Happy Thanksgiving Y'all!

~ Ride Safe ~

Sparky

Pre Thanksgiving Day Preparations

I absolutely love Thanksgiving Day! It’s hands down my favorite holiday of the year. For me it’s all about family and friends. None of this silly exchanging of gifts. It’s all about just getting together, feeling thankful and building happy memories.

According to the Holy Scriptures, thankfulness pleases God. I liken our praises and thankfulness unto a sweet smelling aroma on the altar of sacrifice to Him. He has given us so much. It is always a fitting time to openingly express our thanks for all the multiple blessings we have through the year. And like all of my readers, I have lots to be thankful for this year too. I’ve been exceedingly blessed this year. First of all, we all have been blessed with a loving Lord and Saviour who by His grace has granted all who believe eternal salvation through His shed blood. Money can’t buy that kind of security! And the most important thing we can do as believers, is share this knowledge of eternal love with those that are perishing. To be someone who is openingly thankful, thoughtful, and kind helps show how much He cares about us all.

Also, my health is much improved over the previous four years. I am thankful to have a safe, comfortable, secure home, a husband that adores me, and access to some of the best food on this planet. We may be poor but we’ve been eating good doggone it! I never was interested in food preparation but retirement changed all that. Hubby is teaching me how to cook like he does. I’m really getting into the planning and cooking of meals, thoroughly enjoying myself along the way.

Since it’s just us tomorrow, we’ve down-sized the turkey day menu. It will still be the traditional Butterball with Cornbread Dressing and the green beans. But instead of a “regular” salad I decided to fix Cucumber Salad. And because of our low-carb diet, I’ve opted for cooked, mashed cauliflower instead of mashed potatoes. We’ve been doing a lot of experimenting using vegetables in place of  other foods. I recently was sent a recipe for Kale baked just like sliced potatoes to make chips. Can’t wait to try it!

Here’s the menu that’s planned for tomorrow:

Butterball turkey stuffed with cooked Cornbread Stovetop Dressing (our one “bad“ carb). Save the drippings for the gravy.

Green beans thoroughly cooked with garlic, basil and coconut oil. They taste as good as if they where boiled in sugar!

Cauliflower:
    Two heads, chopped fine, thoroughly cooked until soft.
    Mash and serve just like potatoes. No bad carbs and even
    tastes better than the “real” thing!

Cucumber Salad:
    4 cucumbers, thinly sliced        ½ cup water
    1 cup white vinegar                 1 tablespoon dried dill
    1 small white onion, thinly sliced

    Toss together the cucumbers and onion in a large bowl.
    Combine the vinegar, water and Splenda in a saucepan
    Over medium-high heat. Bring to a boil. Pour over the
    Cucumber and onions. Stir in dill, cover, and refrigerate
    until cold. Serve next day.

Cranberry sauce: chilled.

Pumpkin Pie:
    1 prepared pie crust                 2 tbsp. Corn Starch
                                                 ½ tsp. Cinnamon
    Filling                                     1 ½ tsp. Pumpkin Pie Spice
    1 can Pumpkin Puree                 1/8 tsp. salt
    ¾ cup Splenda granular             2 eggs
    1/3 cup Half & Half                   1 egg white
    3 tbsp. Heavy Cream                 1 tbsp. Vanilla
    1 tsp. Sugar-Free Maple Syrup    REAL Whipped Cream!

    Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.
    Blend pumpkin puree, Splenda, corn starch, spices
    and salt in a medium bowl. Blend well. In separate bowl,
    mix together remaining ingredients. Stir well. Add to pumpkin
    mixture and stir well.
    Pour pumpkin filling into pie crust. Bake for 35-40 minutes
    or until set in the center and the crust is golden brown.
    Serve warm or chilled with real whipped cream. YUM!


                               Happy Thanksgiving Y‘all!


Psalm 107:1 (NIV) -”Give thanks to the LORD, for He is good; His love endures forever.”

1 Thessalonians 5:18 (NIV) – “Give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.

Colossians 4:2 (NIV) – “Devote yourselves to prayer, being watchful and thankful.”

Colossians 3:15 (NIV) – “Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, since as members of one body you were called to peace. And be thankful.”

Psalm 69:30 (NIV) –“I will praise God’s name in song and glorify him with thanksgiving.”


                                      ~ Ride Safe ~
                                            Sparky

Two Minutes With The Bible ~ Our Weakness And God's Power

Our Weakness and God's Power

by Pastor Cornelius R. Stam

Berean Bible Society
Printer Friendly Version

When our Lord was on earth He healed great numbers of sick and diseased people. The believers at Pentecost also healed many in the name of Jesus, offering to Israel His return from heaven upon condition of their repentance (Acts 3:19-21).

