10 Fasting Tips: A Christian Guide
by DAVID PEACH ·  Print ·  Email
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Fasting is a common practice in Christianity. When Jesus was talking with His disciples He taught them about fasting. It was expected that His disciples would fast (Matthew 6:16-18). Here are some tips for fasting.


Plan Your Fast

The Bible has examples of one-day, three-day, seven-day and forty-day fasts (Judges 20:26, Esther 4:16, 1 Samuel 31:13 and Matthew 4 respectively). You should enter your fast with prayer and a specific plan for how long you will fast.

There are various types of fasts as well. Some people fast with only water for short periods, while others maintain multi-week fasts with juice and broth maintaining a strict liquid diet. Both are valid. You simply need to decide what is right for your body and your purposes.


Part of planning your fast should be to educate yourself on different types of fasts and reasons to fast. It is also important to know how to break your fast properly. This becomes more critical the longer your fast lasts.

Consider Your Schedule

While a fast, by nature, is inconvenient, it should be an inconvenience to you—not to those around you. You should not obligate your family to skip Christmas dinner because of your fast. This takes away the personal nature of fasting.

Tell Only the People You Must

Your spouse will need to know you are fasting. Beyond that, you would be better off not telling many people that you are fasting. Most won’t understand. Fasting can also become a source of pride and boasting as you spread the news to more and more people.


Telling your pastor can be a help both to you and to him. It will be an encouragement for him to pray more specifically for you during this time. And you will know that someone is praying for your spiritual and physical well being.

Wean Yourself Off Caffeine

Several days before your fast begins, you should start weaning yourself off caffeine. Some people experience unbearable headaches 2 to 3 days after ceasing to drink caffeinated products. During your fast you will already be acutely aware of your stomach. There is no need to add a second discomfort if it can be avoided.

Avoid Media

Disconnecting from TV, radio, newspapers and the Internet can help you stay focused on your purpose for fasting. You will be less tempted by the constant bombardment of advertising as you become physically and emotionally challenged. Avoiding media will give you more time to focus on the Lord and His Word.

Disconnect from people

Fasting is not necessarily a vacation, though dedicating time off and away from people during your fast can help you get the most benefit out of this precious time. Leave your email and cellphone behind. If possible, find someone who can cover your responsibilities at work and ministry. Many people fast and still carry on their normal daily activities. But if you can get away, it will give you more time in quietness and stillness with the lord.

Beware of Your Emotions

Some people experience vast mood swings during a fast. One moment they are totally focused on God and the next they are wallowing in pity. Knowing that this is likely to happen will help you react properly. Learning to refocus on God and His goodness during this tough emotional time will help when your fast is over and you experience similar emotions.

Rest

Laziness is a problem that the Bible speaks against, but most of us today suffer from being too busy and not getting the rest we need. If you disconnect from the media and other people you will have extra time allowing you to get a full night’s sleep. During your fast you will be forced to slow down since you won’t be needing long meal breaks. A fast will reveal to you that you have too many activities and busyness in your day-to-day routine.

Stay Physically Active

You should take time to rest but this does not mean you should do nothing. Enjoy a walk in God’s creation. Outside of His Word, His creation is one of the best ways that God has revealed Himself to us.

Be Still and Focus on God

Fasting  is a time to study God’s Word, meditate and pray. To help with this, plan a specific Bible passage or topic you want to study during your fast. Look for verses you want to memorize and meditate upon. Fasting by Jesus and the disciples was always accompanied by prayer. Spend time talking to God and allowing Him to reveal Himself to you in His Word.

Health Benefits of Bitter leaf (Vernonia amygdalina)

 Bitter leaf plant


Bitter leaf (Vernonia amygdalina) is a vegetable used for preparing the popular Bitter leaf soup. It is also known as Onugbu, Shiwaka & Ewuro by the Igbos, Hausas&Yorubas in Nigeria.

Although this plant has been around for hundreds of years, only a few people know of its medicinal and healing properties.

