Patrick Grach - thoughts on life and leadership

Fight to Win

Today, we are kicking off our 21 Days of Fasting and Prayer with the theme, “Fight to Win.” We believe that the most vital component of the Christian life is prayer and putting our focus on God. Fasting is simply the discipline of depriving an appetite and allow that appetite to be a reminder to put our attention where it most belongs, on God. The goal is not to starve ourselves or even sacrifice, but to genuinely be humble before God and invite Him to truly be our Center and first Love. You are receiving this email to encourage you in the Bible and prayer during this fast.

Fasting and prayer is not a merit badge for Jesus-followers! The LifeHouse doesn’t go through this to prove how spiritual we are or to demonstrate our heightened state of devotion to God.

These 21 Days are simply a time to get re-focused and re-connected with the Creator of the universe and the Savior of our souls. We realize that through the year, things distract and dampen our passion for God. We want to start off the New Year with a time to clear out the cobwebs in the corners of our spirits and re-focus the “lens of our spirit.”

We want to start off 2007 with a clear understanding of what God has called us to do this year. We don’t want to wander through 2007 haplessly going about our business. No! We want to run hard after God’s purposes for our life with the precision of a laser.

Read Psalm 51 and 1 Samuel 15.

Commit to giving up some appetite during the next 21 days (Jan 2-22 is when The LifeHouse is taking the time), and then setting aside specific times to pray (both personally and with a group) and to read the Bible. You could give up meats and sweats or TV or recreational internet use or PS3. The point is not what you are giving up, but what you are going to do with the time you gain. I am challenging us to put our time and attention on God.
The theme of these passages of the Bible: God isn’t interested in our pious sacrifices for Him as much as He is in our obedience and willingness to do what we asks. God wants us to “become” more like Him. That requires letting go of our own agenda and being “remade” to look, act, and think like Him. That requires time, attention, and discipline.

Happy Fasting and Prayer. This will be the most exciting, challenging, and intense time of the year.