" FASTING "

Well here we are again, another week has come and gone. This week we are looking into " Fasting" and Prayerfully you will hear something that you can catch hold off. " FASTING: " Food abstinence the deliberate act of abstaining from eating (and sometimes drinking for a period of time as a sign of repentance or sorrow). Fasting, going without food in order to spend time in prayer - is noble and difficult. It gives us time to pray, teaches self-discipline, remind us that we can live with a lot less, and help us appreciate God's gifts. Jesus was not condemning fasting, but hypocrisy - fasting in order to gain public approval. Fasting was mandatory for the Jewish people once a year, on the day of Atonement (Leviticus 23:32). Now the pharisees voluntarily fasted twice a week to impress the people with " Holiness." Jesus commanded acts of self-sacrifice done quietly and sincerely. He wanted people to adopt Spiritual Discipline for the right reasons, not from a selfish desire for praise. Now, John's disciples fasted (went without food) as a sign of mourning for sin and to prepare for the Messiah's Coming. Jesus' disciples did not need to fast because he is the Messiah and was with them! Jesus did not condemn fasting - he himself fasted " AND AFTER HE FASTED FORTY NIGHTS, HE THEN BECAME HUNGRY " (Matt. 4:2). He emphasized that fasting must be done for the right reasons. Until Next Time... Jim,