Don’t underestimate the power & influence of the words coming out of your mouth! Scripture claims that death & life are in the power of the tongue! (Proverbs 18:21) Are we unintentionally & unnecessarily bringing death, disease, discouragement & discontent into our lives by the way we talk? Well, stop it! Try this experiment: For 1 week commit to saying these life-giving words (or something similar) everyday to the different relations in your life-your spouse, your children & yourself. Remember, everyday for a whole week. (If you do not have a spouse or children, then substitute a boss, co-worker or someone you see daily) After 1 week observe & write down what is happening. I can’t wait to hear from you. Continue Reading…
Tag Archive - challenge
Experiment with Words
40 Day Challenge to a New You
We’re just starting our “40 Day Challenge to a New You.” (Wed Mar 9th through Sat Apr 23rd) Below are the 4 Essentials to get everything out of this challenge—
1.Don’t miss one of the Sunday Celebrations during the challenge. I am doing a series called Re-Lent in which we will examine 7 major events in the last week of Jesus’ earthly ministry. (If you absolutely must miss one of these live celebrations then try & follow online.)
2.Determine the time slot you will pray in our new Prayer Room. I’m asking you to pick a 30 minute or hour time slot to pray. So, if you pick Tues at 3 am then you have Tues at 3 am during the entire challenge. Our goal is 40 days of non-stop prayer to God. Get ready! God is going to rock some things. To pick a time slot click on “40 Day Challenge” on our website. Obviously, more then 1 person can be in the prayer room at a time!
3.Choose foods &/or activities you really enjoy & go without them during the 40 day challenge. (Exception: There is no fasting on Sundays! This is when we celebrate our life & victory through Christ.) For example: Jill & I will fast from TV, movies, non-essential spending (no shopping), coffee (Starbucks), alcohol, sodas, etc. The 1st 4 days I’m not eating anything & only drinking water but after that I plan to move on to soups & salads. So, go ahead & pick some things to do without…you will not die! & remember, no fasting on Sundays!
4.With your Bible, pen and an open heart follow along in our “40 Day Challenge Journal.” (These are free & can be picked up anytime at the church) Each day of the challenge there is a scripture reading & space for you to journal your prayers to God, your thoughts & what you feel God is saying to you.
Let’s do it! Are you in?
40 Day Challenge
Here we go again! 2 things…
- The men in our church are signing up to fast & pray 1 day over the next 40 days leading up to Easter (Tues Mar 3 – Sat Apr 11). With each man taking a day our men will put together 40 days of nonstop fasting & prayer. Lord, may you be pleased with our attempts to reach out to you. Don’t change, but please change us! If you want more information or would like to participate just email Bill at wirvin.forge@comcast.net & ask him about the 40 Days for 40 Men.
- Jill & I are also doing some personal fasting during these 40 days. Basically, we are cutting out “Pleasure Spending” & “Pleasure Eating.” Here’s what we mean…
- No Pleasure Spending: We commit to cut out unnecessary purchases & to buy only essentials-groceries, gas & a few gifts for birthdays. (We didn’t want to show up at my brother’s birthday & say, “Sorry, we didn’t get you anything because we’re on a spending freeze!”) Otherwise unnecessary spending is on a 40 day freeze. For example, shopping, starbucks, eating out, etc. In this fast we are trying to pull down the idol of materialism.
- No Pleasure Eating: We commit to eating what I never eat…soups & salads. This rule will be relaxed in situations when it would be rude or inappropriate to refuse what is offered. In this fast, we are trying to pull down the idol of our appetite.
Lord, help us. I am challenged to the max with your 1st commandment. I feel like a spiritual 1st grader. Help us to have no other gods before you.
PS. In case you’re wondering, the photo has nothing to do with this blog. We were just thrilled that it finally snowed! Oakley lasted 2 minutes before he came inside & cried for 15 (frozen fingers)!
40 Day Challenge
The other day I saw a question that really challenged me. What would happen if every Christian fasted & prayed 40 days before the election? Wow! I assume that God would listen & intervene in our political life. After all, this is a well grounded principle in scripture-that God listens when his children pray. Just take for instance the promise in 2 Chronicles 7:14 which says, “If My people who are called by My name will humble themselves, and pray and seek My face, and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin and heal their land.”
Well, here I go. I’m excepting the challenge… Continue Reading…
