Church Wide Fast Devotional: Day 3

Thursday, May 30

“You can be sure that God will take care of everything you need, His generosity exceeding even yours in the glory that pours from Jesus.”

Philippians 4:19 (MSG)

You can’t outdo the generosity of Jesus! What an incredibly encouraging truth. As you consider what you will generously and sacrificially sow into our annual Provision for the House offering this weekend, it is important that we fix our eyes on Jesus. No doubt, how we see Jesus will have great impact on how we individually contribute to what we collectively believe God will do this weekend.

In Matthew 16, Jesus is talking with the disciples and He points out that people saw Him so many different ways. Some people said he was John the Baptist. Others were convinced he was Elijah, Jeremiah, or one of the other prophets from the Old Testament. The Pharisees and Sadducees thought him to be demon possessed. King Herod feared he was a political dissident. Pilate said he was innocent. But back to Matthew 16… Jesus wasn’t happy with knowing what everybody else thought about Him. He dug a little deeper that day and the questions he asked next are of great importance for us today: “But what about you? Who do YOU say that I am?”

So how about you? How do you see Jesus? As we prepare to sow sacrificially and partner together so that we may position Wave church—our church—for strength let us not focus on stock markets, the speculations of varied news sources, or the uncertainties of tomorrow. Instead, let us focus on Jesus.

What does the Bible say about Jesus?

·      He desires to give us a rich and satisfying life (John 10:10)

·      He is a Good Shepherd (John 10:11)

·      Everything starts and ends with Him (Revelation 22:13)

·      He is there when we need Him (Hebrews 4:16)

·      He is the same yesterday, today, and forever (Hebrews 13:18)

·      He equips you to do ALL things (Philippians 4:13)

·      He is aware of your needs (Matthew 5:25-34)

·      He is praying for your protection and provision (John 17:15)

·      He won’t leave you or forsake you (Hebrews 13:5,6)

Think About It:

·      Think about a time in your life when you stepped out in faith. How did Jesus provide for you?

·      Jesus’ heart is that you would live a blessed life, lacking no good thing (James 1:4)! What is holding you back from wholly trusting in Jesus’ goodness and faithfulness as a provider for your own needs as our church sacrificially sows into the Provision for the House Offering this weekend?

·      What are you believing for? Take a moment and partner in prayer with somebody for those very things today. 

Church Wide Fast Devotional: Day 2

Wednesday, May 29

“For He issues His laws to Jacob; He gave His instructions to Israel. He commanded our ancestors to teach them to their children, so the next generation might know them- even the children not yet born- and they in turn will teach their own children. So each generation should set its hope anew on God, not forgetting His glorious miracles and obeying His commands.”

Psalm 78:5-7 (NIV)

“A good man leaves an inheritance to his children’s children…”

Proverbs 13:22a (NIV)

The Bible clearly teaches that we, the people of God, are called to be a forward thinking people. When we not only consider the here and now but position ourselves to leave a mark on tomorrow, we honor our Creator. From its inception, Wave Church has always been a church with the future generations in mind.

In Matthew 21, Jesus teaches that a key ingredient to living this Christian life well is speaking to the mountains that we face in life. As our church rises up together during Provision for the House weekend—collectively believing to give over and above our tithes, offerings and Wave Foundation commitments $550,000 towards paying down $1M Kingdom Dollars at Seaboard—we are speaking to the mountains the generations of tomorrow will face by insuring that our church will be one positioned for strength.

We live in a world that has been taught to weigh the value of today’s choices through asking “what’s in it for me?” As the church, we are called to live as Jesus lived. We are His hands and feet in a world searching for truth. As such, we are called to live to a higher standard… but not just any standard, Heaven’s standard. As we step into this weekend of great importance may we be a people who instead ask the question “what’s in it for them?” We are a church with future generations in mind. Let’s leave a legacy we can be proud of!

What does the Bible say about generosity?

