Sanctification Challenge week 4

God made him who had no sin to be sin for us, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God. 2 Corinthians 5:21 NIV

Our only goal in life is to emulate Jesus and to reflect more of the character of God. If we are a new creation in Jesus then we became the righteousness of God. It is time to show it more.

If you have been faithful in doing each and every weekly challenge you are one step closer to where you need to be. And I pray that we will all be able to continue to challenge ourselves to keep those new habits.

Here are the links to the past 3 challenges:
week one
week two
week three

We started our journey at the foot of the cross and we are ending our journey at the foot of the cross. On this Good Friday, let's spend some time there and reflect on what would make any person suffer so much. Let's reflect on His character.

There are no shortcuts on learning more about God's character. We need to read His word, His promises, His warnings and make it our own. For the purpose of this challenge we are going to focus on just a few characteristics.

God is just.

Yet the Lord longs to be gracious to you; therefore he will rise up to show you compassion. For the Lord is a God of justice. Blessed are all who wait for him! Isaiah 30:18

 God forgives

Yet the Lord longs to be gracious to you; therefore he will rise up to show you compassion. For the Lord is a God of justice. Blessed are all who wait for him! Psalm 130:4

 God is good.

Taste and see that the Lord is good; blessed is the man who takes refuge in Him. Psalm 34:8

 God is love

For God so loved the world that He gave His one and only son that whoever believes in Him shall not perish but have eternal life. John 3:16

God is patient

The Lord is not slow in keeping his promise, as some understand slowness. Instead he is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance. 2 Peter 3:9

God is slow to anger

The Lord is compassionate and gracious, slow to anger, abounding in love. Psalm 103:8

God is faithful

May God Himself, the God of peace, sanctify you through and through. May your whole spirit, soul and body be kept blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. The one who calls you is faithful and He will do it. 1 Thessalonians 5:23-24

So for our final challenge we will display those qualities each day.
Here is a printout to help you keep track of your progress.

We would also LOVE to hear from you and how this sanctification challenge has motivated you to become a better person.

Sanctification Challenge Week 4

Easter Buns

One of my favorite Easter recipe is the Easter Buns. Easy, yummy and a crowd pleaser. There are may recipes out there. This one is from Epicurious.com.

1 cup warm milk (105°–115°F.)

two 1/4-ounce packages (5 teaspoons) active dry yeast

1/2 cup plus 1 teaspoon granulated sugar

4 cups all-purpose flour

1 1/2 teaspoons ground allspice

1/2 teaspoon cinnamon

1 teaspoon salt

1 1/4 sticks (1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons) cold unsalted butter

2 large eggs

1 large egg yolk

1/2 cup dried currants

1/3 cup golden raisins

2 teaspoons finely grated fresh orange zest

2 teaspoons finely grated fresh lemon zest

3 tablespoons superfine granulated sugar

 

Picture courtesy of butterfloureggs.com

I usually only uses raisins in my recipe but do feel free to substitute any other dried fruits. Some even use chocolate chips instead. I would not recommend substituting the butter for margarine. It tastes much better with butter. Regular sugar works well. You do not need superfine sugar.

In a small bowl stir together milk, yeast, and 1 teaspoon granulated sugar. Let mixture stand 5 minutes, or until foamy.

Into a large bowl sift together flour, allspice, cinnamon, salt, and remaining 1/2 cup granulated sugar. Cut butter into bits and with your fingertips or a pastry blender blend into flour mixture until mixture resembles coarse meal. Lightly beat 1 whole egg with egg yolk. Make a well in center of flour mixture and pour in yeast and egg mixtures, currants, raisins, and zests. Stir mixture until a dough is formed. Transfer dough to a floured surface and with floured hands knead until smooth and elastic, about 10 minutes. Transfer dough to an oiled large bowl and turn to coat. Let dough rise, covered with plastic wrap, in a warm place until doubled in bulk, about 1 1/2 hours.

Butter 2 large baking sheets.

On a floured surface with floured hands knead dough briefly and form into two 12-inch-long logs. Cut each log crosswise into 12 equal pieces. Form each piece into a ball and arrange about 1 1/2 inches apart on baking sheets. Let buns rise, covered, in a warm place until doubled in bulk, about 45 minutes.

Preheat oven to 400°F.

While buns are rising, lightly beat remaining egg with superfine sugar to make an egg glaze. On a lightly floured surface with a floured rolling pin roll out pastry dough into a 20- by 6-inch rectangle (about 1/8 inch thick). With a sharp knife cut rectangle crosswise into 1/8-inch- wide strips.

Brush buns with egg glaze and arrange 2 pastry strips over center of each bun to form a cross. Trim ends of pastry strips flush with bottoms of buns. Bake buns in upper and lower thirds of oven, switching position of sheets halfway through baking, until golden, about 12 minutes. Transfer buns to a rack to cool slightly.

I use my Kitchen Aid mixer to mix everything. I change it to the dough hook to knead it. Working it by hand though is a great workout! :)

Enjoy!

Remembering our first love

As we approach spring and the season that CELEBRATES the resurrection of CHRIST would you pause with me LISTEN? 

Cease striving. 

“Be still and know that I am God”. (Psalm 46:10)  That can be a difficult task in our busy busy hurry hurry “doing” culture. But it is a vital discipline that brings life and peace. 

This week we have both Valentine’s day and Ash Wednesday, the day many Christians will begin their 40 days of lent. Lent (for those Christians who don’t typically observe it) is a 40 day period in which Christians prepare their hearts for the celebration of Easter.  Ash Wednesday is a solemn day of remembering and repenting of our sins as we recall what Jesus went through as He carried our sins on the cross.  During lent and always may we decrease so that Christ would increase in us. (John 3:30) The 40 days of fasting (fasting from the world to feast on His Word!) is a reminder of Jesus when he was fasting and tempted in the wilderness for 40 days (Luke 4). The journey through Lent ultimately leads to the victorious celebration of our Savior who overcame sin and conquered death providing hope and eternal life for all those who receive Him. The greatest gift of all time! (John 1:12, John 3:16).  This is a week to remember and if needed, to re-commit to our first love. 

Examine & Commit 

But I have this against you, that you have abandoned the love you had at first. Remember therefore from where you have fallen; repent, and do the works you did at first. If not, I will come to you and remove your lampstand from its place, unless you repent.  Revelation 2:4-5

Search me, O God, and know my heart. Try me and know my thoughts!

And see if there be any grievous way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting! Psalm 139:26

 REPENT  

intransitive verb

1  to turn from sin and dedicate oneself to the amendment of one's life

2  a : to feel regret or contrition 

    b : to change one's mind

What unconfessed sin are you holding on to?  Who are you having a hard time forgiving?  How can you decrease?  What commitments or resolves do you need to make?

Spend time with your “first Love” this week and then “go” and show His Love to a broken world.

In this is love, not that we have loved God but that he loved us and sent his Son to be the propitiation for our sins. Beloved, if God so loved us, we also ought to love one another. No one has ever seen God; if we love one another, God abides in us and his love is perfected in us.             1 John 4:10-12