Our next day of united fasting and prayer for Adam will take place this Wednesday, June 2nd.
If you have not yet joined us, I invite you to use the links at the top of this page to get more information about why we are fasting (Why Fast?) and what takes place during the fast (Hours of Fast).
Perhaps yesterday did not go as I planned, but I am confident that it went as God planned. After all, I am now searching for ways to respond to the devotionals that were posted on this blog. The Psalmist reminds me that my relationship with God is not based on a feeling, but on His unfailing love.
Psalm 143:8
8 Let the morning bring me word of your unfailing love,
for I have put my trust in you.
Show me the way I should go,
for to you I lift up my soul.
As long as we are united in prayer for Adam, Let's regularly pray for each other that we would rise, each day, to the word of God's unfailing love; that we would lift our souls up to God, and that He would show us the way to go.
As I stated last week, Adam's healing is in God's hands. Yet, since we are aligned in a desire for Adam to be healed, I need to keep examining my own life, looking for changes that God wants me to make.
Psalm 139:23-24
“Search me, O God, and know my heart; test me and know my anxious thoughts. See if there is any offensive way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting.”
I encourage you to join me in the pursuit of God's unfailing love. That we would look to Him for the way to go. While doing so, we should also remain united in our pleas for the complete healing of Adam.
This week’s united day of fasting and prayer for Adam has been a totally different experience for me than last Thursday. I feel like I have been more distracted. I took less time to meditate on the scriptures and thoughts posted on this blog. I did not shed a tear. Is there something wrong with me?
When I listened to Lord, Move Me, in Lunchtime Confessions, the lyrics seemed to describe some of my feelings.
Today, my daughters posted devotionals. How grateful I was for their contributions. They did a wonderful job responding to Amy’s blog post on Monday (Sow in Tears Reap With Songs of Joy).
As the day progressed, I began to wonder if too much focus had been placed on us (the “fasters”), and our relationships with God. After all, this is supposed to be about Adam, right? Then, I followed some my own advice and decided to be still and listen.
I heard statements from various individuals talking about many people’s lives being changed as a result of Adam’s accident. Then, the obvious hit me right between the eyes. Here is the answer to my “Why?” Or, at least an answer to part of the question.
People’s lives are being changed. God is using Adam (this is the part that is still a mystery to which only God knows the answer) to change lives. So, I begin to wonder “whose lives?” and “what changes?” God desires.
I began re-reading the posts, beginning with my own, last night. Words and phrases begin jumping out at me — unbelief; God deserves our worship and praise; schedule more time to meet with God; realign our priorities; ask God to examine your heart; you must be patient; passionate prayer; thanking God; waiting for God’s perfect timing.
Oh, my, I think to myself. These are all things that I need to get better at. Horror sets in. What if God is waiting on me?
Psalm 139:23,24 “Search me, O God, and know my heart; test me and know my anxious thoughts. See if there is any offensive way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting.”
I urge you, first of all, to pray for all people. Ask God to help them; intercede on their behalf, and give thanks for them.
1 Timothy 2:1
Be joyful always; pray continually; give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.
1 Thessalonians 5:16-18
As I reflect, as I pray, as I hear the stories of all the ways friends and family have stepped up in prayer and service during this season of the Root family’s life, I cannot help but overflow with gratitude. Even now as I write this, I am saying a prayer of thanks for everyone, both those I know well and for those who none of us know at all but are praying with and for the family regardless.
It’s so easy, in this life, to get caught up in what we don’t have, what we cannot do, where we have not been, etc. Instead, God calls us to a life of thankfulness. I’ve started my own list of things I’m thankful for, and I encourage you to make your own list, as well, even if it’s just in your head. Use mine (they’re for sharing) and/or come up with your own. Give thanks to God, and wait expectantly for your heart to begin to overflow with gratitude.
For you, readers of this blog
For advanced medical care for Adam
For Amy, whose hope is in the Lord and whose unwavering faith is a testimony to the power of Jesus Christ at work within her
For an extended family that has surrounded and supported Adam's family with prayers, notes, websites, finances, meals, housecleaning, social networking, phone calls, and more
For technology that allows us to keep in touch and "come together" even though we're very far apart
For hope
For scriptures that documented many "healing moments"
Have you thought this? Have you asked God this question?
During your "dinner time," I would encourage you wrestle with the questions of, "Why, Adam? Why, now?" and others like it. Go ahead, ask God. Then, be still. Remain still for what may seem to be an uncomfortable period of time. After that time has elapsed, read these verses:
John 9:1-11
Jesus Heals a Man Born Blind
1As he went along, he saw a man blind from birth. 2His disciples asked him, "Rabbi, who sinned, this man or his parents, that he was born blind?"
3"Neither this man nor his parents sinned," said Jesus, "but this happened so that the work of God might be displayed in his life. 4As long as it is day, we must do the work of him who sent me. Night is coming, when no one can work. 5While I am in the world, I am the light of the world."
6Having said this, he spit on the ground, made some mud with the saliva, and put it on the man's eyes. 7"Go," he told him, "wash in the Pool of Siloam" (this word means Sent). So the man went and washed, and came home seeing.
8His neighbors and those who had formerly seen him begging asked, "Isn't this the same man who used to sit and beg?" 9Some claimed that he was.
Others said, "No, he only looks like him."
But he himself insisted, "I am the man."
10"How then were your eyes opened?" they demanded.
11He replied, "The man they call Jesus made some mud and put it on my eyes. He told me to go to Siloam and wash. So I went and washed, and then I could see."
As I have mentioned previously, I am neither preacher nor Bible scholar. I am not an expert, nor do I have special insights. I invite comments if I am misreading this, but what verse 3 of this passage tells me is that bad things happen to bring glory to God. This short passage provides both an answer to "Why?" and more evidence of Jesus' healing power by bringing sight to a blind man.
Why so long?
