Shun Party Spirit

TEXT: PROVERBS 21:16-31

Key verse: “He that loveth pleasure shall be a poor man: he that loveth wine and oil shall not be rich” (Proverbs 21:17).

It will be difficult to quantify the number of families and lives that have been ruined by the love of alcohol. The bottle has not only succeeded in impoverishing many that love it, but has stolen away joy, peace and harmony in many homes. Many children have been denied the love, warmth, affection and care expected to be given in the family due to the influence of alcohol. How many promising men, having great potentials and wonderful careers have had their careers ruined and thrown out of job because they have become slaves to alcohol. And there are countless number of untimely deaths, young wives turned to early widows and children orphaned at tender age, all due to alcohol.

Our passage today warns against the practice of abandoning oneself to pleasure. There are so many people who spend all their time and money seeking for pleasure. They can be said to be possessed by the party spirit. While they cannot afford to pay their children’s school fees and provide for their basic essentials of life, they can afford the money for expensive party dresses, designer’s perfumes and other such vanities. Some even go to the extent of taking loans just to organize parties.

This is the spirit of the world and must not be found among Christians. Christians are supposed to be discreet, prudent and wise in all their dealings. Their lives are to be lived to the glory of the Lord. We should also bear in mind that our body is the temple of the Holy Spirit which must not be defiled with alcohol or any other such defilements.

It is not only the Bible that warns against the danger of alcohol and reckless pleasure seeking. Government agencies have joined in the campaign. The wise will take heed and keep off. Whatever subtracts from a sober Christian fellowship which must be Christ-honouring and soul-seeking cannot be of God. We must avoid all tendencies that paint the believer in lurid, worldly colours.

THOUGHT FOR THE DAY: Don’t be mocked by wine; be wise.

THE LORD IS YOUR HELPER

I will lift up my eyes to the hills; From whence comes my help? My help comes from the LORD, Who made heaven and earth. Psalms 121:1-2

One thing is very sure in life: we have great needs, but God's grace is greater. As civilization advances, so life's hazards increase.

In days of great stress, we need the help of a great God. In the confusion of our times, there are some who think that God cannot help.

Others think that God will not help. Still others think that God has totally abandoned us or hidden Himself from us. They are all wrong.
The help of God is always at hand.

The Lord was our help even in our mother's wombs. His providence has sustained us on our way. Underneath us are His everlasting arms.

Above us is His covering and care. Wherever we turn, He is there with grace to carry us through. When we become aware of life's needs, we are already set to receive God's grace.

He provides grace and help before we even encounter our problems. God does not wait for us to get into trouble before He starts thinking of how to get us out.

He provides direction before we get lost; provides healing before we get sick; provides supplies before we are in need.

The real problem is us. God's help is here, but do we want it? Our need calls for God's help and God's help calls for our willingness to receive His grace.

He has given us the option to either carry our own burdens or to trust Him to carry our burdens.

To receive help from the Lord, we will have to reach out in faith to Him in prayer.

Prayer: Lord, make me willing to reach out to You for help.

Scriptural Reading: Psalms 121:1-8

Judgment Is Certain

TEXT: JEREMIAH 25:30-38

KEY VERSE: “A noise shall come even to the ends of the earth; for the LORD hath a controversy with the nations, he will plead with all flesh; he will give them that are wicked to the sword, saith the LORD” (Jeremiah 25:31).

Men go to great lengths to ensure they do not contravene the rules set by powerful personalities or state authorities. The reason is simply because they know they would never be able to avoid the long arm of the law against offenders. Ironically, the same people who tremble at the laws of men, trifle with, or flagrantly contravene God’s holy standards on the misguided belief that they can get away with it, or that God is not bothered by their conducts.

Yet, God cares and He is even more meticulous in documenting breaches of His law than any man-made authority will ever be able to do. When therefore, God says that He has a controversy with the inhabitants of nations, the mere thought of this must drive fear into all hearts. For it is certain that God will come roaring on the day He will mete out judgment on sinful men in all nations. Because the people relished evil, God will unleash evil on them. On that day, none can escape this vengeance of the Lord. The offenders will cry out, but it will be too late.

A discerning heart can avert this impending doom by submitting to critical self-examination and taking stock of where one has offended God. He must thereafter go to God in penitence, pleading for pardon and forgiveness, and asking for grace to make a fresh start with Him. This is the only way to avert the death sentence already pronounced on all sinful persons. But those who ignore the repercussions of their evil conducts and continue to live contrary to the word of God will draw His fierce anger and eventually, face His severe punishment.

THOUGHT FOR THE DAY: “It is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God”.

THE BENEFITS OF GETHSEMANE

Then He said to them, "My soul is exceedingly sorrowful, even to death. Stay here and watch."Mark 14:34

Have you ever felt lonely? Have you ever felt as though your friend’s and family had abandoned you?

Have you ever felt like you were misunderstood? Have you ever had a hard time understanding or submitting to the will of God for your life?

If so, then you have an idea of what the Lord Jesus went through as He agonized at Gethsemane.

