Call for a New Beginning in 2008

I shared this message last Wednesday night (1-2-08) with my church and thought I would let you know what God is speaking to us about.

Using Exodus 12 as a signpost noting that it was in the "first month, on the first day" that God spoke to Moses and Aaron, we are believing God to do something special in this first month of our year.. There is significance about the "first month, first day" in the Bible (see Genesis 8:13; Exodus 40:2, 17; Numbers 9:1; Joshua 4:19; Ezra 6:19; 7:9; 8:31; 10:17 and several places in Ezekiel (29:17; 30:20; 45:18, 21).

In Exodus 12 God told them on the tenth day to get a lamb according to His requirements and prepare it to be eaten on the fourteenth day. On the fourteenth day they ate the lamb/goat and put the blood on the doorposts for protection. From the fourteenth til the twenty-first day was days of Unleavened Bread.

With the coming of 2008, we know that eight in the Bible is the number of new beginnings. The number seven represents perfection and completion. God created the world in seven days. But eight is the number of new beginnings. There are eight recorded resurrections in the Bible.

It is also interesting to note that in the Hebrew calendar the year is 5768. So is there something special about 2008?

And is there something special about "the first month, first day,tenth day, etc.?"

Using this as an example, I am calling for a "New Beginning in 2008" and to submit ourselves to a period of dedicated reading of the Word of God and to fasting.

January 10-14: Prepare yourself by reading only the Word of God. It is the way that "we cleanse ourselves." (Psalm 119:9; Ephesians 5:26).

January 14-21 - Period of fasting and devoted reading of God's Word.

Join us at whatever level you can for a week of fasting. Some cannot participate in a food fast due to health reasons, but what can you abstain from? Television, internet, sugar, caffeine, tobacco, some activity, etc?

The most important thing about fasting is abstinence for a spiritual goal or purpose.

What do you want to see God do in this fast?

* Release from past burdens
* A sin or habit broken in your life
* Financial breakthrough
* Relationship breakthrough
* Move out of a personal emptiness or void
* Move into the land of victory
* Experience total release from an experience of the past
* Needing a mate or praying for a child
* Wisdom for decisions

Then as a church, seek God for:

This is a critical year as we build. Pray for God to move with the prices of material, our Building Team, the Builders for Christ, favor with an interest rate, God to raise up additional finances so we won't have to borrow so much
* Renewed power and passion for Him and others
* Fresh fire in our personal and corporate times of worship
* The calling of a Children's Pastor and Student Pastor
* For God to continue to grant unity to our body
* For Him to add to the church "such as should be added"
* For us to reach our community and connect with "unreached people groups"

Join us January 10-21 for a "New Beginning."