The Daniel Fast: Its Origin
The Daniel Fast is based on verses from the Bible found in Daniel 10:2-3. “At that time I, Daniel, mourned for three weeks. I ate no choice food; no meat or wine touched my lips; and I used no lotions at all until the three weeks were over.” These three weeks refer to the observance of Passover and the Feast of Unleavened Bread, which take place during the first month of the year (Exodus 12:1-20).

Some also may cite the example in Daniel 1:8. However, in this verse Daniel did not want to eat the king’s delicacies because it would have included food that was forbidden by the Mosaic Law (Leviticus 11); to eat it would be defiling his body. Another reason would have been because the king’s meats had probably been dedicated to the false Babylonian idols as was their practice. Daniel believed to do so would have been to acknowledge their idols as deities, against God’s commandments.

The Daniel Fast: Its Purpose
While the Daniel Fast is cleansing your body by omitting certain foods for a limited time, the deeper and true basis of intent is for spiritual connection. The purpose of Christian fasting is to seek a more intimate relationship with God while ridding your physical body of unnatural, self-gratifying food and drink. Your focus is to be on God, not on the fleshly things of the world. Too often, the focus of fasting is on the lack of food. Instead, the purpose of fasting should be to take your eyes off the things of this world to focus completely on God.

During the Daniel Fast you will want to concentrate on prayer, Bible study, and reflection. The Daniel Fast is a great way to enter into preparation for growing in the Lord.

If you have a medical condition or are undergoing any medical treatments it is advisable to first consult your physician. You may also want to pray, consult a mature Christian or your pastor before fasting. Remember, fasting should be periodically and for limited days.

The Daniel Fast: The Guidelines
The basic guidelines for the Daniel Fast include eating:

• fruits, nuts
• vegetables
• water only to drink (to flush out toxins) Some say natural fruit juices may be included if they contain no preservatives, sugars, etc., but even those juices should be very limited. Coffee and tea are not permitted.

The Daniel Fast should eliminate all meats, pastries, chips, breads, and fried food. Breads contain yeast, baking powder and so on; those are leavening agents and should be avoided. Leaven is symbolic of sin in certain scriptures (1 Corinthians 5:6-8).

With these things listed, it is concluded that any food having artificial additives, chemicals, or that is processed should be totally avoided during the fast. Fruits and vegetables are the mainstay of the Daniel Fast and can be acceptably prepared in a variety of ways. Many fasting recipes and several cookbooks are designed for the Daniel Fast.

The Daniel Fast is a powerful spiritual discipline. With the coupling of fasting and prayer, one can open themselves to God’s Holy Spirit. Having a sincere desire to seek God, you can come to Him with a contrite and repentant heart and He will minister to you in a powerful way. God’s awesome power is transforming and you will know that with God, all things are possible.

It is important to note that the Bible nowhere commands believers to observe a Daniel fast. As a result, it is a matter of Christian freedom whether to observe a Daniel fast. At the same time, the Bible presents fasting as something that is good, profitable, and beneficial. The book of Acts records believers fasting before they made important decisions (Acts 13:2; 14:23). Fasting and prayer are often linked together (Luke 2:37;5:33).

“Now, therefore,” says the Lord, “Turn to Me with all your heart, with fasting, with weeping and with mourning” (Joel 2:12)

Bottles, blood and gunshots end Follow Di Arrow
Bounty Killer, Ragashanti run for cover
By SIMONE MORGAN Observer staff reporter [email protected]
Sunday, February 27, 2011

FOLLOW Di Arrow, which throughout its promotion encouraged everyone to ‘keep the unity’, had that sentiment shattered to pieces when during Bounty Killer’s performance, bottles and stones started to rain on the stage.
The event, which was held at the James Bond Beach in St Mary, came to a grinding halt this morning when Killer took centre stage and started to make a comment on a story which was carried in a newspaper. He did not get to finish whatever he was about to say as at that point all hell broke loose.
Bottles and stones rained down and sounds of gunshots could be heard. Patrons scampered under the stage or just about any other place that seemed safe enough to offer protection from the violent and frightening attack. A cross and angry Killer, who had exited the stage just seconds before, made a sudden return shouting, “Mi nah run, after mi nah play dandy shandy”. The artiste did not live up to his words though, as just seconds later he was seen along with other members of his Alliance team running for cover from the angry crowd.
No one knows for sure if the gunshots were from policemen in the venue or from other sources. At the front of the stage, two men tried to carry a wounded pregnant woman to safety without much luck as dozens of bottles were flying. Dozens of other patrons were seen all bloody, some screaming in anguish while others just cowered, trembling in despair.
DJ Sunshine was seen cowering on the stage with someone kind enough to place a chair over her for protection.
And Ragashanti, who minutes before was urging the crowd to “stay calm”, had to beat a hasty retreat as the bottles pelted the stage.
The Observer could not ascertain the status of those injured, as when this reporter made an exit, the attack was still in full force as members of the security forces tried feverishly to quell the violent uproar.

