Christian Fasting

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Fasting is a profound spiritual discipline that invites believers to draw closer to God through intentional abstinence from food or other distractions. The Bible presents fasting as a means of humbling oneself before the Lord, as seen in Psalms 35:13, where David expresses his sorrow through fasting. Jesus Himself emphasizes the importance of fasting in Matthew 6:16-18, instructing His followers to fast with sincerity, not for public recognition, but to seek a deeper communion with God. In Isaiah 58:6-7, the Lord reveals the true purpose of fasting, which is not merely to abstain from food but to engage in acts of justice and mercy, reflecting a heart aligned with God’s will. Additionally, in Acts 13:2-3, the early church exemplifies fasting as a communal practice, seeking guidance and empowerment from the Holy Spirit for their mission. Fasting serves as a powerful reminder of our dependence on God, echoing the words of Jesus in Matthew 4:4, where He states that man does not live by bread alone, but by every word that comes from the mouth of God. Thus, Christian fasting is not just an act of self-denial; it is a sacred opportunity to seek God’s presence, discern His will, and cultivate a heart of worship.

Holy Days Observed in the English Church

jh-newman

J.H. Newman preaches about the Holy days observed by the Church of England, categorizing them into Festivals, days of joy, and fasts, days of sorrow. The Festivals include significant events like the Nativity of our Lord, Easter Day, Ascension Day, and Trinity Sunday, each commemorating crucial aspe

Psalms 35:13

“Yet when they were ill, I put on sackcloth; I humbled myself with fasting, but my prayers returned unanswered.”

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Matthew 6:16

“When you fast, do not be somber like the hypocrites, for they disfigure their faces to show men they are fasting. Truly I tell you, they already have their full reward.”

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Isaiah 58:6

“Isn’t this the fast that I have chosen: to break the chains of wickedness, to untie the cords of the yoke, to set the oppressed free and tear off every yoke?”

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Acts 13:2

“While they were worshiping the Lord and fasting, the Holy Spirit said, “Set apart for Me Barnabas and Saul for the work to which I have called them.””

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Matthew 4:4

“But Jesus answered, “It is written: ‘Man shall not live on bread alone, but on every word that comes from the mouth of God.’ ””

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Deuteronomy 8:3

“He humbled you, and in your hunger He gave you manna to eat, which neither you nor your fathers had known, so that you might understand that man does not live on bread alone, but on every word that comes from the mouth of the LORD.”

Luke 4:4

“But Jesus answered, “It is written: ‘Man shall not live on bread alone.’ ””

John 6:63

“The Spirit gives life; the flesh profits nothing. The words I have spoken to you are spirit and they are life.”

John 6:31

“Our fathers ate the manna in the wilderness, as it is written: ‘He gave them bread from heaven to eat.’ ” Jesus said to them, “Truly, truly, I tell you, it was not Moses who gave you the bread from heaven, but it is My Father who gives you the true bread from heaven. For the bread of God is He who comes down from heaven and gives life to the world.” “Sir,” they said, “give us this bread at all times.” Jesus answered, “I am the bread of life. Whoever comes to Me will never hunger, and whoever believes in Me will never thirst. But as I stated, you have seen Me and still you do not believe. Everyone the Father gives Me will come to Me, and the one who comes to Me I will never drive away. For I have come down from heaven, not to do My own will, but to do the will of Him who sent Me. And this is the will of Him who sent Me, that I shall lose none of those He has given Me, but raise them up at the last day. For it is My Father’s will that everyone who looks to the Son and believes in Him shall have eternal life, and I will raise him up at the last day.” At this, the Jews began to grumble about Jesus because He had said, “I am the bread that came down from heaven.” They were asking, “Is this not Jesus, the son of Joseph, whose father and mother we know? How then can He say, ‘I have come down from heaven?’” “Stop grumbling among yourselves,” Jesus replied. “No one can come to Me unless the Father who sent Me draws him, and I will raise him up at the last day. It is written in the Prophets: ‘And they will all be taught by God.’ Everyone who has heard the Father and learned from Him comes to Me— not that anyone has seen the Father except the One who is from God; only He has seen the Father. Truly, truly, I tell you, he who believes has eternal life. I am the bread of life. Your fathers ate the manna in the wilderness, yet they died. This is the bread that comes down from heaven, so that anyone may eat of it and not die. I am the living bread that came down from heaven. If anyone eats of this bread, he will live forever. And this bread, which I will give for the life of the world, is My flesh.” At this, the Jews began to argue among themselves, “How can this man give us His flesh to eat?” So Jesus said to them, “Truly, truly, I tell you, unless you eat the flesh and drink the blood of the Son of Man, you have no life in you. Whoever eats My flesh and drinks My blood has eternal life, and I will raise him up at the last day. For My flesh is real food, and My blood is real drink. Whoever eats My flesh and drinks My blood remains in Me, and I in him. Just as the living Father sent Me and I live because of the Father, so also the one who feeds on Me will live because of Me. This is the bread that came down from heaven. Unlike your fathers, who ate the manna and died, the one who eats this bread will live forever.” Jesus said this while teaching in the synagogue in Capernaum.”

Romans 15:4

“For everything that was written in the past was written for our instruction, so that through endurance and the encouragement of the Scriptures, we might have hope.”