I've had an Epiphany!

Artwork: Shepherdess with Her Flock Artist: Eugene-Joseph Verboeckhoven Worship Theme: A 2011 Australian study found that after the age of 25, every hour of television reduced the viewer’s life expectancy by 21.8 minutes. (Yikes!) God’s warning for us all is far more dire than the old “slouch on the couch.” He says that by frittering time away we could slide away from him and into eternal death. Conversely, how good it will be for those whom Jesus finds busy and watching for him when he reappears. Old Testament: Haggai 1:2-14 2 This is what the Lord of Armies says. This people has said, “It is not the right time for the House of the Lord to be built.” 3 So the word of the Lord came through Haggai the prophet. 4 Is it time for you to live in your paneled houses while this house lies in ruins? 5 Now this is what the Lord of Armies says. Consider your ways carefully. 6 You sow much seed but you harvest little. You eat but you are never satisfied. You drink but yo...

Luke 12:13–21 13 Someone from the crowd said to him, “Teacher, tell my brother to divide the inheritance with me.” 14 But Jesus said to him, “Man, who appointed me to be a judge or an arbitrator over you?” 15 Then he said to them, “Watch out and be on guard against all greed, because a man’s life is not measured by how many possessions he has.” 16 He told them a parable: “The land of a certain rich man produced very well. 17 He was thinking to himself, ‘What will I do, because I do not have anywhere to store my crops?’ 18 He said, ‘This is what I will do. I will pull down my barns and build bigger ones, and there I will store all my grain and goods. 19 And I will tell my soul, “Soul, you have many goods stored up for many years. Take it easy. Eat, drink, and be merry.”’ 20 “But God said to him, ‘You fool, this night your soul will be demanded from you. Now who will get what you have prepared?’ 21 “That is how it will be for anyone who stores up treasure for himself and is no...

Artwork: Parable of the Rich Fool Artist: Rembrandt Harmenszoon van Rijn Date: 1606-1669 Worship Theme: Earthly wealth is meaningless without God.   The meaning of life cannot be found in the abundance of earthly possessions but in the abundance of heavenly blessings. The believer recognizes that everything the world seeks and offers is meaningless. Rather, he sets his heart on the treasure found in the fullness of Christ. Old Testament: Ecclesiastes 1:2, 2:18-26    2 “Nothing but vapor,” Ecclesiastes said. “Totally vapor. Everything is just vapor that vanishes.” 2:18 I also hated all the results of my hard work, for which I worked so hard under the sun, since I must leave it all to the man who comes after me. 19 And who knows—will he be wise, or a fool? Yet he will have control over all the results of my hard work, for which I worked so hard and so wisely, under the sun. This too is vapor that vanishes. 20 So I changed my course, and my heart bega...

Luke 11:1–13  On another occasion, Jesus was praying in a certain place. When he finished, one of his disciples said to him, “Lord, teach us to pray, just as John also taught his disciples.” 2 He said to them, “When you pray, say, ‘Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name. Your kingdom come. Your will be done on earth as it is in heaven. 3 Give us each day our daily bread. 4 Forgive us our sins, as we also forgive everyone who sins against us. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil.’” 5 He said to them, “Suppose one of you has a friend, and you go to him at midnight and tell him, ‘Friend, lend me three loaves of bread, 6 because a friend of mine who is on a journey has come to me, and I do not have anything to set before him.’ 7 And the one inside replies, ‘Don’t bother me. The door is already locked, and my children and I are in bed. I can’t get up and give it to you.’ 8 I tell you, even if he will not get up and give him anything because he is his fr...

Artwork: The Lord’s Prayer Artist: James Tissot Worship Theme: God has given most people the wonderful gift of speech. Through words we communicate our thoughts, ideas and feelings. Without words it would be much harder to express ourselves, a frustrating prospect! Our thoughts, ideas and feelings need an outlet, and so does our faith-life! Faith looks for ways to express itself, and one way Christian faith does that is in fervent faith-filled prayer. Old Testament: Genesis 18:20–32    20 So the Lord said, “Because the outcry against Sodom and Gomorrah is great, and because their sin is very flagrant, 21 I will go down now and see if what they have done is as bad as the outcry that has come to me. If not, I will know.” 22 The two men turned from there and went toward Sodom, but Abraham remained standing before the Lord . 23 Abraham approached him and said, “Will you really sweep away the righteous along with the wicked? 24 What if there are fifty righteo...