Learning
Is walking, running, climbing. Your feet and mind will be put to the test.
Growing
The process in which you will find a way to reach God and your community better.
Loving
Slowly raising the bar; one day at a time. So we can build a community, family, friendship.
Featured WeekLY DEVOTIONAL
Purpose: To Lift heavy Burdens: Ezra 8:21-23
Welcome to Beraca’s 21 Days of Fasting and Prayer:
Duration: March 11th–March 31st
Time: Wake Up: 3:00 PM or 6:00 PM
1. FROM THE TIME YOU WAKE UP TO ONE OF THE FOLLOWING TIMES YOU CHOOSE TO BREAK YOUR FAST: 12:00 PM, 3:00 PM or 6:00 PM
– Physical Cleansing: From the time you wake up until THE TIME YOU BREAK YOUR FAST, do not eat any food. You can drink water. No beverages with sugar or caffeine. (If you’re on medication, please check with your doctor before joining this fast)
2. From 2:30pm – 3:00pm – Spiritual Cleansing: Preparing for effectiveness:
⁃ Seek the presence of God,
⁃ Repent and confess all your sins, including the transgressions you and anyone in the household may have committed.
⁃ Forgive others who have wronged you
⁃ Commit to living holy and righteous for the rest of the night.
3. From Building Your Battle Engagement 3:00pm – 6:00pm
⁃ Read scriptures that pertain to God as a mighty warrior; Find your prayer closet again by put on the full Armor of God.
⁃ Meditation and memorize one scripture per week
⁃ Prayer: Spend quality time in prayer. Pray prayers that elevate and exalt the Lord. Pray prayers of faith, anticipatory prayers that envision your situation is solved. Afterward, pray prayers of thanksgiving
4. From 6:00 pm to wake up: Commit to living holy the next 24 hours. Become conscious and purposeful of your decisions, your actions, reactions, and your interactions in your relationships.
Mullery Jean-Pierre
Senior Pastor
Beraca’s 21 Days of Fasting and Prayer
Welcome to Beraca’s 21 Days of Fasting and Prayer:
Duration: March 11th–March 31st
Purpose: To Lift heavy Burdens: Ezra 8:21-23
Time: Wake Up – 3:00 PM or 6:00 PM
Day #1
The book of Ezra tells the story of the Jews traveling back from captivity in Persia. King Cyrus of Persia gave them permission to return to rebuild the Temple in Jerusalem. The surrounding nations caused trouble, so the work went slowly, even stopping for several years. When the Temple was finally finished, Ezra, a priest, attempted to lead a second group of people back to Jerusalem. He gathered them on the banks of the Ahava River, but then realized he had a major problem it was a heavy burden. Ezra needed protection as he led a multitude of defenseless people carrying gold, silver and other treasures across the wilderness to the Promised Land to furnish the Temple. That region was inhabited with gangs of thieves who regularly attacked caravans. Ezra’s was responsible for the future, the finance and the faith of these people. This was a heavy burden and as a result, Ezra decided to stop and declare a fast.
What heavy burden you are carrying? Is it a particular sin that you’re struggling with that has become too heavy to carry? Is it someone who hurt you and the burden of forgiving them too much? Is the financial burden to provide for your family and loved ones become too much to bear? Stop and declare a fast. The same kind of fast found in Ezra 3:21, it says “There, by the Ahava Canal, I proclaimed a fast, so that we might humble ourselves before our God…” Start your fast by humbling yourself before the Lord. Humility acknowledges your dependence on God and seeking His guidance to help you unload your burdens. Pride has caused us to think that we can handle our problems by ourselves, and then we reach our breaking point. The only way to break the stronghold of pride is humility. Humility allows you to give God the steering wheel of your life and take control of your circumstances. As you fast and pray, ask God to humble you so that your burdens may be lifted. Isaiah 58:6, Is this not the fast that I have chosen: To loose the bonds of wickedness, to undo the heavy burdens, to let the oppressed go free, and that you break every yoke?” It’s not God’s will that you should be crushed down with excessive burdens; let Him free you today.
-Beraca Baptist Church
Beraca’s 21 Days of Fasting and Prayer, DAY 2
Welcome to Beraca’s 21 Days of Fasting and Prayer:
Duration: March 11th–March 31st
Purpose: To Lift heavy Burdens: (Isa 58:6; Ezra 8:21–23)
Time: Wake Up: 3:00 PM or 6:00 PM
Ezra was preparing to journey from Babylon to Jerusalem. He paused at the Ahava River for a three-day assessment (v. 15). Recognizing the weight of the burden ahead, he halted his plans and called everyone to fast and pray instead of proceeding. This illustrates the importance of acknowledging burdens and addressing them immediately through fasting and prayer to prevent them from growing heavier over time.
The longer you take to address your burden, no matter how light it may be, it will get heavier the longer you hold on to it.
A psychologist walked around a room while teaching stress management to an audience. As she raised a glass of water, everyone expected they’d be asked the “half empty or half full” question. Instead, with a smile on her face, she inquired: “How heavy is this glass of water?” Answers called out ranged from 8 oz. to 20 oz. She replied, “The absolute weight doesn’t matter. It depends on how long I hold it. If I hold it for a minute, it’s not a problem. If I hold it for an hour, I’ll have an ache in my arm. If I hold it for a day, my arm will feel numb and paralyzed. In each case, the weight of the glass doesn’t change, but the longer I hold it, the heavier it becomes.”
