God's Promise For November - 2000

Dear Brothers and Sisters,

Loving Greetings in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ. As I was praying for this month of November God gave me this Isaiah 58^th Chapter. I have given many sermons from this chapter on the blessings of God. But this time as I was going through this I felt basically this Chapter says about the true fasting. Here we will see how we can avoid the false way of doing fast and we can learn the right way of doing the fast which can be accepted by the Lord. The twenty rewards or blessings God gives to those who truly do the right kind of Fast what God expects.

Isa 58:6 to 12, "Is not this the kind of fasting I have chosen:
(1) to loose the chains of injustice and
(2) untie the cords of the yoke,
(3) to set the oppressed free and
(4) break every yoke? Is it not
(5) to share your food with the hungry and
(6) to provide the poor wanderer with shelter
(7) when you see the naked, to clothe him, and
(8) not to turn away from your own flesh and blood?
(9) if you spend yourselves in behalf of the hungry and
(10) satisfy the needs of the oppressed Then

(a) your light will break forth like the dawn, and
(b) your healing will quickly appear; then
(c) your righteousness will go before you, and
(d) the glory of the LORD will be your rear guard.
(e) Then you will call, and the LORD will answer;
(f) you will cry for help, and he will say: Here am I.
(g) If you do away with the yoke of oppression, with the pointing finger and malicious talk then your light will rise in the darkness, and your night will become like the noonday.

The LORD will guide you always; he will satisfy your needs in a sun-scorched land and will strengthen your frame. You will be like a well-watered garden, like a spring whose waters never fail. Your people will rebuild the ancient ruins and will rise up the age-old foundations; you will be called Repairer of Broken Walls, Restorer of Streets with Dwellings.

Ten things do not constitute a real fast.(Vs.3 – 5)

1. Practices about which we complain. (v.3)
2. Afflicting the Soul to attract the Lord. (3 to 5)
3. Doing our pleasures. (3)
4. Exacting all labors.
5. Contention and debates. (4)
6. Smiting with the fist of wickedness.
7. Making voice to be heard in public.
8. Bowing the head like the bulrush to make an impression on others (5)
9. Spreading the sackcloth as ashes under us.
10. Having a sad countenance, disfiguring the face, making a show to be seen by men (Mat.6: 16-18).

Twenty-three things, which constitute a true fasting:

1. To loose the bands of wickedness (V.6)
2. Undo the heavy burdens.
3. Let the oppressed go free.
4. Break every yoke. (V.6, 9)
5. Deal bread to the hungry (v.7)
6. Shelter the cast out.
7. Cover the naked.
8. Not covering up your own faults.
9. To call upon and cry to God. (V.9)
10. Cease accusing others.
11. Stop speaking vanity.
12. Having compassion on the hungry. (V.10)
13. To satisfy the afflicted soul.
14. Keep from desecrating Sabbaths. (Lord’s Day). (13)
15. Abstain from doing your own pleasures on the Day of the Lord.
16. Love and delights in the Day of the Lord.
17. Call the Day of the Lord as a holy one.
18. Honor God’s day.
19. Honor God in all things.
20. Live an unselfish life.
21. Live for God and not for our own pleasures.
22. Speak God’s word and not yours.
23. Abstain from food.

Twenty Blessings brought by true Fasting.

1. You shall have light as day. (V.8)
2. Your health will spring forth speedily.
3. Your righteousness will go before you.
4. God’s glory will be your rear guard.
5. When you call God will answer you. (V.9)
6. You will cry God will answer you.
7. Your light will rise in obscurity. (V.10)
8. Your darkness will be like as noon.
9. The Lord will guide you continually.
10. He will satisfy you in the time of drought. (V.11)
11. He will make your bones fat.
12. You will be like a watered garden.
13. You will be like an unfailing spring of water.
14. Your waste places will be built. (V.12)
15. You will rise up the foundations of many generations.
16. You will be called, the repairer of the breach.
17. You will be called, the restorer of paths to dwell in.
18. You will delight yourself in the Lord. (V.14)
19. I will cause you to ride upon the high places of the earth.
20. I will feed you with the heritage of Jacob your father, for I have spoken it from my mouth.