It doesn’t seem possible that it has been almost 6 weeks since the fast began. The time has flown by and it has been and still is amazing. I am more convinced than ever that God has given us fasting as a gift and it is one of those gifts that seem kind of strange until we discover the true value.
If you have an addiction of any kind, you need to be fasting and praying and seeking God’s hand in the issue.
Isaiah 58:6 is overlooked in 2012 as an answer that God has given us to many of the vices that hold power over us.
6 “No, this is the kind of fasting I want: Free those who are wrongly imprisoned; lighten the burden of those who work for you. Let the oppressed go free, and remove the chains that bind people.
New Living Translation
What is your vice, Lust for food, lust for sexual pleasure, lust for financial gain, lust for material things, lust for alcohol, lust for drugs, lust for attention, lust for affirmation? I don’t know what your vice is, I don’t know what anyone struggles with except the many who have confided in me but I know this, my temptations can be the same as yours and they can be very different from yours. The truth is that some people wear their emotions on the outside and the world can see what is going on but most of us keep them concealed deep inside and we will go to our graves without ever having told anyone.
Guess what, God already knows what it is and He really does want you to have the victory in your life. He is not going to tell anyone and by the way there is power in telling someone, there is power in getting into the light what satan would prefer you keep just between you and him. Confide in a pastor whom you trust. As a pastor we take vows of secrecy and trust when our parishioners come and confide in us. We do that because we know the Bible teaches us there is freedom in confession. Don’t suffer alone when God can and will use others to help you through the struggle.
Well, it has been 6 weeks minus 2 days since I ate my last solid food, wow. I say wow not because I have done anything great. I say wow because as I sit here typing this, I am 40 pounds lighter. I am right where the medical charts say that I am at my most healthy weight. Regardless of the people who tell me I have lost too much and that I look dead and on and on and on. I feel like a new person. My body is cleansed, my heart is cleansed, and my soul is cleansed. I feel like a New Man. Thank you Lord.
We pride ourselves on our commitment to Christ and the truth is that few ever sacrifice anything for Christ. We eat until we are full and until we are literally overflowing and the end result is that we are fat and sluggish. I am not talking about literally fat or am I. In some instances I am, some people are genetically inclined to be larger than others. I have struggled with my weight forever while some people eat and never seem to gain an ounce. the fact is, I run 25 to 40 miles a week on average and still manage to gain weight. That is simply an eating problem. It is time we get honest. As a pastor I have to live what I preach or I have no authority to stand before my congregation and proclaim, “here is what God says.”
Enough of that. I plan to break my fast this evening with potato soup, it won’t take very much, my stomach has shrunk and my body is about to get a wake-up call. Tomorrow I plan to have a lite breakfast, something small for lunch and pasta and salad for dinner. By Saturday I may have a piece of flounder, if I feel up to it but no fries or anything like that. Then by Sunday I hope to be able to eat Mexican food. Hey, I have been planning this out. I have craved flounder, beef barbecue, french fries, burgers, and several other food items during this fast.
I plan to get started back on my running by Saturday. I will start slowly with a run/walk but I do plan to complete my traditional 6.3 mile course. It won’t be any problem. During the fast I have walked more than 40 miles and God has kept me strong. We must realize that God created us with bodies that will do so much more than we require of them. We must take care of ourselves physically so that we can be most effective spiritually and carry out the work God has given us to do here on this earth.
If you have questions feel free to ask, doesn’t matter what it is. I have been asked all kinds of questions and some that people have been embarrassed to ask but they did anyway, so ask whatever you like.
I thank God for this 40 day experience and I cannot wait to see the results through eternity. I am excited about 2012, more than ever before.
Ronnie
