Wednesday, January 20, 2010....Day 4

Day 4 of the Fruit Fast. Felt even better today than yesterday. My energy was up, mind was sharper and i was able to be satisfied with 2 meals. As i am looking at my current fruit foray, i figure that eventually my 2 meal plan will include bigger meals as i am going to be more active. For now though, the intake is sufficient. i was thinking today of something Christ said in
John 8:29

And He that sent me is with me: the Father hath not left me alone; for I do always those things that please Him.

No other human that ever lived can make such a statement because the bible says all have sinned. All that is, except the Lord Christ. Because He lived a perfect life, we can receive His Grace and have Him live out His life in us. What a priviledge! So that, even though i have sinned in my past, i can receive forgiveness because of His death for my sins and the power of His Grace to overcome sin going forward. This is why i want to do this diet. i want to please my heavenly Father and my Lord Christ......always. Because my body is the dwelling place of His Spirit and its not my own. i want my mind clear to connect more fully with Him who is my life and i want to do "always those things that please Him".

Today's meals were:

Breakfast:
55oz of smoothie consisting of watermelon juice, OJ, 3 bananas and some molasses. i also ate one banana.

Dinner:
4 bananas, 1 pear, 2 apples, 7 dried figs, 1 avocado.

Exercise:
i did one set of pushups (50) and one set of wide grip chins (7) before i had to rush out. When i returned i did 3 more sets of 7 chins and 3 sets of 50 pushups. The thing about that is, i did those last 3 x 3 in less than 5 minutes. What a workout that was and a challenge!


Grace and Peace be multiplied.

todd

.Tuesday, January 19, 2010...Afternoon

End of Day 3. i usually do not post twice in a day, but that is how today ended up. Interestingly, i ate less today than i did yesterday. i am actually going to seek to eat only 2 solid meals per day. This does not include smoothies and/or juices (even though they are also "meals"). Yesterday i drank two 40oz smoothies and had one solid meal. Today i drank one 55oz smoothie and had one large (for me) solid meal of fruit. The reason i want to try this is because if and when i come off of this fast, i want to remain temperate in my eating habits (even if they are cooked). i noticed a pattern over the six years i have been fasting and going on and off 100% raw. When i eat cooked foods, i begin to overeat and worse yet, to eat late into the night. Especially in times of stress and trial. When people came knocking on my door to take foreclosure pictures of my home, i prayed and ate popcorn late into the night. The praying was good, the popcorn (particularly that late at night) was not. i am seeking this time to use the Fruit fast as a training in proper habits of eating in terms of time by God's grace.


Today's meals were:

Breakfast:
55oz smoothie made from watermelon, bananas, OJ and molasses.

Dinner:
7 dried figs, 6 bananas, one avocado and one large organic Fuji apple.

Exercise:
4 sets of chins (28 reps total); 4 sets of pushups (240 total); 2 sets of 5 one leg squats on each leg.

Grace and Peace be multiplied.

todd

Tuesday, January 19, 2010

Day 3 of the Fruit fast. Over the last couple of days, i have been strongly impressed with the subject of Faith. i realized this morning, more than ever, the people that would walk with Christ on this eart must be people of strong faith. This is especially true for us who believe these are the last days of earth's history (as the earth now exists). This i believe is a most essential ingredient in the one who would endeavor to commit to any type of fast. Particularly if its for reasons of the Spirit.

Now we believe the Bible definition of Faith:

Now Faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen. Hebrews 11:1


The Bible is filled with examples of the exercise of Faith, but one of my favorite is the story of the Deliverance of God's people from Egypt. The scene is this; Moses was told to direct the people (600,000 men plus women and children) towards the Red Sea. The people were hemmed in by mountains on their right and their left, the Red Sea was before them and Pharaoh and the Egyptian army behind them. At this time the Egyptian army was the most powerful in the world and they came bent on the destruction of their former slaves.

The people were distressed and cried out to Moses for doing such a dumb thing as to lead them where they would be surely destroyed. Moses turned to the God of Heaven and here is the response:


And the Lord said unto Moses, wherefore criest thou unto me? Speak unto the children of Israel that they go forward. Exodus 14:15

This is a wonderful story that should be read in its entirety to get the full context. But the point is they were told to step forward into the water; by Faith. There was no science, no logic, no explanation involved. Just Go Forward by Faith. Of course they did and they ended up walking on dry ground. That is what i am feeling regarding this fast. No science, no logic, no worry. Just Go Forward by Faith.

