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Why do you think Jesus indicated that we shouldn’t “broadcast” when we are fasting to others?
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It would be very easy to draw attention to ourselves, to be dependent on the praise of others. That would take our mind off of looking for praise from God. Not manipulating God but having him look upon us with pleasure.
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I think when you make a show of something you are doing it for the wrong reasons.
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I think that Jesus has asked us to do this because there is great benefit in following His example. That will make fasting and prayer intimate.
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The Pharisees used fasting and other spiritual practices to show that they were special, or better, than others. When they did this, the focus was on themselves and their strength, their devotion, their holiness. It was not about having a deeper dependence on God or tuning out the world to know Him better.
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Fasting is a private dedication of your faith in God. It is not an award or accolade that needs to be displayed in front of others, “Look at my faith in Him”, it is a personal time of reflection and prayer.
