Fasting Day 17

God will meet every need!

The scripture that automatically comes to mind is Philippians 4:19

“And my God will supply every need of yours according to his riches in glory in Christ Jesus”

God will supply all of our needs, what happens is that we think our need is one thing and God knows it is really something else. For instance, if we are constantly out of money rather than needing more money we may need a better job or wisdom to handle our finances better or perhaps wisdom regarding how to get a better job. God is constantly working to strongly support those who love Him.

Read Acts chapters 16 and 17 pay particular attention to the needs Paul has and the way that God meets them for Him.

There are times when our flesh and/or the devil will lie to us and say things like, “God doesn’t really care about your little needs!” or “There are so many more important things to God than your need!” Those phrases and things like that suggest that God’s power and presence are limited. God is not limited!

Sometimes our needs are met and we don’t realize it. Begin to become more sensitive to the Lord meeting your need. Become more aware of God wanting to meet your need. Stop limiting God!

Please pray today for

- Pray for the business leaders and entrepreneurs in our region. Much of the physical prosperity in our region and be directly tied to the business leaders of our region. I know some of you have difficulty with this which means you should especially pray!
- Choose another family in our church to pray for
- Pray for the power of God to flow in our lives, in the Mon Valley, and in our church. I know I keep repeating this but I believe it is one of our greatest needs.
- Pray for Lisa Lyons, Barry, Lance, and Alex. Lisa is our Director of outreach, as such is over all of our outreach including VBS, Single Mom's, Christmas, His Place Coffee, to name a few. Anything that is our church reaching outside of the walls, Lisa is leading the charge. On top of all of this, she and Pastor Mike are Pastor Tim's right hands.
- Pray for that portion of the fruit of the Spirit that is “Faithfulness”
- Choose a country with a “R” name to pray for today (find out information by going to https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/index.html

Fasting Day 16

God wants to break every stronghold! Nothing has any right to hold you from being all that the Lord has called you to be!

“Christ has redeemed us from the curse of the law, having become a curse for us (for it is written, “Cursed is everyone who hangs on a tree”), that the blessing of Abraham might come upon the Gentiles in Christ Jesus, that we might receive the promise of the Spirit through faith” Galatians 3:13,14

I have already asked you to read Acts 13 so today please read Acts chapters 14 and 15.

Three types of curses are broken in these passages one of a demonic spirit, one of death, and one of a bondage to the law.

Many have a bondage from generations, some from previous sin, others from words spoken out of turn. God has sent his Son to break them all. Some times we need to simply recognize the curse and realize that God has paid the price and wants to break in regardless of how it may have come upon us. I believe many of the curses remain in our lives because we believe for some reason we must bear them. God has not called us to bear any burdens but to cast our burdens on Him.

As you have prayed and fasting allow the Lord to show you the curses you are under and expect Him to break them. Let them go and don’t live there anymore!

Please pray today for

- Pray for our teachers. All of those who instruct our children need our prayers. Whether your children are in private, public or home-schooled (yes, it is OK to have people pray for you). College professors need our prayers as well.
- Choose another family in our church to pray for
- Pray for the power of God to flow in our lives, in the Mon Valley, and in our church. I know I keep repeating this but I believe it is one of our greatest needs.
- Pray for Pastor Tim and Paige, Amanda, Christopher Rachel, and Isaac. Yes we do need your prayers always. I love what I do; it is many hours on the phone, answering e-mail, face to face, and in prayer for you and preparation for ministry. We are all blessed to serve but we do always need prayer.
- Pray for that portion of the fruit of the Spirit that is “Kindness”
- Choose a country with a “P” name to pray for today (find out information by going to https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/index.html

Fasting Day 15

God knows what He is doing!

I know that sounds like a silly statement to make to Christians but often we think we understand God then something happens or God does something totally unexpected and we question God.

