DAY 31: SHARE YOUR THOUGHTS

YO! YOU HAVE TO SHARE SOMETHING ON THIS ONE! 

VIDEO Groceries/Dancing/and alot more DAY 30

DAY 30: Share your thoughts

Wow this day was a lot but was soooo GOOD! Got to make sure to get this out before Mid-night. LAST DAY OF THE FAST!

1. Started off teaching Sunday School. We have been studying David, Bathsheba, Amnon, Tamar and Absalom drama. (Generational Curses, sinning against God, etc...)

2. Went to First Progressive for there Famine Sunday. I didn't make it for worship but I heard it was really good. Chanali and Ashley led and I heard that they went in immediately! Also the a manifestation of the Spirit of Distraction came out during service really confirming what we were talking about at the last Juice Meeting! And God shut that demon UP! Isn't God AWESOME!

3. Then Ashley, Chanali, Marko, Chynna and myself traveled to a cookout that Sis. Trez was throwing as a Haiti Fundraiser for the youth at Monroe St.! GO AHEAD SISTER TREZ AND BROTHER DINO! What a thoughtful lady. :) God Bless her. Also at the cookout, I found out that there have been a number of high school kids that have been fasting with us! I'll find out details hopefully by tomorrow.

4. After that we met up with TIFANY and ANGIE at H-Mart! After rummaging through tons of great priced asian produce. We headed to Gaint...(which aint as bad as Walmart...But close) to find ripe avacados...which we didn't.

5. Next was on to SoWeBoFest!!! YESSS a festival that takes place in my old neighborhood in South West Baltimore. I LOVE IT! It should be called Lock/Big Hat/Hippie Fest because most people there have either locks, they are hippies and or they are wearing a big HAT! Met some interesting young people selling T-shirts yeah....dog chains on girls and gas masks. You got to see the video of the dude dancing, I got it on my camera. I will be posting an attempt at the rest of the Marvelous Light song (interpretative dance) done by us outside a ROCK CONCERT! And I reconnect with my friend LARRY STEVENS! YESSSSS! Chan dips out to finish her reading. (Good Decision Chan!)

6. Now we are tired, Except we are on the hunt for the very evasive 'Ripe Avocado' which took us to Whole Foods! NO PARKING! So we go in and finally find the 'Ripe Avocado' nest. Black and soft is how you want them.

7. WE ARE ALL TIRED TIRED TIRED! But back to Rivendell for me...but I have to go back out and drop off Markco! Had a great talk with him in the car he's been hearing from the lord! Keep this Young man of God in prayer, as the lord has wonderful plans for his future.

8. NOW BACK TO Rivendell and TIME TO READ 1John - Revelation! The end of a GREAT DAY!!! Then there was a fight between two girls outside my front door and I'm reminded to always be on guard, ready to pray and intercede because the enemy is busy. BUT STILL A GREAT DAY!

DAY 29: SHARE YOUR THOUGHTS

OOOOh wow! Today is our last juice meeting for Starving For Jesus... I love you guys!


I'm hit with the fact this morning that: ALL I NEED IS YOU! The Lyrics...

You Won't Relent

You won't Relet until you

have it All , My Heart is Your..

Come be the Fire Inside of Me..

Come be the flame Upo my heart

DAY 28: Share Your Thoughts

6:00am Prayer...the presence of the lord.

Day 27 - God Answer's Prayers - Share Your Thoughts

Why are we so surprised when God aswers our prayers?? Through-out this Fast, the Lord has been answering my prayers, but usually differently from how I "expected" and I usually realize it was answered prayer afterward. Has this happend to any of you? SHARE!?

DAY 16

DAY 19

DAY 25

Mighty River Flowing

Day 26 - Share Your Thoughts

God want's our COMPLETE SURRENDER!

It's Day 26, stop holding on that stuff, and let it go completely... No more controlling our lives..

Romans 5:
If we have been united with him like this in his death, we will certainly also be united with him in his resurrection. 6 For we know that our old self was crucified with Him so that the body of sin might be done away with, that we should no longer be slaves to sin- 7because anyone who has died has been freed from sin. 8 Now if died with Christ, we beleive that we will also live with him. 9 For we know that since Christ was raised from the dead he cannot die again; death no loger has mastery over him. 10 The death he died, he died to sin once for all; but the life he lives, he lives to God.

We have to DIE>..........


Romans 12: 1-2

Therefore, I urge you, brothers, in view of God's mercy, to offer your bodies as living sacrifces, holy and pleasing to God - this is your spiritual act of worship. 2 Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God's will is- his good pleasing and perfect will.

I Give Myself Away

Dive In...

Day 25: Planning to Persevere through the Distractions

The has allowed us to get a jump on one of the attacks of the enemy, so that we can be aware and prepared for his schemes. The Distractions of the Old Season, especially through relationships/people/family.

This has been revealed to us through a dream of one of our sisters, and confirmed multiple times.

Here's the dream:

"I had a dream last week, but initially I wasn't going to share because I just personally could not get any application from it as far as it pertained to my fast & petitions of God, however there have been several incidents over the past two weeks when God has revealed things to me specifically for my prayer partner who is in fact struggling with the very struggle that presented in my dream. So I was encouraged to share it after my prayer partner shared how beneficial it was to her and may have potential application for others. But what about me, I'm not Joseph and don't possess the gift of interpreting dreams so perhaps someone else on the fast my offer some insight that can enlighten me.

Ok, so in the dream I was departing from a building where I had been for an extended period of time (working maybe) and I didn't have my car. So I was expecting my significant other to pick me up, as I approached the door to exit of the building, my ex entered another door which served as the entrance door to the building. He had his son with him and requested to take me home so that we could talk. Although I knew which door I needed to exit out of and with whom I needed to leave with I struggled to make the right decision and the dream ended before I made any decision at all. This probably makes no sense to you, but there was alot symbolism in the dream.

