40 Days
of Prayer and Fasting
A Pastoral Guide
September 22nd – October 31th, 2008
Covenant Presbyterian Church (PCA)
Panama City, Florida
September 20, 2008
Dear Brothers and Sisters of Covenant Presbyterian Church,
We are living in exciting and hopeful times here at Covenant PCA. They are exciting and hopeful for
many reasons. For one, God has done such great things through the past 34 years of Covenant’s history.
And he has done great things through the past 25 years under Pastor Bob Hayes’ senior leadership. It is
also exciting and hopeful because we are in a major transition in the life of God’s church. By God’s will
and call, I have been given the glorious privilege and awesome responsibility to be your new senior
pastor and to spiritually lead you along with Pastor Bob Hayes, the elders and deacons. As one wise
Biblical leader proclaimed, “Who is sufficient for these things?” I need your prayers. We all need one
another’s prayers. The sovereign God unleashes the power of heaven through the prayers of His people.
I have spoken with many pastors and elders and deacons in recent years and I don’t know a humble one
among them who doesn’t feel the weight of the Biblical standard and the weight of the holiness of Jesus
Himself, the perfect shepherd, servant and self-denying leader. I ask you, “Who is sufficient for these
things?” And although Jesus is both fully God and fully man, He began His earthly ministry with a forty
day fast. This should cause any sober-minded pastor and Christian and congregation pause. If we as
God’s people and God’s leaders of Covenant PCA are to follow Christ and take up our cross and
overcome the wilderness temptations of the Enemy in our earthly ministry, we need to begin this
journey together by seeking God’s face in 40 days of fasting and prayer.
At General Assembly I was reminded once again that spiritual warfare, like stewardship, is not a subset
of the Christian life, it is the Christian life. Christian ministry, both for the pastor and the people, is
spiritual warfare because we are in a cosmic war between the church and the world. And the church and
the world are in a cosmic war because Satan and Christ Himself are in a cosmic battle. The Good News
is that Jesus Christ secured the victory of the war at the Cross, much like D-Day secured the victory of
World War II. But our children, our families, our church, our city and county, our nation are still
fighting these spiritual battles. Jesus said that the gates of hell shall not prevail against His Church but
will that be true of Covenant Presbyterian Church in the days ahead? Jesus never promised that every
particular local church would gain the victory. Will we gain, by God’s grace and power, the spiritual
victory in our own generation and time and place? Will Christ’s banner continue to wave in our own
families and church and county and presbytery and nation and denomination?
The Death and Resurrection of Jesus and Christ’s sovereign rule of heaven and earth are not truths that
should lull us into complacency and laziness but rather should give us the confidence, courage, zeal and
perseverance to face even death itself. With our eternity secured through the Death of Jesus and Christ’s
honor the mission of our earthly lives, we are ready for combat. Or are we? Are our hearts and minds,
our daytimers and checkbooks, our weekly priorities and family life relationships and activities,
indicating that we are ready for battle? Brethren, we need to fast and pray. Basic training for the
kingdom was too long ago and, if we are honest, there are areas we have become spiritually flabby.
Let us use the next forty days to truly seek God’s face—as individuals, families and as a congregation.
And perhaps together, the power of God will be unleashed afresh in our lives and ministry and God will
do more far than we could ever dream or imagine.
To God Be the Glory,
Pastor Cory Colravy
2
40 Days of Prayer and Fasting—A Suggested Outline for Prayer
A Typical Week During This 40 Days:
1. Sunday: attend morning and evening worship discuss and pray the assigned devotion as a family, by
yourself, or with a Christian friend. (30 minutes)
2. Monday and Thursday: FAST and pray the assigned devotion (15-60 minutes)
(fast from food all day or your lunch hour; you might also consider a
television fast all day and pray instead)
3. Tuesday, Wednesday, Friday, and Saturday: pray the devotion before or after one of your family
meals (15-20 minutes).
How to Pray the Pastoral Prayer Guide
1. Read the Biblical passage and brief commentary.
2. Briefly mediate (perhaps 2-5 minutes) and discuss with your family or, if possible, a friend.
3. Then pray (remember ACTS):
a. Adore and praise God based on the Biblical passage itself.
b. Confess your sins—the ways you fail to conform to God’s holy character. Do not forget to
remember the atoning Cross of Jesus Christ as you confess your sins.
c. Thanksgiving is then given for God’s forgiveness, provision and faithfulness.
d. Supplication is then pleaded that our Father might conform you, your family, our
congregation and our nation to be more like God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ as
you adored Him in step A (adoration).
4. Recommendation: Team up with 1-3 other people to pray daily for our church in these days. If you
can’t meet together, spur one another on through the phone or email. Three cords are not easily
broken. Archie Parrish calls prayer teams of four “Fire Teams.”
The Logic of the Pastoral Prayer Guide
1. Sundays are dedicated to praying the hallmark and four-fold focus of any healthy church:
Sunday, September 28: LOVE, the Hallmark of God’s Church
Sunday, October 5: TRUTH…………………….. Focus #1: Loving God’s Word
Sunday, October 12: HOLINESS………………… Focus #2: Loving God’s Person
Sunday, October 19: UNITY……………………....Focus #3: Loving God’s People
Sunday, October 26: EVANGELIZATION……….Focus #4: Loving God’s World
2. Mondays and Thursdays (FAST days) are dedicated to meditations from Book III of Isaiah, chapters
56-66. Pastor Mike Ross calls this section of Isaiah “Prelude to Revival.”
3. Tuesdays, Wednesdays, Fridays and Saturdays are dedicated to Biblical principles of ministry that
make for a healthy and vibrant church in our own day. Pray the Biblical passage for your life
and the life of the congregation.
4. Interspersed with all of this I’ll include a few reflections on fasting that we might all better
understand what fasting is about. Remember to pray. Fasting serves prayer; it is not an end in
itself. Your medical condition or current prescriptions may not allow for fasting. Consult your
doctor. If you are not able to food fast, perhaps a technology fast (from tv, etc.) might do well.
3
Week One: September 22-28
Lesson One on Fasting: A Hunger for God
“The greatest enemy of hunger for God is not poison but apple pie. It is not the banquet of the wicked
that dulls our appetite for heaven, but endless nibbling at the table of the world. It is not the X-rated
video, but the prime-time dribble of triviality we drink every night. For all the ill that Satan can do,
when God describes what keeps us from the banquet table of his love, it is a piece of land, a yoke of
oxen, and a wife [or husband!] (Luke 14:18-20). The greatest adversary of love to God is not his
enemies but his gifts. And the most deadly appetites are not for the poison of evil, but for the simple
pleasures of earth. For when these replace an appetite for God himself, the idolatry is scarcely
recognizable and almost incurable. Jesus said some people hear the word of God, and a desire for God
is awakened in their hearts. But then, „as they go on their way they are choked with worries and riches
and pleasures of this life‟ (Luke 8:14). In another place he said, „The desires for other things enter in
and choke the word, and it becomes unfruitful‟ (Mark 4:19). „The pleasures of this life‟ and „the desires
for other things‟—these are not evil in themselves. These are not vices. These are gifts of God. They
are your basic meat and potatoes and coffee and gardening and reading and decorating and traveling
and investing and TV-watching and Internet-surfing and shopping and exercising and collecting and
talking. And all of them can become deadly substitutes for God. Therefore, when I say that the root of
Christian fasting is the hunger of homesickness for God, I mean that we will do anything and go without
anything if, by any means, we might protect ourselves from the deadening effects of innocent delights
and preserve the sweet longings of our homesickness for God.”
(John Piper, A Hunger for God, pp. 14-15)
Day One: Monday, September 22 (If able, FAST all day or at least at lunch time and pray for revival.)
Read, Meditate and Pray through Isaiah 56:1-8: ―A House For All the Peoples‖
Commentary: “One of the ways the Church prepares for revival and positions itself for
outpourings of grace is to open its hearts and its doors to all people. Racism,
nominalism, and social snobbery quench the Spirit. To pray for, seek for and delight in
ethnic diversity, holy living, and compassion towards the broken and belittled turns
God‟s heart toward us in awakening favor. This is why the back-to-back stories of
Samaritans and the Ethiopian eunuch coming to Christ in Acts 8 are so important. They
prove that the promise of Isaiah 56 has been fulfilled and the heart of God for all people
remains warm and welcoming. When Jesus said, „It is written, “My house shall be a
house of prayer” (Luke 19:46), He meant much more than a place of piety, meditation,
and supplication. He was reminding us that the revived Church is a Church where God
welcomes all the penitent whom the world rejects.” (Pastor Mike Ross)
Day Two: Tuesday, September 23 (Pray for spiritual reformation.)
