Worship Wednesday: You Are My King (Amazing Love)

Are You Cause Oriented or Christ Oriented?

Theology Thursday

COGNITIVE DISSONANCE

The condition when some of a person’s beliefs are in contradiction to other beliefs they hold or to the way they live. Often people’s habitual patterns do not harmonize with their intellectual convictions. In Christianity, it is often the case that people attempt to live according to a Christian worldview due only to traditional bents without ever personally experiencing a true cognitive or intellectual conviction about such. This can produce a dichotomous life of dissonance or inconsistency in their beliefs and practices.

ORDO SALUTIS

(Latin, “order of salvation”)

Refers to the successive order of events in the process or event of salvation. This order includes necessities such as predestination, regeneration, faith, justification, repentance, atonement, and glorification. Depending on one”s particular stance on theological issues having to do with salvation, he or she would place these events in a different sequence. For example, the Calvinist would normally place regeneration before faith in their ordo, while the Arminian would see regeneration as a result of faith. The Roman Catholic would see justification as an event and a process that takes place throughout the Christian”s life, while Protestants would see justification as a definite event resulting from faith. Therefore, the Roman Catholic and Protestant ordo would differ from one another.

APOPHATIC THEOLOGY

[ap-uh-fat’-ik thee-aw’-luh-jee]\r\n\r\n(Greek apo-, “other than” + Greek phanai, “speak” = apophasis, “to say no”)

Theological methodology which starts with the ineffability of God, believing that God’s infinite nature cannot be contained by finite men through finite language. The best way to describe God, therefore, is through way of negation (via negativa). In Christianity, apophatic theology is often associated with Eastern Orthodoxy and is foundational to much of the conversation of the so-called emerging church in Protestantism.

LIBERTARIAN FREE WILL

(Latin liberum arbitrium)

The belief that the human will is free from any necessitating constraint (necessitas coactio). This is often refeed to as “the power of contrary choice.” In this, whatever decisions are made, its alternative decisions are viable options. The alternative to libertarianism is fatalism, divine determinism, or self-determinism. The reformers believed that the faculty of the will is free (vonutas), but this will is in bondage to its nature, as all wills are. The reformers rejected both libertarianism and fatalism, seeking a mediating position that allows the will to be free, but does not allow its liberty to act out of concert with its nature.

INSPIRATION

(Latin in-, “in” + Latin spirare, “to breathe”)

The doctrine relating to the divine origin of Scripture, that it is a joint product of God and man. “Scripture is not only man”s word, but also, and equally God’s word, spoken through man’s lips or written with man’s pen” (J. I. Packer, The Origin of the Bible). The term comes from the Latin translation, and some English translations (esp. KJV), of the Greek theopneustos, found in 2 Tim. 3:16. Though the English connotes a “breathing in,” both the Latin and Greek imply a “breathing out,” specifically from God to the human authors.

ECUMENISM

[ik-yoo''-muh-niz''-um or ek''-yuh-muh-niz''-um] (Greek oikouneme, “the inhabited world”)

The principle of, or a movement associated with, promoting unity, understanding and cooperation among various religious groups, specifically among Christian denominations (though more generally can refer to similar efforts among various world faiths). Viewed favorably, it seeks to overlook minor differences in doctrine and practice, while focusing on shared beliefs and priorities that are felt to be more significant. Critics of the concept, however, often feel that such endeavors, while striving for peace, will lead to neglecting or compromising the truth

EPIPHANY

[ih-pif''-uh-nee] (Greek epiphaneia “to show”)

Refers to an appearance or revealing. It is when something is realized or understood to a greater degree than it was before. In Christianity, the Epiphany of Christ is celebrated as God was revealed to man in the incarnation in a way not previously understood. There is a Christian feast day which celebrates this God-man encounter at the visitation of the Magi to Christ. The feast falls on January 6. Eastern Christians commemorate another epiphany at the baptism of Christ as he was manifested to the world through the word spoken from Heaven. It is also called ”Theophany”, meaning a manifestation of God.

God of Wonders

Lord of all creation
of water earth and sky
The heavens are your Tabernacle
Glory to the Lord on high

Chorus:
God of wonders beyond our galaxy
You are Holy, Holy
The universe declares your Majesty
And you are holy holy

Lord of Heaven and Earth
Lord of Heaven and Earth

Early in the morning
I will celebrate the light
When i stumble in the darkness
I will call your name by night

chrous
lord of heaven and earth
lord of heaven and earth

Hallelujah to the lord of heaven and earth (repeate 3 times)

holy......holy....holy god.....

Chorus

Precious lord reveal your love to me....
Father holy..
(backround)...Lord god almighty...

