FOCUS OF THE MONTH
The Splendor of God’s Love
SCRIPTURE OF THE WEEK
Hereby perceive we the love of God, because he laid down his life for us: and we ought to lay down our lives for the brethren. — 1 John 3:16 (KJV)
16 By this we know love, that he laid down his life for us, and we ought to lay down our lives for the brothers. — 1 John 3:16 (ESV)
Wednesday Corporate Fasting Scripture – Isaiah 58 (ESV); Isaiah 58 (KJV)
Friday End of Week Scripture – Ephesians 3:20-21 (KJV)
!!!! HAPPY, HAPPY BIRTHDAY !!!!
Brother George Brown – February 26 – Introduction Class
Sister Jacqueline Ruff – February 27 – Class 08
Sister Diane Pierce – February 28 – Class 09
Call (605) 472-5694, access code 4558-62#; Reference 85# to listen to a review of these lessons.
Open Invitation
Join the Introduction Class on 1-605-313-4831; access code 2597-48, whenever your Class Facilitator is absent
Did you miss your class today? Do you want an evangelism tool?
If yes — call or share the Introduction Class Instant Replay
1-605-313-4904; access code 259748#
For more information visit 5ambiblestudyministry.org
Visit here to submit Prayer Requests
This Week’s Overview:
Sunday – God sent His Son, Jesus to earth to redeem us from the sin curse. By His stripes we are healed. We have eternal life and the victory over sin. Therefore, each day we can be refreshed by the Holy Spirit who gives us a positive and new perspective on life issues.
Monday – If our past mistakes seem to haunt us, run to Jesus today. He will break those chains and free us to tell others about our victories.
Tuesday – We must be constantly reminded in our Christian journey to be “rich toward God” by putting Him first in all things. The world can be an easy distraction; however, the Lord wants us to trust Him to help us manage our time, life and money.
Wednesday – The enemy of our souls will always try to penetrate our thoughts, however, God is waiting for us to cast all our cares on Him. He will guard our hearts and minds with peace and joy.
Thursday – Life is full of unexpected changes but God doesn’t want us to worry about our future. Instead, we must yield to His will and rest in His promises. He will take care of us.
Friday – We must not be ignorant of Satan’s devices, remember he came to steal, kill and destroy but Jesus came to bring us abundant life. Yes, we are the redeemed; however, we are not exempt from the trials and tribulations of this fallen world. That being said, we must stay armed when disaster strikes. God is faithful to give us the faith to endure and the ability to encourage others who are going through hard times also.
***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….***
Sunday, February 23, 2020 – Pierced Love – Isaiah 53:1-6
Our Daily Bread Topic: Anxiety; Depression; God’s Love
Reflect & Pray
How have you experienced God’s pierced love? How have you seen Him transform a broken life by His amazing grace?
Dear God, thank You for Your gift of Jesus, sent over the fences in my heart to meet my need today.
Monday, February 24, 2020 – Liberated by Jesus – Mark 5:1-20
Focus: If we are shackled by the shame of our past, run to Jesus today. Be set free and tell others about our victories.
Scripture(s): Matthew 28:19-20; Isaiah 63:7; Philippians 3:6-7, 13-14
Our Daily Bread Topic: Spiritual Transformation
Reflect & Pray
How has Jesus changed you? Who do you know that needs to hear about it?
God, I’m so grateful that, through Jesus, things that controlled me in the past can indeed remain in the past.
Tuesday, February 25, 2020 – Rich Toward God – 1 Timothy 6:6-11
Focus: In order for us to be “rich toward God”, we must seek Him first in all things. He will help us manage our time, life and money.
Scripture(s): 2 Corinthians 3:5; Philippians 4:10-11; Matthew 6:24, 33-34
Our Daily Bread Topic: Contentment
Reflect & Pray
How have you mishandled money, or made it more than it ought to be? How might you give your financial concerns to God this day?
Satisfy us in the morning, God, with Your unfailing love—replacing our greed with holy hunger for You.
Wednesday, February 26, 2020 – Thoughts of Joy – Philippians 4:4-9
Focus: Allow God to guard our hearts and minds today by casting your cares on Him. He will give us peace and joy.
Scripture(s): Romans 12: 1-2, 12-16; Ephesians 3:20-21
Our Daily Bread Topic: Joy; Spiritual growth
Reflect & Pray
What unwelcome thoughts have stubbornly taken residence in my mind and heart? What’s one way I can daily fill up my mind with good things?
Guide my thoughts this day, O God, as You hold my heart and life in Your care.
Thursday, February 27, 2020 – Unexpected Change – James 4: 13-17
Focus: Life is full of unexpected changes. Don’t worry about tomorrow, instead, trust God for His will to be done and rest in Him.
Scripture(s): Matthew 6:34; Psalm 37:1-7
Daily Bread Topic: Trust in God; Worry
Reflect & Pray
When facing sudden change, how do you respond? What do you think an appropriate faith response to life’s surprises should look like?
Father, forgive me for the times I worry over things I couldn’t anticipate or can’t control, and help me to find my rest in You.
Friday, February 28, 2020 – The Faith to Endure – Acts 27:27-38
Focus: When disaster strikes, trust God. He will give us the faith to endure and to encourage others during their hard times.
Scripture(s): James 1:2-6; Romans 5:2-5; 1 Peter 5:6-10
Our Daily Bread Topic: Christ, resurrection; Grief; Joy
Reflect & Pray
What’s your usual response to hardship? How can you encourage someone who’s going through difficult times?
Heavenly Father, I need Your help to keep going, even when it’s tough.
Saturday, February 29, 2020 – The Secret – Philippians 4:10-19
Our Daily Bread Topic: Contentment
Reflect & Pray
How have you experienced mysterious peace when you least expected it? What desperate longings or fears might you need to lift up to God?
Father, help me to surrender my attempts to secure my own happiness in exchange for embracing the gift of each moment with You.
Inspirational Thoughts from Sister Clovia Thompson
Life Is A Journey
In the journey of life, we experience pleasures and pain. There will be sunshine and rain. There will be loss and gain. The road will not always be smooth; in fact, throughout our travels we will encounter many challenges. And yet, life is the greatest journey you will ever be on.
Life is not a race, but a journey to be savored every step of the way. Yesterday is history; tomorrow is a mystery and today is a gift which is why we call it the present. It is your journey and yours alone. Others may walk with you; no one can walk it for you.
The only thing you need is God to be your GPS guide because He knows the plans He has for you, plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future along this journey of life. As you travel your journey, always pray to have eyes to see the best, a heart to forgive the worse, a mind that forgets the bad and a soul that never loses faith.
“My friends, make time for God every day because He always has time for you.” — Sister Clovia