We Love God!

God: "I looked for someone to take a stand for me, and stand in the gap" (Ezekiel 22:30)

There are basically two ways to read the Bible — as a book of law, or as a book of promise. Our natural religious psychology wants to read the Bible as law: “God is explaining here how I can win his favor.” A law-hermeneutic is the pre-understanding we naturally bring to our Bible reading, every page. But in Galatians 3 Paul explains that he reads the Bible as a book of promise, and he wants us to as well. He sees every page of the Bible as gracious promise from God to undeserving sinners. Is there law in the Bible? Yes. But it was “added” (v. 19). Law was inserted after the promises to Abraham were established. It is promise that comes first (Genesis 12), then law comes later (Exodus 20). It is promise, therefore, that defines the all-encompassing framework within which we are to read everything else in the Bible... Every page [in the Bible], most deeply understood, shines forth as a promise of grace to sinners in Christ.

Ray Ortlund

Jacob is about to enter the Promised Land. He will be one of the venerated Patriarchs of the faith. But before Jacob can become Israel, the man must be broken. Jacob needs to learn that his life is to be one of continual striving with God, but doing it with full dependence on God. He will learn that with God there is a continual heat from the refiner’s fire, but through the adversity there is an unspeakable joy in the journey. And though God probably won’t be wrestling with any of us physically like He did with Jacob, there is a continual tension of finding our greatest peace when we are most intimate in close communion with God. At times we struggle, but in the pain we learn to submit to His will, allow Him to expose our defects, yield to the wounds He creates and then trust Him that the pain is for our greatest good as the “old man” is further put to death. If we act in the flesh and run away or defend ourselves or blame others or whine and complain, we’ll never experience this. As creatures so prone to follow our selfish instincts, there is a serenity that comes when God wrestles us to the ground, breaks us further of our pride and reminds us that our sufficiency is only in Him.

Randy Smith

We Love God!

God: "I looked for someone to take a stand for me, and stand in the gap" (Ezekiel 22:30)

Pork Chops In Wine

January 30, 2023

CATEGORY	CUISINE	TAG	YIELD
Meats	Cajun	Cajun, Main dish, Meats	6	Servings

INGREDIENTS

1		Onion, sliced
1 1/2	t	Salt
6		Loin chops, 3/4" thick
1/2	t	Dry mustard
3	T	Chopped parsley
1/2		Stick oleo
1	c	Dry white wine
3	T	Salad oil
1/8	t	Pepper

INSTRUCTIONS

Saute onion in hot oil in large skillet, drain on paper towels and set
aside.  Reserve drippings. Combine butter, mustard, salt and pepper.
Stir to make paste, spread on both sides of chops. Brown chops on  both
sides in reserved drippings, drain.  Return onions to skillet,  add
wine, cover and simmer 1 hr. or until chops are done. Sprinkle  with
chopped parsley before serving. Courtesy Telephone Pioneers
BillSpalding *P CRBR 38 A  From Gemini's MASSIVE MealMaster collection
at www.synapse.com/~gemini

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“Either Jesus pays or you do”

Nutrition (calculated from recipe ingredients) ---------------------------------------------- Calories: 184 Calories From Fat: 82 Total Fat: 9.2g Cholesterol: 40.9mg Sodium: 621mg Potassium: 316.1mg Carbohydrates: 3.5g Fiber: <1g Sugar: 1.5g Protein: 14.3g