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4.) Begin and Break the Fast Well10Depending on the type of fast you choose, it is very important to prepare yourbody ahead of time before beginning the fast. Take a week or so to transitioninto your fast; otherwise, you could get sick. For example, if you would like to goon a fruits and vegetables or juice fast, start Important Note: Fasting requiresreasonable precautions. If you have any health concerns, please consult yourphysician prior to beginning your fast, especially if you are taking medications,HOW TO MAINTAIN NUTRITIONAL BALANCE AND HEALTHFROM BEGINNING TO END (SUGGESTIONS FROM BILL BRIGHT)I know the prospect of going without food for an extended period of time may beof concern to some. But there are ways to ensure that your body is getting thenutrients it needs so you can remain safe and healthy during your fast.For an extended fast, I recommend water and fruit and vegetable juices.The natural sugars in juices provide energy, and the taste and strength aremotivational to continue your fast. Try to drink fresh juices, if possible. Off-theshelf juice products are acceptable, as long as they are 100% juice with nosugar or other additives.If you are beginning a juice fast, there are certain juices you may wish to avoidand certain ones that are especially beneficial. Because of their acid content,most nutritionists do not advise orange or tomato juice (these are better tolerated if mixed with equal portions of water). The best juices are fresh carrot, grape,celery, apple, cabbage, or beet. They also recommend “green drinks” made fromgreen leafy vegetables because they are excellent “de-toxifiers.”Fruit juices are “cleansers” and are best taken in the morning. Since vegetablejuices are “restorers” and “builders,” they are best taken in the afternoon.I usually dedicate a portion of my 40-day fast to a special liquid formula, which Ihave found to be effective over many years. A few recipes and my commentsare on this page, as well as a helpful schedule. One gallon distilled water1-1/2 cup lemon juice3/4-cup pure maple syrup

1/4-teaspoon cayenne pepper. The lemon juice adds flavor and vitamin C, the11maple syrup provides energy, and the cayenne pepper — an herb — acts toopen small blood vessels which, I believe, helps the body as it cleanses itself ofstored toxins. (A word of caution: although I use this formula with no ill effects,cayenne pepper could cause severe physical reactions in persons with a specific allergy to this herb.)My favorite juice is a mixture of 100% pure white grape juice and peach juice.The juice is available in frozen cans under the Welch label. Most knowledgeablenutritionists recommend: Watermelon — just put it in the blender without adding water Fresh apple juice Green juice — blend celery, romaine lettuce, and carrots in equal proportions.(Vegetable juices like this one are important, for they supply the electrolytesnecessary for proper heart function!)Some nutritionists recommend warm broth, especially if you live in a colderclimate. You may find their recipes helpful: Boil sliced potatoes, carrots, and celery in water. Do not add salt. After abouta half-hour, drain off the water and drink. Gently boil three carrots, two stalks of celery, one turnip, two beats, a halfhead of cabbage, a quarter of a bunch of parsley, a quarter of an onion, and ahalf clove of garlic Drain off the broth and drink up to two or three times daily.You may find the following daily schedule helpful during your fast. I recommendyou print it and keep it handy throughout your fast. 5:00 a.m. – 8:00 a.m. Fruit juices, preferably freshly squeezed or blended,diluted in 50 percent distilled water if the fruit is acid. Orange, apple, pear,grapefruit, papaya, grape, peach or other fruits are good. 10:30 a.m. – noon Green vegetable juice made from lettuce, celery, andcarrots in three equal parts. 2:30 p.m. – 4:00 p.m. Herb tea with a drop of honey. Make sure that it is notblack tea or tea with a stimulant. 6:00 p.m. – 8:30 p.m. Broth from boiled potatoes, celery, and carrots (no salt). Information taken from the website: www.21days.churchofthehighlands.comAuthor: Bill Bright

