Fasting

Brandi and I completed our first three-day water fast this morning, as a conclusion to our first 21-day Daniel fast.  Both were challenging, but especially the water fast.

In the announcements on Sunday, I shared that Brandi and I were going to finish the Daniel fast with a water fast.  Sam reached out to us on Tuesday and asked if we would be interested in Joanna leading a praise night at our home at the conclusion of the fast.  It was such a blessing! Especially yesterday at the most difficult part of the fast, I was able to look forward to praising the Lord that evening.  I am very thankful for our church body and people being attentive to encourage and bless others in their walk with Christ.

When I woke up this morning, my spirit was singing, "Day and night, night and day, let insence arise!"

I know that we grew in discipline and self-control, and we sowed seeds of faith that will grow and bear fruit in the future.  We practiced a posture of humility to make ourselves available to experiencing God in a deeper way.

Father, thank you for sustaining us through this fasting.  Jesus, thank you for your example.  Holy Spirit, we want more of you.  Make us more like Jesus.  I love you.

Transactions versus rewards

On Sunday, Rebekah Bell preached on the topic of spiritual disciplines, and her description of the sisciplines was based on Richard Foster's Celebration of Disciplines.  Her thesis concept was that relationships are not transactional (though many of us approach them with that mindset), and that we choose to exercise spiritual disciplines because we ant to perpare ourselves to dive deeper in relationship and experience with God.

For example, like Rebekah, I used to think of prayer and fasting as a quid pro quo, perhaps as an artifact of misinterpretation of "You have not because you ask not."  But recently I have begun to see prayer as conversation among family and friends. And I am learning that fasting is not arm twisting God into doing what we want.  Actually, it is more about arm twisting my body and soul into obeying my Spirit, which is led by the Holy Spirit.

I am seeing that there is a difference between wages and reward.  If I have a transactional, quid pro quo, interaction with God, then I am expecting wages to be paid out based on my religious performance.  But if I am in Son-Brother-Friend relationship with God, then I am a beneficiary of His good nature.  

So, as we are in the last several days of this 21 day fast, I want to focus on growing in my living relationship with God because He is the best thing in the world.  He is the buried treasure.  And I know that His promises are true:

Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be filled.

Matthew 5:6 NIV

And without faith it is impossible to please God, because anyone who comes to him must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who earnestly seek him.

Hebrews 11:6 NIV

Father, I know that you are good, and you satisfy those who hunger and thirst for you.  Jesus, I want to be more like you.  Holy Spirit, I want more of you.  I love you.

Different perspective

We are in Ruidoso for a work retreat in preparation for our upcoming program accreditation review.  Of course, they are providing wonderful food and snacks.  Last night, they had some awesome smelling BBQ, beans, and mac and cheese. This morning, I opened the door from our hotel room into the hallway, and the smell of bacon immediately gripped me.  And then they had some wonderful smelling cookies.

Honestly, I felt like I was missing out.  And then the Holy Spirit told me that what we are gaining in this Daniel Fast FAR EXCEEDS what we are missing out on in food.

Father, thank you for being abundant.  I believe that by fasting, I am seeking first your kingdom and righteousness, and I am gaining infinitely more than the temporary satisfaction of tasty food.  Holy Spirit, I want a better relationship with you.  Help me listen to you.  Let's talk.  I love you, and I ask in the name of Jesus.

Therefore we do not lose heart. Though outwardly we are wasting away, yet inwardly we are being renewed day by day. For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all. So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen, since what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal.

2 Corinthians 4:16‭-‬18 NIV

Walking on water

Matthew 14:25‭-‬29 NIV

Shortly before dawn Jesus went out to them, walking on the lake. When the disciples saw him walking on the lake, they were terrified. "It's a ghost," they said, and cried out in fear.  But Jesus immediately said to them: "Take courage! It is I. Don't be afraid."  "Lord, if it's you," Peter replied, "tell me to come to you on the water."   "Come," he said. Then Peter got down out of the boat, walked on the water and came toward Jesus.

I used to think that Jesus was able to walk on water because He is God, but now I believe that Jesus allowed Himself to be constrained to operate within the limits of humanity, empowered by the infinite Holy Spirit to do the will of the Father.

Jesus knew the will of the Father, and He knew the anointing of the Holy Spirit.  He walked in those relationships.  So, when it was the Father's will for Him to cross the lake on foot, Jesus walked on water.

And I believe that we can do the same.  We can know the Father's will and defy physical laws as we obey Him.

Father, thank you for grace to know you and partner with you in doing your will.  Jesus, thank you for your example of obeying the Father's will.  Holy Spirit, thank you for your presence, power, and love.  I love you, and I pray in the name of Jesus.

Breakfast sandwiches

We drove up to Cloudcroft yesterday to play in the snow, and we stopped at a gas station on the way out of El Paso.  I fasted breakfast and lunch yesterday, so when I got out of the car to pump gas, the smell of McDonald's breakfast sandwiches hit me like a pile of bricks.  I could almost see a bacon, egg, and cheese breakfast sandwich.  As I took in that aroma, I told the Lord that I want more of Him more than I want breakfast sandwiches.

I was thinking about how satisfying a breakfast sandwich is.  Savory and salty.  And I told the Lord that He is more satisfying than breakfast sandwiches.  I was reminded of Jesus and the Samaritan woman and how he told her that another drink of water would only satisfy for so long, but He is the source of eternal satisfaction.  

Jesus stood up at the end of the festival and shouted that for whoever believes in Him streams of living water will flow from within them.  I was thinking about how we can continually experience deep satisfaction in Christ.  He is more satisfying than a continuous supply of breakfast sandwiches.

