Intentional 21 Devotional: Day 1 - Pastor Josiah Elias

Tools From The Early Church 

Wave goodbye to 2025 and, with open arms, embrace 2026! Our church family has always begun  the year with a season of fasting. A sacred way to recalibrate our hearts for what God desires to  do in the year ahead. We call this season Intentional 21. 

We chose that name because intentionality is woven into the very DNA of fasting. A fast should  never be something we stumble through casually. That would be counterintuitive. Fasting  requires focus, purpose, and resolve. 

What God desires to do in you during these 21 days of intentionality is deeply connected to your  heart posture and your mindset as you step into this season. Paying attention to the dietary  restrictions matters. Without that element, this season may feel no different than any other. At its  core, fasting is the intentional decision to give up food, or certain types of food, in order to  engage God spiritually. 

And that spiritual engagement is where I want the majority of your attention, energy, and effort  to be directed. This will require bending your schedule, rearranging priorities, adjusting lifestyle  rhythms, and chiseling away at unproductive habits so you can make room to meet with God. 

There are many ways to engage with Him, but scripture gives us a clear framework which we’ll  adapt some tools from through the example of the early church. In Acts chapter 2, immediately  after the 120 were filled with the Holy Spirit, Peter preached the gospel, and over 3,000 were  added to the kingdom. We’re given a snapshot of how the believers lived: 

Acts 2:42–47 (NLT)  

All the believers devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching, and to fellowship, and to  sharing in meals (including the Lord’s Supper), and to prayer. 43 A deep sense of awe came  over them all, and the apostles performed many miraculous signs and wonders. 44 And all  the believers met together in one place and shared everything they had. 45 They sold their  property and possessions and shared the money with those in need. 46 They worshiped  together at the Temple each day, met in homes for the Lord’s Supper, and shared their  meals with great joy and generosity— 47 all the while praising God and enjoying the  goodwill of all the people. And each day the Lord added to their fellowship those who were  being saved. 

Let’s break this down into bite-sized veggies. The early church intentionally practiced the  following: 

1. Studied the word — “devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching” (v.42)

2. Fellowshipped — “and to fellowship” (v.42) 

3. Ate together in community — “and to sharing in meals” (v.42) 

4. Took communion — “including the Lord’s Supper,” “met in homes for the Lord’s Supper”  (v.42, 46)

5. Prayed — “and to prayer” (v.42) 

6. Focused on God — “a deep sense of awe came over them all” (v.43) 

7. Ministered to one another — “many miraculous signs and wonders,” “shared their meals  with great joy and generosity” (v.43, 46) 

8. Served one another — “shared everything they had,” “shared the money with those in need”  (v.44, 45) 

9. Worshiped — “they worshiped together at the Temple each day” (v.46) 

10. Enjoyed the journey — “with great joy and generosity,” “enjoying the goodwill of all the  people” (v.46, 47) 

When entering a season of fasting, these practices serve as powerful tools to help us remain  intentionality and to thrive both personally and corporately — just as the early church did. 

Engagement: 

Take a moment to review these ten tools. Write them down. Underline them in your Bible.  Revisit them often throughout this fast and ask yourself: 

• Have I studied His word? 

• Have I fellowshipped with others and shared meals in community? 

• Have I taken communion, prayed, or simply focused my attention on God? • Have I ministered to someone who needed encouragement or care? 

• Have I served anyone? 

• Have I intentionally worshiped the Lord? 

• Am I enjoying what God is doing? Or am I miserable? 

These are healthy and honest biblical metrics to measure yourself against during this season. 

Most importantly, invite God onto the path. This is not something to do apart from Him—it’s a  journey meant to be taken with Him. Invite Him in and watch what He does during these  Intentional 21 days. 

Enjoy the ride. 

Pastor Josiah Elias