Fasting: Worthless or Life-Changing?
Summary
TLDRIn this video script, the speaker discusses the significance of fasting during the Nativity and Advent for Orthodox and Catholic Christians, respectively. Drawing from Isaiah 58, the speaker distinguishes between worthless and life-changing fasting, emphasizing that true fasting involves selflessness, compassion, and reconciliation. The script outlines six promises of true fasting, including inner transformation and spiritual empowerment, ultimately encouraging a reflective and purposeful approach to this religious practice.
Takeaways
- 🙏 The speaker emphasizes the importance of the Nativity Fast for Orthodox Christians and the Advent for Catholics, highlighting the significance of these religious observances.
- 📖 The script discusses the difference between 'worthless' and 'life-changing' fasting, referencing the 58th chapter of the Book of Isaiah for guidance on true fasting.
- 🔍 The speaker critiques 'worthless' fasting, identifying three main issues: focusing on personal desires, lack of compassion for others, and fostering anger and strife.
- 🍞 The importance of sharing and generosity during fasting is highlighted, suggesting that one should reduce their food budget and give the surplus to those in need.
- 🤝 The script encourages reconciliation with family members and extending compassion beyond one's own needs, as part of the transformative power of fasting.
- 🕊️ Fasting is presented as a time for spiritual growth, where one should focus on prayer, reading scripture, and acts of mercy to overcome the temptations of the flesh.
- 🌟 The speaker outlines six promises from Isaiah for those who engage in true fasting, including inner light, divine protection, answered prayers, vanishing gloom, physical strength, and establishing God's Kingdom.
- 📚 A new lecture series called 'The Original Church Lectures on the Acts of the Apostles' by Father Josiah Trenum is announced, focusing on the early Christian life as depicted in the Acts.
- 🌱 The script uses vivid imagery from Isaiah to illustrate the transformative effects of true fasting, likening it to a well-watered garden and a spring of water.
- 🙌 The call to action is for listeners to embrace the fast as the Lord desires, to experience a change in their spiritual life and contribute to the glory of God.
- 🌐 The script concludes with an invitation to visit patristic nectar Publications' website for more resources on Christian teachings and the new lecture series.
Q & A
What are the two most serious fasting periods for Orthodox Christians?
-The two most serious fasting periods for Orthodox Christians are the Great Lent, which leads up to Easter, and the Nativity Fast, which is the 40 days leading up to the birth of Christ.
What does the speaker suggest is the difference between a worthless fast and a life-changing fast?
-A worthless fast is one that is done for selfish reasons, without compassion for others, and can even lead to contention and strife. A life-changing fast, on the other hand, is one that is done with the intention of self-denial, compassion, and acts of mercy, aligning with the teachings of the Prophet Isaiah.
According to the speaker, what are some common mistakes people make during fasting that render it worthless?
-Common mistakes include focusing on one's own desires, driving hard on workers, and engaging in contention and strife. These actions go against the spirit of fasting, which should be about self-denial and compassion for others.
What does the text from the 58th chapter of the prophecy of Isaiah emphasize about fasting?
-The text emphasizes that a true fast is one that involves loosening the bonds of wickedness, undoing the bands of the yoke, letting the oppressed go free, and breaking every yoke to bring freedom to others. It is about lifting up the downcast, inspiring the depressed, and consoling the lonely.
What are some of the promises given in Isaiah 58:8-12 for those who engage in true fasting?
-The promises include the fleeing of inner darkness and the filling of light, sensing God's protection, answered prayers, the vanishing of gloom and discouragement, new strength in the body, and the ability to help establish God's Kingdom.
What does the speaker suggest families do with their food budget during fasting periods?
-The speaker suggests that families should try to reduce their food budget by 50% during fasting periods, and use the saved amount to give to those who are hungry and in need.
How does the speaker describe the spiritual benefits of embracing a life-changing fast?
-The speaker describes the spiritual benefits as including increased self-awareness, humility, reliance on God, and the transformation of one's life in accordance with the teachings of the Church and the scriptures.
What is the new lecture series mentioned by the speaker, and where can it be found?
-The new lecture series is called 'The Original Church Lectures on the Acts of the Apostles' by Father Josiah Trenum. It can be found on the website patristicnar.org.
What is the significance of the Acts of the Apostles in the context of the lecture series?
