Fasting is not glamorous or easy but for a Christian, it is necessary.
Jesus fasted:
Then was Jesus led up of the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted of the devil. And when he had fasted forty days and forty nights, he was afterward an hungred. Matthew 4:1-2
Jesus commanded fasting:
Moreover when ye fast, be not, as the hypocrites, of a sad countenance: for they disfigure their faces, that they may appear unto men to fast. Verily I say unto you, They have their reward. But thou, when thou fastest, anoint thine head, and wash thy face; That thou appear not unto men to fast, but unto thy Father which is in secret: and thy Father, which seeth in secret, shall reward thee openly. Matthew 6:16-18
Jesus also spoke of fasting as a thing that will happen when He is gone:
Then came to him the disciples of John, saying, Why do we and the Pharisees fast oft, but thy disciples fast not? And Jesus said unto them, Can the children of the bridechamber mourn, as long as the bridegroom is with them? but the days will come, when the bridegroom shall be taken from them, and then shall they fast. Matthew 9:14-15 (Mark 2:17-20; Luke 5:31-35)
There is even special spiritual power connected to fasting:
Then came the disciples to Jesus apart, and said, Why could not we cast him out? And Jesus said unto them, Because of your unbelief: for verily I say unto you, If ye have faith as a grain of mustard seed, ye shall say unto this mountain, Remove hence to yonder place; and it shall remove; and nothing shall be impossible unto you. Howbeit this kind goeth not out but by prayer and fasting. Matthew 17:19-21 (and in Mark 9:28-29)
Notice these other Scriptures on fasting:
As they ministered to the Lord, and fasted, the Holy Ghost said, Separate me Barnabas and Saul for the work whereunto I have called them. And when they had fasted and prayed, and laid their hands on them, they sent them away. Acts 13:2-3
And when they had ordained them elders in every church, and had prayed with fasting, they commended them to the Lord, on whom they believed. Acts 14:23
Defraud ye not one the other, except it be with consent for a time, that ye may give yourselves to fasting and prayer; and come together again, that Satan tempt you not for your incontinency. 1Corinthians 7:5
Giving no offence in any thing, that the ministry be not blamed: But in all things approving ourselves as the ministers of God, in much patience, in afflictions, in necessities, in distresses, In stripes, in imprisonments, in tumults, in labours, in watchings, in fastings; By pureness, by knowledge, by longsuffering, by kindness, by the Holy Ghost, by love unfeigned, By the word of truth, by the power of God, by the armour of righteousness on the right hand and on the left, By honour and dishonour, by evil report and good report: as deceivers, and yet true; As unknown, and yet well known; as dying, and, behold, we live; as chastened, and not killed; As sorrowful, yet alway rejoicing; as poor, yet making many rich; as having nothing, and yet possessing all things. 2Corinthians 6:3-10
Is there any reason to believe that fasting is not a part of the normal Christian life?
What is fasting? Abstaining from all food except for water for a period of time.
See: http://www.askmoses.com/article.html?h=110&o=91786
When Jesus and the disciples fasted they did not stop watching TV (although that is not a bad idea) or refrain from eating chocolate. Fasting is limiting your intake to water only. The disciples ate nothing for the time they were fasting.
Fasting may be from Sunrise to Sunset (12 hours), Sunset to Sunset (24 hours), or for several days. You may want to talk to your doctor before embarking on an extended fast but the 12 hour fast is a good place to begin.
Remember, fasting is not only abstinence from food but it also involves prayer and quiet time to study God’s Word. It is for the purpose of drawing near to God for His special power to meet the challenges ahead of us.
Are you a fasting Christian or a Christian in need of fasting?
Friday, February 16, 2007
Tuesday, February 06, 2007
Inform and Activate Your Public School Students
Here is some information from the United States Department of Education for the Students, Teachers, and Administrators of the Public Schools.
You can read it yourself at:
http://www.ed.gov/policy/gen/guid/religionandschools/prayer_guidance.html
Section 9524 of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act ("ESEA") of 1965, as amended by the No Child Left Behind Act of 2001, requires the Secretary to issue guidance on constitutionally protected prayer in public elementary and secondary schools. In addition, Section 9524 requires that, as a condition of receiving ESEA funds, a local educational agency ("LEA") must certify in writing to its State educational agency ("SEA") that it has no policy that prevents, or otherwise denies participation in, constitutionally protected prayer in public schools as set forth in this guidance.
Students may pray when not engaged in school activities or instruction, subject to the same rules designed to prevent material disruption of the educational program that are applied to other privately initiated expressive activities. Among other things, students may read their Bibles or other scriptures, say grace before meals, and pray or study religious materials with fellow students during recess, the lunch hour, or other noninstructional time to the same extent that they may engage in nonreligious activities. While school authorities may impose rules of order and pedagogical restrictions on student activities, they may not discriminate against student prayer or religious speech in applying such rules and restrictions.
