Hesychios of Jerusalem: Godly Fasting

What goes into someone’s mouth does not defile them, but what comes out of their mouth, that is what defiles them. Matthew 15:11

“Godly fasting, when undertaken with reverence, holy prayers, and almsgiving, is the root and foundation of piety. For God does not desire abstinence from bread and water, but abstinence from wicked deeds. Because it is not what goes into the mouth that defiles a man, but what proceeds out of his mouth — these are the things that defile a man.”

Hesychios of Jerusalem (d. 450) in Fasting.

This post was scheduled for 9 March (my son’s birthday) and due to technical issues out of my control, it never went out. So I am reposting it for the 11 March post. Happy belated birthday, Sammy!

I have been back to a fasting regimen this week since I have been home. It’s far more difficult to engage while traveling and much easier when I am at home.

And I have also been doing research this week on fasting as I have been preparing the slide deck for the GTP global zoom on the topic next week.

Today I appreciate how Hesychios quotes Jesus and reminds us of the purpose of this act of piety. It aims to get our attention to rid ourselves of the things that defile us.

Because we fast for ourselves with God and not for show with others, let me make my remaining comments private in nature as fasting our physical bodies to our inner persons.

As we find ourselves in the heart of Lent, about half of the way to Easter, ask the Spirit if there is any habits that need to go or comforts to which you may be too attached.

Whatever the Spirit tells you. Fast from the habit. Let go of the comfort. The goal of fasting in Lent is abstinence from wicked deeds to create space for what God desires for us.

Wicked in the biblical sense of the word is not a green woman with a black pointed hat. And wicked is anything, including what is good, this is not God’s will and best for us.

And a shout out today to my son, Sammy who turns 28 today. Happy Birthday, Sammy! I pray that only good and not evil goes in an out of you, all the days of your life.

Then the word of the Lord came to Jonah a second time: “Go to the great city of Nineveh and proclaim to it the message I give you.” Jonah obeyed the word of the Lord and went to Nineveh. Now Nineveh was a very large city; it took three days to go through it. Jonah began by going a day’s journey into the city, proclaiming, “Forty more days and Nineveh will be overthrown.” The Ninevites believed God. A fast was proclaimed, and all of them, from the greatest to the least, put on sackcloth.” Jonah 3:1-5

“There is blameworthy fasting, and there is praiseworthy fasting. Many, even though they fast, commit murders; and many, even though they fast, consume and devour others.

The Ninevites fasted and were saved, and by fasting they changed the wrath of God. And their fasting put an end to the judgment that had been decreed against them. For the prophet said, Yet three days and Nineveh will be overthrown. He did not say, “After three days and Nineveh will be destroyed.” If he had said “after three days,” it would have been destroyed. But yet three days indicates that “I will suffer you for this amount of time without repentance. I suffer you for three days yet, and, if you do not repent in these three days, then the city will be destroyed.” And they would not have repented in this amount of time if not ‘through the three days,’ that is through the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.

On the other hand, the Jews fasted and took counsel that they might kill the apostle Paul. Jezebel declared a fast and killed Naboth and took the vineyard of the poor man. Fasting with murder—what kind of fast is this!”

Hesychios of Jerusalem (d. 450) in Fasting.

I have been having some difficulties with my website and yesterday’s post did not go out. To read it, scroll to the bottom. It’s worth the effort.

Today’s post continues our Lenten exploration of fasting and gives biblical examples of good and bad fasting.

On the one hand, it served as a praiseworthy and powerful tool to “overthrow” a great city. While Hesychios seems to have his numbers off (it took 3 days to go through the city but the word from the Lord was that they would be overthrown in 40 days), he brings out a very important point as a keen observer.

The oracle from God was not that Ninevah would be destroyed in so many days but that it would be overthrown.

That’s what good and praiseworthy fasting does. It overthrows the forces of evil that dominate our lives, the fleshly desires that seek to consume and destroy us. It causes us to let go of our plans and agendas and embrace God’s will. In that light, it leads to repentance.

Sadly, that neither happened with the Jews nor with Jezebel.

These two groups exhibit blameworthy fasting as they used the fast to unify the people around a corrupt agenda. There’s the lesson for us. Don’t bring an agenda to fasting. Make fasting a time of letting go of your agenda and taking hold of God’s agenda for your life.

