2017 Daniel Fast: Re-Digging the Wells of Our Ancestors by Second Calvary Baptist Church

Church Theme for 2017:

Re-Digging the Wells of Our Ancestors The theme for the church is based on the reading of Genesis 26:18, “Then Isaac dug again the wells of water which had been dug in the days of his father Abraham, for the Philistines had stopped them up after the death of Abraham; and he gave them the same names which his father had given them.” Our theme for 2017 is “Re-Digging the Wells of our Ancestors,” which is based upon Genesis 26:18 where Isaac dug again the wells that had been dug in the days of his father Abraham. The theme is intended to rekindle the need to re-examine who we are as Christians. It reinforces how we have come up out of a distinct religious, cultural and social background. The Christian church has been an integral part of how we survived and thrived in America and the church must continue to be that in the future. We cannot allow our future generations to be swallowed up in a world of social engineering. Regardless of what the antiGod, anti-Christ, anti-church, anti-Christian voices may say, we know that God is everything. And without Him we would fail. He has been our very present Help in the times of trouble. The Hebrew people have their origin in the call of God to a man named Abram who lived in a place called Ur of Chaldees (modern day Iraq). There are for three reasons why we begin here. First, Abraham is the chief patriarch of the nation of Israel. The book of Genesis (Genesis means book of beginnings). Abram’s family history begins at Genesis 11:27– 50:26 and includes his descendants Isaac, and Jacob. It includes their journey with the Lord and how they overcame some major challenges in their lives. Second, Abraham is called the father of the faithful. Abraham learned to trust God at time when everything was against him. Abraham started out with some enormous obstacles. Yet, he eventually overcame them and was considered to be a man of great faith. There is a summary statement about his faith in Genesis 15:6 “Then he believed in the Lord, and He reckoned it to him as righteousness.” We begin with Abram because the genealogy of Jesus Christ begins with Abraham (see Matthew 1:1–17). God promised Abram that through him all of the families of the earth would be blessed and that blessing was the salvation that Jesus brought through His death on the cross and resurrection.

Re-digging the Wells of our Ancestors

Let’s see what we can learn about Abraham’s early life Genesis 11:26–32. 1. Verse 27 gives us the family background of Abraham. His father was named Terah and he had two other brothers, Nahor and Haran (whose son was named Lot). 2. Verse 28 tells us that Lot’s father died in the land of Ur. We have no way of knowing how old Lot was at the time. However, he had to be young because he went to live with his uncle Abram. 3. Verse 29 states that Abram and Nahor both got married. Abram married a young woman named Sarai and Nahor married a young woman named Milcah, the daughter of Haran. Milcah was Nahor’s niece, because she was the daughter of his deceased brother, Haran. Abram married, his half-sister. It was common for people to marry relatives in that day. This practice of inter-family marriage is called endogamy. We know that Sarai was his half-sister from the account in Genesis 20:12 (NASB) when Abram is for questioned by a king named Abimalech. "Besides, she actually is my sister, the daughter of my father, but not the daughter of my mother, and she became my wife.” 4. Verse 30 contains a single statement that was the crux of Abram’s dilemma. He was married to a woman who was barren. Sarai’s barrenness meant that there was no possible future for Abraham’s family legacy to continue. It was the epitome of hopelessness. 5. Verses 31–32 form the introduction to the beginning of Abram’s journey to being blessed by God. We are told that Terah took all of his family members and headed north to go into the land of Canaan. They traveled as far as Haran (the family ancestral homeland) and there they settled down. We do not know how long they lived in Haran, but during their stay, Terah died. When we arrive at Genesis 12:1 we hear the voice of God speaking a powerful word of hope in the midst of a barren situation. But is this not how the good news comes to us in many instances. In the life of Abram we are reminded that God is able to overcome the tragedy of hopeless situations.

Re-digging the Wells of our Ancestors

Genesis 12:1-3 (NASB) 1

Now the LORD said to Abram, "Go forth from your country, And from your relatives And from your father's house,

To the land which I will show you; 2 And I will make you a great nation, And I will bless you, And make your name great; 3

And so you shall be a blessing; And I will bless those who bless you,

And the one who curses you I will curse. And in you all the families of the earth will be blessed." We are not told how God spoke to Abram, but it was clear that he heard God’s voice. God spoke and does today in many ways– dreams, visions, object lessons, and through the Holy Spirit. God called Abram and gave him two imperative commands, which are followed by three great promises. The first command is Leave (verse 1)– “Go forth...” and the second command is “be a blessing (verse 2d). God promised Abram that He would blessed all of those who blessed him and curse those who cursed him. The realization of the promise of God to bless Abraham and Sarah came with the birth of a son whom they named Isaac. They waited twenty-five years for Isaac to be born. He was the son that God had promised to Abraham and Sarah in Genesis 17:15–16 and then again in Genesis 18:14. It would be through Isaac that the promise of God to bless the whole world would continue to live and blossom. This promise was first made in Genesis 12:1–3 and then again in Genesis 17:1–9. After the death of Abraham, Genesis 26:6 states Isaac continued to live in the land of Gerar, which was located on the southeastern coast of Israel, near Gaza. It was and is a very dry and arid region. We are told in verse 1 that there was a famine in the land, just as it had been in the days of Abraham. Isaac must have thought of moving to Egypt just as his father had done, but the Lord spoke and told him to remain in the land where he was currently

Re-digging the Wells of our Ancestors

living. It was in that land of famine where he would be blessed and his seed would be greatly multiplied. In verses 12–13 we read that in the land of a famine Isaac sowed and reaped a harvest 100 times greater than the seeds he planted. “The Lord blessed him and the man became rich, and continued to grow richer until he became very wealthy. In an effort to shut off his blessings and strip him of his wealth, the Philistines stopped up the wells that Abraham dug. They filled them in with earth, thinking that this would drive Isaac away. Rather than be driven away by his enemies, Isaac dug again the wells which had been dug by his father Abraham and he gave them the same names which Abraham had given them. His enemies came and contended with him over the wells. He left there and dug a new well, they contended with him again. He named that well Esek, because they contended with him. They dug a new well and again the Philistines contended with him and claimed the water for themselves. They quarreled with him and he named that well, Sitnah. They moved again, dug another well and named it Rehoboth, meaning the Lord has made room for us. He left that place and went to Beersheba, where the Lord appeared to him that same night and made the promise to him that He made with his father Abraham. Isaac built an altar in that location, called upon the name of the Lord and dug a new well. The wells that Isaac dug were the sources of both physical life and material prosperity. Because of his large herds and flocks, he depended upon the water to sustain them. Thus it was important to re-dig the wells that had been a source of life for is father.

Theological Significance of Wells and Water It impossible to live without water. We can survive without all of the technological gadgets we own, but we cannot live without water. In the Bible wells played an important role in the survival of communities and establishment of permanent settlements. Wells were usually dug cut out of the limestone rock and many of them had steps which were used to descend and gather water. On one our trips through the Holy Land we came upon the site of Jacob’s Well which is supplied by a living flowing stream. It was and is not a well with steps but a very deep well descending nearly one feet. Water was obtained by lowering a bucket Isaac settled in the place where his father Abraham had dug their wells. We also learn that wells could be a source of contention as in the case of Isaac’s contention with the Philistines over the ownership of the wells dug by Abraham. In the lands of the Bible water was scarce and the people who lived in those places always faced the threat of drought and famine. Jonathan Hewett wrote in his blog, “The first mention of water in scripture is found in Genesis 1:2 and the last mention is found in

Re-digging the Wells of our Ancestors

Revelation 22:17. In between those two books water flows right through the pages of scripture. This should teach us that there is a great spiritual significance to it. Water speaks of physical (or natural) birth. In Genesis 1:20, we read of the first mention of life, and this life comes from water,"...Let the waters bring forth abundantly the moving creature that hath life...". This thought is again repeated in the New Testament in John 3 when Nicodemus, a ruler of the Jews is asking questions of Jesus. In verse 5 we read, "Except a man be born of water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God."i Water is used metaphorically in the Bible to describe the spiritual life (see for example Isaiah 12:3; 49:10; 55:1; Jeremiah 17:13; John 4:14; Revelation 7:17). In the Baker Evangelical Theological Dictionary of the Bible we read: “The word "water" is used in a variety of metaphorical ways in Scripture. It is used to symbolize the troublesome times in life that can and do come to human beings, especially God's children (Psalm 32:6 ; Psalm 69:1 Psalm 69:2 Psalm 69:14 Psalm 69:15; Isa 43:2; Lam 3:54). In some contexts water stands for enemies who can attack and need to be overcome ( 2 Sam 22:17-18 ; Psalm 18:16-17; 124:4; 144:7; Isa 8:7; Jer 47:2). In both the Old and New Testaments, the word "water" is used for salvation and eternal life, which God offers humankind through faith in his Son (Isa 12:3; 55:1; Rev 21:6 ; Rev 22:1; 22:2; 22:17. In John 4:10-15, part of Jesus' discourse with the Samaritan woman at the well, he speaks metaphorically of his salvation as ‘living water’ and as "a spring of water welling up to eternal life.’“ii Throughout the year we will examine various elements of our faith and doctrine. As a congregation this re-examination will empower us to grow deeper in our understanding of what it means to be Christian and what it means to be Baptist in particular.

