THEME: FAITH

SCRIPTURE READING:

Express- John 6

Advanced – John 6; 1 John 3-5

Challenge- John 15-16; Romans 15-16; Titus 2-3

Did you get behind in your reading this week? Don’t sweat it- use the weekend to get caught up! Space your reading throughout the day and make promises to yourself and keep them and you will get caught up in no time! Remember, every time you read the Word you are BUILDING YOUR FAITH! (Romans. 10:17) You can do this!!

LAST SUNDAY’S SERMON ON FAITH

WE ARE STILL FOCUSED ON FAITH TODAY! 

SCRIPTURE READING

EXPRESS – JOHN 5

ADVANCED – JOHN 5; ROMANS 7-8

CHALLENGE – JOHN 13-14; ROMANS 12-14; TITUS 1

INSPIRATIONAL QUOTES

“Do you want your faith to grow? Then let the Bible begin to saturate your mind and soul.” ~Billy Graham

“God always rewards obedient faith.”  ~ Warren Wiersbe

THE KEY TO SPIRITUAL GROWTH IS CONSISTENCY- KEEP GOING TO KEEP GROWING!!

SPIRITUAL GROWTH JOURNEY- DAY 4

“FAITH IS THE VICTORY THAT OVERCOMES THE WORLD!”

SCRIPTURAL READING 

Express

John 4

Advanced

John 4; Romans 5-6

Challenge

John 10-12; Romans 9-11; 1 John 5

GUEST DEVOTIONAL- Isai Cazares

“There are three areas of your life that will help diagnose a lack of faith in God. Your head (what you know) will inform your heart (what you belief), and your heart will impact your hands (what you do). In other words, you can spot lack of faith in areas of your life by what you do. If you are honest with yourself and you are acting and doing contrary to what you know, then there is a heart issue. Your heart is not believing what God says is good, right, and best in that particular area of your life.

Today, I encourage you to step out in faith and be bold to confront the areas of unbelief in your life to turn them over to God in full surrender. If you continue in Christ-centered environments and disciplines you will learn the right things – it will be up to you to acknowledge them and move forward in those more subtle areas of your life where unbelief may hide.”

SPIRITUAL GROWTH -DAY 3
January 8, 2014

OUR THEME THIS WEEK IS FAITH!

SCRIPTURE READING 

Express Track
John 3

Advanced Track
John 3; Romans 3-4

Challenge Track
John 7-9; Romans 6-8; 1 John 4

SCRIPTURE MEMORY

Express and Advanced Track
Hebrews 11:1

Challenge Track
Hebrews 11:1; Romans 10:17

INSPIRATIONAL QUOTES

“Faith is to believe what we do not see, and the reward of this faith is to see what we believe.”
~ Augustine

“The beautiful thing about this adventure called faith is that we can count on Him never to lead us astray.”
~Chuck Swindoll

DON’T STOP-YOU’RE BUILDING A GREAT DEVOTIONAL HABIT!

SPIRITUAL GROWTH-DAY TWO

JANUARY 7, 2014

The theme of our week is faith. Below are the sermon notes from Sunday’s message, “Founded On Faith”

FOUNDED ON FAITH
Hebrews 1:1-6

Charles Kingsley: “I do not want merely to possess a faith, I want a faith that possesses me.”

FAITH REINFORCES YOUR SPIRITUAL LIFE (v.1)

George Mueller:  “Faith is the assurance that the thing God has said in His Word is true, and that God will act according to what He has said in His Word.”

“Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen.”(Hebrews 11:1 ESV)

FAITH REWARDS YOUR SPIRITUAL LIFE (v.6)

Jack Hayford: “Often, our expectations are too small, and we ask based on what we know is possible. But He is the God of the impossible!”

“And without faith it is impossible to please Him, for whoever would draw near to God must believe that He exists and that He rewards those who seek Him.” (Hebrews 11:6 ESV)

SCRIPTURE READING
Express Track
January 7, 2014: John 2

Advanced Track 
January 7, 2014: John 2; Romans 2; 1 John 2

Challenge Track
January 7, 2014: John 4-6; Romans 3-5; 1 John 3

INSPIRATIONAL QUOTES

“Everything you get in the Christian life you get by faith.”
~jkb

“There can be no faith so feeble that Christ does not respond to it.”
~ Alexander MacLaren

“Faith expects from God what is beyond all expectation.”
~Andrew Murray

ACTS-A SIMPLE PRAYER GUIDE

Adoration (give Him praise!)

