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FASTING AND PRAYER
WHAT IS FASTING?
Fasting and prayer can help us hear from God.
Fasting and prayer can reveal our hidden sin.
Fasting and prayer can strengthen intimacy with God.
Fasting and prayer can teach us to pray with right motives.
Fasting and prayer can build our faith.
f you've attended church for a while you've probably heard the word "fasting." But, what exactly is fasting? Why do we do it? How do we do it? And what are some Biblical examples of fasting?
What is Fasting?
Fasting is essentially giving up food (or something else) for a period in order to focus your thoughts on God. While fasting, many people read the Bible, pray, or worship. Fasting is found throughout the Old and New Testaments of the Bible, over fifty times!
"Biblically, fasting is mentioned in both the Old and New Testament. In the Old Testament it was often a way of expressing grief or a means of humbling oneself before the Lord. In Psalm 35:13, David humbled himself with fasting. In the New Testament it was a means to grow closer to God through mediating and focusing on Him. In Matthew 4:1-2, Jesus went to the wilderness to fast for 40 days. In Matthew 6:16-18 we learn that we aren’t to look somber while fasting so that it’s not obvious to others when we are fasting. Throughout the New Testament fasting and prayer are often mentioned together. In Acts 13:3, ‘they had fasted and prayed.’ In Luke 2:37 a widow worshiped day and night fasting and praying."
Following the example of Jesus and the Early Church believers, we, too can draw near to God while fasting.
ESTUDIO DE BIBLIA
PROVERBIOS 1:7–33; 8–9
¿Alguien está escuchando?
1. El llamado de la sabiduría a la salvación (Prov. 1:8–33)
Este párrafo registra tres voces que la persona que lee Proverbios necesita identificar. CUALES SON LAS VOZES?
a. Voz 1
b. Voz 2
c. Voz 3
2. El llamado de la Sabiduría a la verdadera riqueza (Prov. 8:1-3) La Sabiduría regresa a los lugares concurridos de la ciudad y llama para que todos puedan escuchar. Pero tenga en cuenta que ella se dirige a los simples y a los necios, pero no a los despreciadores (compare Prov. 1:22 con 8:5). 6)
¿Qué es la verdadera riqueza?
3. El llamado de la Sabiduría a la vida (Prov. 9:1-18) En lugar de ir a los lugares concurridos de la ciudad, la Sabiduría ahora permanece en casa y sirve como anfitriona de una gran fiesta.
a. Qué preparación (vv. 1-2)
b. Qué invitación (vv. 3-9)
c. Qué tipo de personas están siendo invitadas
d. Qué celebración- (vv. 10-12)
1. ¿Por qué estamos celebrando?
2. ¿Qué estamos recibiendo?
e. Qué condenación (vv13-18)
Jonah 1:1-9
Jonah 1:1-9
Running Away
Summary-God told Jonah to go to Ninevah and warn them of God’s wrath, due to their wickedness. In rebellion and fear, Jonah instead sought to run away from God and boarded a boat heading for Tarshish. Because of His disobedience, God sent a storm so great that it caused even seasoned sailors to be afraid, but Jonah was asleep, and unaware of the storm. When the sailors woke him and asked him to call on his God, they decided to cast lots to see whose fault the storm was. After the lot fell to Jonah, they asked him where he was from and what he did. His answer “I am a Hebrew, and I fear the Lord God of heaven who made the sea and the dry land,” struck terror into their hearts.
Central Teaching- It’s impossible to run from God, and it inevitably brings consequences.
Key Words- go, flee, great, storm, ship, god, lot, afraid
Key Verse- 1:3
Ten things this passage says-
God told Jonah to go to Nineveh and cry against it.
Nineveh was a wicked city.
Jonah disobeyed and boarded a ship for Tarshish, instead.
Jonah thought he could flee from the presence of the Lord.
The Lord caused a great wind to rise up and stir up a storm large enough to threaten the ship Jonah was on.
Jonah was sleeping through the storm.
Every shipmate was calling out to his god, and they urged Jonah to call out to his, as well.
