Sunday Scripture

Well, we made it through Fix Your Focus!  So today we're jumping back into my simple study of Psalms.  

You can see a copy of the journal here: The Book of Psalms 1-50 or you can find all the resources right here on Women Living Well, Psalms 1-50.  I'm attempting to SOAP each Psalm too, though some of them are longer so I will likely only do a selected passage from many of them. [Quick reminder that S stands for Scripture; O stands for for observation; A stands for application, and P stands for prayer.]  Each psalm's study also includes a reflection question, which I've been attempting to journal an answer to.  Today's study is from Psalm 17.   The featured verse is verse 8, but I chose to SOAP verses 6 through 8.

S= "I have called upon Thee, for Thou wilt hear me, O God; incline Thine ear unto me, and hear my speech.
"Show Thy marvelous loving-kindness, O Thou who savest by Thy right hand those who put their trust in Thee, from those who rise up against them.
"Keep me as the apple of the eye; hide me under the shadow of Thy wings."  (Psalm 17:6-8)

O=  In the Scofield study Bible, C.I. Scofield titles Psalm 17 "Reliance upon God".  My copy of the ESV Bible titles Psalm 17 "In the shadow of Your wings".  The biblical heading for this psalm is "A Prayer of David".

Cross-references for "called upon Thee" (v.6) -- "Give ear, O LORD, unto my prayer, and attend to the voice of my supplications.  In the day of my trouble I will call upon Thee, for Thou wilt answer me."  (Psalm 86:6-7)

"I love the LORD, because He hath heard my voice and my supplications.  Because He hath inclined His ear unto me, therefore will I call upon Him as long as I live."  (Psalm 116:1-2)

Cross-reference for "incline Thine ear unto me" (v.6) -- "Bow down Thine ear to me; deliver me speedily.  Be Thou my strong rock, for an house of defense to save me."  (Psalm 31:2)

Cross-reference for "Show Thy marvelous loving-kindness" (v.7) -- "Blessed be the LORD, for He hath shown me His marvelous kindness in a strong city."  (Psalm 31:27)

Cross-references for "those who rise up against them" (v.7) -- "Through Thee will we push down our enemies; through Thy name will we tread them under, who rise up against us."  (Psalm 44:5)

"Deliver me from mine enemies, O my God; defend me from those who rise up against me."  (Psalm 59:1)

Cross-references for "the apple of the eye" (v.8) -- "He found him in a desert land, and in the waste, howling wilderness; He led him about, He instructed him, He kept him as the apple of His eye."  (Deuteronomy 32:10)

"For thus saith the LORD of hosts: After the glory hath He sent me unto the nations which spoiled you; for he that toucheth you toucheth the apple of His eye."  (Zechariah 2:8)

Cross-references for "the shadow of Thy wings" (v.8) -- "How excellent is Thy loving-kindness, O God!  Therefore, the children of men put their trust under the shadow of Thy wings."  (Psalm 36:7)

"Yea, in the shadow of Thy wings will I make my refuge, until these calamities are passed by."  (Psalm 57:1b)

"Because Thou hast been my help, therefore, in the shadow of Thy wings will I rejoice."  (Psalm 63:7)

"O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, which killest the prophets, and stonest them that are sent unto thee, how often would I have gathered thy children together, as a hen doth gather her brood under her wings, and ye would not."  (Luke 13:34)

"He shall cover thee with His feathers, and under His wings shalt thou trust."  (Psalm 91:4a)

"The LORD recompense thy work, and a full reward be given thee by the LORD God of Israel, under whose wings though art come to trust."  (Ruth 2:12)

A= We can call upon God, knowing that He will incline His ear to us and hear us.   He will show us His marvelous loving-kindness.  

He saves by His right hand.
He saves those who put their trust in Him.
He saves them from those who rise up against them.
He will protect believers as the pupil of the eye is protected.
He will shelter us as believers under His wings.

P= "Lord, I'm so thankful that we can call upon You, knowing that You will incline Your ear to us and that You will answer us.  This psalm tells us so much about Your loving-kindness, Your power and protection.  I am so thankful for each of these attributes and for how You bring them to bear on our lives and situations.  

I praise You for the many times You have protected me --  even times when I might not have been aware of danger -- and I know I can trust You to do so in the future.

In Jesus' name, Amen."

