Focus 40: Day 20 - March 31, 2011

Is Prayer and Fasting Relevant Today?

Paul and Barnabas also appointed elders in every church. With prayer and fasting, they turned the elders over to the care of the Lord, in whom they had put their trust. -Acts 14:23 NLT

Paul and Barnabas handpicked leaders in each church. After praying—their prayers intensified by fasting—they presented these new leaders to the Master, to whom they had entrusted their lives. For Paul, prayer and fasting was a joint venture of faith. Prayer and fasting were critical to the development of the early church and its effective mission.

What about today? Are prayer and fasting still relevant? I came across a statement not long ago concerning prayer and fasting that really challenged my life. Let me share it with you. "You will be the poorer spiritually and your prayer life will never be what God wants it to be until you practice the privilege of fasting." This is a strong statement; is there truth in it?

One of my favorite writers concerning the many facets of prayer is Wesley L. Duewel. In his book Touch the World through Prayer, he scans history and shares an assortment of statements by a few noted thinkers and scholars. Fourth century Bishop of Salamis, Epiphanius wrote: "Who does not know that the fast of the fourth and sixth days of the week are observed by the Christians throughout the world?" Francis of Assisi danced, preached, sang, testified, and fasted through the streets of Italy until thousands of the youth were saved. Martin Luther was criticized for too much fasting. John Calvin fasted until Geneva was converted and there was not a house without at least one praying person. The reason Queen Mary feared the prayers of John Knox "more than all the armies of Scotland" was because of his constant prayer and fasting. John Wesley fasted twice weekly. He said he would as soon curse and swear as not fast, for "the man that never fasts is no more in the way to heaven than the man who never prays." Jonathan Edwards fasted so much he was often weak in the pulpit, but he was instrumental in moving New England for God. Charles G. Finney, the revivalist of the 1800s, fasted each week. In fact, whenever he felt the power of the Spirit fading from his meetings, he would fast and pray for three days and nights. He reported that after such times, the Spirit's power invariably returned. These movers and shakers of the world for God were convinced that fasting is God's chosen way to deepen and strengthen prayer.

Are prayer and fasting relevant today? To answer this question, one need only to survey the landscape of the church and look for kingdom results: lost people coming to Christ, communities experiencing radical transformation, churches coming alive and thriving, people experiencing deliverance and restoration.

I urge you to set aside some time to pray-one to three days. And incorporate fasting into your prayer plan. I would also encourage pastors and other church leaders to consider calling a fast for a specific time and for a specific purpose.

Lord, empower us to accept your challenge to prayer and fasting and show us what you want to do in response to your passionate praying people. Amen.

Pastor Mitch Burch, Towne Boulevard Church of God; Middletown, Ohio

Focus 40: Day 19 - March 30, 2011

Delight Yourself in the Lord: Prayer for Success!

Delight yourself in the LORD and he will give you the desires of your heart. -Psalm 37:4 NIV

When I first read this passage, my eyes immediately jumped to the part about he will give you the desires of your heart. Isn't that what we all want, the desires of our hearts? So I said, "OK, Lord, where's the key to that treasure chest, the key to success? Let's get it open!" Then I read again the first half of that verse, Delight yourself in the Lord, followed by the little connecting words and he will. That's one of those If...then statements: If you do this...then I'll do that. God's fulfillment of the second part is dependent on our fulfilling the first part: If you delight yourself in the Lord, then he will give you the desires of your heart.

"So, Lord," I said, "how do I do that, delight myself in you so you can give me the desires of my heart? He said, "Read the rest of the instructions!" Here they are: Trust in the Lord and do
good...Commit your way to the Lord; trust in him…Be still before the Lord and wait patiently for him. (Psalm 37:4-7) Then it connected! I began to understand: the Creator God wants to live in a close, personal, intimate relationship with me. That's delighting myself in him: committing my way to the Lord, saying, "Lord, your will be done in my life, your plans be fulfilled in my life."

Delight means to be pliable, as gold in the hands of the Refiner, who purifies and shapes it into a vessel he can trust to fill with the desires of his heart. When we commit our way to him, we allow the desires of his heart to become the desires of our hearts. Then he can trust us to give us the desires of our hearts. We can always trust the desires of his heart to be what is best and fulfilling for us, because he wants us to succeed. He expresses this clearly in Jeremiah 29:11, I know the plans I have for you… plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future (NIV).

Lord, empower me to delight myself in you, to be pliable and pure in your hands. Shape me into the vessel you can trust to fill with the desires of your heart. Help me make them the desires of my heart. Then give me the desires of my heart because I am in line with your purpose and plan for me. And grant me success and fulfillment in every part my life. Use me, Lord, as you wish, to empower others to delight themselves in you.

Dr. Sam Bruce, President, Sam & Sandie Bruce Ministries; Pastor, Hope Point Church, Pearl, Mississippi; Online Instructor, Mid-America Christian University, Member, Transformation Team Connect/Refresh

Focus 40: Day 18 - March 29, 2011

Longing for God (4)

"As the deer longs for streams of water, so I long for you, O God." -Psalm 42:1 NLT

When I was converted to Christ, I was a real wino, dino, and dingbat. In other words, I was heavily influenced by the world and was very much a part of it. Through a dramatic conversion, I learned the necessity of a daily relationship with Christ. I needed him at every turn. I would turn to him for every little thing. I remember how I couldn't wait for my visit with the Lord. I would talk to him early in the morning before I even got out of bed and wouldn't stop talking to him until my head once again hit the pillow that night. We talked about everything: what I should do that day, what I should say, and how I should invest my time. I included him in everything. It reminded me a lot of when I was young and spent a great deal of time on the phone with my girlfriend. We would spend hours on the phone. Sometimes we would call just to hear each other say hello. Nothing really had to be said, but just knowing that she was at the other end of the phone seemed to make the day fulfilled and better. There were times that we talked on the phone way into the night until we fell asleep. As silly as those times sound, they were quite meaningful times in my life. Unfortunately, as we get older and wiser in the Lord-or at least we think we are-we feel that we can rely more and more on our own understanding. I would hope that we would, once again, humble ourselves and pray and seek his face and turn from our wicked ways so that he could hear from heaven and forgive our sins and heal out land.

