2015 has come and gone. It has been a year of change for our church. We have seen more graduates leave our church and city to pursue college goals. They sure are missed-but God is continuing to work in the lives of our children, youth and families.
This year has brought some troubling change to our society. What God tells us is right has been challenged by our government-so that right is now wrong and wrong is right-according to our government. Thankfully we have a sure foundation in God's Word. The absolute truth of Scripture never changes. May our country never take away our freedom to practice the truth of God's Word. Unfortunately, there may be more attacks on truth in the years ahead. May all of us who know the truth take a stand for what is right when we can. May we seek God's Word in 2016 so we know it well. May we search the scriptures so that we may know the hope that is within us.
This year I am encouraging everyone to be intentional in their walk with God. Do you have a plan for studying and reading God's Word? Would you like to read through the Bible in a year or two? Would you like to focus on a short devotional plan? There are many options and some great encouragements in the electronic world. Below I've listed a few websites that might help you plan out an intentional plan to meat with God on a daily basis. God is on the throne and he will be there for us through thick and thin. We must reach out to him through His Word. We can also be intentional in our fellowship with the believers. We need to commit to being there with the believers in 2016. I mean attending church regularly. Just be there. In Hebrews it tells us to no forsake the Assembly! That is the church. May we follow God's way with an intentional plan to get to know Him better in 2016. He is on the throne no matter what the wold thinks is happening.
I'll end with a verse that we looked at on New Year's Eve at our house. This verse is a great encouragement and blessing to me as I look ahead to 2016: On New Year's Eve we looked at a few scriptures that are great to consider for the New Year.
Isaiah 40:31 31 But they that wait upon the Lord shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings as eagles; they shall run, and not be weary; and they shall walk, and not faint.
These are encouraging words for this new year.
Here are few links in setting up plans to be in the Word in 2016:
A great daily devotional by Chuck Swindoll-Biblical and Practical:
Chuck Swindoll's Daily Devotional
Bible Gateway's Reading Plans:
Bible Gateway's Reading Plans
Spurgeon's 365 Day Plans
Spurgeon: Morning and Evenins
There are apps for most of these and you can have the reading emailed to you every day. If you are wanting a hard copy version to order-Amazon is a great place to search. You can find the above plans on Amazon.
If all of the above just confused you-talk to me at church and I'll order the tools for you to use. Our church will take care of whatever the cost is to help someone study His Word.