The burdens in our lives are like that glass of water. You think about them for a while, and nothing happens. You think about them a bit longer, and they begin to hurt. And if you think about them all day long, you will feel paralyzed – incapable of doing anything.” Let go of your burdens as early as you can. Don’t carry them through the evening and into the night. Give them to Jesus TODAY as you fast and pray.
“Come to me, all who labor and are heavy burdened, 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” (Matthew 11:28–29, ESV).
REMEMBER, give the burden Haiti is carrying to Jesus as well.
-Beraca Baptist Church
Welcome to Beraca’s 21 Days of Fasting and Prayer: Day 3
Duration: March 11th–March 31st
Purpose: To Lift heavy Burdens: (Isa 58:6; Ezra 8:21–23)
Time: Wake Up: 3:00 PM or 6:00 PM
In Ezra 8:21, Ezra mentioned one of the burdens he carried, which was the treasures he possessed, referring to money. Money has the potential to become a burden in various ways. For those without money, the burden lies in acquiring and managing it, areas where many struggle. On the other hand, for those who have money, the burden shifts to protecting it from theft, prompting our need to diversify our assets into different places to safeguard them.
Ezra, entrusted with a significant sum of money amounting to 290 million dollars, chose to diversify it among 22 priests to ensure its protection, as described in verses 24–26. Safeguarding this wealth became a burden for Ezra, leading him to fast and pray for its protection. Similarly, we should fast & pray for the burden of production or the protection of our money. Also, fast and pray, as money can bring various burdens and challenges to our lives.
The Bible cautions against the love of money, highlighting its potential to lead to numerous problems and spiritual pitfalls. The love of money has caused many in the church to turn their backs on their faith, family, and friends. In 1 Timothy 6:10, it is stated, “For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil. Some people, eager for money, have wandered from the faith and pierced themselves with many griefs.” Money-related concerns can give rise to anxiety and worries regarding financial stability and provision, as emphasized in Matthew 6:25.
Money can breed pride and give us a false sense of self-sufficiency, causing us to distance ourselves from God. Proverbs 11:28 underscores this notion, stating, “Those who trust in their riches will fall, but the righteous will thrive like a green leaf.” That’s why the first purpose of Ezra’s fast was humility. His concern was whether they would possess the money or whether the money would possess them. Therefore, it is essential to approach money with wisdom and discernment, recognizing both its potential benefits and the burdens it can bring into our lives.
(Remember Haiti, asking God to remove the financial burden and allow the country to prosper again.)
-Beraca Baptist Church
Welcome to Beraca’s 21 Days of Fasting and Prayer: Day 4
Duration: March 11th–March 31st
Purpose: To Lift heavy Burdens: Isa 58:6; Ezra 8:21–23)
Time: Wake Up: 3:00 PM or 6:00 PM
In Ezra 8:15–16, Ezra sent for Levites to join the fasting before the journey to Jerusalem from Babylon. After Ezra reviewed the people and priests who were to fast and pray before they travel, he realized the Levites were not there. So he sent for them because they were responsible for the service of the temple. The Levites were a tribe in Israel dedicated to serving in the temple and assisting the priests in their duties. They had specific responsibilities related to worship and rituals. By inviting the Levites to join the fast he assured them that when the right people were there make sure the treasures would be properly placed & used in the temple when they arrived in Jerusalem. Have you consider including people in your fast who are aligned and can contribute to the outcome of your fast?
Are you fasting for a financial burden include someone who handles money better than you. It could be a family member, a friend, or a financial advisor. Are you fasting for a Health burden? include a healthcare provider, practitioner, or friend who has supported you through health challenges. Are you fasting for a Spiritual burden? include a spiritual leader or mentor who can offer guidance, wisdom, and support as you seek spiritual growth and clarity. Are you fasting for a relationship burden? Include a trusted confidant or counselor who can provide guidance and listen to you as you navigate relationship difficulties.
Eccl 4:9-10 Two people are better than one because ⌞together⌟ they have a good reward for their hard work. 10 If one falls, the other can help his friend get up. But how tragic it is for the one who is ⌞all⌟ alone when he falls. There is no one to help him get up.
Remember, you can go fast alone but you can go far together.
-Beraca Baptist Church
Welcome to Beraca’s 21 Days of Fasting and Prayer: Day 5
Duration: March 11th–March 31st
Purpose: To Lift heavy Burdens: (Isa 58:6; Ezra 8:21–23)
Time: Wake Up: 3:00 PM or 6:00 PM
Ezra 8:21 And there, by the Ahava Canal, I gave orders for all of us to fast and humble ourselves before our God. We prayed that he would give us a safe journey and protect us, our children, and our goods as we traveled.
Ezra gathered everyone to proclaim a fast at the Ahava River. There are two elements we need to consider about this sacred place. The first thing to consider is the name, Ahava. It is the Hebrew word for love. Attributed to God’s caring, compassionate, and unconditional love for His people. The second element is the body of water. It is not a lake, an ocean, or a sea; it is a river. A river is different from other bodies of water in that it carries things away, sometimes rapidly. It is here that Ezra gathers the people to proclaim a fast and present their burdens to the Lord. A place where a loving, caring, and compassionate God can carry away their burdens.
Look at the burden they brought to the Lord. We prayed that he would give us a safe journey and protect us. They needed protection because they were vulnerable. They were open to physical attacks, abuse, and even the threat of death. Which leads to stress, anxiety, and fear. So they asked God to protect them on this journey.
