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Daniel Fast Guideby Pastor Kelly Stanley We are so glad you have decided to participate in an extended time of prayer, fasting and personal devotion. There really is no better way to reset our spiritual compass
and bring about refreshing in every area of our lives than through prayer and fasting.
This guide I have put together is intentionally designed to be flexible so that you can participate at any level. Whether you have completed a season of prayer and fasting before, or if this is your first time, you can start where you are and experience what God has in store for you in a powerful way.
The tools provided in this guide are a practical guideline to help you navigate through your personal journey. As you read over the information, please consider how it applies to you and your personal circumstances and convictions.
We pray that you will experience the presence and power of God in an extraordinary way as you commit yourself to Him over the next days. May God continue to bless you and enlarge you as you seek Him first!
“...But the days will come when the bridegroom will be taken away from them, and then they will fast.” Matthew 9:15b NKJV
Table of Contents Page
Prayer ……………………………………………………………………………………… 2
Fasting ……………………………………………………………………………………. 2 A. Start Where You Are ……………………………………………………………. 2 B. Find Your Fast Zone ……………………………………………………..……… 3 C. The Daniel Fast ………………………………………………………………….. 4
1. Food to include in your diet during the Daniel Fast ……………………4 2. Food to avoid on the Daniel Fast ………………………………………… 6 3. Frequently Asked Questions ……………………………………………… 7 4. Additional Resources ………………………………………………………. 8
D. Begin And Break The Fast Well ………………………………………………. 9
Personal Devotions ……………………………………………………………………. 10 A. Read Consistently ……………………………………………………………… 10 B. Read Prayerfully ………………………………………………………………… 11 C. Read Expectantly ……………………………………………………………….. 11
Devotionals (both for 21 days & 31 days) ……………………………………………12 Recommended Daniel Fast Recipes ……………………………………….……….. 55
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Prayer As you prepare for the next several days, it can be tempting to start thinking of a laundry list of prayers you’d love to see answered. But we really want to encourage you to keep this simple. Think about the top two or three things most pressing on your heart and zone in on those with God. Write these down in the space provided below, and be open to hearing what God wants to show you in those areas. The breakthroughs, miracles, and answers to your prayers will be by- products of drawing closer to Jesus.
When praying, make your primary goal to know Jesus more and experience Him.Pray prayers of total surrender, and aim to glorify God with your life. Focus first on what’s right about Him, such as his goodness and His greatness, and see everything else through that filter.
And most simply, make time to pray daily. Don’t overcomplicate this! Just talk to God. Have that place and time where you can seek Him every day. If you don’t plan to pray, you won’t. If you find it a challenge to disconnect from the busyness of your day, engaging in worship music is a great way to prepare your heart for prayer.
Fasting
*Important Note: Fasting requires reasonable precautions. If you have any health concerns, please consult your physician prior to beginning your fast, especially if you
are taking any medication, have a chronic condition, or are pregnant or nursing a baby.
As you prepare to fast, it is important to choose a fasting plan that works for you. While this section provides some general information about different types of fasts, as well as some suggestions on how to create your own fasting plan, it is important to mention that there is nothing more inherently spiritual about one type of fast as opposed to another.
These are simply guidelines and suggestions on different things you can do. Do not let what you eat or do not eat become the focus of your fast. Keep the main thing the main thing, which is drawing closer to God. Remember, this is a time to disconnect enough from your regular patterns and habits in order to connect more closely to God. Here are a few tips to keep in mind before getting started:
A. Start Where You Are We are all at different places in our walk with God. Likewise our jobs, daily schedules, and health conditions are all different and place various levels of demands on our energy. So most importantly, whether you’ve fasted before or this is your first time, start where you are.
Your personal fast should present a level of challenge to it, but it’s very important to know your own body, know your options and, most importantly, seek God in prayer
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and follow what the Holy Spirit leads you to do. Remember, the goal of fasting is not just to do without food. The goal is to draw nearer to God.
B. Find Your Fast Zone When most people start fasting, there is typically some level of discomfort. However, it is possible to get used to the fasting routine pretty quickly. Quite simply, you must learn to fast in a way that works for you.
While any true fast does involve abstinence from food or at least certain types of food, typically, different fasting combinations work better for different people. The goal to having a successful fast is all about finding what we like to call your Fast Zone, and that is different for everybody and can change depending on the season you are in.
The best way to describe your Fast Zone is that it’s the place where you feel light and spiritually in tune. Your mind is easily focused on God and spiritual things. You have an increased spiritual energy—you can feel the fast working. Just like runners know what their target heart rate is to see the benefits of their physical training, the Fast Zone is similar in a spiritual sense.
Finding your Fast Zone helps you choose both the type and length of fast. Let’s say you choose to go on a Daniel fast (only fruits and vegetables). Should you eat beans? If you can eat beans and stay in your Fast Zone, go ahead. But for some people eating beans takes them out of the zone. Should you eat peanut butter? Probably not. Peanut butter is more of an indulgence, and not many people can stay in a Fast Zone while enjoying indulgences.
Should you completely cut out caffeine? It depends. The great thing is, when you fast, your body automatically craves less caffeine. If you can stay in your Fast Zone with a little caffeine, great. If you are going on a longer fast and want to cut it out of your diet completely, that’s great too. But ease yourself off and make it your goal to be completely caffeine free about two-thirds of the way into your fast. If you drink coffee regularly, one of the worst mistakes you can make is to fast for one to three days and cut caffeine out abruptly and completely. Please don’t do that or you will spend this time grumpy and in withdrawal instead of enjoying God’s presence.
Mixing things up a bit during a fast is what typically works best for people. For example, do a fruits and vegetables fast for a week. Then do all liquids for a while. Maybe even mix in a few days of only water if you think you are ready for that. Then go back to fruits and vegetables for a few days.
“There isn’t one approach that works the same for everyone. Follow the Holy Spirit, mix it up, find what works for you, and stay in your Fast Zone!
Some people can’t stay in a Fast Zone eating any type of solid food, so they prefer all liquids. With today’s protein drinks and juicing machines, it is so easy to get a healthy dose of all your nutritional needs even while taking in only liquids. Certain people can’t do anything other than drink only water. If they eat a salad or drink a glass of juice, they
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get out of their zone. Or if they allow themselves to eat cantaloupe, they will end up eating twenty cantaloupes a day!
C. The Daniel Fast The Daniel fast is a great model to follow and one that is extremely effective for spiritual focus, bodily discipline, and purification of the body and soul. It is probably one of the most commonly referred-to fasts; however, within the Daniel fast there is room for broad interpretation.
In the book of Daniel we find two different times where the prophet Daniel fasted.Daniel 1 states that he only ate vegetables and water, and in Daniel 10, while the passage does not give a specific list of foods that Daniel ate, it does state that he ate no rich (or choice) foods, as well as no meat or wine. So based on these two verses, we can see that either of these, or combinations of the two, constitute a Daniel fast.
Again, it is important to mention that there is nothing inherently spiritual about one type of fast as opposed to another. The foundation of the Daniel fast is fruits and vegetables. Some starchy vegetables and dairy could be included, but that depends on the individual. Your goal should be to seek God in prayer about this and follow what the Holy Spirit leads you to do. Just remember: find your personal Fast Zone.
Foods to include in your diet during the Daniel Fast...
All fruits: These can be fresh, frozen, dried, juiced or canned (watch for added sugar).
Vegetables: These can be fresh, frozen, dried, juiced or canned (watch salt content).
Apples Coconuts Limes Pineapples
Apricots Cranberries Mangoes Plums
Avocados Dates Melons Prunes
Bananas Figs Mulberry Raisins
Berries Grapefruit Nectarines Rasperries
Blackberries Grapes Oats Strawberries
Blueberries Grenadine Olives Tangelos
Boysenberries Guaa Oranges Tangerines
Breadfruit Honeydew melons Papayas Watermelon
Canteloupe Kiwi Peaches
Cherries Lemons Pears
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Legumes:
Seeds:
Whole Grains:
Artichokes Collard greens Mustard greens Spouts
Asparagus Corn Okra Squashes
Beets Cucumbers Onions Sweet potatoes
Broccoli Eggplant Parsley Tomatoes
Brussel sprouts Garlic Peppers Turnips
Cabbage Ginger root Potatoes Watercress
Carrots Kale Radishes Yams
Cauliflower Leeks Rutabagas Zucchini
Celery Lettuce Scallions
Chili peppers Mushrooms Spinach
Dried beans Black eyed peas Beans
Black beans Green beans Lentils
Cannellini Green peas Lupines
Pinto beans Kidney beans White
Split peas Peanuts (includes natural peanut butter)
Peas
All nuts (raw, unsalted) Cashews Sesame
Sprouts Walnuts Almonds
Ground flax Sunflower Natural Almond Butter
Split peas Peanuts (includes natural peanut butter)
Peas
Whole wheat Miller Oats
Brown rice Quinoa Rolled Oats
Plain oatmeal—not instant Whole wheat pasta Popcorn (see recipe in FAQ’s)
Barley Whole wheat totillas
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Liquids:
Other:
Foods to avoid on the Daniel Fast...
Grits (no butter) Plain Rice cakes Peas
Water (spring, distilled, filtered) Herbal (caffeine free) Tea
Unsweetened Soy Milk 100% Fruit/Vegetable Juice ( no sugar)
Tofu Small amounts of Ezekiel Bread
Soy products Small amounts of Olive Oil
Herbs Spices (read the label to be sure there are no preservatives
Small amounts of Honey Small amounts of Sea Salt
Alcohol Coffee (including decaf b/c contains small amounts of caffeine
Processed foods
All animal products including meat, poultry, fish, and etc.
Cream Raw sugar
All dairy Eggs Refined foods
All deep friend foods Energy Drinks Refined sugarAll leavened breads Food additives Shortening
Baked goods Foods containing preservatives Sugar substitutes
Butter High fat products Syrups
Caffeine Margarine White bread
Cane Juice Mayonnaise White flour
Carbonated beverages Milk White rice
Cheese Molasses Yogurt
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Frequently Asked Questions What about prepared foods?
Read the labels of all prepared foods. Remember the Daniel Fast is sugar-free and chemical- free. So, if you use any canned fruits, vegetables, packaged foods, or prepared sauces you must read the label to be aware about just what is in there.
1. What about pasta?
Make sure the label says whole grain pasta with no additives (watch for sugar). Whole grain pasta offers 7 grams of protein per serving (3/4 cup of dried pasta).
2. I know it says raw, unsalted nuts, but what about roasted nuts?
The goal would be to stick to raw, unsalted nuts. But these are harder to find so in a pinch just make sure you get plain roasted, unsalted nuts with no preservatives.
3. How do I get enough protein in my diet while on the fast?
The following are protein-rich foods that are allowed on the Daniel Fast... almonds, sunflower seeds, lentils, quinoa, brown rice, split peas, whole grains, and tofu.
4. What kind of peanut butter is allowed?
A natural peanut butter with no additives...watch for sugars including molasses. Smucker’s creamy natural peanut butter has nothing but peanuts in it.
5. What about popcorn?
Corn is listed in the vegetables to eat list. You can use a pot on the stove...here is a recipe.
1) Put two tbsp. of olive oil in the bottom of a large pot.2) Add enough popcorn to cover the bottom of the pan.3) Turn heat to medium high. Look for the first popcorn kernel to pop. 4) Put the lid on the pot. Using potholders shake the pot over the burner.5) Continue shaking until you no longer hear kernels popping. Remove from heat.
6. How can I identify whole grain foods?
Typically if the ingredient lists "whole wheat", "rolled oats", or "whole corn" as the first ingredient, the product is a whole grain food item. Another way to identify whole grains in the foods you eat is to look in the nutritional facts information and check if the food item contains dietary fiber. If it contains a significant amount, it most likely contains whole grains. "Wheat flour" is not a whole grain and therefore does not indicate a whole grain product.
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7. What about salad dressing? Olive oil and lemon or lime are options.
8. Do I need to eat organic foods while on the fast?
No, but it is suggested because organic foods are produced without the use of feed or fertilizer of plant or animal origin and without employment of chemically formulated fertilizers, growth stimulants, antibiotics, or pesticides.
9. Where can I go out to eat?
Well, we think you can go anywhere and order cautiously, asking lots of questions to the wait staff, knowing ahead of time that you may be ordering a salad with olive oil and a baked potato with no extras.
10. What about bread?
We are recommending the Ezekiel bread found in the freezer section of your grocery/health food store.
11. How much can I eat? As long as they are the appropriate foods, we are recommending eating until satisfied with no limits.
12. Additional Resources:
www.christ-web.com/missions/farho/daniel-fastwww.danielfast.wordpress.com www.hacres.com/recipes/recipes.asp
13. Fasting While Nursing Or Pregnant
Strict fasting while pregnant or nursing is not recommended. If you are in this incredible season of life but would like to participate in the twenty-one-day plan, here are some great options for you to consider—with the approval of your physician:
• a modified Daniel fast including whole grains, legumes, whey protein, calcium, and iron supplements
• fasting sweets and desserts• fasting red meat • fasting certain diversions (television shows, movies, social media—such as
Facebook/Twitter, video games, and so on)
If you are a pregnant or nursing mother, your priority is the health and the development of the baby God has entrusted you with. Make that your guideline and go from there. And please consult your doctor.
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14. Fasting And Eating Disorders
If you have struggled with an eating disorder, this situation is a battle of the mind you can win through Christ (Philippians 4:13). Remember, fasting is a tool used to get closer to God, and it actually should keep us from being preoccupied with food. If your method of fasting is going to cause you to obsess about what you eat in any way, you will need to change either your approach or your mindset.
If giving up food is a stumbling block to you, then consider fasting of television, reading (other than the Bible, of course), social media, or shopping. There are many distractions and ways that we use to stay in control that we could eliminate from our daily routine. We do these things to distract ourselves from the real issues hurting us. If you can identify such other things, maybe you can give those up instead of food.
Remember that you are covered by God’s grace. God will show you what to do. His “yoke is easy” and His “burden is light” (Matt 11:30). His way will bring rest to your soul.
D. Begin And Break The Fast Well
Depending on the type of fast you choose, it is very important to prepare your body ahead of time before beginning the fast. Take a week or so to transition into your fast; otherwise, you could get sick. For example, if you would like to go on a fruits and vegetables or juice fast, start eliminating meat, white grains, and refined sugars from your diet the week before. Also start to cut back quite a bit on dairy products and some of your caffeine intake.
The same principle applies to breaking your fast. When your fast is over, add foods back in very gradually. Please don’t break your fast with a greasy cheeseburger! Because your body is so cleansed and detoxified, you will most likely get sick if you do that. There are also several supplements you can take that will help support the detox process during your fast. Your health- food store can give you recommendations.
Creating Your Personal Fasting Menu
On the following pages, we will share a few simple menu options for your use. Your plan could include one of these menu ideas or even a variation of all of them. You could even mix it up, doing something different food-wise on the weekends or on certain days of the week. Again, pray about this and find what works for you. To keep your energy up throughout the day, it’s important to eat or drink every two and a half to three hours. If you go longer than that, you can experience an energy lull and be tempted to overstuff yourself at your next meal. Even if you’re fasting on fruits and vegetables, overstuffing is never a smart thing to do.
It is very important to drink lots of water while fasting. Drinking about one hundred ounces of water per day will help to support your critical liver function. The liver is the filter for the body, so when you don’t drink enough water, the liver doesn’t function at its highest capacity.
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Select your food items wisely. The key is to prepare a plan ahead of the fast, to not get legalistic about it, and to choose menu items well. For example, if you prefer dressing on your salads, choose a healthy, organic option with natural ingredients—and don’t pour a gallon of it on your plate. If you’re drinking fruit juices, try to go as natural as possible, and don’t drink ones heavily processed and laden with sugar. Remember to not let food become the focus of your fast, but make wise eating choices.
Final Fasting Tips
Here are some other ideas that can help make your fasting experience more pleasant and helpful:
• As you select your type of fast, make a fasting calendar that fits your plan. Determine what each day and week will look like.
• Keep your fridge and pantry stocked with the items you need. Being unprepared to fast sets you up to give into temptation. Choose well when selecting products, stick to raw food as much as you can, and limit artificial ingredients.
• Make it a priority to attend church during your twenty-one-day fast. Being around other believers will encourage you to keep on going when fasting gets difficult.
• If you mess up, don’t get discouraged. Just get right back on track and keep going. God’s mercies “are new every morning” (Lamentations 3:22–23). He wants you to finish, and He will give you the grace and strength to do it .
Personal Devotions (are pages 12-
Just like prayer and fasting, reading your Bible is about connecting to God in a more powerful way. It is not about duty but about relationship. When we engage God through reading His Word, we engage the very presence of God. His Word is living and active! As we read our Bible, we are drawing closer to God and positioning ourselves to hear from Him in particular ways.
Once again, as with prayer, choose the time and the place where you are going to read your Bible and devotional every single day, and come prepared to hear what He wants to tell you.
Here are three quick things we’d like to share with you about how to get the most out of your devotional time with God.
A. Read Consistently
It is better to read a little every day than to try and knock out two hours of Bible reading or devotions in one sitting. It is so important to digest the Word in absorbable chunks. In this guide we have included a Bible reading plan that helps with that, as it leads you through about a chapter a day. Don’t bite off more than you can chew, and certainly don’t compare your “performance” with that of others. If you miss a few days, pick up
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at the next reading, but stay with it and don’t give up. The key is to keep this simple and make it sustainable.
