Introduction: Lent ... A 40 Day Fast

Who are we? Jesus responded to the Jews preparing to stone him: "Is it not written in your law, 'I said, you are gods?'" John 10:34nnJesus is quoting Psalm 82:6 ... "I say, 'You are gods, children of the Most High, all of you."nn"Then God said, 'Let us make humankind in our image, according to our likeness.... So God created humankind in his image." Genesis 1:26-27 If God made us in God's image and likeness, then we are child gods!nnSo why do we think we are dust? nnAs the Psalmist lamented: "I say, 'You are gods, children of the Most High, all of you; nevertheless, you shall die like mortals, and fall like any prince." Psalm 82:6-7 The Psalmist explains why we think we are dust in verse 5: "They have neither knowledge nor understanding, they walk in darkness...." We have allowed religions to tell us we are nothing but dust. It is time we all learn to think for ourselves and to do our own research into Truth.nnWHY OBSERVE A 40 DAY FAST?nnQuotes from: Charles Fillmore, KEEP A TRUE LENTnn"Moses, Elijah, & Jesus observed a 40 day period of prayer and fasting as a preparation for spiritual work. Moses received the 10 Commandments on Mt. Sinai at the conclusion of his fast. Elijah talkied with God on Mt. Horeb at the conclusion of his period of prayer and fasting. Jesus began his great spiritual ministry at the close of his fast in the wilderness."nnLent = "a preparation for the resurrection of the mind from the darkness of its sins, doubts, and false beliefs into the light of understanding."nn"Fast from all unworthy thought and feast on the good and the true."nnTRUE FASTING - "When we withdraw our attention, interest, and support from the false and the unworthy, this is true fasting. When we give the same attention, interest, and support to the enduring good, we are feasting on the things of the Spirit, and this is true prayer. When we have truly fasted in the Christ way [the Way of Love] we have increased our ability to respond to God's good will."nn"One of the most valuable ways of observing the Lenten season is to fast from (loose and let go) the belief that men or nations can stand in the way of God's good will for man. Now is the time to affirm the power of the Christ Spirit [the Spirit of Divine Love] indwelling in all men everywhere and influencing their thoughts, words, and actions to work for the good of the whole."nn"Divine love sees no distinction among persons. It is Principle and it feels its own perfection everywhere. It feels the same in the heart of the sinner as it does in the heart of the saint. When we let the Truth of Being into our heart and pull down all walls of separation we shall feel the flow of infinite love that Jesus felt.... Through our sense of oneness with the All-Good, the greatest possible sense of security is realized; therefore, all fear is readily and completely cast out.... [The disciple] John emphasizes the fact that in order to love God we must necessarily love our fellow man. A love that is adulterated in any degree by hatred for anything or anybody is not pure enough to discern the great love of the Infinite, which unifies all men."nnLENT IS A TIME FOR EVALUATING OUR SPIRITUAL GROWTH PROCESSnFOR FASTING FROM THE NEGATIVEnAND FEASTING ON THE POSITIVE.nnLENT IS A TIME TO ACHIEVE A GREATER DEGREE OF BALANCEnBETWEEN OUR 12 POWERS/QUALITIES.