·      It was Jesus’ way of life (Philippians 2:3-11)

·      It is the road to true significance (Matthew 20:25-28)

·      What you give you will receive later and greater (Mark 10:29,30; Luke 6:38)

·      It opens you up to the greatest blessing (Acts 20:35)

·      It leads to true prosperity in life (Proverbs 11:25)

Think About It:

·      How has your life benefitted over the years through receiving acts of selfless-generosity from others?

·      As you have prepared for this weekend’s Provision for the House offering, have you been asking “What’s in it for me?” or “What’s in it for them?”

·      Ask God why He created you. What are you supposed to pass on in this life? Whose life are you called to influence?

Church Wide Fast Devotional: Day 1

You may be asking yourself, "Why has our church chosen to do a fast?"  That is a fair question!  The purpose of a fast is to abstain from food for spiritual purposes.  During a fast, we press in and focus our thoughts and prayers in a concentrated way on what God is doing in our midst.  As we fast as a church, be sure to take extra moments in the days ahead to pause and stir your faith as we believe for the $550,000 we are believing to raise over and above our tithes, offerings, and foundation pledges.  Stir your faith for what it is that you want to see Jesus do in your own personal world! 

              

*Please note that fasting is something that needs to be done with a degree of wisdom and care for one's physical wellbeing.  It is recommended that you consult your doctor before beginning a fast.  This is especially important for any individuals with preexisting medical conditions, pregnancy, etc.  It should also be noted that Wave Church cannot be held responsible and disclaims any liability in connection with this fast.  

Tuesday, May 28

“You know with all your heart and soul that not one of all the good promises the Lord your God gave you has failed. Every promise has been fulfilled; not one has failed.”

Joshua 23:14 (NIV)

God is a good God, and Jesus is a faithful friend.  Heaven’s heart is that we would be a people living on top of life.  As we prepare our minds and hearts for this strategic weekend in the journey that God is leading our incredible church on, we need to remind ourselves of who our God is.

In the verse above, Joshua is giving his farewell address after decades of leading Israel in the ways of God.  He had seen some incredible breakthroughs in his time on earth: he was at Mt. Sinai when God gave Moses the ten commandments, he was one of the twelve spies to first see the promised land, and he led Israel when Jericho fell.  But, he also saw some bad days while chasing after God: Israel following after the Golden Calf, defeat at the city of Ai, and the death of his leader were just a few.  No doubt Joshua lived a full life. But as his years on this earth drew to a close, Joshua’s mind was pulled to one sole truth: not one of God’s good promises failed.  Period!  He goes on to say EVERY promise was fulfilled.

As you go about your day today, take time to think about who God is.  Realize as we step into this amazing weekend, that very same God will part the seas and move the mountains that we face in our lives just as He did as He led Israel through the wilderness.

What Does the Bible say God is like?

·      He’s loving. (1 John 4:8)

·      He’s faithful. (Deuteronomy 32:4)

·      He’s victorious. (Psalm 20:6)

·      He’s a protector. (Proverbs 18:10)

·      He’s with you. (Romans 8:38, 39)

·      He’s generous. (Deuteronomy 8:18)

Think About It:

·      How has God proven His faithfulness in your life in the past?

·      Realizing what God is really like, how does your involvement in Provision for the House now look different?

·      What concerns have caused you worry recently?  Pray with somebody today that you would have more trust in God’s faithfulness than you do the challenges of life.

Wave Church Daniel Fast

Provision for the House 2013

We believe, that as you sow sacrificially into God's House, you will in turn be blessed in your own life. We encourage you to prepare, pray and believe for God to move on your behalf as you consider giving to the Provision for the House Offering. 

Our church-wide fast will begin Tuesday, May 28 in the morning and end Thursday, May 30 in the evening. 

The basic guidelines for the Daniel Fast include eating:

•   fruits, nuts

•   vegetables

•   water only to drink (to flush out toxins) Some say natural fruit juices may be included if they contain no preservatives, sugars, etc., but even those juices should be very limited. Coffee and tea are not permitted.

The Daniel Fast should eliminate all meats, pastries, chips, breads, and fried food. Breads contain yeast, baking powder and so on; those are leavening agents and should be avoided.