January 15-19
5 days of prayer and fasting as we believe for more of the presence and power of God in our lives.
We’re hungry for more of God — to witness him move and experience his presence on an even deeper level. Join us as we discover and pray into different aspects of who God is that we as a church want to reflect to those in our world—our families, workmates, classmates, and friends.
Schedule
SHANG IS OPEN!
| MONDAY | 10AM-7:30PM |
| TUESDAY | 10AM-7:30PM |
| WEDNESDAY | 10AM-7:30PM |
| THURSDAY | 10AM-7:30PM |
| FRIDAY | 10AM-5PM |
SHANG IS OPEN!
| MONDAY | 10AM-7:30PM |
| TUESDAY | 10AM-7:30PM |
| WEDNESDAY | 10AM-7:30PM |
| THURSDAY | 10AM-7:30PM |
| FRIDAY | 10AM-5PM |
Wednesday, January 17
7-7:30AM
Online on Zoom
Get the Prayer Guides
Download and save digital files of our schedule and prayer points for the week.
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Daily Prayer Points
Day 1: God is Compassionate, Merciful, and Gracious
Lamentations 3:22-23 NLT
“The faithful love of the Lord never ends! His mercies never cease. Great is his faithfulness; his mercies begin afresh each morning.”
Psalms 103:13-14 NIV
“As a father has compassion on his children, so the Lord has compassion on those who fear him; for he knows how we are formed, he remembers that we are dust.”
Psalms 145:8 NLT
“The Lord is merciful and compassionate, slow to get angry and filled with unfailing love.”
Ephesians 2:8-9 NIV
“For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God—not by works, so that no one can boast.”
Titus 3:5 NIV
“He saved us, not because of righteous things we had done, but because of his mercy. He saved us through the washing of rebirth and renewal by the Holy Spirit.”
REFLECTION QUESTIONS
- Are there areas in your life where you need to witness and experience God’s compassion, mercy, and grace?
- What would it look like if we could bring the same compassion, mercy, and grace that we’ve received to the world of broken and hurting people around us?
Day 2: God is Good, Patient, and Kind
Knowing God as a compassionate, merciful, and gracious God is one thing, but believing that he’s good, patient, and kind is another.
When we think about our friends, family members, or co-workers who are good, patient, and kind, we love being around them because there’s a sense that we feel safe, seen, valued, and appreciated.
God desires for us to feel the same way around him, so that we run to him in times of trouble, not away from him. And unlike human beings, God is consistently good, patient, and kind. He doesn’t have bad days!
Psalms 34:8-10 NLT
“Taste and see that the Lord is good. Oh, the joys of those who take refuge in him! Fear the Lord, you his godly people, for those who fear him will have all they need. Even strong young lions sometimes go hungry, but those who trust in the Lord will lack no good thing.”
Psalms 100:5 NIV
“For the Lord is good and his love endures forever; his faithfulness continues through all generations.”
Psalms 107:8-9 NIV
“Let them give thanks to the Lord for his unfailing love and his wonderful deeds for mankind, for he satisfies the thirsty and fills the hungry with good things.”
Psalms 31:19 ESV
“Oh, how abundant is your goodness, which you have stored up for those who fear you and worked for those who take refuge in you, in the sight of the children of mankind!”
Romans 2:4 NLT
“Don’t you see how wonderfully kind, tolerant, and patient God is with you? Does this mean nothing to you? Can’t you see that his kindness is intended to turn you from your sin?”
REFLECTION QUESTIONS
- When something goes wrong in your life, do you run away from God, or do you run to him?
- Do you find it easy or difficult to be good, patient, and kind to others?
Day 3: God is Love and God is Truth
These days, culture tells us to claim “my truth” — but truth can’t be relative. Truth is truth, and Jesus said he is “the way, the truth, and the life.” It’s only through following Jesus and becoming more like him that we find true wisdom, love, peace, and freedom.
