Are You Disciplined? Part:10: Fellowship

 

Years ago, while I attending classes for pastors in California, we pastors were given the book Celebration of Discipline” copyright (c) 1978, by Richard J. Foster. This well-known book, has been, over the years, very helpful to many Christians both laity and clergy alike.

Mr. Foster’s work "Celebration of Discipline".

Mr. Foster's book speaks to believers about how Christians can avail ourselves of the "Spiritual Disciplines" and grow in the Christian life thru a relationship with Jesus Christ by way of the "Spiritual Disciplines"

With that acknowledgement I would like to offer in my own words, as best that I may, what I have gleaned from Mr. Foster’s book.

Spiritual Opportunities

The Spiritual Disciplines are not Religious Duties, but rather, are Spiritual Opportunities that aid in the Christian life and bring us ever deeper intimacy with our Lord Jesus Christ and through Jesus into an ever-growing relationship with the Holy Trinity, the Father, Son and the Holy Spirit. Again, the "Spiritual Disciplines" do not earn us salvation, our salvation is accomplished through and by Jesus alone on our behalf. He has accomplished it all for us, Jesus has done what none of us could ever do. Jesus has saved us.

What the "Spiritual Discipline" are, are Spiritual Opportunities for each and all of us to have Communion with our God in times of deep personal intimacy which brings us to see that he is with us and wants us and loves us.

Availing ourselves of the "Spiritual Disciplines"  aids the Christian in growing in Christ likeness, this process over a life time , is what the ancient Church called "Deification".

 The Value of the "Spiritual Disciplines" are that they bring the believer to experience  what is true, that Jesus Christ is with us, that is his Spirit fills all time and eternity and out of his endless love for us he reached out to us and abides with us. We are able then to live out of a holy relationship with the great God, the Holy Trinity, the Father, Son and Holy Spirit and to participate is that relationship of mutually love and submission each honoring the other above self.

Aloneness

Many in the world round us feel alone and disenfranchised by the greater society as a whole, they many have acquaintances and people that they know but are not experiencing a deep and abiding connection with others. 

This loneliness that some are living with in in many ways the result of humanities estrangement with and from the great God. Humanity was meant to have a Communal relationship with others that finds its' origin in and with our Lord.

When our first parents, in the Garden of Eden, chose the Tree of the knowledge of Good and Evil, the made a choice to stand apart from their Creator. To be out of Communion with God. This choice not only placed estrangement between God and humanity but between humanity as a whole.  This choice changed the relationship between each and all, it disrupted the fellowship which we are all meant to be a part of. With this choice came loneliness.  

Restored Through Jesus

Humanity was made to be relationally interdependent with in a greater community of God and others. Jesus came to remove the estrangement between humanity, and himself, and others. God through the incarnation of the Holy Son of God, the second person of the Holy Trinity took on our humanity so that the breach between we and our God is healed and our fellowship with him and one another is restored to what he had always intended it to be.

In short Jesus came that we might have fellowship with God and each other in a broader community.

St. Paul tells us in his Epistle to the Greek believers in the city of Corinth about this reconciled state that God in Christ has wrought on each and all of our behalf

"All this is from God, who reconciled us to himself through Christ and gave us the ministry of reconciliation:" 2Cor:5:18

God wanted each and all of us to be in a Communion with him for all eternity and thru his Holy Son Jesus he has accomplished this for each and all if they will but freely receive it. 

St. Paul explains to us that it is the commission of the Church to announce this reconciliation to all the world.  

"Now all these things are from God, who reconciled us to Himself through Christ and gave us the ministry of reconciliation, namely, that God was in Christ reconciling the world to Himself, not counting their trespasses against them, and He has committed to us the word of reconciliation. Therefore, we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God were making an appeal through us; we beg you on behalf of Christ, be reconciled to God" (18-20)

The Gospel of Fellowship

The whole message of the Gospel is an invitation to humanity to join the creator God in fellowship and communion. St. John, in his first General Epistle to the Church, tells us that Jesus came so we might have this abiding eternal fellowship and that it was the mission of the Christian Church to invite others to experience this fellowship with God, the Holy Trinity, through Jesus Christ.