Are you carrying the burden of fear, anxiety, and stress? Do you feel open to the enemy’s spiritual, physical, or psychological attacks? Go to your Ahava River and bring your burdens to a God of love who is ready, willing, and able to carry your burdens away.
1 Peter 6:7 Casting all your anxieties on him because he cares for you
Remember to pray for Haiti to bring their burdens to the Ahava River and ask God to carry them away.
-Beraca Baptist Church
Welcome to Beraca’s 21 Days of Fasting and Prayer: Day 6
Duration: March 11th–March 31st
Purpose: To Lift heavy Burdens: (Isa 58:6; Ezra 8:21–23)
Time: Wake Up: 3:00 PM or 6:00 PM
Ezra 8:21-23 A collective call to prayer. (By Joseph Newkirk)
There are many examples throughout history of the power of collective fasting and praying. In 1863, President Abraham Lincoln declared a national day of fasting and prayer in response to the Civil War. Thousands of people across the country participated in this event, and many believers credit it with helping to bring an end to the Civil War conflict.
Similarly, in 1986, Pope John Paul II called for a world day of fasting and prayer for peace. Millions of people around the world participated in this event, and many believers credit it with helping to bring about a decrease in violence and conflict around the world.
What heavy burden are you carrying: lack of repentance, transgression, iniquity, or sin? Is it a particular sin that you’re struggling with that has become too heavy to carry? Is it someone who offended you and forgiving them too much? Have you tried to declare a fast?
Consider Ezra’s – Ezra 3:21-23; which says “There, by the Ahava Canal, a river that floats away your burdens, there Ezra proclaimed a fast, that we might humble ourselves before our God, to seek from Him the right way for us and our little ones and all our possessions.
For I was ashamed to request of the king an escort of soldiers and horsemen to help us against the enemy on the road, because we had spoken to the king, saying, “The hand of our God is upon all those for good who seek Him, but His power and His wrath are against all those who forsake Him.” Ezra gathered all the people and proclaimed a fast and entreated our God for this, and He answered our prayer.
As with any spiritual discipline or duty, it is possible to fast without the right heart and to trust it as an empty ritual, apart from its true spiritual reality. Real fasting — fasting that is partnered with real repentance and isn’t about an image — but it has great power before God (Matthew 17:21). We as Christians fast and pray for change, and more importantly a corporate call to fasting and praying, requires repentance from transgression, iniquities and sin.
We, as Christians have, collectively penetrating, passionate power with a sovereign God who is involved in the affairs of man. First, there is our engaging act of repentance: a Greek verb – metamelomai, is used for a change of mind, to produce regret or even remorse on account of sin;
Secondly, and dynamically, iniquity signifies a conscious decision, a deliberate deviation without repentance, and emerges as a profound descriptor of the corrupt and immoral nature inherent in human character. As expressed in Psalm 51:5, Behold, I was brought forth in iniquity, and in sin did my mother conceive me.
Third, and finally, sin, “missing the mark,” encompasses actions against God or others. It encompasses doing the opposite of what is right, leading to adverse consequences.
As Christians, our prayers are heard, and our burdens will float down the Ahava River, never to return.
-Beraca Baptist Church
-Beraca Baptist Church
Welcome to Beraca’s 21 Days of Fasting and Prayer: Day 8
Duration: March 11th–March 31st
Purpose: To Lift heavy Burdens: (Isa 58:6; Ezra 8:21–23)
Time: Wake Up: 3:00 PM or 6:00 PM
EZRA PROCLAIMS A FAST
Ezra was a scribe who studied, obeyed, and taught the word of God to the Israelites. Ezra felt called by God to leave Babylon to lead the Jews back to Jerusalem, returning to their homeland where he would teach them God’s law. God moved King Artaxerx’s heart to give Ezra and the Jews his blessing to go, sending many valuables with them. Ezra told the king that his gracious God would protect them. While camping at the Ahava Canal before setting out for Jerusalem, Ezra proclaimed a fast.
Ezra and the Jews humbled themselves before God, asking Him for protection and a safe journey for them and their children. Scripture says Ezra was ashamed to ask the King for soldiers to protect them and the valuables because he had stated that God’s hand would protect them. He didn’t want the king to think they had lost faith in God. Ezra knew that going to God collectively—in humility, fasting, and prayer—would move the heart of God. The Result? They fasted and prayed about it, and God answered their prayers!
Ezra was known for his Godly nature, study and teaching of God’s word, fasting, prayer before the Lord, and leadership. What can you incorporate into your life to follow Ezra’s example?
-Beraca Baptist Church
Welcome to Beraca’s 21 Days of Fasting and Prayer: Day 9
Duration: March 11th–March 31st
Purpose: To Lift heavy Burdens: (Isa 58:6; Ezra 8:21–23)
Time: Wake Up: 3:00 PM or 6:00 PM
“Then I proclaimed a fast there, at the river of Ahava, that we might afflict ourselves before our God, to seek of him a right way for us, and for our little ones, and for all our substance.”
Ezra 8:21 KJV
Because Ezra recognized the importance and seriousness of what he was about to do, he “proclaimed a fast there, at the river of Ahava.”
Ezra was about to lead a group of nearly 2,000 people across 900 miles of desert for approximately four months. He not only had the responsibility of the people, but he was also carrying an enormous treasure of “…six hundred and fifty talents of silver, and silver vessels an hundred talents, and of gold an hundred talents; also twenty basons of gold, of a thousand drams; and two vessels of fine copper, precious as gold” (Ezra 8:26–27). Although Ezra and his group were not large in number, they were large enough and carried enough treasure to draw the attention of thieves and robbers. The dangers of the journey were just as great for a few thousand as they were if they had been millions in number.