Read, Meditate, and Pray through Revelation 4 and 5.
Biblical Ministry Principle #1: God-centered Biblical Worship
Commentary: “Worship is to be God-centered, reverent, joyful, simple, evangelistic
and according to God‟s Word. The primary audience of worship is God. The true
drama of worship is bound up in the proclamation of redemptive history, the
4
sacraments, communion with the living God, and the simple but beautiful, historically
informed liturgy. The church must always be reforming by the “first things” of
Scripture and responding with thanks and praise, prayer and obedience. True
corporate worship cannot occur apart from a pattern of holy living. Although true
worship will be evangelistic, worship is not to be equated with evangelism lest the God-
centeredness of worship be lost. Although the church should use the gift of creativity,
adopting the latest innovations and gimmicks are not a mark of a church that is
reforming.” (The Psalms, Isaiah 58, Acts 2:42-47, sermons in Acts)
Pray that we will all learn that worship is not primarily about us, it is about God. Pray
that our worship will humble sinners, exalt Christ and glorify God.
Day Three: Wednesday, September 24 (Pray for spiritual reformation.)
Read, Meditate and Pray through Ephesians 2:1-10.
Biblical Ministry Principle #2: A Sound, Grace-saturated, Biblical Theology
Commentary: “The historic and biblical creeds and confessions are to be upheld with
great respect and honor in the church. Those that embody the doctrines of the
Reformation, especially The Westminster Confession and Catechisms, are to be held in
special esteem. The five pillars of a true grace-based, biblical theology are:
a. Sola Scriptura—Scripture Alone is the infallible rule of faith and practice;
b. Sola Gratia—Grace Alone is the source of man‟s salvation;
c. Sola Fide—Faith Alone is the way we are saved, live and grow in Christ;
d. Solus Christus—Christ Alone is the Only Mediator between God and man;
e. Soli Deo Gloria—God‟s Glory Alone is the chief end of man in all things.
It is only through a solid biblical theology that true unity can be visibly manifested. The
Holy Spirit‟s work in church history ought not be ignored. Build bridges toward unity
that sacrifices the fundamental truths of the faith is not true unity. (Jude 3-4; I Tim.
3:16-17; Eph. 2:8-9; Rom. 5:1-2; I Tim. 2:5; I Cor. 10:31; John 17)
Pray that we would be a people that treasures the glorious truths of the Gospel of God’s
radical sovereign grace and that it would bear practical fruit in our lives.
Day Four: Thursday, Sept. 25 (If able, FAST all day or at least at lunch time and pray for revival.)
Read, Meditate and Pray through Isaiah 56:9-57:21: ―The Benefit of Brokenness‖
Commentary: “Our deepest-rooted sin may be an unwillingness to go to God with our
Sins, believing that He will forgive, cleanse, and deliver us. Pride in self and fear of
consequences keep us impenitent and without confession. Ours is an age where the
„other guy‟ is always to blame when sin manifests itself in us! God is not embarrassed,
shocked, or wrathful about our sin. He can handle our confession and offers us „peace,
peace, to the fare and to the near, and I will heal them‟ (v. 19). Contrition over sin
begins the season of refreshment and renewal we all know we need and deep down
desire. The benefit of brokenness is the joy of revival and reformation in our lives,
homes, and churches.” (Pastor Mike Ross)
Day Five: Friday, September 26 (Pray for spiritual reformation.)
Read, Meditate and Pray through Exodus 20:8-11, Deuteronomy 5:12-15 and Acts 2:42.
5
Biblical Ministry Principle #3: A Theology of the Lord’s Day
Commentary: “Many from the past rightly believed that the Lord‟s Day is the best
discipleship program in the history of Christianity, especially the morning and evening
corporate worship of God‟s people. It is a perpetual, moral command and delight for
God‟s people. The Sabbath is a celebration of God‟s good creation, kind providence and
merciful redemption. Although recreations that deepen family and church fellowship are
good ways to delight in God as our Creator, Sunday was not designed by God for man-
centered employments and worldly recreations.” (Ex. 20; Deut. 5; Acts 2:42; Rev. 1:10)
Pray that we as a congregation will be a people that truly remembers the Lord’s Day and
keeps it holy—set apart to delight in our great Creator and Redeemer.
Day Six: Saturday, September 27 (Pray for spiritual reformation.)
Read, Meditate, and Pray through Deuteronomy 6:4-9.
Biblical Ministry Principle #4: Regular, Systematic Family Worship
Commentary: “One of the crying needs of our day is a re-institution of family worship,
led by the head of the home. This is one reason a clear understanding of biblical
manhood and womanhood is critical. Men need to understand the family discipleship
mandate in Deuteronomy 6 and realize that they will give an account to the Lord, not
only for their own spiritual condition, but for their spiritual leadership of their family.
Pastors ought to demonstrate that good old fashioned Bible reading, catechism
instruction and singing in the home is a key to bringing up children with a love for the
Lord. It is not primarily the youth minister‟s job to raise the church‟s children and
youth. Youth leaders make wonderful parental assistants, but terrible substitutes.”
(Deut. 6; Psalm 78)
Pray that every parent will take seriously the vows they took when their covenant child
was baptized before the Lord—that they would raise them in godliness, by praying with
and for them, teaching them through the reading of the Scriptures at home and in
following our Lord’s example, in the teaching them the fundamentals of the faith
(catechetical instruction). Most of all, that the next generation will be raised in homes
that are Christ-centered and godly, where sin is dealt with at the Cross in grace.
Day Seven: Sunday, September 28 (Pray for the manifestation of the glory of God’s Church.)
Read, Meditate, and Pray through 1 Corinthians 13 and John 13:35.
The Hallmark of God’s Church: LOVE.
Commentary: “Notice that the context of the love passage of 1 Corinthians 13 is 1
Corinthians 12 on spiritual gifts. One of the primary ways we show our love to one
another is by serving one another in humility and love. At the end of the day, the Bible
does not define love as a mere affection of the heart but as something that manifests itself
outward in service to God, our Christian brothers and sisters and our fellow man.”
Pray that you and Covenant PCA will be a loving church, known for works of practical
service to one another, building one another up in the faith.
6
Week Two: September 29-October 5
Lesson Two on Fasting: A Hunger for God
“The Son of God began his earthly ministry with a forty-day fast. This should give us pause. Especially
if we—who are not God—have moved into ministry heedless of the battle we may have to fight. Why did
Jesus do this? Why did God lead him to it? And what about us? Can we really face the superhuman
hazards of life and ministry without walking with Jesus through the wilderness of fasting?... „Jesus was
led up by the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted by the devil. And after He had fasted forty days…‟
[Matthew 4:1] The Spirit of God willed that the Son of God be tested on his way into the ministry, and
he willed that Jesus triumph in this testing through fasting. It must not go unnoticed that Jesus
triumphed over the great enemy of his soul and our salvation through fasting…”
(John Piper, A Hunger for God)
Day Eight: Monday, Sept. 29 (If able, FAST all day or at least at lunch time and pray for revival.)
Read, Meditate and Pray through Isaiah 58:1-12: ―The Fast God Chooses‖
Commentary: “In every great awakening one of the genuine fruits of the Spirit‟s
visitation has been an increase in both mercy ministry and civic justice. The record of
history proves that. In the wake of the First Evangelical Awakening in England under the
Wesley brothers, and its twin awakening in America under Whitfield, orphanages,
hospitals, and outreach to the poor flourished. In the wake of the Second Great
Awakening in America the Church began to address the issues of alcoholism, slavery,
and women‟s suffrage…Isaiah reminds us that this is the fast God chooses: not to
abstain from food but to abstain from greed, corruption, and oppression of the poor and
needy. If we truly become a compassionate, just, and benevolent people, then God will
bless us in every way imaginable (vv. 8-12). In the process the streets in which we dwell
will be transformed…” (Pastor Mike Ross)
Day Nine: Tuesday, September 30 (Pray for spiritual reformation.)
Read, Pray and Meditate through Acts 2:42-47 (also 1 Cor. 1:17-2:16, if time permits).
