LIVING AND LOVING MY MUNDANE LIFE

1 Timothy 6:6 Now godliness with contentment is great gain.

This is one of my favorite verses in the whole Bible.  Have you ever been around people who are NEVER content?  Their life is always a "Roller Coaster Ride." Euphoria one day over a new possession, a new adventure or a new experience, then the next day, as the newness wears off and the next adventure is not yet on the horizon, life is bleak and dull.  Can you believe some of these people actually embrace Christianity?  Yet somehow they have not learned how to find contentment in their love for God; which can only be found in complete surrender and trust.

Discussing this with Steve, this afternoon, I figured out why it doesn't take much to please me and it is definitely NOT in things...an evening of quiet togetherness a phone call from one of my kids, a hug from a grandchild, reading a good book...OK and a new pair of shoes. NOW FOR THE WHY... I was raised in a "MUNDANE" family where life was one big "RUT" and it was OK!!!  

My Dad and Mom didn't sit around trying to think up ways to entertain 6 kids...NOPE, life consisted of Dad going to work...every day, Mom cooking, cleaning, doing laundry, tending kids...every day and going to church...4 TIMES A WEEK!!!  A Saturday morning trip to North Town (a tiny strip mall), getting 3 new dresses for $10 at Sears, eating popcorn and fudge on a blanket in the living room or a 3 day game of Monopoly with my brother, Mike, those were REAL adventures.  With 5 siblings in a 1,100 sq. ft., one bath house, we may have found ourselves in a rut, but life was anything but mundane. If we complained about being bored, there was always something to clean or weeds to pull in the gravel driveway...We learned GODLINESS WITH CONTENTMENT as a SURVIVAL TECHNIQUE!!!

Parents, if you want to raise DISCONTENTED ADULTS, spend all your free time coming up with new forms of entertainment, race to make sure they have the latest gadget before all their friends and guarantee they will experience something new and exciting every week.

Never let them see a commercial without assuring them that you already have the item on order...you don't want them to feel neglected!

Make sure they get to experience everything their friends are doing...it doesn't matter if they stick with it or if it fits your lifestyle...you don't want them to feel left out.

Don't worry about making sure they are in church every service...that could be boring!

And PLEASE don't expect them to read a book, daydream or amuse themselves...they might actually enjoy the activity and that would make YOU feel unnecessary.

GODLINESS AND CONTENTMENT; put the two together and the Storms of Life won't blow you away, you will find sunshine in the Valley and the floods, while an inconvenience, will not overwhelm you.

A MUNDANE, BORING LIFE might just be the best thing that ever happened to you and your family and someday your kids may thank you.  I am a witness; a prime example of LIVING AND LOVING MY MUNDANE LIFE!!!

ME COOPERATING WITH GOD

Deuteronomy 28:1-8 Now it shall come to pass, IF you diligently obey the voice of the Lord your God, to observe carefully all His commandments which I command you today, that the Lord your God will set you high above all nations of the earth.  And all these blessings shall come up on you and overtake you, because you obey the voice of the Lord your God.

God is a GOD OF PRINCIPLES; principles that He has established; principles that He will never violate.  One of those principles is THE PRINCIPLE OF IF/THEN.  A perfect example of this principle is found in Deuteronomy 28.  Moses delivers a message from God to the Children of Israel.  The “IF,” part…“If you diligently obey the voice of the Lord your God and observe carefully all the commandments”…MY PART.  Now read Deuteronomy 28:9-13…The “THEN” part… “you will be blessed in the city and in the country, your children will be  blessed, your crops and herds will increase, you will be blessed coming and going, all that you own and everything you do will be blessed, even your enemies will flee”…GOD’S PART.

Now read the rest of Deuteronomy 28, it also contains THE PRINCIPLE OF IF/THEN.  IF you do NOT obey the Voice of the Lord, THEN “all these curses will come upon you and overtake you.”  Go ahead and read the list, it is enough to “scare anyone into obedience,” yet we know that it wasn’t.  The Children of Israel disobeyed and God kept to His established PRINCIPLE OF IF/THEN.

Have you been praying for something and wonder why it hasn’t happened?  Maybe you wonder if God even hears your prayers.  BELIEVE ME, He is always listening and He hears every word.  So why haven’t things changed?  Is it possible that THE PRINCIPLE OF IF/THEN is at work in your situation?  ABSOLUTELY, YES!!!   ME? Could I be the problem?  There could be many reasons why your answer hasn’t come through, but it is much easier to blame the lack of change on an ALL POWERFUL GOD rather than consider the alternative…

TIMING – Many times God has blessings all prepared for you but JUST NOT YET!  It could be there is more preparation necessary before you are ready to receive the blessing…keep praying, listening and obeying…You will receive in due season.

