All throughout the Bible, people have fasted. It's something we, as Americans, living in the land of plenty, rarely think about anymore. Let's take a look at WHY people of the Bible fasted.
Psalms 35 - David fasts for deliverance from his enemies.
Acts 13 - The apostles fasted to receive guidance from the Holy Spirit to know
which direction Paul's journey should take.
Acts 14 - Paul and Barnabas committed their leaders to God through fasting.
Jonah 3 - the King and people of Nineveh fasted to cry out to God for forgiveness
for their wicked and violent deeds, and for a change of heart.
Daniel 9 - Daniel fasted on behalf of all Jerusalem, asking God to forgive their sins.
Fasting has always been an act of worship. It's a way to reach out to God more deeply than through prayer alone. It's used in times of desparation and great need for God to come in a mighty way. Maybe it's time for us, as His people, His church, to come before the Lord God Almighty and humbly beseech Him to step in and move in a miraculous way - to change what is to what He wills it to be.
Isaiah 58 is one of the best examples of why and how to fast. Verses 1 - 5 show the half-hearted attempts people have made and how they do not work. Verses 6 and 7 tell us what God expects us to use fasting to do - to stop injustices, break the yoke we bear, free the oppressed, feed the hungry, provide shelter, clothe the naked, and help our family. Imagine if we put fasting into practice on a regular basis and really connect with God! What a nation we could have then! What a church we could become! What a beacon of hope we could be to those lost in the darkness searching for the way out!
The best part of this Scripture is verses 8 - 14, telling us what God WILL DO when we humbly come before him through prayer and sincere fasting:
His light will break through, healing will appear, righteousness will come, God
will protect and guard us, He'll answer our call and stand before us, He'll guide
us, satisfy our needs, strengthen our frame, quench our thirst, rebuild the ruins,
bring joy, cause us to "ride on the heights of the land", and to "feast on the
inheritance."
Doesn't that sound like the adventure of a lifetime? Something worth living for? A purpose greater than this world? I especially love the last line in Isaiah 58, "the mouth of the Lord has spoken"(NIV). God Himself promises this to each one of us if we humble ourselves through prayer and fasting.
I challenge each one of us to consider this carefully and set aside a time to fast.
Prayer:
Dear Lord,
We hear your call, but so often we get distracted. Sometimes by our selfish nature, other times because it's the plan of the enemy. Father, we recognize the need for you and your healing in our world, our nation, our community, our church, our family, right down to our own individual lives. We love you and we need you. Speak to our hearts. Make known to us what you desire each of us to do with this message. Show us HOW to do your will, then come Lord, in all your glory and splendor - once again to captivate the hearts and minds of those you love on this earth.
We ask this in the name of Jesus, Amen
Friday, August 25, 2006
Thursday, August 24, 2006
Notice Me!
We all have seen the next generation and all their body "art". You know, the piercings, the tattoos, the florescent hair color...they're in our workplace, our frequent eating places, our shopping centers, and especially at our hairdressers. It's so easy for others to judge them (even though it's not anyone else's place to do so). But what are they really saying?
We try to eat right, dress right, live in the right community, drive the right car, enjoy the popular entertainment, follow the patterns of what society dictates. We spend more time worrying about what other people think than they ever really do spend thinking about us. But what are we really saying?
We have three children, well-mannered kids with just as many strengths and weaknesses as other people's. But sometimes one of them will choose an extremely bad time to disobey or talk back or fight with a sibling. They don't act that way normally, so, at times like that, what is that child really saying?
I think by now you know the answer to the question. "Notice Me!" We all want to be noticed, appreciated, and occasionally commended for a job well done. So many times all people want is to be noticed, to know they're important, to know that this world really needs them. No one wants to be thought of as disposable.
But who do we want to notice us?
When I was young, it was my parents. As I grew older, it was my teachers and friends. After school it was my boss. As a wife, it was my spouse. As a mother, it was my children. Do you know what I figured out? They're all too busy trying to be noticed by others to realize what I expected of them. They too were striving to be told they were valued. So who do I really want to notice me now?
