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Mm. What has been your experience when fasting? Like you know. Jesus said, when you fast, it wasn't like if.
So, when you fast, what happened? 8663487884. 8663487884. What has been, really, seriously, what has been your experience with fasting? Have you had some breakthrough?
Have you seen something that just Okay. You know, just drew you deeper with God than you've ever been. Because fascinatingly, the word in Hebrew does have to do with going deep. And there's no doubt in my mind, having experienced it. And I know you're wondering why we're talking about fasting today.
I bet you don't have to wonder much because today is 8:21. And as Dr. Date, the word Carson sitting across from me would tell you that this is Ezra 8:21. And Ezra 8:21 says, Then I proclaimed a fast there at the river Ahava, that we might afflict ourselves before our God to seek him of a right way for us and for our little ones and for all our substance. Which is really cool because we've talked about before the show that the word ahava means sustenance.
And they're fasting for substance, which seems counterintuitive. Like, wait a minute, I need substance. But nonetheless, You know what? Uh an amazing discipline for disciples. In my it's been my experience that It is a way to go.
Deeper with God. One of the most moving, challenging spiritual exercises. is fasting to abstain from something. Usually food, that's the normal fast, but sometimes it could be other things that you will limit yourself of.
So that you can, I like to say it for a serious time. With God, you Euphaest. And there your focus gets really fixed on God. and you want to hear from him You want to know him better. And uh It's it's it's for me It's been an amazing journey.
to have times of fasting. And I love hearing your stories, Robbie, but I know we right now would love to hear some listeners' stories of how fasting impacted their lives and why they would have fasted and what came about with the fast. Um one eight six six six six six six six three four eight seven eight eight four Uh probably set that to Fay S Robbie. There are speed dialers out there, Doc.
Okay. But you can go slow. My kids always say: you always say it too fast. All right. 866.
Three, four, eight. Seven Ain't no Eight. Four. And because A again, your testimony. Mm.
Could just be exactly what, you know, if God's put it on your heart to call. There's somebody out there who's trying to really going through something. And Man, they were thinking about fasting, and your testimony could be just what the doctor ordered. Yeah yeah. Your comments, what your thoughts are.
You know, something that we're wide open to whatever you might have. We'd love to hear from our listeners in, you know, whatever subject you might have. But, you know, this one is. is rich soil. Yeah.
And Ezra Was in a spot. He had a problem. Oh man, did they? And You know, one of the biggest problems um Mm-hmm. Was that unfortunately the culture wasn't led, like we need to go back to Jerusalem and we need to do what God had for us?
Like, it's time, you know, we need to go. And from what I understand, there were literally millions of Jews that were in the world at this point in time, but something like 20,000, some remarkably small amount, even considered. Yeah, yeah. And was not looking to go back to the promised land. But Ezra was.
But he also, how are we going to get there? He needed God's direction. And I don't know how many times I've gone to this verse. Trying to figure out, God, where do you want me next? Uh how do you want me to handle this?
And it could be a week-to-week thing on just sermon preparation. But Lord, I need your direction. It's, to me, putting a little bit more emphasis on the Proverbs 3, 5, and 6: Trust in the Lord with all your heart. Lean not on your own understanding. Acknowledge him in all your ways, and he will direct your path.
Okay, God, I really need you right now. I can tell you that. Um Wasn't terribly long ago, about three years ago, I was pastor of a church That was really in trouble. I mean, from a standpoint of the previous pastor, it had some. struggles and resigned, um, surprising everybody after twenty one years of being the pastor and really, really hurt a lot of people.
And it caused a great deal of division, as you might imagine, and I was left. as the interim pastor. And Believe me, there were some people that, because of my relationship with the previous pastor, I sense that they did not they were not happy with Robbie, right? And I'll never ever forget this deacon meeting. It seemed like they were eating me for lunch.
Like I could not say anything that I didn't feel like it was f flying back in my face. I wanted to call for a fast dinner so they'd stop eating you for lunch. But I actually had fasted for nearly a week before the meeting 'cause I I felt this was a big turning point. In my life, in the church's life, and what was going on at the time, it was just like, that's a huge moment. And so I need to, right?
I know this deacon meeting is coming. I'm just, I just began to, God put it on my heart to fast and fast and fast. And so I came into that meeting having that experience.
