Fasting & Food & Faith

 Fasting & Food

Some church people talk lots about this "Daniel Fast".  There are lots of folks making $$$ on selling us this fast or these foods or this "Daniel Fast".  Daniel wasn't giving us a new diet or law, he was simply saying you can give me the least and GOD will make it the most.  

I have food you know nothing about JESUS told his disciples. John 4:32

Just like Abraham asking Lot which part of the land does he want? Lot chooses the best of the land, giving the Patriarch Abraham the left overs. GOD does amazing things with left overs or what man has rejected.  See Genesis 13.  vs 10  "Lot looked and saw the whole plain of the Jordan toward Zoar was well watered, like the garden of the LORD..."  we all know which part was destroyed by fire (Sodom/Gomorrah) and which was the land flowing with milk and honey. 

GOD does MORE with the less man has/uses. The less we have the more of HIM we get. MY Grace is sufficient for you, MY Power is perfected (made complete) in your weakness. 2 Corinthians 12:9

I think these two verse prove what I am saying. 

JESUS feeds the 5,000  in Matthew 14:13-21  so we have 5000 men (women and children were there but not counted, head of households were counted  -so 5000 see vs 21) and the disciples had 5 loaves and 2 fish. Result: every one ate and were full and the disciples picked up 12 baskets of left overs. that was in verse 20. 

Next time, JESUS feeds 4000 see it in the next chapter in Matthew 15:29-39 there were 4000 men and they had 7 loaves and a few fish (so more food 5 loaves before but 7 loaves now and 2 fish before to a few now fish). More food and one thousand less people. So a bit more food and 20% less folks.

Result:   everyone ate and were full  (vs 37) and the disciples picked up 7 baskets of left overs. vs 37

Conclusion: more people LESS food used and more left overs.  Less people MORE food used and less left overs.  

HE (GOD) chose the foolish things of the world to shame the wise; God chose the weak things of the world to shame the strong.  He chose the lowly and despised things of the world, and the things that are not, to nullify the things that are, so that no one may boast in His presence.…  1 Corinthians 1:28

Isaiah 58:6-9  

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?

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 them,

    and not to turn away from your own flesh and blood?

8 Then your light will break forth like the dawn,

    and your healing will quickly appear;

then your righteousness will go before you,

    and the glory of the Lord will be your rear guard.

9 Then you will call, and the Lord will answer;

    you will cry for help, and he will say: Here am I.

Does it take someone "with faith" to pray with you, what about the scripture 2 or 3 witnesses"

That scripture of 2 or 3 witnesses we will discuss here, but you do not need anyone to pray for you, you have "faith" and all the faith you need, inside you. As the Father, Son and Spirit are all (called the God-Head) live inside you.

So although its not wrong to ask someone for prayer, we dont need an anointed or "special" believer to pray for and get results, as we have direct access to GOD as HE is in us!

So, this would be another road block cleared where folks think they have to go through hoops and check-the-boxes to get their healing. 

You do not have a list of things to do to "get faith", as the one who is the author of faith and the finisher of faith dwells in you. Hebrews 12:2

This "two or three witnesses" is all over the bible from Deuteronomy 19:15 talking about Jewish folks getting into fights and quarreling over border stones and Moses saying 1 witness is not enough and the matter needs 2 or 3 witness as one witness may be corrupt (see vs 16).

Paul also talks about this is 2 Cor 13 (we often quote 1 Corinthians 13 but this is 2nd Corinthians 13) and Paul says similar to Moses and of course JESUS when he is concerned when he (Paul) is coming out to meet the house church in Corinth that they have had so many disputes and arguments. In fact is 1 Corinthians 11:17 Paul says "In the following directives, I have no praise for you for your meetings do more HARM than GOOD!" 

So Paul is on his way there in 2 Corinthians end of chapter 12...Paul is warning them about him coming into their problems and perhaps it may become even more of a problem. IN chapter 13 Paul tells them that these problems have to be corrected with 2 or 3 witnesses from among themselves.

So that ties in EXACTLY with what you were quoting Matthew 18:19 when JESUS said the same thing. Its about us Christian folks when we are together in fellowship or communion. 

Two other thoughts come to mind.

1. We are HIS witnesses and a witness only says what he saw or what he experienced.  So when we are told to "Go out and be witnesses" in Acts 1:8 "But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth."  So as JESUS witnesses, we tell folks (as we go out) what we've experienced (testimony) and seen in this JESUS life.

