Who Is Jesus?

The first chapter of John gives a brief description of Jesus. I am quoting only a few short tidbits, but the full chapter would be good to read. 

“In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God…In Him was life…The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us…the glory of the one and only Son…”

So, Who is Jesus? 

 

Jesus is the Son of God in whom to be awed. 

He is Love, coming from above.

He is the Word and worthy to be heard.

Jesus is the Teacher who walked on earth in manly feature.

He is my Creator and my Mediator.

He is my Savior in whom I am to follow, in like behavior.

Jesus is the One who died and rose again to give me heaven’s gain.

He is my Christ who paid the price.

Jesus is Lord of all who receive His call.

 

And…That’s my Jesus!

 

 

Dream Big

     I believe everyone needs to dream. In other words, have a goal. I heard President Trump say one time, “If you are going to dream, dream big!” That would be a good thing, but I must add that within that “big dream” and desire, make sure it aligns with God’s will and purpose. What joy would it bring me if I reached a dream, but did not have God in it? 

     Below is an acronym to pay attention to:  

 

D esire a dream while obediently walking with God to reach it 

R est patiently in God, trusting God with the dream 

E nter into praise even when circumstances delay the dream

A lign the dream in Godly ways

M ake a way to change or alter the dream if God leads another direction

 

Psalm 16:11 tells me, “You will show me the path of life; In Your presence is fullness of joy; At Your right hand are pleasures forevermore. 

     So, go ahead...and "Dream Big!"

The Blood of the Lamb

     My Bible study pointed out a few thoughts about the blood of the Lamb:

1. It told of how God covered the nakedness of Adam and Eve by pointing to the shedding of blood, and how the Savior would die for the sin of the world. 

2. It gave the example of how the children of Israel selected a perfect lamb, without blemish, to place on top of their door frames. 

3. It gave the example of Christ being born in a stable, "a perfect place for the birth of a lamb". 

     After reading all this I went back to the first one and tried to find what animal God used as clothing for Adam and Eve. Could it have been a lamb? 

     I read several scripture versions. I only found, "animal skins, "coats of skins", "leather clothing", and "tunics of skin." One commentary even said it could have been the bark of a tree that God used. I finally deducted it did not matter what animal God used. The significance was that God covered Adam and Eve's sin, just as Jesus, the Lamb, covered my sin with His blood.  

     From that I wrote the following: 

The Blood of The Lamb

 

Down through the ages,

In the Old Testament pages,

From the beginning of sinning,

There has been the significance of the blood of the Lamb.

Adam and Eve were given an animal skin

To cover their sin.

The Israelites used the blood of a perfect lamb

Above their door jamb-

Thus, saving their firstborn,

With only the Egyptians left to mourn.

Into the New Testament

And the Book never out-of-print,

The Lamb without blemish, without spot,

Came to fulfill God’s saving plot.

The Lamb without blemish, born in a stable,

Came to save, ‘cause He was able.

I cling

To the blood that washes clean.

There’s no other way to be saved

Other than the path God paved. 

I’m saved by the blood of the Lamb,

Gifted by the great, I Am!

 

Mary Crisp Jameson 10/18/2025 

 

“The next day John saw Jesus coming toward him and said, “Look, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world!” John 1:29

 

 

 

 

The Name Above All Names

In Philippians 2:910, God exalted Jesus’s name, placing it above all names. “Wherefore God also hath highly exalted Him, and given Him a name which is above every name: that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of things in heaven, and things in earth, and things under the earth;”

 

Jesus is a name above all names

Jesus is a name whereby every knee should bow

Jesus is a name that should be honored and glorified

 

We are saved by belief in Jesus  (John 3:16)

We are baptized in the name of  (Jesus  Act 19:5) 

We are washed, sanctified and justified by the name of Jesus  (1 Corinthians 6;11)

We should glorify the name of Jesus by our testimony  (2 Thessalonians 1:12)  

 

The Cross

When I think of the cross, I envision my Lord hanging there with blood dripping to his feet for me. I think of the humiliation I would have felt had it been me hanging there in front of the crowd of many. But, for Jesus, the cross was not about Him. 

The Cross 

 

The cross was not where just a good man was nailed.

It was where those who hated failed.

The cross was not where a troublemaker was eliminated;

Its story was written down in history, never to be outdated.

The cross was where the Son of God died for me.

It was how Jesus set me free.

