Next week, Harbour City is going to be starting our 2018 Church Fast!
We’re fasting a bit differently this year though.
Instead of fasting for 4 consecutive days, we want to make our fast this year less of an “Event”, and more a normal practice that is part of our lives.
So we’ll be fasting for 4 days, on 27 February and 6, 13 and 20 March.
We won’t be eating food, or drinking caffeine or alcohol on those days. We will only be drinking water and fruit juice during the day, and eating a bowl of soup in the evenings. Not eating, cooking, doing grocery shopping and washing dishes will create a lot of extra time for us to pray, to study the scriptures and to seek and enjoy God.
You might also decide to fast Social Media, TV or other time consuming activities to make more time to Pray and seek God on these Fast Days.
And, if for Medical reasons you are unable to do the full fast, perhaps you can cut something out of your schedule over this period, to make more time to pray and seek God.
Please also get your Children involved in the fast! Perhaps they could give up chocolate and sweets over the 4 days we are fasting? Or time in front of the TV, or on their Tablets? Make time to read a Bible story to them, and pray with them, discipling them and including them in what the whole Church Community are all doing together.
Why are we Fasting?
Generally:
1) In obedience to scripture that says we should fast (Matthew 6v16).
2) To mature as a Church in this Christian practice, so that this becomes a more regular part of our lives.
Specifically:
1) Growing in Knowing God: We want to seek God over this time, to personally enjoy and get to know God better. And to build a Culture of Knowing God together as a Church.
2) To seek God’s will and leading for our lives: We are asking God to give us clarity about his will, wisdom for decisions, and faith for the year, for the Church and for each of us individually. (It will be very helpful to keep a pen and notebook with you as we fast to write down scriptures, themes and phrases that God might be speaking to you.)
3) We want to use this time to pray for Friends, Family and Co-workers to be saved, and come to know Jesus. (We suggest writing down 3 names, and praying for those people regularly over the fast.)
4) We want to pray for more of the Gifts and Power of the Holy Spirit in our lives and Church.
We really believe that this time of Fasting will be powerful for us personally, and together.
Please send any questions or testimonies you might have to grant@harbourcity.co.za
Come and join us as we meet together next Tuesday night to Pray and Share a cup of soup together at 6pm.