Biblical Ministry Principle #5: The Ordinary Means of Grace—Word, Sacraments,
Prayer, and Fellowship
Commentary: “God‟s Spirit works in a special way through His ordained means of
grace—especially the preaching of the Word, the faithful administration of the
sacraments, and prayer—all in the context of the fellowship of God‟s people. Although
the Gospel is foolishness in the eyes of the world, the preached Word, the visible Word
(sacraments), and the prayed Word are the Spirit‟s weapons of war. Calvin says that
“nothing is promised to be expected from the Lord, which we are not also bidden to ask
of him in prayers” (Inst., Bk III, ch. 20). The world‟s methods, forms, novelties and
passing fads are not the way God builds His church. (Acts 2:42-47; I Cor. 1:17-2:16)”
Pray that we, as God’s people, would not fall victim to the entertainment mentality of the
world and that God’s Spirit would work a spirit of contentment and gratitude within us
regarding His simple ways of growing us in grace. Pray that God’s Spirit cause us to be,
like the early church at Pentecost, a people devoted to the Word, prayer, sacraments and
the fellowship.
7
Day Ten: Wednesday, October 1 (Pray for spiritual reformation.)
Read, Meditate and Pray through Romans 10:17 and 2 Timothy 3:16-17.
Biblical Ministry Principle #6: A Commitment to Expository Preaching
Commentary: “True Reformation in the church depends upon a regular diet of verse by
verse exegesis and explanation of the biblical text. Preaching ought to be evangelistic in
character—the majesty of God‟s character displayed, the exceeding sinfulness of man‟s
sin exposed, the glory of the Savior exalted, the holiness of God‟s people encouraged,
and the unconverted confronted and challenged with the truth and mercy of God. A
theology of self-denial should pepper the sermons from the pulpit and yet God‟s people
must also see that the greatest delight and pleasure of all is God Himself. A silver tongue
from the pulpit or the mere opinions of the pastor is not what builds a healthy church.
(Romans 10:17; Acts 16:31-32; 17:2-3; II Timothy 3:16-17)
Pray that you and Covenant Presbyterian Church will be a people who crave and hunger
for a heavy and steady diet of rich and prophetic Biblical preaching and that the hearing
would be in faith and bear fruit in our daily lives. Pray for your pastors weekly that God
would bless their studies. Pray that we would be a church where the pastor would not do
the ruling elders’ jobs and the ruling elders would not do the deacons’ jobs and the
deacons and elders would complement one another in ministry in such a way that the
pastors can devote their primary weekly attention to feeding God’s sheep with the Word
of God. There is a reason Pastor Cory has a “study” and not “an office.” God’s people
need shepherds of Word and prayer, not CEOs.
Day Eleven: Thursday, October 2 (If able, FAST all day or at least at lunch time and pray for revival.)
Read, Meditate and Pray through Isaiah 58:13-14: ―Call the Sabbath a Delight‖
Commentary: “In Isaiah 58:13-14 the prophet exhorts us to „keep the Sabbath day holy.‟
He sets before us the perpetual duties of Sabbath-keeping (v. 13) and the promised
blessings of Sabbath-keeping (v. 14). In America, there are now more people who visit
the shopping malls on Sunday than who visit the churches! This is a message we
desperately need. There are four perpetual duties that bind all Christians to the Lord‟s
Day. First, we must refrain from „doing your pleasure (i.e. business) on My (God‟s)
holy day.‟ Sunday is not a day for yard work, schoolwork, or paperwork at the office. It
is a day of rest. Second, we are to „call the Sabbath a delight.‟ The Lord‟s Day is not a
„Sunday obligation,‟ a burden , or a tasteless duty. It is a day of celebration, joy, and
thanksgiving—a happy day! Third, we are to honor the Lord‟s Day: „the holy day of the
Lord…honorable.‟ We should set aside for sacred purposes: worship, Scripture, sacred
reading, prayer, and ministry. This is a day consecrated to God; it is the Lord‟s Day!
And fourth, we should not spend the Lord‟s Day frivolously: „not going your own ways,
or seeking your own pleasure, or talking idly.‟ Sunday is not a day for NFL football,
fishing, kid‟s soccer games, [or] lollygagging in front of the t.v….It‟s a day for worship,
rest, and works of service and mercy (WSC #60).” (Pastor Mike Ross)
Day Twelve: Friday, October 3 (Pray for spiritual reformation.)
Read, Meditate and Pray through Acts 6:1-7 and Ephesians 4:1-16.
Biblical Ministry Principle #7: Ministerial Piety (Godly Leadership)
8
Commentary: “Pastor Robert Murray McCheyne said long ago: “My people‟s greatest
need is my personal holiness.” Since a church never rises above the level of its spiritual
leaders, the holiness of pastors, elders and deacons is critical. A session is to work hard
by primarily focusing on shepherding their flock through Word and prayer ministry and
by their life example. As William Stihl put it: the shepherd‟s job is to feed the sheep full
with the Word of God so that they are prepared for the slaughter—that is, to become a
living sacrifice unto God. The deacons are to focus on deed ministry of service,
stewardship and mercy. Church leadership is designed by God to be a team effort. A
pastor is not to be all things to all people which would interfere with this primary calling
of Word and prayer shepherding of his flock—both his family at home and in the church
as a whole.” (Rom. 12:1-2; The Pastoral Epistles; Eph. 6; Phil. 3:17)
Pray that the pastors, elders and deacons would lead the flock most of all by their life
example of holiness, especially within their own homes. Pray that the leadership will
carry out their respective duties in the life of the church that the members of Covenant
might continue to mature in the faith and be equipped to carry out the work of the
ministry.
Day Thirteen: Saturday, October 4 (Pray for spiritual reformation.)
Read, Meditate and Pray through Acts 4:23-31 and I Peter 3:14-16.
Biblical Ministry Principle #8: Evangelism: Proclaiming the Good News
Commentary: “Man‟s fundamental problem is not social or environmental but spiritual;
namely, a sinful heart in need of forgiveness and new life from the just and merciful God.
It is a Christian‟s responsibility to share the gospel verbally in the context of a holy life,
including mercy ministry. The Gospel is this: God saves sinners at the cost of His Son.
Although it is an excellent and proper context for evangelism, good works and mercy
ministry without a verbal witness is not biblical evangelism. Man‟s manipulation of
other men does not result in true conversions. (Acts, Romans and Galatians)
Pray that we as God’s people would be emboldened by God’s Holy Spirit to aggressively
and unashamedly share and proclaim the Good News with our family, friends, co-
workers and neighbors—that Christ came to save sinners through faith in Him alone.
Pray that we would live in such a way that people would ask for the hope the lies within
us and that we would be Biblically and theologically and spiritually prepared to answer
them when they do ask.
Day Fourteen: Sunday, October 5 (Pray for the manifestation of the glory of God’s Church.)
Read, Meditate and Pray through 1 Peter 1:1-2:12.
MAJOR MINISTRY FOCUS #1: HOLINESS (Loving God’s Person)
Commentary: “Holiness is about loving God‟s person and, therefore, is bound up with
who we worship. Pursuing holiness is the primary calling of every Christian. In a day
when rampant worldliness makes sin look normal, the people of God need a pulpit and
leadership that incarnate a Christ-likeness in heart, word and deed. The beauty of the
holiness of God both commands and inspires God‟s people to be holy as well. We are
saved not just for heaven but for sanctification and sacrifice on this earth, in this life for
the kingdom of God. The church must also be challenged to be a fool for Christ—for
holiness looks strange in our worldly culture. Christians are called to worship and enjoy
God with their whole being in all of life to the glory of God.”
9
Pray that we would be a people who both glorify God—that is, make the beauty of Jesus
known—and enjoy God—that is, delight in and treasure Him above all—in every area of
our life. Pray we would truly be the salt of the earth and the light of the world in our
family life, in our work places, in our neighborhoods and in out in our communities.
Pray that we would have the courage to look strange to the world and the boldness to fear
the holy God rather than mere men.
Week Three: October 6-12
Lesson Three on Fasting: A Hunger for God
“Fasting tests where the heart is…Richard Foster [says in The Celebration of Discipline] that „more
than any other discipline, fasting reveals the things that control us.‟…The aim of fasting is that we come
to rely less on food and more on God. That‟s the meaning of the words in Matthew 4:4, „Man shall not
live on bread alone, but on every word that proceeds out of the mouth of God.‟ Every time we fast we
are saying with Jesus, „Not by bread alone, but by you, Lord. Not by bread alone, but by you,
Lord.‟…Fasting is a periodic—and sometime decisive—declaration that we would rather feast at God‟s
table in the kingdom of heaven than feed on the finest delicacies of this world. Jesus knew what he had
left in heaven. And he knew what he was returning to…This is what sustained him in fasting and
dying.” (John Piper, A Hunger for God)
Day Fifteen: Monday, October 6 (If able, FAST all day or at least at lunch time and pray for revival.)
