Welcome to ChapLynne’s Daily Encouragement and Bible Study. Everything here is designed to spark your imagination and embolden the meditation of the Scriptures—day and night—like King David spoke of in Psalm 1.

This first day after Epiphany, the daily lectionary Scriptures share the story of the Queen of Sheba, who comes with her caravan to meet Solomon. She wants to see if the stories she has heard are true. The Queen has heard of his wealth and his wisdom. She has an ‘aha’ epiphany, when she asks him everything she can think of and he answers her brilliantly. She questions his staff—servants and ministers—and everyone corroborates the story of his wisdom. She brought camels laden with gold, spices, jewels and treasures. Ironically, with Solomon’s wealth, he sends back more with her than he received.

The Psalmist, too, speaks of the time when the king’s son will receive gifts from the Kings of Tarshish and the isles; the Kings of Sheba and Seba bring lavish gifts. This foreshadows the visit of the Magi. Even in the Epistle to the church in Ephesus, the association of wisdom and wealth with the power of God to generously give uplifts our spirits. The ‘aha moment’ is that God’s generosity exceeds our thoughts and desires. When God adopts us, we become true family, heirs to the King, with all its entitlements. Our response must be to praise God and give him the glory, when we are blessed with abundance.

All Scriptures printed below are in King James Version for copyright purposes. However, clicking on the verse locations will take you to Biblegateway.com where the text is linked to more contemporary versions.
Click on the Scriptures for links to biblegateway.com, where many translations of the same text enhance the understanding the readings, which come from the (RCL) Revised Common Lectionary -- Daily Lectionary Readings. I add a Daily Prayer to bless you with God’s Favor.
Enjoy the Daily Encouragement and Bible Study and may you be inspired to be your best self for this Season of Epiphany.






Prayer for Bible Study and Encouragement
Prayer: Almighty God, Open my eyes that I might see. Open my mind that I might understand. Open my heart that I might make your words a part of me. May the words of my mouth and the meditations of my heart be acceptable in your sight. Amen





Season of Epiphany Bible Readings
| Psalm 72 | 1 Kings 10:1-13 | Ephesians 3:14-21 http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Psalm 72;1 Kings 10:1-13 |;Ephesians%203:14-21&version=KJV;ERV;NCV;GNT;NIV (multiple versions)
First Day after the Epiphany of the Lord

Psalm 72

1 Kings 10:1-13

Ephesians 3:14-21

Daily Bible Verse to Memorize for Meditating


Isaiah 60:1 King James Version (KJV)

1 Arise, shine; for thy light is come, and the glory of the Lord is risen upon thee.





Single Bible Study chapter to study

Ephesians 3:14-21
King James Version (KJV)
14 For this cause I bow my knees unto the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ,
15 Of whom the whole family in heaven and earth is named,

16 That he would grant you, according to the riches of his glory, to be strengthened with might by his Spirit in the inner man;
17 That Christ may dwell in your hearts by faith; that ye, being rooted and grounded in love,
18 May be able to comprehend with all saints what is the breadth, and length, and depth, and height;

19 And to know the love of Christ, which passeth knowledge, that ye might be filled with all the fullness of God.
20 Now unto him that is able to do exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that worketh in us,
21 Unto him be glory in the church by Christ Jesus throughout all ages, world without end. Amen.




OBSERVE:

Take a moment and write three observations of the verses. What strikes you? An observation is an observable fact from the Word.
1.

2.

3.
INTERPRETATION:

What do you interpret these verses to mean for you today?




APPLY:

Today, I learned _____________________________________and apply it to my life.


Prayer of Encouragement

Dear God, the stories of this day after Epiphany gives us insights to our inheritance as the family of God. We give you praise and glory for your exceeding greatness that blesses us beyond our ability to imagine. We are grateful for your boundless love. Help us to be as generous with others as you have been with us. In Jesus name we pray, Amen.












I hope you found a chance to encounter your Creator and experience the Love of God and the joy of Christ in this Christmas season.

For many years growing up, I didn’t get what Epiphany really meant. Fortunately, Oprah coined the ‘aha moment’ term and we get the light bulb of awareness and knowledge in that ‘epiphanal instant.’ We need that ‘come to Jesus’ moment where everything becomes clear. For the Queen of Sheba, she became clear about Solomon. The Wise Men became clear about Jesus. We learn what Jesus’ sacrifice has done for us—to bring us into the family of God and make us joint heirs of the Kingdom, where God will bless us beyond what we can even imagine. And I think I am pretty good at imagining, but God promises to go beyond that.
On the one hand, we can see it as a hand out of blessings; but the truly amazing thing is that someone loves me so very much that they want to shower me with blessings far beyond what I can imagine. That love is overwhelming. Too great to wrap my thoughts around it. The light bulb goes off—Jesus loves me. He gave himself for me. For us. For you.

May the words of my mouth and meditation of my heart be acceptable in his sight. Happy Epiphany to you. What is your Epiphanal moment?

May you go from this place encouraged and inspired to be all that God wants you to be.