Question about fasting

[friedam]

 :-\My name is Frieda here in South Africa,this has been an interesting website i ever read about God and i know i will get true answers to my question about fasting. If you can please explain to me about this scripture MARK 2 vs 18-22 or me as a christian and fasting, about why? when? and how must i do that, because before i fell on your website i used to fast and pray as we were recommended by our pastor to do so, but sometimes i couldn't do as we were told and i would feel guilty and Godless cause they would tell us that God only recognises those who are fasting for him and there are answers that you must receive from God through fasting and if you can't fast then God may not provide in you.(if i can also know about physical health wise about effects on fasting if it is a must to fast as a christian. The other pastor fasted for 20days (he took dry fasting), when he just started to eat in his first day he died)
Thank you very much
F Mbele.

[hillsbororiver]

Hi Friedam,

Fasting is like water baptism, circumcision, Sabbath keeping and any other physical rituals, rendered null and void by the New (Spirtual) Covenant, these things are not necessarily bad things but they have been replaced by a higher principle.

The following is an e-mail written to Ray and his reply, I hope it helps your understanding;


I want to know what you know or teach on water baptism? I have been going through some of the articles that The Divine Plan has.

I am a former World Wide Church Of God member that has been really mixed up with different teachings. Everybody has different teachings.

So far you seem to have what I Think is a closer teaching what the Word of GOD is saying... Your articles have very helpful to me.

THANKS.   

P.S. I'll be keeping in touch

[Ray Replies]

Thank you for your email and question.

I don't have the time to write an whole article on the subject in an email. One day I will do that and post it on my site. But in a nut shell: 

Paul tells us that we no longer know Jesus AFTER the flesh.   Jesus Christ came IN THE FLESH to lead us INTO THE SPIRIT.  It was paramount to be CIRCUMCISED, KEEP HOLY DAYS, KEEP SABBATH, PAY TITHES, and  many PHYSICAL THINGS under the law of Moses. 

Jesus came with binding laws of the spirit.  In Matt. 5, 6, and 7 Jesus said

"you have heard it said [by the LAW OF MOSES]..." that you are to do this or do that, but Jesus said, "BUT I SAY UNTO YOU..." 

And then He gave a different and contradicting law. 

Examples: 

"Swear" under Moses / DON'T SWEAR AT ALL UNDER CHRIST.   

"Hate your enemies" under Moses / LOVE YOUR ENEMIES UNDER CHRIST! 

"Don't commit adultery" under Moses / DON'T EVEN LOOK TO LUST AFTER A WOMAN UNDER CHRIST!

Get the point?

God said he would write His NEW COVENANT (not a revised version of the OLD COVENANT) upon the minds and hearts of His followers.

Circumcision was so very important to every Jewish man. Paul said "Circumcision IS NOTHING"!!!

So drastic was this change brought about by Jesus Christ, that Paul said that a PHYSICAL JEW of the PHYSICAL NATION OF ISRAEL, who is PHYSICALLY CIRCUMCISION in the flesh only, IS NO JEW AT ALL!!! But a GENTILE, not of the nation of Israel, and NOT PHYSICALLY CIRCUMCISED in the flesh, but CIRCUMCISED IN HIS HEART, HE, A GENTILE, IS A JEW!!! (Rom. 2:27-29).

Now then, with that in mind turn to Col.2:19-13:

"And ye are COMPLETE IN HIM, which is the head of all principality and power: In Whom also ye ARE CIRCUMCISED [how?] with the circumcision MADE WITHOUT HANDS, in putting off the body of the SINS OF THE FLESH by the CIRCUMCISION OF CHRIST: buried with Him in BAPTISM [how? same way! "without hands" or water], wherein also ye ARE RISEN WITH HIM through the faith of the operation of God, Who has raised Him from the dead. And you, being DEAD IN YOUR SINS and the uncircumcision of your flesh, has he quickened [made alive] together with Him, having FORGIVEN YOU ALL TRESPASSES."

According to Paul, "How many baptisms are there?" 

"There is ONE body, and ONE Spirit, even as ye are called in ONE hope of your calling; ONE Lord, ONE faith, ONE BAPTISM, ONE God and Father of all, Who is above all, and through all, and in you all" (Eph. 4:4-6).

