Happy New Year

Happy New Year! The New Year is a great time to reflect on the blessings God has given us over the past year and to think about some of the things we would like to accomplish for him in the coming year. 2010 was a challenging year for many, but we have still seen God’s faithfulness in many ways. We have seen new families join The Capital Church family. We have seen the Holy Spirit transform lives in amazing ways. We have sensed God’s presence among us in our services. We are truly a blessed people.

Thanksgiving and Christmas are “feasting” seasons. We feast to celebrate all of God’s goodness—past, present, and future. But, times of fasting are also important. You will remember that we began 2010 with a season of fasting. Amazing things took place as a result. God answered prayers and miraculously provided for our needs, but the most important thing He did was to draw us all closer to Him. It was a wonderful way to embark on a new year!

Jesus’ teaching simply assumes that fasting is a normal part of our Christian experience. It is something that most of us assume to be beneficial but have little practical experience of its merits. That’s why I’d like to ask you to join our entire church family for a 21-day focus on prayer and fasting from January 10th to January 30th. I believe that God has incredible things in store for The Capital Church in 2011, but I also believe that we could miss what God is doing if we fail to seek Him with all our hearts.

While it is true that many people testified to miracles during our time of prayer and fasting in 2010, the purpose of fasting is not as much about asking God to do something for us as it is about asking God to do something within us. Fasting is a very practical reminder of the daily demand for disciples of Christ to deny themselves and seek His kingdom first. Self-denial helps to silence the clamor of the soul and brings a laser focus on the presence and purpose of God for our lives.

There are many ways you could participate in the fast. Some will be able to do so for the entire 21-day stretch. Others will only be able to do so for portions of the time. Whatever you are able to do would be of spiritual benefit to you and to our church. You could fast every day, or you might fast on the three weekends. You could fast certain meals or certain food items. You could even fast other things like television, radio, and the Internet.

 More information about fasting will be available to you in the coming weeks at the church and on the web site. I also plan to address the issue in a sermon series in January. Please consider joining with us in this important spiritual exercise. It will transform your life, and it will transform our church. I pray God would use this as a time of awakening to set ablaze the flames of His Spirit within us. Make it so, Lord Jesus!