Heed the Word of The Lord; It is For All of Us

Today, I want to share a devotional I read. It struck me because, I have been this person that didn’t want to get into the Word because I didn’t get it, or I didn’t know where to begin or I felt like I just wanted to to something I was familiar with instead. This is a danger and the enemy would like nothing better than to keep you away from freedom and truth.

Daily Devotional with Pastor Jon

September 14

And the vision of all is become unto you as the words of a book that is sealed, which men deliver to one that is learned, saying, Read this, I pray thee: and he saith, I cannot; for it is sealed.

Isaiah 29:11

Here, the Lord says to these people at this time that, because they chose to be apathetic, they would remain unenlightened. That is, neither the educated nor the uneducated individual would have understanding of the Word.

In this is an important truth. That is, if you don’t want to understand Scripture, you won’t. If you’re not interested in doing the will of God or knowing the heart of God, the Bible will become meaningless to you. Regardless of how educated or uneducated you are, you will find the Word to be dry, boring, and an unsolvable mystery. We receive illumination when we approach the Word with a submitted spirit, saying, “Lord, this Book is talking to me and talking about me. Therefore, change me, Lord. Deal with my heart and life.”

Are your devotions dry and tedious? Are they difficult? Perhaps it’s because you’re approaching the Word without intending to be submitted to what it says. What a difference it makes when we approach it, saying, “Lord, today, use these Scriptures to change my life, to convict me of sin, to change my attitudes and heart within.”

Jon Courson, searchlight

Life Prolonged!:Disease Prevention;Consuming Healthful Oils

Fit, Healthy, Happy Home

I don’t feel like too many people consider what they put in their bodies, in general. But this blog is to inform those that DO and those that don’t. Truth sets people free in so many ways. Though, You do have a choice to accept it.

I’ve studied health and disease prevention for 20 plus years and I get re-motivated to share when I skim over one of my resources. The resource I picked up today is The Organic Cook’s Bible.

Take a quick stock of your habits regarding foods that contain oils such as canola, soy, olive, safflower, cottonseed, flax, corn, peanut, sesame, etc.

Do you buy store-bought salad dressings? If so  do you look at the label?

Do you cook with oil? If so what type?

Do you supplement your diet with any oils such as fish oil, coconut oil, hemp oil, or flax seed oil?

Do you…

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REST in Him

As I began this Saturday meditating on the Lord. I opened up a book that has been sitting on my bedside table for two years. About that, I really don’t like sitting with a book reading it from cover to cover. Maybe it’s too much of a commitment for my busy mind. Anyway, I was reading about sharing the love of Jesus with the lost. The author wrote brief add-ons to the ten commandments. As I read about the honoring the Sabbath day to keep it holy (the 4th commandment), I think and pray, God help me understand this more and have a revelation that moves me into this rest. I have understood that we can’t walk in unbelief.  We need to rest in Him and His promises and literally rest. If not, we then end up like the Israelites wandering in a desert for 40 years before getting to the Promise land. Some did not get there at all.

With all that’s going on around us, I believe we do not need to be in unbelief or fear. This is not God’s plan and so we can pray according to the truth that He loves us and tells us not to fear or be anxious. Unbelief also hinders receiving the promise.  Having the truth in us from being in His Word is sure to bring about His promises.

Later on in the morning I listened to a message that happened to be about—wouldn’t you know it?—RESTING IN HIM.  With my little prayer to the Lord about this Sabbath rest and receiving from Him, He answered my prayer by giving me answers that I can directly deposit into my heart to receive more from Him. {A funny part about THIS part of the morning was just before this as I was trying to actually “rest” a bit with a cup of coffee and my breakfast—you know that picture perfect coffee on the table with steam rising?— I accidentally  forgot to put the cover on my coffee grinder as I was reaching for the extension cord {my coffee grinder ‘on’ button doesn’t work so I have to put the cover on and plug it in for it to be “on”}.Needless to say, I was showered with beans! I was trying to enter rest and a wanna-be chaotic moment came. lol; anyway I’m not looking to deeply into that. It’s just time for a new grinder or maybe stop trying so hard and just buy the grounds! I just love the smell of grinding the coffee though…..

