Shawarma is like the ultimate on the go meal. Thinly sliced meat, wrapped in a pita bread with veggies and sauce is a delicious quick meal. Before attempting a shawarma recipe, please read "Shawarma 101: Tips for Making Authentic Shawarma". You won't be disappointed!
Ingredients:
* 2 lbs beef, prime rib is best
* 1 cup plain yogurt
* 1/4 cup vinegar
* 2 cloves garlic, crushed
* 1 teaspoon pepper
* 1/2 teaspoon salt
* 2 cardamom pods
* 1 teaspoon allspice
* juice from 1 lemon
* ___________________________
* FOR THE SAUCE:
* 1 cup tahini
* 2 cloves garlic, crushed
* 1/4 cup lemon juice
* 2 tablespoons yogurt
* ___________________________
* PITA FILLINGS:
* 8 loaves of pita bread or 4 large
* thinly sliced cucumbers
* thinly sliced onions
* 1/2 teaspoon sumac
* thinly sliced tomatoes
* 1/2 cup fresh parsley, finely chopped
* pickle slices (optional)
Preparation:
Combine all ingredients except for beef, fillings, and sauce ingredients to make marinade. If it seems a little dry, add a little olive oil (a tablespoon at a time). Here is an excellent tahini recipe, if you do not have some handy.
Add beef, cover and refrigerate at least 8 hours, preferably overnight.
In a stockpot or large saucepan, cook beef over medium heat for 45 minutes or until done. Be sure not to overcook! If beef becomes a little dry, add a few tablespoons of water throughout cooking duration.
While beef is cooking, prepare the sauce. Combine sauce ingredients and mix well. Set aside.
Take the onions, tomatoes, cucumbers and sprinkle with sumac. Add other filling ingredients in a large bowl and combine well.
When the beef is done, you can shred it, slice it, or leave into large pieces. As long as it it thinly cut, there is not much difference. I prefer to cut mine into wide strips.
Prepare the Pita
Place enough beef on pita that cover 1/4 of the loaf. Add veggies and pour sauce. Roll like a soft taco or burrito and you have shawarma! You can also stuff the pocket of the pita if you like. I prefer to roll large pitas (this is where making your own pita comes in handy), but it is hard to find large loaves of pita at the supermarket.
Serving Shawarma
You can serve shawarma with fries, falafel, hummus, or with a salad like tabouleh.
Thursday, November 18, 2010
Oriental Fried Rice
Fried Rice Recipe
Ingredients:
12 oz. overnight rice
4 oz. chicken breast (cut into cubes)
4 oz. shrimp (cleaned and deveined)
2 oz. long beans (tips removed and chopped into very short pieces)
2 oz. carrots (cut into tiny cubes)
2 eggs (beaten)
2-inch ginger (peeled and cut into thin long strips)
1 tablespoon fish sauce
1 tablespoon soy sauce
1/4 teaspoon oyster sauce
2 tablespoon cooking oil
3 dashes white pepper powder
Salt to taste (optional)
Method:
Heat up a wok with two tablespoons of oil. Add ginger strips and fry until aromatic, follow by chicken, shrimp, long beans and carrots. Stir fry until they are half cooked. Add in the overnight rice and stir well with the ingredients. Add soy sauce, fish sauce, oyster sauce, white pepper powder and continue to stir the fried rice for a couple of minutes.
Make a “well” in the middle of the fried rice and pour the beaten eggs in the well. Wait for 30 seconds and then cover the “egg well” with the fried rice. Leave it for 30 seconds and continue to stir-fry so the eggs form small pieces and mix well with the fried rice. Add in the fried salted fish and do some quick stirs, dish out and serve hot.
Ingredients:
12 oz. overnight rice
4 oz. chicken breast (cut into cubes)
4 oz. shrimp (cleaned and deveined)
2 oz. long beans (tips removed and chopped into very short pieces)
2 oz. carrots (cut into tiny cubes)
2 eggs (beaten)
2-inch ginger (peeled and cut into thin long strips)
1 tablespoon fish sauce
1 tablespoon soy sauce
1/4 teaspoon oyster sauce
2 tablespoon cooking oil
3 dashes white pepper powder
Salt to taste (optional)
Method:
Heat up a wok with two tablespoons of oil. Add ginger strips and fry until aromatic, follow by chicken, shrimp, long beans and carrots. Stir fry until they are half cooked. Add in the overnight rice and stir well with the ingredients. Add soy sauce, fish sauce, oyster sauce, white pepper powder and continue to stir the fried rice for a couple of minutes.
