Sunday Scripture

 

Time for another Sunday Scripture!

This week's lesson was actually done by me the week of October 27,  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) People -- time up north with Charlotte, tea with Jennifer and friends; catching up with my daughter Joanna by phone.

2) Planning -- for November and December Scripture posts; for TWNE meals the week of 11/17; for the outreach activity the end of November.

3) Preparation --  SS lesson prep and blog postst; begin TWNE food prep; bake and freeze cookies for outreach activity.

[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: Time with Charlotte, and tea with friends will be a joy.  I find joy in blogging and in studying God's Word.  My morning quiet time is a joy.

Worries: No serious worries going into this week, though I do have concerns.  I prefer to pray about those rather than worrying about them.

Desires: That God will be glorified and believers encouraged through the events of this week.  To get some serious planning and preparation done for upcoming events.  To get our bedroom decluttered and dusted.  

Stressors:  Housework and laundry that won't stay done; other people needing some of my time; time and energy constraints; trying to keep life in balance.

🌿 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.  You are all-knowing and know all that it will hold.  You are all-powerful and able to give me strength for it, to expand my time.  You are all-wise and You promise to give wisdom when we ask, so You are able to help me with planning, with people, and with keeping life in proper balance.

* Lord, I feel ... a bit overwhelmed by all that needs to happen this week, especially in the realm of planning and preparation.  I feel wholly inadequate and unable to do any of this in my own strength.

* Lord, help me with ... wise use of time.  With knowing what truly needs to happen and finding time for it to happen.  Help me in my interactions with people, to have patience and empathy and compassion as You did.  Help me to know if there are activities You would have me to let go of.  

* Lord, forgive me for ... times when I am grumpy and short-tempered with anyone (especially my husband) or with frustrating situations.  Forgive me for times when my tone of voice isn't what it should be, and for times when I fall into the sin of emotional eating.

* Make a note of 4 or 5 people you are specifically praying for.  I listed a couple dealing with the husband's cancer ; a teen granddaughter with a busy work week and orchestra schedule; a friend of a friend as she reads (and hopefully understands) the book Done, by Cary Schmidt.

🌿 The next section in this helpful guide is SCRIPTURE MEDITATION.  I chose to first meditate on this week's Scripture, Hebrews 4:12, 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= "For the Word of God is living, and powerful, and sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing even to the dividing under of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart."  (Hebrews 4:12)

O=   Cross-reference for "the Word of God": "And He hath made my mouth like a sharp sword, in the shadow of His hand hath He hidden me, and made me a polished shaft; in His quiver hath He hidden me."  (Isaiah 49:2)

Cross-reference for "quick" or "living" -- "Being born again, not of corruptible seed but of incorruptible, by the Word of God, which liveth and abideth forever."  (1 Peter 1:23)

Cross-reference for "powerful"  -- "Is not my Word like a fire? saith the LORD, and like a hammer that breaketh the rock in pieces?"  (Jeremiah 23:29))

God's Word is a penetrating Word!

Cross-reference for "two-edged sword" -- "And to the angel of the church in Pergamos write: These things saith He who hath the sharp sword with two edges."  (Revelation 2:12) 

Cross-reference for "sword" --"And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the Word of God."  (Ephesians 6:17) 

Concerning "piercing", Believer's Study Bible explains, 
"God's word is sharp and penetrating, acting as a critic of the thought-life and the motivations or purposes of the human heart. Note that the word of God has the unique ability not merely to discover the merit of men's actions but also to reveal hidden motivations. Thus, 'all things are naked and open to the eyes of Him to whom we must give account' (v. 13)."

Cross-reference for "discerner" -- He that rejecteth Me,  and receiveth not My words, hath one that judgeth him; the word that I have spoken, the same shall judge him in the last day."  (John 12:48)

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.

This entire verse is describing the Word of God and its power.  I'm reminded of John 1:1 and 1:11 that teach us that Jesus is the Word of God: "In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God ... And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us (and we beheld His glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father), full of grace and truth."

If Jesus is the Word, then all of these descriptions of the Word of God in Hebrews 4:12 are also true of Him.

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

I'm a human whose soul and spirit can be pierced by the Word of God.  My thoughts and the intents of my heart can be discerned by this powerful Word.  I'm certainly in need of this powerful, effective Word in my life.

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

 I can trust the truths and promises of this living, all-powerful Word of God.  I should allow it to discern the thoughts and intents of my heart, and to pierce my heart with truth and conviction when needed.  I should allow God's Word to do the necessary work in my life.  I should live according to its guidelines and cling to its promises.

An unknown writer has said, 

"This Book is the mind of God, the state of man, the way of salvation, the doom of sinners, and the happiness of believers.

Its doctrines are holy, its precepts are binding; its histories are true, and its decisions are immutable.

Read it to be wise, believe it to be safe, practice it to be holy.

It contains light to direct you, food to support you, and comfort to cheer you. It is the traveler's map, the pilgrim's staff, the pilot's compass, the soldier's sword, and the Christian's character.

Here paradise is restored, heaven opened, and the gates of hell disclosed.

Christ is its grand subject, our good its design, and the glory of God its end.

It should fill the memory, rule the heart, and guide the feet.

Read it slowly, frequently, prayerfully.

It is a mine of wealth, a paradise of glory, and a river of pleasure.

Follow its precepts and it will lead you to Calvary, to the empty tomb, to a resurrected life in Christ; yes, to glory itself, for eternity."

 Theodore Epp writes, "We must first benefit from the Word ourselves before we become concerned about passing it on to others. We cannot do the work of God or have the right attitudes (as urged in the previous verses) unless God's Word is doing its work within us.”

P= "Lord, I'm so thankful for Your Word, the Bible! I thank and praise You that it is living, and powerful, sharp, and effective.  It literally works in heart and lives to achieve Your purposes.  I praise You for its precepts, principles and promises which I can trust and live by.  I'm thankful too that I am blessed to own multiple copies of the Bible and to have it in my own language.

    "I thank You that You have given me a desire to read and study Your Word every day.  Help me to read it, meditate on it, and memorize it so that it can do the necessary work in my life.  Help me to be faithful also in sharing this powerful, convicting Word with others so You can use it in their lives as well.    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) Strength and energy four a full day of cleaning at my volunteer job.

2) Answered prayer, seeing God's faithfulness to friends dealing with important legal matters.

3) The tremendous blessings of being able to meet with Jennifer weekly -- seeing God provide an opportunity we'd prayed about, literally for years.

4) An excellent Bible conference on the Saturday from which we gleaned a great deal about discipleship.

5) Since our "chance" meeting at the grocery store, maintaining contact with my granddaughter via email and realizing God is working in her life.

🌿 SPIRITUAL GROWTH is the next prompt, and this week there's an emphasis on REST.  We were to think about what observing 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.]

We took a night at our little cottage on Thursday.  We also headed to bed at 8:30 each night we were at home -- something we aim to continue doing whenever possible.  

🌿 Lastly is a GOSPEL-CENTERED AFFIRMATION: 

God can grant me the patience to be slow to anger. *

* Now this is true, but it really seems to me that it doesn't fit with Hebrews 4:12.  So I think I might substitute this thought instead:

God's Word is sharp, living and effective, and He will use it to work powerfully in my life.

And there's the Sunday Scripture for this week!