Archives For Discipleship

On Fasting and Praying

June 29, 2014

A search in BibleWorks 7 for verses about both fasting and praying shows that combination occurs at least 11 times in the Bible: 

Neh 1:4 And it came to pass, when I heard these words, that I sat down and wept, and mourned certain days, and fasted, and prayed before the God of heaven,

Psa 35:13 But as for me, when they were sick, my clothing was sackcloth: I humbled my soul with fasting; and my prayer returned into mine own bosom.

Dan 9:3 And I set my face unto the Lord God, to seek by prayer and supplications, with fasting, and sackcloth, and ashes:

Mat 17:21 Howbeit this kind goeth not out but by prayer and fasting.

Mar 9:29 And he said unto them, This kind can come forth by nothing, but by prayer and fasting.

Luk 2:37 And she was a widow of about fourscore and four years, which departed not from the temple, but served God with fastings and prayers night and day.

Luk 5:33 And they said unto him, Why do the disciples of John fast often, and make prayers, and likewise the disciples of the Pharisees; but thine eat and drink?

Act 10:30 And Cornelius said, Four days ago I was fasting until this hour; and at the ninth hour I prayed in my house, and, behold, a man stood before me in bright clothing,

Act 13:3 And when they had fasted and prayed, and laid their hands on them, they sent them away.

Act 14:23 And when they had ordained them elders in every church, and had prayed with fasting, they commended them to the Lord, on whom they believed.

1Co 7:5 Defraud ye not one the other, except it be with consent for a time, that ye may give yourselves to fasting and prayer; and come together again, that Satan tempt you not for your incontinency.

A quick scanning of these verses makes me think that we as believers today probably need to give more attention to this subject, especially given these references (Neh. 1:4; Dan. 9:3; Acts 13:3; 14:23; 1 Cor. 7:5).

Copyright © 2011-2025 by Rajesh Gandhi. All rights reserved.

Stephanie Heimann, a friend from my church, recently gave her testimony to be baptized. God blessed me greatly through her testimony. With her permission, I am sharing her testimony so that He can bless many others through it.

A Grace Story

Stephanie Heimann’s testimony for baptism

“Give thanks to the Lord . . .  for He satisfies the thirsty soul . . .” ~Psalm 107

I spent years of my life looking for something to satisfy my soul . . . and I never would have found the One who can (on my own) . . . so He came and found me.

When I was a child, I believed that Jesus died and rose again. So, I thought I was a Christian. I was baptized. There were times when I wanted to read my Bible and pray, but those seasons of devotion did not last. I had a long season of rebellion.

But, God granted me repentance and after He did, I wondered, “Was I really a Christian when I was a child or did God save me when I was an adult?” The latter seemed true, but I could not understand how I could have had affection for God when I was a child if I was not a child of God.

I have been trying to understand this for many years, and recently, the Lord used the testimony of Jonathan Edwards to help me to understand my own.

When Edwards was a child, there were times when he spent a lot of time praying and reading his Bible, but those seasons of devotion did not last. After he became a true Christian, he looked back at his childhood affections for God and said, “I am ready to think [that] many are deceived . . . [by] such affections . . . and mistake it for grace.” That one sentence explained my experience.

I had mistaken my childhood affection for God . . . for grace. And, for a time it may have seemed like I was a Christian, but difficulty was coming and that difficulty would reveal the true condition of my heart.

When I was in 7th grade, my church and Christian school fell apart. One of the pastors was sent to prison. After this, my faith was tested and I failed the test. The testing revealed that my faith was superficial.

I claimed to be a Christian, but I didn’t want to be like Christ. I wanted to be like the world (I John 2:15-16, James 4:4).

