Fasting for Yourself or God?

It is a tragedy the Christian life for many is an ever-increasing litany of "do's and don'ts."  People focused on external works of doing good or avoiding sin forms their own identity and sets them at odds with fellow believers.  Don't misunderstand:  we ought to be obedient to the commands of our Saviour, and we also ought to put off sinful deeds, thoughts, and motives.  What defines a Christian is not what he does or doesn't do, but Jesus Christ who has saved him!  Being born again by grace through faith is an supernatural inner work by the Holy Spirit of God which will certainly be perceived outwardly.

The Jews set a very high standard of outward obedience to the Law.  Amazingly complex and technical definitions of sin were established and observed according to oral tradition, and man taught as Law the traditions of the elders.  In the book of Zechariah, God pointed out prolonged fasts the Jews observed even in captivity.  Zechariah 7:4-6 reads, "Then the word of the LORD of hosts came to me, saying, ⁵ "Say to all the people of the land, and to the priests: 'When you fasted and mourned in the fifth and seventh months during those seventy years, did you really fast for Me--for Me? ⁶ When you eat and when you drink, do you not eat and drink for yourselves?"  As always, God went straight to the heart of the matter.  It was all fine and good for people to fast in the fifth and seventh months, yet God questioned their motives in doing so.  What was His gauge for their sincerity?  He did not judge them pious because they did not eat - but because when they did eat they ate for themselves.  This is a earth-shattering truth.  Their denial of food was viewed as self-serving and insincere because that is how they lived the other 10 months out of the year.

Now I am not saying it is wrong in itself to observe traditions like Lent or fasting from meat, the idea being to "give something up" in devotion to God.  Some believe self-denial is a path to inner change, but this concept is not demonstrated anywhere in scripture.  We need to be made new creations as Galatians 6:15 says, "For in Christ Jesus neither circumcision nor uncircumcision avails anything, but a new creation."  Fasting is good if done according to the leading of the Holy Spirit in obedience.  Whenever you eat - at any hour anytime - do you eat as unto the LORD?  Whether we eat or do not eat, we are to do so unto the LORD (Romans 14:5-9).  What a ridiculous sham it would be to diligently fast three days a week from all food and water, yet live for yourself the other four days.  Such a life lived for self proves the fast was not for God at all!  God is the God of those who fast as well as those who eat.  Some think God is pleased with our willing self-denial of food, but God would rather us permanently fast from sin.  God spoke through the prophet in Isaiah 58:5-7, "Is it a fast that I have chosen, a day for a man to afflict his soul? Is it to bow down his head like a bulrush, and to spread out sackcloth and ashes? Would you call this a fast, and an acceptable day to the LORD? ⁶ Is this not the fast that I have chosen: to loose the bonds of wickedness, to undo the heavy burdens, to let the oppressed go free, and that you break every yoke? ⁷ Is it not to share your bread with the hungry, and that you bring to your house the poor who are cast out; when you see the naked, that you cover him, and not hide yourself from your own flesh?"

Let us keep the feast as well as the fast God spoke of.  Our aim not to be "social justice" but to do justly, to love mercy, and to walk humbly with our God (Micah 6:8).  Should we walk in God's ways Isaiah 58:8-11 says, "Then your light shall break forth like the morning, your healing shall spring forth speedily, and your righteousness shall go before you; the glory of the LORD shall be your rear guard. ⁹ Then you shall call, and the LORD will answer; you shall cry, and He will say, 'Here I am.' "If you take away the yoke from your midst, the pointing of the finger, and speaking wickedness, ¹⁰ if you extend your soul to the hungry and satisfy the afflicted soul, then your light shall dawn in the darkness, and your darkness shall be as the noonday. ¹¹ The LORD will guide you continually, and satisfy your soul in drought, and strengthen your bones; you shall be like a watered garden, and like a spring of water, whose waters do not fail."  So who are you fasting for:  God or yourself?  It is your life apart from fasting which demonstrates if you are fasting for God or yourself!  Who do you suppose gives better rewards?

