Fasting Day 21 – 2/1/2009

 

Adult / Teen Journal

 

February 1, 2009

Day 21. Dressed for the Battle

    Ephesians 6:10-17

10 Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord and in the power of His might. 11 Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil. 12 For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this age, against spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places. 13 Therefore take up the whole armor of God, that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand. 14 Stand therefore, having girded your waist with truth, having put on the breastplate of righteousness, 15 and having shod your feet with the preparation of the gospel of peace; 16 above all, taking the shield of faith with which you will be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked one. 17 And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God;

 

Wake uuuuup! Yes that was your alarm, it is really Sunday morning, and it really time for church. Time to get dressed, Let’s see, take your helmet, breastplate, shoes, belt, sword . . . you get the idea. Now that you have completed (depending on when you actually read this) this prayer and fasting journey, you are expected to report for duty in God’s army. You can even sing the song, you know, the song you used to sing in VBS, “I’m in the Lord’s Army!” You can skip the song if you wish. The result is the same. It is now time to draw yourself up and venture out into the real world where there are good and bad and make a difference. Go out into the world and snatch some dying soul up and introduce them to Jesus. Be bold, because you have now grown up a bit. You have just spent three weeks in the presence of God! When Moses did just a bit more than that he brought back the Ten Commandments. I am not expecting that from you, just to go now and take action on what you have learned from God. Go and make Him proud! Be strong in the Lord and in the power of His might! Have you heard that somewhere before? Even so – good advise!

 

 

 

Children’s Journal

 

February 1, 2009

Day 21. Joseph’s Coat of Many Colors

Joseph seemed to be the spoiled baby brother, but really God was getting him ready to be a great leader. Joseph has to go through quite a bit to get to where God wants him.

Today’s Puzzle

Fasting Day 20 – 1/31/2009

 

Adult / Teen journal

 

January 31, 2009

Day 20. Walking in increase

    Colossians 1:10-12

10 that you may walk worthy of the Lord, fully pleasing Him, being fruitful in every good work and increasing in the knowledge of God; 11 strengthened with all might, according to His glorious power, for all patience and longsuffering with joy; 12 giving thanks to the Father who has qualified us to be partakers of the inheritance of the saints in the light.

 

Have you ever got that piece of junk mail that said something like, “You may have just won a car, or vacation, or a million dollars, scratch here to see if you qualify?” You scratch the secret gold circle only to reveal that indeed you have qualified to perhaps have an outside remote chance that you will possible be lucky enough, to actually be the one person in a billion to have scratched instead of thrown away the only actual prize piece. Maybe it was the fast food game, you have existed on a diet of kids meals for a month now. Carefully collecting the board pieces, you can’t even enjoy your fries until you peel the sticker and see if it is really the one game piece that takes you to super prize nirvana or if you have just won another “free” pie with your next order. Well this is not anything like any of that, but there is a qualifying which must take place for the prize. Knew there was a catch? Verse 10 through the first of verse 12 set up a great prize, it has you mouth watering and then you realize that there is that, “worthy before God” thing floating out there, and you are afraid that your will never be able to live up to that standard and there for your prize will go to some dear saint who lives her life to help orphans in India somewhere, while you are left with your every day pat on the back, “please try again,” kind of blessing from God. Wait, read on! Verse 12 tells you that God has you already qualified; you get to be one of the Grand Prize Winners!!!! Put your picture on the board and call yourself, “Saint
(insert your name here),” because you too are a winner in God’s eternal Kingdom. No, really, I know that sounded a little cheesy, but it’s for real. Read it again and again. Now start believing!

 

 

Children’s Journal

 

January 31, 2009

Day 20. The Little Man

One day Jesus finds a man in a tree watching Him walk by. He asked the man if He could come to his house. When they got there Jesus told the man about whom He was and his life changed forever. Jesus loves to change our lives.

Today’s Puzzle

Fasting Day 19 – 1/30

 

Adult / Teen Journal

 

January 30, 2009

Day 19. The beauty of God’s holiness

    2 Chronicles 20:20-21

20 So they rose early in the morning and went out into the Wilderness of Tekoa; and as they went out, Jehoshaphat stood and said, “Hear me, O Judah and you inhabitants of Jerusalem: Believe in the Lord your God, and you shall be established; believe His prophets, and you shall prosper.” 21 And when he had consulted with the people, he appointed those who should sing to the Lord, and who should praise the beauty of holiness, as they went out before the army and were saying: “Praise the Lord, For His mercy endures forever.”