Read, Meditate and Pray through Isaiah 58:13-14: ―Take Delight in the LORD.‖
Commentary: “We saw [the last fast day] that as a prelude to revival the people of God
must reverence, honor, and observe the Lord‟s Day. If…we keep God‟s Holy Day holy,
all kinds of blessings come upon us. These blessings are gathered under three summary
descriptions in Isaiah 58:14. First, God promises „then you shall take delight in the
LORD.‟ Once we begin to honor the Lord‟s Day, God promises to fill us with a
supernatural gift: our chief joy, our greatest delight, and our supreme pleasure will once
again be God Himself!...Second, God promises us confidence in the world: „And I will
make you ride on the heights of the earth.‟ All eleven commentators I consulted agreed
that this meant a confident, conquering and comforting life in the midst of a
disappointing, difficult, and even dangerous world…Third, God promises us a lasting
covenant heritage: „I will feed you with the heritage of Jacob.‟ For the New Testament
Church this means to taste of genuine salvation for our families, restoration of years
squandered in sin, generations of descendants rooted in Christ, offspring serving the
Lord, and revival and reformation in the future… „For the mouth of the LORD has
spoken‟—this is not my opinion but God‟s promise.” (Pastor Mike Ross)
Day Sixteen: Tuesday, October 7 (Pray for spiritual reformation.)
Read, Meditate and Pray through John 3:1-22 and Luke 9:23-27.
Biblical Ministry Principle #9: True Conversion Leads to Costly Discipleship
Commentary: “True conversion is the radical result of a sovereign God bringing to
pass His eternal plan through the redeeming work of His Son and the power of the Holy
10
Spirit. God ordinarily saves by the Spirit‟s working through the proclamation of the
Gospel. Growth in discipleship is not primarily measured in numbers but in holiness and
self-denial. Human techniques are not the means by which men are saved. We rejoice in
genuine numerical growth but counting heads in a church does not tell one much about
its true spirituality or holiness.” (Isaiah 6; John 3; Eph. 1-3; I Pet. 2-3)
Pray that we would be a church that is not filled with nominal believers, easy believism
and cheap grace. Pray that we would all be truly born again by God’s Spirit and gladly
suffer and sacrifice, taking up our cross and following Christ, for the glory of God in this
world.
Day Seventeen: Wednesday, October 8 (Pray for spiritual reformation.)
Read, Mediate and Pray through Psalm 19:7-14 and Luke 18:9-14.
Biblical Ministry Principle #10: The Law Is Important In Our Sanctification
Commentary: “A balanced view of Law and Gospel needs to be regained in the church
at large today. The Antinomians on the one hand and the Legalists on the other strip the
Law of its beauty—namely, the beauty of Christ‟s glorious and righteous character
revealed in it. The Psalmist delighted in the Law and Jesus affirmed it. The Law plays
an important role, not only in restraining evil in society at large and in showing sinners
their constant need for a Savior but it also plays a vital role as a guide for Christian
living. Being confronted by God‟s Law produces a healthy brokenness and repentant
spirit in the hearts of God‟s people. Growing in grace does not mean downplaying the
important role of the Law since the New Testament itself is about one-half Law.” (Psalm
19, 119, Matthew 5-7, the latter half of all of Paul‟s Epistles)
Pray that we would be a people that has a proper view of God’s Law, avoiding the error
of lawlessness on the one hand and legalism on the other. Pray that the Gospel would
empower us to delight in God’s Law because we see Jesus’ glorious character revealed
there and because we are not condemned by the Law. May we better understand Christ’s
perfect life lived on our behalf through the Law. Pray that the Law of God would keep us
humble and brokenhearted over our sin and drive us daily to rejoice in the Cross.
Day Eighteen: Thursday, Oct. 9 (If able, FAST all day or at least at lunch time and pray for revival.)
Read, Meditate and Pray through Isaiah 59:1-21: ―Drawing Closer to God.‖
Commentary: “The son of Amoz lays out for us three dimensions of the evangelical gift
of repentance. Repentance first looks at the self. This is always the first step of a
penitent life (vv. 1-8). As long as we are pointing fingers at God, our parents, other
people, our circumstances, and our medical condition we will never be repentant,
forgiven, or healed. This is my greatest concern about our therapeutic theology: We are
all victims and no one is responsible anymore. True repentance shatters that illusion.
Regardless of my body chemistry, my parents‟ sin, or my upbringing, race, or place in
society, I am responsible for my sin. Taking ownership of personal sin (and it
consequences) is the first step of repentance and revival. Repentance next looks at
society. It is not myopic. It does see injustice (v. 9a), false hopes (vv. 9b-11), and godly
sorrow (vv. 12-15a). As Luther said, „A theologian of the cross calls a thing for what it
is.‟ The late John Reed Miller used to say…‟until the Church takes responsibility for the
corporate sins of America, we will not see revival.‟ He was correct…Repentance finally
looks to the Savior (59:15b-21). Jesus comes into focus as the Warrior God (vv. 15b-19)
11
carrying the banner of truth and the fight for righteousness. He becomes to us the
Wonderful Savior (v. 20)—„a Redeemer will come to Zion‟—who seeks for and rescues
his penitent people. And He proves to be the Wise Helper (v. 21) who gives His Holy
Spirit in regeneration and then in revival in order to „deliver us from evil.‟ Repentance is
a painful process, a death to self. But as it kills the prideful, excuse-making sinner in
denial, it raises out of those ashes the phoenix of the new man in Christ. Every revival is
conceived in repentance. It breaks forth first upon those who admit the truth that their
sin (and the sins of their nation) have grieved, quenched, and alienated God. Repentance
opens the door to a new life and a new age: Revival!” (Pastor Mike Ross)
Day Nineteen: Friday, October 10 (Pray for spiritual reformation.)
Read, Meditate and Pray through Matthew 18:10-35.
Biblical Ministry Principle #11: Church Membership Vows and Discipline Standards
Commentary: “Church membership ought to be taken with a joyful seriousness for God
takes all vows before Him seriously. An informative and well-developed Inquirer‟s Class
and prophetic preaching are essential in this regard. Membership means a commitment
to attendance, giving, prayer and service. It means loving and caring for one‟s brothers
and sisters in the Lord. Sinful barriers to membership due to race, economic status or
social standing grieves the Holy Spirit. Church discipline involves biblical instruction,
counseling, and, if necessary, church censure. Patience, gentleness and firm standards
must all be maintained. However, the rolls of the church ought to be purged on an
annual basis. Someone‟s personal feelings and opinions, giving level, position in the
church or social status do not give them immunity from disciplinary action.” (Matthew
16:24-28; 18:15-35 Gal. 3:28)
Pray to examine your own heart regarding your church membership vows. Do you know
that you are a saved sinner? Are you depending upon Christ alone for your salvation?
Are you availing yourself the means of grace and depending upon the power of the Holy
Spirit to grow as a Christian (Word, prayer, sacraments, fellowship)? Are you supporting
the worship and work of the church to the best of your ability? Are you submissive to the
government and discipline of the church and do you promote both the purity and the
peace of the church? Pray that we would be a church that takes our membership vows
before God joyfully but seriously and that disciplinary standards would be maintained to
the glory of Christ.
Day Twenty: Saturday, October 11 (Pray for spiritual reformation.)
Read, Meditate and Pray through Titus 1:5-2:15.
Biblical Ministry Principle #12: Good Church Order and Presbyterian Government
Commentary: “Presbyterianism is a great gift of God given to the church for its
edification, strength and growth. Christ is the Head of His church and a session of
elders in a church better discern the will of the Lord than a single man. The book of Acts
and the Pastoral Epistles are great and essential treasures for governing the church
through the ages. Solid and healthy churches do not exist over the long-term apart from
good church order and government.” (Acts 15; I and II Timothy, Titus)
12
Pray that God will continue to grant wisdom to the congregation to appoint qualified
elders. Pray that our current elders will be encouraged and strengthened in their efforts to
maintain good order and sound teaching in the life of Covenant.
Day Twenty-one: Sunday, October 12 (Pray for the manifestation of the glory of the Church.)
