DATE POSTED: Wednesday, July 10, 2024, and I was blessed to be at Blue Tree Resort, Orlando, FL when God inspired me to prepare this devotional. My Footnote will tell you how to find, read or listen to any and all episodes that I have shared over the years.

TODAY’S SCRIPTURE FROM THE The Message (MSG) IS FOUND IN Isaiah 58:6-9

THE BIBLE TEXT IS: “This is the kind of fast day I’m after: to break the chains of injustice, get rid of exploitation in the workplace, free the oppressed, cancel debts.
What I’m interested in seeing you do is: sharing your food with the hungry, inviting the homeless poor into your homes, putting clothes on the shivering ill-clad, being available to your own families.
Do this and the lights will turn on, and your lives will turn around at once. Your righteousness will pave your way.
 The God of glory will secure your passage. Then when you pray, God will answer. You’ll call out for help and I’ll say, ‘Here I am.’

APPLICATION OF THE WORD: What is a ‘Fast’, and how were you instructed to fast the last time you made an effort to fast? Most will think of it as skipping one or more meals. Some may teach that it’s setting aside a particular food, habit or practice that you really love or tend to do regularly and get a lot of joy from. We may have been told that especially during these times of missing out on something, that we instead concentrate on prayer before our holy and righteous God for specific, and sometime desperate needs. I found our Scripture verses particularly interesting today, because God tells us, through His prophet, Isaiah, exactly what He wants in a fast. A pastor/teacher that I particularly admire, had a habit of avoiding personal opinions as much as possible in his teachings, and instead he would take us to biblical references that would explain, or answer, the questions that may arise from Scripture. I still believe that actions speak much louder than words, so today’s Scripture was especially attractive. Here are a few points shared by our Creator, God, who sees our every action, hears our every spoken word, and knows our every thought. He declared through Isaiah that we:
-> Share our food with the hungry – I admire those churches who have Food Banks and make food packages for handout to those in need. But I remember one church having to ask congregants not to bring outdated food items. Wouldn’t it be Christ-like to give our very best to the food bank, then try to personally make use of the outdated items in our pantry? Wouldn’t this tend to imitate our God who gave of His very best – His only begotten Son, so that we (sinners) could be allowed entry into His glorious presence? I’ve watched a few movies recently where people’s lives were changed after volunteering in a food kitchen for a few days. Could it be that God is telling us that this type sacrifice/fast might also change our lives and draw us ever so close to Him if we make a personal investment in the lives of the hungry?
-> Invite the homeless poor into our homes – We have become so proud of our belongings that we would rather drop off a meal to a homeless person, or give them a restaurant gift certificate for a meal. But what do you suppose would give the opportunity to witness to that person about their eternal worth and the God who truly loves them? To give a gift certificate is admiral, but isn’t it more like telling them you love them, versus joining them for a meal and chatting with them to show them how much you love them? I believe God would use those moments to truly minister to us, and to them!
-> Put clothes on the shivering ill-clad – If each believer would go through their closets and give away the clothes they haven’t worn in the past 6 months, there may very well be no more ill-clad, poor, people in our respective cities! But you know, God didn’t say ‘give of your excess’. I believe if God intended this to be a lesson for us and what He wants from us in a fast, then He is probably advocating that we clothe the cold and poorly clothed, even if it means a sacrifice of money and/or clothes from our personal wallets or wardrobe. Imagine going to look for your favorite outfit, only to be reminded that you gave it away to someone in need some weeks ago! I believe that would give reason to praise God for blessing you enough to help others! and finally….
-> Be available to your own families – I often cringe when I think back to my working days and remember how I sacrificed for my job, my church, my social club, and other individuals, often at a loss to quality times with that my wife and child. Yes, perhaps time may have been spent in the name of success, or in raising awareness of the needs of the visually handicapped, or even in the ministry of the church, but none the less – at the expense of the needs of my family. In some cases family members are not as fortunate as you are in their finances or in solid relationships or suffer through bad habits. Do you deliberately escape, or avoid them to sacrifice spending time with, or finances on them? In other words, blessing them?
The Word of God says that when you are successful, or at least make every effort in the above, God will turn your lives around, and righteousness will pave your path in life. I believe this means that God will bless you beyond anything you can think or imagine! His presence will be your comfort and your guide! Oh that we all may be found faithful by our soon coming King!

PRAYER BECAUSE OF THE IMPACT OF TODAY’S SCRIPTURE: Thank You for Your precious Word today, my Lord and King. Please help my readers and I to look to Your Word for direction in all Your commands, just as we found in the idea of fasting. More importantly Heavenly Father, I pray that the Holy Spirit will be our guide for righteous living, and lead us towards Your expectations for Your children. We have been taught by our church leaders to fast and pray. Now I ask that You will help us to back that up by fasting in a way that pleases You and honors Your Word, for pleasing You is our greatest desire. Teach the unsaved through our dedication and desire to practice what we learn from Your Word. Draw them to Yourself and renew a right spirit within them, for Your glory. AMEN!

FOOTNOTE: There’s another page on my website, entitled ‘To Know Jesus’. If you have been challenged to make a decision today after reading or listening to this devotional, please go to this page, or speak with a local Bible Teaching Pastor, or contact me at NuggetsFromGodsWord@outlook.com. Please allow someone to pray with you and give you help and/or encouragement as you begin or continue your walk with Jesus. If you would like to read more of my devotionals, or subscribe for a daily email containing each new devotional, please go online to NuggetsFromGodsWord.org. For my podcast, go online to Apple Podcasts or, using the Apple Podcast app, simply search for Nuggets From God’s Word to hear more episodes, or click ‘Follow’ to be notified of Podcast updates. Friends, please allow me to encourage you to find a church home nearby your home and attend as frequently as you could. Get to know God and allow His people to encourage and strengthen you in your Christian walk, while making every effort to be a blessing to them. God is at work among His people! Please consider growing in your faith, as you worship with fellow believers!