Well At the end of the meeting, they looked at me and they said, which kind of surprised me actually, they said, Robbie, would you pray? And God put, I mean, it was like He just, you know, we talked about the oil coming down Aaron's beard a little while ago, it came from heaven. I I I didn't see this one coming, but he just gave it to me and I started to sing. I love you, Lord. And I lift my voice.
to worship you. Oh my god, rejoice. And as I sang those words, it was like The spirit filled the room, which had been completely, you know, contentious. And I just felt. God's presence in a place that really was scaring me a little few minutes before that.
It was one of those things that I'll never ever forget. It was like. Oh my gosh, God, even in a time when it seems like everything's coming apart. Um You can bring it. And he did in that moment, right?
And I, you know, again, you don't know where that stuff came from, but it's where it came. No.
So I know you got, I know you had one, 866-348-7884, 866-348-7. 7884. We would love to hear what you've experienced. Doc, you have some uh mind-blowing ones that you've witnessed. Yeah.
I've witnessed them, having been at Liberty. Thomas Rowe Baptist Church. But for me, I have to take my journey back to First Baptist Dallas with Dr. W.A. Criswell in the early 80s when I went to the Criswell College.
Um I got taught about fasting in a unique way as Dr. Paige Patterson, the president at that time, was going over with us freshmen about things we should be doing as we're getting ready for the ministry. And he said, now, men, it's important that you build your library. And you'll need to be buying one book a week and reading one book a week. And a a young man pretty close to me raises his hand and said, Dr.
Patterson, I can barely afford to be here. How am I supposed to afford I book a week. And he said, Oh, well, you're going to save the best for wait till you hear this one, you're going to love it. You've got to stay tuned through the break to hear what this Professor said that literally changed your life, Doc, to some extent. 866.
We want to hear yours. 866-348-3648. 7-884-866-34 TRUTH. We'll be right back. Mm-hmm.
You're listening to the Truth Network and TruthNetwork.com. Welcome back to Truth Talk Live. Today is 8:21, and when you read Ezra 8:21, you're going to see that there's a great reason for you to call in today. That is to tell us about your fasting experience. Ezra 8:21 says, And I proclaimed a fast there at the river Ahava that we might afflict ourselves before God to seek Him a right way for us and for our little ones and for our Substance.
And so we left our hero doc because You're waiting, you're dialing right now, I know, 866-348-7884, with your experience. Because I know I. Talk to a lot of you guys. I know you fast all the time, and I know you've got experiences that would encourage many people.
So don't. You know, if God's putting it on your heart, die.
So we left him this professor Had been challenged with how am I supposed to buy a book? a week when I can't hardly afford to be in this college, and his answer Changed everything. Sure did. Dr. Patterson said, well.
I'm thinking that you probably are not incorporating a spiritual discipline in your life. Called fasting, and I want to encourage you to do that. I highly recommend it, and just think of this, guys: if you fast three meals. Your breakfast, your lunch, and your dinner, and you take the money from those three meals, you can buy a book. And I go, that is great logic.
And I started doing that. And I started buying one book a week because I also fasted once a week. That saved on my, that was able to give me that money to be able to do this. And then the spiritual. How do I say it, fruit that came from it?
The investment I made in fasting, of getting to know God. I don't even know how to really put it into words. I just know that was one of the richest times of my life. Because of fasting and then getting these books and starting to read and um It changed my life. But I'm so glad that guy asked that question because by asking I don't know if I'd ever thought of it to of this as a way to to be able to build your library, but also build your spiritual life.
Right. The humility of it, right? I don't know how but that's it's a beautiful idea of You know, he gives you substance. I mean, that's the idea of what Ezra is talking about here. How are we going to allocate it?
Um and you begin to learn the the Matthew 4-4 principle. That man does not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceeds out of his mouth, which is also Luke 4:4. You get a two-for-one when you memorize that. It's a good time because Jerry Falwell's 80-day fast is something we all can learn from. I mean, oh, my goodness.
But, you know, it wasn't 80 days in a row, but you've got to tell this story. I mean, it's powerful. Liberty's in a lot of financial trouble back in the mid nineties. And um so finally. He just took it upon himself.
that he was going to fast for 40 days to ask God for the money. That we needed, and we're talking about maybe 50, 60, 70 million dollars, not pocket change. And I noticed something as we were spending time together that it looked like he was losing weight. I've come to learn that over those that fast he would lose about 80 some pounds about a pound a day and he he could afford to lose some weight at that time but he fasted for 40 days And um No answer.
