Appointment with God: New Year 2016 fasting and praying

Update on 2015-12-30:  Another goal for fasting and prayer is to find purpose in life. A good way to set New Year Resolutions for another year! How many new years does one have over a life time? Not many. God sets chronological demarcations for human beings to rest, recall, review, realign, refresh, rebound, and become real. The goal is to become real. Be real to God and let God be real to us.
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An average person would not be satisfied with living from day to day knowing that one day all men must die and leave this earth without knowing why he had come to this life in the first place. One can find out about others’ life purpose by reading, studying and watching others. We can watch others growing up, being gainfully occupied with career, family, friends and may be hobbies, social work and religions etc. We tend to follow too and do about the same thing. However, is that all? What is our real purpose for living? This is a tough question for Jack.

One way to find out is to fast and pray. By giving up our physical comfort and deliberately focus on a higher level of existence one becomes aware of higher goal and the real reason of one’s existence. Not everyone has the same goals even though there are seemingly limited numbers of the usual goals. To sum up, most people want health, happiness and comfort in life. Security and relationship rank high in the happiness category. In Maslow’s hierarchy of needs pyramid, once a human being get hold of the lower basic needs (physiological, security, love and belonging), he/she aims for meeting the higher level needs like esteem needs, experience purpose and meaning, and self-actualization.
Whilst the concept is the same, individuals vary in the contents that make up the ideals. Of course, people tend to follow each other (keeping up with the neighbours). But they will soon find the void in their hearts unfilled. For example, we tend to think of others’ kids being so lovely and fun to be with. When we have our own we know life is not all lovely and fun. At times we think the opposite had happened and prevailed. We also tend to admire others’ garden and wish we too have one. When we have our own garden we lament at the compulsory hours of regular hard labours required.  The same imperfect reality happens to owning cars, houses, high earning jobs, prestigious positions and interesting hobbies.
One pertinent question remains, “For what higher purposes are we created?” Fasting and prayer helps a Christian to find out.
The focus of Christian fasting and prayer is God. The more one focuses on the presence of God, the more one is able to receive clear messages about God and His purpose for our life. The content and focus of our prayers change. The mind changes its priority. The spirit (which has been slumbering previously) wakes up and switches to the God channel with clearer reception. This opens a door into a wider sphere of existence, way beyond our tiny little world.
But does God not care about our usual life in our little world? Oh, He does care. The difference is that He will open our eyes to see further sights and dream greater dreams.
There is a greater purpose for your existence and a higher goal for your life. No one can afford to linger on below that purpose. Start and find out now!
Yes, fasting and praying helps you to find the map.
2009-09-30

watchman’s adventure: A day before Yom Kippur

This blog post in 2011 is still relevant this year. Nothing much has changed in the physical except that this watchman has had more experiences in fasting and praying, not just on Yom Kippur day. The goal remains the same – to align with God’s purpose for His people, the called and the chosen. Jesus has said: “Enter through the narrow gate. Many are called but few are chosen.” The truth is, you can be a chosen too when you follow Him by faith.
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Original post 10/07/2011:
The watchman has decided to keep Yom Kippur – day of atonement (full fast of food and water for 25 hours from Sundown to Sundown following Jerusalem’s time)  this year. He has prepared his heart and spirit for the past two weeks and now the day will arrive soon. On this eve he carries out the following:
1. Set goal for the day of fast and repentance, as a watchman standing in the gap. His Goal: to seek God and intercede for Israel before God.
2. Ask and listen to the Holy Spirit on how to spend the next day. Activities: Fast, repent, read and proclaim God’s words.
3. Prepare himself in his body: He has two main meals to stock up on protein, carb., fibre and plenty of water. (During the previous year’s Yom Kippur, he had a hard time when he fasted water as well as food. Fasting water was very tough for him!)
4. Prepare himself in his soul and spirit: He rests before the Lord, reads the word of God, prays, and receives guidance from the Holy Spirit. Aligning himself with the Lord prepares him to enter the spiritual realm the following day.
Some of the Bible books and chapters he will read and proclaim on the following day are as follows:
whole book of Hebrews ; whole book of Matthews;  psalm 141-150 ; Isaiah 42-66 ; Ezekiel 33-48
Why does he want to do the Yom Kippur observation? He asks. The answer is he believes the calling and choosing of Christians is linked to that of the returning of the elect (the Israelite people) to God as prophesied in the Bible. He has firm conviction in his spirit that the time is near and all Christians watchmen should arise and stand now for the fulfilment of the word of God.
O watchman, “Watch therefore, and pray always that you may be counted worthy to escape all these things that will come to pass, and to stand before the Son of Man.” (Luke 21:36)
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Zechariah 4:14 (NKJV)

