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Into and Overview. 3 Prayer Opportunities.. 4 24-Hour Prayer Chain.. 4 Prayer Drive Thru Event.. 4 Couples Prayer Breakfast 4 Singles Prayer Breakfast... 4 Growing In Grace Prayer and Study.. 4 Fasting.. 5 What Is A Fast? 5 Why Do We Fast?.. 5 Different Types of Fasts 5 Practical Points of Fasting. 6 Fasting Sample Menu Ideas... 7 Prayer.. 8 Personal Devotion 8 SOAP Method. 9 Reading Through Mark In 14 Days... 11 Daily Corporate Prayer List..... 12 January Prayer & Fasting Calendar. 16 Daily Devotional Reading.. 17 2
We are setting apart fourteen days in January of 2018 to seek the Lord for ourselves, our families, church, city and government. Our expectation is that God will speak to us and move powerfully in our life during and after this specific time of prayer, fasting and personal devotion. We envision this fasting, reading, and praying movement much like a seed being planted into the ground of our lives that God will water and cause to grow as 2018 unfolds. We encourage you to prepare your heart for how God will use this personally in your life. You may have questions about fasting so please read through the rest of this booklet for more information. You will also read about all of the exciting opportunities of prayer, reading and devotional studies that we will all participate in as a church body during our 14 days of prayer, fasting, personal devotion and corporate Bible reading. We re expecting BIG things from God in 2018! We pray that you will join us on this New Journey To The Next Level in 2018!!! Over the 14 day fasting period you will have the opportunity to read through the Book of Mark as Pastor McKissic begins a new sermon series on the Book of Mark. To help us prepare for the sermon series, we will corporately read through the entire book of Mark over the 14 days. This may not be the easiest thing to accomplish while having your personal devotional time and reading as well, but the benefits will far outweigh the sacrifice. This is going to be a life changing experience for all those who commit to the process and keep up with the reading plan. We will read one (1) chapter per day and two (2) chapters each Sunday, beginning Tuesday, January 2, 2018. Please join us for our corporate Bible reading. If you did not get a 3-month CBC devotional booklet to use for December, January and February, you will find the pages for January 2-15 in the back of this booklet. Please read the daily devotional to help you stay focused on spiritual things throughout the fasting period. There may be additional books available in the church foyers. Prayer and fasting go hand in hand. With that in mind, we have orchestrated a variety of prayer opportunities for you to participate in during our prayer and fasting period. It is very important for you to have a personal prayer life as you are fasting and reading with our corporate movement. Write down your personal prayer requests and watch God answer your prayers! We would also like for you to pray over our daily corporate prayer list in the back of this booklet as well. Each day we will have a specific area of prayer that we re asking everyone to focus on while praying over their personal requests each day. 3
Join us for our Friday, January 5 th at 6pm to Saturday, January 6 th at 6pm. Sign up for a 30 minute, 1 hour, or more time slots and join us in room 160 as we call upon God to show us His power and change our lives for the better. You don t want to miss the opening hour of praise and worship Friday, January 5 th at 6pm. Maybe you d like to come out for the midnight hour of praise Saturday at midnight or a time close to the close out of the prayer chain with worship at 5pm Saturday, January 6 th. If you are not able to make any of those times there are 21 additional hours you can come by and pray with the prayer team. Saturday, January 13 th we will take prayer into the community by hosting another fun at the church from 9am to 11:30am. We will need volunteers to pray with people who drive through our prayer lines, hold signs along Matlock Road encouraging people to drive through for prayer, drink station volunteers to distribute coffee and hot chocolate and those equipped to share the gospel with anyone requesting salvation. Please sign up today to volunteer. God gave us the institution of marriage and with that institution comes love and joy, as well as hardships and trials. Don t miss our version of Stone Love, a video driven prayer breakfast with couples from within our own church. Tickets are $5pp. Join us Saturday, January 20 th at 9am in the MPR. Being single in the kingdom of God has joy and freedom that couples won t understand. It also has disappointments and questions that often go unanswered. Join the singles for a prayer breakfast focused on issues and concerns that face singles in the Kingdom of God. Tickets are $5pp. Join us Saturday, January 20 th at 9am in the foyer of building A. Join us Wednesday nights as we grow in grace with an hour of praise, prayer, and Bible study. Based on Colossians 3:16 and II Peter 3:18 we will have 20 minutes of prayer, 20 minutes of praise and 20 minutes of Bible study each Wednesday from 6-7pm. We will have daily prayer opportunities at the church as well. Please see the prayer calendar at the back of this booklet. 4
