Fasting - Today's Insight - October 2, 2025

Carbonatix Pre-Player Loader

Audio By Carbonatix

Today's Insight from Chuck Swindoll

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.” (Matthew 6:16)

Just as Jesus dealt with giving and praying, He now deals with fasting—how not to do it, then, how to do it.

He tells us not to put on a gloomy face, not to neglect our appearance, and not to seek a super pious look. I believe He’s saying that no one should ever be able to tell just by looking that we have been fasting. Great game plan . . . but not always followed.

Have you ever been around people who really want to look spiritual? They are gloom personified, apparently living out one of the unwritten laws in the ancient code of pharisaical ethics. Down through the centuries of Christianity many have cultivated that “seriously religious” appearance. It is especially popular among super pious missionaries who talk about the burden of the mission field, or among pastors who are weighed down with the burden of the pastorate.

Burden? Whose burden? The ministry is His burden. Since that is true, what are we doing bearing His burden and trying to look so grim about it? We ought to be grim if we are attempting to carry what God is supposed to carry! But we are not made to carry out His role, so let’s stop trying. Playing a false role promotes pride, which is easily detected.

Fasting is good for one’s health. Fasting helps bring perspective and break bad habits. Fasting is good for self-control. It encourages a protracted focus on Christ and a wholesome self-discipline. It gives time to let the silt of our lives drop to the bottom. It brings us back to basics. Fasting simplifies our faith. But that is also why we are never to promote it, brag about it, or display it.

Copyright © 1996 by Charles R. Swindoll, Inc.

How to Know God Todays Insight Chuck Swindoll banner

Used with permission. All rights reserved.

Listen to today's broadcast of Insight for Living with Chuck Swindoll at OnePlace.com.
Visit the Bible-teaching ministry of Chuck Swindoll at www.insight.org.

 

Salem News Channel Today

Sponsored Links


September 26 - Phoenix, AZ
Scottsdale Center for the Performing Arts


November 2 - Detroit, MI
Zion Christian Church in Troy


October 6 - Los Angeles, CA
Pasadena Convention Center


November 5 - San Antonio, TX
Norris Centers – The Grand Red Oak Ballroom


October 8 - Sacramento, CA
William Jessup University


November 7 - Tampa, FL
The Palladium at St. Pete College


October 22 - Minneapolis, MN
Crowne Plaza AiRE


November 15 - San Francisco, CA
Fremont Marriott Silicon Valley


October 23 - Philadelphia, PA
Green Valley Country Club


November 16 - Denver, CO
CU South Denver - Formerly Wildlife Experience


November 2 - Chicago, IL
Chicago Westin Northwest in Itasca


November 21 - Cleveland, OH
Holiday Inn Rockside in Independence



Salem Radio Network Speakers

Larry Elder is an American lawyer, writer, and radio and television personality who calls himself the "Sage of South Central" a district of Los Angeles, Larry says his philosophy is to entertain, inform, provoke and to hopefully uplift. His calling card is "we have a country to save" and to him this means returning to the bedrock Constitutional principles of limited government and maximum personal responsibility. Elder's iconoclastic wit and intellectual agility makes him a particularly attractive voice in a nation that seems weary of traditional racial dialogue.” – Los Angeles Times.

Mike Gallagher Mike Gallagher began his broadcasting career in 1978 in Dayton, Ohio. Today, he is one of the most listened-to talk radio show hosts in America, recently having been ranked in the Talkers Magazine “Heavy Hundred” list – the 100 most important talk radio hosts in America. Prior to being launched into national syndication in 1998, Mike hosted the morning show on WABC-AM in New York City. Today, Talkers Magazine reports that his show is heard by over 3.75 million weekly listeners. Besides his radio work, Mike is seen on Fox News Channel as an on-air contributor, frequently appearing on the cable news giant.

Hugh Hewitt is one of the nation’s leading bloggers and a genuine media revolutionary. He brings that expertise, his wit and what The New Yorker magazine calls his “amiable but relentless manner” to his nationally syndicated show each day.

