LOVE GOD’S WORD & PRAYERDaily Bible Reading |
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| At Faith Baptist Fellowship, we Love God’s Word and Prayer. We strongly believe that every growing disciple of Jesus needs to be regularly hearing from God through His word and personally speaking back to God through prayer. If regular Bible reading is not yet a habit of yours, this is a great way to get started!
We are encouraging everyone to continue our Daily Bible Readings. We will provide devotional thoughts and helpful prayer points on the passages. The weekend material will prepare you for the upcoming Sunday sermon as well as provide some discussion help for Faith Groups. We encourage you to set aside at least 15-20 minutes a day for reading and prayer. If you fall behind, just start on the current day. Try to develop the habit of reading at the same time and place. Have a journal and pen for answering questions and recording your thoughts and insights. For additional Bible reading plans, check out faithsf.com. Enjoy your time in God’s Word and Prayer! |
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Monday, January 23Read Genesis 36 |
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| THINK: This chapter appears to be a bridge between the narrative of Jacob and the upcoming narrative of Joseph. It tells the story of Esau’s people in the land of Edom (south and southeast of the Dead Sea). While on the surface there seems little to apply to our lives from this, remember: God knows every person’s name and their place. He has placed you where you are, given you your name, and has a plan and purpose for your life! He has not forgotten you.
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| PRAY: Heavenly Father, as you moved Jacob and Esau and their families, giving them dwelling places and providing for them, so you have a place for me! You will provide for me. Thank you, God. I trust in you. Thank you for calling me into your forever family by faith in Jesus Christ, and for giving me the Holy Spirit.” Pray for our Kingdom Opportunities, Care, and Share Teams, which do a terrific job connecting our church family with needs in our community and church family. They enable us to be the hands and feet of Jesus intersecting with the needs that are all around us.
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Tuesday, January 24Read Genesis 37-38 |
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| THINK: God gave to Joseph a prophetic dream. (Remember it as we progress through the story.) Why did his brothers hate him? How did the brothers conspire to send Joseph to Egypt? How did they fool their father? The unrighteousness continues in Genesis with the story of Judah’s family and Tamar. In all these machinations and unrighteous behaviors, what is God doing? There is much that is evil and corrupt in our world today, yet we know that God is reigning, and that Christ is returning and that our future in Christ is secure.
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| PRAY: “Heavenly Father, only you in your sovereign grace and divine foreknowledge could use the evil hearts of Joseph’s brothers to send him to Egypt so that years later he could protect your people from starvation! What a mighty God you are! Please guide us as a church through this crucial year of change in 2023. We trust in you!”
Pray for our West Campus Elder Council.
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Wednesday, January 25Read Genesis 39-40 |
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| THINK: What was the key to Joseph’s success? Joseph stands out from his brothers in that he steadfastly refuses sexual sin. Why does he refuse? What happens when Joseph is unjustly thrown into prison? What is the lesson in this? Joseph, who had had his own dreams, now is given the gift to interpret the dreams of others. Describe the two dreams and their interpretations.
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| PRAY: “Heavenly Father, again and again the Scripture shows that your hand was upon Joseph, and that he was faithful to walk in obedient faith. Please keep your hand upon me and my family and help me to walk daily in the obedience of faith, trusting you! Keep me from sin and fill me with your Holy Spirit. Use me in whatever way you choose, for your honor and glory.” Pray for revival and spiritual awakening in our city of Sioux Falls and Minnehaha and Lincoln counties. Ask the Lord of the Harvest to send out laborers into this harvest field (Luke 10:2).
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Thursday, January 26Read Genesis 41 |
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| THINK: The sovereign hand of God is evident now in the life of Joseph, as God’s purpose in Joseph’s imprisonment becomes clear. What was God’s plan for the next 14 years? How was that plan communicated to Pharaoh? Who became the ‘go-between’ pointing Pharaoh to Joseph? To whom does Joseph give all the credit for his ability to interpret dreams? What is the result of Joseph’s interpretation of the dreams? What other blessings come Joseph’s way? To whom does Joseph give credit for his thriving success?
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| PRAY: Would you have been content to trust God through a long wrongful imprisonment? Perhaps you have difficult circumstances right now and you wonder what God is doing! Pray, telling God about this struggle to understand, but also expressing hope in his promises and confidence in his divine plan. Trust in the providence of God! Praise God for protecting his people in the famine and praise him also for every protection he offers you in Christ Jesus. Pray for our South Campus Elder Council.
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Friday, January 27Read Genesis 42-43 |
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| THINK: The providence of God is evident still as now the famine begins to take its toll. Reflect on the details of the story. What is Joseph doing? How is the hand of the Lord clearly seen in the details? What qualities of character and leadership do you see in Joseph? God is providing for his people, helping them survive. He is also reuniting this family. Do you see evidence of grace and mercy? Trace the evidence of God’s grace and mercy in your own life.
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| PRAY: This amazing story is also your story! God is weaving the details of your life together into a beautiful tapestry of grace and mercy and provision. Express your trust in God to make “all things work together for good” (Romans 8:28) in your life. Thank God for the gift of his Son Jesus Christ and the gift of faith in Jesus. Thank him for the presence and power of Jesus in your life by the Holy Spirit. Pray for our Faith Annual Celebration Sunday at 4 pm!
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Weekend, January 28-29 |
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| If you’ve fallen behind this week, consider using these extra days to catch up. You can also prepare your heart and mind for this Sunday’s worship service. Read the planned sermon text above and the thoughts below in advance of Sunday morning’s message. If you are in a Faith Group, consider discussing the questions below together.
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| THINK: Part IV of our “4-week subseries” that began, and now ends, with the issue of eating meat offered to idols. The greater concern is “doing all for the glory of God” so memorize v.10:31.
Ponder v. 23. Is there an area of your life in which you can apply these axioms: Is it helpful? Does it build up others? Is this for the good of my neighbor? These are true expressions of neighbor love and can be applied by us in these days of much rancor and division. May God help us be, truly, imitators of Christ!
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| PRAY: “Heavenly Father, please give me wisdom and discernment as I seek to love my neighbors and believing friends. Give me grace to do what is helpful, builds up their faith, and is for their good. I desire to do everything in my life to your honor and glory. Forgive me when I fall short. Help me to live out the imitation of Christ.” Pray for our pastors preaching on these vital points. And continue to pray for the Sunday afternoon Annual Celebration, 4 pm at South Campus.
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| FAITH GROUP: How can you apply these helpful questions in your daily life, such as at work, in your home, and in your interactions with others:
Is it helpful? Will it build them up? Is this for their good?
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