Running Down and Up the Hills
I, the Lord, will take you by the hand and you will free captives from prison — Isaiah 42:7 (paraphrased)
One of my most memorable experiences came as a senior seminary student at Anderson University, working at Park Place Nursery School with three-year-olds. Those little children were so innocent and eager to learn. One little girl latched onto my heart. I don't remember her name, but I remember her well. She was extremely quiet, painfully shy, a loner, somber most of the time. She wouldn't play or work with other children or adults. Throughout the semester I attempted to reach to her, to pull her out of her cocoon. I prayed for her, wondering what kind of home she had, whether she were an abused child. I wanted intensely to help her play with the other children.
On my last day in nursery school, it was time for the children to go outside to play a favorite game: holding hands with each other, or a teacher, and running down and up the grassy hill on the playground. The picture is etched indelibly in my mind. Standing by the door, watching children run outside, I felt a little hand take hold of mine, and I heard her speak softly those unforgettable words, as her big brown eyes captivated my heart, "Mr. Bruce, would you run down the hill with me?" It was the first time she opened up to let anyone inside her fragile shell!
I ecstatically responded, "Honey, I sure will!" Off we went, hand in hand, running down and up the grassy hill together. Soon she let go of my hand and joined the children, running, laughing, playing, having a wonderful time. As I watched through misty eyes, I breathed a prayer of thanks to God for letting me have a part in freeing a beautiful little creation of his from her cocoon, setting her free to soar. I never saw her again, but I do hope she is still soaring in the strength of the Lord.
That's why Jesus came, to run down and up the hills of life with us, setting us free to soar as on eagles' wings through the good news of Jesus Christ in all his healing, reconciling power. He came to set us free, to heal and restore us spiritually, mentally, emotionally, physically, and relationally. And he came to empower us to set others free spiritually, mentally, emotionally, physically, and relationally. This demonstrates the awesome power of persevering intercessory prayer. Never give up!
Thank you, God, for the power of intercessory prayer to heal, restore, and set people free to soar and run down and up the hills of life with inexpressible joy, uncontainable happiness, and unending freedom. Give me the vision and love to
see others who need to be set free to run down and up the hills. In the name of him who is able! Amen!
Dr. Sam Bruce, President, Sam & Sandie Bruce Ministries; Pastor, Hope Point Church, Pearl,Mississippi
Thursday, March 31, 2011
Wednesday, March 30, 2011
Day 15
Seeking the Known about the Unknown
Search me, O God, and know my heart; test me and know my anxious thoughts. —Psalm 139:23 NIV
Our motivation for entering a fast can often mislead us. We are often tempted to enter a fast so that we can resolve some difficulty or obtain what we do not possess. Our true motivation for fasting should be one that leads us to greater intimacy with God. One definition of true intimacy is to know, to be known, so that he can be caringly involved. When we are motivated to fast for the purpose of knowing God, to be known by God so that we can be caringly involved with God, our fasting will be productive.
Several years ago, I was led by the Holy Spirit to fast for twenty-one days. As this leading came to me, I had no other reason to fast except to be obedient to the Lord. I have come to believe that when the Holy Spirit leads you to fast, he is preparing you for what is ahead. You will not know at the onset of the fast what it is that he is preparing you to face, go through, or accomplish. You may find in retrospect that the fasting period is an actual time of planting spiritual seed for a time of
harvest that comes well beyond the fast.
As I began to fast in obedience to the Holy Spirit, the journey began to unfold. I had been fasting for four days when I received a call to be a replacement speaker at a convention. The scheduled speaker had fallen ill and they needed a speaker to fill his assignment. The request came two weeks before the assignment. I asked for a day to pray and check my calendar before answering. I felt the release from the Lord to accept the assignment. My time of fasting would carry into the beginning days of the meeting. I stayed faithful to the full twenty-one- day fast from meals, taking only liquids. I felt energized as we entered the meeting, and it was quickly evident that the Spirit of God was upon this meeting.
We experienced a tremendous move of God on the fourth night of the meeting. I began to deliver my message when there was a great disturbance in the auditorium. The disturbance was quieted only to occur again about ten minutes later. Then, as we regained the attention of the audience, my microphone went dead. A second microphone was handed to me and it went dead.
Finally, we again restored sound. As I continued my message, a man came walking across the front of the auditorium and fell weeping on the altar. I paused, and in my spirit I asked God, "What is taking place?" The immediate impression to my mind from God was, "I don't need your sermon." I believe because of the fasting and intimacy with God, I quickly responded to him. I shared with the audience what I felt the Lord had shared with me and said, "God has already spoken to you, just be obedient. The altars are open for you to respond to the Lord." Immediately, the altars were flooded with people responding.
During the next hour and fifteen minutes, wave after wave of people were coming to God. There were miracle healings and deliverances that took place in front of our eyes. There were three men all above the age of sixty who came to receive Christ as their personal Savior that evening. Other signs and wonders too numerous to mention occurred. From that day to now, I have been firmly convinced God only needs individuals who are willing to set themselves aside to be a conduit of the Holy Spirit. I know of no other way to so effectively become a surrendered conduit for the Holy Spirit than by fasting.
Lord, may I so desire to know you and be known by you that I will lay aside every weight that would beset me. May my desire for knowing you intensify to the level that I could lay aside anything in order to spend time in your presence. Father, I want to be caringly involved in what you are doing. Lord, I seek you so that you may reveal the unknown to me. Amen.
Pastor Claude Robold, New Covenant Church, Middletown, Ohio
Search me, O God, and know my heart; test me and know my anxious thoughts. —Psalm 139:23 NIV
Our motivation for entering a fast can often mislead us. We are often tempted to enter a fast so that we can resolve some difficulty or obtain what we do not possess. Our true motivation for fasting should be one that leads us to greater intimacy with God. One definition of true intimacy is to know, to be known, so that he can be caringly involved. When we are motivated to fast for the purpose of knowing God, to be known by God so that we can be caringly involved with God, our fasting will be productive.
Several years ago, I was led by the Holy Spirit to fast for twenty-one days. As this leading came to me, I had no other reason to fast except to be obedient to the Lord. I have come to believe that when the Holy Spirit leads you to fast, he is preparing you for what is ahead. You will not know at the onset of the fast what it is that he is preparing you to face, go through, or accomplish. You may find in retrospect that the fasting period is an actual time of planting spiritual seed for a time of
harvest that comes well beyond the fast.
As I began to fast in obedience to the Holy Spirit, the journey began to unfold. I had been fasting for four days when I received a call to be a replacement speaker at a convention. The scheduled speaker had fallen ill and they needed a speaker to fill his assignment. The request came two weeks before the assignment. I asked for a day to pray and check my calendar before answering. I felt the release from the Lord to accept the assignment. My time of fasting would carry into the beginning days of the meeting. I stayed faithful to the full twenty-one- day fast from meals, taking only liquids. I felt energized as we entered the meeting, and it was quickly evident that the Spirit of God was upon this meeting.
We experienced a tremendous move of God on the fourth night of the meeting. I began to deliver my message when there was a great disturbance in the auditorium. The disturbance was quieted only to occur again about ten minutes later. Then, as we regained the attention of the audience, my microphone went dead. A second microphone was handed to me and it went dead.
Finally, we again restored sound. As I continued my message, a man came walking across the front of the auditorium and fell weeping on the altar. I paused, and in my spirit I asked God, "What is taking place?" The immediate impression to my mind from God was, "I don't need your sermon." I believe because of the fasting and intimacy with God, I quickly responded to him. I shared with the audience what I felt the Lord had shared with me and said, "God has already spoken to you, just be obedient. The altars are open for you to respond to the Lord." Immediately, the altars were flooded with people responding.
During the next hour and fifteen minutes, wave after wave of people were coming to God. There were miracle healings and deliverances that took place in front of our eyes. There were three men all above the age of sixty who came to receive Christ as their personal Savior that evening. Other signs and wonders too numerous to mention occurred. From that day to now, I have been firmly convinced God only needs individuals who are willing to set themselves aside to be a conduit of the Holy Spirit. I know of no other way to so effectively become a surrendered conduit for the Holy Spirit than by fasting.
Lord, may I so desire to know you and be known by you that I will lay aside every weight that would beset me. May my desire for knowing you intensify to the level that I could lay aside anything in order to spend time in your presence. Father, I want to be caringly involved in what you are doing. Lord, I seek you so that you may reveal the unknown to me. Amen.
Pastor Claude Robold, New Covenant Church, Middletown, Ohio
Tuesday, March 29, 2011
Day 14
Healing Our Painful Pasts
"I will forgive their wickedness and will remember their sins no more." —Jeremiah 31:34 NIV
Do you have a secret? Is there something about you that you hope no one ever discovers? I have found that all of us have secrets and that failing to address them can be very unhealthy spiritually. As a young pastor, I would talk about horrible problems like rape, incest, suicide and sexual addiction as belonging to people out there. We brought the poor lost folks into our fellowship to bring them to Christ.
How foolish of me! I have learned that whatever the group—an alcoholic recovery group, a church crowd, a mid-week Bible study populated mostly with white-haired folks—there will be people present who are struggling with painful secrets. I remember a young mother coming into my office a number of years ago. She was talented and beautiful, with a wonderful smile, but this day she was not smiling. This day, through bitter tears, she recounted years of sexual abuse and a broken life that had resulted from her painful past. No one knew, but the secret was destroying her life.
