FOCUS OF THE MONTH
The high cost of unforgiveness vs. the high reward of forgiveness
SCRIPTURE OF THE WEEK
(14) For if ye forgive men their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also
forgive you; (15 But if ye forgive not men their trespasses neither will
your Father forgive your trespasses. — Matthew 6:14-15 (KJV) (ESV)
HAPPY BIRTHDAY
Sister Lois Hodge – May 13 –Class 06
Sister Stella McLean– May 18 – Class #12
Call (641) 715-3378, access code 2597-48#; Reference 208# to listen to a review of these lessons.
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Overview: (Personal Testimonies)
Sunday– Most of our earthly possessions can and will be destroyed. Therefore, we must invest our lives in things that are eternal.
Monday – Beware of smooth talking people who will try to deceive us about what God has said concerning treasures in heaven. We must continue to study, spend quality time with God and be led by the Holy Spirit every day.
Tuesday – God is truly at work in all of our lives. Let’s begin to journal and share with others the great things that God has done and is doing.
Wednesday – Every day is a valley of decisions, however, God didn’t intend for us to direct our own lives. Therefore, we should feel free to yoke together with Christ and follow His leading as He transform us and give us peace and rest from the burdens of this world.
Thursday – Based on our individual life experiences, we are all capable of writing a Psalm of testimonies. Let’s praise God for His Goodness today by sharing our story.
Friday – Remember, we are not exempt from the troubles of this world, however, when they do spill over into our lives, we must allow the Holy Spirit to overflow in us.
Saturday– Remember, where our treasure is, there will our hearts be also. Others will then be able to see our joy and the peace that God gives us which may perhaps give them hope.
***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, May 14, 2018 – Not What It Seems – 2 Kings 19:29-37
Focus: We must not allow smooth talking people to deceive us about what God has said. We must study and be led by the Holy Spirit.
Scriptures: Deuteronomy 13:1-11; 2 Timothy 2:15-19
Tuesday, May 15, 2018 – God at Work – Hebrews 13:20-21
Focus: Explain how God is at work in your life for His glory. Base it on a scripture reference.
Scriptures: (Member participation)
Wednesday, May 16, 2018 – Free to Follow – Matthew 11:25-30
Focus: God didn’t intend for us to direct our own lives. Therefore, choose to follow His leading. Burdens will be lifted and we can rest in Him.
Scriptures: Psalm 37:3-7
Thursday, May 17, 2018 – Praising God’s Goodness – Psalm 136:1-15
Focus: We are all capable of writing a Psalm based on what God has done for us. Let’s praise God’s Goodness today.
Scriptures: Psalm 107:8 (Members write a short Psalm)
Friday, May 18, 2018 – Overflowing – Romans 15:4-13
Focus: Though troubles may spill into our lives, we must allow the Holy Spirit to overflow in us. Others will see our joy and this may give them hope.
Scriptures: Romans 8:18; Romans 12:12-18
Thoughts from Sister Clovia Thompson –
How Do We Hear God’s Voice
The starting place for learning to hear the voice of God is reading and meditating on His Word. The voice of God will never contradict the Word of God.
Sometimes when you wonder why you cannot hear God’s voice during your trials, remember the teacher is always quiet during the test. God often speaks loudest when we are the quietest.
To hear the voice of God, we must turn down the volume of the world. Find time to disconnect with everything around us and be still in His presence. He is waiting for us to draw near. God speaks to those who take the time to listen and He listens to those who take time to pray. Prayer is when you talk to God. Meditation is when God is talking to you.
When we pray, God listens.
When we listen, God talks.
When we believe, God works.