God. He's my father, my teacher, my friend, my family, my partner, my protector and provider, and all he asks in return? "Notice Me, too."
He tells us, "Talk to me, tell me what troubles you, tell me how I can help, let me know you care, spend time with me, read my letters to you, discuss your plans with me, obey my few simple commands - Notice Me."
Prayer:
Father,
So often we get caught up in our own lives. We act like what we do is
so important, that it'll change everything, that we have to be in control of it all,
and yet, we forget that our lives are really yours, our livelihood is a gift from you,
our next breath is from you, and the blessings in our lives wouldn't happen
without you. Please forgive us when our attempts to make time for you gets overlooked. Help us to try harder and more consistently to Notice You. Yours is the only attention that can truly make a life-changing difference. We love you. In Jesus' Name, Amen
We try to eat right, dress right, live in the right community, drive the right car, enjoy the popular entertainment, follow the patterns of what society dictates. We spend more time worrying about what other people think than they ever really do spend thinking about us. But what are we really saying?
We have three children, well-mannered kids with just as many strengths and weaknesses as other people's. But sometimes one of them will choose an extremely bad time to disobey or talk back or fight with a sibling. They don't act that way normally, so, at times like that, what is that child really saying?
I think by now you know the answer to the question. "Notice Me!" We all want to be noticed, appreciated, and occasionally commended for a job well done. So many times all people want is to be noticed, to know they're important, to know that this world really needs them. No one wants to be thought of as disposable.
But who do we want to notice us?
When I was young, it was my parents. As I grew older, it was my teachers and friends. After school it was my boss. As a wife, it was my spouse. As a mother, it was my children. Do you know what I figured out? They're all too busy trying to be noticed by others to realize what I expected of them. They too were striving to be told they were valued. So who do I really want to notice me now?
God. He's my father, my teacher, my friend, my family, my partner, my protector and provider, and all he asks in return? "Notice Me, too."
He tells us, "Talk to me, tell me what troubles you, tell me how I can help, let me know you care, spend time with me, read my letters to you, discuss your plans with me, obey my few simple commands - Notice Me."
Prayer:
Father,
So often we get caught up in our own lives. We act like what we do is
so important, that it'll change everything, that we have to be in control of it all,
and yet, we forget that our lives are really yours, our livelihood is a gift from you,
our next breath is from you, and the blessings in our lives wouldn't happen
without you. Please forgive us when our attempts to make time for you gets overlooked. Help us to try harder and more consistently to Notice You. Yours is the only attention that can truly make a life-changing difference. We love you. In Jesus' Name, Amen
Be the Moon
Odd title? I thought so too the first time I saw it on a young man's t-shirt at church, until I really gave it some thought and God opened my heart and mind to the wisdom of those 3 little words.
Think about it...what would you say about the moon? It's bright, it lights the world, it's huge, it stands out easily against the rest of the stars and darkness of the heavens, and oh yeah...it can't make it's own light. It can only reflect a bigger, brighter, more important star...the sun.
Think about it...what would you say about who we're supposed to be in Christ? We're supposed to be a shining light, we are supposed to enlighten the world, we're part of a huge family, we're supposed to stand out easily against the rest of the world and be a light that shines in the darkness, and oh yeah...we don't create our own light. We only reflect a bigger, brighter, more important Star...the Son.
Acts 4 tells the story of the first church of believers, once called The Way. They were the apostles going out into the world to share the good news of Jesus. It says that when they prayed together, that place where they prayed shook! They preached with freedom, boldness and courage. They were of one heart and one mind. They shared all they had to see God's Kingdom furthered. It also says great grace, kindness, favor and goodwill rested richly upon them all. It continues saying there were NO needy among them. Talk about standing out in the darkness of that time! They got people's attention by the way they lived, but not for their own glory and honor. They let the Holy Spirit be their star to guide them. They decided to "be the moon".
