Prayer & Fasting

This morning as i started my day reading the Bible i am reading thru the Gospels about Jesus' life. The passage i read was in Mark 9 about Jesus healing a boy who had an evil spirit that would cause him to have seizures. When we read these types of passages today in our medically advanced world it's easy to think of what diagnosis we would give the boy today & miss the truth of what God wants us to see.

In the story the disciples couldn't drive the evil spirit out & heal the boy. So Jesus said bring him to me. He was frustrated with their lack of faith. As soon as they brought the boy to Jesus the boy went into a seizure, things looked worse, there was a huge crowd around. Jesus calmly asked how long has this boy suffered like this? Dad said, since childhood, it's almost killed him around fire & water.

After healing him the disciples asked Jesus privately why they were not able to drive the evil spirit out. The last verse of this story is 29, Jesus said, this kind can come out only by prayer. The note in my Bible says some manuscripts say "prayer & fasting". I smiled when i read that because i had to fast today & i know many of you are praying & fasting with me! (i have to admit i'm not hungry right now because i at a big snack or more like a meal at 11:30pm last night!:) actually i'll be fine I've fasted every other Monday for years to start my week reminding me that i need God more than anything else in life)

Now you all know i am very practical with my faith, i get bothered by people who over-spiritualize everything. I believe in the power of God & his word to us & am deeply committed to follow Christ & spread his love to those who do not yet live for God but i am also deeply committed to talking & acting in a way that doesn't create barriers for people to put their faith in Christ.

So here's my Fred interpretation of this text. Melanoma skin cancer is a bad cell that tricks your body into thinking it's you. They are evil little guys that try to steal your life. John 10:10 says there is a thief that comes to steal, kill & destroy. Jesus came to give us life & joy & meaning (John 10:10). If you read about Jesus he went around healing people every day. He loves to give hope to people.

We all have things in & around us that try to steal our life & joy. Hurts we nurse, attitudes that are critical, diseases, financial struggles, ... We choose not to let those things control our life. Sometimes there are things we cannot change on our own. Ever try to make your spouse or kids attitudes be different?lol So what do we do with the things we can't control or change? I choose to believe there is a God who loves us & is BIGGER & STRONGER than we think. We do what we can then rest in the peace of knowing that God can take care of the rest. That attitude allows us to enjoy our day no matter what & then point other people to God's goodness!

So i am choosing to believe that these bad cells in my body will come out with prayer & fasting! But i am also praying for you that you will also believe that thru prayer (simply acknowledging there is a God & asking for his help) & fasting (a way to show humility & dependence on God) that whatever spirit in you that is stealing your joy & hope or faith would leave you & that you will be filled with a new spirit of love & power & peace & joy! God is with you even if you don't realize it or acknowledge it! So why not give it a try & open your life up to him!

Make it a great day with God! We'll try to update this blog sometime around dinner time to let you know how things went with the surgery. Then those of you fasting can enjoy eating & celebrating God's goodness!

You have all been so caring to Dyan & I. My cell phone started getting txts before 7am. Thx for all your prayers. You are amazing friends!

We luv you all!
Fred