Water baptism avails us NOTHING unless we are BAPTIZED INTO CHRIST (Rom. 6:3-7) with a baptism WITHOUT HANDS--not of the letter and the flesh, but of the SPIRIT!

Nothing that we do that starts in the flesh can add one cubic to our spiritual stature.

Hope that helps your understanding a little better.

God be with you,

Ray



Friedam,

Welcome to the Forum, please read the articles presented on Bible Truths with an open mind, humble heart and an open bible to verify and compare scripture, there are many treasures waiting for you to find them.

His Peace and Wisdom to you,

Joe

[YellowStone]

Welcome to the forum Friedam

Thanks Joe for the post to Ray.

Friedam, Joe is right there is much truth to be discovered in Ray's words and the light of true discovery is wonderful.

Thanks,

Darren

[gmik]

hi and welcome!! Hope you will post and let us know about this message in S. africa.

[orion77]

Hello, Friedam.  Welcome to the forum.

Here is a few verses on the fast God desires.


(Isa 58:5)  Is this like the fast I will choose, a day for a man to afflict his soul? To bow his head down like a bulrush, and he spreads sackcloth and ashes? Will you call to this as a fast and a day of delight to Jehovah?

(Isa 58:6)  Is this not the fast I have chosen: to open bands of wickedness, to undo thongs of the yoke, and to send out the oppressed ones free; even that you pull off every yoke?

(Isa 58:7)  Is it not to break your bread to the hungry, that you should bring the wandering poor home? When will you see the naked and cover him, and you will not hide yourself from your flesh?

(Isa 58:  Then your light shall break as the dawn, and your healing shall spring up quickly; and your righteousness shall go before you; the glory of Jehovah shall gather you.

(Isa 58:9)  Then you shall call, and Jehovah will answer; you shall cry, and He shall say, Here I am. If you put the yoke away from among you, the sending out of the finger, and the speaking of iniquity;

(Isa 58:10)  and if you let out your soul to the hungry, and satisfy the afflicted soul; then your light shall rise in the darkness, and your gloom shall be as the noonday.

(Isa 58:11)  And Jehovah shall always guide you, and satisfy your soul in dry places, and make strong your bones. And you shall be like a watered garden, and like a spring of water whose waters do not fail.

(Isa 58:12)  And those who come of you shall build the old ruins; you shall rear the foundations of many generations; and you shall be called, The repairer of the breach, the restorer of paths to live in.

(Isa 58:13)  If you turn your foot away because of the sabbath, from doing what you please on My holy days, and call the sabbath a delight, to the holiness of Jehovah, glorified; and shall glorify Him, to the holiness of not doing your own ways, from finding your own pleasure or speaking your word;

(Isa 58:14)  then you shall delight yourself in Jehovah. And I will cause you to ride on the heights of the earth, and make you eat with the inheritance of your father Jacob. For the mouth of Jehovah has spoken.


Hope this can help, God bless,

Gary

[Chris R]

Hello,

I agree that a outward sign is of no value to our inward man "For which cause we faint not; but though our outward man perish, yet the inward [man] is renewed day by day." 2 Cor 4:16

Christ Taught when we fast  " 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."  Mat 6:16

And then the disciples of John came and asked; " Why do we and the Pharisees fast oft, but thy disciples fast not?"  [Mat 9:14]   " And 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."  [Matt 9:15]

Not only does Paul mention fasting, but he fasted often,   "In weariness and painfulness, in watchings often, in hunger and thirst, in fastings often, in cold and nakedness."  2Cr 11:27 

I have not read were Ray had mentioned "fasting" in his articles, but it would be nice to read a article about it.

Peace

Chris R

[friedam]

Oh thank you, thank you all of you, i'm so grateful by the way you responded and i was actually reminded that G man, my soul and spirit cannot be shaken by physical food that is wether i eat or not is for the benefit of my flesh, but for my soul it is the word of God.
I thank you once again, i fellowship like never before with you in this forum since February'06, I'm so blessed each and everytime when I open this site. thank you.
Friedam

[mongoose]

Welcome Friedam!  I am so happy to see you posting here and that you have been blessed and comforted by the answers to your question.  It makes my heart smile.     I hope you will continue to come and fellowship with us here and that this forum will be a blessing to you as it is to the rest of us.

mongoose