A true fast .

Michael Collum

Michael Collum

Inactive
A true fast .

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.
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First, i see in the beginning it demonstrates as in many other passages that God says to open your mouth and cry out when injustice happens . God is all about relationships . so when God sees people abusing one another when He could be in there via them loving one another .. it breaks His heart .

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? "If you do away with the yoke of oppression,
with the pointing finger and malicious talk,
and if you spend yourselves in behalf of the hungry
and satisfy the needs of the oppressed,
"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,

i looked up the phrase "idle words"

idle words - definition of idle words by the Free Online Dictionary, Thesaurus and Encyclopedia.

Noun1.idle words - empty rhetoric or insincere or exaggerated talk; "that's a lot of wind"; "don't give me any of that jazz"jazz, malarkey, malarky, nothingness, wind
talk, talking - an exchange of ideas via conversation; "let's have more work and less talk around here"
Based on WordNet 3.0, Farlex clipart collection. © 2003-2008 Princeton University, Farlex Inc.
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The true fast is to give stuff inside your heart up . it is not to inflict suffering on yourself .

The fast that brings the awesome blessings to the dream .. i want to heal the world .. i want to take destroyed villages, destroyed countries and restore them .. if everyone listened to what "the Mouth of the Lord has spoken" here .. it would happen quicker than one might imagine .

So the points of emphasis

1) instead of starving yourself share your lunch with those who don't have one .

2) show hospitality to homeless wanderers .

3) do not turn away from your own flesh and blood when they need help . show compassion .

4) Stop oppressing one another, stop accusing one another and stop tearing one another down with your words .

5) Put your money where your mouth is and spend yourself on behalf of the needy .. for whatever they need . and to provide for the needs of those who are oppressed . when people are downcast, outcast, and just plain ruined, a little love goes a long way .. but go for the overdose .

6) Be honest .. if today is a day that is the Lord's and you've said .. today i'm giving this day to you God .. then act like it .. do not let it end up like the Jerry Springer show, imagine a solemn day dedicated to the Lord ending with people oppressing those working for them .. and people punching each other in the face? that's not what the Lord is talking about at all . What God is talking about is .. if today is unto the Lord .. then it is to the Lord .. if it is not to the Lord .. then .. it is not to the Lord .. but be cold or hot . Any attempt to keep up appearances appears to make God vomit .. or so He said to Laodicea in Revelation .

7) When He leads .. follow Him . this passage is beautiful . see it as a dance between you and God .. He leads .. and for the dance to continue .. follow His lead and be as one with God in all things .

The true fast is a guide to how God uses the space you let lay vacant for a time and fill it with something of His that is so much better . Many times after such a fast .. i've just gave it up altogether .. and these things in which the dance of trinity, perichoresis, we are asked to join in also . So as this day begins and as God rejoices over you with singing and quiets you with His love . dance with God .. and where He leads .. follow . God in this passage promises you will never be the same again . and may He so bless us all .

-Michael Collum
 
When I saw the title to your thread, It's made me wonder... When Jesus went on a 40 day fast did He not eat at all for 40 days? I know that you can't go 3 days without water or you would die... I was wondering how long I would be able to fast without injuring my body. Just a thought. I'll read the rest of your thread too, just thought of this first. :)
 
Great thread Michael. I can see how my post went sort of the opposite. Sorry about that...
Very inspiring thread Michael.
 
Thank you Phil . What you said about needing water brought up an interesting point about fasting . the scripture says that Moses fasted 40 days and nights without food or drink .

talk about faith :)
 
So the points of emphasis

1) instead of starving yourself share your lunch with those who don't have one .

2) show hospitality to homeless wanderers .

3) do not turn away from your own flesh and blood when they need help . show compassion .

4) Stop oppressing one another, stop accusing one another and stop tearing one another down with your words .

5) Put your money where your mouth is and spend yourself on behalf of the needy .. for whatever they need . and to provide for the needs of those who are oppressed . when people are downcast, outcast, and just plain ruined, a little love goes a long way .. but go for the overdose .

6) Be honest .. if today is a day that is the Lord's and you've said .. today i'm giving this day to you God .. then act like it .. do not let it end up like the Jerry Springer show, imagine a solemn day dedicated to the Lord ending with people oppressing those working for them .. and people punching each other in the face? that's not what the Lord is talking about at all . What God is talking about is .. if today is unto the Lord .. then it is to the Lord .. if it is not to the Lord .. then .. it is not to the Lord .. but be cold or hot . Any attempt to keep up appearances appears to make God vomit .. or so He said to Laodicea in Revelation .

7) When He leads .. follow Him . this passage is beautiful . see it as a dance between you and God .. He leads .. and for the dance to continue .. follow His lead and be as one with God in all things .

The true fast is a guide to how God uses the space you let lay vacant for a time and fill it with something of His that is so much better . Many times after such a fast .. i've just gave it up altogether .. and these things in which the dance of trinity, perichoresis, we are asked to join in also . So as this day begins and as God rejoices over you with singing and quiets you with His love . dance with God .. and where He leads .. follow . God in this passage promises you will never be the same again . and may He so bless us all .
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I read this early this morning but did not get a chance to respond. I love the points you stated and this is a very good study.

Thanks for sharing Michael, I enjoyed it very much and you put this together very well.
 
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