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, November 14Read 2 Corinthians 6 |
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| THINK: Why is now the favorable time (Isaiah 49:8)? What does that mean? What kinds of things commend Paul and his friends to the Corinthians? What are your thoughts as you contemplate this list (vv. 4-10)? What do you think Paul means by “widen your hearts also”? Memorize v. 14. What implications does this verse have for your life? The chapter closes with Paul quoting a series of OT promises. What point do they make? Read John 17:15-18.
PRAY: Tell God that you want to live a holy, courageous life for his glory now, in this favorable time. Speaking of courage, pray line by line through vv. 4-10, saying “I am ready for whatever you choose for me, Heavenly Father!” Ask God to give you a wide-open heart of love for people and delight in his glory. Ask God to help you avoid being “yoked” to unbelievers who do not share your convictions and desire to please God. Tell God you desire to walk in holiness. Pray for all those involved with the budget building process as we prepare a financial plan for 2023, a crucial year of transition at Faith.
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Tuesday, November 15Read 2 Corinthians 7 |
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| THINK: The promises from yesterday’s reading are the basis for Paul saying, “let us cleanse ourselves…bringing holiness to completion.” Do we complete that holiness, or does God? (Note: that’s a trick question!) Note the great emotion with which Paul speaks of the church! What is godly grief? What does “godly grief” produce in the believer (v. 10)? What is the difference between godly grief & worldly grief; where does each lead? What blessed Titus?
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| PRAY: Praise God as our holy, pure, and righteous Father. Bow before His holy presence. Ask God to pour out His spirit on you to produce a “godly grief” that leads to true repentance, not just regret. Ask for help to repent of your sin with a renewed mind, having a greater fear, awe, and love of God. Ask for help in cleansing your bodily temple from all unrighteousness. As Titus was refreshed, so may we be refreshed by one another, encouraged and built up.
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Wednesday, November 16Read 2 Corinthians 8 |
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| THINK: What was the result in the Macedonia churches from the outpouring of God’s grace on them (v. 2)? What did they do first before giving of their abundance to God’s work (v. 5)? Paul commends the Corinthians for excelling in faith, speech, knowledge, and love. What more does he ask them to excel in (v. 7)? What example of Christ’s generosity does Paul give us in verse 9? Who is ultimately glorified through our gracious generosity (v. 19)? What guiding principle regarding giving does Paul give us in verse 14?
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| PRAY: It is more blessed to give than to receive! Ask the Lord to root out all forms of selfishness from your heart. Thank God for the generosity of his Son, who gave up His place beside his Father and died on the cross for your sins. Ask God to grow in you that kind of love and generosity for others who are in need and bring Him the ultimate glory. Thank you so much for your faithful, consistent giving to our church, Faith Baptist Fellowship! Both the Elder Council and the staff thank you for supporting the good work here. As we Anticipate Change in 2023, we trust God as our Provider.
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Thursday, November 17Read 2 Corinthians 9 |
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| THINK: After calling the Corinthians to give generously out of their abundance, Paul cautions them to make sure their gifts are ready. He urges them to give willingly, not under compulsion (v. 5). What analogy does Paul use to contrast the results of giving grudgingly versus generously (v. 6)? How generously are you sowing? What should the condition of our hearts be when giving to others (v. 7)? God is the supplier, and such giving produces the worship of thanksgiving (10-12). Notice the close relationship of the gospel and grace to cheerful giving (13-14). What a privilege is giving!
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| PRAY: Praise God as the all-sufficient Provider of your needs. Pray that through His outpouring of grace, God would give you a cheerful heart, one with the right motive: joyful, ready, and eager to share your blessings with those in need. Pray that God would show you your Jerusalem and to act as the bountiful sower. Then ask God to richly multiply the harvest. Praise God, for He is good! Once again, thank you for your generous giving to supply the needs of FBF!
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Friday, November 18Read 2 Corinthians 10 |
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| THINK: Chapter 10 begins a new section in Paul’s letter as he now addresses opposition, responding to their accusations. What type of battle was Paul waging, and what was his ultimate objective in this warfare (v. 3-6)? Ponder what it means for you today to “take every thought captive to obey Christ.” How is that going to be a challenge for you today? What do we learn about Paul in the two paragraphs that follow? What was his hope and vision? In whom did he boast?
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| PRAY: Empowered by the Holy Spirit, Paul used prayer, love, and the Word to battle against wrong thinking about God and the gospel. He did not depend on his personality, abilities, or looks! Pray that God would equip you for the spiritual battles of today with spiritual weaponry. Ask God for courage to confront “false arguments” and “lofty opinions” about God in love, and that you may proclaim the true Gospel to set people free. Pray for our ministries at both West and South to proclaim the gospel in the power of the Holy Spirit. Ask God to enable us to bear fruit by his great grace. Sacred 7!
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Weekend, November 19-20 |
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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: As mentioned last weekend, this chapter is curious to us. We tend to think marriage is best (though sadly, in our day, many couples are choosing to live together without the bond of marriage). What Paul seems to be saying here is, “I put the work of the kingdom first. The marriage relationship is fine for those who choose that way of life, but I have chosen singleness for the sake of being free to serve God wherever and whenever he calls me.” He also makes clear that death ends the marriage bond, allowing the freedom to remarry, though again championing the idea that to remain single is to be free to live wholeheartedly for Christ.
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| PRAY: Pray that all of us, single and married, would live for Jesus Christ and seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness. Do you have the cares of this world burdening you? Give them to God in prayer, casting all your cares upon HIM! He cares for you. Pray for our pastors preaching on this “kingdom-minded” passage.
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| FAITH GROUP: Have you ever met a single person who chose to remain single for the sake of their calling and ministry as a Christian? How do you (whether married or single) put Christ first and seek to live for the King and his Kingdom? How is that reflected in the choices you make? | ||