The Devil's Inoculation from Salvation for the 21st Century

Written by my husband, Sean.  This is an excellent article about what exactly is wrong with our "Christian America".   


The inoculation of our nation against the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ is alive and well.

Romans 6:23: God came to save us from sin,not the natural wages of it (Isaiah 59:2). Salvation was never supposed to be a fire escape from hell, it was created to be our freedom from sin (John 8:31,32, Romans 6:18-22,Romans 8:1-3)


I see more and more men that appear powerful in the pulpit and with the Word of God grievously compromising themselves when it comes to salvation, the cornerstone of our relationship with Christ! Ephesians2:1-5/Acts 3:19 The US is more & more concerned about being saved from hell instead of from sin! Sin is the problem, not hell. Biblical terms need to be defined Biblically, not through today's dumbed-down English(Thanks for that, no coincidence, as far as satan is concerned). More and more preachers emphasize the "gift" without the repentance (change of heart about our sins) for the remission of sins. Jesus Christ and the apostles all preached repentance from sin, not being saved from hell (2Corinthians 7:9,10). Yet our nation's preachers call for accepting the gift of salvation as a source of relief from the penalty of sin, hell. Sin is the problem, hell is the penalty! We are starting to teach treating the symptoms, instead of the problem, just like our medical doctors do.

Taking the focus off our sin, and putting it on hell, and simply "accepting the gift" is the most grievous deception we can give a soul lost in sin. It might be easier to get someone to say yes to a fire escape from hell, but it does nothing to deal with the sin that sends us there. This is no different from telling someone any other religious way to heaven will save them. We are not here to SELL salvation as easily as possible (Just believe in Jesus (James 2:17-20). We are here to offer salvation the same way Christ did, as Repentance from sin toward God, and Faith in our LORD Jesus Christ (Acts 20:21) and the decision to accept or reject the LORD Jesus Christ (all three names are important Acts 16:31, Acts 11:17, John 11:25-27) is each of ours to make. Christ promises a change of life and desires when we truly repent from sin and turn to Him (2Corinthians 5:17). Not because we make the change, but because HE makes the change in us! And that's the only change that can truly last. His Holy Spirit does the work in our hearts after repentance from sin, and it affects our outward lives (Ephesians 5:8-11, Galations 5:22-24). Repentance is not a dirty word, and does not need the definition changed from what God intended in order to make it more palatable to the lost world. A lack of belief in God has never been the problem (James 2:17-20), the problem has always been sin. Until sin is addressed, salvation cannot occur, only an inoculation from true salvation, by changing the simple gospel that is found in the Word of God (Galations 1:6,7/ 2Corinthians 11:2-4).

Let us not change the gospel of the LORD Jesus Christ for our own selfish purposes of numbers in the pews, money in the bank, notches on our "soulwinners gunbelt", or any other reason the devil gives us! To do so is confusion to the lost world, and does nothing for their lost souls (Matthew 7:22-23).

Focal Wall gets French Facelift

I've been wanting to do a fun wall collage for a while, and finally got around to doing it!

This is my "Crafty Creations" post for this week because it's proof that you can create fun wall art for your home, with a collage of items that you already have.

Items I used:

-Black scrolly frame - Ikea
-Letter 'S' - Hobby Lobby
-Various frames - garage sales/thrift stores ( spray painted)
-Candleabra and Paris Subway Art - TJMaxx (LOVE that store!)
-"Love" picture - wedding gift
-Picture of my hubby and I - thanks to Eden Photography (frame a garage sale find!)
-Decorative mirrors - can't remember ;-)
(framing my thermostat is just an added bonus)

Begin by arranging your items on the floor - you want the items to all go together but avoid being too "matchy matchy". You want them to all relate, or have some coordinating element but be random enough to be interesting. I chose to use items with a French flair (they also go with other decor in my room, like a gorgeous lamp I'll show you in another post)

A wall collage tends to be like a puzzle, as you're trying to create balance in an effort to achieve a look that you're happy with. Don't get frustrated, the end result is fabulous!

My bare focal wall is now adorned with a fun, French inspired collage that I am beyond pleased with! It has just the right amount of wimsy, style, and love to make this girl happy.

What have you created today?

~Lauren

Toffee Crack...umm I mean Crackers

My sister and I were craving something sweet but alas, had NOTHING like that in the cupboards to satisfy our sweet tooth. That, my friends, is when ingenuity must kick in.

We were able to make something amazing using ONLY 4 ingredients for this decadent treat. We affectionately call it....


