Where Would Jesus Lead?

Biblical leadership is hard to find today. There are so many seminars and books on leadership that could be renamed books that help you lead in a way that bends people to your will and worldview. They use the latest techniques and best practices to bring about the goals they have established. Sometimes they will throw in Christian ideals and even use scripture, but they do not represent the heart of God or the teachings of Jesus the Messiah.
Jesus made it clear that anyone who wishes to lead must do so by God's rules and not man's
Mark 9:35 And He sat down and called the Twelve [apostles], and He said to them, If anyone desires to be first, he must be last of all, and servant of all. AMP
Mark 10:44-45 And whoever wishes to be most important and first in rank among you must be slave of all.
45 For even the Son of Man came not to have service rendered to Him, but to serve, and to give His life as a ransom for (instead of) many. AMP

Jesus Himself came as a man among us who while he is both God and man he lived in a way that we could follow him to live by the father's authority or will and he was empowered by the Holy Spirit. 'Where would Jesus Lead', will help you understand leadership from the teachings of Jesus, who is the perfect manifestation and revelation of the father’s heart.

I would challenge you to ask yourself these questions as you read:
1. How does what is being taught compare to how I lead?
2. What must I do to bring my life and leadership into alignment with God's word?
3. Do I need to repent for the way I have lived and lead?
4. Are there people I need to go to and seek to restore godly relationships with as a result of my past leadership errors?

Where Would Jesus Lead?

A Study of Chaordic Leadership

Gary Goodell
Format: Paperback
Price: $14.99 Product # 1767
Length: 186 Pages

Product Review: from Arsenal Books
Jesus modeled leadership by living and walking with His disciples, everyday people, and the religious leaders of His day. You can emulate His leadership style by changing the traditional hierarchical, pulpit-based leadership model of most Western churches to a more relational form of leading from among the people. This leadership style involves participating in the chaos of real, to-way relationships, yet bringing order by training and discipling in the midst of chaordic interaction.

Where Would Jesus Lead? is about leading among rather than leading from, or leading over, or leading from titles, positions, or assumed roles. Author and ministry leader Gary Goodell believes it is time to transition to a more collaborative style of leading, one of coming alongside people, for the peoples sake, and empowering them to achieve their personal God-given destiny. Thinking prophetically, the author courageously contends that interactive relationships that are purposeful yet inherently chaotic are ones to be joyfully embraced.

Practical ideas and applications regarding how to carry out this vision in one-on-one relationships and in small groups are expertly presented. Emphasis on deeper, more effective relationships is Gods heart for the Church in America today.

Table of Contents
Foreword by Graham Cooke
Introduction to Chaordic Leadership
Chapter 1: Now, Heeeres, Johnny!
Chapter 2: Turning Down Celebrity Status
Chapter 3: Where Did Jesus Lead?
Chapter 4: Leadership or Followership?
Chapter 5: Practices or Principles?
Chapter 6: Leading by Listening
Chapter 7: Listening to Lead
Chapter 8: Discipling by Design
Chapter 9: Detailed Discipleship
Chapter 10: Chaordic Groups
Chapter 11: Chaordic or Chaotic?
Chapter 12: Keeping Small Groups Chaordic
Chapter 13: How Relationships and Small Groups Develop
Chapter 14: Is Our Future Chaordic?
Chapter 15: Discovery Questions for Leading Small Groups

Endorsements

James W. Goll, Encounters Network, Author
This book will stretch you! At least it does me. It takes me on a journey of what I really value most love for God and people and attempts to flesh it out in a real time setting. Gary Goodell marvelously and uncomfortably envisions the Body of Christ to be incarnational Christianity instead of ecclesiastical Christianity. True apostolic ministry is more about producing apostolic lifestyle and community versus just functional position. The content of this book is challenging and breathtaking at the same time. Someday I hope to live up to the security that is required to walk in leadership in such a manner. A new wineskin stretches as needed. Is your heart elastic? Read this book and find out!

Bill Johnson, Author
Where Would Jesus Lead? will challenge, encourage, and motivate spiritual leaders to pursue a more authentic expression of the Gospel. I found myself affirmed as Gary Goodell addressed things Ive believed for years but have not had the language for. I also felt very convicted as he addressed things I had overlooked: things that demand attention. This is a refreshing look at who we are and how we should live . . . no, how we must live.