But the days will come when the bridegroom will be taken away from them, and then they will fast. Matthew 9:15b NKJV Fasting is when someone or a group of people abstain from food (fully or partially) for a specific period of time in order to seek God through prayer. Many people in the Bible practiced fasting as a spiritual discipline or in response to something specific. In the Old Testament, Israel was required by God to fast collectively at least once a year on the Day of Atonement as well as other occasions. In the New Testament we have records of the early church fasting and praying together for specific reasons and reliable church history tells us that the early church practiced fasting twice a week, usually on Wednesday and Friday. Knowing what a fast is doesn t necessarily mean we understand its purpose. We can find many good Scriptural reasons for fasting and below you will find a short list of some of these reasons. It s important to remember that we not only fast and pray for ourselves, but also for those around us. 1. To humble ourselves to God (repentance) - Psalm 35:13, 1 Samuel 7:6, Ezra 9 2. To come closer to God - James 4:8 3. To understand God s Word (revelation) - Ephesians 1:17-22 4. To know God s will or direction - Acts 13:1-2 5. To seek healing/deliverance - Isaiah 58, Matthew 17:21 6. To seek God s intervention - 2 Samuel 12:16-23, 2 Chronicles 20:3 7. To intercede for others - Daniel 9:3 There are many different ways to do a fast. The most important part of fasting is the time we spend with God in prayer. If we deny ourselves food and do not pray then we will accomplish nothing. The following types of fasts are simply references to what we can do as we seek the Lord in prayer. 1. Full Fast A full fast is where you go completely without food for a specific amount of time. There are at least four references in the Bible where people fasted food and water; however we are only referencing food as a full fast for obvious reasons. If you choose to do a full fast then we recommend you consult with others prior to doing so, especially if you take any kinds of medication. 5
2. Partial Fast A partial fast is to simply go without a meal or two during the day of your fast. For example, you could fast from dinner or lunch and spend an extended amount of time in prayer in place of that meal. There are no rules to this kind of fasting but you should decide beforehand what you will do and stick to it as with all fasts. 3. Daniel Fast This kind of fast comes from Daniel chapter 10, where Daniel had a terrifying vision that caused him to abstain from all pleasant food and drink. If you choose to do this kind of fast then essentially you will be abstaining from all meats, sweets, and treats. Most people stick to fruits, vegetables and nuts or similar kinds of protein. There are many resources online that could provide healthy options with this fast. 4. Media Fast/Soul Fast (Daniel 6:18) Sometimes we are unable to participate in abstaining from food for various health reasons, however, this does not mean we cannot fast and pray. There are times we need to refocus certain areas of our lives that are out of balance. For example, you might choose to stop using social media or watching television for the duration of the fast and then carefully bring that element back into your life in healthy doses at the conclusion of the fast. We strongly encourage you to replace forms of entertainment (TV, movies, internet surfing, social media) with prayer and intentional time with family. God often uses this kind of fast to quiet the noise in our life and increase our ability to hear His voice. 1. Plan your fast - what kind of fast? How long? Write your plan out! We are corporately fasting as a church family (all together) for 14 days from January 2 15, 2018. 