spiritual practices – fasting 2

Here is the link to the Spiritual Practices: Fasting sheet

Historically one of vital practices or disciplines for spiritual formation and growth is fasting.

Lent is often seen as a season of fasting.

  • Lent begins with Ash Wednesday (2 March 2022).
  • The day before (1 March 2022) is often called Shrove or Pancake Tuesday. It is rooted in a tradition from some European countries because eggs, sugar, and fat, are commonly forbidden during the Lenten fast, so they are used up so they will not go to waste.
  • Lent runs for 40 days (the Sunday’s are not counted – they are seen as little Easter’s)

Fasting usually means abstaining from food. Traditionally, no fat or eggs (hence the Pancakes before Lent), no chocolate or wine or other rich foods. But fasting is not just about not eating a particular food, it is about taking that time to be with God in an intentional way.

Many of us have fasted before – perhaps in advance of surgery or some blood work; maybe you grew up in a religious tradition where you practised a fast of no meat on Fridays, or maybe you’ve practised intermittent fasting for weight loss or some other reason.

Christian fasting is not:

  • A way to suffer for God
  • A spiritual practice that demonstrates how pious or devout you are
  • Righteousness (fasting doesn’t equal holiness or sanctification)
  • A way of trying really hard spiritually that God will respond to
  • The same thing as repenting of sin (we don’t “fast” from sin, we confess it, receive forgiveness, and turn from it)
  • An addiction treatment program (if you feel powerless to break a dependence, reach out for help!)

Instead, Christian fasting is intentionally withholding something we’d normally partake in (i.e. food)
for the purpose of creating space in our lives to feast on the presence of Jesus “directly.”

Fasting is a spiritual practice, exercise or discipline that is taught in the Bible. Jesus expected His followers to fast. Fasting, in the Bible, means to voluntarily reduce or eliminate your intake of food for a specific time and purpose.

When you fast, do not look somber as the hypocrites do, for they disfigure their faces
to show others they are fasting. Truly I tell you, they have received their reward in full.
But when you fast, put oil on your head and wash your face, so that it will not be obvious to others
that you are fasting
, but only to your Father, who is unseen; and your Father,
who sees what is done in secret, will reward you.
Matthew 6:16-18

Fasting is so much more than a tool that maximizes weight loss, cleanses, increases focus, and puts you in the shape of your life. In the Bible, fasting is less about physical health and more about spiritual connection. For thousands of years, biblical fasting has been the practice of abstaining from food for purposes of connecting with God.

Guidelines for fasting from food

  • Don’t fast when you are sick, traveling, pregnant or nursing. People with diabetes, gout, liver disease, kidney disease, ulcers, hypoglycemia, cancer and blood diseases should not fast.
  • Don’t fast if you are in a hurry and are fasting for immediate results regarding some decision. Fasting is not magic.
  • Listen for a nudging from God to fast.
  • Stay hydrated. Always drink plenty of water and fluids.
  • If you are new to fasting, begin by fasting for one meal. Spend the time with God that you would normally be eating.
  • Work up to longer fasts. Don’t attempt prolonged fasts without guidance. Check with your doctor before attempting long periods of fasting.
  • If you decide to fast regularly, give your body time to adjust to new rhythms of eating. You may feel more tired on days you fast. Adjust responsibilities appropriately. (Expect your tongue to feel coated, and expect to have bad breath.)
  • Begin a fast after supper. Fast until supper the next day. This way you miss two, rather than three, meals.
  • Don’t break your fast with a huge meal. Eat small portions of food. The longer the fast, the more you need to break the fast gently.

What to do in in the time set apart for fasting

  • Bring your Bible and a glass of water during your fast.
  • Relax and breathe deeply. Place yourself in the presence of God. Offer yourself and your time to God by repeating Samuel’s words “Speak Lord, your servant is listening.” Or simply say, “Here I am.”
  • Spend some time worshiping God for his faithfulness. Thank him for where he has come through for you. Psalm 103:1-5 is a good starting point for praise.
  • Bring your desires to God. Ask him if this desire is in line with his will and his word for you and the church. Be still and listen. Offer your desires and prayers to God.

