Scriptures: Jeremiah 1:4-14, 17-19

Introduction
We are skillful at the art of making excuses, aren't we? "I don't know how." "I
didn't understand." "I couldn't find the right tools." "The voices told me to clean
all the guns today." "I threw out my back bowling." "I have a Doctor's
appointment." "There's been a death in the family." "The hazmat crew is here
and won't let me out of the house." "I have a relative coming in from Hawaii and
I need to pick them up at the airport." And, my all time favorite: "When I got up
this morning I accidentally took two Ex-Lax in addition to my Prozac. I can't get
off the john, but I feel good about it."

In the Christian world, we can find all sorts of excuses not to obey God's voice:
"It's the preacher's job." "It's not my gift." "I've already served, let someone else
do it." "I'm too busy or too tired or too old or too young."

It has been said, "Excuses are tools of the incompetent, and those who
specialize in them seldom go far." Ben Franklin wrote, "He that is good for
making excuses is seldom good for anything else." Gabriel Meurier stated, "He
who excuses himself, accuses himself."

Jeremiah had every excuse ready when God called him to be a prophet. His
excuses are often our excuses for not heeding God's voice when he calls.
Countering each excuse was a promise from God.

I. The excuse: The task is demanding

Jeremiah was called to be "a prophet to the nations" (Jer. 1:5), not a priest like
his father and his grandfather. A prophet was a chosen and authorized
spokesman for God who declared God's Word to the people. We often think of
prophets as people who can tell the future. But a prophet spoke messages to
the present that had future ramifications. They were forthtellers more than they
were foretellers, exposing the people's sins and calling them back to their
covenant responsibilities before God.

Being a prophet was more demanding than serving as a priest. The priests'
duties were predictable. Everything was written down in the law. The prophet
never knew from one day to the next what the Lord would call him to say or to
do. The priest worked primarily to preserve the past. The prophet labored to
change the present so the nation would have a future. Priests dealt with
externals - rituals, sacrifices, offerings, services - whereas the prophet tried to
reach and change hearts. Priests ministered primarily to individuals with various
needs. Prophets, on the other hand, addressed whole nations, and usually the
people they addressed didn't want to hear the message. Priests belonged to a
special tribe and therefore had authority and respect, but a prophet could come
from any tribe and had to prove his divine call. Priests were supported from the
sacrifices and offerings of the people, but prophets had no guaranteed income.

Jesus, too, was called to be a prophet. He traveled from place to place

challenging the people to change so that their future in heaven would be
guaranteed. Jesus spoke to the hearts of people. Most did not accept his
message of repentance, for they did not want to change.

The promise

God may assign you a demanding task, but his call keeps us going when we
don't want to go and are ready to quit. We have the promise of God's purpose.
"I chose you before I formed you in the womb; I set you apart before you were
born'" (Jer. 1:5). The verb know has much more meaning than simply being
aware of. It carries the idea of recognition of the worth and purpose of him who
is known. God knew Jeremiah, chose Jeremiah, and appointed Jeremiah. He was
known by name, hand-picked by God, and commissioned to serve. Those acts
give one a great sense of purpose. The promise of God's purpose allows us to
let go of our own plans and to receive God's plan without fear. Like Jeremiah
and Jesus, we need to accept that our future is not our own. We are God's. He
has a distinct plan and purpose for our lives.

II. The excuse: My talent is inadequate

"But I protested, ‘Oh no, Lord, GOD! Look, I don't know how to speak since I am
only a youth'" (Jer. 1:6). Jeremiah felt inadequate as a public speaker. By the
way, this excuse was shared by Moses (Ex. 4:10).

When they heard the news that I was called to preach, most people in my
hometown thought the news bearer had made a mistake. "Surely, you don't
mean Ricky is called to preach. You must mean his twin brother Micky. Ricky is
too quiet." When God's call came I felt honored but extremely inadequate. My
lack of talent was obvious. My quiet, shy nature was a detriment.

I felt a lot like, Calvin Miller, pastor and author. He wrote about his call:

"I was so inferior, even the neighbors noted it and pointed it out to my mother
as I grew up. In my late teens, one of my sisters felt led of God to help me get
in touch with myself by telling me that in her opinion, which was as inerrant as
the King James Bible, that if God called me to do anything he must have had a
wrong number. When I told my preacher I was called to preach, he didn't
necessarily feel that God had a wrong number, but he was concerned that I
might have had a poor connection."
God has a way to overcome weakness and our insufficiencies, doesn't he? I have
learned over the years, however, that the person most aware of his own
inadequacy is usually the person most dependent on God's all-sufficiency. My
inadequacy has caused me to rely upon God. His strength is made perfect in my
weakness. His glory is manifested through my flaws.

The promise

Our talent may appear inadequate, but God always equips those he calls. We
have the promise of God's provision. "Then the LORD reached out His hand,
touched my mouth, and told me: I have now filled your mouth with My words"
(Jer. 1:9). The touch was not so much to purify as it was to inspire and
empower. It was symbolic of the gift of prophecy bestowed on Jeremiah.

Jesus experienced this touch in a visible, yet profound way. Following his
baptism, immediately coming out of the water, the heavens opened and the
Spirit of God descended on him like a dove. And God spoke, "This is My beloved
Son. I take delight in Him" (Matt. 3:17).

God blesses not the silver-tongued orator, but the one whose tongue has been
touched with coals from the altar. God uses not the most gifted and talented
person, but the one touched by the hand of God. God uses the most unlikely
persons to shake a church or a community or a nation. Never underestimate the
power of the touch; especially when God does the touching.

III. The excuse: The time is not right

Jeremiah said to God, "I am only a youth" (Jer. 1:6). The word youth -
unfortunately rendered child in some versions of the Bible - ordinarily denotes a
young, unmarried man in his teens or early twenties. Most scholars think that
Jeremiah was around 20 to 25 at the time of his call. His reply is not so much
revealing his age as much as a deep sense of immaturity. He felt inferior,
inexperienced, and intimidated by the size of the task to which God was
summoning him.

The promise

God's call may come at an inopportune time, but he never sends forth his
servant alone. We have the promise of God's presence. "Then the LORD said to
me: Do not say, ‘I am only a youth,' for you will go to everyone I send you to
and speak whatever I tell you. Do not be afraid of anyone, for I will be with you
to deliver you. This is the LORD's declaration" (Jer. 1:7-8).

Please note the condition to this promise. Before Jeremiah could experience
God's presence, he had to go where God sent him, speak what God told him,
and reject fear. Someone once said that when God calls us to a task, he does
not give us a road map to follow and then leave us to our resources. God walks
with us. His presence gives us the strength to stand in the face of every assault.

Jesus felt that same Presence. He and the Father were one. He could go on
because God walked with him.

What a difference it makes knowing that when we are being sent, someone is
going with us. We know we do not have to walk the lonesome road alone, that
we have a traveling companion.

IV. The excuse: The teaching is dangerous

The Lord did not give Jeremiah a joyful message of deliverance to announce,
but a tragic message of judgment. Consequently, Jeremiah would be
misunderstood, persecuted, arrested, and imprisoned. More than once his life
was threatened. The people did not want to hear the truth. Jeremiah told them
plainly they were defying the Lord, disobeying the law, and destined for
judgment.

God used the image of a boiling pot to communicate his coming wrath. "Again
the word of the LORD came to me inquiring, ‘What do you see?' And I replied, ‘I
see a boiling pot, its lip tilted from the north to the south'" (Jer. 1:13). Jewish
homes would have a fairly large, wide-mouth washing or cooking pot. The
unusual thing about the pot Jeremiah saw was that it was not level. It was titled
away from the north. The pot could at any moment spew its boiling contents
toward the south, scalding the people of Judah. The pot represented the nation
of Babylon that would invade and conquer Israel. The reason for the judgment
was Israel's idolatry and rebellion against the God's righteous will.

Jesus' teaching contained mercy and judgment, grace and punishment. Jesus'
teachings were dangerous, too. In fact, it was his teaching that cost him his life.

The promise

What God says through us may be dangerous, but God gives us the strength to
endure. We have the promise of God's prevailing. "Today, I am the One who has
made you a fortified city, an iron pillar, and bronze walls against the whole land
- against the kings of Judah, its officials, its priests, and the population. They
will fight against you but never prevail over you, since I am with you to rescue
you" (Jer. 1:18-19).

Notice the architectural terms: a fortified city, an iron pillar, and bronze walls.
They are solid and unshakeable like the God who conceived them, and the
prophet whom they would come to characterize. God reassured Jeremiah:
Attack you they will; overcome you they can't.

The person who stands with God will prevail. Someone once said: "One with
God is a majority." Alone we are helpless. With God we prevail.

In the days of the Roman Empire, the great Coliseum of Rome was filled to
capacity with spectators, coming for the state games, watching human beings
battle against wild beasts or against one another until one or both died. The
crowd found its greatest delight in the death of a human being. When Honorius
was emperor of Rome, in A.D. 404, as the vast crowd watched the contest, a
Syrian monk by the name of Telemachus leaped onto the Coliseum floor. So
torn by the utter disregard for the value of human life, he cried out, "In the
name of God, this thing is not right! In the name of God, this thing must stop."

The spectators became enraged at this courageous man. They mocked him and
threw objects at him. Caught up in the excitement, the gladiators attacked him,
and a sword pierced him. The gentle monk fell to the ground dead.

The entire Coliseum fell silent. For the first time the people with the insatiable
blood-thirst recognized the horror of what they had called entertainment.
Telemachus kindled a flame in the hearts and consciences of thinking persons.
History records that, because of his courageous act, within a few months the
gladiatorial combats began to decline, and very shortly passed from the scene.
Why? Because one man dared to speak out for what he believed was right. His
message was dangerous, for it challenged the pleasures and enjoyments of the
people. Though Telemachus died, his message prevailed.

V. The excuse: Do I have to go now?

God was expecting immediate action from Jeremiah. God said, "Now, get ready.
Stand up and tell them everything that I command you" (Jer. 1:17). In Jeremiah's
day the men had to tie their loose robes together with a belt in order to run or
to work. Jeremiah was in for a struggle. He had a fight on his hands. So the
phrase "dress yourself for work" or "gird up your loins" was a metaphor that
meant "Get ready for action!" Today we would say, "Roll up your sleeves!"

God called Jeremiah to act. He was called to move out among people. He was
called to deliver an offensive message. He would not be welcomed, nor would
he be accepted. He would anger his hearers.

The promise

God expects obedience, immediately, if we don't, we are in danger of God's

wrath. We have the promise of God's power. "Do not be intimidated by them or I
will cause you to cower before them" (Jer. 1:17). Immediate obedience is the
only appropriate response when God calls.

Jesus obeyed. Whatever you think of Jesus, remember this, his heart was a
willing and obedient heart. He always did what his Father directed. There was
no hesitation, no questioning, no circumventing. Only immediate action.

Has God called you? Then he will fulfill his purpose in you, he will equip you, he
will enable you, he will protect you, he will accompany you. Are you obeying his
commands? Then he is with you to protect you. Are you sharing the word? Then
he will accomplish his purposes no matter how the people respond.

he Value of Youth to the Cause of God

By Wayne Jackson


Which is the most difficult era of human life? Infancy? Adolescence? Mature
adulthood? Agedness? It probably depends upon where you are as to how you
might answer that query.

While many might suggest that one’s sunset years are the hardest, my own
judgment would be that the period designated as youth might be the most
challenging.

Youth is a frustrating time in life. It is that period when one is hardly old
enough to be on his own, and yet he is feeling a sense of independence. Youth
ever are attempting to find some sense of identity; that is why they sometimes
act and dress so weird. They are bizarre!

