lilies city
Lilies in the City - November/December 2017 - Issue 24
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Happily EVER best! After
Good, Better,
REFLECTIONS
FROM A BRIDEGROOM'S HEART
Tofu Cheesecake
SON OF MAN T H E M YS T E RY O F
GODLINESS Holiday The Humanity Of Christ
Staff Picks!
VEGETABLE LENTIL LOAF
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lilies city
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Social Lily Lily Lifestyle
6 Happily Ever After
10 Reflections from a Bridegroom's Heart 16 Son of Man 24 The Mystery of Godliness
Lily Eats
14 Tofu Cheesecake 22 Holiday Vegetable Lentil Loaf
Unless otherwise noted, all scripture references are taken from the Authorized Version of the Bible (The King James Version). 3
EDITOR'S NOTE
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Growing Pains
ometimes growing can be painful. As bones stretch and skin strengthens to meet it, the movement can be more than uncomfortable. Ultimately though, the pain is welcomed for how much more terrible would it be to just not grow at all! Growing pains are markers of growth, they tell you that there’s been some change for the better.
I’ve been experiencing some growing pains, and not because my statures changing. My heart, feelings and thoughts—my character—are. I’ve made some transitions recently which have dismounted everything in my stable environment—and it’s been painful. But I’ve come to understand that growing pains are friends. And more than that, they give me a small glimpse into the life of my loving Saviour (see Phil 1:29). My light afflictions cannot really be compared with His for Christ experienced insurmountable pain, and not because He needed His character refined. “But He was wounded for our transgressions, He was bruised for our iniquities: the chastisement of our peace was upon Him; and with His stripes we are healed” (Is 53:5). Jesus, “a man of sorrows” (v 3) bore our griefs, sorrows and pains not for His own benefit but for mine and yours. “Who, when He was reviled, reviled not again; when He 4
suffered, He threatened not...Who His own self bare our sins in His own body on the tree, that we, being dead to sins, should live unto righteousness: by whose stripes ye were healed” (1 Pet 2:23, 24). Christ came clothed in humanity (see Phil 2:7,8) and suffered by baring our sins so that we could be healed from the pentalty of sin. And by His life He also gives us power to “live unto righteousness” (see Jude 24) — forever free from sin. So, what if in this world we do well and suffer for it? Should we be treated better than our Saviour who did no sin and still suffered? “For unto you it is given in the behalf of Christ, not only to believe on him, but also to suffer for his sake” (Phil 1:29). “[I]f, when ye do well, and suffer for it, ye take it patiently, this is acceptable with God” (1 Pet 2:20). “Yet if any man suffer as a Christian, let him not be ashamed; but let him glorify God on this behalf...Wherefore let them that suffer according to the will of God commit the keeping of their souls to him in well doing, as unto a faithful Creator”(1 Pet 4:16,19). In the face of growing pains, let’s be like Jesus who “committed Himself to Him that judgeth righteously” (1 Pet 2:23; see also Rom 8:18). In this issue we explore some of the realities of Christ’s humanity, what it really means for us.
Administrative STAFF Almarie Hill 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.
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
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.
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
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W Happily
hen I think of God’s humanity, I am brought back to the moment described in John 14, verses 1 to 4. In that moment where God tells His disciples that their hearts must not be troubled by His upcoming departure, I always feel like I can hear the words being said to me out loud. I can only imagine how heartbroken the disciples were after hearing that their Master was going to leave them. After all, they had given up everything to follow Him. “Their Master and their Lord, their beloved Teacher and Friend, He was dearer to them than life.” 1 Our Lord was also saddened; however, He kept the great object of His mission before His eyes, and He remained focused.
After EVER
– Nadia Agnant
“..the Lord confirms the intimacy He has with His children on earth—the trust He hopes He has – Nadia Agnant built through the time spent with them.”
