Happy New Year from Brother Don to you and your family. I pray that this year will be a year of greater revelations of God’s love and will for us all, greater submission to His will by us (better than we could ever imagine for ourselves – Ephesians 3:20) and as a result, more of God’s fruit (Galatians 5:22-23) being evident in our characters and lives.
“21 Curses chase sinners, while blessings chase the righteous!”
(Proverbs 13:21 TLB)
My short encouragement to you today at the start of this year is to start the year off right. Last year I was intentional in getting into the word of God daily. I did this through a daily devotion, both through reading the Bible and listening to an audio version on two apps.
It is as a result of this practice that I was equipped to deal with the mayhem that came in 2020! Joseph’s preparation for the seven years of famine (see Genesis 41) come to mind, for as Joseph prepared during the seven years of plenty for the famine to come, we also need to prepare ourselves spiritually for what is still yet to come upon this age (world system) – read the book of Revelation.
In my blog on the 15th February 2020 entitled What’s your fill today? I expressed the following:
If your first 6 weeks of 2020 has been anything like mine, it has been a real test of character and a spiritual workout. It has felt like 2019 finished at close to 100% and so the enemy has started his 2020 at 200%.
Well if that’s been your journey thus far, I encourage you to stay in the Word of God daily and get the spiritual food that you will need to fight the good fight of faith…
Excerpt from ‘What’s your fill today’ post
I also included a video that was a discussion on a study completed by the ‘Centre for Bible Engagement’ which researched the ‘Power of 4 Effect’, being:
The video can by viewed below:
Reading the Bible 4X per week from Messenger International on Vimeo.
So I want to encourage, challenge and implore you to make it an intentional endeavour to get into the word of God daily this year. After all, if 2020 showed us anything, it has to be that the truth told throughout the Bible, culminating in the book of Revelation, is that the end of this age is drawing nearer. We cannot rely upon man’s worldly system to give us our assurance – Coronavirus and its effect being a case in point – but we can rely on God’s promises. These are the assurances that we need to focus upon.
I further believe that 2020 revealed the fragility and fallibility of the human race; and the urgent need for the human race to be restored into right relationship with Jesus our Saviour who loves, understands and made a way for us to be made whole again.
Unless we understand the word of God in context (not two or three Scripture wonders), then how will we learn to understand the times we are in and how we are to react? So again, I encourage you to get into God’s word (the Bible). It is radically different than any other book in the entire world, secular or sacred. It is alive as the Holy Spirit of God speaks to us through it.
The Holy Spirit is the only one who can reveal and communicate the Bible’s spiritual truths to us. Those who read the Bible apart from the Holy Spirit teaching them cannot understand it because, unlike all other books, it is spiritually discerned. It is not a mental exercise but a spiritual one. (See 1 Corinthians 2:6-16).
Jesus said, “The [Holy] Spirit gives life; the flesh counts for nothing. The words I have spoken to you are spirit and they are life.” (John 6:63)
“For the word of God is living and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart. Nothing in all creation is hidden from God’s sight. Everything is uncovered and laid bare before the eyes of him to whom we must give account.” (Hebrews 4:12-13)
“The Word is God. The Scriptures are not God, but the Spirit who breathes through the words is God.” – Francis Frangipane
Bible Apps
There are many apps out there that can help you on your journey this year and whilst finding the right app is step one, the true test will be in our commitment and perseverance in using it daily as we focus on keeping our spirits fed.
Here are the two that I mentioned earlier:
- Daily Audio Bible – https://dailyaudiobible.com/
- Dwell – https://dwellapp.io/
So may you be blessed in your faith walk this year; may we be quick to repent, slow to judge others (Matthew 7:1-5 – Jesus is the only righteous judge) and swift to show love, mercy and grace.
God bless you,
‘But test everything that is said. Hold on to what is good.’
1 Thessalonians 5:21 (New Living Translation)
A Moment with Brother Don 