About the Author
Gary Goodell has been involved in Christian ministry since the 1960s. As an evangelist, Bible college dean, former pastor, husband, father, grandfather, and one of the lead dreamers, he is an itinerate coach partnered with other innovative leaders through the international church planting network, Third Day Churches. Gary and his wife, Jane, live in San Diego, California.

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The Joseph-Daniel Calling by Morris E. Ruddick

The Joseph-Daniel Calling
Like Joseph and Daniel in the Bible, God is calling men and women to serve in strategic positions of influence and power in the workplace for His purposes. In much the same way as Joseph and Daniel in the Bible, God is calling men and women of influence and power in the workplace to serve strategically for His purposes.

This book addresses the dynamics of this calling, God’s economy, and the challenges of these uniquely called Josephs and Daniels. Among other agendas, they will be facilitators of the release of the wealth of the wicked into Kingdom initiatives.

Book SummaryIn the face of political instabilities, economic reversals, fear, and uncertainty, Kingdom opportunities not obvious to the world are quietly on the rise. These Kingdom agendas reflect an interlinking of secular enterprises with overriding ministry objectives.
What is emerging is a move of God in the marketplace that will parallel the rise of the parachurch ministry movement of the early fifties. At the forefront of this movement is a group of men and women of God called in the same way as Joseph and Daniel of the Bible. Modern-day Josephs and Daniels will serve strategically as instruments of God’s purpose in secular positions of influence within seats of power of this world. This book addresses the dynamics of this calling, God’s economy, and the preparation, character, and challenges of these uniquely called Josephs and Daniels. Among other agendas, they will be facilitators of the release of the wealth of the wicked into Kingdom initiatives.
Author ProfileMORRIS E. RUDDICK is a business executive, consultant, entrepreneur, missionary, intercessor, conference speaker, board member, and writer. He is at the forefront of mobilizing a unique group of anointed marketplace leaders, referred to as modern-day Josephs and Daniels. As head of a market planning consulting firm serving an array of clients from Fortune 500 firms to respected ministries, his expertise includes business planning, forecasting emerging markets, developing business strategies, funding initiatives, modeling entrepreneurial bypass strategies, and applying principles of biblically based businesses. He was chief architect in two successful corporate turnarounds. His ministry activities target strengthening the brethren in locales ranging from Afghanistan to Israel. But the foundation of both his business and ministry activities is his role in leading a global intercession ministry known as SIGN (Strategic Intercession Global Network), which has as its purpose targeting strategic-level issues impacting the Body on a global basis.

Amazon Authors page

http://www.amazon.com/Morris-E.-Ruddick/e/B001KD7CPM/ref=sr_ntt_srch_lnk_1?_encoding=UTF8&qid=1267393791&sr=8-1

Find Out More @ Global Initiatives Foundation
http://www.strategic-initiatives.org/

The Heart Of A King

The Heart Of The King
The Leadership Measure of the Joseph-Daniel Calling
by Morris Ruddick
___________________________________

In this day when Christian books fill our shelves and call out to us in the marketplace, promising to tell us something new, something important, something that will give us real help to deal with the storms of our day we wonder if any of these authors has actually heard from God. There are few that truly pierce the veil of the common and plunge us deep into the revelational truths found in the secret place of the Most High God!

In ‘Heart of a King’ you will find truths discovered by many hours of deep prayer, searching the scriptures and seeking the Heart of God. Here you will find biblical truth for building community among believers not just building a business. These truths speak to those today who have a Joseph-Daniel calling, written by a pathfinder, entrepreneur and pioneer who truly has the Joseph Daniel mantle and seeks to impart these gems from God’s throne room to all who are willing to pay the price to acquire the 'Heart of a King.'

'These are times that cry out for true leadership in the Body; the type that unites and mobilizes. It is a leadership of sacrifice, whose practitioners refuse to acquiesce to the safe places that fall short; or be seduced by the rule of power of the rule of profit that lures those called by His Name into the intrigues and games played by the world. They are a remnant whose calling is directly from God; not presumption, ambition or any other quest emerging from the heart of man. These are the ones with the leadership mantle of Joseph and Daniel, who are facing the realities, paying the cost and faithfully stewarding their callings of bringing forth God's Kingdom. These are the ones who will themselves receive the keys to release His Kingdom in their domains. These are the ones with the heart of a King.'

