Community transformation—is it possible?

Image: Pixabay

TODAY’S SPECIAL: 2 Chronicles 13-17; Psalm 74

TO CHEW ON: “… and the children of Judah prevailed, because they relied on the LORD God of their father.” 2 Chronicles 13:18

“O God, how long will the adversary reproach?
Will the enemy blaspheme Your name forever?” Psalm 74:10


Three things come together for me in today’s readings:

1. In the recitation of good and bad kings from 2 Chronicles, what stands out is that all the bad kings were guilty of occultism, idolatry, and seeking to do things on their own without God. God’s blessing flowed again when godly kings destroyed these things and returned to true worship.

2. In the psalms reading, psalmist Asaph’s pleading with God (to again make His name famous, to make His cause prevail, to restore sincere worship and purity to the land) resonates. It’s how I would pray for my own land and people in the 21st century.

3. I watched a video about community transformation last night. In it the filmmakers tell the story of several communities (one in Mexico, one in Guatemala, and one in California) that experienced community-wide spiritual revival in the 1990s. It happened when the church and concerned pastors became modern-day Asaphs and pleaded for their cities, with prayer and fasting.

When God revealed to them the occultic roots of their community’s enslavement to the drug cartels (Mexico), poverty, drunkenness, and abuse (Guatemala), and addiction (California) they confronted and took authority over dark forces with, again, prayer and fasting.

If we are burdened for our land and community like Asaph was, let’s follow the example of the Christians of the 1990s and contend (with prayer, fasting, church unity etc.) for another transformation!

PRAYER: Dear Father, I believe the kind of turnaround You brought to Judah and Israel under godly kings, and the transformation witnessed in the 1990s is possible today. Help me to contend for it in my country and town. Amen.
PSALM TO PRAY: Psalm 74

MORE: Transformations (the documentary film)





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Unless otherwise noted all Scripture quotations are taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

Thanks for reading! This year we are using The Bible Project "Timeless Reading Plan" to read through the Bible in 2018. If you'd like to read along in your own Bible, you can download a pdf of the reading plan HERE.

Practical piety

Shopping carts of the homeless - Photo V. N.

TODAY'S SPECIAL: Zechariah 5-8; Psalm 61

TO CHEW ON: "Yes, they made their hearts like flint, refusing to hear the law and the words which the Lord of hosts had sent by His Spirit through the former prophets. Thus great wrath came from the Lord of hosts." Zechariah 7:12


The people's representatives Sherezer, Regem-Melech, and his men came to the temple priests with a question: "Should I weep in the fifth month and fast as I have done for so many years?"

It is likely that they were inquiring about commemorating the destruction of the temple in 587 B.C. (according to the writer of my Bible's study notes, D.W. Shibley - New Spirit-Filled Life Bible, p. 1255).

God's message back to them through Zechariah may have come as a surprise. It contained no congratulations for their past piety. Instead, it pointed out things they had left undone: practicing true justice, showing mercy and compassion, treating widows and orphans well, and acting with integrity toward their neighbors (Zechariah 7:9,10).

These lacks, God said, were proof of the actual condition of their hearts—stubborn, refusing to hear, and hard ("hearts like flint") toward what really mattered to God (Zechariah 7:11,12).

I think there is a warning in this vignette for us too. We also easily reassure ourselves with spiritual activities and practices even while we may be glossing over the hard but practical aspects of obedience and what it means to love God—that is, to love our human brothers and sisters. Often our lack of love comes out in how we treat the poorest.

For me right now, I think of the homeless that trek the streets of my town. For the last few years I've seen them outside, summer through winter. The places they call home remind me of the tent city ghettos I've seen in the photos of faraway cities. I must admit these scenes stir up mixed feelings in me... not all of them positive.

I often ask myself—how do I show justice, mercy, and compassion to these, whose problems are complex (mental illness, addiction, poverty)? Is our household doing enough by supporting the local Salvation Army and the home missions arm of our church? May God never have to say to us (to me) "they refused to heed, shrugged their shoulders and stopped their ears… yes, they made their hearts like flint."

PRAYER: Dear Father, I bring to You the homeless and poor in my neighborhood. Please give me creative ideas of how to show mercy and compassion to them. Amen. 

PSALM TO PRAY: Psalm 61

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Unless otherwise noted all Scripture quotations are taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

Ezra's prayer of 'Here is how it is...'

Ezra in Prayer - Gustave Dore

TODAY'S SPECIAL: Ezra 8-10; Psalm 47

TO CHEW ON: "And I said, 'O my God, I am too ashamed and humiliated to lift up my face to You, my God; for our iniquities have risen higher than our heads, and our guilt has grown to the heavens.'" Ezra 9:6

Ezra was terribly distressed. His body language—torn clothes, pulled out hair, abject posture—tells us that, even before we read the first words that come out of his mouth.

The reason? It's because the Jewish citizens of Jerusalem, indeed even their leaders, had intermarried with the idol-worshiping women of the surrounding nations. And in general the people were arranging marriages for their sons and daughters with pagan neighbours.