GOD SAYS NO!!! – We have convinced ourselves of the lie that God’s greatest desire is to give us everything we want to keep us happy.  We have come to believe that God’s vocabulary is limited to “YES.”  God’s vocabulary includes every word man has come up with and covers every language across the world…God knows the word “YES” as well as the word ‘NO.”  It is also important that we understand these 5 points…1.  God has a plan.  2.  God sees the whole picture.  3.  God knows you better than you know yourself.  4.  Sometimes we ask just to please our flesh; to our destruction. 5.  Sometimes GOD SAYS NO!!!

ASKING GOD TO DO ALL THE WORK – There are things that only God can do…Only He can SAVE but He asks us to share the Gospel and introduce hungry hearts to Him.  Only God can REVEAL HIS PLAN but He asks you to pray, listen and obey.  Only God can HEAL, but He asks you to not undo the work by continuing unhealthy habits.

Last August, I began a journey to health…It all started with me praying and asking God for healing.  God replied with a convicting message, “STOP praying if you are not going to COOPERATE WITH ME!”  

WOW!!!  Talk about getting hit between the eyes…I WOKE UP!!!  All these years I have been riding a yoyo.  I tried every fad diet; lost weight.  I tried many supplements; lost weight.  I tried several weight loss groups; lost weight and became more unhealthy as the years progressed.

Finally, faced with a possible future serious health problem, I knew something must be done.  The one thing I had never tried was to COOPERATE WITH GOD.  After all, He created my body, so wouldn’t it make sense that He would know all the inner workings and the parts that needed to be “fixed?”  Well of course, but over the years, my behavior had continually been undoing everything He was fixing.

As of this morning, 31 weeks later, the threat of diabetes has been erased, the asthma inhalers are no longer in use, my blood pressure pills are gone, the Prilosec lies unopened in the cabinet and my chronic cough has disappeared…also, I have lost 63 pounds.  Along the way, I discovered that my JOURNEY TO HEALTH has actually been a SPIRITUAL JOURNEY directed by God.

I’ve had to change my attitude toward food, exercise and health, but I didn’t have to do it alone…COOPERATING WITH GOD…You take the first step and God takes your hand, leading you to the second, third, fourth…

I had to learn the word “NO,” and use it often.  COOPERATING WITH GOD…Involves you DENYING those things which will destroy and undo God’s work within you.

I’ve had to step out of my comfort zone.  COOPERATING WITH GOD…You may be asked to do things that make you uncomfortable and actually may cause discomfort for a period of time.  Go ahead, embrace the newness, God is building your “Spiritual Muscles.”

I’ve learned to enjoy the things I previously avoided.  I really didn’t want my morning protein drink to be an unappetizing, muddy green, but then I tasted it; YUM!!!  I would rather spend an hour shopping than on the treadmill or lifting weights, but then I carried 5 bags of groceries, all at once, up the steps and into the house with no problem…I’m lacing up my walking shoes and loving it.

Remember God is a God of principles and THE PRINCIPLE OF IF/THEN can be applied to every area of your life that needs “SUPERNATURAL INTERVENTION,”  God’s faithfulness is never in question, so the next move is yours. 

 COOPERATING WITH GOD…Go ahead, obey the voice of God; JUST DO IT!  I promise that the joy you feel and the blessing you receive in obeying God will make you wonder why you avoided following God’s plan for so long.

Today could be the day you EMBRACE REAL CHANGE.  Today could be the day you begin COOPERATING WITH GOD.  Today could be the BEST DAY OF YOUR LIFE.

CONTENDING

II Corinthians 4:18 While we do not look at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen.  For the things which are seen are temporary, but the things which are not seen are eternal.

Ahhh, the POLITICAL SEASON….the Season that never ends.  We have merely defined the perpetual struggle of men and women for POWER and POSITION.  Everything is always POLITICAL and the season is merely the appointed time which culminates in the naming of a “winner” for the current bout…and the process begins anew.

