1 00:00:00,080 --> 00:00:03,720 We're going to be in Matthew 6 today and then we're going to be 2 00:00:03,720 --> 00:00:08,080 obviously all over the place. I have to do a correction from 3 00:00:08,080 --> 00:00:11,560 last week that I had to I was actually watching the study to 4 00:00:11,560 --> 00:00:17,640 see if if Carl managed to delete my my foot in my mouth. 5 00:00:18,040 --> 00:00:23,400 He didn't, but that's OK. At one point I said that the 6 00:00:24,040 --> 00:00:28,200 that Jesus didn't accept the woman caught in adultery. 7 00:00:28,440 --> 00:00:30,920 That was wrong. Jesus completely accepted the 8 00:00:30,920 --> 00:00:32,920 woman caught in adultery. He didn't accept her sin. 9 00:00:33,480 --> 00:00:37,480 So I just wanted to clarify that that I misspoke last week. 10 00:00:37,480 --> 00:00:39,760 I do that on occasion, but I wanted to correct that if 11 00:00:40,160 --> 00:00:43,880 because I had the way I said it made it sound wrong because 12 00:00:43,880 --> 00:00:51,040 Jesus expects it accepts us as we are he he then he then cleans 13 00:00:51,040 --> 00:00:52,480 us of all unrighteousness, right? 14 00:00:52,480 --> 00:00:59,040 But anyway, so my corny title this week, focus factor. 15 00:01:00,400 --> 00:01:04,280 And as with all my titles there, there is some truth in it, but 16 00:01:04,480 --> 00:01:08,120 it is it is trying to be as corny as it can be. 17 00:01:08,160 --> 00:01:11,280 So we're going to start in Matthew 6, starting in verse 18 00:01:11,280 --> 00:01:16,800 one. Take heed that you do not do 19 00:01:17,520 --> 00:01:20,400 your charitable deeds before men to be seen by them. 20 00:01:20,400 --> 00:01:23,920 Otherwise you have no reward from your Father in heaven. 21 00:01:24,160 --> 00:01:27,160 Therefore, when you do charitable deeds, do not sound a 22 00:01:27,160 --> 00:01:30,480 trumpet before you as the hypocrites do in the synagogues 23 00:01:30,480 --> 00:01:33,600 and in the streets, that they may have glory from man. 24 00:01:33,600 --> 00:01:36,480 Assuredly, I say to you, they have their reward. 25 00:01:36,640 --> 00:01:41,880 But when you do not do a charitable deed, do not let your 26 00:01:41,880 --> 00:01:45,160 left hand know what your right hand is doing, that your 27 00:01:45,160 --> 00:01:48,400 charitable deed may be be in secret. 28 00:01:48,400 --> 00:01:51,720 And your Father, who sees in secret, will himself reward you 29 00:01:51,720 --> 00:01:54,480 openly. And when you pray, you shall not 30 00:01:54,840 --> 00:01:58,000 be like the hypocrites, for they love to pray, standing in the 31 00:01:58,000 --> 00:02:01,920 synagogues and on the corners of the streets, that they may be 32 00:02:01,920 --> 00:02:05,600 seen by men. Assuredly, I say to you, they 33 00:02:05,600 --> 00:02:08,919 have their reward. But you, when you pray, go into 34 00:02:08,919 --> 00:02:12,000 your room, and when you have shut the door, pray to your 35 00:02:12,000 --> 00:02:15,800 Father who is in secret. Put in a secret place. 36 00:02:16,360 --> 00:02:19,280 And your Father, who sees in secret, will reward you openly. 37 00:02:20,120 --> 00:02:24,400 And when you pray, do not use vain repetitions as the heathen 38 00:02:24,400 --> 00:02:27,640 do, for they think they will be heard for their many words. 39 00:02:27,640 --> 00:02:31,000 Therefore do not be like them, For your Father knows the things 40 00:02:31,000 --> 00:02:33,800 you need before you ask Him. It is a matter. 41 00:02:34,520 --> 00:02:39,240 Therefore pray. Our Father in heaven, hallowed 42 00:02:39,240 --> 00:02:42,640 be your name, your Kingdom come, your will be done on earth as it 43 00:02:42,640 --> 00:02:44,680 is in heaven. Give us this day Our Daily 44 00:02:44,680 --> 00:02:48,520 Bread, and forgive us our debts. As we forget our debtor, forgive 45 00:02:48,520 --> 00:02:53,040 our debtors, and do not lead us into temptation, but deliver us 46 00:02:53,040 --> 00:02:55,800 from evil, sorry from the evil one. 47 00:02:56,760 --> 00:02:59,040 For yours is the Kingdom, and the power, and the glory 48 00:02:59,040 --> 00:03:01,400 forever. For if you forgive men their 49 00:03:01,400 --> 00:03:05,320 trespasses, your heavenly Father will forgive you yours. 50 00:03:05,320 --> 00:03:08,760 But if you do not forgive men their trespasses, neither will 51 00:03:08,760 --> 00:03:12,240 your Father forgive you or give you forgive yours. 52 00:03:12,760 --> 00:03:18,480 Moreover, when you fast, do not be like the men to be fat, Be 53 00:03:18,480 --> 00:03:22,520 like the hypocrites with a sad countenance, for they disfigure 54 00:03:22,520 --> 00:03:26,440 their faces, that they may appear to be men to be fasting. 55 00:03:27,200 --> 00:03:29,640 Sorry, appear to men to be fasting. 56 00:03:29,920 --> 00:03:32,840 Assuredly, I say to you, they have their reward. 57 00:03:32,840 --> 00:03:37,040 But you, when you fast, anoint your head with anoint your head, 58 00:03:37,040 --> 00:03:42,120 wash your face so that you do not appear to men to be fasting. 59 00:03:42,920 --> 00:03:45,720 But your father who is in a secret place, and your father 60 00:03:45,720 --> 00:03:48,240 who sees in secret, will reward you openly. 61 00:03:48,640 --> 00:03:52,680 Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth 62 00:03:52,680 --> 00:03:55,520 and rust destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. 63 00:03:56,320 --> 00:03:59,560 But lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where 64 00:03:59,560 --> 00:04:05,080 neither moth nor rust destroy, and where thieves do not break 65 00:04:05,080 --> 00:04:07,600 in and steal. For where your treasure is, 66 00:04:07,600 --> 00:04:17,240 there your heart will be also. So I was real quick, got to jump 67 00:04:17,240 --> 00:04:20,519 into my study. Dear Lord, Lord, I don't want to 68 00:04:20,519 --> 00:04:24,560 be here outside of you. Or that you would just speak 69 00:04:24,560 --> 00:04:27,240 through me, Lord, that you would speak to me, or that you'd fill 70 00:04:27,240 --> 00:04:29,880 me with your spirit, or that you'd be with everybody here. 71 00:04:29,880 --> 00:04:32,080 That you'd be walking up and down the aisles, that you'd be 72 00:04:32,080 --> 00:04:35,280 ministering to people. You'd be speaking to hearts or, 73 00:04:37,000 --> 00:04:43,200 or that you would guide and direct this, direct me and pray 74 00:04:43,200 --> 00:04:46,800 all this in Jesus name, Amen. So I was thinking about 75 00:04:47,560 --> 00:04:51,720 different ways to go into this and I was thinking about riding 76 00:04:51,720 --> 00:04:53,040 a bike. When you're teaching your kids 77 00:04:53,040 --> 00:04:55,480 to ride a bike, do you feel like a legalist? 78 00:04:56,520 --> 00:04:59,080 You're into legalism when you're teaching a kid about it, ride a 79 00:04:59,080 --> 00:05:03,240 bike or how to swim? Or is there just a way that you 80 00:05:03,240 --> 00:05:05,480 swim in a way that you ride your bike and you're going to teach 81 00:05:05,480 --> 00:05:08,760 them how to do that, right? And when they fall, do you get 82 00:05:08,760 --> 00:05:12,160 mad at them because they didn't listen or do you understand that 83 00:05:12,160 --> 00:05:16,280 it is a hard thing to do? But then as I, as I went through 84 00:05:16,280 --> 00:05:19,480 it, I thought, actually, this is, there's a, there's a better, 85 00:05:19,880 --> 00:05:23,040 better way to look at this because this is Jesus in the 86 00:05:23,040 --> 00:05:27,440 Sermon on the Mount really, really telling us how, how life 87 00:05:27,440 --> 00:05:31,720 is supposed to work. If you were in an airplane, a 88 00:05:31,720 --> 00:05:36,920 small Cessna and the pilot had a heart attack and died and you 89 00:05:36,920 --> 00:05:38,680 got him out of the way. He was an autopilot, right? 90 00:05:39,000 --> 00:05:43,520 Got him out of the way and you got on the radio to call the 91 00:05:44,240 --> 00:05:46,280 call and say that you have a problem. 92 00:05:46,280 --> 00:05:51,120 There's no pilot in the plane and nobody answered. 93 00:05:52,240 --> 00:05:59,080 And then your your spouse found a book and it said how to fly a 94 00:05:59,080 --> 00:06:02,240 plane. Would you tell your spouse, 95 00:06:02,840 --> 00:06:07,000 don't read me that that's just somebody else's opinion, or 96 00:06:07,200 --> 00:06:12,840 would you listen diligently and focus on what is being read 97 00:06:14,280 --> 00:06:16,760 right, because your life depends on it, right. 