FOCUS OF THE MONTH
Awakening and restoring us to newness of life
SCRIPTURE OF THE WEEK
For which cause we faint not; but though our outward man perish, yet the
inward man is renewed day by day. — 2 Corinthians 4:16
HAPPY BIRTHDAY
Sister Senior Ree Austin – April 16 – Class 04
Sister Michelle Bailey – April 19 – Introduction Class
Call (641) 715-3378, access code 2597-48#; Reference 204# to listen to a review of these lessons.
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Overview: In all situations we must learn to sing praises to our God and declare His marvelous works in our lives. Time is short; therefore, we must begin to make the best use of our time on earth to glorify God.
If we are going through a storm in life, don’t fear. Instead, purpose to know God and trust His powerful presence to quiet any anxieties. Keep in mind, when God wants to use ordinary people to do extraordinary tasks, we must respond in faith.
God knows about our capabilities because He knows our origin and He doesn’t judge. Therefore, instead of living a frantic, hurried life, we must yield to the Holy Spirit to give us a proper balance by allowing Him to guide our steps. In doing so, He will keep us in perfect peace as we keep our minds stayed on Him. However, if we are still rebellious, it’s time to return to our first love today.
God will embrace us with loving arms and He will forgive us of our sins. We then, will have a new song to sing of His wondrous works in our lives.
***The English Standard Version (ESV) stands in the classic mainstream of English Bible translations over the past half-millennium. The fountainhead of that stream was William Tyndale’s New Testament of 1526; marking its course were the King James Version of 1611 (KJV), the English Revised Version of 1885 (RV), the American Standard Version of 1901 (ASV), and the Revised Standard Version of 1952 and 1971 (RSV). In that stream, faithfulness to the text and vigorous pursuit of accuracy were combined with simplicity, beauty, and dignity of expression. Our goal has been to carry forward this legacy for a new century.
To this end each word and phrase in the ESV has been carefully weighed against the original Hebrew, Aramaic, and Greek, to ensure the fullest accuracy and clarity and to avoid under-translating or overlooking any nuance of the original text. The words and phrases themselves grow out of the Tyndale-King James legacy, and most recently out of the RSV, with the 1971 RSV text providing the starting point for our work. Archaic language has been brought to current usage and significant corrections have been made in the translation of key texts. But throughout, our goal has been to retain the depth of meaning and enduring language that have made their indelible mark on the English-speaking world and have defined the life and doctrine of the church over the last four centuries.
The ESV is an “essentially literal” translation that seeks as far as possible to capture the precise wording of the original text and the personal style of each Bible writer. It seeks to be transparent to the original text, letting the reader see as directly as possible the structure and meaning of the original. More about the ESV translation philosophy….***
Monday, April 16, 2018 – Just a Second – Psalm 39:4-6
Focus: Time on earth to do God’s work is limited. Let’s begin to make the best use of our time for God’s glory.
Scriptures: Ephesians 5:16; Ecclesiastes 9:10
Tuesday, April 17, 2018 – Learning to Know God – John 6:16-21
Focus: If we are going through a storm in our life, learn to trust God. Know that He is powerful and His presence will quiet our anxieties.
Scriptures: 2 Timothy 1:7; Isaiah 41:10, 13
Wednesday, April 18, 2018 – Judging Origins – Judges 11:1-8, 29
Focus: When God’s wants to use ordinary people like us to do an extraordinary tasks, respond positively in faith. He doesn’t judge our origin.
Scriptures: Joshua 6:22-25; 1 Samuel 16:7-13
Thursday, April 19, 2018 – Hurry Not – Isaiah 26:1-4
Focus: Instead of living a frantic, hurried life, trust God to guide our steps. He will keep us in perfect peace if we keep our minds on Him.
Scriptures: Philippians 4:6-7; Proverbs 3:5-6
Friday, April 20, 2018 – The Art of Forgiveness – Luke 15:11-24
Focus: If we have left our first love, return home today. God’s arms are open wide, awaiting to forgive us and give us a new song.
Scriptures: Revelation 2:45
Thoughts from Sister Clovia Thompson
God’s Perfect Timing
Stress makes us believe that everything has to happen right now. Faith reassures us that everything will begin in God’s timing. God says in Isaiah 22, when the time is right, I, the Lord, will make it happen. So let us wait for God’s perfect timing.
Waiting is not just something we have to do until we get what we want. Waiting is part of the process of becoming what God wants us to be. In our waiting, God is working. So let us trust in God’s timing, rely on His promises, wait for His answers, believe in His miracles, and rejoice in His presence.
So let us wait on the perfect timing of the Lord because every day God thinks of us, every hour God looks after us, every minute God cares for us because every second He loves us.
God’s timing is always perfect.