FAITH:
Jesus equipped his followers with farsighted courage. He listed the typhoons of life and then pointed them “to the end.” Trust in ultimate victory gives ultimate courage. Author Jim Collins makes reference to this outlook in his book Good to Great. Collins tells the story of Admiral James Stockdale, who was a prisoner of war for eight years during the Vietnam War.
After Stockdale’s release Collins asked him how in the world he survived eight years in a prisoner-of-war camp. He replied, “I never lost faith in the end of the story. I never doubted not only that I would get out, but also that I would prevail in the end and turn the experience into the defining event of my life, which, in retrospect, I would not trade.” Collins then asked, “Who didn’t make it out?” Admiral Stockdale replied, “Oh, that’s easy. The optimists. . . . they were the ones who said, ‘We’re going to be out by Christmas.’ And Christmas would come, and Christmas would go. Then they’d say, ‘We’re going to be out by Easter.’ And Easter would come, and Easter would go. And then Thanksgiving, and then it would be Christmas again. And they died of a broken heart.”
Real courage embraces the twin realities of current difficulty and ultimate triumph. Yes, life stinks. But it won’t forever. As one of my friends likes to say, “Everything will work out in the end. If it’s not working out, it’s not the end.” Though the church is winnowed down like Gideon’s army, though God’s earth is buffeted by climate changes and bloodied by misfortune, though creation itself seems stranded on the Arctic seas, don’t over react. “Be still in the presence of the Lord, and wait patiently for him to act. Don’t worry about evil people who prosper or fret about their wicked schemes” (Ps. 37:7).
Avoid Pollyanna optimism. We gain nothing by glossing over the brutality of human existence. This is a toxic world. But neither do we join the Chicken Little chorus of gloom and doom. “The sky is falling! The sky is falling!” Somewhere between Pollyanna and Chicken Little, between blind denial and blatant panic, stands the levelheaded, clear thinking, still-believing follower of Christ. Wide eyed, yet unafraid. Unterrified by the terrifying. The calmest kid on the block, not for lack of bullies, but for faith in his older Brother. The old people of God knew this peace: “Though a host encamp against me, my heart shall not fear; though war arise against me, yet I will be confident” (Ps. 27:3).
After the bombs of World War II ravaged downtown Warsaw, only one skeletal structure remained on the city’s main street. “The badly damaged structure was the Polish headquarters of the British and Foreign Bible Society, and the words on its only remaining wall were clearly legible from the street . . . ‘Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will never pass away.’ ” This is the picture of the Christian hope. Though the world may collapse, the work of Christ will endure.
So, see to it that you are not alarmed (Matt. 24:6 niv).
“See to it . . . ” Bosses and teachers are known to use that phrase. “See to it that you fill out the reports.” Or “Your essay is due tomorrow. See to it that you finish your work.” The words call for additional attention, special focus, extra resolve. Isn’t this what Christ is asking of us? In this dangerous day, on this Fabergé-fragile globe, with financial collapse on the news and terrorists on the loose, we have every reason to retreat into bunkers of dread and woe. But Christ says to us, “See to it that you are not alarmed” . “Keep your head and don’t panic”. “See that you are not troubled”. “Be faithful unto death, and I will give you the crown of life” (Rev. 2:10) .
FRIENDS:
Father in Heaven, you are the Father of comfort and the God of Peace. We pray that your kingdom would come into our hearts and that peace would rule. Teach us what it means to be peace makers. Help us cultivate peace between others and you. Teach us the art of building bridges and not walls. We glorify your name, the great God of peace. It is in Jesus' name we pray, Amen.
DAILY BIBLE CHALLENGE
17. JOHN 5:31-47; 1 PETER 2:9-17; SONG OF S. 2; JEREMIAH 47-48
18. JOHN 6:1-15; 1 PETER 2:18-25; SONG OF S. 3; JEREMIAH 49
FOOD:
Apple Pizza
1 loaf frozen bread dough
5 medium apples, pared, cored and sliced thin
2/3 cup sugar
1/2 cup flour
2 teaspoons cinnamon
4 tablespoons butter
1/2 cup chopped nuts
Let frozen dough set at room temperature until thawed. Roll dough into a circle for a 12 inch pizza pan. Cover dough with the sliced apples.
Combine remainder ingredients and sprinkle over the apples. Let rise. Bake for 10 to 15 minutes at 375F.
Makes 8 servings.
FUN:
There is a mama lion, a daddy lion & a baby lion. The mama lion & the daddy lion were having a lot of fights so they decided to get a divorce.
The lion family goes in front of a judge to decide custody of the baby lion.
The judge asks the baby lion "Do you wanna live with mama lion?" The baby lion nswers "No mama lion beats me."
The judge said "Alright, do you wanna live with daddy lion?"
The baby lion answers "No daddy lion beats me worse."
The judge asks "who do you wanna live with then?" The baby answers "The Detroit Lions, they don't beat anybody."
Sunday, October 18, 2009
Wednesday, October 14, 2009
Fearless........... Part 2
FAITH:
Multitudes and miracles. Large audiences and spectacular deeds. Throngs of people. Displays of power. When you see them, be careful. High volume doesn’t equate with sound faith. Don’t be impressed by numbers or tricks. Satan can counterfeit both.
Filter all messages and messengers through these verses: “And who is a liar? Anyone who says that Jesus is not the Christ. Anyone who denies the Father and the Son is an antichrist. Anyone who denies the Son doesn’t have the Father, either” (1 John 2:22–23). False prophets always minimize the role of Christ and maximize the role of humanity. Be doctrinally diligent. Stick to one question—is this person directing listeners to Jesus? If the answer is yes, be grateful and pray for that individual. If the answer is no, get out while you still can.
Along with heresy we can expect calamity. “You will hear of wars and rumors of wars, but see to it that you are not alarmed. Such things must happen, but the end is still to come. Nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. There will be famines and earth- quakes in various places. All these are the beginning of birth pains”
(Matt. 24:6–8).
Nature is a pregnant creation, third-trimester heavy. When a tornado rips through a city in Kansas or an earthquake flattens a region in Pakistan, this is more thanbarometric changes or shifts of ancient fault lines. The universe is passing through the final hours before delivery. Painful contractions are in the forecast.
As are conflicts: “wars and rumors of wars.” One nation invading another. One superpower defying another. Borders will always need checkpoints. War correspondents will always have employment. The population of the world will never see peace this side of heaven.
Christians will suffer the most. “Then you will be handed over to be persecuted and put to death, and you will be hated by all nations because of me. At that time many will turn away from the faith and will betray and hate each other, and many false prophets will appear and deceive many people. Because of the increase of wickedness, the love of most will grow cold” (Matt. 24:9–12).
Paradise is populated with people whose deaths fulfilled this prophecy. Peter. Paul. Stephen. James. Ignatius of Antioch. Polycarp. Justin Martyr. Origen. The world hated these Christ-followers.
Hatred still abounds. Voice of the Martyrs, a Christian agency that defends religious liberties, contends that more Christ-followers have been killed for their faith in the last century than all previous centuries combined. The names of Paul, James, and Peter have been joined by Tsehay Tolessa of Ethiopia, Xu Yonghai of mainland China, Mehdi Dibaj of Iran. The Global Evangelization Movement reports an average of 165,000 martyrs per year, more than four times the number of a century past.
America, proud as she is of religious freedom, suffers from increasing anger toward Christians. Professors publicly mock Bible-believing students. Talk-show hosts denigrate people of faith. We can expect the persecution to increase. When it does, fragile convictions will collapse.
“The love of many will grow cold” (v. 12). Spiritual stowaways will jump ship. The halfhearted will become coldhearted. A great many church attenders will be disclosed as faith pretenders. They will not only leave the faith; they will make the lives of the faithful miserable.
Will this persecution come to us? For some of you it already has. For many of us it might. If we are thrown into jail for our faith or deposed for our convictions, may God help you and me to remember the counsel of Christ: “See to it that you are not alarmed” (v. 6). Don’t freak out at the heresy, calamity, and apostasy. Don’t give in or give up, for you’ll soon witness the victory. “But he who endures to the end shall be saved. And this gospel of the kingdom will be preached in all the world as a witness to all the nations, and then the end will come” (vv. 13–14).
FRIENDS:
Father, Some days I am afraid to go to those places or do those things that You are calling me to. It may be the same with some of my Brothers and Sisters who know they should be using their God-given gifts in some far away place or just to walk across the street to share with a neighbor or turn and talk to a co-worker. Whatever the case may be, it’s easier to stay inside our comfort zone with our fear and anxiety— but we have a choice. We can either give in to those fears or stand for the Lord and choose what you have called us to do. Please help us to stand up for what is right and good and share with others the wonderful news of Jesus and His Saving Grace. It's in His name we ask these things, Amen.
DAILY BIBLE CHALLENGE
15. JOHN 5:1-15; 1 PETER 1:17-25; ECCLES. 12; JEREMIAH 39-43
16. JOHN 5:16-30; 1 PETER 2:1-8; SONG OF S. 1; JEREMIAH 44-46
~ SONG OF SOLOMON~
Remember your love notes of young romance?
Come on, now. think about it.
Flip back through the scrapbook of your heart. You'll find one.
You thought he was the only one. You knew she was the reason for creation. and with youthful passion, you expressed your love.
"I'll love you forever."
"You are my one and only."
"Had I the pen of a poet, had I the stars to give you, even then I couldn't show it...."
Ahhh, the words of romance. (That last verse? That was mine, proving that even a crusty West Texan can be romantic.}
But the most daring Romeos will blush at what you are about to read_"The song of Solomon." A love poem that chronicles the passion between starstruck Solomon and his spellbound bride.
It's unlike anything in the Bible. For that reason, it should be read differently than any book in the Bible. Don't take it literally. Don't search for hidden codes or submerged messages. Love letters are to be appreciated, not analyzed.
Appreciate this one. Don't get hung up on the ancient terms of affection. Sure, they sound strange. My wife wouldn't appreciate being told her neck was like David's tower (4:4) or that her limbs were like pomegranates (4:13). Just remember that these words were not written for you.
You are opening someone else's shoe box of letters and reading the correspondence between two people madly in love.
