2020
YEAR OF THE BIBLE
YEAR OF THE BIBLE
In January this year, God gave me a vision about making the year dedicated to the Bible in our church. Our Deacon Body approved the vision and the church adopted it as a guide for worship and ministry during the entire year. The vision included memorizing 12 passages of scripture, one per month, that every believer and follower of Jesus Christ should know and be able to quote. We have been consistent and faithful all year long repeating together and quoting scripture to begin every worship service up to the latest one, “And my God will supply all your needs according to His riches in glory in Christ Jesus.” (Philippians 4:19)
Could we have imagined back in January what this verse would mean to us after one of the greatest economic turndowns ever experienced since the Great Depression. God has not only supplied our needs, He has poured out His blessing upon our church through tithes and offerings that have exceeded budget expectations throughout the year.
Many within our church have chosen to read through the Bible this year using the chronological order of readings recommended by Brother Edward Grant. We are at various stages of the plan depending on where people are in their progress, but the worthy goal of completing our reading of the entire Bible continues throughout our membership. This has made the Bible not only the centerpiece of our worship as a church family, but it has placed a priority on Bible reading in our homes. I continue to hear testimonies of progress and new insights gained for those who continue their personal journey through the word of God. Bible preaching and Bible reading are central to the character and unity in fellowship of a Godly church.
I preached 5 sermons on the Bible, beginning with one entitled “My Family Bible” on January 12th. These sermons served to kick-off our emphasis on Bible preaching this year. On February 2nd, I began a new series of 24 sermons preaching through Psalm 119 which demonstrated the commitment and benefits of making the Bible the center of your life. Now, we are in the middle of a sermon series entitle, “I Believe in Jesus…” who embodied the word of God by embedding it in His life and work. In this series, we continue to see that there is no clearer understanding and no greater example of what living out the word of God day by day really means, “And the Word became flesh, and dwelt among us, and we saw His glory, glory as of the only begotten from the Father, full of grace and truth.” (John 1:14)
This year we have encountered a health crisis as a nation, and economic slowdown, a racial challenge and a political divide greater than any I can remember in my lifetime. Through all the noise and uncertainty we have endured this year, we remain on course and the Bible is still out front in our church. Jesus said, “And I, if I am lifted up from the earth, will draw all men to Myself.” (John 12:32)
No matter what we face in the remaining months of the year. In spite of the challenges that continue to confront us. In the prospect of a hotly contested presidential race and a divided outcome, I am committed to remain faithful to the vision God gave us at the beginning of the year. I will preach Jesus and lift Him up as our Savior and complete fulfillment of what God’s word says. After all, He was the one who said, “Do not think that I came to abolish the Law or the Prophets, I did not come to abolish but to fulfill.” (Matthew 5:17)
The best I can do right now is to remain faithful in fulfilling the vision to lift up God’s word.
Could we have imagined back in January what this verse would mean to us after one of the greatest economic turndowns ever experienced since the Great Depression. God has not only supplied our needs, He has poured out His blessing upon our church through tithes and offerings that have exceeded budget expectations throughout the year.
Many within our church have chosen to read through the Bible this year using the chronological order of readings recommended by Brother Edward Grant. We are at various stages of the plan depending on where people are in their progress, but the worthy goal of completing our reading of the entire Bible continues throughout our membership. This has made the Bible not only the centerpiece of our worship as a church family, but it has placed a priority on Bible reading in our homes. I continue to hear testimonies of progress and new insights gained for those who continue their personal journey through the word of God. Bible preaching and Bible reading are central to the character and unity in fellowship of a Godly church.
I preached 5 sermons on the Bible, beginning with one entitled “My Family Bible” on January 12th. These sermons served to kick-off our emphasis on Bible preaching this year. On February 2nd, I began a new series of 24 sermons preaching through Psalm 119 which demonstrated the commitment and benefits of making the Bible the center of your life. Now, we are in the middle of a sermon series entitle, “I Believe in Jesus…” who embodied the word of God by embedding it in His life and work. In this series, we continue to see that there is no clearer understanding and no greater example of what living out the word of God day by day really means, “And the Word became flesh, and dwelt among us, and we saw His glory, glory as of the only begotten from the Father, full of grace and truth.” (John 1:14)
This year we have encountered a health crisis as a nation, and economic slowdown, a racial challenge and a political divide greater than any I can remember in my lifetime. Through all the noise and uncertainty we have endured this year, we remain on course and the Bible is still out front in our church. Jesus said, “And I, if I am lifted up from the earth, will draw all men to Myself.” (John 12:32)
No matter what we face in the remaining months of the year. In spite of the challenges that continue to confront us. In the prospect of a hotly contested presidential race and a divided outcome, I am committed to remain faithful to the vision God gave us at the beginning of the year. I will preach Jesus and lift Him up as our Savior and complete fulfillment of what God’s word says. After all, He was the one who said, “Do not think that I came to abolish the Law or the Prophets, I did not come to abolish but to fulfill.” (Matthew 5:17)
The best I can do right now is to remain faithful in fulfilling the vision to lift up God’s word.
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