 The picture of the believer's safety under God's wings has always been such a precious one to me.  As I studied these verses, the hymn Under His Wings, which has long been a favorite of mine, came to my mind often:

This hymn was written by W.O. Cushing.  Rob Morgan writes:

 "Rev. W. O. Cushing was hard at work in his New York church when, still in his forties, he suffered a paralysis that affected his voice. 'O Lord, give me something to do for Thee,' he prayed. He started writing hymns, and soon his silenced voice was replaced with thousands of other voices singing [many] of his three hundred hymns. When Cushing was seventy-three, Ira Sankey sent him a message, asking for 'something new to help me in my Gospel work.' After reading 'Hide me under the shadow of Your wings' in Psalm 17:8, Cushing penned this famous hymn, which Sankey set to music."

Reflection question: The "apple of Your eye" and the "shadow of Your wings" are two pictures that powerfully describe God's care for His people in danger.  The pupil of the eye is the most sensitive part of the eye and the most protected.  A mama bird protects her helpless little ones, with her wings.

In the midst of David's fears, he prayed.  Is there something you are fearful about today?  Pray and talk to God about your fears.  Looking back, how has God faithfully protected you in times of trouble?

My response: There is nothing I am truly fearful about today, though our country is in a pretty unsettled situation and things could easily become more concerning for believers.

I have definitely experienced God's protection in times of trouble, though I often felt vulnerable and even threatened.  God's Word was a tremendous encouragement, and God Himself was absolutely my refuge.

And there is our very simple study of Psalm 17.  I hope it was a blessing!

 

Sunday Scripture

 

Time for another Sunday Scripture lesson from Fix Your Focus!  In fact, this is the very last lesson from Fix Your Focus!  I can hardly believe I've worked through 52 weeks of this!  It's been good -- very good -- to get my focus fixed firmly on God and I may well consider making some of these disciplines a regular part of every week. 

This week's lesson was actually done by me the week of May 11.  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) Ministry  --  TWNE Monday and Tuesday; talk with Rebekah Thursday;  Sunday School and blog post preparation.

2)  Cleaning -- at our camp on Thursday.

3) Time with friends-- on Saturday.

[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 -- except maybe running out of energy! 

Joys: Ministry is always a joy, and if we can serve God's purposes here at TWNE, it is a huge blessing and joy to be used in this way.  It's always a joy to open up our cottage for the season, and it'll be a joy to spend Saturday with friends.

Worries: I try not to worry, as Jesus commanded us not to.  Certainly, I have concerns, such as health issues or things left undone at home, but I'm not worried about these things. 

Desires: That God will be glorified in the events of this week.  That I could be of maximum help at TWNE.  That we can be a real encouragement to our young friends on Saturday.

Stressors:  Time constraints.  Other people.  The aches and pains and diminished energy of aging.

🌿 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 all of its events.  You are aware of every one of my concerns and stressors, and You are able to help me handle every one.  You are aware of how busy life is right now, You are with us in our busyness, and You are able to give me the energy and the wisdom to handle each task.

* Lord, I feel ... really, really tired by this point in May.  I feel overwhelmed by all that there is to do.  Yet I feel confident that You will help me to accomplish all that must be done and that You will give guidance as to what can temporarily be left undone.

* Lord, help me with ... all that needs to happen this week.  I know that in busy seasons I don't always eat with health or energy in mind, and I need Your help with that.  Help me to maintain the healthy habits that will impact my energy levels positively.  Help me in my interactions with people.  I've always disliked it when old people feel they can say whatever they want and be outrageously outspoken just because they are old.  Now I'm beginning to understand where some of them may have been coming from!  Honestly I am tired of tiptoeing around difficult people and choosing my words carefully so as not to offend.  I'm too tired to deal with all that.  BUT Your Word teaches me that You want me to be careful with my speech -- that it matters very much to You how Your people speak.  So I pray that You will help me with this.

* Lord, forgive me for ... times when I fall into emotional eating.  Times when I allow other people to stress me out.  Times when I don't take the care with my words that I should.

* Make a note of 4 or 5 people you are specifically praying for.  I listed friends dealing with a cancer diagnosis; another couple with health needs and medical testing related to those; a young mom and her kids dealing with a very painful situation.

🌿 The next section in this helpful guide is SCRIPTURE MEDITATION.  I chose to first meditate on this week's Scripture, John 14:1, 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= "Let us, therefore, some boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need."  (Hebrews 4:16)

O=    In the Amplified Bible, this verse reads:
"Let us then fearlessly and confidently and boldly draw near to the throne of grace (the throne of God’s unmerited favor to us sinners), that we may receive mercy [for our failures] and find grace to help in good time for every need [appropriate help and well-timed help, coming just when we need it]."

"Let us, therefore ... what is this word there for?  Looking at the preceding verses, we see the reminder in verse 14 that "we have a great high priest, that is passed into the heavens, Jesus the Son of God" and verse 15 adds that we have not an high priest who cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities, but was in all points tempted like as we are."  It's in light of these wonderful, encouraging facts that we can come boldly to the throne of grace.

