The Old Testament book of Ezra tells the story of a prophet by the same name who leads a group of exiles back to their homeland.
In his own words: “I gathered them to the river that runs to Ahava, and there we camped three days. … Then I proclaimed a fast there, at the river Ahava, that we might humble ourselves before our God, to seek from him a safe journey for ourselves, our children, and all our goods. For I was ashamed to ask the king for a band of soldiers and horsemen to protect us against the enemy on our way, since we had told the king, ‘The hand of our God is for good on all who seek him, and the power of his wrath is against all who forsake him.’ So we fasted and implored our God for this, and he listened to our entreaty.”
I love the raw honesty, the fearful yet active faith. The story is incredibly simple yet unfathomably deep. The king had already given Ezra an immense amount of wealth and almost certainly would have provided protection, but Ezra had put God on the line and wouldn’t jeopardize His reputation. So they fasted and implored God, and He listened to their entreaty.
Last night I was laying in bed and asking God for a deeper relationship with Him or for Him to use me more or something like that. I don’t even remember what exactly, but I felt something inside me ask how badly I wanted it. Did I want it badly enough to set my alarm just a little bit earlier, to wake up in time to spend some time with the Lord?
This morning I got just a little less sleep and spent a little more time in the Word. I’m a little more tired but a little more fed. What are you willing to give up for that which is most important to you?
I think there are some lessons that God has been trying to teach me over the past few months, namely, to trust Him and stop trying to control everything and consequently to have peace and joy in the midst of stressful circumstances.
Unfortunately, these were lessons that I did not learn. Buying our house was certainly a stressful ordeal. Things weren’t as smooth as I would have liked. Near the end of the process I realized that God was probably trying to teach me not to worry, to trust Him, and yet even after I realized this, I still worried, I still got stressed, and I failed to trust.
Sometimes I’m so dense.
The 50th day after Easter is called Pentecost. The 10 days leading up to Pentecost make up the Pentecost season, marking the period between Jesus’ ascension into Heaven and the day when Jesus’ followers received the Holy Spirit.
We’re approaching the day of Pentecost and are in the middle of a sermon series called “Miracles” here at NCC, so it seemed appropriate that we pray that God would move in a powerful way, much as he did at the first Pentecost.
Consequently, we are doing a 10 day fast, praying and believing that God will do great things.
I’ve decided to fast a few things, each symbolic of the things I’m believing God for.
I’ve given up alcohol as I pray for my brother’s health. He’s had some stomach problems for a while now. I’m praying for total healing. (Alcohol = not super-great for your stomach)
I’ve given up coffee as I continue to pray and believe for another place in the marketplace for NCC. (Coffee = something I drink at work)
I’ve put myself on a strict diabetic-friendly diet as I pray that God would heal me of diabetes. Note that I manage my diabetes well, but I usually do this through extra insulin rather than proper diet.
I’ve given up searching for a home as I pray and trust God that He will provide the right place. This is perhaps the most difficult fast I’ve ever done. There’s always the idea that something great could come on the market and disappear during the 10 days I’ve stopped looking.
There you have it. There are a few other things, but they are either overly-personal or not mine to share publicly.
If you’re interested in doing a Pentecost fast, it’s not too late. We’re only a day-and-a-half in. Join us in fasting and believing that God will glorify himself through miracles that only He can do.
A couple of weeks ago I wrote about how I was praying for a real estate miracle for my church, and that I believed God would deliver soon. Well, He missed my deadline, and I look foolish. But that’s okay.
Do not deceive yourselves. If any one of you thinks he is wise by the standards of this age, he should become a “fool” so that he may become wise. For the wisdom of this world is foolishness in God’s sight. (1 Corinthians 3:18-19a)
I’m still praying and still believing. Color me a fool.
God acts when His people have faith, and sometimes we have to act on that faith.
I’m believing that God will provide NCC with a new building where we can serve Him, and earlier today Rachel and I took a step of faith and made a small donation to help pay for the property that NCC wants to buy. It wasn’t much, but it was an expression of faith that God will come through.
Why did we do it? Why did we do it today? Because I’m believing that this will happen tomorrow. Again, I could be wrong. I could be completely wrong. God could have totally different plans, but tomorrow I finish seven days of circling and praying for that property, and just like he did at Jericho, I believe that on the seventh day, God will move.
Why am I writing this post? I’ll look foolish if it doesn’t happen tomorrow, and even more foolish if it doesn’t happen at all. But that doesn’t matter. It only matters that God is glorified. It’s also my way of (reverently, respectfully, and humbly) putting God on the spot. I’ve done what I believe He’s asked me to do, and now I’m believing that He will do his part.
For an overseer, as God’s steward, must be above reproach. He must not be arrogant or quick-tempered or a drunkard or violent or greedy for gain, but hospitable, a lover of good, self-controlled, upright, holy, and disciplined.
