God is Sovereign – Take Refuge in Him!

We can take comfort in God’s word here in Isaiah.  God is Sovereign!  Knowing this we can be courageous and take refuge in him!

“No weapon that is formed against thee shall prosper; and every tongue that shall rise against thee in judgment thou shalt condemn. This is the heritage of the servants of the Lord, and their righteousness is of me, saith the Lord.”  Isaiah 54:17

Here is some commentary that I was resting in recently that really settle well with me.  I wanted to share it for others to rest in as well:

“The LORD will not allow the weapon formed against His servants to prosper. Sometimes this means the LORD takes the weapon out of the hand of the enemy of His servants. Sometimes it means that God allows the weapon to strike, but brings a greater good out of it than the pain of the immediate blow. In allowing this, God will not allow the weapon to prosper, but transforms the violent sword into a trowel for building His kingdom.

The tongue which rises against you can really hurt. “Satan leaves no stone unturned against the Church of God. He uses not simply the hand; but, what is oftener a sharper weapon, the tongue. We can bear a blow, sometimes, but we cannot endure an insult. There is a great power in the tongue. We can rise from a blow which smote us to the ground; but we cannot so easily recover from slander, that lays the character low.” (Spurgeon)

Yet, we can trust in the LORD’s triumph. “The more accusers, the more acquittals; the more slander, the more honor; so the enemy may slander us as much as he pleases.” (Spurgeon)

This is not a blanket promise for any churchgoer.

The LORD specifically says, this is the heritage of the servants of the LORD. Are you a servant of the LORD? Then you can rest easy in His promised protection.

The LORD also says that this is a promise for those whose righteousness is from Me – from the LORD Himself – and not from themselves. When a person understands that their righteousness is really from the LORD, they are much more comfortable in letting the LORD protect their righteousness!”

No one has an excuse from knowing God exists

Were you aware that no one has an excuse to say they do not know God exists?

“For since the creation of the world God’s invisible qualities–his eternal power and divine nature–have been clearly seen, being understood from what has been made, so that men are without excuse.” Romans 1:20

As a matter of fact, people can obtain knowledge that God exists from observing themselves and the world around them. In Psalm 19:1 David says: “The heavens declare the glory of God; the skies proclaim the work of his hands.” This means to look at the skies is to see evidence of the infinite power and beauty of God. In other words, it is to observe a majestic witness to the glory of God.

In Romans 1:21 Paul goes even further when he says: “For although they knew God, they neither glorified him as God nor gave thanks to him, but their thinking became futile and their foolish hearts were darkened.” By this Paul means that unbelievers and even wicked people recognize the evidence that God exists but choose to work at not believing.

Don’t be fooled, no one can deny God exists.

Soy Ginger Glazed Salmon with Broccoli and Turmeric Wild Rice

Another healthy and quick meal. So good!

Preheat oven to 400, Mix Marinade:

1/4 cup olive oil

1/3 cup Soy Sauce

1/4 cup Honey

1 Tbsp Dry Cooking Sherry

2 garlic Cloves minced

1 Tbls grated Ginger

1 tsp Sesame seeds

Marinade the salmon in 1/2 of the marinade and place the remaining in a sauce pan.

Prep broccoli, sprinkle of olive oil, thyme, and garlic powder.

Cook rice as directed, add a dab of butter if desired, 1 tsp of turmeric, and black pepper. Turmeric with black pepper (for absorption) is great for cognitive health) !

Place salmon and broccoli on baking sheet with foil and cook until done. Approx 15 mins.

Chicken Verde Tacos

Quick and healthy meal. We used what we had on hand.

Chicken Verde Tacos with Tri-bean medley, corn, cilantro, green onion,shishito peppers, and cumin with lime!

Cook the chicken in the salsa verde sauce on the stovetop covered until cooked through. Shred it and broil it in the oven for a 3 minutes, toss and put back in for 3 more minutes. Roughly.

We mixed everything else in a saucepan and cooked until the peppers were tender. I splashed in a bit of lime juice.

Now how easy is that!

The Love and Compassion of Christmas

You can tell how much love and compassion a person has for you by just how far they will come to help you in your suffering and despair. So, think about this:

God came all the way from His throne in perfect heaven where there was no sin, to this world of darkness, sin, and evil. Unlike Kings who were treated royally in those times. They would travel to unfavorable places with their entourage of servants and all the comforts of home. Jesus came in the most vulnerable way through the womb of a young Jewish girl. He came fully human and completely helpless and dependent. He was born in a filthy animal stable.

When the multitude of the heavenly army of angels saw Him they started praising God and said, “Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace among people with whom He is pleased.” Realize that they had experienced His absence for 9 months.

Then He offers Himself, His body, His life as a gift to us. Even in our sin, Jesus demonstrated His love for us and gave His own life on the cross to save us forever from this sin and darkness. This is the gift we remember and celebrate on Christmas day.

