Daily Devotional – Day 13 “Fasting For a Problem” Read: Ezra 8:21-23 Fasting and prayer in Scripture occurred for several reasons. Jesus fasted for preparation in His ministry. Ezra fasted because he was facing a problem and needed God’s help. In 538 B.C., the Persians overthrew the Babylonians and the […]
Estimated reading time: 4 minutes
Daily Devotional – Day 11 “Esther’s Fast” Read: Esther 4:12-16 King Ahasuerus of Persia had been convinced by Haman, his second-in-command, to kill all the Jews because the Jew Mordecai would not bow down to him. Esther, a Jew, had been chosen as a queen of this kingdom and was […]
Estimated reading time: 5 minutes
Daily Devotional – Day 10 “The Fast God Chooses” Read: Isaiah 58:1-12 “Is not this the fast that I choose: to loose the bonds of wickedness, to undo the straps of the yoke, to let the oppressed go free, and to break every yoke?” -Isaiah 58:6 Fasting helps us express […]
Estimated reading time: 6 minutes
Daily Devotional – Day 8 “Jesus’ Test” Read: Matthew 4:1-11 Before He began His ministry, Jesus fasted forty days and nights. Who wouldn’t be starving and physically weak after a forty day fast? After all, Jesus was fully human while He was fully God (John 1:14; Colossians 2:9). Why did […]
Estimated reading time: 7 minutes
Daily Devotional – Day 7 “Bow Your Head and Close Your Eyes” Read: John 17:1, Mark 6:41; 7:34; Matthew 26:39; Luke 18:9-14 Does bowing your head and close your eyes make your prayer time more effective? Can you connect with God better that way? Does the Bible command us to […]
Estimated reading time: 5 minutes
Daily Devotional – Day 6 “When You Fast” Read: Matthew 6:16-18 “Whenever you fast, do not put on a gloomy face as the hypocrites do, for they neglect their appearance so that they will be noticed by men when they are fasting. Truly I say to you, they have their […]
Estimated reading time: 4 minutes
Daily Devotional – Day 5 “This Is How You Should Pray” Read: Matthew 6:9-13 Directions are a good thing. Every Christmas and birthday for my kids I eventually resort to the directions for assembling gifts. Notice I said “eventually resort to”. There’s something in me that wants to try it […]
Estimated reading time: 5 minutes
21 Days of Prayer and Fasting Daily Devotional – Day 1, January 6, 2013 “Jesus Fasted Too” Read: Matthew 4:1-11 As we begin 21 Days of Fasting and Prayer at Family Church I want you to keep something in mind: Jesus fasted too. Not only does Jesus want us to […]
Estimated reading time: 3 minutes