 "That which was from the beginning, which we have heard, which we have seen with our eyes, which we have looked at and our hands have touched—this we proclaim concerning the Word of life. The life appeared; we have seen it and testify to it, and we proclaim to you the eternal life, which was with the Father and has appeared to us. We proclaim to you what we have seen and heard, so that you also may have fellowship with us. And our fellowship is with the Father and with his Son, Jesus Christ. We write this to make our joy complete."1Jhn:1:1-4

This was the whole reason for our Lord Jesus to come to us in the incarnation that he might reveal the Father and his heart for each and all of us and to know him and be in relationship with God.  St. John’s Epistle reveals much more than we might first perceive, we may, when we read, what St. John has written assume that the sediment being expressed belong only to the Apostle, but they in truth show us how our God “feels" about his Children. It is our God's joy over us that is being spoken of, not just St. John's.

Fellowship For All Peoples

Under the Old Covenant, that national relationship that was enjoined between God and Israel, the Jewish people had a unique relationship with the creator God lived out thru the keeping of the Sabbaths, Holy Days, Ordinances, Judgments, the Ceremonial  Sacraments all with a focus at the Temple of God which was ultimately built at Jerusalem.  This Covenant formed a "hedge" or "barrier" around the nation of Israel and limited their fellowship and relationship with others peoples and nations. 

The Prophets of Israel saw that this "hedge" or "barrier" around the nation of Israel would, however, be surmounted at a time in their future, though they did not fully understand how God would accomplish this seeing it was their understanding that the right relationship with God was based upon that very   "hedge" or "barrier" erected under the Old Covenant. Ps: 80:8

 "And in that day there shall be a root of Jesse, who shall stand as an ensign of the people; to it shall the Gentiles seek: and his place of rest shall be glorious."Isa:11:10

 This surmounting of this "hedge" or "barrier" erected around Israel under the Old Covenant around and the admission of gentiles into fellowship with God was accomplished by God himself thru Jesus, that is Jesus came that any and all humanity, regardless of their national origins.

 The word used to describe this "hedge or barrier" was "Phragmos" this is what separated Israel and the gentile nations around them.

In Jesus' parable of the wedding invitation Jesus confirms that all those Gentiles  who are beyond  the "hedge" , the " Phragmoi" , that is the  "barrier" of the Covenant , who will accept his Messiah ship will be  welcomed and brought into glorious fellowship of God in the fellowship of the  wedding banquet .

"And the slave said, 'Master, what you commanded has been done, and still there is room.' "And the master said to the slave, 'Go out into the highways and along the hedges, and compel them to come in, so that my house may be filled. 'For I tell you, none of those men who were invited shall taste of my dinner." Lk: 14:21

Barrier in the Temple

St. Paul speaks of this inclusion of the Gentiles along with the people of Israel into the divine fellowship of our God through and in Jesus in his Epistle to the Christians at the Asia Minor city of Ephesus two thousand years ago and to all believers thru out the ages. 

This inclusion into fellowship of the Gentiles is described by St. Paul the Apostle as being accomplished thru the dismantling of the "Phragmos”, that is, the "dividing   wall” in the Temple which segregated the Gentiles to the "outer court" of the Temple and restricted their participation of the Worship and Fellowship of God.  

 "For he himself is our peace, who has made the two groups one and has destroyed the barrier, the dividing wall of hostility, by setting aside in his flesh the law with its commands and regulations. His purpose was to create in himself one new humanity out of the two, thus making peace, and in one body to reconcile both of them to God through the cross, by which he put to death their hostility. He came and preached peace to you who were far away and peace to those who were near. For through him we both have access to the Father by one Spirit." Eph: 2:14-18

Jesus has come that all might be a part of the fellowship of the great God and thru Jesus has given us access to this Holy fellowship of the Trinity.

 Koinonia  

This fellowship is described in and by the well-known Greek term Koinonia . This word Koinonia carries with it so many meanings, it describes relationship, a bound of love and mutual regard, of deep abiding trust, of communion.