As we look to our daily prayer life, I want to challenge each one of us to get to that point where we long to be with the Lord, where we can't wait to call upon him and to spend as much time as possible with him in conversation sharing every detail of our lives-from the least important to the most difficult areas of our lives.

We need to have an attitude through which prayer becomes a priority for our family, our life, and ourselves. We need to make it a priority, not an option. We need to choose to pray. If we truly believe that spending time with God in prayer is actually carrying on a conversation with the Creator of the universe, then why would we overlook, avoid, forget, or even fall asleep in the middle of our prayers? We need to realize that this is an incredible privilege that God has given each believer to call on him and have him answer. Neglecting prayer is a personal loss and one that I now refuse to ever lose out on again. You see, once we realize that prayer is the source of power for our life, just as electricity is to an appliance, we will never want to be disconnected again, because we have come to realize that God increases our usefulness as we stay plugged into him through prayer.

Father, help me too long to spend time in conversation for you. Rekindle my desire to spend time with you as my first priority.

Richard Mansfield, Evangelist; Senior Pastor, New Beginnings Church of God, Albuquerque, New Mexico; Director of Finance, Concilio Hispano de la Iglesia de Dios

4 Excerpted from Richard Mansfield, "Experiencing God's Presence Through Prayer," in Experiencing God's Presence Through Worship, Prayer, and Service, by Leslie Parker Barnes, Donald L. Collins, and Richard Mansfield, 21–38 (Anderson, IN: Warner Press, 2002). Use by permission.

Focus 40: Day 17 - March 28, 2011

O God, Come to My Aid

"I will give them a heart to know me, that I am the LORD. They will be my people, and I will be their God, for they will return to me with all their heart." - Jeremiah 24:7 NIV

Life is a spiritual journey, and prayer seems to be a part of it, even before we come to a saving knowledge of Jesus Christ. I still remember when the tragedy of 9/11 happened; the whole world was drawn to pray, even those who previously would have nothing to do with God were openly praying. It was written about in newspapers, talked about on TV. Everyone was very openly holding public prayer vigils and prayer meetings without any criticism. I was sure that this was going to be the beginning of a God awakening for our country. But for many it was short-lived and forgotten.

As God draws people to prayer, his Word tells us that he wants to give us a heart to understand who he really is and that he is our God and we are his people. This kind of prayer is the light of God that shines upon us, telling us which way to go in order to obtain peace, solidity, and freedom. It is the way of the cross. Jesus died so that we could have this peace and freedom in our lives. It is a free gift from God to us.

As we continue to pray, we will begin to see some of the wholesome seeds that lie within our consciousness, and God will water them. These are the seeds of compassion, love, understanding, forgiveness, and joy. If while praying we can recognize these seeds within us, he will draw us to himself and we will be changed forever by his saving grace. The greatest relief we can obtain is available when our heart touches his in total, unconditional surrender. The moment we surrender our entire being to God, all of our fears vanish. The Holy Spirit takes up residence in our hearts and then we feel truly alive, capable of understanding the suffering of others, and motivated by the desire to help. When you touch deep understanding and love, you are healed. Prayer transforms our vision of the world, and makes us see it, all men, and all the history of mankind in the light of God. Truly it is a prayer of the heart.

My question then is this: Is it necessary to use many words in order to experience this kind of prayer? It is not. The Desert Father St. Macarius said, "Only stretch out your arms and say, 'Lord, have pity on me as you desire and as you well know how.' And if the enemy presses you hard, say, 'Lord, come to my aid.'" Early Christian monks urge us to use short, simple prayer drawn from the Psalms. The most frequently used one is "O God, come to my aid."

Do you need God to come to your aid today? Then just reach out to him with all your heart and say, "O God, come to my aid." He will answer you and fill you with his Holy Spirit. In the words of St. Macarius, "There is no other perfect meditation than the saving and blessed name of our Lord Jesus Christ dwelling without interruption in you." Thank him today for his amazing power in your life through prayer.

Pastor Barb Ferraro, New Beginnings Church of God, Meadville, Pennsylvania; Member, Transformation Team Connect/Refresh

Focus 40: Day 16 - March 26, 2011

Running Down and Up the Hills

I, the Lord, will take you by the hand... and you will free captives from prison... -Isaiah 42:7 (paraphrased)

One of my most memorable experiences came as a senior seminary student at Anderson University, working at Park Place Nursery School with three-year-olds. Those little children were so innocent and eager to learn. One little girl latched onto my heart. I don't remember her name, but I remember her well. She was extremely quiet, painfully shy, a loner, somber most of the time. She wouldn't play or work with other children or adults. Throughout the semester I attempted to reach to her, to pull her out of her cocoon. I prayed for her, wondering what kind of home she had, whether she were an abused child. I wanted intensely to help her play with the other children.

On my last day in nursery school, it was time for the children to go outside to play a favorite game: holding hands with each other, or a teacher, and running down and up the grassy hill on the playground. The picture is etched indelibly in my mind. Standing by the door, watching children run outside, I felt a little hand take hold of mine, and I heard her speak softly those unforgettable words, as her big brown eyes captivated my heart, "Mr. Bruce, would you run down the hill with me?" It was the first time she opened up to let anyone inside her fragile shell!