The Bible itself has one storyline, depicted in a number of different ways, from Genesis to Revelation. The story of how the Lord wants us by His side, eternally. He wants us in a world without pain, without sorrow, without death (See Rev 21:4). In these few verses, He reaffirms that burning desire. However, the words which express the Lord’s feelings to me are found at the end of verse 2 where He says: “In my Father’s house are many mansions; if it were not so, I would have told you.” In those words, the Lord confirms the intimacy He has with His children on earth—the trust He hopes He has built through the time spent with them. He says “I would have told you” and it is easy to see that the disciples know that indeed, were it otherwise, their friend and leader would have said otherwise. In those words, He speaks as an old friend, someone who assumes that the trust between Him and the people He is speaking to has been established. His words say “you know I wouldn’t lie to you.” The same words echo that He has demonstrated enough love and loyalty for us to trust Him and be loyal to Him and His words in return.
That lets us see what kind of relationship God wants with us. He wants us to have unwavering trust in Him. He wants us to believe that everything He 7
“The Bible itself has one storyline, depicted in a number of different ways...” does, requires and allows is to fulfill the same goal: uniting us with Him to live happily ever after(Jer 29:11). His coming to this earth and submitting Himself to all of life’s temptation was for Him to become our Goel, our next of kin, who can pay our debt and reinstate us to our prior condition (see Lv 25:25 ; Ruth 1-4). But also, it was to let us know that He truly understands us when we pray to him and when we ask for His help. He means it when He says that He is with us every day; He Himself has felt the pressure from sin’s burden on Gethsemane and has desired for His closest friends to be there through it. His humanity is our assurance that He will never forsake us or grow weary of us because He knows what we are going through and He knows “what we are made of” (Ps 103:14). It is our assurance that He will remain merciful to those who desire to do His will but are growing in the process. Christ’s humanity is my assurance that my desire to let His will be done in my life is the key to being united with Him once again. In these times of trouble, that assurance is what keeps us from being discouraged and giving up on our quest to sanctification. Because once we know that our goal and the Lord’s goal are the same, it suddenly seems doable, it now becomes a possibility. If our Lord is with us, what could stand against us? (See Rom 8:31). Regardless of how hard things can be now on Earth, we must remember that the Lord became one of us so we could all be together— perfectly reflecting His lovely image by His strength—and live happily ever after. 1. Ellen G. White, The Desire of Ages (Mountain View, California: Pacific Press Pub. Assn., 1898), 662
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REFLECTIONS
FROM A BRIDEGROOM'S HEART – Marilyn Escobar
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“Here we also find the purpose of this Godly-formed union— to reflect the image of their Creator.”
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ne day the King of Kings, the Lord of the universe had a desire. He desired to create a being after His own image. “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). It is in this verse that we find the first account of male and female; yet, this is not all we find. Here we also find the purpose of this Godly-formed union—to reflect the image of their Creator. Therefore, marriage, in the original design, was to be a beautiful reflection of the character of God. However, is not a reflection but a mere mirage of the perfect figure? In order to learn to express the image of God in our roles we must learn the role of God towards the Church and the Church to God.
“For thy maker is thine husband: the Lord of hosts is his name; and thy Redeemer the Holy One of Israel; The God of the whole earth shall he be called” (Is 54:5). The marriage relation was to be a symbol of the union of Christ and His beloved bride—The Church. If this is so, then we can infer that His relationship with His bride is the perfect pattern for us. As I meditated on this thought and asked my Lord for His guidance in understanding what He wanted me to learn from this, the most precious story began to unfold. And subsequently, a greater understanding of His love for us was revealed. Still, as if that were not enough, our loving Father, tenderly desires to lead us by the hand, pointing to us our responsibility in the marriage relationship as we behold His perfect example. First, we will study Christ’s example as the bridegroom and discover the Biblical role of Godly men in relation to their brides. Second, we will reflect on the bridegroom’s wife, The Church, and unearth what our beloved Father wanted to teach us women in this analogy. Though it is 11