2. Be specific with your fasting - know why you re fasting and what you re praying for. Write down your personal prayer requests as well as pray over the corporate church prayer list. 3. Plan your prayer time for each day - when will you pray? Plan it out. Mark your location and time that you will pray each day at your home, on your job, and at the church. Being intentional helps you accomplish your goal. 4. Journal your fast - God will speak to you, but it may mean more at another time. Write about your fast experience, what you heard from God, how you felt each day and what you heard Him say. If you don t journal it on paper, put it in your phone! 5. Drink lots of water - we get most of our water from food, so double up on your water. The great thing about increasing your water intake during the fast, is the amazing health benefit you ll get from the fast. God is amazing in how He asks us to fast and turns that sacrifice into a benefit for us at the end! 6. Invite Accountability - it s good to share what you re doing with a trusted friend. The exciting thing about our church wide prayer and fasting period, is knowing that we are all doing it together. There is accountability and comradery within our church as we fast and pray together. 6
Sample Menu 1: Fasting on Fruits, Vegetables, Juices, and Water Breakfast Fruit smoothie with whey protein Mid-morning Snack Fresh fruit or fresh vegetables Lunch Raw vegetable salad with light, organic dressing and vegetable broth soup Mid-afternoon Snack Fresh fruit or fresh vegetables Dinner Fresh salad with light, organic dressing and steamed or grilled vegetables Sample Menu 2: Fasting Liquids Only Breakfast Fruit smoothie with whey protein Mid-morning Snack Herbal tea or vegetable broth soup Lunch Raw, juiced vegetables Mid-afternoon Snack Fresh fruit juice or fruit smoothie with whey protein Dinner Vegetable juice or vegetable broth soup Sample Menu 3: Modified Daniel Fast Breakfast 1-2 servings whole grains with fresh fruit juice Mid-morning Snack Fresh fruit or fresh chopped vegetables Lunch 1-2 servings whole grains, fresh salad with legumes and light, organic dressing Mid-afternoon Snack Fresh fruit juice or fruit smoothie with whey protein Dinner 1-2 servings of whole grains; fresh salad with legumes and light, organic dressing 7
As you prepare for the next 14 days, it can be tempting to start thinking of a laundry list of prayers you d love to see answered. We really want to encourage you to keep this simple. Think about the top two or three things most pressing on your heart and zone in on those with God. Write them down in the space provided below, and be open to hearing what God wants to show you in those areas. The breakthroughs, miracles, and answers to your prayers will be by-products of drawing closer to Jesus. When praying, make your primary goal to know Jesus more and experience Him. Pray prayers of total surrender, and aim to glorify God with your life. Focus first on what s right about Him, such as His goodness and His greatness, and see everything else through that filter. Most simply, make time to pray daily. Don t overcomplicate this! Just talk to God. Have that place and time where you can seek Him every day. If you don t plan to pray, you won t. If you find it a challenge to disconnect from the busyness of your day, engaging in worship music is a great way to prepare your heart for prayer. During this fast, I am praying and believing God for: Just like prayer and fasting, reading your Bible is about connecting to God in a more powerful way. It is not about duty but about relationship. When we engage God through reading His Word, we engage the very presence of God. His Word is living and active! As we read our Bible, we are drawing closer to God and positioning ourselves to hear from Him in particular ways. Once again, as with prayer, choose the time and the place where you are going to read your Bible and devotional every single day, and come prepared to hear what He wants to tell you. 8
Here are three quick things we d like to share with you about how to get the most out of your devotional time with God. 1. READ CONSISTENTLY It is better to read a little every day than to ty and knock out two hours of Bible reading or devotions in one sitting. It is so important to digest the Word in absorbable chunks. Don t bite off more than you can chew, and certainly don t compare your performance with that of others. If you miss a few days, pick up at the next reading, but stay with it and don t give up. The key is to keep this simple and make it sustainable. As a church body, we are reading through the Book of Mark during the 14 days of prayer and fasting. Beginning Tuesday, January 2 start by reading one (1) chapter per day. On Sundays, January 7 th and 14 th, you will need to read two (2) chapters. Our reading of the Book of Mark will coincide with the new sermon series that Pastor will begin January 7 th The Pathway To Power: Seeing Jesus Through The Eyes of Mark's Gospel. 