The cross was not the end;

It paid my sin debt and provided a forever friend.

The cross was not where my Savior died for a shameful crime.

It was where Jesus gave His life for mine.

On the cross there was a death-

A final breath!

On the cross Jesus was nailed,

But, in time, salvation was unveiled.

The cross stands forever in my mind,

For I was saved, where once I was blind.

The cross was a rugged one,

Where Jesus paid the price- once and done!

 

Mary Crisp Jameson. 10/12/2025 

 

“Jesus, when He had cried again with a loud voice, yielded up the ghost. And behold the veil of the temple was rent in twain from the top to the bottom; and the earth did quake, and the rocks rent; And the graves were opened; and many bodies of the saints which slept arose…Now when the centurion, and they that were with him, watching Jesus, saw the earthquake, and those things that were done, they feared greatly, saying, “Truly this was the Son of God.’”  Matthew 27:50-52, 54

 

Life Is What You Bake It

In mid-September, I decided to bake up a new recipe. It has taken a while to decide to share it, mainly because I did not know if I had the ingredients right. Then I read Philippians 4:6-7 and knew the final ingredient I had forgotten was truly the missing link. "Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts, and your minds in Christ Jesus." 

Life is What You Bake It 

 

Upon a shelf sat a mix I had made up,

And it was time to get rid of it, cup-by-cup.

So, into a bowl, 

I stirred in a cup of sin, yellowed with age. 

Next, I added a cup each of bitterness, anger, and rage.

This needed to be cooked today-

Gotten rid of without delay.

Next, I added milk, eggs, and flour. 

This was not my finest hour,

For the batter was not as expected;

Something needed to be corrected. 

That this recipe was going to fail,

was among my fears, 

So, I added in a cup of liquid tears. 

I considered for a moment 

What I may have skipped?

A quick taste, I dipped. 

Maybe, if I added a cup of prayerful flavor, 

This cake would be something to savor.

But it needed more

To remove the bitter taste of the sin.

I quickly reached for a nearby tin

To sprinkle in some peace, love, and joy. 

I surmised, 

This would help the cake to rise. 

 I mixed, stirred, and beat- 

Hoping for the perfect treat. 

Finally, I coated a pan with oil of repentance,

And baked the batter at 350 degrees 

And waited in unease. 

Standing in place, 

A smile lite my face.

It was rising before my eyes,

To the perfect height and size.

But something was bothering me

And wouldn’t let me be.

As the cake sat within my gaze,

I remembered, 

I had forgotten to add-in the praise. 

 

Mary Crisp Jameson 9/15/2025

 

     “Get rid of all bitterness, rage and anger, brawling and slander, along with every 

form of malice.” Philippians 4:31 NIV

Heaven

Heaven and what it will truly be like remains somewhat a mystery to me! I say, “somewhat” because I am given hints of what it will be like in scripture. When I read Dr. David Jeremiah’s Turning Point devotional, he gave scriptures of what Jesus said about heaven. I looked them up and found: 

 

In Luke 23:43, Jesus said Heaven was “Paradise.” 

(meaning an ideal place)

 

John 14: 2 Jesus called Heaven, “His Father’s house with many mansions” 

(meaning a luxurious dwelling place owned by God)

 

Luke 23:43 Jesus called it, “The kingdom” 

(meaning a country ruled by a King) 

 

Matthew 6:20 Jesus said it was, “A place where neither moth nor rust doth corrupt, and where thieve do not break through nor steal.” 

(meaning a safe place) 

 

I also remember what is written in Revelation 21. I looked at it again and found more details about Heaven: 

 

It will be new.

It will be holy.

It will be a tabernacle with God on His throne.

It will be a place of no more tears, no death, no sorrow, no pain.

It will have foundations are of precious stones- jasper, sapphire, chalcedony, emerald, sardonyx, sardius, chrysolite, beryl, topaz, chrysoprasus, jacinth, and amethyst.

It will be a city is of pure gold, clear like glass.

It will have gates of pearl and the street is of pure gold, transparent as glass.

It will be filled with the glory of God and the Lamb with no need for sun of moon; Their glory will lighten it.

It will be a place with no need for night.

It will be a place where nothing will walk within that will defile.

 

With this image set before me, my desire is that all choose heaven over hell. In hell there will be eternal suffering with fire and brimstone. It is actually an easy path to choose heaven. Just obey John 3:16, “…Whosoever believes in Him (Jesus) shall not perish but have eternal life.”  

