1 00:00:00,480 --> 00:00:03,440 In the name of the glorious Trinity, Father and Son and Holy 2 00:00:03,440 --> 00:00:07,160 Spirit, forever Amen. Glory be to the everlasting 3 00:00:07,160 --> 00:00:11,040 mercies which sent you to us, O Christ, the Light of the world 4 00:00:11,120 --> 00:00:14,800 and the life of all. Give us wisdom by your law and 5 00:00:14,800 --> 00:00:16,800 enlighten our impulses by Your knowledge. 6 00:00:17,840 --> 00:00:20,880 Sanctify our souls by Your truth and grant that we may be 7 00:00:20,880 --> 00:00:24,360 obedient to Your words and may fulfil Your commandments at 8 00:00:24,360 --> 00:00:27,640 every hour. O You who enlightens the 9 00:00:27,640 --> 00:00:31,800 rational with the knowledge of Your greatness, do enlight, O my 10 00:00:31,800 --> 00:00:35,640 Lord, our thoughts, that we may meditate upon Your holy and 11 00:00:35,640 --> 00:00:40,000 divine Scriptures at all times. O Lord of all, Father and Son 12 00:00:40,160 --> 00:00:42,680 and Holy Spirit, forever. Amen. 13 00:01:02,200 --> 00:01:06,000 And four weeks to go as we have entered our wilderness in 14 00:01:06,000 --> 00:01:09,000 fasting and praying and worshipping and scripture 15 00:01:09,000 --> 00:01:13,200 reading and church attendance. These all come in a package. 16 00:01:13,200 --> 00:01:16,480 You cannot fast and not pray. You cannot pray and not fast. 17 00:01:16,720 --> 00:01:19,400 You cannot fast and pray and not read scriptures. 18 00:01:19,400 --> 00:01:21,800 You cannot read scriptures and pray but not fast. 19 00:01:22,000 --> 00:01:24,720 You cannot fast and pray and read scriptures but don't attend 20 00:01:24,720 --> 00:01:26,720 church. And you cannot do 1 without the 21 00:01:26,840 --> 00:01:28,880 other. Beloved, it's a it's a spiritual 22 00:01:28,880 --> 00:01:31,840 package. All comes in one praise and 23 00:01:31,840 --> 00:01:35,360 glory be to his name. Last week we spoke about the the 24 00:01:35,400 --> 00:01:41,080 manner that we should fast, why we should fast and our scripture 25 00:01:41,080 --> 00:01:46,080 passage was from Isaiah chapter 58 and what God was commanding 26 00:01:46,080 --> 00:01:50,640 the Israelites to do when they came in to fast and how they 27 00:01:51,120 --> 00:01:53,960 would have to fast. What I'd like to speak about 28 00:01:53,960 --> 00:01:57,080 today is what you've asked. And these are the questions that 29 00:01:57,080 --> 00:02:02,280 I, I receive and I'm confronted with on some just inquiring, 30 00:02:02,280 --> 00:02:07,400 some not so much arguing, but wanting to argue. 31 00:02:10,600 --> 00:02:12,520 No, just just, you know, inquiring. 32 00:02:12,520 --> 00:02:13,680 That's just sorry. Dialogue. 33 00:02:14,520 --> 00:02:15,640 Dialoguing. Yeah. 34 00:02:15,680 --> 00:02:18,760 You know, you know, you know, dialoguing going back in front. 35 00:02:18,760 --> 00:02:21,280 Now there's another word disputing, Right. 36 00:02:21,720 --> 00:02:27,160 What I'd like to talk about is the food aspect of fasting, and 37 00:02:27,240 --> 00:02:31,920 the title is Food aspect of fasting, A biblical practice and 38 00:02:31,920 --> 00:02:34,320 Instruction and a church tradition. 39 00:02:34,400 --> 00:02:37,720 Stephen's laughing because he likes and he likes titles to be 40 00:02:37,720 --> 00:02:40,440 one word, and I can't do that, Stephen. 41 00:02:40,440 --> 00:02:43,040 So you go, and what is it? Summarize that. 42 00:02:43,360 --> 00:02:49,000 So it's the food aspect of fasting, A biblical practice and 43 00:02:49,000 --> 00:02:52,120 instruction and a church tradition. 44 00:02:53,320 --> 00:02:57,680 Before we start, I'd like to the reason why I am covering this 45 00:02:57,680 --> 00:03:03,320 topic and I am now, you know, replying to these questions and, 46 00:03:03,360 --> 00:03:05,160 and you know, those who've reached out to me is because 47 00:03:06,560 --> 00:03:09,960 within Christianity, beloved, we cannot have our own 48 00:03:10,000 --> 00:03:13,040 understanding and our own philosophy. 