My brothers and sisters, we are now living in a very delicate and precious time in our Christian walk-Lent. During this time, we must engage in tremendous amounts of time of serious reflection in the Lord through “action.”First, we must make a pledge to the Lord with much humility. This can be done by prayer and fasting. We could pray for salvation of our lost loved ones. We can pray for our community in terms of peace, growth, and unity. We can also pray for our community leaders in terms of their intellectual strength, their increased compassionate wisdom and increased integrity.
We can pray especially for our youth, that they embrace the teachings and examples of their educational and spiritual leaders. There is a dire need that our youth develop a deeper thirst and hunger for more positive elements of knowledge that would promote them as more productive citizens, proving the world wrong that they are a lost generation. We must rebuke this indictment.
We can pray for our presidential candidates who are seeking a very powerful office in the country, requiring tremendous amounts of attributes of one person. We must pray that the right candidate is elected based on God’s standards and approval.
As we send these prayers up to the heavens, we must remember that these are powerful petitions that require serious addressing and serious positive results. In order to see such manifestation, we must fast. When Jesus was speaking and congregating with his disciples concerning miraculous results taking place, he distinctly told them that some things just do not happen except by fasting and praying. “Fasting” is good.
It is not intimidating. You can seek God, and he will direct you how to fast. There are water fasts; vegetables and fruits fasts; also, there are fasts that suggest water and juice only. Remember, “The steps of a righteous man are ordered by the Lord, and He delights in His way.” (Psalm 34) So be led of the Spirit as sons and daughters of God.
Another way in which we can have a part in that reflection period is through community efforts. We can go that extra mile that is not part of our original calling. We can assist in community beautification projects, Boy Scouts/Girls Scouts. We can assist with church functions. We can volunteer once a week throughout this period of reflection.
My brothers and sisters, remember faith without works is dead. Therefore, throughout this 40-day period of Lent, we must not only fast and pray, but there must be good works coupled with our fasting and praying.
If you were diagnosed with a serious illness, you want healing, right? Certainly, prayer and fasting are powerful tools to turn this situation around. But without exercising that God kind of faith in doing that which will diminish/eliminate this illness, nothing will effectively come from heaven in terms of a miraculous end.