We believe that God has called Eastridge  Community Church to do something that we cannot accomplish on our own.  We believe the Holy Spirit desires greater things than we have imagined.

This past year we have see the Sovereign God do only what He can do. We have seen 80+ salvations, 70+ baptisms and numerous recommitments. We have seen marriages restored along with countless other relationships. We believe we saw God working because we sought Him through fasting at the beginning of the 2010 year.”

For those reasons, we have chosen to begin 2010 with a 21 day fast. This may be your first time to fast. If so, you may choose to eliminate an item or two from your diet.  However, we would like to             encourage you to prayerfully consider the Daniel fast. The following pages will explain it to you.

As with all fasts, be sure to consult with your physician before beginning.

We look forward seeing what God has in store for us through this adventure.

Besides being thrown into a lion’s den, Daniel is one of the Major Prophets of the Old Testament.  Daniel was an Israelite that had been deported to Babylon from the land of Judah when King Nebuchadnezzar and the Babylonians conquered Judah during the 6th century B.C.  They took many Israelites and the treasures of Judah  back to Babylon.

2 Kings 24:13-14 As the LORD had declared, Nebuchadnezzar removed all the treasures from the temple of the LORD and from the royal palace, and took away all the gold articles that Solomon king of Israel had made for the temple of the LORD. He carried into exile all Jerusalem: all the officers and fighting men, and all the craftsmen and artisans—a total of ten thousand. Only the poorest people of the land were left.

Daniel and his three friends were chosen because of their youth and intelligence to be put into the Babylonian court servant “training program.” Part of this training program was learning Babylonian customs, beliefs, laws, and practices. They also were given the choicest of the Babylonian foods.  However, the eating habits of the Babylonians were not in complete agreement with the Mosaic Law as practiced in their homeland of Judah. As a result, Daniel asked if he and his three friends could be excused from eating the meat, which was likely sacrificed to Babylonian false gods and idols. This resulted in Daniel and the others to prosper physically and spiritually above all others in the king’s quarters.

Daniel became an advisor to King Nebuchadnezzar and was sought to interpret his dreams.  He rose to the rank of governor of the province of Babylon.  He later became "chief of the governors" over all the wise men of Babylon, after passing a dangerous test of the astrologers by the king, which could easily have cost Daniel his life.   

The reason the “pure” Daniel Fast is spiritually focused is because Daniel chose to honor the fast for spiritual purposes. He did not want to defile his body, which he had consecrated (set aside) for the Lord. And, while Scripture doesn’t state it, it’s likely that the superior health, wisdom and clarity that Daniel gained from this fast were through God’s intervention. 

 Daniel 1:8-14  But Daniel resolved not to defile himself with the royal food and wine, and he asked the chief official for permission not to defile himself this way.  Now God had caused the official to show favor and sympathy to Daniel, but the official told Daniel, "I am afraid of my lord the king, who has assigned your  food and drink. Why should he see you looking worse than the other young men your age? The king would then have my head because of you." 

Daniel then said to the guard whom the chief official had appointed over Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael and Azariah, "Please test your servants for ten days: Give us nothing but vegetables to eat and water to drink.  Then compare our appearance with that of the young men who eat the royal food, and treat your servants in accordance with what you see."  So he agreed to this and tested them for ten days.

Daniel asked only for vegetables and water because he did not want to eat any "Royal Food". Doing this did not only restore Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael and Azaria to better health, but they physically appeared healthier and better nourished. Within just 10 days, they looked better than the guards that watched over them!

A Daniel fast is eating only fruits and vegetables for a certain amount of time and abstaining from meat and dairy products, sweeteners, processed and refined foods as well as solid fats. Nowhere in the Bible does it command believers to observe a Daniel fast. As a result, it is a matter of Christian freedom whether to observe a Daniel fast.

Daniel had a vision of a great war that caused him to mourn:

Daniel 10:2, 3 In those days I, Daniel, was mourning three full weeks.  I ate no pleasant food, no meat or wine came into my mouth, nor did I anoint myself at all, till three whole weeks were fulfilled. 

Pray:  You want your fast to be God centered.  