Spiritual exercises or practices

  • To deepen your understanding of how Jesus denied himself and embraced suffering and death for you, practice some sort of fasting during Lent. When fasting is difficult, share your thoughts and feelings with Jesus. What does Jesus say to you? Tell Jesus what it means to you to share and fellowship with him in his sufferings.
  • Fast one meal a week. Spend your mealtime in prayer. When you feel hungry, sit with Jesus in the wilderness and feed on the bread of heaven. Talk to Jesus about what his self-denial means to you.
  • During Lent, particularly focus on Jesus and his temptation in the wilderness. Enter the story in your imagination. What do you and Jesus talk about? How are you tempted to indulge yourself? How does it help you to talk to Jesus about this?
  • Make two lists: one of needs, the other of wants. Ask God to show you where to fast from some of your wants. Offer to God the time you normally spend pursuing your wants.
  • When facing a trial, decide on a fast that gives you time to seek God’s strength in your journey.

Lenten fasts have a tendency to be oriented toward things like giving up food or shopping or media or similar things. But there are many other creative ways we can welcome Jesus’ healing touch this Lent. Below are some ideas you may want to consider.

  • Fast from anger and hatred. Give your family and friends an extra dose of love each day.
  • Fast from judging others. Before making judgments, recall how Jesus overlooks our faults.
  • Fast from discouragement. Hold on to Jesus’ promise that he is at work in you.
  • Fast from complaining. When you find yourself about to complain, close your eyes and recall some of the little moments of joy Jesus has given you.
  • Fast from resentment or bitterness. Chose to forgive those who may have hurt you.
  • Fast from spending too much money. Try to reduce your spending by ten percent and give these savings to those in need.

spiritual practices – fasting 1

Lent is a season of 40 days of repentance and preparation for the joys of Easter.

  • Lent starts on Ash Wednesday (March 2 this year),
  • and lasts until Easter Sunday (April 17th this year).

One of the traditional practices of Lent is fasting.
We are told in Matthew 4:1-11 that Jesus spent forty days fasting in the wilderness and afterwards “he was starving.” Some of us feel that way after 40minutes!

Fasting can be a powerful practice for a Christian, but it’s also often misunderstood and challenging, so it tends to be either badly practised, or not practised at all.

Fasting, in a Christian framework, is:

  • Wisdom – it’s love and knowledge meeting together in a practice that avails us of God’s resources to meet our needs.
  • Training – it’s the indirect effort that gives us access to something we can’t try or make happen on our own.
  • Surrender – it’s voluntarily “making ourselves weak” so that we can know and receive the strength and power of God (2 Cor 12:9-10).

Simply put: fasting is a way to place ourselves in the way of grace by withdrawing our reliance on earthly things so that we can feast on God’s presence and power.

Possible ways to fast during Lent
If you’ve never practised fasting before, an easy way into the practice is to engage in a partial fast. A partial fast can involve food and drink, or certain habits. Here are some possibilities for a partial fast:

  • Fasting from foods associated with “feasting”: chocolate, desserts, coffee/caffeine, alcohol, etc.
  • Fasting from media or entertainment.
  • Fasting from habits and comforts: shopping, parking in a spot close to the store.

Here are some questions to ask as you consider a partial fast.

  • What cravings have a hold on me?
  • What would be truly liberating to leave behind?
  • Short of an addiction, have I become dependent on a particular food, drink, substance, or activity?
  • What would be truly challenging for me to give up during Lent?
  • What is Jesus asking of me?

Reflection questions

  • When you feel empty or restless, what do you do to try to fill the emptiness?
  • What does this tell you about your heart?
  • What is your attitude toward fasting or self-denial?
  • In what ways do you currently deny yourself?
  • When has self-denial brought you something good?
  • What has the experience of fasting been like for you?
  • Where do you operate from an entitlement mentality?
  • How can you wean yourself from this way of life?

However, you decide to fast during Lent, approach it as an experiment in grace.
The point is to create space in our souls to feast on the presence of Jesus in our midst.
Celebrate the gospel as you fast, and look for God’s grace to meet you.

 

The next post contains the handout that we made available at OCC.

 

27 February Reading Revelation

welcome

Thank you for joining us on-line.
Some of us at OCC are meeting in-person, some are meeting on-line.

