Religious Leaders Need Saving Too

ENCOUNTER WITH JESUS: EVEN RELIGIOUS LEADERS NEED SAVING
February 23, 2011
 
JOHN 3:3 - Jesus replied, “Very truly I tell you, no one can see the kingdom of God unless they are born again.
 
WHO WAS NICODEMUS?
Nicodemus was a Pharisee and a member of the Jewish ruling council, the Sanhedrin. The Pharisees meaning the separatist were a religious party among the Jews. They prided themselves on their strict observance of the law, and on the care with which they avoided contact with things gentile. Their belief included the doctrine of immortality and resurrection of the body and the existence of angels and spirits. They upheld the authority of oral tradition as of equal value with the written law. The tendency of their teaching was to reduce religion to the observance of a multiplicity of ceremonial rules, and to encourage self-sufficiency and spiritual pride. They were a major obstacle to the reception of Christ and the gospel by the Jewish people.
 
The term Sanhedrin is from a Greek word that means “assembly” or “council”. The Sanhedrin was established with the 70 elders that were appointed by God through Moses to help him share the burden of the people (Numbers 11:16). The Sanhedrin had great authority and consisted of 71 members, including Pharisees and Sadducees. While they were devoted, religious men who truly sought to obey God, they strongly opposed Jesus as the Messiah and plotted to have him Killed (John 11:47-53)
 
Nicodemus’ being a Pharisee and a member of the Sanhedrin made him highly devoted to being a religious leader. He knew and followed all the laws and everything necessary to make him a righteous person in the sight of man. In addition, he certainly believed he was on the right path to eternal life.
 
THE STORY –
Nicodemus is a well respected, religious leader, and a member of a council that didn’t take too kindly to all the attention that Jesus was getting for his miraculous acts. Being a member of such a group, one can conclude that his partners on the Sanhedrin would not appreciate him hanging out with Jesus and approving of His message. This is not explicitly stated in the scriptures but one can assume that Nicodemus visited Jesus at night to avoid having to deal with the backlash. For a man in his position to be seen taught by Jesus would probably not be beneficial to his position of authority. He was searching and based on his logic in verse 2, knew Jesus had to be from God but the person that he was made it difficult for him to receive and ultimately believe.
 
HOW WAS HIS LIFE TRANSFORMED AFTER ENCOUNTERING JESUS?
In the story of Nicodemus, there are no immediate signs of a conversion. Unlike the story of the Samaritan woman, and Zaccheus where their encounter with Jesus lead to an immediate conversion of heart, the passage does not tell us about a conversion. In later chapters of the book of John, Nicodemus’ actions would lead us to believe that he was a changed man.
John 7:51 - “Does our law judge a man before it hears him and knows what he is doing?”
 
John 19:39-40 - "And Nicodemus, who at first came to Jesus by night, also came, bringing a mixture of myrrh and aloes, about a hundred pounds. Then they took the body of Jesus, and bound it in strips of linen with the spices, as is the custom of the Jews is to bury,"
 
WHAT LESSONS CAN WE LEARN FROM THIS ENCOUNTER?
•Unlike some others who encountered Jesus, There's no mention of Nicodemus being known for a sin. Though he was religious, he didn't know the Lord.

Even religious leaders need saving
• An encounter with Christ with no fanfare but led to a transformed life?
• No mention of a conversion in the story of Nicodemus.
• A changed heart always manifests itself in forms of actions. By their fruit you will recognize them. (Matthew 7:16a)
o He defended Jesus in the presence of the ruling council.
o He accompanied Joseph of Arimathea to give Jesus a proper burial.
 
 
FINAL WORD – WHAT CAN WE APPLY IN OUR OWN WALK FROM THIS ENCOUNTER?
Jesus replied, “Very truly I tell you, no one can see the kingdom of God unless they are born again.” Even a highly devotedly religious leader as Nicodemus could not be saved by the position that he held. His only means of salvations was to be born again just as it is for us today. Regardless of your situation, religious and political position, there is one name that saves us all and that is to be reborn by faith in Jesus Christ.
 
