Praying and Fasting

See, Jesus’ words about praying and about fasting are exactly parallel.

“When you pray, don’t pray this way, but pray that way.” “When you fast, don’t fast this way, but fast that way.”

So Jesus puts praying and fasting on exactly the same level. My conclusion is that if He expects us to pray, He also expects us to fast. And I’m so glad that I have one great predecessor in the ministry that arrived at the same conclusion.

I read John Wesley’s journals years ago, and they stirred me and stimulated me. And he said something to this effect:

“I am persuaded that if a Christian has understood the need to fast and does not practice fasting, he will backslide just as surely as a Christian who has understood the need to pray and does not pray.”

And John Wesley would not ordain to the Methodist ministry any man who did not commit himself to fast every Wednesday and Friday till 4:00 p.m.