There was a strong tradition of marital exclusivity among the Jews:

• Abraham insisted Isaac not marry a Canaanite women (Genesis 24:3,37).

• Rebekah insisted Jacob not take a wife from the Canaanites (Genesis 28:1) though Esau did, much to his parents' chagrin (Genesis 27:46).

• When the Israelites were about to enter Canaan, Moses spoke the ban clearly:

"When the Lord your God brings you into the land...you shall conquer them and utterly destroy them (the "many nations" that inhabit it) ....Nor shall you make marriages with them. You shall not give your daughter to their son, nor take their daughter for your son. For they will turn your sons away from Me to serve other gods so the anger of the Lord will be aroused against you and destroy you suddenly" (Deuteronomy 7:1-4).

But intermarrying with Gentiles had happened over and over already in Israel's history with predictable results. A notable example was Solomon (1 Kings 3:1; 11:1-11).

Now Ezra was witnessing the old compromise, and he was clearly terrified that God would make good on His threat to destroy them. His prayer isn't  a direct request at all, but an implied call for mercy. We could paraphrase the end of his prayer: 'Here we are God; this is how it is.'

I wonder what Ezra would think about the marriages of our time. I know it isn't our custom to arrange marriages for our kids and when they fall in love with non-believers we look on helplessly. Well, not exactly helplessly, because we pray that they won't make unwise choices and give them as much guidance as they'll take.

Oh, I know stories abound of how the Christian partner leads the non-Christian to God. But I have also heard too many stories of heartbreak when spouses don't have the same beliefs and values. There is disagreement about how to raise the kids, how to spend money, and on and on. Way too often the unbelieving spouse leads the believing one off the "straight and narrow." There is a reason for Paul's words to the Corinthians to "Do not be unequally yoked together with unbelievers..." - 2 Corinthians 6:14.

PRAYER: Dear God, Ezra's shock and grief at Israel's mixed marriages makes me look at our customs through a different lens. Please help us to raise our kids and grandkids by Your wise principles. Amen.

PSALM TO PRAY: Psalm 47


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Unless otherwise noted all Scripture quotations are taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

Pray and inquire of the Lord

'Issac prayed to the Lord..." Artist unknown

TODAY'S SPECIAL: Genesis 25:7-34

TO CHEW ON: "Isaac prayed to the Lord on behalf of his wife, because she was childless. … The babies jostled within her and she said, 'Why is this happening to me?' She went to inquire of the Lord." - Genesis 25:21,22 (NIV)

Whatever other dysfunctions were present in Isaac and Rebekah's family, they did one thing right—they prayed and asked God questions about their circumstances. Isaac prayed about the problem of Rebekah's barrenness. After she got pregnant, Rebekah asked God the reason for her difficult pregnancy.

The themes of prayer and asking God about our situations runs through the Bible.

• Men began to "call on the name of the Lord" early in the biblical story (Genesis 4:26).

• In the Old Testament, Moses was the person the people went to when they wanted to hear from God (Exodus 18:16; 33:7).

• God had Moses make a special piece of priest's vestments—the Uri and Thummim. It was worn over the High Priest's chest and was a way that God communicated His will to the priest for the people (Exodus 28:30,31; Numbers 27:21).

• After Moses and Aaron died, the people were to inquire of God through the current priests and judges (Deuteronomy 17:9).

• David spoke often of praying to God and asking Him questions directly (Psalm 5:3; 55:17).

• In the New Testament we read of believers who added fasting and almsgiving to their prayer practice (Luke 2:37).

• Paul and Silas prayed and sang hymns during their incarceration in a Philippian jail (Acts 16:25).

• Paul tells his readers to pray and about everything (Philippians 4:6,7).

And so we can take Issac, Rebekah's, David's and Paul's example and bring our deepest, most private, heartfelt requests to God. We might want to include some of the practices we see here:
- Ask leaders and spiritual mentors to pray for us, and take direction from them.

- Include other spiritual disciplines in our prayers, like fasting and giving, not to manipulate God but to become more spiritually attuned to His voice and ways.

- Add songs of praise to our prayers.

- Pray about everything—family, work, health, the neighbours, our city, our leaders, national and international events…

- I found one verse in this little survey, however, that gave me pause. God warned Ezekiel about two-faced requesters—people who inquired of God while at the same time setting up idols in their hearts (Ezekiel 14:7). That can be a warning too, to seek God with single-hearted integrity.

PRAYER: Dear  God, thank You for being interested in the minutiae of my life. Help me to remember to bring my problems to You first before seeking any other solution. Amen.

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Unless otherwise noted all Scripture quotations are taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

Scripture quotations marked NIV are taken from THE HOLY BIBLE, NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION®, NIV® Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.

Cry to the Lord!

