Bible Reading Plans for 2017 by Nathan W. Bingham

Many Christians take the beginning of a new year to evaluate their Bible reading habits, and then change or begin a Bible reading plan.

Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path. (Psalm 119:105)

For your convenience, we've compiled a list of Bible reading plans for you to choose from. Maybe in 2017 you will read more of the Bible each day. Perhaps you'll slow down your reading and instead spend more time considering what you read. Whatever it is you're looking for in a reading plan, you should find it below:

5 Day Bible Reading Program

Read through the Bible in a year, with readings five days a week.

Duration: One Year | Download: PDF

52 Week Bible Reading Plan

Read through the Bible in a year, with each day of the week dedicated to a different genre: Epistles, The Law, History, Psalms, Poetry, Prophecy, and Gospels.

Duration: One year | Download: PDF

5x5x5 Bible Reading Plan

Read through the New Testament in a year, reading Monday to Friday. Weekends are set aside for reflection and other reading. Especially beneficial if you're new to a daily discipline of Bible reading.

Duration: One year | Download: PDF

A Bible Reading Chart

Read through the Bible at your own pace. Use this minimalistic, yet beautifully designed, chart to track your reading throughout the year.

Duration: Flexible | Download: PDF

Chronological Bible Reading Plan

Read through the Bible in the order the events occurred chronologically.

Duration: One year | Download: PDF

The Discipleship Journal Bible Reading Plan

Four daily readings beginning in Genesis, Psalms, Matthew and Acts.

Duration: One year | Download: PDF

ESV Daily Bible Reading Plan

Four daily readings taken from four lists: Psalms and Wisdom Literature, Pentateuch and History of Israel, Chronicles and Prophets, and Gospels and Epistles.

Duration: One year | Download: PDF

Every Word in the Bible

Read through the Bible one chapter at a time. Readings alternate between the Old and New Testaments.

Duration: Three years | Download: PDF

Historical Bible Reading Plan

The Old Testament readings are similar to Israel's Hebrew Bible, and the New Testament readings are an attempt to follow the order in which the books were authored.

Duration: One year | Download: PDF

An In Depth Study of Matthew

A year long study in the Gospel of Matthew from Tabletalk magazine and R.C. Sproul.

Duration: One year | App: Accessible on YouVersion. Download the app.

Professor Grant Horner's Bible Reading System

Reading ten chapters a day, in the course of a year you'll read the Gospels four times, the Pentateuch twice, Paul's letters four to five times, the Old Testament wisdom literature six times, the Psalms at least twice, Proverbs and Acts a dozen times, and the OT History and Prophetic books about one and a half times.

Duration: Ongoing | Download: PDF

Robert Murray M'Cheyne Bible Reading Plan

Read the New Testament and Psalms twice and the Old Testament once.

Duration: One or two years | Download: Website

Straight Through the Bible Reading Plan

Read straight through the Bible, from Genesis to Revelation.

Duration: One year | Download: PDF

Tabletalk Bible Reading Plan

Two readings each day; one from the Old Testament and one from the New Testament.

Duration: One year | Download: PDF

App: Accessible in the Ligonier App (iPhone / iPad, Android, Kindle Fire & Windows Phone) and YouVersion.

The Legacy Reading Plan

This plan does not have set readings for each day. Instead, it has set books for each month, and set number of Proverbs and Psalms to read each week. It aims to give you more flexibility, while grounding you in specific books of the Bible each month.

Duration: One year | Download: PDF

Two-Year Bible Reading Plan

Read the Old and New Testaments once, and Psalms & Proverbs four times.

Duration: Two years | Download: PDF

From the Shepherd's Heart....Friday, December 30, 2016

A new car, a new dress, a new app, a new toy; we all like the idea of new.  It just seems better.  A new beginning with our Lord, in life, with our spouse, with our parents, at school.  The slate is wiped clean, we get to start fresh.

"Jesus has a copyright on New Beginnings."  There is nothing like the new beginning He can give in life and relationships.  We welcome 2017 as an opportunity of new beginnings.

