We want this to be effective for you. Here are a couple of steps you can take in order to ensure that:

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3 New Chapel- The summer months bring so much freedom and fun, that often when it s time to get back to a schedule, it s a struggle to break the summer slump! 21 Days of Prayer & Feasting is a very exciting time for us at New Chapel. We know that when we focus on what God has for us in these 21 days, it is exactly what we need to recharge and prepare for the Fall Season. This is 21 days of Prayer and Feasting - that s not a cue to eat whatever you want, but your cue to grab a cup of coffee and jump into this devotional. This devo is a tool to help you grow in what God has for you. We want you to be focused on the right thing during these next 21 days. Each day as you are participating, ask God who you are supposed to be praying for? Who are you supposed to invite to church this September? You will notice that a lot of the questions after the scriptures point you back to people. It s on purpose. During these 21 days, pray for that person and believe God for great things in their life. You have people all around you who fall into the same summer slump, but have no idea how to get out of it. We want this to be effective for you. Here are a couple of steps you can take in order to ensure that: 1. Stick with the daily devotional. To do this best, we encourage you to have a consistent place, a playlist, a Bible, and a journal. 2. Don t do this alone. In honor of Prayer & Feasting, each Sunday of the event, we will have a special time of prayer before service. Doors to the auditorium will open at 8:15a. We will pray from 8:30a until 9:00a. 3. For more resources and tools, go to prayerandfeasting.com There s a soundtrack for the next 21 days, as well as tools to help you prepare for the great things God has for you this fall. I m honored to take this journey WITH you- Joe Bevelacqua Pastor, New Chapel prayerandfeasting.com 3

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5 Day 1/August 7 We are so excited to start the first day of Prayer & Feasting! Each Sunday during the event, we will be meeting to pray at New Chapel. Doors open at 8:15a. We will pray from 8:30 to 9:00. We invite you to join us! "Abruptly Jesus broke into prayer: 'Thank you Father, Lord of heaven and earth. You've concealed Your ways from sophisticates and know-it-alls, but spelled them out clearly to ordinary people. Yes, Father, that's the way You like to work.'" Matthew 11:25-26, Message The Lord wants to speak to you! Don t listen to the lies of the enemy-telling you that you have to do, be, act, speak, and look differently to be good enough to have relationship with the Lord. He wants to speak to you today! You - an ordinary person can hear God. So this is the cool part- listen. And, don t discount the potential that other people have to hear God s voice! Who can you pray for that needs to hear from God? What is God speaking to you? What do you need help with? >PRAY Ask God to speak to you today. Don t fill the air with repetition- instead, listen. He ll talk to you. 5

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7 Day 2/August 8 "Finally they said, "Who are you? Give us an answer to take back to those who sent us. What do you say about yourself?" John replied in the words of Isaiah the prophet, "I am the voice of one calling in the desert, 'Make straight the way for the Lord.'" 1 Peter 3:11, AMP Just like John knew who He was, based on the Word of Godyou can too! I promise you will like the opinion of your Lord and savior, over any of your haters! God is not a god that can lie, what He says about you is the truth! When you hear the truth it sets you free. What are some things God Word says about you? Who do you know that needs to hear what God s Word says about them? Write their name(s) down and pray for them. >PRAY Take time to focus on knowing what God s Word says. Ask Him to set you free with the revelation of His truth about who you are in Him. Ask God how you can help other people know who they are in Christ. 7

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9 Day 3/August 9 "For if because of one man's trespass (lapse, offense) death reigned through that one, much more surely will those who receive [God's] overflowing grace (unmerited favor) and the free gift of righteousness [putting them into right standing with Himself] reign as kings in life through the one Man Jesus Christ (the Messiah, the Anointed one)." Romans 5:17, AMP I m so grateful that our fate wasn t sealed through the decision of Adam, in the Garden of Eden. God, in his grace and mercy, sent His only son to die on a cross for us- giving us a brand new beginning in our relationship with Him. Thank you Lord for Jesus! Are you aware of your right standing with God? Do you know the authority you have as a believer? >PRAY Ask the Lord to minister to you on the questions you have regarding your authority and right standing with Him. He wants to answer you. 9