I rebelled against my parents. I was a fool (Prov. 15:5). My life would have been so much better had I obeyed them, but I didn’t. I wanted to live the way I wanted to live, and I thought that I would be able to go to heaven no matter what I did (1 Cor.6:9-10, Gal 5:19-21, Rev. 22:15) as long as I believed that Jesus died and rose again (James 2:19). But, I didn’t know that Christianity is a commitment of submission to the King, and becoming a Christian is supernatural act where God changes a person’s heart and gives them a desire to know God and obey Him.

I didn’t want to know God and obey Him. I just wanted to be able to go to heaven. I missed the whole point of the gospel (2 Cor. 5:17-19). I didn’t want to be reconciled to God because I didn’t want Him to tell me how to live.

I thought I would be happy if I went my own way (Isaiah 53:6). But, I was wrong. I pursed emptiness and became empty (Jer. 2:5). I started drinking and going to parties . .  .

I was searching for something to satisfy my restless soul. But nothing in this world could. I felt like something was missing in my life . . . I didn’t know that the thing that was missing was God.

One night I went to the bar with my friends. The next morning I was in an unfamiliar place with unfamiliar people. I was sitting in darkness (Psalm 107:10-11, Is. 9:2). I wasn’t seeking God . . . but He was seeking me.

And, suddenly, I became aware of His presence. He opened my eyes and made me see reality. And, I thought, “What am I doing here?”

Then I had a horrible experience. I realized, “I am here because this is who I am. I am a sinner”. I could see that I was throwing my life away and I knew I was going to die if I kept going my own way . . . and I could see that the pleasures of sin could not satisfy my soul.

I thought, “What is the point of life? There has to be more to life than this.”

Then it was as if God said, “There is . . . there is so much more to life than this . . . if you will follow Me.” Then God gave me a glimpse of hope that the soul-satisfying happiness I was looking for would be found in Him (Psalm 16:11). It was as if Jesus was saying, “Come to me . . ., and I will satisfy your soul” (John 7:37; 6:35; 4:14)  . . .  and I did.

I believed Him because He gave me grace—He delighted in me and gave me a heart that was capable of delighting in Him. I didn’t want my sin anymore. I wanted God.

I started to read the Bible, and I started to know the One who satisfies restless souls—and nothing compares to the joy of knowing Him. He has completely changed my life.

He answered the prayers of my parents.

Tonight, I can say, “Jesus has done everything for me, and I want to follow Him.”

 

Copyright © 2011-2025 by Rajesh Gandhi. All rights reserved.

This evening, I had the very unpleasant experience of learning that I had failed to do what I should have in helping a friend with a simple but vital task—remembering the restrictions passcode for his iphone 4. When he asked me to enter the passcode so that he could add some more restrictions to his use of the phone, I realized that I had not written down the numbers that I had entered a few weeks ago as the passcode.

I frantically tried various number combinations that I thought might work, but none of them would work. I then went online to see if there might be some way to reset the phone even though we did not know the passcode.

My internet search proved to be useless, and I became more disturbed at my carelessness. Finally, I decided to pray and ask God for mercy on me in spite of my irresponsibility.

As soon as I finished praying, the thought came into my mind to try a certain number combination that I had not yet tried. I praise and thank God that He put in my mind the right combination, which I had previously been unable to remember at all for the past 15-20 minutes or more!

For the unbeliever, what I experienced was just mere co-incidence of two unrelated events—my praying and my trying a certain number combination. I, however, have no doubt that what happened was not mere coincidence, but rather it was answered prayer by a living God who chose to have mercy on my friend and me!

Praise God!

Copyright © 2011-2025 by Rajesh Gandhi. All rights reserved.

We as humans often make sinful choices because we wrongly value the temporary pleasures of sin. Scripture warns us against doing so through both negative examples and positive examples.

Negative Examples

1. Adam and Eve

In spite of their knowing the penalty that they would receive, Adam and Eve violated God’s command not to eat of the fruit of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil (Gen. 2:16-17). They did so because they valued the immediate pleasures that would be theirs more than their having a right relationship with God (Gen. 3:6).

