GET IT RIGHT

Vance Havner, one of the most quoted preachers in America, recalls finding a hand written note in his late father’s desk which read, “Nothing is ever settled until it is settled right, and nothing is ever settled right until it is settled with God.” The Scripture teaches: “If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.” (1 John 1:9) That’s good news! Because we fail so often, God wants to cleanse and forgive us so we might be clean and holy in our daily walk with Him. Confession and repentance invite blessings of forgiveness into our lives. We cannot make progress in our daily walk when we are living in unconfessed disobedience. Today, focus on confessing your sin.

-JKB

🔷 We are reading the entire New Testament in 31 DAYS!

TIP: Divide your reading into morning and evening – you can do!

♦️ Day 11: Luke 22 – John 2

➡️ MARK YOUR CALENDAR for THIS Sunday, January 14, when we welcome Dr. Joseph Kim from Seoul, S. Korea, who will speak at all English services at Hyde Park Baptist/The Quarries Church in the morning services! Dr. Kim is the pastor of an incredible Baptist Church, conducting 16 services every Sunday to accommodate the large, overflowing crowds! Pastor Kim will challenge us on how prayer accomplishes the impossible.

OVERCOMING DISCOURAGEMENT IN PRAYER

“And he told them a parable to the effect that they ought always to pray and not lose heart.” (Luke 18:1) Jesus knew prayer warriors can sometimes get discouraged. So He assures us we do not need to lose courage or become fainthearted or weary in prayer. In the life of prayer, we have to be persistent and consistent even if we become discouraged. Our feelings can be unpredictable, and fatigue, anxiety, and stress can add to feelings of discouragement. Only persistence and commitment to continue praying can overcome negative feelings and help us develop the daily prayer life we want. We have to press through feelings by faith! “He who prays much will pray more, and he who prays little will pray less.” (Charles H. Spurgeon)

-JKB

🔹 MANY OF THE MEMBERS OF OUR CONGREGATION ARE READING THE ENTIRE NEW TESTAMENT IN 31 DAYS – YOU CAN DO IT – WE ARE DOING IT TOGETHER!

🔸TIP: Divide your reading into morning and evening. That way you will be able to complete each day’s challenge!

 IF YOU FALL BEHIND GET CAUGHT UP AS SOON AS POSSIBLE! PRESS ON!

♦️Day 10: Luke 14 – 21

RECEIVE THIS PROMISE

The powerful promise of daily prayer and Bible study cannot be ignored. Jesus promises that if we remain in His Word – make the reading and study of God’s Word a regular habit – He will give us what we ask in prayer. Why would any believer wish to pray but ignore the study of God’s Word, when we are given such a great promise from the Lord? “If you abide in me, and my words abide in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be done for you.” (John 15:7)

-JKB

🔹AS PART OF OUR SPIRITUAL “RE-SET” IN JANUARY, I AM CHALLENGING OUR CONGREGATION TO READ THE ENTIRE NEW TESTAMENT THIS MONTH! IT REQUIRES ABOUT 8-9 CHAPTERS PER DAY, BUT YOU CAN DO IT – WE WILL DO IT TOGETHER!

I SUGGEST YOU DIVIDE YOUR READINGS INTO MORNING AND EVENING. THAT WAY YOU WILL KEEP UP. IF YOU FALL BEHIND GET CAUGHT UP AS SOON AS POSSIBLE.

♦️ Day 9: Luke 9 – 13

ALONE WITH GOD

“But when you pray, go into your room and shut the door and pray to your Father in secret. And your Father who sees in secret will reward you.” (Matthew 6:6)

When the wonders of the Christian life are summed up, nothing will ever take the place of fellowship with the Lord through prayer. It isn’t just a matter of time; it is the One we are spending time with that matters most. Time alone with God is an essential secret in developing that personal walk with God we crave. E. M. Bounds wrote, “Much time spent with God is the secret of all successful praying.” This week, set aside time everyday to be alone with God!

-JKB

🔹 AS PART OF OUR SPIRITUAL “RE-SET” IN JANUARY, I AM CHALLENGING OUR CONGREGATION TO READ THE ENTIRE NEW TESTAMENT THIS MONTH! IT REQUIRES ABOUT 8-9 CHAPTERS PER DAY, BUT YOU CAN DO IT – WE WILL DO IT TOGETHER!