"We have a high priest who can relate to our weaknesses and has overcome all our temptations. Because of that unique relationship, we can “approach the throne of grace with confidence” to receive help whenever we need it–whether it’s grace when we suffer or mercy when we stumble."  -- Today in the Word

 Cross-references for "Let us come boldly" --"Let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled from an evil conscience, and our bodies washed with pure water ."  (Hebrews 10:22)

"For the law made nothing perfect, but the bringing in of a better hope did, by which we draw near unto God."  (Hebrews 7:19)

Cross-references for "boldly" -- "Having therefore, brethren, boldness to enter into the holiest by the blood of Jesus."  (Hebrews 10:19)

"In whom we have boldness and access with confidence by the faith of Him."  (Ephesians 3:12)

A= So as believers, we can come confidently to God's throne at any time of need in our lives, assured that He will extend mercy to us and give us grace to help any situation we may face.

The lyrics of Charles Wesley's traditional hymn Arise My Soul Arise say it perfectly: 

 Arise, my soul, arise;
Shake off the guilty fears;
The bleeding Sacrifice
In my behalf appears:
Before the throne my Surety stands,
Before the throne my Surety stands:
My name is written on His hands.

He ever lives above, for me to intercede;
His all redeeming love, His precious blood, to plead:
His blood atoned for all our race,
His blood atoned for all our race,
And sprinkles now the throne of grace.

Five bleeding wounds He bears,
Received on Calvary;
They pour effectual pray'rs,
They strongly plead for me:
"Forgive him, O forgive, " they cry,
"Forgive him, O forgive, " they cry,
"Nor let that ransomed sinner die!"

My God is reconciled;
His pard'ning voice I hear;
He owns me for His child;
I can no longer fear;
With confidence I now draw nigh,
With confidence I now draw nigh,
And, "Father, Abba, Father, " cry.

"When entering the prayer chamber, we must come filled with faith and armed with courage. Nowhere else in the whole field of religious thought and activity is courage so necessary as in prayer. The successful prayer must be one without condition. We must believe that God is love and that, being love, He cannot harm us but must ever do us good. Then we must throw ourselves before Him and pray with boldness for whatever we know our good and His glory require, and the cost is no object! Whatever He in His love and wisdom would assess against us, we will accept with delight because it pleases Him. Prayers like that cannot go unanswered. The character and reputation of God guarantee their fulfillment." -- A.W. Tozer

An online commentator with Precept Austin wrote,  "In time of need (eukairos) does not merely mean 'when we need it' in a vague sense, but means God’s grace arrives at the exact strategic moment, neither too soon nor too late. It is seasonable help and perfectly fitted to the occasion. Think of it as 'just-in-time grace' or 'just in the nick of time grace!' God’s mercy and grace are not generic or 'cookie cutter' but personally tailored to arrive in the precise 'amount' and at the precise season of our trial. The sense is 'grace for timely help, at the critical moment of pressure, temptation, or weakness'.”

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 the King of Kings whose throne is a throne of grace.  He is a merciful God and the God of grace.  He is our Helper, always available to help His children in time of need.

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

I'm a sinner saved by God's grace, constantly in need of His mercy and help.

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

 I should bring all my concerns and petitions boldly and confidently to the throne of grace, knowing that I will obtain mercy there and will find God's grace to help me in any and every time of need.  I can be confident in this!

There is so much incredible truth, so many deeply meaningful words, in Hebrews 4:16 that any attempt by me to dig into it all will fall miserably short.  I encourage you to take some time and study this verse out for yourselves.

P= "Lord,   How I thank and praise You that You, our great High Priest, so tenderly relate to the feelings of our infirmities, having been tempted Yourself by the same things that tempt us

I praise You that because of these astounding facts, I can come confidently to Your throne and find the grace to help me in my times of need.

"I pray that You will help me to live each day in light of these marvelous, comforting truths.  Help me to bring every need confidently to Your throne of kingly grace, knowing that Your mercy will meet me there.  I thank and praise You 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) Wisdom and time to have a conference call with Delta regarding a complicated transaction involving SkyMiles and E-credits.  .

2) God providing the exact right agent to walk us through the transaction and achieve the best outcome.

3) Being able to attend our granddaughter's symphony concert on Mother's Day afternoon.

4) Time, insight and energy to set up an Etsy sale, even though it resulted in only one order.

5) A delightful Mother's Day, with supper out after the concert, then cake and ice cream for our son-in-law's birthday.

🌿 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.]

We planned a wonderful day with friends for the Saturday -- breakfast out at an iconic mountain pancake hours; thrifting in our town; then afternoon and a hot dog roast at our little cottage. 