What goes into someone’s mouth does not defile them, but what comes out of their mouth, that is what defiles them. Matthew 15:11

“Godly fasting, when undertaken with reverence, holy prayers, and almsgiving, is the root and foundation of piety. For God does not desire abstinence from bread and water, but abstinence from wicked deeds. Because it is not what goes into the mouth that defiles a man, but what proceeds out of his mouth — these are the things that defile a man.”

Hesychios of Jerusalem (d. 450) in Fasting.

I have been back to a fasting regimen this week since I have been home. It’s far more difficult to engage while traveling and much easier when I am at home.

And I have also been doing research this week on fasting as I have been preparing the slide deck for the GTP global zoom on the topic next week.

Today I appreciate how Hesychios quotes Jesus and reminds us of the purpose of this act of piety. It aims to get our attention to rid ourselves of the things that defile us.

Because we fast for ourselves with God and not for show with others, let me make my remaining comments private in nature as fasting our physical bodies to our inner persons.

As we find ourselves in the heart of Lent, about half of the way to Easter, ask the Spirit if there is any habits that need to go or comforts to which you may be too attached.

Whatever the Spirit tells you. Fast from the habit. Let go of the comfort. The goal of fasting in Lent is abstinence from wicked deeds to create space for what God desires for us.

Wicked in the biblical sense of the word is not a green woman with a black pointed hat. And wicked is anything, including what is good, this is not God’s will and best for us.

And a shout out today to my son, Sammy who turns 28 today. Happy Birthday, Sammy! I pray that only good and not evil goes in an out of you, all the days of your life.

“He was a devout man who feared God with all his household; he gave alms generously to the people and prayed constantly to God… Cornelius replied, “Four days ago at this very hour, at three o’clock, I was praying in my house when suddenly a man in dazzling clothes stood before me. He said, ‘Cornelius, your prayer has been heard, and your alms have been remembered before God…” Acts 10:2, 30-31

“Here is a man who has lost all the labor of a whole life: not one day has he lived for himself, but to luxury, to debauchery, to covetousness, to sin, to the devil. Then, say, shall we not bewail this man? Shall we not try to snatch him from his perils? For it is, yes, it is possible, if we will, to mitigate his punishment, if we make continual prayers for him, if for him we give alms. However unworthy he may be, God will yield to our importunity.”

John Chrysostom (347-407) in Homily 21 on the Acts of the Apostles.

It’s a powerful idea to think that “God will yield to our importunity” but that’s precisely what we see happen related to people who persevere in almsgiving.

Cornelius gave alms generously and prayed constantly. And this text reveals that God not only saw this but responded to it. He got a divine visit.

We can neither control God nor dictate how He will respond to us. He is God and we are not. But we can get His attention. We can even inspire Him to action.

God will respond to our perseverance and importunity if we give alms generously and pray constantly. Do it now! Make this Lent a time you experience God afresh.

Pray in your house and give alms generously. It will get God’s attention, not because of your merit but because of His mercy. Not due to your goodness but because of His grace.

And if you know someone who is not walking with God, who has gone off the rails or off the proverbial reservation, then pray, fast, and give alms for them.

You buy their soul from death not because you pay the adequate price. No! You do it because you get the attention of the only God who can save them.

Then Jesus told them a parable about their need to pray always and not to lose heart. He said, “In a certain city there was a judge who neither feared God nor had respect for people. In that city there was a widow who kept coming to him and saying, ‘Grant me justice against my accuser.’ For a while he refused, but later he said to himself, ‘Though I have no fear of God and no respect for anyone, yet because this widow keeps bothering me, I will grant her justice, so that she may not wear me out by continually coming.’ ” And the Lord said, “Listen to what the unjust judge says. And will not God grant justice to his chosen ones who cry to him day and night? Will he delay long in helping them? I tell you, he will quickly grant justice to them. And yet, when the Son of Man comes, will he find faith on earth?” Luke 18:1-8

“Let us not busy ourselves about monuments, not about memorials. This is the greatest memorial: set widows to stand around him. Tell them his name: bid them all make for him their prayers, their supplications: this will overcome God: though it have not been done by the man himself, yet because of him another is the author of the almsgiving. Even this pertains to the mercy of God: widows standing around and weeping know how to rescue, not indeed from the present death, but from that which is to come. Many have profited even by the alms done by others on their behalf: for even if they have not got perfect (deliverance), at least they have found some comfort thence. If it be not so, how are children saved? And yet there, the children themselves contribute nothing, but their parents do all: and often have women had their children given them, though the children themselves contributed nothing. Many are the ways God gives us to be saved, only let us not be negligent.”