If you are a Christ follower you probably are aware that God forgives completely when we ask. "I will forgive their wickedness and will remember their sins no more" (Jeremiah 31:34). It is not God who struggles with forgiveness. We struggle to release our painful pasts into his forgiving Spirit.
Several years ago, I started teaching a little visualization prayer. I ask people to imagine their heart to be a big room. It is a place where you live and work. In the middle of the room is a trap door. Can you see it? Inside the trap door are the secrets, the hurts, the painful memories in our lives. Maybe they are so painful you have chosen to not recall them. I then ask people to do two things. If there are secret, not yet confessed sins in their lives, they need to confess them at that moment to God. Next, they need to lift the trap door. It is dark down there, but Jesus is light. Invite him to go into the darkness. Ask him to touch those wounds and hurts that keep you confused and frustrated and angry. Ask him to remove the guilt and pain and replace them with his amazing peace.
I ask that you pray this prayer every day until his peace overcomes the pain and darkness that robs you of his joy:
Prayer: "Lord, help me open the trap doors in my life. As the Light of the world, please walk with me into the darkness. Touch and heal the wounds that keep me confused and frustrated and angry. Then remove the guilt and pain and replace it with your amazing peace. Amen. "
Dr. Steve Birch, Pastor, White Chapel Church of God, South Daytona, Florida
"I will forgive their wickedness and will remember their sins no more." —Jeremiah 31:34 NIV
Do you have a secret? Is there something about you that you hope no one ever discovers? I have found that all of us have secrets and that failing to address them can be very unhealthy spiritually. As a young pastor, I would talk about horrible problems like rape, incest, suicide and sexual addiction as belonging to people out there. We brought the poor lost folks into our fellowship to bring them to Christ.
How foolish of me! I have learned that whatever the group—an alcoholic recovery group, a church crowd, a mid-week Bible study populated mostly with white-haired folks—there will be people present who are struggling with painful secrets. I remember a young mother coming into my office a number of years ago. She was talented and beautiful, with a wonderful smile, but this day she was not smiling. This day, through bitter tears, she recounted years of sexual abuse and a broken life that had resulted from her painful past. No one knew, but the secret was destroying her life.
If you are a Christ follower you probably are aware that God forgives completely when we ask. "I will forgive their wickedness and will remember their sins no more" (Jeremiah 31:34). It is not God who struggles with forgiveness. We struggle to release our painful pasts into his forgiving Spirit.
Several years ago, I started teaching a little visualization prayer. I ask people to imagine their heart to be a big room. It is a place where you live and work. In the middle of the room is a trap door. Can you see it? Inside the trap door are the secrets, the hurts, the painful memories in our lives. Maybe they are so painful you have chosen to not recall them. I then ask people to do two things. If there are secret, not yet confessed sins in their lives, they need to confess them at that moment to God. Next, they need to lift the trap door. It is dark down there, but Jesus is light. Invite him to go into the darkness. Ask him to touch those wounds and hurts that keep you confused and frustrated and angry. Ask him to remove the guilt and pain and replace them with his amazing peace.
I ask that you pray this prayer every day until his peace overcomes the pain and darkness that robs you of his joy:
Prayer: "Lord, help me open the trap doors in my life. As the Light of the world, please walk with me into the darkness. Touch and heal the wounds that keep me confused and frustrated and angry. Then remove the guilt and pain and replace it with your amazing peace. Amen. "
Dr. Steve Birch, Pastor, White Chapel Church of God, South Daytona, Florida
Monday, March 28, 2011
Day 13
The Power of Fasting
Most Christians and non-Christians rarely discuss or understood fasting. I remember, as a new Christian, when we were asked by our pastor or one of the spiritual leaders in the congregation to fast from 6:00 AM to 6:00 PM So often we would watch our watches, or the clock on the wall, waiting for 6:00 PM to arrive. On a few occasions, a meal was prepared in advance and the alarm clock set sharply for 6:00 PM so we could begin eating immediately. As I look back on those days of my early Christian experiences, it appears we were more concerned about eating than fasting.
Later, as I read the Bible, and other books about fasting, I discovered that fasting is a vital teaching in both the Old and New Testaments. Furthermore, I learned that fasting, coupled with prayer and a humble spirit, is a powerful weapon in the life of a Christian.
The Hebrew word for fasting means "to cover the mouth," and the Greek word for fasting means "to abstain from food." In each instance, the meaning is the same. We cover our mouths to prevent food from entering our bodies. Fasting is a time of dedicating both body and soul to God by removing fleshly distractions from our lives. Fasting allows the spiritual resources of heaven to occupy our thoughts and affections. We are removed, for a while, to a new dimension of spiritual reality; our walk by faith, and not be sight, takes on a new meaning as we make a connection with God in new and exciting ways.
Therefore, fasting is any self-imposed appetite-denying discipline. Consequently, fasting takes on a negative aspect for the flesh; in contrast, it becomes a positive force in the Spirit. There are, for example, a number of illustrations in the Bible that confirm the benefits of fasting. Here are just a few of them:
1. Deliverance from the Adversary — Esther 4:1-3 (NIV). When Mordecai learned all that had been done, he tore his clothes, put on sackcloth and ashes, and went out into the city, wailing loudly and bitterly.
But he only went as far as the king's gate, because no one clothed in sackcloth and ashes was allowed to enter. In every province to which the edict and order of the king came, there was great mourning among the Jews, with fasting, weeping, and wailing. Many lay in sackcloth and ashes.
2. Jesus in the Wilderness — Matthew 4:1-2 (NIV). Then Jesus was led by the Spirit into the desert to be tempted by the devil. After fasting, for forty days and for nights, he was hungry.
3. For Divine Revelation and Confirmation — Acts 13:1-2 (NIV). In the church at Antioch there were prophets and teachersWhile they were worshiping the Lord and fasting, the Holy Spirit said, "Set apart for me Barnabas and Saul for the work to which I have called them."
Since those early days as a new Christian and my first exposure to fasting, I have learned the true meaning of fasting for spiritual growth and divine enlightenment. A fitting conclusion regarding the importance of fasting may be summarized as follows:
(1) As Christians we can and ought to fast on behalf of our nation and those who provide leadership at the local, state, and national levels.
(2)Fasting will help us to overcome temptation as we face our social, physical, moral, and spiritual wilderness.
(3) May we fast and pray for men and women who will petition God for his guidance and direction of Holy Spirit as we seek to do his will.
Dr. Alvin Lewis, Retired, Former Pastor, Central Community Church of God, Jackson, Mississippi
Most Christians and non-Christians rarely discuss or understood fasting. I remember, as a new Christian, when we were asked by our pastor or one of the spiritual leaders in the congregation to fast from 6:00 AM to 6:00 PM So often we would watch our watches, or the clock on the wall, waiting for 6:00 PM to arrive. On a few occasions, a meal was prepared in advance and the alarm clock set sharply for 6:00 PM so we could begin eating immediately. As I look back on those days of my early Christian experiences, it appears we were more concerned about eating than fasting.
Later, as I read the Bible, and other books about fasting, I discovered that fasting is a vital teaching in both the Old and New Testaments. Furthermore, I learned that fasting, coupled with prayer and a humble spirit, is a powerful weapon in the life of a Christian.
The Hebrew word for fasting means "to cover the mouth," and the Greek word for fasting means "to abstain from food." In each instance, the meaning is the same. We cover our mouths to prevent food from entering our bodies. Fasting is a time of dedicating both body and soul to God by removing fleshly distractions from our lives. Fasting allows the spiritual resources of heaven to occupy our thoughts and affections. We are removed, for a while, to a new dimension of spiritual reality; our walk by faith, and not be sight, takes on a new meaning as we make a connection with God in new and exciting ways.
Therefore, fasting is any self-imposed appetite-denying discipline. Consequently, fasting takes on a negative aspect for the flesh; in contrast, it becomes a positive force in the Spirit. There are, for example, a number of illustrations in the Bible that confirm the benefits of fasting. Here are just a few of them:
1. Deliverance from the Adversary — Esther 4:1-3 (NIV). When Mordecai learned all that had been done, he tore his clothes, put on sackcloth and ashes, and went out into the city, wailing loudly and bitterly.
But he only went as far as the king's gate, because no one clothed in sackcloth and ashes was allowed to enter. In every province to which the edict and order of the king came, there was great mourning among the Jews, with fasting, weeping, and wailing. Many lay in sackcloth and ashes.
2. Jesus in the Wilderness — Matthew 4:1-2 (NIV). Then Jesus was led by the Spirit into the desert to be tempted by the devil. After fasting, for forty days and for nights, he was hungry.
3. For Divine Revelation and Confirmation — Acts 13:1-2 (NIV). In the church at Antioch there were prophets and teachersWhile they were worshiping the Lord and fasting, the Holy Spirit said, "Set apart for me Barnabas and Saul for the work to which I have called them."
Since those early days as a new Christian and my first exposure to fasting, I have learned the true meaning of fasting for spiritual growth and divine enlightenment. A fitting conclusion regarding the importance of fasting may be summarized as follows:
(1) As Christians we can and ought to fast on behalf of our nation and those who provide leadership at the local, state, and national levels.
(2)Fasting will help us to overcome temptation as we face our social, physical, moral, and spiritual wilderness.
(3) May we fast and pray for men and women who will petition God for his guidance and direction of Holy Spirit as we seek to do his will.