This is what we can experience and is manifested in our times as Christians when we gather together in worship and other activities. This fellowship does not of itself arise out of human agreement or natural bounds, rather it arises out of the abiding presences of Lord among and within our lives thru the indwelling of the Holy Spirit; Jesus has given us union with the Holy Trinity thru his shared humanity in the incarnation and unites each and all of us into this holy union and communion.

This fellowship is given only thru our Lord and he so graciously shares it with each and all of us and in so doing we thru Jesus in and among the Church come into deeper relations and fellowship our Lord and one another.

This is why it is fitting for Christians to regularly join  together in worship and social activities, as we do we grow in this fellowship and are strengthen together among the community of the Church assembly and other Christians associations.   

Regular times of fellowship and worship are vital for the growth and maturing of the Christian life and growing into the image and likeness of our Lord, what the Ancient Church called "deification”.

Without these times of fellowship and worship as a local assembly and community of believers our spiritual life will lack growth and vitality, stunting us and slowing our progress. In short we need each other to grow and live and to accomplished what our  Lord has called us to do here upon the Earth, that of going out to beyond the " hedge and barrier"  and issuing that invitation to fellowship with our Lord thru the presentation of the Gospel in our words and actions showing others what a life lived in fellowship looks like that they too might experience  that divine fellowship found only in our Lord Jesus Christ.

Benediction: May we each and all be active and growing in that divine fellowship with our Lord Jesus Christ, today, tomorrow and forevermore. Amen

 

Rev. Todd Crouch, Pastor 

Topinabee Community Church

Topinabee, Michigan 

If You Would Like to Know More About or to Support the Ministry of Topinabee Community Church You Can go to Our Web Site.

https://topinabeechurch.org/index.html

You Can Follow Topinabee Community Church on Face Book 

https://www.facebook.com/Topinabeecommunitychurch

                    "If It Is Not About Jesus, It Is Not About Anything"

 

Are You Disciplined? Part:9: Submission

 

Years ago, while I attending classes for pastors in California, we pastors were given the book Celebration of Discipline” copyright (c) 1978, by Richard J. Foster. This well-known book, has been ,over the years,  very helpful to many Christians both laity and clergy alike.

Mr. Foster's book  speaks to believers about how Christians can avail ourselves of the "Spiritual Disciplines" and grow in the Christian life thru a relationship with Jesus Christ by way of the "Spiritual Disciplines"

With that  acknowledgement I would like to offer in my own words,  as best that I may, what I have gleaned from Mr. Foster’s book.
Spiritual Opportunities

The Spiritual Disciplines are not Religious Duties,  but rather,  are Spiritual Opportunities that aid in the Christian life and bring us ever deeper intimacy with our Lord Jesus Christ and thru Jesus into an ever growing relationship with the Holy Trinity , the Father, Son and the Holy Spirit. Again, the "Spiritual Disciplines" do not earn us salvation, our salvation is accomplished through and by Jesus alone on our behalf. He has accomplished it all for us, Jesus has done what none of us could ever do. Jesus has saved us.

What the "Spiritual Discipline" are, are Spiritual Opportunities for each and all of us to have Communion with our God in times of deep personal intimacy which brings us to see that he is with us and wants us and loves us.

Availing ourselves of the "Spiritual Disciplines"  aids the Christin in growing in Christ likeness, this process over a life time , is what the ancient Church called  "Deification".

 The Value of the "Spiritual Disciplines" are that they bring the believer to experience what is true, that Jesus Christ is with us, that is his Spirit fills all time and eternity and out of his endless love for us he reached out to us and abides with us.

We are able then, to live out of a holy relationship with the great God, the Holy Trinity, the Father, Son and Holy Spirit and to participate is that relationship of mutually love and submission each honoring the other above self.

 Submission

We have been invited into this relationship thru Jesus Christ. In this holy relationship we are called to relinquish our own self advancement and posturing and willingly yield to others in submission liberating each of us from the tyranny of the self into true freedom.

