Tag Archives: Fasting for Food

Daniel Fast – Day 3-6 – Finding the purpose

Isaiah 58 -THE FAST

Isaiah 58
:6 [Is] not this the fast that I have chosen? to loose the bands of wickedness, to undo the heavy burdens, and to let the oppressed go free, and that ye break every yoke?
:7 [Is it] not to deal thy bread to the hungry, and that thou bring the poor that are cast out to thy house? when thou seest the naked, that thou cover him; and that thou hide not thyself from thine own flesh?
:8 Then shall thy light break forth as the morning, and thine health shall spring forth speedily: and thy righteousness shall go before thee; the glory of the LORD shall be thy rereward.

This chapter goes back and forth with If this, THEN that….

:9b If you take away the yoke from your midst, the pointing of the finger, and speaking wickedness,
:a 10 if you pour yourself out for the hungry and satisfy the desire of the afflicted,

THEN

9a: Then you shall call, and the LORD will answer; you shall cry, and he will say, ‘Here I am.’
10b :10b then shall your light rise in the darkness and your gloom be as the noonday.

And such a promise!

Is 58:11 And the LORD will guide you continually
and
satisfy your desire in scorched places
and
make your bones strong;
and
you shall be like a watered garden, like a spring of water, whose waters do not fail.
:12 And
your ancient ruins shall be rebuilt;
(and)
you shall raise up the foundations of many generations;
(and)
you shall be called the repairer of the breach,
(and)
the restorer of streets to dwell in.

I am not taking this fast seriously…I’ve been treating it like a ‘NEW WAY TO EAT’
I ‘say’ I want to set the captives free – but do I do what it takes to be heard and taken seriously as an intercessor before the Lord?
I ‘say’ I want to stand in the gap – but do I do what it takes to do so?

I see the key in Is 58:3:
‘Why have we fasted, and you see it not? Why have we humbled ourselves, and you take no knowledge of it?’
Behold, in the day of your fast you seek your own pleasure, and oppress all your workers.

A Daniel fast is pretty easy, as far as fasting goes.
You can eat all the fruits and veggies and nuts you want!
No hunger pains….”not to hide yourself from your own flesh”

Matt 5:6 Blessed [are] they which do hunger and thirst after righteousness: for they shall be filled.

Do I HUNGER AND THRIST after righteousness? Can I even suffer a little discomfort in my flesh for my spirit to grow? With what do I want to be filled?
In the next chapter of Isaiah – the prophet says this:

Is 49:10 They shall not hunger nor thirst; neither shall the heat nor sun smite them: for he that hath mercy on them shall lead them, even by the springs of water shall he guide them.

What is the filling that I desire?
What is the comfort that I desire?
God promises this:

Is 49:8Thus saith the LORD, In an acceptable time have I heard thee, and in a day of salvation have I helped thee:
and
I will preserve thee,
and
give thee for a covenant of the people,
(and)
to establish the earth,
(and)
to cause to inherit the desolate heritages;
:9 That thou mayest say to the prisoners, Go forth; to them that [are] in darkness, Shew yourselves.
They shall feed in the ways, and their pastures [shall be] in all high places.

Is 49:13 Sing, O heavens; and be joyful, O earth;
and
break forth into singing, O mountains:
for the LORD hath comforted his people,
and
will have mercy upon his afflicted.

Committing to a Daniel fast is more than just changing my eating habits.
Committing to a Daniel fast is to be taken seriously.

Am I willing to give up pleasures to focus on the oppressed, those in bondage, those in need?
Am I willing to have a fasting mentality – focusing my whole life on the Lord God and HIS will and concerns?
Do I care enough about those in need, any need, to give up something that will cause me to look at MY FLESH and say “lay down and humble yourself before the mighty God”?

I am convicted – cut to the quick –
and
I pray that my heart, mind, and spirit will be prepared to join those participating in THE Daniel Fast – and Fasting for Food this year.
AND
I pray that I will have a heart that is so burdened with the causes of the oppressed – that it won’t be my diet that changes – but rather MY LIFE!
I love this Hymn – though it’s very hard to find it in an upbeat version!

FYI – I am not broadcasting this fast in order to obtain praise of men – I am sharing my journal to help others that may be participating in this fast.

Thanks for joining me in this journey,
In His hands and under His wings,
~Christi
Ps 63:7 Because you are my help, I sing in the shadow of your wings.

“The Lord does not give me rules, but He makes His standard very clear.
If my relationship to Him is that of love, I will do what He says without hesitation.
If I hesitate, it is because I love someone I have placed in competition with Him, namely, myself.” – from My Utmost for His highest

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Help a child in need. Check out Naomi’s Heart Mission or Compassion International. The life that changes will be your own!

DF – day 2 – Fair?

I am disabled right now, because I cannot get up and move around and make my own food for the Daniel Fast.

Most folks that are doing the fast are starting this coming Sunday – and are preparing this week. I didn’t get preparations made, because I was preparing for surgery. So, if I am ‘sacrificing’ food, shouldn’t I be the one sacrificing the time to prepare this special allowed food? Is it really a fair fast if I CAN’T choose to eat anything other than what I’m given?

I don’t know about that, but what I do know is that I am sitting here craving ice cream, wanting to make excuses for Jim to buy me some Wendy’s burgers so my leg will heal, and saying I’ve been through so much, I really should treat myself.

WAIT!!!
That is how I got to be 250 pounds…with weight bearing damage to my malformed ankles and knees.
That is how this temple of the Lord became inefficient in doing things FOR the Lord.
That is how my energy levels dropped, and diabetes took over, and blood work messed up.

Maybe the first part of this fast is to NOT mention my cravings…but to REALLY take them down, alone, me and GOD.
Maybe the first part of this fast is to SET THIS PERSON FREE from the bondage of all the cravings, so that I can be focused to pray for the freedom of others.

It’s worth thinking about!

Thanks for joining me in this journey,
In His hands and under His wings,
~Christi
Ps 63:7 Because you are my help, I sing in the shadow of your wings.

“The Lord does not give me rules, but He makes His standard very clear. If my relationship to Him is that of love, I will do what He says without hesitation. If I hesitate, it is because I love someone I have placed in competition with Him, namely, myself.” – from My Utmost for His highest

I’d love to hear what you think – please leave a comment!
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Naomi's Heart Mission

Help a child in need. Check out Naomi’s Heart Mission or Compassion International. The life that changes will be your own!

DF day 1 – New Year!

Today is a new day.
Today is the first day of the rest of my life.
Today I start the Daniel Fast.

Isaiah 58 – this is the fast
:6 [Is] not this the fast that I have chosen? to loose the bands of wickedness, to undo the heavy burdens, and to let the oppressed go free, and that ye break every yoke?
:7 [Is it] not to deal thy bread to the hungry, and that thou bring the poor that are cast out to thy house? when thou seest the naked, that thou cover him; and that thou hide not thyself from thine own flesh?
:8 Then shall thy light break forth as the morning, and thine health shall spring forth speedily: and thy righteousness shall go before thee; the glory of the LORD shall be thy rereward.

There is so much in this chapter….
I want to lose the bands of wickedness from off of my family…Jim, myself, and my children.
I want to undo the heavy burdens of familial sickness and wounds, and set the captives free!