As we start 2017 as a church family, let me focus on a few things:

1. We will have our annual Prayer and Fasting emphasis. 

Beginning January 8, I will preach for four weeks on prayer and fasting, looking at the life of Daniel.  He will be our model for fasting and prayer.

I will ask you to join me in fasting these days:  Wednesday, January 11; Wednesday, January 18; Monday, January 23 through Wednesday, January 25.  We will begin at 5:00 pm (sundown) on Tuesday and end our fast on Wednesday at 5:00 pm.

2.  Also on January 8, I will return to the Gospel of Luke looking at portions of Luke we have not covered.  I will begin a new series, "The Greatest Man to Be Born."  And no, I'm not talking about Jesus but instead Jesus said in Matthew 11:11, "Among those born of women there has not risen anyone greater than......"  Who did Jesus make that statement about?  That person will be the theme of our Sunday morning messages through the first of February.

  

3.  Do you know what the "Word of the Year" is as chosen by Oxford Dictionaries?  It is post-truth, an adjective defined as 'relating to or denoting circumstances in which objective facts are less influential in shaping public opinion than appeals to emotion and personal belief.'

In a joint effort, Bro. Craig and I will lead our adults and students to consider "what is truth?" in special teachings on Wednesday nights.  While we will not be meeting together, we will be looking at the same material simultaneously.  We feel it is imperative for parents and students to be on the same page.  More about this Wednesday night.

4.  With all the "new" stuff coming, let us not forget the growth of the church is sustained through our small group ministry, Sunday School.  We will continue to emphasize Sunday School as the most important ministry of our church and encourage all members and guests to be regularly involved in a small group Bible study.

We will be having our semi-annual Care Group Leaders' Training on Sunday, January 22 at 9:15.

Other dates to put on your calendar for early 2017-

February 12:  New Member class

February 26:  GOLD CITY with us all day, singing in the morning service and a full concert in the evening service.

April 14-16: Jay Lowder- EASTER OUTREACH

June 11-15:  Vacation Bible School

July 1-8:  Mission Trip to Mobile

I'm glad I'm at Rainsville First Baptist with you!  I am looking forward to all God has in store for 2017.  Pray for me that I will lead with clarity and integrity. 

10 Ideas and 10 Tips for Family Devotions in 2017 by Tim Challies

With a new year dawning, many Christian families will resolve to approach family devotions with greater faithfulness in the year ahead, or perhaps even to begin family devotions for the first time. These are great resolutions! Here are 10 ideas and 10 tips that may help.

Ten Ideas for Family Devotions

Read the Narratives. Read through the big picture of the Bible by focusing on the narrative (story) parts. In the Old Testament, read Genesis, parts of Exodus (you might skip the building of the tabernacle, for example, and the giving of the ceremonial law), parts of Joshua (perhaps skipping the division of the land), Judges, Ruth, 1-2 Samuel, Esther, and so on. For the New Testament, focus on a couple of gospels and Acts. Read the passages aloud, one section or one chapter at a time. Ensure that each day you read enough for it to be significant but not so much that you lose the attention of the children. Over the course of a year you should be able to make your way through much of the Bible’s big story.

Read Big Beliefs!. David Helm’s Big Beliefs! is one of my favorite books of 2016 and my family has been using it each morning, 5 days a week, since it released. It includes a daily reading plus a short devotional and a couple of optional discussion questions. It’s targeted at ages 8-12, but younger kids will be able to stretch up for it while older kids will be able to stoop down. It is framed around the Westminster Confession of Faith and teaches a broad systematic theology. We love it!

Read Around the Table. Sometimes it’s best for mom and dad to do the reading from their own Bible, and especially so when children are young. But as children get older and more adept at reading, it may be best to get each child a Bible so they can follow along. When you do this, you can have each person take a turn reading aloud. It may be too clunky to read one verse per person, but perhaps each person can read a few verses at a time. Or perhaps you can have one person read each day’s entire passage. This gets children comfortable with reading (and perhaps praying) in front of others while also pushing for deeper engagement with the text.