Maybe you are of the opinion that you are just one Christian in the midst of this vast world and that you are not so important as to draw the attention of the enemy. Maybe you think your small church or your little Small group is not that valuable and that the enemy wouldn’t waste his time to attack you. Maybe you think your marriage and your little home is so small and insignificant that you are not vulnerable or susceptible to the dangers larger or more prominent families face. No matter how small or insignificant you may appear to be, you are valuable and precious to the Lord and the kingdom work of Christ. You are carrying an enormous treasure that must be protected and presented at the end of life’s journey. All of us need to “seek of him a right way for us, and for our little ones, and for all our substance.”
-Beraca Baptist Church
Welcome to Beraca’s 21 Days of Fasting and Prayer: Day 10
Duration: March 11th–March 31st
Purpose: To Lift heavy Burdens: (Isa 58:6; Ezra 8:21–23)
Time: Wake Up: 3:00 PM or 6:00 PM
Day 10
Renounce your own strength
When one faces an impossibility, an extreme situation, an impassable wall, fasting is the spiritual dynamite that changes everything.
We see in the Bible that God’s men and women resorted to fasting in such situations.
When we fast, we become physically weak and expect only God. Not eating or eating less doesn’t change the situations around me, but my hunger for God attracts him. And when God is there, everything changes.
In the Bible, the eye of the LORD is on those who fear him, on those who wait for his faithfulness, to deliver them from death and to keep them alive during the famine. We wait for the LORD: He is our help, our shield. Ps 33:18-20
One day, as I had begun a 21-day fast, I had a vision one morning as I stood before God in worship.
I looked and saw a man trying to break a huge wall without success. The blocks of stone were huge compared to him. His peak was useless, it was an impassable wall.
The second scene I saw was a huge hand, bigger than the wall. This hand knocked it down effortlessly, as if they were wooden cubes for children.
I looked again and saw that the character was no longer trying to break the wall. His back was to the wall and he was praying and worshipping God. The hand of God was breaking down the wall behind his back while he was worshipping him.
What situation are you concerned about? What is the wall of impossibility that resists you? Infertility? Unemployment? A couple on the verge of divorce? A sin that has held you captive for too long? The life of someone close to you far from God? The illness of a family member? Unceasing torment?
To fast is to humble oneself, to recognize one’s powerlessness, one’s dependence on God.
By fasting, you decide to stop confiding in your own strength.
Expect God, he comes to the one who expects him to deliver him.
“He answered and said to me: — This is the message of the Lord to Zerubbabel : “You shall not do this work by might or bravery, but by my Spirit, the Lord of the heavenly hosts declares it”. (Zechariah 4:6 Shem)
Are you ready to use God’s dynamite to blow up this wall?
I invite you to pray :
Lord, I place all my trust in you. As I fast, I know that you see me, come and fight for me. I fix my eyes on you, and I lift up your name. Thank you for what you will do with your spirit. In the name of Jesus, amen!
David Théry
Practical teachings to experience God.
-Beraca Baptist Church
Welcome to Beraca’s 21 Days of Fasting and Prayer: Day 11
Duration: March 11th–March 31st
Purpose: To Lift heavy Burdens: (Isa 58:6; Ezra 8:21–23)
Time: Wake Up: 3:00 PM or 6:00 PM
“Then I proclaimed a fast there, at the river of Ahava, that we might afflict ourselves before our God, to seek of him a right way for us, and for our little ones, and for all our substance.”
Ezra 8:21 KJV
The scripture notes that Ezra’s fast also had as its focus ‘our little ones’ (Ezra 8:21). ‘Little ones’ denote the generation to follow.
God’s purposes are built generationally. He is the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. They carry through from one generation to another. In each generation, vital aspects of God’s will must be captured and effected in a certain epoch of time (kairos) so that subsequent generations in their time may continue the maturation of God’s vast global purposes toward the ultimate finish. Ezra’s fast had attended to the preservation of a whole nation or generation. This fast was extremely wide and vast in its scope, and its success had global ramifications. God’s purposes could be destroyed with the destruction of Ezra and the people he would lead to Jerusalem in that critical time. May I implore you that, as we fast corporately, you realize the gravity of God’s purposes that are at stake?
For those who understand the significance of the 42nd generation, a term referable to the present-day church, I encourage you to set its preservation and effective function as a focus in your fasting as well.
Fasting and prayer for the preservation of the Divine destiny of God vested within our children—our ‘little ones’—are p proper and to be encouraged.
Remember the little ones in Haiti, in Ukraine, in Gaza, and all the little ones in the world.
-Beraca Baptist Church
Welcome to Beraca’s 21 Days of Fasting and Prayer: Day 12
Duration: March 11th–March 31st
Purpose: To Lift heavy Burdens: (Isa 58:6; Ezra 8:21–23)
Time: Wake Up: 3:00 PM or 6:00 PM
God’s Hand is On You
”Then we departed from the river of Ahava on the twelfth day of the first month, to go unto Jerusalem: and the hand of our God was upon us, and he delivered us from the hand of the enemy, and of such as lay in wait by the way.“ Ezra 8:31 KJV
“The hand of our God was upon us” indicates that Ezra and the people sensed God’s protection and guidance throughout their journey (Ezra 7:6, 9, 28; 8:31)
“He delivered us from the hand of the enemy, and of such as lay in wait by the way” is another simple declaration of God’s protection.