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11 Day 4/August 10 "God is not unjust; He will not forget your work and the love you have shown Him as you have helped His people and continue to help them." Hebrews 6:10, NIV The Bible in Galatians, says not to grow weary in doing good! I love how the Lord confirms His Word throughout scripture. Life isn t fair, and things come against us on a regular basis, BUT GOD- He is a faithful and just God! He never forsakes His righteous. When you are going through hard things, remind yourself that you serve a God that will never forsake you! Have you grown weary in any situation you re in? Who can you reach out to that needs help? >PRAY In your prayer time focus on thanking God for all of the promises that He has for you. Sometimes the best prescription for a weary heart is to have a heart of praise! When you are praying the scriptures out loud, you re encouraging your spirit! 11

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13 Day 5/August 11 "Love bears up under anything and everything that comes, is ever ready to believe the best of every person." 1 Corinthians 13:7, AMP There is a checklist laid out in the Bible showing what love actually looks like. Love doesn t look like your opinion of it, your experience with it, or just saying, I love you. The preface to the scripture above (1 Corinthians 13:4-6) is, Love suffers long and is kind; love does not envy; love does not parade itself, is not puffed up; does not behave rudely, does not seek its own, is not provoked, thinks no evil; does not rejoice in iniquity, but rejoices in the truth; bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things. This is how you can measure your love walk today! What habits can you change to begin walking out what the Bible says love is? Who have you not been walking in love with? >PRAY Ask God to show you how to change your love walk. Ask Him to give you the heart that He has towards His kids. 13

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15 Day 6/August 12 "Is anyone among you afflicted (ill-treated, suffering evil)? He should pray." James 5:13, AMP Praying is easier than what the world thinks. Praying is just simply having a conversation-an exchange! It involves you talking and listening! In our Life Hacks series, we gave a simple way to start praying: PRAY-Praise. Repent. Ask. Yield. Start off with a grateful heart, thanking and praising God for your life. This softens your heart and gets you ready to receive-it changes the atmosphere. Next you can repentmake things right in areas you know you ve been doing wrong. Then make your requests known to God. Go boldly to Him. He says in His word, that whatever you ask in my name, you will receive! Make sure to give the Lord an opportunity to speak to you. This is your chance to be still and listen by yielding. What areas do you need to pray about, instead of complain about? Are you praying for God s lost kids? >PRAY Ask God to show you who to pray for. Ask the Lord to show them goodness, favor, and blessing. 15

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17 Day 7/August 13 "Overlook an offense and bond a friendship; fasten on to a slight and good-bye, friend!" Proverbs 17:9 It is so easy to be offended. Offense causes bitterness. In Proverbs 17, the Bible says that a crushed spirit leads to dried up bones. You can literally make yourself ill by harboring bitterness in your heart! How do you get rid of it? The Bible says to cast your cares upon Him! What cares do you need to cast on the Lord? What relationships are being held back because of offense? >PRAY Have a conversation with the Lord about the offense in your heart. Ask the Lord in exchange for your offense, to give you a pure heart towards the person or source of offense. When give your heart to the Lord, He is then able to change it, but it has to be your choice. God has your back-do it His way, and it will work out in your favor! 17

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19 Day 8/August 14 Church Day! We invite you to join us at New Chapel, at 8:15a in the auditorium to pray! "I don't mean to say that I have already achieved these things or that I have already reached perfection! But I keep working toward that day when I will finally be all that Christ Jesus saved me for and wants me to be. No, dear brothers and sisters, I am still not all I should be, but I am focusing all my energies on this one thing: Forgetting the past and looking forward to what lies ahead, I strain to reach the end of the race and receive the prize for which God, through Christ Jesus, is calling us up to heaven." Philippians 3:12-14, NLT God doesn t define you by your past- so YOU stop! The Bible says that you will forget the shame of your youth. What old areas of your life are you still letting define you? What areas are you allowing God to change in your life? >PRAY Wake up in the morning, and when you step out of bed ask the question, Lord what do you want me to do today? Where do I go? Who do I talk to? Show me my next step! That is a very safe place to be in, when you are willing to forget about your past and focus on what the Lord s future is for you. Ask God who you are supposed to reach out to today- write down their name! 19

