1 Kings 18

OK this chapter kicks butt from start to finish. First, that Obadiah knows God will make Elijah disappear speaks to how much has already happened in Elijah's role as head prophet. But the whole showdown on Mt. Carmel is easily one of the most intense scenes in the Bible. Elijah already slaps the Baal worshippers in the face by the nature of the challenge itself. Baal was the god of weather and was depicted with a lightning bolt in his hand, so the fire thing should have been a snap. But he also taunted them all day while they begged and pleaded for their non-existent god to do his thing. If you read it in some translations, he even jokes that maybe he can't hear them because he's in the john. But when it's Elijah's turn, he makes the biggest statement so far. He pours gallons and gallons of water on his altar. Keep in mind, it hasn't rained in years at this point and the whole country is wasting away from the drought. In the last chapter, King Ahab was trying to come up with a way to keep the last of his livestock from dying. Even Elijah is having to get food and water miraculously through widows and ravens.

All this and Elijah's pouring water all over his altar. Why? Because of verse two. God had already told Elijah that He was going to make it rain (Li'l Wayne reference intended). At the end of the showdown (and after Elijah mass executes the prophets of Baal), Elijah even announces he hears the sound of a heavy rain.

Now comes the part I like best (and that's saying something, because the Mt. Carmel thing's pretty sweet). He gets down on his face and starts praying for God to act. God has already spoken and told Elijah that the rain was coming. Elijah could even hear it somewhere deep inside. But no one else could see it. There wasn't a cloud in the sky. He still had to get on his face, put his reputation on the line, and pray it out. After six times of sending his servant to check the horizon, he keeps hearing, "There's nothing there." Finally, on trip number seven, he sees a cloud coming that's about the size of your fist. And that's it. Elijah gets up. He tucks his robe into his belt and outruns Ahab's chariot back into town.

How many times have you seen no sign of God's word to you coming to pass? How many times have you had to pray for God to bring about something He already told you He was going to do? How many times have you had to take action with nothing but a little cloud for confirmation that God was going to come through?

I'm looking at my little cloud now. It's still way out on the horizon. But now is the time to hike up my skirt and get going. God's about to make it rain. I can hear the rainstorm coming.

Luke 7

I recently heard an awesome message that referenced this chapter. (Matt Chandler at Catalyst 08) I had never seen Luke 7 as a downer before. It is so packed with amazing miracles that people are drawn to Jesus left and right. It's a collection of some really great stories. Great that is, if you're not John the Baptist. Go back and read just his part. On the one hand you get the ultimate shout out when Jesus Christ, Son of the Living God says that you are the best person to ever walk the face of the earth. It can't get much better than that.

But, on the other hand, he's rotting in prison at this point because Herod's wife is ticked at him for just stating the obvious that she's living in sin. So when he sends his boys to go ask Jesus, his first cousin by the way, if he completely missed it about who Jesus was, I'm not sure he got the response he hoped for. "Yes, I'm the One. But no, I'm not coming to bail you out. You're going to end up beheaded because of a stripper." (Those may not have been His exact words.)

I can't imagine that he would have ever thought that's how things were going to end up for him. He lived a completely sold-out life, the Jesus freak poster boy. He was 100% obedient to God's calling on His life, and yet, everything wasn't coming up roses for him.

It's because of stuff like this (and Moses, and Samuel, and Stephen, and the other martyred disciples), that I know that the gospel isn't about all of the cool stuff you get for signing up for a life in Christ. The joy, peace, prosperity, health, peace, etc. that the New Testament promises can't possibly be talking about the things of this earth. The gospel IS Jesus. Not the blessings He brings.

I think it was my dad who first told me the concept of "seek God's face and not His hand." When I think about the fate of the vast majority of the heroes of the Bible, it forces me to redirect my hope. My hope isn't in a happy ending or a pile of stuff. My hope is in Christ alone. Like John, I may go down in some shamefully unfair way, but I hope that my next thought in the next world is the joy of getting to finally see His face. I want to get up every day seeking God's face and not just His hand.

James 3

James is still ranting about keeping my mouth in check. Ouch. Such strong language about it all too. He does such a good job showing how high the stakes are for us letting our mouth rage like a wildfire.

I set goals to clean up my mouth in 2008. It pretty much involved having a swear jar in our office. But rude, inappropriate, or offensive language is really only the tip of the iceberg that we need to steer our mouth away from. I think the real damage probably comes from gossip. I have always liked to think that I was fairly decent in this area. I don't tell people bad stuff about other people (much), and I can disguise talking bad about someone as a group problem solving session. But just to be honest, I still smell smoky.

A dear old lady I love smokes like a chimney. At this point in her life, there's little harm in her enjoying that one thing in her life. But even so, when we spend any time at her house, we all go home smelling like an ashtray. My point about that is that, whether or not I'm smoking, the second-hand smoke still stinks. So, even when I involve myself in any discussion that might be gossip, then I still stink too.

So my new standard for 2009 is this. First, would I have this exact discussion if this person were in the room? To put your mind at ease if you're my friend reading this, it's usually yes. Even when I share a story about one friend to another, it's not really a big deal. It's not disparaging them or exposing anything that was private. But, I want to get down to 0% in this area. No tolerance on this.

My second screen may prove to be harder. Am I having this discussion with the right people? It's one thing to bounce ideas off of a good friend. It's another to dump your junk in someone's lap and then not have the guts to go do something about it. I don't want to dump on my friends. If it's something that takes action, I want to go talk to the right people about it.

The last part of James is a tough pill to swallow, too. The stuff about ambition. I've long considered ambition to be a negative thing. In our culture it seems like a plus. But like this passage points out, it's motivated by selfishness. I want to have the kind of wisdom that is motivated by a passion for God. Like this:

But the wisdom from above is first of all pure. It is also peace loving, gentle at all times, and willing to yield to others. It is full of mercy and good deeds. It shows no favoritism and is always sincere. And those who are peacemakers will plant seeds of peace and reap a harvest of righteousness.

I guess the only way I'll know for sure when I get there is that I should see a big harvest of righteousness. But I wonder, what does that look like exactly?

1 Samuel 8

So you've given everything you are to a mission. You've poured out your heart to God and given yourself completely to His will. You've led led with everything in you, and still, someone rejects your efforts. Someone rejects you. That must have been how Samuel felt.

From the time he was weaned, he was dedicated to serve God. Raised by a wicked leader and incompetent example, he himself even raised sons that shamed him. He had sacrificed so dearly to the call God placed on his life from the time he first heard Him in the middle of the night as a boy, that now, he had no legacy among his people. Nothing on his own list of accomplishments.

Except of course that he got a support role in God's story. Although Samuel has a big chunk of it named after him, he was never the real star. Samuel was always serving at the whim of a mysterious and awesome God. And no matter how precious he was to his Creator, he was no longer of any use to his people. And so they asked for a king. To be like everyone else. To fill a need they only perceived was necessary. To succeed Samuel, but to replace God.

When you have poured yourself out to serve God and yet people still reject you, you're not the first and you certainly won't be the last. But the most heartbreaking part of the story is that Samuel wasn't being rejected at all. It was God they were turning their backs on. They had their loving Maker for a leader and they picked a fallible human instead. All I can tell myself, and you, if you've felt this was too, is don't take it personally. You are who God says you are. I know my calling. I heard it in a whisper one night just like Samuel.

But instead of the easy route of identifying with the righteous character, what about putting myself in the Israelites' shoes. How do I reject God as my king? In what ways do I choose to follow another? How can I remove all layers of bureaucracy between me and the One who wants to be my King so I can serve Him purely? I don't want that list of bad things to happen to me. So how can I crown Him King of each and every day?

