Sunday Scripture

 

Time for another Sunday Scripture!  As I explained several weeks ago, I've made some changes in  my Sunday posts,  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.  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 August 18,  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.) 

) Ministry -- at TWNE, blogging, Sunday School lesson prep, food for Sunday's fellowship meal; clean the church.

2) Health -- exercise, walking, crafting, rest and relaxation, research health issues.

3) Community --  Bristol Old-Home Day, Dinner on the Bridge event Saturday evening.

[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: Blogging is a joy.  I find joy in my Etsy shop when I can find the time.  Our staycation days have been joyous.  It will be a joy to serve at TWNE on Friday and a joy to see friends baptized on Sunday.

Worries: Not really worries.  Concerns, certainly, about the psoriasis, though many areas do seem to be healing.

Desires: To glorify God this week.  To make contact with Rebekah.  To be a blessing to fellow believers.  To be a light at some community events.  To craft each day.  To work on writing projects.

Stressors: Meeting new people is always a bit stressful for me.  A time frame to get the Inn reset will be stressful.  Finding time to prepare food for Sunday, with a busy Friday/Saturday in the offing.  And then just time, energy and aging limitations are ongoing stressors.

🌿 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 every aspect of this week.  You are aware of its time constraints and the limits of my energy.  You are aware of my character flaws and are able to help me overcome them.  You are able to give me the strength and the energy I need to do tiring tasks.  You are able to guide me in using time wisely.

* Lord, I feel ... behind already, and it's only Wednesday!  I feel a little overwhelmed looking at Friday, Saturday, and Sunday, as those are going to be busy days.

* Lord, help me with ... wise use of time.  Help me with decluttering and downsizing.  Help me with meal planning as it's a challenge cooking for this diet.  Help me with the busy upcoming weekend.  Help me with my cleaning tasks on Friday, to be efficient in getting everything done.

* Lord, forgive me for ... times when I fail to trust You.  Anytime I try to accomplish things in my own strength.  Attitudes not pleasing to You.  The many times when I speak before thinking.

Make a note of four or five people you are praying for.  I listed friends dealing with family difficulties, a couple adjusting to several large life changes, an older widow friend who needs wisdom and encouragement.

🌿 The next section in this helpful guide is SCRIPTURE MEDITATION.  I chose to first meditate on this week's Scripture, Micah 7:18, 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= "Who is a God like Thee, who pardoneth iniquity, and passeth by the transgression of the remnant of His heritage?  He retaineth not his anger forever, because He delighteth in mercy."  (Micah 7:18)

O = ESV reads: "Who is a God like You, pardoning iniquity and passing over transgression for the remnant of His inheritance?  He does not retain His anger forever, because He delights in steadfast love."

Scofield titles verses 7-20 of Micah 7 "Submission to the LORD; ascription of praise."

Cross-reference for "who is a God like unto Thee" -- "Who is like unto Thee, O LORD, among the gods?  Who is like Thee, glorious in holiness, fearful in praises, doing wonders?"  (Exodus 15:11)

One writer commented, "The answer to this rhetorical question is, of course, 'No one!'  Micah then proceeds to glory in the boundless mercy and undeserved grace of God.  A holy God pardoning unholy people.!"

Of this phrase ("who is a God like unto Thee") Scofield points out, "Here is a play on the prophet's name, which means 'Who is like the LORD?'."

Cross-references for "pardoning iniquity" -- "I, even I, am He, who blotteth out Thy transgressions for Mine own sake, and will not remember thy sins."  (Isaiah 43:25)

"And [Moses] said, If now I have found grace in Thy sight, O LORD, let my LORD, I pray Thee, go among us; for it is a stiff-necked people; and pardon our iniquity and our sin, and take us for Thine inheritance."  (Exodus 34:9)

Cross-reference for "remnant of his heritage -- "Except the LORD of hosts had left unto us a very small remnant, we should have been like Sodom, and we should have been like Gomorrah."  (Isaiah 1:9)

Cross-reference for "He does not retain His anger" -- "He will not always chide; neither will He keep His anger forever."  (Psalm 103:9)

Concerning the phrase "because He delighteth in mercy", one writer suggests,  "Develop the discipline of pausing to ponder terms of explanation like because. Why doesn't God hold fast His anger forever ('Retain' in English ~ to keep in mind or memory!)? His unchanging love trumps His righteous anger! These words should prompt us to grateful worship of such an undeserved (gracious) truth!

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 a God who pardons iniquity and passes over transgression of the remnant of His heritage.  He is a God who does not retain His anger forever, a God who delights in mercy.

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

I am a recipient, a beneficiary of the boundless mercy and grace of God, though I am completely undeserving.

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

 I should live a life of thankful obedience to the One who has shown me such grace and mercy.  I should praise Him daily that He is a God who pardons iniquity, passes over transgressions, and delights in mercy.

As we think of Israel as God's inheritance, heritage, or possession, we're reminded that today believers are also God's possession.  Paul declared in Titus 2:14 that Jesus "gave Himself for us, that He might redeem us from every lawless deed and purify for Himself a people for His own possession, zealous for good deeds"  Am I living daily like I belong to Him? Can others see that I am His possession by my words and deeds?

Warren Wiersbe says, "The better we know the character of God, the more we can trust Him for the future. The better we know the promises and covenants of God, the more peace we will have in our hearts when things fall apart. When Micah wrote this confession of his faith, the future seemed hopeless; yet he had hope because he knew God and fully trusted Him. No matter how dark the day, the light of God’s promises is still shining. No matter how confusing and frightening our circumstances, the character of God remains the same. You have every reason to trust Him!”.

P= "Lord,I am so thankful that You are a God who pardons iniquity and delights in mercy.  What a blessing it is to be Your child and a beneficiary of Your love and grace!

"I pray that You will help me to live a life of thankful obedience to You each day.  Help me to live daily as one who belongs to You.  Help others to see by my words and deeds that I am Your possession.  I thank You for how You will work , in Jesus' name, Amen."

🌿 GRATITUDE is the next prompt.  We were to reflect on the way God has shown His faithfulness to us 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) Wonderful fellowship with our friends over Sunday lunch at our camp,

2)  Strength for an unexpected day of cleaning and laundry at my volunteer job.

3) A delightful cookout with my hubby's flag wave friends on the Saturday.  Opportunities to get to know more people.

4) Strength and energy to clean the church on Saturday.

5) Time in God's creation at the Flume Gorge on Monday.

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

I can serve the church family with a clean and orderly building and some good food for the fellowship dinner -- using resources of time, energy and groceries.  I can serve by cleaning at my volunteer job with time, energy, and homemade cleaning supplies.

🌿 Lastly is a GOSPEL-CENTERED AFFIRMATION: 

No other love compares to God's faithful love.

We can take this affirmation as a great encouragement as we go into the coming week!

And that's this week's Sunday Scripture...