So 25 days go by, and within the 25 days, as he explained it to us. He really felt impressed of God that he had not been fasting the way he should have been. He was really consumed with. I've got to have the money, I got to have the money, and God said. Uh I want you to fast to know me.
And so He went back and fasted another 40 days where he then. At the end of that 40 days, God said, now you can ask me for the money. and Liberty University is alive and well today. because years ago Jerry Falwell sought the face of God. That's beautiful.
Absolutely beautiful. We got Jeremy is in central Pennsylvania.
So, Jeremy, you're on Truth Talk Live. Yeah, just wanted to call and share a little testimony about fasting. Wonderful. Yeah, yeah, uh many years ago I had started uh reading a book by Elmer Towns on fasting and uh started looking into it for myself and and we were challenged to give it a practice once and kind of see how it goes and started to incorporate into my spiritual life and uh when I think one of the cool things at the time I was gaining a lot of weight, and it's not why I fasted, but as I fasted, started to really grow in just disciplines in my life in general. Um And it was kinda neat how as I pursued the Lord in that time and was willing to give up, you know, uh eating all the time and Things like that, started exercising more.
It really helped me out physically as well, but also was uh. Just uh probably wanted Times that I really grew the most in the Lord, and just really a cool time. Yeah. Yeah, it's it's a it sounds like a precious memory. It it's r the deeper experience, right?
That Yeah. Yeah, I mean it really just it was and for me it was all about I mean food had really become an idol in a lot of ways. And so for putting that aside was, I think, why it was so impactful for me, because I was choosing over God over something that I was indulging in, I guess you should say. And uh you know like I said, I wasn't I wasn't fasting For the health benefits, but I was fasting for spiritual purposes. And as I learned to do that, I began to see other results of that.
it kind of took over my whole life and brought a lot of benefits that I wasn't even really anticipating at the time, which is a really neat opportunity to experience. Yeah, when you look at fasting, Jeremy, What I have found it does, it raises the bar of of those other disciplines that you need in your life. And it it helps you to to start saying, well, if I can If I can discipline my body. To not eat, okay. I can discipline myself to be better when it comes to rest.
I can discipline myself better when it comes to my time. I can discipline myself better when it comes to my money.
So it's a lot of those different results that come to someone who would Start fasting, that you don't expect it when you go in there, but you begin to realize it as you're doing it. Um So would you Off of Dr. Towns' book, there were nine different faests. Was there any one faeas that you were kind of focussed more on or just you were just putting the f just going into I want to start doing fasting? I just went into it like I said, emphasizing starting giving up a meal or two.
And then from that, it ended up growing into three day fasts, and I started to incorporate them pretty consistently into my life. And I'd uh do like a three day fast once a month and Yeah, so it just kinda Man, like I said, it was impacting me so much. I I wanted I found myself wanting more of the Lord as I practice those. Right, right. That's the big thing.
That's the hunger that you end up increasing. I love that you said that, Jeremy. That's such a point. that the the hunger that increases i is is the hunger for more. Like once you've tasted it, man, I want that again.
And I don't know what I got to do to get it. But it's fascinating to me and I bet you experienced the same thing.
Sometimes You're on a one-day fast and you and you get it, but the next time you're four or five days in and I'm still wanting and I'm I can't seem to get there. Have you experienced that? Yeah, I mean, just like I get kind of like Dwayne had shared, you know, the. I was at Liberty one faster fall while I was doing his too fast, and I remember I remember seeing that and uh him sharing, you know, from the pulpit what he was doing and At the time, I'll be honest, I just thought he was nuts. I would have, I definitely would have, yeah, yeah.
But at the same time, like when he went into that second fast. Like, I was like, man, if this man can do that, I can be doing so much more to seek the Lord. Hearing him fast in that way really challenged me that Hey, this is worth time. If a man like this can seek the Lord in this way. Surely I can I can do more as well.
That's so beautiful. I love it.
Well, Jeremy, thank you for your call. Encouraging to us all.
So glad you. Yes. Do you know Jeremy? Yes. Okay.
I sure do.
Well, that's good.
Well, we got Bucksman calling in as well. We need your call: 866-348-7884. Thank you so much for your call, Jeremy. We'll be all right. Thank you, Jeremy.
Truth talk line. You're listening to the Truth Network and TruthNetwork.com. Welcome back to Truth Talk Live. Today we're talking about what has been your experience. With fasting, seeing how it is August 21st in Ezra 8:21, he proclaimed a fast, and wow.