This submission and yeildedness to others, frees us from always having to get our own way, to win or to come out on top, of defeating another. To let go of ego without fear of having our ego's rankled.

This submission frees us from the opinions of others. It allows us to give. To see what is truly important, what matters. Freedom from nonessential arguments and assertions of ourselves and of others around us.

Submission frees us to extend grace into the lives of others even before an offense can occur.

Heart of the Problem

Submission goes to the very heart of the problem; the very way in which we view others and ourselves. When we live out of a heart that is in submission, we no longer see others as competitors.

When our hearts are not filled with submission, we can outwardly comply to the needs of others yet inwardly seethe with anger and jealousy, that our request, need, wants or ideas were not met or utilized.

The Heart of the Problem is a Problem of the Heart.

Submission deals with the state of our heart that, is then expressed outwardly with respect and consideration for others.
Submission allows us to be under the authority of another, even   those whom we may  consider less honorable as we would like, such as politicians, or those whom we report to in our occupations or elsewhere in the societies in which we live. Rm:13

Submission is being in a state of restful trust in our Lord Jesus.  

Subjecting the self to the will of God will be of great importance when a free people find their personal liberties legislated away and power is consolidated into the hands of the wicked who in turn create a body of unreasonable laws design to turn law-abiding and righteous godly citizens into outlaws, replacing personal freedoms for license to indulge the lust of the flesh.  
It will be in such times when we will need the kind of freedom, we can have through our Lord Jesus Christ.

We can know true freedom even in the face of tyranny. When such times arises, as they will throughout human history then our freedom lies in Jesus alone.

Submission to One Another

St. Paul writing to all Christians in all ages spoke of the mutual submission that we are to have toward one another tells us in his Epistle to the Church at Ephesus in Asia minor that we are to "submit one to another" Eph: 5:21

That is there are time for each to show mutual submission to others without ranker or strife. We as well to look out for the interest of others and to esteem others better than ourselves and in the context of the Church we are to obey those who are over us. Philp: 2:3-4, Heb:13:17

We are to have lives of holy submission recognizing that it is to the great God to whom we in truth owe all submission. We are to live lives which reflect this holy posture of heart, fallowing our Lord Jesus each day setting aside our self, living lives of sacrificial submission embracing the cross of Lord and following Jesus.

 "Then Jesus said to his disciples, "Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross and follow me." Matt: 16:24

  This is another way of telling us that we do not have to always get our way. That true happiness is not dependent on each of us getting our own way.

  Submission of Self   

Submission is not just self-denial or self-sacrifice, but rather sacrifice of our very "self" . 

The "self"  which deceives us into fighting for what we want to the detriment of others.
The "self"  , which clamors to be heard to be acknowledged to be catered to.
The "self"  which competes for dominance  and prominence over another.
The "self"  which seeks to undermine and manipulate another.
The "self" desires to force it's will over another.
The "self"  which attempts to dismiss  or pull down another.
The "self"  from which all strife arise from.
The "self"  which never can know true rest or peace. 

 It is the very "self” which needs to be in submission. The "self ' which tries to build empires in order to subjugate all within its sphere.  It is the very "self” which needs submission to the lead of the Holy Spirit and the reign of the Kingdom of God.

We find this submission in and thru our Lord Jesus who always was in perfect holy submission to his holy Father. We can experience this thru our shared identity in Jesus. When we have this type of Christ-like submission we find an all-new sense of personal destiny which exceeds any of the grandiose promises of the "self" of the flesh. We find more than can be imagined. We find true life in Jesus.

"Whoever finds their life will lose it, and whoever loses their life for my sake will find it."Matt:10:39

We will gain more than we lose, we gain the freedom of not feeling sorry for our "selves" when we do not get our way.

We find  thru submission ,true freedom which will lead to great reward in this life and beyond.

 "So the last will be first, and the first will be last."Matt:20:16

God calls us to be in submission in this holy submission to him first and above all and in this submission we will find great freedom and reward.