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21 Day 9/August 15 Then the Lord answered me and said: "Write the vision And make it plain on tablets, That he may run who reads it. Habakkuk 2:2 God has given all of us desires. Life happens, and sometimes it s easier to listen to your circumstances than to pursue the dreams and desires in your heart. Something that my wife and I have practiced for years, is literally writing the vision, the goal, and the desire on paper. We put this in front of us constantly, so we are reminded of the desires God has put in our hearts. We say them out loud, we practice achieving the desired goal, and remind the Lord. We have found that every time we have written the vision, there is something supernatural about it, and we regularly watch those things come to pass! Practice writing the vision today! What are your dreams and goals you are pursuing? What are your people goals- who do want to go to church? Who do you want to bless? Who do you want to know the goodness of God? >PRAY 21

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23 Day 10/August 16 "So we are made right with God through faith and not by obeying the law." Romans 3:28, NLT We say it a lot at New Chapel, we aren t saved by good works, but to good works. God is not moved by your good works, your nice personality, or even your need- God is moved by your faith. It is your faith in Him that saved you, and it is your faith in His promises and His word that will keep you in relationship with Him. What religious fluff do you need to cut out of your life? What is God asking you to do in your life? Who is he asking you to bless, invite to church, and pray for? >PRAY Take some time in prayer for God to help you build your faith. Ask Him to increase your faith! Think of family members or friends in your life that you know need faithask God to minister to them. 23

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25 Day 11/August 17 For I am the Lord, I change not Malachi 3:6 KJV The Lord is the same yesterday, today, and forever! When you are reading your Bible, put yourself into the stories! He is no respecter of persons, and will come through for you just like He did for the people who lived when Jesus walked the earth. Pay attention to the character traits and lifestyles of the people God chose to use. The people weren t perfect, they didn t have it all together- they were people just like you and me! How have you looked at God like a respecter of persons? How can you change your habits to be a more consistent person? >PRAY 25

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27 Day 12/August 18 Jesus straightened up and asked her, "Woman, where are they? Has no one condemned you?" "No one, sir," she said. "Then neither do I condemn you," Jesus declared. "Go now and leave your life of sin." John 8:10-11, NIV Jesus gave us such an incredible example when it comes to dealing with people. The woman who was caught in the act of adultery above, would have been sentenced to death. But Jesus, in His perfect love, brought to attention the fact we are all sinful people-none of us without fault. The truth is that the woman was not doing what was best for her, but Jesus didn t condemn her-he showed compassion. I believe that when she walked home that day, she left her life of sin, because she experienced the perfect balance of mercy and truth. How can you walk in mercy and truth today? What areas of your life do you need to hear, neither do I condemn you? How can you practice mercy and truth today? >PRAY 27

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29 Day 13/August 19 The members of the council were amazed when they saw the boldness of Peter and John, for they could see that they were ordinary men with no special training in the Scriptures. They also recognized them as men who had been with Jesus. Act 4:13, NLT Be like Peter and John, and live your life so boldly in your faith, that those around you wouldn t be able to deny the existence of your God. This just takes spending time with God. Be in communication with Him daily, and watch His wisdom and favor follow you. That is going to get people s attention! When people meet you, what do you want them to think of you? Are you spending time with Jesus- so much so that your life is reflecting Him? >PRAY 29

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31 Day 14/August 20 Any enterprise is built by wise planning, becomes strong through common sense, and profits wonderfully by keeping abreast of the facts. Proverbs 24:3-4 At New Chapel, we like to say, Don t do anything just to do it. What we do matters! Do you live your life with excellence-is it a good example to onlookers? Are you being wise in reaching out to people? Are you serving as unto the Lord? >PRAY Today when you begin your endeavors, start by asking God for wisdom. Be specific and ask things like, Lord, what should I focus on today? Who should I talk to today? How can I improve my way of doing things today? How can I be more excellent? The Lord honors this type of heart- one that is willing to change in order to be their very best! 31

