[00:00:00] Speaker A: You're listening to the message podcast of High Ridge Church, Longview, where our vision is to help you know God, find freedom, discover purpose, and ultimately make a difference. We are so glad that you're here and we pray that this message impacts your life as you apply the spiritual truths from God's Word in practical ways.
[00:00:18] Speaker B: Let's listen in.
[00:00:20] Speaker C: Thank you so much. Come on, make some noise for Jesus this morning.
Welcome to church. I'm so glad that you're here. Welcome to High Ridge Longview. God's got some great things to speak to you. I want to look right directly in this camera and say, welcome to all of you who are watching online. Come on High Rich family. Give them a big warm welcome.
[00:00:37] Speaker B: For.
[00:00:37] Speaker C: All of you people that are too lazy to get here.
[00:00:39] Speaker B: Come on.
[00:00:40] Speaker C: We do have a 12 o' clock service, so we'd love to see you in that if you're able to. To find the strength. No, I'm just kidding. Grab your Bibles, if you would. Matthew, chapter six is where we're going to go today. We believe God has something to speak to us as we turn our attention to His Word. I've got to say, this is, this is my most favorite, favorite time of year. And not just because it is finally fat boy weather. I've been waiting for this all year long. I'm so grateful. We walked outside this morning, there was frost on the ground. I'm like finally, finally weathered, made for my size, people. I'm grateful for that. It's been awesome. But no, no, no, it's my favorite time of the year because this is Discover Week. This is fasting and prayer week. This is the week where we as a church enter into God's presence. We get as close to God as we will physically allow ourselves to go. So, so it's all about fasting, praying, seeking the Lord. And so we have services on Monday night, Tuesday night, Wednesday night, also a Wednesday at 10am Service. For those of you that are fasting. Our worship center here will be open from 12 o' clock to 1 o'.
[00:01:38] Speaker B: Clock every day during the lunch hour.
[00:01:39] Speaker C: And you're welcome to come and just spend time praying, getting close to the Lord as you're fasting. And so we're going to talk a little bit more today about what it means to fast. That's something that I think has gotten very skewed in our religious environment.
What does it look like to fast and what should a fast really be about? And I assume that because we live in like the buckle of the Bible bell That everybody knows what I'm talking about. But I had three people that stop me at their first service and say, okay, what is a fast? Like, you lost me. Okay, okay. So fasting is simply abstaining from food or drink for an extended period of time.
[00:02:13] Speaker B: Okay?
[00:02:13] Speaker C: Simple as that. Pulling yourself off of either food or drink or something for an extended period of time. Basically, that's what that is.
But we know that fasting, when it comes, like, when it comes to the Bible, God has some specific outlines of what a fast needs to look like. And also, we understand that people really tend to get.
People tend to get weird with some religious things. They get really strange. And if you're like, I don't know of any religious people, it gets weird, it's probably you.
But in all honesty, we have to. We have to admit as well that there are times in the Bible where Jesus himself got a little weird. There are times where Jesus spoke so in such confusing language that those that heard him were like, is he serious right now? And Jesus did it on purpose. There were times where Jesus talked very plainly in times where Jesus was out there.
We could say that.
And you know why we can say that? Because we know the end of the story. We know, looking back at history, what Jesus was talking about. But for the people that were there in 1st century Judea, they had no clue what he meant by what he was saying. So when he says stuff like, unless you eat my flesh and drink my blood, you have no life in you.
[00:03:22] Speaker B: That's weird.
[00:03:25] Speaker C: Until you understand, looking back, oh, this is what he's talking about. They don't know that. Even his disciples are like, hey, explain to us what you meant when you're talking about the cannibalism thing. That got me. That was.
[00:03:36] Speaker B: That was strange.
[00:03:37] Speaker C: When Jesus is standing in front of the temple, he says, tear down this temple. I'm going to rebuild it in three days. They're like, this dude is drunk.
It took us 50 years to rebuild this temple. You're telling us you can do it in three days.
That's a little weird. But yet, when it comes to fasting, when it comes to things like giving, when it comes to things like praying, Jesus speaks extremely clearly. He wants there to be no doubt exactly how we're supposed to behave when we fast, when we pray, when we give. And by the way, those are just bedrock devotional things that any average Christian ought to already be doing. You ought to be fasting. You ought to be just as much fasting as you are praying. You ought to be Fasting and praying, just like you're supposed to be. Generous and giving. It's part of who we are.
And Jesus was very, very specific and very clear when it comes to fasting.
And he says, you guys have made this really strange, really weird. So I'm gonna get it very clear with what this means and what the Lord is asking of you. And he does this in Matthew, chapter six. And the most famous sermon of all time, the Sermon on the Mountain. So we're going to go there today, and I want to bring a message called for the soul, not the show.
For the soul, not the show.
So turn to your Bibles, if you would. Matthew, chapter six. I want to read through verse 16, 17, and 18. And as a matter of fact, let's read this out loud together. So here is Jesus speaking, and he says this. Join me. When you fast, do not look somber as the hypocrites do, for they disfigure their faces to show others that they are fasting. Truly, I tell you, they have received their reward in full.
But when you fast, put oil on your head and wash your face so that it will not be obvious to others that you are fasting, but only to your father, who is unseen, and your father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you.
Very clear, very open, very direct language. Jesus doesn't talk about eating flesh and drinking blood. He says, hey, when you fast, weirdos don't do it like these weirdos. Let's. Let's change this. He said, this is all about what's happening on the inside. It's about your heart.
It's not about the audition that you're given to show how people. How spiritual you are. He said, it's not about that. Let's take this a little bit more serious.
So for those of us that are willing to be honest in God's house today, I would venture a guess that probably at least most of us, except for some nerds, try to get out of school at least one time by faking being sick. Where we at? Be honest. In God's house.
Yeah.
Now, understand, not everyone's gonna raise their hands. Some of you are raised Baptist, and you ain't raising hands in church. That's. That's blasphemy. I get it. We're gonna. We're gonna help you. It's okay. Unless you're voting to get the pastor out. And I raised two hands, like Pentecostals.
I'm sorry to pick on Baptist friends. I'm just messing with you. But Jesus speaks very clearly. About what it means to have an outward performance instead of what's really happening on the inside. And it's very much like many of us would say. You know, we tried to fake not having to go to school by. By faking being sick. Anybody remember the movie Ferris Bueller's Day Off? You know, he fakes being sick so he can just have just one great day of doing all the things that.
[00:06:59] Speaker B: He wants to do.
[00:06:59] Speaker C: And I remember trying to figure out, like, how. How did he get away with all that stuff? And I remember trying to tell my mother, like, I flew up.
[00:07:07] Speaker B: And she's like, I don't care.
[00:07:08] Speaker C: I don't care if your arm falls off. Tape it back on. You're going to school because I don't want you here. I'm sorry, Mom. You're probably watching live right now and hear me tell the truth. That's exactly what happened.
But I realized that there are, you know, most things that I would up with that ain't gonna cut it until we learn how to fake a fever. Come on, somebody. Now that's the clue. Now, I'm not gonna go into any more details because there are some young people here, they're like, taking serious notes. Tell me how to do that. But that's when they could actually send you home. Like, oh, you must really be sick. Like, absolutely, I'm sick. You know, Ferris Bueller strikes again. But Jesus, when he talks about what it means to fast, he's like, you're, you're, you're. You've made this into something that gets weird, where you're putting on this outward show. Like, what's really happening on the outside is what's really happening on the inside. And that's, that's not really what's happening.
So he challenges us to take a better look at fasting and what it means to purify our hearts before the.
[00:08:03] Speaker B: Lord, to humble ourselves, to repent, and to ask God for help.
[00:08:08] Speaker C: And what does it mean if nobody.
[00:08:10] Speaker B: Else is listening except for the Lord?
[00:08:12] Speaker C: And Jesus is like, that's the kind.
[00:08:14] Speaker B: Of fast that God is looking for, where it's about your heart. And it.
[00:08:18] Speaker C: If you're fasting to try to please.
[00:08:19] Speaker B: People, like, well, that's your reward.
[00:08:21] Speaker C: Now, we understand that because most of us have been surrounded on social media over the past couple of weeks by the gym selfie.
Come on, don't be that guy. Don't be that girl. You know, hashtag, you know, on the grind.
No days off. Don't skip leg day. Like, is the point really to get in shape? Or is the point to do a gym selfie to get people to like you? You have your reward. It's hearts and likes.
That's your reward.
And Jesus is saying that's, that's kind.
[00:08:51] Speaker B: Of how some of us view spiritual things. You've made it about a show.
It's an audition, it's an, it's an acting gig.
And you've, you've missed the point.
[00:09:03] Speaker C: So here's the things that we see from, from fasting. When Jesus speaks so clearly about what fasting looks like, he shows us. I'm going to give you three things.
[00:09:10] Speaker B: Here's the first. Number one.
[00:09:12] Speaker C: Fasting is supposed to be much more normal. Somebody say normal.
And this is, this is a problem for some of us because we have a tendency in Christian circles to get really weird and people on the outside.
[00:09:25] Speaker B: Have no idea what we're talking about.
[00:09:27] Speaker C: And we have like two different personalities of which we speak to church friends and people out there.
[00:09:34] Speaker B: No, I do not. Pastor.
[00:09:35] Speaker C: Yes I do. It starts with how you doing? Your response to church people is, I'm blessed and highly favored. How you doing, brother? How you doing, sister? When it comes to somebody in the office, how you doing? Fine.
[00:09:44] Speaker B: How you doing?
[00:09:48] Speaker C: It's true. We have Christianese.
Jesus is like, look, let, let's, let's.
[00:09:54] Speaker B: Let'S stop making spiritual things weird.
[00:09:58] Speaker C: Let's get back to the heart of.
[00:10:00] Speaker B: Why we do this.
[00:10:01] Speaker C: Now understand that there are some things.
[00:10:02] Speaker B: That the world will not understand.
[00:10:04] Speaker C: I get that. But Jesus is saying this is about.
[00:10:07] Speaker B: What'S happening on the inside of your heart and your relationship with, with the Lord.
[00:10:12] Speaker C: Now also understand there are multiple times in scripture where Jesus says, you're the light of the world. You're supposed to show people what it looks like to have be a fully devoted follower of Christ. We're to live out loud, except when it comes to your prayer life, when it comes to your generosity and giving.
[00:10:28] Speaker B: And when it comes to your fasting.
He said, those are here.
[00:10:33] Speaker C: So fasting isn't about public praise. It's an act of private devotion.
Fasting is supposed to be normal. Now how do we know that Jesus is saying fasting is supposed to be normal? Because he uses one specific word. He uses the word when you fast. He doesn't say if you fast.
He says when.
