Fasting（1st Day）

ruthabby

Dear Brothers and Sisters, It is a precious message about fasting. There are four days preaching. Please read them carefully. 亲爱的弟兄姐妹，推荐一片关于禁食的信息，这篇讲道分四天讲完，希望大家耐心阅读！ Fasting Reading: 2 Chronicles 20:1-30 Jonah 3:1-10 Daniel 6:1-29 Psalm 84 1st Day 2 Chronicles 20:3-4 [I]“Alarmed, Jehoshaphat resolved to inquire of the Lord, and he proclaimed a fast for all Judah. The people of Judah came together to seek help from the Lord; indeed, they came from every town in Judah to seek Him.”.[/I] In the Roman Catholic family in which I grew up, fasting was marked to begin on “Ash Wednesday.” This came after the abundant carnival season. For us children it meant we were not allowed to eat candy during the week. We kept the sweets, which we got in our tin boxes until Sunday when we treated ourselves with it. Adults did not eat meat during that time. Today, forty days before Easter (Sundays are not counted), we start a series of studies about the meaning of fasting. We want to look at Biblical examples and consider practical suggestions about fasting in our modern times. [B]Seeking God[/B] In 2 Chronicles chapter 20 we read that King Jehoshaphat was confronted with an impossible situation: “After this, the Moabites and Ammonites with some of the Meunites came to make war on Jehoshaphat. Some men came and told Jehoshaphat, ‘A vast army is coming against you... (20:1-2a). Panic was everywhere. King Jehoshaphat got scared and decided to bring his fear to the Lord and ask Him for a solution. Not only did he personally go to the Lord, but he also proclaimed a fast for all the people. Besides that, he got all the people together to seek God’s presence. Men and women both young and old came. “They came from every town in Judah to seek Him.” (20:4b). What an example for leaders and politicians. King Jehoshaphat spoke to the people in a prayer to God. He reminded God of His dealing with the people of Israel and boldly claimed the promises of God. He also made their need known to God. He clearly stated the scary reality to God: “For we have no power to face this vast army that is attacking us. We do not know what to do, but our eyes are upon you.” (20:12b). Always when someone (or a group of people) calls upon the Lord in a real and fervent way, God will reveal Himself. It happened in this situation. The Spirit of the Lord came upon Jahaziel, the Levite. He received encouraging words from God for the whole community: “Do not be afraid or discouraged because of this vast army. For the battle is not yours but God’s. Tomorrow march down against them. They will be climbing up by the Pass of Ziz, and you will find them at the end of the gorge in the Desert of Jeruel. You will not have to fight this battle. Take up your positions; stand firm and see the deliverance the Lord will give you, O Judah and Jerusalem. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged. Go out to face them tomorrow, and the Lord will be with you.” (20:15b-17) Although these are beautiful words, they are only meaningful when they are accepted and believed. King Jehoshaphat believed that these words, spoken by Jahaziel the Levite, came from God. He fell down and worshipped the Lord. The next day he put his faith into practice. He put the singers IN FRONT OF the army, to praise and worship the Lord. At that moment of absolute faith, God intervened. In a miraculous way, He gave complete victory. Although the word “fasting” is found only once in today’s reading, I am convinced that in this one word we find the key to God’s intervention. Or, to say it in another way, fasting = seeking God. More about this tomorrow. [B]Application: At the beginning of this study, write down what you think about fasting.[/B] [B][I]Prayer: Lord, thank You that I can learn more about seeking You. Amen.[/I][/B]

[此贴子已经被作者于2003-4-3 10:29:38编辑过]

ruthabby

2nd Day Luke 2:36,37 [I]“There was also a prophetess, Anna ... She was very old ... She never left the temple but worshiped night and day, fasting and praying.”[/I] It looks like fasting does not fit into our time. It seems old fashioned as well as a bit overdone. Through such an attitude, we miss out on the blessings God wants to offer. In the Bible, fasting plays a very important role. Yesterday we learned from the story of King Jehoshaphat that the essential meaning of fasting is seeking God. Today we will take look at a few more examples of the meaning of fasting in the Bible. [B]Repentance...[/B] After he had wandered around for awhile, Jonah arrived in Nineveh and preached about the disaster that was about to happen. The people immediately accepted his message. “The Ninevites believed God. They declared a fast, and all of them, from the greatest to the least, put on sackcloth.” (Jonah 3:5). The king added to it: “Do not let any man or beast, herd or flock, taste anything; do not let them eat or drink. But let man and beast be covered with sackcloth [that must have looked funny!]. Let everyone call urgently on God. Let them give up their evil ways and their violence.” (Jonah 3:7b-8). Because of this special humbleness and repentance, God changed His plans. Scripture says: “He did not bring upon them the destruction He had threatened.” (Jonah 3:10b). [B]Redemption...[/B] In the book of Esther, we read that the existence of the Israelites was in danger because of the evil intentions of Haman. Esther, a Jewish woman herself and wife of the mighty king, declared a fast to all Jews before she would address the king with this problem. “Go, gather together all the Jews who are in Susa, and fast for me. Do not eat or drink for three days, night or day. I and my maids will fast as you do. When this is done, I will go to the king, even though it is against the law. And if I perish, I perish.” (Esther 4:16). In the meantime, God used a sleepless night of the king to turn the potential disaster around 180 degrees. The Jews were discharged and Haman fell in the hole he dug for someone else (Esther chapter 6 and 7). [B]Learning God’s will...[/B] In Acts 13:2,3 we read about a beautiful New Testament example of seeking God and His will through fasting. The spiritual leaders had gathered in Antioch to fast and pray. During their meeting the Holy Spirit spoke, “Set apart for me Barnabas and Saul for the work to which I have called them. So, after they had fasted and prayed, they placed their hands on them and sent them off.” Exactly how the Holy Spirit spoke to this group of leaders is not explained, but it is evident that the message came through crystal clear. A decision was made which had enormous consequences for the spreading of the Gospel. Many men and women of God in the Bible took time to fast. Moses, Samuel, David, Elijah, Ezra, Nehemiah, Esther, Daniel, Anna, Paul, Barnabas, and many other spiritual leaders are examples of this. Besides that, it is mentioned several times that all the people of Israel fasted. At the beginning of His public ministry, Jesus took no less than 40 days to fast. [B]Application: What could be the reason that we, modern Christians, pay so little attention to fasting? What lesson can you learn from today’s topic?[/B] [I][B]Prayer: Lord, I do not want to miss any of the chances and mercy You offer. Amen.[/B][/I]