A “typical” Political Season includes a current “repressive” government, rising leaders promising change, religious factions contending for significance and faithful followers at every level.  There is “nothing new under the sun;” mankind’s struggle for power and position did not suddenly develop in 2000, 1776, 1517, 33 or 500 BC; no, it began with the first taste of the “forbidden.”  It was during a POLITICAL SEASON that the greatest historical event known to Man occurred.  An event that would change the course of history and change the lives of every human regardless of political affiliation.

There was a REPRESSIVE GOVERNMENT so drunk with power that the cries and needs of the powerless fell on deaf ears.  A RELIGIOUS INSTITUTION more concerned with maintaining its own power and influence over its “parishioners” than leading them closer to the God its leaders purported to serve. Then a Man walked into the mix that would upset all of their calculated scheming.  He didn’t promise “free stuff,” or “great deals,” or even the “appointment of the best people.”  He was accused of being a “rabble rouser,” an “insurgent” and hanging out with the “societal suspects.”  Perhaps his greatest “fault” was he wasn’t political at all; He didn’t play their game.  He had no interest in building a little kingdom; He already had a Kingdom and it was not political or even of this world.  His MISSION was to bring His Kingdom down to man.

We are currently embroiled in a hotly contested POLITICAL SEASON.  May we never lose sight, however, that before we are Americans, before we are Republicans, Democrats or Independents, we are FOLLOWERS OF CHRIST.  Our citizenship is in a Kingdom not of this world.  Of course, the politics of this world will affect your daily, earthly life and I believe every eligible American has the right and responsibility to vote but don’t become so entangled in the political power struggle that we forget our TRUE MISSION; to point people to Jesus who will affect not only their daily, earthly life but has the power to change lives for eternity. 

Jude 1:3 Beloved, while I was very diligent to write to you concerning our common salvation, I find it necessary to write to you exhorting you to contend earnestly for the faith which was once for all delivered to the saints.

I pray for our country, I pray for those who are and will be in power but most of all I pray for we who are “Called by His Name.”  May we not lose focus; may we continue to “CONTEND FOR THE FAITH” and not a Candidate or Party and may we always point people to the CROSS AND THE RISEN CHRIST.

WHAT FRAGRANCE ARE YOU DIFFUSING?

II Corinthians 2:14-17 Now thanks be to God who always leads us in triumph in Christ and through us DIFFUSES THE FRAGRANCE of His knowledge in every place.  15 For we are to God the FRAGRANCE OF CHRIST among those who are being saved and among those who are perishing.

What a beautiful verse and how it pleases our senses just to think… “We are the FRAGRANCE OF CHRIST.”  But as most desirable attributes, there comes a great responsibility which requires commitment and diligence in all areas of our life. 

RESPONSIBILITY????  The verse says GOD leads us in triumph…GOD diffuses the fragrance of His knowledge through us.  RESPONSIBILITY???  Where do I start?  What can I do?

A children’s Sunday School song may hold the key, sing it with me….

♪♪ “Oh be careful little (eyes, ears, mouth, hands and feet) what you (see, hear, say, do and go) for the Father’s up above looking down in tender love.  Oh be careful little eyes what you see.”♪♪

The aroma of the fragrance being diffused is dependent upon the substance we ingest…. “garbage in garbage out.”  If you desire to give off the sweet fragrance of Christ, you must begin to take in Christ.   STUDY; you cannot gain the Knowledge of Christ unless you read His Word.  Make it a part of every day and then APPLY it to your life.  Breathe it in until the Word becomes as necessary as air…it is the fragrance that will be diffused to those who are being saved and those who are perishing.

Now to your eyes, ears, mouth, hands and feet; if you allow your eyes and ears to be constantly bombarded with anything and everything the world has to offer, the Sweet Fragrance of the knowledge of Christ will become overwhelmed and you will begin to wonder why the aroma diffused through you no longer affects your world for Jesus Christ.  Do a quick check on the things you watch, read, and listen to on a daily basis.  Do they encourage and build your faith or merely satisfy your flesh?  The AROMA OF YOUR FRAGRANCE depends on it!

What about the words that you speak?  The stories you repeat, the social media comments you post?  You think they don’t matter?   Only if you want to DIFFUSE A SWEET FRAGRANCE.

Finally, your hands and feet…Are you busy with the Father’s business?    If someone follows the fragrance being diffused through you, where will you take them? Do your feet lead you closer or away from God?  The further you get away from God the more the SWEET FRAGRANCE OF CHRIST will dissipate…Where you go; the things you do…IT MATTERS!!!

James 3:11 Does a fountain send forth at the same place sweet water and bitter?

