Cream Cheese

No Bake Mango Pie

8:00 AM



No Bake Mango Pie

2 Regular or 1 deep dish graham cracker pie shell
1 (8 oz.) package of cream cheese, softened
1 (14 oz.) can sweetened condensed milk 
1 tbsp. lemon zest
2 large mangos, or 1 (16 oz.) bag frozen mango chunks
2 envelopes of unflavored gelatin 
1/2 cup milk

Dissolve gelatin in milk and microwave for 25 seconds; set aside. In a blender add mango and cream cheese. Blend until smooth. To the mango, cream cheese mixture add sweetened condensed milk, lemon juice, and gelatin. Blend until combined. Pour filling in pie crust and refrigerate 2 hours in the freezer or overnight in the refrigerator before serving. (Top with whipped cream and fruit if desired)

Boredom

The Humdrum of Life {Ecclesiastes 1:1:2:26}

12:00 AM


Imagine being the greatest and richest king of all time. Everything you wanted to see, do, or own was yours for the taking. This was the life of Solomon. He had the world at his feet. He experienced everything life had to offer and denied himself nothing, “All that my eyes desired I did not refuse them. I did not withhold my heart from any pleasure” (vs. 2:10) 

Yet even with all of that, Solomon grew bored with the humdrum of life. He found nothing new to see, nothing knew to do, nothing worthwhile at all. Over twenty times in the book of Ecclesiastes the Preacher, traditionally known as Solomon, laments about his boredom with life on earth. “That which has been is that which will be, and that which has been is that which is done. So there is nothing  new under the sun.”(vs. 1:9) Disillusioned, Solomon learned that no how many times humanity tries to “reinvent the wheel”, it’s all been done before.

“Vanity of vanities! All is vanity.” (1:2) After taking a hard look at life, including his own, the Preacher declares it to be vanity; meaningless, futile, and nothing more than a puff of smoke. To hear a man so great and blessed by God as Solomon despairing over the futility of life isn’t exactly an uplifting message to read. If a powerful king who has access to every desire finds life pointless and boring, what help is there for the rest of us?

The truth of the matter is Solomon’s lack of luster for life came as a result of his lack of luster for God. Instead of turning to the Lord to heal the emptiness in his heart, he tried to fill it with the trappings of the world. But far from making him happy Solomon found the more of the world he had, the emptier he felt. Even his many accomplishments couldn’t give him the satisfaction he yearned for. “I considered all my activities which my hands had done, and the labor which I had exerted and behold all was vanity and striving after wind and there was no profit under the sun.” (vs. 2:11) 

We were created for fellowship with the Lord, to have a close and personal relationship with Him. And nothing this world could ever offer, not power, wealth, nor fame, can fill the place reserved for God alone It is only through Him will we find meaning and happiness. Not even the simplest things in life bring enjoyment separate from our Father. “For who can eat and who can have enjoyment without Him?” (vs. 2:25)

If we aren’t walking with Him, life becomes nothing more than a rat race. A boring cycle of wash, rinse, and repeat. Like Solomon we’ll find ourselves in the doldrums; stagnant and depressed, just going through the motions. We too will try to fill the emptiness with worldly things that at best can only offer temporary satisfaction.

God never intends our life with Him to be a dull one. He wants to do wonderful and meaningful things through us and for us. Looking for excitement? Jesus says, “Truly, truly, I say to you he who believes in Me, the works that I do, he will do also; and greater works than these he will do; because I go to the Father” (John 14:12) How about that?! Each day brings with it a new and exciting opportunity to not only carry on the work of Jesus, but through the power of the Holy Spirit to accomplish even greater things. And I don’t know about you, but that doesn’t sound too boring to me!


Beauty

Lipstick On A Pig {Proverbs 10:1-1:31}

12:00 AM



If there ever was a man who knew about women, it was Solomon. 1 Kings 11:3 tells us, “He had seven hundred wives, princesses, and three hundred concubines”. Talk about a harem! And from his experiences with these many women, he came to this conclusion, “As a ring of gold in a swine’s snout, so is a beautiful women who lacks discretion.” (Prov. 11:22) That's quite a statement since pork was utterly detestable to the Jewish people! But unflattering as Solomon’s simile may be, it reiterates the message found throughout the Bible. God wants our beauty to radiate from within.