ruthabby

3rd Day Daniel 6:18 [I]“Then the king returned to his palace and spent the night without eating and without any entertainment being brought to him. And he could not sleep.”[/I] To put it simply, fasting means to abstain in order to seek God. The motivation for fasting can be different: 1. Repentance - Think about the people of Nineveh (Jonah 3) and the Israelites in 1 Samuel 7:6b: “On that day they fasted and there they confessed, ‘ We have sinned against the Lord.’” 2. To seek God’s will - Moses fasted for forty days to seek God’s will (Deuteronomy 9:9). The Christians in Antioch took time to fast and pray, so they would know God’s will with regard to the preaching of the Gospel (Acts 13:2,3). 3. To seek solutions - After his sin with Bathsheba, David fasted for the safety of his son, although God did not answer his prayer (2 Samuel 12:15-20). When king Jehoshaphat and his people faced an incredible battle, they fasted and prayed to God for a solution (2 Chronicles 20). Nehemiah fasted and prayed in the presence of God for a solution for the problems of Jerusalem (Nehemiah 1:4). Today and tomorrow, a few practical suggestions to help you, if you are considering fasting: 1. Set yourself a specific goal for fasting. Why do you want to fast? Is it to be refreshed spiritually? To receive guidance, or to ask God for a breakthrough? A clear goal will help you to continue in a disciplined manner when it gets difficult. 2. Take time to prepare spiritually. Confession of sin is always the first step for meeting God. Unconfessed sins hinder prayer. Start your time of fasting with a pure heart or spend the beginning of your fasting in humbling yourself and confessing your sins before God. 3. Take time to prepare physically. Do not just start especially when you want to fast for several days. Try to eat less in the days before you fast. People who are ill or with physical problems would be well advised to seek medical guidance before beginning to fast. 4. Clarify how you will fast. Do you want to fast one day or more days? Do you plan to drink only water, or also fruit juices? Nutritionists suggest not to drink anything which contains caffeine, like coffee, tea, and coke. 5. Reduce your physical activities during the fasting. You must slow down. Take time to spiritually and physically settle down. [B]Application: Have you ever fasted? If not, I would like to encourage you to consider taking time to ‘seek God’. However, only do so if you really feel you want to.[/B] [I][B]Prayer: Lord, show me the best way to seek You. Amen.[/B][/I]

[此贴子已经被作者于2003-4-3 10:26:44编辑过]

ruthabby

4th Day Psalm 84:10a [I]“Better is one day in Your courts than a thousand elsewhere.” [/I] Fasting means: to abstain in order to seek God. We are primarily discussing going without food for awhile, but we can also fast from other things, which are important to us - like sports or a hobby. In 1 Corinthians 7:4,5 Paul shares that married couples can decide to abstain from sexual intimacy to devote themselves to prayer. Fasting is very personal, as is made clear in the following words of Jesus, “When you fast, do not look somber as the hypocrites do, for they disfigure their faces to show men they are fasting. I tell you the truth, they have received their reward in full. But when you fast, put oil on your head and wash your face, so that it will not be obvious to men that you are fasting, but only to your Father, Who is unseen; and your Father, Who sees what is done in secret, will reward you.” (Matthew 6:16-18). Today another five practical suggestions about fasting 6. During your time of fasting, consciously take time to be alone with the Lord. The more time you spend in worship, prayer and in reading and studying the Bible, the more impact your fasting will have. Schedule time to be alone with Him and avoid interruption. Talk to God, and take time to be still and listen to Him. 7. Be prepared for spiritual battle. When you consciously seek God, the enemy will do his utmost to keep you from doing so. During your time of fasting you may get the “idea” that it is not worth anything. Do not give up too easily. Keep your focus. It is all about a personal meeting between you and God. Continuing or stopping is something between you and God as well. So do not be discouraged if you cannot hold on; try again another time. Prayer and fasting is something to be learned. 8. Be prepared for physical battle. It is very well possible that you will have physical complications during your time of fasting. You may not feel well, you are weak, maybe you shiver a bit, and you are hungry. This is all normal. When you fast for a longer period, you will discover that those problems disappear and make room for feelings of well being. 9. Make plans to stop fasting. Do not stop abruptly. Your stomach and intestines slowed down and are not prepared for a sudden amount of work. Slowly get back to your usual food pattern with some easily digested food (yogurt, rice, fruit, etc.). Soon more and richer food can be taken. 10. Expect God to do something special. Every person is different and everybody will experience fasting in a different way. This has to do with your personality, but also with your expectations. Many people experience a deep contact with God and a renewal of their spiritual life. [B]Application: Maybe you want to start learning how to fast.[/B] [B][I]Prayer: Lord, thank You that I can have a personal and intimate relationship with you. Amen.[/I][/B]