🌿 Lastly is a GOSPEL-CENTERED AFFIRMATION: 

In Jesus, I will find gracious help at the throne of God.

What a wonderful encouragement to take into the week ahead!  Whatever challenges come our way this week, we can come confidently to God's throne, where He promises us mercy and grace to help in our time of need.

And there's the Sunday Scripture for this week!

Sunday Scripture

 

Time for another Sunday Scripture lesson from Fix Your Focus!

This week's lesson was actually done by me the week of May 4.  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) Ministry -- TWNE, blogging, phone calls, tea with friends, work on brunch devotional; write missions report for annual church report..

2)  Homemaking/family -- try to catch up with some tasks at home before heading to TWNE again midweek.  Work with Joanna to purchase tickets for their family's visit here in August.  Attend Julia's symphony concert; celebrate Jim's birthday.

3) Correspondence/Etsy -- Email Judy; email missions team minutes and annual report; email Gail regarding brunch theme; set up Etsy sale and prepare any orders.

[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.  Maybe somewhat of a fear of burning out, as I'm getting quite tired.  .   

Joys: Ministry is always a joy.  Family time is a joy.  Homemaking and my Etsy shop are joys as well, but it is just so hard to find time for them.

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

Desires: That God will be glorified in the happenings of this week.  To be able to get my Sunday School lesson and Sunday Scripture blog posts finished up. To be of maximum usefulness at TWNE at a very busy time.

Stressors:  The limitations of time, energy, mobility, and aging.  The foibles of other people who aren't always easy to work with.

🌿 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 all that it will hold.  You are able to give me wisdom to order my days and the energy to carry out each necessary task.  You are able to expand my time so I can get everything done that needs to be done.  You are so good to provide times of relaxation at our little cottage.

* Lord, I feel ...  somewhat overwhelmed with all that there is to do this week ... a week we will spend partly at home and partly at TWNE.  I feel thankful that we got tickets ordered on Tuesday for our family's August visit.  I feel as if I will never get caught up on housework.

* Lord, help me with ...everything that must be done this week, especially my Sunday Scripture post and my Sunday School lesson, and the report I need to write.  Help me with using my time as wisely as possible, and to honor You in my interactions with people.

* Lord, forgive me for ... times when I have a fleshly response to situations.  Times when I speak before thinking.  Times of emotional eating.  Times when I fail to trust You as I should..

* Make a note of 4 or 5 people you are specifically praying for.  I listed friends dealing with a cancer diagnosis; other friends with serious health issues; a friend driving many miles in a rental truck.

🌿 The next section in this helpful guide is SCRIPTURE MEDITATION.  I chose to first meditate on this week's Scripture, Proverbs 18:10, 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= "The name of the LORD is a strong tower; the righteous runneth into it, and is safe."  (Proverbs 18:10)

O= Cross-reference for "the name of the LORD" -- "And the LORD descended in the cloud, and stood with [Moses] there, and proclaimed the name of the LORD.

"And the LORD passed by before him, and proclaimed, The LORD, the LORD God, merciful and gracious, long-suffering, and abundant in goodness and truth,

"Keeping mercy for thousands, forgiving iniquity, and transgression, and sin, and who will by no means clear the guilty, visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children ... unto the third and to the fourth generation ."  (Exodus 34:5-7)

Cross-reference for "a strong tower"   -- "The God of my rock; in Him will I trust; He is my shield, and the horn of my salvation, my high tower, and my refuge, my savior; Thou savest me from violence."  (2 Samuel 22:3)

"For Thou hast been a shelter for me, and a strong tower from the enemy."  (Psalm 61:3)

"The LORD is my rock, and my fortress, and my deliverer; my God, my strength, in whom I will trust; my shield, and the horn of my salvation, and my high tower."  (Psalm 18:2)

"Blessed be the LORD, my strength ... my goodness, and my fortress; my high tower, and my deliverer; my shield, and He in whom I trust, who subdueth my people under me."  (Psalm 144:1-2)

Cross-reference for "is safe" -- "The LORD hear thee in the day of trouble; the name of the God of Jacob defend thee."  (Psalm 20:1)

A=  "God's name is like a fort that provides protection for the believer. Through this study, we will come to understand the significance of names like Jehovah Rophe or Jehovah Nissi. In each case, we will learn how understanding that name becomes a SPIRITUAL FORTRESS. For example, we will discover that Jehovah Rophe can bring healing, thus turning bitter experiences into sweet. We will find that Jehovah Nissi is a banner of protection that can give us spiritual victory. We will discover that Jehovah Jireh is a God of infinite provision who can meet every need of our lives. As we grow to understand the very nature and character of God we will find ourselves running to His name to find safety and strength. His name is like a strong tower! God's name stands for the manifestation of His presence in His revelation and His relation to His people." -- Kenneth Hemphill