And I want my light to break forth as the morning(by the morning star – Jesus), and my health to spring forth…and I want to walk in righteousness, and be rewarded by God’s glory!

I want this chapter of scripture to be released into my family and my life.

I need to review what came out of last year’s time of fasting…and seek the Lord to continue to move towards Christ likeness.

Strengthen me, O Lord, to glorify You in my body – to make this temple a place for You to dwell within.
Make me, a sanctuary

Thanks for joining me in this journey,
In His hands and under His wings,
~Christi
Ps 63:7 Because you are my help, I sing in the shadow of your wings.

“The Lord does not give me rules, but He makes His standard very clear. If my relationship to Him is that of love, I will do what He says without hesitation. If I hesitate, it is because I love someone I have placed in competition with Him, namely, myself.” – from My Utmost for His highest

I’d love to hear what you think – please leave a comment!
Or ‘like’ me!

Or follow me with the RSS feed.

Naomi's Heart Mission

Help a child in need. Check out Naomi’s Heart Mission or Compassion International. The life that changes will be your own!

The First 100 Days – Day 100 – what have I done?

Day 100

What were my goals?

100 days of moving challenge
100 days blog challenge
90 days Bible Reading
multiple T-Tapp challenges
40 days of Fasting For Food

What have I done?

I did complete the Fasting for Food – though I raised very little money for Compassion through that project.
I did not complete any T-Tapp challenges, because of vertigo issues – though this did separate the vertigo issues from everything else.
I did not complete the 90 days Bible Reading – though I read parts of my Bible I had never really ‘read’ before, and I did read more in the first 100 days because of this challenge.
As obvious by the lack of blog posts, I did not complete the 100 blog challenge, though the eye problems from the vertigo were clarified because of my difficulty at the computer screen.
I did not complete the 100 days of moving challenge – though because of it, I am now able to walk more than a 5k (3.2 miles) in a little over an hour, and I am able to start handling stairs. This has prepared me for my trip to Germany.

While the goal of a challenge is to complete it, I’m not sure that is what God’s requirement is. Yes, we are to be like Paul:

Phil 3:14 I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus.

I just don’t think that God means that we are to arrive there in our lifetime. I’m not sure it’s possible.
What kept me from completing my challenges? Trials, to be sure, but more honestly, temptations to do otherwise.

James 1:12 Blessed [is] the man that endureth temptation: for when he is tried, he shall receive the crown of life, which the Lord hath promised to them that love him.

I did not choose to move when I could…and, honestly, if I could move to go to the bathroom or put something in my mouth, I could have moved for 10 minutes!
I did not choose to read the Bible or to listen to the Bible being read when I was too dizzy to focus… and honestly, I watched a lot of stupid TV while I sat trying to stay upright.
I did not choose to write short blogs, to share my experiences (which would have caused me to do some Bible study as well)…but I did keep up with email.

See, I can make excuses for not completing my challenges.

I know that God does not grant me salvation based on how good I do in challenges(THANK YOU JESUS!).
But I KNOW that I did not give my all to these challenges.
I KNOW that I treated my flesh before honoring God’s Spirit.

James 4:17 Therefore to him that knoweth to do good, and doeth [it] not, to him it is sin.

So, for me, there has been sin.
Thankfully, for me, Jesus takes care of that for me when I confess my sins. He is faithful to forgive me of my sins(Thank you LORD!) (1 John 2:1-2 with 1 John 1:9)
Thankfully, there is no condemnation!

Rom 8:1 [There is] therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit.

And the last two qualifiers are what lead me to my next goal…
walk NOT after the flesh, BUT AFTER THE SPIRIT!

When Jesus forgave the woman caught in adultery, he said: “Go, and sin no more.” (John 8:11)

I will be setting new goals for the next 100 days, and I will be trying to walk in the Spirit (Gal 5:25).

AND, I will continue to confess my sins, I owe that to my Savior.

James 5:16 Confess [your] faults one to another, and pray one for another, that ye may be healed. The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much.

And, through James, I have a promise:

James 5:15 And the prayer of faith shall save the sick, and the Lord shall raise him up; and if he have committed sins, they shall be forgiven him.

I will be working on a new signature set of challenges…but until then,
Thank you for joining me in this journey!

In His hands and under His wings,
~Christi

The First 100 days – day 29 – keep your vows

Today is Saturday, January 29, 2011.

On January 1, 2011, I committed to writing a blog every day for 100 days.

Some would think that was a walk in the park for me…because I seem to have so much to say…but, on the other hand, I have spent the last 20 years having trouble walking in the park!

Actually, it didn’t have anything to do with ability, or things to say…it had everything to do with —————————–> timing.

So, to whom did I make this commitment? To myself, of course. And I am totally familiar with disappointing myself…so I’m not really a good accountability partner for myself.

To Jim, because I love him so much I’m going to write 100 blogs? exercise 30 minutes a day for 100 days? Read the Bible in 90 days? Well, that doesn’t really fit, and everyone knows that committing to losing weight for someone else doesn’t fit here, either.

Seriously, when I make a commitment, it’s to God. I wouldn’t use the term VOW…because then, I’d really be responsible to fulfill the commitment!

I recently posted this definition in a blog, Commitment Day.

From Dictionary.com –

commitment – noun

the act of committing
the state of being committed.
the act of committing, pledging, or engaging oneself.
a pledge or promise; obligation:
engagement; involvement:
perpetration or commission, as of a crime.
consignment, as to prison.
confinement to a mental institution or hospital:
an order, as by a court or judge, confining a person to a mental institution or hospital.

I really don’t understand where these dictionary people went to school. I was never allowed to use the word in the definition…DUH! But for good measure, here is the definition of commit:

–verb (used with object)

to give in trust or charge; consign.
to consign for preservation: to commit ideas to writing; to commit a poem to memory.
to pledge (oneself) to a position on an issue or question; express (one’s intention, feeling, etc.): Asked if he was a candidate, he refused to commit himself.
to bind or obligate, as by pledge or assurance; pledge: to commit oneself to a promise; to be committed to a course of action.
to entrust, esp. for safekeeping; commend: to commit one’s soul to god.

I still don’t see the word: VOW

From Thesarus.com:

Commit:

Part of speech – verb
Definition – perform an action
Synonyms: accomplish, achieve, act, carry out, complete, contravene, do, effectuate, enact, execute, go for broke, go in for, go out for, offend, perpetrate, pull, pull off, scandalize, sin, transgress, trespass, violate, wreak
Antonyms : cease, desist, end, idle, loaf, rest, stop, wait.

Just for good measure…what does VOW mean?

a solemn promise, pledge, or personal commitment: marriage vows; a vow of secrecy.
a solemn promise made to a deity or saint committing oneself to an act, service, or condition.
a solemn or earnest declaration.

Commit means – a pledge or a promise

Vow means a SOLEMN promise or pledge.

The Bible says:

Ps 22:25 My praise [shall be] of thee in the great congregation: I will pay my vows before them that fear him.

Ps 50:14-15 Offer unto God thanksgiving; and pay thy vows unto the most High: And call upon me in the day of trouble: I will deliver thee, and thou shalt glorify me.

