Fasting: Do You Have Parasites?

  • January 29, 2010 9:51 am

Do You Have Parasites?
 

The following is an excerpt from chapter 1 of my book, A Walk in the Wilderness:Wilderness 
  
Parasites:
During the first prolonged 21-day fast that I did, I kept a journal of parasites that were eliminated from my body.  I was surprised (shocked actually) to see what was living off of my body!  Statistically, 85% of North Americans unknowingly have at least one form of digestive parasite.
 
In America, the number one cause of persons being infected with Ecoli bacteria is from drinking tap water.  It is also probable that most forms of parasites enter our bodies through tap water.  Fasting is a method to rid the body of parasites.

 
As you seek the Lord and desire to serve Him more, are you considering fasting?  Read on…
 
 
How Scriptural is Fasting?

 

Dr. GreenwoodThere are nearly 70 references to fasting in the Bible.  Each week, I’ll share a few verses with you.  Searching the bible will help you discover more about fasting for yourself. 

 

Last week we looked at Mark 8:3.   

 

Acts 27:9 — Paul making reference to the annual day of atonement
 

Now when much time was spent, and when sailing was now dangerous, because the fast was now already past, Paul admonished them. 

 
 

Blessings,
Lori Greenwood, ThD
 
Visit the church online: www.wotcc.org

fasting  Interested in learning more about fasting?  Click here.

Fasting to Hear God

  • December 4, 2009 10:15 am

Behold, the days come, saith the Lord GOD, that there will be a famine in the land, not a famine of bread, nor a thirst for water, but of hearing the words of the LORD: — Amos 8:11
Fasting for Revival
 
If there is anything that signifies seriousness, it is when you want something so badly that you will stop eating in the pursuit of it, or when the absence of something in your life, or in the church, or in the world grieves you so badly that you give up eating to express your humiliation and your longing to see it come.
The people that God has used to spark revival have often been those of extraordinary seriousness of purpose and much fasting. Jonathan Edwards, who led the Great Awakening 100 years before William Sprague and Francis Wayland reprimanded the ministers of his day like this:
One thing more I would mention concerning fasting and prayer, wherein I think there has been a neglect in ministers; and that is, that although they recommend and much insist on the duty of secret prayer, in their preaching; so little is said about secret fasting. It is a duty recommended by our Saviour to his followers, just in the like manner as secret prayer is; as may be seen by comparing the 5th and 6th vss. of the 6th chapter of Matthew with vss. 16-18. Though I don’t suppose that secret fasting is to be practiced in a stated manner and steady course as secret prayer, yet it seems to me ’tis a duty that all professing Christians should practice, and frequently practice.
 
Well my guess is that either Jonathan Edwards is wrong or 95% of us are wrong, for I doubt that 5% practice fasting at all, let alone frequently. But if Edwards is right, we are neglecting Christian duty similar to the way we would if we neglected prayer.
 
The above excerpt is By John Piper. © Desiring God.
Read more on Fasting and Revival.
 
How Scriptural is Fasting?

 

Dr. GreenwoodThere are nearly 70 references to fasting in the Bible.  Each week, I’ll share a few verses with you.  Searching the bible will help you discover more about fasting for yourself. 

 

Last week we looked at 1 Kings 21:4-5 and 1 Kings 21:9 & 12. Here are a few more:

 

And to speak unto the priests which [were] in the house of the LORD of hosts, and to the prophets, saying, Should I weep in the fifth month, separating myself, as I have done these so many years?  Then came the word of the LORD of hosts unto me, saying, Speak unto all the people of the land, and to the priests, saying, When ye fasted and mourned in the fifth and seventh [month], even those seventy years, did ye at all fast unto me, [even] to me?

Zechariah 7:3-5 — Fasting and mourning in the fifth and seventh months

 
Join our facebook group: Fasting & Prayer  

 
Do you have a question or testimony on fasting?  Email it to info@lorigreenwood.org

 

 

I’ll send you more fasting information next week!

 

Blessings,

Lori Greenwood, ThD
 
Visit the church online: www.wotcc.org

fasting  Interested in learning more about fasting?  Click here.

Is It Time To Clean-Out The Closet?

  • July 10, 2009 9:05 am
Fasting is like cleaning out the storage closet.  Filled with items we don’t need and never use, the storage space is a filthy, cobweb-covered, mildewed mess of useless stuff we refuse to part with.  As time goes by, the junk accumulates.  Year after year, ten, twenty, thirty, maybe more years of harmful, food-latent toxins have accumulated in every cell and system of the body.  But sometimes things get worse before they get better.  This is true of fasting.  Fasting stirs up toxins on a physical, emotional and spiritual level.  This can result in days of dysphoria, often making things even messier before improvement can be seen. As various issues are “unearthed” and begin to surface, they may come in a variety of forms. This may include everything from bad breath, acne, nausea, patterns of sin, temptations, bleeding gums, anxiety or depression.  The stuff we have held in the storage closet can run the gamut!  At times, the junk that comes out can take one by surprise.  “I didn’t even know that was in there!!??!”  All this can convince the faint of heart that cleaning out the closet is a bad idea.  But for those who can muster the courage, cleaning up the mess is truly a job worth tackling.   From the ends of the earth I call to you, I call as my heart grows faint; lead me to the rock that is higher than I. — Psalm 61:2
 
Are you thinking about fasting?  Read on –
How Scriptural is Fasting? Lori GreenwoodThere are nearly 70 references to fasting in the Bible. Searching the bible will help you discover more about fasting for yourself. Here are a few: 1 Samuel 20:27 — David fasted on account of Saul’s hatred toward him.  

As they ministered to the Lord, and fasted, the Holy Ghost said, Separate me Barnabas and Saul for the work whereunto I have called them. And when they had fasted and prayed, and laid [their] hands on them, they sent [them] away.
Q&A on Fasting:Q: Can I do my usual work-out and continue exercising while fasting?

