Steven Garofalo
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GOD REWARDS THE MODEST
January 20, 2025 (Copyright 2025)
January 20, 2025

GOD REWARDS THE MODEST-Part Three

Steven Garofalo M.A.A.  (Copyright 2025)

January 20, 2025

In the United States and countries around the world it is considered a “GOOD” thing to bring attention to ourselves and self-promote an self-image, albeit good or bad. This is no-more evident than in social media platforms, marketing and sales.

Today, I am going to show you through the words of Jesus himself in the Book of Matthew that to bring attention to oneself gains an early, earthly reward, but forfeits God’s reward for us. Let’s get started.

This is Part three of “When God Rewards Us” series. In part one, we spoke to when God rewards us through our “giving” or almsgiving. In part two, we spoke to when God rewards us in and through “prayer”, and today, we will address when God rewards us through “fasting”. Before we get started, let’s define our terms.

WHAT IS FASTING?

Religious practices: Fasting is a common practice in many religions, including Christianity and Islam. Fasting is a regular part of Islamic practice in that fasting is encouraged during the holy month of Ramadan. In Christianity, fasting is more of an individual choice than a formal practice or sacrament of the faith.

Intermittent Fasting: Then there is Intermittent fasting which is way of life more so than an eating plan. As such, it is an eating plan whereby a person eats within a short window of time and then ceases to intake food for longer periods of time. I personally eat breakfast between 5:30-6:00am, lunch around 9am and then eat my last meal at about 1:30-2:00pm. I don’t eat until the next morning. Research shows that intermittent fasting helps with brain clarity and is a great way to manage your weight, and can even prevent and in some cases, even reverse some forms of disease.

AN AI OVERVIEW

In the Christian faith, fasting is the practice of voluntarily abstaining from food or other enjoyable things for a spiritual purpose: 

  • Expressing commitment: Fasting is a way to show God that you are committed to pursuing him.
  • Offering a sacrifice: Fasting is a way to praise God and offer him a sacrifice.
  • Intensifying prayer: Fasting can help you focus and pray more clearly.
  • Growing in faith: Fasting is a spiritual discipline that can help you grow in your faith.
  • Denying yourself: Fasting is a way to declare that you know God is most important, not you.

Fasting can take many forms and last different lengths of time. Some examples of Christian fasting include: 

  • Liturgical fasting: Abstaining from certain foods during liturgical periods, such as Lent 
  • The Daniel fast: Consuming only water and vegetables, as described in Daniel 1:12 
  • The Jesus fast: Consuming only water, as described in Matthew 4:1–2 
  • Partial fasts: Giving up specific items, like caffeine, or fasting during certain times of the day 

Fasting is often combined with prayer. It can be a way to: Express repentance, Seek a deeper connection with God, Pursue answers to life's decisions, Demonstrate the depth of your desire when praying, and Release God's supernatural power.[i]

THE PLACE OF FASTING IN THE CHRISTIAN LIFE

In an article titled, “The Placing of Fasting in the Christian Life” By Thomas A. Tarrants on June 6, 2018 Knowing and DoingKnowing & Doing 2018 SummerThomas A. Tarrants, Tarrants writes that:Judging from recent research and anecdotal evidence, it appears that very few professing Christians in America think fasting has a place in the Christian life. Available evidence shows that we much prefer feasting! Yet from the earliest days of the church, fasting has been recognized as an important way to draw near to God, deepen one’s relationship with Him, and seek His help in times of special need. Nearly all of the great spiritual leaders of the church, as well as ordinary believers who have been noted for their devotion to God, have practiced fasting. If you desire a deeper, more intimate and fruitful relationship with God, or if you need His help in a time of real need, fasting is an important means of grace to practice.

This article will provide helpful understanding and practical guidance for anyone who wants to experience this blessing. The best place to start is with a definition of fasting. In the Old Testament, the main Hebrew word used is tsom, which means “to abstain from food.” In the New Testament, the Greek word we translate as “fast” is nesteuo, which means “to abstain from eating.” In both testaments, fasting is simply going without food in order to seek God for some special reason. Although the purposes for which we seek God may vary, going without food does not. This is an important distinction, because today there is a tendency to expand the word fasting to include things other than food, such as television, movies, internet, social media, or cell phones. Although it is certainly right to abstain from any number of things that are hindering our relationship with God, that is not what the Bible means by fasting. Such abstaining is better described as “saying no” to some form of worldliness or harmful fleshly indulgence. To reiterate, in the Bible, the word fasting means going without food, the purpose of which is to earnestly seek God in prayer. People unacquainted with fasting may not see any compelling reason to do it…” [ii]

SO WHAT!