just a glimpse of such an intricate story, it is my prayer that it will make us feel our desperate need to search what is God’s will for our lives. That we may come to Him as simple, helpless children and ask Him, “You gave all for me, what wilt thou have me to do?” “Yea, I have loved thee with an everlasting love: therefore with lovingkindness have I drawn thee” (Jer 31:3). He saw her (The Church) and loved her. Christ saw great value in her that he gave himself as the payment; for no price would be too great, she was a precious treasure. Ephesians 5:25, 26 reads, “Husbands, love your wives, even as Christ also loved the church, and gave himself for it.” Yet, in order to claim her as his own, Christ must come down, humble himself, and tread a path full of toil and selflessness. Such was needed to demonstrate his pure, longing desire for her. Yes, he would even lay down His life for her that He might redeem her and pronounce those sweet words, “Thou art mine” (Is 43:1). Once she was His, He was careful in His care of her, providing for not only her physical need but most importantly her spiritual needs. He would lead her as the Head, the High Priest, to come to a closer communion with God. In His presence, the bride would find safety and would not fear as He had promised that He would be with her always, even unto the end (Mt 28:20). Christ’s beloved also desired and loved Him. It was His character that was attractive, not any outward appearance. She quietly and patiently waited on Him, all the while beholding His beautiful character. As she would behold His communion with God, she was drawn to search it for herself. Her adorning was not of outward adorning but of the heart (1 Pt 1:3,4). When she was taken of Him to be His 12
bride, she submitted herself to Him. The respect she had towards Him was out of love. She, The Church, would be loving, nurturing and possessing a tender heart towards the needy, suffering ones. She was to be like a frail vessel holding a most precious treasure, God’s word in her heart. Unwearyingly, she would endure hardship and toil, finding her husband’s strength sufficient through her weakness (2 Cor 12:10). She was the Lamb’s bride and she would follow him where He went (Rev 14:4). Is it not beautiful to see the story of redemption unfolding in such a way? We should make His desire our own, for His way is the only way. Therefore, Christ is to be the one and only example for us all. The unselfish, unwearied and deep love Christ had for His bride should be portrayed in the relationship of a God-fearing man towards his wife. He should be willing to lay down his life for her, protect, provide and lead her. His God-like character being the most outstanding quality. The God-fearing wife should love her husband back. She is to be reserved, patiently waiting upon the Lord. Her only adorning should be that of a meek, gentle and quiet spirit, which is truly strength of character. She will follow her husband as he follows Christ and will remain true through adverse conditions. When Christ is in the heart of both a man and a woman, Christ’s life will be their life. His story, made their own, is to be reflected constantly. It will shine naturally and will not be able to be hidden. Although reflections have no voice, one cannot deny their presence nor impact.
“When Christ is in the heart of both a man and a woman, Christ’s life will be their life. His story, made their own, is to be reflected constantly.”
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Tofu
Cheesecake
To Make the Base:
– Nelly Perico
1 cup coconut flakes ½ cup spelt or rice flour ½ cup finely ground nuts of your choice ¼ teaspoon salt ¼ cup maple syrup or 1 tablespoon coconut sugar ¼ cup sunflower or olive oil In a bowl, mix all ingredients together. Press mixture firmly into 9” baking dish of choice. Bake at 350º F for 15 minutes until golden brown.
To Make the Filling:
300g silken tofu 1 cup cashews 440g crushed pineapple ½ cup water 3-4 tablespoon cornstarch or arrowroot flour ½ cup maple syrup or 2 tablespoon coconut sugar ¼ teaspoon salt ½ cup lemon juice Blend all ingredients in a high-speed blender until smooth . Pour filling mixture into saucepan and let simmer on medium-low heat until thick. Pour thickened mixture onto crust and let set.