Ps 66:13-14 I will go into thy house with burnt offerings: I will pay thee my vows, I will go into thy house with burnt offerings: I will pay thee my vows,

Ps 116:12-14 What shall I render unto the LORD [for] all his benefits toward me? I will take the cup of salvation, and call upon the name of the LORD. I will pay my vows unto the LORD now in the presence of all his people.

and also Ps 61:5 & 8

Moses really explained the importance of keeping vows in Numbers 30.

Deut 12 includes the vows as part of the offerings, sacrifices and such brought to the altar. It happens to come after:

Deut 12:1 These [are] the statutes and judgments, which ye shall observe to do in the land, which the LORD God of thy fathers giveth thee to possess it, all the days that ye live upon the earth.

Deut 12:6 there bring your burnt offerings and sacrifices, your tithes and special gifts, what you have vowed to give and your freewill offerings, and the firstborn of your herds and flocks.

Deut 12:7 There, in the presence of the LORD your God, you and your families shall eat and shall rejoice in everything you have put your hand to, because the LORD your God has blessed you.

Paying vows to the Lord IS part of worship and sacrifice. IT’S SERIOUS BUSINESS!!! That’s why I don’t want to think of my commitments as vows…because then, I need to give account to the Lord for my actions. And I have to see it as part of the sacrifice of praise at worship(Heb 13:15). Hmmmmmm. That sounds like semantics!

Matthew 5:33-36 Again, ye have heard that it hath been said by them of old time, Thou shalt not forswear thyself, but shalt perform unto the Lord thine oaths: But I say unto you, Swear not at all; neither by heaven; for it is God’s throne: Nor by the earth; for it is his footstool: neither by Jerusalem; for it is the city of the great King. Neither shalt thou swear by thy head, because thou canst not make one hair white or black.

Matt 5:37 But let your communication be, Yea, yea; Nay, nay: for whatsoever is more than these cometh of evil.

The word ‘oaths’ is the greek word horkos, Strongs G3727.

1) that which has been pledged or promised with an oath

James 5:12 But above all things, my brethren, swear not, neither by heaven, neither by the earth, neither by any other oath: but let your yea be yea; and [your] nay, nay; lest ye fall into condemnation.

This verse, by Jesus’ brother, explains “falling into condemnation” is the consequence that ‘comes from evil’ brings into a life. I’m all for escaping condemnation! The Bible is FULL of examples about how to escape condemnation, but here’s one:

Ps 15:1 LORD, who shall abide in thy tabernacle? who shall dwell in thy holy hill?

Ps 15:2 He that walketh uprightly, and worketh righteousness, and speaketh the truth in his heart.

Ps 15:3 [He that] backbiteth not with his tongue, nor doeth evil to his neighbour, nor taketh up a reproach against his neighbour.

Ps 15:4 In whose eyes a vile person is contemned; but he honoureth them that fear the LORD. [He that] sweareth to [his own] hurt, and changeth not.

Ps 15:5 [He that] putteth not out his money to usury, nor taketh reward against the innocent. He that doeth these [things] shall never be moved.

‘Shall never be moved’…that is an AWESOME promise. Wait…promise…God gave us a promise!

Do I want God to keep his promises, commitments, vows or oaths to me? DUH!!!

I want Deuteronomy 28 to be true…

Gal 3:16 Now to Abraham and his seed were the promises made. He saith not, And to seeds, as of many; but as of one, And to thy seed, which is Christ.

Of course, I have a responsibility…

Heb 6:12 That ye be not slothful, but followers of them who through faith and patience inherit the promises.

And I am to have faith in HIS promises:….Just read through Heb 11.

Heb 11:33 Who through faith subdued kingdoms, wrought righteousness, obtained promises, stopped the mouths of lions,

I want to obtain God’s promises…..

Phil 1:6 ESV And I am sure of this, that he who began a good work in you will bring it to completion at the day of Jesus Christ.

Heb 12:2 Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of [our] faith; who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God.

Here is a promise:

1 Cor 1:7-8 NLT Now you have every spiritual gift you need as you eagerly wait for the return of our Lord Jesus Christ. (8) He will keep you strong right up to the end, and he will keep you free from all blame on the great day when our Lord Jesus Christ returns.

verse 8, in ESV says who will sustain you to the end, guiltless in the day of our Lord Jesus Christ.

verse 8, in KJV says Who shall also confirm you unto the end, [that ye may be] blameless in the day of our Lord Jesus Christ.

verse 8, in NIV says He will keep you strong to the end, so that you will be blameless on the day of our Lord Jesus Christ.

God promises to sustain, confirm, keep strong, free from all blame, and guiltless – WOW!

1 Cor 1:9NLT God will surely do this for you, for he always does just what he says, and he is the one who invited you into this wonderful friendship with his Son, Jesus Christ our Lord.

(In case you do not like the New Living Translation, here it is in KJV; NIV & ESV)

What do we know about God?

Numb 23:19 God [is] not a man, that he should lie; neither the son of man, that he should repent: hath he said, and shall he not do [it]? or hath he spoken, and shall he not make it good?

This passage makes a difference between doing what he says and lying. If one doesn’t do what they say, they are lying. Let your yes be YES and your no be NO WAY!

God makes promises, and keeps them. He is faithful to His vows, for good and bad. And what He says, He does. His word is His bond, and it is followed by action. So it should be with us.

Col 3:23-25

A COMMAND (23)”And whatsoever ye do, do [it] heartily, as to the Lord, and not unto men;”
A PROMISE – (24)”Knowing that of the Lord ye shall receive the reward of the inheritance: for ye serve the Lord Christ.”
AND A WARNING -(25) “But he that doeth wrong shall receive for the wrong which he hath done: and there is no respect of persons.”

How does keeping your commitments, promises, oaths, VOWS…keep you from evil, or condemnation?

First – it prevents you from all the consequences of lying, and being a liar. Since God was serious enough about lying to put it into the 10 commandments, it’s something to seriously consider.

Gen 4:7 If thou doest well, shalt thou not be accepted? and if thou doest not well, sin lieth at the door. And unto thee [shall be] his desire, and thou shalt rule over him.

We KNOW in our hearts when we are not right with God….

1 John 3:21-22 Beloved, if our heart condemn us not, [then] have we confidence toward God. And whatsoever we ask, we receive of him, because we keep his commandments, and do those things that are pleasing in his sight.

I KNOW I want to KNOW that my prayers will be answered! The consequence of sin is that our prayers are hindered. That’s a tough consequence to not keeping your oaths.

Second – It makes us faithful to HIM. We can trust HIM because HE is faithful. Remember the story about the servants, in Matthew 25? The faithful ones heard this:

Matt 25:23 Well done, good and faithful servant; thou hast been faithful over a few things, I will make thee ruler over many things: enter thou into the joy of thy lord.

The wicked, unfaithful one heard this:

Matt 25:26 [Thou] wicked and slothful servant, thou knewest that I reap where I sowed not, and gather where I have not strawed:

Matt 25:30 And cast ye the unprofitable servant into outer darkness: there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth.

We need to be faithful servants, to the best of our ability. And even doing what is asked is only what is asked of us.

Luke 17:10ESV So you also, when you have done all that you were commanded, say, ‘We are unworthy servants; [fn] we have only done what was our duty.'”

