Beloved, fortunately as a Christian, there are no dietary restrictions posed upon us. We are permitted to eat anything we want. Unlike the Jewish law, there are no clean or unclean foods, and nothing on the forbidden to eat list. Having said that, a health caution that not everything you eat is good for your health. If you choose to kill and eat bats or spiders or venomous snakes, well, you do so at the peril of your own health, however, Christianity will not stop you from eating anything. This is good news for everyone from the vegan to the steak eater to the bacon lover and the sushi officionado. It is good news for the person who enjoys Korean Kimchi, Vietnamese Pho, Chinese Peking Duck, Italian Lasagna all the way to Indian Samosas, Idli and Dosas, Norwegian Lutafisk and Lefsa and Swiss Fondu Bourguignonne and Cervelat. Indeed our world is full of delicious tastes and flavors, and the good news is that Christianity doesn't prohibit us from eating or drinking anything. 

Indeed according to scripture, "The next day, as they were on their journey and approaching the city, Peter went up on the housetop about the sixth hour to pray. And he became hungry and wanted something to eat, but while they were preparing it, he fell into a trance and saw the heavens opened and something like a great sheet descending, being let down by its four corners upon the earth. In it were all kinds of animals and reptiles and birds of the air. And there came a voice to him: “Rise, Peter; kill and eat.” But Peter said, “By no means, Lord; for I have never eaten anything that is common or unclean.” And the voice came to him again a second time, “What God has made clean, do not call common.” This happened three times, and the thing was taken up at once to heaven." Acts 10:9-16

Now, I know a lot of Christians who decide to still keep the Old Testament commands regarding the types of food which are permitted to be eaten, and a lot of Christians who do not. Most Christian scholars agree however that Peter's vision in the New Testament supercede the Old Testament commandments regarding the eating of clean and unclean food, and what may be eaten and what may not. It is up to the discretion of every Christian therefore regarding the interpretation of this passage and whether it supercedes Old Testament dietary laws. 

One of the things we realize as we mature in Christ as believers is that there are a lot of things not under our control in this world. Indeed we are surrounded by people, situations and environments over which we have absolutely no control. For those of us who are used to gripping onto control very tightly, a word of advise...let go and let God, or you will go completely insane trying to minutely control every little thing which happens to you or which you are subjected to in this life. God knows your heart. He know that you love him. He knows that Jesus is your Lord and Savior. He knows every situation and He is in control of every situation. So relax, let go and let God. 

Now, this is easier said than done, especially for the "Type A" personalities among us. The Corporate world teaches us, indeed the fundamentals of every management class tell us that the 4 fundamental functions of every manager are POLC (Planning, Organizing, Leading, and Controlling) and while controlling might be essential in the Corporate world, there is a manager who sits higher than every CEO in the world, and His name is Jesus. He is richer than any CEO in the world, and his dominion and control is the entire world. So worry not believer, control is not something we should be afraid to give to Him. "Shortly before dawn Jesus went out to them, walking on the lake. When the disciples saw him walking on the lake, they were terrified. “It’s a ghost,” they said, and cried out in fear. But Jesus immediately said to them: “Take courage! It is I. Don’t be afraid.” “Lord, if it’s you,” Peter replied, “tell me to come to you on the water.” “Come,” he said. Then Peter got down out of the boat, walked on the water and came toward Jesus. But when he saw the wind, he was afraid and, beginning to sink, cried out, “Lord, save me!” Immediately Jesus reached out his hand and caught him. “Ye of little faith,” he said, “why did you doubt?” And when they climbed into the boat, the wind died down. Then those who were in the boat worshiped him, saying, “Truly you are the Son of God.” Matthew 14:25-32. Beloved, He who walks on water has your back. When we choose to relinquish control to Him who controls all things, He takes all our worries and makes it His own. 