I ecstatically responded, "Honey, I sure will!" Off we went, hand in hand, running down and up the grassy hill together. Soon she let go of my hand and joined the children, running, laughing, playing, having a wonderful time. As I watched through misty eyes, I breathed a prayer of thanks to God for letting me have a part in freeing a beautiful little creation of his from her cocoon, setting her free to soar. I never saw her again, but I do hope she is still soaring in the strength of the Lord.

That's why Jesus came, to run down and up the hills of life with us, setting us free to soar as on eagles' wings through the good news of Jesus Christ in all his healing, reconciling power. He came to set us free, to heal and restore us spiritually, mentally, emotionally, physically, and relationally. And he came to empower us to set others free spiritually, mentally, emotionally, physically, and relationally. This demonstrates the awesome power of persevering intercessory prayer. Never give up!

Thank you, God, for the power of intercessory prayer to heal, restore, and set people free to soar and run down and up the hills of life with inexpressible joy, uncontainable happiness, and unending freedom. Give me the vision and love to see others who need to be set free to run down and up the hills. In the name of him who is able! Amen!

Dr. Sam Bruce, President, Sam & Sandie Bruce Ministries; Pastor, Hope Point Church, Pearl, Mississippi; Online Instructor, Mid-America Christian University, Member, Transformation Team
Connect/Refresh

Focus 40: Day 15 - March 25, 2011

Seeking the Known about the Unknown

Search me, O God, and know my heart; test me and know my anxious thoughts. -Psalm 139:23 NIV

The psalmist ends his psalm with these words, but what he says before makes these words all the more remarkable. At the beginning of the psalm, the psalmist recognizes that God sees when he sits and rises, that God knows his thoughts, that God is familiar with all his ways. God even knows what he will do before he does it. The psalmist declares that God's knowledge is "wondrous," even miraculous.

The psalmist goes on to say that God is omnipresent. There is no where he can go to hide from God – not the highest heavens and or the deepest depths. Finally, the psalmist declares that he is "fearfully and wonderfully made." God knows his inner being greater than the psalmist knows himself.

After making all these declarations, the psalmist speaks to God and states that his zeal is for Him. He is not like the enemies of God who seek to destroy the righteous. It is at this point that the psalmist declares, "Search me, O God, and know my heart; test me and know my anxious thoughts." The psalmist was asking God to see if his words were true; that he was a zealous man. God did not need the psalmist's permission to know the innermost thoughts of the psalmist. God knew them already.

This psalm is a reminder that God knows us better than we know ourselves. God made us. God knows how we are wired. God knows what we want, what we think, what we do. He knows this even before we realize what we want, before we think, before we do anything.

It is not God who is distant from us. It is us who refuse to be intimate with God. We believe that we can hide from God. That what we think is personally ours. It takes courage to seek intimacy with God. When we ask God to search our most innermost thoughts and see if they pure and noble, we are asking God to reveal to us those secret thoughts and desires which are against Him. The risk is that God might find something we are ashamed of or feel guilty about.

The reality is that since God already knows the deepest parts of our hearts and minds, we ought to be honest about them with ourselves and acknowledge them before God. Allow God to test your thoughts. Allow the light to shine onto all sinful and shameful desires. Confront these desires; confess them, ask God to give you the desires of His heart. Don't shy away from intimacy with God. Instead cling to the one who created you.

Darren R. Covington, First Church of God, Greensburg, Indiana.

Focus 40: Day 14 - March 24, 2011

Healing Our Painful Pasts

"I will forgive their wickedness and will remember their sins no more." -Jeremiah 31:34 NIV

Do you have a secret? Is there something about you that you hope no one ever discovers? I have found that all of us have secrets and that failing to address them can be very unhealthy spiritually. As a young pastor, I would talk about horrible problems like rape, incest, suicide and sexual addiction as belonging to people out there. We brought the poor lost folks into our fellowship to bring them to Christ.

How foolish of me! I have learned that whatever the group—an alcoholic recovery group, a church crowd, a mid-week Bible study populated mostly with white-haired folks—there will be people present who are struggling with painful secrets. I remember a young mother coming into my office a number of years ago. She was talented and beautiful, with a wonderful smile, but this day she was not smiling. This day, through bitter tears, she recounted years of sexual abuse and a broken life that had resulted from her painful past. No one knew, but the secret was destroying her life.

If you are a Christ follower you probably are aware that God forgives completely when we ask. "I will forgive their wickedness and will remember their sins no more" (Jeremiah 31:34). It is not God who struggles with forgiveness. We struggle to release our painful pasts into his forgiving Spirit. Several years ago, I started teaching a little visualization prayer. I ask people to imagine their heart to be a big room. It is a place where you live and work. In the middle of the room is a trap door. Can you see it? Inside the trap door are the secrets, the hurts, the painful memories in our lives. Maybe they are so painful you have chosen to not recall them. I then ask people to do two things. If there are secret, not yet confessed sins in their lives, they need to confess them at that moment to God. Next, they need to lift the trap door. It is dark down there, but Jesus is light. Invite him to go into the darkness. Ask him to touch those wounds and hurts that keep you confused and frustrated and angry. Ask him to remove the guilt and pain and replace them with his amazing peace.

I ask that you pray this prayer every day until his peace overcomes the pain and darkness that robs you of his joy:

Lord, help me open the trap doors in my life. As the Light of the world, please walk with me into the darkness. Touch and heal the wounds that keep me confused and frustrated and angry. Then remove the guilt and pain and replace it with your amazing peace. Amen.

Rev. Steve Birch, Pastor, White Chapel Church of God, South Daytona, Florida; Member, Transformation Team Connect/Refresh

Focus 40: Day 13 - March 23, 2011

The Power of Fasting

Most Christians and non-Christians rarely discuss or understood fasting. I remember, as a new Christian, when we were asked by our pastor or one of the spiritual leaders in the congregation to fast from 6:00 AM to 6:00 PM So often we would watch our watches, or the clock on the wall, waiting for 6:00 PM to arrive. On a few occasions, a meal was prepared in advance and the alarm clock set sharply for 6:00 PM so we could begin eating immediately. As I look back on those days of my early Christian experiences, it appears we were more concerned about eating than fasting.