  • God calls all of us into his presence;
  • He calls us to be together both with him and with one another;
  • Hr calls us to wait with and for him;
  • and He calls us to serve & bless others – those who are part of God’s kingdom and those who have not yet responded to God’s grace

As you prepare to watch our service video, we encourage you to take a few moments…

  • Get your coffee or tea, settle in, be still…
  • Make sure you have some bread and juice available to take part in Communion together.
  • Take 2 or 3 deep breaths… in and out… breathe,
  • Invite the Lord to make himself present with you as you watch – he is with you – it’s just that often we are not aware that he is.

This week we start a new series in the Revelation of Jesus Christ (we will get back to Mark after Easter).

Here is the video service for Sunday, 27 February 2022.


Here is an introductory video

Coming Up

Sunday 6:30-7:30pm

Join us on-line 

 

 

 

 

Youth

Sunday Night @ 7:30pm @ OCC
Games Night this week

Griefshare

 

 

Spiritual Practices

Don’t forget to download (and begin to read) the New Testament reading plan.

You can also get the guide sheet for listening – resting – soaking in God’s presence here.

You can get the guide sheet for fasting here, as well as some other fasting notes.

LIFEGroups

Get connected to one of our online LIFEGroups.

Wednesday @ 8:00pm
Thursday @ 7:00pm

 

 

20 February Mark 7

welcome

Thank you for joining us on-line.
Some of us at OCC are meeting in-person & some are meeting on-line.

  • God calls all of us into his presence;
  • calls us to be together with him and with one another;
  • calls us to wait with and for him;
  • calls us to serve & bless others – those who are part of God’s kingdom and those who have not yet responded to God’s grace.

OCC is meeting on-line – that’s right here;

  • we are also meeting Sunday morning in-person @ 10:ooam;
  • OCCKids: K to Grade 5, Grade 5-8;
  • Our nursery space is also available;
  • Youth gather at OCC @ 7:30pm

As you prepare to watch our service video, we encourage you to take a few moments…

  • get your coffee or tea, settle in, be still…
  • take 2 or 3 deep breaths… in and out… breathe,
  • invite the Lord to make himself present with you as you watch – he is with you – it’s just that often we are not aware that he is.

Here is the service for Sunday, 20 February 2022.

Spiritual Practices

Don’t forget to download (and begin to read) the New Testament reading plan.

You can also get the guide sheet for listening – resting – soaking in God’s presence here.

into the text MARK 7

TEXT

The Pharisees and some of the teachers of the law who had come from Jerusalem gathered around Jesus and saw some of his disciples eating food with hands that were defiled, that is, unwashed. (The Pharisees and all the Jews do not eat unless they give their hands a ceremonial washing, holding to the tradition of the elders. When they come from the marketplace they do not eat unless they wash. And they observe many other traditions, such as the washing of cups, pitchers and kettles.)

So the Pharisees and teachers of the law asked Jesus, “Why don’t your disciples live according to the tradition of the elders instead of eating their food with defiled hands?”

He replied, “Isaiah was right when he prophesied about you hypocrites; as it is written:

“‘These people honor me with their lips,
but their hearts are far from me.
They worship me in vain;
their teachings are merely human rules.’[Isaiah 29:13]

You have let go of the commands of God and are holding on to human traditions.”

And he continued, “You have a fine way of setting aside the commands of God in order to observe your own traditions! For Moses said, ‘Honor your father and mother,’[Exodus 20:12; Deut. 5:16] and, ‘Anyone who curses their father or mother is to be put to death.’[Exodus 21:17; Lev. 20:9] But you say that if anyone declares that what might have been used to help their father or mother is Corban (that is, devoted to God)—then you no longer let them do anything for their father or mother. Thus you nullify the word of God by your tradition that you have handed down. And you do many things like that.”

Again Jesus called the crowd to him and said, “Listen to me, everyone, and understand this. Nothing outside a person can defile them by going into them. Rather, it is what comes out of a person that defiles them.”

After he had left the crowd and entered the house, his disciples asked him about this parable. “Are you so dull?” he asked. “Don’t you see that nothing that enters a person from the outside can defile them? For it doesn’t go into their heart but into their stomach, and then out of the body.” (In saying this, Jesus declared all foods clean.)