Read Long Story Short. Marty Machowski has released two excellent books that are ideal for family devotions: Long Story Short and Old Story New. Long Story Short is a family devotional program designed to explain God’s plan of salvation through the Old Testament and is suitable for children from preschool through high school. Old Story New is the sequel and walks children through the great truths of the Christian faith in the New Testament. Both include daily readings, discussion points, and prayer suggestions, and are designed to be completed in about 10 minutes per day. (You might also consider his book Wise Upwhich focuses on Proverbs.)

Just Read the Bible. This is the simplest suggestion of all: Just read the Bible a book at a time. Younger children tend to do best reading narratives, but as children grow older they need the whole Bible. Consider reading the epistles slowly, a few verses per day, taking time to discuss and apply them. Or read all or some of the Psalms, or whatever else seems interesting and applicable.

Focus on Proverbs. The proverbs contain timeless wisdom and are written specifically for young people. Young Christians need the proverbs! Proverbs are meant to be treated like a lozenge or hard candy, to be savored over time rather than quickly chewed up. Consider reading the proverbs slowly over the course of weeks or months. Read 5 or 6 each day, but pause on 1 or 2 of them, considering what they mean and how they can be practically applied. It’s unlikely you will ever read 5 or 6 without encountering at least 1 that is especially fitting for your family.

Read One Year of Dinner Table Devotions and Discussion Starters. Nancy Guthrie’s One Year of Dinner Table Devotions and Discussion Starters is part of the One Year collection of resources and is meant to be read around the dinner table, though I’m sure the breakfast table will work equally well. As the meal comes to a close, family members can take turns turning to the dinner-table devotion for that day, designed to be done together as a family in 10 to 15 minutes. The result, says the publisher, “is a meaningful daily discussion in which every family member can participate, drawing the whole family closer to God … and each other.”

Read a Catechism. The majority of today’s Christians have forgotten about catechisms, but as believers we have quite a legacy with The Shorter Catechism, the Heidelberg Catechism, and others like them. The Gospel Coalition has combined the best of those two (while making them a bit more Baptist-friendly) with the New City Catechism. Catechisms approach the Christian faith in a question and answer format and invariably include Scripture to go along with them. If you structure your time around a catechism, do ensure you give attention to an associated Scripture passage.

Read Morning and Evening. Charles Spurgeon’s Morning and Evening remains a devotional classic, and for good reason. Spurgeon’s reflections are deep, timely, and suitable for quick reading. You may have the best success with the edition edited and modernized by Alistair Begg. You will need to put some effort into finding a suitable and significant reading to go with each since Spurgeon’s devotions are typically based on a single verse.

Mix It Up. Consider deliberately mixing up your devotions for 2017. Perhaps spend a month reading a book of the Bible, then follow with a devotional book for a while. Maybe through the summer you can switch to the Proverbs, then head back to reading an epistle as you head into fall and the gospels as you approach the Christmas season. Variety is the spice of life, right? Variety will keep your children engaged and, equally important, keep their parents engaged.

Ten Tips for Family Devotions

Here are ten tips related to family devotions.

1. Less important than how you do family devotions is that you do family devotions.
2. Keep family devotions simple, especially when starting out. Five engaging minutes are far better than twenty rambling ones.
3. Family devotions is not only about gaining knowledge but also about establishing patterns and displaying priorities.
4. The foundation of family devotions is simple: read and pray. Better said: read, teach, and pray.
5. Family devotions don’t need to be fun, but they must not be drab either. Focus on engagement, not entertainment.
6. The benefit of family devotions is not only gaining knowledge but also relating to God together as a family.
7. Do not grow discouraged if your children look bored. Measure long, not short and let your kids be kids.
8. Ask for tips on family devotions from others in your local church. Glean from their successes and false starts.
9. Expect that God will work through family devotions but do not demand that his work take a certain form.
10. Dad, take responsibility for family devotions. Lead your family by leading them to the Word and leading them in prayer.