Third – We are ambassadors of Christ. We need to REPRESENT. We are the only Jesus that some people may ever see – so what does OUR faithfulness to our promises say about God’s faithfulness to HIS promises?

Col 3:17 And whatsoever ye do in word or deed, [do] all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God and the Father by him.

Our Word needs to be followed up by action:

1 John 3:19 My little children, let us not love in word, neither in tongue; but in deed and in truth.

I started this out with my struggle with what I have committed to do this year. I realize, when I make a commitment to God, to Jim, to me, I am making a vow. And a vow is a very serious thing.

Breaking a vow, breaking a promise = lying in God’s economy.

Rom 13:8 Owe no man any thing, but to love one another: for he that loveth another hath fulfilled the law.

Owe and oath sound like they are very similar. If I give an oath to do or pay for something….I OWE that person whatever I gave an oath to. Let my YES be YES, and my NO be NO. OWE no man anything.

Vows are serious business. If there is any question left, one must consider a couple of foolish vows given:

King Saul and his son Jonathan:1 Samuel 14-15

Jephthah’s daughter: Judges 11

And yet, the greatest vow given, was given to Adam and Eve, right after they sinned:

Gen 3:15 And I will put enmity between thee and the woman, and between thy seed and her seed; it shall bruise thy head, and thou shalt bruise his heel.

God made a vow, to us, that He would provide a deliverer. When Christ was born, lived, died and resurrected to sit on the right hand of God to intercede for us…God fulfilled His vow.

God asked Abraham to sacrifice his son…and Abraham immediately obeyed. And then, God provided the sacrifice for both of them.

God kept His vow…His oath…His promise…His commitment. It came at a VERY high cost. But He kept His WORD.

Therefore – so should we keep our word also! So should I keep my word, also. It’s my daily worship!

Ps 22:25 NLT I will praise you among all the people; I will fulfill my vows in the presence of those who worship you.

Heb 13:15 NLT Through Jesus, therefore, let us continually offer to God a sacrifice of praise—the fruit of lips that confess his name.

{Oh no – here’s another long study…the fruit of my lips…they are supposed to be sweet…how can blessing and cursing come from the same mouth (James 3:10), good and evil from the same tree(Mat 7:15 ; 12:33), good and evil treasure from the same heart (Matt 12:35), or sweet and bitter water from the same spring( James 3:11-12)? My mouth is supposed to show forth the praises of God…that is what my mouth was created for. So, my words, my commitments, my promises, my oaths, my VOWS are very important between ME and GOD!

Matt 12:36-37 But I say unto you, That every idle word that men shall speak, they shall give account thereof in the day of judgment. For by thy words thou shalt be justified, and by thy words thou shalt be condemned.

When I face the Lord, face to face, in HIS presence of Glory – what words do I want to give account for? I really do need to think before I speak – in my heart or out loud(because Jesus does know the thoughts of our hearts). I need to think – “do I want to give Jesus an accounting for what I’m about to say? Do I want to see His face, when he reads back that nasty stuff I said about Jim? Do I want to be in front of Him when He asks me about the commitment to ….well, anything?” If I don’t want to explain it to Him, face to face…I ought not be doing it. But that is another blog!}

By offering up this sacrificial commitment in praise – I obtain another promise:

2 Peter 1:4 Whereby are given unto us exceeding great and precious promises: that by these ye might be partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust.

Partaking of the DIVINE nature…THAT is the new creation, we escape the corruption of the world.

Rom 8:1-2 [There is] therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit. For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus hath made me free from the law of sin and death.

The way to avoid condemnation is to be a new creation, partaking of the divine nature, and walking NOT after the flesh, but after the Spirit.

The fruit of the Spirit – Gal 5:22-26 & Eph 5:8-14

The fruit of Righteousness – Heb 12:11 & James 3:18

And if our hearts condemn us not we may ASK what we will and it will be given us.

Ps 19:14 Let the words of my mouth, and the meditation of my heart, be acceptable in thy sight, O LORD, my strength, and my redeemer.

That is the bottom line for me. I want everything I do to be acceptable in the sight of the Lord. If I make a promise – I promise to the Lord. If I make a commitment – I commit to the Lord. If I make and oath or vow – I do so as unto the Lord. And before I do so, I need my heart in right relationship, so that it will be pleasing to the Lord.

That right relationship is so easy, and yet, so hard.

2 Chr 7:14 If my people, which are called by my name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways; then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land.

1 John 1:9 If we confess our sins, HE is faithful and just to forgive us [our] sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.

Now unto Him that is able to keep you from falling, and to present you faultless before the presence of His glory, To the only wise God our Savior, be glory and majesty, dominion and power, both now and ever. Amen. Jude 24-25

We can only do it through Christ Jesus! and Praise God that HE had a plan, He committed to the plan, and HE acted on the plan to fulfill the plan!

My commitments for this year are good ones. But they are commitments to the Lord, therefore, when I feel like quitting, I need to be ready to tell the Lord, sorry, I can’t keep my promise to you.

On the other hand, if I have made some foolish vows..all I have to do is humble myself….

James 4:10 Humble yourselves in the sight of the Lord, and he shall lift you up.

When coming before the Lord for repentance, James 4:7-10 is a very good passage to keep in mind! Psalm 51 is great, as well. What a peace to know that even though I WILL mess up – HE is faithful that called me. In all things, I need to desire to be faithful to Him.

author note: the comment button is after sharing buttons, I’d love to hear what you think – please leave a comment! Or follow me with the RSS feed.

Thanks for joining me in this journey,

In His hands and under His wings,

~Christi

Ps 63:7 Because you are my help, I sing in the shadow of your wings.

100 days moving challenge – day 30 -my goal, walk 30 minutes.
100 days challenge- blog – check
90 days Bible Reading – 2 Kings, going into 1 Chronicles
50 days T-Tapp – day 30 – check
30 days – T-Tapp January Jumpstart- day 3 “Play Day”

The First 100 days – day 23- burn that fat

Since this Fasting-For-Food project, I’ve been enlightened a bit about my eating habits. I’ve been enlightened a whole bunch!

Exodus.

Captivity. Slavery. Bondage.

It just kind of happened.

First, everyone loved Joseph…then, generations forgot Joseph…and then, “why are we bein’ so nice to these people?”

First, I just ate…it felt good, it never argued, and, with fast food, it was always there!!!!

Why didn’t the Israelites just get up and say “No More”, and walk out of Goshen? Why didn’t they just quit taken’ the stuff…and just leave?

Why don’t I just get up from the table and say “No More?” Why don’t I just stop eatin’ the stuff that’s killin’ me?

Captivity. Slavery. Bondage.

I have been held captive by food ads.

Seeing that Wendy commercial,

I can taste the fries! (side note – the new ones just aren’t as addicting to me…but then, I’ve eaten them anyway.)

THIS USED TO BE A HUGE PROBLEM!!!!!!! Well, true confessions, it still is.

The thing is…sugar, caffeine, chocolate, ice cream, french fries, Mike-Sell’s Potato Chips……

Yeah, a bag of Mike Sells, a tub of bacon cheese dip, a 2 liter of some diet pop….to make up for the calories of course…and I was in fat heaven! Comfort Food Chaos!

These are my issues. These are my food idols. These have held me captive.

