The Fast of Relief

Most of us know that fasting(abstaining from food/drink) is supposed to be something that followers of Jesus Christ are to do regularly for various reasons.

Matt 6:16-18,Matt 9:14-17,2 Cor 6:4-5
2 Cor 11:25-27,Matt 17:20-21
Acts 14:23,1 Cor 7:5

But how many of us have come across Isaiah 58, and know what fasting really is? Brethren, read through the passage and see the importance of it. Is our abstaining from food(or other “good deeds” for that matter) really accomplishing anything if we neglect what the Lord really wants from us, obedience. In Isaiah 58, the people of God were looking for God, were excited about God, did things for God, wanted to know His will, and heartily prayed a lot.(58:2)But still wondered why their “deeds” were not rewarded and it seemed that God was not listening or paying attention to it at all.(v 3)Israel believed that their acceptance by God was by their own works.They didn’t see that abstaining from food had nothing to do with what God wanted from them. And that they were fasting with the wrong motives, and not sorrowful; it was all a show (v 4,5). They were despising their neighbors and exploiting them. They were only thinking of themselves. True fasting is denial of self and the loving of others(God AND man). Hear the Lord:

Isa 58:6-7 Is not this the fast that I have chosen? to loose the bands of wickedness, to undo the heavy burdens, and to let the oppressed go free, and that ye break every yoke? 7 Is it not to deal thy bread to the hungry, and that thou bring the poor that are cast out to thy house? when thou seest the naked, that thou cover him; and that thou hide not thyself from thine own flesh?

How can we say we love God, who we don’t see, and yet not love our neighbor who we do see? Just “loving God” is not acceptable. (1John 4:7-21) Loving our neighbor IS loving God; it’s a package deal. We feign love for God if we neglect others and their needs. We are then liars. By this we will be judged. (Matt 25:31-46) whether we are sheep or goats; the obedient on the right(sheep), the liars on the left(goats). Did you deny yourself of daily comfort, so that you could relieve your neighbor in his affliction, his hunger, his lack of clothing, his lack of shelter? “Well done good and faithful servant“(Matt 25:21)….”Come, ye blessed of my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world” Did you turn from your brother’s need, when you had it in your hand to give or do? “Depart from me, ye cursed, into everlasting fire, prepared for the devil and his angels“

Does it seem like your prayers are not being answered? And that your walk the Lord seems to be stagnant, though you are doing, doing, doing for the Lord? Examine yourself, and whether you are truly obeying Him or just going through the motions. When we truly obey and walk in love for God and our neighbor it is His delight to answer our needs and enlighten our eyes, and guide us in His will.(Isaiah 58:8-12)(1John 3:16-24)

(Isaish58:13-14) Resting in the Lord’s work should be our delight. We need to fast from our own works, our ways, our own idea of pleasure, and our own opinions. Esteem and relieve others first above ourselves. When we do that, we can then without pretense say “I Love God” (Matt 25:35-40)

 

The Killing Zone

From the comfort of my chair
As I sit with little care
A thought comes to mind
“How could I be so unkind?
Forgetting those our brethren
Also looking forward to the Kingdom of Heaven

As I fall down to my knees
“Father, help them please.
Endure the pain of torture
To remember their Hope so sure
And as men seek to take their life,
Remind them that Jesus did not fight back in strife

Prostrate on my face I now lie
“Make me worthy Lord also to die.
To suffer for Thy name
And bring thee glory not shame
Just like those thy saints in the killing zone
Patiently longing for their true home

 

The Summation of All Things

In the beginning was the Word
And the Word created
A time had been appointed
His people would be liberated 

In human eyes a God so far away
One who expected much
But a chosen few
He revealed His plan as such:

Coming as a man, thru Jesus His Son
He humbled himself as nothing
In all points tempted
In every way suffering

He died a cruel death
As a payment for our sin
Bearing the shame upon His cross
Below a sign declaring Him Sovereign

Out of the tomb
He arose three days and nights later
Appearing to many
Who would be witnesses and propagators

Of the truth they would proclaim
Thinking nothing of their lives
Spreading the great news
Of Jesus the Christ

Now we come to today
Christ’s kingdom still growing
Longsuffering God has
His witnesses going and going

Into all the world
The message is the same
As when Jesus walked the earth
And for this reason he came:

The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he hath anointed me to
preach the gospel to the poor; he hath sent me to heal the brokenhearted,
to preach deliverance to the captives, and recovering of sight to the blind,
to set at liberty them that are bruised, To preach the acceptable year of the Lord.
Luke 4:18-19

Remember from the beginning,
God appointed His people to liberation?
All for God’s Glory!
That is the summation…

 

Forget the Past, Run for Your Life!

Philippians 3:13-15 Brethren, I count not myself to have apprehended: but this one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind, and reaching forth unto those things which are before,  I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus.   Let us therefore, as many as be perfect, be thus minded: and if in any thing ye be otherwise minded, God shall reveal even this unto you.  

What slows a runner down?  Turning their head to look back and see who’s behind them on their heels or looking around at the sidelines and at the world.  One should keep their body, their eyes,  their mind, and their heart focused straight ahead so as not to stumble, slow down, or get distracted. 