Bottom line is, “we don’t have to do anything—we don’t have to make it happen. {God pre-ground the coffee!!} The only thing we have to do is fight the good fight to stay in the rest of God (Hebrews 4). If we’re not careful, our human nature and our religious mindset are going to try to make it happen.” We then get back into works; It’s not about how much we read our Bibles, how hard we pray, thinking then we’ll be worthy…  “Just believing Jesus has done it makes us worthy.  Labor to stay in that position. It’s Jesus alone. Rest in the finished work of the cross. He paid for our peace” (Isaiah 53:3-5)–Ashley Terradez

What have you been praying about? Are you anxious when praying? Striving to stay on top of the situation?  Give the situation to God. Lay down your burdens. Pray in faith and having a joyous expectation for what you’ve been praying for… big and small. Just Rest. Take a Sabbath day off from your toil.

I’ve seen so much fear and unbelief in the world as we all have but this is the culmination of the world not trusting in the one true God. He is faithful. Include Him back in your lives (message to the world at large)!

Pray, believe, have patience and faith. “Faith and patience plan for the future”–Carly Terradez,

If you’re interested in what I’ve been listening to, check out Terradez ministries on YouTube and search “Manifesting Miracles”.

 

 

Some Vital Info About Tea!

I’m writing this blog to hopefully benefit you all. God gave us numerous resources to keep healthy. Tea is one amazing infusion of healthful leaves that bring amazing benefits to our bodies. So, grab a mug and some loose or bagged tea. Heat some water, put the two together, let sit for a few minutes and then sip it up.

Because of CNN’s report that a Doctor Li Wenliang  in China found out something important to reducing the COVID symptoms, I am posting a little more info about tea and its benefits.

So they are saying that in China they’ve been giving patients 3 cups of tea per day which seems to have helped contain and stop transmission of COVID.

The Methylxanthines, caffeine, theobromine and theophylline are all present in tea but caffeine as we know is most prevalent in coffee, theobromine in chocolate and theophylline in tea.

Green tea is a vasodilator and smooth muscle relaxer with theophylline as a bronchial relaxer (used for bronchial dilation against asthma). It only makes sense that this could be part of the “help” with the problems associated with this virus. I could be wrong.

EGCG is a compound in green tea which makes it so potent. (It’s full name is epigallocatechin-3 gallate). It has high levels of free-radical scavenging activity. Green tea’s EGCG is 30 times more powerful than vitamin E against DNA-destroying attacks.

Black tea loses its EECG and other beneficial polyphenols entirely during the fermentation process. There are still benefits to black tea though.

In general, both black tea and green tea help promote digestion(due in part to the enzyme Staphyloccoccus aureus), help our bodies resist harmful bacteria, inhibit tumor cells, help prevent heart disease, strengthen the immune system, have antioxidant activity, reduce cavities, and retard atherosclerosis. ..all derived from tea’s rich supply of polyphenols. Green tea is a better source of polyphenols.

The “tea” they serve the patients in China may be black or white or green. I’m not sure.  I’d say just drink tea a few times per day. Tea drinking has protective benefits of all sorts including cancer prevention. Research at the American Health’s Foundation In NY shows that green tea’s anticarcinogens are anti-mutants “preventing activation of carcinogens so that free radicals never even form” My thinking here is that if God put in tea, the ability to prevent free radicals from forming in carcinogens, then maybe it has more abilities than we realize in bacterial and viral free-radical mutations as well. Maybe this will be studied in the near future.

Note 1: Whole leaf teas may be healthier than bag-cut teas because they contain more antioxidants.

Note 2: On my bag of matcha tea, it boasts that one glass of matcha may be the equivalent of 10 glasses of green tea in terms of its nutritional value and antioxidant content.