2. READ PRAYERFULLY Talk to God as you re reading. Don t rush through. If you come across something you don t understand, pause for a moment and ask God about it. Reading prayerfully is making space and time to talk to God and giving Him time and space to talk to you. Taking time to meditate on God s Word is just as important as reading it. 3. READ EXPECTANTLY You are about to partake of the bread of life, so foster an attitude of expectancy. Believe that God is going to speak to you through His Word. With meditation on the ideas and thoughts recorded in your journal, be prepared to do something with what He shows you. A great, simple way to journal your devotionals is to use the SOAP method. 4. SOAP METHOD Scripture Observation Application Prayer The SOAP method is used like this: S is for Scripture. Read prayerfully. Take notice of which Scripture(s) catches your attention and mark it in your Bible. When you re done, reread the verse(s) you marked and look for one that particularly speaks to you. Write it in your journal. O if for Observation. Focusing on that Scripture, tune in and listen to what God is saying to you though His Word. What is it about this Scripture that specifically stands out? What does God want to reveal to you or teach you? Ask the Holy Spirit to be your guide and show you what God is saying. 9
A is for Application. Think of how this verse(s) applies to your life right now. Perhaps it is instruction, encouragement, revelation of a new promise, or correction for a particular area of your life. Use your journal to write how this Scripture applies to you today. P is for Prayer. Wrap up your SOAP time in prayer. Talk to God about what you ve just read. This can be as simple as thanking Him for revealing a truth from the Scripture, or it may be asking Him for greater insight or wisdom as to how it applies to your life. Remember, prayer is all about relationship. It s a two-way conversation, so be sure to listen to what God has to say. That s it SOAP!!! It s as simple or deep as you want it to be. If you want to go deeper in your study here are additional tips. Reread the daily passage in a different Bible translation or paraphrase Utilize online resources, such as those available from crosswalk.com, youversion.com or Biblestudytools.com Utilize a commentary, such as those by Matthew Henry or online at BibleGateway.com Cross-reference your daily reading using the footnotes in your study Bible Research words in their original language using a Strong s Concordance or online at Biblehub.com Our prayer for you over the next 14 days is that your passion for God and His Word will be ignited, and that you will develop a hunger for His presence that is greater than ever before! Thank you for joining us on this New Journey To The Next Level!!! ~William Booth 10
Daily Devotional Reading January 2 January 3 January 4 January 5 January 6 January 7 January 8 January 9 January 10 January 11 January 12 January 13 January 14 January 15 11
Day 1: Cornerstone and Her Vision SALVATIONS: Pray that we will make passionate followers of Jesus leading our people into lives of true worship. Pray that our people will grow in their grace and knowledge of Jesus. DISCIPLESHIP: Pray that everything we do will help produce disciples not just converts. Pray for every member of our church body to truly be a disciple of Christ who makes disciples, who makes disciples. Pray that we will increase in our love for missions and the community around us that we serve. Pray for a servant s heart and disciplined mindsets in our church body. FAITH: Pray that we will be a body that walks in courage and in passionate response to the Word of God and the promptings of the Spirit. Pray for great expectations to be stirred this year in the life of our church and in each member. BAPTISMS: Pray for more people than we have ever seen before come to know Jesus and make a public display of faith through baptism. Pray that we will have more than one person per day, per week, baptized on Sunday mornings. PRAYER: Pray for a massive increase in the unified intercession/prayer in and for the church. Pray that our members will tremendously increase their personal prayer lives as well. Day 2: Pastor Pray for supernatural wisdom, and a strong Spirit-led discernment when it comes to decisions being made for our church body. Pray for dedicated, anointed time with God in study and preparation for the messages received from God for our church body. Pray that Pastor will have hours a day with Lord this year. Pray for our Senior