Fasting is a discipline. It is a time to get serious about prayer and intimacy with the Lord, turning aside from the usual routines in order to seek God’s direction and power. When you fast from food, you are reminded that you are dependent on God’s daily provision, and even the growling of your stomach will serve as a reminder to stop for the moment and pray.

We see multiple examples of fasting and prayer in Scripture, so this is a biblical, spiritual work to draw you close to God. Our church, First Baptist Church of Mt Healthy, is having a church wide 48 hour fast for this very reason: to seek God’s vision, guidance, and provision as we grow in our love for Him and the community we are located.

That said, here’s some items to keep in mind as you fast:

• Fast Secretly. No one needs to know that you are fasting. Even though we are fasting church wide, there’s no way to know who is and who is not fasting. This is a discipline that’s between the Lod and you. Jesus said as much in Matt 6:18.
• Fast Regularly. Let this be a steady, ongoing discipline that you do on your own every so often. Make sure that it’s a regular practice, as long as it’s not relegated to a cold, ritualistic activity that loses focus (Luke 18:9-14).
• Fast  Purposefully. So often, we do practices without really understanding the reason and the purpose for them. Be sure that when you fast and pray, that there is a purpose to this time of intimacy. In other words, don’t just do it because others are doing it. Make it a memorable, faith growing experience.
• Fast Wisely. not everyone can fast meals because of health reasons. If you are diabetic or have other health conditions, consider fasting something else. One good type of fast might be to have a time of no screens such as cell phones, TV, or computer. The point is to place God first and grow closer to Him, not to put your health in jeopardy.
• Fast Willingly. nothing that is done for the Lord should be forced upon an individual. For example, the discipline of giving to the Lord is something that has to be done willingly and not begrudgingly. Likewise, there’s no difference in the example of fasting and prayer. Don’t just do it because one of your leaders says you must do this, especially if you think this is what makes a “good Christian” and failing to do it makes you a “bad Christian.” Such thinking is actually unhealthy and contrary to the concept of grace.
• Fast Joyfully. When you fast, be joyful. There’s nothing worse than a person fasting and being grouchy about it- believe me, I know this from experience! As a guy who loves to eat, I get a little grouchy when I skip a meal. As a result, I have to really watch how I act, think, and speak to those closest to me. Kind of self defeating otherwise, right? Instead, follow Jesus’ commands in Matthew 6 and wash your face, showing joy instead of mourning.

There you have it. As you fast and pray, keep these things in mind. I’d love to hear other ideas and warnings. Any thoughts?

Pastor Fran

“Something is wrong with a philosophy that relegates God and His Word to a subordinate role in the church. It is clearly unbiblical to elevate entertainment over biblical preaching and worship in the church service. Sadly, some actually believe that their salesmanship can bring people into the kingdom more effectively than a sovereign God – a philosophy that has opened the door to worldliness in the church” (John MacArthur, from his book Ashamed of the Gospel).

If you are a pastor, teacher, or church leader, remember that for life change, the Word of God is more powerful than anything we can say or do.

Numbers 16:12-13, “Then Moses sent a summons to Dathan and Abiram, the sons of Eliab; but they said, ‘We will not come up. Is it not enough that you have brought us up out of a land flowing with milk and honey to have us die in the wilderness, but you would also lord it over us?'”

It is a remarkable thing when people revise history to make the old days, ‘good old days.’ Here we have members of Korah’s rebellion fiercely rebelling against Moses, and in their zeal to be “right,” they change their past. In their misguided zeal, they are now claiming that EGYPT of all places, the land in which they were enslaved to, was a soft memory of their land of milk and honey! Forget the promises of the future, forget the memories of God’s miracles in the desert, it was Egypt that was home, and this Moses took them away from it!

Unbelievable, right? Yet, how is this different than what we do today? How often do you remember the good old days which were not, or that perfect leader who was not, or disparage the current state of affairs? Or even worse, how often do you dread every change, every moment, every future plan because it is as you feared?

The truth is that you cannot afford to long for the past, because your corrupt mind has colored it rosy. No, instead, long for the future, a future in Christ. Christ is the future. He is the land flowing with milk and honey. He chooses His leaders, leads His people, guides His sheep to paths of righteousness for His name’s sake.

Spend time praying for your own condition, that you seek the future in Him rather than recreating what never was. May He victoriously lead you in a way that glorifies Him!

Pastor Fran

In honor of one of the finest days of the year, Opening Day, I want to share a wonderful lesson of how a tragic mistake was turned into a triumph: 

In 1908, a Rookie with the NY Giants by the name of Fred Merkle was on first base with another runner at third in the ninth inning of an important game with the Chicago Cubs. Shortstop Al Bridwell, was up to bat with two outs, and quickly hit a game ending single to center field, allowing the runner on third to score the winning run. Merkle, however, was supposed to run to second base so as to avoid being forced out. As was the practice of that day, he saw the run scored, turned toward his dugout without touching second, and headed out of the stadium to avoid the mob of cheering fans who had now flooded the field. Meanwhile, the umpire saw a Cubs player retrieve the ball, touch second base, and now declared Merkle out, and that the run did not score.

Merkle was now the victim of what another umpire called “the rottenest decision in the history of baseball.” He was derided and demonized by the New York press. Fans and newspapers called the play “Merkle’s Boner” and Merkle a bonehead. Disgraced, Merkle’s team wound up tying the Cubs at the end of the season, then would lose to the Cubs in a rematch game to decide the National League winner. The Cubs would go on to win the World Series (this was their last championship win).

But what happened to Fred Merkle? Apparently, his bonehead label never went away. Throughout his life, he was dogged by fans who were angry even decades later. Admirably, Merkle moved beyond his tragic mistake and went on to a wonderful baseball career, eventually playing in five World Series over the next twenty year years. After he retired, he lived a peaceful life as a family man, devoted husband, and a successful businessman.

Merkle could have bitterly quit baseball his first year, or become frozen with fear and fail to play to his potential. Instead, he pressed on, he played hard, and he earned the admiration of his fellow players, manager, and eventually the majority of the fans. In fact, he received a standing ovation many years later from the Giants fans in an old timer’s game. He died at peace with his family, being looked on as successful in the eyes of those who loved him the most.

So what can we learn from this? Though I don’t know where Fred Merkle was spiritually, I am reminded from his life and career that there are principles we can follow when we, too, make bonehead mistakes: 

• All of us face adversity, pain, and suffering. All of us blow it at times, mistakes are made, and we can all be “boneheads” at times. However, this doesn’t mean that you should feel defeated. Psalm 49:5 says, “Why should I fear in days of adversity, when the iniquity of my foes surrounds me?”
• Your past does not need to define you. Whatever was in the past, is in the past. Accidents and blunders and even intentional trespasses can be forgiven and renewed (1 John 1:9).
• Christ loved you, chose you, and died for you. Your identity shouldn’t depend on people, career, or fame. It should always depend on the Creator who loves you and died for you (1 Cor 15:1-3). Never forget that!
• Jesus renews you for a greater purpose. He gives you a spirit of soberness, and strength, and a sound mind (2 Tim 1:7). Our fallen world is a world of tragedy, true, yet we have a God who is sovereign even over these tragedies. He takes your mess and brings out of it a message. He turns the hurt into help for others.

Whether you make a mistake, are convicted of sin, or feel weighed down by the world, remember these principles. No one is a bonehead, especially considering that we have a God who loves, encourages, and indwells every Christian to worship Him!

Pastor Fran