Re-digging the Wells of our Ancestors

The Power of Prayer and Fasting January is a special month for the Second Calvary Baptist Church Family. Not only is it the beginning of the New Year, it is also the start of our period of spiritual cleansing and consecration. We have set this month aside as a time to pull always from our every-day pre-occupations and focus attention on drawing closer to the Lord God Almighty. Fasting is deliberately not eating food and in some cases not drinking water for the purpose of reaching a spiritual goal or achieving a spiritual purpose. The priority is not to be on food intake, but rather to submit our wills to God and allow Him to draw us into a place of heightened spiritual awareness. Fasting will begin at 6:00 a.m. on Wednesday, January 11th. Meals may be resumed after 6:00 a.m. on Wednesday, February, 1st, the conclusion of the fasting period.

Re-digging the Wells of our Ancestors

Three Types of Fasts for January Fasting is reducing the amount of food or liquids consumed over a specified period of time. One does this either for medical reasons or for spiritual reasons. When one abstains from eating for medical reasons this is referred to as detoxification of the body through the limiting of food. Fasting is one of the means by which we develop a deeper life and faith in God. During the period in which one is fasting time is set aside for prayer, reading Scripture, and meditation. Sometimes persons will engage in doing good works as a part of their time of consecration. There are many different fasts that believers will follow during the course of quest for spiritual renewal and deep inner cleansing. There are three fasts that I want to suggest. First, there is a normal fast in which one may abstain from eating food although one may drink liquids over a specific time period. The second type is a partial fast which one limits the amount of food or liquids for a specific period of time. The third type of fast is an absolute fast wherein one ceases to eat or drink for a specified period of time. You should consult your family physician before beginning a fast. If there are severe medical reasons that will limit your ability to fast from food or water, you should not attempt to do this. Rather, look for other ways that you can fast or participate, such as limiting how much time you spend watching television or surfing the Internet.

Re-digging the Wells of our Ancestors

How to Do the Daniel Fast There are two references in the book of Daniel from which the "Daniel Fast" is drawn. Daniel, Chapter 1, describes how Daniel and his three friends ate and drank only vegetables and water. At the end of a 10-day trial period, Daniel and his friends appeared healthier than their peers who ate the rich foods from the royal table. In Daniel, Chapter 10, Daniel fasts, abstaining from "pleasant food," meat, and wine. You too can gain a healthier body and clearer mind by following this fast in moderation.

I - The Daniel Fast and Your Relationship to God Avoid Distractions. This is a sacred time between you and God, so as much as possible avoid secular television, social media/events, internet, and radio programs. They may tempt you to eat or do something that you are not supposed to do during the 21-day Daniel Fast. Your aim is to grow closer to God and these distractions tend to draw you away from God.

Start the day by focusing on your faith. Worship God through sacrifice and love Him more than His gifts.

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Pray. Your days should be filled with unselfish prayer. During the fast, increase the frequency of your daily prayer time by a factor of three or more. You should meditate and pray in a quiet place for 10 minutes or more, reflecting on your life. You should reflect on your life, accomplishments and spiritual growth. This will help you not only accomplish your 21day Daniel Fast goal physically, but also gain mental peace and growth spiritually. Make Time. Reserve time with God during the day by studying the Bible.

The Daniel Fast is not only to help you achieve physical health, but also help you gain clarity through prayers to God.

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Godâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Guidance. Ask for God's guidance in your life.

II - Preparing for the Daniel Fast Lighter Meals. Make your meals somewhat lighter for a few days leading up to your fast. It's an especially good idea to reduce your intake of caffeine. Next, clear out your cupboards, refrigerators, etc. from meat products, fish, poultry, etc. Clear out the artificial foods and processed foods, like sugar products and flour. You need to abstain from 'rich food' just as Daniel abstained from the king's meal. Stock your cupboards and refrigerator with raw and whole foods like vegetables and fruits and high protein foods like beans, nuts and legumes. You can eat seeds like nuts, natural peanut butter, natural almond butter, sprouts, ground flax, whole grain products, etc. Get rid of all other beverages in the house and drink only water. Other than water, you can drink 100% natural fruit or vegetable juice you make from the fruit or vegetable of your choice, distilled water, spring water and filtered water.

Re-digging the Wells of our Ancestors

Fruit & Vegetables. In the first Book of Daniel, the Prophet ate only vegetables and fruit, and drank only water for 10 days. A short rundown of acceptable foods includes:  All fruits and vegetables  All legumes  Whole grains  Nuts and seeds  Tofu  Herbs and spices.

Foods to Avoid. Conversely, there is also an agreed upon list of foods to avoid. Keep in mind that no artificial or processed foods or any chemicals are allowed in the Daniel Fast.  All meats and animal products  All dairy products  All deep fried foods  All solid fats.

Read Labels. Carefully read food labels. Foods often contain hidden ingredients. Make sure the foods you buy are compliant with the Daniel Fast.

Re-digging the Wells of our Ancestors

III - The Daniel Fast 3 Things to Avoid. Daniel, chapter 10, the Prophet went on a 3-week fast. To quote the Bible, Daniel "ate no pleasant food, no meat or wine." With this fast the text specifically names three things to avoid:  Wine  All sweeteners (including honey)  All leavened bread. Exercise. Assess how you feel after the fast. If you feel more energetic and healthier, it is likely that you will want to keep up healthier eating habits. While reintroducing many of the items you've not had during the fast is inevitable, you may want to do so with greater consciousness for quality and portion size. And some things, like fried food and sugar are best kept to a new minimum.

Re-digging the Wells of our Ancestors

Tips  Engage in lots of prayer; we need God's strength and guidance.  Keep your diet simple. Avoid highly processed foods in favor of simply prepared or raw foods.  If for any reason you eat something you should not have during the fast, it is better to ask for forgiveness and continue, than it is to stop the fast.  If you are experiencing weakness or headaches, drink at least 8 glasses of water each day. Often, we do not understand just how much our body needs water, especially when fasting.  Set a goal for how long you will do the fast. Ultimately, you may want to continue the Daniel Fast longer than first intended.  Have a healthy stash of nuts at work to avoid those co-workers who always want to feed you.  You may want to supplement your diet with a multi-vitamin.  Be careful not to drink too much water, however; too much liquid can be as bad as not enough.

Warnings  During the time of fasting, you will face temptations; resist them in the name of Jesus Christ.  When you have finished fasting, eat light meals and slowly build back up to your normal diet.

Things You Will Need  Bible  A place and time(s) to pray  Good variety of fruits and vegetables

Re-digging the Wells of our Ancestors

Types of Fasting There are several types of fasting. The one you choose is between you and God. He will honor your best sacrifice:  Full Fast: Drink only liquids.  The Daniel Fast: Eat fruits and vegetables. Drink water and juice. NO meat, sweets and or bread.  Partial Fast: A partial fast is from 6:00 am to 3:00 pm or from sun up to sundown.

