Happy Saturday

Cashew Nuts
(By Roy Irwin)
[Edited]
 If you enjoy cashew nuts as much as I do, you may have noticed something that is both curious and unusual about them. Have you ever noticed that you never see cashew nuts in their shell? You've probably removed other varieties of nuts from their shells, but never a cashew nut. Why is that?
 The reason is that the shell and skin of the cashew nut contains extremely caustic oil that can painfully blister the skin. This dangerous oil must be completely removed before the nut can be touched or eaten. It is a slow and difficult process...
 Cashew nuts are first roasted in their shell, burning off some of the caustic oil and making the shell brittle. Next the nuts are cracked and shelled by hand - machines have proven unsuccessful in removing the nut without damaging it. The cashew is then boiled or roasted again and a second shell or 'skin' is removed. Only then is the cashew nut safe to eat and enjoy!
 Just as it is with cashew nuts, I am reminded of how 'caustic' the external things in life can be and how they keep us from a deeper relationship with God. Many people believe that to get closer to God they must live a good life, give money, do good deeds, go to church, etc. Yet the Bible is clear that "...all of our righteous acts are like filthy rags." Isaiah 64:6 (NIV)
 Instead, God has always been interested in the heart of each of us. He desires a personal relationship with each individual person - "that men would seek him and perhaps reach out for him and find him..." Acts 17:27 (NIV)
 I can think of many things over the years that have cluttered my life and prevented me from having a deeper relationship with God. Maybe you can relate to that. Just as with the cashew nut, those things (sin) must be stripped away before you can get to the heart of the person.
 Why is that so important?
 Because God does not live in churches, temples or in any other man-made structure. He isn't interested in anything that we make, have or own. What could we possibly offer or give to the Creator of everything in the universe? Instead, He lives in the heart of each person who has made His Son Jesus Christ the Lord of his or her life. A person does that when they accept Jesus' death on the cross as the only payment for their sins and the only basis for their spending eternity in heaven with Him.
 Once a person accepts Jesus' death as payment in full for their sins, just as with the cashew nut, the caustic shell of sin, the barrier that keeps us from God, is removed from our life, allowing us to experience a relationship with Him.
 How about you?
 Do you have a personal relationship with Jesus Christ? Have you accepted Him as the Lord and Savior of your life by accepting His death on the cross as the only payment for your sins? Do you have the assurance that one day you will spend eternity in heaven with Him?
 Perhaps you've never made that decision. You may feel like a cashew nut - hiding behind a caustic shell of works, possessions and treasures that is eating away at your life - consuming your time, talent and eternal destiny - coming between you and a personal relationship with Jesus Christ - the Creator of the universe.
 If you would like to know more about how YOU can have a person relationship with Jesus Christ, and receive the gift of eternal life, then I invite you to visit: http://www.hutchcraft.com/yours-for-life/presentation/alpha
 "Dear Lord God, we desire to know you more and more each day. Our prayer is that you would strip away anything that prevents us from learning more about you and becoming closer to you. Amen."