Can you believe we are 26 days into January already? Many were fasting for 21 days. It was definitely a cleansing for many of us but now is when the challenge really begins.
What will be the first thing you go back to 100%? Complete change and transformation will require the abandoning of many things we hold close to us… yes, even those things YOU THINK are good for you.
The Lord has been moving mightily during the past few Sundays at Sanctuary Fellowship and I have to think it’s from our corporate obedience to God in either fasting or reading the Word. So, is that it? Is it all over? Is “Everything back to normal?”
I urge and encourage each and everyone one of “us” to continue seeking God to the fullest as if we were still in the middle of the 21 day fast. God will speak through us. He will use us. He will perform great miracles and healing through us. It’s up to us to stay synchronized with HIM in order to be able to tune in to HIS voice on a regular.
We were created to Worship Him.. that was the norm.. so my question is….. “Is Everything Back to Normal?”
Bert Bocachica
NO everything is NOT back to normal. I feel guilty eating what I use to eat before the fast. My life has NOT been the same since I did the fast and I’m luving it. Thank You PAPI – I Luv U SOOOOOOO MUCH. CONTINUE keeping me uncomfortable.
After fasting for 21 days and as I continue to read the Bible, there’s nothing normal for me anymore. As I write this, I have tears in my eyes, not from sadness but from pure joy! Every morning I get up anywhere from 12:30 a.m. to 2:00 a.m. and the first thing I do is the corporate reading of the Word! From there I go to the living room and I kneel down by my blue suede chair, the one I’ve christened as my “sanctuary”. I have never prayed for anything or anyone for more than 15 minutes. Now I find that I pray for periods of an hour to 2 hours in the mornings. How did this all happen? I feel complete joy porque El ha cambiado my lamento en baile! I’ve said goodbye to someone who was dear to me because I now have a strong conviction. I want to be an example to my children. I want to sow those seeds that will reap great harvest, not only into the lives of my son and my daughter, but for anyone I come across. I find myself in constant communion with God wherever I am. In my workplace, my co-workers have told me I look radiant. Just yesterday, a stranger who plays the conga on the 125th Street subway platform asked me how I kept myself looking so young. At first I was taken aback because he doesn’t know me. But my answer to him was “I look like I do because God has transformed me”.
God is great… so please be patient w/ me…. you see, He’s not finished with me yet!
My son, Michael, who is 12 and has always been introverted whenever approached, took it upon himself to ask Pastor Jorge if he could be a part of the Sanctuary’s sound team. He even went to Pastor Sal too. Coming from Michael, I know it’s God’s direction because Michael has changed considerably ever since he began doing the daily corporate reading himself.
Praise God for saving a wretch like me! Even when I was most undeserving, He had mercy on me and saved me.
Amen Bert!!! What a great word… We were created to Worship – so now that we’re worshiping – we’re actually back to Normal… I love it man. It’s so encouraging when you surround yourself with like-hearted people… I don’t ever see ourselves going back to the old normal or the old comfortable- as i sit to prepare for this week’s message, I’m asking God to just speak to us – to call us out from being AVERAGE Christians…
The average Christian in america is a Sunday Christian
The average Christian doesn’t really read the word or Know it and is fine with that.
The average Christian doesn’t embrace any kind of sacrifice that would require getting off of the spiritual sofa or out of their comfort zone in any area…
The average Christian is so bored with his own spirituality that they would never attract a single person
I’m tired of average Christians — Let’s go back to the Norm-
When people like Peter and John had an encounter with God and it rocked their world – when people like the woman at the well – met Jesus and turned her whole town right side up…
When people like Paul who persecuted Christians was confronted by the Light – blinded and changed by it..
People like you Bert – Sarita – Rose-
Sarita what an awesome testimony and encouragement you are – keep letting your light shine- it makes this world brighter for everyone..
Rose – amen – let’s make living outside of the comfort zone – the new “comfortable”
Thank you for your encouragement this morning…
Pastor Jorge
I started the daily bible reading and it’s been amazing. I’ve honestly never read the Bible in my life I only knew the Sunday school basics. Growing up I fell into the mindstate that the Bible was some sort of fictional book that had no revelance to my life.
Wow was I wrong. God put it all there in black and white, while all along I was trying to live a gray life. Picking and choosing what I was going to believe in. I feel like a baby seeing for the 1st time. From the Commandments to the Israelites roaming around for 40 yrs it’s all revelant to my life as a Christian.
I feel like Jesus is pouring in the foundation right under me so I can stand strong. And as He’s pouring in the word I’m growing into Him. And He’s showing me that I can only take baby steps for so long. It’s time to step up and out. To dance and not be ashamed, to praise Him and worry what others will think of me, to stand by his word and be obediant even if it means going against everything I thought I knew.
As He pours it into me I can pour it into my sons. Ethan’s favorite song that is on repeat all day. The B-I-b-l-e yes that’s the book for me…..