1. Building- place of uncertainty

2. Man's who is courting me- God's revealed will, provision, new season.

3. Ex- Bondage from the past, from which God has already delivered me.

4. The son- Temptation from the enemy to entertain the Ex from the past cause I love kids.

5. Exit door- Obedience to God

6. Entrance door- Slave to Sin or Bondage in Sin"

It will be very important to pay attention to this happening in your walk, as the fast comes to an end. BECAUSE there will be the temptation to go back to the OLD SEASON! There will be the temptation to go back to eating (consuming) whatever, whenever and however. This will apply to food, but also to Television, Movies, Facebook, Twitter, Youtube, certain relationships, books, magazines etc... The way to combat this is to fasten to the Word of Life, and prepare for how you are going to 'EAT'. Do you want to keep your bible reading up? Then plan for it. Do you want to continue to stay connected daily with another individual in prayer? Then plan for it. Do you want your diet to be healthy and full of good nutritious food? THEN PLAN FOR IT! A lot of us have dropped pounds this fast physically and baggage wise. Let's not pick them back up by making the same bad choices all over again, due to the distractions of our Old Season.

I will repost the Post-Fast eating plan again, so we all can get a jump start on STARTING this new season right. But its up to us to endure to the end. And the end of this fast is NOT THE END. It is the beginning!

Matthew 24:13
But he who endures to the end shall be saved.


2 Timothy 2:12
if we endure, we will also reign with him. If we disown him, he will also disown us;


2 Timothy 4:5
But you, keep your head in all situations, endure hardship, do the work of an evangelist, discharge all the duties of your ministry.

Day - 25 Share Your Thoughts!

Hey Everybody, Day 25!

Can you believe it?

Be on your guard today, against distractions and discouragement. God's grace is Sufficient for us, He has graced you to start this jourey, and He that began a good work in you will see it uto completion! :) Have a blessed Day in the Lord today, and stay gurded up!

2 Corinthias 10 : 4-6

The weapons we fight are not weapons of the world. On the contrary, they have divine power to demolish strongholds. 5 We demolish arguments and every pretension that sets itself up against the knowledge of God, and we take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ. 6 And we will be ready to punish every act of disobedience, once your obedience is complete.

THE POWER OF A FOCUSED LIFE by Mike Bickle

If you haven't listened to The Power of Focused Life by Mike Bickle, you should really take a listen. This helped

me tremendously with understanding Direction.  

Mike Bickle is the president and director of International House of Prayer. Click Play for the message: 

Here's The Power of a Focused Life Handout

The Power of a Focused Life  

Day 24: Share Your Thoughts

Wow day 24...You know what's crazy we're not winding down...we're gearing up. I feel like this week something powerful is going to happen, if we have faith and expect that God will answer our prayers. Lately I haven't even been asking for the things I wanted when we started the fast. Right now, I see that there is no better time than now. I'm reminded of Philippians 4:6: 

Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. How have I forgotten to continue to petition the Lord? We've definitely have been praying but have I been steadfast in petitioning for the goals in which we set out on. Definitely, I feel that my goals have been reordered since the start of the Fast. Yet still I want answers so that I can follow the lord closely.

-Josh

Day 24 - Feelings - Re-cap from Juice meeting 4

WHAT A BEAUTIFUL TRIUMPHANT DAY!

I woke up this morning feeling victorious and ignited! Like, this fire to keep going, even harder than before, LIKE THERE IS LESS THAN A WEEK LEFT, OF THIS FAST.. but really.. This has turned into more than a 30-day journey, into the deeper things of God, it's a LIFE LONG Journey, of dying to the flesh, to assume a posture of communing with God. This is just the begiining ya'll... We have tocotiue to be disciplined, to stay i community , to fellowship, to worship in truth, to seek , and hunger, and thirst, the live a fasted life.. this has to just be the beginning!

Last Night, major distractions..and i realized..oh that's it.. this week.. gotta watch out for these... PA Y ATTENTION ad TEST THE SPIRITS..its goa be so important ..

JUICE MEETING 4

Hosted by the Lovely ladies of the Prayer house in East B- more.. It was simply
Awesome... The atmosphere from the moment we walked in the door was just so clear.. Stacey Love you Spirit.. :) Ah! The Juicing began, we used the New Juicer Josh got, bc aparently his old one was chucking out plasic..but it got alot of use through out the years..good job brother!.. What an investment,we could see the different juices seperated as they came out, and the nifty pouring cup seperateded the juice "froam" from the juice.. :) we had a whole bowl of it.. lol!


Yesterday After Church .. we had another adventure with our kids.. and fund another place to get less expensive fruit!

H Mart
Located in Catonsville

800 North rolling Rod.
Catonsville MD, 21228
store Hours 8:00 AM - 10:00 PM

so excited! Can't wait to try some new things too! Like Dragon fruit!

Does anybody have any new recipes to share?

Day 23 Let go!

Let GO!!!

Just let go! And you're probably like... from what?? from control. We like to control our lives and the people in it. Especially our families, sometimes as Christians we want to fix them and save them.. But God does. He does everything. But first we must let go. I never thought i had a control issue until tuesday. I knew i wasn't perfect but i didn't think that control was one of those things.... I like to control how things happen and its vain in a sense. Like wanting to be the one to do everything but we do nothing... My friend recently told me a story from Jason Upton and the moral of the story was that God doesnt need our help. LOL! Like not at all... So when we feel left out or unproductive yeah... because we dont do anything. #1 those feelings arent from God so you're not walking in the Spirit and #2 its vain because its not about you.

