Going and Growing Deep in 2022
The predominant posture of our culture is to end Christmas with December 25. After weeks of expectation, craziness, sapped energy and emotions, many people let out a sigh of relief. With the Christmas Day over, many of us feel like we can get back to “normal” (whatever that is!). The culture will quickly move on with life as usual.
But what if we took a different approach? What if we saw this season of joy, wonder, expectation, and hope as a beginning and not an end to our year? What if we chose to live differently from the culture, embracing the Story of God every single day?
In John 15, Jesus tells us how we become people filled with his joy as we abide in him and live by his words. We become people who flourish in Spirit-given fruit as we learn to love God and obey his Word, trusting that Jesus alone can give us the life-giving nourishment we need for total joy. Who doesn’t want this going into the new year?
I want to invite FBC to join me in another year of pursuing joy in Christ as we inhabit the Story of God throughout the calendar year. I want us to hear God’s voice through his Story—the Bible—as we encounter the everyday. I want us to see ourselves as participants in the life of Jesus so that we can be transformed, renewed, and sent out into the world to tell the good news of life in Christ.
FBC, I want us to GO deep this year into God’s word, digging into the treasures of Scripture and living it in the here and now. Read how the Psalmist describes the word of God (read it slowly and take it all in!):
“The law of the Lord is perfect, reviving the soul; the testimony of the Lord is sure, making wise the simple; the precepts of the Lord are right, rejoicing the heart; the commandment of the Lord is pure, enlightening the eyes; the fear of the Lord is clean, enduring forever; the rules of the Lord are true, and righteous altogether. More to be desired are they than gold, even much fine gold; sweeter also than honey and drippings of the honeycomb. Moreover, by them is your servant warned; in keeping them there is great reward.” (Psalm 19:7-11)
Have you thought of God’s word this way? More to be desired than gold? Rejoicing your heart? Teaching you what’s right and how-to walk-in God’s ways?
What a thought! Could it be true that if we commit to reading God’s word this year that we, too, could experience the joy that the Psalmist had?
I totally believe it! God’s word will bring joy, strength, conviction, and growth as the Spirit empowers us to understand the truth of God, and as we commit as learning disciples to love Jesus more in and through His word.
One way we can inhabit the true Story of the world is to participate in the Bible Reading Plan for 2022. This plan will take you through all 66 books of the Bible in one OR two years (depending on what plan you choose!). If you want to go through the Bible in a year, we’ve attached a PDF plan that will take you through the Bible chronologically.
The other option is to continue anew the Bible Study Together two-year plan that FBC will be completing at the end of December 2021. This plan is accessible via app. Download through the App Store (Apple) or the Google Play Store. Search for “Bible Study Together.”
In addition, I desire that we all GROW deep in God’s word. I want us to learn to plumb the depth of all that God is teaching us throughout Scripture. To help you with this we’ll be sharing tools and resources that will equip you to study God’s word in a deeper way in 2022. As always, we’ll be creating study guides that will go along with our sermon series that you can use in your Missional Communities and personal devotions, encouraging you to go deeper into the Scriptures.
Family, we want to be a people full of God’s joy in the face of Jesus Christ. We truly believe that as we fill our hearts and minds with God’s word, we will reflect the love of Jesus to a watching world. Let’s commit to goingand growing deep in God’s word together this year so that our heads, hearts, and hands are renewed by the power of the Spirit. May the Spirit increase our joy this new year!
-Pastor Wade