Make a “well” in the middle of the fried rice and pour the beaten eggs in the well. Wait for 30 seconds and then cover the “egg well” with the fried rice. Leave it for 30 seconds and continue to stir-fry so the eggs form small pieces and mix well with the fried rice. Add in the fried salted fish and do some quick stirs, dish out and serve hot.
The Grace Walk
What is the grace walk?
This is the term which we use to describe the Christian life as God intended it to be. The grace walk stresses allowing Christ to live His life through us. A careful reading of the New Testament makes it clear that we do not live the Christian life by self-effort but by abiding (resting) in Christ and allowing Him to manifest His life through our own (ref. John 15:5; Romans 15:18; Ephesians 2:8-10; Philippians 2:13; and II Thessalonians 2:13). Through the years various other believers have described the grace walk with other terms such as: The Exchanged Life (Hudson Taylor), The Abiding Life (Andrew Murray), The Crucified Life (L. E. Maxwell), Life on the Highest Plane (Ruth Paxson), The Interior Life (Hannah Whitall Smith), The Normal Christian Life (Watchman Nee), The Victorious Christian Life (Alan Redpath, Ian Thomas), and The Miracle Life (David Needham). For further reading refer to Grace Walk chapter five, "Experiencing His Life."
In light of grace exactly how does one live the Christian Life?
The key to victory in the Christian life lies in acknowledging that you cannot live the Christian life out of your own resources or abilities. Only one person has ever lived the Christian life as God intended and that was Jesus Himself! However, there is good news; Jesus wants to live His victorious, overcoming life through you. Perhaps no verse says it better than Galatians 2:20, "I have been crucified with Christ; and it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me, and delivered Himself up for me." We live the Christian life by yielding moment-by-moment to Christ, trusting Him to animate us with His very life. For further reading refer to Grace Walk chapter twelve, "Living in Grace."
Does the teaching of grace lead to passivity in the Christian life?
One of the most common misunderstandings about the grace walk is that it teaches passivity in the life of the Christian. Nothing could be farther from the truth. The grace walk is an active lifestyle energized not by the energy of the flesh but by the energy of the indwelling life of Christ. Consider the example of the apostle Paul. Paul trusted Christ to live His life through him (Romans 15:18) while leading an extremely active lifestyle. Notice Paul’s description of his lifestyle in Colossians 1:29, "And for this purpose also I labor, striving according to His power, which mightily works within me." Paul was not passive; he was active. The words "labor" and "striving" in the original language refer to weariness to the point of physical exhaustion. Yet it was not done in the energy of the flesh it was "according to His (Jesus’) power" which was at work within Paul. For further reading refer to Grace Rules pages 89-90 and 194-197.
If we are forgiven of our sins past, present, and future at the time of salvation won't that lead to a sinful lifestyle?
This is not a new question. In fact, this was the gist of the concern of those in Paul’s own day who asked, "Are we to continue in sin that grace might increase? (Romans 6:1). Coming to understand the totality of forgiveness should never lead the believer into a sinful lifestyle. In fact, the opposite will be true. When the child of God realizes the totality of their forgiveness before a holy God, they do not want to sin. While it is true that the believer has the freedom to sin if they want too, the believer who has their focus on Jesus does not want to sin. Rules, regulations, and rigorous self-discipline will not keep us from sin but, an authentic love relationship with Jesus will. For further reading refer to Grace Rules chapter four, "Say Goodbye to Mr. Law."
How does one come to comprehend the grace of God in the Christian’s life?