God is not against love. He IS love. But he is also truth. And in him, we can find both. We don’t have to go to the ends of the earth to find what we’re looking for. Truth and love are found in God, and as his people, we’re called to be his witnesses in a world that desperately needs both.
John 14:6 ESV
“Jesus said to him, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.”
Isaiah 55:8-9 NLT
“My thoughts are nothing like your thoughts,” says the Lord. “And my ways are far beyond anything you could imagine. For just as the heavens are higher than the earth, so my ways are higher than your ways and my thoughts higher than your thoughts.”
Galatians 5:22-23 NLT
“But the Holy Spirit produces this kind of fruit in our lives: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. There is no law against these things!”
James 1:5 NIV
“If any of you lacks wisdom, you should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to you.”
Ephesians 4:21-32 NLT
“Since you have heard about Jesus and have learned the truth that comes from him, throw off your old sinful nature and your former way of life, which is corrupted by lust and deception. Instead, let the Spirit renew your thoughts and attitudes. Put on your new nature, created to be like God—truly righteous and holy. So stop telling lies. Let us tell our neighbors the truth, for we are all parts of the same body. And “don’t sin by letting anger control you.” Don’t let the sun go down while you are still angry, for anger gives a foothold to the devil. If you are a thief, quit stealing. Instead, use your hands for good hard work, and then give generously to others in need. Don’t use foul or abusive language. Let everything you say be good and helpful, so that your words will be an encouragement to those who hear them. And do not bring sorrow to God’s Holy Spirit by the way you live. Remember, he has identified you as his own, guaranteeing that you will be saved on the day of redemption. Get rid of all bitterness, rage, anger, harsh words, and slander, as well as all types of evil behavior. Instead, be kind to each other, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, just as God through Christ has forgiven you.”
1 Corinthians 13:1-7 NLT
“If I could speak all the languages of earth and of angels, but didn’t love others, I would only be a noisy gong or a clanging cymbal. If I had the gift of prophecy, and if I understood all of God’s secret plans and possessed all knowledge, and if I had such faith that I could move mountains, but didn’t love others, I would be nothing. If I gave everything I have to the poor and even sacrificed my body, I could boast about it; but if I didn’t love others, I would have gained nothing. Love is patient and kind. Love is not jealous or boastful or proud or rude. It does not demand its own way. It is not irritable, and it keeps no record of being wronged. It does not rejoice about injustice but rejoices whenever the truth wins out. Love never gives up, never loses faith, is always hopeful, and endures through every circumstance.”
REFLECTION QUESTIONS
- Are there any areas where you question the truth in God’s Word? Ask him to help you understand or trust in his wisdom and his Word.
- Do you find that it’s easier for you to communicate love or to communicate truth? Are you able to communicate truth in love? Ask God for guidance and help in this.
Day 4: God is Generous and Limitless
Our generation is constantly haunted by FOMO (fear of missing out). But with God, we don’t ever have to fear, because he doesn’t hold back on any good thing.
Not only does he not hold back—he is able to go above and beyond what we can ask for or imagine. He may do it in us, through us, or around us, but one thing is for certain: he is a God without limits.
Psalms 23:1 NIV
“The Lord is my shepherd, I lack nothing.”
Matthew 7:11 NIV
“If you, then, though you are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give good gifts to those who ask him!”
Psalms 84:11 NIV
“For the Lord God is a sun and shield; the Lord bestows favor and honor; no good thing does he withhold from those whose walk is blameless.”
Ephesians 1:3 NIV
“Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in the heavenly realms with every spiritual blessing in Christ.”
Romans 11:33 NIV
“Oh, the depth of the riches of the wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable his judgments, and his paths beyond tracing out!”
REFLECTION QUESTIONS
- Do you believe that if something you prayed for doesn’t work out, God will give you something better?
- Are there any areas in your life where you’re living with a poverty mindset, believing that you may never have enough?
