January 20th, 2025
Good morning friends! We have been praying for you as we begin this week with Jesus. Let us remember: the key is not what we do, but our willingness to allow God to do the work in us. We are no longer bound to self, so we can fully depend on God to move as He wills!
Jesus said in Matthew 6 “when you fast”, because it’s part of our faith. Denying ourselves is reflective of the cross— it’s a reminder that there must be a death in order for Christ to live in us. But fasting without praying is just “going without”. It’s the combination of both that accesses the power and the heart of God. Fasting develops an environment within us that is fertile soil to hear and receive what the Holy Spirit may want to speak.
We begin with repentance. It is at the altar where God wants to meet us today. We start with a prayer of pouring out what might be taking any space the Holy Spirit wants to inhabit in us. Repentance is taking personal responsibility for anything that has come before God, anything we prefer besides Him, and anything we’ve allowed ourselves to believe that is not Truth. Why is this so important? Because without clean hands and a pure heart, our dwelling with God is affected.
Open our eyes, Lord. We want to see you. Open our ears, Lord. We want to hear you.
Romans 6:14-16 NLT says this: “Sin is no longer your master, for you no longer live under the requirements of the law. Instead, you live under the freedom of God’s grace. Well then, since God’s grace has set us free from the law, does that mean we can go on sinning? Of course not. Don’t you realize that you become the slave of whatever you choose to obey? You can be a slave to sin, which leads to death, or you can choose to obey God, which leads to righteous living.”
Take some time to read Psalm 51 today as it leads us through a path to fully take responsibility for our sins, and then we leave it all at the cross.
We are no longer bound.
“Is this not the fast that I have chosen:
To loose the bonds of wickedness,
To undo the heavy burdens,
To let the oppressed go free,
And that you break every yoke?”
Isaiah 58:6 NKJV
“I have been crucified with Christ; it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself for me”. Galatians 2:20 NKJV
In this scripture, the Greek word ouketi means "no longer" or "not anymore" and indicates a definitive break from the past.
But how do we live this new life— no longer our own, but in Christ? The scripture says the only way is by faith. We must trust that He has done the work for us. Then it says: “I do not set aside the grace of God; for if righteousness comes through the law, then Christ died in vain.” Galatians 2:21 NKJV
This fast is not about what we can do. We are no longer bound by our works or our performance. It is by His grace that we are FREE! He has done it all, and this week we’re going to lean fully into all that means for us.
Listen today to Clean Heart and The Blood as we remember: we are no longer bound; He has made us new!
Don’t forget, the church auditorium is open from 7am-7pm everyday this week if you’d like to come pray, worship, put your requests on the cross, or just be in God’s presence. Please do. We’ll keep the heat on to warm you up!
We are praying for you! Believing you are going to see God move and hear Him speak to you in new ways.
We love you,
Pastors Josh + Tori
Jesus said in Matthew 6 “when you fast”, because it’s part of our faith. Denying ourselves is reflective of the cross— it’s a reminder that there must be a death in order for Christ to live in us. But fasting without praying is just “going without”. It’s the combination of both that accesses the power and the heart of God. Fasting develops an environment within us that is fertile soil to hear and receive what the Holy Spirit may want to speak.
We begin with repentance. It is at the altar where God wants to meet us today. We start with a prayer of pouring out what might be taking any space the Holy Spirit wants to inhabit in us. Repentance is taking personal responsibility for anything that has come before God, anything we prefer besides Him, and anything we’ve allowed ourselves to believe that is not Truth. Why is this so important? Because without clean hands and a pure heart, our dwelling with God is affected.
Open our eyes, Lord. We want to see you. Open our ears, Lord. We want to hear you.
Romans 6:14-16 NLT says this: “Sin is no longer your master, for you no longer live under the requirements of the law. Instead, you live under the freedom of God’s grace. Well then, since God’s grace has set us free from the law, does that mean we can go on sinning? Of course not. Don’t you realize that you become the slave of whatever you choose to obey? You can be a slave to sin, which leads to death, or you can choose to obey God, which leads to righteous living.”
Take some time to read Psalm 51 today as it leads us through a path to fully take responsibility for our sins, and then we leave it all at the cross.
We are no longer bound.
“Is this not the fast that I have chosen:
To loose the bonds of wickedness,
To undo the heavy burdens,
To let the oppressed go free,
And that you break every yoke?”
Isaiah 58:6 NKJV
“I have been crucified with Christ; it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself for me”. Galatians 2:20 NKJV
In this scripture, the Greek word ouketi means "no longer" or "not anymore" and indicates a definitive break from the past.
But how do we live this new life— no longer our own, but in Christ? The scripture says the only way is by faith. We must trust that He has done the work for us. Then it says: “I do not set aside the grace of God; for if righteousness comes through the law, then Christ died in vain.” Galatians 2:21 NKJV
This fast is not about what we can do. We are no longer bound by our works or our performance. It is by His grace that we are FREE! He has done it all, and this week we’re going to lean fully into all that means for us.
Listen today to Clean Heart and The Blood as we remember: we are no longer bound; He has made us new!
Don’t forget, the church auditorium is open from 7am-7pm everyday this week if you’d like to come pray, worship, put your requests on the cross, or just be in God’s presence. Please do. We’ll keep the heat on to warm you up!
We are praying for you! Believing you are going to see God move and hear Him speak to you in new ways.
We love you,
Pastors Josh + Tori
Posted in Prayer + Fasting
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