He went on: “What comes out of a person is what defiles them. For it is from within, out of a person’s heart, that evil thoughts come—sexual immorality, theft, murder, adultery, greed, malice, deceit, lewdness, envy, slander, arrogance and folly. All these evils come from inside and defile a person.”

THEOLOGY

How do we evaluate (judge) people?

  • the Pharisees and teachers of the law evaluated people (sounds much better than judge – even though that’s what they are doing) based on their religious traditions, and therefor their preconceived ideas, not on Scripture.
  • ritual cleanliness was important. They even had a prayer to be said during the ritual washing: “Blessed be Thou, O Lord, King of the universe, who sanctified us by the laws and commanded us to wash the hands.”
  • the oral tradition or teachings, The Mishna, records, “It is a greater offense to teach anything contrary to the voice of the Rabbis than to contradict Scripture itself.
  • justice – Jesus quotes Isaiah 29:13 as a reminder that simply saying you love or worship or obey God is meaningless.
  • when we hold to traditions (old or new) and place that higher than the commands of God, we become legalists and no longer walk in the joy and life of Jesus.

clean & unclean

  • we are defiled from the inside out rather than from the outside in. In a similar way, real change takes place from the inside out not from the outside in.
  • God is far more concerned with what comes out of us than what goes into us. Although, of course, this does not mean that we ignore the external influences on our lives.
  • The list of external sins in v21-22 is not a complete list. William Barclay reminds that that “Every outward act of sin is preceded by an inward act of choice; therefore Jesus begins with the evil thought from which the evil action comes.”

The people of God are not set apart by particular traditions or ethnicity, or anything else, but by a purity that emanates from the heart, manifested by love for others. We may not need more religion, but more reflection on what proceeds from our heart. Traditions can be good, and point others to God. Or, they can communicate explicitly or implicitly, “you don’t belong.”

  • How can we evaluate our traditions in light of God’s word?

POETRY

Rowing” in Ann Sexton, “An Awful Rowing Toward God

I am rowing, I am rowing,
though the wind pushes me back
and I know that that island will not be perfect,
it will have the flaws of life,
the absurdities of the dinner table,
but there will be a door
and I will open it
and I will get rid of the rat inside of me,
the gnawing pestilential rat.
God will take it with his two hands
and embrace it.

VIDEO

13 February Mark 6

welcome

Thank you for joining us on-line.
Some of us at OCC are meeting in-person,
some are meeting on-line.

  • God calls all of us into his presence;
  • calls us to be together with him and with one another;
  • calls us to wait with and for him;
  • calls us to serve & bless others – those who are part of God’s kingdom and those who have not yet responded to God’s grace.

OCC is meeting on-line – that’s right here;

  • we are also meeting Sunday morning in-person @ 10:ooam;
  • OCCKids: K to Grade 5, Grade 5-8;
  • Our nursery space is also available;
  • & then Sunday evening, 6:30-7:30pm we meet to pray.
  • Youth gather at OCC @ 7:30pm.

If you are coming to worship with us in-person, we remind you of a few details:

  • You still need to register… the link is available each week on the home page or you call OCC (705.329.2139).
  • We need to maintain distancing in our building.
  • We need to wear a face-covering in our building.
  • At this point, we cannot serve refreshments, but you are welcome to bring your own coffee/tea/water. For the comfort of others, please do not remove your face-covering until you are in your seat.

As you prepare to watch our service video, we encourage you to take a few moments…

  • get your coffee or tea, settle in, be still…
  • take 2 or 3 deep breaths… in and out… breathe,
  • invite the Lord to make himself present with you as you watch – he is with you – it’s just that often we are not aware that he is.

Here is the service for Sunday, 13 February 2022.

A couple of videos are not allowed to be inserted into the message. You can find them here

Do The Next Right Thing (Frozen 2)

Toyota ad

Sunday 6:30-7:30pm

Join us on-line 

 

 

 

 

Youth

Sunday Night @ 7:30pm @ OCC

Spiritual Practices

Don’t forget to download (and begin to read) the New Testament reading plan.

You can also get the guide sheet for listening – resting – soaking in God’s presence here.