Scripture References for Fasting:  Matthew 6:16-18; Matthew 9:14-15; Luke 18:9-14 Relation to Prayer and Reading of the Word:  1 Samuel 1:6-8, 17-18; Nehemiah 1:4; Daniel 9:3, 20; Joel 2:12; Luke 2:37; Acts 10:30; Acts 13:2 Corporate Fasting:  1 Samuel 7:5-6; Ezra 8:21-23; Nehemiah 9:1-3; Joel 2:15-16; Jonah 3:5-10; Acts 27:33-37

Remember that it is the attitude of a heart sincerely seeking Him to which God responds with a blessing (Isaiah 58; Jeremiah 14:12; 1 Corinthians 8:8).

Timing for Praying & Fasting Two time periods are suggested for your period of fasting and prayer. The first is a partial fast of six hours (6 a.m.–12 noon) and second, is a full day fast of twelve hours (6:00 a.m.– 6:00 p.m.) You can decide which fast works for you. Feel free to modify your fast according to your spiritual, health, and physical needs. Fasting will begin on Wednesday, January 11. Meals may be resumed on Wednesday, February 1. Re-digging the Wells of our Ancestors

Using and Following the Prayer and Fasting Guide Many people spend a great deal of their lives complaining and looking for reasons why other people are not what we believe they should be. Deep inner personal change is one of the most difficult things to do, yet if we are willing to embark upon the journey our lives, families, marriages, professions, and ministries will become so much more vibrant. During the next twenty-one days, we will embark together on a journey of spiritual renewal and growth. Here are the steps to follow to get the most out of this period:

1. Resolve to follow the plan for the full twenty-one days, even when it looks like you cannot fulfill it. Try not to miss a single day. 2. Read the daily reading and take notes or write down your observations from what you glean. 3. Resolve to participate in one of the daily fastsâ&#x20AC;&#x201C; 6 hour or 12 hours. If you cannot fast every day, resolve to fast every other day or every third day. Establish how you will proceed. Consider the Daniel Fast, which is a partial fast that consists of fruit, vegetables, and water only, and eliminates all meat, dairy and sugar products from the diet. Good results are guaranteed.

Prayer, Bible Reading, Meditation and Contemplation All of our twenty-one daily readings in January will come from a book titled Simple Prayers: A Day Book of Conversations with God, by Kenneth and Karen Boa, published by Honor Books (Tulsa, OK). The book is available as an e-book through Amazon for Android phones, iPhone, and portable e-reading applications. The following is an excerpt from the book that will help the reader get the most out of the readings during the upcoming days of fasting and prayer. The Purpose of Simple Prayers The concept of communicating with God, of talking directly and openly with Him just as we would talk with an intimate friend, is one of the great truths of the spiritual life. Just as the key to quality relationships with other people is time spent in communication, so the key to a growing relationship with the personal God of heaven and earth is time invested in speaking to Him in prayer and listening to His voice in Scripture.

Re-digging the Wells of our Ancestors

Most of us want to pray more than we do, but we often find that our prayers are unsatisfying and sporadic. One problem with prayer is that it is easy to slip into the extreme of all form and no freedom, or the opposite extreme of all freedom and no form. The first extreme leads to a rote or impersonal approach to prayer, while the second produces an unbalanced and undisciplined prayer life that can degenerate into a series of one "gimme" after another. Simple Prayers was designed to make prayer a more enriching and satisfying experience by providing both form and freedom in the practice of prayer. The form is Scripture itself, and the freedom is your own thoughts and prayers in response to the truths of Scripture. Simple Prayers is a tool that combines the word of the Lord with prayer and guides you through the process of praying Scripture back to God. It will enable you to think God's thoughts after Him and to personalize them in your own thinking and practice. It will also provide you with a balanced diet of prayer by guiding your mind each day through different kinds of prayer. Because it is based on Scripture, you can be assured that these prayers will be pleasing to God. This book will encourage you in your walk with God by enriching and enhancing the quality of your experience of prayer. The Structure of Simple Prayers Each of the 21 days of Simple Prayers uses the same four-part structure: 1. I Draw Near to You, God 2. Thank You for Whatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s You Have Done 3. I Listen to Your Words of Truth 4. My Response to You, Lord Part 1 (I Draw Near to You, God) uses a weekly cycle of seven kinds of prayers adapted from Scripture: adoration, confession, renewal, petition, intercession, affirmation, and thanksgiving. These prayers are preceded by brief statements to help you personalize them. Part 2 (Thank You for What You Have Done) consists of affirmations adapted from Scripture about the person of God and the works of God. Part 3 (I Listen to Your Words of Truth) contains biblical truths about the relationship believers in Christ enjoy with God. Part 4 (My Response to You, Lord) incorporates affirmations about the character we should want to cultivate and affirmations about our relationships with other people. Each day concludes with a closing prayer that combines elements from Parts 2-4. Notice that there is a logical and progressive relationship in the affirmations in Parts 2-4 that moves from God to self to others. The person, powers, and perfections of God is the basis for His works in creation, redemption, and consummation. The attributes and works of God are Re-digging the Wells of our Ancestors

the foundation of our relationship to God, and growth in Christlikeness relates to the character we want to cultivate. When we find our security, significance, and sufficiency in Christ, we are free to be givers rather than grabbers, and we can serve others in love as we have been called to do. To create this collection of biblical prayers and affirmations, I consulted several translations as well as the original language of every passage. The result is essentially my own translation, though it shares much in common with existing translations. My intention in doing this was to remain as close to the biblical text as possible while still retaining clarity and readability. I then adapted the passages into a personalized format so that they could be used readily in the context of individual and group prayer. A number of these prayers and affirmations were derived from negative statements and evaluations in the Bible and turned into positive statements. In other cases, principles have been derived from the lives of biblical characters. How to Use Simple Prayers • It is important that you do not merely read the words, but that you take the time to pray them in. In this way, you personalize them so that they can be incorporated in your own thoughts and experience. • The opening words prepare you to draw near to God, and these are followed by prayers adapted from Scripture. You may want to read these prayers more than once. The prompt that follows the prayers invites you to pause and add your own thoughts and prayers before moving on to the next part. • Having drawn near to God, it is now appropriate for you to thank Him for who He is and for what He has done. Read these affirmations and turn them into your own prayer. • Next, you listen to what Scripture tells you about your relationship with the Lord. Pause briefly before moving on to the last part. • Each day concludes with a personal response to God concerning your character or relationships. After reflecting on these passages, use the closing prayer to summarize the last three parts. It is helpful to pray this closing prayer out loud. • You can adapt the prayers in each day to differing time formats. They can be used with profit in a short period of time, or you can move through them more slowly, as you see fit.

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• Although you can tie these daily prayers to the day of the year, there is no need to do so, particularly if you find yourself falling behind. You may decide to mark your place and continue wherever you left off. • Consider making a journal to add your own thoughts and prayers as they come to mind when using this book. You can also use this journal to record a list of prayers for yourself and for others as well as specific answers to prayer. • To assist you in personalizing these prayers and affirmations, they have been put in the singular whenever possible. However, a few (e.g., 1 Corinthians 1:4-5, 7) could not be changed into the singular without excessive distortion. When you use Simple Prayers with another person or with a group, turn the singulars into plurals. • Many of the affirmations in Parts 3-4 are expressed as desires; you will be affirming that these are the things you want to be true of your life. Using this book on a regular basis will be a faith-building exercise that will make these affirmations increasingly real in your life.

