Posted on 10/30/2004 9:41:54 AM PDT by Preech1
Some people have to fast by switching from more desirable things to less desirable...the idea is denial....
Last year I had some serious stomach problems...it was really tricky to try to fast with that...some of the time I had to substitute other things, like doing my son's chores for him...fasting from the internet and other things.
I just think you do a better service when you read all of the posts, instead of making assumptions and taking me out of context.
Is there anything else you feel that you need to do?
I never implied that a one day fast was unimportant, or ineffective, and you seem to be ignoring the fact that this was your allusion.
If I remember correctly, The Great Fish didn't fast, when he swallowed Jonah...but Jonah was cast out anyhow. (Just trying to inject a little humor, no offense intended folks.)
I apologize.
When you said "One day is nothing..." I assumed that the word "nothing" meant "insignificant, unimportant or inneffective"
Had you said "One day is nothing for me..." I would have realized that you were simply boasting and ignored the post without comment. I understood you to mean that you were belittling those who were not used to fasting or who could only do it for one day.
I have read all the posts, and if you had read all of them, you would find people who had never fasted before or were hypoglycemic or had some other medical condition hindering them. Have compassion on them and don't let your abilities become a stumblingblock to those less able than you.
In my opinion, fasting can take several forms.
On occasion, I just fast TV or the Internet. I don't watch much on TV, outside of Fox News.
I even fasted this site for 40 days one time.
That was tough.
I do believe that fasting for this election is a very worthwhile effort.
My aunt was healed of MS a few weeks ago, and I can say it was in part tied to fasting and prayer in our family.
I also agree that fasting is an effectual way of letting God know that you are serious about what you are praying for. I too have seen it work. Always keep in mind that we are seeking God's will and His mercy on our nation, we cannot "force" God to do anything, he is not a "God at hand". We need His mercy, not what we deserve, which is his justice.
Meditation
On this day where so much is at stake and the dark one is so focused on destroying what our Lord is trying to show us, I would offer the following passage up as something to consider:
If you have any encouragement from being united with Christ, if any comfort from his love, if any fellowship with the Spirit, if any tenderness and compassion, the make my joy complete by being like-minded, having the same love, being one in spirit and purpose. Do nothing our of selfish ambition or vain conceit, but in humility consider others better than yourselves. Each of you should look not only to your own interests, but also to the interests of others. Philippians 2: 1-4
Today, if we can, wherever we are, whatever we are doing, let us think upon Jesus, what his example is and what we are doing so that our prayer and fasting may seem more true and sincere and we can be the most focused on our goal...begging the Lord to forgive our country for its wrongs, begging the Lord to have mercy upon us in a time of danger, and asking him to bless the reelection of our president.
It's hard, but even giving up our desire to be seen as right or impressive or smart, giving up the chance to bicker or argue can be an offering, a fasting that will intensify our prayer and seem good to God.
Let us be united in Christ today, and humbly ask his aid and blessing.
This day, O Lord,
help us to be living witnesses
of the great wonder
of God's love
for mankind,
even amid a storm of dark troubles
and the evil of everyday life.
Let us shine
like cities on the hill,
radiating like beacons
of your love
to all we come in contact with today.
Let us be the salt
that preserves
in a world that is aching
for that which saves.
May our example show them
the truth of where they should look.
May we be the leaven
that lifts up the heaviness
of life,
and allows the light of your wonder
to penetrate
into every niche and corner.
Amen.
So do I, that's why my fast day is today, beer day tomorrow (Tuesday)!
:)
rEMINDER BUMP
rEMINDER BUMP
I'm already doing this. This is the first time in my life that I have ever fasted. All I can think of right now is my stomach, my head ache, and how tired I am in this meeting I'm sitting in on.
For me fasting means going until breakfast tomorrow morning.
AlGone was not saying a one day fast is ineffective, just telling Vision that we won't be too weak to go to the polls and that it can be done easily.
Sorry, I should have read a mere four posts past 83. But I knew that's what you were saying. :)
One thing about fasting, particularly if you haven't done this much before is remember if you have to drive or operate machinery, being low blood sugar can give you the shakes and impair judgement. Be careful.
(This is not to excuse breaking a fast. This is to remind you to organize your day so that you won't put yourself or others in harm's way if you need to go somewhere).
