Taste and See

By: Jenifer Metzger

A couple of years ago I decided to try my hand at baking sandwich bread from scratch. I found a recipe online, printed it out, did the shopping, then carefully followed the instructions. With each step, excitement bubbled. The first rise of the dough, and my excitement rose with it. Then came that second rise and I was giddy.

After the final steps were complete and the beautiful loaf had cooled just enough that I could finally give it a try, I sliced through the bread -a little nervous that though it looked wonderful, maybe it wouldn't taste right. Then I bit into the soft bread and it was delicious! I excitedly called my husband and daughter over and they tried it and also loved the warm bread. With every taste of the bread, I was thrilled that it was so good.

Taste and see that the Lord is good. How

happy is the person who takes refuge in Him!

Psalm 34:8 CSB

My experience with making this sandwich bread from scratch reminded me of another time I tasted and saw how good it was. Seventeen or so years ago, after spending years not opening the pages of my Bible other than at church on Sunday, I decided it was time to get back into the Word. I would open my Bible each morning and read just a verse or two and then pray. After a week or so, one or two verses wasn't enough, I needed more. So I started reading a chapter a day.

After a week or so of reading a chapter a day, it wasn't enough anymore. I needed more of the Word. With each taste of the Bible, with each experience in His presence, I needed more. Soon my two minutes and two verses turned into nearly an hour of four to five chapters, journaling, studying, and passionate prayer time.

Our time with God, in prayer and Bible reading, is never wasted. You will never fall asleep at night saying, "I wish I hadn't read the Bible today." Yet, you likely will fall asleep at night saying, "I wish I had read the Bible today."

The more we read it, the more we encounter God, the more we will want. When Psalm says, "Taste and see," it is more than a beautiful quote. It is the truth.

Discussion:
1. Think of a time you had this "taste and see" experience with God. Share your experience in the comments if you'd like.
2. How has your time in God's Word grown over your journey of faith?

Names of God Series: Living Life with Emmanuel

 By: Rebekah Hargraves

Photo Courtesy of: Getty Images

"See, the virgin will become pregnant and give birth to a son, and they will name him Immanuel, which is translated 'God is with us.'”

~Matthew 1:23

As we come to this next name of Jesus in our names of God series, we are reminded of the name given to Him at the announcement of His impending conception: the name "Immanuel", meaning "God with us".

That is precisely what Jesus was for Mary, for His disciples, and for those He came into contact with throughout the duration of his years of public ministry - God with them. He was God in the flesh, "God with skin on" as the phrase has been said. When Mary, John, a Pharisee, or a poor leper were in His presence, they were in the presence of God Himself. He was God with them.

The beautiful thing is that this can truly be said for us today, as well. Granted, we do not have Jesus in the flesh with us. We do not have the privilege of seeing Him face to face and doing life with Him in the same tangible, daily way the disciples did two thousand years ago. But that doesn't mean God isn't still with us today. It doesn't mean we can't live life with Immanuel, too. In fact, Jesus said it was actually better for us if He weren't here in the flesh anymore! 

He says in John 16:7, "Nevertheless, I am telling you the truth. It is for your benefit that I go away, because if I don’t go away the Counselor will not come to you. If I go, I will send him to you."

So, you see, we still have God with us! We still get to live life with Immanuel! Because we have the blessing of the Comforter, the very Holy Spirit of God Himself Who lives in us and with us every moment of every day, we never find ourselves truly alone, never have to walk through life feeling lonely or sad or rejected or deserted, because we are never - not once! - any of those things. Praise be to God for that! 

Reflection Questions:

1) What about "God with us" is a comforting phrase for you?

2) How does it change your life and how you view it to remember that the Holy Spirit of God is with you at every moment of every day?

3) Have you ever felt as if life would be a lot easier or better if we just had Jesus alive in the flesh with us still today? What does Jesus tell us about that idea?

The Wonder of It All

  By: Joanne Viola

 

Yesterday was Valentine’s Day – the annual day of love. Or the day to acknowledge those you love.

Here’s a fun fact: While It isn’t a public, federal, or even a bank holiday, it is a global holiday.

But the day often bears a sadness for some. It reminds them of loved ones now gone. The day can bring the pain of what might have been. And at times, it delivers the sting of having never been loved.

It is important to remind ourselves of the truth of God’s deep love for us. Hear Him speak to your heart from His Word.

“I have loved you, my people, with an everlasting love. 
With unfailing love I have drawn you to myself.” 
(Jeremiah 31:3, NLT)

“For I am convinced that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, 
nor things present, nor things to come, nor powers, 
nor height, nor depth, nor any other created thing, 
will be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.” 
(Romans 8:38-39, NASB)

When the days are hard and challenging, may you remember God’s love is unfailing and steadfast.

“Believe God’s love and power more than you believe your own feelings and experiences. Your rock is Christ, and it is not the rock that ebbs and flows but the sea.” (Samuel Rutherford)

When your heart fills with doubt, may you remember your doubts will never be greater than God’s love.

“God’s unfailing love for us is an objective fact affirmed over and over in the Scriptures. It is true whether we believe it or not. Our doubts do not destroy God’s love, nor does our faith create it. It originates in the very nature of God, who is love, and it flows to us through our union with His beloved Son.” (Jerry Bridges)

One of the privileges of having grown up in the church is the number of times the old hymns were heard. These words came back to mind:

“O, the wonder of it all! The wonder of it all!
Just to think that God loves me.
O, the wonder of it all! The wonder of it all!
Just to think that God loves me.”



