Just a taste...

"Taste and see that the LORD is good."
-Psalm 34:8

You know, I remember a time when I didn't like and didn't understand the logic for pumpkin pie. I mean, other pies made sense: apple pie, cherry pie, key lime pie - these fruits were appropriate for pie creation. But, PUMPKIN...! You carve pumpkins for Halloween - you roll them around in pumpkin patches - they scare the woo-ha out of you sometimes in movies. But, pumpkin pie ... I shuddered at the thought. And, we would always have pumpkin pie for Thanksgiving meals and I would always stay a safe distance away from it. But, one time during our one of our family Thanksgiving get-togethers, someone in our family said, "Come on, just give this pie a taste. You're not going to like it if you don't try it. If you pass out, don't worry, we'll call an ambulance." So, I built up the courage and intestinal fortitude to take a slice of the pumpkin pie and give it a taste ... and, MAN, it was good! What have I been missing all my life?! Now I can't get enough and look forward to dessert on Thanksgiving. In fact, the day after Thanksgiving, many supermarkets sell their leftover pumpkin pies for ridiculously cheap (just to get rid of them), like 49 cents each. Whereas most people will be lining up on Black Friday at Best Buy or the mall to get a head-start on Christmas shopping and sales, you are sure to find me at the local King Kullen, rolling out of the store with 10 to 15 pumpkin pies. (Ok, maybe not that many, but I stock up for the harsh winter ahead... ;) )

But, if I didn't take that taste, I would never have known how good the pie was. Psalm 34:8 is exactly the same idea. All you need is a "taste" of God to experience how good ... no, how GREAT God really is. Some people think that God is too restrictive in terms of how one can live. Others assume that having God control their lives will lead to a mundane, boring, joyless way of life. But, how do you know unless if you experience it for yourself? Assumptions will never give the complete picture; personal experience and witnessing of the love of God reveal the true liberation of one's life. By sampling His word and truly making a commitment to have a personal relationship with Jesus and His Father, that initial taste will have you wanting more ... needing more. The joy, the love, the freedom that flows into your life is something that you will not be able to get enough of. You will want to go back to the Source of your life, your needs and your salvation to satisfy that hunger within you. When you just taste of what the Lord has done and will do for you, you will not turn back to your old ways. You will see the goodness of God.

God only wants what is good for us. He is our Father in heaven. If you yield to Him, you will be fulfilled by Him. And realize this: though pumpkin pies may cost 49 cents the day after Thanksgiving, God's goodness is available for you free of charge. Your salvation has been paid in full. The following hymn tells it like it is:

Jesus paid it all,
All to Him I owe.
Sin had left a crimson stain -
He washed it white as snow.

One true love this Valentine's Day

Today's Daily Bread article really stood out for me, so I thought I'd post here. Some powerful, inspirational verses which attests God's love for His children.

WRITTEN IN RED

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READ: 1 John 4:7-19

God has sent His only begotten Son into the world, that we might live through Him. —1 John 4:9

My first Bible was printed mostly in black type, but some of its words were in red. It didn’t take me long to discover that the ones in red had been spoken by Jesus.

More than 100 years ago, a man named Louis Klopsch published the first “red-letter” Bible. As he thought about Jesus’ words in Luke 22:20, “This cup is the new covenant in My blood, which is shed for you,” he purposely used blood-red ink to call specific attention to His words.

The words of the Bible are priceless to us because they tell of the “love letter” God sent 2,000 years ago in the Person of His Son (1 John 4:10).

Jesus’ purpose in coming to earth as a Man was to die, to be sacrificed, to give His life for ours. God’s plan was written in red—written with “the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot” (1 Peter 1:19).

Those of us who have accepted God’s gift of love are called to be “letters” to those who don’t know Him. We are epistles of Christ “written not with ink but by the Spirit of the living God” (2 Cor. 3:3).

Long before a day in February was set aside to celebrate love, the world received a love letter—and that changed everything (John 3:16). — Cindy Hess Kasper

If you’d like to know the love of God the Father,
Come to Him through Jesus Christ, His loving Son;
He’ll forgive your sins and save your soul forever,
And you’ll love forevermore this faithful One. —Felten

Nothing speaks more clearly of God’s love than the cross of Jesus Christ.

Easier said AND done

Talk about a blog gap. New semester starts are always busy, and this one was no different. Gotta make sure that everything is delicately balanced. Thank God even for this little bit of blog time.

Some men came carrying a paralytic on a mat and tried to take him into the house to lay him before Jesus. When they could not find a way to do this because of the crowd, they went up on the roof and lowered him on his mat through the tiles into the middle of the crowd, right in front of Jesus.

When Jesus saw their faith, he said, "Friend, your sins are forgiven."

The Pharisees and the teachers of the law began thinking to themselves, "Who is this fellow who speaks blasphemy? Who can forgive sins but God alone?"