49 00:03:13,040 --> 00:03:18,600 We can't, we cannot draw the conclusions according to our own 50 00:03:18,600 --> 00:03:24,080 understanding and feeling and emotion and how we'd like it to 51 00:03:24,080 --> 00:03:27,000 play in our life. No, Saint Paul writes it 52 00:03:27,000 --> 00:03:29,520 clearly. There is a warning in the in the 53 00:03:29,520 --> 00:03:33,520 scriptures, in Colossians chapter 2 verse 8, something 54 00:03:33,520 --> 00:03:36,880 about this. And he writes, beware lest any 55 00:03:36,880 --> 00:03:43,280 man mislead you through philosophy and vain deceit, 56 00:03:44,720 --> 00:03:50,000 after the teaching of men, after the principles of the world, and 57 00:03:50,000 --> 00:03:54,520 not after Christ. So I always, I have always 58 00:03:54,520 --> 00:03:57,440 mentioned that, you know, when I want to give you my own opinion, 59 00:03:57,440 --> 00:04:00,840 I always have this disclaimer. And I say this is my personal 60 00:04:00,840 --> 00:04:05,360 opinion and I emphasize it. Why I am trying to stress the 61 00:04:05,360 --> 00:04:10,160 point that my personal opinion should be 1 to take for 62 00:04:10,160 --> 00:04:14,960 consideration maybe, but should not You should not be concerned 63 00:04:14,960 --> 00:04:18,200 about that. Your reply can be well and I'll 64 00:04:18,200 --> 00:04:21,040 be that's your personal opinion. I'm sorry. 65 00:04:21,240 --> 00:04:25,720 I want the the the truth from the scriptures, the truth from 66 00:04:25,720 --> 00:04:29,160 the the framework of the church, the life of the church and the 67 00:04:29,160 --> 00:04:32,040 traditions of the church and the teachings of the Fathers. 68 00:04:32,360 --> 00:04:36,640 That is what our faith is based on, if it's not based on the 69 00:04:36,640 --> 00:04:40,800 Scriptures, the church, its traditions, its doctrines, and 70 00:04:40,800 --> 00:04:44,640 its teachings of the Fathers. Our faith is flawed, beloved, 71 00:04:44,640 --> 00:04:47,800 because we don't have a faith. We don't have a religion. 72 00:04:48,080 --> 00:04:51,960 Religion is not a bad word, by the way, I'm not religious, I'm 73 00:04:51,960 --> 00:04:52,880 spiritual. You don't know what you're 74 00:04:52,880 --> 00:04:54,360 talking about when you say something like that. 75 00:04:55,200 --> 00:04:59,120 We don't have this spiritual Christian religion. 76 00:04:59,280 --> 00:05:02,200 We don't have a spiritual Christian religion that was 77 00:05:02,480 --> 00:05:07,680 invented by man. No, the author of our faith, our 78 00:05:07,680 --> 00:05:13,120 Christian religion, faith is Christ himself and Jesus Christ 79 00:05:13,160 --> 00:05:14,520 is God. Listen to this. 80 00:05:14,640 --> 00:05:16,400 Let me continue and read verse 9. 81 00:05:16,560 --> 00:05:21,920 Now he says that of men after the principles of the world and 82 00:05:21,920 --> 00:05:25,360 not after Christ. For in him meaning in who? 83 00:05:25,520 --> 00:05:31,720 In Christ, Jehovah's Witnesses, friends, Mormon friends, Muslim 84 00:05:31,720 --> 00:05:34,840 friends, Jewish friends, listen carefully. 85 00:05:35,840 --> 00:05:39,440 St. Paul writes principles of the 86 00:05:39,440 --> 00:05:45,280 world and not after Christ. For in him in Christ is embodied 87 00:05:45,640 --> 00:05:50,960 all fullness of the Godhead. Hence Jesus is perfect man and 88 00:05:50,960 --> 00:05:53,840 his perfect God. Praise and glory be to his name. 89 00:05:54,600 --> 00:05:58,760 Show me in the Bible where it says that's where it says go and 90 00:05:58,760 --> 00:06:00,840 read the Bible. Saint Paul is telling you 91 00:06:01,000 --> 00:06:04,200 there's ample of testimonies, but I'm not talking about the 92 00:06:04,200 --> 00:06:06,360 divinity of the Lord. We're talking about the food 93 00:06:06,360 --> 00:06:12,040 aspect of fasting. Biblically, Saint Paul writes 94 00:06:12,160 --> 00:06:16,040 about self interpretations. You know, some people pick up 95 00:06:16,040 --> 00:06:21,560 the scriptures and ponder on the scriptures and try to find an 96 00:06:21,560 --> 00:06:24,760 interpretation, a message in the scriptures. 97 00:06:24,920 --> 00:06:27,280 We don't need to reinvent the wheel. 98 00:06:27,280 --> 00:06:30,840 We don't need to do that. Christianity is not a faith, 99 00:06:30,840 --> 00:06:35,640 that is, that is being introduced every day. 100 00:06:36,160 --> 00:06:40,320 It is being revealed and manifested to be true in the one 101 00:06:40,320 --> 00:06:43,000 Lord Jesus Christ daily through the Holy Spirit. 102 00:06:43,120 --> 00:06:48,240 But it this has been confirmed, established and sealed by Jesus 103 00:06:48,240 --> 00:06:53,400 Christ himself and entrusted to his holy apostles, whom then 104 00:06:53,400 --> 00:06:57,560 went and deposited this depository, deposited this 105 00:06:57,560 --> 00:07:00,720 entrustment in the depository which is the Church. 