Family

Devotional, Family

Worried? Pray

prayer 1

Week 3.1

There is something significant and special about the prayer experience. When you seek to connect with God either in private prayer or corporate prayer he responds. He responds by making you aware of His presence.

When you are alone and feeling helpless you will find comfort and peace. When you are with a group of believers lifting up the name of Jesus, he fills you with wonder. When you take the time to count your blessings, he fills you with gratitude.

There’s no special formula when you pray. You don’t have to use the perfect words or phrases. All God cares about is that you are calling out to him in an attitude of worship and praise. There are several model prayers for examples of prayer in scripture. Let’s look at a few of them.

6 Don’t worry about anything, but in everything, through prayer and petition with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. 7 And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus.

Philippians 4:6-7

 

Here are a few things I want us to notice about the passage.

Pray about all things.

There is nothing that is too small for us to pray about. God wants us to rbing all things to Him. He knows our every need before we ask so make sure you ask Him about everything.

If you have a test, pray. If you have a flat tire, pray. If you are excited about something, pray. If someone says something that hurts you, pray. God is concerned about all things so, pray about all things.

Give thanks.

Often, we feel overwhelmed by life’s circumstances because we allow ourselves to focus on what might happen. Instead, when we consider how God has been faithful in the past, we can allow our thought’s to turn to Him and all the things we are thankful for.

Make a list out of all the things you are thankful for, and your worries will melt away. It may take some time to get started but once you start your list will flow and the more things you will be able to list, and the blessings won’t stop!

Peace comes.

It is amazing what can happen when we allow God to be God. Much of our stress and anxiety come from trying to be in control of things we can’t control. When we focus on God and allow Him to do only what he can do we get an amazing sense of peace and security that is only available through Him.

Songs

Trust and Obey

Holy Spirit

Prayer

Lord when I am overwhelmed by life’s circumstances help me remember to always pray first. May prayer and your holy spirit to be my refuge. Fill my mind and heart with true peace that can only come from you.

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Devotional, Family

We Need Relationships

Week 2.2 We Need Relationship

Devotional

Another part of fellowship is enjoying the benefits of a close relationship with Jesus. As we experience the blessings of being united with Christ and His church we experience a joy that is not found anywhere else in the world. It is a joy that is only found in Christ and His people.

How do we make sure that we are experiencing this joy of fellowship with other Christians? By Joining a small group. There are a number of benefits. Here are three:

Friendship (1 Thessalonians 5:11)

11 Therefore encourage one another and build each other up as you are already doing.

Our lives are so busy and many of us do not have time for relationships outside of the home. When you joy a group, you get a scheduled time each week to spend with other Christians an build relationships. This how you truly get plugged into a church and body of believers.

Spiritual growth (Philippians 1:6)

6 I am sure of this, that he who started a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus.

We are promised that God is going to continue to work in us until the day we go home to heaven. Spiritual growth is a result of spending time with God and His people. Make it a priority.

Accountability (Proverbs 27:17)

Iron sharpens iron, and one person sharpens another.

I don’t know about you but I need help to do the things I need to do. Even though I know the habits that lead to growth and a pure life I still need help getting there. When you have others in your life who are willing to speak words of encouragement and rebuke into your life it help you both grow.

If you're looking to grow in your faith and build meaningful relationships, consider joining a small group or discipleship class ASAP.

Song

How great is our God – Chris Tomlin

How Great Thou Art Traditional Hymn

Prayer

Lord, Thank You for the connections formed in small groups, where genuine relationships are nurtured. Thank you for the support, encouragement, and love that flows through these gatherings, strengthening our bond as brothers and sisters in Christ.

fellowship-3
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Devotional, Family

Together

fellowship

Daily Passage

And let us consider how to stir up one another to love and good works, not neglecting to meet together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another, and all the more as you see the Day drawing near. Hebrews 10:24-25

Devotional Thought

It is important that we take the time to spend with God in His word, but it is also important in the busyness of our daily lives that we pause and reflect on the significance of our relationships. We were created for relationships. Relationships have the power to shape us for the better or the worse.

This week Pastor Conner focused on our personal relationships. How we as believers are to look out for the needs of others and make unity something we strive for. Focusing on unity leads to sweet fellowship.

I like to define fellowship as hanging out with a purpose. It is knowing that our relationships with other believers mean something. We are to be intentional about all of our relationships but especially our relationships with other believers.

In Hebrews, the writer tells us a few things to do as we consider our relationships with other believers.

  • Consider how to stir up one another to do good.

God created us to enjoy fellowship with others and the way we do that best is by serving others. He says to “stir up one another”. What can you do as a family or with other believers to make a positive impact on those around you?