Re-digging the Wells of our Ancestors

Day 1: Wednesdayâ&#x20AC;&#x201D;January 11, 2017 I DRAW NEAR TO YOU, GOD Lord, I give thanks for Your greatness, your goodness, and your love, and I now draw near to enjoy your presence. The Lord covers Himself in light as with a garment; He stretches out the heavens like a tent curtain And lays the beams of His upper chambers in the waters. He makes the clouds His chariot And walks on the wings of the wind. He makes the winds His messengers, Flames of fire His servants. He set the earth on its foundations, So that it can never be moved. You covered it with the deep as with a garment; The waters stood above the mountains. At Your rebuke the waters fled; At the sound of Your thunder they hurried away. They flowed over the mountains And went down into the valleys To the place You assigned for them. You set a boundary they cannot cross, That they will not return to cover the earth. O Lord, how manifold are Your works! In wisdom You made them all; The earth is full of Your possessions. (Psalm 104:2-9, 24) Take a moment to consider Godâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s awesome majesty and thank Him that He loves you and wants an intimate relationship with you. THANK YOU FOR WHAT YOU HAVE DONE The Lord is the true God; He is the living God and the everlasting King. At His wrath, the earth trembles, and the nations cannot endure His indignation. (Jeremiah 10:10) You formed my inward parts; You wove me together in my mother's womb. I thank You because I am fearfully and wonderfully made; Your works are wonderful, and my soul knows it full well. My frame was not hidden from You when I was made in secret and skillfully wrought in the depths of the earth. Your eyes saw my embryo, and all the days ordained for me were written in Your book before one of them came to be. (Psalm 139:1316)

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I LISTEN TO YOUR WORDS OF TRUTH I make it my ambition to please the Lord, whether I am at home in the body or away from it. For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, that each one may receive what is due for the things done while in the body, whether good or bad. (2 Corinthians 5:9-10) MY RESPONSE TO YOU, LORD Since I have been approved by God to be entrusted with the gospel, I speak not as pleasing men but God, who tests my heart. I will not seek glory from men. (1 Thessalonians 2:4, 6) I will work out my salvation with fear and trembling, for it is God who works in me to will and to act according to His good purpose. (Philippians 2:12-13) Lord, I thank You that You are the true and living God and that I am fearfully and wonderfully made. I pray that I would make it my ambition to be pleasing to You, and I ask that I would not seek glory from men, but that I would seek to be pleasing to You.

Re-digging the Wells of our Ancestors

Day 2: Thursdayâ&#x20AC;&#x201D;January 12, 2017 I DRAW NEAR TO YOU, GOD I am grateful to You, O God, for the blessing of your forgiveness. I thank You that in Christ, You set me free from the guilt of the past and give me hope for the future. God is wise in heart and mighty in strength. Who has resisted Him without harm? (Job 9:4) I know in my heart that as a man disciplines his son, so the Lord my God disciplines me. (Deuteronomy 8:5) Take a moment to ask the Spirit to search your heart and reveal any areas of unconfessed sin. Acknowledge these to the Lord and thank Him for His forgiveness. THANK YOU FOR WHAT YOU HAVE DONE Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, who came into the world. (John 11:27) Surely the Lord's hand is not too short to save, nor His ear too dull to hear. But our iniquities have separated us from our God; our sins have hidden His face from us, so that He will not hear. Yet the Lord saw that there was no one to intervene; so His own arm worked salvation for Him, and His righteousness sustained Him. He put on righteousness as His breastplate, and the helmet of salvation on His head; He put on the garments of vengeance and wrapped Himself in zeal as a cloak. From the west, men will fear the name of the Lord, and from the rising of the sun, they will revere His glory. For He will come like a flood that the breath of the Lord drives along. (Isaiah 59:1-2, 16-19) I LISTEN TO YOUR WORDS OF TRUTH I have not been made perfect, but I press on to lay hold of that for which Christ Jesus also laid hold of me. I do not consider myself yet to have attained it, but one thing I do: forgetting what is behind and stretching forward to what is ahead, I press on toward the goal to win the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus. (Philippians 3:12-14) MY RESPONSE TO YOU, LORD All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, for reproof, for correction, for training in righteousness, that the man of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work. (2 Timothy 3:16-17)

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Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God. Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called sons of God. (Matthew 5:8-9) Lord, I thank You that Your Son came into the world and that You purchased our salvation. I thank You for the prize of Your upward call in Christ Jesus, and I ask that I would be responsive to Scripture and pursue purity of heart and peace with others.

Day 3: Fridayâ&#x20AC;&#x201D;January 13, 2017 I DRAW NEAR TO YOU, GOD I praise You, Lord, that You are intimately acquainted with my ways and that You always love me and have my best interests at heart. Examine me, O Lord, and try me; Purify my mind and my heart; For Your lovingkindness is ever before me, And I have walked in Your truth. (Psalm 26:2-3) May I sow righteousness, Reap the fruit of unfailing love, And break up my fallow ground; For it is time to seek the Lord, Until He comes and rains righteousness on me. (Hosea 10:12) Take a moment to offer this day to the Lord and ask Him for the grace to grow in your knowledge and love for Him.

THANK YOU FOR WHAT YOU HAVE DONE The counsel of the Lord stands firm forever, the plans of His heart through all generations. (Psalm 33:11) Every animal of the forest is Yours, and the cattle on a thousand hills. You know every bird in the mountains, and everything that moves in the field is Yours. (Psalm 50:10-11) I LISTEN TO YOUR WORDS OF TRUTH My faith in Christ Jesus and love for all the saints spring from the hope that is stored up for me in heaven, of which I have heard in the word of truth, the gospel. (Colossians 1:4-5)

Re-digging the Wells of our Ancestors

MY RESPONSE TO YOU, LORD Better is a little with righteousness than great income with injustice. (Proverbs 16:8) I will not worry about my life, what I will eat or what I will drink; or about my body, what I will wear. Life is more than food, and the body more than clothes. The birds of the air do not sow or reap or gather into barns, and yet my heavenly Father feeds them. Am I not much more valuable than they? Who by worrying can add a single hour to his life? And why do I worry about clothes? I will consider how the lilies of the field grow; they neither labor nor spin, yet not even Solomon in all his splendor was dressed like one of these. But if God so clothes the grass of the field, which is here today and tomorrow is thrown into the fire, will He not much more clothe me? So I will not worry, saying, "What shall I eat?" or "What shall I drink?" or "What shall I wear?" For the pagans run after all these things, and my heavenly Father knows that I need them. But I will seek first His kingdom and His righteousness, and all these things will be added to me. (Matthew 6:25-33; Luke 12:22-31) Lord, I thank You that Your counsel stands firm forever and that all things are Yours. I thank You for the word of truth and my faith in Christ Jesus, and I ask that I would not be anxious, but seek first Your kingdom and Your righteousness.

Re-digging the Wells of our Ancestors

Day 4: Saturdayâ&#x20AC;&#x201D;January 14, 2017 I DRAW NEAR TO YOU, GOD As I approach Your throne of grace today, I am grateful that You care about the things that concern me and that You want me to offer them up to You. In You, O Lord, I have taken refuge; Let me never be put to shame. In Your righteousness deliver me and rescue me; Turn Your ear to me and save me. Be my rock of refuge, to which I can always go; You have given the commandment to save me, For You are my rock and my fortress. (Psalm 71:1-3) Take a moment to share your personal needs with God, including your physical, emotional, relational, and spiritual concerns. THANK YOU FOR WHAT YOU HAVE DONE God's voice thunders in marvelous ways; He does great things which we cannot comprehend. (Job 37:5) The Mighty One, God, the Lord, has spoken and summoned the earth from the rising of the sun to the place where it sets. (Psalm 50:1) I LISTEN TO YOUR WORDS OF TRUTH My hope in God is an anchor of my soul, both sure and steadfast, and it enters the inner sanctuary behind the veil, where Jesus the forerunner has entered on my behalf, having become a high priest forever, according to the order of Melchizedek. (Hebrews 6:19-20) MY RESPONSE TO YOU, LORD As one who has believed in God, I want to be careful to devote myself to doing what is good. These things are good and profitable for everyone. (Titus 3:8) In this is love, not that we loved God, but that He loved us and sent His Son to be the propitiation for our sins. Since God so loved us, we also ought to love one another. No one has ever seen God; but if we love one another, God abides in us, and His love is perfected in us. (1 John 4:10-12)

Re-digging the Wells of our Ancestors

Lord, I thank You that You do great things which we cannot comprehend and that You have spoken with crowning authority. I thank You that my hope in Christ is the sure and steadfast anchor of my soul, and I ask that I would devote myself to doing what is good by manifesting Your love.

