  
Christian Leadership Ministries Monday Ministry
Minutes
Monday Ministry Minute #26
Calling Our Nation to Fast and Pray
In nine days the Lenten season begins. Lent (the forty days prior to
Easter excluding Sundays) is celebrated by different denominations in
very different ways. Some denominations place a great importance on
this period, and others hardly even mention it.
This year, the Millennium year, many Christians are realizing the
need to ask God for His blessings during this time. Churches and
Christian organizations are calling for a period of fasting and
prayer for our nation and world evangelization during Lent. Could it
be that God would call some of us to fast and pray? For our world?
For our nation? For our universities?
When you mention the topic of fasting, some become very uneasy.
"What, do without food? You must be crazy." But there are many
benefits to giving up one of God's blessings so that we can
concentrate on our greatest blessing - our relationship with Him.
Although fasting usually means abstaining from food, that is not the
only way to fast. A good friend fasted recently from "sports" because
he saw it as something that was distracting him from God. Another
friend of ours "fasted" from television for 40 days and she said it
was the hardest and best thing she ever did.
Have you ever wondered about the benefits of fasting? How long should
you fast? How do you prepare for a fast? What are the physical
results? How do you end a fast?
These questions and many more are answered in the very helpful
website called "Your Personal Guide to Fasting and Prayer." Check it
out at: www.ccci.org/howtofast/. Maybe this Lenten season would
be a time God would ask you to set aside a special time to fast and
pray.
Scripture: Joel 1:14 - "Declare a holy fast; call a sacred assembly.
Summon the elders and all who live in the land to the house of the
Lord your God, and cry out to the Lord."
Action Point: Pray about this season of Lent and how you might devote
yourself to praying for your students, colleagues, pastor, leaders
and a world in need of a Savior.
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Updated: 13 July 2002
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