A true fast

This passage has been on my mind for a while now, I believe it is God's true heart for the church. It starts with the people complaining that God doesn't hear them, and in many ways reminds me of the church as I know it today (whether only in North America I don't know). God then explains what he really requires, not Hypocrisy or ceremony, but love, mercy and justice. May we all aspire to live it as the church of Christ!

Isaiah 58

¹ "Shout it aloud, do not hold back.
Raise your voice like a trumpet.
Declare to my people their rebellion
and to the house of Jacob their sins.

² For day after day they seek me out;
they seem eager to know my ways,
as if they were a nation that does what is right
and has not forsaken the commands of its God.
They ask me for just decisions
and seem eager for God to come near them.

³ 'Why have we fasted,' they say,
'and you have not seen it?
Why have we humbled ourselves,
and you have not noticed?'
"Yet on the day of your fasting, you do as you please
and exploit all your workers.

⁴ Your fasting ends in quarreling and strife,
and in striking each other with wicked fists.
You cannot fast as you do today
and expect your voice to be heard on high.

⁵ Is this the kind of fast I have chosen,
only a day for a man to humble himself?
Is it only for bowing one's head like a reed
and for lying on sackcloth and ashes?
Is that what you call a fast,
a day acceptable to the LORD ?

⁶ "Is not this the kind of fasting I have chosen:
to loose the chains of injustice
and untie the cords of the yoke,
to set the oppressed free
and break every yoke?

⁷ Is it not to share your food with the hungry
and to provide the poor wanderer with shelter—
when you see the naked, to clothe him,
and not to turn away from your own flesh and blood?

⁸ Then your light will break forth like the dawn,
and your healing will quickly appear;
then your righteousness will go before you,
and the glory of the LORD will be your rear guard.

⁹ Then you will call, and the LORD will answer;
you will cry for help, and he will say: Here am I.
"If you do away with the yoke of oppression,
with the pointing finger and malicious talk,

¹⁰ and if you spend yourselves in behalf of the hungry
and satisfy the needs of the oppressed,
then your light will rise in the darkness,
and your night will become like the noonday.

¹¹ The LORD will guide you always;
he will satisfy your needs in a sun-scorched land
and will strengthen your frame.
You will be like a well-watered garden,
like a spring whose waters never fail.

¹² Your people will rebuild the ancient ruins
and will raise up the age-old foundations;
you will be called Repairer of Broken Walls,
Restorer of Streets with Dwellings.

¹³ "If you keep your feet from breaking the Sabbath
and from doing as you please on my holy day,
if you call the Sabbath a delight
and the LORD's holy day honorable,
and if you honor it by not going your own way
and not doing as you please or speaking idle words,

¹⁴ then you will find your joy in the LORD,
and I will cause you to ride on the heights of the land
and to feast on the inheritance of your father Jacob."
The mouth of the LORD has spoken.

It never get's old, man I love this passage!!!!!!!!

You were wholly my desire
I gave up all I knew for you
I followed you wholeheartedly
And did all you called me to do.

But somehow, somewhere along the way
You left me with a memory
A dream of that which we once had
And I lost touch with reality

When you were near I had no fears
No doubts plagued my happy soul
I was so sure of who I was
I had a purpose and a role

I walked in confidence and trust
I knew you'd always have my back
That you'd lead me in your ways
And never leave me in the black

This illusion of your absence
Makes me feel like I am blind
Like I've no purpose for which to live
Like I'm walking on shifting sand

When will you return to me
And give light to my eyes
Strength to my heart to carry on
And faith to hold on tight.

My heart is stired and bathes in want
A longing that won't subside
A hunger for what I cannot see
A thirst from deep inside

I thought I found my souls desire
But I wake up and it's gone
Deceived by earthly confidence
Illusions led me on

I know that one can satisfy
He's ever my lasting hope
But what about my needs and dreams
Do I have to let them go?

I know they change from time to time
They're molded by His will
But I wish He'd just show me the way
Cause my mind would then be still

But I guess that's life for those who fear
and trust Him with their life
Gone is earthly confidence
We fight a greater fight

Out with the old, in with the new
My mind's being transformed
It's not with fear but confidence
That we'll win this war of wars

My mind and heart are His alone
He knows my hearts desire
I don't know what to do but wait
And stay faithful in the fire.