“How can this be?” (John 3:9).  Sometimes, we’re too religious for our own good salvation. Nicodemus could not understand how a grown religious man as he was had to be reborn. Our own worldly wisdom becomes a roadblock to Godly wisdom gained by having a relationship with Christ. Nicodemus could not see what Jesus was saying from a spiritual standpoint because he himself while religious did not have God’s spirit with him.
 
So let’s not complicate a simple matter.
• "If you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved." - Romans 10:9
• “Nor is there salvation in any other, for there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved.” (Acts 4:12)
• Jesus said to him, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me.” (John 14:6)
• “I am the door. If anyone enters by Me, he will be saved, and will go in and find pasture … I have come that they may have life, and that they may have it more abundantly.” (John 10:9)
• Jesus said to her, “I am the resurrection and the life, he who believes in Me, though he may die, he shall live. And whoever lives and believes in Me shall never die.” (John 11:25)
• Then Jesus spoke to them again, saying, “I am the light of the world. He who follows Me shall not walk in darkness, but have the light of life.” (John 8:12)
• “For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, not of works, lest anyone should boast.” (Ephesians 2:8)
• “…knowing that a man is not justified by the works of the law but by faith in Jesus Christ … for by the works of the law no flesh shall be justified.” (Galatians 2:16)
• For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life.” (John 3:15-16)
The bottom line is we are not saved by being religious and following all the laws and tradition of church. Being a faithful member of The First Church of Anything, paying our tithes, involved in ministries and being faithful to all religious rituals doesn’t save us. All we have to do is admit that we are sinners, be willing to confess our sins before God, and be willing to repent and turn from those sins. Then, accept that Jesus Christ came to die for all of our sins, that He rose from the dead on the third day, and then accept Him as our personal Lord and Savior.
 
Next Week: The Adulterous Woman (John 8:1-11)

Reference:

http://www.johnwmyers.com/bible5.html
http://www.keyway.ca/htm2003/20030115.htm
http://www.gotquestions.org/Sanhedrin.html
http://bible.org/seriespage/manifestation-messiah-nicodemus-john-31-21
http://www.bible-knowledge.com/what-is-salvation/
 

 

A TAX COLLECTOR WITH A HEART (February 16, 2011)

LUKE 19:5 -   5 When Jesus reached the spot, he looked up and said to him, “Zacchaeus, come down immediately. I must stay at your house today.” 6 So he came down at once and welcomed him gladly.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iEMMaG5Wn3U

WHO WAS ZACCHEUS?

Zaccheus was a chief tax collector and was wealthy.  In Biblical times, tax collectors were considered by Jews to be traitors and extortionist who stole from the people.  The Romans subcontracted the task of collecting taxes for a particular area to the highest bidder. They would be the chief tax collector who hired tax collectors to collect taxes in their local area. They often charged fraudulent charges, over charged and brought false charges in order to extort money from the people. Because they were essentially employed by the Roman government, they had the Roman army at their disposal. They collected as much taxes as they could and over charged were only required to pay the government the agreed upon amount based on their winning bid. They were hated by both the Romans and their own people. Matthew was also a tax collector, although he was not a chief tax collector as Zaccheus was.

As a chief tax collector, Zaccheus was a rich man but also hated with a passion by his own people for being a traitor working for the Romans and because of the notorious corruption the name of tax collectors carried.

THE STORY –

Jesus is traveling back to Jerusalem and approaching Jericho with a crowd of people following him. On his way, he heals a poor, begging blind man sitting by the roadside. The blind man and the people were amazed and praised God (Luke 18:31-43). By now Jesus has performed many miracles. He’s turned water into wine, healed leppers, cast out demons, healed the sick, forgiven the sinner, and many more including his most recent healing of the blind man. Zaccheus a rich man in the region has heard about this Jesus and hears he’s passing through town and is curious to see Jesus for himself.  As a short man, he could not see through the crowd and as a tax collector he knew even as a rich man no one would give way to him. So he runs ahead of the crowd, climbs a tree so he could get a good look at Jesus. Jesus sees him on the tree and invites himself to stay at his house. 

HOW WAS HIS LIFE TRANSFORMED AFTER ENCOUNTERING JESUS?

V8 -  But Zacchaeus stood up and said to the Lord, “Look, Lord! Here and now I give half of my possessions to the poor, and if I have cheated anybody out of anything, I will pay back four times the amount.”

The Bible tells us that once we come into Christ, our old ways are a thing of the past. 2 Corinthians 5:17 - 17 Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, the new creation has come: The old has gone, the new is here!

Zaccheus was a changed man.  In those days, tax collectors were known as the worst of all sinners and were considered unclean. For such a man to have such a change of heart and pay back  four times the amount for the wrong he has done takes a life transforming event.

In addition to Zaccheus, we can assume that the people of Jericho where Zaccheus lived could possibly change by being a witness to the changing power of meeting Christ. If Jesus can change a tax collector, then He can change anyone who seeks him.

WHAT LESSONS CAN WE LEARN FROM THIS ENCOUNTER?

·         Zaccheus wanted to see who Jesus was for himself.

·         You go to extreme measures to meet someone you’re interested in.

·         When it comes to meeting Jesus, it doesn’t matter how wealthy of a man or woman you are. You have to humble yourself.

·         When you’re serious about meeting Jesus, even a rowdy crowd won’t stop you until you accomplish that goald (see woman with issue of blood in Luke 8:43).

·         When you meet Jesus, people talk about you and Jesus (Luke 19:7).

·         Jesus didn’t come to save those who are already with Him, He can to save those who needed Him.

·         People always remember people for their past sins and not see any potential for them to have a change of heart.

FINAL WORD – WHAT CAN WE APPLY IN OUR OWN WALK FROM THIS ENCOUNTER?

Life comes with many difficult obstacle courses that are hard to deal with alone. However, there are some things in life worth pursuing even if it will not be well received by the masses. As a tax collector who had a burning desire to meet Jesus, Zaccheus didn’t care what people would think of him and how they would judge him. Here he was a wealthy man, running and climbing on a tree to get a glimpse of Jesus. He undoubtedly heard about Jesus turning water into wine and the other miracles Jesus performed. But he was not satisfied with just hearing about what Jesus could do. He wanted to experience Jesus himself. His heart to seek Jesus brought him something the riches of collecting tax could not buy him – eternal life.

As we read and hear of testimonies of how meeting with Jesus has changed lives, let us all have a heart to seek Jesus to see what He’s all about. And just as He did with Zaccheus because he wanted to see Him, He’ll pay us a personal visit that will change us for life.

Next Week: Nicodemus (John 3:1-21)

Reference:

http://www.intervarsity.org/bible-studies/luke-19

http://www.allaboutjesuschrist.org/tax-collector-faq.htm

SPIRITUAL DISCIPLINES: Quiet Time

Mark 1:35   35 Very early in the morning, while it was still dark, Jesus got up, left the house and went off to a solitary place, where he prayed.

WHAT IS QUIET TIME?:

Quiet time is our daily appointment to meet with God. It can also be called personal Bible study or devotions.

·         Ex 33:7-11 – The Tent of Meeting

WHY IS IT IMPORTANT?

In order for any relationship to grow, the lines of communication have to be open and working on both sides. In order for your relationship with a significant other to grow, quality time has to be spent to hear and listen to what each other has to say and want. Quiet time is a Christian’s daily appointment/date with God. Just like in our earthly relationships, in order for our celestial relationships to grow, we must spend quality time communicating with God, listening to what He has to say through quiet time and communicating with Him through prayer.

HOW DO WE APPLY IT TO OUR LIVES?:

As Disciples of Christ, we strive to be Christlike in all aspect of our lives. In the area of quiet time, Jesus gave us very good examples to follow.

·         Mark 1:35 “Very early in the morning, while it was still dark, Jesus got up, left the house and went off to a solitary place, where he prayed.”

• Luke 5:16 – “But Jesus often withdrew to lonely places and prayed.”