When it comes to our needs, Jesus puts it best, "Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothes? Look at the birds of the air: They do not sow or reap or gather into barns—and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they? Who of you by worrying can add a single hour to his life? And why do you worry about clothes? Consider how the lilies of the field grow: They do not labor or spin. Yet I tell you that not even Solomon in all his glory was adorned like one of these. If that is how God clothes the grass of the field, which is here today and tomorrow is thrown into the furnace, will He not much more clothe you, O you of little faith? Therefore do not worry, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ For the Gentiles strive after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them. But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things will be added unto you. Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Today has enough trouble of its own." Luke 12:22-31

The Apostle Paul puts it this way "Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with Thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God." Philippians 4:6 So as we  have already discussed in a previous message, prayer begins with Thanksgiving, and ends with our requests to God not only for our needs but also for the needs of others, and "But my God shall supply all your need according to his riches in glory by Christ Jesus." Philippians 4:19

"For this reason I bow my knees to the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, from whom the whole family in Heaven and earth is named, that He would grant you, according to the riches of His glory, to be strengthened with might through His Spirit in the inner man, that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith; that you, being rooted and grounded in love, may be able to comprehend with all the saints what is the width and length and depth and height — to know the love of Christ which surpasses knowledge; that you may be filled with all the fullness of God. Now to Him who is able to do exceedingly abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that works in us, to Him be glory in the church by Christ Jesus to all generations, forever and ever. Amen." Ephesians  3:14-21

So what does Jesus want for His Birthday? The answer is very simple. He wants your heart. He wants all of you. Sincerely, you are what He came to this earth for. You are what He died on the Cross for. He wants You, and He wants ALL of you, not you only on Sundays during Church Service. Not you only when the Choir is singing. Not you only when it is convenient to you, but ALL of you, EVERY second of EVERY minute of EVERY hour of EVERY day of EVERY month of EVERY YEAR for the remainder of your life.  

So, how is this possible? First, it is possible by obeying the commandment Jesus stated was the most important of all commandments: "But when the Pharisees heard that he had silenced the Sadducees with his reply, they met together to question him again. One of them, an expert in religious law, tried to trap him with this question: “Teacher, which is the most important commandment in the law of Moses?” Jesus replied, "‘You must love the Lord your God with all your heart, all your soul, and all your mind.’ This is the first and greatest commandment." Matthew 22:34-46 

What place does God have in your life? Do you love God with all your heart, with all your soul and with all your mind? If not, how can you increase your love for God? 

Second, by remembering what Apostle Paul said "And whatever you do, in word or deed, do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him." Colossians 3:16

What does this really mean? It means that you must filter every thought and every word and every action with the filter of the Word of God, the Bible. Using the Bible as the Standard instruction manual for your life, are your thoughts, your words and your actions God-honoring? Are they consistent with the Word of God? Do your thoughts, words and actions align with, or contradict what is stated in the Bible? If they are not, how can you change your thoughts, words and your deeds to honor God and to bring them back into alignment with the Bible?

If you do these two things I mention above, you will have given Lord Jesus a fantastic Birthday present....! 

What could man possibly give me when I have communion with the LORD? The LORD is the maker of all the Universe. “I am the Alpha and the Omega,” says the LORD God, “who is, and who was, and who is to come, the Almighty.” Revelation 1:8 There is nothing He cannot do. What could man possibly give me in comparison to this? The worshipper speaks and the LORD listens, and before you know it earthquakes happen, mountains move, prison gates open wide, the lame can walk, the blind see, airplanes with dictators in foreign lands disappear, never to be heard from again. Cancers are cured, the dead are raised, miracles happen, Castro dies, lands are freed, freedom rings, Israel is protected, and Jesus is worshipped. How could anything compare to being in communion with the most High? Have you tried prayer lately? More on the power of prayer in a future post. 

Yet the MOST POWERFUL force in the world spared not His Son but sent Him to this world to die for our sins. Have you any idea of the demotion Jesus took when He chose to be born --- the most powerful God who created the entire cosmos and breathed the earth into form, be born on this earth as a helpless baby? To be mocked and scorned and cursed and crucified by man? All for what? For us. So that we may be clothed with His righteousness and be presented spotless and blameless before the Father on the Day of Judgement. Have you any idea of this sacrifice? As we walk into the Advent season, remember these things, and Thank the one who took the nails for us. Thank Him who hung on the Cross for us and spoke the words "Father forgive them, they know not what they do." Luke 23:34 Thank Him that you will stand before God on Judgement day, pronounced completely righteous and be written into the Lamb's book of Life, to inherit eternal life forevermore. What gift could possibly compare to this? This is the gift that Jesus has given you when you gave your life to Him. What have you given Jesus lately? What have you done for Him lately? What does Jesus need from you? Have you thought about that lately?

