February 29, 2012 by Worship Director.

“There is no fear in love. But perfect love drives out fear.” —1 John 4:18

When I was a child, Dad was president of Wesley College. When I was eight years old, Dad  made me a member of the worship team and paid me ten cents each time I sang in a service. I  kept my dimes in little bank the size of a dime coin roll. I had saved almost five dollars.  I counted and stacked them in dollar -size piles and put them back in the bank. One day, a lady where we were having dinner held out her tightly closed hand and said, “I’ll trade what I have in my hand for your bank and dimes!” I was curious to know what was in her hand, but I knew what was in my bank and how long it took me to accumulate my treasure; fifty dimes represented fifty songs! After much inner struggle, I decided to keep my dime bank and five dollars. When the lady opened her hand, I saw a hundred dollar bill! I was so disappointed that I cried.

Many people are like that, holding on to their puny little desires and toys, a few little joys, some happiness, a few fleeting thrills, along with a lot of fears, frustrations, heartaches, and anxieties. Then Jesus Christ, the Liberator comes along and offers to trade them eternal life—a life of inner peace and freedom, purpose and meaning, fulfillment and joy. Yet, they cling to their little empty or partially full lives because they are afraid to trust him, afraid to lose that which will not last or satisfy for what is eternal and will satisfy immeasurably more than we can ask or imagine (Eph 3:20). I didn’t know if I could trust that lady, and I didn’t know what she was offering in exchange for my bank, but as you spend with our Lord, listening to his thoughts, delighting yourself in him, getting the desires of his heart, making them the desires of your heart, you learn to trust him because his offer of salvation and abundant life is clear. “There is no fear in love. Perfect love drives out fear” (1 John 4:18).

Jesus Christ has proven himself across ages of time to be absolutely trustworthy. Millions of changed lives attest to his ability to save and satisfy people, who, in simple faith, trust him and ask him to come into their lives and take control. God the Father made an offer to trade gis gift of eternal life for our time on earth. He sent his Son Jesus to complete the plan and make the offer. We choose to reject or accept it. To accept God’s offer gives new life, opportunities and relationships more valuable than anything we can dream or give up. Jesus asked, “What can a man give in exchange for his soul?” (Mark 8:37).

He said, I am leaving you with a gift—peace of heart and mind—worth more than gold, silver, or anything else. What an offer! It’s like trading five dollars and a fifty cent bank for a hundred dollars—only the results of this trade are much more important, with eternal consequences and higher stakes! Choose to follow and serve Jesus Christ as your Savior and Lord and enjoy eternal life with him.

I was speaker at a men’s retreat where we gathered around a bonfire. Several gave testimonies of God’s work in their lives. One young man said, with deep emotion and tears, “I declare an end to dysfunctionality in my family tree for generations! I am going to be a godly husband and father!” That night he made a better trade than giving up five dollars for a hundred dollar bill; and his wife and children got a new husband and father. Years later, he is still soaring high with the Lord, and is a Christ-follower and leader in the church. That’s a God kind of trade! Transforming Hearts…Transforming Lives!

Thanks, Lord, for your offer to trade your eternal life for my brief life, your full life for my empty life, your presence for my loneliness. Help me to always live in intimate relationship with you, and to offer your gift to everyone I meet. I love and trust you! Amen.

- Dr. Sam Bruce; President, Sam & Sandie Bruce Ministries; Pastor, Hope Point Church,
Pearl, Mississippi; Online Instructor, Mid-America Christian University, Oklahoma City,
Oklahoma

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February 28, 2012 by Worship Director.

“For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms. Therefore put on the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand…And pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests. With this in mind, be alert and always keep on praying for all the saints. —Ephesians 6:12–13, 18

Years ago before the formal focus on the 360 Revolution concept, I used to pray for those around me who didn’t know Jesus. The 360 Revolution focuses on looking 360 degrees around you to see where God is at work and to get involved, praying for at least three persons six times a week who don’t know Jesus and missing zero opportunities to share God’s love.