In all the buzy-ness of Jesus’ ministry, He still found time to get away and connect with God. Here are a few basic guidelines to follow in order to do it right:

• Right time: Your quiet time should last at least half an hour. But some time is better than no time,
• It should be your very best time.
• Make time, and make it a priority.
• Begin your day with God. Psalm 5:3 says, “… in the morning will I direct my prayer unto Thee, and will look up.”
• Right Place
  :  Find a place where you can focus. Matthew 6:6
• Right Tools:
• a study Bible with plenty of room to write notes in the margins.
• a  journal – You need something to write down what God says to you. Also use it to record things you're praying about.
• a notepad - Write down your daily assignments.
• Be Right:
• Get still and quiet. The Bible says in Psalm 46:10, “Be still, and know that I am God.” Focus your mind on Him. Calm down, relax, and recognize His presence. Take a deep breath and focus your thoughts on the Lord.
• Get into the Word of God. It is more important for you to hear from God. God already knows all about us, but we need to get to know more about Him. Read the Bible for quality and not quantity. This is the time when you simply read the Bible with an open mind.
• Meditate. As you focus on the Word of God and meditate, let it permeate you. Ask:
• Is there a command to obey?
• Is there a promise to claim?
• Is there a sin to avoid?
• Is there a lesson to learn?
• Is there a new truth to carry with me?
• Record what God has given you. Write down what God says to you and what He tells you to do.
• Pray. When you pray, pour out your soul. Be natural and honest with God. Tell Him how you feel. Pray out loud. It keeps your mind on track and enables you to stay focused.
• Share with others. God did not make us to be reservoirs; He made us to be conduits. Tell others what is God is showing you.
• Obey what God tells you. Your spiritual train is running on two rails. One is revelation and the other is obedience. And if either rail stops, your train stops. Learn to obey the Word of God.

FINAL WORD:

• In order for our relationship with God to grow, we have to be in continuous communication with him and have quality time set aside to hear what God wants from us in the relationship. As we become more discipline as disciples, we become closer and closer to Christlike resemblance.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LVzow_Xto6M&feature=youtube_gdata_player

 lhttp://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8tWgohCIejk&feature=youtube_gdata_player

NEXT TIME: Spiritual Disciplines: Prayer & Fasting

SPIRITUAL DISCIPLINES: Prayer

Matthew 6:6    But you, when you pray, go into your room, and when you have shut your door, pray to your Father who is in the secret place; and your Father who sees in secret will reward you 3openly.

WHAT IS PRAYER?: Take a moment and in your own words, write down what prayer is and means to you. Don’t try to sound intelligent with it, just what it means to you in your everyday life.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dYRHAaM4BeU&feature=youtube_gdata_player

Imagine having a friend who only contacts you when he/she needs something from you; how much of a friend would you consider that person? How close of a relationship do you suppose you would have with the friend?

Prayer is used to spend quality time communicating with God. A disciplined prayer life is one that is regular and sincerely from the heart. However, being regularly disciplined does not mean that our prayers are repetitive and redundant, meaning we’re praying the same prayer everyday at the same hour just so we can check it off our list of disciplined things to do. Disciplined prayer is one from the heart and is focused on deepening our relationship with God.

WHY IS IT IMPORTANT?

Just like quiet time was important in growing our relationship with God, prayer is just as important. While quiet time was focused on giving God an opportunity to speak to us through His words, prayer is the reverse. It is the time where we are speaking to God and communicating our heart to him. It is  extremely important in order  to grow our relationship with God. Below are a few verses on the purpose of prayer:

·          To praise God, expressing adoration (Mt 6:9,  1Ch 29:10-13)

·         To pray that God's will to be done (Mt 6:10; Mt 26:39,42)

·         To make requests for our daily needs ( Mt 6:11;  3Jn 2)

·         To confess our sins, seeking mercy (Mt 6:12;  1Jn 1:9)

·         To ask for God's providential care (Mt 6:13;  Ro 1:9-10)

·          To express thanksgiving - 1Th 5:17-18

·         To find peace in the midst of anxiety - Php 4:6-7

·         To receive strength and boldness from God - Ep 3:14-16,20; 6:18-20

·         To find opportunity for service to God - Col 4:3

·         To receive wisdom from God - Jm 1:5-8

·         To intercede on behalf of others - Jm 5:14-16; 1Ti 2:1-2

DOES PRAYER REALLY WORK?

