fasting teaches me...

Every time I fast I regain focus, perspective, and closeness to God. During a fast, I totally get reminded of what is most important and and sometimes what is not. Denying myself every type of natural or physical fulfillment clears out all distractions and opens my spirit to connect with God. I find it extremely helpful in keeping my fire burning. Rather than weakening me it strengthens me. I recommend fasting as a regular practice to anyone who wants to deepen their relationship with God.

New Community Church is challenged to fast after dinner tuesday until dinner Wednesday after our Prayer gathering at 6:30 pm. Dinner is a pot-luck and childcare is provided.

Our fasting focus is that our church would be filled with the fire and passion of God's Spirit!

Don't put out the Spirit's fire!

1 Thessalonians 5:16-19 (NIV) Be joyful always; pray continually; give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God's will for you in Christ Jesus. Do not put out the Spirit's fire...

Above we see God's recipe for a life of passion for God. Choosing a joyful attitude, praying at every chance, and being thankful no matter what. This is what keeps the fire burning for God. Choosing to have a bad attitude (and my attitude is a choice) quenches fire as quickly as anything.

Any fire has to have oxygen to burn. No oxygen-no fire. Prayer is oxygen for the follower of Christ. If you want to fan the flame, pray. Devote yourself to prayer and passion returns. God's Spirit will fill you as you pray and ignite your spirit.

A lack of gratitude will also douse the flames in your life as well. Unthankful people are a drag and they drag others down as well. Limit your exposure to them or they will be like a wet blanket on your spirit. Thank God for everything-everything! Thanksgiving brings passion and renewed perspective. Try it and see if you don't get fired up.

Don't forget to join us for Wednesday Night Live every Wednesday @ 6:30 pm for prayer & fasting. Start fasting on Tuesday Evening and we will share a meal Wednesday night.

last night's prayer gathering

Last night a group (twice as many as last week) of hungry believers gathered at the church building for prayer. It was a great time! We fasted all day and came together to ask God for miracles on behalf of our church. We confessed our unbelief and asked for more faith. We worshipped and prayed for each other. We prayed specific prayers for big problems and asked for a response from God. We asked for specific miracles. Breast cancer, spinal abnormalities, financial mountains, depression, lupus, discouragement, deep wounds, restoration of vision, and more were our requests. I believe God has answered and is answering our prayers.

I believe that we made a significant "full step" forward in learning how to pray for supernatural power and miracles from God. Satan wants us to play it safe and accept things for the way they are. God wants us to "step" out on the dangerous waters and trust Him to show us how to walk on it. It is uncomfortable. It is challenging. It calls us to risk looking foolish. It demands audacious faith. It makes us come alive!

Last night I sensed a refreshing come over the people. We were close-close to each other and close to God. I sensed His pleasure. It felt good. I feel renewed. I look forward to more times of prayer like that!

miracles-do you believe?

Once a man had a demon possessed child. The demon did great harm to the boy. The man asked Jesus that "if He could" to miraculously heal his son. Jesus said, "If you can?" said Jesus. "Everything is possible for him who believes." Immediately the boy's father exclaimed, "I do believe; help me overcome my unbelief!"

Overcoming unbelief can be a challenge. Even Jesus disciples did not have the faith to cast out the demon. There are times when our faith is weak. Maybe we have dealt with something for a long time and we feel stuck with it-it is NEVER going to change the enemy tells us. Or it just seems so big and we just feel ovewhelmed by it.

Someone wrote yesterday that our prayers reflect what we believe about God. I thought about that for quite a while. If that is true then how should that affect my personal prayers?

I have some miracles that I am asking God for. Two have to do with others and one has to do with a personal desire. I struggle with belief for my personal desire. May God grant me the faith to believe in His power to do over and above what I think is possible.

HELP ME OVERCOME MY UNBELIEF!

By the way cure to unbelief is found a little later in our story. The disciples asked Jesus why they could not heal and He said that "this kind of demon only comes out by prayer and fasting".

If you need a miracle and you struggle sometimes to have faith, fast and pray with us today and then join us tonight at 6:30 as we pray for miracles. We will have a pot-luck meal at the end of our prayer time.

Prayer time: Wednesday 6:30
Childcare provided
Potluck meal

faithful in prayer

Prayer can definitely be a challenge to stay faithful in. I know that I can experience challenges staying focused. Once again I return to love as the fuel. When you love someone you desire to communicate...to hear thier heart...to know what they want and do it. I almost always dial Michelle when I get in the car because I just want to talk to her. I love her.

So it is with prayer. Don't really need a reason other than I love God. I used to think I needed to pray a long time and it produced guilt during prayer rather tha joy. Now I just pray short prayers whenever about whatever. I also have alarms that go off on my phone to remind me at certain times to pray about certain things. I want to be faithful.

Please pray for our church to be faithful in prayer. We are pressing in more right now with special meetings on Wednesday night @ 6:30 as we fast and pray from dinner Tuesday until dinner Wednesday. Join us as we fast and pray for miracles!

Devotion

As I pray this week, "God make us faithful". I am reminded of a statement that used to be hanging on the wall in the first years of our church... "They devoted themselves". Why were they so devoted? In a word LOVE.

For me devotion means love. Devotion comes from a place of passion and passion comes from love. Because of love men will do amazing things. They will risk, sacrifice, and even die.

Being faithful to something I love is far easier than to something or someone I don't.

I pray that God would capture our hearts with His love and "Make us Faithful".

I pray that out of our love would be come devoted followers of Jesus.

May NCC fall in love and be found faithful!

My prayer

Father,

I pray that our church would overflow with the Joy of knowing You. I pray that others would be infected with our Joy and come to know You because of it. May this weekend be a celebration of that Joy!

Chris