Gluten Free & God Seeking

Sunday, March 22, 2020

Finding God's Peace During the Coronavirus Pandemic

     The statistics each week on the coronavirus are alarming, and it can fill our hearts with uncertainty about the future.  A friend told me that while on the phone with her insurance agent last week this woman started unloading and told her that she was so worried for her kids and that she couldn't even sleep at night.  I'm sure that woman is not alone; there are many people facing financial worries these days with many businesses closing temporarily.  Every day the statistics on the coronavirus are unsettling as these numbers continue to increase.

     Throughout history God has gone to great lengths to reach man, and in the midst of tragedy God is there. We can find the peace that passes all understanding by opening our hearts to God and putting our trust in Him.

     Philippians 4:6-7 says:  In nothing be anxious, but in everything, by prayer and petition with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God; and the peace of God, which surpasses every man’s understanding, will guard your hearts and thoughts in Christ Jesus. 

      When I visited Bibles for America's website last week, I saw this encouraging verse from John 14:27:
 
                                “Peace I leave with you; My peace I give to you, 
                                 Not as the world gives do I give to you. Do not let
                                 Your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid.”

            When I read that verse on their site, it inspired me to type up a tract, and a lot of what's in this post I put in that tract.  A friend and I passed them out in our neighborhood. We enjoyed stopping to tell neighbors we had a word of encouragement for them!  Then on Saturday when my husband and I were walking, we gave some to the people we met.  With everything happening on earth today, you need to know that you can receive the God of peace into your heart. In Romans 5:1 the Apostle Paul writes: Therefore having been justified out of faith, we have peace toward God through our Lord Jesus Christ.  With an honest heart you can just tell the Lord: 
 
Lord Jesus, I need You. 
Thank You for dying for all my sins.  
Please forgive me, Lord.  
I ask that You would cleanse me from all of my sins. 
Lord Jesus, come into me!   

       For about 18 years my husband and I have been volunteers for Bibles for America, an organization that has already given out over a million free study Bibles. They went to Ground Zero, New Orleans, Virginia Tech, and Europe during the refugee crisis to encourage people’s hearts. You can receive a free study Bible by going to bfa.org; they will ship it to you free. They also have many free booklets available and videos that you can view on their website. BFA can also connect you with a volunteer in your area to read the Bible with you.

List of Posts on Handing out Bibles & Gospel Tracts

Why Do I Volunteer For Bibles for America?
The Best Things in Life are Free! - Bible for America Distribution at WWU
Adventures in Handing out Gospel Tracts - Part 1 of 1

Adventures in Handing out Gospel Tracts - Part 2 of 2
Volunteering for Bibles for America - Part 2 of 2
Volunteering for Bibles for America - Part 1 of 2
My 2013 Bibles For America Volunteer Experience - Handing Out Tracts


Friday, March 6, 2020

Looking at the Major Truths in the Minor Prophets - Why Did God Create the Universe?

Have you ever thought about the size of the universe?  If you have ever looked at a Nova presentation on the Hubble telescope, you know what I'm talking about.  It's huge, it's incredible, and to think that God created it all!! Scientists say that there are two billion to two trillion galaxies in the observable universe.

And when I asked Google how many stars are in the universe, the answer came back 100 billion!  It's really hard for me to wrap my head around numbers like that because in standard notation that number looks like this: 1,000,000,000,000,000,000,000!!  Those are the kinds of numbers God works with, and He's the originator of all the scientific formulas that He put into motion to run this universe!

By now you may be wondering where am I going with all of this. That's my introduction to my last post in the Life-Studies of the Bible that I started in July 2011. Zechariah 12:1  says:  "The burden of the word of Jehovah concerning Israel. Thus declares Jehovah, who stretches forth the heavens and lays the foundations of the earth and forms the spirit of man within him," 

 If you look carefully at this verse, it's almost like a target with three circles--the outermost being God's creation of the heavens (Genesis 1:1), then zeroing a little closer, we see God created the earth (Genesis 1:1), and last of all in the center we see God's creation of the spirit of man by breathing His breath into man's soul (Genesis 2:7). (I learned that from a chapter in the Life-Study of Genesis!)