The power of prayer – below are a few biblical examples of the power of prayer (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NDtCPYtqZXk&feature=youtube_gdata_player

·         Hannah – 1 Sammuel

·         Mark 11:24 – whatever you ask for in prayer

·         Elijah prayed for rain – 1 Kings

·         Nehemiah  - Nehemiah 1-2

·         Esther 4

·         James 5:13 – anyone in trouble

·         Prayer in faith – James 5:15

·         Woman crippled for 18 years – Luke 13

·         1 John 5:14

·         Herod seized an imprisoned peter – Acts 12

·         Prayer of a righeteous man – James 5:16

·         Acts 9 – Saul’s eyes

·         Many, many more instances…

HOW DO WE APPLY IT TO OUR LIVES/HOW DO WE PRAY?:

In Matthew 6:6-13 and Luke 11:1-4, Jesus gives us a good template for prayer.  In the example of the Lord ’s Prayer, it gives us an example of what components every prayer should have. Our prayers should be done in secrecy, be simple and Thus the discipline of prayer should include the elements of secrecy, simplicity, and sincerity.  The A-C-T-S of prayer is an acronym which gives us guidelines of a disciplined prayer life. They are as follows:

A – adoration: means to worship and acknowledge the majesty of God. This is where we acknowledge that God is the ruler of every facet of our lives and without him our lives would be nothing.

“Hallowed be thy name…”

C – Confession: Here we acknowledge that we are sinners and have sinned and ask for God’s forgiveness.

“Forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors”

T – Thanksgiving: We give thanks to God for all that he has done and the graces and mercies He has afforded us in spite of our sins and shortcomings.

S – Supplication – This is a big word that means “request”. When we lift up our supplications to God, we’re telling him directly what we need from Him.

                “…Give us this day our daily bread…”

                “…lead us not into temptation…”

The ACTS are not meant to be the only way to pray but it gives us a guideline to begin our prayers. As we’re in constant communication with God, we’ll have times of prayer that only focuses on one aspect of this ACTS. For example, we may at some point during the day; say a quick prayer of thanksgiving for something that God has just done for us.

FINAL WORD:

·         The discipline of prayer requires discipline but the discipline is not meant to be a repetitive, redundant ritual done as one of a daily chore. It is to be a channel of communication with God with a heart of  Adoration, Confession, Thanksgiving, and Supplication. James 5:16 says “…The prayer of a righteous person is powerful and effective…”

·         The Lord’s prayer 40 day challenge

• Instructions: Use the Lord’s Prayer daily for the next 40 days as a guide to seeking the Lord’s will for you, your family, your church, and your community. Journal and describe how you see God moving in and around you.
• Matthew 6:9-13 9 Pray then like this: “Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name. 10 Your kingdom come, your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven. 11 Give us this day our daily bread, 12 and forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors. 13 And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil.

NEXT TIME: Spiritual Disciplines: Worship

References:

http://www.discipleshiptools.org/apps/articles/default.asp?articleid=37272&columnid=4188

http://www.ccel.org/contrib/exec_outlines/disc/disc_02.htm

SPIRITUAL DISCIPLINES: WORSHIP

Romans 12:1    Therefore, I urge you, brothers and sisters, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God—this is your true and proper worship.

WHAT IS WORSHIP?

Webster Dictionary: reverence offered a divine being or supernatural power; extravagant respect or admiration for or devotion to an object of esteem.

The English word "worship" comes from two Old English words: weorth, which means "worth," and scipe or ship, which means something like shape or "quality." So worship means to attribute worth. When we worship, we are saying that God has worth, that he is worthy.  It carries the idea of doing something for God — making a sacrifice or carrying out his instructions.