 

This is one of my favorite stories in the whole Bible, the worshippers going out in front of the warriors. The instructions are given for the whole nation by King Jehoshaphat in verse 20, but those who could do it were identified in verse 21. Look closely at it; he asked around about those who had a reputation of worship, he “consulted with the people.” “Hey,” he might have said, “Who do you know that is the best of the best when it comes to worshipping?” “I mean, your lives will be hanging in the balance of their ability to worship.” At least that is how I would have consulted the people. He found the “kats” who understood the God of the description, not just understood the description of the God. He found those who could worship when all things were great and when all things were bad.

Oh, Lord, make us today to become those who worship You because we have come to understand the beauty of Your holiness. Those who understand that it is both a fearful and beautiful thing to stand so close to you that Your Beauty overwhelms us and causes praise to erupt from deep within us. Teach us to fight the battles of the Spirit world with the praises of our lips and the promises which You have bestowed upon those who fear You. Yes, Lord, today teach me to worship You in the Beauty of Your Holiness!!!!

 

 

Children’s Journal

 

January 30, 2009

Day 19. Queen Ester

God used a beautiful lady to save the whole Jewish nation. This is a great story. She must have been really pretty!

Today’s Puzzle

Fasting Day 18 – 1/29/2009

 

Adult / Teen Journal

 

January 29, 2009

Day 18. Blessing others

    Isaiah 61:2-3

2 To proclaim the acceptable year of the Lord, And the day of vengeance of our God; To comfort all who mourn, 3 To console those who mourn in Zion, To give them beauty for ashes, The oil of joy for mourning, The garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness; That they may be called trees of righteousness, The planting of the Lord, that He may be glorified.”

 

It can’t be real. You looked at your calendar twice, it is! It is almost the end of the fast. You are close enough now that you are most likely going to make it. You are surely not going to die, or melt, or have some kind of breakdown. You have learned to handle your feeling of fleshly emptiness without killing your children, spouse, or co-workers. Not quite there yet, but close enough to know that the light at the end of the tunnel is not that proverbial oncoming train. Enough about yourself! What? That is right, enough about you. During an extended time of prayer and fasting it is real easy to get wrapped up in yourself, some of it good, some of it not so good; I will let you sort that out. As you draw this spiritual journey to a close it is now time to find out how your spiritual growth of the last three weeks is supposed to help others. Isaiah suggests that we are to be about the business of lifting up heads, encouraging others, swapping the garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness so that God will be glorified. See, the fast, although it has hopefully caused much growth in you in the last 17 days, is not just for you so you can be all grown up. It is also so you can serve your generation. Take some time today and talk to God about this and see what He has in mind for you!

 

 

Children’s Journal

 

January 29, 2009

Day 18. True Friends

Because the crowd where Jesus was healing people was so big one man couldn’t get in to see Him. His friends carried him up on the roof. They made a hole. And then they let him down with ropes to Jesus.

Fasting Day 17 – 1/28/2009

 

Adult / Teen journal

 

January 28, 2009

Day 17. Praise Break

    Psalm 121:1-4

1 I will lift up my eyes to the hills—From whence comes my help? 2 My help comes from the Lord, Who made heaven and earth. 3    He will not allow your foot to be moved; He who keeps you will not slumber. 4 Behold, He who keeps Israel Shall neither slumber nor sleep.

 

Here it is again – another day set aside for the sole purpose of praising and glorifying God. Take time today to close yourself in with just you and your Heavenly Father, praise all over Him. Let Him know how much you really love Him, and just exactly where your heart is toward Him. It might help to read a few of the praise/worship Psalms that King David wrote. Whatever helps – take time to praise and worship today!

 

 

Children’s Journal

 

January 28, 2009

Day 17. The Fiery Furnace

God show how He can do great miracles to protect those who have faith in Him. This story from the Old Testament teaches us to always trust in God.