From this one verse in a book of the minor prophets we can see that the center of the entire universe is man's spirit!!  Now that's worth a ta-da!  Have you ever thought about that?  From this verse we can easily see that the focus isn't about what's out there--even though it's marvelous and breathtakingly beautiful. What God is centered on is what's going on in man's spirit!! This one phrase in the book of Zechariah should make us all think why did God form a spirit within me? 

In the New Testament Paul wrote to the Thessalonian believers about how God created man with three parts:  And the God of peace Himself sanctify you wholly, and may your spirit and soul and body be preserved complete, without blame, at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. 1 Thessalonians 5:23  We all learned in school that anything separated by an and is a separate entity. Sometimes philosophers goof up and mix man's soul with man's spirit, but the Bible tells us that they are two different things. 

When Jesus talked to Nicodemus who was a member of the Jewish Sanhedrin, he talked to him about God's Spirit and man's spirit. According to the record in John 3, the Lord was pretty direct with Nicodemus.  He told him in verse 3:  "Unless one is born anew, he cannot see the kingdom of God,"  At first Nicodemus didn't realize that the Lord was not talking about a physical birth but a spiritual one.

 Then in verse 6 the Lord goes on to say:  That which is born of the flesh is flesh, and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit. In one of the footnotes in my Recovery Version of the Bible on John 3:6, it says:
"The first Spirit mentioned here is the divine Spirit, the Holy Spirit of God, and the second spirit is the human spirit, the regenerated spirit of man. Regeneration is accomplished in the human spirit by the Spirit of God with God's life, the uncreated eternal life...."

Bibles for America has produced a very helpful article called Do You Know the Two Spirits--God's Spirit Mingled With Your Human Spirit? It talks about the different places in the New Testament where these two spirits are used.  You can also order your own free Bible with footnotes on that page. They've given away over a million all over the United States.

    Anyway, back to where I was going with all of this.  It's quite touching that when the Lord spoke with Nicodemus He was showing him his need to be born again or regenerated.  And later the Lord speaks to Nicodemus the beautiful verse in John 3:16 that has brought hope and salvation to millions:  For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that every one who believes into Him would not perish, but would have eternal life."

     Throughout the centuries people have complicated God's salvation by making it a matter of doing something to receive forgiveness. But the Bible tells us we can't earn salvation--take a look at Ephesians 2:8  For by grace you have been saved through faith, and this not of yourselves; it is the gift of God.

     So if it's a gift, but how do you receive it?  Once again the Bible tells us how simple it is and in Romans 10:9-10 are some classic verses that say: "That if you confess with your mouth Jesus as Lord and believe in your heart that God has raised Him from the dead, you will be saved; For with the heart there is believing unto righteousness, and with the mouth there is confession unto salvation." 

     Right now there's a lot of uncertainty on the earth today because of the impact of the coronavirus. Undoubtedly this is making a lot of people think more seriously about eternal things. If you haven't ever done so, please take this as your opportunity to open up your heart and ask the Lord Jesus to come into you.  By doing so, you will fulfill God's purpose for forming the spirit of man in Zechariah 12:1!! 

Other Posts on the Three Parts of Man & the Gospel:

Why Did God Create Man with Three Parts in Genesis 2:7?
How Does God Preserve Us Complete in 1 Thessalonians 5:23?

Thursday, February 27, 2020

Who Says You Can't Eat Turkey in February? Try Out Jeremy's Spatchcocked Turkey

    Who says you can't have turkey in February?  For several years I've been buying two turkeys at Thanksgiving so I can have one on New Year's, but this year I was out of town.  So I kept it until my son came to visit and we could celebrate three February birthdays. 

So my son told me he had a great new way of cooking turkey, and would I let him try it.  He assured me that this would be the moistest turkey I had ever eaten. I was like really? 

 For years I've been cooking my turkey in a roasting bag and I've not complained. So I was a bit skeptical, but I watched him  and took notes just in case it came out incredible.  He told me this was like a spatchcocked chicken just without the lemons. 