I SUGGEST YOU DIVIDE YOUR READINGS INTO MORNING AND EVENING. THAT WAY YOU WILL KEEP UP. IF YOU FALL BEHIND GET CAUGHT UP AS SOON AS POSSIBLE.

♦️ Day 8: Luke 3 – 8

SPIRITUAL DISCIPLINE

Jesus obviously made prayer a priority in His incredible life. As has often been observed, if He needed to devote time to prayer, what does that say about our prayer lives? As we develop our prayer lives, it is important to remember that prayer is a spiritual discipline. As with other disciplines like exercise, playing a sport, or improving our career skills – our prayer lives are developed over time with consistent practice. Daily prayer may include praise, thanksgiving, confession, petition, and intercession. Spending a minute or two on each would start out at 5 to 10 minutes a day for prayer. If you do that every day, I am certain that before long you will be adding more time to your daily prayer life. God never finds perfect people but He is always looking for disciplined people who devote themselves to a lifestyle of prayer!

“I have posted watchmen on your walls, O Jerusalem; they will never be silent day or night. You who call on the LORD, give yourselves no rest.” (Isaiah 62:6)

-JKB

🔹 AS PART OF OUR SPIRITUAL “RE-SET” IN JANUARY, I AM CHALLENGING OUR CONGREGATION TO READ THE ENTIRE NEW TESTAMENT THIS MONTH! IT REQUIRES ABOUT 8-9 CHAPTERS PER DAY, BUT YOU CAN DO IT – WE WILL DO IT TOGETHER!

I SUGGEST YOU DIVIDE YOUR READINGS INTO MORNING AND EVENING. THAT WAY YOU WILL KEEP UP. IF YOU FALL BEHIND GET CAUGHT UP AS SOON AS POSSIBLE.

♦️Day 7: Mark 14 – Luke 2

TIME FOR PRAYER!

How long should we pray each day? The simple answer is – longer. How much should I prayer? The answer is – more! Every Christian I have ever known has questioned the quality or quantity of their prayer life. We hear (or preach) messages about the great saints like Luther or Wesley who spent hours a day in prayer only to conclude there is no way we can do the same. While these mighty men from our heritage seem exceptional, the truth is that you can do something about your prayer life right now. You can grow in the time you give God each day. You can spend more and better time in prayer. The best “Answer me when I call to you, O my righteous God. Give me relief from my distress; be merciful to me and hear my prayer.” (Psalm 4:1)

-JKB

🔹AS PART OF OUR SPIRITUAL “RE-SET” IN JANUARY, I AM CHALLENGING OUR CONGREGATION TO READ THE ENTIRE NEW TESTAMENT THIS MONTH! IT REQUIRES ABOUT 8-9 CHAPTERS PER DAY, BUT YOU CAN DO IT – WE WILL DO IT TOGETHER!

I SUGGEST YOU DIVIDE YOUR READINGS INTO MORNING AND EVENING. THAT WAY YOU WILL KEEP UP. IF YOU FALL BEHIND GET CAUGHT UP AS SOON AS POSSIBLE.

♦️Day 6: Mark 8 – 13

THIRSTY SOULS

You and I are spiritual creatures with a deep need for God. In daily prayer we immerse ourselves in the power and presence of God. We also discover instruction, inspiration, and incentive to “keep going.” The advantages of prayer are far too great to ignore. In a world that places too much value on the externals of wealth, prestige, and pleasure, our hearts can grow cold and our souls can grow dry. God knows we need more. “As a deer pants for flowing streams, so pants my soul for you, O God. My soul thirsts for God, for the living God…” (Psalm 42:1-2)

-JKB

🔹AS PART OF OUR SPIRITUAL “RE-SET” IN JANUARY, I AM CHALLENGING OUR CONGREGATION TO READ THE ENTIRE NEW TESTAMENT THIS MONTH! IT REQUIRES ABOUT 8-9 CHAPTERS PER DAY, BUT YOU CAN DO IT – WE WILL DO IT TOGETHER!

I SUGGEST YOU DIVIDE YOUR READINGS INTO MORNING AND EVENING. THAT WAY YOU WILL KEEP UP. IF YOU FALL BEHIND GET CAUGHT UP AS SOON AS POSSIBLE.