-The Acts of the Apostles, written by the Apostle and evangelist Luke, is significant as it shows the new Christian life made possible by the Lord's deeds and the descent of the Holy Spirit, illustrating the continuous miracle of church life.
What is the speaker's advice on how to approach fasting in a way that avoids strife and contention?
-The speaker advises that during fasting, one should focus on gentleness, calmness, and self-denial, avoiding the replacement of desires with other forms of indulgence, and ensuring that the fast is not a source of anger or violence.
Outlines
🙏 The Essence of Meaningful Fasting
The speaker begins by acknowledging the audience and wishing them well during the Nativity Fast for Orthodox Christians and the upcoming Advent for Catholics. They introduce the topic of fasting, noting that not everyone has a positive experience with it. The speaker aims to guide the audience through the prophet Isaiah's teachings on the difference between worthless and life-changing fasting. They reference Isaiah 58 as a key scripture that outlines what constitutes a fast that is respected by God. The audience is encouraged to reflect on their fasting practices to ensure they are not merely going through the motions but are genuinely seeking spiritual growth and transformation.
🌾 Avoiding Worthless Fasting and Embracing Spiritual Growth
The speaker delves into the pitfalls of worthless fasting, as described by the Lord through Isaiah. They highlight three main issues: fasting for personal desires, lacking compassion for others, and engaging in contention and strife. The speaker warns against the temptation to replace indulgences with alternative but still self-focused practices, emphasizing the importance of simplicity and compassion during the fast. They urge the audience to focus on spiritual acquisition rather than material wealth and to ensure that their fasting is not leading to anger or violence, which would negate its purpose. The speaker also introduces a new lecture series on the Acts of the Apostles, suggesting further resources for spiritual enlightenment.
🤲 Transformative Fasting: God's Preferred Approach
Continuing the discussion on fasting, the speaker outlines what constitutes a life-changing fast according to Isaiah. They emphasize the importance of humility, compassion, and the pursuit of righteousness. The fast should involve acts of mercy, such as sharing with the hungry, housing the homeless, and clothing the naked. The speaker encourages reconciliation with estranged family members and the practice of unconditional love and kindness. They highlight that true fasting should lead to personal transformation, with God's grace poured out on those who engage in it, resulting in a deeper spiritual life and a more compassionate existence.
🌟 Promises of True Fasting: Spiritual Benefits and Blessings
The speaker concludes the reflection by sharing the promises of true fasting as stated in Isaiah 58:8-12. They list six promises, including the dispelling of inner darkness, divine protection, answered prayers, vanishing gloom, renewed physical strength, and the establishment of God's kingdom. The speaker encourages the audience to embrace the true spirit of fasting to experience these spiritual gifts and blessings. They also promote the new lecture series on the Acts of the Apostles as a resource for deepening one's understanding of Christian life and the teachings of the early Church.
Mindmap
Keywords
💡Fasting
💡Nativity Fast
💡Advent
💡Worthless Fasting
💡Lifechanging Fasting
💡Isaiah
💡Self-Denial
💡Mercy
💡Reconciliation
💡Spiritual Growth
💡Promises of True Fasting
Highlights
Introduction to the significance of the Nativity Fast for Orthodox Christians and the Advent for Catholics.
The importance of understanding the difference between a worthless fast and a life-changing fast.
Reference to the 58th chapter of the prophecy of Isaiah for guidance on life-changing fasting.
God's critique of the people's fasting, highlighting their self-centered approach.
The three ways that fasting can become worthless according to the Lord's words.
The temptation to replace indulgences with alternative but still self-focused behaviors during fasting.
The importance of compassion and not burdening others during one's own fast.
The potential for anger and violence as a result of fasting without proper spiritual focus.
The transformative power of genuine fasting in exposing spiritual weaknesses.
The call to humility and reliance on God as a result of understanding one's spiritual state.
Description of a life-changing fast that includes acts of mercy, kindness, and compassion.
The practice of sharing resources and reducing personal consumption during the fast.
The spiritual benefits of visiting and caring for the elderly in one's community.
The significance of reconciliation and reaching out to estranged family members during the fast.
Promises of spiritual rewards for embracing a life-changing fast as described in Isaiah 58.
Six promises from Isaiah 58:8-12, including inner light, God's protection, answered prayers, and more.
The announcement of a new lecture series on the Acts of the Apostles by Father Josiah Trenum.
Details about the content and purpose of the 'Original Church Lectures on the Acts of the Apostles' series.