Pastor, that he will hear a fresh new Word from God and deliver that Word to the people during 2018 and beyond. FAMILY: Pray for the wholeness, health, protection, covering, and unity within his family. HEALTH: Pray for the health of our Senior Pastor. Pray for discipline in the areas of eating, exercise and wellness. Pray for God s supernatural covering and healing in all areas of his life. ENCOURAGMENT: Pray that Pastor will find joy and encouragement in his call as Pastor of this flock. Pray that the Lord will give him peace of mind and fullness of joy for the great works he does at Cornerstone and beyond. Pray for Pastor s strength and love of the ministry. Day 3: Elders UNITY: Pray for unity, supernatural wisdom, and a strong Spirit-led discernment when it comes to decisions being made for our church body. FAMILIES: Pray for the wholeness, health, protection, covering, and unity within their families. ELDERS ROLES: Pray that all Elders will quickly and warmly operate in the biblical roles and expectations of an Elder. Pray that they will have wisdom and anointing when praying for the church body, caring for the body and speaking words of peace, comfort, and encouragement to the members. ENCOURAGEMENT: Pray that our Elders are strengthened and encouraged in their calling to lead and that they will find great joy in being the servant of God elected to the position of church Elder/leadership. 12
Day 4: Staff UNITY: Pray for wisdom, unity, and a strong team atmosphere among the staff members. FAMILIES: Pray for the wholeness, health, protection, covering, and unity within our staff families. STAFF: Pray that all pastoral staff will have hours a day with Lord this year. Day 5: Leaders/Deacons UNITY: Pray for unity, supernatural wisdom, and a strong Spirit-led discernment for our leaders and deacons. FAMILIES: Pray for the wholeness, health, protection, covering, and unity within their families. TRAINING: Pray for increased training for our church leadership. Pray for leaders willing to disciple others and grow in their skill sets in the various areas of ministry at Cornerstone. Day 6: Sunday Mornings MOVES OF THE SPIRIT: Pray that we don t just gather on Sundays in the name of religion or duty. Pray that we will gather in the powerful, living, and supernatural Name of Jesus. Pray for common outbreaks of the Spirit s power. CONVICTION/REPENTANCE: Pray for thousands of people to come to know Jesus in 2018. POWERFUL AND ANOINTED PREACHING: We are asking that God anoint our Pastor and preachers to always preach with unction, anointing, a solid biblical message, and from a place of powerful abiding with The Lord. SPIRIT-LED WORSHIP: Pray that our worship invites the presence and power of The Lord into our services. Pray for the anointing to rest upon our worship leaders from week to week. SUPERNATURAL HOSPITALITY: We want every person on campus to experience the touch of God and feel His love through our people. SECURITY: Pray for continued supernatural protection throughout our entire campus. Pray for wisdom and discernment for those watching over our Sunday congregations. Pray that God will send His angels to continue to surround and protect us at all times on campus. Day 7: Giving GENEROSITY: Pray for God to move people s hearts to give generously each week. To tithe off of their earnings and give in the mode of offerings as well. SPIRIT-LED DIRECTION: Pray for a Spirit-led direction in all decisions and that we would be obedient to the prompting of the Holy Spirit and His will for our church ministry, any building, upgrading or expansion projects and maintenance of the current buildings. Day 8: Youth Ministry 4:12 YOUTH: We are praying that every youth will learn at an early age what it is to become a true disciple of Jesus Christ. We are praying for more salvations, baptisms, and disciples than ever before and for a pursuit of holiness in their young lives. We are asking the Lord to pour out His Spirit on teenagers all over the DFW Metroplex and our church campus and those affected 13
