Day 21 - you made it!

2 Timothy 4:7

"I have fought the good fight, I have

finished the race, and I have remained

faithful."

Congrats!!!!  You made it - Day 21!!!!!

I am so proud of you and I am so proud

of Antioch Church for remaining faithful

and pressing in to seek the heart of God.

I know that our God must be smiling upon

this church and you.  God loves obedience

in His children.  And with obedience - comes

reward.  There will be results from this 

incredible time of prayer and fasting through

out the rest of 2009.  It's going to be

exiting to see it all unfold.

Tonight - @ 6:30 - our worship teams and

our church will be coming together in the

auditorium at Antioch for a time of prayer

and praise as we bring this fast to an end.

Please come and bring your family and

friends.  

Enjoy the journey.

Day 20 - pass it on

Psalm 145:4

"Generation after generation stands in awe

of your work; each one tells stories of your mighty

acts."

Over Christmas and New Year's - I had such a great

time spending it with grandparents, parents, siblings,

aunts, uncles, cousins, and in-laws.  I feel so blessed

to come from families that love God and love to

tell stories of His great love and His great miracles.

Every time we meet - our conversation ends up on

the Lord.  You can see Jesus woven into every generation -

of not only my family but my wife's.  It really is a

rich heritage of Christianity.  We have always made

it a point to talk about God and what He is doing in

our lives.  It's been very reassuring to know that my

family is also praying for us - Antioch Church - during

our 21 day fast.  Isn't it great to know that prayer has

no boundary, no limit, and no measure.  Prayer - is

an immediate connection to us and to God.

If you don't have that rich heritage in your family - 

let me encourage today - to start it with YOU.  You

begin telling the story and watch how it spreads.  The

story of Jesus.

Pass it on.

Day 19 - history making

I Timothy 2:1-3

"The first thing I want you to do is pray.  Pray

every way you know how, for everyone you know.

Pray especially for rulers and their governments

to rule well so we can be quietly about our 

business of living simply, in humble contemplation.

This is the way our Savior God wants us to live."

History was made today and it was amazing watching

our country come together to pray over our new

president.  The United States of America is the

best country in the world - and I'm so glad to

be a part of it.  Even among our differences and

opinions - it's great to see the spirit of God bring

the people of this country together in such a

unified way to give honor and bless the establishment

of President of the United States.  Today - we

did as the Apostle Paul ask of us in the New Testament.

We prayed.  We prayed for our ruler and our 

government.  That's what is so inspiring about

America - we still pray.  Yes - prayer may have

been taken out of some of our institutions -

but prayer is still woven into the very fiber

and being of who we are in this country.  And

we saw it displayed and exercised today in

the inauguration.  Let's continue to hold our

government and President Obama up in prayer

before God.  As Paul tells us - "...so we will

live simply, in humble contemplation.  This is

the way our Savior God wants us to live."

God bless America.

Day 18 - a faithful God

Lamentations 3:22-23

"It is because of the Lord's mercy and 

loving-kindness that we are not consumed,

because His compassions fail not.  They are

new every morning; great and abundant

is your stability and faithfulness."

We serve a faithful God.  We serve an understanding

God full of love and compassion.  He is the ONE

thing in this life that we can depend on.  Despite

our unfaithfulness at times - He still is faithful.

That overwhelms me.  What love!

Aren't you glad that His love and faithfulness comes

new to us every day?

Day 17 - an amazing weekend

Psalm 95:6,7

"So come, let us worship:  bow before Him,

on your knees before God, who made us!

Oh yes, He's our God, and we're the people

He pastures, the flock He feeds."

What a weekend of worship - at all of our services!

Antioch Church is so encouraging.  Especially - this

weekend!!!  As I look out at the church as they

worship their God - and then watch our team as

the lead in worship - I can really understand the

strength and joy of the Lord.  It is amazing to me

knowing that this is the 3rd week of our 21 day fast -

and I see all of these people at church on the weekend

praising and worshipping God in the middle of this

huge discipline of fasting.  God's glory was truly

shining on and through His church this weekend!

If you want a little piece of Heaven on earth - come

to a weekend service at Antioch.  You will never be

the same!

Day 16 - a busy day

Ephesians 5:29-33

"No one abuses his own body, does he?  No, he feeds

and pampers it.  That's how Christ treats us, the church, 

since we are part of His body.  And this is why a man leaves

father and mother and cherishes his wife.  No longer two,

they become "one flesh".  This is a huge mystery, and I don't

pretend to understand it all.  What is clearest to me is the

way Christ treats the church.  And this provides a good 

picture of how each husband is to treat his wife, loving himself

in loving her, and how each wife is to honor her husband."

Many of us got to be a part of Derek and Ashley's wedding day.

It was a great ceremony and a great day for us to share together.

I am so proud of them and for what God is doing in their lives.

For those that don't know - Derek and Ashley are a part of our

worship ministries at Antioch.  Derek just got back from Hillsong

College in Sydney, Australia.  He is one of our singer/songwriters

at Antioch and Ashley plays keys.

I was amazed at so many from our team, as well as those from 

Antioch Church, that were involved in this day and then came back

for our Saturday night service to lead in worship.  

This was a "full day".....but what a way to spend the day - 

marriage and church.......the 2 institutions that God 

created and ordained.  We all got to share in

that.  I am in awe of how God compares them.

We love you - Derek and Ashley.  Thanks for sharing your day

with us and reminding us that God is an amazing God!

Day 15 - the last week

Philippians 3:14

"By no means do I count myself an expert in all

of this, but I've got my eye on the goal, where God

is beckoning us onward - to Jesus.  I'm off and

running, and I'm not turning back."

7 days left!!!  This word from Paul in Philippians

should encourage you today as you travel

this last week on your prayer and fasting journey.

The goal - The prize - is Jesus.  That one word -

"Jesus" - is what keeps the momentum going for

me.  I want Him in my life in everything I do.  I want

Him as Lord.  I want Him to rule and direct my 

next decision.  I want Him for wisdom as I walk on

this earth as a Christ follower, as a husband, as

as a dad, as a minister, as a worship leader - I want

Jesus and His will.

Lean on Him and talk to Him everyday these last

7 days.  I'll see you at the finish line.