40 Days of Discipline

40 Days of Discipline: Day 15 – Fasting

14 Comments

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

 

As we have considered the Discipline of Prayer over the last four days, I hope you have been inspired to increase your commitment to pray for someone, some group, some institution or something because of your love for God and others.  Today we will put the Discipline of Fasting into practice by performing a food fast for at least a portion of the day.  If you are not able to perform a food fast, please consider some other kind of fast that will increase you focus on God (e.g., a TV fast).  If you can’t fast, please still participate by spending dedicated time in prayer.

The intent is for you to use the time of fasting for more intense focus on God and to spend additional time in prayer.   The items that you were inspired to pray for this week should be on your prayer list.

With participants across the globe (e.g., Trinidad & Tobago, Barbados, Brazil, the USA, Canada, the U.K., Africa, Japan and Indonesia), we will cover many hours in the day if we all participate.

If you need a refresher on the Discipline of Fasting, you can read about the Discipline by visiting www.40daysofdiscipline.com and clicking on the Disciplines tab.

Today’s Request:

We will not pose a question today. Instead, please use the comments feature on this blog site to leave prayer requests.   If you can’t be specific about your request, simply write, “Personal request”.   I am positive that there will be believers participating in this 40 Days of Discipline journey who will delight in remembering you and your request(s) in prayer.

14 thoughts on “40 Days of Discipline: Day 15 – Fasting

  1. Personal request

  2. For the Lord to lead and guide each member of my family into His perfect way in truth. Thank you

  3. Please pray for my healing (my cold turn into bronchitis). I am working with the kids in English preschool near my home and it’s not good if I am sick. Since I have shrapnel in my lung from my accident in Pakistan in 2002, whenever I catch cold it easily turns into bronchitis. I will be helping my church to prepare meal next week (Friday and Saturday) for the first men’s retreat of my church, YIBC ‘(Yokohama International Baptist Church. Prayer request for my quick recovery. I am taking medication now and not going to gym for a while.. Thank you all for your prayers!

  4. Please pray for God’s continued blessings on my nieces and nephews that they may be rightly guided as they grow up in this unsteady and troubled world.

  5. Personal requests.

  6. That each of my children would commit their lives to Christ.

  7. Prayer Requests:

    1. That my children will continue to grow in their own pursuit of a personal and deep relationship with God;
    2. That the leaders of my local church (including me) will gain a sharper vision of God’s grand vision for our sphere of influence;
    3. That my loved ones (broad biological and spiritual family) will significantly deepen their knowledge of the love God has for us and appropriate this love in our daily lives.

  8. 1) For my nieces and nephews, come to know and follow the Lord as their Lord and Saviour.
    2) For healing from cancer for Andrew, Mary and Kathleen
    3) For wisdom for all the leaders in my church as they prepare and plan for the Outreach event in May.

  9. I pray that the body of Believers will be awakened … stirred up and shaken in the conviction to stand up for righteousness sake. God’s people have the ability to help shape society in a positive way. Therefore let us pray that the body of believers be strengthened to put faith into action for the good of humanity.

    I am being tested in this very thing.

  10. My husband and I are celebrating our 2 year anniversary this weekend. I learned that 2 years is signified with cotton. My request is that we would be like cotton and absorb what the Lord wants us to learn about His love for Him.

  11. Personal request

  12. Preservation of families.

  13. Let us declare victory in the name of the one who loves us with an everlasting love!

    Thank you loving Father for caring for us.

    We lay ourselves and our cares before you with confidence in the name of your Son and our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. Amen!

  14. Personal request.

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