Ordinary Time: Friday, October 6, 2006

Old Testament Lesson

Hosea 10:1-15

Chapter 10 and 11 paint one of the great pictures in all the Bible. Its hard to view one without the other. Without 11, Chapter 10 is pure 100% judgement. Israel has departed from God. They have left Him and have done their own ways; and they deserve every ounce of punishment the Lord gives them.

So do we; we have left His will, we have done it our way, not His. Even the most faithful among us has fallen into sin in their life. And, just like Israel, we deserve God's judgement and God's punishment. That is Chapter 10.

In Chapter 11, God relents. He says, yes, I should and could destroy them, but I love them. I taught them to walk, I have been their faithful God through ages. In 11, He shows us that while their will come a time when His wrath is unfurled; at this moment, He gives mercy. And He longs to give mercy.

Today, no matter where you are in your faith and in your life; won't you take His mercy?

New Testament Lesson

Acts 21:37-22:16

One thing Paul always did was that He used every circumstance in His life as a way to give testimony to Jesus Christ. Everything he did, every way He could, he glorified the One that had saved him. Today, he is brought before all this people, and he knew he had a captive audience. So, he gives his testimony! He knew that every moment of his life could be a moment to point people to Jesus Christ.

So is it for us. Every moment of our lives can be one that can point others to Jesus. Every moment. May we take advantage of each of those moments, may we point others to Jesus with all that we do.

Gospel Lesson

Luke 6:12-26

We see that for God has a different understanding of what it means to be blessed than the world. The world says it is the famous, the rich, the power, these are blessed. Jesus says, no, the poor in spirit, the righteous, the needful. The world says that those that can get anything they want are blessed. Jesus says, no, it isthose that understand that they are dependent upon God that are blessed.

Today, do you understand your need for God? Do you understand that you can do nothing without Him? If so, then you are blessed.