Other Resources

Finally, here are a couple of resources you may find helpful:

• How We Do Family Devotions
• Why We Fail at Family Devotions
• Worship Like a Puritan (an interview with Dr. Joel Beeke)

WHEN WAS JESUS BORN? by Sam Storms

It’s amazing how often people get caught up in the debate over when Jesus was actually born. Although we should never be dogmatic on this point, the biblical text does provide us with a number of clues. The Christmas story begins with a brief historical note in Luke 2:1-2. There we are told that “a decree went out from Caesar Augustus that all the world should be registered.” The emperor Caesar Augustus who issued this decree was in fact the grand-nephew of Julius Caesar, which is to say that his mother (Atia) was the daughter of Julia, Julius Caesar’s sister.

In order to answer our question we need to understand the nature of our calendar. In a.d. 525 Pope John I asked Dionysius, a Scythian monk, to prepare a standard calendar for the western church. Dionysius did so by starting with what he thought was the year of Christ’s birth. His study led him to conclude that Jesus was born @ 754 years after the founding of Rome. Thus the 754th year after the founding of the great city became year 1 in the Christian era and Jesus was assumed to have been born in the immediately preceding year on December 25th. Thus the time before this first January 1st is denoted BC or “Before Christ” and the time after is designated AD or “Anno Domini”, meaning “in the year of the Lord.”

However, we know from Matthew’s gospel that Jesus was born just before King Herod the Great died. All agree that Herod died sometime between March 29 and April 11 in the year 4 b.c. Therefore, Jesus could not have been born later than March/April of 4 b.c. Other evidence suggests that Jesus was born sometime between October of 5 b.c. and March of 4 b.c.

But what about December 25? As you probably know, in the ancient world December 25 was celebrated by pagans as the feast of Saturn, the Sun god. Christians adopted this date as the birthday of Jesus as early as the late second century. The major objection to the December date is the fact that in Luke 2:8 the shepherds are said to be tending their flock during the night, in the open fields. It is argued that from November to March the flocks were kept indoors. But this is not as conclusive as you might think.

First, it could have been a mild winter. Judean winters were not typically severe. Second, the evidence is not conclusive that the sheep were in fact brought under cover during the winter months. It’s also been pointed out that the mere fact that sheep were present in Bethlehem proves it was winter time, for otherwise the sheep would have been in pasture in the wilderness. Finally, Jewish sources (the Mishnah, Shekalim vii.4) suggest that the sheep around Bethlehem were often kept outside year round, and that those sheep deemed worthy to be used during the Passover as sacrificial offerings were in the fields at least 30 days before the feast in February. Thus, winter weather by itself is not a decisive factor.

My point, then, is that a winter date for the birth of Jesus is entirely within the realm of possibility. It conceivably could have been any day during December of 5 b.c. or January of 4 b.c. We simply don’t know, and honestly, it doesn’t matter.

Another question that people ask is how the visit of the wise men in Matthew 2 fits in with story of Luke 2? You will recall that the wise men came to Jerusalem asking about the impending birth of the “king of the Jews” (Matt. 2:2). Herod got wind of this and enlisted the wise men to go to Bethlehem, find this child, and then report back to him. The wise men went to Bethlehem and found the baby Jesus with his mother Mary in what Matthew calls a “house” (2:11). They then left town without reporting back to Herod.

Some have insisted that Matthew is describing events that occurred two years after the birth of Jesus, two years later than what we read about in Luke 2. They argue, for example, that Luke uses a word to describe Jesus (brephos; 2:12) that refers to a new-born baby whereas Matthew uses a word (pais; 2:11) that describes a child of at least a year old or more. But the fact is that we cannot make such a rigid distinction between these terms, as they are often used interchangeably (see Luke 1:59, 66, 76; 2:17, 27; John 16:21; Heb. 11:23 where pais is used of an infant; and 2 Tim. 3:15 where brephos is used of a young child).

