Today is the 9th. day of my fast. I am now doing one meal each day and I am following the Daniel Fast as far as the type of meals I am eating for that meal. For instance, today I had a small bowl of beans for lunch. Yesterday I had a salad and a plate of vegetables for lunch.
I am fasting breakfast which is usually my favorite meal of the day. I am also fasting the evening meal.
As a diabetic I am keeping a close watch on my blood glucose level and being very careful. (The reason I started eating the one meal each day) I have not taken any meds for several days and my sugar level is staying mostly between 70 and 90. "I am watching it like a hawk."
Today has been a awesome day.
I am part of a Pastors Prayer group. We get together on Tuesdays for Prayer and a fellowship Breakfast. Our prayer time starts at 7:00 and we usually end between 8:00 and 8:30 after which we all go to a local restaurant for breakfast.
Several of the Pastors in our group are also fasting which makes it easy to sit around in the restaurant and NOT be tempted to eat anything!
Today I am really thankful for these other Pastors and our prayer time this morning. The presence of the Lord was really evident. A few of us felt led to pray for each other and our churches.
I asked some of them to lay hands on me and pray for my back that I have been having a little trouble with. (I moved some heavy tables the other day... nuff said). I had prayer Sunday Night at Church as well where I began to feel a very real touch from God and a significant easing in the pain.
Today as these men prayed for me I experienced a warmth in the small of my back (where the pain was). It was AWESOME! There is another noticeable difference in my pain. PRAISE THE LORD! God is Good!
My Prayer today:
Dear Lord, thank you for my healing! Thank you for a wonderful group of people to pastor and for a great group of Pastors to meet with for prayer on Tuesday Mornings. Most of all, Thank you Lord for meeting with me in prayer today. Thank you so much for your presence. AMEN!
Tuesday, January 10, 2012
Saturday, January 7, 2012
God wants to do a new thing in you!
It has been a few days since my last post so I wanted to update you on what the Lord is speaking to me on the 6th. day of my fast.
Day 7 will begin for me this afternoon when the sun sets.
(Isa 43:18)
Remember
ye not the former things, neither consider the things of old.
(Isa 43:19) Behold, I
will do a new thing; now it shall spring forth; shall ye not know it? I will
even make a way in the wilderness, and
rivers in the desert.
Forgetting
those things which are behind…
I
have knowledge of the Past and I thank God for all He has done… Then I leave
them behind and move into my future!
God is still
speaking to His people! Too many times we
look at what God has done in us, as great as it is, and we stop looking for
anything new and fresh from God. We
believe that all that we have received is all God has for us.
(Lam 3:22-24) It is of
the LORD'S mercies that we are not consumed, because his compassions fail not. They are
new every morning: great is thy
faithfulness. The LORD is my portion, saith my soul; therefore will I
hope in him.
(Isa 42:9) Behold,
the former things are come to pass, and new things do I declare:
before they spring forth I tell you of them.
(Isa 42:10) Sing unto
the LORD a new song, and his praise from
the end of the earth, ye that go down to the sea, and all that is therein; the
isles, and the inhabitants thereof.
Here is the thing. We keep living in this world. New problems arise, new situations, new challenges and we do rely on what God has told us. This is good. But God has not stopped speaking! This begs the question; Have we stopped listening? Are we relying so heavily on our past victories that we do not seek God for New battle plans?
Every day is New! Every challenge is New! And while everything God has done in our lives is timeless, much of it is for the time in which we heard it!
God is still speaking so what have you heard from Him lately that is giving you...
- A New Joy
- A New Hope
- A New Song
- A New Victory
Prayer:
Dear Lord, make everything New in My relationship with you. Bring fresh rain, fresh praise, a fresh song! Thank you for the NEW! Amen.
Wednesday, January 4, 2012
Day 3 of my fast January 3, 2012
It's strange how I can have such sinus trouble and still feel "...the peace of God which passeth understanding."
Fasting always seems to bring a calm and a serenity to me. I have spoken with others through the years and I know that experience may not be the case with everyone. I wish I could describe it. Words like calm, peace, serenity all come to mind. There seems to be no real struggle in my spirit while I am fasting.
Now Physically, that sometimes is a different story. For the past two or three years, when I have determined to do the Daniel fast i get sick before the fast is to begin. I really don't think there is a "Spiritual" reason behind this. I think it's just the time of year. Right after Christmas where I have been around great numbers of people. Many of them coughing and sniffling. No wonder! But it does present a little more of a challenge.
Helpful friends say things like...