106 00:07:01,120 --> 00:07:05,600 So interpretations, we must be careful as well, beloved, when 107 00:07:05,600 --> 00:07:12,720 you when you gather for Bible studies, you don't gather for 108 00:07:13,400 --> 00:07:16,320 every person's interpretation and understanding. 109 00:07:17,080 --> 00:07:21,160 Along with the Holy Scriptures, there needs to be the accounts 110 00:07:21,200 --> 00:07:25,800 of the church fathers. There needs to be an account of 111 00:07:25,800 --> 00:07:28,520 the history of the church, what the church has been teaching. 112 00:07:29,040 --> 00:07:31,160 And we're doing it. We're going to do this and we're 113 00:07:31,160 --> 00:07:36,600 talking about the, the, the, the aspect of food in fasting. 114 00:07:36,680 --> 00:07:39,600 But what I want to do is I want to 1st cover that. 115 00:07:39,600 --> 00:07:41,680 Listen, not everyone interprets scriptures. 116 00:07:41,680 --> 00:07:43,840 You're not all, no one's permitted to interpret, 117 00:07:43,840 --> 00:07:48,520 interpret scriptures unless God calls you because it's only been 118 00:07:48,520 --> 00:07:50,720 interpreted. Look at what Saint Paul writes 119 00:07:50,720 --> 00:07:53,800 in his second epistle, Saint Peter. 120 00:07:53,800 --> 00:07:57,000 I'm sorry, Second Epistle of Saint Peter, chapter 1, verses 121 00:07:57,000 --> 00:08:00,240 2021. Knowing this first, that not 122 00:08:00,240 --> 00:08:04,720 every prophecy or prophetic writing is made clear in the own 123 00:08:04,720 --> 00:08:09,560 book, in its own book. For the prophecy did not come by 124 00:08:09,560 --> 00:08:14,320 the will of man, but holy men of God spoke when they were 125 00:08:14,400 --> 00:08:19,200 inspired by the Holy Spirit. Knowing this first, that not 126 00:08:19,200 --> 00:08:23,680 every prophetic writing is made clear in its own book. 127 00:08:25,560 --> 00:08:28,240 Oh my God, praise be to your name. 128 00:08:28,240 --> 00:08:31,520 So Sola scriptura is dangerous then? 129 00:08:32,480 --> 00:08:36,240 Because what Saint Peter is writing is that not every 130 00:08:36,240 --> 00:08:39,480 prophetic book in the Old Testament was clear by the book 131 00:08:39,480 --> 00:08:41,480 itself. But who made it clear? 132 00:08:41,679 --> 00:08:48,200 The prophets did so. The scriptures are made clear by 133 00:08:48,200 --> 00:08:52,400 the apostles, the prophets, the Church led by the Holy Spirit 134 00:08:52,400 --> 00:08:55,800 and not by every man's own interpretation. 135 00:08:56,360 --> 00:09:01,560 Chapter 3, verse 16, that same epistle, St. 136 00:09:01,560 --> 00:09:05,080 Peter Rice and also in all his epistles talking about Saint 137 00:09:05,080 --> 00:09:09,040 Paul, he spoke concerning these matters in which they are 138 00:09:09,040 --> 00:09:12,640 certain things so hard to be understood that those who are 139 00:09:12,760 --> 00:09:17,800 ignorant and unstable pervert their meaning as they do also 140 00:09:17,800 --> 00:09:21,600 the other scriptures to their own destruction. 141 00:09:21,840 --> 00:09:24,680 Don't pervert the meaning. Don't come up with new 142 00:09:24,760 --> 00:09:28,000 inventions when it comes to interpreting scriptures. 143 00:09:28,280 --> 00:09:30,480 Don't come up with new intentions. 144 00:09:30,480 --> 00:09:36,520 That fasting is not food. The food aspect is not 145 00:09:36,520 --> 00:09:39,560 important. If you say fasting does not only 146 00:09:39,560 --> 00:09:43,680 pertain to food alone, aim into that because not faith alone, 147 00:09:45,320 --> 00:09:49,840 faith alone, faith alone. The 2 words faith alone appease 148 00:09:49,840 --> 00:09:53,000 in the scriptures where James is saying James is talking about 149 00:09:53,240 --> 00:09:58,440 that faith alone is not your salvation or or the Kingdom of 150 00:09:58,440 --> 00:10:00,800 heaven. He talks about deeds. 151 00:10:01,200 --> 00:10:07,240 So food alone, food is not the only aspect of fasting. 152 00:10:07,520 --> 00:10:13,120 Yes, that is right, but food is a significant aspect of fasting. 153 00:10:14,160 --> 00:10:16,400 And as I said, we're going to have a look at it through the 154 00:10:17,040 --> 00:10:20,640 biblical practices and instructions by God and the 155 00:10:20,640 --> 00:10:24,640 church traditions, the church, the pillar and foundation of 156 00:10:24,640 --> 00:10:27,160 truth according to One Timothy 350. 