One of my ministry fields was the gym. I used to compete as a power lifter and was in the weight room most days of the week. I would write down on my prayer list some of the guys I saw regularly and had interaction with and would pray for them regularly. What I found is that when I prayed for them to find Jesus and for the opportunity to share Jesus’ love with them, some incredible things happened. I remember I had been praying, and there was a guy over at the dumbbells working out. He said something to me that gave this huge opening to talk about spiritual things. It was just crazy how it happened, and I believe without regular prayer on my part, it would have never happened. God did some incredible things in that place. People came to find Jesus; others who had b and God did an incredible work. A men’s accountability/Bible study group started at Cracker Barrel, and before you know it, we had to go to more groups because it got too large. I believe without a doubt, if there hadn’t been consistent prayer, it would have never

The Bible says that we are in a spiritual battle. Paul said, “Put on the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand…And pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests. With this in mind, be alert and always keep on praying for all the saints” (Eph 6:12–13, 18). We need the weapon of prayer.

For us to see lives changed, I challenge you, no, better yet, I dare you to try to pray six days a week for three people who don’t know Jesus. Pray that you would have a chance to share God’s love. You will be amazed at what God does. I double dare you!
Don’t be discouraged if nothing happens immediately. Sometimes it is the faithful prayers over years that bring someone to Jesus. I prayed for over two years for a guy who was against any spiritual conversations. Finally, God opened up a window and, well that’s another story for another day.

Lord, I want to be part of the 360 Revolution, looking 360 degrees around me for the three people who don’t know you, those you want me to pray for 6 times a week, missing opportunities to share your love with them. As I stand in the gap in prayer for them, Lord, please go before me to prepare their hearts to receive your awesome love and life- transforming power. May they never be the same because they have met you in all of your healing love and grace. Thanks, Lord, for letting me be involved in your plan of transforming hearts…transforming lives. Amen.

- Dr. Andy Stephenson, Leader of Youth and Family Ministries, Church of God Ministries

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February 27, 2012 by Worship Director.

“Martha, Martha,” the Lord answered, “you are worried and upset about many things, but only one thing is needed.” —Luke 10:41‒42a.

I was visiting a home in a South Carolina mill town when the conversation turned to prayer. In the course of our discussion, I confessed that I sometimes let daily concerns distract me from communicating freely with God. “I know what you mean,” the lady of the house said. “It was so difficult for me to pray while I was having financial troubles a few months ago. I worried so much, my prayers didn’t seem to go higher than the ceiling. “I couldn’t sleep one night because of it. I paced the floor and cried out to God, but still I could get no sense of peace about my situation. So I went outside and climbed up the ladder that a roofing crew had left there in the middle of a repair job, just to sit on the roof and pray. I said, ‘Lord, I don’t want anything to come between us—not even this roof.’ Right away, I felt God’s peace settle over me and I knew I would be all right.”

The roof wasn’t the obstacle, of course. Preoccupation with her financial needs (including the roof repair) was. So when she put herself physically in a posture that disregarded all of those concerns, she was able to converse with God freely again. I don’t recommend that you climb up on the roof in the middle of the night. But see if you can put yourself in a posture that disregards everything distracting you from God so that you can talk freely with him and he with you.

Lord, I don’t want anything to distract me from You, not even this ________________. The one thing I really need is my relationship with you. Amen!

-Joe Allison, Coordinator, Publishing and Creative Services for Church of God Ministries, Inc.; CGM Liaison, Transformation Team

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February 26, 2012 by Worship Director.

If anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has gone, the new has come! —2 Corinthians 5:17

Sienna came into my office and crumpled dejectedly into the chair across from my desk. With tears streaming from her eyes, she said, “Pastor Sam, I want out of my marriage. Shawn and I were married sixteen years ago. When we started dating, I was on a rebound from a broken relationship. I discovered I was pregnant, and even though we didn’t really have any feelings of true love for each other, we decided to marry for the sake of the baby. There has never been any real love in our marriage. Now, Shawn is drinking too much. He’s becoming verbally abusive, and I’m tired of putting up with him.”

Her words, “I just want out!” reverberated through sobs and tears. My “Daddy heart” wanted to give her comfort, and say, “It’s OK. You’ve given the relationship sixteen years; it’s not getting any better, so it’s all right to get out.” But I closed my eyes and silently prayed for wisdom, and both Sienna and I were shocked at the words that tumbled out of my mouth. I said, “Sienna, our Lord Jesus Christ can give you and Shawn a love for each other that you’ve never had. He can heal your marriage and give you a Christian home like you’ve never dreamed!” I’ll never forget Sienna’s reaction as long as I live. She jumped up. I thought she was coming to hug me for my words of wisdom. But she screamed at me, “That’s not what I wanted to hear from you!” She ran out into the hall, slammed the door, and left. It was so loud that my secretary ran up the stairs to see if I was OK! And I thought, through tears, “Well, Sam, you really helped her a lot, didn’t you! You’ll probably never see her again!” But I did! Shawn and Sienna were out of church for several weeks; they showed up one Sunday morning. Sienna asked if she could talk with me.