The fullness of the grace of God in the life of the Christian cannot be understood apart from a revelation of God. Some of the most profound words Jesus spoke are found in Luke 10:21-22, "At that very time He rejoiced greatly in the Holy Spirit, and said, ‘I praise Thee, O Father, Lord of heaven and earth, that Thou didst hide these things from the wise and intelligent and didst reveal them to babes. Yes, Father, for thus it was well-pleasing in Thy sight. All things have been handed over to Me by My Father, and no one knows who the Son is except the Father, and who the Father is except the Son, and anyone to whom the Son wills to reveal Him." We come to comprehend spiritual truth only as it is revealed to us by the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. Revelation is a spiritual apprehension of the truth and it comes only from God. God reveals His grace to us as we humbly seek Him. See also Matthew 16:16-17 and Galatians 1:11-12. For further reading refer to Grace Walk pages 70-72.
Does grace lead to a lawless attitude in the Christian life?
The simple answer to this question is "No way!" The Christian who is truly walking in grace is not an antinomian ("one who opposes the Law"). Rather, the person who is walking in grace has great respect for the God-ordained purpose of the Law. In Romans 7:12 Paul said, "So then, the Law is holy, and the commandment is holy and righteous and good." Grace-oriented Christians are not "Law-bashers" but, they do understand that the Law has no place in the life of the Christian. Consider the following Scriptures: "Therefore, my brethren, you also were made to die to the Law through the body of Christ, that you might be joined to another, to Him who was raised from the dead, that we might bear fruit for God" (Romans 7:4). "In order that the Law might be fulfilled in us, who do not walk according to the flesh, but according to the Spirit" (Romans 8:4). "Realizing the fact that law is not made for a righteous man, but for those who are lawless and rebellious" (I Timothy 1:9). For further reading refer to Grace Rules pages 74-76.
This is the term which we use to describe the Christian life as God intended it to be. The grace walk stresses allowing Christ to live His life through us. A careful reading of the New Testament makes it clear that we do not live the Christian life by self-effort but by abiding (resting) in Christ and allowing Him to manifest His life through our own (ref. John 15:5; Romans 15:18; Ephesians 2:8-10; Philippians 2:13; and II Thessalonians 2:13). Through the years various other believers have described the grace walk with other terms such as: The Exchanged Life (Hudson Taylor), The Abiding Life (Andrew Murray), The Crucified Life (L. E. Maxwell), Life on the Highest Plane (Ruth Paxson), The Interior Life (Hannah Whitall Smith), The Normal Christian Life (Watchman Nee), The Victorious Christian Life (Alan Redpath, Ian Thomas), and The Miracle Life (David Needham). For further reading refer to Grace Walk chapter five, "Experiencing His Life."
In light of grace exactly how does one live the Christian Life?
The key to victory in the Christian life lies in acknowledging that you cannot live the Christian life out of your own resources or abilities. Only one person has ever lived the Christian life as God intended and that was Jesus Himself! However, there is good news; Jesus wants to live His victorious, overcoming life through you. Perhaps no verse says it better than Galatians 2:20, "I have been crucified with Christ; and it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me, and delivered Himself up for me." We live the Christian life by yielding moment-by-moment to Christ, trusting Him to animate us with His very life. For further reading refer to Grace Walk chapter twelve, "Living in Grace."
Does the teaching of grace lead to passivity in the Christian life?
One of the most common misunderstandings about the grace walk is that it teaches passivity in the life of the Christian. Nothing could be farther from the truth. The grace walk is an active lifestyle energized not by the energy of the flesh but by the energy of the indwelling life of Christ. Consider the example of the apostle Paul. Paul trusted Christ to live His life through him (Romans 15:18) while leading an extremely active lifestyle. Notice Paul’s description of his lifestyle in Colossians 1:29, "And for this purpose also I labor, striving according to His power, which mightily works within me." Paul was not passive; he was active. The words "labor" and "striving" in the original language refer to weariness to the point of physical exhaustion. Yet it was not done in the energy of the flesh it was "according to His (Jesus’) power" which was at work within Paul. For further reading refer to Grace Rules pages 89-90 and 194-197.
If we are forgiven of our sins past, present, and future at the time of salvation won't that lead to a sinful lifestyle?
