1 00:00:00,000 --> 00:00:07,760 Welcome to Logan City Christian Church podcast where we bring God's Word to you weekly. 2 00:00:07,760 --> 00:00:12,520 We pray what you hear will bring clarity to your situation and open doors in your life. 3 00:00:12,520 --> 00:00:13,520 Enjoy the message. 4 00:00:13,520 --> 00:00:20,000 Well this morning I don't have an extra long message and some of you would probably think 5 00:00:20,000 --> 00:00:21,840 I don't believe you. 6 00:00:21,840 --> 00:00:23,600 That's alright. 7 00:00:23,600 --> 00:00:24,600 That's alright. 8 00:00:24,600 --> 00:00:31,720 I want to speak on something today that is very, very important and the word fasting 9 00:00:31,720 --> 00:00:38,220 has come up in our prayer meetings quite a bit lately and through the congregation many 10 00:00:38,220 --> 00:00:44,280 of us are speaking about getting into a fast. 11 00:00:44,280 --> 00:00:52,000 And I just felt the Lord just impress on my spirit this morning to really explain the 12 00:00:52,000 --> 00:00:57,480 foundations of fasting and it may not be what we think. 13 00:00:57,480 --> 00:01:04,520 Fasting is an incredible thing that a human being can do because I mean who in their right 14 00:01:04,520 --> 00:01:08,080 mind would choose not to eat? 15 00:01:08,080 --> 00:01:14,200 I mean really and by the way welcome to our friends and guests this morning who have travelled 16 00:01:14,200 --> 00:01:16,280 far in the deaf community. 17 00:01:16,280 --> 00:01:17,840 It's lovely to have you with us today. 18 00:01:17,840 --> 00:01:22,960 Why don't we just welcome them this morning. 19 00:01:22,960 --> 00:01:23,960 Praise God. 20 00:01:23,960 --> 00:01:24,960 That's right. 21 00:01:24,960 --> 00:01:25,960 You get like that. 22 00:01:25,960 --> 00:01:26,960 That's how you do it. 23 00:01:26,960 --> 00:01:27,960 Praise the Lord. 24 00:01:27,960 --> 00:01:32,680 So who would in their right mind decide to I'm just not going to eat. 25 00:01:32,680 --> 00:01:37,840 There's a purpose behind it and see fasting is not dieting. 26 00:01:37,840 --> 00:01:40,760 Hello. 27 00:01:40,760 --> 00:01:43,120 Fasting is not dieting. 28 00:01:43,120 --> 00:01:46,040 Fasting has an intention and it has a purpose. 29 00:01:46,040 --> 00:01:47,040 It has a target. 30 00:01:47,040 --> 00:01:51,560 I want to speak about that today because fasting is very, very important. 31 00:01:51,560 --> 00:01:52,560 Jesus fasted. 32 00:01:52,560 --> 00:01:54,880 He taught his disciples to fast. 33 00:01:54,880 --> 00:01:58,840 And so the people today will say that there are many different kinds of fast. 34 00:01:58,840 --> 00:02:01,640 I fasted my phone for a whole hour. 35 00:02:01,640 --> 00:02:04,080 You hero. 36 00:02:04,080 --> 00:02:06,680 Praise be to God. 37 00:02:06,680 --> 00:02:10,920 You know I fasted TV for a whole week. 38 00:02:10,920 --> 00:02:15,880 Well good on you that you've got time to watch TV in the first place. 39 00:02:15,880 --> 00:02:19,160 But I fasted social media. 40 00:02:19,160 --> 00:02:22,240 I fasted this and I fasted that. 41 00:02:22,240 --> 00:02:29,640 And really we cannot use technically the word fast for abstaining from things that may be 42 00:02:29,640 --> 00:02:31,000 idols in our life. 43 00:02:31,000 --> 00:02:34,040 That's really not a fast. 44 00:02:34,040 --> 00:02:37,080 And some will say well I'm going to do the Daniel fast. 45 00:02:37,080 --> 00:02:40,320 I'll only eat the vegetables and things like that. 46 00:02:40,320 --> 00:02:42,040 And that isn't a fast either. 47 00:02:42,040 --> 00:02:47,040 I mean we hear it taught and you know that we're going on a Daniel fast. 48 00:02:47,040 --> 00:02:49,480 Daniel didn't fast. 49 00:02:49,480 --> 00:02:54,960 Daniel refused to eat the king's delicacies because it was offered to idols. 50 00:02:54,960 --> 00:02:56,400 And he said I'll tell you what. 51 00:02:56,400 --> 00:02:58,440 He said you keep your meat. 52 00:02:58,440 --> 00:03:00,480 You keep those things sacrificed to idols. 53 00:03:00,480 --> 00:03:02,520 Just give us the veggies. 54 00:03:02,520 --> 00:03:04,280 I mean I'm just thinking of this guy. 55 00:03:04,280 --> 00:03:08,320 He's got more faith than me. 56 00:03:08,320 --> 00:03:10,480 I mean who just loves eating veggies? 57 00:03:10,480 --> 00:03:13,160 Come on let's put up our hands. 58 00:03:13,160 --> 00:03:14,880 And who loves eating steak? 59 00:03:14,880 --> 00:03:21,560 And come on I just felt the anointing just flow all over the place. 60 00:03:21,560 --> 00:03:29,480 And who here today would trade in a T-bone steak for some lentils? 61 00:03:29,480 --> 00:03:30,720 Now you're feeling it. 62 00:03:30,720 --> 00:03:33,600 This is what it's about. 63 00:03:33,600 --> 00:03:36,700 And so Daniel didn't fast. 64 00:03:36,700 --> 00:03:41,320 He had a conviction that he said I am not going to eat the king's delicacy. 65 00:03:41,320 --> 00:03:42,320 It's offered to idols. 66 00:03:42,320 --> 00:03:44,560 He said I'm not going to eat that. 67 00:03:44,560 --> 00:03:46,200 I'm not going to eat it. 68 00:03:46,200 --> 00:03:49,680 Fasting means nil by mouth. 69 00:03:49,680 --> 00:03:56,680 It means in the Hebrew actually the hand covering the mouth that nothing is going in. 70 00:03:56,680 --> 00:03:59,040 And that is fasting. 71 00:03:59,040 --> 00:04:00,680 That is a fast. 72 00:04:00,680 --> 00:04:08,040 There's nil food going into this bottomless pit, into this hole that is like an abyss 73 00:04:08,040 --> 00:04:09,440 that some of us can eat. 74 00:04:09,440 --> 00:04:14,400 I've been out with some of you guys down at the butcher down here at the hyperdome. 75 00:04:14,400 --> 00:04:25,060 By the way it's Mr and Mrs Katsoulis' 45th wedding anniversary today. 