An invitation from Pastor Bland…
Brookline Friends,
I am reaching out today to let you know that the elders have decided to set apart Monday as a day of prayer and fasting. In the bible, we see times where God's people set themselves to seek God in a special way. With COVID numbers increasing, the division in our country, and the looming election next week, we feel compelled to seek God and plead with him to move. I am inviting you to join in this day of prayer and fasting.
Despite our current situation, our greatest need is NOT a COVID vaccine, more people to wear masks, or our candidate to win next week but for God to move in us, our church, our city, and our country. What we need is to see Jesus' kingdom bring peace, restoration, justice, and hope in us and in this world.
God has ordained that prayer is the means for us to partner with God in furthering his kingdom. He invites us to join him through prayer in seeing his will done on earth as it is in heaven. When joined with prayer, fasting is a powerful tool to focus and strengthen our intercession to God.
In an article on the Purpose of Fasting, John Piper says,
Fasting is a physical exclamation point at the end of the sentences: “I need you! I want you! I long for you! You are my treasure! I want more of you! Oh, for the day when you would return! Maranatha! Come, Lord Jesus!”
If you want to know more about fasting, Desiring God has put together a powerful resource list, including a free book on fasting.
Suggestions for Monday
Preparation - Sometime on Saturday or Sunday take time to pray, reflect, and prepare your mind and heart for Monday. Will you fast from food? If you can't, what will you fast from? Even if you can fast from food, what else should you fast from so you can focus on God and prayer? Let me suggest cutting out news, social media, Netflix, and other unnecessary stuff. By doing so, you are saying, "One day with God is of infinitely more value than all the information and all the entertainment on earth."
Planning - Schedule your day so you can structure your prayer times. Plan to start the day well - take time to worship, read God's Word, journal, etc as part of your prayer time. Will you pray in the morning before work? How will you include prayer during your work day? Will you use your lunch hour to pray? What will you specifically pray for?
Partners - Who will join you in fasting and praying that day? Reach out to folks in your CG to find some folks who are committed to join you. Take time to share your plan, your prayer list, and discuss ways to stay in contact throughout the day - via text, WhatsApp, Slack, etc so you can share what God is showing you and how the Spirit may be leading you. Discuss ways you can support each other in prayer coming out of Monday. We don't want focused prayer to end that day!
Throughout the Bible and church history, God has used times of dedicated prayer and fasting to do extraordinary things. In my 25+ years of ministry, I have never felt more burdened for God's people to pray for him to move in an extraordinary way. We NEED to see Jesus' presence, power, and purpose in our church, city, and nation (a summarization of my prayer plan for Monday). Let's pray in faith, looking to God to move according to his good will.
In the Love of Christ,
Pastor Bland