Yep, fasting is a sacrifice. It hurts, usually headaches, and counting what you are giving up, can be made worse with caffiene withdrawals. But this is what we are going...telling God we are willing to give up something that makes us feel good and comfortable and everyday to say we really mean this prayer. It is like grieving, in a way. Frequently, when in fresh grief, we don't eat, we are totally focused on what is causing us pain, like the death of a loved one.
When we fast, we are telling God we are in grief over sin. We reject the world and its comforts in repentance to focus on the broken relationship between man and God which sin creates, to show our humility, to emphasize God is the Lord and we are not God.
Today, we are praying and fasting for all the sin and evil in our country, and asking God to let Bush win, to protect us from the enemy. We make ourselves small so that the Lord may lift us up, for he much prefers humility to hubris.
And it probably will hurt, because humbling isn't necessarily the easy way!
Prayer:
O my Jesus,
forgive me for all those times
I have told you what to do,
how to do it
and when,
when I should have relied
on your sense of timing,
your knowledge,
your wisdom.
O my Jesus,
forgive me for all those times
I thought it was I who was the doer,
I who had the strength,
I who had the wisdom.
when it was you
who was holding my hand,
lifting me up,
keeping me safe.
O my Jesus,
forgive me all those times
when you came to me in the guise
of someone distressed,
in need,
ugly,
angry,
or hard to like,
when I chose to be rude,
or ignore you,
or curt,
or cold.
O my Jesus,
help me remember
that you are my wisdom,
you are my strength,
you are my fortress.
Teach me to love
as you love,
see as you see,
care as you care
until I become
a tool of your mercy,
an instrument of your peace,
a lantern of your light,
Amen.
You are being way to sensitive and way too critical of something AlGone said that I'm sure many figured out at first read. It's very easy to determine out what someone is saying by going back to the post to which they are responding.
This is supposed to be a thread about prayer and fasting, please act like it.
I think one of the worst things I have ever seen on this forum is when people post private mail.
Therefore, we do not lose heart. Though outwardly we are wasting away, yet inwardly we are being renewed day by day. For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all. So we fix our eyes on not what is seen, but on what is unseen. For what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal. 2 Corinthians 4: 16-18
O Lord,
how large our momentary troubles loom,
how high our anxiety,
but you are Lord,
and in your hands we may rest assured.
Be with us this day
as we offer up our anxieties for the day,
our worries about tomorrow,
and our qualms about the future.
Remind us that you are in command,
Help us to cooperate with your plan for us,
Rekindle the fire when it gets faint,
and let our hearts burn to follow your ways.
Today we ask especially for our country,
that you will forgive us the wrongs done,
that you will guide our hands to set things right,
that you will show us the way
to strengthen the family,
save the unborn,
and cherish those most in need.
Be with Mr. Bush this day,
guide his actions,
guard his ways,
and if it is your will,
let nothing stand in way of his reelection.
Teach us to care about your way
as much as we care about this election,
and always to choose your right
over the darkness.
Amen.
Ditto here...I can't wait to get my hands on scrambled eggs and coffee tomorrow morning...
I'm seriously considering being late for work and going to Cracker Barrell.
Thank you and consider your reprimand received and acted upon. Algone, I publicly apologize for posting our private correspondence.
Usually, when Israel abandoned the way of the Lord, their hearts went after idols and gods to worship them, rejecting their Loving Lord, rejected the call to repentance from the prophets, chose and followed unjust rulers, compromised the things of the Lord, contaminated themselves with the evil around them and basically with their actions told the Lord they did not want His Presence and His Will, but that they wanted to go their way, then......God allowed them to have what they wanted or thought they wanted. Usually....they remembered the Lord when things went wrong and they were in peril then they called out to Him and seeked Him but sometimes it was for a time only.
IMO, it should be our prayer today that the Lord will awaken those that knowing better have chosen the wrong path, those that when the Lord has given us a good clear choice are ready to make the wrong choice for whatever personal reasons or because they have been deceived. We should pray that the Lord will spare us and the nation for the sake of those that still seek Him and want His Will and Honor Him.
1Kgs:19:18: Yet I have left me seven thousand in Israel, all the knees which have not bowed unto Baal, and every mouth which hath not kissed him.
16: Give glory to the LORD your God, before he cause darkness, and before your feet stumble upon the dark mountains, and, while ye look for light, he turn it into the shadow of death, and make it gross darkness. 17: But if ye will not hear it, my soul shall weep in secret places for your pride; and mine eye shall weep sore, and run down with tears, because the LORD's flock is carried away captive
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