What will you plant?
It's true, you and I reap what we sow. If I go into a garden store and buy a packet of sunflower seeds, I can expect that sunflowers are what will grow in my garden. It would be ridiculous of me to plant sunflowers, and expect that I will grow watermelons or roses. We grow what we plant. Let's say for a minute, that we believe that these past months of studying God's word really have been about removing the sin, hurt, brokenness, disappointment and bondage. If we really believe that God is helping us to remove those things (and more) from our lives, then what we have left is a clean slate; or a freshly plowed field. In that case, we are left to ask, what will I plant?
I am not much of a gardener (though I do enjoy it when I get out there!) but I do know, that I can tackle a whole area of my yard; yanking out every weed and bush and thistle that should not be there, and it will look incredible for a few days. Inevitably though, the weeds begin to return if I neglect the area I have just weeded. I have to plant something in place of the weeds, and I have to maintain the area. Quite honestly, that is where many of us get lost in our Christian lives. We go through the weeding process, or at least a good portion of it, but then we neglect the responsibility we now have to replace those weeds with healthy planting. We can't get by with just planting nothing; something is going to grow in our spirits, in our minds, in our hearts and in our lives. If you the freshly plowed field of your heart is soon overrun with weeds, you have no excuse but to look at yourself and ask "what did I plant in that field?" With God's help, I would like to choose what is growing in my life and not be overrun by weeds.
For that reason, I want to remind you of the basics, and add a challenge at the end.
READ THE WORD - You can't just hear the Word of God every Sunday (or however often you make it to church). The Word is your food, you have to eat regularly! If you are lost on how to read the Bible, please be honest and say so! I would love to help you get into your Bible! I will take this one step further and say, you really should be memorizing Scripture as well. If that is just one verse a month, that is better than nothing. Start somewhere. Find someone who will hold you accountable to doing this, it is so good for your mind. You are planting God's word in your mind and in your spirit.
PRAY - When you communicate with God, and He communicates with you, you help to maintain the field of your heart. When you are "yielded" or submitted to God, you are able to "hear" those areas that need work. Or for the purposes of our illustration, you are able to have the weeds pointed out to you so you can pluck them as they begin to sprout rather than waiting until they have overtaken your field! If praying is hard for you, start with the discipline of setting aside an amount of time and then praying out loud! This keeps your mind from wandering and forces you to express yourself and communicate. Take some time to "listen" too, God will point out areas that need your attention!
FELLOWSHIP - I don't care how busy you are, you need to make time to fellowship with (be around) other Christians. Church on Sunday needs to be a priority, that means participating in church (worship, hearing the message and responding) not just being "in the building" somewhwere. As part of the "body of Christ" we have a responsibility to continue to meet together. We give and we receive. We encourage others, and they encourage us. If attending church is not a priority for you, it will be difficult for you to maintain that freshly weeded field of your heart.
My challenge to you, is to add one more item to this list of things to "plant." Joel 1:14 says "Declare a holy fast, call a sacred assembly, summon the elders and all who live in the land to the house of the Lord your God, and cry out to the Lord."
So that is exactly what I am doing. I am declaring a fast. The Bible is full of examples of fasting. To give you a simple foundation, some of the Scriptural reasons for fasting are: self denial (Deut. 9:18 & 25), confession of sin or disobedience (Neh. 9:1 & 2, I Sam. 7:6, Danel 9), reading of Scripture (Jer. 36:6), and prayer (Daniel 9:3). Other reasons for fasting: bereavement, public calamities, private afflictions, approaching danger, afflictions of others, religious observances, and the ordination of ministers. Many times a fast is what "breaks us through"something that has held us back for quite some time.
Fasting in the Old Testament referred to the "humbling of your soul", implying the sacrifice of personal will, which is what gives fasting all of its value. In the early Christian church, fasting was joined with prayer for the purpose of devoting your mind to the Lord and avoiding distraction.
Fasting is a way for us to focus our minds on praying the will of God into ourselves, our families and our church. On a grander scale, fasting allows to pray for God to intervene in our communities, our country and our world. I feel an urgency right now, to call us to fast. Fasting can be abstaining from food (there are biblical examples of Moses, Elijah and Jesus fasting for 40 days and 40 nights, while Daniel went 3 full weeks), or it can be abstaining from something that has become too important in your life.
Isaiah 58 is clear that we can call on God, and fast all we want, but if we are not sincere it is a waste of our time. I encourage you to read that chapter and let God show you the areas that we can appear as if we want God to move in our lives, but without planting the right things in our hearts and spirits, it can end up being worthless.
I want God, so desparately to move in me, and in Canyon Creek Church, that in addition to my usual fasting of food one day a week, I am going to fast coffee for one whole month. For those of you who know me, you know that is a HUGE sacrifice. I have challenged our deacons and fusion leaders in our church to fast also. Will you join us in fasting for God to move in your life and in our church?
Your assignment for this week:
Seek the Lord and ask Him what you can fast in order to see Him move in your life and in our church. This is a one month fast so consider carefully. I guarrantee you won't regret it. Post what you are fasting to the group.
