"Taste and see that the LORD is good; blessed is the man who takes refuge in him." --Psalm 34:8

You ever notice how some foods just don't look too appetizing or appealing yet when you taste it to your amazement it tastes great. That's how God is. To many people, following Him doesn't seem so appealing. But when we do try Him we realize how good He is. Blessed is the person who clings to God not because of what he can get from God but because he has tasted and seen that God's way is always the best way.

I learned a new word this week in my studies... "Aseity." The word comes from a Latin term a sei, meaning, "from oneself." This term describes one of God's hidden attributes. We say "hidden" because we don't really see it or think about it when we look at creation. Unlike God's awesomeness, majesty and love, etc., which can be seen in creation, aseity is hidden. 

Aseity means that God is self-existent. God does not depend on or require anything outside of Himself to exist eternally. God is eternal because that's who He is. He is the Alpha and Omega, beginning and the end; the first and last. Who was, Who is and Who is to come. The Great I Am. Always existing in an eternal present form. God is NOT dead. God cannot die or cease to exist. He is always here and always near; ever-present, all-knowing and all-powerful. Nothing can or will ever change that. That's why He is God.

We, on the other hand, require much to stay alive. We need oxygen, food, shelter, love, intellect, strength and the list goes on. We need these things to survive. If not we fail to live. We are finite beings, meaning we have boundaries that we cannot cross; limits that keep us maintained in a specific order. Every day we live is a blessing from God. Every morning we wake we should take the time to praise God for giving us another day and ask Him for guidance and wisdom to get us through the day in a way that would bring Him glory. Every night before we go to bed we should thank Him for getting us through the day, sustaining us and providing for us. As it is, for so many of us, day in and day out we tend to overlook our 100% total dependence on God, failing to thank Him in detail for all the good things He gives us. In the same way, how often do we fail to recognize His total independence and praise Him for the Great and Mighty God He is? Take some time today to thank Him for His blessings and let Him know how much you need Him and  don't forget to praise Him for the great God that He is.

"The Son is the radiance of God's glory and the exact representation of his being, sustaining all things by his powerful word. After he had provided purification for sins, he sat down at the right hand of the Majesty in heaven." (Hebrews 1:3)

"Jesus reached out his hand and touched the man. "I am willing," he said. "Be clean!" Immediately he was cured of his leprosy. Then Jesus said to him, "See that you don't tell anyone..." (Matthew 8:3-4)
​
Jesus healed many people but quite often He would tell them not to tell anyone. Why? Because the message of healing would divert people from the true message. First, we should come to God not for what we can get from Him but for who He is. Second, the main message of Christ is "Repent for the kingdom of heaven is near." 

Even though the man was physically healed, he still needed to be spiritually healed. Don't let the message of healing divert you from the main message of repentance and turning to God. 

"Peace on earth, goodwill to men..." These words were sung by the angel choir, declaring the coming of Jesus, the one who will bring Peace. But what are we talking about? Because throughout history there has never been a time of peace. Well, there was, in the garden, before Adam and Eve sinned. In Genesis we see Adam and Eve able to walk and talk with God in the garden. Once they ate the forbidden fruit, they hid from God, were banished from the garden, a curse was placed over everything and the first blood was shed when a poor innocent animal died because they needed to make clothes for themselves to cover their nakedness. SIN breaks peace between humanity and creation and worst of all, it breaks the peace between us and God. The truth is we don't like to do what others tell us so we go the opposite way and do what we want. It's the same with our view towards God. So our natural tendency is to hide from God. As a people we are banished from the garden and sin continues to disrupt the peace between God and self. That's why Jesus came 2000 years ago. He is the "Peacemaker." He provided THE WAY for us to have peace with God. Apart from Jesus there is no peace with God. As the saying goes, "NO Jesus, NO peace. KNOW Jesus, KNOW peace." This Christmas, may you receive the greatest gift of all... the restoration of peace with God that comes through a personal relationship with Jesus. (Read Romans 3:23, 6:23, 10:9 & 5:1 and message me with any questions).