98 00:06:18,320 --> 00:06:23,480 And that is that's that's these these sections when Jesus says, 99 00:06:24,840 --> 00:06:27,320 you know, when you look through that all those are things we 100 00:06:27,320 --> 00:06:30,680 should do. You know, when you do this, not 101 00:06:30,680 --> 00:06:37,800 if you do this and the I'm sure we've all heard the acronym that 102 00:06:37,800 --> 00:06:41,160 is for the Bible. That's basic instructions before 103 00:06:41,160 --> 00:06:44,960 leaving Earth, right? And that's, you know, cover to 104 00:06:44,960 --> 00:06:47,560 cover, end to end. That's what it is. 105 00:06:48,800 --> 00:06:56,960 Psalms chapter 1 verses one through 6 is is really and it's 106 00:06:56,960 --> 00:06:59,960 the Psalms chapter 1. So it really is a good 107 00:06:59,960 --> 00:07:04,840 description of what the Psalms are, and what the Word of God 108 00:07:04,840 --> 00:07:09,400 is. Right And it is. 109 00:07:12,240 --> 00:07:16,080 Blessed is the man who walks not in the counsel of the ungodly, 110 00:07:16,080 --> 00:07:19,960 nor stands in the path of sinners, nor sits in the seat of 111 00:07:19,960 --> 00:07:24,880 the scornful, but he delights in the law of the Lord, and in his 112 00:07:24,880 --> 00:07:29,520 law he meditates day and night. He shall be like a tree planted 113 00:07:29,520 --> 00:07:34,320 by the rivers of water that brings forth its fruit in its 114 00:07:34,320 --> 00:07:38,840 season, whose leaves also shall not wither, and whether he, 115 00:07:39,080 --> 00:07:43,680 whatever he does, shall prosper the ungodly, or not so, but are 116 00:07:43,680 --> 00:07:46,280 like chaff which the wind drives away. 117 00:07:46,280 --> 00:07:50,000 Therefore the ungodly shall not stand in the judgment, nor 118 00:07:50,000 --> 00:07:52,560 sinners in the congregation of the righteous. 119 00:07:52,560 --> 00:07:56,440 For the Lord knows the way of the righteous, but the way of 120 00:07:56,440 --> 00:08:01,560 the ungodly shall perish. So blessed is the man who 121 00:08:01,560 --> 00:08:03,320 delights in the law of the Lord, right? 122 00:08:03,960 --> 00:08:07,320 Blessed is the, You know, we talked about it two weeks ago 123 00:08:07,320 --> 00:08:10,880 about or last week about being in his word, right? 124 00:08:12,160 --> 00:08:14,880 He'll be planted like a tree by the river. 125 00:08:15,200 --> 00:08:17,160 He will be fruitful and healthy, right? 126 00:08:17,160 --> 00:08:21,960 He will prosper when he when he reads it and listens to what it 127 00:08:21,960 --> 00:08:25,960 says. And then we when we talked about 128 00:08:26,440 --> 00:08:32,000 that, we get to pray and how we should be praying as a joy, not 129 00:08:32,000 --> 00:08:34,240 as a have to, right? It's something we get to do. 130 00:08:37,480 --> 00:08:41,880 We look at God, God's desire for us to know him more and more 131 00:08:41,880 --> 00:08:44,560 every day, right? And we do that by reading, 132 00:08:44,560 --> 00:08:48,720 studying, and just dwelling in the word he has given us. 133 00:08:50,400 --> 00:08:55,040 Now this week we're we're going to do one that Americans hate 134 00:08:55,760 --> 00:08:59,920 with with and I say hate, probably pretty strongly 135 00:09:00,120 --> 00:09:06,560 dislike, dislike and and and the reason and how they get away 136 00:09:06,560 --> 00:09:08,600 with not doing it. How I get away with not doing it 137 00:09:08,600 --> 00:09:11,000 how the how the church as a whole get away with not doing it 138 00:09:11,000 --> 00:09:16,360 is we call it legalism and Jesus didn't call it legalism, right. 139 00:09:17,440 --> 00:09:23,000 As Americans, we are not good at delayed gratification and 140 00:09:23,000 --> 00:09:31,400 fasting is something that like announces that we are, we are 141 00:09:31,560 --> 00:09:33,720 that we were talking about it last week. 142 00:09:35,200 --> 00:09:38,680 As Americans, something that we are not good at is being hungry. 143 00:09:39,480 --> 00:09:44,280 And some of that is just availability of food, right? 144 00:09:44,280 --> 00:09:49,920 If I'm hungry, I am moments from food, right? 145 00:09:50,440 --> 00:09:53,200 I mean, in this room, I'm always moments from food because 146 00:09:53,320 --> 00:09:55,400 there's plenty of it in the back. 147 00:09:55,880 --> 00:09:58,840 But you know, if I, if I'm walking out front, there's a 148 00:09:58,840 --> 00:10:01,320 convenience store down the street there, there is food 149 00:10:01,320 --> 00:10:04,640 everywhere, right? We, we have an abundance of 150 00:10:04,640 --> 00:10:11,000 food, but fasting isn't, I mean, it is specific. 151 00:10:11,040 --> 00:10:16,880 Jesus here is specifically going to be talking about food, but it 152 00:10:16,880 --> 00:10:25,200 really has to do with giving up my comforts and and relying on 153 00:10:25,200 --> 00:10:33,520 the Lord and and we as Americans and I am the it's I am the I'm 154 00:10:33,520 --> 00:10:38,280 guilty of this by a tremendous amount are not good at saying no 155 00:10:40,200 --> 00:10:42,760 to our self, IE our flesh, right? 156 00:10:42,760 --> 00:10:43,960 We're just we're just not good at it. 157 00:10:43,960 --> 00:10:46,720 I going going through my divorce. 158 00:10:46,720 --> 00:10:49,440 There was a time where it was just me and my dog in my trailer 159 00:10:50,040 --> 00:10:53,760 and I was driving home every day and I went by a convenience 160 00:10:53,760 --> 00:10:55,880 store. And if you know me, you know, I 161 00:10:55,880 --> 00:11:01,560 like ice cream. And so it's really silly, right, 162 00:11:01,960 --> 00:11:05,520 But it it messed up my I'll get into what it was, but it it 163 00:11:05,520 --> 00:11:08,880 messed up my wok because it it I didn't have anything I said no 164 00:11:08,880 --> 00:11:11,240 about right. I, I wasn't drinking alcohol, 165 00:11:11,880 --> 00:11:14,920 but I was eating ice cream and I was eating a lot of ice cream, 166 00:11:15,800 --> 00:11:18,840 like an absurd amount of ice cream, like it was nothing for 167 00:11:18,840 --> 00:11:23,880 me to swing by the store and buy a buy whatever the the full size 168 00:11:23,880 --> 00:11:29,240 carton ice cream and get home, make dinner and then get the 169 00:11:29,240 --> 00:11:31,320 carton ice cream out. Well, there's no reason to get a 170 00:11:31,320 --> 00:11:34,880 bowl because I'm the only one eating out of it and I'd have to 171 00:11:34,880 --> 00:11:38,360 wash the bowl. So you start eating it. 172 00:11:38,360 --> 00:11:41,160 Well, then I'm sitting down and I'm watching TV and I'm eating 173 00:11:41,160 --> 00:11:42,480 it. Well, it's way easier to just 174 00:11:42,480 --> 00:11:44,720 keep eating it than it is to get up and put it back in the 175 00:11:44,720 --> 00:11:48,160 freezer. But then I drive home tomorrow 176 00:11:48,160 --> 00:11:50,440 night and I buy a carton ice cream. 177 00:11:50,440 --> 00:11:52,840 Now, I might be making you, some of you angry because I didn't 178 00:11:52,920 --> 00:11:57,400 gain any weight in this process. Not because I am, not because 179 00:11:57,400 --> 00:12:00,960 I'm not a glutton, but because I have a metabolism that God knew 180 00:12:00,960 --> 00:12:07,080 I'd be 800 lbs without. But my point is so that, believe 181 00:12:07,080 --> 00:12:12,240 it or not, that give in to my flesh affected my my Bible 182 00:12:12,240 --> 00:12:15,640 reading, my prayer, because I didn't say anything that was 183 00:12:15,640 --> 00:12:16,520 hard. I didn't do it. 184 00:12:16,880 --> 00:12:21,680 I just got to do whatever I wanted to do and saying no to my 185 00:12:21,680 --> 00:12:28,880 flesh, not in a not in a I'm trying to get comfort right, and 186 00:12:28,880 --> 00:12:31,640 that's what I was trying to do. We'll go back real quick and 187 00:12:31,640 --> 00:12:36,160 read 6 through 16 or 16 through 18 in Matthew. 188 00:12:36,640 --> 00:12:39,880 Moreover then, moreover, when you fast, do not be like the 189 00:12:39,880 --> 00:12:43,840 hypocrites with a sad continents for they disfigure their faces 190 00:12:44,200 --> 00:12:48,160 that they may appear to men to be fastingly fasting. 