Deal or No Deal

Season 3 Episode 27 -- Remember the TV game show entitled "Deal or No Deal," which debuted in late 2005?  In this game, the contestants tried to end up with the case that has the million dollars in it, instead of a case with a much lower amount of money. Often times the contestants would accept a good offer of hundreds of thousands of dollars to stop their quest for the million dollars. But what if you were a contestant, and were able to know for certain where the million-dollar case was? Would you settle for an offer of $200,000 and stop, when you could continue and with certainty get the million dollars instead? Of course not!  Yet that is what we do so often in real life.  Listen to this episode and find out what I mean.

"Reflect on This" is a once-a-week, short devotional podcast, where I share what I am learning about following Jesus, through applying eternal biblical principles to life, in practical ways.  Not religion, but RELATIONSHIP - relationship with Jesus!
 
If you like the podcast, please tell your friends and family about it, and subscribe/follow it, because it helps others to find the podcast more easily.
 
Resources that inspired some episodes:

"Worship Is My Weapon" podcast by Rita Springer:  https://youtu.be/RucXhr1zYGU?si=WeVTpssmUP4rMXlL 

"My Heart, Christ's Home" by Robert Munger

"The Language of Rivers and Stars" by Seth Lewis

“Dream Small:  The Secret Power of the Ordinary Christian Life” by Seth Lewis

Seth Lewis blog:  https://sethlewis.ie/

35 Bible Verses About Listening To Others (Explained) - Bible Repository 

"Restoration Year: Devotions to Transform Your Relationships, Spirit, and Faith" by John Eldredge

"Boundaries" by Henry Cloud and John Townsend

"The Pleasure of His Company" by Dutch Sheets

"Fresh Air" by Chris Hodges

“The 5 Love Languages: The Secret to Love that Lasts” by Gary Chapman

"The Lies We Believe: Renew Your Mind and Transform Your Life" by Dr. Chris Thurman

Featured ministries and resources:
 
“Agape Puppets” (ministry)
This is an amazing world-wide ministry that uses puppet shows to reach children (and their parents) for Christ, in cultures that are generally not very open to the Gospel.  To learn more, go to: https://theagapepuppets.org/ 

"Manufacture Good" (ministry)
Manufacture Good is a Christian ministry that offers paid apprenticeships to men who need a second chance.  These apprentices learn biblical principles, character, and valuable woodworking and metalworking skills which lead to employment opportunities.  You can shop their catalog of fine home and office products, order a standard or custom piece of furniture, make a donation, and learn more about this amazing ministry, at: https://manufacturegood.org/.

"The World and Everything in It" (podcast)
This is a weekday 35-minute podcast that presents headline news, in-depth news articles, media reviews, and opinion pieces from a Christian world view.  Their stated mission is "biblically objective journalism that informs, educates, and inspires."
 
“Crazy Little Thing Called Marriage” (podcast) 
This is a once a week 30-minute podcast hosted by Greg and Erin Smalley, who head up the marriage team at Focus on the Family.  Each episode addresses a different aspect of marriage, using biblical principles, featured guests, practical advice, and a mixture of humor and candidness.  
 
Music credits:
Beauty by MaxKoMusic | https://maxkomusic.com/
Music promoted by https://www.chosic.com/free-music/all/
Creative Commons CC BY-SA 3.0
https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0/

Transcript

In late 2005, the TV game show “Deal or No Deal” debuted.  In this game, the contestants tried to end up with the case that has the million dollars in it, instead of a case with a much lower amount of money. Often times the contestants would accept a good offer of hundreds of thousands of dollars to stop their quest for the million dollars. But what if you were a contestant, and were able to know for certain where the million-dollar case was? Would you settle for an offer of $200,000 and stop, when you could continue and with certainty get the million dollars instead? Of course not.

Yet that is what we do so often in real life. C. S. Lewis, in his sermon “The Weight of Glory,” says, “We are half-hearted creatures, fooling about with [many pleasures of life] when infinite joy is offered us.  [We are] like an ignorant child who wants to go on making mud pies in a slum because he cannot imagine what is meant by the offer of a holiday at the sea. We are far too easily pleased.”

It is not that we should deny our quest for pleasure, because God put this appetite for pleasure within us. The purpose for this God-given desire for pleasure is to drive us to drink deeply of the ultimate pleasure that is found only in Him. 

We find this concept throughout the Bible, starting with the following verse:

Psalm 37:4 NASB Delight yourself in the LORD; And He will give you the desires of your heart.

The hunger and thirst for pleasure is put within us by God:

Psalm 42:1-2 NASB As the deer pants for the water brooks, So my soul pants for You, O God. My soul thirsts for God, for the living God; When shall I come and appear before God?

Psalm 63:1 NASB (A Psalm of David, when he was in the wilderness of Judah.) O God, You are my God; I shall seek You earnestly; My soul thirsts for You, my flesh yearns for You, In a dry and weary land where there is no water.

The satisfaction of that hunger and thirst is found in God alone.  Listen to these assurances for worshippers of God:

Psalm 36:8 NASB They drink their fill of the abundance of Your house; And You give them to drink of the river of Your delights.

Psalm 34:8 NASB O taste and see that the LORD is good; How blessed is the man who takes refuge in Him!

Psalm 119:103 NASB How sweet are Your words to my taste! Yes, sweeter than honey to my mouth!

Psalm 16:11 NASB You will make known to me the path of life; In Your presence is fullness of joy; In Your right hand there are pleasures forever.

Psalm 107:9 AMPC  For He satisfies the longing soul and fills the hungry soul with good.

And because Jesus is in fact God, He specifically can satisfy that hunger and thirst:

John 6:35 NLT  Jesus replied, “I am the bread of life. Whoever comes to me will never be hungry again. Whoever believes in me will never be thirsty.

John 4:14 HCSB  But whoever drinks from the water that I will give him will never get thirsty again—ever! In fact, the water I will give him will become a well of water springing up within him for eternal life."

Are you settling for mud pies in your spiritual life?  Why not accept the offer of Jesus and find true pleasure in His bread of life and His living water?

O God, may we find our full and complete satisfaction of our yearning for pleasure in You each day, and may we help others to find this source of ultimate satisfaction.

Today, I encourage you to "Reflect on This."