Benediction: May we each and all find true peace, rest and freedom in holy submission to our Lord Jesus Christ , today, tomorrow and forevermore. Amen.

 

Rev. Todd Crouch, Pastor 

Topinabee Community Church

Topinabee, Michigan 

If You Would Like to Know More About or to Support the Ministry of Topinabee Community Church You Can go to Our Web Site.

https://topinabeechurch.org/index.html

You Can Follow Topinabee Community Church on Face Book 

https://www.facebook.com/Topinabeecommunitychurch

                    "If It Is Not About Jesus, It Is Not About Anything"

 

Are You Disciplined? :8 Simplicity

 

Years ago while I attending classes for pastors in California, we pastors were given the book Celebration of Discipline” copyright (c) 1978, by Richard J. Foster. This well-known book, has been, over the years, very helpful to many Christians both laity and clergy alike.

With that acknowledgement I would like to offer in my own words, as best that I may, what I have gleaned from Mr.Foster’s work"Celebration of Discipline". Mr. Foster's book  speaks to believers about how Christians can avail ourselves of the "Spiritual Disciplines" and grow in the Christian life thru a relationship with Jesus Christ by way of the "Spiritual Disciplines"

Spiritual Opportunities

The Spiritual Disciplines are not Religious Duties,  but rather,  are Spiritual Opportunities that aid in the Christian life and bring us ever deeper intimacy with our Lord Jesus Christ and thru Jesus into an ever growing relationship with the Holy Trinity , the Father, Son and the Holy Spirit. Again, the "Spiritual Disciplines" do not earn us salvation, our salvation is accomplished through and by Jesus alone on our behalf.

Jesus has accomplished it all for us, Jesus has done what none of us could ever do. Jesus has saved us.

What the "Spiritual Discipline" are, are Spiritual Opportunities for each and all of us to have Communion with our God in times of deep personal intimacy which brings us to see that he is with us and wants us and loves us.

Availing ourselves of the "Spiritual Disciplines” aids the Christian in growing in Christ likeness, this process over a life time is what the ancient Church called "Deification", which means to become Christ-like.

Made for Simplicity

God has made humanity for simplicity, yet humanity has found so many ways to being complication into their lives. A contemporary translation of the Holy Word of God actually captures this truth from the Book of Ecclesiastes.

'"God made man simple; man's complex problems are of his own making" Eccl:7:29  

The human experience was nerve meant to be this complicated. We were meant to live in the simplicity found in Eden.

People’s lives in these times are growing so complex. Many have bought into the nation that the more they have, the more life they have. Many spend time and energy all in the desire to acquire, to have better, bigger, whether it is money, position, titles, reputation, lands or bricks and mortar, whatever it is they want to have they strive for it, to have it. The focus is on the having.

The very structure of some persons lives are built upon and around what they want, of acquiring more.

Some have developed a consumer mind set. As this mind set is engaged their lives become a shifting labyrinth of wants and shifting lusts, trying to get more and out do those around them, there is a given competition over who has the newest, biggest, the best, they become social competitors with others. As this cycle continues in their lives, relationships which they have, become minimized and sacrificed. Their Treasures become of the Earth.

Can Not Serve Two Masters 

Jesus address this very subject as to where our hearts are focused in one of his discourse to the Jewish people and is recorded for us by St. Matthew in his Gospel account.

"Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moths and vermin destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moths and vermin do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also" Matt:19:19-21

Jesus continues to expand his comments, citing the temporary nature of things of this life as well as where our affections should be located.

"No one can serve two masters. Either you will hate the one and love the other, or you will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and money.  Do Not Worry “Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothes? Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they? Can any one of you by worrying add a single hour to your life (25-27)   

About the Kingdom

Jesus then lifts his audiences view, then and now, above the things of this Earth and life to that which above, that which is eternal, the things of Kingdom of God. This is where our hearts and minds should be fixed and from here derive all that we will ever need now and forevermore. 

"But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. Therefore, do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own." (33-34)

The Greek word found in St. Matthew's account translated Seek, is Zeto. Zeto means more than just to search out something, it rather speaks to our very being, that which we are filled with or consumed by. It means "to be all about" .

