TO DIE FOR

Do you remember the commercial of the girls talking about their favorite treat and declaring, "To die for."  I do not remember the product, but the saying has so many meanings.  I think of the people who have died to give us the freedom that we enjoy in the United States.  I think of the incredible sacrifice that Christ paid, dying on the cross for our freedom and everlasting life.  What would you die for?

Jesus invites us to lose our lives for Him.  I wonder if I really am willing to die for Him.  Will I die for someone who does not know how much He loves them?  Could you imagine a soldier only serving if he knew he was serving people who believed the way he did?  Having grown up in the Viet Nam era, I recall the protests and the nightly pictures of flag draped caskets, and the day's tally of the dead on both sides.  So many young men did not have the choice of what they died for.  They believed that they were serving a higher good at least they hoped that was so.

On this election day, what will you die for?  What will you do to help change your world for Christ?  Will you vote?

Chuck Colson writes in his blog today, "today of all days, thank God we still live in a free nation. So speak out. Exercise your right. Fulfill your duty. Go and vote" 
God Bless,
Pastor Bill

DANIEL FAST DAY TWENTY-ONE

THANK YOU FOR PRAYING

I so appreciate everyone who has been praying this past twenty-one days.  This focused time of prayer has been a blessing to our church and to me.  Hopefully, you have heard God's voice as you have been praying.  Some of you have been listening for the Lord to speak to you during the fast, but God did not have the messenger arrive for Daniel until the end of the 21 days.  I would not be surprised if that was the case for many of you.

WHAT HAS GOD SAID TO YOU?

The sharing in worship this morning was very special.  God is calling us to serve one another and our community.  He wants us to "wash one another's feet."  This is very humbling.  Nevertheless, when Jesus finished washing the disciples' feet, He told them to "Go and do likewise."  Can we do any less than what Jesus has done for us?  Of course not.

We would really be interested in hearing more of what the Lord has said to you.  Please send your responses to us or comment at the end of the blog.

BE ALERT

After Jesus finished one of his fasts, the devil came to tempt Him.  Interestingly, we often think of Jesus being weak at the end of a 40 day fast.  However, He was spiritually strong when He completed the fast.  This is when He chose the twelve disciples including Judas Iscariot.  My, I can only imagine what He must have thought as He made that deliberate choice.  I wonder what all was behind Satan's attack.   Could we be vulnerable to attacks right now as well.  You can count on it.  Be sure to be alert and watchful.  God has drawn you closer to Him and now the darkness will want to cover your light.

ENCOURAGEMENT FROM GOD'S WORD

John 16:33 KJV - "These things I have spoken unto you, that in me ye might have peace. In the world ye shall have tribulation: but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world."
1Peter 5:6-10 NIV -"Humble yourselves, therefore, under God's mighty hand, that he may lift you up in due time. 7 Cast all your anxiety on him because he cares for you. 8 Be self-controlled and alert. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour. 9 Resist him, standing firm in the faith, because you know that your brothers throughout the world are undergoing the same kind of sufferings. 10 And the God of all grace, who called you to his eternal glory in Christ, after you have suffered a little while, will himself restore you and make you strong, firm and steadfast."

God Bless you  as continue to humble yourself and seek the Lord.
Pastor Bill

DANIEL FAST DAY NINETEEN AND TWENTY

Let's make sure that we finish well.  Our fast is nearing completion.  However, we are not finished yet.  We need to take the time to listen carefully, especially as we are concluding our fast.  Daniel did not have his breakthrough until the end of the twenty-one days.

See if you can get some alone time with the Lord this weekend.  This may be one of those times that you take a pad of paper and a pencil and write down what God says to you.  Make this a time to listen not a time to make requests of the Lord.  God is in His Holy Temple.  I encourage you to keep silent before Him.

ENCOURAGEMENT FROM GOD'S WORD

Habakkuk 2:20 NIV "But the Lord is in his holy temple; let all the earth be silent before him."

Sunday's worship celebration will include time for people to share what God has been saying during the fast.  Please come ready to share your experiences with the Lord.  We will also serve one another at a table of food and in some other ways as well.
God Bless,
Pastor Bill

DANIEL FAST DAY EIGHTEEN

The end of our fast is coming so fast.  How have you changed since the start of the fast?  I know several of us have lost weight.  That is a side benefit of the fast.  How has your relationship with the Lord changed?  What has God shown you that He wants to adjust in your life?  What has God revealed to you about your blind spots and hidden sins?  Have you had time to just sit still and listen to God?

