GOD`S WORD FOR TODAY

A WORD FOR TODAY, August 3, 2012
“Make a joyful noise unto Jehovah, all ye lands. Serve Jehovah with gladness: Come before his presence with singing. Know ye that Jehovah, he is God: It is he that hath made us, and we are his; We are his people, and the sheep of his pasture. Enter into his gates with thanksgiving, And into his courts with praise: Give thanks unto him, and bless his name. For Jehovah is good; His lovingkindness endureth for ever, And his faithfulness unto all generations.” Psalm 100 (ASV)
My kitties make me so happy. Each one has certain habits that just put a smile on my face. Delilah loves a stuffed animal we have on our bed, and every night she comes to snuggle with me and that stuffed bunny. Tigger has gotten into the habit of jumping onto the arm of the chair where I sit to watch TV. He’ll stay there and let me pet him for a very long time; he even insists of being touched if I stop. Sammy asks to play by sitting near a favorite toy and meowing until I pick it up and play with him. I love to watch them all when they are watching the world outside our windows. We have plenty of birds and squirrels to keep them busy for hours.
There’s nothing productive about watching my kitties, or playing with them, or snuggling with them, or petting them in front of the television. Yet, those are the best moments of my day, and I know that we are all healthier and happier because of those moments. Simple pleasures like those moments remind us that there is far more to life than working and cleaning and accomplishing something.
What are the simple pleasures that bring joy to your life? Who are the people that make you smile? What makes you laugh? Have you ever had the experience of discovering something you remember from your childhood at the grocery store? A recent trend of Facebook has been to post pictures of things from ‘the olden days’ with the comment “Like if you remember using one of these.” A friend posted a silly thing we used to buy at the local store, packs of pictures with gum. The picture reminded me of simpler times and old friends.
It is so good to be thankful for those simple things, but it is even better to be thankful for the greatest gift. We are God’s people. That doesn’t seem like much, especially to those who do not believe that there is even a God. However, God is active in our world today, continually creating and recreating the world for His glory. In the flowers, our relationships and even our kitties and memories, God manifests His love for us in tangible ways we can see and experience with joy. When we look for God in the simplest of pleasures and sing for joy with thanksgiving and praise, we’ll experience the grace that God has for us in the most unusual places.

PORK BARBECUE

Pork Barbeque Ingredients:

• 1 kg. pork
• 20 bamboo skewers
• 1 cup soy sauce
• 1 head garlic, minced
• 1 onion, finely chopped
• 1/4 cup of calamansi juice or lemon juice
• 1/2 cup of 7up, sprite or beer (optional)
• 1 teaspoon ground black pepper
• 3 tablespoons of brown or white sugar
• 1/2 cup of banana or tomato catsup

Barbeque Cooking Instructions:

• Cut pork meat into thin and long slices – 1/4 inches thick and less than 2 inches wide.
• In a mixing bowl, marinate the cut pork with the soy sauce, minced garlic, chopped onions, calamansi juice, ground pepper, sugar, banana catsup and the soda or beer (this tenderizes and adds flavour to the pork barbeque)
• Mix well and keep in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes (turning occasionally).
• Prepare the bamboo skewers by removing splinters and soaking in water to reduce burning during barbeque.
• String the pork on the skewers.
• Over live charcoals, barbeque the pork on skewers until each barbeque is cooked – turning every few minutes on each side and basting the leftover marinate on the barbeque.

ROMANS 12

Exhortations for Christian Living

12I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service. 2 And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God. 3 For I say, through the grace given unto me, to every man that is among you, not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think; but to think soberly, [1] according as God hath dealt to every man the measure of faith. 4 For as we have many members in one body, and all members have not the same office: 5 So we, being many, are one body in Christ, and every one members one of another. 6 Having then gifts differing according to the grace that is given to us, whether prophecy, let us prophesy according to the proportion of faith; 7 Or ministry, let us wait on our ministering: or he that teacheth, on teaching; 8 Or he that exhorteth, on exhortation: he that giveth,[2] let him do it with simplicity; he that ruleth, with diligence; he that sheweth mercy, with cheerfulness. 9 Let love be without dissimulation. Abhor that which is evil; cleave to that which is good. 10 Be kindly affectioned one to another with brotherly love; in honour preferring one another; 11 Not slothful in business; fervent in spirit; serving the Lord; 12 Rejoicing in hope; patient in tribulation; continuing instant in prayer; 13 Distributing to the necessity of saints; given to hospitality. 14 Bless them which persecute you: bless, and curse not. 15 Rejoice with them that do rejoice, and weep with them that weep. 16 Be of the same mind one toward another. Mind not high things, but condescend [3] to men of low estate. Be not wise in your own conceits. 17 Recompense to no man evil for evil. Provide things honest in the sight of all men. 18 If it be possible, as much as lieth in you, live peaceably with all men. 19 Dearly beloved, avenge not yourselves, but rather give place unto wrath: for it is written, Vengeance is mine; I will repay, saith the Lord. 20 Therefore if thine enemy hunger, feed him; if he thirst, give him drink: for in so doing thou shalt heap coals of fire on his head. 21 Be not overcome of evil, but overcome evil with good.