Confession (repent of your sins)

Thanksgiving (thank Him for all He has done in your life)

Supplication (ask Him to meet your needs)

STAY FOCUSED- DON’T GIVE UP! YOU ARE “ON TRACK!”

Welcome to the first day of a five week, daily guide to spiritual growth! I encourage you to stay with it everyday, take it a day at a time and don’t be overwhelmed. You are in training so focus on today- the journey is as exciting as the destination.
Here is a quick tip to remember- don’t worry if you don’t “feel” something special everyday. Sometimes the discipline of the reading and prayer is it’s own reward. The key is consistency- stick with it. You are getting stronger each day even if you don’t know it at the moment. We are on a journey with God, and He will meet you at unexpected points along the way. Let’s get started!

CHOOSE YOUR TRACK!
You pick the “track” that best suits your life. The “tracks” differ in their degree of intensity and time commitment. Descriptions of each track follow.

1) Express Track– This is the track for the believer who is just getting started in the daily devotional habit so this track requires the least time but still calls for a daily commitment. At the end of the 5 weeks you will have read 4 essential books of the New Testament and learned to have a daily devotion. You will memorize 5 verses of Scripture by the end of the track.

2) Advanced Track– This is the track for the Christian who already has a regular devotional habit so this track is more demanding. It includes more Scripture reading and you will have completed much more of the New Testament during the 5 weeks, reading at least 3 chapters a day. You will memorize 5 verses of Scripture in 5 weeks.

3) Challenge Track– You are ready to read the entire New Testament in 5 weeks and memorize 10 important verses of Scripture in the next 5 weeks. This track will require you to read about 8 chapters a day!

LET’S GO!
Express and Advance Track Memory Verse for the Week: Hebrews 11:1 (NIV & ESV listed here or choose your own translation)

“Now faith is confidence in what we hope for and assurance about what we do not see.” (Hebrews 11:1 NIV)

“Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen.” (Hebrews 11:1 ESV)

Challenge Track -2 Memory Verses for the Week:
Hebrews 11:1 & Romans 10:17
(NIV & ESV listed here or choose your own translation)

“Now faith is confidence in what we hope for and assurance about what we do not see.” (Hebrews 11:1 NIV)

“Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen.” (Hebrews 11:1 ESV)

“Consequently, faith comes from hearing the message, and the message is heard through the word about Christ.”(Romans 10:17 NIV)

“So faith comes from hearing, and hearing through the word of Christ.”
(Romans 10:17 ESV)

SCRIPTURE READING
Express Track
January 6, 2014: John 1

Advanced Track
January 6, 2014: John 1; Romans1; 1 John 1

Challenge Track 
January 6, 2014: John 1-3; Romans 1-2; 1 John 1-2

INSPIRATIONAL QUOTES

“Faith is two empty hands held open to receive all of the Lord.”
– Alan Redpath

At Hyde Park Baptist & The Quarries Church we are about to embark on a 5 week journey.  The new sermon series “Successful Strategies for Spiritual Growth” begins Sunday January 5.

To assist you on a daily basis I am going to add daily Blog entries of Scripture readings and other helps beginning Monday January 6, 2014. Since not everyone is at the same place in spiritual development the daily plans are offered in “Tracks” based on your current spiritual readiness. You choose the track that most closely represents your life today. 
-The Express Track is for beginners who are just starting the devotional habit.
-The Advanced Track is for those who are already accustomed to a daily devotional.
-The Challenge Track is an aggressive plan to read the entire New Testament in 5 weeks.
There will also be prayer plans, a Scripture memory plan, sermons, devotionals, inspirational quotes and other helps and tips to help you grow on all of the tracks! It all starts Sunday January 5, 2014. Check back here January 6 for the first installment. More explanation will follow on Monday. Let’s all get on board with spiritual growth in 2014!

-jkb