Out Of The Box.

"You know, some people don't even buy a Bible. They just buy a promise box." -Rev. Dr. Sam Vassel

In this past Sunday's sermon, our pastor noted that, generally, the promises of God are presented in tandem with certain prerequisites. In order for our fasting to be effective, we must live our lives in obedience to God's will.

Isaiah 58:3b notes: "Yet on the day of your fasting, you do as you please and exploit all your workers." These two factors, selfishness and exploitation, move the people of God into positions where they no longer meet God's prerequisites for effective fasting.

There's nothing wrong with buying a promise box, and nothing wrong with memorizing encouraging Scriptures. But I pray that we all will also take heed of the prerequisites that will bring God's promises into being. Isaiah 58:6-7 informs us: Loose the chains of injustice. Untie the cords of the yoke. Set the oppressed free. Break every yoke. Share food with the hungry. Clothe the naked. Do not turn away from your relatives.

Do we want our light to break forth like the dawn?
Do we want our healing to quickly appear?
Do we want our righteousness to go before us?
Do we want the glory of our LORD to be our rear guard?
Then let us honor the prerequisites God has set into place.