40th day (nobody reads long blogs!)

Today is my 40th day on an internet fast.
What: No internet (work ONLY)
When: the last 40 days (5/10 - 6/19)
Why: it is/was distracting, it is/was an idol (see day 8), I needed to get into God’s Word
How was it: Great, in every way. I pray that I NEVER return to “that guy” Heck I don’t want to stay “this guy”

I was the guy that would sit down at my iMac and go straight to my tech sites, my news sites, a few blogs, ebay, craigslist, youtube, newegg, apple, and more, I am sure. Then through out the day I would return to check for updates. I would bet that I hit Gizmodo 20 times a day on most days. But I would go several days a week, if not all week, without reading my Bible unless it was for work. When you are in ministry, it is easy to neglect personal growth. Sure we get fed working up sermons and messages or lessons but God wants US to do it for US. This was/is NOT good. Reading the Bible on my own was happening (sometimes) but it was a choir that “needed” to be done. Not something I wanted or craved. And I should crave it. God, our creator, savior and the one we get to spend eternity with gave us His word so we can better know him. How did we ever get to this complacent place of the Bible being more of a decoration on a coffee table than a source to MORE GOD in our lives.

So by a challenge from one of my accountability partners, I put off the internet for ALL personal use. I decided after about 6 days that others have a problem with this and were encouraged. So I started blogging about it. Now I know that I should fast in private but this was not ordinary fast. This was more of an “eye gouging out” thing than a fast. The internet has become a major distraction for me. I spent more time online than in His presence. I even talked more about the internet than I did about God. I sure can point you to some cool youtube videos but I wasn’t pointing many people to God. Matt 12:34b “For out of the overflow of the heart the mouth speaks.” and Luke 6:45 “The good man brings good things out of the good stored up in his heart, and the evil man brings evil things out of the evil stored up in his heart. For out of the overflow of his heart his mouth speaks.”. This 40 days was a refocus and refilling of my heart. Empty out the junk and refill with the good: God, His Word and His Way. My prayer is that my mouth starts spilling out God’s word and even His power to change lives.

So I fasted, I prayed, and I read allot. God truly blessed this time especially in my reading. I desired to get back to my Bible. I read it with more focus than I have had in ages. I just could not get enough of it. And Its words have been on my mind and in my heart. I consider myself to be a poor reader. But during this 40 days I have read completely through the New Testament. My daily reading had me in John so I started from there and went through. Not just reading but studying and researching things I wasn’t sure about. I am now back in John and (like Nascar) going around again but now I will be picking up some Old Testament. I am feeling Job. I am not proud of me but am amazed at HIM (God) and the way he is moving in my life right now.

I want more, I want to find the days to be to short to read all I want to read, I want my past-time to be God. I want His words embedded in me. When people hear me, I pray they know what is in my heart and that it is Jesus. I want conviction in my life. I want others to feel what I am feeling and more!

I am not just going back to my “net ways”. With God’s help, I am going to keep away from useless sites that breed greed, lust, filth, coarseness, waist and distract me from a Savior who has something SO much better in store for my life, He died for more! I am short-changing His sacrifice for me. So pray for me, Pray for the internet and the control it has on people, and pray for God to move in all of our lives!