We Love God!

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

Our natural prejudgment of reality is against God. To receive the truth of God requires that our “anti” bias be changed. The key work of the Holy Spirit in regeneration is not giving new knowledge to the brain but changing the disposition of the heart. Before the Spirit turns that heart of stone into a heart of flesh, we have no desire for the things of God. We may desire the blessings that only God can give us, but we have no affection for the things of God. At the moment of regeneration, the eyes of the heart are opened somewhat, but this is just the beginning. The whole Christian life involves an unfolding and enlarging of the heart’s openness to the things of God.

R.C. Sproul

The following are a smattering of examples of the “fig leaves” we wear: 1. We change the subject or crack jokes if an awkward or threatening subject arises. 2. We monopolize conversation, filling silences to keep others at bay and to keep from feeling like failures. 3. We live or die vicariously with a sports team. 4. We run from problems by watching TV, drinking, smoking, promiscuity, workaholism, compulsive eating. 5. We mock or “put in a box” those whose opinions or problems threaten our own commitments and behavior. 6. We get defensive, accusatory, testy, or talk loudly, or try to bully others to defend ourselves and make a show of competency. 7. We overdo penance by saying, “Poor me; I’m so horrible and such a failure,” by expressing maudlin repentance and wallowing in failures. 8. We minimize the seriousness of problems – “It’s nothing” – or the difficulty of change – “I promise “l’ll never do it again.” 9. We lie outright, to look good or to avoid looking bad. 10. We lie subtly, putting ourselves in the best light by innuendo, embellishment, or careful selection of data. This often accompanies subtle expressions of contempt or criticism for other people. 11. We think highly of our own opinions on every issue. 12. We tie up our identity in certain grandiose roles, like “counselor” or “parent” or “pastor.” Any of our functions and successes, real or imagined, can become fodder for self-deception. 13. We pray for help before performing a certain responsibility, and then rehearse our own success afterwards without thought of God.

David Powlison

We Love God!

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

Dole Mini Upside Downs

January 22, 2023

CATEGORY	CUISINE	TAG	YIELD
		Cakes, Desserts	1	Servings

INGREDIENTS

2		20 oz cans pineapple slices
1/3	c	Margarine; melted
2/3	c	Packed brown sugar
1		Yellow cake mix

INSTRUCTIONS

Preheat oven to 350*.  Drain Pineapple, reserve juice.  Spray 20 large
muffin cups w/ pam.
Mix margarine, and br.sugar; spoon into bottom of prepared cups. Place
pineapple slice on top.
Prepare cake mix according to package directions, EXCEPT- replace water
with reserved pineapple juice.
Pour evenly into cups. Bake 20-25 minutes. Cool. Invert onto serving
platter.
Recipe By     : Dole
Posted to MC-Recipe Digest V1 #305
Date: Sat, 16 Nov 1996 13:11:56 -0800 (PST)
From: Hoppie <steveh@ccnet.com>
NOTES :  We have a friend that loves Pineapple Upside-Down cake, but his
favorite part is the sides of the cake with all the juice and whatnot. This
is a perfect solution.

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