Good and Acceptable Prayers

"Therefore I exhort first of all that supplications, prayers, intercessions, and giving of thanks be made for all men, ² for kings and all who are in authority, that we may lead a quiet and peaceable life in all godliness and reverence. ³ For this is good and acceptable in the sight of God our Savior, ⁴ who desires all men to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth."

1 Timothy 2:1-4

The rise of democracy has given common men a say in who holds positions of authority in government.  In the days when kings ruled, men and women did not have such a luxury.  One of the effects of this responsibility is to vocally support those whom you have voted for and approve of and to stand firmly opposed to all others.  Kings had the power to imprison and execute any who spoke or acted against them, and the freedoms afforded by democratic process have eliminated such a threat.  People who would have been branded traitors in the old days can speak their minds without fear of retribution.  The freedom to speak is not a bad thing in itself, but gives rise to a lack of respect to people God has sovereignly allowed to rule.

Daniel, a Jew held captive in Babylon affirmed in Daniel 2:20-22, "Blessed be the name of God forever and ever, for wisdom and might are His. ²¹ And He changes the times and the seasons; He removes kings and raises up kings; He gives wisdom to the wise and knowledge to those who have understanding. ²² He reveals deep and secret things; He knows what is in the darkness, and light dwells with Him."  Since God is the one who ultimately establishes rulers and sets them aside at His pleasure, we are to honour and respect those who are in authority.  All rulers - regardless of our opinions of their performance - are an extension of God's authority on earth.  Whether the Jews were ruled by King Saul, David, Nebuchadnezzar, or Caesar, it was good and acceptable in God's sight that supplications, prayers, intercessions, and giving of thanks be made for all men, for kings and all who are in authority.  To what end?  That we might lead a quiet and peaceable life in all godliness and reverence.  How often our prayers can be focused on other ends than these!

Whether or not we agree with the policies of politicians who represent us, we ought to make a strong effort in praying on their behalf.  God desires that they too be saved and come to the knowledge of the truth, even if it seems improbable they could ever change.  A leopard cannot change its spots, and all men are incapable of changing for the better.  As the only hope for a man born blind ever seeing is the power of Jesus Christ, so God provides the only hope for a peaceable life in all godliness and reverence.  Leveraging political process may have the appearance of positive change, but only God can bring this to fruition.  Christians ought to use their votes wisely, and when they have voted should continue to pray for those in authority whether you supported them or not.  All those in authority should be upheld in prayerful supplications, intercessions, and giving of thanks for all men.  God will hear and answer these prayers of faith.

God Can Do Everything

After God revealed Himself to Job, I was blessed by his observation in Job 42:2:  "I know that You can do everything, and that no purpose of Yours can be withheld from You."  Job said, "I know that You can do everything."  This is very different from Job saying, "I know you can do anything."  "Anything" and "everything" are both inclusive words, but there is a huge difference between the two.

Let's say I invite you into a shop and say, "You are welcome to take anything you want."  Though you are welcome to anything, it remains limited to a single thing.  It is quite another meaning entirely if I said, "You are welcome to take everything you want."  Not only can you have anything, but you can have everything you desire.  This is an offer without limitation.  Which is a greater claim:  to say you can do anything you want or you can do everything you want?  Everything, of course!

We say, "God can do anything!"  But it would be better to say like Job, "God can do everything!"  No purpose of God can be withheld from Him, and a God of such glorious power and goodness is worthy of all worship and praise!

Me and My House

According to the God-ordained structure of marriage and family, the husband submitted to Jesus Christ is given authority and responsibility to teach his wife and children to fear and honour God.  When this calling is mixed with pride of the flesh, only disaster can result.  In every way possible, I am called as a husband and dad to love and obey God first, and then to lead the rest of my family to do the same - like a shepherd who leads the flock.  Men can make the mistake of leaving this responsibility of their ministry to others or treat little lambs roughly as men do cattle: goading and driving oxen into confinement in pens with shouts and loud cracks of a whip.  A bruised reed Jesus did not break, and smoking flax He did not quench.  Love permeated all His speech and deeds.