Later, as I read the Bible, and other books about fasting, I discovered that fasting is a vital teaching in both the Old and New Testaments. Furthermore, I learned that fasting, coupled with prayer and a humble spirit, is a powerful weapon in the life of a Christian. The Hebrew word for fasting means "to cover the mouth," and the Greek word for fasting means "to abstain from food." In each instance, the meaning is the same. We cover our mouths to prevent food from entering our bodies. Fasting is a time of dedicating both body and soul to God by removing fleshly distractions from our lives. Fasting allows the spiritual resources of heaven to occupy our thoughts and affections. We are removed, for a while, to a new dimension of spiritual reality; our walk by faith, and not be sight, takes on a new meaning as we make a connection with God in new and exciting ways.

Therefore, fasting is any self-imposed appetite-denying discipline. Consequently, fasting takes on a negative aspect for the flesh; in contrast, it becomes a positive force in the Spirit. There are, for example, a number of illustrations in the Bible that confirm the benefits of fasting. Here are just a few of them:

1. Deliverance from the Adversary—Esther 4:1-3 (NIV). When Mordecai learned all that had been done, he tore his clothes, put on sackcloth and ashes, and went out into the city, wailing loudly and bitterly. But he only went as far as the king's gate, because no one clothed in sackcloth and ashes was allowed to enter. In every province to which the edict and order of the king came, there was great mourning among the Jews, with fasting, weeping, and wailing. Many lay in sackcloth and ashes.

2. Jesus in the Wilderness—Matthew 4:1-2 (NIV). Then Jesus was led by the Spirit into the desert to be tempted by the devil. After fasting, for forty days and for nights, he was hungry.

3. For Divine Revelation and Confirmation—Acts 13:1-2 (NIV). In the church at Antioch there were prophets and teachers…While they were worshiping the Lord and fasting, the Holy Spirit said, "Set apart for me Barnabas and Saul for the work to which I have called them."

Since those early days as a new Christian and my first exposure to fasting, I have learned the true meaning of fasting for spiritual growth and divine enlightenment. A fitting conclusion regarding the importance of fasting may be summarized as follows: (1) As Christians we can and ought to fast on behalf of our nation and those who provide leadership at the local, state, and national levels. (2) Fasting will help us to overcome temptation as we face our social, physical, moral, and spiritual wilderness. (3) May we fast and pray for men and women who will petition God for his guidance and direction of Holy Spirit as we seek to do his will.

Dr. Alvin Lewis, Retired, Former Pastor, Central Community Church of God, Jackson, Mississippi

Focus 40: Day 12 - March 22, 2011

Prayer for Joy in the Sighing Times

Give ear to my words, O LORD, consider my sighing. Listen to my cry for help, my King and my God, for to you I pray. In the morning, O LORD, you hear my voice; in the morning I lay my requests before you and wait in expectation...Lead me, O LORD, in your righteousness because of my enemies-make straight your way before me...But let all who take refuge in you be glad; let them ever sing for joy. Spread your protection over them, that those who love your name may rejoice in you. For surely, O LORD, you bless the righteous; you surround them with your favor as with a shield (Psalm 5:1-3, 8, 11-12 NIV).

This psalm was written by David. Despite all the great things David accomplished, he was not immune from sorrow or trouble. In this psalm, David's heart cries out to God. David feels such distress that words are not enough; he asks God to consider his sighing. In the verses omitted, David explains that his enemies are spreading lies about him, slandering his name. David seeks justice and "wait[s] in expectation" for the deliverance of God and for God to bring justice. David has faith that God will come to his aid. In spite of his cries, this faith gives David joy. David rejoices in the fact that he can take refuge in God, that God will protect him, that God will surround him, and that God will bless him for serving Him.

David asks God to consider and listen to his heart. David is inviting God to listen. David is inviting God to show his love and protection. The Scriptures teach us that God knows our needs before we even express them. God understands the groans and sighs of our hearts. God wants us to allow Him to be our Shepherd, to be the one who will stand at the gate to the fold and watch over and protect us. But God needs for us to open ourselves to Him, to trust in Him, to take refuge in Him.

Life brings trouble – there is no escaping this truth. Sometimes people turn against us. Sometimes the world itself feels like it is against us. Sometimes we have a hard time even finding the words to express the distress we have. Sometimes we believe that God himself is against us. This psalm teaches us that when we open our hearts to God and seek Him out, that God will act on our behalf. God promises to be our refuge, to surround and fill us with His Spirit.

When trouble comes, don't turn from God, run to God, because he stands with open arms. Jesus declared "come unto me all ye that are burdened and heavy laden and I will give you rest." Give your cares over to God in prayer, even if all you can express is sighs, and allow God to fight for you.

Darren R. Covington, First Church of God, Greensburg, Indiana.

Focus 40: Day 11 - March 21, 2011

Fasting as an Expression of Love

"I am my beloved's, and my beloved is mine." -Song of Songs 6:3 KJV

With two active kids, three dogs, and a tortoise at our house, it's not always easy for my husband and I to find time to share romantic moments together. Each of us has a demanding career as well, so date night often gets bumped off the calendar by meetings, work deadlines, school projects, and other demands of our busy schedule. For all the concerts we've never heard, the movies we've never seen, and the intimate dinners we've never gotten to share in the twelve years of our marriage, we still have a healthy relationship because we've managed to find creative ways to express our love for each other that wouldn't be obvious to the casual observer. For example, pot roast with carrots and potatoes is my husband's favorite meal, so anytime I want to clearly communicate my love for him, all I have to do is put a pot roast in the crock pot. To him, being greeted at the front door after a long day at work by the savory aroma of roast beef is better than the thought of a fine dinner at a five-star restaurant, and he knows beyond a shadow of a doubt that the meal was prepared with love just for him. Slow dancing in the kitchen when our song comes on the radio, laughing at funny things our kids have said, or when I wear a certain perfume or a piece of special jewelry that he purchased for me—all of these things communicate wordlessly that I've been thinking of him during the day and say a silent "I love you" that only he can hear. These ordinary, everyday romantic moments make up the majority of the romantic space in our marriage and serve as the intimate foundation that supports our family through times of hardship and pain.