As Satan did to Eve, he continually seeks to beguile us “through his subtlety, so [that our] minds should be corrupted from the simplicity that is in Christ” (2 Cor. 11:3). The disastrous choice of Adam and Eve and its horrific consequences warn us all against wrongly valuing the temporary pleasures of sin at the expense of our pleasing God.

2. Amnon

Amnon had a perverse desire to be immoral with his half-sister (2 Sam. 13:1-2). Seeking the temporary pleasures that immorality would bring him, he forced himself upon her (2 Sam. 13:8-14).

As soon as his wicked desire for immediate sensual pleasure had been fulfilled, his “love” for her turned into hatred (2 Sam. 13:15). Through his wicked actions, he not only defiled her (2 Sam. 13:16; 19-20) but also brought ultimate ruin upon himself (2 Sam. 13:22-29; 32).

Positive Examples

1. Joseph

Potiphar’s wife repeatedly attempted to seduce Joseph into enjoying the temporary pleasures that committing adultery would bring him (Gen. 39:7; 10-12a), but Joseph steadfastly refused her wicked attempts (Gen. 39:8-10; 12b). Joseph testified that he valued his relationship with God more than the short-lived sinful pleasures that she was offering him (Gen. 39:9).

For his refusal to choose to enjoy the temporary pleasures of sin, Joseph suffered greatly (Gen. 39:20).

2. Moses

The writer of Hebrews extols Moses for making the right choice to refuse the temporary pleasures of sin:

Heb 11:24 By faith Moses, when he was come to years, refused to be called the son of Pharaoh’s daughter; 25 Choosing rather to suffer affliction with the people of God, than to enjoy the pleasures of sin for a season; 26 Esteeming the reproach of Christ greater riches than the treasures in Egypt: for he had respect unto the recompence of the reward.

Like Joseph before him, Moses suffered affliction for making the right choice not “to enjoy the pleasures of sin for a season” (Heb. 11:25). Moreover, like Joseph, Moses’ right choice stemmed from his valuing his relationship with God more than any pleasures sinful choices would bring him (Heb. 11:26).

3. Jesus

For forty days, Satan personally assaulted Jesus with numerous temptations (Mark 1:13; Luke 4:2), including the prospect of His immediately enjoying having power over all the kingdoms of the world and having all their glory as His (Matt. 4:8-9; Luke 4:5-6). Jesus rebuked the devil and refused his offer (Matt. 4:10; Luke 4:8).

Like Joseph and Moses, Jesus suffered greatly in His lifetime for refusing the temporary sinful pleasures that Satan offered Him (cf. Heb. 12:2). Furthermore, like Joseph and Moses, Jesus chose suffering rather than enjoying such sinful pleasures because He valued His relationship with God more than anything else (Matt. 4:10; Luke 4:8).

Conclusion

From both the negative and the positive examples that we have in Scripture of those who made choices concerning enjoying the temporary pleasures of sin versus valuing a right relationship with God more than such pleasures, we should beware making sinful choices because we wrongly value the temporary pleasures of sin. We should also be prepared to suffer for choosing to refuse such pleasures.

Through Jesus’ victory over all such temptations, we who are united with Him can be victorious over similar temptations to choose the temporary pleasures of sinful actions. Jesus is fully willing and able to grant us all the grace and mercy that we need in such times (Heb. 4:15-16) so that we will supremely value our relationship with God and not sin against Him by choosing “to enjoy the pleasures of sin for a season”!

Let us beware the temporary pleasures of sin!

 

Copyright © 2011-2025 by Rajesh Gandhi. All rights reserved.

God wants all those who are in authority to rule righteously in His fear (Ps. 2, Romans 13, etc.). Believers everywhere should pray for a righteous ruling by the U.S. Supreme Court in the case involving the religious rights of Hobby Lobby and other Christian companies. How this case is decided will have major ramifications for religious freedom in our country as well as elsewhere because of the widespread influence that American political and religious developments have in the world.

