In The Spotlight
Okay, this is my last blog for May. I hope you have enjoyed the previous “In The Spotlights”.
I thought I would go in a different direction this time. Last week, before I finished the blog on Sis. Elsie, I was looking at some history of the church on the web. If you know me at all, you know that I am interested in history. I just think the more you know about history the more you can understand why things are the way they are today. As I was cruising the net I came across the old book, “foxes Book of Martyrs”. I have no idea how or why I came across this particular book. I have this book in my collection and I have never actually “Read” it. I love to read but a book like this one would be kind of hard to decipher because it was written so long ago and in a way that is hard to understand. It’s really just for study purposes.
Anyway, I really just read the first chapter and it listed all the ways in which it is believed the Apostles were persecuted and died. I thought I would list them here to give us an idea of what they REALLY went through according to this book. No, this isn’t the Bible but it is a book that has been around for centuries and can give us additional information on what may have happened to the Apostles after the accounts in the Bible.
1. Stephen – we all know he was stoned to death. (Acts 7: 54-60)
2. James the Great – also known as James the son of Zebedee, the elder brother of John – Beheaded around AD 44. According to the book this took place 10 years after Stephen’s death.
3. Philip – scourged, thrown into prison, and afterwards crucified. AD 54.
4. Matthew – slain with a halberd (whatever that is, a club maybe?) in the city of Nadabah, AD 60
5. James the Less – author of the epistle ascribed to James. At the age of 94 he was beat and stoned by the Jews, and finally was killed with a club.
6. Matthias – took Judas’ place. He was stoned at Jerusalem and beheaded.
7. Andrew – crucified
8. Mark – dragged to death
9. Peter – crucified and it is believed he was crucified upside down because he said he was unworthy to be crucified in the same manner as Jesus.
10. Paul – beheaded
11. Jude – crucified at Edessa, AD 72
12. Bartholomew – beaten and then crucified
13. Thomas - thrust through with a spear
14. Luke – traveled with Paul, - supposed to have been hanged by an olive tree in Greece
15. Simon – crucified AD 74
16. John – The “beloved disciple”. Brother to James the Great. Was put into a cauldron of boiling oil but escaped by miracle, without injury. He was eventually exiled to the Isle of Patmos where he wrote the book of Revelations. He is the only Apostle to escape a violent death.
This is all very depressing, I know, to repeat all of this here but when I read about all of this it really hit me. Hey, we have not been through anything like what they went through! And I thank God we have not! I am so glad we live in this day.
We are so BLESSED to be living in this century! But, on the other hand, what does the future hold for us? I feel a lot like Sis. Kim. The world is changing and there is a movement or spirit, whatever you want to call it, that is trying to topple the Church. We are warned about this in the Bible, too. (II Thessalonians 2:3) People are being deceived into believing a lie and are leaving the faith. But, guess what, there are a lot of people coming into the truth, too! Our church is seeing a great revival so I’m encouraged, not depressed!
When I thought about what the apostles went through the first question that came to my mind was, “Would I have the courage to stand in times like those?” What is coming on our world and are we prepared for it? No one knows what is on the horizon. We just know that Jesus is coming soon! Like Bro. Duvall preached on Wednesday about trials..yes, we’re going to have trials in this life. Jesus never said it would be easy. But we have to think about what He did on that cross! That is an awesome thought. Without His sacrifice and His resurrection we would have no hope. That’s what drove the apostles and what kept them and made them strong. I’m sure they were afraid. They were human but in the end, when it mattered, they never lost their faith. We have all gone “through the fire”, so to speak and we have all come out of each of them stronger than before. We are all leaning on Him. There is a song that I just love and it talks about going through the fire.
He never promised that the cross would not get heavy
and the hill would not be hard to climb
He never offered our victories without fighting but He said
Help would always come in time.
So just remember when your standing in the valley of decision
And the adversary says Give in
Just hold on, our Lord will show up
And He will take you through the fire again!
So, what I’m trying to say is, we have a great heritage and we are truly blessed by God!
We can look back and see where history played a part and led up to today’s time. We can also see Jesus’ handy work in all of it. After all, if the persecution had not taken place the Gospel would have only remained in Jerusalem, right? God’s hand is always at work in this world. What courage the apostles showed in their day. I pray and I know that we have the same courage because we have the same Holy Ghost living inside of us.
