Do You Truly Fast
By Dennis Mixer

"Is it a fast like this which I choose, a day for a man to humble himself? Is it for bowing one's head like a reed, And for spreading out sackcloth and ashes as a bed? Will you call this a fast, even an acceptable day to the LORD? Isaiah 58:5
What type of fasting do you do?
For some fasting is simply refraining from one or two pleasures. For others fasting is giving up all food and spending all spare time in prayer and studying the Bible instead of doing other activities such as watching television.
But what is it that GOD says fasting is?
"Is this not the fast which I choose, To loosen the bonds of wickedness, To undo the bands of the yoke, And to let the oppressed go free, And break every yoke? "Is it not to divide your bread with the hungry, And bring the homeless poor into the house; When you see the naked, to cover him; And not to hide yourself from your own flesh? Isaiah 58:6,7
How different this is from the traditional fasting. How much more involved in the teachings of Jesus.

I have often heard my friend and president of Impact Ministries International, Tom Stamman, say how hard it is to sit and eat a cheese burger knowing that there are people eating out of a garbage pile. That is how every Christian should feel. The problem with many Christians is they have distanced themselves from those in need. They live in their middle class homes and never see the needs of their fellow man.

But what about Jesus' teaching on fasting?
Traditional fasting is obviously important. Jesus told the people that when they Go without food they should wash their face and comb their hair so that their fasting should be seen by God only. (Matthew 6:17,18) I find it interesting that this verse is followed by his instructions on not storing treasures on earth, but in Heaven..for your heart is where your riches are. (Mat 6:19-21)
How important is charity to God?
Paul tells us the importance of helping others when he tells new Christians how to live in Ephesians 4:28 Let him who steals steal no longer; but rather let him labor, performing with his own hands what is good, in order that he may have something to share with him who has need.
Paul didn't say get a job and support yourself, he told them to work so they could take care of others in need.

What can You do?
Not every Christian is called to go to another country, or even to another area of their own country. The mission field is right outside the doors of your church, and of your home. Most churches have programs to help those in need, or to support missions. If your church doesn't, pray and ask God what kind of program you can start. Maybe it's a food pantry or a clothes closet to help those in need. Maybe it fund raisers to help support missionaries in other parts of the world. What ever you do, it's important, For just as the body without the spirit is dead, so also faith without works is dead. James 2:26

True Fasting has a promise.
"Then your light will break out like the dawn, And your recovery will speedily spring forth; And your righteousness will go before you; The glory of the LORD will be your rear guard.
9 "Then you will call, and the LORD will answer; You will cry, and He will say, 'Here I am.' If you remove the yoke from your midst, The pointing of the finger, and speaking wickedness,
10 And if you give yourself to the hungry, And satisfy the desire of the afflicted, Then your light will rise in darkness, And your gloom will become like midday.
11 "And the LORD will continually guide you, And satisfy your desire in scorched places, And give strength to your bones; And you will be like a watered garden, And like a spring of water whose waters do not fail. Isaiah 58:8