Just as a fountain will only give forth the water that is pumped from its source, the fragrance diffused through you will carry the aroma of the SOURCE. 

It is time to perform a “SNIFF TEST.”  Breathe in deeply…what do you smell?  Is it the SWEET FRAGRANCE OF CHRIST being diffused through you or do you smell the acrid, stale aroma of the world’s offerings?  Souls hang in the balance and the FRAGRANCE diffuse through you can make all the difference.  “For we are not peddling the Word of God,” we are merely the DIFFUSER for the FRAGRANCE OF CHRIST.

II Corinthians 2:16-17 To the one we are the aroma of death leading to death and to the other the aroma of life leading to life.  And who is sufficient for these things?  17 For we are not, as so many, peddling the Word of God; but as of sincerity, but as from God, we speak in the sight of God in Christ.

POPULIST? IDEOLOGUE? WHAT???

Tomorrow, the “Ides of March,” will be one of the most important days in this political season as the people of some key states will vote.  The voters of these states may, very possibly, determine the 2 candidates we will vote for in November.  During this “hotly” contested Primary, we have heard the words POPULIST AND IDEOLOGUE.  To most people, those words mean absolutely nothing and sail past their ears and over their heads, but maybe we should be very concerned with those 2 words and how they can affect our country and our lives.

A POPULIST is defined as a “supporter of the rights and power of the people.  POPULISM is a doctrine that appeals to the interests and conceptions (hopes and fears) of the general population.  A POPULIST is often described as FLEXIBLE or PRAGMATIC.

An IDEOLOGUE is defined as an often partisan advocate or adherent of a particular ideology.  IDEOLOGY is a collection of doctrines or beliefs shared by members of a group.  It is a set of ideas which make up one’s beliefs, goals, expectations and motivations.  An IDEOLOGUE may be referred to as RIGID or INTOLERANT.

Now that we’ve defined the two words, let us look at a couple of examples in the Word of God.

Mark 15:12-15 Pilate answered and said to them again, “What then do you want me to do with Him whom you call King of the Jews?” So they cried out again, “Crucify Him!” So Pilate, wanting to gratify the crowd, released Barabbas to them; and he delivered Jesus, after he had scourged him, to be crucified.

Pilate wanted to keep his position so he appealed to the people.  The majority voices were heard and Pilate, pragmatically sentenced Jesus to be crucified. 

John 14:6 Jesus said to him, “I am the way, the truth and the life.  No one comes to the Father except through me.

I am not labeling Jesus an IDEOLOGUE because He DID NOT follow a collection of doctrines or beliefs, He ESTABLISHED the doctrine or belief; JESUS IS TRUTH.  His followers, however, could be said to be IDEOLOGUES because they/we are unbending in our adherence to the DOCTRINE established by Him.  Often we are referred to as RIGID and INTOLERANT but how do you deal PRAGMATICALLY or how can one be FLEXIBLE with TRUTH?

Now it isn’t always “bad” to be PRAGMATIC nor is it always “good” to be RIGID.  We can pragmatically handle a situation without distorting truth and we can stand strong on our core principles and still be flexible, it is called MERCY.

This is a concise, incomplete discussion of a POPULIST vs. an IDEOLOGUE.   You can judge the candidates by the message that most closely matches your own view points.  The most important thing you can do before you vote tomorrow is PRAY.  After praying, GO VOTE!

MAYBE GOD WON'T SEE ME!

Psalms 69:5 O God, You know my foolishness and my sins are not hidden from You.

Think back to the time your kids were little or the time you were with small children for an extended period of time.  If you do not have children or spend much time with toddlers, you can at least go back to the time when you were a kid.  Kids are very wily; they catch on quickly to things that are pleasing and especially to the things that are displeasing to those in authority.  Now sometimes, their limited knowledge causes them to do things they perceive as pleasing and you can see the hurt and confusion on their little faces when Dad or Mom don’t see their accomplishment in the same light.  THEN, there are the little “temptations” that present irresistible opportunities.  YES, temptation begins at a very young age, you can call it the “terrible twos” or the “fearsome fours” but truthfully it is the beginning of our flesh crying out for satisfaction.  Mom, Dad, this is your opportunity and responsibility to help them understand the reward of “denial” and the unfavorable consequence of  “surrender to self.”