  • Meet together consistently.

In the busyness of life it is tempting to take every free moment for ourselves to rest and recharge. While this is important it is also very important to continue meeting with other believers for support and encouragement. Don’t fall into the lie that you are too busy for fellowship and Bible study. (Discipleship classes begins January 17! Join one! )

  • Encourage each other.

This world can be overwhelming and discouraging. We have the privilege to give others courage. Do your part to speak life to those around you. Using encouraging words and actions can make all the difference to someone who is struggling.

Song

House of the Lord Phil Whickham

Sweet Sweet Spirit - Hymn

Prayer

Dear Heavenly Father, thank you for the gift of fellowship. Help us to embrace the call to encourage one another in love and good deeds. May our interactions be filled with grace, kindness, and a genuine desire to uplift those around us. Strengthen the bonds of fellowship among us. In Jesus' name, we pray. Amen.

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Devotional, Family

Word of God Speak (Challenge 2024 Wk1.2)

Bible-2

The instruction of the Lord is perfect, renewing one’s life; the testimony of the Lord is trustworthy, making the inexperienced wise. 8 The precepts of the Lord are right, making the heart glad; the command of the Lord is radiant, making the eyes light up. 9 The fear of the Lord is pure, enduring forever; the ordinances of the Lord are reliable and altogether righteous. 10 They are more desirable than gold— than an abundance of pure gold; and sweeter than honey dripping from a honeycomb. 11 In addition, your servant is warned by them, and in keeping them there is an abundant reward. Psalm 19:7-11

Devotional Thought

We are continuing to talk about God’s Word the Bible. In it are His words that guide us through life. There are many voices in our world today that want to tell us how we should live but they fail to renew our lives like only God’s Word can. His word renews our lives, makes our hearts glad and helps us keep our focus where it needs to be, on Him.

  • The instruction of the Lord is perfect – this refers to the entirety of the word of God and when we read God’s word and the stories within it renews our lives and gives us new excitement for life.
  • The testimony of the Lord is trustworthy – this is what God says about himself and how he has been revealed through out time. We can trust God because his character is true.
  • The precepts and commands of the Lord – This is how God spells out for us how he wants us to live and what leads to an abundant life. When we have a clear direction from the Lord it helps us experience the full and abundant life he wants us to have.
  • The Fear of the Lord – This explains to us how we are to respond to God and his word. It puts us in the right posture to recive God’s word.

“Together, these terms show the practical purpose of revelation, to bring God’s will to bear on the hearer and evoke intelligent reverence, well-founded trust, detailed obedience.” ( An Intro and Commentary to Psalms by Derek Kinder )

Try singing to listening to a song together. Here is a suggestion. You can use your phone, search YouTube, or pull out an instrument.

Song

Word of God Speak – Mercy Me

 Prayer

God, thank you for revealing yourself to us through your Word. I am so thankful that you give us your Word as a guide to help us know how to follow you. Help us as a family to have a desire to know you deeper through your Word as we worship.

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Devotional, Family

Challenge 2024 At Home Devotions

January 2024

I love new beginnings! January is always a time when we can refocus our hearts and minds on what matters most. If you are like most people, you have at least some idea of what you want to improve on in the new year. It is our prayer as a staff at FBC Panama City that we can continue to be “The House of Hope for ALL Generations”. To that end we would like to provide some simple resources that go along with Pastor Conner’s sermons for the next few weeks.

Below you will find the title of the message and theme for the week. Along with each theme there will be two devotions written for you to meditate on by yourself or with your family. The instructions are easy just start at the top and involve as many people in your household as possible. You can do this whenever or wherever you want. The dinner table while everyone is still seated, the living room on the couch, or even in the car during your daily trip to and from school.

The goal is simple focus on God and HIS word. Allow him to speak to you and adjust when needed. Also share how God is speaking to you with others.

I pray that your 2024 is a year where you seek to make significant strides in your spiritual growth.

I will also include a reading plan 

Let the journey begin.

Pastor Brandon Phillips

Young Adult Pastor

First Baptist Church Panama City

42 They devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching, to the fellowship, to the breaking of bread, and to prayer.

43 Everyone was filled with awe, and many wonders and signs were being performed through the apostles. 44 Now all the believers were together and held all things in common. 45 They sold their possessions and property and distributed the proceeds to all, as any had need. 46 Every day they devoted themselves to meeting together in the temple, and broke bread from house to house. They ate their food with joyful and sincere hearts, 47 praising God and enjoying the favor of all the people. Every day the Lord added to their number those who were being saved.

Acts 2:42-47

FBC devotion
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