Dr. Alvin Lewis, Retired, Former Pastor, Central Community Church of God, Jackson, Mississippi
Sunday, March 27, 2011
Day 12
Prayer for Joy in the Sighing Times
When I finished writing my song Come to the Waters, Sandie and I were visiting in the mountain home of our friends Buz and Billie Boberg. After Billie, who had faced some difficult physical and emotional challenges, heard us sing the song for the first time, she said, "Sam, I'm so glad you wrote the part about sighing because sometimes, when you face the hard times, the only thing you can do is sigh!" She was referring to the third verse: "Bring all your sorrows, heartbreaks and hurts. Bring all your sicknesses, sighs, and sins. Taste of my waters, and I'll cleanse you today. Bring them all to my waters, I'll refresh you within! I'll refresh you, I'll renew you, I will cleanse you right now." The verses of Psalm 5 below form an awesome prayer for joy in the sighing times. My journal entry that follows is an affirmation of that prayer to the God who, in the midst of our sighing, crying, hurting, requesting, does give joy! He's proven himself faithful time and time again.
"Give ear to my words, O LORD, consider my sighing. Listen to my cry for help, my King and my God, for to you I pray. In the morning, O LORD, you hear my voice; in the morning I lay my requests before you and wait in expectation
Lead me, O LORD, in your righteousness because of my enemies—make straight your way before me. But let all who take refuge in you be glad; let them ever sing for joy. Spread your protection over them, that those who love your name may rejoice in you. For surely, O LORD, you bless the righteous; you surround them with your favor as with a shield" (Psalm 5:1-3, 8, 11-12 NIV, emphasis added).
My sighing—
when the cares
and problems of life
weigh me down,
God hears!
My crying—
when words don't come easily,
when my heart aches constantly,
when my mind is muddled and confused,
God listens!
My requests—
the things I know I need,
the things God knows I need,
the things that feed my soul,
God provides!
Therefore,
I can come before my God expectantly,
I can experience his mercy, I can follow his leadership,
God gives joy!
Dr. Sam Bruce, President, Sam & Sandie Bruce Ministries; Pastor, Hope Point Church, Pearl, Mississippi
When I finished writing my song Come to the Waters, Sandie and I were visiting in the mountain home of our friends Buz and Billie Boberg. After Billie, who had faced some difficult physical and emotional challenges, heard us sing the song for the first time, she said, "Sam, I'm so glad you wrote the part about sighing because sometimes, when you face the hard times, the only thing you can do is sigh!" She was referring to the third verse: "Bring all your sorrows, heartbreaks and hurts. Bring all your sicknesses, sighs, and sins. Taste of my waters, and I'll cleanse you today. Bring them all to my waters, I'll refresh you within! I'll refresh you, I'll renew you, I will cleanse you right now." The verses of Psalm 5 below form an awesome prayer for joy in the sighing times. My journal entry that follows is an affirmation of that prayer to the God who, in the midst of our sighing, crying, hurting, requesting, does give joy! He's proven himself faithful time and time again.
"Give ear to my words, O LORD, consider my sighing. Listen to my cry for help, my King and my God, for to you I pray. In the morning, O LORD, you hear my voice; in the morning I lay my requests before you and wait in expectation
Lead me, O LORD, in your righteousness because of my enemies—make straight your way before me. But let all who take refuge in you be glad; let them ever sing for joy. Spread your protection over them, that those who love your name may rejoice in you. For surely, O LORD, you bless the righteous; you surround them with your favor as with a shield" (Psalm 5:1-3, 8, 11-12 NIV, emphasis added).
My sighing—
when the cares
and problems of life
weigh me down,
God hears!
My crying—
when words don't come easily,
when my heart aches constantly,
when my mind is muddled and confused,
God listens!
My requests—
the things I know I need,
the things God knows I need,
the things that feed my soul,
God provides!
Therefore,
I can come before my God expectantly,
I can experience his mercy, I can follow his leadership,
God gives joy!
Dr. Sam Bruce, President, Sam & Sandie Bruce Ministries; Pastor, Hope Point Church, Pearl, Mississippi
Saturday, March 26, 2011
Day 11
Fasting as an Expression of Love Day 11
"I am my beloved's, and my beloved is mine." —Song of Songs 6:3 KJV
With two active kids, three dogs, and a tortoise at our house, it's not always easy for my husband and I to find time to share romantic moments together. Each of us has a demanding career as well, so date night often gets bumped off the calendar by meetings, work deadlines, school projects, and other demands of our busy schedule.
For all the concerts we've never heard, the movies we've never seen, and the intimate dinners we've never gotten to share in the twelve years of our marriage, we
still have a healthy relationship because we've managed to find creative ways to express our love for each other that wouldn't be obvious to the casual observer. For example, pot roast with carrots and potatoes is my husband's favorite meal, so anytime I want to clearly communicate my love for him, all I have to do is put a pot roast in the crock pot.
To him, being greeted at the front door after a long day at work by the savory aroma of roast beef is better than the thought of a fine dinner at a five-star restaurant, and he knows beyond a shadow of a doubt that the meal was prepared with love just for him. Slow dancing in the kitchen when our song comes on the radio, laughing at funny things our kids have said, or when I wear a certain perfume or a piece of special jewelry that he purchased for me—all of these things communicate wordlessly that I've been thinking of him during the day and say a silent "I love you" that only he can hear. These ordinary, everyday romantic moments make up the majority of the romantic space in our marriage and serve as the intimate foundation that supports our family through times of hardship and pain.
For me, fasting has served a similar purpose in my relationship with God. When Jesus
addresses the topics of prayer, giving, and fasting in Matthew 6:5-16, he cautions that these acts are acts of personal devotion. While there are occasions where we engage corporately in all three, our relationship with God thrives when it is built on the foundation of a strong personal, private devotional life. When I am fasting, whether it is for a few hours, a day, or longer, it's as if I get to spend my whole day in my "secret place" alone with God. I find that as I am fasting, I turn
increasingly to God in prayer and meditation on his Word, and my whole day becomes filled with stolen romantic moments with him. As I go about my daily business, my fasting is like the special perfume or the aroma of pot roast, secretly telegraphing the message "I love you, God!" heavenward like a sweet-smelling incense.
Lord, may my actions this day communicate my love for you and show that my relationship with you is a priority in my life. Forgive me when I fall short of this goal and help me to work on having a strong, intimate relationship with you as my deepest desire.
Mary Nichols, Commissioned Minister, Teays Valley Church of God, Scott Depot, West Virginia
"I am my beloved's, and my beloved is mine." —Song of Songs 6:3 KJV
With two active kids, three dogs, and a tortoise at our house, it's not always easy for my husband and I to find time to share romantic moments together. Each of us has a demanding career as well, so date night often gets bumped off the calendar by meetings, work deadlines, school projects, and other demands of our busy schedule.
For all the concerts we've never heard, the movies we've never seen, and the intimate dinners we've never gotten to share in the twelve years of our marriage, we
still have a healthy relationship because we've managed to find creative ways to express our love for each other that wouldn't be obvious to the casual observer. For example, pot roast with carrots and potatoes is my husband's favorite meal, so anytime I want to clearly communicate my love for him, all I have to do is put a pot roast in the crock pot.
To him, being greeted at the front door after a long day at work by the savory aroma of roast beef is better than the thought of a fine dinner at a five-star restaurant, and he knows beyond a shadow of a doubt that the meal was prepared with love just for him. Slow dancing in the kitchen when our song comes on the radio, laughing at funny things our kids have said, or when I wear a certain perfume or a piece of special jewelry that he purchased for me—all of these things communicate wordlessly that I've been thinking of him during the day and say a silent "I love you" that only he can hear. These ordinary, everyday romantic moments make up the majority of the romantic space in our marriage and serve as the intimate foundation that supports our family through times of hardship and pain.
For me, fasting has served a similar purpose in my relationship with God. When Jesus
addresses the topics of prayer, giving, and fasting in Matthew 6:5-16, he cautions that these acts are acts of personal devotion. While there are occasions where we engage corporately in all three, our relationship with God thrives when it is built on the foundation of a strong personal, private devotional life. When I am fasting, whether it is for a few hours, a day, or longer, it's as if I get to spend my whole day in my "secret place" alone with God. I find that as I am fasting, I turn
increasingly to God in prayer and meditation on his Word, and my whole day becomes filled with stolen romantic moments with him. As I go about my daily business, my fasting is like the special perfume or the aroma of pot roast, secretly telegraphing the message "I love you, God!" heavenward like a sweet-smelling incense.
Lord, may my actions this day communicate my love for you and show that my relationship with you is a priority in my life. Forgive me when I fall short of this goal and help me to work on having a strong, intimate relationship with you as my deepest desire.
Mary Nichols, Commissioned Minister, Teays Valley Church of God, Scott Depot, West Virginia
Monday, March 21, 2011
DAY 10
Feeding the Starter Day 10
But Jesus often withdrew to lonely places and prayed. —Luke 5:16 NIV
I guess you could say that my family is spoiled, but we've grown accustomed to homemade bread. Several times a week, I bake sourdough bread. We enjoy having bread we can actually taste. We don't have to keep yeast around, because healthy sourdough starter will cause dough to rise just as well as yeast can—and the end product is much tastier and easier for your body to digest. Having healthy starter around also makes it possible to conveniently enjoy homemade sourdough pancakes, waffles, rolls, and more instead of settling for facsimiles of those things brought home in a package from a store.
In order for this to be possible the starter has to be fed regularly, and that requires a little discipline. Every morning as part of my morning routine, I have to feed the starter. All it takes is a little flour, a little water, and a little stir. Sometimes when I'm pressed for time I wonder if it is worth it. But the benefits far outweigh the trouble.
