DOING THE DANIEL FAST THING

I want to drop a line or two about what is happening in my life of late. I haven’t written a blog for a long time because I’ve become extremely busy, and without internet access at home, it is very difficult to upload what I write. I’m going to try to update my status every week as I work my way through the Daniel fast. This makes my first Daniel fast. My daughter came to visit two weeks ago and was talking about how the Church they attend had done one. She didn’t even say more than one sentence, but it went deep into me. I’ve dismissed Daniel fasts in the past as being wimpy, and meaningless. Now here I was being convicted about it. So, I went out bought a book about it, prayed about it, and listened for what the Holy Spirit wanted me to do. A week passed by, and I did a one week partial fast, (something I’ve done numerous times.) It was good, but as I was praying, I kept hearing that internal unction to do more. MORE? I still hadn’t become convinced that a Daniel fast could be more effective than a normal fast. Then, the night before Passover (Good Friday) the Holy Spirit put the hammer down.
Okay, a Daniel fast it will be.
 HOW LONG GOD?
When is Pentecost?
 Dang, I googled it.
Sunday, May 24, 2015
FIFTY DAYS!!!!!!! (This is typical of my internal dialogues with the Holy Spirit, He prods, I grouse, He asks, I do. You’d think I’d learn to simply do and then grouse.)
Okay, fifty days it is.
I began Monday. So, after one week, what has it been like? Wonderful!!!!!! Instead of telling you what I can’t eat, what I miss, and how I’m suffering for the cause of Christ, let me tell you what is really happening. (Everybody likes sympathy.)
I’m happier now than I’ve been in a long time.
I don’t fall asleep right after eating.
My body feels comfortable on me. (I am a spirit being in an earthsuit.)
I’ve lost 6 pounds as of this morning. I’ve already gone down one notch on my belt.
My taste buds are alive once more. (I’m amazed at how salt and sugar have clouded my sense of taste.)
My liver isn’t hurting me as it has in the past.
My prayers seem more effective, and my bible reading time is more introspective.
 So why am I doing this? I mean nobody fasts for no reason at all, right? Well actually the Holy Spirit is the main reason I’m doing this. He wouldn’t let me alone about it. I’d fasted during the Passion week, so that I could identify with Christ, and that felt good. Now I’m fasting because of the Holy Spirit, and I feel good. So, here are a few things on my fasting prayer list. About five of our church members are going to Nicaragua this summer, and I won’t be with them. They are the core of my prayer time. I have a couple of things I’d like to see done in our church fellowship, so I’ve been praying for that. I’ve also been in a little bit of a bad place spiritually for about five months, and I want to see that issue resolved. (It’s something only the Holy Spirit can do.) My wife, Glenda asked me a poignant question during this week. “What will you do after the fast?” I don’t know. I like where I’m at right now. Let’s talk about it at the end of the fast. For the moment, I don’t have an answer for her, maybe add a little bit of meat and cheese to my salads, treat myself to Mexican food once a week, and go back to drinking coffee again. (I love a good latte`) Soda pop will be gone, and deep fried foods are history. I’m still trying to find a good way to put back the protein in my diet. I don’t like most legumes, so I’m praying for a good answer. My worst time came this morning when I went to buy donuts for the Men’s Bible study group. The maple long john with marshmallow cream was screaming at me. Nah! For right now, I’m feeling good, and I’m glad the Holy Spirit talked me into it. NUFF SAID.