Fast: to abstain from physical nourishment
Let's pick up where we left off last week - living a fasted life. As we talked about last week, there are SO many things we need to fast from, but we are only going to hit on four of them right now. As you remember, we started by talking about gossiping.
In addition to gossiping, we also need to take some time and fast from lying - telling untruths. There are certain things that the Lord hates as noted in Proverbs 6:17 - a proud look, a lying tongue, and hands that shed innocent blood. Not only does God hate lying, "But the fearful, and unbelieving, and the abominable, and murderers, and whoremongers, and sorcerers, and idolaters, and all liars, shall have their part in the lake which burneth with fire and brimstone: which is the second death" (Revelation 21:8). As you can see, gossiping and lying are serious things with God, therefore there is a great need for us to fast from them.
We definitely need to fast from holding grudges and not wanting to forgive each other. Forgiveness itself means to pardon, to give up resentment, or a gift. Would you believe that there are some people out there who get great pleasure out of not forgiving others? This is because it feels good to the flesh... or so we think! So many times we are angry with people and they don't even have a clue. In essence, it's like we're carrying them around on our backs and in our thoughts. We are weighted down with this anger we are carrying against them and they are going on enjoying their lives without even so much as a thought of us! Have you ever been there?! Forgiveness is our path for healing, not to mention, when we don't choose to forgive we are putting limits on ourselves, for if we don't forgive others, God won't forgive us. Ephesians 4:32 says, "And be ye kind one to another tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God for Christ's sake hath forgiven you." So let's fast from holding grudges and practice forgiveness instead.
Last, but very not least, let's remember to fast from Complaining (an outcry or protest). God gets no glory out of our complaining, and yet it's so common among us that many of us are not even aware of when we're complaining - to us it just feels like we're having a normal conversation - we complain when it rains and we complain when it doesn't rain. We complain when it's too hot, and then we complain when it's too cold. We complain about being overweight, and we complain when we can't find anything sweet to eat after dinner! What we are really doing is complaining because things are not EXACTLY the way we want them to be. We have to stop acting on our feelings and act on the way things really are, because things will constantly change, but the truth will always remain the same! One of those truths can be found in 1Thessalonians 5:18: "In every thing give thanks: for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you." Complaining is a poor attitude and completely opposite of what we are suppose to do!
I'll leave you with this: 1 Timothy 6:11, "But thou, O man of God, flee these things; and follow after righteousness, godliness, faith, love, patience, meekness."
With all that said, let the Church say Amen... and AMEN!
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