Fasting Journal Day 21 – March 15th, 2010

There is so much happening ministry wise right now that it is getting hard for me to keep up. Maybe that is the point, it is not for me to keep up, God is doing the upkeep while I get close to Him.

There are reports of people getting saved and several being baptized. I had the awesome privilege of praying with someone yesterday who wanted Jesus to be Lord of their life, wow. I don’t really know where to begin, God is so near I can smell His aroma right now.

This is day 21 and I believe I have been the absolute strongest today that I have been the entire time. I have just felt very physically healthy. I pray that people with come to understand that God calls us to do something (fasting) that He will sustain us. God may not call you to do a 40 day fast but He called all of us to fast. Matthew 6 is just one example of this. So many people tell me that I am killing myself. I went to my family doctor and asked his advise before ever taking on this spiritual discipline. There is really no way to make you understand just how great I feel right now without you actually doing it for yourself.

The hardest time for a fast is the first 3 days and most people never make it past that point because it can be very uncomfortable. It is usually when we give up that we are just on the verge of success. I know that God called me to this or I would have never attempted such a fast. I am losing weight rapidly, now minus 26 pounds. I am going to have to buy some skinny clothes soon. Some of the weight will come back rather quickly once I begin to eat again so no need to worry. I have had people say that the size I am right now is perfect, don’t lose anymore. The problem is, I didn’t do this to lose weight, it just happens to be a nice side effect of a fast.

I have taken on this fast for spiritual reasons. To humble myself before our Lord and to grow closer to Him and folks it is happening. I am praying specifically for 3000 people to be saved and baptized in Holston Conference on or before Pentecost Sunday May 23rd, 2010. I believe with all of my faith and I serve a BIG God that Holston will accomplish this through God’s Vision for us. We are called to make disciples and we have to lead them to Christ before we can start that process. God is at work, peoples lives are being changed, my life is being changed.

Misty and I have decided that at the end of this 40 days we will fast together on a regular basis for our children and grandchildren. Fasting needs to be one of those spiritual disciplines that we do on a regular basis, like praying and giving. By the way, here is a great way to look at this. we give 10 percent of our income as a starting point. We give 10 percent of our time as a starting point. What if we give 10 percent of each year to the Lord in Fasting. That is just over 36 days per year, anything over that would be a gift, wow. Suppose you fasted one day each week, 52 days. What if you did a 4 day fast once each month, 48 days. What if we did a 21 day Daniel fast once a quarter, 84 days. I believe with all of my being that this is of God and He will hear us when we humble ourselves and we in turn will hear from Him, wow.

By the way at day 21 today I helped our oldest son Michael and my dad unload a pickup load of wood and had no strength or energy problems. I spent the afternoon playing outside with Samuel and the evening playing with our kids and grandkids. God is sustaining me and by the way, I am receiving communion every time it is offered and God is giving me Spiritual Energy through these times, there is no doubt in my mind. On average we receive communion one time each month at 1st Hillsville and now that I am fasting it seems each week I am in a place where Communion is being Celebrated. Coincidence or God? I know it is God. He is at work.

Ronnie