We Love God!

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

Prayer Meeting Effectiveness – Part 1 (

1-5): 1. Show Up! It goes without saying that we need people in order to make a group prayer meeting effective. The more that come out to pray, the more prayer we can offer to the Lord. The more that come out to pray, the more others will be inspired to make the same bold commitment to corporate prayer as well. Yet it also goes without saying that coming out can oftentimes be a challenge. Usually by 5:00 on Wednesday nights, we’ve conceived every excuse under the sun to justify our absence. Any personal application there? Think of it this way. If corporate prayer is one of our most effective weapons for spiritual success, don’t you think Satan and your flesh will do everything within their power to keep you away? Don’t give in! Discipline yourself to attend. If your feelings are not right, attend and pray that the Lord changes your heart. Erroll Hulse once said, “It is customary to mark engagements in our diary. If meeting the King with our fellow believers is important it will surely be reserved in our diary. Invitations to dinner or to recreational events will have to be fitted in elsewhere. Jesus says that we have not because we fail to ask (James 4:2). Is the audience with our Monarch esteemed by you as a priority? Does your diary reflect that fact?” Show up! There is strength in numbers! 2. Come Prepared! Arguably, our prayer meeting is the most important gathering of the church. Yet because we meet at the same time each week it is possible to fall into a mindless routine that just goes through the motions. Because we meet late in the evenings it is possible to come with minds clouded and numbed from the day’s activities. As a chain is only as strong as its weakest link, a prayer meeting is only as effective as its weakest member. Be prepared to make your contribution by being sure to have prepared yourself spiritually before you arrive. For example, ask God to remind you of the awesome privilege you have to come into His holy presence with your requests. Ask God to put specific prayer requests on your heart. Ask God for a delight in His name so that He may grant you the desires of your heart (Psm. 37:4). Ask God to give you a love for Him and others. As the great evangelist, D.L. Moody, said over a hundred years ago, “The members should come to the meeting in the spirit of prayer. It ought to be on their hearts from week to week.' 3. Be Genuine! Many do not attend the prayer meeting simply because they are embarrassed to pray in the presence of others. That’s not good! Others go in the opposite direction and attend for the purpose of attempting to impress others with their prayers. That’s even worse! I’m sure we’ve all witnessed those who all of a sudden change their accent (perhaps a little Scottish flair) or pray in “King James Version” or use big theological words that they barely understand themselves or employ many words all for the sake of appearance. God is not impressed! Our Lord condemned this spirit (Mt. 6:5, 7). God looks not at the outward appearance, but the heart” (1 Sam. 16:7). The heart that honors Him is the heart that seeks to gain His attention. All Christians can achieve this! Humble, childlike faith is esteemed in the ears of the Lord and should likewise be esteemed in the ears of His children who are present. 4. Pray Specifically! Effective prayer is specific prayer. Oftentimes we do not have because we do not ask (Jas. 4:2). For example, it’s easy to ask the Lord to bless our missionaries, but specifically how do we wish for them to be blessed? Is it God’s will to heal every sick person? Of course we pray for their relief, but what about their witness to the caregivers both in words and behavior, the sufficient grace to be upheld spiritually, the spiritual growth as a result of their trial and their understanding of God’s love and faithfulness despite the misery? Are you praying for people in particular? Use their names (see Romans 16)! Avoid the vague generalities and hone in on the particular circumstances with a creative, thoughtful and deliberate Spirit-led precision. 5. Don’t Pray About Everything! In large prayer meetings it’s customary to be broken down into a number of small groups. Commonly the leader assigned will then review the prayer agenda and/or take specific prayer requests from the people assembled. The needs are noted and internalized by those present, but then too often the first person to speak prays for everything before the next person even has an opportunity to open his or her mouth! Not only is domination like this in the prayer meeting selfish; it is also potentially frustrating for the others that are gathered. Effective groups will witness each person taking a topic or two until all the given topics have been covered. This not only guarantees the participation of everybody, but also enhances the mental and spiritual engagement of each participant to be sure that all the issues are prayed over before the group concludes their time together.

We Love God!

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

Citrus Caramel Flan

January 27, 2023

CATEGORY	CUISINE	TAG	YIELD
Dairy, Eggs		Desserts, Low-fat	6	Servings

INGREDIENTS

2		3×1-inch strips orange peel
		orange part only
		cut into thin slivers
1/2	c	Sugar
1	T	Fresh lemon juice
2	T	Cold water
2	c	Low-fat milk
1	T	Coarsely chopped orange peel
		orange part only
2		Whole cloves
1		Cinnamon stick
2		Eggs
1		Egg yolk
1/4	c	Sugar
1	t	Vanilla extract

INSTRUCTIONS

FOR CARAMEL: Divide orange peel among six 3/4-cup custard cups.
Combine sugar and lemon juice in heavy small saucepan.  Stir over low
heat until sugar dissolves.  Increase heat; boil without stirring
until syrup turns golden, brushing down sides of saucepan with wet
pastry brush to prevent sugar crystals from forming and swirling
saucepan occasionally, about 7 minutes.  Add 2 tablespoons water
(caramel may bubble up); swirl saucepan to combine.  Pour caramel  over
strips of orange peel in custard cups, dividing evenly.  FOR CUSTARD:
Position rack in center of oven and preheat to 325 F.  Combine milk,
orange peel, cloves and cinnamon in heavy medium  saucepan. Heat over
medium heat until tiny bubbles form around edge  of pan, stirring
occasionally.  Remove from heat.  Cover and steep 15  minutes.  Strain
milk mixture, discarding solids.  Whisk eggs, egg yolk, sugar  and
vanilla in medium bowl to blend.  Gradually whisk in warm milk.  Pour
custard over caramel in cups.  Place cups in large baking pan.
Transfer baking pan to oven.  Carefully add enough boiling water to
baking pan to come halfway up sides of cups.  Bake until custards are
set and knife inserted into center comes out clean, about 1 hour 5
minutes.  Cool in water bath on rack 2 hours.  Remove cups from water
bath; cover with plastic and chill overnight.  Loosen edges of caramel,
using tip of small knife.  Invert onto  plates, letting caramel drip
over custard; serve.  PER SERVING: calories, 180; fat, 4 g; sodiumm, 63
mg; cholesterol,  113 mg  Source: Bon Appetit - April 1994 * Typed for
you by Karen Mintzias  File
ftp://ftp.idiscover.co.uk/pub/food/mealmaster/recipes/54lowfat.zip

A Message from our Provider:

“Opportunity may knock once, but temptation bangs on your front door forever.”

Nutrition (calculated from recipe ingredients) ---------------------------------------------- Calories: 193 Calories From Fat: 29 Total Fat: 3.2g Cholesterol: 95.3mg Sodium: 112.3mg Potassium: 276.8mg Carbohydrates: 35.9g Fiber: <1g Sugar: 34.1g Protein: 5.7g