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33 Day 15/August 21 Church Day! We invite you to join us at New Chapel, at 8:15a in the auditorium to pray! "The generous prosper and are satisfied; those who refresh others will themselves be refreshed." Proverbs 11:25, NLT Generosity is a principle established from the beginning of time. God in his perfect generosity gave dominion over His creation to man. Then in the greatest act of generosity, He sent His one and only Son to die on a cross for us. His perfect son Jesus, became sin for us. We have an incredible example of generosity. Follow His example today. What areas can you be more generous in? How are you practicing generosity? >PRAY Take some time in prayer and ask God how you can practice generosity with your time, words, and resource. There are many different outlets involving generosity. 33

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35 Day 16/August 22 "Delight yourself also in the Lord, And He shall give you the desires of your heart." Psalm 37:4 I m sorry if you ve ever been told that God doesn t have time for your little requests. The Lord didn t die on the cross with the only intention of getting you to heaven. He died thinking about the life you could have after His death. His desire is for you to have an abundant life. It s what His Word says! Don t feel bad about your goals and desires- just be sure to check yourself, and make sure your heart is pure. What desires in your heart do you feel are influenced by God? Are you delighting yourself in the Lord? >PRAY 35

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37 Day 17/August 23 And a certain woman, which had an issue " Mark 5:25, KJV Not picking on the women here just pointing out that people have always had issues, and we always will until we get to heaven! Know that you are not alone in your issues. Do know that there is a solution for any issue you re going through. His name is Jesus. He offers us a beautiful exchange for all of the drama and imperfect situations in our lives. What are your issues? What do you need God to exchange your issues for? >PRAY Practice this exchange, by saying out loud, Lord, I give (insert issue), to you. I ask that you would exchange this for breakthrough in my life! 37

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39 Day 18/August 24 The fundamental fact of existence is that this trust in God, this faith, is the firm foundation under everything that makes life worth living. It s our handle on what we can t see. The act of faith is what distinguished our ancestors, set them above the crowd. By faith, we see the world called into existence by God s word, what we see created by what we don t see. Hebrews 11:1-3 (MSG) Selah. What areas can you see God s faithfulness in your life? What area do you need to work on your faith in? >PRAY 39

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41 Day 19/August 25 " the Father of compassion and the God of all comfort, Who comforts us in all our troubles, so that we can comfort those in any trouble with the comfort we ourselves have received from God." 2 Corinthians 1:3-4, NIV The Bible talks a lot about praying according to the will of God. The will of God is made clear above- He wants to comfort you! There are a lot of different things that require comfort and can look different for everyone. What areas do you need comfort in? What does God s Word say about the issue you need comfort in? >PRAY Whatever the source of your need for comfort, ask the Lord to be your comforter. He has made it clear above, that His will is for you to have peace in your heart. His Word says that He wants to freely give you what you ask according to His will! 41

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43 Day 20/August 26 "Blessed is she who believed, for there will be a fulfillment of those things which were told her from the Lord." Luke 1:45, NKJV If God tells you something, hold onto that word! Don t grow weary while waiting for it to come to past. If God said it, He meant it! You will be blessed by God for believing! God is impressed by faith! What are you believing God for? Who are you believing God for (for salvation, for healing, for an answered pray, etc)? >PRAY 43

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45 Day 21/August 27 Stop judging others, and you will not be judged. Stop criticizing others, or it will all come back on you. If you forgive others, you will be forgiven. Luke 6:37 NLT It is common practice in our household, to point out the fact that we don t know everyone s story. Even the people who we think we know, we don t know their whole story, from beginning to end. You know your own flaws, you see your own ugly, and I imagine you could come up with a million excuses to why you do, say, and act the way you do. But do we extend that same grace to others? Who have you been judging without knowing their story? How can you make things right with the people you ve been judging? >PRAY For the people you struggle with judging, ask the Lord to give you the heart that He has towards that person. It s a dangerous prayer because it works. When you willingly ask the Lord to change your heart, He will. It s a powerful thing. *Tonight is our Back to School Movie Night, featuring the movie, Angry Birds! It s at New Chapel at 7p. The suggested admission is a child s item to donate to Mel Trotter. There will be free pop and popcorn! Tomorrow is Sunday! We invite you to join us early at New Chapel, at 8:15a in the auditorium to pray! 45

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