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PRACTICING GOD’S PRESENCEPsalm 34:1-813The Context of the Psalm:Young David is being pursued by Saul. King Saul is angry at David for his deepfriendship of soul with Jonathon, Saul’s son. In addition, he is bitter becauseDavid is the future King of Israel after Saul’s death. Basically, David is surrounded by trouble. Saul had given him a government position in order to keep aneye on him. He decides to run for his life to Nob. (I Samuel 21)While in Nob, he seeks out his pastor, the High Priest, Abimelech. Abimelechwonders why David is alone, because being on the King’s staff, he would haveofficials escorting him. David tells four lies to the Priest. Abimelech providesDavid and his band of mercenaries with bread from the altar of shewbread. Hepersuades the Priest to give him the sword of Goliath.David is trapped for sure by his troubles, fears and lack of faith. Where will he gonow? David takes a huge risk and decides to travel where even Saul would notfind him, to the land of the Philistines, to the king of Gath, Achish. The people ofGath would surely recognize David. They would for sure recognize the sword ofGoliath. Might they take revenge on David in this moment of weakness andvulnerability?David is trapped in his own fear and insecurity. He is basically running fromGod’s call on his life. In his moment of weakness, David again chooses a cowardly escape. He fakes being insane. He acts like a wild man in the city of Gath.To the point where people are now uncomfortable with David. Achish is afraid forhis own life and boots David out of the region. David takes his mercenarysoldiers and flees to the mountains of Israel. He will now hide in caves.This Psalm is a result of David adjusting his perspective of God. If God destinedhim to be king, then how can he fear Saul? If David is God’s anointed, then whywould he flee anywhere? If God is God, why should my troubles overwhelmme? This Psalm defeats a greater giant than Goliath, the giant of fear andisolation.

Day 114“I will bless the Lord at all times; his praise shall continually be in mymouth.”Psalm 34:1This is a Psalm of David, who has never been in a more difficult position.David had just escaped from the dangerous grip of Abimelech by pretending tobe a mad man. Imagine that! A man who is going to be the next King of Israelhas to pretend to be a mad man to escape and go back to life on the run. Thiscannot be how he thought his life would go when Samuel anointed Him. Hisfortunes could not be lower at this point in his life, and no one would blame himif he took the attitude of woe is me. However, if you look at the verse above, youcan see that this is not David’s attitude at all! When David is at his lowest point,the only thing he can think about doing is praising the name of God at ALLTIMES!David is giving an example of praising God in His toughest moments, butthe praising also continues in the good moments and even in the mundanemoments. This is the first day of your 21 days fast, a time that should becompletely focused on God and your relationship with Him. Over the next 21days, there are going to be days when you are tired or feeling weak. There aregoing to be moments when the enemy is going to attack and try to take youreyes off of God. In your toughest moments, we need to follow the example ofDavid and praise God continually. God deserves our worship at every moment,whether good or bad.My challenge: Think about God and who He is as much as possible! Thefirst time you stop and fast, think about His omnipresence (everywhere at alltimes). Praise the fact that whenever you need Him, He is there. The secondtime you stop and fast, think about His omnipotence (all-powerful.) Praise Himfor the fact that He can carry you through this season of your life no matter howdifficult it may seem when something frustrating or difficult arises take a momentto praise God instead of complaining or trying to fix the problem.Supporting Passages: Ephesians 5:20, Philippians 4:6Author: Pastor Sam Speck

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Day 216“My soul makes its boast in the Lord; let the humble hear and be glad.”Psalm 34:2David is described in scripture as a man after God’s own heart. He is agreat warrior and often considered one of the best kings in Israel’s history. He ispromised that the Messiah will come from his bloodline. David is the author ofvast portions of scripture and is probably the most well-known figure in the Bibleafter Jesus. He completed great acts of faith and was the father to the wisestman (other than Jesus) who ever lived. I list all of David’s accomplishments tomake the point that if anyone has reason to boast and be puffed up with pride, itis David. He had songs sung about his great deeds and yet his attitude here inthis Psalm is exactly the opposite. He takes the focus off of himself and places itback on God. He is showing us that our life is not about making much of us butrather make much of God!When we are challenging ourselves like we will be doing over the next 21days of fasting, it can be easy to become puffed up with pride. We will adopt thementality that we are doing something great and should receive credit or praisebecause of what we are doing. When in reality, no matter what we accomplish inlife, whether it is completing a fast or conquering a giant, what is healthiest forour souls is to boast in the Lord. What is best for us is to recognize that we needto practice humility, to not think of ourselves at all. When we boast in the LordInstead of ourselves, then our hearts can rejoice and be glad.My Challenge: Brag on God! Find someone in your life, whether it be afriend, family member, co-worker, or spouse, and tell them how awesome Godhas been to you. God is so incredible and so great that He deserves our boasting. You would have no problem bragging about your kids if they achievedsomething great or about yourself if you got a promotion at work. Go ahead andbrag on the God of the universe, who is the author and perfecter of everything!Supporting Passages: Philippians 2:3, and Philippians 2:8Author: Pastor Sam Speck

