Wrap it up people

Day 3 Food 7 Fast

This sucks...just saying. There has never been a time in me ENTIRE life where I had to sit and watch a table full of people enjoy Oreos and milk. I keep asking myself why I had to pick the most bland 7 foods, they have no taste. Thanks to my friends Salt and Pepper we are able to get through this. One thing I did realize, I drink way too much caffeine. I was a walking migraine by the end of the first day. So for the sake of my sanity and not to mention my hubby and kiddos, I am allowing myself 1 cup of coffee. Epic failure I know....but something had to be done to keep myself from locking the kids in their rooms to play while I sat in a dark, quiet room.

This is the first time I have EVER fasted. Honestly, I just thought the people who did that kind of stuff were just weird and out of touch with the real world. Fasting just has never been part of my spiritual story.  I didn't understand that fasting was to help me in my relationship with Christ. Most of all, I feared judgement from those people that closest and most dear to me. I grew up in a church home, but that doesn't mean all those around me were true raw Christians. Looking back now, there is very few people out of hundreds that I could honestly say without a doubt that I believe are true followers of Christ. That leaves a lot of 'Atheist Christians' that watch and judge me as I fast.

Perfection

Picture the old temple in scripture (Numbers and Exodus): the presence of God dwelt in the ark of the covenant behind a large curtain. Only the high priest could enter once a year and offer a sacrifice for atonement for the nation's sins. But they couldn't just sprinkle a little blood and be on their merry way. No, God specifically gave over 100 directives on exactly how it needs to be done. "Present a burnt offering to the Lord, a pleasing aroma; one young bull, one ram and seven male lambs a year old, all without defect." God even spoke of the high priest garments hem, "Make pomegranates of blue, purple and scarlet yarn around the hem of the robe, with gold bells between them....Aaron must wear it when he ministers. The sound of the bells will be heard when he enters the Holy place before the Lord and when he comes out, so that he will not die" (Exodus 28:33,35). DIE....yes...if he didn't do exactly how it needed to be done for the Almighty I Am.....it's was as simple as, you die.

"God is holy. So very holy. We have no concept how holy and perfect He is. That God could even be close to sinful mankind is astonishing, which is why it was so complicated to bring worship that wouldn't offend His perfection" (Hatmaker).

Because Jesus died on the cross his Holy Spirit now lives within us. Our bodies are now the temple. God desires Christians to be good stewards of our resources. Does that mean our body is sacred content? "Do we treat out bodies like vessels of the very presence of the great I AM? Is there a remnant of the respect and reverence for these bodies, and the plants and animals consecrated for our sustenance?" (Hatmaker) Have you ever heard you are what you eat. We eat and fill our earthly temples with pathogens, poisons, synthetic hormones, and chemicals.

This has shown me that I have this ridiculous attachment to something as simple as food. I am ashamed of myself when I feel like being disobedient just because it's one bite. The satisfaction of being able to run to Starbucks for a cup of $5 coffee, while that same thought is unable to enter the mind of the poor and homeless is disheartening. I didn't think the food fast was going to be a big deal, but it has opened my eyes to a selfish want and desire that I didn't even knew existed.

This week is hard. I am hungry...period. The hope is that the abstinence from food maybe the launching pad for Jesus; "More of him and less of me and my junk."

Picking my poison, I mean ummm food....

Tomorrow begins the week of food fasts. I have been spending that last week praying and preparing my mind for what is to come. So, I picked my poison for the first week of 7 experiment:

 

Chicken   Eggs   Whole wheat bread  

Sweet Potatoes   Apples   Beans   Bananas  

 

I'm only going to drink water.....no coffee (I'm already having anxiety of that one), I can use olive oil, salt and pepper. I made sure my choices were healthy and well balanced. With the experiment there are other options; cut out 7 ingredients (no caffeine, sugar, high fructose corn syrup, food dye...etc), No fast food or processed foods (which is pretty much everything), If you have a burden for a specific country fasts on their diet, eat only what you have in pantry, cut your budget in half or thirds for the week, or even fast on an entire meal a day for 7 days.

 

I chose not to include kids in this.....not just because it's hard, but folks I gotta keep my sanity.