They also point out that in Matthew’s story the wise men come to a “house”, not a stable or cave. But if you were Mary and Joseph wouldn’t you have immediately moved from a stable to a house as soon as one became available? And then it is argued that Herod had all the male children from two years old and down killed. Yes, but that was simply to make sure that he actually got Jesus. Remember that Herod had asked the wise men when they first saw the star in the east (2:7). The fact that he then had all killed who were two years or younger indicates that the star appeared to the Magi some two years before they arrived in Jerusalem. I could also reverse the argument. People say, “If Herod knew that Jesus was a newborn infant, why did he kill the two-year-olds?” I respond by asking, “If Herod knew that Jesus was a two-year-old, why did he kill the newborn infants?”

The bottom line is that the events of Matthew 2 and those of Luke 2 all could easily have occurred in the same time frame, within months of each other. However, it is true that our nativity scenes are probably inaccurate. Whereas the shepherds visited Jesus while he was still in the stable, the wise men visited him after he had been moved into a house.

The question, then, of when Jesus was born cannot be answered definitively. The mere fact that he was born is all that matters. Praise God, that “the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we have seen his glory, glory as of the only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth” (John 1:14).

From the Shepherd's Heart...Thursday, December 21, 2016

Just a brief reminder of our schedule for the next few days:

Tomorrow (Friday, Dec. 23) - Church office closed

Sunday, December 25 - 10:15 Worship Service only - will dismiss by 11:00.

Monday, December 26 - Church office closed.

Tuesday, December 27 - "Clean-Up Day" from 9 AM to 12 Noon - We just need some help cleaning out some closets and storage areas.  After Tuesday, all the items the church no longer wants will be placed in the Small Fellowship Hall through January 8.  You are welcome to come and take whatever you want.  Anything left after January 8 will be subject to being carried to a thrift store or thrown away.

Wednesday, December 28 - No services

Friday, December 30 - Church office closed

Sunday, January 1 - 9:00 Sunday School;  10:15 Worship - no other services 

Monday, January 2 - Church office closed

18 Prayers to Pray for Unbelievers by Tim Challies

A friend asked the question: How do I pray for unbelievers? How do I pray effectively? I trust that every Christian regularly prays for family or friends or colleagues or neighbors who do not yet know the Lord. And while we can and must pray for matters related to their lives and circumstances, the emphasis of our prayers must always be for their salvation. Here are some ways the Bible can guide our prayers.

Prayers for Salvation

We begin with prayers for salvation. Each of these prayers seeks the same thing, but in a different way or from a different angle or using different language. Each of them is grounded in a specific text of Scripture.

Pray that God would circumcise their hearts. Circumcision was the Old Testament sign of entering into God’s covenant, of being God’s people. To have a circumcised heart symbolizes having a heart that is fully joined to God, fully submissive to him. “And the LORD your God will circumcise your heart and the heart of your offspring, so that you will love the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul, that you may live” (Deuteronomy 30:6).

Pray that God would give them a heart of flesh. The Bible contrasts a heart of flesh, a heart that is alive and responsive to God, to a heart of stone, a heart that is cold and unyielding. Pray that God would work within these unbelievers to change their hearts. “And I will give them one heart, and a new spirit I will put within them. I will remove the heart of stone from their flesh and give them a heart of flesh…” (Ezekiel 11:19).

Pray that God would put his Spirit within them. The great joy of salvation is being indwelled by God himself. Pray that God would grant this honor to those unbelievers, that he would choose to take up residence within them. “And I will put my Spirit within you, and cause you to walk in my statutes and be careful to obey my rules” (Ezekiel 36:27).

Pray that they would come to Christ. If unbelievers are to come to salvation, there is just one way. They must come through Christ and Christ alone. “Jesus said to him, ‘I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me’” (John 14:6). Remember, too, that he is the one who calls them to come and to be relieved of the burden of their sin (see Matthew 11:28-30).

Pray that God would open their hearts to believe the gospel. Once more, God must initiate and people must respond. So pray that God would open the hearts of these unbelievers so they can in turn believe, just as Lydia did. “The Lord opened her heart to pay attention to what was said by Paul” (Acts 16:14).