B. Read Prayerfully
Talk to God as you’re reading. Don’t rush through. If you come across something you don’t understand, pause for a moment and ask God about it. Reading prayerfully is making space and time to talk to God and giving Him time and space to talk to you. Taking time to meditate on God’s Word is just as important as reading it.
C. Read Expectantly
You are about to partake of the bread of life, so foster an attitude of expectancy. Believe that God is going to speak to you through His Word. With meditation on the ideas and thoughts recorded in your journal, be prepared to do something with what He shows you.
A great, simple way to journal your devotionals is to use the SOAP method. (Wayne Cordeiro has some great material about this that we highly recommend in his book Divine Mentor.)
SOAP stands for: Scripture Observation Application Prayer
The SOAP method works like this:
• S for Scripture. Read prayerfully. Take notice of which scripture(s) catches your attention and mark it in your Bible. When you’re done, reread the verse(s) you marked and look for one that particularly speaks to you. Write it in your journal.
• O for Observation. Focusing on that scripture, tune in and listen to what God is saying to you through His Word. What is it about this scripture that specifically stands out? What does God want to reveal to you or teach you? Ask the Holy Spirit to be your guide and show you what God is saying.
• A for Application. Think of how this verse(s) applies to your life right now. Perhaps it is instruction, encouragement, revelation of a new promise, or correction for a particular area of your life. Use your journal to write how this scripture applies to you today.
• P for Prayer. Wrap up your SOAP time in prayer. Talk to God about what you’ve just read. This can be as simple as thanking Him for revealing a truth from the scripture, or it may be asking Him for greater insight or wisdom as to how it applies to your life. Remember, prayer is all about relationship. It’s a two-way conversation, so be sure to listen to what God has to say.
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Devotionals
day 1. tune in
John 10:22-30: Then came the Festival of Dedication at Jerusalem. It was winter, and Jesus was in the temple courts walking in Solomon’s Colonnade. The Jews who were there gathered around him, saying, “How long will you keep us in suspense? If you are the Messiah, tell us plainly.”“My sheep hear My voice, and I know them, and they follow
Me.” Jesus answered, “I did tell you, but you do not believe. The works I do in my Father’s name testify about me, but you do not believe because you are not my sheep. My sheep listen to my voice; I know them, and they follow me. I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish; no one will snatch them out of my hand. My Father, who has given them to me, is greater than all; no one can snatch them out of my Father’s
hand. I and the Father are one.”
Have you ever been searching for a radio station only to be frustrated by finding static rather than music? You then focus to fine tune the dial again, and suddenly you hear a clear signal. The fact is, the signal always existed on the airwaves; the only difference is that now you have adjusted your tuner to the right frequency.
In our hectic lives, there are so many signals bombarding our senses that it can become difficult to distinguish God’s voice from the deafening “static noise” of life. Fasting enables us to tune out the world’s distractions and tune in to God. As we fast, we deny our flesh. When we deny our flesh, we become more in tune to the Holy Spirit and can hear God’s voice more clearly. If you truly listen for God’s voice, you will hear it. When you hear it, it will build faith within you.
If you desire to tune out the static of life and really tune into the voice of God, come to Him first and foremost with ears that are willing to listen and a heart that is ready to obey what he says. (Psalm 34:18, Isaiah 66:2) The more we practice being in His presence, the clearer and more recognizable His voice becomes.
• In this time of fasting, what is your mind tuned to?
• What distractions do you need to remove so that you can focus on God?
• Prepare your heart to hear the voice of God, and ask God to help you remove distractions that keep you from focusing on Him and hearing Him clearly.
additional reading:
Psalm 34:18: “The Lord is near to the brokenhearted and saves those who are crushed in spirit.”
Isaiah 66:2: “Has not my hand made all these things, and so they came into being?” declares the Lord. “These are the ones I look on with favor: those who are humble and
contrite in spirit, and who tremble at my word.”
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Isaiah 64:8: “Yet you, Lord, are our Father. We are the clay, you are the potter; we are all the work of your hand.”
hymn: Take Time to be Holy, by William D. Longstaff
Take time to be holy, speak oft with thy Lord; Abide in Him always, and feed on His Word.
Make friends of God’s children, help those who are weak,Forgetting in nothing His blessing to seek.Take time to be holy, the world rushes on;
Spend much time in secret, with Jesus alone. By looking to Jesus, like Him thou shalt be;
Thy friends in thy conduct His likeness shall see.Take time to be holy, let Him be thy Guide; And run not before Him, whatever betide.
In joy or in sorrow, still follow the Lord,And, looking to Jesus, still trust in His Word.
Take time to be holy, be calm in thy soul,Each thought and each motive beneath His control.
Thus led by His Spirit to fountains of love,Thou soon shalt be fitted for service above.
prayer:
Lord, help me to tune in to You. As distractions and temptations come, give me strength to turn to You. Teach me. Give me eyes and ears to hear Your voice. Open my heart to Your Word. As I’m challenged in the days ahead, please give me what I need to humble myself and honor You. Help me to take time to be holy, to spend time with You in secret, to trust in Your Word. You are the potter. I am the clay. Mold me and make me according to Your will. Thank You for being a God who I can trust. You are so faithful to
me. I am Yours.
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day 2. unwavering in faith
James 1:2-7: “Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance. Let perseverance finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything. If any of you lacks wisdom, you should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to you. But when you ask, you must believe
and not doubt, because the one who doubts is like a wave of the sea, blown and tossed by the wind. That person should not expect to receive anything from the Lord.”
What do you expect when you pray? When we pray with earnest expectation, we are exercising our faith. The earnest prayers of people walking in step with God can
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produce powerful results, and the most earnest prayers come from us recognizing our need for God.
There can be a natural tendency to shrink back when praying for the seemingly impossible, but we must remember that nothing is impossible with God. Ifwe know the promises that God has given us, and understand His character and the principles by which He works, we can pray with confidence and trust Him for the answer. The Kings James Version of the Bible refers to it as being “unwavering in your faith.” What has caused you to waver in your expectation with God? James reminds us that faith and wavering are actually contradictory – he says “nothing wavering”. Know that God never wavers in His love for you. You can trust Him completely.
• What are you trusting God for in this season?
• How can you line up your expectations with the Word of God when you pray?
• Find promises in His Word that answer your need and write them down today.
additional reading:
Matthew 17:20: He replied, “Because you have so little faith. Truly I tell you, if you have faith as small as a mustard seed, you can say to this mountain, ‘Move from here to
there,’ and it will move. Nothing will be impossible for you.”
Romans 8:28: And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose.
Romans 12:2: Do not conform 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.
prayer:
Lord, please help me to stand rm in my faith as I walk with You. You are my strong tower. I know I can trust in You. Guard and renew my mind, body, soul and spirit in
Christ Jesus according to Your will. May each one line up with the Word of God. May my life be filled with faith and expectation that You are working all things for good. Give me faith to move mountains, knowing that You have promised to do the impossible so
that You may be glorified. May my life, thoughts and expectations reflect Yours, my King and my God.
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day 3. spiritual food
Psalm 34:8: Taste and see that the Lord is good. Blessed is the one who take refuge in Him.
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Your Bible, God’s Word, is life-giving, spiritual food. When Jesus was tempted by Satan in the wilderness, He said, “Man shall not live on bread alone, but on every word that comes from the mouth of God” (Matthew 4:4). Psalm 19 says this about God’s words: “They are more precious than gold, than much pure gold; they are sweeter than honey, than honey from the honeycomb.” Proverbs 4:22 says, “For they are life unto those that find them, and health to all their flesh.”
God’s Word is life changing, miracle working, alive, holy, true, perfect, empowering, encouraging, trustworthy and healing. It guides us, gives wisdom, judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart, is a mighty weapon and is to be treasured! Jesus was the Word made flesh, our bread of life. When we open the scriptures, we begin to know Him better.
In John 4, we read about Jesus’ encounter with the Samaritan woman. When Jesus met her, His disciples had gone into town to get food. When they returned with the food, they found Jesus’ hunger satis ed. They were confused by this, wondering if He had eaten while they were gone. But Jesus said, “My food is to do the will of him who sent me and to finish his work.” Jesus was sustained spiritually by doing His Father’s will. He then told them in John 6:27, “Do not work for food that spoils, but for food that endures to eternal life, which the Son of Man will give you.”
We are spiritually nourished by feeding on God’s Word and by doing His will. Ask God to open your spiritual eyes and ears to receive His Word as life-givingand sustaining. Drink deeply from His Word. Listen for His voice. Obey His promptings. Trust Him to sustain you as you pray and fast. Believe that God’s Word is “sweeter than honey, than honey from the honeycomb.” He will do more than you can imagine.
• How can you create time to be in God’s Word?
• Do you believe that it will nourish you and bring life to you?
• Ask God to meet you personally through this time as you seek Him. He desires to teach you. He delights in you.
additional reading:
John 4:1-34: The story of Jesus and the Samaritan woman at the well.
John 6:35: Then Jesus declared, “I am the bread of life. Whoever comes to me will never go hungry, and whoever believes in me will never be thirsty.”
John 6:63: “The words I have spoken to you—they are full of the Spirit and life.”
Matthew 24:35: “Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will never pass away.’
John 1:1,14 (KJV): “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God and the Word was God. And the Word was made esh, and dwelt among us, and we beheld his
glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father, full of grace and truth.”
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Psalm 19:7-10: “The law of the Lord is perfect, refreshing the soul. The statutes of the Lord are trustworthy, making wise the simple. The precepts of the Lord are right, giving
joy to the heart. The commands of the Lord are radiant, giving light to the eyes. The fear of the Lord is pure, enduring forever. The decrees of the Lord are rm, and all of
them are righteous. They are more precious than gold, than much pure gold; they are sweeter than honey, than honey from the honeycomb.”
Ephesians 6: 10,11,17: “Finally, be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power. Put on the full armor of God, so that you can take your stand against the devil’s schemes. Take
the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God.”
Hebrews 4:12: “For the word of God is alive and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the
thoughts and attitudes of the heart.”
Prayer:
Lord, thank You for nourishing me with Your Word. It is life to my body and soul. Help me to realize the power of Your Word in my life. Open my eyes and ears to know You better as I spend time in the scriptures. Teach me, renew me and make me strong in
You. Help me to keep Your words in my heart and to do Your will. Show me how to use Your Word to bring renewal to my life and to bring others to You. I trust You to sustain
me. You are more than enough. ************************************************
day 4. cultivating spiritual hunger
Mark 1:12-13: “Immediately the Spirit drove Him into the wilderness. And He was there in the wilderness forty days, tempted by Satan, and was with the wild beasts; and the
angels ministered to Him.”
Even Jesus disconnected from the world to fast and pray. The Gospels of Matthew, Mark and Luke speak of Jesus in the wilderness for 40 days and 40 nights. They also describe other times Jesus pulled away from the demands of the crowds, His ministry and even His closest friends to pray.
There are times that we, too, need to pull away from the things of the world and focus on God. “The things of the world” can certainly include more than just food. In fact, in our world, it is more likely to be television, movies, Facebook, Twitter, cell phones and internet that keep us “tuned in” to the world. None of these things are wrong in and of themselves, but they are avenues for a mental and spiritual “crowd” to gather around us and drown out the gentle voice of the Holy Spirit.
Fasting is a means of disconnecting from the distractions of daily life and consciously choosing to bring God into greater focus. Giving up physical nourishment is the first step in engaging that process. If you think about it, though, we nourish our souls as
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well as our bodies. We do so through reading, talking, socializing, playing and leisure. When we fill our souls up with all those things, we don’t feel a hunger for God.
During this time of fasting, we may feel physical hunger, but let’s be intentional about cultivating spiritual hunger as well. Let’s draw away from the crowds, and lay aside for a season the activities we use to nourish our souls. Instead let’s allow ourselves to enter a state of spiritual hunger – a hunger for righteousness. Jesus said that being spiritually hungry is a blessed state, because we can be sure of being filled with food that truly satisfies our deepest needs. (Matthew 5:6)
During this time, you will find that being still before the Lord will set you in a place of increased strength, peace and hunger for God.
• Are you disconnected from the things that nourish your body and soul?
• What do you need to deny yourself so that this can be a powerful time in your life?
• Take time to pray and read God’s Word during the time you would normally do what you are fasting from. God will honor your heart and commitment.
additional reading:
Matthew 5:6: “Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be filled.”
Matthew 6:19-21: “Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys, and where thieves do not break in or
steal; for where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.”
2 Timothy 2:20-22 (NASB): Now in a large house there are not only gold and silver vessels, but also vessels of wood and of earthenware, and some to honor and some to dishonor. Therefore, if anyone cleanses himself from these things, he will be a vessel for
honor, sanctified, useful to the Master, prepared for every good work. Now flee from youthful lusts and pursue righteousness, faith, love and peace, with those who call on
the Lord from a pure heart.
prayer:
Lord, give me a spiritual hunger that I have never known. Increase my thirst for righteousness, for purity, for holiness, for You! Break the power of sin and worldly habits
that keep me from You. Pour Your cleansing, living water through me and make me a vessel that You can use to refresh others. Make me an instrument of Your healing and
compassion. Use me in Your service. Help me to remember the brevity of my life and to store up treasures in Heaven.
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day 5. fasting with prayer removes unbelief
Matthew 17:18-21: “And Jesus rebuked the demon, and it came out of him; and the child was cured from that very hour. Then the disciples came to Jesus privately and
said, “Why could we not cast it out?” So Jesus said to them, “Because of your unbelief; for assuredly, I say to you, that if you have faith as a mustard seed, you will say to this
mountain, ‘Move from here to there’, and it will move; and nothing will be impossible for you.”
When we pray and fast, we don’t do so to change God or His will. By praying and fasting, we are the ones changed. Coming into alignment with God helps us curb our doubts and fears. When we pray and fast, one thing that leaves is our unbelief. It is when we have faith to believe, that we can pray with confidence and know that “nothing will be impossible” as we live to bring glory to God.
Ask God to strengthen our hearts to fully believe Him and believe His word. It is okay to recognize and acknowledge if you struggle with unbelief. It’s the rst step in allowing God to strengthen your faith and bring you into alignment with His plan for your life.
• What is it that you need faith to believe God for?
• Align yourself with God’s Word and will during this fast. Ask the Holy Spirit to free you from your unbelief.
• Pray with confidence, knowing “nothing will be impossible for you.
additional reading:
2 Corinthians 10:3-5: “For though we live in the world, we do not wage war as the world does. The weapons we fight with are not the weapons of the world. On the
contrary, they have divine power to demolish strongholds. 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.”
Mark 9:24: Immediately the boy’s father exclaimed, “I do believe; help me overcome my unbelief!”
prayer:
Lord, I confess my unbelief. I am weak, but You are strong. Increase my faith. Remind me of the relevance of Your Word for my life. I know it is powerful. Help me to use it to strengthen my spirit and to war against Satan and his efforts against me. Help me to take every thought captive to make it obedient to Christ. Make me an overcomer asI
receive in faith the victory You have for me. I do believe. You are not finished with me yet. I praise You for Your grace and goodness to me.
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day 6. reliance on God
Romans 7:18-20 (NLT): “And I know that nothing good lives in me, that is, in my sinful nature. I want to do what is right, but I can’t. I want to do what is good, but I don’t. I
don’t want to do what is wrong, but I do it anyway. But if I do what I don’t want to do, I am not really the one doing wrong, it is sin living in me that does it.”
There’s an internal war that often wages within each and every one of us. Paul describes this so well here in Romans 7 – we desire to do the right thing, but in our own efforts, we don’t have the power to and we mess up.
The good news is that we don’t have to rely on our own strength to make right decisions. We don’t have to be dominated by our sinful nature and end up doing the things we don’t want to do. But the only way we can live this kind of life is by yielding to the Holy Spirit and relying on the strength of Jesus Christ, not our own.
When we’re facing struggles, we must rely on God’s power alive within us through the Holy Spirit. When we are born again, the Holy Spirit resides in us and places in us the desire to do what is pleasing to God. (Hebrews 10:16) The Holy Spirit always wants to do what is right. He always wants to uphold the perfect will of God, pleasing the Father in every way. It is our job to lay down our stubborn fleshly will and yield to the will of God. In that moment, the Holy Spirit will be there to help us in our time of need. Instead of trusting in our own strength, let’s learn to yield to and become totally reliant upon the Holy Spirit.
• Are there areas in your life causing an internal struggle?
• Make a decision today that you will yield to the Holy Spirit and lean on His strength, not your own, to overcome obstacles of sin and selfishness in your life.
• Surrender and release those areas to God, knowing He will help you.
additional reading:
Hebrews 10:16: “This is the covenant I will make with them after that time, says the Lord. I will put my laws in their hearts, and I will write them on their minds.”
Colossians 3:12-14: “Therefore, as God’s chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience. Bear with each other and forgive one another if any of you has a grievance against someone. Forgive as the Lord forgave you. And over all these virtues put on love, which binds
them all together in perfect unity.”