It was Joshua who uttered the famous statement in Joshua 24:14-15, "Now therefore, fear the LORD, serve Him in sincerity and in truth, and put away the gods which your fathers served on the other side of the River and in Egypt. Serve the LORD! ¹⁵ And if it seems evil to you to serve the LORD, choose for yourselves this day whom you will serve, whether the gods which your fathers served that were on the other side of the River, or the gods of the Amorites, in whose land you dwell. But as for me and my house, we will serve the LORD."  For forty years after leaving Egypt, many Israelites carried the dumb idols of their fathers who perished in the wilderness with them.  Though many refused to give up their idolatry (Eze. 20:7-9), Joshua made a decision to put away all idolatry from his life, and he was going to fear and serve the LORD only.  Recognise he decided to serve God himself first and foremost.  He was not going to force on his family what he considered best for them without walking in that upright way himself.  As Joshua established his steps in God's honour, he took the initiative to lead the rest of the family to follow his God.  It's a fair question:  where do I put more emphasis concerning holiness - on "me" or "my house?"

Kids are not stupid.  They can sense hypocrisy with the best, their minds discerning right and wrong with legalistic perfection.  They know when you have had too much to drink and how that makes you act.  They know when you stay up late watching programs you would never allow them to watch.  They observe continuously how you spend your time.  They know what a priority prayer, Bible reading, and serving at church is to you.  Like it or not, we are either leading our families to Jesus through our examples or leading them away from Him.  To drive our children to do things for the sake of "because I say so" supplies nothing more than vain  tradition.  Deuteronomy 6:4-9 says, "Hear, O Israel: The LORD our God, the LORD is one! ⁵ You shall love the LORD your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your strength. ⁶ And these words which I command you today shall be in your heart. ⁷ You shall teach them diligently to your children, and shall talk of them when you sit in your house, when you walk by the way, when you lie down, and when you rise up. ⁸ You shall bind them as a sign on your hand, and they shall be as frontlets between your eyes. ⁹ You shall write them on the doorposts of your house and on your gates."  This greatest of commands is for all individuals and parents regardless of sex.  Parents have the responsibility not just to talk about God, but to live a life where God is our all in all.  Children will ultimately go their own way, and when parents follow Jesus faithfully it opens that straight narrow path which leads to eternal life for them to follow.

A life lived for God's glory has far greater weight than mere words. This is where we can go wrong.  In our own strength we can lay heavy words on others, and assure ourselves we have done our duty.  But our neglect to destroy our own idols and follow Jesus alone gives our hypocritical words a negative effect.  "Do as I say, not as I do" is the worst way a man can live  I dare say it would better to be an alcoholic, fiercely controlling, verbally abusive, hateful man who curses God and openly denies Him than to claim you fear God whilst refusing to submit to Him fully.  Many "churched" children are disillusioned by the hypocrisy of their "Christian" parents who go through the motions of service and devotion but whose hearts and lives are far from God.  If you desire to say, "As for me and my house we will serve the LORD," such a claim begins with you alone.  If you do not fear, trust, and honour God, you are incapable of rightly leading others to do so.  God can use a donkey to speak good sense, but that is no encouragement to act like one.

Follow Christ yourself, and take the initiative to lead others to do the same.  Lead as you have been led.  Be casting your cares on the LORD because He cares for you.  We are called as much as depends on us to live peaceably with all men (Romans 12:18), and this goes for our family members as well.  Empowerment of the Holy Spirit enables us to live like our Prince of Peace who always did the will of the Father.  Even Jesus had a Judas, and the only way Simon became Peter was by the grace and goodness of God.