Prepare:  Begin to prepare your heart. Continue to seek God’s direction. You will also want to prepare for the dietary part of the Daniel Fast.

Sanctify Yourself: To “sanctify” is to set apart. Daniel had sanctified himself unto the Lord and therefore did not eat the rich foods or those offered to the Babylonian gods. As you enter into the Daniel Fast, you also can sanctify yourself and your fast unto the Lord. Make a commitment and set yourself apart for your fast period to diligently seek the Lord and experience His presence as never before.

Sanctify the Time:  Keep in mind at all times in your fast that this is “unto the Lord.” Set aside time every day to pray, study God’s Word, and to be quiet before our Lord. He wants to meet with you! He wants to demonstrate His deep and abiding love for you. If this is new to you, be patient with yourself and keep at it! Sanctify a time every day to meet with the Lord.

Journal Writing: Keeping track of your food intake.  Writing about your experience will add a richness and depth to your fast that is hard to get any other way, especially if you don’t fast frequently.  You can also record your personal insights each day as you walk through the fast. What are you experiencing? What is the Lord trying to teaching you? You will be surprised at the way the Lord will minister to you   during this precious time of fasting. 

Stay Present with the Lord: Use this Daniel Fast as a time to increase your focus on the Lord. Obviously, you won’t be able to pray every minute. But take time to ask the Lord to keep you in the right place at the right time. Keep your heart “stayed on Him.” Keep Him present with you as you interact with family members, friends, work associates, and other believers. Pray more often about even simple tasks and   encounters. Increase your awareness in the Lord and that He is ever present with you.

Press On: There will be times during the Fast that your body and soul will kick and scream.  Your spirit needs to take charge! There will be times when you will need to alter your plans or make special provision so that you can remain on the Fast. This is all very normal and all part of the fasting experience. So what do you do? Press on! Succeeding in the fast by pressing on in the hard times will strengthen your character and your spiritual muscle.

Completion: In not too many days you will complete the Daniel Fast. You will want to reflect on your experience and notice your spiritual growth. What did you see of God while you fasted? What did He see of you? What did you learn? Are there things that came up that you know you need to address even now? Make sure to take time to reflect and take hold of the lessons learned and the blessings gained. The Bible says, “God rewards those who diligently seek Him.” Hopefully, you have had a successful and spiritually maturing fast and know of His rewards.

All fruits. These can be fresh, frozen, dried, juiced or canned. Fruits include but are not limited to apples, apricots, bananas, blackberries, blueberries, boysenberries, cherries, cantaloupe,  cranberries, figs, grapefruit, grapes, guava, honeydew melon, kiwi, lemons, limes, mangoes, nectarines,  oranges, papayas, peaches, pears, pineapples, plums, prunes, raisins, raspberries, strawberries, tangelos, tangerines, watermelon

All vegetables. These can be fresh, frozen, dried, juiced or canned. Vegetables include but are not limited to artichokes, asparagus, beets, broccoli, Brussels sprouts, cabbage,   carrots, cauliflower, celery, chili peppers, collard greens, corn, cucumbers, eggplant, garlic, ginger root, kale, leeks, lettuce, mushrooms, mustard greens, okra, onions, parsley, potatoes, radishes, rutabagas, scallions, spinach, sprouts, squashes, sweet potatoes, tomatoes, turnips, watercress, yams, zucchini, veggie burgers are an option if you are not allergic to soy.

All whole grains, including but not limited to whole wheat, brown rice, millet, quinoa, oats, barley, grits, whole wheat pasta, whole wheat tortillas, rice cakes and popcorn.

All nuts and seeds, including but not limited to sunflower seeds, cashews, peanuts, sesame. Also nut butters including peanut butter.

All legumes. These can be canned or dried. Legumes include but are not limited to dried beans, pinto beans, split peas, lentils, black eyed peas, kidney beans, black beans, cannelloni beans, white beans.

All quality oils including but not limited to olive, canola, grape seed, peanut, and sesame.

Beverages: spring water, distilled water or other pure waters.

Other: tofu, soy products, vinegar, seasonings, salt, herbs and spices.

All meat and animal products including but not limited to beef, lamb, pork, poultry, and fish.