I guess God knew we needed a reminder that romance was his idea.
by Max Lucado
FOOD:
Kielbasa Stew
From: Better Homes and Gardens
Makes 4 or 5 servings
Cook: Slow cooker for 7 to 9 hours (low), 3-1/2 to 4-1/2 hours (high)
4 cups coarsely chopped cabbage
3 cups peeled, cubed potato
1-1/2 cups sliced carrots
1 lb cooked kielbasa, sliced
1/2 tsp dried basil, crushed
1/2 tsp dried thyme, crushed
1/2 tsp ground black pepper
2 14-oz cans reduced-sodium chicken broth
In a 4- to 5-quart slow cooker combine cabbage, potato, and carrots. Top with kielbasa. Sprinkle basil, thyme, and pepper over kielbasa. Pour chicken broth over all.
Cover; cook on low-heat setting for 7 to 9 hours or on high-heat setting for 3-1/2 to 4-1/2 hours.
Makes 4 or 5 servings
FUN:
A play on words....(for some of my favorite preacher friends)
A bicycle can't stand alone because it is two-tired.
Whats the definition of a will? (it's a dead giveaway)
A backward poet writes inverse.
In democracy, it's your vote that counts; in feudalism it's your count that votes.
She had a boyfriend with a wooden leg, but broke it off.
A chicken crossing the road is poultry in motion.
If you don't pay your exorcist you get repossessed.
When a clock is hungry it goes four seconds.
You feel stuck with your debt if you can't budge it.
Local Area Network in Austrailia: the LAN down under.
He often broke into song because he couldn't find the key.
Every calendar's days are numbered.
A lot of money is tainted: "taint yours and 'taint mine.
A boiled egg in the morning is hard to beat.
He had a photographic memory which was never developed.
A plateau is a high form of flattery.
The short fortune teller who escaped from prison was a small medium at large.
Those who get too big for their britches will be exposed in the end.
When you've seen one shopping center you've seen a mall.
Those who jump off a Paris bridge are in Seine.
When an actress saw her first strands of gray hair she thought she'd dye.
Bakers trade bread recipes on a knead to know basis.
Santa's helpers are subordinate Clauses.
Acupuncture is a jab well done,
Multitudes and miracles. Large audiences and spectacular deeds. Throngs of people. Displays of power. When you see them, be careful. High volume doesn’t equate with sound faith. Don’t be impressed by numbers or tricks. Satan can counterfeit both.
Filter all messages and messengers through these verses: “And who is a liar? Anyone who says that Jesus is not the Christ. Anyone who denies the Father and the Son is an antichrist. Anyone who denies the Son doesn’t have the Father, either” (1 John 2:22–23). False prophets always minimize the role of Christ and maximize the role of humanity. Be doctrinally diligent. Stick to one question—is this person directing listeners to Jesus? If the answer is yes, be grateful and pray for that individual. If the answer is no, get out while you still can.
Along with heresy we can expect calamity. “You will hear of wars and rumors of wars, but see to it that you are not alarmed. Such things must happen, but the end is still to come. Nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. There will be famines and earth- quakes in various places. All these are the beginning of birth pains”
(Matt. 24:6–8).
Nature is a pregnant creation, third-trimester heavy. When a tornado rips through a city in Kansas or an earthquake flattens a region in Pakistan, this is more thanbarometric changes or shifts of ancient fault lines. The universe is passing through the final hours before delivery. Painful contractions are in the forecast.
As are conflicts: “wars and rumors of wars.” One nation invading another. One superpower defying another. Borders will always need checkpoints. War correspondents will always have employment. The population of the world will never see peace this side of heaven.
Christians will suffer the most. “Then you will be handed over to be persecuted and put to death, and you will be hated by all nations because of me. At that time many will turn away from the faith and will betray and hate each other, and many false prophets will appear and deceive many people. Because of the increase of wickedness, the love of most will grow cold” (Matt. 24:9–12).
Paradise is populated with people whose deaths fulfilled this prophecy. Peter. Paul. Stephen. James. Ignatius of Antioch. Polycarp. Justin Martyr. Origen. The world hated these Christ-followers.
Hatred still abounds. Voice of the Martyrs, a Christian agency that defends religious liberties, contends that more Christ-followers have been killed for their faith in the last century than all previous centuries combined. The names of Paul, James, and Peter have been joined by Tsehay Tolessa of Ethiopia, Xu Yonghai of mainland China, Mehdi Dibaj of Iran. The Global Evangelization Movement reports an average of 165,000 martyrs per year, more than four times the number of a century past.
America, proud as she is of religious freedom, suffers from increasing anger toward Christians. Professors publicly mock Bible-believing students. Talk-show hosts denigrate people of faith. We can expect the persecution to increase. When it does, fragile convictions will collapse.
“The love of many will grow cold” (v. 12). Spiritual stowaways will jump ship. The halfhearted will become coldhearted. A great many church attenders will be disclosed as faith pretenders. They will not only leave the faith; they will make the lives of the faithful miserable.
Will this persecution come to us? For some of you it already has. For many of us it might. If we are thrown into jail for our faith or deposed for our convictions, may God help you and me to remember the counsel of Christ: “See to it that you are not alarmed” (v. 6). Don’t freak out at the heresy, calamity, and apostasy. Don’t give in or give up, for you’ll soon witness the victory. “But he who endures to the end shall be saved. And this gospel of the kingdom will be preached in all the world as a witness to all the nations, and then the end will come” (vv. 13–14).
FRIENDS:
Father, Some days I am afraid to go to those places or do those things that You are calling me to. It may be the same with some of my Brothers and Sisters who know they should be using their God-given gifts in some far away place or just to walk across the street to share with a neighbor or turn and talk to a co-worker. Whatever the case may be, it’s easier to stay inside our comfort zone with our fear and anxiety— but we have a choice. We can either give in to those fears or stand for the Lord and choose what you have called us to do. Please help us to stand up for what is right and good and share with others the wonderful news of Jesus and His Saving Grace. It's in His name we ask these things, Amen.
DAILY BIBLE CHALLENGE
15. JOHN 5:1-15; 1 PETER 1:17-25; ECCLES. 12; JEREMIAH 39-43
16. JOHN 5:16-30; 1 PETER 2:1-8; SONG OF S. 1; JEREMIAH 44-46
~ SONG OF SOLOMON~
Remember your love notes of young romance?
Come on, now. think about it.
Flip back through the scrapbook of your heart. You'll find one.
You thought he was the only one. You knew she was the reason for creation. and with youthful passion, you expressed your love.
"I'll love you forever."
"You are my one and only."
"Had I the pen of a poet, had I the stars to give you, even then I couldn't show it...."
Ahhh, the words of romance. (That last verse? That was mine, proving that even a crusty West Texan can be romantic.}
But the most daring Romeos will blush at what you are about to read_"The song of Solomon." A love poem that chronicles the passion between starstruck Solomon and his spellbound bride.
It's unlike anything in the Bible. For that reason, it should be read differently than any book in the Bible. Don't take it literally. Don't search for hidden codes or submerged messages. Love letters are to be appreciated, not analyzed.
Appreciate this one. Don't get hung up on the ancient terms of affection. Sure, they sound strange. My wife wouldn't appreciate being told her neck was like David's tower (4:4) or that her limbs were like pomegranates (4:13). Just remember that these words were not written for you.
You are opening someone else's shoe box of letters and reading the correspondence between two people madly in love.
I guess God knew we needed a reminder that romance was his idea.
by Max Lucado
FOOD:
Kielbasa Stew
From: Better Homes and Gardens
Makes 4 or 5 servings
Cook: Slow cooker for 7 to 9 hours (low), 3-1/2 to 4-1/2 hours (high)
4 cups coarsely chopped cabbage
3 cups peeled, cubed potato
1-1/2 cups sliced carrots
1 lb cooked kielbasa, sliced
1/2 tsp dried basil, crushed
1/2 tsp dried thyme, crushed
1/2 tsp ground black pepper
2 14-oz cans reduced-sodium chicken broth
In a 4- to 5-quart slow cooker combine cabbage, potato, and carrots. Top with kielbasa. Sprinkle basil, thyme, and pepper over kielbasa. Pour chicken broth over all.
Cover; cook on low-heat setting for 7 to 9 hours or on high-heat setting for 3-1/2 to 4-1/2 hours.
Makes 4 or 5 servings
FUN:
A play on words....(for some of my favorite preacher friends)
A bicycle can't stand alone because it is two-tired.
Whats the definition of a will? (it's a dead giveaway)
A backward poet writes inverse.
In democracy, it's your vote that counts; in feudalism it's your count that votes.
She had a boyfriend with a wooden leg, but broke it off.
A chicken crossing the road is poultry in motion.
If you don't pay your exorcist you get repossessed.
When a clock is hungry it goes four seconds.
You feel stuck with your debt if you can't budge it.
Local Area Network in Austrailia: the LAN down under.
He often broke into song because he couldn't find the key.
Every calendar's days are numbered.
A lot of money is tainted: "taint yours and 'taint mine.
A boiled egg in the morning is hard to beat.
He had a photographic memory which was never developed.
A plateau is a high form of flattery.
The short fortune teller who escaped from prison was a small medium at large.
Those who get too big for their britches will be exposed in the end.
When you've seen one shopping center you've seen a mall.
Those who jump off a Paris bridge are in Seine.
When an actress saw her first strands of gray hair she thought she'd dye.
Bakers trade bread recipes on a knead to know basis.
Santa's helpers are subordinate Clauses.
Acupuncture is a jab well done,
Sunday, October 11, 2009
Fearless............ Part 1
FAITH:
Life is a dangerous endeavor. We pass our days in the shadows of ominous realities. The power to annihilate humanity has, it seems, been placed in the hands of people who are happy to do so. Discussions of global attack prompted one small boy to beg, “Please, Mother, can’t we go some place where there isn’t any sky?” If the global temperature rises a few more degrees . . . if classified information falls into sinister hands . . . if the wrong person pushes the wrong red button . . . What if things only get worse?
Christ tells us that they will. He predicts spiritual bailouts, ecological turmoil, and worldwide persecution. Yet in the midst of it all, he contends bravery is still an option.
“Watch out that no one deceives you. For many will come in my name, claiming, ‘I am the Christ,’ and will deceive many. You will hear of wars and rumors of wars, but see to it that you are not alarmed. Such things must happen, but the end is still to come. Nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. There will be famines and earthquakes in various places. All these are the beginning of birth pains.
