First Baptist Church of Ojai, California

Bravo!

To all who played in a role in the successful launch of last Wednesday's Family Night.  Can't wait to do it again this week.

This Week's Bible Journey

Here Are This Weeks Readings

Based upon your start date of Jan 01, your scheduled daily reading for today is Sep 28
Fri, Sep 25 Readings	ISAIAH 45:11-48:11 EPHESIANS 4:1-16 PSALM 68:19-35 PROVERBS 24:3-4
Sat, Sep 26 Readings	ISAIAH 48:12-50:11 EPHESIANS 4:17-32 PSALM 69:1-18 PROVERBS 24:5-6
Sun, Sep 27 Readings	ISAIAH 51:1-53:12 EPHESIANS 5:1-33 PSALM 69:19-36 PROVERBS 24:7
Mon, Sep 28 Readings	ISAIAH 54:1-57:14 EPHESIANS 6:1-24 PSALM 70:1-5 PROVERBS 24:8
Tue, Sep 29 Readings	ISAIAH 57:15-59:21 PHILIPPIANS 1:1-26 PSALM 71:1-24 PROVERBS 24:9-10
Wed, Sep 30 Readings	ISAIAH 60:1-62:5 PHILIPPIANS 1:27-2:18 PSALM 72:1-20 PROVERBS 24:11-12
Thu, Oct 01 Readings	ISAIAH 62:6-65:25 PHILIPPIANS 2:19-3:3 PSALM 73:1-28 PROVERBS 24:13-14

Currently Reading: Forgotten God by Francis Chan

I don't want my life to be explainable without the Holy Spirit. I want people to look at my life and know that I couldn't be doing this by my own power. I want to live in such a way that I am desperate for Him to come through (142).

And while I might be able to get people in the doors of a church or auditorium if I tell enough jokes or use enough visuals, the fact remains that I cannot convince people to be obsessed with Jesus. Perhaps I can talk people into praying a prayer, but I cannot talk anyone into falling in love with Christ. I cannot make someone understand and accept the gift of grace. Only the Holy Spirit can do that. So by every measure that actually counts, I need the Holy Spirit. Desperately (143).

Family Night Begins Tomorrow!

Programming for all ages.

6 -6:30         Pastor Chad's grill is open

6:30-8:30     Programming for nursery, children, youth, and adults

See you tomorrow night!

Highlights From Today's Bible Reading

Isaiah 40:8 (NIV)  
    The grass withers and the flowers fall,
        but the word of our God stands forever."

Isaiah 40:29-31 (NIV) 
    He gives strength to the weary
        and increases the power of the weak.
    [30] Even youths grow tired and weary,
        and young men stumble and fall;
    [31] but those who hope in the Lord
        will renew their strength.
    They will soar on wings like eagles;
        they will run and not grow weary,
        they will walk and not be faint.

Currently Reading: Forgotten God by Francis Chan

Jesus refers to the Holy Spirit as the "Helper" or "Comforter." Let me ask you a simple question: Why would we need to experience the Comforter if our lives are already comfortable? It is those who put their lives at risk and suffer for the gospel (Phil. 1:29) who will most often experience His being "with you always, even to the end of the age" (Matt. 28:20 NASB). Though this verse is true for all believers (of course God is always with us), if we are never alone or feeling like we need Him, how much do we care or need to know that God is with us (107).

This Week's Bible Journey

Here Are This Weeks Readings

Based upon your start date of Jan 01, your scheduled daily reading for today is Sep 22
Sat, Sep 19 Readings	ISAIAH 30:12-33:9 GALATIANS 5:1-12 PSALM 63:1-11 PROVERBS 23:22
Sun, Sep 20 Readings	ISAIAH 33:10-36:22 GALATIANS 5:13-26 PSALM 64:1-10 PROVERBS 23:23
Mon, Sep 21 Readings	ISAIAH 37:1-38:22 GALATIANS 6:1-18 PSALM 65:1-13 PROVERBS 23:24
Tue, Sep 22 Readings	ISAIAH 39:1-41:16 EPHESIANS 1:1-23 PSALM 66:1-20 PROVERBS 23:25-28
Wed, Sep 23 Readings	ISAIAH 41:17-43:13 EPHESIANS 2:1-22 PSALM 67:1-7 PROVERBS 23:29-35
Thu, Sep 24 Readings	ISAIAH 43:14-45:10 EPHESIANS 3:1-21 PSALM 68:1-18 PROVERBS 24:1-2
Fri, Sep 25 Readings	ISAIAH 45:11-48:11 EPHESIANS 4:1-16 PSALM 68:19-35 PROVERBS 24:3-4

This Week's Bible Reading Schedule

Based upon your start date of Jan 01, your scheduled daily reading for today is Sep 17
Mon, Sep 14 Readings	ISAIAH 15:1-18:7 GALATIANS 1:1-24 PSALM 58:1-11 PROVERBS 23:12
Tue, Sep 15 Readings	ISAIAH 19:1-21:17 GALATIANS 2:1-16 PSALM 59:1-17 PROVERBS 23:13-14
Wed, Sep 16 Readings	ISAIAH 22:1-24:23 GALATIANS 2:17-3:9 PSALM 60:1-12 PROVERBS 23:15-16
Thu, Sep 17 Readings	ISAIAH 25:1-28:13 GALATIANS 3:10-22 PSALM 61:1-8 PROVERBS 23:17-18
Fri, Sep 18 Readings	ISAIAH 28:14-30:11 GALATIANS 3:23-4:31 PSALM 62:1-12 PROVERBS 23:19-21
Sat, Sep 19 Readings	ISAIAH 30:12-33:9 GALATIANS 5:1-12 PSALM 63:1-11 PROVERBS 23:22
Sun, Sep 20 Readings	ISAIAH 33:10-36:22 GALATIANS 5:13-26 PSALM 64:1-10 PROVERBS 23:23

Training

Mike is a personal trainer who is attending First Baptist. He has worked me out the past two days and turned my body to jello. I go to the gym regularly, but this is an entirely different experience--expertise, challenge, and accountability. I get way more out of my time at the gym with Mike. It also hurts a lot more. I can't help but think of the spiritual application here. How many of us go through the motions of our spirituality like I go through the motions at the gym? How many of us would benefit from a personal spiritual trainer who would bring expertise, challenge, and accountability? What would this practically look like?

A.W. Tozer Quote

"We may as well face it: the whole level of spirituality among us is low. We have measured ourselves by ourselves until the incentive to seek higher plateaus in the things of the Spirit is all but gone...[We] have imitated the world, sought popular favor, manufactured delights to substitute for the joy of the Lord and produced a cheap and synthetic power to substitute for the power of the Holy Ghost."