I am not much of a gardener (though I do enjoy it when I get out there!) but I do know, that I can tackle a whole area of my yard; yanking out every weed and bush and thistle that should not be there, and it will look incredible for a few days. Inevitably though, the weeds begin to return if I neglect the area I have just weeded. I have to plant something in place of the weeds, and I have to maintain the area. Quite honestly, that is where many of us get lost in our Christian lives. We go through the weeding process, or at least a good portion of it, but then we neglect the responsibility we now have to replace those weeds with healthy planting. We can't get by with just planting nothing; something is going to grow in our spirits, in our minds, in our hearts and in our lives. If you the freshly plowed field of your heart is soon overrun with weeds, you have no excuse but to look at yourself and ask "what did I plant in that field?" With God's help, I would like to choose what is growing in my life and not be overrun by weeds.
For that reason, I want to remind you of the basics, and add a challenge at the end.
READ THE WORD - You can't just hear the Word of God every Sunday (or however often you make it to church). The Word is your food, you have to eat regularly! If you are lost on how to read the Bible, please be honest and say so! I would love to help you get into your Bible! I will take this one step further and say, you really should be memorizing Scripture as well. If that is just one verse a month, that is better than nothing. Start somewhere. Find someone who will hold you accountable to doing this, it is so good for your mind. You are planting God's word in your mind and in your spirit.
PRAY - When you communicate with God, and He communicates with you, you help to maintain the field of your heart. When you are "yielded" or submitted to God, you are able to "hear" those areas that need work. Or for the purposes of our illustration, you are able to have the weeds pointed out to you so you can pluck them as they begin to sprout rather than waiting until they have overtaken your field! If praying is hard for you, start with the discipline of setting aside an amount of time and then praying out loud! This keeps your mind from wandering and forces you to express yourself and communicate. Take some time to "listen" too, God will point out areas that need your attention!
FELLOWSHIP - I don't care how busy you are, you need to make time to fellowship with (be around) other Christians. Church on Sunday needs to be a priority, that means participating in church (worship, hearing the message and responding) not just being "in the building" somewhwere. As part of the "body of Christ" we have a responsibility to continue to meet together. We give and we receive. We encourage others, and they encourage us. If attending church is not a priority for you, it will be difficult for you to maintain that freshly weeded field of your heart.
My challenge to you, is to add one more item to this list of things to "plant." Joel 1:14 says "Declare a holy fast, call a sacred assembly, summon the elders and all who live in the land to the house of the Lord your God, and cry out to the Lord."
So that is exactly what I am doing. I am declaring a fast. The Bible is full of examples of fasting. To give you a simple foundation, some of the Scriptural reasons for fasting are: self denial (Deut. 9:18 & 25), confession of sin or disobedience (Neh. 9:1 & 2, I Sam. 7:6, Danel 9), reading of Scripture (Jer. 36:6), and prayer (Daniel 9:3). Other reasons for fasting: bereavement, public calamities, private afflictions, approaching danger, afflictions of others, religious observances, and the ordination of ministers. Many times a fast is what "breaks us through"something that has held us back for quite some time.
Fasting in the Old Testament referred to the "humbling of your soul", implying the sacrifice of personal will, which is what gives fasting all of its value. In the early Christian church, fasting was joined with prayer for the purpose of devoting your mind to the Lord and avoiding distraction.
Fasting is a way for us to focus our minds on praying the will of God into ourselves, our families and our church. On a grander scale, fasting allows to pray for God to intervene in our communities, our country and our world. I feel an urgency right now, to call us to fast. Fasting can be abstaining from food (there are biblical examples of Moses, Elijah and Jesus fasting for 40 days and 40 nights, while Daniel went 3 full weeks), or it can be abstaining from something that has become too important in your life.
Isaiah 58 is clear that we can call on God, and fast all we want, but if we are not sincere it is a waste of our time. I encourage you to read that chapter and let God show you the areas that we can appear as if we want God to move in our lives, but without planting the right things in our hearts and spirits, it can end up being worthless.
I want God, so desparately to move in me, and in Canyon Creek Church, that in addition to my usual fasting of food one day a week, I am going to fast coffee for one whole month. For those of you who know me, you know that is a HUGE sacrifice. I have challenged our deacons and fusion leaders in our church to fast also. Will you join us in fasting for God to move in your life and in our church?
Your assignment for this week:
Seek the Lord and ask Him what you can fast in order to see Him move in your life and in our church. This is a one month fast so consider carefully. I guarrantee you won't regret it. Post what you are fasting to the group.
posted by Di Beals | 10:58 AM
1 Comments:
Thank you for the challenge. I have always hated fasting from food and make excuses why I can't. But, this last week, I had the most emotionally exhausting week since my Dad passed away 2 1/2 years ago. I told my husband, I felt like I was having a meltdown, I have never felt so alone in my life. God used the circumstances and I knew I was called to fast from food so I did it yesterday! It was a peaceful day knowing that I was being obedient to what God had called me to do. There is so much to pray for and I want to see miracles happen in the lives at CCC, in my neighbor, and in my family. I appreciate your passion and leadership. Thanks again for the challenge... God is using you.
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