I hoped things were better. But it was a repeat performance: “I want out!…“Jesus can put new love in your hearts!”…Scream: “That’s not what I wanted to hear!”…Gone! That scene repeated itself several times in the next year. I began to believe it was a hopeless relationship. Shawn and Sienna were bound by incorrigible defeat. Months later, I was directing our choir in the musical Living Witnesses. In preparation for the song There’s Life in Jesus’ Name, the instructions said to have a testimony of the transforming power of God in someone’s life. No one but I knew who it would be. Sienna walked to the microphone. She told the whole story of her and Shawn’s brokenness, her visits with me, the advice I gave her, her screams at me; running out on me, the counseling they received, prayers of family and friends for their reconciliation. She looked down at Shawn, and said, through teary eyes, “Shawn, I want to tell you today in front of all our friends that I love you with the love Jesus placed in my heart for you—a love we never had in all the years of our marriage!” She thanked the congregation and me for our prayers and support. As they embraced in the aisle, everyone stood up and erupted into spontaneous praise and applause. The choir exploded into singing There’s Life in Jesus’ Name! And we all knew there was joy in heaven that day as Shawn and Sienna went soaring from incorrigible defeat to incredible praise! The same God who healed, restored, and refreshed Shawn and Sienna can take you and your loved ones soaring from incorrigible defeat to incredible praise! new creations! Transforming hearts…transforming lives!

Thanks, Lord, for the awesome power of love, prayer, listening, and the Word to transform hearts…transform lives! For making everything fresh and new in Christ!

- Dr. Sam Bruce, President, Sam & Sandie Bruce Ministries; Pastor, Hope Point Church, Pearl, Mississippi; Online Instructor, Mid-America Christian University, Oklahoma City, Oklahoma

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February 25, 2012 by Worship Director.

Yet this I call to mind and therefore I have hope. —Lamentations 3:21

Dr. Ann Smith shouted a greeting as she walked through our offices a few days ago. She was carrying a cane but scarcely seemed to use it, so I commented on how well she appeared to be recovering from hip surgery. She confirmed this and said she was enjoying a new book I had sent her. “That was the strangest thing about being laid up after the surgery,” she said. “I wasn’t able to read anything. For the first time I can recall, I had no desire to read. I just wanted to concentrate on healing.” She smiled and added, “Even so, the Lord brought to mind so many things I’d read before. I had time to reflect on them during my convalescence, so I didn’t feel deprived at all.”

Ann Smith is such an eager student that it’s hard to imagine her not reading for any extended period of time. (Obviously, she was perplexed by it too.) Yet God used that time of “fasting” from study to deepen her relationship with him. He called to her mind resources she had already accumulated.

The writer of Lamentations shared a similar testimony from the Exile: “Yet this I call to mind and therefore I have hope: Because of the LORD’s great love we are not consumed, for his compassions never fail. They are new every morning; great is your faithfulness. I say to myself, ‘The LORD is my portion; therefore I will wait for him.’ The LORD is good to those whose hope is in him, to the one who seeks him; it is good to wait quietly for the salvation of the LORD” (Lam 3:21–26).

Lord, when we are deprived of things that normally sustain us, we trust you to sustain us. Call to mind your faithful provisions of the past, and help us to wait patiently for the future you are preparing. Amen!

-Joe Allison, Coordinator, Publishing and Creative Services for Church of God Ministries, Inc.; CGM Liaison, Transformation Team Connect/Refresh

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February 24, 2012 by Worship Director.

When they saw the courage of Peter and John and realized that they were unschooled, ordinary men, they were astonished and they took note that these men had been with Jesus. —Acts 4:13

You know, there’s just something attractive, captivating, and fascinating about a true Christ Follower. People notice something different – life-transforming – about a Christ Follower. Peter and John were recognized as Christ-followers; Acts says that the people around them “took note that these men had been with Jesus.” With means to be in close association with a person; to participate in what he is and does—to transfer or sequence (1) that person’s qualities to other people. It’s more than being physically present with a person; it’s being transformed by taking on his/her characteristics. With means a particular order in which related things follow each other (2)

