At the end of each year, we
Americans go through a New Year’s ritual. We evaluate the previous year, and set
resolutions to change our habits and lifestyles. We make the same resolutions
we’ve made for years, each time failing to follow through with our commitments.
Resolutions start with good
intentions: We set goals, we make commitments, we tell our friends, and then we
start. Then, as quickly as the new year
begins, our resolve wanes. Busyness kicks in and old habits find new life. What
was once comfortable becomes comfortable again. Then, we justify our lack of
follow-through: the resolution was unrealistic, the timing was bad, and our
schedule had too many unexpected demands.
But what really happened to
our resolutions? Frankly, we maintained
our motivation until the comfort of normal outweighed the discomfort of change.
We got busy. Daily life distracted us. Deadlines and demands zapped our energy
and quieted our enthusiasm.
The same happens with our
spiritual life. We intend to follow God,
and really want to. But then life happens, and we don’t follow through! Instead, we follow the crowd; we follow comfort;
we follow the path of least resistance.
We find our identity and
significance in so many empty things, only to leave us longing for more.
For this reason, I’m
calling all supporters and Ministry Partners of Lifehouse Church to 21 Days of Prayer & Fasting,
January 6-27. This is a call to live
“INSIDE OUT.” This is a call to step
away from the routine of everyday life and discover once and for all, “I am empty, and nothing can fill me or
complete me! I need to be transformed by Christ from the inside out!” If we
have Christ plus nothing, we have all; if we have everything without Christ, we
have nothing.
Why fasting? Don’t ask me why, but the discipline of
fasting works. When we use our physical appetites as a constant reminder to
pray, read the Bible or meditate, we grow desperate for God and realize how
consumed we are with consuming. Fasting
gets our priorities back into right order.
Why 21
days? In Daniel
10:2-13, Daniel prayed and fasted 21 days, during which time a spiritual battle
was fought. After his 21-day fast, there
was breakthrough and Daniel received the answers to his prayers. These 21 days will be a time for us to get
reconnected with the Creator of the universe and the Savior of our souls.
Why now?
Throughout the year, things distract and dampen our passion for
God, but we want to start off the New Year by clearing out the cobwebs in our
hearts and by refocusing the “lens” of our spirit. We don’t want to wander through 2012
haplessly going about our business. Nor
do we want to attempt God-sized dreams without God’s presence going before us. We
want God-led strategies that will accomplish HIS
will in HIS time through HIS power.
Why me? Together, we can accomplish something so much greater and more powerful than any one
of us could as an individual. Lifehouse Church doesn’t go through this ritual
to earn a spiritual merit badge or prove how devoted we are to God. Rather, we partner together in prayer &
fasting as a way to partner with God in HIS purposes, His will,
and His Cause for the Church and for every Jesus-follower.
I guarantee this season of
fasting and prayer will be the most exciting, challenging, and intense time of
the year—both for you individually, and for our entire church and community. As always, thank you for your
partnership with Lifehouse and for taking the time to read this heartfelt
message. Let’s stop the endless pursuit & begin living from the INSIDE OUT!
For more information and resources for the 21 Days of Prayer and Fasting, visit our website.
No comments:
Post a Comment