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Fasting

Fasting - is Matthew 6:16-18

Review of the pastor's message 

What is Fasting? 

The joke goes, where there are two Baptists together there is food! Kk


The fast is not a fad nor a diet but it should be a part of our Christian vision of holiness. 


Jesus mentioned fasting two times, when giving from the heart and when praying. There are three important aspects of the Christian life: we look outward when we give, we look upward when we pray and we look inward when we fast. 


  • The Jews had two fasts per year - Atonement day - it was rigid and was to be practiced once every year from sunset to sunrise. 

  • When the temple was destroyed - this was a sad remembrance and became a tradition 


You will remember the story of the Pharisee and the publican. The Pharisees boasted of fasting twice a week and thought that he was spiritual because he did. Many of the Pharisees would walk around looking disheveled when they fasted so that people would ask them why they looked so different. They wanted to say that they were fasting. 


That is how false religion is, it depends on its own works. A holy practice becomes a heavy burden. 


Jesus told the people that they should not let others know that they were fasting, they should look normal so that the act would be between them and God. 


So, what is it that a fast does to us? Will it help suppress our carnal desires? YES. A person who struggles with sin will find help from God through fasting. We look within when we fast the struggle is between the flesh and the spirit. When we fast it does not take long for our bodies to become weak and our desires are suppressed. 


Fasting is not a regular act because it is personal and not commended. 


So often the message today is that we need to love ourselves. Was Jesus saying that we should love ourselves when he said that we should pray, give and fast? No. Was he saying that we should be depressed? No. We know that troubles will come and that we can be strong in Christ. When our flesh is weak because of fasting it becomes more focused and dependent on God. 

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