Like maybe you had an experience of a joint fast or a whole church fast like Doc has had with Liberty or something like that. Couple calls. We got Bucksman and Isaac.
So, Buxman, you're on Truth Talk Live. Hey, Robbie and Dr. Clausen. Always love it when you guys are manning the mic. Um I've got a different take on Fasting.
Um I realize now, my dear brothers and everybody listening, that When I read God's words. Studying a book, going over a person's life that's recorded in the Bible. Like, I really like to geek out and look at, like, say, Obadiah. I mean, when was the last time we learned? Who Obadiah is as a man, you know, and why did God choose him to be a minor prophet?
Put his literature in a book called The Holy Bible. I geek out on stuff like that sometimes. Anyway. While I'm geeking, I realize, guys, That when I'm really into my Bible studying, studying my Bible. I'm not very hungry.
During it, and I'm wondering if there's anybody else out there in Truth Talk. That may have experienced this when they're really, really studying scripture, whether it be a person or a concept or whatever, and you're really seeking out God's. Uh uh concerns and what he wants us to know about that certain matter. If you find yourself just without wanting to eat, you know, now, this is what happens to me, though, brothers. After I get done with my studying and I've got my notebook filled with notes and stuff.
Wow am I starving? It's funny. And I'm like So it's like Well, boss, do you go eat? Or do you fast? like some of our dear callers are calling.
And just Let, you know, God sink in without eating, even though my flesh. Wants to go get a cheeseburger. You know what I mean?
So, and I have to say this, Dr. Carson, I've got to say this, Brother Robbie. I've never really done that. I've never, in all my years of walking with God and studying His words. I don't think I've ever said, you know what, boss, just don't eat for the rest of the evening after I got done with my intense study.
So I'm wondering. You know, um Wow, what would happen, Bussman? If you didn't eat that cheese buzzer after you had that intense study, and I wonder if God would deepen. What she just taught me. In his word?
you know, and it would it would have even more effect in my in my life. But I know this is kind of weird, but this is my personal experience, guys.
So I would love your guys' take. I want Isaac on the phone, so I won't talk your ear off. But so I'll take any kind of response off the air. And just know that I love you guys. Oh, hey, Robbie, before I let you go, I'm washing the bus, the bus mobile right now at the local car wash.
Oh, wow. That's exciting. It's covered in mud. It's covered in mud from where I took it to a fair over the weekend and the grounds where you parked. Oh, yeah.
You had a lot of rain there in Ohio. And we did, Dr. Carson.
So all the cars are covered in mud that went to the fair. It's funny. But anyway, I love you guys. Love True Talk. And I would just like your take: have you ever gotten really, really hungry after you've done intense Bible study?
Love you guys. God bless. I'll talk to you later. You too.
Well, I will say yes to that, and I think Bucksman, what you will have to do is make that decision. If God's impressing you to do that, try it. Everybody's spiritual journey is different. As God worked with Elijah, it was one way. As he worked with Elisha, it was another way.
And with Ezra here, he didn't just fast, he proclaimed a fast.
So as God does impress you to make that decision, why don't you just.
Now, just keep chewing on my word for this coming meal and just see what happens with it. Yeah, what an invitation, right? And like Obadiah, he mentioned, you know, a servant of the Lord. I love that idea.
So we do have Isaac is in Virginia. Thank you for being patient with us. Isaac, you're on Truth Talk Live.
Well, hello, brothers. It's good to listen to the show and Something that uh I've had Uh Several uh pretty uh intense uh experiences with uh fasting that you brought up. I was listening. I said, Well, Lord, if you want me to call in, just make a space.
So I called, and here it is. But uh, I'll tell you one thing, right before COVID, You know, and how the whole world changed after that. But anyway, prior to that, I'd been going up to DC's on Sundays, and the Lord led me up there to proclaim the word at the White House. Pray for the nation and pray for wherever the Lord put my pass. had a lot of uh supernatural experiences there, but One day I was at work and I got a text message that said, Brother, you need to come to DC.
And uh I didn't really know who it was at the time. But that backing up just a little bit, that Wednesday I got the text on Friday. That Wednesday, I really Was impressed by God to go into a fast, not knowing why.
Well, I get this text that I need to go to DC, so I prayed about it and I had peace about going.
So I just dropped everything, went home, changed clothes and went straight to DC. what had happened was there was a meeting of Eastern Indians, hundreds and hundreds of them, had gathered in DC to pray. for the country. And um So I was asked to be a part of that.