I Corinthians 13:2-13: “If I have the gift of prophecy and can fathom all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have a faith that can move mountains, but do not have love, I am
nothing. If I give all I possess to the poor and give over my body to hardship that I may boast, but do not have love, I gain nothing. Love is patient, love is kind. It does not
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envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but
rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres. Love never fails. But where there are prophecies, they will cease; where
there are tongues, they will be stilled; where there is knowledge, it will pass away. For we know in part and we prophesy in part, but when completeness comes, what is in
part disappears. When I was a child, I talked like a child, I thought like a child, I reasoned like a child. When I became a man, I put the ways of childhood behind me. For now we see only a reflection as in a mirror; then we shall see face to face. Now I know in part; then I shall know fully, even as I am fully known. And now these three
remain: faith, hope and love. But the greatest of these is love.”
Ephesians 4:22-32: “You were taught, with regard to your former way of life, to put off your old self, which is being corrupted by its deceitful desires; to be made new in the
attitude of your minds; and to put on the new self, created to be like God in true righteousness and holiness. Therefore each of you must put off falsehood and speak truthfully to your neighbor, for we are all members of one body. “In your anger do not sin”: Do not let the sun go down while you are still angry, and do not give the devil a foothold. Anyone who has been stealing must steal no longer, but must work, doing something useful with their own hands, that they may have something to share with those in need. Do not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouths, but only
what is helpful for building others up according to their needs, that it may bene t those who listen. And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, with whom you were sealed for the day of redemption. Get rid of all bitterness, rage and anger, brawling and slander, along with every form of malice. Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving
each other, just as in Christ God forgave you.”
prayer:
Lord, give me the desire to please You in all things. I confess I want to do things my way. Forgive my stubbornness and pride. Help me to choose Your way. I humbly ask You for grace and a willingness to yield to the Holy Spirit who lives in me. May my life
reflect Your will for me. Help me to put away childish things and to put on love. Help me to stop actions that are harmful to me and others. Today I put on compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience. Give me grace to forgive as You have forgiven me. I
love You.
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day 7. fervent prayer
James 5:16b: “The effective, fervent prayer of a righteous man avails much.”
Fervency speaks of our level of intensity, passion and persistence. Many times, we can lose our passion in prayer or stop praying for certain things altogether because we lose heart or give up. But God invites us to keep them before Him and trust Him for an answer in His time. (Matthew 7:7-11)
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The Old Testament prophet, Elijah, practiced a lifestyle of fervent, intense prayer and he witnessed incredible miracles in his lifetime as a result. In 1 Kings 17:17-24, we read of a woman whose only son became ill and died. When Elijah heard the news he quickly took action and did what he knew best – he fervently cried out to God. Elijah fully believed that God could bring the boy back to life, and he didn’t pray just once. It is recorded that he prayed three times for the boy’s soul to return to him. He prayed fervently, repeatedly and he wasn’t going to give up. Verse 22 reads, “then the Lord heard the voice of Elijah; and the soul of the child came back to him, and he revived.”
God honored Elijah’s obedience and fervent prayers and brought the boy to life. God hears your prayers as well and will bring an answer in His perfect timing. But don’t be discouraged or disheartened if the answer is not exactly what you expected. Commit to praying to God with passion and persistence, trusting the answer will come in God’s perfect way and in His perfect timing.
As we close out this first week, continue to pray fervently for the main areas of concern in your life. Trust God to bring an answer as you journal your thoughts and inspirations through this time.
additional reading:
Matthew 7:7-11: “Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives; the one who seeks finds;
and to the one who knocks, the door will be opened. “Which of you, if your son asks for bread, will give him a stone? Or if he asks for a fish, will give him a snake? 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 good gifts to those who ask him!”
Matthew 6:9-13: “This, then, is how you should pray: “‘Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name, your kingdom come, your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven. Give
us today our daily bread. And forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from the evil one.”
Ezra 8:23: “So we fasted and petitioned our God about this, and he answered our prayer.”
Psalm 141:2: “May my prayer be set before you like incense; may the lifting up of my hands be like the evening sacrifice.”
Matthew 21:22: “If you believe, you will receive whatever you ask for in prayer.”
Acts 2:42: “They devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and to fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer.”
Romans 12:12: “Be joyful in hope, patient in affliction, faithful in prayer.”
Ephesians 6:18: “And pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests. With this in mind, be alert and always keep on praying for all the Lord’s
people.”
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Philippians 4:6: “Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God.”
Colossians 4:2: “Devote yourselves to prayer, being watchful and thankful.”
1 Peter 3:12a: “For the eyes of the Lord are on the righteous and his ears are attentive to their prayer.”
prayer:
Lord, teach me to pray. You have given me the gift of partnering with You in prayer. Stir my heart to prayer and give me ears to listen as You speak to me in the quiet places of my heart. Increase my faith as I trust You for the answers to my prayers. Thank You for
hearing me. I seek Your face and humbly, persistently ask that You will do a mighty work in my life. Use my prayers to bless and encourage others. Teach me
to praise You in my prayers. You are worthy of my praise.
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day 8. spoken word
John 11:38-44: Jesus, once more deeply moved, came to the tomb. It was a cave with a stone laid across the entrance. “Take away the stone,” he said. “But, Lord,” said
Martha, the sister of the dead man, “by this time there is a bad odor, for he has been there four days.” Then Jesus said, “Did I not tell you that if you believe, you will see the glory of God?” So they took away the stone. Then Jesus looked up and said, “Father, I thank you that you have heard me. I knew that you always hear me, but I said this for
the bene t of the people standing here, that they may believe that you sent me.” When he had said this, Jesus called in a loud voice, “Lazarus, come out!” The dead man came out, his hands and feet wrapped with strips of linen, and a cloth around his face. Jesus
said to them, “Take off the grave clothes and let him go.”
The story of Lazarus’ death and resurrection reflects the power of Jesus’ spoken Word. He already knew in His heart the miracle that was about to take place, but His words spoke the miracle into existence.
While prayer is our declaration of our dependence on God, our spoken words can be the manifestation of what’s happening in our hearts. There is power in our spoken words – whether they are used to build up or tear down. It is so important to keep our hearts filled with the truth from God’s Word so that our words will produce good fruit.
As you seek God in prayer, ask Him for the words and discernment that may help someone today. Pray that your words would be encouraging, edifying and aligned with the truth of God’s word. Building others up around us with our words allows us to be God’s instrument – a vessel for His good work.
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As God continues to ll us through this season of prayer and fasting, He wants to take what is now in our hearts and share it with others. How can you use the power of your spoken words to speak God’s truth in the lives of others?
additional reading:
Isaiah 50:4: “The Sovereign LORD has given me a well- instructed tongue, to know the word that sustains the weary. He wakens me morning by morning, wakens my ear to
listen like one being instructed.”
Ephesians 4:29: “Do not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouths, but only what is helpful for building others up according to their needs, that it may bene t those
who listen.”
Matthew 12:33-37: “Make a tree good and its fruit will be good, or make a tree bad and its fruit will be bad, for a tree is recognized by its fruit. You brood of vipers, how can you who are evil say anything good? For the mouth speaks what the heart is full of. A good man brings good things out of the good stored up in him, and an evil man brings evil
things out of the evil stored up in him. But I tell you that everyone will have to give account on the day of judgment for every empty word they have spoken. For by your
words you will be acquitted, and by your words you will be condemned.”
Proverbs 18: 21: “The tongue has the power of life and death, and those who love it will eat its fruit.”
Proverbs 12:18: “The words of the reckless pierce like swords, but the tongue of the wise brings healing.”
prayer:
Father, Thank You that Your Word is life and power to me and to others. Your Word brings hope to things that appear to have no hope. May Your words take root in my
heart so that I can bring life, power and encouragement to others who are weary. Place a deep hunger in my heart for Your words so that I can memorize and recall Your words when needed. May the words of my mouth and the meditations of my heart be pleasing
in Your sight, oh Lord, my rock and my redeemer.
************************************************ day 9. humble yourself
Matthew 17:14-16: “And when they had come to the multitude, a man came to Him, kneeling down to Him and saying, “Lord, have mercy on my son, for he is an epileptic and suffers severely; for he often falls into the re and often into the water. So I brought
him to Your disciples, but they could not cure him.”
What a great example of humility – this man approached Jesus and knelt before Him in the midst of a crowd. As the father approached Jesus, he believed that Jesus would bring his son relief. But even in his belief, his approach was humble and submitted to
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what Christ would choose to do. Looking further into the story, we nd the father was also persistent and resisted taking offense. Though the disciples were not able to help him, he set aside his temporary disappointment in their failure and continued to seek after Jesus – the solution to his circumstance, the source of relief through his trial.
Being humble before God is realizing our need of Him, submitting to His will, pursuing Him and being con dent the outcome will occur in God’s perfect timing.
Be encouraged that approaching God with a heart of humility will always position you to find relief in Jesus. Don’t be ashamed to humble yourself before God, even in the midst of others looking on. Offenses and disappointment may come but continue in your pursuit of Jesus. You may not get relief right away but know that God is never late and His solution is always perfect.
Prayer is a posture of humility. Humble yourself before the Lord each day and bring your cares to Him. You may want to consider how you present your body to the Lord in prayer. Getting down on our hands and knees or stretching out on our faces on the floor puts us in positions of humility that can help us focus. He wants to meet you where you are and answer your every need. Is there discouragement in your heart today? Write it down and release it to our perfect God.
additional reading:
Isaiah 66:2: “Has not my hand made all these things, and so they came into being? declares the LORD. These are the ones I look on with favor: those who are humble and
contrite in spirit, and who tremble at my word.”
Colossians 3:12-14: “Therefore, as God’s chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience. Bear with each other and forgive one another if any of you has a grievance against someone. Forgive as the Lord forgave you. And over all these virtues put on love, which binds
them all together in perfect unity.”
James 4: 6-10: “ But he gives us more grace. That is why Scripture says: God opposes the proud but shows favor to the humble. Submit yourselves, then, to God. Resist the devil, and he will ee from you. Come near to God and he will come near to you. Wash
your hands, you sinners, and purify your hearts, you double-minded. Grieve, mourn and wail. Change your laughter to mourning and your joy to gloom. Humble yourselves
before the Lord, and he will lift you up.”
prayer:
Lord, I bow before You realizing You are sovereign, almighty, and all powerful. I thank You that in Your greatness You still love and care for me. Your ways and thoughts are so
much higher than mine, and I acknowledge my need for You. May I have a meek and humble spirit like Jesus. Remove pride from my life, for I confess I am nothing without
You. I submit my life to You once again. I pray You remove disappointment and discouragement from me as I trust in You and Your perfect will. Help me to be humble
and gentle to those around me. Thank You for working in my heart. I love You.
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day 10. clean house
Romans 8:5-6: “For those who live according to the flesh, set their minds on the things of the flesh, but those who live according to the Spirit, the things of the Spirit. For to be
carnally minded is death, but to be spiritually minded is life and peace.”
Have you ever looked up at your ceiling fan blades or in the deep recesses of your couch cushions and noticed the filth that builds up over time? Even though we might clean on a regular basis, there are times when we need to go... a little deeper. We realize that what appeared to be clean on the surface was in all actuality, quite filthy.The same thing can happen spiritually. As we go about our daily lives, there are things that can build up over time. Even if we regularly worship, pray and read our Bible, the different pressures and cares of this world can quietly build up, and end up consuming our lives. Without even realizing it, we can lose our peace, our joy, and our passion for the things of God. Our service to God, which used to ll us with life and excitement, becomes a duty that we must fulfill.
Fasting is the deep cleaning that helps us take our mind off of the things of this world and instead have a refreshed focus on the things of the Spirit. It is an incredibly effective way to get into the nooks and crannies of our soul and bring all those dusty old habits, broken mindsets and rusty attitudes out into the light of God’s truth. In fasting and prayer, our service to God returns to something we want to do rather than something we have to do.
As you pray and fast today, ask God to show you any areas where you could use a refreshed spiritual focus. Like David, in Psalm 51:10-12, pray that God will cleanse your heart, renew your spirit, and restore the joy of your salvation. Pray with confidence, knowing that He wants to ll you with His life and peace.
additional reading:
Psalm 51: Have mercy on me, O God, according to your unfailing love; according to your great
compassion blot out my transgressions. 2Wash away all my iniquity and cleanse me from my sin.
3For I know my transgressions, and my sin is always before me. 4Against you, you only, have I sinned and done what is evil in your sight; so you are right
in your verdict and justified when you judge. 5Surely I was sinful at birth,
sinful from the time my mother conceived me. 6Yet you desired faithfulness even in the womb; you taught me wisdom in that secret
place. 7Cleanse me with hyssop, and I will be clean; wash me, and I will be whiter than snow.
8Let me hear joy and gladness; let the bones you have crushed rejoice. 9Hide your face from my sins and blot out all my iniquity.
Page � - �26 7110Create in me a pure heart, O God, and renew a steadfast spirit within me.
11Do not cast me from your presence or take your Holy Spirit from me. 12Restore to me the joy of your salvation and grant me a willing spirit, to sustain me. 13
Then I will teach transgressors your ways, so that sinners will turn back to you. 14Deliver me from the guilt of bloodshed, O God,
you who are God my Savior, and my tongue will sing of your righteousness. 15Open my lips, Lord, and my mouth will declare your praise.
16You do not delight in sacrifice, or I would bring it; you do not take pleasure in burnt offerings.
17 My sacrifice, O God, is a broken spirit; a broken and contrite heart you, God, will not despise.
18May it please you to prosper Zion, to build up the walls of Jerusalem. 19Then you will delight in the sacrifices of the righteous, in burnt offerings offered
whole; then bulls will be offered on your altar.
Psalm 139 1You have searched me, LORD, and you know me.
2You know when I sit and when I rise; you perceive my thoughts from afar. 3You discern my going out and my lying down; you are familiar with all my ways.
4Before a word is on my tongue you, LORD, know it completely. 5You hem me in behind and before, and you lay your hand upon me. 6Such knowledge is too wonderful for me, too lofty for me to attain.
7Where can I go from your Spirit? Where can I flee from your presence? 8If I go up to the heavens, you are there;
if I make my bed in the depths, you are there. 9If I rise on the wings of the dawn, if I settle on the far side of the sea,
10even there your hand will guide me, your right hand will hold me fast. 11If I say, “Surely the darkness will hide me and the light become night around me,”
12even the darkness will not be dark to you; the night will shine like the day, for darkness is as light to you.
13For you created my inmost being; you knit me together in my mother’s womb. 14I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made; your works are wonderful,
I know that full well. 15My frame was not hidden from you when I was made in the secret place,
when I was woven together in the depths of the earth. 16Your eyes saw my unformed body;
all the days ordained for me were written in your book before one of them came to be. 17How precious to me are your thoughts,[a] God! How vast is the sum of them!
18Were I to count them, they would outnumber the grains of sand— when I awake, I am still with you.
19If only you, God, would slay the wicked! Away from me, you who are bloodthirsty! 20They speak of you with evil intent; your adversaries misuse your name.
21Do I not hate those who hate you, LORD, and abhor those who are in rebellion against you?
22I have nothing but hatred for them; I count them my enemies. 23Search me, God, and know my heart; test me and know my anxious thoughts.
24See if there is any offensive way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting.
Philippians 4:8-9: “ Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if
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anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things. Whatever you have learned or received or heard from me, or seen in me—put it into practice. And the God
of peace will be with you.”
prayer:
“Lord, at times I grow tired and lukewarm in my love and service for You. Forgive me for allowing the distractions of the world to take my focus off of You. Please renew the joy of my salvation and give me a fresh passion for You. I want to love You more than life. Thank You that You never grow weary and that Your passion for me is always secure.”
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day 11. what’s your assignment?
Luke 4:1-2, 14-15: “Jesus, full of the Holy Spirit, returned from the Jordan and was led by the Spirit in the desert, where for forty days He was tempted by the devil. He ate
nothing during those days, and at the end of them He was hungry...Jesus returned to Galilee in the power of the Spirit, and news about Him spread through the whole
countryside. He taught in their synagogues, and everyone praised Him.”
Fasting and prayer are helpful to receiving a clear vision of God’s specific path for our lives. Many times following a season of prayer and fasting we can have a more de ned understanding of the part that we play in the body of Christ and a greater sense of our particular spiritual gifting. (1 Corinthians 12)
This chapter in the Gospel of Luke describes the circumstances surrounding the beginning of Jesus’ public ministry. Notice that He went into the desert “full of the Holy Spirit.” However, He returned to Galilee, “in the power of the Holy Spirit.” Being full of the Spirit is knowing God and his character; walking in the power of the Spirit is when we know that we have the God-given strength and authority in our lives to walk out His will.
The power of the Spirit is essential for us to accomplish the assignment God has for our lives. God could be leading you to fast so that you can receive His specific instructions for your life. He will empower you, not just to know Him, but to walk in His power to accomplish what He has called you to do.
• Are there areas of your life that need more clarity?
• Are you walking in the power of the Spirit and living in God’s purpose for your life? Write down those things God is speaking to you.
• As you continue your fast, pray that God continually reveals His purpose and gives you ever increasing clarity and strength to walk it out.
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additional reading:
Psalms 37:3-7: “Trust in the LORD and do good; dwell in the land and enjoy safe pasture. Take delight in the LORD, and he will give you the desires of your heart. Commit your way to the LORD; trust in him and he will do this: He will make your
righteous reward shine like the dawn, your vindication like the noonday sun. Be still before the LORD and wait patiently for him; do not fret when people succeed in their
ways, when they carry out their wicked schemes.”