"Toffee Crack"...because it's just THAT addicting.

What you'll need:

• 1.5 sleeves of saltine crackers - we used Club crackers
  
• 1 stick (4 oz) butter
• 1 cup packed brown sugar
• 2 cups chocolate chips- we used 85% dark
  

Preparation:

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Prepare a baking sheet by lining it with aluminum foil and spraying the foil with nonstick cooking spray.

2. Arrange the crackers in a single layer on the baking sheet so that there are no empty spaces in between them. Crush any remaining crackers into small crumbs and set aside for now.

3. Place the butter and brown sugar in a small saucepan over medium-high heat. Stir while the butter melts, and bring the mixture to a rolling boil. Once boiling, carefully pour the sugar-butter mixture over the crackers on the baking sheet in an even layer, trying to cover most of the crackers. If you miss some spots, don’t worry as the toffee will spread in the oven.

4. Bake the toffee crackers at 350 degrees for five minutes, until the toffee is bubbling all over. Carefully remove the pan from the oven and allow to cool for one minute.

5. Sprinkle the chocolate chips on top of the hot toffee, and allow them to sit for one minute to soften and melt. Once softened, use an offset spatula or knife to spread the melted chocolate over the entire surface of the toffee in an even layer. While the chocolate is still sticky, sprinkle the top with the reserved crushed crackers.

6. Refrigerate the pan to set the toffee and chocolate for about 30 minutes. Once set, break into small uneven pieces by hand, and enjoy! Store uneaten saltine toffee in an airtight container for up to a week.

Yet Will I Rejoice

This morning a tragic car accident happened and a sweet 3 year old girl entered the arms of Jesus. Her family and friends are heartbroken, but amidst the tragedy, there is still hope. God is STILL in control, and He makes no mistakes. I thought this daily devotion put out by Pastor Thomas Smith in St. Clair, MO was SO timely.



YET WILL I REJOICE
Devotion for February 20, 2012

"Although the fig tree shall not blossom, neither shall fruit be in the vines; the labour of the olive shall fail, and the fields shall yield no meat; the flock shall be cut off from the fold, and there shall be no herd in the stalls: Yet I will rejoice in the LORD, I will joy in the God of my salvation."
Habakkuk 3:17, 18.

The word happiness is defined as being "favored by luck or fortune." In other words, happiness is understood as being dependent upon circumstances or happenings. We all enjoy and appreciate it when circumstances are favorable and things are happening which are in our favor. It is easy to be happy when we have our health, our needs are met, and things seem to be going our way. However, Habakkuk speaks of a place of joy that is not the result of these things. He speaks of trees failing to blossom, vines being barren, fields yielding no fruit, flocks being lost, and yet being able to rejoice.

I think we all long for a place of constant joy that is not affected by every problem of life. There is no question about this; God wants our lives to be filled with joy. However, our rejoicing must be in something that is constant, not constantly changing. For instance, if we can only rejoice when the sun is shining, what shall we do on rainy days? If we can only find joy when we are feeling well, what are we to do when we are in pain? Circumstances will change, but some things never change. Our rejoicing can be consistent if we are finding joy in things that remain the same. Habakkuk says, "I will rejoice in the LORD, I will joy in the God of my salvation." We can always rejoice in the Lord because He never changes. His character and attributes never change. God's love for us is constant. His promises to us are unchanging.

Notice also that the prophet speaks of rejoicing in the "God of my salvation." We can always rejoice in our salvation because this is also something that does not change. We can be joyful because our sins are forgiven and Heaven is our future home. Nothing can alter that. We can rejoice every day that God is our Father and Jesus is our Lord. The kind of rejoicing that we find in our text is not based on feelings or fortune, but it is the result of Bible faith. By faith, we can rejoice because of the blessings that are ours in Jesus Christ. Even when the way becomes difficult, through faith we are able to find reasons to rejoice.

Thank YOU!!!

Yes, I know that this Thursday is almost over but it's not too late to get one quick "Thankful Thursday" post up!

We just want to take the time to sincerely thank each and every one of you for being a supporter of this blog!! Each moment you spend reading our posts, means a lot to us!

Our goal is for this blog to be a place where women can be edified in the Lord, encouraged to stay faithful to Him, learn some great recipes to wow their families, discover quick tips to make their lives easier, to be inspired with DIY projects and crafts, and to be reminded of life's many blessings.

We are SO thankful for YOU....each and every one of you!

Much love,

Lauren & Page

Panko!!

