“MINISTRY THAT MATTERS”

Luke 4:18-19

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21 Day Consecration

January 13, 2020 – February 2, 2020

I pray that you are ready to bring in 2020 with Prayer and Fasting! We are excited that you have decided to take this journey!!! There is no greater way to start the New Year than to be intentional in seeking God’s will for our lives in this new decade. Berean believes in the power of prayer and fasting and for the next 21 days we will be in prayer for the needs of our Church, its members, our community and our nation.

Prayer is one of the most crucial aspects of the Believer’s life. Prayer keeps us in contact with the heart of God. It is our primary means of communication with our Heavenly Father and was a common practice of Jesus as he carried out God’s will for his life. Richard Foster in his book Celebration of Discipline states that “Prayer catapults us onto the frontier of the spiritual life and ushers us into perpetual communion with the Father”. Prayer is essential to living a victorious Christian life; without it, the pressures of life can derail, drain and delay our progress. The Apostle Paul reminds us in Phil. 4:6-7, “Be careful for nothing; but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God and the peace of God, which pass all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.”

Fasting is the intentional abstinence from food/drink for spiritual purposes. Fasting highlights one’s willingness to humble oneself before God by intentionally forfeiting food/drink or something on which there is great dependence. Fasting is an act of submission; it demonstrates your reliance upon God. Fasting must be combined with prayer to be successful.

Fasting Guidelines:

Before beginning your fast, decide on a meeting place in your home that will be designated as a “sacred” place for you and God. Establish an altar in your home.

Decide on what you will give up during the fast: i.e. a particular food (meat, starch, coffee, sugar), and either give up or limit the amount of time spent watching T.V., on your phone and/or on social media, etc.

Be sure to prioritize PRAYER. Have set times during the day that allows for uninterrupted time with God. Once you decide on the times, do your best to guard this time you are committing to spend with the Lord.

Below are Scriptures we encourage you to meditate on each week in your time with God. Each day, ask yourself what new is God showing you, as you read the Scripture? Write it down.

Spend time Journaling every day. Journaling enhances your encounter with God. Journaling encourages you to reach deeper into the soul and engage feelings, thoughts, and desires that may not surface as you pray.

We will be fasting for our church, its leaders and its members.

We will be praying for our community and nation.

Make it personal!!!! What is God trying to do in your life? What is a pressing need that you have? What do you want God to do for your personally? Decide and make it a priority as you pray.

Participate in the corporate prayer call with

Berean Brooklyn & Berean Raleigh every Tuesday:

o 7@7 Prayer every Tuesdays @7am

o Call: (267) 930-4000; Code: 117-361-099#

Fasting Checklist:

Purpose:_________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

What will I withhold? _______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Resources (What do I need for this fast): __________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Where will I meet the Lord every day and what time? _______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Week 1-Repentance

Week 2-Prayer

Week 3-Service

Morning meditation- Psalm 32

Afternoon Meditation- Psalm 51

Evening Meditation- Isaiah 58

Morning meditation- Matthew 6:9-13

Afternoon Meditation- 2 Chronicles 20

Evening Meditation- Ephesians 3:4-21

Morning meditation- John 14:12-14

Afternoon Meditation- Matt. 25:14-30

Evening Meditation- 1 Peter 4:7-11

21 Day Daniel (Fast) Food List

CONSUME:

All fruits. These can be fresh, frozen, dried, juiced or canned. Fruits include but are not limited to apples, apricots, bananas, blackberries, blueberries, boysenberries, cantaloupe, cherries, cranberries, figs, grapefruit, grapes, guava, honeydew melon, kiwi, lemons, limes, mangoes, nectarines, oranges, papayas, peaches, pears, pineapples, plums, prunes, raisins, raspberries, strawberries, tangelos, tangerines, watermelon

All vegetables. These can be fresh, frozen, dried, juiced or canned. Vegetables include but are not limited to artichokes, asparagus, beets, broccoli, Brussels sprouts, cabbage, carrots, cauliflower, celery, chili peppers, collard greens, corn, cucumbers, eggplant, garlic, ginger root, kale, leeks, lettuce, mushrooms, mustard greens, okra, onions, parsley, potatoes, radishes, rutabagas, scallions, spinach, sprouts, squashes, sweet potatoes, tomatoes, turnips, watercress, yams, and zucchini.