I hope I haven’t totally depressed all of you now. Just wanted to give us all something to think about. I hope you have enjoyed the “in the spotlights” this month. I hope I have given you new information about different ladies in the church and also given you some of my own insights. Scary, I know….:) I really hope this last blog makes sense, too. I’m not sure if I accurately conveyed what I was trying to say.
Love you all, until next time,
Kimmie
Friday, May 29, 2009
Thursday, May 28, 2009
Praying for our Families!
I think a lot about prayer for my family because my husband is my partner; we have become “one in marriage”(Genesis 2:24) and my children are my responsibility of being “trained in the way they should go” (Proverbs 22:6).
Lately society tries to teach us that our beliefs our values our morals our entire ways are wrong. Years ago it was ok to be a Christian recently I have heard it said we are not a Christian nation as though it is wrong to have one mind set. It was the norm for marriage to be between one man and one woman not any more now we are wrong if we believe that. I can go back further when they wanted us to stop disciplining our children; statistics speak for their selves on this one. A little further when woman stopped dressing like women.
These dictations from society of what is right and wrong have lead our nation further and further from God. Our society is not so powerful as to have turned all the people who are dictated by society from all of God’s values overnight it has been a long slow process. So when people say I am old fashion when I say I dress gender specific and raise my children that way I say thank you because you cannot tell a male from female anymore and by our society dropping that principle that was given by God’s word is how we are here today where people don’t know if they should date or even marry the opposite sex. This is my strong opinion but when I read in God’s word about women dressing like women and men like men. Then when I am driving to church and I see two young people walking down the road and I can’t tell which is male or female or I am walking in the mall and see two very beautiful young ladies acting as though they are a couple and then my children come home from school and children their age openly talk about homosexuality. I say we better step up praying for our families. The time is getting closer and closer to when the Lord will return and I want to stop the enemy from corrupting others and keep him and his ideas as far from my family as I can.
Here is a link from the world network of prayer on how to pray for families
http://new.wnop.org/modules/docs/getDoc.asp?DID=1081
I am not trying to sound brash or rude or mean spirited but my family is so important to me and when I think of the enemy trying to distort something so important as family values while I am trying to raise them the right way it angers me. So by no means do I believe in being mean or ugly to someone who is dictated by society and those ungodly principles because I truly believe the scripture For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places. Ephesians 6:12. So by society being so far from God and it is only getting worse I believe it is a call to prayer.
Until next time……
Sis. Kim
I think a lot about prayer for my family because my husband is my partner; we have become “one in marriage”(Genesis 2:24) and my children are my responsibility of being “trained in the way they should go” (Proverbs 22:6).
Lately society tries to teach us that our beliefs our values our morals our entire ways are wrong. Years ago it was ok to be a Christian recently I have heard it said we are not a Christian nation as though it is wrong to have one mind set. It was the norm for marriage to be between one man and one woman not any more now we are wrong if we believe that. I can go back further when they wanted us to stop disciplining our children; statistics speak for their selves on this one. A little further when woman stopped dressing like women.
These dictations from society of what is right and wrong have lead our nation further and further from God. Our society is not so powerful as to have turned all the people who are dictated by society from all of God’s values overnight it has been a long slow process. So when people say I am old fashion when I say I dress gender specific and raise my children that way I say thank you because you cannot tell a male from female anymore and by our society dropping that principle that was given by God’s word is how we are here today where people don’t know if they should date or even marry the opposite sex. This is my strong opinion but when I read in God’s word about women dressing like women and men like men. Then when I am driving to church and I see two young people walking down the road and I can’t tell which is male or female or I am walking in the mall and see two very beautiful young ladies acting as though they are a couple and then my children come home from school and children their age openly talk about homosexuality. I say we better step up praying for our families. The time is getting closer and closer to when the Lord will return and I want to stop the enemy from corrupting others and keep him and his ideas as far from my family as I can.