Please read Acts 11 and 12

Peter experienced and two distinct unexpected events and neither he nor the church understood them. Despite how their lack of understanding, it was God.

We always must bear in mind that God is good and that regardless of mankind’s fumbling with things, He has a plan that He will fulfill. His plans are always for our good.

Some times we are wounded by our disappointment with God. God has the big picture in His hands. It might not fit into our nice neat package so when it doesn’t we get disappointed with God. Disappointment is a nice word for anger. God can handle our anger. He allows us to work it through. The danger is, when rather than working it through, we permit it to fester and a wall develops between God and us. We hinder God’s plan for us and the very answer we need, by allowing a failed expectation to control us rather than the Holy Spirit.

Fasting can cause us to recognize this pain that we carry and the disappointment we hold onto and force us to deal with it. We waste so much time being angry and frustrated when instead we should be expecting answers from God! God is good. He has a plan! He knows what He is doing!

Please pray today for

- Pray for our Local Fire and EMS officers. We need to pray for those who protect us as they risk their lives on a regular basis for us.
- Choose another family in our church to pray for
- Pray for the power of God to flow in our lives, in the Mon Valley, and in our church. I know I keep repeating this but I believe it is one of our greatest needs.
- Pray for Pastor Mike and Beth, Frankie, Tori and Tim, Ashley, Nick, and Lindsey all the girls. Pastor Mike, as our executive, administrative pastor of the church, between He and Beth are tasked with keeping the “business” of the ministry running. Every day they are handling dozens of requests and needs, giving pastor care, and looking out for all of the staff. The make it possible for Pastor Tim to be able to focus on the needs of the overall ministry and the vision. Christian Center could not function without them.
- Pray for that portion of the fruit of the Spirit that is “Meekness”
- Choose a country with a “N” name to pray for today (find out information by going to https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/index.html

Fasting Day 14

God wants you to live a life of peace, bring peace to every situation and cause even your enemies to be at peace with you.

Continue to read Acts chapters 9 and 10

In these chapters, the most intense enemy of the church is made to be a friend of the church. A representative of the oppressive government over the Christians also comes to Christ and even receives the infilling of the Holy Spirit.

There are a few verses I want to remind you of so you will understand all that the Lord has for you to keep you in peace.

Proverbs 16:7
When a man's ways please the Lord, He makes even his enemies to be at peace with him.

Isaiah 26:3
You will keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on You, because he trusts in You.

Romans 5:1
Therefore, having been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ

Our enemies are not to control us, as we serve the Lord, He has a way of bringing peace even in the most troubling situations. Your enemy may be a neighbor, a family member, a coworker, or it may not be a person but a disease, or a limitation like finances, relationships or fear, guilt, or anxiety. Who or whatever your enemy is God can cause you to have peace over it. Believe for your peace today!

Pray today for

- Pray for our Police officers. If we pray for those who protect us and uphold the law we will never need to fear them.
- Choose another family in our church to pray for
- Pray for the power of God to flow in our lives, in the Mon Valley, and in our church.
- Pray for Pastor Art and Kay. Pastor Art’s heart is for the Holy Spirit to be revealed in every person. He and Kay are true servants of the Lord. Wherever there is a need you will see Pastor Art and Kay helping. Keep their extended family in prayer.
- Pray for that portion of the fruit of the Spirit that is “gentleness”
- Choose a country with a “M” name to pray for today (find out information by going to https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/index.html

Fasting Day 13

Continue reading Acts chapters 7 and 8

Often we will suffer persecution for seemingly no reason. All we are trying to do is follow the Lord and stuff happens. When the church was founded it was such a threat to the established religions that the persecution was intense.

You may be suffering intense persecution because you are trying to follow the Lord with all of your heart. Read Psalm 35 especially verse 13. When we fast God can and will deliver us from attacks of those who would do us harm.