All those who were healed, however, finally succumbed to physical infirmity or disease again and died after all. This was because the Lord Jesus was rejected as King, not only in His incarnation but also in His resurrection. Rom. 8:22,23 declares the result as we see it in our own day:

“…we know that the whole creation groaneth and travaileth in pain together until now. And not only they, but ourselves also, which have the firstfruits of the Spirit, even we ourselves groan within ourselves, waiting for the adoption, to wit [that is], the redemption of our body.”

But Christians in “this present evil age” often need physical infirmity to draw them closer to God in prayer and faith. Paul himself said:

“…there was given to me a thorn in the flesh… lest I should be exalted above measure. For this thing I besought the Lord thrice, that it might depart from me. And He said unto me: My grace is sufficient for thee, for My strength is made perfect in weakness” (II Cor. 12:7-9).

The Apostle’s response to this shows how well he understood that suffering and weakness are an important part of Christian discipline.

“Most gladly therefore will I rather glory in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me… I take pleasure in infirmities… for when I am weak, then am I strong” (II Cor. 12:9,10).

“For which cause we faint not; but though our outward man perish, yet the inward man is renewed day by day. For our light affliction, which is but for a moment, worketh for us a for more exceeding and eternal weight of glory” (II Cor. 4:16,17).

---

To the Reader:
Some of our Two Minutes articles were written many years ago by Pastor C. R. Stam for publication in newspapers. When many of these articles were later compiled in book form, Pastor Stam wrote this word of explanation in the Preface:

"It should be borne in mind that the newspaper column, Two Minutes With the Bible, has now been published for many years, so that local, national and international events are discussed as if they occurred only recently. Rather than rewrite or date such articles, we have left them just as they were when first published. This, we felt, would add to the interest, especially since our readers understand that they first appeared as newspaper articles."

We hope that you'll agree that while some of the references in these articles are dated, the spiritual truths taught therein are timeless.

 

Funny Friday ~ Nature Speaks Out About Obamacare

Who knew that even Nature despises our alleged President.

I do know I'm gonna let this big boy walk

if we cross paths this season.

He's earned it.

~ Ride Safe ~

Sparky

Two Minutes With The Bible ~ Liberty -- How Precious!

Liberty -- How Precious!

by Pastor Cornelius R. Stam

Berean Bible Society
Printer Friendly Version

We were interested to read, recently, about the man in California who ran short of grazing land for his herd of 13 buffalo. To solve this problem he put them on a barge and took them over to a large island in Lake Berryessa where there was lots of pasture. But what did the buffalo do? They jumped back into the lake, swam to shore and began charging fishermen and chasing automobiles — so enraged were they at being imprisoned on an island!
After all, neither man nor beast enjoys bondage, though many of us are in fact enslaved.

Our Lord said in John 8:32: “And ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.” To this the religious leaders replied: “We be Abraham’s seed, and were never in bondage to any man: how sayest Thou, Ye shall be made free?” But our Lord answered: “Verily, verily, I say unto you, Whosoever committeth sin is the servant of sin” (Ver. 34). St. Paul says the same thing in Rom. 6:16:

“Know ye not, that to whom ye yield yourselves servants to obey, his servants ye are to whom ye obey; whether of sin unto death, or of obedience unto righteousness?”

Sad to say, many sincere religious people think that they can free themselves from sin by putting themselves in bondage to the Law, the Ten Commandments. This never works, for the Law can only condemn the sinner. Rom. 3:19,20 declares that the Law was given “that every mouth may be stopped and that all the world may be brought in guilty before God… for by the law is the knowledge of sin.” Again we have to turn to Christ for salvation and true liberty. He “died for our sins” (I Cor. 15:3) and has “redeemed us from the curse of the law” (Gal. 3:13).

Having believed this and trusted Christ as Savior, true Christians serve the Lord, not from fear, or to gain favor, but out of sheer love and gratitude. This is true liberty and this service is the only kind that God desires from us. Probably no man ever served the Lord more sincerely or tirelessly than the Apostle Paul. In II Cor. 5:14 he gives us the secret: “The love of Christ constraineth us…”

---

To the Reader:
Some of our Two Minutes articles were written many years ago by Pastor C. R. Stam for publication in newspapers. When many of these articles were later compiled in book form, Pastor Stam wrote this word of explanation in the Preface:

"It should be borne in mind that the newspaper column, Two Minutes With the Bible, has now been published for many years, so that local, national and international events are discussed as if they occurred only recently. Rather than rewrite or date such articles, we have left them just as they were when first published. This, we felt, would add to the interest, especially since our readers understand that they first appeared as newspaper articles."

We hope that you'll agree that while some of the references in these articles are dated, the spiritual truths taught therein are timeless.