Note 3: Don’t add milk to green tea as it inhibits absorption of the protective polyphenols.

Note:4 When preparing green tea, do not heat your water beyond 176 degrees to maintain the important compounds that affect our health in a beneficial way.

Bittersweet Walnut Brownies

FLOURLESS, GLUTEN-FREE, YUMMY, FULL OF NUTS

I don’t have to be stuck at home to want chocolate. Who’s with me? So here is a chocolatey brownie recipe—no need for a mix! Please stop making brownies from a box. Honestly.

Well, this is pretty healthy. you get lots of antioxidants and protein, so dive in, but share with like a few other people.

Bittersweet Walnut Brownies

• 4 ounces bittersweet chocolate, preferably organic
• 6 tablespoons unrefined coconut oil
• 1 tablespoon organic ghee (for flavor, or another TB coconut oil)
• 3 eggs, preferably organic
• 2 tablespoons organic plain yogurt
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 1/4 cup plus 1 tablespoon cocoa powder
• 1/3 cup coconut sugar
• 1 teaspoon pure stevia powder (not bulked up)
• 1 teaspoon acai powder (optional)
• 1/2 cup walnut, roughly chopped

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Coat a square baking pan with cooking spray.

Melt chocolate, oil and ghee over a double boiler. Set aside.

In a medium bowl, beat eggs with yogurt and vanilla. Sift cocoa powder into bowl and stir in with coconut sugar, stevia and acai.. Slowly stir in warm melted chocolate and oil. Add half of walnuts to batter. Pour batter into prepared pan. Sprinkle with remaining walnuts. Bake for 22 minutes or until middle is set. Do not overbake.

Cocoa-Coconut-Almond Mounds

With the crazy vast amount of healthy food crazes out there, It’s hard to know what you really want to do right? Paleo, No carb (nonsense dieting), low-carb, or vegan. Then there are all the diets people “have to” be on because of gluten intolerances, lactose intolerances, soy allergies, etc. The deterioration of digestive systems through our tainted food supply, ingestion of chemicals, and genetically modified foods has led to many diseases and intolerances.

I don’t want to debate all the opinions regarding healthy choices, but I do want to say that eating as “clean” as you can, is, to me the way we all ought to eat. Then when you don’t feel quite right it is much easier to pin point what might be the culprit—it’s usually when we aren’t getting enough of certain nutrients or we go too far with sweets or stimulants such as coffee or chocolate.

If you don’t eat clean then you may eat foods that are: high in sodium, contain refined flours and sugars, pasteurized non-grass fed dairy, conventionally raised meats, cheap oils, preservatives, and genetically modified ingredients.

Try these clean eating fiber-filled cookies that contain antioxidants from cocoa, healthy fats from nuts and coconut, and minerals such as magnesium, manganese and selenium from dates. You get healthy protein and fats without refined flours or sugars.

Although I could have made these vegan, I chose to add an organic egg. I believe it is a healthy addition. Though there are many times, for variety, I make vegan everything, and even go raw! If you really want to make these without the egg, just use 1-1/2 tablespoons milled flax mixed with 3 tablespoons water (let sit for a couple minutes) in its place. 🙂

Baking these at a low temperature is important so as not to brown or burn the oils in the almonds. Over toasted or roasted  nuts and seeds are harmful to our health. Treat your oils and seeds gently.

Here is the recipe:

Cocoa-Coconut-Almond Mounds

• 6 dates, pitted
• 6 Tablespoons organic virgin coconut oil, liquid
• 4 Tablespoons coconut cream, room temperature
• 6 Tablespoons quality cocoa powder
• 1 organic egg
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 1/4 teaspoon almond extract
• 1-1/2 cups almond meal or almond flour
• 1 teaspoon stevia powder or monk fruit extract
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 cup organic shredded coconut

Preheat oven to 300 degrees Fahrenheit.