Anyway, after the turkey bakes for one hour, he took it out and sealed it with two layers of aluminum foil. It sat on a trivet for an hour and then he sliced it. When he handed me a piece and I popped it into my mouth, I was so surprised!   It was totally moist--much more than anything I had cooked in a bag before. 

So we did the whole nine yards for that meal--mashed potatoes, sweet potato casserole, green beans with toasted almonds, cranberries, and even  a pumpkin pie.  So about 17 people feasted on that turkey, and everyone was raving about it.  My son-in-law Jer whose Italian and Greek recipes I've posted on this site (and you can some in the list below this recipe) said that it was the best turkey he had ever eaten! 


1.  Prepare spices:
(1)  Peel 10 cloves of garlic.
(2)  Mix together  spices: 1/2 cup each of thyme, sage, rosemary and any other herbs you'd like to try to make a rub of, and 2 T of salt, 2 tsp. of black pepper. 2.  Prepare turkey:  Get out a roasting pan


(1) Take out your turkey and let it sit out for 30 minutes.
(2)  Cut off the legs, wings, thighs, and each breast, but do not remove the skin.
(3)  Rinse and sit in a bowl.


(4)  Squiggle olive oil over the bottom of the roasting pan.
(5)  Scatter garlic cloves around the pan.
(6)  Rub olive oil under the skin and on the top of each piece of turkey and place it in the pan as close as you can to each other.  Some parts may overlap like a chicken wing or leg.
(7)  Rub spices underneath the skin.
(8)  Scatter any remaining spices over the top.

3.  Bake at 400 for 1 hour without a cover.  Check meat temperature and if it's not ready, roast another 15 or 30 minutes.



4.  Take turkey out of oven and put on a hot pad and seal the turkey tightly with aluminum so it can continue cooking. Let it sit for 15 minutes.

5.  Carve and put on a platter. 


 List of  chicken recipes on this blog:

Asian:
Authentic Chinese BBQ Chicken  (From my friend Rose)
The Real Deal GF Teriyaki Chicken  (From my church cookbook, Come & Dine)
Gluten Free Sweet & Sour Chicken (From my church cookbook, Come & Dine)

Make Your Own G.F. Teriyaki Bowls  (From a collection of my recipes)

Italian & Greek:
Make Your Own Gyros With Jer D.'s Chicken Souvlaki   (Marinade for chicken from my son-in-law)
Gluten Free Chicken Cacciatore With Peppers & Mushrooms  (Modified from my mother-in-law)
Delicious Gluten Free Chicken Parmesan   (From my church cookbook, Come & Dine)
My Son-in-Law's Own Recipe for Greek Chicken (Another Jer D. recipe)
Delicious Chicken Florentine Lasagna  (From my church cookbook)

Mexican:
Pollo Guisado (Mexican Braised Chicken)  (From a church friend in Phoenix)
Belizean Chicken, Black Beans & Rice, and Belizean Coleslaw  (From my daughter-in-law's  family reunion cookbook)
Make Your Own Chicken Burrito Bowls (From a collection of my recipes)
Jer D.'s Mexican Lime Chicken  (From my son-in-law)

American Favorites:
The Best Gluten Free Oven Fried Chicken   (From my sister-in-law)
Curried Mushroom & Apple Chicken  (From my church cookbook Come & Dine)
A Gluten Free Twist on Tarragon Chicken (From my  church Come & Dine cookbook)
Chicken & Mushrooms in Wine Sauce  ( From my church Come & Dine cookbook)
Summery Lemon Chicken - (From my daughter-in-law's family cookbook)
Pulled Chicken Sliders  (Modified recipe from my daughter)
Jer D.'s Special Rub for Roast Chicken  (From my son-in-law)

BBQ:
The Best Homemade Chicken BBQ Sauce  (From my daughter-in-law's family reunion cookbook)
Amazing BBQ Chicken    (From my daughter-in-law's family reunion cookbook)
Blackberry BBQ Chicken - A Tasty Sauce You'll Have to Try! (Off a package of blackberries)
Ray's BBQ Chicken - (From my daughter-in-law's family reunion cookbook)
Country Style BBQ Chicken - (From my daughter-in-law's family reunion cookbook)
Great for Summer BBQ - Lemon Rosemary Chicken Legs  (From my church cookbook, Come & Dine)

