Epiphany: Thursday, February 15, 2007

Old Testament Lesson

Isaiah 65:1-12

We see quite often in the prophets there is a mix of judgment and salvation. Judgment will come to those that turn from God's gracious offer of salvation, but salvation and hope will come to those that accept. And, we see here in this passage that God is longing to offer salvation and to have folks accept it. God is not a god looking to punish folks or banish them, in fact, God is a god that desires that none should perish. He longs to see all come to a saving knowledge.

But, all God can do is offer. He cannot accept it for us. We must do that. His offer of salvation does you no good if you will not accept it. But, without, we are hopeless, in this age and in the age to come.

New Testament Lesson

1 Timothy 4:1-16

The Word says to train yourself in godliness. You are not godly just because you want to be. You are not holy just by wanting to be. Too many of us mistake wanting to be a Christian for actually being a a Christian. It is not enough to want it, we must do it. We must train ourselves. I'm sure each of us today that is reading us wants to be a Christan and enter into God's kingdom. Are you training for it? Are you doing the things that God has commanded you to do?

When was the last time you

Read your Bible?
Prayed?
Worshiped God in Church?
Took your family to Church?
Shared your Faith?
Helped Someone?

We all want to think that we are going to be welcomed by God. But, if we are not doing the things that He wants us to do and living as He wants us to live, are we really His children?

Gospel Lesson

Mark 12:13-27

God is the god of the living. I love that passage. All that come to God will have life, now, and in the age to come. Right now, each of us can be alive. We can have life, no matter our context or our problems or our failure or our weaknesses. Right not, at this moment, we can live. How awesome is that? Right now, I hope each of us is a live, and know the joy and peace and grace of our Lord for this moment, and for all our lives.