191 00:12:48,160 --> 00:12:52,640 Assuredly, I say to you, they have their reward, but you when 192 00:12:52,640 --> 00:12:56,680 you fast, anoint your head with oil, wash your face so that you 193 00:12:56,680 --> 00:13:00,360 do not appear to be fasting, but to your father who is in a 194 00:13:00,360 --> 00:13:04,680 secret place and your father who is in he's in secret will reward 195 00:13:04,680 --> 00:13:10,760 you openly. So like I said, Jesus didn't say 196 00:13:11,080 --> 00:13:17,000 if you fast. He said when you fast, right and 197 00:13:17,920 --> 00:13:25,240 but at the same time, this is not so if I fast, then I get 198 00:13:26,040 --> 00:13:30,440 right. It is it is not a it isn't even 199 00:13:30,440 --> 00:13:32,440 telling your body. I used to say it's telling your 200 00:13:32,440 --> 00:13:39,360 body to sit down and shut up. And there's a lot of physical in 201 00:13:39,360 --> 00:13:45,680 that, but it is really understanding who's in charge 202 00:13:47,040 --> 00:13:52,760 and that my so you guys all know because we live in the 21st 203 00:13:52,760 --> 00:13:54,000 century. So we get to know about 204 00:13:54,000 --> 00:13:55,560 chemicals in the brain and all the things. 205 00:13:55,920 --> 00:14:03,880 And so we know about dopamine and that reels and ice cream and 206 00:14:04,880 --> 00:14:09,000 TV shows and, and think they give us little dopamine hits 207 00:14:09,000 --> 00:14:12,640 throughout the day, right? And they give us comfort. 208 00:14:13,240 --> 00:14:18,160 They also when it's kind of like kind of like complex carbs 209 00:14:18,160 --> 00:14:23,320 versus white sugar, there is a, there is an up and down to that, 210 00:14:23,320 --> 00:14:25,680 right? If you're, if it's a, a cheap, 211 00:14:26,480 --> 00:14:29,560 cheap dopamine hit, then it's going to you're going to go up 212 00:14:29,560 --> 00:14:32,880 and then you're going to feel like garbage, IE eat a carton of 213 00:14:32,880 --> 00:14:37,080 ice cream before you go to bed. You feel great. 214 00:14:41,160 --> 00:14:47,280 But it says that the Father who will see in secret and will 215 00:14:47,280 --> 00:14:50,760 reward US openly. And what is he seeing in secret? 216 00:14:51,120 --> 00:14:53,960 And, and more importantly, what is that reward he's talking 217 00:14:53,960 --> 00:15:02,960 about? It's we fast, we pray, we give 218 00:15:02,960 --> 00:15:05,920 for reward, but what kind of reward are we looking for, 219 00:15:05,920 --> 00:15:08,560 right? And this is where the Christian 220 00:15:08,560 --> 00:15:13,400 walk and the worldly walk really take a split, right? 221 00:15:14,280 --> 00:15:18,560 The Old Testament prosperity was prosperity, just like we would 222 00:15:18,560 --> 00:15:23,240 talk about in I mean, Joshua was told he was going to be 223 00:15:23,240 --> 00:15:25,120 prosperous because they were going to conquer Canaan. 224 00:15:25,440 --> 00:15:31,240 Abraham was a very rich man. There was there was money as a 225 00:15:31,240 --> 00:15:35,200 Christian as we as we as Jesus came in and fulfilled that many 226 00:15:35,200 --> 00:15:39,680 things that are prosperous are spiritual in nature. 227 00:15:40,640 --> 00:15:44,680 They and when I say spiritual in nature, not ghosty, but they 228 00:15:44,680 --> 00:15:50,160 are, they are in you. There is a reason that the book 229 00:15:50,160 --> 00:15:53,120 of the Martyrs is such an inspirational book. 230 00:15:53,120 --> 00:15:59,840 And that's because men and women faced horrible death with 231 00:15:59,840 --> 00:16:03,600 something that the world could not understand. 232 00:16:05,000 --> 00:16:10,320 And they faced, they faced it with a joy and a peace and, and 233 00:16:10,320 --> 00:16:15,200 even a kindness for their abusers, Right. 234 00:16:17,320 --> 00:16:32,920 So Galatians 5 verses 16 through 18 says, I say then walk in the 235 00:16:32,920 --> 00:16:36,720 spirit and you shall not fulfill the lust of the flesh for the 236 00:16:36,720 --> 00:16:38,640 flesh. Lust against the spirit and the 237 00:16:38,640 --> 00:16:42,360 spirit against the flesh and these are contrary to one 238 00:16:42,360 --> 00:16:46,600 another so that you do not do the things that you wish. 239 00:16:47,120 --> 00:16:50,560 But if you are led by the Spirit, you are not under the 240 00:16:50,560 --> 00:16:57,440 law. So being led by the spirit right 241 00:16:58,320 --> 00:17:04,119 is being guided and directed, but it's that we get to, we 242 00:17:04,119 --> 00:17:07,200 don't have to. But I, I was, I was talking 243 00:17:07,200 --> 00:17:11,400 before service and my uncle goes here if you don't know. 244 00:17:11,400 --> 00:17:15,440 And, but when I go out to his house and over the years, I've 245 00:17:15,440 --> 00:17:17,720 helped do different things at his house. 246 00:17:18,319 --> 00:17:22,200 He's taught me stuff, right. I've went hunting with him. 247 00:17:23,640 --> 00:17:27,119 I've, I've fucked bales with him, I've hung sheetrock with 248 00:17:27,119 --> 00:17:29,320 him. I've, I've hung wood doing his 249 00:17:29,320 --> 00:17:34,600 house and none of that stuff. None of it did. 250 00:17:34,600 --> 00:17:38,120 I think when I was doing it that he loved me more because I was 251 00:17:38,120 --> 00:17:42,840 doing it right? It it was, I was doing it 252 00:17:42,840 --> 00:17:45,040 because I loved hanging out with him. 253 00:17:45,800 --> 00:17:51,480 I loved being able to do things with him and spend time with him 254 00:17:51,480 --> 00:17:55,160 doing it right. And that's being led by the 255 00:17:55,160 --> 00:17:58,560 Spirit, right? Spending that time with him, not 256 00:17:58,560 --> 00:18:00,440 because you have to, but because you get to. 257 00:18:01,960 --> 00:18:04,080 And what does fasting have to do with that? 258 00:18:04,880 --> 00:18:15,920 Right? Every once in a while this mic 259 00:18:15,920 --> 00:18:25,120 and me do not get along. So what must we do? 260 00:18:26,920 --> 00:18:29,400 And, and and like I said, it is a must. 261 00:18:29,400 --> 00:18:36,760 It's a get to. But like flying an airplane, you 262 00:18:36,760 --> 00:18:41,120 fly it the way it's supposed to be flown, right? 263 00:18:41,520 --> 00:18:44,440 And and you get to fly it that way, right? 264 00:18:44,880 --> 00:18:49,000 I mean, if, if my, my, if Faye's over there sitting in the 265 00:18:49,000 --> 00:18:51,320 pastor's seat and she's reading me the book. 266 00:18:52,200 --> 00:18:55,000 And she says, well, that says, it says to come in for a 267 00:18:55,000 --> 00:18:56,520 landing, you got to put down the flaps. 268 00:18:56,520 --> 00:18:57,960 I ain't putting down the flaps. Hush your mouth. 269 00:19:01,280 --> 00:19:03,720 Right. Well, but it said, I don't care 270 00:19:03,720 --> 00:19:05,840 what it says. That sounds legalistic. 271 00:19:06,760 --> 00:19:09,720 I'm going to do it the way I mean, I I haven't seen that on 272 00:19:09,720 --> 00:19:13,160 TV. So I you know, I remember, I've 273 00:19:13,160 --> 00:19:15,800 watched some shows, I don't remember them open it doing the 274 00:19:15,800 --> 00:19:17,400 flap. So I'm not going to do that 275 00:19:19,520 --> 00:19:22,400 right. Well, flaps are kind of 276 00:19:22,400 --> 00:19:24,080 important. They're going to, I don't know, 277 00:19:24,120 --> 00:19:26,680 don't don't think I can fly a plane because I can't, but I 278 00:19:26,680 --> 00:19:29,040 understand that they're they create better lift at a lower 279 00:19:29,040 --> 00:19:31,480 speed. And then and so we had that 280 00:19:31,480 --> 00:19:33,680 argument and she finally talks me into it and I get the flaps 281 00:19:33,680 --> 00:19:34,920 down. Then she tells me something 282 00:19:34,920 --> 00:19:37,680 crazy like I got to I got to open the landing gear up. 283 00:19:37,680 --> 00:19:42,360 I don't need landing gear. Sounds really legalistic, like I 284 00:19:42,360 --> 00:19:44,800 need wheels. Seems ridiculous. 