Delight – Page 3 – Praying Pint

15.x. “This is the bread that comes down from heaven”

John 6:35 Jesus said to them, “I am the bread of life; whoever comes to me shall not hunger, and whoever believes in me shall never thirst. But I said to you that you have seen me and yet do not believe. All that the Father gives me will come to me, and whoever comes to me I will never cast out. For I have come down from heaven, not to do my own will but the will of him who sent me. And this is the will of him who sent me, that I should lose nothing of all that he has given me, but raise it up on the last day. For this is the will of my Father, that everyone who looks on the Son and believes in him should have eternal life, and I will raise him up on the last day.”

John 6:48-58 I am the bread of life. Your fathers ate the manna in the wilderness, and they died. This is the bread that comes down from heaven, so that one may eat of it and not die. I am the living bread that came down from heaven. If anyone eats of this bread, he will live forever. And the bread that I will give for the life of the world is my flesh.”

Isaiah 55:1-3 “Come, everyone who thirsts, come to the waters; and he who has no money, come, buy and eat! Come, buy wine and milk without money and without price. Why do you spend your money for that which is not bread, and your labor for that which does not satisfy? Listen diligently to me, and eat what is good, and delight yourselves in rich food. Incline your ear, and come to me; hear, that your soul may live; and I will make with you an everlasting covenant

“I am the bread of life”, “whoever comes to me I will never cast out”, “I am the living bread”, Jesus is both living water and living bread. In other words He will satisfy Christ and hunger of the soul of all who come to Him. Spurgeon said, “ coming is a very simple action indeed; it seems to have only two things about it, one is, to come away from something, and the other is, to come to something.” What are we to come away from? Unbelief, worldliness, sinfulness, greed, pride, self-reliance, fear, worry, and self-satisfaction are all aspects of life we are to turn away from and repent of, and come to Jesus Christ. I guess I see that the coming part seems easy for some, it is the staying that is hard for them. They come but do not stay. It is as if they don’t like the taste of the Bread of Life and more. Be mindful that there are many things in our culture that will pull you away from being a humble servant, honoring, glorifying, following, worshiping, and obeying Jesus Christ. It does us well to keep a thirst and hunger for God’s Word and the Holy Spirit’s leading in our life. Come and stay at the table and eat and drink God’s Word each day.

15.p. “I seek not my own will but the will of him who sent me.”

John 5:30 “I can do nothing on my own. As I hear, I judge, and my judgment is just, because I seek not my own will but the will of him who sent me.

John 14:10    Do you not believe that I am in the Father and the Father is in me? The words that I say to you I do not speak on my own authority, but the Father who dwells in me does his works.

John 8:42     Jesus said to them, “If God were your Father, you would love me, for I came from God and I am here. I came not of my own accord, but he sent me.

John 8:28     So Jesus said to them, “When you have lifted up the Son of Man, then you will know that I am he, and that I do nothing on my own authority, but speak just as the Father taught me.

Psalms 40:7-8    Then I said, “Behold, I have come; in the scroll of the book it is written of me:  I delight to do your will, O my God; your law is within my heart.”

John 4:34     Jesus said to them, “My food is to do the will of him who sent me and to accomplish his work.

Psalms 96:13    before the LORD, for he comes, for he comes to judge the earth. He will judge the world in righteousness, and the peoples in his faithfulness.

Isaiah 11:3-4    And his delight shall be in the fear of the LORD. He shall not judge by what his eyes see, or decide disputes by what his ears hear,  but with righteousness he shall judge the poor, and decide with equity for the meek of the earth; and he shall strike the earth with the rod of his mouth, and with the breath of his lips he shall kill the wicked.

Romans 2:5    But because of your hard and impenitent heart you are storing up wrath for yourself on the day of wrath when God’s righteous judgment will be revealed.

