CALL FOR A FAST

CALL FOR A FAST SCRIPTURE: JOEL 2.12-25 CONCEPT: WE MUST RETURN TO GOD AND RENEW OUR RELATIONSHIP WITH HIM. INTRO: WE BEGIN A NEW YEAR TOGETHER, AS WE PRESS INTO THE 11TH YEAR OF OUR WALK TOGETHER. BEING THE FIRST SUNDAY OF A NEW YEAR I THANK GOD FOR ALL THAT HE HAS DONE FOR US OVER THE LAST 10 YEARS AND LOOK FORWARD TO WHAT HE HAS IN STORE FOR US, AS WE BEGIN A NEW DECADE TOGETHER.

I ASKED THE LORD TO TELL ME WHAT TO TELL HIS PEOPLE AS WE BEGIN THIS NEW CHAPTER IN OUR LIVES AND MINISTRY TOGETHER. I ASKED HIM TO DIRECT ME AND TO HELP ME WITH A WORD THAT HE WOULD HAVE ME TO SHARE. TO DIRECT ME TO GIVE THE PEOPLE WHAT HE WOULD HAVE ME TO SAY AND FOCUS UPON AS WE ENTER INTO 2011.

ALL OF A SUDDEN I BEGAN TO FEEL A HEAVINESS AND A FEELING OF DREAD AND HOPELESSNESS. THE LORD BEGAN TO PLACE UPON ME THE HEAVINESS WE AS A NATION ARE FEELING AND THE DESPERATION SO

MANY OF US ARE EXPERIENCING. HE CAUSED ME TO FEEL THE CONFUSION AND SICKNESS, DEATH AND DEPRESSION THAT IS RAMPANT AMONGST US. I BEGAN TO FEEL A GREAT CRUSHING WEIGHT AND A FEELING OF A PENDING, COMING DOOM. DOES ANYBODY KNOW WHAT I M TALKING ABOUT.

AS I BEGAN TO FEEL THESE THINGS I CRIED OUT TO

THE LORD, LORD S WHAT S WRONG

THAT S MY FIRST POINT. MY SECOND QUESTION WAS LORD, WHAT S ABOUT TO HAPPEN AND FINALLY I ASKED, WHAT DO YOU WANT ME TO DO.

LORD, WHAT S WRONG. IN A WORD SAINTS, WE HAVE LEFT OUR FIRST LOVE. ONCE UPON A TIME THE LORD WAS THE CENTER OF OUR LIVES. OUR CHILDREN WERE MADE TO COME TO CHURCH AND EVEN THE DRUNK ON THE CORNER HAD RESPECT FOR THE CHURCH AND THE PREACHER. ONCE UPON A TIME, RIGHT WAS RIGHT AND WRONG WAS WRONG. BUT NOW WE HAVE BECOME A NATION THAT IS GOING ALONG WITH WHATEVER SOCIETY SAYS IS OK. WE ARE TREATING SIN AS IF ITS WHAT IS NORMAL AND HAVE CEASED TO LOOK AT SIN AS SIN. SEXUAL IMMORALITY, IRREVERENCE TOWARDS THE THINGS OF GOD, LACK OF RESPECT FOR

THE HOUSEHOLD OF GOD AND HIS SERVANTS. WE SPEND MORE TIME IN FRONT OF A TV THAN WE DO READING OUR BIBLES OR IN PRAYER. WE TREAT GOD LIKE HE IS SOMETHING TO ENDURE, INSTEAD OF THE SOURCE OF OUR STRENGTH. WE HAVE BECOME SO MATERIALISTIC AND HAVE MADE THINGS OUR IDOLS AND GOD.

ROMANS 1: 18 The wrath of God is being revealed from heaven against all the godlessness and wickedness of people, who suppress the truth by their wickedness, 19 since what may be known about God is plain to them, because God has made it plain to them. 20 For since the creation of the world God s invisible qualities̶his eternal power and divine nature̶have been clearly seen, being understood from what has been made, so that people are without excuse.