157 00:10:27,200 --> 00:10:30,080 So let's get into it. 10 minutes have passed and you're saying 158 00:10:30,080 --> 00:10:31,000 love, you haven't gotten into it. 159 00:10:31,000 --> 00:10:33,880 No, there has to be these clarifications because if we 160 00:10:33,880 --> 00:10:36,480 don't have this understanding, then when we come to read these 161 00:10:36,480 --> 00:10:39,200 Scriptures, everyone's going to have their own interpretation. 162 00:10:40,000 --> 00:10:42,840 But let's read them and be careful and, and know that we 163 00:10:42,840 --> 00:10:47,120 are going to understand these in the framework of the Scriptures 164 00:10:47,120 --> 00:10:52,720 itself interpreted by the holy apostles and the and the holy 165 00:10:52,720 --> 00:10:56,440 fathers of the church. Genesis chapter 2, verse 17. 166 00:10:57,080 --> 00:11:00,640 What did God say to Adam from the tree of knowledge of good 167 00:11:00,640 --> 00:11:04,760 and of evil? You shall not but look at it, 168 00:11:04,840 --> 00:11:08,840 glance at it, hug it, sleep under its shade. 169 00:11:09,040 --> 00:11:11,800 No, you should not eat. Eat. 170 00:11:12,240 --> 00:11:16,240 What does eating entail? You eat something. 171 00:11:16,600 --> 00:11:20,760 Whatever it is, we call it food. It can be candy, it can be 172 00:11:20,880 --> 00:11:24,360 chocolates or ham soma, it can be hamburger. 173 00:11:24,360 --> 00:11:28,440 Whatever it is, it's food. So when God said you shall not 174 00:11:28,840 --> 00:11:32,520 eat, meaning you abstain from food, the word soma, we're going 175 00:11:32,520 --> 00:11:35,720 to talk about this next episode. Soma means abstain. 176 00:11:35,880 --> 00:11:41,160 You shall not not eat. Don't eat, stop from eating. 177 00:11:41,680 --> 00:11:44,160 So eating entails food. So there it is. 178 00:11:44,760 --> 00:11:46,440 And it's an instruction in the Scriptures. 179 00:11:46,440 --> 00:11:49,320 God is instructing praise and glory be to his name. 180 00:11:49,480 --> 00:11:52,600 You shall not eat. Moses in Deuteronomy Chapter 9, 181 00:11:52,600 --> 00:11:56,920 verse 9 writes when I went up to the mountain and I took tablets 182 00:11:56,920 --> 00:12:00,680 of stones and the tablets of the covenant that the Lord God 183 00:12:00,960 --> 00:12:06,880 covenanted or contracted with you, and I dwelt in the mountain 184 00:12:06,880 --> 00:12:15,440 40 days and 40 nines I-40 nines. I ate ate not believed and 185 00:12:15,440 --> 00:12:18,000 closed the eyes and the ease. No, I ate. 186 00:12:18,000 --> 00:12:19,880 Now he elaborates. No bread. 187 00:12:19,960 --> 00:12:25,800 There's your food and no drink. I ate no bread and I drank no 188 00:12:25,920 --> 00:12:27,960 water. Just just Jesus did praise and 189 00:12:27,960 --> 00:12:33,600 glory be to say that's fasting, abstinence, soma and God sets it 190 00:12:33,720 --> 00:12:37,320 in Isaiah chapter 58 verse six last episode. 191 00:12:37,720 --> 00:12:43,640 Is this not the fast I chose? Is this not the fast meaning 192 00:12:43,680 --> 00:12:46,600 abstinence from food? We've already ascertained this 193 00:12:47,240 --> 00:12:50,520 Joel chapter one, verse 14. Sanctify a fast. 194 00:12:50,520 --> 00:12:53,440 God says sanctify. You know what sanctifies mean? 195 00:12:53,640 --> 00:12:56,320 Set it apart. Meaning it has to be something 196 00:12:56,320 --> 00:12:59,360 special. Not I'm not going to drink Coke 197 00:12:59,360 --> 00:13:03,280 for 50 days. I'm not going to have a, a, a 198 00:13:03,280 --> 00:13:05,200 true gum. No, no, no food. 199 00:13:05,280 --> 00:13:10,000 Abstain food. Next week we'll talk about why 200 00:13:10,240 --> 00:13:14,600 no flesh, no dairy. Sanctify a fast, call an 201 00:13:14,600 --> 00:13:19,480 assembly and gather the elders. For those who dispute the fact 202 00:13:19,480 --> 00:13:23,160 that the church 2 weeks ago called a fast or three weeks 203 00:13:23,160 --> 00:13:26,800 ago, almost 3 weeks ago called the assembly in the church, 204 00:13:26,920 --> 00:13:30,720 gathered the elders, the priests were gathered, and the church 205 00:13:30,920 --> 00:13:35,320 called the assembly and sanctified a fast. 206 00:13:36,240 --> 00:13:40,480 So it's not wrong for the church to indicate on the 207 00:13:40,600 --> 00:13:43,000 ecclesiastical calendar that Lent is here. 208 00:13:43,120 --> 00:13:44,800 Oh, because then everyone knows we're fasting. 