We have a sequencer, a digital recorder that you can play a midi keyboard into, and it records (sequences) whatever we play, every note, piano, strings, trumpets, drums. When you play it back, there’s no doubt that it’s your recording. If you heard the live and recorded versions, you couldn’t tell the difference. That is what Christ Followers are: we live so closely to Jesus that his thoughts, attitudes, motives, desires, and actions are played back or sequenced through us. When Jesus was ready to select his apostles, to whom he would entrust the planting of his church that would grow and thrive throughout time to bring people to him, Mark says, “Jesus went up on a mountainside and called to him those he wanted, and they came to him. He appointed twelve—designating them apostles—that they might be with him and that he might send them out to preach and to have authority to drive out demons” (Mark 3:13–15). They were with him so they could participate in his plans; He could sequence into them his God-breathed Word, unconditional love, goals of evangelism and disciple-making, life-transforming power, and unending resources to fulfill his plans. —his presence transforms who I am. The fact that Peter and John had been with Jesus made them so confident, so sure of themselves, that there was no question that they were related to him; his character was sequenced into their lives—Christ-followers!

When the people saw their courage, they couldn’t take their eyes off them standing there so confident, so sure! They were astonished and took note that these men had been with Jesus. When people meet us, are they astonished and do they take note that we have been with Jesus? Do they see us as sequencers, channels of his God-breathed Word, unconditional love, goals of evangelism and disciple-making, life-transforming power, and unending resources to fulfill his plans?

I’ll never forget that night. A group of men who met weekly for Monday Night Football at the Trail’s End Saloon, on a ranch just outside town, said, “Sam, we invited you here because there’s something different about you, and we want to know what it is. You don’t push us; you just live it, and we know you care about us; we want you to help us understand more about it.” In the coming years, around the campfire, with plates full of hickory-fired steak and sausage, God sequenced his love and life-changing power through me to a group of men who noticed that I had been with Jesus. This is not about me; it’s about Christ in and through me. Transforming Hearts…Transforming Lives!

Lord, I want to be with you like that. Use me as your sequencer to transfer your God-breathed Word, unconditional love, goals of evangelism and disciple-making, life-transforming power, and unending resources to all you bring across my path. Thanks. Amen. (3)

- Dr. Sam Bruce, President, Sam & Sandie Bruce Ministries; Pastor, Hope Point Church, Pearl, Mississippi; Online Instructor, Mid-America Christian University, Oklahoma City, Oklahoma
1 Strong’s Talking Greek & Hebrew Dictionary, WordSearch Bible Program.
2 Oxford University Press Dictionary, Corel WordPerfect.
3 Bruce, Samuel K. Your Life Repeated in My Life: Story Devotions for Christ Followers. Unpublished.

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February 23, 2012 by Worship Director.

For we live by believing and not by seeing. —2 Corinthians 5:7 NLT

Elvie was a new Christian and a mother of two young children. Her husband Dick was a former Golden Glove boxing champion, and he liked to go out drinking on the weekends with his friends. Often, Dick and his friends would get involved in fights at the local bar. Elvie knew there was little hope that she would be able to remain faithful in her walk with the Lord unless her husband also got saved. For several months, Elvie prayed and prayed for Dick with no effect. She went to the altar at every church service. The congregation became so concerned for her that they also began to pray fervently for Dick. Even during the offering prayer, someone prayed that Dick would to come to know Jesus as his Savior. Months went by; nothing seemed to change. One Sunday morning, Elvie felt that the Lord was calling her to do more than pray. She didn’t know much about fasting, but she knew that it said in the Bible that people often used fasting in addition to prayer. Elvie felt like God wanted her to fast for three days for Dick’s salvation. She decided she would try it and see what would happen. She asked her sister and her sister-in-law to support her in prayer during her fast.

Dick was the last person Elvie wanted to know that she was fasting, because she knew he would do everything he could think of to stop her. When dinner time came, Dick immediately sensed Elvie was up to something. He insisted that he was not going to eat any dinner unless Elvie ate something first. When Dick continued to insist, Elvie explained to him that she was fasting. Dick’s immediate reply was, “I’m not getting saved and you can’t make me.”

