And other days as well!
Why would God want us to fast, and is fasting any good for us even to do? God commanded HIS people to fast at least once a year on the Day of Atonement, but are we do follow the old Law? Does fasting, and the Day of Atonement apply to modern Christians today?
The benefits of fasting:
Almost every expert admits that fasting of some sort is good for the human body and many studies make a claim that persons that fast live longer, healthier and happier lives. The physical exhilaration during the fasting, produces a sensation of delight in most sections of the body. A person feels more pleasure in fasting than in eating food. One begins feeling a dislike for food. So, people that fast appear calm, contented and happy from the start of their fasts, because they feel restful. Most individuals feel very little to no pain during fasting. There are some patients that fasting could be harmful for. They are the weak, elderly and sick. God wants us all to fast, but accepts any type of fast that we can do. GOD READS OUR HEARTS and not our bellies. Do the best you can do for your condition and God will reward you.
However, many researches have shown that weak persons should not be afraid of fasting, because their weight will increase rather than decrease. The weight of such persons can be increased by giving them a little food during the fasts. Therefore, it is incorrect to infer that fasting benefits just obese persons. Occasionally, weakness is experienced during the fasts, because the ordinary bodily processes that are slightly blocked. The organs and the tissues of the body have an chance to rest during the fasting. Therefore, they, too, work slowly. The heart throbs at a slower rate, blood circulation is slower, breathing is less, and the muscles of the body reduce their work. Especially, the tired, sick body feels relief and rests. This is the desired condition. The body regains its full strength, after it is cleansed. The feeling of energy is experienced after the fasts, long before the food intake is started. This is why, a little weakness for a few days should not be considered when compared with the physical advantages accrued through the fasts. Your doctor can help you on this. (Source:www.healthguidance.org/authors/371/Krishan-Bakhru)
Persons that are addicted to alcoholic drinks or smoking and those who always take very spicy foods, feel many more troubles in the early days of fasting. In the absence of such things which they have to skip, they feel nervous, angry, etc. Furthermore, they vomit and do not sleep well. Uneasiness and pain is felt in the body. They suffer from severe headache. This painful situation does exist for some days. Therefore, it is not proper to be apprehensive about it and break the fast. After some days the situation changes and the patient returns to his normal condition.
Herbert Armstrong wrote some sixty years ago: "First, its connection with PHYSICAL HEALTH. Most people have come to believe today that it is NATURAL for people to be sick. THAT IS NOT TRUE! Sickness and disease is not natural, or accidental, but caused in every case by destructive habits. Sickness and disease cannot be eradicated until good habits -- living according to NATURE'S LAWS as set in motion by Creator -- are substituted for bad ones. Bad habits of thought may be a contributing cause to sickness and disease or impaired health. Insufficient exercise, lack of drinking enough pure water, lack of deep breathing of fresh air, lack of sunshine, lack of sleep, faulty elimination, often contribute to poor health. But above all WRONG FOOD is the great outstanding cause. Few people realize this. Doctors seldom tell people this vital truth. Yet the nation's most famous physicians and surgeons -- men like Dr. McCollum of Johns Hopkins, the famous Mayo brothers, Dr. Sherman -- later Senator Sherman of New York, Dr. Kellogg and others -- estimate that from 90 to 95 of all sickness and disease are caused by faulty diet. Dietitians have exclaimed that the average American table is a dietetic horror! People eat things they would never thing of feeding their cows or their dogs. God has revealed to us which animal meats He created to be properly digestible in the human stomach, Leviticus 11. Some day we will learn to our astonishment that the eating of filthy swine's flesh has been a major cause of cancer, fast becoming the nation's number one killer! I want, as soon as we can enlarge The PLAIN TRUTH to 16 pages or more, to have an interesting, vigorous article every month on FOOD, and on sickness, disease, and the laws of health. We can SIN physically as well as spiritually. We sin physically by breaking nature's laws -- the laws of God established for physical health. The penalty of this physical sinning is sickness, suffering, pain, and often the first death. The penaltyfor spiritual sin -- the transgression of God's great spiritual Law, summed up in the Ten Commandments -- is ETERNAL death -- the second death. Jesus continually HEALED THE SICK. When He healed, He said "Go and SIN NO MORE." He was speaking of violating the physical laws of health. Just as the repentant sinner who is converted thru Christ is commanded to turn away from sin and quit sinning (transgressing God's Law), so if we look to God for healing we should try to learn in what manner we have been violating God's physical health laws, and CORRECT OUR LIVING! It is BECAUSE men for untold generations have been living incorrectly, violating these precious health laws. And increasingly so these past four or five generations, that we are a degenerate generation today"
In the beginning of the fasts, some physical changes do occur, depending in each individual. Some times a heaviness in tongue is felt, bad smell may be given out from the mouth or breathing, teeth may be sticky. Symptoms of fever may be felt in the mouth, tongue, breathing, etc. Usually this occurs in fast longer than 24 hours. Many Christians fast for two days, sometimes three days at a time, but unless you are Moses, or Jesus, I would limit the time to a day or two at most if you choose not to drink water. I know some Christians who fast for a week at a time, but they do take in water, and some even vitamin waters.
