ISAIAH & JEREMIAH

Today is Tuesday morning.  I have my coffee getting ready and soon I will have a good cup of coffee.  I will get the first cup soon.  Here are some highlights of going through Isaiah and into Jeremiah: 1) EFFECTIVE!- Isaiah 55:11 "So shall my word be that goeth forth out of my mouth:  it shall not return unto me void, but it shall accomplish that which I please, and it shall prosper in the thing whereto I sent it."  God's Word is effective!  It works!  I will always accomplish what God intends for it to accomplish.  Dear Christian, use it.  Quote it.  Memorize it.  Read it.  Meditate upon it.  Teach it.  Preach it.  Use it!  Because.... it is always effective! 2) FASTING AND IT'S PURPOSE- Isaiah 58:6 says:  "Is not this the fast that I have chosen?  to loose the bands of wickedness, to undo the heavy burdens, and to let the oppressed go free, and that ye break every yoke?"  This is what God says a fast will do.  Are you banded by some wickedness you cannot shake off?  Well, a fast will loose the bands of wickedness.  Fasting is to say "no" to the body, and "yes" to the spirit.  It is to tell the body, who is in charge.  It will develop discipline when there is little.  It will strengthen character.  It will say no to the body when it comes to food, and thereby enable you to say no to what ever other appetites are seeking to control and dominate you.  In a fast you say no for at least 24 hours.  I have gone ten day a few times, but usually a day or two or week at the most.  Drink only fluids, but it can be fluids such as coffee, juice, tea, etc.  You will have an headache the first day and it will always be your hardest.  People will offer you food and you will find it very difficult your first day.  After the second day, it will come much, much easier until you think of breaking the fast on the designated day, then it will cause you to be very hungry.  You will feel week after the fourth day and will have to rest more.  Your stomach will shrink, and after the fast is over, you will only be able to eat a fourth of what you think you can.  Use soup to break your fast and then a little solid food.  Use your new found discipline to eat a little the first day or two.  (you will want to gorge yourself).  Hope this helps. 3) WHAT A TRADE- Isaiah 61:3  "To appoint unto the that mourn in Zion, to give unto them beauty for ashes, the oil of joy for mourning, the garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness; that they might be called trees of righteousness, the planting of the LORD, that he might be glorified."  What a trade!  Jesus takes all that we have that is ready for the trash heap and gives us precious things in return.  He takes our ashes of a ruined and wasted life and gives us beauty in return.  He takes our mourning over our own sins consequences and the heartaches we are confronted with in this sin cursed world and gives us the oil of joy!  He takes the spirit of heaviness that covers us because of our constant defeats and disappointments and gives us the garment of praise... a reason to rejoice!  What a trade...  do you have anything you would like to trade? 4) FORSAKING & FABRICATING- Jeremiah 2:13 says:  "For my people have committed two evils; they have forsaken me the fountain of living waters, and hewed them out cisterns, broken cisterns, that can hold no water."  Two evils God says, and the two are forsaking and fabricating.  Forsaking the living waters (God Himself!), and Fabricating a substitute that cannot work (a broken cistern holds no water).  Let us not be guilty of such things as we see our nation and so many Christians doing.  Well, that is all for today.  Hope you have a blessed day in the LORD!  Dr. Mike Mutchler, your friend.