Habakkuk 2

Then the LORD answered me and said, "Record the vision and inscribe it on tablets, that the one who reads it may run. "For the vision is yet for the appointed time; it hastens toward the goal and it will not fail. Though it tarries, wait for it; for it will certainly come, it will not delay.
Habakkuk 2:2-3 NASBish

This is the verse I keep on my desktop of my computer at work. I need it written plainly on tablets. God spoke it straight to me once and now when I read it, I hear Him as plainly as if I were stationed on the rampart next to Habakkuk.

The key word here is "it." It refers to "the vision." But notice who does all fo the action in this verse. Is it you? Or is it it?

The vision is for a set time. (Set by God incidentally, not me.)
The vision is hastening towards the goal.
The vision will not fail.
Though the vision may seem like it's taking forever to happen, wait for it.
Because the vision was given to me by God, it will surely happen.

That's difficult and relieving all at once. I can quit working myself into a sweat trying to make "it" happen. But then again, I also probably have some waiting to do.

But that's what the righteous do. We live by faith. That's what it says here, right? The problem is that in the mean time, in the space between, it's easy to allow things to distract you from reading those nicely inscribed tablets. It's likely even that those distractions can even become what you seek after more than God Himself. (Which, by definition, makes it idolatry FYI.)

Even after we've clearly seen a vision from God, it's not too hard to find ourselves running after things of our own creation like in verses 18-19. Trying to help the vision along. Things we produced with our own efforts to keep us busy while we should have been busy running with the vision.

But the LORD is in His holy temple. Let all the earth be silent before Him.

All of the things I put together with my own strength, things you would think I could be proud of, are all just lifeless hollow nothings. God is the only one on the throne. He is bringing His vision to pass in His timing on His scale. I just need to be quiet and get busy running so I don't miss it.

Psalm 112

I've got some heavy stuff for tomorrow so let's stay in Psalms for one more day to get a good news grounding to face the bad news. (Which according to verse 7 you don't need to worry about.)

Every single verse of this poem brings hope and faith and life. The ones that stick out to me the most are 4 and 6-8.

The KJV says in verse 7, "my heart is fixed." I want my heart fixed. I want to trust in the Lord no matter what the situation looks like. No matter what tries to shake me up. I don't have any foes I feel the need to gloat over, but even so, I can appreciate that kind of outcome.

In' not one to think that the gospel is all about what you get for being friends with Jesus. The gospel IS Jesus. You get Him. So, praise the Lord. Let's fear the Lord and find great delight in His commands.

Psalm 27

This psalm is my prayer. Read over it a few times and really personalize it if it helps. With all of the things I'm praying, I sure would like that one thing the most. To just sit in His presence, at His feet, safe in His house forever. But I don't think that's what He's calling me to right now. But even though physically I can't just hide out in church or my prayer chair, I think I can still go through my day wrapped up in His love.

My heart has heard you say, “Come and talk with me.” And my heart responds, “Lord, I am coming.

Man, that is so comforting. The Lord will hold me close. No matter what meeting I'm sitting in or what words are spoken over me or what obstacles arise, the Lord is holding me close.

But my favorite part is the last.

Yet I am confident I will see the Lord’s goodness while I am here in the land of the living. Wait patiently for the Lord. Be brave and courageous. Yes, wait patiently for the Lord.

We don't belong here. We weren't made to end up here. We are strangers here and we will never be 100% fulfilled on this earth, yet we don't have to lose heart. We can still be confident that we will see God's goodness while we are in the land of the living. I just want Him to hold me close while I wait for it.

2 Corinthians 4

My friend John has inspired me to continue my fast for 40 days. My tiny friend Carrie is doing 31. And she wasn't ashamed to share with us that it's not exactly delightful. The fasting is hard. Even the "wuss" Daniel fast. (Don't knock it 'til you try it.) But what I think Carrie meant is, and what I've found to be true too, what's harder is the earnest prayer.

Most of the time, I pray pretty general prayers about being who God made me to be, God leading my leaders, God blessing my family, God's will be done, etc. But this time, I've been praying for something really specific. And although I've seen bright flashes of hope, my faith staggers at its scope. I thought my general prayers were super faithy because I was trusting in whatever God's outcome might be. But with this, even though I believe that the outcome I'm asking for is His will, I still feel like I'm really laying myself on the line.

So, when I was sitting at my desk yesterday thinking about how Carrie must feel, the weight of it all just overwhelmed me. And it immediately made me think of this amazing passage. If you haven't already read 2 Corinthians 4, stop and do it right now.

Right off the bat, verse 2 confronts me. I have tricks up my sleeve. I could resort to underhanded methods to try to influence my situation to get the result I want. But what if God has something better in store. Do I really think I can handle this better than God? What if this isn't His idea for me at all?

The second most awesome part is verses 5-7. I think sometimes I wish the light shining out of me was a "Everyone Look at Me!!" flashing Vegas signboard. But the only thing in me that's shiny at all is the glory of God. The real me is a common clay pot. The fact that God is willing to set up house within me is simply stunning. The most priceless treasure in the world in a fragile, finite, mortal jar. But the icing on the cake of this powerhouse passage, and a personal fave, is verses 8 and 9.

We are hard pressed on every side, but not crushed;
perplexed, but not in despair;
persecuted, but not abandoned;
struck down, but not destroyed.

So even though this is how I feel, and have felt on and off for over a year, I believe therefore I speak. I believe that God is in complete control of my situation. I believe that the power that raised Jesus from the dead lives in me. I believe that God is moving on my behalf even though I can't see it, just like he was for Daniel during his 21 day delay. I believe that the outcome that God has for me will wildly surpass what I'm asking Him for. I believe that Carrie's prayer will be answered. I believe that John will see God in a never-before-seen way. I believe that my friends' families will be restored and revitalized. I believe God will heal their loved one's bodies, even from the grips of cancer. I believe that the Lord will pour out His Spirit on my leaders and open their eyes to the same visions He has shown me. I believe...

therefore I do not lose heart. Though outwardly I am wasting away, yet inwardly I am being renewed day by day. For my light and momentary troubles are achieving for me an eternal glory that far outweighs them all. So I fix my eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen. For what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal.

Psalm 19

I LOVE this psalm. I can just see the author sitting outside at night stargazing, knowing so much more about them than the brightest and best astronomer of today. Day after day, he understood, they are speaking, crystal clear, about a Creator more vast than we can comprehend. The sun and the moon are showing off the glory of God.

Then you've got verses 7-10 as a little poem of sorts. And what's the poem all about? Rules! God's laws, precepts, commands, ordinances. What a bizarre thing to make up a little rhyme about. That's certainly not something any of us independence-loving modern people would write a little ditty about. But read the second half of each statement. What a deep devotion. He cherishes God's way of life more than gold. It's sweeter than the honey on the comb. Not when I remember that this isn't just this guy's opinion, that it is the absolute factual truth, I want in on that. I want to live like I believe that God's Word is the most valuable thing in the world.

We had the most precious story from church last weekend. A little girl named Holly responded to the power of the gospel saying she wanted to invite Jesus into her life. When the volunteer and her parents asked her if she really understood what she was asking, she said, "Well, if I could have anything in the whole world (holding out one hand), or God (holding out the other), I pick God." Wow. That's it. That's exactly what this author was talking about. Holly feels it, too.

But, even so, the author saved the best verse for last. It is my prayer every single day.

May the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be pleasing in your sight, O LORD, my Rock and my Redeemer.

James 2

Again, James hits it hard in this second chapter. He busts right out talking about favoritism. I think it's easy sometimes to dismiss this one. We can often think we would never treat others differently. I mean this is America, right? But what about the rich that live right inside our home. I treat me pretty nicely. I tend to be my favorite.

