21 Day Fast Day 17

Today is Week 3 day 17 of our 21 Day Fast, January 23,2024

The following verses came just after Jesus had spoken to the Woman at the Well. The disciples were wondering why he was talking to a woman, but said nothing to him about it. John 4:31-35 (ESV) 31 Meanwhile the disciples were urging him, saying, “Rabbi, eat.” 32  But he said to them, “I have food to eat that you do not know about.” 33 So the disciples said to one another, “Has anyone brought him something to eat?” 34 Jesus said to them, “My food is to do the will of him who sent me and to accomplish his work. 35 Do you not say, ‘There are yet four months, then comes the harvest’? Look, I tell you, lift up your eyes, and see that the fields are white for harvest.

Jesus was completely satisfied physically by leading this woman to salvation. I don’t believe he was just spiritualizing the moment by saying what he did about his food. Look at Moses on the mountain when he received the 10 Commandments. Exodus 34:28 (NIV) 28 Moses was there with the LORD forty days and forty nights without eating bread or drinking water. And he wrote on the tablets the words of the covenant--the Ten Commandments. (No doubt it was the Lord who sustained him. You can go without food for 40 days, but water is another story!)
 
It’s a good time now to remind ourselves why we are fasting. We want to hear from God. We want to keep in step with him, or for some of us, to get in step with him. I’ll repeat from our first week, Jesus said, “When you fast… NOT IF YOU FAST. It’s part of the Christian walk of faith. Jesus fasted. My point in quoting these verses is to follow Jesus and do what he did and obey what he said. Luke 19:9-10 (ESV) 9 And Jesus said to him, “Today salvation has come to this house, since he also is a son of Abraham. 10 For the Son of Man came to seek and to save the lost.”  That was his mission and he has called his church to do the same!

Above we saw that Jesus defined his food as doing the will of his Father and accomplishing his work. He then spoke to the apostles in agricultural terms regarding the harvest and that it was already here. No time to fool around! There’s a job to do… BRING IN THE HARVEST! We are embarking on a new phase in the life of our church and it’s exciting. I believe as we continue to hunger for a greater revelation of who Jesus is, we will grow in grace and knowledge of him. The closer we get to him, the more he’ll show us what he has in store for us. Be filled with hope. If God is for us, who can be against us! Don’t be fearful. Don’t get down on yourself. God never gives up on us. Let his food be our food and the results he had be the results we get too.

Jeremiah 29:11-13 (NIV) 11 For I know the plans I have for you," declares the LORD, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future. 12 Then you will call upon me and come and pray to me, and I will listen to you. 13 You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart.

God bless you to see yourself the way He sees you!

Love and blessings,

Pastor Ray

Psalm 23:1 The LORD is my shepherd, I shall not be in want.

1 Corinthians 13:4  Love is patient, love is kind.

Acts 1:8  But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth."

Isaiah 41:10  So do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.

Ephesians 2:10  For we are God's workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.

2 Timothy 1:7 For God did not give us a spirit of timidity, but a spirit of power, of love and of self-discipline.

Isaiah 40:31 but those who hope in the LORD will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not be faint.

Matthew 11:28 Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest.

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