This is probably going to be the quickest tip EVER!! Use Panko Bread crumbs when breading fish, chicken, etc. Your local supermarket should carry them.

What are they, you ask?

Panko (パン粉^?) is a variety of flaky bread crumb used in Japanese cuisine as a crunchy coating for fried foods, such as tonkatsu. Panko is made from bread baked by passing an electric current through the dough,^[1] yielding bread without crusts, and it has a crisper, airier texture than most types of breading found in Western cuisine.^[1] Outside Japan, it is becoming more popular for use in Asian and non-Asian dishes, is often used on fish and seafood, and is often available in Asian markets and specialty stores. Increasingly, it is also available in many large supermarkets. Panko is produced worldwide, particularly in Asian countries, including Japan, Korea, Thailand, China, and Vietnam.


There ya go, that's straight from Wikipedia! :-)

They are so good and light and yummy and delicious and crunchy. I think you'll love them...

Have a quick tip to share? Simply comment below and perhaps we'll feature YOUR quick tip on the blog!

~Lauren

No Greater Love

Happy Valentine's Day!! We hope each and every one of you had a most special day, whether single, married, young or old! :-) I know I sure did! Yes, I'm about to get pretty sappy - but my hubby and I try to live each and every day as if it were Valentine's Day. We are all for showing love and appreciation EACH and EVERY day of the year! With that being said, it's still a fun holiday that gives everyone a good excuse to get a little romantic.

Anyway, I just wanted to take the time to say how thankful I am for the love of God! He loves me, even though I'm so undeserving and has blessed me more than words can say! What a privilege to be loved personally by the God of the universe! Think about that!

"We love him, because he first loved us." 1 John 4:19

He paid the price for my sin and YOURS on Calvary, when He died and shed His precious blood. There redemption from sin was made possible. Through repentance and faith in Him, we can be FORGIVEN and live eternally with Him in Heaven!

"But God commendeth His Love toward, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us." Rom 5:8

There is no greater love than this!

Happy Valentine's Day, everyone!!!

~Lauren

One Small Choice

You can choose your sin but not your consequence.

Talk about a profound truth. We never really know the full extent of our choices until it's too late. Think about how scary that is! One small choice can lead you down a path of forever change, and it often does! You can choose your sin, but not our consequence.

James 1:15 Then when lust hath conceived, it bringeth forth sin: and sin, when it is finished, bringeth forth death.

Pride tells us that we are in control, that we "know what we're getting ourselves into" when in reality - we don't have a clue what the consequences will be. Lust = Desire and Death = Separation. When you choose to pursue the desires of your wicked heart, it will always result in separation - from family, friends, God's best, a life of blessing, etc.

Jer 17:9 The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked: who can know it?

How many people do you think would honestly tell you that they have no regrets from their choice to sin? It is true that there is pleasure in sin for a season as the Bible tell us, but that season is SO short and the scars, regrets and consequences are for a lifetime!! Sin robs us of God's best for us, of true joy, and of wonderful blessings.

Pr 10:22 The blessing of the LORD, it maketh rich, and he addeth no sorrow with it.

Now why wouldn't you want to have the blessing of the Lord, to be rich in Him and to have pure joy that only He can give?! Let's consider our choices and pattern them after God's Word!! Submission to God and His Word will save us from the consequence of sin and a life full of regrets.

I sure want that, don't you?


~Lauren

Hook & Loop

This quick tip Wednesday is brought to us by one of our readers, Ashley. She shares with us that when sewing Hook & Loop aka Velcro onto your item, keep it secure with double sided tape instead of pins! Works great!! Brillant!!

Have a quick tip to share? Simply leave us a comment and perhaps we'll feature you on the blog!

Have a wonderful week,

Lauren & Page

6 Wonderful Months

Today our precious baby boy turns 6 months old! The months have flown by, but his Daddy and I have enjoyed every single moment of having him in our lives. I still remember when we found out about this sweet miracle from God (it was on his Daddy's birthday!) and we were completely overjoyed! We've savored each smile, each milestone, each of his many expressions. We're in awe of God's wondrous gift, and privileged that we have the responsibility of raising this amazing little boy for the Lord.



This "Thankful Thursday" I'm praising the Lord for the blessing of my precious son!! I truly don't have words to describe how grateful I am to be a mother to my sweet Landon Justus! He has filled our hearts with more joy than we could ever describe, we are SO thankful for him!

~We love you, Landon!!! Happy 6 month birthday, baby boy!