Well, after meeting up with some people there, and the person who had sent me the text invited me to come up there. I found out that that whole group of people had started as fast. that Wednesday. Really? Yeah, that that really, really got a hold of me there.
And they had set up after we prayed around the White House and stuff, we all went up to the Capitol building. There were several big charter buses there. And they asked me to get on the bus and come up with them to the Capitol building. They had a stage and a and big area there and the shade trees set up and there was you know, several hundred of them there and I'm standing there and then I get a word. for these people and I'm like Wow, I mean, what do I do?
I mean Brilliant. I'm just I'm just hit right. Anyway, so it turned out that I was Invited to come up on the platform and give the word to these people and The word that God had given me for these people was Um You know, that God had brought those people to this country. as missionaries. And he had them stationed in individual places all over the nation.
you know, to pray for the area that they were in and to keep the light shining. and the area that they were in.
Well, that was a whole weekend meeting.
So, after that meeting, it was very powerful.
Well, I could smell food cooking. I guess they had rented a church, and you could smell the food. And I love Eastern Indian food, and I could smell it. And I'm like, yes, yes.
So after the meeting, this You know, everybody goes there to eat. And I walk into the cafeteria there and I heard the Holy Spirit said, Not for you. Wow.
So they all and you know, and it they all and it w I was fine. I was fine. I found out that when you fast after the third day, you kind of reset and and you get a lot clearer and feel better and a lot of things go on. But I the Lord led me through an eleven day fast. At that time, and it was very powerful.
So I encourage people, you know. in Second Chronicles seven fourteen, you know, where it says If my people who are called by my name will humble themselves. How do we humble ourselves? How do we humble ourselves? We deny our flesh.
And I've heard, you know. Bible scholars say, you know, that's one of the main ways that we can humble ourselves is by fasting. And that's in that verse in Ezra 8:21, that we might humble ourselves. Exactly. Exactly.
That's beautiful. Absolutely gorgeous.
So we humble ourselves and pray and seek God's face and turn from our wicked ways. And then. He will hear from heaven, and he will forgive our sin, and he will heal our land.
So, I just encourage all the brothers and sisters in this nation. We're here for such a time as this, and we really do need to humble ourselves. She can and no, you bring up an amazing point, Isaac, that I learned from actually Nikita Goloff. uh who has have a tremendous habit of fasting. That when God asks you to fast, You're not done.
Until y you feel he releases you. Like you you ask, am I done? Is this is it okay? Or are we are we going deeper? And I love that discipline.
I really, really do. Yeah. of knowing okay. That I'm eating in God's will, or I'm not. You know, and I'll be fine if he's you know, if he's in charge of that, I I And so when you say Eastern Indian, you're not talking about Native Americans.
You're talking about people from the country of India. Yeah. Yeah. Yes. And they had a burden for our country.
Yeah. Yeah, that's awesome. Isn't that awesome? And how they got your number to text you? Did you ever find that out?
Well, it was a friend of mine who I'd actually met at a men's conference out in Colorado at Andrew Womack's Church. And uh yeah, I got word when I showed up there was Couple thousand men there, and a guy tells me, Hey, there's a guy here named Isaac you're supposed to meet. And that's a whole nother story. I ended up meeting him. His name's Isaac Newton.
And he's from India. And we hit it off. We become very close friends. I just texted him yesterday. He's in India right now doing some work, but he lives in Indianapolis now.
So That's fascinating. Indianapolis.
Okay. That is awesome, Isaac. Thank you for your call. It means so much to us. I'm sure it means a lot to.
A lot of our listeners keep up the great work. Thank you again for listening to the Holy Spirit. Amen. Amen. God bless you guys and your families, and everyone's listening in the name of Jesus.
Amen. Thank you, Isaac. That is so awesome, man. That's just and as he talked about, you know, people fasting now. We go back to our founding, back to the 1600s.
Some of our Thanksgiving days We were not proclaimed for days of feasting, but for days of fasting. It would be later on that it became more of a feasting day, but Uh I I as I've been Reviewing, recounting 250 years since the Declaration of Independence, but it goes further back. Um Our country has had many of times when leaders called for days of prayer and fasting. And Jesus gave a secret one time when they asked about dealing with a demon. He told his disciples, the secret is prayer and fasting.