All dairy products including but not limited to milk, cheese, cream, butter, and eggs.

All sweeteners including but not limited to sugar, raw sugar, honey, syrups, molasses, and cane juice.

All leavened bread including Ezekiel Bread (it contains yeast and honey) and baked goods.

All refined and processed foods products including but not limited to artificial flavorings, food additives, chemicals, white rice, white flour, and foods that contain artificial      preservatives.

All deep fried foods including but not limited to potato chips, French fries, corn chips.

All solid fats including shortening, margarine, lard and foods high in fat.

Beverages including but not limited to coffee, tea, herbal teas, carbonated beverages, energy drinks, and alcohol.

Remember, READ THE LABELS!

When you purchase packaged, canned, or bottled foods. they should be sugar-free and chemical-free. Use organic foods whenever possible.  Keep this in mind as you review this list of acceptable foods.  

As with all fasts, be sure to consult with your physician before beginning.

 

The Daniel Fast Cookbook by Grace Bass and Lynda Anderson

ISBN-10: 0981476805

ISBN-13: 978-0981476803

VEGGIE WRAPS

INGREDIENTS:

1 package of Broccoli/Carrot Slaw Mix (shredded broccoli, carrots, and purple cabbage)

1 TBSP of olive oil

1 tsp of soy sauce

1/4 tsp ea. of Thyme, Rosemary, and Garlic Powder

4 Whole Grain Wheat wraps

INSTRUCTIONS:

Place oil in warm skillet

Add shredded mixture and sauté

Add seasonings

Add soy sauce to coat

Cook vegetables until they are your desired texture

Remove vegetables and place on a reserved plate.

Add more oil to skillet if necessary to brown both sides of your whole wheat wraps if desired

Place vegetables in each warmed wrap. Eat and Enjoy!!

Potato Leek Soup

Ingredients:

1 tsp crushed fennel seeds

1 tsp ground pepper

2 cloves garlic

2 tbsp olive oil

4 pints vegetable stock (you can use just water as long as everything is seasoned well)

2 lbs leeks (trimmed, cleaned, sliced)

2 lbs potatoes (cleaned, cut into cubes)

Instructions:

Heat olive oil on a medium heat in a large pan. 

Add garlic - heat for a few minutes until golden. 

Add fennel seeds and pepper and stir in with garlic. 

Add leeks and potatoes and mix well with other ingredients.

 Cover and cook for 5 minutes. 

Stir quickly. 

Cover and cook for further 5 minutes. 

Add stock. 

Bring to boil, then cover, turn heat down and simmer for 40 mins.

Minestrone Soup

Ingredients:

2 tablespoons olive oil

2 medium onions, chopped w/Vidalia fine insert

2 teaspoons chopped garlic

2 14.5 oz. can stewed tomatoes w/Italian seasonings

1 tablespoon tomato paste

1/2 cup uncooked whole wheat small pasta

11 4.5 oz. can garbanzo bean, drained

11 6 oz. bag of frozen Italian-style vegetable mix

11 4.5 oz. can Italian Cut green beans, drained 1teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon pepper

1 teaspoon Italian seasoning

1 teaspoon dried basil

Instructions: 

In a large pot, sauté with olive oil onions, garlic for a few minutes Add remainder ingredients and bring to a boil

Stir and cover with lid and simmer for 30 min. 

This can be put in a crock pot at this point and set on warm for up to 4 hrs.

Hummus

Ingredients:

16 oz. Chickpeas oar Garbanzo Beans

1/4 cup of liquid from beans used

3-5 Tbs lemon juice

1 1/2  Tbs Tahini 

2 cloves crushed garlic

1/2 tsp salt

2 Tbs olive oil

 

Instructions:

Drain chickpeas and set aside liquid from can. Combine remaining ingredients in blender or food processor. Add 1/4 cup of liquid from chickpeas. Blend for 3-5 minutes on low until thoroughly mixed and smooth. 

Serve with  baked pita chips

For a black olive hummus, add black olives  to blender when blending.

Hard Boiled Peanuts

Pita Chips and Salsa

Nuts

Fresh veggies (carrots, celery, bell peppers) with a hummus dip