Message of Joy

For when we brought you the Good News, it was not only with words but also with power, for the Holy Spirit gave you full assurance that what we said was true. And you know of our concern for you from the way we lived when we were with you. So you received the message with joy from the Holy Spirit in spite of the severe suffering it brought you. In this way, you imitated both us and the Lord. 1 Thes-salonians 1:5-6 NLT

 

There is power in the name of Jesus…in the Holy Spirit…in the message of the Gospel. Power. God is powerful. According to Paul the church at Thessalonica received the message of the Gospel, the Good News of Jesus sacrifice and resurrection, with joy even though that message brought suffering to them. The Christians in Thessalonica were imitating Jesus and the apostles. Power…joy…suffering. Hang onto that message of joy. Joy from the Holy Spirit.

 

Paul wrote about affliction to the church in Corinth. Great is my confidence in you; great is my boasting on your behalf. I am filled with comfort; I am overflowing with joy in all our affliction. For even when we came into Macedonia our flesh had no rest, but we were afflicted on every side: conflicts without, fears within. 2 Corinthians 7:4-5. Let God’s joy fill and permeate your very soul. Will there be affliction or suffering in your joy?

 

Prayer ~ Holy Spirit, …for the Kingdom of God is not a matter of what we eat or drink, but of living a life of goodness and peace and joy in You..in the Holy Spirit. (from Romans 14:17 NLT) Give us joy in our hearts today.

 

Friday’s Feast at the Lord’s Table

It is still zucchini time and there are so many fun ways to cook it. I love it roasted on the BBQ or in the oven; stir-fried with onions, other summer squash and carrots; or in tea breads or muffins. I recently made these zucchini muffins with my grandchildren. It can also can be made into bread. Amazing how kids will eat most anything that they cook or bake themselves. Makes kitchen time fun, memorable times.

 

Zucchini Muffins or Bread

1 cup vegetable oil

1¾ sugar

3 eggs

2 tsp vanilla extract

2 cups shredded zucchini

1 cup (8 oz can) crushed pineapple, drained

3 cups flour

½ tsp baking powder

2 tsp baking soda

1 tsp sea salt

¾ tsp ground nutmeg

1½ tsp ground cinnamon

1 cup chopped nuts, optional

1 cup shredded sweetened coconut, optional

 

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Prepare muffin tins for 24 muffins by greasing the tins well or lining with paper cups. This can also be baked as two 9 x 5 inch loaves—so grease loaf pans.

 

Combine oil, sugar, eggs and vanilla extract and mix at medium speed for 2 minutes. Add zucchini and pineapple, mix well. Add flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt and spices on low speed until just combined.  Fold in the nuts and coconut, if desired. Fill the muffin tins ¾ full, or divide the batter between the loaf pans. Bake muffins for 20-25 minutes, or until the center springs back when touched lightly in the center. Bake loaves for about 1 hour. Let cool – 5 minutes for muffins or 15 minutes for loaves—before removing from the pans. Serve warm.

 

© 2015 by Mickey M. Hunacek. All rights reserved.

All scripture quoted from the New American Standard Bible (NASB) unless otherwise noted.

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