Read, Meditate and Pray through Matthew 28:18-20, Gal. 2:11-16 and Rev. 5:9-10.
MAJOR MINISTRY FOCUS #2: EVANGELIZATION (Loving God’s World)
Commentary: “The Great Commission to evangelize and disciple the nations is the
foundation of cultural transformation around the globe. An evangelistic atmosphere
ought to emit from every healthy church. Evangelism must not be divorced from
discipleship but rather a world and life view as expressed in the Westminster Confession
of Faith and Catechisms must be instilled as part of building clear thinking and obedient
disciples of Christ. The nature of the church is “catholic”—that is, universal—because it
is to display the merciful, missionary heart of God to all peoples. Mature Christians are
“World Christians” who have a burden and love for lost people, those “sheep without a
shepherd.”
Pray that we would be a church that is truly catholic—a church that does not treat itself as
a club for certain people but a true lighthouse for all peoples and nations. Pray that our
vision would not be ingrown, focused upon ourselves, but that our eyes would see by
faith that glorious Day when Christ will gather men, women and children from every
tribe, tongue and nation to sit down at the heavenly banquet table together. Pray that we
would continue to grow in our zeal for both home and world missions. Pray that we
would keep the main thing the main thing.
Week Four: October 13-19
Lesson Four on Fasting: A Hunger for God
“The question for us is not mainly whether we fast, but whether we hunger for God like [Jesus]. Is this
the nature of our faith—that we are satisfied with all God promises to be for us in Jesus? So satisfied
we can take up our cross and follow him on the Calvary Road? So hungry for him alone that not even
the wonders and miracles of his provision are sufficient to satisfy our souls? And if that is the question,
then we must ask, Can we do without the hungry handmaid of faith called fasting? The question is not
of earning or meriting or coercing anything from God. The question is; having tasted the goodness of
God in the gospel, how can I maximize my enjoyment of him, when every moment of my life I am tempted
to make a god out of his good gifts? By what weapons shall I fight the fight of faith and guard my heart
from alien affections and treasonous appetites? Surely I will take the sword of the Spirit, the Word of
God, and I will pray. But I will also take the poor and hungry handmaid of faith as my help. In her
weakness she is strong. Her emptiness magnifies my need and makes the perfection of God more
precious.” (John Piper, A Hunger for God)
Day Twenty-two: Mon., Oct. 13 (If able, FAST all day or at least at lunch time and pray for revival.)
Read, Meditate and Pray through Isaiah 60:1-22: ―A Glorious Vision of the Church.‖
Commentary: “Preliminary to any revival or great awakening is a grand and glorious
13
vision of what the Church can become under an effusion of the Spirit…Isaiah informs us
that the Church renewed will be a church full of new converts (vv. 1-9). No longer will
pastors steal sheep and brag about „church growth‟ when in reality the saints are playing
musical chairs at the latest spiritual smorgasbord. New believers will stream in from
everywhere so that it will be impossible for men to take credit for the growth of the
Church. The entire world will have to say, „The LORD has done this!‟ The Church
renewed will be both prosperous and popular in the world‟s eyes (vv. 10-15). Once held
in great derision by the media, ignored by the intelligentsia, picked on by the
government, and forsaken by the populace, the Church during revival will be „the place
to be‟: „I will make you majestic forever, a joy from age to age.‟ A heightened sense of
God in the land gives esteem to the Church and adds to her sense of dignity and worth.
The Church renewed will be a blessing to the nations (vv. 15-22). Three fruits always
follow revival: evangelism and church planting, foreign missions work, and benevolent
social action. When God‟s grace is poured into the church it soon overflows in its
abundance into the city streets, communities, and nations of the world. History will show
that the great advances in human progress came on the heels of revivals…A prelude to
revival always includes a grand vision of the Church in the pulpit, the people, and our
prayers.” (Pastor Mike Ross)
Day Twenty-three: Tuesday, October 14 (Pray for spiritual reformation.)
Read, Meditate and Pray through Matthew 5:13-16, Rom. 12:1-2 and 1 Cor. 10:31.
Biblical Ministry Principle #13: Seeing All of Life Through a Biblical Worldview
Commentary: “God‟s people are to see all of life and creation through the lens of God‟s
Word. Creation and culture are to be understood and boldly engaged all to the glory of
Christ. A Biblical world and life view includes upholding the sufficiency and authority of
Scripture, the Triune God as Creator, Providential Ruler and Judge of the world, the
historical Fall, the dignity yet exceeding sinfulness of man, the sovereign grace of God in
salvation, and the realities of heaven, hell, God‟s everlasting Church and kingdom. The
Reformation doctrine of vocation must be re-established: all legitimate types of work are
holy callings from God. From homemaker to lawyer, ditch digger to dentist, from
policeman to pastor—all have a holy vocation through which to fulfill the Two Great
Commandments: to love and serve both God and our fellow man. Christians are to be in
the world but not of the world. The Church must not retreat from the conflict that
inevitably results when Gospel living and Gospel proclamation confront the idols of a
culture. Jesus promised that the gates of hell shall not prevail against the Church.”
(Gen. 1-3; Ps. 19; Mt. 13; I Cor. 10:31; Eph. 2:8-10; II Cor. 11:23-33)
Pray that we would be serious in acquiring a Biblical worldview through the diligent
study and praying through the Scriptures on a regular basis. To be effective for the
kingdom, we need the Word of God saturating our hearts and minds every single day.
Ask God’s Spirit to apply what we’ve learned to every area of our life and to give us the
spiritual discipline to be a people fully devoted to the Word of God that we might not be
conformed to the world but transformed into a living sacrifice for Christ Jesus.
Day Twenty-four: Wednesday, October 15 (Pray for spiritual reformation.)
Read, Meditate and Pray through Psalm 148, 150 and especially Colossians 3:12-17.
Biblical Ministry Principle #14: Sing Psalms, Historic Hymnody, and Holy,
Christ-exalting Spiritual Songs
14
Commentary: “We live in a day when God‟s only inspired hymn book needs to re-enter
the worship of God. Some hold to exclusive psalmody while others hold to exclusive
hymnody or exclusive contemporary spiritual songs. There is room for biblical Psalms,
historic hymns, and spiritual songs that meet the standard of Scripture and are
appropriate to present to our holy and majestic God and King. The church of today has
much to learn from our spiritual forefathers, and, therefore, worship traditions rooted in
the Scriptures ought to be honored and passed on. The way to reach the next generation
is not through passing fads and shallow gimmicks. On the other hand, excellence does
not require us to remain bound by tradition alone. Historic Reformed worship
emphasizes the Spirit‟s work throughout the ages, including our own. Biblical wisdom
calls for a discerning eye for any good, sacred music the Holy Spirit is producing in
Christ‟s Church in our day as well the past.” (Col. 3:16)
Pray that our worship music would not be an opportunity for the devil to divide our
congregation over people’s musical preferences. Pray for wisdom for the pastors and
music leaders that we will honor God with our musical selections and leading in worship.
Pray for the congregation that we will all fully engage God with a passionate heart and
mind in our singing at each and every worship service to the pleasure of God the Father.
Day Twenty-five: Thurs., Oct. 16 (If able, FAST all day or at least at lunch time and pray for revival.)
Read, Meditate, and Pray through Isaiah 61:1-11: ―The Gospel to the Poor.‖
Commentary: “Isaiah 61 is a key passage for Jesus. It forms the text for His first
sermon in His home synagogue (Luke 4), and is used to assure John the Baptist that
indeed Jesus is the Christ (Mt. 11:4-6). In this text Isaiah reminds us that true Gospel
ministry lays the groundwork for revival. In this passage he reminds us of three truths.
First, the recipients of the Gospel are usually and in greater numbers those who sense the
greatest need for God (vv. 1-3). The poor, the brokenhearted, the enslaved, the prisoner,
the mournful, and the faint of heart always take to Jesus more quickly. Perhaps this is
why the Gospel is advancing in leaps and bounds in the Third World while it retreats in
the West. Or perhaps this is why the charismatic churches are growing while the PCA is
creeping along. Donald McGavran once said… „if we divided people culturally into the
„washed‟ and the „unwashed,‟ (our PCA) group usually went after the washed.‟ Problem
is: Jesus came to baptize the dirty, not dry-clean the washed! Second, the ramifications
of the Gospel are always greater than we imagine (vv. 4-9). The Gospel can restore
whole communities (vv. 4-5); it can revitalize the deadest of church (vv. 6-7); and it can
renew the covenant with believers long since worldly and compromised (vv. 8-9).