Isaiah 48:17-18: “This is what the LORD says— your Redeemer, the Holy One of Israel: I am the LORD your God, who teaches you what is best for you, who directs you in the way you should go. If only you had paid attention to my commands, your peace would
have been like a river, your well-being like the waves of the sea.”
Romans 1:1-2: “Therefore, I urge you, brothers and sisters, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God—this is your true and
proper worship. Do not conform 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.”
prayer:
“Holy Spirit, thank You that Your power lives within me. I want to live more in Your power, so I ask that You come into my soul and ll me again. I do not want any sin in my life to block You, so I ask You cleanse my heart. I know You have a purpose for my life,
but I don’t always know what that is. I ask for a clear calling and discernment as I desire to live out the assignment You have given me. Thank You that when You call me to
something, You also completely equip me. I pray that You alone will work through me and that others will see You in me. Thank You for choosing me and giving me a
purpose. May my life shine brightly for You!”
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day 12. don’t worry – pray instead
Philippians 4:6-7 (MSG): “Don’t fret or worry. Instead of worrying, pray. Let petitions and praises shape your worries into prayers, letting God know your concerns. Before you know it, a sense of God’s wholeness, everything coming together for good, will
come and settle you down. It’s wonderful what happens when Christ displaces worry at the center of your life.”
Worry seems to be an inescapable fact of modern life. No doubt there is plenty to worry about: our future, the economy, global warming, war, disease... the list could go on forever! Sometimes it might seem that worry has even replaced Jesus as the focal point of our lives. Jesus Himself admonished us several times not to worry. And the great apostle, Paul, tell us in the passage above that there is an antidote to worry...prayer.
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When we worry about something, we are spending energy on it, wondering what might happen, rehearsing the “if only’s” and “what if’s” in our mind. Why not take that same energy and refocus it on prayer instead? When we worry, we are simply talking to ourselves about our fears, but when we pray, we are taking those fears to God. We can’t control the future, but in the words of Anne Graham Lotz, God is already there! He knows exactly what is going to happen and He promises to be with us every step of the journey.
As we continue this season of prayer and fasting, let’s make an effort to convert our worry into prayer. As Paul says in the verse above, “let petitions and praises shape your worries into prayers,” and you will find that the peace of God will guard your heart.
• Are there things that you consistently worry about?
• As you go through your day today, recapture each worried thought and send it up to God as a prayer. See how dramatically your outlook improves when the peace of God is activated through prayer!
additional reading:
Proverbs 3:1-6: “My son, do not forget my teaching, but keep my commands in your heart, for they will prolong your life many years, and bring you peace and prosperity. Let
love and faithfulness never leave you; bind them around your neck, write them on the tablet of your heart. Then you will win favor and a good name in the sight of God and man. Trust in the LORD with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in
all your ways submit to him, and he will make your paths straight.”
Jeremiah 29:11-13: “For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the LORD, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future. Then you will call on me and come and pray to me, and I will listen to you. You will seek me and find me
when you seek me with all your heart.”
Isaiah 41:10-13: “So do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.”
prayer:
“Lord, You know how often my mind goes to worry and not to trusting You. May my thoughts be quicker to turn into prayers to You, my Almighty God, because You know
the plans You have for me, and they are plans to prosper me and not to harm me. Thank You for Your peace that surpasses all understanding as I place my confidence in You
and believe You are at work in my life.”
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day 13. praying boldly
I Kings 18:36 (KJV): “And it came to pass, at the time of the offering of the evening sacrifice, that Elijah the prophet came near and said, “Lord God of Abraham, Isaac, and
Israel, let it be known this day that You are God in Israel and I am Your servant...”
The sacrifice referenced above was a declaration that Elijah was a servant of the Most High God. Elijah belonged to God, and he represented God to the people. However, Elijah’s boldness was not a result of who he was; it was the result of knowing God!.
As children of God under the new covenant of Jesus, we don’t have to be timid or fearful when coming to God in prayer. We can approach God boldly. The Amplified Bible puts it like this: “Let us then fearlessly and confidently and boldly draw near to the throne of grace (the throne of God’s unmerited favor to us sinners), that we may receive mercy [for our failures] and find grace to help in good time for every need [appropriate help and well-timed help, coming just when we need it]. Hebrews 4:16
It’s hard to imagine taking a fearless, confident, bold attitude when coming before God in prayer. Yet this is exactly what we are admonished to do! God has already settled the issue of our access to Him, but we can be assured, our access is not because ofour own righteousness. It’s because of what Jesus did on the cross. We can come to the throne in such outrageous boldness because Jesus was outrageously righteous! When we pray, we come to God in the authority of Jesus’ name, and we can be con dent that we will find grace, mercy and perfectly- timed help.
• Do you approach God with timidity of confidence?• Seek God boldly today knowing you are fully forgiven and Jesus has made you
righteous. When you approach God in prayer, seek a fresh revelation of who He is in your life.
additional reading:
Matthew 9:18-26: “While he was saying this, a synagogue leader came and knelt before him and said, “My daughter has just died. But come and put your hand on her, and she will live.” Jesus got up and went with him, and so did his disciples. Just then a woman who had been subject to bleeding for twelve years came up behind him and touched the edge of his cloak. She said to herself, “If I only touch his cloak, I will be healed.”
Jesus turned and saw her. “Take heart, daughter,” he said, “your faith has healed you.” And the woman was healed at that moment. When Jesus entered the synagogue
leader’s house and saw the noisy crowd and people playing pipes, he said, “Go away. The girl is not dead but asleep.” But they laughed at him. After the crowd had been put outside, he went in and took the girl by the hand, and she got up. News of this spread
through all that region.”
Ephesians 3:16-21: “I pray that out of his glorious riches he may strengthen you with power through his Spirit in your inner being, so that Christ
may dwell in your hearts through faith. And I pray that you, being rooted and established in love, may have power, together with all the Lord’s holy people, to grasp
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how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ, and to know this love that surpasses knowledge—that you may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God. Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us, to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus
throughout all generations, for ever and ever! Amen.”
prayer:
“Father, I thank You that I can approach You boldly and with confidence because I am righteous through Christ. Lord, please give me a boldness in asking from You. Nothing
is too difficult for You, and I pray for a renewed revelation of who You are today. You hold all things in Your hands and have a perfect plan for my life. Thank You. I love You.”
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day 14. alignment with heaven
Matthew 6:10 (KJV): “Thy kingdom come, Thy will be done on earth, as it is in heaven.”
We have all heard the phrase, “just like heaven on earth.” When Jesus taught His disciples how to pray, in Matthew 6:9-13, He provided some insight into what “heaven on earth” might look like. In reality, heaven is a place where God’s will reigns supreme. If we want to have a taste of heaven on earth, then our prayer should be like Jesus’: “Thy kingdom come, Thy will be done...” The purest motivation for our prayers is that God will be glorified and that His will would reign supreme in our lives, just like it does in heaven.
On a more personal level, we can pray that His will be unhindered in our own lives. Rather than imposing His will upon us, God gives us the choice to surrender to it with trust and gladness. As we yield to the Lordship of Christ over every area of our lives, we come into agreement with Him. We experience alignment with heaven and position ourselves to taste a little bit of heaven here on earth. His will then becomes what we desire and the thing we most seek after. We enter into the incredible adventureof participating in God’s plan to move His kingdom forward on the earth. This is where we find the most fulfilling and joyous life, but it all starts with one, personal “yes, Lord” on our part.
• What does God’s will “on earth as it is in heaven” look like in your life?
• Do the desires of your heart line up with the will of God?
• As we seek God together, let’s pray as Jesus taught us, “Thy kingdom come, Thy will be done.”
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additional reading:
Isaiah 58:1-12 “For day after day they seek me out; they seem eager to know my ways,
as if they were a nation that does what is right and has not forsaken the commands of its God.
They ask me for just decisions and seem eager for God to come near them.
3 ‘Why have we fasted,’ they say, ‘and you have not seen it? Why have we humbled ourselves,
and you have not noticed?’ “Yet on the day of your fasting, you do as you please and exploit all your workers.
4 Your fasting ends in quarreling and strife, and in striking each other with wicked fists. You cannot fast as you do today
and expect your voice to be heard on high. 5 Is this the kind of fast I have chosen,
only a day for people to humble themselves? Is it only for bowing one’s head like a reed and for lying in sackcloth and ashes?
Is that what you call a fast, a day acceptable to the LORD?
6 “Is not this the kind of fasting I have chosen: to loose the chains of injustice and untie the cords of the yoke, to set the oppressed free
and break every yoke? 7 Is it not to share your food with the hungry
and to provide the poor wanderer with shelter— when you see the naked, to clothe them,
and not to turn away from your own flesh and blood? 8 Then 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. 9 Then you will call, and the LORD will answer;
you will cry for help, and he will say: Here am I. “If you do away with the yoke of oppression, with the pointing finger and malicious talk,
10 and if you spend yourselves in behalf of the hungry and satisfy the needs of the oppressed,
then your light will rise in the darkness, and your night will become like the noonday.
11 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. 12 Your people will rebuild the ancient ruins and will raise up the age-old foundations;
you will be called Repairer of Broken Walls, Restorer of Streets with Dwellings.”
James 1:27: “Religion that God our Father accepts as pure and faultless is this: to look after orphans and widows in their distress and to keep oneself from being polluted by
the world.”
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prayer:
“Father, Your word is very clear about what Your will is. You desire for us to reach out to the lonely, oppressed, marginalized and lost. You have great compassion on them and desire us to be Your hands and feet. Please help my will to line up with Yours. Please enable me to care about others being lost
more than I care about the comforts or problems in my life. May Your kingdom come, may Your will be done on earth as it is in heaven. And may I be willing to bring Your
kingdom to earth by the way I treat others around me. Please open my eyes to who You want me to bless today.”
For the final week of the Daniel Fast, we will be focusing on the sacrifice Christ has
made for us through the cross and the victory we have through His resurrection.
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day 15. confession
Psalm 51 (NLT): “Have mercy on me, O God, because of your unfailing love. Because of your great
compassion, blot out the stain of my sins. Wash me clean from my guilt. Purify me from my sin. For I recognize my shameful deeds; they haunt me day and night. Against you, and you alone, have I sinned; I have done what is evil in your sight. You will be proved right in what you say, and your judgment against me is just. For I was born a sinner;
yes, from the moment my mother conceived me. But you desire honesty from the heart, so you can teach me to be wise in my inmost being. Purify me from my sins, and I will be clean; wash me, and I will be whiter than snow. Oh, give me back my joy again; you have broken me, now let me rejoice. Don’t keep looking at my sins. Remove the stain of
my guilt. Create in me a clean heart, O God. Renew a right spirit within me. Do not banish me from your presence, and don’t take your Holy Spirit from me. Restore to me again the joy of your salvation, and make me willing to obey you. Then I will teach your ways to sinners, and they will return to you. Forgive me for shedding blood, O God who
saves; then I will joyfully sing of your forgiveness. Unseal my lips, O Lord, that I may praise you. You would not be pleased with sacrifices, or I would bring them. If I brought you a burnt offering, you would not accept it. The sacrifice you want is a broken spirit. A
broken and repentant heart, O God, you will not despise. Look with favor on Zion and help her; rebuild the walls of Jerusalem. Then you will be pleased with worthy sacrifices
and with our whole burnt offerings; and bulls will again be sacrificed on your altar.”
Consider the things that come between you and God, and starting with the words below, hold them up to God as a confession. Confession causes us to face our nature, and can be a frightful thing, but it is also a bridge to God. Sincere confession is always followed by God’s drawing near in forgiveness. As you read, don’t be limited by what is written here. Add your own words as you are moved to.
Holy and merciful Father: We confess to You... that we have sinned by our own fault in thought, word and deed; by what we have done and by what we have left undone. We have not loved You with our whole heart, and mind, and strength. We have not loved
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our neighbors as ourselves. We have not forgiven others as we have been forgiven. We have been deaf to Your call to serve, as Christ served us... We have grieved Your Holy
Spirit.
Father, I confess to You my great pride, impatience, self indulgence, prejudice, contempt, cruelty and dishonesty. I confess my exploitation of others, envy of those
more fortunate, lust for worldly goods and comforts, negligence in prayer and worship, and my failure to stand rm and be a witness to Your reality. Father, by way of the cross
and passion of Your Son our Lord, teach me the joy of resurrection.
As the scripture says, “If we confess our sins to him, he is faithful and just to forgive us and to cleanse us from every wrong” (1 John 1.9). Now is the time to search our hearts and to be fully known by God. As we focus on the cross and resurrection, we need to be honest with God, hiding nothing. Remember as well that there is no darkness too deep for God: His own Son suffered death on a cross under a greater burden than any have known before or after Him – He descended deeper into the darkness. There is no depth to which we may sink, where He has not been, or where we will be out of reach of the mercy of God.
Suggestion: For fasting from various media, continue the practices from last week and add to them if you can. Cut back on, or eliminate, TV, the radio, the internet, the computer, etc. And finally, whenever you have free time because you have given
something up, be sure to give the time to God.
• Have you acknowledged your sinfulness to our Most Holy God?
• Have you repented and turned from your ways?
• Please spend time asking God to reveal the sins you need to confess. Name the sins and take ownership of them. After listening for His Spirit to reveal your sins repent and turn from those sins. After you are finished, please close with this prayer.
prayer:
“Father, I often find myself buried under the weight of my own dark thoughts, and so fearful of these thoughts that I cannot even face them. But Lord, You promise that because of what Jesus did, I am not to be punished according to my sin. With this
promise and the hope of freedom, God help me to face my own heart: shine Your light inside of me. I want to be known by You. Help me to let You rule n my heart.”
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day 16. pride and humility
Our godliness can often be measured by the line between our pride and humility. Scripture tells us that God has placed a spirit of “fierce desires” in us. Pride can ignite these God-given desires into an occasion for doing wrong. Humility, on the other hand,
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makes room for God, who tempers and directs our desires, and guides us to lasting fulfillment.
Scripture tells us that Jesus humbled Himself and was obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross (a more humiliating event could not have been imagined). So we practice humility as a way to follow Jesus, and to cast off all our ineffective, prideful attempts at self-promotion, self-salvation and self- satisfaction.
When we remember that Jesus’ death is our only hope, and that all our efforts to save ourselves are at best short-term solutions and doomed to fail, we weep for our condition. But we also need to remember that humiliation and remorse, both appropriate responses to God, are temporary. Through Christ’s resurrection, the humble are lifted up, and those who mourn are comforted with an everlasting comfort.
James 4:1-10: “What causes fights and quarrels among you? Don’t they come from your desires that battle within you? You desire but do not have, so you kill. You covet but you cannot get what you want, so you quarrel and fight. You do not have because you do not ask God. When you ask, you do not receive, because you ask with wrong motives, that you may spend what you get on your pleasures. You adulterous people, don’t you know that friendship with the world means enmity against God? Therefore,
anyone who chooses to be a friend of the world becomes an enemy of God. Or do you think Scripture says without reason that he jealously longs for the spirit he has caused to dwell in us? But he gives us more grace. That is why Scripture says: “God opposes the proud but shows favor to the humble.” Submit yourselves, then, to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. Come near to God and he will come near to you. Wash your hands, you sinners, and purify your hearts, you double-minded. Grieve, mourn and
wail. Change your laughter to mourning and your joy to gloom. Humble yourselves before the Lord, and he will lift you up.”
John 16.19-22 (NRSV): (Jesus speaks to his disciples before his death) “Very truly, I tell you, you will weep and mourn... you will have pain, but your pain will turn into joy. When
a woman is in labor, she has pain, because her hour has come. But when her child is born, she no longer remembers the anguish because of the joy of having brought a
human being into the world. So you have pain now; but I will see you again, and your hearts will rejoice, and no one will take your joy from you.”
Psalm 23 (NLT): A psalm of David. “The LORD is my shepherd; I have everything I need. He lets me rest in green meadows; he leads me beside peaceful streams.
He renews my strength. He guides me along right paths, bringing honor to his name. Even when I walk through the dark valley of death, I will not be afraid, for you are close beside me. Your rod and your staff protect and comfort me. You prepare a feast for me in the presence of my enemies. You welcome me as a guest, anointing my head with
oil. My cup over flows with blessings. Surely your goodness and unfailing love will pursue me all the days of my life, and I will live in the house of the LORD forever.”
• In what area of your life or in what relationship do you need to ask God to grant you humility?
• Is there someone you need to humbly approach and ask for forgiveness?
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• Is there an area you need to surrender to God and no longer seek your will, but to trust in Him for His will to be done?
prayer:
“God grant me the ability to see myself as You see me. Yet protect me from what I find in my own heart, for surely it is more awful than I can bear. Forgive me, and carry my burden of grief when I see my failings. And God, don’t let me take credit for the good
things You have given me. In Your mercy help me to see the pride in my own heart. Heal and renew my spirit; refine the passion of my heart; and help me to walk in humility.”
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day 17. passion for God
The day Jesus entered Jerusalem before His death and resurrection is known as Palm Sunday. This marks the beginning of the week of Christ’s passion. The word ‘passion’ comes from a Latin word which means ‘suffering’. The suffering of Jesus Christ on the cross has always been referred to as The Passion. There is even a movie by that name. In modern times, we have come to apply the word passion to mean any kind of strong feeling, or commitment, even though it more properly it describes a suffering for some worthwhile thing.
In many ways we have lost this sense of the word, in part perhaps, because there is so little of this kind of passion left in the western world. We ascribe the word passion to how we feel about sports teams, music, or our political views. Would you be willing to suffer for those things?