Writing about this now, having not eaten any of these for 23 days, I can taste the banana split, I can smell the potato chips…and I am struggling to say NO – even though they aren’t even here!

I am 130 pounds overweight – at least. That’s the weight of a normal sized woman of 5’2″ stature. I cannot move like a 120 pound woman. That’s right, I’m over 100% excess person.

Here's my fat face!

Me at a campground with Gabriel

Sitting on the beach wall at Lake Livingston, TX

As is obvious, I need some help. I am trapped by my ‘addiction’ to my ‘idols’.

~it is now January 30, and I have since eaten a banana split, and pancakes for the sake of research. I even went to Wendy’s, but I could not bring myself to eat the french fries…so, I ate the salad!

I have suffered with health issues, because of the food I eat.

About.com has an article about how diet and disease correlate in a few cases. What does your doctor say when you have a major issue? Stop the high sweets, caffeine, fatty foods and eat more fruits and veggies.

MedicineNet.com has an article, Healthy Diet for Disease Prevention, about what foods TO eat for Healthy Living.

If we consider disease as a path to death, and health as a path to wellness and living life…then fat, high cholesterol, high blood pressure, and diabetes type 2 are all consequences of choosing ‘death’ in our food.

CHOOSE LIFE!

Deut 30:19 I call heaven and earth to record this day against you, [that] I have set before you life and death, blessing and cursing: therefore choose life, that both thou and thy seed may live:

Deut 30:20 That thou mayest love the LORD thy God, [and] that thou mayest obey his voice, and that thou mayest cleave unto him: for he [is] thy life, and the length of thy days: that thou mayest dwell in the land which the LORD sware unto thy fathers, to Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob, to give them.

The Bible does have a few things to say about what we eat….not just the legalistic following of the Jewish Kosher Diet.

The first thing – is fasting.

Deut 29:5-6 And I have led you forty years in the wilderness: your clothes are not waxen old upon you, and thy shoe is not waxen old upon thy foot. Ye have not eaten bread, neither have ye drunk wine or strong drink: that ye might know that I [am] the LORD your God.

Part of the Israelites’ process in the wilderness was not eating bread nor drinking alcohol. It was part of knowing that God was their LORD.

Isaiah talks about reasons for fasting:

Is 58:5 NIV Is this the kind of fast I have chosen, only a day for a man to humble himself? Is it only for bowing one’s head like a reed and for lying on sackcloth and ashes? Is that what you call a fast, a day acceptable to the LORD?

Is 58:6 “Is not this the kind of fasting I have chosen: to loose the chains of injustice and untie the cords of the yoke, to set the oppressed free and break every yoke?

Is 58:7 Is it not to share your food with the hungry and to provide the poor wanderer with shelter— when you see the naked, to clothe him, and not to turn away from your own flesh and blood?

God doesn’t want fasting for fasting sake…but there is a promise for fasting to set the oppressed free…and break every yoke. Consider fasting as part of your sacrifice to God. There are many studies about it’s benefit…one is The Daniel Fast.

That brings me to a variation on fasting, the Daniel Fast, taken from Daniel 1, where Daniel refused to eat anything other than plant based foods, and water.

This book, The Genesis Diet, by Gordon Tessler, explains a lot about the types of food from the garden.

BUT HEAR THIS!!!! After the flood – God gave MEAT to man to eat!!!! Genesis 9

Romans 14 & 1 Corinthian 8 handles many of the discussions about what to eat.

And if anyone tells you that you should NOT eat meat…it is a doctrine of a demon! 1 Tim 4:1-5

1 Tim 4:1 -2 Now the Spirit speaketh expressly, that in the latter times some shall depart from the faith, giving heed to seducing spirits, and doctrines of devils; Speaking lies in hypocrisy; having their conscience seared with a hot iron;

1 Tim 4:3-5 Forbidding to marry, [and commanding] to abstain from meats, which God hath created to be received with thanksgiving of them which believe and know the truth. For every creature of God [is] good, and nothing to be refused, if it be received with thanksgiving: For it is sanctified by the word of God and prayer.

My point, in all of this, is that God is interested in what we eat. And it IS between US and God…

Rom 14:5 Let every man be fully persuaded in his own mind. with

Rom 14:19 Let us therefore follow after the things which make for peace, and things wherewith one may edify another.

It is IMPORTANT, because we are putting it into HIS temple – because WE are the temple of the Holy Spirit!

1 Cor 3:16 – 17 Know ye not that ye are the temple of God, and [that] the Spirit of God dwelleth in you? If any man defile the temple of God, him shall God destroy; for the temple of God is holy, which [temple] ye are.

I admit, I’m in an Egypt of eating, I have idols of food, I have addictions to additives. I confess that I am the temple of the Holy Ghost, and that I want the Godhead to dwell in me fully! And I have read how carefully crafted the temple items were made that were put into the Tabernacle and Temple. I admit, I do not take that much care, nor do I take care of myself as if I AM the temple of the Almighty God.

Exodus

Captivity. Slavery. Bondage. IDOLATRY.

It just kind of happened.

But what do I do now?

2 Cor 6:16 And what agreement hath the temple of God with idols? for ye are the temple of the living God; as God hath said, I will dwell in them, and walk in [them]; and I will be their God, and they shall be my people.

2 Cor 6:17-18 Wherefore come out from among them, and be ye separate, saith the Lord, and touch not the unclean [thing]; and I will receive you, And will be a Father unto you, and ye shall be my sons and daughters, saith the Lord Almighty.

Glutton is sin. It is one of the most accepted, if not THE most accepted sin in the church today. God commands me to put off sin…tear down the strongholds and high places and go no more to them. For me…that means….Wendy’s. Yes – I’ve said it. That means to NOT start up the Steak-n-Shake habit again. No more drive through Cinnabon Pecan messes. BECAUSE they pull me down a path I do not want to go!

Pr 23: 2-3 And put a knife to thy throat, if thou [be] a man given to appetite. Be not desirous of his dainties: for they [are] deceitful meat.

Remember the verse – let every man be persuaded in their own mind. I have no problem passing cigarette displays. I have no problem passing Captain Morgan or a Budwieser Poster. I do have a problem passing the apple pie at Krogers!

My definition of idol is anything that comes between ME and God. I am going to have to adjust it.

Idol: Anything that comes between me and God, or hinders my ability to be ready when God calls me.

Idolotry: choosing anything over what God has asked of me.

Ps 106:36 And they served their idols: which were a snare unto them.

1 Sam 15:23 For rebellion [is as] the sin of witchcraft, and stubbornness [is as] iniquity and idolatry. Because thou hast rejected the word of the LORD, he hath also rejected thee….

But with confession, with repentance, comes forgiveness.

Ezekiel 36:25-27 Then will I sprinkle clean water upon you, and ye shall be clean: from all your filthiness, and from all your idols, will I cleanse you. A new heart also will I give you, and a new spirit will I put within you: and I will take away the stony heart out of your flesh, and I will give you an heart of flesh. And I will put my spirit within you, and cause you to walk in my statutes, and ye shall keep my judgments, and do [them].

My life is a living sacrifice to God. I do not know why I thought eating didn’t have anything to do with it! The great thing about God, through His Son, Jesus Christ, is that HE loves me enough to continue to call me further on and further in!