"I could never fast while I was sick. You need to wait until later." (Tried that... later didn't
come for a year!)
Or...
They say things like...
"Fasting is bad for you. It will ruin your digestive system... give you kidney trouble... or, this is
one of my favorite, So your trying to loose weight, right?
I would like to sometimes say, "Hey guys lighten up, I'm not Job and your not his comfortless comforters... are you:?"
In reality fasting for me is a deeply spiritual experience. For one thing, I'm not just doing without food. I'm also praying and seeking God and reflecting on my Christian journey, Asking God for guidance for next steps for the Church etc.
So I got a cold in my nose... And peace in my heart. Go figure!
Prayer:
Dear Lord, I just want to thank you for your presence in my life today. AMEN
It's strange how I can have such sinus trouble and still feel "...the peace of God which passeth understanding."
Fasting always seems to bring a calm and a serenity to me. I have spoken with others through the years and I know that experience may not be the case with everyone. I wish I could describe it. Words like calm, peace, serenity all come to mind. There seems to be no real struggle in my spirit while I am fasting.
Now Physically, that sometimes is a different story. For the past two or three years, when I have determined to do the Daniel fast i get sick before the fast is to begin. I really don't think there is a "Spiritual" reason behind this. I think it's just the time of year. Right after Christmas where I have been around great numbers of people. Many of them coughing and sniffling. No wonder! But it does present a little more of a challenge.
Helpful friends say things like...
"I could never fast while I was sick. You need to wait until later." (Tried that... later didn't
come for a year!)
Or...
They say things like...
"Fasting is bad for you. It will ruin your digestive system... give you kidney trouble... or, this is
one of my favorite, So your trying to loose weight, right?
I would like to sometimes say, "Hey guys lighten up, I'm not Job and your not his comfortless comforters... are you:?"
In reality fasting for me is a deeply spiritual experience. For one thing, I'm not just doing without food. I'm also praying and seeking God and reflecting on my Christian journey, Asking God for guidance for next steps for the Church etc.
So I got a cold in my nose... And peace in my heart. Go figure!
Prayer:
Dear Lord, I just want to thank you for your presence in my life today. AMEN
Day 2 of my 21 day fast: Jan 2, 2012
Today I am thinking of a portion of the following Scripture: "Is this not the fast that I have chosen: To loose the bonds of wickedness. To undo the heavy burdens, To let the oppressed go free and that you break every yoke? ..." Isaiah 58:6
I am praying today to "bread every yoke" that is in my life. All of us have limiting beliefs and habits of life that seem to keep us bound to certain stations, status, activities, ways of living that cause us discomfort and even real problems.
For example. There may be times when one wants to "One up" those with whom they are in a conversation.
David: "Hey Bob, I just got a new car!"
Bob: " Yea, that's probably an OK car for you but I wouldn't drive one of those things if
you gave it ti me! Now MY car... Man that's a Car!"
You and I both know that there are also more subtle ways in which people play the "One UP" game.
That's not fun for any of us. Behavioral habits can take us captive and be a yoke to us in our lives.
One behavioral problem that I seem to sometimes face is jumping in on conversations I am having with people and trying to answer them before they have completed their thought. I don't do this on purpose, I just sometimes seem to jump ahead in the conversation and "Get to the Point". there are also those who procrastinate and take the very long way around never seem to get to the point.
I had a person in a church that I once pastored who asked me to come by their place of business. They said that they had something they wanted to talk to me about. I set the appointment and told them that I had about 45 minutes available at the time they needed to see me and then I had another appointment with another person in the church after theirs.
About an hour into it, I thought thay had time to tell me all they wanted and I got up and started to leave only to have them tell me that they hadn't gotten to the point yet. I had to make another appointment with them to finish the talk but one thing it revealed to me is that sometimes the "Point" isn't really the point at all. In some peoples lives, it's the process that shows them that they are valuable.
In addition, thay may have also had a little bit of a procrastination problem which could also fit a habit or yoke that needs to be broken.
Another habit that has taken me a lifetime to perfect is my habit of being over weight. I am really good at staying too heavy for my health. It has caused me problems with Diabetes and put me in danger for other related health problems.
So today I am praying for God to help me have the strength to break these kinds of Yokes. They can affect our relationships, our health and sometimes even place our lives in jeopardy. I want to be around to see my great grandchildren.
