Skillman Church of Christ

Day 7 of fasting and prayer = Spiritual Strength in Prayer
Welcome to day 7. You made it.
Whatever you chose to deny yourself this week, it wasn’t easy. Growth of any kind is typically triggered by an irritation of sorts.
Lifting weights creates a process called muscle hypertrophy. When the muscles
are strained, small tears in the fibers result. The body will stitch the tears with
more muscle fibers, creating more mass.
Seeds often have to nearly freeze in the earth a full season before they grow to
stimulate the DNA of the seed to “wake-up” and sprout.
However the Spirit inspired you to go about this exercise in fasting and prayer, somewhere along the way it was uncomfortable, maybe disorienting, sometimes feeling like too much. That time of discomfort will stimulate growth in you. Spiritual growth that leads to wisdom and confidence in our Lord.

It all began 6 days ago with one tiny drop of faith. -Matthew 17:20-21
That led to humility. -James 4:10 KJV
Bringing on the self awareness that you are more than sorry. -Joel 2:12-13
You are now truly ready to pick up your cross and follow the Lord. -Matthew 16:24-26
So you fasted and prayed to God about Skillman. -Ezra 8:23

Now we listen and wait in the stillness. He will answer.

Day 6 of fasting and prayer=Discipline 🫤

You know that place at the end of a long journey or project where you just have to push through. You hit that wall of exhaustion and the only way out is through.
That is today.
In Matthew 16:24-26 Jesus said, “Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross and follow me.”
Fasting is self-denial, and this week fasting has been your cross.
Often, we give up because it is too much. Then the crippling guilt seeps in….”Why can’t I be stronger?”, “Why do I not have enough faith?”, or a crowd favorite, willpower.
If you only had enough willpower.
That guilt does not have to be the end of your story, “for all things are possible with God.” Matthew 17:20
Our perfect creator has set up a system of success because through Him ALL THINGS ARE POSSIBLE – all. of. the. things.
Including your things.

Day 5
It is more than saying sorry.
We’ve all been there. Little Jimmy hit Little Timmy with a book. Timmy is now traumatized and will flinch whenever he enters a library for the rest of his life. We tell Jimmy to say “sorry”.
I’m not here to judge Little Jimmy. We all make mistakes and bad choices. However, I’m not convinced Jimmy is repentant for his crimes.
Sorry is a band-aid that help a little. Repentance is the beginning of healing, both for Timmy and Jimmy.
In Joel 2:12-13 we are reminded how much God loves us and how he wants a peaceful life for us not painful chaos that is covered in layers of bandages.

“Even now,” declares the LORD,
“return to me with all your heart,
with fasting and weeping and mourning.”
13 Rend your heart
and not your garments.
Return to the LORD your God,
for he is gracious and compassionate,
slow to anger and abounding in love,
and he relents from sending calamity.
Joel 2:12-13

When you turn to God in fasting and prayer, you turn over yourself for healing and repentance. With a gracious warm love that heals. He is there.
Because it is more than saying sorry.

Day 4 of Fasting and Prayer.
Fasting or abstaining from something we like is hard. Fasting from something you need, is really, really hard. We must become humble to allow God to take control of the situation. Humble enough to admit that we don't know what to do, and we need help.

This past Sunday we sang the hymn, Humble Yourself. These lyrics come from
James, chapter 4. "Humble yourself in the sight of the Lord, and He will lift you up." James 4:10 KJV

To bow down and be humble before God is to actually be lifted higher than you would have been on your own before.

That's a pretty good deal. We should take it.

Day 3 of Fasting and Prayer

Fasting = Worship ???

When the newborn Jesus was brought into the temple to be consecrated (a.k.a. circumcised) there was an older woman named Anna present. Anna had been widowed for 77 years and she spent those years fasting and praying in the temple. Anna intentionally put her life in God's hands. If she had any other intentions for fasting, she would have starved at some point in 77 years, but she didn't. She trusted God would take care of her - and that friends is one of many beautiful ways we can worship our creator..

36 There was also a prophet, Anna, the daughter of Penuel, of the tribe of Asher. She was very old; she had lived with her husband seven years after her marriage, 37 and then was a widow until she was eighty-four. She never left the temple but worshiped night and day, fasting and praying. 38 Coming up to them at that very moment, she gave thanks to God and spoke about the child to all who were looking forward to the redemption of Jerusalem. Luke 2:37

In Acts 13:2 we read that the 1st century church would fast and pray before making important decision. Today, let us join in one heart for spiritual guidance for the future of Skillman.

1 Now in the church at Antioch there were prophets and teachers: Barnabas, Simeon called Niger, Lucius of Cyrene, Manaen (who had been brought up with Herod the tetrarch) and Saul. 2 While they were worshiping the Lord and fasting, the Holy Spirit said, “Set apart for me Barnabas and Saul for the work to which I have called them.” 3 So after they had fasted and prayed, they placed their hands on them and sent them off. Acts 13:1-3

Join us for 7 Days of Fasting and Prayer for the future of Skillman church of Christ.

12 Then he continued, “Do not be afraid, Daniel. Since the first day that you set your mind to gain understanding and to humble yourself before your God, your words were heard, and I have come in response to them. Daniel 10:12

Check out your email today for a letter
from one of our missionaries, Sergei!

Why are missions important? Check out this video to see!

Mission Season Introduction 2023 Find out more about international and domestic missions, and our missionaries at Skillman Church of Christ.

Today in worship service, Donivert & Josephine and their ministry were highlighted as part of our Season of Missions. We are blessed to be a part of their ministry and God’s work through them. Check out the YouTube video, beginning at 16:30, to learn more about them.

Sunday Worship Service - October 22, 2023 (Skillman Church of Christ) Join us at 10:30am this Sunday for Worship.

Our Mission Season is upon us! Oct 22-Nov 5 we will focus on one missionary per Sunday. Come join us at 9:30 for Coffee and conversation and more in depth discussion about our missionary families!