The opposing forces in Ezra’s day were people with evil in their hearts. The opposing force in our Christian lives today is evil himself, Satan, who has come to destroy us. John 10:10
We see in the Bible that while the hand of God is dangerous to His enemies, it also empowers, guides, instructs, helps, and holds His people.
What an amazing thing it is to have God’s hand on us. Can you imagine living every day feeling it in your life? Knowing that God guides, protects, disciplines, and holds you at every moment of every day is an amazing thing to experience. It does not mean that everything will be great, but that we will see God’s hand in things.
God’s hand follows His heart. If we know the heart of God, if we go after it, we will have His hand in our lives.
Knowing God means knowing His heart. When we know Him, we serve Him with our whole hearts and minds. We know God’s heart through Scripture and Jesus. God’s heart is for His people, His creation, for whom He sent His Son.
His heart is for us, that we, as His Holy Church, would love one another; equip saints for ministry, care for widows, orphans, and those in need; worship Him together, learn more about Him through studying the Scriptures; and bring His kingdom to those who do not know Him yet.
When we are after God’s heart, we can trust that He will lift our burdens and give us victory over the enemy. If you are single, go after His heart and trust His hand to bring you the right person. If you are a parent, go after God’s heart and see His hand in your family. Grow your kids up with the heart of God, and trust and watch the hand of God in their lives when they are older. In your marriage, if you are struggling, go after God’s heart, and let His hand do the healing and the guiding.
“The hand of our God was upon us.” That’s trust! That’s faith! That’s confidence in Almighty God!
I pray the Lord will put His hand on His church, on our families, our marriages, our lives, our ministries, our jobs, and our country.
-Beraca Baptist Church
Welcome to Beraca’s 21 Days of Fasting and Prayer: Day 13
Duration: March 11th – March 31st
Purpose: To Lift heavy Burdens: Isa 58:6; Ezra 8:21–23)
Time: Wake Up: 3:00 PM or 6:00 PM
Put Down Your Burden
by Helen Lescheid
What burdens are you carrying? Many of us have accepted God’s offer of salvation, but we won’t part with our burdens.
Then Jesus said, “Come to me, all of you who are weary and carry heavy burdens, and I will give you rest” Matthew 11:28 (NLT).
A man was walking down a dusty road on a hot, humid day. He was loaded down with a heavy backpack and carried a duffel bag in each hand. A pick-up truck came along. The driver stopped and called to the man, “Hop on. I’ll give you a ride.” The man got into the back of the truck.
Several miles down the road, the driver looked into his rear-view mirror and saw, to his surprise, that his passenger was still standing up holding onto both duffel bags. The heavy backpack was still strapped to his back. The man had accepted the ride but, for whatever reason, he hadn’t put down his burdens.
Aren’t we like that too? We’ve accepted God’s offer of salvation, but we won’t part with our burdens. We’re standing in the truck of faith letting God take us a distance but we won’t surrender our burdens. Perhaps the fault is with wrong teaching: We’ve been told that grownups must be tough. Or, it’s a matter of pride: I ought to be able to handle this on my own.
What burdens are you carrying? Jesus invites you,
“Come to me, all of you who are weary and carry heavy burdens, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you. Let me teach you, because I am humble and gentle, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke fits perfectly, and the burden I give you is light” (Matthew 11:28-30 NLT).
Why does it become easy? Because Jesus gets under the burden with us and He carries the heaviest end.
Father, take this heavy burden from me. I don’t want to become bitter or full of self-pity. I trust You to work this out. If there’s something I need to do, show me. I want to be quick to listen and ready to obey. I want to bring joy to your heart.
-Beraca Baptist Church
Welcome to Beraca’s 21 Days of Fasting and Prayer: Day 14
Duration: March 11th – March 31st
Purpose: To Lift heavy Burdens:
Isa 58:6 & Ezra 8:21–23
Time: Wake Up: 3:00 PM or 6:00 PM
Fasting Yields Fruit: Humility
Ezra 7 introduces us to Ezra, a very astute scribe who was well versed in the Law of Moses and from a royal lineage—a direct descendant of Aaron, the very first High Priest (Ezra 7:5). Ezra also had the favor of God, that the hand of The Lord upon him because the King gave him everything He asked for (Ezra 7:6).
Wow! What an introduction! We learn in just these few verses that Ezra was a man of status (A scribe well versed in the law), of significance (from the lineage of Aaron the High Priest) and of Sway (whatever he asked the king for, he received!) But in Chapt. 8:21, we see none of that mattered to Ezra when faced with danger, hardship, or trouble. While preparing to pass through dangerous territory with all their possessions, Ezra didn’t coach the people to trust in his name, fame or claim to get them there safely, but to trust in The Lord by humbling themselves and calling for a fast! Humility means a modest or low view of one’s own importance.
Who do you call on or what do you do when you’re in the face of trouble, sickness or temptation? Do you rely on your own strength, your own wisdom, your accolades, your intuition, a friend in high places, your money, etc?
Ezra didn’t depend on his resource, but on THE Source, The Lord!
So much so that we see in Ezra 8:22 that Ezra could’ve asked the king for armed gaurds to accompany them on their journey somewhat “guaranteeing” safe travels, but Ezra says “I was ashamed to ask the king.” Why? “After all, we had told the king, ‘Our God’s hand of protection is on all who worship him, but his fierce anger rages against those who abandon him.’” Imagine testifying about how God could set people free and yet you’re still living in bondage. doesn’t match.