The week went on, and Elvie prepared meals for her husband and the children, but she didn’t break her own fast. Often, she would wait until Dick got involved in watching something on television, and then Elvie would sneak off down the hall to the bathroom to pray. Every single time, Dick would follow her and stand outside the bathroom door. “I can hear you in there praying,” he said, “and I want you to stop it right now.” Elvie told Dick that she needed to pray, and he couldn’t stop her from doing it. After the third day, she felt like the Lord had released her from her obligation. There still seemed to be no change in Dick. He continued to insist that he wasn’t getting saved, he didn’t need to be saved, didn’t want to be saved, and nobody was going to make him. Friday night came, as he normally did, Dick went out to the bar with his friends. At 1:30 AM, Dick could no longer resist the convicting power of the Holy Spirit, and he rushed out of the bar and drove home as fast as he could so that Elvie could pray with him and he could get saved. He didn’t make it all the way into the house; he fell down on his face in the front yard and gave his heart to Christ. Often, when we have been praying for a deep soul burden for a very long time, it is easy for us to give in to negative thoughts about why God has not answered our prayer in the way or the time we think is right. We think God is angry or displeased with us or that he has not heard our sincere prayers. Other times, we try to help God along by attempting to create our own answers. We intervene in situations, speak out of turn, and make matters worse instead of better. When we remember that God works in his own perfect timing and in his own perfect way, we can be encouraged to continue to pray and fast for His perfect will to be done in every situation. Prayer and fasting can prepare us to be more in tune with the Holy Spirit as we pray for lives to be transformed and hearts to be changed.

Father, help us to remember that when we have prayed for a long time for something to change, the fact that there seems to be no effect does not mean you are not working on our behalf to transform the hearts of those we love the most. Help us to keep in mind that we walk by faith, not by sight. Amen.

- Rev. Mary Nichols, Associate Pastor, Green Valley Church of God, St. Albans, West Virginia

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February 22, 2012 by Worship Director.

If a man is in Christ he becomes a new person altogether - the past is finished and gone, everything has become fresh and new. All this is God’s doing, for he has reconciled us to himself through Jesus Christ; and he has made us agents of the reconciliation. —2 Corinthians 5:17–19 (Phillips)

Al, a friend of mine and a dynamic Christian high school science teacher, gave me an acrostic for the word ego, which graphically describes the results of refusing to worship God as the center of our lives. He said that EGO is Edging God Out. When the self is at the center of a life, there is no room for God. When God is edged out of a person’s life, there is no place for worship, thus our spiritual formation is checkmated.

The ego-centered lifestyle is the path to absolute defeat, utter frustration, total disappointment, complete havoc in a person’s life. Al was the perfect example of Edging God Out. Every time I think about Al, I remember that when I first met him he was an atheist and an evolutionist high school science teacher. I didn’t like him because he kept trying to pull our high school band director away from God and church. Then, all of a sudden, I didn’t see him again for more than ten years. He and his wife Abby showed up in our church on a Sunday morning. When I first saw him come in, a terrible thought ran across my mind, “What’s he doing here?!” After the service, Al said, “Pastor Sam, do you remember me?” “Oh, yes, I sure do…!” I responded, as my thoughts ran wild for a moment, but they were interrupted when he said, “Do you remember, back in 1972 when you had The New Philharmonic Christian Rock Band here at the church?” I said, “Yes, I do. We had over six hundred kids here that night, and probably half of them came forward to accept Christ into their lives.” Al continued, “I was here that night, too; I was invited by Mike, the high school band director, who played trombone with the band.” I wasn’t prepared for his next words: “I too came forward that night and accepted Jesus into my life as Savior and Lord, and I changed from being an atheist and evolutionist to becoming a Christian and creationist!”
Al was drafted into the U. S. Army and was sent to the war in Viet Nam. After he got out of the army, he and Abby lived in Southern California for a while, and they had just moved back to Madera, where he got his old science teacher job back; but now he was teaching kids about the Creator God!

He became an integral part of our congregation and our dynamic Men’s Ministries. One morning, at our men’s weekly breakfast Bible study, he gave his testimony and shared the EGO acrostic with us. He had moved from being a critic of God-stuff to being a proclaimer of the life-transforming power of God in Christ. He changed from edging God out to inviting God in! Talk about no longer being defined by the past! Al met the New Definer and received a new definition! Al became a new person altogether—the past is finished and gone; everything has become fresh and new. Now, that’s Transforming Hearts…Transforming Lives! Regarding The New Philharmonic Christian Rock Band, when Mike, the band director, and I set up that event, we also had them perform at the high school on Friday and announced to the them that the band would be at our church on Sunday. We had no idea what God had in mind, but we prayed that something awesome would happen, and it did! Al came because he trusted Mike; he saw a new definition of Christianity in him and met the New Definer as his Savior!