Thanks for joining me in this journey,

In His hands and under His wings,

~Christi

Ps 63:7 Because you are my help, I sing in the shadow of your wings.

I’d love to hear what you think – please leave a comment! Or ‘like’ me! Or follow me with the RSS feed.

The Story of Daniel(day 22)

This is the photo journal of a child from Compassion.

Just $38 a month changes their lives, but it also changes their family’s life. Add a little bit extra for a birthday or Christmas, and it changes everything!

I have completed the Fasting For Food event. Please consider sponsoring me, at $1 a day – to help children like Daniel.

Daniel lives in Uganda. He lives with his mother and siblings. Life is not easy in Uganda. But when I saw this boy, born on the same date as our son Stephen, I lost my heart.

Our first photo of Daniel - at just 5 years old

He just had this cute little face, and I just wanted to pick him up and read to him.

The next best thing was to sponsor him.

Our first letter says:

“Engaro and his family send you warm and lovely greetings in Jesus’ name. They also thank God the caring heart he has given you which enables you to share the Joy of the Lord with them.”

Our first look at Daniel's family

In this photo, we got to ‘meet’ Daniel’s family. The one in the middle is his mom, Hilda. As far as I can figure, the baby is Robinna, his little sister.

As I look back on this photo, Hilda looks so worn…so tired, so harsh.

If my heart was taken by Daniel, now I added Robinna to my prayers.

Christmas, 2008 - I think it's marked wrong

Here we learned that Daniel has three sisters. The tallest is Agnes.

I marked the photo wrong, as I later learned…and the little one is Robinna, and the one Daniel’s height is Luuky.

It is difficult to gather detailed information, as I have to trust the translator to write on the back of the photos in a manner that I will understand! Like, no one puts dates on the photos! It just adds to the treasure and adventure of sponsoring a child through Compassion.

Daniel and his mother - Spring of 2009.

This photo was to show us the clothing that they were able to purchase with a small gift.

It is amazing how quickly Daniel grew…just a pennies over a dollar a day and, he is sprouting up like a weed! Before sponsorship, he had not attended school. Now he is in Kindergarten.

One of the great things about Compassion is that they do not limit your contact with the child. So, we went on a trip, and I sent postcards.

Our first family gift - they were able to aquire a goat!

When we were able to send extra, we did.

This time, when we sent a little extra, they were able to aquire a goat.

In Uganda, a goat changes the standing of the family, as well as gives them an opportunity to create a business.

This is the first time we saw a photo of Daniel’s father.

We had sent photos of us in the large snow in Ohio. Daniel’s response was “How can a man live in snow(ice)?” Of course, they never have snow or rarely ice. He writes ” I thank God for keeping me alive.” Wow. That’s basic faith.

Our next photo

Look at how much Daniel grew….

This is somewhere between October 2008 and 2009.

Not all centers are able to produce the photos that we’ve gotten from Daniel – but Compassion does provide photos on a regular basis, such as this. It even came with wallets, and book markers to share with others.

Daniel's 6th Birthday

Daniel was not able to purchase a cake, but this is some sort of sandwiches, which they ceremonially ‘sliced’ for his birthday photo.

Daniel's 6th Birthday Party, October 2009

For his birthday, he was able to have neighbors and cousins come and celebrate.

The woman in white is Hilda, Daniel’s mom. The woman in blue, is Daniel’s sister – Jessica.

There are six children in Daniel’s family.

Daniel's Christmas 2009

With the Christmas gift we sent…and it’s not a lot….Daniel’s family was able to acquire a SECOND GOAT!

Now they can really make a difference!

In Uganda, as in America, clothing denotes social status. Of course, the need for clothing is universal.

This photo was taken on a rainy day, and the center apologized for the photo, but I think they all look beautiful!

New clothing from fabric purchased

This next photo just broke our hearts with joy…amazement about how little can change a family’s lives.

A Cow....and the goats have a kid!

If seeing the cow, and the kid, and the prospering goats isn’t enough to make you smile…look at Hilda’s face! All three of the children, Luuky(Lucy), Robinna, and Daniel, have all grown so much in 2 years! Sponsoring Daniel has helped all his sisters, his mom, cousins, and the community! AND he gets to hear the Word of the Lord! They all participate in the church at the center!

Daniel's 7th Birthday Party

In the letter that came with this photo, it says:

“From the gift you last sent, Daniel bought a new pair of shoes, food and drinks for the family to celebrate his birthday. He also bought a birthday cake and attached to this letter is a photo of the family as they joined Daniel in cutting the cake.”

Daniel has struggled a bit with school…but has consistently been passed to the next level. As of November, 2010, Daniel is in P1, or first grade.

Here is a video, not of Daniel, but of an hispanic family that shares how being sponsored…and only ONE child from a family is sponsored, can change a WHOLE family…and maybe, even the world.

In Uganda, as in America, clothing denotes social status. Of course, the need for clothing is universal.

Please, consider sponsoring me, through the Fasting for Food project.

Or better yet – consider sponsoring a child, and their family, through Compassion.

Mark 9:41For whosoever shall give you a cup of water to drink in my name, because ye belong to Christ, verily I say unto you, he shall not lose his reward.

James 1:27 Pure religion and undefiled before God and the Father is this, To visit the fatherless and widows in their affliction, [and] to keep himself unspotted from the world.

Please, if not one of these two ways, find a way to give.

Acts 20:35 I have shewed you all things, how that so labouring ye ought to support the weak, and to remember the words of the Lord Jesus, how he said, It is more blessed to give than to receive.

And if you are one that is enjoying the blessings of giving to a child…please share your story here!

Thanks for joining me in this journey,

In His hands and under His wings,

~Christi

Ps 63:7 Because you are my help, I sing in the shadow of your wings.

100 days challenge – moving – check my goal, walk 30 minutes.
100 days challenge- blog – check(day late)
90 days Bible Reading – I’m on 1 Samuel
50 days T-Tapp – check
21 days Fasting for Food – completed!

The First 100 Days – day 19 – at a loss for words

As my friends know, I’m rarely at a loss for words.

As my closer friends know, I’m rarely at a loss for words to speak about the Lord and what He has done in my life.

Today – I’m at a loss for words. When I think of what God has done in just a short year…to enlarge the borders of my tent with mobility, strength and energy…I am at a loss for words.

I am blessed by all that the Lord has done. He has made this lame woman walk ‘on the water’, by the water, on the sand.

These photos are not so good…but this is my praise dance in the water, on the beach at Galveston:

So, here I am, thrilled that I could walk long enough to get a blister.

So, here I am, thankful that my Heavenly Father has a plan for me.

I may love to walk in sand, but my feet are planted on the Solid Rock.

I hope yours are too.

Thanks for joining me in this journey,

In His hands and under His wings,

~Christi

Ps 63:7 Because you are my help, I sing in the shadow of your wings.

100 days challenge – moving – check
100 days challenge- blog – check
90 days Bible Reading – I’m still in Joshua – behind a book
50 days T-Tapp – check – SATI walking for 30 minutes
21 days Fasting for Food – check – 2 more days!

The First 100 Days – day 11 – I want to be like Mike!