 

I'm sure you are thinking, why in the world is she doing this? It's simple. I'm praying during this fasts that there may be less of me and all my junk, and more of God and His kingdom. All my junk equals all the 7 things I am fasting on during the 7 weeks. Point blank: God listens to those who fast with an earnest heart. Esther fasted before she approached the king without being summoned (a death sentence), but he welcomed her and Israel ended up being saved through it (Esth 4:16). Or when Ezra fasted for safety before carrying a bulk of gold and silver along a route that was infested with thieves. They safely arrived at their destination. Daniel fasted to restore Jerusalem after almost 70 years in exile. God responded by sending the angel Gabriel to show him his plan.  A fast cannot be used to manipulate God in giving us what WE want. There could be some major consequences in that. That is why I spent the past week preparing and praying to get my heart in the right place.

I am in need of a breakthrough. The restlessness needs to come to a point of understanding. There is something that needs to change and/or happen, so I am fasting for some understanding from Christ. 'It is interesting to watch God's movement after the famous fasts in scripture; they positioned His people for a breakthrough so often. What wasn't possible, suddenly was. What wouldn't move, came unstuck. What hadn't worked, finally did. What was totally blurry, became crystal clear.'




Want to read and try this for yourself? Here is the link to the 7 books.

Revealing my Blind Spots

I finished the book 7. The book where Jen Hatmaker, some of her family and friends embark on seven fasts from seven areas of excess in seven months......crazy, I know. This girl....can't even begin to describe, love her, she just throws it all out there. This reading has opened my eyes to a whole new level. Honestly, I am a little petrified.....Thanks God, for ruining it for me. But I can't complain, I pray fervently for his hand on my life and my families. If you have read any of my other blogs, you can see he is no joke when it comes to shaking things up.

What is a fast? 'Fasting is an intentional reduction, a deliberate abstinence to summon God's movement in our lives. A fast creates margin for God to move.' A fast must be in the right mind- for Christ. I will be fasting from the things that come between me and God almighty.  This book has allowed to to see my blind spots. There is a stirring in me about the Gospel and my family that burns to get out. I don't understand at all what it is. But its driving me to the point of stress and anxiety. There is so much STUFF in my life that is between God and I. Let me name a few things; facebook, twitter, clothes, possessions, food, stress, waste, spending, deadlines, meetings, TV........ and I wonder to myself why I can't hear or feel God speaking to me. I do not make the time to listen. My daily routine is rush, rush, rush, food, baths, and bed. Sound familiar?

America is RICH. I have everything I need, yet I always want more...a new car, cuter clothes, bigger home, a maid (holla), a pool, big vacations, etc. America is on top of the world when it comes to luxuries. Most of us don't even know how rich we are. We reside on top percentage of wealth in the entire world. If you make $35,000- top 4%, $50,000- top 1%. This excess has impaired our perspective. 'We are the richest people on earth, praying to get richer. We're tangled in unmanageable debt while feeding the machine, because we feel entitled to more.' More than half the global population lives on less than $2/day and we can't manage life with almost 35 times that amount ($25,000) or 70 times that amount ($50,000). Having this much is blinding us. How can we feel compelled too need and listen for Christ when everything around us is given to us.

Jesus spoke repeatedly about the rich folks. They may be on top of the food chain, but for the most part that's where it stops. Matthew 19 speaks about the rich young man. This man was a rich ruler with lots of power (according to Luke 18). He asked Jesus, "What good thing must I do to get eternal life?" Jesus replied, "Do not murder, do not commit adultery, do not steal, do not give false testimony, honor you father and mother, and love your neighbor as yourself." The rich man said he kept all of those things but what do I still lack? Jesus answered, "If you want to be perfect, go, sell your possessions and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. then come, follow me." The young man heard this and became sad, because he had great wealth. Then Jesus throws out this hyperbole, saying it is easier for a 2,000 pound camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter the kingdom of God.

What the??!!  I was utterly aware of my privileges and unmoved by my greed. I am the rich dude....there is so much EXCESS that obscures my vision of Christ. How is God suppose to use me to further his kingdom when I have so much baggage? I am ruined...EPIC failure. I am always comparing myself to others on the same rung. Looking for ways to get higher on that social ladder and completely missing the point of it all. It's the American Way. We are programmed that way, me, me, me. Here is a picture of MY vacation, here is a picture of the family I made, MY project, MY success,....what's left when we shift our focus? for the believers, Christ. It's not about what you're doing right; it's about what you cherish. "If you are willing to offer these blind spots- indulgence, extravagance, greed, excess- to Jesus, we can believe him for freedom on the other side. There is a bigger story to live, and God is drawing us into it. It is thrilling and good and radical; the gospel life has no equal. No matter what, God will further his kingdom, whether we help or not...but 'what better way to spend our last breath on, this is living'.

Are you willing?