Finally, the rejoicing of the Gospel reshapes all of life. There is a joy of our own
personal salvation (v. 10) as well as the joy of others‟ salvation (v. 11) that makes life
richer, simpler, and more profound. Our problem is not that we seek joy in so many
shallow things but that it takes so little to satisfy us…The Prelude to Revival includes the
willingness of churches—their leaders and members—to recommit to the Gospel for the
poor. The man under whose preaching I [Mike Ross] was converted in 1976 told this
story. As a young boy of eight years old, he was on the way to church on Sunday in
Union City, Tennessee, in the back seat of his dad‟s car. They stopped at a red light and
the boy noticed some teenagers hanging out at the pool hall. He indignantly (and self-
righteously) said to his father, „Daddy, look at those bad boys! They ought to be in
church!‟ His father put the car in park, turned around, and with tears in his eyes he
pointed to the boys and said, „Jimmy, those boys are headed to hell and the problem is
not that they play pool on Sunday. The real problem is that no one in the church loves
15
them enough to go after them and bring them to church!‟…If revival is to come, it will
come because the Church once again discovers that the Gospel is for the poor—and the
pool hall boys.” (Pastor Mike Ross)
Day Twenty-six: Friday, October 17 (Pray for spiritual reformation.)
Read, Meditate and Pray through Genesis 12:1-3 and Psalm 67.
Biblical Ministry Principle #15: A Heart for World Missions
Commentary: “Pastors need to impress upon the flock God‟s heart for the world. It has
been said that most people are first converted to Christ, then converted to the church and
finally converted to the world. Spiritual maturity in the kingdom means in part becoming
a “World Christian”—moving beyond a merely personal and spiritual Christianity into a
kingdom-mindedness in all of life. We need both radical goers and radical senders to
support God‟s mission around the world. This means every local church must commit
itself financially and prayerfully to missions and church planting and personally
encourage missionary and church planting families on the field. This also means that
poor pastors around the world need to be supported with the pastoral resources to
properly shepherd their flocks. World missions is not an optional part of mission for the
local church. Becoming a World Christian does not mean losing a heart and a zeal for
one‟s own neighborhood, culture and nation. (Gen. 12:1-3; Psalm 67; Mt. 28:18-20)
Pray that Covenant PCA would be a people not only converted to Christ and the Church
but also a people converted to God’s mission in the world. Pray that we will all be World
Christians, beginning at home and unto the ends of the earth—all to the spread of Christ’s
glorious name. What are you doing to personally encourage at least one missionary
family on the field? Do you give to World Missions above and beyond your tithe (above
the 10% of your regular offering)? Are you living, as John Piper says, with a war-time
mentality when it comes to your financial resources so that you can give more to spread
the Gospel locally and around the world?
Day Twenty-seven: Saturday, October 18 (Pray for spiritual reformation.)
Read, Meditate and Pray through Luke 12:13-48.
Biblical Ministry Principle #16: Sacrificial Giving and Visionary Stewardship
Commentary: “Church history clearly shows that when God‟s Spirit was amidst God‟s
people in a mighty way, sacrificial giving flowed from the heart. Western civilization has
reaped much through Christian giving—not only in the building of churches but also
hospitals, colleges, rescue missions and orphanages—to name a few. The Bible is clear:
to whom much is given, much is expected. The church must be supported by the tithes
and offerings of God‟s people. We are blessed to be a blessing and surely our Lord
expects us to give regularly, sacrificially, joyfully and sincerely. The church must also be
a place of service for each believer to exercise their God-given spiritual gifts to build up
the Body of Christ. Service removes our eyes from ourselves and deepens a heart of love
toward our brothers and sisters in Christ. A materialistic, self-centered, and consumer-
minded life philosophy so common in American society and churches today is repulsive
to our Lord..” (Gen. 12:1-3; Ps. 67; Mt. 25; Lk. 12:13-34; I Cor. 12; Rom. 12; Eph. 4;
James 2)
Pray that your family and we as a church would be tithers and joyful, sacrificial givers
that displays our contentment in Christ and trust in our heavenly Father.
16
Day Twenty-eight: Sunday, October 19 (Pray for spiritual reformation.)
Read, Meditate and Pray through Acts 17:10-11 and James 2:14-26.
MAJOR MINISTRY FOCUS #3: TRUTH (Loving God’s Word)
Commentary: “God‟s people and His Church are prone to wander. This means that
everything the local congregation is and does must come under the constant scrutiny of the
Word of God. This is simply another way of saying that every church needs to be committed
to the truth in both doctrine and practice. This is what true reformation is all about—
constantly reforming our lives and church under the light of God‟s Word. This is what is
means to be apostolic—true to the apostolic Gospel. If we are to be healthy, we must
always be learning more about God through the Bible. The challenge is to always return to
the first things but especially to our first love, Jesus Christ Himself—the Truth Himself.
Reform must always take place by the direction and reforming influence of the Word of God
applied to the hearts of God‟s people through prayer. Truth and ethics, learning and life,
doctrine and practice, belief and behavior are never divided in the Scriptures. True
reformation comes only by the gracious work of the Holy Spirit opening our eyes to see
more clearly the glory and majesty of King Jesus and His kingdom.”
Pray that Covenant would always be a Berean people—examining the Scriptures to see if
what they hear is true to the Bible. Ask God to grant a spirit of obedience and humility
that we might be doers of the Word and not just hearers, deceiving ourselves and
profaning the name of Christ.
Week Five: October 20-26
Lesson Five on Fasting: A Hunger for God
“How does fasting help us keep from turning gifts into gods? Consider the almost sacrifice of Isaac by
his father Abraham. When Abraham had stretched out his hand to kill his son and the heir of God‟s
promise, „the angel of the LORD called to him from heaven, and said, „Abraham, Abraham!‟ And he
said, „Here I am.‟ And he said, „Do not stretch out your hand against the lad, and do nothing to him;
for now I know that you fear God, since you have not withheld your son, your only son, from Me‟”
(Genesis 22:11-12). Now here was a radical kind of fast; the sacrifice of a son. God did not call for
this “fast” because Isaac was evil. On the contrary, it was because in Abraham‟s eyes he was so good.
Indeed he seemed indispensable for the fulfillment of God‟s promise. Fasting is not the forfeit of evil but
of good. But why would God call for such a thing? Because it was a test. Does Abraham delight in the
fear of the Lord (Isaiah 11:3) more than he delights in his own son?”
(John Piper, A Hunger for God, p. 17)
Day Twenty-nine: Mon., Oct. 20 (If able, FAST all day or at least at lunch time and pray for revival.)
Read, Meditate and Pray through Isaiah 62:1-12: ―Revival Men.‖
Commentary: “A prerequisite to revival is that God raise up an army of „revival men‟ to
awaken a slumbering Church. Elijah is the spiritual father of such men (Malachi 4:4-6)
and John the Baptist defines their mission (Is. 40:1-3). But it is Isaiah who sets out for
study their unique ministry. Revival men have a passion for the Church (vv. 1-5). In
their minds are two great thoughts: the picture of the Church in consummation (vv. 1-3)
and the potential of the Church in revival (vv. 4-5). In other words, they see the Church
17
triumphant while they labor in the Church militant…Revival men are also known for
their perseverance for the Church. They simply will not give in or give up (vv. 6-9).
They have a persistence in the Church‟s work that allows them „no rest‟ (vv. 6-7). And
they cling to a promise for the Church‟s work that they will eventually see fruit from their
tireless efforts (vv. 8-9). They think in terms of sowing and reaping…(I Cor. 3:1-
16)…Revival men have a plan for the Church. They very deliberately go about the work
of the Lord (vv. 10-12). They preach the way the prophets before them preached: „Go
through, go through the gates; prepare the way for the people; build up, build up the
highway; clear it of stones; lift up a signal over the peoples‟ (v. 10)…---these are battle
cries for clear, forceful, expository preaching. And their aim is in clear sight: They seek
for a holy, redeemed City of God among the sons of men (v. 12)…May the day of the
plexiglass pulpit and the guy in the tailored suit and the latest tie behind it, telling neat
stories, be over! And may we see men of fiery consciences mount the steps of the sacred
desk and pour forth the Word of the Lord for a people experiencing a famine of the Word
of God! [See Amos 8:11-12.]” (Pastor Mike Ross).
Day Thirty: Tuesday, October 21 (Pray for spiritual reformation.)