“Then you will be handed over to be persecuted and put to death, and you will be hated by all nations because of me. At that time many will turn away from the faith and will betray and hate each other, and many false prophets will appear and deceive many people. Because of the increase of wickedness, the love of most will grow cold, but he who stands firm to the end will be saved. And this gospel of the kingdom will be preached in the whole world as a testimony to all nations, and then the end will come.” (Matt. 24:4–14 )
The disciples asked. “Tell us, when will these things be? And what will be the sign of Your coming, and of the end of the age?” (v. 3).
Sitting on the Mount of Olives, in full view of the temple and the City of David, Jesus issued a “buckle your seat belt, no kidding, life can be fatal to your health” warning. He began with “Watch out that no one deceives you. For many will come in my name, claiming, ‘I am the Christ,’ and will deceive many” (vv. 4–5 ). Note the twofold appearance of the word many. Many deceived and many deceivers. Churches are petri dishes for self-serving egomaniacs who masquerade as ministers of God. They will do so “in his name,” claiming a special status, a superior spirituality. They boast of insider information and adorn their teaching with phrases like “God told me . . . “God spoke to me . . . ,” “God led me . . . ” They present themselves as religious gurus, code breakers, members of an inner circle, implying that they have access to knowledge unavailable to the common person. Some even position themselves as Jesus himself, “saying, ‘I am the Christ’” (v. 5). by Max Lucado
FRIENDS:
Father, I submit all my fears to you today. We may be going through a storm right now. But help us to remember that we’re in Your hands, the hands of our loving Father. We know that You are right here with us and that You are going to get us through. There is nothing going on that You can not handle. In Jesus' name, Amen.
DAILY BIBLE CHALLENGE
13. JOHN 4:27-42; 1 PETER 1:1-9; ECCLES. 10; JEREMIAH 32-34
14. JOHN 4:43-54. 1 PETER 1:10-16; ECCLES. 11; JEREMIAH 35-38
~FIRST PETER~
The science teacher makes a derisive statement about God creating the world. You raise your hand and state your convictions. Your teacher rolls her eyes. The students behind you chuckle.
It's not easy being the only one in your family who goes to church. It' s bad enough that they don't go. It's worse that they make fun of you for going.
If you would pad your expense account, so could the other salesmen. But if you don't, they can't. "Come on," they urge you, "just hedge a little." You refuse. The next day someone has spilled paint on your car.
Persecution. Not by firing squad. Not by death threats. Not by the government. But it's persecution nonetheless. A more subtle persecution. Persecution from friends, family, and peers. They won't take your life....but they will take your peace....and they'd like to take your faith, if you'd let them.
How do you respond? Begin with Peter's survival manual. He understood persecution. Beaten and jailed. Threatened and punished. He knew the sting of the false word and the angry whip. No doubt he'd seen some Christians stand and others fall. He'd seen enough to know what it takes to stay strong in tough times.
His counsel may surprise you.
His counsel may sustain you. It may be just what you need so that "the purity of your faith will bring you praise and glory and honor when Jesus Christ is shown to you" (1:7).
FOOD:
Winter Stew
3/4 C Zesty Italian dressing
2 lbs. beef for stew (chuck), 1" cubes
6 slices bacon,chopped
3 C sliced mushrooms
1 C chopped onion
3 C sliced carrots
1-1/2 lbs potatoes, peeled, cut into large chunks
1 can (14-1/2oz) stewed tomatoes, undrained
1 can (14-1/2oz) beef broth
Pour dressing over meat, marinate in fridge 30 minutes or longer.
Cook bacon til crisp, drain.
Add mushrooms and onions to bacon pan, cook 10 minutes until tender.
Add drained meat, carrots, potatoes, tomatoes, broth & bacon to pan. Stir. Bring to a boil, stirring occasionally.
Reduce to low, cover and simmer 1 hr. 15 minutes. Uncover; simmer additional 15 minutes til meat is cooked through and sauce is thickened. Stir occasionally.
8 servings
FUN:
Life is a dangerous endeavor. We pass our days in the shadows of ominous realities. The power to annihilate humanity has, it seems, been placed in the hands of people who are happy to do so. Discussions of global attack prompted one small boy to beg, “Please, Mother, can’t we go some place where there isn’t any sky?” If the global temperature rises a few more degrees . . . if classified information falls into sinister hands . . . if the wrong person pushes the wrong red button . . . What if things only get worse?
Christ tells us that they will. He predicts spiritual bailouts, ecological turmoil, and worldwide persecution. Yet in the midst of it all, he contends bravery is still an option.
“Watch out that no one deceives you. For many will come in my name, claiming, ‘I am the Christ,’ and will deceive many. You will hear of wars and rumors of wars, but see to it that you are not alarmed. Such things must happen, but the end is still to come. Nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. There will be famines and earthquakes in various places. All these are the beginning of birth pains.
“Then you will be handed over to be persecuted and put to death, and you will be hated by all nations because of me. At that time many will turn away from the faith and will betray and hate each other, and many false prophets will appear and deceive many people. Because of the increase of wickedness, the love of most will grow cold, but he who stands firm to the end will be saved. And this gospel of the kingdom will be preached in the whole world as a testimony to all nations, and then the end will come.” (Matt. 24:4–14 )
The disciples asked. “Tell us, when will these things be? And what will be the sign of Your coming, and of the end of the age?” (v. 3).
Sitting on the Mount of Olives, in full view of the temple and the City of David, Jesus issued a “buckle your seat belt, no kidding, life can be fatal to your health” warning. He began with “Watch out that no one deceives you. For many will come in my name, claiming, ‘I am the Christ,’ and will deceive many” (vv. 4–5 ). Note the twofold appearance of the word many. Many deceived and many deceivers. Churches are petri dishes for self-serving egomaniacs who masquerade as ministers of God. They will do so “in his name,” claiming a special status, a superior spirituality. They boast of insider information and adorn their teaching with phrases like “God told me . . . “God spoke to me . . . ,” “God led me . . . ” They present themselves as religious gurus, code breakers, members of an inner circle, implying that they have access to knowledge unavailable to the common person. Some even position themselves as Jesus himself, “saying, ‘I am the Christ’” (v. 5). by Max Lucado
FRIENDS:
Father, I submit all my fears to you today. We may be going through a storm right now. But help us to remember that we’re in Your hands, the hands of our loving Father. We know that You are right here with us and that You are going to get us through. There is nothing going on that You can not handle. In Jesus' name, Amen.
DAILY BIBLE CHALLENGE
13. JOHN 4:27-42; 1 PETER 1:1-9; ECCLES. 10; JEREMIAH 32-34
14. JOHN 4:43-54. 1 PETER 1:10-16; ECCLES. 11; JEREMIAH 35-38
~FIRST PETER~
The science teacher makes a derisive statement about God creating the world. You raise your hand and state your convictions. Your teacher rolls her eyes. The students behind you chuckle.
It's not easy being the only one in your family who goes to church. It' s bad enough that they don't go. It's worse that they make fun of you for going.
If you would pad your expense account, so could the other salesmen. But if you don't, they can't. "Come on," they urge you, "just hedge a little." You refuse. The next day someone has spilled paint on your car.
Persecution. Not by firing squad. Not by death threats. Not by the government. But it's persecution nonetheless. A more subtle persecution. Persecution from friends, family, and peers. They won't take your life....but they will take your peace....and they'd like to take your faith, if you'd let them.
How do you respond? Begin with Peter's survival manual. He understood persecution. Beaten and jailed. Threatened and punished. He knew the sting of the false word and the angry whip. No doubt he'd seen some Christians stand and others fall. He'd seen enough to know what it takes to stay strong in tough times.
His counsel may surprise you.
His counsel may sustain you. It may be just what you need so that "the purity of your faith will bring you praise and glory and honor when Jesus Christ is shown to you" (1:7).
FOOD:
Winter Stew
3/4 C Zesty Italian dressing
2 lbs. beef for stew (chuck), 1" cubes
6 slices bacon,chopped
3 C sliced mushrooms
1 C chopped onion
3 C sliced carrots
1-1/2 lbs potatoes, peeled, cut into large chunks
1 can (14-1/2oz) stewed tomatoes, undrained
1 can (14-1/2oz) beef broth
Pour dressing over meat, marinate in fridge 30 minutes or longer.
Cook bacon til crisp, drain.
Add mushrooms and onions to bacon pan, cook 10 minutes until tender.
Add drained meat, carrots, potatoes, tomatoes, broth & bacon to pan. Stir. Bring to a boil, stirring occasionally.
Reduce to low, cover and simmer 1 hr. 15 minutes. Uncover; simmer additional 15 minutes til meat is cooked through and sauce is thickened. Stir occasionally.
8 servings
FUN:
Friday, October 9, 2009
Beauty or Hurt?
FAITH:
Luke 8:14
The seed that fell among thorns stands for those who hear, but as they go on their way they are choked by life's worries, riches and pleasures, and they do not mature.
My life has not been a bed of roses.
What an odd statement. It is supposed to mean that I haven't lived a life without snags and hurt. However, think of an actual bed of roses. Doesn't it have both thorns and flowers?
Let me say, if I was reading this devotion and I saw it was going to be about roses, I might be tempted to click "delete" while rolling my eyes and thinking the last thing the world needs is another cutesy Christian analogy. But stick with me here. There is something significant to be discovered about roses and thorns.
My aunt has grown roses for years. When I was in middle school and my family was falling apart, I went to live with my aunt for almost a year. I remember her telling me not to run through her rose garden. After all, she had what seemed like hundreds of other acres that unfolded in wide open fields. I could run there.
But I didn't want to.
I only wanted to run through the rose garden. I wanted to spread my arms wide open and run between the rows brushing my fingertips across all the velvety blooms. I wanted some of the blooms to burst and shower petals all around. Then I could gather the petals and spread them along my path.
As if I could carve a new place in this world lined with beauty and void of adult words like divorce, rejection, and hate ... I wanted my world to be soft, pink, and lovely. So, I took a running start with my arms outstretched only to be shocked with searing pain within the first few steps.
Thorns. Big, mean, vicious thorns. Thorns that ripped my flesh and opened up the flood of tears I'd been so determined to hold back. Suddenly, I hated that bush. I wanted to chop it down and beat it into the ground. But I couldn't do it. I couldn't bring myself to destroy something that produced such beauty.