76 00:04:25,060 --> 00:04:31,880 And so we can eat, some of us guys, but it's probably not good for us. 77 00:04:31,880 --> 00:04:36,580 Fasting is abstinence of food. 78 00:04:36,580 --> 00:04:43,040 If you don't believe me, go check it out and you'll find what I'm telling you is the truth. 79 00:04:43,040 --> 00:04:46,000 And so everything has a foundation, a house. 80 00:04:46,000 --> 00:04:51,820 When it's built they set a foundation in place and that foundation is designed to support 81 00:04:51,820 --> 00:04:53,640 the house. 82 00:04:53,640 --> 00:04:58,960 And if a house didn't have a foundation it would just crumble. 83 00:04:58,960 --> 00:05:00,160 Everything has a foundation. 84 00:05:00,160 --> 00:05:04,080 If you look into the very core of it, a foundation. 85 00:05:04,080 --> 00:05:10,760 Christianity has a foundation and his name is Jesus, the word of God. 86 00:05:10,760 --> 00:05:14,680 So a foundation, so does fasting have a foundation? 87 00:05:14,680 --> 00:05:19,120 I'm glad you asked because the answer is yes it does. 88 00:05:19,120 --> 00:05:27,400 Fasting has a foundation and if we choose to go on a fast without first securing the 89 00:05:27,400 --> 00:05:36,040 foundation upon which we fast on, the fast is nothing more than a diet because it will 90 00:05:36,040 --> 00:05:40,280 not, it will not do anything. 91 00:05:40,280 --> 00:05:45,320 And I'm going to read from Isaiah 58 this morning and you know we don't hear much about 92 00:05:45,320 --> 00:05:54,100 this but if we get this part right and then we begin to fast and pray with this foundation 93 00:05:54,100 --> 00:05:58,600 set in place, there we see things change. 94 00:05:58,600 --> 00:06:05,400 Now fasting, not like what I thought in the beginning, if I fast I can get God's arm up 95 00:06:05,400 --> 00:06:11,120 his back and keep putting pressure on him until he yields and gives me what I want. 96 00:06:11,120 --> 00:06:14,560 Has anybody understood fasting like that before? 97 00:06:14,560 --> 00:06:17,080 Come on you can be honest this morning. 98 00:06:17,080 --> 00:06:21,720 That's okay it's just me and you can pray for me later but I'm sure there's more. 99 00:06:21,720 --> 00:06:25,760 But I used to think that if I fast God will give me the desires of my heart, God will 100 00:06:25,760 --> 00:06:28,320 give me what I need. 101 00:06:28,320 --> 00:06:30,720 Fasting doesn't do that. 102 00:06:30,720 --> 00:06:38,280 Fasting is not about appeasing God. 103 00:06:38,280 --> 00:06:43,400 Fasting is about something completely different. 104 00:06:43,400 --> 00:06:51,680 Fasting reveals the thoughts and intents of our own heart and often when our thoughts 105 00:06:51,680 --> 00:06:59,760 and intents of our own heart are not in alignment with God it hinders God's blessing and opening 106 00:06:59,760 --> 00:07:07,400 doors and so what it is is fasting then when we go into a fast suddenly then when we get 107 00:07:07,400 --> 00:07:14,440 hungry and often and God speaking to us we listen and God will bring out within a fast 108 00:07:14,440 --> 00:07:18,480 things about us. 109 00:07:18,480 --> 00:07:22,560 Within a fast God gives wisdom. 110 00:07:22,560 --> 00:07:30,320 Within a fast God will give direction and also often sometimes we may fast if there 111 00:07:30,320 --> 00:07:38,040 is an obstacle in life, in your family, in your ministry and so we fast and we pray. 112 00:07:38,040 --> 00:07:44,220 That is a good thing but often you will find that when we are fasting and praying God reveals 113 00:07:44,220 --> 00:07:45,540 what the blockage is. 114 00:07:45,540 --> 00:07:52,760 God reveals what is going on and so when we fast it gives God an opportunity to really 115 00:07:52,760 --> 00:07:58,900 delve deep into us and to show us what he already knows and things that possibly he 116 00:07:58,900 --> 00:08:02,760 may be or has been trying to show us for some time. 117 00:08:02,760 --> 00:08:05,360 So fasting has a foundation. 118 00:08:05,360 --> 00:08:12,800 Let me read from verse 1 of Isaiah 58 and it reads here, cry aloud, spare not, lift 119 00:08:12,800 --> 00:08:16,600 up your voice like a trumpet, tell my people their transgressions. 120 00:08:16,600 --> 00:08:22,360 This is the word that God is giving to Isaiah and he is saying to him, he said, man of God 121 00:08:22,360 --> 00:08:28,540 I want you to proclaim this unapologetically because God wanted to address something with 122 00:08:28,540 --> 00:08:29,800 his people. 123 00:08:29,800 --> 00:08:36,040 He said, tell the people their transgressions and the house of Jacob their sins, yet they 124 00:08:36,040 --> 00:08:43,320 seek me daily and delight to know my ways as a nation that did righteousness and did 125 00:08:43,320 --> 00:08:46,880 not forsake the ordinances of their God. 126 00:08:46,880 --> 00:08:50,400 They ask of me the ordinances of justice. 127 00:08:50,400 --> 00:08:53,660 They take delight in approaching God. 128 00:08:53,660 --> 00:08:58,760 Why have we fasted they say and you have not seen? 129 00:08:58,760 --> 00:09:00,240 You ever been there? 130 00:09:00,240 --> 00:09:08,080 Why have we afflicted our souls and you take no notice? 131 00:09:08,080 --> 00:09:17,040 In fact in the day of your fast you find pleasure and exploit all your labourers. 132 00:09:17,040 --> 00:09:24,240 Indeed you fast for strife and debate and to strike with the fist of wickedness. 133 00:09:24,240 --> 00:09:31,040 You will not fast as you do this day to make your voice heard on high. 134 00:09:31,040 --> 00:09:36,880 Is it a fast that I have chosen, a day for a man to afflict his soul? 135 00:09:36,880 --> 00:09:43,880 Is it to bow down his head like a bulrush and to spread out sackcloth and ashes? 