Transformational Sacred Rhythms

Transformational Rhythms

Introduction: Simple Living and Slowing Down

We are beginning week 3 of our 21 days of Prayer and Fasting. The goal of fasting is to draw nearer to God. Biblical fasting always has to do with eliminating distractions for a spiritual purpose; it hits the reset button of our soul and renews us from the inside out.

It also enables us to celebrate the good ness and mercy of God and prepares our hearts for all the good things God desires to bring into our lives.

Remember, your personal fast should present a level of challenge, but it is very important to know your body, your options, and, most importantly, to seek God in prayer and follow what the Holy Spirit leads you to do.

Different parts of the body of Christ have these focused times of fasting and focused prayers at specific times of the year correlating with the Christian calendar. Some fast 40 days before the Holy Week in preparation for that season. Others fast in January to propel them in alignment with God’s purposes in the new year.

Others add an additional fast either in August or in the Advent season in preparation for the Christmas time.

All of these rhythms can be transformative as you enter them with an intentionality and an earnest heart desire to pursue God. Anything can be done without the heart, but as Proverbs 4:23 says, “Guard your heart above all else, because out of it flows the issues of life” Another translation says, “It is the source of Life”.

Proverbs 4:23 LEB

With all vigilance, keep your heart, for from it comes the source of life.

There is such Transformational Power when we align ourselves to God’s Kingdom, His Word and His Spirit. Sadly, many Christians days are more dictated by the civil calendar and the natural events that are celebrated than by the God-Events that have the power to impact our every day lives.

Fasting from distractions and from the appetites of our flesh have the potential to awaken and appetites in us that have been lulled to sleep or have become numbed, or lost the ability to taste.

As a Registered Nurse I had noticed that the palette and tastebuds of some of my cancer patients had lost their capacity to truly taste and appreciate flavor. With some patients it wasn’t the chemotherapy we had to give them, but instead it was that their bodies had gotten accustomed to lots of salt, so they’d just continue to saturate their foods with salt. Either the salt had lost its capacity to “salt” (flavor) OR the tongues/palettes had lost their ability to taste.

So it is with us and our spiritual walk and our spiritual disciplines. I would venture to say that the Word of God has not lost its ability and power, but it is us that lose our ability to taste and appreciate the nourishment of God’s Word.

I have found that when I fast and take away the foods that are “fluff” and eat the foods that bring me life, my palate is cleansed and I begin “tasting” again. When we strip our lives of the things that are distracting, our lives begin to see more clearly, taste more distinctly and hearing more clearly the things that matter.

As we explore the reality of Jesus needing to set apart time to be alone with God we find a pattern that serves as an example for us. If Jesus NEEDED to set aside time from the demands, urgencies and pulls/needs from the people, how much more do we. He was fully man and fully God.... HypoStatic Union. And He drew away OFTEN!!

Luke 4:42–44 LEB

And when it was day, he departed and went to an isolated place. And the crowds were seeking him, and came to him and were trying to prevent him from departing from them. But he said to them, “It is necessary for me to proclaim the good news of the kingdom of God to the other towns also, because I was sent for this purpose. And he was preaching in the synagogues of Judea.

The urgent needs and demands of the people were surrounding the Master everywhere He went. These were life-threatening needs.

I remember when my daughter Natalie and I went on a Medical Missions trip with our friends Bobby and Sherrie Burnett of LOVE A CHILD and we went to the mountains of Lastik to bring medical help, food, the gospel and hope.

After hours of traveling in the hot sun and heat of Haiti, we had to pitch our tents then set up our medical clinic (Show pictures). We had to set up our kitchen as well. We were exhausted, hot and hungry. The people had already begun to line up. They had walked hours and hours and hours with their children in-tote. They did not bring lunch boxes or backpacks to feed themselves or their children.

We could hear the children crying, the sweat on the mothers brows as they had navigated through the mountains looking for hope and help! Their urgency was beyond words. But our eyes and hearts could feel it.

We began to see patients after patients after patients. We gave what we had, for some this was the first time they had seen a doctor or a nurse in their lives. We poured ourselves out in caring for them and at the end of the day we had to stop, eat and rest.

The thing I will never get out of my mind is that they stayed there waiting for us to set up again the next day. They didn’t have a Ronald McDonald House to stay at over night. They didn’t bring with them pop up tents.

All night I could hear the croupy cough of children, I knew they had fevers, hunger, urgent needs. Some infants with malaria we had to send back down the mountain with some of our volunteers. I peaked out the tent window and could see their eyes. It broke me. BUT I HAD NOTHING LEFT. I had recognized my LIMITS......OUR LIMITS.

