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Marks of a Disciple 6: God’s Harvest
Now in those days John the Baptist came, preaching in the wilderness of Judea, saying, “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven has come near.” The prophet Isaiah spoke of him, “He is the voice calling from the wilderness for all to prepare the way of the LORD.” John himself had a garment of camel’s hair,…
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Marks of a Disciple 2: Hunger
Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for right living, for they will be satisfied. Matthew 5: 6 Jesus taught what is known as the Beatitudes or the Blessings, to start off His Sermon on the Mount. I love that He began this teaching by defining what it means to follow Him in such a…
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Marks of a Disciple 1: Who is a Disciple?
“We are here to live holy, loving, lowly lives.” Amy Carmichael Disciples are important. Here are the last words of Jesus, called The Great Commission, that were spoken to them: All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth. Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name…
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Fast Day 27: Satisfied
Jesus taught what is known as the Beatitudes or the Blessings to start off His Sermon on the Mount. I love that He began this teaching by defining what it means to follow Him in such a positive way, not in a condemning way! The follower He describes is someone who is humble spiritually, who…
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Fast Day 24: Compassion
When Jesus felt compassion for the crowds, He knew the specific distress, oppression and burdens that each person was experiencing. He wanted to free them from all these things! Seeing the crowds, Jesus felt compassion for them, because they were distressed and downcast, like sheep without a shepherd. Matthew 9: 36 The Lord of the…
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Fast Day 19: Seeking
Jesus shares a beautiful illustration of how God cares for the birds of the air and the flowers of the field in His creative world design! This is why I tell you not to worry about everyday life – whether you have enough food and drink, or enough clothes to wear. Isn’t life more than…
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Fast Day 13: Inner Change
John the Baptist was identified as the first prophet in 400 years and he dressed the part. He wore camel hair sackcloth, a coarse and loosely woven garment, which represented a special prophetic call for personal and national repentance. But His message and his demeanor were one of humility. He was there to proclaim someone…
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Fast Day 6: Soul Rest
Who doesn’t feel weary and overburdened, like these oxen, at times? Spending time fasting and praying can feel like a rest, a respite, an intimate sojourn with the Lord of the Universe. Come to Me, all who are weary and overburdened, and I will give you rest. Take My yoke upon you and learn from…
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Fast Day 5: Don’t Fast Like This
Isaiah 58 outlines the kind of fast or response that God wants from us. He doesn’t want what the Israelites had been giving Him: a stolid, pious, self-righteous, cold, calculating, look-at-me, tit-for-tat, complaining, religious attitude. You say, “Why have we fasted and You have not been impressed? Why have we been hard on ourselves and…
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Fast Prep Day 4: How Not to Fast
You say, “Why have we fasted and You have not been impressed? Why have we been hard on ourselves and You have not even noticed?” I, the LORD, say, “Because you are fasting to please yourselves and even while you are fasting, you oppress your workers. What good is fasting if it ends in quarreling…
happy hunger
FIVE MARKS OF A DISCIPLE: OCTOBER 5 – NOVEMBER 2
Posts every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday: Fasting builds intimacy with God, and encourages you to grow inwardly, upwardly, and outwardly. Explore five marks of a transformed disciple of Jesus and determine five actions that will allow God to change you. An action that applies to each mark is focus. Fasting and prayer is God’s way for us to find the kind of focus that builds intimacy within and actions without. Be with Him. Be like Him. Do what He wants.
COMING NEXT! MAKING SPACE: NOVEMBER 4 – NOVEMBER 27
Reflect on how to use fasting to make more space for God in your life. Make space in the moment and better reflect God to others. Make space in the morning and enjoy intimacy with Him. Make space in your conversations with others and learn how to listen like He does. Make space in your schedule to breathe and be refreshed by Him. Make space in your commitments so that you can say Yes! to the things He wants you to do. God made a space in His world for us. Let’s return the favor!
