Join Us!!!
January 05, 2014
Dineen and I (Lynn) are thrilled that one of our long-time Community members will be leading us through our annual community fast this year. You are in for some great inspiration, information and prayer. Thank you T, for all you give and have given for years to this community. It's going to be a great and holy week of prayer and fasting. Teresa's bio is at the bottom of the post.
And one more thing before we move forward. I want to dedicate this fast to Rosheeda Lee. (Thanks Bev for this dedication suggestion.) Ro was faithful to lead us through this fast for several years. She passed last April. I've especially missed her this week. Ro, keep on cheering for us up there as you speak to Jesus about us. We love you Ro.
So, are you ready? Let's remove our shoes and prepare to trod upon holy ground.....
What and When? By: Teresa Tierney
The SUMite community has a tradition of joining together for prayer and fasting during a week in January. Won’t you join us this year from sunrise to sunset each day the week of January 6 – 10.
During this time, we will restrict our food intake (or other activity) and turn our attention toward the spiritual. I’ll outline some options for how to fast a bit further down in this post.
Many of you practice fasting regularly. For some, this could be your first fast. By joining together as a group, we can encourage and support each other during this special time. We can join in praise, prayer, worship and fellowship.
1 Thessalonians 5:11 Therefore encourage one another and build one another up, just as you are doing.
Matthew 18:20 For where two or three gather in my name, there am I with them.
Hebrews 10:24 And let us consider how to stir up one another to love and good works,
Why?
Why do we pray and fast anyway? This spiritual discipline was practiced in both the Old and New Testaments. Jesus practiced it. The early church did it. Look up these passages that highlight some intentions surrounding it.
- To humble ourselves before God, putting spiritual matters before physical ones (Ezra 8:21; Mathew 4:4; Deuteronomy 8:3)
- To seek God’s will (Acts 13:2-3)
- To request God’s help (2 Samuel 12:16; Esther 4:16; Ezra 8:23)
- To turn from sin (Jonah 3:5-10)
- To worship God without distraction (Luke 2:36-38)
When hunger pangs come during the fast, view it as a reminder to pray. We are blessed when we hunger and thirst after righteousness (Matthew 5:6) rather than food.
To fast and pray is also a form of exercise. If I can say “No!” to something that is good and permissible for me, then I feel more prepared say “No!” to temptations.
How?
We have some alternatives about how to fast. Consider your health and physical demands. Are you participating in a 5K? Are you on medications? Pregnant? It would be wise to talk to your doctor to find a safe option.
Have you dealt with eating disorders in the past? Perhaps computer games are more distracting to you than food. Consider fasting from some time consuming activity.
Consider a “Daniel Fast” and eat vegetables or simple foods during the fast. (Daniel 1:8-17)
If you are able to participate in a complete daytime food fast, be certain to stay well hydrated. You may want to avoid sugary or caffeinated drinks. Many people find that these make them jittery on an empty stomach.
Consider “easing” into the fast with small meals a day or two in advance. This approach will help your body to adjust.
I look forward to this joyful time of worship. This will be a time we turn attention to God and away from ourselves. You may wish to keep your plans private in order to avoid the temptation of bragging and hypocrisy mentioned in Matthew 6:16–18. So how do you handle the social aspect of meal time? If you always have lunch with a loved one, you might want to clue them in on your plans so they won’t think you are avoiding them rather than food. If someone you see less often invites you to lunch, try something simple like “I’m not having lunch today” or “I have other plans.” On the other hand, the Lord may lead you to share that you are fasting as a way to open a conversation about Him. And sometimes we need to tell our families so they are aware you are not eating.
Read more Biblical passages about fasting here.
Conversation
Will you join the fast?
If you have fasted in the past, please share your experience or leave a helpful tip in the comments. If you are new to fasting, what questions or concerns do you have?
Prayer
Lord, thank You for this SUMite community. Thank You for Your word and the examples of the prophets, disciples, and saints who have gone before us. Thank You mostly for Your Son. Guide us as we determine whether to participate in this fast. Give us ears to listen to Your will. Lord, we humbly come before You to intercede on behalf of our non-believing loved ones. We know You love them even more than we do. Open their hearts. Let us serve you and grow in knowledge, wisdom, love and service. Amen.
Teresa and her husband live in Ohio. They have no children, but she is the godmother to two and an aunt to many. She has been a member of the SUMite community for several years and loves the Lord.
{Lynn} On Monday afternoon Pacific Time I will be leading us through a spiritual exercise on our Facebook Page. I have an actual activation I want to release into our community. Please stop in there to be part of that. I expect what we do together will have signifcant impact on our spirit. SUM Facebook.
Teresa and her husband live in Ohio. They have no children, but she is the godmother to two and an aunt to many. She has been a member of the SUMite community for several years and loves the Lord.