In today's scripture, Luke implies that Jesus had a consistent routine of prayer. For most of us, prayer is something we do when we need help or instruction or intervention. Our habit of taking prayer requests in our services demonstrates that we see prayer as a response to life.
It appears that Jesus' understanding of prayer was just the opposite. Prayer was the starter. For Jesus, prayer wasn't a response to the events of his life; it was out of his habit of prayer that the events of his life flowed. No matter what his day brought, he was ready. He didn't have to scramble around mumbling snippets of prayer under his breath to figure out what God wanted him to do. His prayer foundation was laid; he just had to listen for the voice he recognized and to look for the work of the hands that were so familiar.
I think most of our lives would be very different if we adopted Jesus' perspective on prayer. If prayer were the initiating activity of our lives, we would spend more time paying attention to what God was doing, and far less time worrying about the unexpected. It may take a little work to establish a healthy, well-fed prayer starter, but the benefits far outweigh the trouble.
"Father, help us to learn to make prayer the starter for our lives, and not just a response to it."
Pastor Bruce Steffensen, Interim Pastor, Holiday Park Church of God, Portland, Oregon
But Jesus often withdrew to lonely places and prayed. —Luke 5:16 NIV
I guess you could say that my family is spoiled, but we've grown accustomed to homemade bread. Several times a week, I bake sourdough bread. We enjoy having bread we can actually taste. We don't have to keep yeast around, because healthy sourdough starter will cause dough to rise just as well as yeast can—and the end product is much tastier and easier for your body to digest. Having healthy starter around also makes it possible to conveniently enjoy homemade sourdough pancakes, waffles, rolls, and more instead of settling for facsimiles of those things brought home in a package from a store.
In order for this to be possible the starter has to be fed regularly, and that requires a little discipline. Every morning as part of my morning routine, I have to feed the starter. All it takes is a little flour, a little water, and a little stir. Sometimes when I'm pressed for time I wonder if it is worth it. But the benefits far outweigh the trouble.
In today's scripture, Luke implies that Jesus had a consistent routine of prayer. For most of us, prayer is something we do when we need help or instruction or intervention. Our habit of taking prayer requests in our services demonstrates that we see prayer as a response to life.
It appears that Jesus' understanding of prayer was just the opposite. Prayer was the starter. For Jesus, prayer wasn't a response to the events of his life; it was out of his habit of prayer that the events of his life flowed. No matter what his day brought, he was ready. He didn't have to scramble around mumbling snippets of prayer under his breath to figure out what God wanted him to do. His prayer foundation was laid; he just had to listen for the voice he recognized and to look for the work of the hands that were so familiar.
I think most of our lives would be very different if we adopted Jesus' perspective on prayer. If prayer were the initiating activity of our lives, we would spend more time paying attention to what God was doing, and far less time worrying about the unexpected. It may take a little work to establish a healthy, well-fed prayer starter, but the benefits far outweigh the trouble.
"Father, help us to learn to make prayer the starter for our lives, and not just a response to it."
Pastor Bruce Steffensen, Interim Pastor, Holiday Park Church of God, Portland, Oregon
Day 9
God’s Gift: Our Very Own GPS Day 9
“For everything, absolutely everything, above and below, visible and invisible… everything got started in him and finds its purpose in him.” —Colossians 1:16 MSG
I think one of the greatest inventions I have ever used is a GPS—global positioning system. Being directionally challenged is part of who I am; finding my way from point A to point B can be a challenge. There is just something about that automated voice telling me which way to turn that makes me feel more secure in my travels. Until the voice says, “Satellite signal lost.” Oh no! The automated voice is lost and so am I.
One time my husband and I were looking for a particular hospital in Cleveland in order to visit my sister-in-law. The GPS said very plainly, “Turn left now.” The only problem was, there was a solid culvert all along the left side and no way that anyone could turn left. We could see the hospital, but the GPS just couldn’t get us there, “Recalculating, recalculating.” And then, “Satellite signal lost.”
Have you ever felt lost? Have you ever lost your signal? What is your usual response when feeling lost, whether on the highway or in the circumstances of your life? Where do you turn for direction? This lostness that we all feel from time to time reminds me of how much we need to have God’s crystal clear signal in our lives—his internal guidance system that he has placed within each of us. And the good news is that he never loses his signal. And at the very worst, we are the ones that
need to recalculate our direction.
Psalm 130:14 says, “I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made.” At birth, he gave us our very own GPS and who can tell us who we are and what our purpose is better than our creator—we were born by his purpose and for his purpose.
Not only has he given us our own GPS system, but he has lavished on us all the resources we need to fulfill his purpose for our lives. He has SHAPED us for ministry, and that ministry is determined by how he made us. I love the acrostic Pastor Rick Warren uses to describe all the resources God has given us:
Spiritual Gifts
Heart or Passion
Abilities
Personality
Experiences
A large part of his purpose for us is to use these resources to serve others. Read the following scriptures: Ephesians 2:10; 1 Timothy 1:9; Galatians 1:15. Then ask God to show you what he made you to do, where he wants you to serve, and how he wants you to serve in the body of Christ and in the world.
Closing Thought: “And God is able to make all grace abound to you, so that in all things at all times, having all that you need, you will abound in every good work” (2Corinthians 9:8)
Pastor Barb Ferraro, New Beginnings Church, Meadville, Pennsylvania, Member, Transformation
Team Connect/Refresh
“For everything, absolutely everything, above and below, visible and invisible… everything got started in him and finds its purpose in him.” —Colossians 1:16 MSG
I think one of the greatest inventions I have ever used is a GPS—global positioning system. Being directionally challenged is part of who I am; finding my way from point A to point B can be a challenge. There is just something about that automated voice telling me which way to turn that makes me feel more secure in my travels. Until the voice says, “Satellite signal lost.” Oh no! The automated voice is lost and so am I.
One time my husband and I were looking for a particular hospital in Cleveland in order to visit my sister-in-law. The GPS said very plainly, “Turn left now.” The only problem was, there was a solid culvert all along the left side and no way that anyone could turn left. We could see the hospital, but the GPS just couldn’t get us there, “Recalculating, recalculating.” And then, “Satellite signal lost.”
Have you ever felt lost? Have you ever lost your signal? What is your usual response when feeling lost, whether on the highway or in the circumstances of your life? Where do you turn for direction? This lostness that we all feel from time to time reminds me of how much we need to have God’s crystal clear signal in our lives—his internal guidance system that he has placed within each of us. And the good news is that he never loses his signal. And at the very worst, we are the ones that
need to recalculate our direction.
Psalm 130:14 says, “I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made.” At birth, he gave us our very own GPS and who can tell us who we are and what our purpose is better than our creator—we were born by his purpose and for his purpose.
Not only has he given us our own GPS system, but he has lavished on us all the resources we need to fulfill his purpose for our lives. He has SHAPED us for ministry, and that ministry is determined by how he made us. I love the acrostic Pastor Rick Warren uses to describe all the resources God has given us:
Spiritual Gifts
Heart or Passion
Abilities
Personality
Experiences
A large part of his purpose for us is to use these resources to serve others. Read the following scriptures: Ephesians 2:10; 1 Timothy 1:9; Galatians 1:15. Then ask God to show you what he made you to do, where he wants you to serve, and how he wants you to serve in the body of Christ and in the world.
Closing Thought: “And God is able to make all grace abound to you, so that in all things at all times, having all that you need, you will abound in every good work” (2Corinthians 9:8)
Pastor Barb Ferraro, New Beginnings Church, Meadville, Pennsylvania, Member, Transformation
Team Connect/Refresh
Day 8
Rising to the Surface Day 8
Then Jesus was led by the Spirit into the desert to be tempted by the devil. After fasting forty days and forty nights, he was hungry. —Matthew 4:1–2 NIV
I think it is important that we not miss the point that Jesus started out by fasting. Before he began teaching or healing, he fasted. It was a time of focus, preparation, and sorting.
My family prefers raw milk. None of this pasteurized/homogenized stuff out of a carton for us. We like it right out of the cow. One of the characteristics of raw milk is that if it is allowed to rest still and undisturbed, it separates and the cream rises to the top. When milk has separated, you have a couple of choices. You can shake the bottle and the cream will disappear into the rest of the milk, or you can draw the cream off and transform it into useful things, such as butter and whipped cream.
When people fast for a long time, their hearts begin to rest and settle, and the things that are hidden in their hearts tend to rise to the surface. We may find that the anger or resentment we thought we had dealt with long ago is still a nagging presence. Or we may find that a passion or calling that we had never noticed is crying for our attention.
That long period of time may come in the form of a prolonged fast like Jesus’, or it may come in the form of a prolonged habit of shorter fasts over a period of weeks, months, or years. In either case, the result is the same: the true nature of our hearts rises to the surface. It may come through temptation, prayer, study, or conversation, but it will come.
When that occurs, we have a couple of options. We can fill the stillness with noise—shake our hearts up so the issues disappear back into the milk of our everyday lives. The other option is to stay quiet and allow the Spirit to draw off whatever rises to the surface of our hearts (he brought them up in the first place).
When Jesus fasted, he went through temptation and his true nature as the sinless Lamb of God rose to the surface. What rises to the surface of our hearts may not be so noble. But if we allow the Spirit to draw it off and transform it, he can make it something useful in our lives.
"Father, help us learn to allow stillness and quiet into our lives. Transform whatever rises to the surface into something useful and honoring to you."
