Answered Prayers

God answers prayer! At times not exactly as we had in mind but in due time and in His nature! As we continue Awakening 2009 we want to know your prayer requests, your heartaches and all that you would ask us to intercede for you. I urge you to pray and fast as well and seek the face of God. Make your petitions known to him through prayer, with thanksgiving. He promises peace and the guarding of your heart and mind in Christ Jesus.

Here is how is answered some prayer this week already:

• Salvation to come to our house - last Sunday (first day of our prayer & fast) we had 8 people give their life to Christ! May we be on our knees daily for those who have not yet come to Jesus.
  
• We prayed with a team on Tuesday night that a local convenience store owner would have a change of heart and remove drug paraphernalia from his merchandise counter. On Wed he made an unexpected stop at his store and M.A.S.H. and a concerned local activist met with him. He has agreed to remove the merchandise within 4 days. More territory taken back!
  
• Caryl & I had nearly 3 days of intense care for her parents on Mon-Wed of this week. They came down with the flu and due to Alzheimer's and lack of mobility we had to clean up lots of bodily fluids (and other things that I'd rather not put in writing). We have been fasting and praying that we would not get this flu so we could continue to care for them and for our flock at Oasis. Now 3 days later we appear to have been spared. Caryl had a mild touch of it and I only lacked energy for a day. Today we are energized and preparing to bring the Word tomorrow! Thank you God for your protection.
  

We look forward to the opportunity to pray with and for you. Please send me your prayer requests at pastorscott@oasislifechurch.org or post them here on my blog if you want them to be public.
Don't forget to send me updates on how God answers your prayer! He may have far more than you could have asked, believed or imagined in store for you!

With love- Pastor Scott

This Was an Eye Opener!

Today I was reading "Fasting" by Jentezen Franklin and this was an eye opener! Wow God, why had I not seen this before? I've been committed and learning about the practice of fasting for a number of years and I had not heard this concept.

The three duties of every Christian are giving, praying and fasting. Matt 6:1-18 gives very strong guidance regarding when we give, when we pray and when we fast. Jentezen says that this creates a threefold cord that is not easily broken. Could we be missing out on great breakthrough and release because we fail to fast?

I know that my actions are not going to make God love me more. But, I sure can tell the difference between being dry and being full. Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be filled (Matt 5:6) Isn't forgoing food or drink for a period of time worth it to have a deeper understanding of the relationship God desires with us? Wouldn't it be worth it to have more of his character revealed?

God, like never before I want my attention to be turned from my stomach, from my desires, from my needs, from my wants, from my concerns - to Your Kingdom! Your Kingdom come on earth as it is in Heaven!

So what do you think?

Awakening 2009

Oasis Life Church is joining with over 300 churches - representing over 300,000 believers who will be joining together to fast and pray. Imagine what can happen when we come together to seek the face of God. "Thy Kingdom come, Thy will be done, on earth as it is in heaven" Seek to be in alignment with what God is doing on the earth.

Join us as we pray and fast from Jan 11 to Jan 31. For daily devotion and reading resources, see http://www.awake21.org/ You'll also find insightful blog entries and encouragement from other believers joining together in Awakening.

Oasis Sunday Night Reflections

8 Decision for Christ today as we kicked off our first series of the year: "30 Days to Live" . If you knew your time on earth was limited, how would this change your life? It's not about completing the "bucket list" but rather having a filter to select what is important in life. While Craig Groeschel first penned this series, it has been rocking my thinking. I pray that as we look into God's Word regarding this subject - your life will be changed as well.










Here are some thoughts from today:

• We kicked off our 21 day prayer & fasting and we are partnering with http://www.awake21.org/


• First service attendance was really down - not sure what to make of that!


• Second service was well attended but we could have been at overflow if there were not football playoff games and the flu going around!


• "30 Days to Live" is going to be an awesome series that will challenge us all to evaluate how we make decisions in our life. What is your filter?


• 8 people made a decision to give their life to Jesus today! Man - this is why we are here and this never gets old!


• Our Dream Team rocks!


• Nearly 50 members of our dream team stayed for a meeting and training today.


• Many members of our team ate raw vegetables without Ranch dressing today for the first time.


• You can eat really healthy and be satisfied on the Daniel fast!


• Our new KidSplash rooms look incredible - thank you to everyone who helped to paint and re-arrange them over the Christmas break.


• Trying to give up coffee/caffeine during this fast- had less today but not sure how I will do in the days ahead. My wife and friends usually beg me not to stop drinking coffee- they say I'm grumpy when I don't?


• I like the thought that Stovall Weems posted last week that coffee is a bean juice and should be legal on a fast!


• Fasting is no about twisting the arm of God but rather about coming into alignment.


• Take fasting serious but don't be so legalistic that you miss the point - it's about seeking after God in a way that allows for spiritual & physical purification. For spiritual purification, we must replace time eating, watching TV, listening to the radio, etc with time in God's presence and in His Word. For physical purification, it will take the elimination of many foods.


• Just take the next step - if you've never fasted, try it for a day or two. If you've never fasted food - try it. Perhaps you need to fast technology.


• On that point - I'm fasting Facebook and Twitter for the 21 days of this fast - this may be harder than giving up any food!


• Coming out of the fast, I am going to be working on some additional lifestyle issues so that I can successfully drop the 40 pounds that need to be gone from this body in 2009!


• Been thinking about the few comments that I've been hearing that we don't offer enough programs - must stay true to the vision that God has given and often know more when to say "no" than to say "yes".


• God is good - no matter the set backs.


• God is good- even when it seems that he is not.


• God is good - his mercy endures forever!