate student. Bruce took me to dinner tonight as a celebration. When I arrived at home I became completely lazy and watched several episodes of NCIS. It felt really strange to just watch TV and not study or write. Now I have two weeks of work ahead of me to complete two take-home exams and study for a huge test over the Hebrew Bible.

Prayer: “Father, we honor You and thank You for Your great love for us. Where would we be without Your love and forgiveness through Jesus Christ? What a joy it is to our hearts to realize that our salvation is complete and full through the greatness of Your mercy. I love You and thank You for loving me so fully and freely even while I was unbelieving and rebellious against You. May the Holy Spirit today control my life and help me to live for Your glory. Amen”

Ephesians 2: 4,5 “But God, who is rich in mercy, because of His great love with which He loved us, even when we were dead in sin, made us alive together with Christ (by grace you have been saved).”

In Greek the word grace is translated as charis. We translate that word into English as charity. Charity means doing something for someone totally incapable of repaying the gift. Our forgiveness and salvation is totally a loving charitable act given to us by a loving and gracious Father and Lord. We have done nothing to earn this gift of grace except to be sinners in need of a Savior. If God had not chosen to restore us into relationship with Him, we would still be covered in our sinfulness instead of blanketed by everlasting grace. When we were forgiven our sin was wiped away and God’s transforming and regenerative work began through the power of the Holy Spirit.
This entire act of grace and the enduring love initiated by God is what compelled Jesus to walk the road to Calvary and submit Himself to the pain and anguish of the cross. It is in this single act of charity we can never repay that we receive salvation and eternal life. My friends, that is Amazing grace!

Take joy in the journey. Wear comfortable shoes. Count your blessings and say your prayers. Love you all mighty and faithful prayer warriors and friends, 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.