We too, can live this way. God gives us so much every single day, and all he asks in return is our devotion to only Him and to love others. We are still supposed to pray together, share the gospel, use the freedoms given to us in this country, be bold and courageous in standing up for our principles knowing they're based on God's 10 Commandments, and we are to be in unity with our brothers and sisters in Christ. This is how we can repay God for His blessings. We can direct the focus to Him and not take credit when people notice our efforts. When people notice our lives are more together, more at peace, more confident, or full of blessed assurances, it's our job to reflect God's light to shine on their path so they can see through the darkness; not to pretend it's all us and our worldly wisdom.
The next time you're with someone hurting, someone who needs a friend, someone who seems like they don't know the way out of the box they're stuck in...Be the Moon!
Prayer:
Heavenly Father,
This world seems so full of darkness sometimes. Every night we see one hour of
news and we're reminded of how blessed we are because of your love and protection. It makes
me sad to think of how many people don't know you. They go through life alone, hurting,
not knowing how to make it stop. Please allow us to Be the Moon for you. We pray that you
continue to shine your light on our lives, but also we pray that you would show us how to
reflect that light so that others may see their way back to the narrow path that leads to you. We
don't need nor want the credit for doing what we should be doing anyway. We know we're
blessed, and we're your servants here on earth to bless others you bring near to us. Thank you
for the opportunity to serve You and your people.
Think about it...what would you say about the moon? It's bright, it lights the world, it's huge, it stands out easily against the rest of the stars and darkness of the heavens, and oh yeah...it can't make it's own light. It can only reflect a bigger, brighter, more important star...the sun.
Think about it...what would you say about who we're supposed to be in Christ? We're supposed to be a shining light, we are supposed to enlighten the world, we're part of a huge family, we're supposed to stand out easily against the rest of the world and be a light that shines in the darkness, and oh yeah...we don't create our own light. We only reflect a bigger, brighter, more important Star...the Son.
Acts 4 tells the story of the first church of believers, once called The Way. They were the apostles going out into the world to share the good news of Jesus. It says that when they prayed together, that place where they prayed shook! They preached with freedom, boldness and courage. They were of one heart and one mind. They shared all they had to see God's Kingdom furthered. It also says great grace, kindness, favor and goodwill rested richly upon them all. It continues saying there were NO needy among them. Talk about standing out in the darkness of that time! They got people's attention by the way they lived, but not for their own glory and honor. They let the Holy Spirit be their star to guide them. They decided to "be the moon".
We too, can live this way. God gives us so much every single day, and all he asks in return is our devotion to only Him and to love others. We are still supposed to pray together, share the gospel, use the freedoms given to us in this country, be bold and courageous in standing up for our principles knowing they're based on God's 10 Commandments, and we are to be in unity with our brothers and sisters in Christ. This is how we can repay God for His blessings. We can direct the focus to Him and not take credit when people notice our efforts. When people notice our lives are more together, more at peace, more confident, or full of blessed assurances, it's our job to reflect God's light to shine on their path so they can see through the darkness; not to pretend it's all us and our worldly wisdom.
The next time you're with someone hurting, someone who needs a friend, someone who seems like they don't know the way out of the box they're stuck in...Be the Moon!
Prayer:
Heavenly Father,
This world seems so full of darkness sometimes. Every night we see one hour of
news and we're reminded of how blessed we are because of your love and protection. It makes
me sad to think of how many people don't know you. They go through life alone, hurting,
not knowing how to make it stop. Please allow us to Be the Moon for you. We pray that you
continue to shine your light on our lives, but also we pray that you would show us how to
reflect that light so that others may see their way back to the narrow path that leads to you. We
don't need nor want the credit for doing what we should be doing anyway. We know we're
blessed, and we're your servants here on earth to bless others you bring near to us. Thank you
for the opportunity to serve You and your people.
Is Your Life Pieces of a Puzzle?
Psalm 139: 15, 16 - My frame was not hidden from you when I was made in the secret place.
When I was woven together in the depths of the earth, your eyes saw my unformed body.
All the days ordained for me were written in your book before one of them came to be.