Today’s Puzzle

Fasting Day 16 – 1/27/2009

 

Adult / Teen Journal

 

January 27, 2009

Day 16. A testimony of pleasing God

    Hebrews 11:39-40

39 And all these, having obtained a good testimony through faith, did not receive the promise, 40 God having provided something better for us, that they should not be made perfect apart from us.

 

Local news stations around the United States were on a kick of following the lives of average Americans, and they called it something like, “Everybody has a story.” Some would throw darts and travel to where it would stick, some would look up people in a phonebook, but whatever the method, random citizens became heroes of sorts, for the day, as their tell was told. You see, everybody does have a story. Watch the news. Everyday there is the story of someone who has chosen to make their heritage be one of crime and violence. Others pick up the baton, and run the race of various causes such as building a memorial for those who have lost their lives protecting us from enemies or emergencies. Others legacy will be one of saving whales, owls, endangered species, or even having your dog or cat “fixed” (argument can be made for all cats being somewhat “broken”). See the thing is, all of us leave a story behind. Question then becomes, what is yours? There are those who have died in the pursuit of deeper relationships with God and following after His will whose lives have impacted us here today. It is easy to see how those early Christians laid their lives down for the spread of the Gospel. But what about you? Probable not called to be thrown in with the lions, but you have just as real of a purpose in God’s kingdom as they, just as real of a life following God as they did. Your quest – find it!

 

 

Children’s Journal

 

January 27, 2009

Day 16. The Good Samaritan

Jesus tells a story about a man who has been robbed by bandits. Who will stop and help the man? Jesus shows us all a great lesson about caring for each other and knowing who our neighbor is.

Today’s Puzzle

Fasting Day 15 – 1/26/2009

 

 

Adult / Teen Journal

 

January 26, 2009

Day 15. Mid-fast challenges

    Matthew 6:31-33

31 “Therefore do not worry, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ 32 “For after all these things the Gentiles seek. For your heavenly Father knows that you need all these things. 33 “But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you.

 

Let me see, it starts with a small serving of cottage cheese, enter a few fresh goldfish crackers, then, rice hamburger helper stuff, little smoky sausages steeped in BBQ sauce, chased down by the biggest piece of chocolate pie, no wait, coconut cream pie you can find, maybe just the pie and a fork . . .wake up!!!!!! Sometimes it just happens, the desire to eat turns into dreams which can almost be tasted. You wake up with your mouth watering, and afraid for a moments pleasure you just ruined the entire fast. What does the author mean, “do not worry,” you have been without for two full week, have another whole week to go and you are not supposed to worry? Maybe you should look for a better meaning from today’s verses. Your life consists of more than what you eat, what you drink, and what you wear. Those, as we discussed earlier, are the food of the walking dead, here called the Gentiles, meaning those who only seek those things are those who are the spiritually unaware, spiritually dead and dying. Anyone can chase after those things which are easy to see. What will bring real life to you is to chase after those things which cannot be seen, those things which are of a spiritual nature. Today is another day to re-focus your attention on the things of God and the pursuit of them. Save the food dreams for a few more days!

 

 

Children’s Journal

 

January 26, 2009

Day 15. The Last Supper

Jesus has one last dinner with His disciples before He dies on the cross for our sins. Some strange things happen at that dinner.

Today’s Puzzle

Fasting Day 14 – 1/25/2009

 

 

Adult / Teen Journal

 

January 25, 2009

Day 14. Pleasing to God

    Psalm 69:30-32

30 I will praise the name of God with a song, And will magnify Him with thanksgiving. 31 This also shall please the Lord better than an ox or bull, Which has horns and hooves. 32 The humble shall see this and be glad; And you who seek God, your hearts shall live.

 

Wow, more living! Only, if you are named among those who are seeking God, oh, wait, that is kind of what the prayer and fasting thing is all about. Then, you are already doing what the Psalmist suggests, and that means that your heart should already be being filled up with life and health and praises for God. I should say it again, WOW! The praises which come from your heart and lips please God more than when you make a sacrifice to Him. See, God is more concerned with where your heart is than He is if you get all of the steps right. That is why tame after time He turns to Israel in the Old Testament and tells them that He knows that they are sinning and that if they would just stop and repent (a turning of the heart) that He would be glad to forgive them and heal their land. That, my friend, is te sign of the coolest God ever! No matter is you have got the steps right, God wants to hear from your heart. Now, He still wants you to “do right,” as in, “be holy for I am holy,” but your heart condition is the most important thing to Him. Worship God today from your heart and know that He is pleased to hear from you!