Put dates in a food processor fitted with metal blade. Process for 10 seconds or so. Add the next 6 ingredients and process until combined. Add almond meal, stevia and baking soda. Pulse until combined. Add coconut and pulse again until well mixed.

Scoop dough using a small cookie scoop or tablespoon onto parchment-lined pan or pan coated with cooking spray (I ran out of parchment!). These cookies don’t expand much so you can squeeze them all onto one good size baking sheet. Lightly press down each cookie with moist fingers then push sides to pop it back up a bit, forming into a cylindrical kind of shape.

Bake for 12 minutes, but watch them towards the end to be sure only the edges get slightly crisped. They will be very soft but will have begun to crack.

Cool slightly then transfer to a cooling rack.

Makes about 18 moist yummy cookies

Enjoy!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Life Prolonged!:Disease Prevention;Consuming Healthful Oils

I don’t feel like too many people consider what they put in their bodies, in general. But this blog is to inform those that DO and those that don’t. Truth sets people free in so many ways. Though, You do have a choice to accept it.

I’ve studied health and disease prevention for 20 plus years and I get re-motivated to share when I skim over one of my resources. The resource I picked up today is The Organic Cook’s Bible.

Take a quick stock of your habits regarding foods that contain oils such as canola, soy, olive, safflower, cottonseed, flax, corn, peanut, sesame, etc.

Do you buy store-bought salad dressings? If so  do you look at the label?

Do you cook with oil? If so what type?

Do you supplement your diet with any oils such as fish oil, coconut oil, hemp oil, or flax seed oil?

Do you consume fried foods? If so, are they from home or a restaurant?

It is touted by my resource that we get rid of polyunsaturated oils. Corn oil and safflower oil are two that are high in these fats.  We also need to get rid of partially hydrogenated and hydrogenated vegetable oils. These cause inflammation and can contribute to increased risk of cancer and cardiovascular disease.

Here’s what we need:

Omega-3 Rich oils from flax, oily fish, walnuts, borage, hemp, chia seeds.

Monounsaturated fats from cold pressed extra virgin olive oil (use cold or for low-heat cooking), almond oil, organic canola oil, avocado, and peanut oil for high heat cooking.

Finding good organic oils for your culinary use is essential. Want to know why?

OK. Mass-produced oils such as canola, soy, and cottonseed are from plants that have been genetically engineered to resist damage by herbicides. or to incorporate the gene that expresses the toxin produced by Bacillus thuringienses–a self defeating practice  as it is on plants (especially cottonseed–unless organic) given heavy doses of pesticides!

Sewage sludge containing heavy metals may have been used on the fields where the conventional oil-producing crops were grown and been taken up by the plants. OR if the fields were fertilized with chemical fertilizers, they may be depleted of trace minerals and organic matter.

Bulk oils are usually extracted by a process that utilizes hexane, a petroleum by-product and nervous system toxin. This poses a risk to workers and although the FDA vouches for the safety of chemically extracted oils once the process is complete, I don’t think we can necessarily be assured.

Pesticides have a tendency to accumulate in resulting oils from these plants. (Hence, these chemicals also accumulate in the fatty tissues in out bodies, female breast tissue for example.)

What I’ve seen on the market: The majority of salad dressings contain soybean oil and canola oil. Microwave popcorn contains cottonseed oil, cheaper sauces contain soybean oil,. Restaurants use mixed oils,that most likely come from the above mentioned mass-produced oils. Their dressings likely also contain  cheaper oils to avoid the hardening of the oil when refrigerated (olive oil thickens when cold).

What we need in general. A ratio of 3 or 4 to 1 Omega-6 to Omega-3 oils. Our bodies cannot produce omega-3’s and therefore we need to get it from our food regularly. The proper ratio boasts the following benefits: lowers risk of cardiovascular disease, lowers blood pressure, prevents irregular heartbeats, and promotes cardiovascular health.

