Lilies in the City - August 2015 - Issue 8
lilies city Barely
Acquainted
P
I AM ersuaded
HEAT
TRIALS Pineapple Blueberry OF
I ce-Cream
It's Summer!
SI N G LE
8
6 11 10
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lilies city Lily Lifestyle Social Lily Lily Eats
6 Heat of Trials 11 I am Persuaded 8 Barely Acquainted 14 Single 10 Pineapple Blueberry Ice Cream
Unless otherwise noted, all scripture references are taken from the Authorized Version of the Bible (The King James Version)
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EDITOR'S NOTE
Mosquito A Helpful
"The Lord permits conflicts, to prepare the soul for peace" (EG White).
Recently, my friend was telling me about an annoying mosquito bite on her knee. It was the most bothersome when she would kneel for prayer. She believed Satan himself was at work, trying to make her precious time in prayer uncomfortable. Kneeling was a constant reminder of the pain and the pesky insect. As she shared her unfortunate experience, I wondered about the spiritual lesson. “I wish there was in the same way, a constant reminder of the pain sin causes Christ,” I said. It wasn’t until much later that the Lord showed me that there already was; He has made provision to keep this reality always before us. It is through the channel of trials, that we can share in the suffering and pain that sin causes Christ. As we suffer and are persecuted, as we are placed in various painful circumstances with friends and foes, these trials are a dim reminder of the Captain of our salvation’s sacrifice (Heb. 2:10). Trials don’t only help us to look to Christ, they also do something in
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us: the fire perfects us (See 1 Pet. 1:7). Like the heat of the summer, the fiery trails of life have a secondary purpose. As the enemy tried to use my friend’s mosquito bite as a distraction from prayer, so too in our lives he uses the difficulty of trials to overshadow their two-fold work: to remind us of the result of sin's presence and to perfect our character making us better a reflection of Christ's virtues. “But the God of all grace, who hath called us unto his eternal glory by Christ Jesus, after that ye have suffered a while make you perfect, stablish, strengthen, settle you” (1 Pet. 5:10). Let’s be settled, Jesus is coming soon. May our trials be a constant reminder. In this issue we look at some "heated" topics: trials, singleness and true heart conversion. Beat the summer's heat with our healthy and yummy ice cream recipe too!
Almarie Hill
Administrative STAFF
Almarie is the Editor-in-Chief at Lilies in the City (LIC). Of things seen on this earth, she loves only sweet potatoes and bananas more than words, writing and editing. Almarie lives for ministry and has a passion for Christ's wholistic method of healing - naturally. Wholly Whole is her personal ministry, reflecting her journey to completeness in Christ.
Akilah Ballard As the Financial Manager at LIC, the Lord has blessed Akilah with a knack for organization and attention to detail: two skills fundamental to finance and accounting. When not analyzing numbers, she loves to admire God through His created works: gardening has become one of her favorite interests. She suspects that the same excitement she has watching seeds grow is the same that God has in watching His Word bear fruit in our hearts.
Sarah Victor Sarah is LIC’s Account Manager and she has made it her personal goal to make the service of God the most attractive thing in the world. Whether she is sharing tasty, healthful recipes, sharing object lessons while gardening, or while making her all natural hair and body butters for Jane's Butters, there is always one goal: to show that there is great peace, safety, and most of all joy in the service of our loving God!
Have Any Questions For The Lilies Staff? Contact us: admin@liliesinthecity.org
Rochelle Mekowulu Rochelle, the Business Manager, provides strategic guidance to ministries in their marketing and development efforts. She has always had a passion for ministry and the furtherance of the gospel. When not working on various projects, she can be found in nature, doing a bible study or writing.
Jaleesa Almarales Jaleesa, the Marketing Manager, believes that Christ's method alone will give true success in reaching people. Therefore counseling and teaching combined with a few other talents are tools that God has given her to prepare people, especially an army of youth, to meet our God. In her spare time, she can be found working on a DIY project, painting or trying to learn to play the piano.
Photo credit (cover, pg 2, 11, 12) Ricky Skrzepa Layout & Design - Abiola Osinjolu
Associate Editor: Delnita McDavid
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hat have you learned in this time of education? I speak of education, not from an academic standpoint, but along the lines that God has erected in the education of character building. What have you learned from the teachers that God has sent by allowing the storms, trials, tribulations, and those fiery tests? Like fire to the precious stone covered in dross, trials have the duty to test, and to prove us; their work is that of perfecting a Christ-like character in us. Remember when that storm comes, that Jesus is in the boat with you. As He has done before (see Mk. 4:39), He can calm you and the storm with the comforting word “Peace be still”! Isaiah gives witness, “When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; and through the rivers, they will not overflow you. When you walk through the fire, you will not 6
be scorched, nor will the flame burn you” (Isa. 43:2 NASB). While you’re in that fiery trial, God is in the furnace with you. Recall what King Nebuchadnezzar said when he saw those three Hebrew boys, plunged deep into the fiery furnace, “Lo! I see four men loose, walking in the midst of the fire, and they have no hurt; and the form of the fourth is like the Son of God!” (Dan. 3:25). Notice too, the only thing that burnt up were the ropes that bound them. God will not leave you in the furnace until you are wholly consumed, but just long enough for the dross to come off. See the goldsmith puts the gold into the fiery furnace not to damage it, but to purify it in order to get the dross, that excess waste, off. He doesn’t keep the gold in the furnace until it is wholly consumed, but just enough to smooth
it out to the point of seeing his reflection in it. This is the same with God, our Heavenly goldsmith. Peter states, “Therefore, since Christ has suffered in the flesh, arm yourselves also with the same purpose, because he who has suffered in the flesh has ceased from sin, so as to live the rest of the time in the flesh no longer for the lusts of men, but for the will of God”… “Beloved, do not be surprised at the fiery ordeal among you, which comes upon you for your testing, as though some strange thing were happening to you; but to the degree that you share the sufferings of Christ, keep on rejoicing, so that also at the revelation of His glory you may rejoice with exultation. “If you are reviled for the name of Christ, you are blessed, because the Spirit of glory and of God rests on you. Make sure that none of you suffers as a murderer, or thief, or
HEAT OF TRIALS – Michael Sheppard
"God will not leave you in the furnace until you are wholly
consumed,
but
just long enough for the dross to come off."
life. Let’s be that mirror that God has intended for you and me to be as those who reflect His glory. As the scripture states, “And we know that God causes all things to work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose” (Rom. 8:28 NASB). What have the storms, trials, tribulations done for your character?
evildoer, or a troublesome meddler; but if anyone suffers as a Christian, he is not to be ashamed, but is to glorify God in this name” (1 Pet. 4:1-2, 12-16 NASB). The heat of trials produces something wonderful in us: like threads of gold, holiness will run through our lives. All heaven rejoices when weak, faulty human beings give themselves to Jesus, to live His
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Barely
Acquainted – Jaleesa Almarales
“So you’re telling me I ignored you? But why would I do that?” “You were friends with my enemies, they influenced you.” “I wouldn’t call us friends… but if those things they said weren’t true, why didn’t
“I knew you!” you just prove yourself?” “You knew of me” “Prove myself! ‘For the invisible things “Well, yes, but we had similar friends. My of me from the creation of the world friends knew your friends, and told me are clearly seen!’” some things about you. Wouldn’t you “I know you created everything but say that is enough for me to call you my bad things happen. People are murfriend?” dered, raped, fall sick, homeless… I can “My child, you didn’t know me, when I tried continue the list goes on” to say “HI” you turned and ignored me” “That ‘bad thing’ is called sin. You think “Did not.” I don’t see that happening? My heart “Yes, you did. And that hurt, we were barely aches.” acquainted” “Yes, I was taught you know every“Not true, I went to your home often on thing. Yet, I don’t understand why you Sabbath” would let those things happen. And “Yes, as a child. Why did that stop? And why you would allow me to do bad why did you not let me in when I came to things. Those things that hurt you; why your home?” didn’t you just stop me from doing “Well, I never found you there. My home? those things, I was killing myself you You never came” know!” “You never answered.” “My child, we were barely acquainted; “I never heard a knock.” you didn’t recognize my voice. And “That doesn’t mean I wasn’t knocking.” 8
when you heard it, you silenced it
help you stop sinning. And yes,
and listened to your friends. I love
that means you would keep my
you; I gave you a choice. Did you
commandments.”
want me to just make you do some-
“I didn’t even know you had that
thing you didn’t want to?”
plan. We were less than barely
“Sometimes, it would be easier if you
acquainted. I took sides with your
just made me do right”
enemy. That was so stupid of me. I am sorry. Is it too late, can you
“Would that be love?”
still help me?”
“I guess not, but you will get what
“Are you willing now? I can take
you want.”
your heart and fill it with my love,
“’Get what I want’. What is it that I
if you let me”
want?”
“I’m afraid.”
”Ummm, you want people to obey
“My child, be not afraid, only be-
you by keeping the commandments,
lieve.”
right?”
“I believe, help thou my unbelief.
“My child, we are barely acquainted.
‘Lord, take my heart; for I cannot
You don’t even know what I want; I
give it, it is Thy property. Keep it
want your heart.”
pure, for I cannot keep it for Thee.
“My heart?”
Save me in spite of myself, my
“Yes, your heart: I want your love. I
weak unchristlike self. Mold me,
first loved you; I gave my son to die
fashion me, raise me into a pure
so that you can stop doing those
and holy atmosphere, where the
‘bad things’. See, I have a plan and
rich current of Thy love can flow
that plan does not involve force. If
through my soul.” 1
you would see my love for you, you would see how I always planned to
1. Referenced scripture in order of their appearance: Rev. 3:20; Rm. 1:20; Mk. 9:24 Ellen G White, Christ’s Object Lessons (Hagerstown, Maryland: Review and Herald Pub. Assn., 1900) p 159
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Pine apple
Blueberry I ce Cre am – Sarah Victor
This recipe is bound to be the easiest and tastiest ice cream recipe you have tried. It is completely non-dairy but every bit as creamy and delicious as real ice-cream!
Ingredients: 1 can of Trader Joe’s Coconut Cream (or even better, make the coconut cream yourself by blending the flesh of a young coconut until it becomes smooth and creamy) ½ of a pineapple (approximately 1 cup of chopped fresh pineapple) 1 cup of blueberries (fresh or frozen) ½ cup of sweetener (I used maple syrup, you can also use honey, dates, or powdered cane sugar) 1 tsp alcohol-free vanilla extract (can be purchased at most natural food stores) 1 pinch of salt
Directions: 1. Blend all of the ingredients together until you have reached the desired consistency. (either chunky or smooth depending on your preference) 2. Pour into an ice cream maker and mix until it hardens. (I bought my ice cream maker from Goodwill for $3.99, but if you do not have one, you can also pour it into a square or rectangular dish and freeze for at least 4 hours and skip the next step)
3. Transfer to the freezer and freeze for at least 2 hours. 4. Scoop and enjoy!
Why is this a better alternative to regular ice-cream? According to Keith Nemec, M.D., dairy products form mucus, which coats the digestive and respiratory tracts. Milk is not easily digested and is also highly allergenic; casein (a milk protein), is a common cause of food allergies. Casein coats the digestive system, leading to leaky gut syndrome, malabsorption and/or constipation. These may all result in a weakened immune system and toxic build up in the blood along with a host of other health problems. Lastly, dairy products contain bovine growth hormone (BGH), which stimulates milk production in cows. This hormone has also been found to accelerate the growth of tissues, which can potentially lead to the formation of cancer cells.1 Furthermore, Dr. Dan Baggett, a pediatrician, directly correlates cows’ milk with the following conditions seen in his office: (1) eczema, (2) asthma, (3) strep throat, (4) rheumatoid arthritis and (5) growing pains. All of these conditions began to improve when dairy products were eliminated from the diet. 1. Nemec, K. (2010). Total health = wholeness: A body, mind and spirit manual. Hosanna Publications.
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I AM ersuaded – Akilah Ballard
My
friend’s blog post left me saddened. We have been friends for some years now but, due to changes in jobs, relocation, and my conversion, our relationship has been more estranged than in former years. Of late, I’ve been keeping abreast with the happenings of her life through her blog. Yes, regrettably I have succumbed to this disengaging form of communicating via “social” media. In a recent post, she describes her online dating experiences. She had met a Christian: a Seventh - day Adventist Christian. After learning about his peculiarities of keeping the Sabbath, living in a rural area and desiring to be what she calls a “Prepper” - someone who makes active preparations for a catastrophic disaster or emer-
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gency they believe is likely to occur in the future - she found the match extremely disagreeable and promptly ended the relationship. Her reaction to his spirituality reminded me of a time when I too had a similar reaction to spiritual things. It was early in my Christian walk: I loved morning and evening devotion, I enjoyed group Bible studies on Friday nights, and my thoughts increasingly were drawn to spiritual things. However, when my friend first invited me to an allnight prayer meeting, my facial expression read perplexity and almost disdain. I thought to myself: who wants to pray all night? “No thank you,” I replied, “maybe some other time.” What was the problem? I was unconverted. My experience was similar to Peter’s. Peter who, although enjoyed being in the presence of God and had even been used by Him in ministry, was still pronounced unconverted (see Lk. 22:32). The world-loving heart is not attracted to the things of God. Isaiah records, “And when we shall see him, there is no beauty that we should desire him” (Isa. 53:2). As the carnal eye rests
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If we rightly esteemed all that Jesus and the Father have done for us,
there would be nothing we consider too valuable to
give up for Him in return.
upon Jesus’ purity, humility and benevolence, it notes nothing beautiful to be desired. The One whom angels adore is regarded by men as but “a root out of a dry ground”. The same dark hue in which men perceive Christ is often the same in which they view the Christian lifestyle. To many, even among those who accept Jesus, the Christian life is a burdensome yoke and one of heavy drudgery. It is perceived as a life of restrictions rather than one of liberty and is held as a life of misery rather than one of happiness. It is under this gloomy assessment that many Christian reforms are repulsed. As we learn God’s desire regarding our diet, recreation, dress, education, worship, and much more - we may become disheartened; we may begin to realize that virtually everything about ourselves is utterly wrong. Some, like the rich young ruler, consider this reformation too great a price to pay and sadly turn definitively away from their Savior. Others, concede to a relationship with Him but never seek complete conformity to His likeness. And still others, attempt to bring their lives into harmony with God’s will yet do so unhappily and the pain of their self-sacrifice sours their entire Christian experience. In no uncertain terms, the Bible teaches that to follow Christ is to partake of His sufferings. As He denied Himself, so are we to deny ourselves. But there is a beauty produced by self-denial. Joy can be had even among trials. In the parable of the corn of wheat Jesus speaks of the results His death would bring. “Except a corn of wheat fall into the ground and die, it abideth
alone: but if it die, it bringeth forth much fruit” (Jn. 12:24). Unless Jesus died, our souls would not be won to God’s kingdom. Moreover, unless we die to self, we will never produce the fruits of the Spirit (see Gal. 5:22, 23). In her very next blog post, my friend shared that if money was not an object, she would splurge on the most expensive gift for her mom on Mother’s Day. If she could, in response to all that her mother has done for her, she would give her the world. The Holy Spirit then impressed upon my mind an interesting parallel: the Father reserved nothing in His effort to restore mankind. All of heaven was poured out in the gift of His Son Jesus. If we rightly esteemed all that Jesus and the Father have done for us, there would be nothing we consider too valuable to give up for Him in return. Herein reveals one hindrance to complete surrender: failure to appreciate the depth of Christ’s sacrifice. The magnitude of Jesus’ sacrifice is realized in light of who He is; in light of His divinity. It is Jesus who had measured out the waters in the hollow of His hand. It is He who stretched out the heavens as a curtain and spread them out as a tent to dwell in. It is He that created the heavens and the earth and He who gives breath to all life that dwells upon it (see Jn. 1:13, 14; Col. 1:16). Yet we see Jesus, garbed in sinful flesh, made even lower than the angels. Why? That He might suffer in the same manner as man and overcome sin in man’s behalf, revealing God’s character and leaving an example for man to follow.
The Bible states that Jesus has life within Himself and “fainteth not, neither is weary” (Isa. 40:28). Yet as a man we see Him subject to hunger (See Lk. 4:2, Mt. 21:18). Dependent upon food for sustenance we see that Christ underwent a major “diet reform”. Being fashioned as a man He forfeited His omnipresence and thereby underwent a “dress reform”. The two reforms Christians seem to struggle with the most, pride of display and indulgence of appetite, Christ also experienced. Thus He lead by example. As we consider what Christ has done for us, all our sacrifices for Him pale in comparison. He is God. His sacrifice cannot be paralleled. Notwithstanding daily self-abnegation, the Christian life need not be shadowed by despondency. Those whose obedience is actuated by a heart overflowed with love for God will delight to do His will! While the unconverted, world-loving heart is not attracted to the things of God, the heart that has come close to the Savior’s is converted and purified, it esteems the things of Christ of greatest worth. Pray brothers and sisters. Pray for victory over every besetment. Pray for strength to renounce every sinful indulgence. Pray that Jesus’ love will be your ultimate persuasion to hold nothing between your soul and your Savior.
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Dear friends, I am single, like many of you. It is as a single person who truly understands your struggles, the struggles of a Christian single life that I share this message with you today. In this season of our lives, as our friends are getting married and having children, as our parents and society perhaps start placing pressure on us with reminders that our “biological clock” is ticking, we too start desiring to share our lives with a significant other. Thus, some begin to pray and others even actively look for a spouse.
– Dorothee Louis
SINGLE
While it is a good thing to bring this natural longing for a mate to God in prayer, have you ever found, friends, that this future spouse is becoming the only thing your mind focuses on? Perhaps in prayer it may be hard even to focus on thanking God and meditating on all His goodness because every prayer is centered on that one person. Wanting to love and be loved is a God-given desire but the adversary of our soul has a counterfeit for it, as he has a counterfeit for everything God created. His plan is to use this beautiful, legitimate, God-given desire to cause us to be lost! How? By stealthily separating us from God, our Protector and Savior. Once the separation is brought about, we are without a Shepherd, and we become an easy prey. How can Satan use our desire for marriage and for a spouse to separate us from God? By making our desire for companionship, for a family of our own, an all-consuming desire that replaces God in our hearts! “Thou shalt have no
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other gods before me”, says the Lord (Ex. 20:3). It is easy for us to overfeed the longing for human love to the neglect of a vital connection with Jesus. By making a boyfriend, girlfriend, or future spouse the center of our thoughts, conversations, dreams, and plans, we begin to yearn after them, pant for them, more than we long for God. Our souls are so consumed by them that finding a spouse becomes the ultimate goal of our lives, an obsession and an idol. Is the God of Heaven your first and best thought? Is He the one you long for and seek after with all your heart, with all your strength, and with all your soul? Or do you long more for intimacy with another, thirst more for another, think more of another? If so, that other has dethroned God from your heart and has become your false god, your idol. And we know that idolaters shall not inherit the kingdom of God (1 Cor. 6:9). Shall we passionately seek after that which will pass away and pass by that which is everlasting? An idol can never save us, never purify our soul, nor fit us for our heavenly home. Who has your heart’s full devotion, friends?
have loved you with an everlasting love and with bands of love I have drawn you (Isa. 43:4; Jer. 31: 3; Hos. 11:4). Are we, perhaps unconsciously, rejecting this lover for another? We cannot allow the desire for marriage to become an obsession! In these solemn times we are living in, the most important thing we can do is seek to understand who Jesus is: to know Him personally and truly experience heart surrender, moment by moment, so that we may be ready to see Him in peace. Moreover, marriage was never intended to be the ultimate purpose of our existence (See Isa. 43:7; 49:5, 6). Now is the time to repent, return to the Lord and seek Him as if our life depended on it because it does depend on it friends. Now is the time to allow His Living Word to purify our souls and transform us in every aspect of our lives so that the Sun of righteousness can be seen in us at all times as a witness unto the world. Now is the time friends, to give to God the place that is rightfully His by al-
lowing Him to be the center of our thoughts, the theme of our conversations, the longing of our souls, the pursuit of our hearts, the motive of every deed, and the Guide of every step. If in His love and mercy, He brings along a spouse, praise the Lord. But if in His love, mercy, and wisdom He doesn’t, praise the Lord. Either way, let us live with an eye single to His glory, fulfilling wholeheartedly the mission He has for us. My prayer is that, as single people, we will not allow our desire for a life partner to take the place of God in our hearts. My prayer is that we will not be so focused on finding a man or a woman that we neglect to find Jesusthe one and only one who is the Source of love, life, and joy! Jesus is the Lover I long for and seek after. Is He yours? XX Fellow Faithful Follower
Jesus must be the first and the last, the best, the sweetest and greatest. He is the one who made us and redeemed us with His own blood. He is the one who is constantly at work for our good, to protect and save us. Christ tells us, “I have graven thee upon the palms of my hand; thy walls are continually before me” (Isa. 49:16). We are continually on His mind, is He on ours? He further adds, “You are precious in my sight…I 15