We move onto the next question. I think to myself, "Many of us have been praying fervently since the day of Adam's accident. A number of us have fasted and united together in prayer. Where's the results? Why so long? Don't You want to bring glory to Yourself?"
I must remember that God is God, and I am not! I cannot know His plans for Adam, me, or you. Yet, maybe I can find a bit of an answer in Paul's second letter to the Corinthians.
2 Corinthians 12: 7-10
7To keep me from becoming conceited because of these surpassingly great revelations, there was given me a thorn in my flesh, a messenger of Satan, to torment me. 8Three times I pleaded with the Lord to take it away from me. 9But he said to me, "My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness." Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ's power may rest on me. 10That is why, for Christ's sake, I delight in weaknesses, in insults, in hardships, in persecutions, in difficulties. For when I am weak, then I am strong.
If God's grace (see What is God's Grace?) is enough for Paul, it surely is enough for me.
During your "dinner time" prayer, consider:
Thanking God for His grace
Asking that Adam's accident would be used to bring glory to God
Asking God difficult questions, but be willing to be still and listen for answers
Passionately asking for God to provide His healing grace to Adam
I hope you have spent the day drawing close to God. Now that you are well into your second day of fasting (or all week for some) and petitioning God for Adam's healing since the day of the accident, you may be wondering, "How many times do I have to keep asking God for the same thing?" Or, "If God is going to heal Adam, why is He taking so long?" I know that there were many times throughout my walk with the Lord that I asked those same questions and would just stop praying for things sometimes. I want to plead with you to not give up. You must be patient and keep putting your requests for Adam's complete healing before God. God does not operate in three dimensions as we do, and he is not on a linear time schedule.
2 Peter 3:8 says:
But do not forget this one thing, dear friends: With the Lord a day is like a thousand years, and a thousand years like a day.
Even though to us, especially to those in the ICU waiting room, it feels like God is answering slowly, but His time is not our time. Although it is difficult, we must be patient and wait for God's perfect timing.
Psalm 27:14 says:
Wait for the Lord; be strong and take heart and wait for the Lord.
Isaiah 40:31 says:
but they who wait for the Lord shall renew their strength. They shall mount up on wings like eagles; they shall run and not be weary, they shall walk and not faint.
Continue to pray for Adam's healing. Pray that Amy, MacKenzie, and Adam's family will have renewed strength and would not grow weary as they wait upon the Lord.
It’s lunchtime, and hopefully today you’ve been drawing closer to God today, maybe closer than you have in a long time…or ever. Perhaps you are truly experiencing God’s promise to draw close to you as you draw close to Him and intercede in prayer on behalf of Adam and his family.
On the other hand, maybe you’re feeling discouraged because you just aren’t “getting it.” We fast, we pray, we worship, we read Scripture and still, you don’t know that you feel very close to God, so you don’t know if it’s working and maybe you’re wondering if it’s all worth it. After all, lunch sounds pretty good about now, doesn’t it?
Take heart. God hears your prayers and honors obedience. (Keep praying for Adam to heal!) Still, I am familiar with a longing to be (and feel) closer to God. One night recently, I was in tears: “I get it God. I need to love you more than I do, but how? How do I love you more? What do I need to do?”
God, in His infinite wisdom and perfect timing, directed me to this portion of the book Crazy Love by Francis Chan:
Tell Him how you feel. Tell Him that He isn’t the most important thing in this life to you, and that you’re sorry for that. Tell Him that you’ve been lukewarm, that you’ve chosen _________ over Him time and again. Tell Him that you want Him to change you, that you long to genuinely enjoy Him. Tell Him how you want to experience true satisfaction and pleasure and joy in your relationship with Him. Tell Him you want to love Him more than anything on this earth. Tell Him you want to treasure the kingdom of heaven so much that you’d willingly sell everything in order to get it. Tell Him what you like about Him, what you appreciate, and what brings you joy.
I don’t know about you, but I want that! At that point, a few tears streamed down my face in thankfulness that it is NOT about what I do to be in relationship with God, but rather, it’s about what God has already done in sending His Son, Jesus, to die for my sins, thereby restoring my relationship to God. I can rely on God to increase my faith in and grow my love for Him.
Ephesians 2:8,9 “For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith – and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God – not by works, so that no one can boast.”
This passage also reminded me that I must allow God to sit on the throne of my life, directing each of my steps. If we give priority to anything or anyone over Him, this is sin, and sin separates us from God, definitely affecting our ability to find true satisfaction in Him.
Romans 3:23 “For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.”
Psalm 139:23,24 “Search me, O God, and know my heart; test me and know my anxious thoughts. See if there is any offensive way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting.”
Take a few moments and ask God to examine your heart. Sit and listen. Wait for God to bring to mind anything and everything (or at least one thing) that is coming between you and God. Whether it’s disobedience, addiction, pride, gossip, relationships, grudges, filthy talk, use of time, violence, self-sufficiency, untrue or impure thoughts, sexual immorality, finances, hardness of heart, selfishness, or otherwise, confess your sin to God. Thankfully, “If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sin and cleanse us from all unrighteousness.” (1 John 1:9) Turn from that sin and pursue God whole-heartedly. In this, you will find freedom, and you will experience deeper intimacy with God.
As you listen to this song. Lord, Move Me by FFH, notice the artist’s plea for the Lord to move him closer to Himself. He recognizes that he needs God’s intervention to draw him closer. He also understands his part, singing, “So I got to leave myself behind, take up this cross of mine, give away everything I hold onto.”
May we all let go, and let God.
Psalm 51:10-12
Create in me a pure heart, O God, and renew a steadfast spirit within me.
Do not cast me from Your presence or take Your Holy Spirit from me.
Restore unto me the joy of Your salvation and grant me a willing spirit, to sustain me.