I stood back from the source of my pain and wondered should I call it a bush of thorns or a bush of flowers. Really, it could go either way.
Suddenly I wasn't just staring at a bush. I was staring at my life. My life. Such a bed of roses. Would I see the hurt or would I see the beauty?
Luke 8:14 says, "The seed that fell among thorns stands for those who hear, but as they go on their way they are choked by life's worries, riches and pleasures, and they do not mature." The seed being referred to here is the Word of God. Isn't it interesting that people who are choked by life's circumstances and never mature are referred to as having thorns in the soil of their soul? Yes, life sometimes hands us thorns but we have the choice to park our mind on the thorn or on the beauty it can eventually produce in us if only we'll cling tightly to God's Word. For however a person thinks is how they will eventually become.
If we dwell on and think about the negative in life, we will become negative and God's Word will have a hard time taking root in our souls. If, however, we acknowledge the negative but choose instead to look for the good that can come from it, God's Word will take root in our souls and produce a lush crop of beauty.
It all comes down to choice. That day in my aunt's garden, I chose to be aware of the thorns but park my mind on the petals.
And I guess you could say, I've been making that choice every day since. by Lysa TerKeurst
FRIENDS:
Dear Lord, it can be really hard to focus on the petals rather than the thorns of life. Really hard. Will you help me? I want the soil of my soul to be healthy and ready to receive Your Word. I want to produce beauty in my life despite the thorns by which I've been so hurt. Will You show me how? In Jesus' Name, Amen.
DAILY BIBLE CHALLENGE
10. JOHN 3:22-36; JAMES 5:1-6; ECCLES. 7:15-29; JEREMIAH 23-25
11. JOHN 4:1-14; JAMES 5:7-12; ECCLES. 8; JEREMIAH 26-29
12. JOHN 4:15-26; JAMES 5:13-20; ECCLES 9; JEREMIAH 30-31
~JEREMIAH`
No church would hire Jeremiah. He wouldn't make it past the first interview. Better still, he wouldn't even make it to the interview.
He had little stomach for organized religion. One can hardly blame him. What he saw would nauseate the worst of us.
He saw raging immorality. He saw blatant idolatry. He saw unbridled hypocrisy. He saw priests who sold out to the highest bidder. He saw kings who lived out his worst nightmare.
Were his head a Niagara, it wouldn't generate enough tears for him to weep. Like Job, he cursed the day he was born, and again, you can hardly blame him. It was a rotten day in which to live.
He could see the writing on the Babylonian wall, but you'd think he was the only one who knew how to read.
In the end, the walls fell just like he said. The Temple was raided, just like he prophesied. And the people were bound like slaves and led into Babylon.
To his credit, he never said, "I told you so."
He remained behind and walked among the ruins and did what he did most of his life. He wept.
FOOD:
Trail Mix Popcorn
Makes about 10 cups
1 bag (2.9 oz.) microwave popcorn, cooked according to package directions
1 cup raisins
½ cup dried apricots, chopped
½ cup dried cranberries &/or cherries
1 cup sugar
½ cup light corn syrup
2 Tbsp. butter or butter soft spread
1 tsp. baking soda
¼ cup finely chopped pecans, walnuts &/or peanuts
¼ cup raw sunflower seeds
1 tsp ground cinnamon
In large bowl sprayed with nonstick cooking spray, combine popcorn with
all dried fruits, and set aside.
In medium saucepan over low heat, combine sugar with corn syrup, and once melted, stir in butter, baking soda, all nuts, cinnamon, and sunflower
seeds and stir until well combined.
Carefully drizzle mixture over popcorn and fruit, stirring constantly,
until popcorn and fruit are coated. Cool completely before serving.
FUN:
Here are some fun alternatives to liven up your out-of-the-office e-mails.
1. Thank you for your e-mail. Your credit card has been charged $5.99 for the first ten words and $1.99 for each additional word in your message.
2. Thank you for your message, which has been added to a queuing system. You are currently in 352nd place, and can expect to receive a reply in approximately 19 weeks.
3. Due to a transporter malfunction, I am now in the 24th century, and I don't know when I'll be back. But hey, leave a message. Someone might get to it.
4. In case of a business emergency, I may be reached 24 hours a day at (insert boss's cell phone number here).
5. The e-mail server is unable to deliver this message. Please restart your computer and try sending again.
6. Please reply to this e-mail so I will know that you got this message.
Luke 8:14
The seed that fell among thorns stands for those who hear, but as they go on their way they are choked by life's worries, riches and pleasures, and they do not mature.
My life has not been a bed of roses.
What an odd statement. It is supposed to mean that I haven't lived a life without snags and hurt. However, think of an actual bed of roses. Doesn't it have both thorns and flowers?
Let me say, if I was reading this devotion and I saw it was going to be about roses, I might be tempted to click "delete" while rolling my eyes and thinking the last thing the world needs is another cutesy Christian analogy. But stick with me here. There is something significant to be discovered about roses and thorns.
My aunt has grown roses for years. When I was in middle school and my family was falling apart, I went to live with my aunt for almost a year. I remember her telling me not to run through her rose garden. After all, she had what seemed like hundreds of other acres that unfolded in wide open fields. I could run there.
But I didn't want to.
I only wanted to run through the rose garden. I wanted to spread my arms wide open and run between the rows brushing my fingertips across all the velvety blooms. I wanted some of the blooms to burst and shower petals all around. Then I could gather the petals and spread them along my path.
As if I could carve a new place in this world lined with beauty and void of adult words like divorce, rejection, and hate ... I wanted my world to be soft, pink, and lovely. So, I took a running start with my arms outstretched only to be shocked with searing pain within the first few steps.
Thorns. Big, mean, vicious thorns. Thorns that ripped my flesh and opened up the flood of tears I'd been so determined to hold back. Suddenly, I hated that bush. I wanted to chop it down and beat it into the ground. But I couldn't do it. I couldn't bring myself to destroy something that produced such beauty.
I stood back from the source of my pain and wondered should I call it a bush of thorns or a bush of flowers. Really, it could go either way.
Suddenly I wasn't just staring at a bush. I was staring at my life. My life. Such a bed of roses. Would I see the hurt or would I see the beauty?
Luke 8:14 says, "The seed that fell among thorns stands for those who hear, but as they go on their way they are choked by life's worries, riches and pleasures, and they do not mature." The seed being referred to here is the Word of God. Isn't it interesting that people who are choked by life's circumstances and never mature are referred to as having thorns in the soil of their soul? Yes, life sometimes hands us thorns but we have the choice to park our mind on the thorn or on the beauty it can eventually produce in us if only we'll cling tightly to God's Word. For however a person thinks is how they will eventually become.
If we dwell on and think about the negative in life, we will become negative and God's Word will have a hard time taking root in our souls. If, however, we acknowledge the negative but choose instead to look for the good that can come from it, God's Word will take root in our souls and produce a lush crop of beauty.
It all comes down to choice. That day in my aunt's garden, I chose to be aware of the thorns but park my mind on the petals.
And I guess you could say, I've been making that choice every day since. by Lysa TerKeurst
FRIENDS:
Dear Lord, it can be really hard to focus on the petals rather than the thorns of life. Really hard. Will you help me? I want the soil of my soul to be healthy and ready to receive Your Word. I want to produce beauty in my life despite the thorns by which I've been so hurt. Will You show me how? In Jesus' Name, Amen.
DAILY BIBLE CHALLENGE
10. JOHN 3:22-36; JAMES 5:1-6; ECCLES. 7:15-29; JEREMIAH 23-25
11. JOHN 4:1-14; JAMES 5:7-12; ECCLES. 8; JEREMIAH 26-29
12. JOHN 4:15-26; JAMES 5:13-20; ECCLES 9; JEREMIAH 30-31
~JEREMIAH`
No church would hire Jeremiah. He wouldn't make it past the first interview. Better still, he wouldn't even make it to the interview.
He had little stomach for organized religion. One can hardly blame him. What he saw would nauseate the worst of us.
He saw raging immorality. He saw blatant idolatry. He saw unbridled hypocrisy. He saw priests who sold out to the highest bidder. He saw kings who lived out his worst nightmare.
Were his head a Niagara, it wouldn't generate enough tears for him to weep. Like Job, he cursed the day he was born, and again, you can hardly blame him. It was a rotten day in which to live.
He could see the writing on the Babylonian wall, but you'd think he was the only one who knew how to read.
In the end, the walls fell just like he said. The Temple was raided, just like he prophesied. And the people were bound like slaves and led into Babylon.
To his credit, he never said, "I told you so."
He remained behind and walked among the ruins and did what he did most of his life. He wept.
FOOD:
Trail Mix Popcorn
Makes about 10 cups
1 bag (2.9 oz.) microwave popcorn, cooked according to package directions
1 cup raisins
½ cup dried apricots, chopped
½ cup dried cranberries &/or cherries
1 cup sugar
½ cup light corn syrup
2 Tbsp. butter or butter soft spread
1 tsp. baking soda
¼ cup finely chopped pecans, walnuts &/or peanuts
¼ cup raw sunflower seeds
1 tsp ground cinnamon
In large bowl sprayed with nonstick cooking spray, combine popcorn with
all dried fruits, and set aside.
In medium saucepan over low heat, combine sugar with corn syrup, and once melted, stir in butter, baking soda, all nuts, cinnamon, and sunflower
seeds and stir until well combined.
Carefully drizzle mixture over popcorn and fruit, stirring constantly,
until popcorn and fruit are coated. Cool completely before serving.
FUN:
Here are some fun alternatives to liven up your out-of-the-office e-mails.
1. Thank you for your e-mail. Your credit card has been charged $5.99 for the first ten words and $1.99 for each additional word in your message.
2. Thank you for your message, which has been added to a queuing system. You are currently in 352nd place, and can expect to receive a reply in approximately 19 weeks.
3. Due to a transporter malfunction, I am now in the 24th century, and I don't know when I'll be back. But hey, leave a message. Someone might get to it.
4. In case of a business emergency, I may be reached 24 hours a day at (insert boss's cell phone number here).
5. The e-mail server is unable to deliver this message. Please restart your computer and try sending again.
6. Please reply to this e-mail so I will know that you got this message.
Tuesday, October 6, 2009
Grace - Greater Than All Our Sin!
