Thought for the day
A customer sent an order to a book club for the one they were offering that month. The distributor noticed that the bill for a previous book hadn't been paid. The collections manager then sent their form letter saying, "We can't ship your new order until you pay for the last one."The collections manager received a note a few days later, "Please cancel the order. I can't wait that long.
"We live in a society where people expect to receive things without paying for them -- at least for a long, long time. That's why credit cards are so popular. You don't have to have any money. Just hand them that little piece of plastic. The bill will come later?
You can worry about it then. A popular form of advertising says, "Buy now -- no payments for six months!" or "No payments until January 2007!" Companies know that we are more likely to buy something if the payment can be delayed because if it is far enough away, we won't think about the hardship it may cause.
Satan operates in much the same way. If he can convince us that the consequences of sin will not be experienced for a long, long time (if at all), then we will be more likely to give in. Listen to how Solomon put it:"Because the sentence against an evil work is not executed speedily, therefore the heart of the sons of men is fully set in them to do evil." (Eccl. 8:11)
But credit card bills eventually arrive in the mail, merchants eventually expect us to pay for any merchandise that we carry home with us, and sin will eventually have its consequences."Though a sinner does evil a hundred times, and his days are prolonged, yet I surely know that it will be well with those who fear God, who fear before Him. But it will not be well with the wicked; nor will he prolong his days, which are as a shadow, because he does not fear before God." (Eccl. 8:12-13)
Verses
Psalm 89:34
My covenant I will not break, Nor alter the word that has gone out of My lips.
John 8:31-32
Then Jesus said to those Jews who believed Him, "If you abide in My word, you are My disciples indeed. "And you shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free."
1 John 3:1
How great is the love the Father has lavished on us, that we should be called children of God! And that is what we are! The reason the world does not know us is that it did not know him.
John 15:7
If you live in Me -- abide vitally united to Me -- and My words remain in you and continue to live in your hearts, ask whatever you will and it shall be done for you.
James 1:4
And you must let this ability to hold on patiently do its full work, so that you will be perfect and complete Christians, not lacking a single thing.
Prayer
Father, we want to be a people whose hearts and minds are One with Yours. Through our diligent study and application of Your Living Word our thoughts and attitudes are formed. Keep us faithful to the Truth of Your knowledge. We stand in firm opposition to the world’s substitutes; the acceptance and celebration of what You describe as sin. The world may dress it up, even make it appealing, and cover up the disastrous results it brings on the individual, his or her family and society at large. The world is not our authority, but Your Word is! Help us to read, retain and regard Your knowledge as our pattern for life. Amen.
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