136 00:09:43,880 --> 00:09:47,600 Would you call this a fast, an acceptable day to the Lord? 137 00:09:47,600 --> 00:09:52,800 Let me just stop there for a minute and unpack what I've just read. 138 00:09:52,800 --> 00:09:57,760 It was the nation of Israel, God's own people. 139 00:09:57,760 --> 00:10:01,000 Their worship was defective. 140 00:10:01,000 --> 00:10:04,160 Here they were, the very people of God. 141 00:10:04,160 --> 00:10:09,580 They got into a routine of service to God. 142 00:10:09,580 --> 00:10:16,080 Here they were, fasting, keeping all the ordinances and in fact if you were to read no other nation 143 00:10:16,080 --> 00:10:22,940 on the face of the earth at that time held to as many ordinances as the Israelites did 144 00:10:22,940 --> 00:10:24,840 in worship to God. 145 00:10:24,840 --> 00:10:27,040 But yet their heart was not in it. 146 00:10:27,040 --> 00:10:32,000 It became an exterior act of worship. 147 00:10:32,000 --> 00:10:37,040 God as you know is really interested in heart worship. 148 00:10:37,040 --> 00:10:40,800 Not that we just do something the same way over and over again. 149 00:10:40,800 --> 00:10:43,280 Friends that's called religion. 150 00:10:43,280 --> 00:10:44,360 That's what religion is. 151 00:10:44,360 --> 00:10:49,100 We do the same thing over and over again because that's what we've been taught to do. 152 00:10:49,100 --> 00:10:57,320 Now you have a look, the Israelites, the time of Jesus, they upheld all of the ordinances, 153 00:10:57,320 --> 00:10:59,840 the sacrifices, they did everything. 154 00:10:59,840 --> 00:11:06,480 They kept the Sabbath, they fasted, they did everything right and right in the middle 155 00:11:06,480 --> 00:11:12,280 of all of the keeping the ordinances were planning to murder Jesus. 156 00:11:12,280 --> 00:11:14,740 Think about it. 157 00:11:14,740 --> 00:11:17,080 Think about that one. 158 00:11:17,080 --> 00:11:25,080 So they're doing everything right by the rule book but this guy Jesus is just in our way. 159 00:11:25,080 --> 00:11:30,560 So we're going to devise a plan how to get rid of him. 160 00:11:30,560 --> 00:11:40,540 And so even on the Passover they refused to go into the judgment house with Pilate because 161 00:11:40,540 --> 00:11:44,460 it would break the law. 162 00:11:44,460 --> 00:11:50,840 So they stayed out and continued to devise the plan to murder an innocent man. 163 00:11:50,840 --> 00:11:52,560 Is that making a point here today? 164 00:11:52,560 --> 00:11:55,200 They were still fasting. 165 00:11:55,200 --> 00:11:56,200 They were still fasting. 166 00:11:56,200 --> 00:11:59,880 They were still keeping the ordinances. 167 00:11:59,880 --> 00:12:03,060 And then they say why, God, why? 168 00:12:03,060 --> 00:12:08,480 It seems like I'm fasting and praying and you're not listening and you're not doing 169 00:12:08,480 --> 00:12:09,480 anything. 170 00:12:09,480 --> 00:12:13,360 It's almost like I'm invisible. 171 00:12:13,360 --> 00:12:19,040 Have you ever felt like you're invisible sometimes in society? 172 00:12:19,040 --> 00:12:24,520 I remember one day I went into a service station and the people went before me and the doors 173 00:12:24,520 --> 00:12:29,720 open and closed and I walk up and it's like you're waving at the thing and it won't open. 174 00:12:29,720 --> 00:12:31,960 It's almost like am I invisible or something? 175 00:12:31,960 --> 00:12:34,600 Anybody ever experienced that? 176 00:12:34,600 --> 00:12:38,360 And another time I thought they were out of automatic doors and they weren't and I was 177 00:12:38,360 --> 00:12:43,040 just crashed straight into them. 178 00:12:43,040 --> 00:12:50,320 I can see some of you have done that too. 179 00:12:50,320 --> 00:12:56,200 And so here were the people of God, chosen of God. 180 00:12:56,200 --> 00:12:59,160 They're complaining that God, we're fasting. 181 00:12:59,160 --> 00:13:05,440 We are really sacrificing here and you're not doing anything. 182 00:13:05,440 --> 00:13:07,160 What's the problem? 183 00:13:07,160 --> 00:13:11,120 The problem is the foundation was missing. 184 00:13:11,120 --> 00:13:15,640 The foundation was completely missing. 185 00:13:15,640 --> 00:13:19,840 It says there would you call this a fast, an acceptable day to the Lord? 186 00:13:19,840 --> 00:13:22,500 That was a question. 187 00:13:22,500 --> 00:13:28,700 And so that then begins to whet one's appetite to start thinking, well what really is a fast? 188 00:13:28,700 --> 00:13:29,700 What really is it? 189 00:13:29,700 --> 00:13:30,700 What are my intentions? 190 00:13:30,700 --> 00:13:36,000 What are our intentions for calling a fast and to fast? 191 00:13:36,000 --> 00:13:39,360 Is it because there are problems, relational problems? 192 00:13:39,360 --> 00:13:41,880 Is it because there's a marriage problem? 193 00:13:41,880 --> 00:13:43,720 Is there because there is lack in our life? 194 00:13:43,720 --> 00:13:46,600 Is it because of whatever? 195 00:13:46,600 --> 00:13:52,600 And usually when things like this are presented to us in daily life, it's got nothing to do 196 00:13:52,600 --> 00:13:53,600 with God. 197 00:13:53,600 --> 00:14:00,080 It's because something is out of relational alignment, either with each other or us to 198 00:14:00,080 --> 00:14:01,080 God. 199 00:14:01,080 --> 00:14:04,040 Fasting, it does exactly that. 200 00:14:04,040 --> 00:14:07,160 It realigns us. 201 00:14:07,160 --> 00:14:15,460 So what did God say to these people that they were so far away from the very heart of worship, 202 00:14:15,460 --> 00:14:18,560 but yet they were doing everything right? 203 00:14:18,560 --> 00:14:26,240 You see, it speaks there about how we're talking about others pulling people down, gossiping, 204 00:14:26,240 --> 00:14:31,240 murmuring, discord, slander, and then they'll go and do their fast and say, God, why are 205 00:14:31,240 --> 00:14:33,120 you not listening? 