The events of September 11, 2001 have changed our lives forever. It is important to remember that God is not silent in our times of trial and pain. Over the next forty days, let's commit personally to praying and fasting for God's hand to be powerfully at work in the world and in our hearts. Toward that end, we believe many people are lifting up in prayer our national and world leaders, as well as those who were personally and tragically impacted by these horrible events.
We will take a little bit of a different approach to our time of prayer and fasting, using the words of Ecclesiastes 3 as our guide. Solomon wrote, "There is an appointed time for everything. And there is a time for every event under heaven " We now find ourselves in a time of upheaval and terror, a time of uncertainty and fear, but most of all, for those of us who are God's children, it is a time for prayer and fasting, a time of faith and perseverance. We will pray about our current world and personal circumstances in light of Solomon's teaching about seasons in our lives, asking God to give us wisdom to understand the time and our role within it.
The plan is to pray for seven consecutive days using Ecclesiastes 3:2-8 as our meditation and prayer guide, with a specific emphasis and parallel Scripture for each day. On the eighth day of each cycle, we are going to fast, asking for God's blessing on our world and asking for His help to be His faithful people. We will use this format for 5 cycles, or 40 days. May God bless us all, and bless others through us, as we seek His wisdom and will for us.
Example of how to do the devotional time.
Day 1
A time to be born and a time to die;
A time to plant and a time to uproot what is planted. (Psalm 139:13-16)
Day 2
A time to kill and a time to heal;
A time to tear down and a time to build up. (Mark 10:32-45)
Day 3
A time to weep and a time to laugh;
A time to mourn and a time to dance. (Matthew 8:5-13)
Day 4
A time to scatter stones and a time to gather them;
A time to embrace and a time to refrain from embracing. (Zechariah 13:7)
Day 5
A time to search and a time to give up;
A time to keep and a time throw away. (Matthew 18:12-14)
Day 6
A time to tear and a time to mend;
A time to be silent and a time to speak. (Matthew 9:14-17)
Day 7
A time to love and a time to hate;
A time for war and a time for peace. (Romans 12:9-21)
Day 8
A time to fast (Matthew 6:16-18)
Day 9
A time to be born and a time to die;
A time to plant and a time to uproot what is planted. (Philippians 1:19-23)
Day 10
A time to kill and a time to heal;
A time to tear down and a time to build up. (2 Chronicles 7:11-14)
Day 11
A time to weep and a time to laugh;
A time to mourn and a time to dance. (Luke 15:11-32)
Day 12
A time to scatter stones and a time to gather them;
A time to embrace and a time to refrain from embracing. (Mark 13:26-27)
Day 13
A time to search and a time to give up;
A time to keep and a time throw away. (Matthew 10:11-14)
Day 14
A time to tear and a time to mend;
A time to be silent and a time to speak. (Matthew 11:1-6)
Day 15
A time to love and a time to hate;
A time for war and a time for peace. (Proverbs 8:13)
Day 16
A time to fast (Acts 13:1-3)
Day 17
A time to be born and a time to die;
A time to plant and a time to uproot what is planted. (Luke 8:4-15)
Day 18
A time to kill and a time to heal;
A time to tear down and a time to build up. (Psalm 28)
Day 19
A time to weep and a time to laugh;
A time to mourn and a time to dance. (Matthew 5:4)
Day 20
A time to scatter stones and a time to gather them;
A time to embrace and a time to refrain from embracing. (Proverbs 19:20)
Day 21
A time to search and a time to give up;
A time to keep and a time throw away. (Hebrews 10:23)
Day 22
A time to tear and a time to mend;
A time to be silent and a time to speak. (Ecclesiastes 5:1-8)
Day 23
A time to love and a time to hate;
A time for war and a time for peace. (2 Corinthians 10:3-5)
Day 24
A time to fast (Psalm 35:13)
Day 25
A time to be born and a time to die;
A time to plant and a time to uproot what is planted. (Matthew 3:7-12)
Day 26
A time to kill and a time to heal;
A time to tear down and a time to build up. (Hebrews 10:19-25)
Day 27
A time to weep and a time to laugh;
A time to mourn and a time to dance. (Psalm 98)
Day 28
A time to scatter stones and a time to gather them;
A time to embrace and a time to refrain from embracing. (Isaiah 16:9-10)
Day 29
A time to search and a time to give up;
A time to keep and a time to throw away. (Hebrews 10:32-39)
Day 30
A time to tear and a time to mend;
A time to be silent and a time to speak. (Acts 4:1-31)
Day 31
A time to love and a time to hate;
A time for war and a time for peace. (John 16:33)
Day 32
A time to fast (Acts 14:23)
Day 33
A time to be born and a time to die;
A time to plant and a time to uproot what is planted. (Romans 6:1-14)
Day 34
A time to kill and a time to heal;
A time to tear down and a time to build up. (1 Peter 3:8-18)
Day 35
A time to weep and a time to laugh;
A time to mourn and a time to dance. (Psalm 95)
Day 36
A time to scatter stones and a time to gather them;
A time to embrace and a time to refrain from embracing. (Isaiah 40:11)
Day 37
A time to search and a time to give up;
A time to keep and a time throw away. (Psalm 139:1-12)
Day 38
A time to tear and a time to mend;
A time to be silent and a time to speak. (Matthew 27:26-51)
Day 39
A time to love and a time to hate;
A time for war and a time for peace. (John 3:16-21)
Day 40
A time to fast (Isaiah 58)
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