Didn’t get to spend as much time on this today but I did get to watch the video and answer a few questions. One of them was asking how it changes the prayer when you realize Paul was writing it like a story and how your prayers might sound if they were written or prayed as a story. For me, I think it would help me to list the things I have asked God for and then tell of how he worked things out to accomplish them in my life. Unfortunately, most of the time I think we, at least I myself, pray in the moment and don’t reminisce about how God has brought things to fruition in His timing… we live in the here and now… in the era of instantaneous action. No patience for anything. Hopefully this study will help me to do just that, slow down and think about all God has done in my life and be hopeful for the things He has yet to do. Hope everyone has a blessed day!

Spent another day on Ephesians 1:1-14. Today for journaling the study suggested writing out the text of these verses. Afterwards I used the a,b,c,d questions from our Forge Boot Camp. -a- It stood out to me that God has marked me with a seal-The Holy Spirit. -b- I need to fully internalize my adoption as a son in the family of God and do all I can to tell others, so they can experience his goodness and grace. -c- I need to spend time praying for boldness and courage to tell others about Christ. That God would help me know what to say through his Holy Spirit that he has sealed me with. -d- I need to thank God that he chose me before I was even born. I want to fully commit to whatever he has for me to accomplish. He obviously is not finished with me yet, because there have been plenty of times I could have died. Praise God He has a plan and he is working it out in conformity with the purpose of his will. Have a great Tuesday Men!

Morn’n! Well it’s Monday… I dropped the basket of old coffee grounds on the floor first thing and had to clean it up…along with my mouth… I was able to go through some more of Ephesians this morning. Looking in Ephesians 1:11-14 and the spiritual blessings in Christ. I like what the footnotes in my Bible have to say about the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit is God’s seal that we belong to him and his deposit guaranteeing that he will do what he has promised. The Holy Spirit is like a down payment, a deposit, a validating signature on a contract. The presence of the Holy Spirit in us demonstrates the genuineness of our faith, proves that we are God’s children, and secures eternal life for us. His power works in us to transform us now, and what we experience now is a taste of the total change we will experience in eternity. If that doesn’t give you encouragement then I don’t know what will! Praise God he sent his Holy Spirit to mark us with a seal and claiming us as his own. Hope everyone has a blessed day!

I don’t think I’m going to make it tomorrow. Working on my neighbors AC unit but I might be able to break away once I get it on vacuum. I read through John 16:1-33 this morning but didn’t get a chance to post. Jesus is teaching about the Holy Spirit. “But very truly I tell you, it is for your good that I am going away. Unless I go away, the Advocate will not come to you; but if I go, I will send him to you. When he comes, he will prove the world to be in the wrong about sin and righteousness and judgment: about sin, because people do not believe in me; about righteousness, because I am going to the Father, where you can see me no longer; and about judgment, because the prince of this world now stands condemned.” ‭‭John‬ ‭16‬:‭7‬-‭11‬ ‭NIV‬‬ Something that stood out to me was vs 9- in regard to sin, because men do not believe in me. My Bibles footnotes -According to Jesus, not believing in him is sin. Have a good evening Fellas.

Psalms 34:22 NLT [22] But the Lord will redeem those who serve him. No one who takes refuge in him will be condemned. Praise the Lord our God! He is good, all the time! Some praise report is in order. The Lord guides us and protects us! God blessed me and my team with safe travels this week, and we had a pretty awesome few days in Canton, OH. The Lord provides! With the child support agency going rouge and doing whatever they want to do. Jesus oversees and supersedes it all. He expedited my lawyer to get an updated withholding order signed by the judge, and my employer accepted without question. Praise God! The Lord will work in others! Yesterday, I spoke with my Dad. Which by the way is incredible by itself because I haven't always had a good relationship with him and that seems to be growing and getting better and better. But my Dad reports his doctor tells him his bladder cancer has not spread and his treatment is making a difference. He has 3 more new rounds of chemo ahead of him after the previous 6 rounds he just rapped up in July. But he is positive and sounds pretty good. And wouldn't you know it. He said he went to church last Sunday. He was at Bo'jangles eating breakfast and a friend walked in unsuspectedly and invited him to his Baptist church. Praise God! He said he was under dressed but choose anyway to just walk in as is. My Dad says he's got a lot to be thankful for. Amen! I encouraged him even if he didn't like that one in paricular. To be open to find a good Bible based church. But keep going. Keep praising. Keep praying. Lord I am blessed. And I am grateful.