We must let go of our sense of control... "O i need to do this..." "I want to be the one that does this" or "Why didn't i know about this?" Who cares!?! We should be so busy dining in the presence of God that we don't have time to think so vainly you know?? We should be so busy saying "God what do YOU want me to do?" that we wont even have enough space in our brain to think about ourselves.

The Lord showed me that i had to let go of my sister.. and this control over her... And it hurt me... like "But God I have to do this and that and I dont want anyone else to do it" and God is like... "You do nothing... I do. You dont have to be everywhere and do everything..." And that hit like... wow... ok God. Its hard to let go because I am a busy body but God is O SO sovereign and I am already delivered in the name of Jesus. Amen He's teaching me how to pray and leave it and stay still. And i believe that He is big enough to do MORE than i can image and thats with everyone i love and ALL things.

God is so sovereign... Psalms 8:4 says "⁴ what is man that you are mindful of him, the son of man that you care for him?" JESUS!!!! WHo are we that you are mindful of us?? And why arent we thinking about you cause you think about us....

Fred Hammond song has been ministering to me like CRAZY today :) "I'm overwhelmed that you would call me friend; i'd give it all to be a servant or a slave"

WOW!! I'd give it all to be your SLAVE but you've chosen to call me friend. Jesus! Thank you God.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TJy16T1BF_c&feature=PlayList&p=3ABA96B40FE049A3&playnext_from=PL&playnext=1&index=2

DAY 23: Share Your Thoughts

The Juice meeting yesterday was amazing! God is so awesome. During the Juice Meeting we did something a little different. Instead of sharing about this past week, we shared what God has been revealing to us during the entire fast, and what we now know we have accept and change about our lives. It was a time of openness, exposure and freedom. We weren't trying to fix each other rather fasten on to Jesus, who can fix us all. Could who ever was at the juice meeting share your experience. Also if you weren't at the juice meeting why don't you share with us on the Blog What Revelations you've arrived at, and what you know now you have to change about your life.

-Josh

DAY 22: Share Your Thoughts

OH WHAT A BEAUTIFUL DAY!!!

Watch Out for the Spirit of Offensive , Self-Righteousness, Suspicion and Pride

OFFENSE, SELF-RIGHTEOUSNESS, SUSPICION AND PRIDE

Please don't be offended by what I'm going to say: Week before last it was Depression, Despair, Suicide and Sabotage. But through open conversation this week we've noticed another one of Satan's devices trying to sneak in: The Spirit of Offensive, Self-Righteousness, Suspicion and Pride. Have you been offended by someone and what they've said lately? Have you been fighting feelings of self-righteousness and that you know better? These Spirits are very dangerous because they cause disunity, breakdown of community, mistrust, and eventually separation. The enemy wants us to be offended at each other so we aren't concentrating on the goal at hand: To see our Lord Jesus glorify His Father, through our lives! Let the Lord search your heart, motives and make sure you are speaking Life into your own life and others. Make sure to pay attention and stay focused on what the Lord is getting ready to show you and do! Have a talk with your prayer partner about what your feeling and ask them to prayer for you to stay focused on the goal. This Spirit will make it difficult for you to even receive this message or any other message God is speaking to you through others, so we have to take authority over it in the NAME OF JESUS. 

Release these in Prayer to battle these demonic spirits: Faith, honesty, integrity, restoration, harmony, true humility, submission, repentance, a spirit of giving, and faith. 

SFJ DAY 15 VIDEO

DAY 21: SHARE YOUR THOUGHTS

What's hitting me today is that we need to press in and focus on what we have been asking for this fast. Why did we start fasting in the first place? It's so easy to settle for whats happen thus far, that we actually don't wait in expectation for the Lord to grant our requests. This last week, I'm going harder than before because I want all that He has for me. 


-Josh

Day - 21 He's Not a Man that He Should Lie

Take this song with you today.






No Weapon
formed against me shall prosper, it won’t work
No weapon formed against me shall prosper, it won’t work

God will do what He said He would do
He’s not a man that He should lie
He will come through
God will do what He said He would do
He will stand by His word
He will come through

(Bridge)
Oh I won’t be afraid of the arrows by day
From the hand of my enemy
I can stand my ground with the Lord on my side
For the snares they have set will not succeed

More Excellent Praise ～ Total Praise by Luminous Choir

This was a throw Back.. but they sang it.. oldie but goodie.

Morning Prayer

Good Morning my loves,

I won't be able to call in for this morning's prayer, but I am thinking about you guys and will pray (in like two seconds) for you by myself. I'm writing this note cause the morning prayer really means a lot to me. It really builds me up to hear you guys voices. To me, it is so many young people that come together to lift up the name of God and that blesses me like nothing else cause I don't have that here. But anyway, I miss you guys (that I've never met) and I love you!

Leeza

Green & Red Apple Juice

so I gave up, on the dead juice becasue of the incredible mucas build up in my throat ..blahh..

Looked in the fridge.. saw some very appetizing 100% dead apple juice, next to the carrots and beats. i don't want carrots ad beats.. maybe just drik some of the dead juice it easier.. i dont feel like juicig for real anyway.. then i cleared my throat and rememerbed why i stopped in the first place.
Then I got an idea..
I reall just wanted some good ol apple juice.. so I made some.. decided to spice it up a bit.. added green granny smith apples and red ones.. that had been chilled..turned out to be a refreshing treat on this beautiful day.

Liquid Earth

LOOKING FOR A COOL PLACE TO GET SOME FRESH JUICE?

LIQUID EARTH

1626 Aliceanna St, Baltimore, MD

We went there last Sunday, it was a really relaxed setting with a pretty good variety of juice. I'm definitely going back after the fast to try out there vegetarian dishes.

