Day Four 2012

Today is the fourth day of my fast. I meant to blog every day and that hasn't happened. Not off to a good start!

I was hoping to blog each day and have a small devotional thought plus list some prayer needs that I have prayed for. Maybe I can start today and go forward.

Today, Shirley is on my mind. I just found out she went to the hospital yesterday. She asked for something to read so tomorrow I'll go over and take her a book.

Char needs prayer. I know she is getting ready for her operation tomorrow.

Cathy is on my mind too. She is having a hard time with her stomach issues and it is knocking her out from doing the things she wants to do.

Dan Bohi is traveling and preaching at churches and will be here next Thursday and Friday. These services will be at 7 pm. I believe he will help us draw closer to God and give our lives to living a holy life. I am excited to see what God is going to do. I am praying that he will use Dan to transform our hearts.

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This morning I read about David testing out his armor and it not working for him. So he took it off and instead picked five smooth stones. He then went forward with God's power and those five stones.

It only took one. One stone. That is God's power. We prepare and then we give it to God. He takes it and says, "Watch what I am gonna do!" And he does the amazing. And ultimately this led to him becoming the king of Israel.

The question my book asked was, "What are your five stones?" And she was talking about picking five pieces of Scripture to be the mainstay of what your stand on during this time of preparation for whatever God has in store for you. This is all about seeking God. Knowing him well.

How many of us would say we know God well? If God walked up to us in the flesh, would we be able to say that he is our best friend? Would God agree based on His experience with us? Do we "hang out"' with God on a regular basis?

No Preservatives, Nothing Added

So. Today the fast is officially over. I really felt compelled to end the fast with Communion. Somehow that seemed theologically appropriate. Celebrating a renewal before God with a ritual that ushers in His Kingdom and reminds of it.

What a dichotomy of ideas and textures! The hard act of the breaking of Christ's body and the wonderful new flavors of bread not savored for 21 days. The painful loss of blood and the sweetness and tartness of the fruit of the vine rekindled and renewed through abstention.

I have been thinking to what end did this fast accomplish. I have been reading both the Fasting book and The Daniel Fast book by Susan Gregory. One more than the other speaks of what we get from the fast. There are still tones of success in both of them. This touts of magic wand theology. Our God is not a magic wand God. He is a God that does have our best in His plans, but that does not mean that by fasting we are ushered into an ability to have God wave His magic wand over our problems and afflictions to have God solve them.

However, this fast has taught me what I have been missing by not having certain disciplines in my life that should have already been producing fruit in my life. One of my goals that I believe should be a part of every fast is that of adding something spiritual to our lives when we are withholding something physical from our lives. I personally found that doing these during the time that I would have normally had that thing that I am withholding helps me truly appreciate God in an added way.

For me, I wanted to have a better prayer life. I wanted to commune with God in a more intimate way in order to have a deeper relationship with Him. I turned to the Psalms where God spoke to me as I went through them. Most of what I gleaned was not that of special insight or Godly revelation. Instead it was a methodical approach to reading and understanding how and what David was going through as he wrote them. The pain he endured. The feeling of separation from God. Yet, David recurrently praising God in the middle of the hurt he endured. He truly leaned on God. But it really wasn't a crutch type of leaning. It was total dependence on God.

How incredible! One thing that I learned through David's psalms and Susan Gregory's devotions was that it was through being prepared, having an ongoing relationship with God that is growing and deepening, that he and we are able to persevere. It is not so much that we run to God when we need Him, but rather by having an ongoing relationship with God we are able to be so close to Him that those times do not shake our foundation. Instead, they strengthen our foundation, because we have already become one with the Father (God). In our weakness, He is strong. Our strength comes from Him.

When we do feel closer to God, it is not because of what we got. I believe it is because of what we gave.

Sweet Leaf?

I was looking at a Daniel Fast website and found an interesting link. I was going to have a lunch appointment with someone and was wondering what I could eat if I did go have lunch with them. So I googled it.

It seems that a few restaurants do support the Daniel Fast but it isn't easy. On the same webpage was something called Stevia. I looked it up and it is a sweetener that is okay to have on the Daniel Fast. Also, it is diabetic okay which is cool because my Dad is type 2 diabetic.

Anyway here is the link to it: http://www.sweetleaf.com/

Oh, and just in case you were wondering here are the restaurants that have some okay food:

http://danielsfastcookbook.com/9.html

Hope this helps someone out!

The Daniel Fast

I was looking up some information on the Daniel Fast and came across this site.

I signed up and got an email with a list of foods that are "allowed" and "disallowed." It really helped me.

Many times I have seen people talking about fasting in order to receive some financial boon or for some super special end. I think we all know that God is not a "magic wand" God. So, instead, why don't we focus on fasting as a way to grow closer to God and His will. Let it be ANOTHER discipline that helps you remove things from your life that remove you from God.

For me, fasting is about Sovereignty. God is to be first in my life. Not my needs, not even my physical ones. I was reminded just tonight about Elijah that had to run for his life from a King that wanted him dead. God told him to go to a special place that would keep him safe. Elijah asked what he would eat. And God said, I will provide you with food.

God, you are my King. It is by your hand that I am able to do anything. Let me be reminded.