Pastor Bruce Steffensen, Interim Pastor, Holiday Park Church of God, Portland, Oregon
Then Jesus was led by the Spirit into the desert to be tempted by the devil. After fasting forty days and forty nights, he was hungry. —Matthew 4:1–2 NIV
I think it is important that we not miss the point that Jesus started out by fasting. Before he began teaching or healing, he fasted. It was a time of focus, preparation, and sorting.
My family prefers raw milk. None of this pasteurized/homogenized stuff out of a carton for us. We like it right out of the cow. One of the characteristics of raw milk is that if it is allowed to rest still and undisturbed, it separates and the cream rises to the top. When milk has separated, you have a couple of choices. You can shake the bottle and the cream will disappear into the rest of the milk, or you can draw the cream off and transform it into useful things, such as butter and whipped cream.
When people fast for a long time, their hearts begin to rest and settle, and the things that are hidden in their hearts tend to rise to the surface. We may find that the anger or resentment we thought we had dealt with long ago is still a nagging presence. Or we may find that a passion or calling that we had never noticed is crying for our attention.
That long period of time may come in the form of a prolonged fast like Jesus’, or it may come in the form of a prolonged habit of shorter fasts over a period of weeks, months, or years. In either case, the result is the same: the true nature of our hearts rises to the surface. It may come through temptation, prayer, study, or conversation, but it will come.
When that occurs, we have a couple of options. We can fill the stillness with noise—shake our hearts up so the issues disappear back into the milk of our everyday lives. The other option is to stay quiet and allow the Spirit to draw off whatever rises to the surface of our hearts (he brought them up in the first place).
When Jesus fasted, he went through temptation and his true nature as the sinless Lamb of God rose to the surface. What rises to the surface of our hearts may not be so noble. But if we allow the Spirit to draw it off and transform it, he can make it something useful in our lives.
"Father, help us learn to allow stillness and quiet into our lives. Transform whatever rises to the surface into something useful and honoring to you."
Pastor Bruce Steffensen, Interim Pastor, Holiday Park Church of God, Portland, Oregon
Wednesday, March 16, 2011
Day 7
Attach Yourself to Your Prayers Day 7
“Pray the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into His harvest.” —Matthew 9:38 NKJV
After my dad, Dr. Walter (Bud) Bruce, former president of Wesley College, (where I was also president for twelve years) went to be with the Lord, Sandie and I stopped by to have an evening prayer time with my mom. We were carrying on a family tradition Mom and Dad started at the beginning of their marriage.
Of course, our thoughts were on Dad and the rich legacy of love and the true Christ follower role model he had left us. I remembered that, shortly after graduating from high school, while he was not yet a Christian, he made a covenant with God one day as he lay in a culvert while a tornado passed over him. He prayed, “Lord, if you’ll spare my life, I’ll go to church Sunday and become a Christian.” He did so the next Sunday.
Against that backdrop, I read Matthew 9:35–38, which closes with, “Pray the Lord of the harvest, therefore, to send out laborers into his harvest.” Mom told us a story that happened a few days after his culvert prayer. He heard his pastor preach on this verse, and a few days later, he was reading this passage in the Bible in his own devotional time. This became a daily practice for him, for all who knew him, knew him as a devoted man of prayer and the Word, and he began praying earnestly, in response to the minister’s message, “Lord, send forth workers into the harvest!” As he continued interceding before the Lord, God spoke clearly to his inner spirit, saying, “Bud, I want you to be a worker in my harvest. I want you to be a minister of the gospel.” And Bud said, “Yes, Lord!”
God often does things like that, like calling an extremely bashful, exceedingly timid, painfully shy young man from the backwoods of Louisiana into the ministry. He went to God’s Bible School in Cincinnati, where he met Mom. Who would have thought God destined him to serve as college president, pastor, general conference president, and director of missions? To influence the lives of hundreds of people to serve as pastors, evangelists, and missionaries? To leave a legacy that would shape the church and people for many years to come? After retirement, at age seventy-one, he pastored a country church until his death at age eighty-two.
Only God could have thought such things, for only God could enable such a ministry to happen. That vision for ministry, born in an intimate relationship with God, continues beyond his lifetime today through hundreds of Christian ministers, trained at Wesley College, who are faithfully working in God’s harvest fields. Bud’s legacy continues through three children and their spouses, his grandchildren and great grandchildren, who serve (or will, as they grow up) in God’s harvest in various vocational or lay ministries.
When Jesus said, “Pray the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into his harvest,” the word pray, in this context, does not mean to just kneel down and pray, but to attach yourself to the request you are making to God. It’s like saying, “Lord, send people out into the harvest. And if you want to send me, I
am available. Bud Bruce attached himself to his prayers, and God multiplied his ministry in ways that are rare among men. The words of a song I wrote echo this commitment: “Lord, I’ll go where you want me to go. Lord, I’ll do what you want me to do. Lord, I’ll say what you want me to say. Lord, I’ll be what you want me to be.”
Lord, I want to be there with you—going where you lead me, accomplishing what you commission me to do, saying what you empower me to communicate, becoming all you created me to be.
"Lord, keep me attached to my prayer: send out laborers into your harvest, and use me as one of them. I’m available. Use me as you wish."
by Dr. Sam Bruce, President, Sam & Sandie Bruce Ministries; Pastor, Hope Point Church, Pearl, Mississippi
“Pray the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into His harvest.” —Matthew 9:38 NKJV
After my dad, Dr. Walter (Bud) Bruce, former president of Wesley College, (where I was also president for twelve years) went to be with the Lord, Sandie and I stopped by to have an evening prayer time with my mom. We were carrying on a family tradition Mom and Dad started at the beginning of their marriage.
Of course, our thoughts were on Dad and the rich legacy of love and the true Christ follower role model he had left us. I remembered that, shortly after graduating from high school, while he was not yet a Christian, he made a covenant with God one day as he lay in a culvert while a tornado passed over him. He prayed, “Lord, if you’ll spare my life, I’ll go to church Sunday and become a Christian.” He did so the next Sunday.
Against that backdrop, I read Matthew 9:35–38, which closes with, “Pray the Lord of the harvest, therefore, to send out laborers into his harvest.” Mom told us a story that happened a few days after his culvert prayer. He heard his pastor preach on this verse, and a few days later, he was reading this passage in the Bible in his own devotional time. This became a daily practice for him, for all who knew him, knew him as a devoted man of prayer and the Word, and he began praying earnestly, in response to the minister’s message, “Lord, send forth workers into the harvest!” As he continued interceding before the Lord, God spoke clearly to his inner spirit, saying, “Bud, I want you to be a worker in my harvest. I want you to be a minister of the gospel.” And Bud said, “Yes, Lord!”
God often does things like that, like calling an extremely bashful, exceedingly timid, painfully shy young man from the backwoods of Louisiana into the ministry. He went to God’s Bible School in Cincinnati, where he met Mom. Who would have thought God destined him to serve as college president, pastor, general conference president, and director of missions? To influence the lives of hundreds of people to serve as pastors, evangelists, and missionaries? To leave a legacy that would shape the church and people for many years to come? After retirement, at age seventy-one, he pastored a country church until his death at age eighty-two.
Only God could have thought such things, for only God could enable such a ministry to happen. That vision for ministry, born in an intimate relationship with God, continues beyond his lifetime today through hundreds of Christian ministers, trained at Wesley College, who are faithfully working in God’s harvest fields. Bud’s legacy continues through three children and their spouses, his grandchildren and great grandchildren, who serve (or will, as they grow up) in God’s harvest in various vocational or lay ministries.
When Jesus said, “Pray the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into his harvest,” the word pray, in this context, does not mean to just kneel down and pray, but to attach yourself to the request you are making to God. It’s like saying, “Lord, send people out into the harvest. And if you want to send me, I
am available. Bud Bruce attached himself to his prayers, and God multiplied his ministry in ways that are rare among men. The words of a song I wrote echo this commitment: “Lord, I’ll go where you want me to go. Lord, I’ll do what you want me to do. Lord, I’ll say what you want me to say. Lord, I’ll be what you want me to be.”
Lord, I want to be there with you—going where you lead me, accomplishing what you commission me to do, saying what you empower me to communicate, becoming all you created me to be.
"Lord, keep me attached to my prayer: send out laborers into your harvest, and use me as one of them. I’m available. Use me as you wish."
by Dr. Sam Bruce, President, Sam & Sandie Bruce Ministries; Pastor, Hope Point Church, Pearl, Mississippi
Day 6
Fasting for Passion Day 6
“As the deer longs for streams of water, so I long for you, O God.” —Psalm 42:1 NLT
When my husband, Dave, and I were engaged to be married, I had to return to pack up my apartment in Pueblo, Colorado, and work out a month-long notice with my company before transferring to another office in Pittsburg, Pennsylvania. I was never so homesick in my life than I was during those four weeks of separation from my soul mate and future husband. My supper was the furthest thought from my mind every evening as I would hurry to make sure I was home at the pre-arranged time of our extended nightly long-distance phone conversation.
I never gave more than a passing thought to the rapidly growing phone bill. All other obligations and priorities took second place to those sweet hours of being together the best we could manage considering we were separated by more than fourteen hundred miles and two time zones. The most important thing to me during that time was the sound of his voice every night on the other end of the line, those precious moments shared with him even though we were far apart, and the loving reassurance that after being temporarily apart, we would be together as husband and wife for the rest of our lives.
