Go Beyond

Kingsland is currently in one of those in-between times in the life of our church. In-between times are those times when we find ourselves somewhere between the actualities of the past and the uncertainties of the future. We are on a long stretch of highway between here and there, between what was and what may be. These stretches can at times be some of the most discouraging as well as some of the best on our journey.

The Bible has many examples of how God’s people weathered in-between times. These interim stretches between the past and the future were not always smooth but God was always faithful to guide His people through them. So often during these tough periods, God graciously gave His people renewed opportunities to make a fresh start. And each time, remembering the promises of God and earnestly seeking Him in prayer were at the heart of those opportunities to begin again.

The story of the Good Samaritan teaches us that those in-between stretches in life can also be dangerous. Just ask the man who was traveling from Jerusalem to Jericho and fell among robbers. There is always the potential that the one whose agenda is to steal, kill, and destroy will pounce on us along the way and beat us to a pulp. That is just one of the hazards of traveling down those in-between stretches of life’s highway.

I am confident that as Kingsland continues the journey through these interim days without a senior pastor, God will ultimately get us safely to our next destination. We may arrive tired, tested, and thirsty, but I believe with all my heart that we will arrive. To that end, as I have prayed for our church during these interim days, God has laid a new challenge before me — to pray and fast for our continuing journey in a more intentional and focused way.

I invite you to join me in a concentrated prayer focus for our church over the next forty days. I will focus my prayer around 4 ten-day emphases: Humility, Healing, Health, and Hope. I will personally fast for forty days and encourage you to prayerfully consider fasting on selected days, stretches of days, or even through parts of days as you join me in prayer for our church. Listed below is the prayer schedule that God has laid on my heart and that I will follow. Thanks in advance for praying and for fasting as God directs you.

10 DAYS OF PRAYER AND FASTING 
FOR AN ATTITUDE OF HUMILITY

16 September | Day 1 | Colossians 1:3-8
Those of us who serve at Kingsland today are building on the foundation of those who came before us. Give thanks to God today for the faithful individuals who invested their lives at Kingsland to promote the purposes of God in Katy and beyond.

17 September | Day 2 | Hebrews 13:7
Acknowledge and give thanks for the ministerial staff and pastors who have loved and served our church in the past.

18 September | Day 3 | Psalm 100:3
Acknowledge that Kingsland belongs to God. We are His people called according to His purposes in order to serve and bring glory to Him in our generation.

19 September | Day 4 | Isaiah 55:8
Acknowledge that God’s ways and thoughts are higher than ours. In His wisdom and providence He orchestrated the presence of Kingsland in a community called Katy for such a time as this.

20 September | Day 5 | 2 Thessalonians 3:3
Repent of any attitudes or actions that can cause division and strife in our church. Do not allow the evil one to gain a foothold in our fellowship. Ask God to guard us against Satan and his schemes.

21 September | Day 6 | Ephesians 4:29
Forsake any speech that is corrupt, that tears down instead of builds up, and that lacks the seasoning of grace. Look for ways to encourage one another.

22 September | Day 7 | Philippians 4:2-3
Pray for unity and harmony in our fellowship as we labor shoulder to shoulder to advance the purposes of God in Katy and beyond.

23 September | Day 8 | Psalm 46:10
Be still and know that He is God. To be still means to “let your hands drop.” Take your hands off the things that worry you and allow God to put His hands on those situations. Give Him room to work.

24 September | Day 9 | Philippians 2:3-4
Be willing to regard others as more important than yourself. Consider the interests and needs of others.

25 September | Day 10 | Philippians 2:5-8
Have the attitude of Jesus who emptied and humbled Himself for our sakes. Be willing to follow His example by becoming a person “of no reputation” (Phil. 2:7 KJV).

10 DAYS OF PRAYER AND FASTING FOR HEALING IN OUR CHURCH

26 September | Day 11 | Romans 15:5-6
Determine to live in harmony with all members of the Kingsland family that together we may bring glory to God in our community and beyond.

27 September | Day 12 | Colossians 3:13
Forgive those who have wronged you and seek the forgiveness of those you have wronged.

28 September | Day 13 | Romans 12:13
Look for ways to contribute to the needs of others. Take the initiative to demonstrate your love and concern in practical ways.

