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Reader Favorites from February: Top 9 Blog Posts + other Posts of Note

 

Top 9 Posts from February

Ranked by reader traffic and feedback.

1. Remembering Jan Berenstain The original illustrator of the Berenstain Bears books, Jan Berenstein, has passed away. We share our personal memories of her.

2. Mothers: How You Could Get Published in the New NIV Mom's Devotional Bible This contest for moms who write is still open, but only until March 15, 2012!

3. How to Overcome Your Fear of Fasting If you've ever had interest in fasting but feel a little intimidated, I highly recommend this piece. An original guest post by author and nutrition expert Kristen Feola (@kristenfeola).

4. Four Simple Prayer Starters for a Stronger Marriage via Gary Thomas (@GaryLThomas). Prayers about getting more out of your marriage. Excerpt from Sacred Marriage DVD Group Study.

5. Tough Love: Jesus and 1 Corinthians 13 See what happens when we trade out the word "love" for "Jesus" in 1 Corinthians: "Jesus is patient, Jesus is kind. He does not envy, he does not boast…" A fascinating excerpt via Craig Blomberg's NIV Application Commentary: 1 & 2 Corinthians.

6. A Prayer Against Anger from Common Prayer Pocket Edition. Useful!

7. Spirit-filled Living vs. Just "Trying Harder" Jim Cymbala (@jimcymbala) reveals the important contrast between relying on ourselves and depending on the Spirit. Which do you do? Excerpt from his new book Spirit Rising.


8. When the Answer to Prayer is Bigger than Our Brain via Mark Batterson (@MarkBatterson). "The same God who hovered over the chaos at the beginning of time is hovering over your life, and you never know when His answer will reenter the atmosphere of your life…"

9. Why Not Risk? A Risk Analysis Tool + Case Study Ben Carson shares his method for making risky decisions, then applies the method to a case from his own life: Should he share his Christian faith in the workplace?

More Posts of Note

1. Discover WHO You are and WHOSE You Are A recap of Kary Oberbrunner's livechat on how to find your identity and purpose in Christ. I especially like Kary's "Secret Name" Test, which I recommend you check out in the post.

2. On Ash Wednesday – Remembering We're Dust A rich contemplative piece from Walt Wangerin, Jr.'s Lent devotional book, Reliving the Passion.

3. Pursuing a Manhood that's Honest, Strong, and … Weak? Author Wes Yoder on the essential ingredients of manhood. (They may not be what you think.)

4. God is With You, and He Doesn't Quit Feel like you're facing an impossible challenge? Find out how God was faithful to his people in helping Nehemiah rebuild the walls of Jerusalem. Excerpt from Kristen Feola's (@kristenfeola) book The Ultimate Guide to the Daniel Fast.

 

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How to Overcome Your Fear of Fasting [Guest post by Kristen Feola]

 

With Lent just around the corner, we’re excited to publish this timely guest post from Kristen Feola, author of The Ultimate Guide to the Daniel Fast.

 

Fasting is a unique opportunity to know God in a deeper way and to hear His voice more clearly. When you fast, you deny yourself food, or certain foods, for a specified period of time as an act of surrender and worship. Those who have participated in this spiritual discipline can testify to experiencing an increased sensitivity to the Holy Spirit, greater awareness of their dependence on the Lord, and a stronger compulsion to intercede for others.

 

Types of Fasts

• absolute – no food or water.
• liquid – water, fruit and vegetables juices, and/or broth.
• partial – eat certain groups of foods and restrict others (Daniel Fast)

However, despite the many benefits that fasting offers, many Christians choose not to fast. Although there are a variety of reasons why this is the case, I believe it’s mostly because of fear.

 

Fear can be a crippling emotion, often keeping us from moving forward when the Lord wants us to step out in faith. When it comes to fasting, many believers find themselves in this position – intrigued by the idea but afraid to commit. Unwilling to trust God in this area of their lives, they remain stuck in place, immobilized by their fears. Some of the most common hindrances to fasting are as follows:

  • Fear of failure.
  • Fear of being hungry.
  • Fear of letting go of what brings comfort.
  • Fear of physical side effects.
  • Fear of not seeing answers to prayer.