Pray that God would free them from the slavery of sin. Unbelievers may believe they are free, but they are in fact enslaved. They are slaves of sin, bound by their sin and sinfulness. Pray that God would liberate them by his gospel. “But thanks be to God, that you who were once slaves of sin have become obedient from the heart to the standard of teaching to which you were committed” (Romans 6:17).

Pray that God would remove Satan’s blinding influence . Unbelievers have been blinded by Satan and will only ever be able to see and appreciate the gospel if God works within them. So pray that God would give them sight—spiritual sight. “In their case the god of this world has blinded the minds of the unbelievers, to keep them from seeing the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God” (2 Corinthians 4:4).

Pray that God would grant them repentance. Unbelievers cannot repent without the enabling grace of God. So pray that God would grant them repentance, that this repentance would lead them to a knowledge of the truth. Pray as well that they would come to their senses and that they would escape from the devil’s snare. “God may perhaps grant them repentance leading to a knowledge of the truth, and they may come to their senses and escape from the snare of the devil, after being captured by him to do his will” (2 Timothy 2:25-26).

Prayers For You

You have prayed for unbelievers using different words and approaching from different angles. But you should also pray for yourself.

Pray that you will develop relationship with them. For people to be saved they must first hear the good news of the gospel. For them to hear the good news of the gospel, they must first encounter Christians—Christians like you. Pray that you would develop deeper, more significant relationship with them so you can, in turn, speak truth. “How then will they call on him in whom they have not believed? And how are they to believe in him of whom they have never heard? And how are they to hear without someone preaching?” (Romans 10:14).

Pray for opportunities to minister to them. Many people come to faith after seeing Christ’s loved displayed through the ministry of Christians. Pray for opportunities to minister to unbelievers so that your ministry can have an evangelistic effect. “In the same way, let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father who is in heaven” (Matthew 5:16).

Pray for them faithfully and persistently. Our temptation is to grow discouraged in prayer, to pray for a while and, when we see no visible results, to give up. But God calls us to persevere in prayer. “Continue steadfastly in prayer, being watchful in it with thanksgiving” (Colossians 4:2). (See also the parable of the persistent widow in Luke 18:1-8.)

Pray for a burden to plead for their souls. Paul was willing to tell the church at Rome of his great longing to see the salvation of the lost. Do you share this deep longing? Pray that God would give you a great burden for souls. “Brothers, my heart’s desire and prayer to God for them is that they may be saved” (Romans 10:1).

Pray for boldness in generating and taking opportunities to speak the gospel. Even Paul longed for this boldness and for the confidence that he was speaking the right and best words. Pray that God would give you the boldness and, that when you take the opportunities, that he would then guide your words. “[Pray] also for me, that words may be given to me in opening my mouth boldly to proclaim the mystery of the gospel…” (Ephesians 6:19).

Pray for other believers to encounter them. God almost always uses a succession of people to share the gospel with people before they are saved. Pray, then, that God would lead other Christians into the lives of the unbelievers you love, that they too would provide an example of Christian living and that they too would speak the gospel. “I planted, Apollos watered, but God gave the growth” (1 Corinthians 3:6).

Other Prayers

Here are a few more biblical emphases to guide your prayers.

Pray that God would use any circumstance to do his work in them. We pray to a God who is sovereign and who sovereignly works his good will. Often he saves people through difficult circumstances, through bringing them to the very end of themselves. Pray, then, that God would arrange circumstances, whether easy or difficult, to lead them to salvation. “Before I was afflicted I went astray, but now I keep your word” (Psalm 119:67). As you pray for the unbelievers you love, always pray to God: “your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven” (Matthew 6:10).

Pray that God would extend his mercy to them. God assures us that he wishes for all people to turn to him in repentance and faith. He receives no joy from seeing people perish. Pray, then, that God would be glorified in the salvation of these people. “The Lord is not slow to fulfill his promise as some count slowness, but is patient toward you, not wishing that any should perish, but that all should reach repentance” (2 Peter 3:9).

