DANNY’S DESK
Declare Jesus – Develop Disciples – Glorify God
"You must love the Lord your God with all your heart, all your soul, and all your mind.”
Matthew 22:37 (NLT)
Hello!
As I watched the Geelong-Collingwood semi-final last week, the camera occasionally panned to a shot of the Collingwood President who just looked shell-shocked. Say what you like about him, but the day I met him on the set of ‘Who Wants to be a Millionaire’, you would not find a nicer, more accommodating or welcoming person. And I really admire the passion he brings to everything he does. It is inspiring!
Dwight L. Moody, the American evangelist of the 1800’s, on a visit to London was visited by some British clergy who wanted to learn how and why this poorly educated American was so effective in winning so many people to Jesus. He took them to the window of his hotel room and asked them what they saw. One by one, they described the people in the park below. As Moody looked out the same window, tears started rolling down his cheeks, and one Reverend asked: “What do you see, Mr. Moody?” His reply? “I see thousands of souls that will one day spend eternity in hell if they do not find the Saviour.” He obviously saw those people very differently than the assembled clergy did. And because he saw eternal souls where they simply saw people strolling in a park, he approached life with a far different, and more passionate agenda.
Passion, when it is directed positively and in a way that encourages, motivates and builds people up, is a wonderful thing. In his book, ‘Finding God’, Larry Crabb says: “The core problem is not that we are too passionate about bad things, but that we are not passionate enough about good things.” In John 12:25-26 Jesus says; “Those who love their life in this world will lose it. Those who care nothing for their life in this world will keep it for eternity. 26 Anyone who wants to serve me must follow me, because my servants must be where I am. And the Father will honour anyone who serves me.” It takes passion to follow Jesus - serving Him daily in everything we do, and being part of His family won’t work as He wants it to if we are not prepared to be passionate in following His call on our lives. In 1 Timothy 6:12 Paul tells us to ‘fight the good fight’ and to ‘hold tight’- which to me illustrates having passion.
God is so passionate about what He does; about His plans; and about YOU! So, what are you passionate about? Are there obstacles, weaknesses’ and sin in your life that you need to conquer so that you can direct - or redirect - your passion towards serving God?
Blessings and have a great week!
Danny
“But if you refuse to serve the Lord, then choose today whom you will serve… as for me and my family, we will serve the Lord.”
Joshua 24:15 (NLT)
Here’s the YouTube link for the message playlist this week:
www.youtube.com/channel/UC8HYJLxm949-vUbKhFIzLdA/playlists
SUNDAY MORNINGS
Sunday 9am @ TCF – COVID-19 restrictions have eased again, and we are now able to have outdoor groups of 20 plus a faith leader gathering. Last Sunday we included a couple of songs to open and close our time together. If we break the 20-person limit we will simply split into smaller groups to comply with the physical distancing restrictions. See you on Sunday! BYO camp chair! ... See MoreSee Less
Flourishing Spirituality Devotions Part 3
Spiritual Rhythms - Prayer and Fasting
by Peter Botross
At the core of our Flourishing Church Framework is the word spirituality. Christian spirituality refers to rhythms, such as prayer and fasting, that cultivate intimacy with the Almighty. Intimacy with the Lord precedes effective ministry for the Lord.
On His Sermon on the Mount Jesus articulated three worship disciplines for His followers. He declared that those who relate to God as their Heavenly Father, manifest their new identity through the practices of giving, prayer and fasting. These worship habits are not the price of our intimacy with God, they are the product of the blood-purchased, Spirit-endowed identity of Jesus’ followers. Accordingly, God’s people collectively and individually are characterised by a spirituality that reflects their new identity through new practices.
Jesus’ treatment of the subject of worship rhythms in Matthew 6:5-8 and 16-18 inspires and guides our practice of prayer and fasting individually and corporately as a family of churches.
1. The premise of prayer and fasting (Matthew 6:5 & 16)
Jesus anticipated that His followers would engage in the spiritual practice of prayer and fasting.
Did you notice that in Matthew 6:5 &16, Jesus stated “when,” not “if” you pray and fast? He was alluding to the reality that God’s children will pray and fast – not as an obligation, but as a formative spiritual rhythm. Is it any wonder that the Scripture portrays many examples of prayer and fasting?[1]
Fasting accompanied by prayer fosters genuine intimacy with God and prepares us to experience personal and communal transformation. By giving up food to focus on and deeply connect with our Heavenly Father, we train ourselves to value Him above our necessities. As His value increases in our estimation, the value of worldly things proportionately decreases in comparison (Philippians 3:8-9).
2. The practice of prayer and fasting (Matthew 6:6-8 & 16-18)
Prayer is a deliberate and intimate connection with our Heavenly Father, not merely to enjoy His presents but to delight in His presence. Jesus taught us to establish the rhythm of going into a room (which shows intentionality), shutting the door (which gives privacy), and preparing to chat with our Father (which leads to sweet intimacy). Likewise, fasting is a voluntary abstinence from food and/or fluid for a period of time in order to seek God earnestly.
Importantly, Jesus emphasised the manner in which we are invited to pray and fast. He spoke of the heart behind the practice. Jesus asserted that external activities are capable of disguising tainted motives. Even spiritual disciplines can be manipulated to promote self-centeredness, self-righteousness and self-importance.
Echoing Isaiah 58:2-3, Jesus warned His followers about hypocritically deploying prayer and fasting as a manipulative tool for self-centred living. Jesus clarified the motivation for prayer and fasting is not to seek our will, but God’s will. By voluntarily saying “no” to our fleshly desires via the abstinence of food, we seek our Heavenly Father to activate our selfless muscles. Genuine selflessness unleashes heaven’s blessings.
3. The promise of prayer and fasting (Matthew 6:6 &18)
Jesus promised a spiritual reward for those who sincerely seek God through prayer and fasting.
What’s the reward? No idea!
We do know experientially that prayer and fasting make a supernatural difference in our personal, family and church lives. Martin Luther affirmed: “None can believe how powerful prayer is and what it is able to effect, except those who have learned it by experience.”[2]
Various narratives in the Scripture reveal glimpses of the blessings that accompany prayer and fasting. Fasting promised national deliverance (Jonah 3:5), revelations (Daniel 9:3-4, 20-23), answers to prayers (Ezra 8:23), breakthrough (2 Chronicles 20:3-4), spiritual health and city-wide transformation (Isaiah 58:11-12).
Fasting is a spiritual practice for personal and corporate transformation. “Fasting is the secret key that unlocks heaven’s door and slams shut the gates of hell.”[3]
Questions:
What has been your personal experience of prayer and fasting?
What has motivated you and your church to engage (or ignore) the practice of prayer and fasting?
John Wesley refused to ordain anyone to ministry unless they were in the habit of fasting till 4:00pm two days per week. What can you do to incorporate the practice of fasting in your life and ministry context?
Reflect on Isaiah 58. What stands out to you out of these blessings of fasting?
God Bless,
Peter
Peter Botross
BUV Church Health Consultant ... See MoreSee Less