The sailors cast lots to see whose fault the storm was.
The lot fell to Jonah, pointing to him as the one responsible.
Jonah told them that he was a Hebrew, and that his God had created the sea and dry land.
Ten Things this passage does NOT say-
God’s command to Jonah was optional, and Jonah could do it or not do it as he liked.
The Ninevites weren’t all that bad, and God’s judgment of them was unjustified.
Nineveh was an Israelite city, so it was usual for God to send a prophet to them.
Jonah intended to obey God eventually.
Jonah could flee from God’s presence.
The storm that followed was just a coincidence, and had nothing to do with Jonah’s disobedience.
The sailor’s efforts to appease the storm by their efforts (crying out to their gods and hurling the cargo into the sea) were successful.
Jonah was feeling guilty over his disobedience to the Lord.
God wasn’t in control of the lots, and it was just coincidence that it fell to Jonah.
Jonah was a Gentile prophet, being sent to his own people.
What does this passage teach me about God?
God’s commands are clear, and they are to be obeyed.
God is just. He must punish wickedness.
God is omnipresent. I cannot flee from Him.
God is in control of nature. The winds and the weather obey Him.
God is the only God. No man-contrived god has any power.
God knows my sins, and He can cause them to be found out. Just because my conscience is quiet, does not mean He has forgotten.
God cares about the Gentiles, as well as the Jews.
God is missions-minded.
How does this passage apply to my life?
I should be aware of God’s presence in my life and never seek to flee Him.
Obedience to the Lord is not optional. I should obey the first time, every time, or He will just discipline me and give me more opportunities to obey.
God desires me to share Him with the lost.
Do not elevate my judgment above God’s.
Questions-
What does “Jonah” mean? Dove VI
What does “Amittai” mean? Truthful or loyal V1
What doubt does Jonah show that it was the Lord who spoke to him? V1
What did God command Jonah to do? V2
Why did God command Jonah to do that? V2
When did God want Jonah to do this? V2
Why was it unique that God would ask Jonah to go to Nineveh?This was the only case where God sent His prophet to a Gentile nation, instead of to Israel. JMSB says “This was for the salvation of that city and for the shame and jealousy of Israel, as well as a rebuke to the reluctance of the Jews to bring Gentiles to the true God” V2
What was Jonah’s response? V3
Why do you think he responded in this way? V3
Did he succeed in fleeing from the presence of the Lord? V3
What was the Lord’s response to Jonah’s disobedience? V4
What did this display about the Lord’s character and His power? V4
How did this endanger others traveling with him? V4
What were the sailors’ three responses to the storm? V5
What does this say about the severity of the storm? V5
What was Jonah’s initial response to the storm? V5
What does the sailors’ response indicate about their character and beliefs? V5
What does Jonah’s initial response indicate about his character? V5
Why did the captain approach Jonah? V6
What did the captain’s question reveal about his faith in his people’s gods? In Jonah’s God? V6
How did they discover that the storm was Jonah’s fault? V7
Based on the cross references you have observed, was this method consistent with how Israel determined this kind of thing? Do you think God spoke through the lot? V7
What did the outcome of casting lots reveal about God’s character and power? V7
What was the sailor’s response to the outcome of the lots? V8
What did their response reveal about their beliefs? V8
What was Jonah’s response to their questions? V9
What did his response reveal about his beliefs? V9
Why do you think he identified God as he did, as the “Lord God of heaven who made the sea and the dry land”? V9
Why was it strange that Jonah claimed to worship and fear God? How were his actions in opposition to that? V9
What were the consequences for Jonah’s action?