But then, so were we.

The Scriptures represent youth as a time both of danger and challenge. Moses
said that “the imagination of man’s heart is evil from his youth” (Gen. 8:21),
and Paul admonished Timothy to “flee youthful lusts” (2 Tim. 2:22).

By way of contrast, though, the Creator also recognizes the value of youth to the
divine cause. Youngsters have energy, they are daring, their hearts are filled
with visions of the future. Indeed, they can be a most valuable component in
the service of Jehovah.

Solomon, who wasted much of his life in folly, perhaps thought better of the
matter in his declining days. He contended:

“Remember now your Creator in the days of your youth, before the evil days
come and the years draw near when you will say, I have no pleasure in them”
(Eccl. 12:1).

Again, Paul would say to Timothy:

“Let no man despise your youth; but you be an example to them that believe, in
word, in manner of life, in love, in faith, in purity” (1 Tim. 4:12).

It strikes me that whereas our youth can be quite impetuous and sometimes a bit
silly, they are, nonetheless, a wonderful resource in the kingdom of heaven.

The fact is, the Bible is replete with examples of how God has used younger
people in some of the most vital roles in the unfolding of his marvelous plan of
redemption.

Let’s reflect upon some striking examples that demonstrate God’s confidence in
youth.

Joseph
Joseph is truly one of the sterling characters of the Old Testament era. He was a
favorite of his father, which incited the passionate envy of his brothers (cf. Acts
7:9). Accordingly, these hateful siblings sold Joseph to a caravan of Ishmaelites
who transported him down to Egypt, where the younger brother was bought by
an Egyptian officer named Potiphar.

As most everyone knows, during the course of his duties, Potiphar’s evil wife
cast longing eyes toward Joseph. She attempted to seduce him, but he, with firm
resolve, resisted, insisting: “How can I do this great wickedness and sin against
God?” (Gen. 39:9).

One of the stunning features of the account is the fact that Jospeh was only
seventeen years of age (Gen. 37:2)! A young lad, in a strange land, separated
from his people and his center of religious strength — yet faithful to his God.
How thrilling!

As the story subsequently unfolds, we learn that Joseph was being used by
Jehovah as a providential instrument for the preservation of the Hebrew nation.
Joseph would later recognize: “God did send me [here] to preserve life” (Gen.
45:5).

Again, at the end of his life, to his brothers he said: “You meant evil against me;
but God meant it for good ... to save many lives” (50:20).

All of this was done, of course, in view the Lord’s use of the Hebrew nation as
an instrument in the divine plan which resulted in the incarnation of Christ.
Think about it. God trusted a teenager to accomplish such a vital role.

Miriam
As the Hebrew people multiplied in the land of Egypt, they were perceived as a
threat to the stability of that nation. Hence the order was given that Israelite
male babies were to be thrown into the Nile. When Moses was born, his parents
hid him for three months; then, they placed him in a small vessel fashioned from
the papyrus plant, which they deposited by the river’s edge, committing their
precious baby to the care of Jehovah.

In the meantime, Moses’ older sister, who is estimated to be about ten or twelve
at this time (McClintock, Vol. IV, 330), was posted some distance away,
keeping watch. Finally Miriam obtained Jochebed, Moses’ own mother, as a
nurse for the child. Oh, the ways of providence!
Here is my point. The entire future of the Hebrew nation — the instrument to be
employed for the conveyance of the Savior — was entrusted to a young girl.

Does this say something about how God values youth? Assuredly it does.

David
The story of David, who became Israel’s king, is too well-known to need
elaboration. Who among us, both as child and adult, has not thrilled to the
narrative of David’s encounter with the devilish Goliath?

What a breathtaking episode — the soldiers of Israel on one side of the valley of
Elah, the defiant Philistine champion on the other. Morning and evening for
forty days, Goliath had challenged Israel to combat, but they were frozen in fear
(1 Sam. 17:10-16).

When David arrived on the scene he was chagrined at the timidity of his
Hebrew kinsmen and volunteered to take on the infidel. But he was disdained as
a mere “youth” — initially by king Saul himself, and then by Goliath (1 Sam.
17:33,42). Never mind; God was with this “youth,” who may have been about
twenty-two or so at the time (Clarke, 264). Goliath was slain and the Philistine
force was routed. Edersheim called this victory “the turning point in the history
of the theocracy” (89).

Again, the Lord invested in youth, and the cause of truth triumphed.

Josiah
The noblest king to reign in the territory of Judah was Josiah. Scripture says
there was no ruler of his caliber, neither before nor after him, who sought the
Lord with “all his heart” as did he (2 Kgs. 23:25).

Josiah was but a boy of eight when he came to the throne. At the age of sixteen,
he began to “seek” Jehovah, and by the time he turned twenty, he initiated a
campaign to purge the southern kingdom of its idolatry (2 Chron. 34:1-3).

When Josiah was twenty-six, he arranged for repairs on the temple. It was at this
time that a tremendously significant event occurred. A copy of “the law of
Jehovah given by Moses” was discovered in the temple (2 Chron. 34:14). When
the religious and moral message of the sacred document was studied, and the
spiritual fabric of the nation was seen to stand in such glaring contrast, a
reformation was proclaimed.

One of Josiah’s important accomplishments was the restoration of the Passover,

which had not been observed with care since the days of the judges (2 Kgs.
23:21-23). Since the Passover was designed to preview the death of Jesus (cf. 1
Cor. 5:7), Josiah was an important element in preparing the nation for the
Savior’s arrival. What confidence Jehovah had placed in a spiritual lad.

Jeremiah
Jeremiah, the great “weeping prophet,” is one of the more remarkable characters
of the Old Testament. He sought so desperately to bring rebellious Judah back
into conformity with the law of God. He began his ministry in the thirteenth
year of Josiah (626 B.C.) and concluded his work among his people when the
Babylonian force destroyed the temple in 586 B.C. But he prophesied
periodically even after the fall of the holy city.

It is possible that his preaching career spanned some sixty years or more (see
Jackson, 7). This suggests that Jeremiah was probably in his late teens when he
was called of the Lord to be his prophet to the wicked nation. God can use a
youth of faith!

Mary
One can only imagine how sweet the beloved Mary of Nazareth must have been,
as evidenced by the fact that of all women in Israel, she was chosen to be the
mother of our Lord.

Something of her spiritual depth is seen in the psalm she uttered when greeted
by Elizabeth, while visiting her kinsman in the hill country of Judah. The song
is often called the “Magnifcat” (from the first word of the passage in the Latin
Vulgate). The passage begins: “My soul magnifies [present—continuously] the
Lord, and my spirit hath rejoiced in God my Savior” (Lk. 1:46).

In one of his books, Harry Rimmer noted that this little song, of ten verses in the
English Bible, draws from twenty-three separate passages in the Old Testament
(118). What a commentary on how her precious mind was filled with the word
of God!

Here is a fact that makes this even more astounding. In the Jewish culture, a girl
was normally married by the age of twelve or thirteen. Prior to thirteen, a
maiden might be betrothed to a man by her parents; at thirteen, she was of the
legal age to make her own choice (M’Clintock, Vol. V, 774-75).

It is entirely possible, therefore, that when Mary gave birth to the Savior of the
world that she was in her early teens. Does this not speak volumes about how
God trusts spiritually minded youth?

Timothy
There was no companion closer to the great apostle Paul than his young friend
Timothy. When the apostle wrote to the church in Philippi, the congregation for
whom he had the greatest affection, he pledged to send Timothy to assist them.
He paid the lad the highest compliment when he told the Philippian saints that “I
have no man like-minded, who will care truly for Your state” (Phil. 2:20).

From time to time, during Paul’s missionary endeavors, Timothy was at his
side. And during those dark hours as God’s apostle awaited execution, he
longed for the friendship of Timothy. In his final epistle, Paul urged: “Give
diligence to come to me shortly” (2 Tim. 4:9). What a compliment to this young
Christian.

Apparently Paul converted Timothy on his first missionary campaign when in

Lystra (Acts 14:8ff; cf. 1 Cor 4:17; 1 Tim. 1:2). When the apostle passed
through the region a second time (16:1ff), he selected Timothy to accompany
him. Since Timothy was still regarded as a “youth” when Paul wrote his first
letter to him (1 Tim. 4:12), which was some fourteen years after the lad joined
the apostle on that preaching tour, it is believed that he was eighteen to twenty
when he started working with Paul.

Recognize the Potential

A consideration of these cases, and others that might be noted (cf. 2 Kgs. 5:2),
clearly show that youngsters, properly trained, are capable of courageous faith
and considerable usefulness in heaven’s cause.
 Perhaps we do not realize how we might influence youngsters to serve the Lord.
Do we not overlook their potential all too often? Think about these cases.

In 1868 the popular preacher, T. B. Larimore, came to Rock Creek, Alabama to

conduct a gospel meeting. Larimore later told of an encounter he had with a
twelve-year-old boy.

“A little black eyed boy had taken his stand a few feet from the narrow path
leading to the door of the meeting house, and was standing there barefooted,
hands in pockets, eyes and mouth open, to get a glimpse of the big preacher he
had ‘hearn tell of.’ The preacher turned aside to speak to the little fellow, and to
take him by the hand, and thus began a friendship that nothing but death could
destroy” (Srygley, 29).

That boy was F. D. Srygley, who grew up to become a respected preacher and
writer, who wrote several books about Larimore.

Hugo MeCord tells of the influence of one such boy, who, some years ago was
attending a gospel tent meeting in Ireland. In the audience he was seated next to
Bill Tyner. During the course of the service, Tyner leaned over and asked the
lad: “What does Jesus mean to you?” The boy quickly replied: “Why, he’s my
everything. What does he mean to you?” Later Tyner, having been deeply
moved by the incident, wrote the beautiful hymn, “He Is My Everything.”

Conclusion
Youth can accomplish magnificent things for the Master’s cause. But do we
always recognize this? Are our young people merely ignored as empty-headed,
silly people who are unworthy of serious responsibility?

Sadly, this may be the case sometimes. But we should not overlook this
valuable resource in the Master’s cause. We must be on the lookout for them
and encourage them along the way. God can use them mightily.

Give It Up: A Youth Study on Fasting

 CYMCrossroads Youth Ministries
 200127 Oct
 COMMENTS0
 Rush Hour: Bible Study

Topic: Give It Up: A Study on Fasting

Monthly Theme: It's Time to Give It Up

Run Time: 1 Hour

Some Points To Consider When Doing a Rush Hour

 This event is a time of serious, solid Bible study

 Have fun with the students, but have fun with them while studying God’s
Word.
 Use different style of teaching to grab the attention of different student’s
learning styles. Use visuals, discussion, hands-on/craft/art, drama, and
writing. This will allow a broader range of learning for your students.
 If you’re meeting in a home or carpeted room, have everyone sit on the
floor. Keeping all the students on the same level as you, the leader, will
encourage participation.
 Don’t be afraid to let the discussion go in directions you didn’t plan for.
Students need to ask questions, and the more they feel you will allow them
this, the more open they will become. You know the students that try to get
you off the subject, so redirect them as needed.
 When you ask questions, don’t be afraid of silence. Silence doesn’t always
mean they are not paying attention. Sometimes it just means they are
thinking and processing their answers. If you feel they are just not
responding, call on specific students to answer. Many of your students are
just waiting for you to call on them. REMEMBER: They are in a school
environment where discussions don’t typically take place. You will need to
help them know that it is OK to talk.

Weekly Activity View

CHALLENGE

To challenge students with what it means to give up something they "can’t

live without" in order to discover that what they really can’t live without is a
personal relationship with Jesus Christ, and that He is worth any sacrifice
imaginable.