Berry Topping:
420g can of berries (ok if frozen) 2 tablespoons cornstarch or arrowroot flour ¼ cup of juice from berries or water Heat berries in saucepan over medium-low heat. Thoroughly combine the flour/starch with ¼ cup of liquid and add mixture to saucepan Stir until thick and let cook for 2 minutes. Let cool and spread over set filling and place covered in fridge. 14
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SON OF M
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MAN
– Delnita McDavid
“The trueness of God gets lost in the fallibility of humankind.” What is in a name? Why out of all of the words that God has used to describe Himself, did He choose to be referred to as the Son of Man? For us, the word “son” can denote the submission to an authority. “Man,” on the other hand, expresses being a part of the human race, or rather, being a member of mankind. So why did God take on a title so human to describe Himself? THE PURPOSE OF NAMES Firstly, in order to understand why Jesus is called the Son of Man let us explore the purpose of a name. A name is not merely a tool by which we can differentiate ourselves but, from a biblical perspective, a name represents the character of an individual and their relationship with God. If you journey through the Bible looking up the names of individuals, you will see that there is a deeper meaning behind these names. Some people were aptly named while others were misrepresented by (see Dan 1:7) or misrepresented the names they were given. For God, a name has a purpose. It can express a message such as in Hosea 1:6 and 1:9 when God instructed the prophet to name his children (to express the results of Israel’s spiritual adultery) Lo’Ruchamah and Lo’Ammi. These names translates from Hebrew to “no mercy” (or not pitied) and “not my people” respectively. It can also reflect a change in character and in heart or the shift a person makes from one path to another—from evil to righteousness 17 or vice 17
versa. The name change that God gave to Jacob in Genesis 32:27 and 3:28 demonstrates the importance of a name to God. He changed Jacob’s name from one meaning “supplanter” or “usurper” to Israel, “Prince with God”. “Jacob” represented who he was as a man while “Israel” represented who he became. The same can be seen in Job 1:6 and verse 7. Satan, from the Hebrew word meaning “adversary”, began as the Hebrew Heylel (or Lucifer in Latin) meaning “shining one” or “morning star”. Of course, after his rebellion his original name was no longer fitting, therefore, God changed it to “adversary” to denote his changed character and relationship with God and mankind. Now that we have established a bit of background behind biblical names we can delve into our subject. UNDERSTANDING DIVINITY In 1 Timothy 3:16 we read that, “And without controversy great is the mystery of godliness: God was manifested in the flesh, justified in the Spirit, seen by angels, preached among the Gentiles, believed on in the world, received up in glory.” Firstly, we must recognize that there are certain things about God that we are just not going to grasp by our limited mortal understanding. He is the ultimate mystery. Even in eternity we will never cease learning about Him or the plan of salvation that He laid out. The infinite will always bring about greater questions with each answer given.
Of course God came to earth because no other human being, angel, or creation could be the sacrifice for sin1 and pay the penalty for sin which is death (see Ez 18:20 and Rom 6:23), but there was another reason He came. To reveal His true character to present and future generations. When Christ was born, the nation of Israel had lost sight of God--a result of their rebellion and sin, relying wholly on self, and an oppression that led them to look for an earthly king and reject their heavenly one. Additionally, after Christ’s resurrection, over time as the pure white Church began to lose sight of their first love and began to compromise truth (see Rev 2; 6:1-8), the concept of a tyrannical and uncaring Creator was further able to develop as Bible truths were hidden and suppressed and a lack of true understanding of scriptures arose. God came to earth to debunk the idea of a tyrannical God who rules in the heavens and finds pleasure in watching human beings strive together, refusing to intervene to help and shine light in the darkness. This false notion has its origins in pagan myths and other human fables. God came in human form was so we could learn who he is face to face and not be deceived by the lies of the enemy. We couldn’t see God face to face in our human state and His fully divine one and live (see Ex 33:20). Thus He came in the person of Jesus to humbly live and to humbly die.
Jesus is called the Son of Man because that is who He was on earth. He was born and belonged to the family of man. This fact also leads us to unSecondly and to the point, everything God does derstand with certainty the prophecies surroundhas intent; there is always a purpose behind His ac- ing his birth and what was foretold in Isaiah 7:14: “Behold, the virgin shall conceive and bear a son, tions even if we do not see or understand it. and shall call his name Immanuel.” The meaning of Immanuel is God with us. JESUS, THE SON OF MAN It is difficult for human beings to grasp the character of God when all we see around us is sin. Oftentimes when we see suffering we find ourselves questioning God . Particularly when we see suffering at the hands of other professed Christians or those who claim to be believers. The trueness of God gets lost in the fallibility of humankind. 18
Names are important. Immanuel not only clearly states who Jesus Christ is but where He is and where He has always desired to be. This is echoed in the words “And let them make me a sanctuary; that I may dwell among them” (Ex 25:8). Jesus as the Son of Man reminds us that God is still the same God who desires a relationship with us as He did in Eden. This is echoed in Jeremiah 32:38