Locust  (Image from Pixabay)

TODAY’S SPECIAL: Joel 1:1-20

TO CHEW ON: “Consecrate a fast,
Call a sacred assembly;
Gather the elders
And all the inhabitants of the land
Into the house of the LORD your God,
And cry out to the LORD.” Joel 1:14


In the next days we’ll be reading the entire book of Joel. So a little background is in order.

Joel was a prophet to Judah. The introduction to the book in my study Bible dates his ministry during the reign of Joash when, under the high priest Jehoiada, the worship of God had been restored (2 Kings 11:1-21; 2 Chronicles 23:16).

The catalyst event to writing the prophecy was a locust plague so bad there was nothing left. Fig trees were ruined, offering grains cut off, wine (grapes) dried up, oil (olives) failed, vine, pomegranate, apple all withered - Joel 1:7-12.

Joel interpreted this as the judgment of God. He did not pick that idea out of the blue, for Moses had warned in one of his Deuteronomy sermons of just such a curse as a consequence of disobedience - Deuteronomy 28:15, 42.

And so Joel summoned the priests, elders, and people to radical repentance: “… lament, Wail… Come, lie all night in sackcloth, consecrate a fast, Call a sacred assembly; Gather the elders…. And cry out to the LORD” - Joel 1:13,14.

Might we do something similar when the bottom falls out of life for us, personally, for our family, our city, our country? We probably won’t experience a literal locust plague but some modern events are just as devastating: fires (who can forget the horror of last summer’s  wildfire in Fort McMurray), hurricanes, earthquakes, ice storms, vehicle accidents, cancer diagnoses, the death of a loved one…

Or we may be grieved by the moral locust plague that is destroying our society’s foundations. It's an attack:

• On the family (new definitions of marriage, fluid sexual identity, pornography). 
• On life (abortion, legal euthanasia, homelessness). 
• On law and order (rampant rebellion, disorder, and violence under the guise of “free speech,” drug permissiveness and addiction, a lax judiciary which is often more lenient toward the perpetrator than the victim),
• On thought and speech (as political correctness which claims to understand the motivation behind actions and to silence speech that would challenge society’s changing mores).

I’m not saying that when tragedy strikes we’re necessarily to blame or that we should take that responsibility on ourselves. It may not be our fault.  But let’s let our understandable panic, desperation, confusion, lack of solutions, even despair draw us to God and prayer with the fervor of Joel in his summons to the locust victims of his day.

Charlie Hall’s song “Holy Visitation” (sung here by Rita Springer) is a modern invitation to such a passionate encounter with God over these things.




PRAYER: “O LORD, to You I cry out"...for my country and this generation.”Amen. (Joel 1:19)

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Unless otherwise noted all Scripture quotations are taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

Fasting

TODAY'S SPECIAL: Matthew 17:14-27

TO CHEW ON: " ' However, this kind does not go out except by prayer and fasting.' " Matthew 17:21

How grieved the disciples must have been when Jesus called them a " 'faithless and perverse generation,' " though He did soften His scold a bit when He gave them an excuse for not being successful with the exorcism: "' However, this kind does not go out except by prayer and fasting.' "

This passage gives us some hints about what it takes to have real spiritual power:
Belief, which can be mustard-seed-small, but even in its smallness is genuine and persistent.

Prayer.

Fasting.

Of these three, fasting is the most mysterious to us. It is a spiritual practice we see a lot of in the Bible though.

• Moses fasted for the 40 days he was with God on Mt. Sinai. It's as if that was a given—such concentrated time in the presence of the LORD Himself was all the food and drink he needed - Exodus 34:28.

• Fasting was how people showed their respect for and grief over the death of Saul and Jonathan. Similarly David fasted over the death of General Abner - 2 Samuel 1:12; 3:35; 1 Chronicles 10:12.

• King David fasted when his and Bathsheba's first baby was deathly ill (though his fast didn't save the baby's life) - 2 Samuel 12:16.

• The Israelites fasted in repentance as they returned to God after a season of idolatry - 1 Samuel 7:6. They did this again in Nehemiah's time - Nehemiah 9:1.

• Ahab put on sackcloth and fasted after hearing Elijah's prophecy of calamity about to come on him and his descendants. As a result of him humbling himself like this, God sent Elijah back to tell him these curses would not come on him during his (Ahab's) lifetime - 1 Kings 21:27-29.

• Ezra fasted for the guilty people - Ezra 10:6.

• Esther, her personal servants, and all the Jews in Sushan fasted and prayed for favour before she went in to request an audience with the king - Esther 4:15,16.

• Saul fasted after he encountered Jesus on the Damascus Road - Acts 9:9.

• Cornelius, a Gentile, was in a time of fasting and prayer when an angel appeared to him with instructions to fetch Peter. As a result, Cornelius and his household were saved and filled with the Holy Spirit - Acts 10:30.

• The early church leaders fasted and prayed when seeking direction for their leaders - Acts 13:2,3; 14:23.