Jesus explained that He is qualified as a completely righteous judge because His power is in submission too and to do the will of God the Father. How much of our day(s) do we do our will without a single thought too doing the will of God? I am certain there are those who believe there is God or a god but give no thought to having a personal relationship with Him. There are fewer who believe Jesus Christ was the Son of God and even of these there are many who give no thought to having a personal relationship with Him. If we are to come to the Father we must come through Jesus Christ, the Son of God. Here is the difference between these and those who have had a personal relationship with the Son and the Father. Those who believe trust in, cling too and rely on Jesus Christ. They are aware of sin, their sin, and the Holiness of the Son, Jesus Christ, and the Father, God. In this awareness, they seek to have a relationship with Jesus Christ. In this awareness, they have an understanding that has been given to them by and through Jesus Christ. In this awareness, they have intentionally chosen to seek this relationship and believed the Gospel of Jesus Christ. In this awareness, they have sought forgiveness, repented of their sin, and believed in salvation and redemption through Jesus Christ. There is more than just head knowledge. The difference is that they personally know Jesus Christ rather than knowledge of Him. They have made an intentional choice to surrender, serve, listen, follow, yield, trust, obey, honor, and glorify Jesus Christ. They do not seek their own will but continually seek to do the will of Jesus Christ every day. They do not seek to honor themselves.

Judgment is coming and the wrath of God is being stored up against all who reject Jesus Christ. Today we are closer to this coming judgment than before. The warning has been given that this judgment is coming. The warning has been given that all who reject Jesus Christ will go to hell and be tormented forever and ever in eternity. It is out of love that God sends these warnings. “For God so loved the world that He sent His only Son, that whosoever believe in Him should not perish but have eternal life.” “not wishing that any should perish, but that all should reach repentance.” “But because of your hard and unrepentant heart, you are storing up wrath for yourself on the day of wrath when God’s righteous judgment will be revealed.”

Knowing of Jesus Christ will never result in repentance or trust. Knowing Jesus Christ will. Behold, He stands at the door of your heart, knocking. Open that door and allow Him in.

15.m. “See, you are well! Sin no more, that nothing worse may happen to you.”

John 5:10 Now that day was the Sabbath. So the Jews said to the man who had been healed, “It is the Sabbath, and it is not lawful for you to take up your bed.” But he answered them, “The man who healed me, that man said to me, ‘Take up your bed, and walk.’” They asked him, “Who is the man who said to you, ‘Take up your bed and walk’?” Now the man who had been healed did not know who it was, for Jesus had withdrawn, as there was a crowd in the place. Afterward Jesus found him in the temple and said to him, “See, you are well! Sin no more, that nothing worse may happen to you.” The man went away and told the Jews that it was Jesus who had healed him. And this was why the Jews were persecuting Jesus, because he was doing these things on the Sabbath. But Jesus answered them, “My Father is working until now, and I am working.”

Isaiah 58:13 “If you turn back your foot from the Sabbath, from doing your pleasure on my holy day, and call the Sabbath a delight and the holy day of the LORD honorable; if you honor it, not going your own ways, or seeking your own pleasure, or talking idly;

Luke 13:14 But the ruler of the synagogue, indignant because Jesus had healed on the Sabbath, said to the people, “There are six days in which work ought to be done. Come on those days and be healed, and not on the Sabbath day.”

Carrying a bed (actually a sleeping-mat or a bedroll) was in fact a violation of the rabbis’ interpretation of the commandment against doing work or business on the Sabbath. It was not a breaking of God’s law of the Sabbath, but the human interpretation of God’s law. “Jesus persistently maintained that it is lawful on the sabbath to do good. He ignored the mass of scribal regulations, and thus inevitably came into conflict with the authorities.” Doesn’t it seem a bit strange that the Rabbi’s wanted to know who told the crippled man to carry his bed-mat rather than who had healed him? To the healed man, Jesus would have been seen as a miracle worker and healer. To the Jewish leaders, a Sabbath Lawbreaker.

It is important to note that when Jesus found the healed cripple in the temple He said “See, you are well! Sin no more, that nothing worse may happen to you.” What could be worse than 38 years being crippled? What was Jesus referring too? A person who goes on knowingly sinning and rejecting God’s warning will experience the wrath and anger of God. Hell is a place of eternal darkness and torment of the soul. It is a place from which there is no return and no relief for eternity. The road to hell is very wide and it is lined with all sorts of excuses for the reason a person is living, acting, thinking, and talking. Out of the abundance of the heart, the mouth will speak and actions will be taken. When there is rejection neglect of God’s Word in your heart, mind, and soul, something else from this world will surely fill it. This filling will seem to satisfy but in the end, it will rob you of eternity in heaven. Our lives ought to be Jesus-honoring reflections of continued growth in faith, love, mercy, hope, and grace. Do not fill your heart with what this world has to offer. Seek and desire God’s Word with all your heart, mind, soul, and strength and purpose to honor, glorify, worship, follow, trust, and obey Him now and for eternity.