We all know how precious and valuable gold is. Could you imagine taking something of such worth like a golden ring and sticking it in the dirty, stinky, nose of a pig? There it will be shoved in garbage, caked with mud, and rubbed in feces! No one in their right mind would be so wasteful. Yet this is just what Solomon says about beauty that is bestowed upon a women without discretion. But what does he mean by discretion? 

Discretion can be defined as the quality of behaving or speaking in such a way as to avoid causing offense or revealing private information. Synonyms for discernment include judgement, taste, discrimination, refinement, cleverness, intelligence, sharpness, and wisdom. The Bible has much to say about discretion. “Discretion is part of wisdom, the power of right judgment, a part of understanding, and the power of right discernment (Prov. 1:4, 2:10-17; 3:21; 5:1-2; Gen. 41:33,39). Discretion is generous to others (Ps.112:5). It rejects wicked conduct by others (Prov. 2:10-17). It rules the spirit to defer anger (Prov. 19:11). It knows how each situation calls for different conduct (Is 28:23-29)” (letgodbetrue.com)

That’s not to say we are to be shrinking violets, or are to hide our beauty. After all we are made in the image of God. Each of us is a masterpiece formed by the hands of the Creator of beauty Himself. But as Peter teaches, “Your adornment must not be merely external- braiding the hair, and wearing gold jewelry, or putting on dresses; but let it be the hidden person of the heart, with the imperishable quality of a gentle and quiet spirit, which is precious in the sight of God” (1 Pet. 3:3-4) These are the qualities that glorify God and honor those around us. And after all what could be more beautiful than having the glory of the Lord shining through us for all to see?

Physical beauty is overrated, and those who count on their looks to get through life will be sorely disappointed when those same looks are lost to old age. Better instead to develop the characteristics that time can not erase. Sharon Hodde Miller described it this way it, “A woman’s beauty might open some doors for her, but it is her character that will be her ultimate success. Beauty may attract a man, but faithfulness and respect is what will enable her dating relationships, and ultimately marriage, to last. Beauty may get her a job opportunity, but her work ethic will allow her to keep it, if not excel. Beauty may give her attention and friends, but it is her trustworthiness that will determine whether they stick around.” 

Proverbs 31:30 says,”Charm is deceptive, and beauty is fleeting; but a woman who fears the Lord is to be praised.” Ask yourself whose praise is it that you want. Worldly praise for a beautiful shell, or the praise of God for a heart filled with love and obedience. Better to be adorned “by means of good works, as is proper for women making a claim of godliness.” (1 Tim. 2:10), then to be all show and no substance. For no matter how you patch it, paint it, or plump it, a pretty face can never hide an ugly soul. The truth always has a way of coming out, and as the expression goes, you can put lipstick on a pig but it’s still a pig.

1 Kings

Solomon’s Wisdom and Folly (1 Kings 9-11)

2:27 AM




How rich was King Solomon in today’s standards?  Very!  I found him listed as number 1 for top 10 richest people in history.  His estimated net worth, not including tributary pay from the kings of Arabia or from business and trade was over 2 Trillion dollars.  Every year he received 25 tons of gold.  The Bible tells us he had 1400 chariots and 12,000 horsemen. He had a fleet of ships that brought exotic goods. His throne was ivory overlaid with gold and all of his drinking vessels were gold. 

Solomon was also famous and sought after for his wisdom. The Bible tells us about the Queen of Sheba who traveled undoubtedly a very long journey to personally meet with Solomon and ask him tough questions.  She was impressed with his wise and insightful answers but she was also very impressed with Solomon’s reverent acknowledgement of God. She told Solomon “Blessed be the Lord your God, who has delighted in you and set you on the throne of Israel! Because the Lord loved Israel forever, he has made you king, that you may execute justice and righteousness.””(10:9)

God certainly bestowed great favor upon Solomon.  God made this promise to him: “And as for you, if you will walk before me, as David your father walked, with integrity of heart and uprightness, doing according to all that I have commanded you, and keeping my statutes and my rules, then I will establish your royal throne over Israel forever, as I promised David your father, saying, ‘You shall not lack a man on the throne of Israel (9:4-5). Many would say Solomon had it made.  As long as he honored God as first in his life, he continued to have God’s help and God’s favor.  

Sadly, however, Solomon did not heed the rest of God’s conditions. “But if you turn aside from following me, you or your children, and do not keep my commandments and my statutes that I have set before you, but go and serve other gods and worship them, then I will cut off Israel from the land that I have given them, and the house that I have consecrated for my name I will cast out of my sight, and Israel will become a proverb and a byword among all peoples.” 1 Kings (9:6-7)

Even though Solomon had such an abundance of fame and fortune, he still had a restless heart.  His weakness was in seeking after women , particularly women who did not share his faith in God. “For when Solomon was old his wives turned away his heart after other gods, and his heart was not wholly true to the Lord his God, as was the heart of David his father.” (11:4) 

As we look at the life of perhaps the wisest and richest man in the world we can certainly learn from his wisdom and his folly.  As long as Solomon put God first, his endeavors prospered and God honored his promises to him. Solomon’s conduct and devotion also proved a testimony to others.  When Solomon stopped putting God first, he suffered the consequences.  We too must reap what we sew.  Our hearts must remain aware of the source of any wisdom or blessing we enjoy. 

Hebrews 11:6 
And without faith it is impossible to please him, for whoever would draw near to God must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who seek him.

1 Kings

Two Pillars of Prayer {1 Kings 5-8}

8:00 PM




Today’s chapters read like a construction progress report. Not too exciting at first glance, especially since the author seems to be writing to those who would know much of the significance to all he’s added here, but once you do just a bit of investigative work things begin to pop and the excitement begins to build!

One aspect found in chapter six and seven tells us that this is more than just a building project. It’s actually the beginning of a whole new era in Israel’s history. Israel had spent 430 years in Egyptian bondage (before God redeemed them), and since, Israel has spent 480 years of wandering (so to speak) before God gives them the gift of rest. For some reason God has decided Israel’s wandering days are over, and allows Solomon to build Him a Temple. It’s as if God would not rest until He had given His people rest. Pretty cool, huh? But there’s one more thing I discovered in chapter 7 that may just fire up your prayer life,

“He (Solomon) set up the pillars at the portico of the sanctuary: He set up the right pillar and named it Jachin; then he set up the left pillar and named it Boaz. The tops of the pillars were shaped like lilies. Then the work of the pillars was completed.” 1 Kings 7:21–22

It’s important to note that these two pillars are not described as supporting any structure or roof. They were a free-standing testimony to all who entered the Temple, and Solomon actually gave each pillar a name. Did that peek your interest while reading? It did mine! Why would Solomon erect two pillars that serve no purpose in supporting the structure and name them?

It’s also important to note that the portico was the entrance of the Temple, therefore the men of Israel would pass by these pillars as they entered the Temple, but the true significance is found in the names Solomon gave them and not so much in their placement.

One, Solomon named Jachin which means, “He will establish.” It may also be construed as a prayer, “May He establish.”. The second was, Boaz which means “In Him is strength” or “By the Lord, the King is mighty.”

Here we have “He will establish” and “In Him is strength” serving as majestic (standing some 35 feet in the air) statements in front of the Temple for all to see while passing by..
·         The first highlights the promise of the Lord, the second the power of the Lord.
·         The first recalls what the Lord said; the second reminds us that He is able to do all He has said.
·         Jachin stood to point to the original anchor of God’s Word; Boaz stood to point to His ongoing power to bring His Word to pass.

Wouldn’t it be wonderful to have these two reminders before us always as we meet with God each day? I was reminded of what Paul had said about Abraham in Romans 4:20-21, “He (Abraham) did not waver in unbelief at God’s promise, but was strengthened in His faith and gave glory to God, because he was fully convinced that what he promised He was also able to perform.” (emphasis mine)


In essence, you could say, Jachin highlight’s God’s grace, while Boaz points to our responsibility highlighted in Psalm 105:4, “Seek the Lord and His strength; seek His face continually.”
 
If you approached God always between these two pillars of thought, how much more powerful would your prayers be?