FAITH:
Romans 5:12-21
"... where sin abounded, grace did much more abound ..." (v. 20, KJV)
How do we recover from the brokenness caused by the memory of some deeply grievous sin. By that we mean a sin which God has forgiven but which, for some reason, still burns in our memories. The first principle is this: realize that God can do more with sin than just forgive it. I heard an elderly minister make that statement many years ago, when I was a young Christian, and at first I resisted it. I said to myself: "How can God use sin? Surely it is His one intolerance?" Then, after pondering for a while, I saw what he meant. God uses our sin to motivate our will toward greater spiritual achievement, to quicken our compassion toward sinners and to show God's tender heart for the fallen. We must be careful, of course, that we do not fall into the error which Paul refers to in Romans 6:1-2: "Shall we continue in sin, that grace may abound? God forbid" (KJV). If we sin in order that God may use it, then our motives are all wrong and we fall foul of the eternal purposes. If, however, we commit sin, but then take it to God in confession - really take it to Him - then He will not only forgive it, but make something of it. Is this too difficult for you to conceive? Then I point you to the cross. The cross was the foulest deed mankind ever committed, yet God used it to become the fulcrum of His redemption. It was our lowest point - but it was God's zenith.
Remember 1 John 1:1-10 - "If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness." (v. 9)
A second principle that enables us to recover from the brokenness caused by the memory of some grievous sin. is this: Understand the major reason why you tend to brood on the past. People who brood on the past, and keep the memory of their sin alive, do so for several reasons. Let's take them one by one: (1) They are not sure that God has forgiven them. If you have this kind of doubt, it is really a denial. It is taking a verse, like the one before us today, and flinging it back into God's face, saying "I don't believe it." If you don't accept God's forgiveness, you will try to make your own atonement in feelings of guilt. Once you confess your sin, then, as far as God is concerned, that's the end of it. Believe that - and act upon it. It's the gospel truth! (2) They are in the grip of spiritual pride. You should be asking yourself, at some deep level of your mental and emotional life: How could I have ever done a thing like that? What this really amounts to is that you have too high an opinion of yourself. And that's about as bad as too low an opinion of yourself. (3) They have not forgiven themselves. It might help to stand in front of a mirror with your Bible open at the verse at the top of this page, reassure yourself that God has forgiven you, and say to yourself, by name: "---------, God has forgiven you - now I forgive you too!" by Selwyn Hughes
EXPLORING IT FURTHER: Ps. 51:1-19; Eph. 4:32; Col. 3:13; Mark 12:33; Heb. 10:1-22; Isa. 43:25; 44:22; 55:7
FRIENDS:
Father, I am so relieved to know that You take even my sins and make them contribute to Your purposes. Grace turns all my bad into good, all my good into better and all my better into the best. Gracious Father, although I understand many things, I fail so often to understand myself. Teach me more of what goes on deep inside me, so that, being more self-aware, I may become more God-aware. For Your own dear Name's sake. Amen.
DAILY BIBLE CHALLENGE
7. JOHN 2:12-25; JAMES 3:13-18; ECCLES. 5; JEREMIAH 14-15
8. JOHN 3:1-15; JAMES 4:1-10; ECCLES. 6; JEREMIAH 16-18
9. JOHN 3:16-21; JAMES 4:11-17; ECCLES. 7:1-14; JEREMIAH 19-22
~ECCLESIASTES~
She didn't want to share her name, just her pain. So I cradled the phone against my shoulder and listened. Her husband had cheated. She was angry. Angry at him. Angry at God. Angry at herself for being angry. In two months she's gone through three bottles of anti-depressants. She didn't want to leave her room or see her friends. Weak and bitter she finally asked, "Max, will I ever be happy again?"
She's not the first to wonder.
As the drinker orders a double, he wonders.
As the achiever logs another eighteen-hour day, she wonders.
As the boss reaches for his secretary's hand, both wonder.
"Will I ever be happy again?"
There is a great dissatisfaction across the land. Hand after hand reaching out to quench thirsts and scratch itches. But the thirst lingers, the itch remains. As one man tole me, "I learned that once I had what I wanted, I found I didn't want what I had."
Solomon could have said those words. He was unlimited in what he could do. Unbridled in what he could win. Unharnessed in what he could experience. So he set out to do it all.
He tried knowledge (1:13), pleasure, possessions and projects (2:3-8). He was serious about each. He built a temple and a palace. He owned forty thousand horses and twelve thousand horseman. He married the daughter of Pharaoh and built her a house (which was good because he had six hundred and ninety-nine more wives so his place was crowded).
In spite of it all, or because of it all, he was restless. "I hated life, " he journaled. He was isolated (3:22), frustrated (5:17), and longed for the good old days when things were simler and wine was sweeter.
For some reason, Solomon kept a record of his longings. And somehow, they became public. Maybe he knew that he wasn't the only one to get to the top of the ladder only to find it against the wrong building.
If that's where you are, or might be, this book is for you.
FOOD:
BOOT TRACK COOKIES
made in the waffle iron
* 1/2 cup salted butter
* 2/3 cup granulated sugar
* 2 large eggs
* 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
* 1 cup whole-wheat pastry flour
* 6 tablespoons cocoa powder
* 2 tablespoons canola oil
* 1/2 teaspoon espresso powder, (optional)
* Confectioners' sugar, for dusting
Preparation
1. Preheat a nonstick (not Belgian) waffle iron.
2. Cream butter and sugar in a medium bowl. Beat in eggs and vanilla. Add flour, cocoa powder, oil and espresso powder (if using). Beat until thoroughly combined.
3. Drop the batter by rounded teaspoonfuls about 1 inch apart onto the preheated ungreased waffle iron. (To avoid burnt fingers, use two spoons, one to scoop and one to scrape dough onto the waffle iron.) Close and cook until the cookies are puffed and cooked through, 1 to 1 1/2 minutes. Waffle irons vary, so watch closely and don’t let the cookies get too dark. Transfer to a wire rack to cool until just warm. Dust the cookies with confectioners’ sugar while still slightly warm (see Variations). Variations: Instead of confectioners’ sugar, drizzle cooled cookies with melted bittersweet and/or white chocolate. Or make a peppermint drizzle: Mix 1 cup confectioners’ sugar, 4 teaspoons water and 1/4 teaspoon peppermint extract; add natural green food coloring, if desired.
FUN:
Weird Facts - Oldies but goodies
Did you know that Jimmy Carter was the first U.S. president to have been born in a hospital?
The sentence "The quick brown fox jumps over the lazy dog." Uses every letter in the alphabet. (developed by Western Union to test telex/twx communications)
In every episode of Seinfeld there is a Superman somewhere.
Average life span of a major league baseball: 7 pitches.
A duck's quack doesn't echo, and no one knows why.
In the 1940s, the FCC assigned television's Channel 1 to mobile Services(two-way radios in taxicabs, for instance) but did not Pre-number the other channel assignments. That is why your TV set has channels 2
and up, but no channel 1.
The San Francisco Cable cars are the only mobile National Monuments.
The only 15 letter word that can be spelled without repeating a letter is uncopyrightable.
Hang On Sloopy is the official rock song of Ohio.
The reason firehouses have circular stairways is from the days of yore when the engines were pulled by horses. The horses were stabled on the ground floor and figured out how to walk up straight staircases.
The airplane Buddy Holly died in was the "American Pie." (Thus the name of the Don McLean song.)
When opossums are playing 'possum, they are not "playing." They actually pass out from sheer terror.
The Main Library at Indiana University sinks over an inch every year because when it was built, engineers failed to take into account the weight of all the books that would occupy the building.
Nutmeg is extremely poisonous if injected intravenously.
If you have three quarters, four dimes, and four pennies, you have $1.19.You also have the largest amount of money in coins without being able to make change for a dollar.
No NFL team, which plays its home games in a domed stadium, has ever won a Superbowl.
The first toilet ever seen on television was on "Leave It to Beaver".
The only two days of the year in which there are no professional sports games (MLB, NBA, NHL, or NFL) are the day before and the day after the Major League all-star Game.
Romans 5:12-21
"... where sin abounded, grace did much more abound ..." (v. 20, KJV)
How do we recover from the brokenness caused by the memory of some deeply grievous sin. By that we mean a sin which God has forgiven but which, for some reason, still burns in our memories. The first principle is this: realize that God can do more with sin than just forgive it. I heard an elderly minister make that statement many years ago, when I was a young Christian, and at first I resisted it. I said to myself: "How can God use sin? Surely it is His one intolerance?" Then, after pondering for a while, I saw what he meant. God uses our sin to motivate our will toward greater spiritual achievement, to quicken our compassion toward sinners and to show God's tender heart for the fallen. We must be careful, of course, that we do not fall into the error which Paul refers to in Romans 6:1-2: "Shall we continue in sin, that grace may abound? God forbid" (KJV). If we sin in order that God may use it, then our motives are all wrong and we fall foul of the eternal purposes. If, however, we commit sin, but then take it to God in confession - really take it to Him - then He will not only forgive it, but make something of it. Is this too difficult for you to conceive? Then I point you to the cross. The cross was the foulest deed mankind ever committed, yet God used it to become the fulcrum of His redemption. It was our lowest point - but it was God's zenith.
Remember 1 John 1:1-10 - "If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness." (v. 9)
A second principle that enables us to recover from the brokenness caused by the memory of some grievous sin. is this: Understand the major reason why you tend to brood on the past. People who brood on the past, and keep the memory of their sin alive, do so for several reasons. Let's take them one by one: (1) They are not sure that God has forgiven them. If you have this kind of doubt, it is really a denial. It is taking a verse, like the one before us today, and flinging it back into God's face, saying "I don't believe it." If you don't accept God's forgiveness, you will try to make your own atonement in feelings of guilt. Once you confess your sin, then, as far as God is concerned, that's the end of it. Believe that - and act upon it. It's the gospel truth! (2) They are in the grip of spiritual pride. You should be asking yourself, at some deep level of your mental and emotional life: How could I have ever done a thing like that? What this really amounts to is that you have too high an opinion of yourself. And that's about as bad as too low an opinion of yourself. (3) They have not forgiven themselves. It might help to stand in front of a mirror with your Bible open at the verse at the top of this page, reassure yourself that God has forgiven you, and say to yourself, by name: "---------, God has forgiven you - now I forgive you too!" by Selwyn Hughes
EXPLORING IT FURTHER: Ps. 51:1-19; Eph. 4:32; Col. 3:13; Mark 12:33; Heb. 10:1-22; Isa. 43:25; 44:22; 55:7
FRIENDS:
Father, I am so relieved to know that You take even my sins and make them contribute to Your purposes. Grace turns all my bad into good, all my good into better and all my better into the best. Gracious Father, although I understand many things, I fail so often to understand myself. Teach me more of what goes on deep inside me, so that, being more self-aware, I may become more God-aware. For Your own dear Name's sake. Amen.