Back to the toddler…Every parent knows only too well, that moment when you suddenly realize the house is eerily quiet and the little ones are nowhere in sight.  Your first thought is, “what are they up to now?”  You have no idea what situation their little imagination has created but you are certain that it will not be a positive experience for you or them.

HUMAN NATURE hasn’t changed in thousands of years, regardless of man’s increased learning, scientific advancements, or civilized refinement, we are not so different than Adam and Eve.  It didn’t take long for the first man and woman to make a choice in favor of “SELF” instead of obedience to God.  Like “naughty” toddlers, their first thought after giving in to temptation was, “we have to hide from God.”

Genesis 3:8 And they heard the sound of the Lord God walking in the garden in the cool of the day and Adam and his wife hid themselves from the presence of the Lord among the trees of the garden.

Of course God wasn’t fooled or oblivious to the situation their behavior had created.  But just as the disappointed parent of the toddler, God calls to Adam and Eve, “Where are you?”  Adam tries to explain their dilemma placing the blame on God and his blessing.  Adam answers, “The woman whom you gave to be with me, she gave me of the tree and I ate.”  So God turns to the woman and asks, “What is this you have done?”  Eve, then mounts her defense, “The serpent deceived me and I ate.”  WOW!!!  Does that sound familiar?   You walk into the room where two toddlers stand over a beautiful broken vase and ask “Who did this?”  I can almost guarantee neither will take responsibility….NO, the conversation will go something like this, “She did it.” “No I didn’t, he did it” MOM… “Somebody is not telling the truth, it didn’t just fall by itself.” SEE, the nature of Adam and Eve rears its ugly head.

1 John1:9 If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.

IT IS TIME TO GROW UP!!!!  Stop acting like a “SPIRITUAL TODDLER.”   Do you really think you can hide from an Omniscient God?  You really believe He is unaware of your disobedience?  Every once in a great while, Dad or Mom is treated to real sorrow and repentance from their errant toddler.  And you know what happens?  The tearful little transgressor is gathered into Mom’s forgiving arms, the tears are wiped away, and the precious child is assured that even though their deed was a bad choice, they are still loved.

Do you think our Heavenly Father is less loving and forgiving than our Earthly Parents?  GOD LOVES YOU.  God didn’t pose the questions to Adam and Eve to enlighten his ignorance of their situation; He asked the question to give them the opportunity to confess their sins and receive forgiveness.  It took effort for God to “extract” the confession from them but He was swift to offer them a proper covering and a PATH TO REDEMPTION.

GOD HAS NOT CHANGED.  He still offers FORGIVENESS and a PATH TO REDEMPTION.  Now it is up to you…STOP HIDING…you really are not fooling anyone, least of all God.  He is waiting with open arms to wipe away your tears and assure you that He loves you and is NOT MAD!  It is time to come out from “under the bed” or from your favorite “spiritual hiding place” and allow God to cover you.

GOD, WHAT DO YOU WANT FROM ME?

I was raised on a church pew.  You might even say that all of my early memories are of church services, church people and church picnics...I guess that is what sticks in your mind when you go to church 4 times a week, 52 weeks a year.  That comes to over 4,000 church services, plus dinners, fellowship meetings and revivals, by the time I reached 20 years old.  So you would think I have it all figured out.  Living every day in a way that is pleasing to God; walking around in constant communion, listening intently as I place one foot in front of the other...RIGHT!!!!  But usually, despite my best efforts, I take 2 steps forward, 1 step back and try to figure out...GOD, WHAT DO YOU WANT FROM ME?

God must have known (well of course He did) that this was going to be one of those days of "trying to figure it out," because I awoke with the following verse going through my mind:

Micah 6:8 He has shown you, O man what is good; and what does the Lord require of you but to do justly, to love mercy, and to walk humbly with your God?

After getting out of bed, I had to quickly read the verse and figure out what God was saying to me. Sure it should have been easy and straightforward but it still helped clarify God's instructions by reading the passages preceding verse 8 to gain an understanding of the whole situation.

We see in verses 1-7, God is just a little "weary" of Israel's attitude and behavior.  In verse 3, He questions, "Oh my people, what have I done to you?"  Then God begins to remind them how He brought them out of Egypt, redeemed them from bondage and gave them Godly leaders.

God continues, "don't you understand, if you want to know my righteousness, you cannot bring enough offerings, pour out enough oil or even give your most precious possessions to rid yourself of sin."

Finally, we are at verse 8...the answer is, DO JUSTLY, LOVE MERCY, WALK HUMBLY WITH GOD!!!