¹⁴ So he said, “These are the two anointed ones, who stand beside the Lord of the whole earth.” (Both the Jews and the Gentiles Christians)

Eve of Yom Kippur: And I know that His command is everlasting life

This is a heavy day as we are preparing with our Jewish brethren for September 23. The watchman has decided to go through the same fast and pray and reading of God’s words on September 23. In preparation the watchman was led in the spirit to start listening to the audio Bible since September 21. This will continue for these three days’ season of intercession for the descendants of Israel. The Spirit of the Lord says: “Whoever has ears, let him hear.”
Today’s reading of the Gospel: (excerpts from John 12)
Yochanan 12 Orthodox Jewish Bible (OJB)

³⁵ Therefore, he said to them, Yet a little time is the Ohr among you. Walk while you have the Ohr lest choshech overtake you; the one walking in the choshech does not have da’as of where he is going.

³⁶ While you have the Ohr, walk in the Ohr that you may become Bnei HaOhr. These things spoke Rebbe, Melech HaMoshiach. And, having gone away, he was hidden from them.

³⁷ Though so many otot he had done before them, they lacked emunah in him,

³⁸ That the dvar of Yeshayah HaNavi may be fulfilled, which said, Adonoi, MI HE’EMIN LISHMU’ATEINU UZERO’A HASHEM AL-MI NIGLATAH? (Who has believed our report and to whom is the arm of Hashem revealed?‖Isa 53:1)

³⁹ Therefore, they were not able to have emunah, because, again Yeshayah said,

⁴⁰ HE HAS BLINDED THEIR EYES, HASHMIN LEV HAAM HAZEH (Harden the heart of this people), THAT THEY MIGHT NOT SEE WITH THEIR EYES AND HAVE BINAH WITH THEIR LEV AND MIGHT TURN AND I WILL HEAL THEM. [YESHAYAH 6:10]

⁴¹ These things Yeshayah spoke because he saw the kavod (glory) of Rebbe, Melech HaMoshiach and he spoke about him. [Isa 6:1]

⁴² Nevertheless, however, even among the manhigim (leaders) many had emunah (faith) in Rebbe, Melech HaMoshiach. But because of the Perushim, they were not making hoda’ah (confession) of Rebbe, Melech HaMoshiach, lest under the cherem ban they should be put away from the shul.

⁴³ For their ahavah was for the kavod Bnei Adam rather than the kavod Hashem. [SHMUEL ALEF 15:30]

⁴⁴ But Rebbe, Melech HaMoshiach cried out, The ma’amin in me does not have emunah in me, but in the One having sent me.

⁴⁵ And the one seeing me sees the One having sent me.

⁴⁶ I have come as an Ohr (Light) into the Olam Hazeh that everyone believing in me may not remain in the choshech (darkness).

⁴⁷ And if anyone hears my dvarim and of my dvarim is not shomer, I do not judge him, for I did not come to bring the Olam Hazeh into mishpat, but that I may save the Olam Hazeh.

⁴⁸ The one setting me aside and not receiving the dvarim has his Shofet: the dvar which I spoke will judge him on the Yom HaAcharon [i.e., the Yom HaDin].

⁴⁹ Because I do not speak on my own, but the one having sent me [Elohim] HaAv He has given me a mitzvah of what I may say and what I may speak.

⁵⁰ And I have da’as that the mitzvah of Him is Chayyei Olam. Whatsoever things I speak, I speak, therefore, just as HaAv has told me.

Who Has Believed Our Report?

³⁴ The people answered Him, “We have heard from the law that the Christ remains forever; and how can You say, ‘The Son of Man must be lifted up’? Who is this Son of Man?”
³⁵ Then Jesus said to them, “A little while longer the light is with you. Walk while you have the light, lest darkness overtake you; he who walks in darkness does not know where he is going. ³⁶ While you have the light, believe in the light, that you may become sons of light.” These things Jesus spoke, and departed, and was hidden from them.
³⁷ But although He had done so many signs before them, they did not believe in Him, ³⁸ that the word of Isaiah the prophet might be fulfilled, which he spoke:

“Lord, who has believed our report?
And to whom has the arm of the Lord been revealed?”^[f]

³⁹ Therefore they could not believe, because Isaiah said again:

⁴⁰ “He has blinded their eyes and hardened their hearts,
Lest they should see with their eyes,
Lest they should understand with their hearts and turn,
So that I should heal them.”^[g]

⁴¹ These things Isaiah said when^[h] he saw His glory and spoke of Him.

