lilies city
Lilies in the City - May/June 2017 - Issue 21
©
Heaven
in the Home
Let’s Have a Baby!
Rainbow Stuffed Ark Peppers
When Self Hinders Your Marriage’s Growth
TheHome
Mission
TheGlory
Happiness Homemade
of Children Staff Picks!
6 14
2
10 18
12 22
26
lilies city
Š
Social Lily Practical Lily Lily Eats Lily Lifestyle
6 Heaven in the Home 18 The Home Mission 10 Let's Have a Baby!
12 Rainbow Stuffed Ark Peppers 14 When Self Hinders Your Marriages Growth 22 The Glory of Children
Glowing Lily
26 Staff Picks
Unless otherwise noted, all scripture references are taken from the Authorized Version of the Bible (The King James Version)
3
Editor's Note
Earthly Ties It was 7 o'clock on a Sunday evening and I was sick in bed. The doctor had told me I likely had a viral illness and so I was plotting how I could boost my natural defences to help them in this internal raging war. My body was tired while my mind was busy at work. Can we pass by and drop something off? My friend texted me. I don't know what I had expected but when I was later greeted by a large bag of goodies, I was at a loss for words. My eyes filled with water at the spread of oranges, pineapple, apples, bananas, fresh ginger and more, pouring over each other with a little encouraging note on top. I am loved, I thought to myself. While I hardly had strength to do much for myself, Someone else was thinking of doing much for me. One of my favourite quotes says, "Through the things of nature, and the deepest and tenderest earthly ties that human hearts can know, He [God] has sought to reveal Himself to us." There's something
4
especially sweet about having your heart knit with someone else's. That tie created —whether it's for a moment, based on an experience or because of a life union— has a powerful softening yet ennobling experience. Proverbs 27:17 cosigns saying, "Iron sharpeneth iron; so a man sharpeneth the countenance of his friend." And what if that friend is family? Family is most often than not the closest possible tie you have with another. Whether your family is one you've chosen, people you've been given or souls who you share the same blood with. Every association in life is a means of revealing Christ to us. Through these ties we see more of His character. Our interactions with each other allows us to practice more unselfishness, sacrifice, thoughtfulness, patience, perseverance, forgiveness and genuine kindness. And as sweet as these earthly ties are, it is our privilege to know Christ —the Giver of these ties— even better. In this issue we explore the blessing of earthly ties.
Administrative
STAFF
Almarie Hill
Rochelle Mekowulu
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.
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.
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
Associate Editor: Delnita McDavid
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.
Angelique Manning As the administrative assistant at LIC, Angelique is dedicated to using the skills the Lord has blessed her with to proclaim the gospel of Jesus Christ. She believes that true happiness is found in unselfish ministry and with that, loves to serve whether it's by encouraging her family and friends or sharing the love of Christ with people in her community. Layout & Design: Abiola Osinjolu Photography: Monik Amelia (Cover, pgs 2, 18, 20, 21)
5
Heaven
in the Home – Nadia Agnant
6
“The great example of a Christian family is irresistible in its nature, just like our Lord.”
C
hrist is the only one who can keep the family together; He is the only one that can keep earthly, regular folks like us from going at each other’s throats. He is the only strength that we have in moments of weakness. He is the only source of happiness, the source of joy, the source of love. After all, God is love, and isn’t love the biggest, most crucial ingredient in the family element and in the family recipe? As Christians, we are invited to represent Christ to the world through our families’ examples. Our families are supposed to be the best example of what heaven should be like. In this way, families are the best way to show people that a government based on love, understanding, forgiveness and justice is heaven—even on earth.