Pray with confidence. Finally, pray with confidence. God expects we will pray, God invites us to pray, God commands us to pray. Why? Because God loves to hear us pray and God loves to respond to our prayers. So as you pray for unbelievers, pray with confidence that God hears your prayers. “The prayer of a righteous person has great power as it is working” (James 5:16).

The post 18 Prayers to Pray for Unbelievers appeared first on Tim Challies.

From the Shepherd's Heart...Wednesday, December 14, 2016

DON'T MISS TONIGHT....this will be one of the funniest nights RFBC has seen in quite a while.  Thanks to Whitney Traylor and all of our Arrow Kid's Clubs, it will be a night of fun celebrating Christmas.

EVERYBODY will be in the Auditorium beginning at 6; so come along.  Don't wait to hear about it later and wish you had come.

This Sunday night is our traditional "Drop-In Lord's Supper."  To facilitate families better, Bro, Keith and Bro. Craig will be joining me in praying with families so hopefully you won't have to wait as long as you did last year.  So, this year we can accommodate three families every 5 minutes.  The sign up is in the Foyer.

Here is our Holiday schedule:

Wednesday, December 21 - No services
Sunday, December 25 - One Worship Service only from 10:15-11:00
Wednesday, December 28 - No services
Sunday, January 1 - 9:00 -Sunday School;  10:15 Worship - No evening services

Don't forget to give your best Christmas gift through our On Mission 1:8 offering.

Respect for Character by Regi Campbell

Men need respect. They’ll go to school and keep going to school . . . degree after degree seeking respect from academia. They’ll work their butts off to be respected at work. They’ll buy things they can’t afford trying to be respected by their neighbors and friends. They’ll run marathons and IRONMAN races to be respected as athletes. They’ll lift weights and bulk up to get respect as someone not to be messed with.

But what men often miss is this . . . it’s respect for their character they truly seek. Men want to be respected for who they are on the inside. This type of respect is slow to build and hard to come by. It takes establishing a track record of doing the right thing over and over in a community of people who are watching. It’s doing the right thing even when nobody is looking. It’s telling the truth . . . being trustworthy and honest. It’s being the same person no matter who you’re around . . . in public or in private.

People say that going through tough times builds character. I disagree. Character is revealed under pressure but not developed there. It’s developed in advance of the crisis. I believe there are three primary contributors to character development . . .

1. Character is taught – We need someone to teach us right from wrong . . . someone who can interpret morality for us, giving us ‘do’s’ and ‘don’ts’ and explaining things like tenacity, sportsmanship, gratitude, patience, humility and helpfulness.

2. Character is modeled – We need to see someone live out a life of character in front of us. We need to watch someone humble themselves, admit when they’re wrong, say they’re sorry, and lose gracefully. We can all remember people who were this kind of ‘cornerstone’ people. They didn’t ‘preach’ character, they ‘reeked’ of it!

3. Character depends on Jesus – We need to know we’ll be taken care of if we stand strong in our character. Faith in God gives us confidence to stand strong and tall. We are not alone . . . we can depend on our Heavenly Father to hang in there with us when we do the right thing regardless of the consequences. “The Lord rewards everyone for their righteousness and faithfulness” (1 Samuel 26:23).

Our children and our children’s children will be taught different versions of character than we were. It’s increasingly up to us, the parents and grandparents, to connect the development of character to a rock solid faith in Jesus Christ. They need to hear us say, “You can stand alone . . . you don’t have to give in. 

You can do this! God is with you and as long as you know that, what can man do to you?” Character is never about the immediate future, it’s about the long run! The strength to stand strong against peer pressure and public opinion . . . that’s the kind of character that’s respected.

We’re often called the ‘self-esteem’ generation. But I can assure you, nothing builds self-esteem like doing the right thing. Do the right thing over and over and before we know it, our character will have earned the respect we crave so badly. And we’ll feel a lot better about ourselves along the way.