Table of Contents
Dedication and Acknowledgements
Preface
Section 1: The Setting and Challenge
Chapter 1: The New Thing
Chapter 2: The Valley of Shadows
Chapter 3: Opportunity Enablers
Chapter 4: Spiritual Clutter
Chapter 5: Discerning the Kingdom
Chapter 6: The Maturity Mantle
Chapter 7: The Cost of the Pathway
Section 2: Addressing the Realities
Chapter 8: The Snare in Success
Chapter 9: Spiritual Intoxication
Chapter 10: The Wealth Transfer Dynamic
Chapter 11: High Calling Realities
Chapter 12: The Throne of Destruction
Chapter 13: The Swirl
Chapter 14: When Iniquity Stops its Mouth
Section 3: Defining the Issues
Chapter 15: Without Pretense
Chapter 16: The Mold
Chapter 17: Honor Fallen Short
Chapter 18: Honor and Integrity
Chapter 19: Priority and Opportunity
Chapter 20: Piercing the Veil
Chapter 21: Prevailing
Section 4: Embracing the Mandate
Chapter 22: The Mantle of Power
Chapter 23: This is the Generation
Chapter 24: The Corporate Community
Chapter 25: The Most Humble
Chapter 26: The Dividing Asunder
Chapter 27: The Leadership Measure
Chapter 28: The Heart of a King
The Author
Contact Information

Available at Arsenal Books http://www.arsenalbooks.com/product/Heart_Of_A_King_Morris_Ruddick/New_Release

What Others Are Saying

HEART OF A KING: Endorsements
'My progress was slow, as I had to stop frequently to praise God, repent, pray, or just express joy or soberness with the content of the pages.
'Judy Haynes, Political Consultant, Co-Founder of the Christian Coalition, Washington, DC

I'n The Heart of a King, God has given significant prophetic revelation to Morris Ruddick on the topic that Jesus talked about the most in the Gospels - the Kingdom of Heaven. This is a timely message and confirms His promise that in the last days that knowledge would increase (Dan 12:4). The Heart of a King illustrates how the Body of Christ can and must come into alignment with a Kingdom of Heaven-centric model which is based upon the pillars of God-centered, community, and increase. This is a new-old paradigm that the Church must embrace in order to partner with what the Lord is doing in this season, or be left behind in religious stagnation. A must read for every believer, this book will challenge the existing church-as-normal paradigm as well as cause each of us to reflect on our own motivations for serving in His Kingdom. As this book illustrates, it’s not what we do for Him that counts, it’s what we allow Him to do through us that has lasting value.'
Jeff Ahern, Management Consultant, President-Sozo Services, Alexandria, VA

“The Heart of A King” eloquently outlines the intricacies of the Joseph-Daniel calling. Morris Ruddick is an articulate voice with a clarion call for this day who makes God's Word and His Kingdom purposes come alive through powerful revelation and understanding. With each reading, you will grasp more and more the fullness of the depth and breadth of this work. “The Heart of A King” is an ordained book, a now directive, a must read designed to usher us into our new era in God's Kingdom.

Jill Mitchell O'Brien, President, Kingdom Connections International, Inc., Houston

"If you are dissatisfied with your status quo and needing an overhaul of your call, then this is definitely the book for you! Morris Ruddick really packs a punch in this sequel to his previous book, 'The Joseph-Daniel Calling'. You'll be compelled to take a fresh inventory of your gifts and calling, with an eye toward right stewardship of all those treasures held in your earthly vessel. Conviction to adopt new holy habits will come upon you as you read each chapter and grasp the keen prophetic insight and revelatory wisdom Morris provides so succinctly here. Expect your spirit to rise within you and your spiritual eyes to see, on a personal level, what God planned for you to inherit and walk in since before the beginning of time. If you believe this is your season for exponential growth, then this book will take you there."
Charlynne Boddie, Author, Founding Director, Charlynne Boddie Ministries, UK