I can't help but notice his tie-in to Jesus' command to love others as we love ourselves. And if you have read Crazy Love by Francis Chan, you know where I'm going. (If you haven't, I just bought 10 new copies today, and one's waiting on my mantel with your name on it!) That 50% challenge pops up at us yet again. Francis says (he told me just to call him that) that when he reads the "love your neighbor as yourself" thing, He believes Jesus meant it literally. Literally love others just as much as you love yourself, so spend as much on them as you do on yourself. That means 50/50. And in Jesus' story right after His quote that illustrates who our neighbor is and isn't, it is the poor, wounded, helpless, outcast, etc. So I'm confronted with that again. Brannon and I are still working out how we can live that way.

The second half of the chapter demands a resolution about it though. Faith isn't a creed, it's a deed. As a matter of fact, in addition to having an active faith to please God (like Hebrews 11:6 requires), it's also the only way we can earn influence over others. We can only earn moral authority over others when our creed and deed line up. That's probably the number one obstacle to us evangelizing our nation. We have no moral authority. Because in most instances, the world sees a Church with a dislocated deed and creed. If aren't willing to live like we say we believe, then why on earth would they want to join our group? The free pens? The comfy chairs?

I recently listened to Andy Stanley talk about this moral authority issue and it really clicked with me. I'll go over it some more by itself, but let's look at ourselves. Let's ask ourselves: How's my faith/works alignment looking? How's my moral authority? If I weren't already me, would I want to become me? If I weren't already following Christ, would I choose to become the kind of Christian that I currently am? Would my own witness be enough to convert me?

Hmmm. You may not want to comment about that. You can just click the "hmmm" box for today.

so what's next?

Congratulations to those of you who completed your fast. And "more power to ya" to those who are still going. I'm going to Saturday, but I certainly look forward to Sunday when I get to celebrate Brannon's Grandma Lila's birthday with who knows what yummy food.

For those of you who had a "cheat day" during the fast, you can probably tell us from experience that we need to take it easy getting back on regular food. No trips to the Chinese buffet. No greasy anything. You'll regret it if you do! Just add in a few things at a time in sensible portions.

I'd love for you to stick around here with your resident Metacognician. I'm going to continue writing some thoughts about a different chapter of the Bible each day for a while. My LifeGroup and I have made a commitment to read a chapter of the Bible every day this whole year. Of course several of them will read the same chapter over and over for a week just to let it sink in (starting with James).

Whatever your plan, share this website with anyone you think will like it. And as always, I love to read your comments as we move forward through 2009.

fast day twenty-one: Ezekiel 47

The man brought me back to the entrance of the temple, and I saw water coming out from under the threshold of the temple...
As the man went eastward with a measuring line in his hand, he measured off a thousand cubits and then led me through water that was ankle-deep.
He measured off another thousand cubits and led me through water that was knee-deep.
He measured off another thousand and led me through water that was up to the waist.
He measured off another thousand, but now it was a river that I could not cross, because the water had risen and was deep enough to swim in—a river that no one could cross.
He asked me, "Son of man, do you see this?"

We've made a big commitment to start off your year. Many of us have already accomplished things we've never attempted before. Some of us have come closer to God than we ever have before. But God is whispering. He's beckoning us to follow Him deeper still.

Ezekiel lived in the same time Daniel did, but his prophecies were from a different perspective. He saw the doom and gloom back in Jerusalem. He saw the vacant Temple. But in the last part of his book God showed Him a vision of a new Temple. One restored to a more glorious state than ever before. And the Glory of the Spirit of God was gushing from it like an unstoppable river.

No matter how deep you think you are now, let's all wade in deeper. Don't worry about what's going to get wet. Don't stop at the point where you can keep your feet underneath you. Get swept away. What are you holding on to? What are your hesitations to living a Spirit-led life of faith? What illusion of control are you clinging to? Money, possessions, family, comfort, convenience, food, career, each of us can add our hang-up to the list. But I'm done. I want to go all in. And I want my friends in with me. So let's just dive in.

Come on in, the water's fine!

fast day twenty: Zechariah 7

Zechariah was one of Daniel's contemporaries, a prophet giving messages from God to His people trying to organize themselves after the 70 years of exile in Babylon. In this chapter, the people are wondering if they should continue the fasting calendar they had kept and the Lord answers through Zechariah.

"...when you fasted and mourned in the summer and in early autumn, was it really for me that you were fasting? And even now in your holy festivals, aren’t you eating and drinking just to please yourselves?..."

Since Moses' time, God instituted a whole calendar of fasts and feasts, both designed to draw His people closer to Him. Get that? If you make seeking God and drawing closer to Him your goal for every day, both this time of fasting, and the feasting that may come in the upcoming days, can both be holy to the Lord. I want all of us to really seek out how this time has changed your relationship with God (and with food and other relationships). But then I want us to consider the ways that our times of feasting (not gluttony, but joyful appreciation of God's blessings) can draw us towards Him too. Here's another way I hope we're changed.

"Judge fairly, and show mercy and kindness to one another. Do not oppress widows, orphans, foreigners, and the poor. And do not scheme against each other."

Can we do this part too? Can we refocus our lives and hearts to pour ourselves out for them. Can we bring His mercy and kindness to the poor?

I love the way this fast has affected us, but I'd love the change to continue. I see no scriptural evidence that God has called us to fast every day. Jesus didn't do it, and God commanded feasts. So I have to believe that God is just excited about His love for us the day after your fast as today. When we wake up each day with a renewed focus on God and spreading His love, we can spend the rest of this year falling more in love with God each day, fast or feast.

fast day nineteen: Joel 2

Can you get the mental picture Joel is drawing? Like the ants in the new Indiana Jones, like the orcs in LOTR, like the wildfires in California from the news. The power of the advancing army of the Lord is rushing across our planet. Did you ever do this in the wave pool? Instead of bobbing over each wave, you turn around and ride it into the shore. So will you turn and join the advancing army or let it sweep past you?

That is why the Lord says, "Turn to me now, while there is time. Give me your hearts. Come with fasting, weeping, and mourning. Don’t tear your clothing in your grief, but tear your hearts instead.” Return to the Lord your God, for he is merciful and compassionate, slow to get angry and filled with unfailing love. He is eager to relent and not punish. Who knows? Perhaps he will give you a reprieve, sending you a blessing instead of this curse."

Tear your hearts instead. We've been fasting, but we can finish strong by making sure we are weeping and mourning and tearing our hearts wide open to allow His power and presence to sweep across the landscape of our lives. To lay ourselves bare before His mercy and compassion and unfailing live.

Jesus quoted Joel when He confirmed that the Day of the Lord had indeed come.

"...I will pour out my Spirit upon all people. Your sons and daughters will prophesy. Your old men will dream dreams, and your young men will see visions. In those days I will pour out my Spirit even on servants—men and women alike. ...But everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved..."

We are still living in that Day. Pray and fast today seeking to be completely awash in His presence and power. Receive the outpouring of the Spirit into your life. Open your eyes to His dreams and visions. Tear your hearts wide open.

fast day eighteen: Daniel 12

You can read this over and over and read a thousand commentaries about it but you may never feel sure you really understand it. Daniel didn't. But there are some key parts that show us which group we want to be a part of.

...those who are wise shall shine like the brightness of the sky above; and those who turn many to righteousness, like the stars forever and ever.

How can we be wise? Not coincidentally, James 1 told us. Ask God. He gives it out freely. He wants to actually. The second part is pretty evident. Full circle evangelism. Not just introducing people to Jesus, but turning them towards righteousness and away from their sinful past.

Many shall purify themselves and make themselves white and be refined, but the wicked shall act wickedly. And none of the wicked shall understand, but those who are wise shall understand.