206 00:14:33,120 --> 00:14:37,520 You see, people mean everything to God. 207 00:14:37,520 --> 00:14:45,160 The words that we speak, they are life or they can be death. 208 00:14:45,160 --> 00:14:53,040 And when we speak badly about other people, without us maybe even knowing it, we can be 209 00:14:53,040 --> 00:14:56,640 assassinating somebody spiritually. 210 00:14:56,640 --> 00:15:02,400 It is so important that we understand the foundations of fasting. 211 00:15:02,400 --> 00:15:05,780 Verse six, here comes the foundation. 212 00:15:05,780 --> 00:15:08,120 Is this not the fast that I have chosen? 213 00:15:08,120 --> 00:15:12,040 Now remember, this is God speaking through the prophet Isaiah. 214 00:15:12,040 --> 00:15:19,520 He says, to loose the bonds of wickedness, to undo the heavy burdens, to let the oppressed 215 00:15:19,520 --> 00:15:24,420 go free and that you break every yoke. 216 00:15:24,420 --> 00:15:26,940 Is it not to share your bread with the hungry? 217 00:15:26,940 --> 00:15:33,240 We just saw a perfect example of JCI in the Philippines, feeding the hungry, the poor, 218 00:15:33,240 --> 00:15:37,560 the needy, those that really need help. 219 00:15:37,560 --> 00:15:45,300 You see, when we do these things and it becomes a lifestyle for us, that is Christianity. 220 00:15:45,300 --> 00:15:48,320 That is the very core of Christianity. 221 00:15:48,320 --> 00:15:52,160 People will say, yeah, but I'm saved by grace, not of works. 222 00:15:52,160 --> 00:15:53,400 So are we all. 223 00:15:53,400 --> 00:15:56,800 But we were saved by grace, not of works, lest we boast. 224 00:15:56,800 --> 00:16:02,880 But we've been saved by grace so that we can do good works. 225 00:16:02,880 --> 00:16:09,320 Christianity is about doing good works post salvation, about changing the world, about 226 00:16:09,320 --> 00:16:15,440 making a difference wherever we go, that the sphere that God has placed you in in life, 227 00:16:15,440 --> 00:16:20,520 that we are to influence that sphere with God's presence, with his goodness and his 228 00:16:20,520 --> 00:16:22,720 kindness. 229 00:16:22,720 --> 00:16:28,280 And when we establish this foundation, that it's the goodness of God that we're allowing 230 00:16:28,280 --> 00:16:35,080 flowing through us, and then on top of that, when we begin to fast, God's going, hey, both 231 00:16:35,080 --> 00:16:40,280 of my ears are attentive to your prayers. 232 00:16:40,280 --> 00:16:43,120 Because it's unhypocritical. 233 00:16:43,120 --> 00:16:48,240 Is it not to share your bread with the hungry and that you bring to your house the poor 234 00:16:48,240 --> 00:16:49,640 who are cast out? 235 00:16:49,640 --> 00:16:52,200 Isn't that a good one? 236 00:16:52,200 --> 00:16:57,200 To bring to your home the poor that are cast out. 237 00:16:57,200 --> 00:16:59,720 When you see the naked, that you cover them. 238 00:16:59,720 --> 00:17:05,200 And here's a big one, and not hide yourself from your own flesh. 239 00:17:05,200 --> 00:17:10,280 So do we have family members that are in need? 240 00:17:10,280 --> 00:17:15,400 Ones that are dearest to us, are we taking care of them? 241 00:17:15,400 --> 00:17:18,040 Are we nurturing them? 242 00:17:18,040 --> 00:17:22,600 Are we too busy? 243 00:17:22,600 --> 00:17:28,440 There is a great need that they have that may be within your power to fulfill and meet 244 00:17:28,440 --> 00:17:31,280 that need. 245 00:17:31,280 --> 00:17:38,840 And to hide ourselves from our own flesh, our own family, be it that way. 246 00:17:38,840 --> 00:17:40,920 Can you see what God is saying here? 247 00:17:40,920 --> 00:17:46,480 He said, he's not interested in an external worship that we don't eat for a day. 248 00:17:46,480 --> 00:17:52,100 I believe it was for one day a week that the Israelites fasted, especially the leadership, 249 00:17:52,100 --> 00:17:53,880 but it never changed the heart. 250 00:17:53,880 --> 00:17:56,440 It never changed the outward actions. 251 00:17:56,440 --> 00:17:58,360 It didn't change anything. 252 00:17:58,360 --> 00:18:00,480 It became a ritual. 253 00:18:00,480 --> 00:18:07,720 What God is saying here, I want this to become a ritual that anybody that we have been exacting 254 00:18:07,720 --> 00:18:11,760 usually on to release them, let them go, to forgive people. 255 00:18:11,760 --> 00:18:15,880 You know, it is good to forgive. 256 00:18:15,880 --> 00:18:20,780 Forgiveness is a wonderful thing to do. 257 00:18:20,780 --> 00:18:22,880 So let the oppressed go free. 258 00:18:22,880 --> 00:18:30,800 In other words, everything within our power, everything, to see that people who are oppressed 259 00:18:30,800 --> 00:18:36,360 are liberated, that it's in our power to do so. 260 00:18:36,360 --> 00:18:41,260 And I remember speaking to a missionary one day and he said that I lack the resources 261 00:18:41,260 --> 00:18:45,120 to be able to fulfill this mission. 262 00:18:45,120 --> 00:18:47,800 And I said to him, well, how many have you? 263 00:18:47,800 --> 00:18:50,200 He said, well, I haven't reached any yet. 264 00:18:50,200 --> 00:18:56,160 I stand in my home and I look at the need and I know I don't have what it takes to meet 265 00:18:56,160 --> 00:18:58,020 that need. 266 00:18:58,020 --> 00:18:59,020 And it doesn't work that way. 267 00:18:59,020 --> 00:19:02,640 We saw that this morning. 268 00:19:02,640 --> 00:19:07,680 The supernatural provision is in your vision. 269 00:19:07,680 --> 00:19:16,360 And when we step out from that place of security and step out into what we can't see, God says, 270 00:19:16,360 --> 00:19:19,360 okay, now I can see your feared income. 