DAILY BIBLE CHALLENGE
7. JOHN 2:12-25; JAMES 3:13-18; ECCLES. 5; JEREMIAH 14-15
8. JOHN 3:1-15; JAMES 4:1-10; ECCLES. 6; JEREMIAH 16-18
9. JOHN 3:16-21; JAMES 4:11-17; ECCLES. 7:1-14; JEREMIAH 19-22
~ECCLESIASTES~
She didn't want to share her name, just her pain. So I cradled the phone against my shoulder and listened. Her husband had cheated. She was angry. Angry at him. Angry at God. Angry at herself for being angry. In two months she's gone through three bottles of anti-depressants. She didn't want to leave her room or see her friends. Weak and bitter she finally asked, "Max, will I ever be happy again?"
She's not the first to wonder.
As the drinker orders a double, he wonders.
As the achiever logs another eighteen-hour day, she wonders.
As the boss reaches for his secretary's hand, both wonder.
"Will I ever be happy again?"
There is a great dissatisfaction across the land. Hand after hand reaching out to quench thirsts and scratch itches. But the thirst lingers, the itch remains. As one man tole me, "I learned that once I had what I wanted, I found I didn't want what I had."
Solomon could have said those words. He was unlimited in what he could do. Unbridled in what he could win. Unharnessed in what he could experience. So he set out to do it all.
He tried knowledge (1:13), pleasure, possessions and projects (2:3-8). He was serious about each. He built a temple and a palace. He owned forty thousand horses and twelve thousand horseman. He married the daughter of Pharaoh and built her a house (which was good because he had six hundred and ninety-nine more wives so his place was crowded).
In spite of it all, or because of it all, he was restless. "I hated life, " he journaled. He was isolated (3:22), frustrated (5:17), and longed for the good old days when things were simler and wine was sweeter.
For some reason, Solomon kept a record of his longings. And somehow, they became public. Maybe he knew that he wasn't the only one to get to the top of the ladder only to find it against the wrong building.
If that's where you are, or might be, this book is for you.
FOOD:
BOOT TRACK COOKIES
made in the waffle iron
* 1/2 cup salted butter
* 2/3 cup granulated sugar
* 2 large eggs
* 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
* 1 cup whole-wheat pastry flour
* 6 tablespoons cocoa powder
* 2 tablespoons canola oil
* 1/2 teaspoon espresso powder, (optional)
* Confectioners' sugar, for dusting
Preparation
1. Preheat a nonstick (not Belgian) waffle iron.
2. Cream butter and sugar in a medium bowl. Beat in eggs and vanilla. Add flour, cocoa powder, oil and espresso powder (if using). Beat until thoroughly combined.
3. Drop the batter by rounded teaspoonfuls about 1 inch apart onto the preheated ungreased waffle iron. (To avoid burnt fingers, use two spoons, one to scoop and one to scrape dough onto the waffle iron.) Close and cook until the cookies are puffed and cooked through, 1 to 1 1/2 minutes. Waffle irons vary, so watch closely and don’t let the cookies get too dark. Transfer to a wire rack to cool until just warm. Dust the cookies with confectioners’ sugar while still slightly warm (see Variations). Variations: Instead of confectioners’ sugar, drizzle cooled cookies with melted bittersweet and/or white chocolate. Or make a peppermint drizzle: Mix 1 cup confectioners’ sugar, 4 teaspoons water and 1/4 teaspoon peppermint extract; add natural green food coloring, if desired.
FUN:
Weird Facts - Oldies but goodies
Did you know that Jimmy Carter was the first U.S. president to have been born in a hospital?
The sentence "The quick brown fox jumps over the lazy dog." Uses every letter in the alphabet. (developed by Western Union to test telex/twx communications)
In every episode of Seinfeld there is a Superman somewhere.
Average life span of a major league baseball: 7 pitches.
A duck's quack doesn't echo, and no one knows why.
In the 1940s, the FCC assigned television's Channel 1 to mobile Services(two-way radios in taxicabs, for instance) but did not Pre-number the other channel assignments. That is why your TV set has channels 2
and up, but no channel 1.
The San Francisco Cable cars are the only mobile National Monuments.
The only 15 letter word that can be spelled without repeating a letter is uncopyrightable.
Hang On Sloopy is the official rock song of Ohio.
The reason firehouses have circular stairways is from the days of yore when the engines were pulled by horses. The horses were stabled on the ground floor and figured out how to walk up straight staircases.
The airplane Buddy Holly died in was the "American Pie." (Thus the name of the Don McLean song.)
When opossums are playing 'possum, they are not "playing." They actually pass out from sheer terror.
The Main Library at Indiana University sinks over an inch every year because when it was built, engineers failed to take into account the weight of all the books that would occupy the building.
Nutmeg is extremely poisonous if injected intravenously.
If you have three quarters, four dimes, and four pennies, you have $1.19.You also have the largest amount of money in coins without being able to make change for a dollar.
No NFL team, which plays its home games in a domed stadium, has ever won a Superbowl.
The first toilet ever seen on television was on "Leave It to Beaver".
The only two days of the year in which there are no professional sports games (MLB, NBA, NHL, or NFL) are the day before and the day after the Major League all-star Game.
Sunday, October 4, 2009
Do not be fearful...
FAITH:
O LORD, be gracious unto us; we have waited for thee: be thou their arm every morning, our salvation also in the time of trouble.
Isaiah 33:2
During the building of the Golden Gate Bridge over San Francisco Bay, construction fell badly behind schedule because several workers had accidentally fallen from the scaffolding to their deaths. Engineers and administrators could find no solution to the costly delays. Finally, someone suggested a gigantic net be hung under the bridge to catch any who fell. Finally in spite of the enormous cost, the engineers opted for the net. After it was installed, progress was hardly interrupted. A worker or two fell into the net but were saved. Ultimately, all the time lost to fear was regained by replacing fear with faith in the net.
Do you have a fear of falling or failing? The Lord is always right there to be our net — to catch us when we fall. He is our salvation in time of trouble and provides the perfect safety net in Messiah!
Rest in Him and His finished work 2000 years ago. Press on full steam ahead!
FRIENDS:
Father, I cry out for help today for my brothers and sisters who are at this very moment struggling with their own individual fears. These fears are holding them back from accomplishing the very thing they were created to accomplish. I know You are standing in the gap for them before the throne of God, and You are calling out to them to come and lay their burdens down at Your feet. Be with us all, In Jesus' name, Amen.
DAILY BIBLE CHALLENGE
4. JOHN 1:35-42; JAMES 2:1-13; ECCLES. 3:1-15; JEREMIAH 7-9
5. JOHN 1:43-51; JAMES 2:14-26; ECCLES. 3:16-22; JEREMIAH 10-11
6. JOHN 2:1-11; JAMES 3:1-12; ECCLES 4 JEREMIAH 12-13
~JAMES~
Here is a story James would have liked.
Frances of Assisi once invited an apprentice to go with him to a nearby village to preach. The young monk quickly agreed, seizing an opportunity to hear his teacher speak. When they arrived in the village, St Frances began to visit with the people.
First he stopped in on the butcher. Next a visit with the cobbler. Then a short walk to the home of a woman who'd recently buried her husband. After that a stop at the school to chat with the teacher. This continued throughout the morning. After some time, Francis told his disciple that it was time to return to the abbey.
The student didn't understand. "But we came to preach," he reminded. "We haven't preached a sermon."
"Haven't we?" questioned the elder. "People have watched us, listened to us, responded to us. Every word we have spoken, every deed we have done has been a sermon. We have preached all morning."
James would have liked that. As far as he was concerned, Christianity was more action on Monday than worship on Sunday. "My brothers and sisters, if people say they have faith but do nothing, their faith is worth nothing. can faith like that save them?" (2:14)
His message is bare-knuckled; his style is bare-boned. Talk is cheap, he argues. Service is invaluable.
It's not that works save the Christian, but that works mark the Christian. In James' s book of logic, it only makes sense that we who have been given much should give much. Not just with words. But with our lives.
James would have liked that, too.
FOOD:
Peach Dumplings with Fuzzy Navel Sauce
Blanket peach filling with easy-to-use refrigerated pie crust to make these tempting dumplings. Served with peachy sauce and ice cream, they're irresistible!
Makes: 4 servings
Dumplings
1/4 cup sugar
1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
2 tablespoons butter or margarine, melted
1 Pillsbury refrigerated pie crust (from 15-oz box), softened as directed on box
2 large fresh peaches, peeled, cut in half and pitted
1 egg white, slightly beaten
2 teaspoons sugar
Sauce
2 tablespoons sugar
2 teaspoons cornstarch
3/4 cup peach nectar
2 tablespoons peach-flavored schnapps or additional peach nectar
1 teaspoon grated orange peel
Serve-With
2 cups vanilla ice cream
Heat oven to 400F. Line 15x10x1-inch pan with foil; spray foil with cooking spray. In small bowl, stir together 1/4 cup sugar, the flour, cinnamon and butter; set aside.
Remove pie crust from pouch; unroll on lightly floured work surface. Roll into 13-inch circle. Cut crust into quarters.
Place 1 peach half, cut side up, on each crust quarter. Spoon sugar mixture evenly onto peach halves. Brush crust edges with beaten egg white. Bring sides of each crust quarter up over peach; press edges to seal, making 3 seams. Place dumplings, seam sides up, in pan. Brush crusts with egg white; sprinkle with 2 teaspoons sugar. Make small slits in top of each dumpling to allow steam to escape.
Bake 25 to 30 minutes or until golden brown. Cool at least 15 minutes before serving.