15.h. “I have treasured the words of his mouth more than my portion of food.”

John 4:34 Jesus said to them, “My food is to do the will of him who sent me and to accomplish his work. Do you not say, ‘There are yet four months, then comes the harvest’? Look, I tell you, lift up your eyes, and see that the fields are white for harvest. Already the one who reaps is receiving wages and gathering fruit for eternal life, so that sower and reaper may rejoice together. For here the saying holds true, One sows and another reaps.’ I sent you to reap that for which you did not labor. Others have labored, and you have entered into their labor.”

Psalms 40:8  I delight to do your will, O my God; your law is within my heart.”

Job 23:12    I have not departed from the commandment of his lips; I have treasured the words of his mouth more than my portion of food.

Hebrews 12:2   looking to Jesus, the founder and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is seated at the right hand of the throne of God.

Jesus wasn’t saying that food and drink and rest are not important. Instead, He wanted His disciples to know that life was more than those things; that man does not eat by bread alone. Jesus was refreshed by a “nourishment” that was hidden from them. Jesus did not have His focus primarily on the work, the need, the strategy, the techniques, or even the needy soul. First and foremost His focus was on doing the will of Him who sent Me. (Enduring Word) “The man of the world thinks that, if he could have his own way, he would be perfectly happy, and his dream of happiness in this state or in the next is comprised in this, that his own wishes will be gratified, his own longings fulfilled, his own desires granted to him. This is all a mistake. A man will never be happy in this way.” (Spurgeon) “The harvest is ready. The wages are there. Let no man hang back. A harvest will not wait.” (Morris) Jesus warned His disciples to not think, there are still four months and then comes the harvest. If they had the eyes to see it, the harvest was ready now – even white for harvest, implying that the grain was fully ripe or over ripe.

Wouldn’t be nice if every morning when we awoke we would have these two thoughts; 1. To do the will of Him who sends us. 2. The harvest is ripe and ready.

14.k. “‘Behold, I send my messenger before your face, who will prepare your way before you.’’

John 1:6 There was a man sent from God, whose name was John. He came as a witness, to bear witness about the light, that all might believe through him. He was not the light, but came to bear witness about the light.

Malachi 3:1    “Behold, I send my messenger, and he will prepare the way before me. And the Lord whom you seek will suddenly come to his temple; and the messenger of the covenant in whom you delight, behold, he is coming, says the LORD of hosts.

Acts 13:24    Before his coming, John had proclaimed a baptism of repentance to all the people of Israel.

Matthew 11:10    This is he of whom it is written, “‘Behold, I send my messenger before your face, who will prepare your way before you.’

Acts 19:4    And Paul said, “John baptized with the baptism of repentance, telling the people to believe in the one who was to come after him, that is, Jesus.”

1 Timothy 2:4    who desires all people to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth.

2 Peter 3:9    The Lord is not slow to fulfill his promise as some count slowness, but is patient toward you, not wishing that any should perish, but that all should reach repentance.

After Malachi, there was a famine. Amos 8:11 Behold, the days come, saith the Lord God, that I will send a famine in the land, not a famine of bread, nor a thirst for water, but of hearing the words of the Lord. This famine lasted greater than 400 years and then there was John. You have to know there were some Jewish people looking forward to this day. They knew the scriptures that spoke of one coming to prepare the way. They would be seeing every day as a new day closer to the coming of this messenger who was going to usher in the coming of the Lord. And then all of a sudden there was John proclaiming repentance and the baptism of repentance. He was preparing the way for the new covenant, the Good News, the Gospel of Jesus Christ. He was not the light but was witness to the light.

When you give thought to this you start to lay the foundation of God’s Grace, Mercy, and Love in your heart. This foundation shows just how much God cares for every single person and how He not only sent a messenger to bear witness to the light but also to prepare the way for each of us to understand salvation and believe in Jesus Christ. God’s plans and timing are perfect. God’s plan was for a famine of hearing His Word, a messenger to prepare the way, and to send His Son. Whenever you might think God’s love is far off remember how He reached out to you and all of mankind through the messenger, John, and through the redeemer Jesus Christ.

