JOEL 2 GENERATION

When Jesus was asked why His disciples don’t fast, he replied, “But the days will come; and when the bridegroom shall be taken away from them,  then will they fast in those days .” (Luke 5:35). The early church fasted - we know that Wednesdays and Fridays were days that the church fasted from the 2nd century. And an annual season of fasting (known today as Lent) took place leading up to the celebration of Pascha (Greek for Passover, better known today as Easter). Eventually, other seasons of fasting were also adopted - like during Advent leading up to the celebration of Christ's birth.  Today very few Christians fast at all. The Lenten fast for many churches who still observe it amounts to giving something up, or not eating a certain type of food. That might be good, but it is not fasting. A devoted group of intercessors led by Lou Engle has just begun a season of fasting called  The Jesus Fast . Many of them will be genuinely fasting for the next 40 days. Interestingly,...

Last night as our church gathered, I knew that the Lord was leading us somewhere - leading us to a time of encounter, a time of freedom. And one of the things that was clearly on God's heart for us, was to confess fear and get more freedom from the way fear had been hindering our lives. We had had some powerful renewal meetings the week before. My wife and I had been speaking about the Azusa Street (Pentecostal) Revival and the Jesus People Movement during the past week to a group of students. Reports from Kentucky kept pouring in and news about the way the Asbury Revival 2023 was/is spreading to other colleges/universities and churches.  An atmosphere of expectancy is growing in our community. How could it not be?!   Why would we not be expectant that the God who is "the same yesterday, today and forever" (Heb 13:8) wouldn't be doing something similar in our midst?  Living now in California there is a growing desperation in the Christian community that if ever there...