What is fasting?
Fasting is giving up something for God. Usually it’s food, so many of the people who fast skip meals for days or even weeks.
Does fasting make you a Christian?
No. The only way to Heaven is through Jesus Christ, believing that he is your Lord.
Do you have to fast if you’re a Christian?
Some people think you do, but the truth is, God accepts you and loves you whether you skip meals or not.
Don’t forget – fasting meals is not dieting. Fasting is not for your own benefit, it is a way to show that God means more to you than anything else, that you value him over yourself, that you respect him.
Throughout the Bible and throughout history, people have fasted for the Lord. Remember Esther, who asked her cousin Mordecai to tell all the Jews to fast and pray for her? They were honoring God, and he helped them.
Brio magazine suggested to fast one of your meals, but skipping meals probably isn’t a good thing right now for you (it can spin your metabolism out of whack). You don’t have to fast just food. Fasting isn’t about what you fast – it’s about giving something up to God that means something to you.
If you feel that God is calling you to fast, here are some healthy ideas:
▪ Have a week of absolutely no TV (even if What Not to Wear is on)
▪ Give up desert for a month (this food fasting will actually be good for you!)
▪ Give up fries, coke, chips, or other junk food for a month
▪ Give up secular music for a week or month, whatever feels good to you
▪ Give up questionable movies that aren’t healthy for your relationship with God
▪ Give up movies altogether for a month or a week
▪ Give up makeup for a week or month, whatever feels best (this one is hard, but it’ll show that you really do care about God!)
▪ Give up video games for a month (you can do it!)
▪ Give up your allowance for a week or month (instead of just cutting it altogether, give your week or month’s worth of allowance to serve someone else who needs it – for example, buy a needy couple dinner, or donate to your local animal shelter)
Remember, whatever you chose, do it with a happy heart that’s ready to honor God!
CHALLENGE: I’ve listed some fasting ideas, now you list your ideas in the comments, and let’s all pick one thing to fast! Wouldn’t it be cool if we could all worship God together? Be sure to mention what you’ll be fasting in the comments.
NOTE: You can fast several things if you feel called to.
Fasting is giving up something for God. Usually it’s food, so many of the people who fast skip meals for days or even weeks.
Does fasting make you a Christian?
No. The only way to Heaven is through Jesus Christ, believing that he is your Lord.
Do you have to fast if you’re a Christian?
Some people think you do, but the truth is, God accepts you and loves you whether you skip meals or not.
Don’t forget – fasting meals is not dieting. Fasting is not for your own benefit, it is a way to show that God means more to you than anything else, that you value him over yourself, that you respect him.
Throughout the Bible and throughout history, people have fasted for the Lord. Remember Esther, who asked her cousin Mordecai to tell all the Jews to fast and pray for her? They were honoring God, and he helped them.
Brio magazine suggested to fast one of your meals, but skipping meals probably isn’t a good thing right now for you (it can spin your metabolism out of whack). You don’t have to fast just food. Fasting isn’t about what you fast – it’s about giving something up to God that means something to you.
If you feel that God is calling you to fast, here are some healthy ideas:
▪ Have a week of absolutely no TV (even if What Not to Wear is on)
▪ Give up desert for a month (this food fasting will actually be good for you!)
▪ Give up fries, coke, chips, or other junk food for a month
▪ Give up secular music for a week or month, whatever feels good to you
▪ Give up questionable movies that aren’t healthy for your relationship with God
▪ Give up movies altogether for a month or a week
▪ Give up makeup for a week or month, whatever feels best (this one is hard, but it’ll show that you really do care about God!)
▪ Give up video games for a month (you can do it!)
▪ Give up your allowance for a week or month (instead of just cutting it altogether, give your week or month’s worth of allowance to serve someone else who needs it – for example, buy a needy couple dinner, or donate to your local animal shelter)
Remember, whatever you chose, do it with a happy heart that’s ready to honor God!
CHALLENGE: I’ve listed some fasting ideas, now you list your ideas in the comments, and let’s all pick one thing to fast! Wouldn’t it be cool if we could all worship God together? Be sure to mention what you’ll be fasting in the comments.
NOTE: You can fast several things if you feel called to.
Hey, you don't know me, but I read your blog regularly, and love it!
ReplyDeleteFor myself, fasting food is a tough one because inevitably I turn it from a thing between God and me into a diet! So, I am trying to think of other options to accomplish the goal of expressing commitment to God.
One thing that Beth Moore suggests fasting is jewelry... I'm going through her Bible study on Daniel right now, and am considering going without jewelry for a couple weeks as per her challenge... gulp!
I'll stay tuned to see what's chosen as the fast on here!
I read your blog, too!
ReplyDeleteFasting jewelry? That'd be tough for me, but maybe someday I'll do it. (I'm just worried about my earring holes closing up.)
I'm going to fast secular music for a week. I want to focus on music that glorifies God.
Good post. Are those your ideas? Sometimes, for me, odeying God is hard enough. Keeping to his word and resisting temptation is enough for me. - Bob
ReplyDeleteThanks, Bob. Yeah, those are some of my ideas...for you guys. I'm fasting secular music. So, that means that no matter how it pains me, I will not listen to the Jonas Brothers before next Thursday.
ReplyDelete