Proving the Will of God
3rd Sunday of Epiphany
Archbishop Loren Thomas Hines
January 26, 2020
Readings: Amos 3: 1- 8
1 Corinthians 1: 10 – 17
Matthew 4: 12 – 23
The purpose of Christ’s coming was to free us from bondage and restore us back to Him. Man’s failure was an open door for God to do something greater for him. He wanted to show and reveal to us the very power that is within us. We are being taught step by step as we go through the different seasons to understand His ways.
We do not like bad things happening to us and we think these are not for us, when in reality they teach us the beauty of obedience.
God delivered the children of Israel from Egypt and also provided them with the wealth. And yet they rebelled. God told Amos, “Is it right that I should punish them?” Their freedom was based on the lamb. The blood of the lamb was sprinkled on their doors so that when the death angel passed, they were not harmed. This shows us how God was going to deal with us in the future. He was going to deliver us just as He had delivered the children of Israel from Egypt. They were provided with manna which tasted like wafers made of honey and it was nutritious and healthy. It gave them strength to last through each day. But they were not satisfied and wanted more. Isn’t this the same way with us today when we reject food that is not good for our health and sustenance?
We need to awaken ourselves and realize our great our God is. If we would just look at the awesomeness of His creation, how everything is in its proper place. The sun shines in the same manner as the day it was created. Often times we are afraid of the sun, we try to shield ourselves when in fact the sun gives us Vitamin D. We are to rejoice in His greatness and thank Him for what He has done in our lives. We should see God with hope and not be in despair. We should take authority over thoughts that are against God and not meditate on these.
When Jesus learned that John the Baptist was imprisoned, instead of retaliating against those who went against John, He immediately left to the north of Jerusalem, the farthest and darkest area where people didn’t believe in God, and preached to them instead, ministering to their needs. He went out to do good, to bring light into the world, showing people how it is to live a victorious life.
Romans 12: 2 Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is, His good, pleasing and perfect will.
We are to prepare a temple for God, doing things that He desires, and not what we desire or what we want to do. God is faithful. We need to be fulfilling our purpose in life. We cannot divide God. He has one family, and we belong to Christ.
We are to believe that God is with us so that we may be able to stand in the midst of the storm and overcome it. We should wake up in the morning and be excited for the things of God.
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