You don't have to fast for every prayer request you have. But sometimes the way that you're going to really get in tune with what God is trying to show you. Because sometimes Robbie, his answer is no to something. Oh, yeah. And and sometimes we have to get really in tune to hear the no.
I love Rhiza. Brought out that he felt led by the Holy Spirit to fast, like Buxman talked about. Yes. That he felt led to not eat that cheeseburger. If it's one meal, whatever, God and Mustafa.
You know, just that relationship that happens as a result.
So beautiful. We're waiting for your call, 866-348-7884. We'll be right back. You're listening to the Truth Network and TruthNetwork.com. Welcome back to True Talk Live.
Today is 821, or August. The 21st, Ezra 8, 21. It talks about how he proclaimed this fast. And so, what has been your fasting experience? Doc, you said something really profound, right, as we were g going into that break that I would love the listeners to hear.
Well As I'm processing today's show, um Many a times I've looked at fasting as part of my prayers for asking. And yet I'm hearing people talk about The Holy Spirit led them. And as I want Sometimes I want to get to know God deeper. I'm gonna fast. But um Hearing and realizing there's times when God's impressing on me to fast.
So I can get to know him deeper because he wants me to know how much he loves me because he does love me. And this fasting, it's a two way street. God really does want us to get to know him in a deep, loving way that Wow. And he wants to know us, is what you had said. He wants to know you.
Yeah. And in that way, in that deeper place, getting so close to him. Wow.
So we got Alan is in Lynchburg, Virginia. Alan, you're on True Talk Live. I'm so excited you called. I am so excited just sharing so much about fasting. And I'd like to share some of my story.
I've had many of them. Please. When I face Right off fast well, let's let's start off. I'm from the Bahamas. And my family were my mother my grandmother was.
Custodian for the church, she did all the cleaning and the fixing up and everything for the Baptist church back there. And uh every ether There was a There's pretty much Change it. Festivals. With Easter. With the death of Christ, the resurrection of Christ.
So, Easter is very special to us. And I was part of the group with my grandma picking flowers and doing everything, preparing the church. And But Henry. backgrounds Always with Good Friday, people don't eat most of the Indians do not eat meat. but they go after the fish.
So the fishmen are very popular. on Thursdays and Wednesday before Good Friday. And I saw all of this fixing. My mom was a street seamstress, and she made dresses and everything for my sisters. And she was very good at it.
She made wedding dresses without patents. And was very Uh known for that. But here it is. I saw this preparation and I said, You know I could do more than just for the Lord. I'm saying this to myself, and I said, How can you?
I said, Well, They do all of this preparation for food and hot cross buns and fried fish and all that. But I'm gonna on Thursday night just cut off. and stop eating. And wait till after the resurrection, which we thought was Sunday morning after service. And I'll leave then.
And uh But this I can say to you right now, that I have been doing that Pretty close. Two fifty seven, fifty eight years. I still do it. I follow that pattern. But here it is, I went along.
I learned I can bring I'm not gonna stretch out the story. But I'll tell you a few things that are cut. During Queston. I've had People said they had situations that needed to be. we needed to pray about it instantly.
And I realized that it was something deep And I would instantly When they mentioned what the situation is, I said we need to fast about this. And I would go on a fast. three days, usually minimum. Uh oh. And then it went on.
And then in nineteen 96. Uh I got married in ninety five, ninet ninety three. My wife got pregnant. My wife was pregnant. and the doctor told her that she had to stay in bed.
Ah, two months he said, You We have to put you in the hospital. I said, why? He said, because you're Cervix is weak. And we have to keep you protected. You have to uh uh sleep in a special way in an elevated bed.
So I said to the doctor, who was also a friend of mine, I said, Can I keep at home and do that? And he said, keep her at home. I said, yes, what are you going to do in the hospital? And he says, take a temperature, do this and that and the other. And he says, Okay, you have to take the head of the bed, and put an eight inch blocks under the head of the bed So the bed is elevated at the head and the foot is down.
Take the weight. from a cervix.
So I said, well, I and I took care of her. And I also slept in bed with her the exact same way she slept. I said, if she has to go through this, I'm going to go through it with her. And so For the full time of the pregnancy. On december twentieth, Fixed somewhere about there.
I want a break. And I was shopping. deciding I was going to get Uh A good meal for Christmas then I was near then, I think it was. And and uh I was in the store. And the manager came running to the back.
He says, Isn't going to have an urchin call out front? I said, Well, my phone didn't ring. But it was a steel structure that was toll. I'm very kind. better friend and for the household.