1. The sailors’ fright (4-5a)
2. The sailors’ prayer to their gods (v 5b)
3. The sailors’ unloading the ship (v 5c)
4. The captain’s speech to Jonah (v 6)
5. The sailors’ word to each other (v 7a)
6. The sailors’ question to Jonah, “Who are you?” (v 7b-8)
7. Jonah’s confession (v 9)
8. The sailors’ question to Jonah, “What have you done?” (v 10a)
9. The sailors’ question to Jonah “What shall we do?” (v 10b-11)
10. Jonah’s words to the sailors (v 12)
11. The sailors’ rowing of the ship (v 13)
12. The sailor’s prayer to the Lord (v 14)
13. The sailors’ fear of the Lord (v 15-16)
Who would you say is the principal person in this narrative? Why? God
Comments or Observations-
V2- Nineveh was located 550 miles northeast of Samaria. This would have required Jonah to travel more than a month, if he journeyed the usual 15-20 miles a day. So not only was the city the largest in the world at the time (second only to Babylon; probably with a population of ~600,000), and known for violence, but it was also quite a lengthy journey from where he was. Jonah had numerous reasons for not wanting to go, but none were GOOD reasons.
Also, JMSB says “The name Nineveh is thought to derive from “ninus,” and means the residence of Nimrod or “nunu,” which means “fish.” The people worshiped the fish goddess Nanshe (the daughter of Ea, the goddess of fresh water) and Dagon the fish god who was represented as half man and half fish. Isn’t it interested that the Ninevites were fish worshipers, and Jonah was swallowed by a big fish? Anyway, this city was a center for idol worship, and was later destroyed for that very reason.
V3- This is the only recorded instance of a prophet refusing God’s commission. If the location is as suspected, it was as far west of the opposite direction as possible. Definite rebellion. H.C. Woodring says of it- “God wanted him to go to Nineveh, 500 miles northeast of Palestine. Instead of going east, Jonah went 2000 miles to the west. God wished Jonah to take an overland trip via the Fertile Crescent. Instead he took a distasteful sea voyage (the Jews hated the sea). God sent him to the greatest metropolis of the day. Instead Jonah headed for a remote trading post on the fringes of civilization. The Lord wished to go with His prophet. Instead Jonah tried to flee from the presence and power of God.”
V5 The sailors were probably Phoenicians, who believed in many gods, but not the true God. Phoenicians were known for their multi-theism and skill at sea. Note that the storm must have been very severe if such seasoned sailors were afraid because of it.
AYUNO Y ORACION
¿QUÉ ES EL AYUNO?
El ayuno y la oración pueden ayudarnos a escuchar de Dios.
El ayuno y la oración pueden revelar nuestro pecado oculto.
El ayuno y la oración pueden fortalecer la intimidad con Dios.
El ayuno y la oración pueden enseñarnos a orar con los motivos correctos.
El ayuno y la oración pueden edificar nuestra fe.
Si has asistido a la iglesia por un tiempo, probablemente hayas escuchado la palabra "ayuno". Pero, ¿qué es exactamente el ayuno? ¿Por qué lo hacemos? ¿Cómo lo hacemos? ¿Y cuáles son algunos ejemplos bíblicos de ayuno?
¿Qué es el ayuno?
El ayuno es esencialmente renunciar a la comida (o algo más) por un período con el fin de enfocar tus pensamientos en Dios. Mientras ayunan, muchas personas leen la Biblia, oran o adoran. ¡El ayuno se encuentra en todo el Antiguo y Nuevo Testamento de la Biblia, más de cincuenta veces!
"Bíblicamente, el ayuno se menciona tanto en el Antiguo como en el Nuevo Testamento. En el Antiguo Testamento era a menudo una forma de expresar el dolor o un medio de humillarse ante el Señor. En el Salmo 35:13, David se humilló con el ayuno. En el Nuevo Testamento era un medio para acercarse más a Dios a través de la mediación y el enfoque en Él. En Mateo 4:1-2, Jesús fue al desierto a ayunar durante 40 días. En Mateo 6:16-18 aprendemos que no debemos parecer sombríos mientras ayunamos para que no sea obvio para los demás cuando estamos ayunando. A lo largo del Nuevo Testamento, el ayuno y la oración a menudo se mencionan juntos. En Hechos 13:3, 'habían ayunado y orado'. En Lucas 2:37 una viuda adoraba día y noche ayunando y orando".
Siguiendo el ejemplo de Jesús y los creyentes de la Iglesia Primitiva, nosotros también podemos acercarnos a Dios mientras ayunamos.