Day 6

<sup>Why encourage people to corporately fast isn't fasting something that is meant to be private? Isn't telling people be hypocritical?

Matt 6
16</sup> “And when you fast, don’t make it obvious, as the hypocrites do, for they try to look miserable and disheveled so people will admire them for their fasting. I tell you the truth, that is the only reward they will ever get. ¹⁷ But when you fast, comb your hair and wash your face. ¹⁸ Then no one will notice that you are fasting, except your Father, who knows what you do in private. And your Father, who sees everything, will reward you.

If you read this scripture at face value that may be what we see but I want to take this thought a little deeper. Jesus was talking about people who fast for the wrong reason not people who fast and public ally encourage others to fast with them for the right reason. The religious leaders that Jesus was talking about would fast for the admiration of the people and not of God. So the reward that they were seeking of public recognition is the reward that they received. That's why Jesus says to fast in private to make sure that our heart motive is right. They were hypocrites because they outwardly looked spiritual but inwardly their heart is twisted. So as we do a corporate fast get your heart right first we aren't comparing what we fast or how long we fast or how spiritual we look we are doing this to centre our lives around Christ.