Spirit of Sabotage

This is a serious Spirit that through prayer and revelation I believe attacked the group strongly in the first part of the Fast. Some even have aborted/are aborting the divine plans of the Lord has for them by falling victim to this Spirit. I want to bring this thing into the Light so that we can be in complete Freedom in our walk following Jesus.

"The Spirit of Sabotage operates as a strong demonic influence that drive people to abort the progress and success of divinely ordained projects, purposes relationships, organization, self, potential, and destinies. It stirs up jealously, resentment, and suspicion, and is often vindictive towards the person who detects its presence. Sabotage can make you both victim and perpetrator so that even when you pronounce judgment on others you both expose and pronounce judgment upon yourself. This spirit is so skillful it will use you as a pawn and a puppet on a string, prohibiting you from detecting its hand upon you and the strings that manipulate you. Working with familiar spirits, who act as their reconnaissance, informing them of breaks in hedges of protection, strengths, weaknesses, and proclivities of both the perpetrator and victim, its plan is a well-thought-out plan. I have discovered that many agents used are not only those with malicious intent, but also those who sincerely love us and want what's best for us.  Consider the incident Matthew records In Matthew 16:21-23, where Peter unwittingly was being used in an attempt to sabotage the mission of Jesus. Jesus decisively identified the spirit controlling Peter's thoughts and immediately aborted its activities. Remember as you examine the activities of this spirit that you will discover that you are both victim and perpetrator. When the Lord gives you victory over this spirit, you will notice that a veil will be lifted, and scales of deception will fall from your spiritual eyes. Everything that you thought was real will crumble before you and evaporates like a mirage. Truth will prevail and set you free from anything built upon fabrications, lies, falsehood, and untruths." 

Trimm, Cindy. The Rules of Engagement: Binding the Strongman. Volume 2. page 245-246 

Any other Spirit that you may be wondering about please send me a email or facebook message and I'll research/Bring it up to the group to see who has Godly insight. 

Praise God!!!

Psalms 72

¹⁸ Praise be to the LORD God, the God of Israel,
who alone does marvelous deeds.

¹⁹ Praise be to his glorious name forever;
may the whole earth be filled with his glory.
Amen and Amen.

Revelation 5:12-14

¹²In a loud voice they sang:
"Worthy is the Lamb, who was slain,
to receive power and wealth and wisdom and strength
and honor and glory and praise!"

¹³Then I heard every creature in heaven and on earth and under the earth and on the sea, and all that is in them, singing:
"To him who sits on the throne and to the Lamb
be praise and honor and glory and power,
for ever and ever!" ¹⁴The four living creatures said, "Amen," and the elders fell down and worshiped.

Praise God for you all! Praise God for life! It has been 20 days my friends. 20 days you probably thought were impossible :) But with God all things are possible. Stay girded in the word and press on. The enemy may try and attack even harder at the end but God is sovereign. Stay armored and connected. Stay prayed up!

Lord we pray for the increase in clarity, revelations and dreams! Thank you for being the God of the impossible. We pray that your Spirit Lord will move like a rushing river even more forceful than before. Amen.

NO LIMITS NO BOUNDARIES... RELEASE US ENLARGER OUR TERRITORY!

Even more freedom in the name of Jesus!!

Love you all so much :) Stay in encouraged! 20 days!!

DAY 20: SHARE YOUR THOUGHTS

My thought for today is Drink Water. I heard that drinking water is like giving the inside of your body a shower. That makes me want to drink more.

Yesterday: Ashley, Perry and myself got to visit Lauren. Lauren is Ashley's prayer partner and my long-time friend from Milwaukee. She was in D.C. with a group of middle-school kids from Milwaukee.We had a great time talking with each other and laughing over the fact that Lauren had to pass out COOKIES to the kids and that students were giving away FREE SPAGHETTI to everyone in the Hostel they were staying in.  I've never been in a Hostel and after seeing it I think I might take a trip to Europe and Hostel/Backpack my way through a few different countries. Maybe Summer/Spring 2011?

I also have this video of the kids doing this Milwaukee dance...it look like something we used to do to Hammer in the 90's! Got to find my cord so we can post it.

-Josh

Day 19: SHARE YOUR THOUGHTS

By now (if you've been drinking juiced juice and haven't been cheating) You feel really good. But your sleeping in excess. The same thing is happening to me. Your body has literally turned into Healing mode. There may even be a 'freshness' and a new 'clarity' that you are experiencing. Enjoy this time, by getting enough sleep and letting your body rest. Keep consuming the word and praying. As you have probably noticed your prayers have been changing during the fast. I've been experiencing more peace, and focus in what areas I need to be praying in.

Juice Recipes: 

Apple Carrot with a Kick

2 Carrots 

2 apples 

1 inch of ginger

Purple Cleanser 

1/4 - 1/2 Beet

15 grapes

Green Machine

2 Granny Smith Apple

Cucumber  

1 Stalk Celery

Spinach 

Handful of Parsley 

(75-80 percent of juice should be Granny Smith Apple - Cucumber)

DEAD JUICE
Bottle
Deadness
chemicals 

Day 19 - Don´t Ever Let Go

I'm digging Paul today

2 Cor 5:2-4
2Meanwhile we groan, longing to be clothed with our heavenly dwelling, 3because when we are clothed, we will not be found naked. 4For while we are in this tent, we groan and are burdened, because we do not wish to be unclothed but to be clothed with our heavenly dwelling, so that what is mortal may be swallowed up by life.

Paul is empathizing with me right now because I yearn to be perfect, to be quite honest. I really hate it when I fall short, but I must always remember that the Glory belongs to God & everything that He allows to happen is essentially for His Glory, but!!! it is not an excuse to act a fool.

2 Cor 12:9-10
9But he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ’s power may rest on me. 10That is why, for Christ’s sake, I delight in weaknesses, in insults, in hardships, in persecutions, in difficulties. For when I am weak, then I am strong.