209 00:13:44,800 --> 00:13:46,640 Yeah. What's the problem with that? 210 00:13:47,480 --> 00:13:49,360 What's the problem with someone asking you, would you like a 211 00:13:49,360 --> 00:13:49,880 burger? You say? 212 00:13:49,880 --> 00:13:54,200 No, I'm sorry, I'm fasting. There's no problem, but when 213 00:13:54,200 --> 00:13:57,480 you're sitting there and you're constantly putting it in 214 00:13:57,480 --> 00:14:00,520 people's face, you know, I'm fasting, you know, I fast, I 215 00:14:00,520 --> 00:14:03,480 fast truly, I fast. Oh, that's you're doing it. 216 00:14:03,480 --> 00:14:07,920 So to be seen to be applauded by man, Jesus said do not do your 217 00:14:07,920 --> 00:14:10,360 charity before men to be seen by them. 218 00:14:10,600 --> 00:14:12,760 You can do it before men, but don't do it to show off. 219 00:14:12,760 --> 00:14:16,320 Do it just humbly. You have to do it do it humbly 220 00:14:17,200 --> 00:14:20,720 again, Joel chapter 2 verse 12. Therefore the Lord God says the 221 00:14:20,720 --> 00:14:25,840 Lord God says the Lord God said and not only for 50 days. 222 00:14:25,840 --> 00:14:30,480 We have a program I think Steven fasting beyond 50 days. 223 00:14:31,680 --> 00:14:35,240 The Lord God said therefore the Lord sorry, Joel writes in 224 00:14:35,240 --> 00:14:38,480 chapter 2 verse 12. Therefore the Lord God says God 225 00:14:38,480 --> 00:14:42,240 is speaking, be attentive, stop your vacuuming, stop driving, 226 00:14:42,240 --> 00:14:46,400 listen intently. God is saying return to me from 227 00:14:46,480 --> 00:14:53,720 all your heart in fasting and in weeping and in mourning. 228 00:14:55,160 --> 00:14:58,200 Fasting, absence from food, weeping, mourning. 229 00:14:58,200 --> 00:15:02,880 That's why the church declares during these 50 days, no 230 00:15:02,880 --> 00:15:06,800 celebratory activities, no weddings, no parties, no going 231 00:15:06,800 --> 00:15:10,160 out and enjoying yourself and having a drink and ha, ha, no, 232 00:15:10,160 --> 00:15:12,720 no, no, we're supposed to. Our necks are supposed to be 233 00:15:12,720 --> 00:15:19,040 bowed like a bow in humility, in weeping, in mourning because of 234 00:15:19,160 --> 00:15:25,760 our sins, because Satan has overcome us, because we let the 235 00:15:25,760 --> 00:15:29,520 guard down. Christ fasted so that he could 236 00:15:29,520 --> 00:15:31,480 hammer Satan. And we're doing the same, 237 00:15:31,560 --> 00:15:33,560 beloved. So fasting, there it is. 238 00:15:33,920 --> 00:15:38,680 It's an aspect of food. There's food aspect there. 239 00:15:38,680 --> 00:15:44,960 Ezra in chapter 8 proclaimed a fast who humbly seeks God seek 240 00:15:44,960 --> 00:15:47,160 God's protection during this fasting. 241 00:15:47,440 --> 00:15:49,000 These there's some prayer points. 242 00:15:49,000 --> 00:15:52,360 Lord, forgive my sins. Lord, I sorrow for my sins and 243 00:15:52,360 --> 00:15:56,240 my stupidity and my foolishness. Lord help me. 244 00:15:56,760 --> 00:16:00,840 Lord, I need your because I want to take on this job because I 245 00:16:00,840 --> 00:16:04,720 want to endeavour embark on in this endeavour during this 246 00:16:04,720 --> 00:16:06,480 fasting. Lord, hear my prayers. 247 00:16:07,320 --> 00:16:11,680 This is what Ezra did, proclaimed a fast to humbly seek 248 00:16:11,680 --> 00:16:14,280 God's protection for a dangerous journey. 249 00:16:14,280 --> 00:16:17,360 They were going to Jerusalem with children, with possessions 250 00:16:17,360 --> 00:16:19,720 and some significant temple treasures. 251 00:16:20,320 --> 00:16:26,280 Joel Ezra chapter 8 in verse 23 he says we fasted and we 252 00:16:26,280 --> 00:16:29,960 inquired of God for this and he listened to us. 253 00:16:30,160 --> 00:16:35,600 The Lord will listen if we offer our fast, which entails 254 00:16:35,920 --> 00:16:44,480 abstinence from food as well. But most significantly, Jesus 255 00:16:44,480 --> 00:16:47,200 fasted Matthew 41 to 11, beloved. 256 00:16:48,360 --> 00:16:51,160 And what did he say in John chapter 14 verse 12? 257 00:16:51,160 --> 00:16:53,720 Timeless truth. I love that translation. 258 00:16:53,960 --> 00:16:58,000 This is the Pshuta Amen in the Aramaic in the Pshuta Amen, 259 00:16:58,000 --> 00:17:02,520 which means continuously. I mean it continuously, Amen, 260 00:17:02,720 --> 00:17:05,800 Amen, timeless truth. That's that's a great 261 00:17:06,800 --> 00:17:10,359 translation. Timeless as a powerful, truly, 262 00:17:10,359 --> 00:17:15,640 truly, I say to Lord, of course Jesus speaks truly, but timeless 263 00:17:15,640 --> 00:17:19,000 truth, I tell you, whoever believes in me, Do you believe 264 00:17:19,000 --> 00:17:22,599 in Jesus Christ? Yes, you will do those works. 