In Matthew 6:16-18 NIV Jesus said — When you fast, do not look somber as the hypocrites do, for they disfigure their faces to show others they are fasting. Truly I tell you, 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 others 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.

Many denominations recognize today as Ash Wednesday. Ash Wednesday marks the beginning of Lent which is the 40 days leading to Easter and commemorates the 40 days Jesus spent in the desert fasting and praying before His ministry began. 

Have you ever fasted or have you ever considered fasting? Fasting is a time of self-denial. In the traditions of Lent, often people choose a food, habit, or attitude to fast over the 40 days. The idea is to allow the lack of items to be a time of reflection to draw you closer to Christ. In the past when I have fasted a food and have been tempted to partake of it, I take that moment to stop and pray. I ask God to help me to be mindful of Christ’s sacrifice for me and allow God to lead and direct my steps. As today’s featured scripture reminds us, when you fast, you should not let your time of denial become an outward time of sadness as to draw attention to yourself. Instead, allow your time of fasting to be a private time of reflection between you and your savior. 

Let’s pray. Dear Father, thank You for the sacrifices made by Your Son Jesus Christ for me. Open my eyes, ears, mind, and heart to receive Your individual message for me about fasting. Prepare me to receive Your will for me and may I respond as You would have me. In Jesus name I pray, Amen.

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Matthew 4 NIV

Are you familiar with Lent? No, I am not referring to the collection of particles you clean out of your dryer vent. I am referring to a tradition some religions practice. Lent is a time of prayer, fasting, and self-denial and is meant to commemorate the 40 days Jesus spent in the desert being tempted by Satan. This week we will dive a little deeper into the practice of fasting. Take a moment to watch this short video by The Bible Project titled The Purpose of Fasting,

Let’s pray. Dear Heavenly Father, as we start this week exploring the concept of fasting, open my eyes, ears, mind, and heart to receive Your individual message for me. Prepare me to receive Your will for me and may I respond as You would have me. In Jesus name I pray, Amen.

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Spend some time reading and meditating on this week’s featured scriptures. How is God speaking to you through His word?

Matthew 4 NIV

In Matthew 6:16-18 NIV Jesus said — When you fast, do not look somber as the hypocrites do, for they disfigure their faces to show others they are fasting. Truly I tell you, 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 others 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.

Philippians 3:10-11 MSG — I gave up all that inferior stuff so I could know Christ personally, experience his resurrection power, be a partner in his suffering, and go all the way with him to death itself. If there was any way to get in on the resurrection from the dead, I wanted to do it.

1 Peter 5:6 NIV — Humble yourselves, therefore, under God’s mighty hand, that he may lift you up in due time.

This week we will explore Biblical fasting. As you prepare for our week ahead, spend some time listening to Promises by Maverick City Music. Take comfort in His love and promises.

Thank God for all of your blessings and worship Him as you listen to Counting My Blessings by Seph Schlueter and Gratitude by Brandon Lake.

Luke 5:17-20 NIV — One day Jesus was teaching, and Pharisees and teachers of the law were sitting there. They had come from every village of Galilee and from Judea and Jerusalem. And the power of the Lord was with Jesus to heal the sick. Some men came carrying a paralyzed man on a mat and tried to take him into the house to lay him before Jesus. When they could not find a way to do this because of the crowd, they went up on the roof and lowered him on his mat through the tiles into the middle of the crowd, right in front of Jesus. When Jesus saw their faith, he said, “Friend, your sins are forgiven.”

In this familiar story, Jesus is interrupted by friends of a sick man. The friends were trying to get him to Jesus to be healed but there was no way to get through the crowd. So they thought outside of the box by going to the roof and lowering the friend into the house and closer to Jesus. Being human, we would think Jesus may have been upset with being interrupted. However, His response was one of love and compassion when He healed the sick man. 

Are there people in your life that need you to interrupt a situation to bring them closer to Christ? How can you intervene and be an agent of Christ that will lead him/her to the feet of the cross? How can you create a Christ-centered interruption?

Let’s pray. Dear God, thank you for sending Your Son to lead us. May I follow His example in my response to interruption and may I be an agent of Christ by creating Christ-centered interruptions for those around me. In Jesus’ name I pray, Amen.

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Philippians 2:3-4 NIV — Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit. Rather, in humility value others above yourselves, not looking to your own interests but each of you to the interests of the others.

Have you ever had an interruption to your day that later turned out to be a blessing? Steven Furtick, pastor of  Elevation Church, once said, “Sometimes the interruption is the assignment.” At the moment, we may not realize the ramifications of the interruption. In fact sometimes we are frustrated when we are interrupted, but I encourage you to be open to what each interruption could do for you and the kingdom of God. 

Several years ago, Julie and Ray met to discuss his retirement. They each heeded the urge from God to veer off of the usual retirement rhetoric and share a piece of their family history together. Now each of us have realized that interruption was a divine appointment that would blossom into the blessing of the three of us working together on Water Walkers to share God’s word. What a blessing! We are so thankful. Take some time to reflect on times you have been interrupted that later you realize God was using you as a servant for Him. 

Let’s pray. Dear Heavenly Father, open my eyes to Your divine interruptions. May I heed Your nudges and respond to Your interruptions as an agent of Christ. In Jesus’ name I pray, Amen.

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Matthew 10

Matthew 10:34-36 NIV — Do not suppose that I have come to bring peace to the earth. I did not come to bring peace, but a sword. For I have come to turn “‘a man against his father, a daughter against her mother, a daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law — a man’s enemies will be the members of his own household.

WOW! That is a powerful interruption. Jesus tells His disciples that He has come to interrupt the world. He came to upset the apple cart and open the eyes of the seers. This was not the savior they had expected or envisioned yet He is the savior they needed. He came to cause people to question the rituals and beliefs they used to shape their lives. He came to commune with them and change their thinking. 

Jesus does the same with us, if we allow Him to interrupt us. He challenges us to change our worldly thoughts and behaviors and turn them toward eternal life. Have you allowed Jesus to interrupt you? Have you followed Him? How has He interrupted your thoughts and changed your life?

Let’s pray. Dear Lord, open my heart to the interruptions You send to shape me into being more like Jesus. May I yield to Your leading and allow You to change me. In Jesus’ name I pray, Amen.

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