Funny Friday ~ The Affordable Boat Act

This is an excellent comparison of the "Healthcare" power grab debacle hoisted on US by the current communist wanna be regime.

The U.S. Government has just passed a new law called: "The Affordable Boat Act" declaring that every citizen MUST purchase a new boat, by April 2014. These "affordable" boats will cost an average of $54,000 - $155,000 each. This does not include taxes, trailers, towing fees, licensing and registration fees, fuel, docking and storage fees, maintenance or repair costs.

This law has been passed, because until now, typically only wealthy and financially responsible people have been able to purchase boats. This new law ensures that every American can now have a "affordable" boat of their own, because everyone is "entitled" to a new boat. If you purchase your boat before the end of the year, you will receive 4 "free" life jackets; not including monthly usage fees.

In order to make sure everyone purchases an affordable boat, the costs of owning a boat will increase on average of 250-400% per year. This way, wealthy people will pay more for something that other people don't want or can't afford to maintain. But to be fair, people who can't afford to maintain their boat will be regularly fined and children (under the age of 26) can use their parents boats to party on until they turn 27; then they must purchase their own boat.

If you already have a boat, you can keep yours. Period. (Just kidding. No you can't). If you don't want or don't need a boat, you are required to buy one anyhow. If you refuse to buy one or can't afford one, you will be regularly fined $800 until you purchase one or face imprisonment.

Failure to use the boat will also result in fines. People living in the desert; ghettos; inner cities or areas with no access to lakes are not exempt. Age, motion sickness, experience, knowledge nor lack of desire are not acceptable excuses for not buying your boat.

A government review board (that doesn't know the difference between the port, starboard or stern of a boat) will decide everything, including; when, where, how often and for what purposes you can use your boat along with how many people can ride in your boat and determine if one is too old or healthy enough to be able to use their boat. They will also decide if your boat has out lived its usefulness or if you must purchase specific accessories, (like a $500 compass) or a newer and more expensive boat.

Those that can afford yachts will be required to do so it’s only fair. The government will also decide the name for each boat. Failure to comply with these rules will result in fines and possible imprisonment.

Government officials are exempt from this new law. If they want a boat, they and their families can obtain boats free, at the expense of tax payers. Unions, bankers and mega companies with large political affiliations (read: kickbacks, bribes) are also exempt.

If the government can force you to buy health care, they can force you to buy a boat ... or ANYTHING else.

This whole thing makes ya kinda SEA SICK, huh? 


~ Ride Safe ~

Sparky

Two Minutes With The Bible ~ A Faithful Saying

A Faithful Saying

by Pastor Cornelius R. Stam

Berean Bible Society
Printer Friendly Version

“This is a faithful saying, and worthy of all acceptation, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners, of whom I am chief” (I Tim. 1:15).

Of all Paul’s “faithful sayings,” this is perhaps the most wonderful, and the one through which most people have found the joy of sins forgiven.

The subject is that “Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners.” Why else would Christ have had to leave His glory in heaven if it were not, as the Bible says, to come to earth in human form to represent us in the payment for sin? And, thank God, He paid the full price for the sins of all men, for it was not a mere man who died on Calvary’s cross. So complete was His payment that Paul could exclaim: “He came into the world to save sinners, of whom I am chief.” Paul, himself, though once Christ’s chief enemy on earth, had now been saved by Him and, had come to know the joy of sins forgiven.

The great tragedy is that so many people do not feel their condition to be hopeless apart from Christ. They have not yet seen how far they come short of the glory and holiness of God. They know they are sinners, but they do not yet feel that their condition is so hopeless that they need a Savior. Thus they keep trying, trying, trying — and failing, failing, failing!

How much wiser we are to confess our sins before God — to take the place of sinners, so that He can save us. This is the first step to heaven. When we have done this we are in a position to accept God’s offer of full pardon and justification through Christ, who died to pay the penalty for our sins.

Since none are perfect and all have sinned, “this is,” indeed, “a faithful saying, and worthy of all acceptation, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners.” Why not believe God’s Word, accept Christ as your Savior and be saved today?

---

To the Reader:
Some of our Two Minutes articles were written many years ago by Pastor C. R. Stam for publication in newspapers. When many of these articles were later compiled in book form, Pastor Stam wrote this word of explanation in the Preface:

"It should be borne in mind that the newspaper column, Two Minutes With the Bible, has now been published for many years, so that local, national and international events are discussed as if they occurred only recently. Rather than rewrite or date such articles, we have left them just as they were when first published. This, we felt, would add to the interest, especially since our readers understand that they first appeared as newspaper articles."

We hope that you'll agree that while some of the references in these articles are dated, the spiritual truths taught therein are timeless.