Let this season of fasting produce humility, where no matter the situation, our first and only response is to humbly bow to God for everything. Not ourselves or any resource but on THE Source!
-Beraca Baptist Church
Welcome to Beraca’s 21 Days of Fasting and Prayer: Day 15
Duration: March 11th–March 31st
Purpose: To Lift heavy Burdens:
Isa 58:6 & Ezra 8:21–23
Time: Wake Up: 3:00 PM or 6:00 PM
Fasting Breeds Consecration: Finances
Ezra was tasked with the responsibility of transporting a large amount of treasure to Jerusalem for the rebuilding and beautifying of the Temple. As we learned on Day 3 of our fast, the sum total of the treasure in their possession was equivalent to 290 million dollars in our day! That’s a life changing amount of treasure!
When we read Chapter 7:11, King Artaxerxes details in a letter to Ezra instructions on what he was allowed to take from the kings treasuries. V16 says “furthermore you are to take ANY silver or gold that you may obtain…” whatever Ezra wanted to take, he could’ve. And in v18 it says “Any silver or gold left over may be used in whatever way you and your colleagues feel is the Will of your God.” Wow! What would you and I think or do if we read the king’s words? Maybe we’d be like Achan and hide some away for ourselves after all the work is done? Maybe we would take a cut for all of our “hard work” in the matter.
Not so with Ezra. Ezra divided the funds among 22 priests, and the Bible says in chapter 8:28, “And I said to the priest, ‘you and these treasures have been set apart as holy to The Lord.’” A consecrated heart to God kept these men and their desires only on the rebuilding and beautifying of Gods temple. Verses 33-34 says four days after their arrival, “everything was accounted for by number and weight.” Nothing was missing! The men remained honest and their actions proved their hearts were truly consecrated to God and His work!
When we fast and humble ourselves, we realize that everything that we have and was given by The Lord is all for The Lord. Fasting is meant to crucify the flesh and consecrate our hearts to go after the things of God and not your own desires! Every part of your life ought to be consecrated to God, especially in your finances and your treasures. Jesus said “You cannot serve two masters”(Matthew 6:24). Jesus referring to God and money, insinuates that ONLY money could compete with Him over your heart if you let it! Maybe you’re not in possession of $290 million like Ezra and the 22 priests were! Maybe you have $0, but what about your time, your talents, your life? Have you given them to God? In this fast, consecrate every part of your life to God!
-Beraca Baptist Church
Welcome to Beraca’s 21 Days of Fasting and Prayer: Day 16
Duration: March 11th–March 31st
Purpose: To Lift heavy Burdens:
Isa 58:6 & Ezra 8:21–23
Time: Wake Up: 3:00 PM or 6:00 PM
Fasting Exposes Deep Faith
Ezra was tasked with the incredible challenge of traveling over 900 miles to Jerusalem. It took over four months with over 2,000 people (some scholars believe he traveled with possibly 6–7,000 people) with treasures equivalent to $290 million dollars through dangerous territories filled with bandits, criminals, and thieves. Think about that for a moment! Looking at these circumstances, Ezra’s only logical response was to… fast and pray!
1 Thes 5:17 says, “Never stop praying.” And Ephesians 6:18 says “Pray in the Spirit at all times, with every kind of prayer…”. So the Bible commands us to pray, Always! That’s clear! What about prayer coupled with fasting? When is it the right time to fast and pray?
In the Old Testament, it appears that fasting with prayer had to do with a sense of need and dependence and/or abject helplessness in the face of an actual or anticipated calamity. Prayer and fasting are combined in the Old Testament in times of mourning, repentance, and/or deep spiritual need.
There are instances of prayer and fasting in the New Testament, but they are not connected with repentance or confession. The prophetess Anna “never left the temple but worshiped night and day, fasting and praying” (Luke 2:37). At age 84, her prayer and fasting were part of her service to the Lord in His temple as she awaited the promised Savior of Israel. Also in the New Testament, the church at Antioch was fasting in connection with their worship when the Holy Spirit spoke to them about commissioning Saul and Barnabas to the Lord’s work. At that point, they prayed and fasted, placed their hands on the two men, and sent them off. So, we see in these examples that prayer and fasting are components of worshiping the Lord and seeking His favor.
Nowhere, however, is there any indication that the Lord is more likely to answer prayers if they are accompanied by fasting. Rather, fasting along with prayer seems to indicate the sincerity of the people praying and the critical nature of the situations in which they find themselves.
Ezra 8:23 says “so we fasted and earnestly prayed that our God would take care of us, and he heard our prayer.” John Trapp, the well-known theologian, says this about Ezra and the people fasting: “They put their holy resolution into execution; purpose without practice is like Rachel, beautiful but barren.”
Today, let your focus be clear. Do not fast and pray with the intention to MAKE God answer your prayers to lift your burdens, but fast and pray today because you need and you know, and believe that ONLY God can answer your prayers and lift your burdens.
-Beraca Baptist Church
Welcome to Beraca’s 21 Days of Fasting and Prayer Day 17!
Duration: March 11th–March 31st
Purpose: To Lift heavy Burdens:
Ezra 8:21 – 23
Time: Wake Up: 3:00 PM or 6:00 PM
Letting Go and Letting God.