When Dr. Sebastian Gorka was growing up, he listened to talk radio under his pillow with a transistor radio, dreaming that one day he would be behind the microphone. Beginning New Year’s Day 2019, he got his wish. Gorka now hosts America First every weekday afternoon 3 to 6pm ET. Gorka’s unique story works well on the radio. He is national security analyst for the Fox News Channel and author of two books: "Why We Fight" and "Defeating Jihad." His latest book releasing this fall is “War For America’s Soul.” He is uniquely qualified to fight the culture war and stand up for what is great about America, his adopted home country.

Broadcasting from his home station of KRLA in Los Angeles, the Dennis Prager Show is heard across the country. Everything in life – from politics to religion to relationships – is grist for Dennis’ mill. If it’s interesting, if it affects your life, then Dennis will be talking about it – with passion, humor, insight and wisdom.

Sean Hannity is a conservative radio and television host, and one of the original primetime hosts on the Fox News Channel, where he has appeared since 1996. Sean Hannity began his radio career at a college station in California, before moving on to markets in the Southeast and New York. Today, he’s one of the most listened to on-air voices. Hannity’s radio program went into national syndication on September 10, 2001, and airs on more than 500 stations. Talkers Magazine estimates Hannity’s weekly radio audience at 13.5 million. In 1996 he was hired as one of the original hosts on Fox News Channel. As host of several popular Fox programs, Hannity has become the highest-paid news anchor on television.

Michelle Malkin is a mother, wife, blogger, conservative syndicated columnist, longtime cable TV news commentator, and best-selling author of six books. She started her newspaper journalism career at the Los Angeles Daily News in 1992, moved to the Seattle Times in 1995, and has been penning nationally syndicated newspaper columns for Creators Syndicate since 1999. She is founder of conservative Internet start-ups Hot Air and Twitchy.com. Malkin has received numerous awards for her investigative journalism, including the Council on Governmental Ethics Laws (COGEL) national award for outstanding service for the cause of governmental ethics and leadership (1998), the Reed Irvine Accuracy in Media Award for Investigative Journalism (2006), the Heritage Foundation and Franklin Center for Government & Public Integrity's Breitbart Award for Excellence in Journalism (2013), the Center for Immigration Studies' Eugene Katz Award for Excellence in the Coverage of Immigration Award (2016), and the Manhattan Film Festival's Film Heals Award (2018). Married for 26 years and the mother of two teenage children, she lives with her family in Colorado. Follow her at michellemalkin.com. (Photo reprinted with kind permission from Peter Duke Photography.)

Sponsored by:

Fasting - Today's Insight - October 2, 2025

Carbonatix Pre-Player Loader

Audio By Carbonatix

Today's Insight from Chuck Swindoll

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.” (Matthew 6:16)

Just as Jesus dealt with giving and praying, He now deals with fasting—how not to do it, then, how to do it.

He tells us not to put on a gloomy face, not to neglect our appearance, and not to seek a super pious look. I believe He’s saying that no one should ever be able to tell just by looking that we have been fasting. Great game plan . . . but not always followed.

Have you ever been around people who really want to look spiritual? They are gloom personified, apparently living out one of the unwritten laws in the ancient code of pharisaical ethics. Down through the centuries of Christianity many have cultivated that “seriously religious” appearance. It is especially popular among super pious missionaries who talk about the burden of the mission field, or among pastors who are weighed down with the burden of the pastorate.

Burden? Whose burden? The ministry is His burden. Since that is true, what are we doing bearing His burden and trying to look so grim about it? We ought to be grim if we are attempting to carry what God is supposed to carry! But we are not made to carry out His role, so let’s stop trying. Playing a false role promotes pride, which is easily detected.

Fasting is good for one’s health. Fasting helps bring perspective and break bad habits. Fasting is good for self-control. It encourages a protracted focus on Christ and a wholesome self-discipline. It gives time to let the silt of our lives drop to the bottom. It brings us back to basics. Fasting simplifies our faith. But that is also why we are never to promote it, brag about it, or display it.

Copyright © 1996 by Charles R. Swindoll, Inc.

How to Know God Todays Insight Chuck Swindoll banner

Used with permission. All rights reserved.

Listen to today's broadcast of Insight for Living with Chuck Swindoll at OnePlace.com.
Visit the Bible-teaching ministry of Chuck Swindoll at www.insight.org.

 

Salem News Channel Today

Sponsored Links

On Air & Up Next

See the Full Program Guide