The message of Joy and Peace go hand in hand for where there is true joy there will be peace and where there is peace there will be joy. The peace that Jesus gives us is a different kind of peace than that which the world seeks. The world views peace as a lull between the storms or a cease-fire during a war. Its that period of time where everything is calm, that state of mutual harmony being free from any strife or dissention whether it be on a personal or national level. This type of peace is at the mercy of the uncontrollable and ever-changing circumstances around us. This type of peace suggests the absence of something. However, the peace that the bible talks about is not the absence of something but rather the presence of something... JESUS. True Peace is found in Jesus and He came to us as a little baby born in a stable in Bethlehem some 2000 years ago. Jesus brought Peace with Him back then and He is still bringing peace today. This Christmas, may you experience the true peace that comes from a personal relationship with God through Jesus. 
​
"Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus." (Philippians 4:6-7)

When Jesus came on the scene 2000 years ago, He turned the world upside down. What a person thought was right was actually wrong. He didn't come to put a damper on joy but rather He came to give us true joy and to set us free from the enemy who holds us captive by his cunning schemes and counterfeit joy. That’s what the "joy paradox" is all about. A paradox is a statement that contradicts itself but remains true. The Bible is filled with paradoxes: Lose your life to find it. Die to live. Give to receive. The least is the greatest and the greatest the least. The humble is exalted. The weak are strong. The wise are foolish and the foolish are wise. And though you are free you are a slave.

So it is with joy. Joy does not come by having more stuff; it doesn't even come by having all you want. Rather, joy comes by giving up all you want and trusting God for all you need. You and I know that things will come and go. How sad it is if our joy comes and goes just the same. This teaches us not to place our trust in things. Instead we place our trust and hope in the solid Rock that is never shaken. Only then will we see our JOY remain. That is TRUE JOY. 
​
This Christmas season may we remember where true JOY comes from... “Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith, who for the JOY set before him endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. Consider him who endured such opposition from sinful men, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart.” (Hebrews 12:2-3)

So how does Jesus bring JOY? Well, the very name "Jesus" means "God Saves." Because we are ALL sinners (Ro 3:23), the Good News (Gospel) of Jesus is that He paid the price for our sins. When we believe in the good news, we receive forgiveness from God through Jesus. Apart from Jesus there is no forgiveness. Read Romans 3:23, 6:23, 5:8 and 10:9-10 and see what God says. The JOY comes through the release of guilt by the forgiveness of your sins that sets you free to live for God. When you understand this, then you too will see how Jesus brings true JOY. That's why we celebrate Christmas.
​
"She will give birth to a son, and you are to give him the name Jesus, because he will save his people from their sins." (Matthew 1:21)

But the angel reassured them. "Don’t be afraid!" he said. "I bring you the most joyful news ever announced, and it is for everyone! The Savior—yes, the Messiah, the Lord—has been born tonight in Bethlehem! --Luke 2:10-11 (TLB)
​
Based on the angel’s message to the shepherds that first Christmas night, the most joyful message to ever be announced is the coming of Jesus. So who is Jesus? And why is the message so great? The more you spend time reading God's word, the more you will know who He is. Jesus says to "ask, seek and knock and it will be given to you." Don't settle for a limited view of His greatness but dig into the scriptures daily and see how infinitely amazing Jesus is. Know that Jesus is ALL-sufficient for your joy. If you needed something else plus Jesus, then Jesus would not be sufficient. If Jesus is not sufficient then He is not superior over all things and would be lacking as the main joy-giver for humanity. If He were lacking in anything that we need then He would cease to be God. As John Piper says, "God is most glorified in us when we are most satisfied in Him." In other words, God wants to satisfy those who come to Him hungry because then we glorify Him all the more. So really, if Jesus is not sufficient for our joy its not because He is INSUFFICIENT in Himself but that we are lacking in our understanding of who He is.

​This Christmas may we understand the greatness of this message and experience the all-sufficient JOY of Jesus.