WINTER 2011-12 LARGE PRINT Southern Baptist Guide for Personal Devotions
HOWTO BECOME A CHRISTIAN Before you were born, God wanted you to know Him personally. He chose to show you how much He loves you. But to accept His offer, you need to know the ABC s of Salvation. ADMIT to God you re a sinner. Sin is refusing to acknowledge God s authority over your life. Everyone sins. The result of sin is spiritual death or eternal separation from God when you die. Repent; turn away from your sin and toward God. (See Acts 3:19; Romans 3:23; 6:23.) BELIEVE in Jesus Christ as God s Son and accept Jesus gift of forgiveness from sin. Jesus took the penalty for your sin by dying on the cross because you could not meet God s requirement for a perfect sacrifice for your sins. (See John 3:16.) CONFESS to God your faith in Jesus Christ as Savior and Lord. As Lord, Jesus has earned the right to be obeyed as a sheep obeys his shepherd. (See Romans 10:9-10,13; 1 John 1:9.) You may pray a prayer similar to this: Dear God, I know that You love me. I admit I am a sinner. Please forgive me for my sin. I place my faith in Jesus as my Savior and Lord. Thank you for saving me. In Jesus name I pray, amen. If you sincerely asked Jesus to be your Savior, tell a pastor or another Christian about your decision. Show your faith in Christ by asking a Bible-believing church for baptism by immersion. (See Matthew 28:19-20; Acts 2:41.) To find a church, call the church or person who provided you with this copy of Open Windows. Read the Bible Through Each daily devotional includes the Read the Bible Through Scripture, which allows you to read the entire Bible in one year.
WINTER 2011-12 Volume 76 Number 2 his windows being open... toward Jerusalem. Daniel 6:10 Open Windows provides brief daily devotionals based on selected Scriptures for adults in Southern Baptist churches and others who choose to use them. Open Windows (Large Print) (ISSN 0162-4296, Item 005075106) is published quarterly by LifeWay Christian Resources of the Southern Baptist Convention, One LifeWay Plaza, Nashville, TN 37234, Thom S. Rainer, President. 2011 LifeWay Christian Resources of the Southern Baptist Convention. For ordering or inquiries, visit www.lifeway. com, or write LifeWay Church Resources Customer Service, One LifeWay Plaza, Nashville, TN 37234-0113. For subscriptions or subscription address changes, e-mail subscribe@ lifeway.com, fax 615-251-5818, or write to the above address. For bulk shipments mailed quarterly to one address, e-mail orderentry@ lifeway.com, fax 615-251-5933 or write to the above address. We believe that the Bible has God for its author; salvation for its end; and truth, without any mixture of error, for its matter and that all Scripture is totally true and trustworthy. The 2000 statement of The Baptist Faith and Message is our doctrinal guideline. Unless otherwise indicated, all Scripture quotations are taken from the King James Version. Printed in the United States of America Cover photo: ThinkStock Production & Ministry Team Betty Hassler Content Editor Dale Royalty Graphic Designer Laura Allison Production Editor Woody Parker Editorial Project Leader Alan Raughton Lead Adult Ministry Specialist David Apple Adult Ministry Specialist Management Personnel Bret Robbe Director Leadership and Adult Publishing Ken Braddy, Ron Keck, Debbie Johnson Managing Directors Leadership and Adult Publishing Bill Craig Director Leadership and Adult Ministry Gary H. Hauk Director, Publishing LifeWay Church Resources Send questions or comments to: Editor, Open Windows, One LifeWay Plaza, Nashville, TN 37234-0175. Or make comments on the web at www.lifeway.com.
Bessie Kennedy, a Hall of Fame writer for Open Windows (1981-2010) celebrated her 90th birthday July 13, 2011. Bessie asked if we would pass the writing baton to her son, Kirby, who wanted to continue his mother s tradition as a contributor to our magazine. You ll find Dr. Kirby Kennedy s devotions January 6-10. Kirby has his mom s knack for story-telling! We welcome him to our pool of writers. As we celebrate the season of Christ s birth, we welcome three International Mission Board staff members and a retired missionary, who has written for Open Windows for 33 years. Don t forget to pray for missionaries during this holiday season and as we begin a new year. Support the Lottie Moon Christmas offering. This winter issue continues our look back at 75 years of continuous publication of Open Windows (Dec. 1-11, 17-21). Thank you for the many compliments you have sent our way for the devotions from past great writers and art from previous issues of Open Windows. Many of you have shared personal associations with these great men and women who built and staffed our churches, state conventions, universities, and seminaries at the turn of the twentieth century and on into the twenty-first century. We build on their firm foundation. Blessings, Visit us at Facebook/openwindowsdevotions.
