Ps 63:1
1 O God, you are my God, earnestly I seek you; my soul thirsts for you, my body longs for you, in a dry and weary land where there is no water.
In talking about our daily relationship with Christ its important to remember that its not just about opening our bibles and reading a chapter or verse. Although this is a great starting place if we don't have a daily time. In the above psalm it talks much more about the yearning in our hearts. That's the approach we need to take toward meeting with Him. A longing to know God and to be with God more than water on a hot day. It was 36 degree here the other day and water was in huge demand, as our flesh longed for water so must our soul long to be with God.
Sunday, January 24, 2010
Saturday, January 23, 2010
Day 10
Yesterday I blogged about Anna serving in the house of God. On the flip side the bible also talks about people that didn't go the distance, these were people who had the call and the potential but they drifted off course.
2 Tim 4
2 Tim 4
6For I am already being poured out as a drink offering, and the time of my departure has come. 7 I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith. 8Henceforth there is laid up for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous judge, will award to me on that Day, and not only to me but also to all who have loved his appearing.9 Do your best to come to me soon. 10For Demas, in love with this present world, has deserted me and gone to Thessalonica.
Friday, January 22, 2010
Day 9
Last day of church planting school today and then its back home to the great people @ Elevation Church on the Gold Coast. Even though its been a great week I am a little tired of sitting in meetings. I feel a little carnal when I read about Anna the prophet in the verses below.
Luke 2
36 Anna, a prophet, was also there in the Temple. She was the daughter of Phanuel from the tribe of Asher, and she was very old. Her husband died when they had been married only seven years. 37 Then she lived as a widow to the age of eighty-four. She never left the Temple but stayed there day and night, worshiping God with fasting and prayer. 38 She came along just as Simeon was talking with Mary and Joseph, and she began praising God. She talked about the child to everyone who had been waiting expectantly for God to rescue Jerusalem.
Day and night praying, fasting and worshiping in the temple at the age of 84. Not a bad way to spend your senior years. Unfortunately most of us have such busy (cluttered) lives. But this verse does highlight how to make the most of our time in the temple (the house of God). If you struggle wanting to go to church or engaging God at church then do an "Anna" pray and fast and ask God to give you a love for the house.
Luke 2
36 Anna, a prophet, was also there in the Temple. She was the daughter of Phanuel from the tribe of Asher, and she was very old. Her husband died when they had been married only seven years. 37 Then she lived as a widow to the age of eighty-four. She never left the Temple but stayed there day and night, worshiping God with fasting and prayer. 38 She came along just as Simeon was talking with Mary and Joseph, and she began praising God. She talked about the child to everyone who had been waiting expectantly for God to rescue Jerusalem.
Day and night praying, fasting and worshiping in the temple at the age of 84. Not a bad way to spend your senior years. Unfortunately most of us have such busy (cluttered) lives. But this verse does highlight how to make the most of our time in the temple (the house of God). If you struggle wanting to go to church or engaging God at church then do an "Anna" pray and fast and ask God to give you a love for the house.
Thursday, January 21, 2010
Day 8
Very hard to get out of bed this morning. I spoke at church planting school last night on Staying Resilient from the book of Nehemiah. He is one of my great bible heroes the way he led a nation that had become satisfied living with broken down walls. We see in chapter 1 when the news of the reproach that the Jews were in reached Nehemiah his first response was to pray and fast. The word reproach means disgrace. They were ashamed of what they had become because of their disobedience.
4 When I heard these things, I sat down and wept. For some days I mourned and fasted and prayed before the God of heaven. 5 Then I said:
He then goes on to repent on behalf of his nation and challenge not to forget their God. Getting a clean heart is so important while we are fasting from our pleasures. Everyday come to God and ask him to purify your heart and hands so that we can stand free from disgrace and shame and be clothed in His righteousness.
4 When I heard these things, I sat down and wept. For some days I mourned and fasted and prayed before the God of heaven. 5 Then I said:
He then goes on to repent on behalf of his nation and challenge not to forget their God. Getting a clean heart is so important while we are fasting from our pleasures. Everyday come to God and ask him to purify your heart and hands so that we can stand free from disgrace and shame and be clothed in His righteousness.
Wednesday, January 20, 2010
Day 7
Do you have to make some major decisions this year? Are you feeling like your life is a little in need of some adventure? All of us reach plateau's in our walk with God where we feel that there isnt a lot happening. Enter a time of prayer and fasting!
In Acts 13 we read the following, "And while they were ministering to the Lord and fasting, the Holy Spirit said, "Set apart for Me Barnabas and Saul for the work to which I have called them." 3 Then, when they had fasted and prayed and laid their hands on them, they sent them away."
It is almost impossible to overstate the historical importance of this moment in Antioch in the history of the world. Before this word from the Holy Spirit there seems to have been no organized mission of the church beyond the eastern seacoast of the Mediterranean. Before this, Paul had made no missionary journeys westward to Asian Minor, Greece, or Rome, or Spain. Before this Paul had not written any of his letters which were all the result of his missionary travels beginning here.
This moment of prayer and fasting resulted in a missions movement that would make Christianity the dominant religion of the Roman Empire within two and a half centuries and would yield 1.3 billion converts of the Christian religion today with a Christian witness in virtually every country of the world. And 13 out of the 29 books of the New Testament were the result of the ministry that was launched in this moment of prayer and fasting.
So if you feel like your life needs some new direction then maybe its time to pray fast.