And she said, My wall is break, you gotta get home.
So I'm in my car running home and I said, Call the apostle who has the next flight. She said, What? I said, Call the apart you was the next flight. The doctor told us that if anything happens before time, that we have to either get to Florida or to Nassau because Freeport didn't have the Wood was needed for a premature baby. Mm.
And uh We got to the airport. The drivers, the county agent said to me, He said, The Thingram, you can't order two. round trip tickets going to cost you this.
So I was spurred to ask him for two one rays. And I said, Can I have two one-way tickets? And he told me the price. The price he gave me was one hundred and forty seven dollars. When I went shopping?
When I went shopping, I had one hundred and fifty dollars to buy the Christmas food. But because I ran out of the store, I still had the hundred and fifty dollars in my pocket. We got on the flight. I ended up in Miami. uh they're one of the major hospitals in Miami.
And On january first, 1996 My son Alan was born. At twenty Seven weeks. That's a week before six months of pregnancy. Weighing two pounds eleven. Then the doctor put him in my hand his head Was that the Heel of my hand and the foot just And one hand just hung over the tip of the fingers.
It was two pounds eleven ounces. And the doctor said we now hope to get him into new boys intensive here immediately. and four doctors along with myself went with him interviewed by intensive care. Today, our news. Six foot six two hundred and fifty pounds.
My daughter that lured the hole. I was classing every first seven days of the month. But it whole appeared she was pregnant.
So guess what? When he was born, I was still on a fast. And Like I say right now, he's 31. He's 6'6, 250 pounds. My daughter that came after him.
when ten months He came early. She came up. Your wife probably was really wishing you were fasting for the daughter to come. He was referred to as the Miracle Baby. But both of them.
are graduates of Liberty University. And that itself is another story because all the things you're telling me about, Jerry, Followers. I see where and how we got connected. Because when I met Jerry Farwood, he said, Don't you ever come to the school blood coming to see me? And one day talking about family He said What are you gonna do with those younger kids?
He said, You get them into Liberty Christian Academy and I'll see that they get into university. And my wife didn't take it.
So We came up a year later for already. One of the Reflect isn't. Donald was getting married. We came up for the wedding. They're from the Bahamas also.
And I met Terry Fowler. You met Terry Fowl. Who is Terry Fomo? That's Dr. Fomo's first cousin.
And he was a fanatic football fan of Washington Redskins. And we're talking about. He's talking about the Redskins, because I had a short stint with the Redskins. And then he said to me, I told him what Jerry had said. Jerry had passed by this time.
And I told him what Jerry said to me. He said, Oh, and hang on a second. And he calls Right uh Because uh Jerry Jerry Jr. Probably called Jerry Jr. who is now the head of university.
And he says, uh Have them come and meet me tomorrow at eleven o'clock at the school. We went to school the next day. And within three minutes, he said the offer still stands. We found the letter on Dad's desk. talk about this program.
About making Liberty Christian Academy a theater system for the university. Yep.
somehow we were still under the umbrella. And be God end.
So we've been here in Lynchburg now fifteen years. Because of Jerry Foger. Mm-hmm. I'll tell you a tag, one more tag with this. A few years ago, the Hurricane Darien.
Bit the Bahamas It was the most It's the strongest hurricane that ever hit the Bahamas. It one hundred and eighty eighty mile an hour winds and it sat for two days over Freeport and Abacote. Pastor Jonathan Farber got involved. He sure did. That's what happened.
I put him in touch with the. Yeah. Deputy Prime Minister the Bahamas. Arrangements were made to have flights come in. We'll try to help out.
Jonathan, on the other hand, Pastor Jonathan called Ah. We only got about thirty seconds left, Alan, so Okay, people Franklin Graham and Franklin Graham This year is Samaritan Spice. Samaritan Spice in the Bahamas helping out. Liberty University had their flight school go in and help out. And all of these I'm saying as a result of fasting and things that come from it.
But I'm going to tell you one more thing before I go. There's an atomic power to fasting which people should know, and that's Isaiah 58. Yes, yes, yes, yes. Isaiah 58. This is what we need to get into and understand that God Yeah.
With his word, it goes forth in power and will not return to him boy. No, it won't. Isaiah 58. Thank you, Alan Carmen. You bless this movie.
Oh, God is good. God is good. Thank you all so much for an amazing show. We'll see you next week. Mm.
