October 2023: Three-Day Prayer and Fasting
Grace and peace be multiplied unto you, from our great God and Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ.
This month we will engage in 3 days of Fasting and Prayer from October 11th -13th. Our theme is “Rescue the Perishing.” Our main scripture is Proverbs 24:11-12 which states, “Rescue theperishing; don’t hesitate to step in and help. If you say, “Hey, that’s none of my business,” will that get you off the hook? Someone is watching you closely, you know— Someone not impressed with weak excuses” – Message Bible version.
Before God created anything He had an intention. This intention is what we call purpose. Purpose is attained when the thing created begins to fulfill the intention of its Creator. The Mission Statement of the United Apostolic Church is, “Win people to Jesus Christ and to make them Hisdisciples by facilitating a Spirit-led atmosphere through biblical teaching, Apostolic preaching, and ministering to the total person so that they will be fully equipped for ministry and life missions in the world.” This mission statement is consistent with the great Commission that we have received from our Lord as recorded in St. Matthew 28:19-20, “ 19 Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost: 20Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you always, even unto the end of the world. Amen.”
As a Church, we must never forget or ignore the very purpose for which we exist. Our purpose is tofulfill the Lord's business which is clearly explained in:
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Luke 19:10, “For the Son of man is come to seek and to save that which was lost.”
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St. John 10:10, “The thief cometh not, but for to steal, and to kill, and to destroy: I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly.
As a church, we must always keep our eyes on the field. After Jesus’s discourse with the Samaritan woman, His disciples came back from the village with the meal that they had gone to get Him and begged Him to eat. However, His response to them is recorded in John 4:32-36, “… I have meat to eat that ye know not of. 33 Therefore said the disciples one to another, Hath any man brought him ought to eat? 34 Jesus saith unto them, My meat is to do the will of him that sent me, and to finish his work. 35 Say not ye, There are yet four months, and then cometh harvest? behold, I say unto you, Lift up your eyes, and look on the fields; for they are white already to harvest. 36 And he thatreapeth receiveth wages, and gathereth fruit unto life eternal: that both he that soweth and he that reapeth may rejoice together.”
Jesus was not only committed to the salvation of men He was also zealous in His pursuit. He nevermissed an opportunity to touch broken lives with His healing hands. As members of
UAC, we too must never miss an opportunity to minister to broken lives.
There are approximately 52,658 residents in Saint Albans with less than one percent saved. Like Nehemiah, we too must agonize in prayer and fasting because prayer moves the heart of the One whose hand moves the world.
Over these days of prayer and fasting, we will be agonizing for lost souls to be saved.
We will spend portions of each day engaging in self- examination, seeking forgiveness, andrenewal. (Isaiah 58)
- Ask of God to cleanse our hearts of secret sins.
- Confess sins to God and purpose in our hearts to refrain from habitual, presumptuous sins.
- Forgive those who have wronged us in any way.
You are being asked to pray at least thrice daily: Morning, Noon, and Evening/Night. Please make a special effort to participate in all prayer sessions.
We do pray that we will all discipline ourselves and participate as extensively as possible in thisendeavor.
Members who are taking medications are encouraged to consult with their doctors before participating in fasting. If your doctor advises you against fasting, we encourage you to give fullparticipation in praying each day for the prayer needs previously stated.
God bless you richly!