The following lines are from an old hymn by John Newton:

"No strength of our own and no goodness we claim;
Yet, since we have known of the Savior’s great Name,
In this our strong tower for safety we hide:
The Lord is our power, “The Lord will provide.”
-- from verse 6 of the hymn Though Troubles Assail, by John Newton 

Charles Spurgeon explains that running into the name of the Lord means we have an experiential "acquaintance with the attributes of God, which are every one of them anchors to hold the soul from drifting in seasons of peril."

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 the self-existent One who always has been and always will be.  The writer's use of the term LORD makes that clear.  His name alone is so strong and powerful that it serves as a tower of protection and safety which His righteous people can run to.

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

I am righteous, but only because of Christ's sacrifice and the imputation of His righteousness to me.  I am a person living in a world that is dangerous spiritually as well as physically.  I often need a place of safety to run to.  This verse tells me that God's name is that necessary strong tower.

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

 When I need a place of safety, God's name should be the strong tower that I run to.  I can consider and learn more about the various names of God and I can be so encouraged and blessed by all that they mean to me as a believer.  It would be easy to sort of gloss over or generalize a simple verse like this one, but in fact it is filled with tremendous, meaningful truth.

P= "Lord, How thankful I am for Your magnificent name -- for all that it says about You and for all that it means to me as Your child.  I praise You that Your name is a strong tower and a place of absolute safety that I can run to.  

  "I praise You too for the righteousness that You provide for me through faith in Christ.  I have no righteousness of my own, but when I trusted Him as Savior You imputed Your Son's righteousness to me.  Thus I have the privilege of running to the strong tower of Your name for refuge and safety.  I pray that You will help me to do just that when I feel overwhelmed or threatened.  I praise You so much for this privilege,  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 to 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) Being able to enjoy breakfast out in the mountains with old friends on a snowy April morning!

2) Hearing our friend David's cancer update -- he is free of disease!

3) Wisdom and strength to plan meals for another week of ministry at TWNE.

4) Getting to spend an entire day with other friends -- breakfast out at a nifty spot, visiting a glass blowing factory and a fascinating museum, exploring a new-to-us city a little bit.

5)The tremendous blessing of being able to host our Ladies of Grace meeting at our camp on Saturday morning.

🌿 SPIRITUAL GROWTH is the next prompt, and this week there's an emphasis on FASTING.  We were to think about what we might fast from this week, and how we might replace our fasted item with for a greater pursuit of God and His Word.    [And again, if you are following along, please think about this for yourself.]

My plan for fasting: We do intermittent fasting every day, and it always frees up more time to spend in God's Word and in prayer.  Fasting at least partially from consuming news would also be a good idea, nurturing a greater trust in God's sovereignty, omniscience and power.  I believe that God would have us to be informed and aware, but He also wants us to fully trust in Him.

🌿 Lastly is a GOSPEL-CENTERED AFFIRMATION: 

In the mighty name of the LORD, I find safety.

This is an amazing  thought to take into the week ahead.  Reread what Kenneth Hemphill wrote about the name of the LORD, and be blessed and encouraged!

And there's the Sunday Scripture for this week!

Sunday Scripture

  

Time for another Sunday Scripture lesson from Fix Your Focus!

This week's lesson was actually done by me the week of April 20.  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) Ministry  -- talk with Rebekah Tuesday; prepare for TWNE meals ministry; spend Friday at TWNE, Sunday School and blog post preparation; host Ladies of Grace and missions team meeting on Saturday..

2)  Friends -- breakfast out with friends on Monday; day out with other friends on Thursday.

3) Homemaking-- catch up on laundry and some tasks around the house in preparation for being away 4/27-5/2.

[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. 

Joys: All of the priorities this week are a joy when I can find time for them.  It seems that homemaking is the most difficult to find time for at this busy season.  It will be a special joy to spend time with two different couples who are old friends.

Worries: No real worries going into the week -- maybe a few concerns that I won't have the stamina to be truly helpful at my volunteer job.. 

Desires: That God will be glorified in the events of this week.  To be an encouragement and blessing to all of the friends with whom we spend time this week.

Stressors:  The limitations of time, energy, and aging.  The foibles of other people.  It's unfathomable to me how some believers seemingly aren't happy unless they're stirring up some kind of trouble.