When i feel hungry, i don't worry, i just Go Forward by Faith. When i see things that tempt me, i just pray and Go Forward by Faith. My eyes are not on my immediate circumstances, on the need to check my protein, my sugar or anything else. i just need to Go Forward by Faith. i cannot concern myself with the ups and downs of the scale; No. i just need to look to Christ and go Forward by Faith.

The good thing is, i have walked this road before. Experience indeed does add strength. i have been through storms with the Captain of my soul before, i know He can lead well. This knowledge excites me about the Spiritual growth i will attain in the future as i just Go Forward by Faith.

Today i started with a delicious smoothie. Now i made more than i needed to, but i drank it all. It was about 55oz.

It consisted of the juice of half a medium watermelon, 3 bananas, 8oz of OJ. i ate a banana as it was blending. i added about a teaspoon of blackstrap molassses to it. It was good and it was very filling.

i am planning on eating some fruit later and probably ending the day with another smoothie. i have to go pick up a case of organic bananas and some other fruit during my travels today.

We move forward.


Grace and Peace be multiplied.

Friday, October 2, 2009

Friday, October 2, 2009

Romans 5:3 And not only so, but we glory in tribulations also: knowing that tribulation worketh patience;

Romans 5:4 And patience, experience; and experience, hope:

Romans 5:5 And hope maketh not ashamed; because the love of God is shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Ghost which is given unto us.

i am feeling so full of hope this week. Nothing has really changed regarding my outward circumstances, but something has changed in me. i am thankful that my Lord Christ has given me the spirit of hope to lift me up from the depths. i have been getting up early and getting to the office early. i have been working out well and eating well. i am hopeful that i will be able to obtain two cases of some nice oranges over the next couple of weeks to that i can do my OJ Feast around the end of October to early November. Its amazing to me that its autumn already. Time is flying by fast and many things are happening in the world. i want all areas of my life to be fully surrendered to Christ and fully reflecting His beautiful character. There is nothing more important to me than that...... Nothing.

Tomorrow i am scheduled to baptize two precious souls for the Lord. Its always exciting to see lives transformed by Grace. Since the Raw Remnant ministry began in 2004, we have not baptized more than 4-5 people. But each soul is precious and each life was definitely changed. i am seeing all the things going on in this world and i found myself being more concerned for my children. They are now teenagers and will soon be out there having to fend for themselves. It caused me to pray very hard for them (more than usual), that the Lord will be with them. He comforted me in this as He reminded me that He promised He would be with them.

Isaiah 49:25 But thus saith the LORD, Even the captives of the mighty shall be taken away, and the prey of the terrible shall be delivered: for I will contend with him that contendeth with thee, and I will save thy children.

i am thankful for His sure promises. My workouts were very good this week although it is not reflected in the volume. i worked more hours than usual and was glad to do what did get done. i was also able to chop more wood. i can't accurately express how much joy i get out of that axe with the wood. My whole body feels good when i am done. Its an exercise that works the legs, back, arms.....everything. Today's meals were atypical of the week because my fruit was not fully ripe. Here they are:

Breakfast: 32oz of OJ.

Lunch: 5 valencia oranges. 1.5 cups of bulgar wheat with boiled plantain and avocado.

Dinner: 32oz fruit smoothie.

i really would have had more whole fruit, but i got a case of bananas and they are not ripe. Since its getting colder its taking longer for the fruit to ripen. i had a cantaloupe today that was terribly unripe so i juiced it and put it in the smoothie.

Exercise:

50 chins/180 pushups/30 tricep presses.....30 minutes.

For the week i finished with: 1000 pushups/250 chins/100 tricep presses/200 one leg squats and chopped wood.....lol

Have a Wonderful Weekend!

Grace and Peace be multiplied

todd

Tuesday, September 29,2009

Tuesday, September 29, 2009.

Luke 21:19 In your patience possess ye your souls.

In my walk as a disciple of Jesus Christ, i find the development of a proper character through trial to be a major partner in the journey. The Word has much to say on this subject (as it should being such a big part of the walk overall).

Hebrews 12:6 For whom the Lord loveth he chasteneth, and scourgeth every son whom he receiveth.

Hebrews 12:7 If ye endure chastening, God dealeth with you as with sons; for what son is he whom the father chasteneth not?

Hebrews 12:8 But if ye be without chastisement, whereof all are partakers, then are ye bastards, and not sons.

