THE CHALLENGE

But I want you to know, brethren, that the things which happened to me have actually turned out for the furtherance of the gospel, and most of the brethren in the Lord, having become confident by my chains, are much more bold to speak the word without fear. Philippians 1:12

As children of God, we all face trials from time to time. These trials come not to destroy us but to challenge and build our faith.

When we face our trials with the strength of the Lord, and with the assurance that they will ultimately turn out for our good, we will always triumph over them.

In 2 Corinthians 1:8, we read that the trials the Apostle Paul faced were so horrendous that he sometimes desired to depart this life and be with the Lord.

But Paul learned to live above his circumstances, and overcame all his challenges. And you too can do the same.

Here are 3 lessons we can learn from him:

• Focus on God and not the problem. As you deal with life's trials keep the eyes of your heart focused on Jesus Christ.

He has the sovereign ability to handle whatever you are facing. When you relinquish control to God, He is free to work in a miraculous way.

• Focus on the will of God and not on the opinions of men. Seeking the counsel of others always is a wise idea, and the Bible supports this.

However, be sure what your friends tell you align with God's Word, which is your ultimate authority. Also make sure that you spend time alone with God in prayer.

• Focus on positive results and not personal pain. No one enjoys hardship.

However, when trials come ask the Lord, to show you what He wants you to learn from the situation, and how you can apply those lessons to your life.

Paul lived above his circumstances because his focus was set on the Saviour and not on the trial. As a result, he gained a tremendous victory.

Prayer: Father, give me the strength to focus on Jesus so that I may live above the difficulties and challenges of life.

Scriptural Reading: Philippians 1:12-14

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.