Copyright © 2011-2025 by Rajesh Gandhi. All rights reserved.

By day 164 of 2014, I have read 493 total chapters in the Reina Valera this year!

6.13.14 sbrr

  • Books completed – Genesis; Exodus; Psalms; Proverbs; Ecclesiastes; Isaiah; Matthew; John; Galatians; 1 & 2 Thessalonians; James; 1 & 2 & 3 John; Jude (426 total chapters)
  • Other reading – Leviticus 1-7; Job 1-25; Jeremiah 1-5; Mark 1-8; Acts 1-19; 1 Cor. 13-15 (67 total chapters)
  • Chapters read – OT – 386; NT – 107; Total – 493

I praise God for my continuing progress with this project!

Copyright © 2011-2025 by Rajesh Gandhi. All rights reserved.

“Walking Through the Flames” is a powerful song that glorifies God through both its lyrics and music. After receiving permission from The Wilds Christian Association, Inc., my friend Dr. Yuriy Leonovich and I recently recorded this guitar-cello duet of the song.

Copyright © 2011-2025 by Rajesh Gandhi. All rights reserved.

A few months ago, I received an outrageous monthly bill from a company that I have been doing business with for many years. My bill was more than double what it was for the same time last year.

As soon as I discovered this problem, I contacted the company to tell them that there had to be some error with the bill. Based on what they told me, I assured them that they had made some major mistake because it was impossible that the bill was correct.

Despite several efforts to have the problem corrected, I was not able to get the company to acknowledge that they had made a serious error. I asked prayer from my church, at work, from friends, and we prayed often about it at home.

Through contact with a lawyer, I learned of a state agency that investigates complaints from people who have had such problems. After their initial investigation, I was disappointed that the regulator was siding with the company against me.

I continued to pray and pondered what to do next. Meanwhile, at my request, the investigator agreed to dig deeper into the possibility of either faulty equipment or a reading error or both being responsible for my outrageous bill.

I received word yesterday that further investigation showed that the company had in fact made a major error with my bill. What’s more, the investigator let me know that my actual bill for that period was even less than what it was for the same period last year.

Instead of having to pay the remainder of that outrageous bill, I have now received a credit for making a partial payment that was still for more than what we actually owed! I praise God for leading us to persist prayerfully in disputing this bill and for His finally delivering us from this problem through that prayerful persistence!

Copyright © 2011-2025 by Rajesh Gandhi. All rights reserved.

Using only the refrain of the song, “A Child of the King,” I have made a new simple song for teaching children many profound truths from Scripture about who they are.

A Child of the King

I’m a child of the King, a child of the King!
With Jesus, my Savior, I’m a child of the King.

I’m a sheep in God’s flock, a sheep in God’s flock!
With Christ as my Shepherd, I’m a sheep in God’s flock.

I’m a priest of our God, a priest of our God!
Through Jesus, God’s Servant, I’m a priest of our God.

I’m a saint of our Lord, a saint of our Lord!
Through Christ, my Redeemer, I’m a saint of our Lord.

I’m a member of Christ, a member of Christ!
Through faith in His rising, I’m a member of Christ.

I’m the temple of God, the temple of God!
Through God’s Holy Spirit, I’m the temple of God.

Copyright © 2014 by Rajesh Gandhi. All rights reserved.

You may use this song in a ministry context provided you do not change any of the words and you provide copyright information to anyone whom you distribute it. Please contact me for any other use of the song.

This PDF provides the melody notes, guitar chords (key of D), and lyrics for the six stanzas of the song. Here’s how the melody sounds:

Copyright © 2011-2025 by Rajesh Gandhi. All rights reserved.

Let us examine ourselves to see whether we are faithfully living for Jesus in the lives we are now to be living in our bodies by faith in Christ (Gal. 2:20):

1. When was the last time that I glorified God by praising Him for fearfully, wonderfully, and marvelously making my body?

