Sunday Scripture

 

 As I explained a couple of weeks ago, I'm shifting gears on my Sunday Scripture posts ... stepping away from the study of Psalms for awhile.  This is something God has placed on my heart to do, and I anticipate it being helpful to many of you, as well as to me.

I am 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. If you can, by all means get your own copy of this beautiful, helpful book,  But even if you can't do that,  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 March 3, but I will be working ahead of you readers.  So here goes!

🌿 The first prompt 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:

"The week ahead looks busy and a bit complicated.  There's a lot to juggle and to balance.  Yet by God's grace and with His help, I know it can be done.  

"From Thursday-Sunday we'll be holding down the fort at our volunteer jobs while others are away.  [On Saturday morning, we plan to return home for a few hours for meetings.]

"Next week and the week after may hold more cooking and serving responsibilities for other volunteers, which means, if that holds true, I will need to spend time this week doing food prep and planning, and there are only three days in which to do that.

"I also have two younger friends to connect with this week -- ministry that I love, but timing is always tricky with busy young moms.

"We also need to clean the church before leaving town on Thursday, and do another church errand en route.  

"And hopefully we'll get back in time for a grandson's birthday supper on Sunday evening.  WOW!"

🌿 The second 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 ...  a great and awesome God.  You have the wisdom I do not have for this week, and You see the big picture that I cannot see.  You are able to strengthen me for the week ahead and enable me to see every responsibility clearly and wisely.

Lord, I feel ... so inadequate for the week ahead of me. There is no way I can do any of this in my own very limited strength and wisdom.

Lord, help me with ... ordering my days this week.  I have a plan, but I pray that You will help me to hold it loosely and to always be sensitive to your plan.  I pray that You will give me strength for every responsibility this week and that You will structure my days as You see fit.

Lord, forgive me for ... every time I try to act in my own strength or wisdom.  Forgive me for times when I add things to my own plate or when I exhibit any hint of pride.  You know each struggle that I'm dealing with, and I thank You for how You will work, in Jesus' name, Amen.

* Here we were also to make a note of 4 to 5 people we are praying for.  I listed two young couples, a bereaved acquaintance, and an old friend with serious health issues.

🌿 The next section in this helpful guide is SCRIPTURE MEDITATION.  I chose to first meditate on this week's Scripture, Psalm 143:10, 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= "Teach me to do Thy will, for Thou art my God.  Thy Spirit is good; lead me into the land of uprightness."  (Psalm 143:10)

O= David here is asking God to teach him to do His will,  He can ask this because God is his God.  There is a a personal relationship with the God of the universe.

David acknowledges that God's Holy Spirit is good.  The ESV says "gracious" instead of "good".  David asks that God's good, gracious Spirit will lead him into "the land of uprightness."  I was not sure whether the "land of uprightness" referred to heaven, or simply to an upright Christian life lived to the glory of God.  It may be both!  This phrase in the ESV reads "level ground".

Cross-reference for "teach me" -- "Blessed art Thou, O LORD; teach me Thy statutes."  (Psalm 119:12)

Cross-references for "Spirit" -- "And the Spirit of the LORD shall rest upon him, the Sprit of wisdom and understanding, the Spirit of counsel and might, the Spirit of knowledge and the fear of the LORD."  (Isaiah 11:2)

"Thou gavest them also Thy good Spirit to instruct them, and withheldest not Thy manna from their mouth, and gavest them water for their thirst.'  (Nehemiah 9:20)

Cross-reference for "lead me" -- "He restoreth my soul.  He leadeth me in the paths of righteousness for His name's sake."  (Psalm 23:3)

Cross-reference for "land of uprightness" -- "Teach me Thy way, O LORD, and lead me in a plain path, because of mine enemies."  (Psalm 27:11)

A= Spurgeon said, "How childlike -- 'Teach me!'  How practical -- "Teach me to do!'  How undivided in obedience -- 'to do Thy will!'  To do all of it, let it be what it may.  This is the best form of instruction, for its source is God, its object is holiness, its spirit is that of hearty loyalty."

"For Thou art my God'. Who else can teach me as Thou canst?  Who else will care to do it but my God?  Thou hast given me Thyself, Thou wilt surely give me Thy teaching."

Concerning "land of uprightness", Matthew Henry wrote,  "into the communion of saints, the pleasant land of the upright; or into a settled course of holy living which will lead to heaven, that land of uprightness where holiness will be in perfection."

As part of my application for this verse, I did the assignments suggested in Fix Your Focus for each week's verse.

* Reflect on what this verse tells you about who God is.

He is my God -- a personal God.  He is able to teach me to do His will.  He is my Shepherd and Leader who will lead me on a level, plain path even through difficulties, along what our pastor of many year called "our pilgrimage from here to glory."  God is good and His Holy Spirit will lead and guide us.

* Think about what this verse tells you about who you are.  

I am God's child.  I am in need of teaching.  I must learn to do His will.  I cannot trust my own thinking to lead and teach me,  but must rely on His good and gracious Spirit to do this

* Throughout this week, consider how this verse should affect the way you live.

I should be teachable and humble, sensitive to the Spirit's leading.

P= "Lord, I thank and praise You that You made a way for me to have a relationship with You!  I am thankful that Your indwelling Spirit will teach me and give me direction.  I pray that You will help me to be teachable and sensitive to Your leading, and that You will make my path clear and plain as I look to You.  I thank and praise You for Your guidance and care, in Jesus' name, Amen."

🌿 The next prompt is for GRATITUDE.  We were encouraged to reflect on the ways God has shown His faithfulness to us over the last week, and then to list 5 things we are thankful for.  So, you who are reading along, do the same!

Here is my list:

1) Wisdom God has given and is giving for planning during this busy month of serving,

2) God orchestrating the events of the week so that I could have phone conversations with two young friends.

3) How God has helped me to stay consistent with my exercise program even while away from home.

4) His provision of sleep even when I have a lot on my mind.

5) The privilege of serving Him and the physical strength, health, and energy to do so.

🌿 SPIRITUAL GROWTH is the next thing to consider.  As I mentioned earlier, there are four different aspects of this that we will be rotating through.  The one for this week is SERVE.

For this prompt, we were asked to think about who we know that might be in need, and to consider how we could serve them with resources available to us -- things like time, finances, prayer, etc.  Jot down your own thoughts about this.  Here are mine:

* I used time and resources to prepare four casseroles to freeze for future ministry.

* We are using our time this weekend at our volunteer jobs so regular staff can be away.

* I was able to encourage both of my spiritual daughters by phone.

* I can use the resource of prayer to pray for many friends with needs this week.

🌿 WEEK-AT-A-GLANCE CHECKLIST is next.  It 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.

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.

Lastly is 🌿 a GOSPEL-CENTERED AFFIRMATION to take with us through the week.  This week it was: "The Lord is my God.  He teaches and leads me by His Spirit."

So there is our first Sunday Scripture using Fix Your Focus.  I know it's quite different from what we have been doing, but I trust the Lord will use it to encourage us!