This is not a new question. In fact, this was the gist of the concern of those in Paul’s own day who asked, "Are we to continue in sin that grace might increase? (Romans 6:1). Coming to understand the totality of forgiveness should never lead the believer into a sinful lifestyle. In fact, the opposite will be true. When the child of God realizes the totality of their forgiveness before a holy God, they do not want to sin. While it is true that the believer has the freedom to sin if they want too, the believer who has their focus on Jesus does not want to sin. Rules, regulations, and rigorous self-discipline will not keep us from sin but, an authentic love relationship with Jesus will. For further reading refer to Grace Rules chapter four, "Say Goodbye to Mr. Law."
How does one come to comprehend the grace of God in the Christian’s life?
The fullness of the grace of God in the life of the Christian cannot be understood apart from a revelation of God. Some of the most profound words Jesus spoke are found in Luke 10:21-22, "At that very time He rejoiced greatly in the Holy Spirit, and said, ‘I praise Thee, O Father, Lord of heaven and earth, that Thou didst hide these things from the wise and intelligent and didst reveal them to babes. Yes, Father, for thus it was well-pleasing in Thy sight. All things have been handed over to Me by My Father, and no one knows who the Son is except the Father, and who the Father is except the Son, and anyone to whom the Son wills to reveal Him." We come to comprehend spiritual truth only as it is revealed to us by the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. Revelation is a spiritual apprehension of the truth and it comes only from God. God reveals His grace to us as we humbly seek Him. See also Matthew 16:16-17 and Galatians 1:11-12. For further reading refer to Grace Walk pages 70-72.
Does grace lead to a lawless attitude in the Christian life?
The simple answer to this question is "No way!" The Christian who is truly walking in grace is not an antinomian ("one who opposes the Law"). Rather, the person who is walking in grace has great respect for the God-ordained purpose of the Law. In Romans 7:12 Paul said, "So then, the Law is holy, and the commandment is holy and righteous and good." Grace-oriented Christians are not "Law-bashers" but, they do understand that the Law has no place in the life of the Christian. Consider the following Scriptures: "Therefore, my brethren, you also were made to die to the Law through the body of Christ, that you might be joined to another, to Him who was raised from the dead, that we might bear fruit for God" (Romans 7:4). "In order that the Law might be fulfilled in us, who do not walk according to the flesh, but according to the Spirit" (Romans 8:4). "Realizing the fact that law is not made for a righteous man, but for those who are lawless and rebellious" (I Timothy 1:9). For further reading refer to Grace Rules pages 74-76.
Pastors take note
Luke 9:3
At this point in His ministry, Jesus tells them not to be concerned with procuring extra provisions for their journeys as they went to preach the gospel, heal the sick, and cast out demons. He specifically instructed them, "Take nothing for the journey, neither staffs nor bag nor bread nor money; and do not have two tunics apiece" (Luke 9:3). A short time later, He gave similar instructions: "Carry neither money bag, knapsack, nor sandals; and greet no one along the road" (Luke 10:4). The parallel account in Matthew 10:7-10 mirrors these directives:
And as you go, preach, saying, "The kingdom of heaven is at hand." Heal the sick, cleanse the lepers, raise the dead, cast out demons. Freely you have received, freely give. Provide neither gold nor silver nor copper in your money belts, nor bag for your journey, nor two tunics, nor sandals, nor staffs; for a worker is worthy of his food.
Jesus Christ was not issuing a blanket prohibition against sandals, or against money, or against owning more than one shirt. However, for a limited interval of time, He directed them to travel lightly, for a number of reasons.
First, for these initial activities, Christ did not want His disciples to be concerned about physical preparations. He wanted them to focus on the job that He had given them to do—preach the gospel and report back to Him—rather than on worrying about obtaining extra clothing or footwear. His emphasis was on the mission He was sending them on, but He knew human nature's tendency to worry about the details of its own comfort and existence. He did not want the disciples caught up in any preparations that would delay or distract them from His work through them.
Second, Christ was helping them to build faith in God as their Provider. He was teaching them to live and do His work without concern for their physical lives. He states clearly that if we are seeking His Kingdom first, and all that it entails, God will provide for all of our real needs (Matthew 6:33). The Father provides for even the birds and flowers, and we are of much greater worth than these (verses 25-32). God even has a name that reflects this: YHWH-Jireh, the Lord will provide as He thinks fit.
