Day #2

Today was an incredible day. On so many levels. I got to start out the morning (at the butt crack of dawn, that is) at the morning offering and it was so incredible. It was so encouraging to see so many people gathered in one place to seek God's face bright and early. It is so sweet to be in His presence.

It's been weird, it hasn't been too bad yet. I remember that the last two years that we have done the fast, the first two days have been so incredibly difficult but for some reason I haven't really been experiencing any hunger pains. I am definitely not complaining, but I also don't want to get prideful and think that the way I am feeling is because of something that I've done right. I want to be able to praise Jesus when I feel awfully hungry as well as when I feel completely satisfied.

This afternoon we had the opportunity to hike up to the top of Chip Ross park and just cry out for our city. The weather was incredible considering it is the middle of winter. What a sweet time that was! There is such a need in our city for the love of God. When I was driving back from church, I kept getting the words set apart. I just really feel like God wants to take back ground that has been given over to the enemy and put his stamp on it. He wants to make Corvallis a place that is known as city where God reigns.

I think that this is the first year where I have a strong sense of what God wants to do in my life during this week. I think it is going to be a week of character development, of being molded, of being taught, of having things broken off...just a week of renewal. God has really been putting on my heart a desire for intimacy with him. He has been showing me that I can and should have fellowship and communion with him in every part of my day, not just when I am at church. I have been doing quite a bit of driving over the last few days and it has been so awesome to just worship and pray during those times. I am thankful that God is blessing me with the joy of his presence. That is one thing that I really desire--to always be filled with a joy that transcends circumstances. Joy is a fruit of the spirit and since God's spirit is always in me, I should always be bursting and bubbling over with that joy.

So this really cool thing happened tonight at church. God was speaking the words all-consuming to me throughout the day, I'm not really sure when it started. I was thinking of when in the Bible it says that "our God is like an all consuming fire" but I couldn't remember where that scripture was found. So at prayer tonight, someone came up and shared this passage from Hebrews 12

Be careful that you do not refuse to listen to the One who is speaking. For if the people of Israel did not escape when they refused to listen to Moses, the earthly messenger, we will certainly not escape if we reject the One who speaks to us from heaven! When God spoke from Mount Sinai his voice shook the earth, but now he makes another promise: “Once again I will shake not only the earth but the heavens also.” This means that all of creation will be shaken and removed, so that only unshakable things will remain.

Since we are receiving a Kingdom that is unshakable, let us be thankful and please God by worshiping him with holy fear and awe, for our God is a consuming fire.