Do you know that He was not forced to that cross? When He was asked if He was Jesus, He said “I AM”. With that, hundreds of soldiers drew back and fell to the ground. They were incapacitated. Jesus then willingly submitted Himself. He chose the cross out of His abundant love and compassion for us. It was a very public death, excruciatingly painful, and humiliating.

The good news is that the prophecy in the bible told of all of these details and they have been proven over and over again. Also proving true was the prophecy that Jesus, Immanual, our Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Eternal Father, Prince of Peace, the Savior of the world would be risen from the dead three days later. He is alive today!

There is no other living god. The small ‘g’ gods are just that! Not living. Nothing!

This deep compassionate love of Jesus has already been demonstrated to each of us! God loves us that much! So today, let’s acknowledge our need for Him to save us from our selfishness and sinful ways and let’s thank Him for His abundant love and sacrifice from the very bottom of our hearts and souls. Then let’s pursue Him and invite Him into a daily relationship with us! We do this through getting to know Him better through reading and studying the Bible. We read it to learn about God and why He chose us and how we should live for Him! Praying and talking with Him daily.

The Bible tells us in the book of Matthew that if we have open and moldable hearts and we seek Him, He will show us more of Him. He will help us understand the truths of the Bible. If our hearts are closed, calloused, and we are selfishly focusing on ourselves, then He will not open up the truths of the Bible to us. The more moldable, the more He teaches us!

Will God Be Your Eternal Loving Father Or Your Judge?

Each of us has a relationship with God whether we recognize it or not. God created each of us and He has total control over us and our lives. What’s amazing though, is that he gave us free will to make decisions and choices.

Check out Luke 23: 32-43

The criminals on the cross beside Jesus as he was being executed each had a decision to make as they watched.

One thief hurled insults at Jesus and never acknowledged his own sin or that Jesus was the Messiah. God will be his JUDGE!

The second thief recognized that death was a just punishment for his sins and also recognized that sinless Jesus had done nothing wrong and was actually the Messiah that had been promised throughout scripture which had been prophesied for thousands of years.

Because he believed in his heart that Jesus was the promised savior and also confessed with his mouth that he was guilty of sin, Jesus told him that today, he would be with Him in paradise. God is his ETERNAL LOVING FATHER!

Check this out though—What really jumped out at me today about the second thief is that he did nothing else. He wasn’t baptized, didn’t take communion, didn’t help the needy, didn’t attend church, he did nothing else to earn (on his own) his way to heaven.

GOD DID IT ALL!

What we must understand is that beyond having faith that Jesus is our savior, that we are sinners, that he died on the cross for the payment of our sins, that He is alive and God raised him from the dead, there is absolutely NOTHING that we CAN do and there is NOTHING that we CANNOT do to get to heaven and eternal life in the presence of God our creator!

If you have a desire to understand this more thoroughly, please check out this video. It really gets down to the finite details in the written word of God. Because we are all very busy, I will recommend starting at the 38 minute mark.

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCPj201moFzgdrXQNrDyqdNg/videos

These Three Words – “I Am Guilty”

I’ve said the three words, have you? I AM GUILTY? For I have sinned.

If any are convinced that “good enough” will achieve eternity with God, then certainly hear how Paster John shares God’s truth from the Bible to clarify exactly what “good enough” looks like to see if God’s standards of good enough have been met.

Main message starts at 34 mins. I promise you that it is worth your time to listen. Everyone should hear this truth at least once in their life. Click on this link below:

Argentinian Chimichurri Flank Steak with Parmesan Zucchini and Corn

This is such a flavorful and healthy dish.   The marinade time is minimal, so get that started first before you prepare your sides. 

 

Ingredients: (Chimichurri flank steak)
  • 1 flank steak 12 Oz. in weight
  • ½ cup fresh cilantro
  • 6-7 leaves mint
  • 2-3 cloves garlic, minced
  • 1 tsp cayenne red chili peppers
  • ½ tsp salt
  • ½ tsp black pepper freshly cracked
  • ½ tsp paprika mild, spicy, or smoked
  • ½ tsp dried oregano
  • 2 tbsp red wine vinegar
  • 2 tbsp lime juice
  • 2 tbsp olive oil, extra virgin

Directions:

  1. Combine all ingredients in a food processor and blitz until everything is puréed.
  2. Place flank steak in a plastic zipper bag and pour in half of the marinade. Reserve the other half of the marinade to drizzle over the steak once it has been grilled.
  3. Mix the steak around in the bag with the marinade to coat all of the meat. Seal the bag, squeezing out all of the air inside. Place in the refrigerator for 1-8 hours.
  4. Place the steak on the hot part of the grill, flatten the steak out so that it cooks evenly.
  5. When pockets of red juice begin to surface on the top of the meat (approximately 5-6 minutes depending on the heat of the grill and thickness of the steak), flip the steak. Continue to cook for another 5-6 minutes and then drizzle the remainder of the marinade over top for one minute.
  6. Remove the steak from the grill and let it rest on a cutting board.
  7. Slice the steak on a bias against the grain.

