The Great News Fast of 2009

Hello, my name is Chele and I'm a news addict. I mean, I will read news stories that have such a stupid sounding headline just to find out if it is as stupid as it sounds. I can quote obscure news stories from other countries and even try to make them relevant to everyday life. I have it bad. So, when my husband John pointed out God's orders on getting through these times, well, I was less than unenthusiastic.

Isaiah 33 (New International Version)

14 The sinners in Zion are terrified;
trembling grips the godless:
"Who of us can dwell with the consuming fire?
Who of us can dwell with everlasting burning?"
15 He who walks righteously
and speaks what is right,
who rejects gain from extortion
and keeps his hand from accepting bribes,
who stops his ears against plots of murder
and shuts his eyes against contemplating evil-
16 this is the man who will dwell on the heights,
whose refuge will be the mountain fortress.
His bread will be supplied,
and water will not fail him.
17 Your eyes will see the king in his beauty
and view a land that stretches afar.

You see from above, the righteous man doesn't pay attention to what is going on around him. He keeps his eyes on God, the great provider. If God is mighty enough to form the earth, He's great enough to let me know what I need to know. Concentrating on the problem and not the solution never fixes anything.

I can't say that I haven't seen any headlines or heard anything over the radio or TV. But now I am quick to turn those things off. I find that the world is a much more peaceful place now that I have my vision of it correct. I say this with almost a week of no news under my belt. Ask me in a month how I feel. lol Right now, I have to keep my eyes on the goal of the whole news fast.

Isaiah 33 goes on to end with

18 In your thoughts you will ponder the former terror:
"Where is that chief officer?
Where is the one who took the revenue?
Where is the officer in charge of the towers?"
19 You will see those arrogant people no more,
those people of an obscure speech,
with their strange, incomprehensible tongue.
20 Look upon Zion, the city of our festivals;
your eyes will see Jerusalem,
a peaceful abode, a tent that will not be moved;
its stakes will never be pulled up,
nor any of its ropes broken.
21 There the LORD will be our Mighty One.
It will be like a place of broad rivers and streams.
No galley with oars will ride them,
no mighty ship will sail them.
22 For the LORD is our judge,
the LORD is our lawgiver,
the LORD is our king;
it is he who will save us.
23 Your rigging hangs loose:
The mast is not held secure,
the sail is not spread.
Then an abundance of spoils will be divided
and even the lame will carry off plunder.
24 No one living in Zion will say, "I am ill";
and the sins of those who dwell there will be forgiven.

When you take your eyes off the world's circumstances and put them on God, your whole perspective changes. When your perspective changes, your circumstances change. You may still have the same mess, but God's hand is on it and not yours. In verses 18-19, God tells us that you don't see any of the problem. You don't see the chief officer and his shenanigans. You don't see arrogant people or get confused from their double talk. Instead, in verses 20-22, you see the never changing, always holy Zion - the city of God. It is immovable. God saves us, not the news or the people in it. God is faithful and immovable, and will save from all problems. Verses 23-24 says even the lame - the handicapped and fallible (that would be us) - will carry off plunder and have our sins forgiven. The lowest of us can have our sins forgiven and God's solutions for our problems if we just look at Him.

This is a hard post for me. I really want to turn on the news, read the news, listen to the news. But I know that I need to not even let anyone tell me about the news unless it is something God wants me to know. My eyes are to be on Him. His Word can't get any more clear on that. Does that mean that a news fast is the right thing for everyone? I can't say that. Only you can listen to God for your own life. Seek His instruction in this. He may not have that in His plans for you right now. I know I was out of control with the news. I know that my reliance is to be on Him, and not anywhere else. God always blesses faithfulness to His Word. Does that mean we'll have lots of riches and material things? I don't know, but I just want the peace and joy that comes from following Him. The rest will come to us whenever (if ever) it does. I do know that God promises

Deuteronomy 28: 1-2 (New International Version)

1 If you fully obey the LORD your God and carefully follow all his commands I give you today, the LORD your God will set you high above all the nations on earth. 2 All these blessings will come upon you and accompany you if you obey the LORD your God:

If you want shouting and rejoicing, read the rest of the chapter. WAHOOOO!!!!! God is our provider, comforter, and security.