What gift could you possibly give Jesus this Christmas? More on that in the next update. ​

While Scripture recognizes diversity among human groups based on geography, language, ancestry, and spiritual state, it stresses the unity of all people as made in God’s image and as descendants of Adam and Eve. Furthermore, God created humankind in His image, which implies equality among all people (Genesis 1:26–27). As image bearers, humans are to live harmoniously with each other and reflect the character of a God who “shows no partiality” (Acts 10:34). The first human, Adam, is racially unidentifiable. The Hebrew term Adam simply means “humankind” and makes no reference to race. In fact, the divisions of humankind into people groups are not introduced until Genesis 10. Hence, Adam and Eve do not belong to an identifiable ethnic or national group, but rather represent the origin of all people.

Even when it refers to divisions among humankind, Scripture does not employ the concept of race to do so, but rather refers to ethnicity. The term ethnicity, drawn from the Greek word for nations (ethnos, έθνος), is used to classify humanity based not on physical traits but on shared cultures, religions, land, laws, and languages. Indeed, in Abraham’s call in Genesis 12, God promised to bless “all the families of the earth” through Abraham and his offspring. Quoting Isaiah (56:7), Jesus emphasized that the temple should be “a house of prayer for all nations” (Mark 11:17). This recognition of equality is echoed in Paul’s statement that Jews and Gentiles “are all one in Jesus Christ” (Galatians 3:28; Ephesians 2:11–19).

Nevertheless, the unity of the human race should not be understood as antagonistic to its diversity. As the triune God is three persons, yet one being, who exist in perfect harmony and union with each other, our unity should also encompass unity within diversity. Whereas only Adam and Eve were in the Garden of Eden (representing one culture), the New Jerusalem (and Heaven) will be filled with a great multitude of people from every nation, tribe, and language coming together to worship God (Revelation 7:9–12). “The glory and honor” of distinct “nations” will enter the New Jerusalem (Rev 21:26). God wishes to exist with and bless a diverse multitude of believers from every corner of the world. Diversity among believers is clearly God’s ultimate design for the human race. Hence, ethnocentrism in the Church opposes God’s plan and is therefore sinful. In a plain sentence, Racism, therefore, is sinful. 

Having said all of this, people often have very strong prejudices, biases or preferences which cannot be easily undone. This is normal and natural. People generally (with exceptions of course) gravitate toward their own kind --- people of their own race, national origin, accent, and skin color. There can be aversion or mistrust for certain other skin colors or accents, which is not present at birth, but develops as time progresses, based upon our experiences in life. Again, this is normal and natural, and I would not categorize this as racism.

I, for one, am strongly attracted to the white skin color. Always have, always will. I have only ever dated white women, and under no circumstances would I ever consider dating someone of a different skin color  because I am simply not romantically attracted to them. This doesn't make me racist. It simply makes me partial to one skin color over others in matters of choice of my significant other or spouse.

Yes, I confess that over ninety (90) percent of my friends are white. Yet the other ten (10) percent come from all nationalities, ethnic origins and skin colors. I don't discriminate on the basis of race, gender or sexual orientation, but I also don't go around appeasing people of different races or sexual orientations just for the sake of appeasing them as our "woke" culture is apt to do. 