This begs the question as to when God may or may not reward us through prayer. Our truth text today is a short passage found in Matthews 6:16-18 which says this:

“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. But when you fast, anoint your head and wash your face, 18 that 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” (Matthew 6:16-18)

TAKE AWAYS

1)  When you “FAST” do not look gloomy. WHY? Because it’s hypocritical to voluntarily sacrifice to God through fasting and then show everyone how pious you are. “And when you fast, do not look gloomy like the HYPOCRITES, for they disfigure their faces that their fasting may be seen by others”. The pharisees “disfigure their faces” because they wanted everyone to know they were fasting, so they did not wash or trim their hair and sometimes put ashes on their heads to make further evident that they were fasting.

2)  CONSEQUENCE OF LOST REWARDS: Jesus makes clear in the second half of verse 16 that, “Truth I say to you, they HAVE RECEIVED THEIR REWARD”. In other words, to draw attention to the fact that you are fasting gets you worldly credit as to one’s pious sacrifice, but the reward is received through human affirmation and acclamation-forfeiting God’s reward in light of receiving human reward.

3)  HOW TO FAST PROPERLY: In verse 17 and 18, Jesus goes on to explain how to FAST PROPERLY, saying: “But when you fast, anoint your head and wash your face, that 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”. In other words when we fast, we should go out of our way to look as if we are not fasting, knowing that we do so for God who sees what we are doing as opposed to other humans who should not know about what we are doing (our sacrifice) in terms of fasting.

 

CONCLUSION

“When you fast” is a reference to fasting prescribed under the Mosaic Lw in connection with the Day of Atonement (Lev. 16:29) and the voluntary fast of that day. The Pharisees added two fasting days, on Monday and Thursday of each week as a case of public display and piety. The true purpose of fasting was intended, however, for deep contrition and spiritual communion with God. Fasting was especially emphasized as an effective means of dealing with temptation (Isaiah 58:6). The pharisees regarded the practice of fasting as meritorious and appeared in the synagogues negligently attired to draw attention to themselves. Their sad disfigurement of face, ashes on forehead, and the wearing of morning garb gave them a sinful opportunity “exhibit” the personification of a superior ascetic position or sanctity before the regular people.

In the end, we should all work towards gaining a handle on some form of fasting. WHY? First, its biblical. Second, it draws us closer to God. Third, it trains our bodies, hearts and minds to combat “temptations”. I can tell you firsthand that I no longer crave meals when I haven’t eaten for some time. I tend to eat more on a schedule as opposed to feeling like I am going to starve if I haven’t eaten in 8 hours. This is what I want to leave you with-the challenge to begin the process of fasting. Start slow and with shorter increments of time and work your way to longer periods of fasting in light of dependents and communing with God. In the end, you will benefit physically, mentaly, and spiritually. Blessings-Steven


 [ii] Thomas A. Tarrants, “The Placing of Fasting in the Christian Life”,  (www.C.S.LewisInstitute.Com ), June 6, 2018 https://www.cslewisinstitute.org/knowing-and-doing/

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His answer was short but the animals not having souls maybe up for debate.

We can use general biblical principles to develop some clarity on the subject though Housman wrote. The Bible states that both man (Genesis 2:7) and animals (Genesis 1:30; 6:17; 7:15 and 22) have the “BREATH OF LIFE” that is, both man and animals are living beings. Furthermore, the primary difference between human beings and animals is that humanity is made in the image and likeness of God (Genesis 1:26-27), while animals are not.

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AN ETHICAL ECONOMY IS GOOD FOR ALL
By Steven Garofalo, May 2, 2025

WHAT MAKES A GOOD ECONOMY

Government corruption comes to the advantage of a few-but at the expense of many if not all the rest of society. Today, I am going to show you through Ecclesiastes 5:8-9 that vanity and wealth, if not kept accountable, will devour one’s honor and the honor or the nation in whole. Let’s get started.

The Vanity of Wealth and Honor is an interesting subject in light of wealth, corruption, and the human heart. This subject effects many things, including what makes a good economy. 

In the Book of Ecclesiastes, chapter 5, verses eight to nine, Solomon says the following:

Ecclesiastes 5:8-9
“8 If you see in a province the oppression of the poor and the violation of justice and righteousness, do not be amazed at the matter, for the high official is watched by a higher, and there are yet higher ones over them. 9 But this is gain for a land in every way: a king committed to cultivated fields.”