271 00:19:19,360 --> 00:19:24,000 And when you meet this person, the warehouse filling up, I mean, you take from it, it fills 272 00:19:24,000 --> 00:19:25,000 up. 273 00:19:25,000 --> 00:19:26,000 You take from it, it fills up. 274 00:19:26,000 --> 00:19:27,800 Oh, I'm praying for a bank account like that. 275 00:19:27,800 --> 00:19:30,840 Praise the Lord. 276 00:19:30,840 --> 00:19:33,480 But this is what pleases God. 277 00:19:33,480 --> 00:19:35,060 Faith pleases God. 278 00:19:35,060 --> 00:19:40,160 And faith in God, knowing that this is what he's required for us as Christians, that we 279 00:19:40,160 --> 00:19:45,440 go around every day to see not who we can hide from, but who we can bless, who we can 280 00:19:45,440 --> 00:19:50,600 protect, and one of the testimonies I heard about Teresa is that Anthony was sharing that 281 00:19:50,600 --> 00:19:54,440 be at the shopping mall and someone's a bit short on their grocery bill. 282 00:19:54,440 --> 00:19:55,880 And so what does she do? 283 00:19:55,880 --> 00:19:59,280 She goes and pays for it. 284 00:19:59,280 --> 00:20:00,280 I've done that a few times. 285 00:20:00,280 --> 00:20:01,280 I got burnt once. 286 00:20:01,280 --> 00:20:03,200 I got blessed once. 287 00:20:03,200 --> 00:20:06,660 Not everybody appreciates it. 288 00:20:06,660 --> 00:20:07,660 But it's from the heart. 289 00:20:07,660 --> 00:20:12,760 You see, God is showing us that it's this kind of Christian living that actually has 290 00:20:12,760 --> 00:20:16,720 substance, that it means something. 291 00:20:16,720 --> 00:20:22,440 And then there from that point, the foundation is laid that we are servants of God. 292 00:20:22,440 --> 00:20:27,600 Chantelle mentioned it this morning, that surrendering to God and to give him our all 293 00:20:27,600 --> 00:20:33,320 and everything, everything that we have, our finances, our provisions, whatever, when we 294 00:20:33,320 --> 00:20:38,440 see someone else that has not and we have, that we transfer that over. 295 00:20:38,440 --> 00:20:43,800 And yet, if we don't, we can go to a prayer meeting and say, God, I need this and I need 296 00:20:43,800 --> 00:20:44,800 that. 297 00:20:44,800 --> 00:20:48,160 And God's saying, I know what you need, but I gave you an opportunity to give to here 298 00:20:48,160 --> 00:20:52,040 so that I could give to you to keep the whole circle going. 299 00:20:52,040 --> 00:20:56,960 But hello. 300 00:20:56,960 --> 00:21:01,760 We still here today? 301 00:21:01,760 --> 00:21:05,280 See Christianity is about living water. 302 00:21:05,280 --> 00:21:06,280 It's flowing. 303 00:21:06,280 --> 00:21:07,280 It's living. 304 00:21:07,280 --> 00:21:12,240 It's not a dam that's stored up with stagnant water. 305 00:21:12,240 --> 00:21:15,400 And we must keep that living water flowing. 306 00:21:15,400 --> 00:21:20,340 It's so, so important, so, so important that we do. 307 00:21:20,340 --> 00:21:24,780 In verse eight, it says, and your light shall break forth like the morning and your healing 308 00:21:24,780 --> 00:21:29,840 shall spring forth speedily and your righteousness shall go before you. 309 00:21:29,840 --> 00:21:32,200 The glory of the Lord shall be your rear guard. 310 00:21:32,200 --> 00:21:34,880 Now, how many of us would like that today? 311 00:21:34,880 --> 00:21:38,600 We could walk out and say, you know, I actually have this now. 312 00:21:38,600 --> 00:21:41,120 The light shall break forth in the morning. 313 00:21:41,120 --> 00:21:47,560 It's speaking, verse eight is speaking about God's blessing invading your life. 314 00:21:47,560 --> 00:21:48,560 How good is that? 315 00:21:48,560 --> 00:21:52,280 Verse nine, and you shall call and the Lord will answer. 316 00:21:52,280 --> 00:21:55,640 You shall cry and he will say, here I am. 317 00:21:55,640 --> 00:21:58,440 That's a good prayer meeting. 318 00:21:58,440 --> 00:21:59,440 It's instant. 319 00:21:59,440 --> 00:22:02,640 You see, there are no blockages. 320 00:22:02,640 --> 00:22:05,120 What opens up the blockages? 321 00:22:05,120 --> 00:22:06,120 Fasting. 322 00:22:06,120 --> 00:22:10,360 Fasting is about what may be blocked inside of me, stopping the flow of God coming through 323 00:22:10,360 --> 00:22:12,580 me to others. 324 00:22:12,580 --> 00:22:19,120 And so fasting is not about twisting God's arm up his back to get what I want. 325 00:22:19,120 --> 00:22:26,040 Fasting is about to find out what's not in alignment within myself. 326 00:22:26,040 --> 00:22:29,920 And that's why fasting is an act of humility. 327 00:22:29,920 --> 00:22:36,040 I'm fasting because there's some things not right and I'm going to fast, trusting God 328 00:22:36,040 --> 00:22:39,640 is going to reveal to me what is out of alignment. 329 00:22:39,640 --> 00:22:41,360 That's fasting. 330 00:22:41,360 --> 00:22:43,760 That is fasting. 331 00:22:43,760 --> 00:22:47,680 So do we still want to fast? 332 00:22:47,680 --> 00:22:48,680 Hopefully the answer is yes. 333 00:22:48,680 --> 00:22:52,000 If you take away the yoke from your midst and the pointing of the fingers, this is all 334 00:22:52,000 --> 00:22:56,940 speaking about relational issues that are out of divine order. 335 00:22:56,940 --> 00:23:01,640 If you extend your soul to the hungry and satisfy the afflicted soul, then your light 336 00:23:01,640 --> 00:23:06,440 shall dawn in the darkness and your darkness shall be as the noon day. 337 00:23:06,440 --> 00:23:08,180 What does that mean? 338 00:23:08,180 --> 00:23:13,360 You can be going through your darkest moment and when you and I maintain that Christian 339 00:23:13,360 --> 00:23:16,760 integrity, that kindness, God is a kind God. 340 00:23:16,760 --> 00:23:18,260 Do you know that? 341 00:23:18,260 --> 00:23:22,880 God is so kind and he is so generous and so are we. 342 00:23:22,880 --> 00:23:27,800 We can be going through one of our darkest times, but if we maintain this foundational 343 00:23:27,800 --> 00:23:34,600 structure in our lives, even though darkness may come, the light will soon be there. 