From: Paul Gage
FASTING AND PRAYING FOR THE KINGDOM OF GOD SEPTEMBER 11, 2020
The High Priests of the Restoration Branches as well as many other groups and branches have asked the Saints to observe each Sunday as a day of fasting and prayer. There are many reasons for asking the Saints to fast and pray. The ultimate objective, however, is for the return of Jesus Christ in His Glory and the establishment of His Kingdom (Zion) on earth. It is most obvious that there has, perhaps, never been time since the Garden of Eden when the world needed Zion as much as today. Many would like to go back "to normal," but normal has never brought the Kingdom of God on earth. We sing the song, "I have Decided to Follow Jesus," and then we sing, "NO TURNING BACK, NO TURNING BACK!"
We must press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus, as instructed in Philippians 3:14. Then in Philippians 4:6 we are told, to "Be afflicted in nothing, but in everything by prayer, fasting, and supplication with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known unto God," then in verse 13, "I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me." I added one word in 4:6, see if you can find it.
Jesus is our chief example regarding fasting and prayer, as he fasted and prayed often, as indicated in the scriptures. Jesus did not go into the wilderness to be tempted, but as we are told in the Inspired Version, He was led up of the Spirit into the wilderness, TO BE WITH GOD.
We continue our efforts for the return of Jesus and the coming of His Kingdom on earth. As a part of our preparation for those great events, we are already at Day 47 of the 60 days of preparation for the Solemn Assembly on Sunday, September 27, 2020. The theme today is vital to our being ready for the return of Jesus Christ. " A Contrite Church," must be a people with broken hearts and contrite spirits. That is the sacrifice God asks of us in Psalms 50:5 and 51:17. The scripture for today is Doctrine and Covenants 63:15e, "Wherefore, let the church repent of their sins, and I, the Lord, will own them, otherwise they shall be cut off." This is God's pattern. He gives us the agency to choose between obedience to His word, thus the blessings, or disobedience and hence, the curses.
A good example is what happened in America 19 years ago, in what we call 9-11. During and for a time after that tragedy, people quoted II Chronicles 7:14, but only did one part of it. That scripture call for four things to be done to receive the blessings. As a people of the nation and church, we only did one part, that is pray. To get the full blessings, we must meet all of God's requirements, which are not given to make us "feel guilty," but to awaken us to the awfulness of our sins that keep us from enjoying the relationship with God that He wants us to have. It is very evident that "we" have not humbled ourselves or turned from our wicked ways, or we likely would not be dealing with all the things going on in the world. Could it be that all the wild things we are experiencing in 2020 are because we did not really pay attention to why we suffered on September 11, 2001?
God's purposes will be fulfilled, with or without us. The choice is ours. May we choose Him, as our Father, as mentioned in Genesis 7:40 in the Inspired Version of the Holy Scriptures.
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