prayer & fasting
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critical resource in helping them respond to terrorist attacks, a new Barna Research Group poll suggests that people’s religious beliefs and practices have not changed in the past year.
“For the most part, our response to the attacks has been to restore continuity and comfort as quickly as possible, without much energy devoted to moral, spiritual or emotional growth."
During the last year, there has been no lasting change in people’s religious practices, according to the Barna study. Immediately after Major attacks with devastating effect, church attendance always rose for several weeks and then fell back to normal levels.
"I was among those who fully expected to see an intense spiritual reaction to the terrorist attacks," Barna acknowledged. "The fact that we saw no lasting impact from the most significant act of war against our country on our own soil says something about the spiritual complacency of the public."
A PERSON WITH VISION FEELS THE NEED AND SHARES THE NEED WITH GOD.
This prayer is the first of twelve. Too often, we plan our projects and then ask God to bless them; but
Nehemiah didn’t make that mistake.
From Kislev (November-December) to Nisan (March-April) is over a hundred days, more than three months, perhaps more than four. For at least three months, then, Nehemiah and his friends waited on God, asking each day that God would act today.
You who call on the Lord, give yourselves no rest, and give him no rest till he establishes Jerusalem and makes her the praise of the earth.
Isaiah 62:6
Prayer helps the vision mature in us. Acting too quickly on a vision is like delivering a baby prematurely. They can be weak and not survive. So it is with a vision. Immature visions are weak. They rarely make it to the real world.
Through prayer, God goes to work on you to prepare you for the fulfillment of the vision. Vision comes before preparation. But the preparation must come. Why? Vision will exceed your ability.
Prayer prepares you for the job ahead. And prayer mysteriously moves the hand of God to work behind the scenes preparing the way. Prayer helps you distinguish between a good idea and a God idea. It helps you make sure that you are in line with what God is up to in the world.
Prayer keeps us looking. It keeps the burden fresh. It sensitizes us to the subtle changes in the landscape of our circumstances. When God begins to move, we see it. Praying helps us not to miss the opportunities that come our way.