John Chrysostom (347-407) in Homily 21 on the Acts of the Apostles.

We made it safely home. Grilled some vegetables and sausage last night (pictured above).

Each month GTP sends out a Prayer Journal. You can subscribe to it here.

One of the reasons we send it out relates to widows. Few people pray more faithfully. Seriously, I can count on them to tell me that they pray. Some even print it and use it as a guide to pray.

As I ponder this further, especially in light of today’s Scripture, I come to this conclusion.

The widow persevered in prayer and did not lose heart. Widows have no other recourse than to trust in God. And they have seen him come through so their trust is both firm and faithful.

I can think of many widows reading this right now that may concur What about your trust?

Lent is the season where we focus on fasting, giving, and prayer. God help us pray like widows and surround ourselves with them. They “overcome” God and move Him to act by persevering in prayer.

But Jesus often withdrew to lonely places and prayed. Luke 5:16

“Nor was it only in words, but in deeds also, that the Lord taught us to pray, Himself praying frequently and beseeching, and thus showing us, by the testimony of His example, what it behooved us to do, as it is written, But Himself departed into a solitary place, and there prayed. And again: He went out into a mountain to pray, and continued all night in prayer to God. But if He prayed who was without sin, how much more ought sinners to pray; and if He prayed continually, watching through the whole night in uninterrupted petitions, how much more ought we to watch nightly in constantly repeated prayer!”

Cyprian of Carthage (190-258) Sermon 4 On the Lord’s Prayer 29.

Luke reports that Jesus often withdrew to pray. His deeds teach us to get away and to pray continually. What does this look like in your life? What do you want it to look like?

When this posts, I will have arrived in Denver. Thanks for praying for safe travel for Jenni and me.

And thanks for leaning into what it means to pray in a way that reflects the example and deeds of Jesus. As I think about it, He shows us that perseverance and petitions reveal where we place our trust.

And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from the evil one. Matthew 6:13

“After all these things, in the conclusion of the prayer comes a brief clause, which shortly and comprehensively sums up all our petitions and our prayers. For we conclude by saying, But deliver us from evil, comprehending all adverse things which the enemy attempts against us in this world, from which there may be a faithful and sure protection if God deliver us, if He afford His help to us who pray for and implore it. And when we say, Deliver us from evil, there remains nothing further which ought to be asked. When we have once asked for God’s protection against evil, and have obtained it, then against everything which the devil and the world work against us we stand secure and safe. For what fear is there in this life, to the man whose guardian in this life is God?”

Cyprian of Carthage (190-258) Sermon 4 On the Lord’s Prayer 27.

The evil throws temptations and trials. In response, we can only say, deliver us. The evil one throws difficulty and despair. In response, we can only say, deliver us.

I don’t know where you find yourself, but some days I feel tempted to give up and lose heart. The ministry opportunities worldwide for GTP have been more open than ever in closed countries but giving to GTP has lagged.

We have had to postpone Brazil, Nepal, and Pakistan. We may have to delay four countries in the Eastern Caribbean too. So I have resolved this Lent to pray more frequently for God’s help and to ask for his deliverance.

Deliverance from doubt. Deliverance from the temptation to worry. Deliverance from discouragement. Pray for me. And let me know how I can pray for you. And pray for safe travel home. Flying from Sydney to Los Angeles to Denver today.

For if the willingness is there, the gift is acceptable according to what one has, not according to what one does not have. 2 Corinthians 8:12

“For even in the sacrifices which Abel and Cain first offered, God looked not at their gifts, but at their hearts, so that he was acceptable in his gift who was acceptable in his heart. Abel, peaceable and righteous in sacrificing in innocence to God, taught others also, when they bring their gift to the altar, thus to come with the fear of God, with a simple heart, with the law of righteousness, with the peace of concord.”