Students may organize prayer groups, religious clubs, and "see you at the pole" gatherings before school to the same extent that students are permitted to organize other non-curricular student activities groups. Such groups must be given the same access to school facilities for assembling as is given to other non-curricular groups, without discrimination because of the religious content of their expression.
However, where student groups that meet for nonreligious activities are permitted to advertise or announce their meetings—for example, by advertising in a student newspaper, making announcements on a student activities bulletin board or public address system, or handing out leaflets—school authorities may not discriminate against groups who meet to pray. School authorities may disclaim sponsorship of non-curricular groups and events, provided they administer such disclaimers in a manner that neither favors nor disfavors groups that meet to engage in prayer or religious speech.
Teachers may, however, take part in religious activities where the overall context makes clear that they are not participating in their official capacities. Before school or during lunch, for example, teachers may meet with other teachers for prayer or Bible study to the same extent that they may engage in other conversation or nonreligious activities. Similarly, teachers may participate in their personal capacities in privately sponsored baccalaureate ceremonies.
Students may express their beliefs about religion in homework, artwork, and other written and oral assignments free from discrimination based on the religious content of their submissions. Such home and classroom work should be judged by ordinary academic standards of substance and relevance and against other legitimate pedagogical concerns identified by the school. Thus, if a teacher's assignment involves writing a poem, the work of a student who submits a poem in the form of a prayer (for example, a psalm) should be judged on the basis of academic standards (such as literary quality) and neither penalized nor rewarded on account of its religious content.
Where student speakers are selected on the basis of genuinely neutral, evenhanded criteria and retain primary control over the content of their expression, that expression is not attributable to the school and therefore may not be restricted because of its religious (or anti-religious) content.
Is your school cooperating? Are you using the laws we have to exercise the Christianity you have?
If you need to enforce your rights I encourage you to contact the American Center for Law and Justice (ACLJ) at:
http://www.aclj.org/
American Center for Law and JusticeP.O. Box 90555Washington, DC 20090-0555
Legal Helpline Phone: 757-226-2489Legal Helpline Fax: 757-226-2836
Radio call-in number: 1-800-684-3110 (from 12-12:30 PM EST/EDT.)
Now go out there and be the Christian the Public Schools need.
You can read it yourself at:
http://www.ed.gov/policy/gen/guid/religionandschools/prayer_guidance.html
Section 9524 of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act ("ESEA") of 1965, as amended by the No Child Left Behind Act of 2001, requires the Secretary to issue guidance on constitutionally protected prayer in public elementary and secondary schools. In addition, Section 9524 requires that, as a condition of receiving ESEA funds, a local educational agency ("LEA") must certify in writing to its State educational agency ("SEA") that it has no policy that prevents, or otherwise denies participation in, constitutionally protected prayer in public schools as set forth in this guidance.
Students may pray when not engaged in school activities or instruction, subject to the same rules designed to prevent material disruption of the educational program that are applied to other privately initiated expressive activities. Among other things, students may read their Bibles or other scriptures, say grace before meals, and pray or study religious materials with fellow students during recess, the lunch hour, or other noninstructional time to the same extent that they may engage in nonreligious activities. While school authorities may impose rules of order and pedagogical restrictions on student activities, they may not discriminate against student prayer or religious speech in applying such rules and restrictions.
Students may organize prayer groups, religious clubs, and "see you at the pole" gatherings before school to the same extent that students are permitted to organize other non-curricular student activities groups. Such groups must be given the same access to school facilities for assembling as is given to other non-curricular groups, without discrimination because of the religious content of their expression.
However, where student groups that meet for nonreligious activities are permitted to advertise or announce their meetings—for example, by advertising in a student newspaper, making announcements on a student activities bulletin board or public address system, or handing out leaflets—school authorities may not discriminate against groups who meet to pray. School authorities may disclaim sponsorship of non-curricular groups and events, provided they administer such disclaimers in a manner that neither favors nor disfavors groups that meet to engage in prayer or religious speech.
Teachers may, however, take part in religious activities where the overall context makes clear that they are not participating in their official capacities. Before school or during lunch, for example, teachers may meet with other teachers for prayer or Bible study to the same extent that they may engage in other conversation or nonreligious activities. Similarly, teachers may participate in their personal capacities in privately sponsored baccalaureate ceremonies.
Students may express their beliefs about religion in homework, artwork, and other written and oral assignments free from discrimination based on the religious content of their submissions. Such home and classroom work should be judged by ordinary academic standards of substance and relevance and against other legitimate pedagogical concerns identified by the school. Thus, if a teacher's assignment involves writing a poem, the work of a student who submits a poem in the form of a prayer (for example, a psalm) should be judged on the basis of academic standards (such as literary quality) and neither penalized nor rewarded on account of its religious content.
Where student speakers are selected on the basis of genuinely neutral, evenhanded criteria and retain primary control over the content of their expression, that expression is not attributable to the school and therefore may not be restricted because of its religious (or anti-religious) content.