"In a time when many are talking about "building community", Morris Ruddick lays out a framework for that to actually happen. This framework is built upon kingdom entrepreneurship. This framework is simple, yet practical because it is based firmly on the Scriptures. And it is not just nuts-and-bolts. In fact, the most important features are the reliance on hearing God and knowing what to do. Truly, the call Morris relates is to draw closer to the Lord and hear His voice. The way of the Josephs and the Daniels on the surface sounds glamorous. Who wouldn't want power in the courts of Egypt or Babylon? But the path to the throne is marked with seasons in prison or the den of lions. No glamor there. In fact, as Morris clearly points out, Josephs and Daniels are not in this for the glamor or for themselves. It is a kingdom assignment and as such those called to this are more concerned for the people of God than their own personal enrichment or glory. "
David Works, Author, Entrepreneur, Denver

About the Author

Morris E. Ruddick is a business executive, consultant, entrepreneur, missionary, intercessor, conference speaker, board member, and writer. He is at the forefront of mobilizing a unique group of anointed marketplace leaders, referred to as modern-day Josephs and Daniels. As head of a market planning consulting firm serving an array of clients from Fortune 500 firms to respected ministries, his expertise includes business planning, forecasting emerging markets, developing business strategies, funding initiatives, modeling entrepreneurial bypass strategies, and applying principles of biblically based businesses. He was chief architect in two successful corporate turnarounds. His ministry activities target strengthening the brethren in locales ranging from Afghanistan to Israel. But the foundation of both his business and ministry activities is his role in leading a global intercession ministry known as SIGN (Strategic Intercession Global Network), which has as its purpose targeting strategic-level issues impacting the Body on a global basis.

Amazon Authors page

http://www.amazon.com/Morris-E.-Ruddick/e/B001KD7CPM/ref=sr_ntt_srch_lnk_1?_encoding=UTF8&qid=1267393791&sr=8-1

Fasting For Spiritual Breakthrough

FASTING FOR SPIRITUAL BREAKTHROUGH
BIBLICAL BASIS
This book is not just about the technique of fasting, but focuses on the spiritual
results you'll get from nine different fasts, each fast is aimed at a different problem to
accomplish different results. These nine fasts are taken in order from Isaiah 58:6-8.
"Is not this the fast that I have chosen (1) to loosen the bonds of wickedness, (2)
to undo heavy burdens, (3) let the oppressed go free, (4) that ye break every yoke, (5) is it not to deal thy bread to the hungry and that you bring the poor that are cast out of thy house... (6) Then shall thy light break forth like the morning, (7) and thine health shall spring forth speedily; (8) and thy righteousness shall go before thee; (9) and the glory of the Lord shall be thy rear guard" (Isa. 58:6-8).
Each fast has a different name and accomplishes a different purpose and follows a
different prescription. These nine fasts carry the following names:
1. The Disciple's Fast: to break sin's addiction.
2. The Ezra's Fast: to solve problems.
3. The Samuel Fast: for revival and soul winning.
4. The Elijah Fast: to overcome habits.
5. The Widow's Fast: to care for the needy.
6. The Saint Paul's Fast: to make decisions and gain insight.
7. The Daniel Fast: for healing and physical health.
8. The John the Baptist Fast: for testimony and influence.
9. The Esther Fast: for protection.
WARNING:
The fasts suggested in this book are not for everyone. Consult your physician before beginning. Expecting mothers, diabetics, and others with a medial history, can enter the spirit of fasting while they remain on necessary diets. While fasting is healthful to many, the nature of God would not command a physical exercise that would harm people physically or emotionally.
Regal Books 1995