Father, thank you for your great love for us.  Jesus, you are the living water, and I want to be satisfied in you and not seek satisfaction apart from you.  Holy Spirit, I want more of you more than I want food.  Please manifest your presence more in my life.  I love you, and I ask in the name of Jesus.

Bringing the Kingdom

But if it is by the Spirit of God that I drive out demons, then the kingdom of God has come upon you.

Matthew 12:28 NIV

I have had a couple of experiences praying for people and seeing them freed from demonic presence.  But Jesus operated routinely.  I want to be more like Jesus.

Father, thank you for sending the Spirit so that I can walk as Jesus did.  Spirit, lead me where you want me to go.  Take me to the next level of maturity in walking as a little Christ.  I love you.

Judgemental mindset kills joy

Several weeks ago, the Lord told me that one way I can grow in joy is to let go of being judgemental.  I am realizing that this applies to all situations of being critical of others and myself.

This may sound trivial, but I was driving last night, and someone cut in front of me while we were turning through an intersection, and they didn't even use their turn signal!  I was a little frustrated and said something, and I felt the Holy Spirit say that even those little situations of passing judgement are stealing my joy because it established a mindset of being judgemental.

Jesus has paid the penalty for every single, and I have been forgiven of all of mine.  So, I choose to walk in the freedom and joy of mercy.

Father, thank you for your mercy and joy.  I want to enter into the joy of the master.  Please use me to make a return on your investment.  Deliver me from being judgemental.  Holy Spirit, continue to show me where my heart needs to change.  I love you, and I pray in the name of Jesus.

Joyful message

Matthew 9:35 TPT

Jesus walked throughout the region with the joyful message of God's kingdom realm. He taught in their meeting houses, and wherever he went he demonstrated God's power by healing every kind of disease and illness.

The proclamation of Jesus is good news of great joy! I want to walk in the joy of the Gospel.  

Father, thank you for giving us joy through Jesus.  Jesus, thank you for your example.  I want to walk in your joy.  Holy Spirit, please help me.  I love you, and I ask in the name of Jesus.

Eating food

Brandi and I are participating in a three-week Daniel Fast with our church (started this past Thursday, finishing end of January).  It is certainly uncomfortable and inconvenient, but I want to focus on how this is an act of love to the Lord instead of focusing on how much I miss certain foods.

This morning, I listened to a Soultime meditation about eating healthily and using food to cover soul pain.  I know that I am tempted to eat more when I am stressed, and I am particularly keen on sweets.  When we finish this fast, I don't want to go back to eating a ton of sugar.

One of the guided prayers was about forgiving yourself for inappropriately using food to address soul pain.  I wonder if some of my chronic back pain is related to my self-criticism and not forgiving myself.

Heavenly Father, thank you for your mercy and grace through Jesus.  Jesus, thank you for making the way for forgiveness.  Holy Spirit, I hear you, and I say "yes" to you.  As you have forgiven me, so I forgive myself.  I will not judge myself for past sins; they are washed away by the blood of Jesus.  Lead me to walk as a free man in Christ.  I love you, and I pray in the name of Jesus.

Pursuing friendship with the Holy Spirit

As a four year old boy, Rhett loves to rough-and-tumble, but he also has a tender heart. He is a gentle giant.  I think Rhett has some similar personality traits as the Holy Spirit.

Rhett also reminds me a lot of my brother Jeremy.  I regret being so harsh with Jeremy, and I believe that God has given me a "second chance" to be gentle.

I think part of my breakthrough in fellowship with the Holy Spirit is learning to play with Rhett and be gentle with him.  Somehow my relationship with him is key to growing in friendship with Holy Spirit.

I need to learn to be playful.  (I almost knew how to be playful when I was in high school.) I think this is a key to growing in joy this year.  

Father, thank you for your grace shown in second chances.  Thank you for allowing me to grow in my friendship with Holy Spirit.  Jesus, thank you for your example of walking in step with Holy Spirit.  Holy Spirit, I want you to be my best friend.  I love you, and I pray in the name of Jesus. 

2019 - joy

I finished reading the whole Bible last year using the Read Scripture app.  It was very engaging, and I really enjoyed the storyboard video commentaries.

This year, instead of a long list of resolutions, I want to grow in joy.  Joy is part of the fruit of the Spirit, but seriousness is not.

Galatians 5:22‭-‬23 TPT

But the fruit produced by the Holy Spirit within you is divine love in all its varied expressions: joy that overflows, peace that subdues, patience that endures, kindness in action, a life full of virtue, faith that prevails, gentleness of heart, and strength of spirit. Never set the law above these qualities, for they are meant to be limitless.

Smiles and laughs are artifacts of joy.  And the flow of joy is an artifact of the dynamic presence of the Holy Spirit.

This past Sunday, we attended the Sunday gathering with Jeremy and Krystle, and I went forward to ask for prayer, and I asked them to pray for joy for me. As I was driving later that day, I was reflecting on what might restrict the flow of joy in my heart, and I felt like the Lord revealed to me that a judgemental or critical attitude restricts joy.  I asked the Lord to dissolve my critical/judgemental attitude (including self-criticism) or even chip away at it, if necessary.

Father, thank you for growing me in joy this year. Jesus, please reveal the Father to me so that I can see Him as the joyful person He actually is. Holy Spirit, please show me how joyful Jesus is, and infuse me with your joy.  Flow your joy through me.  Father, thank you for filling me with your Spirit. I love you, and I submit myself to you.  I look forward to how I will experience you this year.