Week of Prayer and Fasting -- January 4-10!

Starting this Sunday, I'm encouraging all the participants of New Life to join in a week of prayer and fasting for God's wisdom and power to live out 2009 to His glory.  I'll be making daily posts on my blog concerning the fast, and various aspects of fasting, starting today.  FIRST, what is fasting?  Fasting is abstaining from something--usually food--for a spiritual purpose.  Notice that fasting usually is abstaining from food, but it could be abstaining from other things such as television.  The purpose is spiritual.  In our case, the one week fast is for us to devote ourselves to prayer for God's guidance, wisdom and power to advance His Kingdom in our lives individually and as a congregation in 2009. In particular, I ask you to pray for God to give wisdom to the Staff and Elders of New Life and Nehemiah Team as we invest in our week of fasting.  In 2009, we need to discern God's will for the construction of the initial phase of our "Mission Outpost" at 127 Knoch Road.  We also need to develop ever increasing strategies from fulfilling our overall mission of sharing the new life of Jesus Christ with the world--one person at a time.  As we fast and pray individually and together, we can be sure that God's blessing will be upon as.  Jesus promised that whenever two or more of us agree together on anything in His name that it will happen.  Imagine if several hundred people agree in prayer in Jesus' name over the coming week!  What shall we agree on in prayer?  At least this: 

1. That Jesus Christ will be FIRST in our lives. 
2. That we will invest our time, talents, treasures and lives in reaching the lost in Jesus' name, and
3. that we will discern God's will for the use of 127 Knoch Road in 2009, and start implementing plans to see that will become a reality!

Please, join us in this week of fasting.  That may mean a week-long "normal fast" (abstaining from food and only drinking water and juice.)  It may mean a limited fast (abstaining from a particular meal or meals each day, such as skipping lunch each day, and investing the time in prayer.  As I mentioned, I will be providing tips each day here on my blog starting today and continuing through next Saturday.  Here is the most important tip before we start:  Some folks are not good candidates for fasting from food, such as those who are diabetic, hypoglycemic, or who have other health issues.  Check with your personal care provider before undertaking any kind of fast from food if you have any questions or concerns.  Be lifting up the week-long fast in prayer!