FOCUS OF THE MONTH
Starting over again with the God of another chance
SCRIPTURE OF THE WEEK
And he said, Thy name shall be called no more Jacob, but Israel: for as a prince hast thou power with God and with men, and hast prevailed. Genesis 32:28 (KJV) (ESV)
HAPPY BIRTHDAY
We do not have any birthdays this week.
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Overview:
Sunday – In these perilous times, we must grow our Church by being a community of believers who will encourage and build up one another in love instead of pulling one another down.
Monday – Keep in mind, God loves us and He wants the best for us all. Continue to build our hopes on the only sure foundation which is God Himself. Having faith in what we don’t see is not easy, however, if we put our trust in God’s ability to provide for our daily needs, we will rest in His abundant love and care for the body of Christ.
Tuesday – Regardless of the pain and struggles that we all face in life, God will give us a peaceful song in the night. Let’s patiently hope and wait for the day of our longings to be satisfied.
Wednesday – In the meantime, we must generously share our lives and not just stuff with others in love. When we give of our time, talent and treasures, we will experience a more meaningful and greater life in God’s Kingdom.
Thursday – If there’s anything that we are relentlessly pursuing that hinders our devotion to God and preventing us from sharing with others, remember God still loves us and He will never give up on us. Repent and return to our first love. God will get us back on track.
Friday – As Kingdom children, we are privileged to seek God’s face when difficult life challenges are persistent. We may be prone to ask God why, and that’s okay. Bring our weary filled questions to Him and allow Him to transform our attitude to that of trust and praise while we wait and continue to grow the Church.
***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, January 14, 2019 – Hope’s Sure Foundation – Hebrews 11:1-6
Focus: Hope’s sure foundation is in God Himself. We must put our trust in Him and rest in His perfect love to care for us, despite how difficult life may seem.
Scripture(s): Micah 7:7; 2 Corinthians 9:8
Tuesday, January 15, 2019 – A Song in the Night – Psalm 42:1-11
Focus: Regardless of the pain and struggles in life, God will give us a peaceful song in the night. Hope and wait patiently for the day of our longings to be satisfied. Scripture(s): Micah 7:7; 2 Corinthians 9:8
Scripture(s): Habakkuk 3:17-18; Psalm 40:1-3
Wednesday, January 16, 2019 – Sharing More Than Stuff – Ruth 1:11-18
Focus: We must generously share our lives and not just stuff with others in love. In doing so, we will experience a meaningful, greater life in God’s Kingdom.
Scripture(s): 1 Peter 1:22; Luke 6:31-38
Thursday, January 17, 2019 – What Can’t You Give Up? – Hosea 11:8-11
Focus: What are we relentlessly pursuing that hinders our devotion to God? He will never give up on us. Repent and return to our first love.
Scripture(s): Revelation 3:14-20
Friday, January 18, 2019 – Worshiping with Questions – Psalm 13
Focus: When difficult life challenges are persistent, we are prone to ask why. Cast our cares on God and allow Him to transform our attitude to trust and praise.
Scripture(s): Psalm 16:7-11; Isaiah 40:28-31; Psalm 42:1-11
Thoughts from Sister Clovia Thompson –
Do Christians Ever Get Depressed?
What do Job, Naomi, David and Jeremiah all have in common? The Bible says they all experienced depression. Job suffered from physical ruin and devastating loss. Ruth was a destitute widow. David mourned over his own sin. Jeremiah was crushed by the sufferings of his people. All of these are examples of godly individuals who were commended by God. Clearly, God our Father, thought it fitting to give us many examples of human sadness. In fact, we are instructed to weep with those who weep.
It feels wrong to be depressed as a Christian; after all, the Bible says to be joyful in everything and to count it all joy when you experience trials. Let’s never forget that we are made in the image of the Almighty. So how long should mourning and weeping last? How do we recognize the signs of ungodly depression? When we find ourselves asking questions, it is time to seek godly counsel through God’s Word, through others and to carefully listen to the Holy Spirit.
May God give us the wisdom to respond to all of our emotions in a Christ-honored way, even when that emotion is sadness or depression.
“My friends, make time for God every day because He always has time for you.” — Sister Clovia
***The Daily Devotionals are taken from Our Daily Bread Ministries and the Scriptures are from the BibleGateway.***
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