Cyprian of Carthage (190-258) Sermon 4 On the Lord’s Prayer 24.

After I preached on Sunday, something happened in the heart of a man in the third row.

He’d been waiting for some funds to come through and God had moved in such a way that he received them on Friday and was stirred to give. No kidding. Others planted and watered. Then God worked in his heart.

After my message encouraging people to “give God what you have” he told the pastor he would give a million dollars.

How cool is that! He exhibited, as Cyprian put it, the fear of God, a simply heart guided by the law of righteousness (that is, doing what is right) and the peace of concord (which means peace rooted in his trust in Christ).

Giving is acceptable to God not based on the amount of the gift but the attitude of our hearts.

God looks for willing hearts who are enthusiastic to share. If God has blessed you, set up monthly giving to GTP today. We are praying for monthly givers. God moved two people to do this last week, and we are praying for more. Click here to give.

I praise God for a fruitful trip down under, 10 events in 5 cities and meetings with many people.

Pray with me that these visits will result in the strengthening of workers for service and support to GTP. And pray for safe travel home for Jenni and me. It’s a long trip.

Your kingdom come, Your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven. Matthew 6:10

“Now that is the will of God which Christ both did and taught. Humility in conversation; steadfastness in faith; modesty in words; justice in deeds; mercifulness in works; discipline in morals; to be unable to do a wrong, and to be able to bear a wrong when done; to keep peace with the brethren; to love God with all one’s heart; to love Him in that He is a Father; to fear Him in that He is God; to prefer nothing whatever to Christ, because He did not prefer anything to us; to adhere inseparably to His love; to stand by His cross bravely and faithfully; when there is any contest on behalf of His name and honor, to exhibit in discourse that constancy wherewith we make confession; in torture, that confidence wherewith we do battle; in death, that patience whereby we are crowned — this is to desire to be fellow-heirs with Christ; this is to do the commandment of God; this is to fulfill the will of the Father.”

Cyprian of Carthage (190-258) Sermon 4 On the Lord’s Prayer 15.

Thanks for your prayers. Preaching went great in Adelaide.

As I reflect on prayer during Lent and read through this treatise by Cyprian this excerpt stood out to me: “[Christ] did not prefer anything to us.”

It was the will of the Father that Christ would die for us.

So He did not prefer anything to us. He sacrificed everything. As I ponder this it inspires me to prefer nothing else next to Him. Not my will by yours be done, Lord.

But when the kindness and love of God our Savior appeared, He saved us, not because of righteous things we had done, but because of His mercy. He saved us through the washing of rebirth and renewal by the Holy Spirit, whom He poured out on us generously through Jesus Christ our Savior, so that, having been justified by His grace, we might become heirs having the hope of eternal life. This is a trustworthy saying. And I want you to stress these things, so that those who have trusted in God may be careful to devote themselves to doing what is good. These things are excellent and profitable for everyone. Titus 3:4-8

“But how great is the Lord’s indulgence! How great His condescension and plenteousness of goodness towards us, seeing that He has wished us to pray in the sight of God in such a way as to call God Father, and to call ourselves sons of God, even as Christ is the Son of God, a name which none of us would dare to venture on in prayer, unless He Himself had allowed us thus to pray! We ought then, beloved brethren, to remember and to know, that when we call God Father, we ought to act as God’s children; so that in the measure in which we find pleasure in considering God as a Father, He might also be able to find pleasure in us. Let us converse as temples of God, that it may be plain that God dwells in us.”

Cyprian of Carthage (190-258) Sermon 4 On the Lord’s Prayer 11.

As we “venture on in prayer” we start to realize our sinfulness with the publican (yesterday’s post) and God’s kindness and generosity (today’s post). He eagerly welcomes us to come to His presence in prayer.

The Lord’s indulgence toward us transforms us in at least three ways: (1) He finds pleasure in us, (2) He considers us family, and (3) He considers our bodies as His dwelling.

I hope you see the implications of this. It means that His “condescension and plenteousness of goodness” toward us have a purpose. He wants us to remain connected and dependent on Him while being conduits of blessing for Him.

Thank the Lord today for His indulgence toward you and reflect on the implications of this for your day and for the rest of your life. And remember me as I preach this weekend in Adelaide, Australia. Thanks.