WHO DO WE WORSHIP?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gvfIU6gtGZs&feature=youtube_gdata_player

Who’s the most important Person or thing in our lives? As people who profess to be Christians, the conscious answer is an automatic God, however take a moment and reflect on the following questions and meditate on whether God is truly the most important person in our lives:

·         Who is the person that centers your existence?

·         Where is your passion?

·         Who would you be willing to make sacrifices for in order to be with them

·         Who are you most obedient to?

WHY DO WE WORSHIP?

“…in view of God’s mercy…”

When we look at secular forms of worship of “idols”, from worshipping a basketball player, a rap star, a movie star, etc… We look at who they are and the characteristics about them that puts us in awe of them. We look at a Michael Jordan and give his due honor because he’s unquestionably the best basketball player of all time. People see him they go crazy, they make sacrifices to go see him. Similar with a movie star; People line up just to get a glimpse of them going by, to be able to say I was in the same place as Beyonce. People have been known to faint while in the presence of someone they deem to be worthy of praise and would sacrifice allot to know them. The false worship of these stars is all based on who the person is and what feelings the person brings out of them.

Let’s give honor where honor is truly due. Only God is worthy of worship – Rev 19:10.  We worship Him because of who He is. He is God. Revelation 4:11 tells us,

“You are worthy, O Lord, to receive glory and honor and power; For You created all things, And by Your will they exist and were created”

In addition, because of his endless mercies towards us, we worship Him. He has blessed us with the Holy Spirit, love,  grace, peace, joy, wisdom, hope, patience, kindness, honor, glory, righteousness, security, eternal life, forgiveness, reconciliation, justification, sanctification, freedom, intercession and much more. As we sit or stand in participation of a worship service and we think of these things we are to be inspired and motivated to bow down and give praise, honor and glory to God. We ought to be in awe to be in His presence in spirit and truth.

HOW DO WE WORSHIP:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=piZq6aX4wDQ&feature=youtube_gdata_player

John 4:24 - 23 Yet a time is coming and has now come when the true worshipers will worship the Father in the Spirit and in truth, for they are the kind of worshipers the Father seeks

God is not a physical person where we can go bow down and show reverence to. He is a spirit and as such, we cannot worship him with things of this world. We have to worship him in spirit and in truth.

Going to worship service on Sunday does not equal true worship of God. True worship involves giving up ourselves as a sacrifice to God. For our worship to be pleasing and acceptable to God we must have lives that are obedient to Him. The Sunday morning routine is not enough. You can’t just go through the motions of worship and say “yep, I worshipped today” to please God. If worship means that God has value and is worthy, it must come from the heart and reflected in our actions.

Characteristics of worship – “…to offer your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God…”

1.       Humility – we humble ourselves and recognize that we are beneath God in all His glory. We acknowledge that we are not worthy to know and have access to Him.

2.       Sacrifice – Because of who He is, we make sacrifices in order to be in His presence.

3.       Obedience – We are to be obedient to His words because of the reverence we have for Him.

FINAL WORD:

True worship is not confined to what we do in church or open praise (although these things are both good and we are told in the Bible to do them). It is the acknowledgment of God and all His power and glory in everything we do. The highest form of praise and worship is obedience to Him and His Word. To do this, we must know God; we cannot be ignorant of Him (Acts 17:23-31).

Worship is to glorify and exalt God. This is not done only while we are in church but comes from the heart and is acknowledgment that God has a hand in everything we do. The highest form of worship is obedience to God and His Word.

Take a minute and take inventory of your life and ask yourself if the things you think, say, or do if they all glorify God. If they’re done out of honor and respect for God, then you are a worshiper of God. If the things in your life are done out of respect and honor to friends, family members, your pastor, your president or other things then you are a worshiper of those people or things.

I pray that you are all worshipers of God. And if you’ve determined that the facts of your life has not been one that Glorifies God, stop and make the changes to give the Glory to whom is worthy – God.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q0Us-nWhLyQ&feature=youtube_gdata_player

NEXT TIME: Spiritual Disciplines: SERVICE

References: http://www.gci.org/God/worship

http://www.gotquestions.org/true-worship.html

http://www.gotquestions.org/God-demand-worship.html

SPIRITUAL DISCIPLINES: FASTING

Matthew 6:16–18: “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. 17 But when you fast, put oil on your head and wash your face, 18 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.

