This week we are fasting and praying together as a church. This is a way that, together, we can abstain from food (or something else) as an expression of our need for God and a reminder that he lovingly sustains and provides for us.

We've also started a GBC podcast called "Life Together." In the first episode, which went live yesterday, pastors Josh and Mike discuss prayer and fasting, what it means, and why we do it.

Check out the podcast and subscribe on Apple Podcasts or Spotify.

There is also a prayer guide for the week. If you haven't picked up a copy, you can download it here. It includes daily reflections on key Bible passage, and also outlines a helpful pattern for our prayers based on the acronym PRAY.

Praise - Praise God for who He is and what He has done! For  God’s attributes, for His steadfast love and faithfulness, for His  holiness, for the gospel, for His sovereignty, for the truth that He  is good, gracious, great, and sovereign. We adore God in prayer  first as we call to mind who He is. 

Repent - Repent you are prone to wander, that you sin in  the things you do and in the things you don’t do. Sins of  commission and omission. Confess and repent you don’t always  love Jesus with all of your heart, soul, mind, and strength. Confess  and repent you seek and treasure other things more than God for  your identity, security, significance and satisfaction. Confess and  repent of your desires of the flesh, the desires of the eyes, and the  pride of life (I John 2:16). Confess that too often we live more for  our own kingdom than for God’s eternal kingdom. Lord, I believe,  help my unbelief! 

Ask - This is to be planned and spontaneous as we earnestly  ask God for something. We come to God in prayer, pleading  humbly with Him. Pray for yourself, your family, your friends,  your church, your city, your country, churches in and around  Gresham, the persecuted church, etc. Pray for particular needs  and desires. Specifically, pray God’s Word for what you know to  be true about the particular need or situation.  

Yield - Thank God for His faithful provision in your life and  yield your life to him afresh. Most of all, in light of who He is and  who you are, thank and praise Him for the gospel! The ultimate  provision that supplies for your eternal and truest need and good.  Thank God for His daily supply in your life and yield your will to  his good and perfect will. Let the Praise and Repent help you see  your current circumstance more rightly. Thank Him for the air in  your lungs. For all you have. For relationships. For His Word and  His people. Thank Him that for those who love God, He really  does “work all things together for good, for those who are called  according to his purpose” (Romans 8:28). Thank God for the small  things and the big things. Thank God that as Christians we don’t  grieve as those who have no hope (I Thess. 4:13). 

I am excited to see what the Lord does in our hearts and as a church through this week.