A: The answer to that question depends on what “usual” means.  If you’re usual work-out is fairly intense, I’d answer, “probably not” — especially if you’re planning on a water fast. Water fasting is much more difficult than you may imagine. Weakness is the norm and keeping the day free of very strenuous activity is advised.  If you’re drinking juice and abstaining from foods, then you should be able to go to the gym or do an exercise class at a moderate pace.  Depending on the length of your fast, you may find that you experience an abundance of energy making exercise, home improvement projects and the like pretty easy!  (I refer to this energy boost as “the spike.”  When you get the spike, you’ll know it! )  If you experience energy loss, you can still work-out with stretching or walking.  Try to avoid intense physical activity during a fast even if you feel energetic. In short, there is a little experimentation involved in finding what works best for you.  As you develop fasting into your lifestyle, you will gaining understanding through your experiences.
You can subscribe to a FREE weekly fasting newsletter at www.lorigreenwood.org
Blessings,Lori Greenwood, ThD

 

 

fasting  Interested in learning more about fasting?  Resources available in our bookstore at www.lorigreenwood.org

 

 

 

 

“Temple Maintenance”

  • May 22, 2009 9:46 am

I’ve been a regular faster since 1998.  I started gradually, but the habit grew and became something much more wonderful than I could have imagined when I first began. Beside all the spiritual insight, blessing, and health benefits, my normal resting weight is the same as when I was in high school nearly 30 years ago.  When we think about God entrusting us with our earthly bodies (which He refers to as the temple of the Holy Spirit who dwells inside of us) this thought comes to mind:  It’s my duty and responsibility to maintain the temple. 
 
Your body is a tool to be used, not abused. It is the vehicle that will carry you to the vision God has for your life.  1 Corinthians 6:20 explains that you were bought with honor, and now you must honor God in your body. Honor your physical body. Take care of yourself.
 
Fasting can be an effective method of ”temple maintenance.”  In fact, I believe fasting has a way of slowing down some of the effects of aging.  Just ask Moses:
This is an excerpt from page 61 of the book, A Walk in the Wilderness:
Key #20: Fasting cleans out your body — the temple of the Holy Ghost.
Fasting slows the aging process (Deuteronomy 34:7).  Moses lived to 120 years of age.  His eyes were not dim, nor was his natural vigor abated.  Moses fasted often, including 2 recorded 40 day fasts.
Read on…
How Scriptural is Fasting?

 

Lori GreenwoodThere are nearly 70 references to fasting in the Bible.  Each week, I’ll share a few verses with you.  Searching the bible will help you discover more about fasting for yourself. 

 

Last week we looked at Deuteronomy 9:18 and Judges 20:26.  Here are a few more scriptures:

 
Matthew 17:21 — Fasting has deliverance power: “Howbeit this kind goeth not out but by prayer and fasting.”

Acts 9:9 – Saul of Tarsus after meeting Jesus: “And he [Saul] was three days without sight, and neither did eat nor drink.”

 
 
 

 

 

Q&A on Fasting

Q: Will I gain all my weight back after the fast?  
 
 A: I chose this question for this week’s newsletter because, spiritual focus or not, most people are delighted by the weight-loss during a fast and would be happy to keep it off.  So, the answer to this question is: It’s up to you.  If you reintroduce a clean, lean, ”reinvented” body back to the former fast-food lifestyle you once lived, then sure, the weight will be back.  The good news is that you have lost more than just inches or body fat.  Fasting changes things on the inside where real change must begin.  You have exercised authority over food, authority over your flesh, possibly regained some self-confidence and maybe even accomplished something you never thought possible.  Some folks may feel good about a look-in-the-mirror for the first time in years.  Above and beyond any spiritual break-through that you may experience with the Lord, the physical change is powerful stuff!  Speaking from experience, fasting is more about “beginnings” and less about “quick-fixes.” Now is the time to re-evaluate your diet habits, maybe start some new ones and work ongoing intermitten fasting into the plan.  If God has called you to live life to the fullest, to serve your fellow man, and to build His kingdom here in the earth, then keeping your body in optimal condition can give you the longevity you will need!

 

More Fasting Facts

  • May 2, 2009 6:25 pm
How Scriptural is Fasting?

 

Lori GreenwoodThere are nearly 70 references to fasting in the Bible.  Each week, I’ll share a few verses with you.  Searching the bible will help you discover more about fasting for yourself. 

 

Last week we looked at Numbers 6:3-4 and Luke 4:1-2.

 

Here are a few more scriptures:

 
Job 33:19-20 – Fasting as a result of pain or sickness: “Man is also rebuked with pain on his bed and with continual strife in his bones, so that his very being finds food repulsive and his soul loathes the choicest meal.”

Luke 5:33 – John’s disciples and the Pharisees fasted: “And they said unto him, Why do the disciples of John fast often, and make prayers, and likewise [the disciples] of the Pharisees; but thine eat and drink?”

 
 
 

Q&A on Fasting

This week’s question comes from the United Arab Emirates:
 
Q: What does “7-day fast” mean? No water, no food for 7 days? Can our body stay that way for long? I get tremendous headaches, stomach pain, and tired.. been tired for the past 2 weeks.

A: I NEVER recommend fasting without plenty of water.  A human being can die of dehydration in as little as 3 days time.  Having said that, I would define a 7-day fast as one week without food.  Drink water.  Take fluids.  If you are experiencing headaches, stomach pain and feel fatigued, it may be an indicator that the fast is working!  When fasting, your body will feed off of toxins in your system — a sort of self-cleaning is occurring.  The symptoms you have mentioned are typical of a body in “detox mode.”