TABLE OF CONTENTS
Preface
Introduction
Chapter 1 The Disciple's Fast. Fasting for freedom from addiction (Matthew 17:20-
21). If we fast, we can break sin's addiction (the besetting sin) for a life of freedom inChrist.
Chapter 2 The Ezra Fast. Fasting to solve problems, (I Samuel 1:7-9), if we fast for a specific purpose, we may solve a debilitating problem.
Chapter 3 The Samuel Fast. Fasting to win people to Christ, (Samuel 7:1-8). If we fast and pray for revival, God will pour Himself on His people.
Chapter 4 The Elijah Fast. Fasting to break habits and emotional problems, (I Kings 19:2-18). If our fast focuses on our problem, God will show us how to overcome emotional defects and personal habits.
Chapter 5 The Widow's Fast. Sacrificing our physical necessities to provide for the needy (II Kings 17:12).
Chapter 6 The Saint Paul's Fast. Fasting for insight and decision-making (Acts 9:9-19). If we fast for decision-making and insight, God will reveal His will to us.
Chapter 7 The Daniel Fast. Fasting for health and physical healing (Daniel 1:12-20). If we fast for physical well being, God will touch our bodies.
Chapter 8 The John the Baptist Fast. Fasting for an influential testimony (Luke 1:15, Matthew 3:4). If we fast for the influence of our testimony, God will use us.
Chapter 9 The Esther Fast. Fasting for protection from the Evil One (Esther 4:16). If we fast for protection and deliverance from the Evil One, we are "untouchable" until God calls us home.
APPENDICES
i Physical Aspects of Fasting by Dr. Rex Russell, M.D.
ii Encyclopedia Glossary
iii Statements of Christian Leaders About Fasting
iv How To Keep A Journal When Fasting
v Biblical Topics of Fasting
vi Selected Bibliography

Discover nine ways to break bondage and get closer to God through fasting. Learn how fasting can strengthen your faith and draw you closer to God, helping you to be a true overcome in Christ. This book gives you the biblical reasons for fasting, and introduces you to nine biblical fasts each designed for a specific physical and spiritual outcome.

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FASTING MADE EASY

Almost every person has wondered if there are really any benefits to fasting. Dr. Don Colberts, author of the bestseller Toxic Relief, has now written a book that outlines the needs, benefits, and lifestyle of fasting from both physical and spiritual perspectives. Aware that readers are living in a toxic world, Dr. Colbert presents an easy-to-understand instruction manual that offers a step-by step fasting protocol for better health. This will be readily accepted by people who want to increase their fitness in all areas of their lives. Topics covered in Fasting Made Easy include: *Why should I fast? *How should I fast? *When should I fast? *How do I maintain a fasted lifestyle? *How important is my attitude? *What are the healthy choices I should make-body and spirit? This book is a suggested companion to be sold with Toxic Relief
Fasting can provide fantastic health benefits to your whole being. While it may seem like a "sacrifice," Dr. Don Colbert, author of the bestsellers Toxic Relief and the Bible Cure series, believes fasting is "a powerful tool for health, cleansing, and spiritual empowerment."

In this easy-to-understand instruction manual that offers a step-by-step fasting protocol for better health, Colbert explains the needs, benefits, and lifestyle of fasting from both physical and spiritual perspectives.

Your overall health will improve as you:
Give restorative rest to your digestive tract.
Cleanse your body of undesirable toxins.
Boost you immune system to prevent disease and illness, thus giving you a longer life.
Make yourself look better and help your skin become clearer.
Melt away toxic fat to help you feel better.
Repair and rejuvenate every organ, including your brain.
Bring spiritual cleansing and renewal to your relationship with God.

Featuring daily recipes and testimonials from successful fasters, Fasting Made Easy explains how this biblical key to health will bring renewed vitality, healing, longevity, and deeper spirituality to your life.

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The Begginer's Guide to Fasting

Publisher’s Description
Since Old Testament times God's people have engaged in the practice of fasting: going without food for a predetermined length of time to accomplish a spiritual purpose. Fasting can be done for any number of reasons, including to know God better, to wait on God for an answer to prayer, to listen to God, to demonstrate sincerity to God, and to worship God.
Serving as a complete introduction, The Beginner's Guide to Fasting shares with readers the myriad benefits of this valuable spiritual discipline. It also gives practical explanations of how to prepare for and carry on one's first fast, what kind of a fast to follow, and how to pray and study God's Word while fasting.
From the back Cover
God created the human body as a finely tuned instrument of enormous power, but it requires fuel to operate. To make sure your body gets enough fuel to run efficiently, God created in you an appetite for food, which we call “hunger.” So, why would you ever ignore hunger and choose not to eat? Going without food for spiritual reasons is called fasting and is a spiritual discipline with a long and important history in Christianity.When accompanied by your earnest prayers, fasting demonstrates your sincerity to God. In The Beginner’s Guide to Fasting, beloved teacher-theologian Elmer L. Towns introduces you to the basics of this powerful spiritual discipline. You’ll find an overview of fasting in the Old and New Testaments as well as answers to your questions about fasting and physical health, social interaction, spiritual warfare and much more. This is an essential handbook for all who long to draw closer to God through biblical spiritual disciplines!

