Sunday Scripture

 Time for another Sunday Scripture!  I'm continuing to base my Sunday posts on the Daily Grace Co. book Fix Your Focus, which is really not a Bible study, 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.

This week's lesson was actually done by me the week of July 21, 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) Personal -- daily health goals; sew summer pajamas; Etsy listings; time at camp, dealing with extended family.

2) Homemaking --  catch up with homemaking tasks; declutter in zones 3-4; menu planning/grocery list/shopping.

3) Ministry --  Work on Sunday School and blog posts; meet with Rebekah; try calling Jennifer; food prep for fellowship meal.

[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 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: I find joy in ministry, joy in homemaking, Etsy, getting outdoors, joy in making things when I have time.

Worries: I try not to worry.  I do have concerns for my husband's health, mostly health concerns and family issues.

Desires: To glorify God in all that I do.  To minister to others and love them well.  For a family situation to get satisfactorily resolved.  To do some sewing.  To complete my blog posts for Christmas in July.  To get some solid work done on Sunday School lessons, household tasks, and decluttering.

Stressors: Limitations of aging and time, health concerns, family situations.

🌿 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 and sovereign over every one of its events.  You are aware of its stressors and you are able to help me handle each one.  You are all-knowing and all-wise and know exactly what I need for this week and how it will go.

* Lord, I feel ...not ready for this week, but it's here and is in fact already Tuesday!  I feel sad about the course some things seem to be taking.  I feel overwhelmed over all that needs to be done in the house.  

* Lord, help me with ... everything on my plate this week.  Help me to have your wisdom for every situation and to use my time as wisely as possible.  Help me to have the energy needed to accomplish all that you would have me to this week.  Help me with physical issues and with complicated emotions.

* Lord, forgive me for ... times when I waste time or use it unwisely.  Times when I allow myself to become stressed or overwhelmed or resentful over situations that You are in full control of.

Make a note of four or five people you are praying for.  I listed a family member; a friend and her daughter traveling out of state; a young couple seeking God's direction.

🌿 The next section in this helpful guide is SCRIPTURE MEDITATION.  I chose to first meditate on this week's Scripture, Isaiah 55:11, 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= "See that none render evil for evil unto any man, but ever follow that which is good, both among yourselves, and to all men."  (1 Thessalonians 5:15)

O= The ESV reads "See that no one repays evil for evil, but always seek to do good unto one another and to everyone."

Cross-references for "none render evil for evil" "Not rendering evil for evil, or railing for railing, but on the contrary, blessing, knowing that ye are called to this, that ye should inherit a blessing."  (1 Peter 3:9)

 "Recompense no man evil for evil.  Provide things honest in the sight of all men."  (Romans 12:17)

Cross-references for "follow that which is good" -- "Let love be without hypocrisy.  Abhor that which is evil; cling to that which is good"  (Romans 12:9)

"As we have, therefore, opportunity, let us do good unto all men, especially unto them who are of the household of faith."  (Galatians 6:10)

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.

God is veery specific about how He wants His children to live and about how He wants them to treat one another.  It goes far beyond keeping commandments.  Here He states (via the Holy Spirit through Paul) that believers are not ever to return evil for evil.  Instead, we are to always follow what is good, both among our fellow believers and with all people.

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

I'm a believer in need of God's instruction and am so thankful for the clear teaching He gives.  I'm a person who interacts with others --  both inside and outside the family of God -- and who should follow His guidelines for those interactions.  I'm a person whose natural bent is to render evil for evil and to follow the world's dea of what is good.

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

 When I am mistreated in any way, I must not repay that with mistreatment toward the one who hurt me.  That's definitely challenging at times.  A pastor from my early Christian life often counseled, "Keep your own heart warm", and that absolutely fits here.  I'm to continually follow what is good, among my church family and fellow Christians in general but also in my dealings with unbelievers.

All of the verbs in this verse are in the present imperative, meaning that all of these actions are to be carried out continually, empowered by God's grace and strengthened by His Spirit.

"This we must look to, and be very careful about, that is, we must by all means forbear to avenge ourselves. If others do us an injury, this will not justify us in returning it, in doing the same, or the like, or any other injury to them." -- Matthew Henry

We are not to return evil for evil, and the word "but" indicates what we need to do instead. One writer says, "Christianity does not merely prohibit retaliation but as Paul commands should seek to "counter" it with "active good". And when is this commanded? Always - on each and every occasion this is to be our practice! No exceptions! Try to do this in your own strength!"

The word "good" here is the Greek AGATHOS, which means profitable, benefiting others. Here good is whatever is useful and helpful and would benefit those to whom it is done. So instead of retaliating true Christian kindness actively returns beneficial good for injurious wrong.

Matthew Henry wrote, "in all circumstances, whether men do us good turns or ill turns; whatever men do to us, we must do good to others. We must always endeavor to be beneficent and instrumental to promote the welfare of others, both among ourselves (in the first place to those that are of the household of faith), and then, as we have opportunity, unto all men."

P= "Lord, how I praise You for the clarity of Your Word .   Although we may sometimes find (or think we find) "gray areas", yet basically You leave us in no doubt as to how we are to live our lives as believers.  Since we interact with all different kinds of people, it's so helpful to have Your guidelines for how to treat them.

    "I pray that You will help me to not repay evil for evil or hurt for hurt, but always to be kinder than necessary.  Help me every day to follow what is good in my interactions with everyone I encounter.  I thank You for how You will help me with these things, 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) Steve's checkup going well.  Good results on many of his numbers.  Getting the OK to go off his blood pressure medicine after decades.

2) Strength for both of us for Terry's graveside service.  The opportunity to share the Gospel with the folks who attended.

3) Strength and forbearance in dealing with extended family.

4) The time and ingredients to make a batch of whipped tallow balm to soothe the psoriasis.  It came out perfectly and I'm so thankful!

5) God's Word so readily available to us, to guide and encourage us through life.  So thankful for how He brings Scripture to mind just when we need it!

🌿 SPIRITUAL GROWTH is the next prompt, and this week there's an emphasis on SERVING. We were to think about our available resources and how we could serve those in need this week.  [And again, if you are following along, please think about this for yourself.]

 I can use time and writing talents so write blog posts that minister to others.  Time and teaching gifts to prep for Sunday School and to write Scripture posts.  Time and energy to meet with and encourage Rebekah.  Time, energy and resources to prepare extra food for Sunday's fellowship meal with missionaries. 

🌿 Lastly is a GOSPEL-CENTERED AFFIRMATION: 

I choose to repay evil with good, knowing God deals with evil justly.

We can take this encouraging thought into the coming week as we seek to treat others in ways that please the Lord.

And there's the Sunday Scripture for this week!