There is an alleged contradiction between the accounts given by Matthew and Mark. In Mark 6:8-9, Jesus says, "Take nothing for the journey except a staff—no bag, no bread, no copper in their money belts—but to wear sandals, and not to put on two tunics." In Matthew 10:9-10, He instructs, "Provide neither gold nor silver nor copper in your money belts, nor bag for your journey, nor two tunics, nor sandals, nor staffs." This problem is easily resolved when we realize that He is really talking about two different things. In Matthew's account, Jesus does not forbid wearing sandals or carrying a staff, but only forbids their providing themselves with more—getting extra ones. Instead of being concerned when their current trappings wore out, they should trust God to supply their need and go just as they were. On this verse Albert Barnes comments, "The meaning of the two evangelists may be thus expressed: 'Do not procure anything more for your journey than you have on. Go as you are, shod with sandals, without making any more preparation.'"
Third, Christ did not want His disciples caught up in the spirit of materialism. Certain elements within the culture of the day would "preach" for money, either religiously or philosophically. Charlatans would sell "snake oil" cures. Mediums and spiritists could do seemingly miraculous things—for a price. People in this society would do anything to turn a quick penny just like today.
Christ's words in Matthew 10:8 are meant to counteract this mindset. He had given the disciples miraculous power to heal and cleanse, as well as authority over demons. Yet, because He had given these spiritual gifts to them freely, Christ told them to carry out His instructions without seeking monetary or material compensation. God's workers are worthy of their hire but should not build personal fortunes through the services they render for Him. God is certainly generous, and provides for His servants as He sees fit, but He prohibits them from using His gifts for their own gain. He will bless them as it pleases Him!
David C. Grabbe
Living By the Sword
Read more: http://www.bibletools.org/index.cfm/fuseaction/Bible.show/sVerseID/25305/eVerseID/25305/version/YLT#ixzz15cAdOAbe
At this point in His ministry, Jesus tells them not to be concerned with procuring extra provisions for their journeys as they went to preach the gospel, heal the sick, and cast out demons. He specifically instructed them, "Take nothing for the journey, neither staffs nor bag nor bread nor money; and do not have two tunics apiece" (Luke 9:3). A short time later, He gave similar instructions: "Carry neither money bag, knapsack, nor sandals; and greet no one along the road" (Luke 10:4). The parallel account in Matthew 10:7-10 mirrors these directives:
And as you go, preach, saying, "The kingdom of heaven is at hand." Heal the sick, cleanse the lepers, raise the dead, cast out demons. Freely you have received, freely give. Provide neither gold nor silver nor copper in your money belts, nor bag for your journey, nor two tunics, nor sandals, nor staffs; for a worker is worthy of his food.
Jesus Christ was not issuing a blanket prohibition against sandals, or against money, or against owning more than one shirt. However, for a limited interval of time, He directed them to travel lightly, for a number of reasons.
First, for these initial activities, Christ did not want His disciples to be concerned about physical preparations. He wanted them to focus on the job that He had given them to do—preach the gospel and report back to Him—rather than on worrying about obtaining extra clothing or footwear. His emphasis was on the mission He was sending them on, but He knew human nature's tendency to worry about the details of its own comfort and existence. He did not want the disciples caught up in any preparations that would delay or distract them from His work through them.
Second, Christ was helping them to build faith in God as their Provider. He was teaching them to live and do His work without concern for their physical lives. He states clearly that if we are seeking His Kingdom first, and all that it entails, God will provide for all of our real needs (Matthew 6:33). The Father provides for even the birds and flowers, and we are of much greater worth than these (verses 25-32). God even has a name that reflects this: YHWH-Jireh, the Lord will provide as He thinks fit.