Jesus is telling us that we from the deaths of our being should "be all about" the kingdom of God . Filled with the Kingdom. Ever having our minds set on our Lord Jesus Christ and our lives should reflect this simple truth.

Not Wrong to Prosper

Understand, that nowhere is the Holy word of God is being prosperous condemned or to be successful and involved in many activities or pursuits wrong or   to own lands or have titles or wealth. What is condemned is when we set our hearts upon the "riches" or things of this world above our Lord and his kingdom.

It is wrong to serve a "thingdom" or to be slaves to an "empire of possessions”, that is, to let wants for the things of this life to "rule" us, to allow this, will "simply complicate" our lives.

The Scripture tell us that if we prosper, not set our hearts upon riches or to pursue riches and trust in riches above our Lord Jesus Christ.

"If riches increase,  do not set your hearts upon them" Ps: 62:10

Inside Out

What is within, will find its way out. That which our hearts are filled with will be given expression thru our words and actions. If the Kingdom of God fills us the Kingdom of God will come out. If a simple focus upon the Kingdom is within us it will find its way out.

Simplicity is an outward life style of an inward reality.

"God has placed eternity in their hearts" Eccl: 3:10

The means that all humanity was created to need a relationship with the Great God. All humanity was born needing Jesus Christ, and many have attempted to fill this void, this need with things of this world. But when this void is filled with Jesus and our minds and hearts are set upon Christ alone then our behavior is transformed, this is the "Deification" the ancient Church Fathers preached about.

As we grow in this "Deification" this "being all about" the Kingdom our attachments to the things of this world will be noticeably lessened. Our desire for the acclaim and adoration of others diminishes.

This inward transformation take place as we set our hearts upon Jesus, and will affect every aspect of our lives. We become less enthralled to the things of this life and more a servant of our Lord. We become truly and simply free.

Asceticism

As will any and all the "Spiritual Disciplines" we must be careful not to drift into any legalism or "duty bound religiosity”.

 There are some, who in their zeal to disassociate themselves from this world have fallen into the belief that the simplicity of life should manifest in a particular prescribed manner which needs to be rigidly adhered to. Often this works out in the lives those who embrace this ridged simplicity in a form of

Religious Asceticism.

This view often merges grace with self-derivation, to produce and maintain Salvation. This is called Ascetic-Grace. In short we must be inconvenienced and discomfited to  please God.

Doing this, however complicates the very simplicity of the Gospel message about Jesus, for those who embrace this Ascetic-Grace are never certain that they have "suffered enough” to please God. When this is the approach, they are adding to the very Grace of God, implying that the suffering and death of our Lord was insufficient to accomplish our Salvation.

 Simplicity

If we have the realignment of our heart's desire which orients us to our Lord Jesus, then we will be free from an over preoccupation with the complicated things of this life. We will know that all things seen and unseen belong to our God. We will be filled with an inward simplicity that will manifest its self in a dignified and spiritually life style which places the Kingdom of Lord Jesus above the things of this life this is a life of Godly Simplicity.

Benediction: May each and all of our hearts be filled with the things above, and let us each be all about the Kingdom of God, today, tomorrow and forevermore, Amen.

 

Rev. Todd Crouch, Pastor 

Topinabee Community Church

Topinabee, Michigan 

If You Would Like to Know More About or to Support the Ministry of Topinabee Community Church You Can go to Our Web Site.

https://topinabeechurch.org/index.html

You Can Follow Topinabee Community Church on Face Book 

https://www.facebook.com/Topinabeecommunitychurch

                    "If It Is Not About Jesus, It Is Not About Anything"

Are You Disciplined? Part:7: Fasting

 Years ago, while I attending classes for pastors in California, we pastors were given the book "Celebration of Discipline” copyright (c) 1978, by Richard J. Foster. This well-known book, has been, over the years, very helpful to many Christians both laity and clergy alike.

