On Wednesday’s we encourage our memebers to fast from Sun up to Sun down.\u00a0 In the Old Testament, God commanded Israel to observe several set times of fasting For New Testament believers, fasting was neither commanded nor forbidden in the Bible. <\/p>\n
Notice Matthew 6-16-18, Isn’t it interesting that Jesus doesn’t say if you fast. But, when you fast. There was an assumption that His people would be fasting. <\/p>\n
The purpose of fasting is to bring the body into subjection to the Spirit. Fasting is accompanied by prayers, for which the discernment and\/or power of the Spirit is especially needful. “Prayer may be said to be that by which we attach<\/em> ourselves to God, and fasting that by which we detach<\/em> ourselves from the world.”<\/p>\n Specific times of fasting are not commanded for Christians. “It seems to be left to everyone’s discretion, whether he will fast or not. In this absence of direct command, we may see great wisdom. Many a poor man never has enough to eat, and it would be an insult to tell him to fast; many a sickly person can hardly be kept well with the closest attention to diet, and could not fast without bringing on illness. It is a matter in which every one must be persuaded in his own mind, and not rashly condemn others who do not agree with him.<\/p>\n Jesus instructs us how properly to fast: “But when you fast, put oil on your head and wash your face, so that it will not be obvious to men that you are fasting, but only to your Father, who is unseen; and your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you”<\/strong> (vs. 17-18). To “put oil on [one’s] head and wash [one’s] face”<\/strong> was the normal way to prepare oneself for going out in those times. And so, Jesus here is saying that, when you fast, you should go through your normal daily regimen and dress normally, so as not to draw especial attention to your fast. After all, you are not fasting to get the attention of man, but to get the attention of God, to bring your petitions to Him with the power of the Spirit, as you ignore the desires of your flesh. And be sure: God “sees what is done in secret”<\/strong>, and Jesus assures us that He will “reward”<\/strong> us.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" On Wednesday’s we encourage our memebers to fast from Sun up to Sun down.\u00a0 In the Old Testament, God<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[3],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-82","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-news","has-post-title","has-post-date","has-post-category","has-post-tag","has-post-comment","has-post-author",""],"yoast_head":"\n