There is an alleged contradiction between the accounts given by Matthew and Mark. In Mark 6:8-9, Jesus says, "Take nothing for the journey except a staff—no bag, no bread, no copper in their money belts—but to wear sandals, and not to put on two tunics." In Matthew 10:9-10, He instructs, "Provide neither gold nor silver nor copper in your money belts, nor bag for your journey, nor two tunics, nor sandals, nor staffs." This problem is easily resolved when we realize that He is really talking about two different things. In Matthew's account, Jesus does not forbid wearing sandals or carrying a staff, but only forbids their providing themselves with more—getting extra ones. Instead of being concerned when their current trappings wore out, they should trust God to supply their need and go just as they were. On this verse Albert Barnes comments, "The meaning of the two evangelists may be thus expressed: 'Do not procure anything more for your journey than you have on. Go as you are, shod with sandals, without making any more preparation.'"
Third, Christ did not want His disciples caught up in the spirit of materialism. Certain elements within the culture of the day would "preach" for money, either religiously or philosophically. Charlatans would sell "snake oil" cures. Mediums and spiritists could do seemingly miraculous things—for a price. People in this society would do anything to turn a quick penny just like today.
Christ's words in Matthew 10:8 are meant to counteract this mindset. He had given the disciples miraculous power to heal and cleanse, as well as authority over demons. Yet, because He had given these spiritual gifts to them freely, Christ told them to carry out His instructions without seeking monetary or material compensation. God's workers are worthy of their hire but should not build personal fortunes through the services they render for Him. God is certainly generous, and provides for His servants as He sees fit, but He prohibits them from using His gifts for their own gain. He will bless them as it pleases Him!
David C. Grabbe
Living By the Sword
Read more: http://www.bibletools.org/index.cfm/fuseaction/Bible.show/sVerseID/25305/eVerseID/25305/version/YLT#ixzz15cAdOAbe
Thursday, November 11, 2010
The Finished & Perfect Work of JESUS
The only way the HOLY SPIRIT can bring victory to our lives
today, is by our belief in the Finished Work Jesus did in reconciling us with God the Father through his death and blood.He became a perfect sacrifice for all the sins of the world, past, present and future. Everything He did by dieing, covered us for ever. All we have to do now is call upon Him and have faith.
The Perfect Finished Work of Christ on the Cross
When Jesus came to earth as a Man, the last Adam (1 Corinthians 15:45), He came to fulfil the law of the old covenant and to pay the price for humanity’s transgressions, which have their root in the first Adam. Jesus came to establish the new covenant based on grace.
At the start of His earthly ministry, Jesus revealed this when He entered a synagogue in Nazareth and read the following verses from the book of Isaiah.
The Spirit of the Lord is upon Me, because he has anointed Me to preach the gospel to the poor; He has sent Me to heal the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives and recovery of sight to the blind, to set at liberty those who are oppressed; to proclaim the acceptable year of the Lord. Luke 4:18–19
Jesus stopped there and closed the scroll, leaving out the last line of Isaiah’s original words: “And the day of vengeance of our God”. Isaiah 61:2
He did so because He came to demonstrate God’s grace and lovingkindness, not His wrath and justice. The Bible says that the law was given through Moses, but grace and truth came in the person of Jesus. (John 1:17) He did not come to condemn the world, but to save it. (John 3:17)
The glory of Jesus’ finished work is in what took place on the cross of Calvary. Through His pain and suffering, He took upon Himself all our sin, our curse, our sicknesses and diseases. He bore on our behalf, the full wrath and judgment of God Almighty.
The Bible tells us that when He took all that for us, He became so hideous and deformed that God in His mercy covered the face of the earth with darkness for three hours to hide Him from sight. Yet Jesus held on until all of God’s fiery judgment for sins had been exhausted.
What Jesus did at the cross effected the divine exchange on our behalf — He took all our blame and was punished in our place, while we take His place. He did not just take away the bad things from us, but also gave us every good thing that He had in His position as the beloved Son of God. Isaiah 53 describes all that Jesus suffered, so that the very opposite might become ours.
The Divine Exchange
As Jesus hung on the cross & died, the following took place :
in his ugly state in crucification we gained His real beauty
in His rejection, we received acceptance
in suffering pain and sorrow, that we might have joy & happiness
in His being despised that we might be esteemed
in carrying our sickness and diseases, that we might have
health and healing
in His suffering of anguish and despair, that we might receive
peace and hope
in being judged and punished that we might be forgiven
and justified
in having no one to speak on His behalf, that He would forever be
our High Priest who will speak on our behalf in heaven
Praise God !
