#soap # Isaiah 58 ## Title: Good Deeds Do Not Cover Up Sin ## Scripture: (Isaiah 58:4) “Look, your fasting is accompanied by arguments, brawls, and fistfights. Do not fast as you do today, trying to make your voice heard in heaven.” (NET) ## Observation: I heard a pastor say one time, “The thing I don’t like about momentum and ‘good church services’ is that they have a tendency to sweep under the rug what should be brought into the light.” At first, I didn’t like this phrase. It seemed like someone who wanted to fight every battle they come across and make everything a big deal. My thought was that, if it can be swept under the rug, it wasn’t a big deal to begin with. Perhaps there is truth in my old thinking, but the pastor’s view has better wisdom. Many times we think that doing a good deed or being a little more “spiritual” can cause bad attitudes and thought patterns go away. We will substitute a gift for a sincere apology or we will fast instead of repent. God wants us to do both, but mainly focus on the root issue. ## Application: Think through why you do what you do. Are you masking something? If not, praise the Lord. If so, don’t stop the good deed but address the root. ## Prayer: Thank You, Jesus, for loving us enough to show us the truth.