Media Fast: Lessons Learned

Near the end of August on my Facebook page I mentioned that I was doing a media fast, mostly fasting Facebook. I of course still blogged and uploaded my writings on Facebook, as for my personal page, I kept pretty quite. Some of my friends have asked me to share what I have learned over the past 40 days, and since sharing my faith and my lessons learned as I draw near to God fit well on this blog, I thought I write about this once and make it easy for myself.

As some of you know my family and I are going through a hard time. I've mentioned in previous posts the need to pinch pennies and make simple meals. Times are really hard right now for our family, we've been hit hard my the economy downfall. So many of my lessons learned deal with trusting God, standing firm and relying on His strength. During this time I studied Paul the apostle.I started reading his writings before this fast and I am still working through them. I chose the writings of Paul because he is such in inspiration to me. Here is this man who thought he had the world all figured out, he was the ideal Jew. Then God struck him off his horse, made him blind for a few days and spoke to him. Talk about life changing experience. He went from the hater and murder of the early Christian church to one of it's best and strongest leaders. I must point out that he had his coming to Jesus experience (to use the phrase) after Jesus rows into heaven after the resection. He didn't have the advantage of knowing Jesus first hand like Peter, John, Matthew, James, and the other apostles did. He learned to know Jesus the way us modern Christians do. He was 110% sold out for Christ. His was extremely prosecuted for all of his work in the early church, yet that didn't stop him. Most of his letters that we have in the Bible were written while he was in prison. As much as I had already know how passionate Paul was for Jesus I learned so much from his writings. Every time I sat down to read from his books the passages seemed to jump of the page and smack me up side the head. Those verses were so pointedly placed so that they would strike me the way they did during this time in my life. I want to share those verses with you today. These verse have changed so much about how I view life and the troubles that come with it.

Phili 1:20 "I eagerly expect and hope that I will in no way be ashamed, but will have sufficient courage so that now as always Christ will be exalted in my body, whether by life or by death"

This passage stuck me as odd as first. I've always viewed Paul as this larger then life Christian and here he is hoping that he will not be ashamed and have courage to die or live for Christ. Wow! I know those feelings and thoughts, but the difference is that Paul nips these feelings in the butt and puts things in proper prospective. I hope that I too can live or die for Christ that will be shameless, yet courageous for His cause.

Phili 1:27 "Whatever happens, conduct yourselves in a manner worthy of the gospel of Christ."

How often to I do things when no one is looking or think things and think that because it is in my head all is fine? Too often. God knows and sees all, there fore I am not alone nor I am being secretive, except with myself. Also when life throws a big challenge my way I should act maturely and trust in God, not a baby who is having a temper tantrum. 

Phili 2:12-13 "Therefore, my dear friends, as you have always obeyed--not only in my presence, but now much more in my absence--continue to work out your salvation with fear and trembling, for it is God who works in you to will and to act according to his good purpose."

Our God is a big God, he not only knows all, but He is powerful and should be respected. Our times of trouble is him working out our imperfections to make us better so we can serve Him better.

Phili 2:14 "Do everything without complaining or arguing."

Do I really need to say more?

Phili 3:8-11 "What is more, I consider everything a loss compared to the surpassing greatness of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, for whose sake I have lost all things. I consider them rubbish, that I may gain Christ and be found in him, not having a righteousness of my own that comes from the law, but that which is through faith in Christ--the righteousness that comes from God and is by faith. I want to know Christ and the power of his resurrection and the fellowship of sharing in his sufferings, becoming like him in his death, and so, somehow, to attain to the resurrection from the dead."

We must keep our eyes on the eternal prize when dealing with life and all of it's hardships.It's easy for me to wish for more money so we can someday buy a house or a newer car or even take a much needed vacation. Yet, all those things will parish and be lost forever (Psalm 49), where our eternal rewards are well...eternal. They will never be lost or perish. We have the promise of everlasting life, which is far better then having a nice house for a few decades on earth. I rather live in God's house.

Phili 3:21 "who, by the power that enables him to bring everything under his control, will transform our lowly bodies so that they will be like his glorious body."

Now only does Christ have the power to resurrect our bodies, but he has control over everything. Let me say that again..He has the power to control Everything! Not something, or a few things, but Everything! Rejoy!

