Hungering For God (Not Our Stomachs) Series

8/18 -- Hungering for God

Matt 6:16-17

The outrageous call of His Heart our Stomachs

Fox news in Nov 2012

The Peanut Butter and Jellousy Burger, Slater's 50/50

If a hamburger and a PB&J were to spend a romantic evening together, their union might produce a sandwich similar to the Peanut Butter and Jellousy Burger from Slater's 50/50 in southern California. Sweet, salty and sinful, this unique hamburger consists of Sterling Silver ground beef, creamy peanut butter, strawberry jelly and thick-cut bacon on a honey wheat bun.

The Luther, Crave Real Burgers

Crave Real Burgers has two locations in Colorado (Castle Rock and Colorado Springs) and both of them serve the infamous Luther burger: a culinary mashup of a hamburger and a glazed donut. What distinguishes Crave's version from the others (yes, there are others) is their addition of bacon, cheddar, egg and onion. It's also sandwiched between two donuts, as opposed to a single donut sliced in half. (Legend has it that Luther burgers were named after R&B singer Luther Vandross, who was said to be a huge fan -- and in some stories, the inventor -- of the sandwich.)

Original db Burger, DB Bistro Moderne

Chef Daniel Boulud owns and operates over a dozen upscale eateries throughout the world, but only at the DB Bistro Moderne locations (in New York City, Miami and Singapore) will you find his Original db Burger. Priced at $32, this hefty sirloin burger is stuffed with foie gras, braised short ribs, preserved black truffle and a mirepoix of root vegetables, then served up on a Parmesan bun alongside an order of pomme frites. Between late December and late March, DB Bistro Moderne also offers a "Royale" version with fresh black truffle and truffle dressing (market price).

Heart Attack on a Plate, Mother's Federal Hill Grille

Americans can (and will) deep-fry anything they get their hands on, and that includes hamburgers. One such burger, fittingly called the Heart Attack on a Plate, can found at Mother's Federal Hill Grille in Baltimore, Maryland. It's first stuffed with cheddar cheese before being dipped in ale batter and dropped in the fryer. The crispy patty is then topped with lettuce, tomato, onion and chipotle mayo.

Raw Steak Tartare, Flip Burger Boutique

The Flip Burger Boutiques in Atlanta and Birmingham serve up hamburgers six ways to Sunday, but most notably, raw. Chef Richard Blais (winner of Bravo's "Top Chef All-Stars") reconstructed a classic steak tartare dish on a burger bun, starting with a hand-chopped tenderloin and topping it with garlic, chili, capers, cornichons, pickled shallots, frisée lettuce, fried egg and smoked mayonnaise.

T.S. We are the Norwalk Alliance Church and we're committed to producing fully committed followers of Christ. Fully committed followers have unearthed some of the secrets of the kingdom. Codebreakers which enable a person to experience greater and greater transformation. For two weeks we discussed prayer, as one of the code breakers. We turn to another this week--a codebreaker that too many of us often never pick up.

 The Kingdom of God would change how the people of God live.

One writer looking at society penned this observation:

Jesus has many who love his kingdom in heaven, but few who bear his cross. He has many who desire comfort, but few who desire suffering. He finds many to share his feast, but few his fasting. All desire to rejoice with him, but few are willing to suffer for his sake. Many follow Jesus to the breaking of bread, but few to the drinking of the cup of his passion. Many admire his miracles, but few follow him in the humiliation of the cross.

Thomas à Kempis on Following Jesus 1380 --1471

Matt 6:16-18

16 "When you fast, do not look somber as the hypocrites do, for they disfigure their faces to show men they are fasting. I tell you the truth, they have received their reward in full. 17 But when you fast, put oil on your head and wash your face, 18 so that it will not be obvious to men that you are fasting, but only to your Father, who is unseen; and your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you.

NIV

I. What Is Fasting?

Fasting is mentioned in both Old and New Testaments.

A. In the Old Testament,

the Hebrew word means to cover the mouth,

So the basic idea is that of going without food.

There are different kinds of fasts.

1. There's the short fast,

for instance the one in Judges 20:26 where the Israelites fasted for one day before the Lord to seek Him and find out why they had been defeated in battle.

2. There's the long fast,

such as the forty day fast Moses did in (Exodus 24:16-18), and Jesus also did Matt 4:2.