A Worthy Sacrifice of Praise

TEXT: PSALM 118:27-29

Key verse: “God is the LORD, which hath showed us light: bind the sacrifice with cords, even unto the horns of the altar” (Psalm 118:27).

Man has learnt to express his appreciation for kindness or favour received in different ways. For some, it is through a “Thank You” card, a text message or any other means by which they can thoroughly express how grateful they are. Towards the end of the year, we find people, corporate organizations, etc., sending out gifts, hampers and so on as a way of appreciating their numerous customers and stakeholders. These gift items are usually carefully chosen to match the personality to be given and equate the favour received.

Though this practice may have some selfish undertones as it is aimed at cementing relationships and securing future favours, and a form of marketing strategy and public relations, such kind gestures are well appreciated by those whom they are given.

The Psalmist in our text today calls us to consider what God has done for us and respond by binding our sacrifices on the altar. Many of us today have taken God’s goodness and mercies in our lives for granted that we do not care to express our thanks to Him in any form. We wake up each morning, go about our schedules, return home in the evening, and also go to bed at night without pausing, for once, to acknowledge and appreciate the mercies we have received. Apart from the daily mercies and goodness we enjoy from God, we are called upon to think about the special favour we have received from Him. He has shown us the light. So many people are still wallowing in deep darkness unable to find the light of salvation. How grateful we ought to be that we have the light and that we are saved!

As we think of all that God has done for us, is doing for us and will do for us, there is no better way to show how grateful we are than to make our lives living sacrifices bound with cords of consecration upon the altar of divine worship and service.

THOUGHT FOR THE DAY: Match your praise with His mercy.

LOOKING AT YOUR OWN MIRROR

One day all the employees reached the office and they saw a big advice on the door on which it was written: “Yesterday the person who has been hindering your growth in this company passed away. 

We invite you to join the funeral in the room that has been prepared in the gym”.

In the beginning, they all got sad for the death of one of their colleagues, but after a while they started getting curious to know who was that man who hindered the growth of his colleagues and the company itself.

The excitement in the gym was such that security agents were ordered to control
the crowd within the room.

The more people reached the coffin, the more the excitement heated up. Everyone thought: “Who is this guy who was hindering my progress? Well, at least he died!”

One by one the thrilled employees got closer to the coffin, and when they looked inside it they suddenly became speechless. They stood nearby the coffin, shocked and in silence, as if someone had touched the deepest part of their soul.

There was a mirror inside the coffin: everyone who looked inside it could see himself.

There was also a sign next to the mirror that said: “There is only one person who is capable to set limits to your growth: it is YOU.”

• You are the only person who can revolutionize your life.

• You are the only person who can influence your happiness, your realization and your success.

• You are the only person who can help yourself.

• Your life does not change when your boss changes, when your friends change, when your partner changes, when your company changes. Your life changes when YOU change, when you go beyond your limiting beliefs, when you realize that you are the only one responsible for your life.

• “The most important relationship you can have is the one you have with yourself”.

Reflection:

The world is like a mirror: it gives back to anyone the reflection of the thoughts in which one has strongly believed.

The world and your reality are like mirrors lying in a coffin, which show to any individual the death of his divine capability to imagine and create his happiness and his success.

It’s the way you face Life that makes the difference.

• If we learn from our mistakes, why are we always so afraid to make a mistake?

• What is the difference between being alive and truly living?

• Have you been the kind of friend you want as a friend?

• If the average human life span was 40 years, how would you live your life differently?

• Are you more worried about doing things right, or doing the right things?

• If you could offer a newborn child only one piece of advice, what would it be?

• What one thing have you not done that you really want to do? What’s holding you back?

• Has your greatest fear ever come true?

• Would you rather have less work to do, or more work you actually enjoy doing?

• Decisions are being made right now. The question is: Are you making them for yourself, or are you letting others make them for you?

• If you had all the money in the world but still had to have some kind of job, what would you choose to do?

• What do you regret most so far in life?

