Wednesday, January 7, 2009

Reset Fasting Blog - Day 3

This evening I felt like writing, instead of doing the "video thing."

Me and Janet actually completed Day 4 of our fast today. I've really sensed God's "presence" and "anointing" throughout this entire day.

This morning, the Holy Spirit challenged me to get desperate for our city and to begin passionately praying that God would allow a2 to make a significant difference in the spiritual climate of this city. This is the passage I read during my devotional time.

Psalm 2:8 (NLT), Only ask, and I will give you the nations as your inheritance, the ends of the earth as your possession.

I'm aware that this is a "Messianic" psalm and has a specific meaning. But I also believe it has a "missional" application. And today I sensed the Holy Spirit prompting me to passionately pray for an overwhelming harvest for His kingdom through the ministry of a2...

I also really sensed the Holy Spirit reminding me of the absolute necessity of remaining focused on the mission. Unfortunately, it's so easy to get sucked into the "status quo" and "religious sub-culture" of American Christianity, and somehow forget the mission. Today I read these words from the Gospel of Luke.

Luke 5:30-32 (NLT), But the Pharisees and their teachers of religious law complained bitterly to Jesus' disciples, "Why do you eat and drink with such scum?" 31 Jesus answered them, "Healthy people don't need a doctor; sick people do. 32 I have come to call sinners to turn from their sins, not to spend my time with those who think they are already good enough."

It's my prayer that a2 can become the kind of church that provokes the same criticism from the self righteous and religious that Jesus provoked... But more than that, it's my prayer that a2 would become the kind of church that loves people the way Jesus loved people...

I really believe that the purpose of fasting is the "passionate pursuit of the heart of God." In that vein, maybe as we pursue the heart of God we will come to understand the words of Bob Pierce, "Let my heart be broken by the things that break the heart of God."

Today I really sensed God's breaking my heart for this city.

Are you allowing God to break your heart?

1 comment:

jeremyself said...

i'm with you on this! my heart today has been very heavy with people i know who are far from God. as we draw close to God's heart, i think a natural (or supernatural) byproduct is we find a deeper love in our hearts for those people.