14.j. “And he is before all things, and in him all things hold together.”

John 1:1 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God. All things were made through him, and without him was not any thing made that was made. In him was life, and the life was the light of men. The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it.

Proverbs 8:22-31    “The LORD possessed me at the beginning of his work, the first of his acts of old.  Ages ago I was set up, at the first, before the beginning of the earth.  When there were no depths I was brought forth, when there were no springs abounding with water.  Before the mountains had been shaped, before the hills, I was brought forth,  before he had made the earth with its fields, or the first of the dust of the world.  When he established the heavens, I was there; when he drew a circle on the face of the deep,  when he made firm the skies above, when he established the fountains of the deep,  when he assigned to the sea its limit, so that the waters might not transgress his command, when he marked out the foundations of the earth,  then I was beside him, like a master workman, and I was daily his delight, rejoicing before him always,  rejoicing in his inhabited world and delighting in the children of man.

Colossians 1:17    And he is before all things, and in him all things hold together.

Hebrews 1:10    And, “You, Lord, laid the foundation of the earth in the beginning, and the heavens are the work of your hands;

Psalms 33:6    By the word of the LORD the heavens were made, and by the breath of his mouth all their host.

Isaiah 45:12    I made the earth and created man on it; it was my hands that stretched out the heavens, and I commanded all their host.

John 8:12    Again Jesus spoke to them, saying, “I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will not walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.”

We think of Jesus Christ as our redeemer and savior. We trust in God’s Word that says He sent His Son into the world to redeem the lost and whosoever believes in Him will have eternal life. Do you ever give thought to where He came from? It may give you a greater appreciation for His love for you. Before the beginning and before creation and before heavenly hosts, earth, and living plants and creatures Jesus Christ was. He existed in eternity. He is Holy, Pure, and True. He willingly came to earth, taking on the form of man, healed the sick, blind, deaf, lame, paralyzed, dead, proclaimed the day of salvation, suffered, died, and rose again all for the single purpose – to redeem the lost and give hope to the perishing. Think about the grace, mercy, and love He displayed for you. For certain you did not deserve this gift of eternal life but in and through His power, might, and love He came and bore your sins so that you might have eternal life.

When things around you are falling apart and there seems to be no reason for you to rejoice and give praise to Jesus Christ remember who it is that gave His life just for you.

14.f. “Partial obedience is not obedience”

Malachi 3:8 Will man rob God? Yet you are robbing me. But you say, ‘How have we robbed you?’ In your tithes and contributions. You are cursed with a curse, for you are robbing me, the whole nation of you. Bring the full tithe into the storehouse, that there may be food in my house. And thereby put me to the test, says the Lord of hosts, if I will not open the windows of heaven for you and pour down for you a blessing until there is no more need. I will rebuke the devourer for you, so that it will not destroy the fruits of your soil, and your vine in the field shall not fail to bear, says the Lord of hosts. Then all nations will call you blessed, for you will be a land of delight, says the Lord of hosts.

Haggai 1:6-11 You have sown much, and harvested little. You eat, but you never have enough; you drink, but you never have your fill. You clothe yourselves, but no one is warm. And he who earns wages does so to put them into a bag with holes. “Thus says the LORD of hosts: Consider your ways. Go up to the hills and bring wood and build the house, that I may take pleasure in it and that I may be glorified, says the LORD. You looked for much, and behold, it came to little. And when you brought it home, I blew it away. Why? declares the LORD of hosts. Because of my house that lies in ruins, while each of you busies himself with his own house. Therefore the heavens above you have withheld the dew, and the earth has withheld its produce.

Proverbs 3:9-10 Honor the LORD with your wealth and with the firstfruits of all your produce; then your barns will be filled with plenty, and your vats will be bursting with wine.