Ps. 139:14 – “I will praise thee; for I am fearfully and wonderfully made: marvellous are thy works; and that my soul knoweth right well.”

Ps. 50:23 – “Whoso offereth praise glorifieth me: and to him that ordereth his conversation aright will I shew the salvation of God.”

2. When did I last pray to the One whose “hands have made me and fashioned me” for understanding to learn His commandments concerning the members of my body, which He has commanded me to present to Him as “servants . . . of obedience unto righteousness”?

Ps. 119:73 – “Thy hands have made me and fashioned me: give me understanding, that I may learn thy commandments.”

Rom. 6:16, 19 – “Know ye not, that to whom ye yield yourselves servants to obey, his servants ye are to whom ye obey; whether of sin unto death, or of obedience unto righteousness? . . .I speak after the manner of men because of the infirmity of your flesh: for as ye have yielded your members servants to uncleanness and to iniquity unto iniquity; even so now yield your members servants to righteousness unto holiness.”

3. How long has it been since I fervently wished for myself and for others physical well-being matching the prosperity of my/their soul(s)?

3 John 2 – “Beloved, I wish above all things that thou mayest prosper and be in health, even as thy soul prospereth.”

4. How faithfully have I ministered to Christ by ministering to sick brethren?

Matt. 25:36, 40 – “Naked, and ye clothed me: I was sick, and ye visited me: I was in prison, and ye came unto me. . . . And the King shall answer and say unto them, Verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of these my brethren, ye have done it unto me.” cf. Ps. 41:1-3; Acts 9:5; 1 Cor. 12:22-27; Gal. 4:13-15, 6:2; Col. 1:24; 1 Tim. 5:10; Heb 13:3; James 1:27

5. On how many days have I exhorted others so that they would not be hardened by the deceitfulness of some sin pertaining to bodily appetites?

Heb. 3:13 – “But exhort one another daily, while it is called To day; lest any of you be hardened through the deceitfulness of sin.”

Prov. 22:3 – “A prudent man foreseeth the evil, and hideth himself: but the simple pass on, and are punished.”

1 Cor. 10:12 – “Wherefore let him that thinketh he standeth take heed lest he fall.”

Prov. 25:16 – “Hast thou found honey? eat so much as is sufficient for thee, lest thou be filled therewith, and vomit it.”

6. When was the last time that I delighted in God’s word and meditated on it throughout the day concerning what He has commanded concerning glorifying Him in my body?

Ps. 1:2 – “But his delight is in the law of the LORD; and in his law doth he meditate day and night.”

1 Cor. 6:20 – “For ye are bought with a price: therefore glorify God in your body, and in your spirit, which are God’s.”

7. How submissive have I been to exhortation from God-appointed ministers concerning needed changes in my lifestyle for my health sake?

1 Tim. 5:23 – “Drink no longer water, but use a little wine for thy stomach’s sake and thine often infirmities.”

Prov. 3:7, 8 – “Be not wise in thine own eyes: fear the LORD, and depart from evil. It shall be health to thy navel, and marrow to thy bones.”

Prov. 14:30 – “A sound heart is the life of the flesh: but envy the rottenness of the bones.”

8. How diligent have I been to worthily take the Lord’s Supper by judging myself concerning failure to love others properly with respect to my eating and drinking?

1 Cor. 11:21, 28, 31 – “For in eating every one taketh before other his own supper: and one is hungry, and another is drunken. . . . But let a man examine himself, and so let him eat of that bread, and drink of that cup. . . . For if we would judge ourselves, we should not be judged.”

Prov. 15:17 – “Better is a dinner of herbs where love is, than a stalled ox and hatred therewith.”

9. What Scripture have I recently treasured in my heart so that I would not sin against God concerning my body?

Ps. 119:11 – “Thy word have I hid in mine heart, that I might not sin against thee.”