It is about God's perfections not my own. I should boast about my weaknesses so that God would be glorified as my strength. I am weak on so many levels, I've got pride, I've got selfishness, I've got offense, but God makes me humble, God allows me to love, Jesus bears all my sufferings. God is just good.

I will post this Again Before we Break Fast! Please read this!

Everyone needs to prepare mentally for breaking the fast now, so when it is time you can be SELF-CONTROLLED and walk in complete Victory and Discipline that you have now gained.

From http://www.healthrecipes.com/fast26.htm

The Most Important Part of Fasting Is How To Break It

Breaking an extended fast can be difficult. You will quickly discover that breaking the fast is harder than fasting. A slumbering digestive system is sensitive, and although you might want to try every food on the planet, you cannot because your system needs time to get back to speed. The longer the fast the more time is needed for breaking the fast. Water fasting demands the longest time to break. The longer the fast the more difficult it is to break correctly. Here is an email to show just how bad it can be.

"When it came down to actually breaking my fast, I had no idea how difficult it would be. The moment I put anything inside my body, I lost that natural euphoric high I'd had during the fast, and that feeling of losing control caused me to overeat until I was sick. I ate like a pig and even smoked! I was sure I would never have the desire to smoke again. I'm also feeling a bit ill. I felt the same as I did before fasting: tired, frustrated, bloated and achy. Everything looks messy and out of control right now. I feel like I want to cry all the time. I don't understand it! I had such discipline during the fast! What happened? Do you have any insights for me? Thank you for being there!! Love, Mia"
 

Are you a compulsive eater?

Breaking a juice fast
If you are a compulsive eater, breaking a fast can be exceedingly difficult. During the fast, you are free from the bondage of food, but as soon as you eat, the battle engulfs you at full intensity. There is a nervous anxiety about eating. Part of you wants to enjoy the food and part of you is fearful of losing control. Reading the book, Eating In Freedom, during your fast will have prepared you for victory.

There are erroneous beliefs that will destroy your discipline and healthy breaking of the fast. One is that I have deprived myself; now, I get to enjoy food. The other trap is the newness of the experience. Flavors and textures of food will be enhanced by super-clean nasal passages. Eating will be a brand new experience. There is a desire to try every food just to see how it tastes. A bite of this and that leads to a belly full of an indigestible mixture.

If you have dreamed of eating pizza after a fast, the first thing you will eat after breaking the fast will be pizza, because you have programmed your mind for the event. Be careful not to lust after food during a fast.

When you break a fast and start to eat, do not expect that the food will give you energy. Often, it is just the opposite; after fasting, the digestion of food can stir up more toxins. The first few meals move through the intestine like a broom that pushes ahead of it loosening waste from 30 feet of intestine. You can actually go from feeling great to feeling toxic after eating one small salad. Losing that exhilarating feeling and clear-mindedness, experienced on the fast, can be depressing. Don't worry if this happens, it will pass in a few hours. A healthy diet high in raw food, can maintain the benefits of fasting.

Eating small amounts of raw fruits and vegetables for the first five or six days will allow the body to gently wake up the digestive system. Once you have eaten, wait till you feel hungry. Do not eat according to the clock or because you feel you should be eating more. When breaking a fast, overloading the digestive system causes feelings of apathy, depression or sluggishness. However, if you do overeat, the effect can be remedied by fasting until hunger returns, and then continue to break the fast. One of the tricks I have learned on breaking a fast is to pretend I am still fasting but eat the occasional fruit.

Important guidelines for breaking the fast

For six days, gradually increase the amount of raw fruits and vegetables in your diet. To break a fast and gorge on meat, bread or junk food will be a disaster. Jarring the system this intensely, when the digestive system is re-awakening, can cause stomach cramps, nausea and weakness, negating some of the benefits of a fast.

First day after the fast:

Eat a piece of fruit in the morning and a small bowl of raw vegetable salad for lunch; vegetable broth also is good. Drink freshly made juice for the rest of the day.

Second day after the fast:

Soaked prunes or figs for breakfast. Small bowl of fresh vegetable salad for lunch. Vegetable soup made without salt at dinner. Two apples or a fruit salad eaten between meals. All this in addition to freshly made juices and broths.

Third day after the fast:

Same as the second day, but add a handful of dates or raisins.

Fourth day after the fast:

You may return to the diet you have chosen, but it is important to listen to your stomach, eat smaller meals, chew your food and eat according to hunger.

NOTE: When breaking a fast over ten days, a good rule of thumb is that the break-in period should be extended one day for every 4 days of fasting. When breaking from water fasting, go to a juice fast for two days or eat sweet fruits like oranges, mangos or pears.

Healthy Eating Habits

1. Do not overeat! Listen to your body. Discover the amount of food that your body needs to live a vibrant, healthy life.
    
2. Eat slowly and chew your food well. Saliva has enzymes that assist in digestion. The enzymes in saliva can digest up to 80 percent starch, 30 percent protein and 10 percent fat.
    
3. Be relaxed. Try to unwind when eating.
    
4. Decide ahead of time what you want to eat and the amount rather than eating from an urge.
    
5. Make juices during the breaking period. Juice is gentle nourishment to the body. Most fasters continue to include juice in their daily routine for the rest of their lives.
    
6. Stay focused on eating rather than on unsettling thoughts. Pay attention to the texture, smell and the sensation of eating. Be aware of how it feels in the stomach.
    
7. Enjoy eating to the max. People are starving and you have the privilege to eat.
    
8. Work at making healthy food appealing. A banana and pear taste great without preparation but having them sliced into a fancy bowl, sprinkled with chopped dates and chilled in the refrigerator will maintain your enthusiasm for eating healthy.
    
