To Fast Or Not To Fast That Is The Question

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April_Rose

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Surprisingly enough there's a virtual pizza party this Friday night beginning at eight pm et until eleven in fellowship. :D
 

Raccoon1010

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On a serious note about fasting...
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I like the bible info on fasting: (What Does the Bible Say About Fasting?)

Isaiah 58:3-7 ESV / 1,183 helpful votes
‘Why have we fasted, and you see it not? Why have we humbled ourselves, and you take no knowledge of it?’ Behold, in the day of your fast you seek your own pleasure, and oppress all your workers. Behold, you fast only to quarrel and to fight and to hit with a wicked fist. Fasting like yours this day will not make your voice to be heard on high. Is such the fast that I choose, a day for a person to humble himself? Is it to bow down his head like a reed, and to spread sackcloth and ashes under him? Will you call this a fast, and a day acceptable to the Lord? “Is not this the fast that I choose: to loose the bonds of wickedness, to undo the straps of the yoke, to let the oppressed go free, and to break every yoke? Is it not to share your bread with the hungry and bring the homeless poor into your house; when you see the naked, to cover him, and not to hide yourself from your own flesh?

Here it implies that they were fasting to be heard but acted cruel. Which I think is partially correct, that fasting may bring God to hear our prayers. And Isaiah points out something my church does when we fast, we feed the hungry with the money we would have spent on the food. Fasting for a purpose.
 
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Shattered

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Fasting is easier for some and it's a bit much for others, @April_Rose . I would hardly call fasting a requirement. :)

As for myself I fast frequently, but I have an easier time with it than most. I've been without food many times during my life so I'm accustomed to ignoring hunger pangs. Watching other people eat food while I'm fasting is not a problem but like I said, it isn't for everyone.
 

stunnedbygrace

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I couldn't fast. I get way too crabby when I'm hungry lol! I used to know somebody that was getting really preachy with it but I don't see it as a big deal because I do believe that it's a personal choice.

maybe God has put you on the true fast, in spirit, and you don’t know it. The Kingdom of God is not about eating and drinking. (Romans, I think...) But when God puts you on a fast, you know it. You can’t sense Him and the first few times it happens, you’re prone to panic that you might have done something to make Him leave you.

There is a fast, in spirit and truth, just as there is circumcision in spirit and truth and baptism in spirit and truth. And it is the spirit that avails a man, not the letter.
 
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Raccoon1010

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maybe God has put you on the true fast, in spirit, and you don’t know it. The Kingdom of God is not about eating and drinking. (Romans, I think...) But when God puts you on a fast, you know it. You can’t sense Him and the first few times it happens, you’re prone to panic that you might have done something to make Him leave you.

There is a fast, in spirit and truth, just as there is circumcision in spirit and truth and baptism in spirit and truth. And it is the spirit that avails a man, not the letter.
Does that relate to the poor in spirit the bible talks about?
 

stunnedbygrace

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Does that relate to the poor in spirit the bible talks about?

Yes, don’t you think? We are all poor in spirit. We just don’t realize we are at first. We have an experience and we then are like the church that said, I’m rich and in need of nothing. And what’s worse is we are TAUGHT to think and say that. I think my translation says, God blesses those who are poor and realize their need for Him. You don’t become poor in spirit. You already are poor in spirit but you need to come to that realization. It didn’t come easy for me. I think it’s that way for most of us although I may have taken longer through stubbornness and maybe fear of not being in control. I think there was some other stuff mixed up in it too, like thinking I COULD be good if I just kept trying. By the worlds standards I am good. By Gods standards I am a murderer.

I wish I hadn’t wasted so much time floundering about and being so miserable.

is that Groot in your avatar...?
 
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Rita

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I would ask. Did the use of our stomach come as a result of the fall? corruption?

?
Genesis 1:29 - before the corruption.........God gave seeds and the fruit from the trees for food. So Adam and Eve were allowed to eat after they were made in Gods image and before sin entered into the world.
Rita
 

kcnalp

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"When you fast", not if you fast.