Alway Available

     I was traveling and had gotten half-way to my destination when I realized I had forgotten my laptop. This was semi-huge, since I like to continue my writing when away from home. However, I took consolation in the fact I had not forgotten my cell phone. Had that been the case, I am sure I would have made an immmediate u-turn.
     How many of us have actually done that! Most everyone is attached at-the-hip to their cell phones. As the saying goes, “Don’t leave home without it!”
     After saying all this, I never have to worry about leaving home without God. I admit there are times I forget about Him, but He always rides beside me, walks with me, and is waiting and ready to listen. He “sticketh closer than a brother” and He “will never leave me.”
     Should I forget my Bible, I have stored up within myself some truth that the Holy Spirit can bring to mind because I have read and hidden His Word in my heart. I have it available at just the right time. 
     God and His Word are not only with me at all times, but He stands waiting for me to introduce Him to any new-comer. Three is never a crowd. Jesus is a friend of all!

Five Senses

I am so glad I have the five basic senses of sight, hearing, smell, taste, and touch. These all allow me to perceive things around me. It is important, however, how I choose to make use of them. 

     Jesus said in Luke 8:8, “Whoever has ears, let him hear.”

     Then in Mark 8:18, He told His disciples, “Do you have eyes but fail to see, and ears but fail to hear?”  

     In several scriptures, I find I am not to touch what is unclean. I must stay away from what will make me sin. 

     In Proverbs I find I need to use my tongue for more than taste, “Those who guard their mouths and their tongues keep themselves from calamity.”

     As for my eyes, I find that I need to follow the fruitful growth of the Spirit to prevent myself from becoming blind and nearsighted. 2 Peter 5-9 says, “…make every effort to add to your faith goodness; and to goodness, knowledge; and to knowledge, self-control; and to self-control, perseverance; and to perseverance godliness; and to godliness, mutual affection; and to mutual affection, love. For if you possess these qualities in increasing measure, they will keep you from being ineffective and unproductive in your knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. But whoever does not have them is nearsighted and blind,forgetting they have been cleansed from their past sins.”

     Oh Lord, I pray! Let me consider Your ways! Let me decipher the words I hear according to Your Word! Let me not be deceived when I look in mirror. May I see a woman filled with Your ways and Your love for others - not the ways of this world.

Keep On Praying

In the Daily Hope devotional, the author talks about praying in the Spirit at all times because we always get answered prayers; however, not in the way we often want. He gave four ways we get answers and explained them as “No-Grow-Slow-and Go.” I decided to take these thoughts and form them into a form of poetry. Here goes: 

  

Keep On Praying 

I prayed today,

But God said, “No!

That I will not do,

For it’s not the best for you.”

 

I prayed again,

But God repeated, “No!

I want for you to grow.

Be patient, still pray;

Make Me your pursuit, every day.

 

I prayed once more,

And heard, “No! Grow!

Just take it slow.

It’s coming but not here yet.

In time you will get.”

 

I continued in my prayer

Until God said, “GO!

Today, it is not ‘no,’

Or ‘grow’ or take it ‘slow’.

It’s ‘Go!’ and show My glory

Within your story.”

 

Mary Crisp Jameson 10/1/2025 

 

“And pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests. With this in mind, be alert and always keep on praying for all the Lord’s people.” Ephesians 6:18 NIV

 

 

Miracles or God-Wink Moments

Everyone loves a good miracle! I often call some of mine, “God-wink” moments. I am encouraged when I think about the many, many miracles found in scripture. I like to review them in my mind from time-to-time. There was: 

 

The world-wide flood

The parting of the sea

The calming of the sea

The healing of the sick

The raising of the dead

The feeding of the 5,000 

The water turned to wine

The ones saved in the lion’s den

The breaking of the nets with fish 

The walls that came tumbling down

And…Too many, many more to name….

But… The greatest of all was the resurrection of Jesus, my Savior. 

 

I know, without a doubt, there are miracles occurring today, and I know, without a doubt, my Savior lives today!

 

One

I couldn't help but think about the difference one person can make in a life when I observed the beauty of one single flower that budded out really too late for an expected  bloom in fall.

ONE 

 My Clematis vine was going dormant on the trellis,

But one blooming flower popped out, zealous.

