Here we are near the end of Day 5. This has been a grueling day for my wife and I physically. I woke up this morning feeling like my tongue had become a deposit for toxic waste. Physically feeling week but somehow having this tinge of energy also.

I was joking with my wife that since she started fasting, several chocolate milk plants had shut down and Reese’s peanut butter cup production had ground to a halt. (I asked her permission before sharing this.)

Personally today the Holy Spirit has been highlighting sin. Not that I am not aware of sin or that there is some gross sin in my life. It is more that I have become tolerant to sin or desensitized to it as it flaunts itself everyday in our culture. It is not that I am angry about it but broken to the fact that it is so commonly flaunted at us in our media and culture. Things that would have been appalling even when I was a teenager are accepted as common place, live and let live tolerance. My heart again was not angry but broken as I prayed a prayer of repentance for myself and our world around us. “Lord let me not become comfortable with sin and may I not allow it to become commonplace around me because the result of it is pain and suffering. Help me Lord.” I was burdened for the lost in a fresh way. This verse came to me, Mark 6:34, “When Jesus landed and saw a large crowd; he had compassion on them, because they were like sheep without a shepherd. So he began teaching them.” They are like sheep without a shepherd.

I spoke with one of the young men in our church today he and his wife are fasting. His children are fasting candy and television which was their decision. As I spoke with him I could hear revival in his own life. He
mentioned reading scripture and praying at night. He said to me, “Pastor this is only day 5 I cannot wait until near the end.” He shared with me for at least 30 minutes what the Lord was doing during this season of prayer and fasting. I was deeply moved.

My prayer request for today has been for Harry Vellekoop and Nancy Clark’s request for financial provision for Elim Bible Institute. Although the Lord had done amazing things the school is still not out of the woods.

Again, it’s not too late if you have not jumped into this. Come on in, the water is fine.

Pastor Phil

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