How different is the passion of Jesus: directed by God and willingly accepted. Jesus actively chose His path and the sufferings that followed. In Jesus we see not only the full depth of God’s passion for us and the suffering that was a necessary part of it, but also the full depth of one perfect human’s passion for God (in Jesus): obedience that led to death.
How do we respond to God’s call to follow Him? Are we passionate? Or passive? To walk with Jesus, who said, “take up your cross and follow me,” we must accept God’s direction and choose to follow the path laid out for us. This is a path of certain passion (suffering), but also certain hope because of the victory we have through Christ’s resurrection.
Matthew 10.24-32, 38-39 (TEV): (Jesus teaches his disciples) “No pupil is greater than his teacher; no slave is greater than his master. So a pupil should be satis ed to become like his teacher, and a slave like his master. If the head of the family is called Beelzebul,
the members of the family will be called even worse names! So do not be afraid of people. Whatever is now covered up will be uncovered, and every secret will be made
known. What I am telling you in the dark you must repeat in broad daylight, and
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what you have heard in private you must announce from the housetops. Do not be afraid of those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul; rather be afraid of God, who
can destroy both body and soul in hell. For only a penny you can buy two sparrows, yet not one sparrow falls to the ground without your Father’s consent. As for you, even the
hairs of your head have all been counted. So do not be afraid; you are worth much more than many sparrows! Those who declare publicly that they belong to me, I will do the same for them before my Father in heaven. “Those who do not take up their cross
and follow in my steps are not t to be my disciples. Those who try to gain their own life will lose it; but those who lose their life for my sake will gain it.”
Psalm 130 (NLT): A song for the ascent to Jerusalem “From the depths of despair, O LORD, I call for your help. Hear my cry, O Lord. Pay
attention to my prayer. LORD, if you kept a record of our sins, who, O Lord, could ever survive? But you offer forgiveness, that we might learn to fear you. I am counting on the
LORD; yes, I am counting on him. I have put my hope in his word. I long for the Lord more than watchmen wait for the morning, yes, more than watchmen wait for the
morning. O Israel, hope in the LORD; for with the LORD there is unfailing love and an over owing supply of salvation. He himself will free Israel from every kind of sin.”
• How are you passionate in your love for the Lord?
• In what areas do you actively choose God’s ways and desire to live for Him?
• Or, do you passively follow Him?
• In what ways do others look at your life and see your passion and consuming love for Jesus?
• Ask God to enable you to passionately love and follow Him.
prayer:
“Lord, thank You for Your passionate love for me that You would die for me. And thank You for Your passionate love for the Father, that You would obey Him, even to death.
Lord, I am so often harassed and helpless, like a sheep without a shepherd—how can I find my way unless You help me? Have mercy on me. Lead me Lord. Come, and give me the strength I need to follow You in doing the Father’s will. Bless the time I give to
You this week. Pour Your blessing over me. Give me a passionate love equal to Yours.”
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day 18. the suffering Christ
When we think of Jesus’ death on the cross we also remember all those who were together with Him in the last days. Imagine being in the disciples’ shoes during what was certainly the darkest period of their lives. Through the Scriptures we see Jesus’ followers as they fall asleep, betray Him, deny, flee, despair and generally fail to “get it.” Imagine what it would have been like for them to watch their friend, mentor, King,
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their Savior, be arrested, whipped, humiliated, stripped naked, crowned with thorns and hammered to a wooden cross. The week before Christ’s death is often referred to as Holy Week and it’s reasonable to ask, “If this is Holy Week, what would an unholy week look like?”
The horror of holy week is a stumbling block to the Jews, even for Jesus’ own followers. They stumbled on the fact that this “King” was killed by the Romans when He was supposed to be conquering them! Instead of taking the throne, He was nailed to a tree, and forever cursed by it, they thought. But Jesus’ way was not their way. He knew that by dying, the Jews could not only be saved from the perceived tyranny of any military power, but from a far worse tyranny, that of sin and evil. Jesus chose the path of suffering and death so that they—and we—could be free forever from the punishment due to us because of the evil in our hearts. He took our place on the cross. If we are able to “get” this truth, then suffering and death are no threat to us, whether at the hands of a Roman soldier, or in the hand of a just God. We don’t need to fear death because of what Jesus did.
Because of Jesus’ suffering, we also have an advocate when we suffer. No matter what we are going through, no matter how tough or terrorizing, one thing is sure: Jesus understands. He has endured far worse, for our sake. When we are tempted to look up out of the dark holes we find ourselves in, to search the heavens and call out to God—we may wonder, “Where is God and why won’t he rescue me?” Consider for a moment that Jesus doesn’t gaze down at you from some great throne in Heaven. No. He is beneath you, waiting for you to let go and fall back into His arms. Jesus has experienced the limit of suffering and He is able to meet you where you are.
There is no depth of despair to which we can ever descend that is lower than Jesus went when He died under the weight of a world full of evil. But no matter how low we have been, don’t doubt that if we are found in Jesus when He ascends on Easter day, then we will rise with Him, and will have no reason to fear death again.
Isaiah 52.13-53.12 (NLT): (This passage foretells the Passion of Jesus by more than six hundred years.)
“See, my servant will prosper; he will be highly exalted. Many were amazed when they saw him – beaten and bloodied, so disfigured one would scarcely know he was a person. And he will again startle many nations. Kings will stand speechless in his
presence. For they will see what they had not previously been told about; they will understand what they had not heard about.
Who has believed our message? To whom will the LORD reveal his saving power? My servant grew up in the LORD’s presence like a tender green shoot, sprouting from a
root in dry and sterile ground. There was nothing beautiful or majestic about his appearance, nothing to attract us to him. He was despised and rejected – a man of sorrows, acquainted with bitterest grief. We turned our backs on him and looked the
other way when he went by. He was despised, and we did not care. Yet it was our weaknesses he carried; it was our sorrows that weighed him down. And we thought his
troubles were a punishment from God for his own sins! But he was wounded and crushed for our sins. He was beaten that we might have
peace. He was whipped, and we were healed! All of us have strayed away like sheep.
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We have left God’s paths to follow our own. Yet the LORD laid on him the guilt and sins of us all. He was oppressed and treated harshly, yet he never said a word. He was led
as a lamb to the slaughter. And as a sheep is silent before the shearers, he did not open his mouth. From prison and trial they led him away to his death. But who among the
people realized that he was dying for their sins – that he was suffering their punishment? He had done no wrong, and he never deceived anyone. But he was
buried like a criminal; he was put in a rich man’s grave. But it was the LORD’s good plan to crush him and fill him with grief. Yet when his life is made an offering for sin, he will have a multitude of children, many heirs. He will enjoy
a long life, and the LORD’s plan will prosper in his hands. When he sees all that is accomplished by his anguish, he will be satis ed. And because of what he has
experienced, my righteous servant will make it possible for many to be counted righteous, for he will bear all their sins. I will give him the honors of one who is mighty and great, because he exposed himself to death. He was counted among those who
were sinners. He bore the sins of many and interceded for sinners.”
1 Peter 1:3-9: “Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! In his great mercy he has given us new birth into a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus
Christ from the dead, and into an inheritance that can never perish, spoil or fade. This inheritance is kept in heaven for you, who through faith are shielded by God’s power until the coming of the salvation that is ready to be revealed in the last time. In all this you greatly rejoice, though now for a little while you may have had to suffer grief in all
kinds of trials. These have come so that the proven genuineness of your faith—of greater worth than gold, which perishes even though re ned by re—may result in
praise, glory and honor when Jesus Christ is revealed. Though you have not seen him, you love him; and even though you do not see him now, you believe in him and are
filled with an inexpressible and glorious joy, for you are receiving the end result of your faith, the salvation of your souls.”
• Do you fully realize the blessings God has given you because of the offering of Christ?
• Have you claimed the gifts He has given you-- gifts of peace, forgiveness, and righteousness?
• Jesus Christ has made you righteous and accepted in God’s eyes. Spend some time thanking Him again for His sacrifice and that your sins are completely forgiven, once and for all. (2 Corinthians 5:21 “God made him who had no sin to be sin for us, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.”)
prayer:
“Father, teach me Your way this week. Teach me how to leave my selfish, sinful ways at the foot of the cross, and teach me how Jesus my Savior is willing to bear those sins in
His own body and be punished for them. Lord, how can I thank You for this great salvation? I worship You and Your amazing power: Jesus is greater than death, and
could not be conquered. When He died, I know that my sins were destroyed: it happened “once for all time.” And when You raised Him three days later, You taught us that we too could be raised. I confess my many sins Lord Jesus: I lay them down at the
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foot of the cross. I turn away from them and ask You to give me a new way of living in the world. Walk with me this week, Father. Teach me Your way.”
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day 19. love
On the Friday that Jesus died it might seem that the wrath of God has eclipsed the love of God. But it isn’t so. Mercy triumphs over Judgment at Easter: love triumphs over wrath.
At the last supper Jesus washed the disciples’ feet. He also gave them a new commandment, “Love one another as I have loved You.”
But the disciples don’t fully comprehend how deeply Jesus has loved them. After all they had been through, it took a king on His knees with a towel around His waist to prove to them the loving, servant heart of God (what if our president, or a king, were to wash the feet of a bunch of fishermen today? What if it were your feet?). But even so, Peter the disciple doesn’t understand why Jesus would defile Himself in this way.
If that night Peter finds it hard to accept that Jesus His king would humiliate Himself by washing His followers’ feet, he will be even more confounded the next day. For there will be another demonstration of how God loves on Good Friday, when the perfect love of God in Jesus faces the wrath of God against evil, and triumphs in the end. All for the love of us.
John 13.1-15 (NLT): “Before the Passover celebration, Jesus knew that his hour had come to leave this
world and return to his Father. He now showed the disciples the full extent of his love. It was time for supper, and the Devil had already enticed Judas, son of Simon Iscariot, to carry out his plan to betray Jesus. Jesus knew that the Father had given him authority
over everything and that he had come from God and would return to God. So he got up from the table, took off his robe, wrapped a towel around his waist, and poured water
into a basin. Then he began to wash the disciples’ feet and to wipe them with the towel he had around him. When he came to Simon Peter, Peter said to him, “Lord, why are
you going to wash my feet?” Jesus replied, “You don’t understand now why I am doing it; someday you will.” “No,” Peter protested, “you will never wash my feet!”Jesus
replied, “But if I don’t wash you, you won’t belong to me.” Simon Peter exclaimed, “Then wash my hands and head as well, Lord, not just my feet!” Jesus replied, “A person who has bathed all over does not need to wash, except for the feet, to be
entirely clean. And you are clean, but that isn’t true of everyone here.” For Jesus knew who would betray him. That is what he meant when he said, “Not all of you are clean.”
After washing their feet, he put on his robe again and sat down and asked, “Do you understand what I was doing? You call me ‘Teacher’ and ‘Lord,’ and you are right,
because it is true. And since I, the Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you ought to wash each other’s feet. I have given you an example to follow. Do as I have done
to you. How true it is that a servant is not greater than the master. Nor are messengers more important than the one who sends them. You know these things – now do them!
That is the path of blessing. Peace is my last gift to you, my own peace I now leave with
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you; peace which the world cannot give, I give to you. I give you a new commandment: Love one another as I have loved you. Peace is my last gift to you, my own peace I now leave with you; peace which the world cannot give, I give to you. By this shall the world
know that you are my disciples: That you have love for one another. (BCP)
• Are you washed in the love of Jesus?
• Whose feet do you need to wash in humility and love?
• In what areas of your life and in what relationships do you need His Spirit of love and humility?
• How can you serve others, especially those you are the closest to? How can you grant another the peace He has freely given us?
prayer:
“Wash me clean Lord. I want to receive all You have for me. I am blessed and honored when You serve me; I am humbled by Your humility. Help me remember Your healing
and cleansing. Don’t let me forget my salvation. In darkness help me call on Your name. Jesus. In darkness, be the light of my heart; may I never be afraid. I am longing for Your
sunrise, Jesus. In Your mercy, give me the gift of hope. And by Your love, help me to love others. Teach me Your way in the coming days. Help me to understand how You
have loved me, and how You love me still.”
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day 20. darkness falls
Darkness falls over the Earth on Good Friday. God’s own Son goes to His death to save us from the darkness in our hearts. While He is walking out this terrifying mission, His followers seem to do everything they can to show how little we humans deserve the favor.
God is a God of Light: He can’t tolerate darkness, and darkness cannot survive in His presence. We, who have dark hearts full of sin, should tremble at this fact, but Jesus, who was completely good, took on our sin and stood under the wrath of God.
On the cross, He was destroyed and cut off from His Father. It was to have been our fate. In the midst of humanity’s own darkest hour, and in the face of His followers’ cowardice, selfishness and laziness, God does not cut us off. In His awesome mercy, He sends His own Son into the darkness so that we might live in the light.
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Take some time to meditate on the following scripture passage.
Mark 14.32-15:37(NLT): “Take this cup of suffering away from me.”
And they came to an olive grove called Gethsemane, and Jesus said, “Sit here while I go and pray.” He took Peter, James, and John with him, and he began to be lled with horror and deep distress. He told them, “My soul is crushed with grief to the point of
death. Stay here and watch with me.” He went on a little farther and fell face down on the ground. He prayed that, if it were possible, the awful hour awaiting him might pass him by. “Abba, Father,” he said, “Everything is possible for you. Please take this cup of suffering away from me. Yet I want your will, not mine.” Then he returned and found the disciples asleep. “Simon!” he said to Peter. “Are you asleep? Couldn’t you stay awake
and watch with me even one hour? Keep alert and pray. Otherwise temptation will overpower you. For though the spirit is willing enough, the body is weak.” Then Jesus
left them again and prayed, repeating his pleadings. Again he returned to them and found them sleeping, for they just couldn’t keep their eyes open. And they didn’t know
what to say. When he returned to them the third time, he said, “Still sleeping? Still resting? Enough! The time has come. I, the Son of Man, am betrayed into the hands of
sinners. Up, let’s be going. See, my betrayer is here!” A kiss and a sword And immediately, as he said this, Judas, one of the twelve disciples, arrived with a mob that was armed with swords and clubs. They had been sent out by
the leading priests, the teachers of religious law, and the other leaders. Judas had given them a prearranged signal: “You will know which one to arrest when I go over and give him the kiss of greeting. Then you can take him away under guard.” As soon as they arrived, Judas walked up to Jesus. “Teacher!” he exclaimed, and gave him the kiss.
Then the others grabbed Jesus and arrested him. But someone pulled out a sword and slashed off an ear of the high priest’s servant. Jesus asked them, “Am I some
dangerous criminal, that you come armed with swords and clubs to arrest me? Why didn’t you arrest me in the Temple? I was there teaching every day. But these things are
happening to fulfill what the Scriptures say about me.” Meanwhile, all his disciples deserted him and ran away. There was a young man following along behind, clothed
only in a linen nightshirt. When the mob tried to grab him, they tore off his clothes, but he escaped and ran away naked.”
False witnesses
“Jesus was led to the high priest’s home where the leading priests, other leaders, and teachers of religious law had gathered. Meanwhile, Peter followed far behind and then
slipped inside the gates of the high priest’s courtyard. For a while he sat with the guards, warming himself by the fire. Inside, the leading priests and the entire high
council were trying to find witnesses who would testify against Jesus, so they could put him to death. But their efforts were in vain. Many false witnesses spoke against him, but they contradicted each other. Finally, some men stood up to testify against him with this lie: “We heard him say, ‘I will destroy this Temple made with human hands, and in three days I will build another, made without human hands.’” But even then they didn’t
get their stories straight! Then the high priest stood up before the others and asked Jesus, “Well, aren’t you going to answer these charges? What do you have to say for
yourself?” Jesus made no reply. Then the high priest asked him, “Are you the Messiah, the Son of the blessed God?” Jesus said, “I am, and you will see me, the Son of Man,
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sitting at God’s right hand in the place of power and coming back on the clouds of heaven.” Then the high priest tore his clothing to show his horror and said, “Why do we
need other witnesses? You have all heard his blasphemy. What is your verdict?” And they all condemned him to death. Then some of them began to spit at him, and they blindfolded him and hit his face with their fists. “Who hit you that time, you prophet?”
they jeered. And even the guards were hitting him as they led him away.”
“I don’t know this man …”
“Meanwhile, Peter was below in the courtyard. One of the servant girls who worked for the high priest noticed Peter warming himself at the re. She looked at him closely and then said, “You were one of those with Jesus, the Nazarene.” Peter denied it. “I don’t
know what you’re talking about,” he said, and he went out into the entryway. Just then, a rooster crowed. The servant girl saw him standing there and began telling the others,
“That man is definitely one of them!” Peter denied it again. A little later some other bystanders began saying to Peter, “You must be one of them because you are from
Galilee.” Peter said, “I swear by God, I don’t know this man you’re talking about.” And immediately the rooster crowed the second time. Suddenly, Jesus’ words flashed
through Peter’s mind: “Before the rooster crows twice, you will deny me three times.” And he broke down and cried.
“Crucify Him!”