Fantastic Gluten Free Chicken Kabobs  (From my church cookbook, Come & Dine)
Jeremy's Original BBQ Rub For Thighs  (My son's very own concoction)

Chicken Casseroles
Chicken Divan  - (From my Come & Dine Cookbook)
Chicken Pot Pie - (A combination of 3 different recipes!)
Our Family's Fall Favorite - Chicken & Zucchini Casserole with Gluten Free Biscuit Topping - -( From my church Come & Dine cookbook)
Savory Chicken Mornay - (A classic chicken broccoli casserole from my Come & Dine cookbook)

Saturday, February 22, 2020

Looking at the Major Truths in the Minor Prophets - Did You Know Christ's Death & Resurrection were Prophesied in the Minor Prophets?

        As I was reading through all the Life-Studies of the minor prophets, I realized that embedded  in these books  were many major truths presented in the New Testament.  Even CHRIST'S INCARNATION is hidden there because in Micah 5:2 it says that Christ’s goings forth are from eternity. I read in chapter 23 of the Life-Study of Micah that this means that even in eternity Christ was preparing to come forth as a man so that He could die on our behalf.  Also in this verse we learn that the LOCATION OF CHRIST'S BIRTH would be Bethlehem.

First blossoms of spring!
       In the  book of Jonah we see that Jonah’s spending THREE DAYS IN THE BELLY of that great fish was a picture of the Lord being in the heart of the earth for three days before His resurrection.  And we know this because the Lord compared Himself to Jonah in Matthew 12:40. 

      In the Life-Study of Jonah Witness Lee also points out that Jonah's PREACHING THE GOSPEL TO THE GENTILES in Ninevah is similar to the Lord's preaching the gospel to both the Jews and Gentiles (Matt. 12:17-21).


     Then hidden in the book of Joel are some verses about the POURING OUT OF THE SPIRIT. In the Life-Study of Joel I learned that after the Lord’s resurrection, He came to His disciples in John 20:22 and breathed  the Holy Spirit into them. And in Acts 2:1-4 we see that on the day of Pentecost the Holy Spirit was also poured out upon the disciples for their preaching the gospel.  All of this was foretold in Joel 2:28-29, 32 hundreds of years before it even happened. 

     Then I learned by reading the chapters in the Life-Study of Haggai that this prophet's main burden was to turn the Israelites from being so wrapped up in their own houses to CARE FOR GOD'S HOUSE which was lying waste.  Haggai inspired the people to give so the temple could be repaired. All of this is a picture of how we need to give ourselves to built together so that God can have a testimony through His church.

      Even many events that will occur in the future are foretold in the books of the minor prophets.  I read in the Life-Study of Obadiah that this prophet spoke about THE DAY OF JEHOVAH when God will come to judge the nations after the great tribulation (Obadiah  1:15-16). 
This is the first bloom in my front flower bed.

     Then back in the Book of Joel in chapter 3:2, 12, 14 I saw that this judgment will take place in the valley of Jehosphaphat.  Can you imagine even the outcome of this final battle is actually foretold in Joel 3:9-13, 16-21?    
 
     In the Gospels the Lord spoke many times about the Kingdom of God, and that we should pray that God's kingdom would come to this earth.  This hidden truth is proclaimed in Joel 3:16a, 17, and 21b  where Joel states that CHRIST WILL REIGN IN THE CITY OF JERUSALEM DURING THE MILENNIAL KINGDOM.

     Now isn't the Bible a wonderful book?
 


Tuesday, February 4, 2020

A Winter Time Fav - Classic Date Nut Bread

Dates are so good.   I grew up in California, and loved it when my parents bought Hadley dates. My brother was born in Palm Springs, and last April on our way to Arizona, we all stopped in at Hadley's. They are definitely a  great place to stop and grab some yummy snacks for the trek across the desert. 

In the past I've made scones with dates and hermit cookies which contain finely chopped dates, but today I'm showcasing classic date nut bread. This recipe comes from a fundraiser cookbook from the first school I taught at.