Fasting was a very normal thing for the first century believer, the first century Jewish people, most of those, by the way, typically fasted at least one day a week. Some of those two days a week, usually on a Monday or on a Thursday. And they would spend from sun up to sundown, no food, no water, once a week. Very, very normal. And on specific holy days that might look different, especially the day of, the day of Atonement, some of you may know that as Yom Kippur, Yom Kippur was the day that we've talked about before where the high priest would go into the holy of holies. And that's a big deal. He only gets to go in there once a year. And he makes atonement for all the sins of the people.
He takes all the weight, all the sin, and he goes before God and he asks for mercy. And while he is going before the Lord, that entire day, actually about 25 hours, people would really fast.
They would cover themselves in sackcloth and ashes.
They would take their shoes off and walk around barefoot.
They would put no oil, no water. They had no showers. So you could obviously tell, like, oh, fasting, yeah.
[00:12:01] Speaker B: Woo.
[00:12:03] Speaker C: I could smell. I mean, I could tell.
But then it got to this point where they started getting weird with it. It's not just about the priest going to the holy of holies to make atonement for our sin. It's about we can show we are really spiritual. I'm gonna put a lot of ash on me and walk around with my face, my cheekbones all drawn in.
Oh, is anyone else seeing spots? Because I'm fasting. You know, look at me, I'm so thin right now. I'm just wasting away because of my fast.
[00:12:36] Speaker B: What I wouldn't do for goat cheeseburger.
[00:12:38] Speaker C: Or whatever they had. I don't know what it is, but Jesus takes a look at this. It's like, this is getting a little weird. Like you're. What? You're missing the point.
It's not about what's happening on the outside, what you can show people, or that's your reward. People think you're super spiritual. Is that what you're going for? Because that's what you get.
He said, no, it's about what's.
[00:12:57] Speaker B: What's really important. Fasting is supposed to be much more normal.
[00:13:04] Speaker C: It's a normal part of a believer's.
[00:13:06] Speaker B: Life to embrace fasting.
[00:13:09] Speaker C: And it's something I recognize that many.
[00:13:10] Speaker B: Churches have gotten away from because they.
[00:13:12] Speaker C: Don'T want to push people to a place where they ever have to sacrifice anything.
[00:13:16] Speaker B: But you're not trying to earn God's love.
[00:13:18] Speaker C: You're not trying to earn his forgiveness.
[00:13:20] Speaker B: You're not. You're simply saying, God, I want more of you.
And I Want you more than I want this thing.
[00:13:28] Speaker C: It's a normal part of a believer's.
[00:13:30] Speaker B: Life to set aside time to just spend with the Lord. Fasting, withdrawing from food, withdrawing from caffeine, maybe withdrawing from sugar, withdrawing from social.
[00:13:39] Speaker C: Media, withdrawing from your phone. I found that a lot of young people, the millennial generation and even younger, all are saying, you know what it's better for me to fast from? It's not alcohol. Most of those, you don't even drink like, it's my phone. My phone takes up so much space of my day.
You'd be shocked how quickly your body would have withdrawal pains from your phone. If you determine that you're going to.
[00:14:02] Speaker B: Fast from your phone for three or.
[00:14:03] Speaker C: Four days, you'd be shocked. You'd be like.
[00:14:09] Speaker B: And now you know.
[00:14:09] Speaker C: What it's like to do heroin. There you are right there.
Fasting is supposed to be a normal thing.
And I recognize that some people won't understand when you're fasting, but it's not for them.
[00:14:22] Speaker B: It's. It's for you.
[00:14:23] Speaker C: It's a private part just as much as, by the way, when I.
[00:14:25] Speaker B: When I sit down at a restaurant.
[00:14:27] Speaker C: And I. I bow my head, I'll take off.
[00:14:29] Speaker B: Take off my hat when my food comes. Why? Because I'm thankful that God has provided.
[00:14:33] Speaker C: A meal for me. I'm thankful I didn't have to grow this food.
[00:14:35] Speaker B: I'm.
[00:14:35] Speaker C: I don't know how you grow chicken wings. I don't know how that happened. What kind of cow do you milk to get?
[00:14:40] Speaker B: Ranch.
[00:14:40] Speaker C: I don't understand where that process comes from, but I'm thankful I don't have to make it.
We got some things to be thankful for.
But I understand that people that. That don't pray before they. Before they eat it. That might look weird to you, but I don't care.
[00:14:54] Speaker B: I'm grateful I don't have to plant Doritos.
[00:14:57] Speaker C: That's a good thing.
But praying before my meal is normal, is it not?
And for those of us that grew up in the. In the buckle of the Bible Belt, we pray before our meal. I've seen people that weren't even believers that will bow their head before their meal. Like, what are you doing? I don't know. Grandpa did it. It's just an appetizer. I don't. I don't understand why I do it that way, but I just do it. But it's kind of part of who are. It's a normal thing to pray before we eat, and. And believers do that.
[00:15:27] Speaker B: But the world may not understand.
[00:15:30] Speaker C: I understand tithing. It's very, very normal for me to give 10% of the very first of my paycheck to honor the Lord and to give that to my church.
But if you're a person that doesn't understand that, that looks really weird. You're going to give 10% of your income off the top and you're going to try to honor the Lord or give that to a church. Are you crazy?
Probably to you.
But on this side of that, that's.
[00:15:52] Speaker B: Very normal to me.
[00:15:53] Speaker C: That's.
[00:15:53] Speaker B: That's a minimum for me.
You just don't understand it because it's.
[00:15:56] Speaker C: Not normal to you.