Remember, partial obedience is no obedience. No one benefits from a tithe he or she holds on to. The title grabbed my attention: “Our Church Was Robbed Recently.” The story that followed said: “We are thankful that no one was injured physically, but it will be some time before things are back to normal. It’s clear that more than one person is responsible – in fact, there may actually be many people who have been party to the crime. Two things are most unfortunate about the robbery – one is that we have no assurances that it won’t happen again, and that is a bit unnerving! The other unfortunate element is that we’re certain that those who carried out the robbery are members of our church. It’s bad enough to know that a theft has occurred, but it’s really hard to imagine that professing Christians would actually steal from God and the ministries of his church. We can certainly hope that anyone who has participated in this act will repent and repay what has been taken. It’s reported that some of the stolen money has been used for vacations, cars, boats, designer clothes, athletic equipment, homes, and even dining out. We don’t have a complete list of all the suspects, but there is consolation in knowing that God does. “You haven’t read about this in the papers and hopefully you won’t. I realize that some of you will disagree, but it would be difficult to get a conviction in the courts given the clever way in which the robbery was carried out. You are probably also interested in how much was taken. The amount is undetermined, but at the very least exceeds many thousands of dollars. “By the way, the robbery happened in full view of the church during Sunday services. It happened as the offering plates were passed during Sunday school and worship. It also happened as people who didn’t come simply didn’t give the Lord’s tithe.”

Remember, partial obedience is no obedience. No one benefits from a tithe he or she holds on to.

by Rick Ezell

14.c. ‘Behold, I send my messenger before your face,”

Malachi 3:1 “Behold, I send my messenger, and he will prepare the way before me. And the Lord whom you seek will suddenly come to his temple; and the messenger of the covenant in whom you delight, behold, he is coming, says the Lord of hosts

Matthew 11:10-11    This is he of whom it is written, “‘Behold, I send my messenger before your face, who will prepare your way before you.’

Luke 7:26-28    What then did you go out to see? A prophet? Yes, I tell you, and more than a prophet.  This is he of whom it is written, “‘Behold, I send my messenger before your face, who will prepare your way before you.’  I tell you, among those born of women none is greater than John. Yet the one who is least in the kingdom of God is greater than he.”

John 1:6-7    There was a man sent from God, whose name was John.  He came as a witness, to bear witness about the light, that all might believe through him.

Acts 13:24-25    Before his coming, John had proclaimed a baptism of repentance to all the people of Israel.  And as John was finishing his course, he said, ‘What do you suppose that I am? I am not he. No, but behold, after me one is coming, the sandals of whose feet I am not worthy to untie.’

Isaiah 40:3-5  A voice cries: “In the wilderness prepare the way of the LORD; make straight in the desert a highway for our God.

Acts 19:4    And Paul said, “John baptized with the baptism of repentance, telling the people to believe in the one who was to come after him, that is, Jesus.”

After the prophet Malachi, there was no prophetic voice heard for approximately 500 years. With a prophet at least the people had a choice to listen to and obey what was being said. Amos foretold of this time; 8:11 Behold, the days come, saith the Lord God, that I will send a famine in the land, not a famine of bread, nor a thirst for water, but of hearing the words of the Lord. Without a prophet, there were multiple groups formed who were claiming the right to interpret scriptures and lead the people. The understanding of God diminished and confusion ruled. New traditions and rules were common. Along comes John the Baptist and though he was clearly revealed in scripture, John was not recognized as the prophet/messenger preparing the way. The famine of hearing the word of the Lord has an effect on mankind. Jesus Christ was not recognized.

Imagine what it must have been like for that first generation to have no more prophets. Generations after this one surely must have been looking for one to come for scriptures were full of examples of prophets sent by God to lead, warn, plead, and encourage the people. Yet, when John the Baptist arrived he was not recognized as the messenger preparing the way for the Messiah. A famine of God’s Word has an effect. It starves the heart mind and soul of the Bread of life and living water. Today there is a famine but it is not caused by Jesus Christ but rather by intentional choice. The intentional choice to neglect God’s Word. Self-induced famine. What do you suppose replaces this eternal life-giving food? Things of this world and it’s shallow satisfaction of the present and denial of the future cost to the heart, mind, and soul is what it replaces. After a while of self-induced famine the heart, mind, and soul live on the dung of this world and think it tastes good. Their hunger for the bread of life and living water is not even a memory anymore. Do you find yourself unsatisfied, confused, anxious, and worried? It could be a sign that you are starving. Come to the Word of God and eat freely from its words. You will find a fulfilling satisfaction with an unending hunger for more.

