Who's speaking for you at the Palace? Do you know.....

I recently had the opportunity of speaking on behalf of an employee of a company I consult for , who was at the verge of being sacked. Unknown to him, his termination was being discussed. He apparently had his many strengths, but unfortunately he also had a weakness which was becoming increasingly unacceptable. It was almost concluded; he was to be sacked! However I was able to put forward a case for him and gratefully, it was accepted.

As I drove home that night, I meditated on that incident and wondered what would have happened if there was no one speaking and appealing on behalf of the employee in question. And instantly, my mind flashed back to Vashti in the Bible. Remember Vashti? She was a Queen; the first wife of Ahaserus , the king of the Persian Kingdom who later took Esther as Queen after Vashti was deposed.(Read Esther chapter 1).

What was Vashti’s offence, why was she deposed? The king had been feasting and when his heart was merry with wine, he felt it was time to show up his beautiful Queen but for some reason known to her, she decided not to come out. Yes it must have been a huge offence but below is what broke the camel’s back in her case.

16And Memucan answered before the king and the princes: “Queen Vashti has not only wronged the king, but also all the princes, and all the people who are in all the provinces of King Ahasuerus.
19If it pleases the king, let a royal decree go out from him, and let it be recorded in the laws of the Persians and the Medes, so that it will not be altered, that Vashti shall come no more before King Ahasuerus; and let the king give her royal position to another who is better than she( Esther 1:16, 19)

Imagine if there was someone who pleaded to the King on behalf of Vashti. She probably would not have been deposed. If there was someone who would remind the king about her good works in time past, she probably would not have been sent away. However, the only one who could have spoken for her, was speaking against her.

In life, at strategic locations and places; we need people who would speak in our favour and recommend us. Let’s not forget that David was recommended before Saul at the palace. As time went on, Jonathan his friend must have spoken well of him at the palace too. Joseph had someone speaking for him at the palace and that was why Pharaoh quickly sent for him. Daniel and his friends, one way or the other were mentioned before the king. Mephibosheth, Saul’s grandson was mentioned before King David and forever, his life never remained the same.

God is the Master Connector; He places people in our lives who would speak something positive about us to the boss, at the interview panel, in church and wherever. May we not miss these destiny helpers. May our helpers not be helpless or absent where and when they should be speaking for us. Vashti vanished into obscurity, because no one was speaking up for her. But didn't she have children? how come we never heard anything whatsoever about her or her posterity? Whenever you have the opportunity, please speak up for someone who needs it. You may be preserving an entire generation! Speak for the oppressed, the afflicted, the orphans, the destitute, the needy. Sometimes speaking for them entails giving to them!

Above all, it is comforting to know that Jesus is forever speaking for us at the palace of the Almighty King! The One who died for us who was raised to life for us! is in the presence of God at this very moment sticking up for us! Romans 8:35( Message version)

By Sola.

Recipes: Candy Shop Ice Cream Cake

This Kit Kat Ice Cream Cake is the ultimate birthday cake to WOW the kids. It's even a terrific frozen treat to cool off from the heat. Recipe by Laura Bashar of Family Spice

Ingredients:

·         2 qt ice cream, any 2 flavors

·         2 TBS milk

·         39 kit-kat candy bars

·         16 oz whipped topping, frozen (like cool whip)

·         30 oreo cookies, broken up

·         1/4 cup chocolate candies, assortment

Instructions:

1.       Remove from the freezer and leave on the counter:

1.       2 qt ice cream , any 2 flavors

2.       In a food processor combine:

0.       2 TBS milk

1.       24 oreo cookies

3.       Coat a 9-inch spring form pan with nonstick spray and place upright all around the side of the pan:

0.       39 kit-kat candy bars

4.       Try to get the kit-kat bars as close to possible as you can, with the kit-kat name facing out, against the side of the spring form pan.

5.       Line the bottom of the pan with parchment paper and press the oreo mixture evenly over it.

6.       Place in the freezer for 10 minutes.

7.       Stir the first flavor of softened ice cream in its container and press evenly over the oreo crust.

8.       Place in the freezer for 10 minutes

9.       Stir the second flavor of softened ice cream in its container and press evenly over the first ice cream layer.

10.   Place in the freezer.

11.   Remove from the freezer and allow to thaw for 30 minutes:

0.       16 oz whipped topping, frozen (like cool whip)

12.   Spread whipped topping over the top layer of ice cream and garnish with:

0.       6 oreo cookies , broken up

1.       1/4 cup chocolate candies , assortment

13.   Return cake to the freezer and allow to set overnight.

14.   Remove cake from freezer 10 minutes prior to serving.

15.   Gently open the spring form pan and remove. Use a thin knife or spatula to slide cake onto serving platter.

16.   Slice & serve immediately!

EEnjoy your weekend folks "winks"

Mother: A Mother's Secret Weapon

Hannah was lost in the travails of life, until she discovered her true mission.

As a single African-American mother, Sonya Carson knew suffering and sorrow. Uneducated, poor and living in a cracker-box house she couldn't afford, she had two active boys to raise alone and no marketable skills to help her survive.

