Favorite quote: “It’s okay to make sense. It’s okay to make the good news sound like good news.”
2nd, I was preaching this weekend and I had one of those great moments when I was really shaken by what I was talking about. I want to share a little of it with you.
In Isaiah 58 God is talking about how people fast in useless ways. After pointing out how stupid a purely ‘religious’ fast is, he goes on to outline what a real fast looks like and what the result of real fasting is. I chopped the passage up and tossed it into a table for you. Check it out:
Proper fasting is when you…
If you do it, then…
Loosen the bonds of wickedness.
Undo the bands of the yoke.
Let the oppressed go free.
Break every yoke.
Bring the homeless into your home.
Cover the naked when you see him.
Don’t hide yourself from your own flesh.
V. 6-7
Your light will break out like the dawn.
Your recovery will speedily spring forth.
Your righteousness will go before you.
The glory of the Lord will be your rear guard.
You will call, and the LORD will answer.
You will cry, he will say ‘Here I am.’
V. 8-9
Remove the yoke from your midst.
Remove the pointing of the finger and speaking of wickedness (lit: panting, uselessness).
Draw out your soul to the hungry.
Satisfy the soul of the afflicted.
V. 9-10
Your light will rise in darkness.
Your gloom (misfortune) will be like midday.
The Lord will always guide you.
The Lord will satisfy your soul in scorched places.
The Lord will give strength to your bones.
You will be like a watered garden.
You will be like a spring whose waters don’t fail.
Those from among you will rebuild the ancient ruins.
You will raise up age-old foundations.
You will be called: Repairer of the Breach.
You will be called: Restorer of the streets in which to dwell.
V. 10-12
I love how the right hand side is so much bigger than the left!
Matt – did you say all this on Sunday and I missed it? Man – that is some great inspired word. It fills me with incredible desire to be obedient in this area. What encouragement to me today. I especially liked :•The Lord will satisfy your soul in scorched places.•The Lord will give strength to your bones.•You will be like a watered garden.Thank you – I am going to go read Isaiah 58 now… :)
Matt – did you say all this on Sunday and I missed it? Man – that is some great inspired word. It fills me with incredible desire to be obedient in this area. What encouragement to me today. I especially liked :•The Lord will satisfy your soul in scorched places.•The Lord will give strength to your bones.•You will be like a watered garden.Thank you – I am going to go read Isaiah 58 now… :)
Matt W Cook 
Matt – did you say all this on Sunday and I missed it? Man – that is some great inspired word. It fills me with incredible desire to be obedient in this area. What encouragement to me today. I especially liked :•The Lord will satisfy your soul in scorched places.•The Lord will give strength to your bones.•You will be like a watered garden.Thank you – I am going to go read Isaiah 58 now… :)
Matt – did you say all this on Sunday and I missed it? Man – that is some great inspired word. It fills me with incredible desire to be obedient in this area. What encouragement to me today. I especially liked :•The Lord will satisfy your soul in scorched places.•The Lord will give strength to your bones.•You will be like a watered garden.Thank you – I am going to go read Isaiah 58 now… :)