Fasting

I recently read Jentezen Franklin's (from Free Chapel Worship Center in Gainesville, GA) newest book of Fasting: Opening the Door to a Deeper More Intimate, More Powerful Relationship with God. It was a quick read and one I would recommend to others interested in the lost art and ancient spiritual discipline of fasting.

There were a few things I learned or had reinforced:

• Matthew 6 gives us the duties of a follower of Christ: Pray, Give and Fast.
• Jesus had an expectation we would fast. He said, "WHEN you fast..." not "IF you fast..."
• Fasting is not about twisting God's arm to get him to move in a way you want but preparing yourself spiritually for supernatural moves of God in your life, the life of the faith community and the life of others.
• Fasting has physical benefits in addition to spiritual benefits.
• Fasting is not just for monks in a monastery but for every Christ follower.
• It was our stomach that got the human race in trouble in the first place- eating the forbidden fruit.
• Jesus himself along with Paul, Peter, David, the nation of Israel and many others fasted- why do we think we would not need to fast.

And much more...