265 00:17:22,680 --> 00:17:26,800 Jesus says whoever believes in me, those works which I have 266 00:17:26,800 --> 00:17:30,200 done, he will also do. Jesus baptized, we baptized. 267 00:17:30,200 --> 00:17:32,960 Jesus prayed, we prayed. Jesus showed love. 268 00:17:32,960 --> 00:17:36,240 We need to show love. Jesus showed compassion, We need 269 00:17:36,240 --> 00:17:39,080 to show compassion. Jesus forgave, We need to 270 00:17:39,080 --> 00:17:41,880 forgive. Jesus fasted, we need to fast. 271 00:17:42,960 --> 00:17:46,800 And when he fasted, he too didn't eat or drink. 272 00:17:47,000 --> 00:17:50,120 There's the food aspect, but not food alone. 273 00:17:51,040 --> 00:17:53,800 We'll talk about that next week. Not food alone. 274 00:17:53,800 --> 00:17:57,880 TuneIn next episode, Matthew Chapter 9, verse 15, a lot of 275 00:17:57,880 --> 00:18:03,920 verses, Saint John the Baptist, I'm sorry, Jesus, when was 276 00:18:03,920 --> 00:18:07,800 questioned about his disciples not fasting, he said they don't 277 00:18:07,800 --> 00:18:09,640 need to fast. The bridegroom is with us. 278 00:18:09,720 --> 00:18:11,640 If Christ was on earth, we wouldn't be fasting. 279 00:18:11,640 --> 00:18:15,720 We wouldn't be fasting, but Jesus says when the groom or the 280 00:18:15,720 --> 00:18:19,800 bridegroom will be taken from them and then they will fast 281 00:18:19,800 --> 00:18:23,880 fast food and then they will abstain from food. 282 00:18:24,200 --> 00:18:26,080 Jesus says this and the bridegroom is not with us. 283 00:18:26,280 --> 00:18:27,680 And who is the bridegroom praising? 284 00:18:27,680 --> 00:18:30,960 Glory be to His name. John the Baptist clarifies it in 285 00:18:30,960 --> 00:18:39,160 John chapter 3 verses 29 to 30. And Christ confirmed as fasting 286 00:18:39,320 --> 00:18:45,960 being an armor against evil demons AKA addictions. 287 00:18:45,960 --> 00:18:49,240 You have an addiction, my dear brother and sister. 288 00:18:49,400 --> 00:18:53,080 You have a demon. There is a demon that is 289 00:18:53,080 --> 00:18:59,840 constantly driving you to the sexual immorality, the alcohol, 290 00:19:00,280 --> 00:19:06,960 the gambling, the drugs, the hatred, whatever is evil. 291 00:19:07,000 --> 00:19:12,760 There is a demon that cannot overcome you. 292 00:19:12,880 --> 00:19:15,520 You're a child of God. But you've allowed the demon, 293 00:19:15,800 --> 00:19:20,840 you've given yourself to demons through what you're going 294 00:19:20,840 --> 00:19:25,120 through. But Jesus is giving you this. 295 00:19:25,160 --> 00:19:28,000 This is your armour, beloved, your armour. 296 00:19:28,000 --> 00:19:31,040 Is this not just to read the Bible and you'll be OK. 297 00:19:31,600 --> 00:19:34,680 We just ascertain that the Bible, Yeah, the Bible itself, 298 00:19:35,480 --> 00:19:38,120 as Saint Peter writes, doesn't give us the clear indication 299 00:19:38,120 --> 00:19:39,440 what it is. We need to go back to the 300 00:19:40,040 --> 00:19:43,520 interpreters of the Bible who've been moved by the Holy Spirit. 301 00:19:44,520 --> 00:19:49,160 So Jesus confirms that that fasting pertaining to abstinence 302 00:19:49,160 --> 00:19:53,960 from food is an armor against evil demons or addictions. 303 00:19:53,960 --> 00:19:57,680 Matthew Chapter 11 verse 21. When the disciples asked him why 304 00:19:57,680 --> 00:20:01,720 they couldn't cast out the demon, Jesus said, But this kind 305 00:20:02,000 --> 00:20:08,000 does not go out except by fasting, abstinence from food. 306 00:20:08,720 --> 00:20:12,400 And by praying and we can continue by reading the 307 00:20:12,400 --> 00:20:16,360 Scriptures, by attending church, the package. 308 00:20:17,760 --> 00:20:22,560 And I'm sorry to say, those who have the NIV version of the 309 00:20:22,560 --> 00:20:26,720 Bible, put it to one side. It has done no justice to the 310 00:20:26,720 --> 00:20:32,280 truth of Christianity. Put it to one side, because you 311 00:20:32,280 --> 00:20:36,960 will see in Matthew chapter 17, verse 21 is not there. 312 00:20:37,240 --> 00:20:40,800 There is a footnote and the footnote reads. 313 00:20:40,960 --> 00:20:46,040 Some manuscripts include here words similar to Mark 929. 314 00:20:46,400 --> 00:20:49,880 Go to Mark 921 in an IV and this is what it reads. 315 00:20:50,080 --> 00:20:52,600 This kind can come out only by prayer. 