The moment Jesus had fully paid for our sins and died, God tore the veil in the temple that hid the Holy of Holies from top to bottom. The veil was there to separate sinful man from God, and so by tearing it, God demonstrated that there was no longer anything to stop us from coming into His presence.
On the cross, Jesus exhausted God’s wrath and justice. His body was broken and His blood was shed as our substitute and He settled the sin issue with God once and for all. And because Jesus is also God, He was not consumed by the judgment, but instead rose from the dead and sat down at the right hand of God the Father in heaven.
Today, our right standing with and access to God is perfect and complete, because Jesus’ work on the cross is perfect and complete. We come to God based on what Jesus has done, and not what we have or have not done.
Through His sacrifice, Jesus has also made us children of God. Our Father in heaven hears our every prayer and answers our every request because of the finished work of His beloved Son, Christ Jesus.
source: newcreathe Finished Work
today, is by our belief in the Finished Work Jesus did in reconciling us with God the Father through his death and blood.He became a perfect sacrifice for all the sins of the world, past, present and future. Everything He did by dieing, covered us for ever. All we have to do now is call upon Him and have faith.
The Perfect Finished Work of Christ on the Cross
When Jesus came to earth as a Man, the last Adam (1 Corinthians 15:45), He came to fulfil the law of the old covenant and to pay the price for humanity’s transgressions, which have their root in the first Adam. Jesus came to establish the new covenant based on grace.
At the start of His earthly ministry, Jesus revealed this when He entered a synagogue in Nazareth and read the following verses from the book of Isaiah.
The Spirit of the Lord is upon Me, because he has anointed Me to preach the gospel to the poor; He has sent Me to heal the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives and recovery of sight to the blind, to set at liberty those who are oppressed; to proclaim the acceptable year of the Lord. Luke 4:18–19
Jesus stopped there and closed the scroll, leaving out the last line of Isaiah’s original words: “And the day of vengeance of our God”. Isaiah 61:2
He did so because He came to demonstrate God’s grace and lovingkindness, not His wrath and justice. The Bible says that the law was given through Moses, but grace and truth came in the person of Jesus. (John 1:17) He did not come to condemn the world, but to save it. (John 3:17)
The glory of Jesus’ finished work is in what took place on the cross of Calvary. Through His pain and suffering, He took upon Himself all our sin, our curse, our sicknesses and diseases. He bore on our behalf, the full wrath and judgment of God Almighty.
The Bible tells us that when He took all that for us, He became so hideous and deformed that God in His mercy covered the face of the earth with darkness for three hours to hide Him from sight. Yet Jesus held on until all of God’s fiery judgment for sins had been exhausted.
What Jesus did at the cross effected the divine exchange on our behalf — He took all our blame and was punished in our place, while we take His place. He did not just take away the bad things from us, but also gave us every good thing that He had in His position as the beloved Son of God. Isaiah 53 describes all that Jesus suffered, so that the very opposite might become ours.
The Divine Exchange
As Jesus hung on the cross & died, the following took place :
in his ugly state in crucification we gained His real beauty
in His rejection, we received acceptance
in suffering pain and sorrow, that we might have joy & happiness
in His being despised that we might be esteemed
in carrying our sickness and diseases, that we might have
health and healing
in His suffering of anguish and despair, that we might receive
peace and hope
in being judged and punished that we might be forgiven
and justified
in having no one to speak on His behalf, that He would forever be
our High Priest who will speak on our behalf in heaven
Praise God !
The moment Jesus had fully paid for our sins and died, God tore the veil in the temple that hid the Holy of Holies from top to bottom. The veil was there to separate sinful man from God, and so by tearing it, God demonstrated that there was no longer anything to stop us from coming into His presence.
On the cross, Jesus exhausted God’s wrath and justice. His body was broken and His blood was shed as our substitute and He settled the sin issue with God once and for all. And because Jesus is also God, He was not consumed by the judgment, but instead rose from the dead and sat down at the right hand of God the Father in heaven.
Today, our right standing with and access to God is perfect and complete, because Jesus’ work on the cross is perfect and complete. We come to God based on what Jesus has done, and not what we have or have not done.