 

LIFEGroups

Get connected to one of our online LIFEGroups.

Wednesday @ 8:00pm
Thursday @ 7:00pm

CNOY 2022

It’s cold out there. 
On February 26 (or thereabouts), we are going to do something about it. Together with thousands of Canadians across the country, we’re walking and fundraising to support and serve people and families experiencing homelessness, hurt, and hunger in our community.
Please, give generously by going to the CNOY site and click on the “Donate Now” button.

Thanks!

into the text MARK 6

TEXT

Jesus left there and went to his hometown, accompanied by his disciples. When the Sabbath came, he began to teach in the synagogue, and many who heard him were amazed.

“Where did this man get these things?” they asked. “What’s this wisdom that has been given him? What are these remarkable miracles he is performing? Isn’t this the carpenter? Isn’t this Mary’s son and the brother of James, Joseph, Judas and Simon? Aren’t his sisters here with us?” And they took offense at him.

Jesus said to them, “A prophet is not without honor except in his own town, among his relatives and in his own home.” He could not do any miracles there, except lay his hands on a few sick people and heal them. He was amazed at their lack of faith.

Then Jesus went around teaching from village to village. Calling the Twelve to him, he began to send them out two by two and gave them authority over impure spirits.

These were his instructions: “Take nothing for the journey except a staff—no bread, no bag, no money in your belts. Wear sandals but not an extra shirt. Whenever you enter a house, stay there until you leave that town. And if any place will not welcome you or listen to you, leave that place and shake the dust off your feet as a testimony against them.”

They went out and preached that people should repent. They drove out many demons and anointed many sick people with oil and healed them.

THEOLOGY

This is a passage about rejection – there is a lot of that in the New Testament.

There is a whole stream of, mostly evangelical, Christianity that doesn’t really believe in what is said in these verses.

  • they don’t like the idea of Jesus being rejected
  • they don’t like the idea that they might be rejected
  • they don’t like the idea that Jesus says go anyways

Mark 6:3 says that the people “took offence [literally “were scandalized”] at him [Jesus]”

  • It’s important to note that this scene is probably the same scene that Luke records in Luke 4:14-30.
  • the people are taking offence/being scandalized at what Jesus was saying & doing

And when Jesus is rejected, he continues teaching and ministering in the area, and then sends out his disciples in pairs.

He gives them these directions:

  • travel light
  • be a guest
  • bring healing
  • shake off rejection

What are some of the implications of this for us – the church – in 2022?

  • What is some of the baggage we need to get rid of?
  • It’s about going more than inviting
  • What if our only agenda was to bring healing and wholeness to every person and system we encountered?
  • Our job is to seek peace and healing wherever we go. If people aren’t ready, we simply move on with no argument or animosity. We shake the dust and keep walking.

COMIC

 

 

 

 

 

 

POETRY

Us and Them
Dave Hopwood/engageworship.org

They look at him and see what they want to see.
They easily create their boxes and put him inside,
contain the uncontainable in their own small world,
hem in the one who is larger than time and space.
They do what they always do –
pre-judge so they can keep change at bay.
Dismiss anything that might challenge their preconceived ideas.

He looks at them and sees their small worldview,
longs for them to open their eyes and soften their hearts.
He knows they are itching to dismiss him, but he cannot dismiss them.
He has come for this very reason – to open eyes and redeem
worldviews,
to offer a bright new way to those trapped in the shadows of the old.

So they panic and build their walls,
talk of geography and boundaries and outward appearances,
every brick a misguided opinion.
Perhaps one day they will see the carpenter again,
after he has made his epic journey through pain and death.
Perhaps one day the light of resurrection will dawn on them,
freeing them, softening their hearts and opening their minds.
Freeing all of us – drawing us out of the shadows
and softening our hearts and opening our minds…

VIDEO

The most decorated Winter Paralympian in Canadian history, Brian McKeever is a well-known athlete in Canadian sports circles. His story is told in Toyota’s new ad, set to air during the 2022 Super Bowl.

“Brothers” shares the power of sport through the journey of Brian and his older brother Robin, who both are significant figures in Canada’s Paralympic success. Brian is currently set to compete at his sixth Paralympic Winter Games in Beijing, aiming to add to his record 17 medals (including 13 gold). Robin will also be in Beijing as the long-time head coach of the nation’s accomplished Para nordic team.