WHAT IS FASTING?

• Hebrew word sum, meaning "to cover" the mouth
• Greek word nesteuo, meaning "to abstain."

To abstain as a spiritual discipline religious exercise from food and drink: either entirely, if the fast lasted but a single day, or from customary and choice nourishment, if it continued several days.

Fasting by itself is only focused on the physical aspects. In order to make it a spiritual discipline, it must accompanied by prayer, devotions, worship, Bible study and other spiritual disciplines that helps us draw closer to God.

WHY FAST?

II Chronicles 7:14 - "If my people, who are called by my name, will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then will I hear from heaven and will forgive their sin and will heal their land."

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ztCcHilY2SM&feature=youtube_gdata_player

• To Learn lessons of the Day of Atonement (Leviticus 16)

·         Forgiveness of confessed sins

·         Reconciliation to God

·         The Need to resist satan

·         Forgiveness of confessed sins

• Practiced by serious seekers of God – Acts 10:30
• To Draw closer to God
• Moses –  Moses did not eat bread or drink water during the 40 days and 40 nights he was on Mount Sinai receiving the law (Ex 34:28).
• Elijah –  fasted 40 days 40 nights for God to deal with him and prepare him in his duties as a prophet (1 Kings 19:8 )
• Jesus  - (Matthew 4)
• Daniel – Daniel 9:3; 10:2-3
• Anna – Luke 2:37
• To get favor from God
• To get direction from God
• To serve God
• To demonstrate ones feelings before God,
• Done in times of distress
• David fasted after hearing that Saul and Jonathan were dead (2 Sam 1:12).
• Nehemiah fasted and prayed upon learning that Jerusalem had remained in ruins since its destruction (Neh 1:4).
• To break free from certain demonic strongholds fasting and prayer is required (Matt. 17:19-21).

HOW DO WE FAST (APPLICATION):

Isaiah 58: 1-6 - True Fasting

SEVEN STEPS OF A SPIRITUAL FAST

1. HAVE AN OBJECTIVE
• Why are you fasting? Is it for spiritual renewal, for guidance, for healing, for the resolution of problems, for special grace to handle a difficult situation? Ask the Holy Spirit to clarify His leading and objectives for your prayer fast. This will enable you to pray more specifically and strategically.
2. MAKE YOUR COMMITMENT
• Pray about the kind of fast you should undertake.

·         How long you will fast - one meal, one day, a week, several weeks, forty days (Beginners should start slowly, building up to longer fasts.)

·         The type of fast God wants you to undertake (such as water only, or water and juices; what kinds of juices you will drink and how often)

·         What physical or social activities you will restrict

·         How much time each day you will devote to prayer and God's Word

3. PREPARE YOURSELF SPIRITUALLY
• The very foundation of fasting and prayer is repentance. Unconfused sin will hinder your prayers. Here are several things you can do to prepare your heart:

·         Ask God to help you make a comprehensive list of your sins.

·         Confess every sin that the Holy Spirit calls to your remembrance and accept God's forgiveness (1 John 1:9).

·         Seek forgiveness from all whom you have offended, and forgive all who have hurt you (Mark 11:25; Luke 11:4; 17:3,4).

·         Make restitution as the Holy Spirit leads you.

·         Ask God to fill you with His Holy Spirit according to His command in Ephesians 5:18 and His promise in 1 John 5:14,15.

·         Surrender your life fully to Jesus Christ as your Lord and Master; refuse to obey your worldly nature (Romans 12:1,2).

·         Meditate on the attributes of God, His love, sovereignty, power, wisdom, faithfulness, grace, compassion, and others (Psalm 48:9,10; 103:1-8, 11-13).

·         Begin your time of fasting and prayer with an expectant heart (Hebrews 11:6).

·         Do not underestimate spiritual opposition. Satan sometimes intensifies the natural battle between body and spirit (Galatians 5:16,17).

