Pastor Steve’s Blog August 19, 2019 I have a few passages of Scripture for you to read in preparation for next Sunday’s message. Our focus will be on the spiritual discipline of fasting and what Jesus had to say as found in Mark 2:18-22. Please read the passages below. Mark 2:18-22 New International Version (NIV) Jesus Questioned About Fasting 18 Now John’s disciples and the Pharisees were fasting. Some people came and asked Jesus, “How is it that John’s disciples and the disciples of the Pharisees are fasting, but yours are not?” 19 Jesus answered, “How can the guests of the bridegroom fast while he is with them? They cannot, so long as they have him with them. 20 But the time will come when the bridegroom will be taken from them, and on that day they will fast. 21 “No one sews a patch of unshrunk cloth on an old garment. Otherwise, the new piece will pull away from the old, making the tear worse. 22 And no one pours new wine into old wineskins. Otherwise, the wine will burst the skins, and both the wine and the wineskins will be ruined. No, they pour new wine into new wineskins.” There are four kinds of fasts in the Bible. The normal fast which is where one abstains from food, but drinks water. Read Matthew 4:1-11. The partial fast which is where one abstains from all delicacies, meats and wine. Read Daniel 10. The absolute fast which is where one abstains from both food and water for a short time. Usually 3 days. Read Esther 4:15-17. The supernatural fast which is where God sustains one for a long period of time while abstaining from food and water. Read Deuteronomy 9:9.