Read, Meditate and Pray through Deuteronomy 15:11, James 1:27 and Mt. 25:31-45.
Biblical Ministry Principle #17: The Necessity of Mercy Ministry
Commentary: “Mercy ministry is a very important calling of each Christian and every
local church body. The deacon‟s three-fold ministry of mercy, service and stewardship
visibly and officially embody this conviction. The poverty mandate of Deuteronomy
15:11 ought to penetrate the conscience of every true believer. Therefore, the heart of a
congregation ought to concern itself with all kinds of human suffering and all kinds of
men. Although stewardship of the church finances and property is very important to
God, it is important that the deacons are not simply viewed as “ordained janitors.”
Mercy and compassionate outreach are not options for Christians but rather practical
mercy toward others is a hallmark of a true and saving faith.” (Mt. 25; John 4; Acts 6;
Gal. 6:2, 10; and James 1:27)
Day Thirty-one: Wednesday, October 22 (Pray for spiritual reformation.)
Read, Meditate and Pray through Genesis 2:18-25 and Ephesians 5:22-33.
Biblical Ministry Principle #18: Biblical Manhood and Womanhood
Commentary: “Amidst the cultural confusion over sexual identity and roles, the church
must speak with a clear voice regarding human sexuality. This issue has important
implications for the areas of marital relations, the raising of covenant children,
homosexuality, worship, the Trinity and the authority of Scripture. The biblical view of
men and women is complementary. This means that the biblical principle of male
headship must be re-established with courage in a culture that is hostile to any view that
is not egalitarian. Men are called by God to be pastors of their respective homes and
some are called to be leaders in the church as well. Women need to be affirmed and
honored in their submissive role to their husbands and be encouraged to use their God-
given gifts in both the church and home in ways consistent with biblical truth and the
creational order. In particular, the role of motherhood must be held high. Jesus Christ,
though equal in power and glory, submitted functionally to the Father‟s will. Therefore,
our culture‟s position that submission equals denigration is false. Because the Father is
gentle, loving and kind, male headship ought not to produce harsh, male domination.”
(Gen. 1-3; I Cor. 11; Gal. 3:28; Eph. 5; Col. 3:18-19; I Tim. 2; and I Pet. 3)
18
Day Thirty-two: Thurs., Oct. 23 (If able, FAST all day or at least at lunch time and pray for revival.)
Read, Meditate, and Pray through Isaiah 63:1-19: ―The Man From Bozrah.‖
Commentary: “In our text today Isaiah speaks of [the] hero…The Man from Bozrah.
This is a wonderful picture of Jesus Christ, the one John Gerstner used to call „the Hero
of it all.‟ Here Jesus is seen for who He really is, loved for what He really does, and kept
central in the heart and life of His Church. Isaiah‟s first picture of Christ (vv. 1-6) is in
the imagery of the [vengeful] man of Bozrah. His garments are bloodstained. He has
„trodden the winepress alone…I trod them in my anger‟ (v. 3). His day of vengeance has
come and he „judges the living and the dead.‟ He tramples down the peoples and nations
who reject his costly redemption. Isaiah‟s second picture of Christ naturally flows out of
the first (vv. 7-14). Here is the redeeming man of Bozrah; „I will recount the steadfast
love of the Lord‟ (v. 7)…Isaiah speaks of Christ‟s union with His people. He suffers for
them and with them, carries them when they are weak, disciplines them, and revives them
with His Spirit. „So you led your people, to make for yourself a glorious name‟ (v. 14).
Finally Isaiah sees the man from Bozrah as the reviving Christ (vv. 15-19). He prays to
the man from Bozrah to take away their hardened hearts and to restore unto them the
fear of the Lord (v. 17). „The Redeemer from of old‟ (v. 16) is now the Reviver of what
needs to be renewed! As the Bride of Christ matures she outgrows her „dreamy‟
[Hollywood-like] image of Jesus—the pretty boy. She comes to admire His righteous
judgments, His redemptive loyalty, and His reviving love…She falls in love with Jesus all
over again when she sees Him „who is splendid in his apparel marching in the greatness
of his strength.‟ (v. 1)” (Pastor Mike Ross)
Day Thirty-three: Friday, October 24 (Pray for spiritual reformation.)
Read, Meditate and Pray through John 13:1-20.
Biblical Ministry Principle #19: Ongoing Development of Church Leadership
Commentary: “The development of Christian character in Christian leaders is one of the
top needs of the church today and a primary responsibility of a senior pastor.
Leadership standards defined in Scripture ought to be specifically defined, applied and
upheld in every local church. No church rises above its spiritual leadership. Once godly
men are ordained, they have “not arrived” but enter into a lifetime of personal character
and spiritual leadership development. As Iain Murray said, these men will be hard
students of the Scriptures, appreciate their great spiritual heritage, will not shy away
from legitimate controversy, and will promote peace through humility and a holy love.
Worldly credentials and success do not define Christian leadership. Humble, self-
denying and loving service defines Christian leadership.” (The Pastoral Epistles)
Pray that each of the pastors, elders, and deacons of Covenant will be life-long students
of God’s Word, our culture, the flock under their care, the great confessions and creeds of
the church, classic spiritual readings, The PCA Book of Church Order, and prayer. Pray
that the leadership will clearly define and implement specific leadership standards with a
practical and edifying system of encouragement and accountability.
19
Day Thirty-four: Saturday, October 25 (Pray for spiritual reformation.)
Read, Meditate and Pray through Romans 16:3-16 (note Paul’s affection).
Biblical Ministry Principle #20: Loving Sheep and Enjoying One Another
Commentary: “The Biblical principles as faithfully understood through the Reformed
tradition ought to guide ministerial practice but loving God‟s sheep and enjoying our
fellow brothers and sisters in God‟s family and encouraging one another in the faith is,
apart from the worship of God, one of the greatest joys of the Christian. All principles of
ministry—all truth—must be practiced with Christ‟s gentleness, patience, humility, and
love. The Bible calls upon every church shepherd and church member to minister the
truth in love.” (I Cor. 13; Eph. 4:15; Gal. 6:1)
Pray that we would be a people who truly enjoy the communion of the saints. Ask God
to build, not just our worship attendance but our gathering times of Sunday Schools,
home fellowship groups, youth groups, service, visitation and outreach groups, etc. May
God bind our hearts together to accomplish His mission for us here in Panama City in our
own generation.
Day Thirty-five: Sunday, October 26 (Pray for spiritual reformation.)
Read, Meditate and Pray through I Corinthians 12.
MAJOR MINISTRY FOCUS #4: UNITY (Loving God’s People)
Commentary: “Biblical unity is always built around the truth in a spirit of love and
humility. This is not an organizational unity per se but a visible and spiritual unity
bound up in the oneness of the Body of Christ. When the Church realizes the magnitude
of the cosmic warfare between the City of God and the City of Man, a cooperative spirit
is fostered among evangelicals for the sake of the lost and the kingdom of God. Pauline
theology affirms a healthy diversity both within and between various churches without
sacrificing the importance of truth or the beauty of one‟s own spiritual heritage. Jesus
said this visible unity is so important that the love of the saints for one another is how the
world will know that Jesus and the Father are one.”
Pray that all members of Covenant would have a good understanding of their spiritual
gifts and use them in service to build up and strengthen the body of Christ. May each
member come to understand the importance and dignity of their God given gifts whether
they are a hand, an eye, an ear, or the head.
Week Six: October 27-31
Lesson Six on Fasting: A Hunger for God
“Christian fasting is a test to see what desires control us. What are our bottom line passions? In his
chapter on fasting in The Celebration of Discipline, Richard Foster says, „More than any other
discipline, fasting reveals the things that control us. This is a wonderful benefit to the true disciple who
longs to be transformed into the image of Jesus Christ. We cover up what is inside of us with food and
other things.‟ Psychologically, that sort of thing is spoken of a lot today, especially in regard to people
who have much pain in their lives. We would say they „medicate‟ their pain with food. They anesthetize
themselves to the hurt inside by eating. But this is not some rare, technical syndrome. All of us do it.