All whole grains, including but not limited to whole wheat, brown rice, millet, quinoa, oats, barley, grits, whole wheat pasta, whole wheat tortillas, rice cakes and popcorn.

All nuts, seeds, and legumes including but not limited to sunflower seeds, cashews, peanuts, sesame. Also nut butters including peanut butter. Legumes include but are not limited to dried beans, pinto beans, split peas, lentils, black eyed peas, kidney beans, black beans, cannellini beans, white beans. These can be canned or dried.

All quality oils including but not limited to olive, canola, grape seed, peanut, and sesame.

Beverages: spring water, distilled water or other pure waters.

ABSTAIN:

All meat and animal products including but not limited to beef, lamb, pork, poultry, and fish.

All dairy products including but not limited to milk, cheese, cream, butter, and eggs.

All sweeteners including but not limited to sugar, raw sugar, honey, syrups, molasses, and cane juice.

All leavened bread including Ezekiel Bread (it contains yeast and honey) and baked goods.

All refined and processed food products including but not limited to artificial flavorings, food additives, chemicals, white rice, white flour, and foods that contain artificial preservatives.

All deep-fried foods including but not limited to potato chips, French fries, corn chips.

All solid fats including shortening, margarine, lard and foods high in fat.

Beverages including but not limited to coffee, tea, herbal teas, carbonated beverages, energy drinks, and alcohol.

Please make sure to READ THE LABEL when purchasing packaged, canned or bottled foods. They should be sugar-free and chemical-free.

Dr. Gail Davis - Starter Recipes:

Recipe #1 - Eggplant Vegan Chili

1 medium-sized eggplant, unpeeled, cut into 1/2" cubes
1 Tablespoon coarse (kosher) salt
3/4 cup (or as needed) best-quality olive oil
2 medium-size yellow onions, cut into 1/4" dice
4 cloves garlic, finely chopped
2 large green bell peppers, cored, seeded, and cut into 1/4" dice
one 35 ounce can crushed tomatoes
2 fresh ripe Italian plum tomatoes, cut into 1-inch cubes
2 Tablespoons chili powder

1 Tablespoon ground cumin
1 Tablespoon dried oregano
1 Tablespoon dried chili pepper flakes
2 teaspoons freshly ground black pepper
1 teaspoon salt (or to taste)
1 cup canned dark red kidney beans, rinsed and drained
1 cup canned black beans, rinsed and drained
1 ear of corn (cut the kernels off) or 1 cup frozen corn

PREPARATION:

Place the eggplant in a colander and sprinkle with the coarse salt. Let stand for 1 hour. Pat dry with paper towels. Heat 1/2 cup of the oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the eggplant and sauté until almost tender, adding a little bit more oil if necessary. Remove the eggplant to a dish and set aside. Heat the remaining 1/4 cup oil in the same skillet over low heat. Add the onions, garlic and green peppers and sauté just until softened, about 10 minutes. Add the canned tomatoes with their liquid, fresh tomatoes, chili powder, cumin, oregano, basil, pepper, salt, chili flakes. Cook uncovered, stirring frequently, for 30 minutes. Stir in the eggplant, kidney beans, black beans and corn and cook for another 15 minutes. The eggplant peel should be tender. Stir well and taste and adjust seasonings.

Serve immediately with brown rice. You can add toppings: vegan cheddar cheese, avocado, pickled onions or chopped fresh parsley. Serves 8 - 10 portions

Recipe # 2 - String beans with Tomatoes

· 1-1.5 lbs. of string beans ;¾ tbsp of olive oil;1 small onion; 2 gloves of garlic 1 tsp salt

· 1 tsp cracked black pepper; ½ tsp chili flakes ; 2 ripe plum tomatoes diced

PREPARATION

Trim and wash string beans. Bring a pot of water to a boil, add a pinch of salt.

