LEARNINGS TO SHARE…

Excuses!!

This is the first devotional for our Daniel Fast journey together.  I trust by now that you have determined how it is the Lord wants you to fast through these 3 weeks.  i am sure some are following the fast as it is generally understood, which is 21 days of no savory foods, basically a fruit and veggies menu (Daniel 10:2-3).  Also, i am sure there are many who are doing some variation of fasting involving all kinds of fasts not limited to just food.  Either way, God’s people are fasting for spiritual purposes!!  Awesome!!  i am very excited how God is going to work in all of our lives.  Don’t forget, we are part of “something bigger than ourselves”, b/c we are participating in a spiritual journey that is taking place across our nation.  churches from all over are doing the same thing we are.  Its called “Awakening”, check it out here if you have not already…www.awake21.org

Today, in our reading a few things struck me.  (by the way, if you dont have a prayer calendar with the daily Scripture readings please let me know and i will make sure you get one).  In the Matthew reading, I was intrigued by Jesus’ answers to those who offered excuses to why they “couldn’t” follow Him.  i read the passages in the NLT version of the Bible and Jesus said to those who offered excuses…“Follow me now” (v22).  i have thought of many reasons, really excuses, as to why i shouldn’t do this Daniel Fast, but you know what?  the bottom line is that i just don’t want to sacrifice.  But what i hear Jesus saying is to follow Him, requires sacrifice.  to be a disciple will cost me something.  to go to another level in my relationship with Him will cost me something.  in this case it is savory food something i really enjoy 🙂

the reason i have struggled with offering my own excuses to following Jesus in this time of fasting is because, to be honest, i love to eat!!  often, i love to eat a lot!  God has taught me this before but i seem to have to learn it every time and that is this…i often eat for my own glory, not God’s!!  i often don’t think….”Lord, let me eat this meal of oversized portions in honor of you”, or “Lord let me raid the fridge or pantry and binge for your name and your renown”.  Sounds almost funny doesn’t it?  But it really isn’t, is it?

Jesus said, “follow me now”, just before that He said He “didn’t even have a place to lay His head”.  following Him is not for the faint of heart.  it will require me to lay down my life, my wants, my desires, …my excuses.  every time i have fasted i have encountered great spiritual warfare, but, every time i have grown tremendously.  There is something unique about this spiritual discipline, it is very powerful.

my prayer is that i will not make excuses that i give in to, and that you will not either.  i really want to experience His presence so much that like Isaac in Gen. 26:28, others will be able to say, “we can plainly see that the Lord is with you…”(NLT), not that i want the praise of men, i just want the presence of Jesus, Holy Spirit and God Father…”no excuses, just presence”

Don’t forget to pray for today’s prayer item.  it’s a biggie!  We need God to answer this one!  Blessings, meet with you here tomorrow!

Mike

This entry was posted on January 11, 2010 at 2:34 am and is filed under Daniel Fast 2010. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.