Have you ever felt like your life up to this point has been a big jigsaw puzzle? (It's an analogy my family in particular should understand, since we all enjoy working them.)
The straight-edge, outer border pieces represent our values. They represent the framework of where we draw our lines, and they cannot change. They're a constant. Everything else in our life must happen within those borders.
The bottom of the puzzle, where there's usually a flower bed or grassy field, represents our foundation. It's made up of pieces of where we've been, what we've done, and things we've experienced. Often, we cannot understand why all those pieces were necessary or how they could become important later when each individual one was so insignificant by itself.
The middle represents where we're at now. It's the main picture, or focus, of the overall big picture. It's where we begin to sort out and put together several pieces into groups. Like a puzzle where we would put groups of pieces together representing say, a barn, a fence, a well, and a shed; this is where we group the pieces that represent our Christian walk, family, raising our children, homeschooling, etc.
The final part is the "sky", it's the goals that we reach higher to obtain within our lifetime. These really important things are above the day-to-day, they make a lasting difference in the lives of others, and are the last things in our lives to be completed (even in the puzzle, the sky is usually last).
Finally, we can see how all these smaller pictures, when combined, organized and put together by the Master builder, no longer represent a jumbled puzzle, something unsolved. Now they are a clear picture of our life, something that could never be completed without the Mighty Hand of the One who knew the picture before each piece was ever formed.
Only by God's guidance and wisdom will our lives now be complete. We may have a ways to go yet before it's completion, but now we can begin to understand the parts of our life and see the big picture.
Prayer:
Heavenly Father,
Thank you for the hope and joy you bring to this life.
So often our lives seem like a bunch of mismatched pieces, and we
struggle to make them somehow fit together and have meaning. We
need you to guide our ways and turn our paths so that in the end, we
are able to complete the wonderful work you destined for each of us.
You truly are the Master Creator. Trusting you know how everything
will turn out in the end, brings order and peace to our lives. We just
thank you for Your Hand in the little things of our daily lives.
When I was woven together in the depths of the earth, your eyes saw my unformed body.
All the days ordained for me were written in your book before one of them came to be.
Have you ever felt like your life up to this point has been a big jigsaw puzzle? (It's an analogy my family in particular should understand, since we all enjoy working them.)
The straight-edge, outer border pieces represent our values. They represent the framework of where we draw our lines, and they cannot change. They're a constant. Everything else in our life must happen within those borders.
The bottom of the puzzle, where there's usually a flower bed or grassy field, represents our foundation. It's made up of pieces of where we've been, what we've done, and things we've experienced. Often, we cannot understand why all those pieces were necessary or how they could become important later when each individual one was so insignificant by itself.
The middle represents where we're at now. It's the main picture, or focus, of the overall big picture. It's where we begin to sort out and put together several pieces into groups. Like a puzzle where we would put groups of pieces together representing say, a barn, a fence, a well, and a shed; this is where we group the pieces that represent our Christian walk, family, raising our children, homeschooling, etc.
The final part is the "sky", it's the goals that we reach higher to obtain within our lifetime. These really important things are above the day-to-day, they make a lasting difference in the lives of others, and are the last things in our lives to be completed (even in the puzzle, the sky is usually last).
Finally, we can see how all these smaller pictures, when combined, organized and put together by the Master builder, no longer represent a jumbled puzzle, something unsolved. Now they are a clear picture of our life, something that could never be completed without the Mighty Hand of the One who knew the picture before each piece was ever formed.
Only by God's guidance and wisdom will our lives now be complete. We may have a ways to go yet before it's completion, but now we can begin to understand the parts of our life and see the big picture.
Prayer:
Heavenly Father,
Thank you for the hope and joy you bring to this life.
So often our lives seem like a bunch of mismatched pieces, and we
struggle to make them somehow fit together and have meaning. We
need you to guide our ways and turn our paths so that in the end, we
are able to complete the wonderful work you destined for each of us.
You truly are the Master Creator. Trusting you know how everything
will turn out in the end, brings order and peace to our lives. We just
thank you for Your Hand in the little things of our daily lives.
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