285 00:19:45,840 --> 00:19:49,360 But you understand that the reason that you do the flat, the 286 00:19:49,360 --> 00:19:54,640 reason you followed the airplane book is because 100 years ago 287 00:19:54,640 --> 00:19:57,520 they didn't have a book. They were learning how to fly, 288 00:19:58,080 --> 00:20:02,440 and the Wright Brothers and everybody since then has built 289 00:20:02,440 --> 00:20:08,200 this machine that is amazing. You ever get in a 747 and it's 290 00:20:08,200 --> 00:20:11,360 fully loaded with people and stuff and do the math on how 291 00:20:11,360 --> 00:20:16,600 much weight is in the air and then try to try to tell yourself 292 00:20:16,600 --> 00:20:19,560 that you understand why it's flying, right? 293 00:20:20,040 --> 00:20:22,160 No, it's flying because that's it. 294 00:20:22,440 --> 00:20:25,360 It wins. Its aerodynamics beats the law 295 00:20:25,360 --> 00:20:29,520 of gravity, right? Because that's how it's supposed 296 00:20:29,520 --> 00:20:33,440 to be done. And that's as we go through 297 00:20:33,440 --> 00:20:34,800 this. That's my point. 298 00:20:35,520 --> 00:20:41,920 It is as we follow, as we're led by the Spirit and we follow what 299 00:20:41,920 --> 00:20:45,760 He teaches us, we get rewards. And those rewards are in 300 00:20:45,760 --> 00:20:52,000 Galatians 522 through 24. And it's but the fruit of the 301 00:20:52,000 --> 00:20:55,040 spirit is Lovejoy, peace, long-suffering, kindness, 302 00:20:55,040 --> 00:20:58,200 goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control. 303 00:20:58,400 --> 00:21:01,200 Against such there is no law, guys. 304 00:21:01,200 --> 00:21:06,600 If if you are full of love and joy and peace and long-suffering 305 00:21:06,600 --> 00:21:10,040 and kindness and goodness and faithfulness and gentleness and 306 00:21:10,040 --> 00:21:13,280 self-control, I'm telling you, you're blessed. 307 00:21:14,880 --> 00:21:21,920 If you if you are living on the streets in Uganda, if you are in 308 00:21:21,920 --> 00:21:26,560 Anchorage, AK and you have Lovejoy, peace, long-suffering, 309 00:21:26,560 --> 00:21:28,800 kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and 310 00:21:28,800 --> 00:21:32,880 self-control and have and and are are living in a shelter, 311 00:21:32,880 --> 00:21:35,560 you're blessed and you know you're blessed right? 312 00:21:36,840 --> 00:21:41,360 Stuff is not blessing relationship with the Lord is 313 00:21:41,360 --> 00:21:45,120 blessing. Now does that mean that he 314 00:21:45,120 --> 00:21:47,200 doesn't give us stuff? No, he takes care of his 315 00:21:47,200 --> 00:21:49,600 children. He does, he does amazing things, 316 00:21:49,960 --> 00:21:55,040 but he does amazing things as we as we're led and follow him. 317 00:21:57,160 --> 00:22:05,320 So fasting is giving up my desire and my passions to focus 318 00:22:05,320 --> 00:22:09,200 on God and his desire for my life and trusting him in that. 319 00:22:11,040 --> 00:22:17,040 Not for not a forcing of God to do, but a surrender to God as 320 00:22:17,080 --> 00:22:21,600 that he has power over my flesh right there. 321 00:22:21,600 --> 00:22:26,360 There are there are two in me and that that is the spirit in 322 00:22:26,360 --> 00:22:28,760 the flesh, right. And when I'm eating cartoons of 323 00:22:28,760 --> 00:22:32,120 ice cream every night or every week, that is definitely the 324 00:22:32,120 --> 00:22:33,840 flesh is winning that conversation. 325 00:22:34,400 --> 00:22:36,840 And it sounds silly because there's nothing, there's nothing 326 00:22:36,920 --> 00:22:41,560 ridiculous about nothing sinful about eating ice cream. 327 00:22:41,880 --> 00:22:44,480 I would say, you know, four or five cartoons a week. 328 00:22:44,480 --> 00:22:49,080 There's probably something simple about that, but I'm not 329 00:22:49,080 --> 00:22:50,480 judging anybody other than myself. 330 00:22:52,520 --> 00:22:57,920 So in in Matthew and Mark, Jesus fast for 40 days and was hungry 331 00:22:58,880 --> 00:23:01,760 and many think he was in a weakened state. 332 00:23:02,240 --> 00:23:05,840 Like, like I'm going to get as weak as I can before I go to 333 00:23:05,840 --> 00:23:10,800 this battle. But that is a that is that is us 334 00:23:10,800 --> 00:23:16,120 looking at that story from a position of our flesh being in 335 00:23:16,120 --> 00:23:19,880 charge. I believe the Spirit drove him 336 00:23:19,880 --> 00:23:23,480 into the wilderness like a Rocky movie, right? 337 00:23:23,880 --> 00:23:31,600 To prepare for the fight is that Jesus being 100% man and 100% 338 00:23:31,600 --> 00:23:37,680 God, had laid aside his his God power and was relying on his 339 00:23:37,680 --> 00:23:44,880 manpower to do all the things. Well, his manpower had had both 340 00:23:44,880 --> 00:23:46,480 natures. Because if he didn't, then it's 341 00:23:46,480 --> 00:23:49,800 cheating, right? And God didn't cheat, He was 342 00:23:49,800 --> 00:23:55,280 just perfect. So verse 4 through Matthew 4, 343 00:23:55,520 --> 00:24:10,000 verses 1 and 2, then Jesus was led by the Spirit 344 00:24:10,000 --> 00:24:12,400 into the wilderness to be tempted by the devil. 345 00:24:12,720 --> 00:24:16,240 And when he had fasted 40 days and 40 nights afterwards he was 346 00:24:16,240 --> 00:24:20,960 hungry and the enemy never stood a chance, right? 347 00:24:21,440 --> 00:24:27,440 Because for 40 days and 40 nights, what was Jesus doing? 348 00:24:28,760 --> 00:24:34,200 He was, I'm sure he was praying, talking to the Lord and he was 349 00:24:34,200 --> 00:24:41,080 fasting which which detached his physical self from this world. 350 00:24:44,400 --> 00:24:49,560 So when we pray and fast, it gives us spiritual power through 351 00:24:49,560 --> 00:24:53,160 focus of who is in charge, right. 352 00:24:55,480 --> 00:24:58,840 And when the when the battle came, Jesus said things like 353 00:24:59,360 --> 00:25:02,240 well, turn this turn these rocks into bread. 354 00:25:02,360 --> 00:25:08,680 Well, everybody takes that. But what did Jesus knew the 355 00:25:08,680 --> 00:25:12,840 answer to that question because for 40 days what was sustaining 356 00:25:12,840 --> 00:25:19,000 him the word of God and he said so man doesn't live by bread 357 00:25:19,000 --> 00:25:21,720 alone, but by every word that follow that flows out of the 358 00:25:21,720 --> 00:25:23,800 mouth of God. And I might have mangled that 359 00:25:23,800 --> 00:25:24,760 because I don't ever written down. 360 00:25:26,000 --> 00:25:36,640 But and then Jesus goes on or goes in Mark 928 and 29 it says 361 00:25:36,640 --> 00:25:39,800 and when he had come into the house, his disciples asked him 362 00:25:39,800 --> 00:25:42,360 privately, why could we not cast it out? 363 00:25:43,400 --> 00:25:49,160 So we said to them, this kind or this kind can come out by 364 00:25:49,160 --> 00:25:51,720 nothing but prayer and fasting. And if you don't know the story, 365 00:25:52,200 --> 00:25:58,440 man with a demon possessed son had come to Jesus as disciples 366 00:25:58,920 --> 00:26:02,960 and they couldn't cast out the demon. 367 00:26:03,040 --> 00:26:08,120 And the man came to Jesus when he showed up and said, can you 368 00:26:08,120 --> 00:26:11,000 do it? You know, I, I don't my, my 369 00:26:11,000 --> 00:26:20,760 son's been like this and. I don't know if this this 370 00:26:20,760 --> 00:26:23,720 conversation Jesus is having with disciples is talking about 371 00:26:23,720 --> 00:26:27,160 this kind only come this kind that he's talking about it. 372 00:26:27,160 --> 00:26:31,040 It could be the demon or it could be this kind of faith only 373 00:26:31,040 --> 00:26:33,640 comes out by nothing but prayer and fasting. 374 00:26:34,360 --> 00:26:39,760 And when we look at prayer and fasting, prayer is US reaching 375 00:26:39,760 --> 00:26:45,560 out to God and fasting is US letting go of the world, right? 376 00:26:45,560 --> 00:26:51,400 And it's not, there is not a, a force. 