9. Discern the difference between cravings and hunger. Never feed your emotions by eating from stress, depression or boredom.
    
10. You will feel satisfied with smaller amounts of food and sluggish and tired when overeating. Rich foods full of fat, salt and processed sugars will cause nausea, headaches and weakness. A handful of fruit will be thoroughly satisfying. Because the digestive system has to work less, there will be boundless energy to spare.
     
11. Have an exit activity for after eating. Make it something you want to do. It will be easier to move away from the table.
     
12. Educate yourself on how to begin a lifestyle of healthy eating. Fasting is a wonderful new beginning, a foundation for a lifelong, healthy diet.

DAY 18: SHARE YOUR THOUGHTS

INCREASE, INCREASE, INCREASE

Lately we've really been moved that God wants us to Speak: Life

Speak LIFE to yourself
Speak LIFE to people around you
Speak LIFE to your prayer partners
Speak LIFE to other fasters
Speak LIFE to your family members

What has He shown you about speaking LIFE lately? Please share, as we can be built up from each other.

-Josh

Day 17 - Don't forget your Armor!

The enemy is not happy folks.. We've got to stand firm and continue to FIGHT! Please SHARE..testimonies of Victory, that you encourntered through this journey, along with challenges so that we can continue to lift each other up, and intercede on each others behalf!

Ephesians 6:12-17 (New International Version)
12For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms. 13Therefore put on the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand. 14Stand firm then, with the belt of truth buckled around your waist, with the breastplate of righteousness in place, 15and with your feet fitted with the readiness that comes from the gospel of peace. 16In addition to all this, take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one. 17Take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God.

Be encouraged family.. and prepare for battle..IT's ON! Day 17, expect great things!!

DAY-16 Over the Hump!!

We are over half way There! Share your Thoughts... :o)

DAY 15: SHARE YOUR THOUGHTS

Tonight we are having another Juice Meeting (MD). At Ashley's house. Message me for address. We have a lot to talk and pray about. Ooooo bring vegetables...that would be great!

 I went to this market on Reisterstown Rd today called the 

Sun Fresh Produce Market

806 Reisterstown Road, Pikesville, MD 21208-4215

SUPER CHEAP, GREAT SELECTION, SUPER CHEAP. Like apples for .69 cent a pound. 4 for 1 dollar juicing oranges. Just what a person needs who is on a juice fast.  

RED ROBIN EXPERIENCE 

Me and Ashley after a fundraiser for Haiti (yard sale) took a couple of our youth volunteers to Red Robin...Yeah bottomless fries and Dumb-Big Burgers is kinda like punishing yourself while on a fast! lol But Bilal and Darrell had fun. At the Yard Sale we also made silly video from the song Marvelous Light, will post to Youtube. 

Romans 2

²Now we know that God's judgment against those who do such things is based on truth. ³So when you, a mere man, pass judgment on them and yet do the same things, do you think you will escape God's judgment? ⁴Or do you show contempt for the riches of his kindness, tolerance and patience, not realizing that God's kindness leads you toward repentance?

God's kindness and patience leads us toward repentance?! Jesus!! What a gracious God!!! To be so patience... Like... "Lets give them time to come around..." My GOD!!! How many times have I taken His kindness, patience and tolerance for granted?? I'll tell you TOO MANY!

It reminds me of the old 80's gospel song...

How many times...

do i go against your will...

then you forgive me...

but yet i still turn around and do the things...

the things i shouldnt do...

cause i belong to you...

but yet i still hear you calling my name...

Day 14

So keep me lifted guys because i am EXTREMELY irritable... Its really bad.

DAY 14: SHARE YOUR THOUGHTS

COMMENT BELOW

2 WEEKS IN. WOW ALMOST HALF WAY THERE! STRETCH FORTH. BREAK FOURTH. RELEASE ME. ENLARGE MY TERRITORY. NO LIMITS. NO BOUNDARIES. I SEE INCREASE ALL AROUND ME.

I MAY BE DOWN, BUT I WILL RISE. IT MAY BE DARK, BUT GOD IS LIGHT.

GOD BRINGS FOURTH LIFE. OH HOW HE LOVES US SO! OH HOW HE LOVES US. HOW HE LOVES US SO.

COMMENT BELOW

I COULD SING OF YOUR LOVE, FOREVER

I COULD SING OF YOUR LOVE, FOREVER





I COULD SING OF YOUR LOVE, FOREVER



I COULD SING OF YOUR LOVE, FOREVER

Rise Up and Live!

Ezekiel 37

The Valley of Dry Bones

¹ The hand of the LORD was upon me, and he brought me out by the Spirit of the LORD and set me in the middle of a valley; it was full of bones. ² He led me back and forth among them, and I saw a great many bones on the floor of the valley, bones that were very dry. ³ He asked me, "Son of man, can these bones live?"
I said, "O Sovereign LORD, you alone know."

⁴ Then he said to me, "Prophesy to these bones and say to them, 'Dry bones, hear the word of the LORD! ⁵ This is what the Sovereign LORD says to these bones: I will make breath enter you, and you will come to life. ⁶ I will attach tendons to you and make flesh come upon you and cover you with skin; I will put breath in you, and you will come to life. Then you will know that I am the LORD.' "

⁷ So I prophesied as I was commanded. And as I was prophesying, there was a noise, a rattling sound, and the bones came together, bone to bone. ⁸ I looked, and tendons and flesh appeared on them and skin covered them, but there was no breath in them.

⁹ Then he said to me, "Prophesy to the breath; prophesy, son of man, and say to it, 'This is what the Sovereign LORD says: Come from the four winds, O breath, and breathe into these slain, that they may live.' "

WHY KEEP ON TRYING TO DO THIS BY YOURSELF?