Cut onion in half and thinly slice. Chop the garlic gloves. Add the oil to a sauté pan or skillet and add the onion and garlic. Stir until the onion is slightly softened.

Add string beans to the boiling water for about 5 minutes (just to soften a little). Remove and add to the skillet with onions and garlic. Add salt, pepper and chili flakes. Stir to mix. Cover and steam for about 10 minutes. Then add tomatoes.

Additional Recipe Links:

https://www.allrecipes.com/article/recipes-kick-start-daniel-fast/

https://www.thegracemade.com/blogs/news/daniel-fast

https://www.allrecipes.com/article/recipes-kick-start-daniel-fast/

https://ultimatedanielfast.com/recipes/

BEREAN 21 DAY SPENDING FAST

The Rules:

1. Make It Last for 21 Days. Three weeks is a perfectly reasonable period of time to cut back on your wants and focus only on your needs. If you commit for less time, you may not really absorb the benefits of a fast and the transformative effects it can have on your financial habits. However, a longer period could put your resolve and willpower to an unreasonable test.

2. Only Purchase Needs. Unless you absolutely need it to survive, don’t buy it during your fast. That eliminates trips to the hair salon, happy hour at the bar, restaurant dinners, movies, online purchases, and even birthday presents for your best friends. Instead, your money should only go toward food, housing, medication, and other necessities.

3. Pay With Cash Only. You become much more conscious of the spending process when you actually pay in cash. Those bills can serve as a potent visual reminder of the decisions you’re making, as you make them. When the cash stays in your wallet, you’re going to feel a lot better about your self-restraint.

4. Keep a Spending Journal. Throughout your financial fast, keep a detailed log of what you spend, what you save, and where you may be struggling. You can refer to this journal when you’re all done to help identify spending triggers and habits you’d like to change.[1]

Spending fast Scripture List

Scripture

Task

Habakkuk 2:2

Write the Vision

List Short and Long Term Financial Goals

Proverbs 27:23

See Where You Stand

List Assets and Liabilities. Are you in the Red or Black?

Proverbs 21:5

Prepare Your Plan

Chart your plan of Attack. Create a spending plan

Proverbs 3:9

Fund First fruits first

Pray about your tithing journey. Adjust accordingly

Proverbs 30:25

Save Strategically

Begin or adjust your savings plan

Proverbs 22:7

Diminish your debt

Increase payments to your credit card. Reduce principal

James 4:2

Ask for What you want

Pray Intentionally

Proverbs 22:3

Investigate Your Insurance

Invest in or update your Insurance

Philippians 4:12

Limit Your Luxuries

Determine Needs vs. Wants

Exodus 20:17

Cease Comparing

Be Thankful for what you have

1 Cor. 14:40

Clear Clutter

Get rid of the unnecessary

Psalm 90:12

Maximize Your Minutes

create a to-do list

Ecclesiastes 7:12

Spend Smart

compare prices and look for the lowest deal

Exodus 35:26

Do-it-Yourself

Do not pay for what you can get done on your own

Ecclesiastes 2:24

Eat Economically

Cook more. Suspend takeout purchases

Acts 2:46

Restructure Your Recreation

Amos 3:3

Spend in Sync with your spouse

2 Corinthians 9:7

Give Cheerfully

Proverbs 23:23

Further Your Financial Intelligence

Learn more about financial concepts that will benefit you directly

Isaiah 55:2

Eliminate Emotional Spending

Proverbs 31:16

Ponder Your Purchase

Ask yourself, "Do you need this item at this point in your life?"

§ Scripture list taken from: 30 Days To Taming Your Finances: What to Do (and Not to Do) to Better Manage Your Money - Deborah Smith Pegues, Author

[1] https://www.moneycrashers.com/financial-fast-improve-spending-habits/