BEGINNER’S GUIDE TO FASTING
BY ELMER TOWNS
Table of Contents
INTRODUCTION
SECTION ONE
The Practice of Fasting
1 Getting Ready
2 My First Fast
3 What Kind Of Fast To Follow
4 Learning to Pray While Fasting
5 Getting Into The Bible When Fasting

SECTION TWO
Passion From Fasting
6 Fasting To Know God
7 Fasting To Wait on God
8 Fasting When You’re Scared
9 Fasting To Listen To God
10 Fasting To Open up Heaven
11 Fasting To Satisfy Your Hunger
12 Fasting To Worship God

Elmer Towns is the author of The Ten Greatest Revivals Ever and The Beginner's Guide to Fasting. He and his wife have three adult children and eight grandchildren. They make their home in Virginia

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Shaping History Through Prayer and Fasting

Christians can change world events!
Christians have altered the course of history and governments by emphasizing biblical methods of prayer and fasting.

Derek Prince recounts from personal experience how history was shaped through prayer during the Second World War in North Africa, the birth of the State of Israel, the end of the Stalin Era, and the independence of Kenya, East Africa.

The book begins in its introduction with a transcript of "A Proclamation for a Day of Fasting and Prayer by the President of the Unites States, Abraham Lincoln" A quote from this proclamation will set the stage for the core of the book:
"We have been the recipients of the choicest bounties of Heaven. We have been preserved in peace and prosperity. We have grown in numbers, wealth and power as no other nation has ever grown. But we have forgotten God. Intoxicated by unbroken success, we have become too self- sufficient to feel the necessity of redeeming grace, too proud to pray to the God who made us!"

Learn how you too can implement change in your family, church, locale, country, and the world through these two powerful weapons. Prayer and fasting.

From the Back Cover
You Can Make a Difference The times we are living in are scary, to say the least. The world is unstable. Global politics are volatile. The rate of change we now experience is spiraling out of control. We're uncertain about what will happen tomorrow, and we feel helpless to do anything about it. Yet what we are facing isn't new. There have been many wars. There have been threats and acts of terrorism. History is spotted with violent episodes of unimaginable carnage and horrors. And what did people do about them? The only thing they could do--they prayed!

Discover with Derek Prince how your prayers can change the world. Using experiences in his own life, he illustrates how you can make a difference. You don't have to fight. You don't have to hold a high political position. You don't have to be a certain age. You don't even have to have power, money, or influence on earth. What is important is your influence in heaven. Whether you are a teenager or an adult, you can learn to touch the heart of God through prayer--prayer that will change the

Table of Contents
Foreword by Lou Engle
A Presidential Proclamation for a National Day of Fasting and Prayer
Introduction
Chapter 1: The Salt of the Earth
Chapter 2: A Kingdom of Priests
Chapter 3: Praying for Our Government
Chapter 4: Rulers Are Gods Agents
Chapter 5: Seeing History Shaped through Prayer
Chapter 6: Fasting Intensifies Prayer
Chapter 7: Fasting Brings Deliverance and Victory
Chapter 8: Fasting Prepares for Gods Latter Rain
Chapter 9: Practical Guidelines for Fasting
Chapter 10: Laying a Foundation by Fasting
Chapter 11: Fasts Proclaimed in American History
Chapter 12: Culmination: The Glorious Church

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God's Chosen Fast

Having proved over many years the great value and blessing of fasting, the author has written this book to share with others what the Bible has to say about this important and neglected subject. His aim has been to furnish a handbook which deals not only with all the main passages in Scripture that touch on the matter, but also with the practical issues involved.

This is a balanced study which seeks to give to the subject the weight that Scripture gives it and avoids exaggeration and over emphasis. The book includes a biblical index, and an appendix dealing with the textual problems surrounding four references to fasting in the New Testament.