• If you were at heaven’s gates, and God asked you “Why should I let you in?”, what would you say?

• What small thing could you do to make someone’s day better?

• What impact do you want to leave on the world?

• When was the last time you tried something new?

• When was the last time you led somebody to Christ?

Let's share your views and comments with the rest of the world.

The Way to Turn a Messy Marriage Into a Meaningful One

Each one of us is unique. We have unique minds and personalities. We have different ways of seeing and processing things. We differ on how we interact with each other, our kids, and others.

My wife, Susan, and I are alike in some ways, but very different in others. So, our marriage can be messy at times. But throughout our years of marriage, we've found that our messiness often turns into something very beautiful and meaningful. Here are 4 areas of messiness in your marriage that can become meaningful:

1. Communication is one of the messiest parts of marriage. The Same Old Marriage Fights can create a big mess.

But, the messiness of conversation patterns can be a great opportunity to build a more meaningful and stronger marriage. Being able to move past the same scripted fights as a couple by using the Speaker-Listener Technique will enable you to work better as a team and will move you to greater intimacy in your relationship.

2. Conditional love. The mess of only doing something for your spouse "If" they do something in return can be cleaned up when you learn to love your spouse unconditionally ... no matter what. When you love your spouse without any conditions, you'll better understand the true meaning of marriage.

3. Parenting styles. When our kids were young, tucking them into bed each night was always an adventure. Susan would try to calm them down and read stories to help them unwind, only for me to burst through the door and tickle them until they were as hyper as ever. Obviously, our parenting styles created clashing moments like this.

But over time, Susan found meaning in this messy part of our marriage. She understood that even if it meant the kids getting to bed 15 minutes later than she'd wanted, they would go to bed knowing that their dad loved them deeply.

4. Conflicting paces. Husbands and wives don't always think and move at the same pace. Susan and I both move at a fairly fast pace. But here's the difference: Susan thrives on, and is energized by, being around people. While I enjoy being with others, I need to have alone time to recharge.

Susan will say "yes" to a lot more things than I will. So to keep our schedule from getting messy, I often have to forcefully pull in the reins when I see too many things crowding our calendar. This helps us to have some "clean space" on our schedule so that we can spend one-on-one time together with each other, and with friends, having meaningful interaction.

By Mark Merrill 

Recipes: AWESOME BOUQUET OF ROSES CAKE DECOR TUTORIAL

Do you often wonder how to decorate your cake with perfect rose decorations? If yes then try this tutorial and make roses in a quicker way. 

You Needed:

white sugar paste and red 
food coloring in green and pink gel 
food coloring powder: white 
rolling pin 
smoother 
scalpel 
glue food or water 
cutter, round and heart 
mold ejection leaf 
alcohol or vodka 
ribbon of cloth

To make each rose roll some pink fondant and cut a strip of it. Make cuts in the strip with a round cookie cutter in a scalloped manner but make sure not to cut till the edge of the strip. Then with the help of a ball tool press edges of the petals. Roll this scalloped strip to get a perfect ever rose ready. Make more and cover the top of the cake with a lot of roses. Now to make stems roll logs of green fondant in two tones and stick them to the sides of the cake with the help of a little water. Cut leaves of green fondant with a cookie cutter and stick them too around the roses. Tie a ribbon around the cake and voila!


SOURCE: www.stylishboard.com

Beware of False Prophets

TEXT: JEREMIAH 23:9-22

Key verse: “I have seen also in the prophets of Jerusalem a horrible thing: they commit adultery, and walk in lies: they strengthen also the hands of evildoers, that none doth return from his wickedness: they are all of them unto me as Sodom, and the inhabitants thereof as Gomorrah” (Jeremiah 23:14).

The spread of apocalyptic literature purporting to tell us the exact dates of the rapture and the Second Coming of our Lord, Jesus Christ has taken on a frightening turn in our generation. None of the predictions made in the books by these “prophetic” authors has come to pass. And that is because they were made by those God did not send. They did not have the Bible as their source.