[00:15:58] Speaker B: It's very normal to me.
But my, my generosity, my giving, my tithe, that's not your business.
But it's very normal to me.
Understand?
[00:16:08] Speaker C: Praying for people, loving one another, being.
[00:16:11] Speaker B: Hospitable, showing mercy and compassion.
[00:16:14] Speaker C: Those are normal to believers.
[00:16:17] Speaker B: And so is fasting. It's supposed to be much more normal to withdraw from food, to withdraw from drink, to withdraw from a certain period of time so that we can spend.
[00:16:28] Speaker C: Time with the Lord. Fasting is supposed to be much more normal. Point number two, fasting isn't what you give up, but who you're turning toward. It's not about what you give up, it's about who you're turning toward. Now, if you, if you've read the Bible through, and hopefully this will be the year where I can challenge you. Read the Bible through from beginning to end. When you get to the parts that you don't understand, you get to the parts you're like, I don't get this. Hey, skip it. You have full permission. Just don't quit.
[00:16:53] Speaker B: Right?
[00:16:54] Speaker C: Just don't quit. You can do it. Just don't quit.
[00:16:57] Speaker B: But stick with your Bible reading. It's good. The word of God doesn't return void. It's a sharp.
[00:17:00] Speaker C: It's a powerful thing. It comes to life. I wish I could just spend all the time talking about the love for.
[00:17:04] Speaker B: The Word of God.
[00:17:05] Speaker C: That's a normal thing for believers to fall in love with God's Word. And at some point you have to read this. It might as well be this year.
And I understand that as you read God's Word, you're going to come upon some people, some very important people that fast, like for real fast.
One of the first ones that you're going to start with is Moses. When Moses walks up on Mount Sinai and God gives him the Ten Commandments, it says he spends 40 days. No food, no Water on the side of a mountain.
He gets the Ten Commandments, comes back down, and the people have made a golden calf. And there's like, what in the world happened? He breaks the Ten Commandments, goes right back up on top of the mountain and does another 40 days, no food, no water. Kind of extreme.
[00:17:46] Speaker B: And for some of us, like, yeah.
[00:17:47] Speaker C: I'm going to do that. No, you're not.
[00:17:49] Speaker B: Don't do that.
[00:17:50] Speaker C: Don't do that. Don't start there.
People like Elijah, by the way, when God takes him and begins to tell him about the next part of his ministry, it all happens after he spends 40 days. No food, no water. 40 days, just fasting and seeking God.
[00:18:04] Speaker B: And God changes his outlook on ministry.
[00:18:06] Speaker C: Tells him what the next part of his ministry is going to look like. He's fasting for clarity. And, lord, I've got to know what you're saying.
[00:18:12] Speaker B: What are you asking of me?
[00:18:13] Speaker C: Jesus himself, when he finally shows up on the scene, the very first thing he does before he gets baptized, before he goes to raise the dead.
[00:18:19] Speaker B: And Jesus walks into the wilderness and spends 40 days, no food, no water, to be tempted by the enemy.
Extreme fasting.
[00:18:31] Speaker C: Aren't you thankful that God doesn't say, if you're going to be a believer, you have to fast for 40 days.
[00:18:34] Speaker B: No food, no water.
Aren't you thankful for that?
[00:18:40] Speaker C: And so when Jesus begins to preach in a very normal society with normal people fasting one and two days a week with the Day of Atonement, people covering themselves in and sackcloth and ashes, it doesn't mean that Jesus didn't fast. Jesus fasted for 40 days. Extreme fasting. But people started asking Jesus, why aren't your disciples fasting like everybody else?
We're fasting one and two days a week. We're putting ash all over our heads. We're walking around with no shoes on. We're not taking showers like, but your. Your disciples smell better. What's. What's the deal? Why are they not fasting? And Jesus gives this answer in Matthew, chapter nine. He says, can the wedding guests mourn as long as the bridegroom is with them?
He tells them, essentially, you don't fast at a wedding. It's feast time.
[00:19:28] Speaker B: Why?
[00:19:29] Speaker C: Because it's a party.
The promise is fulfilled, the engagement is over, and now there's a wedding that's taking place. It's a time for celebration. He said, they're going to be able to fast long after I'm gone. They're going to have those times where they need to Fast, but it ain't today.
[00:19:45] Speaker B: Why?
[00:19:45] Speaker C: Because everything that people have been praying for and fasting about Jesus is like, it's here.
The answer has come. Clarity has come. Jesus is here. The promise is fulfilled. And so all those extreme fasts, Jesus said, I'm redefining that.
[00:20:00] Speaker B: Why?
[00:20:00] Speaker C: Because I have. They have me.
I am their answer. And so I want to make sure that you understand that God is not asking you to take yourself off of all food and all drink for the next 40 days. And that's going to make you more spiritual and people will think more of you. Like, that's exactly what Jesus is not talking about.
[00:20:16] Speaker B: What he's telling us is, if you have me living on the inside of your heart, things are different.
And he redefines what fasting looks like. It's about what's happening on the. On the inside, not what you're showing people on the outside.
[00:20:32] Speaker C: So Jesus fast before his ministry so that his ministry can become a feast.
Remind yourself that there are many types of fasts and durations, so don't get lost on the method. If you've never fasted before, let this be a challenge to you that over the next three days, Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, you would enter a fast if you've never done it. Let me just tell you, word to the wise, ease into it.
Okay?
What do you mean?
Do not do Golden Corral for lunch today and start your fast tomorrow.