I really cannot explain whats goin on wid Dougie shirt …nor what he is grabbing up……I cant even explain why the glasses looks borrowed and why the color of his teet have pulled the shade of the glasses…I cant explain y’all…

Baptism Necessary for Salvation – The Meaning
People around the world ask this question: Is baptism necessary for salvation? The word “baptism” is a transliteration of the Greek word “baptisma” and this word is from a primary Greek verb “bapto,” which is also the root of the word baptize. The word means to dip, to dye or to change the identification of. When a piece of white cloth was “bapto” into a vat of blue dye, it no longer was white cloth because its identification was changed to blue cloth. That is the root of the meaning of the word.

The rite of baptism was a ritual in the Jewish culture from the beginning. Ceremonial washing of priests and the dipping temple utensils into water was part of the law. For instance, a priest was “baptized” into his office as a priest and it was to dedicate and identify the priest in his position. This baptism set apart the priest to take part in the temple worship and sacrifices. The baptism of the utensils set them apart for a specific use in worship. When John the Baptist came on the scene, Jews came to him to be baptized for the confession of their sins. This was not for salvation because the LORD Jesus Christ had not yet paid the price for sin. The baptism of John the Baptist was an Old Testament economy baptism and it only signified the participant’s willingness to confess his sin and therefore, John the Baptist’s baptism was for repentance (Acts 19:4).

Is Baptism Necessary for Salvation – The Biblical Evidence
It is interesting to note that Jesus did not baptize. “The Pharisees heard that Jesus was gaining and baptizing more disciples than John, although in fact it was not Jesus who baptized, but His disciples” (John 4:1-2). If water baptism were necessary for salvation, wouldn’t Jesus have baptized? Jesus presented Himself to the Jews as their Messiah with signs and Messianic miracles, but He did not baptize them.

The Apostle Paul only baptized a few. “Is Christ divided? Was Paul crucified for you? Were you baptized into the name of Paul? I am thankful that I did not baptize any of you except Crispus and Gaius, so no one can say that you were baptized into my name. (Yes, I also baptized the household of Stephanas; beyond that, I don’t remember if I baptized anyone else.) For Christ did not send me to baptize, but to preach the gospel — not with words of human wisdom, lest the cross of Christ be emptied of its power” (1 Corinthians 1:13-17).

Those who teach that baptism is necessary for salvation overlook this statement of Paul’s. If water baptism were necessary for salvation would not the Apostle Paul have made water baptism a central theme of his ministry? Rather, the Apostle Paul taught the “baptism of the Holy Spirit,” which occurs when one is born again and it is a spiritual identification as the believer is placed IN Christ. “For we were all baptized by one Spirit into one body — whether Jews or Greeks, slave or free” (1 Corinthians 12:13). The Holy Spirit baptizes us or identifies us as a child of God and then seals us and sets us apart to the “day of redemption” or the day when our redemption will be completed and we see Him “face to face.” “And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, with whom you were sealed for the day of redemption” (Ephesians 4:30).

Is Baptism Necessary for Salvation – The Conclusion
Is baptism necessary for salvation? If the question is concerning water baptism, the answer is no. We are not saved by ritual or works but by “grace through faith.” “For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith — and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God — not by works, so that no one can boast” (Ephesians 2:8-9). Therefore, water baptism does not save us. However, the baptism of the Spirit is necessary for salvation and that has nothing whatever to do with water and it is not something we do for ourselves, it is God’s gift to us at the moment we are born again.

If water baptism were not necessary for salvation, why then would someone be baptized? Baptism is an outward action based on an inward reality. Baptism is a testimony that the participant has trusted in Christ as Savior and they are identifying himself/herself by submitting themselves to baptism. We cannot rest our hope of salvation on something that we can do for ourselves rather, we must recognize our need of a Savior and accept the LORD Jesus Christ’s finished work for our redemption. That finised work is that Jesus died on the cross for our sins and three days later rose from the dead. Then, if we chose to be baptized, it is an act of testimony to others of the reality of our personal identification with Christ.

There has been an outbreak of Chicken Pox at the Constant Spring Police lock up in St. Andrew.

Officials of the Public Health Department ordered a quarantine of the lock up, after five prisoners were diagnosed with the virus on Wednesday.

The lock up has been placed under quarantine for the next two weeks.

The Police High Command has ordered that no new prisoners should be taken to the lock up and those currently there should remain until the quarantine is lifted.

The High Command has ordered that the prisoners with the virus be isolated and that protective gear be provided for police personnel who work in the cells.

Among the 80 prisoners being housed in the lock-up is Garnett Reid, Jamaica Labour Party Politician.

Chicken Pox is a highly contagious illness caused by primary infection with the varicella zoster virus.

It usually starts as a vesicular skin rash mainly on the body and head, which becomes itchy with raw pock marks that normally heal without scarring for some persons.