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when He said that we will be His people, and He our God. Contrary to the belief that God does not care what happens to us and is the cause of pain and cruelty, the very presence of God amongst us in a human body says very differently. The Bible states that “in Him we live, and move, and have our being” (Acts 17:28). Everything we are is wrapped up in God the Creator (as told in Genesis 1 and 2), the life and sacrifice of God (as told in the Gospels), and in having God’s presence continually in our lives, without which we would cease to be. Jesus as the Son of Man holds for us some incredible realities and favour; this name and title allows us to perceive in words that we belong to Him and He belongs to us. It connects divinity to humanity in a manner that was lost when Adam and Eve sinned and had to leave the Garden of Eden (see Rom 5:12-21; 1 Cor 15:22, 45; 2 Cor 5:14-21). The title is also a reminder that God understands what it is to be human—to fight our fights, to be tempted and to feel alone; to be, according to Isaiah 53:3, “despised and rejected by men; a Man of sorrows and acquainted with grief:” After all, how much easier is it for you in your human relationships to connect with someone who understands what you have been through or are going through at the moment. Hebrews 4:15 further expounds on both these concepts: “For we do not have a High Priest who cannot sympathize with our weaknesses, but was in all points tempted like as we are, yet without sin.” We are able to persevere and attain the reward that God has for us by learning to run God’s race, by laying aside every weight and sin (see Heb 12:1), and remembering Christ’s example on earth. Jesus demonstrated that it is possible for human beings to keep the laws of God—that obedience was possible and the battle against the flesh could be won. We now understand more fully that when we rely wholly upon Him (and remember the words He used while in the form of man), in response to the the attacks of the enemy, a simple thus saith the Lord will enable us to meet every temptation with victory.2 Christ’s condescension and the knowledge of how, in life Christ himself daily endured difficult steps should enable us to run a race with 20
patience, assurance, and confidence. Due to His humility and sacrifice (most particularly as He walked towards Golgotha bruised, bleeding, heavy laden, and tired), we can firmly rely upon the truth that God is not an absent and unfeeling or tyrannical God but one of unconditional and unchanging love (see 1 Jn 4:8; Rom 8:38-39) who is interested in every facet of our lives. He desires to dwell in our midst as He did in Israel and fulfill to us the promise expressed in His name, God with us. Although Shakespeare wrote in Romeo and Juliet that “a rose by any other name would smell as sweet,” such is not the case in the Bible and in God’s eyes. The name God gives you (extra emphasis on God gives you) and employs reflects the person you are, the person you will become, and your relationship with Him. The sweet smell, or odor, of our character will be reflected in our God given names. God changes our name to reflect who we have become to Him—an outer symbol of an inner transformation. A rose could no longer be identified as a rose when given a new name, just like a morning star could no longer shine while being an adversary and a supplanter could not exist while being a testimony for the prevailing power of God. The humanity of Christ and the names He has used such as Immanuel or Son of Man reveal to us that His enduring promises, power, love and presence in our lives are never far away but are always in our midst, existing as beacons of light in gross darkness and waiting to guide us if we choose to follow. 1. “For it is not possible that the blood of bulls and of goats should take away sins. Wherefore when he cometh into the world, he saith, Sacrifice and offering thou wouldest not, but a body hast thou prepared me:” (Heb 10:4, 5). “...Christ Jesus: Whom God hath set forth to be a propitiation through faith in his blood, to declare his righteousness for the remission of sins that are past, through the forbearance of God; To declare, I say, at this time his righteousness: that he might be just, and the justifier of him which believeth in Jesus” (Rom 3:24-26). 2. “I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me” (Phil 4:13).
“Jesus as the Son of Man holds for us some incredible realities and favour.�
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Holiday
VEGETABLE LENTIL LOAF – Dorothée Louis
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1 cup well-cooked lentils 1 cup cooked brown rice 1/3 cup oat flour (or ground oats) ¾ cup ground flax seeds ½ to 3/4 cups ground sunflower seeds 1½ cups of spinach, shredded and tightly packed 1 medium-large carrot, grated 1 celery rib, thinly sliced 1 onion (medium or large), finely chopped 3 cloves garlic, minced ½ teaspoon thyme ½ teaspoon oregano 2 teaspoon Italian seasoning 1 tablespoon lime or lemon juice 1½ teaspoon sea salt (or adjust to taste) ¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper (optional) ¼ cup raisins (optional)
Cranberry Glaze ½ cup cranberry sauce (See recipe below) DIRECTIONS 1. Preheat your oven to 375°F. 2. Cook your brown rice and lentils or use leftovers. 3. Grind sunflower seeds and flaxseeds in a blender or spice grinder until fine (or to your preference). 4. Chop vegetables. 5. Sauté onion, garlic, carrot, celery, and spinach in a shallow pan until the onion starts to become translucent (about 2 minutes). You may also sauté the veggies with water or coconut oil. 6. Add the oregano, thyme, Italian seasoning, sea salt and cayenne pepper to the pan and continue sautéing until everything is tender. 7. In a large bowl, combine the sautéed vegetables, brown rice, lentils, oat flour, ground sunflower seeds, ground flax seeds, and raisins, mixing until thoroughly combined. You may use a potato masher to mash all the ingredients. This will help the ingredients properly bind together and help the loaf hold together.
