LORD’S EVALUATION Dean Jonathan Swift of “Gulliver’s Travels” fame said of society ladies, “They were so busy being religious, they had no time to say their prayers.” Isaiah was sent to shout at the people of God, not to the ‘paganized Christians’ of Isaiah 56:10. These people loves God but treated him as a static given, a trophy wife. God closes his ear to the super-spirituality of their fasting. They did their religion to get something from God—satisfaction, significance, sense of his love—or to have leverage with him. LORD’S CHALLENGE They act as if… God were a static given, rather than a dynamic reality. Too many Christian lives lack vibrancy, emotion and engagement with God as a real person. These chose to fast, resulting in a bad temper and quarreling. Others suffered the collateral damage. Fasting required by God only once a year! They multiplied fasts to show off their spirituality. They put guilt trips and burdens on others. No! Do what God has told you to do, what you know is his will, like keeping the Sabbath. It’s in the Ten Commandments! It his special day, not a fast day, but a feast day. Use it to pursue him, engage with him, seek him with all your heart. LORD’S PROMISE There’s long list of things after a series of “Then”, the things God promises you. If you don’t feel his love, you will THEN. You will have a heart and life that go down deep, that are established. THEN so many of the things you ask for, you won’t have to ask for at all; they will just be there from a loving Father.
Other verses: Matthew 6:16-18, Matthew 12:8, Luke 6:5, James 1:2
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Dr. Liam Goligher was Senior Minister of Tenth Presbyterian Church from May of 2011 until December of 2023. He previously pastored churches in Ireland, Canada, England, and his native Scotland.
Dr. Goligher has been closely involved in Bible teaching and evangelistic ministry...