Not all of the Christians I know work hard to purify themselves. Most people are satisfied with a nice shade of gray instead of white. I think about women long ago who struggled to do laundry by hand. Laundry is a big enough pain with our own washer and dryer and modern chemicals, but imagine doing it way back when. In Daniel's time I imagine there was a pretty high premium on something perfectly pure and white.

I want to be that His beautiful bride in white. But that's not my place. It's our place. The church. We are His collective bride. We are to purify ourselves and make ourselves white and refined. So, in addition to cleaning up our own act, we need to do what that first verse said too and "turn people to righteousness." Not just flagrant heathens but the believer at your elbow during worship. I'd really like us to meditate on the wildness and mysteriousness of this chapter and allow it to motivate us to get white.

fast day seventeen: Daniel 11

Can you believe this detail? Do you get what's going on here? God isn't just making predictions about what will happen in the future, God has seen it already. He can give Daniel this kind of play-by-play because He already TiVoed the game.

Here's some heavy stuff, but it has to be true. God exists outside of time and space. The human perception of the passage of time is only that. Our point of view. We cannot fathom, outside of science fiction movies, the ability to travel around in time. Even when we do, we are plagued with all kinds of problems. "What if Marty interferes with his parents in the past?" "What if Dr. Brown leaves himself a clue from the future?" "Is it still gross to make out with your mom if you're technically not even born yet?" (The answer to that one isn't much of a mystery. Yes.)

God can remember the future as handily as we can remember the past. And God can tell Daniel exactly what will happen in the future without worrying about him messing up the space-time continuum by writing it all down. God is sovereign. All of this is WAY above our pay grade to comprehend, but that doesn't make it untrue.

I explain it to kids like this. Try to teach math to a worm. Can't do it. That doesn't mean that 2+2=4 isn't still true, it just means that worm brains can't handle it. And we are more similar as a species to a worm than we are to God.

God exists outside of time and space. God has no beginning and no end. God can be wholly present everywhere at the same time. God is all-powerful and all-knowing. Jesus was 100% divine and 100% human at the same time. And Mary was a virgin and miracles never cease. Mind blowing for worm brains like ours for sure.

You can't argue with it. All evidence points to yes. Daniel could write detailed accounts of the future because of God's infinite awesomeness. Instead of getting too bogged down with who all these kings are, let your mind idle for a while on who God is.

only a few days left to go!

So how are you feeling about your fast at this point? Even though it's really getting hard to not have the things I really want to eat, in some ways it's getting easier. I've already overcome homemade mac and cheese, pizza, queso and salsa with chips, birthday cake, and, well I better stop. Sorry. But after saying no to that stuff, what's a few more days going to hurt.

I hear lots of good answers to prayer. And I expectantly wait for more. I'd love you to comment on the ways it has effected you spiritually too.

Several people I've talked to are considering extending their fast. I'm going to add a few days to show solidarity to my friends who started on Sunday instead of the first. Some are going to the end of the month and some 40 days. I think if I redefine I can continue on to 40. Giving up movies, TV, and secular music has been really positive and I'll keep that up. (Besides, I just got the DVDs from Catalyst I can't wait to plow through!) I think I'll hang in there with no sweets and no drinks besides water and juice too. I may also continue no meat, but the one thing I crave the most, and I know a some of you are with me on this, is cheese! I don't know what the first post-fast meal is that I want, but I can guarantee you it will be cheesy.

fast day sixteen: James 1

When I was in the fifth grade, I memorized this entire chapter in the KJV. Before you start thinking I was born holy or something, you should note that I was rewarded for doing it with a free flight to Dallas to see a Mavericks game and we stayed in the Galleria. Thank you Gretchen Hartzog for that! Ever since then, God has used verses from this chapter to illuminate Himself, to offer comfort, to motivate change, and to challenge deep thought.

One of the great things about this chapter is that it refuses to allow itself to be for deep thought alone. It's in this chapter that God lays it on the line and says, "Look, the Bible isn't just for contemplation, it's for life change. Don't just read it, do what it says." Think how many times a day you look in a mirror. Practically any time a human walks past a reflective surface we check ourselves out. Do we really forget what we look like? That's what God says we do with His Word though. We read and turn right around and forget.

Let's not forget. Let's put faith into action. That's the only kind of faith that pleases God. Let's put love into action. That's the only kind of love that's real. If I never read another verse for the rest of my life, I have read quite enough already to instigate a lifetime of growth towards God. What about you? Are you ready to remember?

Read James 1 now. I could never write everything I loved about it. Share what God shows you with the rest of us. You'll have to set up a blogger account (of you don't already have a Google account), but I think you can also leave anonymous comments without that and just tell us who you are in your text.

welcome LifeGroup friends!

I am really excited to begin to share my blog with my friends from my LifeGroup. After a short pop quiz, we found that we all needed a boost in our Bible study habits. So starting this week, we are going a chapter at a time through the book of James. Each of us has committed to read one chapter of the Bible every day. So, since we're only discussing one chapter a week of James on Wednesday nights, that gives you a couple of choices. Either you can read James 1 seven times this week, or you can read it once and then select six other chapters to read each day. I'm psyched that we're studying James first. We will begin with one of the most precious books of the Bible to me.

That means that for my fasting friends, one post a week will be about James instead of Daniel. Hopefully you'll also see lots more comments on those posts as my LifeGroup friends weigh in on how God is speaking to them through James. Join right in with them though! James is the perfect practical, no-nonsense counterbalance for fantastic, abstract Daniel.

fast day fifteen: Daniel 10

Finally we're to the part this whole fast idea comes from. The 21 days. Not much detail to birth a huge movement of prayer! It's pretty cool that one little reference could spur us to action centuries later.

I hope the story behind this story excites you as much as it does me. From the moment you started this fast, from the time you first brought your prayer to God, He has been right on top of it! God is already moving to bring about a result for you. His power has been released on your behalf. I don't know if it's healing, favor, restoration, renewal, wisdom, direction, whatever it is you've been praying for, supernatural forces are already battling to bring it about!

I love this little glimpse into the angelic world here. Michael and Gabriel, who aren't named too often elsewhere in the Bible, have their roles revealed. Not just harp-playing messenger boys, but fearsome warriors, battling against dark forces on Daniel's behalf. Do you believe this? Do you aware that a supernatural war is raging all around you and that you are a part of it?

Because of my deep trust for God's plan, I can often be tempted to not bother praying much, especially for a specific desired outcome. But not this time. I've got some really specific requests for God. And we've got one more week until I believe we'll see a breakthrough. If you haven't been seeing much of a breakthrough in your fasting, don't give up. Angels might just be warring right around you.

The stakes are much greater than we think. The battle is real. Join the fight. Feel encouraged and strengthened and continue to pray and fast for one more week! Feel touched by God.

Then the one who looked like a man touched me again, and I felt my strength returning. “Don’t be afraid,” he said, “for you are very precious to God. Peace! Be encouraged! Be strong!” As he spoke these words to me, I suddenly felt stronger and said to him, “Please speak to me, my lord, for you have strengthened me.”

fast day fourteen: Daniel 9

Two weeks down, one to go! If you've made it so far, you are doing so well! I know of several who are so excited about the spiritual renewal, answered prayer, and improved health that they are extending their fasting. Go God!

This is a beautiful and heart-felt diversion between all of the vivid prophecies. We see Daniel's heart. Repenting for things he himself was likely never guilty of. Because of what Jesus says about prayer, that we should first get right with others and with God, I think we need to stop and confess.

Christianity is not getting good press. We, as a body, haven't exactly taken our place as leaders and servants in this world. Obviously, we've got people in every corner of the globe pouring out their lives, but as a whole, we are under attack. What can you personally to improve that image? Confess your sins. Acknowledge our mistakes. And beg God to show us mercy.