🌿 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 ...able to help me with every limitation that stresses me.  You are able to give strength, guidance and wisdom for all the activities of this week.  You are so good to give us Christian friendship and fellowship and opportunities to serve You in ministry.  You are able to work in the lives of everyone, including difficult people, and You desire for Your people to grow and change.

* Lord, I feel ... thankful for a week spent mostly at home.  Blessed to be able to spend good quality time with friends this week. Grateful that we've been blessed by You with our little camp, and that we can host activities there.  Thankful for a week of respite in the midst of busyness, even though we aren't slowing down very much.

* Lord, help me with ... the limitations of aging that are causing me stress.  Help me with taking the necessary steps that will lead to improved health, energy, and mobility no matter what my age.  Help me to be an encouragement to the friends we spend time with this week.

* Lord, forgive me for ... times when I don't pay attention to the healthy habits that will impact my energy and mobility.  Times when I speak before thinking, or say more than needs to be said.  Times when I worry even though I know full well that You command us not to worry.

* Make a note of 4 or 5 people you are specifically praying for.  I listed friends dealing with a cancer diagnosis; another couple with health needs and medical testing related to those; a young mom and her kids dealing with a very painful situation.

🌿 The next section in this helpful guide is SCRIPTURE MEDITATION.  I chose to first meditate on this week's Scripture, John 14:1, 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= "Let not your heart be troubled; ye believe in God, believe also in Me."  (John 14:1)

O=   Warren Wiersbe gives us some context for this verse, looking back to John chapter 13.  He writes, "We are not surprised that the apostles were troubled.  After all, Jesus had announced that one of them was a traitor [verses 21-27], and then He warned Peter that he was going to deny his Lord three times [verse 38].  Self-confident Peter was certain that he could not only follow his Lord, but even die with Him and for Him [verse 37].  Alas, Peter did not know his own heart; nor do we really know our hearts, except for one thing: Our hearts easily become troubled."

    Wiersbe adds, "Just as Peter was beginning to feel like a hero, Jesus announced that [Peter] himself would soon become a casualty.  The message not only shocked Peter, but it also stunned the rest of the disciples.  After all, if brave Peter denied the Lord, what hope was there for the rest of them?  It was then that Jesus gave His message to calm their troubled hearts."

Cross-references for "Let not your heart be troubled" -- "Peace I leave with you, My peace I give unto you; not as the world giveth, give I unto you.  Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid."  (John 14:27)

(It is interesting that Jesus reiterates His encouragement to have an untroubled heart toward the end as well as the beginning of His message.)

"But, now, thus saith the LORD who created thee, O Jacob, and He who formed thee, O Israel, Fear not; for I have called thee by thy name; thou art mine.
"When thou passest through the waters, I will be with thee; and through the rivers, they shall not overflow thee; when thou walkest through the fire, thou shalt not be burned, neither shall the flame kindle upon thee."  (Isaiah 43:1-2)

"And ye now, therefore,  have sorrow; but I will see you again, and your heart shall rejoice, and your joy no man taketh from you."  (John 16:22)

"But and if ye suffer for righteousness' sake, happy are ye; and be not afraid of their terror, neither be troubled."  (1 Peter 3:14)

Cross-references for "believe in God" -- "Neither pray I for these alone, but for them also who will believe on Me through their word."  (John 17:20)

"Jesus cried out, and said, He that believeth on Me, believeth not on Me, but on Him that sent me."  (John 12:44)

For "believe in God", C.I. Scofield offers the following summary: "The essence of faith consists in believing and receiving what God has revealed, and may be defined as that trust in the God of the Scriptures and in Jesus Christ whom He has sent, which receives Him as Lord and Savior and impels to loving obedience and to good works."

A= So as believers, we are not to let our hearts be troubled.  Our belief and trust in the Savior will help us to rest in Him with an untroubled heart.

David C. McCasland wrote in Our Daily Bread:  "Jesus told His disciples, 'Let not your heart be troubled'.   This was to prepare them for the dark day of His crucifixion.  He knew they could weather the storm only by trusting Him in spite of the apparent triumph of evil."

An online commentator with Precept Austin wrote,  "When we rest in the salvation that Jesus provided and rely on the Holy Spirit to help us navigate the dangerous world around us, we can keep from being troubled in our hearts.

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 capable of giving me an untroubled heart, so that says a lot about His power, His mercy, His steadfast love, His comfort, and much more.  This verse also implies that Jesus and God the Father are One.

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

I am a person, a finite human, whose heart is easily troubled.  Yet I am also a believer and as such, able to live with an untroubled heart as I trust in God.

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

 I should live life with an untroubled heart, resting in my relationship with God, trusting Him through every day, relying on the guidance of the Holy Spirit, and living with an eternal perspective

P= "Lord,   I thank and praise You so much that as Your child, I can live life with an untroubled heart.  I'm so thankful that You drew me to belief in You, and that I can trust You through every day of life, even when circumstances appear troubling.

"I pray that You will help me to live each day with a peaceful heart, resting in my relationship with You and relying on the guidance of Your Holy Spirit.  Help me to live each day of this life with an eternal perspective,  I pray in the name of Jesus.  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) Wisdom to help me plan meals and prepare ahead for a week of ministry.

2) Energy to cook for a work team and staff.

3) Being able to work ahead on Sunday School lessons.

4) Time to keep up with my Sunday Scripture blog posts.

5) Moments of encouragement and edification in my interactions with other believers.

🌿 SPIRITUAL GROWTH is the next prompt, and this week there's an emphasis on REST.  We were to think about what a sabbath rest looks like for us and to make a plan to intentionally rest this week.  [And again, if you are following along, please think about this for yourself.]

Time with dear friends will be refreshing and restful even though activity and early morning are involved.  It will be such a change from our usual springtime busyness.  We also plan to stay one night at our little cottage, which is always so restful to us. 

🌿 Lastly is a GOSPEL-CENTERED AFFIRMATION: 

When my heart is troubled, I will trust in God.

What an important challenge to take into the week ahead!  Is your heart troubled as you consider the events of the coming week?  Take this admonition to heart and trust in God!

And there's the Sunday Scripture for this week!

A few goals for May

Oh, my, things have indeed been busy around here!  I have just realized that I never even listed any goals for the month of April.  Too busy living life to set goals.  Absolutely crazy!  

So, forthwith, some goals for May.  As always, some are specific to this month, and many are ongoing.  Here goes:

* Keep up with Flylady's homemaking zones of the week
* Spend a Saturday with our young friends -- breakfast out and thrifting, plus time at our cottage
* Help with planning and preparing for our ladies' brunch on May 30
* Post in this blog as often as possible 
* Post in my Christmas blog as often as possible
* Continue planning and making Christmas gifts and decor
* Continue planning for family birthday gifts and crafting any handmade ones
* Continue studying and preparing for my Sunday Scripture blog posts
* Read through the May passages of the Daily Walk Bible
* Attend a concert by the symphony orchestra our granddaughter plays in
* Plan meals with a greater emphasis on healthy eating
* Get early light each morning
* Get to bed by 8:30 each night we are at home
* Drink enough water each day
* Walk and/or exercise at least 4 times each week
*  Celebrate Mother's Day and a May birthday
* Continuing preparing and teaching a ladies Sunday School class
* Celebrate Memorial Day with friends
* Work at our volunteer jobs as needed
* Work on typing a manuscript
* Continue our times of teatime discipleship on Wednesdays
* Seek to encourage friends by email and phone chats
* Figure out finishes for some completed cross-stitch and embroidery projects
* Do the necessary tasks to open up our little cottage for the season 

HEALTHY HABITS FOR MAY:  Drink more water/get more sleep/exercise daily/intermittent fasting/limit carbs/get morning light

WORD FOR 2026: Intentional

And there you have it -- a few goals for May 2026!

Sunday Scripture

 

Time for another Sunday Scripture lesson from Fix Your Focus!

This week's lesson was actually done by me the week of April 13.  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) Prepare food for week of TWNE ministry.

2)  Cook for work team and staff at TWNE.

3) Work on blog posts.

So, pretty much all ministry this week.

[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, other than fearing I might run out of energy.  .   

Joys: Ministry is always a joy, as is hospitality.  Combining both, as I get to do in my off-season meals ministry at TWNE, is s special joy.  Blogging is a joy that I find such a blessing when I am able to find the time to do it.

Worries: I try not to worry.  It accomplishes nothing, and Jesus commands His people not to do it.

Desires: That God will be glorified and believers edified and encouraged through the events of this week.  

Stressors:  The limitations of time, energy, mobility, and aging.  Glitches in communication at times.

🌿 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 ... aware of all that this week will hold.  You know the challenges that I face with time and energy limitations.  You are able to help and strengthen me and to overrule each limitation that I face.

* Lord, I feel ...  inadequate to do any of this -- and I know that's a good thing as it pushes me to depend on You.  I feel a bit discouraged because I am so slow, and a bit overwhelmed with all that there is to do .

* Lord, help me with ... all that is on my plate this week.  You know what must be done and what can be left undone, and I pray You will help me to have the wisdom and discernment to know the difference.  Help me with my attitudes , with my words, with self-control, with wise use of time.

* Lord, forgive me for ... any time when I fail to exercise self-control in any area.  I know that as a Christian woman I need to be living a life marked by temperance.  I'm so thankful that forgiveness for sin is available from You on a moment-by-moment basis.

