A Journey to the Cross - Part 1 from Jonathan Carl on Vimeo.
A Journey to the Cross:
Prayer & Fasting
Fasting: “A Christian’s voluntary abstinence from food for spiritual purposes” – Donald Whitney
Preparing for Ministry: The Temptation of Jesus (Matthew 4:1-11)
Why fast? from Spiritual Disciplines for the Christian Life by Donald Whitney
- To Strengthen Prayer
- To Seek God’s Guidance
- To Express Grief
- To Seek Deliverance or Protection
- To Express Repentance or Return to God
- To Humble Oneself Before God
- To Express Concern for the Work of God
- To Minister to the Needs of Others\
- To Overcome Temptation & Dedicate Yourself to God
- To Express Love and Worship to God
How do I fast?
- Normal Fast – fasting from all food, not from water
- Partial Fast – limitation of your diet
- Absolute Fast – fasting from all food and all water
- Supernatural Fast – requires God’s supernatural intervention to survive
- Private Fast - in a way not to be noticed
- Congregational Fast – united focus
- Other than food - “a voluntary denial of a normal function for the sake of intense spiritual activity” - Richard Foster
Prayer
“Those who know God the best are the richest and most powerful in prayer. Little acquaintance with God, and strangeness and coldness to Him, make prayer a rare and feeble thing.” - E. M. Bounds
Preparing for the Cross: The Garden of Gethsemane (Matthew 26:36-46)
Why pray?
- Communication with the God you love!
- Interceding for one another
- Dependence on God
- Thanking God for His work and provision
- Prayer makes a difference
- Loving obedience
How can I pray?
- The Lord’s Prayer
- A - Adoration
- C - Confession
- T - Thanksgiving
- S - Supplication
- The Psalms
- Scripture
- Prayer lists
- Operation World
- News
- 3” x 5” Card in your bulletin – The Lost by name
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