Day 5: Sundayâ&#x20AC;&#x201D;January 15, 2017 I DRAW NEAR TO YOU, GOD Lord, You have invited me to pray for the needs of others, and since You desire what is best for them, I take this opportunity to bring these requests to You. We should bear one another's burdens and so fulfill the law of Christ. (Galatians 6:2) As we have opportunity, we should do good to all people, especially to those who belong to the family of faith. (Galatians 6:10) Take a moment to lift up the needs of your family and friends, and to offer up any other burdens for others that the Lord brings to mind. THANK YOU FOR WHAT YOU HAVE DONE The heavens and the highest heavens cannot contain the Lord. (2 Chronicles 2:6; 6:18) It is God the Lord who created the heavens and stretched them out, who spread out the earth and all that comes out of it, who gives breath to its people, and spirit to those who walk on it. (Isaiah 42:5) I LISTEN TO YOUR WORDS OF TRUTH Blessed be the God and Father of my Lord Jesus Christ, who according to His great mercy has given me new birth into a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, and into an inheritance that is incorruptible and undefiled and unfading, reserved in heaven for me. (1 Peter 1:3-4) MY RESPONSE TO YOU, LORD I will beware and be on my guard against all covetousness, for my life does not consist in the abundance of my possessions. (Luke 12:15) I want to learn to be content in whatever circumstances I am. Whether I am abased or in abundance, whether I am filled or hungry, I want to learn the secret of being content in any and every situation. I can do all things through Him who strengthens me. (Philippians 4:1113) Re-digging the Wells of our Ancestors

Lord, I thank You that the highest heavens cannot contain You and that You are the source of all biological and spiritual life. I thank You for the inheritance of those who hope in Christ, and I ask that I would beware of covetousness and practice contentment with what You have given me.

Day 6: Mondayâ&#x20AC;&#x201D;January 16, 2017 I DRAW NEAR TO YOU, GOD God, I want Your Word to be deeply implanted in me so that I not only know the truth, but also express it in the way I live. Praise the Lord! Praise the Lord from the heavens; Praise Him in the heights. Praise Him, all His angels; Praise Him, all His hosts. Praise Him, sun and moon; Praise Him, all you shining stars. Praise Him, you highest heavens And you waters above the heavens. Let them praise the name of the Lord, For He commanded and they were created. He established them for ever and ever; He gave a decree that will not pass away. (Psalm 148:1-6) Take a moment to affirm the truth of these words from Scripture and ask God to make them a growing reality in your life. THANK YOU FOR WHAT YOU HAVE DONE The Lord is the God of knowledge, and by Him actions are weighed. (1 Samuel 2:3) The Lord, He is God. It is He who made us, and not we ourselves; we are His people and the sheep of His pasture. (Psalm 100:3) I LISTEN TO YOUR WORDS OF TRUTH I am convinced that neither death nor life, nor angels nor principalities, nor things present nor things to come, nor powers, nor height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate me from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus my Lord. (Romans 8:3839)

Re-digging the Wells of our Ancestors

MY RESPONSE TO YOU, LORD Whoever would love life and see good days must keep his tongue from evil and his lips from speaking guile. He must turn from evil and do good; he must seek peace and pursue it. For the eyes of the Lord are on the righteous, and His ears attend to their prayer, but the face of the Lord is against those who do evil. (1 Peter 3:10-12) I will not let love and truth leave me; I will bind them around my neck and write them on the tablet of my heart. (Proverbs 3:3) Lord, I thank You that You are the God of knowledge and that I am part of Your flock. I thank You that nothing can separate me from Your love that is in Christ Jesus, and I ask that I would seek Your righteousness and cling to Your love and truth.

Day 7: Tuesdayâ&#x20AC;&#x201D;January 17, 2017 I DRAW NEAR TO YOU, GOD O Lord, I am deeply grateful for Your wonderful acts, for Your abundant promises, and for the gift of my relationship with You through the merits of Christ. God sent His word to the children of Israel, telling the good news of peace through Jesus Christ, who is Lord of all. He commanded the apostles to preach to the people and to testify that He is the One whom God appointed as judge of the living and the dead. To Him all the prophets witness that through His name, everyone who believes in Him receives forgiveness of sins. (Acts 10:36, 42-43) I have been loved by God and called to be a saint; grace and peace have been given to me from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. (Romans 1:7) Take a moment to express your gratitude for the many blessings that you have received from the Lord. THANK YOU FOR WHAT YOU HAVE DONE O Lord God, You have shown Your servants Your greatness and Your strong hand, for what god is there in heaven or on earth who can do the works and mighty deeds You do? (Deuteronomy 3:24) God made the earth by His power; He established the world by His wisdom and stretched out the heavens by His understanding. (Jeremiah 10:12)

Re-digging the Wells of our Ancestors

I LISTEN TO YOUR WORDS OF TRUTH I thank God because of His grace in Christ Jesus. In Him we have been enriched in every way, in all speech and in all knowledge. We do not lack any spiritual gift, as we eagerly wait for the revelation of our Lord Jesus Christ. (1 Corinthians 1:4-5, 7) MY RESPONSE TO YOU, LORD "You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind." This is the first and great commandment. And the second is like it: "You shall love your neighbor as yourself." All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments. (Matthew 22:37-40) This is God's commandment: that we believe in the name of His Son, Jesus Christ, and love one another as He commanded us. (1 John 3:23) Lord, I thank You for Your mighty works and for establishing the cosmos by Your wisdom and understanding. I thank You for the riches of Your grace in Christ Jesus, and I ask that I would love You with all my heart, soul, and mind and love my neighbor as myself.

Re-digging the Wells of our Ancestors

Day 8: Wednesdayâ&#x20AC;&#x201D;January 18, 2017 I DRAW NEAR TO YOU, GOD Lord, I give thanks for Your greatness, your goodness, and your love, and I now draw near to enjoy your presence. As the deer pants for the water brooks, So my soul pants for You, O God. My soul thirsts for God, for the living God. When shall I come and appear before God? (Psalm 42:1-2) My soul yearns for You in the night; My spirit within me diligently seeks You. When Your judgments come upon the earth, The inhabitants of the world learn righteousness. (Isaiah 26:9) Take a moment to consider Godâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s awesome majesty and thank Him that He loves you and wants an intimate relationship with you.

THANK YOU FOR WHAT YOU HAVE DONE No one can see the Lord and live. (Exodus 33:20) We will not all sleep, but we will all be changed, in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet. For the trumpet will sound, and the dead will be raised imperishable, and we shall be changed. For this perishable must clothe itself with the imperishable, and this mortal with immortality. (1 Corinthians 15:51-53) I LISTEN TO YOUR WORDS OF TRUTH The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ and the love of God and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit are with me. (2 Corinthians 13:14) MY RESPONSE TO YOU, LORD I will give generously to others without a grudging heart. (Deuteronomy 15:10)

Re-digging the Wells of our Ancestors

He who sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and he who sows bountifully will also reap bountifully. Each one should give as he has decided in his heart, not reluctantly or under compulsion; for God loves a cheerful giver. And God is able to make all grace abound to us, so that always having all sufficiency in everything, we may abound in every good work. As it is written: "He has scattered abroad His gifts to the poor; His righteousness endures forever." Now He who supplies seed to the sower and bread for food will also supply and increase our seed and will increase the fruits of our righteousness. (2 Corinthians 9:6-10) Lord, I thank You for Your promise that You will raise me to immortality and that I will be imperishable in Your presence. I thank You for Your love, grace, and fellowship, and I ask that I would be generous with the resources You have entrusted to me.

Day 9: Thursdayâ&#x20AC;&#x201D;January 19, 2017 I DRAW NEAR TO YOU, GOD I am grateful to You, O God, for the blessing of your forgiveness. I thank You that in Christ, You set me free from the guilt of the past and give me hope for the future. You are the righteous God, who searches the hearts and secret thoughts. (Psalm 7:9) The spirit of a man is the lamp of the Lord, Searching the inward depths of his being. (Proverbs 20:27) Take a moment to ask the Spirit to search your heart and reveal any areas of unconfessed sin. Acknowledge these to the Lord and thank Him for His forgiveness. THANK YOU FOR WHAT YOU HAVE DONE The Lord shall reign for ever and ever. (Exodus 15:18) An hour is coming, and now is, when the dead will hear the voice of the Son of God; and those who hear will live. For as the Father has life in Himself, so He has granted the Son to have life in Himself, and He has given Him authority to execute judgment, because He is the Son of Man. (John 5:25-27) I LISTEN TO YOUR WORDS OF TRUTH I am confident of this, that He who began a good work in me will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus. (Philippians 1:6)

Re-digging the Wells of our Ancestors

MY RESPONSE TO YOU, LORD I will not strive with a man without cause, if he has done me no harm. (Proverbs 3:30) As one who has been chosen of God, holy and beloved, I will put on a heart of compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience, bearing with others and forgiving others even as the Lord forgave me; and above all these things, I will put on love, which is the bond of perfection. (Colossians 3:12-14) Lord, I thank You that You will reign forever and that You have given Your Son the authority to raise all people from the dead. I thank You that You will complete the good work You have begun in me, and I ask that I would put on a heart of compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience.