Ingredients: (Parmesan zucchini and corn)

  • 2 tbsp Olive oil
  • 2 cloves Garlic, minced
  • 2 Zucchini, cut bite size (can use squash as well)
  • ½ cup Corn kernels (frozen or fresh)
  • ¼ tsp Dried basil
  • ¼ tsp Dried oregano
  • ¼ tsp Dried thyme
  • Kosher Salt
  • freshly ground Black pepper
  • 1 tbsp Lime juice
  • 1 tbsp fresh leaves Cilantro
  • 1 tbsp Parmesan cheese

Directions:

  1. Add the olive oil to a large pan or skillet and heat over medium high heat.
  2. Add the garlic to the pan and cook for about 1 minute, stirring constantly until fragrant.
  3. Add the zucchini, corn, basil, oregano, and thyme to the garlic and cook for 3-4 minutes until the zucchini has softened slightly. Stir occasionally to ensure even cooking.
  4. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Stir in the lime juice and cilantro and mix well.
  5. Sprinkle with parmesan and serve immediately.

 

 

Ground Beef and Vegetable Casserole – Keto Style and Gluten-Free

This keto ground beef casserole recipe is a tasty one-dish low carb and gluten-free dinner.   I found this basic recipe on-line and shifted it up to make it a bit more healthy and added a few seasoning elements to make it more flavorful.  I think it tasted much better than I expected.    I enjoyed having ground beef that was not presented in patty or meatball nor with its typical side kicks of pasta or rice, tomato sauce, or red/green sauces.  No Campbell’s soup required either!!

PREP TIME15 min  COOK TIME20 min    BAKE TIME10 min  TOTAL 45 min

Ingredients

  • 1 cup carrots, peeled and sliced
  • 1 cup broccoli florets
  • 1 cup cauliflower florets
  • 1 lb. lean ground beef
  • 1 cup mozzarella cheese and/or Mexican blend (your preference) shredded
  • 2 tbls. Olive Oil and/or butter
  • 1 medium onion, finely chopped
  • 3 garlic gloves, minced, or 1 tsp garlic powder
  • 1 tsp. crushed fennel seed
  • 3 tbsp parsley, minced
  • Salt/Black pepper to taste
  • ¼ cup Broth of choice
  • ¼ tsp ground nutmeg
  • ¼ tsp ground allspice
    Instructions
  1. Heat oil and/or tbsp butter in a large sauté pan or skillet over medium-high heat. Add the carrots, cauliflower, and broccoli.
  2. Season the vegetables with salt and black pepper.
  3. Add 1/4 cup water or beef or vegetable broth and stir fry until the vegetables are cooked, for about 7 to 10 minutes.
  4. Transfer the vegetables evenly to the casserole dish and set aside. (Retain any remaining juice broth to pour over vegetables prior to placing in the oven)
  5. Preheat the oven to 400°F.
  6. Cook the ground beef, fennel seed, onion, garlic, parsley, salt, pepper, nutmeg and allspice.
  7. Sauté until the beef is browned and onion looks translucent, for about 10 minutes.
  8. Layer the beef mixture over the vegetables in the casserole dish. Pouring over any remaining juices and broth.
  9. Top with shredded cheddar and mozzarella cheese.
  10. Bake for 10 minutes, until the cheese is melted.
  11. Sprinkle with more parsley and serve warm.

 

 

Shifting Your Focus to Live For Eternity

These are more fruits from my garden and my friends garden that the Lord has provided. It’s hard to fathom the wonder of it all. Creation in itself. Seeds that reproduce food year after year that also fuel us and support a healthy body. Who could have imagined that and created it so perfectly? Only God!

This reminds me of my recent study. Jesus is teaching us several things here as He preaches His sermon on the mountain. One truth is that when we focus on temporary worldly things, we will have anxiety, fear, and worry. But when we shift our focus to heaven and eternity, on His kingdom yet to come – – as we know He has already defeated death, we will have peace and joy.

“”Therefore I tell you, do not be anxious about your life, what you will eat or what you will drink, nor about your body, what you will put on. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothing? Look at the birds of the air: they neither sow nor reap nor gather into barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not of more value than they? Therefore do not be anxious, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’”
‭‭Matthew‬ ‭6:25-26, 31‬ ‭ESV‬‬

“But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you. “Therefore do not be anxious about tomorrow, for tomorrow will be anxious for itself. Sufficient for the day is its own trouble.”
‭‭Matthew‬ ‭6:33-34‬ ‭ESV‬‬

So ask the Lord to help you reflect and evaluate what you are focusing on. And also to give you His wisdom and strength to shift your focus to bring Him and eternity into your vision more frequently. With the intentions of Living For Eternity!