September 2018 Ember Days [PDF]

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Sep 14, 2018 - into green pastures, the one who causes us to come to still waters, the one who restores our soul and removes our fears even while we walk ...


2018 3rd Quarter Fast September 12-14, 2018

Praying in the Harvest

5am-5pm Daily

Water & Fruit Juices

Fruits & Vegetables, No Fried Foods, No Sweets

There are two metaphors Jesus gives in this narrative concerning people. They are Sheep and they are The Harvest. Over the next three days our Goal is to unpack these two metaphors so that we may live out the implications of each one. Jesus is concerned with people, and these people are all God’s people. As such our goal is to gain a stronger desire to care for all people, for they are God’s people.

Day One

Make Me Credible Matthew 9:35 35Jesus went through all the towns and villages, teaching in their synagogues, preaching the gospel of the kingdom, and healing every disease and sickness. This is the ministry of Jesus. Throughout all of the Gospel accounts we see Jesus transient. He goes from town to village, teaching in their spaces. Preaching the gospel of the kingdom and healing every disease and sickness. To teach in their spaces means he was equip to handle the environments of others. He knew how to navigate other peoples spaces. Jesus was credible. He demonstrated expertise and trustworthiness. Jesus had strong results, and a shared vision with those he taught. Exploring this whole chapter alone we find that just was solution oriented, walked in integrity and was competent, consistent, genuine, sincere, accountable, and honest. All of these traits made Jesus Credible. Lord give us the grace to be able to effectively http://www.bhichurch.com/what-are-ember-days/

Bethesda House International Church. Sep 2018 Ember Days Fast

engage others in their own spaces. Empower us to teach others. To teach in “their space,” give us credibility. God make us credible voices.

Reflection Answer the following questions:

Am I a Credible witness for God? If yes, what things make me credible? If not, what things hinder my credibility?

Do I take the time to engage people about God on their own turf, or do I desire to always have “home field” advantage?

Do I feel equip to handle environments outside of my contexts and comforts?

In what ways can I increase my visibility and credibility to better serve my family, friends, local community and the world?



Prayer

As I seek to live my life reflecting Christlike character, raise me up to be credible witnesses for You. Empower me to have the grace to instruct, the grace to impart and the grace to heal. Give me a boldness to function in spaces that do not “belong” to us. Cause for me to be strong and courageous not fearing difference, dis-ease or sickness. If you can use anything Lord, You can Use Me. Use me as an agent of change, healing and grace that the message of your kingdom is heard and known throughout the land.

Day 2

Make me Compassionate Matthew 9:36

36When He saw the crowds, He was moved with compassion for them, because they were harassed and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd.

What’s your worldview? Do you see live through the lens of a single parent? The lens of a professional student? Do you see life through the lens of being a creative, or millennial or baby boomer? Do you view life through the lens of your trauma, past or pain? Maybe you view the world through a rose colored glass, or through a crystal clear lens. Whatever your worldview maybe, knowing the lens from which you view the world is important. As a disciple of Christ did “Christian” come up for you as an answer to the question of your worldview? Maybe it did, maybe it didn’t. Either way, one of the goals of this fast is bring an awareness of what we see and why we see it that way. Jesus is teaching and healing people in our pericope and the writer deems it important to inform us about Jesus response to what we sees. Verse 36. “When we saw the

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Bethesda House International Church. Sep 2018 Ember Days Fast

crowds, He was moved with compassion for them.” Jesus sight cause a consciousness pf others’ distress with a desire to alleviate it. Jesus saw them being harassed and helpless. The metaphor given is that the people are like shepherd-less sheep. Sheep without a shepherd are defense and left susceptible to attack for predators. These sheep also will run out of food and water, because they have no one leading them to provision for their needs. Whether the people Jesus sees are physical under attack or poor and defense, we are uncertain. But we are clear that at the moment Jesus sees them, they have no Shepard for their souls. God is concerned with the state of our soul. God is concerned with the state of the souls of others. The Lord is our Shepherd, and the Lord desires to be “their” Shepherd too. But now it’s not just Jesus who is looking and seeing “them,” it’s you and I looking. The question is what are we seeing and why are we seeing it that way. There is a world that when it see it, our hearts should be moved with compassion for them, because they are harassed and helpless.

Reflection Answer the following questions:

Answer the following questions:

When I encounter the unsaved, the broken in heart and spirit, the poor and oppressed, do I see shepherd-less sheep or do I see people who need to “get it together,” people who “need to do it for themselves.”

When I see people, what am I moved with? (Frustration, jealousy, rage, hatred, fear, joy, pain, love, lust, etc)

Do I feel like I am equip to help others?

Do I feel like I am empowered to help others

Do I feel like I am the one who is shepherd-less, the one being harassed and helpless?

What does Jesus compassion for those who are harassed and helpless call me to do in a world where people are harassed and helpless?

Prayer

Today I pray that the things which hinder me from seeing and being moved with compassion be removed. I Pray for the same grace and compassion that Christ demonstrated. God, help me to desire that others come into relationship with the Good Shepherd, the one who leads us into green pastures, the one who causes us to come to still waters, the one who restores our soul and removes our fears even while we walk through valleys filled with shadows of death. Today I pray that my heart and mind be positioned see those in need of Jesus. I pray that I am able to discern the need for God, and that I am moved to do something to help them come into contact with the life changing presence of God. And if the reason I cannot see this need, is because I am the one in need of the Shepherd God I pray now that you open my heart to be receptive of your compassion towards me.

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Bethesda House International Church. Sep 2018 Ember Days Fast

Day 3

Make me Capable Matthew 9:37-38 37Then He said to his disciples, “The harvest is plentiful, but the workers are few. 38Ask the Lord of the harvest, therefore, to send out workers into His harvest.” After Jesus’ very credible and compassionate time of ministry, He turns his attention towards his disciples and tells them to ask God to make them capable. Jesus states” the harvest is plentiful. In other words, Jesus work has allowed him to see that there is no shortage of people in need of salvation. The world is full of sheep who are not shepherd. They are harassed and helpless. Jesus uses harvest as a means to 1. Demonstrate the vast amount of people, and 2. Their ability to gathered and brought to the Lord of the harvest. There is a great harvest, but there are few workers harvesting. Are you a working not working? Have you called into work? To be a worker, implies the proper skillset to get the job done. Do you have the skills to work the harvest? After Jesus tells the disciples, big harvest, few works, he then identifies whose harvest it is, and our best approach to harvesting. The Harvest is the Lord’s. It is important for us to remember that the people we are called to reach belong to God. Furthermore, if we are going to be able to harvest, the we must PRAY to the Lord of the harvest that workers be sent out into the field. Strange! Jesus doesn’t tell the disciples to go and harvest (at least not yet) rather he tells them to pray that the Lord send workers into the field to harvest. Prayer is Paramount before movement.

Reflection Answer the following questions:

Do I feel I am capable of being a working?

Have I been trained and equip to work the harvest?

Do I have the tools to maximize momentum and impact while harvesting.

Has the Lord of the harvest sent me into the field, or have I just gone because I can see the harvest is great?

Prayer

Lord of the harvest, send willing workers, ready and equip into the field. Make me capable to work. Empower me, position me, and enable me to work the harvest that belongs to you. God show me my heart towards the lost. Make me heart your heart for the harvest. Use me to be a vessel which gathers the increase you have. Teach me what it means to harvest.

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Bethesda House International Church. Sep 2018 Ember Days Fast