Here is a link from the world network of prayer on how to pray for families
http://new.wnop.org/modules/docs/getDoc.asp?DID=1081
I am not trying to sound brash or rude or mean spirited but my family is so important to me and when I think of the enemy trying to distort something so important as family values while I am trying to raise them the right way it angers me. So by no means do I believe in being mean or ugly to someone who is dictated by society and those ungodly principles because I truly believe the scripture For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places. Ephesians 6:12. So by society being so far from God and it is only getting worse I believe it is a call to prayer.
Until next time……
Sis. Kim
Tuesday, May 26, 2009
Oops!
I guess I was trying to overcompensate for making my blog late last week...I ment to schedule this post for tomorrow, but published it before I remembered! Sorry again!
Layla
Layla
Kitchen Tricks
A few quick tricks of the trade.....
Problem: You made your mashed potatoes too early, they will get cold before the rest of the food is done....
Solution: Put the potatoes over a pot of boiling water (in the same pot you just made them in, or a metal bowl) and that will keep them warm until you need them. If they have to sit there for a long time, wrap the top with foil, and don't forget to check the water level of the bottom pot.
Problem: The recipe requires a double boiler.
Solution: Use the same technique as the mashed potatoes above. Put water in the bottom pot (fill about halfway up) and use another pot that will fit snugly at the rim of the water pot so as to not have the top pot laying in the water. You can also use a metal bowl in replace of the top pot.
Problem: Every time you make cupcakes they do not all looked uniformed, some are larger than others.
Solution: Use your icecream scoop to fill each cupcake. That way you have the exact amount in each cupcake and they will all come out looking pretty.
Problem: Your cookies are never the same size.
Solution: Use a mini-icecream scoop (it is about a tablespoon) or a melon baller to measure out the same size scoops for your cookie dough.
Problem: There is a bad smell coming from your garbage disposal.
Solution: Cut up citrus (any kind lemon, oranges, limes, grapefruit...) stuff them into your disposal along with chunks of ice, and turn on the disposal, turn on the water, and let it grind for a few minutes. tada, a fresh smelling sink.
Problem: Everytime you package cookies up to mail to a friend, they are always stale by the time they get to her.
Solution: Place a slice of bread inside the package, and the bread will be the item to become stale, not your cookies.
Problem: Everytime your kids take out the trash, they forget to put in a new liner.
Solution: Place a few extra liners at the bottom of your trash can that way as you come to your trashcan and need to throw something away, you won't have to go searching for new liners, they are right there waiting for you.
Problem: Your microwave is so messy with cooked on gunk you couldn't scrub it out to save your life...
Solution: cut up some lemon, put it in a bowl of water, put the bowl of water in your microwave, turn it on high, and cook for about 5-7 minutes. Then try scrubbing again, if it still isn't budging, add more water to the bowl, and turn on the microwave for another few minutes, keep trying until the dirt comes off...
Problem: You can't remember when you bought your eggs, and you are not sure if they are fresh or old?
Solution: Place the egg in salt water, if the egg sinks it is fresh if it floats it is old. Or look on the outside the egg, the smoother and shiner it is, the older it is.
Problem: You know that you will not have time tomorrow to make dinner, but you have a few extra minutes right now...
Solution: Casseroles can be premade and refrigerated up to 24 hours in advance..nothing different has to be done other than cooking it for another 15 minutes to compensate for the cold.
Problem: You dropped an egg on the floor
Solution: Cover it with salt, the salt will absorb all the liquid making for an easier clean up.
Hope you learned something new!
Layla
Problem: You made your mashed potatoes too early, they will get cold before the rest of the food is done....
Solution: Put the potatoes over a pot of boiling water (in the same pot you just made them in, or a metal bowl) and that will keep them warm until you need them. If they have to sit there for a long time, wrap the top with foil, and don't forget to check the water level of the bottom pot.
Problem: The recipe requires a double boiler.
Solution: Use the same technique as the mashed potatoes above. Put water in the bottom pot (fill about halfway up) and use another pot that will fit snugly at the rim of the water pot so as to not have the top pot laying in the water. You can also use a metal bowl in replace of the top pot.
Problem: Every time you make cupcakes they do not all looked uniformed, some are larger than others.
Solution: Use your icecream scoop to fill each cupcake. That way you have the exact amount in each cupcake and they will all come out looking pretty.