Hebrews 12:9 Furthermore we have had fathers of our flesh which corrected us, and we gave them reverence: shall we not much rather be in subjection unto the Father of spirits, and live?

Hebrews 12:10 For they verily for a few days chastened us after their own pleasure; but he for our profit, that we might be partakers of his holiness.

Hebrews 12:11 Now no chastening for the present seemeth to be joyous, but grievous: nevertheless afterward it yieldeth the peaceable fruit of righteousness unto them which are exercised thereby.

Now, the human reaction to this process of trial is, "what have i done wrong?". In many cases our sufferings are indeed a result of something we did wrong. But also, there are times when its nothing to do with doing something wrong, but rather, something inside of us that is wrong.

Job, for example is described in the bible as righteous. Yet he suffered horrible calamities that nearly destroyed him. As i have studied his life intensely, i found out what the problem was. Pride. He had a strong pride problem that was not made manifest until he was brought into the heat of trial. Here are a couple of examples of his statements that reveal this.

Job 33:9 I am clean without transgression, I am innocent; neither is there iniquity in me.

Job 34:5 For Job hath said, I am righteous: and God hath taken away my judgment.

Job 35:2 ................ My righteousness is more than God's?

It got to the point where the Lord Himself spoke to Job saying......

Job 40:8 Wilt thou also disannul my judgment? wilt thou condemn me, that thou mayest be righteous?

But in the end, Job was perfected as he said,

Job 42:5 I have heard of thee by the hearing of the ear: but now mine eye seeth thee.

Job 42:6 Wherefore I abhor myself, and repent in dust and ashes.

Then all that he had lost was restored unto him in a double portion. This is where i am now. Job's problem was pride, mine is a lengthy list that would require a large volume of many pages. But one thing that is definitely getting through to me is the need to develop patience. This precious grace is severely lacking in me and in society at large. Yet, it is an essential element for those who would pass through the darkness of this world successfully and stand on the Sea of Glass with Christ and the redeemed.

Revelation 3:10 Because thou hast kept the word of my patience, I also will keep thee from the hour of temptation, which shall come upon all the world, to try them that dwell upon the earth.

Revelation 14:12 Here is the patience of the saints: here are they that keep the commandments of God, and the faith of Jesus.

Hebrews 10:36 For ye have need of patience, that, after ye have done the will of God, ye might receive the promise.

Since its my endeavor to be just like Jesus in every way, trials like the one i am in are necessary. This brings me to my diet situation. i believe that one of the reasons i was led to partake of the fruitarian diet is because of the intensity of the trial the Lord knew He was bringing me through.

But i am definitely struggling with the issue of salt. During this journey i have learned a tremendous amount (for which i am literally eternally grateful). But at this point i am just seeking to keep a strong grip on my Lord Christ more than anything else. At some point this fall my plan is to do a short (perhaps 10-14 days) Orange juice fast. Not only because i love OJ but because it will help me overall in my being. i am also planning to go back to all fruit and no salt starting in January 2010. My goal is to do it for 5-7 months this time. i am hoping to get more of an understanding in my own mind regarding my diet and my life in general.

For now, i am going to stay the way i am. Which i suppose is high raw. i still eat alot of fruit, but i am also eating non-raw, vegan items such as the crackers, bulgar wheat and rice cakes i may have mentioned before. My workouts are still stellar and alot of fun. i still cannot do a muscle up yet, but the journey towards it is rewarding. Yesterday i did 320 pushups in 4 sets in less than 20 minutes. Included was one set of 90 (my personal best for this year so far). i also split some wood with an axe, such joy and satisfaction in that workout for me. My muscles are getting noticably fuller. Especially in my chest and arms. This can be expected when one does a consistent 1000 or so pushups per week along with chins and other bodyweight exercises. Why i ever wasted time lifting heavy iron (as i did in 2006) is beyond me.

Our guests are doing fine so far. i suppose i can describe our relationship as iron sharpening iron. i am glad the Lord brought them to stay with us, although i wish the circumstances were better.

As its about lunchtime right now, my menu is still incomplete.

So far i have had a large wedge of watermelon and 6 large bananas. i am about to eat some pecan-oatmeal patties my wife prepared for me with some bulgar wheat. No exercise today, as i am going to be busy and i am planning a serious physical assault tomorrow.

Grace and Peace be multiplied.

todd

Friday September 25, 2009

Friday, September 25, 2009.

