Wednesday's Word - Think Fast

Here's the Word:
Matthew 9:14-15 Then came to him the disciples of John, saying, Why do we and the Pharisees fast oft, but thy disciples fast not? 15And Jesus said unto them, Can the children of the bridechamber mourn, as long as the bridegroom is with them? but the days will come, when the bridegroom shall be taken from them, and then shall they fast.

Now I know how much of a touchy subject this can be but it looks to me like fasting was an assumed part of the lifestyle just as much as prayer. So what is this whole fasting thing about anyway? Why do we fast? Is there a right way? Is there a wrong way?

Isaiah 58:2 – 10 gives direction on these questions;

Why?
To make your voice to be heard on high. To loose the bands of wickedness, to undo the heavy burdens, and to let the oppressed go free, and that ye break every yoke.

Is there a right way?
When you fast, consider people in need and help them. (verse 7 & 10)

58:8 Then shall thy light break forth as the morning, and thine health shall spring forth speedily: and thy righteousness shall go before thee; the glory of the LORD shall be thy reward.9 Then shalt thou call, and the LORD shall answer; thou shalt cry, and he shall say, Here I am.

Is there a wrong way?
Fasting continues in the same context as praying. Actually from what I’ve seen biblically, you can pray without fasting, but you can’t fast without praying. Simply ‘skipping a meal or two” is not fasting. The idea is a spiritual struggle where eating kinda seems like an inconvenience to the earnest manner in which you’re seeking to hear from Heaven. Just as prayers made in disobedience are pretty much useless, the same goes with fasting. It’s a matter of motives. Fasting is done secretly and in humility. One can only wonder what could become of our lives, our communities, and our nation if even the small amount of ‘Biblical World View’ Christians would consider some of our common problems and go to God in prayer and fasting. Just something to think about.

In Him,
Cros