Mistakes have been made. Let me just tell you. I speak from experience.
I've got to, I've got to stock up. Let me carb up because I'm not going to eat for the next three days. I got to have. It's like a, like a grizzly bear. I'm about to go into hibernation. I need to have a lot of fat stored up so I can coast through like, no, no, no. That is exactly what not to do. Ease yourself off of food and caffeine.
[00:21:25] Speaker B: And sugar today so that it'll be.
[00:21:27] Speaker C: Much easier for you tomorrow.
[00:21:28] Speaker B: You're going to thank me later.
[00:21:29] Speaker C: And also, whenever you finish with your fast, ease back off of it.
[00:21:35] Speaker B: And you'll find yourself enjoying the fast a lot more, getting a lot more out of it where you're not sitting here fighting sickness.
[00:21:42] Speaker C: At the same time, for those of you that never pulled yourself off of food or water or, or, or, or those things, make sure that you, you understand this, too. You might want to check with your doctor before you start just not taking your medication. You're going to hear a lot of voices. Probably not the voice of the Lord.
Don't do that. Be very careful.
We are a highly medicated society. Come on, somebody. There's a lot of medicine here. Be careful.
Make good decisions. But also there is something that you can do.
[00:22:08] Speaker B: There are things you can pull yourself away from.
[00:22:11] Speaker C: It's not about 40 days of no.
[00:22:13] Speaker B: Food and no water. Nobody's asking you to do that. I'm simply saying take a step.
And take a step that matters.
[00:22:21] Speaker C: Had a brother tell me I've been doing an awesome fast. Like, really? What are you fasting from?
[00:22:24] Speaker B: He. He said, I'm fasting from Brussels sprouts and broccoli.
[00:22:30] Speaker C: Is that a problem for you?
It's actually been pretty easy. It'd be pretty easy for me too.
So challenge yourself with what's important.
What's the most important. Let me just say it this way. Fasting is simply about making space for God.
Making space for God.
[00:22:46] Speaker B: And for most of you, it's not.
[00:22:48] Speaker C: Really food that's the issue.
[00:22:49] Speaker B: It's your phone, it's your entertainment.
It's the endless amounts of social media that you consume. Don't tell me that there's not time to spend with the Lord.
There's plenty.
But we spend it feeding our flesh, feeding our mind, feeding our algorithm.
I'm not saying that those things are wrong.
[00:23:07] Speaker C: Enjoy your time.
[00:23:08] Speaker B: But for the next three days, think seriously about what the rest of your year would look like if proximity to the Lord really mattered to you.
What would God tell you if you made room for him? If you made space for him? I wanna remind you our scripture for the year. God says, draw near to me, and I'm gonna draw near to you. And he invites us to come closer. Please hear me. You need this.
You need this.
[00:23:36] Speaker C: So there's a reason why I love this week so much. And most of that is really, really selfish. And I'll tell you that because the more that I can challenge you to fast and to pray and God's gonna begin to speak to you, he's gonna begin to convict you. He's gonna begin to give you words and direction. He's gonna be able to confront some things in your life that you need to confront it. And you know what that does for me? It makes my job really easy.
Thank you. So help me help you. Cause the more you hear from God, the less work I have to do. I love it. I love it. This is my favorite week of the year.
[00:24:06] Speaker B: Like, thank you, Lord.
[00:24:06] Speaker C: It's a vacation. All I gotta do is fast and pray and get em, make them behave but if you take your walk with God seriously, what happens next gets really easy for me.
[00:24:21] Speaker B: It's easy to pastor a group of people that are hungry.
It's easy to pastor a group of people that are hearing from the Lord and wanting to obey him with all their hearts. I don't gotta step on your toes. I don't have to push you. I can simply say, here's what the Lord says, let's go.
And you're submitted to what he says because you've heard it already. It's a great place to be.
[00:24:38] Speaker C: It's about the, the soul, not the show. Here's the final thing I want to.
[00:24:42] Speaker B: I want to share with you.
Number three.
[00:24:44] Speaker C: Fasting isn't about external rewards.
[00:24:47] Speaker B: It's about relational ones.
It's not about external rewards. Now, are there external rewards with following Christ?
[00:24:54] Speaker C: Absolutely. There are things that God blesses with. But when he's talking about fasting, when he's talking about giving, when he's talking about praying, he's saying, there's something different than external rewards.
[00:25:07] Speaker B: He said, there's something that's going to happen in your relationship between you and God, which, by the way, is what you want more than anything.
I love when, if you know the story of Solomon, Solomon finally has a dream, and God asked him, what do you want? And he could have asked for all kinds of blessings. I want to be this and I want to be that, and I want to have this and I want to have that.
[00:25:27] Speaker C: Give me this, give me that. When God says, what do you want?
[00:25:29] Speaker B: Imagine, just imagine what a human being could imagine to ask for.
Solomon said, I just want wisdom, to be able to lead your people the right way. And God's like, that's the right question to ask.
He says, give me more of your presence. I want to think the way that you think.
Something beautiful happens. When we start fasting, we start praying. God begins to reward us. He says, I reward those that diligently seek me.
God is saying, I. I'm. I'm what? When you fast, God says, I'm watching you seek me.
And that touches the heart of God. God begins to reward those who are willing to seek him even more than just seeking their next meal. David says, I. I hunger for you. I. I thirst for you.
[00:26:13] Speaker C: It's like a, like a deer panting for water. Like, that's, that's.
[00:26:16] Speaker B: That's how much I want you.