2 Samuel 22:2 And he said, The LORD is my rock, and my fortress, and my deliverer;

2 Samuel 22:3 The God of my rock; in him will I trust: he is my shield, and the horn of my salvation, my high tower, and my refuge, my saviour; thou savest me from violence.

2 Samuel 22:4 I will call on the LORD, who is worthy to be praised: so shall I be saved from mine enemies.

2 Samuel 22:5 When the waves of death compassed me, the floods of ungodly men made me afraid;

2 Samuel 22:6 The sorrows of hell compassed me about; the snares of death prevented me;

2 Samuel 22:7 In my distress I called upon the LORD, and cried to my God: and he did hear my voice out of his temple, and my cry did enter into his ears.

Been battling with bouts of depression the last couple of weeks. Feels like darkness is just pressing upon me on every side. i have been here before and have learned from experience that the battle is won when i hand onto the Lord Christ with all i have. Days like this its a battle to get out of bed, i feel sleepy much of the time. Like i have no energy. But i fight it with prayer, faith, the Word of God and exercise. i am glad i have these tools as they are life-savers. Today for example, it rained all day. i totally did not want to get out of bed. i would get up and then lay back down, get back up and lay back down. Finally i got up to stay in the mid-morning. i had prayed, read my bible and looked at the news on the internet. i was 60 chins short of my weekly goal and i determined to do them in the park even in the rain. This i did. It was a long, light drizzle really and it was beautiful. i had a great workout and the rain felt so refreshing. i thank my heavenly Father for the fresh air and the strength He gave me today. i ended up accomplishing my workout goals for the week. As i looked back upon the week, i actually got alot done inspite of the depression attack. i cut and chopped a cord of wood, had 6 business appointments, plus did 1150 pushups, 250 chins, 300 one leg squats, 120 tricep presses. Not a bad week as i look back upon it. Especially when i just felt like sleeping and staying in bed. Prayer and the bible are powerful weapons against depression. So are fresh air and exercise.

i ate well also, today being a typical day. Although i must say i ate more crackers than i should have due to the depression. This i am determined to also overcome by God's Grace.

Todays meals were:

Breakfast:

Half a small watermelon, 4 large bananas, 32oz of cantaloupe-mango smoothie.

Lunch:

Soaked bulgar wheat mixed with guac, boiled plantain, chopped tomatoes and 2 oat burgers. 0 c

Exercise:

60 chins/150 pushups/60 one leg squats/30 tricep presses....20 minutes.

Have a wonderful weekend!

todd

Friday, September 11, 2009

Revelation 20:14 And death and hell were cast into the lake of fire. This is the second death.

Isaiah 32:17 And the work of righteousness shall be peace; and the effect of righteousness quietness and assurance for ever.

Isaiah 32:18 And my people shall dwell in a peaceable habitation, and in sure dwellings, and in quiet resting places;

My condolences to all the families of the victims of 9/11. One day (prayerfully Soon) all evil will forever cease and death itself will be destroyed never to appear again forever.

Today we are preparing not only for the Sabbath but also for the guests we are expecting for the Raw potluck. Some of whom wanted to come on Friday and spend the night at our home. i wasn't hungry when i awoke this morning. Whenever that is the case i seek to drink fresh juices, usually orange juice. i was blessed to enjoy that today. At some point i am going to do another juice fast of short duration on just oranges. i love them so much and they are such a great blessing to the living temple. i will probably do it for 7-14 days. Perhaps when i can find a nice deal on a couple of cases of oranges. But i want to do it for the sheer enjoyment of it. People who have lived on fresh OJ for any sort of time can testify to the blessing. The orange is surely one of God's gifts to mankind for our good.

i wanted to concentrate my workout today on my chins/pullups. i still want to keep my weekly goals of calistenic totals. 1000 pushups/250 chins/250 pistol squats/100 tricep presses. i was short on the chins and pushups so i had to make sure i did them today. i went to the park and had a very nice workout.

Here is todays regiment:

Breakfast:

28oz of OJ. Small bowl of raw strawberry shortcake, one large banana. (807 calories).

Lunch:

Bowl of soaked bulgar wheat with steamed plantain and avocado. half a watermelon. (1665 calories).

Dinner:

28oz of OJ. (391 calories).

Exercise:

125 chins/150 pushups/30 tricep presses/40 pistol squats.

i finished the week with 1000 pushups/250 chins/330 pistol squats/130 tricep presses.

Not a bad week's work.

Have a Wonderful Weekend!!

Grace and Peace be multiplied.

todd