40 Days of Purpose Preview
What on Earth Am I Here For?
We'll answer this question and more during our 40 Days of Purpose Journey.
Join us for this daily preview!
Tuesday, October 7, 2003
My Prayer Today
Heavenly Father, Thank You for who you are and for your great love for me. Thank You for sending Jesus to die on the cross, shedding His precious blood that I may be redeemed and live forever! I pray that You will continue to prepare my heart and life to serve You and live in the power of Your Holy Spirit each and every moment. I ask You to place the disciplines in my life that are necessary for me to live as Your disciple. Give me the courage to do your will regardless of the cost or consequence here and now, so that I may enjoy the rewards You have prepared for me in Heaven. Let me live in such a way today that You will be glorified, and that folks will give You all the honor and credit for my redemption. This I pray in Jesus’ name. Amen.
Bible Verses
Matthew 6:16-18;Luke 5:33-35
Jesus said, “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. 17But when you fast, comb your hair and wash your face. 18Then 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. 33The religious leaders complained that Jesus’ disciples were feasting instead of fasting. “John the Baptist’s disciples always fast and pray,” they declared, “and so do the disciples of the Pharisees. Why are yours always feasting?” 34Jesus asked, “Do wedding guests fast while celebrating with the groom? 35Someday he will be taken away from them, and then they will fast.”
Reflecting on The Scripture
Have you ever fasted, or do you fast on a regular basis?
If you have fasted, what is its place in your life, and how has fasting impacted your relationship with Jesus?
Exploring The Scripture
What does Jesus say we ought to do when we are fasting if we want to receive God’s reward? (Matthew 6:16-18)
What is Jesus reason for His disciples NOT fasting during His lifetime? (Luke 5:33-35)
Taking both readings together, does Jesus make the assumption that Christians ought to fast?
Understanding The Scripture
If fasting means going with out eating for a period of time, in order to focus our prayers and attention on God, what is the benefit of fasting during a “season” of spiritual renewal, such as the 40 Days of Purpose?
Applying The Scripture
What one action do you need to take as a result of reading today’s Scriptures?
Don't Waste Your Life!
Jesus makes it clear in the two Scriptures we read today that fasting is an integral part of our life and discipline as His follower. In Matthew 6:16, Jesus says, “WHEN you fast…” Note that Jesus didn’t say, “IF you fast,” but WHEN. Fasting was considered to be a mandatory aspect of the life of the faithful Jew in Jesus’ day. As Luke’s Gospel points out the disciples of the Pharisees and the disciples of John the Baptist fasted, but Jesus disciples did NOT? Why? Jesus tells us they didn’t fast because a celebration was going on in their lives. The “bridegroom”—Jesus was present, and no one fasts during a wedding celebration! Jesus made it clear that the time for fasting would come, that time would be when Jesus was no longer with them—physically. Jesus is always with His followers through the Holy Spirit, but for now we are not enjoying Jesus’ physical presence in our lives, so we fast and pray. We fast and wait. We fast as a means of submitting our will and physical desires to God. We fast as a means of demonstrating to God that He is truly first in our lives. Some of the 40 Days of Purpose leadership team have been fasting one day each week in the weeks leading up to the 40 Days of Purpose as a way of preparing ourselves for this wonderful season of spiritual renewal, and as a way of calling on the Lord to do mighty works among us all during this time. This coming Saturday, October 11, 2003, we are going to participate in a day of fasting and waiting for the 40 Days of Purpose to begin. I want to personally invite each of you to join in as we fast and wait for the Lord to pour out His Spirit in a mighty way in these coming 40 days. Some of you cannot fast due to health reasons. For you “fasting” from television, or other activities may be a great way to focus in on God, and to call on Him to release His Spirit in us and our community. Others may simply want to fast for one meal—breakfast or lunch. Whatever you do, know that Jesus tells us as we fast we are not to make a big show of it, but rather to look outwardly as we do on any other day—the transformation in fasting comes from the inside, where the Holy Spirit renews and deepens us to look more and more like Jesus!To view other preview studies from our 40 Days of Purpose Journey, click here.