The scripture for today, August 21 (8/21), is Ezra 8:21a as found in the Old Testament of the Bible:

“There, by the Ahava Canal, I proclaimed a fast, so that we might humble ourselves before our God.”

In our modern society, does anyone fast any more? Not drinking our food (juice) for a day and calling that a fast, but a true fast where we drink only water to stay hydrated, but that’s all. And we turn off all computers, radios and televisions for the day.

Jesus said in his sermon on the mount, “When you fast….” (Matthew 6:16). He didn’t say, “If you fast….” No, he assumed his followers would fast. Do we?

If we do, do we do it as a group? Does anyone else know about it? They shouldn’t know, unless they are the reason for our fast. Fasting is an act of self-restraint. It belongs to the sphere of humble self-discipline. It is strictly a personal and private matter.

All moral and bodily restraint, all humbleness of body and spirit are represented by fasting, and it is a complete failure of self-restraint to want to show the world our self-restraint. An unknown author wrote this:

Let us keep our fast within,
Till heaven and we are quite alone;
Then let the grief, the shame, the sin,
Before the mercy-seat be thrown.

Fasting is a way of starving ourselves temporarily, a way of saying, “God, I would do this and more for you; I would die for you.” Or, “God, I would trade lives with this person I am fasting for to give them rest if it were possible. I would even die for this person.” It is a deep expression to God that goes beyond words.

Also, when we fast, our minds are freed from trying to digest food, so we can think clearer and deeper. And we can face ourselves more honestly. Just what are we deep down? Do we truly love God as much as we claim? Do we truly love our families as much as we claim? Our neighbors? Our fellow Christians? Our enemies? It is a time of self-reflection and self-honesty. And thereby we can grow closer to God.

The scripture for today, August 19 (8/19), is Isaiah 8:19f as found in the Old Testament of the Bible”

“When men tell you to consult mediums and spiritists who whisper and mutter, should not a people inquire of their God? Why consult the dead on behalf of the living? To the law and to the testimony! If they do not speak according to this word, they have no light of dawn.”

It has always been a popular thing to do among some people to try to reach into the spirit world, the world of demons and the dead. They may be very religious people. They may pray a lot and go to worship a lot and read the Bible a lot. But God’s word is not enough for them, so they delve into the other world. God says “they have no light of dawn.”

Do you want to talk to someone in the other world? Pray. God is in the other world. Do you want someone in the other world to talk to you? Read the Bible. That is God talking to you from the other world. What more could we ask?!

How safe we can feel as Christians. God has given us all we need.

The scripture for today, August 17 (8/17), is Romans 8:17 as found in the New Testament of the Bible:

“Now if we are children, then we are heirs ~ heirs of God and co-heirs with Christ, if indeed we share in his sufferings in order that we may also share in his glory.” (see also Galatians 3:16)

I Peter 4:12-14 says we should not be surprised when persecution happens, “as though something strange were happening to you.” If we are insulted because of Jesus, we are blessed.

Notice, we are co-heirs with Christ IF we share in his suffering. Have you shared in Jesus’ sufferings lately? Have you ever in your entire life shared in Jesus’ sufferings? If not, you haven’t told very many people about Jesus loving them, or stood up for Jesus when people around you were making fun of him or using his name as a swear word.

Are we sinning by omission? Do you huddle with your church friends all the time and brag that all the friends you have are Christians? Jesus didn’t. Jesus went out to “seek and save the lost.” Are you seeking?

Some time today, say something to someone about Jesus ~ someone in a store, at work, a neighbor, a fellow passenger on a bus. They probably won’t insult you. This may be exactly what they’ve been looking for. But if they do insult you, accept it graciously. Then go on your way feeling honored to be a “co-heir with Christ” by “sharing in his suffering.”

Try it. You will be glad you did.

The scripture for today, August 16 (8/16), is Romans 8:16 as found in the New Testament of the Bible:

“The Spirit himself testifies with our spirit that we are God’s children.”

This is so similar to the scripture of a few days ago on how to know if the Spirit is living in us. We can use the same approach to determined how the Spirit teaches us that we are God’s children.”

Once again, John 14:17 says the Comforter Jesus sent us was the Spirit of Truth. And Jesus said in John 17:17, God’s Word is Truth. So it is through God’s Word that we are taught how to become God’s children. We do not have to guess!

This is what is so wonderful about Christianity. The Hindu, Buddhist, Shinto, Shaminist and many other religions leave the followers to guess because their “god” has given them no instructions. 99% of them believe they are not children of God and saved because they can’t be perfect, so have to be reincarnated thousands of times to try to be perfect. The Muslim religion says followers are slaves, and they won’t know until the Day of Judgment if their good deeds outweigh their bad deeds.

In all other world religions, followers never know if they are children of God and saved. Praise God! He has given us The Map, the Way ~ the Holy Bible, God’s Word in written form.

Such solace. Such comfort. Such reassurance.

The scripture for today, August 14 (8/14), is Romans 8:14 as found in the New Testament of the Bible.

“Those who are led by the Spirit of God are sons of God.”

Well, how are we supposed to know the Spirit is leading us? Is it guess work? Does it depend on our emotions and how we are feeling that day? That doesn’t seem fair of God to leave us guessing.

But God does make us guess. Jesus said in John 14:16,17, “And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another counselor to be with you forever ~ the Spirit of Truth.” And in John 17:17, praying to God the Father, Jesus said, “Sanctify them by the Truth; your Word is Truth.”

Jesus said we are sanctified by God’s Spirit, God’s Truth, God’s Word. How? Not by feelings. Not because someone else said so. Not by touching it or carrying it around in our pocket. But by reading it and following it. Romans 10:17 says, “Faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the Word of God”. That is how the Spirit leads us.

We don’t have to guess. We just follow it. Then we are sons of God ~ not slaves of God, but sons. How blessed we are.

The scripture for today, August 12 (8/12), is John 8:12 as found in the New Testament of the Bible:

“When Jesus spoke again to the people, he said, ‘I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.’ “

Jesus had only about 6 months left to live. He knew the religious leaders were after his life out of jealousy. Before going to Jerusalem, he told his brothers, “The world cannot hate you, but it hates me” (John 7:7). Knowing people were wanting to execute him, he slipped into Jerusalem after everyone else got there (John 7:10, 14). Then suddenly he appeared in the middle of the Temple complex ~ the size of many football fields. He knew he was safe as long as there was a crowd.

Jesus answered some private questions, and then “he cried out, ‘You know me! You know where I am from!’ ” (John 7:28).

Every day of this feast, a priest would ceremonially pour out some water to represent the water that poured out of the rock when the Jews wandered in the wilderness. But on the last day, the priest did not do this, for it represented their ancestors finally arriving in the Promised Land. It was on this last day of the feast that Jesus “stood and said in a loud voice…

‘If anyone is thirsty, let him come to me and drink! Whoever believes in me, as the Scripture has said, streams of living water will flow from within him’! ” (John 7:38f)

First thing the next morning at dawn he returned to the Temple court. Maybe it was a beautiful sunrise. When the sun was up and the crowds returned, he shouted something else to everyone,”I am the light of the world!” (John 8:12).

He had compared himself to the water ceremony of the day before, and now he was comparing himself to the new dawn. There he was. God the Son crying out to humanity. Come to me! I am doing everything I can to help you! Won’t you come? Please listen to me! Please come! I can save you!!!

Such stubborn love.