We are a land of opportunity for every race, religion, color, creed, ethnicity and national origin. This is why people from all over the world clamor to come here. We are the land of opportunity, and I have seen people of all colors, ethnicities, religions, and national origins be hugely successful and make millions here, because of their education, their hard work, and their years of experience. Affirmative Action had absolutely nothing to do with their success. Do you think Colin Powel became Secretary of State because of affirmative action? Do you think Denzel Washington or James Earl Jones became some of the most successful black actors because of affirmative action? Absolutely not. These individuals earned the respect of their peers and climbed to the pinnacle of their professions through education, hard work, discipline, faith in God, and dedication. Have you ever asked James Earl Jones about his Christian faith, or Denzel Washington? The power of their faith will astound you. Same with Hispanics, Asians and others. Some of the most educated and highest earning professionals in this country are Asian-Americans. Some of the most highly regarded and respected physicians are Indian-Americans. Some of the most successful baseball players of all times are Hispanic-Americans, some of the most brilliant and successful people I have met are Jews of all national origins and ethnicities, and trust me, affirmative action had absolutely nothing to do with it. Germans --- some of the most brilliant people on earth --- some of whom immigrated to the United States after World War II and completely remade our country --- gave us our Nuclear and our Space programs and more. They weren't even born here, yet they reshaped the very soul of our nation. Ever hear of Henry Kissinger? Immigrated from Germany with nothing to his name and rose to become Secretary of State. Do you think they asked for handouts or preferential treatment? I don't think so. They just worked really hard and made it to the top because they were that good and that smart...!

 נוּחַ (nûaḥ). verb. rest, settle. The act of resting or settling upon something or giving rest.
ἀναπαύω (anapauō). verb. to rest, cause to rest, give rest; refresh.

We live in a society full of disparity. One of the biggest disparities in our society is the amount of work that a man needs to do in order to earn a given amount of money. I have been one of the Blessed few who God has Blessed with plenty. Indeed I am in the top 1 percent of income earners in the world, and in the top 9% of wage earners in the United States (data sourced from a website here: https://digg.com/2020/distribution-wage-income-visualized ) There are many in Corporate Information Technology who make twice, thrice, and even ten times what I make in a year. Yet, over the years I have had to work relatively hard for my money. Despite all my hard work over the years, and 28 years spent in the field of Information Technology, I have never had to resort to picking up a shovel to dig a ditch, or to perform any amount of hard work requiring manual labor. Indeed, I have never held a blue collar job in my life. I have never had to....! I have always been Blessed that Information Technology jobs have been plenty available and whenever I have wanted a job, I put out my resume and had between five and seven recruiters calling me every week, three interviews per week and an average of a solid written job offer a month. Yet, many are not so lucky. I have seen people struggle an entire month or three months at a Blue Collar job to make the same amount of money I do in a week. Many in third-world countries don't make in a year what I make in a day. Yet at the same time, some realtors on the show “Million Dollar Listing New York” take home the same amount of money in commission every time they buy or sell a house, that I make in an entire year. Many professional traders on Wall Street average million-dollar profit days. A group of traders I knew only worked between 9AM and 10AM EST at market open. They had honed their trading strategy so perfectly over the years that with minimal effort they were able to pull down an average of $30,000 each per day, then spent the remainder of their day on the golf course enjoying themselves. Some people like my CEO Ken Griffin, or Bill Gates or Elon Musk make much more money in a day or in an hour or in a minute or in a second than even those rich New York Realtors. According to data sourced from https://justrichest.com/how-much-does-bill-gates-make-in-a-day-in-a-second-and-in-a-year/ Billionaire Bill Gates makes $10.1 million each day, and $117 each second, all with very little work. So, what makes a poor man earn $117 a day, all while struggling to do the dishes at the back kitchen of a restaurant, and a rich man earn $117 a second all while doing relatively little? The LORD. The LORD, the maker of all the universe has deemed how much work and how much rest each individual will get while going through this life. So your next question might be --- why does an irreligious man like Bill Gates get to make so much money? Why does the LORD Bless him? The answer is a three-part answer which will be discussed in a different post another time. (a) The doctrine of Common Grace (b) The LORD's penchant for generational Blessings and generational curses and (c) Bill Gates' own generosity toward the poor and his work for the sake of the poor all over the world. "For I was hungry and you gave me food, I was thirsty and you gave me drink, I was a stranger and you welcomed me, I was naked and you clothed me, I was sick and you visited me, I was in prison and you came to me.’ Then the righteous will answer him, saying, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you drink? And when did we see you a stranger and welcome you, or naked and clothe you? And when did we see you sick or in prison and visit you?’ And the King will answer them, ‘Truly, I say to you, as you did it to one of the least of these my brothers, you did it to me.’ Matthew 25:35-40 