344 00:23:34,600 --> 00:23:36,800 And it speaks about the noon day. 345 00:23:36,800 --> 00:23:39,400 It says your darkness shall be as the noon day. 346 00:23:39,400 --> 00:23:43,880 The noon day here means midday, 12 on high. 347 00:23:43,880 --> 00:23:50,440 You know, I remember a farmer out west, we went out to poison some ant nests and I said 348 00:23:50,440 --> 00:23:57,840 to him, because this property was taken over by these ant nests and if you guys know about 349 00:23:57,840 --> 00:24:02,080 it, the ants, they get down really deep, they pull the soil out and the soil that they bring 350 00:24:02,080 --> 00:24:07,400 out and it spreads out is not fertile, so anything around that ant nest won't grow. 351 00:24:07,400 --> 00:24:12,120 And he had thousands of them, so he was losing a lot of pasture. 352 00:24:12,120 --> 00:24:16,640 And so I was up early in the morning, he was listening to the radio and I said to him, 353 00:24:16,640 --> 00:24:19,800 I said, Jim, when are we going to go out and poison these ants? 354 00:24:19,800 --> 00:24:22,840 Not now, not now, it's like 10 o'clock. 355 00:24:22,840 --> 00:24:23,920 When are we going to put it? 356 00:24:23,920 --> 00:24:27,920 Not now, 11 o'clock he said, okay, we'll go now. 357 00:24:27,920 --> 00:24:35,400 And we get out there and I said to him, Jim, why are we out now at the hottest part of 358 00:24:35,400 --> 00:24:39,040 the day poisoning these ants? 359 00:24:39,040 --> 00:24:44,920 Wouldn't it have been easier doing it like 5 in the morning when it's not so hot? 360 00:24:44,920 --> 00:24:51,800 Because what you don't understand is he says at 12 noon for an ant nest there's no shade, 361 00:24:51,800 --> 00:24:57,960 there's no shadow and all those little critters are in their hole, that's the time to poison 362 00:24:57,960 --> 00:25:04,480 them because when the sun moves and there's a shadow and it's cooler, they come out and 363 00:25:04,480 --> 00:25:08,000 they take the poison with them and they bring it back in the nest. 364 00:25:08,000 --> 00:25:14,340 What I'm saying is simply this, at 12 noon there's no shadow. 365 00:25:14,340 --> 00:25:17,000 This is the example that God is giving here. 366 00:25:17,000 --> 00:25:24,920 Then we simply lay the foundation and get these simple things right that even in a dark 367 00:25:24,920 --> 00:25:30,200 time, a hard time, a test or a trial, God will come through and any darkness that may 368 00:25:30,200 --> 00:25:33,280 try to invade you, you'll be at 12 noon. 369 00:25:33,280 --> 00:25:38,540 You ever notice, you try and look for your shadow when it's exactly 12 noon or that time 370 00:25:38,540 --> 00:25:42,000 of the day when the sun is right above you? 371 00:25:42,000 --> 00:25:48,840 The shadow is very minimal and that's what God is saying that he will see to it if we 372 00:25:48,840 --> 00:25:54,880 look after people whether they're saved or not to go out and make it our interest to 373 00:25:54,880 --> 00:26:00,640 help people, to bless people, to be kind to people that God himself is saying that I'll 374 00:26:00,640 --> 00:26:03,200 make sure I'll take care of you. 375 00:26:03,200 --> 00:26:08,000 When I take care of you, I'll bless you, I'll take care of you, I'll take care of your provisions, 376 00:26:08,000 --> 00:26:13,920 I'll take care of your health and so because I'm seeing that you are someone that is really 377 00:26:13,920 --> 00:26:16,080 dedicated to doing what I've called you to do. 378 00:26:16,080 --> 00:26:23,040 You see, this is the foundation for fasting and if we don't have this foundation that 379 00:26:23,040 --> 00:26:28,800 fasting then becomes about us, about my needs, about my wants, not about the world, not about 380 00:26:28,800 --> 00:26:32,840 the calling that we have on our life. 381 00:26:32,840 --> 00:26:37,440 If you extend verse 10, your soul to the hungry and satisfy the afflicted soul, then your 382 00:26:37,440 --> 00:26:41,280 light shall dawn in the darkness and your darkness shall be as the noonday, the Lord 383 00:26:41,280 --> 00:26:44,200 will guide you continually and goes on and on and on. 384 00:26:44,200 --> 00:26:49,040 I just want to pull up something here this morning before I close on the last scripture 385 00:26:49,040 --> 00:26:56,960 and it's verse 13 that I see is causing a lot of confusion in the Christian church today. 386 00:26:56,960 --> 00:27:02,600 Obviously what I'm about to share about the Sabbath, a lot of it is taken from this passage 387 00:27:02,600 --> 00:27:07,960 of scripture verse 13 that if you want God to bless you then this is what you need to do. 388 00:27:07,960 --> 00:27:12,080 So we don't want to turn away our foot from the Sabbath and from doing your pleasure on 389 00:27:12,080 --> 00:27:16,480 His holy day and call the Sabbath a delight. 390 00:27:16,480 --> 00:27:20,320 So let me just stop there and park here for a little bit. 391 00:27:20,320 --> 00:27:33,280 I am amazed that how many people are falling for this teaching that as a Christian, a blood 392 00:27:33,280 --> 00:27:41,160 bought, blood washed, born again, spirit filled, child of God, going back to keeping a Sabbath. 393 00:27:41,160 --> 00:27:44,680 They're saying if you don't keep the Sabbath you're not saved. 394 00:27:44,680 --> 00:27:48,320 I don't know if any of you guys have heard this getting around but it's like a whirlwind. 395 00:27:48,320 --> 00:27:52,480 We talk about typhoons in the Philippines. 396 00:27:52,480 --> 00:27:55,040 This is like a typhoon sweeping through the church. 