• We read of Jesus fasting only once for the forty days of his temptation in the wilderness - Luke 4:1,2.  But it seems He assumed fasting would be part of a person's spiritual practice, for He said to His disciples: " 'But you when you fast, anoint your head and wash your face…' " - Matthew 6:17 (emphasis added). And here He explained His power over the tormenting spirit by implying that He had prepared for this encounter beforehand by fasting.

The experience of Bible characters paints a compelling case for the practice of fasting, not to get our way but to demonstrate our sincerity before God and to position ourselves intentionally in the powerful realm of His will and purposes.

PRAYER: Dear God, You know how hard I find fasting. Help me to grow in this spiritual discipline. Amen.

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Unless otherwise noted all Scripture quotations are taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

Fasting: ritual or obedience?

TODAY'S SPECIAL: Isaiah 58:1-14


TO CHEW ON: "Is this not the fast 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?

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?" Isaiah 58:6-7

"Fasting is a powerful and effective part of the Christian life," begins a sidebar article about fasting in my Bible (New Spirit-Filled Life Bible, p. 942).

Though the dictionary defines "fast" as abstaining partially or wholly from food, it seems that in our focus verse, God is telling the backslidden Israelites  (through Isaiah) that they need to fast from something besides food.

These people are getting frustrated because their fasting isn't getting the expected results.  Isaiah tells them why it isn't effective:

• Because they are treating it as mere ritual and not entering into the self-denial spirit of it: 

  "In fact, in the day of your fast you find pleasure and exploit all your labourers" Isaiah 58:3. 

  "[Is true fasting merely mechanical?] Is it only to bow down his head like a bulrush and to spread sackcloth and ashes under him [to indicate a condition of heart that he does not have]? Will you call this a fast and an acceptable day to the Lord?" Isaiah 58:5b - AMP. (emphasis added).

• Because they are treating it as a way to manipulate others and God:  

  "Indeed, you fast for strife and debate, and to strike with the fist of wickedness...To make your voice heard on high" Isaiah 58:4.

What, then is the fast that pleases God?

1. It is a fast from evil. It is ceasing unfairness, oppression, and putting heavy yokes on others (Isaiah 58:6). In other words, we can't expect results from fasting when we're living in blatant sin.

2. It is a fast from self-absorption. It is ceasing to see only our own little world, opening our eyes to the needs of others--the hungry, the poor, even one's own family--and responding with practical help: food, shelter, clothes, compassion.

We could sum up by saying that the fast from food that pleases God begins with the right attitude. It begins with a focus on the things that are important to Him.

The sidebar article with which I began continues:

"Jesus taught that some things are resolved only through prayer and fasting (Mark 9:29). However, fasting and personal holiness are acceptable to God only when we have our priorities straight....Fasting becomes offensive in God's sight when we ignore the people closest to His heart, the poor, the oppressed, and the needy." Keith W. Phillips, New Spirit-Filled Life Bible, p. 942.

PRAYER: Dear God, help me in my observances of spiritual disciplines like fasting, to begin by understanding Your heart for it, and for me through it. Help me to align my priorities with Yours. Amen.

MORE: The purpose of fasting

"It is sobering to realize that the very first statement Jesus made about fasting dealt with the question of motive (Matthew 6:16-18). To use good things to our own ends is always the sign of false religion. How easy it is to take something like fasting and try to use it to get God to do what we want. At times there is such stress upon the blessings and benefits of fasting that we would be tempted to believe that with a little fast we could have the world, including God, eating out of our hands.


Fasting must forever center on God. It must be God-initiated and God-ordained. Like the prophetess Anna, we need to be "worshiping with fasting" (Luke 2:37). Every other purpose must be subservient to God."

- Richard Foster, Celebration of Discipline, pl. 54.

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Unless otherwise noted all Scripture quotations are taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. Used by permission. All rights reserved.


Scripture quotations marked AMP are taken from the Amplified® Bible. Copyright © 1954, 1958, 1962, 1964, 1965, 1987 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission"(www.Lockman.org).

Fasting that pleases God

TODAY'S SPECIAL: Isaiah 58:1-14

TO CHEW ON: "If you extend your soul to the hungry
And satisfy the afflicted soul,
Then…" - Isaiah 58:10.

What activities give you a sense of relief that you've done your "duty" to God? Regular church attendance? Going to the weekly prayer meeting? Reading your Bible every morning?

In our reading today Isaiah points out two religious activities the Israelites practice: fasting and Sabbath-keeping. But God is unimpressed. For while the people are doing these things, they are simultaneously violating what matters most to God.

In the area of fasting, it's not abstaining from food that pleases God when the people are living for themselves in other areas. Isaiah highlights their mistreatment of the poor living among them. They've oppressed some and ignored others. What "fast" would please God?

"Is not this the fast that I have chosen:
To loose the bonds of wickedness …
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… If you extend your soul to the hungry
And satisfy the afflicted soul…" - Isaiah 58:6,7,10 (emphases added).

