Sunday Scripture

 Time for another Sunday Scripture!  As previously mentioned, I'm 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 October 13,  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) Friendship and fellowship -- friends at camp for lunch on Tuesday;  tea with friends on Wednesday; dinner cruise with friends on Saturday.

2) Homemaking and Etsy -- try a 7-day home reset (yes, that goal is still following me around; work on Etsy orders and listings; make tallow balm, order replacement clock works/casserole carrier; do some fall decorating.

3) Ministry --  SS lesson prep and teaching; finish Scripture post; tea and discipleship on Wednesday; plan meals for TWNE volunteer work crew.

[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 of concern on Tuesday night and another on Thursday.   

Joys: Hosting friends at our camp is always a joy, especially missionary friends we seldom see.  Our little weekly tea party with friends is always a joy.  A dinner cruise with friends will be a joy,  Taking a young granddaughter apple picking will also be a joy.

Worries: No real worries going into this week.  A few concerns.

Desires: That God will be glorified in the events of this week.  That I can be a blessing to my teatime friends.  That our missionary friends will be encouraged and that our granddaughter will have a really special day with us.  

Stressors: Time and energy limitations, and housework that won't stay done.

🌿 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, even the most concerning situations. You are so good to give us times of Christian fellowship and family fun.  You are fully aware of time constraints and the limitations of aging, and You are able to help me use my time and energy wisely.

* Lord, I feel ... a little bit overwhelmed by the sheer busyness of life in this season.  I feel privileged to extend hospitality to other believers and incredibly blessed to be able to be used by You in the lives of others.  I feel thankful to be involved in the lives of grandchildren.  I feel a bit discouraged to have fallen so far behind with my exercise program.

* Lord, help me with ... all of the events of this week.  Help me to balance all of the activities and to use my time and energy wisely.  Help me to encourage others in their Christian walk and with the challenges of their everyday lives.  

* Lord, forgive me for ... any time when I try to act in my own strength or wisdom.  Any time that I act or react in ways that do not please You.

* Make a note of 4 or 5 people you are specifically praying for.  I listed a friend dealing with severe pain; a young mom and her children in a very difficult situation; two women with a lot of responsibilities in our church family.

🌿 The next section in this helpful guide is SCRIPTURE MEDITATION.  I chose to first meditate on this week's Scripture, Proverbs 4:23, 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= "Keep thy heart with all diligence; for out of it are the issues of life."  (Proverbs 4:23)

O=   The ESV reads: "Keep your heart with all vigilance, for from it flow the springs of life."

The word used for "keep" here is the Hebrew natsar meaning to guard, keep, observe, hide, preserve, hide.  Baker's Complete Word Study Dictionary says, "The word (natsar) refers to people’s maintaining things entrusted to them, especially to keeping the truths of God in both actions and mind (Ps. 119:100, 115). God’s Word is to be kept with our whole hearts (Ps. 119:69); our hearts, in turn, ought to be maintained in a right state."

Another scholar noted that "In short, the Hebrew word natsar is a command calling for continual watching and can even refer to a watchman on security duty. Note also that watching includes two things, one, that you keep noxious pollutants from coming in, and secondly, that you keep anything good from being stolen. Both are relevant when it comes to guarding one's heart."

Cross-reference for "from it" or "out of it" -- "A good man out of the good treasure of .his heart  bringeth forth good things; and an evil man out of the evil treasure bringeth forth evil things."  (Matthew 12:35)

Cross-references for "the springs" or "issues" of life" -- "But those things which proceed out of the mouth come forth from the heart, and they defile the man.  For out of the heart proceed evil thoughts, murders, adulteries, fornications, thefts, false witness, blasphemies."  (Matthew 15:18-19))

"Thou wilt show me the path of life.  In Thy presence is fullness of joy; at Thy right hand there are pleasures forevermore."  (Psalm 16:11) 

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 -- and my Heavenly Father -- who gives me clear and practical instruction as to the best way to live my life.  He desires for me to be diligent.  The issues of life proceed from my heart, so He instructs me to keep, or guard, my heart.

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

I'm a person who needs to learn how God wants me to live life.  I'm someone who needs to guard my heart with all diligence and I need to understand that the issues of life proceed from my heart.

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

 I would say that guarding my heart involves keeping a watch on what I say, do, read, listen to, etc.  I should seek to fill my heart and mind only with things that are edifying and good, so that the things which spring from my heart will also be edifying and good.

One writer gave this excellent counsel which really helps me in applying this verse: "Every morning (empowered by the Spirit, indwelt with the Word) post a sentry on duty at the door of your heart."

 Warren Wiersbe explains, "The Bible warns us to avoid a double heart (Psalm 12:2), a hard heart (Proverbs 28:14), a proud heart (Proverbs 21:4), an unbelieving heart (Hebrews 3:12), a cold heart (Matthew 24:12), and an unclean heart (Psalm 51:10)....If we pollute that wellspring, the infection will spread; before long, hidden appetites will become open sins and public shame.”

Charles Bridges wrote, "The rules laid out in verses 23–27 constitute an invaluable safeguard for our Christian lives. Since we are attacked at every point, every possible place where sin may gain a foothold has to be guarded against—the heart, the mouth, the eyes, the feet. First the heart, man’s citadel, the center of his dearest treasure. It is frightening to think about its many assailants. Let it be guarded carefully. Never let the guard sleep at his post (Deuteronomy 4:9). The heart must be known, so that it may be kept safe. Nothing is more difficult, but nothing is more necessary. If we do not know our hearts, it will be as if we knew nothing at all. Whatever else we know, to neglect this knowledge is to be a prize fool."

He adds, "Then, when I know my heart and feel that it is in the middle of so many dangers, the question arises, can I guard my own heart? Certainly not. This is God’s work, though it is carried out through the agency of man. He works through our efforts. He implants an active principle and sustains the ceaseless exercise. When this is done in his strength and guidance, all the means of our preservation are greatly increased. Watch and pray. Nurture a humble spirit and a dependent spirit. Live in the atmosphere of the Word of God. Resist the evil world, even in its most plausible forms. This will be a conflict until the end of our lives."

Sobering, isn't it?  But so true and so important!

P= "Lord, I'm so thankful that You give clear instructions in the Bible for how You want your people to live.  I praise You for helping me to understand that the issues of life proceed from the heart and, therefore, I need to guard and keep my heart with all diligence.

    "I pray that You will help me to pay attention to this every day.  May I wake up each morning and post a sentry at the door of my heart.  I know that Your Word, hidden in my heart, can keep me from sinful thoughts, deeds, and attitudes.  Help me to get serious about memorizing Scripture so it will be there when I need it.   I thank You for how You will help me,  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) Ongoing weekly teatimes with my young friend Jennifer and others .

2) Strength and creativity for decorating the fellowship hall for the missions weekend.

3) So much food leftover from the missions dinner that we had a second meal the next day!

4) A surprise encounter with one of my local young adult grandkids at the grocery store.  Orchestrated by God for sure.

5) The opportunity to talk with my young friend Rebekah and to hear how God is answering prayer on their behalf.

🌿 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.  [And again, if you are following along, please think about this for yourself.]

Our plan for fellowship: to have our missionary friends Bill & Karen over for lunch at our cottage on Tuesday; to meet with Jennifer and friends for tea on Wednesday; and a dinner cruise with our friends Syd and Cyndy on Saturday night.  

🌿 Lastly is a GOSPEL-CENTERED AFFIRMATION: 

What I love determines the course of my life; therefore I choose to love the Lord.

We can take this challenging, uplifting thought into the coming week!

And there's the Sunday Scripture for this week!