I don't have any more to say about that except, if you've got sin in your life, don't go to bed tonight without confessing. To God of course, but also to another believer. Pride, bitterness, unforgiveness, anger, hatred, dishonestly, lust, deceit, I don't know, just get rid of it. As Christians, we bear His name. And we must stop dragging it through the mud.

"...We do not make requests of you because we are righteous, but because of your great mercy. O Lord, listen! O Lord, forgive! O Lord, hear and act! For your sake, O my God, do not delay, because your city and your people bear your Name."

fast day thirteen: Daniel 8

I'm with Daniel. I think I need to lie down. After seeing something like that (which all happened exactly as described during the second century BC by the way), I think I would be overwhelmed too. Part of what would be challenging about it though was Daniel's viewpoint as a Hebrew from that time. Daniel only knew of the God that related to his own chosen people of Israel. He lived at the end of the time of the kings. That era had gone on for centuries with generations of judges before them going back to Joshua and Moses' time. Four hundred years before that was when the patriarchs Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, and Joseph walked the earth. I think surely he must have thought that God would restore His favored people to their exclusive place.

So to Daniel, nothing might have clued him in to God's bigger plan to redeem all of us, the Gentiles. This vision he saw was a clear picture that things were not going in the direction of Israel getting back on their feet as God's one and only people. They did go back to Jerusalem, as God had promised through other prophets, but it would never be the same.

I think sometimes our relationship with God is like that. We keep longing for some ideal of God from the past or from great stories of other people's lives, when really, God's plan for your walk with Him may take a dramatic turn. One you could never foresee, like a shaggy goat. Something WAY bigger and WAY better. But if God ever showed us what the world would be like years from now, we might be just as appalled as Daniel.

Psalm 119 says God's Word is a lamp for our feet and a light unto our path. I think that's just about right. I really only need to see the next step. I think I want to see the rams and their horns, but just a flashlight will do. Lord, your Word is everything I need. All I need to know. Let me always seek to know Him better through His Word.

ready for the acid trip half of Daniel?

Well you asked for it. So here comes the acid trip part of Daniel. It's 50/50. Chapters 1-6: history (not boring, fabulous and wild) Chapters 7-12: visions (also not boring, totally fabulous and wild)

Let's get this statement out of the way first though. Here's my overview of all biblical prophecy and my take on all things end times.

1. The Bible is about Jesus and His role in the world and in our lives. Therefore, prophecy will tend to point to toward Him as the star and major theme. Jesus then, came to fulfill them. He said that He fulfilled everything the Old Testament scriptures said about him. So that's my first filter.

2. Jesus said to live prepared for the end times every day. He said to the people standing there in the flesh that they were in them. Therefore, much of any prophecy that refers to anything in the "end times" includes everything from when He arrived on earth to change everything until His second coming which hasn't happened as of my typing this.

3. God is not the source of fear. So if anything causes you to be fearful, like some man's interpretation of end times events, disregard it completely

So, all that to say, I don't think God inspired Daniel to write down his dreams to freak us out in the 21st century. God didn't include all this stuff about horns, flying animals, and half a times in the Bible to prepare us for some pearly gates pop quiz that you have to pass to get in. Keep that in mind as we go through Daniel and as you study anyone's interpretation of what all of his wild dreams mean. Just listen to God for yourself.

fast day twelve: Daniel 7

OK, hopefully you read my biblical prophecy overview and have that out of the way. So now let's continue to search through the book of Daniel to find things that I can learn from him and hear wisdom from God about how I should live today. For me, in this chapter, that comes from verses 1, 15, 16, and 28.

Daniel, because of His hot pursuit of knowing the God of his forefathers was now in a position to see this kind of incredible vision from God while laying in bed. I don't know about you, but I don't see little horns wrenching out three other ones from my pillow. What I really like though, is that after seeing this major freak-out of a dream, when he is confused and afraid, he walks up to a heavenly being and asks for clarification. That's just cool. He wasn't afraid of anyone thinking he was dumb for not getting it the first time or any of the other silly things I might worry about. And you know what? Daniel got an answer. Granted, the answer is almost as trippy as the vision itself, but he wasn't afraid to ask. Even at the end, when he was just completely blown away with what he'd seen, he had the good sense to just keep his mouth shut. I think that was smart because I'm fairly sure that if I started telling people I could see leopards and winged lions that I'd get locked up or medicated.

So what crazy things is God showing you? It might not be a clear prophecy about the next four kingdoms that will rule the world. It might be a vision for your workplace. Your marriage. Your career. Your classes. Your kids. Your city. Your calling. Whatever it is, you might as well have ten horns if you tell certain people because that's exactly how they are going to look at you. Some words from God, and I'm horrible at this, are best kept to yourself for a while. Not because they're wrong. Daniel's was true. And not because you're crazy. Daniel was as sane as they come. But because the time for the dream may not be quite yet.

That's hard. Just as vividly as iron teeth and bronze claws, I can see certain truths about the future. Glimpses of God's plan for me. But I've learned the hard way, that sometimes, what seems crystal clear in my head, comes out of my mouth sounding as threatening as four stampeding beasts. We've got some chapters left and a few more days of fasting left, but what I want to know is, how can I learn to hear God, see His plan, and still sit with my mouth shut and wait for it to happen. Let's pray together that God will tell us.

halftime

Many of us are halfway through! That's really something to celebrate because most of the people fasting together this time are rookies. I know I have certainly been experiencing the spiritual power of fasting. (Plus, I've dropped some weight so that's nice.) God is moving mightily in my life and lots of big things are stirring up. Since a few of you have shared prayer requests, I'd like to throw a couple out myself.

First of all, please pray for healing for my dear friend Scott. He has an inner ear disorder called Menear's Disease that just flat out drives him nuts. It's super painful, annoying, and makes him dizzy and sick. He works for Compassion International and is sold out to serving God with his life. Pray that these symptoms will cease and allow him to minister like God has called him to.

Second, please pray for me and the amazing opportunities to influence the Kingdom of God that I have in my role at LifeChurch.tv. A lot is going on right now within our Central Leadership and God is all over it. I'm excited about the changes that have happened already and really need God's favor in order to get the chance to play the part I know God has called me to.

Plus, pray for the other fasters. I know everyone has times that are way harder than others. Pray for the strength to persevere and not give up. But God is faithful and will be more than enough.

fast day eleven: Isaiah 58, part 2

...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.
Then you will call, and the LORD will answer;
you will cry for help, and he will say: Here am I.

Man, that would be awesome. But does that sound like you? What about this?

...your light will rise in the darkness,
and your night will become like the noonday.
The LORD will guide you always;
he will satisfy your needs in a sun-scorched land and will strengthen your frame.
You will be like a well-watered garden,
like a spring whose waters never fail.

Is this what you want to be true of you? Is this who you want to be? Then you've got work to do. And it it caring for the poor.

Honestly, until about a year or so ago, I only cared about the poor with my mouth. You certainly couldn't have looked at my life and seen any indication that I had ever even heard about the many times Jesus harped about taking care of the poor. But, that has changed a lot in 2008 and I plan for it to change even more in 2009.

What are some steps you can take during this fast to change your heart for the poor? Well, first step, you can use the spiritual principle "your heart is where your riches are" and start giving aggressively to missions and mercy organizations. Just start with that and you'll see your money leading your heart to care about the poor. Second, you can start praying for the poor. Ask God to help you see them in your daily life and He will bring them across your path in droves. And of course a third step would be to actually carve out time to DO something about poverty. Go feed hot dogs to the homeless like my friend Chele. Or go take them sleeping bags like my friend Des.

