![\"\"](\"http:\/\/69.89.31.195\/~sukofami\/wp-content\/uploads\/2012\/11\/100_3019.jpg\" "\\"turkey")
<\/p>\nI’ll admit it, I’m looking forward to Thanksgiving because I really love food! Just take a look at the picture below and that should settle all doubts.<\/p>\n
My love for food has also caused me to think about the discipline of fasting recently. I noticed that it’s not uncommon for churches in Ukraine to announce an all church fast for a day or two or three!\u00a0 Honestly, I don’t ever recall church fasts in any of the churches that I’ve been involved with in the US.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
I have to tell you that sometimes I find fasting more difficult than I expected, although I’m not sure it would serve the same purpose if it didn’t make me to feel some discomfort and teach me to discipline myself.<\/p>\n
So, what is fasting then?<\/p>\n
I’ve often heard people say that you can fast from anything like choosing to go without TV or deserts or something else that you enjoy. However, in the Bible fasting was always a complete abstinence from food. There is something else in the Bible called a Nazarite vow which involved abstinence from other things like alcohol.<\/p>\n
Don’t forget that Jesus fasted and he taught on fasting. The important thing to notice is that Jesus didn’t say “if<\/span> <\/strong>you fast” but he said “when<\/strong><\/span> <\/strong>you fast.” Jesus assumed that his followers would practice the discipline of fasting.<\/p>\n I’ll admit it, I’m looking forward to Thanksgiving because I really love food! Just take a look at the picture below and that should settle all doubts.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":1631,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_publicize_message":"","jetpack_publicize_feature_enabled":true,"jetpack_social_post_already_shared":false,"jetpack_social_options":{"image_generator_settings":{"template":"highway","default_image_id":0,"font":"","enabled":false},"version":2}},"categories":[31],"tags":[235,236],"class_list":["post-1622","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-writing","tag-fasting","tag-spiritual-disciplines"],"aioseo_notices":[],"jetpack_publicize_connections":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/sukofamily.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2012\/11\/100_3019.jpg","jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/p3izZc-qa","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack-related-posts":[{"id":3726,"url":"https:\/\/sukofamily.org\/prayer-and-fasting-for-ukraine\/","url_meta":{"origin":1622,"position":0},"title":"Prayer and Fasting for Ukraine","author":"Caleb Suko","date":"February 22, 2014","format":false,"excerpt":"This weekend is proving to be one of the most historical on record for Ukraine. After a week of terrible bloodshed there are some positive signs. Just moments ago the\u00a0Ukrainian parliament impeached president Yanukovych\u00a0after he fled to an undisclosed location and abandoned his post. \u00a0This along with many other developments\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Ministry"","block_context":{"text":"Ministry","link":"https:\/\/sukofamily.org\/category\/ministry\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/sukofamily.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/02\/pray-for-ukraine.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/sukofamily.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/02\/pray-for-ukraine.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/sukofamily.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/02\/pray-for-ukraine.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x"},"classes":[]},{"id":3716,"url":"https:\/\/sukofamily.org\/ukraines-deadliest-week\/","url_meta":{"origin":1622,"position":1},"title":"Ukraine’s Deadliest Week","author":"Caleb Suko","date":"February 21, 2014","format":false,"excerpt":"This is Ukraine's deadliest week of fighting probably since WWII! The week isn't even over and the reports range from 70 to 100 dead! I'm not sure how to put into words what is happening in Ukraine. Every morning I wake up and immediately check the news praying that the\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Ministry"","block_context":{"text":"Ministry","link":"https:\/\/sukofamily.org\/category\/ministry\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/sukofamily.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/02\/dead-in-kyiv.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/sukofamily.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/02\/dead-in-kyiv.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/sukofamily.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/02\/dead-in-kyiv.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x"},"classes":[]},{"id":3822,"url":"https:\/\/sukofamily.org\/29-a-few-great-reasons-to-leave-your-church\/","url_meta":{"origin":1622,"position":2},"title":"#29 A Few Great Reasons to Leave Your Church","author":"Caleb Suko","date":"May 16, 2014","format":false,"excerpt":"Have you ever left your church for another church? Over 30+ years I've seen a lot of people come and go and then I've seen some of them come back again! In this episode of Now is the Time\u00a0I give you 7 great reasons to leave your church and 4\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "The Gospel Today"","block_context":{"text":"The Gospel Today","link":"https:\/\/sukofamily.org\/category\/podcast\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/sukofamily.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/05\/file000955225845.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/sukofamily.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/05\/file000955225845.