“Very early in the morning the leading priests, other leaders, and teachers of religious law – the entire high council – met to discuss their next step. They bound Jesus and took him to Pilate, the Roman governor. Pilate asked Jesus, “Are you the King of the Jews?”Jesus replied, “Yes, it is as you say.” Then the leading priests accused him of
many crimes, and Pilate asked him, “Aren’t you going to say something? What about all these charges against you?” But Jesus said nothing, much to Pilate’s surprise. Now it
was the governor’s custom to release one prisoner each year at Passover time – anyone the people requested. One of the prisoners at that time was Barabbas, convicted along
with others for murder during an insurrection. The mob began to crowd in toward Pilate, asking him to release a prisoner as usual. “Should I give you the King of the
Jews?” Pilate asked. (For he realized by now that the leading priests had arrested Jesus out of envy.) But at this point the leading priests stirred up the mob to demand
the release of Barabbas instead of Jesus. “But if I release Barabbas,” Pilate asked them, “what should I do with this man you call the King of the Jews?” They shouted back, “Crucify him!” “Why?” Pilate demanded. “What crime has he committed?”But the
crowd only roared the louder, “Crucify him!”
“Hail! King of the Jews!”
“So Pilate, anxious to please the crowd, released Barabbas to them. He ordered Jesus flogged with a lead-tipped whip, then turned him over to the Roman soldiers to crucify him. The soldiers took him into their headquarters and called out the entire battalion. They dressed him in a purple robe and made a crown of long, sharp thorns and put it on his head. Then they saluted, yelling, “Hail! King of the Jews!” And they beat him on the head with a stick, spit on him, and dropped to their knees in mock worship. When
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they were finally tired of mocking him, they took off the purple robe and put his own clothes on him again. Then they led him away to be crucified. A man named Simon,
who was from Cyrene, was coming in from the country just then, and they forced him to carry Jesus’ cross. And they brought Jesus to a place called Golgotha (which means
Skull Hill). They offered him wine drugged with myrrh, but he refused it. Then they nailed him to the cross. They gambled for his clothes, throwing dice to decide who
would get them. It was nine o’clock in the morning when the crucifixion took place. A signboard was fastened to the cross above Jesus’ head, announcing the charge against
him. It read: “The King of the Jews.” Two criminals were crucified with him, their crosses on either side of his. And the people passing by shouted abuse, shaking their
heads in mockery. “Ha! Look at you now!” they yelled at him. “You can destroy the Temple and rebuild it in three days, can you? Well then, save yourself and come down from the cross!” The leading priests and teachers of religious law also mocked Jesus. “He saved others,” they scoffed, “but he can’t save himself! Let this Messiah, this king of Israel, come down from the cross so we can see it and believe him!” Even the two
criminals who were being crucified with Jesus ridiculed him.”
And darkness fell
“At noon, darkness fell acress the whole land until three o’clock. Then, at that time Jesus called out with a loud voice, “Eloi, Eloi, lema sabachthani?” which means, “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?” Some of the bystanders misunderstood and thought he was calling for the prophet Elijah. One of them ran and lled a sponge
with sour wine, holding it up to him on a stick so he could drink. “Leave him alone. Let’s see whether Elijah will come and take him down!” he said. Then Jesus uttered another loud cry and breathed his last. And the curtain in the Temple was torn in two, from top
to bottom.”
Please spend some time praying for the following:
• Our heavenly Father sent His Son into the world, not to condemn the world, but that the world through Him might be saved; that all who believes in Him might be delivered from the power of sin and death, and become heirs with Him of everlasting life.
• Pray, therefore, for people everywhere according to their needs.• Pray for the Church of Christ throughout the world;• For its unity in witness and service• For all ministers and the people whom they serve• For all Christians in this community• That God will con rm His Church in faith, increase it in love and preserve it in peace.• Pray for all nations and peoples of the earth, and for those in authority among them;
for all who serve the common good, that by God’s help they may seek justice and truth, and live in peace.
• Pray for all who suffer and are af icted in body or in mind;• For the hungry and the homeless, the destitute and the oppressed• For the sick, the wounded and the crippled• For those in loneliness, fear and anguish• For those who face temptation, doubt and despair• For the sorrowful and bereaved
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• For prisoners and captives, and those in mortal danger• That God in His mercy will comfort and relieve them, and grant them the knowledge
of His love, and stir up in us the will and patience to minister to their needs.• Pray for all who have not received the Gospel of Christ;• For those who have never heard the word of salvation• For those who have lost their faith• For those hardened by sin or indifference• For the contemptuous and the scornful• For those who are enemies of the cross of Christ and persecutors of his disciples• For those who in the name of Christ have persecuted others• That God will open their hearts to the truth, and lead them to faith and obedience.
prayer:
“O God of unchanging power and eternal light: Look favorably on Your whole church, that wonderful and sacred mystery; by the working of Your providence, carry out Your plan of salvation; let the whole world see and know that things which were cast down
are being raised up, things which had grown old are being made new, and that the weak and weary are being made strong. Though sometimes it is hidden to our eyes,
these things are being done by the One through whom all things were made, Your Son Jesus Christ our Lord; who lives and reigns with You, in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Grant us patience, faith, courage, and hope worthy of eternity.”
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day 21. victory in Christ!
The darkness of Good Friday ends with a flame of light on Easter Sunday. Christ is risen! He is risen indeed!
Matthew 28.1-10; 16-20 (TEV): After the Sabbath, as Sunday morning was dawning, Mary Magdalene and the other Mary went to look at the tomb. Suddenly there was a violent earthquake; an angel of
the Lord came down from heaven, rolled the stone away, and sat on it. His appearance was like lightning, and his clothes were white as snow. The guards were so afraid that they trembled and became like dead men. The angel spoke to the women. “You must not be afraid,” he said. “I know you are looking for Jesus, who was crucified. He is not here; he has been raised, just as he said. Come here and see the place where he was lying. Go quickly now, and tell his disciples, “He has been raised from death, and now he is going to Galilee ahead of you; there you will see him!’ Remember what I have told
you.” So they left the tomb in a hurry, afraid and yet filled with joy, and ran to tell his disciples. Suddenly Jesus met them and said, “Peace be with you.” They came up to him, took hold of his feet, and worshiped him. “Do not be afraid,” Jesus said to them.
... The eleven disciples went to the hill in Galilee where Jesus had told them to go. When they saw him, they worshiped him, even though some of them doubted. Jesus
drew near and said to them, “I have been given all authority in heaven and on earth. Go, then, to all peoples everywhere and make them my disciples: baptize them in the name
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of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit, and teach them to obey everything I have commanded you. And I will be with you always, to the end of the age.”
Ezekiel 36.24-28 (NRSV): I will take you from the nations, and gather you from all the countries, and bring you into your own land. I will sprinkle clean water upon you, and you shall be clean from all your
uncleannesses, and from all your idols I will cleanse you. A new heart I will give you, and a new spirit I will put within you; and I will remove from your body the heart of
stone and give you a heart of flesh. I will put my spirit within you, and make you follow my statutes and be careful to observe my ordinances. Then you shall live in the land that I gave to your ancestors; and you shall be my people, and I will be your God.”
Prayers for the resurrection:
Rejoice now, heavenly hosts and choirs of angels, and let your trumpets shout salvation for the victory of our mighty King! Rejoice and sing now, all the round earth, bright with a glorious splendor, for darkness has been vanquished by our eternal King. Rejoice and be glad now, Oh Church, and in radiant light, resound with the praises of your people.
It is truly right and good, always and everywhere, with our whole heart and mind to praise You, the invisible, almighty, and eternal God, and Your only-begotten Son, Jesus Christ our Lord; for He is the true Lamb, who at the feast of the Passover paid for us the debt of Adam’s sin, and by His blood delivered Your faithful people.
This is the night, when all who believe in Christ are delivered from the gloom of sin, and are restored to grace and holiness of life.
This is the night, when Christ broke the bonds of death and hell, and rose victorious from the grave.
How wonderful and beyond our knowing, O God, is your mercy and loving-kindness to us, that to redeem a slave, You gave a Son.
How holy is this night, when wickedness is put to ight, and sin is washed away. It restores innocence to the fallen, and joy to those who mourn. It casts out pride and hatred, and brings peace and concord.
How blessed is this day, when earth and heaven are joined and humankind is reconciled to God!
May the light of Jesus shine continually to drive away all darkness. May Christ, the Morning Star who knows no setting, find His light ever burning in our hearts—He who gives His light to all creation, and who lives and reigns for ever and ever.
• Has this season of prayer and fasting strengthened your relationship with Christ? How?
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• Please take the time to write a letter to Jesus about your love for Him and any new revelations He has revealed to you. Also include new commitments you are making.
• How will you live more passionately for Him because of His ultimate sacrifice?
• Commitments might include acts of regular prayer, service to others, and personal disciplines in spending more time with Him.
• Put your letter in an envelope with two dates: today’s date and six months from now. Place the envelope in your Bible and open it in six months.
prayer:
“Dear Lord, Thank You for walking with and sustaining me during this prayer and fasting journey. You have been faithful, and I thank You for what You have shown me. I ask that
you seal the work You have done in my life and help me to continue to walk more closely with You. Open your Word in greater ways to me in the days ahead. Teach me,
strengthen my faith and give me persistence and boldness in following Your will for me. Help me to be Your hands and feet in service and blessing to others. You are my risen, ascended, reigning and ruling Lord. I humbly thank You and praise Your name. You are
awesome!”
Additional Devotionals Following the Daniel Fast
Speak, O Lord
Speak, O Lord, as we come to YouTo receive the food of Your Holy Word.
Take Your truth, plant it deep in us;Shape and fashion us in Your likeness,
That the light of Christ might be seen today In our acts of love and our deeds of faith.
Speak, O Lord, and fulfill in usAll Your purposes for Your glory.
Teach us, Lord, full obedience,Holy reverence, true humility;
Test our thoughts and our attitudesIn the radiance of Your purity.
Cause our faith to rise; cause our eyes to see Your majestic love and authority.
Words of pow’r that can never fail— Let their truth prevail over unbelief.
Speak, O Lord, and renew our minds;Help us grasp the heights of Your plans for us—
Truths unchanged from the dawn of timeThat will echo down through eternity.
And by grace we’ll stand on Your promises,
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And by faith we’ll walk as You walk with us. Speak, O Lord, till Your church is builtAnd the earth is filled with Your glory.
“Speak, O Lord” 1
DAY 22 - Return to Me
“Even now,” declares the Lord, “return to me with all your heart, with fasting and weeping and mourning.” - Joel 2:12, NIV
If we look at the kind of fasting that took place in the Old Testament, it would be easy to assume that the reason we fast is to prove our repentance to God in order to obtain His mercy. Under the Old Covenant, such a fast of repentance is seen time and again. But now, because of the complete work of Jesus on the cross, things have changed.
Fasting is not something we do to obtain favor or forgiveness. Under the New Covenant, every wrong we have done and will do was forgiven at the Cross, and when we accept Christ as our Savior, we get to celebrate the mercy freely given to us through our relationship with Him. Fasting is about drawing closer to God and surrendering at a deeper level.
As we walk with God, there are times that we feel far from Him or disconnected. Joel’s words resonate with us, even if we live in the context of grace: “Return to me with all your heart.” There are times we realize that though we have chosen to follow Jesus, the flame of our love for Him has grown cold. Your time spent in prayer each day of the fast can result in a new richness a rewarding connection with the Father. No matter where you are on your journey with Jesus, you can always take a step closer to Him.
I believe the power of fasting as it relates to prayer is the spiritual atomic bomb that our Lord has given us to destroy the strongholds of evil and usher in a great revival and
spiritual harvest around the world. – Bill Bright
Bible Reading Plan: Psalms 1-2
Prayer Focus: As we begin this time of prayer and fasting, let’s turn our hearts toward God. Make a commitment to seek Him daily. Pray that your love for Christ will be increased and your passion for Him will be reignited over the next twenty-one days.
DAY 23 - Tune In
My sheep hear My voice, and I know them, and they follow Me. - John 10:27, NKJV
Have you ever tried to tune in a radio station only to be frustrated by finding static rather than music? And when you fiddled with the dial again, suddenly you heard a clear signal. The fact is that clear signal always existed on the airwaves. The difference is that now you have adjusted your tuner to the right frequency.
Words and Music by Keith Getty & Stuart Townend Copyright © 2005 Thankyou Music 1
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In our hectic lives, there are so many signals bombarding our senses that it can become difficult to distinguish God’s voice from the defending static noise of life. Fasting enables us to tune out the world’s distractions and tune in to God. As we fast, we deny our flesh. When we deny our flesh, we become more in tune to the Holy Spirit and can hear God’s voice more clearly. If you truly listen for God’s voice you will hear it. And when you hear it, your faith will increase.
If you desire to tune out the static of life and really tune in to the voice of God, come to Him first and foremost with ears willing to listen and a heart ready to obey what He says (Psalm 34:18; Isaiah 66:2). The more we practice being in His presence, the clearer and more recognizable His voice becomes.
“Fasting is important, more important perhaps, than many of us have supposed...When exercised with a pure heart and a right motive, fasting may provide us with a key to
unlock doors where others may have failed; a window opening up new horizons in the unseen world; a spiritual weapon of God’s providing. ‘mighty to the pulling down of
stronghold.’” – Arthur Wallis
Bible Reading: Luke 1
Prayer Focus: In this time of fasting what is your mind tuned to? What distractions do you need to remove so that you can focus on God? Prepare your heart to hear the voice of God, and ask Him to help you remove distractions that keep you from focusing on Him and hearing His voice clearly.
DAY 24 - Fasting Removes Unbelief
And Jesus rebuked the demon, and it came out of him; and the child was cured from that very hour. Then the disciples came to Jesus privately and said, “Why could we not cast it out?” So Jesus said to them, “Because of your unbelief; for assuredly, I say to
you, if you have faith as a mustard seed, you will say to this mountain, ‘Move from here to there,’ and it will move; and nothing will be impossible for you. However, this kind
does not go out except by prayer and fasting. - Matthew 17:18-21, NKJV
When we pray and fast, we don’t do so to change God or His will; instead, by praying and fasting, we are the ones changed. Coming into alignment with God helps us curb our doubts and fears. When we pray and fast, the thing that leaves-the thing that goes out-is our unbelief. It is when we have faith to believe that we can pray with confidence and know that “nothing will be impossible.”
Ask God to strengthen your heart to fully believe Him and His Word. It is okay to recognize and acknowledge if you struggle with unbelief. That’s the first step in allowing God to strengthen your faith and bring you into alignment with His plan for your life.
“Beware in your prayers, above everything else, of limiting God, now only by unbelief, but by fancying that you know what He can do. Expect...’above all that we ask or
think.’” – Andrew Murray
Bible Reading Plan: Luke 2
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Prayer Focus: What do you need faith to belief for? Align yourself with God’s Word and will during this fast. Release your unbelief. Pray with confidence, knowing “nothing will be impossible” for you.
DAY 25 - Agreement with the Will of God
Can two walk together, unless they are agreed? - Amos 3:3, NKJV
In the heart of every believer is the desire to walk closely with God. We know that He, too, desires a close relationship with each one of us. A key to having a strong level of spiritual intimacy with God is living in agreement with His will for your life. In Genesis 5:22, we read Enoch and see that his life modeled a long journey, walking consistently with God, for it says, “Enoch walked with God three hundred years.” Enoch lived a powerful life. He was a man who walked in agreement with God’s will and lived a life pleasing to God (Hebrews 11:5).
It is one thing to know God’s will for our lives; it’s another to live in agreement with His will. In order to enjoy the best life that God has for us, we must first understand that God does not change, but we sometimes must. Let’s earnestly seek to know and agree with God’s will. The level of our agreement with God will determine the degree of closeness in our walk with Him.
“I believe firmly, that the moment our hearts are emptied of pride and selfishness and ambition and self seeking, and everything that is contrary to God’s law, the Holy Ghost will come and fill every corner of our hearts; but if we are full of pride and conceit, and ambition and self seeking, and pleasure and the world, there is no room for the Spirit of God; and I believe many a man is praying to God to fill him when he is full already with
something else. Before we pray that God would fill us, I believe we ought to pray Him to empty us.” – D. L. Moody
Bible Reading Plan: Luke 3
Prayer Focus: Pray today that you can walk in agreement with God and enjoy the life He desires you to have in Christ.
DAY 26 - When Grace Comes Down
For the law was given through Moses, but grace and truth came through Jesus Christ. - John 1:17, NKJV
Have you ever wondered what it would be like to have a personal visit with God? What would He say about the state of humanity? About religion? About propensity toward sin? There is no need to wonder about what God is like or would say, because to know Him we have only to look at Jesus. In Jesus we have received grace, but there is even something more we have received: truth.
The kind of truth in today’s scripture is not a list of laws and rules such as were given to Moses. Make no mistake – the revelation of God through the word of the Law was
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glorious. When Moses came down from Mount Sinai after receiving the Ten Commandments, his face shone so brightly with the glory of God that he had to wear a veil (Exodus 34:33-35). But the word of the Law cannot compare with the word of life that has been revealed through Jesus Christ!
In John 1:18 we learn that no one, not even Moses, with his glimpse of God’s back has ever seen God. But Jesus has not only seen God – He is God. The truth that John was speaking about is a clear and unveiled vision of the true nature of God.
Looking at God through the lens of legalism and religion is like looking at Him through a veil. Only when we see Him through Jesus Christ can we truly get a glimpse into His heart. It is from a state of grace, not legalism, that we will find real and lasting transformation (2 Corinthians 3:7-18).
