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the third meal. I have been on a much longer fast, but I have
studied fasting and spent one year, about 18 years ago, lecturing
on diseases, diet, and fasting, and have had considerable
experience putting many people thru fasts. And I have never known
one case where full results were not achieved!
FASTING AND PRAYER: There is, as I said above, NOTHING like
fasting and prayer for drawing close to God, re-establishing
contact, being filled with His Spirit. For this purpose it is
better to fast completely---no fruit-juice of any kind. In Bible
times they sometimes fasted without even water, but sometimes water
was used. Personally I think results will be obtained if one
drinks water, but nothing else. For purely spiritual purposes a
fast from one to three days is usually sufficient. You may expect
head-aches, and a very thick-headed feeling the first two days. It
is not pleasant. It is, in Bible language, AFFLICTING THE SOUL.
It takes courage and will-power, and self-denial. I recommend, for
this purpose, dividing your time three ways: about one-third in
studying the subject of fasting in the Bible, and other Bible
study. Use a good concordance, and your marginal-references if
your Bible has them. If not you should get one which has. Look up
all you can find under fasting. Then about a third of your time in
meditation---turning over in your own mind by yourself WHY you have
not been closer to God, thinking out just HOW you have been letting
the worldly things creep in, meditating on what you have read in
the Bible, applying it to yourself and your spiritual condition.
Then, spend one full third of your time in earnest PRAYER. Did you
ever spend one solid HOUR in prayer, alone with God in some private
room, on your knees? Very few ever have. If you haven't, the
first time you do it you'll find it will take as much will-power
and self-denial as forcing yourself to stay on a fast and resisting
that gnawing hunger feeling. In five or ten minutes, or less,
every excuse in the world will come into your mind. You aren't in
the mood now---why not do it later? You just think of something
that ought to be done, and you think you must go do it right now.
Yes, I know what will come to your mind, for I have done it and I
know by experience. But if you will resist every temptation, and
STAY on your knees, even tho you think your prayer isn't going as
high as the ceiling, in at least 30 or 40 minutes the devil will
probably give up and let you alone and you'll find you are
establishing contact with God, and you'll find you are beginning to
really ENJOY talking to Him---just pouring out your soul to Him---
telling Him all about it. Pause, once in a while, and meditate,
and let God talk to you.
I see I simply have not the space in this BULLETIN to write
more than a fiftieth part of what I wanted to say to you. I hope
this will have helped some of you.
Now I have not the space to comment as I wanted on the Tito
and Berlin incidents. They are both very significant in the chain
of events fulfilling Bible prophecy and bringing us to the final
climax. Perhaps I can go into this in one of my first broadcasts,
July 18th or after---or in The PLAIN TRUTH.
But first I want to THANK all you good Co-Workers for your
loyalty, your unselfish sacrifice, in continuing to hold up my