FOCUS OF THE MONTH
The Lord is the Strength of my Life
SCRIPTURE OF THE WEEK
(1) I will love thee, O Lord, my strength. (2) The Lord is my rock, and my fortress, and my deliverer, my God, my strength, in whom I will trust; my buckler, and the horn of my salvation, and my high tower. Psalm 18:1-2
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Overview: Life can be overwhelming. However, Jesus demonstrated how we can avoid burn out. As we stay focused on our walk of faith, life can become like an unrelenting winter and may cause us to leave our first love. When that happens we must repent and commit our ways to God. He is faithful to bring refreshing spring rains to restore us in our time of drought.
So whether it’s a time of celebration or distress, let’s live life in a manner that will cause us to align ourselves with Christ. In our times of prayer, ask God to grant us grace to do the work that He has assigned our hands to do in helping others. We must not be consumed by our own selfish desires because the way we treat others will be how we are remembered the most.
Life is not always rosy and people will not always appreciate our efforts to advance the kingdom of God. However, if there are times that we become weary and upset because of the troubles of this world and things begin to weigh us down, God will affectionately carry us in His arms like a baby. This is the consolation we have in Him and we can rest in His peace.
Never stop praying to God. Never stop believing in God. The results will show in our unwavering faith as we declare the character of our Lord God. Keep in mind what He’s already done; what He’s doing now; and what He’ll do in the future.
As we seek Him face to face, the Holy Spirit will bear witness with our Spirit as kingdom children, the blessings of the Lord, so be strong and don’t lose heart — take rest in Him.
Monday, March 20, 2017 – Running and Rest – Mark 6:30-46
Focus: In our walk of faith and service to God, we must come aside to rest so that we don’t burn out.
Scriptures: Matthew 11:28-29; Psalm 23:1-6
Tuesday, March 21, 2017 – Refreshing Spring Rains – Hosea 6:1-4
Focus: Our lives may have been as difficult as an unrelenting winter. This may have caused us to leave our first love. Let’s seek and commit our ways to God in times of distress and celebration. He is faithful to bring refreshing spring rains into our lives.
Scriptures: Joel 2:12-22
Wednesday, March 22, 2017 – What Are You Known For? – Hebrews 11:23-28
Focus: How will we be remembered? Let’s be faithful to align ourselves with God. Ask Him to give us grace to do the assignment that He’s given us to help others instead of being consumed by the pleasures of this world.
Scriptures: Philippines 2:3-4; Mark 14:3-9
Thursday, March 23, 2017 – Cradled in Comfort – Isaiah 66:12-16
Focus: When we become weary and upset because the troubles of this world weigh us down, God will affectionately carry us in His arms. Let’s put our trust in Him and rest in His peace.
Scriptures: Matthew 11:28-29; Isaiah 49:15
Friday, March 24, 2017 – His Wonderful Face – 1 Chronicles 16:8-27
Focus: When we pray in faith, let’s focus on the character of who God is. Be mindful of what He’s already done and know that in the Spirit we can seek His face and He will give us strength. Scriptures: Hebrews 11:6; Numbers 6:22-27
Thoughts from Sister Clovia Thompson – God’s Comfort
There is a comfort that only God can provide, a food for the soul and drink for the heart that quenches all sense of emptiness and loneliness. God’s comfort holds us in His arms and is caring, all-knowing and wise. But we have to quiet our anxious minds to feel Him wrapped around us.
When life becomes a struggle. When pain and suffering seem to fill the road before us, we can turn to the loving arms of a comforting presence and fall into the warmth and security of God who is always there for us, ready to quench our thirst and hunger with a love that never fails. The mind seeks what it can never find, but the spirit knows what lies within the Rock and Foundation of His strength and love.
The presence of the Lord never fails to catch us when we fall. There may still be troubles and struggles that we must face but when we turn to God in prayer, we find the courage and fortitude to remove those obstacles and replace them with the security of a love that will never leave us and that will never diminish.
Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the God of all Comfort, who comforts us in all our troubles so that we can comfort those in any trouble with the comfort we have received from God.