Meanwhile, in 1-quart saucepan, stir together 2 tablespoons sugar and the cornstarch. Stir in nectar. Heat to boiling, stirring constantly; boil and stir 1 to 2 minutes or until thickened. Stir in schnapps and orange peel.
To serve, place dumplings in individual dessert dishes. Top each with 1/2 cup ice cream. Serve sauce over ice cream and dumplings.
FUN:
Five years after my wife, Bridgit, and I were married, we received our final wedding gift -- an ice-cream maker. In an attempt to cover procrastination with humor, the friend who sent it included a note: "I wanted to make sure the marriage would last."
Bridgit wasn't amused, but she thought the present deserved a thank-you note anyway, which she dutifully sent five years later. Her note read: "I wanted to be sure the ice-cream maker would last."
O LORD, be gracious unto us; we have waited for thee: be thou their arm every morning, our salvation also in the time of trouble.
Isaiah 33:2
During the building of the Golden Gate Bridge over San Francisco Bay, construction fell badly behind schedule because several workers had accidentally fallen from the scaffolding to their deaths. Engineers and administrators could find no solution to the costly delays. Finally, someone suggested a gigantic net be hung under the bridge to catch any who fell. Finally in spite of the enormous cost, the engineers opted for the net. After it was installed, progress was hardly interrupted. A worker or two fell into the net but were saved. Ultimately, all the time lost to fear was regained by replacing fear with faith in the net.
Do you have a fear of falling or failing? The Lord is always right there to be our net — to catch us when we fall. He is our salvation in time of trouble and provides the perfect safety net in Messiah!
Rest in Him and His finished work 2000 years ago. Press on full steam ahead!
FRIENDS:
Father, I cry out for help today for my brothers and sisters who are at this very moment struggling with their own individual fears. These fears are holding them back from accomplishing the very thing they were created to accomplish. I know You are standing in the gap for them before the throne of God, and You are calling out to them to come and lay their burdens down at Your feet. Be with us all, In Jesus' name, Amen.
DAILY BIBLE CHALLENGE
4. JOHN 1:35-42; JAMES 2:1-13; ECCLES. 3:1-15; JEREMIAH 7-9
5. JOHN 1:43-51; JAMES 2:14-26; ECCLES. 3:16-22; JEREMIAH 10-11
6. JOHN 2:1-11; JAMES 3:1-12; ECCLES 4 JEREMIAH 12-13
~JAMES~
Here is a story James would have liked.
Frances of Assisi once invited an apprentice to go with him to a nearby village to preach. The young monk quickly agreed, seizing an opportunity to hear his teacher speak. When they arrived in the village, St Frances began to visit with the people.
First he stopped in on the butcher. Next a visit with the cobbler. Then a short walk to the home of a woman who'd recently buried her husband. After that a stop at the school to chat with the teacher. This continued throughout the morning. After some time, Francis told his disciple that it was time to return to the abbey.
The student didn't understand. "But we came to preach," he reminded. "We haven't preached a sermon."
"Haven't we?" questioned the elder. "People have watched us, listened to us, responded to us. Every word we have spoken, every deed we have done has been a sermon. We have preached all morning."
James would have liked that. As far as he was concerned, Christianity was more action on Monday than worship on Sunday. "My brothers and sisters, if people say they have faith but do nothing, their faith is worth nothing. can faith like that save them?" (2:14)
His message is bare-knuckled; his style is bare-boned. Talk is cheap, he argues. Service is invaluable.
It's not that works save the Christian, but that works mark the Christian. In James' s book of logic, it only makes sense that we who have been given much should give much. Not just with words. But with our lives.
James would have liked that, too.
FOOD:
Peach Dumplings with Fuzzy Navel Sauce
Blanket peach filling with easy-to-use refrigerated pie crust to make these tempting dumplings. Served with peachy sauce and ice cream, they're irresistible!
Makes: 4 servings
Dumplings
1/4 cup sugar
1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
2 tablespoons butter or margarine, melted
1 Pillsbury refrigerated pie crust (from 15-oz box), softened as directed on box
2 large fresh peaches, peeled, cut in half and pitted
1 egg white, slightly beaten
2 teaspoons sugar
Sauce
2 tablespoons sugar
2 teaspoons cornstarch
3/4 cup peach nectar
2 tablespoons peach-flavored schnapps or additional peach nectar
1 teaspoon grated orange peel
Serve-With
2 cups vanilla ice cream
Heat oven to 400F. Line 15x10x1-inch pan with foil; spray foil with cooking spray. In small bowl, stir together 1/4 cup sugar, the flour, cinnamon and butter; set aside.
Remove pie crust from pouch; unroll on lightly floured work surface. Roll into 13-inch circle. Cut crust into quarters.
Place 1 peach half, cut side up, on each crust quarter. Spoon sugar mixture evenly onto peach halves. Brush crust edges with beaten egg white. Bring sides of each crust quarter up over peach; press edges to seal, making 3 seams. Place dumplings, seam sides up, in pan. Brush crusts with egg white; sprinkle with 2 teaspoons sugar. Make small slits in top of each dumpling to allow steam to escape.
Bake 25 to 30 minutes or until golden brown. Cool at least 15 minutes before serving.
Meanwhile, in 1-quart saucepan, stir together 2 tablespoons sugar and the cornstarch. Stir in nectar. Heat to boiling, stirring constantly; boil and stir 1 to 2 minutes or until thickened. Stir in schnapps and orange peel.
To serve, place dumplings in individual dessert dishes. Top each with 1/2 cup ice cream. Serve sauce over ice cream and dumplings.
FUN:
Five years after my wife, Bridgit, and I were married, we received our final wedding gift -- an ice-cream maker. In an attempt to cover procrastination with humor, the friend who sent it included a note: "I wanted to make sure the marriage would last."
Bridgit wasn't amused, but she thought the present deserved a thank-you note anyway, which she dutifully sent five years later. Her note read: "I wanted to be sure the ice-cream maker would last."
Friday, October 2, 2009
Being a person of substance....
FAITH:
Gray hair is a crown of splendor; it is attained by a righteous life. Proverbs 16:31(NIV)
"There comes a moment when you know that your face has changed; when that effortless glow you always had going for you suddenly requires serious effort. For me, that moment came on the first of August at 4:13 pm, Eastern Daylight Time, while buying a pound and a half of chicken breasts at Simchyk and Sons." - Lisa Kogan
At first I laughed hysterically when I read those lines from an article. Pretty soon, though, I realized that the laugh was just hysteria and that it had a real note of panic in it. It hit a little too close to home, because I had my own well-defined realization of my aging recently. I caught a glimpse of myself in the reflection of my car window, and I almost turned to see who was standing behind me.
Unfortunately, the neck that was reflected was my own. I just couldn't understand where all those little crepe-y lines had come from. I had never seen them before. Upon reflection, I think I must even do the turtle neck in the mirror. You know the move. It's the stretch I do with my neck during pictures to try to eliminate any extra chins. Evidently, I've been doing it in the mirror, too, and that's why I hadn't seen any of those wrinkles on my neck!
I had a significant birthday this year, and there were almost instant changes in my face. I've enlisted my good friend Holly to be my dealer -I mean supplier - of skin care products. Even though Proverbs assures me that my gray hairs are a crown, I still want my crown hidden for a while under color from a bottle. I want to age gracefully but not suddenly!
With all the angst over a few wrinkles, I have to admit that I'm also embracing all the good stuff that comes with age. There's actually a lot to celebrate. I have gradually felt myself feeling more comfortable in my own skin. Although I strive to make my words godly, I also feel bolder and more empowered to stand up and speak up. I've increasingly realized that although I have nothing to offer, Jesus in me has everything to offer. I'm relishing becoming the older woman who knows a little bit about the world, mothering, pursuing a passion and cultivating a walk with God.
My outward body may be deteriorating, but I know that running hard on the heels of Jesus will keep me spiritually fit and beautiful. I can revel in each year as long as my image is more closely matching His image.
I see the stretch of the years in front of me as the stretch to truly begin looking more like Jesus. It's the stretch where, if I do it right, the outside matters less and less. The world is less and less attractive. Heaven becomes more and more my home. My character is more and more submitted to Jesus, and my final destination is in sight. I may decide to apply specialized creams to my neck and dye to my hair, but the increase in years is worth it to gain from God the things I need to be a woman of substance!
FRIENDS:
Dear Lord, help me to keep laughing about all the changes in my body as I age, but help me to take inner change seriously. I truly want to grow older and godlier instead of older and grouchier. In Jesus' precious Name, Amen.
DAILY BIBLE CHALLENGE
1. JOHN 1:1-18; JAMES 1:1-11; ECCLES. 1; JEREMIAH 1-2
2. JOHN 1:19-28; JAMES 1:12-18; ECCLES. 2:1-16; JEREMIAH 3-4
3. JOHN 1:29-34; JAMES 1:19-27; ECCLES. 2:17-26; JEREMIAH 5-6
~JOHN~
He's an old man, this one who sits on the stool and leans against the wall. Eyes closed and face soft, were it not for his hand stroking his beard, you'd think he was asleep.
Some in the room assume he is. He does this often during worship. As the people sing, his eyes will close and his chin will fall until it rests on his chest, and there he will remain motionless. Silent.
Those who know him well know better. They know he is not resting. He is traveling. Atop the music he journeys back, back, back until he is young again. Strong again. There again. There on the seashore with James and the apostles. There on the trail with the disciples and the women. There in the Temple with Caiaphas and the accusers.
It's been sixty years, but John sees him still. The decades took John's strength, but they didn't take his memory. The years dulled his sight, but they didn't dull his vision. The seasons may have wrinkled his face, but they didn't soften his love.
He had been with God. God had been with him. How could he forget?
*The wine that moments before had been water---John could still taste it.
*The mud placed on the eyes of the blind man in Jerusalem---John could still remember it.
*The aroma of Mary's perfume as it filled the room---John could still smell it.
And the voice. Oh, the voice. His voice. John could still hear it.
I am the light of the world, it rang...I am the door...I am the way, the truth, the life.
I will come back, it promised, and take you to be with me.
Those who believe in me, it assured, will have life even if they die.
John could hear him. John could see him. Scenes branded on his heart. Words seared into his soul. John would never forget. How could he? He had been there.
He opens his eyes and blinks. The singing has stopped. The teaching has begun. John looks at the listeners and listens to the teacher.