In the beginning of our relationship with God, we often have the same kind of passion that we do in the beginning of a human relationship. We are willing to overcome any obstacle, climb any mountain, and cross any sea in order to spend time in the presence of the Lord. But as our relationship with God matures, we might begin to take our time with him for granted, just as we often do with our human companion.
In Revelation 2:4–5, Jesus scolds the church at Ephesus: “But I have this complaint against you. You don’t love me or each other as you did at first! Look how far you have fallen! Turn back to me and do the works you did at first” (NLT).
One of the often overlooked tools we can use as Christians to renew our passion is fasting. Spiritual needs and desires are often difficult for us to express because we are physical beings who exist in a physical world. When we intentionally skip a meal in order to devote ourselves to prayer, study, and meditation on the things of God, the rumblings of hunger we feel in our bodies become a way to physically express the spiritual hunger of our souls. We are saying, “Lord, right now, I want
to spend this time with you more than I want to satisfy my stomach.” The discipline of fasting and prayer can be a profound way to rekindle our passion for our relationship with God by helping us to give a concrete, physical voice to our abstract spiritual hungers and desires.
Father, help me show a passion for you today that is greater than my passion for anything fleeting that life has to offer me. Rekindle my desire to spend time with you as my first priority.
by Mary Nichols, Commissioned Minister, Teays Valley Church of God, Scott Depot, West Virginia
“As the deer longs for streams of water, so I long for you, O God.” —Psalm 42:1 NLT
When my husband, Dave, and I were engaged to be married, I had to return to pack up my apartment in Pueblo, Colorado, and work out a month-long notice with my company before transferring to another office in Pittsburg, Pennsylvania. I was never so homesick in my life than I was during those four weeks of separation from my soul mate and future husband. My supper was the furthest thought from my mind every evening as I would hurry to make sure I was home at the pre-arranged time of our extended nightly long-distance phone conversation.
I never gave more than a passing thought to the rapidly growing phone bill. All other obligations and priorities took second place to those sweet hours of being together the best we could manage considering we were separated by more than fourteen hundred miles and two time zones. The most important thing to me during that time was the sound of his voice every night on the other end of the line, those precious moments shared with him even though we were far apart, and the loving reassurance that after being temporarily apart, we would be together as husband and wife for the rest of our lives.
In the beginning of our relationship with God, we often have the same kind of passion that we do in the beginning of a human relationship. We are willing to overcome any obstacle, climb any mountain, and cross any sea in order to spend time in the presence of the Lord. But as our relationship with God matures, we might begin to take our time with him for granted, just as we often do with our human companion.
In Revelation 2:4–5, Jesus scolds the church at Ephesus: “But I have this complaint against you. You don’t love me or each other as you did at first! Look how far you have fallen! Turn back to me and do the works you did at first” (NLT).
One of the often overlooked tools we can use as Christians to renew our passion is fasting. Spiritual needs and desires are often difficult for us to express because we are physical beings who exist in a physical world. When we intentionally skip a meal in order to devote ourselves to prayer, study, and meditation on the things of God, the rumblings of hunger we feel in our bodies become a way to physically express the spiritual hunger of our souls. We are saying, “Lord, right now, I want
to spend this time with you more than I want to satisfy my stomach.” The discipline of fasting and prayer can be a profound way to rekindle our passion for our relationship with God by helping us to give a concrete, physical voice to our abstract spiritual hungers and desires.
Father, help me show a passion for you today that is greater than my passion for anything fleeting that life has to offer me. Rekindle my desire to spend time with you as my first priority.
by Mary Nichols, Commissioned Minister, Teays Valley Church of God, Scott Depot, West Virginia
Day 5
Keep on Praying. Never Give Up! Day 5
“Pray without ceasing.” —1 Thessalonians 5:17 NKJV
Most of us are familiar with that three-word verse from the apostle Paul. Depending on our interpretation, it has opened up tremendous possibilities or has been the cause of frustration. How do you pray without ceasing? Is it even possible? I understand that verse to be saying, Keep on praying; never give up!
I would like to reflect on prayer as a verb—an activity, or spiritual discipline. All of us have our unique experiences in praying, and most of us yearn for a better prayer life. Some of our frustrations result from a lack of time or the absence of a disciplined practice. Perhaps unfulfilled expectations or a smattering of guilt followed our best efforts. Then, too, we’ve heard glowing testimonies from others who had found an enriching, empowering, enjoyable prayer life.
Might it help to realize that your personal prayer life is between you and God and, therefore, not like anyone else’s? The time of day, the length of time, the bodily posture, the words used or not used, whether you are spiritual or not—none of these matter. What is important is that you and God have a heart-to-heart visit. Prayer is communion with God. That may be what Paul meant when he wrote many times about being in Christ.
Prayer is one of the practices (holy habits) that cultivate our spiritual formation,precisely because it is an exercise of being in Christ. According to one writer, prayer is basic to “the process of being shaped by the Spirit into the likeness of Christ, filled with love for God and the world.” 2 In other places, I have recommended an attitude toward prayer that seeks less of having our needs met or answers provided and more of the presence of the holy Trinity in the entirety of our lives. 3 Often called contemplative prayer, usually consisting of Bible reading, silence, meditation, and waiting, this type of prayer seeks to receive and cultivate the presence of God. The focus is inward—soul and life examination, receptivity, and quieting the mind, body, and spirit. On the other hand, intercessory prayer is more outwardly focused. I believe that the former is needed to undergird the labor of the latter and to prepare for, energize, and guide our work of ministry and faithful
witness in the world. Sometimes we blend the two together. The bottom line for praying is, I believe, “just do it!”
"O God, teach us to pray as the Disciples asked, and remind us that it is mainly through practice that we learn. Enable us by your grace to live prayerful lives, to keep on praying and never give up! Amen."
by Dr. Dwight Grubbs, Retired Pastor and Instructor at Mid-America Christian University and Anderson University School of Theology.
“Pray without ceasing.” —1 Thessalonians 5:17 NKJV
Most of us are familiar with that three-word verse from the apostle Paul. Depending on our interpretation, it has opened up tremendous possibilities or has been the cause of frustration. How do you pray without ceasing? Is it even possible? I understand that verse to be saying, Keep on praying; never give up!
I would like to reflect on prayer as a verb—an activity, or spiritual discipline. All of us have our unique experiences in praying, and most of us yearn for a better prayer life. Some of our frustrations result from a lack of time or the absence of a disciplined practice. Perhaps unfulfilled expectations or a smattering of guilt followed our best efforts. Then, too, we’ve heard glowing testimonies from others who had found an enriching, empowering, enjoyable prayer life.
Might it help to realize that your personal prayer life is between you and God and, therefore, not like anyone else’s? The time of day, the length of time, the bodily posture, the words used or not used, whether you are spiritual or not—none of these matter. What is important is that you and God have a heart-to-heart visit. Prayer is communion with God. That may be what Paul meant when he wrote many times about being in Christ.
Prayer is one of the practices (holy habits) that cultivate our spiritual formation,precisely because it is an exercise of being in Christ. According to one writer, prayer is basic to “the process of being shaped by the Spirit into the likeness of Christ, filled with love for God and the world.” 2 In other places, I have recommended an attitude toward prayer that seeks less of having our needs met or answers provided and more of the presence of the holy Trinity in the entirety of our lives. 3 Often called contemplative prayer, usually consisting of Bible reading, silence, meditation, and waiting, this type of prayer seeks to receive and cultivate the presence of God. The focus is inward—soul and life examination, receptivity, and quieting the mind, body, and spirit. On the other hand, intercessory prayer is more outwardly focused. I believe that the former is needed to undergird the labor of the latter and to prepare for, energize, and guide our work of ministry and faithful
witness in the world. Sometimes we blend the two together. The bottom line for praying is, I believe, “just do it!”
"O God, teach us to pray as the Disciples asked, and remind us that it is mainly through practice that we learn. Enable us by your grace to live prayerful lives, to keep on praying and never give up! Amen."
by Dr. Dwight Grubbs, Retired Pastor and Instructor at Mid-America Christian University and Anderson University School of Theology.
Day 4
Fasting: Leverage or Lifestyle? Day 4
In the church at Antioch there were prophets and teachers: Barnabas, Simeon called Niger, Lucius of Cyrene, Manaen (who had been brought up with Herod the tetrarch) and Saul. While they were worshiping the Lord and fasting, the Holy Spirit said, “Set apart for me Barnabas and Saul for the work to which I have called them.”
So after they had fasted and prayed, they placed their hands on them and sent them off. —Acts 13:1–3 NIV
Why were these leaders of the church in Antioch fasting? We’re told the results of their fast, but we’re never told the reason. I believe we’re not told because they are not fasting about anything; they are fasting because it is part of what they do—it is a part of the rhythm of their life. I had always assumed that fasting was a means to an end. People fasted because they needed an answer to a question or a solution to a problem. I would guess that most of our prayer and fasting is done to attempt to bring God’s resources to bear on the issues and circumstances we deem
important. They are tools of leverage. These men were just fasting. No agenda.
Christian tradition tells us we fast for two reasons: (1) to remind us of our dependence on God for provision and (2) to set aside a our focus on our own needs to pay attention to God—to place ourselves at God’s disposal. As these men were worshiping and fasting, the Holy Spirit spoke to them. If they hadn’t been listening. we might not have the legacy of Paul’s missionary efforts. If they had not placed themselves at God’s disposal, we might be missing half of our New Testament. If they had been fasting to leverage God to cosign their next great idea instead of exercising a lifestyle of fasting to listen to what God has to say, church history may have turned out much differently.