Writers This Quarter * Previously Published Devotions *Shirley L. Stephens (Dec. 1) deceased; author; wrote articles and curriculum for a variety of publications; interim editor at the Baptist Sunday School Board, Nashville, Tennessee *Sybil Leonard Armes (Dec. 2-6) 1914-2007; prominent Baptist author and musician; poet laureate for the state of Texas; trustee, outstanding alumni award, University of Mary Hardin- Baylor in Belton, TX *Jack Gulledge (Dec. 7-11) 1924-1997; 25-year employee, Baptist Sunday School Board, editor of Proclaim and Mature Living; pastor, chaplain Paula Williams (Dec. 12-16) elementary school teacher, Greensboro, North Carolina; organist, Sunday School teacher, children s choir director, Conrad Memorial Baptist Church, High Point, North Carolina *T. Keith Edwards (Dec. 17-21) retired medical missionary to Nigeria with Baptist Foreign Mission Board; wrote for Mature Living; deacon, teacher, choir member, Sweetwater Baptist Church, North Augusta, South Carolina Clyde Meador (Dec. 22-26) executive vice-president of International Mission Board, Richmond, Virginia; member Staples Mill Road Baptist Church, Glen Allen, Virginia Debbie Kneisel Floyd (Dec. 27-31) resource specialist for the International Mission Board; member Grove Avenue Baptist Church, Richmond, Virginia Hugh Poland (Jan. 1-5) Minister of Creative Arts, Woodridge Baptist Church, Kingwood, Texas; author of devotional books Kirby Kennedy (Jan. 6-10) pastor, First Baptist Church, Palatka, Florida; formerly pastored in New Mexico Darla Brantley (Jan. 11-15) high school special education aide; teacher, Baptist women s leader, choir member; wife of minister of students and education, First Baptist Church, Winfield, Alabama
Writers This Quarter Becky Brown (Jan. 16-20) founder and keeper, Little Brown Light Ministries; Sunday School teacher, staff evangelist, choir member, First Baptist Church, Raymond, Mississippi Chuck Lawless (Jan. 21-25) vice-president, Global Theological Advance of International Mission Board; former dean Billy Graham School of Missions and Evangelism, Southern Baptist Theological Seminary, Louisville, Kentucky Marvin P. Nail (Jan. 26-30) pastor, Ivy Memorial Baptist Church, Nashville, Tennessee; author of online devotions; retired, LifeWay Christian Resources Argile Smith (Jan. 31 - Feb. 4) dean of chapel, Louisiana College and associate dean of Christian ministry, Caskey School of Divinity, Pineville, Louisiana; former professor of preaching at New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary and vice-president for advancement, William Carey University; published articles and devotions; pastored First Baptist Church, Mobile, Alabama Phyllis Godwin (Feb. 5-9) teacher, English as a second language; member, First Baptist Church, Hendersonville, Tennessee David Jenkins (Feb. 10-14) retired, Southern Baptist pastor for 53 years; pulpit supply, interim pastor; writer for LifeWay; member New Hope Baptist Church, Big Sandy, Texas Michael J. Brooks (Feb. 15-19) pastor, Pine Flat Baptist Church, Suttle, Alabama; associate professor of communications and assistant to president for public relations, Judson College; published articles and devotions Ruth McHaney Danner (Feb. 20-24) Sunday School teacher, discipleship leader, pianist, recording secretary, newsletter editor, Starr Road Baptist Church, Otis Orchards, Washington; published author Lorie Looney Keene (Feb. 25-29) Sunday School teacher, women s Bible study teacher; serves with husband who is minister of youth at Highland Baptist Church, Tullahoma, Tennessee; published author
Thursday, December 1 Open Windows* Devotional Passage: Daniel 6:10-23 Read the Bible Through: Daniel 5 6 2 Peter 3 Now when Daniel knew that the writing was signed, he went into his house; and his windows being open in his chamber toward Jerusalem, he kneeled upon his knees three times a day, and prayed, and gave thanks before his God, as he did aforetime. Daniel 6:10 John Bunyan lived in England at a time when the only lawful worship was that conducted by the state church. However, he was a Baptist and desired to preach his convictions. On November 12, 1660, he was arrested for preaching. Since he refused to flee, he was sent to jail. For this offense, he remained in the Bedford County jail for 12 years, unable to get his case heard. This man, author of The Pilgrim s Progress, chose to obey God rather than men. Daniel also chose to obey God rather than men. He did not pray in order to defy King Darius or to put on a show; he simply acted according to a fixed habit of obedience to the King of kings. The open windows were necessary so that he might be able to look toward Jerusalem, the holy city, and thus turn his thoughts to heavenly concerns. Father, I pray for the courage to obey God rather than men and for wisdom to do so in the right spirit. *Originally published October 9, 1969