Phili 4:4-7 "Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice! Let your gentleness be evident to all. The Lord is near. Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus."

This verse is one of my new life verses. It is so good! This verse teaches us not to worry, and how to ask for things. I find that the eye to asking for our requests to God should also include thanksgiving. How often is that when I pray it's "God I want this..." or "God I would really like it if this....happened." Instead it should be with thanksgiving, praise and worship. We must take the time to slow down and see all the small and wondrous things God does for us on a daily bases. Lets give God our thanks, he so deserves it more then what we can offer. Also, I love Love the part about the peace of God guarding our hearts and minds in Jesus. During troubled times it is easy to feel depressed and to lose our heads in the craziness of life, yet when we ask God (with our thanksgiving) that we get the peace of God and it will protect our hearts and minds and in Jesus! Boy do I need that everyday. Putting on the armor of salvation (Eph 6) is one things, but when life throws us a curve ball sometimes we need Jesus to cover our hearts and minds from the evil thoughts that creep up during the day that can easily throw us into despair.

Phili 4:12 "I know what it is to be in need, and I know what it is to have plenty. I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want."

Working on it....

Phili 4:18-19 "I have received full payment and even more; I am amply supplied, now that I have received from Epaphroditus the gifts you sent. They are a fragrant offering, an acceptable sacrifice, pleasing to God. And my God will meet all your needs according to his glorious riches in Christ Jesus."

 When we give it is a fragrant offering to God. Think about that...when we give someone hand-me-down clothes to someone in need, or deliver a meal or write a check what we are doing is a fragrant offering to God. How beautiful is that? Can we all be more giving? We have been so blessed that people have reached out to us in our time of need and given us so many things to help us keep our pantry full, rent paid, and our child clothed. All of those gifts were fragrant to God. May God bless every single one of those people 10 fold.

Col 3:1-4 "Since, then, you have been raised with Christ, set your hearts on things above, where Christ is seated at the right hand of God. Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things. For you died, and your life is now hidden with Christ in God. When Christ, who is your life, appears, then you also will appear with him in glory."

Isn't that just beautiful? My life is hidden in Christ...wow!

Col 3:23-24 "Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for men, since you know that you will receive an inheritance from the Lord as a reward. It is the Lord Christ you are serving."

This verse is a great reminder for my media ministry at church. What I do is so behind the scenes that sometimes I wonder if anyone ever takes notice of it and if I'm doing any good. This verse proves that I am doing good with my media ministry.  Christ sees what I do and if I do it with a pure heart and with the right attitude then I will receive my inheritance from God. As stated before, this inheritance lasts forever!

Thess 1: 3 "your work produced by faith, your labor prompted by love, and your endurance inspired by hope in our Lord Jesus Christ."

Ditto the above statement.

Thess 5:18 "give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God's will for you in Christ Jesus."

He is the potter, I am the clay. All that I go through is His will so that I may better serve Him. This is the will for my life. I don't want to be anywhere else. I want to be in God's will. His will is perfect, there is no fault. One of the many themes in Paul's writings is that he boasted about his trials. He said that they were proof that we has preaching the gossip for Christ's sake, not his. He did what he could to make sure that the people he was preaching to knew that he was not in it for the money or the earthly glory. There were people who were preaching the gossip but doing it in a way to gain money or pride. Paul didn't do that. He suffered greatly to bring the work of God to Mediterranean countries. The world hates us, it hated Jesus first and it will stop at nothing to make sure we don't succeed in our efforts to bring Christ to the world. If any one thinks that being a Christian is a easy ride through life and that we are not meant to suffer is dead wrong. If being a Christian was to have an easy life, everyone would be saved, everyone would sign up in a heart beat, but that is not the case. Christ died on the cross for us, a horrible death, to make atonement for our sins. The least we can do is dedicate our lives back to him. Remember to live is Christ and to die is gain?

Jam 1:2-5 "Consider it pure joy, my brothers, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith develops perseverance. Perseverance must finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything. If any of you lacks wisdom, he should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to him. "

I hope you all have gleaned something for the insights that I learned in the past 40 days. I am still being molded by my Creator and I'm sure I am not done yet. Things are still difficult for my family, but we are in the palm of God's hand and that is where I want to be.

‎"God is our refuge and strength, an ever-present help in trouble." Psalm 46:1