“I am not what I ought to be, I am not what I want to be, I am not what I hope to be in another world; but still I am not what I once used to be, and by the grace of God I am
what I am.” – John Newton
Bible Reading Plan: Luke 4
Prayer Focus: Have you been looking at God through the veil of legalism and religion? In Jesus, we see the full revelation of the nature of God: His love and holiness, mercy and justice, compassion and power all perfectly and beautifully expressed. Pray that the Holy Spirit will help you see God through the eyes of grace and truth given to us in Jesus Christ.
DAY 27 - The Spirit Is Willing
And I know that nothing good lives in me, that is, in my sinful nature. I want to do what is right, but I can’t. I want to do what is good, but I don’t. I don’t want to do what is wrong, but I do it anyway. But if I do what I don’t want to do, I am not really the one
doing wrong; it is sin living in me that does it. - Romans 7:18-20, NLT
There’s an internal war that rages within each of us. Paul described this so well in Romans 7. Though we desire to do the right thing, we don’t have the power to do so in our own efforts and we mess up.
The good news is that we don’t have to rely on our own strength to make right decisions. We don’t have to be dominated by our sinful nature and end up doing the things we don’t want to do. But the only way we can live this kind of life is by yielding to the Holy Spirit and relying on the strength of Jesus Christ, not our own.
When we’re facing struggles, we must rely on God’s power alive within us through the Holy Spirit. When we are board again, the Holy Spirit resides in us and places in us the desire to do what is pleasing to God (Hebrews 10:16). The Holy Spirit always wants to do what is right and to uphold the perfect will of God, pleasing the Father in every way.
It is our job to lay down our stubborn fleshly will and yield to the will of God. In that moment, the Holy Spirit will be there to help us. Let’s learn to yield to and become totally reliant upon the Holy Spirit.
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“[Prayer] turns ordinary mortals in to men of power. It brings power. It brings fire. It brings rain. It brings life. It brings God.” – Samuel Chadwick
Bible Reading Plan: Proverbs 1
Prayer Focus: Are there areas in your life causing an internal struggle? Make a decision today to yield to the Holy Spirit and lean on His strength, not your own, to overcome obstacles of sin and selfishness in your life. Surrender and release those areas to God, knowing He will help you.
DAY 28 - Fervent Prayer
The effective, fervent prayer of a righteous man avails much. - James 5:16, NKJV
Fervency speaks to our level of intensity, passion, and persistence. Many times, we can lose our passion in prayer or stop praying for certain things altogether because we lose heart or give up. But God invites us to keep them before Him and trust Him for an answer in His time (Matthew 7:7- 11).
The Old Testament prophet Elijah practiced a lifestyle of fervent, intense prayer and witnessed incredible miracles in his lifetime. In the book of Kings, the story is told of a woman whose only son became ill and died (1 Kings 17-17-24). When Elijah heard the news, he quickly took action and did what he knew best – he fervently cried out to God. Elijah fully believed that God could bring the boy back to life, and he prayed not just once but three times that the boy’s soul would return to him. He prayed fervently and repeatedly and he wasn’t going to give up. This was the result: “Then the Lord heard the voice of Elijah; and the soul of the child came back to him, and he revived” (verse 22).
Elijah’s prayer was answered through his persistence and fervency. God hears your prayers as well and will bring an answer in His perfect timing. But don’t be discouraged or disheartened if the answer takes time to arrive or is not exactly what you expected. Commit to praying to God with passion and persistence, trusting the answer will come in God’s perfect way at the perfect time.
“We must never forget that the highest kind of prayer is never the making of requests. Prayer at its holiest moment is the entering into God to a place of such blessed union as makes miracles seem tame and remarkable answers to prayer appear something
very far short of wonderful by comparison.” – A. W. Tozer
Bible Reading Plan: Psalm 3-5
Prayer Focus: As you close out this first week, continue to pray fervently for the main areas of concern in your life. Trust God to bring an answer as you journal your thoughts and inspirations through this time.
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DAY 29 - Hear Him
“This is my dearly loved Son, who brings me great joy. Listen to him.”...And when they looked up Moses and Elijah were gone, and they saw only Jesus. – Matthew 17:5, 8,
NLT
On the mount of transfiguration three disciples had an experience that showed us the Father’s plan for the New Covenant. Jesus took Peter, James, and John up to the top of a mountain where He was transfigured into His glorified state. Up until this point, the Jews had related to God through the Law – represented by Moses and the prophets, one being Elijah. Inspired by what he was seeing, Peter eagerly offered to erect three tabernacles – one each for Jesus, Moses, and Elijah. Then a loud voice from heaven was heard: “This is my dearly loved Son, who brings me great joy. Listen to him.”
When the disciples looked up, they saw only Jesus. On that mountain God made it clear that we will only discover His pleasure by following Jesus. God’s grace is freely given to those who receive new life in Him. Sometimes, though, there are areas of our lives where we do not fully embrace God’s grace. There may be circumstances or areas where we still try to earn our way to the Father.
You cannot earn God’s pleasure, but you can experience it to a greater degree as you follow Jesus Christ. As you seek God today, ask Him for a greater revelation of Jesus in your heart. Then you will be reminded that you are beloved child of God. And that He finds pleasure in you.
“If heaven were by merit, it would never be heaven to me for if I were in it I should say, ‘I am sure I am here by mistake; I am sure this is not my place; I have no claim to it.’ But if
it be of grace and not of works, then we may walk into heaven with boldness.” – Charles H. Spurgeon
Bible Reading Plan: Luke 5
Prayer Focus: How does understanding the New Covenant of grace change the focus of your fast? As you pray and seek after God, let His be the loudest voice you hear.
DAY 30 - Clean House
For Those who live according to the flesh set their minds on the things of the flesh, but those who live according to the Spirit, the things of the Spirit. For to be carnally minded
is death, but to be spiritually minded is life and peace. – Romans 8:5-6, NKJV
Have you ever looked at the top of your refrigerator or in the deep recesses of your couch cushions and noticed the filth that has built up over time? Even though we might clean on a regular basis, there are times when we need to go...a little deeper. We realize that what appeared to be clean on the surface was in all actuality, quite filthy.
The same thing can happen spiritually. As we go about our daily lives, there are things that can build up over time. Even if we worship, pray, and read our Bible regularly, the different temptations, pressures, and cares of this world can build up quietly and end up consuming our lives. Without even realizing it, we can lose our peace, joy, and
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passion for the things of God. Our service to God, which used to fill us with life and excitement, becomes a tiresome duty that we must fulfill.
Fasting is the deep cleaning that helps us take our minds off the things of this world and instead have a refreshed focus on the things of the Spirit. Fasting offers an incredibly effective way to get into the nooks and crannies of our souls and bring all those dusty old habits, broken mind-sets, and rusty attitudes out into the light of God’s truth.
In fasting and prayer, our service to God returns to something we want to do rather than something we have to do.
“One of the reasons for fasting is to know what is in us...In fasting it will come out. You will see it. And you will have to deal with it quickly or smother it again.”
– John Piper
Bible Reading Plan: Luke 6
Prayer Focus: As you pray and fast today, ask God to show you any areas where you could use a refreshed spiritual focus. Pray as David did in Psalm 51:10-12 that God will cleanse your heart, renew your spirit, and restore the joy of your salvation. Pray with confidence, knowing that He wants to fill you with His life and peace.
DAY 31 - Unwavering Faith
But let him ask in faith, nothing wavering. – James 1:6, KJV
What do you expect when you pray? When we pray with earnest expectation, we are exercising our faith. The earnest prayer of righteous people produces powerful results (James 5:16), and the most earnest prayers come from us when we recognize our need for God.
There can be a natural tendency to shrink back when praying for the seemingly impossible, but we must remember that nothing is impossible with God (Luke 1:37). If we know the promises that God has given us, and understand His character and the principles by which He works, we can pray with confidence and trust Him for the answer. What has caused you to waver in your expectation with God? James reminds us that faith and wavering are actually contradictory – James says “nothing wavering.” Know that God never wavers in His love for you. You can trust Him completely.
“There is no way that Christians in a private capacity can do some much to promote the work of God and advance the kingdom of Christ as by prayer.”
– Jonathan Edwards
“When we depend up organizations, we get what organizations can do; when we depend upon education, we get what education can do; when we depend upon man,
we get what man can do; but when we depend upon prayer, we get what God can do.” – A. C. Dixon
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Bible Reading Plan: Luke 7
Prayer Focus: What are you trusting God for in this season? How can you line up your expectations with the Word of God when you pray? Find promises in His Word that answer your need and write them down today.
Recommended Daniel Fast Recipes
Breakfast Recipes
Easy High-protein Breakfast Stir-fry for the Daniel Fast 1 tablespoon olive oil1 medium onion, sliced1/2 green pepper, chopped1 cup firm tofu, diced in bite-sized pieces Fresh Italian herbs to taste Heat a skillet over medium heat. Add oil and heat for a couple minutes. Add the onions and green peppers and stir fry for 2-3 minutes. Add tofu, garlic salt and Italian herbs. Continue to cook until vegetables are soft.Makes two servings.
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1/2 cup muesli (Bob’s Red Mill Old Country Style) 1/2 cup water Bring water to a boil and add the muesli. Simmer for 2-5 minutes.
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Granola 4 cups rolled oats1cup crushed almonds1⁄2 cup whole grain flour1 tsp. cinnamon1⁄4 cup shredded coconut1 cup sunflower seeds1⁄2 cup wheat germ or other whole grain bran 3⁄4 - 1 cup honey1 cup pumpkin seeds
Mix all together and spread out on a non-stick cookie sheet. Bake 20 min. in a 250 degree preheated oven. Stir and continue to bake another 20 min., stirring periodically to prevent burning. The granola should be lightly browned. Remove from oven and serve warm or cool thoroughly and store in tightly sealed container or plastic bags. Option: After the granola is cooled, add raisins or other organic, unsulphured dehydrated fruit.
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Apple Blueberry Oatmeal Cereal 2 sweet apples 3⁄4 cup rolled oats 1 cup blueberries 1⁄2 cup almonds1 cup apple juice Cook the oats as directed on box. Chop or grind the almonds, chop the apples and combine. Add the blueberries. Top with a sprinkle of nutmeg, cinnamon and apple juice.
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Meals and Sides
Quick Tomato Sauce This is an easy recipe for homemade tomato sauce that you can use as a base for vegetable casseroles, over 100% whole wheat pasta, or over brown rice.
2 tablespoons olive oil Salt to taste1 medium yellow onion (chopped) 1/4 cup cilantro, finely chopped 2 cans diced tomatoes (14.5 oz) (or fresh)
Sauté onions in heated oil over medium heat, cooking until soft. Add tomatoes (including juice) and salt.Simmer until slightly thickened, about 10 minutes. Add cilantro and simmer for 5 or 10 more minutes. Serve over pasta, rice or cooked vegetables.
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Spicy Green Beans 2 tablespoons vegetable oil 3 cloves garlic, minced1 pound green beans, trimmed 1/4 - 1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes 1/4 teaspoon salt
Heat oil in frying pan or wok over medium high heat. Add trimmed green beans and salt. Cook, stirring frequently for 3 minutes. Stir in garlic and red pepper flakes, cooking for 1 more minute.
Herb-Roasted Idaho Potato Fries by Denise Austin Makes 4 servings 1 pound small baking potatoes 2 tsp extra-virgin olive oil1/2 tsp dried thyme1/2 tsp dried rosemary 1/4 tsp salt
Preheat the oven to 425°F. Coat a heavy baking sheet with cooking spray. Cut each potato in half crosswise. Place the halves cut side down on the cutting board and cut each into 4 wedges. Place the potatoes in a mound on the prepared baking sheet. In a cup, mix the oil, thyme, rosemary, salt, and pepper. Pour over the potato wedges and
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toss to mix well. Spread the potatoes out on the sheet. Bake, stirring 2 or 3 times, until tender and lightly browned, about 35 minutes. Serve hot.
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Minestrone Soup 8 cups vegetable stock1 1⁄2 cups of garbanzo beans2 cups red kidney beans1⁄2 cups carrots3 medium tomatoes (or 1-14 oz can of unsweetened, unsalted Italian tomatoes) 1⁄2 cup fresh parsleySea salt 1 cup cabbage 1⁄4 tsp. oregano 3⁄4 tsp. basil1⁄4 tsp. thyme 1⁄2 cup celery 1⁄2 cup onion 1 clove garlic1 pkg. spinach noodles cooked
Soak garbanzo and kidney beans overnight, drain and rinse. Peel and dice tomatoes. Cook and drain kidney and garbanzo beans as per directions on pkg. Mince garlic and parsley. Chop carrots, onion, celery, cabbage and garlic and sauté in water or soup stock over medium heat 5-7 min. Stir in cooked and drained kidney beans, garbanzo beans, diced tomatoes, and minced herbs. Bring to a simmer, then turn heat down and simmer 10 min. Stir in cabbage and parsley with lid partially on for about 15 min. or until cabbage is tender. Add more soup stock or tomatoes as needed. Serve over noodles.
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Black Bean Soup 8 cups vegetable stock 1 1⁄2 cup onion1 cup celery1 potato 2 garlic cloves 1 tsp. honey2 bay leaves Sea salt1 pd. black beans, soaked overnight, rinsed &drained1 yellow or red pepper1 cup carrots2 Tbsp. cilantro 1 Tbsp. parsley 1 whole onion 2 Tbsp. marjoram
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Place beans in pot with veg. stock, whole onion and bay leaves. Bring to a boil and cook 2-1/2 hrs. or until beans are tender. Remove onion and bay leaves. Chop onion, pepper, and celery. Grate carrots and potato on cheese grater. Mince garlic and sauté in Tbsp. olive oil until tender. During last hour of cooking, combine vegetables and seasonings with beans. Bring to a boil, lower heat to simmer and cook until veggies and beans are tender.
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White Beans and Sautéed Vegetables 2 cans white beans, drained 2 tablespoons olive oil1⁄2 cup yellow onion, chopped 2 cloves garlic, minced 1⁄2 cup celery, finely diced 1⁄2 cup carrot, finely diced1⁄4 cup virgin olive oil (to drizzle after beans aredished up)Salt and pepper to taste
Drain the white beans and set asideHeat olive oil and then add all the prepared vegetables to the pan and sauté until just done. Add beans and heat thoroughly.Dish up on serving plates, drizzle with extra virgin olive oil. Salt to taste.Yield: 4 servingsTip: It is best to cook with regular old pure olive oil - save the more costly extra virgin oil for salads, drizzling, and dipping. When cooked, extra virgin oil actually turns bitter and the great flavors are cooked away. So use the less expensive pure olive oil for sautéing and frying.
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Stir Fry Vegetables 1 red onion, sliced3 stalks celery, thinly sliced 1⁄2 cup broccoli, chopped1 bell pepper, sliced1 tsp. sea salt 3 carrots, peeled and sliced1⁄2 cup cauliflower, chopped1 cup zucchini, thinly sliced1 cup yellow squash, thinly sliced 1 Tbsp. Oriental seasoning
Stir-fry all vegetables in 1-2 Tbsp. olive oil until tender. Add salt and seasoning. Serve alone or over brown rice.
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Spanish Rice 1 cup brown rice1 cup tomato juice 1/3 cup green pepper 1/3 cup celery1 med. Tomato2 tsp. chives1 tsp. basil 1 cup vegetable stock 1 tsp. oregano1/3 cup carrot1/3 cup onion 2 small garlic cloves 1 tsp. sea salt
Combine tomato juice and soup stock in large pot and bring to a boil. Add rice and reduce to simmer. Cover and cook for 25 min. Remove from heat and add the following: diced tomato, celery, and onion; minced garlic, chopped chives, grated carrots, seasoning and sea salt. Replace cover and simmer for 15-20 min.
Rice-stuffed tomatoes 6 large tomatoes1⁄2 cup raisins2 Tbsp. chopped green pepper 2 Tbsp. green onions2 cups cooked brown rice2 Tbsp. parsley
Dressing:1⁄4 cup olive oil1 Tbsp. ketchup (with no added sugar) 1 tsp. chili powder (optional)2 Tbsp. lemon juice1⁄2 tsp. dry mustard, optional1 tsp. curry powder
Remove the stem and cut a thin slice from the top of tomato. Chop the edible portion of the tomato top and set aside. Scoop the pulp and seeds from the tomato and invert the tomatoes to drain. In a bowl combine chopped tomato, rice, raisins, green pepper, onion, and parsley. Prepare dressing and stir into rice. Season to taste. Fill tomato shells with rice mixture. Then you can either eat them like this or cook them in the oven at 350 for about 15-20 minutes until the tomatoes soften.