For me, fasting has served a similar purpose in my relationship with God. When Jesus addresses the topics of prayer, giving, and fasting in Matthew 6:5 - 16, he cautions that these acts are acts of personal devotion. While there are occasions where we engage corporately in all three, our relationship with God thrives when it is built on the foundation of a strong personal, private devotional life. When I am fasting, whether it is for a few hours, a day, or longer, it's as if I get to spend my whole day in my "secret place" alone with God. I find that as I am fasting, I turn increasingly to God in prayer and meditation on his Word, and my whole day becomes filled with stolen romantic moments with him. As I go about my daily business, my fasting is like the special perfume or the aroma of pot roast, secretly telegraphing the message "I love you, God!" heavenward like a sweet-smelling incense.

Lord, may my actions this day communicate my love for you and show that my relationship with you is a priority in my life. Forgive me when I fall short of this goal and help me to work on having a strong, intimate relationship with you as my deepest desire.

Mary Nichols, Commissioned Minister, Teays Valley Church of God, Scott Depot, West Virginia

Focus 40: Day 10 - March 19, 2011

Feeding the Starter

But Jesus often withdrew to lonely places and prayed. -Luke 5:16 NIV

I guess you could say that my family is spoiled, but we've grown accustomed to homemade bread. Several times a week, I bake sourdough bread. We enjoy having bread we can actually taste. We don't have to keep yeast around, because healthy sourdough starter will cause dough to rise just as well as yeast can—and the end product is much tastier and easier for your body to digest. Having healthy starter around also makes it possible to conveniently enjoy homemade sourdough pancakes, waffles, rolls, and more instead of settling for facsimiles of those things brought home in a package from a store. In order for this to be possible the starter has to be fed regularly, and that requires a little discipline. Every morning as part of my morning routine, I have to feed the starter. All it takes is a little flour, a little water, and a little stir. Sometimes when I'm pressed for time I wonder if it is worth it. But the benefits far outweigh the trouble.

In today's scripture, Luke implies that Jesus had a consistent routine of prayer. For most of us, prayer is something we do when we need help or instruction or intervention. Our habit of taking prayer requests in our services demonstrates that we see prayer as a response to life. It appears that Jesus' understanding of prayer was just the opposite. Prayer was the starter. For Jesus, prayer wasn't a response to the events of his life; it was out of his habit of prayer that the events of his life flowed. No matter what his day brought, he was ready. He didn't have to scramble around mumbling snippets of prayer under his breath to figure out what God wanted him to do. His prayer foundation was laid; he just had to listen for the voice he recognized and to look for the work of the hands that were so familiar.

I think most of our lives would be very different if we adopted Jesus' perspective on prayer. If prayer were the initiating activity of our lives, we would spend more time paying attention to what God was doing, and far less time worrying about the unexpected. It may take a little work to establish a healthy, well-fed prayer starter, but the benefits far outweigh the trouble.

Father, help us to learn to make prayer the starter for our lives, and not just a response to it.

Pastor Bruce Steffensen, Interim Pastor, Holiday Park Church of God, Portland, Oregon

Focus 40: Day 9 - March 18, 2011

Christ is Real

"For everything, absolutely everything, above and below, visible and invisible... everything got started in him and finds its purpose in him." -Colossians 1:16 MSG

Not everyone has the same understanding of Jesus Christ.

When Paul wrote these words he was reacting to a group of people called the Gnostics. These people believed that all matter (flesh, things of this world) was evil and only the Spirit (soul, God's Spirit) was good. These folks called themselves Christians and were trying to change the way people understood Jesus Christ.

William Barclay describes it this way; "If matter was altogether evil, it followed that the body was altogether evil. It followed further that he who was the revelation of God, could not have had a real body. He could have been nothing more than a spiritual phantom in bodily form. The Gnostics completely denied the real manhood of Jesus. In their own writings they, for instance, set it down that when Jesus walked, he left no footprints on the ground."

In other words, Jesus wasn't a real human being.

If Jesus wasn't a real human being then he could not have suffered and died on the cross. Salvation to them was just knowledge. I know about God therefore I am saved. In this there is no interest in the forgiveness of sins or the idea of redemption (living another way as Christ lived).

This idea still exists today.

Being Christian is about more than just knowing about Jesus. It is more than just saying that there is a God. Jesus is real. He was real. He really will return. Through Jesus everything came into existence. That includes all matter. It includes our human bodies and all the stuff we do.

Therefore, Jesus has an interest in what we do with all that we have been given. Following Christ is living as he lived. It is seeking redemption in all areas of life. It is the returning of God's creation to God's way. Do you know this way? Do you know the real Jesus who really saves?

Jesus had footprints. Jesus was and is real. His desire is that we live the life he created and saved us to live. Today, spend some time in prayer and self-examination. Is Jesus more than knowledge to you? Are you allowing him to change your life? If not, what is stopping you?

Pastor John Mattern, First Church of God, Greensburg, Indiana.

1 The Letters to the Philippians, Colossians, and Thessalonians, ed. William Barclay, lecturer in the University of Glasgow, The Daily study Bible series, Rev. ed. (Philadelphia: The Westminster Press, 2000, c1975), 115.

