FOCUS OF THE MONTH
There is no Greater Love than the Love of the Lord
SCRIPTURE OF THE WEEK
How excellent is thy lovingkindness, O God! therefore the children of
men put their trust under the shadow of thy wings. — Psalm 36:7
(KJV) (ESV)
HAPPY BIRTHDAY
Sister Dorothy Cotton– February 15 – Class #02
Call (605) 472-5694, access code 4558-62#; Reference 31# to listen to a review of these lessons.
For more information visit 5ambiblestudyministry.org
Visit here to submit Prayer Requests
Overview:
Sunday – We must be intentional about living by the light of God’s Word. The results will keep us from detouring. Let’s praise God for guiding our feet by His light until we are safely home with Him.
Monday – As long as we are in the earth realm to do the work of the Lord, we must be careful never to boast about our God-given gifts and accomplishments. Instead, give all credit and honor to God.
Tuesday – Many of our assignments may seem insignificant to man, and we might feel unseen, alone and a nobody but, we must remember that God sees us and everything that we do. Begin to praise God because He knows the plans He has for us and to give us a prosperous end.
Wednesday – Keep in mind, prayer is the key to the Kingdom and our faith will unlock the door. When the battles of life are raging, let’s be precise and focused when sharing our hearts with God. Then rejoice in the God of Hope to intervene on our behalf.
Thursday – Our trials do not exempt us from our earthly assignments, so, whether Jesus shows up in a familiar or surprising way, ask God to give us a heart to recognize Him when He appears out of context. In doing so, we can stay on course and not miss a ministry opportunity.
Friday – At the end of the day when it’s time to rest our physical bodies, let’s examine ourselves. Pray that everything that God has given our hands to do was to His glory. Then sink into His grace, rest and release any other anxieties to Him.
***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, February 11, 2019 – Giving Credit – Jeremiah 9:23-26
Focus: We must never boast about our God-given gifts or accomplishments. Instead, give all credit and honor to God.
Scripture(s): Psalm 34:2; 2 Corinthians 10:17; Deuteronomy 8:16-18
Tuesday, February 12, 2019 – Seen by God – Genesis 16:7-14
Focus: Times that we feel unseen, alone and a nobody, remember, God sees us. Let’s begin to see and praise the God of hope who knows our future.
Scripture(s): Jeremiah 29:11-13; Psalm 139:14-18
Wednesday, February 13, 2019 – The Battle – Psalm 39:1-7
Focus: Through focused prayer, God wants us to share our hearts with Him. Rejoice that He is our hope and He will fight our battles.
Scripture(s): Psalm 42:5; 2 Chronicles 20:3-5, 9-10, 14-15
Thursday, February 14, 2019 – Out of Context – John 20:13-16
Focus: Whether Jesus comes to us in a familiar or surprising way, pray that God will give us a heart to recognize Him when He appears out of context.
Scripture(s): Matthew 25:35-40
Friday, February 15, 2019 – Sinking into Grace – Psalm 127:1-2
Focus: We struggle to sleep when our work assignments do not glorify God. Let’s sink into His grace, rest and release our will and anxieties to Him.
Scripture(s): Acts 12:5-6; Psalm 77:1-6
Thoughts from Sister Clovia Thompson
The Gift of Sleep
Since God created everything, He also built into us, the need for sleep. The first mention of sleep is found in Genesis 2:21, when God placed Adam into a deep sleep and formed Eve, from one of Adam’s ribs. God built the concept of rest into His creation. On the seventh day of creation, God rested from all of His work, which He had made. God established the pattern of regular rest when He sat aside the Sabbath Day for the Jewish people.
Sleep also allows our minds to rest so that we can focus more clearly during our waking hours. Our minds are similar to computers, with storage capacity and memory. Computers also malfunction, if they are not cared for properly. Just as a computer needs to be rebooted regularly when it becomes overloaded or overworked, our brains and our spirits, need to be replenished by a good night’s sleep.
God promised us that His mercies are new every morning — implying that after a good night’s rest we need to call upon Him for strength for that day. A good night’s sleep is often described as a gift from God.
I will both lay me down in peace, and sleep; for thou, Lord, only makest me dwell in safety. Psalm 4:8
“My friends, make time for God every day because He always has time for you.” — Sister Clovia