Deuteronomy 5:16 (NIV) “Honor your father and your mother, as the Lord your God has commanded you, so that you may live long and that it may go well with you in the land the Lord your God is giving you.
Living life is about relationships. The Ten Commandments [Exodus 20:1-17] contain wisdom to guide us in our relationship with God, with others, and with family members – particularly with our earthly father and mother. In today’s broken world we find that not all families are healthy – some are dysfunctional. May we, regardless of our family circumstances, find a way to appreciate and honor the role that our father and mother have had in shaping who we are in Christ. (inspired by Reflecting God – Devotions for Holy Living, WordAction Publishing Company)
Matthew 21:16 (NIV) “Do you hear what these children are saying?” they asked him. “Yes,” replied Jesus, “have you never read, “‘From the lips of children and infants
you, Lord, have called forth your praise’?”
Yesterday we considered that a simple childlike faith is all we need to believe. We are reminded with today’s Scripture verse, that praising and worshipping God should be a natural outcome of our belief in Jesus. May we simply worship and praise Him in all we do and with who we are when we are in Him. (inspired by Reflecting God – Devotions for Holy Living, WordAction Publishing Company)
Matthew 18:3 (NIV) And he said: “Truly I tell you, unless you change and become like little children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven.
Often we make things too complicated! Our faith in Jesus, the Christ, need not be so difficult. May we simply believe in Him and what He did for us on the cross. God opens the door and, by His grace, makes it possible for us to believe. May we accept His free gift of grace… and simply believe. (inspired by Reflecting God – Devotions for Holy Living, WordAction Publishing Company)
2 Timothy 2:15 (NIV) Do your best to present yourself to God as one approved, a worker who does not need to be ashamed and who correctly handles the word of truth.
By the grace of God, may we be able to turn from those things that are not pleasing to the Lord and instead turn to those things that honor Him. (inspired by Reflecting God – Devotions for Holy Living, WordAction Publishing Company)
Father we praise you for revealing your son, Jesus, to the magi, a caste of intelligent non-Jewish men who specialized in natural science, astrology, and astronomy. By this You reveal to us that Jesus was sent for all mankind, not just the Jews. Amen
(inspired by Your Nativity Scene is Mostly Wrong – But That’s Alright at http://www.christianparenting.org/articles/nativity-scene-wrong-alright/)
Opening Prayer: Father God, today we celebrate Epiphany. On the church calendar, the day typically marks the beginning of a time of spiritual revelation. As we journey onward, may we look to the Scriptures for revelations about your Son, Jesus, the Christ. As Christians, we know He is our Lord and Savior, but may we, through the work of the Holy Spirit, gain new knowledge, understanding, and wisdom during this time. May we also apply this new knowledge, understanding, and wisdom to our daily lives. We know Jesus is the way, but may we be true followers of His teachings. May the examples He sets before us guide and shape us, in His name I pray. Amen.
Message [used with permission from A Sermon for Every Sunday]: The Epiphany of the Lord – Another Way Home, by Scott Spencer
Dr. Scott Spencer, Professor of New Testament and Biblical Interpretation at the Baptist Theological Seminary at Richmond, preaches the story of the magi from Matthew 2:1-12. Spencer croons James Taylor’s “Home by Another Way” to highlight the choice of the magi. “They tell me that life is a miracle and I figured that they’re right. But Herod’s always out there, he’s got our cards on file. It’s a lead pipe cinch, if we give an inch, old Herod likes to take a mile. It’s best to go home by another way…We got this far to a lucky star, but tomorrow is another day…keep a weather eye to the chart on high and go home another way.” Herod’s way or God’s way? The magi had a choice, and so do we.
Closing Prayer: Father God, finding our way in this world can be difficult. Sometimes we take the easier road, not the better road. Help us to be willing to invest our time, energy, and resources in the pursuit of You. I pray that we may be faithfully found looking, hoping, and searching for You when you return. May we find the richness in this life that You intend for us to experience and may we not wander or stray away from the narrow path that leads us to You. Give us eyes to see the way and a heart that insists on focusing upon You. In Jesus’ name, Amen.
When Jesus came to the region of Caesarea Philippi, he asked his disciples, “Who do people say the Son of Man is?”
They replied, “Some say John the Baptist; others say Elijah; and still others, Jeremiah or one of the prophets.”
“But what about you?” he asked. “Who do you say I am?”
Simon Peter answered, “You are the Messiah, the Son of the living God.”
Jesus replied, “Blessed are you, Simon son of Jonah, for this was not revealed to you by flesh and blood, but by my Father in heaven.
Today is often referred to Epiphany. An epiphany is defined as “a sudden intuitive leap of understanding, especially through an ordinary but striking occurrence” (Encarta Dictionary: English). In this passage Peter declares that Jesus is the Messiah. It was an epiphany; it was revealed from heaven above.
Faithfully Yours Forever 