When you were young, did you ever fold up a piece of white paper and using some scissors carefully snip away at it and then unfold the paper and look with delight at the snowflake you had made? Recently I was reminded of this childhood activity and that paper cutting has a name: Scherenschnitte. This is a German word for “scissor cuts,” and the art of paper cutting. I decided to try my hand at this and made a paper cutting for a Bible journaling entry. The pieces I cut out of my main section were useful on the next page as well.

The Creator, the God of all of the universe, snips and shapes me into the person He wants me to be as well. Each day, study in His word, time spent in prayer, and fellowship with other believers, conforms me to His image. “I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that you present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God, which is your reasonable service. And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God,” Romans 12:1-2, NKJV.

I need to be open to the leading of the Holy Spirit as the Lord Jesus Christ shows me how He wants me to live my life before Him. After all, as long as I am on this earth I am a work in progress. What do I need to change? What sin do I need to let go of? In what way does He want me to trust Him more? How can I be a light for Him? “Being confident of this very thing, that He who has begun a good work in you will complete it until the day of Jesus Christ,” Philippians 1:6. In the Lord Jesus Christ I have been justified, I am being sanctified, and one day in heaven I will be glorified. In the meantime, as I grow in the knowledge of Him, 2 Peter 3:18, I need to “Walk in the Spirit/[be] led by the Spirit/[and] live in the Spirit,” Galatians 5:16, 18, 25. I am a work of His, in progress until He calls me home.

I am so thankful we have the word of God to be our guide in life. Even more amazing is the fact the Lord Himself is our Guide. An old acronym for the word “Bible,” is Basic Instructions Before Leaving Earth. This is certainly true! The word of God contains all we need as God “has given to us all things that pertain to life and godliness, through the knowledge of Him who called us by glory and virtue,” 2 Peter 1:3. No matter what we are going through, we can find help and comfort in the pages of Scripture. And for the believer, the indwelling Holy Spirit guides us, comforts us and strengthens us each and every day. I like how Psalm 48:14 reminds us that our God is forever and ever and He will guide us, even to death. We don’t have to go through life alone. He is always with us and He delights when we speak to Him in prayer and await His answers too. He answers by His word. Snatches of Scripture come to our minds, or our daily devotion leads us to a passage we need to read or be reminded of. The words of a hymn, or Christian song, speak to us right where we are, and in the act of just sitting and reading His word, He brings us to a verse that speaks to our need. Again, I am thankful to have the word of God. May you find encouragement in the pages of Scripture today.

In the book of Ruth, found in the Old Testament, we have a beautiful story of redemption. God’s grace is seen in how Ruth, a Moabitess, marries Boaz, a Jew, and their union leads to King David and eventually to Jesus Christ.

In these uncertain days a particular verse from this book has been replaying in my mind for the past week or two. In chapter 3, verse 18, Naomi, Ruth’s mother-in-law, tells Ruth “Sit still, my daughter, until you know how the matter will turn out…” NKJV. This is exactly what we are being called to do in these days and weeks of Covid-19. We are to sit still, to stay at home, to keep up with physical distancing so we can stop the spread of this deadly virus. It is our human nature to want to do something. We want to go out, we want to visit our loved ones, we want to interact. But we can’t at this time. We need to “sit still…until we know how the matter will turn out.” In this sitting still, we have more time to sit with our Lord Jesus Christ. We can be like Mary “who also sat at Jesus’ feet and heard His word,” instead of being like Martha who “was distracted with much serving,” Luke 10:39-40. In our normal, busy lives, we often don’t make time to sit at Jesus’ feet and hear His word. We are distracted by so many things. It is a blessing to have this extra time now to choose “that good part,” Luke 10:42, and to sit in His presence. Here we can be still and let His peace and love and grace wash over us and reassure us in this difficult time. We can sit, we can “be still, and know that [He is] God,” Psalm 46:10. Rest in Him, beloved. Know He has not forgotten you, or any of us, for a single second. Like Ruth, we can quiet our souls “under [Him] whose wings [we] have come for refuge,” Ruth 2:12.

Please read Luke 19: 28-40

These verses provide a brief glance of just a fraction of the glory our coming King will one day receive.