 

 

 

Children’s Journal

 

January 25, 2009

Day 14. Abraham Trusts God

God asks Abraham to trust Him with something very precious. Abraham has to be very brave and has to trust in God very much in this story.

Today’s Puzzle

Fasting Day 13 – 1/24/2009

 

Adult / Teen Journal

 

January 24, 2009

Day 13. The reward of God

    Genesis 15:1

1 After these things the word of the Lord came to Abram in a vision, saying, “Do not be afraid, Abram. I am your shield, your exceedingly great reward.”

 

At the outset I chose this verse to speak to you in another direction. However, the more I thought about it I began to see something that I had never noticed (possibly God guiding me for your benefit – hummmmm?). This word that came to Abram showed him two different pictures of God; one of a shield and secondly as his reward. A careful look at the verse though actually ties the two together so that they are not really two pictures at all but one. The reward is found in the shield! Let me see if I can explain without using more than my allotted space. The enemy continuously wanders around you looking for an opening to attack you with his goal your total destruction. When he sees a weak point in your spiritual armor he attacks. The Bible says sometimes he even comes in like a flood. If do not have your spiritual radar fine tuned these attacks can take you by surprise and level you before you even know what hit you. It is with something like this in mind that God told Abram, who did not know what he would run into, “Don’t worry, be happy!” or something like that. The reality of God as our shield is that the attacks of satan will be thwarted by God, the end result is where the reward comes in. The reward is, we get to live!!!! In any battle of life and death the loser dies and the winner lives. If satan does not get to destroy your soul, you get to live forever, that means with Jesus, and God, and Holy Spirit, and all of the other Christians, and . . . well you get the idea. Today – rejoice and relax, God is you shield, which is a fine reward.

 

 

 

Children’s Journal

 

January 24, 2009

Day 13. Jesus feeds the 5000

One day when Jesus was teaching outside a city a great crowd was there to listen to Him. They loved His teaching so much that even though it was time for dinner they wouldn’t leave. The way Jesus fed them is a really cool miracle.

Today’s Puzzle

Fasting Day 12 – 1/23/2009

 

Adult / Teen Journal

 

January 23, 2009

Day 12. Desperate for God

    Mark 7:26-30

26 The woman was a Greek, a Syro-Phoenician by birth, and she kept asking Him to cast the demon out of her daughter. 27 But Jesus said to her, “Let the children be filled first, for it is not good to take the children’s bread and throw it to the little dogs.” 28 And she answered and said to Him, “Yes, Lord, yet even the little dogs under the table eat from the children’s crumbs.” 29 Then He said to her, “For this saying go your way; the demon has gone out of your daughter.” 30 And when she had come to her house, she found the demon gone out, and her daughter lying on the bed.

 

It must have taken quite a bit of nerve for the woman in this story to approach Jesus for help. The Jews held no affection at all for the Greeks, they were lumped all into the same category with the likes of the Samaritan’s and Barbarians. You see this reflected as Jesus expresses not His opinion, but that of the Jews as a whole in His statement in verse 27. What would drive a person to such a bold, self-effacing action? The answer is simple, desperation. Her daughter was being possessed by a demon spirit, no real details given. It was time to set all ego and pride aside so what was of utmost importance could be tended to. How about you? Is there something you need to go to God about, but your ego or pride has held you back? Maybe it is worse than that. Maybe what God’s Spirit has shown you during your fasting involves another person, perhaps an apology, or asking for forgiveness. Those types of hindrances can be tough to handle, but they present a real, true roadblock in your growth in God. Try not to wait until you are desperate, but even if your do, you can be sure that the answer can be found with the Master. Why not deal with it right now?

 

 

Children’s Journal

 

January 23, 2009

Day 12. The Woman at the Well

Jesus met a Samaritan woman at a well one day. He explained to her who He is. Jesus showed His disciples and the whole world that the Good News is for everyone.

Today’s Puzzle

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