Faith Grows

Jesus replied, "You may go. Your son will live."
The man took Jesus at his word and departed. While he was still on the way, his servants met him with the news that his boy was living. When he inquired as to the time when his son got better, they said to him, "The fever left him yesterday at the seventh hour." Then the father realized taht this was the exact time at which Jesus had said to him, "Your son will live." So he and all his household believed.

John 4:50-53

Jesus' miracles were not mere illusions, the product of wishful thinking. Although the official's son was 20 miles away, he was healed the instant Jesus spoke the word. This is is no problem because Christ has mastery over space. We can never put so much space between ourselves and Christ that he can no longer help us. Notice how the official's faith grew. First, he believed enough to ask Jesus to help his son. Second, he believed Jesus' assurance that his son would live, and he acted on it. Third, he and his whole house believed in Jesus. Faith is a gift that grows as we use it.

God Bless you,

JH

The Word of the Lord

Thy word is a lamp unto my feet, and a light unto my path." Psalm 119:105 The Word of the Lord was meant to be used by men in travel from earth to Heaven. Perhaps the reason we have run into so many dark and gloomy roads along the way is because we have not recognized it. I pray we recognize it today.
God Bless you, J.H.

Who Am I?

Since you are a saint in Christ by God's calling, you share in Christ's inheritance. That which is true of Christ is now true of you, because you are in Christ. It's part of your identity. The list below itemizes in first-person language who you really are in Christ. These are some of the scriptural traits which reflect who you become when you accept Christ into your heart. You can't earn them or buy them any more than a person born in America can earn or buy the rights and freedoms he enjoys as an American citizen. They are guaranteed to him by the Constitution simply because he was born in the United States. Similarly, these traits are guaranteed to you by the Word of God simply because you were born into God's holy nation by faith in Christ.

Who am I?

I am a salt of the earth. (Matthew 5:13)

I am the light of the world. (Matthew 5:14)

I am a child of God. (John 1:12)

I am part of the true vine, the channel of Christ's life. (John 15:1,5)

I am Christ's friend. (John 15:15)

I am chosen and appointed by Christ to bear his fruit. (John 15:16)

I am a slave of righteousness. (Romans 6:18)

I am enslaved to God. (Romans 6:22)

I am a son of God; God is spiritually my Father. (Romans 8:14, 15; Galatians 3:26; 4:6)

I am a joint heir with Christ, sharing his inheritance with him. (Romans 8:17)

I am a temple - a dwelling place-of God. His spirit and His life dwells in me. (1 Corinthians 3:16; 6:19)

I am united to the Lord and am one spirit with Him.(1 Corinthians 6:17)

I am a member of Christ's body. (1 Corinthians 12:27; Ephesians 5:30)

I am a new creation. (2 Corinthians 5:17)

I am reconciled to God and am a minister of reconciliation. (2 Corinthians 5:18, 19)

I am the son of God and one in Christ. (Galatians 3:26, 28)

I am an heir of God, since I am a son of God. (Galatians 4:6, 7)

I am a saint. (Ephesians 1:1)

I am God's workmanship-his handiwork-born anew in Christ to do his work. (Ephesians 2:10)

I am a fellow citizen with the rest of God's family. (Ephesians 2:19)

I am a prisoner of Christ. (Ephesians 3:1, 4:1)

I am righteous and holy. (Ephesians 4:24)

I am a citizen of heaven, seated in heaven right now. (Ephesians 2:6)

I am hidden with Christ in God. (Colossians 3:3)

I am an expression of the life of Christ because he is my life. (Colossians 3:4)

I am chosen of God, holy and dearly love. (Colossians 3:12)

I am the son of light and not of darkness. (1 Thessalonians 5:5)

I am a holy partaker of a heavenly calling. (Hebrews 3:1)

I am a partaker of Christ; I share, in his life. (Hebrews 3:14)

I am one of God's living stones, being built up in Christ as a spiritual house. (1 Peter 2:5)

I am a member of a chosen race, all royal priesthood, a holy nation, people for God's own possession. (1 Peter 2:9, 10)

I am an alien in stranger to this world in which I temporarily live. (1 Peter 2:11)

I am an enemy of the devil. (1 Peter 5:8)

I am a child of God and I'll resemble Christ when he returns. (1 John 3:1, 2)

I am born of God, the evil one cannot touch me. (1 John 5:18)

I am not the great "I am" but by the grace of God, I am what I am. (1 Corinthians 15:10)

Because you are in Christ, every one of those characteristics is completely true view, and there's nothing you can do to make them more true. But you can make these traits more meaningful and productive in your life by simply choosing to believe what God has set about you. One of the greatest ways to help yourself grow in maturity in Christ is to continually remind yourself who you are in Him. Read the list once or twice a day for a week or two. The more you reaffirm who you are in Christ, the more your behavior will begin to reflect your true identity. If you're beginning to think you are someone special as a Christian, you're thinking right-you are special! Your specialness is not the result of anything you have done. It's all God's doing. What is the believers hope? That he will someday be changed in the Christ's image? That's part of it, but that's only a future hope. What is your hope for today and tomorrow? That your child of God now! And the person whose confidence is in being a child of God "purifies himself"-he begins to live according to his perception. Let me state that again: no person can consistently live in a manner that is inconsistent with how he perceives himself. You must see yourself as a child of God in order to live like a child of God. The blessed hope for the believer this side of the rapture is "Christ in you, the hope of glory." (Colossians 1:27)

The light

In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was with God in the beginning. Through him all things were made; without him nothing was made that has been made. In him was life, and that life is the light of men. The light shines in the darkness, but the darkness has not understood it.