So this morning one of my daughters came over, and while the snow was falling, we read out of the book we're going through and enjoyed some date bread and tea.  Ahh, now that's one of my favorite ways to spend a winter morning!



Classic Date Nut Bread

1.  Prepare dates - In a small mixing bowl put and let sit while mixing the dry ingredients:
 1 cup of boiling water and 1 cup of chopped dates.

2.  Prepare dry ingredients - In a large mixing bowl put:

(1)  2 cups of your favorite gluten free flour mix- I usually use 2/3 cup of white rice flour, 2/3 cup of sorghum flour, and 2/3 cup of tapioca flour.
(2)  Stir in 1 tsp. of baking soda and 1/2 tsp. of salt.
(3)  Then add 1 cup of sugar (I usually use 3/4 cup) and 1 cup of chopped walnuts.

3.  Beat 1 egg

4.  Melt 3 T of butter in a small pan. (I used olive oil yesterday, and it came out great!)

5.  Combine ingredients:
(1)  Add the date mixture to the flour mixture
(2)  Then stir in the beaten egg and the melted butter.
(3)  Mix until combined.


6.  Grease a loaf pan or you can use 3 mini loaf pans.  Bake at 300-325 for 45 minutes or until a knife comes out clean.

Breads & Coffee Cakes: Gluten free & Low-fat Banana Bread    (From my daughter-in-law's family reunion cookbook)
Celebrate Fall With Gluten Free Pumpkin Bread  (A friend's recipe)
Delicious Gluten Free Zucchini Bread (From my Heritage School Cookbook)
My Favorite Gluten Free Cranberry Nut Bread  (From my daughter-in-law's family cookbook)
Claudia's Blueberry Coffee Cake (Made Gluten Free!)   (From a former neighbor)
Here's a Zucchini Bread with a Hawaiian Twist! Gluten Free Pineapple Zucchini Bread (From my Syre School Cookbook)
Dot's Old Fashioned Pumpkin Bread   (From my father's friend)

Wednesday, January 22, 2020

Looking at the Major Truths in the Minor Prophets - Seeing Human History in the Book of Joel

     The Ethiopian eunuch told Stephen in Acts that he couldn't understand what he was reading in Isaiah 53 unless someone helped him.  I often feel this way when I read the Life-Studies--I appreciate the clear exposition and spiritual applications  contained in these chapters. 

We had a beautiful January snow this year.
     For example, the book of Joel begins by talking about the stages of a locust.  Without the insight from the Life-Study of Joel, I'd probably just gloss over it. But I learned that these locusts parallel Nebuchadnezzar's great image in Daniel 2.  That's worth a wow.  When I read the Life-Studies of Daniel, I learned that each part of this image from the head of gold which represented Nebuchadnezzar as well as each of the other parts portrays the major empires in world history!!

     In chapter 15 of the Life-Study of Joel I learned that within the history of these empires is a divine history.  Here's that excerpt on pages 99-100:

We should not think that man has a history but that God does not have a history.  In this universe there are two histories: the history of man, the human history, and the history of God, the divine history.  We may liken the history of man to the shell of a walnut and the history of God to the kernel within the shell.  In the Minor Prophets the "shell" is clearly defined, and the "kernel" is revealed in some detail....In Daniel 2 this history is signified by a great human image, with the four sections of this image corresponding respectively to the Babylonian Empire, the Medo-Persian Empire, the Grecian Empire, and the Roman Empire. Although it is easy for us to see the shell, which is something outward and physical, we must have a kind of intrinsic insight in order to see the kernel within the shell, to know the divine history within the human history  (Lee, Witness. Life-Study of the Minor Prophets.  Anaheim: Living Stream Ministry, 1993, Print). 

           Who would have thought the Minor Prophets contain this lens to view all of human history?  In this chapter Witness Lee also points out that the Lord's incarnation, crucifixion, and resurrection are all parts of the divine history that took place during the history of the Roman Empire.  And even the church that the Lord died for on the cross is a part of this divine history that is even now being worked out in human history.  Isn't that incredible!  I would encourage you to click on the above link and read this entire chapter for yourself.

