Information taken from: http://www.svm2.net/21days.html

I would like to encourage you all to participate in this.

Purpose: Encourage the emerging generation to Return to Christ as the Fountain of Life. Highlighted in each of the 21 days will be the core elements of repentance, personal holiness, finding joy, healing, and satisfaction in Christ, and being channels of that Fountain to the nations. Our conviction is that empowerment to proclaim the gospel to the nations comes from personal holiness. And personal holiness comes from diligently seeking the face of God, abandoned devotion to Jesus Christ.

What Kind of Fast? The kind of fast you choose should be based on the leading of the Holy Spirit and your particuluar circumstances. Generally, we encouarge that you embark on a food fast of some form. When the Bible speaks of fasting (as it does consistently) it is almost always referring to a fast regarding food. There is a powerful spiritual release when we deny ourselves in this fundamental way.You are heavily encouraged to participate in what is commonly known as a “Daniel” or partial fast. The focus here is not on a complete abstaining from all food, but on the restriction of one’s diet. Generally, this highlights a fast from meat and seeks instead to focus on fruits and vegetables. Another form of the partial fast might include omitting a particular meal each day, thus limiting the quantity of food consumed.Dates of Fast: The 21 days will commence on February 15 - March 6, 2008.21 Day Prayer & Fasting Guide: This guide will give more foundation on the discipline of fasting as well as daily Scriptures and prayer points to use during the 21 days. (Please check back in early February for the guide.) 

The following was an email update sent by one of my friends, and I was intrigued by the questions that was asked. Please feel free to leave comments on my blog to answer the questions presented. It would be interesting to find out what others think.My Friends,The longer I live, the more people I am acquainted with, the more I am faced with the reality of suffering and pain. Physical trials, broken relationships, emotional and spiritual crises seem to strike everyone indiscriminately, reminders of just how brutal this world can be. We sense that this wasnt the original plan, yet we can do little to avoid the onslaught.These past few months I have had the unfortunate opportunity to watch several of my friends as they have struggled through some incredibly difficult circumstances, blindsided by the fierce trials of life. As my heart has ached for them, my mind has been sobered by the realities of struggle and pain that seem to plague us all, regardless of where we live, what religion we follow, or how much money we have.So, the question is: where is the balance? How much of this life is to be spent celebrating the victories and how much of it is to be in mourning over the defeats? How much are we to allow our hearts to ache for a world that suffers daily, mostly apart from any hope of redemption, and how much are we to embrace and enjoy the blessings, rejoicing in the incredible gifts God has lavished upon us?

I read two articles recently that really impacted me. One of them was a non-scientific study conducted by a professor at Fuller Theological Seminary show that the number one influence for a Muslim to start following Jesus is a Christian’s lifestyle.  The other article that I read stated that 8 out of 10 non-Christians do not have a personal relationship with a Christian. When it comes to Muslims on a global scale 9 out of 10 Muslims don’t have a personal relationship with a Christian. If a personal relationship with a Christian is the number one way to lead Muslims into a personal relationship with Jesus Christ, than shouldn’t this be our primary objective, and that is to befriend a Muslim.

I do want to say in America we are not doing that bad. 7 out of 10 Muslims in North America know a Christian personally. This is good news, however when it comes to other nations, outside of Latin America, it is 1 to 2 Muslims have a relationship with a Christian. No wonder why their perception of Christianity is so messed up. My challenge to you is to find the other 3 out of 10 Muslims to don’t know a Christian and befriend them. My next challenge is to pray for the Lord of the Harvest to send out laborers into His harvest field to reach and befriend those in Asia.

I read another statistic that was pretty scary. There is estimated that there is only one missionary for every five million Muslims in India!. Please pray for the Muslims of India.  

Stripes that wound scour away evil, and strokes reach the innermost parts. Prov 20:30

All the people said, “His blood shal be on us and on our children!” Then he released Barabbas for them; but after having Jesus scourged, he handed Him over to be crucified. Matt 27:25-26

It is interesting to note that Israel declared His blood shall be on them and their children. Of course they are talking about the blame associated with punishing Him. However, one can’t help, but think how it is by this very blood that we gain forgiveness of sin. Then on another note, the murderer in this story is released and goes free, while the innocent man takes the punishment the murderer deserved. I would like to think of myself as Barabbas in this story. I have murdered many timees in my heart and have led many rebellions against God, and instead of my being punished, I scream along with the Jews “Crucify Him!” not knowing what it is I am wishing upon myself. Assuming in my rebellious heart I am getting away with murder, and getting what I want and that is this “holy man” being sentenced to death, so I don’t have to deal with him anymore, only to find the scourging and the crucifixion only led to His secret plot to capture my heart back for Him. What a marvelous Savior!!! May His wounds continue to scour away evil in me, and reach the innermost parts, and along with Paul may I take it upon myself to see to it that I may fill up what is lacking in the sufferings of Christ. That every tongue, tribe, and nation will come to the throne of grace and mercy, begging also that His blood would be on their hands and cover them, for the redemption and forgiveness of their sins.

Children were crowded together sitting and squirming on the floor. Girls playing with each other’s hair, boys wrestled a little, all the while a Sunday school class was going on. The smiling teacher patiently walks through John 3:16, asking questions like “Who is God?”, to which the sound of unsynchronized tiny voices, depending on the child, shout or whisper, “God the Father!” or “Jesus”.

The teacher affirmed them that they were correct because the Father and Jesus are one. The word father, triggered some children to even talk about their dads. The teacher talked about the cross and how God “gave” His Son. At this moment some of the children started saying things like “Jesus died for our sins!”, “Jesus died for you!” “God loves me!” With these words I almost started crying.

These children were saying truth, an incredibly weighty truth! They were innocently saying this statement without any knowledge that they are the privileged 5% of children in the world that even have access to this kind of information. They don’t yet understand have obtained the knowledge of a mysterious treasure that is hidden from the eyes of many yet is plainly spoken to them. The obtaining of this treasure is greater then the finest gold, silver or diamonds in all the world. Sometimes I don’t understand the weight of the knowledge of that truth.