Friday, April 10, 2020
Focus Church: Malden/Holcomb
Pastor: Thomas E Zych and spouse Linda
Scripture - Isaiah 52:13, 53:12
Suffering servant
13 Look, my servant will succeed.
He will be exalted and lifted very high.
12 Therefore, I will give him a share with the great,
and he will divide the spoil with the strong,
in return for exposing his life to death
and being numbered with rebels,
though he carried the sin of many
and pleaded on behalf of those who rebelled.
Saturday, April 11, 2020
Focus Church: Maple (Cape Girardeau)
Pastor: Jeffrey L Estes and spouse Sandra
Mozambique Church: Jacob Guambe (Nhavari)
Pastor: Rodrigues Atanasio
Scripture - Lamentations 3:1-9,19-24
An individual’s complaint
3 I am someone[a] who saw the suffering caused by God’s[b] angry rod.
2 He drove me away, forced me to walk in darkness, not light.
3 He turned his hand even against me, over and over again, all day long.
4 He wore out my flesh and my skin; he broke my bones.
5 He besieged me, surrounding me with bitterness and weariness.
6 He made me live in dark places like those who’ve been dead a long time.
7 He walled me in so I couldn’t escape; he made my chains heavy.
8 Even though I call out and cry for help, he silences my prayer.
9 He walled in my paths with stonework; he made my routes crooked.
19 The memory of my suffering and homelessness is bitterness and poison.
20 I[a] can’t help but remember and am depressed.
21 I call all this to mind—therefore, I will wait.
22 Certainly the faithful love of the Lord hasn’t ended;[b] certainly God’s compassion isn’t through!
23 They are renewed every morning. Great is your faithfulness.
24 I think:[c] The Lord is my portion! Therefore, I’ll wait for him.
Sunday, April 12, 2020
Focus Church: Marble Hill
Pastor: Timothy W Zych and spouse Karen
Scripture - Psalm 118:1-2, 14-24
Give thanks to the Lord because he is good,
because his faithful love lasts forever.
2 Let Israel say it:
“God’s faithful love lasts forever!”
14 The Lord was my strength and protection;
he was my saving help!
15 The sounds of joyful songs and deliverance
are heard in the tents of the righteous:
“The Lord’s strong hand is victorious!
16 The Lord’s strong hand is ready to strike!
The Lord’s strong hand is victorious!”
17 I won’t die—no, I will live
and declare what the Lord has done.
18 Yes, the Lord definitely disciplined me,
but he didn’t hand me over to death.
19 Open the gates of righteousness for me
so I can come in and give thanks to the Lord!
20 This is the Lord’s gate;
those who are righteous enter through it.
21 I thank you because you answered me,
because you were my saving help.
22 The stone rejected by the builders
is now the main foundation stone!
23 This has happened because of the Lord;
it is astounding in our sight!
24 This is the day the Lord acted;
we will rejoice and celebrate in it!
