How To Enjoy Your Fast - How to Sow Your Savings

Lighting Up our Nation 2004

Fasting brings a sacrificial dimension to prayer. Biblical fasting is most often the abstaining from food for a spiritual purpose; and there are various ways to fast. Some people also fast a non-food item.

• A practical food fast refers to giving up either a meal or two or a type of food (like meat) over a period of time.
• A full food fast refers to giving up all food except water and/or juices over a period of time.
• An absolute food fast is refraining from both food and drink, but should only be done for three days.
• Non-food fasts include giving up something (for example Television) that interferes with your spiritual life.

Anyone with medical conditions or on medications should consult their physician before a food fast; and anyone attempting a full or absolute fast should consult their physician.

Decide what type of fast would be best for you. If this is new to you, begin with a partial fast.

Partial Fast Options

• Give up one meal a day
• Give up two meals on two days (for e.g. Wednesday and Friday)
• Give up two meals a day (breakfast and lunch)
• Give up meat or some other food

Full Fast Options

• Give up food, drinking only wather and juices for 24 hours
• Give up all solid foods, drinking only water and juices (do this under a physician's care)

Non-Food Fast

• Give up something that distracts you from prayer and spiritual pursuits

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Acts of Social Justice

Combining prayer, fasting and social justice can move you beyond concerns and concepts and into God-directed action that is meaningful and helpful to those in your community and the world needing social justice today.

Prayer and fasting are the first steps in acts of social justice but not a replacement for action. For the past two years the collection of over RM 1 million from the nationwide 40-day Fast & Prayer & Charity Campaign has been distributed to worthy projects local and overseas.

As an individual, a group, or congregation decide to give up certain foods, meals, or an activity for the 40 days or several days or even just on the day you meet for prayer.

How to Sow Your Savings in Three Steps

1. From July 22 to August 30 (40 days), sow your meal savings - the charity box makes this convenient
2. On August 30, count your savings, place it in an envelop, write the total sum as a label
3. From August 30 onwards, sow to God's purpoase via the NECF Malaysia Nationwide Charity Campaign through on of the following ways:
   
• attend and sow at your city/town/church Combined Prayer Rally
• give the saved amount to your local church to forward to NECF Malaysia
• Send the saved amount by check, or give directly to NECF Malaysia with the label "Nationwide Charity Campaign"

 

"My House shall be called a House of Prayer" (Isaiah 56:7)