21 For although they knew God, they neither glorified him as God nor gave thanks to him, but their thinking became futile and their foolish hearts were darkened. 22 Although they claimed to be wise, they became fools 23 and exchanged the glory of the immortal God for images made to look like a mortal human being and birds and animals and reptiles.

24 Therefore God gave them over in the sinful desires of their hearts to sexual impurity for the degrading of their bodies with one another. 25 They exchanged the truth about God for a lie, and worshiped and served created things rather than the Creator̶who is forever praised. Amen.

IN OTHER WORDS, WE HAVE TURNED AWAY FROM GOD AND HAVE BEGUN TO SIMPLY GO THRU THE MOTIONS. HAVING CHURCH, BUT NOT BEING THE CHURCH. CLAPPING AND SINGING, BUT NOT TRUSTING AND BELIEVING. WE WERE RAISED TO FEAR THE LORD AND TO KNOW THE FEAR OF GOD.

Ecclesiastes 12:13 Let us hear the conclusion of the whole matter: Fear God, and keep his commandments: for this is the whole duty of man.

WE NO LONGER, AS A NATION, AS A COMMUNITY, NOR AS A CHURCH FEAR THE LORD AND BECAUSE OF IT GOD IS ANGRY. HE TOLD US WHAT OUR DUTY WAS. HE TOLD US THAT THE FEAR OF HIM WAS THE BEGINNING OF WISDOM. HE TOLD US THAT HE WAS A JEALOUS GOD, SLOW TO ANGER AND LONG SUFFERING. AND NOW HIS WRATH IS BEING REVEALED FROM HEAVEN. WHAT S WRONG? WHAT S WRONG YOU ASK? WE HAVE MADE GOD MAD. WE HAVE MADE THE TRUE AND LIVING GOD ANGRY? AND HE S GOING TO SHOW US WHO WE VE BEEN MESSING WITH. SO, REV. WHAT S GOING TO HAPPEN? WELL IF THE TRUTH BE TOLD, IT HAS ALREADY BEGUN. MANY OF THE BLESSINGS THAT GOD HAS BESTOWED UPON US HAVE BEGUN TO BE TAKEN AWAY. OUR CHILDREN ARE IN TROUBLE AND SICKNESS AND DEATH SEEM TO BE RAMPANT AMONGST US. OUR MONEY SEEMS TO BE RUNNING THROUGH OUR HANDS AND STUFF JUST SEEMINGLY KEEPS HAPPENING. ONE THING AFTER ANOTHER. ANYBODY KNOW WHAT I M TALKING ABOUT. GOD IS SENDING DESTRUCTION AND CURSES UPON US. WE HAVE CHOSEN SIN OVER HOLINESS, MATERIAL THINGS OVER BLESSINGS, COMFORTS OVER CONSECRATION, WORRY OVER PRAYER, TV OVER THE BIBLE, WE HAVE CHOSEN THE WORLD OVER THE WORD. THE LOTTERY OVER THE TITHE. ROMANS 1 25Who changed the truth of God into a lie, and worshipped and served the creature more than the Creator, who is blessed for ever. Amen.

IN OUR TEXT, THE LORD HAS SENT JOEL THE PROPHET, WHICH MEANS ONE WHO WORSHIPS JEHOVAH, TO TELL THE CHILDREN OF ISRAEL ABOUT A GREAT AND TERRIBLE DAY THAT IS COMING UPON THEM. THEY HAVE TRANSGRESSED HIS WORD AND HAVE NOT OBEYED HIS COMMANDMENTS. THEY HAVE SINNED AND WILLFULLY DISOBEYED THE LORD. AND SO HE SENDS JOEL TO PROPHESY: LET ME READ IT FROM THE MESSAGE BIBLE. 1-3 1-3

Blow the ram's horn trumpet in Zion! Trumpet the alarm on my holy mountain!

Shake the country up!

God's Judgment's on its way̶the Day's almost here!

A black day! A Doomsday!

Clouds with no silver lining!

Like dawn light moving over the mountains, a huge army is coming.