8. Firmly press the mixture into a greased or parchment paper lined loaf pan or 9x9 cake pan. 9. Bake for 30 minutes. Then remove from the oven, and pour the glaze over the loaf and bake for another 15 minutes until glaze is a deeper red and slightly solid. 10. Remove from oven and let sit for about 15 minutes to fully set.
Cranberry Glaze 2- 3 cups fresh or frozen cranberries ¾ to 1 cup honey 1 cup water INSTRUCTIONS 1. Wash the cranberries. 2. Blend all ingredients in a saucepan and bring mixture to a boil. 3. Turn heat down to medium and simmer for 5 minutes. 4. Remove from heat and let cool. 5. In a high speed blender, blend cranberry sauce until completely smooth. You may add this glaze on top of your loaf according to the instructions given prior.
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he work of Christ is not and has never been to judge or condemn men but to save men. Therefore, the work of every Christian is not and has never been to judge or condemn men but to save men through and by Jesus Christ. “For God sent not His Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through Him might be saved.” Therefore, “we have seen and do testify that the Father sent the Son to be the Saviour of the world.” And now Christ Himself has declared unto every Christian, “As My Father hath sent me, EVEN SO [or to just the same extent] send I you” (Jn 3:17; 1 Jn 4:14, 20:21 emphasis supplied).
And “this is a faithful saying, and worthy of all acceptation, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners, of whom I am chief.” “Neither is there salvation in any other: for there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved” (1 Tm 1:15; Acts 4:12). But as it is evident that Christ came into the world to save men, we must inquire: “What exactly did Christ come into the world to save men from?” For in this, the Word of God declares concerning the birth of Christ: “And she [Mary] shall bring forth a son, and thou shalt call His name JESUS: for He shall save His people FROM THEIR SINS.” And in another place, it is written: “Unto you first God, having raised up His Son Jesus, sent Him to bless you, in turning every one of you FROM HIS INIQUITIES” (Mt 1:21, emphasis supplied; Acts 3:26 emphasis supplied). The work of Christ then is not merely to save men but to save men from their sins and to turn every one of them from their iniquities. And it is this work of Christ—this work of salvation—that is the gospel of Christ. “For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ: for it is the power of God unto salvation to everyone that believeth” (Rom 1:16). Now, this brings us precisely to another ques24
tion: How has Christ saved us from our sins? It is written concerning the Son of God that He ‘became us.’ “For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given” (Heb 7:26; Is 9:6). Therefore, the Son of God became the Son of man. He that was God became man. And so it is written: “In the beginning was the Word and the Word was with God and the Word was God.” “And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us” (Jn 1:1, 14). Consequently, as “the Word was God”, and as “the Word was made flesh”, then God was made flesh. And this truth is simply the mystery of God, that is, the mystery of godliness. For “without controversy great is the mystery of godliness: God was manifest in the flesh” (1 Tm 3:16). This is a mystery and a great mystery at that. For it should be evident unto all that the mystery of God could not be that He was manifested in sinless flesh. Because is not God Himself sinless? Verily. Therefore, it is not a mystery at all if He, being sinless, were to reveal His power and righteous glory through sinless flesh. But the mystery of God is that He, being sinless, perfectly manifested His power and righteous glory through sinful flesh. That is, indeed, a great mystery. And this was the work of Christ and it is precisely that kind of flesh—flesh like you and me—that He took upon Himself at His birth. For this reason, Paul, under inspiration, declares concerning Christ: “Forasmuch then as the children are partakers of flesh and blood, He also Himself likewise took part of the SAME [that is, the same flesh and blood]” (Heb 2:14, emphasis supplied). But how did Christ take part of the same flesh and blood as you and I? By birth. Therefore, it is written: “Unto us a child is born”(Isa 9:6). And in another place, we read that “when the fullness of time was come, God sent forth His Son, made of a woman, made under the law” (Gal 4:4). So just as you and I are partakers of flesh and blood by birth, “He also Himself likewise took part of the same” by birth. Furthermore, we read that: “Verily He took not on Him the nature of angels; but He took on Him