This passage shows me up. We have the homeless living right among us setting up tents in the city parks and sleeping in doorways. We give to charities that support them by offering meals and beds for the night. But am I willing to bring to my house the poor who are cast out and extend my soul to the hungry? This sounds like a personal physical and emotional involvement.

The rewards of honouring God in both these areas are attractive (Isaiah 58:8-12, 14). In fact, I've taken Isaiah 58:11 as a verse to memorize and claim for my life. You may have done the same.

"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" - Isaiah 58:11.

But it has a context. I ask, do I, do we have any right to claim the blessings of the verdant fruitfulness of Isaiah 58:11 over our lives if we've ignored the conditions of Isaiah 58:6,7,10?

PRAYER: Dear Father, please help me to see practical ways I can express Your heart of love toward everyone, especially the homeless that live on my streets. Amen.

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Unless otherwise noted all Scripture quotations are taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

The mystery of miracles

Peter Raises Dorcas - Artist unknown

TODAY'S SPECIAL: Acts 9:32-43

TO CHEW ON: "All those who lived in Lydda and Sharon saw him and turned to the Lord … This became known all over Joppa, and many people believed in the Lord." Acts 9:34,42

I love how these miracles, performed through Peter, led to chain reactions. The healing of the paralyzed Aeneas resulted in conversions in Lydda and Sharon. When Dorcas died a short distance away (in Joppa) the disciples sent for Peter. (Did they expect him to raise her from the dead, I wonder?) She came  back to life and word spread all over town and resulted in many more conversions.

A sidebar article in my Bible explains:

"There is a clear pattern in the NT in which evangelism or even mass evangelism follows demonstrations of God's kingdom power (Mark 16:14-20; Acts 5:12,14; 9:35,42 [our reading]; Acts 13:14-12; 19:11-20)" - Todd Hunter, New Spirit-Filled Life Bible, p.1508.

Possible reactions to miracles:

However, demonstrations of God's kingdom power (miracles) do not always result belief. In a Sunday sermon several weeks ago, the speaker at my church named six possible reactions to miracles. These were reactions when Jesus healed the man born blind (John 9:2-38). These reactions could follow the miracles we see today as well:

• Logic - reaction of the disciples in John 9:2.
• Tradition - reaction of the neighbours in John 9:8.
• Religion - reaction of the Pharisees - John 9:13.
• Unbelief - reaction of the Jews - John 9:18.
• Fear - reaction of the man's parents - John 9:20.
• Belief - reaction of the healed man - John 9:25, 35-38.

Why doesn't God give me a miracle?

Finally, I ask myself—and you—these questions about miracles:

1. What is my attitude toward God when He denies a miracle? I can think of many, many people who have prayed for a miracle but it hasn't happened.

2. Is there a way to convince God to perform one? Does my faith, obedience, prayer and fasting, etc., have everything to do with it? Anything to do with it?

3. The purpose of God sending a miracle, or not, isn't, according to the Bible, mainly concerned with my well-being, comfort, release from pain and suffering, prosperity etc.


The purpose of miracles:

Looking up the list of references under "Miracles Testify" in my Thompson Chain Bible reveals some of the pre-church and early church purposes of miracles:

• Reveal Jesus' identity as Messiah and deity - Luke 5:7; John 3:2; 6:14; 7:31; 9:32; 10:25, 37-38; Acts 4:30.

• Lead to awe and praise of God - Luke 7:17; Acts 3:10.

• Lead to people believing in and coming to faith in Jesus - John 2:23; 4:53; 11:15, 45, 48; 20:30; Acts 9:34, 42 (our story).  

• Show that God is present - Matthew 27:54; Acts 2:22.

• Not always understood. If anyone could have used a miracle, it was the imprisoned John the Baptist. Yet Jesus never intervened on his behalf, telling him, instead, not to stumble over this - Luke 7:22.

• Cause people to pay attention to the message of the miracle-worker - Acts 8:6.

• Are distributed according to God's will - Hebrews 2:4.

PRAYER: Dear Father, I believe Your miracle-working power is as strong today as ever. Help me to fit in with Your plans and if those include miracles, may You get all the glory. Amen.

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Unless otherwise noted all Scripture quotations are taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

Faith that flings itself on God

Mordecai Warns Esther - F. J. Barrias

TODAY'S SPECIAL: Esther 4:1-17

TO CHEW ON: "'Go, gather all the Jews who are present in Shushan and fast for me; neither eat nor drink for three days night or day. My maids and I will fast likewise. And so I will go to the king, which is against the law; and if I perish, I perish!'" Esther 4:16

Esther didn't take much convincing to act on behalf of her people. A little back-and-forth with Mordecai and she realized how serious the situation was and had made a plan of action.

I love how her plan included first God and then others. Her first thought was not some kind of political manipulation, but prayer. Prayer and fasting actually—serious fasting with no food or drink.

She involved not only the Jewish people but her Persian maids, who may have had little knowledge of God. (I've  often wondered what affect this incident had on them; did they begin to believe in God for themselves after they saw what happened as a result of their prayers joined with Esther's?)