Re-digging the Wells of our Ancestors

Day 10: Fridayâ&#x20AC;&#x201D;January 20, 2017 I DRAW NEAR TO YOU, GOD I praise You, Lord, that You are intimately acquainted with my ways and that You always love me and have my best interests at heart. With regard to my former way of life, may I put off my old self, which is being corrupted by its deceitful desires, and be renewed in the spirit of my mind; and may I put on the new self, which was created according to God in righteousness and true holiness. (Ephesians 4:22-24) May I be diligent to add to my faith, virtue; and to virtue, knowledge; and to knowledge, self-control; and to self-control, perseverance; and to perseverance, godliness; and to godliness, brotherly kindness; and to brotherly kindness, love. For if these qualities are mine in increasing measure, they will keep me from being barren and unfruitful in the full knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. (2 Peter 1:5-8) Take a moment to offer this day to the Lord and ask Him for the grace to grow in your knowledge and love for Him. THANK YOU FOR WHAT YOU HAVE DONE Jesus and the Father are one. (John 10:30) God will judge the secrets of men through Jesus Christ, according to the gospel. (Romans 2:16) I LISTEN TO YOUR WORDS OF TRUTH My soul silently waits for God alone; my salvation comes from Him. He alone is my rock and my salvation; He is my stronghold; I will never be shaken. (Psalm 62:1-2) MY RESPONSE TO YOU, LORD I will do no injustice in judgment, nor show partiality to the poor or favoritism to the great, but I will judge my neighbor fairly. (Leviticus 19:15) You desire mercy, not sacrifice, and the knowledge of God more than burnt offerings. (Hosea 6:6)

Re-digging the Wells of our Ancestors

Lord, I thank You for Your eternal Son and that You will judge the secrets of men through Him. I thank You that You alone are my rock and my salvation, and I ask that I would practice fairness and mercy in my dealings with others.

Day 11: Saturdayâ&#x20AC;&#x201D;January 21, 2017 I DRAW NEAR TO YOU, GOD As I approach Your throne of grace today, I am grateful that You care about the things that concern me and that You want me to offer them up to You. Hear my cry, O God, And listen to my prayer. From the ends of the earth I call to You When my heart grows faint; Lead me to the rock that is higher than I. You have been a shelter for me And a strong tower against the enemy. I will dwell in Your tent forever And take refuge in the shelter of Your wings. (Psalm 61:1-4) Take a moment to share your personal needs with God, including your physical, emotional, relational, and spiritual concerns.

THANK YOU FOR WHAT YOU HAVE DONE No one has seen the Father, except the One who is from God; only He has seen the Father. (John 6:46) I must be ready, for the Son of Man will come at an hour when I do not expect Him. (Matthew 24:44; Luke 12:40)

I LISTEN TO YOUR WORDS OF TRUTH This is what the Lord God, the Holy One of Israel, says: "In repentance and rest is your salvation; in quietness and trust is your strength." (Isaiah 30:15)

Re-digging the Wells of our Ancestors

MY RESPONSE TO YOU, LORD Since I belong to the day, I will be self-controlled, putting on the breastplate of faith and love, and the hope of salvation as a helmet. (1 Thessalonians 5:8) This is love: that I walk in obedience to God's commandments. And this is the commandment: that as I have heard from the beginning, I should walk in love. (2 John 6) Lord, I thank You for Your Son who has revealed You and for the truth that He could come at any time. I thank You that my salvation is in repentance and rest, and I ask that I would walk in faith and love.

Day 12: Sundayâ&#x20AC;&#x201D;January 22, 2017 I DRAW NEAR TO YOU, GOD Lord, You have invited me to pray for the needs of others, and since You desire what is best for them, I take this opportunity to bring these requests to You. Each of us must put off falsehood and speak truthfully to his neighbor, for we are members of one another. (Ephesians 4:25) We should submit to one another out of reverence for Christ. (Ephesians 5:21) Take a moment to lift up the needs of your family and friends, and to offer up any other burdens for others that the Lord brings to mind. THANK YOU FOR WHAT YOU HAVE DONE Jesus is the Son of God; He is the King of Israel. (John 1:49) An hour is coming when all who are in the graves will hear the voice of the Son of Man, and will come outâ&#x20AC;&#x201D;those who have done good to a resurrection of life, and those who have done evil to a resurrection of judgment. (John 5:28-29) I LISTEN TO YOUR WORDS OF TRUTH "Even now," declares the Lord, "return to Me with all your heart, with fasting and weeping and mourning." So rend your heart and not your garments. Return to the Lord your God, for He is gracious and compassionate, slow to anger and abounding in lovingkindness, and He relents from sending calamity. (Joel 2:12-13)

Re-digging the Wells of our Ancestors

MY RESPONSE TO YOU, LORD Laziness casts one into a deep sleep, and an idle person will be hungry. (Proverbs 19:15) God has not given me a spirit of timidity, but a spirit of power, of love and of self-control. (2 Timothy 1:7) Lord, I thank You that Jesus is Your Son and that all who are in the graves will hear His voice. I thank You for Your grace and compassion, and I ask that I would not succumb to sloth, but walk in power, love, and self-control.

Day 13: Mondayâ&#x20AC;&#x201D;January 23, 2017 I DRAW NEAR TO YOU, GOD God, I want Your Word to be deeply implanted in me so that I not only know the truth, but also express it in the way I live. Lord Jesus, You are coming quickly. Your reward is with You, and You will give to everyone according to what he has done. You are the Alpha and the Omega, the First and the Last, the Beginning and the End. Yes, You are coming quickly. Amen. Come, Lord Jesus! (Revelation 22:12-13, 20) Take a moment to affirm the truth of these words from Scripture and ask God to make them a growing reality in your life. THANK YOU FOR WHAT YOU HAVE DONE Jesus of Nazareth, the son of Joseph, is the Messiah (that is, the Christ). He is the One Moses wrote about in the Law, and about whom the prophets also wrote. (John 1:41, 45) Behold, a virgin shall be with child and will give birth to a son, and they will call His name Immanuel, which means, "God with us." (Matthew 1:23) I LISTEN TO YOUR WORDS OF TRUTH I should not work for the food that perishes, but for the food that endures to eternal life, which the Son of Man gives me, for God the Father has set His seal on Him. (John 6:27) MY RESPONSE TO YOU, LORD The end of all things is near; therefore I will be clear minded and self-controlled for prayer.

Re-digging the Wells of our Ancestors

(1 Peter 4:7) The sons of this world are more shrewd in dealing with their own kind than are the sons of light. I would be wise to use worldly wealth to make friends for myself, so that when it is gone, they may welcome me into the eternal dwellings. (Luke 16:8-9) Lord, I thank You for Your incarnate Son and for His perfect fulfillment of the Law and the prophets. I thank You for the food that endures to eternal life, and I ask that I would be prayerful and prudent in the use of my worldly resources.

Re-digging the Wells of our Ancestors

Day 14: Tuesdayâ&#x20AC;&#x201D;January 24, 2017 I DRAW NEAR TO YOU, GOD O Lord, I am deeply grateful for Your wonderful acts, for Your abundant promises, and for the gift of my relationship with You through the merits of Christ.