316 00:20:52,760 --> 00:20:56,760 Woe to you, Zondervan, Woe to you. 317 00:20:57,480 --> 00:21:01,760 You have dared to touch the holy Word of God because you don't 318 00:21:01,760 --> 00:21:04,760 accept, you don't believe in fasting and you've taken the 319 00:21:04,760 --> 00:21:07,560 word you've, you've, you've, you've deleted the word. 320 00:21:07,840 --> 00:21:10,920 You've deleted the word that came out of the mouth of Jesus 321 00:21:10,920 --> 00:21:15,400 Christ, in whom is all divinity embodied. 322 00:21:15,600 --> 00:21:18,400 Woe to you. So put your NIV aside and pick 323 00:21:18,400 --> 00:21:23,240 up a new American Standard Bible, the King James Version, 324 00:21:23,240 --> 00:21:28,080 the the Catholic Study Bible, the Orthodox Study Bible, the 325 00:21:28,120 --> 00:21:35,080 Shukta, the Lens of Version, and read the the true translations. 326 00:21:35,760 --> 00:21:40,040 So by fasting and praying, the disciples fasted, beloved. 327 00:21:40,880 --> 00:21:45,400 Now if, if fasting was obsolete after Jesus Christ, well, the 328 00:21:45,400 --> 00:21:48,840 disciples were doing that was something that was obsolete in 329 00:21:48,840 --> 00:21:51,720 the book of Acts chapter 13, verses two to three. 330 00:21:51,720 --> 00:21:53,560 If you go back, you'll see him on the episodes. 331 00:21:53,760 --> 00:21:58,480 We read that as they were fasting and beseeching God. 332 00:21:58,480 --> 00:22:01,200 This is the disciples, the Spirit of holiness. 333 00:22:01,200 --> 00:22:03,320 Holy Spirit said to them. The Spirit spoke to them. 334 00:22:03,440 --> 00:22:06,640 We've talked about this, we've expanded on this and this is 335 00:22:06,640 --> 00:22:10,520 what the Spirit said separate to me soul and Barabbas for the 336 00:22:10,520 --> 00:22:12,800 work to which I have called them. 337 00:22:13,200 --> 00:22:16,760 So This is why they were fasting, meaning maybe one day, 338 00:22:16,760 --> 00:22:18,520 one week, they abstained from food. 339 00:22:18,520 --> 00:22:21,280 We've already ascertained that. The reason I keep hopping on 340 00:22:21,280 --> 00:22:24,040 this because this is what the program's about for those who 341 00:22:24,360 --> 00:22:27,760 who want to obsolete, make obsolete the aspect of food in 342 00:22:27,760 --> 00:22:30,360 fasting. And next week we're going to 343 00:22:30,360 --> 00:22:33,720 talk about what type of food and how we do for how we how we 344 00:22:33,720 --> 00:22:38,840 abstain. So set, set aside, sanctify, in 345 00:22:38,840 --> 00:22:44,040 other words, soul and barbas for the work to which I have called 346 00:22:44,040 --> 00:22:48,200 them. And after they had fasted, So 347 00:22:48,200 --> 00:22:53,040 when they finished their fasting and they finished praying, Oh my 348 00:22:53,040 --> 00:22:59,880 God, whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa. Apostolic succession. 349 00:23:00,400 --> 00:23:04,200 They placed hands upon them and they sent them. 350 00:23:04,320 --> 00:23:06,480 You know who they placed their hand upon? 351 00:23:06,640 --> 00:23:11,760 Saint Paul, who was already chosen by Jesus to be his chosen 352 00:23:11,760 --> 00:23:15,760 vessel, who had appeared to him, who had spoken to him, who had 353 00:23:15,760 --> 00:23:18,880 rebuked him. Soul, Soul, why do you persecute 354 00:23:18,880 --> 00:23:21,080 me? Yet the disciples or the 355 00:23:21,080 --> 00:23:24,640 apostles laid the apostles, not the whole congregation. 356 00:23:24,720 --> 00:23:31,040 The apostles laid their hand on Paul or Soul and Barnabas, and 357 00:23:31,040 --> 00:23:34,080 they sent them, laid their hand. Now when they laid their hand, 358 00:23:34,080 --> 00:23:37,240 we don't read of a voice coming from heaven saying take off your 359 00:23:37,240 --> 00:23:40,200 hand, remove your hand. Who are you to lay hand? 360 00:23:40,440 --> 00:23:42,840 I have chosen them. The Spirit has chosen them. 361 00:23:43,320 --> 00:23:47,800 Why didn't the holy speak, rebuke Holy Spirit, rebuke the 362 00:23:47,800 --> 00:23:50,320 apostles who had placed their hands upon them? 363 00:23:50,320 --> 00:23:52,360 That's another topic. But they were fasting, 364 00:23:52,600 --> 00:23:56,800 abstaining from food. And Saint Paul fasted means 365 00:23:57,320 --> 00:24:01,040 again, abstain from food in his suffering. 366 00:24:01,600 --> 00:24:04,560 You know, I work. It's hard for me, Robbie. 