377 00:26:51,400 --> 00:26:55,320 And that's the hypocrites and the, the Pharisees, They, they 378 00:26:55,320 --> 00:26:59,440 went down that road that I'm working for you and I'm doing 379 00:26:59,440 --> 00:27:02,600 these things. And because of that, I'm a holy 380 00:27:02,600 --> 00:27:04,520 person. And that just isn't the God we 381 00:27:04,520 --> 00:27:08,840 serve. You know if I ever walked up to 382 00:27:08,840 --> 00:27:14,360 my uncle and said you owe me. That is, that is. 383 00:27:14,360 --> 00:27:17,120 That is a wrong heart, right? Well, that's when you get the 384 00:27:17,120 --> 00:27:21,400 idea that fasting has to do with I'm doing this so God will 385 00:27:21,400 --> 00:27:23,760 answer me. You're you're missing the 386 00:27:23,760 --> 00:27:30,910 reason. Can you imagine this? 387 00:27:30,910 --> 00:27:35,430 Is the Jesus here is showing his disciples because Jesus was a 388 00:27:35,430 --> 00:27:38,670 busy man, right? He was always moving, He was 389 00:27:38,670 --> 00:27:43,550 always going to the next place. But Jesus was was prayed up, 390 00:27:44,200 --> 00:27:45,840 right? He was prayed up. 391 00:27:45,840 --> 00:27:47,280 He was fasted up. He was. 392 00:27:48,000 --> 00:27:51,040 Can you imagine? Can you imagine when the Father 393 00:27:51,040 --> 00:27:53,320 came to him and said, can you help? 394 00:27:53,440 --> 00:27:55,800 Jesus looked at him and said, well, I got to go away for three 395 00:27:55,800 --> 00:27:58,960 days and praying fast about it. I'll be right back. 396 00:27:59,880 --> 00:28:02,440 Can you, Can you imagine that being the conversation? 397 00:28:04,960 --> 00:28:07,000 So this is a. Practice, right? 398 00:28:07,000 --> 00:28:10,160 This isn't a one time or when things are hard. 399 00:28:10,440 --> 00:28:13,000 It's it's a practice. It's something that should be 400 00:28:13,000 --> 00:28:19,080 part of the the rhythm of our our walk should be, you know, I 401 00:28:19,080 --> 00:28:22,440 mean, and nobody would argue with me about the rhythm of our 402 00:28:22,440 --> 00:28:27,840 life, having prayer in it that we should have a daily time with 403 00:28:27,840 --> 00:28:31,200 the Lord, that there should be daily time that we're reading 404 00:28:31,200 --> 00:28:34,160 our Bible, that we should be worshipping the Lord. 405 00:28:36,240 --> 00:28:38,480 But then they'll they'll say, well, but fasting. 406 00:28:38,720 --> 00:28:41,160 What do you I can't believe you'd want me to fast. 407 00:28:41,160 --> 00:28:46,880 That sounds legalistic and or we need to schedule it or I'm only 408 00:28:46,880 --> 00:28:48,600 going to fast if something big's happening. 409 00:28:48,600 --> 00:28:54,200 Well, Daniel is is like Jesus in this and if you go to Daniel 6. 410 00:28:56,640 --> 00:29:00,920 Verse 10. And it's the story of Daniel and 411 00:29:00,920 --> 00:29:02,920 the Lion's den. If you guys know the story, 412 00:29:04,880 --> 00:29:12,720 Daniel was basically was doing a really good job standing in 413 00:29:12,720 --> 00:29:15,640 right places. So all the corrupt, all the 414 00:29:15,640 --> 00:29:17,560 corrupt out there didn't like him. 415 00:29:18,080 --> 00:29:19,920 You know, his other governors and satraps. 416 00:29:19,920 --> 00:29:21,520 They didn't like him. So they wanted to get rid of 417 00:29:21,520 --> 00:29:23,640 him. So they couldn't find anything 418 00:29:23,640 --> 00:29:26,400 against him. So they said, well, the only 419 00:29:26,400 --> 00:29:30,160 thing we could find is if we find something against his God 420 00:29:30,160 --> 00:29:32,920 that he that he that he's doing that we can get the king to 421 00:29:32,920 --> 00:29:34,560 outlaw. So they went to the king and 422 00:29:34,560 --> 00:29:39,080 they said you should, you should outlaw anybody from praying to 423 00:29:39,080 --> 00:29:45,560 anybody except you for 30 days. And the king being being a guy 424 00:29:45,560 --> 00:29:50,080 who is easily, he wants everybody to worship him anyway. 425 00:29:50,560 --> 00:29:53,040 So he was manipulated into doing it. 426 00:29:53,680 --> 00:29:58,560 And so he signed it, signed the law. 427 00:29:58,560 --> 00:30:02,760 And in Daniel, Daniel 610, it says now when Daniel knew that 428 00:30:02,760 --> 00:30:08,360 the writing was signed, he went home in his upper room with with 429 00:30:08,360 --> 00:30:10,520 his windows open towards Jerusalem. 430 00:30:10,840 --> 00:30:16,200 He knelt down on his knees three times that day and prayed and 431 00:30:16,200 --> 00:30:22,240 gave thanks before his God, as was his custom since early days. 432 00:30:23,440 --> 00:30:27,400 So my point there is Daniel that day didn't decide to be 433 00:30:27,400 --> 00:30:30,000 rebellious, said, well, you're going to make a law and I'm 434 00:30:30,000 --> 00:30:33,440 going to break it. This is just what Daniel did it. 435 00:30:33,840 --> 00:30:35,720 Just didn't change the course of his life. 436 00:30:36,920 --> 00:30:41,640 And he was they. And and they got him. 437 00:30:41,840 --> 00:30:44,640 Got him busted obviously, because everybody knew that was 438 00:30:44,640 --> 00:30:48,760 the course of his life. You know that is and Daniel is 439 00:30:48,760 --> 00:30:51,280 definitely if you read the book of Daniel, he is definitely 440 00:30:51,280 --> 00:30:53,760 known for different types of fasting. 441 00:30:54,120 --> 00:30:57,520 But his fasting was was a lot like what I'm calling for here 442 00:30:57,520 --> 00:31:01,440 is a detachment from the Babylonian culture of excess 443 00:31:02,080 --> 00:31:06,320 right and just Babylonians didn't worry about food. 444 00:31:06,800 --> 00:31:18,160 They had plenty in the New Testament in Acts, Paul fasts in 445 00:31:18,160 --> 00:31:27,440 verse chapter 14, says in verse 21 and 22. 446 00:31:28,400 --> 00:31:31,360 And when they had preached the gospel to the city and made many 447 00:31:31,360 --> 00:31:34,800 disciples, they returned to Lystra, Iconium and Antioch, 448 00:31:35,200 --> 00:31:37,840 strengthening the souls of the disciples, exhorting them to 449 00:31:37,840 --> 00:31:41,680 continue in the faith and saying we must through many tribute. 450 00:31:41,680 --> 00:31:45,600 We we must through many tribulations enter the Kingdom 451 00:31:45,600 --> 00:31:48,280 of God. So when they had anointed elders 452 00:31:48,280 --> 00:31:53,080 in every church and prayed with fasting, they commended them to 453 00:31:53,080 --> 00:31:55,440 the Lord in whom they had believed. 454 00:31:56,240 --> 00:31:59,960 So the fun thing with that is Paul definitely believed there 455 00:31:59,960 --> 00:32:04,160 was a reason to fast. And Paul, if you've if you've 456 00:32:04,160 --> 00:32:08,520 read Paul's writings, he spends an exhaustive amount of time 457 00:32:09,440 --> 00:32:12,960 talking about that. We are saved by grace and not 458 00:32:12,960 --> 00:32:15,920 words. So fasting is not a work. 459 00:32:17,200 --> 00:32:19,400 It does take work. But it's not a work you're 460 00:32:19,400 --> 00:32:26,200 getting paid for, right? You know Acts 13 back a chapter. 461 00:32:27,880 --> 00:32:31,000 Verses 2 and 3. And this is as they're sending 462 00:32:31,880 --> 00:32:36,640 Saul and Barnabas out, they say, as they ministered to the Lord 463 00:32:36,840 --> 00:32:40,840 and fasted, the Holy Spirit said now separate to meet Barnabas 464 00:32:40,840 --> 00:32:43,960 and Saul for the work to which I have called them. 465 00:32:44,400 --> 00:32:47,720 Then having fasted and prayed, they laid hands on them and they 466 00:32:47,720 --> 00:32:52,480 sent them away. So Saul, who became Paul was 467 00:32:52,480 --> 00:32:56,640 prayed for and fasted for at the beginning of his ministry and 468 00:32:56,640 --> 00:33:01,720 throughout his life. So that's just me proving there 469 00:33:01,720 --> 00:33:05,800 is fasting in the New Testament. But why does God care about our 470 00:33:05,800 --> 00:33:08,240 food intake? And what does that have to do 471 00:33:08,240 --> 00:33:10,320 with my relationship with the Lord? 472 00:33:12,960 --> 00:33:17,560 Here's here's one that this is this is somewhere where the 473 00:33:17,560 --> 00:33:19,520 world can get to fasting sometimes. 474 00:33:20,520 --> 00:33:24,400 Daniel 6 And this is the king after he passed Daniel and the 475 00:33:24,400 --> 00:33:28,760 lion's den. Chapter 6. 476 00:33:28,760 --> 00:33:31,240 Verse 16. Through 19 So the king gave the 477 00:33:31,240 --> 00:33:34,960 command, and brought Daniel, and cast him into the den of lions. 478 00:33:35,120 --> 00:33:39,080 But the king spoke, saying to Daniel, Your God, whom you serve 479 00:33:39,080 --> 00:33:43,480 continually will deliver you. Then a stone was brought and 480 00:33:43,480 --> 00:33:48,000 laid on the mouth of of the den, and the king sealed it with his 481 00:33:48,000 --> 00:33:52,000 own signet ring and with the signet of his Lords, that the 482 00:33:52,000 --> 00:33:54,800 purpose concerning Daniel might not be changed. 