Okay, getting a little frustrated with Mark again. He wins the annual Rick Warren proof- texting award.
First, he chooses the KJV of the text because it reads/aligns to the point he wants to make.
Second, there is a good chance that Jesus didn't say this, but that this verse was added later (only some manuscripts have this verse).
Third, the context, if Jesus did say it, is clearly about casting out a demon, not about any miracle from God.
Praying and fasting is not a double combination lock "to unlock the miracle." And to make such a statement without offering the balance is disturbing.
Fasting is a gift to draw us intimately into the presence of God so that our prayers align with His will.
It is not a magic formula to get God to do a miracle.
It especially is not the formula for attaining a miracle for oneself (financial breakthrough).
If anything, we fast as a sign of humility to ask God to move on behalf of another - like to seek healing or wisdom to bless others or for another to know Christ.
And we fast because it brings us closer into the Light of Christ's holiness thus revealing our spiritual imperfections - the thoughts and actions that God wants to heal in us.
God cannot be manipulated and while Mark would readily agree with this, his writing implies it on the back side.
Mark lists all the things we can fast for and then casually adds at the end "Or we can fast simply to seek the heart of God."
Isn't this the PRIMARY reason to fast?
Sorry, but the more I read, the more disturbed I am by this.
I applaud Mark's call to fast - we need to be doing it - he is ramping up my desire to pray and fast - but we also need to come at it as selfless and humble as possible.
Fasting does not fast track "our prayer life like a hyperbolic chamber that speeds healing or a hyperlink that gets us someplace with one click."
In the wrong hands, a statement like this is sloppy if not dangerous.
Now the section on the flesh is well written. Mark talks about the need to tame the flesh, to crave God more than food, to become weak so that God can make us strong. YES!
(So skip pages 150-151 and start on page 153!)
The true power of fasting is to tune our souls to the living God, to rely on the Holy Spirit's power so that our prayers bring us closer to God's heart - so we can pray from that perspective.
Whole chapters if not books have been written about fasting so I understand Mark's desire to be concise in the five pages of this day's reading. But concise does not mean sloppy.
At the same time, I don't want you to think that your prayers or your fasting has to be "perfect." The antidote for perfection is humility. Just practice prayer and fasting with humility. God is God and you are not. And He knows that!
Pick one of the prayers you've been circling and experiment with fasting. Maybe just skip lunch and use that hour to pray. Or be brave and go a whole day - sun-up to sun-down. Start small - drink fluids - juices too.
Here's some instructions from Dr. Bill Bright - Your Personal Guide to Fasting.
Come and hear, all of you who reverence the Lord, and I will tell you what he did for me: For I cried to him for help, with praises ready on my tongue. He would not have listened if I had not confessed my sins. But he listened! He heard my prayer! He paid attention to it!
Blessed be God who didn't turn away when I was praying, and didn't refuse me his kindness and love. - Psalm 66:16-20
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