Lakeview Baptist Church

Pastor Mike has been doing an awesome study on fasting according to the Bible over the past few Sunday nights, and he hit on this text of Scripture found in Matthew 6:16-18:

¹⁶Moreover 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.  ¹⁷But thou, when thou fastest, anoint thine head, and wash thy face;  ¹⁸That thou appear not unto men to fast, but unto thy Father which is in secret: and thy Father, which seeth in secret, shall reward thee openly.

A lot can be said about the text, but one thing he said really jumped out to me. Many of the religious people in Christ's day designated a particular day or days during the week to fast from food. They would do this, but not with a humble heart, but rather as a show of how spiritual they thought they were.

They would moan to others in the streets and shops, "Ah! It's a rough day; I'm so troubled - it is Fast Day!" They would beat on their chests and proclaim their allegiance to God, all the while living a life that was a lie and denied the TRUE God. One's religion was not about God and His plans (Romans 12:1&2) but rather about people noticing that they were spiritual!

You and I are not above that! In fact, many folk in religious circles want us to celebrate ourselves while giving God some of the credit. With one breath you (Yes, you do this...) proclaim how good God has been, how "cool" God is or how much we are enduring for Jesus' sake, yet with the next breath you curse His name, gush over Lady Gaga or lament that your parents will not allow you to get an i-whatever upgrade!

Be careful not to become like the hypocrites of Christ's day (And our day!); rather submit your heart humbly to the Lord of the Universe and seek Him with an unquenchable passion - in secret (Read the text again!). Don't use religion as a cloak to bring some sort of self-satisfaction to your heart! Religion will destroy you; empty professions will damn your soul.

Serve, seek and be satisfied in what the Father has done through Christ!