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, May 8Read 2 Kings 24 |
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| THINK: How do you respond to what we have been reading? Both Hezekiah and Josiah were righteous kings, yet their heirs did evil in the sight of the Lord! How humbling that is. The church is always one generation away from extinction, except for this: God is the one who builds his church and protects his people. What foreign power did God raise up to fulfill the prophecy regarding Judah? What was the outcome when that power entered Jerusalem? Remember this as you observe global events: The hand moving behind the circumstances is the hand of God.
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| PRAY: Humbly acknowledge that “unless the Lord builds the house, they labor in vain who build it” (Psalm 127:1). Pray for your own household. Ask God to reign over it (including you who are single!). Pray (often! Not just today…) for your children and grandchildren to know and love Jesus Christ. Thank God for his sovereign grace in sending his own Son, Jesus, as Savior and King. Pray for Pastor Mike Johnson candidating this weekend at Faith.
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Tuesday, May 9Read 2 Kings 25 |
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| THINK: One is tempted to think of the song lyric, “This is the end.” It seems to be, for Judah now as well as Israel. What is the basis for hope for God’s people at this point? How is that wisp of hope expressed in the narrative of the story? As the book closes with this tiny ray of light, we remember that it was the rebellion and idolatry and corruption, especially of the leadership, that brought down the people of God’s promise. It all seems heartbreaking. Yet, we know who reigns on the throne of the universe, the God of promise as well as prophecy, the God of mercy, grace, and love. He is able to save!
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| PRAY: Sad as the end of Judah is, our trust and hope is in the Lord, maker of heaven and earth, the God of Abraham, Isaac, Jacob….and Jesus! Hallelujah! Pray a prayer of praise. Submit your heart and mind to God. Confess any known sin to him, then rejoice in the precious blood of Christ which cleanses us from all sin. Ask God for the presence and POWER of the Holy Spirit to help you walk in holiness and fruitfulness today. Pray for our church, and our nation. Pray for Maya Johnson, David, Hannah, Timothy & Nadia.
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Wednesday, May 10Read Psalm 15-16 |
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| THINK: Ps 15 Who is welcome to fellowship with God, to enter his presence? Those whose lives have been changed. “This psalm helps us examine our walk, our works, and our words,” writes Warren Wiersbe. We know that Jesus Christ has made this changed life possible for us, and that he gives his Spirit to enable us. Ps 16 Who is your refuge, your rock? Who is your chosen portion and your cup? What do you think that imagery means? Can you make v. 6 your own? Take time to reflect on these two Psalms.
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| PRAY: Pray through each of these Psalms, line by line, making them your own. Express to God your thanks and delight that he has changed you by his grace. Ask him to reveal to you any area of life where you need to more closely align with his will. Tell God that he is your refuge and rock, your portion and cup. Thank God for his many blessings in your life: “name them one by one.” Rejoice that God is near, that in fact he lives in you by his Spirit, and that your destiny includes “pleasures forevermore” in his presence. Pray for our youth graduating this month from high school.
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Thursday, May 11Read Psalm 17 |
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| THINK: The resurrection theme continues. John Sailhamer: “For the most part the psalm recounts the laments of David as he was being pursued by his enemies. At the close of the psalm, however, David’s thoughts look beyond his immediate enemies, resting his hope in the fact that one day he will see God’s face” (v.15). What enemies are pursuing you? Think about that for a while. You might even want to jot down your thoughts. When troubles come, do you find it hard to keep your eyes fixed on Jesus and on the hope of one day seeing him face to face? Read Hebrews 12:1-2.
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| PRAY: Do you cry out to God for his help? Through today’s battles, do you rest your hope on the resurrection? Pray through the thoughts you wrote down on the “enemies” you are facing in your life. Tell God about who, or what circumstances, are troubling you. Ask him for his help by the Holy Spirit. Express to him your great hope that one day you will see him face to face. Ask him to help you keep your eyes fixed on Jesus, the founder and perfecter of our faith. Pray for Faith families grieving, for resurrection hope!
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Friday, May 12Read Psalm 18 |
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| THINK: “I love you, O Lord, my strength.” David is so expressive in declaring his love, his faith, his hope in God. Do you find it easy or hard to tell God you love him? Note the imagery he uses for God’s help; what can we learn from that imagery?
Summarize your thoughts about the enemies of David. Then summarize how he describes the Lord’s victory on his behalf. What imagery is used to describe God’s intervention to help David? On what note does the Psalm end? What is David celebrating? How will God’s love fall upon David’s offspring forever? (v. 50) |
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| PRAY: Yesterday you prayed to God about “enemies” that are making life difficult for you, asking for help from the Lord and his Spirit. Echo those prayers again today. Tell your Heavenly Father all the things that are making life a challenge for you right now. Ask for his help! Rejoice, as King David rejoiced, in the great salvation he has offered to us in his Son, Jesus Christ. Thank God that in Jesus Christ, the love of God is yours FOREVER! Pray for Risen Hope Baptist Church.
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Weekend, May 13-14Read II Timothy 3:10-17 |
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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: Pastor Mike Johnson will preach on this passage for his candidating message, focusing on the one of our 5 Loves, our love of God’s word. Notice how Paul exhorts Timothy to pay attention not only to what Paul taught but also on his life. Paul was not only an instructor but also a mentor, an example, and a model of endurance in the face of trial. What ought Timothy to cling to? The sacred writings: God’s word. Prepare your heart to receive Pastor Johnson’s message on this classic passage.
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| PRAY: As we have all week, pray for Pastor Mike Johnson, his wife Maya, and their four children. Pray for their church family in Chadron, NE. Ask God to guide and direct us with clear and unmistakable shepherding.
Pray for your own heart for God’s word, breathed out by God and profitable for YOU! Ask God to speak to you through this vitally important Scripture.
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| FAITH GROUP: Share with the group a time when the Bible truly came alive to you, gripping your heart and mind and leading to a change of direction and refocus. Share in the group your favorite Bible verses and explain why the passage is so important to you. | ||