In Matthew chapter five we find Jesus talking to His disciples while great multitudes of people listened in. He spoke to the 12 about those whom the Father would bless for doing certain things. One of those things was to mourn–to be deeply saddened due to a particular situation. In Matthew 5:4 He pronounces the Father’s blessings on those who “mourn” over what they see going on around them. I am not ashamed to say that I have fought back tears when observing what is happening to my beloved nation. This God-established, greatly-blessed country has become a spiritual quagmire in which vileness and degradation are not merely tolerated, but revered, encouraged and rewarded.

I mourn not only for what America has become, but also for what she will evolve into in the near future. The nation of Israel being her example, she is following in her ancestor’s spiritual footsteps that, as happened to Israel of old, will lead her to defeat, destruction, death and enslavement of those who manage to survive the “great tribulation” (Mat. 24:21) and “the great and terrible Day of the Lord” (Joel 2:31)–the final 3 1/2 years of this age at the end of which Christ will return for His obedient saints. Together they will enter Jerusalem where He will establish the Kingdom of God. Read The Three Resurrections and The Kingdom of God. Key words–Three and Kingdom respectively.

My precious homeland is in her death throes as she decays from within. My soul aches when I see Satan’s hand orchestrating the activities of his servants, especially those in the Institutional Church whom the Apostle Peter referred to in First Peter 4:17,18. Note that, even those early days, judgment was taking place in the church and only the righteous within her would be saved. Jesus tells us that due to making the wrong choices, “few” salvation seekers will be saved. He warned that, though many will be called to make the right choices, few will answer His call to righteousness and holiness (Mat. 7:13,14; 20:16), the END RESULT of which is eternal life (Rom. 5:21; 6:22/ Mat. 10:22).

Those close to God mourn for their families, neighbors, countrymen and other deceived, unwitting souls around the world who are being controlled by Satan, especially those in “the church” who believe they are serving the Biblical God. This ministry has been focused on the church from its inception. I have not deviated from the Lord’s very plain directions. I mourn for those who seek God’s Truth but are sidetracked by their hirelings from God’s true Christianity into the devil’s false Christianity. Read Bait and Switch. Key word–Bait.

Either unknown or ignored by the vast majority of salvation seekers is the Lord’s command to fast. Note that in Matthew 6:16 the Lord says, “WHEN you fast ….” This lets us know that He expects His people to fast. Fasting consists of doing without food and liquid for a period of time. Recall that Jesus fasted 40 days before beginning His ministry. Moses fasted 80 days while receiving the Ten Commandments from Him atop Mt. Sinai. Those were extreme circumstances which called for extreme sacrifices. Scriptures record a woman in the Temple who “served God with fastings day and night” (Lk. 2:36-37). Fasting is an humbling experience which takes one’s mind off of oneself, one’s appetites and bodily cravings and places it on the Lord. I once fasted 34 days, taking only water. I do not recommend fasting more than two days without water unless specifically led to do so by the Lord. The body can do without food for several weeks with no harm done to it. Water is a different need. I continue to fast regularly, normally one day each week without food or drink. I recommend a fasting schedule. For most people, a day or two periodically is advised. God does not tell us when to fast or how long to fast. This is one’s own decision. The exception to this rule is the Day of Atonement on which we are required to fast from sundown to sundown, the time at which one day ends and the next day begins.

In Isaiah 58 we find the Lord describing the fast that pleases Him. One is not to fast so as to be seen or noticed (vs 5). One is to fast as privately as possible with no public display in order to gain attention. In verses 6 through 12 God explains what fasting according to His will accomplishes. Note that the goal is so that one can be of help to others and to received help from the Lord for oneself.

In verse 13 the Lord speaks to the fasting participant’s observing His Sabbath, which He calls “My holy day.” On the 7th day of the week (Saturday), beginning at sundown on Friday, God’s people are commanded to neither work nor to enter into any activity that is not God-centered (prayer, Bible study, meditation, etc.). We are to follow those rules until sundown Saturday sundown. We are to call the Sabbath (rest) a delight and holy unto the Lord. It is a day set aside to honor Him. No personal pleasures are to be sought that day. The day we call Saturday is to be dedicated totally to the Lord as a day of rest (Sabbath) and spiritual activities such as attending the weekly church service. Not only are we not to do work of any kind, we are not to have people working for us on that holy, blessed and sanctified day. To sanctify means to set aside for holy use. We are not to recreate, shop, do yardwork, etc. on God’s “Holy Day.” The following day is the first work day of the week for God’s people.

The combination of mourning, fasting and Sabbath honoring is a recipe for good. L.J.