Below is a compilation of thoughts & words of encouragement from people who have fasted already during our 44-Day Fast For Building Funds.

To find out more about this fast or to join in, click here. 

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Justin Garden:

Fasting is not so much about not eating but more so about "feasting on God"

He must become greater; I must become less.”

John 3:30 NIV

When tempted, fast and pray

You, dear children, are from God and have overcome them, because the one who is in you is greater than the one who is in the world.

1 John 4:4 NIV

Some words...

Consecrate

Separate

Remain

Abide

Feast

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Shea Oakley 

So I was in Ephesians for my devotions today and two verses stood out. I like to switch up translations from time to time and the verses are from the KJV:

Eph 1:22 "And hath put all things under his feet,and gave him to be head over all things to the church"

Safe to say "all things" include both financial provision for a building and the building itself.

The second verse that got my attention was Eph. 2:21:

"In whom all the building fully framed together growth unto an holy temple in the Lord."

This is, of course, referring to the church as a spiritual body, but I still felt like God might have meant us to take it in a slightly more literal way just this once!

In prayer this came through: He owns "the cattle on a thousand hills and the money in a million banks."

In other words, if we pray with confidence that, if this is His will, He can and will do it, then He  will do it!

Some words that came to mind during a time of meditation on His will in this:

Hope, pray, change, adapt, live, be aware of the Spirit, receive.

I felt that, out of those words, In regards to this building and funding for it He was especially saying hope, wait, pray.

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Mandy Mercado

Dedication- Prayer that this building He provides will be a dedication to the Lord, for His purposes and His kingdom. That it will be a place where His kingdom reigns and breaks through...

Psalm 127:1 came to my mind- “unless the Lord builds a house, the work of the builders is wasted...”  

God is in control... God is sovereign. Total dependence and surrender to Him. He is the one who will make things come to pass. 

We need to be totally dependent on God, or all our efforts will be frustrated and unsuccessful. 

And I keep picturing a lighthouse. Or an oasis. Light in the midst of darkness, water in a dry place. 

A place where the lost flock to find the Light.  A place where the thirsty- both literal and spiritual- find streams of living water. 

I literally keep seeing a building lit up. Like people see it and are just running to the light. For safety, truth, protection, life. 

It’s kind of funny how the scene is kind of playing out in my head. Kind of like one of those badly shot/acted scenes in a B movie lol.

And here are thoughts from PAM:

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Pam Hess:

I've just started fasting today and thoughts came flying onto my journal pages. Not necessarily about "the building"...

Who is ready to truly be 'on mission' in our community?

-Deny self

-Sacrifice for others

-Allow others to invade our schedule, time and comfort

-Be all in for what God is calling us to do as His children, as His church

- "Go into the world and make disciples"

- Evangelize becomes important, daily

- Lost souls become a burden that compels the church 'out'

Who is really willing?

Who just says they are to 'fit in'?

"Take up your cross and follow Me"

This is not the time to be complacent and self-absorbed

This is not the time to be distracted by the things of the world, but to show the world who Christ is.

What does 'sacrifice' truly look like to you?

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Jess Dawdy:

The one thing that was strong was- I sensed the Lord saying we should be ready for him to give us far more then we are expecting or asking for! 

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Becky Livingston:

Shine For Him

This was my first devotion yesterday & the part of the smashing clay vessel really hit me.  Last week the major point in our study was sin in our lives & true repentance & then your sermon true repentance.  I love ️ it when GOD puts a specific theme in front of me.  As we approach Easter, I can not take my sin lightly . It is very serious to God- it cost Him His Son.  I spent the day asking Jesus to search my heart & show me any way I was rebelling against Him & His word.  Not for shame but for restoration!  I had an easy fast.

This battle of finding a building belongs to the LORD.  He’s got this!

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Cindy Dornacker

I sense the importance of unity and agreement in our hearts and prayer. 

 Matthew 21:21

"Truly I tell you, if you have faith and do not doubt"....

Trust that God is faithful... Philippines 4:19, He will  supply all our needs according to His riches in glory by Christ Jesus.