As I look back on the past eighteen days, I have had some invaluable times of confession.  In fact, God has given me insights that have set me free.  When I was feeling angry, God released me from the negative thoughts and showed me that He was pruning us.  That was such a special blessing!

God's timing is amazing to me.  With no planning on my part, God led us to do the fast at the same time that I am reading seven different books about transformation.  Then, he had our Transformation Ministries Conference right in the middle of it.  In fact, we even had a special session for our Pastor Mentor Group on "Listening."  I would love to hear what God has used to nourish and shape you during the fast.

ENCOURAGEMENT FROM GOD'S WORD

(Psalms 46:10-11)  ""Be still, and know that I am God; I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth." {11} The LORD Almighty is with us; the God of Jacob is our fortress. Selah"

God Bless,
Pastor Bill

DANIEL FAST DAY SEVENTEEN

I have been reading an interesting book called "Churches That Make A Difference."  The subtitle is "Reaching Your Community with Good News and Good Works."  The book is full of wonderful examples of community outreach by churches of all sizes, styles and ethnicity.  The main premise of the book is that every church must be involved in holistic ministry that communicates the love of God in word and deed. 

On Sunday, we walked outside to remember that God has called us to "GO" into all the world.  God invites us to draw closer to Him by loving the people around us.  We are also invited to do this in tangible ways. In the parable about the goats and the sheep, Jesus says that we serve Him by serving the needy.

On our fast, we have been trying to connect with the Lord through prayer.  It is quite possible that the Lord has sent you to minister to someone.  Did you know that you were actually getting closer to the Lord in the process of serving?  I wonder if this is what we are supposed to be doing during this fast?

ENCOURAGEMENT FROM GOD'S WORD

(Matthew 25:35-36)  "For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in, {36} I needed clothes and you clothed me, I was sick and you looked after me, I was in prison and you came to visit me.'"

God bless you as you seek the Lord.
Pastor Bill

DANIEL FAST DAY SIXTEEN

I have been rereading Daniel 12 and it struck me that Daniel fasted because he earnestly wanted to know what God was saying to him.  God had given him a moving vision of the end of time.  It was so troubling that he mourned in prayer and fasted for three weeks.  While he was praying, Gabriel was dispatched from Heaven to give him an explanation of his vision.  However, Gabriel was delayed by a supernatural battle in the heavenlies with the Prince of Persia.

Have you been praying for God to speak to you during this fast?  Have you made sure to build the time into your day to listen to the Lord as well as time to confess?  Perhaps,  like Daniel, we will not receive a clear response from God until the end of the fast.  If so, Sunday's worship should be very special.  Therefore, we are going to arrange the worship celebration to give time for people to share what God said to them.  I am looking forward to hearing what God has been saying to you.

ENCOURAGEMENT FROM GOD'S WORD

(2 Chronicles 7:14)  "if my people, who are called by my name, will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then will I hear from heaven and will forgive their sin and will heal their land."

God bless you as you keep listening to the Lord.
Pastor Bill

DANIEL FAST DAY FIFTEEN

We had a great worship yesterday.  There was so much going on with the audiovisuals and the computer that it got funny how much was going wrong.  Nevertheless, God showed up as He promises to do when we focus on Him and not the circumstances.  Once again, we learned the importance of dedicated prayer even when things are most challenging.

Have you been learning about the value of prayer during the Daniel Fast?  I hope so.  God is giving us a great opportunity to seek Him together.  I know that I have already been blessed by the times of prayer and even the confession that I have had.  The Lord showed me some important things that I needed to turn over to Him.  It has really been refreshing to release things to Him in prayer.

God has been reminding us that we have been called to take His love to our community.  He has given us a mission that is so important.  People are on their way to "everlasting shame and contempt" (Daniel 12:2) without the love of Jesus Christ.  We must share the reason for the hope that we have.  We must care about them because God does.

Our fast is nearly over.  Keep humbling yourself and listening to God.  He has something that He wants to share with you.
God Bless,
Pastor Bill