2. The FATHER (GOD) is also our witness so with GOD and ourselves that is 2 witness as it was with JESUS so it is with us (our confirmation or peace in us is HIS witness I believe) 

"I am one witness, and my Father who sent me is the other" John 8:18

I'm seeing this as Good News in both ways.

We are not to get into huge arguments, but get those in our fellowship-community to solve the quarrel with 2 or 3 witnesses. Just like we said.

And we are to be witnesses of the JESUS life. As the opportunity arises, we tell people what JESUS has done for us.

And the Father, Son and Spirit inside us are also our witness confirming by peace and the inward witness that we are doing the right thing, handling it the right way.

Also that tri-unity that is in us, also is our witness that what the scripture promises HE will also do.

An of course you can ask for prayer, folks we are to carry each others burdens but this verse is about solving problems/fights/arguments/disagreements. 

blessings to each of you...

 I myself like you.  love my bible(s) 

BUT...

The Word of God is NOT the bible - its a person, its Jesus! 

Proof?

In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.  John 1:1

We worship Jesus not a book.

Now should you read your bible? 

Rather look at it this way... you "get to" 

you don't "have to".  

We want to know about who GOD is and how this amazing miracle life works and 

we get to (if we want) to; in so reading the bible to get an idea of what its all about. 

To get to know this Kingdom that is INside us! and we are in that Kingdom - right now!

Years ago a Christian family in China was suffering underground-house-church, because the communist Chinese government was persecuting the Christians. 

This family had one bible and it was hand printed over the years, rather hand-copied over the years as bibles were against the law.

So with a hand copied bible this became a treasured possession for the family.

One day the secret police knocked down their door and accused the family of following God/being Christian. They roughed up the Dad and found their hidden bible.

The children and Mom cried and begged them to leave the bible alone and not break it.

The police lit that thick many pages of handwritten scriptures on fire and burned it on the floor of their small room and when it was burned enough, threatened the family and walked out.

The children and Mother ran to the smoldering ashes and tried to salvage what they could but as they grabbed the frail pieces they disintegrated in their hands.

When the children saw that they ran to a beat up Dad and asked "what do we do? Our only family bible that took years to hand copy is gone!"

The Father smiled and said "that it hurts but its okay because they can't take Jesus from us because HE is inside us, and HE knows HIS Word because HE is the Word".

You have GOD in you in the Person of the HOLY SPIRIT who will lead you in to all truth.John 16:13

Were you born for something special?

 

The book of Esther talks about being brave for a important time.

Do you know its the only book of the Bible that doesn't mention "GOD" but you know of HIS presence all through the book! 

You can read how young Esther has to go un-announced to the Kings chamber without being asked or beckoned by the King. Doing so, could be her death - you just didn't do this.

Yet, she had one chance to get to the King and make a plea for your oppressed Jewish people.

Nervous for her people.

Afraid for her very life.

She hears this important encouraging message that saved thousands that night and still saves lives today.

Maybe you were born for such a time like this?" Esther 4:14

 Here is my thought for today, in light of Queen Esther.

Perhaps this encouragement happens to all of us more often than we realize?

Angels among us so what is our response?

I have had a few angelic moments that I clued in on later, you don't really "get it" while its happening (at least that is how it worked for me).

I will talk about the times (2 types at least) I was visited by angels. In another blog at some point.

But I think too many times us believers get too hung up with them, and the books written about them.

Like we are supposed to talk with them or command them or in some cases folks (some folks almost want more of that then rather learn about JESUS and GRACE!

Scripture makes it clear that we have the HOLY SPIRIT who leads us into all truth. John 16:13

So what's wrong with that? What part of "all truth" do we not want??

Also scripture warns and I think this sort of sums up what you were saying in Colossians 2 18-19

Do not let anyone who delights in false humility and the worship of angels disqualify you. 

Such a person also goes into great detail about what they have seen; they are puffed up with idle notions by their un-spiritual mind

Get it? "Worship of angels" - like (some) even churchianity folks do that today! They talk more angels than JESUS.

And when you die, GOD needed another angel - wow, you are already sons/daughters of the most HIGH!

Vs 19

They have lost connection with the head, from whom the whole body, supported and held together by its ligaments and sinews, grows as God causes it to grow.

If we noticed JESUS (because of Love) always refers to and acknowledges to the FATHER and SPIRIT.

The FATHER always acknowledges the SON and the SPIRIT wont speak on HIS own but will take from mine (JESUS) and make in known to you.

SPIRIT is talking up JESUS.

They are never talking about themselves always talking about the other - that is what love does.

Not boasting in self but boasting on others.