* Make a note of 4 or 5 people you are specifically praying for.  I listed friends dealing with a cancer diagnosis; other friends with serious health issues; a couple facing a major life change.

🌿 The next section in this helpful guide is SCRIPTURE MEDITATION.  I chose to first meditate on this week's Scripture, Ephesians 3:30-21, 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= "Now unto Him who is able to do exceedingly abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that worketh in us,

"Unto Him be glory in the church by Christ Jesus throughout all ages, world without end, Amen."  (Ephesians 3:20-21)

O= Cross-references for "Now" -- Now to Him that is of power to establish you according to my gospel, and the preaching of Jesus Christ, according to the revelation of the mystery, which was kept secret since the world began."  (Romans 16:25)

"Now unto Him that is able to keep you from falling, and to present you faultless before the presence of His glory with exceeding joy."  (Jude 24)

Cross-reference for "Him who is able"  (v.20) -- "And God is able to make all grace abound toward you, that ye, always having all sufficiency in all things, may abound to every good work ."  (2 Corinthians 9:8)

Cross-references for "according to the power" -- ""Of which I was made a minister, according to the gift of the grace of God given unto me by the effectual working of His power."  (Ephesians 3:7)

Cross-reference for "to Him be glory" (v. 21) -- "For of Him, and through Him,  and to Him, are all things: to whom be glory forever."  (Romans 11:36)

Cross-references for "church" (v.21) -- "That the Gentiles should be fellow heirs, and of the same body, and partakers of His promise in Christ by the Gospel ... To the intent that now, unto the principalities and powers in heavenly places, might be known by the church the manifold wisdom of God."  (Ephesians 3:6, 10)

"There is one body and one Spirit, even as ye are called in one hope of your calling."  (Ephesians 4:2)

"And he gave some, apostles, and some, prophets, and some, evangelists, and some, pastors and teachers; For the perfecting of the saints for the work of the ministry for the edifying of the body of Christ."  (Ephesians 4:11-12)

"Christ is the head of the church."  (Ephesians 5:23b)

"Upon this rock I will build my church, and the gates of hell will not prevail against it."  (Matthew 16:18) 

"Ye also, as living stones, are built up a spiritual house, an holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices, acceptable to God by Jesus Christ."  (1 Peter 2:5)

"It is upon Christ Himself that the church is built."  -- C.I. Scofield

A=  The words of Ephesians 3:20-21 are a benediction, as are the first two cross-references listed -- Jude 24 and Romans 6:25.

The purpose of a benediction is to express praise to God and comfort to those listening, "while focusing on both the character of God and His gifts of grace, peace, and divine enablement." -- Rand Hummel, In Christ

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 able to do exceedingly abundantly above anything that we can ask or even think.  His power is incredible!

'The able to do is the incomparable capability of an unlimited God" -- Rand Hummel

He is deserving of all honor and glory forever.

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

My God, my King, my Heavenly Father, is able to do exceedingly abundantly above all that  I could even think to ask.  I am a person in whom God's power is at work ... the same power that raised Jesus from the dead.

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

 I should always seek to live in a way that brings honor and glory to Him.  I should live my life in absolute trust in my all-powerful Heavenly Father, who is able to do far above anything I could ask or even think.

P= "Lord, How thankful I am for all that You have done in saving me!  I am so grateful that You drew me to Yourself and transformed my life.  I'm incredulous that You loved me enough to do this at such cost to Yourself,, that Your unlimited, incomparable power is at work in mu life every day.  I praise You that You are able to do exceedingly abundantly above anything I could ask or think, and I pray that You will bring that power to bear on some concerns I'm praying about.  

  "Help me to live my life every day in a way that brings appropriate honor and glory to You!  I praise You for all that 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 us over the past week and to 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) God's wisdom in planning menus and preparing food for TWNE volunteers.

2) Strength to cook for volunteers on back-to-back weeks.

3) Wisdom and time to work ahead on Sunday School lessons.

4) Wisdom to write and schedule Sunday Scripture blog posts.

5) Being able to spend good quality time with fellow believers as we volunteer together, including a friend we hadn't seen win 10 years!

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

My plan for serving: This is a week of service as I cook meals for volunteers and also use some of my time to clean and do computer tasks at my volunteer job.  I can also serve those with serious health issues and trials as I intercede in prayer for them.

🌿 Lastly is a GOSPEL-CENTERED AFFIRMATION: 

God works powerfully in me.

This is amazing  thought to take into the week ahead.  The same power that raised Jesus from the dead is the power that works in me!

And there's the Sunday Scripture for this week!