COMMENTARY: There are two things king Solomon is saying here within the theme of the vanity of WEALTH and HONOR. Wealth and honor are two different things, as one can have wealth with or without honor or honor with or without wealth. That being said, let’s look at verses 8 and 9 independently to see the simple message God provides us today through Solomon.

BREAK DOWN
Ecclesiastes 5:8-9

THE ABUSE OF AUTHORITY & WEALTH
 “8 If you see in a province the oppression of the poor and the violation of justice and righteousness, do not be amazed at the matter, for the high official is watched by a higher, and there are yet higher ones over them." 

COMMENTARY: Verse 8 clearly illustrates that there is a corruption at every level of government, with higher level oppressors plundering the equally oppressive lower-level magistrates. This perhaps explains the st state of America and the world. With blackmail running. Rampant and the public sector unchecked, they have been robbing the everyday citizen of their hard earned money. As a result, the system became insulated and division between the haves and have nots became more defined. When the high level government officials rob and abuse those below them, someone above that person robs and abuses the higher level person himself.

In America, where we print money out of thin air for the world, in this short period of history, there is little need to plunder those under one authority because there is so much to steal that those in authority can simply pay them off or blackmail them; whichever is most convenient. Either way, Solomon makes abundantly clear that when there is nobody minding the ship, evil perpetuates to the point of overtaking the government in whole. As a result, we end up with a 2024 government, riddles with corruption, immorality, blackmail, lawlessness, and all other things evil due to the lack of God-ness which equates to “goodness”. 

Economically speaking, when this happens to a country, its own economy begins to decline into debt due to their insatiable desire and emotional need for more money and resources. When resources are stripped and money is squandered, the elite few are smart enough to collect those resources and money and we end up with a U.S. Stock Market where only 5% holds up to 80%  of the entire market wealth. 

WHAT IS THE ANSWER?
The answer and solution is to keep to return to the system we created in the first place which is free market capitalism that allows those who desire to work hard, to have a fair chance at success, making money and turning a fair profit. This is called “honor for everyone”.

HONOR FOR EVERYONE
"9 But this is gain for a land in every way: a king committed to cultivated fields.”

CONCLUSION:

Government corruption comes to the advantage of a few-but at the expense of many if not all the rest of society. Vanity and wealth, if not kept accountable, devours one’s honor and the honor or the nation in whole. Solomon (Qohelet) considered goverment to be frustrating becuase it was a necessary evil, something deply flawed but indespsnsible. On the one hand people sould "not be shocked" when they see OPPRESSION and injustice in a governmental province (v.8). After all, bloated government bureaucracy tends to frustrate justice (v.8b). On the other hand, government has it advantages (v.9). Many hold to the belief that this verse continues the negeative assessment of government. Others see this passage better understood more positively since it fits with Qohelet's normal pattern of "on the one hand, on the other.." way of teaching. 

Even a corrupt government is better than anarchy, which devastates a country, it's culture and in Solomon's time, an agrarian economy that would lead to starvation. Keeping to God's ways is the only solution to man's sinful nature; especially in governmental rule. In the end, a king who devotes himself to developing the resources of the land ushers in a systems that brings the opportunity for profit to all, not just the corrupt few.

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A Protestant & Catholic View Comparison

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A major difference is the issue of sufficiency and authority of Scripture. While Protestants believe that the Bible alone is the source of God's special revelation to mankind, it also speaks to everything we need to understand as necessary for our salvation from sin.

Protestants view the Bible as the STANDARD for Christian morality and ethics which governs our behavior. This is called sola scripture and is one of the five Solas in Christianity. (Solas meaning "alone" in Latin. 2 Timothy 3:16-17 makes clear that "All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, that the man of God may be complete, equipped for every good work” (ESV).

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Catholics do not believe in sola scriptura hence do not believe that the Bible alone is sufficient. They see both the Bible and sacred Roman Catholic tradition as equally authoritative and binding on the Christian. While not all Catholics hold to doctrines such as purgatory, praying to the saints, worship or veneration of Mary, etc., the Catholic doctrine hold to them even though they have little or no mention or basis in the Bible. In truth, these doctrines are based on Roman Catholic traditions based on the Catholic Church's insistence that the Bible and tradition are equal in authority. The problem with this is that it undermines the sufficiency, authority, and completeness of the Bible. The view of Scripture is at the root of many, if not all, of the differences between Catholics and Protestants.

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