INTRODUCTION

Being a youth leader in a society where students have nearly everything

they want is very difficult. The abundance of products, goods, services, food
and even entertainment tends to leave kids without much need for anything
more. The greatest problem with kids who are constantly “full” of the worlds’
riches is that they do not understand what it means to hunger and thirst
after righteousness. The same is generally true for the society as a whole.

In this month’s Rush Hour, you’ll help students recognize that their greatest
 need is to feed on the things of God. In order to gain more they must give
more and that requires sacrifice and possibly even a little suffering.

(NOTE: In light of the recent events in New York and the Pentagon, students
will be sensitive to this issue of suffering. Challenging them to re-evaluate
their “needs” versus their “wants” will be a welcome discussion among them.
Do not underestimate the students desire to “give up” possessions, time,
and food to help those in need. Although we are encouraging you to lead
your students in the 30-hour famine, you may want to use current events
within the event itself to lead your students to a better understanding of
what it means to “starve” for the cause of others ... and that of Christ.)

PRE-EVENT IDEAS

 Take time to fill your meeting place with symbols or items that represent
abundance. Display those items on a table in the room. You might consider
having a television, laptop computer, car keys, CD’s, cellular phone, video
games, Palm Pilot, expensive tennis shoes, etc. On the same table make sure
you have lots of food items as well. You might even want to consider making
some popcorn, so that when students arrive, the aroma is overwhelming. A
few two-liters of pop would make a nice touch as well. IMPORTANT: don’t let
anyone eat the food items!
 Arrange many distractions for the evening. You might enlist the help of one
of your students and ask them to interrupt you often during the lesson, have
someone call a cellular phone in the room a couple times during the lesson,
ask an adult or two to show up or walk in periodically throughout the first
half of the meeting time. Don’t arrange distractions during the second half of
your time.

PUBLICITY IDEAS

Use the provided flyers (available on the free CD on CYM's Website) to

promote this special Bible study time.
DISCUSSION STARTER

After a sufficient time of hanging out time and conversation, gather your
students together. If they have not noticed the display of items on the table,
give them a chance to get up and take a look at what you have collected for
the evening.

Say: The stuff on the table represents the abundance and wealth we have in
this world. What other items can you think of that could be represented but
aren’t there? (You might want to have a piece of poster board or dry erase
board available to list things the students come up with.) Now, think hard
and tell me what item you wouldn’t want to or simply can’t live without.
(Allow ample time for discussion. Challenge the students with the questions
of ‘why not’ and ‘how would life be different’ if those things were removed
from you.

Tonight, we’re going to look at Jesus’ words on fasting. Can anyone tell us
what he or she thinks fasting is? (After kids share their thoughts, give them
the following definition:

fast (f st)
intr.v. fast·ed, fast·ing, fasts
1. To abstain from food.
2. To eat very little or abstain from certain foods, especially as a religious
discipline.
n.
1. The act or practice of abstaining from or eating very little food.
2. A period of such abstention or self-denial.

LESSON OUTLINE

1. Have your students open their Bibles to Matthew 6. Explain to them that
in the first 18 verses Jesus talks about three specific topics. Can they figure
out what the three are?
 Giving
 Praying
 Fasting

Jesus talks about these three items by using the word “when”—when you
give, when you pray, and when you fast.

Ask: Do Jesus words sound like these disciplines are optional or expected?

Jesus obviously expected that His disciples follow these practices. They were
part of the Jewish culture and faith. We can learn a lot from all three, but
let’s camp on fasting. Tonight, we’re going to look beyond just giving up
food to giving up all items that take away our hunger for God or items that
distract us from focusing on the things of God.

Ask the students to comment on the number and kinds of distractions

viewed tonight. How did they feel about having to put up with all those
distractions? Explain.

As a group, have the students open their Bibles to Luke 4.

Say: We’re going to read the first part of the story of Jesus’ temptation in
the wilderness by the Devil.

After reading Luke 4:1-4 ask: What do you think Jesus meant by "Man shall
not live by bread alone."

As a group, read Deuteronomy 8:3. Have students explain what they believe
God means by "but man lives by everything that proceeds out of the mouth
of the Lord." Give lots of time for discussion!

CLOSING CHALLENGE
 While fasting means to abstain from the consumption of food, tonight I want
to challenge you with the idea that many of the things we consume can be
significant distractions to us. They take our time, energy and passion. They
certainly distract our attention from the things of God.

At the beginning of the night, you told us about the items on the table you
“can’t live without.” After reading Jesus words in Luke and the passage in
Deuteronomy, I hope you understand that what you really can’t live without
are the things of God. His is the One who gives life, brings life, sustains life,
and makes life worth living.

During this week, I challenge you to think about that item or items you
didn’t want to live without at the beginning of the lesson and fast from it.
Take the time you would have used to practice or consume it and use that
time to "feed" on the things of God: His Word.

EXTRA IDEAS

In preparation for the 30-Hour Famine, you might want to show a video clip
from World Vision of children in poverty stricken parts of the world. These
young people will certainly show your students what it means to go without
and challenge their hearts about what they really "can’t live without." It
would be a great way to end your meeting.

You could also use footage from the news about the devastation in New Your
and the Pentagon, or simply cut photos from the paper that show needs
within the devastation.

ANNOUNCEMENTS

 Use this time to make any announcements about upcoming events and
ministry projects in your church this month.
 Make sure you tell them about next week’s Under Construction project!

Copyright © 2001 CYM Road Tips. All rights reserved.

CYM Road Tips is a weekly e-mail newsletter to encourage, equip and

empower youth workers as we serve together to reach this generation for
Christ. Subscribe to Road Tips ([email protected]), by typing
"subscribe" in the subject line and your first and last name in the text.

Return to main page for CROSSROADS Youth Ministries on Crosswalk.com.

CROSSROADS Youth Ministries, Inc. is a not-for-profit international ministry

organization whose unique calling is provide emotional support, spiritual
mentoring, and strategic assistance to youth leaders so they may achieve
greater success in their local ministry of reaching students with the Gospel of
Jesus Christ.

The materials, logos and ministry model contained in this edition of the
ATLAS™ are copyrighted by CROSSROADS Youth Ministries, Inc. Permission
to copy this publication is granted for local church use only. Additional
permissions can be obtained by contacting the CROSSROADS Youth
Ministries.

 . The Hidden Power Of Prayer And Fasting Series

Contributed by Don Jaques on Nov 22, 2005

based on 100 ratings

(rate this sermon)
| 145,200 views
Scripture: Matthew 6:16-18, Acts 14:21-28
Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Summary: All believers can multiply their effectiveness in prayer by utilizing the discipline
of fasting.

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 Next

BIG IDEA:

All believers can multiply their effectiveness in prayer by utilizing the discipline of
fasting.

Key scripture: Matthew 6:16-18

Why should we fast?

1. We fast in obedience to Jesus’ teaching. (Matt. 6:16-18)

2. We fast to demonstrate our dependence upon God. (James 4:10, 1Cor 9:24-27)

3. We fast to demonstrate repentance from sin (and to intercede for others who
need to repent). (Jonah 3:5-10, Daniel 9, Nehemiah 1)
4. We fast to receive God’s wisdom and direction. (Acts 13:1-3, 14:21-23)

5. We fast to receive deliverance in times of crisis. (2Chronicles 20).

INTRO:

Having the right tool, and knowing when to use it, is critical to the success of a
building project.

Terry’s been building an addition onto our home. When he arrives, he brings with
him a van full of tools. He’s got an air compressor he can hook onto a nail gun
which makes putting in nails a snap. He’s got a table saw, a circular saw, a “saws
all”, a jigsaw. When he’s in the middle of his project, he knows from experience
which tool to pull out and how to use it.

On the other hand, I’ve got these two saws. Imagine I were to try and do the job
on my own with just these rusty, dull saws. It might be possible, but I’d waste a lot
of time and effort. It would be silly. But imagine how silly it would be for Terry, who
possesses all the right tools, to leave them in his truck and pick up my old rusty
dull saws and go to work. This would be ridiculous!

This is exactly what the majority of Christians do when it comes to their prayer life.
God has given each of us a powerful tool to use in order to increase our
effectiveness in prayer, our spiritual power, and our ability to know God’s will, but
most of the time we “leave it in the truck” and try to muddle through life on our
own. What is this tool? It is FASTING.

As we come to the end of our 40 days of prayer, I want to introduce you to the
practice of fasting, as it is taught in the Bible, and challenge you to begin using this
discipline to hop up your communication with God.

Why should we fast?

1. We fast in obedience to Jesus’ teaching. (Matt. 6:16-18)

In Matthew 6, Jesus gives some foundational teaching about some activities that he
assumes will be a part of the life of his followers.
Preach Better with PRO
Try It Free

Matt. 6:2 “So when you give to the needy…” Jesus then follows this with
instructions about how to give in the proper way. Assumption: If you’re a follower
of Christ, you will give to the needy. No problem, we know this.

Matt. 6:5 “And when you pray…” Jesus follows this with instructions about how to
pray in the proper way. Assumption: If you’re a follower of Christ, you will pray. No
problem, this is normal.

Just a few sentences later, however, Jesus mentions a third discipline of the
Christian life:

Matt. 6:16-18 (NIV) “When you fast, do not look somber as the hypocrites do, for
they disfigure their faces to show men they are fasting. I tell you the truth, they
have received their reward in full. But when you fast, put oil on your head and wash
your face, so that it will not be obvious to men that you are fasting, but only to
your Father, who is unseen; and your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will
reward you.

Assumption: If you’re a follower of Christ, you will fast. Wait a minute, isn’t that
something for “religious fanatics”? Isn’t that a bit “legalistic”? No. Fasting is for
everyone who follows Christ. It is a tool God has given us to increase our spiritual
power and help us communicate more intimately with God. And if we don’t make
use of it, we are not only going to be missing out on much of what God wants to do
in and through us, we will be disobeying Jesus clear instructions.
TRANS: So we fast, at the most basic level, because Jesus said so. But what good
does it really do? What’s the point? Let’s go on.

2. We fast to demonstrate our dependence upon God. (James 4:10, 1Cor 9:24-27)

James 4:10 Humble yourselves before the Lord, and he will lift you up.

There are many ways we can demonstrate our humility before God, but choosing to
go without food for the sake of spiritual things is one of the more practical ways.

When a person fasts, it will not be long before the tummy starts to say “feed me”.
That physical urge is a test when you’re fasting. Will you do what your flesh is
urging you to do, or will you rely upon God for his strength?

Four Rewards of Fasting

Posted on 08/06/17 by Brandon Lindell in Special Messages
Share:

In this message, Pastor Brandon Lindell shares an insightful sermon titled “Four
Rewards of Fasting.” Join us as we reflect on Daniel 10:1-4 and learn how God
moves powerfully in response to fasting. Our prayer is that this message would give
you faith to believe God for the impossible during our 21-Day Daniel Fast.
Sermon Downloads
Video Audio Podcast

Sermon Notes
Four Rewards of Fasting
Matthew 6:16a ESV
“And when you fast…”

Matthew 6:17a ESV

“But when you fast…”

Matthew 9:15 ESV

“The days will come when the bridegroom is taken away from them, and then they will
fast.”
Hebrews 11:6 NIV
And without faith it is impossible to please God, because anyone who comes to him
must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who earnestly seek him.

Hebrews 12:16 MSG

“Watch out for the Esau syndrome: trading away God’s lifelong gift in order to satisfy a
short-term appetite.”