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Day 318“Oh, magnify the Lord with me, and let us exalt His name together!”Psalm 34:3Do you remember the first time that you looked through a magnifying glassor a microscope? All of a sudden, something that was small and inconsequentialbecomes big and more real than it ever has before. David has shown us fromthe previous two verses that he is focusing on praising God and boasting in Him;he wants to make his life all about God and His work. He accomplishes that bymaking sure to magnify God. in his life. Too often, I find myself making my life allabout me, and when I do that, I make God small in my life. Have you ever metsomeone and are surprised to find out later that they are a Christian? If someone is ever surprised to find out that we are a Christian, that means God hasbeen too small in our lives; we have made our lives all about us.Let us not make this 21 day fast about us! These next 21 days are aboutmaking our God Big! Our God formed the heavens and the earth, and I amhesitant to allow Him to be in control of my life. My God died and then rose againfrom the dead to save me from my sins, and yet I am unable to trust that He hasmy best interests at heart. When I do all of these things, I make God small. Let’stake the next 21 days and focus on magnifying God so that when anyone talksto us, they cannot help but see God.My Challenge: When people ask you how it is possible to fast for 21 days,you tell them that only with the power of God. When people ask you why youwant to take 21 days and fast, you tell them that because God is the most criticalperson in your life and you want to spend time to focus on Him. Use everycircumstance to point back to God. 1 Corinthians 10:31 tells that “so whetheryou eat or drink or whatever you do, do it all to the glory of God.” Whatever youdo over the next 21 days and for the rest of your life, make sure it points back toGod.Supporting passages: John 3:30, and Jeremiah 32:17Author: Pastor Sam Speck

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Day 420“I sought the Lord, and he answered me and delivered me from all myfears. “Psalms 34:4Three out of four Americans say they are more fearful than they were twentyyears ago. While the “boogie man” may not be on your top ten fears list anymore, fear over finances, the future, family, career choice, health and safetythreaten to suffocate you. Right now, in this moment, jot down one fear you haveexperienced in the last week: .Is it any wonder that the phrase “fear not” appears repeatedly in Scripture, 365times to be exact! One for every day of the year. God knows we struggle withfear because we desire to be in control. Much of what we fear is out of ourcontrol.In today’s verse we receive the antidote for fear. Seek the Lord. Why is that anappropriate solution? In Isaiah 43:1 the Lord tells us, “Fear not for I haveredeemed you, I have called you by name, you are Mine.” The one who has thepower to redeem us, save us, is the One who has the power to deliver us. He isin control of all our days.These verses, penned by the psalmist David, come from a season of fears,shame and trouble. He had need of and experienced deliverance on a dailybasis for his very survival. Let his heart mentor yours in your time of prayer.As you seek the Lord today, in the Word and in your time of prayer, list out thefears that encroach on your life. Be honest before your Heavenly Father. Seekhis deliverance from the grip of the fears that rule your life. Deliverance is daily.Post a note with your fears, shame or trouble on the mirror, give them to Godeach new morning. He will answer and deliver you!Author: Sherry Bouquet

