August 18-24
Click HERE for a copy of the Motion Draft of the New Constitution
Today marks the official start of a significant moment in my beloved church. The love of God is expressed through a shared effort of a redeemed people to display the glory of God to our community. The Lord’s church is by design to glorify Him with His people for such a time as He purposes her to exist. We will devote special time over the next 30 days to purposefully seek the Lord’s face for His glory.
The Christian’s life is a lifestyle of discipline. It is expected that we will behave like sheep. The good news is we have a Good Shepherd who has organized this flock as an orderly institution. This institution is a local church. A local church is a spiritual organization functioning in a temporal day with a physical place and a shared universal duty; to worship God and evangelize the souls of men.
That means we recognize that our flesh is constantly trying to do spiritual things. This means we must be honest with ourselves to be a people who do not make decisions on raw emotion. We seek to have the Holy Spirit prepare us to act as a local church for the glory of God.
The reason I have written this Prayer and Fasting Guide is to help lead us with devotion to God, with much respect for each other, in love for the brethren.
Week One of this Prayer and Fasting Guide is devoted to setting the stage for the following weeks and the eventual moment when we will gather on September 21, 2025, to take action on a prepared Constitution. We must not be afraid to seek the face of God together, but we must acknowledge the vulnerable moment we are in together.
This week we will look frequently at the time our Lord was praying in the garden before the crucifixion. We’ll listen closely to the narrative of how He instructed them to pay close attention to their flesh and spirit.
Monday August 18
READ Matthew 26:36-46 (NASB)
36 Then Jesus *came with them to a place called Gethsemane, and *said to His disciples, “Sit here while I go over there and pray.” 37 And He took with Him Peter and the two sons of Zebedee, and began to be grieved and distressed. 38 Then He *said to them, “My soul is deeply grieved, to the point of death; remain here and keep watch with Me.”
39 And He went a little beyond them, and fell on His face and prayed, saying, “My Father, if it is possible, let this cup pass from Me; yet not as I will, but as You will.” 40 And He *came to the disciples and *found them sleeping, and *said to Peter, “So, you men could not keep watch with Me for one hour? 41 Keep watching and praying that you may not enter into temptation; the spirit is willing, but the flesh is weak.”
42 He went away again a second time and prayed, saying, “My Father, if this cannot pass away unless I drink it, Your will be done.” 43 Again He came and found them sleeping, for their eyes were heavy. 44 And He left them again, and went away and prayed a third time, saying the same thing once more. 45 Then He *came to the disciples and *said to them, “Are you still sleeping and resting? Behold, the hour is at hand and the Son of Man is being betrayed into the hands of sinners. 46 Get up, let us be going; behold, the one who betrays Me is at hand!”
Tuesday, August 19
READ Mark 14:32-42 (NASB)
32 They *came to a place named Gethsemane; and He *said to His disciples, “Sit here until I have prayed.” 33 And He *took with Him Peter and James and John, and began to be very distressed and troubled. 34 And He *said to them, “My soul is deeply grieved to the point of death; remain here and keep watch.” 35 And He went a little beyond them, and fell to the ground and began to pray that if it were possible, the hour might pass Him by. 36 And He was saying, “Abba! Father! All things are possible for You; remove this cup from Me; yet not what I will, but what You will.” 37 And He *came and *found them sleeping, and *said to Peter, “Simon, are you asleep? Could you not keep watch for one hour? 38 Keep watching and praying that you may not come into temptation; the spirit is willing, but the flesh is weak.” 39 Again He went away and prayed, saying the same words. 40 And again He came and found them sleeping, for their eyes were very heavy; and they did not know what to answer Him. 41 And He *came the third time, and *said to them, “Are you still sleeping and resting? It is enough; the hour has come; behold, the Son of Man is being betrayed into the hands of sinners. 42 Get up, let us be going; behold, the one who betrays Me is at hand!”
Wednesday, August 20
READ Luke 22:39-46 (NASB)
39 And He came out and proceeded as was His custom to the Mount of Olives; and the disciples also followed Him. 40 When He arrived at the place, He said to them, “Pray that you may not enter into temptation.” 41 And He withdrew from them about a stone’s throw, and He knelt down and began to pray, 42 saying, “Father, if You are willing, remove this cup from Me; yet not My will, but Yours be done.” 43 Now an angel from heaven appeared to Him, strengthening Him. 44 And being in agony He was praying very fervently; and His sweat became like drops of blood, falling down upon the ground. 45 When He rose from prayer, He came to the disciples and found them sleeping from sorrow, 46 and said to them, “Why are you sleeping? Get up and pray that you may not enter into temptation.”
Thursday, August 21
Meditate
Read the Preamble, Article 1 and Article II
Reread all three passages
Friday, August 22
Meditate
Reread all three passages.
Why do you think it was so difficult for the disciples to do what Jesus wanted them to do?
Are there attributes of the flesh we should watch for?
Saturday and Sunday,
August 23-24
Pray for strength to do spiritual things in the strength of the Holy Spirit.
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