Problem: Your cookies are never the same size.
Solution: Use a mini-icecream scoop (it is about a tablespoon) or a melon baller to measure out the same size scoops for your cookie dough.
Problem: There is a bad smell coming from your garbage disposal.
Solution: Cut up citrus (any kind lemon, oranges, limes, grapefruit...) stuff them into your disposal along with chunks of ice, and turn on the disposal, turn on the water, and let it grind for a few minutes. tada, a fresh smelling sink.
Problem: Everytime you package cookies up to mail to a friend, they are always stale by the time they get to her.
Solution: Place a slice of bread inside the package, and the bread will be the item to become stale, not your cookies.
Problem: Everytime your kids take out the trash, they forget to put in a new liner.
Solution: Place a few extra liners at the bottom of your trash can that way as you come to your trashcan and need to throw something away, you won't have to go searching for new liners, they are right there waiting for you.
Problem: Your microwave is so messy with cooked on gunk you couldn't scrub it out to save your life...
Solution: cut up some lemon, put it in a bowl of water, put the bowl of water in your microwave, turn it on high, and cook for about 5-7 minutes. Then try scrubbing again, if it still isn't budging, add more water to the bowl, and turn on the microwave for another few minutes, keep trying until the dirt comes off...
Problem: You can't remember when you bought your eggs, and you are not sure if they are fresh or old?
Solution: Place the egg in salt water, if the egg sinks it is fresh if it floats it is old. Or look on the outside the egg, the smoother and shiner it is, the older it is.
Problem: You know that you will not have time tomorrow to make dinner, but you have a few extra minutes right now...
Solution: Casseroles can be premade and refrigerated up to 24 hours in advance..nothing different has to be done other than cooking it for another 15 minutes to compensate for the cold.
Problem: You dropped an egg on the floor
Solution: Cover it with salt, the salt will absorb all the liquid making for an easier clean up.
Hope you learned something new!
Layla
GIGO
Many of you probably don't know that I started out my career teaching Computer Programming at Richland High School. Wow...years ago. Anyway, teaching computer programming to high school students was a lot of fun. They loved the part of programming where they did their flowcharting and planned their program. They really like writing the programs and seeing what that strange "language" looked like. But..they all hated debugging. Trying to find that small error that was keeping them from seeing their desired result. Many times, we had to discuss GIGO--garbage in, garbage out.
See a computer is really a dumb machine and what you put into it is what you get out of it. You put in correct instructions, you'll get the desired result. You put in an error (garbage) and you'll get a result different than you expected (garbage). A computer program will run up to a certain point and then you'll start to get bizarre results. Until you go in and read that programming code line by line and examine up to the minute detail, it's hard to find the error.
So true of our walk with God at times. We all know where we want to be, what ministry God has called us to but we don't feed our walk with what will get us the desired results. We get the elementary things such as prayer, fasting, feeding ourselves with the Word but we don't get the "take up your cross and follow me" part.
Sunday morning's message really blessed me. I'm sitting there in the middle of the sermon trying to dish it out to others in the congregation when God hit me between the eyes and said, "Dummy, this is for you." It goes right along with a book I've been reading--A Life God Rewards. One of the chapters in the book is entitled, "The God Who Gives Back." The chapter starts off with the same scripture that was read on Sunday morning, Matthew 6:19-20. In this passage, Jesus said, "Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy and where thieves break in and steal; but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys and where thieves do not break in and steal."
It is this principle that causes our lives to never quite run correctly. We do the daily things of prayer, fasting, reading the Word, witnessing but many times we don't trust our treasure with the King of Kings. We direct it. I'm talking to myself here because I have to constantly remind myself of keeping the end of this life as my goal. In Luke 12:34, it says, "For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also." So many times I've listened to people talk about how in love they are with serving others and ministry but then their lives shows differently. Where your heart is, is what you treasure. What you are willing to hold back is your treasure. But on the other hand, once you totally trust the Lord with your life and His service becomes your treasure, anxiety about tomorrow will disappear.