Mommy & Daddy

Salted Caramels

My sister and I are crazy for caramel! Seriously, if you say caramel - you have our attention. ;-)

We came across this recipe on Pinterest, (one of our other addictions), and decided to try it out. Let's just say it was a huge success!!

Warning to those of you who will attempt this recipe at home - once made, these buttery, salty, creamy caramels are impossible to stop eating!!!!

Thanks to Baking Bites for this fabulous recipe! Check it out- they have lots of other yummy inspiration to choose from!

Note, when making these: Any coarse sea salt that you like will work well. The recipe recommends flaky Maldon Sea Salt, which has a great flavor, excellent texture and a beautiful look. After all, you do eat with your eyes!

Once the caramel is prepared, you can pour it into a 9×9 glass or pyrex baking dish. The 9×9 makes caramels of a nice thickness (which I highly recommend), but if you want to make your caramels smaller (or just make a lot more of them), you can also use a 9×13 pan and get thinner caramels. Do not forget to grease the pan with butter before adding the caramel! Remember to use a very sharp, warm (run under hot water and dried) knife for best results when slicing and removing caramels from pan.

Salted Caramels

Homemade Sea Salt Caramels
1/3 cup water
1/4 cup corn syrup
1 1/2 cups sugar
1 cup heavy cream
1/4 cup unsalted butter
1/2 tsp salt
1 – 2 tbsp sea salt (rec. Maldon brand)

Lightly grease a 9×9 -inch glass or pyrex baking dish with butter or a thin coat of vegetable oil.
In a large saucepan, combine water, corn syrup and sugar. Bring to a boil over high heat, then continue to boil until caramel turns a deep honey color (10-14 minutes).
While sugar cooks, combine cream and butter in a microwave-safe bowl and cook for 1-2 minutes on high heat, until butter is melted. Set aside.
When sugar is a deep honey color, pour in cream mixture. Caramel will bubble up vigorously. Stir until bubbles subside slightly, then stir in salt. Attach a candy thermometer to the side of the pan and continue to cook, stirring regularly with a silicone spatula, until caramel reaches 260F (5-10 minutes).
Pour caramel into prepared dish. Allow caramel to cool completely, then sprinkle evenly with sea salt.
Cut caramels into small squares or rectangles with a warm, sharp knife.
Caramels can be served immediately or wrapped in small squares of wax paper. Caramels will keep for a few weeks at room temperature.

Makes about 3-4 dozen, depending on the size of your caramels.

Thy face, LORD, will I seek.

Ps 27:8 When thou saidst, Seek ye my face; my heart said unto thee, Thy face, LORD, will I seek.


I love the verse above and thought I would share it as part of our "Monday Meditation". What better to way to start off the week than with God's Word?!

Is it the desire of your heart to seek the Lord? To seek the face of the Lord requires humility on our part and a desire for holiness, for the Lord is holy!

For those of you who don't have a personal relationship with Him, the Lord desires a relationship with YOU!
Heb 11:6 But without faith it is impossible to please him: for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him.

Whether saved or lost, it's pretty clear that we're to seek the Lord. Are we really serious about our soul's condition? Are we really seeking to become more Christ like? A good test is whether or not our heart is seeking the face of the Lord. I pray that is our desire!

Happy Monday!

~Lauren

Lemon Chicken Soup

I love watching Food Network and happened to be watching one of my favorite chefs, Giada De Laurentiis, making this yummy soup. I wasn't sure what I'd think of the lemon juise in the soup, but after making it I have to say that it might be one of my favorite chicken soups ever! The lemon truly brings a freshness and enhances all the other flavors. This soup is a perfect example of how you can use your Parmesan cheese rind, as seen in this post from earlier this week.

Try it, I think you'll really enjoy it!! For me, a recipe is simply a guideline and this recipe is no exception. I tweaked it to my liking, used pasta shells and made a double batch.

Lemon Chicken Soup

• 6 cups low-sodium chicken broth
• 1/3 cup fresh lemon juice (about 2 lemons)
• 1 dried bay leaf
• 1 (2-inch) piece Parmesan cheese rind, optional
• 2 medium carrots, peeled and sliced into 1/4-inch pieces
• 1 cup (about 2 1/2 ounces) spaghetti, broken into 2-inch pieces, *see Cook's Note
• 2 cups diced cooked rotisserie chicken, preferably breast meat
• 1 cup grated Romano cheese
• 1/4 cup chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
• Kosher salt

Directions

In a large stockpot, bring the chicken broth, lemon juice, bay leaf, and Parmesan rind, if using, to a boil over medium-high heat.

