Fasting and prayer: devotion in the service of others

<p>Moreover when you fast, do not be as the hypocrites, of a sad appearance; for they disfigure their faces that they may appear to men to be fasting. Truly I say to you, they have their reward. But you, when you fast, anoint your head, and wash your face, that you do not appear unto men to fast, but unto your Father which is in secret: and your Father, who sees in secret, shall reward you openly. Matthew 6:16-18</p><p>In this episode we will be exploring the topic of Holiness, and the role of fasting and prayer. Below are some helpful timestamps that highlight the main topics under discussion today.</p><p>01:44 Examples of biblical fasting</p><p>03:18 Fasting and prayer as an act of repentance</p><p>04:27 Fasting and prayer for seeking God's involvement and favor</p><p>05:26 Fasting and prayer for the sake of enemies</p><p>06:31 Fasting accompanied great times of testing, but also of revelation</p><p>07:23 Fasting and prayer with the wrong attitude</p><p>09:14 Fasting and prayer as personal humility in the kingdom</p><p>10:45 Fasting reminds us who our Provider is, both physically and spiritually</p><p>12:30 The right kind of fasting</p><p>We need to keep in mind that fasting and prayer is not a personal discipline for our own selfish desires, but a means of humbling ourselves before God in the service of the needs of others.</p><p>If you enjoyed this weeks podcast, be sure to visit <a href="http://coreofthebible.org/">coreofthebible.org</a> to join the conversation through comments, to see daily blog posts on these topics, and to find free downloadable resources regarding the message of the Bible reduced to its simplest form.</p><p>Have questions about todays topic, or comments or insights you would like to share? Perhaps you have found this podcast helpful or encouraging. If so, I would love to hear from you and include listener comments in future episodes, so feel free to email me at <a href="mailto:coreofthebible@gmail.com">coreofthebible@gmail.com</a>.</p><p>Thanks for your interest in listening today!</p><