397 00:27:55,040 --> 00:28:00,440 Can I just park there and just bring a little bit of teaching on this and a bit of correction 398 00:28:00,440 --> 00:28:07,360 that you do not have to keep that Sabbath. 399 00:28:07,360 --> 00:28:13,400 The Bible says that Jesus is the Lord of the Sabbath so what does that mean? 400 00:28:13,400 --> 00:28:18,960 Is not the blood of Jesus or was not enough to cleanse us from all our sin? 401 00:28:18,960 --> 00:28:22,720 Can somebody please give me a witness here? 402 00:28:22,720 --> 00:28:28,680 Was His sacrifice all sufficient or was it only partly done? 403 00:28:28,680 --> 00:28:36,280 Was the cross of Calvary, did it only take care of part of our salvation or did it take 404 00:28:36,280 --> 00:28:38,600 care of all of it? 405 00:28:38,600 --> 00:28:39,960 All of it. 406 00:28:39,960 --> 00:28:47,520 So then why would we go back to pick up an old ordinance to try and improve on what Christ 407 00:28:47,520 --> 00:28:49,180 has done? 408 00:28:49,180 --> 00:28:57,440 It doesn't work and yet we are seeing members of the body of Christ falling for this modern 409 00:28:57,440 --> 00:28:58,440 teaching. 410 00:28:58,440 --> 00:28:59,440 It's not modern at all. 411 00:28:59,440 --> 00:29:01,920 It's been around a long time. 412 00:29:01,920 --> 00:29:10,080 Now the Sabbath itself, Jesus is the Lord of the Sabbath. 413 00:29:10,080 --> 00:29:13,680 We need to look at the first, the law of first mention. 414 00:29:13,680 --> 00:29:21,560 The Sabbath is in the first chapter, the book of Genesis and when God had finished creating 415 00:29:21,560 --> 00:29:25,320 on the seventh day, what did God do? 416 00:29:25,320 --> 00:29:34,640 He rested and He Himself expected the Israelites to continue on on this day of rest. 417 00:29:34,640 --> 00:29:38,320 Now the question is why did God rest? 418 00:29:38,320 --> 00:29:40,140 Let me say this way. 419 00:29:40,140 --> 00:29:44,600 God did not rest because He was tired. 420 00:29:44,600 --> 00:29:48,640 God rested because the work was finished. 421 00:29:48,640 --> 00:29:50,600 The work was finished. 422 00:29:50,600 --> 00:29:57,720 Jesus on the cross of Calvary, He said, it is finished. 423 00:29:57,720 --> 00:30:05,880 That from that day on, the Lord of the Sabbath, that Jesus being our all in all, that His 424 00:30:05,880 --> 00:30:14,080 blood was more than enough to cleanse us from all sin. 425 00:30:14,080 --> 00:30:24,360 Every day now is a Sabbath because the Sabbath means to rest from works as a born again believer. 426 00:30:24,360 --> 00:30:29,400 We rest from works trying to be saved by our own works. 427 00:30:29,400 --> 00:30:31,160 That's been taken care of. 428 00:30:31,160 --> 00:30:33,820 It's all about the grace of God now. 429 00:30:33,820 --> 00:30:39,080 By grace you have been saved, not of works, lest any of us would boast. 430 00:30:39,080 --> 00:30:41,560 It is a gift of God. 431 00:30:41,560 --> 00:30:45,840 And so every day, Saturday is a Sabbath for us. 432 00:30:45,840 --> 00:30:47,640 Sunday is a Sabbath for us. 433 00:30:47,640 --> 00:30:49,640 Monday is a Sabbath for us. 434 00:30:49,640 --> 00:30:55,540 Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, Saturday and Sunday and over and over and over. 435 00:30:55,540 --> 00:30:56,600 Every day is a Sabbath. 436 00:30:56,600 --> 00:31:04,080 So why would we go out of that from under His grace to try and perfect things of the 437 00:31:04,080 --> 00:31:05,080 old? 438 00:31:05,080 --> 00:31:08,880 You see the cross of Calvary, we just see it there. 439 00:31:08,880 --> 00:31:16,560 Because one of three things, it allows things from the old to pass through to the new. 440 00:31:16,560 --> 00:31:20,840 Other things come to the cross from the Old Testament and they drop. 441 00:31:20,840 --> 00:31:24,360 And other things it perfects. 442 00:31:24,360 --> 00:31:28,880 You see the keeping of the ordinances came to the cross at Calvary and it dropped, didn't 443 00:31:28,880 --> 00:31:31,760 go through. 444 00:31:31,760 --> 00:31:38,160 But we see the requirement of love and honour and honouring our parents comes to the cross 445 00:31:38,160 --> 00:31:42,160 and it went straight through. 446 00:31:42,160 --> 00:31:47,120 We see the priesthood of Christ, the priesthood of the Old Testament comes to the cross and 447 00:31:47,120 --> 00:31:52,120 from there on it's perfected in Jesus. 448 00:31:52,120 --> 00:31:57,920 The Sabbath came to the cross and from there it was perfected. 449 00:31:57,920 --> 00:32:02,440 The Sabbath was a one day from the cross, it's every day. 450 00:32:02,440 --> 00:32:04,340 Every day we rest. 451 00:32:04,340 --> 00:32:08,000 Every day we experience the wonderful grace of God. 452 00:32:08,000 --> 00:32:09,280 Every day. 453 00:32:09,280 --> 00:32:12,360 So why would you want to go back? 454 00:32:12,360 --> 00:32:13,360 Why? 455 00:32:13,360 --> 00:32:19,040 And I hope that really makes it clear. 456 00:32:19,040 --> 00:32:32,680 I'm just quickly finished on Galatians chapter 5 verse 19 to 21. 457 00:32:32,680 --> 00:32:36,400 It speaks about the work of the flesh. 458 00:32:36,400 --> 00:32:41,600 Verse 22 and on speaks about the fruit of the Spirit. 459 00:32:41,600 --> 00:32:49,760 Did you know that the fruit of the Spirit, its primary purpose is so that we would walk 460 00:32:49,760 --> 00:32:54,040 in right relationship with each other and with God? 461 00:32:54,040 --> 00:32:57,320 Did you know that? 462 00:32:57,320 --> 00:33:03,620 But the work of the flesh is the very thing that tries to destroy relationships. 463 00:33:03,620 --> 00:33:08,320 Remember God is about relationships, He's about us relating with each other and loving 464 00:33:08,320 --> 00:33:13,360 one another and where the brethren dwell together in unity, God commands a blessing. 