Tag: slave

September Tidbits

**Laugh yourself to life.
** Every day I’m thankful to be a child of God.
** Got hummus? Research shows that hummus has numerous health benefits. Plus, it tastes good.

*** Tidbit 1  Humor Time

A good laugh is sunshine in the house.
— William Thackeray

Christian One Liners
*Some people are kind, polite, and sweet-spirited until you try to sit in their pews.
*Many folks want to serve God, but only as advisors.
*The good Lord didn’t create anything without a purpose, but mosquitoes come close.

Little Angel!
Little Johnny’s new baby brother was screaming up a storm.
Johnny asked his mom, “Where’d he come from?”
“He came from heaven, Johnny.”
Johnny responded: “Wow! I can see why they threw him out!”

Rest In Peace
One Sunday morning, the pastor noticed little Alex staring up at the large plaque that hung in the foyer of the church. The plaque was covered with names, and small American flags were mounted on either side of it. The seven year-old had been staring at the plaque for some time, so the pastor walked up, stood beside him and said quietly, “Good morning, Alex.”

Good morning, Pastor,” replied the young man, still focused on the plaque. “Pastor McGhee, what is this?” Alex asked.

“Well, son, it’s a memorial to all the men and women who have died in the service.”

Soberly, they stood together, staring at the large plaque. Little Alex’s voice was barely audible when he finally managed to ask, “Which one, the 9:00 or 10:30 service?”

*** Tidbit 2   Your Choice: Child or Slave   

John 8:34-38, NRSV
 Jesus answered them, “Very truly, I tell you, everyone who commits sin is a slave to sin. 35 The slave does not have a permanent place in the household; the son has a place there forever. 36 So if the Son makes you free, you will be free indeed. 37 I know that you are descendants of Abraham, yet you look for an opportunity to kill me because there is no place in you for my word. 38 I declare what I have seen in the Father’s presence; as for you, you should do what you have heard from the Father.”

The Jews firmly believed they couldn’t be enslaved to sin because they had the Law. They believed that only the Gentiles were enslaved to sin. After all, the Jews were the children of Abraham and did not need to be freed.  Jesus explained that yes, they were Abraham’s physical seed, but he was not their spiritual father. Jesus let them know that everyone who habitually practiced sin was a slave to sin.

There were times I enjoyed being a slave. I thank God for a mother and father who made sure that I learned about God. Someone said, “I had a drug problem growing up. My mother drug me to church. She drug me to Sunday School, Sunday Morning Service, Wednesday night Bible Study, Choir rehearsal, revivals, etc.” I thank God for that drug problem. Because of that drug problem I couldn’t enjoy being a slave for long. The Word had been planted in me. 

God saw my heart. He knew that deep down inside, I didn’t want to be a slave to sin. He offered me freedom through His Son, Jesus. I accepted His invitation. He adopted me as His child. Now I am a member of His family, forever. I still sin, but I don’t habitually practice sin. When I sin, I repent. I don’t allow myself to be eaten up by guilt because I have been forgiven.

The living Word (Jesus) and the written Word (Scripture) keep me in check. I heard someone say, “Check yourself before you wreck yourself.” Every day I check myself. Every day I’m thankful to be a child of God.

*** Tidbit 3 Got Hummus?

Hummus is a popular Middle Eastern dip and spread. It is a plant-based protein, packed with vitamins and minerals. It is usually made by blending chickpeas (garbanzo beans), tahini (ground sesame seeds), olive oil, lemon juice and garlic in a food processor.

It can also be purchased in the store. Just make sure you read the label carefully. Buy it with as few ingredients as possible. Look for mostly whole food ingredients with names you recognize on the label. Research has shown that hummus may help:

  • Fight inflammation
  • Improve blood sugar control
  • Aid in weight loss
  • Lower heart disease risk
  • Improve digestive health
  • Prevent cancer
  • Keep you regular

Different ways to add hummus into your diet include:

  • Use it in a sandwich, substitute for mayonnaise.
  • Make hummus toast.
  • Use it as a salad dressing alone or (Use less salad dressing and add hummus).
  • Use it as a marinade. (Let your fish or chicken marinate for an hour then bake as you normally would.)
  • Experiment with different vegetables.(cauliflower, cucumbers, celery, sliced peppers, broccoli florets, snap peas, etc.)

Here’s a simple recipe for hummus. It can be made in less than 10 minutes and only requires a food processor.
Ingredients
2 cups of canned chickpeas (garbanzo beans), drained
1/3 cup of tahini
1/4 cup of lemon juice
1 tablespoon of olive oil
2 garlic cloves, crushed
A pinch of salt

Directions
Place the ingredients into a food processor and blend until smooth. You can also experiment by adding your favorite flavors including, olives, sun-dried tomatoes, mushrooms, etc. Happy eating!

The information that I have shared with you is intended for informational purposes only.

Have you accepted Jesus Christ as your personal Savior?  If you wait, it could be too late. For God so loved the world that He gave His one and only Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish but have everlasting live (John 3:16).

If you have already accepted Him, He wants you to get to know Him even better.

Bye for now. Thanks for visiting. Don’t forget to click the Follow button

Sources
Bible Humor: Good Clean One Line Humor (clean-jokes-and-humor.com)
https://www.pastoralcareinc.com/resources/sermon-helps/jokes-for-sermons/
https://unsplash.com/photos/p2OQW69vXP4
https://unsplash.com/photos/yr-sW_x9aHk
https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/is-hummus-healthy#TOC_TITLE_HDR_10