Walk in the Light

⁴² Nevertheless even among the rulers many believed in Him, but because of the Pharisees they did not confess Him, lest they should be put out of the synagogue; ⁴³ for they loved the praise of men more than the praise of God.
⁴⁴ Then Jesus cried out and said, “He who believes in Me, believes not in Me but in Him who sent Me. ⁴⁵ And he who sees Me sees Him who sent Me. ⁴⁶ I have come as a light into the world, that whoever believes in Me should not abide in darkness. ⁴⁷ And if anyone hears My words and does not believe,^[i] I do not judge him; for I did not come to judge the world but to save the world. ⁴⁸ He who rejects Me, and does not receive My words, has that which judges him—the word that I have spoken will judge him in the last day. ⁴⁹ For I have not spoken on My own authority; but the Father who sent Me gave Me a command, what I should say and what I should speak. ⁵⁰ And I know that His command is everlasting life. Therefore, whatever I speak, just as the Father has told Me, so I speak.”

Journey to see God: what God really wants from your fasting

Many Christians are fasting for Lent right now. Here is the appropriate message for all who seek God diligently during this utmost crucial time. The watchman prays that many more will see and understand the signs of the time just as Jesus has warned! 

(Luke 12:56 (ESV) You hypocrites! You know how to interpret the appearance of earth and sky, but why do you not know how to interpret the present time?)

FASTING OPENS YOUR SPIRITUAL EYES THAT YOU MAY SEE WHAT GOD REALLY WANTS. YOU WILL SHARPEN YOUR SPIRITUAL EARS AND UNDERSTANDING AS YOU READ AND PRAY HIS WORDS. YOU WILL LEARN WHAT OVERCOMING REALLY MEANS IN THE SPIRITUAL REALM. YOU WILL HAVE A FORETASTE OF THE KINGDOM OF GOD, LIVING THE LIFE OF THE SON OF GOD!

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Isaiah 58

English Standard Version (ESV)

True and False Fasting

58 “Cry aloud; do not hold back;
    lift up your voice like a trumpet;
declare to my people their transgression,
    to the house of Jacob their sins.
² Yet they seek me daily
    and delight to know my ways,
as if they were a nation that did righteousness
    and did not forsake the judgment of their God;
they ask of me righteous judgments;
    they delight to draw near to God.
³ ‘Why have we fasted, and you see it not?
    Why have we humbled ourselves, and you take no knowledge of it?’
Behold, in the day of your fast you seek your own pleasure,
    and oppress all your workers.
⁴ Behold, you fast only to quarrel and to fight
    and to hit with a wicked fist.
Fasting like yours this day
    will not make your voice to be heard on high.
⁵ Is such the fast that I choose,
    a day for a person to humble himself?
Is it to bow down his head like a reed,
    and to spread sackcloth and ashes under him?
Will you call this a fast,
    and a day acceptable to the Lord?

⁶ “Is not this the fast that I choose:
    to loose the bonds of wickedness,
    to undo the straps of the yoke,
to let the oppressed go free,
    and to break every yoke?
⁷ Is it not to share your bread with the hungry
    and bring the homeless poor into your house;
when you see the naked, to cover him,
    and not to hide yourself from your own flesh?
⁸ Then shall your light break forth like the dawn,
    and your healing shall spring up speedily;
your righteousness shall go before you;
    the glory of the Lord shall be your rear guard.
⁹ Then you shall call, and the Lord will answer;
    you shall cry, and he will say, ‘Here I am.’
If you take away the yoke from your midst,
    the pointing of the finger, and speaking wickedness,
¹⁰ if you pour yourself out for the hungry
    and satisfy the desire of the afflicted,
then shall your light rise in the darkness
    and your gloom be as the noonday.
¹¹ And the Lord will guide you continually
    and satisfy your desire in scorched places
    and make your bones strong;
and you shall be like a watered garden,
    like a spring of water,
    whose waters do not fail.
¹² And your ancient ruins shall be rebuilt;
    you shall raise up the foundations of many generations;
you shall be called the repairer of the breach,
    the restorer of streets to dwell in.

¹³ “If you turn back your foot from the Sabbath,
    from doing your pleasure on my holy day,
and call the Sabbath a delight
    and the holy day of the Lord honorable;
if you honor it, not going your own ways,
    or seeking your own pleasure, or talking idly;
¹⁴ then you shall take delight in the Lord,
    and I will make you ride on the heights of the earth;
I will feed you with the heritage of Jacob your father,
    for the mouth of the Lord has spoken.”

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English Standard Version (ESV)The Holy Bible, English Standard Version Copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a division of Good News Publishers.