National Day of Prayer 2012

Hey I have a question for you? Did you pray for our leaders today? That question was asked of me at a conference recently and I had to admit that I hadn't. Sometimes I get discouraged and allow that to seep into my heart and affect my prayer life. I begin to think (and so act) as though nothing is going to change so why bother. I become judgemental and critical.
But lately the Lord has been helping to restore my faith (and joy) in this particular area. I WANT to pray for my leaders. I believe that God honors our willingness to stand in the gap for the men and women he has allowed to carry the mantel of authority. Whether I agree with a leader or not, whether I voted for this leader or not - their authority is delegated by God for His purposes (Rom 13:1). I actually find great comfort in that. I don't need to understand eveything God is doing but I sure want to trust in what He is doing because that means I trust Him.
So, Let's pray this Thursday. Pray by yourself, Pray with your small group, Pray with a co-worker, Pray with your family - whatever...just do it :)!

Some key scriptures:
Deu.4:7
2Chron. 7:14
Prov 11:11
Jer. 29:7
Rom. 13:1
1Tim2:1-3
Titus 3:1,2
1Peter 2: 13-17

Pray for:
National Leaders: President Barack Obama, V. Pres. Joseph Biden, Executive branch, Supreme Court, Congress.
State Leaders: Governor Andrew Cuomo (and Executive staff), NYS Legislature.
City Leaders: Mayor Michael Bloomberg and Deaprtment Leaders (Police, Fire, Schools etc) and local leaders.
The Church worldwide.

Discerning God in the Unwelcome

I experienced a number of challenging events this week. Quite a large number as a matter of fact!
David Benner says "Asking where God might be in unwelcome circumstances is quite different from asking why they happened. That question is ultimately unanswerable. Unwelcome circumstances...are not gifts. But they may contain a gift. ...Pray that the Spirit would help you discern the gifts of God that the circumstances may contain."
I have been thinking about this quite a bit as I ask God "how can I pray?"  How do I hold this before you and what should I ask for? Are my prayers for my will to be done or can I truly bear to ask Him for His will to be done? That is a scary thought sometimes. But in the end it is my prayer.

So as you fast this coming week pray for His will in those situations you hold in prayer. What we desire may be good - what He has in mind is Best.

Turning to God through fasting

Derek Prince says:  " I believe the essential nature of fasting is renouncing the natural to invoke the supernatural. The most natural thing for us to do is to eat. When we give up eating, we are deliberately turning away from the natural by turning to God and to the supernatural."  This has deep significance.

I realize that sometimes when I fast I am cranky. I can easily become an unloving person. Then I think about our Sunday's sermon and Pastor Pete's comment about love. "Love is more miraculous than the miraculous. Nothing is more important than growing to be loving people".  I think love is miraculous. For me to love people the way Christ loves me would be a miracle. My love is full of self interest and bargaining ("I will love you if...."). 

When I fast I can be in touch with that part of myself and lay it before the cross. So, I look for and hope for the continuous working of the miraculous in my life as I seek to love as I am loved.

Grace is a wonder huh?

Why do I fast?

Fasting is not new to me. I embraced a routine as part of my prayer discipline many years ago. I am not sure why I stopped - but I did. This recent “call back” to the discipline has taken me to a different “place.”

As I fast now I see it as an opportunity to rest my interior - my “soil”.

 I  am seeking to incorporate a rhythm for my body of eating and

“ resting.” When I fast - life actually becomes a lot simpler for me. I can center on God without the “noise” of thinking about food. When I experience hunger I seek (and sometimes fail) to be  present with my humanity and my limits. I can think of those who experience hunger everyday and pray for them. I also realize how much I take eating for granted.  I find I am asking myself a whole new set of questions about how I live my life with food.  I am also more thankful - good food is a gift I am privileged to receive.

Take some time today to pray for those who experience hunger every day.

Pray for yourself and ask the Lord to open your eyes to things you normally do not "see".

Have you been journaling? How about adding the Examen? At the conclusion of your day of fasting ask yourself these questions?

• Where did I experience life (joy) today?
• Where did I experience death (pain) today?

Offer both to the Lord in prayer.

Scripture Meditation: "Your prayers and gifts to the poor have been received as an offering!"

How can you pray or "give a gift"  this week? Who are "the poor" in your life? Are you one of "the poor?" In what way? Offer those thoughts and prayers to the Lord?

How is it going?

Hey,
Glad you could join in! This is a place where we can share our fasting journey (the good days and the bad).
What we are learning and where God is speaking. Hopefully we can all learn and grow together!







BTW, if you are in need of general prayer please post on  NLF pray our internet prayer chain.