Perseverance

Let my pain not be in vain
Let it now begin to train
my hands for battle
my heart for love
Let my soul soar like a dove.
Let it rise and not descend
to a hell and bitter end
of despair and agony
where the stony hearted flee.
Let my heart endure the scorn
and the piercing of this thorn;
though it bleed let it not die,
or grow cold from this demise.
I have trusted you for life
and have known my share of plight,
but the sorrows do not end
and the wounds, though you will mend
increase with acquired friends.
As I give my heart away,
it gets broken every day,
and I long to know that they
whom I love feel the same way.
But rejection is my foe
and unlove my constant woe.
Breaking bone and waining strength,
failing heart, a soul that's faint.
Now I hear a saintly plea,
of those who've passed on to glory
shouting:
"live by faith and fight the fight,
press onward and behold the light;
live for freedom and love for life,
do no hold a grudge at night.
See your King comes speedily
and in glory you will be,
and fully know the love you seek.
Until then endure the pain,
and know Jesus did the same,
and entrust yourself to Him
who heals your heart and bore your sins"

Ezekiel 16

Oh Ezekiel speak no more
Lord, your words pierce to the core
For I see myself in them
Your chosen ones, unfaithful men

You brought them up out of their blood
And washed them clean with hands of love
You made their beauty unsurpassed
Their fame spread wide, their pwr' grew fast

You satisfied their thirsty souls
You gave them bread and made them whole
You adorned them with the best
And offered glory in your rest

A covenant of trust and love
You made with those you found and loved
But they their love would soon withhold
Their jewelery they use to mold
Imaginary lovers!

Their hearts grew cold
and broke you heart
Your anger to invoke

They took the bread you made them
and gave it to their lovers!

How did they turn?
When did they forget
the meekness of their birth?
Covered in blood and left to die
how could they forget your love?

Forbid it Lord that I should forget
How you ransomed my sickly soul
How you gave me life and made me whole
And prepared for me a home

Your greatest gift is You, Yourself
You loved me to the uttermost
A faithful heart and steady gaze
Is what I want the most

Religiosity and Reverence

A friend spoke on this topic at church, and it's interesting how when you hear something somewhere you begin to notice it everywhere. Well this is the case with this topic. I was reading Luke 15 on the Prodigal son and was stunned to see what religiosity can do to a person. What struck me was what the father said to the second son when he didn't want to come in and celebrate with him. He said, "Son, you are always with me, and all that I have is yours." I guess the son had forgot that, he was living based on a give and take paradigm. His thought was that if he did everything he was 'suppose' to do, he'd get something in return. This was his argument: "Look how many years I've stayed here serving you, never giving you one moment of grief, but have you ever thrown a party for me and my friends?" There it is, he served expecting to be served. He had forgotten the very assurance he needed, which was shown to his brother when he repented, that is, nothing could take away his father's love for him, and that everything the father had was his. Is it not a remarkable thought? Is this not where our reverence should come from? Look at the "prodigal son", he returns to his father and says, "Father, I've sinned against God, I've sinned before you; I don't deserve to be called your son ever again." The Father's love exists and burns for all his children. I love the parables before this one in Luke 15, they all describe a person who has lost something and how they set out to find it. They reveal the Father's wholehearted desire, even labor to bring his children back to himself, and how he rejoices when they've returned. The father's love is constant and everlasting, He is slow to anger and abounding in lovingkindness to those who fear Him, and His righteousness to their children's children.

The first will be last and the last first

Today I sat and, completely dissatisfied with my current state of heart and circumstances, contemplated the gravity of my existence. I remembered how incredibly short but significant my life is in view of the fact that I will continue to exist well past my death, on into forever!...! Then I thought, what could be the most significant thing I could do now that would completely alter my eternal existence for the better? That being left in the air, I turned to Luke 13:30 which says, "Indeed there are those who are last who will be first, and first who will be last." and also to Luke 14:11, "For everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, and he who humbles himself will be exalted." I don't really know what it means to be the last or the first, but I gather it has something to do with what Jesus taught the disciples when He washed their feet. I love what Jesus says next to clarify this for the disciples,

Then Jesus said to his host, "When you give a luncheon or dinner, do not invite your friends, your brothers or relatives, or your rich neighbors; if you do, they may invite you back and so you will be repaid. But when you give a banquet, invite the poor, the crippled, the lame, the blind, and you will be blessed. Although they cannot repay you, you will be repaid at the resurrection of the righteous."

