Session 11

Speed is killing us. Slow down and live.

Consumption is killing us. Go fast and live.
Jesus began His ministry with a 40 day fast. He stood against the enemy with the word of God and an empty stomach. He was surrounded by rocks and scorpions. Adam and Eve fell in fullness. They had a full stomach and was surrounded by all the food in the world.
Fasting begins with a hunger for more of God's presence and direction.
Gluttony is an appetite suppressant for the things of God - Cornelius Plantinga.
The 'M' arch and Coca-Cola are more accepted that the cross.
We overemphasize the pleasure of eating and down play the nutritional value. I challenge you to eat only for nutritional value for a while. I am trying it now and it is hard but I know my body will benefit in the long run. For me, I am trying no processed food (hot dogs, cheese slices, etc.) or frozen dinners. No coffee, ice caps, candy, chocolate, and little sugar. It is hard and sometimes I give in. Eat what is natural: fruits, veggies, pasta's and meat.

Fasting is for blessing the Lord, to lay hands on others to send out, to draw close to God in danger, to get a great anointing and to be more sensitive to the Spirit. Withholding food or whatever you are sacrificing will not do you much good if you're not going to spend more time praying and waiting on God. Live a fasted life: never eat all you want. Don't let your appetite dominate you. Do you ever find yourself eating when you are not even hungry? Let's ask God why.

Fasting purposes are that it humbles us, test us, and teaches us.

Humbles us by showing us our limits, frailty, and utter dependency.

Mat 6:16...When you fast...not if.

We get cranky, depressed and weary when we haven't eaten for 12 hours. Jesus, not only calls us to not look somber, but to not act irregular either.

Tests us by showing us what is really in our hearts: anger, resentment, irritation, fear, depression, obedience, strength, faith, etc.

Teaches us that we don't eat on bread alone, but on every word from God. Jesus is the bread of Life. Scripture is the only thing big enough, tough enough, and true enough to speak to the flesh, world or the devil. Many of us today are food gluttons but biblical anorexics. We take in scripture as though it is drive through fast food.

B-I-B-L-E (Basic Instructions Before Leaving Earth)

We usually don't search (whether by book or the net) about kayaking technique simply to ponder the idea. We read search it to learn how to do it.

All scripture is God breathed. It is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training so that we will be equipped for the work He calls us to do.

Some tools to use while reading and studying the Bible are a concordance, a Bible dictionary, a Bible handbook, and a commentary. It is also important to recognize the author, who it is written to, the style of writing and the CONTEXT. Observe, Interpret, Apply. Look at the food, look again, dissect it, eat it, experience how it energizes your body and changes your activity that day. Do you see a parallel between the two nutritional foods? Physical and Spiritual?