At the Ahava Canal, Ezra proclaimed, “The gracious hand of our God is on everyone who looks to Him.” (Ezra 8:22) A tall and bold declaration – but a declaration rooted in faith. Rather than looking at the burden that was before him, Ezra decided to look up and focus on the Lord. To begin, allow me to state the obvious: you can’t look to God without knowing to whom you’re looking. Secondly, “Looking to God” implies giving devoted attention to Him, and Who He is.
Who do you look up to? And Why? What is the significance of elevating your perspective?
Think of this story:
The only bird that will dare peck at an eagle is the crow. The crow sits on the eagle’s back and bites its neck. The eagle does not respond or fight with the crow. It simply opens up its wings and begins to rise higher and higher in the sky. The higher the eagle flies, the harder it is for the crow to breathe, and then, due to lack of oxygen, the crow falls away. And the eagle is free. The crow represents all of your burdens: self-doubt, family, finances, school, distractions, etc. The crow represents so many unwanted aspects of your life, everything that is pecking at you, disturbing you, attacking you (and your family), and even challenging you.
You can choose to let it weigh you down, losing flight in your walk with Christ, or you can choose to look to the Lord and soar higher. For this fast, think about what is weighing you down, causing you to lose flight, keeping you from being free, and keeping you from “Looking to Him.” Christ has set us free. Stand firm, then, and do not let yourselves be burdened again by a yoke of slavery (Galatians 5:1).
Letting go of your burdens is like flying high—Finding rest and flying free. It is a walk by faith that when the Lord says, “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.” (Matthew 11:28–30)
Prayer:
Today, Father, we trust that you will deliver us from the heavy loads that are keeping us and distracting us from looking to you. Free us from the oppressive hawks that are pecking at us and strengthen us as we follow you. I believe that when I look to you, Lord, Your gracious hand is upon me.
-Beraca Baptist Church
Welcome to Beraca’s 21 Days of Fasting and Prayer Day 18
Duration: March 11th–March 31st
Purpose: To Lift heavy Burdens: Ezra 8:21–23 Time: Wake Up – 3:00 PM or 6:00 PM
Casting your Cares
“Cast all your anxiety on Him because He cares for you.“ – 1 Peter 5:7 (NIV )
In 2013, the animated film Frozen was released in theaters and achieved unprecedented success.
It grossed well over a billion dollars worldwide (with a profit of $800 million), received two Academy Awards and several other accolades, had merchandise such as toys, backpacks, books, and apparel, including wigs of the main character. It was heralded as a triumph that would take the Disney animation studio into another renaissance of success. The film’s signature song, “Let it Go” was a runaway hit that moved children and adults alike.
A quick flashback to the scene which stole the show: Elsa, a princess, has escaped into the mountains in order to protect her sister Anna and their kingdom. Elsa is carrying a secret and fears what would happen if she returns. Her fear keeps her isolated until she learns that both her sister and the kingdom are in danger. At that point, she must make a decision to be bound by fear or go do what’s right. Elsa decides it’s time to let the pain of the past go. Cue the music.
The song resonated with so many because it was relatable. We all carry weight that we refuse to let go, no matter how heavy it feels or how isolated we become. Fear starts off with doubt unchecked. It spreads and cripples us, rendering us immobile. All because we refuse to let go of what troubles us and trust Jesus to take care of it.
Would you consider entrusting all your worries and anxiety to Jesus? When you do, He promises to take care of you. When you cast your cares on Him, you are letting it all go.
To cast it on Him is let go of whatever you are trusting instead of God (your abilities, your family name, your money, your education, your good looks, your friends or connections…pretty much any false, limited power) to trust God Almighty. To cast it on Him is to lean on Him 100%. To cast it on Him is to understand that worry is fear-based. When you tolerate fear, you are contaminating your faith. To cast it on Him is to let it go. God has your back because He is in control. To cast it on Him is not to worry about your future because the future is not yours, it’s God’s: (He said, “For I know the plans I have for you”). To cast it on Him is to turn your worry list into your prayer list.
Prayer:
Father, I need to let it go. Throughout this fast, may I let go of anything giving me a false sense of security. Jesus said to take His yoke and burden, for they are easy and light. May I let go of pain and instead see Your promise. May I let go of fear and replace it with trust. Thank You for caring for me. In Jesus’ name, Amen.
-Beraca Baptist Church
Welcome to Beraca’s 21 Days of Fasting and Prayer Day 19
Duration: March 11th–March 31st
Purpose: To Lift heavy Burdens: Ezra 8:21–23
Time: Wake Up – 3:00 PM or 6:00 PM
Fellowship, Fasting, and Faith.
“There, by the Ahava Canal, I proclaimed a fast, so that WE might humble ourselves before our God and ask Him for a safe journey for US and OUR children, with all OUR possessions (v. 21)… So WE fasted and petitioned OUR God about this, and He answered OUR prayers.”
(v. 23).
The pronouns, WE, US, and OUR often disappear in the verse. But they hold some significance.
The saying goes, “There is strength in numbers.” In Ecc. 4, Solomon talked about the benefits of relationships. Meaning no matter what kind of relationship you have with family, friends, or your church community – it serves a purpose. The verse reads, “Two are better than one because they have a good return for their work: If one falls down, his friend can help him up. But pity the man who falls and has no one to help him up! Also, if two lie down together, they will keep warm. But how can one keep warm alone? Though one may be overpowered, two can defend themselves. A cord of three strands is not quickly broken.” (Ecc. 4:9–12).
