But you belong to God, my dear children. You have already won a victory over those people, because the Spirit who lives in you is greater than the spirit who lives in the world. Those people belong to this world, so they speak from the world’s viewpoint, and the world listens to them. But we belong to God, and those who know God listen to us. If they do not belong to God, they do not listen to us. That is how we know if someone has the Spirit of truth or the spirit of deception.
-1 John 4:4-6
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| 1 1⁄2 | c | instant rice |
| 1⁄2 | pkt | vegetable soup mix (see notes!) |
| 2 | t | mild curry powder |
| 6 | oz | pouch wild salmon |
| 1 | T | extra virgin olive oil (1 packet) |
| 1⁄2 | c | fresh huckleberries |
| 1 1⁄2 | c | water |
For the vegetable soup mix we used 1/2 packet of a 1.4 ounce Knorr brand Vegetable Soup Mix packet. You can substitute most other brands or similar flavors.
At home: In a quart freezer bag pack the rice, soup mix and curry powder. Tuck the salmon and oil packets with it. In camp: Pick 1/2 cup wild huckleberries or blueberries (about two handfuls!) FBC method: Add the oil and salmon to the bag along with 1 1/2 cups very warm water. Stir well, fold in the berries gently. Seal bag tightly and put in a cozy for 15 minutes. Insulated mug method: Add the oil and salmon, along with the dry ingredients to a large mug. Add in 1 1/2 cups boiling water, stir well. Gently fold in the berries. Cover tightly and let sit for 15 minutes. One pot method: Add 1 1/2 cups water, the oil and salmon to your pot. Bring to a boil, add in the rice and stir. Gently fold in the berries. Cover tightly and set aside for 10 minutes. In cooler weather use a pot cozy to retain heat. For all: Fluff up and if desired sprinkle a liberal dose of Parmesan cheese on top.
Courtesy of trailcooking.com
Picture Credit: GoodFoodGoodLife.com
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“And they have defeated him by the blood of the lamb and by their testimony.” Revelation 12:11
As I have often said, the best defense is a good offense. And instead of trying to just hold our ground as Christians, we should gain ground. We should move forward. We should tell others about Christ.
When you identify yourself as a Christian, that is a good way to make yourself accountable, even to nonbelievers. By saying in your workplace (without being obnoxious), “I am a Christian,” by saying to members of your family or in your neighborhood or among your friends, “I am a follower of Jesus,” you are putting that stake in the ground, and they will be watching you and evaluating you.
And frankly, they will be evaluating God, too. They are will be thinking, So that is how a Christian acts. That is how a Christian treats his wife. That is how a Christian treats her husband. I get it. That is how a Christian raises their child. That is how a Christian does thus and so. . . . They will be watching you. And nothing is worse than getting your behavior corrected by a nonbeliever, especially when they are right.
Has that ever happened to you? You did something inconsistent, and your non-Christian friend said, “I thought you were a Christian.”
“Well, I am, praise God!”
“Then why did you just do that?”
Maybe you should just say it was because you sinned and then thank them for calling you on it.
When a believer is walking in fellowship with God, he or she will want to tell others about Christ.
Everyone has a testimony, which simply is their story. You don’t have to go through adversity to have a testimony. What would people say about you? You have a testimony. The question is whether it is a good one or a poor one.
– Greg Laurie
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Whom he justified he also glorified. – Romans 8:30
Here is a precious truth for you, believer. You may be poor or suffering or unknown, but for your encouragement take a moment to review your calling and the consequences that flow from it, and especially the blessed result spoken of here. As surely as you are God’s child today, so surely will all your trials soon come to an end, and you shall be rich to an extent that is hard to imagine.
Wait awhile, and your weary head will wear the crown of glory, and the worker’s hand shall grasp the palm-branch of victory. Do not bemoan your troubles, but rather rejoice that before long you will be where no longer “shall there be mourning nor crying nor pain anymore.”1 The chariots of fire are at your door, and it will take only a moment to transport you to the glorified. The everlasting song is almost on your lip. The portals of heaven stand open for you.
Do not think that you can fail to enter into your rest. If He has called you, nothing can divide you from His love. Distress cannot sever the bond; the fire of persecution cannot burn the link; the hammer of hell cannot break the chain. You are secure; that voice which called you at first shall call you yet again from earth to heaven, from death’s dark gloom to immortality’s unuttered splendors. Rest assured, the heart of Him who has justified you beats with infinite love toward you. You will soon be with the glorified, where your portion is; you are only waiting here to be made ready for the inheritance, and with that done, the wings of angels shall carry you far away, to the mount of peace and joy and blessedness, where
Far from a world of grief and sin,
With God eternally shut in,
you shall rest forever and ever.
1 – Revelation 21:4
– Alistair Begg
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The coming of Jesus of Nazareth was like the opening scenes of Saving Private Ryan. A dangerous mission, a great invasion, a daring raid into enemy territory, to save the free world, but also to save one man.
Jesus told a story like that in order to shed light on his own coming: “If a man owns a hundred sheep, and one of them wanders away, will he not leave the ninety-nine on the hills and go to look for the one?” (Matt. 18:12). In the midst of the great invasion, like the storming of the beaches at Normandy, God yet sets his eye on one lost soul. On you.
