Why I will not eat for thirty days

fast
“Consecrate yourselves, for tomorrow the LORD will do amazing things among you.”
– Joshua 3:5

I may not know a lot of things, but I do know the voice of my Father God who leads me and guides me and loves me so.

I know that I can trust Him. I know that when He tells me to do something it is because He loves me and wants me to prosper in some way shape or form.

So when He calls me to fast I do not hesitate.

I am no stranger to fasting. I have done three forty day fasts, a few ten days ones, as well as other small ones.

I may do the fasts, but (except for the first one) I have never initiated one that has ever succeeded.

I know it is not that way for most Christians, but if I want to fast for days over an issue I usually last about half a day.

I get so hungry and faint, I feel like I am dying (It’s ridiculous I know).

But when God puts it on my heart to fast…it’s a piece of cake (oh wait that’s a pun…sorry about that).

I have seen such amazing things happen, seen Good open doors, shut them, or just plain heal and restore.

So when He called me to consecrate myself for ministry by fasting for thirty days, even though I was not very familiar for the term, I was ready.

He told me to start on the third day of the third month and to finish on April 3rd. Those days have meaning but more on that for another day.

I am excited to press into all that God has for me in and through this fast. As God puts it on your heart to do so, please keep me in prayer, and know that I am praying for you as well.

I am not eating solid food but I am feeding on the word of God.

And although I do not broadcast every fasting experience I do believe that God has called me to blog about it this time.

I feel as though He is wanting someone to know today that it is His grace alone that gets you through the hard things He calls you to do.

Sometimes when God called us to do something we get so caught up in trying to figure out how to make it happen that we forget that it’s not our job.

We are to come to God like children, not immature, but trusting.

For the most part kids really don’t give a lot of thought to how things are going to, or did, happen.

Christmas morning they are not deeply contemplating how the bearded man got the bike in through the glass fireplace, they are too busy riding the bike for that.

We have to stop allowing ourselves to get in the way of what God wants to do. We have to Trust and obey and let Him figure it all out.

Photo – © Alexandr79 – Fotolia.com

When what you do doesn’t matter

        “That famous promise God gave Abraham—that he and his children would possess the earth—was not given because of something Abraham did or would do. It was based on God’s decision to put everything together for him, which Abraham then entered when he believed.

       If those who get what God gives them only get it by doing everything they are told to do and filling out all the right forms properly signed, that eliminates personal trust completely and turns the promise into an iron-clad contract! That’s not a holy promise; that’s a business deal. A contract drawn up by a hard-nosed lawyer and with plenty of fine print only makes sure that you will never be able to collect.

       But if there is no contract in the first place, simply a promise—and God’s promise at that—you can’t break it. This is why the fulfillment of God’s promise depends entirely on trusting God and his way, and then simply embracing him and what he does. God’s promise arrives as pure gift.

        That’s the only way everyone can be sure to get in on it, those who keep the religious traditions and those who have never heard of them. For Abraham is father of us all. He is not our racial father—that’s reading the story backward. He is our faith father.” (Romans 4:13–16, The Message)  

Blessed is the one…

Blessed is the one who perseveres under trial because, having stood the test, that person will receive the crown of life that the Lord has promised to those who love him. – James 1:12 

Keep trusting God!

Are we hurting God?

likeachild

The Israelites had seen God do miraculous things. He brought them out of bondage, opened up a sea to walk across, sustained then in the wilderness, and time and time again had shown them how faithful he was.

So you would think that when the time came for Him to lead them into the promised land, the land of their dreams, the land of more-than-enough, where struggling was no longer required, that they would boldly go forth boldly knowing that God was on their side.

Yet once again they did not trust God.

They sent out 12 scouts to see who they would have to fight to take over the land, and only 2 came back with a positive report.  So the people grumbled and complained (yet again) and…..

“GOD said to Moses, “How long will these people treat me like dirt? How long refuse to trust me? And with all these signs I’ve done among them! I’ve had enough” (Numbers 14:11–12, The Message).

This absolutely breaks my heart. Time and time and time again, God showed his care and compassion for the Israelite’s. And time and again they questioned and let Him down.

God wanted to do great things through them! He wanted to give them the easy life as they fellowshipped with him.

But they didn’t trust him. They yet again took their eyes off God.

As a result they not only kept themselves from reaching their promised time (see Numbers 14:29-30) but they, I believe, did something far more horrible…

They hurt God.

God loved them so very much, and was eager to do great things in and for them, but they didn’t love Him enough to keep their eyes on Him.

It pains me to realize all of the times when I have focused on myself instead of God.

It pains me to know that I have hurt to one who loves me so.

God so passionately wants to do things in and through us. He wants us to be so fixed on His face that we do not worry about what is going on around us.

He wants to lead us, because He loves us.

If we do not allow him to lead us, we are hurting Him.

May we, as Christians, make it our determined purpose to keep our eyes on God. To Trust Him!

Like a child being lead by a loving parent, may we allow God to daily lead us to our own promised land.

Photo © GIS – Fotolia.com

Don’t worry, do this instead

Be anxious about nothing, but in everything by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God.  ~ Philippians 4:6