1. Fasting Brings Breakthrough

Matthew 17:16-17 NLT

I brought him to your disciples, but they couldn’t heal him.” Jesus said, “You faithless
and corrupt people!”

Matthew 17:21 ESV

But this kind never comes out except by prayer and fasting.

2. Fasting Opens Doors of Opportunity

Nehemiah 1:4 ESV

As soon as I heard these words I sat down and wept and mourned for days, and I
continued fasting and praying before the God of heaven.

Nehemiah 1:11 ESV

O Lord, let your ear be attentive to the prayer of your servant, and to the prayer of your
servants who delight to fear your name, and give success to your servant today, and
grant him mercy in the sight of this man.” Now I was cupbearer to the king.

3. Fasting Brings New Seasons of Ministry

Luke 4:14a NIV

Jesus returned to Galilee in the power of the Spirit…

Acts 13:2 ESV

While they were worshiping the Lord and fasting, the Holy Spirit said, “Set apart for
me Barnabas and Saul for the work to which I have called them.”

4. Fasting Gives Us Spiritual Insight and Defeats the Enemy

Daniel 10:1-4a NIV

In the third year of Cyrus king of Persia, a revelation was given to Daniel (who was
called Belteshazzar). Its message was true and it concerned a great war. The
understanding of the message came to him in a vision. At that time I, Daniel, mourned
for three weeks. I ate no choice food; no meat or wine touched my lips; and I used
no lotions at all until the three weeks were over. On the twenty-fourth day of the first
month…
Daniel 10:4 NIV
On the twenty-fourth day of the first month, as I was standing on the bank of the great
river, the Tigris,

Daniel 10:10-11a NIV

A hand touched me and set me trembling on my hands and knees. He said, “Daniel,
you who are highly esteemed…

Daniel 10:11b-12 NIV

…consider carefully the words I am about to speak to you, and stand up, for I have now
been sent to you.” And when he said this to me, I stood up trembling. Then he
continued, “Do not be afraid, Daniel. Since the first day that you set your mind to gain
understanding and to humble yourself before your God, your words were heard, and I
have come in response to them.

Daniel 10:13-14 NIV

But the prince of the Persian kingdom resisted me twenty-one days. Then Michael, one
of the chief princes, came to help me, because I was detained there with the king of
Persia. Now I have come to explain to you what will happen to your people in the future,
for the vision concerns a time yet to come.”

"Fasting and prayer? Didn't those go out of style decades ago?" The woman
who said this to me was a godly woman, a woman who had been in the
church all her life, and a woman intent on obeying the Lord. She knew her
Bible. She was very serious in her questions.

Yet for some reason, she had concluded -- at least subconsciously -- that
fasting and prayer were no longer intended for believers in today's world.

The truth is, fasting and prayer are for today! In fact, now more than ever!

The combination of fasting and praying is not a fad or a novelty approach to

spiritual discipline. Fasting and praying are not part of a human-engineered
method or plan. They are not the means to manipulate a situation or to
create a circumstance. Fasting and praying are Bible-based disciplines that
are appropriate for all believers of all ages throughout all centuries in all parts
of the world.

Through the years, I have learned that many people in the church have
never been taught about fasting and prayer, and many have therefore never
fasted and prayed. As a result, they don't know why fasting and praying are
important, what the Bible teaches about fasting, or how to fast. To many,
fasting sounds like drudgery -- or a form of religious works. To others, fasting
sounds extremely difficult. People tend to stand in awe at reports of those
who have fasted for several weeks. When I hear about such fasts, I no doubt
think what they think: If I fasted that long, I'd die! I couldn't possibly do that!

Let me assure you at the outset of this book that I am not advocating
prolonged periods of fasting for every believer. A fast can be as short as one
meal. Neither do I advocate fasting and praying for the mere sake of saying
with self-righteousness, "I have fasted and prayed about this." I do not
advocate fasting so that the hungry in a foreign nation might have the food
you would have eaten that day -- which is highly unlikely. I do not advocate
fasting apart from prayer.

KEY REASONS TO FAST AND PRAY

I do, however, encourage every believer to fast and pray for two very
important reasons:

1. The Scriptures Teach Us to Fast and Pray

The Bible has a great deal to say about both fasting and praying, including
commands to fast and pray. The Bible also gives us examples of people who
fasted and prayed, using different types of fasts for different reasons, all of
which are very positive results. Jesus fasted and prayed. Jesus' disciples
fasted and prayed after the Resurrection. Many of the Old Testament heroes
and heroines of the faith fasted and prayed. The followers of John the Baptist
fasted and prayed.Many people in the early church fasted and prayed. What
the Scriptures have taught us directly and by the examples of the saints is
surely something we are to do.

2. Fasting and Prayer Put You into the Best Possible Position for a
Breakthrough

That breakthrough might be in the realm of the spirit. It may be in the realm
of your emotions or personal habits. It may be in the realm of a very practical
area of life, such as a relationship or finances. What I have seen repeatedly
through the years-not only in the Scriptures but in countless personal stories
that others have told me -- is that periods of fasting and prayer produce great
spiritual results, many of which fall into the realm of a breakthrough. What
wasn't a reality . . . suddenly was. What hadn't worked . . . suddenly did. The
unwanted situation or object that was there . . . suddenly wasn't there. The
relationship that was unloving . . . suddenly was loving. The job that hadn't
materialized . . . suddenly did.

The very simple and direct conclusions I draw are these: First, if the Bible
teaches us to do something, I want to do it. I want to obey the Lord in every
way that He commands me to obey Him. And second, if fasting and praying
are means to a breakthrough that God has for me, I want to undertake those
disciplines so I might experience that breakthrough!

Every person I know needs a breakthrough in some area of his or her life. I
am no exception. I need breakthroughs all the time -- it may be a
breakthrough in understanding a situation, a breakthrough answer to a
problem, a breakthrough idea, a breakthrough insight, a breakthrough in
financial or material provision, a breakthrough in health. If you have any need
in your life, you need a breakthrough from God to meet that need! Fasting
and prayer break the yoke of bondage and bring about a release of God's
presence, power, and provision.

I certainly have seen this borne out in the course of my ministry.

When I was forty-two years old, I went to an Assemblies of God camp in

Alexandria,Minnesota, to speak for a women's retreat. The first two days of
the retreat went very well, and then I had one day in between the first retreat
and the second -- so many women had registered, the camp could not host
all of the women at the same time. I took that day in this lovely place in
Minnesota to enjoy the lakes and trees -- it was a gorgeous environment --
and to fast and pray about God's will for my life. I felt as if I was doing a lot of
good things, but I also thought I might miss God's best for me. I longed to
hear from God and to receive a revelation from Him about my life.
In that day of fasting and prayer, God spoke to me words from Isaiah 11:9: "I
have called you to cover the earth with the Word." Through the years, the
Lord has confirmed that word to me a number of times, but this was my initial
call to take the message of God's Word to the whole earth, and it came as
the result of one day of prayer and fasting.

The breakthrough that you may need in your life is a sense of God's direction
-- not only for today and tomorrow, but for the broad scope of your life. If you
long to know God's purpose for you on this earth, I strongly encourage you to
seek God in prayer and fasting.

THE PRINCIPLES OF BIBLICAL FASTING

There are two main overriding principles related to prayer and fasting in the
Bible.

First, biblical fasting is going without food. The noun translated "fast" or "a
fasting" is tsom in the Hebrew and nesteia in the Greek language. It means
the voluntary abstinence from food. The literal Hebrew translation would be
"not to eat." The literal Greek means "no food."

I know people who say they go without television or movies, and they call
these "fasting" times. I'm not opposed to that definition of fasting-fasting does
imply that we are giving up one thing in order to replace it with something
else, and in the Bible sense, specifically to replace it with prayer. But in the
main, I believe fasting has to do with our abstaining from food. Second,
biblical fasting is linked with serious seasons of prayer. The more seriously
we approach prayer and fasting, the more serious the results we will
experience.

I sometimes hear people say, "I'm giving up chocolate" and they regard this
as a type of fasting. I think this is a rather frivolous approach. The first and
foremost purpose of a biblical or spiritual fast is to get a breakthrough on a
particular matter that one lifts up to the Lord in prayer. A spiritual fast
involves our hearts and the way in which we relate to and trust God. It relates
to discerning and receiving strength to follow through on what God might
reveal to us about circumstances in our lives or a direction we are to take.

I am not against people fasting in order to lose weight. Many people fast to
lose weight or maintain their weight.What I am opposed to is making the
losing of weight your primary goal in a season of spiritual fasting and prayer.
To have weight loss as a goal makes your fasting a diet plan, not a time of
genuine fasting and prayer. If losing weight is your purpose in fasting, you
will be missing out on the full reason for fasting, and you likely will be
concerned only with what you don't eat rather than with what you are led to
pray.

Now there's certainly an issue of food that is associated with many seasons
of prayer and fasting, and let me quickly add this: control of eating is a valid
reason to fast. The purpose is not the number of pounds you might lose
during a fast, but rather, trusting God to help you regain mastery over food
during a fast. Jesus said, "The spirit is . . . willing, but the flesh is weak"
(Matt. 26:41). Fasting is a means of bringing the flesh into submission to the
Lord so He can strengthen us in our mastery over our own selves. Fasting in
the flesh makes us stronger to stand against the temptations of the flesh.
Those temptations very often deal with food.

Abstaining from food is often God's way of showing that His desire for us is
that we regain mastery over all things associated with our flesh in order to
subdue our flesh and elevate our emphasis on spiritual matters. God's
promise is to help us as we overcome the flesh and put all carnal temptations
into subjection.

ABSTAINING FROM FOOD TO REGAIN MASTERY OF THE FLESH

We are wise to recognize that food was the enticement the devil used to
cause Eve and Adam to sin in the Garden of Eden. In Genesis 2 the Lord
God told Adam and Eve that they could eat freely of every tree in the garden
of Eden, "but of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, thou shalt not eat
of it: for in the day that thou eatest thereof thou shalt surely die" (Gen. 2:17).
God did not tell Adam and Eve to refrain from touching a particular animal or
smelling a particular flower or swimming in a certain stream. He told them to
refrain from taking a particular fruit into their bodies-one type of fruit out of all
the many types He had made available to them.

God had given Adam and Eve authority over all things that He had created-
every bird, fish, beast of the field, and over "every herb bearing seed, which
is upon the face of all the earth, and every tree, in which is the fruit of a tree
yielding seed; to you it shall be for meat" (Gen. 1:29). God did not prohibit
Adam and Eve from interacting with any part of God's creation when He
commanded them to be fruitful, multiply, replenish the earth, and subdue it-
except for this one tree and its fruit. They were not to eat of a particular
tree,what God described to them as the "tree of the knowledge of good and
evil."

Why did God set apart this one tree and its fruit? God was giving Adam and
Eve free will and the ability to make choices and decisions. Free will isn't
really free if a person has no choice.

Adam and Eve had a choice to make about this one tree. God told them to
abstain from eating from its fruit because He did not want His beloved
creation to have a knowledge of evil. He had already given them a full
knowledge of everything He called "good."He wanted to spare them the
heartache of knowing evil. That's true for us today as Christians. God calls us
to pursue only what is good. Paul wrote to the Philippians: "Whatsoever
things are true . . . honest . . . just . . . pure . . . lovely . . . of good report; if
there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things" (Phil.
4:8). God desires only good for His children. He tells us in His Word, "Be not
overcome of evil, but overcome evil with good" (Rom. 12:21).

Even as God calls us away from evil and toward good,He gives us a choice.
So many of the problems we have in our world today are the result of men
and women making the wrong choices. They have knowingly and
unknowingly chosen what is evil.And the end result is the same for us as it
was for Adam and Eve: death and all forms of sin that lead to death
(see Rom. 6:23).