Jesus knew what they were thinking and asked, "Why are you thinking these things in your hearts? Which is easier: to say, 'Your sins are forgiven,' or to say, 'Get up and walk'? But that you may know that the Son of Man has authority on earth to forgive sins...." He said to the paralyzed man, "I tell you, get up, take your mat and go home." Immediately he stood up in front of them, took what he had been lying on and went home praising God. Everyone was amazed and gave praise to God. They were filled with awe and said, "We have seen remarkable things today."
- Luke 5:18-26

Remarkable! This miracle is really an establishment of Jesus' true authority. Just by His words alone is Jesus able to forgive us our sins: "Friend, your sins are forgiven." The Pharisees disbelieve in this authority. So, Jesus, as only He does best, puts the Pharisees in their place by pretty much saying, "By my voice and my Father's purpose, anything is possible for the good of the people." Jesus gives priority to forgiving the sins of the paralytic over actually eliminating his paralysis. Jesus told the man to get up and walk and "[i]mmediately he stood up in front of them." Likewise, Jesus told the man, "Friend, your sins are forgiven," and immediately, his sins were forgiven. The power of Jesus' voice and authority ... phenomenal & instantaneous. The Pharisees had the visual evidence of Jesus' healing power and yet their hearts were hardened to think that He could possess redemption power. It's funny - Jesus must have been like, "So, you don't believe I can forgive sins (through the authority I have by my Father)? Ok, fine, I'll heal him instead." Yeah, that's commonplace... As if that were any less remarkable!

The power to heal. The power to save. Jesus could do it all ... so that all would believe. "Everyone was amazed and gave praise to God. They were filled with awe and said, "We have seen remarkable things today.'"

And so have we...

"He is your praise; he is your God, who performed for you those great and awesome wonders you saw with your own eyes."
-Deuteronomy 10:21

The Cure for Lotto Fever

"Do not wear yourself out to get rich;
have the wisdom to show restraint.

Cast but a glance at riches, and they are gone,
for they will surely sprout wings
and fly off to the sky like an eagle."
-Proverbs 23:4-5

As I was randomly checking out my blog one day, this verse appeared on the random verse generator right below the header. The verse slapped me right in the face. It's one of those moments where you know God did it on purpose to tell you something that you need to hear RIGHT NOW! When I saw this verse, I was literally doing a combination nod and shake of my head, muttering to myself, "God ... you're good, God ... you're good..." Some people call it coincidence, others call it serendipity - I call Him God! He is purposeful.

My ideal situation is to win the lottery and leave my current job. Winning the lottery would be great:

• I could pay off some outstanding bills.
• I would give a certain percentage to my church and mission projects.
• My family members would get a share.
• I wouldn't stop working altogether (Yes, call me crazy and ridiculous, but I actually enjoy what I do.). After a short sabbatical, I'd be back at it.

So, looks like I got things all mapped out. And, I honestly believe that I wouldn't change much, in terms of my character, after hitting it rich. That's what a lot of people say and I'm in that bunch. But, who knows? I would think I know myself enough to know that I wouldn't change.

But God knows better - He knows my heart.

I was on quite the lotto spiel during this winter break ("Hey, ya never know?"). Not problematically, addictively out-of-control - a couple of dollars here and there. And, listen, I'm a mathematician. The odds of winning the lottery are so astronomically low that it is an act of God if you win. A 1 in 45,057,474 chance of winning! Yes, if you win, then God wanted you to win. But, "hey, ya never know?" The possibility of easing a living situation, to relieve economic burdens, to be able to give your spouse whatever s/he desires - the noble results of being a lottery winner. I thought that if I made my case before God about what winning the lotto would do for me and mine, then God would simply be like, "But, of course. In that case, I grant you these millions." I was even negotiating for second prize ($250,000) or third prize, making my case that I would have the noblest of intentions in using that money.

But God knows better - He knows my heart, He knows my needs and provides for me and mine as I need.

The above Proverbs passage hits the nail on the head. This pursuit of potential money is quite tiresome. "Did I win?" "What's the next jackpot?" "When's the next drawing?" - draining... Even if it is for the noblest of intentions, money can NEVER replace the provisions and blessings of God. He's given me food to eat, clothing on my back, shelter over my head, surrounded me with loving friends and family - in that sense, I am "rich" beyond compare. Why do I complain? I found myself being like Jonah, pleading that things should be done this way. But, God knew the best way all along. God has a plan for me ... for all of us - just allow Him to steer the ship to the promised land (I feel a calling to head up and advise a Christian fellowship in my school. This deserves more energy than elusive riches.); yield control to Him. If it involves winning the lotto, so be it. If not, so be it. His will be done always and forever. Conforming to my Father's will allows me to live life fully and at peace.

Father, I pray for wisdom to restrain myself from fretting over elusive, material riches. Forgive me of my foolishness and shortcomings. Lord, I put my trust in your everlasting, spiritual riches - the "treasures" You have for me in heaven. I pray that Your ways be my ways. Your grace is sufficient for me, my Jehovah Jireh.

Someday, I may win the lottery. But, I'll leave it to God to define that "someday" for me. That's if it's needed at all. God knows better.

Eating as Worship

"If you find honey, eat just enough—
too much of it, and you will vomit." -Proverbs 25:16

Julie A. Link makes a great point in today's Daily Bread article. Caught me as profound:

When we think of food as a friend that comforts us or an enemy that makes us fat, we miss the wonder of receiving with gratitude a splendid gift from God. Obsessive eating or not eating [via extreme dieting] indicates that we are focused on the gift rather than on the Giver, which is a form of idolatry.

Do not abuse a gift of God. Do not place food (or anything, for that matter) above God's rightful place. "So whether you eat or drink or whatever you do, do it all for the glory of God." - I Corinthians 10:31