40 Day Multi-Media Fast Begins 27 January

Gong Xi Fa Cai! Happy Chinese Lunar New Year! For those of you in America, we celebrated a major holiday today in Indonesia as did many people in countries with large Chinese populations.

I declared a 40 day Multi-Media Fast beginning tomorrow, January 27 for ICCJ. The focus for the Fast will be layed out week by week on the blog here and also through E-mail and in the Pastors Pen of the Church Bulletin. If you don't know what a Multi-Media Fast is, it is refraining from any form of entertainment through TV, Movies, Internet, Radio, Etc. This can be a complete Fast or a Limited Intake fast. For instance, you may want to limit your TV watching to two hours per week or less. Additionally, ask the Lord to lead you to any kind of Fast additional to Multi-Media. Usually, pushing the plate back (limiting food) is involved. Some might eat one meal a day, or exclude meat and desserts, others may go with liquid only... there are many options. You can E-mail me or do the research for yourself if you want more information.

Allow me to encourage you not to conduct a complete no food for 40 days Fast unless you have definitively been led of the Lord to do such a Fast, and I would ask that you check with your Physician first. Please.

In the last year, we have conducted 3, 10 and 21 day Multi-Media Fasts with incredible results. One person I know who was addicted to watching Korean and Japanese movies has no more desire for them and is a different person (more on fire for God). Healings occured, relationships were restored, a new sensitivity to hearing the voice of God was increased in many and so much more!

This week, I am asking for specific prayer for myself, my wife Pastor Joy, my kids, and the entire Pastoral Staff of ICCJ. We are under attack and we asking your partnership in Fasting and Prayer!

In the following scripture, we see that Jesus was strengthened by an angel from God in order to be able to pray with more earnest. Friend, if you receive nothing else through joining us in the Fast, to simply receive the strength from God to pray more earnestly would be mighty!

Luke 22:39-44 (NIV) Jesus went out as usual to the Mount of Olives, and his disciples followed him. On reaching the place, he said to them, "Pray that you will not fall into temptation." He withdrew about a stone's throw beyond them, knelt down and prayed, "Father, if you are willing, take this cup from me; yet not my will, but yours be done." An angel from heaven appeared to him and strengthened him. And being in anguish, he prayed more earnestly, and his sweat was like drops of blood falling to the ground.

God bless you all!