Wednesday, September 13, 2017 Keeping Our Balance and Gaining Freedom (The Discipline of Fasting, Part 6) (Inspired by Celebration of Discipline by Richard Foster)

Wednesday, September 13, 2017

Keeping Our Balance and Gaining Freedom  (The Discipline of Fasting, Part 6)

(Inspired by Celebration of Discipline by Richard Foster)

Scripture:

1 Corinthians 6:12

All things are lawful for me, but not all things are profitable. All things are lawful for me, but I will not be mastered by anything.

Romans 8:13

For if you live according to the flesh you will die, but if by the Spirit you put to death the deeds of the body, you will live.

1 Corinthians 9:25

Every athlete exercises self-control in all things. They do it to receive a perishable wreath, but we an imperishable.

Colossians 3:5

Put to death therefore what is earthly in you: sexual immorality, impurity, passion, evil desire, and covetousness, which is idolatry.

Devotional:

How beautiful is today’s passage on the discipline and balance of fasting. Pastor Foster says it best:

“Fasting helps us keep our balance in life. How easily we begin to allow nonessentials to take precedence in our lives. How quickly we crave things we do not need until we are enslaved by them...

Our human cravings and desires are like rivers that tend to overflow their banks; fasting helps keep them in their proper channels…

This is not excessive asceticism; it is discipline and discipline brings freedom. In the fourth centry Asterius said that fasting ensured that the stomach would not make the body boil like a kettle to the hindering of the soul.”

As parents in any capacity, our first job is to instill the love of Christ into our children and to seek to model the Christian faith. The most prevalent piece of that job, especially in the early years, is to teach our children the need for discipline. As we discussed early in this study, discipline is not punishment. It can involve punishment when the banks are overflowed, but they are not synonymous. The true goal of seeking discipline is to walk the balanced, channeled life of the Narrow Path disciple as we press toward the goal of becoming more like Him. As followers of Christ, fasting is an important part of seeking that balanced and disciplined life. Staying in the boundaries set before us at times can seem like a constraint, but in truth, it opens us up to the true freedom we desire! 

Prayer:

Thanksgiving:
Lord, I thank You for Your heart toward me that You would place this reminder to seek the discipline and balance in my life that I crave through the discipline of fasting. You are faithful, and Your heart is toward us. You are blessed, God, and blessed be Your Name.

Confession:

Lord, I come to You open and vulnerable and I ask that You remove (name character defect, sin, struggle. For me today: I confess I am struggling to see joy in this time of physical pain. I desire to allow You to heal me, but to have a peaceful and joyful spirit in the midst of it. I ask You to transform this tendency to complain.)

Supplication:

I ask that You would give me a great love for fasting as You lead. I desire a disciplined and fasted life, and want to honor You as I fast. Teach me to embrace this beautiful discipline.

Intercession:

I lift my children to You today. (Journal needs, challenges, concerns. For us today: Chloe is struggling with her moods right now as she goes through a growth spurt. Help me to be patient with her while requiring her not to overtake our home with her big emotions. Christian is defying our boundaries. Give us wisdom for correction that will last for him. Cause both their hearts to be soft toward You, Lord, and give me a patient, gentle heart as I train them to stay within the banks.)

Thanksgiving and Consecration:

Thank You, God, for You are good and Your love is amazing. I ask that You would seal this time of prayer, and use our family for Your glory and honor. In Jesus’ Name I pray, amen.