Is your school cooperating? Are you using the laws we have to exercise the Christianity you have?
If you need to enforce your rights I encourage you to contact the American Center for Law and Justice (ACLJ) at:
http://www.aclj.org/
American Center for Law and JusticeP.O. Box 90555Washington, DC 20090-0555
Legal Helpline Phone: 757-226-2489Legal Helpline Fax: 757-226-2836
Radio call-in number: 1-800-684-3110 (from 12-12:30 PM EST/EDT.)
Now go out there and be the Christian the Public Schools need.
Saturday, February 03, 2007
NFL Throws Flag at Church Superbowl Party
The National Football League (NFL) has pulled the plug, not just on one church but on all churches using the Superbowl as a means to evangelize.
Get the story here:
http://msn.foxsports.com/nfl/story/6436876
and here
http://www.floridabaptistwitness.com/6959.article
According to my understanding, here’s the criteria:
1) Does your church plan to show the Superbowl (or any NFL game) on a TV screen, or a projected image, larger than 55 inches?
2) Any time during the program (during commercials, half-time, etc) will your church divert the attention of the attendees away from the televised program to a message of your own?
3) Will your church show the game on more than one source? (i.e. a TV and a Bigscreen)
4) Will your church be taking an offering or a collection of any kind at the event?
If your church party answers yes to any of the above questions then your church will be violating the NFL copyright law.
Here’s the exception:
Are you a sports bar?
If you are a bar or a tavern you have no restrictions like a church. You may charge for people entering your establishment (cover charge), someone may carry on a conversation about other things and divert your attention away from the game, they may present the game on more than one source, and they may have viewing sources larger than 55 inches.
If you want to do something about that here’s the contact information for the NFL commissioner:
Roger Goodell
Commissioner
National Football League Inc.
280 Park Ave.
New York, NY 10017
NY Tel. 212-450-2000
Fax 212-681-7599 or 212-681-7573
Here’s a little about the Commissioner:
This is from
http://www.answers.com/topic/roger-goodell
Roger Goodell was born on February 19 1959. He became the Commissioner of the National Football League on August 8, 2006. He began his tenure on September 1, 2006. Goodell was born in Jamestown, New York and is the son of former New York Senator Charles Goodell. The Goodell family moved to Bronxville, New York, in 1971, where Roger graduated from high school. Goodell is a 1981 graduate of Washington & Jefferson College in Washington, Pennsylvania with a degree in economics.
Goodell is married to Fox News Channel anchor Jane Skinner and they have twin daughters. He has four brothers, among them are Tim, a member of the worldwide executive committee of international law firm White & Case; and Michael, long-time partner of Jack Kenny, creator of the short-lived NBC series The Book of Daniel. The Goodell family was the inspiration for the Webster family on the show.
Don’t like what the NFL is doing? Tell them.
Get the story here:
http://msn.foxsports.com/nfl/story/6436876
and here
http://www.floridabaptistwitness.com/6959.article
According to my understanding, here’s the criteria:
1) Does your church plan to show the Superbowl (or any NFL game) on a TV screen, or a projected image, larger than 55 inches?
2) Any time during the program (during commercials, half-time, etc) will your church divert the attention of the attendees away from the televised program to a message of your own?
3) Will your church show the game on more than one source? (i.e. a TV and a Bigscreen)
4) Will your church be taking an offering or a collection of any kind at the event?
If your church party answers yes to any of the above questions then your church will be violating the NFL copyright law.
Here’s the exception:
Are you a sports bar?
If you are a bar or a tavern you have no restrictions like a church. You may charge for people entering your establishment (cover charge), someone may carry on a conversation about other things and divert your attention away from the game, they may present the game on more than one source, and they may have viewing sources larger than 55 inches.
If you want to do something about that here’s the contact information for the NFL commissioner:
Roger Goodell
Commissioner
National Football League Inc.
280 Park Ave.
New York, NY 10017
NY Tel. 212-450-2000
Fax 212-681-7599 or 212-681-7573
Here’s a little about the Commissioner:
This is from
http://www.answers.com/topic/roger-goodell
Roger Goodell was born on February 19 1959. He became the Commissioner of the National Football League on August 8, 2006. He began his tenure on September 1, 2006. Goodell was born in Jamestown, New York and is the son of former New York Senator Charles Goodell. The Goodell family moved to Bronxville, New York, in 1971, where Roger graduated from high school. Goodell is a 1981 graduate of Washington & Jefferson College in Washington, Pennsylvania with a degree in economics.
Goodell is married to Fox News Channel anchor Jane Skinner and they have twin daughters. He has four brothers, among them are Tim, a member of the worldwide executive committee of international law firm White & Case; and Michael, long-time partner of Jack Kenny, creator of the short-lived NBC series The Book of Daniel. The Goodell family was the inspiration for the Webster family on the show.
Don’t like what the NFL is doing? Tell them.
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