Table of Contents
Preface
Chapter 1: Why Fast?
Chapter 2: The Normal Fast
Chapter 3: The Absolute Fast
Chapter 4: The Partial Fast
Chapter 5: When Not If
Chapter 6: The Time is Now
Chapter 7: The Regular and Public Fasts
Chapter 8: Fasting Unto God
Chapter 9: For Personal Sanctity
Chapter 10: To Be Heard on High
Chapter 11: To Change Gods Mind
Chapter 12: To Free the Captives
Chapter 13: They Fasted to Deliver
Chapter 14: For Revelation
Chapter 15: Fleshpots of Egypt
Chapter 16: To Buffet the Body
Chapter 17: What About Asceticism?
Chapter 18: Fasting and the Body
Chapter 19: For Health and Healing
Chapter 20: How to Begin
Chapter 21: How to Break the Fast
Chapter 22: Diary of a Fast
Chapter 23: In the Last Days

Appendix 1: Doubtful References to Fasting
Appendix 2: Answers to Practical Questions
Appendix 3: Healthy Eating
Biblical Index

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The Arsenal which provides Resources for Kingdom Advancement is my choice for buying the best in resources that are on the front edge of the wave of renewal that God is pouring out in the Earth today.

Fasting A 20 Day Study

The Passionate Participation in God Project will start a 20 Day Study on Fasting starting Sunday August 22nd on our Facebook Group at http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=237088564302

You can get this study emailed to you daily by joining our group at the link above.
You may also find book reviews on fasting books on this blog.
 
FASTING

The voluntary abstention from an otherwise normal function—most often eating—for the sake of intense spiritual activity.

Fasting was an integral part of the lives of the people we read about in the Bible. They fasted during times of mourning, in repentance, or to seek blessing, answers, or guidance. Everyone fasted together on the Day of Atonement. A normal fast during biblical times involved abstention from all food and liquid except for water, but during extreme circumstances even water was declined (see Esther 4:16).

Jesus undertook an extreme fast of forty days and forty nights when He experienced the temptation in the desert. He also speaks of fasting as a normal part of life for His followers (Matt 6:16-18). Later, in response to a question about why His followers do not fast, He answers that wedding guests do not fast while the bridegroom is with them, but that “the days will come when the bridegroom is taken away from them, and then they will fast” (Matt 9:15). From these words it seems clear that Jesus expected His followers to practice the discipline of fasting.

So why is fasting less common today? Probably the main reason is that we rarely deny ourselves anything, whether food or drink or material goods or entertainment. Fasting forces us to take attention from our desires in order to focus on God. Jesus tells His disciples that His food is to “do the will of Him who sent Me and to complete His work” (John 4:34). Fasting can be a humbling experience, as we see just how controlled we are by our appetites. But it also teaches us that what sustains us is not the food we eat or the pleasures we feel, but God alone.

Yet even now, says the Lord, / return to me with all your heart, / with fasting, with weeping, and with mourning.—Joel 2:12
Day 226 Spiritual Practice: Humbling Our Souls Through Fasting
Day 227 Not by Bread Alone
Day 228 David Fasts and Pleads with God
Day 229 A Communal Fast
Day 230 Ahab Fasts and Humbles Himself
Day 231 Sanctify a Fast
Day 232 Fasting for Victory
Day 233 I Afflicted Myself with Fasting
Day 234 Joyful Fasting
Day 235 Rejecting the Royal Rations
Day 236 Spiritual Practice: Fasting from Food
Day 237 Ezra Proclaims a Fast
Day 238 Right Reverence
Day 239 Was It for Me That You Fasted?
Day 240 Fasting in Solidarity
Day 241 Fasting After Saul’s Death
Day 242 The People Assemble with Fasting
Day 243 Return to Me
Day 244 Fasting for the Church
Day 245 They Fasted That Day
The Material above is from the book, ‘A Year With God,’ Edited by Richard Foster

RENOVARE (SPITITUAL FORMATION)

