41:6 & 58

Oh well, the Lord gave me Isaiah 41:6 last night before I went to bed, so this morning I got up at 7am (praise the Lord!) to spend some quality time with Him. I really liked the verse He gave me:

Everyone helped his neighbor and said to his brother,
"Be of good courage!"

That was pretty good for sho.

Anyhow, just now the words "Isaiah 58" came to me and this is what literally went through my mind: yeah right, Isaiah 58, wait...is there even a 58 in Isaiah... oh right I remember Isaiah goes to 60 something chapters... fine...

As soon as turned to Isaiah 58, I got whacked by the Lord right on the bed. The chapter's title is FASTING THAT PLEASES GOD. I read it twice just because it's so amazing! I've been fasting on breakfast and lunch for TheCall and this chapter really spoke to me about how my fasting would please the Lord. Just wanna share a couple verses:

Cry aloud, spare not;
Lift up your voice like a trumpet...
Is this not the fast that I have chosen:
To loose the bonds of wickedness,
To undo the heavy burdens,
To let the oppressed go free,
And that you break every yoke?

And your righteousness shall go before you;
The glory of the Lord shall be your rear guard.
Then you shall call, and the Lord will answer;
You shall cry, and He will say, 'Here I am.'

These words especially caught my eyes. I don't know why, but it's amazing that the righteousness going before me is MINE and not God's. None the less, I've got God's glory backing me up! That's what happens when fasting pleases God. I'd like some of that, Lord! I want to see and know that my righteousness is going before me and Your glory is backing me up!

Johnny