Luke 5:12–16 LEB

And it happened that while he was in one of the towns, there was a man covered with leprosy. And when he saw Jesus, he fell down on his face and begged him, saying, “Lord, if you are willing, you are able to make me clean.” And extending his hand he touched him, saying, “I am willing; be clean.” And immediately the leprosy went away from him. And he ordered him, “Tell no one, but go and show yourself to the priest and bring the offering for your cleansing just as Moses commanded, for a testimony to them. But the report about him spread even more, and large crowds were gathering to hear him and to be healed of their illnesses. But he himself was withdrawing in the wilderness and praying.

1. “The Crowds of people”: This equates to the many (too many) roles we fill: take a moment and write them down: Daughter, daughter-in-law, Wife, sister, mother, grandmother, aunt, friend, neighbor, Pastor, teacher, leader, sister-in-law, mother-in-law, niece, cousin, student. Not all of these roles represent relationships that are only receiving or taking, but the reality is that in our human relationships there is the aspect of of giving and taking. Giving and receiving.

2. “Be healed of their diseases”: A draw from what that relationship means:

-At times roles have no clear boundaries and you find yourself pour and pouring and pouring out. Whether the demand is externally placed on us or self-placed, it can become heavy.

3. “Their sickness”: equates to what they need, their expectations, their urgencies.

4. “Came to Hear Him”: They put a great demand and value on what He had to say. They pursued Him (not haphazardly). “Tell us what we need to HEAR, we are desperate.” There was GREAT NEED ALL AROUND HIM!

5. But Jesus OFTEN......OFTEN: not once in a while. Not infrequently BUT frequently, much, a great deal. What did he do often?

6. “He Withdrew” : he disengaged, pulled away, retreated, retired. Not nonchalantly or casually nor inadvertently.....but purposefully and with full intent, he got away from the NEEDS, the NOISE, the CROWDS, The DEMANDS, the EXPECTATIONS, the NEEDS. Where to?

7. “To lonely places”: quiet places away from the demands. Solitary places where He could have communion with His Father. A place where He could ABIDE. But His goal was not to just to go to this place and just be there.....”ummmmm” no.

(For us we must come apart before we “fall apart”. )

8. “And Prayed”:

Communion

Fellowship

Audience of ONE, HIs Father

He came out of the a space where everyone was drawing from Him to a place where He could pour out His cares, His heart and a time to receive.

He came to “ABIDE”, to connect with HIS SOURCE OF LIFE.

John 15:1–11 LEB

“I am the true vine, and my Father is the vinedresser. Every branch that does not bear fruit in me, he removes it, and every branch that bears fruit, he prunes it in order that it may bear more fruit. You are already clean because of the word that I have spoken to you. Remain in me, and I in you. Just as the branch is not able to bear fruit from itself unless it remains in the vine, so neither can you, unless you remain in me. “I am the vine; you are the branches. The one who remains in me and I in him—this one bears much fruit, for apart from me you are not able to do anything. If anyone does not remain in me, he is thrown out as a branch, and dries up, and they gather them and throw them into the fire, and they are burned. If you remain in me and my words remain in you, ask whatever you want and it will be done for you. My Father is glorified by this: that you bear much fruit, and prove to be my disciples. “Just as the Father has loved me, I also have loved you. Remain in my love. If you keep my commandments, you will remain in my love, just as I have kept my Father’s commandments and remain in his love. I have spoken these things to you in order that my joy may be in you, and your joy may be made complete.

Verse 11: So that your joy may be complete. Fullness of Joy. My joy is your strength.

Let Him prune you (you must come close and slow down)

Pruning cause simpler living

Remain in Me

Focus on Him

He is your CORE and centered; seated at the throne of your heart

Your life purpose is connected to your God- Purpose

You slow down, pause enough and withdraw yourself enough to hear his voice; let His Word remain in you (remember the salt illustration?)

Remain in Him to produce much fruit to show others you are His disciples

Remain in His Love

There is no way we can do this at the frantic pace of the world. TIK- TOK....TIK- TOK......voices voices everywhere. Everything else has our attention. We are depleted before we even start our day.

Songs:

We Bow Down We Lay Our Crowns

I Will Abide (Habitare)

Rhythms:

24 hour period

Weekly period (7 days)

Monthly

Quarterly: Seasonal!! (Ordinary and Sacred Time)

Yearly