  Bitter leaf (Vernonia amygdalina) as the name implies, is actually a bitter plant whose leaves, extracts, stems and barks are used for culinary,medicinal and curative purposes.  
  Vitamins in Bitter leaf includes;Vitamin A, Vitamin C ,Vitamin E, Vit.B1 and Vit.B2.
 
My grandma was a big fan of the bitter leaf juice, and on one of my visits she made me drink the juice to cure a fever. I hated the bitter taste, at that time, but when I realized the fever was gone, I humbly joined the Bitter leaf fan club ... ☺ .... those grey hair on her head ain't there for nothing, Right?.



Bitter leaf and Spinach Juice

Well, To get the best results from the bitter leaf plant, it's best taken freshly squeezed from the leaves. 


 How to extract the Bitter leaf Juice
This can be done, the old school way of rubbing the clean leaves in between your palms with the help of a little water and squeezing out the juice from the leaves.

You can also use a juicer or blend the leaves with a little water, in a blender and strain out the extract with a cheese cloth, coffee strainer or a sieve with a tight mesh.

Bitter leaf juice on its own, is quite bitter and this taste might be unbearable for a lot of people.
 So to reduce the bitterness of the  bitter leaf juice, simply blend it with spinach or Ugwu (fluted pumpkin). If you still find it extremely bitter, then add some sweet fruits to it, such as pineapple , apples, or oranges.

Dry bitter leaf is also potent, but has to be properly cleaned before use.

Some of the health benefits of  Bitter leaf (Vernonia amygdalina);

  * It speeds up metabolism and therefore is great for weight loss. 

* Bitter leaf juice relieves fever and feverish conditions. Take the squeezed juice, 3 times daily until the symptoms disappears.

* It also helps to reduce high sugar level in the blood, and great for diabetic patients.

* Squeeze the fresh leaves on your palm and apply the juice on skin rashes,eczema, ring worms and any superficial skin ailments, you'll notice a change in few days. Don't apply to open wounds.

* Bitter leaf is said to soothe and also cure pile .

* Taking a cup of bitter leaf juice a day, is a great way to detoxify the body of harmful toxins.

* Bitter leaf juice nourishes the skin.

* Bitter leaf (Vernonia amygdalina) also cures mild stomach ailments 

* Bitter leaf juice is said to increase breast milk production in nursing mothers.


* The washed roots and stalks of bitterleaf  are boiled and the infusion is taking as a worm expeller. A cup of bitter leaf infusion taking first thing in the morning before meals


* Bitter leaf juice is used by local women in Guinea-Bissau to contract the uterus after childbirth and therefore should not be taking during pregnancy  or if you're trying to conceive,because high intake might cause miscarriage.

* A cup of bitter leaf juice a day, energizes you...o yes it does.

lurlah2014:
only GOD knows y it is the women that gets the bitter part of marriage

Hmmmm......

nairamaverick:
He's been with her three or four times after marriage and they have three children Na when him body full him dey come house isn't it obvious he has another spouse over there ? You don't even need to add 2 and 2 to know this.

My advice if she is well off financially she can opt for divorce, or stay in the marriage employ the service of a surrogate husband.

Surrogate Husband?! Damn I just came up with a business idea for such women.

Guy na my close friend you wan give surrogate husband abi...hmmm..u no serious o

whizqueen:
You won't get good advice here. Should have posted in family section

Thanks have done that..

Hello
I have a lady friend who got married to guy supposed to be her husband, they have been married for over 9 years now. The husband travelled out of the country after the court wedding. During these 9 years period he as only visited the wife like three to four times and those periods put together is not up to two months. While away he calls her like twice in two or three months, he sends money to her like once a month, but when ever my friend tries to call him on phone, his phone will ring without him answering the call, and when he eventually sees the missed call, he will and say “I will call you later” and that call later might be after three days. His excuse is that he is trying to work her visa to meet him where he is and he is very busy with work. They have 3 kids together and the oldest is about 11 years.
Now are they really married, is that what marriage is really about or what……..Now she considering divorce, but I told her to consider the aftermath well; she should think on the option of divorce VERY well before taking action.
Please any advice on what she can do please – to stay or break off. Please wise advice please.