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Stuffed Peppers 2 Tbs. olive oil2 stalks celery, minced (1/2 cup) 1 medium onion, minced1 tsp. salt
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1 clove garlic, minced (1 tsp.)2 cups cooked brown rice 1/2 cup yellow raisins1/2 cup vegetable broth5 oz tofu, mashed3 red bell peppers, laved lengthwise 2 Tbs. fresh flat leaf parsley
Dressing:1⁄4 cup olive oil1 Tbsp. ketchup (with no added sugar) 1 tsp. chili powder (optional)2 Tbsp. lemon juice1⁄2 tsp. dry mustard, optional1 tsp. curry powder
Preheat oven to 400 degreesHeat oil in pan over medium heat. Add celery, onion, 1⁄2 tsp. salt, and garlic. Sauté until soft (about 7 minutes). Add rice, raisins and broth; cook for about 5 minutes. This should be the consistency of stuffing. Meanwhile, mash tofu, 1⁄2 tsp. salt, and the parsley. Divide the tofu among the pepper halves then top with rice mixture. Place peppers in 9′′ x 12′′ casserole dish. Add water until it comes 1/2′′ up sides of peppers. Bake for 30 minutes or until peppers are soft and the stuffing is hot.Yield: 6 servings
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Lentil Soup 2 tablespoons olive oil, plus extra for drizzling1 medium onion, chopped2 carrots, peeled and chopped 2 celery stalks, chopped 2 garlic cloves, chopped Salt 1 (14 1/2-ounce) can diced tomatoes1 pound lentils (approximately 1 1/4 cups) 2/3 cup pearl barley11 cups vegetable broth (can substitute water)4 to 6 fresh thyme sprigs
Heat the oil in a heavy large pot over medium heat. Add the onion, carrots, and celery. Add the garlic and salt and sauté until all the vegetables are tender, about 5 to 8 minutes. Add the tomatoes with their juices. Simmer until the juices evaporate a little and the tomatoes break down, stirring occasionally, about 8 minutes. Add the lentils and pearl barley, mix to coat. Add the broth and stir. Add the thyme sprigs. Bring to a boil over high heat. Cover and simmer over low heat until the lentils and barley are tender, about 40 minutes. Season with salt to taste. Ladle the soup into bowls, drizzle with olive oil and serve. Six Servings
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Vegetarian Chili 2 medium-sized green peppers, chopped 1 medium-sized yellow onion, chopped1 zucchini, sliced1 yellow squash, sliced 2 tablespoons olive oil2 tablespoons chili powder 3⁄4 teaspoon salt 1⁄4 teaspoon ground red peppers 2 cups corn kernels (fresh or frozen)2 16 oz. can tomatoes (juice and all)2 16 oz. cans pinto beans (juice and all)2 16 oz. cans black beans (juice and all)1 4 oz. can mild green chiles1 4 oz. can of tomato pasteChop and sauté in oil the peppers and onions. Add the red peppers, and corn. When all the vegetables are soft but still firm, add the tomatoes, all the beans, the green chilies, and the tomato paste. Stir until just blended. Bring to a boil and then reduce the heat. Let simmer for 20 minutes stirring occasionally to prevent sticking.Yield: 6 generous servings
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Barley and Black Bean Salad This is a very easy and quick recipe. Beans and barley make a complete protein, so this is an excellent meal when eating a meatless diet. Each serving has 12 grams of protein.
1 cup barley, cooked according to package directions1 (15 ounce) can black beans, rinsed1/2 cup corn (thawed if frozen) 1/3 cup chopped fresh cilantro2 tablespoons lime juice1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil Salt to taste
Combine cooked barley, beans, corn, cilantro, lime juice, oil, and salt in a medium bowl. Serve on bed of chopped or torn lettuce.Yield: 4 servings
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Whole Wheat Tortillas
You can buy 100% whole wheat tortillas, but these are easy to make. Use these tortillas for a veggie wrap or for chips with salsa.
2 cups whole wheat flour 2 tablespoons olive oil 1⁄2 teaspoon salt
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1⁄2 cup warm water
Mix flour and salt in bowl. Add olive oil and stir until well combined. Add warm water 1 tablespoon at a time until the mixture starts to pull away from the sides of the bowl. Knead dough on floured board for about 3 minutes (20 folds). Allow dough to rest for 15 minutes. Roll dough into sausage-shape and then cut into 12 equal parts (cut in half, then in half again, then each part into thirds) and shape into little ball With a rolling pin, roll each little ball into a tortilla (for best results, roll out from the center and outward). Heat a skillet over medium heat. Fry the tortillas in a dry stick-free pan for about 30 seconds on each side for soft tortillas or longer for crisp tortillas. Yield: Makes 12 tortillas
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Polenta “Biscuits” for the Daniel Fast This recipe for polenta “biscuits” is a nice addition to soups, stews or casseroles. Plus the tofu is rich in protein.
1/2 cup dry polenta 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning Salt2 - 12 ounce packages extra-firm tofu, 1 tablespoon olive oil
Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Combine polenta, Italian seasoning, & salt on a plate. Slice the tofu into 2′′ x 2′′ squares (approximate). Brush tofu pieces with olive oil and dredge in polenta mixture. Transfer to baking pan lined with parchment paper or sprayed with 100 percent olive oil spray. Bake 30 minutes or until browned. Serve by laying polenta biscuits on top of stew or with soup or casserole.
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Celery and Peanut Butter Snacks Stuff celery with peanut butter and add nuts or raisins.
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Harira
Harira is a great recipe for the Daniel Fast as it has nearly 15 grams of protein per serving.
2 Tbs oil1 cup chopped onion1/2 cup chopped celery2 cups warm waterPinch of saffron threads1/2 tsp salt, divided1/4 tsp peeled fresh ginger, minced
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1/4 tsp ground red pepper1/4 tsp ground cinnamon 2 garlic clove, minced2 cups organic mushroom broth1 1/2 cups chopped and seeded plum tomatoes1/2 cup dried small red lentils2 15 oz. cans no-salt-added chickpeas, drained3 Tbs chopped fresh cilantro3 Tbs chopped fresh parsley
Heat oil in a large saucepan on medium heat. Add onion and celery and sauté 4 minutes or until tender. Combine 2 cups warm water and saffron, let stand 2 minutes. Add 1/4 tsp salt, ginger, red pepper, cinnamon, and garlic. Cook 1 minute. Add saffron water mixture, broth, tomato, lentils, and chickpeas. Bring to boil then reduce heat. Simmer 20 minutes or until lentils are tender. Stir in cilantro, parsley, and remaining 1/4 tsp salt. Yield: 4 servings
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Fast Food for the Daniel Fast
Okay, there are going to be times on the Daniel Fast when you need a quick meal. In fact, when you prepare for the Daniel Fast, you’ll want to stock up on a few of these items so you have the on hand.
1 can organic tomato soup (check the label for ingredients)1 can white beans1 cup mixed vegetables (frozen)Season to taste (thyme, mixed Italian, cilantro, parsley, whatever you like)
Add everything to the pan at the same time. Heat until the vegetables are the consistency you like them (usually between 5 and 10 minutes). Serve!Serves 2-4 depending on size of serving!
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Vegetable Stock
A good vegetable stock is useful in the Daniel Fast. Vegetable stock is an excellent substitute for chicken or beef stock.
Makes 4 cups of vegetable stock
2 large onions, cut into large chunks2 medium carrots, scrubbed but not peeled, cut into large chunks3 stalks of celery, remove and discard all leaves, cut into large chunks 1 whole bulb of garlic, peel each clove, but do not chop1 bay leaf
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Cut all the vegetables into large pieces. Place all ingredients into a large pot. Cover with cold water.
Turn the stove to a high temperature, and bring the stock to a quick simmer. Once the water comes to boil, turn heat to low. Allow the vegetables to simmer for an hour. Any longer than an hour and the vegetables will begin to turn mushy and begin to lose all their flavorful vibrancy, leaving a wilted taste to the stock. Strain the stock. It should be light in color, sweet in flavor and translucent. Now you can use the stock in place of chicken or beef stock. You may need to increase seasoning when replacing one of these more flavorful stocks.
** Season the stock with other herbs such as parsley, thyme or rosemary. You can also use ginger if you plan to use the stock for an Asian recipe. You an also caramelize the onions and carrots before adding them to the stock for a richer and more flavorful stock. Roasting the vegetables before adding them to the stock also makes for a different flavor in the stock.
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Greek Vegetable Stew 2 tablespoons oil2 onions, chopped1 pound green string beans, broken in half 1 package frozen or fresh spinach4 cups water6 zucchini, chunked4 yellow squash, chunked2 cups celery leaves 4 tomatoes, quartered1 teaspoon salt8 slices lemon1 tablespoon dried oregano 3 tablespoons fresh basil 2 cloves chopped garlic2 tablespoons lemon juice
Lightly brown onions in a hot skillet in 2 tablespoons oil. Add oregano & garlic. Cook 1 minute. Add 4 cups water and tomatoes. Cook 10 minutes. Add remaining ingredients. Cook covered for 40 minutes, stirring occasionally. Serve with a lemon slice in each bowl.Eight servings
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Barbara's Rice, Black beans and corn 1 can Organic Black beans drained 1 can of Organic corn drained organic long grain rice organic corn tortilla homemade salsa (see below) avocado
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Combine 1 can Organic Black beans drained and 1 can of Organic corn drained. Heat and place on top of organic long grain rice (cooked). Top with homemade salsa (which is 2 tomatoes diced, 1 onions diced, cilantro, squirt of lime, clove of garlic minced, tad bit of salt, 1 Jalapeno minced, 1/2 of an avocado diced.)
Serve with organic corn tortilla (you can heat them and make them crunchy. I just cut them into triangles and make them like chips. (Organic ones are made with just corn and lime) Serve with sliced avocados.
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Karen's Tabouleh 1 bunch parsley 1 small onion1 small tomato 3 tbs Bulgur (cracked wheat) juice of 1 lemonolive oil
Soak bulgur for 1 hour in warm water. Chop parsley very fine. Chop onion and tomato combine all ingredients. Drizzle olive oil and squeeze lemon into mixture. Salt to taste.
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Susan's Black Bean & Brown Rice Stuffed Peppers 1 qt 100% Vegetable or Tomato Juice 2 cups cooked black beans1 cup cooked brown rice2 med green onions (chopped) 1⁄4 cup fresh cilantro (chopped)2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil2 tbsp lime juice1 clove garlic (finely chopped)2-3 large bell peppers (cut in half lengthwise and deseeded)
Combine all ingredients except juice and bell peppers in bowl and mix well. Place peppers in glass dish and stuff with mixture. Pour juice over peppers and plenty of excess in the dish. Cover and bake in oven on 350 degrees for 45-60 minutes.
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Maria's Curry brown rice Cooked brown rice1-2 tspn curry powder1/2 c frozen sweet peas1/2 c corn1/4 c onions1/4 c tomato1/2 tspn dried thyme leaves 1 tbsp virgin olive oil
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1. Make the desired amount of brown rice.2. Dice the onion and tomato.3. Heat pan with olive oil. Mix in tomato, onions, thyme, corn, sweet peas and curry.4. Stir until onion and tomato is cooked. Add water sparingly to keep it from sticking to the pan.5. Add already cooked brown rice.6. If desirable, add hot peppers such as jalapenos or scotch bonnet or leave the flammable spices out.
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Angela's veggie soup 1 28oz. can diced or crushed tomatoes1 6oz. can tomato paste1 can of tomato sauce1 can (drained ) each of corn, green beans, potatoes, english peas, carrots. salt to taste2 medium onions diced 1 tsp garlic4-5 bay leaves
Add water to cover items cook in slow cooker for 3-4 hrs or on stove top. Could also add mushrooms or other veggies you enjoy.
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Cathy's Leek and Potato soup 1 tsp crushed fennel seeds 2 cloves garlic2 tbsp olive oil4 pints vegetable stock 2 lbs leeks (trimmed, cleaned, sliced)2 lbs potatoes (cleaned, cut into cubes)
Heat olive oil on a medium heat in a large pan. Add garlic - heat for a few mins until golden. Add fennel seeds and stir in with garlic. Add leeks and potatoes and mix well with other ingredients. Cover and cook for 5 mins. Stir quickly. Cover and cook for further 5 mins. Add stock. Bring to boil, then cover, turn heat down and simmer for 40 mins.
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Rice, Green Beans and Lentils 1 cup rice1/2 cup lentils rinsed1 tsp. cinnamon1 tsp. salt1 TBSP tomato paste1 can green beans not drained
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1 cup of water
Rice cooked in rice cooker. The rest of the ingredients go in crock pot for five hours on medium to high.
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Rice and Lentils 1 cup rice1/2 cup of lentils 1 tsp salt2 cups water
Rice cooked in rice cooker. The rest of the ingredients go in crock pot for five hours on high.
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Vegetable soup and navy beans 1 cup puree spinach1 cup puree green beans1 can navy beans rinsed and drained 1 tsp salt1 cup water
Put all ingredients in crock pot for four hours on medium.
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Mashed pinto beans on whole grain taco shells 1 can pinto beans rinsed and drained 1 TBSP of raisins1 tsp salt
Cook pinto beans and raisins in crock pot for four hours blend in blender serve with whole grain soft taco shells.
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Rice and Chick Peas 1 cup rice1 can chick peas drained and rinsed 1 cup water1 tsp salt1 TBSP raisins
Cook rice in a rice cooker. Put rest of ingredients in crock pot and cook four hours at medium
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Mrs. Jones' Brown Rice Dinner 1 cup of Brown Rice2.5 cups waterBring to rolling boil, reduce heat and simmer/steam for 45 minutes. Half way through the cooking time, add:1/2 cup of fresh salsa1 cup of frozen corn1/2 of a chopped red bell pepper3/4 cup of cooked black beans
Stir and replace cover for remainder of cooking time. Serve with fresh sliced avocado.
Snacks
Popcorn 1/4 cup unpopped popping corn 1 brown lunch bag
Place corn kernels in lunch bag. Fold at end 2-3 times. Place in microwave on High for 2-3 minutes, until kernels stop popping. More of the kernels will pop with repeated refills as the bag gets hotter. Just leave the unpopped kernels in the bag for the next serving.
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Cantaloupe Tonight Melon Smoothie 1/2 medium-size cantaloupe, seeded and cut from the rind. 1/2 cup orange juice (juiced from fresh oranges)Juice of 2 limes (taste before you add all the juice at once) 1 medium-size, banana, peeled and cut into chunks Fresh mint leaves for garnish (optional)2 cups of ice cubes - makes it like a frozen ice drink (optional)
Mix all in a blender, and serve. Serves 2 You can use this same general recipe to make all kinds of different smoothies. Just make sure you use some kind of juice and the bananas. Add water or more juice if it gets too thick. Frozen fruit works well for this.
Salads and Dressings Recipes
Salad 3 cups bite-size pieces fresh spinach 1/2 cup sliced strawberries1/2 cup cubed cantaloupeOptional 1/2 cup sliced oranges 2 medium green onions, sliced
In a tightly covered container, shake all dressing ingredients. In large bowl, toss all salad ingredients with dressing.
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Strawberry-Melon Spinach Salad Dressing:1 tablespoon orange juice1 tablespoon honey (if you are allowing honey) 1 1/2 teaspoon olive oil
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Avocado Tomato Dressing 2 ripe avocados, peeled and pitted 1 med. ripe tomato1 tsp. herb seasoning1⁄4 cup fresh lemon juice Sea salt to taste
Place all ingredients in blender and blend until smooth.
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Creamy Green Dressing 1⁄2 med. ripe avocado, peeled and pitted3⁄4 cup distilled water3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice1⁄4 cup almonds, soaked overnight and drained 1⁄4 tsp. garlic powder 1 1⁄4 tsp. onion powder or flakes Sea salt Blend all ingredients until smooth.
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Pesto Dressing 4 small garlic cloves, peeled2 2/3 cup tightly packed fresh basil leaves 1/3 cup pine nuts 1/3 cup cold-pressed extra virgin olive oil Sea salt
Place all ingredients in food processor except oil and process until chopped fine. With the machine running, slowly add oil through the feed tube. Continue to process until smooth.
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Herb Vinaigrette 1/3 cup fresh lemon juice1⁄2 tsp. dried basil (if using fresh, use twice as much)1 tsp. dried oregano1⁄4 tsp sea salt1⁄2 tsp dry mustard (optional)1⁄2 cup fresh Italian parsley, minced
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1 cup olive oil1 garlic clove, peeled and minced
Combine all ingredients in a jar and shake.
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Italian Dressing 1⁄2 cup olive oil1⁄4 cup fresh lemon juice1-2 garlic cloves, peeled1 tsp. whole grain mustard seed (optional) 1⁄2 cup distilled water1 green onion, chopped1 tsp. honeyDash Cayenne
Place all ingredients in a blender and blend until smooth. Remove from blender and add 2 tsp. Italian seasoning or 1 tsp. oregano and 1⁄2 tsp. basil. Mix well.
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French Dressing 1 cup olive oil1/3 cup fresh lemon juice 1/3 cup honey1 tablespoon paprika3⁄4 cup salt free tomato puree 1 tablespoon onion powder 1⁄2 tsp. garlic powderSea salt Blend on high for 30 seconds.
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Diced Fruit Salad 1 kiwi1 pint strawberries 1 mango 2 bananas1⁄2 pint blueberries Slice and mix.
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Southwestern Corn and Black Bean Salad The beans, corn and nuts in this salad combine to create 19 grams of protein per serving.
1 1/2 cups corn kernels (fresh or frozen) 1/3 cup pine nuts1/4 cup lime juice2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil 1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro2 (14.5 ounce) cans black beans, rinsed2 cups shredded red cabbage1 large tomato, diced1/2 cup minced red onionSalt to taste just before serving.
Place pine nuts in a small dry skillet over medium-low heat and cook, stirring, untilfragrant and lightly browned, 2 to 4 minutes. Whisk lime juice, oil, cilantro, and salt in a large bowl. Add the corn, pine nuts, beans, cabbage, tomato and onion; toss to coat. Refrigerate until ready to serve.Yield: 4 serving
