1 Samuel 31:1-13

Last week we discussed the subject of fasting. We assume that prayer is follwed by fasting. But fasting is fasting and prayer is prayer. When we sing the hymn 355 when is it the main time we do? "Called of God, We Honor the Call" We normally sing it when we send a person on a mission trip but is that it? This is for everyone. We are all called of God and we must all honor the call. Why is it that we sing this for only missionaries and not for ourselves? We have all been called to be missionaries where we are but we fail to see this. When we talk about fasting we think that people only fast when the king decrees it. But in the New Testament it is an individual call. Why is it in the OT that people fasted when they were commanded but in the NT did this kind of fast not exist? Why do you fast and pray? To fast is to deny yourself of all things of the flesh and laying your life before God to do as He wills, but we come before God asking Him to give us something. The true purpose of fasting and the reason we fast are different. In the way of the OT does God say that those who obey the Ten Commandments will go to heaven? There is no such promise. God does promise that if you obey His commands that you will be blessed in this world. He promises the blessings of tithing and the blessings of obeying your parents. In the NT after the Resurrection God gave us the promise of heaven. They no longer gave a tenth but gave everything to tGod and shared everything with the church. Where is our faith? Why do we not live like this? We give a tenth and desire that God gives us more. We come to church pretending to be a Christian. We act differntly the moment we leave church and be the person that we truly are. Then are you a true believer of God? Is God only alive when you some to church? CAn you go to heaven living like this? A Christian is one who lives the life that shows their faith. If I am filled with teh Spirit then the things that come out of my mouth should be praise, but if the things that come out of my mouth are judging and persecuting and vile then am I a follower of Christ? Am I not denying God living like this? We should not live in so many contradictions. Why did the people of Jabesh fast after the death of Saul? Who are the people of Jabesh? They were saved by Saul when the Ammonites tried to come and capture them. Out of gratitude, they came and took the body and fasted for the death of Saul. When we see people in our lives who suffer, we don't think about praying for them and fasting for their blessings. Can you have a heart like this? Would God not love to accept this kind of fast? When we are faced with trials we should look to the Word and compare our hearts and start with repentance and then ask God to help us oversome the problem. We forget about the reason why and rather are just concerned with getting our paryers answered. Is there anyone who does not have problems? God desires to bless us through His Word. And when we stray from His way we come into difficulty. We should reflect into our hearts everyday all the things that we have done and if the Word shows us we are wrong then we should repent, but we close our hearts adn refuse to listen. Then as time goes by our hearts become hardened and no longer desire to right what is wrong. We do not see that we are the sinner who is causing someone else to stumble. Whether it is our spouse, children or neighbor we sit in a position of judge and persectue others when in truth we are the ones who are wrong. When we fast in this state our prayers will never be answered. I must be the one who is right before God first. I must not look at others and judge them for what I think they are wrong. I must look at myself and see my wrongs and repent them to God and stand before Him and be clean.