In Matthew 6 Jesus instructs His disciples in three critical spiritual disciplines. He gives direction for praying, giving and fasting. Each time He says “when you give…” “when you pray…” and “when you fast…” When. Not if. As His followers we must set aside times as individuals and a church to fast and seek Him. So, beginning on the evening of January 24th thru the evening of February 3rd, we will be fasting together. On Wednesday night, February 3rd at 7:00p, we will break this fast with communion at an Evening of Prayer and Worship.
- You can do a fast based on Daniel’s fast found in Daniel 1:12-13. We learn there that Daniel took a diet of vegetables (which includes fruits and grains) and water. During this fast we will use www.daniel-fast.com as one
resource for “what to eat and what not to eat.” This website suggests only water, but juices, natural teas, and decaf coffee are allowable. Also, this diet allows fruits, nuts, whole grains and rice and unleavened breads. The big no-nos are meat, dairy, alcohol, caffeine, sugar, other sweets and leaven breads. - The other option is to fast completely (water only) for 3 of the 10 days. Fasting for a day means fasting for 24 consecutive hours, typically one evening to the next evening. These can be any of the 10 days but we ask everyone to fast on the final day, February 3rd, so everyone is breaking the fast with communion that evening.
DAY 1: Pray for Gratitude (1 Thessalonians 5:17-18)
DAY 2: Pray for a friend, family, member or neighbor (Luke 10:25-37)
DAY 3: Pray for justice for all people (Psalm 103:6)
DAY 4: Pray for the vulnerable children who are without a family (James 1:27)
DAY 5: Ask God to give you His heart for all people (Ezekiel 11:19)
DAY 6: Ask God to show you His plan for your work or school life (Romans 12:1)
DAY 7: Pray for families (Ephesians 5:22-33; 6:1-4)
DAY 8: Thank God for His Church (Matthew 16:18)
DAY 9: Pray for New City Church & our part in God’s redemptive plan for Phoenix (1 Peter 2:9-12)
DAY 10: Thank God for Jesus (John 3:16)