I am so excited that you are all joining us in our journey of fasting and praying for healing for my dear cousin Adam. I have never prayed so fervently for anything in my life. In fact, even though I gave my life to the Lord as a child, I never completed a day of fasting until last week, and here I am doing it again 6 days later. I feel that God is leading my prayers and urging me to passionately plea for Adam’s healing.
If you are following Amy’s blog, you read that the first, most important, thing she needs from all of us is to draw closer to God. I want to encourage you to draw closer to God this morning. So you may be asking yourself, that sounds good, but how do I draw closer to God? For each person this will be different, but it begins with a desire to seek after God with all your heart. Your commitment to pray and fast today is a huge step in moving closer to God.
The song that I picked for our worship time this morning is written as a prayer to God. I urge you to sing this song with your whole heart. If you do, you will find God, He will hear you, and He will reveal Himself to you.
Jeremiah 29:12-13 says: Then you will call upon me and come and pray to me, and I will hear you. You will seek me and find me. When you seek me with all your heart.
Don’t just listen to this song-PRAY IT!!!! If you are stuck at your desk, put on your headphones, close your eyes and pray it silently with an earnest and sincere heart. If you are at home, turn this up as loud as you can, stand, stretch your arms out to God and cry out to Him. Even if this makes you feel uncomfortable, just try it. You will feel the presence of God wash over you. If you can’t do it this morning, do it later today when you are at home.
I have been realizing during this week of fasting, that most of us, myself included, do not stop in the midst of our busyness to meet with God often enough. The amount of time we take to meet with God will be the determining factor in how close we are to Him. It is during these times that God reveals His love, His wisdom, His comfort, His power, and His will for our lives. It is during our time with the Lord that he will fill us up with His strength to face whatever it is we will be facing that day. I encourage everyone to try to schedule more time to meet with God, even after this day of fasting is over, not only to plea for healing for Adam, but for His divine power to be with us in all of our individual struggles.
Psalm 34:4-5 says: I sought the Lord, and he answered me; he delivered me from all my fears. Those who look to him are radiant; their faces are never covered with shame.
Meditate on the above verse this morning and know that God will hear our prayers.
Some things that you can pray for:
• Ask that God would reveal Himself to each and every one of us. • Ask for God to show each of us how to realign our priorities to match God’s priorities • Ask God to reconcile our family relationships and grow and strengthen our marriages in love • In closing, ask for a full and complete healing for Adam
Good morning, and thank you for joining us as we unite in prayer and fasting for the healing of Adam Root.
I don’t know your exact situation today, and I don’t know your specific motivation for following this blog, but I do share in the human experience with you, and I am thus familiar with some of what you may be thinking or experiencing today.
You may be approaching this day with expectant hope, eager to see what God has in store. Or, you may be wondering what this is all about and whether it’s even worth it to set aside your day for prayer and self-sacrifice through fasting.
You may be in a good mood today, ready to face what may come. Like me, you may feel like you wish you could fall back asleep and not wake up for a long time. Perhaps sleeping sounds easier than facing all of your obligations and heartache today.
You may feel certain that Adam’s unexplainable recovery is a miracle waiting to happen, or you may doubt that such a miracle is possible, barely hanging onto a tiny thread of hope.
You may be experiencing a season of blessing in which you know that you are receiving gift after gift from above. Everything you touch seems to turn to gold. For others, however, this may be a season of drought. You struggle to make ends meet or even have anything go the way you might hope. You wonder when something, anything, will go your way.
I may not know which side of the continuum you find yourself on today, but of this we can be certain: We have an unchanging, unfailing God, the Creator of the universe, who loves us beyond our comprehension.
Watch the short video below, and as you do, reflect on how BIG God is:
WOW, right?
Regardless of your circumstances today, dwell on that which we know to be true (even if it’s difficult or impossible based on how you’re feeling). God, the amazing Creator of our unfathomable universe is also characterized by the following:
God is love.
Nehemiah 9:17b “…But you are a forgiving God, gracious and compassionate, slow to anger, and abounding in love.”
John 3:16 “For God so loved the world that He gave His one and only Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish but have eternal life.”
Psalm 36:5 “Your love, O Lord, reaches to the heavens, your faithfulness to the skies.”
God is just.
Deuteronomy 32:4 “He is the Rock, His works are perfect, and all His ways are just. A faithful God who does no wrong; upright and just is He.”
Isaiah 30:18 “Yet the Lord longs to be gracious to you; He rises to show you compassion. For the Lord is a God of justice. Blessed are all who wait for Him!”
Romans 3:25-26 “God presented Him [Jesus] as a sacrifice of atonement, through faith in His blood. He did this to demonstrate His justice, because in His forbearance He had left the sins committed beforehand unpunished – He did it to demonstrate His justice at the present time. So as to be just and the one who justifies those who have faith in Jesus.”
God is a God of truth.
Psalm 33:4 “For the word of the Lord is right and true; He is faithful in all He does.”
John 14:6 “Jesus answered, ‘I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me.’ “
God is good.
2 Chronicles 5:13b “…they raised their voices in praise to the Lord and sang: ‘He is good; His love endures forever.’”
Psalm 34:8 “Taste and see that the Lord is good; blessed is the man who takes refuge in Him.”
Matthew 19:17b “… ‘There is only One who is good. If you want to enter life, obey the commandments.”
God desires to be in personal relationship with us, in spite of ourselves.
John 17:3 “Now this is eternal life: that they may know You, the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom You have sent.”
Romans 5:8 “But God demonstrates His love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.”
God deserves our worship and praise.
Psalm 33:1 & 3 “Sing joyfully to the Lord, you righteous; it is fitting for the upright to praise Him….Sing to Him a new song; play skillfully, and shout for joy.”
Psalm 92: 1 & 2 “It is good to praise the Lord and make music to Your name, O Most High, to proclaim Your love in the morning and your faithfulness at night….”
Psalm 150:1-2,6 “Praise the Lord. Praise God in His sanctuary; praise Him in His mighty heavens. Praise Him for His acts of power; praise Him for His surpassing greatness…Let everything that Has breath praise the Lord.”
