Good evening. Great is His faithfulness.
NOTE: Fasting isn't just about abstaining from certain foods and it's more than just following a fasting calendar. Fasting is all about our personal connection with God it helps us to endure and overcome our temptations just like our Lord and Savior. Fasting should be done in both the spirit and in truth just like prayer and almsgiving with a pure heart. As I begin my fast for the next 40 days, I have decided to use this fasting time to break my dependence on drinking sodas and use this time to allow God to help kick this habit and find something more health appropriate. My point is this use fasting to break any dependence on anything that could lead you away from God, I pray this makes sense.
DAY: 14 "A NEW THING"
MARK 2:18-22
18 The disciples of John and of the Pharisees were fasting. Then they came and said to Him, “Why do the disciples of John and of the Pharisees fast, but Your disciples do not fast?”
19 And Jesus said to them, “Can the [a]friends of the bridegroom fast while the bridegroom is with them? As long as they have the bridegroom with them they cannot fast. 20 But the days will come when the bridegroom will be taken away from them, and then they will fast in those days. 21 No one sews a piece of unshrunk cloth on an old garment; or else the new piece pulls away from the old, and the tear is made worse. 22 And no one puts new wine into old wineskins; or else the new wine bursts the wineskins, the wine is spilled, and the wineskins are ruined. But new wine must be put into new wineskins.” (See also, Matthew 9:14-17)
The Jewish people typically fasted twice week ( see also, Luke 18:12 - The Pharisee and the Publican), twice a week was on Mondays and Thursday.
The Jews saw the day of the Messiah was a wedding feast- a time of joy and happiness. Jesus here is proclaiming that day, in which He is declaring Himself to be the Messiah/Bridegroom. As Christians we are not to see fasting as gloomy but instead for it to be desirable, a bright sadness, for by fasting we gain self- control and prepare ourselves for the Wedding Feast. (Orthodox study Bible commentary) .
THE OLD GARMENT AND OLD WINESKINS symbolize the Old Covenant and the Law, of course is viewed imperfect and temporary; THE NEW WINESKINS are the New Covenant and all those who are in Christ. THE NEW WINE is the HOLY SPIRIT dwelling within all renewed people in Christ, who cannot be bound by the old percepts of the Law.
MATTHEW 5:18
For assuredly, I say to you, till heaven and earth pass away, one [a]jot or one [b]tittle will by no means pass from the law till all is fulfilled.
Orthodox Study Bible Commentary
8: Assuredly (Gr. amen) means truly or confirmed or so be it!!! Jesus uses this at the beginning because He is being to be both unique and authoritative- Ajot (Gr. iota) is the smallest letter in the Greek alphabet: a tittle is the smallest stroke in certain Hebrews letters: the whole Law is affirmed as the Foundation of Christ's new teaching!!! ALL IS FUFILLED is referring to the Passion and Resurrection of Christ.
SEE MY VIDEO FOR THE REST OF THE REFLECTION AND DEVOTIONAL
NUMBERS 6:24-26
“The Lord bless you and keep you;
25 The Lord make His face shine upon you,
And be gracious to you;
26 The Lord [a]lift up His countenance upon you,
And give you peace.” ’
In Christ love Jared W Campbell
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