If only you could have been there, he thinks.
But he wasn't. Most weren't. Most weren't even born. And most who were there are dead. Peter is. So is James. Nathanael, Martha, Philip. they are all gone. Even Paul, the apostle who came late, is dead.
Only John remains.
He looks again at the church. Small but earnest. They learn forward to hear the teacher. John listens to him. What a task. speaking of one he never saw. Explaining words he never heard. John is there if the teacher needs him.
But what will happen when John is gone? What will the teacher do then? When John's voice is silent and his tongue stilled. Who will tell them how Jesus silenced the waves? Will they hear how he fed the thousands? Will they remember how he prayed for unity?
How will they know? If only they could have been there.
Suddenly, in his heart he knows what to do.
Later, under the light of a sunlit shaft, the old fisherman unfolds the scroll and begins to write the story of his life...
In the beginning there was the Word........
FOOD:
OATMEAL CAKE (this is very good)
Things You'll Need:
1 1/4 cups boiling water
1 cup unprepared quick cooking oatmeal
1 stick butter or margarine
1 cup packed light brown sugar
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 eggs
1 1/2 cup flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon salt
-Oatmeal Cake Topping-
5 tablespoons softened butter
3/4 cup packed brown sugar
3 tablespoons milk
3/4 cup chopped walnuts or pecans
3/4 cup flaked coconut
In a small pot boil the water and add the quick cooking oatmeal. Stir, remove from heat and let sit for 30 minutes.
1.Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a large bowl beat butter until fluffy, add sugars and beat until combined. Add in vanilla and eggs. Beat until well blended. Mix in cooled oatmeal.
2. In another bowl combing flour, baking powder & soda, cinnamon and salt. Stir to combine. Mix flour mixture into egg/sugar mixture, until thoroughly combined.
Pour oatmeal cake mixture into a greased & floured 13x9 baking pan. Spread the batter out evenly and bake 30-35 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into center comes out clean. Let Cool.
3. While cake is cooling. Make the topping.
5 tablespoons butter, 3/4 cup brown sugar, 3 tablespoons milk, 3/4 cup ch0ppped walnuts or peacans, and 3/4 cup flaked coconut.
In small saucepan combine all Oatmeal Cake topping ingredients. Cook over low heat, stirring constantly until butter is melted and all ingredients are combined.
Top cake with prepared topping, smooth topping over cake, evenly. Broil cake topping on low broil until topping is nice and bubbly. 2-8 minutes. Check topping every minute or so, it can burn quickly. Cool down and enjoy.
FUN:
Martin had just received his brand new driver's license. The family troops out to the driveway, and climbs in the car, where he is going to take them for a ride for the first time. Dad immediately heads for the back seat, directly behind the newly minted driver.
"I'll bet you're back there to get a change of scenery after all those months of sitting in the front passenger seat teaching me how to drive," says the beaming boy to his father.
"Nope," comes dad's reply, "I'm gonna sit here and kick the back of your seat as you drive, just like you've been doing to me all these years."
Gray hair is a crown of splendor; it is attained by a righteous life. Proverbs 16:31(NIV)
"There comes a moment when you know that your face has changed; when that effortless glow you always had going for you suddenly requires serious effort. For me, that moment came on the first of August at 4:13 pm, Eastern Daylight Time, while buying a pound and a half of chicken breasts at Simchyk and Sons." - Lisa Kogan
At first I laughed hysterically when I read those lines from an article. Pretty soon, though, I realized that the laugh was just hysteria and that it had a real note of panic in it. It hit a little too close to home, because I had my own well-defined realization of my aging recently. I caught a glimpse of myself in the reflection of my car window, and I almost turned to see who was standing behind me.
Unfortunately, the neck that was reflected was my own. I just couldn't understand where all those little crepe-y lines had come from. I had never seen them before. Upon reflection, I think I must even do the turtle neck in the mirror. You know the move. It's the stretch I do with my neck during pictures to try to eliminate any extra chins. Evidently, I've been doing it in the mirror, too, and that's why I hadn't seen any of those wrinkles on my neck!
I had a significant birthday this year, and there were almost instant changes in my face. I've enlisted my good friend Holly to be my dealer -I mean supplier - of skin care products. Even though Proverbs assures me that my gray hairs are a crown, I still want my crown hidden for a while under color from a bottle. I want to age gracefully but not suddenly!
With all the angst over a few wrinkles, I have to admit that I'm also embracing all the good stuff that comes with age. There's actually a lot to celebrate. I have gradually felt myself feeling more comfortable in my own skin. Although I strive to make my words godly, I also feel bolder and more empowered to stand up and speak up. I've increasingly realized that although I have nothing to offer, Jesus in me has everything to offer. I'm relishing becoming the older woman who knows a little bit about the world, mothering, pursuing a passion and cultivating a walk with God.
My outward body may be deteriorating, but I know that running hard on the heels of Jesus will keep me spiritually fit and beautiful. I can revel in each year as long as my image is more closely matching His image.
I see the stretch of the years in front of me as the stretch to truly begin looking more like Jesus. It's the stretch where, if I do it right, the outside matters less and less. The world is less and less attractive. Heaven becomes more and more my home. My character is more and more submitted to Jesus, and my final destination is in sight. I may decide to apply specialized creams to my neck and dye to my hair, but the increase in years is worth it to gain from God the things I need to be a woman of substance!
FRIENDS:
Dear Lord, help me to keep laughing about all the changes in my body as I age, but help me to take inner change seriously. I truly want to grow older and godlier instead of older and grouchier. In Jesus' precious Name, Amen.
DAILY BIBLE CHALLENGE
1. JOHN 1:1-18; JAMES 1:1-11; ECCLES. 1; JEREMIAH 1-2
2. JOHN 1:19-28; JAMES 1:12-18; ECCLES. 2:1-16; JEREMIAH 3-4
3. JOHN 1:29-34; JAMES 1:19-27; ECCLES. 2:17-26; JEREMIAH 5-6
~JOHN~
He's an old man, this one who sits on the stool and leans against the wall. Eyes closed and face soft, were it not for his hand stroking his beard, you'd think he was asleep.
Some in the room assume he is. He does this often during worship. As the people sing, his eyes will close and his chin will fall until it rests on his chest, and there he will remain motionless. Silent.
Those who know him well know better. They know he is not resting. He is traveling. Atop the music he journeys back, back, back until he is young again. Strong again. There again. There on the seashore with James and the apostles. There on the trail with the disciples and the women. There in the Temple with Caiaphas and the accusers.
It's been sixty years, but John sees him still. The decades took John's strength, but they didn't take his memory. The years dulled his sight, but they didn't dull his vision. The seasons may have wrinkled his face, but they didn't soften his love.
He had been with God. God had been with him. How could he forget?
*The wine that moments before had been water---John could still taste it.
*The mud placed on the eyes of the blind man in Jerusalem---John could still remember it.
*The aroma of Mary's perfume as it filled the room---John could still smell it.
And the voice. Oh, the voice. His voice. John could still hear it.
I am the light of the world, it rang...I am the door...I am the way, the truth, the life.
I will come back, it promised, and take you to be with me.
Those who believe in me, it assured, will have life even if they die.
John could hear him. John could see him. Scenes branded on his heart. Words seared into his soul. John would never forget. How could he? He had been there.
He opens his eyes and blinks. The singing has stopped. The teaching has begun. John looks at the listeners and listens to the teacher.
If only you could have been there, he thinks.
But he wasn't. Most weren't. Most weren't even born. And most who were there are dead. Peter is. So is James. Nathanael, Martha, Philip. they are all gone. Even Paul, the apostle who came late, is dead.
Only John remains.
He looks again at the church. Small but earnest. They learn forward to hear the teacher. John listens to him. What a task. speaking of one he never saw. Explaining words he never heard. John is there if the teacher needs him.
But what will happen when John is gone? What will the teacher do then? When John's voice is silent and his tongue stilled. Who will tell them how Jesus silenced the waves? Will they hear how he fed the thousands? Will they remember how he prayed for unity?
How will they know? If only they could have been there.
Suddenly, in his heart he knows what to do.
Later, under the light of a sunlit shaft, the old fisherman unfolds the scroll and begins to write the story of his life...
In the beginning there was the Word........
FOOD:
OATMEAL CAKE (this is very good)
Things You'll Need:
1 1/4 cups boiling water
1 cup unprepared quick cooking oatmeal
1 stick butter or margarine
1 cup packed light brown sugar
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 eggs
1 1/2 cup flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon salt
-Oatmeal Cake Topping-
5 tablespoons softened butter
3/4 cup packed brown sugar
3 tablespoons milk
3/4 cup chopped walnuts or pecans
3/4 cup flaked coconut
In a small pot boil the water and add the quick cooking oatmeal. Stir, remove from heat and let sit for 30 minutes.
1.Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a large bowl beat butter until fluffy, add sugars and beat until combined. Add in vanilla and eggs. Beat until well blended. Mix in cooled oatmeal.
2. In another bowl combing flour, baking powder & soda, cinnamon and salt. Stir to combine. Mix flour mixture into egg/sugar mixture, until thoroughly combined.
Pour oatmeal cake mixture into a greased & floured 13x9 baking pan. Spread the batter out evenly and bake 30-35 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into center comes out clean. Let Cool.
3. While cake is cooling. Make the topping.
5 tablespoons butter, 3/4 cup brown sugar, 3 tablespoons milk, 3/4 cup ch0ppped walnuts or peacans, and 3/4 cup flaked coconut.
In small saucepan combine all Oatmeal Cake topping ingredients. Cook over low heat, stirring constantly until butter is melted and all ingredients are combined.
Top cake with prepared topping, smooth topping over cake, evenly. Broil cake topping on low broil until topping is nice and bubbly. 2-8 minutes. Check topping every minute or so, it can burn quickly. Cool down and enjoy.
FUN:
Martin had just received his brand new driver's license. The family troops out to the driveway, and climbs in the car, where he is going to take them for a ride for the first time. Dad immediately heads for the back seat, directly behind the newly minted driver.
"I'll bet you're back there to get a change of scenery after all those months of sitting in the front passenger seat teaching me how to drive," says the beaming boy to his father.
"Nope," comes dad's reply, "I'm gonna sit here and kick the back of your seat as you drive, just like you've been doing to me all these years."
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