The "universe" declares your majesty
"you are" holy,holy,holy,holy
Halleujah to the lord of heaven and earth 9x 

Chicken & Wild Rice Soup

Ingredients

• 4 cups chicken broth
• 2 cups water
• 2 cooked, boneless chicken breast halves, shredded
• 1 (4.5 ounce) package quick cooking long grain and wild rice with seasoning packet
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
• 3/4 cup all-purpose flour
• 1/2 cup butter
• 2 cups heavy cream

Directions

1. In a large pot over medium heat, combine broth, water and chicken. Bring just to boiling, then stir in rice, reserving seasoning packet. Cover and remove from heat.
2. In a small bowl, combine salt, pepper and flour. In a medium saucepan over medium heat, melt butter. Stir in contents of seasoning packet until mixture is bubbly. Reduce heat to low, then stir in flour mixture by tablespoons, to form a roux. Whisk in cream, a little at a time, until fully incorporated and smooth. Cook until thickened, 5 minutes.
3. Stir cream mixture into broth and rice. Cook over medium heat until heated through, 10 to 15 minutes.

God's Love

The big news of the Bible is not that you love God but that God loves you; not that you can know God but that God already knows you! He tattooed your name on the palm of his hand. His thoughts of you outnumber the sand on the shore. You never leave his mind, escape his sight, flee his thoughts. He sees the worst of you and loves you still. Your sins of tomorrow and failings of the future will not surprise him; he sees them now. Every day and deed of your life has passed before his eyes and been calculated in his decision. He knows you better than you know you and has reached his verdict; he loves you still. No discovery will disillusion him; no rebellion will dissuade him. He loves you with an everlasting love. 

“As high as the sky is above the earth, so great is his love for those who respect him.” 

Psalm 103:11 

Come Thirsty 
by Max Lucado 

Miracle of Life

Miracle of Life from Justin's Refuge on Vimeo.

Homemade Wrinkle Releaser

I do a good bit of ironing.  All of my husbands work clothes require it.  So, that's 5 work outfits plus 1 for Sunday.  With ironing 12 pieces of clothing each week, I was looking for a shortcut.  I considered a wrinkle releaser...until I saw the price.  WOW!!!  A 33.8 oz. bottle was $8!!!  Unbelievable!  Now way was I buying that.  With the amount of ironing I do, that could get expensive real quick.  So I went home and made my own for pennies.  Hope you enjoy it as much as I have.

Homemade Wrinkle Releaser
1 tsp. liquid fabric softener
8 oz. water

Put in a spray bottle and shake.  That's it.  Your done :)

Theology Thursday

POST-EVANGELICAL

A modern movement among Evangelicals who are dissatisfied with the current trends in Evangelicalism toward compromise in practice, thinking, and methodology. The evangelical church, according to Post-Evangelicals, has become a circus which integrates its method of “doing church” with the corporate world of business and marketing. Voices of Post-Evangelicalism call for a reform, pleading with the church to re-establish its traditions in the roots laid by two thousand years of church history, not a reinventing of church based upon current cultural trends. Post-Evangelicals are “post” because they believe the name “Evangelical” is beyond recovery.

NIHILISM

[nye''-uh-liz''-um or nee''-uh-liz''-um] (Latin nihil, “nothing”)

Nihilism is the philosophy that believes all of existence is without purpose, meaning, or hope. It is often called the philosophy of despair since there is no foundation upon which one can build motives for living. Many believe that nihilism is the necessary outcome of atheism since the atheist finds no reason to believe in any form of transcendence which provides foundational reason and hope. Postmodernism is sometimes labeled as a nihilistic philosophy that resulted from the conclusions of a modernistic worldview which denied God a place in reality. Nineteenth-century German philosopher Friedrich Nietzsche is often called the Father of Nihilism.

NAVE

In ecclesiastical architecture, the “nave” is derived from the Latin word for ship, navis, and has come to mean the area where the parishioners sit or stand (pews are a very late addition to the nave area, and, even today, parishioners stand during the liturgy in many Eastern Catholic and Orthodox Churches). In Gothic architecture, the nave had an aisle (or two) on both sides.

SITZ IM LEBEN

(German, “setting in life”)

In biblical hermeneutics (methods of interpretation) or biblical criticism, this refers to the “situation in life” that gave rise to the various genres or literary forms used to communicate the message of Scripture in a particular sociological context.

How Great Is Our God

 Who will not fear, O Lord, and glorify your name? For you alone are holy. All nations will come and worship you, for your righteous acts have been revealed.  Rev 15:4 

30 Easy Ways to Save Money (and No, you are not doing them all!)

Let’s keep this one simple and clean - just a bunch of relatively easy ways to save money. As you incorporate more and more of these tips into your life, the savings add up and it wouldn’t surprise me if you could save thousands over the course of a year.

It will take a little work on your part but those thousands of dollars in savings are what helped us get out of debt earlier, kept us out of debt for several years and will hopefully help us pay off our recent auto loan soon as well.