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Bill Dallas

Fasting was so much harder that I realized. Especially since my wife is such a great cook! Tuesday evening, she really challenged me. She made one of my favorites...Italian hot sausage, potatoes, peppers and onions in a casserole that is to die for. The aroma of sauteed peppers and onions and garlic! To an Italian, all you have to do is add a crusty bread. OK, so I lasted until later that night. But the challenge was worth it. Not only was I fed with a great meal at the end of the fast, but I was fed spiritually as well. Thank you Jesus for giving us this challenge. Praying for the True Life building to become a reality.

God bless all those who have prayed & fasted for this.

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Chantell Mendez

Fasting is new for me. The first time I ever did it, I truly thought- there's no way I can do this. I ended at 12 pm. But this time around, I took heart to what was said about doing your regular day such as exercise and using mealtime to pray. John actually did it with me and had not eaten since 7 pm the night before until now- that he just left. We both exercised, took time to pray with each other, he actually woke up refreshed and better than when he eats! I did personally feel bombarded with the day, things hitting me left and right, that I had to purposely stop and pray to collect myself. As I prayed in my kitchen- my overwhelming, frustration and worry stopped. Be still just came to me. Still while writing this, that calmness is still with me. I look forward to doing more next time. 

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Shea Oakley

Lately I've been thinking about how I need to "get out of God's way," stop trying to fight the flesh with my flesh, stop trying to make things happen spiritually and relationally in my life through my own effort. letting Him finally and truly work His power in me without my getting in His way. I need to surrender, trust, and rest.

(Part of fasting is depending on his spiritual resources, not "my" physical ones, right?) 

So maybe that is why, more than perhaps anything else, I feel this building is going to come to us almost effortlessly on our part. God will do it, and He will do it all.

We need to just surrender, trust, and rest in Him, and His power, to make this happen in his perfect way and timing...which, I suspect, will be soon.

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Rigo Mercado

I kept sensing the word House in my spirit while praying for the building. The House of God, the place where we the church, (The House of God) meets to fellowship, learn, and be an outpost for mission work in our community. God gave me a couple of scriptures that became my prayers.  

Proverbs 24:3

A house is built by wisdom and becomes strong through good sense.

“Lord give us wisdom and good sense in finding the right location for us and land for our church building.” 

Genesis 28:16-17 “Then Jacob awoke from his sleep and said, “Surely the Lord is in this place, and I wasn’t even aware of it!” 17 But he was also afraid and said, “What an awesome place this is! It is none other than the house of God, the very gateway to heaven!”

“May our new location be a place where people say surely the Lord is in this place, this is none other than the house of God.”

Malachi 3:10

Bring all the tithes into the storehouse, That there may be food in My house, And try Me now in this,” Says the Lord of hosts, “If I will not open for you the windows of heaven And pour out for you such blessing That there will not be room enough to receive it.

“Father let us be a church that gives willfully and abundantly that there may be food in your house. That the church would have the finances needed not just to purchase a building but to use our resources to be a blessing to our communities and mission outreaches. We are blessed to be a blessing.. Let the windows of heaven be open upon us and pour out your blessings that there will not be room enough to receive it. ‘

In Jesus Name. 

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Jeanne Matt

I fasted on Saturday . I had a crazy busy day so I didn’t really think to much about not eating . I also realized I didn’t take any time to actually Pray . Around 5 I took time while I didn’t have my grandkids and my house was quiet to be spend some time with God . The whole day the feeling I had was God is Good and God will always provide .  I  spent about an hour just thinking and praying about A new home for our church . The same message was coming to my mind . God is good and God will provide . I put on some worship music waiting for the kids to come back home and the first song that came on was God you’re so good . How funny was that ! So I can just guess that the message was just that . God is good and he will provide a building for us.

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Becky Livingston

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Shea Oakley

Just read Jeremiah 2:27: "I am the Lord, the God of all mankind. Is anything too hard for me?" And I thought of the building."

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Nanci Schiavo 

I play a certain song very often.  I've vowed long ago to seek Jesus in every Bible verse.  It occurred to me just speaking His name is the most powerful word, prayer we can utter.  It's so comforting, as we go about our business, on fasting days, to speak the name of Jesus and know it carries the power of the Creator of the universe.