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/sukofamily.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/05\/file000955225845.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x"},"classes":[]},{"id":5068,"url":"https:\/\/sukofamily.org\/bloody-ukraine-1-year-of-bloodshed\/","url_meta":{"origin":1622,"position":3},"title":"Bloody Ukraine -1 Year of Bloodshed","author":"Caleb Suko","date":"February 19, 2015","format":false,"excerpt":"There are certain anniversaries you don't want to remember, this is one of them. One year ago today police started firing on unarmed protestors killing nearly 100 people. Below is what I wrote exactly one year ago. February 19, 2014 While you slept last night Ukraine turned bloody! Today was\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Ukraine"","block_context":{"text":"Ukraine","link":"https:\/\/sukofamily.org\/category\/ukraine-2\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/sukofamily.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/02\/bloody-ukraine1.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/sukofamily.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/02\/bloody-ukraine1.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/sukofamily.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/02\/bloody-ukraine1.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x"},"classes":[]},{"id":4000,"url":"https:\/\/sukofamily.org\/30-how-to-pray-for-ukraine-17-ways\/","url_meta":{"origin":1622,"position":4},"title":"#30 How to Pray for Ukraine -17 Ways","author":"Caleb Suko","date":"May 25, 2014","format":false,"excerpt":"Today is a national day of prayer and fasting in Ukraine before the presidential elections which will take place tomorrow, May 25th. In this episode of \"Now is the Time\"\u00a0I talk about the some of the persecution of Christians that is happening in Eastern Ukraine and I share 17 ways\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "The Gospel Today"","block_context":{"text":"The Gospel Today","link":"https:\/\/sukofamily.org\/category\/podcast\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/sukofamily.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/01\/ukraine-vote-001.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/sukofamily.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/01\/ukraine-vote-001.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/sukofamily.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/01\/ukraine-vote-001.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x"},"classes":[]},{"id":5080,"url":"https:\/\/sukofamily.org\/49-peace-in-war-time-a-story-from-eastern-ukraine\/","url_meta":{"origin":1622,"position":5},"title":"#49 Peace in War Time a Story from Eastern Ukraine","author":"Caleb Suko","date":"February 20, 2015","format":false,"excerpt":"Can there be peace in Ukraine after the latest ceasefire deal has completely crumbled? In this week's episode of \"Now Is the Time\" I share with you how things have gone from bad to worse in Eastern Ukraine. I also share with you a story of people finding peace right\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "The Gospel Today"","block_context":{"text":"The Gospel Today","link":"https:\/\/sukofamily.org\/category\/podcast\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/sukofamily.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/02\/bread.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/sukofamily.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/02\/bread.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/sukofamily.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/02\/bread.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x"},"classes":[]}],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/sukofamily.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1622","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/sukofamily.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/sukofamily.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/sukofamily.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/sukofamily.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=1622"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/sukofamily.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1622\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/sukofamily.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/1631"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/sukofamily.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=1622"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/sukofamily.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=1622"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/sukofamily.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=1622"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}Matthew 6:16-18<\/strong><\/div>\n16 “And when you fast, do not look gloomy like the hypocrites, for they disfigure their faces that their fasting may be seen by others. Truly, I say to you, they have received their reward. \u00a0 when you fast, anoint your head and wash your face, \u00a0 your fasting may not be seen by others but by your Father who is in secret. And your Father who sees in secret will reward you.<\/strong><\/div>\nQuestions: Do you fast? If so how do you find that it helps you?<\/h4>\n
![\"\"](\"http:\/\/ws.assoc-amazon.com\/widgets\/q?_encoding=UTF8&ASIN=1576830276&Format=_SL160_&ID=AsinImage&MarketPlace=US&ServiceVersion=20070822&WS=1&tag=sukfam-20\")
\nFor a better treatment of the subject of fasting and other spiritual disciplines I highly recommend Donald Whitney’s classic book Spiritual Disciplines for the Christian Life<\/a>![\"\"](\"http:\/\/www.assoc-amazon.com\/e\/ir?t=sukfam-20&l=as2&o=1&a=1576830276\")