24 Sep, 2008
Chocolate Helps Heart Stay Healthy
A small square of chocolate daily protects the heart from inflammation and subsequent heart disease, a new study of Italians suggests. Milk chocolate might not do the job.
However, this guilty pleasure has a limit. Specifically, only 6.7 grams of chocolate per day (or 0.23 ounces) represents the ideal amount. For comparison, one Hershey's dark chocolate bar is about 41 grams (so a recommendation might be one of those a week).
(see Yahoonews.com for the entire story)
"Delight yourself in the LORD, and he will give you the desires of your heart" (Psalm 37:4, NIV).
Think about this verse!
If you take delight in the LORD:
- "Trust in the Lord with all your heart; do not depend on your own understanding" (Proverbs 3:5, NIV).
- "But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well" (Matthew 6:33, NIV).
- "Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength" (Mark 12:30, NIV).
He will give you the desires of your heart.
- "in all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make your paths straight" (Proverbs 3:6, NIV).
- "Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine..." (Ephesians 3:20, NIV).
- "I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full" (John 10:10, NIV).
Maybe the headlines I'd like to see are too much about me and too little about what God wants for me. How about you? I like the chocolate one a lot! I'd like to add:
- Driving a Corvette eliminates speeding tickets.
- Watching "The Office" has some redeeming value.
- Jelly Beans reduce cavities.
God is fine with Corvettes, TV and Jelly Beans, but he really cares about the real you deep down inside. He cares about your choices, who you are becoming because of them, and the difference you can make - if you find your delight in Him.
Now make a list that reflects delighting in God.
- Daily quiet time in God's Word connects you to God.
- "Never miss a Sunday at church" movement gaining popularity among teenagers and college students.
- What would Jesus do?
Somehow when we start putting God first, our faith makes sense, and our relationship with Jesus makes sense. We sense his peace, his joy, and his purpose. We have the true desires of our heart!
Perhaps the coolest result of getting our priorities straight is we begin to realize how blessed we really are, and how much we really want our friends to have the same experience. The Golden Rule should probably be changed to Platinum, because is can't be put any stronger:
"do to others what you would have them do to you" (Matt. 7:12, NIV).
Picture THIS headline:
God uses teenager to reach friend for Christ.
That's a headline I'd like to see! (If they were sitting in a Corvette eating Jelly Beans it would be perfect!)
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