From the text before us, God condemned the priests and prophets of Israel for their profanity, adultery, swearing, lying, hypocrisy, and deception. He threatened to judge them. The people were exhorted not to hearken to them, nor accept their misleading promise of peace and safety; whereas the storm of God’s wrath would fall upon the head of the wicked. The Lord declared plainly that he had not sent these prophets. Their so-called prophesies were no other than dreams, and the deceits of their own hearts. So, the Lord declared Himself to be against these prophets, for stealing His word from their neighbours and using of His name to propagate their error with which they misled the people.

False prophets are chameleonic in appearance and character. Jesus says they will disguise to deceive others. Paul affirmed that false brethren among the Corinthian elders appeared as ‘angels of light’ or ‘messengers of righteousness’ (2 Corinthians 11:3,14,15). Jesus, our Lord and Master tells us that we shall know them by their fruits, not their leaves (Matthew 7:16). By their ‘fruits’, He meant their character and conduct, the converts they produce, and the overall results of their ministry. So, do not join those who peddle error. Beware!

THOUGHT FOR THE DAY: Leaves may fade but the fruit is sure

Prayer for new week

The mighty hands of God's protection shall cover you and every member of your family. Every evil arrow against you shall return back to the sender and God will bless you with an abundance of wealth. You will enjoy all round increase, spiritually, emotionally and financially in Jesus name. God will bring separation between you and those causing setbacks for you in Jesus name!J

Happy New Week from us ASB-World.

Health: 5 Cancer Causing Foods to Avoid

Who isn't afraid of the word “cancer”? we all know a family member or a friend who had it. And indeed, according to the American Cancer Society, more than one million people in the United States get cancer each year. The American Cancer Society lists many possible causes to cancer disease, including genetic factors, lifestyle factors such as tobacco use, diet, and physical activity, certain types of infections and environmental exposures to different types of chemicals and radiation.  So let’s have a look at these cancer promoting foods so we all know not only what to eat, but what NOT to eat (or at least reduce their intake).

1. High intake of processed foods

Many different substances are added to commercially prepared foods, such as artificial colors, chemical flavors, salt, sugar or artificial sweeteners. These additives are constantly investigated by researchers to check if any of them is thought to be a real risk. Sometimes there is a scare about a particular additive and some additives are thought to be a cancer risk. Heavily salted, smoked and pickled foods, for example, may increase the risk of stomach cancer. This may explain why there is such a high rate of stomach cancer in Japan, where salty, pickled foods are popular. Also an epidemiological study published in June 2010 in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition found that a diet high in salt can increase in 10% the risk of stomach cancer. Also artificial food coloring present many health risks. The research on artificial food coloring and cancer is limited to animal studies, including mice and rats, but some claim that these dyes are toxic – possibly toxic enough to cause cancer also to humans.

2. High intakes of red meat, processed meat or charred food

It has been found that bowel and stomach cancer are more common in people who eat lots of red and processed meat. Red meat includes all fresh, minced and frozen beef, pork, lamb or veal. Also processed meats pose a risk for cancer. These have been preserved in some way other than freezing and include bacon, ham, salami, sausages, corned beef, black pudding, pâté and tinned meat. When you eat processed meats, you’re almost assuredly consuming sodium nitrite or sodium nitrate, which are added to processed and cured meats to preserve color and extend shelf life. Unfortunately, these compounds can be converted to nitrosamines, which are also known to cause cancer in laboratory rats (though again, the link in people is unclear). Also hot dogs, bacon and the like may also be preserved by methods involving smoke or salt, which also increases the exposure to potentially carcinogenic chemicals.

Also charred food creates chemicals that can damage our cells, making them more likely to become cancerous. Therefore the way you cook your meat can potentially make a big difference in the cancer risk it poses to you. Well-done and char-grilled meats that are slightly burnt on the outside are among the worst foods that increase the risk for cancer.

