Fast Track – Part 2

Review

• The Scripture identifies every believer as a priest.
• “Priests stand between God and [other] humans to help bring [them] closer to God and to help dispense God’s truth, justice, favor, discipline, and holiness to [humankind].”–Douglass K. Stuart [Douglas K. Stuart, Exodus, vol. 2, The New American Commentary (Nashville: Broadman & Holman Publishers, 2006), 423.]
• Exodus 20:18–19 (ESV): ¹⁸ . . . the people were afraid and trembled, and they stood far off ¹⁹ and said to Moses, “You speak to us, and we will listen; but do not let God speak to us, lest we die.”
• Exodus 20:21 (ESV): ²¹ The people stood far off, while Moses drew near to the thick darkness where God was.
• “Consecration means ‘making holy,’ which means ‘making acceptable to be close to God.’ The consecration demanded of the Israelites in this instance involved becoming spiritually ready to get close to God. . .as well as eliminating that which was objectionable to God. . .and avoiding things that could distract from attention on God”–Douglass K. Stuart [Douglas K. Stuart, Exodus, vol. 2, The New American Commentary (Nashville: Broadman & Holman Publishers, 2006), 425–426.]
• Exodus 19:10–11 (ESV): ¹⁰ the Lord said to Moses, “Go to the people and consecrate them today and tomorrow, and let them wash their garments ¹¹ and be ready for the third day. For on the third day the Lord will come down on Mount Sinai in the sight of all the people.
• Exodus 19:14–15 (ESV): ¹⁴ So Moses went down from the mountain to the people and consecrated the people; and they washed their garments. ¹⁵ And he said to the people, “Be ready for the third day; do not go near a woman.”
• [Do these] verse[s]. . .imply that getting dirty is evil or that having sex is evil? Not at all. Rather [they assert] that there are special occasions of prayerful preparation and worshipful activity that call for avoidance of the usual, non-sinful personal indulgences and demand special, focused, self-denying attention to God. . . . coming as clean and well dressed as one would in the case of appearing before anyone he or she wanted to honor. . .as well as a denial of things that focus on the self so that one can focus on God.”—Douglass K. Stuart [Douglas K. Stuart, Exodus, vol. 2, The New American Commentary (Nashville: Broadman & Holman Publishers, 2006), 425–426.]

New Testament Priesthood, Different Protocols

• Hebrews 4:16 (ESV): ¹⁶ Let us then with confidence draw near to the throne of grace, that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need.

The Non-Physical Requirements that Affect Our Closeness to God

• Romans 12:2 (ESV): ² Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect.
• Ephesians 4:23–24 (ESV): ²³ and to be renewed in the spirit of your minds, ²⁴ and to put on the new self, created after the likeness of God in true righteousness and holiness.
• Colossians 3:2 (ESV): ² Set your minds on things that are above, not on things that are on earth.

The Challenge of the Hardened Heart

• Matthew 15:19 (ESV): ¹⁹ For out of the heart come evil thoughts, murder, adultery, sexual immorality, theft, false witness, slander.
• Mark 6:52 (ESV): ⁵² for they did not understand about the loaves, but their hearts were hardened.
• Mark 3: 5 (ESV): ⁵ And he looked around at them with anger, grieved at their hardness of heart, and said to the man, “Stretch out your hand.” He stretched it out, and his hand was restored.
• Mark 16:14 (ESV): ¹⁴ Afterward he appeared to the eleven themselves as they were reclining at table, and he rebuked them for their unbelief and hardness of heart, because they had not believed those who saw him after he had risen.

Other Important Ways God Talks to Us About Hardened Hearts

• Romans 2:28–29 (ESV): ²⁸ For no one is a Jew who is merely one outwardly, nor is circumcision outward and physical. ²⁹ But a Jew is one inwardly, and circumcision is a matter of the heart, by the Spirit, not by the letter. His praise is not from man but from God.
• Galatians 4:19 (ESV): ¹⁹ my little children, for whom I am again in the anguish of childbirth until Christ is formed in you!
• Matthew 24:8 (ESV): ⁸ All these are but the beginning of the birth pains.
• Exodus 32:9 (ESV): ⁹ And the Lord said to Moses, “I have seen this people, and behold, it is a stiff-necked people.
• Acts 7:51 (ESV): ⁵¹ “You stiff-necked people, uncircumcised in heart and ears, you always resist the Holy Spirit. As your fathers did, so do you.

Images of Resistance

When and Obvious Sin Isn’t the Problem

• “Prayer is the elevating of the mind, the intellect, the soul, our perspectives, our perceptions to the reality of God. And then looking back at our reality, our circumstance with a totally different perspective. . . .It is accessing the reality of God so that we can now face our problems and circumstances and situations empowered by that reality, bringing God’s reality to our reality.”–Dr. A.R. Bernard
• Matthew 15:7–8 (ESV): ⁷ You hypocrites! Well did Isaiah prophesy of you, when he said: ⁸ “ ‘This people honors me with their lips, but their heart is far from me;

The Unique Power of Fasting

• Fasting is externally applied, but internally experienced.
• Fasting is a physical practice that cultivates a spiritual transformation.
• Fasting is a unique, spiritually centered natural tool that fosters a supernatural reformation.
• Psalm 35:13 (NKJV): ¹³But as for me, when they were sick, My clothing was sackcloth; I humbled myself with fasting; And my prayer would return to my own heart.
• Psalm 139:23–24 (ESV): ²³ Search me, O God, and know my heart! Try me and know my thoughts! ²⁴ And see if there be any grievous way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting!