Meditate.
Christ is the visible image of the invisible God. He existed before anything was created and is supreme over all creation, for through him God created everything in the heavenly realms and on earth. He made the things we can see and the things we can't see—such as thrones, kingdoms, rulers, and authorities in the unseen world. Everything was created through him and for him. He existed before anything else, and he holds all creation together. Christ is also the head of the church, which is his body. He is the beginning, supreme over all who rise from the dead. So he is first in everything. Colossians 1:15-18 (Underlined for emphasis.)
Can you see me now? We often hear that from friends and family as we chat via Zoom or Facetime. Do you think Jesus ever asked, “Can you see Me now?” His disciples were amazed that they could not only see, but also touch Jesus after His resurrection. Christ is the visible image of the invisible God. He existed before anything was created and is supreme over all creation…. We obviously can’t see Jesus now—He has ascended into Heaven, but He is still supreme over all creation…including the church—His church. The church is the group of people around the world…and throughout time…that believe in Him as their Lord and Savior. Jesus is the Head Guy…the one in charge…the one from whom we should be getting our orders, assignments and guidance for the day. Are we? Where do you look for that direction? The Bible of course—but where, when and why?
Choose a time of day…and stick to it. It may mean getting up ten minutes earlier and finding a quiet place in your home so that you can concentrate on Jesus. What to read? The Bible is a huge book—and it maybe overwhelming to consider reading the whole thing…but it can be done. I actually had read lots of passages and several of the books, but not made it through until I decided a few years ago to make it a priority for that year. I read…and listened to parts of it on a Bible app that read it to me. That was a lifetime achievement for me! Now I just read a book at a time and am currently concentrating on reading the book of Mark. If you don’t have a reading plan, I suggest you choose one of the four Gospels: Matthew, Mark, Luke or John, in the New Testament and set a goal to read it in the next few weeks. You could choose to read a book of the Old Testament—especially if you enjoy history. There is actually a lot of history in both the Old and New Testaments. Follow Paul’s journeys on a map and get acquainted with the Mediterranean area of the world. In a pre-COVID time you could have planned a trip to Israel, Greece, Italy, and Jordan—but with world conditions now you can only take such a trip virtually.
Before you read your chosen passage, pray for insight. Ask the Holy Spirit to guide you and help you to find ways to apply God’s Word to your life. Jesus told us that whatever we ask for in His name, we will receive. Ask the Head Guy for wisdom, understanding, insight.
Prayer ~ Lord God, Joyful is the person who finds wisdom, the one who gains understanding. Proverbs 3:13. Give me wisdom and understanding as I seek to know You more and have a better relationship with You. Thank You for Your guidance—not just for me, my family and friends, but also for all of Your church.
Verses of Salvation for the early Church ~ A deep sense of awe came over them all, and the apostles performed many miraculous signs and wonders. And all the believers met together in one place and shared everything they had. They sold their property and possessions and shared the money with those in need. They worshiped together at the Temple each day, met in homes for the Lord's Supper, and shared their meals with great joy and generosity—all the while praising God and enjoying the goodwill of all the people. And each day the Lord added to their fellowship those who were being saved. Acts 2:43-47
Friday’s Feasting at the King’s Table
We can’t live on bread alone. What should we eat today? That is
always a good question!
What’s on your menu…on your plate? I’d like to have She-Crab Soup and a chop salad. Chop Salad? Chop salad seems to be very popular item on restaurant and home menus this spring and now into the summer. It can be changed up for any ethnic meal just by varying some of the ingredients and dressing. Here’s a basic one.
Crisp
and colorful fresh vegetables combine in this delicious chopped salad. This
easy salad recipe gets topped off with creamy avocado and crunchy bacon to make
it truly restaurant-worthy. Make the homemade dressing recipe a couple of days
in advance to give the garlic and lemon flavors time to develop.
2 cloves garlic, peeled
½ teaspoon kosher salt
½ lemon, juiced
1 cup sour cream
2 hearts romaine lettuce
2 ears fresh corn, kernels cut
from cob
4 ounces green beans, trimmed
and cut in 2-inch lengths
1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
1 cucumber, seeded and chopped
¼ cup finely chopped fresh
chives
Himalayan sea salt, or Kosher salt
Freshly ground black pepper
1 avocado, halved, seeded,
peeled, and cut into chunks
6 slices bacon, crisp-cooked
and chopped
Other options: chick peas, black
eyed peas, sliced kalamata olives
For dressing, peel garlic, split lengthwise, and remove any green germ or interior sprout. Finely grate the garlic and mix with a generous sprinkling of kosher salt. Hold knife with blade facing away from you; repeatedly rub garlic and salt together with flat of the blade to work it into a fine paste. Transfer mashed garlic to a small bowl. Squeeze lemon juice over garlic. Stir in an additional sprinkling of salt. Allow to stand 10 to 15 minutes so lemon can tame the garlic. Whisk in sour cream; season with salt and a few grinds of black pepper. To give flavors time to develop, refrigerate for 1 hour. The dressing keeps in the refrigerator up to 3 days.
Cut lettuce into bite-size pieces. Cook corn and green beans in a pot of rapidly boiling, lightly salted water for 1 to 3 minutes.
In
a large salad bowl combine corn, beans, cherry tomatoes, and cucumber (and
optional vegetables). Sprinkle with salt, pepper, and half the chives. Add two
or three spoonfuls of dressing and toss gently.
Add lettuce to bowl. Sprinkle with salt, pepper, and most of the remaining chives. Add an etra drizzle of dressing. Lift up vegetable from the bottom of the bowl and turn over the lettuce. Repeat until ingredients are just mixed, adding additional dressing as necessary to coat. Just before serving, add the avocado, bacon and cheese if desired. Top servings with additional chives.
Adapted from Better Homes & Garden recipe.
Available as an e-book
or paperback at Amazon.com
No comments:
Post a Comment