367 00:24:04,560 --> 00:24:09,720 You know, I wake up at 6:00. You wake up from a bed during 368 00:24:09,720 --> 00:24:11,160 winter time. Your heat is on. 369 00:24:11,360 --> 00:24:13,240 Summer's coming. Your AC is going to be on, 370 00:24:13,240 --> 00:24:15,440 right? You wake up from a comfortable 371 00:24:15,440 --> 00:24:20,200 bed and you go into a shower and you have your soap and you have 372 00:24:20,200 --> 00:24:22,960 your shampoo and you have to do toothbrush and you have to do 373 00:24:22,960 --> 00:24:27,280 Listerines and whatever you right, all it is that I go to 374 00:24:27,280 --> 00:24:29,360 work. I don't I don't think I can 375 00:24:29,360 --> 00:24:32,680 fast. Well, Saint Paul fasted in his 376 00:24:32,680 --> 00:24:37,240 most miserable sufferings in Second Corinthians 11/27. 377 00:24:37,440 --> 00:24:41,440 Listen to what he writes in toil and fatigue. 378 00:24:41,560 --> 00:24:47,200 Fatigue in many vigils he was he was individual shaharta praying 379 00:24:47,480 --> 00:24:52,080 in hunger and in first. Now that pertains to him being 380 00:24:52,080 --> 00:24:54,280 hungry. No food to eat. 381 00:24:54,280 --> 00:24:59,840 There was nothing there right? And in many fasts, meaning there 382 00:24:59,840 --> 00:25:02,320 was food, but he chose to abstain. 383 00:25:03,000 --> 00:25:07,840 He didn't say, well hang on a SEC, I'm in my toil and fatigue, 384 00:25:07,880 --> 00:25:12,480 I'm individual, I can't do this. No, no, no, he fasted in cold 385 00:25:12,480 --> 00:25:15,360 and in nakedness. Again, you wake up in the 386 00:25:15,360 --> 00:25:20,240 morning in summertime. It could be like Detroit or 387 00:25:20,240 --> 00:25:23,920 Canada -10° or what have you. You still have the heater on. 388 00:25:24,240 --> 00:25:29,120 Or in Arizona it's 155,000°. You have your AC on right? 389 00:25:30,640 --> 00:25:33,400 You still have the comfort. This man was in cold and in 390 00:25:33,400 --> 00:25:37,960 nakedness, and yet he still fasted. 391 00:25:38,840 --> 00:25:42,440 And the fasting pertains to abstaining from food because he 392 00:25:42,440 --> 00:25:46,000 already has has touched up on being hungry because there was 393 00:25:46,000 --> 00:25:47,280 no food. But then he fast. 394 00:25:47,280 --> 00:25:53,280 He chooses to abstain from food. Yes, again, I reiterate that 395 00:25:53,320 --> 00:25:59,760 it's not food alone. His Holiness the like Mardenko 396 00:25:59,760 --> 00:26:03,840 writes, he encourages the faithful to food, but not only 397 00:26:03,840 --> 00:26:08,080 from food alone, but from our deeds, from the heart, from the 398 00:26:08,080 --> 00:26:15,080 mind, from our deeds. So your fasting is scripturally 399 00:26:15,080 --> 00:26:21,960 commanded and practiced, traditionally honored and obeyed 400 00:26:22,000 --> 00:26:26,200 by the Church and within the Church, but most importantly, 401 00:26:26,960 --> 00:26:32,800 it's offered by you freely, joyfully, without any force, 402 00:26:33,280 --> 00:26:40,000 knowing that Christ fasted to teach us that we too must fast 403 00:26:40,160 --> 00:26:42,800 and pray. Read the scriptures, Examine the 404 00:26:42,800 --> 00:26:45,000 scriptures He commands. Read the scriptures. 405 00:26:45,480 --> 00:26:48,760 Attend church. Do not forsake your assembly 406 00:26:48,760 --> 00:26:51,720 Saint Paul rites as some have habit of doing. 407 00:26:52,480 --> 00:26:55,320 So I pray that during this program, those who haven't 408 00:26:55,320 --> 00:26:59,280 fasted, who have found themselves 345,000 excuses, 409 00:26:59,400 --> 00:27:02,880 invalid excuses compared to what Saint Paul went through. 410 00:27:03,360 --> 00:27:06,640 I pray that you're now thinking, you know, I want to fast, what 411 00:27:06,640 --> 00:27:09,320 do I do? TuneIn next week and we'll talk 412 00:27:09,320 --> 00:27:11,480 about that. Praise and glory be to his name 413 00:27:11,480 --> 00:27:12,880 now and at all times and forever. 414 00:27:13,440 --> 00:27:43,340 Amen. We hope you enjoyed this week's 415 00:27:43,340 --> 00:27:45,660 message. Please don't forget to rate and 416 00:27:45,660 --> 00:27:48,380 review this podcast and share with your friends and family. 417 00:27:48,660 --> 00:27:51,060 For any future topics, suggestions, or to give us 418 00:27:51,060 --> 00:27:54,660 detailed feedback, please visit our link in the show notes. 419 00:27:54,980 --> 00:27:59,340 Linktr dot EE forward slash double edged sword. 420 00:27:59,820 --> 00:28:01,580 Until next time, God bless you all.