Focus 40: Day 8 - March 17, 2011

Rising to the Surface

Then Jesus was led by the Spirit into the desert to be tempted by the devil. After fasting forty days and forty nights, he was hungry. -Matthew 4:1-2 NIV

I think it is important that we not miss the point that Jesus started out by fasting. Before he began teaching or healing, he fasted. It was a time of focus, preparation, and sorting. My family prefers raw milk. None of this pasteurized/homogenized stuff out of a carton for us. We like it right out of the cow. One of the characteristics of raw milk is that if it is allowed to rest still and undisturbed, it separates and the cream rises to the top. When milk has separated, you have a couple of choices. You can shake the bottle and the cream will disappear into the rest of the milk, or you can draw the cream off and transform it into useful things, such as butter and whipped cream.

When people fast for a long time, their hearts begin to rest and settle, and the things that are hidden in their hearts tend to rise to the surface. We may find that the anger or resentment we thought we had dealt with long ago is still a nagging presence. Or we may find that a passion or calling that we had never noticed is crying for our attention. That long period of time may come in the form of a prolonged fast like Jesus', or it may come in the form of a prolonged habit of shorter fasts over a period of weeks, months, or years. In either case, the result is the same: the true nature of our hearts rises to the surface. It may come through temptation, prayer, study, or conversation, but it will come. When that occurs, we have a couple of options. We can fill the stillness with noise—shake our hearts up so the issues disappear back into the milk of our everyday lives. The other option is to stay quiet and allow the Spirit to draw off whatever rises to the surface of our hearts (he brought them up in the first place).

When Jesus fasted, he went through temptation and his true nature as the sinless Lamb of God rose to the surface. What rises to the surface of our hearts may not be so noble. But if we allow the Spirit to draw it off and transform it, he can make it something useful in our lives.

Father, help us learn to allow stillness and quiet into our lives. Transform whatever rises to the surface into something useful and honoring to you.

Pastor Bruce Steffensen, Interim Pastor, Holiday Park Church of God, Portland, Oregon

Focus 40: Day 7 - March 16, 2011

God's Will is Supreme

"Pray the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into His harvest." - Matthew 9:38 NKJV

Jesus spoke these words to his disciples. Just prior to this though, Matthew records that Jesus was busy going from one town and village to another preaching the good news of the kingdom of God and healing the diseased and sick. Wherever Jesus went, large crowds would gather. Jesus looked at these crowds with compassion. Jesus saw people who not only had physical disease but were spiritually sick, "harassed and helpless."

I can imagine the disciples standing by Jesus in front of a large crowd and hearing the compassion in his voice when he said "Pray the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into His harvest." Matthews tells us that after Jesus spoke these words he sent his disciples out in pairs throughout Israel to preach the good news and gave them power to heal sickness and cast out demons.

It is important to recognize that the harvest belongs to the Lord and that the harvest is all people. The world is Jesus' to reach. The work of evangelizing and meeting the spiritual needs of helpless people is Jesus'. It was not the disciples place to determine the work. It is foremost and only the Lord's will which determines what the disciples are to do. The disciples could have accomplished nothing without our Lord empowering them with the ability to preach, heal, and cast out demons.

In our prayers, we should realize that the Lord's will is supreme. Our obligation is to serve God humbly and in submission. Our prayer should be "not my will, but thine be done." In our community, we see many needs, many people who are hurting, many who are afflicted with spiritual disease. It is easy for us to determine that we shall do this or do that to reach these individuals. However, all of our plans are for naught if not empowered the Lord. We do not dictate to God how his work should be done. We should pray that He will work – that he will send out laborers – and then be willing ourselves, like the disciples, to be one of those workers.

Are your prayers filled with orders to God to do this or do that? Are your prayers filled with requests for God to bless those plans you have devised on your own? Or are your prayers filled with requests for God to show His will, for God to direct your paths? An effective prayer seeks out God's will and then has an attitude of willingness to follow in that will.

Darren R. Covington, First Church of God, Greensburg, Indiana.

Focus 40: Day 6 - March 15,2011

Fasting for Passion

"As the deer longs for streams of water, so I long for you, O God." -Psalm 42:1 NLT

When my husband, Dave, and I were engaged to be married, I had to return to pack up my apartment in Pueblo, Colorado, and work out a month-long notice with my company before transferring to another office in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. I was never so homesick in my life than I was during those four weeks of separation from my soul mate and future husband. My supper was the furthest thought from my mind every evening as I would hurry to make sure I was home at the pre-arranged time of our extended nightly long-distance phone conversation. I never gave more than a passing thought to the rapidly growing phone bill. All other obligations and priorities took second place to those sweet hours of being together the best we could manage considering we were separated by more than fourteen hundred miles and two time zones. The most important thing to me during that time was the sound of his voice every night on the other end of the line, those precious moments shared with him even though we were far apart, and the loving reassurance that after being temporarily apart, we would be together as husband and wife for the rest of our lives.

In the beginning of our relationship with God, we often have the same kind of passion that we do in the beginning of a human relationship. We are willing to overcome any obstacle, climb any mountain, and cross any sea in order to spend time in the presence of the Lord. But as our relationship with God matures, we might begin to take our time with him for granted, just as we often do with our human companion. In Revelation 2:4-5, Jesus scolds the church at Ephesus: "But
I have this complaint against you. You don't love me or each other as you did at first! Look how far you have fallen! Turn back to me and do the works you did at first" (NLT).

One of the often overlooked tools we can use as Christians to renew our passion is fasting. Spiritual needs and desires are often difficult for us to express because we are physical beings who exist in a physical world. When we intentionally skip a meal in order to devote ourselves to prayer, study, and meditation on the things of God, the rumblings of hunger we feel in our bodies become a way to physically express the spiritual hunger of our souls. We are saying, "Lord, right now, I want to spend this time with you more than I want to satisfy my stomach." The discipline of fasting and prayer can be a profound way to rekindle our passion for our relationship with God by helping us to give a concrete, physical voice to our abstract spiritual hungers and desires.

