40 Days…

I bet you’re like, “Not again!”  “The day is not even up…and this girl is posting yet ANOTHER one of her random thoughts!”  Well, you bet I am…now it’s just up to you whether you want to read it or not.

Well for the last…ummm…let me count them…11 days I have been participating with my church, Riverside Chapel SDA Church, in  40Days of Fasting and Praying.  Now, I started 2 days late…but better late than never.  The 40 Days of Fasting and Praying is absolutely AMAZING! this is the first time in my life that I can actually say that I have been hearing the Holy Spirit speaking to me.

You know growing up as a Christian you hear people talking about that “still small voice”, but I NEVER really heard it.  I just heard myself arguing with myself about things that I know that I should not or a should do.  But during a 5:30 am morning devotion I hear “it” and I was saying Act 22.  OMG!!! It scared the mess out of me and I immediately called my Mummie.  She told me told go back on my knees and ask the Lord to show me what He was trying to tell me. Then I hear “it” again! This time it said  1 John 1:9.  Now let me confess this…I had NO idea what these verses meant and I went and looked them up.

Acts 22

This is a description of Paul’s conversion.  You know when Saul was changed to Paul.  Paul then described the Lord’s appearance to him on the road to Damascus. A bright light shined around Paul.  He fell to the ground.  The Lord asked him why he was persecuting Him.  The Lord identified Himself as Jesus of Nazareth. The Lord told him to go into Damascus and he would be told what to do.  He was led by the hand into Damascus by his companions, because he could not see.  Paul then described his obedience to the gospel when taught by Ananias.  Ananias came to Paul.  He restored his sight.  Ananias told Paul that he had been chosen to “know His will, and see the Just One, and hear the voice of His mouth.” Paul was to be “His witness to all men of what you have seen and heard.”

Ananias told Paul what to do to be forgiven of his sins.  He asked Paul, “Why are you waiting?  Arise and be baptized, and wash away your sins, calling on the name of the Lord.”  Next, Paul described how the Lord had sent him to the Gentiles.  Paul returned to Jerusalem.  He was praying in the temple, and was in a trance.  The Lord appeared to him and told him to quickly depart from Jerusalem for the Jews would “not receive your testimony concerning Me.”  Paul attempted to explain to the Lord that he could make the Jews understand.  He responded that the Jews knew of his persecution of those of the Way.  He added that he had even consented to the death of Stephen, holding the killer’s clothes.  The Lord told Paul of His plans for him.  Paul was to depart. He was sent far away to the Gentiles.

The Jews listened until the Gentiles were mentioned.  When the Jews heard that he was sent to the Gentiles, they raised their voices, “…he is not fit to live!”  They tore their clothes and threw dust in the air.  At this point, the Romans prepared to examine Paul under scourging.  The Roman commander ordered that Paul be brought into the barracks.  The commander wanted to know why they shouted so against Paul.  He ordered that Paul should be examined under scourging.  The soldiers bound Paul with thongs.  Paul asked the centurion standing nearby, “Is it lawful for you to scourge a man who is a Roman, and uncondemned?”  The centurion told this to the commander.  The commander asked Paul if he was a Roman citizen, and Paul affirmed that he was. The commander then indicated that he had purchased his citizenship at a great price; however, Paul noted that he was a Roman by birth.  The soldiers were frightened by this.  They were afraid because they had bound a Roman citizen, and they were about to scourge him.

The commander still wanted to know why he was accused by the Jews.  The next day, Paul was released from his bonds.  The chief priests and the council were commanded to appear, and Paul was brought before them.

1 John 1:9

If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness. (NIV)

Now after much prayer and fasting. I have come to the realization that..

1. The Lord wants me saved
2. That He is taking me through my own Saul/Paul experience to get my attention
3. As my WONDERFUL Pastor, Pastor F. Fordham II,  put it last Sabbath (01. 08.11) “I want some too!” and I am EXPECTING everything that MY Daddy (the Lord) has promised me.

I had NO idea what exactly I was going to fast from, but then in the middle of the night on last Sunday it hit me!

1. Facebook – I am an addict!!! And for the last 11 days I have not missed it at all!! lol
2. Twitter – yeah yeah…i’m a social network junkie!
3. alcohol – I am a VERY social drinker. Hey EVERYONE has their faults and this one is mine and I own it 100%. I even had this discussion with my Mummie and she was very proud of me. BTW I tell that woman EVERYTHING…name it…she knows it!
4. Red meats – lamb, curry goat, and steak are my weakness. ESPECIALLY curry goat…*sigh* hey I’m Jamaican! LOL
5. Men – this one is a BIG one. I don’t go out on dates, mainly because I don’t get asked.  But there are those times when you want the companionship of the opposite sex and I am placing this on a HUGE hold!
6. jewelry
7. Sweets

oooooweeeee….look at that! My list has a total of 7 items. 7 is the number of completion! 🙂 Well that about sums up everything!  So please continue to pray for my as I go through this journey.  And if you would like me to pray for you please let me know and I WILL do!

~Love, Peace, and SOOOOOOOUL