Prophet and Profit

Wherefore have we fasted, say they, and thou seest not? wherefore have we afflicted our soul, and thou takest no knowledge? Behold, in the day of your fast ye find pleasure, and exact all your labours. (Isaiah 58:3)

And God met Balaam: and he said unto him, I have prepared seven altars, and I have offered upon every altar a bullock and a ram. (Numbers 23:4)

What an interesting reference to the new verse of Isaiah 58, (courtesy of Treasury of Scripture Knowledge) it reinforces the point quite well.
Balaam was a true prophet, but tried to use his gift for evil gain. Was it wrong for Nathan to be essentially employed by King David? Hardly, earning money from God's gifts is not wrong in itself, but making money by exploitation using God's gifts is.
Balaam agreed to try to curse God's people for money. God met with him as related in this verse and Balaam offered sacrifices to God evidently in the hope of manipulating him into agreeing to curse his people for Balaam's profit. But we find that God simply put words of blessing into his prophet's mouth, showing that when a true prophet prophesies, he or she cannot speak or write any false words. After he prophesied, Balaam gave clever and wicked advice to bring a curse on God's people. This shows that when they are not prophesying, prophets can be wrong.
But back to the general point of Isaiah 58:3...
I'm sure I have had the experience of praying and even fasting for something and God doesn't seem to hear. Is it possible that when we pray and fast - be it for revival, conversions or answered prayers - it is not effective because we are lacking something. It is very interesting how there is a contrast drawn here where people are fasting and praying but still carefully transacting business and enjoying leisure. I have certainly been guilty of this second part. I used to refrain from working on Sunday on principle and often fasted too, but I spent the whole time playing computer games (war games). In my defence, I did not try to pretend to anyone that I was doing it out of devotion to God. I was doing it openly out of devotion to computer games. As I gradually began to worship God as my god, he brought people into my life to show me what the Sabbath really is and who helped me to see godliness for what it really is. When I fast now I know that it must be a lot more than just not eating if I want to draw nearer to God.