FASTING UPDATE // DAY 16

God has given you gifts to use for His purposes.  It makes me think of Abraham and the five dynamics that brought him into the place of ministry, the place of destiny that God had for him.  First, he could HEAR God.  Secondly, Abraham BELIEVED what he heard.  Third, he came to a place of DENOUNCING his comfort zone to follow God’s leading. Fourth, Abraham had the courage to FOLLOW God’s direction for His life.  And finally, he had the tenacity to FOCUS on the promise and not the problems that stood in his way. 
-Jentezen Franklin

So on this day of the fast, I encourage you to pray and seek God about His purpose and plan for  your life, your ministry unto Him. 

Matthew 16:24 – “Then Jesus said to His disciples, ‘If anyone wishes to come after Me, he must deny himself, and take up his cross and follow Me.”

FASTING UPDATE // DAY 14

In Psalm 42, we find this really strange phrase, “Deep calls unto deep.”  Exactly what was that all about?  While fasting, David’s hunger and thirst for God was greater than his natural desire for food.  As a result, he reached a place where he could cray out from the depths of his spirit to the depths of God, even during the roughest times of his life.  Once you experience true intimacy with God, your worship will change.   As we enter into worship during our weekend gatherings, let’s make a new commitment to give God our radical worship and praise.  Let’s hold nothing back, because God certainly doesn’t want to hold anything back from us!

Physical and Spiritual Effect:
During this point of the fast you may experience the following:
-Weight loss continues.
-Bad breath continues – if someone offers you a mint, TAKE IT!
-Cravings can be strong at times.  Believe me. I have actually been watching cooking infomercials all morning.  I can’t look away!  I almost even purchased the Express 101 Kitchen Appliance!  What?  It was only two payments of $19.95 and if you called within 2 minutes, you received a second one free!  What a deal!  As I said, “cravings can be strong at times.”

I can’t tell you how proud I am of our church family.  You have demonstrated your desire to see God move like never before in our church.  God will honor that!  There is no turning back now!

By the way, don’t forget our BURN PRAYER SEMINAR, that will be held on Saturday, January 24.  We will begin at Right Track Academy at 10:00 a.m. and will conclude by noon.  Our guest speaker is Pastor Rod Trusty.  Pastor Rod is an incredible speaker and will bring a timely and relevant message from the Lord.  Please, as your pastor, I encourage you – we all need to be at this event.  Our church must be a house of prayer!  One that is praying first, always, and continually!

ABLAZE :: A Worship Experience

Don’t miss out on ABLAZE 09 – A Worship Experience.
Sunday, January 25, 2009

This will be a time of great celebration of what God is doing as a result of our 21-day fast.  This will be a service filled with praise & worship, prayer, and testimony.  Join us and let God set your heart on fire!

FASTING UPDATE // DAY 13

Remember the game hiding seek?  My son is a pro.  He loves to hide – in fact, at this very moment, he is hiding under my desk!  I think sometimes we have this idea that God is somehow playing hide and seek with us.  I can assure you, He is not.  In fact Hebrews 11:6 says, “God is a Rewarder of them that diligently seek Him.”  Jeremiah 29:13 says, “you shall seek me, and find me, when you search for me with all of your heart.” Fasting and praying is seeking God with all your heart.  As long as you are seeking Him with all of your heart, you will discover a relationship with God that you have never dreamed of having.  His love really is indescribable.   Keep seeking and let Him blow you away!

You are Loved,
Anthony

During your devotion, click below to listen to a portion of one of the greatest messages I have ever heard.  

FASTING UPDATE // DAY 12

“The Holy Spirit is using your fast to reveal your true spiritual condition, resulting in brokenness, repentance, and a transformed life.  God is looking throughout the earth for those faithful few upon whom He can pour out His blessing in extraordinary ways.  When you fast, you attract His attention as one willing to venture beyond the norms of religion into a great adventure.”
- Jentezen Franklin

It has been my prayer for you in our church family, that God would rock your world through this fast.  I believe that God is stripping us down so that He can build us up.  When He is done, you will look in the mirror and see better moms and dads, husbands and wives, children of God that are fully devoted to Him and His mission.   There is no turning back.  We are life long followers of Christ and we are His!

Get ready, God is about to move in an incredible way in your life!  I am so excited that as your pastor, I get a front row seat to watch it happen!

Lord, I give you praise, the only God our Savior.  To you be glory, majesty, power, and authority, through Jesus Christ our Lord, before all ages, now and forevermore.

You are Love,
Anthony

FASTING UPDATE // DAY 11

Colossians 3:3 (The Message)
“Your old life is dead. Your new life, which is your real life – even though invisible to spectators – is with Christ in God.  He is your life.”

Who are you?  Are you living the REAL YOU or is your life BASED on a true story, but what we see isn’t exactly the way it is supposed to be?  It’s amazing how we transform depending upon who we are spending our time with.  What is the real you really like?  No matter how inconsistent you are, God’s love for you is steadfast and perfect.  Even though we are fallible and wayward, He still cares.  During this time, your prayer should not simply be for God to change your circumstances.  What He really wants to change is you.  There is not a single thing that Jesus cannot change, control, or conquer because He is the living God!

Pray today that God would give you strength to humble yourself before Him and allow Him to create within you a clean heart and that you would completely surrender everything you have to Him.  Rise up and confront the barriers standing in your way.  It’s time to get REAL and MOVE FORWARD! Don’t allow anything to stand in your way of what God wants for your life!

During your devotion time
check out the following video, “Moving Forward.”

Multiplication: God’s Math

This past week we began a series at Northpark about God’s Math – MULTIPLICATION.  It is God’s will for us to be fruitful and to multiply.  John 15:8 shows us that God is glorified when we produce large results.  As a church and as individuals, we are praying that God would MULTIPLY:

• Our spiritual depth.
• Our anointing and understanding of God’s Word.
• Our desire for prayer and fasting.
• Our love and compassion for others.
• Our influence that we might pastor a city.
• Our finances and resources.
• Our relationships in our homes.
• Our numbers as we reach out to those who are lost.
• Our effectiveness in ministry.

However, sitting back and hoping it will happen is not going to bring it!   It takes a definite passion for God and a passion to see God move in our lives to drive that reality.  We must give birth to those things on the inside before we can receive those things on the outside. 

In Sunday’s message, we spent a lot of time talking about that kind of passion.  To take this discussion a step further, I want to share with you some KEYS TO CULTIVATING PASSION.  Author, Mark Sanborn, writes the following in his book THE ENCORE EFFECT (click the link to purchase your copy – it’s a great resource). 

As you read the following, consider how they apply to your life!

1. Study and Learn – In today’s society, there is no excuse for not growing in your area of ministry or vocation.   Information will fuel your heart and mind to push to become more passionate about what you put your hands to.
2. Use Small Achievements or Success to Fuel Larger Ones – Focus on achieving a remarkable performance today, then another one tomorrow – not on becoming a company CEO. 
3. Look to Other Passionate People as Role Models – Reach out to people you respect for their passion and performance. Passion is more CAUGHT than TAUGHT.
4. Plug the Leaks – Don’t spend time on things that diffuse your focus and do not advance your goals.
5. Make Passion Part of Your Life – Where the head goes, the heart will follow.  You may not feel passionate, but if you deliberately and consciously act with passion, you will come to feel that passion.

Listen to the sermon, “MULTIPLICATION:  GOD’S MATH.”

Fasting Update // Day 10

Marathon runners talk about hitting the wall during their race.  It’s that point of the race where you just don’t think you can make it another step.  I, however, have never hit the wall – I’ve never made it past my front door!  If you can ever make it past the wall, runners will tell you that the rest of the race is a breeze.  Fasting is much that way.  Maybe you feel that you are hitting the wall and you can’t make it another day.  You feel bogged down, sluggish, irritable, and not even able to pray.   This is the point where you must really focus on the goals of your fast and cry out to God even more.  Call upon the name of Jesus.  If you can’t pray anything else, simply repeat the phrase, “Thank you, Jesus.”  There is power in His name!  It is His strength that will help you endure.  It is His strength that will sustain you!   Proverbs 18:10 says, “The name of the Lord is a strong tower; the righteous run to it and are safe!”

I’m so proud of you in our church family who are walking this journey of a 21 day fast.  Begin to write down what God is doing in your life as a result of your sacrifice.  What is God speaking to you?  How is God growing you as a life-long follower of Christ?  Spend time today thanking Him for His hand in your life.   Take time to leave a comment at the bottom of the page.  Let others hear what God is doing. Your words of encouragement may be what it takes to get them over the wall!

Listen to our series, “Oh Lord, Help Me Fast”.

During your devotion and prayer time today, check out the following music video, “I Call Your Name.” 

Oh Lord, Help Me Fast!

ISAIAH 58:6

“…let the oppressed go free.”

Here we are standing in the doorway of another year.  As a church family, we have decided to dedicate this time of the year to God.  That’s right – a corporate fast!  Yes!  No, we’ve not gone crazy, in fact, we are practicing a Biblical principle that has been overlooked for way too long.   In fact, the Bible actually hits on fasting 69 times.  That is a 3 to 1 ratio on regards to prayer.  For every three times prayer is taught in Scripture, fasting is taught once.  Yet we certainly don’t hear about fasting very much at all.  It’s sad that as we lose our influence in the world for Christ, the church has all but forsaken something that grabs the heart of God.

Fasting is a great way to cut away the PROPS we have become so dependant upon to get us through the day. It’s amazing how toxic “our daily requirements” have become.  Even when we see the negative effects of our actions, we still find ourselves wrapped up in the same behavior.  The Apostle Paul’s words ring out loud and clear. “For what I do is not the good I want to do; no, the evil I do not want to do—this I keep on doing” (Romans 7:19).

Thankfully, we don’t have to continue down that slippery slope.  In fact, fasting is a great way to find our freedom.   Once you decide to fast, God sees the desire of your heart.  He hears your prayer! He will provide you with the grace to endure and see the breakthroughs you need come to pass.  We only have one life to give to God; let’s get control of our bodies and go for God with everything we have within us!

Make sure you take the time to listen to our current series at Northpark, “Oh Lord, Help Me Fast!”
click here to listen

Current Series

Listen For His Voice

Author Henri Nouwen did a great job of taking Scripture and forming them together to hear God speak powerful words to you and to me:

“I have called you by name, from the very beginning. You are mine and I am yours. You are my Beloved, on you My favor rests. I have molded you in the depths of the earth and knitted you together in your mother’s womb. I have carved you in the palms of My hands and hidden you in the shadow of My embrace. I look at you with infinite tenderness and care for you with a care more intimate than that of a mother for her child. I have counted every hair on your head and guided you at every step. Wherever you go, I go with you, and wherever you rest, I keep watch. I will give you food that will satisfy all your hunger and drink that will quench all your thirst. I will not hide my face from you. You know me as your own as I know you as My own. You belong to me. Wherever you are I will be. Nothing will ever separate us. We are one.”