The great example of a Christian family is irresistible in its nature, just like our Lord. “The presence of Christ alone can make men and women happy. All the common waters of life Christ can turn into the wine of heaven. The home then becomes as an Eden of bliss; the family, a beautiful symbol of the family in heaven.”1 As a wife and mother myself, I am humbled by the very high standards the Lord has set for Christian families and I believe that they cannot be achieved without the Lord’s help and the determination to obey the parents in the household. That disposition to obey allows us to recognize each other’s roles, to be in peace with those roles and to help each other to do their best in handling their roles and responsibilities, all for the glory of Christ. As Christian women, Christian sisters, and Christian mothers, it can be very difficult to allow the
men around us to take their place in the family when our reference point is the worldly view of submission, which is completely out of place. But it is our duty to forsake the views of the world and to respect the order our Lord has set for Christian families: the wife is submitted to her husband, and the husband is submitted to the Lord. However, the man to whom we should submit is to love us like Christ loves the church (see Ephesians 5:2533)! This verse is referring to the submission to someone who loves us as he loves himself—enough to give his life for ours like the Lord gave His life for His Church. Still, as Christian women we definitely need the Holy Spirit in order to submit ourselves to the leaders of the families, whether it be a husband or a father. How else could we respect the boundaries that God has set for the leadership and accomplish our responsibilities at our best? Only the Holy Spirit can lead us to be perfect in our positions and perfect in helping others in their positions. That order, that respect of the other and his position will lead our non-Christian friends to reconsider the way they do things. This is the most efficient yet easiest way to spread the gospel; to live it in our home, away from the public eye. When someone enters your private space and sees the result of obeying God and putting his principles in action, they will have a hard time denying that God's ways really work. Our Lord is a Lord of order, of softness, of clarity and light. The presence of God should thus be shown in all aspects of the home— in not only the characters of the members 7
of the family but also in other aspects, such as the home’s cleanliness, sound and ambiance, smell, and clutter (or lack thereof). Our home should be a place where all feel welcome and where the warmth is undeniable, leading the visitor to realize how essential God is in the home life. The home should also be a clutterfree place and promote minimalism. In a tastefully but sparsely decorated home, air circulates better, light hits a maximum of areas and sounds are clearer. It leads all those who are there to feel relaxed, to speak softly and it elevates the minds towards peaceful, positive thoughts. The lack of material clutter keeps the family and their visitors from being distracted by earthly things and brings the attention of the people there to their Creator. Soft, natural smells will magnify that ambiance and those feelings. “Our artificial habits deprive us of many blessings and much enjoyment, and unfit us for living the most useful lives. Elaborate and expensive furnishings are a waste not only of money but of that which is a thousandfold more precious. They bring into the home a heavy burden of care and labor and perplexity… Furnish your home with things plain and simple, things that will bear handling, that can be easily kept clean, and that can be replaced without great expense. By exercising taste, you can make a very simple home attractive and inviting, if love and contentment are there. Happiness is not found in empty show. The more simple the order of a well-regulated household, the happier will that home be.”2 God calls us to demonstrate to the world that there is another way to do things, a simpler, more affordable and more fulfilling way than the one put forward by the world. 88
In the same decluttering mindset, to allow our minds to turn towards the Lord and toward heavenly things, the sounds are also important. Unlike the current tendency of being constantly stimulated, we should keep from maintaining constant sounds and background noises in the house. Silence will allow us to hear God’s soft, still voice.3 Let us keep from the so very common habit of having the radio or a television on, only to create background sound. Our minds do not need to be constantly stimulated nor do we need to be constantly entertained. How many conflicts arise from being overwhelmed by noise or not hearing what someone has said because of all the noise in the house? When provided with a calm and positive environment, our children will be calmer and more able to focus. I was amazed to see my child leave his toys and come sit with me and my husband as we sang songs from the hymnal in family worship; the things of the Lord draw the attention of the smallest child. It reminded me of Jesus and the children that we drawn to him.4 The Lord desires to use our homes as example of what heaven will be like and the smallest member of each family has a role to play in that. Isn’t our God amazing? 1. Ellen G. White, The Adventist Home, (Hagerstown, MD: Review and Herald, 2001), 28.1. 2. Ellen G. White, “Let the Home Furnishings be Simple,”The Adventist Home, (Hagerstown, MD: Review and Herald, 2001), 150.2-4. 3. 1 Kgs 19:11-13. 4. Mt 19 :13-14.
“This is the most efficient yet easiest way to spread the gospel; to live it in our home...�
99
Let’s Have a Baby! Tips for Preconception Care – Tammara Usedo
M
any couples talk of the day they will have a child. Dreams of whom the baby will look like and whose personality he or she will take after fill the prospective parents with happiness and joy. What a beautiful thought that we can partake in the process of creating life! Who we are is no coincidence. After all, aren’t we carriers of our parents’ genes? Science has proven that genetics play a major role in determining who we are. It’s no wonder that when God, in creating humankind, said “Let us make 10 10
man in our image, after our likeness.”(Gn 1:2) He acknowledged the role of genetics. “So God created man in his own image, in the image of God created he him; male and female created he them” (Gn 1:27). What does this mean for the mother and fatherto-be? What genetic traits get passed along to the baby? What about our “less desirable” characteristics? Is there something that future parents can do to prevent passing along those traits to their children? Compelling evidence has proven that we can control, to a certain degree, what we pass on to the future genera-
“Just as a gardener plans and prepares the soil for the seeds, like so we must care for our bodies for the creation of a child.” tion.1 It all begins with preconception care. Preconception care is the foundation for a healthy pregnancy and baby; it starts with men and women caring for their mental, physical and spiritual health during their childbearing years. To every action is a reaction. Everything we do from what we eat to how we think has an effect on our future offspring. What can be done to improve this? Although we have our own genetic dispositions that we may struggle to rid ourselves of, there is hope. It begins with Jesus and perseverance to overcome our bad tendencies. Here are just a few steps on how you can practice preconception care. 1. Develop a relationship with the Creator of the Universe.A daily devotional and prayer will equip you mentally and spiritually to take on the task of being a parent in the future.2 2. Embrace a healthy diet rich with grains, fruits, nuts, and vegetables.3 Limit or even eliminate foods that are fried, high in sugar, processed, and spicy as these will cause poor blood circulation and hormonal imbalances. 3. Exercise regularly. Studies show that those who participate in moderate exercise such as brisk walking 30 minutes to an hour 3 to 5 times weekly increase fertility.4 4. Use supplements. They are your friends! Women should begin taking plant-based prenatal vitamins along with 400 mcg (micrograms) to 800 mcg of folic acid daily. Folic acid aids with fetal brain and spinal development during pregnancy.5 Men should also take plant-based vitamins making sure that it has the recommended dosage of vitamin A and zinc for increased sperm count and motility.6 5. Manage any preexisting medical conditions properly. If you are on any medications, consult
with your physician about pregnancy planning.7 6. Abstain from drugs, alcohol, and the use of harsh chemicals. The use or exposure to these toxins can cause damage to the vital organs of the parents and the growing fetus. 7. Maintain a positive and cheerful spirit. Negative thoughts and attitudes cause the blood to be toxified with hormones such as cortisol. Mothers [and fathers]…need to pray, “Create in me a clean heart, O God, and renew a right spirit within me”( Ps 51:10).8 Welcoming a baby into your family is an amazing experience. “Lo, children are an inheritance from Jehovah, [and] the fruit of the womb a reward”(Ps 127:3). Just as a gardener plans and prepares the soil for the seeds, like so we must care for our bodies for the creation of a child. As you implement these simple steps you will see a difference not only in yourself but also with your pregnancy and your future child. Happy baby making! 1.Allison A. Appleton et al., “Patterning in Placental 11-B Hydroxysteroid Dehydrogenase Methylation According to Prenatal Socioeconomic Adversity,” PLoS ONE, 8, no.9, (2013), e74691. 2. Ellen G. White,, Testimonies for the Church, vol. 6 (Mountain View, CA: Pacific Press Publishing Association), 1900), 238. 3. Ellen G.White, Counsels on Diet and Foods (Hagerstown, MD:Review and Herald, 2001 ), 4.4-5.1. 4. Lauren A. Wise, Sc. D. et al. “A Prospective Cohort Study of Physical Activity and Time to Pregnancy,” Fertility and Sterility 97, no. 5 (2012):1136-1142. http://www. fertstert.org/article/S0015-0282(12)00259-2/pdf. 5. Office on Women's Health, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, womenshealth.gov, “Prenatal Care Fact Sheet,” last modified July 16, 2012,https://www. womenshealth.gov/publications/our-publications/fact-sheet/prenatal-care.html#a. 6. Institute of Medicine, Food and Nutrition Board, “Dietary Reference Intakes for Vitamin A, Vitamin K, Arsenic, Boron, Chromium, Copper, Iodine, Iron, Manganese, Molybdenum, Nickel, Silicon, Vanadium, and Zinc,”(Washington, DC: National Academy Press, 2001), https://doi.org/10.17226/10026. 7. Office on Women’s Health. 8. Ellen G. White, Child Guidance, (Hagerstown,MD: Review and Herald, 2004), 417.5.
11 11 11
12
Rainbow
Stuffed Ark Peppers – Brittany Hodges, B|Whole
R
Serving Size: 2
ainbow Stuffed Ark Peppers were inspired by Genesis 9. In this chapter, God gives a promise to Noah and his family that He would never destroy the earth again by flood. “It was God’s purpose that as the children of after generations should ask the meaning of the glorious arch which spans the heavens, their parents should repeat the story of the Flood, and tell them that the Most High had bended [bent] the bow and placed it in the clouds as an assurance that the waters should never again overflow the earth.” What better way to share the story of God’s promise with your family than in the kitchen!
5. When onion is slightly translucent, add seasonings and stir for 1 minute. 6. Add rice, black beans, and sweet corn to onions and stir until evenly incorporated. 7. Stuff each ark with the rice mixture to its maximum capacity and sprinkle with vegan cheese. 8. Place each stuffed ark on a baking pan and bake for 20-30 minutes or until ark is tender. 9. Remove and garnish with cilantro. 10. Enjoy this colorful meal with your family!
HAPPY EATING! B|HEALTHY and B|WHOLE 1. Ellen G. White. Patriarchs and Prophets (Mountain View, CA: Pacific Press Publishing Association, 1913), 106.2.
Ingredients 2 bell peppers 1 cup rice (uncooked) 1 cup black beans (or 1 can) Half of a medium red onion 1 cup sweet corn 1 tablespoon onion powder 1 teaspoon garlic powder 1 tablespoon italian seasoning Salt to taste Vegan cheese (optional)
Instructions: 1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees fahrenheit. 2. Cook rice and black beans (separately) according to instructions on label. 3. Cut bell peppers in half (top to bottom). 4. Dice and saute red onion in small pan over medium heat. 1313
When Self Hinders Your Marriage’s Growth – Sheila Colas
14
“...forgiveness is essential for a successful relationship”
A
s Jane was in the kitchen preparing dinner, her husband John stormed through the door from work, a dark cloud around him. He was tired, hungry and immediately expressed his discontentment with how messy the house was. Jane, already depressed and exhausted, fed off of John's energy, becoming angry. She felt tired of being unappreciated, tired of working to no avail, and tired of being ignored. Overwhelmed, she started to cry uncontrollably. Throwing the kitchen towel on the ground she ran up to the bedroom, slammed the door and collapsed onto the bed. “This is not what I signed up for when I decided to get married!” she sobbed. A short while later John slipped into the room and came up behind her, gently laying a hand on her shoulder. With a jerk she rejected it. The message was clear: “Don’t touch me.” John persisted. He knew he was wrong, and this was his way of apologizing. But Jane decided to remain angry about the whole ordeal. Who do you think is more favorable in God's eyes in this conflict? In a relationship, forgiveness should not be scarce. In order for a marriage to work it will take lots of hard effort and a forgiving heart. Although John entered the home with a bad attitude, Jane chose to feed off of his energy instead of drawing her strength from Christ. She chose to remain angry and bitter while John realized what he did was wrong. Both parties played a role in the outburst of
reactions, but John chose to apologize (in his own way) and forgive. We often equate forgiveness with something warm and fuzzy when, in reality, forgiveness can be quite painful. Forgiveness is a skill worth learning and improving upon; forgiveness is more of a heart matter than lip service. There is the other extreme when you say “I forgive you” with your lips when it is far from what you are feeling in your heart. "I am fine with it” and “We all make mistakes" sounds really good when you say it, however, when you are still struggling with hypocrisy inside, you are no better than Jane who decided not to forgive her husband. How can this benefit your marriage? The next time you find yourself telling your spouse not to worry about what he/she has done, ask yourself if you are only giving lip service or if your heart is in line with your words. Here are my 3 big reasons why forgiveness in a marriage is important:
1. It gives you strength Holding a grudge when you know your spouse has done you wrong feels so good, doesn’t it? It gives you a feeling of control. The problem is, that feeling is deceiving. Holding onto a grudge doesn’t actually give you the upper hand, instead it keeps you trapped in your emotions. It keeps you from moving on. Thus, you remain stagnant in your walk with God and in your relationship with your spouse.
15 15
Forgiveness isn’t about letting your spouse trample all over you. It’s about coming to an understanding of terms in an event or an experience. Forgiveness is when you can come to a point where you can let go and find peace. It’s about releasing the anger and resentment that are holding you back and making you miserable. Forgiving your spouse should not make you feel weak. It actually shows your strength. After all, it takes more strength to forgive. This strength is not of your own—it comes from Christ who calls us to lean on His strength. Hold fast to His promise. Don’t you ever think of forgiveness as a weakness!
2. It shows us how much we need to die to self By failing to accept our spouse's frailties, we are choosing to be unrealistic in our marriage. When you bombard your marriage with unreasonable demands and unrealistic expectations it will lead to frustration. Frustration will lead to anger, and anger will lead to bitterness and unforgiveness. This will then lead to the death of your spouse in your heart. (And note, I am placing emphasis on the day to day annoyances.) Unfortunately, dispensing with self-examination, most people blame their spouses for the anger they have toward them. Blaming the other instead of getting to the root of the problem. Our spouse is not our enemy. Satan is. Self is our enemy and Satan is the father of selfishness. We must learn to mortify self or it will mortify us and/or our marital union.
3. It will transform your marriage Studies are revealing how forgiveness is essential for a successful relationship. According to Frank D. Fincham and his team, the granting and acceptance of forgiveness is one of the most significant contributions we can give in a marriage.1 According to this study it will give you a lifetime of satisfaction and love. I have sinned against God several times,but knowing that I was forgiven drew me closer to Him. How much more will it do for our spouses?
16
In a marriage connection is key. When we forgive our spouses we are ridding our marriages of the toxic hurt and shame that has been lingering in our relationships for months or years. Resentment often leads to withdrawal and a lack of vulnerability. Bringing down those barriers of toxic hurt and shame are vital in rebuilding your friendship with one another. So, be purposeful and intentional. Remember, forgiveness is not a one time event. It is a whole attitude shift. Practicing forgiveness will make you an overcomer and give you joy and a long lasting relationship. Sometimes I wonder if living in the 21st century is a blessing? We are living in a fast paced world where divorce is only a phone call away. Things can be easily disposed of and a delete button is only one tap away. The same individuals whom we have vowed to support through thick and thin are hastily being disposed of. Our modern society has indeed become a disposable society. From disposable diapers and plastics to disposing of marriages and unborn babies. Manufacturers and businesses call this tactic "planned obsolescence". This is a purposefully implemented strategy that ensures that a product can become out of date or useless within a certain amount of time. I am so glad that we can never dispose of God's Word. His Word clearly says "what therefore God has joined together, let no man put asunder" (Mt 19:6). This includes your marriages my brothers and sisters. Choose to work through your pain as a couple and God will see you through. One of my my common yet favorite bible verse is Philippians 4:13, "I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me." May we choose to forgive in the same capacity that we were forgiven. 1. F.D. Fincham, J. Hall, and S.R. Beach, “Forgiveness in Marriage: Current Status and Future Directions.” Wiley Online Library, June 6, 2006, http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/ doi/10.1111/j.1741-3729.2005.callf.x-il/full.
“Choose to work through your pain as a couple and God will see you through.” 17
17
The HomeMission
– Jennifer Alvarado
18
“The heart of the community, the church, and of the nation is the household.”
A
s a young missionary for Christ, I was thrilled while engaging in projects aimed at reaching the masses; teaching them truth from God’s Word, showing them the way which leads to life, and pointing them to Christ. I was excited about health initiatives which required traveling to different regions and helping people I didn’t know. I’d come and go, like a whirlwind some days, giving little thought to those I loved at home. If my room became a mess in my rush to leave, it would be taken care of afterwards. There were more important things to attend to right then, I thought. Actions speak louder than words and sadly, my words began to mean very little to my family.
I’ve noticed a unique and distinct manner in which Christ speaks to me when He wants my attention. He begins to “tug at my heart.” I didn’t think that I was doing anything wrong yet I seldom felt right as I hurried through the front door on another exciting quest to save the world. One day while doing some personal reading, I came across these words. The moment I finished, the tugging found its remedy and my heart was at rest. The Lord had spoken clearly, leaving me speechless: “Missionaries for the Master are best prepared for work abroad in the Christian household… where God is loved… where faithfulness has become second nature, where haphazard, careless inattention to home duties is not permitted, where quiet communion with God is looked upon as essential to the faithful performance of daily duties. Home duties should be performed with the consciousness that if they are done in the right spirit, they give an experience that will enable us to work for Christ in the most permanent and thorough manner. Oh, what might not a living Christian do in missionary lines by performing faithfully the daily duties, cheerfully lifting the cross, not neglecting any work…
Our work for Christ is to begin with the family, in the home... There is no missionary field more important than this… By many this home field has been shamefully neglected… The highest duty that devolves upon youth is in their own homes, blessing father and mother, brothers and sisters, by affection and true interest. Here they can show selfdenial and self-forgetfulness in caring and doing for others... What an influence a sister may have over brothers! If she is right, she may determine the character of her brothers. Her prayers, her gentleness, and her affection may do much in a household.”1 Our families are important to God. He knows that the prosperity of a nation is directly hinged on the morality and happiness of the homes which constitute that nation. The truth is, society is affected at large as a result of what takes place within our homes. “The heart of the community, the church, and of the nation is the household.”2 “The family firm is a sacred, social society, in which each member is to act a part, each helping the other.”3 I didn’t know what my first duty was, hence I failed to see the important place I had in my family circle. I was more preoccupied with what took place outside my home than with what was going on within it. I seemed to care more for the salvation of strangers who didn’t know me and might never see me again, while neglecting the salvation of those to whom I belong. I did not display genuine love or the attention necessary to convince my family of the life and power of Jesus Christ. Now as a young woman, I understand with greater clarity how needful it is to learn as much as possible from our mothers, while we have them in our lives. Mother is the one who teaches us how to make a house a home; how to care for the needs of those who live in the home; to work with cheer and devoted 19
20
love; and in substance, how to be a woman. By working at her side, we also lighten her burdens as we ourselves become effective, useful workers for the tasks that need to be accomplished. Learning about humility through obedience to my father was just as essential for my growth as a woman of God. I learned to forgive and be merciful when he was wrong which was not easy because of his strong character; it took much effort. Many tears were shed as I often came short of being the witness I longed to be. Yet there were sweet victories and momentous triumphs too, bringing joy and additional spiritual strength. Only in the home did I learn that “when brought into contact with evil, it is not necessary to be overcome of evil [because] Christ has made it possible for the character to be fragrant with good.”4 This I could not have learned while meeting people on a one-time basis.
“Our work for Christ is to begin with the family, in the home.”
To be the missionaries God desires us to be in our homes–and eventually in the greater spheres of influence outside our homes—requires diligent personal consecration, and a consistent connection with Christ. This should be our first work every new morning—to behold Jesus so as to be changed when we spend time with Him in study and in prayer. As we do this faithfully, we shall see our lives beautified with grace, love, and the character of Christ; that we may be better witnesses to the world by being greater missionaries in our homes. 1. Ellen G. White, The Adventist Home, (Nashville: Southern Pub. Assn., 1952), 35. 2. Ibid., 15. 3. Ibid., 179. 4. Ibid., 177.
21
The
Glory of Children
– Ikemba Balogu
22
“... the character of the father will, in most cases, determine the character of the children.”
C
oncerning the glory of children, it is written: “The glory of children are their fathers” (Prv 17:6). This glory that is being referred to is character. For shortly following the apostasy of Israel in the worshipping of a golden calf, Moses implores the Lord to reveal His glory to him: “I beseech thee, shew me Thy glory… And the Lord said, Behold, there is a place by Me, and thou shalt stand upon a rock. And it shall come to pass, while My glory passeth by, that I will put thee in a clift of the rock, and will cover thee with My hand while I pass by… And the Lord passed by before him, and proclaimed, The Lord, The Lord God, merciful and gracious, longsuffering, and abundant in goodness and truth, keeping mercy for thousands, forgiving iniquity and transgression and sin, and that will by no means clear the guilty…” (Ex 33:18-22; 34:6, 7). Therefore, the glory of God is the character of God.
Thus, as it is written that “the glory of children are their fathers,” the equivalent expression of such a truth would be that “the character of children are their fathers.” That is to say, the character of the father will, in most cases, determine the character of the children. For this reason, Paul, under inspiration, specifically entreats the fathers by declaring: “Fathers, provoke not your children to anger, lest they be discouraged” (Col 3:21). And again, in another epistle, that faithful disciple enunciates the same line of thought when he proclaims: “Ye fathers, provoke not your children to wrath: but bring them up in the nurture and admonition of the Lord” (Eph 6:4). Consequently, the eternal truth is set forth that the character of children are, in most cases, largely determined by the character of their fathers. And this is precisely why “the burden
of the word of the Lord to Israel by Malachi” is: “Behold, I will send you Elijah the prophet before the coming of the great and dreadful day of the Lord: And he shall turn the heart of the fathers to the children and the heart of the children to their fathers, lest I come and smite the earth with a curse” (Mal 1:1; 4:5, 6). For “the GLORY [or CHARACTER] of children are their fathers.” And more than this, in this eternal truth is seen the glory of Jesus Christ Himself. Therefore, Paul, in his epistle to the Hebrews, verily states: “God [the Father], who at sundry times and in divers manners spake in time past unto the fathers by the prophets, hath in these last days spoken unto us by His Son… who being the brightness of His glory… when He had by Himself purged our sins, sat down on the right hand of the Majesty on high” (Heb1:1-3). And Christ Himself reveals this wonderful truth in His prayer to the Father when He says: “O Father, glorify thou Me with Thine own self with the glory which I had with Thee before the world was… Father, I will that they also, whom Thou hast given Me, be with Me where I am; that they may behold My glory, WHICH THOU HAST GIVEN ME: for Thou lovedst Me before the foundation of the world” (Jn 17:5, 24). Furthermore, in reference to His second advent, Christ emphatically declares: “The Son of man shall come in the glory of His Father with His angels…” (Mt 16:27). “Whosoever therefore shall be ashamed of Me and My words in this adulterous and sinful generation; of him also shall the Son of man be ashamed, when He cometh in the glory of His Father with the holy angels” (Mk 8:38; 9:26). Therefore, as “the glory of children are their fa23
24
thers” (Prv 17:6), so the glory of Jesus Christ is His Father. Consequently, Jesus Christ is solely the perfect revelation of the glory of His Father and those who, by faith, receive Christ become the children of God and as such, they reflect the glory of God. So it is written: “As many as received Him [Christ], to them gave He power to become the sons [or children] of God” (Jn 1:12, 13). This power by which we become the children of God is Christ Himself. For Paul declares “unto the church of God which is at Corinth”: “We preach Christ crucified, unto the Jews a stumblingblock, and unto the Greeks foolishness: but unto them which are called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the POWER of God, and the wisdom of God” (1 Cor 1:2, 23, 24).
of children are their fathers”, the glory of the children of God will be their Father. “For this cause I bow my knees unto the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, of whom the whole family in heaven and earth is named… Now… unto Him [the Father] be glory IN THE CHURCH by Christ Jesus throughout all ages, world without end. Amen” (Eph 3:14-21).
Therefore, as those who receive Christ have power to become the children of God and as Christ is “the only begotten Son of God”, then it follows that “ye are all the children of God by faith in Christ Jesus” (Jn 3:18; Gal 3:26). Thus, the Spirit by which “Christ may dwell in your hearts by faith” “beareth witness with our spirit, that we are the children of God” (Eph 2:17; Rom 8:16). And more than this, as Jesus Christ is the brightness of His Father’s glory and as we receive Jesus Christ by faith, then “Christ”, being “in you”, is “the hope of glory” (Col 1:27). Mark that. It is not Christ that is “the hope of glory”; but it is “Christ in you” that is “the hope of glory.” For it is written: “Now the Lord [Jesus Christ] is that Spirit: and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty. But WE all [that is, the children of God], with open face beholding as in a glass the glory of the Lord [Jesus Christ], are changed into the same image, from glory to glory, even as by the Spirit of the Lord” (2 Cor 3:17, 18; cf. 1 Cor 8:6). O! This is “the glorious gospel of Christ” which shines “in our hearts to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ” (2 Cor 4:4, 6)! This is the same glory of which John the Revelator wrote: “And after these things I saw another angel come down from heaven, having great power; and the earth was lightened with his glory” (Rv 18:4). Receive it. Believe it. For as “the glory
“Jesus Christ is solely the perfect revelation of the glory of His Father and those who, by faith, receive Christ become the children of God and as such, they reflect the glory of God.” 25
Staff Picks! for Pain-free Periods
Akilah Picks
Increase Circulation!
2 easy ways to increase circulation to uterus is (1) Exercise! Move your body. "Any type of exercise that increases the heart rate improves circulation. When the heart muscle contracts at a higher rate, the increased volume of blood moves more rapidly through the arteries and veins of the body, boosting circulation."1 (2) Drink beet root juice. Two features about beets that promote circulation is that they are rich in nitrate and iron. Enhanced circulation, and a reduction in blood pressure happens when dietary nitrate (NO3) converts into biologically active nitrate (NO2) and then into nitric oxide (NO). Nitric Oxide is an important vasodilator, which increases circulation throughout the body, including the uterus. Additionally, iron is a key component in preventing anemia by sustaining healthy red blood cell counts. Red blood cells are responsible for delivering oxygen to all parts of the body in order to sustain cell integrity.2
26
Sarah Picks
Peppermint Oil!
Do you struggle with painful menstruation? Well, you are not alone! Studies show that at least one out of every four women are in the same boat. The next time you are about to reach for that bottle of over the counter meds, because the pain is just too unbearable, remember this principle from the Bible: "The cause which I knew not, I searched out" (Job 29:16). There are very simple lifestyle changes that once implemented, will allow you to regain control, so that you no longer dread your "friend" coming to visit. In the meantime however, here is a simple yet effective remedy that will instantly help to relieve pain: Peppermint essential oil! During menstruation, hormone-like substances called prostaglandins are released. These prostaglandins cause the muscles of the uterus to contract, which can constrict the blood supply to the uterus, blocking the delivery of oxygen to those tissues. Massaging a few drops of peppermint essential oil into the affected areas will help you relieve pain, reduce bloating, and calm spasms in your uterine muscles that cause cramps. How
does it work? Peppermint oil has analgesic (pain relieving), anti-inflammatory and antispasmodic qualities. It's stimulating effects can help to bring oxygen-carrying blood to the problem area. You can mix a few drops of peppermint essential oil with any carrier oil, like avocado oil, sweet almond, or olive oil, or you can just simply massage a couple drops directly onto the area. *Note: Apply the oil to a very small area on your skin first to see how sensitive your skin is to this very potent oil before applying it to a larger area. 1. http://www.livestrong.com/ article/342490-exercises-to-increase-blood-circulation/ 2. http://natural-fertility-info.com/increase-circulation-uterus.html
27 27
28 Lilies in the City - February 2015
Copyright Š 2017 by Lilies in the City
All rights reserved. This magazine or any portion thereof may not be reproduced or used in any manner whatsoever without the express written permission of the publisher. Printed in the United States of America
www.liliesinthecity.org