Is fasting a part the rhythm of your life? If not, you may be missing out on some amazing things that God wants to tell you and show you.
"Father, forgive us for making even our spiritual exercises and disciplines all about us. Help us to learn to wait, listen, and hear. Help us to come into your presence to seek your face and not just the work of your hands."
by Pastor Bruce Steffensen, Interim Pastor, Holiday Park Church of God, Portland, Oregon
In the church at Antioch there were prophets and teachers: Barnabas, Simeon called Niger, Lucius of Cyrene, Manaen (who had been brought up with Herod the tetrarch) and Saul. While they were worshiping the Lord and fasting, the Holy Spirit said, “Set apart for me Barnabas and Saul for the work to which I have called them.”
So after they had fasted and prayed, they placed their hands on them and sent them off. —Acts 13:1–3 NIV
Why were these leaders of the church in Antioch fasting? We’re told the results of their fast, but we’re never told the reason. I believe we’re not told because they are not fasting about anything; they are fasting because it is part of what they do—it is a part of the rhythm of their life. I had always assumed that fasting was a means to an end. People fasted because they needed an answer to a question or a solution to a problem. I would guess that most of our prayer and fasting is done to attempt to bring God’s resources to bear on the issues and circumstances we deem
important. They are tools of leverage. These men were just fasting. No agenda.
Christian tradition tells us we fast for two reasons: (1) to remind us of our dependence on God for provision and (2) to set aside a our focus on our own needs to pay attention to God—to place ourselves at God’s disposal. As these men were worshiping and fasting, the Holy Spirit spoke to them. If they hadn’t been listening. we might not have the legacy of Paul’s missionary efforts. If they had not placed themselves at God’s disposal, we might be missing half of our New Testament. If they had been fasting to leverage God to cosign their next great idea instead of exercising a lifestyle of fasting to listen to what God has to say, church history may have turned out much differently.
Is fasting a part the rhythm of your life? If not, you may be missing out on some amazing things that God wants to tell you and show you.
"Father, forgive us for making even our spiritual exercises and disciplines all about us. Help us to learn to wait, listen, and hear. Help us to come into your presence to seek your face and not just the work of your hands."
by Pastor Bruce Steffensen, Interim Pastor, Holiday Park Church of God, Portland, Oregon
Day 3
Reconciliation Trumped Brokenness Under a Gnarled Old Apple Tree! Day 3
“Be still, and know that I am God” —Psalm 46:10 NIV
During a time of intense struggle and heartache, Sandie and I left town for a few days, to go to a quiet spot where we could pray, reflect, and seek God’s perspective on the situation. We left after the morning service to go to a little town on the northern coast of California for time on a lonely beach in prayer, seeking God’s directions.
Early the next morning, our daughters and we were riding through the beautiful coastal mountains of California, viewing some of God’s marvelous handiwork. We stopped at a beautiful roadside park. Before we stopped, we were driving along with the eight-track tape deck playing our favorite music. The heater was blowing, with an irritating squeak in the fan. We were all talking and laughing.
As we pulled into the roadside park and stopped, I turned off the tape player, switched off the heater with its irritating squeak, turned off the engine, and opened the windows. Sandie said, “Listen!” When we got absolutely quiet, we could hear the rustle of a gentle breeze through the treetops, the gurgling of a refreshing stream down the mountainside, and the joyous songs of the birds flying overhead. As we listened, we became aware of a peaceful, quiet, calm sense of worship, thankfulness, confidence, and the presence of God cascading over our spirits, minds, and emotions.
Then those words flooded my heart with new assurance: “Be still, and know that I am God” (Psalm 46:10 NIV). Another translation says, “Relax and let go, and know that I am God.” I knew God had spoken to me and that he would go back with me into the situation where I was struggling. He would supply answers and resources for healing and restoration. He did! I witnessed God’s miracleworking power to solve the problem in ways I could never have dreamed possible.
We had a relaxing beachside week. I spent many hours walking the beach, praying and asking God to protect me from bitterness toward the man who was attacking me and to bring healing, restoration, and reconciliation to him. He did! Fast-forward a couple of years. It was an awesome day. At a picnic, I was standing alone under a gnarled old apple tree, being quiet before God, eating my lunch, when that man stepped under the apple tree beside me and said, with tears in his eyes, “Pastor, I am so sorry for how I’ve acted toward you. Will you forgive me?” Of course, I did! Friendship was restored. Trust was renewed. Hearts were healed. That was the day when reconciliation trumped brokenness under a gnarled old apple tree! And God showed up as… himself! Now, that’s the power and result of intercessory prayer. I just love gnarled old apple trees!
"Lord, thanks for the gnarled old apple tree! Thanks for the power of intercessory prayer that restores friendship, renews trust, heals hearts, and trumps brokenness. Thanks for being you, The Lord Who Is There, always!
Dr. Sam Bruce, President, Sam & Sandie Bruce Ministries; Pastor, Hope Point Church, Pearl,Mississippi; Online Instructor, Mid-America Christian University; Member, Transformation Team Connect/Refresh
“Be still, and know that I am God” —Psalm 46:10 NIV
During a time of intense struggle and heartache, Sandie and I left town for a few days, to go to a quiet spot where we could pray, reflect, and seek God’s perspective on the situation. We left after the morning service to go to a little town on the northern coast of California for time on a lonely beach in prayer, seeking God’s directions.
Early the next morning, our daughters and we were riding through the beautiful coastal mountains of California, viewing some of God’s marvelous handiwork. We stopped at a beautiful roadside park. Before we stopped, we were driving along with the eight-track tape deck playing our favorite music. The heater was blowing, with an irritating squeak in the fan. We were all talking and laughing.
As we pulled into the roadside park and stopped, I turned off the tape player, switched off the heater with its irritating squeak, turned off the engine, and opened the windows. Sandie said, “Listen!” When we got absolutely quiet, we could hear the rustle of a gentle breeze through the treetops, the gurgling of a refreshing stream down the mountainside, and the joyous songs of the birds flying overhead. As we listened, we became aware of a peaceful, quiet, calm sense of worship, thankfulness, confidence, and the presence of God cascading over our spirits, minds, and emotions.
Then those words flooded my heart with new assurance: “Be still, and know that I am God” (Psalm 46:10 NIV). Another translation says, “Relax and let go, and know that I am God.” I knew God had spoken to me and that he would go back with me into the situation where I was struggling. He would supply answers and resources for healing and restoration. He did! I witnessed God’s miracleworking power to solve the problem in ways I could never have dreamed possible.
We had a relaxing beachside week. I spent many hours walking the beach, praying and asking God to protect me from bitterness toward the man who was attacking me and to bring healing, restoration, and reconciliation to him. He did! Fast-forward a couple of years. It was an awesome day. At a picnic, I was standing alone under a gnarled old apple tree, being quiet before God, eating my lunch, when that man stepped under the apple tree beside me and said, with tears in his eyes, “Pastor, I am so sorry for how I’ve acted toward you. Will you forgive me?” Of course, I did! Friendship was restored. Trust was renewed. Hearts were healed. That was the day when reconciliation trumped brokenness under a gnarled old apple tree! And God showed up as… himself! Now, that’s the power and result of intercessory prayer. I just love gnarled old apple trees!
"Lord, thanks for the gnarled old apple tree! Thanks for the power of intercessory prayer that restores friendship, renews trust, heals hearts, and trumps brokenness. Thanks for being you, The Lord Who Is There, always!
Dr. Sam Bruce, President, Sam & Sandie Bruce Ministries; Pastor, Hope Point Church, Pearl,Mississippi; Online Instructor, Mid-America Christian University; Member, Transformation Team Connect/Refresh
Day 2
Building a Fasting Wall Day 2When I heard these things, I sat down and wept. For some days I mourned and fasted and prayed before the God of heaven. —Nehemiah 1:4 NIV
We were preparing to launch into a message series at Indian Creek titled “I Want My Life Back.” The series was based on the story of Nehemiah, and as you probably know, Nehemiah rebuilt the wall of Jerusalem in fifty-two days. His date with destiny started because he “mourned, fasted, and prayed.” Our prayer team decided we should construct a fasting wall to prepare our congregation for this important series.
What is a fasting wall? Here is what we did. We set out to find fifty-two people who would each take a day to fast. The idea was to begin the fast at six in the evening, which was the beginning of the day for the Jews. Throughout the twenty-four hours, the person on the fasting wall would drink liquids but refrain from solid food until six o’clock the next evening. After the fast, the person would eat their supper meal.
We hoped the person could take off the whole day and spend time in the prayer room, in a quiet place, or out in nature praying for our church. We were kicking off a spiritual growth initiative called “Become.” We were asking people to prayerfully discern what God would have them become in this next chapter in the life of our church.
In many cases, the person couldn’t take the whole day off but they did pray. We didn’t find fifty-two different persons, but there was a noticeable difference in the spiritual temperature at Indian Creek. And some people had such a great experience, they wanted to serve again. One person decided to take one day a week during these fifty-two days to fast.
For many people, this was the first time they fasted a whole day. While it posed a hunger challenge there were multiple reports that this day spent fasting was one of the best days in the spirit and in the Word ever. Several reported that they were surprised that by eating just before six o’clock one evening and just after six the next day, they felt strong throughout the day.
One of the prayer leaders asked me last week if they could arrange a fasting wall for all 365 days of the year. I’m not sure what will happen with that, but I think God sure knew what he was doing when he thought of fasting.
