Entree: Daniel Fast Week 1 Focus: Come Close to God

"Come Close" to God

James 4:8a AMP-"Come close to God and He will come close to you..."

"Come Close to God" is the Word that came to me for week one's focus and necessity. Let us simply do exactly that. Let me attempt to spread a spiritual and eternal entree for our encouragement.

How is every1one doing in the beginning of our corporate Daniel Fast? We do hope that each of us who have joined the 21-day, vegetables-fruits-and-water fast, and our entire supportive Christian community, have already begun to be blessed by a closeness with Christ or a self-recognition of how much our flesh tries to dictate our lives. Though you may have begun the fast hopeful and anticipating a spiritual lift, and/or a unifying of our local BCC body, you may be faced with "The spirit indeed is willing , but the flesh is weak." Jesus gives the solution in the first part of that verse in Matt 26:41 "Watch and pray, lest you enter into temptation."

The Daniel Fast, in a basic form, comes from Daniel 10:1-3 (NASU): "In the third year of Cyrus king of Persia a message was revealed to Daniel, who was named Belteshazzar; and the message was true and one of great conflict, but he understood the message and had an understanding of the vision. 2 In those days, I, Daniel, had been mourning for three entire weeks. 3 I did not eat any tasty food [NIV-choice food], nor did meat or wine enter my mouth, nor did I use any ointment at all until the entire three weeks were completed." In the weeks to come, we may be able to parallel other important things in chapter ten that we too desire to grow into. For now, I want us to receive God's GRACE to see the focus, and the fast carried through "until the entire three weeks are completed."

May Christ our Lord use this pivotal time in the latter end of week one to bless us more needfully now, rather than my purposed plan to share this prior to our start. Concerns have been brought to our attention such as yielding to temptation, types-of-eating and foods discouragement, perhaps some irritability and frustration, and thoughts of giving up. I prophetically attest that the "fast" has become your spiritual x-ray, MRI, or CAT scan. It has brought to recognition our weaknesses that long for discipline, maturity, and strength. Though fasting has illuminated us, we need empowerment to succeed.

Heb 7:19 (AMP) says, "For the Law never made anything perfect — but instead a better hope is introduced through which we [now] come close to God."

Simplicity - I recommend, beloved of God, that instead of trying to get ready to fast more or revisit the "laws" list of "no" meats, treats, sweets, or wheats, or our fixed efforts of what to eat for lunch and what are we going to eat for dinner, that we Come Close to God, because He wants to and will Come Close to you if you simply ask Him. Pray to Jesus Christ a prayer saying, "Lord God, during the fast, I come close to You...Your Faithful Word says You would come close to me." Just ask in simplicity and then allow Him to bring fulfillment.

Will to Choose God- Some of us may have chosen to fast, even possibly out of obligation, or "yeah, that is a good idea," and are dampened because we are attempting a food fast in our own effort, ability, and will, which could lead to broken attempts and sudden stops. But on the contrary, you, me, and we who are fasting can only choose His Will to be our will. We will find good success when we are committed to fast by His Will and not our own effort.

Refocus on Coming Close to God, evading strong focus on foods allowable and eaten...

I must continue this in Part 2, but for now, mainly feast upon this eternal entree of encouragement during week one of our fast:

Come Close to God through more energy and effort in prayer and listening to God, read and heard Word, and continuing in what you learn by dedicated corporate Daniel Fasting.

Your server, pastor toran