3. Sugar

There are a lot of websites that promote the idea that sugar “feeds” cancer. They suggest that eating foods with sugar makes cancer grow faster. As a result, some cancer patients avoid eating any sugar, and eliminating beneficial foods, such as fruits, that contain essential nutrients. However there is no conclusive research on human subjects to prove that sugar makes cancerous cells grow. Avoiding foods with processed sugar is a good idea in general, but eliminating foods with natural sugar won’t stop cancer cells from dividing. According to Mayo clinic, sugar doesn’t make cancer grow faster. All cells, including cancer cells, depend on blood sugar (glucose) for energy. But giving more sugar to cancer cells doesn’t speed their growth. Likewise, depriving cancer cells of sugar doesn’t slow their growth. The link between sugar and cancer is different according to Canadian Cancer Society, eating lots of sugary foods are more likely to cause you to gain weight. Research shows that being overweight or obese increases your risk of cancer. This is because obesity may cause changes in hormone levels or insulin that might increase the risk of developing breast, colon or uterine cancer. Therefore limiting the amount of sugar in your diet is important. Diets high in sugar and refined carbohydrates can lead to overweight and obesity, which indirectly increases cancer risk over time.

Sugar can be found not only in obvious foods such as cookies, cakes, sodas, soft drinks and other sweets. Sugar can be found even in pasta sauce, salad dressing and canned vegetables. So when reading food labels, look for sugar listed as the first ingredient and be aware of hidden sugar names: fructose, lactose, sucrose, maltose, glucose, dextrose. Natural sugars such as molasses, honey and maple syrup contain beneficial antioxidants but those, too, should be consumed in moderation. 

4.  Fried food, French fries, potato chips and snack food

French fries, potato chips and other snacks may contain high levels of acrylamide, another carcinogenic substance that forms when foods are heated at high temperatures, such as during baking or frying. Acrylamide may be found in any food heated to a temperature above 250° F, but potato chips and French fries have been found to contain the highest levels among foods tested. Cooking methods such as frying, baking or roasting are more likely to produce acrylamide, while boiling, steaming, and microwaving appear less likely to do so. Longer cooking times and cooking at higher temperatures can increase the amount of acrylamide in foods further.

It must be mentioned that prolonged exposure to acrylamide has caused a range of tumors in animal tests (rats and mice), whereas most of the human studies published so far have failed to find any links between acrylamide and various types of cancers. However many believe it has a potential to be a human carcinogen because of those animal studies. If you’re still worried, the FDA and other public health groups say the best way is to follow the general advice on healthy eating, including limiting the consumption of fried and fatty foods.

Another components found in these type of foods that may increase the risk for cancer are trans fats or trans fatty acids. These are formed when manufacturers turn liquid oils into solid fats via a process called hydrogenation.  And indeed, trans fats can be found in many foods including vegetable shortening, margarine, crackers, cereals, candies, baked goods, cookies, granola bars, chips, snack foods, salad dressings, fried foods, fats and many other processed foods. Trans fats cannot only increase your risk of cardiovascular disease and type 2 diabetes, but the high intake of trans-fatty acids may have a direct association with prostate cancer in men, which ranks number one among the most common malignant cancers in American men. Chronic inflammation plays an important role to the development of prostate cancer and the association of trans-fats and chronic inflammation may explain the link between prostate cancer and trans-fatty acid ingestion. However, further studies and clinical trials are needed to establish this fact.

5. Excess alcohol

There is a strong scientific consensus of the link between alcohol drinking and several types of cancer. The more alcohol a person drinks regularly over time the higher his or her risk of developing an alcohol-associated cancer. According to Cancer Research UK and American Cancer society, alcohol can increase the risk of a number of cancers, such as mouth cancer, liver cancer, breast cancer, bowel cancer and throat cancer.  You’ve probably heard about other studies that have found that certain substances in red wine, such as resveratrol, have anti cancer properties, but like many thing in life moderation is the key.
Source: www.healthyandnaturalworld.com