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!