Urination during the fasts is routine but the color of the urine may change after a few hours and some hardship may be felt in passing the urine. The urine of some patients is dark in color and foul-smelling. From this change in urination, it can be concluded that the kidneys have to overwork for cleansing the accumulated waste. This waste is being thrown out through the urine. When the cleansing is complete, the urine assumes its normal color and form. Important cells of the body have to utilize the nutritive substances stored in advance. They get energized from these substances only and cleanse the body quickly. As the unwanted cells are destroyed, the excess weight of the body, is reduced quickly. This weight loss is also considered as a cleansing programme. At the same time symptoms of health improvement are also observed. (source:http://www.healthguidance.org/entry/4803/1/Benefits-of-Fasting.html)
The physical excitement during the fasting, creates a feeling of joy in most parts of the body. A person feels more pleasure in fasting thanin taking food. He starts feeling a natural dislike for food. Therefore, these types of patients appear calm, contented and cheerful from the start of their fasts, because they feel very restful. Most people feel very little pain during the fasts. (source:http://www.healthguidance.org/entry/4803/1/Benefits-of-Fasting.html)
People who are addicted to alcoholic drinks or smoking and those who always take very spicy foods, feel many more troubles in the early days of fasting. In the absence of such things which they have to skip, they feel nervous, angry, etc. and they vomit and do not sleep well. Uneasiness and pain is felt in the body. They suffer from severe headache. This painful situation does exist for some days. Therefore, it is not proper to be apprehensive about it and break the fast. After some days the situation changes and the patient returns to his normal condition. (source:http://www.healthguidance.org/entry/4803/1/Benefits-of-Fasting.html)
Some people start worrying about fasting in advance. Such people imagine the pain, produced during the cleansing of the body during the fast, to be far greater than the real one. But all these troubles do not occur in all the stages of fasting. Very few such examples of pain are seen. There is no rule about it. Most of the people are not found suffering from such little troubles. Sometimes, the cleansing process of the body is completed without any trouble. If some painful situation arises sometime, it should be welcomed warmly, because it is surely for the well-being of the patient.
Sometimes, some boils or pimples are seen on the skin during fasting, but it should also be considered as a result of the cleansing process. Sometimes giddiness is felt and may result in swooning. The heart-throbs increase and other such symptoms are seen but we should not be frightened. There is no danger in this situation. (Source:www.healthguidance.org/authors/371/Krishan-Bakhru)
Finally, I will allow our readers to think for themselves about fasting and following the Day of Atonement. Know this, the early church fasted often and always on the Day of Atonement : Acts 27:9
Much time had been lost, and sailing had already become dangerous because by now it was after the Fast.SoPaul warnedthem, (THE FAST means Day of Atonement!) It is a personal decision, so get your Bible out and look at these verses. In fact, I put quick links in most of the to make it easier!
Isaiah 58:6
"Is not this the kind of fasting
I have chosen: to loose the chains of injustice and untie the cords of
the yoke, to set the oppressed free and break every yoke?
1 Kings 21:9
In those letters shewrote: "Proclaim a day of fasting and seat Naboth in a prominent place among the people.
2 Kings 18:6
He held fast to the LORD and did not cease to follow him; he kept the commands the LORD had given Moses.
Isaiah 58:4
Your fasting ends in quarreling and strife, and in striking each other with wicked fists. You cannot fast as you do today and expect your voice to be heard on high.
Matthew 4:2
After fasting forty days and forty nights, he was hungry.
Matthew 6:16
[ Fasting ] "When you fast, do not look somber as the hypocrites do, for they disfigure their faces to show men they are fasting. I tell you the truth, they have received their reward in full. But when you fast, put oil on your head and wash your face, so that it will not be obvious to men that you are fasting, but only to your Father, who is unseen; and your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you.
Matthew 9:14 [Jesus Questioned About Fasting ]Then John's disciples came and asked him, "How is it that we and the Pharisees fast, but your disciples do not fast?" Jesus answered, "How can the guests of the bridegroom mourn while he is with them? The time will come when the bridegroom will be taken from them; then they will fast.
Luke 2:37
and then was a widow until she was eighty-four. She never left the temple but worshiped night and day, fasting and praying.
Luke 5:35
But the time will come when the bridegroom will be taken from them; in those days they will fast."
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."
Acts 13:3
So after they had fasted and prayed, they placed their hands on them and sent them off.
Acts 14:23
Paul and Barnabas appointed elders for them in each church and, with prayer and fasting, committed them to the Lord, in whom they had put their trust.
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