But honestly, I think those are only good starts. I know that when I looked inside my heart, especially before God started changing it, I saw that I really spent my time and money on me and my world. You could see it in all the little details. Like having a "junk drawer" that would be a treasure trove in an impoverished nation (not to mention an attic). Or that my home is a mansion compared to my global siblings in Christ. And that my budget still has plenty of room for things that I don't really need. Eating out. New clothes. Convenience packaging. TV entertainment packages. $9 theater movies. Wow.

The reason an average of 29,000 people will die today of basic lack is primarily because of the millions living it up like kings. Greed is a major cause of poverty. My greed causing their suffering. Jesus was really clear about what He wanted us to do about it. Feed the hungry. Clothe the naked. Visit the imprisoned. Bring water to the thirsty. And He said it in a very pointed way. "I was hungry. I was naked. I was in prison. I was thirsty."

Jesus didn't say things just to be dramatic and sensational. He meant what He said. Jesus Christ and approximately 28,999 others will die in this 24-hour period. He is sitting in rags in an AIDS-infested village in a mud hut without food in his belly and with drinking water a 10K walk away, right among my five kids in Burkina Faso. No wonder we struggle to hear God, or get our prayers answered, or understand His will, or beg for help and healing to no avail. I like how Francis Chan said it in his book Crazy Love, "God has more of a right to ask you why there's suffering in the world than you do of Him."

Read the passage from Isaiah 58 at the top again. Do we want our righteousness to go before us in a powerful, protective way? Do we want to know God's glory's got our back? Do we want to hear His clear answer when we call? Then we must do what it takes. Not just fast and go on about our own lives. We've got to pour out our lives as an offering to Him and do what He did when He walked the earth. Reach out to the poor, the sick, the suffering, the outcasts.

fast day ten: Isaiah 58, part 1

Let's take a break for a couple of days. We're halfway through the book of Daniel and many of us are reaching the halfway mark of our fast (the 21-day version anyway). I'd like you to stop and read Isaiah 58. It's my very favorite passage about fasting and we'll take two days to talk about it, but go ahead and read the whole thing both days and let it marinate. (Mmm. Marinate.) Click here to read it online now.

This is a prophecy from God through Isaiah to God's people of Israel who were frustrated with God's lack of response to their fasting. There's a lot to learn from God's rant to them about what fasting's really about. Verses 3 and 4 where God calls them out for just going on about their own business, "doing as they please," really stand out to me. It makes me think of Jesus at 12 who is found in the Temple because He "had to be about His Father's business." If we're trying to live like Christ, we need to consider that. Whose agenda were we on today? Ours or His?

I think it's easy for us in such a food centered society to quickly allow this time to become all about what we're not eating. There's no point in fasting as far as God is concerned if it's all about food. Unless it's all about God, you might as well not bother. That's not to say that we aren't all getting great health benefits from what we're doing. I mean, I don't know anyone who's fasting from veggies and fruit and healthy stuff. We're all fasting from less healthy stuff. But that's all really secondary to the real, powerful, supernatural, true fasting this chapter is talking about.

So let's renew our commitment to our fast with a clarified picture of what a fasting heart should look like. Let's make it a part of our worship to also lay aside the crankiness, the arguing, the strife, the temper, or any other behavior that dishonors God. Let's renew our fasting as an act of worship. Let's make tomorrow a day devoted to going about our Father's business.

More about this chapter tomorrow, so read it again in another version and let it simmer. (Shoot, another food word! I meant simmering a nice veggie soup not pork chops, I promise.)

fast day nine: Daniel 6

This is one of the most famous stories in the Bible. Every kid in Sunday School knows the Lions' Den. So assuming you all read it before you read this, let's start with something I wonder about. It gives no description of Daniel's arrest and when he is thrown in. So, do you think he pleaded and screamed, or just walked along and cooperated. Because of his character so far, I think he stayed cool as a cucumber. (Look at me dropping a veggie into the story.) But how? Would I do that? Do I?

To give some personal history, I used to be afraid of spiders and snakes. If the kids saw a spider in the house and dad wasn't home, they knew they had little chance of doing anything but watching it get away. And snakes? No matter how tiny or harmless I knew they were, they just totally made me lose it. Now sometime about a year ago, I noticed a difference. I just quit being afraid of them. If a spider violated my home, I just got a shoe, smashed it, and flushed it. Even if I could have managed to do that in the past, I would have been afraid later that it would crawl out and bite me on the butt. I've had less opportunity to test the snake thing, but the few I have had, not even a shiver. I wondered what else it applied to. All the other things I could think of that I have been afraid of, like dying and leaving my kids without a mom, or something bad happening to one of them, just don't make my heart race anymore either. Weird. I told my husband I thought I wasn't afraid of anything anymore, and we just observed for a few months to see if it was in fact true. Although I still startle when I'm surprised, I only feel surprise, not fear. Even so, a forced march to a notorious den of hungry lions?

I'm not sure why I quit being afraid of things. I have a hunch it has to do with faith though. You see, in some ways, fear and faith are opposing forces. Fear believes something bad will happen in the future, and faith believes that something good will happen. I think of the dad in Mark 9:24 who cries out, "I believe, help my unbelief!" His faith in Christ and his fear for his son's life were struggling against each other. In my case, I think a slowly surging faith that God is in control and that His plan is best just slowly overcame my fears.

Now don't think this is about, "Oh, great for Kendra, she's got a lot of faith." Think about Daniel and the challenges he faced. In a way, each one kind of built on the one before. And it was the trials and threats that he faced that built him up to the point that in his old age, he could take "the walk" without breaking a sweat. He was probably in his eighties by then and had survived a list of Godless kings. And although, I imagine he had great confidence that God would rescue him, I think he would also have to have a perfect peace that even if he died, that would be OK too. Kind of like what Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego said when they were faced with death.

His solid faith in God came from one more thing though besides his trials, Daniel knew God. Daniel prayed three times a day even when it was against the law. I hope you are spending your fast getting to know God better. I think the more we get to know Him, our only reasonable response is a growing faith. And I'd love to see a Church whose faith has outgrown its fears. I'd like His great love and mercy to be motivation enough. Because I sure don't want to wait to get to know him until I can smell lion breath.

fast day eight: Daniel 5

It's easy to gasp in horror at what a hideous sin it was to use objects stolen from the Temple for your big drunken bash. So what was the crime exactly? Belshazzar used something that was holy to God for his own selfish purposes. Boiled down like that, it starts to sound a little more familiar.

Since we're fasting, I think we're all more aware than usual of our bodies. The Bible asks in 1 Corinthians 6:19-20, "Do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit, who is in you, whom you have received from God? You are not your own; you were bought at a price. Therefore honor God with your body." So if you are following Christ, your body is every bit as holy as cups and candlesticks from the Temple.

Let's talk about the word holy. When I was a kid, I kind of had the idea that holy meant glow in the dark or something mysterious. But holy simply means set apart by God for a special purpose. Think about that one perfect strawberry that you save to put on top of a pie. (Wait, I don't mean pie, I mean fruit tray, right? We can't have pie!) That one has been set apart for a special purpose. All Belshazzar did was desecrate, misuse, take advantage of, or spoil something that was holy.

Man. So many things come to mind then that make us guilty of that. Junk we eat. Gossip we listen to. Trash we talk. Shows we watch. Lust we feed. The list goes on and on, but I don't want to sound negative. Does Daniel show us any way out?

Well, even through the collapse of the Babylonian empire, Daniel still comes out on top. He just goes on to the next chapter to a new king. Why? Because Daniel as a man of integrity. He is who God says he is no matter who's looking or what the stakes are.