1. Cook at home often: If both the husband and wife work, this is likely to be very difficult. Start out with the habit of cooking at home once a week and slowly increase the frequency until you find a balance between saving money and getting stressed out.
2. Make your own coffee: Everyone seems to have heard of the latte factor. Even though the author may have overestimated the savings from skipping a latte at Starbucks, don’t underestimate the ding it puts in your pocket in the long run. You don’t have to entirely ban drinking coffee, but skip it as often as possible unless you make it at home.

3. Brown bag lunch at least a few days a week: Lunch times are great opportunities to network and make connections that could improve your career growth. So unless there is a common eating area for brown baggers, you may choose to limit brown bagging lunch to three days each week. Find a balance between saving some money and making the connection. In my case, I take my lunch with me 2-3 times a week and eat out the rest of the time.
4. Make a list before going shopping: They call it impulse buying for a reason. Humans simply have a very tough time resisting the temptation to purchase extras while shopping. Without a list you will buy items that you simply do not need. Even worse is when your forget to purchase the actual item you came to the store for in the first place. If you plan on cooking at home, pre-plan a rough menu and make a list before you go grocery shopping. Getting all that you need in one trip can help avoid another unnecessary trip and temptation.
5. Go grocery shopping while you are in a hurry: Maybe you need to go out in a couple of hours. Or your favorite show is going to be on TV after a couple of hours. Try to squeeze in the grocery trip in that intermediate time. Armed with your grocery list, you should be in-and-out very quickly with little time for meandering and getting tempted to buy things you don’t need.
6. Watch out for expiration dates on perishable goods: This one seems intuitive when you read it, but I am surprised at how many people do not pay attention to expiry dates. No point getting a gallon of milk if it is going to turn sour with a couple of days. Same goes for meat, eggs, yogurt, spreads, frozen items, deli/bakery items etc. Some people say you can use a few items a few days after expiry – but I personally value my health more than money and would rather avoid buying such items in the first place.
7. Buy in bulk whenever possible: When it comes to non-perishable items, buy in bulk whenever you find something on sale. The items I usually stock up on are, cereals, tinned goods, rice, beans, pasta, coke, toothpaste, body wash, shampoo, toilet paper etc. For such items, shopping at warehouse stores like Costco, Sam’s Club etc can save you quite a bit of money, provided you stick strictly to your shopping list when you shop at these places.
8. Buy generic products whenever possible: Does it really matter whether your cereal is made by Kellogg's or is the store brand? Does it matter if your milk is Oak Farms or the store brand? For a few things (like soda in particular), I prefer brand name products. For others, I do not mind generic store brands if they can save me money. Find what works for you and switch to generic brands for at least a part of your grocery list.
9. Use grocery store bags to line trash cans: This may not work if you use a massive trash can but we use a small sized one for which the grocery bags are a perfect fit. This not only helps us save some money, but reduces our environmental foot print and avoids the kitchen from stinking from a huge overflowing trash can.
10. Consolidate and pay off debt as soon as possible: If you carry any debt, focus on consolidating it to a lower interest and paying it off as soon as possible. Money paid in interest is money thrown away! Why spend your hard-earned cash to make the financial institutions rich?

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Tasty Tuesday: Buffalo Chicken Pizza

Crust:

Ingredients

• 2 1/4 teaspoons active dry yeast
• 1/2 teaspoon brown sugar
• 1 1/2 cups warm water (110 degrees F/45 degrees C)
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 3 1/3 cups all-purpose flour
• 
  Directions

1. In a large bowl, dissolve the yeast and brown sugar in the water, and let sit for 10 minutes.
2. Stir the salt and oil into the yeast solution. Mix in 2 1/2 cups of the flour.
3. Turn dough out onto a clean, well floured surface, and knead in more flour until the dough is no longer sticky. Place the dough into a well oiled bowl, and cover with a cloth. Let the dough rise until double; this should take about 1 hour. Punch down the dough, and form a tight ball. Allow the dough to relax for a minute before rolling out. Use for your favorite pizza recipe.
4. Preheat oven to 425 degrees F (220 degrees C). If you are baking the dough on a pizza stone, you may place your toppings on the dough, and bake immediately. If you are baking your pizza in a pan, lightly oil the pan, and let the dough rise for 15 or 20 minutes before topping and baking it.
5. Bake pizza in preheated oven, until the cheese and crust are golden brown, about 15 to 20 minutes.

Pizza:

Ingredients

• 3 skinless, boneless chicken breast halves - cooked and cubed
• 2 tablespoons butter, melted
• 1 (2 ounce) bottle hot sauce
• 1 (8 ounce) bottle blue cheese salad dressing
• 1 (16 inch) prepared pizza crust
• 1 (8 ounce) package shredded mozzarella cheese
• 
  

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 425 degrees F (220 degrees C).
2. In a medium bowl combine the cubed chicken, melted butter and hot sauce. Mix well. Spread whole bottle of salad dressing over crust, then top with chicken mixture and sprinkle with shredded cheese.
3. Bake in preheated oven until crust is golden brown and cheese is bubbly, about 5 to 10 minutes. Let set a few minutes before slicing, and serve.