by our church ministry...that God will empower them to take the Gospel seriously and to take it into their schools bringing about a new wave of revival in youth today. Pray for parents to take charge of their youth s lives and that they will bring the youth out to participate in youth ministries, Bible studies, and activities. Day 9: Children s Ministry CHRISTCARE: We are praying that every child in our nursery is regularly encountering God and His Spirit. That our workers will be infused with the joy and love needed to minister in their calling. KIDS WORSHIP: Pray that disciples are made at a young age and for tender hearts to receive the Word. Pray for their homes to be the foundation where the Word is taught, lived and demonstrated for them as they add to their knowledge at the church. Pray for parents to get involved in the lives of their children and that they will bring them out for ministry and participation in ministry. Day 10: City, State, and Federal Government, Leadership & Our Nation According to I Timothy 2:1-2 - I urge, then, first of all, that petitions, prayers, intercession and thanksgiving be made for all people - for kings and all those in authority, that we may live peaceful and quiet lives in all godliness and holiness. Pray I Peter 2:17 Pray that leaders will show proper respect to everyone, love the family of believers, fear God, that the people will honor those in charge. According to Romans 13:1 - Let everyone be subject to the governing authorities, for there is no authority except that which God has established. The authorities that exist have been established by God. Pray that the citizens will understand that God allowed people to be in position, but through prayer, God can change and direct the hearts of those in leadership. According to Proverbs 21:1 - The king s heart is a stream of water in the hand of the LORD; He turns it wherever He will. According to II Chronicles 7:14 - if my people, who are called by my name, will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, and I will forgive their sin and will heal their land. Pray that our Nation will turn from evil and wickedness and return to the Lord. Proverbs 11:14 - For lack of guidance a Nation falls, but victory is won through many advisers. Pray that our local, State, and Federal leaders will be surrounded by wisdom filled advisers who are willing to share their knowledge and that the leaders will have a heart and ear to hear and respond accordingly. Pray that our Nation is kept safe from harm and destruction and that the plans of the enemy are quickly destroyed. Day 11: Marriages/Marriage Ministry Pray that God will show married couples how to follow God s example and set aside selfishness and pride and humbly serve one another. Pray that couples will be of one spirit and of one mind and value each other above all others, looking out for each other s interests (Philippians 2:2-4). In the midst of busy lives, pray that couples will help each other take time to love each other 14
deeply from the heart, as Jesus has loved us (Ephesians 5:1-2). Pray that the love they have for each other will be an example to the world of how God loves them and gave His life for them. Pray for marriage healing, wholeness, continued strength, direction, goals, visions, leadership, support, finances, communication, intimacy and new beginnings. Day 12: Singles/Singleness In The Kingdom Pray that single men and women will come to recognize and accept that their heart s desire is to serve the Lord Jesus Christ. Pray that they will present their bodies as a living sacrifice unto The Lord. Pray that all single men and women who have an inner yearning and desire to be married, will have the desires of their hearts met and that God will bring into their life, a person of His choosing, with whom they can share their life and their future. Pray that God will guard their hearts and minds with the assurance that He knows the intimate desires and needs of their hearts - and that in His time and ways, He will bring into their life the person that He has been preparing for them the one for whom He had been preparing them for as well! Pour into each heart a stillness and peace that only comes to the one that knows that our times and futures are in God s hands and are prepared to trust every area of their futures into His loving hands. Pray that singles will embrace and accept their roles and leadership at the church with the ability and time to serve the Kingdom of God fully. Day 13: Local and Global Missions Pray that we would make significant moves to help unreached people groups encounter Jesus in a life changing way. Those people groups may be around the world or across the street. Pray that God will show us where, when and how to move when He prompts us to go. Pray for the boldness and safety of those sharing the Gospel. Day 14: Ministries At Cornerstone Pray that the ministries we have at Cornerstone will help meet the needs of those involved and those who desire to be involved. Pray that the ministries will meet the call that God has for ministry at the church. Pray that the ministries will equip those in training, strengthen the leaders and leadership, and grow spiritually and deeply while increasing numerically. 15
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