483 00:33:55,600 --> 00:33:59,720 Now the king went to his palace and spent the night fasting, and 484 00:33:59,720 --> 00:34:01,600 no musicians were brought before him. 485 00:34:01,720 --> 00:34:07,840 Also his sleep went from him. So this is officially the most 486 00:34:07,840 --> 00:34:09,800 powerful man in the world at this time. 487 00:34:11,560 --> 00:34:15,360 And that night, the king. Knew something he had nothing. 488 00:34:16,199 --> 00:34:19,560 Nothing that would comfort his worry the king, and the king 489 00:34:19,560 --> 00:34:24,239 wasn't fasting to God. He his fasting. 490 00:34:24,239 --> 00:34:26,600 He was fasting and humble understanding the world had 491 00:34:26,600 --> 00:34:29,719 nothing that could comfort him, right? 492 00:34:30,360 --> 00:34:35,800 He, he, even as the King was powerless to comfort himself. 493 00:34:36,600 --> 00:34:42,880 There was there was nothing that he could do except wait, right? 494 00:34:43,360 --> 00:34:49,880 And when we get to that point in our lives that we understand 495 00:34:49,880 --> 00:34:55,880 that our comfort comes from the Lord and that comfort is in, you 496 00:34:55,880 --> 00:34:57,800 know, we would call comfort food. 497 00:34:59,400 --> 00:35:05,080 We it's, it's really that that idea that we are not used to 498 00:35:05,080 --> 00:35:10,960 being in that position of being in a place that I, I can't 499 00:35:10,960 --> 00:35:15,960 satisfy my own, my own desire, my what I want. 500 00:35:15,960 --> 00:35:18,640 I can get it. Something I tell my kids very 501 00:35:18,640 --> 00:35:21,840 often, not as much anymore, they've gotten older. 502 00:35:21,840 --> 00:35:24,440 But I, they used to always ask me what I wanted for Christmas. 503 00:35:24,440 --> 00:35:26,920 And I said, you know, whatever you guys want to give me, you 504 00:35:26,920 --> 00:35:28,760 know, well, dad, give us, give us something you want. 505 00:35:28,760 --> 00:35:31,840 And I said honey, if I want it, I went and bought it. 506 00:35:33,360 --> 00:35:36,840 And if I didn't buy it, you? Can't afford it, I mean. 507 00:35:36,840 --> 00:35:37,960 And that and it wasn't. It was. 508 00:35:37,960 --> 00:35:40,160 Kind of a joke, ha ha. But it was really the truth, 509 00:35:40,160 --> 00:35:43,280 right? If, if I wanted something, you 510 00:35:43,280 --> 00:35:45,760 know, and then we started joking about, you know, they'd ask me 511 00:35:45,760 --> 00:35:47,400 and I'd say, I don't know, I need to know about 250. 512 00:35:47,720 --> 00:35:50,320 Got one of those. I won't buy myself one of those, 513 00:35:50,320 --> 00:35:51,360 but if you would like to buy me one. 514 00:35:53,320 --> 00:35:56,600 And but. That's really do we understand 515 00:35:56,600 --> 00:35:59,240 that God? Has what? 516 00:35:59,240 --> 00:36:07,040 I need period and without him I don't have anything I need. 517 00:36:10,120 --> 00:36:15,720 Ezra 8. 21 through 23. So this is Ezra in real, in a 518 00:36:15,720 --> 00:36:19,920 really similar place as the king in Daniel. 519 00:36:20,840 --> 00:36:25,400 And this is chapter 8 verses 21 and 23 through 23. 520 00:36:26,240 --> 00:36:30,560 And it says, then I proclaimed a fast there at the river of Ava, 521 00:36:30,640 --> 00:36:35,280 that we might humble ourselves before our God to seek from Him 522 00:36:35,280 --> 00:36:38,480 the right way for us and our little ones and all our 523 00:36:38,480 --> 00:36:41,720 possessions. For I was ashamed to request of 524 00:36:41,720 --> 00:36:46,240 the King and escort of soldiers and horsemen to help us against 525 00:36:46,240 --> 00:36:49,760 the enemy on the road, enemies on the road, because he had 526 00:36:49,760 --> 00:36:54,320 spoken, because we had spoken to the king, saying, The hand of 527 00:36:54,320 --> 00:37:00,040 God is upon all those who seek all sorry, all those for good 528 00:37:00,040 --> 00:37:04,520 who seek him, but his power and his wrath are against all those 529 00:37:04,640 --> 00:37:07,440 who forsake him. So we fasted and enter, 530 00:37:07,440 --> 00:37:13,680 entreated for our God, sorry, entreated our God. 531 00:37:13,720 --> 00:37:17,560 For this He answered our prayers. 532 00:37:18,160 --> 00:37:25,280 So Ezra was at his end because he had bragged on his God and 533 00:37:25,400 --> 00:37:28,160 what he bragged on was true. But. 534 00:37:29,520 --> 00:37:34,880 Like I me and Faye coming. Up to coming up here and the 535 00:37:34,880 --> 00:37:39,640 process of that, I was not worried whether God could do any 536 00:37:39,640 --> 00:37:43,720 of it right, that I can walk away from my job, that I could I 537 00:37:43,720 --> 00:37:46,320 could move to Sandpoint, that we could build a house. 538 00:37:46,320 --> 00:37:50,440 I wasn't afraid of any of that. I was afraid of me saying we 539 00:37:50,440 --> 00:37:53,000 were going to do something that God didn't say we were going to 540 00:37:53,000 --> 00:37:58,560 do right. It's am I am I where he wants me 541 00:37:58,560 --> 00:38:01,120 to be doing what he wants me to do. 542 00:38:01,120 --> 00:38:03,600 And this is Ezra's heart here is we. 543 00:38:04,000 --> 00:38:09,040 He called for a he called for a fast for everybody, knowing they 544 00:38:09,040 --> 00:38:13,160 were in God's power, not their own right, that they needed to 545 00:38:13,160 --> 00:38:19,800 move in such a way that God was was directing their steps, that 546 00:38:19,800 --> 00:38:24,000 they were going, you know, in each path that that they were 547 00:38:24,000 --> 00:38:27,280 connected, that they were focused on the Lord's will for 548 00:38:27,280 --> 00:38:31,480 them. They humbled themselves, fasted 549 00:38:31,480 --> 00:38:33,280 and prayed and God answered right. 550 00:38:34,360 --> 00:38:38,640 And and it isn't once again, it isn't that God that you twist 551 00:38:38,640 --> 00:38:42,960 God's arm and then he answers. It really has to do with your 552 00:38:42,960 --> 00:38:45,760 focus. It has to do with. 553 00:38:48,640 --> 00:38:53,440 The heart behind it. It has to do with that God wants 554 00:38:53,800 --> 00:39:01,000 me not my stuff doesn't want my doesn't want my he wants my 555 00:39:01,040 --> 00:39:06,160 honest heart and that focus. Elizabeth Elliott, which we've 556 00:39:06,160 --> 00:39:09,800 already heard of quote today say a fast is not a hunger strike. 557 00:39:10,520 --> 00:39:13,360 Fasting submits to God's commands. 558 00:39:13,800 --> 00:39:17,960 A hunger strike makes God submit to our demands. 559 00:39:17,960 --> 00:39:21,320 So. Anybody have toddlers? 560 00:39:21,920 --> 00:39:24,600 Has one ever decided they were just going to hold their breath 561 00:39:24,600 --> 00:39:27,480 till they turn blue? How you give them what they 562 00:39:27,480 --> 00:39:31,960 want? That's if you're attempting to 563 00:39:31,960 --> 00:39:34,320 fast, to force God to do what you want him to do. 564 00:39:34,320 --> 00:39:36,080 That's what that looks like, right? 565 00:39:36,520 --> 00:39:40,680 And so that is not what we do, right? 566 00:39:41,440 --> 00:39:44,320 The reason that we're fasting and when we, when we do fast, 567 00:39:44,320 --> 00:39:50,480 the reason we fast is it is it it is that humble worship to the 568 00:39:50,480 --> 00:39:53,200 Lord, that Lord, you're in charge of, of this body. 569 00:39:53,920 --> 00:39:56,200 You're in charge of this body. And I trust you with it. 570 00:39:57,680 --> 00:40:00,520 And I want to spend time with you. 571 00:40:01,400 --> 00:40:07,080 My first, my first time ever fasting was something very 572 00:40:07,080 --> 00:40:08,640 simple. I was. 573 00:40:11,000 --> 00:40:14,120 Probably been saved 2 or. Three years and like many 574 00:40:14,120 --> 00:40:18,320 things, somebody I was either reading something like this or 575 00:40:18,320 --> 00:40:21,120 somebody said something and I'm like, oh, I should be doing that 576 00:40:22,280 --> 00:40:25,200 What's that look like? Well, and I eat a lot if you 577 00:40:25,200 --> 00:40:28,400 guys don't eat as much as I used to, but I used to eat a lot. 578 00:40:29,040 --> 00:40:37,240 And so I would, I'd fast lunch and so I ate breakfast and then 579 00:40:37,240 --> 00:40:38,640 I wouldn't eat again until dinner. 