Hello
I have a lady friend who got married to guy supposed to be her husband, they have been married for over 9 years now. The husband travelled out of the country after the court wedding. During these 9 years period he as only visited the wife like three to four times and those periods put together is not up to two months. While away he calls her like twice in two or three months, he sends money to her like once a month, but when ever my friend tries to call him on phone, his phone will ring without him answering the call, and when he eventually sees the missed call, he will and say “I will call you later” and that call later might be after three days. His excuse is that he is trying to work her visa to meet him where he is and he is very busy with work. They have 3 kids together and the oldest is about 11 years.
Now are they really married, is that what marriage is really about or what……..Now she considering divorce, but I told her to consider the aftermath well; she should think on the option of divorce VERY well before taking action.
Please any advice on what she can do please – to stay or break off. Please wise advice please.

** Sense pass sense **
An American lawyer and a Nigerian are sitting
next to each other on a long flight. The lawyer is
thinking that Nigerians are so dumb that he can
fool them easily..,....,. so the lawyer asks if the
naija guy would like to play a fun game. The
nigerian is tired and just wants to rest, so he
politely declines and tries to catch some sleep.
The lawyer persists and says that the game is a
lot of fun "I ask u a question and if you don't
know the answer, you pay me only 5dollars; you
ask me one and if I dont know the answer, I will
pay u $500.
As naija no be dull guys naau, this catches the
nigerian's attention and to keep d lawyer quiet,
he agrees to play the game.
The lawyer asks d 1st question "what's the
distance from earth to the moon?
The naija guy doesn't say a word, reaches in his
pocket pulls out 5dollars the hands it to the
lawyer. Now, it's the omo naija turn. He ask the
lawyer, "what goes up a mountain with 3 legs
and comes down with four?
The lawyer uses his laptop, searches the
internet and even the Library of Congress. He
sends emails to all his smart friends he knows,
all to no avail. After 1 hour of futile searching,
he finally gives up. He wakes the naija guy and
hands him $500. The nigerian pockets the $500
and goes right back to sleep.
The lawyer is going crazy not knowing the
answer.
So he wakes the naija guy up the asks, "well, so
what goes up a mountain with 3 legs and comes
down with four? The nigerian reaches in his
pocket, hands the lawyer 5dollars and goes back
to sleep.

NAILS IN THE WALL
There once was a little boy who had a bad temper.
His Father gave him a bag of nails and told him that every time he lost his temper,he must hammer a nail into the back of the wall.
The first day the boy had driven 37 nails into the wall.
Over the next few weeks, as he learned to control his anger, the number of nails hammered daily gradually dwindled down.
He discovered it was easier to hold his temper than to drive those nails into the wall.
Finally the day came when the boy didn't lose his temper at all. He told his father about it and the father suggested that the boy now pull out one nail for each day that he was able to hold his
temper.
The days passed and the young boy was finally able to tell his father that all the nails were gone.
The father took his son by the hand and led him to the wall.
He said, 'You have done well, my son, but look at the holes in the wall.
The wall will never be the same. When you say things in anger, they leave a scar just like this one.
Once you hurt ur loved ones It won't matter how many times you say I'm sorry, the wound will still be there.
A verbal wound is as bad as a physical one.
Remember that friends are very rare jewels indeed.
They make you smile and encourage you to succeed;
They lend an ear, they share words of praise and they always want to open their hearts to us. Show your friends how much you care.

Bringing back good memories

MythAngel:
Out of about 20 pics. I scored 17/20 I don't get why the stove and the other biscuit with a lady taking a bite ..again I got a classic one for u all as a token from me to you ..

wow.....me i score 20/20 or abi na above 20 sef.....I go send my own pics soon..good old days

Please how can I get free browsing or good but affordable data plan for BlackBerry phone (Andriod BlackBerry)

My baby girl is really consuming and the breast milk is no longer enough for her o. Even the baby feed now is partially enough, please can she begin to take pap, with baby milk at 2 months old. Need advice from experienced mothers please. Thanks a lot

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