Prayer: Dear God, Help me to not only identify some of the habits in my life of which I need the Yoke broken from me, but I am praying today for these yokes to be broken from me. Use this fast to reveal my "flesh" to me and release my by the spirit and power of God from these yokes of bondage. In Jesus Name I pray. AMEN
Today I am thinking of a portion of the following Scripture: "Is this not the fast that I have chosen: To loose the bonds of wickedness. To undo the heavy burdens, To let the oppressed go free and that you break every yoke? ..." Isaiah 58:6
I am praying today to "bread every yoke" that is in my life. All of us have limiting beliefs and habits of life that seem to keep us bound to certain stations, status, activities, ways of living that cause us discomfort and even real problems.
For example. There may be times when one wants to "One up" those with whom they are in a conversation.
David: "Hey Bob, I just got a new car!"
Bob: " Yea, that's probably an OK car for you but I wouldn't drive one of those things if
you gave it ti me! Now MY car... Man that's a Car!"
You and I both know that there are also more subtle ways in which people play the "One UP" game.
That's not fun for any of us. Behavioral habits can take us captive and be a yoke to us in our lives.
One behavioral problem that I seem to sometimes face is jumping in on conversations I am having with people and trying to answer them before they have completed their thought. I don't do this on purpose, I just sometimes seem to jump ahead in the conversation and "Get to the Point". there are also those who procrastinate and take the very long way around never seem to get to the point.
I had a person in a church that I once pastored who asked me to come by their place of business. They said that they had something they wanted to talk to me about. I set the appointment and told them that I had about 45 minutes available at the time they needed to see me and then I had another appointment with another person in the church after theirs.
About an hour into it, I thought thay had time to tell me all they wanted and I got up and started to leave only to have them tell me that they hadn't gotten to the point yet. I had to make another appointment with them to finish the talk but one thing it revealed to me is that sometimes the "Point" isn't really the point at all. In some peoples lives, it's the process that shows them that they are valuable.
In addition, thay may have also had a little bit of a procrastination problem which could also fit a habit or yoke that needs to be broken.
Another habit that has taken me a lifetime to perfect is my habit of being over weight. I am really good at staying too heavy for my health. It has caused me problems with Diabetes and put me in danger for other related health problems.
So today I am praying for God to help me have the strength to break these kinds of Yokes. They can affect our relationships, our health and sometimes even place our lives in jeopardy. I want to be around to see my great grandchildren.
Prayer: Dear God, Help me to not only identify some of the habits in my life of which I need the Yoke broken from me, but I am praying today for these yokes to be broken from me. Use this fast to reveal my "flesh" to me and release my by the spirit and power of God from these yokes of bondage. In Jesus Name I pray. AMEN
Monday, January 2, 2012
Fasting: Day One
"Is this not the fast that I have chosen: To loose the bonds of wickedness. To undo the heavy burdens, To let the oppressed go free and that you break every yoke? ..." Isaiah 58:6
Fasting is a Spiritual Discipline. As such, you should take care of your health and do not do anything foolish during your fast. If you decide to fast, be careful about your health and if you are under a Dr's Care or have any health issue at all you should consult with your physician before going on a fast.
We are doing what is called an "Open" fast at our Church. In the Bible there were times when spiritual leadership called for the people to fast. As such, this fast is not a "secret" fast which I believe is also Biblical. I have called a fast for our church and asked those who felt led, to join with me in this time of fasting.
Some of us are doing the "Daniel" fast. Others are doing their own self styled version of the Daniel fast and still others are doing other kinds of fasting as they feel led of the Lord. Although this fast is done openly with those who are part of our spiritual community, it is not to be done for the purpose of being "seen" of others. It is still for personal spiritual purposes and while it is known by us it is not for show.
I believe this is a good kind of fast to use to encourage those around to begin fasting as a new spiritual discipline in their lives. The nature of this kind of fast allows one to encourage and be encouraged by others during the fast.
Today is my first full fast day. My fasting began at sunset on the first so at sunset today, I will begin day two of the fast. I am fasting all solid foods. I do drink liquids including a few ounces of juice mixed with water in the morning and the evening. If you do juices during your fast be careful if you buy juice from the store. Many juices can have more sugar than sugary sodas.
I am fasting for the above promises mentioned in Isaiah 58:6 and also for the promises mentioned further down...
* Your light shall break forth like the morning
* Your healing will spring forth quickly...
* Your righteousness will go before you
* The glory of the Lord will be your rear guard
* Then you shall call, and the Lord will answer; you shall cry and He will say "Here I Am".
* You light shall dawn in the darkness and your darkness shall be as the noonday
* The Lord will guide you continually
* And satisfy your soul in drought
And so on...