Day 5: God is Trustworthy and Faithful
Imagine being in a relationship with someone you couldn’t trust—it would feel unsafe and unbearable. Now picture a God who is always consistent, who never acts contrary to his good character.
Even when we face life’s unknowns, we can put our trust in him, knowing that even if we don’t always see or understand what he’s doing, we can have faith that he always acts according to who he is: good, kind, patient, merciful, compassionate, gracious, generous, loving, faithful to the end.
Psalm 100:5 NIV
“For the Lord is good and his love endures forever; his faithfulness continues through all generations.”
2 Timothy 2:13 NIV
“If we are faithless, he remains faithful, for he cannot disown himself.”
Deuteronomy 32:4 NIV
“He is the Rock, his works are perfect, and all his ways are just. A faithful God who does no wrong, upright and just is he.”
Numbers 23: 23:19 NLT
“God is not a man, so he does not lie. He is not human, so he does not change his mind. Has he ever spoken and failed to act? Has he ever promised and not carried it through?“
Psalm 9:9-19 NIV
“The Lord is a refuge for the oppressed, a stronghold in times of trouble. Those who know your name trust in you, for you, Lord, have never forsaken those who seek you.”
REFLECTION QUESTIONS
- Was there ever a time that you thought God let you down, only to find out later on that there was a good reason why it didn’t work out the way you wanted?
- Are there any “unknowns” in your life that you need to place in God’s hands today?
Day 1: God is Compassionate, Merciful, and Gracious
Lamentations 3:22-23 NLT
“The faithful love of the Lord never ends! His mercies never cease. Great is his faithfulness; his mercies begin afresh each morning.”
Psalms 103:13-14 NIV
“As a father has compassion on his children, so the Lord has compassion on those who fear him; for he knows how we are formed, he remembers that we are dust.”
Psalms 145:8 NLT
“The Lord is merciful and compassionate, slow to get angry and filled with unfailing love.”
Ephesians 2:8-9 NIV
“For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God—not by works, so that no one can boast.”
Titus 3:5 NIV
“He saved us, not because of righteous things we had done, but because of his mercy. He saved us through the washing of rebirth and renewal by the Holy Spirit.”
REFLECTION QUESTIONS
- Are there areas in your life where you need to witness and experience God’s compassion, mercy, and grace?
- What would it look like if we could bring the same compassion, mercy, and grace that we’ve received to the world of broken and hurting people around us?
Day 2: God is Good, Patient, and Kind
Knowing God as a compassionate, merciful, and gracious God is one thing, but believing that he’s good, patient, and kind is another.
When we think about our friends, family members, or co-workers who are good, patient, and kind, we love being around them because there’s a sense that we feel safe, seen, valued, and appreciated.
God desires for us to feel the same way around him, so that we run to him in times of trouble, not away from him. And unlike human beings, God is consistently good, patient, and kind. He doesn’t have bad days!
Psalms 34:8-10 NLT
“Taste and see that the Lord is good. Oh, the joys of those who take refuge in him! Fear the Lord, you his godly people, for those who fear him will have all they need. Even strong young lions sometimes go hungry, but those who trust in the Lord will lack no good thing.”
Psalms 100:5 NIV
“For the Lord is good and his love endures forever; his faithfulness continues through all generations.”
Psalms 107:8-9 NIV
“Let them give thanks to the Lord for his unfailing love and his wonderful deeds for mankind, for he satisfies the thirsty and fills the hungry with good things.”
Psalms 31:19 ESV
“Oh, how abundant is your goodness, which you have stored up for those who fear you and worked for those who take refuge in you, in the sight of the children of mankind!”
Romans 2:4 NLT
“Don’t you see how wonderfully kind, tolerant, and patient God is with you? Does this mean nothing to you? Can’t you see that his kindness is intended to turn you from your sin?”
REFLECTION QUESTIONS
- When something goes wrong in your life, do you run away from God, or do you run to him?
- Do you find it easy or difficult to be good, patient, and kind to others?
