Some Thoughts on Fasting

Here is some things I wrote down in the past that was preached upon that we all need to be reminded of now and then.

My son is going through such difficulties right now. I pray and pray, and I know he does every night, but sometimes it seems our prayers just hit the ceiling and bounce back...then I am reminded that God hears ALL our prayers and is faithful to answer on HIS time schedule, not ours...it is then I know I must hang on with all my strength, help IS on the way.

Just as Daniel after he had been praying was told by the angel, Michael, "Fear not Daniel: for the first day you prayed, God heard your prayer" (not ver batum). God hears our prayers...He always does...it is when WE START TO SOLVE OUR PROBLEMS ON OUR OWN....OR WE LISTEN TO WHAT THE DEVIL WHISPERS IN OUR EARS, that limits God. He wants to help us, but we ourselves tie the hands of God and then limit what HE wants to do. Boy...am I ever preaching to myself too. Read on....

Exhortation to Prayer

I Timothy 2:1-6:

I exhort therefore, that, first of all, supplications, prayers, intercessions, and giving of thanks, be made for all men. For kings, and for all in authority; that we may lead a quiet and peaceable life in all godliness and honesty. For this is good and acceptable in the sight of our God and Savior; Who will have all men to be saved, and to come unto the knowledge of the truth. For there is one God, and one Mediator between God and men, the Man Christ Jesus; Who gave Himself a ransom for all, to be testified in due time.

In order to know how to prayer, we need to have knowledge to understand what each of these areas of prayer are and what they mean.

Supplications: Precise requests for specific needs. We all have specific needs and there are times when each specific need should be spoken out to God in prayer.

Prayers: General words embracing various kinds of prayer, ie; Confession, adoration, and so on. We are to confess to God our knowledge of who He is;

‘Our Heavenly Father’, ‘Maker of the universe’, ‘Ruler of all nations’, ‘Savior of our soul’. Then go on to praise Him for who He is.

Intercessions: Prayers to God on behalf of others. We should always be praying for other people. Those in our family, our friends, our neighbors, those who we meet while out in public, those who request our prayers, and those who do not through ignorance of not knowing God as we do.

Giving of thanks: Refers to our prayers of praise to our Heavenly Father, and our Lord Jesus Christ. Praise for all He has done, for all He is doing , and all He is about to do. Praise for sending His Son, for sending a comforter, the Holy Ghost, and praise for His unending and unconditional love for you and me.

Nelson’s King James Study Bible gives us three reasons why prayers are to be prayed "for all men":

1) So Christians may enjoy a tranquil (calm and peaceful) life. (verse 2).

2) This type of prayers are good and acceptable to God. (verse 3).

3) These prayers help bring about the salvation of men. (verse 4).

Another area I for one fall short on:

Fasting:

New King James Version

Matthew 6:16-18

Fasting

¹⁶ "Moreover, when you fast, do not be like the hypocrites, with a sad countenance. For they disfigure their faces that they may appear to men to be fasting. Assuredly, I say to you, they have their reward. ¹⁷ But you, when you fast, anoint your head and wash your face, ¹⁸ so that you do not appear to men to be fasting, but to your Father who is in the secret place; and your Father who sees in secret will reward you openly.

Teaching about Prayer and Fasting

⁵ "And now about prayer. When you pray, don’t be like the hypocrites who love to pray publicly on street corners and in the synagogues where everyone can see them. I assure you, that is all the reward they will ever get.

⁶ But when you pray, go away by yourself, shut the door behind you, and pray to your Father secretly. Then your Father, who knows all secrets, will reward you.

⁷ "When you pray, don’t babble on and on as people of other religions do. They think their prayers are answered only by repeating their words again and again. ⁸ Don’t be like them, because your Father knows exactly what you need even before you ask him!

⁹ Pray like this:

Our Father in heaven,

may your name be honored.

¹⁰ May your Kingdom come soon.

May your will be done here on earth,

just as it is in heaven.

¹¹ Give us our food for today,

¹² and forgive us our sins,

just as we have forgiven those who have sinned against us.

¹³ And don’t let us yield to temptation,

but deliver us from the evil one.

¹⁴ "If you forgive those who sin against you, your heavenly Father will forgive you. ¹⁵ But if you refuse to forgive others, your Father will not forgive your sins.

¹⁶ "And when you fast, don’t make it obvious, as the hypocrites do, who try to look pale and disheveled so people will admire them for their fasting. I assure you, that is the only reward they will ever get. ¹⁷ But when you fast, comb your hair and wash your face. ¹⁸ Then no one will suspect you are fasting, except your Father, who knows what you do in secret. And your Father, who knows all secrets, will reward you.

May your Kingdom come soon.

Fasting that Pleases God

58 "Cry aloud, spare not;

Lift up your voice like a trumpet;

Tell My people their transgression,

And the house of Jacob their sins.

² Yet they seek Me daily,

And delight to know My ways,

As a nation that did righteousness,

And did not forsake the ordinance of their God.

They ask of Me the ordinances of justice;

They take delight in approaching God.

³ ‘Why have we fasted,’ they say, ‘and You 4

have not seen?

Why have we afflicted our souls, and You take no notice?’

"In fact, in the day of your fast you find pleasure,

And exploit all your laborers.

⁴ Indeed you fast for strife and debate,

And to strike with the fist of wickedness.

You will not fast as you do this day,

To make your voice heard on high.

⁵ Is it a fast that I have chosen,

A day for a man to afflict his soul?

Is it to bow down his head like a bulrush,

And to spread out sackcloth and ashes?

Would you call this a fast,

And an acceptable day to the Lord?

⁶ "Is this not the fast that I have chosen:

To loose the bonds of wickedness,

To undo the heavy burdens,

To let the oppressed go free,

And that you break every yoke?

⁷ Is it not to share your bread with the hungry,

And that you bring to your house the poor who are cast out;

When you see the naked, that you cover him,

And not hide yourself from your own flesh?

⁸ Then your light shall break forth like the morning,

Your healing shall spring forth speedily,

And your righteousness shall go before you;

The glory of the Lord shall be your rear guard.

⁹ Then you shall call, and the Lord will answer;

You shall cry, and He will say, ‘Here I am.’

"If you take away the yoke from your midst,

The pointing of the finger, and speaking wickedness,

¹⁰ If you extend your soul to the hungry

And satisfy the afflicted soul,

Then your light shall dawn in the darkness,

And your darkness shall be as the noonday.

¹¹ The Lord will guide you continually,

And satisfy your soul in drought,

And strengthen your bones;

You shall be like a watered garden,

And like a spring of water, whose waters do

not fail.

¹² Those from among you

Shall build the old waste places;

You shall raise up the foundations of many generations;

And you shall be called the Repairer of the Breach,

The Restorer of Streets to Dwell In.

¹³ "If you turn away your foot from the Sabbath,

From doing your pleasure on My holy day,

And call the Sabbath a delight,

The holy day of the Lord honorable,

And shall honor Him, not doing your own ways,

Nor finding your own pleasure,

Nor speaking your own words,

¹⁴ Then you shall delight yourself in the Lord;

And I will cause you to ride on the high hills of the earth,

And feed you with the heritage of Jacob your father.

The mouth of the Lord has spoken."

Now that we know what to do...let's ask God to forgive us for the times we forgot to pray and fast and begin today a new chapter in our lives. Remember, after we have done ALL we know to do, the bible says to "stand". I'm standing!

Have a Jesus filled day.

I love you.