The Bible tells us that Jesus was "a man of sorrows, acquainted with deepest grief" (Isaiah 53:3).

But the sorrow He experienced in Gethsemane on the night before His crucifixion seemed to be the culmination of all the sorrow He had ever known and would accelerate to a climax the following day.

The ultimate triumph that was to take place at Calvary was first accomplished beneath the old olive trees of Gethsemane.

It is interesting that the very word Gethsemane means "olive press."
Olives were pressed there to make oil, and truly, Jesus was being pressed from all sides that He might bring life to us.

I don't think we can even begin to fathom what He went through. But look at what it accomplished. It brought about your salvation and mine.

Because of what Jesus went through at Gethsemane and ultimately at the cross, we are now the children of God.

Though it was an unfathomably painful experience, it was necessary for the ultimate goal of what was accomplished.

Maybe you are at a crisis point in your life right now—a personal Gethsemane. All you need to do is to say, "Lord, not my will, but yours be done".

Prayer: Invite the Lord to work in you and accomplish His will in your life.

Scriptural Reading: Mark 14:32-42

WORDS FROM A FATHER TO A SON ABOUT MARRIAGE

1. My son, if you keep spending
on a woman and she never asked
you if you’re saving or investing,
and she keeps enjoying the
attention, don’t marry her.
2. My son, a woman could be a
good wife to you, some could be
a good mother to your children
but if you’ve found a woman like
a mother to you, your children
and your family, please don’t let
her go.

3. My son, don’t confine the
position of your wife to the
kitchen, where did you get that
from? Even in our days, we had
farm-lands where they worked
every morning . . . that was our
office.
4. My son, if I tell you that you’re
the head of the house, don’t look
at your pocket; look if you will
see a smile on your wife’s face.
5. My son, if you want to have a
long life, let your wife be in-
charge of your salary, it will be
difficult for her to spend it when
she’s aware of the home needs
and bills to pay but if it’s in your
care, she will keep you asking
even when all has been spent.
6. My son, don’t ever beat your
woman, the pain in her body is
nothing to be compared to the
wound on her heart and that
means you may be in trouble
living with a wounded woman.
7. My son, now that you’re
married, if you live a bachelor
kind of life with your wife, you
will soon be single again.
8. My son, in our days, we had
many wives and many children
because of our large farm-lands
and many harvests, there are
hardly any land for farming
anymore, so embrace your
woman closely.
9. My son, under the cocoa tree
that I did meet your mother could
be your eateries and restaurants
of nowadays, but remember, the
closet thing we did there was to
embrace each other.
10. My son, don’t be carried away
when you start making more
money, instead of spending on
those tiny legs that never knew
how hard you worked to get it,
spend it on that woman that
stood by you all along.
11. My son, when I threw little
stones or whistled at the window
of your mother father’s house, to
call her out, it was not for sex, it
was because I missed her so
much.
12. My son, remember, when you
say your wife has changed, there
could be something you’ve
stopped doing too.
13. My son, your mother, Asake by name
rode the bicycle with me before I
bought that tortoise car outside
there, any woman that won’t
endure with you in your little
beginning should not enjoy your
riches.
14. My son, don’t compare your
wife to any woman, there are
ways she’s enduring you too and
has she ever compared you to
any man?
15. My son, there is this thing you
people call feminism, well, if a
woman claim to have equal right
with you in the house, divide all
the bills into two equal parts, take
one part and ask her to start
paying the other part.
16. My son, I met your mother a
virgin and I took more yams to
her father, if you don’t meet your
wife a virgin, don’t blame her,
what I didn’t tell you is that our
women had prestige.
17. My son, I didn’t send your
sisters to school because I was
foolish like many to think a
female child won’t extend my
family name, please don’t make
that mistake, the kind of female
achievers I see nowadays has
made the male-gender an
ordinary tag.
18. My son, your mother have
once locked up the cloth I was
wearing and almost tore it
because she was angry, I did not
raise my hand to beat her
because of a day like this, so that
I can be proud to tell you that I
never for once beat your mother.
19. My son, in our days, our
women had more of natural
beauty, though I wouldn’t lie to
you, some had minor painting of
their appellation mostly on their
arms, the ones you people now
call tattoo, but don’t forget that
they didn’t expose any part of
their body like your women of
nowadays.
20. My son, your mother and I are
not interested in what happens
in your marriage, try to handle
issues without always coming to
us
21. My son, remember I bought
your mother’s first sewing
machine for her, help your wife
achieve her dreams just as you’re
pursuing yours.
22. My son, don’t stop taking care
of me and your mother, it’s a
secret of growing old and having
children to take care of you too

Recipe: easy dessert,Ice Cream Sandwich Cake

 This ice cream cake is made ​​out of ice cream sandwiches! Easy to make and it tastes amazing when done!

