A Word from THE WORD

Good Morning Happy Church,

Today is Wednesday, March 9^th 2016. Today is the 69^th Day of 2016.

There are only 297 days left in this year; and, there are only 32 Days Left until Our Spring Revival Meetings Begin!

We will begin the Revival Meetings on Saturday, April 9^th with a Banquet and Sermon at 6pm.

Sunday, April 10^th, we will hear Bro Bobby at 10am and again at 6pm.

Monday and Tuesday, April 11^th and 12, we will hear Bro Bobby at 7pm each night!

Please clear your schedule to attend as many of these meetings as possible.

As I often say, “The two things you have to invest to be blessed are your Attendance and your Attention!”

Please be in prayer for Dr. Bobby and Sandra Boyles as they travel here and back.

Pray that God will pour out HIS SPIRIT on us as never before!

Pray for the salvation of the lost; repentance and renewal in the life of God’s people; new people to become part of our Church Family; the calling out of ministers and missionaries; a spiritual awakening in our area; and, for Jesus Christ to be glorified in all that we do!

Consecrate a Fast!

Joel was a Prophet to Israel just after the end of the Babylonian-Media-Persian Captivity that ended around 516 BC.

The people had not completely turned back to Jehovah and HE responded to their continuing rebellion with continuing judgments – primarily through a devastating plague of Locusts. (Joel 1:1-2:11)

Again, God commands them through HIS Prophet to…

¹² “Yet even now,” declares the LORD, “return to me with all your heart, with fasting, with weeping, and with mourning; ¹³ and rend your hearts and not your garments.” Return to the LORD your God, for he is gracious and merciful, slow to anger, and abounding in steadfast love; and he relents over disaster.
¹⁴ Who knows whether he will not turn and relent, and leave a blessing behind him, a grain offering and a drink offering for the LORD your God?” Joel 2:12-14 (ESV)

They, like the United States in the 21^st Century, were a people very much in need of a revival!

Here is God’s inspired action-plan for revival:

¹⁵ “Blow the trumpet in Zion; consecrate a fast; call a solemn assembly;
¹⁶ gather the people. Consecrate the congregation; assemble the elders; gather the children, even nursing infants. Let the bridegroom leave his room, and the bride her chamber.
¹⁷ Between the vestibule and the altar let the priests, the ministers of the LORD, weep and say, “Spare your people, O LORD, and make not your heritage a reproach, a byword among the nations. Why should they say among the peoples, ‘Where is their God?’” Joel 2:12-15

(1) “Blow the trumpet in Zion!”

(2) “Consecrate a Fast!”

(3) “Call a Solemn Assembly!”

(4) “Gather the People!”

(5) “Consecrate the Congregation!”

(6) “Assemble the Elders!”

(7) “Gather the Children, even Nursing Infants!”

(8) “Bring the Newlyweds!”

(9) “Between the vestibule and the altar let the priests, the ministers of the LORD, weep and say, “Spare your people, O LORD, and make not your heritage a reproach, a byword among the nations. Why should they say among the peoples, ‘Where is their God?’”

Let us commit ourselves to doing all 9 of these preparatory steps; for today, I want to focus on Step #2 – “Consecrate a Fast!”

Fasting may be the least mentioned of all of the “spiritual disciplines.” I think there are several reasons for this…

• Fasting is clearly taught in the Bible, but it is not mentioned often; and there are multiple ways to fast.
• Fasting is serious spiritual warfare and hard work.
• Since many preachers don’t fast often, we don’t teach about it often.
• Since many Pastors do not teach about fasting often, God’s people are ignorant of the subject.
• Fasting has become a “physical health” issue to many rather than a “spiritual health” issue.

Let me take these one at a time…

• While fasting is taught in the Bible, it is not mentioned often and there are multiple ways to fast.

This is true. In fact, it appears that there are only 77 mentions of fasting in the entire Bible.

In the Bible, we see that one can fast from specific foods; all foods; food and water; and, even from being intimate with one’s spouse.

• Fasting is serious spiritual warfare and hard work!

This is also true! This obviously keeps many from fasting.

• Since many preachers do not fast often, they do not teach about it often!
• Since many Pastors do not teach about fasting often, God’s people are ignorant of the subject.

Ouch!

• Fasting has become a “physical health” issue rather than a “spiritual health” issue!

Fasting is often used as part of the process of dieting. I am certainly not against this idea, but, it is not the same thing as biblical fasting.

Biblical fasting is denying the flesh to focus on the spirit.

Whether one is denying themselves food or water; or both; or sexual intimacy with one’s spouse; it is not enough to merely deny oneself something, the real purpose is to focus on the things of God such as prayer, Bible memory, etc.

Christians often fast for a part of a day; or an entire day, or for multiple days. I think that should be left up to the individual Christian.

A word of caution: if you have medically-related physical issues, please consult your physician before making any serious changes to your eating routine.

Many Christians tie fasting and prayer together.

This is a great idea. I hope that all of us who physically can will set aside some time in the weeks ahead to fast and pray for our upcoming revival meetings.

Our Revival Meetings begin in only thirty-three days!

Get ready now… set aside the time now… Start praying now… DO NOT MISS THIS OPPORTUNITY to experience a great moving of God!

Revival CAN happen, it really CAN happen!

Will we really have revival?

We will soon see!

Carpe Diem!