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Day 522“Those who look to him are radiant, and their faces shall never beashamed.”Psalm 34:5The majority of advertising is aimed at making you feel ashamed to motivate youto buy a product or service. Whether it is your hair—or lack thereof, your teeth,your body or the condition of your house or car. This shaming can control ourlives. It always shouts to us, you are not enough!Then there is the shame that we own due to our own actions. Whether it was amoment we regretted last year, last month, last week or just this morning, ouraccuser, Satan, is ready to charge us over and over again. Shaming us into acorner, cowering and alone.A woman and man in John 8:1-11 had good reason to be ashamed. Rather thanbeing allowed to cower in the darkness of the sexual sin they brought her beforeJesus. The one thing they did right. The only One who is able to deliver her fromher sin and her shame was asked to stand in judgement of her.According to Ps. 34:5, He is the one who could turn her shame into radiant joy.Not joy in her sin, but joy in His deliverance and forgiveness. Our humantendency is to cover up. One woman shared with me many years ago, she couldnot pray to God until she had her makeup on, a feeble act of covering up hersense of shame.What do you try to cover up before the world? Before your Lord? If you knewyou would not be condemned, what would you lay bare before your Savior? Ourwounds, our sin can only be healed in the LIGHT.Look to him, lay it out before him He will give you a face of radiant joy ofconfidence in Him!Author: Sherry Bouquet

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Day 624“This poor man cried, and the Lord heard him and saved him out of all histroubles.”Psalm 34:6After a while the yard became quiet and the father went to investigate theactivities of his four-year-old son. Silence was not a good sign. As he roundedthe corner to the front yard, he spotted the boy.His son was laying on the open gate of the truck, half of his body in thetruck and the other half dangling above the ground, feet swinging above thedriveway. As he lay there holding on to the truck, he contemplated how he wasgoing to reach the ground, a detail he failed to consider when he first scamperedup to investigate truck bed!Knowing the son was not in any immediate danger the father quietlywalked up behind the boy. Nearing the truck, he could hear the boy muttering tohimself, trying to figure out how to get down. Finally, in desperation, the boyexclaimed, “Somebody help this boy!”The Psalmist, David, knows a thing or two about trouble. At this point of hislife he has had to flee his country and the rage of King Saul. Most recently, hefled the presence of King Achish to spare his life. Whether it be the threat of aGoliath, his own countrymen or even a foreign king, David has seen plenty oftrouble. In this journey he has been afforded the opportunity again and again toseek God for deliverance, He always delivers!Your trouble is not about you, it is about a Deliverer who delights to makeHis Name great and making you to look more like Jesus. When the world seesJesus in you, they will come to the Father. Next time trouble knocks at your door,consider it an opportunity for God to deliver rather than simply testing your faith.“Somebody will help this boy or girl!” A Heavenly Father--working all things forgood to save a watching world. Eph. 8:28-29.Author: Sherry Bouquet

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Day 726“The Angel of the LORD encamps all around those who fear Himand delivers them.”Psalm 34:7Commentary:God is a very good head of His family and He is intimately aware of our needs,our wants, and our trials. He is always with His family, and knows everythingthat is happening in our lives.He is the standard for Godly, and or good actions as both a husband and afather: He established how a man is to live. He demonstrates the two things thatHe requires of a Godly head of a home: He provides and protects. God protectsthose who fear Him. In Genesis 22:12 we read about Abraham's faith that wasput to the ultimate test. God called Abraham to sacrifice the most precious thingin his life, his only son, Isaac. God is the same today as He was in the time ofAbraham, He wants His family to fully trust Him. God will stretch His people, andHe will change our perspective to be what He wants us to be.Application:God allows us to have an intimate relationship with Him through prayer, fasting,Bible study, worship, and fellowship with other Christians. In the process ofenjoying the blessings of God, there are times we still face challenges and feelweak, threatened and afraid. Today, decide to “Trust in the LORD with all ofyour heart, and lean not on your own understanding.” (Proverbs 3:5) In the midstof fearing God, He will demonstrate His close presence to you and you will besignificantly changed to be as He wants you to be, that is more like Him.Author: Pastor Eric Abel

Reflections:27Congratulations, you’ve completed 7 days of your 21 day fast. How are you doing?What has been your most challenging part in these first 7 days?

Day 828“Oh, taste and see that the LORD is good; blessed is the man who trustsin Him!”Psalm 34:8Commentary:God is so good and He does good things, gives good gifts, and will provide agood future for those who are in His family. God demonstrates His amazing loveto us in two specific ways in this text. First, God calls us to “taste” that is to havea first hand experience of His goodness. We are instructed to “taste” thatmeans to internalize and

time of prayer and fasting. For example, you may choose to eliminate red meat, processed or fast food, or sweets. It could also involve fasting from an activity or habit, such as television watching, or social media. Daniel Fast The Daniel fast is a great model to foll