Connecting with God: A Spiritual Formation Guide
How can we experience god?God has communicated with his people throughout the ages in many ways. Adam and Eve encountered him directly in the Garden of Eden, Teresa of Avila experienced him through visions, and Francis of Assisi heard his voice through nature. Connecting with God gives practical advice for communing on a deeply personal level with God. It uncovers new places to look for God, while providing reflection questions and activities to reinvigorate communication with God in such traditional areas as prayer and Bible study.Divided into twelve chapters conveniently organized for individual or group study, each section explores a different area in which we can deepen our individual communion with God, including: Living with God • Talking with God • Meeting God in Scripture • Listening to God Through the Creation • Hearing God Through Other People • Perceiving God in Circumstances • Seeking God in Silence • Seeing God in Dreams and Visions • Sensing God's Presence • Encountering God's Messengers • Wrestling with God • Walking with God.
Published by, HarperSanFrancisco, softcover, 144 pages.
       The Renovaré Spiritual Formation Guides, created by Richard J. Foster and the team that developed The Renovaré Spiritual Formation Bible and the longstanding A Spiritual Formation Workbook, provide tangible lessons that help us become spiritually formed, conformed, and transformed into the image of Jesus Christ. Geared for either individual study or use in small groups with chapter structure similar to A Spiritual Formation Workbook, each Renovaré Spiritual Formation Guide explores one facet of our life with God, providing readings from Scripture as well as classic and contemporary works of spirituality.
       The combination of readings, reflection questions, exercises, and activities makes these books invaluable interactive guides that prompt true spiritual growth. And they are a tremendous resource for connecting Scripture study with larger spiritual formation ideas and themes.


Learning from Jesus: A Spiritual Formation Guide
How do we become a student of the Master?To Christians, Jesus is many things: the Son of God, the pivotal figure in whom we put our trust and who speaks on our behalf, a companion in the life of faith. But Jesus is also an incredible example of how to lead a faithful life. Jesus, as a human, walked on earth and confronted the same struggles that we face.
      Our primary mission as his followers is to learn from him--to become his apprentices. In this book we seek to further our apprenticeship by studying everything from Jesus's interactions with those around him to the revolutionary wisdom recorded in the Gospels.Learning from Jesus is organized for individual or group study, and includes chapters on: Expecting the Messiah • And the Word Became Flesh . . . • Experiencing the Second Birth • Redefining Blessedness • Freeing the Sabbath • Feasting on the Word • Confronting the Powers • Welcoming Us into Community • Living Abundance • Balancing Mary and Martha • Bearing the Cross • Abiding in Christ. Each section of this Guide leads you further down the path to true discipleship.
       HarperSanFrancisco, softcover, 160 pages.The Renovaré Spiritual Formation Guides, created by Richard J. Foster and the team that developed The Renovaré Spiritual Formation Bible and the longstanding A Spiritual Formation Workbook, provide tangible lessons that help us become spiritually formed, conformed, and transformed into the image of Jesus Christ. Geared for either individual study or use in small groups with chapter structure similar to A Spiritual Formation Workbook, each Renovaré Spiritual Formation Guide explores one facet of our life with God, providing readings from Scripture as well as classic and contemporary works of spirituality.
       The combination of readings, reflection questions, exercises, and activities makes these books invaluable interactive guides that prompt true spiritual growth. And they are a tremendous resource for connecting Scripture study with larger spiritual formation ideas and themes.


The Great Omission
"The word disciple occurs 269 times in the New Testament," writes Dallas Willard in The Great Omission. "Christian is found three times and was first introduced to refer precisely to disciples of Jesus. . . . The New Testament is a book about disciples, by disciples, and for disciples of Jesus Christ. But the point is not merely verbal. What is more important is that the kind of life we see in the earliest church is that of a special type of person. All of the assurances and benefits offered to humankind in the gospel evidently presuppose such a life and do not make realistic sense apart from it. The disciple of Jesus is not the deluxe or heavy-duty model of the Christian--especially padded, textured, streamlined, and empowered for the fast lane on the straight and narrow way. He or she stands on the pages of the New Testament as the first level of basic transportation in the Kingdom of God." Willard boldly challenges the thought that we can be Christians without being disciples, or call ourselves Christians without applying this understanding of life in the Kingdom of God to every aspect of life on earth.  
He calls on believers to restore what should be the heart of Christianity--being active disciples of Jesus Christ.
Willard shows us that in the school of life, we are apprentices of the Teacher whose brilliance encourages us to rise above traditional church understanding and embrace the true meaning of discipleship--an active, concrete, 24/7 life with Jesus.HarperSanFrancisco, hardcover, 256 pages.
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