There is a purpose to this CHURCH-WIDE fast. You are not seeking the breakthrough alone. Whether you are fasting for personal implications or fasting on behalf of a spouse, your children, or a friend – in the end, iron sharpens iron. Gal. 6:2 reads, “Carry each other’s burdens, and in this way you will fulfill the law of Christ.”
We are called by the Bible to be in unity within ourselves (1 Peter 3:8), in unity with all followers of Jesus (1 Corinthians 1:10), and to maintain the unity of the Spirit (Ephesians 4:3). In Malachi, it says those who feared the Lord spoke with one another, and the Lord heard them. Ezra called for the people to fast with him instead of him fasting alone because he believed that God hears what we say to each other, and when you speak with faith, hope, and love, when you speak with courage, when you speak in a way that honors the Lord, God hears and He remembers.
Prayer:
Lord, thank you for the opportunity I have to fast for my burdens, but also the burdens of my brothers and sisters in Christ. In unity, we lay our troubles at your altar. In Jesus’ name, Amen.
-Beraca Baptist Church
Welcome to Beraca’s 21 Days of Fasting and Prayer Day 20
Duration: March 11th–March 31st
Purpose: To Lift Heavy Burdens: (Ezra 8:21–23)
Time: Wake Up: 3:00 PM or 6:00 PM
God answers prayers!
What better way to culminate and place an exclamation point to this fast with the full assurance of faith and steadfast confidence that we serve a prayer answering God! Jesus echoed this confirmation in his own words “Ask and you will receive; Seek and you will find; Knock and the door will be opened” Let us be blessed by this devotional on how and when God answered Ezra’s prayer.
By Nylse Esahc
Ezra 8 is a pivotal chapter in this book, for it’s where we see Ezra’s heart as he narrates the remainder of the book. At the end of Ezra 7, Ezra gives thanks before embarking on this journey. Effusive in his thanks, he is grateful that God has placed the opportunity to beautify the temple on the king’s heart and extend mercy to him. After giving thanks, he gathers chief men (i.e., leaders) to travel with him to Jerusalem.
Initially, his traveling companions did not include any priests (no one from the tribe of Levi) or Nethinim. It was a large contingent made up of leaders from various families, with 1,496 men in the group. Adding an estimated number of women and children (Ezra 8:21), we can surmise that the total number of the party coming with Ezra in the days of King Artaxerxes was between 6,000 to 7,000 people (enduringword.com (http://enduringword.com/)). Curiously, no priests were in this group. In essence, besides Ezra, this large group had no spiritual leaders or intercessors. For the task ahead, they were a necessity that Ezra recognized he needed. So Ezra sends for “men of understanding” to go back and recruit Levites and Nethinim. Because they had knowledge, they were able to speak to the right person – Iddo, the chief at the palace, conveying the need for Levites and Nethinim on this journey. Remember that the king had already exempted them from any toll, so they should have been part of the initial trip. The men of understanding recruited 18 Levites and 220 Nethinim (Ezra 8:15-20).
Once the Levites and Nethinim join Ezra and the others, Ezra proclaimed a fast for the Lord’s protection as they travel. Ezra knew that he needed extra protection for this journey as there was a constant threat of robbers and bandits, mainly because they were transporting so many valuables. So Ezra – a man of understanding takes nothing for granted and chooses to pray. Fasting elevates our prayers. The king had already provided resources, but he didn’t want to go back and ask for an escort. The king had done enough, God could do the rest, so he fasted. “Then I proclaimed a fast there at the river of Ahava, that we might humble ourselves before our God, to seek from Him the right way for us and our little ones and all our possessions. For I was ashamed to request of the king an escort of soldiers and horsemen to help us against the enemy on the road, because we had spoken to the king, saying, “The hand of our God is upon all those for good who seek Him, but His power and His wrath are against all those who forsake Him.” So we fasted and entreated our God for this, and He answered our prayer. (Ezra 8:20-23)”
God answered their prayers!
Reflections
Can we recognize when we lack spiritual reinforcement? In Ezra’s case, it was the Levites and the Nethinim. I love how the Nethinim are always included (it’s one of my biggest takeaways from this book). Ezra was a man of understanding – he recognized his need; he knew the ways of God, and he had other men of knowledge with him. Ezra relied on other men of understanding to speak to the correct person so that the Levites and Nethinim became part of the traveling contingent. With this large contingent, Ezra recognized another need for protection. Again, Ezra could have gone back to the king for additional help, but instead, he chose to pray and fast, believing that God would answer. This whole mission was God-ordained; he had seen God’s hand at work so many times, especially with the generosity of King Artaxerxes. Ezra chose to fast for himself and those with him. In shame, he fasted. Our faith may stem from shame or pride, but the recognition of our limitations will force us to pray differently; Ezra fasted because the need was out of his control. Besides, he had already told the king that God’s hand was with them. God wants us to exhibit faith, no matter how we get there. If we believe God, we’re going to act like we do.
Prayer
Dear Lord, like Ezra, may we be men and women of understanding. Those that know and seek after you; those that exercise discernment; those that are wise; those that know how to interact with others and can bring out the best in others; those that have Godly confidence; those that are humble; those that are morally upright; those who exhibit self-control. You are our Priest and Intercessor, with us each step of our journey, providing protection, grace, mercy, and whatever we need. Give us discernment so that we know when to pray and when to fast. As you protect and provide, may we be careful to give you thanks like Ezra
did. In Jesus’ name, Amen.
-Beraca Baptist Church
-Beraca Baptist Church