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Time for another Sunday Scripture! As promised, I'm getting back to the Daily Grace Co. book Fix Your Focus, which is really not a Bible study as such, but more of a guide to help you fix your focus on God, His Word, prayer, gratitude, and spiritual growth, every week for 52 weeks. I encourage you to follow along with us as we journal, look at Scripture, pray, and face the challenges of our weeks with our focus on Him. I truly hope that others are finding this as helpful as I am. I took a break from this for the months of November and December, but now we are back!
This week's lesson was actually done by me the week of October 20, but I am working ahead of you readers. So here goes!
🌿 WEEK-AT-A-GLANCE CHECKLIST is further on in each week's section. But since I am working on Fix Your Focus all week long, I find it works best for me to do this checklist first. This checklist offers us four points:
* To make a plan for reading our Bibles and praying.
* To add any upcoming events to our calendars.
* To jot down a to-do list of tasks that must be completed this week.
* To make a note of our top three priorities for this week.
This last point is one that I need to pay special attention to every week. I've been finding it so helpful. (The other three points are things that I'm consistently doing.)
For this week, my top three priorities are:
1) Homemaking -- Try once again to do a 7-day home reset. Previous attempts have fizzled out, but this week looks relatively quiet.
2) Energy/Etsy/education -- Get back to exercise and walking; prepare some new Etsy listings; attend a Bible Conference (with a focus on discipleship) on Saturday.
3) Ministry -- Prepare and teach SS lesson; work at TWNE; blogging; tea and discipleship on Wednesday; phone calls.
[If you are following along with our study, this is the place to make a Week-at-a-Glance checklist and/or priority list for yourself!]
🌿 The first actual prompt for each week is JOURNAL. We are encouraged to take a few minutes to our fears, joys, worries, desires and stressors concerning the week ahead. [If you are following along with us, take a moment in a journal or notebook to do just that.]. Here's what I wrote on Monday, breaking it down into the suggested categories:
Fears: No real fears going into this week, though there is a situation I'm deeply concerned about.
Joys: If I can manage a 7-day home reset, I hope to find joy in that. Ministry is a joy and I especially look forward to our teatime on Wednesday. It will be a joy to learn at the Foundations Bible Conference and we look forward to the likelihood of connecting withe friends there as well -- another joy!
Worries: I do seek not to worry, as Jesus says worry is sin and commands us not to do it. Yet I do have concerns. I seek to pray about those and leave them with the Lord, rather than worrying about them.
Desires: That God will be glorified in the happenings of this week. That I can be a blessing to other ladies in every context -- phone calls/mentoring; Sunday School; blogging; teatime discipleship; interactions with friends. To learn much that will be helpful at the Foundations conference. To list a good number of items in my Etsy shop.
Stressors: Any unresolved situation or undone task can become a source of stress. The limitations of aging, time and energy constraints are all stressors. I also find my husband's poor hearing to be a source of stress.
🌿 The next prompt is PRAYER. It was suggested that we use several prayer prompts to have a conversation with God about the week ahead. [You can do the same. Use the very same prompts for your own prayer.]
* Lord, You are ... aware of every detail of this week. You know all that it will hold -- even the unplanned things -- and You are in control of every aspect. You are aware of my time and energy constraints and You are able to help me use each day fully and wisely. You are sovereign over every concerning situation (and everything else) and will work each one out and give me wisdom in it.
* Lord, I feel ... wholly inadequate in my own strength to accomplish any of my plans for this week. I feel sad that I will miss this month's Ladies of Grace meeting (same day as the Bible conference) but I can't be in two places at once. I feel a bit overwhelmed although this is a relatively quiet week. I feel a bit discouraged about the things.that I already know aren't likely to get done.
* Lord, help me with ... everything that needs to happen in this week. Help me to continue to commit my concerns to You and to leave them in Your sovereign, capable hands. Help me with managing my time and my energy levels and with aging more gracefully. Help me to have wisdom for every aspect of my week.
* Lord, forgive me for ... times when I act in my own strength or wisdom. Times when I turn to food or distractions for comfort rather than to You and to Your Word. Continued procrastination regarding my exercise program.
* Make a note of 4 or 5 people you are specifically praying for. I listed a friend dealing with severe pain; and the families of two dear senior saints who have recently passed into eternity, as they grieve the loss.
🌿 The next section in this helpful guide is SCRIPTURE MEDITATION. I chose to first meditate on this week's Scripture, Revelation 5:13, using the SOAP method, and then answered several suggested questions. [You can use your own preferred method to meditate on this verse, and answer the questions below for yourself.]
S= "And every creature that is in heaven and on the earth, and such as are in the sea, and all that are in them, heard I saying, Blessing, and honor, and glory, and power, be unto Him that sitteth upon the throne, and unto the Lamb forever and ever." (Revelation 5:13)
O= The ESV reads: "And I heard every creature in heaven, and on earth, and under the earth, and in the sea, and all that is in them, saying, To Him who sits on the throne and to the Lamb be blessing and honor and glory and might forever and ever!"
