FOCUS OF THE MONTH
Plugged in and Nurtured by a Mother’s Love
SCRIPTURE OF THE WEEK
Wash thyself therefore, and anoint thee, and put thy raiment upon thee, and get thee down to the floor: but make not thyself known unto the man, until he shall have done eating and drinking. — Ruth 3:3 (KJV)
3 Wash therefore and anoint yourself, and put on your cloak and go down to the threshing floor, but do not make yourself known to the man until he has finished eating and drinking. — Ruth 3:3 (ESV)
Wednesday Corporate Fasting Scripture – Isaiah 58 (ESV); Isaiah 58 (KJV)
Friday End of Week Scripture – Ephesians 3:20-21 (KJV)
!!!! HAPPY, HAPPY BIRTHDAY !!!!
Sister Stella McLean – May 18 – Class 12
Sister Mary Thomas-Wheeler – May 20 – Introduction Class
Call (605) 475-4971, access code 455-862#; Select “#” to listen to a review of the most recent Facilitators’ Tuesday Review Call OR listen to the Review below.
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This Week’s Overview:
Sunday – God is Sovereign. His grace has extended throughout our genealogy traces and we are blessed to be named as part of the family of God.
Monday – Knowing Jesus has given us deep satisfaction, we celebrate our relationship with Him. Let us also share God’s plan of salvation with the lost, they too, may receive the only hope for the world, Jesus, the gift of Peace.
Tuesday – As we allow the Holy Spirit to pattern and direct our lives, He will enable us to choose to bear righteous fruit for the Kingdom. Remember, God sees and knows all that we do openly and in secret.
Wednesday – It is so vitally important that we humble ourselves and pray. We must rely on the Holy Spirit to fill us with the character of Christ. In doing so, we will be able to exemplify the heart of Jesus to a world that needs to see the Light and experience His joy.
Thursday – It’s evident that so many innocent lives have been lost throughout history and most recently during the COVID -19 pandemic. There should be an urgency for the family of God to pursue peace and share the gospel in this cruel world before Jesus returns.
Friday – We all know that losing a loved one through an act of crime or through natural causes is very difficult. We are admonished to lament and cry out to God. He is the God of all comfort and He will bottle every tear. Be encouraged!
***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, May 17, 2020 – What’s In A Name? – Luke 3:31; 1 Chronicles 3:4-9
Our Daily Bread Topic: God’s Care; Sin
Reflect & Pray
What unlikely places have you seen God’s grace showing up in your life? How can focusing on God’s big story help you find the grace in your part of that story?
Dear God, help us to find Your grace everywhere we look.
Monday, May 18, 2020 – The Gift of Peace – Luke 2:25-35
Focus: Jesus is the only hope for the world. Celebrate God’s plan of salvation and share with others so they too, may receive the gift of Peace.
Scripture (s): Colossians 3:15; Isaiah 32:17-18
Our Daily Bread Topic: Salvation
Reflect & Pray
Have you experienced this deep sense of satisfaction and completeness that comes from knowing Jesus? How can you celebrate God’s gift of peace today?
Dear Father, thank You for Jesus, Your gift of peace.
Tuesday, May 19, 2020 – Where Choices Lead – Psalm 1
Focus: Allow the Spirit of God to direct our ways. Remember, God watches over the pattern of our lives. Let’s choose to bear righteous fruit.
Scripture (s): Jeremiah 17:5-8; Deuteronomy 30:15-19
Our Daily Bread Topic: Christian Living
Reflect & Pray
What friendships or habits do you need to make a break from? How can you create more time in your schedule to read the Bible?
Dear Jesus, give me the grace to turn away from the things leading me down the wrong path. Lead me to the river of Your presence, and nourish me with the Scriptures. Make my life faithful and fruitful for Your honor.
Wednesday, May 20, 2020 – The Smiling Jesus – Hebrews 1:8-12
Focus: In humble submission, ask Jesus to fill us with His character. Let’s exemplify the heart of Jesus to a world that needs joy.
Scripture (s): Hebrews 12:2; John 3:16; Matthew 5:13-16
Our Daily Bread Topic: Living for Christ; Joy
Reflect & Pray
What are your perceptions of Jesus and how might they need to change? How can you represent Him as you show His heart to the world?
Dear Jesus, we beg You for You. May Your heart be what others see in us today. May we radiate Your joy in all we say and do.
Thursday, May 21, 2020 – The Knife Angel – Isaiah 2:1-4
Focus: Innocent lives have been lost. We must pursue peace in this cruel world until Jesus returns.
Scripture (s): Revelation 21:1-4; 2 Timothy 4:18; Micah 2:1-3; Matthew 10:32-42
Our Daily Bread Topic: Christ, return; Heaven
Reflect & Pray
What inspires you to combat evil? How can you work for peace in your community?
Jesus, we can’t wait until the world is at peace under Your reign. Move us by Your Spirit to help see Your kingdom come in our communities.
Friday, May 22, 2020 – Take Your Tears to God – Lamentations 3:49-66
Focus: Losing a loved one is difficult. Lament and cry out to God. He will bottle every tear.
Scripture (s): Job 18-22
Daily Bread Topic: God’s Care; Grief
Reflect & Pray
How can you practice bringing all your emotions to God? When have you felt God draw near to you in your sadness?
Loving God, help us to remember that it’s right to lament wrongness before we can begin to change it.
To learn more about what Lamentations says about pain, visit christianuniversity.org/OT221.
Saturday, May 23, 2020 – Keepers of the Light – John 8:12-16
Our Daily Bread Topic: Faith; Hope; Salvation; Obedience
Reflect & Pray
In what practical ways can you shine Jesus’ light? Where is God calling you to be obedient to Him today?
Jesus, I praise You for Your light and love. Help me to shine for You.
Inspirational Thoughts from Sister Clovia Thompson
Jesus Wept
The shortest verse in the Bible is John 11:35, Jesus wept. The fact that Jesus weeps at the death of a good friend, Lazarus, brings contest to human pain and suffering. When bad things happen, we often ask, “Does God even care?”
This simple statement “Jesus wept” proves He does. Even when Jesus knew He was about to make right, what was wrong, He still felt the pain of the people He was there to serve. The Bible tells us even our hardest moments like the Coronavirus have a purpose in God’s will.
When we weep, Jesus weeps with us. Together we enter into a dance of tears. God counts all our tears. He calls them precious. Our tears are precious pearls to God whenever we feel abandoned and lonely. Our tears keep us company and travel to God when we cannot speak.
Sometimes God allows us to cry. Tears clear our eyes so we can clearly see the good things ahead. God is never blind to our tears, never deaf to our prayers, and never silent to our pain. He sees, He hears, and He will deliver.
“My friends, make time for God every day because He always has time for you.” — Sister Clovia