Tuesday, October 22, 2013

WEEK 19 - New Weapon: Fasting (請按此處收聼廣東話Cantonese podcast click here)



Today's Reading: Matthew 6:16-18

**For a simple and good way of Daily Devotion method please click this link: Subject Shifting Devotion.pdf.


Please click this link to Matthew 6:16-18


Bible Study
     
      In the beginning of chapter 6, Jesus teaches the three things that Jews saw as standard obligations, namely giving money, praying and fasting.  For Christians nowadays, most Christians only practice giving and praying but never fasting. How come a general practice, one of the three standard obligations is being lost? 

     This is not the time to talk about when did most Christians stop fasting. This is the time to "reinstall" fasting as a major lifestyle of Christlikeness. This is the time for us to start fasting again. Why? Because fasting is a spiritual weapon. 

     Bishop N.T. Wright says (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/N._T._Wright):
     This passage is all about learning to love and serve God for himself, and in secret, rather than simply having an eye on the main chance, either to show off by being so religious or to store up wealth.
             N.T. Wright. Matthew for Everyone, Part 1. Louisville,KY:Westminster         John Knox Press, 2004, p.62.     

     Bishop Wright is talking about today's passage and the next one. It's all about priority. In order to love God, serve God and to love His people we need to put our priority in giving, praying and fasting. But, these three standard obligations is not a priority anymore. We have other priorities pulling us away from loving God and His people.

     Jesus would like you to start fasting as one of your new lifestyle of Christlikeness. What do you say? 

Let's have a time to be still and give the Holy Spirit space to speak through the passage of scripture we have just read. Offer this time up to Jesus as you listen to him, while listening to "Gabriel's Oboe"



Spiritual Journal

     The topic I received from Jesus today is : 
     New weapon: Fasting

      First of all, thanks for the prayers yesterday if you did pray for me. I did it. I went to a friend to ask for forgiveness of something happened many years ago. A new relationship has begun and we are going for lunch today! Can you believe that?

     So, it's the action that is the most important. First, you need to have a daily intimate personal relationship with Jesus. Then, when Jesus tells you to do something, just do it and things will be different. 

     One of our parishioners received a call to start a one year fasting chain for our church, Richmond Emmanuel. We do it in secret, inviting those we think are called by Jesus. The momentum builds up quickly and we are now having at least 30 people fasting since Easter Sunday(two weeks ago) for one year. So, since two weeks ago, there is at least one person fasting on everyday's breakfast, lunch or dinner. And, Richmond Emmanuel Church just completed a first time ever church-wide 40 days fasting since January 1, 2013. I think the reason I can be able to mend some broken relationship is because of this fasting.

     My mother started to fast every Wednesday since 1981 when she knew that I decided to follow God's calling to leave my job in the Hong Kong Government as a Music Officer to go to seminary. She did that from 1981 to 2009 and she could not continue because of her health. You know what happened? All three of her children, my younger sister Ada, younger brother Dennis and me got our degree in Theology. Both me and my brother are ordained clergy and my sister is a High School principal. All three of us planted at least one church.

    Yes, I believe fasting is the most powerful spiritual weapon. I had a 80 days fasting, cut one main meal(lunch or dinner) a day since last October and I am now tasting the fruit of that fasting. The fruit of fasting is always unity and love because it is unity and love that Satan so wants to destroy.

    So, brothers and sisters, let start to reinstall this standard obligation of Christian discipline into our lifestyle. 

    Let's fast! 

    Dear Lord Jesus,
    Lead us to be able to start fasting so that we can receive this new spiritual weapon from you. In Jesus name I pray. Amen.  
          

Questions for group discussion


New weapon: Fasting
新的武器: 禁食

Passage: Matthew 6:16-18

Questions for group leaders
1. Read Matthew 6:16-18 again now. What have you learned from this passage about fasting? Do you have any experience about fasting?

2. What have you learned about fasting from the examples I gave in this post? 

3. Jesus would like you to start fasting as one of your new lifestyle of Christlikeness. What do you say? 

4. What is the highlight for you today? 

Please click this link to worship with us:

10,000 Reasons (Bless the Lord) Matt Redman


You may choose to follow my other daily blog: 
Discipler123(Daily Devotion, with English and Cantonese podcast)

Daily Devotion on Fire 2(One year New Testament): 

Daily Devotion on Fire(3 years and 3 months plan, one chapter a day to finish reading the whole Bible): 

Break.Build(40 days daily devotion- First Baby Step for new Christians, with English and Cantonese podcast): http://www.breakbuild.blogspot.ca/

Emmanuel330 (40 weeks First Step Bible Study, with English and Cantonese podcast): 

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