Double Stuff

Thank God for the battle verses in the Bible. We go into the unknown every day of our lives, and especially every Monday morning, for the week is sure to be a battlefield, outwardly and inwardly in the unseen life of the spirit, which is often by far the sternest battlefield for souls. Either way, the Lord your God goes before you, He shall fight for you!  Amy Carmichael

I bought some Oreos.  I thought I was buying just the regular original Oreos.  I didn’t look at the package too closely and that was my first mistake.  It turns out I had accidentally bought the double stuff Oreos.  Have you seen how much filling is in a double stuff Oreo?  It’s a double layer of the white creamy center.  I admit I am an original Oreo kind of gal.  The combination of the chocolate cookie and a hint of white stuff is perfect.  Remember the old commercials where someone would pull the cookies apart and eat the white center first then the cookie.  Yuck!!  If Oreos gave me a bag full of the creamy filling I would never buy another bag.  That sounds like a great diet to me.

I started thinking about how the world psychologically gets us to buy into what they are selling.  Marketing is an interesting concept. Periodically I go to Wendy’s to get a Frosty.  The interesting thing about that is the last time I bought one they have changed the size of the small frosty.  It’s the size of a kids drink at about the same price as the original size. 

We are bombarded daily with advertising that claims to cure all our problems, when in reality sometimes it just creates more.  I read this weekend about how commercials are used to evoke a certain feeling in us to take action, (in other words to buy something).  The way they do it is by visually showing us how wonderful our lives will be if we purchase what they are selling.  If you listen closely you will see, as in one of the perfume commercials, where you buy the fantasy not the perfume. 

You’ve seen the Jeep commercials where four guys pile into a Jeep and take off riding over rough terrain, over mountains and through streams to finally reach the pinnacle of the mountain.  They are selling us the vision that if we buy a Jeep we can do that too.

If you think about it from an advertising perspective, the Bible is an amazing marketing concept.  Where else can you get on your knees and pray and miracles happen.  When have you ever received something without paying for it?  It doesn’t happen often in this world. Jesus gave us salvation and we didn’t pay a dime.  God gave us the Holy Spirit living in us to guide our steps.  Instead of buying into the world’s perception of what we can get here that is temporary at best, why not take a chance on what God has to offer.  Last time I looked he described a place where I can go, where there are streets of gold and pearly gates, where there is no sorrow or pain ever again.  I think I’ll take that any day over what this world offers.

Prayer for the Day: Heavenly Father, I don’t deserve the future You offer in the Bible.  I sin over and over again, yet You love me enough to keep pursuing me.  I am amazed every day at Your Glory and Majesty.  Help me to keep my eyes focused on You and not what the world offers.  The Bible tells me there is a better place waiting for me in heaven.  I can’t wait.

Scripture: Then Jesus said to His disciples, “If anyone desires to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow Me.  For whoever desires to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for My sake will find it.  For what profit is it to a man if he gains the whole world, and loses his own soul? Or what will a man give in exchange for his soul?  For the Son of Man will come in the glory of His Father with His angels, and then He will reward each according to his works.  “Assuredly, I say to you, there are some standing here who shall not taste death till they see the Son of Man coming in His kingdom.”  Matthew 16:24-28