Try these: Much Better Than Nutter Butters

You’ll go nuts for these scrumptious treats, made with almond butter and toasted almonds for an update on the beloved peanut-butter sandwich cookie. The make-ahead icebox dough is cut into thin rounds that are perfect for pairing and filling.

Ingredients

1 1/4 cups whole-wheat pastry flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
3/4 teaspoon coarse salt
1 stick unsalted butter, room temperature
1/2 cup creamy natural almond butter, stirred
1 cup packed light-brown sugar
1 large egg
1 cup sliced almonds, toasted and finely chopped
16 ounces cream cheese, room temperature
1/4 cup honey
1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

Preparations

1. Whisk together flour, baking soda, and salt. Beat butter with an electric mixer on medium-high speed 1 minute. Add almond butter; beat until smooth. Beat in brown sugar, then egg, until well mixed. Reduce speed to low and gradually add flour mixture until just combined. Stir in almonds.

2. Form dough into an 11-inch-long log, 1 3/4 inches in diameter. Wrap in parchment and freeze until firm, about 1 hour (or up to 3 months).

3. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Using a chef’s knife, slice log into scant 1/4-inch-thick rounds, using one quick motion for each slice. Arrange rounds 1 1/2 inches apart on parchment-lined baking sheets, pressing back into shape.

4. Bake, rotating sheets halfway through, until cookies are light golden on edges, 8 to 10 minutes. Let cool completely on sheets on wire racks. Cookies can be stored, covered, up to 5 days.

5. Beat cream cheese, honey, and vanilla with mixer on medium speed until combined. Spread 1 tablespoon each on bottoms of half of the cookies, then sandwich with remaining cookies, pressing gently to spread filling to edges. Filled cookies are best the same day.

Source:yahoo.com

Appropriating The Kingdom

TEXT: MATTHEW 11:1-15

Key verse: “Verily I say unto you, Among them that are born of women there hath not risen a greater than John the Baptist: notwithstanding he that is least in the kingdom of heaven is greater than he” (Matthew 11:11).

Making heaven at last after leaving this sinful world is not the exclusive preserve of a few people. The kingdom of heaven is for as many as would believe the gospel and take it seriously.

In our text, Jesus Christ knew the impact the teaching and preaching of the gospel would have on the lives of the people, and therefore devoted much of His public ministry to it. Before this time, John the Baptist really prepared the hearts of the people for the coming of the Lord by preaching repentance from sin. Many of the publicly recognised sinners had believed John, while the Scribes and Pharisees rejected the message of life that could have given them eternal life. Though Christ praised John and his exploits, yet He (Christ) emphasised that he that would be born again through the scriptures, shall have a better heritage than John in God’s kingdom - yet as by violence. Christ was saying in essence that to be born again and continuing, as a believer requires a great measure of seriousness and determination.

For one to profess that he believes the gospel without seriously laying aside every weight, and the sin which does easily besets him, is an indication that such an individual has not determined to make heaven. One needs to be violent against sin and be seriously committed to holy living. Being religious like the Scribes and Pharisees without truly accepting Jesus Christ as personal Lord and Saviour, makes the idea of getting to heaven like building one’s castle in the air.

As you make up your mind today to surrender to the Lord Jesus Christ and maintain a closer walk with Him, remember that you are entering into a lifelong journey of obedience, trust and courage. It takes these to ward off the string of intimidating obstacles, which the devil will want to put on our way to deny us of the eventual laurel. And it is only those who endure till the end that will be saved.

THOUGHT FOR THE DAY: Nothing is impossible for the willing heart.

What do you do when people hurt you after you've helped them?

“Why am I doing this anyway?” I muttered under my breath while moving about my day. I was irritated. Not just a little, but a lot. Some days in ministry, serving other people is not really appealing. I have days like that less often now, but every now and then, I find myself asking this question again.

On the surface, it’s a sarcastic question. But as I pondered it, I realized the power of this flippant question. In this case, other ministry people had disappointed me. Their action scraped an old wound of mistrust that I have struggled to keep cleansed and submitted to the Lord.

People hurt us in ministry, even other ministry people. I am at the place where it no longer surprises me. Yet something about people close to us being hurtful is still an irritant.

So, why am I doing this anyway? The Lord seemed to burn that question deep into my heart today. “Are you doing it for yourself? For them?” I fought back a bit. Of course I’m doing it for Him—or so I think—until my heart gets this ugly.

SEEING THE INVISIBLE

Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen. Hebrews 11:1

Walking by faith is not always easy. This is because we have become accustomed to walking by sight. But to walk by faith is to believe what God has said, not what we see.

For instance, when we pray and ask God to meet a need in our life that is clearly promised in His Word, we must believe that God has met that need even before we physically receive our request.

We must believe that God's Word is true and that He has actually done what He said He would do.

Jesus said in Mark 11: 24, "Therefore I say to you, whatever things you ask when you pray, believe that you receive them, and you will have them."

