Fasting Part One
Mission Prayer Partner
Our mission prayer partner for this week is Community Church - a United Methodist Mission Church in Southwest Huntsville
Scripture Memory Verse
Colossians 3:12 NIV84
Therefore, as God's chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience.
We have different reasons for doing the things we do:
1. Pleasure: We do some things because we enjoy it (eat biscuits) 2. Importance: We do some things because they are important (stress test) 3. Necessity: We do some things because they are crucial (by-pass surgery)
Spiritual disciplines in all 3 categories:
1. They are definitely important 2. The are absolutely important 3. They will ultimately provide something of great pleasure
One very neglected spiritual discipline is the discipline of fasting
Definition: Normally, the abstaining from food for a specified time for spiritual purposes. Fasting is a means of intensifying other disciplines such as prayer or study.
Why should we fast?
1. The mandate of scripture a. Jesus' words (Luke 5:33-35) b. Jesus' assumption (Matthew 6:16-18) c. Jesus' example (Matthew 4:2) d. The example of the early Church (Acts 17:2) 2. The mandate of history 3. The mandate of life (Matthew 17:21)
How to fast:
1. Secretly (Matthew 6:16) 2. Humbly...not to impress others (Matthew 6:16) 3. Purposefully...not haphazardly 4. Consistently...as a regular practice, not as an emergency bargaining chip 5. Obediently...as God may direct 6. Righteously...not neglectful of love of justice (Isaiah 58:3-4)