i see know about fasting

smellycat

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i see know about fasting

in the old testament they fasted to get closer to God,ie put nothing before God,but with Christ our Lord we need not to do this,he is our council.Christ speaks for us.thats whyhe said he won,t drink wine until he drinks it anew with us.he also says the only way to the Father is through me,so when people without Christ fast,who do they talk to.?
 
Many religions fast, all of them out of religious bondage except for Christians.

Fasting should be done with a considerable amount of prayer, and with a humble heart.

When we fast out of a genuine heart to seek God, then the Holy Spirit will speak to us and help us grow in our knowledge of God.

Religions like islam, fast out of religious obedience, not to get closer to their god but to become obedient and obtain a 'noddy' badge that they have done what their religion requires. This is one of the pillars of islam. It is works related.

Other religions fast to 'clear' their minds and purge their bodies of unclean things. Also works related and boils down to ritual obedience.

Some people fast just to lose weight.

Bottom line is, if we fast without God, the real God, then we are basically wasting our time and depriving ourselves of some good food.:D
 
It also makes you cranky and brings out the flaws in you that you can hide when you have strength from food, so that you can identify them, repent, and work on them.
 
really great answer's.

I know alot of people that like to fast by giving up something they truley enjoy for the LORD. I fasted only from morning till evening and wow it was hard, but as KEVIN and MARK had said, the HOLY SPIRIT will guide you, so I think I was just not a mature enough christian yet.. I think sometimes we tend to try to rush things. PRAISE GOD that HIS time is the right time!
 
really great answer's.

I know alot of people that like to fast by giving up something they truley enjoy for the LORD. I fasted only from morning till evening and wow it was hard, but as KEVIN and MARK had said, the HOLY SPIRIT will guide you, so I think I was just not a mature enough christian yet.. I think sometimes we tend to try to rush things. PRAISE GOD that HIS time is the right time!

I dont think we are ever mature Christians, just when we think we have reached the goal, Jesus humbles us and shows us how much further we need to go. Never judge your righteousness against that of other Christians, the best place to be in is the place Jesus wants us to be in.

Remember, everybody is different and everybody has a different place in the body of Christ, yet we are all of the same body.
 
they talk to themselves. hoping that as they fast, they would meet the requirements for their belief.

fasting (for Christians, or atleast for me) can be for a lot of reasons. sometimes I fast just because I want to boldly declare to God that His food is more important than physical food. or sometimes when I have committed a sin, it is a way of humbling myself down before God (it is not a requirement though, but I still do it). or sometimes when God answers a prayer, I fast just out of thanksgiving.

it is not required for Christians to fast, but it is beneficial sometimes
 
correct it is not needed for christians to fast.we have Christ that fasts for us.his burden is light.if a person does fast then that is there personal choice.
 
they talk to themselves. hoping that as they fast, they would meet the requirements for their belief.

fasting (for Christians, or atleast for me) can be for a lot of reasons. sometimes I fast just because I want to boldly declare to God that His food is more important than physical food. or sometimes when I have committed a sin, it is a way of humbling myself down before God (it is not a requirement though, but I still do it). or sometimes when God answers a prayer, I fast just out of thanksgiving.

it is not required for Christians to fast, but it is beneficial sometimes


Good answer .... We do it to close ourselves in with God and commune with Him and to have a closer relationship with Him . We do it out of love for our Father not out of discipline.
 
In Matthew chapter 6, Jesus himself tells us to do three things.
When you do alms.
When you pray.
When you fast.

Jesus didn’t say “If you…” for any of them.
We are all expected to fast.

Mat 6:2
Therefore when thou doest thine alms, do not sound a trumpet before thee, as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and in the streets, that they may have glory of men. Verily I say unto you, They have their reward.

Mat 6:5
And when thou prayest, thou shalt not be as the hypocrites are: for they love to pray standing in the synagogues and in the corners of the streets, that they may be seen of men. Verily I say unto you, They have their reward.

Mat 6:16
Moreover when ye fast, be not, as the hypocrites, of a sad countenance: for they disfigure their faces, that they may appear unto men to fast. Verily I say unto you, They have their reward.

If you tell your friend “When I come over to your house today…”
Your friend is expecting you to come over.
If you don’t show up, he might be disappointed.
If we don’t do what Jesus expects us to do, he might be disappointed.


Of course there are always people who are physically unable to “fast” in the traditional sense. I don’t think God wants us to put ourselves at risk. There are other things one can abstain from other than food if necessary.
 
In Matthew chapter 6, Jesus himself tells us to do three things.
When you do alms.
When you pray.
When you fast.

Jesus didn’t say “If you…” for any of them.
We are all expected to fast.

Mat 6:2
Therefore when thou doest thine alms, do not sound a trumpet before thee, as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and in the streets, that they may have glory of men. Verily I say unto you, They have their reward.

Mat 6:5
And when thou prayest, thou shalt not be as the hypocrites are: for they love to pray standing in the synagogues and in the corners of the streets, that they may be seen of men. Verily I say unto you, They have their reward.

Mat 6:16
Moreover when ye fast, be not, as the hypocrites, of a sad countenance: for they disfigure their faces, that they may appear unto men to fast. Verily I say unto you, They have their reward.