C. I Scofield titles verses 13-14 "Eventual universal adoration of the Lamb as King." He gives a cross-reference for this title:
"Wherefore, God also hath highly exalted Him, and given Him a name which is above every name, That at the name of Jesus, every knee should bow, of things in heaven, and things in earth, and things under the earth, And that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father." (Philippians 2:9-11)
John Phillips comments, "God has placed into the hands of men the decision as to whether or not they will accept Christ as Savior, but the decision as to whether or not they will acknowledge Him as Lord is not theirs to decide."
Cross-references for "sitteth upon the throne" -- "And hath made us unto our God a kingdom of priests, and we shall reign on the earth." (Revelation 5:10)
"And the seventh angel sounded, and there were great voices in heaven, saying, the kingdom of this world is become the kingdom of our Lord, and of His Christ, and He shall reign forever and ever." (Revelation 10:15)
Saying, Where is He that is born King of the Jews? For we have seen His star in the east, and are come to worship Him." (Matthew 2:2)
"Then cometh the end, when He shall have delivered up the kingdom to God, even the Father, when He shall have put down all rule and all authority, and power: For He must reign, till He hath put all enemies under His feet." (1 Corinthians 15:24-25)
Cross-reference for "Lamb" -- "And they sang a new song [having fallen down before the Lamb], saying, Thou art worthy to take the scroll, and to open its seals; for Thou wast slain, and hast redeemed us to God by Thy blood out of every kindred, and tongue, and people, and nation." (Revelation 5:9))
One commentator pointed out, "Both the Father and the Lamb receive equal worship. An astounding indication of the Deity of Christ and the Trinity! Only in the eternal state will we be able to fully apprehend the glory of the Father and the Son."
Cross-references for "every creature" -- ""My mouth shall speak the praise of the LORD; and let all flesh bless His holy name forever and ever." (Psalm 145:21)
"Let everything that hath breath praise the LORD. Praise ye the LORD." (Psalm 150:6)
A= To help with my application of this verse, I answered the three questions from Fix your Focus:
* Reflect on what this verse tells you about who God is.
He is the One who sits on the throne, worthy of worship from every creature, whether in heaven, on earth, under the earth, or in the sea. He is deserving of all honor, glory, and blessing. He is all-powerful. He is the Lamb of God.
* Think about what this verse tells you about who you are.
I'm a sinner who has accepted the sacrifice of the Lamb on my behalf. I'm a creature on earth who must bless my King with honor and glory. I must be seeking to glorify Him in all that I do.
* Throughout the week, consider how this verse should affect the way you live.
I should live in thankfulness to Him for giving me new life. I should live my life in a way that honors and glorifies the King.
David McCasland writes in Our Daily Bread, "The pleasure of sharing music in community has drawn people together
for centuries. As followers of Christ, whether we are in small groups,
choirs, or congregations, bringing praise to God is one of the key
elements in our own expression of faith. And one day, we’ll be singing
in a concert that defies imagination.
"In a sweeping vision of the tumultuous events at the end of time,
John records a chorus of praise that begins with a few and swells to a
company beyond number. In honor of the Lamb of God, who with His blood
has redeemed people from every tribe and nation, he song begins at the throne of God, is joined by multiplied thousands
of angels, and finally includes every creature in heaven, earth, and
sea. Together we will sing, 'Blessing and honor and glory and power be
to Him who sits on the throne, and to the Lamb, forever and ever!'
"What a choir! What a concert! What a privilege to start rehearsing today!"
What a blessing this thought is to me! I like to sing but don't do it well, nor can I read music or play an instrument. Yet one day I will be singing in the most amazing choir ever assembled!
P= "Lord, I'm so thankful that You are the King! Truly, You are worthy of worship from every creature, whether in heaven, on earth,
under the earth, or in the sea. You are deserving of all honor, glory,
and blessing. Not only are You the King, You are my King!
"I pray that You will help me to live everyday in thankfulness for the new life You have given me. Help me to pay attention to living a life that honors and glorifies You. Help me to praise You everyday as I start rehearsing now for that heavenly choir I will one day get to sing in! I thank and praise You in Jesus' name, Amen."
🌿 GRATITUDE is the next prompt. We were to reflect on the way God has shown His faithfulness to you over the past week and list five things we are thankful for. [If you are following along with us, be sure to make your own list of five things!]. Here is my list:
1) Tremendous fellowship with Bill and Karen, along with our neighboring family, on the Tuesday. Everything from side-splitting laughter to deep spiritual truth.
2) The huge blessing of being able to use our little cottage as a place for hospitality.
3) The delight of taking our 10-year-old granddaughter apple picking and out for lunch.
4) A wonderful time of tea and discipleship with Jennifer, Deanna, and Kendra.
5) A really fun dinner cruise on a lake with dear friends, which included not only yummy food but great fellowship and a lovely sunset.
🌿 SPIRITUAL GROWTH is the next prompt, and this week there's an emphasis on SERVICE. We were to think about what resources we have available and how we could serve those in need this week. [And again, if you are following along, please think about this for yourself.]
My plan for service: to share some helpful information with those who need it. To share my time and willing hands in cleaning at my volunteer job. To share my thoughts and results of my study with other ladies.
🌿 Lastly is a GOSPEL-CENTERED AFFIRMATION:
One day, every one and every thing will worship the Lord.
We can take this encouraging, uplifting thought into the coming week and can be motivated by it to help others see the necessity of a relationship with God in this life to be ready for the next.
And there's the Sunday Scripture for this week!
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