 

Perhaps you can relate. You’ve heard testimonies of people sharing about the closeness they share with the Lord on a fast. You’re familiar with the verses in the Bible on the subject. Yet, you can’t get past the anxiety of going without food or certain foods, so you dismiss the whole idea.

 

It’s normal to be afraid when we stand on the horizon of the unknown. However, fear is never a valid excuse for disobedience. In fact, the Lord makes it clear that when are afraid, we should put our trust in him. During times of weakness, he wants us to acknowledge our inadequacy and recognize that he alone is our Source of strength.

 

The discipline of fasting is mentioned several times throughout the Bible, but one verse in particular shows us that this practice is to be a regular part of our lives. In Matthew 6:16, as Jesus is teaching his disciples on the issue of fasting, he begins with, “When you fast,” not “If you fast.” His words imply that fasting is not optional for his followers.

 

How, then, do you deal with the panicky feelings that often accompany a fast?

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God is with You, and He Doesn’t Quit [Excerpt by Kristen Feola]

 

Excerpt from The Ultimate Guide to the Daniel Fast by Kristen Feola.

 

Feel like you're up against an impossible challenge?

Nehemiah had a successful career as cupbearer to the king, yet deep within him, he sensed the Lord calling him toward something different. Something radical. Something only God could do.

 

The task seemed monumental and impossible. The walls of Jerusalem were broken down, leaving the people defenseless against attack. Nehemiah knew that God wanted him to leave the comfort of palace life to lead his people in rebuilding the city walls.

Nehemiah responded in faith and obedience. He fasted and prayed. He boldly requested permission from the king and for his help in getting supplies. He wisely examined the condition of the walls before beginning reconstruction. He started the work.

 

From day one, Nehemiah and God's people endured intense persecution. Their enemies ridiculed and mocked them, hoping that they would give up. But the Israelites kept working day after day with all of their hearts, believing that the Lord would give them success. As a result, the massive city walls of Jerusalem were completed in record time. When the surrounding nations heard that the walls were completed in just fifty-two days, they were afraid and lost their self-confidence, because they realized that the work had been done with the help of God.

 

'I am carrying on a great project and cannot go down.' -Nehemiah

God calls each of us to a great work. Like Nehemiah and the Israelites, we undoubtedly will face fierce opposition. When the enemy hurls accusations our way and tries to defeat us, we can stand our ground on the truth of God's Word. I love Nehemiah's response to his enemies' relentless attempts to distract him: "I am carrying on a great project and cannot go down" (6:3). He refused to be shaken and remained focused on the purposes of God. We must remember that just as God was faithful in helping his people to rebuild the walls of Jerusalem, he will also complete the good work he has begun in our lives.

 

Those who carried materials did their work with one hand and held a weapon in the other, Neh. 4:17

"Those who carried materials did their work with one hand and held a weapon in the other." Nehemiah 4:17

 

["He who began a good work in you will carry it on to competion until the day of Christ Jesus." Philippians 1:6]

 

God, you have a plan for my life, and I am confident that you will bring it to completion as I surrender to you. I refuse to be distracted by the enemy and thrown off course by his wicked schemes. My eyes are on you, Sovereign Lord, to finish the good work you have started in me.

 

-Kristen Feola

Question: As you prepare for a tough project, what's the easiest step for you?
(A) Examining the problem
(B) Prayer & fasting
(C) Asking others for the help you need
(D) Starting the work
And which step is most difficult for you? I'd love to hear your comments, just leave them on this post.

 

Learn More about NIV Application Commentary: Ephesians Learn More

Learn more about Kristen Feola's Ultimate Guide to the Daniel Fast: 100+ Recipes plus 21 Daily Devotionals


Visit Kristen's blog at www.ultimatedanielfast.com

- Adam Forrest, Zondervan

 

(Images & some styling above are web-exclusive features not included in the text of The Ultimate Guide… Image by Phillip Medhurst (Photos by Harry Kossuth) [Public domain], via Wikimedia Commons. This post does not represent the views of Zondervan or any of its representatives. The writer's personal opinions are shared only for information purposes. To receive new Zondervan Blog posts in your reader or email inbox, subscribe to Zondervan Blog.)

 

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