Right now and as you go about your day today, whatever your circumstances and whatever your mood, praise God for who He is. If you need some suggestions, try these:
Praise God for His love that means He has Adam’s and your best interest in mind and desires to be in relationship with us.
Praise God for His power and beauty as displayed in creation.
Praise God for His justice. When we may seek “fairness” and not like when things are seem unfair or undeserved, understand that God is truly just.
Praise God for His truth and ask that you think on His truths and not the lies of the devil, also known as the father of lies, who may be filling your mind with thoughts that lead to fear, doubt, or confusion.
Praise God for His goodness and His ability and desire to give good gifts to His children.
While it may be difficult to voice your praises in the midst of tragedy, discouragement, or hopelessness, do it because God is worthy of all praise. Be honest; tell Him how difficult it may be to praise Him, but don’t neglect to do it. For further inspiration, listen to this song and make it your prayer. As the song declares, “I will praise you in the storm.”
Over the next 24-36 hours, an unknown number of us will be fasting, and gathering together in prayer. We won't be gathering together in a physical sense. Rather, we will be uniting together in at least three other ways.
1. We will be united in our abstinence from food, or other forms of fasting.
2. We will be united in our desire for Adam Root to be miracuously healed.
3. We will be united in prayer — brothers and sisters in Christ, simultaneously asking the Great Physcian, Jesus Christ, to supernaturally heal Adam.
The first part is the easiest. Despite some pangs of hunger, it is easier for all of us to go without food for a day than it is for all of us be totally in sync on number two and three. You see, to believe in a miraculous healing, we all must believe that God is real, and that He can perform miracles. And, to be united in prayer requires that we all be communicating with the Christ that is alive and among us.
Matthew 18:19-20
19"Again, I tell you that if two of you on earth agree about anything you ask for, it will be done for you by my Father in heaven. 20For where two or three come together in my name, there am I with them."
I believe it is God's desire that 100 percent of us connect in all three forms of unification. I know that we are committed to fasting, but on the eve of our day of prayer and fasting, let's examine our hearts to make sure that we don't doubt God's presence among us.
Read these words of A.W. Tozer in his book, The Divine Conquest:
“We habitually stand in our now and look back by faith to see the past filled with God. We look forward and see Him inhabiting our future; but our now is uninhabited except for ourselves. Thus we are guilty of a kind of pro tem atheism which leaves us alone in the universe while, for the time, God is not. We talk of Him much and loudly, but we secretly think of Him as being absent, and we think of ourselves as inhabiting a parenthetic interval between the God who was and the God who will be.”
Have you ever felt that way, before? I must admit that I have. There have been times when it has been easy for me to look back and see God's handiwork, while looking forward to the prospect of a Heaven without pain and suffering. Yet, while doing so, feeling like it is all "up to me" to make it through the day.
Psalm 46:1
1 God is our refuge and strength, an ever-present help in trouble.
I am sure that most of you are not suffering from the "pro tem atheism" of which Tozer wrote. Yet, let's all work on getting our hearts in the right place this evening. Pray for the Holy Spirit to provide us with the knowledge and confidence that God is with us. Pray for unwaivering faith.
Mark 9:23-24
23" 'If you can'?" said Jesus. "Everything is possible for him who believes."
24Immediately the boy's father exclaimed, "I do believe; help me overcome my unbelief!"
This evening, let's pray collectively for each other that we can all overcome our unbelief. As we enter our united day of fasting and prayer for Adam, let's ask the Holy Spirit to fill us with belief. Pray that He will draw us near to Him during our time of fasting and prayer.
Ask that the Holy Spirit will continue to draw Amy, Mckenzie and all of Adam's family closer to Him during this time of crisis. Ask Him to help us with our unbelief. Now, with God close to all of us, tell Him that we are going to be bringing requests to Him for the healing of Adam Root, husband of Amy Root, son of Jack Root, Jr. and Margaret Root. Ask that He be merciful and hear our prayers.
With the Holy Spirit working to rid our unbelief, Wednesday is our day to, once again, unite as "Centurions" (view last week's Scripture reference)!
Joining me this week as devotional contributors will be my two daughters, Adrienne Terada and Hillary Mortensen. Both fasted and prayed with us, last week.
If you were not with us, last week, we welcome you and look forward to fasting and praying with you! You may have a few questions. Here are a few links to last week's posts to get you up to speed.
Things are very hectic at work, right now. There is so much work to be done. And, after spending time on our day of prayer and fasting for Adam, I feel even more "behinder" than ever. So, I head to the office to work on Saturday. Wouldn't you know it, a song comes on the radio. I think to myself, "This would be good for our next day of prayer and fasting."
That's right, our next day of Prayer and Fasting for Adam will be Wednesday, May 26th.
In my prior post (Let's Stay Passionate), I talked about the many prayers of great passion that were lifted up to God this past Thursday. I also know that we are only human. We tire easily. We get distracted. We have busy schedules. With so many responsibilities tugging at us, we relegate prayer to a few minutes each day. We don't give God enough time for two-way communication. We don't allow enough time to get passionate. Friends, this is why we must schedule it!
I know that many of you prayed for Adam, yesterday, and today, and will continue to do so. Yet, friends and relatives of Adam have asked that we unite in a day of prayer and fasting every week until he is healed. There is something about the fellowship of uniting together that brings out the passion in our prayers.
Matthew 18: 19-20
19"Again, I tell you that if two of you on earth agree about anything you ask for, it will be done for you by my Father in heaven. 20For where two or three come together in my name, there am I with them."
Let's come together every Wednesday to fast and pray in Jesus name until Adam is healed.
In the meantime, keep praying for Adam's healing. There is more to be done.
