Day 21 “But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus his Son cleanses us from all sin. If we say we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.” 1 John 1:7-9 This verse is a very comforting portion of Scripture.  It is also an appropriate place to end this journey of fasting and prayer.  This verse promises the forgiveness of God if we come to Him…

Day 20 “When pride comes, then comes disgrace, but with the humble is wisdom.” Proverbs 11:2 My greatest struggle is with pride, and I am beginning to see my pride as the greatest threat to a sanctified and holy life.  When I consider pride, I think of the bold, braggadocios, person ripe with narcissism.  The type of person that evangelist Junior Hill said “could strut sitting down”. It is the image I have of Satan.  He believe he could overthrow heaven and defeat God.  So great was his influence, that a third of the angels believed him.  It was an overreaching pride that caused Satan to rebel.  When I have…

Day 19 “I appeal to you therefore, brothers, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship. Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect.” Romans 12:1-2 As I approach the end of my fast, I am noticing the changes that have occurred.  I have denied foods that were a regular part of my diet.  What I anticipated was something that was more demanding on my body.  I was…

Day 18 “No weapon that is fashioned against you shall succeed, and you shall refute every tongue that rises against you in judgment. This is the heritage of the servants of the Lord and their vindication from me, declares the Lord.” Isaiah 54:17 This verse sounds similar to one we read a few days ago about dwelling in the shelter of the Most High.  A place where nothing can touch me, and nothing can hurt me.  I crave a sense of protection and a shelter from suffering.  I am addicted to comfort.  However, real life is very different.  I often feel exposed, and experience the internal pains of suffering.  I…

Day 17 “For the weapons of our warfare are not of the flesh but have divine power to destroy strongholds. We destroy arguments and every lofty opinion raised against the knowledge of God, and take every thought captive to obey Christ.” 2 Corinthians 10:4-5 This morning as I was walking the dog, one of the lenses in my glasses fell out.  It is a plastic lens so it did not break.  I picked it up and walked home with it in my pocket.  But the world looked so different with one lens in and one lens out.  My glasses correct how I see the world and without the lenses they…

Day 16 “Therefore take up the whole armor of God, that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand firm. Stand therefore, having fastened on the belt of truth, and having put on the breastplate of righteousness, and, as shoes for your feet, having put on the readiness given by the gospel of peace. In all circumstances take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming darts of the evil one; and take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God.” Ephesians 6:13-17 All these items in the armor…

Day 15 “He who dwells in the shelter of the Most High will abide in the shadow of the Almighty. I will say to the Lord, “My refuge and my fortress, my God, in whom I trust.” Psalm 91:1-2 We all long for peace, safety, security, and rest.  It is a natural longing that God has placed within us.  Physically, we will only now these things when we reach Heaven or at the end of all things.  However, the desire for a place like this lives within us.  That is why the idea of a fortress, a refuge, and a shelter are so appealing. But notice that it requires us…

Day 14 “Your kingdom is an everlasting kingdom, and your dominion endures throughout all generations. The Lord is faithful in all his words and kind in all his works. The Lord upholds all who are falling and raises up all who are bowed down.” Psalm 145:13-14 The Kingdom of God is everlasting, dominant, and continues through all earthly generations.  It is beyond comprehension to image a day when all that I know is gone and only the Kingdom of God remains.  I know that is what will happen, but I have no earthly frame of reference for that day. I also know I am guilty of building my kingdom.  I…

Day 13 “Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.” Matthew 11:28-30 In the times of Jesus, a rabbi would teach young disciples their theology and interpretation of Scripture.  This was called their yoke.  Some yokes were very demanding and harsh, others were not.  A disciple agreed to take on the yoke of his rabbi’s “yoke” as the first step in following them. When Jesus speaks of…

Day 12 “Keep your life free from love of money, and be content with what you have, for He has said, “I will never leave you nor forsake you.” Hebrews 13:5 There is great comfort in the promise that God will never leave me or forsake me.  However, the context of this promise is set against my temptation to trust in the physical things of this world.  For me to be content with what I have and not gripped by a love for more money means that I do not find my value in physical things. This world worships at the altar of success.  More money and more possessions are…