No matter how pious legalism appears on the outside, it dishonors God by revealing a deep-seated distrust of God. Stop and think about it for a minute. Why do men insist upon putting agreements in writing? Why are legal contracts necessary? For only one reason – men are fallible. At best, we tend to forget the things we have committed to do. At worst, we never intended to do them in the first place. A legal contract gives one man a basis for forcing another to do what he has promised. Do you really believe God is so unreliable that we must create a contract which binds Him? All of the biblical covenants are those which were initiated by God, not man. And most of these covenants are unconditional; that is, they are not conditioned by any action on man’s part, but only on the faithfulness of God Himself. Legalism by its very nature implies that God is so untrustworthy that we must be sure to get it down in contractual form. Far better it is to leave blessings in the hand of the One who is gracious.

Bob Deffinbaugh

CATEGORY	CUISINE	TAG	YIELD
Grains	Italian	Seasoning	1	Servings

INGREDIENTS

1	c	Shoestring potatoes
1/2	c	Roasted sunflower seeds
2	tb	Imitation bacon bits
2	tb	Salad seasoning
2	tb	Sesame seeds
1	ts	Italian seasning

INSTRUCTIONS

From:    Cheryl Miller <csmiller@LAMAR.COLOSTATE.EDU>
Date:    Mon, 29 Jul 1996 23:23:34 +0000
Combine all ingredients in a small bowl.  Store in a can or zip-loc baggie.
Sprinkle generously over a salad.  Makes 2 cups.  Kids loves these -
guaranteed!!
EAT-L Digest 29 July 96
From the EAT-L recipe list.  Downloaded from Glen's MM Recipe Archive,
http://www.erols.com/hosey.

A Message from our Provider:

“Gratitude produces deep, abiding joy because we know that God is working in us, even through difficulties.”

[Jesus Christ’s] victory, of course, does not mean that we rush off to kill all our enemies. It means instead that we are to love them. Our love for them must be strong enough, however, to tell them with both passion and compassion, that their hopes are in vain, that their gods are mute and dumb, and that there is only one name under heaven by which a man must be saved. Our love for them does not present the Christian Gospel as an option. It does not lead us to argue that it’s a good option that has worked well for us. Our love instead commands all men everywhere to repent and believe the Gospel, lest they perish. Our love calls on all our enemies to kiss the Son, lest He be angry and they perish along the way (Ps. 2:12).

R.C. Sproul Jr.