Jesus did not say that we are to believe we have received when we see results. He said we should believe that we have received what we have asked for at the time we pray.

That's praying in faith. We pray, then we believe God so much and trust His promises so strongly, that we know that He has already accomplished our request. This is seeing the invisible and calling things that be not as though they were.

From that time on, we give God thanks for meeting our need. Waiting to believe when you receive is not faith.

Faith is believing God, regardless circumstances. As Christians, we are to walk by faith and not by sight. If the circumstances say one thing and God's Word says another, we must take side with God.

God does not lie. He is dependable. He will always do what He said He would do.

Prayer: Father, give me inner strength to always trust in your word.

Scriptural Reading: Hebrews 11:1-7

Is Salt Dangerous? Or Good for You?

Is salt dangerous? Certain organizations – such as those issuing official dietary guidelines – have warned for a long time against salt and recommended a reduced intake. But as often when it comes to nutrition, the science is far from settled.

A recent review of all good studies in this area shows that the amount of salt that most people consume is associated with good health. Both an extremely high salt consumption and a low consumption seem to be worse.

·         American Journal of Hypertension: Compared With Usual Sodium Intake, Low- and Excessive-Sodium Diets Are Associated With Increased Mortality: A Meta-Analysis

The review can be added to several similar reviews in recent years, that  question the dead-certain warnings against salt. Neither too much, nor too little, seems to be best.

You can actually get too little salt. This causes fatigue, dizziness and difficulty concentrating. You lose focus. And maybe you don’t just feel worse from salt deficiency, perhaps it’s also really bad for your health.

Avoid high doses of salt from junk food, cheap processed foods, soda and bread. Extreme amounts of salt are hardly good for you, and there are more reasons to avoid such foods. But if you eat real food, you can probably put as much salt on your food as you like.

If you have symptoms of salt deficiency, try taking half a teaspoon of salt, dissolved in water. If you quickly feel better, you were probably salt deficient.

Source: dietdoctor.com

Prayer and Declarations for new week

This is the day that The Lord has made! Because he has made it,it automatically means that it is a good day. Today, I command goodness to flow, you will experience God's goodness in every area of your life! The Lord will cause people to go out of their way to be good to you. Gladness will be your portion! You will have no cause for sorrow or pain. Today you will rejoice into your miracle, your blessing , your turn around , your breakthrough in Jesus Name! 

The Lord will cause his Grace to rest on you! His grace will work for you , it will elevate you , it will provide for you , it will qualify you , it will elevate you, it will cover you today in the Name of Jesus!!! This grace will empower you to success, victory and blessings! Grace multiplied, grace overflowing is your portion now and forevermore! Claim it, Receive it! its yours!!
Happy New Week from us ASB-World.

EXPECTATION

Imagine a child comes to you as a mother asking for something, after asking the child says, “I’m just asking I know you will not give it to me”......I’m sure you will feel bad as a mother, why then was the child asking if he knows the mother will not give it to him?

Your expectation is that which you look forward to get from someone or something at the end of a period.

When you pray do you have expectations? It is only the expectation of the righteous that shall not be cut short. (Prov. 23:18). What happens to that righteous fellow who does not have an expectation?

Many people gather together in the church in those days to pray for a disciple who was in danger to be killed. Let’s see something about the “many” who gathered to pray.

Acts 12: 5, 12-16
“5 - Peter therefore was kept in the prison, but constant prayer was made by the assembly to God for him.”
“12 Thinking about that, he came to the house of Mary, the mother of John whose surname was Mark, where many were gathered together and were praying.
13 When Peter knocked at the door of the gate, a maid named Rhoda came to answer.
14 When she recognized Peter's voice, she didn't open the gate for joy, but ran in, and reported that Peter stood before the gate.
15 They said to her, "You are crazy!" But she insisted that it was so. They said, "It is his angel."
16 But Peter continued knocking. When they had opened, they saw him, and were amazed (World English Bible)

The many had come together to pray but they had no expectations for the deliverance of Peter, the Bible did not tell us for how long they have been praying but they were praying yet they were not ready for the answer to their prayers. They were surprised because some of them came to pray because they did not want the ”pastor” to query them, how often do we come into God’s presence without expectation but just to fulfil all righteousness? We see the ''many' praying and yet the language of unbelief in response to Rhoda the maid.

Often times we go before God in prayers yet we are not ready for what God wants to do because we do not have expectations. Why do we go before God when we do not believe He will do it? God wants us to come believing in Him for our desires to be granted (Heb. 11:6).
The process of planting a seed by a farmer and burying a corpse by an undertaker is the same (digging the ground is involved), the difference between them is expectation. The farmer continues to water the farm land and remove weeds, expecting that the seed will germinate and grow, but the undertaker does not revisit the grave because he does not expect the corpse to rise again.

Do you handle your prayers before God like a farmer or an undertaker?

As we tarry in His presence this new month, come expecting to receive and the ever faithful Father will grant that desire of yours in Jesus name.