Do you remember the commercials years ago where everyone wanted to be like Michael Jordan?
The Original:

The Remix:

Ok, what does that have to do with the Bible? Or a 50 year old, 5’2″, 250 pound me?
This quote:

I’ve missed more than 9000 shots in my career. I’ve lost almost 300 games. 26 times, I’ve been trusted to take the game winning shot and missed. I’ve failed over and over and over again in my life. And that is why I succeed. ~Michael Jordan

or this quote:

If you’re trying to achieve, there will be roadblocks. I’ve had them; everybody has had them. But obstacles don’t have to stop you. If you run into a wall, don’t turn around and give up. Figure out how to climb it, go through it, or work around it. ~Michael Jordan

Michael was looked over in his sophomore year for basketball. He was 5’11’ and deemed too short to play.(Wikipedia) He eventually grew to 6’6″.

I’ve read that he spent hours practicing foul shots. I can’t find that right now, but the point is, Michael Jordan is what he is because of talent AND tough practice. And he was practicing before anyone even though the was good enough.

Real sports practices are tough. Just ask any football player doing “three-a-day’s” in August heat! My husband says they come home beat…then turn around and go back. Why? Because they want to be the best.

I know the girls I coached in soccer didn’t like the running around the fields, after school…even in the cold and wet. But it paid off in our 1-8 record! Ok, so I was given the unwanted team, the under-dogs, under trained, under provided for, and made fun of at every game. We won our last game…against the top team. Why? Because we practiced. We trained. We talked soccer before the game, during the game, after the game, and of course, at practices. Those girls were never so happy, as when they were jumping up and down, on that cold day, having won, their one and only game. Priceless. No one grew up to be a Mia Hamm, but I pray that victory stayed with those girls forever.

Exodus 31:1-5 Then the Lord said to Moses, “See, I have chosen Bezalel son of Uri, the son of Hur, of the tribe of Judah, and I have filled him with the Spirit of God, with skill, ability and knowledge in all kinds of crafts–to make artistic designs for work in gold, silver and bronze, to cut and set stones, to work in wood, and to engage in all kinds of craftsmanship.

God chose someone – filled them with the Spirit of God – to be creative, to have talent.

Ex 31:6 Moreover, I have appointed Oholiab son of Ahisamach, of the tribe of Dan, to help him. Also I have given skill to all the craftsmen to make everything I have commanded you:

KJV says it this way: And I, behold, I have given with him Aholiab, the son of Ahisamach, of the tribe of Dan: and in the hearts of all that are wise hearted I have put wisdom, that they may make all that I have commanded thee;

Then Moses went back and said – Hey Bez and Aholiab…God says you know what you’re doing, so you’re gonna oversee and build all the stuff for the Holiest place on earth!(Ex 35:30-35)

Who, ME? God called me out by name?Um, people have died when He called out their names!

The creative force upon the water in Gen 1:2 was poured out upon men.

Ex 36:2(NIV) says this Then Moses summoned Bezalel and Oholiab and every skilled person to whom the Lord had given ability and who was willing to come and do the work.

God even included those that were willing to do the work….just hold that thought.

God put within Bezaleel and Oholiab(Aholiab) special wisdom by His Spirit to be able to do special tasks for HIS Kingdom. Skills, ability and knowledge have been placed within these two for the glory of God. But where had they been practicing these skills? In Egypt!

Matthew Henry doesn’t believe that any Israelites would have been used to perform this special work in Egypt…so, therefore, it was a supernatural impartation. But when Aaron created the golden calf, he had some sort of engraving tools and knew how to do so. So, in my humble opinion, I believe that these men learned their skills at the hands of the Egyptians, who would not have desired to do such lowly tasks as creating the furnishings for themselves. They had slaves to do that. This does NOT deny the fact that giftings are imparted by the Holy Spirit. Only that some giftings come from the heat and pressures of life.

In Germany, the Jews continued to do the special crafts under the iron fists of the Nazis. In America, slaves did the elaborate sewing for the women of the plantations. In Africa, the slaves work with the diamonds from the mines. In a German cell, Dietrich Bonhoffer wrote his beautiful memoirs.

WE are the diamonds that God is working on. WE are HIS workmanship, WE are His crowning glory of creation. A naive person cannot be considered wise, because they are prevented from knowing the wisdom that comes from knowledge and choices. A diamond does not become a diamond, unless it goes through heat, fire, and pressure.

My husband has been reading a book called Outliers:The Story of Success by Malcolm Gladwell. The book is about how talent really doesn’t matter as much as putting forth the time and effort. What he’s shared with me has been very interesting. Many of the people we consider greats in our time were people with the time, the opportunity, and the willingness to apply their aptitude to something, and it later turned out great. Bill Gates is one example.

Through the years of being a slave to Pharoah, Bezaleel learned something, and when the time came, God called upon him and said “build my tabernacle”. And he did. And he oversaw and taught others to do the same. The sad thing? Bezaleel never entered the promised land, and of course, never saw the Temple(built much, much later).

I have a friend who has suffered with many things in her life. She is an amazing artist. I know that there were years where she was housebound, a slave to her physical issues. On Feb 6, 2011, she has an art show. God has blessed her with talent, and I’m sure that her time in that slavery had an impact on her art.

Beethoven was deaf.

Michelangelo went nearly blind painting the Sistine Chapel.

Though my struggles with slavery to trauma, tragedy, and terror, I learned to paint. People have said that God has given me this talent, and I assume that would indicate God putting His Spirit upon me.

I can’t jump like Mike.
I can’t run like Eric Liddell.
I can’t kick like Mia Hamm.
I can’t write music like Handel, Mozart or Beethoven.
I can’t paint upside down like Michaelangelo, and
I am not a skilled scientist like Leonardo DaVinci.

But I can do what God has given me.

Matthew 25 starts with the tale of the foolish virgins. They all had oil to begin with, but five foolish ones didn’t do what it took to have oil to take them all the way through the night.

Then, the parable of the talents. Each person was given something, and told to make something of it before the master returned. No one knew when the master would return.

When the lacking virgins returned, they were late to the wedding, and the bridegroom said: But he answered and said, Verily I say unto you, I know you not.(Mat 25:12)

moral? Matt 25:13 Watch therefore, for ye know neither the day nor the hour wherein the Son of man cometh.

What happened with the servant that just hid his master’s coin in the ground?

Matt 25:26 His lord answered and said unto him, [Thou] wicked and slothful servant,
Matt 25:28 Take therefore the talent from him, and give [it] unto him which hath ten talents.
Matt 25:30 And cast ye the unprofitable servant into outer darkness: there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth.

That is a high price to pay for not cultivating the talents that God has given me. Did you hold the thought about those willing to do the work? Here’s where that comes in. It is my heart’s desire to hear a different phrase from my master when He comes.

Well done, good and faithful servant; thou hast been faithful over a few things, I will make thee ruler over many things: enter thou into the joy of thy lord.(Matt 25:23)

The ones that did the work were blessed AND ENTERED INTO THE MASTER’S/BRIDEGROOMS JOY!

Bezaleel died with the others in the 40 years wandering. He never entered into the physical promised land. I don’t know if he’s in heaven or not, but we know that only two lived to go into the promised land – Joshua and Caleb. I can’t imagine working with my hands to create the home of God here on earth, and not following through to get to see the promised land. Well, actually, yes, I can.