I also love Esther's hands-off attitude about the outcome. She knew that death might be the result of uninvited appearance before the king, and she was prepared for that.

I see a couple things in Esther's approach that I'd like to apply to my own life. What about you?

1. We could acknowledge God's presence and working in the governing of our land as much as we do in our own lives. Instead of throwing up our hands in despair when things don't go well, we could pray and fast (alone and with others) in faith that God has the power to change the situation.

2. Instead of sticking with our preconceived notion of how God will answer, we need more of Esther's "If I perish, I perish," attitude that leaves the results in God's hands. We need to realize that God's ways may involve bigger issues, more time, and more steps than we perceive. As we let Him be God, we can stop stressing about the outcome and simply trust that He will work things out (both personally and in our nation) in His own time and way.

PRAYER: Dear God, please help me to have the simple faith of Esther, who brought her big problem to You and prefaced her action with prayer and fasting. Amen.

MORE: "Whatever Comes" by Brian Doerksen

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Unless otherwise noted all Scripture quotations are taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

A parent's prayers

David prays for his child - Artist unknown

TODAY'S SPECIAL: 2 Samuel 12:15b-25

TO CHEW ON: "David therefore pleaded with God for the child, and David fasted and went in and lay all night on the ground." 2 Samuel 12:16

Though Nathan told David the child he had with Bathsheba would die, yet David continued to intercede, fast, and plead for the baby's life until it actually died.

I get that. I'm sure you do too. As parents, we are the ones most invested in the lives brought into the world through us. No one else cares for our kids and grand-kids like we do. Seeing them grow and develop is like opening a package—so this is what God has gifted us with.

Sometimes, along with the pleasant surprises, come some not so pleasant. This child has a physical challenge, that one a learning disability, another has trouble keeping friends. Whatever the issue, we're the constant in their lives—their cheering section, helping them cope, loving them through it all, and praying for them every step of the way.

We're in good company here, joining the ranks of David in our today's reading, and:

• of Abraham and Job who prayed for the spiritual well-being of their children - Genesis 17:18 and Job 1:5.

• of the father who pleaded for his epileptic son - Matthew 17:15.

• of the Greek mother whose persistent requests for her daughter with an unclean spirit moved Jesus to heal her - Mark 7:25-28.

PRAYER: Dear God, please help us to have the faith of these Bible parents to persistently bring my children's and grand-children's illnesses, troubles, challenges, and spiritual well-being to You. Amen.

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Unless otherwise noted all Scripture quotations are taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

Secrets of spiritual power

"Jesus in prayer" - by Alexandre Bida

TODAY'S SPECIAL: Mark 9:14-29

TO CHEW ON: "So He said to them, 'This kind can come out by nothing but prayer and fasting.' " Mark 9:29

We hear a message and it convicts us of sin. A song has us on our knees in worship. The story of a godly life brings us to tears of awe. In the spiritual realm we call such ministry, such music, such writing "anointed." By that we mean that there is something in it, coming through it, that is of God. It has power that is not explained by the cleverness of the message and story, or the beauty of the melody and lyrics.

Jesus demonstrated that power after the distraught father explained his distress following the disciples' inability to exorcise the self-destructive demon from his son. Jesus cast out the demon, seemingly effortlessly (Mark 9:25,26). When the disciples later asked Jesus why they couldn't help the boy, He gave them and us one means by which God empowers a life: " ' This kind can come out by nothing but prayer and fasting' " - Mark 9:29.

Spiritual power also comes by:

 - Returning to God and confidently trusting in Him - Isaiah 30:15 

- Waiting on the Lord - Isaiah 40:31.

- Waiting for the Lord - Isaiah 49:23.

- And of course via the Holy Spirit:

• Who gave the prophet courage to confront his countrymen about their sin - Micah 3:8.

• Who is capable above any human resource - Zechariah 4:6.

• Who empowered Jesus - Luke 4:14.

• Who baptized and still baptizes Christians with power to witness - Acts 1:8; 4:33.

• Who gives power to do miracles - Acts 6:8; 9:11,12.

• Who inhabits speech so that words are not mere human persuasion but a "… demonstration of the Spirit and of power" - 1 Corinthians 2:4.

• Who strengthens us in the inner person - Ephesians 3:16.

I want to live a life of spiritual power. I'm sure you do too. Let's be aware of the possible cost to us in self denial (as we fast and pray), in waiting on God for His timing and methods, and in the surrender of ourselves—our bodies and wills, goals and ambitions, methods and strategies—to the Holy Spirit.

PRAYER: Dear God, please help me to be willing to pay the price needed to live a spiritually powerful life. Amen.