Matthew 6:16-18 (NKJV)

16 "Moreover, when you fast, do not be like the hypocrites, with a sad countenance. For they disfigure their faces that they may appear to men to be fasting. Assuredly, I say to you, they have their reward.17 But you, when you fast, anoint your head and wash your face,18 so that you do not appear to men to be fasting, but to your Father who is in the secret place; and your Father who sees in secret will reward you openly.
 

Curtis

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I couldn't fast. I get way too crabby when I'm hungry lol! I used to know somebody that was getting really preachy with it but I don't see it as a big deal because I do believe that it's a personal choice.

Full disclosure: I’m guilty of not fasting. It’s not a sin not to fast, but I know that when the apostles were criticized for not fasting, Jesus said:

Mat 9:15 And Jesus said to them, “Can the wedding guests mourn as long as the bridegroom is with them? The days will come when the bridegroom is taken away from them, and then they will fast.

This tells me that after He ascended to heaven, we, the bride of Christ, are supposed to be fasting.

Shalom.
 
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Raccoon1010

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Yes, don’t you think? We are all poor in spirit. We just don’t realize we are at first. We have an experience and we then are like the church that said, I’m rich and in need of nothing. And what’s worse is we are TAUGHT to think and say that. I think my translation says, God blesses those who are poor and realize their need for Him. You don’t become poor in spirit. You already are poor in spirit but you need to come to that realization. It didn’t come easy for me. I think it’s that way for most of us although I may have taken longer through stubbornness and maybe fear of not being in control. I think there was some other stuff mixed up in it too, like thinking I COULD be good if I just kept trying. By the worlds standards I am good. By Gods standards I am a murderer.

I wish I hadn’t wasted so much time floundering about and being so miserable.

is that Groot in your avatar...?

Yeah makes sense. Yep that's baby Groot. I've been picking baby avatars recently. I'll probably look for a new one soon.
 

Daniel Veler

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I couldn't fast. I get way too crabby when I'm hungry lol! I used to know somebody that was getting really preachy with it but I don't see it as a big deal because I do believe that it's a personal choice.

why do people try to fast anyway? Has God command it? Read the following scriptures is Isa.
“Is it such a fast that I have chosen?
a day for a man to afflict his soul?
is it to bow down his head as a bulrush,
and to spread sackcloth and ashes under him?
wilt thou call this a fast,
and an acceptable day to the LORD?
Is not this the fast that I have chosen?
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 it not to deal thy bread to the hungry,
and that thou bring the poor that are cast out to thy house?
when thou seest the naked, that thou cover him;
and that thou hide not thyself from thine own flesh?”
Then make up your mind which fast you choose.
 

Gary Urban

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Genesis 1:29 - before the corruption.........God gave seeds and the fruit from the trees for food. So Adam and Eve were allowed to eat after they were made in Gods image and before sin entered into the world.
Rita


It would seem before the fall there was no need to eat There was no death by starving. The test called the letter of the law death (you shall not eat by doing the will of another voice or you will die) .it was to see if they would obey the will of God not seen. It had to do with eating. Again Jesus said to the disciples I have food to eat that they knew not of. Food again relates to do the will of God

Genesis 3:6-7 And when the woman saw that the tree was good for food, and that it was pleasant to the eyes, and a tree to be desired to make one wise, she took of the fruit thereof, and did eat, and gave also unto her husband with her; and he did eat. And the eyes of them both were opened, and they knew that they were naked; and they sewed fig leaves together, and made themselves aprons.

When they failed the test a change was made. The glory of God had departed their nakedness was revealed by dying flesh the coats of skin.

Some say he slew a lamb. I would think the glory of God that clothed them departed as death entered in. In the end flesh and blood returned to the dust and the temporal spirit that failed the food test returned to the father of all spirit life.

Genesis 3: 21 Unto Adam also and to his wife did the Lord God make coats of skins, and clothed them.

In that way as new creatures we are the temple not made with human hands .In the new order the glory of God will again be the light (no sun and moon the temporal) there will be no temple the new creature will be clothed as the Sun as were Adam and eve before the fall, And it would seem the need of food will vanish .Not death by starving or thirsting