Empower me, Lord, to always be a Christ-follower who reflects the new definition of Christianity so that others will meet you,the new definer as their Savior! Help me to be the kind of Christ-follower who brings people into the presence of God and God into the experience of people. I’m yours! Amen.

-Dr. Sam Bruce, President, Sam & Sandie Bruce Ministries; Pastor, Hope Point Church, Pearl, Mississippi; Online Instructor, Mid-America Christian University, Oklahoma City, Oklahoma

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February 21, 2012 by Worship Director.

The Transformation Team Cultivate/Refresh is delighted to present these Focus 40 Devotionals for Adults for your reflection as we approach the 2012 Easter season. As we prayed together and privately, and as we discussed our theme for this year, we believed that God was leading us to focus on transforming lives, Christ Followers helping people find their way home to God. As we prayerfully reflected on that idea, we believed God led us to the theme Transforming Hearts…Transforming Lives….!

As we prayerfully selected the writers for the devotionals, we gave them some specific guidelines for them, in keeping with the theme. We asked for a relevant Scripture passage to anchor their thoughts in the life transforming Word of God. We asked that they share a story that illustrates life transformation in Christ because someone prayed, fasted, loved, served, witnessed to people, and modeled the unconditional, unlimited, unmatched love of God. We wanted them to relate to the Great Commission and/or the Great Commandments.

Then, we asked for a prayer that flows through the story, Scripture, or theme. We said that we want the fire and excitement, the thrill and ecstasy of Transforming the Culture by Being the Body of Christ; the joy of new life in Christ; the fruit of prayer, fasting, loving, witnessing, serving, modeling. We have prayed for God’s anointing on the writers and those who read the stories. As you read them, you may find yourself or someone you love in them; when you do, ask God what He wants to do in your life or their lives as a result of the story’s message. Invite others to share the stories with you. Tell them. E-mail them. Mail them. Facebook them. Twitter them. Read them in person to others. Be blessed by them! Enjoy them! Let us know your stories of how God uses these stories in your life or others you share them with. Spread the joy of partnering with God in Transforming Hearts…Transforming Lives!

Unpacking the Focus 40 Devotions. . . Transforming Hearts…Transforming Lives . . !
When you read the following Focus 40 Daily Devotions and focus on their message to you, you might want to spend a few minutes unpacking them, writing their meaning to you in your journal. Here are some reflection starters for you to consider:

1. What would the implementation of this devotional thought look like in your life? Are you there yet? What are your dreams regarding this concept?

2. What, if anything, keeps this from being real in your life? What changes—in attitudes, actions, motives, desires, and habits—would need to occur for God to accurately reproduce his character in you?

3. Reflecting on the Focus 40 theme, Transforming Hearts…Transforming Lives! What covenants with God would you like to make today regarding the message of this devotional?

4. Reflecting on the Christ Follower Principle Pointing People to the Way Home to God, write a prayer about what you want God to do in and through your life, based on this devotional.
- Dr. Sam Bruce, Editor

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February 20, 2012 by Worship Director.

As you begin the Focus 40 devotional season, realizing that fasting is something we need to grow into, here are four things we need to remember in the practice of fasting.

1.  F—Focus on God
What should be our primary reason for fasting? We fast to focus on God, to cultivate intimacy with him. When we truly seek him, we will find him (Jer 29:13). What would prove to be the wrong focus for fasting? When we do it to impress people; this leads to pride. (Matt 6:16) When we do it, not out of love for God, but as a duty to follow a set of rules; this leads to legalism. (Matt 9:14–17)

2.  A—Ask God
Why do we need to ask God? Because he wants us to come to him and ask. He delights when we ask, for it shows humility and God-dependence rather than self-reliance (Heb 11:6). It proves that we have faith in him. We come to him believing that he is greater than our needs and that he is a rewarder of those who seek him.

3.  S—Submit to God
What can we expect when we fast? We can expect to hear him better. God will speak to us and will answer in response to our prayers and queries. And what does God expect when we hear him clearly in a fast? Obey what he says.

4.  T—Transformation
What is transformation’s relation to fasting? It should be the end-result of fasting. Fasting is useless without real life-change. Because fasting brings us into deeper intimacy with God, our love for him should also grow, which should enable us to obey what he commands. As we are changed, we must help others change, by witnessing for Christ.

- Rev. Randy Montgomery, Chair, Transformation Team Connect/Refresh; Online Instructor, Mid-America Christian University

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