FOCUS OF THE MONTH
Helping the Needy
SCRIPTURE OF THE WEEK
Defend the poor and fatherless: do justice to the afflicted and needy. – Psalm 82:3
HAPPY BIRTHDAY
We do not have any birthdays this week.
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Overview/Theme:
Sunday – Time heals but can’t take away the pain completely. When a loved one dies, trust God for comfort and peace.
Monday – God watches over and cares for everything in heaven and in earth. Therefore, we must choose to obey His Word and always be truthful in what we say to others. .
Tuesday –Many of us suffer various kinds of sickness and we wonder why God doesn’t heal us completely. God knows why and He sometimes allows a two-fold healing blessing because He wants us to pray for understanding. It’s then He may open our eyes to the truth that He desires relationship.
Wednesday –We can’t rely on ourselves for anything. We must humble ourselves and allow the Holy Spirit to strengthen our inner being to be able to grow in the perfect love of Jesus.
Thursday – God truly values unselfish service to others. As we come to the aid of others, allow God to continue to use us and build our reputation as powerful forces in His Kingdom.
Friday – We can never out give God’s generosity toward us. However, we can share what God has done and give lavish expressions of love to others. This may impact their lives to praise, honor and give back to God also.
Saturday–
***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, July 23, 2018 – Watchful Care – Jeremiah 23:20-24
Focus: God watches and cares for everything in heaven and earth. Therefore, let’s choose to obey God’s Word, be truthful and honor Him.
Scriptures: Psalm 139:7-11; Deuteronomy 30:19-20
Tuesday, July 24, 2018 – Jesus Knows Why – Mark 8:22-26
Focus: Sickness is not always healed at once and Jesus knows why. Pray for understanding as He opens our eyes to the truth and draws us closer to Him.
Scriptures: Proverbs 3:1-8
Wednesday, July 25, 2018 – Perfect Imperfection – Ephesians 3:8-19
Focus: We must die to self-reliance and humble ourselves. The Holy Spirit will strengthen our inner being to grow in the perfect love of Jesus.
Scriptures: 2 Peter 3:18; 1 John 4:17-18
Thursday, July 26, 2018 – Unselfish Service – Isaiah 58:6-12
Focus: God values unselfish service to others. Let’s allow God to use us to aid others and to build our reputation as powerful forces in His Kingdom.
Scriptures: Proverbs 19:17; 1 John 3:16-18
Friday, July 27, 2018 – Lavish Expressions of Love – 2 Corinthians 9:6-15
Focus: God is generous toward us. If we share what God has done and give lavish expressions of love to others, they too may praise and give to God also.
Scriptures: Proverbs 3:1-8; Deuteronomy 14:28-29
Thoughts from Sister Clovia Thompson –
Thorn in the Flesh
Everyone gets a “thorn in the flesh” once in a while. It can be a medical problem, under water financially, or broken relationships. Regardless of who or what your “thorn in the flesh” is, there is a one size fits all answer. That answer is the one God told Paul for his “thorn in the flesh,” my grace is sufficient for you.
Whatever our needs are, God’s grace is all we need, to meet those needs. God’s grace is His undeserved love for us in sending Jesus to be our Savior. No matter what “thorn in the flesh” we are going through, God’s grace is sufficient for us. Like Paul, let us be thankful for our thorns because they help us to grow in our daily walk with God.
Because God’s grace is sufficient, there is no storm that God won’t carry you through. No bridge that God won’t help you cross. No matter that God won’t help you win. He is so much bigger than our thorn. Leave everything in His hands and embrace each day confidently knowing that God’s grace is sufficient.
***The Daily Devotionals are taken from Our Daily Bread Ministries and the Scriptures are from the BibleGateway.***