Let me point out to you two results from the disastrous choice that Adam and
Eve made about the fruit of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil.

1. Diverted Attention

First, Eve listened to what the devil had to say to her about the fruit itself.
The devil diverted her attention from whatever it was that Eve was doing. He
called her attention to the tree and its fruit. The Bible tells us the devil came
to her in the guise of a beautiful and subtle serpent and said to her, "Hath
God said, Ye shall not eat of every tree of the garden?" (Gen. 3:1). There's
no indication that Eve had given much thought to the tree before the devil
asked her this question. There's no record that she longed for it or had any
curiosity about it. She certainly didn't crave it, because she had never tasted
it!

In many ways, the devil uses this same tactic today. He calls our attention to
how beautiful and refreshing certain foods and beverages appear. It's difficult
to go through a day without seeing enticing food and beverage commercials
on billboards, on television, and in magazines. Foods are presented in the
most tempting ways in stores, restaurants, and on menus. The devil says the
same thing to us he said to Eve:"Has God really said you can't have a bite of
this?"

A woman once said to me, "If there's a piece of pie in my house, it calls out
to me. It says to me, even in the middle of night, 'Eat me. Come eat me.' I
can't resist."

Now I'm certainly not linking the devil to a piece of pie, but I am saying this:
the devil will always call your attention repeatedly to the thing that is harmful
for you, but he will do it in a way that makes you feel deprived if you don't
indulge in eating, drinking, or partaking of what is harmful. The implication of
the devil is always: "This is so good. Has God really said you can't have any
of this good thing?"
Never forget that the fruit of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil was
the knowledge of good and evil. There was an element of good in that fruit,
not just evil. The devil told Eve specifically that the fruit of the tree was "good
for food, and that it was pleasant to the eyes" (Gen. 3:6). All Eve had to do
was look to see that the fruit was pleasant. She made a bad assumption,
however, that what was visually pleasant would also be "good for food." In
that, the devil was very wrong!

What about us? There's an element of good in foods and substances that
are ultimately bad for us, even if it's just the good appearance, smell, or
taste. Have you ever noticed how beautiful all the colored and distinctly
shaped bottles look in a bar? Those bottles always seem lighted in just the
right way to make them look very special, very festive, very appealing. Many
foods are pleasant to the eyes. Many drinks are presented in ways that make
them appear pleasing. We buy into the lie that what is pleasing is also
nutritious and beneficial.

Fasting calls us to turn away from food. Fasting calls us to redivert our
attention back to the things of God and His commandments. Fasting calls us
to face and overcome the devil's call: "Has God really said you can't have
this?" Fasting calls us to abstain from all things harmful for us, and in most
cases, from all food for a period of time. The devil's insistent question is likely
to become very loud in our minds as we begin a fast: "Has God really said
you can't eat? Not anything? Not the things you love the most? Has God
really called you to fast- to abstain totally from this thing that you have
labeled as 'good'?"

Our answer must be a firm "Yes! God has called me to fast. He has called
me to give my full attention to Him and to His commandments. He has called
me to obey Him fully in all things. And God has called me to say no to you,
devil!"

2. Temptations Toward False Benefits

Eve listened to what the devil had to say to her about the benefits of eating
what God had prohibited. The devil always points out the would-be and
usually short-term benefits of sin. Many substances that are ultimately
harmful for us taste good or feel good or bring pleasure. In some cases, the
partaking of the substance makes us feel like adults, feel accepted by others,
or feel more powerful and in greater control. Some people say about certain
foods and substances that they "give me quick energy," "make me more
alert," or "help me relax."

The devil told Eve that the fruit from the tree of the knowledge of good and
evil would make her wise-she would be as a "god," knowing good and evil.

In the short term, the devil was right. Eve suddenly had a knowledge of evil.
She really knew in her own experience as a human being that evil existed.
This was the first time in her life she had ever known the contrast-up to that
point, all things had been good.

What the devil failed to mention to Eve was the ultimate consequence that
God had associated with eating of this fruit: "You shall surely die." The devil
failed to mention any downside to her disobedience. In fact, he dismissed
God's consequences with a sarcastic question.

The devil comes at us the same way. The devil never tells us that drinking
alcohol can make a person an alcoholic. He never tells a person that
smoking cigarettes can cause him or her to have lung cancer. He never tells
a person that eating too much of the wrong foods can lead to chronic illness
and premature death. The devil points out only short-term benefits, never
long-term disasters.

When we fast, we are suddenly aware once again of what is good and evil.
We have a heightened awareness not only of God's goodness and of God's
commandments, but of the evil that abounds in the world around us.

A man once said to me about fasting, "It seems that when I fast the world
seems much more black and white, at least for a period of time. I see right
and wrong much more clearly. I see good and bad, blessings and cursings,
 benefits and negative consequences, what is godly and what is ungodly. I
am much more discerning about what lines up with God's commandments
and what falls into the category of 'man's commands.'"

I asked him what happened after he stopped fasting. He laughed and said, "I
am still very clear on these things, but there's also a time after I end fasting
that the whole world seems more vivid and more colorful than ever before. I
can distinguish tastes again. The sky seems bluer than before. The air
seems crisper in the mountains. All of my senses seem to be heightened
toward what is God's creation-which is always good- and what is man's
invention-which very often has an element of evil to it."

Those who fast often experience greater discernment of good and evil. In
fact, it seems to be a major by-product of fasting. God seems to give us an
opportunity as we fast to take a look again at our lives and the world around
us and to discern what is good and what is evil.

Excerpted from The Power of Prayer and Fasting by Marilyn Hickey.

Copyright © by Marilyn Hickey. Used by permission of Warner Faith, a
division of Time Warner Book Group. All rights reserved. No part of this
excerpt may be reproduced or reprinted without permission in writing from
the publisher.

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10 NEW PREACHING STORIES YOU CAN

USE IN YOUR SERMONS
Date: Mar 17, 2016
10,000 Stories, Sermon Illustrations & Stories, Sermon Preparation
Pastors and communicators,

One tool to put in your pocket as you prepare to speak….

STORIES.

“After nourishment, shelter and companionship, stories are the thing

we need most in the world.”

? Philip Pullman

“If history were taught in the form of stories, it would never be

forgotten.”—Rudyard Kipling

 Stories are memorable.

 Stories engage emotion.
 Stories inspire action and belief.
 Stories remind people that they’re not alone.

And if that wasn’t enough…

Jesus told stories.

A lot of them.

He would tell stories people understood to help them grasp something

they didn’t understand.

Stories are a great teaching tool (That’s why we teach you how to use
them in Preaching Rocket, our step-by-step sermon prep and delivery
system. You can try it for free HERE).
Today, we wanted to give you a gift: 10 preaching stories that you can
use in an upcoming message.
WE’VE ALSO INDEXED THESE STORIES FOR YOU: INCLUDING A
THEME, SCRIPTURE PASSAGE, AND MAIN POINT.

Enjoy!

#1. ANXIETY
STORY…
A man named Jack was driving on a dark country road one night when
he got a flat tire. He saw a cabin in the woods and began to walk
towards it. He told himself that the person who answered the door
would be angry and irritated for the interruption. In fact, the person
would probably harm him. He was probably a truly terrible person.
Who else would live out in the woods away from people? Jack
convinced himself that the person who lived in the cabin was a
menace to society, so when the door opened, Jack punched the man
in the nose and ran away.

VERSE…
”All the days of the oppressed are wretched, but the cheerful heart has
a continual feast” (Proverbs 15:15)

POINT…
We take situations and replay them in our minds. We have
conversations in our heads with people, and build a case against
them, though we don’t really know what they are thinking. We tend to
“nurse, curse, and rehearse” stories like Jack. What things do you play
in your heard all day? What are you meditating on? Get rid of the
“oppressed and wretched” forecasts!

#2. ACCEPTING OTHERS

STORY…
Paul Tournier was a brilliant thinker and writer, and an influential
Christian therapist during his time. Doctors from around the world
traveled to his home in Switzerland to learn from him. He wrote, “It is a
little embarrassing for students to come over and study my
‘techniques.’ They always go away disappointed, because all I do is
accept people.”

VERSE…
“Be devoted to one another in brotherly love. Honor one another
above yourselves” (Romans 12:10)

POINT…
Accepting is not the same as approving, condoning, or even tolerating
bad behavior. Acceptance is an act of the heart in which we recognize
that, despite someone’s behavior, he or she has value in God’s sight,
and we honor that. But this can be a hard thing to do! There are many
ways to communicate acceptance to people. One of them is to listen
to them with patience and compassion and receive them with love in
the name of Jesus. Another is to refrain from mental condemnation
and judgments, from constantly evaluating and analyzing (those things
keep us from loving). We must take captive those thoughts of
condemnation toward others, and submit to God. As we draw near to
Him, we ask Him to love through us.

#3. KIND WORDS

STORY…
Arthur Gordon was cleaning out the family home when he came
across something he found to be of great value. It was a trunk full of
family letters. They chronicled the events of past generations in
expressions of loyalty and affection and delight that were rarely
verbalized in his immediate family. One writer said, “Have I told you
lately what a wonderful person you are? Never forget how much your
friends and family love and admire you.” Another letter said, “You
don’t know how much your visit meant to us! When you left, I felt as if
the sun had stopped shining.” Gordon said, “I don’t know what
generation of my family put a check on the release of such emotions.
But I do know that it seriously interferes with one of the deepest of all
human needs—the desire for acceptance and approval. Why, then,
wanting to hear those words so much ourselves, do we deny them so
often to others?”

VERSE…
”Pleasant words are a honeycomb; sweet to the soul and healing to
the bones” (Proverbs 16:24)

POINT…
Look at the verse at the top: “Pleasant words… are sweet to the soul
and healing to the bones.” That’s a lot of power, and it doesn’t cost
anything. Anybody can give words. Will you try it? Open your mouth
and say the positive things you are thinking. Bless someone today.
Use your words to bring healing and sweetness. We could all use
some of that.

#4. NEGATIVE THINKING

STORY…
A Trappist monk was allowed to say only two words every three years.
After the first three years, he said to the Brother Superior, “Bad bed.”
Three years later he came back to say, “Bad food.” After three more
years of silence the monk said, “No TV.” Another three years passed.
This time the monk appeared with robes and sandals in hand and
announced, “I quit.” The Brother Superior answered, “It’s no wonder.
You’ve done nothing but complain since you got here!”

VERSE…
”He who guards his lips guards his life, but he who speaks rashly will
come to ruin” (Proverbs 13:3)

POINT…
Instead of complaining, you have had to be retrained to think
differently. The Bible says, “Be transformed by the renewing of your
mind.” It also says, “Whatever is true, noble, right, pure, lovely, or
admirable, think on these things.” It doesn’t say, “Try to think on these
things.” Would God tell us to do something that is impossible to do?
You can choose what you let your mind dwell on. Battle the thoughts
that don’t line up with Scripture through prayer, saying Bible verses
instead, and by speaking truth out loud when negativity, lies, and
agreements with untruth swirl in your brain. Try it. Don’t let things in
your life “come to ruin.” Pray this verse and begin to set up guards.

#5. PASSIONATE LIVING VS. FEAR

STORY…
Sarah Ban Breathnach tells of a business trip her husband took to the
beach, where she and her daughter enjoyed the mornings while he
attended workshops. One afternoon it was announced that there
would be elephant rides for the children in the hotel parking lot. Her
daughter, Katie, was delirious with excitement. Sarah told her, “Life is
always full of wonderful surprises if we’re open to them. Some
mornings you get up not knowing what will happen, and you get to ride
an elephant that day!” When they got home, there was an invitation for
Sarah to join a group of journalists on a trip to Ireland. She was tired
of traveling, and not really a spontaneous person, so she told them
she would probably not go. Her husband, overhearing her, said, “So,
you’re not going to ride the elephant?” She decided to go.