At Team D’s* last major planning meeting, we read through the Book of Titus, a letter from the Apostle Paul to a young leader named Titus. There was a ton of good stuff in there, but one of the things that stuck out to me was Paul’s comment that an overseer must be disciplined.
I’m not disciplined. I don’t mean that I’m a hoodlum. I mean that I don’t lead an ordered, structured life.
This is a problem. I need to have the discipline to get up early to read my Bible, because I know I won’t do it at night. I need to have the discipline to exercise, because that triathlon is looming, and I’m not ready.
In the last few posts I’ve talked about how at NCC we’re believing God for a piece of property so that we can better serve God’s kingdom. And my wife and I are also looking purchase a house. While plans can always change, we see ourselves in DC for the foreseeable future. We’d like to have a family here, and in the meantime, we want to be able to use our house to entertain out of town guests, help out friends who need a place to stay, and share our lives with those around us.
Thoroughly confused as to how these relate? Wait for it…
Last Sunday, Pastor Mark preached on the story of Jericho, where the Israelites marched around the city of for seven days before God gave it to them. PM also talked about praising God for the things He’s done, even when from a human perspective it doesn’t seem as if He has yet done them.
That Sunday afternoon and every morning since then, I’ve ridden my bike around Capitol Hill (where we’d like to live), praising God, believing that He will provide the right house for Rachel and I. We’ve put offers in on three places that didn’t work out, and as difficult as that has been, I believe that God has something better in store for us.
I’ve also been stopping at the property that NCC is attempting to purchase,# walking around it, and praising Him for providing it.
It has been a great experience and one that taken some discipline. Getting up at 7 AM to ride in 45 degree weather doesn’t come naturally, but it’s more than worth it. It has also taken some discipline to stay on task. I’ll be honest, some days I’ve done a fair amount of road raging when I should have been praising.
I’m planning to finish tomorrow by circling Capitol Hill 7 times. (This time in a car, it’ll be over 50 miles!) I’ll also be walking around NCC’s new property 7 times, praising God for it.
*NCC’s Discipleship Team
#At least, I’m pretty sure it’s the right property. I know I’m at least in the right area 
Here at NCC, God has blessed us with more people than will fit in our current facilities, and so we’re attempting to purchase another piece of property. The other potential purchaser is a wealthy real estate developer, but we’re believing God for a real estate miracle.
Let me preface this by saying that I’m not always a fan of the emphasis that churches sometimes place on building campaigns. They may be necessary and good things, but they don’t usually stir my soul, and I feel that they can divert attention from more important matters. That said, I believe the senior leadership at NCC has done a great job of stewarding the physical space we do have, and we really do need more of it.
As Pastor Mark was praying that God would give us this property, he felt like God’s Spirit said to him, “Mark, stop praying for it and start praising me for it.” When you read the story of the Israelite takeover of Jericho, God says to Joshua, “See, I have given Jericho into your hand.“ The Israelites didn’t actually possess Jericho at this point. They were still standing outside the walls, but God had already given it to them.
If God has already done something for you, what do you do? You praise him. That’s the only appropriate response.
We could be wrong. God could choose not to give us this property, but we believe that He’s set it aside for His purposes and that He will allow us to steward it.
So that’s what we’re doing. We’re praising God for a piece of property we don’t yet own.
Here at NCC we’re in the middle of a sermon series called Miracles. There have already been some incredible stories of the things God has done. He’s provided over $15k for an orphanage in the Congo and made amazing financial provision for one of our unpaid interns.
When we started this series, I didn’t really have a miracle I was praying for. Sometimes I have a hard time getting in line with these church-wide things. It’s not an attempt at rebellion or arrogance (although it’s probably at least a mild form of both). In this case, there just wasn’t anything I felt like I needed a miracle for. I have a great wife, just got a great job, am in need of nothing, and feel like I’m spiritually in a much better place than I’ve been in a very long time, maybe ever.
But then Pastor Mark said something that really struck a chord in me. He told us to be a part of other people’s miracles. So that’s what I’m praying for. I’m praying that God would use me to bless others.
Since then, I’ve found some places where I could use a miracle and have even experienced one, but more on that later.
This morning I was reading in the book of Numbers. When most of us think of that book (if we think of it at all), we conjure up dull genealogies and census data. I challenge you to read it again. In the span of four chapters, I found tons of great stuff.
In chapter 9, we find Israelites who come to ask Moses a question about observing the Passover, an important religious ceremony. His response: “Wait, that I may hear what the Lord will command concerning you.”
Can you imagine that? Next time someone comes to you asking for advice, say that. Don’t give good advice. Don’t even say, “Let’s pray about it.” Just say, “Wait, that I may hear what the Lord will command concerning you.” In other words, God is going to speak to me and tell me what you should do.
This relationship that Moses had with God is amazing. That’s the kind of relationship I want with God, one where I can confidently expect God to speak.
