Session Three

PRAYER and FASTING

Judgment ‘Day of the Lord’

Fear grips all the people; every face grows pale with terror. The attackers march like warriors and scale city walls like soldiers. Straight forward they march, never breaking rank. They never jostle each other; each moves in exactly the right position. They break through defenses without missing a step. They swarm over the city and run along its walls. They enter all the houses, climbing like thieves through the windows. The earth quakes as they advance, and the heavens tremble. The sun and moon grow dark, and the stars no longer shine. The Lord is at the head of the column. He leads them with a shout. This is his mighty army, and they follow his orders. The day of the Lord is an awesome, terrible thing. Who can possibly survive? Joel 2:6-11

REFLECTION

The modern church has largely lost sight of this aspect of God’s nature. We readily talk and sing of God’s love, celebrate His grace and mercy, and worship His holiness, but we rarely discuss judgment or consider it a vital part of our faith narrative. The Bible, however, is not shy about proclaiming God’s holiness and detailing the consequences of ignoring His precepts, both inside and outside the church. When Joel wrote this sobering truth, the nation had fallen into deep apathy and become complacent in their relationship with God; as a result, He unleashed the consequences of their choices. Scripture reminds us that God’s kindness, tolerance, and patience are extended to us precisely so that we will turn from our sin. When we ignore this invitation, the end result is inevitable, judgment. May God grant us the heart to respond to Him faithfully in these days of His kindness.

QUOTES

“We must hide our unholiness in the wounds of Christ as Moses hid himself in the cleft of the rock while the glory of God passed by. We must let the pure light of God’s holiness expose us, or we will be consumed by it.” A.W. Tozer

PRAYER POINT

Pray for God forgiveness for the church collectively and we as individuals for the times past and present when we have ignored God’s precepts, presumed upon his patience and fallen into spiritual complacency
Pray that through God’s Holy Spirit a right and healthy fear of the Lord is restored to the church and pray that our hearts are truly broken and open before God for our sin and the sin of the nation. Pray for a restoration of intimacy with God
Pray for a new spirit of intercession to fall upon the body of Christ. It is not by power or by might but by the Spirit says the Lord. Pray for a deep desire to pray within elimworthing.

MEDITATE

…Judgment the bible states will begin with God’s household. God is not going to convict the world of sin whilst ignoring sin in his own body. How does this make you feel?