I want to thank everybody that has been supporting Adam, and his family, in prayer. I have heard from several people that they truly "pleaded" with God for Adam's healing on Thursday. I believe that Mary posted a comment about "wrestling" with God. And, I am confident that I am not the onlly one who shed tears during a prayer.
Praise God! If only our prayers were always so emotional and passionate! Think how pleased God would be! Do you think He wants to listen to us mumble through a prayer? Or, be forced to endure prepared speeches? I don't think so.
God wants us to be dependent on Him. I believe that God enjoys listening to His children come to Him with earnest requests. On Thursday, I believe that God was pleased as He heard us pouring our hearts out, pleading for Hiis mercy, crying out for His healing power.
Did you feel the passion in your prayers on Thursday? Could you feel the presence of the Holy Spirit? If you did, let's work at making it happen, again. If you didn't, keep working at it. It's worth the effort.
Let's take a look at a passionate prayer from the Bible. Here is Daniel's Prayer:
Daniel 9:1-23
1 In the first year of Darius son of Ahasuerus (a Mede by descent), who was made ruler over the Babylonian kingdom- 2 in the first year of his reign, I, Daniel, understood from the Scriptures, according to the word of the LORD given to Jeremiah the prophet, that the desolation of Jerusalem would last seventy years. 3 So I turned to the Lord God and pleaded with him in prayer and petition, in fasting, and in sackcloth and ashes.
4 I prayed to the LORD my God and confessed:
"O Lord, the great and awesome God, who keeps his covenant of love with all who love him and obey his commands, 5 we have sinned and done wrong. We have been wicked and have rebelled; we have turned away from your commands and laws. 6 We have not listened to your servants the prophets, who spoke in your name to our kings, our princes and our fathers, and to all the people of the land.
7 "Lord, you are righteous, but this day we are covered with shame—the men of Judah and people of Jerusalem and all Israel, both near and far, in all the countries where you have scattered us because of our unfaithfulness to you. 8 O LORD, we and our kings, our princes and our fathers are covered with shame because we have sinned against you. 9 The Lord our God is merciful and forgiving, even though we have rebelled against him; 10 we have not obeyed the LORD our God or kept the laws he gave us through his servants the prophets. 11 All Israel has transgressed your law and turned away, refusing to obey you.
"Therefore the curses and sworn judgments written in the Law of Moses, the servant of God, have been poured out on us, because we have sinned against you. 12 You have fulfilled the words spoken against us and against our rulers by bringing upon us great disaster. Under the whole heaven nothing has ever been done like what has been done to Jerusalem. 13 Just as it is written in the Law of Moses, all this disaster has come upon us, yet we have not sought the favor of the LORD our God by turning from our sins and giving attention to your truth. 14 The LORD did not hesitate to bring the disaster upon us, for the LORD our God is righteous in everything he does; yet we have not obeyed him.
15 "Now, O Lord our God, who brought your people out of Egypt with a mighty hand and who made for yourself a name that endures to this day, we have sinned, we have done wrong. 16 O Lord, in keeping with all your righteous acts, turn away your anger and your wrath from Jerusalem, your city, your holy hill. Our sins and the iniquities of our fathers have made Jerusalem and your people an object of scorn to all those around us.
17 "Now, our God, hear the prayers and petitions of your servant. For your sake, O Lord, look with favor on your desolate sanctuary. 18 Give ear, O God, and hear; open your eyes and see the desolation of the city that bears your Name. We do not make requests of you because we are righteous, but because of your great mercy. 19 O Lord, listen! O Lord, forgive! O Lord, hear and act! For your sake, O my God, do not delay, because your city and your people bear your Name."
20 While I was speaking and praying, confessing my sin and the sin of my people Israel and making my request to the LORD my God for his holy hill- 21 while I was still in prayer, Gabriel, the man I had seen in the earlier vision, came to me in swift flight about the time of the evening sacrifice. 22 He instructed me and said to me, "Daniel, I have now come to give you insight and understanding. 23 As soon as you began to pray, an answer was given, which I have come to tell you, for you are highly esteemed. Therefore, consider the message and understand the vision:
We won't continue into the explanation of the vision. But, I wonder if Daniel's passion was a factor in God's response to Daniel's prayer?
A View on Passionate Prayer
Sometimes, hearing somebody's understanding of scripture is helpful. I don't always agree, but hearing other people's interpretations helps me develop my own faith. I invite you to read Preacher Woman's article about Daniel and passionate prayer.
Worship
Pray with passion, and Jesus will be lifted high. For today's worship song, I chose one sung by kids. This is a special day in our family. Our grandson, Isaac, is getting baptized tonight. If you may recall, Isaac is the one who gave a "gift of worship" to Amy (Adam's wife) on Wednesday evening. Since it is a special day for a kid, kids get to sing!
Prayer
Pray that Jesus will be lifted high throughout Adam's recovery.
Be specific about your requests for Adam. For example, ask that God would provide Adam with the ability to open his eyes, or ask Him to restore Adam's brain, or mend his shoulder. Pick one specific area to pray for today...
Yesterday was an amazing experience for me. Close encounters with the Holy Spirit tend to be quite impactful. How about you?
Right now, I may not be totally coherent, but I feel confident of two things:
Adam will be healed.
His healing is in God''s hands.
Uniting in prayer, yesterday, was a powerful experience. We need to keep it up (more on that, later), but ultimately, God is the one who does the "heavy lifting." He is The Healer. Of course, He's more than that. I would attempt to describe Him, but He is Indescribable, as this song tells us.
Yes, at times I find it difficult to use words to describe God. And, at times, I find it difficult to know exactly what God wants me to do. In the case of Adam's serious condition, the Holy Spirit seems to be leading me along a specific path.
In a subsequent post, I will share the short story of how I got involved in this "Fasting for Adam" prayer campaign. Why do I use the word "campaign?" A campaign can be defined as "a systematic course of aggressive activities for a specific purpose." You didn't think our work was done, did you?