♦️Day 5: Mark 1 – 7

MEET GOD EARLY

Moses “…got up early the next morning and built an altar…” (Exodus 24:4) Job, “…Early in the morning he would sacrifice a burnt offering…” (Job 1:5) David would “awaken the dawn” (Psalm 57:8) The heroes of Scripture were early at the task of seeking God. Why do you suppose that was the case? For one thing, the early hours are less crowded with the demands of others on our time. Whether we meet God early or late, solitude is the key to an effective prayer time. There are definitely times for public or group prayer, but the daily devotional should be a time of peaceful solitude as often as possible.

George MacDonald said, “One who walks with God will tell you plainly, God does not ordinarily shout to make Himself heard.” Hearing from God, therefore, usually requires our undivided attention.  The earlier you start, the fewer distractions you will face. Try getting up earlier tomorrow to seek God and you will notice a positive difference!

-JKB

🔹 AS PART OF OUR SPIRITUAL “RE-SET” IN JANUARY, I AM CHALLENGING OUR CONGREGATION TO READ THE ENTIRE NEW TESTAMENT THIS MONTH! IT REQUIRES ABOUT 8-9 CHAPTERS PER DAY, BUT YOU CAN DO IT – WE WILL DO IT TOGETHER!

I SUGGEST YOU DIVIDE YOUR READINGS INTO MORNING AND EVENING. THAT WAY YOU WILL KEEP UP. IF YOU FALL BEHIND GET CAUGHT UP AS SOON AS POSSIBLE.

♦️Day 4: Matthew 24 – 28

YOUR PRAYER PLACE

I had a friend who’s father’s garage looked as neat as Saks Fifth Avenue display shelves! He used to say, “A place for everything and everything in its place.” That made a lot of sense to me.

Having a place for prayer makes a lot of sense, too. Jesus said, “But when you pray, go into your room…”  (Matthew 6:6) The Greek word for “room” describes a specific room in the Jewish home equivalent to an indoor garage. It was a storehouse where anything might be kept, including grain or small animals during extreme weather. It was not part of the main living area of the home. It was a place where a person could escape distractions and could avoid becoming a distraction. Having a place for prayer makes you more likely to develop a habit of praying every day. The great prayer teacher Andrew Murray wrote, “Everyone must have some solitary spot where they can be alone with God.”  -JKB

🔹AS PART OF OUR SPIRITUAL “RE-SET” IN JANUARY, I AM CHALLENGING OUR CONGREGATION TO READ THE ENTIRE NEW TESTAMENT THIS MONTH! IT REQUIRES ABOUT 8-9 CHAPTERS PER DAY, BUT YOU CAN DO IT – WE WILL DO IT TOGETHER!

I SUGGEST YOU DIVIDE YOUR READINGS INTO MORNING AND EVENING. THAT WAY YOU WILL KEEP UP. IF YOU FALL BEHIND GET CAUGHT UP AS SOON AS POSSIBLE.

♦️Day 3: Matthew 16 – 23

 THE VALUE OF PRAYER

Do you take advantage of all of the resources available to you? The state of Arkansas recently decided to remind people about unclaimed wealth which the state auditor reported to be almost $21 million. Other states have done the same with attempts to locate owners of jewelry, stocks, or abandoned bank accounts. It is hard to imagine how so much could go unclaimed, but a far greater resource in the spiritual realm goes untapped every day. Billy Graham said he imagines in Heaven a room full of unopened presents representing all the things God wanted to give us, but we never bothered to pray for them. The problem of un-prayed prayers isn’t imaginary. The Bible says, “…You do not have because you do not ask God.” (James 4:2) Through prayer we can see things change and get things done. Remember, “Prayer moves the Hand that moves the world.”

-JKB

♦AS PART OF OUR SPIRITUAL “RE-SET” IN JANUARY, I AM CHALLENGING OUR CONGREGATION TO READ THE ENTIRE NEW TESTAMENT THIS MONTH! IT REQUIRES ABOUT 8-9 CHAPTERS PER DAY, BUT YOU CAN DO IT – WE WILL DO IT TOGETHER!

I SUGGEST YOU DIVIDE YOUR READINGS INTO MORNING AND EVENING. THAT WAY YOU WILL KEEP UP. IF YOU FALL BEHIND GET CAUGHT UP AS SOON AS POSSIBLE.

♦️Day 2:  Matthew 9 – 15