The discipline of fasting is the topic in today's text, but Christ's message is that which matters most to him: a pure heart. Fasting was and is a practice used to deny oneself in order to fervently seek and draw near to the Lord, and to glorify God. However, in this passage, we learn that the Pharisees would often draw attention to themselves while fasting, ultimately glorifying self and stealing the glory from God. Similarly, when we serve or work in his name and do this with a self-centred attitude or motivation, the Lord sees this hypocrisy and rejects it. Conversely, he also recognizes the pure motivation of genuine heart which seeks to glorify him above all else. God rejects what is false, but blesses what is real!
As we ponder the amazing truth that we need not succumb to fear in this life because God always has our back, we also...
Psalm 5, known as a morning psalm, finds David crying out in prayer to the Lord in the midst of his pain and sorrow....