Our support for Adam doesn't end with breakfast, today. Our united day of prayer and fasting, yesterday, was the "kick off" for our systematic course of aggressive praying for Adam. Read Bill LaPiana's post in the Comments section of Thursday Night: Comfort. Bill understands fully, the mission at hand.
To keep this to point, read this passage:
James 5: 13-17
13Is any one of you in trouble? He should pray. Is anyone happy? Let him sing songs of praise. 14Is any one of you sick? He should call the elders of the church to pray over him and anoint him with oil in the name of the Lord. 15And the prayer offered in faith will make the sick person well; the Lord will raise him up. If he has sinned, he will be forgiven. 16Therefore confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous man is powerful and effective.
So, keep praying! And, stay tuned for how we can stay on a systematic course. Watch for a new post over the weekend.
Remember that you should resume eating gradually and sensibly.
If you choose to break your fast on Friday morning, a "Grand Slam" breakfast might sound like a great idea, but something a little easier to digest, like oatmeal might go down a little easier.
Eat light on Friday morning and at lunch.
There will be more posts in the morning that address our next steps.
3Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of compassion and the God of all comfort, 4who comforts us in all our troubles, so that we can comfort those in any trouble with the comfort we ourselves have received from God. 5For just as the sufferings of Christ flow over into our lives, so also through Christ our comfort overflows. 6If we are distressed, it is for your comfort and salvation; if we are comforted, it is for your comfort, which produces in you patient endurance of the same sufferings we suffer. 7And our hope for you is firm, because we know that just as you share in our sufferings, so also you share in our comfort.
When Jeremy Camp shared these verses in his video, it did provide comfort, so I wanted to post a text version. It is reassuring to know that as we experience pain and trouble, God is here to comfort us.
Our Lord is not only a God of comfort, He is a God of wonders. Before going to bed, listen to one more song, and meditate about the wonder of God.
Enjoy a blessed evening and a peaceful night of sleep knowing that God the comforter is watching over us.
Pray that Adam will also sleep well. Pray that he will sense the comfort of God as the Holy Spirit ministers to him. Pray that he will awake healthier in the morning. Pray also for a good night of rest for Amy and Cookie. Talk with you in morning.
As Bill LaPiana stated in his comment to the Mid Afternoon post, I have felt the presence of the Holy Spirit. Not constantly, but especially at those times when I am praying and meditating, I have felt His strong presence.
As I was returning from my "lunch" break in the park, I had a longing to be with all of you. I wished that we could all come together for a group prayer. Yet, I still feel connected to all of you. Receiving a phone call, a text message, an email, or viewing a blog comment confirmed what I already knew. You have all been there for Adam, today. Together, we have petitioned God to heal Adam.
Our work is not over, but the day is beginning to wind down for many of us. I don't know about you, but it seems to be going by so quickly. Last night, I was wondering if I could make it through the day without eating. Now, I don't want the day to end. I am going to make at least one more post before the day is done. There will be more in the morning, which you can read before or after eating.
I am going to take some time to meditate on my experiences over the past 24 hours. I will think about the emotions that I felt, including those times when I could not stop the flow of tears. I will praise God for blessing me with all that has happened. He has been faithful to me. Join me in this song about God's faithfulness.
Scripture Reference Psalm 145: 1-5 1 I will exalt you, my God the King; I will praise your name for ever and ever.
2 Every day I will praise you and extol your name for ever and ever.
3 Great is the LORD and most worthy of praise; his greatness no one can fathom.
4 One generation will commend your works to another; they will tell of your mighty acts.
5 They will speak of the glorious splendor of your majesty, and I will meditate on your wonderful works.
Of course, I will suggest that you pray again. Refer to the words of Paul in Chapter 5 (verses 16-18) of his first letter to Thessalonians:
16Be joyful always; 17pray continually; 18give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God's will for you in Christ Jesus.
Be joyful — I am very joyful that God blessed us with this day.
Pray continually — I will continue to ask God to bless Adam with the healing power of the Holy Spirit.
Give Thanks — I am thankful that our Lord is a loving God, a merciful God, a forgiving God and that He hears our prayers.
The desire for food may be strong, but it is time to push onward. I know that some of our "fellow fasters" have never met Adam. Talk about dedicated prayer warriors! You are amazing! Others are first-time fasters. I know it's difficult, but hang in there. Go to bed, early tonight, and morning will be here very soon! But first, we have more to do!
For those that know Adam, think about a time he did something generous.I remember one summer Saturday, he called our house and asked if Marina would like to go the Oregon State Fair with him. Sounds kind of generous, doesn't it? Keep in mind that Adam was probably 17 years old, and Marina was probably 13. She had only been his cousin for about two years as we adopted her from Kazan, Russia. Adam drove way out of his way to pick Marina up, then drove her back home after they attended the fair. What are the chances a teenage boy decides to go way out his way (I am talking about an extra hour, round trip) to take his younger cousin to the fair? One in a million? If so, Adam is that "one."
I am sure that many of you have pleasant memories about something Adam did. Right now, however, it hurts to think about Adam in his current condition. It is why it is reassuring to hear these words from Jeremy Camp.
Continue in your prayers, thanking God for His healing hands. In addtion to petitions for Adam's healing, ask God to provide safe travels for the Root family has they fly back and forth between North Carolina and the Pacific Northwest. Also, pray for each other, that we would remain strong through the remainder of the evening.
I will post again near 10:00 p.m. Eastern (7:00 Pacific).
Getting hungry? I am. As the day progresses, the selfish side of me wants to eat. I tend to become a bit jealous of those around me who are going about "life as usual." Lord, forgive me for my self centered, selfish cravings.
Let's keep working to keep smiles on our faces. Let's keep thanking God for sparing Adam's life. Let's remember that God will never let go of His children.
