In Context

Greetings to everyone again from YWAM Hopeland in Uganda. Already, I am into the second week of the SBS and things are going well. Last week we had the assignment to write a letter to someone we dearly loved. Easy enough, right?! Well we all handed our letters in and the next day the teacher brought them out. She would read a random sentence from each letter and that was it. We had spent so much time writing to our loved ones and there she was reading sentences. Our words made no sense to anyone and the meaning of our letters was lost! It was a great challenge for us all. This is the way most of us have or do read God's letters to us...the Bible. We jump around or use a scripture from here or there, without taking the time to understand His heart about the entire issue. The reason for which the book was written, to whom it was meant for, the historical context, what it meant as an entire message, but most importantly we rob God the priveledge of communicating to us His entire message. This School of Biblical Studies is all about this. It is all about praying, reading (countless times), looking again and again for insight, inviting the Spirit of God to speak, taking the context into consideration, and receiving the intimate communication that comes from the Living Word of God! As I have said before this course is going to require so much of me, but to have the oppurtunity to allow God's Word to pass through me verses me passing through it; I'm going to fight for it. I want the Word on my heart and it is already happening. So far we've only completed Philemon, but its in me now and it comes out, it plays itself out in my conversation, thoughts, and actions everyday. This week we have begun to study Galatians. And wow, more to hide in my heart and bring forth into the world as I live. Its truly powerful and such a blessing. Thank-you for your prayers and continued support in the spiritual realms for I am continuously uplifted. The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ be with your spirit. Amen!