Integrity is what we need to put off those unholy behaviors that defile our holy temples. For Christians, we know how we're "supposed" to live. So, many of the ways we desecrate our bodies becomes secret sin. Stuff you don't just float out in casual conversation. "So weird to bump into you in the store like this. Hey, did you hear that I'm considering having an affair? Oh, I see you picked up some Twinkies. Man, I eat those by the box when the kids aren't home. Well, I gotta run!" Of course not. Belshazzar did it in front of his friends because he had no shame. But shame often isn't enough to stop us. So instead, satan uses shame as a tool to keep us under his thumb and allow the sin to continue. Instead of being open and addressing the sin, we try to hide it.

But sin doesn't hide as neatly as we'd like. If you're keeping a pet rhino, your neighbors will turn you in at some point. So think about it. How might you be defiling God's holy temple? We're off to a good start on the eating thing if that's your deal. With some confession to a friend and some accountability, you can get yourself in check. Whatever it is though, don't wait until the handwriting is on the wall to make a change.

fast day seven: Daniel 4

Sometime after the other stories, God sends King Nebuchadnezzar another dream. He summons his go-to guy Daniel and tells him what it was. Daniel tells him, it comes true almost immediately, the end. That's the basic plot of this chapter. But the interesting part to me comes from this being a first person announcement the king makes to all his subjects. It's not normal for a politician to air his dirty laundry, so what happened? The key is in verses 2 and 3. Nebuchadnezzar has just been schooled by God.

Back in chapter two, after God told Daniel his dream and its meaning, Nebuchadnezzar acknowledged God's great wisdom. He sounded pretty impressed in 2:47. In chapter three, after God rescued Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego from the flames, he praised God's great power in 3:28-29. But up until this chapter, he stopped short exactly where most people do. He acknowledged who God is and what He's done but refused to make Him his Lord. He had no intention of sharing his crown.

Many of us go to church and speak Christianese and read the Bible and claim to know who God is. But that fell short for Nebuchadnezzar, and it will fall short for us too. God has to be number one. And, really, I have to say, there isn't much biblical evidence for someone actually having a saving relationship with God through Jesus Christ outside of making Him your Lord. The big-talkers who continue to live out their own plan, who are often so pleased with all "they" have accomplished on their own, who stay king of their world, will not be with us in heaven. Of course I say "us" because I hope any of us are taking seriously the goal of humbling ourselves to God's ultimate authority in every area of our lives.

It took seven years of "being humbled" for Nebuchadnezzar to learn the lesson of humility. I would like to say I have always taken 1 Peter 5:6 to heart and humbled myself under the mighty hand of God, but I've probably had my seasons of eating grass and growing bird claws over the years. (Not literally obviously, that would just be silly.) But I do struggle in some ways, with trying to take back the Lordship I've given Jesus over my life. I pray that I, and all of you, have truly made God our Lord. That we submit our will to His. That we can say, like Nebuchadnezzar, "praise and exalt and glorify the King of heaven, because everything he does is right and all his ways are just. And those who walk in pride he is able to humble."

are you hanging in there?

Today my husband was on the ropes. He was jonesing for some "real food" real bad. Tonight we even took our kids to Baskin Robbins for a treat they had earned. Ice cream is his favorite. But to be honest, for me, the worst temptation there was the Li'l Jon song on their radio. For him, my sister Scotti bailed him out with some of her ninja-sneaky raw gourmet food.

I wonder how you are doing. I hope that if you have moments of weakness that you don't allow that to be an excuse for quitting altogether. Even if you slip up a few times, you can still continue your fast for the rest of the time. 20 days out of a 21 day fast still ain't too shabby for a rookie. Using some of my quick teacher math, you can actually mess up five times and still make an A- in my book. So hang in there. Get some help with creative food (or juice) options from others on the list. But don't give up.

Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will eat a steak if we do not give up. Galatians 6:9 KGV

fast day six: Daniel 3

This is officially my favorite story in the Bible. I love it from start to finish. The first half sets the stage right up to when Nebuchadnezzar lays it out, “Is it true, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, that you refuse to serve my gods or to worship the gold statue I have set up? I will give you one more chance to bow down and worship the statue... But if you refuse, you will be thrown immediately into the blazing furnace. And then what god will be able to rescue you from my power?” What a throw down.

But the best part comes next. “O Nebuchadnezzar, we do not need to defend ourselves before you. If we are thrown into the blazing furnace, the God whom we serve is able to save us. He will rescue us from your power, Your Majesty. But even if he doesn’t, we want to make it clear to you, Your Majesty, that we will never serve your gods or worship the gold statue you have set up.” Wow. They threw down too.

So what was the difference? Everything the king said was a fact.
Fact: He was the most powerful man in the world.
Fact: They were guilty of breaking his law.
Fact: The punishment was death.
Fact: The fire was hot enough to kill a nearby guard.
Fact: There were plenty more guards to make sure they went in.
Fact: They were either going to bow, or they were going to burn.
Period.

But, everything that the three Hebrews said was the truth. And Sometimes the facts don't line up with the truth.

Sometimes the fact is your marriage is on the ropes, but the truth is Christ makes all things new.

Sometimes the fact is that your wayward friend won't return your phone calls, but the truth is a sparrow doesn't fall to the ground without His notice.

Sometimes the fact is the test came back positive, but the truth is Jesus carried your disease to the cross on his blood-striped back.

Sometimes the money will run out before the bills stop coming this month, but the truth is your Father owns the cattle on a thousand hills.

Sometimes the truth is, if you won't bow, you won't burn.

I will always love the picture of the three friends rejoicing, unbound and unsinged, in the flames with the fourth man, the Son of God, there with them. Lord, when I am faced with hard facts, let me brashly trust you to be there with me. Let me always remember what Nebuchadnezzar finally realized, "There is no other god who can rescue like this!”

fast day five: Daniel 2, verse 24 on

OK, so my initial reaction to how Daniel handles himself in this section is just awe at his humility and extraordinary tact. If I had just pulled off what Daniel did, I would have wanted to end my speech with a holla' to all of the failed wise men whose lives I had just saved, "How you like me now?" with my hands up like some sort of cocky rapper. The personal application of this part of the chapter for me comes from that. Daniel did the impossible giving all the glory to God and, which I also like, making sure to take care of his three boys.

For the rest of it, you just see an intro into the fabulous futuristic snapshots this book contains. This one contains a clear portrayal of the Messiah as the rock that crushes all earthly kingdoms and continues throughout the remainder of earthly histories to dominate and expand. But be forewarned, as we go through some of the others, you can either get yourself more confused than ever by reading everything about Daniel you find online, or you can become more resolved than ever that God is in control in Daniel's life, in our lives, and in the writing, assembly, translation, preservation, and ultimate authority of this book we call the Bible.

So for today, think about where you stand on the issue of the authority and accuracy of God's Word. Do you believe in its truth 100% even against charges of factual errors? Do you make exceptions for historical context or some things just not being literal? Or do you think it's got authority over your life but isn't necessarily accurate as a historical document? I'm curious.

If you are in the 100% category with me, welcome to a very small percentage of the Christian population. Even though believing flies in the face of my logical tendencies, I've already chosen to believe in the virgin birth, the resurrection, and any number of other miracles. So why would I let a few clay fragments and atheist archaeologists sway me at this point? I may be in the minority, but I just might get a chance in eternity to stand next to Daniel and say to all of the nay-sayers, "How you like me now?"

welcome Sunday fasters

A few of my friends are starting their fast today. A few more will join us later this week. Whenever you start, you can go back and look at the devos for the day you're on. I hope you are all taking advantage of getting a buddy to help you reach your fasting goal and to pray with you. My neighbor Hilda is praying for me from across the street and I hope my accountability partner Toni will get in my grill if I try to cheat. I'm also fortunate to have my husband Brannon in on this too. I really feel great and am doing pretty well. (Except for the few minutes of preparing my kids' lunch. Even $1 frozen pizzas can smell pretty enticing.) Be sure to go add your prayer requests and share what you're fasting from down in the older posts.

fast day four: Daniel 2, verses 1-23

The most powerful man in the world demands the impossible. "Tell me my dream and the interpretation." Evidently, Nebuchadnezzar had had it with the useless Chaldeans (the sorcerer, magician, astrologer, wise guys who had been giving him fluffy advice). Verses 10 and 11 set the stage. "There is not a man on earth who can do what the king asks! No king, however great and mighty, has ever asked such a thing of any magician or enchanter or astrologer. What the king asks is too difficult. No one can reveal it to the king except the gods, and they do not live among men." This time, the posers were telling the truth. No man alive could do what Nebuchadnezzar asked. Only God can reveal dreams. And the false Babylonian gods certainly did not live among men.