Pastor Gary Kendall, Indian Creek Community Church, Olathe, Kansas
We were preparing to launch into a message series at Indian Creek titled “I Want My Life Back.” The series was based on the story of Nehemiah, and as you probably know, Nehemiah rebuilt the wall of Jerusalem in fifty-two days. His date with destiny started because he “mourned, fasted, and prayed.” Our prayer team decided we should construct a fasting wall to prepare our congregation for this important series.
What is a fasting wall? Here is what we did. We set out to find fifty-two people who would each take a day to fast. The idea was to begin the fast at six in the evening, which was the beginning of the day for the Jews. Throughout the twenty-four hours, the person on the fasting wall would drink liquids but refrain from solid food until six o’clock the next evening. After the fast, the person would eat their supper meal.
We hoped the person could take off the whole day and spend time in the prayer room, in a quiet place, or out in nature praying for our church. We were kicking off a spiritual growth initiative called “Become.” We were asking people to prayerfully discern what God would have them become in this next chapter in the life of our church.
In many cases, the person couldn’t take the whole day off but they did pray. We didn’t find fifty-two different persons, but there was a noticeable difference in the spiritual temperature at Indian Creek. And some people had such a great experience, they wanted to serve again. One person decided to take one day a week during these fifty-two days to fast.
For many people, this was the first time they fasted a whole day. While it posed a hunger challenge there were multiple reports that this day spent fasting was one of the best days in the spirit and in the Word ever. Several reported that they were surprised that by eating just before six o’clock one evening and just after six the next day, they felt strong throughout the day.
One of the prayer leaders asked me last week if they could arrange a fasting wall for all 365 days of the year. I’m not sure what will happen with that, but I think God sure knew what he was doing when he thought of fasting.
Pastor Gary Kendall, Indian Creek Community Church, Olathe, Kansas
Day 1
New Wineskins for a Fresh Filling Day 1
Jesus said, “No one puts new wine into old wineskins; or else the new wine bursts the wineskins, the wine is spilled,and the wineskins are ruined. But new wine must be put into new wineskins.” —Mark 2:22 NKJV
I think if most of us were honest, we would say that we long for a fresh anointing from God. Wouldn’t you really like to see and sense God working in the midst of his people? The power of God comes when the Spirit of God fills his people. How long has it been since you have really seen the power of God moving in your church? How long has it been since you have sensed t he power ofGod working in your own life? Is there a freshness to your own journey with God?
There is a connection between fasting and the freshness of God in your life? If you read the above passage of scripture in Mark 2, you see that Jesus had just finished telling the Pharisees that his disciples would fast once he was gone. The purpose of the fasting was to prepare them for a new, fresh anointing from God. God does not put that kind of wine in old wineskins. In fact, our old wineskin, that is our old, dead spirits, cannot contain the freshness of the Holy Spirit of God.
What does that mean for you and me today? If we want the new wine of the Spirit of God— new miracles, new closeness, new intimacy, and fresh power—then it’s time to call a fast and shedthese old skins for new ones.
What might happen if a large number of believers in the Church of God came together at the same time to fast and pray? How might God respond? As we present our bodies as “living sacrifices” before God in this time of prayer and fasting, allow God to open up your life. Shed away some of those old callous layers. Allow him to prepare your new wineskin for a fresh anointing from him and join with Christ followers across the nation to pray this prayer:
Lord, help me get rid of the old wineskins in my life—the empty, dried up spiritual disciplines, or lack thereof, that are no more than just going through the motions. Replace them with your fresh, new wineskins filled with the new wine of the Spirit of God in fresh anointing, new miracles, new intimacy, and fresh power from your throne. Amen!
Rev. Randy Montgomery, State Pastor, Kentucky Church of God Ministries; Chair, Transformation
Team Connect/Refresh
Jesus said, “No one puts new wine into old wineskins; or else the new wine bursts the wineskins, the wine is spilled,and the wineskins are ruined. But new wine must be put into new wineskins.” —Mark 2:22 NKJV
I think if most of us were honest, we would say that we long for a fresh anointing from God. Wouldn’t you really like to see and sense God working in the midst of his people? The power of God comes when the Spirit of God fills his people. How long has it been since you have really seen the power of God moving in your church? How long has it been since you have sensed t he power ofGod working in your own life? Is there a freshness to your own journey with God?
There is a connection between fasting and the freshness of God in your life? If you read the above passage of scripture in Mark 2, you see that Jesus had just finished telling the Pharisees that his disciples would fast once he was gone. The purpose of the fasting was to prepare them for a new, fresh anointing from God. God does not put that kind of wine in old wineskins. In fact, our old wineskin, that is our old, dead spirits, cannot contain the freshness of the Holy Spirit of God.
What does that mean for you and me today? If we want the new wine of the Spirit of God— new miracles, new closeness, new intimacy, and fresh power—then it’s time to call a fast and shedthese old skins for new ones.
What might happen if a large number of believers in the Church of God came together at the same time to fast and pray? How might God respond? As we present our bodies as “living sacrifices” before God in this time of prayer and fasting, allow God to open up your life. Shed away some of those old callous layers. Allow him to prepare your new wineskin for a fresh anointing from him and join with Christ followers across the nation to pray this prayer:
Lord, help me get rid of the old wineskins in my life—the empty, dried up spiritual disciplines, or lack thereof, that are no more than just going through the motions. Replace them with your fresh, new wineskins filled with the new wine of the Spirit of God in fresh anointing, new miracles, new intimacy, and fresh power from your throne. Amen!
Rev. Randy Montgomery, State Pastor, Kentucky Church of God Ministries; Chair, Transformation
Team Connect/Refresh
Tuesday, March 15, 2011
Focus 40-ONE
March 16 - April 24 (Easter Sunday)
You may be asking, "What's Focus 40-One all about?" Here is a simple explanation.
Focus 40-ONE is about focusing, through prayer and fasting, for 40 days on God and ONE unsaved person.
(1) Focus 40
Simply put, Focus 40 is about you and I spending some intentional time reconnecting with God. Biblical fasting partnered with prayer has a way of aligning us with God’s will for our lives. An individual fast has many physical and spiritual benefits. Focus 40 is designed to be a specific time for the us to pull away from the many distractions, voices, and noise associated with our daily lives and intentionally call upon our Lord. This is a time the church is encouraged to call on God and to hear from him. The forty days immediately leading up to Easter 2011 have been designated for such a time- March 16-April 24. Our belief is that God will hear our collective cries and respond to his church with a sense of renewal and revival.
(2) ONE
The second part, ONE, is simply ONE unsaved family member or friend that you will be praying for during the 40 days. Our faith family is adding an outreach dimension to the Church of God's Focus 40. Over the 40 days we are going to hone our attention on one unchurched person, a family member or friend, who we know needs to come to Christ.
For 40 days we commit to…
1- Pray Daily for your ONE.
Pray each day for their spiritual, emotional, physical, financial, relational wellbeing.
2- Connect Weekly with your ONE
Set a time each week to connect, bless, or serve your ONE. This could be a weekly phone call, lunch, a cup of coffee, a facebook chat.
3- Invite your ONE to Easter Service
Take the opportunity to share the gospel with them and/or invite them to Easter Church service with you.
Prayer: "Lord in this season of preperation before the world rejoices in the resurrection, we focus our attention now on you. Our heart's desire is to draw close to you, our Great High Priest and our best friend. We pray that this journey of Focus40-One would deepen our spiritual awareness, enrich our verbal witness, and empower our good works. May we see our lives and the lives of our 'one' forever changed by the power of your Holy Spirit. In the name of our Lord Jesus, who suffered for us. Amen."
You may be asking, "What's Focus 40-One all about?" Here is a simple explanation.
Focus 40-ONE is about focusing, through prayer and fasting, for 40 days on God and ONE unsaved person.
(1) Focus 40
Simply put, Focus 40 is about you and I spending some intentional time reconnecting with God. Biblical fasting partnered with prayer has a way of aligning us with God’s will for our lives. An individual fast has many physical and spiritual benefits. Focus 40 is designed to be a specific time for the us to pull away from the many distractions, voices, and noise associated with our daily lives and intentionally call upon our Lord. This is a time the church is encouraged to call on God and to hear from him. The forty days immediately leading up to Easter 2011 have been designated for such a time- March 16-April 24. Our belief is that God will hear our collective cries and respond to his church with a sense of renewal and revival.
(2) ONE
The second part, ONE, is simply ONE unsaved family member or friend that you will be praying for during the 40 days. Our faith family is adding an outreach dimension to the Church of God's Focus 40. Over the 40 days we are going to hone our attention on one unchurched person, a family member or friend, who we know needs to come to Christ.
For 40 days we commit to…
1- Pray Daily for your ONE.
Pray each day for their spiritual, emotional, physical, financial, relational wellbeing.
2- Connect Weekly with your ONE
Set a time each week to connect, bless, or serve your ONE. This could be a weekly phone call, lunch, a cup of coffee, a facebook chat.
3- Invite your ONE to Easter Service
Take the opportunity to share the gospel with them and/or invite them to Easter Church service with you.
Prayer: "Lord in this season of preperation before the world rejoices in the resurrection, we focus our attention now on you. Our heart's desire is to draw close to you, our Great High Priest and our best friend. We pray that this journey of Focus40-One would deepen our spiritual awareness, enrich our verbal witness, and empower our good works. May we see our lives and the lives of our 'one' forever changed by the power of your Holy Spirit. In the name of our Lord Jesus, who suffered for us. Amen."
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