580 00:40:39,360 --> 00:40:44,840 And so at work you have 1/2 hour for lunch. 581 00:40:44,880 --> 00:40:50,520 Well, that half hour I spent in the world and I never, and it 582 00:40:50,520 --> 00:40:54,560 was the idea they're not, hey, I'm fasting and I'm spending 583 00:40:54,560 --> 00:40:57,760 time in the Lord in the word. So you need to bless me. 584 00:40:58,560 --> 00:41:03,760 It was, I was hungry and it was reminding me throughout the 585 00:41:03,760 --> 00:41:07,600 morning and at lunchtime and all the way until dinner. 586 00:41:08,280 --> 00:41:12,240 It was reminding me. That I was to be focused on the. 587 00:41:12,240 --> 00:41:17,160 Lord, right, And not, not in a not in a works thing, but in AI 588 00:41:17,160 --> 00:41:20,160 get to spend time with him and I get to spend time with him every 589 00:41:20,160 --> 00:41:23,400 day, whether I'm eating or drinking or whatever. 590 00:41:23,400 --> 00:41:26,960 I'm spending time with him, but my focus is broken. 591 00:41:27,000 --> 00:41:30,040 I I guarantee you when you eat as much as I used to eat and you 592 00:41:30,280 --> 00:41:33,680 cut out meals out of your life, suddenly your focus is very much 593 00:41:33,680 --> 00:41:36,560 on your belly. And then? 594 00:41:37,000 --> 00:41:41,400 You figure out the moment you've you feel your belly grumbling 595 00:41:42,440 --> 00:41:43,600 that. You're supposed to look. 596 00:41:43,600 --> 00:41:46,720 Upward and remember who's in charge and that's that's that 597 00:41:46,720 --> 00:41:54,120 picture Isaiah 58. This is the Pharisees. 598 00:41:54,280 --> 00:41:58,320 This isn't them here, but this is talking to men and women that 599 00:41:58,320 --> 00:42:01,920 acted like this, that that got to thinking that they were doing 600 00:42:01,920 --> 00:42:05,800 something that they deserved respect from the Lord because of 601 00:42:05,800 --> 00:42:12,200 what they were doing in honor of him. 58 starting in verse 3, it 602 00:42:12,200 --> 00:42:17,360 says, why have we fasted? They say, and you have not seen. 603 00:42:17,360 --> 00:42:21,320 Why have we afflicted our souls and you take no notice. 604 00:42:22,240 --> 00:42:27,000 In fact, in the day you fasted, you find pleasure and exploit 605 00:42:27,040 --> 00:42:30,920 all your laborers. Indeed, you fast for strife and 606 00:42:30,920 --> 00:42:34,680 debate, and to strike with the fist of wickedness. 607 00:42:35,120 --> 00:42:38,480 You will not fast, as you do this day, to make your voice 608 00:42:38,480 --> 00:42:41,920 heard on high. It is a fast that I have chosen. 609 00:42:42,480 --> 00:42:44,760 Sorry. Is it a fast that I have chosen? 610 00:42:45,160 --> 00:42:47,000 A day for men to afflict his soul? 611 00:42:48,120 --> 00:42:52,880 Is it to bow down his head like a bulrush, and to spread out 612 00:42:52,880 --> 00:42:56,480 sackcloth and ashes? Who you call? 613 00:42:58,360 --> 00:43:02,040 Would you call this a fast, an acceptable day to the Lord? 614 00:43:02,600 --> 00:43:08,760 Question Mark and this is them claiming they have rights and 615 00:43:08,760 --> 00:43:13,320 the Lord going what are you talking about This is not this 616 00:43:13,320 --> 00:43:18,280 is not you fasting fasting is a gift that he gives us and that 617 00:43:18,280 --> 00:43:21,560 the fun thing about fasting guys, if you don't know because 618 00:43:21,560 --> 00:43:24,800 once again we live in the 21st century and we get to know all 619 00:43:24,800 --> 00:43:27,800 the. All the fancy things. 620 00:43:27,800 --> 00:43:33,800 And sciences and all that stuff. If you search fasting, you will 621 00:43:33,800 --> 00:43:36,160 not, you will not pull up a Christian website. 622 00:43:37,040 --> 00:43:42,480 You will pull up dozens upon dozens upon dozens of health 623 00:43:42,480 --> 00:43:50,560 websites because did you know that fasting is, is a healthy 624 00:43:51,440 --> 00:43:55,280 process there, there's a reason to fast, right? 625 00:43:55,800 --> 00:43:59,960 And, and it's not it, it really goes back to the cleanliness 626 00:43:59,960 --> 00:44:01,400 laws and all those different things. 627 00:44:01,400 --> 00:44:03,920 There was a reason that God had these in place. 628 00:44:04,280 --> 00:44:09,400 That was on top of the fact. That we get to focus on. 629 00:44:09,400 --> 00:44:12,840 Him but there it's also something that but. 630 00:44:12,840 --> 00:44:16,720 It's never something I'm. Doing because, because I did it 631 00:44:17,040 --> 00:44:21,120 and now you have to bless me. You know, you have to answer my 632 00:44:21,120 --> 00:44:23,440 prayer, Lord, because I'm fasting. 633 00:44:23,560 --> 00:44:27,320 You have to do this for me because I'm fasting, I'm 634 00:44:27,320 --> 00:44:31,320 sacrificing this and now you have to give me that and. 635 00:44:31,520 --> 00:44:34,960 If that is. Ever our heart, we are missing 636 00:44:37,280 --> 00:44:41,880 the Lord's heart for us, his heart for us is to be able to 637 00:44:41,880 --> 00:44:48,160 spend time with him and, and very often when I, when I do 638 00:44:48,160 --> 00:44:52,480 fast, when people fast, they, you're, you get a clear mind. 639 00:44:52,760 --> 00:44:57,720 You can, you can focus, right, because you're not distracted by 640 00:44:57,720 --> 00:45:01,200 the world, you know, and that might take I mean, and I fast 641 00:45:01,200 --> 00:45:03,640 from all kinds of things and I'm not this is not padding my, I 642 00:45:03,640 --> 00:45:07,640 mean, I fast for, for spiritual reasons and I pass for health 643 00:45:07,640 --> 00:45:12,040 reasons and I, you know, it's, it's a thing, but I also give up 644 00:45:12,040 --> 00:45:19,120 things like social media or my phone or whatever coffee, but I 645 00:45:19,120 --> 00:45:23,800 do that as an, as an opportunity to focus on the Lord, like when 646 00:45:23,800 --> 00:45:27,480 I want a cup of coffee, it. Makes that that. 647 00:45:27,480 --> 00:45:30,240 Is a trigger, right? It's I think about the coffee 648 00:45:30,240 --> 00:45:32,600 and then I remember that I'm not drinking coffee and I need to 649 00:45:32,600 --> 00:45:35,640 pray. It's a it's. 650 00:45:35,640 --> 00:45:39,000 A It's a trigger to help me focus on the Lord and detach 651 00:45:39,000 --> 00:45:43,280 from this world and and not give my flesh that but. 652 00:45:46,160 --> 00:45:49,440 The the reward and. The fruit we get from fasting is 653 00:45:49,440 --> 00:45:52,200 a byproduct of spending time with the Lord. 654 00:45:53,240 --> 00:45:59,600 Not not I'm fasting. So I get it's I'm fasting and 655 00:45:59,600 --> 00:46:04,680 it's helping me to focus on the Lord and in that it gives me 656 00:46:04,680 --> 00:46:08,320 that that ability to rely on him and depend on him more because I 657 00:46:08,320 --> 00:46:12,040 get to I get to spend more time with him and know his character 658 00:46:12,040 --> 00:46:32,000 better. So the question that we. 659 00:46:32,000 --> 00:46:34,480 Should ask ourselves, isn't what should I fast? 660 00:46:34,480 --> 00:46:36,920 The question is what shouldn't I fast right? 661 00:46:37,800 --> 00:46:41,920 Examples of things that that you shouldn't fast, right? 662 00:46:41,920 --> 00:46:46,840 So the body, the human body, cannot live longer. 663 00:46:46,840 --> 00:46:48,200 Than three days without. Water. 664 00:46:49,800 --> 00:46:54,360 There's some here. That have health concerns that 665 00:46:54,360 --> 00:46:59,560 are valid and so you shouldn't, you shouldn't cut off. 666 00:46:59,560 --> 00:47:03,680 Food because it will. Affect you badly with your with 667 00:47:03,680 --> 00:47:07,920 your health concerns. If your job requires a computer 668 00:47:07,920 --> 00:47:11,200 while at work, you probably shouldn't fast all technology 669 00:47:11,200 --> 00:47:12,480 because you work. You got to. 670 00:47:13,040 --> 00:47:15,000 You still have to. You still have to. 671 00:47:18,800 --> 00:47:23,440 Supply for your family. Things that are fast a bowl, 672 00:47:23,440 --> 00:47:28,520 though, are extra things, right? You know you can fast food 673 00:47:28,520 --> 00:47:32,160 outright or you could fast breakfast, you fast lunch, you 674 00:47:32,160 --> 00:47:34,680 could fast dinner. Here's one that Americans, 675 00:47:35,320 --> 00:47:37,920 nobody in this room, including myself, enjoy this one. 676 00:47:38,040 --> 00:47:42,200 You could fast hot water. Take cold showers. 