With that acknowledgement I would like to offer in my own words, as best that I may, what I have gleaned from Mr.Foster’s work "Celebration of Discipline". Mr. Foster's book  speaks to believers about how Christians can avail ourselves of the "Spiritual Disciplines" and grow in the Christian life thru a relationship with Jesus Christ by way of the "Spiritual Discipline"

Spiritual Opportunities

The Spiritual Disciplines are not Religious Duties,  but rather,  are Spiritual Opportunities that aid in the Christian life of the believer and bring us ever deeper intimacy with our Lord Jesus Christ and through Jesus into an ever growing relationship with the Holy Trinity , the Father, Son and the Holy Spirit. Again, the "Spiritual Disciplines" do not earn us salvation, our salvation is accomplished through and by Jesus alone on our behalf. He has accomplished it all for us, Jesus has done what none of us could ever do. Jesus has saved us.

What the "Spiritual Discipline" are, are Spiritual Opportunities for each and all of us to have Communion with our God in times of deep personal intimacy which brings us to see that he is with us and wants us and loves us.

The Spiritual Disciplines are an aid to Christian growth and maturity in the life of believers they are not for us to "earn" some reward from God , but rather they help us to see the truth that we are forgiven and wanted by the great creator of all things  and bring us to recognize that our God is with us. 

The Spiritual Disciplines are profitable when we set aside the activities of everyday living and focus our minds upon our Lord and engage him exclusively with as few distractions as possible. To have a time of deep personal Communion with our Lord.

 During these times of Communion the Holy Spirit works with us to give us greater maturity, this is part of the processes the ancient church called “Deification" , that is,  becoming like Jesus ,"to be transformed into the image of Christ".

 The Religious Culture

Fasting was part of the "religious" culture of the people of Israel we can see it reflected in Jesus' parable of the Pharisee and the Publican who were at the Temple of God. Here the "righteous" Pharisee cites his twice a week fasting as a demonstration and evidence of his "superior" spiritual life over that of a Publican, whose sins were obviously worse than this "righteous" Pharisee's, this Pharisee fasted "religiously". 

"To some who were confident of their own righteousness and looked down on everyone else, Jesus told this parable: “Two men went up to the temple to pray, one a Pharisee and the other a tax collector. The Pharisee stood by himself and prayed: ‘God, I thank you that I am not like other people—robbers, evildoers, adulterers—or even like this tax collector. I fast twice a week and give a tenth of all I get.’ “But the tax collector stood at a distance. He would not even look up to heaven, but beat his breast and said, ‘God, have mercy on me, a sinner.’
I tell you that this man, rather than the other, went home justified before God. For all those who exalt themselves will be humbled, and those who humble themselves will be exalted.” Lk: 18:12

Many Biblical Persons 

Throughout the pages of the holy word of God we find in the Scriptural record many Biblical Personalities fasting. We see examples of fasting in lives of Moses, David, Elijah, Anna, and even our Lord Jesus Christ. 

Many Christian leaders over the centuries have fasted seeking the abiding presence of God and his divine direction. Many such as Martian Luther, John Knox, Jonathan Edwards, Charles Finny and many, many more.
In our contemporary world, some people fast either   for the health benefits or in some cases they believe that God will be more receptive to their prayers.

When people attempt to solicit or leverage God through fasting to get their way, this amounts to just a "religious hunger strike”. This resorted to out of the desire for some need. God cannot and will not be manipulated by us. 

It is hoped that a time of fasting will change us and our hearts, so that we can understand what our Lord would have us do, not necessarily change God's mind.

Day of Atonement

Under the Old Covenant enjoined between God and Israel, the people would fast on the Day of Atonement, one of the Old Covenant Holy Days. On this fast day Israel would confess their sins thru the Person of the High Priest before The Lord God. Leviticus 16:29 and Leviticus 23:27

This Holy day of fasting looked ahead to the atonement which Jesus Christ would accomplish for each and all of us, the forgiveness of sins and the restoration of the Communion that God has always intended us to have with him.

Fasting a Command?