It was snowy white,

Stunning in the sunlight

Against leaves turning brown in their flight.

One lonely, lovey flower

Blooming forth in all its power.

One and only one-

Shining forth within the sun!

It was eye-catching,

With not another one on the vine, 

It's beauty matching. 

This single, lovely flower, 

Though small,

Stands out tall

Amid the surrounding, dying leaves of fall. 

In comparison, 

It may only take one

To make a difference for God’s Son.

It may only take one to show a smile,

To go the mile,

To speak God’s truth,

To make a difference in a youth.

It may only take one

To help God’s work get done.

It may only take one to be magnified, 

For someone, 

In Christ. 

 

Mary Crisp Jameson 9/28/2025 

"The grass withers and the flowers fall, but the word of our God endures forever." Isaiah 40:8

 

 

The Check List

I have found that to remember all I need to get done, I have to make a list, and I do like to get them checked off. Yesterday, my list looked something like: 

Read Devotional  ✅
    Pray --repeat and repeat during the day =-never to get checked off 
Go to grocery store ✅
Get gas ✅
Meet repair man ✅

Pick up limbs from yard ✅
Call to make Doctor appointment ✅ 

Notice "Pray" never gets checked off. It is a continual thing I need to do all during the day. Let me just say that I often forget that there is always someone or something to pray for or about as well as to offer up thanksgiving and praise continually during every day. Prayer should be an on-going conversation and it should not need to be put on a list! Lord, help me this day to never check You off. 

Psalm 105:4 KJV "Seek the Lord, and His strength; seek His face evermore." (continually) (always) 

Fruit vs Flesh

In Galatians, we are given a list of the fruit God wants us to produce and also the acts of the flesh we are to remove.  I desire the fruit that comes from the Spirit and, like others, struggle with my fleshly nature. Therefore, my prayer is for help from the Spirit sent by God. 

Fruit Of The Spirit vs The Flesh

 

Lord-

I want my personality to be filled with-

frugality, vitality, and morality.

At all cost I desire to avoid brutality.

I want good fruit to take root.

Give me love, joy, and peace;

Let my discord, anger, and jealousy cease.

I wish to be rid of selfish ambitions

and look forward to Your designed missions.

As I turn another page, let me not be seen with fits of rage.

I want my life to roll with self-control.

Let me not be bent toward discord but to be content.

Let me be robust in putting an end to envy and lust.

Let hate not seal my fate-

But rather kindness, goodness, and faithfulness;

Let these endure as I mature.

O Lord, 

Let me start fresh without acts of the flesh.

Listen to my prayer, Lord.

Hear it!

For I desire Your fruit of the Spirit.

 

Mary Crisp Jameson 9/26/2025

 

“But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control.” Galatians 5:22-23a

 

“The acts of the flesh are obvious: sexual immorality, impurity and debauchery, idolatry and witchcraft; hatred, discord, jealousy, fits of rage, selfish ambition, dissensions, factions and envy; drunkenness, orgies, and the like.”  Galatians 5: 19-21a 

Heaven

When I think about heaven, I think about the streets of gold, transparent as glass, and the gates of pearl but, more importantly, I think about my Christ who sits at the right-hand side of His Father. I think about being held in the arms of Jesus and bowing to praise His holy name. 

HEAVEN

Although heaven is a mystery,

it has been talked about throughout history.

And, because heaven is real,

my heart is calmed and still. 

For me, heaven is a hope;

a promise; 

and that helps me, on earth, to cope. 

Heaven is my incentive-my desire

to be a fire for Christ;

an influencer, a witness, a changer for good,

even though heaven is not fully understood.

What I know about heaven, 

is that there is an eternity,

a timeless existence,

which make me want to run the distance. 

In my run and in my roam, 

there is a yearning for my forever home. 

One day, my heartbeat will sink;

I will blink

and be held in the arms of Jesus-

in Heaven.

 

Mary Crisp Jameson  9/24/2025 

 

“But our citizenship is in heaven. And we eagerly await a Savior from there, the Lord Jesus Christ.” Philippians 3:20 NIV 

 

“Set your hearts on things above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. Set your minds on things above.” Colossians 3:1b-2a NIV 

 

 

Food for the Soul

There are many scriptures that tell us about “food for the soul.” 

 

In Matthew 4:4 Jesus said, “It is written: Man shall not live on bread alone, but on every word that comes from the mouth of God.” 