We also benefit greatly from monounsaturated fats from olive oil, canola, peanut, sesame, almond and avocado oils.These contain over 50% monounsaturated fats.

Corn, safflower, walnut, sesame, soy and sunflower oils are a rich source of Omega-6, but don’t have much Omega-3, if any.

Best Sources of Omega-3: Ratio shown is Omega-6 to Omega-3

• Flaxseed oil 2:7
• Hemp seed 3:1
• Canola 3:1

Lesser sources:

• Soy 7:1
• Walnut 5:1
• Wheat germ 7:1

 

Supplementation with Fish oil and flax oils will be beneficial to anyone who thinks they have a diet rich in Omega-6’s.

I personally take fish oil daily as well as flax seed oil which I add to homemade salad dressings. I also sprinkle ground up seeds on my breakfast containing a good amount of flax seeds. I eat wheat germ every day and munch on walnuts from time to time. I eat oily fish once per week, although I’d like to have it more than that. I’m gonna work on that…     I currently have hemp seeds as well which I add to smoothies and eat with my cereal.

A Word about extra virgin coconut oil: This oil, consumed in moderation (and daily is fine), is good for energy as it goes to the liver and is not stored as fat. It is one of those fats that actually can help get you leaner. Olive oil and coconut oil have been said to help this. Taking a tablespoon in the morning before a meal and/or in the evening can reduce hunger and bring health benefits. Coconut oil can help the balance of HDL and LDL Cholesterol. I often use coconut oil as a butter substitute in recipes. Also good for slathering on your face and body!

About olive oil!  This oil is amazing! Promotes a healthy cardiovascular system, and healthy skin. Olive oil contains the precious Omega-9 fatty acids. This does not upset the balance of Omega-6 and omega-3 in your diet. Be sure to look for cold-pressed and organic if you can. It is a bit more expensive but well worth it. It is a good thing if your olive oil tastes peppery and intensely fruity. For these ones will have the most antioxidants—polyphenols and tocopherols—that help keep bad cholesterol from clogging the arteries.  One more word of advice, Don’t cook with olive oil if you can help it to protect its benefits. I prefer to drizzle olive oil over cooked veggies as opposed to cooking them in the oil. I like avocado oil for stove-top sauteing.

Keep in mind that cooked oils, in general aren’t the best things for our bodies. It becomes harder for the body to metabolize cooked oil. You can see why fried foods are so detrimental to our digestive systems and overall health. If you regularly consume fried foods, it will become evident in your skin and how you feel. Eventually it will take a toll on your health and promote disease.

I’m going to add here the smoke points of various oils to help you decide which ones you’d like to add to your pantry for cooking with, but be gentle to your food and oils. If you burn it or get it to smoke points, I would discard it.

For high-heat:

• Avocado, 510
• Almond 495
• Apricot kernal 495
• Sesame 445

 

For medium-high heat:

• Canola 425
• Grapeseed  425
• Walnut 400
• Coconut 365
• Peanut, organic 355

 

Medium heat:

• Sesame, unrefined 350
• Toasted Sesame 350
• Extra-Virgin olive oil, preferably organic 325
• Corn, unrefined organic 320
• Coconut, unrefined 280

 

ZERO heat oils for use in dressings and supplementation:

Borage, Flax, Wheat germ and Evening Primrose

In addition, help your hormones with Evening Primrose, and Black Currant seed oil. Also, add to your supplement routine a high quality Vitamin E oil containing mixed tocopherols and tocotrienols. Take these with you fish oil and/or meals containing fat.

 

 

 

Super Seed Chocolate Bark GF

Making this again this week. It’s been too long!

Fit, Healthy, Happy Home

If your kids are like mine, they don’t just open the snack drawer and eat raw pumpkin seeds, they’re looking for a treat, like all the time.