12.w. “Your words were found, and I ate them, and your words became to me a joy and the delight of my heart, for I am called by your name, O LORD, God of hosts.”

Psalms 19:7  The law of the LORD is perfect, reviving the soul; the testimony of the LORD is sure, making wise the simple; the precepts of the LORD are right, rejoicing the heart; the commandment of the LORD is pure, enlightening the eyes; the fear of the LORD is clean, enduring forever; the rules of the LORD are true, and righteous altogether. More to be desired are they than gold, even much fine gold; sweeter also than honey and drippings of the honeycomb. Moreover, by them is your servant warned; in keeping them there is great reward. Who can discern his errors? Declare me innocent from hidden faults. Keep back your servant also from presumptuous sins; let them not have dominion over me! Then I shall be blameless, and innocent of great transgression. Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be acceptable in your sight, O LORD, my rock and my redeemer.

Proverbs 8:10-11    Take my instruction instead of silver, and knowledge rather than choice gold,  for wisdom is better than jewels, and all that you may desire cannot compare with her.

Job 28:12  “But where shall wisdom be found? And where is the place of understanding? Man does not know its worth, and it is not found in the land of the living. The deep says, ‘It is not in me,’ and the sea says, ‘It is not with me.’ It cannot be bought for gold, and silver cannot be weighed as its price. It cannot be valued in the gold of Ophir, in precious onyx or sapphire. Gold and glass cannot equal it, nor can it be exchanged for jewels of fine gold.

Proverbs 3:13-15    Blessed is the one who finds wisdom, and the one who gets understanding,  for the gain from her is better than gain from silver and her profit better than gold.  She is more precious than jewels, and nothing you desire can compare with her.

Proverbs 16:16     How much better to get wisdom than gold! To get understanding is to be chosen rather than silver.

Jeremiah 15:16  Your words were found, and I ate them, and your words became to me a joy and the delight of my heart, for I am called by your name, O LORD, God of hosts.

If God’s Word was removed from you would you miss it? Would your soul feel hunger pangs? Whenever you sit down and open your Bible, you’re feasting on something that is “more… desired… than gold… sweeter… than honey”, When people lose their appetites, we worry about them. As Christians, we should have a hearty appetite for God’s Word and for the kind of righteous living it produces. Hungering for spiritual food is a good indication of our walk with God. We lose our appetite for God’s Word there is a health decline in our hearts, minds, and souls. Our understanding of the spiritual things of God is lost. Our knowledge of His great and precious promises is lost. Our ability to see spiritual battles and lies of Satan is lost. Our ability to honor, worship, glorify, follow, obey, trust, and rely on God is lost. If you have no hunger and appetite for God’s Word there is a good chance you are nearsighted, blind, and have forgotten the great price that was paid through grace, mercy, and love for you. Your walk will have the appearance of godliness and your words will have the sound of godliness but in your spirit, you are dying or dead. God’s word is not to be taken lightly. How are you to claim promises you never know? How are you to fight spiritual battles you never see? How are you to recognize sin in your life? How are you going to be able to walk by faith? How are you going to encourage, build-up, and strengthen yourself, your family, your church, and the lost? Without an appetite for God’s Word, you are becoming nothing more than walking dead.

Peter said: “His divine power has granted to us all things that pertain to life and godliness, through the knowledge of him who called us to his own glory and excellence, by which he has granted to us his precious and very great promises, so that through them you may become partakers of the divine nature, having escaped from the corruption that is in the world because of sinful desire. For this very reason, make every effort to supplement your faith with virtue, and virtue with knowledge, and knowledge with self-control, and self-control with steadfastness, and steadfastness with godliness, and godliness with brotherly affection, and brotherly affection with love. For if these qualities are yours and are increasing, they keep you from being ineffective or unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. For whoever lacks these qualities is so nearsighted that he is blind, having forgotten that he was cleansed from his former sins. Therefore, brothers, be all the more diligent to confirm your calling and election, for if you practice these qualities you will never fall. For in this way there will be richly provided for you an entrance into the eternal kingdom of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.