Some Christians will ask at times "is fasting commanded in the Bible?" Some will say " yes!" Others will dismiss fasting as a holdover from the Old Covenant and not enjoined upon Christians or the Church.

In a statement regarding fasting Jesus says "when you fast" Matt: 6:16. This could be seen as an assumption that the followers of our Lord would indeed fast. But, however, this statement is not of itself a command to fast but maybe rather a comment of instruction on a common practice. Jesus simply states "when you fast". It is also true that this comment of our Lord is made before the cross and resurrection of Jesus which brought the Old Covenant to its fulfillment.

It seems that fasting is viewed by Jesus as an "expectation" rather than a command.

When Jesus is Gone

When Jesus was asked by some of John the Baptist's Disciples about his own Disciples not fasting, Jesus replied that they did need to fast due to the fact that he was personally with them, but Jesus then comments that there would come a time when the Disciples would, after he was no longer with them   in an Earthly way, fast.  

"Then John’s disciples came and asked him, “How is it that we and the Pharisees fast often, but your disciples do not fast?”  Jesus answered, “How can the guests of the bridegroom mourn while he is with them? The time will come when the bridegroom will be taken from them; then they will fast." Matt: 9:14-15

This would be now even for us Christians now. Jesus is with us thru the Holy Spirit, but Jesus is not in an "Earthly way". That is, we are living in and with Post-Resurrection Jesus.

Purpose of Fasting

Fasting is not to have our voice heard in the highths of Heaven as some in Israel attempted. They wanted their way and sought to get it thru fasting. But again, God will not and cannot be manipulated by humanity.

"Your fasting ends in quarreling and strife, and in striking each other with wicked fists. You cannot fast as you do today and expect your voice to be heard on high." Isa: 58:4

Jesus speaks of our heart and our motives when we fast. That is not to demonstrate our "righteousness" or personal “piety" as some in Israel had done. Vaunting their fasting as sign of their spiritual maturity.

"When you fast, do not look somber as the hypocrites do, for they disfigure their faces to show others they are fasting. Truly I tell you, they have received their reward in full. But when you fast, put oil on your head and wash your face, so that it will not be obvious to others that you are fasting, but only to your Father, who is unseen; and your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you." Matt: 6:16-18

Jesus looks at our hearts, and sees our true motivations. Our fasting should be focused upon the person of Jesus, not upon the person of ourselves. fasting is for us to be engaged and with and communion with our God where he transforms our lives into the very image of his Holy Son Jesus.

In our times of fasting, we need to seek God's will and guidance and even Blessings. To be aware of his abiding presences in our lives, having our hearts and minds filled with merits of Christ.

During our times of fasting we should ask, "what does our Lord want for me?”. "How can I be fully found living out of our relationship with God?".

The Holy Spirit will draw us ever deeper into communion with our Lord as we choose set aside the physical things, represented by the things which sustain the Earthly life for a season to look intently upon the spiritual. We need to be receptive to his voice.

As we fast, we can trust the power of God to sustain us. God will gently lead us to see all that Jesus is. He will grant us the discernment to see our needs and where  transformation is needed. During this time, we can confess of need and thank him for the complete forgiveness that is our thru Jesus.

It is appropriate that during out times of fasting communion that we intercede in prayer for the needs of others, to lift them up before God in Holy intersession that God might bless and heal comfort and encourage.

If you have any questions regarding your ability to fast, speak to your doctor, regarding your health and if you take medications speak to your doctor as well if you can fast safely for day or so. 

If it has been some since your last fast, try starting with only a twelve hour fast or water only. 

Fasting is a powerful "Spiritual Discipline” that brings us to a sharper awareness of the presences of our God in each and all of our lives thru which our Lord transformed us into the very image of his Holy Son Jesus Christ.
Recall the words of Jesus “when you fast".

Benediction: May we each and all grow ever deeper into a spiritual Communion with our Lord Jesus Christ, today, tomorrow and forevermore ...Amen.

 

Rev. Todd Crouch, Pastor 

Topinabee Community Church

Topinabee, Michigan 

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                    "If It Is Not About Jesus, It Is Not About Anything"