What Am I Reading? September 2023

 

I Need An EPIPHANY

Epiphany (not the religious holiday that is observed on Jan. 6, but the word EPIPHANY! 

What is an Epiphany? 

Epiphany is defined as a moment of sudden revelation or insight:

Have you ever had an epiphany? You know, where you just know the right answer, the right thing to do for a situation. Epiphanies are great - especially when you get one that you feel and believe came from God. There's no better feeling in the world for a child of God than to feel like you are in tune with God, and your life and actions are pleasing to Him. The relief and peace that comes from this feeling is AH-MAZING! Feeling like you know exactly what God wants from you and for you, and then being able to do it, there's just nothing better. 

Unfortunately, life sends me more mysteries than epiphanies. My plans are constantly getting a curve ball. I fill out my planner, trying to get a plan for the week or month ahead, and if I go back to look at everything written it's usually a mess of many other things that came up that couldn't be planned for. And I must confess that many of the planned things on my list remain undone. Exhausting! 

The epiphany moments are few - while the puzzled moments seem to come at me in abundance!

So many times, in the little things and the big things of life, I have prayed for answers that didn't come. (Or I should say they didn't come right away) I guess you could say I get delayed epiphanies. Ha!

We are on God's time, not our own and when I can accept that it makes my life easier. I am stubborn and set in my ways... I want to know things RIGHT NOW! All the WHY's! All the RIGHT THINGS! All the WRONG THINGS! I don't like wasting precious time, I like to take action. I don't like messing up, and I especially don't like feeling like I am doing something God doesn't want me to do. There have been times, and I'm certain there will be more times that I am going to get it wrong- God's grace will cover me. There's going to be times my own ignorance will run me right into the ditch - God offers me enough grace to pick me back up. There's going to be times I spend too much time with the wrong people, while neglecting the right people - God has a lesson for that! 

If I could give myself an EPIPHANY- My moment of sudden revelation- My A-ha moment, it would be "CHILL" Relax. Calm down. everything doesn't have to be figured out right now. It's much better to wait and receive insight from the Lord. "CHILL" doesn't mean to be like the lazy servant in the parable of talents while we wait for God to answer. God doesn't want us to hide our heads, He wants us to keep on keeping on! This is where our faith comes in... We keep pressing on not knowing what lies ahead. 

We know the One that holds the future, and that's enough. 

2 Timothy 2:7 

Consider what I say; and the Lord give thee understanding in all things.

 

Fall 2023 Sunday School Books

 

Sunday School Booklets, ready for the fall quarter!

13 Lessons for the next 13 weeks for our adult Sunday School class.

Sept. 3	A Good Name	Proverbs 22	1
Sept. 10	Five Wise Virgins	Matthew 25:1-13	5
Sept. 17	Parable of the Talents	Matthew 25:14-30	8
Sept. 24	Sheep and Goats	Matthew 25:31-46	11
Oct. 1	Living in the Light	Ephesians 5:1-17	15
Oct. 8	God’s Righteous Judgement	Romans 2:1-16	19
Oct. 15	Public and Private Life	Romans 2:17-29	23
Oct. 22	God Calls Moses	Exodus 3	28
Oct. 29	God Makes a Covenant with Israel	Exodus 20	34
Nov. 5	God Rejects Idol Worship	Exodus 32	41
Nov. 12	God Promises an Awesome Thing	Exodus 34:1-11	48
Nov. 19	Parable of the Unforgiving Servant	Matthew 18:21-35	51
Nov. 26	Jesus Confronts Hypocrisy	Luke 11:37-44	55