Prayer and Fasting

Blessing

I met with my small group last evening and we talked about prayer and fasting. Those reading this post know how important it is to pray to God the Father. Sometimes He is referred to as Father, My Heavenly Father, Abba (which means Daddy). When we pray to our Father we tell Him how great He is. Next we as Him to forgive us of any sin we have done. Then we thank Him for things He has given to us. And then we ask Him for things. Healing of a sick one, a safe trip etc. Pray, prayer, prayers are mentioned a lot in the Bible.

Fasting is only mentioned seventeen times in the whole Bible.

What is fasting? It is abstaining from food either entirely, like Jesus did in Matthew 4:2, or for a predetermined period of time. It is voluntary and it is to be done in secret. In otherwords don't go around telling everyone that you are fasting. Fasting is between you and God.

Please check with your doctor before you fast. If you have medical problems like having diabetes, or other issues it may not be safe for you to abstain from food. However, you can fast by say giving up watching TV or playing computer games as an example. Then spend that time humbling yourself before God. 

You may want to fast if you are in a severe stress mode, or lost of a loved one, major health issues, family problems. There are a lot of reason why you might want to fast. Maybe you just want to have a notebook, pen, Bible and a quiet place and just talk to God and have Him talk to you through His Word.