 

In John 6:35 Jesus declared, “I am the bread of life. Whoever comes to me will never to hungry, and whoever believes in me will never be thirsty.” 

 

In Psalm 63:5 we hear David say, “I will be fully satisfied as with the richest of foods; with singing lips my mouth will praise you.”  The ERV version puts it like this: “When I sit down to satisfy my hunger, my joyful lips hunger to praise you!” 

 

My parents understood that having God in our home was more important than the food on our table. They also showed their children the importance of praising God before we fed our hungry stomachs. I came to understand all of this as I grew and came to know by Lord. 

 

 

Food for the Soul

 

I was raised on tators and peas;

They were good and pleased.

I had beef and pork;

Tender and easy to fork.

Chicken was fried in grease,

And I loved every piece.

There was fish from a pond;

A taste in which I was fond.

Things were seasoned with pepper and salt,

To a fault.

There were cakes and pies;

Never considering the sugar highs.

There were wild blackberries from the vine;

We were too poor for fruit, more fine,

We had lots of biscuits and bread,

And that’s how I was fed.

Nothing went to waste;

We savored every taste.

But, before we passed the food to every place,

We said grace. 

All round the table loved our cook and host,

But what meant the most 

Was the gathering in prayer,

‘cause God was with us there.

Good food may have filled my hungry hole,

But God filled my soul.

 

Mary Crisp Jameson 9/22/2025

 

“So, whether you eat or drink or whatever you do, do it all for the glory of God. 1 Corinthians 10:31 NIV 

 

The Best

God’s way is always best. Let me…

 

B egin each morning asking for God’s will to be my will.

E nter into conversation with God first every day.

S at quietly in prayer.  

T ake up Jesus’s cross and follow God’s commands.

 

Lord, I pray your best be seen in me!

Focus on God

I read a statement this morning from Daily Hope which I want to remember. It stated, “The bigger God gets in my mind, the smaller my problem becomes.” That needs to become one of those every day quotes: 

 

                           “The bigger God is in me-

                  The smaller the problem!” 

That does, indeed, require me to take my focus off my problem and put it on God!

 

The Valley

A valley is an elongated low area often running between hills or mountains and typically containing a river or stream running from one end to the other. The Bible is filled with cities with valleys. Yet, there are other types of valleys in life. It can be a spiritual low point, a time of trial and challenges. 

     I like to think about my spiritual valleys and remember that God has always been with me when I walked through them. Although, I am not fond of walking through the dark valleys, that is when I often have felt the closest to God. 

     Psalm 23 is a world of comfort when traveling through the valley. Actually, it is comfort in daily life, no matter the situation! 

     I like to pray to God, that You, Lord are my shepherd. You maketh me to lie down, You leadeth me, You restore my soul, You walk me through the valley, You are with me, You maketh my cup to run over! You, Lord, are with me all the days of my life!

 

Psalm 23 The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want.
² He maketh me to lie down in green pastures: he leadeth me beside the still waters.
³ He restoreth my soul: he leadeth me in the paths of righteousness for his name's sake.
⁴ Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil: for thou art with me; thy rod and thy staff they comfort me.
⁵ Thou preparest a table before me in the presence of mine enemies: thou anointest my head with oil; my cup runneth over.
⁶ Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life: and I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever.

Worry- Pros and Cons

Worry is a five-letter word that keeps cropping up in my life, but it gets me nowhere. Jesus tells me not to worry, “Do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own,” but worry is one of the hardest things to let go.

 

Let me consider the pros and cons

 

Worry –doesn't change past, present, or future 

             places the focus on fears  

             does not show faith

             makes me unhappy

             is wasted time 

 

Worry, put aside- brings more joy

                            shows faith in God

                            removes focus off self

                            produces wiser use of time

                            helps to live for the moment

                          

                           

 

A Sinner

I wish I could say that I am not a sinner, but that would be a lie. I hate my sinful ways because I love my Lord and want to live better to show His glory. However, because I am a sinner, I am so much more thankful to God for His forgiveness. 

O Lord, 

I am a sinner, but I am comforted. 

I am consoled 

   because of the forgiveness You do not withhold.

You did not scold the woman caught in adultery. 

You simply said, “Go, and sin no more,”

   though she had the Pharisees in an uproar.

You did not reject the man on the cross. 

You said, “Today, you will be with me in paradise,” 

   though you were the one paying the price. 