Day 3: God is Love and God is Truth
These days, culture tells us to claim “my truth” — but truth can’t be relative. Truth is truth, and Jesus said he is “the way, the truth, and the life.” It’s only through following Jesus and becoming more like him that we find true wisdom, love, peace, and freedom.
God is not against love. He IS love. But he is also truth. And in him, we can find both. We don’t have to go to the ends of the earth to find what we’re looking for. Truth and love are found in God, and as his people, we’re called to be his witnesses in a world that desperately needs both.
John 14:6 ESV
“Jesus said to him, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.”
Isaiah 55:8-9 NLT
“My thoughts are nothing like your thoughts,” says the Lord. “And my ways are far beyond anything you could imagine. For just as the heavens are higher than the earth, so my ways are higher than your ways and my thoughts higher than your thoughts.”
Galatians 5:22-23 NLT
“But the Holy Spirit produces this kind of fruit in our lives: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. There is no law against these things!”
James 1:5 NIV
“If any of you lacks wisdom, you should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to you.”
Ephesians 4:21-32 NLT
“Since you have heard about Jesus and have learned the truth that comes from him, throw off your old sinful nature and your former way of life, which is corrupted by lust and deception. Instead, let the Spirit renew your thoughts and attitudes. Put on your new nature, created to be like God—truly righteous and holy. So stop telling lies. Let us tell our neighbors the truth, for we are all parts of the same body. And “don’t sin by letting anger control you.” Don’t let the sun go down while you are still angry, for anger gives a foothold to the devil. If you are a thief, quit stealing. Instead, use your hands for good hard work, and then give generously to others in need. Don’t use foul or abusive language. Let everything you say be good and helpful, so that your words will be an encouragement to those who hear them. And do not bring sorrow to God’s Holy Spirit by the way you live. Remember, he has identified you as his own, guaranteeing that you will be saved on the day of redemption. Get rid of all bitterness, rage, anger, harsh words, and slander, as well as all types of evil behavior. Instead, be kind to each other, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, just as God through Christ has forgiven you.”
1 Corinthians 13:1-7 NLT
“If I could speak all the languages of earth and of angels, but didn’t love others, I would only be a noisy gong or a clanging cymbal. If I had the gift of prophecy, and if I understood all of God’s secret plans and possessed all knowledge, and if I had such faith that I could move mountains, but didn’t love others, I would be nothing. If I gave everything I have to the poor and even sacrificed my body, I could boast about it; but if I didn’t love others, I would have gained nothing. Love is patient and kind. Love is not jealous or boastful or proud or rude. It does not demand its own way. It is not irritable, and it keeps no record of being wronged. It does not rejoice about injustice but rejoices whenever the truth wins out. Love never gives up, never loses faith, is always hopeful, and endures through every circumstance.”
REFLECTION QUESTIONS
- Are there any areas where you question the truth in God’s Word? Ask him to help you understand or trust in his wisdom and his Word.
- Do you find that it’s easier for you to communicate love or to communicate truth? Are you able to communicate truth in love? Ask God for guidance and help in this.
Day 4: God is Generous and Limitless
Our generation is constantly haunted by FOMO (fear of missing out). But with God, we don’t ever have to fear, because he doesn’t hold back on any good thing.
Not only does he not hold back—he is able to go above and beyond what we can ask for or imagine. He may do it in us, through us, or around us, but one thing is for certain: he is a God without limits.
Psalms 23:1 NIV
“The Lord is my shepherd, I lack nothing.”
Matthew 7:11 NIV
“If you, then, though you are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give good gifts to those who ask him!”
Psalms 84:11 NIV
“For the Lord God is a sun and shield; the Lord bestows favor and honor; no good thing does he withhold from those whose walk is blameless.”
Ephesians 1:3 NIV
“Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in the heavenly realms with every spiritual blessing in Christ.”
Romans 11:33 NIV
“Oh, the depth of the riches of the wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable his judgments, and his paths beyond tracing out!”
REFLECTION QUESTIONS
- Do you believe that if something you prayed for doesn’t work out, God will give you something better?
- Are there any areas in your life where you’re living with a poverty mindset, believing that you may never have enough?
Day 5: God is Trustworthy and Faithful
Imagine being in a relationship with someone you couldn’t trust—it would feel unsafe and unbearable. Now picture a God who is always consistent, who never acts contrary to his good character.
Even when we face life’s unknowns, we can put our trust in him, knowing that even if we don’t always see or understand what he’s doing, we can have faith that he always acts according to who he is: good, kind, patient, merciful, compassionate, gracious, generous, loving, faithful to the end.
Psalm 100:5 NIV
“For the Lord is good and his love endures forever; his faithfulness continues through all generations.”
2 Timothy 2:13 NIV
“If we are faithless, he remains faithful, for he cannot disown himself.”
Deuteronomy 32:4 NIV
“He is the Rock, his works are perfect, and all his ways are just. A faithful God who does no wrong, upright and just is he.”
Numbers 23: 23:19 NLT
“God is not a man, so he does not lie. He is not human, so he does not change his mind. Has he ever spoken and failed to act? Has he ever promised and not carried it through?“
Psalm 9:9-19 NIV
“The Lord is a refuge for the oppressed, a stronghold in times of trouble. Those who know your name trust in you, for you, Lord, have never forsaken those who seek you.”
REFLECTION QUESTIONS
- Was there ever a time that you thought God let you down, only to find out later on that there was a good reason why it didn’t work out the way you wanted?
- Are there any “unknowns” in your life that you need to place in God’s hands today?
Our God
WATCH THIS VIDEO TO LEARN ABOUT FASTING ->
What is Fasting?
Fasting is when you give up food for a certain amount of time. When we remove or reduce our food intake, it weakens our bodies, forcing us to become closer to God and rely on his strength more than our own.
Fasting is not required for salvation, and there’s no pressure! But, it is something that Jesus did (he didn’t eat for 40 days at one time) and instructed his disciples to do. Check out Matthew 4:1-11 and Matthew 6:16-18 to see more about Jesus’ heart for fasting.
Why Do We Fast?
How Do You Fast?
What Does a Fast Look Like?
The biblical model for fasting means giving up food—either completely or in part. You can also fast from distractions like social media and technology. Although these are not in the Bible, it does make sense to fast from things that distract you in your relationship with God. However, we’d encourage you to also fast from food—this is the best way to notice your physical weakness and begin to rely on God’s strength. Read more about fasting, types of fasts, and other helpful info here.
One meal
Learn more
Daniel fast
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Liquid fast
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Water fast
Learn more
Additional Resources
Choosing to fast even in the midst of health challenges can be powerful. But it’s always a good idea to consult with a doctor first. Fasting can affect people differently, depending on their health condition. They know your unique situation and can give you personalized advice. You can still participate in our fasting week in other ways safe for your health, like cutting back on social media/entertainment and saying no to sweets or junk food. Just remember, if you decide to reduce food intake, it’s always a good idea to consult with your doctor to make sure it’s safe for you. When you finally decide on what to fast, commit to it! We’re believing that God will show up!
Choosing to fast even in the midst of health challenges can be powerful. But it’s always a good idea to consult with a doctor first. Fasting can affect people differently, depending on their health condition. They know your unique situation and can give you personalized advice. You can still participate in our fasting week in other ways safe for your health, like cutting back on social media/entertainment and saying no to sweets or junk food. Just remember, if you decide to reduce food intake, it’s always a good idea to consult with your doctor to make sure it’s safe for you. When you finally decide on what to fast, commit to it! We’re believing that God will show up!
Need Prayer?
Have a Testimony?
God always speaks powerfully during Presence Week, and we’ve heard countless stories of God doing the miraculous! If you have a testimony to share, we’d love to hear it!