And fasting is simply telling your body, like, you're not in charge of me. He's in charge of me.
Fasting is telling Your flesh. I don't care what you ask for. I want him.
I want more of him.
[00:26:31] Speaker C: And so Jesus is so clear in.
[00:26:33] Speaker B: His word when he says. When he talks about the rewards that come with fasting.
[00:26:36] Speaker C: He says, your father, who sees in secret, will reward you.
[00:26:43] Speaker B: Will reward you.
[00:26:44] Speaker C: And I love that Jesus doesn't get specific about what those rewards are.
[00:26:48] Speaker B: Why?
[00:26:48] Speaker C: Because if Jesus gets specific about what those rewards are, we would make it transactional.
Oh, Jesus. You said, if I do these, if I fast for three days, then you've got to do this for me. You got to give me another husband. You got to give me a new bank account. I've got to win the lottery.
[00:27:02] Speaker B: I got to do.
[00:27:03] Speaker C: Because I fasted, you got to get. No, no, no. Jesus said, no, no, no, no.
[00:27:07] Speaker B: Said, your father sees what's happening in secret, and he's going to reward you.
What do those rewards look like?
[00:27:16] Speaker C: What does that mean?
[00:27:17] Speaker B: He says, the reward is.
Is him.
It's him.
Long before Abraham became Abraham, he was named Abram. And God spoke to him in Genesis, chapter 15. He was taking a step of faith. And he says, abram, he says, I am your exceedingly great reward. God says, I'm your reward.
And this is where a lot of believers get really weird with fasting and with praying and. And with tithing, with generosity.
[00:27:47] Speaker C: Well, what's in it for me? We've developed this American idea of consumer Christianity that says if I give these things to God, God has to do these things for me. And it's simply false theology.
This is not give to get.
[00:28:03] Speaker B: God says, I want you to trust me.
[00:28:05] Speaker C: Well, what's in it for me?
[00:28:06] Speaker B: And God says, me.
You give me.
[00:28:11] Speaker C: And so when Jesus comes on the scene, he says, I want to talk to you about what you really need.
[00:28:15] Speaker B: And it's not people's praise for how spiritual you are. It's not how many pounds you lost during your fast.
[00:28:20] Speaker C: You know, it's not how much ash.
[00:28:22] Speaker B: You could put on yourself.
[00:28:23] Speaker C: It's not how far could you walk.
[00:28:25] Speaker B: Barefoot when you're not wearing shoes like that?
[00:28:26] Speaker C: What are you doing?
[00:28:29] Speaker B: He says, wash your face, put a little oil in your hair, because the person that's watching your fast is him.
And when you do that, God begins to reward you with more of himself. Here's what we know, is that God's rewards are rarely external or immediate. The rewards are more of him, more of him.
I love what John says.
[00:28:51] Speaker C: He says, it needs to be more.
[00:28:52] Speaker B: Of him and less of me. And fasting is all about saying God, I want more of you. I don't need more food.
[00:28:58] Speaker C: I don't need more calories. I don't need more meals.
[00:29:01] Speaker B: I need you.
We honor our God with the first part of our year by saying, lord, we withdraw from food, we withdraw from caffeine, we withdraw from sugar. Maybe social media. Withdraw from your phone. Spend the next three days.
[00:29:14] Speaker C: Here's the thing.
[00:29:15] Speaker B: Please hear me. You're not gonna die.
[00:29:17] Speaker C: You're gonna feel like you want to. Your mind's gonna start playing tricks, telling you can't do this, this is stupid. And it's gonna happen right about day two.
We've all had that exact same thought. Day two of a fast. Like, this is stupid.
[00:29:29] Speaker B: Like, I do not need to pull myself off of coffee. The Lord never asked that of me. There is no scripture.
[00:29:36] Speaker C: Matter of fact, there's a whole book of the Bible called Hebrews.
Thy will be done.
Right.
I get it.
[00:29:45] Speaker B: Your mind's going to push you.
[00:29:48] Speaker C: I want to just.
[00:29:49] Speaker B: I want to just challenge you. Stick with it. Push.
You can do this.
And God's going to begin to speak.
Not because he has to, because he wants to. Why does he want to? Because you're seeking him.
So on Monday night, Tuesday night, Wednesday night, we've got some fasting and prayer services. God's going to do some wonderful things. On Wednesday. You're going to hear some prophetic stuff. If you've never heard that done in a healthy way, in a God honoring way, in a way that's done with the utmost clarity and the utmost precision on what God does to the prophetic gift, you're going to want to be here. If that's something that's really super strange to you, do you think it's all demonic? Come anyway, because we're going to change your mind.
If you. If you've never heard that gift done in a.
[00:30:28] Speaker C: In a.
[00:30:30] Speaker B: In a healthy way, you're going to want to hear that.
[00:30:33] Speaker C: Why?
[00:30:33] Speaker B: Because God still speaks.
[00:30:35] Speaker C: Look at me.
[00:30:36] Speaker B: God still speaks.
[00:30:37] Speaker C: God still speaks.
[00:30:38] Speaker B: And he wants to talk to you, and you need to hear him. And Jesus says in John 10, my sheep hear my voice.
[00:30:43] Speaker C: They hear me and they're not going to follow anybody else. God wants to speak to you. He has.
[00:30:47] Speaker B: He has words for you, as direction for you, as clarity for you, saying, I want you to seek me.
I want you to seek me.
[00:30:53] Speaker C: And guess what?