Father, help me show a passion for you today that is greater than my passion for anything fleeting that life has to offer me. Rekindle my desire to spend time with you as my first priority.

Mary Nichols, Commissioned Minister, Teays Valley Church of God, Scott Depot, West Virginia

Focus 40: Day 5 - March 14, 2011

Keep on Praying. Never Give Up!

"Pray without ceasing." -1 Thessalonians 5:17 NKJV

Most of us are familiar with that three-word verse from the apostle Paul. Depending on our interpretation, it has opened up tremendous possibilities or has been the cause of frustration. How do you pray without ceasing? Is it even possible? I understand that verse to be saying, Keep on praying;
never give up! I would like to reflect on prayer as a verb—an activity, or spiritual discipline. All of us have our unique experiences in praying, and most of us yearn for a better prayer life. Some of our frustrations result from a lack of time or the absence of a disciplined practice.

Perhaps unfulfilled expectations or a smattering of guilt followed our best efforts. Then, too, we've heard glowing testimonies from others who had found an enriching, empowering, enjoyable prayer life. Might it help to realize that your personal prayer life is between you and God and, therefore, not like anyone else's? The time of day, the length of time, the bodily posture, the words used or not used, whether you are spiritual or not—none of these matter. What is important is that you and God have a heart-to-heart visit. Prayer is communion with God. That may be what Paul meant when he wrote many times about being in Christ.

Prayer is one of the practices (holy habits) that cultivate our spiritual formation, precisely because it is an exercise of being in Christ. According to one writer, prayer is basic to "the process of being shaped by the Spirit into the likeness of Christ, filled with love for God and the world."2

In other places, I have recommended an attitude toward prayer that seeks less of having our needs met or answers provided and more of the presence of the holy Trinity in the entirety of our lives.3 Often called contemplative prayer, usually consisting of Bible reading, silence, meditation, and waiting, this type of prayer seeks to receive and cultivate the presence of God. The focus is inward—soul and life examination, receptivity, and quieting the mind, body, and spirit. On the other hand, intercessory prayer is more outwardly focused. I believe that the former is needed to undergird the labor of the latter and to prepare for, energize, and guide our work of ministry and faithful witness in the world. Sometimes we blend the two together. The bottom line for praying is, I believe, "just do it!"

O God, teach us to pray as the Disciples asked, and remind us that it is mainly through practice that we learn. Enable us by your grace to live prayerful lives, to keep on praying and never give up! Amen.

Dr. Dwight Grubbs, Retired Pastor and Instructor at Mid-America Christian University and

Anderson University School of Theology.

2 Conversations: A Forum for Authentic Transformation, Fall/Winter 2009. http://www.conversationsjournal.com.

3 Dwight L. Grubbs, Beginnings: Spiritual Formation for Leaders (Lima, OH: Fairway Press, 1994). Available only from author.

Focus 40: Day 4 - March 12, 2011

Fasting: Leverage or Lifestyle?

In the church at Antioch there were prophets and teachers: Barnabas, Simeon called Niger, Lucius of Cyrene, Manaen (who had been brought up with Herod the tetrarch) and Saul. While they were worshiping the Lord and fasting, the Holy Spirit said, "Set apart for me Barnabas and Saul for the work to which I have called them." So after they had fasted and prayed, they placed their hands on them and sent them off. -Acts 13:1-3 NIV

Why were these leaders of the church in Antioch fasting? We're told the results of their fast, but we're never told the reason. I believe we're not told because they are not fasting about anything; they are fasting because it is part of what they do—it is a part of the rhythm of their life. I had always assumed that fasting was a means to an end. People fasted because they needed an answer to a question or a solution to a problem. I would guess that most of our prayer and fasting is done to attempt to bring God's resources to bear on the issues and circumstances we deem important. They are tools of leverage. These men were just fasting. No agenda.

Christian tradition tells us we fast for two reasons: (1) to remind us of our dependence on God for provision and (2) to set aside our focus on our own needs to pay attention to God—to place ourselves at God's disposal. As these men were worshiping and fasting, the Holy Spirit spoke to them. If they hadn't been listening we might not have the legacy of Paul's missionary efforts. If they had not placed themselves at God's disposal, we might be missing half of our New Testament. If they had been fasting to leverage God to cosign their next great idea instead of exercising a lifestyle of fasting to listen to what God has to say, church history may have turned out much differently. Is fasting a part the rhythm of your life? If not, you may be missing out on some amazing things that God wants to tell you and show you.

Father, forgive us for making even our spiritual exercises and disciplines all about us. Help us to learn to wait, listen, and hear. Help us to come into your presence to seek your face and not just the work of your hands.

Pastor Bruce Steffensen, Interim Pastor, Holiday Park Church of God, Portland, Oregon

Focus 40: Day 3 - March 11, 2011

Finding Peace in a Chaotic World

"Be still, and know that I am God" -Psalm 46:10 NIV

Stillness…

To be still is to stop, to not move, or to pause. How often are we still? Let's be honest. Most of us resist stillness. Even when our bodies are not moving many of us make sure something is going on around us. The TV is being watched, music is being listened too, the internet is being surfed, or the phone is being talked at. Often when we encounter stillness our first instinct is to do something to disrupt it. I mean really, how many of us are good at being still?

This Psalm tells us that God is a refuge. In times of trouble, the Lord is our help. The world rages in war and strife. The earth itself trembles and shakes. The waters roar and foam with no peace. This is not a picture of stillness. Wherever the people of God looked they saw chaos. Have you ever been in that place? When everywhere you look all you see is disorder, trouble, and chaos?