As a runner, one needs to be temperate or self-controlled in body in what they eat and drink, how they sleep, and monitor how much time they spend on pointless activities that do nothing for the body. Disciplined in body. How can we as athletes for Christ run the race of our lives,  while we are rundown in health from our intake of junk food, and our time spent on vain, profitless, worldly activities(we all know what those things are); and spend little if any on things of eternal value. Temperance or self-control is one of the fruits of the Spirit that we are to produce as we progress in our walk(Galatians 5:22-25)

1Co 9:24-27  Know ye not that they which run in a race run all, but one receiveth the prize? So run, that ye may obtain. And every man that striveth for the mastery is temperate in all things. Now they do it to obtain a corruptible crown; but we an incorruptible.   I therefore so run, not as uncertainly; so fight I, not as one that beateth the air:   But I keep under my body, and bring it into subjection: lest that by any means, when I have preached to others, I myself should be a castaway

Speaking of our eyes being focused, Jesus  says in Luke 9:61-62,  “And another also said, Lord, I will follow thee; but let me first go bid them farewell, which are at home at my house.   And Jesus said unto him, No man, having put his hand to the plough, and looking back, is fit for the kingdom of God.”  When a farmer is ploughing by hand and doesn’t keep his eyes up and straight toward his goal, the end of the furrow, then his furrow will be crooked. For those who have played baseball, what is the mark that one should keep their eyes on? The ball, of course. What happens if you take your eye off the ball and swing. You miss. When a person plays darts, do you look at the dart or your hand? No, you look at the bullseye and aim straight for it.

Running a long distance race takes patience or endurance,  a continual steady pace, instead of a quick dash or sprint. A runner wears very light comfortable clothing that doesn’t hinder him or her. As one who is in the great race to the finish line as a follower of Christ, we need to lay down every thing that would hold us back.

Hebrews 12:1-2  Wherefore seeing we also are compassed about with so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which doth so easily beset us, and let us run with patience the race that is set before us,  2  Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith; who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God. 

It is a long and hard race. But remember brethren that great cloud of witnesses that have gone before us and suffered, but made it to the finish line…

James 5:7-11  Be patient therefore, brethren, unto the coming of the Lord. Behold, the husbandman waiteth for the precious fruit of the earth, and hath long patience for it, until he receive the early and latter rain.  8  Be ye also patient; stablish your hearts: for the coming of the Lord draweth nigh.  9  Grudge not one against another, brethren, lest ye be condemned: behold, the judge standeth before the door.  10  Take, my brethren, the prophets, who have spoken in the name of the Lord, for an example of suffering affliction, and of patience.  11  Behold, we count them happy which endure. Ye have heard of the patience of Job, and have seen the end of the Lord; that the Lord is very pitiful, and of tender mercy.

Remember our Lord Jesus who came down to be as us and set the pace, and mark the path of righteousness (Psalm 85:13)…

Hebrews 12:3-13   For consider him that endured such contradiction of sinners against himself, lest ye be wearied and faint in your minds.  Ye have not yet resisted unto blood, striving against sin. And ye have forgotten the exhortation which speaketh unto you as unto children, My son, despise not thou the chastening of the Lord, nor faint when thou art rebuked of him:  For whom the Lord loveth he chasteneth, and scourgeth every son whom he receiveth.  If ye endure chastening, God dealeth with you as with sons; for what son is he whom the father chasteneth not?   But if ye be without chastisement, whereof all are partakers, then are ye bastards, and not sons.  Furthermore we have had fathers of our flesh which corrected us, and we gave them reverence: shall we not much rather be in subjection unto the Father of spirits, and live?  For they verily for a few days chastened us after their own pleasure; but he for our profit, that we might be partakers of his holiness.   Now no chastening for the present seemeth to be joyous, but grievous: nevertheless afterward it yieldeth the peaceable fruit of righteousness unto them which are exercised thereby.   Wherefore lift up the hands which hang down, and the feeble knees;   And make straight paths for your feet, lest that which is lame be turned out of the way; but let it rather be healed.

Our brother in the Lord, the apostle Paul, fought the same fight and finished the same race we have entered into and gave us a glimpse of what our reward will be. A crown of righteousness place on our heads by our righteous Lord. 

2Timothy 4:6-8  For I am now ready to be offered, and the time of my departure is at hand.  7  I have fought a good fight, I have finished my course, I have kept the faith:  8  Henceforth there is laid up for me a crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous judge, shall give me at that day: and not to me only, but unto all them also that love his appearing.

Righteousness, in other words, to be Christ-like, conformed to His image, to know right and live right is the prize we should long for. So we can be that pure, and spotless Bride He so deserves to marry one day.

Revelation 19:7-8  Let us be glad and rejoice, and give honour to him: for the marriage of the Lamb is come, and his wife hath made herself ready.  8  And to her was granted that she should be arrayed in fine linen, clean and white: for the fine linen is the righteousness of saints.

Keep on running brethren, Look straight ahead, Press on, Don’t look back now, the finish line is within sight!

…Wherefore lift up the hands which hang down, and the feeble knees;   And make straight paths for your feet, lest that which is lame be turned out of the way; but let it rather be healed. Heb 12:13