In Acts 13 we read the following, "And while they were ministering to the Lord and fasting, the Holy Spirit said, "Set apart for Me Barnabas and Saul for the work to which I have called them." 3 Then, when they had fasted and prayed and laid their hands on them, they sent them away."
It is almost impossible to overstate the historical importance of this moment in Antioch in the history of the world. Before this word from the Holy Spirit there seems to have been no organized mission of the church beyond the eastern seacoast of the Mediterranean. Before this, Paul had made no missionary journeys westward to Asian Minor, Greece, or Rome, or Spain. Before this Paul had not written any of his letters which were all the result of his missionary travels beginning here.
This moment of prayer and fasting resulted in a missions movement that would make Christianity the dominant religion of the Roman Empire within two and a half centuries and would yield 1.3 billion converts of the Christian religion today with a Christian witness in virtually every country of the world. And 13 out of the 29 books of the New Testament were the result of the ministry that was launched in this moment of prayer and fasting.
So if you feel like your life needs some new direction then maybe its time to pray fast.
Tuesday, January 19, 2010
Day 6
Why encourage people to corporately fast isn't fasting something that is meant to be private? Isn't telling people be hypocritical?
Matt 6
16 “And when you fast, don’t make it obvious, as the hypocrites do, for they try to look miserable and disheveled so people will admire them for their fasting. I tell you the truth, that is the only reward they will ever get. 17 But when you fast, comb your hair and wash your face. 18 Then no one will notice that you are fasting, except your Father, who knows what you do in private. And your Father, who sees everything, will reward you.
If you read this scripture at face value that may be what we see but I want to take this thought a little deeper. Jesus was talking about people who fast for the wrong reason not people who fast and public ally encourage others to fast with them for the right reason. The religious leaders that Jesus was talking about would fast for the admiration of the people and not of God. So the reward that they were seeking of public recognition is the reward that they received. That's why Jesus says to fast in private to make sure that our heart motive is right. They were hypocrites because they outwardly looked spiritual but inwardly their heart is twisted. So as we do a corporate fast get your heart right first we aren't comparing what we fast or how long we fast or how spiritual we look we are doing this to centre our lives around Christ.
Matt 6
16 “And when you fast, don’t make it obvious, as the hypocrites do, for they try to look miserable and disheveled so people will admire them for their fasting. I tell you the truth, that is the only reward they will ever get. 17 But when you fast, comb your hair and wash your face. 18 Then no one will notice that you are fasting, except your Father, who knows what you do in private. And your Father, who sees everything, will reward you.
If you read this scripture at face value that may be what we see but I want to take this thought a little deeper. Jesus was talking about people who fast for the wrong reason not people who fast and public ally encourage others to fast with them for the right reason. The religious leaders that Jesus was talking about would fast for the admiration of the people and not of God. So the reward that they were seeking of public recognition is the reward that they received. That's why Jesus says to fast in private to make sure that our heart motive is right. They were hypocrites because they outwardly looked spiritual but inwardly their heart is twisted. So as we do a corporate fast get your heart right first we aren't comparing what we fast or how long we fast or how spiritual we look we are doing this to centre our lives around Christ.
Monday, January 18, 2010
Day 5
I am sitting in the Qantas club in Brisbane airport waiting to catch a flight down to Sydney where I am teaching at Church Planters School. Not the best place to be when you are fasting as there is free food here everywhere!! Mmmm crumpets.
I just read in John 18:25-27 the account of Peter's denial of Jesus.
25 Meanwhile, as Simon Peter was standing by the fire warming himself, they asked him again, “You’re not one of his disciples, are you?” He denied it, saying, “No, I am not.” 26 But one of the household slaves of the high priest, a relative of the man whose ear Peter had cut off, asked, “Didn’t I see you out there in the olive grove with Jesus?” 27 Again Peter denied it. And immediately a rooster crowed.
After all Peter had previously promised to Jesus about how he would never turn away, that he would be with him till the end and here he is at his first test of this declaration and a little like us he fails miserably. This is where the fasting test enters.
When you fast you are denying yourself a pleasure that your flesh is craving. You are buffeting or disciplining your body. You are training your body and mind that your hunger for God is more than this momentary pleasure of eating, TV, coffee or whatever yours is. Now here is the deal. The temptation to yield to that pleasure is no different to Peters temptation to deny Jesus! If we cant say NO to the pleasure are we confident that we will stand strong in our faith and in our convictions when it really matters most? Prayer and fasting strengthens us today for what may come tomorrow.
I just read in John 18:25-27 the account of Peter's denial of Jesus.
25 Meanwhile, as Simon Peter was standing by the fire warming himself, they asked him again, “You’re not one of his disciples, are you?” He denied it, saying, “No, I am not.” 26 But one of the household slaves of the high priest, a relative of the man whose ear Peter had cut off, asked, “Didn’t I see you out there in the olive grove with Jesus?” 27 Again Peter denied it. And immediately a rooster crowed.
After all Peter had previously promised to Jesus about how he would never turn away, that he would be with him till the end and here he is at his first test of this declaration and a little like us he fails miserably. This is where the fasting test enters.
When you fast you are denying yourself a pleasure that your flesh is craving. You are buffeting or disciplining your body. You are training your body and mind that your hunger for God is more than this momentary pleasure of eating, TV, coffee or whatever yours is. Now here is the deal. The temptation to yield to that pleasure is no different to Peters temptation to deny Jesus! If we cant say NO to the pleasure are we confident that we will stand strong in our faith and in our convictions when it really matters most? Prayer and fasting strengthens us today for what may come tomorrow.
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