We are a light and some times persecution and struggles help others to see how brightly that light shines in us. God will deliver us from all of our oppression and take us to the next level if we keep trusting Him. Don’t give up trusting the Lord He will lead you, guide you, provide for you, and open doors for you if you will simply trust Him.

Don’t focus of the tribulation, trial, persecution, or the people who are causing the problems keep your eyes on the Lord!

Pray today for

- Your local city council or township board of supervisors.
- Choose another family in our church to pray for
- Pray for the power of God to flow in our lives, in the Mon Valley, and in our church.
- Pray for Pastor Gary and Kathy. Pastor Gary has a great heart of compassion and wisdom and is a strong mentor. If anyone is in the hospital you will see Pastor Gary by your bedside at some point.
- Pray for that portion of the fruit of the Spirit that is “patience”
- Choose a country with a “L” name to pray for today (find out information by going to https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/index.html

Fasting Day 12

We are over the hump. We are more than halfway through the fast. Be encouraged, look for ways that the Lord can show you His amazing love for you.

Have you ever felt like God was not answering your prayers? Of course, you have we have all gone through that at some time. If we understand and know God’s Word his promises are faithful and true to us always.

Psalm 119 is the longest Psalm in the Bible but it has so much to say about the need for the Word. In fact, a reference to needing God’s word in our lives is mentioned nearly 40 times in this chapter. If your parents or spouse tell you something once, twice and then three times you had better pay attention. How much more if the Lord mentions something nearly 40 times in one chapter, ought we to pay attention?

I am a firm believer that the answer to every question and all the direction we need are in God’s Word. He does use the fivefold ministry found in Ephesians 4 to help us understand his Word but everything that we need is there.

Read Psalm 119 (we will get back to Acts tomorrow) and see what the Lord will reveal to you about some of the unanswered prayers you may have. This chapter has answers for all the whos, whys and hows of our lives. It may explain some of the reasons for the silence of the Lord. Please understand it is God’s desire for his children to hear his voice. Jesus said, “my sheep know my voice”


Pray today for

- Your local mayor or township supervisor.
- Choose another family in our church to pray for
- Pray for the power of God to flow in our lives, in the Mon Valley, and in our church.
- Pray for Pastor Matt and Debbie Vangura. Pastor Matt and Debbie have served in many roles in the church from leading the children's ministry to home groups. He is one of the best mentors in the church. He and Deb presently lead our celebrate recovery group and do much mentoring.
- Pray for that portion of the fruit of the Spirit that is “peace”
- Choose a country with a “J or K” name to pray for today (find out information by going to https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/index.html

Fasting Day 11

Pray for the power of God!

Read Acts chapters 5 and 6

Those who follow Jesus have access to a power that the world has rarely seen. As you read Acts 5 and 6 you will see the way the power of God has been shown in obvious powerful ways and in not so obvious ways (serving).

Power is not about persuasion but submission. It is following God and doing what He shows us to do when He wants it done. I believe our knowing Him enhances His power in us. The greater our intimacy, the easier we hear His voice. The easier we hear His voice, the easier it is to respond to Him. Our response to Him is an act of submission based on love.

As you read the book of Acts, you will see that very rarely did the disciples look for someone specifically to see the power of God poured upon. God simply brought people to them and because of their relationship with God they knew what He wanted and believed for it.

This is something that we can practice. It takes time; we will make mistakes as we are learning to hear His voice. What we must believe is that this power is what God wants for us so the world can know who He is and how much He loves the world.

Watch and see who the Lord will bring to you. Listen to His voice and respond the way He would have you respond and watch the power of God flow through you.



Pray today for

- Pennsylvania Common Pleas Judges
- Choose another family in our church to pray for
- Pray for the power of God to flow in our lives, in the Mon Valley, and in our church.
- Pray for our adult class leaders – Reed Anders, Bev Ceiply Mike and Beth Hough
- Pray for that portion of the fruit of the Spirit that is “joy”
- Choose a country with a “I” name to pray for today (find out information by going to https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/index.html