Scripture: Better is a poor man who walks in his integrity than a rich man who is crooked in his ways. (Proverbs 28:6)

Week of Prayer, Sunday, December 11

Layla Murphy's Story

IMB missionary Layla Murphy* was shopping in a vegetable market in Southeast Asia when she heard phrases she understood. Two women were speaking the language of the Buddhist country from which she had just been expelled, after laboring for years to share the gospel.

God’s providence had set her right in the middle of the gospel-hungry people that she’d felt called to serve.

Soon Layla learned that hundreds of thousands of migrant workers and refugees from her former country lived in this sprawling urban center. God’s providence had set her right in the middle of the gospel-hungry people that she’d felt called to serve. Then, a national pastor asked her to stay right there to teach, train, and disciple new believers from the country that she can’t live in but calls “home.”

On the first day of class, she planned for 15 students but 50 showed up. “God had put hunger for His Word deep in their hearts and this was the first time that they’d ever had the chance to learn [the Bible].” Though she would rather serve in the country she loves, “this deepened my trust in God.” Her students tease her that she is also a refugee—the American refugee. “That sort of binds our hearts together,” Layla says.

1. PRAY God will continue to bring students who want to grow in their knowledge and love of Christ and that they will also be willing to share their faith with their countrymen.
2. PRAY for immigrant factory workers, who have come to earn money to send back to families in their homeland, that while they’re “strangers in a strange land” they would gain spiritual freedom by becoming followers of Jesus.

*Name changed

Week of Prayer, Saturday, December 10

Bethany Amber's Story

When Bethany Amber, 18, shares the gospel, she leaves a mark. On this day in a Pretoria township in South Africa, children crowd around her, clamoring for her to paint henna designs on their small hands.

The fish, moons, and suns she paints illustrate Bible stories she shares. “We were learning about creation, and I wanted to do designs that [reflected] creation,” she explains.

As she holds the hands of children and women, painting on these designs, she’s sharing more than just beautiful designs and the human touch: She’s sharing gospel truth.

Through the medium of henna the IMB “missionary kid,” whose parents serve in South Africa, has a ministry of her own. Plant-based henna ink is usually used to create nonpermanent patterns for special occasions such as weddings. She and a friend have created a visual library of designs that, when strung together, represent Bible stories. It’s an avenue that provides opportunities to talk about Christ.

As she holds the hands of children and women, painting on these designs, she’s sharing more than just beautiful designs and the human touch: She’s sharing gospel truth.

1. PRAY for Bethany as she finishes her high school education. Her switch from South African schools to the American educational system requires her to squeeze two years’ work into a year and a half to prepare for college in the United States.
2. PRAY for her South African friends from the school she’s left, that their relationships would continue and she can continue to be Christ’s light in their lives.

Week of Prayer, Friday, December 9

The Cregg Family Story

The Indian bride wore blue silk, trimmed with gold. Rich fabrics in brilliant hues are traditional for wedding saris in this South Asian megacity.

But the guest list was anything but typical. Among those celebrating this day were 20 prostitutes—women who were like family to Shanti.* She knew them from the years she shared their heartbreaking lifestyle as a prostitute. That was before the ministry of a Christian activity center rescued Shanti from her former life. She is now a believer and has a good job to support herself. And on this day, she even married a Christian man.

IMB missionaries Rodney and Helen Cregg* have partnered in establishing the activity center in the middle of a notorious red-light district that offers prostitutes a place to learn basic skills.

“This is why we do what we do, to see these ladies—and other people in [this city]—realize the hope in the gospel and then find victory in freedom,” Rodney says.

IMB missionaries Rodney and Helen Cregg* have partnered in establishing the activity center in the middle of a notorious red-light district that offers prostitutes a place to learn basic skills.

Another woman at the center agrees: “Being involved at the center, I am finding the love I didn’t get from my family from people who know the Lord. Through Jesus I am experiencing love. I am blessed.”

1. PRAY for women in the red-light areas of the city, that Christians can impact their lives and help them find a way out.
2. PRAY for Christians within the business community of this megacity of 22 million as they actively share the gospel in their places of work.

*Names changed