Bible Study for House Church – January 29, 2023

Begin by watching the message on ‘Fasting and Humility’, recorded during Covid. Following the video, you can use the following questions as a primer to get conversation started.

The message begins on the video at 29:30 minutes, if you want to fast forward past the worship time.

Questions for Discussion:

Opening Questions

• How does pride create a barrier to communication between you and God?
• Do you view fasting in the same way as taking Buckley’s Cough Medicine, or do you approach a time of fasting with excitement and eagerness?
• What factors do you think would be involved to help take someone from anticipating ‘Buckleys’, to feeling ‘excitement’ about fasting?
• What was the Definition of Fasting given?
  • ‘A voluntary affliction of the soul reaping spiritual benefits’

Voluntary
Fasting is about the ‘why’, and not the ‘act’.
Q. What is meant by this?
Q. Understanding fasting not to be an ‘act’ that we do, how does Isaiah 58:1-4 relate to this?

Affliction
In the message, it was said that there is a difference between addiction and dependence on something.
Q. Is there?
Q. Aside from any spiritual benefits that might be reaped, is there a place for doing things to develop discipline?

Of the Soul
The soul has been defined as the mind, will, and emotions. The non-physical, non-spiritual part of us that makes us who we are.
Q. Do you agree that fasting is a battle fought in the mind and will, rather than the stomach?
Another definition for fasting can be, “a willful choice to suspend appetite.”
Q. Give examples of appetites that would seek to control us.
Q. Can you see how developing a discipline of fasting can strengthen us to control appetites, rather than having them control us?

Fasting prepares us to be better equipped to TRUST HIM. Q. Explain.

Fasting positions us with humility to be better prepared to HEAR HIM. Q. Explain.