Transcripts
hey everyone God bless you thanks a lot
for tuning in and uh best wishes to all
of you for a sole profiting fast of the
Nativity for us Orthodox Christians we
just started on the 15th of this month
our second most serious fast of the year
which is the fast of the 40 days leading
up to the birth of Christ the
celebration of his
Incarnation for our Catholic friends the
Advent will start uh in just a few weeks
and wish you very very very fruitful
fasting and it's about that that i' like
to talk for a
minute not all of us have a great
experience with fasting not all of us
have found our way through the weeds
into a Grace filled fast and so I'd like
to in this reflection help you think
through with the help of the prophet
Isaiah the difference between fasting
that is worthless and fasting that is
lifechanging fasting worthless or life
changing and the text I'm drawing from
is the 58th chapter of the prophecy of
Isaiah it is perhaps uh the most clear
counsel in all of the scriptures about
the details of life-changing fasting a
fasting that uh is respected by God a
fast that the Lord God himself cons
considers to be a true fast and he pours
out his grace on those who engage in
it this chapter begins with a great
sorrow uh God is through his Prophet
reflecting on the fact that his people
are fasting worthlessly let me read the
text to you this is the word of the Lord
to Isaiah cry loudly and do not hold
back Raise Your Voice like a trumpet and
declare to my people their transgression
oof and to the house of Jacob their sins
yet they seek me day by day and Delight
to know my ways this is the Lord talking
and he's very upset at his people he's
asking the prophet to critique them to
Proclaim uh uh and and criticize them
for their sins and call them to
repentance and yet now he's explaining
what the people are thinking they seek
me day by day they Delight to know my
ways this is their mind oh but I'm
seeking God oh I'm praying I am fasting
and I'm I Delight to be near God as a
nation that has done righteousness and
has not forsaken the ordinance of their
God they thought that they were an
upright people they had a high opinion
of themselves extremely
dangerous they asked me for just
decisions they Delight in The Nearness
of God but then they say why have we
fasted and you do not
see why have we humbled
ourselves and you do not
notice the people are engaged in fasting
but it's even to their own knowledge not
only is it worthless in God's sight they
know that it's worthless
they feel that they're going nowhere do
you ever feel that way uh in
fasting that perhaps they're just not
getting it and it's not accomplishing
what you had hoped that would accomplish
that is exactly the experience of the
people of God uh in this
text and God is now going to tell them
exactly why they're feeling this way why
is their fasting
worthless listen to his words Behold on
the day of your fast you find your own
desire and you drive hard all your
workers and you fast for contention and
strife and strike with a wicked fist you
do not fast to make your voice Heard On
High well there you have it these These
are Lord have mercy these are the words
of the Lord about worthless fasting
let's hear them so that we can discard
them and be done with with them for our
entire lives let's promise in listening
to the word of the Lord that we will not
fast like this notice the three things
that the Lord says makes a fast
worthless keeping our desire Central in
fasting fasting for our own desire and
in fact this is a great Temptation for
us we know that the Lord is asking us to
give up the things that please us to say
no to embrace self-denial to stop eating
the delicious meats and the tasty dairy
products and desserts and all these
kinds of things right we keep that those
rules we should it's an obedience
expected by
Christ but do we replace all of those
things do we spend money and go looking
for special recipes and work very hard
so that we can still have tasty food and
almost not even know that it is the fast
if we are we are following un falling
under this critique are we fasting for
our own desire no it's better it's
better to be tough and to be content to
eat simply and not for tastiness but for
nourishment and to eat the same thing
without having to spend a lot of time
making it make a large amount and eat
the same thing morning noon and night or
over the course of several days the same
soups the same simple breads because our
focus is not to
replace our the food the delicious food
that we love to eat with more delicious
Lenton food in fact sometimes in an
attempt to do this we even spend more
money on Lenton substitutes than we did
we do on on normal food that is exactly
what fasting is not it will render
fasting worthless better not to do it
number two he says we fast sometimes his
people were fasting with with no
compassion on others when you fast and
you simplify your life often if you're a
businessman that means you're going to
be making less money you're going to be
having less product because your focus