Her only resources were her own two hands, a fierce determination to do whatever it took to make a better life for her sons and her unbending faith in God.

Sonya took jobs as a household domestic to pay the bills and implemented an ambitious agenda for her sons. She turned off the television, enforced a rigorous reading program that opened up new worlds for her boys, and never let them off the hook when it came to doing their homework.

No one could have guessed least of all Sonya that through all her sufferings, God was preparing her to raise one of the world's finest neurosurgeons and a bright light for the gospel of Jesus Christ.

Her son Dr. Ben Carson, now a nationally recognized figure and the director of pediatric neurosurgery at Johns Hopkins Hospital, openly acknowledges his indebtedness to his mother. In his book The Big Picture, he wrote: "I not only saw and felt the difference my mother made in my life, I am still living out that difference as a man."

Cont:The Parable of the Prodigal Son (2)

'He came to his senses...' Luke 15:17
Sometimes you have to reach your lowest point to understand who God is and what He can do for you. When the younger son ended up in a hog pen, 'He came to his senses'. But his next decision was crucial: 'I will...go back to my father and say..."I have sinned"...' (v. 18 NIV). And when he did, his father restored him to his rightful place. But the older brother needed his father's forgiveness too. What was his sin? Jealousy and judgmentalism: '...This son of yours who has squandered your property with prostitutes comes home, you kill the fattened calf for him!' (v. 30 NIV).

 He built himself up by tearing his brother down. He tried to earn his father's love by making points. The trouble was, he already had his father's love; he just didn't know it, so he kept trying to 'prove himself'. Are you doing that? As a redeemed child of God you are already accepted, justified and clothed in the righteousness of Christ. Today your heavenly Father is saying, '...You are always with me, and everything I have is yours' (v. 31 NIV). These two boys sinned in very different ways, but their solution was the same - being restored to fellowship with their father. James writes, 'Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father...who does not change...' (James 1:17 NIV). Notice, God not only knows what's 'good' for you, but what's 'perfect'. And He will give it to you when you get into the right place spiritually and begin to relate to Him as you should. By Aniyi.

Happy New Month and Workers Day :)

Happy new month of May,
May this month bring us joy and favour.
May we move forward and not backward.
May we enjoy God's Overflows.
May we encounter blessings all around.

Happy Workers Day to all our Fans, Readers all over From Adenike Salako Blog's World.

Yummy Gluten Free Cheddar Goldfish

Ingredients:

·         1/2 cup (60 grams) gluten free all purpose mix

·         1⁄4 cup (30 grams) corn flour

·         1⁄4 cup (30 grams) oat flour

·         a pinch of turmeric (optional, for color)

·         1⁄2 teaspoon salt

·         1 cup (2 ounces) grated loosely packed mild cheddar cheese

·         2 tablespoons coconut oil or unsalted butter

·         2 to 3 tablespoons hot water, divided

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 350°F. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment and set aside.

Combine the flours, turmeric and salt in the bowl of a food processor fitted with the dough blade and pulse to combine. Add the cheese and coconut oil, and pulse to incorporate. Scape down the sides of the food processor to free any trapped flour. With the food processor running, drizzle in the hot water, a little at a time, just until the mixture begins to pull together. You may not use all of the water.

Form the dough into a ball, and gently flatten. Place the dough between two pieces of parchment paper, and roll very thin, to about 1⁄8 inch thick.

Using a very small fish-shaped cutter, or the cutter of your choice, cut out the crackers and carefully place them on the prepared baking sheets. Bake, keeping a close eye on them, until golden around the edges, about 10 to 12 minutes, and cool before serving.

Recipe from laraferroni.com

FROM CRISIS TO GLORY

Defend the cause of the weak and fatherless; maintain the rights of the poor and oppressed. Rescue the weak and needy; deliver them from the hand of the wicked. Psalm 82:3-4

God raises up leaders to take on causes that are much greater than themselves. However, these causes are often first birthed as a result of a personal crisis or conviction; then this leads to a larger cause.

Martin Luther King had a personal conviction that racial discrimination was wrong. He sought to change this through preaching and non-violent demonstrations.

It wasn't long before this became the conviction of others and a movement larger than any one person.

William Wilberforce was a political statesman in England. He came to Christ when he was twenty-eight years old.

He began to have personal convictions about slavery in England and he committed his life to the goal of destroying slavery.

He finally achieved his goal after fifty years of work. His work also resulted in sixty-four worlds changing initiatives before he died.

William Wallace was burdened about the persecution his country received from the wicked English king named Edward the Longshanks.

Born in 1272, Wallace grew up under the persecution from the wicked king. When he was older, he led a rebellion against England that resulted in the freedom for the nation of Scotland.

The popular movie, Braveheart, was the story of William Wallace. Your own ministry to those in need may first begin as a personal crisis. This may develop later into a call to serve your generation.

Has God allowed a crisis in your life? Praise God! He often raises leaders and begins movements as a result of a personal crisis.

Prayer: Ask the Lord to give you solutions to the challenges of your generation.

Scriptural Reading: Psalm 82:1-8-9