[00:30:54] Speaker B: You're going to find me. You start seeking me with all your heart. And not just seeking me when it's convenient for you.
Remind yourself of what he tells Abram. In Genesis 15:1, he says, Abram, don't be afraid.
I am your exceedingly great reward. I'm your reward.
You want more of the Lord.
This is the gateway to that. To humble ourselves, to repent of our sin, to ask God for help to make room for him.
So I love how we see that Jesus is speaking with such clarity about what fasting looks like. And he shows us something that's important for us to see, something that we need to confront in our own twisted theology.
Let me put it on the screen and say it this way. Fasting does not force God's hand. It opens mine.
This is where I want to be open handed. Before the Lord, I submit, what do you want?
And what God has in store for you for the rest of this year, please hear me, is better than what you got planned.
And what he has in store for.
[00:32:00] Speaker C: You comes with a much different price tag.
[00:32:04] Speaker B: It's just about obedience and submission. It's better.
God has a better version of you at the end of this year. So I want to challenge you. I want to encourage you, I want to push you. Don't waste another year of your life doing what you want. What if what he wants for you is. It's different than what you've been pushing and grinding and striving for. What if? What if you're working at the wrong things?
I think. I think you owe it to yourself to find out, what does God want from me? What's next for me, Lord? What are you saying? Is there any part of my life that's not submitted to you? Because my answer needs to be your will, not my will.
And Jesus says, God sees when you're fasting. And it doesn't matter what people think. God sees your private devotion. God sees when you take those steps. And God's going to start rewarding you with more of his presence.
And I love how Jesus doesn't really define that, so much of what those rewards look like. So we don't get too transactional. But he begins to show us things.
[00:32:57] Speaker C: That we can only really see when.
[00:33:00] Speaker B: You take a step of faith.
I love how Jesus dangles that carrot. There's so many rewards that God has for those that are willing to seek him if they do it the right way. He doesn't really tell you what it is. He just says, can you trust me? Because it's gonna be good.
[00:33:14] Speaker C: So I wanna challenge you.
Think about what you're fasting from. Maybe write it down. It would be better, by the way, if you have your spouse with you to tell them right now, just make a.
[00:33:23] Speaker B: Make a statement. This is what I'm gonna try to fast from.
[00:33:26] Speaker C: Because then you have some accountability. So when the enemy starts attacking you.
[00:33:29] Speaker B: You'Ll be like, nah, I wasn't really fast. I was just kidding.
[00:33:31] Speaker C: I was.
[00:33:33] Speaker B: No Brussels sprouts for me. I'm going hardcore this year.
No, like, say it. I'm going to do this.
And then be a man and a woman of your word.
It's important. I want to finish up with this statement that I think is important for us to see.
God sees the fast that no one else sees. And then he gives what no one else can provide. A heart less divided, prayer less performative, joy less fragile, and trust less anxious.
It's going to be a beautiful week. It's my favorite time of the year. If you've never done this, I want to challenge you.
It's time. You need this.
It's time to take your walk with God seriously. And I'm hoping, I'm believing, I'm praying, I'm begging that 2026 would be the year that you finally start doing that. Can we receive that? Is that okay?
[00:34:21] Speaker C: I want to remind you of a couple of things.
[00:34:22] Speaker B: So not only is this Discover Week, Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday services, we have a service Wednesday at 10 during the lunch hour. Our worship center is open from 12 o' clock to 1 o'. Clock. If you want to come here and worship, you want to come here and pray, it'd be open to you. For those that are skipping through lunch, we also have some devotionals that we'll be sending out. I think it's about 6 o' clock every morning. And those will be available on all social media platforms and also on our website. So it'll kind of help you to kind of walk through the thought of the day.
To encourage you, we've got some special prophetic things happening on Wednesday during the day and also Wednesday at night. You're going to want to be a part of that. Also know that we have multiple services.
[00:34:58] Speaker C: If you can look around today, you.
[00:34:59] Speaker B: See there's not a whole lot of empty seats here. And we have three services. All of them are coming together for one service per day. What does that mean? It means you're probably not going to.
[00:35:06] Speaker C: Get a seat and you're probably going.
[00:35:07] Speaker B: To get really angry about it. And I don't care why, because the.
[00:35:10] Speaker C: Point is not to make you comfortable.
[00:35:11] Speaker B: The point is to seek Him.
[00:35:13] Speaker C: Okay, so these won't be super long services. Plan for them to be super packed.
It's going to be nuts.
[00:35:19] Speaker B: I'm sorry, but I know this for sure. God's going to move, and you want.
[00:35:25] Speaker C: To be in the room.
[00:35:26] Speaker B: Proximity matters. Be in the room.
Get here, watch what God can do.
It's going to be good for you. Also, if you've not been baptized, man, next Sunday, we've got baptisms happening right at the end of third service.
[00:35:38] Speaker C: We would love for you to take.
[00:35:39] Speaker B: That next step of faith. It's a powerful thing. God's doing great things in our midst, and I love seeing people take steps of faith. So I'm going to finish up right there. Would you.
[00:35:47] Speaker C: Would you bow your head and close.
[00:35:48] Speaker B: Your eyes with me?
[00:35:49] Speaker C: I think if I've done my job.
[00:35:50] Speaker B: Correctly today, then in a moment of quiet reflection, some of us. Some of us need to make a decision.
I think some of us would say, I'm ready to take my walk with God seriously this year. It's time for me to make a change.