Add the carrots and simmer until tender, about 5 to 8 minutes.

Add the broken pasta and cook until the pasta is tender, for 4 to 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add the chicken and heat through, about 2 to 3 minutes. Remove the bay leaf and the Parmesan rind and discard. Stir in 1/2 of the cheese and the parsley. Season with salt, to taste. Ladle the soup into serving bowls and sprinkle with the remaining cheese.

*Cook's Note: You can use any short pasta from your pantry as a substitute for spaghetti.

Italy's Secret Ingredient!

This "Quick Tip" Wednesday is actually two tips in one. :-) I LOVE Italian food, and have found that using REAL Parmesan cheese is KEY to authentic flavors in my Italian cooking. Maybe it's because almost every Italian recipe calls for it? ;-) I truly believe it's their "secret ingredient". ha!

Anyway, what I'm saying is - don't cut corners by buying the el cheapo green can that I'm not sure is even real cheese. I buy my Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese at Sam's Club and find that they're most reasonable.



Ok, second tip - you can use the rinds of your Parmesan cheese! I know Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese is kind of spendy but I'm here to tell you that you can use every last bit of this cheese! How cool is that? I simply freeze the rinds (exterior of the cheese) and then when I make a pot of soup, I throw a rind in my soup and it flavors it beautifully!! The salty, nutty, buttery cheese still on the rind flavors the soup and gives it an added dimension that is absolutely delicious! Simply remove the rind before serving, or if it happens to completely dissolve in the soup - that's fine too!

Have a quick tip to share with us?? Leave a comment below and perhaps we'll choose your quick tip to be featured!! :-)

Happy Wednesday, everyone!

~Lauren

How Profound!

"It is not the absence of sin but the grieving over it which distinguishes the child of God from empty professors of faith." Arthur Pink

I recently read this quote and could not help but share it!! How many people do you know who claim the name of Christ as being "Christians" yet live a life full of sin? You might say, "well nobody's perfect" which is true, but the Bible clearly says that if we're in Christ we're a NEW CREATURE!!

2 Corinthians 5:17 "Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new."

Does your sin grieve you? When you have that negative attitude, jealous thought, lustful eye, gossiping tongue, prideful look - do you repent and ask the Lord for His forgiveness? Does it grieve you when you sin against your Lord?

I pray that you'll take the above quote to heart and meditate on it this week. The world claims Christ, yet so many live a life of sin and have empty professions. This is what the Bible says in reference to the above quote:

1 John 1:6 "If we say that we have fellowship with him, and walk in darkness, we lie and do not the truth:"

1 John 2:4 "He that saith, I know him, and keepeth not his commandments, is a liar, and the truth is not in him. But whoso keepeth his word, in him verily is the love of God perfected: hereby know we that we are in him. He that saith he abideth in him ought himself also so to walk, even as he walked."

Praying you all have a blessed Monday!
~Lauren

Green Goodness!!

How many of you have resolved to become more healthy this year?? How many of you have determined to lose weight, especially those stubborn last 10lbs? Well, what if I told you that I have the perfect breakfast smoothie for you?!?

Many of you might read this and think to yourself "there is no way that this can taste good", but please don't knock it until you've tried it! My hubby and I have become quite fond of this green concoction and actually find ourselves craving it each morning! We feel pretty good about ourselves too because it's as if we're having a salad for breakfast! ;-)


What you'll need - a blender!

-Orange juice
-Handful of salad greens ( I buy the huge tub of organic greens from Sam's for $2.98!)
-1-2 Bananas (I like to freeze mine for added thickness)
-Frozen fruit of your choice
-Honey to taste

I eyeball everything, so keep that in mind as you might like to tweak it according to your taste.

I pour approx 1 cup of orange juice into my blender, then pile the organic greens into it (1-2 generous handfuls) next (the more, the healthier obviously, but if you wanna start out slow, I understand). Make sure they have combined well, then add your bananas one at a time and allow them to combine. Once smooth, Add 1/2-1cup of frozen fruit. After all has incorporated, I add honey to taste. I simply squeeze it into the mixture for about 5 seconds while it's blending. :-)

Once done, you will have a delightfully GREEN smoothie that is not only delicious, but quite nutritious! The recipe above makes enough for both my husband and I.

Go ahead, be brave - try it! I guarantee it'll be MUCH better than you think, and you probably will find yourself truly enjoying it.

Here's to a healthy 2012!

~Lauren