Indeed the Bible speaks a lot about work and rest. Even Jesus had a few things to say about it. In the Old Testament, קֺהֶלֶת, qoheleth the writer of Ecclesiastes writes:

"I hated all my toil in which I toil under the sun, seeing that I must leave it to the man who will come after me, and who knows whether he will be wise or a fool? Yet he will be master of all for which I toiled and used my wisdom under the sun. This also is vanity. So I turned about and gave my heart up to despair over all the toil of my labors under the sun, because sometimes a person who has toiled with wisdom and knowledge and skill must leave everything to be enjoyed by someone who did not toil for it. This also is vanity and a great evil. What has a man from all the toil and striving of heart with which he toils beneath the sun? For all his days are full of sorrow, and his work is a vexation. Even in the night his heart does not rest. This also is vanity.
There is nothing better for a person than that he should eat and drink and find enjoyment in his toil. This also, I saw, is from the hand of God, for apart from him who can eat or who can have enjoyment? For to the one who pleases him God has given wisdom and knowledge and joy, but to the sinner he has given the business of gathering and collecting, only to give to one who pleases God. This also is vanity and a striving after wind." Ecclesiastes 2:18-26

Here is one that describes perfectly what I was talking about earlier: (See related graphic below) 
"It is vain for you to rise up early, to sit up late, to eat the bread of sorrows: for so he giveth his beloved sleep." Psalm 127:2 This doesn't come across clearly when translated from the Hebrew, but essentially what it is saying is described perfectly in the graphic below. "It's useless to work so hard for a living; getting up early and going to bed late. The LORD provides for those He loves while they sleep." Psalm 127:2 

So God speaks a lot about work and rest. Indeed, right at the beginning in the Creation account in Genesis, God created the world in six days and on the seventh He rested. “And on the seventh day God finished his work that he had done, and he rested on the seventh day from all his work that he had done.” Genesis 2:2  

Rest is a restorative break from labor and worldly striving. In the Bible it is an essential feature of the Sabbath—a day of rest on which no work was to be done. As a time of peace and calm, free from work, rest comes to symbolize salvation itself. Rest represents a break from physical labor and worldly striving. It provides a time for mental and spiritual restoration. In the midst of the sufferings and struggles of existence, people may long for rest. Rest requires a safe place, so the concept may be used to indicate peace (Deuteronomy 25:19; 2 Samuel 7:1) and possession of land on which to rest (Joshua 1:15). The promised land symbolizes God’s promise of rest after Israel’s time of wandering in the wilderness (Deuteronomy 12:10). Death, as the ultimate end to all earthly striving, is also regularly described as a time of rest (Job 3:17; Revelation 14:13).

שָׁבַת (šābat). verb. rest, cease, stop. To cease or stop action, or to rest from action. On the seventh day God rested or ceased (šābat; Genesis 2:2–3) from the work of creating; for this reason Israel is to observe a Sabbath day and rest (šābat) on it, ceasing from work (Exodus 20:8–11)

שַׁבָּת (šabbāt). noun. com. Sabbath. The Sabbath (seventh) day. The Sabbath (šabbāt) is the seventh day of the week. It is set aside as a holy day of rest (e.g., Exodus 20:8–11; Isaiah 58:13). No work is to be done on the Sabbath (Exodus 31:14–15; Jeremiah 17:21–27). The Sabbath observance is dedicated to God (Exodus 16:25), who refers to it as “my Sabbaths” (example Leveticus 19:30; Ezekiel 20:12–13).