If you tell your friend “When I come over to your house today…”
Your friend is expecting you to come over.
If you don’t show up, he might be disappointed.
If we don’t do what Jesus expects us to do, he might be disappointed.


Of course there are always people who are physically unable to “fast” in the traditional sense. I don’t think God wants us to put ourselves at risk. There are other things one can abstain from other than food if necessary.

__________________
Blessings to all

Jeremiah 29:11 For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, says the LORD,
thoughts of peace and not of evil, to give you a future and a hope.

okay , wow!

I have never looked at this way, another part of thatg maturity thing, but I totally agree.
When JESUS say's something, we better count it as something of importance, so when does imply that it is expected, not a choice or option,,

great posting dean!
 
In Mark 2:18-22 It States that we will fast when Christ is taken away, so I do fast as required by scripture.

Chellow, I believe that Jesus was talking about the time when He would be physically taken away from the disciples. He will never be spiritually taken away from us, so to take it in that context makes His statement meaningless.

blessings,

Lynn
 
In Mark 2:18-22 It States that we will fast when Christ is taken away, so I do fast as required by scripture.

umm.. no bro, we are not required to fast, just like we are not required to give, but it is expected of us as Christians to fast and give
 
Chellow, I believe that Jesus was talking about the time when He would be physically taken away from the disciples. He will never be spiritually taken away from us, so to take it in that context makes His statement meaningless.

blessings,

Lynn

Your jumping into an assumptions about it been physically. What do you mean spiritually with us? I know that the Holy Sprits dwells with us but not Christ.
 
"Jesus answered, "How can the guests of the bridegroom mourn while he is with them? The time will come when the bridegroom will be taken from them; then they will fast." (Matt 9:15, NIV)

Here Jesus clearly says that the time will come when He is taken from His disciples. That happened physically at His ascension to heaven.

However, His promis was that "surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age." (Matt 28:20, NIV) In this case He was obviously not speaking physically but spiritually. He is with us in the Person of the Holy Spirit, Who, although distinct in personality from Christ, is totally equal with Him in divinity and so closely connected with Him that we can say that when we have the Holy Spirit we have Christ (just as Jesus could say that when the disciples had seen Him, they had seen the Father - (John 14:9)

Jesus will never be taken away from us spiritually, so this is obviously not what He was talking about here. He was taken away physically, and since He said that when that happened "they will fast", fasting is still a valid discipline for His followers. It is not a legalistic requirement, but it is a tool that is very helpful in our spiritual life.

blessings,

Lynn
 
Chello, I just looked again at your original statement and I think I have misread it. I read "do not fast" instead of "do fast", and took it as meaning that you believed Jesus had not been taken away therefore we should not fast.

I apologise for the misunderstanding.

blessings,

Lynn
 
everything from old testament is phyisical,new testament spiritual so to spiritually fast would be to take yourself out of worldly business and concentrate on Christ.
 
In Matthew chapter 6, Jesus himself tells us to do three things.
When you do alms.
When you pray.
When you fast.

Jesus didn’t say “If you…” for any of them.
We are all expected to fast.

Mat 6:2 Therefore when thou doest thine alms, do not sound a trumpet before thee, as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and in the streets, that they may have glory of men. Verily I say unto you, They have their reward.

Mat 6:5 And when thou prayest, thou shalt not be as the hypocrites are: for they love to pray standing in the synagogues and in the corners of the streets, that they may be seen of men. Verily I say unto you, They have their reward.

Mat 6:16 Moreover when ye fast, be not, as the hypocrites, of a sad countenance: for they disfigure their faces, that they may appear unto men to fast. Verily I say unto you, They have their reward.

If you tell your friend “When I come over to your house today…”
Your friend is expecting you to come over.
If you don’t show up, he might be disappointed.
If we don’t do what Jesus expects us to do, he might be disappointed.


Of course there are always people who are physically unable to “fast” in the traditional sense. I don’t think God wants us to put ourselves at risk. There are other things one can abstain from other than food if necessary.

okay , wow!

I have never looked at this way, another part of thatg maturity thing, but I totally agree.
When JESUS say's something, we better count it as something of importance, so when does imply that it is expected, not a choice or option,,

great posting dean!

I agree, fasting is powerful tool and is worthy of practice. However, I think we must be very careful about reading our preferred view or understanding into scripture (eisogesis). Jesus did not say You have to fast, nor did He say you must fast. He only made a statement as to how you should fast, when you do fast. When we read scripture we must make sure we read out the understanding (exegesis) as not to bias the interpretation. This is how Israel ended up with hundreds of ordinances not consistent with Biblical teaching and some local Churches have falling prey to man’s traditions.

Ponder This: If Jesus is saying that fasting is not an option, not fasting is a sin.

Fasting is like Christian giving, God desires only what the heart wishes to give freely.

2 Corinthians 9:7. Every man according as he purposeth in his heart, so let him give; not grudgingly, or of necessity: for God loveth a cheerful giver.

If you fast or not, give or not…the consequences are:

2 Corinthians 9:6. But this I say, He which soweth sparingly shall reap also sparingly; and he which soweth bountifully shall reap also bountifully.

Good Day and God Bless
 
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