4. PREPARE YOURSELF PHYSICALLY
• Physical preparation makes the drastic change in your eating routine a little easier so that you can turn your full attention to the Lord in prayer.

·         •Do not rush into your fast.

·         •Prepare your body. Eat smaller meals before starting a fast. Avoid high-fat and sugary foods.

·         •Eat raw fruit and vegetables for two days before starting a fast.

5. SET TIME APART
• For maximum spiritual benefit, set aside ample time to be alone with the Lord. Listen for His leading. The more time you spend with Him, the more meaningful your fast will be.
6. END YOUR FAST GRADUALLY
• If you end your fast gradually, the beneficial physical and spiritual effects will result in continued good health.
7. EXPECT RESULTS
• If you sincerely humble yourself before the Lord, repent, pray, and seek God's face; if you consistently meditate on His Word, you will experience a heightened awareness of His presence.

FINAL WORD:

The bottom line is fasting is done to get closer to God and depending on Him to do what we cannot do ourselves.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WD_KfInOEig&feature=youtube_gdata_player

Isaiah 58 - True Fasting

 1 “Shout it aloud, do not hold back.    Raise your voice like a trumpet. Declare to my people their rebellion

and to the descendants of Jacob their sins. 2 For day after day they seek me out;    they seem eager to know my ways, as if they were a nation that does what is right  and has not forsaken the commands of its God. They ask me for just decisions    and seem eager for God to come near them. 3 ‘Why have we fasted,’ they say,    ‘and you have not seen it? Why have we humbled ourselves,    and you have not noticed?’    “Yet on the day of your fasting, you do as you please    and exploit all your workers. 4 Your fasting ends in quarreling and strife,     and in striking each other with wicked fists. You cannot fast as you do today  and expect your voice to be heard on high. 5 Is this the kind of fast I have chosen,  only a day for people to humble themselves? Is it only for bowing one’s head like a reed    and for lying in sackcloth and ashes? Is that what you call a fast,    a day acceptable to the LORD?  6 “Is not this the kind of fasting I have  chosen: to loose the chains of injustice    and untie the cords of the yoke, to set the oppressed free  and break every yoke? 7 Is it not to share your food with the hungry    and to provide the poor wanderer with shelter— when you see the naked, to clothe them,    and not to turn away from your own flesh and blood? 8 Then your light will break forth like the dawn,    and your healing will quickly appear; then your righteousness[a] will go before you,    and the glory of the LORD will be your rear guard. 9 Then you will call, and the LORD will answer;    you will cry for help, and he will say: Here am I. “If you do away with the yoke of oppression,   with the pointing finger and malicious talk, 10 and if you spend yourselves in behalf of the hungry    and satisfy the needs of the oppressed, then your light will rise in the darkness,  and your night will become like the noonday. 11 The LORD will guide you always;    he will satisfy your needs in a sun-scorched land    and will strengthen your frame. You will be like a well-watered garden,  like a spring whose waters never fail. 12 Your people will rebuild the ancient ruins   and will raise up the age-old foundations; you will be called Repairer of Broken Walls, Restorer of Streets with Dwellings. 13 “If you keep your feet from breaking the Sabbath and from doing as you please on my holy day, if you call the Sabbath a delight  and the LORD’s holy day honorable, and if you honor it by not going your own way  and not doing as you please or speaking idle words, 14 then you will find your joy in the LORD,  and I will cause you to ride in triumph on the heights of the land   and to feast on the inheritance of your father Jacob.”  For the mouth of the LORD has spoken.

NEXT TIME: Spiritual Disciplines: SERVICE

References: http://theresurgence.com/2009/02/16/spiritual-disciplines-fasting

http://www.gotquestions.org/fasting-Christian.html

http://www.ccci.org/training-and-growth/devotional-life/7-steps-to-fasting/05-final-word.htm

http://www.ucg.org/bible-faq/what-is-fasting.htm

http://www.searchgodsword.org/lex/grk/view.cgi?number=3522

http://www.cofac.org/atonement.html