Bearing Down in the Fast - Day 6

Return to me with all your heart, With fasting and weeping and mourning. Rend your heart and not your garments. Return to the Lord your God. - Joel 1:12-13

There are times in our lives where we need to “bear down” on a particular spiritual issue. There are times when we need a special time of intense focus, undistracted and undeterred, for appealing to God and seeking his purposes. There are times when we need to repent of our self-sufficiency, and remind ourselves that “we do not live on bread alone, but on every word that comes from the mouth of God.” This is one of those times.

This Sunday at 11:00 a.m. we will launch Elevation, the worship experience of Fellowship of Memorial. We have been praying and planning for the worship setting for many months. This environment is intended to help people take the next step in allowing God to change their lives through relationship with Christ. Authentic worship can be a powerfully transformational tool, but we have no power in ourselves to change lives. Only God can fulfill this vision, so we desperately need him to intervene. If you are willing and able, we are asking you today to fast and pray.

In the Old Testament, fasting was the way people humbled themselves before God (Psalm 35:13; 69:10). In the New Testament, Jesus fasted for forty days after his baptism, and directed his disciples to fast and pray in seeking God’s help and provision (Matthew 6:2; 5:16). The prophets and teachers at the church in Antioch fasted and prayed often as they launched the early church (Acts 13:1-2). Fasting brings urgency to our praying. It also humbles us. Andrew Murray said, "Fasting helps to express, to deepen, and to confirm the resolution that we are ready to sacrifice everything, [even] ourselves to attain what we seek for the kingdom of God."

I’m not sure what you should fast from today. According to Richard Foster, “Fasting is the voluntary denial of an otherwise normal function for the sake of intense spiritual activity.” Maybe the “normal function” for you is food. Maybe it’s television. Maybe it’s that Starbucks Grande Caramel Macchiato. Whatever it is, will you sacrifice it as a means of demonstrating to God your surrendered heart, and to seek him for the fulfillment of his purposes at the FOM?

Pray today that:

• God's Spirit would draw many guests
• God's presence would be evident in the service
• Final planning for the service would go smoothly
• Additional people will sign-up for preschool help
• The weather would be cooperative
• Those involved in the first service would have peace and confidence in God (Baileys, Chris, Brandon, Ivy/Santry, Asher, Ricardo)
• The technical aspects would go smoothly
• Children in worship would not be distracting
• The Treehouse preschool environment will be safe and inviting
• Staff and volunteers would be unified, loving and humble servants