VERSE…
“I sought the Lord, and He heard me, and delivered me from all my
fear (Psalm 34:4).

POINT…
Living passionately involves a lot of pressure and risk. I mean, what if
you fall off the elephant? A writer named Ambrose Redmoon
wrote: Courage is not the absence of fear, but rather the judgment
that something else is more important than fear. You might be
afraid of all kinds of things, but if one of your kids were in danger,
you’d be fearless. Also, don’t you want to live believing that God is
bigger than whatever you’re afraid of? You have to make a decision to
stop letting fear win: stop holding on to your blanket of insecurity and
anxiety. Show up with everything God has given you, and join the
battle against whatever opposes the redeeming work of God in this
world. Take yourself less seriously and God more seriously!

#6. GRATITUDE
STORY…
A few years ago, a commercial on television began with a black and
white clip of Lou Gehrig being honored by Yankee fans on his last day
of play. His career was shortened by ALS, which is now called Lou
Gehrig’s disease, a debilitating muscle disease that eventually stops
the heart. What would you have said in the face of this heartbreaking
challenge? Amazingly, he begins: Today I consider myself the
luckiest man on the face of the earth.” How could he say that?
Gratitude. Gratitude for all the gifts he had been given, for all the love
he had been shown by fans, for all the opportunities he had. He
focused on the joys not the losses. That’s cultivating thankfulness!

VERSE…
”Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, since as members of one
body you were called to peace. And be thankful” (Colossians 3:15)

POINT…
Being thankful doesn’t come easy for some of us, but God says
to cultivate thankfulness. How do you cultivate anything? You work at
it. You nourish it. You do whatever it takes to make it thrive. Gratitude
comes from humility. “A proud man is seldom a grateful man, for he
never thinks he gets as much as he deserves” (Henry Ward
Beecher). God is good and merciful. The price that Christ paid so that
you could be redeemed is immense. His grace is so amazing. You
truly are the luckiest person on the face of the earth!

#7. JOY
STORY…
In her book Breaking the Power, author Liberty Savard says that she
was pretty rough in her youth, but when she became a Christian, God
transformed her and gave her a ministry. So she was excited to give
her parents a 50th anniversary party, because it would be an
opportunity to show old friends and family how she had become “an
amazing woman of God.” She prayed that this day would reveal to
everyone in her family how God can change a life. Although she lived
over an hour away from the party venue, she got ready in plenty of
time. One last spray to her hair to set it, and she would be off …
except that she grabbed bug spray from under her sink instead of
hairspray. Quickly she showered again, but now there was no time to
do her hair. She hopped in her car, and it wasn’t long before she
realized it was overheating. She turned off the air conditioning but still,
something was wrong. She had to keep adding transmission fluid
every few miles. She got to the party a tiny bit late—frizzy hair, oily
hands, red face. She would just take a few moments to freshen up.
However, there was a problem! In the heat her large jar of face cream
had exploded and everything in her overnight bag, including makeup
and hair brush and hair spray, was covered in white goop. Her only
option was to just go out and enjoy the party. There was nothing else
she could do. She determined to have a great time and laugh anyway!
Later she told God she had covered the day with prayer, and it felt like
it all had gone terribly wrong. She had wanted to make such a good
impression. She felt like God said, “Most of your family and friends
remember how angry you used to be. They may never hear your
testimony, but they saw living proof today of My power to change a life
by the way that you handled this situation with humor and grace. I
answered your prayers. Well done, daughter.”

VERSE…
“Be joyful always. Pray continually, give thanks in all circumstances;
for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus” (I Thessalonians 5:16-18)

POINT…
Anybody can be joyful when things go well. Sometimes God “stirs
things up” so that, through our responses, we can showcase His
transforming grace and joy.

#8. DISCIPLESHIP/BELIEVING IN
PEOPLE
STORY…
Writer Katie McCabe described her mentor, Charles Savedge, as a
man “who changed a room simply by walking into it. He believed so
completely in his many students and colleagues that we had no choice
but to believe in ourselves.” Inspired, encouraged, and challenged by
her mentor, McCabe wrote that, even though it was fifteen years later,
everything she did was an attempt to find the person he saw in her.

VERSE…
”I commend to you our sister Phoebe, a deaconess of the church at
Cenchreae. Receive her in the Lord as saints ought to receive one
another. And help her in whatever matter she may require assistance
from you, for she has been a helper of many, including myself
[shielding us from suffering]” (Romans 16:1-2)

POINT…
Open your eyes and look for a person who needs a little time, a little
friendship, and a little faith—someone to whom you can give the gift of
being a mentor or a supportive friend. Is there a person in your life
who would be encouraged if you let them know that you believe in
them? It’s easy to get self-consumed and run over by our to-do lists.
And it’s easy to make excuses if we feel we aren’t well-versed enough
in spiritual matters to mentor others. But in this Scripture, the Apostle
Paul commends someone who helped others and gave them hope. All
of us are capable of that.
#9. BEING FAITHFUL
STORY…
In the book Second Calling, Dale Bourke writes that years ago, she
attended a conference. When it was over, her friend Bruce offered her
a ride to the airport. As they were about to leave, another man asked if
he could join them. As they drove away from the hotel, she and Bruce
asked the man where he worked, and he mentioned a Christian
organization. Bruce said, “I have fond memories of that group,
because I attended a retreat of theirs one time, and that’s where I
became a Christian. It was in 1972 in New Hampshire.” Bruce went on
to explain that eventually his whole family became Christians and
went into Christian work. His sister was a Wycliffe missionary and
Bruce himself became publisher of a major Christian publishing
house, which brought many significant Christian books to the public.
Bruce finished the story with a flourish saying that the retreat had had
worldwide impact when you think about it. The man was silent. Dale
and Bruce though that maybe they were boring him. Then the stranger
quietly said, “I led that retreat. It was my first time as a conference
leader, and I felt like a total failure. Until this moment, I have always
believed it was one of the biggest failures of my life.” Dale Bourke
wrote, “What had seemed like the simple act of offering a ride to a
stranger had turned into a powerful reminder that God uses our efforts
whether we realize it or not. I may spend the rest of my life doing
things that don’t seem at all successful. Yet only God knows the
purpose. I am called simply to be faithful.”

VERSE…
”It is required of stewards that a man be found faithful” (I Corinthians
4:2)

POINT…
Right now, you may feel like a failure in what you’re doing. Just be
faithful. It’s not your job to figure out if what you do (or what you did in
the past) matters. That’s the work of the Spirit. Your job is to do your
part. Doing what we are called to do is the point.

#10. NEGATIVE WORDS

STORY…
A young woman confessed to an older man that she had a problem
saying too much about people. He told her to go buy a bird and pluck
out its feathers one by one as penance for her sin. When she returned
and told the man that she had followed his instructions, he said, “Now
go back and pick up all the feathers.” “I can’t do that,” said the girl.
“The wind has blown them in all directions.” “That is true,” said the
wise man. “Neither can you recall the words that you have spoken.”
Need an additional picture of how impossible it is to take back
something once you’ve said it? Squeeze a tube of toothpaste and then
try to put the toothpaste back in. It’s nearly impossible to do. And it’s
the same with our negative words once they’ve found their way out of
our mouths.

VERSE…
”The soothing tongue is a tree of life, but a perverse tongue crushes
the spirit” (Proverbs 15:4)

POINT…
Think before you speak. Always be sincere when giving encouraging
words (Your words won’t go far if your actions don’t back them up).
Remember, encouragement and advice are not the same thing. And
try this: be your best encourager. As the verse says, perverse (or
cutting) words crush the spirit. Are you crushing yourself with self-
hatred? When you feel discouraged, hand that discouragement over
to God. Ask Him to help you. Stop wounding and maiming yourself
and others. Words cannot be recaptured once they’ve escaped our
lips. Fortunately, the same goes for kind words, too. Ask God for help
and try again. By His grace, your words will become “a tree of life.”
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4 Great Youth Sermon

Topics
MARCH 21, 2016 BY JACK WELLMAN

10 COMMENTS

22
Here are four great youth sermon topics they should love.

Joseph’s Life
The life of Joseph is a great story about life being unfair. The fact that
Joseph’s brothers tried to kill him and then found out that they could
make a profit by selling him to slave traders. They thought they had
seen the last of Joseph and for all intents and purposes, he was dead;
at least in their minds. They even deceived their father Jacob about it,
making him endure needless grief over what he thought was the life of
his favored son. Joseph was special to Jacob because he was the
youngest born to his more beloved wife, Rachael, whom he loved
dearly and so Joseph had a special place in Jacob’s heart. Imagine
what he must have felt like for many years, since Joseph would be
there for at least 8 years when his brothers finally came from grain due
to a severe famine that had struck the whole region. The point is
Joseph never complained and although God never directly
communicated with Joseph, even in prison, it was said “And the Lord
was with Joseph”(Gen 39:2). It probably didn’t look like it to us
because he was sold into slavery, falsely accused and thrown into
prison, forgotten about, and yet, “the Lord was with Joseph”(Gen
39:21). Never forget that God is always with you and even in the
silence of God there is the presence of God (Heb 13:5) and will turn
evil into His own good for us (Gen 50:20; Rom 8:28).

John Mark’s Second Chance

When the Apostle Paul said that he wanted to “go back and visit the
believers in all the towns where we preached the word of the Lord and
see how they are doing” (Acts 15:36), “Barnabas wanted to take John,
also called Mark, with them, but Paul did not think it wise to take him,
because he had deserted them in Pamphylia and had not continued
with them in the work” (Acts 15:37-38) however “They had such a
sharp disagreement that they parted company. Barnabas took Mark
and sailed for Cyprus, but Paul chose Silas and left, commended by the
believers to the grace of the Lord. He went through Syria and Cilicia,
strengthening the churches” (Acts 15:39-40). Who was right? Was it
Barnabas who was willing to give John Mark another chance after
bailing out on them in the previous missionary trip? Barnabas thought
John could make it this time but Paul didn’t, so they split up. Who was
right? Both were as the gospel spread twice as fast than it would have
with all four of them still together. Later, the Apostle Paul would
commend John Mark for his faithfulness, apparently having heard the
reports of Barnabas and John Mark in their missionary work. The
point is, be an encourager because “love believes all things” (1st Cor
13:7) or gives people the benefit of the doubt or thinks the best of
someone, regardless of what the circumstances look like. Be a
Barnabas, which means literally, “the son of encouragement.”

Daniel’s Obedience
Daniel shows that true obedience to God is obeying when no one is
looking. Really, God is looking, but humanly speaking we know that a
person’s character is revealed by what they do in the dark or alone
would be the same thing they do in the light, in front of everyone.
Daniel was a young teen when he was brought into captivity but he
was separated from the rest of the Jews because of his intellectual
capability and when they brought Daniel some of the king’s
food, “Daniel resolved that he would not defile himself with the king’s
food, or with the wine that he drank. Therefore he asked the chief of
the eunuchs to allow him not to defile himself” (Dan 1:8). Daniel was
willing to risk his life to reject the king’s feast. He would have been
outraged and Daniel wouldn’t have lived past the day. Maybe this is
why Daniel tried to reason with chief of the eunuchs (Dan 1:9) but the
chief was afraid for his own life saying “I fear my lord the king, who
assigned your food and your drink; for why should he see that you
were in worse condition than the youths who are of your own age? So
you would endanger my head with the king” (Dan 1:10). Daniel
couldn’t partake of the king’s feast because it likely had unclean foods
on it and Daniel was not about to disobey God so he told the chief of
the eunuchs, “Test your servants for ten days; let us be given
vegetables to eat and water to drink. Then let our appearance and the
appearance of the youths who eat the king’s food be observed by you,
and deal with your servants according to what you see” (Dan 1:12-13).
What happened was “At the end of ten days it was seen that they were
better in appearance and fatter in flesh than all the youths who ate the
king’s food. So the steward took away their food and the wine they
were to drink, and gave them vegetables” (Dan 1:15-16). This reminds
me of a great point that Dr. Charles Stanley often says, “Obey God and
leave the consequences up to God.” I like that.