Prov. 30:7-9 – “Two things have I required of thee; deny me them not before I die: Remove far from me vanity and lies: give me neither poverty nor riches; feed me with food convenient for me: Lest I be full, and deny thee, and say, Who is the LORD? or lest I be poor, and steal, and take the name of my God in vain.” cf. 1 Cor. 8:11-13

10. How careful have I been to not openly judge or despise brethren who are seeking to honor God in living their lives in the body in ways that I have a differing opinion of what is right to do?

Rom. 14:3 – “Let not him that eateth despise him that eateth not; and let not him which eateth not judge him that eateth: for God hath received him.”

11. When did I last search diligently as I would for hidden treasure the Word of God concerning glorifying God in my eating and drinking and thereby come to understand His fear and find the knowledge of Him?

Prov. 2:4, 5 – “If thou seekest her as silver, and searchest for her as for hid treasures; Then shalt thou understand the fear of the LORD, and find the knowledge of God.”

1 Cor. 9:25 – “And every man that striveth for the mastery is temperate in all things. Now they do it to obtain a corruptible crown; but we an incorruptible.”

12. When have I recently been a Christ-like friend to another believer by sharing something special that I have heard from God in His word concerning glorifying Him in my body?

John 15:15 – “Henceforth I call you not servants; for the servant knoweth not what his lord doeth: but I have called you friends; for all things that I have heard of my Father I have made known unto you.”

Ps. 29:9 – “In his temple doth every one speak of his glory.”

1 Cor. 6:19, 20 – “What? know ye not that your body is the temple of the Holy Ghost which is in you, which ye have of God, and ye are not your own? For ye are bought with a price: therefore glorify God in your body, and in your spirit, which are God’s.”

 13. How willing am I to glorify God through faithful stewardship of the abundant physical strength that He would give me through Christ to sacrificially meet the health needs of others whom I providentially encounter?

1 Pet. 4:10, 11 – “As every man hath received the gift, even so minister the same one to another, as good stewards of the manifold grace of God. If any man speak, let him speak as the oracles of God; if any man minister, let him do it as of the ability which God giveth: that God in all things may be glorified through Jesus Christ, to whom be praise and dominion for ever and ever. Amen.”

Luke 10:33-35 – “But a certain Samaritan, as he journeyed, came where he was: and when he saw him, he had compassion on him, And went to him, and bound up his wounds, pouring in oil and wine, and set him on his own beast, and brought him to an inn, and took care of him. And on the morrow when he departed, he took out two pence, and gave them to the host, and said unto him, Take care of him; and whatsoever thou spendest more, when I come again, I will repay thee.”

14. From the Scriptural records of people who failed concerning glorifying God in their bodies, have I learned not to fail to glorify God in my body like they did?

1 Cor. 10:6, 9 – “Now these things were our examples, to the intent we should not lust after evil things, as they also lusted. . . . Neither let us tempt Christ, as some of them also tempted, and were destroyed of serpents.”

15. How faithful have I been to confront young people I interact with about remembering their Creator now and removing everything in their lives that is unjustifiably harming their physical bodies?

Eccl. 11:10, 12:1 – “Therefore remove sorrow from thy heart, and put away evil from thy flesh: for childhood and youth are vanity. Remember now thy Creator in the days of thy youth, while the evil days come not, nor the years draw nigh, when thou shalt say, I have no pleasure in them;”

16. How mindful have I been of my need to be a good steward of my body for His glory while I expectantly await the imminent return of Christ?

Matt. 24:48, 49 – “But and if that evil servant shall say in his heart, My lord delayeth his coming; And shall begin to smite his fellowservants, and to eat and drink with the drunken;”

Luke 12:45 – “But and if that servant say in his heart, My lord delayeth his coming; and shall begin  . . . to eat and drink, and to be drunken;”

Copyright © 2011-2025 by Rajesh Gandhi. All rights reserved.