Indeed, even Jesus saw the importance of rest. He called upon all who toiled endlessly to go to Him. “Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.” Matthew 11:28-30

Indeed in my 28 years of work in the Information Technology industry, I have seen jobs, companies and places where people strive endlessly without rest, and then there are jobs, companies and places where there is plenty of work-life balance and a lot of rest. While the important work gets done at both types of workplaces, the former are generally managed by non-Christian bosses while the latter managed by Jewish and Christian bosses who know the scripture and therefore the importance of rest. ​

There is a time and a place for everything. If you have read the Old Testament, you will come across the Book of Ecclesiastes. קֺהֶלֶת, qoheleth is the name of the individual who wrote the Book of Ecclesiastes. Says the writer of Ecclesiastes:

For everything there is a season, and a time for every matter under heaven:
a time to be born, and a time to die;
a time to plant, and a time to pluck up what is planted;
a time to kill, and a time to heal;
a time to break down, and a time to build up;
a time to weep, and a time to laugh;
a time to mourn, and a time to dance;
a time to cast away stones, and a time to gather stones together;
a time to embrace, and a time to refrain from embracing;
a time to seek, and a time to lose;
a time to keep, and a time to cast away;
a time to tear, and a time to sew;
a time to keep silence, and a time to speak;
a time to love, and a time to hate;
a time for war, and a time for peace. Ecclesiastes 3:1-8
 
Now, there are many who have taken this and applied it to their own lives. Pete Seeger, an influential folk singer and activist recorded a demo of the song around 1961, and included a live version on his 1962 album The Bitter And The Sweet with just voice and guitar. The Byrds brought it out of folk circles with their electrified 1965 version. Released as the follow-up to their #1 hit "Mr. Tambourine Man," it also topped the chart in the US. The lyrics were rearranged and paired with Seeger's music to make the song. If you’re interested in listening to the song, it is here on YouTube: https://youtu.be/WB6jhbtDUZE

Indeed, even Jesus knew there was a time for everything, and for everything, a time. The very first miracle he performed was at Cana at a Wedding. We read “On the third day there was a wedding in Cana of Galilee, and the mother of Jesus was there; and both Jesus and His disciples were invited to the wedding. When the wine ran out, the mother of Jesus said to Him, “They have no wine.” And Jesus said to her, “What business do you have with Me, woman? My hour has not yet come.” His mother said to the servants, “Whatever He tells you, do it.” Now there were six stone waterpots standing there for the Jewish custom of purification, containing two or three measures each. Jesus said to them, “Fill the waterpots with water.” So they filled them up to the brim. And He said to them, “Draw some out now and take it to the headwaiter.” And they took it to him. Now when the headwaiter tasted the water which had become wine, and did not know where it came from (but the servants who had drawn the water knew), the headwaiter called the groom, and said to him, “Every man serves the good wine first, and when the guests are drunk, then he serves the poorer wine; but you have kept the good wine until now.” This beginning of His signs Jesus did in Cana of Galilee, and revealed His glory; and His disciples believed in Him. John 2:1-11

Beloved, there is a time for everything under the sun. The right time. The time to come to the assistance of those who need it, is now, and not after they have struggled and given up all hope. The time to help a friend in need is when he is in need of help and asks you for your help, not a dozen years later! The time to help a man bleeding out is now, not after he has bled out and died. The time to help a business owner struggling to keep his business afloat is now, not after the business has declared bankruptcy, been closed and gone for a decade. The time to help a single friend find his bride is now, when he is single, not after he is in a steady relationship or happily married. The time to start a business is in your 20s when you are still young and have the energy, and the best ideas to make things happen, and when you can risk it all, knowing you have many years ahead of you to recoup your losses if things don’t work out, not when you are in your late 40s and 50s and saving for retirement. The time to have children is in your 20s and 30s not in your 50s so they would be college age by the time you are ready to retire. There is a time to help your friend achieve his or her career goals, not after they have retired and quit the workforce. There is a time and a place for everything, but when someone comes to you for help, remember, their need is now, and trying to help them a dozen years down the road might not do anything for them. Keep this in mind as you live your lives beloved. There is a proper time and a proper place for everything. Now, there are always exceptions to the rule. If a Billionaire approaches you at age 50, and gives you $500 Million to start a venture, that would be what I would call an exception to the rule. If someone's wife passed away and they re-married and had kids from their new marriage, that would be an exception. There are always exceptions to these rules, but remember, With God ALL things are possible. Sarah gave birth to Isaac when she was over 90 years old. So there are always exceptions to every rule.