I look around me and I see the lost souls, who are busily wrecking their lives, blinded by their sin and their selfishness. They can't seem to see or don't care about the effects of their actions on those they love, the little innocents who have no say so in what is done but are very much affected. I look at little children around me that I don't even know and wonder-where will they spend eternity? Is there someone in their family to pray for them? Do they have anybody who will lift them up to the throne of grace for mercy? It must surely hurt the heart of God to see such misery in people's lives as they busily go about seeking satisfaction that will never be found outside of Himself. And the devil that is all too real has blinded them who are lost to the truth. So much so that without the conviction and Spirit of God on them they cannot see the truth. I was reading in Isaiah 58, just glanced down at these scriptures tonight in church, and I have studied them in depth before. But tonight I saw something new I hadn't then. And it stopped me cold. I wondered.

Here are the verses I was referring to:

I know God cannot lie. I have read and researched this scripture, I have dug into the meaning of all the words that are prominent, studied every nuance of them, seeking understanding on why is fasting so important? What does it possibly accomplish to deny my body the food it needs to survive? Well, anybody can look at me and tell I haven't been doing nearly enough of this. Sad to say, but true. But God does not give revelation of his scripture without a purpose behind it. That is my hope. He can help me be strong enough and desire to do his will. And I want his will. I was thinking about these two verses and the scriptures about covering the naked, feeding the hungry your bread, and immediately the Holy Spirit took my mind to two different places in Matthew. First, the bread. Dealing it to the hungry. Sure, if you help poor people who have no food to eat, great. That's the natural side of things. We should help the less fortunate. But what about the spiritual application here? Jesus said in Matt. 6:11 "Give us this day our daily bread." Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God. Then that took me to this scripture:

This deals with one aspect of how his servants are to be occupying until he comes. In authority, spiritually speaking, over our home, and family, guarding against wickedness, and seeking God for our families, a word that will turn them in the right direction, an anointed heaven-sent word, that will change and save them. Didn't Peter say the unbelieving husband would be saved by the chaste conversation of the sanctified wife? And then my thoughts ran on to Matt. 25: (and here, I got uneasy...)

Jesus set the example. He gave living water to the woman at the well and she got her whole village out to listen to him. He fed the multitudes the loaves and fishes after feeding them the word of God, knowing a lot of the ground he was sowing in was stony and full of thorns. He set the example. Now if you think about this: He intended by our denying ourselves, and praying for one for another, loosing the bands of wickedness (didn't Jesus say he gave us authority over all powers of the enemy in Luke 10?) He wants us to help the oppressed go free, breaking every yoke, by praising and praying the anointing down, by offering up ourselves as a sacrifice, denying ourselves, sowing to the spirit rather than flesh, seeking first his kingdom rather than minding earthly appetites. Seeking his word for the hurting, which is hope and life, and giving it to them, and what about the poor? As it's used here, it means afflicted, discouraged, down and depressed in mind and/or circumstances. Not just financially poor. But in trouble. When thou seest the naked-who is more naked than anyone not under the blood of Jesus? With no one caring for their souls, interceding in prayer for them? And hide not thyself from thine own flesh? There have been times I have been so busy fighting battles in my own mind, that I have neglected to trust everything to the Lord and continue to pray for my lost loved ones. Didn't Samuel say he didn't want to sin against God by ceasing to pray for Israel? And it gets serious in Matthew 25-the King makes it obvious he takes it personally how we treat or don't treat others. Only the Lord can strengthen us and give us the power of his Holy Ghost to crucify our flesh and put within us the love of God to sacrifice for the sake of others. God help me not be selfish and self-absorbed. The enemy has succeeded too many times in side-tracking me with battles in my mind, making me feel unworthy, beating me up over every little failure in my temper, or failure to pray as much as I should, or read or put God first like I want to. Good intentions are worthless. Thank God for the blood, and for his longsuffering. And his mercy. And for the power he gives his people to overcome. Yes, his word alone holds us up. Christ in us is our only hope of glory. Feed that inner man well and he will overcome the outer.