But Daniel's God did. And he knew it. He found out what was going on tactfully instead of freaking out when the executioner knocked on his door. He calmly went to see this ruthless, raging, beheader king and asked for some time to hear from God. Then he went home, got his three friends and they spent the night on their knees praying for the words from God that would spare their lives.

I love it when God puts me in impossible situations because on ordinary days, I can be quick to rely on myself. My solutions, my resources, my ideas, whatever. I love it when I'm in situations where only God can come through. I want to consistently respond to crises with the confident assurance Daniel had. He knew God could handle it, and he believed He would. But I think Daniel got there by trusting God to handle things on ordinary days. He didn't wait until he was standing in the shadow of the gallows to trust God to spare his life. He entrusted God with his life every day.

A John Maxwell book I read last month had a great quote. You can tell how much people trust you by how much they entrust to you. That goes both ways. How much of my life have I entrusted to God? To be really blunt, there's only one right answer to that question. Unless my answer is,"All of it!" then I'm fooling myself. My control of the situation is a delusion. I'm pretending I know what I'm doing just like the helpless Chaldeans.

Daniel's prayer of praise is my favorite part though by far. Just meditate on it. Know it to be true. Thank God for being who He is and loving who you are. And I believe that we can sing this song for answered prayer at the end of our 21 days.

Praise be to the name of God for ever and ever; wisdom and power are his.
He changes times and seasons; he sets up kings and deposes them.
He gives wisdom to the wise and knowledge to the discerning.
He reveals deep and hidden things; he knows what lies in darkness, and light dwells with him.
I thank and praise you, O God of my fathers: You have given me wisdom and power, you have made known to me what we asked of you, you have made known to us the dream of the king.

fast day three: Daniel 1

The first part of this chapter that sticks out to me is the Babylonians changing Daniel and his friends' names. To us, naming a child may involve honoring a family member or just picking something cool or cute. But to Hebrews, names actually meant something. Daniel's meant, "God is my judge." And his friends were literally "the Lord shows grace," "who is like God?," and "the Lord helps." Each name was altered to honor the pagan gods they were being pressed to convert to. I wonder if they ever got used to being called a name that must have seemed like an insult to their God.

I've thought a lot about how I've allowed what others say about me to define me or limit the scope of God's vision for my life. I imagine I'm not the only one. I bet most of you can think of some words of a boss, a parent, a friend, a co-worker, or a complete stranger that have made you rethink who you were. I love it that in the very next verse we see how Daniel responds.

Daniel "resolved" not to cave. He didn't make a scene or tell anyone off. He quietly but persistently worked out a way to live out the plan God had for him instead of allowing the king's command to break down who he knew he was.

Now as far as the fasting goes, some of you may have thought after reading this first chapter, "21 days! Daniel only asked for 10 days! So can I quit on the 11th?" However, as you see, since of course the ten day trial was successful, Daniel and his boys kept eating that way for the rest of their three years in training. (It is possible though, that once the training was over and they were living more on their own, they might have begun to prepare foods with the legal "kosher" methods. I know I would have.)

Yesterday I marveled at how well Daniel knew God. But I'm also pretty impressed with a kid who knew who he was. Not only is that an important goal for kids, I need to work on that too. I need to "resolve" to only allow God's Word to matter. Not let a person's opinion to hold me back or change me or limit who I am and what I'm called to. If Daniel didn't allow the most powerful man in the world to faze him, then I probably don't need to worry about a flippant comment by Joe Blow or Jane Doe. How about you?

fast day two: opening the book of Daniel

The best and the brightest young men were taken from their homes in Jerusalem and put into a civil service training program in faraway Babylon. Daniel and his three friends, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah were among them. They were likely in their early to mid teens, but whatever faith training had occurred in those pre-exile years somehow stuck. Somehow their faith in the God of Israel survived after being re-educated to worship a cast of false Babylonian gods and practice sorcery and astrology. Somehow they continued to pray to a God daily that allowed them to remain separated from their home and families for the rest of their life. Somehow their adherence to the eating code commanded by the laws of Moses persevered even at a table of the finest foods on the planet. Somehow after being stripped of their Hebrew language and name, they never forgot who they were.

Before I can even begin to read the marvelous stories and fantastic prophetic visions contained in Daniel's book, I have to sit in awe at Daniel's deep personal relationship with God. One that had already been set in stone before kids today get a driver's license. As a children's minister and a mom, I long for nothing more than to instill that same kind of zealous faith in kids. And really, for anyone who has taken on the mission of "leading people to become fully devoted followers of Christ," you need to wonder how you can deepen your own faith to Daniel's level and learn to share your faith with others in a way that sets the same foundation.

As we read Daniel together, don't forget how this amazing man of faith, author of God's written word, and hero given for us to pattern our lives by, learned everything he knew about God as a child.

fast day one: 1 Chronicles 21

Happy 2009! I'm starting today with a story about David, but I'll get to Daniel next.

This is a bizarre little chapter. First of all, it starts with King David asking his commander Joab to count all of the fighting men in his kingdom. Joab is repulsed. He knows that God is always the deciding factor in a victory, not the number of men. To him it was an obvious and serious sin. Seeking definite knowledge of the exact size of your power, your limits, your worth. Needing a tangible defininition of your value.

Man, we do this every day in all kinds of ways. We seek to know our exact limits: my bank balance, my credit limit, my square footage, my 401K balance, my Facebook friends, my salary, my (insert your number here). Exactly how insulated have I made myself from simply trusting that I am reliant on an unlimited God?

But then, God sends Gad with news of a multiple choice punishment for the sin. To me, this is just zany. Seriously, stop and read it now. I can't make it any weirder than it already reads. "David, choose punishment A, B, or C for what you did." David wisely asks God to choose for him. God picked C: a plague.

David goes to build an altar to make sacrifices to end the plague. A man named Araunah generously offers to give David the land, the materials, and the animals to sacrifice. But David says something that really seems to apply to me starting this 21-day fast. "No way. I won't make a sacrifice to the Lord that costs me nothing."

Today, I will build an altar and lay a sacrifice on it that I hope honors God. It will cost me my convenience, my comfort, and take some serious willpower and commitment. I'm glad I have my friends to worship God with me by fasting.

final fling

For my last movie before the '09 cut-off date, I just watched Quantum of Solace with Brannon. Loved it. Going cold turkey on movies will be hard. But like so many other things, it's just one more layer of distraction that I need to scrape off. It reminds me of that graphic description of Job sitting there with his body covered with sores having lost everything precious to him and scraping at his wounds with a sharp rock. Now that's geting down to nothing but trust between you and God. My favorite Job quote: "Though He slay me, still will I trust in Him." Plus, it only takes a quick glance at the photos of my five Burkinabe kids to think of how silly the concept of "giving up movies for 21 days" really is.

For the day of the 31st, in addition to a nice long look at our budget and hopefully some resolution setting with my accountability partner, I plan to eat a few yummy things that will be off the menu in January. What will be your final fling?