Accepting God's Way

I have come to realize that I must accept all of the cards that I have been dealt as being part of God's plan for the destiny of my life. I must remind myself that even though I am drawing closer to God, I will not get nor do I need everything that I desire. Sometimes, doors do not open for a good reason. I trust that God knows what is best for me...

Tuning Out the Noise

This is Day 9 of my 25 day fast. I had a slight relapse on Day 6 & 7 when I decided to have spinach pizza both days. While this is not necessarily a big issue, I was trying to stick to a no bread regime as well. I also told a few close friends that I was fasting for moral support. I hope that God knows my heart and realizes that this fast has been challenging to me. I realize that is not a justification for sharing the news and hope that does not violate my covenant with God. I am finding it easier to go without television though this is my second attempt at going without it for 7 days. I miss the news but have been reading news stories on the Internet. I did not realize my addiction to television programs and the local/world news ran so deep! Fifteen years ago, I barely watched tv. Now, it has become an entertaining part of my life.

I am still listening for the voice of God. I hope to hear it by the time the fast is over. I am proud of my daily Bible reading but need to spend more time worshipping, praising, and praying. In the meantime, I thank God for His mercy, grace, and forgiveness!

Why so dry?

As part of the fast, I sacrificed tv and worldly music for 3 days. I have been listening to gospel radio stations only and have not seen the news or my favorite tv shows. I have been primarily listening to sermon broadcasts since gospel music simply does not touch my spirit. I have made an observation about radio sermons since my last worldly fast ten years ago. At that time, the charismatic church movement was big and megachurches seemed to be popping up everywhere! Pastors who I had never heard of were delivering sermons that taught and inspired me to want to learn more and dig deeper to understand God's Word. Now, there has been a change in the spirit of radio broadcasts. The pastors who were big ten years ago seem to have faded into the sunset. Radio broadcasts have become dry and leave me thirsting for a REAL sermon that delivers the word of God with some enthusiasm!

I am rethinking giving up tv because I realize that there may be television broadcasts of sermons that I am missing. Though I am fasting in the physical realm, I am realizing that I need spiritual manna in the form of God's Word. I am reading the Bible and praying daily, yet my soul is not being fed. I am not criticizing the radio sermons of today but I must receive the Word in a form that is nourishing to my spirit and soul. I need the Living Water not a dry cracker in this desert fasting experience!

Fasting for Spiritual Growth in 2011

As I sat in church on yesterday, I quickly wrote that I wanted a closer relationship with God this year. I listened to the sermon which detailed the requirements for denial of 'self' and wordly pleasures and comforts if one hoped to become a disciple of Jesus (Luke 14:25-33). I began to think that it would be easy to deny my 'self' since I lead a rather simple life. I became slightly 'puffed up' as I considered the ease that I would have in becoming one of Jesus' followers. Then the pastor made everything 'real' for me when he mentioned the 25 day fast that he wanted church members to complete during January. He passed out a planning calender for the fast so that the choice(s) could be made about what would be sacrificed for the fasting period. There were plenty of choices-- food, meat, tv, music, Internet, sweets-- to make the fast meaningful. The beauty of the planning calendar is that it requires bible study, prayer, fellowship, and scriptural reflection daily.

Today was my first day fasting. I told no one at work of my decision. I decided to abstain from meat and tv for 7 days. I was surprised that giving up tv has been more difficult than giving up meat. I did not realize how much time I spent with the tv on to drown out the silence of bachelorhood. Television had become my friend as it talked to me, informed me, and made me laugh. I did not realize that the noise was also drowning out the 'wee small voice of God' that I needed to hear. I look forward to a new friendship with God. He will guide me, instruct me, lead me, and teach me His ways rather than the ways of the world that my old friend knows so well...

God, I thank you for this opportunity to grow spiritually in your Word and presence.