20
Everybody. No exceptions. We all ease our discomfort using food and cover our unhappiness by setting
our eyes on dinnertime. Which is why fasting exposes all of us—our pain, our pride, our anger. Foster
continues: If pride controls us, it will be revealed almost immediately. David said, „I humbled my soul
with fasting‟ [Psalm 35:13] Anger, bitterness, jealousy, strife, fear—if they are within us, they will
surface during fasting. At first, we will rationalize that our anger is due to our hunger. And then, we
know that we angry because the spirit of anger is within us. We can rejoice in this knowledge because
we know that healing is available through the power of Christ.‟ One of the reasons for fasting is to
know what is in us—just as Abraham showed what was in him. In fasting it will come out. You will see
it. And you will have to deal with it or quickly smother it again. When midmorning comes and you want
food so badly that the thought of lunch becomes as sweet as the summer vacation, then suddenly you
realize, „Oh, I forgot, I made a commitment. I can‟t have that pleasure. I‟m fasting for lunch too.‟
Then what are you going to do with all the unhappiness inside?...Will I find spiritual communion with
God sweet enough, and hope in his promises deep enough, not just to cope, but to flourish and rejoice in
him? Or will I rationalize away my need to fast and retreat to the medication of food? The apostle Paul
said, „I will not be mastered by anything‟ (1 Cor. 6:12). Fasting reveals the measure of food‟s mastery
over us—or television or computers or whatever we submit to again and again to conceal the weakness
of our hunger for God.” (John Piper, A Hunger for God, pp. 19-20)
Day Thirty-six: Mon., Oct. 27 (If able, FAST all day or at least at lunch time and pray for revival.)
Read, Meditate and Pray through Is.63:15-64:12:―Rend the Heavens and Come Down.‖
Commentary: “Isaiah unashamedly asks God to open up the heavens, like a veil pulled
back or a sheet sliced open, and to „come down‟ to where men struggle in a world in
need of revival. He reminds God that He has done this very thing in the past—in the
Exodus, on Mount Sinai, in the Shekinah glory in the temple. He acknowledges that our
best efforts at spiritual improvement are „like a polluted garment‟ (v. 6) And as lumps of
malleable clay we need to be reshaped by the Creator who is our Redeemer and our
Reviver. He then asks, „Will You restrain Yourself at these things O Lord? Will you keep
silent, and afflict us so terribly?‟ (v. 12). In other words, will God continue to act like He
lives in the noumena [the world beyond our senses] but never in our phenomena [the
world of our daily experience]? Isaiah expects not.” (Pastor Mike Ross)
Day Thirty-seven: Tuesday, October 28 (Pray for spiritual reformation.)
Read, Meditate and Pray through the God-centered portion of The Lord’s Prayer.
Pray through Matthew 6:9-10. Focus on the importance of each and every word/phrase:
“[Jesus said,] Pray then like this:
„Our Father in heaven,
hallowed be your name.
Your kingdom come,
your will be done,
on earth as it is in heaven.‟”
Day Thirty-eight: Wednesday, October 29 (Pray for spiritual reformation.)
Read, Meditate and Pray through the man-focused portion of The Lord’s Prayer.
21
Pray through Matthew 6:11-15. Focus on the importance of each and every word/phrase:
“ „Our Father…
Give us this day our daily bread,
and forgive us our debts,
as we also have forgiven our debtors.
And lead us not into temptation,
but deliver us from evil.‟
For if you forgive others their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also
forgive you, but if you do not forgive others their trespasses, neither will
your Father forgive your trespasses.”
Day Thirty-nine: Thurs., Oct. 30 (If able, FAST all day or at least at lunch time and pray for revival.)
Read, Meditate and Pray through Isaiah 65:1-66:24: ―A Foretaste of Glory Divine.‖
Commentary: “The last two chapters of Isaiah are difficult to reconcile…Somewhere
between Isaiah 65:16 and 65:17 something happens. And again between Isaiah 66:14
and 66:15 another „thing‟ happens…The world of God and the world of man exist side by
side, separated only by a thin veil, which God is able to pull back at any time. When He
does, prophets see visions, virgins talk to angels, apostles travel to third heavens—in the
body or out of the body, they don‟t know—and aged evangelists [like the Apostle John]
see the wonder of what was, is now, and is about to come. Likewise, the state of spiritual
declension and spiritual revival lie side by side. At any time Jesus can step through the
veil—rend the heavens and come down!—and the whole world changes in a moment.
[See James 5:8-9.] Things are not what they should be in the American Church. We all
know that, though we will not all admit that. But things are not hopeless. Christ is but
an arm‟s length away. He is on the other side of the veil. He sees, He hears, He knows,
He waits. He waits for God‟s time, and for the world‟s great hour, and for the Church‟s
preparation for His visit. I believe He will do one of two things. He will come and visit
us in the West with awakening grace and power in the years to come. Or He will step
through the veil to usher in His last great revival, where every place the Gospel has ever
been—Western Europe, North America, Coptic Africa, Islamic Middle East, Ancient
Russia, and the realms of India, China, and the Islands—will come to life once more. His
Spirit will be poured out upon us, and like spring rain falling on a parched desert, new
life will come from places we thought were nothing but dust and dry bones! It is not
impossible. Nor is it far away. Christ is near. Come Lord, come! Revive us once
more!” (Pastor Mike Ross)
Day Forty: Friday, October 31 (Reformation Day)
Read, Meditate and Pray through Romans 1:1-17; 3:21-26.
Recall to your mind that on this day in the year 1517, a little Augustinian monk named
Martin Luther posted his 95 Theses on the Wittenberg church door in Germany. But it
was as Luther wrestled with God in prayer over Romans 1:16-17 that he came to see that
God accepted him, not on the basis of his own righteousness, but on the basis of the
righteousness of God and Christ and that it was received by faith in Him alone. Rejoice
that in spite of all of our weaknesses, sins and failures, our Lord rejoices over us in Christ
Jesus for He alone is our righteousness before God. Remember, brethren, in all your
labors for God that God is both “just and the justifier of the one who has faith in Jesus”
(Romans 3:26). Pray for a new reformation in our church and in our nation in our day.
22
APPENDIX: PRAYING FOR YOUR PASTOR(S) IN THE FUTURE
People sometimes wonder how to pray for their pastors. There are many ways to do it. Go to the
qualifications for office in I Timothy 3:1-7 and Titus 1:5-2:15. You can also just pray through the
Pastoral Epistles (I and II Timothy and Titus) for your pastors. There are other appropriate passages to
pray for us: I Corinthians 13, Hebrews 11, I Peter 5, Psalm 23, Acts 20:17-38 to name just a few. But it
is also helpful to have a full-orbed vision of the pastoral ministry and pray from a categorical
perspective. I am providing that for you below in the sense of what makes for an effective pastoral
ministry. When I look at this list, it sometimes seems overwhelming. I say again, who is sufficient for
these things? And so I thank you in advance for your prayers. The sovereign Lord crushes the gates of
hell, not only through the death of Christ on the Cross, but through the calling down from heaven the
blessings of God upon His servants and people. Praise His holy name He uses us to build His kingdom.
The Seven Roles of an Effective Pastoral Ministry
Pastor Cory D. Colravy
These principles have been laid forth by the PCA Convocation on Reformation and Revival and they
state that effective pastors carry out the following seven leadership roles. These principles will help
you understand the role of a pastor in the local church. It is important to remember that pastors are
leaders—a “pastor-teacher”—called by God “to equip the saints for the work of the ministry, for
building up the body of Christ…” (Eph. 4:11-12). The pastor and other shepherds and officers of God’s
church lead by equipping God’s people to do the work of the ministry. In this way, the whole body is
called into ministry (I Cor. 12; Rom. 12).
1. A Pastoral Theologian: a pastor who preaches, teaches and applies Reformed doctrine and Biblical
ethics to the issues and challenges of pastoral ministry.
2. A Parish Evangelist: a pastor who plans and executes a coordinated effort of evangelistic
outreach that includes equipping for witness, world missions, church
planting and the ministry of justice and mercy.
3. A Prayerful Visionary: a pastor who teaches his people how to pray, organizes them into an army
of intercessors and focuses the prayers of the people in strategic ways.
4. A Prophetic Preacher: a pastor who plans, promotes and preaches expository sermon series that
deepen the saints’ relationship to Christ, develop Christian community and
deploy church members in productive ministry.
5. A Practical Reformer: a pastor who continually reforms and refines worship, doctrine, the
sacraments and church government to restore these marks of the church to
their Biblical standard.
6. A Purposeful Revitalizer: a pastor who consistently applies the means of grace to the life of the
church to restore to believers the joy and blessing of their first love.
7. A Principled Leader: a pastor who knows, models and implements the Biblical principles of
ministry to promote church health which will lead to church growth.
To God be the Glory!
23