There's never been anything like it and never will be again.

Wildfire burns everything before this army and fire licks up everything in its wake.

Before it arrives, the country is like the Garden of Eden.

When it leaves, it is Death Valley.

Nothing escapes unscathed.

GOD SENDS JOEL TO TELL THE PEOPLE TO GET READY FOR A DAY OF JUDGEMENT AND DESTRUCTION. IT S IMPORTANT TO NOTE THAT THIS IS NOT THE END TIME DESTRUCTION. THIS IS DESTRUCTION THAT THEY SHALL EXPERIENCE BECAUSE OF THE PUNISHMENT GOD HAS

PROMISED TO ALL WHO HATE HIS COMMANDMENTS AND CHOOSE NOT TO WALK UP RIGHT. WE CHOSE GOD. WE ACCEPTED HIM WILLFULLY AND FREELY. AND WITH IT, WE RECEIVED ALL THAT WENT WITH IT. WITH GOD, WE RECEIVE BLESSINGS IF WE OBEY HIM AND CURSES IF WE DON T. WHAT S GOING TO HAPPEN. DESTRUCTION AND LOSS OF LIFE AND LOVED ONES. LOSS OF POSSESSIONS AND MATERIAL WEALTH. AND JUST LIKE IN 9/11, MAN WILL NOT BE ABLE TO SAVE US AND THOSE WHO TRY WILL BE LOST IN THE PROCESS. WE VE GOT TO GET RIGHT WITH GOD.

REV. WHAT DO WE DO. IT S OUTLINED IN V12 AND FOLLOWING: 12

Therefore also now, saith the LORD, turn ye even to me with all your heart, and with fasting, and with weeping, and with mourning: 13 And rend your heart, and not your garments, and turn unto the LORD your God: for he is gracious and merciful, slow to anger, and of great kindness, and repenteth him of the evil.

14 Who knoweth if he will return and repent, and leave a blessing behind him; even a meat offering and a drink offering unto the LORD your God? 15 Blow the trumpet in Zion, sanctify a fast, call a solemn assembly: KJV:

MSG: 12 But there's also this, it's not too late̶ God's personal Message!̶ "Come back to me and really mean it!

Come fasting and weeping, sorry for your sins!"

13-14

Change your life, not just your clothes.

Come back to God, your God. And here's why: God is kind and merciful.

He takes a deep breath, puts up with a lot, This most patient God, extravagant in love, always ready to cancel catastrophe.

Who knows? Maybe he'll do it now, maybe he'll turn around and show pity.

Maybe, when all's said and done, there'll be blessings full and robust for your God! 15-17 Blow the ram's horn trumpet in Zion!

Declare a day of repentance, a holy fast day.

Call a public meeting.

Get everyone there. Consecrate the congregation.

Make sure the elders come, but bring in the children, too, even the nursing babies, Even men and women on their honeymoon̶ interrupt them and get them there.

Between Sanctuary entrance and altar, let the priests, God's servants, weep tears of repentance.

Let them intercede: "Have mercy, God, on your people!

Don't abandon your heritage to contempt.

Don't let the pagans take over and rule them and sneer, 'And so where is this God of theirs?'"

AND SO THAT S WHAT I M DOING, I M SOUNDING THE ALARM. I M SHOUTING AND CRYING, PLEADING AND ANNOUNCING, THAT IT S NOT TOO LATE; BUT WE HAVE TO TURN BACK NOW. IT S NOT TOO LATE BUT WE HAVE TO GET RIGHT WITH GOD. IT S NOT TOO LATE BUT WE HAVE TO LET GO OF ALL OF THIS STUFF AND LET GOD BE GOD. AND BE OUR FIRST LOVE AND BE THE SOURCE OF OUR STRENGTH. HE SAID BLOW

THE TRUMPET AND SANCTIFY A FAST AND CALL TOGETHER A SOLEMN ASSEMBLY.