Historically speaking, Jesus of Nazareth was betrayed by one of his followers, handed over to the Romans by the Jewish religious leaders, and crucified. But there was a Larger Story unfolding in that death. He gave his life willingly to ransom us from the Evil One, to pay the price for our betrayal, and to prove for all time and beyond any shadow of a doubt that the heart of God is good. And that your heart matters to him, matters more than tongue can tell.
He has rescued us from the dominion of darkness and brought us into the kingdom of the Son he loves, in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins. (Col. 1:13-14)
– John Eldredge, Epic
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Everyone who believes that Jesus is the Christ has become a child of God. And everyone who loves the Father loves his children, too. We know we love God’s children if we love God and obey his commandments. Loving God means keeping his commandments, and his commandments are not burdensome. For every child of God defeats this evil world, and we achieve this victory through our faith. And who can win this battle against the world? Only those who believe that Jesus is the Son of God.
-1 John 5:1-5 NLT
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I say this because many deceivers have gone out into the world. They deny that Jesus Christ came in a real body. Such a person is a deceiver and an Antichrist. Watch out that you do not lose what we have worked so hard to achieve. Be diligent so that you receive your full reward. Anyone who wanders away from this teaching has no relationship with God. But anyone who remains in the teaching of Christ has a relationship with both the Father and the Son.
-2 John 1:7-9 NLT
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Dear friend, I hope all is well with you and that you are as healthy in body as you are strong in spirit. Some of the traveling teachers recently returned and made me very happy by telling me about your faithfulness and that you are living according to the truth. I could have no greater joy than to hear that my children are following the truth.
– 3 John 1:2-4 NLT
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Lesson: Thaddaeus was a man of many identities. In the King James translation of Matthew 10:3 he is called “Lebbaeus, whose surname was Thaddaeus.” He is also called “Judas the son of James” (Luke 6:16; Acts 1:13) and “Judas (not Iscariot)” (John 14:22).
Judas, which means “Jehovah leads,” was probably the name given him at birth, with Thaddaeus and Lebbaeus added later as nicknames to reflect his character. Apparently Thaddaeus was the nickname given to him by his family. It comes from a Hebrew root word that refers to the female breast. Basically it means a “breast-child.” Perhaps Thaddaeus was the youngest child in the family or especially dear to his mother. Lebbaeus comes from a Hebrew root that means “heart.” Literally it means a “heart-child,” and speaks of someone who is courageous. That nickname was likely given him by his friends, who saw him as a man of boldness and courage.
Early church tradition tells us that Thaddaeus was tremendously gifted with the power of God to heal the sick. It is said that a certain Syrian king named Adgar was very ill and sent for Thaddaeus to come and heal him. On his way to the king, Thaddaeus reportedly healed hundreds of people throughout Syria. When he finally reached the king, he healed him then preached Christ to him. As a result, the king became a Christian. The country, however, was thrown into chaos, and a vengeful nephew of the king had Thaddaeus imprisoned then beaten to death with a club. If that tradition is true, it confirms that Thaddaeus was a man of great courage.
It takes courage to die for Christ but it also takes courage to live for Him. That’s why Paul said that God hasn’t given us a spirit of timidity, but of power and love and discipline (2 Tim. 1:7). Each day trust in God’s promises and rely on His Spirit. That’s how you can face each new challenge with courage and confidence.
Suggestions for Prayer:
Thank God for the courage He has given you in the past and ask Him to help you face future spiritual battles without retreat or compromise.
– John MacArthur
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The point of the story of the prodigal is not primarily about the prodigal. It is about the father’s heart. “But while he was still a long way off, his father saw him and was filled with compassion for him; he ran to his son, threw his arms around him and kissed him” (Luke15:20 NIV). This is the kind of Father you have. This is how he feels about you. This is the purpose for which Christ came.
But when the time had fully come, God sent his Son, born of a woman, born under law, to redeem those under law, that we might receive the full rights of sons. Because you are sons, God sent the Spirit of his Son into our hearts, the Spirit who calls out, “Abba, Father.” So you are no longer a slave, but a son; and since you are a son, God has made you also an heir” (Gal. 4:4-7 NIV)
As George MacDonald explains, “The word used by St. Paul does not imply that God adopts children that are not his own, but rather that a second time he fathers his own, that a second time they are born—this time from above. That he will make himself tenfold, yea, infinitely their father” (Unspoken Sermons).
We begin to make the one most central, most essential shift in all the world, the shift Christianity is focused on, by at least beginning with the objective truth. How this plays out in our lives will come later. For now, there are things you must know. You are the child of a kind, strong, and engaged Father, a Father wise enough to guide you in the Way, generous enough to provide for your journey. His first act of provision happened before you were even born, when he rescued you through the life, death, and resurrection of our elder brother, Jesus of Nazareth. Then he called you to himself—perhaps is calling you even now—to come home to him through faith in Christ. When a man gives his life to Jesus Christ, when he turns as the prodigal son turned for home and is reconciled to the Father, many remarkable things take place. At the core of them is a coming into true sonship.
– John Eldredge, Fathered by God
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