The Apostle’s Stand

There are going to be times in these young people’s lives when they
will have to take a stand for what is right, even if it means jail. The
example I am speaking about is the freedom that we have to preach
the gospel. When the Jewish authorities arrested the apostles for
proclaiming the good news of Jesus Christ, Peter and the apostles
said “We must obey God rather than men” (Acts 5:29b). Thankfully,
God’s favor came in their case, surprisingly from a wise Pharisee
named “Gamaliel, a teacher of the law held in honor by all the
people” (Acts 5:34) who said, “if this plan or this undertaking is of
man, it will fail; but if it is of God, you will not be able to overthrow
them. You might even be found opposing God!” So they took his
advice” (Acts 5:38-39). I take it they didn’t want to risk fighting God.
Sounds scary, doesn’t it? After this, “they beat them and charged them
not to speak in the name of Jesus, and let them go. Then they left the
presence of the council, rejoicing that they were counted worthy to
suffer dishonor for the name” (Acts 5:40-41). They obeyed God over
man and they paid a price for it, but look at how they responded. They
didn’t go to the council demand equality. They grasped for humility
and took the beating as a great blessing from God, which it truly is
(Matt 5:10-12). The truth is, if you suffer for doing what is right, then
you re blessed, but you must obey God over man’s law when they
conflict, and this might bring suffering for their faith. It may help to
keep in mind what Peter promised; “If you are insulted for the name of
Christ, you are blessed, because the Spirit of glory and of God rests
upon you” (1st Pet 4:14).

Conclusion
I would urge you to use biblical examples when teaching the youth,
every single time. That’s because there is the power of God contained
in the gospel of salvation (Rom 1:16) and it takes the Word of God,
from a teacher of God, mixed with the Spirit of God, to make these
youth into the children of God, and all for the glory of God.

Article by Jack Wellman

Jack Wellman is Pastor of the Mulvane Brethren Church in Mulvane
Kansas. Jack is also the Senior Writer at What Christians Want To
Know whose mission is to equip, encourage, and energize Christians
and to address questions about the believer’s daily walk with God and
the Bible. You can follow Jack on Google Plus or check out his book
Teaching Children the Gospel available on Amazon.

4 Great Youth Sermon

Topics
MARCH 21, 2016 BY JACK WELLMAN

10 COMMENTS

22
Here are four great youth sermon topics they should love.

Joseph’s Life
The life of Joseph is a great story about life being unfair. The fact that
Joseph’s brothers tried to kill him and then found out that they could
make a profit by selling him to slave traders. They thought they had
seen the last of Joseph and for all intents and purposes, he was dead;
at least in their minds. They even deceived their father Jacob about it,
making him endure needless grief over what he thought was the life of
his favored son. Joseph was special to Jacob because he was the
youngest born to his more beloved wife, Rachael, whom he loved
dearly and so Joseph had a special place in Jacob’s heart. Imagine
what he must have felt like for many years, since Joseph would be
there for at least 8 years when his brothers finally came from grain due
to a severe famine that had struck the whole region. The point is
Joseph never complained and although God never directly
communicated with Joseph, even in prison, it was said “And the Lord
was with Joseph”(Gen 39:2). It probably didn’t look like it to us
because he was sold into slavery, falsely accused and thrown into
prison, forgotten about, and yet, “the Lord was with Joseph”(Gen
39:21). Never forget that God is always with you and even in the
silence of God there is the presence of God (Heb 13:5) and will turn
evil into His own good for us (Gen 50:20; Rom 8:28).

John Mark’s Second Chance

When the Apostle Paul said that he wanted to “go back and visit the
believers in all the towns where we preached the word of the Lord and
see how they are doing” (Acts 15:36), “Barnabas wanted to take John,
also called Mark, with them, but Paul did not think it wise to take him,
because he had deserted them in Pamphylia and had not continued
with them in the work” (Acts 15:37-38) however “They had such a
sharp disagreement that they parted company. Barnabas took Mark
and sailed for Cyprus, but Paul chose Silas and left, commended by the
believers to the grace of the Lord. He went through Syria and Cilicia,
strengthening the churches” (Acts 15:39-40). Who was right? Was it
Barnabas who was willing to give John Mark another chance after
bailing out on them in the previous missionary trip? Barnabas thought
John could make it this time but Paul didn’t, so they split up. Who was
right? Both were as the gospel spread twice as fast than it would have
with all four of them still together. Later, the Apostle Paul would
commend John Mark for his faithfulness, apparently having heard the
reports of Barnabas and John Mark in their missionary work. The
point is, be an encourager because “love believes all things” (1st Cor
13:7) or gives people the benefit of the doubt or thinks the best of
someone, regardless of what the circumstances look like. Be a
Barnabas, which means literally, “the son of encouragement.”
Daniel’s Obedience
Daniel shows that true obedience to God is obeying when no one is
looking. Really, God is looking, but humanly speaking we know that a
person’s character is revealed by what they do in the dark or alone
would be the same thing they do in the light, in front of everyone.
Daniel was a young teen when he was brought into captivity but he
was separated from the rest of the Jews because of his intellectual
capability and when they brought Daniel some of the king’s
food, “Daniel resolved that he would not defile himself with the king’s
food, or with the wine that he drank. Therefore he asked the chief of
the eunuchs to allow him not to defile himself” (Dan 1:8). Daniel was
willing to risk his life to reject the king’s feast. He would have been
outraged and Daniel wouldn’t have lived past the day. Maybe this is
why Daniel tried to reason with chief of the eunuchs (Dan 1:9) but the
chief was afraid for his own life saying “I fear my lord the king, who
assigned your food and your drink; for why should he see that you
were in worse condition than the youths who are of your own age? So
you would endanger my head with the king” (Dan 1:10). Daniel
couldn’t partake of the king’s feast because it likely had unclean foods
on it and Daniel was not about to disobey God so he told the chief of
the eunuchs, “Test your servants for ten days; let us be given
vegetables to eat and water to drink. Then let our appearance and the
appearance of the youths who eat the king’s food be observed by you,
and deal with your servants according to what you see” (Dan 1:12-13).
What happened was “At the end of ten days it was seen that they were
better in appearance and fatter in flesh than all the youths who ate the
king’s food. So the steward took away their food and the wine they
were to drink, and gave them vegetables” (Dan 1:15-16). This reminds
me of a great point that Dr. Charles Stanley often says, “Obey God and
leave the consequences up to God.” I like that.

The Apostle’s Stand

There are going to be times in these young people’s lives when they
will have to take a stand for what is right, even if it means jail. The
example I am speaking about is the freedom that we have to preach
the gospel. When the Jewish authorities arrested the apostles for
proclaiming the good news of Jesus Christ, Peter and the apostles
said “We must obey God rather than men” (Acts 5:29b). Thankfully,
God’s favor came in their case, surprisingly from a wise Pharisee
named “Gamaliel, a teacher of the law held in honor by all the
people” (Acts 5:34) who said, “if this plan or this undertaking is of
man, it will fail; but if it is of God, you will not be able to overthrow
them. You might even be found opposing God!” So they took his
advice” (Acts 5:38-39). I take it they didn’t want to risk fighting God.
Sounds scary, doesn’t it? After this, “they beat them and charged them
not to speak in the name of Jesus, and let them go. Then they left the
presence of the council, rejoicing that they were counted worthy to
suffer dishonor for the name” (Acts 5:40-41). They obeyed God over
man and they paid a price for it, but look at how they responded. They
didn’t go to the council demand equality. They grasped for humility
and took the beating as a great blessing from God, which it truly is
(Matt 5:10-12). The truth is, if you suffer for doing what is right, then
you re blessed, but you must obey God over man’s law when they
conflict, and this might bring suffering for their faith. It may help to
keep in mind what Peter promised; “If you are insulted for the name of
Christ, you are blessed, because the Spirit of glory and of God rests
upon you” (1st Pet 4:14).

Conclusion
I would urge you to use biblical examples when teaching the youth,
every single time. That’s because there is the power of God contained
in the gospel of salvation (Rom 1:16) and it takes the Word of God,
from a teacher of God, mixed with the Spirit of God, to make these
youth into the children of God, and all for the glory of God.

Article by Jack Wellman

Jack Wellman is Pastor of the Mulvane Brethren Church in Mulvane
Kansas. Jack is also the Senior Writer at What Christians Want To
Know whose mission is to equip, encourage, and energize Christians
and to address questions about the believer’s daily walk with God and
the Bible. You can follow Jack on Google Plus or check out his book
Teaching Children the Gospel available on Amazon.

WHAT IS A FAST?
Fasting is part of the faith life of religions old and new all over the world. In a fast, the believer
chooses, for a set time, to do without something that's hard to do without. This is done so it does
not come between the believer and God, so it cannot act as a god over that relationship and over
the life of the believer.
Usually, the fast is to do without food. Food is one of the great blessings of God in our lives, a
true pleasure and a true necessity. But humans tend to be gluttons; we want to eat more. Our
hunger can compel us, force our hand, occupy our thoughts. When we have anything in our lives
that we don't or can't say no to, then it is lording over us. But God is in control. If something else
takes up God's place in our lives, it is an idol, and we are living in something akin to idolatry.
Fasting helps to bring it back into enough control for us to surrender it to God so it can be
returned to its rightful place in life. Food is the foremost example of such a thing.

Things To Fast From

There are many ways to fast. You can fast from some foods, and not others. You can fast from
watching television, having sex, and buying items for pleasure, even buying ordinary stuff. You
can fast from hobbies you crave, places you're drawn to, music, books, news, and movies. You
might even fast from use of the Internet - though please wait until you're done using this site. :) If
you can describe yourself as a 'junkie', 'freak', or 'fanatic' about something, that's a good thing to
fast from. For the upper classes all over the world, it's a good idea to fast from consuming goods,
for our role as a consumer can consume us. For Catholics, fasting for Lent is one of the most
enduring hallmarks of their tradition.

Fasting In Repentance

1 Samuel 7:6 (national);

Joel 1:14;
Jonah 3:5-9 (Nineveh);
Mark 2:18 (re John the Baptist's followers)

 How does fasting in repentance work? You realize what you did was wrong. Those kinds
of actions are destructive; it harms others, and thus yourself. Wrongdoing blocks the
value you have as a person. It adds to you a hellishness which saps your spirit. To repent
is to reject this hellishness.
 How does fasting further the repentance and healing? Fasting is a discipline. In it, you
change your way of living for a while, taking away something basic to your body's
health. The whole You enters into (or experiences) the unwholeness that your sin creates.
By feeling the unrightness of your life through the discomforts of hunger, you firm up
your resolve to live a different kind of life.