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Unless otherwise noted all Scripture quotations are taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

Hypocrisy test

TODAY'S SPECIAL: Matthew 6:1-21

TO CHEW ON: " 'For where you treasure is, there your heart will be also.' " Matthew 6:21


We have, in our reading today, a good way to test where our hearts (and thus our treasure) is. Jesus talks about three things—spiritual things—and two ways in which we can do them. Done one way they gain us points with people. Done another they get God's attention:

Perform good deeds
We can broadcast that we're about to do or have done such a thing to gain a reputation for generosity. Or we can do our deeds (such as giving to the poor) so secretively we're scarcely aware of it ourselves.

Pray
We can pray long flowery prayers in public and so gain a reputation for piety, or pray secretly where no one but God sees us.

Fast
We can make a point of broadcasting our practice by going around wan and unkempt or carrying on as usual, spruced up and attractive, albeit hungry.

In each case, Jesus commends the secretive action and condemns the showy one because at the root of the showy one is a desire to impress, not God but other people.

In our day, showing off our piety is no less a temptation and just as hypocritical. And so the next time I (you?) am tempted to slip a self-congratulatory bit into conversation, framed in spiritual language  something like: "Thousands are reading my books and I am humbled that God would use me in this way," or "I am blessed to be able to give millions to my church" or "I spend most of the day in the word and prayer,"* I need to check myself. Why do I have the urge to say things like this? Could it be that I want a little praise for myself? That the ministry, speech, and action part for my life isn't only for God at all but to amass a little earth treasure in the form of a good reputation for me?

*All made-up statements, by the way.

PRAYER: Dear God, my heart is deceitful and creative in thinking of ways to draw attention to myself instead of doing things purely for You. Please forgive me and alert me to when I'm tempted to do this. Amen.

MORE: Ash Wednesday

Today is the day the church celebrates Ash Wednesday. Ash Wednesday is the first day of Lent. The "ash" part of the day comes from the practice of painting, with ash, the form of a cross on the worshiper's forehead. The ash is a symbol of repentance. In Bible times, actions to do with ashes were a symbol of grief, remorse, and repentance. 

The liturgy for Ash Wednesday begins with this Collect:

Almighty and everlasting God, you hate nothing you have made and forgive the sins of all who are penitent: Create and make in us new and contrite hearts, that we, worthily lamenting our sins and acknowledging our wretchedness, may obtain of you, the God of all mercy, perfect remission and forgiveness; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.

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Unless otherwise noted all Scripture quotations are taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

Religious habits

TODAY'S SPECIAL: Isaiah 58:1-14

TO CHEW ON: "'Why have we fasted,' they say, 'and You have not seen? Why have we afflicted our souls, and you take no notice?'" Isaiah 58:3a

God is never fooled by our rituals. In our reading today, God scolds Israel for something we would think would earn His praise. Fasting—denying themselves food and drink as an expression of worship and faith in God—is a regular part of their practice. But God is taking no notice of their religious works. Why is this?

It is because in their actual living, they are violating principles that are close to God's heart. For one, they are ignoring the most needy in society. God tells them the fast that would get His attention: "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" (vs. 7).

We are not so different. Daily and weekly habits of religion—like a regular Bible-reading and prayer time, regular attendance at church—may make us feel like we're meeting the requirements. But if they are just going through the motions and these actions are not the expression of a real and vital relationship with God, they can be as much a form as the Old Testament fasts.

In the home where I grew up, my dad was a stickler for being on time. He would rather be ten minutes early than one minute late. As a result, Mom did her best to honour his wishes, to the extent of setting the table for Sunday breakfast on Saturday night to help ease the Sunday morning rush. She showed her love and respect for him by actually changing her routine so his wishes would be honoured.

Do we take the same actions when it comes to our relationship with God. First we need to know what He desires. Do we know what pleases Him -- the things He really values? Two of them are mentioned in Isaiah 58: showing kindness to the poor [Isaiah 58:6-7] and setting aside one day in seven for Him [Isaiah 58:13-14].) Then, motivated by love for Him, we need to uphold and further these things in our actual day-to-day living.

PRAYER: Dear God, You see through my actions into my motivations. Please show me where I'm kidding myself that all is well because I have formed some religious habits while ignoring things You really care about. Amen.

MORE: "To Obey is Better than Sacrifice" by Keith Green

Do your 8-12-year-olds have daily devotions? Point them to Bible Drive-Thru.

Do I want a powerful prayer life?

"Jesus about to heal a boy"
William Brassey Hole

TODAY'S SPECIAL: Mark 9:14-29

TO CHEW ON: "Jesus said to him, 'If you can believe, all things are possible to him who believes.'" Mark 9:23

The demon-possessed youth was a particularly difficult case. His problem was long-standing and the disciples' attempts at exorcism had failed. We find two clues about how to get prayers answered in this story of the man and his unfortunate son.

1. Believe
"If you can believe, all things are possible to him who believes," Jesus told the father. The dad was quick to ask for help in this department: "Lord, help my unbelief." I am reminded of Jesus' experience in Nazareth where Matthew 13:58 says, "He did not do many mighty works there because of their unbelief." I don't think that means their unbelief limited His power, but it did impact His willingness to work miracles in that place. Jesus chose not to in an atmosphere of doubt.

