Isaiah 58:10 And if thou draw out thy soul to the hungry, and satisfy thy afflicted soul; then shall thy light rise in obscurity, and thy darkness as the noonday:

In this passage we see a promise of God conditioned by your actions. If you love your neighbor as yourself, if you look after those who are poor and needy, then God will be with you and HE will raise you up regardless of the difficult situation you find yourself in. You are not entitled to receive God’s blessing of raising you up from nowhere to a position where the glory of God shines through you absent your first learning to change your mindset and putting the needs of others before your own needs.

Jesus taught his disciples that what “ye have done it unto one of the least of these my brethren, ye have done it unto me.” What were these things that Jesus was talking about doing unto the least of those around us? Jesus was instructed us to give food to those who are hungry, drink to the thirsty, shelter to the strangers, cloth the naked, visit the sick and those in prison. Jesus understood that it was by the love of the Lord that the world would see the love of God. Until HIS disciples learned to love their neighbor as themselves, the message of the love of God would not make any sense to a selfish world.

In Hebrews 13:2, we are commanded to “Be not forgetful to entertain strangers: for thereby some have entertained angels unawares.” God desired that HIS children learn the principle of reaching out to the needs of others. Abraham once entertained strangers, and he ended up entertaining the Lord. Abraham had the opportunity to talk with God because he first saw a group of strangers and he was quick to demonstrate hospitality.

When was the last time you did something nice unto someone who you knew would never be able to repay you? It is easy to give unto someone who you know will return your kindness with another kindness, but it is a lot harder to demonstrate love to someone who never will repay it. During the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus taught that “if ye love them which love you, what reward have ye? do not even the publicans do the same?” (Matthew 5:46). A Christian is called to a higher standard. You are not simply supposed to act like everyone else in the world, but instead God expects you to be a light unto the world. Remember, that Jesus demonstrated the greatest love when HE came to this earth to die so that you might live.

You would love for God to use you in a mighty way. You would love for HIM to show the world that there is something different about you. You would love for God to point you out and recognize you for your commitment to HIM. You would love to be recognized for ages to come like so many characters in the Bible. According to this passage, if you desire for God to lift you out of the valley of the Shadow of death, you need to first be proactive and seek to reflect the light of God to the world.

You need to learn to put on the mind of Christ. Christ was never disturbed by the request of those who desired him to help them. Jesus was never to busy for people regardless of their ages. Jesus did not care if someone thanked HIM for the miracle; HE was simply ready and willing to meet the needs of others. You to should add the virtue of God into your life and start living your life so that the light of God is properly reflected through you. God will bless you as you sacrificially demonstrate HIS love to others.

Isaiah 6:8 Also I heard the voice of the Lord, saying, Whom shall I send, and who will go for us? Then said I, Here am I; send me.

The prophet Isaiah heard the voice of God, and upon hearing what was near to God, Isaiah was in a position to please God by doing that which the Lord desired. How many other Israelites were alive at the time of Isaiah’s calling? Only Isaiah heard the Lord’s desires and acted upon them? Isaiah could be used of God in a mighty way because he learned to hear God’s voice.

 When David was on the run from Saul, he uttered how much he desired a drink of water from the well of Bethlehem. Three of his men went through enemy lines and obtained a drink for David. These men knew what David had wanted and they were attentive to his desires. David probably did not utter that he desired a drink of water in front of all his men, but it was probably something he uttered almost to himself and only those who were near to David could have heard David’s desires. These three men were numbered among David’s mighty men and they did many spectacular things.

David’s three men not only were brave, but they knew how to place themselves in a position that they could hear what David desired. Because they heard David’s desires, they were able to go to great lengths to give to the one whom they serve the desires of his heart. These men did not care for their own lives; all they cared about was meeting the desires of the one whom they served.

We need to be like David’s mighty men. We need to demonstrate our willingness to serve God regardless of the personal costs. When we put the things of the Lord first in our lives, we need to change our priorities so that it is the one whom we serve that is the most important thing to us. Our own desires and our own safety should be secondary to the needs of the One whom we serve.

We need to be like David’s mighty men. We need to demonstrate our desire to put ourselves in a place that we can hear the voice of God. It does not matter if we are willing to obey God, if we never put ourselves in a position where we can hear God, then we never know what God desires. We must learn to draw near to God. We must learn to put ourselves in a position that we can hear HIS still small voice.

You do not hear God’s still small voice if your life is filled with the things of this world. If you allow the world, the flesh, and the devil to control your life; you will never be in a position where you can hear God’s voice. If the lusts of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life are controlling your actions, you will not be close to God and you will not know HIS desires.

If you desire to hear God, then you must add to your faith virtue. You must fill your mind with the good things of God so that you begin to desire the things of God. As you seek for the Lord, you will find HIM. As you ask HIM to speak to you, you will hear HIS voice. You will not hear the still small voice in the hustle and bustle of daily life. In order to hear the still small voice of God, you will have to set aside time where you and God get alone away from all distractions and you concentrate upon HIM.