29 September | Day 14 | John 13:34
Love one another, even as Christ has loved us. There are 35 “one another” passages in the New Testament that define what it means to love one another. Read and apply these passages daily.

30 September | Day 15 | Genesis 43:11
Carry “a little balm and a little honey” in your heart every day. Offer those who are hurting the healing balm of your presence and concern. Offer those who are distressed the honey of your encouragement.

01 October | Day 16 | Mark 8:22-26
Ask God to help you to see others clearly — to enable you to see beyond the actualities in their lives to behold any pain or needs. And then, allow God to use you to humbly serve them.

02 October | Day 17 | Matthew 17:24-27
Just as Jesus paid the two-drachma tax to not give offense to others, be willing to set aside your personal rights as well as your personal grievances for the sake of healing.

03 October | Day 18 | John 17:11
Pray that we may be one, just as Jesus prayed for us.

04 October | Day 19 | Philippians 1:9
Pray that our love for one another “may abound more and more.”

05 October | Day 20 | I John 4:20
Love God and sincerely love the members of the Kingsland family.

10 DAYS OF PRAYER AND FASTING 
FOR THE HEALTH OF OUR CHURCH

06 October | Day 21 | Mark 12:30
Examine your personal relationship with your Heavenly Father. Loosen your grip on anything that causes your love for Him to grow cold.

07 October | Day 22 | Mark 12:31
Examine your relationship with others. Determine to love others without conditions.

08 October | Day 23 | 1 Corinthians 13:7
Assume the best about others and assign the best of motives to their actions.

09 October | Day 24 | 1 Peter 4:8
Even those who are redeemed and heaven-bound sin against each other. When you are wronged consider if the offense is one that can be covered by love. If not, speak the truth in love. If so, spread love liberally. Either way, love!

10 October | Day 25 | 1 Corinthians 13:5
Love keeps no record of wrongs. Clear the record by forgiving those who have wronged you.

11 October | Day 26 | Romans 12:18
Ask God to help you live peaceably with all. Remember that peace in the church calls us to under-accuse, over-repent and over-forgive.

12 October | Day 27 | Matthew 5:23-24
Reconciliation with others is a prerequisite to worshiping God and giving our offerings. Pray for and seek reconciliation with those you have wronged or who have wronged you.

13 October | Day 28 | Matthew 22:37-40
Practice the Great Commandment. Love God without reservations and love others without conditions.

14 October | Day 29 | Matthew 28:19-20
Obey the Great Commission. We are a body of believers called to make disciples of all peoples.

15 October | Day 30 | Matthew 5:16
Labor in such a way that all we do ultimately brings glory to God.

10 DAYS OF PRAYER AND FASTING FOR THE FUTURE HOPE OF OUR CHURCH

16 October | Day 31 | Matthew 5:14
Pray that our church would continue to be a lighthouse to our community and to the nations. Ask God to make us like a city set on a hill whose light illuminates the darkness.

17 October | Day 32 | Revelation 3:14-22
Pray that our church would not become lukewarm but instead be like the hot and healing waters of Hieraplois and the cold and refreshing waters of Colossae.

18 October | Day 33 | John 1:14
Pray to be like Jesus, “full of grace and truth.” Remember that grace opens the door for the truth. Determine to be gracious and kind as you live out your faith in your home and in our community.

19 October | Day 34 | Luke 10:33
Pray for a greater peripheral compassion that will enable us to see and respond to the need and hurt that is often overlooked in our community.

20 October | Day 35 | John 4:24
Pray that we would continue to worship God “in spirit and truth.” Worshiping God in spirit is the subjective side of worship and worshiping God in truth is the objective side. Allow others the latitude to worship in spirit.

21 October | Day 36 | Acts 12:1-3
Pray for the more than 30 people with Kingsland connections who are serving full-time in some missions-related capacity. And pray for the many short-term volunteers who serve our community and among the nations.

22 October | Day 37 | Matthew 9:37-38
Ask the Lord of the harvest to send out more laborers from Kingsland into His harvest.

23 October | Day 38 | 1 Peter 4:10
Pray that we will use our spiritual gifts to serve one another, to build up the body of Christ, and to strengthen the fabric of our church.

24 October | Day 39 | Revelation 2:4
Pray that we would love Jesus as intently as the day we came to Him in faith.

25 October | Day 40 | Matthew 21:13
Above all, pray that Kingsland would be called a house of prayer.