(from The Wonder of It All by George Beverly Shea)

 

Reflection: 

Do you ever struggle as you think about God’s love for you? Which Scriptures or quotes ground you once again in the depth of His love for you?

 

Image by Michaela 💗 from Pixabay

 

How to Pray for Someone You Don't Know

 By: Lauren Thomas 

I know you’ve been there. You’re sitting in a Bible study or prayer service, or you’re on the “prayer chain” text group, and a prayer request is shared. But you don’t know how to pray for that person because you don’t know them!

 

Let me offer you a model to help you pray more specific prayers for someone you don’t know or don’t know how to pray for!

Paul wrote many letters, some of which we have in our Bibles today. One such letter is called Colossians. If you read this book, you’ll notice the love and warmth in Paul’s prayers for the Colossian church. And guess what? Paul had never even met these people! 

 

Paul did not plant this church. It’s thought he never even visited this church. He only knew a guy who taught the Gospel there, Epaphras. Epaphras probably told Paul about some of the members of this congregation and what they faced. But Paul had never been introduced to them, let alone built relationships with them. 

 

Yet, within his letter to them, he prays for them. And in doing so, he gives us a great model for praying for people when we don’t know them personally.

 

9 And so, from the day we heard, we have not ceased to pray for you, asking that you may be filled with the knowledge of his will in all spiritual wisdom and understanding, 10 so as to walk in a manner worthy of the Lord, fully pleasing to him: bearing fruit in every good work and increasing in the knowledge of God; 11 being strengthened with all power, according to his glorious might, for all endurance and patience with joy; 12 giving thanks to the Father, who has qualified you to share in the inheritance of the saints in light.

Colossians 1:9-12 ESV

 

Here’s the model:

• Pray that the individual be filled with the knowledge of God’s will (v. 9)
• Pray that the individual be given spiritual wisdom and understanding (v. 9)
• Pray that God would empower the individual to live a life pleasing to the Lord (v. 10)
• Pray that the individual would bear fruit in good works (v. 10)
• Pray that the individual would increase in the knowledge of God (v. 10)
• Pray that the individual be strengthened, and be given endurance, patience and joy (v. 11) 
• Thank God for the individual and for what God wants to do in their life (v. 12)

 

So next time you need to pray for someone you don’t know, open your Bible to Colossians 1 and “take a page” from Paul.

 

Reflection:

What do you normally do when asked to pray for someone you don’t know?

How might you use this model to pray for a neighbor, a stranger, or a member of your church?

 

Love Is...

By: Jenifer Metzger

Valentine's Day is just a few days away. I am still not sure how I feel about this holiday. My husband and I firmly believe that we should show our love to our spouse 365 days a year, not just 1. We should do those little acts of love regularly, not just when the calendar tells us to. Yet on the other hand, it is nice to have that day to do extra things and go all out, and I love to decorate my home for all the little holidays.

Whether you are one of those who goes all out red and hearts and lovey-dovey for the day or one who dismisses the day completely, this is for you.

Love is patient, love is kind. Love does
not envy, is not boastful, is not arrogant,
is not rude, is not self-seeking, is not irritable,
and does not keep a record of wrongs. Love
finds no joy in unrighteousness but rejoices in
the truth. It bears all things, believes all
things, hopes all things, endures all things. Love
never ends. But as for prophecies, they will
come to an end; as for tongues, they will
cease; as for knowledge, it will come to an end.

I Corinthians 13:4-8 CSB

The Bible tells us in I John 4 that God is love. So let's do this again a little differently.

Jesus is patient, Jenifer is kind. Jesus does
not envy, is not boastful, is not arrogant,
is not rude, is not self-seeking, is not irritable,
and does not keep a record of wrongs. Jesus
finds no joy in unrighteousness but rejoices in
the truth. He bears all things, believes all
things, hopes all things, endures all things. Jesus
never ends. But as for prophecies, they will
come to an end; as for tongues, they will
cease; as for knowledge, it will come to an end.

I Corinthians 13:4-8

Oh that describes Jesus perfectly! Jesus is all of those things. He is love. Well, we are supposed to be Christ-like. Correct? So let's try this yet again.

Jenifer is patient, Jenifer is kind. Jenifer does
not envy, is not boastful, is not arrogant,
is not rude, is not self-seeking, is not irritable,
and does not keep a record of wrongs. Jenifer
finds no joy in unrighteousness but rejoices in
the truth. She bears all things, believes all
things, hopes all things, endures all things. Jenifer
never ends. But as for prophecies, they will
come to an end; as for tongues, they will
cease; as for knowledge, it will come to an end.

Um...ouch. If I were honest with you, I would say that is not true. I am not always patient and kind. I am, at times, easily angered. And yes, I have been known to keep record of my husband's wrong doings. I do fail.

The Bible tells us what love is and it tells us that Jesus is love. It also tells us that we are to be like Jesus. Now, take out the word love and add your name. Does it match up perfectly? I would imagine it doesn't.

Friends, we need to commit to our spouse, and even to our families and friends, to strive to be like God and to be love. I want to encourage you, this Valentine's Day and all the days that follow, let's be love. Memorize I Corinthians 13:4-8 and practice putting your name in there and striving to make it true.

I want to be like Christ. I want to be love.

Discussion:
1. Does replacing the word love with your name make you say "ouch"?
2. How can you strive to make it a little less painful today?