Reward and punishment....we can all relate to that, especially when we've experienced it in the workplace or at home while dealing with family and raising children. We must all learn there are consequences to our actions. We have to know who's in charge, or shall I say, who has the power too! I believe, first and foremost, it is wise for you to have a proper fear of the Lord and respect for His authority.
In the first reading from the Old Testament, God tells Moses if he and the Israelites believe in Him and trust Him, He will help them. In the second reading from Paul to the Corinthians, he reminds the people there will be consequences and they must remember what happened to their ancestors when they strayed too far away from God's teachings. But He again, is always near to help them overcome temptation and adversity. Then in the third reading, the gospel from Luke, he tells them we're all in need of repentence and retells a story (parable) Jesus told about the fig tree. Consider the fact that we have to make good use of our time while here on earth. God gives us time to "dummy up", to realize there's a need to change our bad behavior. And a warning to those who think they are already living righteously....don't get too comfortable! We must not only strive to abide by the laws of God, but we are also expected to "bear fruit". What does that mean? I believe it means God needs as many believers as possible to spread His Word, so many can benefit from it.
In the first reading from the Old Testament, God tells Moses if he and the Israelites believe in Him and trust Him, He will help them. In the second reading from Paul to the Corinthians, he reminds the people there will be consequences and they must remember what happened to their ancestors when they strayed too far away from God's teachings. But He again, is always near to help them overcome temptation and adversity. Then in the third reading, the gospel from Luke, he tells them we're all in need of repentence and retells a story (parable) Jesus told about the fig tree. Consider the fact that we have to make good use of our time while here on earth. God gives us time to "dummy up", to realize there's a need to change our bad behavior. And a warning to those who think they are already living righteously....don't get too comfortable! We must not only strive to abide by the laws of God, but we are also expected to "bear fruit". What does that mean? I believe it means God needs as many believers as possible to spread His Word, so many can benefit from it.
Moses, the burning bush and the great "I AM"
1 Now Moses was tending the flock of Jethro his father-in-law, the priest of Midian, and he led the flock to the far side of the desert and came to Horeb, the mountain of God.
2 There the angel of the LORD appeared to him in flames of fire from within a bush. Moses saw that though the bush was on fire it did not burn up.
3 So Moses thought, "I will go over and see this strange sight—why the bush does not burn up."
4 When the LORD saw that he had gone over to look, God called to him from within the bush, "Moses! Moses!" And Moses said, "Here I am."
5 "Do not come any closer," God said. "Take off your sandals, for the place where you are standing is holy ground."
6 Then He said, "I am the God of your father, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac and the God of Jacob." At this, Moses hid his face, because he was afraid to look at God.
7 The LORD said, "I have indeed seen the misery of my people in Egypt. I have heard them crying out because of their slave drivers, and I am concerned about their suffering.
8 So I have come down to rescue them from the hand of the Egyptians and to bring them up out of that land into a good and spacious land, a land flowing with milk and honey...
9 And now the cry of the Israelites has reached Me, and I have seen the way the Egyptians are oppressing them.
10 So now, go. I am sending you to Pharaoh to bring My people the Israelites out of Egypt."
11 But Moses said to God, "Who am I, that I should go to Pharaoh and bring the Israelites out of Egypt?"
12 And God said, "I will be with you. And this will be the sign to you that it is I who have sent you: When you have brought the people out of Egypt, you will worship God on this mountain."
13 Moses said to God, "Suppose I go to the Israelites and say to them, 'The God of your fathers has sent me to you,' and they ask me, 'What is His name?' Then what shall I tell them?"
14 God said to Moses, "I am who I am. This is what you are to say to the Israelites: 'I AM has sent me to you.' "
15 God also said to Moses, "Say to the Israelites, 'The LORD, the God of your fathers—the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac and the God of Jacob—has sent me to you.' This is My name forever, the name by which I am to be remembered from generation to generation.
Exodus 3:1-8a,9-15
Warnings from Israel's History
1 For I do not want you to be ignorant of the fact, brothers, that our forefathers were all under the cloud and that they all passed through the sea.
2 They were all baptized into Moses in the cloud and in the sea.
3 They all ate the same spiritual food
4 and drank the same spiritual drink; for they drank from the spiritual rock that accompanied them, and that rock was Christ.
5 Nevertheless, God was not pleased with most of them; their bodies were scattered over the desert.
6 Now these things occurred as examples to keep us from setting our hearts on evil things as they did.
7 Do not be idolaters, as some of them were; as it is written: "The people sat down to eat and drink and got up to indulge in pagan revelry."
8 We should not commit sexual immorality, as some of them did—and in one day twenty-three thousand of them died.
9 We should not test the Lord, as some of them did—and were killed by snakes.
10 And do not grumble, as some of them did—and were killed by the destroying angel.
11 These things happened to them as examples and were written down as warnings for us, on whom the fulfillment of the ages has come.
12 So, if you think you are standing firm, be careful that you don't fall!
13 No temptation has seized you except what is common to man. And God is faithful; He will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear. But when you are tempted, He will also provide a way out, so that you can stand up under it.
1 Corinthians 10:1-13Repent or Perish
1 Now there were some present at that time who told Jesus about the Galileans whose blood Pilate had mixed with their sacrifices.
2 Jesus answered, "Do you think that these Galileans were worse sinners than all the other Galileans because they suffered this way?
3 I tell you, no! But unless you repent, you too will all perish.
4 Or those eighteen who died when the tower in Siloam fell on them—do you think they were more guilty than all the others living in Jerusalem?
5 I tell you, no! But unless you repent, you too will all perish."
6 Then He told this parable: "A man had a fig tree, planted in his vineyard, and he went to look for fruit on it, but did not find any.
7 So he said to the man who took care of the vineyard, 'For three years now I've been coming to look for fruit on this fig tree and haven't found any. Cut it down! Why should it use up the soil?'
8 " 'Sir,' the man replied, 'leave it alone for one more year, and I'll dig around it and fertilize it.
9 If it bears fruit next year, fine! If not, then cut it down.' "
Luke 13:1-9
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