Posts

Beauty From Ashes

/in /by

Daniel 1:8 But Daniel determined in his heart that he would not defile himself by [eating his portion of] the king’s rich and dainty food or by [drinking] the wine which he drank; therefore he requested of the chief of the eunuchs that he might [be allowed] not to defile himself.

Mental Performance Coach, Bryan Cain wrote: Unbroken is a book by Laura Hillenbrand, and a movie by the same name. Unbroken is the story of Louie Zamperini and his amazing journey of:

• Being a boy who was bullied and always in trouble to…
• Running in the 1936 Olympics to…
• Enlisting in the military during WWII to…
• Surviving a plane crash in the Pacific to…
• Surviving an amazing 47 days adrift in a raft to…
• Being captured by the Japanese navy, being sent to a POW camp, and becoming the favorite target of a particularly cruel prison commander to…
• A life of severe post-traumatic stress disorder to…
• A life filled with forgiveness, service and peace.

Daniel, and Louie had one thing in common: determination. The AMPC translation uses the word “purposed”. Figuratively in the Hebrew it means to set a direction for or towards. Long before Daniel and Louie ever got to the challenges they faced they had set a direction for their lives. That direction of their hearts had taken them from one challenge to the next. But with each challenge they chose to ascend and not set up a camp, or turn around and retreat. It’s interesting that often the Bible talks about the Mountain of the Lord. Isaiah 2:2-3 states: It shall come to pass in the latter days that the mountain of the Lord’s house shall be [firmly] established as the highest of the mountains and shall be exalted above the hills, and all nations shall flow to it. 3 And many people shall come and say, Come, let us go up to the mountain of the Lord, to the house of the God of Jacob, that He may teach us His ways and that we may walk in His paths. For out of Zion shall go forth the law and instruction, and the word of the Lord from Jerusalem. It’s the ascent up to and into His Presence that teaches us, molds and weaves us into the tapestry of the Master Weaver, and Master Potter. We are shaped by our circumstances becoming things of beauty that glorify Him – as long as we submit to the process of weaving, and molding. Throughout Colorado you will see dead pines as far as the eye can see in many places. These pines are the victims of the pine beetle. Forest management enforces the policy of leaving these dead trees standing. Unfortunately for those living in or near the foothills and mountains these free standing pines can become kindling for fires you cannot even imagine. Fortunately, others have been permitted to cut the trees down, processing them at sawmills throughout the region. From the milled wood many a carpenter has fashioned them into beautiful, and unique pieces of furniture that can’t be found any where else. Every piece of wood has a unique color, hue, and grain pattern. From tragedy comes beauty, or unimaginable destruction. The outcome is determined by the choices we make through the process.

Jesus Fast – Day 5

/in /by

I thought I would share this post from Lou Engle from Day Four of the 40 Day Jesus Fast:

You Can Climb This Mountain
“No one climbs Everest without a mesmerizing motivation of passion.” – Lou Engle“And the angel of the Lord came back the second time, and touched him, and said, “Arise and eat, because the journey is too great for you.” So he arose, and ate and drank; and he went in the strength of that food forty days and forty nights as far as Horeb, the mountain of God.” – 1 Kings 19:7-8We hope that yesterday’s video from my friend, Dr. Vaughn Lawrence, helped you in preparing for a healthy fast, but many of you may still be wondering how you can even do a 40-day fast. You may be asking, “What kind of fast should I do? How can I do a 40-day fast or any extended fast? How can I climb this 40-day mountain?” Recently, the wife of the young man who helped me write and edit my most recent book, The Fast, had a dream in which they were struggling to climb a mountain that was very difficult and steep. She looked up and saw me above them on the mountain, calling and encouraging them to come up to the top of the mountain. This young man had been feeling a desire to fast. I said to him, “I think the mountain is the Mountain of the Lord. Moses fasted for 40 days on the Mountain of the Lord and Elijah fasted for 40 days on that same mountain. I think the Lord wants you to come up to the Mountain of the Lord and fast for 40 days.” He had just completed his water and juice fast at the time we were finishing the book. God changed his life; he discovered his scroll. The 40-day fast can be done and the rewards are very great. As we are at the beginning of our 40-day journey together, you may be daunted by the sheer height of such a climbing endeavor. I understand. Paul boasted that he spoke in tongues “more than all of you” (1 Cor. 14:18). My claim to fame is that I’ve broken more fasts than all of you. It is amazing that the minute you begin to fast, that beautiful pink box of donuts appears at the office and immediately you start thinking, “I’ll start my fast at Noon.” For the next few days, we want to help you climb this mountain. First of all, you must understand that fasting must be born and motivated by the Spirit. “Immediately the Spirit drove Him into the wilderness.” – Mark 1:12     “I should fast” or “I need to fast” will never bring about the kind of motivation required to subdue the appetites of the flesh. Legalism and law will not liberate you into the flight of freedom in fasting, they will only bring you under bondage and accusation. “For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, these are sons of God”(Romans 8:14). The Gospel writer of Mark said that the Spirit of the Lord drove (ekballo’d) Jesus into the wilderness to fast 40 days. It was the impetus of the Spirit that enabled Jesus to overcome the most intense temptations to eat. This is why we write this journal – to create within you an overpowering faith, a divine motivation, and an expectation for an unbelievable breakthrough. In fact, you would not even be reading this journal if God was not leading you by the Holy Spirit. It is our conviction that once again the Spirit that drove Jesus into the wilderness is now driving the Church worldwide into the wilderness of the 40-day fast because a great light is about to dawn.  Passion is like a mighty river that breaks the dam of our fleshly obstinance to spiritual sacrifice that brings great spiritual reward. When an inward desire to fast begins to overtake you, you can bet that the devil is not tempting you. No, the Spirit of the Lord uses inward desire, the life force of passion, to drive you into a new dimension. Many times there’s a build-up of the force of that river – overwhelming circumstances that nothing can move, an inward desperation for change, dreams and prophecies, even books that get into your hand (like this one) are the voice of the Lord screaming inside of you, “Fast for the unfolding of your new future!”    As you begin to climb this mountain, do not look at how steep the climb is, but look to the peak of spiritual pleasure that is at the top of that mountain. I would encourage you to ponder and be possessed by the prophecies, dreams, yearnings, and prayer requests that are stronger than the very desire for food. Live this fast under the shadow of a dominating prophecy. At the right hand of God “are pleasures forevermore” (Psalm 16:11). Look to the rewards of fasting, not to the temporary reach for Adam’s apple. Take this moment right now to write down a list of what you want and need from God: a friend to be saved, a disease to be healed, a calling to be heard, an addiction to be overcome, a job or career to cross into, a  people group to be won. Set your eyes on things above, not on things below (Col. 3:2), for the joy that was set before Him, Jesus endured the cross (Heb. 12:2). 40 days is not too steep a climb for eternal pleasure, impact, and reward. Let passion be the fire for The Fast!
 Prayer: Lord, we pray that you would release the fire of prophetic passion on the thousands that are fasting. I pray that they would live under the shadow of a dominating prophecy that would so capture them that this fast will become a joy and not a burden. I pray that the joy set before them will release grace to endure the suffering, the Cross, for the reward that is coming, in Jesus’ name. Amen.