As a matter of fact, with heads bowed and eyes closed, how many of us would say by the simple lifting of our hand, pastor, it's time for me to make a change. And I'm declaring that I'm making a change right here and right now, today. Can I just see your hand across this place?
Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah. You can put your hands down.
Dozens and dozens and dozens of people in every single service saying, it's time. It's time for me.
I believe the Lord sees your commitment, and the Lord's waiting for you. He said, call to me, and I'm going to answer. You seek me and you're going to find me. Knock on the door, and I'm going to open it to you, show you things that you didn't know. You need to see it. My friend, God loves you, has a plan for your life. If God had a refrigerator, your picture would be on it. He loves you.
He wants you to spend time with him as a plan for your life. And it's a good plan.
With heads bowed and eyes closed, perhaps some of us are in this place today and we'd say, pastor, I don't have a relationship with Jesus. I don't understand this whole church thing, but I'm here and I want to take a step of faith today. My friend, I'm glad you came.
For others, you might say, I was raised in church. I've done all the things, but I've gotten so far away from God. I need to come home. My friend, I'm glad you came, too.
And if you're willing to make a step of faith right here and right now, today. Then I'm gonna lead you in the same prayer that somebody led me in a long time ago. It changed my life. Somebody loved me enough to pray with me and help me to take a step, a step of faith in my relationship with Jesus. So with heads bowed and eyes closed.
[00:37:43] Speaker C: If you are ready to take that.
[00:37:44] Speaker B: Step today, I'm not here to embarrass you in any way. I wanna lead you in a prayer. I'm gonna tell you the words to say, I'm gonna ask that you repeat it with me. And as a matter of fact, all of us are gonna pray this prayer.
[00:37:53] Speaker C: Out loud together so you don't feel.
[00:37:54] Speaker B: Embarrassed in any way.
[00:37:56] Speaker C: But the prayer goes like this.
[00:37:57] Speaker B: Join me, if you wouldn't mind.
[00:37:59] Speaker C: Just say, jesus, I believe you're the son of God.
I believe that you came and died, and I believe that you rose from.
[00:38:08] Speaker B: The grave.
[00:38:10] Speaker C: So that I could have.
[00:38:11] Speaker B: Life and forgiveness for my sins.
I ask you to come into my heart, take over my life.
[00:38:23] Speaker C: And I'll.
[00:38:24] Speaker B: Give you the rest of my life in Jesus name, with heads bowed and eyes closed. If that was you and you say, pastor, I meant that prayer, I'm taking that step here today. I'm not gonna embarrass you in any way. Would you just slip up your hand all across this place? That was me. I prayed that prayer. That was me. Good. That was me.
That was me. Maybe you're watching online, you'd say, I did. I prayed that prayer. I want you to know that there's a number appearing behind me on a screen. There's a number appearing on your phone right now.
Would you text me, text the words I prayed to that number and I'll send you back some things. That's my free gift to you to help you understand what to do next and what just happened inside of your heart. Good for you.
How rich family. Go ahead and look up at me if you would, and let's stand to our feet together as we end our service today. I'm going to have our elders and.
[00:39:10] Speaker C: Their wives step forward and be available to pray for you. And once again, if you're watching this on social media, I'm going to ask that you do us a huge favor. You make a major difference when you.
[00:39:19] Speaker B: Choose to share this message with your social media world.
[00:39:22] Speaker C: And it's a big deal when you do that. There are thousands of people that do.
[00:39:25] Speaker B: Not have a church home that don't have someone to feed them the word of God like you get the privilege of hearing.
[00:39:29] Speaker C: So if you'd be so kind to.
[00:39:31] Speaker B: Do us that favor as to share this message, that would make a massive difference, and I'd appreciate that very much.
[00:39:35] Speaker C: And also our elders are here to be available to pray for you about.
[00:39:39] Speaker B: Anything that you might need prayer for.
[00:39:40] Speaker C: Please don't leave today knowing that you, you, you could have been prayed for.
[00:39:44] Speaker B: You're walking through something that's, that's a difficult situation. We would love to pray for you. We believe our God hears our prayers. He answers prayers.
[00:39:52] Speaker C: God still heals. He still delivers. He is still a God that pays attention when his people call on him.
[00:39:58] Speaker B: And so we want to, we want.
[00:39:59] Speaker C: To always make that available for you. Then for everybody else, I'm looking forward.
[00:40:02] Speaker B: To seeing you on Monday.
[00:40:03] Speaker C: Let me pray for you and bless.
[00:40:04] Speaker B: You and send you out.
[00:40:05] Speaker C: Lord God, would you bless my friends? Would you encourage them? Would you strengthen them for the journey.
[00:40:09] Speaker B: That they're walking right now?
[00:40:10] Speaker C: Would you provide for them everything that they need, Father? Would you lift up your countenance, Lord, and be a gracious God to them? Protect them, Lord, I pray in Jesus mighty name and all of us said together, Amen. God bless you as you go. Have a wonderful week.
[00:40:25] Speaker A: Thank you so much for listening in today. Our prayer is that you are encouraged and strengthened by the message. If you haven't done so yet, be sure to subscribe to this podcast and leave us a review wherever you're listening.
[00:40:37] Speaker C: If you want to be a part.
[00:40:38] Speaker A: Of our online community, connect with us through Facebook or Instagram with the handle hyridgelv or you can check out our
[email protected] lastly, if this ministry has impacted your life and you'd like to support its work, visit highridgelv.com give we appreciate your support and we're believing with you today for God's best in your life. Have an incredible week and we will see you next time.
