06/01/2026
Fasting & Prayer
June: Friends
Our fasting and prayer focus this month is for those just outside our immediate family… our friends.
Spend time each and every day doing two things:
Being grateful for your friends/praying for them.
Focus on how to become a better friend to others.
How does it work?
First, choose your fast. It could be a food fast or perhaps a device fast. It’s up to you.
Next choose your fasting time. It could be a set time every day or the whole day… again, it’s up to you.
Introduction:
You know, in spite of the fact that today the world is more connected by technology than ever before, there is an epidemic of loneliness in our world.
I don't know if you've been reading about it but there is an epidemic of loneliness all around the world. The fact that over half of America in poll after poll has said, "I'm lonely". And these are at every age and stage of life. Little children say, grade school kids, "I'm lonely". Teenagers say, "I'm lonely". Young adults say, "I'm lonely". Middle-aged married couples say, "I'm lonely". Elderly people say, "I'm lonely”.
Over half of Americans, at every single stage and age of life say, "I'm lonely". That's an epidemic. We've never had those numbers ever in the history of the United States of America. It's worse in some other countries. In Britain, the number of British citizens who say, "I'm lonely," has now risen to 68%. It's such an epidemic that the Prime Minister of England appointed a new cabinet officer called the Minister of Loneliness. I'm not making this up. They have a cabinet minister for loneliness because 60% of the Brits say, "I'm lonely". And we find this in country after country after country.
That’s why this month we give thanks for and pray for our friends. We also focus on being a better friend.
If you’re lonely, that could be the focus of your fast… to find some good friends.
The following verses will help you choose the right kind of friends:
(Look up each one and ask yourself “what is God trying to say here about friendship…”)
Proverbs 27.17
Proverbs 17.17
Proverbs 27.6-9
Ecclesiastes 4.9-10
Proverbs 22.24-25
Proverbs 13.20
Proverbs 18.24
1 Cor. 15.33
1 Thessalonians 5.11
Romans 12.10
Galatians 6.2
Conclusion:
Jesus had a lot of friends because there was nobody Jesus didn't love. He fed the 5,000, he trained 120, he discipled 12, he mentored three. Only Peter, James, and John got to go in the Garden of Gethsemane. Only Peter, James, and John got to go up on the Mount of Transfiguration.
Throughout our lives we will have many casual friends and acquaintances but we will probably only have an inner circle of a few. Thank God for them and be a better friend than ever.