Ingredients 
- 1 box of twelve Ice Cream Sandwiches (or two boxes for a large cake)
- 1 tub of Whipping Cream
- Magic Shell Caramel
- Magic Shell Chocolate
Optional: Oreo Cookies (crumbled into pieces)
Optional: Candy bars (diced into pieces) Snickers, Hershey's, Twix, Reeses, Optional: M & M's, Nestle Crunch, etc ... (My favorite is the Skor chocolate candy bar Because the inside hardened caramel center Gives a nice crunch)
Optional: Nuts

Instructions 
Unwrap all the ice cream sandwiches
Lay the first layer of three down
Drizzle chocolate, caramel and any other toppings you want. This will harden and act as a glue two hold this cake together.
Lay the second layer of three ice cream sandwiches
Drizzle chocolate, caramel and any other toppings again.
Lay the last layer of three and then frost the outside of the cake with whip cream topping.
Top the cake with more drizzled chocolate, caramel and any other toppings you want on it.
Enjoy! See more pics below.
Source: stylishboard.com and www.isavea2z.com

Are You Too Busy for God?

I have often thought that if the devil can't make a man bad he'll make him busy.

When I am busy or in a hurry it is impossible for me to have quality relationships with God or people. The devil knows this and is able to hide behind any man's "busy" schedule to accomplish his goal: the destruction of his relationships. He is very aware of the fact that to really know someone a man must learn to slow his pace down to be present and connect. There are the simple mechanics of healthy relationships that can be easily destroyed through external over-commitment and its partner, hurry.

Satan's scheme gets men playing the "busy" card as a justification for lack of quality in their connections with God and people. A full and robust work life should be an expectation of men not a rationalization for why our relationships are weak especially when it comes to your relationship with God. Get that.

It is a healthy expectation of men to earn a living, provide for a family and secure their future. Take that seriously. But when our "to-do" list overshadows our "to-be" list as a believer, husband or father, then something could be amiss with our faith and understanding of who God is, and what he wants from us.

There's no commandment in the Bible that says, "Thou shalt over-commit yourself for this is honorable." No, Jesus said the most important commandment is to give energy, time and presence toward two sets of relationships:

o    " 'Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.' This is the first and greatest commandment.

o    "And the second is like it: " 'Love your neighbor as yourself' " (Matt. 22:37-39).

o    "Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge him and he will make your paths straight" (Prov. 3:5-6).

So, what does that look like in the everyday life of a modern man?

1. Have FAITH in God. Men need to put more faith in God to provide and guide than faith in themselves, their abilities and schedules. Do that and God promises to provide for your needs, and give you an abundant life.

The number one enemy of faith in God in your life is pride and self-sufficiency. God says he would like you to replace that with healthy and humble dependency. Both build a strong relationship with Him.

2. Have FOCUS on God. God created men to be in relationship with Him. He yearns to be acknowledged throughout your day, to be sought-after, to be known. When we over commit, our relationship with God suffers. But if we focus on God and living the way he intended us to, he promises to provide power and peace beyond our understanding. It's a win-win transformation.

o    "But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well" (Matt. 6:33). 

o    "Since, then, you have been raised with Christ, set your hearts on things above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things. For you died, and your life is now hidden with Christ in God" (Col. 3:1-3).

There's your life and God's kingdom. One exists within the other but Satan wants you to believe God's kingdom exists to fit into your kingdom. We borrow great troubles with that mindset. Think like a kingdom man and continuously pray: "Your kingdom come, Your will be done."

3. Make FREE TIME with God. Crowding our schedules leaves little time for God. Try re-thinking your day and week to include a "timeout tithe," meaning give God your time and attention every day. It's like giving yourself a daily tune-up, filling your gas tank or getting an oil change. If we don't replenish, refresh and refuel, our engine will burn out.

So, open your Bible, open your heart and mind. Ask God to speak to you, then listen. You will find nibbles of truth from the Word will become feasts for life. 

o    "Blessed is the one who does not walk in step with the wicked or stand in the way that sinners take or sit in the company of mockers, but whose delight is in the law of the Lord, and who meditates on his law day and night. That person is like a tree planted by streams of water, which yields its fruit in season and whose leaf does not wither whatever they do prospers" (Psalm 1:1-3).

 Another easy step to take is to honor the Sabbath. God modeled taking one day off from work, so should we. Jesus "withdrew" to be with God. There must be a reason if the Creator of the universe wants us to take a break from it all, and focus on our relationships at home and with Him.

o    "Be still, and know that I am God" (Psalm 46:10). 

Perhaps the best example of well-placed, well-timed prioritizing in the Bible is the brief story about the visit Jesus made to Martha's house. Read this, and let it marinate in your mind, and then assess which sister you reflect in the story.

o    "As Jesus and his disciples were on their way, he came to a village where a woman named Martha opened her home to him. She had a sister called Mary, who sat at the Lord's feet listening to what he said. But Martha was distracted by all the preparations that had to be made. She came to him and asked, 'Lord, don't you care that my sister has left me to do the work by myself? Tell her to help me!'

o    " 'Martha, Martha,' the Lord answered, 'You are worried and upset about many things, but few things are needed or indeed only one. Mary has chosen what is better, and it will not be taken away from her' " (Luke 10:38-42). 

Well, was it Mary? Are you too "distracted" to spend time with Jesus?

Jesus is saying to all men who claim a connection: You have to SLOW to KNOW Me.

By KennyLuck