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The
IMPORTANCE OF FASTING
By Herbert W.
Armstrong
I wonder if you realize
the importance of FASTING? Very few do today. We
have drifted SO FAR from God, and His ways as revealed in the Bible, and are
so entwined in these modern paganized ways!
You
know, of course, that Jesus fasted. Peter and Paul fasted. So did Moses, Daniel, the prophets of
old. But have most of you not thought
that was just some ceremonial custom for them way back there,
and not for us today? Have we not
forgotten that those men lived by God's laws and rules, while we lived
without realizing by the rules and traditions of this paganized
society we call civilization? Jesus
said we should actually LIVE BY every Word of God. He set us an example that we should follow
His steps. Jesus and the men of God mentioned in the Bible fasted FOR A
PURPOSE -- in fact, there are two vital reasons for occasional fasting. One is for health and physical
fitness. The other is for spiritual
reviving. Fasting and prayer together is the most effective means of drawing
closer to God, re-establishing the vital contact and close communion most of
us have drifted away from.
I
could write a whole book on the subject of fasting. But let me just briefly condense some vital
truths on the subject which may help you greatly.
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. Dieticians 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 penalty for 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 -- so much so WE DON'T REALIZE IT!
But
my space is short, so now about fasting for health. Voluntary abstinence from food for physical
benefit or the cure of disease is as old as life upon this earth. Animals and
birds instinctively fast as a means of restoring themselves to normal health
whenever necessary. There is no such
thing as a cure-all pill, drug, or medicine.
But there is one thing that comes close to being a cure-all. And that is FASTING. Especially is it the cure for such things
as stomach disorders, constipation, rheumatic diseases, and the greatest help
and often the cure for such things as kidney diseases, heart ailments, high
blood pressure, skin diseases, asthma, anemia, and it is ALWAYS the thing to
do in case of colds and fevers.
It
was Benjamin Franklin who said "Feed a cold and starve a
fever." But he did not mean one
ought to feed a cold. He meant that IF
one feeds a cold he soon with be starving a fever! The way to put out a fire is not to pile on
more fuel. When you have a fever the
body is on fire, and food is the fuel that makes it burn. If any member of your family has a cold or
a fever, TAKE ALL FOOD AWAY at once!
Give plenty of water. Give
enemas twice daily, and warm sponge-baths (not soaking in a tub) in a warm
room twice daily. If you can give orange-juice, or some other similar juice
which agrees with them -- grape fruit, lemon, or tomato juice -- that will do
more good then harm. Give a glass of
orange juice at a time, every two to four hours. I would not advise people
inexperienced with fasting to go on a long fast of more than three, five, or
seven days, unless they are under the care of a physician who understands and
believes in fasting. And always
remember this -- if you have fasted two days or longer: This is IMPORTANT: In
breaking a fast, do not start out with a full meal at once. Break it with two small pieces of buttered
toast, toasted
in the oven, HARD clear thru, and a dish of about five stewed prunes. These should be soaked overnight before
cooking, and then cook by just simmering, UNDER THE BOILING POINT, or
steamed. If they are not boiled they
will be plenty sweet, so add no sugar.
Or, as an alternate, a dish of milk toast, but be sure the toast is
toasted hard clear thru. Second meal, two non-starchy vegetables such as
spinach, carrots, etc. -- not potatoes or peas -- along with a slice or two
of hard toast and a little fruit (not rich canned fruit in syrup or canned
with sugar). Then normal eating may be
resumed by the third meal. I have been
on a much longer fast, but I have studied fasting and spent a year, about 18
years ago, lecturing on diseases, diets, and fasting, and have had
considerable experience putting many people thru fasts. And I have never known one case where full
results were not achieved!
FASTING
AND PRAYER: There is, as I said above, NOTHING like fasting and prayer for
drawing close to God, re-establishing contact, being filled with His
Spirit. For this purpose it is better
to fast completely -- no fruit-juice of any kind. In Bible times
they sometimes fasted without even water, but sometimes
water was used. Personally I think results will be obtained if one drinks
water, but nothing else. For purely
spiritual purposes a fast of from one to three days is usually
sufficient. You may expect head-aches,
and a very thick-headed feeling the first few days. It is not pleasant. It is, in Bible language, AFFLICTING THE
SOUL. It takes courage and will-power,
and self-denial. I recommend, for this
purpose, dividing your time three ways: about one third in studying the
subject of fasting in the Bible, and other Bible study. Use a good concordance,
and your marginal references if your Bible has them. If not you should get one which has. Look up all you can find under
fasting. Then about a third of your
time in meditation -- turning over in your own mind by yourself WHY you have
not been closer to God, thinking out just HOW you have been letting the
worldly things creep in, meditating on what you have read in the Bible,
applying it to yourself and your spiritual condition. Then, spend one full third of your time in
earnest PRAYER. Did you ever spend one
solid HOUR in prayer, alone with God in some private room, on your
knees? Very few ever have. If you haven't, the first time you do it
you'll find it will take as much will-power and self-denial as forcing
yourself to stay on a fast and resisting that gnawing hunger feeling. In five or ten minutes, or less, every
excuse in the world will come into your mind.
You aren't in the mood now -- why not do it later? You just think of something that ought to
be done, and you think you must go do it right now. Yes, I know what will come to your mind,
for I have done it and I know by experience.
But if you will resist every temptation, and STAY on your knees, even tho you think your prayer isn't going as high as the
ceiling, in at least 30 or 40 minutes the devil will probably give up and let
you alone and you'll
find you are establishing contact with God, and you'll find
you are beginning to really ENJOY talking to Him -- just pouring out your soul to
Him -- telling him all about it. Pause,
once awhile, and meditate, and let God talk to you.ê
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