The remainder of the day may become increasingly difficult as the hunger increases. As the intensity of hunger increases, as headaches develop, as we become dizzy, let's turn our discomfort over to God. Let's keep praying. Keep lifting up Adam in prayer. Plead with God to provide a miraculous healing. Also, pray for the family members at the hosptial with Adam. Pray that the Holy Spirit would turn their hearts to Jesus for comfort, and for salvation.
God will not let go of Adam.
Psalm 23
A psalm of David.
1 The LORD is my shepherd, I shall not be in want.
For some of our "prayer warriors," a lunch break is part of the schedule. If so, this is an extended period of time for prayer and meditation. Again, some of you will easily be able to transition right into meaningful communication with God. Some of us may need a little help. I know that my mind can wander off topic so quickly that I need some guidance. As a result, I am printing off this page, and will be taking it and my Bible to a nearby park. If you don't have a Bible, no worries. Printing this post will get you through.
Prayer of Thanks
Start your midday break with a prayer of thanksgiving. We all have much to be thankful for. If you're having a difficult time coming up with something to be thankful about, here are a few thoughts I had:
• God has blessed me with amazing wealth and opportunity compared with so many in the world - I am so thankful that I don't have to be hungry everyday
• God has provided me with people to love, and people to love me
• God has provided me with good health
• God sacrificed his Son, Jesus Christ, to save me from my sins
The list could go on, but you should pray about what you're thankful for, not what I'm thankful for.
Devotional
My daugher, Hillary, emailed this to me last night. She wanted to share this meditation from Charles Spurgeon with all of you.
"And he requested for himself that he might die."—1 Kings 19:4.
It was a remarkable thing that the man who was never to die, for whom God had ordained an infinitely better lot, the man who should be carried to heaven in a chariot of fire, and be translated, that he should not see death—should thus pray, "Let me die, I am no better than my fathers." We have here a memorable proof that God does not always answer prayer in kind, though He always does in effect. He gave Elias something better than that which he asked for, and thus really heard and answered him. Strange was it that the lion-hearted Elijah should be so depressed by Jezebel's threat as to ask to die, and blessedly kind was it on the part of our heavenly Father that He did not take His desponding servant at his word.
There is a limit to the doctrine of the prayer of faith. We are not to expect that God will give us everything we choose to ask for. We know that we sometimes ask, and do not receive, because we ask amiss. If we ask for that which is not promised—if we run counter to the spirit which the Lord would have us cultivate—if we ask contrary to His will, or to the decrees of His providence—if we ask merely for the gratification of our own ease, and without an eye to His glory, we must not expect that we shall receive.
Yet, when we ask in faith, nothing doubting, if we receive not the precise thing asked for, we shall receive an equivalent, and more than an equivalent, for it. As one remarks, "If the Lord does not pay in silver, He will in gold; and if He does not pay in gold, He will in diamonds." If He does not give you precisely what you ask for, He will give you that which is tantamount to it, and that which you will greatly rejoice to receive in lieu thereof. Be then, dear reader, much in prayer, and make this evening a season of earnest intercession, but take heed what you ask.
I read this a couple times, last night, and will read it again, today. I will meditate on it for awhile. I do not want to "ask amiss" as I continue praying throughout this day, and in the future.
Scripture Reading Matthew 15:29-38 29Jesus left there and went along the Sea of Galilee. Then he went up on a mountainside and sat down. 30Great crowds came to him, bringing the lame, the blind, the crippled, the mute and many others, and laid them at his feet; and he healed them. 31The people were amazed when they saw the mute speaking, the crippled made well, the lame walking and the blind seeing. And they praised the God of Israel. 33His disciples answered, "Where could we get enough bread in this remote place to feed such a crowd?"34"How many loaves do you have?" Jesus asked."Seven," they replied, "and a few small fish."35He told the crowd to sit down on the ground. 36Then he took the seven loaves and the fish, and when he had given thanks, he broke them and gave them to the disciples, and they in turn to the people. 37They all ate and were satisfied. Afterward the disciples picked up seven basketfuls of broken pieces that were left over. 38The number of those who ate was four thousand, besides women and children. 39After Jesus had sent the crowd away, he got into the boat and went to the vicinity of Magadan. Observations about scripture reading
1. Jesus is the Great Physician. "Great crowds came bringing the lame, blind, crippled, mute and many others, and Jesus healed them. Instantly. Miraculously." Here we are, people thousands of miles from each other, lifting up Adam to Jesus in prayer.
2. Jesus cares about our basic needs. After all those healing miracles, he was still worried about feeding the crowds.
3. Jesus is patient with us, even when we are clueless. In verse 33, His disciples asked, "Where could we get enough bread in this remote place to feed such a crowd?" Duh! In Chapter 14 (verses 13-18), just a short time prior to this one, Jesus fed 5,000 people in a similar situation. Even so, he did not call them out for their very short memories!
Pray for Adam
Before returning to work, I will pray again for Adam. Just as Jesus healed the crowds, I will be asking Jesus to send the Holy Spirit to North Carolina to heal Adam. 32Jesus called his disciples to him and said, "I have compassion for these people; they have already been with me three days and have nothing to eat. I do not want to send them away hungry, or they may collapse on the way."
I love my coffee. I don't start my day with it, but usually walk over to the local coffee shop around 9:30-10:00 a.m. I get a bit of fresh air, get a few minutes of "thinking time," and of course, my 16-ounce, four-shot Americano! Then it's back to work.
If you normally take a coffe break of some sort, use this time to futher communicate with God. As always, you can worship and pray as the Holy Spirit leads you. If you are not sure, spend a few minutes pondering God's awesomeness! Play the song, below for some inspiration.
If you are not feeling led in prayer, consider one or more of these:
Telling God how awesome He is
Asking Him for the forgiveness of your sins
Asking Him to bless Amy, Mackenzie, Jack, Cookie, Ben, Brad, Tristan and other family members with peace, comfort, and rest
Ask God that each member of Adam's family would be encouraged today
Ask God for daily improvement in Adam's condition
Thank God for hearing our prayers
As you return to work, school, or parenting, continue to listen for the prodding of the Holy Spirit. When you notice hunger, say a short prayer asking for God's continued healing of Adam.