465 00:33:13,360 --> 00:33:16,260 He doesn't suggest it, He commands it. 466 00:33:16,260 --> 00:33:20,720 But the devil works with the flesh, with adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lewdness and all 467 00:33:20,720 --> 00:33:23,900 the rest of all that stuff, that horrible things. 468 00:33:23,900 --> 00:33:28,000 But in verse 22 it says, but the fruit of the Spirit, the evidence of the Spirit of 469 00:33:28,000 --> 00:33:35,400 God in a believer's life is simply this, love and joy and peace, long suffering, kindness, 470 00:33:35,400 --> 00:33:39,280 goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control against there is no law. 471 00:33:39,280 --> 00:33:45,520 In other words, this is relating back to Isaiah 58, how we relate to one another, whether 472 00:33:45,520 --> 00:33:51,840 that people be saved or not, how a husband relates to his wife, wife to the husband, 473 00:33:51,840 --> 00:33:58,120 children to the parents, parents to the children, siblings to each other. 474 00:33:58,120 --> 00:34:03,760 You see it really matters a lot to God that we get these relational issues right in the 475 00:34:03,760 --> 00:34:05,040 things of God. 476 00:34:05,040 --> 00:34:11,840 They too are foundational to fasting, they are entirely foundational. 477 00:34:11,840 --> 00:34:16,640 And it goes on to say, and those who are Christ have crucified the flesh with its passions 478 00:34:16,640 --> 00:34:23,520 and desires, if we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit, amen. 479 00:34:23,520 --> 00:34:30,440 Let us not become conceited, provoking one another and envying one another. 480 00:34:30,440 --> 00:34:36,440 Guys, fasting has a foundation. 481 00:34:36,440 --> 00:34:41,360 The foundation is how we relate with each other. 482 00:34:41,360 --> 00:34:43,400 It is so important. 483 00:34:43,400 --> 00:34:49,120 We really got to see how important it is to be in right relationship with the person beside 484 00:34:49,120 --> 00:34:52,280 you, behind you, in front of you. 485 00:34:52,280 --> 00:34:55,040 It means everything to God. 486 00:34:55,040 --> 00:35:05,220 Jesus paid a heavy price, not only for our salvation, but for unity amongst us. 487 00:35:05,220 --> 00:35:09,320 Jesus actually prayed, let it be on earth as it is in heaven. 488 00:35:09,320 --> 00:35:10,640 What's in heaven? 489 00:35:10,640 --> 00:35:17,680 There is a unity so tight in heaven, God wanted to see that here on earth. 490 00:35:17,680 --> 00:35:22,480 And when we dwell together in unity, I tell you, it's a wonderful blessing. 491 00:35:22,480 --> 00:35:29,600 So fasting, if we're going to call a fast, I believe we need to start looking at some 492 00:35:29,600 --> 00:35:30,600 foundations. 493 00:35:30,600 --> 00:35:36,880 I'm not saying that it's you, I'm just saying it's probably good to check. 494 00:35:36,880 --> 00:35:41,920 Is there anyone that I haven't forgiven or withholding forgiveness toward? 495 00:35:41,920 --> 00:35:47,840 Is there someone that I'm ignoring? 496 00:35:47,840 --> 00:35:54,360 Is there somebody that I'm talking badly against? 497 00:35:54,360 --> 00:35:58,800 Is there someone I know that is in need and I know that I can meet that need, but I don't 498 00:35:58,800 --> 00:36:01,240 want to do it. 499 00:36:01,240 --> 00:36:09,560 See folks, this is all about relationships, the whole thing. 500 00:36:09,560 --> 00:36:18,240 So I want to just finish by saying this, fasting is good, but let's not be like the Israelites 501 00:36:18,240 --> 00:36:22,000 that go, God, I fasted and look at me. 502 00:36:22,000 --> 00:36:28,800 You're not even listening and I'm suffering. 503 00:36:28,800 --> 00:36:34,320 Fasting again is nil by mouth. 504 00:36:34,320 --> 00:36:40,920 Fasting will bring us back in alignment with truth, with God. 505 00:36:40,920 --> 00:36:45,480 Fasting doesn't change God's mind about anything. 506 00:36:45,480 --> 00:36:47,960 Fasting changes our heart. 507 00:36:47,960 --> 00:36:49,680 That's what it does. 508 00:36:49,680 --> 00:36:56,000 And fasting keeps our heart soft and pliable before God. 509 00:36:56,000 --> 00:36:58,000 Amen. 510 00:36:58,000 --> 00:37:01,720 Praise be to God. 511 00:37:01,720 --> 00:37:09,240 Now as I close, I'd just like to ask, is there any person here today that maybe you have 512 00:37:09,240 --> 00:37:15,120 never received Christ as your Lord and Savior? 513 00:37:15,120 --> 00:37:21,080 I'd like to give you the opportunity to come forward and surrender your life to Jesus. 514 00:37:21,080 --> 00:37:27,440 Is there anyone here today that you are in a place where you're kind of like on the fence? 515 00:37:27,440 --> 00:37:29,100 Let me encourage you. 516 00:37:29,100 --> 00:37:34,160 See someone, the person you came with today and let them know, I want to know more about 517 00:37:34,160 --> 00:37:35,160 Jesus. 518 00:37:35,160 --> 00:37:38,280 Be the best thing that you'll ever do in your entire life. 519 00:37:38,280 --> 00:37:44,400 Last thing, I'd just like to pray for any person today that you feel that whatever area 520 00:37:44,400 --> 00:37:47,540 in your life that you need, pray, just come forward. 521 00:37:47,540 --> 00:37:49,440 Just come forward, amen. 522 00:37:49,440 --> 00:37:50,440 Just come forward. 523 00:37:50,440 --> 00:37:51,440 Why don't you do that now? 524 00:37:51,440 --> 00:37:57,000 Why don't you just come forward now and I'll pray for you. 525 00:37:57,000 --> 00:37:58,500 Thank you for joining us. 526 00:37:58,500 --> 00:38:01,240 We pray God's richest blessing on your life. 527 00:38:01,240 --> 00:38:05,820 If you haven't already, make sure to join us on Facebook, Instagram, and YouTube. 528 00:38:05,820 --> 00:38:09,500 You can also find us at LoganCityChristianChurch.com. 529 00:38:09,500 --> 00:38:27,400 See you next week.