A new stride for 2008…

Today was our London West congregation “Vision Focus 2008″, and I gave it my best shot to share what I believe what we are called to focus on this year. If you’re interested, its best to listen to it on the download section of our Every Nation London website - by the way, its had quite a serious upgrade which was uploaded, so do check it out sometime.

Our focus is about learning to get into a “stride” of the unforced rhythms of His grace”this year…so in the spirit of things, below is my first ever personally created “Wolf Production” YouTube video… check out Abby’s Big Race here…

 

What do you think? Should I keep the dayjob?

I’m wondering about “true fasting” today…

We are gearing up for a “24/7 week of prayer & fasting here at Every Nation London, starting on Sunday afternoon from after our West Congregation “Vision Focus 2008″ service.  Basically we cover every hour of the week with someone specific signed up to pray, and we encourage people to fast for at least one of the days. So together we’re praying and fasting 24/7, and we end off with an awesome all together “Praise & Prayer Encounter” on Sat 2nd.   

We never make a big deal to challenge anyone to fast from food for the whole week; only if they really feel personally led to.   One reason is that most people have full-time jobs, and I am just not convinced that extended fasting (more than say 3 days) was really intended to be done in a busy environment which doesn’t make room for contemplation, reading, prayer, and meditation.   Jesus seemed to try to get away from people when He fasted.   As well as clearing our plates, isn’t clearing our diaries just as important for a “true fast” today?    My diary for next week looks like any other week, except for a few one hour 24/7 prayer slots I have committed to.  To be honest, my flesh actually likes being busy while I’m fasting because the business is a distraction to the fact that I AM HUNGRY.  I think we need to consider going further. Maybe a fast from TV for a week would be more effective for some, allowing some quite contemplation and prayer during the evenings. Maybe fasting from lunch for a week, giving that daily hour to prayer every day, would be more of a “true fast.” Remember, fasting without prayer/connecting with God is simply starvation, or at best an unhealthy way to diet.

Make no mistake, fasting has been a great blessing to me, and my life was radically impacted during a 10 day fast last year leading up to the Global Day of Prayer, even though I didn’t change my diary much then either. But I still feel that there’s more to it.  Maybe clearing my diary may be a truer fast that clearing my plate.  Maybe entertainment is at least an equal craving to eating for us today. How did they spend their evenings back in Jesus times?   I found that for me the key to fasting is DESIRE.  Since my fast I have woken up most mornings with this hunger in my spirit: I desire to meet with You Lord. Its got me out of bed. It helps me restrain myself from all sorts of sinful thoughts and actions. DESIRE drives me to figure out the true fast, and the true fast fulfills my desire.   What can I possibly clear off my diary… or is this just my attemt to get out of clearing my plate? What do you think?

Fasting is a hit…

I noticed a HUGE increase of traffic to my blog last week, and wondered why… till I read pastor Steve Murrel’s “the reluctant leader” blog and realised that our massive church in Manila as well as our church in Nashville were having a week of fasting & prayer, and he had referred to some of my previous blogs on fasting last year… I trust that some of my thoughts helped someone…

Here in London we are preparing for our Launch-the-year “24/7″ week of prayer & fasting starting on Sunday 27th Jan which is our west congregation Vision Sunday 2008. We get individuals to commit to filling one hour slots of prayer over the whole week, and after just one day of signing up the week is just about covered – it usually takes a lot more effort to get it filled – I think its a sign of where we’re at here in London: Hungry for God. Hungry for breakthrough.  Recognising that is “by His Spirit.” Hungry to do whatever it takes. Like Jesus said: “When you fast…”

This Sunday + Stockholm launch service …

If you’re in London this weekend (Sunday 13th), join us for an awesome east & west congregation “Together” service with special guest speaker pastor Jim Laffoon. Besides being an incredible preacher, he is also the leading prophetic voice in the Every Nation family. Definately not to be missed…

 Also, we’ll have Mats & Lena Lindstrom with us from Stockholm Sweden, and will be praying for them in preparation for the launch of our first Every Nation Stockholm church service the following Sunday!

 Dont miss any action in 2008…

SHINE in 2008!

London apparently outdid all other cities this year with a £1.5 million fireworks display on the Thames river – we watched it on the telly in the comfort of our home partying with a bunch of good friends…

I’m sure there are better ways to spend £1.5mil… But lets do the best with the light we have as Christians, and lets put on a magnificent display of our own this year – from Matthew 5:14-16 in the Message Translation:

“Here’s another way to put it: You’re here to be light, bringing out the God-colors in the world. God is not a secret to be kept. We’re going public with this, as public as a city on a hill. If I make you light-bearers, you don’t think I’m going to hide you under a bucket, do you? I’m putting you on a light stand. Now that I’ve put you there on a hilltop, on a light stand—shine! Keep open house; be generous with your lives. By opening up to others, you’ll prompt people to open up with God, this generous Father in heaven.

LETS SHINE in 2008!