     And all of this can even be brought down one more level.   At the end of this chapter our brother reminds us that when each of us got regenerated, we were reborn into the divine history.  So he leaves his readers with this heart-searching question--"Are we living in the divine history or are we living merely in the human history?"  May God continually show us where we are!



    .


It's That Time of Year Again - Why Not Make Your Own Cold, Cough & Flu Brew?

               How I Got Into Making My Own Tea

      Twenty years ago I lived next door to a horticulturist who had a flower shop in downtown Seattle.  Eventually she made both her front and backyards into different types of flower gardens.  When her fight with a brain tumor was almost at an end, she told me I could dig up any of the plants I wanted.  Besides some beautiful perennial plants,  I chose some lemon balm, peppermint, feverfew, sweet woodruff, and daisy. 

      A few years after planting them, I began doing some research to check out  their medicinal benefits.  I learned how to dry peppermint and lemon balm.  Over the years I researched some of the other plants I got from her garden like daisies and sweet woodruff, and I found out that they were also great for colds and coughs.  Then I found out that certain roses can be dried and some of them have both antibacterial and antiviral properties. So because in the Northwest we have a rugged winter, I began  putting together all the herbs that treat  colds, coughs, and flu and I made them for my family and gave them also as gifts.  Every year since then I have dried herbs and medicinal flowers so I could make a fresh batch of this tea. 

HERBS & FLOWERS FOR COLD, COUGH & FLU TEA
 
Click on the link below on how to dry herbs for more details but basically herbs are placed on racks, cardboard, or paper towels or plates for about two weeks.  They should be dry to the touch and easy to rub off into a jar or bowl.

(1) Calendula:  Reduces a fever, soothes a sore throat, stimulates the immune system, flavonoids prevent infection and inflammation. 


 


(2)  Daisy:  Colds, cough, bronchitis and reduces a fever.

(3)  Dandelion leaf:  Antibacterial and antiviral properties.  Make sure you pick these in the woods or a clearing where there are no pesticides. 

  

(4)  Feverfew:  Use for wheezing and coughs.  Also an energizing herb.   Pain reliever; helps with asthma, fever, and sinus congestion. I usually dry it in vases.


 
(5) Lavender:  Helps relieve headaches and nervous exhaustion common when ill.
 
(6) Lemon Balm:  The tannins and polyphenols in lemon balm extracts have antibacterial & antiviral effects.  Used in treatment of colds, flu, and cold sores. Contains eugenol a natural pain reliever. 
 
(7) Nettle:  Colds, bronchitis, stimulates the lymphatic system. (I pick these from a nearby forest.)
 
(8) Rose:  Antibacterial and antiviral, clears lungs, flushes toxins and soothes a sore throat.

 

 
(9) Yarrow:  Contains antiseptic qualities that fight bacteria.  Good for colds, flu, and fever.  Helps detoxify the body  Good for soothing a sore throat. 

Update July 15, 2023 - Over the past few years I have continued to research herbs that are good for colds, cough, and flu.  Yesterday I was putting together a batch of herbs that I dried and I had about 22 of them! Besides the 9 listed here, you can also dry on racks or cardboard the following herbs that I've learned in recent years also help tackle colds and coughs: 
1.  Peppermint  - antibacterial/viral
2.  Raspberry leaves  -  an immune system booster
3.  Sweet woodruff  -  antibacterial/viral/fungal
4.  Lavender - good for the common cold and coughs
5.  Sage  - antibacterial/viral/fungal
6.  Oregano - antibacterial/viral/fungal and an immune system booster!
7.  Hyssop - for the common cold, bronchitis, and a fever reducer
8.  Catnip Mint - antibacterial/viral and good for coughs
9.   Rosemary - Good for respiratory problems and an immune system booster!
10. Chamomile - good for the common cold
11.  Bronze Fennel - Good for congestion
12. Red clover blossoms - Good for a bad cough
13. Marjoram - Antimicrobial, good for common cold and coughs
14.  English ivy - Congestion and bronchitis

Have fun doing some of your own research and make your own brew! The strong flavor of peppermint and lavender generally masks the stronger tones of oregano and sage.