Monday October 17, 2022

Today is Monday, October 17 and we are studying what the Bible says about fasting.

I come before my Lord in a spirit of humility and devotion. Setting aside the things of this world, I seek God alone to satisfy the deepest longings of body, mind and soul.

Pause and Pray

Lord Jesus, I want to learn how to live the kingdom life from You. Teach me to practice the spiritual disciplines in this time and place. I trust that You know what is best for me and desire that I grow and mature as Your disciple. Amen.

I seek to draw near to God with the ancient words of Psalm 42.

As the deer pants for streams of water, so my soul pants for you, my God. My soul thirsts for God, for the living God. When can I go and meet with God? My tears have been my food day and night, while people say to me all day long, “Where is your God?” Psalm 42:1-3

Pause and Pray

In the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus addresses the spiritual disciplines of giving to the poor, prayer and fasting. This morning, I sit on the hillside with the rest of the crowd and look to my Lord Jesus for instruction. He does not necessarily command any of these – giving to the poor, prayer and fasting, yet his directions are quite forceful. He says, “when you fast,” “when you pray,” and “when you give to the poor.” It is as if Jesus takes for granted that these are things His followers will surely be actively engaged in and so He explains how to do these things. In previous weeks I have studied Jesus’ instructions regarding prayer and giving to the poor – emphasizing right intention, humility and hiddenness. This week I focus on the practice of fasting.

When you fast, do not look somber as the hypocrites do, for they disfigure their faces to show others they are fasting. Truly I tell you, 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 others 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

Fasting is the spiritual discipline of abstinence from food for a specific period of time. It is an act of humility before God. Fasting is grounded in the biblical example of Jesus, the prophets and the apostles. Fasting provides an opportunity for me to pray deeply and draw near to God, because I am more focused on Jesus and less concerned with daily routines such as preparing meals and eating. In fasting the Holy Spirit reveals my true spiritual condition which can lead to repentance and change. It allows me to concentrate on the Word of God and makes the Bible a more meaningful, vital and practical part of my life.

Ask: When have I fasted in the past and what was my experience? Is fasting a spiritual discipline I would like to explore more fully in my Christian walk?

Pause and Pray

Lord Jesus, this week I want to learn about fasting as a spiritual discipline. Is this something you desire me to practice in my life? If so, please instruct me how to begin or continue this element of devotion. I seek the counsel of the Holy Spirit to engage in this practice to be noticed only by God and no one else. My intention is to honor and obey my Father in heaven. I read Matthew again, listening for the message You have for me today.

When you fast, do not look somber as the hypocrites do, for they disfigure their faces to show others they are fasting. Truly I tell you, 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 others 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

Ask: What image, word or phrase stands out to me when I slowly read this passage? What is God trying to say to me through these words of scripture?

Pause and Pray

As I endeavor to learn about Real Christianity, Jesus speaks to me from the ancient words in the Sermon on the Mount. This week I want to receive His instruction on the spiritual discipline of fasting. Is fasting a practice God wishes me to begin, learn about, practice, or renew? How might God be guiding me into future devotion through instruction in fasting? What are the obstacles, challenges or resistance I face? What might be holding me back?

Pause and Pray

Lord Jesus Christ, I invite You into my heart and life to reveal the obstacles that prevent me from obeying You in all things. Purify my intentions, reveal my motivations and give me a heart that longs to go deeper in relationship with You. Show me what I need to do and give me the power of Your Holy Spirit to accomplish what You ask of me. I trust You completely. Amen.

He humbled you, causing you to hunger and then feeding you with manna, which neither you nor your ancestors had known, to teach you that man does not live on bread alone but on every word that comes from the mouth of the Lord. Deuteronomy 8:3

Jesus, full of the Holy Spirit, left the Jordan and was led by the Spirit into the wilderness, where for forty days he was tempted by the devil. He ate nothing during those days, and at the end of them he was hungry. Luke 4:1-2

I leave this time of prayer fed by the Word of God, I go into the world to love and serve others in the name of Jesus.

Amen