The disciples found it “just as He had said.” I wonder how many things we will one day discover were just as He had told us they would be. Of course, everything will be as He has told us/promised us. I am wondering if we will be surprised that it all is true or if we expect it because He is Truth.

This event took place on the Sunday beginning the week towards the cross at the end of it.

It is a fulfillment of the prophecy in Zechariah 9:9: “Rejoice greatly, O Daughter of Zion! Shout, Daughter of Jerusalem! See, your king comes to you, righteous and having salvation, gentle and riding on a donkey, on a colt, the foal of a donkey.”

I have read this many times but as I typed it, the word “gentle” jumped out at me. Oh, how gentle our Lord Jesus Christ is. He is so good and kind, loving and gracious to us. And He is infinitely gentle. How beautifully He portrays this fruit of the Spirit.

Here are three other verses about His gentleness. May His gentleness comfort, strengthen and encourage you today.

“Then He said, “Go out, and stand on the mountain before the LORD.” And behold, the LORD passed by, and a great strong wind tore into the mountains and broke the rocks in pieces before the LORD, but the LORD was not in the wind; and after the wind an earthquake, but the LORD was not in the earthquake; and after the earthquake a fire, but the LORD was not in the fire; and after the fire a still small voice.” 1 Kings 19:11-12.

“For to this you were called, because Christ also suffered for us, leaving us an example, that you should follow His steps: “Who committed no sin, nor was deceit found in His mouth“; who, when He was reviled, did not revile in return; when He suffered, He did not threaten, but committed Himself to Him who judges righteously.” 1 Peter 2:21-23.

“Come to Me, all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For My yoke is easy and My burden is light.” Matthew 11:28-30.

“Gentle Shepherd come and lead us
For we need you to help us find our way Gentle Shepherd come and feed us
For we need your strength from day to day There’s no other we can turn to
Who can help us face another day Gentle Shepherd come and lead us
For we need to you to help us find our way There’s no other we can turn to
Who can help us face another day Gentle Shepherd come and lead us
For we need to you to help us find our way.” Copyright: Gaither Music Co.

Our family reads the Scripture together every evening. We are currently in the book of Judges. A verse jumped out at me a few nights ago and I have not stopped thinking about it and praying the words of it since, given the situation with Covid 19 that we are undergoing. It was the last part of the verse that especially struck me at this time.

Judges 10:16 “So they put away the foreign gods from among them and served the LORD. And His soul could no longer endure the misery of Israel.” NKJV

Despite the sad numbers we are seeing on the news, I trust my God. I know He is in complete control of this situation. He knows what we are thinking and feeling and He knows how this is all going to turn out. It is my prayer that people are turning to the Lord Jesus Christ in this difficult time and finding He is a trustworthy, comforting source of strength.

Lord, I pray that Your soul can no longer endure the misery this virus is causing. I trust You completely and know that You will act according to Your perfect timing and purposes. I know You are with us in this crisis and that Your love for us is unchanging and steadfast. Amen.

For the sauce:

1/4 Cup Chicken Broth

4 tbsp Rice Vinegar

2 tbsp pickled ginger, sliced

2 tbsp chopped ginger, ideally from a tube of prepared ginger paste

1 tbsp chopped cilantro, ideally from a tube of prepared cilantro

4 skinless, boneless chicken breasts

1 cup flour, powdered ginger (optional) and salt and pepper

2 cups hot, cooked rice

Slice chicken breasts into strips. Coat with flour. For an extra ginger taste, add powdered ginger to the flour before coating chicken strips. Add salt and pepper to taste and fry the chicken in 2 tbsp butter and 2 tbsp oil of your choice until brown and crisp. Add the sauce, stir well, cook for 1 minute more then serve over hot, cooked rice.

This afternoon there are thunderstorms rolling through our area. My one cat is absolutely terrified of them. I certainly didn’t like them as a child but as an adult I can occasionally enjoy a cracking storm. Truthfully, I still don’t like them at night as the lightening is so much brighter and so you know when those deafening crashes of thunder are about to hit. It definitely helps to know God created thunderstorms along with everything else. I know that no matter how severe the storm is, He is in control. Isaiah 4:6 tells us “And there will be a tabernacle for shade in the daytime from the heat, for a place of refuge, and for a shelter from storm and rain.” Likewise, several chapters later we read “For You have been a strength to the poor, a strength to the needy in his distress, a refuge from the storm,” Isaiah 25:4. Are the storms of life getting to you? Do you cringe when the lightening flashes and the thunder crashes? Run into the everlasting arms of the Lord Jesus Christ. He will see you safely to the other side. You can rest in Him. “He calms the storm, so that its waves are still. Then they are glad because they are quiet; so He guides them to their desired haven.” Psalm 107:29-30, NKJV.