John 1:1-5

When God created the universe, he made something from nothing. We, too, are part of God's creation, and therefore, we have no basis for pride. We are not better than anyone else. We are all the same in His eyes. We are all His children. Remember that you exist only because God made you, and you have special gifts only because God gave them to you. With God you are something valuable and unique, apart from God you are nothing, and if you try to live without Him, you will be abandoning the purpose for which you were made. If you have accepted Christ, His spirit is living within you, and His love is bigger than any problem you may face. Sometimes, we focus on the problem when we should really be focusing on the Solution. Where is your focus today?

God Bless you,

J.H.

Sprouted wheat bread...it's a cinch

Yes, I made bread with nothing but sprouted wheat...and it worked, sort of. I studied up on it on "CHEF TESS BAKERESSE" blog. See my profile and you can get to her blog through "blogs I follow" I adapted her recipe, which she credits to someone else. Chef Tess has alot of experience and wisdom that she shares...so if "success" is important to you, I suggest you study her blog!
Anyways, it's very easy. For one loaf you need:
3 cups sprouted wheat
2 tablespoons warm water
2 tablespoons sugar
1 heaping tablespoon of yeast
1 teaspoon of salt.

Sprout the wheat just until the germ breaks...don't grow rootlets! It takes about 36 hours, so plan ahead! You will need to sprout about 2 1/2 cups of wheat to be sure to get 3 cups of sprouts. SELECTION OF WHEAT IS CRITICAL! USE ONLY CANADIAN WESTERN HARD RED SPRING WHEAT #1. To be sure your wheat is up to snuff...use Grandma Lou's whole kernel hard red spring wheat available from McDougall Acres.

To set up the food processor...just use the two blades that sit at the bottom . Remember, they are sharp. They don't look very sharp, but trust me, they are!

Put the three cups of sprouts into the food processor. Also add the 1 teaspoon of salt at this time. Turn it on turbo for about 30 seconds. Take the top off (it should've been on) scrape the wheat down, mix the sugar, water, and yeast together and pour the resulting syrup into the food processor.

Put the lid back on...turn the processor on turbo for a couple more minutes. You will be amazed at what happens. In no time it forms a ball that rolls around inside. Leave it until it cleans the sides of the bowl. You will have a perfect ball, that is surprisinlgly white-ish and smooth-ish.

Put a towel over it and put it somewhere warm to rise for an hour or two. Let it rise until it at least doubles in size, and you can stick a wet finger into it and the finger comes out clean and the hole stays formed.(thanks Tess...thats a great test).

Punch it down, form it into a log, and put it into a greased bread pan. Let it rise again for a half hour or an hour until it pretty much fills the pan. Have the oven pre-heated to 350. Bake it for about 40 minutes. Use an oven thermometer to be sure it is done (175 degrees...thanks again Tess for that bit of wisdom I'll definately use again).

That's all there is to it...you should now have a perfect loaf of sprouted wheat bread!! If not, keep trying, practice makes perfect! And remember...always use Canadian Western Hard Red Spring Wheat for all your breads!

If you have any questions...don't ask me.

The Living Word

For the Word of God is living and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart. Nothing in all creation is hidden from God's sight. Hebrews 4:12-13

The Word of God is not simply a collection of words from God, a vehicle for communicating ideas; it is living, life-changing, and dynamic as it works in us. With the incisiveness of a surgeon's knife, God's Word reveals who we are and who we are not. It penetrates the core of our moral and spiritual lives. It discerns what is within us, both good and evil. The demands of God's Word requires decisions. We must not only listen to the Word; we must also let it shape our lives. How are your lives being shaped today? I pray that you allow the Word to minister to you and rest on your heart all day long. God Bless you and keep you, J.H.

The Grace of God

You see, at just the right time, when we were still powerless, Christ died for us . . . But God demonstrates His own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us. Since we have now been justified by His blood, how much more shall we be saved from God's wrath through Him! For if, when we were God's enemies, we were reconciled to Him through the death of His Son, how much more, having been reconciled, shall we be saved through His life! Romans 5:6,8-10

While we were still sinners - these are amazing words. God sent Jesus Christ to die for us, not because we were good enough, but because He loved us. Whenever you feel uncertain about God's love for you, remember that He loved you even before you knew Him or accepted Him. If God loved you when you were a rebel, He can, according to His Word, strengthen you in His Power, now that you love Him in return. The love that caused Christ to die for us is the same love that sends the Holy Spirit to live in us and guide us every day. The power that raised Christ from the dead is the same power that saved you and is available to you in your daily life. Be assured that, having begun a life with Christ, you have a reserve of power and love to call on each and every day, for help to meet every challenge. I pray for God's power and love in your life today. God Bless you, J.H.