677 00:47:42,920 --> 00:47:45,120 Right. I mean, trust me when I tell 678 00:47:45,120 --> 00:47:47,680 you, you are focused on the Lord, right? 679 00:47:47,920 --> 00:47:50,840 Because that's cold. I yeah, in Uganda you have to 680 00:47:50,840 --> 00:47:52,600 take a lot of cold showers because they don't have a lot of 681 00:47:52,600 --> 00:47:56,640 hot, hot water. You know, like. 682 00:47:57,320 --> 00:48:01,400 Coffee you could you could fast your cell phone that usually 683 00:48:01,400 --> 00:48:04,880 gets boos and hisses. Think what it would be like to 684 00:48:04,880 --> 00:48:08,160 just leave it at home for a week, right? 685 00:48:10,120 --> 00:48:14,760 And none of these fasts would give you power or wisdom or 686 00:48:14,760 --> 00:48:21,880 reward, right? But as you lose focus. 687 00:48:21,880 --> 00:48:25,080 On selfishness and humble yourself, God will be able to 688 00:48:25,080 --> 00:48:29,600 flow through your life in a powerful way, full of wisdom and 689 00:48:29,600 --> 00:48:36,960 reward. Right when we get, when we. 690 00:48:37,040 --> 00:48:43,080 When you look at the the order that God gives us and that Jesus 691 00:48:43,080 --> 00:48:47,240 talks about in the sermon on the mound and he says when we give, 692 00:48:47,360 --> 00:48:50,080 we are surrendering our material things to God. 693 00:48:51,680 --> 00:48:55,360 And just just saying it all. Belongs to him when we. 694 00:48:55,360 --> 00:48:57,920 Pray we are. Surrendering our needs to God, 695 00:48:58,840 --> 00:49:03,960 we hope and rest in Him. When we fast, we are 696 00:49:03,960 --> 00:49:08,960 surrendering our comfort to God. My joys are found in Him. 697 00:49:10,400 --> 00:49:13,880 And if you the end. Of the end of that whole section 698 00:49:14,800 --> 00:49:18,920 that Jesus is talking about giving and prayer and fasting. 699 00:49:20,160 --> 00:49:23,160 Verse 24 it says no. One can serve 2 masters. 700 00:49:23,600 --> 00:49:26,760 Either he will hate the one and love the other, or else he will 701 00:49:27,080 --> 00:49:29,760 he will be loyal to the one and despise the other. 702 00:49:29,760 --> 00:49:33,240 You cannot serve God and Mammoth and. 703 00:49:34,600 --> 00:49:37,840 Do we trust the God we? Serve do we trust him with my 704 00:49:38,120 --> 00:49:47,960 with my own, with my comfort guys, I I am not a giant of 705 00:49:47,960 --> 00:49:51,240 fasting at all. I I didn't truly get into 706 00:49:51,240 --> 00:49:54,600 anything that resembled fasting until 2018. 707 00:49:54,600 --> 00:50:00,440 I did some but nothing substantial and I will. 708 00:50:00,440 --> 00:50:03,240 Tell you that. What if you go at it with the 709 00:50:03,240 --> 00:50:06,200 right heart? If you go at it with the right 710 00:50:06,200 --> 00:50:11,320 heart and the desire to just spend spend time with the Lord, 711 00:50:13,280 --> 00:50:18,200 it is it is a blessing that that is it as good as reading your 712 00:50:18,200 --> 00:50:21,840 word and praying. Fasting gives you a focus on 713 00:50:21,840 --> 00:50:24,560 those two. It's it's an enrichment, but it 714 00:50:24,560 --> 00:50:27,560 isn't something that I'm doing it. 715 00:50:27,560 --> 00:50:40,980 So now God owes me right and we cannot have eyes on the things 716 00:50:40,980 --> 00:50:43,060 of this world and God at the same time. 717 00:50:44,860 --> 00:50:46,820 When we try, we are blinded by the world. 718 00:50:48,200 --> 00:50:51,920 Like I said, couple weeks. Ago God is God is a still small 719 00:50:51,920 --> 00:50:58,280 voice and the world is loud. Fasting is is a way for us to 720 00:50:58,280 --> 00:51:01,240 actively rely on God to meet our needs. 721 00:51:02,520 --> 00:51:05,760 And clear our vision. And see, he is enough. 722 00:51:07,720 --> 00:51:11,080 So, Lord, I just lift up this time as we're going to get into 723 00:51:11,080 --> 00:51:19,840 communion and that you would just be with us and or that we 724 00:51:19,840 --> 00:51:26,000 could as we take this these elements, Lord, that you gave at 725 00:51:26,000 --> 00:51:30,640 the Last Supper and said, take these and remember unto me or 726 00:51:30,960 --> 00:51:37,080 that we would just spend some time with you and just focusing 727 00:51:37,080 --> 00:51:38,200 on what you've done in our lives. 728 00:51:39,160 --> 00:51:42,400 And Lord that you would just speak to us today. 729 00:51:42,400 --> 00:51:44,880 Lord, if there's anything, anything that is. 730 00:51:47,120 --> 00:51:49,760 Between us, Lord, there. Anything that's affecting that 731 00:51:49,760 --> 00:51:53,480 focus on you, Lord, that you would put a finger on it or that 732 00:51:53,480 --> 00:51:57,680 you would that we would repent from it, but Lord that we would 733 00:51:57,680 --> 00:52:00,840 just give it to you. Lord, you throw it as far as E 734 00:52:00,840 --> 00:52:06,960 is from the West and then we would just be able to have that 735 00:52:07,200 --> 00:52:10,200 clear relationship and clear sight on you that pray all this 736 00:52:10,200 --> 00:52:38,600 in Jesus name, Amen. You weren't. 737 00:52:38,600 --> 00:52:47,280 The Word in the beginning one with God, the Lord Most High. 738 00:52:49,640 --> 00:52:55,960 Your hidden. Glory and creation now revealed 739 00:52:56,000 --> 00:53:01,600 in you are Christ. What a beautiful name it is. 740 00:53:02,360 --> 00:53:10,320 What a beautiful name it is, the name of Jesus Christ my King. 741 00:53:11,640 --> 00:53:16,720 What a beautiful name it is, and nothing compared to this. 742 00:53:17,720 --> 00:53:23,240 What a beautiful name it is in the name of Jesus. 743 00:53:29,120 --> 00:53:32,400 You did not. Run heaven without us. 744 00:53:33,400 --> 00:53:37,840 So Jesus, you brought heaven down. 745 00:53:40,760 --> 00:53:44,280 My sin was. Great, your love was greater. 746 00:53:45,160 --> 00:53:52,320 What could separate us now? What a wonderful name it is. 747 00:53:53,240 --> 00:54:00,880 What a wonderful name it is, the name of Jesus Christ my King. 748 00:54:02,160 --> 00:54:07,120 What a wonderful name it is, and nothing compares to this. 749 00:54:08,320 --> 00:54:13,600 What a wonderful name it is, the name of Jesus. 750 00:54:14,200 --> 00:54:19,840 What a wonderful name it is, the name of Jesus. 751 00:54:40,040 --> 00:54:42,960 So Lord, I just. Thank you for the bread, Lord, I 752 00:54:42,960 --> 00:54:46,880 thank you for. What you did on the cross? 753 00:54:47,840 --> 00:54:50,800 That. You're willing to lay down your 754 00:54:50,800 --> 00:54:54,720 body. For us, Lord, that you cared 755 00:54:54,720 --> 00:54:58,000 that much about each and every one of us to give yourself. 756 00:54:58,000 --> 00:55:02,240 For us, that's for taking the bread. 757 00:55:09,840 --> 00:55:17,520 And Lord, I just thank you for the the blood Lord, and that you 758 00:55:17,520 --> 00:55:26,880 washed us clean or that you're you are all sufficient or that 759 00:55:26,880 --> 00:55:33,640 we are clean and white as snow in in the presence of you and 760 00:55:33,640 --> 00:55:38,600 the Father, Lord, filled with the spirit, take the blood. 761 00:55:46,280 --> 00:55:50,320 So Lord, I just lift up today and lift up this week coming up. 762 00:55:50,320 --> 00:55:55,960 Lord that you would give us a heart for you, Lord, that you 763 00:55:55,960 --> 00:55:59,320 would give us focus on your desires for our lives, Lord, 764 00:55:59,320 --> 00:56:02,040 that we'd be in our word, that we'd be praying, Lord. 765 00:56:02,040 --> 00:56:04,920 And if called, we'd be willing to fast something for you this 766 00:56:04,920 --> 00:56:09,560 week, Lord, But not as a works thing, not as something to even 767 00:56:09,560 --> 00:56:12,960 talk about, Lord, Just that we would, we'd want to spend time 768 00:56:13,640 --> 00:56:16,520 in your presence. And Lord would be willing to do 769 00:56:16,520 --> 00:56:18,640 whatever it would take to do that. 770 00:56:20,480 --> 00:56:21,960 Father is in Jesus name, Amen.