What does Matthew say? Several things...lay up your treasure for yourself. Only you can "lay up" or store your treasure for the King. It is an individual decision. Churches and pastors can set visions but only you can put your "treasure" or ministry into the Lord's hands and choose to follow it no matter what. Matthew also went on to say that your treasure should be laid up in "heaven." Are you spending your life trying to follow ambitions that aren't God's ambitions? You are laying up treasure but not in heaven.
The book that I mentioned goes on to say "The treasure God asks you to serve Him with is the very force in your life that threatens your loyalties to your Master....when you serve God, you are using God's money to accomplish His wishes. But when you serve money, you are using God's money to accomplish your wishes. And when you do that,you will inevitably follow your human instincts."
So what to do? Begin to move your treasure today to what matters in heaven, not what will give you a temporary result on this earth. Where your treasure is, there your heart will be...
GIGO? Tired of getting garbage and unrest? Stop putting in garbage and begin to trust God with ALL of your life. As we enter into a time of revival, my friends, let's take stock of our "treasure" and see if our life is focused on what we can do for God rather than seeing if God is doing something for us.
Much love,
Sis. D.
See a computer is really a dumb machine and what you put into it is what you get out of it. You put in correct instructions, you'll get the desired result. You put in an error (garbage) and you'll get a result different than you expected (garbage). A computer program will run up to a certain point and then you'll start to get bizarre results. Until you go in and read that programming code line by line and examine up to the minute detail, it's hard to find the error.
So true of our walk with God at times. We all know where we want to be, what ministry God has called us to but we don't feed our walk with what will get us the desired results. We get the elementary things such as prayer, fasting, feeding ourselves with the Word but we don't get the "take up your cross and follow me" part.
Sunday morning's message really blessed me. I'm sitting there in the middle of the sermon trying to dish it out to others in the congregation when God hit me between the eyes and said, "Dummy, this is for you." It goes right along with a book I've been reading--A Life God Rewards. One of the chapters in the book is entitled, "The God Who Gives Back." The chapter starts off with the same scripture that was read on Sunday morning, Matthew 6:19-20. In this passage, Jesus said, "Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy and where thieves break in and steal; but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys and where thieves do not break in and steal."
It is this principle that causes our lives to never quite run correctly. We do the daily things of prayer, fasting, reading the Word, witnessing but many times we don't trust our treasure with the King of Kings. We direct it. I'm talking to myself here because I have to constantly remind myself of keeping the end of this life as my goal. In Luke 12:34, it says, "For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also." So many times I've listened to people talk about how in love they are with serving others and ministry but then their lives shows differently. Where your heart is, is what you treasure. What you are willing to hold back is your treasure. But on the other hand, once you totally trust the Lord with your life and His service becomes your treasure, anxiety about tomorrow will disappear.
What does Matthew say? Several things...lay up your treasure for yourself. Only you can "lay up" or store your treasure for the King. It is an individual decision. Churches and pastors can set visions but only you can put your "treasure" or ministry into the Lord's hands and choose to follow it no matter what. Matthew also went on to say that your treasure should be laid up in "heaven." Are you spending your life trying to follow ambitions that aren't God's ambitions? You are laying up treasure but not in heaven.
The book that I mentioned goes on to say "The treasure God asks you to serve Him with is the very force in your life that threatens your loyalties to your Master....when you serve God, you are using God's money to accomplish His wishes. But when you serve money, you are using God's money to accomplish your wishes. And when you do that,you will inevitably follow your human instincts."
So what to do? Begin to move your treasure today to what matters in heaven, not what will give you a temporary result on this earth. Where your treasure is, there your heart will be...
GIGO? Tired of getting garbage and unrest? Stop putting in garbage and begin to trust God with ALL of your life. As we enter into a time of revival, my friends, let's take stock of our "treasure" and see if our life is focused on what we can do for God rather than seeing if God is doing something for us.
Much love,
Sis. D.
Sunday, May 24, 2009
Happy Memorial Day!
Originally called Decoration Day,Memorial Day commemorates U.S. men and women who died while in the military service.It's a special occasion in which we can all take the time to honor those who have given their lives in the service of protecting our country.We commemorate not only those who have died serving the United States and provided security to our country but also those living who have served in the past or are currently enlisted in the military.
So,as we spend time with our families today,please remember all of our military still fighting for our freedom and be thankful today that we live in such a blessed country.
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