Do you feel isolated? Alone? Depressed? Walled in? maybe even thoughts of suicide? 

Through Dreams, Visions, and Prayer, the lord has revealed that many people that are taking place in this fast are going through these feelings. Feelings of Isolation and Despair, that you are all by yourself. I've spoken with numerous people who confirmed that this is what is going on. YOU ARE NOT ALONE. Right now there are many who are feeling just like you. However you probably don't realize it because there are walls built up that are stopping you from being in Community. We need to break these walls down with THE LIGHT (EXPOSURE) AND THE WORD!

2Carry each other's burdens, and in this way you will fulfill the law of Christ. 3If anyone thinks he is something when he is nothing, he deceives himself. 4Each one should test his own actions. Then he can take pride in himself, without comparing himself to somebody else, 5for each one should carry his own load. Galatians 6:2

The Word explains that your Burden must not only be carried by you! But that we must help carry each others' burdens. Please don't let your burden weigh you down into despair, depression, failure, sabotage and eventually killing your destiny and potential in God. Even Jesus needed Simon of Cyrene to carry the cross so He could fulfill His purpose!

We need to connect with each other, and pray. Please MESSAGE ME: Joshua Smith/Ashely Haley/Perry Sweeper or Chanali Jones! Or Call me 443-629-0951 (seriously call me, text me!)

Everyone NEEDS A DAILY PRAYER PARTNER! If you don't have one, or your not connecting with yours...PLEASE CONTACT ME or call on God to give you one! But don't live in that place of isolation and despair! Don't punish yourself, Jesus already took that!

If you know of someone who isn't connecting, Love on them. Even look through the Facebook list or email list and prayer for the people who are apart of the group; God may tell you to message a random person.

In the word it says we will know each other by our LOVE.

BE LOVE.

-Josh

P.S. 6:00am (eastern time) Prayer tomorrow Please call in so we can go to the Father together in UNITY.

CONFERENCE CALL #: 760-569-0800
ACCESS CODE: 174882

DAY - 13 Can be a Doosey!

It's Day Thirteen, we've got to press in... Be encouraged...He who began a good work in you will see it on till completion.

Love you ALL..
STAY CONNECTED!

Acts 13

Acts 13 51So they shook the dust from their feet in protest against them and went to Iconium. 52And the disciples were filled with joy and with the Holy Spirit.

LOL!! They did EXACTLY what the Lord told them to do!!! LOL!! Shake the dust off your feet!

Fasting and praying

So I was thinking about fasting and praying and how they go hand in hand. And during prayer time today, God revealed to me that When you fast without praying with expectancy, it's like Him saying 'You've got my attention...now what?" God takes note when we fast, however if we don't consecrate this time of fasting with expectant prayer, we are essentially wasting our time. God called us to fasting and prayer for purpose. To use our weapons to prepare ourselves and to arm ourselves for battle. To be equipped and to WIN!

The Bible talks about how we have not because we ask not-what changes could already be happening if we were intentional in our time of prayer and fasting? What things could be reconciled? What burdens removed or yokes destroyed if we simply too the time to offer up those things during a season of fasting and praying?

So ask yourselves,

Now that you've got His attention...what are you going to do with it?

Peter was Married!

It still blows my mind, how you can read, and be told things your whole life, yet still miss so many things.. The Word is soo jam packed .. so much! lol

So I was reading Luke 4:38
Jesus left the synagogue and went to the home of Simon. Now Simon's mother in-law was suffering from a high fever and they asked Jesus to help her. 30 So he bent over her and rebuked the fever, and it left her. She got up at once and began to wait on them.

So the first part that stuck out to me was wow..this woman was sick, and look at her response as soon as she recived her healing..she went right back to serving. How often are we healed from something,and we have to be drawn back to the Lord.. prodded and poked, moved back into the place of serving. But her immediate response to healing was service.

The I read it again, and was like.. wait.. " mother-in 'law" ? I didn't realize the disciples were married..like, we hear all of these stories, about them being together.. being with Jesus, following Him, etc...where was His wife during all of this.. then i had to check myself.. i always fuss about htis "marriage funk" where I see young adults who were once on fire and active in minstry , isolate themelves after they get married and "calm down" like.. yeah.. I realized, some of my ill thoughts towards that were in the wrong Spirit as well, (judgimental etc.) but this thought kind of supported what and how I was feeling. it's possible to be a fully devoted follower of Christ no matter your status. We tend to compartamentalize these things, family life, church life, Following Jesus, My own desires. But being a Follower of Christ is the Life.. that's life, everything else is a bonus or an accesory to the most important relationship and that's with Jesus.

Day 12: Share Your Thoughts

Wow...did the last two days go really slow or that just me?

COMMENT BELOW

Craving The Holy Spirit

In my desire to get back into the closeness with the Holy Spirit I once had I joined this fast. And the peace that has come within this short space of time is truly one that passes all understanding. God is confirming who He Is to me all over again with His Word. IT IS ALIVE. Some things that I have written down about what I've read today:

Acts 5:41 - The disciples were so happy to be flogged! They were like "yes!" we have suffered for Christ's sake. To have that spirit.... Sometimes we find it so hard to endure things and these guys were truly counting it all joy...man, I love them.

Acts 8:7 - Tells me that I have to stop looking at people as people especially when they come against me. So many are possessed, and we don't even think about it like that these days. I had a vision for an artwork: satan holds a person from behind and hits the believer with the person's hands and he laughs when the believer hits the person back. But on the flip side, when satan does this, and the believer takes on the person of Christ and does not strike the person, I imagine spiritual blows being given to satan coming from within the believer, bypassing the person. (please excuse my imagination)


I had a revelation today, thanks to another one of those sermons by Mike Bickle posted by Josh Fast Weekly. He speaks about the point of fasting, which is to become weak, so that the Spirit will commune with you. I have been giving too much focus to making sure I don't feel too hungry or too weak and I realized after listening to this sermon that one of the times when I was weak I started praying aloud and I was in a trance with what was pouring out of me. So after hearing that, I had my juice with me, but I purposely only drank my water for the greater part of the day and I felt so much closer to what I had been missing!!! I truly crave The Holy Spirit of God. I am nothing nothing nothing without God.