The salvation of the righteous comes from the Lord; He is their stronghold in time of trouble. The Lord helps them and delivers them; He delivers them from the wicked and saves them, Because they take refuge in Him. (Psalm 37:39-40) Take a moment to express your gratitude for the many blessings that you have received from the Lord. THANK YOU FOR WHAT YOU HAVE DONE Blessed be the name of God for ever and ever, for wisdom and power belong to Him. He changes the times and the seasons; He raises up kings and deposes them. He gives wisdom to the wise and knowledge to those who have understanding. He reveals deep and hidden things; He knows what is in the darkness, and light dwells with Him. (Daniel 2:20-22) In the resurrection of the dead, the body that is sown is perishable, but it is raised imperishable; it is sown in dishonor, but it is raised in glory; it is sown in weakness, but it is raised in power; it is sown a natural body, but it is raised a spiritual body. If there is a natural body, there is also a spiritual body. (1 Corinthians 15:42-44) I LISTEN TO YOUR WORDS OF TRUTH I shall know the truth, and the truth shall set me free. Everyone who commits sin is a slave of sin. And a slave has no permanent place in the family, but a son belongs to it forever. So if the Son sets me free, I shall be free indeed. (John 8:32, 34-36) MY RESPONSE TO YOU, LORD I will not be afraid of my adversaries, but I will remember the Lord, who is great and awesome. (Nehemiah 4:14)

Re-digging the Wells of our Ancestors

I will not take revenge, but leave room for the wrath of God, for it is written: "Vengeance is Mine; I will repay," says the Lord. I will not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good. (Romans 12:19, 21) Lord, I thank You for Your wisdom and power and for the resurrected life that You are preparing for Your children. I thank You for the truth that sets me free, and I ask that I would keep my confidence in You and overcome evil with good.

Day 15: Wednesdayâ&#x20AC;&#x201D;January 25, 2017 I DRAW NEAR TO YOU, GOD Lord, I give thanks for Your greatness, your goodness, and your love, and I now draw near to enjoy your presence. Not to us, O Lord, not to us, But to Your name give glory, Because of Your lovingkindness and truth. (Psalm 115:1)

Praise the Lord! For it is good to sing praises to our God, Because praise is pleasant and beautiful. (Psalm 147:1) Take a moment to consider Godâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s awesome majesty and thank Him that He loves you and wants an intimate relationship with you. THANK YOU FOR WHAT YOU HAVE DONE You are the Lord; You do not change. (Malachi 3:6) Blessed be the Lord God, the God of Israel, who alone does wonderful things. (Psalm 72:18) I LISTEN TO YOUR WORDS OF TRUTH Sin shall not be my master, because I am not under law, but under grace. I have been set free from sin and have become a slave of righteousness. (Romans 6:14, 18)

MY RESPONSE TO YOU, LORD

Re-digging the Wells of our Ancestors

Lord, make me to know my end and what is the measure of my days; let me know how fleeting is my life. (Psalm 39:4) I will rejoice in hope, persevere in affliction, and continue steadfastly in prayer. (Romans 12:12) Lord, I thank You that You do not change and that You alone do wonderful things. I thank You that I am not under law, but under grace, and I ask that I would live and persevere in light of eternity.

Day 16: Thursdayâ&#x20AC;&#x201D;January 26, 2017 I DRAW NEAR TO YOU, GOD I am grateful to You, O God, for the blessing of your forgiveness. I thank You that in Christ, You set me free from the guilt of the past and give me hope for the future. The refining pot is for silver and the furnace for gold, But the Lord tests the hearts. (Proverbs 17:3) You have set our iniquities before You, Our secret sins in the light of Your presence. (Psalm 90:8)

Take a moment to ask the Spirit to search your heart and reveal any areas of unconfessed sin. Acknowledge these to the Lord and thank Him for His forgiveness.

THANK YOU FOR WHAT YOU HAVE DONE I will recall to mind the former things, those of long ago; You are God, and there is no other; You are God, and there is none like You. (Isaiah 46:9) The whole family in heaven and on earth derives its name from the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. (Ephesians 3:14-15) I LISTEN TO YOUR WORDS OF TRUTH I was washed, I was sanctified, I was justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and by the Spirit of our God. (1 Corinthians 6:11)

Re-digging the Wells of our Ancestors

MY RESPONSE TO YOU, LORD We who are strong ought to bear the weaknesses of those who are not strong, and not to please ourselves. Each of us should please his neighbor for his good, to build him up. (Romans 15:1-2) No one should seek his own good, but the good of others. (1 Corinthians 10:24) Lord, I thank You that there is none like You and that the whole family in heaven and earth derives its name from You. I thank You that I have been washed, sanctified, and justified in Christ, and I ask that I would consider the needs and best interests of others.

Day 17: Fridayâ&#x20AC;&#x201D;January 27, 2017 DRAW NEAR TO YOU, GOD I praise You, Lord, that You are intimately acquainted with my ways and that You always love me and have my best interests at heart. May I fight the good fight of faith and lay hold of the eternal life to which I was called when I made the good confession in the presence of many witnesses. In the sight of God, who gives life to all things, and of Christ Jesus, who testified the good confession before Pontius Pilate, may I keep this command without blemish or reproach until the appearing of our Lord Jesus Christ, which God will bring about in His own time. (1 Timothy 6:12-15a) May I be diligent to present myself approved to God, a workman who does not need to be ashamed and who correctly handles the word of truth. (2 Timothy 2:15) Take a moment to offer this day to the Lord and ask Him for the grace to grow in your knowledge and love for Him.

THANK YOU FOR WHAT YOU HAVE DONE You are the Lord, that is Your name. You will not give Your glory to another, or Your praise to idols. (Isaiah 42:8) The Lord stretches out the heavens, lays the foundation of the earth, and forms the spirit of man within him. (Zechariah 12:1)

Re-digging the Wells of our Ancestors

I LISTEN TO YOUR WORDS OF TRUTH The love of Christ compels me, because I am convinced that One died for all, and therefore all died. And He died for all, that those who live should no longer live for themselves but for Him who died for them and was raised again. (2 Corinthians 5:14-15) MY RESPONSE TO YOU, LORD I am hard pressed on every side, but not crushed; perplexed, but not in despair; persecuted, but not forsaken; struck down, but not destroyed; always carrying about in my body the death of Jesus, so that the life of Jesus may also be revealed in my body. For we who live are always being delivered over to death for Jesus' sake, so that His life may be revealed in our mortal body. (2 Corinthians 4:8-11) God's servants have commended themselves in every way: in great endurance, in afflictions, in needs, in distresses, in beatings, in imprisonments, in tumults, in labors, in sleeplessness, in hunger, in purity, in knowledge, in patience, in kindness, in the Holy Spirit, in sincere love, in the word of truth, in the power of Godâ&#x20AC;&#x201D;through the weapons of righteousness in the right hand and in the left, through glory and dishonor, through bad report and good reportâ&#x20AC;&#x201D; as deceivers, and yet true; as unknown, and yet well known; as dying, and yet living; as beaten, and yet not killed; as sorrowful, yet always rejoicing; as poor, yet making many rich; as having nothing, and yet possessing everything. (2 Corinthians 6:4-10) Lord, I thank You that You are worthy of all glory and that You have complete dominion over all things. I thank You for the love of Christ who died for me, and I ask that I would not despair in my adversities, but endure all things for Your sake.

Re-digging the Wells of our Ancestors

Day 18: Saturdayâ&#x20AC;&#x201D;January 28, 2017 I DRAW NEAR TO YOU, GOD As I approach Your throne of grace today, I am grateful that You care about the things that concern me and that You want me to offer them up to You. Whatever I do, may I do all to the glory of God. (1 Corinthians 10:31) May everything I do be done in love. (1 Corinthians 16:14) Take a moment to share your personal needs with God, including your physical, emotional, relational, and spiritual concerns. THANK YOU FOR WHAT YOU HAVE DONE Your name, O Lord, endures forever, Your renown, O Lord, through all generations. (Psalm 135:13) The Lord made the earth by His power; He established the world by His wisdom and stretched out the heavens by His understanding. (Jeremiah 51:15) I LISTEN TO YOUR WORDS OF TRUTH Godly sorrow brings repentance that leads to salvation and leaves no regret, but worldly sorrow brings death. (2 Corinthians 7:10) MY RESPONSE TO YOU, LORD I will guard my heart with all diligence, for out of it flow the issues of life. (Proverbs 4:23) May our Lord Jesus Christ Himself and God our Father, who has loved us and has given us eternal consolation and good hope by grace, comfort our hearts and strengthen us in every good work and word. (2 Thessalonians 2:16-17) Lord, I thank You for the glory of Your name and for creating the heavens and earth through Your power and wisdom. I thank You that godly sorrow leads to repentance, and I ask that I would guard my heart and be strengthened in every good work and deed.