I HAVE ANNOUNCED THAT WE NEED A BREAKTHROUGH. WE ARE BOND

BY FEAR AND FRUSTRATION, SICKNESS AND SIN. WE NEED A BREAKTHRU. WE NEED THE ANOINTING THAT COMES DOWN FROM HEAVEN. THE ANOINTING THAT BREAKS THE YOKE. BUT IN ORDER TO BE SET FREE BY GOD, WE HAVE TO COME BACK TO HIM WITH OUR WHOLE HEART. HE SAID IF ANY MAN WOULD COME AFTER TO ME TO DENY HIMSELF AND THEN PICK UP HIS CROSS TO FOLLOW ME.

WE ARE COMING TOGETHER FOR A SOLEMN MEETING TOMORROW NIGHT. NOT A CHURCH CONFERENCE OR OFFICIAL BOARD. NOT TO GO OVER THE BUDGET OR REVIEW THE BUSINESS OF THE CHURCH NO, THE PURPOSE OF THE MEETING IS TO CONSECRATE A FAST. WE RE ACKNOWLEDGING THAT WE NEED GOD AND THAT WE HAVE WONDERED AWAY. WE ARE ACKNOWLEDGING THAT WE NEED GOD AND WE NEED HIM RIGHT NOW.

PART 2 TOMORROW NIGHT, KNOW THIS, WHEN GOD SAW THEM COME BACK, WHEN THEY BEGAN TO FAST AND TO CRY OUT TO GOD, WHEN THEY SHOWED GOD THAT THEY WERE REALLY SORRY FOR THEIR SIN, GOD TURNED THINGS AROUND. HE GAVE THEM A BREAKTHRU.

NOT BY MIGHT, NOR BY POWER BUT BY MY SPIRIT SAITH THE LORD! AND SO I M BLOWING THE TRUMPET TO THOSE WHO ARE IN NEED OF A BREAKTHRU SET FREE NEED GOD TO TURN THINGS AROUND LOOK WHAT IT SAYS IN V.6Gather the people, sanctify the congregation, assemble the elders, gather the children, and those that suck the breasts: let the bridegroom go forth of his chamber, and the bride out of her closet.

MSG: Call a public meeting.

Get everyone there. Consecrate the congregation.

Make sure the elders come, but bring in the children, too, even the nursing babies, Even men and women on their honeymoon̶ interrupt them and get them there.

REGISTRATION FOR THAT MEETING BEGINS NOW, IF YOU NEED A BREAKTHRU, NEED A TURN AROUND, NEED GOD TO DO SOMETHING IN YOUR LIFE AND YOU RE READY TO TURN AROUND. GET READY TO FAST. TO DENY YOURSELF. DENYING YOUR BODY, SO OUR SPIRIT CAN BE MAGNIFIED. IF I M TALKING TO YOU COME ON UP HERE AND REGISTER. NOT WITH A FORM OR WITH SOME SPOKEN WORD, BUT WITH YOUR

HEART. BREAKTHRU. THERE IS AN ANOINTING THAT COMES FROM HEAVEN THAT CAN BREAK EVERY YOKE. IT S A BURDEN DESTROYING, YOKE BREAKING POWER OF GOD. THE ANOINTING. WE NEED THE ANOINTING. COME LOOKING FOR THE ANOINTING. COME SEEKING GOD S ANOINTING. CRY OUT TO GOD AND LET HIM KNOW YOU RE SORRY AND THAT YOU NEED A BREAKTHRU. BREAKTHRU BONDAGE, BREAKTHRU STRIFE, BREAKTHRU DEPRESSION, BREAKTHRU GRIEF AND SORROW. BREAK THRU. ANYBODY IN HERE NEED A BREAKTHRU.

HE BREAKS THE POWER OF CANCELLED SIN, HE SETS THE CAPTIVES FREE, HIS BLOOD CAN MAKE THE FOULEST CLEAN, HIS BLOOD AVAILS FOR ME. COME ON JESUS IS THE WAY

Theme, because he has anointed me to proclaim good news to the poor.

He has sent me to proclaim liberty to the captives and recovering of sight to the blind, to set at liberty those who are oppressed, to