Thank you for participating in this day of prayer and fasting. As I stated last night, we are going to be asking God to heal Adam and completely restore his health. To do so, requires petitioning the God of the universe. This communication with our Father requires not just talking, but listening, too. To open up the lines of communication, we need to acknowledge God for who He is. We also need to thank God for His provisions. When we better understand our relationship with God, communication with Him will flow more freely.
Since you won't be taking time to eat breakfast, let's take some time to worship God.
Today, we are here to worship. At regular meal times, or when those pangs of hunger strike, take time to worship God with praise and adulation, prior to bringing your prayer requests to Him.
After offering some praise to God, thank Him. You may want to thank Him for some or all of the following:
Creating us
Loving us
Sending Jesus to save us from our sins
For so generously providing for us that we rarely experience hunger
Allowing Adam to be part of lives
For keeping Adam alive this past week
For medical professionals that are caring for Adam
For your brothers and sisters who are joining you in prayer and fasting today
After thanking God, pause and reflect on the good things God has done in your life.
Before ending your morning prayer time, ask God to help you through this day. Ask Him for strength. Ask Him for stamina. Ask Him to use your hunger as a reminder of His greatness. Tell God that you have joined with others all over this land, this day, to fast and pray for the healing of Adam Root, a patient at UNC Chapel Hill Hospital, husband of Amy Root, and son of Jack and Cookie Root.
Tell God that you and the others will be asking for a complete healing of Adam, and that you want to know how to best communicate this throughout the day. Then listen for a few minutes. Remember, communication requires listening. Don't panic if you don't hear anything. You have the rest of the day.
As you end your morning prayer time, read John 11:1-44 that you may continue to pray with confidence of a full and complete healing. Remember that Jesus is the Great Physician. He can even restore the dead.
This is Adrienne, and I am honored to have been invited on as a guest author to this site. First, I want to say that I am so excited about our fast tomorrow for Adam. God has given me and many others a heart to pray BIG!! We are praying for nothing less than a miracle! Second, since I haven’t been in direct contact with any of the Adam Root immediate family members, I love you all, and I am standing with you in prayer. I desperately wish I could give all of you a gigantic hug. And to keep this from getting to long, I wanted to give a quick gift to Amy and the other family. I have wanted to get these songs to you since the day of the accident. Desert Song was performed by a woman who had just lost her baby a couple weeks prior to concert day. It is one of the most powerful worship songs I have heard for myself personally. Healer was written and performed by a man who was diagnosed with cancer as a prayer to God. It is one of Isaac’s favorite worship songs. When we have rough days with Isaac’s health, I literally play them over and over and over to remind of God’s mighty power.
Amy these are for you from Adrienne & Isaac. We love you!
For many of us, Fasting for Adam has already begun. We have finished dinner, and will not be eating again until Thursday evening or Friday morning (depending on which type of fast you are pursuing). As the evening winds down, you may be a bit nervous about the hunger that you will experience tomorrow. I have done this before, and I am still wondering if I can make through the whole day!
Although tomorrow is the official fasting day, we are now joined together in abstinence from food. Before we go to bed, let's prepare ourselves for Thursday. You may already know how to prepare yourself for tomorrow. If not, here are some suggestions:
Meditate — Let's remind ourselves why we have decided to fast. Adam Root has been seriously injured. He has spent the past several days fighting for his life. According to doctors, he has an extremely long road to recovery, but the "recovery" of which they speak is something quite a bit less than the Adam we knew before his accident.
The only way for Adam to truly recover is through a miraculous healing by God. That's where we come in. We cannot heal Adam, but together, we can "loudly" petition God to heal Adam. Corporately (formed into a unified body of individuals), we will lift our voices to God. We have chosen to fast, so that we would have more time for prayer and be more sensitive to the presence of the Holy Spirit.
Worship — Acknowledge God's greatness. Listen to this song, and sing along if you like.
Pray — Tell God how great He is. Acknowledge Him as the Creator of life. Confess your sins to Him. Ask Him for His blessings upon our day of prayer and fasting, and ask Him to hear our prayers. Ask Him to answer our prayers that we bring to Him, tomorrow.
For some of us, we might not know exactly what to pray for, tomorrow. Don't worry about it. If you open your heart to the Holy Spirit, you will be able to converse with God without searching for words to say. And, you can check in for new posts to this blog for some suggestions.
Remember one thing, however. I ask that you engage in "full throttle prayer." As Adam's uncle, and as a brother in Christ, I ask that you stay very focussed on one key point — we are praying for a FULL recovery for Adam. We are asking God to completely retore Adam to his pre-accident health.
Remember that God, through His son, Jesus Christ performed many supernatural healings. In closing, I refer you the The Faith of the Centurion, which is documented in Matthew 8:5-13.
5When Jesus had entered Capernaum, a centurion came to him, asking for help. 6"Lord," he said, "my servant lies at home paralyzed and in terrible suffering."
7Jesus said to him, "I will go and heal him."
8The centurion replied, "Lord, I do not deserve to have you come under my roof. But just say the word, and my servant will be healed. 9For I myself am a man under authority, with soldiers under me. I tell this one, 'Go,' and he goes; and that one, 'Come,' and he comes. I say to my servant, 'Do this,' and he does it."
10When Jesus heard this, he was astonished and said to those following him, "I tell you the truth, I have not found anyone in Israel with such great faith. 11I say to you that many will come from the east and the west, and will take their places at the feast with Abraham, Isaac and Jacob in the kingdom of heaven. 12But the subjects of the kingdom will be thrown outside, into the darkness, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth."
13Then Jesus said to the centurion, "Go! It will be done just as you believed it would." And his servant was healed at that very hour.
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