Nazarite DNA

Nazarite DNA is a great booklet to help with your Personal Ministry Power. Wonder why your different from those around you? Why there seems to be a higher level of consecration that you are being called to? Check out this booklet
It's only $3 for the Mp3, and $5 dollars for the booklet.
http://www.thecall.com/Groups/1000053675/TheCall/ezekiel2230/Store/Store.aspx

Lord Show Us the Father - Day 11

This Morning I woke up feeling good. But tired. Last night, we had an awesome season of prayer in the Prayer room. The atmosphere felt so clear.

Why are we surprised when God answer's prayers. smh. Anywho..

It's so funny how it's easy to be distracted, like for our thoughts to move to our own desires, and things. To move from being centered and focused on God, to being consumed by past thoughts, situations, and wallow in the carnalaty of life. It's just so easy. But God is soo Big. The Father!

Sometimes I feel like I am failing God.. like I have to earn the Love of God, but that's not the case. That's religious.. And with that midset, we will fail every time.


My prayer is to feel Fathered, and embrace the reality of that connection. Like we can Call God Abba... Even the angels, have to address God with Titles... Holy Holy Holy is the Lord God almighty.. none of them can call him Father.. Hebrews 1..They can't address Him from the place of intimacy that we can. Because of Jesus' Love on the cross, we are called son's and daughters of the living God. ..He gives good gifts to His children!
" Which of you fathers if your son asks for a fish, will give him a snake instead? 12 or if he asks for an egg, will give him a scorpion? 13 If you then, though you are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give the Holy Spirit to those who Asks"luke 11:11-13

Thank you Lord for your Spirit, help us to embrace your Father's Heart, and Love. In Jesus Name Amen.

DAY 11: Share Your Thoughts

Today I have to focus in on Jesus and the Father's Will. I feel myself slipping back into old ways of trying to figure my life out for myself. Yeah...that doesn't work...AT ALL.

Father, Please decrease my desire to run my own life and take me over. That I would hear your voice and immediately move. Help to quiet me and allow me to hear. In the name of Jesus. Amen.

URGENT PRAYER CONCERN: We need to pray against the Spirit of Suicide/Depression/Despair, and start speaking life into our prayer partners and each other in the group. It came up in prayer on Saturday, another faster had a dream about it around the same time we were praying.  

-Josh

Spiritual Eyes

I have found that as I continue in the fast that I have began seeing things differently.  Things that I would have cried over before I almost laugh at, and things that would have made me confused before are revealing themselves. It is amazing to walk in the spirit and see God's hands gently working his plans for my life.   God is the master artist creating great works in all of us.  All we have to do is walk in them to witness the miraculous hand of God.  Keep seeking everyone and you will find even greater things than what you thought you were looking for.  Seek ye first the kingdom of God and his righteousness and all these things shall be added unto you.  Ask and it shall be given, seek and ye shall find, knock and it shall be opened unto you.  God is not a man that he should lie, and whatsoever he promised that will he perform.  

Struggles through week 1

Man oh man you guys! So last week when the fast started it was a hard time for me, even throughout the week, to the point that at one point I was told I couldn't participate in the fast by a doctor, he's a Christian and knows the importance of fasting, but told me that I wouldn't be able to do this for 30 days. I was shattered...I know that God called me to do this fast!

So I came up with a resolution, I would juice for breakfast and a snack, I would eat a salad for lunch with no dressing and then for dinner I would eat a sensible healthy meal. He bought it! I am able to continue the fast a little altered but none the less!

And you guys, I have to tell you I have met God on a whole new level, I've known for the past few months that God has been trying to tell me a few things REST REST REST REST REST was one of them, and guess what I kept going and going and going and going...it was wearing me down. This week for the first time, I found several opportunities to say you know what, it's really not that important I can do it later and rest, or I can do it in the morning and go to bed before midnight. This weekend for the first time in I can't even remember how long, I stayed in my PJ's from morning til' evening when I had to babysit and did nothing all day long, but rest, spend time with God and read a book I've been holding onto.

There are a few other personal things that God has been speaking to me about, but through prayer and scripture He's allowed me to gain an entirely new perspective on somethings.

I was extremely nervous about this fast, but I am so thankful that God has called me to continue even though I can't participate to the fullest, I am so glad that God is allowing me opportunities to get closer to him, to grow in Him and to discover new things about myself.

So my prayer for today for myself and all of us is this...

Oh Lord, thank you! thank you! thank you! I wish I could stay on rooftops and shout my thankfulness up to you and down to the world, I am so thankful for who YOU are in all of our lives Lord, I am so thankful for this group of people who you've called to starve for you Lord. I am thankful for a group of friends who will step out of comfort and the "norm" to draw closer to you.

Lord as we go back into our work places, our schools or wherever you may have us today and this week Lord, I pray that we continue to be living breathing testimonies of who YOU are. I pray that we are living our lives in such a way that people ask questions, they want to know what's different about us.

God I thank you personally for the opportunities you've allowed me to share your love with people who don't know you this past week Lord. I thank you for calling me out my comfortable place to share my uncomfortable story. God I thank you for the healing I've felt this week, I thank you for restoring that you're doing in my life, I thank you for the Grace and Mercy you allowed for me this week Lord.

I ask and pray all of these things in your precious and holy name Amen.