T H E M YS T E RY O F
GODLINESS – Ikemba Balogu
“This makes Him, in every sense of the word, a complete Savior.” 25
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the seed of Abraham” (Heb 2:16). For Christ took on the sinful flesh of Abraham’s seed and therefore became Abraham’s seed. Thus, it is written: “Now to Abraham and his seed were the promises made, He saith not, And to seeds, as of many; but as of one, And to thy seed, which is Christ” (Gal 3:16). And even further, because David was also of the seed of Abraham, so Christ is consequently known as the son of David. For in one of His discourses with the Pharisees, Jesus inquired: “What think ye of Christ? Whose son is He? They say unto Him, The son of David. He saith unto them, How then doth David in spirit call Him Lord, saying, The Lord said unto my Lord, Sit thou on My right hand, till I make thine enemies thy footstool? If David then call Him Lord; how is He his son? And no man was able to answer Him a word” (Mt 22:42-45). Although the Pharisees could not answer His question, years later that faithful apostle, Paul, does answer it by declaring: “God...(had promised afore by His prophets in the holy scriptures,) concerning His Son Jesus Christ our Lord, which was made of the seed of David ACCORDING TO THE FLESH” (Rom 1:1-3, emphasis supplied). And that flesh was nothing else but sinful flesh. “For… God sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh, and for sin, condemned sin in the flesh” (Rom 8:3). Now, it would do us well not to misapprehend the part that says that He came “in the likeness of sinful flesh.” Likeness, in this instance, means sameness or to be (“just like” or “just the same as”) sinful flesh itself. Therefore, anything that is precisely the same as the thing itself is really the thing itself. Thus, Christ, coming as a man in “the likeness of sinful flesh” had really come in sinful flesh itself. “Forasmuch as the children are partakers of flesh and blood, He also Himself likewise took part of THE SAME” (Heb 2:14, emphasis supplied). And this is exactly where salvation from sin is found for each and every individual if he will but believe and receive it. For it was necessary for Christ to become a man and take upon Himself sinful flesh that He might be tempted as we are tempted. “For GOD cannot be tempted with evil… But every MAN is tempted, when he is drawn away of his own lust, and
enticed. Then when lust hath conceived, it bringeth forth sin” (Jas 1:13-15). Therefore, Christ, in order to save man from sin, must meet man precisely where man is, in sinful flesh, that He, as a man, might be tempted as we are tempted but yet without sin. For this reason, it is written: “Seeing… that we have a great high priest, that is passed into the heavens, Jesus the Son of God… we have not an high priest which cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities; but was in all points tempted like as we are, YET WITHOUT SIN” (Heb 4:14, 15, emphasis supplied). Therefore as “every man is tempted, when He is drawn away of his own lust, and enticed,” so also Christ, having suffered being tempted, “is able to succour them that are tempted” (Jas 1:14; Heb 2:18). Unless Christ experienced the temptations that I myself experienced, He could not save me from sin; for He had not experienced the temptations that I have experienced. But He has experienced every single temptation that I myself has experienced for He “was IN ALL POINTS tempted like as we are, yet without sin.” And more than this, no man, aside from Christ Himself, has ever been individually tempted in all points. There are peculiar temptations which I have that you do not have, and there are temptations that you have that I would not even define as a temptation. But Christ has personally experienced all of your temptations and my temptations and has been victorious in it all. And even further, aside from you and I, He has experienced every single temptation of each person that has ever lived upon this earth, from Adam to this time, and He has been victorious in all. This makes Him, in every sense of the word, a complete Savior. Thus, every believer may say: “Now thanks be unto God which always causeth us to triumph IN CHRIST, and maketh manifest the savour of His knowledge in every place” (2 Cor. 2:14, emphasis supplied).
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