Therefore I intend always to remind you of these qualities, though you know them and are established in the truth that you have. I think it right, as long as I am in this body, to stir you up by way of a reminder since I know that the putting off of my body will be soon, as our Lord Jesus Christ made clear to me. And I will make every effort so that after my departure you may be able at any time to recall these things.”

12.l. “He died for all, that those who live might no longer live for themselves but for him who for their sake died and was raised.”

Zachariah 7:1 In the fourth year of King Darius, the word of the Lord came to Zechariah on the fourth day of the ninth month, the month of Kislev. The people of Bethel had sent Sharezer and Regem-Melek, together with their men, to entreat the Lord by asking the priests of the house of the Lord Almighty and the prophets, “Should I mourn and fast in the fifth month, as I have done for so many years?” Then the word of the Lord Almighty came to me: “Ask all the people of the land and the priests, ‘When you fasted and mourned in the fifth and seventh months for the past seventy years, was it really for me that you fasted? And when you were eating and drinking, were you not just feasting for yourselves? Are these not the words the Lord proclaimed through the earlier prophets when Jerusalem and its surrounding towns were at rest and prosperous, and the Negev and the western foothills were settled?’”

Isaiah 58:1  “Cry aloud; do not hold back; lift up your voice like a trumpet; declare to my people their transgression, to the house of Jacob their sins.Yet they seek me daily and delight to know my ways, as if they were a nation that did righteousness and did not forsake the judgment of their God; they ask of me righteous judgments; they delight to draw near to God.‘Why have we fasted, and you see it not? Why have we humbled ourselves, and you take no knowledge of it?’ Behold, in the day of your fast you seek your own pleasure, and oppress all your workers. Behold, you fast only to quarrel and to fight and to hit with a wicked fist. Fasting like yours this day will not make your voice to be heard on high. Is such the fast that I choose, a day for a person to humble himself? Is it to bow down his head like a reed, and to spread sackcloth and ashes under him? Will you call this a fast, and a day acceptable to the LORD?“Is not this the fast that I choose: to loose the bonds of wickedness, to undo the straps of the yoke, to let the oppressed go free, and to break every yoke?Is it not to share your bread with the hungry and bring the homeless poor into your house; when you see the naked, to cover him, and not to hide yourself from your own flesh?Then shall your light break forth like the dawn, and your healing shall spring up speedily; your righteousness shall go before you; the glory of the LORD shall be your rear guard. 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, if you pour yourself out for the hungry and satisfy the desire of the afflicted, then shall your light rise in the darkness and your gloom be as the noonday. And the LORD will guide you continually and satisfy your desire in scorched places and make your bones strong; and you shall be like a watered garden, like a spring of water, whose waters do not fail.

Romans 14:17-18   For the kingdom of God is not a matter of eating and drinking but of righteousness and peace and joy in the Holy Spirit.

1 Corinthians 10:31   So, whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God.

2 Corinthians 5:15    and he died for all, that those who live might no longer live for themselves but for him who for their sake died and was raised.

Colossians 3:23    Whatever you do, work heartily, as for the Lord and not for men,

The Law of Moses only commanded one fast day, on the Day of Atonement. In addition to this day, during the exile, the Jewish people instituted four more fasts to remember key dates in the tragic defeat of their nation. These additional fasts were not commanded by God, but instituted by man. Yet because they were traditionally practiced for so long (at least 70 years), they developed an authority of their own. God’s word through Zechariah rebuked the people of God for what their fasting had become – indulgent pity-parties instead of a time to genuinely seek God. Their lives were not right when they did eat and drink – that they did for themselves, not for the LORD. A few days of fasting every year could not make up for the rest of the year lived for self. Because their hearts were not right with God, their rituals were not right before God. Everyday obedience would make their times of fasting meaningful, but their neglect of everyday obedience made their fasting hypocritical. Instead of actively performing and pretending, God wants us to focus on active obedience and an active walk with Him. Think about this; these additional fasts were established by man to remember what had happened to them when they were disobedient to God and they became a man-made way of getting right before God. They established special days where they would piously observe fasting and yet the rest of the time they lived for self. This is not obedience but rather ritual. A heart for God will be a heart for God every day, every moment, and in every fiber of the fabric of their soul, not just on special days.