{"id":3838,"date":"2017-02-05T14:15:43","date_gmt":"2017-02-05T14:15:43","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/balboaunionchurch.org\/?post_type=ctc_sermon&p=3838"},"modified":"2018-01-09T15:37:35","modified_gmt":"2018-01-09T15:37:35","slug":"prayer-fasting","status":"publish","type":"ctc_sermon","link":"http:\/\/balboaunionchurch.org\/es\/sermons\/prayer-fasting\/","title":{"rendered":"Prayer & Fasting"},"content":{"rendered":"

Disculpa, pero esta entrada est\u00e1 disponible s\u00f3lo en English<\/a>. For the sake of viewer convenience, the content is shown below in the alternative language. You may click the link to switch the active language.<\/p>

This morning we are looking at Isaiah once again, but now a chapter towards the end.\u00a0 You may recall that as a whole book, I explained that it can be viewed as 2 parts, chapters 1 to 39, and then from chapter 40 to the end.<\/p>\n

As a whole, Isaiah addresses the Babylonian exile of the Israelites over about 50 years (more than 1 generation), and how this exile fulfilled God\u2019s plan of judgment, but more importantly:\u00a0 restoration.\u00a0 The Israelites are now busy rebuilding their homeland, and yet they still don\u2019t quite get it (does that resound with any of you?).<\/p>\n

It seems like they\u2019ve fallen back into the pits that the Pharisees continued suffering with over 500 years later! The tragedy is that they believe they are doing all the right things and that it\u2019s God who is letting them down!<\/p>\n

Let\u2019s read verses 2 and 3 again:
\nYet they seek me daily,
\nand delight to know my ways,
\nas if they were a nation that did righteousness
\nand did not forsake the ordinance of their God;
\nthey ask of me righteous judgments,
\nthey delight to draw near to God.
\n3\u00a0<\/sup><\/strong>\u2018Why have we fasted, and thou seest it not?
\nWhy have we humbled ourselves, and thou takest no knowledge of it?\u2019<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

So, they are praying every day and reading their Bible \u201cas if they were righteous and were obeying God\u2019s rules\u201d and they ask God for righteous judgments and delight to draw near to God.<\/p>\n

But they\u2019re confused.<\/p>\n

They are even fasting, not just praying.<\/p>\n

Fasting is good, right?<\/p>\n

It shows how serious your prayers are!\u00a0 And the Israelites are convinced that they will please God and bring favor. In fact, so much so, that they made this into an ancient practice and instructed it as a pious act \u2013 fast and humble yourself before God.<\/p>\n

So, why is God rebuking them?\u00a0 How could God possibly not be pleased?<\/p>\n

Well, there may be one or 2 small issues that they need to review in their lives.\u00a0 Small things like social injustice, failing to share what they have with those who have not, failing to bring the homeless into one\u2019s house, or give clothing and shelter to the naked\u2026 maybe reconciliation issues pending with family or loved ones, and failing to help the afflicated.<\/p>\n

God doesn\u2019t have a little book in which there\u2019s a checklist:<\/p>\n