is not on that you're giving more
attention to others more attention to
Mercy more attention to
Simplicity uh and yet the Temptation is
for these people that even though when
they were doing that even when they were
trying to fast they drove hard their
workers if I can't the idea is if I
can't make money well I won't because
I'm fasting but I'm going to make my
workers do
double this is exactly wrong stop
thinking about worldly things and about
product during the fast think about
spiritual acquisition true treasure read
The Book of Proverbs and find out what
is more precious than gold and silver
and precious gems and then a third
critique of worthless fasting is
this
on the day of your fast you find your
desire you drive hard your workers and
you fast for contention and strife and
strike with a wicked
fist anger and violence can be the fruit
of bad fasting don't we know it when we
deny ourselves and our body is used to
being spoiled we're used to getting what
we want when we want drinking when we
want to drink eating when we want to eat
sleeping with our spouses when we want
to sleep with our spouses resting when
we want to rest and we put all of that
aside and we say no no we're going to
deny those desires uh instead we are
going to pray even when we're tired and
our eyeballs hurt we're going to read
we're going to write we are going to
visit people we are going to call people
we are going to engage in radical Mercy
when we do that our bodies can and our
souls can
erupt in anger and that will render our
fast worthless we really have to watch
out for this when we're trying to fast
sincerely we have to settle ourselves in
gentleness we have to establish ourself
in calm we have to watch very carefully
that strife and contention and violence
doesn't erupt within us because because
we aren't uh medicating ourselves so to
speak with external things this is why
the fast is so fruitful is because it
exposes us and really how weak our
foundation of spiritual life really is
and that is necessary to know the truth
about ourselves and to be humble lest we
think we're something when we're nothing
and to lean on God because the Saints
are those the people who are holy are
those who have learned not to be
confident in themselves but to put their
trust in the Lord to lean on him by
faith hey guys I'm just busting into
this uh reflection that I'm giving you
on the difference between worthless and
life-changing fasting for one reason and
that is to let you know that a brand new
series has just come out called the
original Church lectures on the Acts of
the Apostles it's a series of eight
lectures that I have given recently and
I hope you've been able to see it on P&P
if not just go to patristic or nectar.
org patristic nar.org and you'll find it
there God
bless these are three ways that uh
Isaiah says fasting is worthless now he
immediately continues by explaining what
God's wish is for our fasting what kind
of fast then is lifechanging what kind
of fast is power powerful before the
face of God Isaiah continues listen to
these beautiful
words is this a f that I choose a day
for a man to Humble himself and bowing
his head like a reed and spreading out
sackcloth and Ashes as a bed will you
call this a faft and acceptable day to
the Lord is not the faft that I choose
this to loosen the bonds of wickedness
right your goal should be to learn not
to sin to learn to replace selfishness
with love to learn to replace violence
with
kindness to beat anger to love Mercy to
make the interest of others yours right
is this not the f I choose to loosen the
bonds of sin to undo the bands of the
Yoke to let the oppressed Go free and
break every Lo to bring freedom to
others to lift up the downcast to
inspire the depressed to console the
lonely to pour out to saturate our homes
and our lives with compassion and mercy
this is the kind of fa that God respects
he continues is it not to divide your
bread with the hungry right we fast so
that we have something to share we spend
less money I always
encourage my families to try to reduce
their food budget by 50% in the fast
take whatever they spend uh whatever you
normally spend cut it in half and see if
you can live on that and then you have
immediately whatever your budget is you
have half of
that budget to give away to other people
to Delight people who are hungry and
need your help is not a fast to divide
your bread with the hungry and bring the
homeless poor into the house fasting
should be a time for arms giving for
alleviating people's trouble for doing
blessings for people visiting the old
people in your parish and cleaning their
homes and taking care of their
properties and asking what you can do
for them
he
continues when you see the naked to
cover him and not to hide yourself from
your own flesh that's a beautiful word
sometimes I wish it was just sometimes
really it's it's too
often in confession we priests ask the
confesse if they have anyone that they
need to reconcile with and many times oh
too to count I've heard over the years
and