In the midst of all craziness of life there is one place of peace. Where the Lord is, there is gladness. There is refuge and shelter. God is not one who makes war. Instead he is one that makes wars cease. God is not the bringer of chaos. God is the bringer of order. What's more, God has the power to do this. In God we can find a source of peace that cannot be found anywhere else.

Each of us has times when we long for stillness, but we cannot find it no matter where we look. Life gets crazy. For some, life is crazy most of the time. Stillness is a dream that doesn't ever seem to become reality. We get so used to the chaos that we can barely recognize anything else. Does this lead us to greater health, more peace, and a better life? I highly doubt the answer is "yes".

Stillness is a choice. There is emphasis behind this scripture. The Lord is calling out to his people. Be Still! Trust Me! It's a wakeup call for the life filled with chaos. Life is more than trouble. Life is greater than our schedules. We don't have to do everything in order for life to go on.

Take time today to choose stillness.

Put down the task in front of you. Turn off the TV, music, computer, and cell phone. Just stop for awhile. In that stillness…seek God. Listen for that still small voice of the Lord. Allow him to shelter you. Get to know him. Remember all that God has done. Find peace.

This is God's world. Trust him.

Dear God, help me to be still. Help me to know you. Help me to trust you. You are greater than the chaos of life. Your ways are better. Help me walk in your ways today and all the days of my life. Amen.

Pastor John Mattern, First Church of God, Greensburg, Indiana.

Focus 40: Day 2 - March 10, 2011

Prayer as a Struggle

When I heard these things, I sat down and wept. For some days I mourned and fasted and prayed before the God of heaven. - Nehemiah 1:4 NIV

Nehemiah was a part of the generation of Israelites that returned from the Exile to Israel. When Nehemiah made this statement though, he was still in Exile. His brother came and told him that the walls of Jerusalem were torn down and the gates burned. At this, Nehemiah wept. Jerusalem, Zion, the place where Yahweh dwelt among his people, was destroyed. Not only had the Israelites been taken captive, but their beloved city had been razed. The place where David's eternal throne sat, the pride of Israel, was now a heap. Nehemiah could not help but mourn this great loss.

Nehemiah's response was to mourn, fast and pray. This was not a prayer of joy, but one made in a great struggle. Nehemiah was not only mourning for Jerusalem, he was mourning for his people. In his prayer, Nehemiah acknowledged that Israel had sin, and that Israel's sin had led it into Exile and was responsible for the destruction of Jerusalem. Nehemiah confessed the sins of Israel and invoked God's promise that He would restore His people if they repented and turned to him. Nehemiah sought restoration and redemption.

Our prayers are sometimes a struggle. Our prayers are sometimes filled with mourning. Prayer as a form of struggle is seen throughout Scripture. Job earnestly pled with God concerning his suffering. Jacob wrestled with an Angel until he was blessed. Hannah, with her tears, beseeched God to give her a son. Christ himself in the Garden of Gethsemane prayed with such intensity that the Scriptures state his sweat was like great drops of blood.

This kind of prayer is a prayer that opens the very being of our soul to God. We permit God to look at those dark places of our being and allow him to listen to our cries. Yet God knows these dark places before we even speak. Paul tells us that the Spirit with sighs and groaning speaks those things which words cannot seem to express.

By allowing God to come to our behalf in our struggles, we permit God to work great victories in us. So like Nehemiah, even in the midst of tears, we can take hope in God's promises. We can take hope in God's offer of restoration and redemption. In the end, Nehemiah saw the walls of Jerusalem rebuilt. God restored His people.

So ask yourself: Does your world seem to be falling apart? Has sin overtaken you and separated you from God? Is there a great struggle within your soul? If so, turn it over to God. Engage in a prayer of struggle. Confess your sins, confess your brokenness, confess your inadequacies, and allow God to work in miraculous ways to restore you. God stills works to redeem those who turn to Him with an honest heart.

Darren R. Covington, First Church of God, Greensburg, Indiana.

Focus 40: Day 1 - March 9, 2011

New Wineskins for a Fresh Filling

Jesus said, "No one puts new wine into old wineskins; or else the new wine bursts the wineskins, the wine is spilled, and the wineskins are ruined. But new wine must be put into new wineskins." - Mark 2:22 NKJV

I think if most of us were honest, we would say that we long for a fresh anointing from God. Wouldn't you really like to see and sense God working in the midst of his people? The power of God comes when the Spirit of God fills his people. How long has it been since you have really seen the power of God moving in your church? How long has it been since you have sensed the power of God working in your own life? Is there freshness to your own journey with God?

There is a connection between fasting and the freshness of God in your life. If you read the above passage of scripture in Mark 2, you see that Jesus had just finished telling the Pharisees that his disciples would fast once he was gone. The purpose of the fasting was to prepare them for a new, fresh anointing from God. God does not put that kind of wine in old wineskins. In fact, our old wineskin, that is our old, dead spirits, cannot contain the freshness of the Holy Spirit of God.

What does that mean for you and me today? If we want the new wine of the Spirit of God -new miracles, new closeness, new intimacy, and fresh power—then it's time to call a fast and shed these old skins for new ones.

What might happen if a large number of believers in the Church of God came together at the same time to fast and pray? How might God respond? As we present our bodies as "living sacrifices" before God in this time of prayer and fasting, allow God to open up your life. Shed away some of those old callous layers. Allow him to prepare your new wineskin for a fresh anointing from him and join with Christ followers across the nation to pray this prayer:

Lord, help me get rid of the old wineskins in my life - the empty, dried up spiritual disciplines, or lack thereof, that are no more than just going through the motions. Replace them with your fresh, new wineskins filled with the new wine of the Spirit of God in fresh anointing, new miracles, new intimacy, and fresh power from your throne. Amen!

Rev. Randy Montgomery, State Pastor, Kentucky Church of God Ministries; Chair, Transformation Team Connect/Refresh