Prayer and Fasting

 *This should've been posted before the previous one on worship, but at first I wasn't going to share.  This is if you care to read how some of my journey through a week of prayer and fasting went, and why I have the topics I will be writing on in the coming weeks*

Last Friday it was brought up at a leadership meeting that our church would be doing a week of prayer and fasting, and that they would encourage us to do it too.  That night I personally felt that it wasn’t for me.  I knew things like fasting had to be God-led, and I just didn’t feel like it was for me.  However, by Sunday afternoon, God had convinced me otherwise. 

            I decided, through prayer, that God was asking me to do a complete fast.  No food of any kind for the full week (4 days of actual fasting).  I also felt a strong pull to stay away from social media.  My time would be spent praying, reading my Bible, worshipping, journaling, and also doing homework and working because those are important commitments. 

            It has been AMAZING!  Like there are literally no words to describe what has happened so far (I am on the 4^th day.  In 22hrs we as a church will break the fast).  Don’t get me wrong.  This has been hard.  I never realized how much I relied on the world to satisfy me, specifically social media, until I took it away.  When I got hungry I realized that I had never fully relied on God to help me physically.  It was a major learning experience.  But outside of that, I found real meaning behind Matthew 7:7 “Ask, and it shall be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and the door shall be opened for you.”  I have asked, seeked, and knocked and it has all been given to me.  I have learned and grown more these past 4 days then I have in weeks.  Being a baby Christian still (almost 10mos of being in a relationship with God), I feel that this fast has been God starting to wean me from milk and put me on some solid food.  What a change!  Yet, it is all so filling, and I find myself constantly wanting to come back for more.  My body hates me today (Fasting also has great physical benefits of detoxing your body.  However, that means it actually goes through detox which is not the best experience), but my soul is strong.  My spirit is in sync with the Holy Spirit, for the first time in weeks my soul is satisfied, not hungry or thirsty, but nourished. 

            Anyway, I have a nice list of things that God has revealed about Him and His plans for me.  I have two separate lists.  One is what God wants of me, and the other is what I can expect of Him.

For me:

·         True worshipper of God (John 4:23-24, John 9:31)

·         Be intentional in all things.  Let each word I speak be intentional, and each action intentional. (Proverbs 15:4, Proverbs 18:21, 2 Chronicles 31:21, Hebrews 6:11-12, James 1:23-25)

·         Use your Spiritual gifts (1 Peter 4:10-11, Ephesians 4:11-16, 2 Timothy 1:6-7)

·         Intercede through prayer for others (James 5:14-20, Ephesians 6:18)

God has also revealed a lot about Himself such as:

·         He knows me intimately and thinks about me more than the grains of sand (Psalm 139:1-6, 17-18)

·         He desires to break all chains, not just some of them (Isaiah 61:1-3)

·         His strength is made perfect in weakness (2 Corinthians 12:9)

·         He is perfect love, we love because he first loved us (Romans 5:8, 1 John 4:10, 1 John 4:16)

o   He prays for us (John 17:9-26)

·         God is an anchor for our souls (Hebrews 6:19)

Like usual, most of this was not found through reading the Bible, but things that were laid on my heart, and later I was able to confirm with the Bible.  I am at such peace learning/being reminded of these things for my life.  I feel more confident and bold better understanding God’s plan, and God Himself.  It is crazy to believe that the King and creator of all the universe is madly in love with us.  Like the Bible says, it surpasses all understanding, but because God is the beginning of love, we can better love when we know we are being loved by him.  Love is more than just a feeling, but an action.  We have been called to be salt and light to the world (Matthew 5:13-16), and that is achieved first by love (1 Corinthians 13). 

My hope in the coming weeks is to expand on each of the things that God has taught me over this week.  To write exactly what He has shown me and how it applies to everyday life.  The lessons will forever be cherished in my soul. 

Worshipper of the LORD

“We know that God does not listen to sinners, but if anyone is a worshipper of God, and does His will, He will listen to them.”  John 9:31

            On my first day of prayer and fasting that I was doing with my church I had a strong desire in my heart to understand what being a worshipper of the Lord meant.  When I first started a Google search, I came across a few verses, John 9:31 sticking out to me the most.  So I started to dig further.  I knew worship was more than just singing Sunday mornings, or even in the quiet of my apartment.  What I found are what I would call the 4 “s’s” of worship. 

1.)    Submission:  The most common Greek word that is translated to our word submission is proskyneo (or the Hebrew shachac).  When translated this refers to a posture of submission thus acknowledging God’s sovereignty.  However, it isn’t always a physical posture.  Our spirits should be in submission to God, allowing Him to be the director of our lives.  Our thoughts are not His thoughts, nor our ways His ways (Isaiah 55:8).  But God’s plans are always the best (Jeremiah 29:11).  These plans may not always seem like they are the best.  Look at Israel and how it was captured by Babylon.  Yet, in the end God restored and brought glory. 

2.)    Service:  Paul uses the Greek word leitourgia in some of his letters that we have translated to the word worship.  A better translation for this word would be service.  I could type out many different verses on being a servant for Christ.  Here are a few for reference:  Matthew 20:28, Acts 20:35, Galatians 5:13, and Philippians 2:1-4.  Obviously it is important.  However, we are also to remember we should not be doing good works for others to notice.  Matthew 6:1-4 is a clear warning that doing works of service to become righteous in the eyes of others will not benefit you.  So how does this relate to worship?  Matthew 25:35-40 states that whatever we have done for the least of these, we have done for Christ also. 

3.)    Sacrifice:  Service and sacrifice often go hand in hand.  Romans 12:1 tells us that we are to be a living sacrifice to Jesus.  In the Old Testament, the people were instructed how to bring a thanks offering (also known as a freewill offering or peace offering).  They could do it whenever they wanted to show their worship to God.  We are no longer under the law, and so we are to freely give our lives as Romans 12:1 states.  Philippians 2:17 Paul talks about how he is poured out like an offering in serving others.  Jesus was literally a sacrifice for us, and serving others in love for the Gospel will force us to become a living sacrifice. 

4.)    Singing:  This one is my favorite.  The whole Bible is filled with God’s children lifting up their voices singing praises to God.  Even in his struggles, King David wrote beautiful songs to God.  Even Zephaniah 3:17 says that God rejoices over us with singing and gladness.  I read an article that said that if we sang with any kind of accompaniment that we were defiling the worship.  I don’t believe that.  David played the harp, and there were other musical instruments played back then.  I say sing however you want.  Want a full band? Great!  Just a guitar? Awesome!  Nothing? Good for you! On stage? Wonderful!  In the shower?  God loves that too!  I even believe you can be singing in your heart for no ears to hear, and it is still glory to God.  Do you think you are tone deaf?  God still hears beautiful music out or your mouth. 

Obviously worship is not limited to these things.  We all have unique platforms.  Some may be gifted in music, others writing, and still others listening and being supportive.  We all have been spiritual gifts, and as long as we use them for God’s glory we are serving and sacrificing our lives to God.  We sing on Sunday, but don’t get caught up in routine.  That takes away the sacredness of worship through singing.  Let every word out of your mouth be an act of worship to God.  So often we think “I’m only worshipping God and bringing Him glory if I am at church, or doing something church related.”  That isn’t true.  We bring glory to God through love, which is not a feeling, but an action.  

This is my heart's desire.  That I would worship God with all my heart, mind, and soul.  I am taking steps that this would be the example of my life.  That I could be called a worshipper of the LORD