Through His sacrifice, Jesus has also made us children of God. Our Father in heaven hears our every prayer and answers our every request because of the finished work of His beloved Son, Christ Jesus.
source: newcreathe Finished Work
Wednesday, September 8, 2010
Wednesday, August 25, 2010
What are Finished Work Values?
“When he had received the drink,
Jesus said, ‘It is finished.’" John 19:30
"There remains, then, a Sabbath-rest for the people of God;
for anyone who enters God’s rest also rests from his own work,
just as God did from his. Let us, therefore, make every effort
to enter that rest, so that no one will fall by following their
example of disobedience.” Heb. 4: 9-11
We seek to build upon and rest upon the
solid foundation of the finished work of Jesus Christ.
What exactly do we mean by the finished work?
When Jesus declared “it is finished”, He was saying that through His sacrificial death on the cross, the sins of every man, woman and child were paid for, thus making eternal life possible for every one that would place their trust in what he did for them as the basis of their salvation.
Everyone who places their faith in the finished work of Jesus Christ receives the free gift of eternal life, which is neither earned nor deserved, but which is freely given to us by a gracious God.
Not only is our salvation totally dependent upon the finished work and the grace of God, but our growth as Christians and our enjoyment of the Christian life depends on how well we understand and rest in what Christ has already done for us.
For example, a person who gets saved by grace but who does not understand who they are in Christ or what has been provided for them to live a godly life, will eventually feel condemned and frustrated with their inability to live as they "should". This person will be forever trying to earn God’s love and acceptance, yet feeling that it isn't deserved, because of their failures.
Many Christians burn out, leave their churches, or conclude that they’re just not good enough. This is not God’s plan!
Our Values
People can serve the Lord from a position of rest in who He is and what He has done. Many people have found healing and renewed enthusiasm to serve God as they have discovered who they are in Christ and learned to rest in His finished work.
We love the Word of God, because it sets us free from our wrong thinking. We love our pastors, because they are shepherds after God’s heart and they feed us the words of life. We love to evangelize, because it is a joy to see others come to know the Savior. We love to fellowship together around the Word of God, because we recognize that we are eternally part of God’s family and one day we will be worshipping together around God’s throne. We love people because that is the heart of God.
Finished Work Faith
The idea of faith remains the same in all religions: Faith necessitates an object to focus upon. Faith, by definition, is to put one's trust in the word and/or ability of another. The basic difference between the world religions and true Christianity is that Jesus Christ calls us to trust in His Word and His ability to please God on our behalf.
This is where joyful service begins to break down among believers. Somehow the values of "faith, hope and love" drift away from the foundation of the Finished Work. The person who once received Christ by faith and as a result served Him with joy, has now switched the focus of their faith from Christ to their own ability to maintain joyful service. As a result their service is something less than fulfilling.
Finished Work Hope
Hope in the Bible is far more than wishful thinking. The New Testament idea of hope is a joyful, confident anticipation of future blessings. But, if this joyful confidence is based on my ability to accomplish something for God, then my confidence is destined to fluctuate with every human inconsistency and inadequacy I experience. This will surely have a direct effect on the longevity of my service unto God and my hope of hearing the words "Well done!".
If, however, my hope is firmly based on what Christ has accomplished for me on the cross and what He wants to accomplish through me by His Spirit, then and only then, can I anticipate eternal blessings with joyful confidence. This is Finished Work hope, because this hope is founded in Christ and Christ alone. This is the glorious message of God's grace.
Finished Work Love
Jesus states, "I have this against you that you have left your first love" (Revelation 2:4).
We believe that "first love" is not our love for God but rather God's unconditional love for us as sinners (Rom.5:8). Unless the believer is convinced that God will never reject them, they won't have the confidence to be honest about their sin and to confess it to God on a consistent basis. Once the believer begins to ignore, deny and/or justify areas of sin in their life, they begin, often unconsciously, to neutralize their feelings of guilt through a system of good works i.e. service to God. As a result, their service lacks the joy necessary to endure a lifetime.
(Finished Work Values, written by Pastor Rob Prokop, Vienna, Austria)
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