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Day 19: Sundayâ&#x20AC;&#x201D;January 29, 2017 I DRAW NEAR TO YOU, GOD Lord, You have invited me to pray for the needs of others, and since You desire what is best for them, I take this opportunity to bring these requests to You. With all prayer and petition, we should pray always in the Spirit, and to this end we should be watchful with all perseverance and petition for all the saints. (Ephesians 6:18) I pray that words may be given to me, that I may open my mouth boldly to make known the mystery of the gospel. (Ephesians 6:19) Take a moment to lift up the needs of your family and friends, and to offer up any other burdens for others that the Lord brings to mind. THANK YOU FOR WHAT YOU HAVE DONE My flesh trembles for fear of You; I stand in awe of Your judgments. (Psalm 119:120) You form the light and create darkness; You bring prosperity and create disaster; You, the Lord, do all these things. (Isaiah 45:7) I LISTEN TO YOUR WORDS OF TRUTH I am no longer a stranger and alien, but a fellow citizen with God's people and a member of God's household, built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, with Christ Jesus Himself as the chief cornerstone. (Ephesians 2:19-20) MY RESPONSE TO YOU, LORD I will obey those who are in authority over me with fear and trembling and with sincerity of heart, as to Christ; not with external service as a pleaser of men, but as a slave of Christ, doing the will of God from my heart. With good will I will serve as to the Lord and not to men, knowing that I will receive back from the Lord whatever good I do. (Ephesians 6:5-8) I will avoid foolish and ignorant disputes, knowing that they produce quarrels. The Lord's servant must not quarrel, but be gentle toward all, able to teach, and patient. (2 Timothy 2:23-24) Re-digging the Wells of our Ancestors

Lord, I thank You for Your awesome judgments and for Your sovereign authority over all things. I thank You that You have made me a member of Your household, and I ask that I would render service to others in Your name and avoid quarrels.

Day 20: Mondayâ&#x20AC;&#x201D;January 30, 2017 I DRAW NEAR TO YOU, GOD God, I want Your Word to be deeply implanted in me so that I not only know the truth, but also express it in the way I live. Because the Lord God helps me, I will not be disgraced. Therefore I have set my face like flint, And I know I will not be put to shame. He who vindicates me is near; Who will contend with me? Surely the Lord God will help me; Who is he that will condemn me? (Isaiah 50:7-9) Take a moment to affirm the truth of these words from Scripture and ask God to make them a growing reality in your life. THANK YOU FOR WHAT YOU HAVE DONE Blessed be the Lord, the God of Israel, from everlasting to everlasting. Praise the Lord. (Psalm 106:48) God completed the heavens and the earth in all their vast array. By the seventh day God finished the work which He had done, and He rested on the seventh day from all His creative work. And God blessed the seventh day and sanctified it, because on it He rested from all the work of creating that He had done. (Genesis 2:1-3) I LISTEN TO YOUR WORDS OF TRUTH The Father has qualified me to share in the inheritance of the saints in the light. For He has rescued me from the dominion of darkness and brought me into the kingdom of His beloved Son, in whom I have redemption, the forgiveness of sins. (Colossians 1:12-14) MY RESPONSE TO YOU, LORD I will consider it all joy whenever I fall into various trials, knowing that the testing of my Re-digging the Wells of our Ancestors

faith produces endurance. And I will let endurance finish its work, so that I may be mature and complete, lacking in nothing. (James 1:2-4) I will fight the good fight, finish the race, and keep the faith, so that there will be laid up for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will award to me on that day; and not only to me, but also to all who have longed for His appearing. (2 Timothy 4:78) Lord, I thank You for Your blessed and everlasting name and for Your exquisite work that is evident throughout Your creation. I thank You for qualifying me to share an inheritance in the kingdom of Your beloved Son, and I ask that I would learn endurance through my trials and finish my race well.

Day 21: Tuesdayâ&#x20AC;&#x201D;January 31, 2017 I DRAW NEAR TO YOU, GOD O Lord, I am deeply grateful for Your wonderful acts, for Your abundant promises, and for the gift of my relationship with You through the merits of Christ. Blessed be the Lord; day by day He bears our burdens, The God of our salvation. Our God is the God of salvation, And to God the Lord belongs escape from death. (Psalm 68:19-20) It is good to give thanks to the Lord And to sing praises to Your name, O Most High, To declare Your lovingkindness in the morning And Your faithfulness at night. (Psalm 92:1-2) Take a moment to express your gratitude for the many blessings that you have received from the Lord. THANK YOU FOR WHAT YOU HAVE DONE Who can express the mighty acts of the Lord or fully declare His praise? (Psalm 106:2) O Lord, God of Israel, enthroned between the cherubim, You alone are God over all the kingdoms of the earth. You have made heaven and earth. (2 Kings 19:15) I LISTEN TO YOUR WORDS OF TRUTH When I was dead in my trespasses and in the uncircumcision of my flesh, God made me alive Re-digging the Wells of our Ancestors

with Christ. He forgave me all my trespasses, having canceled the written code, with its regulations, that was against me and was contrary to me; He took it away, nailing it to the cross. And having disarmed the powers and authorities, He made a public spectacle of them, triumphing over them by the cross. (Colossians 2:13-15) MY RESPONSE TO YOU, LORD If I lack wisdom, I should ask of God, who gives generously to all without reproach, and it will be given to me. (James 1:5) I will watch carefully how I walk, not as the unwise but as wise, making the most of every opportunity, because the days are evil. I will not be foolish, but understand what the will of the Lord is. (Ephesians 5:15-17) Lord, I thank You for Your mighty acts and for Your glorious reign over all things. I thank You for forgiving my trespasses and making me alive in Christ, and I ask that I would seek Your wisdom and understand Your will.

Conclusion Our twenty-one days of prayer and fasting for spiritual formation and renewal concludes today. As you reflect back over the past three weeks, what are the areas where you have seen noticeable growth in your life? What are the areas where you will need grace to grow? What has been the biggest blessing in your life and or your greatest surprise about yourself?

My Reflections:

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End Notes and Additional Resources For additional study material about the Daniel Fast and the devotionals cited in this guide, please refer to the following websites and resources: 1. http://draxe.com/daniel-fast 2. Fasting for Spiritual Breakthrough by Elmer L. Towns, published in 1996 by Regal Books, Ventura, California. 3. Honoring God Through The Daniel Fast by Terrance Day, published in 2009, http://www.danielfast.net 4. Daniel Fast 21 Days of Prayer & Fasting, New Life Worship Center, www.newlifealtoona.org 5. www.ligonier.org 6. Today in the Word from Moody Bible Institute (Copyright Moody Bible Institute. Used by permission. All rights reserved) 7. http://preceptaustin.org/zechariah_devotionals.htm 8. http://www.desiringgod.org 9. http://www.gty.org/resources/articles/A137/dealing-with-problem-people 10. http://www.rhema.org/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=1077:therestoration-power-of-god&Itemid=304 11. http://billmuehlenberg.com/2007/10/14/sin-forgiveness-and-consequences/ 12. http://bibleplace.wordpress.com/tag/how-to-grow/

Tips for Family Fasting: How do I include my young children and teens? 1. http://www.crosswalk.com/family/parenting/fasting-as-a-family.html 2. https://danielfast.wordpress.com/2008/08/11/teens-on-the-daniel-fast/ 3. https://danielplan.com/faith/ 4. https://danielfast.wordpress.com/2007/12/27/youth-special-diets-and-the-daniel-fast/

Re-digging the Wells of our Ancestors

Join our prayer line We invite you to participate in the daily online prayer and devotional. Call the Second Calvary Baptist Church Prayer Line at: Telephone Number: 712-432-3100 Conference Code: 580995 Time: 7:00 a.m. and 10:00 p.m.

Members of the Ministry of Congregational Spirituality Brother Toby Stewart, Elder Rev. B. J. Stancel, Vice Elder Deaconess Banta Alston Rev. Roma Hall Deacon Nathanial Parker Sister Talitha Parker Brother David Tancil Sister Joyce Tancil Rev. Barbara White Brother Anthony Williams Sister Delydia Williams

i.http://www.learnthebible.org/water-in-the-bible.html. ii. http://www.biblestudytools.com/dictionary/water/

Re-digging the Wells of our Ancestors