decades well father I I just can't
reconcile with my father or I can't
reconcile with my
mother as though that is uh that state
of separation is just a fact of life
that is static and will never
change just because we haven't been able
to reconcile with a family member a
father a mother grandparents and Uncle
our own flesh in the words of Isa just
because that hasn't been the case in the
past doesn't tell you anything about the
future unless you don't pray unless you
are content and falsely satisfied with
alienation in your own family and
therefore allow a hard cover on your
heart to come when in fact this is your
own flesh and blood these are folks that
you should be praying for reconciliation
with constantly and not doing here
what the Lord said hiding ourselves from
our own flesh no the fasts are great
times to reach
out without any expectations and when
you have no expectations it's impossible
to be disappointed no reach out in pure
love to bless to bestow Mercy a Act of
compassion and kindness to someone in
your family someone maybe that you're
not reconciled with now if you do these
things if we avoid the worthless fasting
and we embrace the life trans forming
fashion fasting what comes well Isaiah
is profuse in his promises I'll end my
Reflections by sharing with you
six
incredible promises that are given in
this text in Isaiah 58:
8-12 six incredible Promises of true
fasting lifechanging gifts that God will
give number one your own inner dark Ness
will flee and light will fill you on the
inside number two you have to believe me
I'll read the text after this to prove
this your own inner Darkness will flee
and light will fill your insights two
you will sense God's protection in your
life before you and behind you three God
will answer your prayers four your sense
of Gloom and discouragement will vanish
five your body will have new strength
and six you will help establish God's
Kingdom Here and Now now you be saying
you may be saying father how could that
be all through true fasting yes yes
here's the text itself verses 8-2 of
Isaiah 58 then your light shall Break
Forth as the
morning and your healing shall spring
forth quickly your righteousness shall
go before you and the glory of God shall
cover
you then you shall cry out and God will
hear you and while you are still
speaking he will say behold I am here if
you take away your Fetter and the
pointing of the
finger accusation removed in the fast
completely removed take away the
pointing of the finger and the word of
grumbling and if you give bread to the
hungry from your soul and satisfy the
humble Soul then your light shall rise
up in the darkness your Darkness shall
be as midday God shall be with you
continually and you shall be satisfied
as your soul desires your bones shall be
strengthened and
enriched wow and you shall be like a
well-watered garden and like a spring of
water that does not fail your bones will
arise and be enriched like a green plant
and they shall inherit generations of
generations your ancient desert desert
shall be built and your ancient
foundations shall be from generation to
generation and you shall be called the
Builder of walls and will rest on the
paths within them what an incredible
text and what gracious promises the Lord
asks us if we but
choose to embrace the fast as the Lord
desires put some oil on your head dear
ones and have a great fast to the glory
of God and to the change of your own
life amen patristic nectar Publications
is pleased to present a new eight
lecture series entitled the original
Church lectures on the Acts of the
Apostles by father Josiah trenum the
acts was was written by the holy Apostle
and evangelist Luke as the second part
of his great literary Masterpiece
setting forth the life of Jesus Christ
in his gospel and then in the acts
showing forth the new Christian Life
made possible by the Lord's great and
saving deeds and The Descent of the Holy
Spirit here in these sacred Pages we
discover what St Paul calls New Creation
in Christ here we discover what is the
birthright of Christians that is The
Continuous Miracle of church
life for these and other available
titles please visit our website at
patristic nectar.
org
Просмотреть больше связанных видео
![](https://i.ytimg.com/vi/eqM8M9QiUAI/hqdefault.jpg?sqp=-oaymwEXCJADEOABSFryq4qpAwkIARUAAIhCGAE=&rs=AOn4CLBxJWeiN3U0ZhqtHqOxO3k1aJVd5Q)
Fasting That Moves The Hand Of God 🙌 How to Fast Biblically
![](https://i.ytimg.com/vi/q3NY6GwQOdc/hq720.jpg)
THE RULES OF FASTING: AN EMPTY STOMACH versus A GOOD HEART?
![](https://i.ytimg.com/vi/Bwuk8YgYhDo/hq720.jpg)
FAST TO BREAK FREE from the tyranny of our nothingness AND TO STRENGTHEN the Divine Image in us
![](https://i.ytimg.com/vi/h-GFCOzTkxM/hq720.jpg)
Fasting for God opens our spiritual sight
![](https://i.ytimg.com/vi/pLG0VpKK8LE/hq720.jpg)
Fiqih 035: Puasa Terlarang dan Seputar I'tikaf - Ustadz Amir As-Soronji, Lc., M.Pd.I.
![](https://i.ytimg.com/vi/s6MXDIXIAg0/hq720.jpg)
HOW TO PRAY WHEN THERE IS NO LIFE IN YOU. HOW DO YOU FIND YOUR WAY BACK TO LIFE, BACK TO CHRIST?
5.0 / 5 (0 votes)