I love this snack, because my family loves this snack.  I feel good that they are getting nutritious nuts and seeds into their diets. Mineral rich seeds such as pumpkin seeds help us attain manganese, phosphorus, zinc, magnesium, and decent amounts of many nutrients like copper and iron, and seeds also provide protein—a much needed part of our busy active lives.

Based on a recipe from Enjoy Life; I’ve adapted time and time again. Here is the basis for it with options for you. I usually double the recipe because these babies go soo fast.

• 1-1/2 cups crisp cereal (whole grain crisp brown rice–any natural foods brand,or, crunchy flax or crunchy flax and chia by Enjoy Life are the best ones)
• 1 cup…

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Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Pie Bars GF

I’m Making this again today. The batter is so delicious, I can’t wait for it to come out of the oven. Think it’d be okay to have for dinner?

Fit, Healthy, Happy Home

ooey gooey yumminess and not bad for you!

There’s a consistent flow of pumpkin products coming from my home. Pumpkin pie is the point of it all. We wish for the pumpkin pie taste to be had in many ways, cold, frozen, hot, drinkable, crunchable, smooth and creamy, and here—-chocolaty.
Yield 16 Bars

• ½ cup organic peanut butter or almond butter
  ¾ cup mashed pumpkin
  2 cups cooked chick peas
  2 tablespoons millet flour
  3 egg whites
  1 tablespoon molasses
  1/3 cup agave nectar or honey
  1 tablespoon extra virgin coconut oil
• 1/4 teaspoon sea salt
• ¾ teaspoon baking soda
• 1 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1/2 teaspoon allspice
• Pinch ginger
• Pinch nutmeg
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 1/2 cup vegan (no butter fat; only cocoa butter) chocolate chips, plus 1/4 cup for sprinkling on top

Preheat oven to 350°. Spray a 9×9 inch baking pan or pie pan with lecithin cooking spray.

bar…

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God’s Word Brings Peace

Facing challenges of life, disappointments, or pain? How about depression, anxiety, lack of peace in everyday life?

God gives us the answers to all of these problems. His Word tells us in Isaiah 26:3 “Thou will keep him in perfect peace whose mind is stayed on thee; because he trusteth in thee”. The key here is to trust in Him. I’ve found that when I feel like I’m not trusting, the best thing to do is quote scripture from the heart, such as Psalm 71:1 “In thee, O Lord, do I put my trust; let me never be put to confusion”. Sing unto the Lord a new song;  a song of praise from your heart. Tell Him you trust Him. Cast your cares upon Him, because He cares for you.(1 Peter 5:7)

In that Psalm up there, the Psalmist  says, “let me never be put to confusion”. Don’t you ever feel confused about why things are the way they are, or about what you’re supposed to think and believe? I think that is where our concerns and cares stem from.   Well, good news, we can cast this care upon the Lord too! 1 Corinthians 14:33  For God is not the author of confusion, but of peace, as in all churches of the saints.

John 10:10
The thief cometh not, but for to steal, and to kill, and to destroy: I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly.

If what you’re experiencing involves destruction in either your body or mind or surroundings, it is not from God. Satan is a liar and a thief and we can deny Him access to our thoughts. He can’t get to us if our mind is stayed on the Lord.  The Lord can and will be your help in all life’s situations. It can take time, but He will deliver you. He never fails. Just keep trusting (and asking, seeking, knocking…Mt 7:7). Also, know that He uses all things for our good. So when the car breaks down, maybe He’ll put someone in your path that either needs to hear what you have to say, or that relationship may be the start of a positive pivotal point in your life.

I heard recently that prayer itself is necessary but it is not greater than God’s Word. See, hearing the Word brings about faith; speaking it out in faith brings results. Hebrews 4:12 Says,
For the word of God is quick, and powerful, and sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart.

This is one of my favorite verses because it is an explanation of a process that happens when taking  hold of His Word!

Jeremiah 23:29

Is not my word like as a fire? saith the Lord; and like a hammer that breaketh the rock in pieces?

You can know that results take place with His Words! That’s how we got here!

We win!