Yes, it's time for another Sunday Scripture! I'm currently using 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.
This week's lesson was actually done by me the week of June 16, but I will be 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 week-at-a-glance checklist first. [Maybe you would like to use this same checklist if you are following along with us.]
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 think it would be so helpful. (The other three points are things that I'm consistently doing.)
For this week, my top three priorities are:
1) Homemaking -- catch up on some neglected household tasks
2) People and ministry -- meet with Rebekah, meet friends for breakfast, walk with Rachel, call Jenn, blogging and Sunday School lesson prep
3) Etsy shop -- ship orders, get serious and list more items
🌿 The first actual prompt for each week is JOURNAL. We are encouraged to take a few minutes to journal about 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.
Joys: It will be a joy to fellowship with friends for breakfast and to get together with my young friend Rebekah. I find joy in studying God's Word, blogging, and seeing some homemaking tasks done, so this week has potential for a lot of joy.
Worries: I try not to worry, but there's plenty to be concerned about: my hubby's psoriasis, a grandchild heading to camp, two grandchildren with a serious stomach bug...
Desires: I desire to accomplish a lot of homemaking tasks this week. I desire for my husband to feel better and to be free of this psoriasis. I desire to be. an encouragement to other ladies through phone calls, meet-ups, blogging, and Sunday School. I desire to glorify God in the events of this week. I also desire some rest..
Stressors: Trying to do what's best for my husband in his diet, his comfort, and even trying to keep his skin flakes vacuumed up. The busyness of life, the limitations of aging, and extended family dynamics are also stressful.
🌿 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 ... in full control of this week. You are sovereign over all its events -- even the global, worldwide ones as well as my personal life. You are able to give tremendous wisdom to our president and I pray he will be sensitive to your guidance You are able to give me and my husband wisdom for his diet and other factors concerning his health. You are wisdom and You are faithful to give wisdom when we ask. You are all-powerful and able to turn events as You desire, according to Your sovereign plan and purposes. You are the great Physician and able to heal my husband's skin issues.
* Lord, I feel ... Honestly, a bit discouraged today, regarding the psoriasis. Although I see signs of improvement in areas, other areas are not improving much and he thinks they may even be getting worse. I can't tell, but the thought troubles me. I know that any of the drugs for the condition are really not helpful, but am unsure if the alternate ways we're addressing it are enough or if we should tweak something a bit.
* Lord, help me with ... knowing what more can be done, what avenues to pursue. Please direct me to the sources that can help. I know that the medical establishment has no real answers because they don't even acknowledge the true cause of the condition. Help me too with the cleaning up of seemingly endless skin cells which accumulate on our floor. Help me to know how best to encourage my husband.
* Lord, forgive me for ... times when I become hurt or frustrated by the words or attitudes of others. I know that my hubby is frustrated by the slow progress in healing and that at times. he is extremely uncomfortable. Forgive me for times when I might become worried or fretful over this. I know it's in Your control and that You have a good purpose in all that You allow.
Make a note of four or five people you are praying for. I listed a friend facing surgery, an older widow who needs encouragement, a young couple seeking God's direction, and an older friend who has just been placed on hospice care.
🌿 The next section in this helpful guide is SCRIPTURE MEDITATION. I chose to first meditate on this week's Scripture,Matthew 6:33, 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= "But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added unto you." (Matthew 6:33)
O= This verse is part of the Sermon on the Mount (Matthew chapters 5 through 7).
Matthew 4:17 tells us of the beginning of Jesus' public ministry in Caperanum: "From that time Jesus began to preach, and to say, Repent; for the kingdom of heaven is at hand."
Scofield explains, "Having announced that the kingdom of heaven is at hand, the King now, in the Sermon on the Mount, declares to His disciples the principles of that kingdom."
It"s interesting that this verse begins with the word "But" which indicates a change of direction, In this case, "but" makes the contrast with the Gentiles. Jesus is saying rather than being like the pagans who are concerned about their physical needs, the citizens of the Kingdom of Heaven should be concerned about and seek after the things of God.
"Seek" here is the Greek zeteo which means "to try to learn where something is or try to find as in searching for something that is lost; to attempt to learn something by careful investigation or searching. Seeking in this context speaks of a single minded focus."
Cross-references for "seek first"-- "Blessed are those who do hunger and thirst after righteousness, for they shall be filled." (Matthew 5:6)
"For I say unto you that, except your righteousness shall exceed the righteousness of the scribes and the Pharisees, ye shall in no wise enter into the kingdom of heaven." (Matthew 5:20)
"First" is the Greek proton which means first in time, place, order or, importance.
The biblical concept of first seeking for the things of God is one that touches our motivation and priorities including how we spend our leisure time, the goals we set in life, and whether or not we experience spiritual growth.
Cross-reference for "kingdom of God" -- "Thy kingdom come, Thy will be done in earth, as it is in heaven." (Matthew 6:10)
A= * Reflect on what this verse tells you about who God is.
He is the King. He rules over the kingdom of God. He will provide all that I need if I will prioritize seeking after His kingdom and His righteousness.
* Think about what this verse tells you about who you are.
I am a subject of the King. I am a person in need of many things, and I can know that God will provide them all if I first seek His kingdom and righteousness.
* Throughout the week, consider how these verses should affect the way you live.
I should seek God's kingdom and righteousness first. I should seek to live and walk in ways that please Him. I should keep in mind that whatever I do should be done heartily, as to Him, and not unto men, for I "serve the Lord Christ."
One writer has said, "Christian, put priority on daily Bible study and prayer, even if you must neglect some secondary things. "Seek ye first the kingdom of God!"
Charles Spurgeon wrote in Faith's Checkbook, "See how the Bible opens: “In the beginning God.” Let your life open in the same way. Seek with your whole soul, first and foremost, the kingdom of God, as the place of your citizenship, and His righteousness as the character of your life. As for the rest, it will come from the Lord Himself without your being anxious concerning it. All that is needful for this life and godliness (2 Peter 1:3) “shall be added unto you.”
Pastor Ray Pritchard advises: "Here’s a simple test to help you discover what you truly seek in life. This test is absolutely foolproof. You tell me how you spend your time and your money and I’ll tell you what you are seeking. You can say anything you like, you can come to church and look very religious, but your time and your money don’t lie. Time is life and money is nothing but the time it takes to make the money. Show me your calendar and your checkbook and I’ll know the truth about your priorities."
P= Lord, I'm thankful today for the clarity of Your Word that tells us so clearly how You would have Your children to live their lives. I pray that You will help me to fully grasp the concept of seeking You first every day, even if some secondary things must be temporarily set aside. Help me to seek You and Your righteousness every day, knowing that You will give me all things that are necessary for life and godliness. I thank You for all You will do, 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) Time to meet with Rebekah even in the midst of a busy week.
2) Energy to plan and prepare food for two back-to-back events at church.
3) The memorial service: a testimony of a life lived to God's glory.
4) Getting to see so many dear old friends at that service.
5) The God-honoring anniversary service and the joy of praising God with so many of His younger servants.
🌿 SPIRITUAL GROWTH is the next prompt, and this week there's an emphasis on FELLOWSHIP. We were to plan a time to fellowship with friends this week.
We planned for breakfast out with old friends at an iconic mountain restaurant in New Hampshire. We had a wonderful visit over pancakes!.
🌿 Lastly is a GOSPEL-CENTERED AFFIRMATION:
I will focus on serving God; He will take care of everything else.
What a great reminder for all of us in the coming week!