Leviticus 16:29-34 (Yom Kippur), done "that you may humble your souls", and Numbers 29:7-
11.
 Fasting And Obeying God

"First, let [fasting] be done unto the Lord with our eye singly
fixed on Him. Let our intention herein be this, and this alone, to
glorify our Father which is in heaven."
------- John Wesley, as found in the collection *Sermons On
Several Occasions* (Epworth, 1971), p.301

If one of the purposes of fasting is to bring yourself to obey and follow God, then what can it
mean when life after fasting does not bear the marks of such obedience? In the face of a nation
that fasted and wailed before God as if they were holy, but did not live Godly lives,
the prophets called out for the kind of 'fasting' God was seeking from them. Or, as Isaiah said,
especially 58:6 :

"Isn't this the fast that I want :

to loosen the bonds of wickedness,
to undo the bands of the yoke,
to let the oppressed go free
and break every yoke?"

The disciples often did not fast at the usual times specified by the Jewish faith. (This was very
different from the Pharisees and the followers of John the Baptist, who would fast at the
appointed times.) They didn't do that to make a point about forgoing food. They were making a
point about Jesus. Jesus' coming was God's response to the pleas of all those who fasted in
repentance, or for God to rescue them. Jesus spoke little of fasting, and when he did, it was about
the right spirit to fast in. Jesus spoke more often about feasting, comparing the Kingdom of God
to a banquet. Zechariah foreshadowed this by prophesyingthat one day the solemn Jewish fast
days would become "cheerful feasts". Not that Jesus was against fasting. He himself fasted
and faced the temptation to use His power to make food to break His fast and resolve His hunger.
He also spoke of the role of fasting and prayer in healing and in casting out evil spirits.

The early church expected those who fast to give away what they would have eaten, either in
money-value or in food, to those in need. (Shepherd of Hermas 3.5.3; Augustine's Sermon 208).
Origen (Homilies on Leviticus, 10) even praised those who fasted in order to give to the poor.

"Is not the neglect of this plain duty (I mean fasting, ranked by our Lord with almsgiving and
prayer) one general occasion of deadness among Christians?"
--- John Wesley, *The Journal of John Wesley*
 Some Red Flags of Fasting
Is there a time not to fast? Yes. Don't fast when it's time to celebrate and have fun. For
instance, your wedding anniversary. For Christians, the resurrection of Jesus is the happiest thing
that's ever happened. So the time between Easter and Pentecost is a season to celebrate and feast,
not fast. The birth of Jesus is cause to celebrate that God is with us, so the days between
Christmas and Epiphany are a celebration. Jesus' disciples didn't always fast on the usual Jewish
fast days. They were with One so great they had to use their time and energy into following Him.
They fasted after He was gone, as part of their standing as apostles before God for the whole
Church.

Fasting Is Not Dieting

Fasting from food is not dieting. It's not a divine weight-loss plan. Nor should it be used as a
disguise for anorexia, a psychological illness which has devastating effects on the body. Many
people have died because of this abuse of fasting. Short or selective fasts may help you if you're
overweight and you have no self-discipline about eating or exercise. But that would be part of a
larger process of growing the ability to say no to food. It would be spiritually helpful due to
the discipline not the weight loss.

Don't Fast To Impress

Jesus speaks of the hypocrites who fast so that other people are impressed. Fasts are not for
getting others to say, "wow, this is one holy dude". Fasts are between yourself and God. Even a
fast as an act done publicly with others (as, for instance, in Lent, Ramadan, or Yom Kippur) is
not about showing non-believers or fellow believers how holy you are. They are not the point.
The relationship between you and God is the point of a fast. (The same can be said of most of
those who rhapsodize about fasts in their sermons. Talk is getting cheaper with each new day.)

Sufferings caused by fasts are not an excuse for being grouchy, stingy, or rude. Going without
food can make your mind get weak and unable to focus, which can make for angry or delusional
reactions. When it does, stop fasting, because you're starting to harm yourself and you're bearing
a bad witness to God's love.
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Don't Fast To Punish Yourself

Fasts are not for self-punishment. Some apocalyptic sects of Jesus' era fasted for intense food-
free periods. They hoped to purify themselves before the end-times arrived. They would
sometimes prohibit marriage or sex and require abstinence from foods. To the early Christians,
this made no sense. They thanked God for God's good creation, including all kinds of food. They
would not set a new law over themselves, since Christ has just freed them from the burdens of
the law. Even having a rule of not eating sacrifices to idols, as sensible as that sounds, caused a
major struggle. Some folks of today seek the drug-like experience that happens as the body gets
weakened by the fast. Then, there are those who have a sadistic drive to destroy themselves.
They somehow thought their sins were so bad that they were worthless before God even
after dedicating themselves to God. Some monks, as well as many holy people of other major
religions, believed that one should force one's body to submit to God. But self-punishment is a
form of self-destruction and self-hatred. This attitude bleeds over into everything else about how
you think of yourself and your body, even when you are not fasting. God didn't love you and
then tell you to go hate yourself. God wants you to see yourself and your body through God's
eyes -- as being well worth loving. Or perhaps, you might dare treat The Almighty Creator as a
fool for loving you? This is true of both foods and people: God did not create mistakes. Besides,
you can't earn forgiveness, and there is no sin in you God can't forgive. So what's all this
punishment for?

Fasting Too Much

It is also not right to harm yourself in a way that might make you a burden to others who would
have to give you physical care. Mohammed was a strong believer in fasting as a discipline, but
even he had to act against the extreme fasting of his Companions in Medina when it weakened
them up to the edge of death. The lengthy Ramadan fasts are only for daylight hours; they are to
eat and enjoy at night. King Saul put his soldiers under oath of death not to eat, leaving them too
weak to succeed. His son Jonathan understood how wrongheaded this was, but his disobedience
almost got him killed by his own father. Thus, do not fast in a way that seriously harms
your health.

Fasting Is Not Required

You don't need to fast to be saved, at least not according to Scripture. It's not a sin not to fast.
It's also not a sin to never exercise your body, but you would honor the God who created your
body more if you took care of it. The same is true with all spiritual disciplines, devotions, faith
habits, practices, and worship. You can do without them, but you'd become spiritually obese.
Each church body has its own rules and practices about doing without, as part of their own way
of living the Christian life. But many millions of people live good and faithful Christian lives
without ever fasting. It can be helpful to your own discipline, but is not at all required and has
no role at all in whether God rescues you. That's entirely Jesus's doing.

When To Break A Fast

Stop fasting for preparation when the time has come to do what you're preparing for.
Better yet, following Jonathan's lesson, give yourself at least a short time between the end of the
fast and the moment you're about to seize. That will make you stronger for the task. Most people
who fast set a time for it to end; honor that time by not fasting beyond it, even if you feel an urge
to do so. Fasts can be addicting, to a few of us. If you take ill, stop. If some very important
matter comes up, especially involving your loved ones, you can break from it. Remember,
disciplines are not done to please God, but to prepare you for Godly living.
 (There are a very few special situations where fasting is part of a
larger effort of achieving something really big and good for
others beyond yourself -- Gandhi's fasts for Indian independence
come to mind -- in which the faster's own physical good is in the
far background. But that's almost certainly not your case, and
don't fantasize that it is. Some would not even label this as
'fasting', but as a political 'hunger strike'. However, in many if not
most actual cases it is done with a very clear spiritual dimension,
and when that is true it is very hard to separate it out from fasting.
Justice is, after all, a serious concern of God and a part of God's
character that the Spirit is writing into us, in part through
fasting.)
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"He wants nothing at all to do with you if by your fasting you court Him as if you were a
great saint, and yet meanwhile nurse a grudge or anger against your neighbor."
Martin Luther

Seen in an ad:

Prayer and Fasting Conference fee: $95.

Includes meals.

Asking God to Change

Fasting to ask God to change course: Ezra 8:21-23
-- why would this matter to God? Because God cares that we care.

When King David had been caught by Nathan the Prophet in his evil deed of murder and
adultery (2 Sam 12), Nathan ended by forgiving David of his sin, but telling him that the son
born from this relationship was to die (verses 13-14). David took his sorrow over this to the Lord
in prayer and fasting and tears, laying on the ground, doing nothing else for a whole week. (Try
doing that when you're the sole leader of a nation.) But this did not save his son. Once the baby
died, David immediately got up, washed and clothed himself, worshipped, and then went to eat.
This puzzled the people around him: shouldn't he be fasting over the child's death? David's
answer showed how deeply he understood what he was fasting for :
 "While the child was alive, I fasted and wept, thinking, 'Who
knows, maybe the LORD will be gracious to me so the child
may live.' But now that he has died, why should I fast? Can I
bring him back again??" (2 Samuel 12:22-23)

David was fasting and weeping out of love for his son, the son his own evil deeds created, the
son his own evil deeds killed. He had already come to hate the great sins that he did. He had
already mourned as terribly as he could. It was now his task to lead a nation (God's own
covenant people). Time to once again follow God, and comfort Bathsheba who was also
mourning over their child. But he can't do any of that while he's on the ground starving and
wailing. The time for fasting was over. The time for renewed living was at hand. By setting
himself right with God, David was once again blessed by God. The Lord took that twisted
relationship and made from it David's eventual heir, Solomon.

Fasting As Part of Mourning

For most of the rest of us, we have no nation to run. The loss of a loved one affects us so much
that we may not care to eat. Or we may come to understand the damage of all those little wrongs
we did to that someone, and plead for forgiveness to God. The Bible has many examples of
fasting as part of mourning:

 1 Samuel 31:13;
 2 Samuel 1:12;
 Joel 2:12;
 Nehemiah 1:4 (sad news)

Fasts are also done to commemorate a catastrophe -- the traditional Jewish fasts for the events
described in :

 Jeremiah 52:12-13, 39:2;

 2 Kings 25:1-2;
 Ezekiel 24:1-2;
 Jeremiah 41:1-2;
 Esther 4:16.

Getting Ready By Fasting

The Bible shows fasting as preparation for major moves and deeds:
  1 Samuel 14:24;
 Judges 20:26;
 Acts 13:2-3 (when Barnabas and Paul were called as a team).

Think on These, in Fasting

 How does fasting help us prepare? By helping us put even our
most basic urges and needs into a lower priority than the task at
hand, so we can put our whole selves into it.
 What effects make fasting useful for preparation?
 Jesus fasted 40 days in the desert. That led to the temptations, the
first of which was to use his powers to make food for himself.
Since he was in a fast period preparing himself for the ministry
and the trial ahead of him, feeding himself would have made the
preparation incomplete. The task ahead was way too important.
He had to maintain focus on God.
 Paul spent much time isolated after conversion; as a good Jew,
periods without food were a part of that time.
 In Didache 7.4, days of fasting were specified for the ones being
baptized and the ones baptizing them.
 In some Jewish traditions, the bride and groom fast in preparation
on their wedding day up to the time of the ceremony. Then, of
course, they feast.

Notes on Why People Fast

Why do people fast? Most religions use fasting, usually as self-discipline and preparation. They
use it as :

1. self-purification;
2. defeating evil spirits which show forth in the desire for material
things;
3. a discipline for one's 'evil' bodily (material) nature, to force it to
submit to God.
4. a way to become one with the experience of Christ's suffering by
way of one's own suffering.

These ideas carried over into the monastic traditions of the Middle Ages and of Eastern
Orthodoxy. Some of these are a poor fit for the faith, but have influence through several
unquestionably faithful Christian devotionalists.

It is common even in secular governments for rulers to declare national days of fasting,
especially during wartime or disaster.
One of the most powerful discoveries of small prayer groups is the use of fasting together, with
intensive prayer, over urgent matters. Someone can challenge the whole small group to fast
together during the time period when they are holding the urgent matter in prayer. This is usually
done over a specific turning point in congregational life, or an acute illness, or after a disaster.
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