I am believing God for guidance for our Church and for souls to Come to Christ as a result of this fast. Some people, including myself will be keeping a personal journal during the fast. It is a good idea to journal on your fast so you do not loose any of the things that the Lord speaks to your heart during your fast.
As the sun sets, I will have finished my first full day of fasting and will have begun day two.
My Day One Prayer:
Dear Father. Maker of Heaven and Earth. Guide me and help me to experience all things that are your will for me during this fast. Help me to be the leader that you intend for me to be so that I can guide and encourage your loving people in the things of God. In Jesus Name, Amen.
Fasting is a Spiritual Discipline. As such, you should take care of your health and do not do anything foolish during your fast. If you decide to fast, be careful about your health and if you are under a Dr's Care or have any health issue at all you should consult with your physician before going on a fast.
We are doing what is called an "Open" fast at our Church. In the Bible there were times when spiritual leadership called for the people to fast. As such, this fast is not a "secret" fast which I believe is also Biblical. I have called a fast for our church and asked those who felt led, to join with me in this time of fasting.
Some of us are doing the "Daniel" fast. Others are doing their own self styled version of the Daniel fast and still others are doing other kinds of fasting as they feel led of the Lord. Although this fast is done openly with those who are part of our spiritual community, it is not to be done for the purpose of being "seen" of others. It is still for personal spiritual purposes and while it is known by us it is not for show.
I believe this is a good kind of fast to use to encourage those around to begin fasting as a new spiritual discipline in their lives. The nature of this kind of fast allows one to encourage and be encouraged by others during the fast.
Today is my first full fast day. My fasting began at sunset on the first so at sunset today, I will begin day two of the fast. I am fasting all solid foods. I do drink liquids including a few ounces of juice mixed with water in the morning and the evening. If you do juices during your fast be careful if you buy juice from the store. Many juices can have more sugar than sugary sodas.
I am fasting for the above promises mentioned in Isaiah 58:6 and also for the promises mentioned further down...
* Your light shall break forth like the morning
* Your healing will spring forth quickly...
* Your righteousness will go before you
* The glory of the Lord will be your rear guard
* Then you shall call, and the Lord will answer; you shall cry and He will say "Here I Am".
* You light shall dawn in the darkness and your darkness shall be as the noonday
* The Lord will guide you continually
* And satisfy your soul in drought
And so on...
I am believing God for guidance for our Church and for souls to Come to Christ as a result of this fast. Some people, including myself will be keeping a personal journal during the fast. It is a good idea to journal on your fast so you do not loose any of the things that the Lord speaks to your heart during your fast.
As the sun sets, I will have finished my first full day of fasting and will have begun day two.
My Day One Prayer:
Dear Father. Maker of Heaven and Earth. Guide me and help me to experience all things that are your will for me during this fast. Help me to be the leader that you intend for me to be so that I can guide and encourage your loving people in the things of God. In Jesus Name, Amen.
Wednesday, July 27, 2011
Seek His will in all you do and He will direct your paths. (Proverbs, The Bible)
At some time or times in our lives we all seek to know what the next step is. When one looses a job, or their life takes an unexpected turn it can sometimes be hard to figure out what the next step is supposed to be. This kind of query in our lives is common to most of us.
The question, What do I do now? Has many answers.
1. Seek God's Will in all you do
3. Pay Attention, He is about to give you direction
4. Go now and do what He has placed before you to do.
At some time or times in our lives we all seek to know what the next step is. When one looses a job, or their life takes an unexpected turn it can sometimes be hard to figure out what the next step is supposed to be. This kind of query in our lives is common to most of us.
The question, What do I do now? Has many answers.
1. Seek God's Will in all you do
3. Pay Attention, He is about to give you direction
4. Go now and do what He has placed before you to do.
Everything is a Miracle
"In the beginning was the word, the word was with God, the Word was God. All things were created by Him, without Him was not anything created that was created." St. John 1:1-2
God Spoke the worlds into existence. So everything is from the Spirit. Spirit is the progenitor of natural things, so natural things are spiritual at their core. There is nothing natural that has not been created by the spiritual.
Spirit is of a higher nature than the natural. Nature is real only because it has been birthed by spirit. Specifically, the Spirit of God. Without God there would be no Nature. God created all things natural.
Everything is a Miracle.
God Spoke the worlds into existence. So everything is from the Spirit. Spirit is the progenitor of natural things, so natural things are spiritual at their core. There is nothing natural that has not been created by the spiritual.
Spirit is of a higher nature than the natural. Nature is real only because it has been birthed by spirit. Specifically, the Spirit of God. Without God there would be no Nature. God created all things natural.
Everything is a Miracle.
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