You did not destroy Nineveh for their wicked ways;

   for, with compassion, you lengthened their days. 

You did not admonish Jonah when he wished he was dead;

   You sent a shade to cover his head.

Then you sent a worm to cut it down;

   And, in love, explained about the town;

   of how, with compassion and pity, 

   You wanted to save that sinful city. 

O Lord, 

Your forgiveness and love are my comforting hope

   when I view my sin through a microscope.

Your mercy and grace are my comfort, warmth, and peace.

   as I dwell on my sin that seems to never cease. 

 

                        Mary Crisp Jameson 9/11/2025 

 

“But the Comforter, which is the Holy Ghost, whom the Father will send in My name, He shall teach you all things, and bring all things to your remembrance, whatsoever I have said unto you.” John 14:26 KJV

 

 

 

Break The Chain

It is possible because of God, and because of God only! He is the One able to break the chains! 

 

     In Galatians 5:19-22, we are told what our flesh nation is drawn toward. It is immorality, impurity, sensuality, idolatry, sorcery, enmities, strife, jealousy, anger, disputes, dissensions, factions, envying, drunkenness, and carousing. 

 

     However, in Galations 5:22-23 we are given the Fruit of the Sprit which comes from God. They are love, joy, peace, patience, kindnesss, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. 

 

     Does anyone recognize what we are seeing today with all the violence we are watching on television in our cities, towns, and neighborhoods? 

     Does anyone recognize what we are seeing in the political world today? 

     Does anyone recognize what we see in our schools? 

     Does anyone care?

 

Let's not make it our way! Let's make it God's way! I implore us all to travel the upper road which is God’s way, using:  

         Love

         Joy

         Peace

         Patience

         Kindness

         Goodness

         Faithfulness

         Gentleness

         Self-Control 

 

Wouldn’t we be happier? 

Wouldn’t our lives be better?

Wouldn’t our lives be healthier? 

Wouldn’t we laugh and be more joyful? 

Wouldn’t we feel better when we rest our head at night? 

    

 

Fast and Pray

A fast, as defined, is a period of voluntarily refraining from eating, and sometimes drinking, for a set amount of time, often for health, religious, or cultural reasons. 

     People fast for diet reasons. People fast for health reasons, and people fast for drawing near to God. 

     There are many examples of fasting in Scripture. These people were seeking the Lord and His  guidance. 

     The following is a review on people who fasted in Scripture in order to seek God and His guidance. 

Moses fasted before receiving the 10 commandments. “And he was there with the Lord forty days and forty nights; he did neither eat bread, nor drink water.” Exodus 34:28a

David fasted. “David therefore besought God for the child; and David fasted, and went in, and lay all night upon the earth.” 2 Samuel 12:16 

Daniel fasted. “And I set my face unto the Lord God, to seek by prayer and supplications, with fasting, and sackcloth, and ashes.” Daniel 9:3

Before Esther was to go before the King, she feared and she fasted, along with her people. “Then Esther bade them return Mordecai this answer. Go gather together all the Jews that are present in Shushan, and fast ye for me and neither eat nor drink three days, night or day. I also and my maidens will fast likewise…” Esther 15-16a

Jehoshaphat called a national fast. “And Jehoshaphat feared, and set himself to seek the Lord, and proclaimed a fast throughout all Judah.: 2 Chronicles 20:3

Ezra called on the nation to fast. “Then I proclaimed a fast there at the rive of Ahava, that we might afflict ourselves before our God, to seek of him a right way for us, and our little ones, and for all our substance.” Ezra 8:21 

Joel called a fast. “Sanctify ye a fast, call a solemn assemble…cry unto the Lord.” Joel 1:14

Jesus fasted. “And Jesus being full of the Holy Ghost returned from Jordan, and was led by the Spirit into the wilderness. Being forty days tempted of the devil. And in those days, He did not eat nothing; and when they were ended, He afterward hungered.” Luke 4:1-2

Paul fasted. “And he was three days without sight, and neither did eat nor drink.” Acts 9:9 

These examples don’t stop here. Many people throughout history have fasted as they have sought God and His direction, and God has provided many rewarding experiences. As it says in 2 Chronicles 7:14, “If my people, which are called by my name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways; then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land.”  

     Our nation is separated. We need unity with God. Our government needs God in it. Our schools need God in it. Our homes and families need God in it. Is it time to fast and pray?