You’re invited to join ... 
A Special “Lenten” Season of SPIRITUAL DEVOTION ...
Monday, February 27th through April 22nd (Good Friday)

The English word lent (related to the word lengthen) refers to a period of joining in Christ’s preparation preceding the events of Good Friday and Easter through a season of dedicated prayer and fasting. Based on Christ’s own 40 days in the wilderness in preparation for His ministry, the period became that of 40 days. We join in the tradition of many of the earliest Christ followers in this season of personal renewal and discipline.

All are invited to choose a form of prayer and fasting that you feel personally prepared for. This may range from setting aside a single element of activity … a particular food … a single meal each day … a weekly day of fasting ... to a full fast.

“Feasting Through Fasting” article....

It is helpful to consider these three important qualities when deciding how to be involved:

• Prepare to adjust your schedule to allow some focused time for prayer.  Pursue at least 10 to 30 minutes daily along with at least one more extended period each week (i.e., 1 1/2 hours).

• Reflect upon the Scriptures by reading through either a prepared devotional guide or the Gospel accounts of Christ’s last week (i.e. generally the last third of each Gospel).

Further Recommended Reading:

Week 1 – Matthew 24:36-25:30 – A heart that’s ready

Week 2 – Psalm 51 – A heart of humility and repentance

Week 3 – Nehemiah 9&10 – A heart filled with God’s faithfulness

Week 4 – Matthew 4:1-11 – A heart of resolve

Week 5 – Isaiah 58; Matthew 25:31-46 – A heart of compassion

Week 6 – Philippians 3:7-11; Mark 14-16 – A heart of discipleship

Enjoy being a “student’ (disciple) in the process. Developing disciplines such as prayer and fasting usually don’t emerge quickly and easily as this involves facing many patterns we’ve developed. If you feel distracted or discouraged, don’t stop your season, simply use this as a means to learn more about what’s involved with connecting with God.

What You Can Pray For:

1. Yourself – that Christ be formed in you and that you may serve Him faithfully and boldly. Let this be a season of honesty and openness about aspects of your character and attitudes … that this may be a season of deeper growth from the inside out. If married and/or with children, pray for them in the same manner.
2. Our church community – that we would grow as a profound ‘alternative community’ of compassion and power in Christ. Pray that we will seek and experience:

• • Ever increasing love for God … becoming more centered and satisfied in Him.
  • The teaching and transforming power of the Word of God.
  • The outpouring of the Holy Spirit with signs, wonders and supernatural grace.
  • Profound love, humility, and dedication in serving one another.
  • A deep impartation of God upon our children (newborn to youth) as a “new generation of lives and leaders”
  • Faithfulness in reaching out and serving others, church planting, and global partnerships to serve the nations.

3. Specific family and friends to know Christ; for surprising opportunities to explore the spiritual longings of others and introduce them to Christ in a fresh way.

You also may utilize the following pattern of prayer to help structure your time:

P – Praise  (Acknowledge God for who He is and all that He’s done.)

R – Restore  (Confess any sin that’s separating your heart from God.)

A – Ask  (Seek God about the needs within and around you.)

Y – Yield  (Wait on God’s voice of counsel and direction.)

“Feasting Through Fasting” article....