It was Robin who taught Brian how to ski, and he went on to compete at the 1998 Olympic Winter Games as a cross-country skier.

When Brian began losing his vision at age 19 due to Stargardt disease, Robin became his guide. Together the pair competed at the 2002, 2006, and 2010 Paralympic Winter Games, winning seven gold, two silver, and one bronze medal. After 2010, Robin focused his attention on coaching while Brian would go on to claim more Paralympic hardware with new guides (in Beijing he will race with guides Graham Nishikawa and Russell Kennedy).

This 60-second ad illustrates what can be done when we do it together.

 

financial summary January 2022

Here is an update on our giving & expenses to the end of January 2022
Thank you for your faithfulness

January
2021 income 10,714.00
2021 expense 19,750.12
2022 income 18,566.00
2022 expense 14,919.64
2022 budget 20,416.67

 

spiritual practices – resting, listening, soaking in God’s presence

We are learning or re-learning to practice spiritual disciplines.

Ways of being with God, of being shaped or formed in his presence.

  • Some of these practices are individual, others are corporate.
  • This month we are going to practice a personal – private – on your own disciple.
  • It’s about learning to be in God’s presence – resting – listening – soaking in his love.
  • I encourage you to try this, to practice this once a week this month. Take 10-15 minutes (or more)

You can download some guidelines here: soaking or you can read the same material below.

We are learning or re-learning to practice spiritual disciplines. Ways of being with God, of being shaped or formed in his presence. Some of these practices are individual, others are corporate. This month we are going to practice a personal – private – on your own disciple.

It’s about learning to be in God’s presence – resting – listening – soaking in his love. I encourage you to try this, to practice this once a week this month. Take 10-15 minutes (or more)

Why

”When it comes to real devotion, come with nothing to do except to sit and learn how to wait, rest and be. Be still. Fill your mind with Jesus. Faith and stillness are sustenance for your spirit, so learn to focus on Jesus. When your mind wanders off, bring it back. Retrain it; it’s had years of having its own way. Renewing your spirit and your mind is exciting and has incredible fruit. Worship becomes natural for you, and the peace of God wells up in your heart. God’s perspective can be seen more quickly.” ~Graham Cooke

How

  • Find a quiet place – A peaceful environment helps you to become peaceful on the inside.
  • Listen to worship music – Often, quiet instrumental music, helps us focus. One of my favourites is Ruth Fazal.
  • Read a short passage of scripture – I suggest one of the passages below as a good starting point.
  • Quiet down your busy thoughts – Initially, your thoughts can be racing all over, but know that the Lord is with you. Turn your attention to Him. Wait for your thoughts to settle. You may want to have some notepaper so you can jot down all those things to do that come flooding in.
  • Invite the Holy Spirit to come and soak you in His presence – Surrender your mind, body and soul in prayer to the Holy Spirit. Humble yourself before Him.
  • Focus on the Lord’s presence – Open your heart to God. You are learning to abide or rest in Him. You are learning to focus on Him and His presence.
  • Rest in faith and believe that God is working within you – It isn’t about what you can accomplish through your efforts; it’s about what God is doing in you and through you.
  • Give time to soaking in God’s presence – The more time you can spend in His presence, the better. Start with 10 or 15 minutes in His presence. You will find as you do this, in a very short time you will want to spend more time in His presence.
  • Watch as God changes you – You will leave refreshed and full of the Holy Spirit. Your life will be different because God is changing you through soaking in His presence. You will have an impact on the world around you as you carry God’s presence with you wherever you go.

Scriptures

  • Psalm 23:1-3 “The LORD is my shepherd; I shall not want. He makes me to lie down in green pastures; He leads me beside the still waters. He restores my soul…”
  • Matthew 11:28-30 “Come to Me, all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For My yoke is easy and My burden is light.”
  • Proverbs 1:33 “But whoever listens to Me will dwell safely, and will be secure, without fear of evil.”
  • Psalm 27:14 “Wait on the Lord; be of good courage, and He shall strengthen your heart. Wait, I say, on the Lord!”