2 radishes, chopped

1 carrot, chopped

5-6 bok choy, chopped

1-2″ fresh ginger root, chopped or grated

Striploin steak, cut into strips

Rice noodles, 1 package, softened according to package directions

1/2 cup marmalade

1/8 cup low sodium soy sauce

Place 1-2 tbsp oil, vegetable or olive, in a frying pan with the radishes, carrot and boy choy. Once cooked, 5-8 minutes, push to the side of the pan and add the striploin steak. Fry quickly. Remove the steak and add the ginger and stir fry. Add the steak back in and then add 1 package of rice noodles. In a separate, small saucepan melt the marmalade and the soy sauce together. When melted and nicely mixed, add to the pan of stir fry. Dish up and enjoy!

 

 

I was reminded yesterday of the verse in Isaiah that tells us our God comforts us like a mother comforts her child. “As one whom his mother comforts, so I will comfort you; and you shall be comforted in Jerusalem,” Isaiah 66:13 NKJV. Isn’t it wonderful that our heavenly Father Who loves us as only the perfect Parent can, comforts us like a mother would? He has our best in mind and even though the way can be dark and difficult at times, He never leaves us, nor forsakes us, Hebrews 13:5. Be encouraged dear one today. He knows what you are going through and He is with you in it.

 

1 Cup butter, softened

1 Cup sugar, I use 3/4 white sugar and 1/4 lightly packed brown sugar

2 Cups All Purpose flour

1 egg at room temperature

1 package Dr. Oetker’s Vanilla Sugar

1 tsp baking powder

6-8 apples, peeled, cored and grated

1/4-1/2 Cup seedless raisins

Ground Cinnamon

You will note this recipe looks a lot like my last post on Butter Cake, (Boterkoek), but there is a difference. This one adds in a little baking powder!

Sift together the sugar, flour vanilla and baking powder loosely with a fork. Make a well in the centre and crack in the egg, then fold flour mixture into the egg. When loosely mixed, drop in the butter a bit at a time and knead gently until mixed together. Roll as you would normal pastry. Soak raisins in warm water for 10 minutes to soften. Grate the apples into a pile, add the raisins and stir together with a touch of brown sugar and some flour to evenly coat the fruit. Add some ground cinnamon to this according to personal taste.

Roll out half to two-thirds pastry and place into bottom of glass pie dish. Add the apple mixture. Shake some more cinnamon onto the filling if desired. Roll out one-third to half of pastry that is left and cut into strips 1/4″ wide and make a lattice topping for your top pie crust. Lay strips across pie in one direction, turn pie 90 degrees and lay the rest of the strips across the top.

Bake in 325-350 oven, keeping an eye on it. You are looking for a golden crust. My oven takes about 50-55 minutes for this.

Enjoy!

In my last post I wrote about the Lord Jesus Christ and His family. I wrote about the fact He is both man and God. He is fully man and fully God. As I write this, Christmas Day is six days away. At this time of year we celebrate the birth of Jesus Christ. The angels proclaimed His first advent to a group of shepherds that night. “For there is born to you this day in the city of David a Saviour, who is Christ the Lord,” (Luke 2:11 NKJV). This was the best news the world had ever heard and remains the best news ever to this day. We all need a Saviour. We all sin and we all need forgiveness. “For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God,” (Romans 3:23). We give gifts to our loved ones at Christmas because God gave His greatest gift to us when He sent His only begotten Son, “For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord,” Romans 6:23. We can all have forgiveness and it is so simple. Believe in the Lord Jesus Christ. Ask Him to forgive you for all of your mistakes, past, present and future, and invite Him to be Lord of your life. He bore all the punishment for sin on the cross and He loves you so much! Gratefully accept His gift of eternal life today.