Isaiah 58:6 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?

Sin places a heavy burden upon your life; it oppresses you and places upon you a yoke of unrighteousness. God does not want you to be burdened by the wages of your sins; instead HE desires to transform your mind so that you are free from sin and death.

In the story Pilgrim’s Progress, Christian is carrying a heavy burden. This burden is not released until he reached the cross. The cross will separate us from our own iniquity. It is because of the blood of Jesus that we are able to be free once again.

In our Christian lives, Satan loves to remind us of our wickedness. Satan does not want us to believe that we are free. Satan will do everything possible to distract you from the will of God by reminding you of your past sins. Satan will continue to use your past sins to encourage you to continue to sin so that your influence for Christ will be greatly diminished.

God does not want you to be conformed to this world; instead HE desires that you be transformed with the new mind that is in Christ Jesus. One tool that God has given to you in order to be transformed in the newness of life is fasting. When you fast, you are abstaining from the things of this world. Granted, God gave us food to nourish our bodies so that we might have life. However, there are times where sin will have a stronghold in your life that you need to be freed from the bondage of sin.

As you abstain from food, you will have to rely upon God to give you the strength to make it day by day. As you learn to rely upon God, God will begin to purify not only your body, but also your soul. By fasting, God can show you your iniquities that are binding your soul from doing even more for HIM. God can purify your life of all bondages so that once again you are free to fully serve HIM.

Fasting should be a regular part of your Christian life. During the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus said “But thou, when thou fastest” (Matthew 6:17). Jesus did not say if, HE said when. This means that you should fast. You should abstain from the things of this world in order to draw closer to God.

We know from Scripture that when Jesus was on the Mount of Transfiguration that HE was fasting. We know that when Moses received the law that he was in the middle of a 40 day fast. We know that Daniel first fasted and prayed before Gabriel came and gave him his vision. We know that Elijah had fasted 40 days before God spoke to him in a still small voice and showed him what was next for his life.

Fasting will transform your life. It will transform your life because you are making a decision to put the things of God above the things of this world. Fasting will renew your mind so that you live a Christ centered life. You know that you are supposed to add virtue to your life. Virtue is thinking upon the things of God. As you eliminate the bondage of sin from your life by fasting and replace it with the things of God, you will find a new freedom from the temptations of this world. Replacing the things of this world with the things of God will give you the strength to do what is right in the eyes of God.

Acts 6:3, 5 Wherefore, brethren, look ye out among you seven men of honest report, full of the Holy Ghost and wisdom, whom we may appoint over this business. … And the saying pleased the whole multitude: and they chose Stephen, a man full of faith and of the Holy Ghost.

The widows in Jerusalem were not being properly provided for. This was diminishing the power and effectiveness of the apostle’s ministry. The apostle asked the people to select seven men to be appointed over the business of providing for the widows. The people selected Steven because they saw in him that the Holy Ghost was in him and that he was full of faith. Because Steven and the other six did their job, the word of God increased.

Stephen was not filled with the Holy Ghost after he was chosen to serve the widows; he served widows because he was filled with the Holy Ghost. Stephen had proven his faith and God was increasing his ministry. It was because Stephen has chosen to be faithful in that which is little that God chose to use him to be faithful in much.

Do you want to be used of God? Have you ever prayed the prophet Isaiah’s prayer, here am I Lord, send me? There are those who have a great love for God and desire to be used by HIM. If you are one of those individuals who desire to be used of God, then the lesson of Stephen is one that you must learn. The lesson of Stephen is to develop the inward character of faith in your life and allow God’s ministry to come to you because you have proven yourself to God as an individual who can be used of God.

Stephen never knew that God was going to have him lay down his life. However, Stephen was faithful and he followed the promptings of the Holy Spirit and God was pleased with the life of Stephen. God used Stephen to do great things.

A young girl desired to cook an entire meal for her family. However, her mother continually told her she was not ready. Nonetheless, the young girl continued to come into the kitchen and watch her mother and help whenever her mother allowed her to help. One day, the young girl’s mother had a baby and was unable to prepare the meal. It was at that time when the need arose that the young girl was able to serve her family with a meal. The young girl had proven she was faithful in doing the little things and thus when the need arose; she was called upon to do greater things.

Do you desire to be used of God? Would you like to have a ministry where you were able to touch individual’s life and watch them go on and do great things for God. If your heart is crying out to God to be used more by HIM, then the first thing you must do is see if you are being faithful in doing those things that God has placed in front of you right now.

Is the Holy Spirit a part of your life? Are you listening to HIS still small voice? Do you daily seek HIS direction? You need to learn to be like Stephen. Stephen was recognized as being full of faith. Stephen was willing to be used of God. His relationship was so close with God that those in the church when a need arose selected Stephen. God is looking for men and women that HE can use to do great things for HIM. However, HE is looking for those who have proven that they are willing to be faithful where they are today. God is looking, but will HE find you? Will you be found to be full of faith?