I realized what Jesus meant was, Do good not because you want to get something out of it, but because you love, think of others above yourself. And all the other stuff we already know but often forget and don't realize why we're called to do them. I'm not sure if this clarifies things at all, but somehow it makes sense in my brain.

Courage

Sweet quote by G.K. Chesterton,

"Courage is a contradiction in terms. I means a strong desire to live taking the form of a readiness to die...He must seek his life in a spirit of furious indifference to it; he must desire life like water and yet drink death like wine."

Himself

HIMSELF

by A.B. Simpson

Once it was the blessing, Now it is the Lord;
Once it was the feeling, Now it is His Word.
Once His gifts I wanted, Now the Giver own;
Once I sought for healing, Now Himself alone.

Once ’twas painful trying, Now ’tis perfect trust;
Once a half salvation, Now the uttermost.
Once ’twas ceaseless holding, Now He holds me fast;
Once ’twas constant drifting, Now my anchor’s cast.

Once ’twas busy planning, Now ’tis trustful prayer;
Once ’twas anxious caring, Now He has the care.
Once ’twas what I wanted, Now what Jesus says;
Once ’twas constant asking, Now ’tis ceaseless praise.

Once it was my working, His it hence shall be;
Once I tried to use Him, Now He uses me.
Once the power I wanted, Now the Mighty One;
Once for self I labored, Now for Him alone.

Once I hoped in Jesus, Now I know He’s mine;
Once my lamps were dying, Now they brightly shine.
Once for death I waited, Now His coming hail;
And my hopes are anchored, Safe within the veil.

Tears of the Saints

Where are the tears of the Saints? Who has heard the cries of Rachel for her children? Why don't people weep for their sins, for the deceived? Has the world won the hearts of the saints? When did we turn our hearts away, to be satisfied by the mud piles in the slums, forgetting the holiday in the sun? God forbid that we follow in our ancestors ways:

Thus says the Lord GOD,

⁶"When I passed by you and saw you squirming in your blood, I said to you while you were in your blood, 'Live!' Yes, I said to you while you were in your blood, 'Live!'

⁷"I made you numerous like plants of the field. Then you grew up, became tall and reached the age for fine ornaments; your breasts were formed and your hair had grown. Yet you were naked and bare.

⁸"Then I passed by you and saw you, and behold, you were at the time for love; so I spread My skirt over you and covered your nakedness I also swore to you and entered into a covenant with you so that you became Mine," declares the Lord GOD.

⁹"Then I bathed you with water, washed off your blood from you and anointed you with oil.

¹⁰"I also clothed you with embroidered cloth and put sandals of porpoise skin on your feet; and I wrapped you with fine linen and covered you with silk.

¹¹"I adorned you with ornaments, put bracelets on your hands and a necklace around your neck.

¹²"I also put a ring in your nostril, earrings in your ears and a beautiful crown on your head.

¹³"Thus you were adorned with gold and silver, and your dress was of fine linen, silk and embroidered cloth You ate fine flour, honey and oil; so you were exceedingly beautiful and advanced to royalty.

¹⁴"Then your fame went forth among the nations on account of your beauty, for it was perfect because of My splendor which I bestowed on you," declares the Lord GOD.

¹⁵"But you trusted in your beauty and played the harlot because of your fame, and you poured out your harlotries on every passer-by who might be willing.

¹⁶"You took some of your clothes, made for yourself high places of various colors and played the harlot on them, which should never come about nor happen.

¹⁷"You also took your beautiful jewels made of My gold and of My silver, which I had given you, and made for yourself male images that you might play the harlot with them.

¹⁸"Then you took your embroidered cloth and covered them, and offered My oil and My incense before them.

¹⁹"Also My bread which I gave you, fine flour, oil and honey with which I fed you, you would offer before them for a soothing aroma; so it happened," declares the Lord GOD.

-Ez 16

May God forever hold the affections of our hearts, the attention of our minds and the service of our bodies.