Category: Kingdom Mechanics

Day 5: Another Benefit To Fasting

If you’ve ever fasted for any length of time, one of the first things you notice is how enslaved you are to the desire to eat.

A person can easily go a day without food, so it’s not the need to eat that’s is so difficult to overcome, but the desire to eat.

Even as I write this blog I want to eat, but I don’t need to. I’m looking forward to eating tomorrow night, not because I need to eat but because I want to. I could probably go for weeks more without eating, if it wasn’t for my desire to eat.

One of the benefits of fasting is that it helps break the yoke of slavery between us and our desires, so we can more freely serve Jesus. Continue reading “Day 5: Another Benefit To Fasting”

Day 4: Fasting And Not Eating

My church is on day 4 of a 6 day fast. I mentioned in my first post I would explain my personal fasting plan in the middle of the week.

I did a water only fast from Sunday night until Tuesday night. I had some great time in the Word and in prayer.

I had a previously scheduled breakfast meeting with other leaders of our local bar association Wednesday, a deposition today and a previously scheduled dinner meeting with a group of civil trial specialists and former state Supreme Court justice tonight.

So, I did not fast Wednesday and today. Tomorrow I go back on the fast and will continue through Saturday night when I, and other church members, will pray and then break the fast together at a local restaurant. Continue reading “Day 4: Fasting And Not Eating”

Day 3: How To Pray In A Group

My church just completed day 3 of a 6 day fast. In addition to fasting, we are praying corporately each evening.

I never liked praying in groups until I got around people who really knew how to do group prayer. When I saw it done well, my attitude toward it changed.

Good group prayer is not just serial praying by a group of individuals. In good group prayer one person prays, and what they pray is what others in the group were getting ready to pray.

When one person finishes, the next person picks up where the previous person left off, as if they were reading from the same paragraph.

Good group prayer is like one person praying through different voices. And when it’s finished you know it. It gets quiet; everything that needed to be prayed has been prayed. Continue reading “Day 3: How To Pray In A Group”

Day 1: Why I Fast

Today my church started 6 days of fasting. Our church members can join us all 6 days or pick one or any number of days in between. We will also be praying corporately in the evenings.

I have a fasting plan for this week, but I’m going to keep it to myself for now because to reveal it would be to give the wrong idea about the purpose of fasting. I may explain what I mean in more detail toward the middle of the week.

At this point, I’m 24 hours into the fast (nothing but water). So, let me explain first why I fast.

I am no ascetic.  I like five-star hotels, first class air travel, nice cars, nice clothes and gourmet food.  But I fast. Continue reading “Day 1: Why I Fast”

Read To Lead

If the title of this post sounds like it has its origins in a twenty-first century marketing campaign, guess again.  You are twenty-two centuries too late.  Its author is Cicero.  Here is the full quote:  “Read at every wait; read at all hours; read within leisure; read in times of labor; read as one goes in; read as one goes out.  The task of the educated mind is simply put: read to lead.”

Great leaders are, by-and-large, readers, and for good reason.  Reading helps one see beyond oneself, understand other points of view, gain the benefits of others’ experience, generate ideas, solve problems, and the list goes on and on. And because it is the destiny of the kingdom of God to lead the world, kingdom citizens should be readers. Continue reading “Read To Lead”