Friday, November 1, 2019
Focus Church: Henrietta
Pastor: Dave Donaldson and spouse Shari
Please keep Rev. Kathleen Moran (New Salem and Scopus UMC) and family in prayer as her husband Roger receives medical care. Words of encouragement can be sent to [email protected] or 278 PCR 632 Perryville, MO 63775.
Scripture - Luke 6:20-31
Happy people and doomed people
20 Jesus raised his eyes to his disciples and said:
“Happy are you who are poor,
because God’s kingdom is yours.
21 Happy are you who hunger now,
because you will be satisfied.
Happy are you who weep now,
because you will laugh.
22 Happy are you when people hate you, reject you, insult you, and condemn your name as evil because of the Human One.[a] 23 Rejoice when that happens! Leap for joy because you have a great reward in heaven. Their ancestors did the same things to the prophets.
24 But how terrible for you who are rich,
because you have already received your comfort.
25 How terrible for you who have plenty now,
because you will be hungry.
How terrible for you who laugh now,
because you will mourn and weep.
26 How terrible for you when all speak well of you.
Their ancestors did the same things to the false prophets.
Behaving as God’s children
27 “But I say to you who are willing to hear: Love your enemies. Do good to those who hate you. 28 Bless those who curse you. Pray for those who mistreat you. 29 If someone slaps you on the cheek, offer the other one as well. If someone takes your coat, don’t withhold your shirt either. 30 Give to everyone who asks and don’t demand your things back from those who take them. 31 Treat people in the same way that you want them to treat you.
Saturday, November 2, 2019
Focus Church: Holt
Pastor: John Howard and spouse Martha
Scripture - Psalm 149
149 Praise the Lord!
Sing to the Lord a new song;
sing God’s praise in the assembly of the faithful!
2 Let Israel celebrate its maker;
let Zion’s children rejoice in their king!
3 Let them praise God’s name with dance;
let them sing God’s praise with the drum and lyre!
4 Because the Lord is pleased with his people,
God will beautify the poor with saving help.
5 Let the faithful celebrate with glory;
let them shout for joy on their beds.[a]
6 Let the high praises of God be in their mouths
and a double-edged sword in their hands,
7 to get revenge against the nations
and punishment on the peoples,
8 binding their rulers in chains
and their officials in iron shackles,
9 achieving the justice
written against them.
That will be an honor for all God’s faithful people.
Praise the Lord!
Sunday, November 3, 2019
Focus Church: Hopkins Wray/Pickering
Pastor: Erin Mullins
Pastor: Tim Wall and spouse Jennifer
Scripture - Daniel 7:1-3, 15-18
Daniel’s vision: four beasts
7 In the first year of Babylon’s King Belshazzar, Daniel had a dream—a vision in his head as he lay on his bed. He wrote the dream down. Here is the beginning of the account:
2 I am Daniel. In the vision I had during the night I saw the four winds of heaven churning the great sea. 3 Four giant beasts emerged from the sea, each different from the others.
Beasts interpreted
15 Now this caused me, Daniel, to worry.[a] My visions disturbed me greatly. 16 So I went to one of the servants who was standing ready nearby. I asked him for the truth about all this.
He spoke to me and explained to me the meaning of these things. 17 “These four giant beasts are four kings that will rise up from the earth, 18 but the holy ones of the Most High will receive the kingship. They will hold the kingship securely forever and always.”
