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

Many Christians in many evangelical churches these days are confessionally challenged in that they are either cynical, critical, or altogether skeptical of all things confessional — confessional documents, confessional churches, and confessional Christians. We might hear confessionally challenged Christians say things, such as “My only creed is Christ” or “I don’t need theology, just give me Jesus” or “Confessions divide, Christ unites.” Such Christians are actually under the impression that their churches don’t have confessions, when in truth every church has a confession, though it may not be written down and though it may constantly change according to the whims and fancies of the pastor. They have been somehow deceived into thinking that all of the various historic Reformed confessions only serve to divide the church of its unity and disarm the Bible of its authority. Nothing could be further from the truth, for what is so amazing about Reformed confessions in general is not how different they are from one another but how similar they are — how they each use biblical language in affirming the faith once delivered to the saints.
Burk Parsons

We have failed to understand that children and young people are not God-lovers until the Spirit changes them. They are dead to God. Our attempts at getting these young people to “pray the prayer” when they were small have not necessarily made them children of God. Their behavior belies the true state of their hearts. God has said that the only hope for them, therefore, is the regenerating work of the Spirit in the context of the preaching of the Word (James 1:18). However, our inadequate view of depravity and the inability of man has led us to resort instead to a greater confidence in entertainment to reach them and a minimizing of the use of the Word. If God has ordained that the Word and the Spirit are the only hope for these kids, then we should not avoid the means God has promised to bless.
Jim Elliff

    • Artichoke Rice Salad

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    CATEGORY CUISINE TAG YIELD
    Dairy Salads, Main dish 6 Servings

    INGREDIENTS

    3 c Hot cooked rice
    12 oz Marinated artichoke hearts drained, and coarsely chopped, reserving liquid
    4 oz Sliced fresh mushrooms
    1/2 c Sliced green onions
    1/2 c Chopped red or yellow pepper
    1/4 c Grated Parmesan cheese
    1/8 ts Ground white pepper
    1 1/2 tb White wine vinegar
    Lettuce leaves

    INSTRUCTIONS

    Combine hot rice, artichoke hearts, mushrooms, onions, cheese, and pepper.
Combine reserved liquid from artichokes and vinegar; shake to combine.
Drizzle over salad.  Spoon into individual lettuce-lined salad plates.
Source: Seasonal Inspirations for Rice
Reprinted with permission from USA Rice Council
Electronic format courtesy of Karen Mintzias
File ftp://ftp.idiscover.co.uk/pub/food/mealmaster/recipes/usarice.zip

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