I have hidden the talents that God has given me for long enough. I painted one painting that stands out, and then I basically stopped.

This year is about coming out of the darkness, and bringing things into the Light. But, like Mike & Eric Liddell, I need to acknowledge that God has given me gifts. AND like Mike and Eric, I need to practice the talent God has given me. I believe that Bezaleel was chosen because he was given a talent by God, and he had practiced it, and was skilled when the time came to create for the temple. I believe that every one of us has a talent. What’s your talent? Is it still hiding under a bushel?

Shine down Your light on Me! ~ Sandi Patti

Thanks for joining me on this journey!

In His hands and under His wings,

~Christi

Ps 63:7 Because you are my help, I sing in the shadow of your wings.

Now unto Him that is able to keep you from falling and to present you faultless before the presence of His glory with exceeding joy, to the only Wise God our Savior be glory and honor, dominion and power both now and ever. Amen. Jude 24-25

100 days challenge – moving – check
100 days challenge- blog – check
90 days Bible Reading – check-tackling Numbers
50 days T-Tapp – check
21 days Fasting for Food – check – I made lentil soup!

The First 100 days – day 10 – Mighty

I just realized it would have been neat to do something about the number of the day…”today is day 10, let’s talk about the 10 plagues…oh wait, let’s talk about the 10 commandments, instead!”

That’s not what is on my heart today. Today I awoke with the scripture “The Lord thy God in the midst of thee is mighty.” That’s all I got. Over and over and over.

Zeph 3:17 KJV The LORD thy God in the midst of thee [is] mighty; he will save, he will rejoice over thee with joy; he will rest in his love, he will joy over thee with singing.

Sounds good, eh? But, to get the gist of what Zephaniah was prophesying, I thought I’d read the whole book, all 3 chapters! And, I did it in English Standard Version, so I didn’t get stuck on the KJV terms.

Zeph 1:2 & 6 ESV “I will utterly sweep away everything from the face of the earth,” declares the LORD…. those who have turned back from following the LORD, who do not seek the LORD or inquire of him.”

Zeph 1:7 & 14 ESV Be silent before the Lord God! For the day of the LORD is near; the LORD has prepared a sacrifice and consecrated his guests….The great day of the LORD is near, near and hastening fast; the sound of the day of the LORD is bitter; the mighty man cries aloud there.

And the cry to the true followers:

Zeph 2:1-3 ESV Gather together, yes, gather, O shameless nation, before the decree takes effect —before the day passes away like chaff–before there comes upon you the burning anger of the LORD, before there comes upon you the day of the anger of the LORD. Seek the LORD, all you humble of the land, who do his just commands; seek righteousness; seek humility; perhaps you may be hidden on the day of the anger of the LORD.

A Warning to those that are supposed to be believers:

Zeph 3:1-2 & 4 ESV Woe to her who is rebellious and defiled, the oppressing city! She listens to no voice; she accepts no correction. She does not trust in the LORD; she does not draw near to her God. Her prophets are fickle, treacherous men; her priests profane what is holy; they do violence to the law.

To those that are supposed to know Him, and don’t….

Zeph 3:5 ESV The LORD within her is righteous; he does no injustice; every morning he shows forth his justice; each dawn he does not fail; but the unjust knows no shame.

God gave His believers a chance, with His word, with His touches in our lives, with His Son, Jesus Christ:

Zeph 3:7 ESV I said, ‘Surely you will fear me; you will accept correction. Then your dwelling would not be cut off according to all that I have appointed against you.’ But all the more they were eager to make all their deeds corrupt.

Zeph 3:8-20 Is for those that have not turned their hearts away from God – it is His promise for His coming Kingdom after the Tribulation. And then, there is joy.

Zeph 3:14-15 ESV Sing aloud, O daughter of Zion; shout, O Israel! Rejoice and exult with all your heart, O daughter of Jerusalem! The LORD has taken away the judgments against you; he has cleared away your enemies. The King of Israel, the LORD, is in your midst; you shall never again fear evil.

And then – here’s the verse:

Zeph 3:17 ESV –

The LORD your God is in your midst,
a mighty one who will save;
he will rejoice over you with gladness;
he will quiet you by his love;
he will exult over you with loud singing.

And, the Creator of the Universe, the one that made me, that set laws into motion, that decreed behavior that would honor Him, and gave the only pathway to eternal life through His Son Jesus Christ, after having fought all that were my enemies says he’ll do this:

Zeph 3:18 ESV I will gather those of you who mourn for the festival, so that you will no longer suffer reproach.

I really embrace this one!

Zeph 3:19 ESV Behold, at that time I will deal with all your oppressors. And I will save the lame and gather the outcast, and I will change their shame into praise and renown in all the earth.

Change my shame? into praise? save the lame? gather the outcast? I represent this promise! I’ll take this one, too!

Zeph 3:20 ESV At that time I will bring you in, at the time when I gather you together; for I will make you renowned and praised among all the peoples of the earth, when I restore your fortunes before your eyes,” says the LORD.

I don’t know about this one…I have no fortune to be restored…but I know where my treasures are laid up! The promise is that while life here is hard, there is a better day. The promise is that the Lord will return, just as surely as the ones hearing this prophecy knew that Jesus was coming. He came first as the servant King, to deliver us from our sins, so that we could choose to heed this exhortation:

Micah 6:8 He hath shewed thee, O man, what [is] good; and what doth the LORD require of thee, but to do justly, and to love mercy, and to walk humbly with thy God?

ESV- He has showed you, O man, what is good. And what does the Lord require of you? To act justly and to love mercy and to walk humbly with your God.

NLT No, O people, the LORD has already told you what is good, and this is what he requires: to do what is right, to love mercy, and to walk humbly with your God.

It is hard for me to imagine, the God of the universe doing this for me: Zeph 3:17 ESV –

The LORD your God is in your midst,
a mighty one who will save;
he will rejoice over you with gladness;
he will quiet you by his love;
he will exult over you with loud singing.

I can hardly speak at this thought…..I can only imagine….

If you like the song – please support the band Mercy Me – I have.

1 The 4:16-17 For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first: Then we which are alive [and] remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord.

I told the Lord, no one wants to read such a downer of a blog. He said “write it.”

I told the Lord, no one would read this blog, and He sent me to 1 Thes 4:18 Wherefore comfort one another with these words.

The Lord’s return is closer now than it was in Jesus’ day or Paul’s day – and the world is fulfilling all of the prophecies. But, we can be encouraged that the God of all creation has chosen each of us, and as long as we are on God’s side…His return will be like the arrival of the allied forces into the concentration camps of Nazi Germany. Rejoice!

Luke 21:28 And when these things begin to come to pass, then look up, and lift up your heads; for your redemption draweth nigh.

Now unto Him that is able to keep you from falling and to present you faultless before the presence of His glory with exceeding joy,

To the Only wise God our Savior, be glory and majesty, dominion and power, both now and ever. Amen. (Jude 24-25)

Thank you for joining me on this journey,

…show me that God was right…and leave a comment here, saying you read this.

…and please, if you think this is relevant, share it with others…we need to gather the faithful, and to strengthen one another in Christ.

In His hands and under His wings,

~Christi

Ps 63:7 Because you are my help, I sing beneath the shadow of your wings.