2. Pray and fast
"Why could we not cast it out?" the disciples asked. Jesus replied, "This kind can come out by nothing but prayer and fasting."

But when did Jesus pray and fast for this? He didn't check out for an hour or so between hearing the man's request and healing the boy. One can only assume that He meant we can live a life of such earnest waiting on God (with regular prayer and fasting) that we are constantly prayed up and ready for any difficult case that comes our way.

It's so simple: Believe and live a life of prayer-and-fasting readiness. But it's also so hard. I have a long way to go!



PRAYER: Dear God, I have some longstanding requests in with You. My prayer today is, "Lord, help my unbelief." And are you telling me that some fasting may also be in order? Amen.

MORE: Fasting

John Piper began his 1991 sermon "Do You Ever Fast for More of God's Power?":

"Loren Cunningham, general director of Youth With a Mission, described his experience in praying and fasting for three days with 12 co-workers in 1973. As they prayed, the Lord revealed that they should pray for the downfall of a demonic force identified to them as the “prince of Greece.” The same day in New Zealand and Europe, YWAM groups received a similar word from God. All three groups obeyed and came against this principality. Within 24 hours, a political coup changed the government of Greece, bringing greater freedom for mission activity in the country.

If this seems foreign to our experience, could part of the reason be that fasting is foreign to our experience? And could fasting be foreign to us because we are so far from the whole New Testament pattern of living in and by the supernatural power of the Spirit of God?" © John Piper, DesiringGod.org. Read all of "Do You Ever Fast for More of God's Power?  (emphasis added).

Staged Christianity

TODAY'S SPECIAL: Matthew 6:1-18

TO CHEW ON: "Therefore, when you do a charitable deed, do not sound a trumpet before you as the hypocrites do....And when you pray, you shall not be like the hypocrites.... Moreover when you fast, do not be like the hypocrites...." Matthew 6:2a, 5a, 16a.

What is this hypocrite business Jesus so condemns here?

A word study article in my Bible explains:

"In Bible days actors wore masks, which included mechanisms for amplifying the voice. Since the dramas were questions and answers, the word describing the dialogue was hupokrinomai, to reply or to answer. Hupokrites is one who is playacting, reading a script, or one who puts on an act. The hypocrite conceals his true motives under a cloak of make-believe" - New Spirit-Filled Life Bible, p. 1299.

Our modern definition bears out the above. My dictionary defines "hypocrite" as one who practices "hypocrisy: The pretense of having feelings or characteristics one does not possess, especially the deceitful assumption of praiseworthy qualities; insincerity; masking or disguising one's true nature."

Jesus puts His finger on three practices the Pharisees of His time performed with insincerity. While charitable deeds, prayer, and fasting are all things easily performed in secret, they made sure everyone noticed a good work was about to be performed by sounding a trumpet. They prayed prominently in the synagogue or street corner where they were sure to be visible. When they fasted, their facial expressions broadcast to everyone that their stomachs were empty. They had corrupted these practices which were meant to minister to God, into advertisements for themselves and their piety.

Do we ever playact in a similar way? Oh, it may not look exactly the same but any act that should be God-directed but we're using to get something for ourselves is hypocritical. We volunteer at the mission and love the admiration we get for it. We give, and enjoy our reputation for being generous. We bless and encourage others with the real view to get them to reciprocate.

We may get what we want. But that's the extent of it. We have our reward.

How much better to examine our motives and expunge any vestige of self-interest. Sometimes that will mean we do things secretly, where there is no chance that anyone will see and compliment. At other times that will mean checking at the door any expectation of having the favour returned by the person who we bless. For "...your Father who sees in secret will reward you openly." (And doesn't even this promise feed into potentially self-serving motives? It could, although I believe God's rewards are often not in kind, but come along a different avenue)

PRAYER: Dear God, please help me to recognize the hypocrisy living in me. I repent of hypocritical, pride-inspired actions. Help me to do my acts of devotion secretly, for the right reasons, and for Your eyes only. Amen.

MORE: Ash Wednesday

Today is Ash Wednesday on the church calendar. This About.com article tells us a bit about the day:

"In Western Christianity, Ash Wednesday marks the first day, or the start of the season of Lent, which begins 40 days prior to Easter (Sundays are not included in the count).

Lent is a time when many Christians prepare for Easter by observing a period of fasting, repentance, moderation and spiritual discipline. During some Ash Wednesday services, the minister will lightly rub the sign of the cross with ashes onto the foreheads of worshipers."
...read the entire article

The liturgy for Ash Wednesday begins with the following collect:

Almighty and everlasting God, you hate nothing you have made and forgive the sins of all who are penitent: Create and make in us new and contrite hearts, that we, worthily lamenting our sins and acknowledging our wretchedness, may obtain of you, the God of all mercy, perfect remission and forgiveness; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.