It seems so simple, yet it is probably the hardest thing you will ever do because it means YOU ARE NOT IN CONTROL.  And sometimes the JUSTICE thing overwhelms our LOVE OF MERCY. Oh yeah, about WALKING HUMBLY WITH GOD; does that mean I don't get to do anything and everything my way?  YEP!!! PRETTY MUCH!!!

BUT, I like directing events in my life...it is so much easier to just WORK FOR GOD.  Oh the pride I feel when under "THE ANOINTING," the oil just flows and people are blessed.  And the SACRIFICES I make, the things I "GIVE UP FOR THE LORD," how pleased He must be at my selflessness.  God could have made things a whole lot easier if He would just accept my way.

Titus 3:5 Not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to His mercy He saved us, through the washing of regeneration and renewing of the Holy Spirit.

Read TITUS 3:5 and THINK AGAIN!!!  

GOD, WHAT DO YOU WANT FROM ME?  Reread MICAH 6:8...DO JUSTLY, LOVE MERCY, WALK HUMBLY WITH GOD!!!

DON'T TOUCH!

Hebrews 11:24-26 By faith Moses, when he became of age refused to be called the son of Pharaoh’s daughter, choosing rather to suffer affliction with the people of God than to enjoy the passing pleasure of sin, esteeming the reproach of Christ greater riches than the treasures in Egypt; for he looked to the reward.

Strolling down the aisle of Meijer, I passed a young mother pushing a grocery cart with a fussing infant in the seat and reaching for a toddler who had just spied a colorful, inviting display of spring toys.  Her commands of “Don’t Touch,” fell on oblivious 3 year old ears.  The allure of the display overwhelmed the voice of his mother as he reached out and grabbed a bright red sand bucket.

Have you ever noticed or thought about store displays?  The next time you are at a mall, specialty store or Wal-Mart, take a few minutes and look around, notice the displays then look in your cart.  How many of the products have you picked up?  Now look at your list, were the products on your list or did you just decide you needed/wanted that item in the last few minutes?  Stores, especially Wal-Mart, Meijer, and Target sell thousands maybe a million different items and they want to PUSH the ones with the biggest profit margins.  These products are the ones most prominently displayed, the easiest to reach and the ones with the most colorful packaging.

The packaging colors, logos and even shelf placement are selected after extensive market research studies of the “target consumer.”   Take a trip down the cereal aisle; the organic, healthy, “twigs and sticks” cereal is usually not located at the eye-level of a 2-year old.  But every brightly colored, sugary cereal with a cheap trinket is well within their reach.  Why are toys usually made in bright colors of red, blue, green, yellow or pink and placed on the second shelf of the display?  What child is drawn to clear, white, black or gray and what 3 year old walks around looking 4 feet above his head?  Now you are getting it!!!

2 Corinthians 11:14 And no wonder!  For Satan himself transforms himself into an angel of light.

Satan is the “Master Marketer” of this world.  He has centuries of studying his “consumer’s” desires and behaviors in his arsenal.  And he works tirelessly at exploiting those weaknesses with his alluring displays.  He offers every imaginable, deviant behavior wrapped in colorful, exciting packages in contrast to the “clear product” of a surrendered will to God.  His offers of exhilarating adventure are always place right at “eye level,” within easy reach.  The things of God require effort; they require commitment; sometimes they require walking through the storm and other times we must “reach up” to obtain the prize.

2 Corinthians 6:17 Therefore “Come out from among them and be separate, says the Lord.  Do not touch what is unclean and I will receive you.”

Just as the products displayed at your favorite store may not be all they promise, sin has a “back-story” and is replete with undesired consequences.  The cereal company doesn’t post a big warning on the box, “BEWARE! UNHEALTHY!  Contains huge amounts of sugar and the toy inside is junk.”  Well neither does Satan.  It might help if the pornographic website contained a warning before you clicked; “WARNING! Indulging in this lustful behavior will result in a broken marriage and a retreat from reality.”  OR “WARNING! This path will lead you away from the will of God and it dead ends at destruction.”  But just as taking the time to read the labels on products will help you to make wise choices, there are ALWAYS warnings, if we take the time to listen. The problem is “DON’T TOUCH” is often drowned out by desire.

Don’t allow the allure of the exciting commercials, the billboard displays of beautiful people and the bright colors of “eye-level sin” draw you in to the deception. Listen to that still small voice, “DON’T TOUCH!”