Our youngest daughter and her husband left the kiddos with us last night to head out for Black Friday sales. Their shopping began at 6 pm Thursday night. Their last stop was another store at midnight. This great opportunity to get a major purchase for incredible savings has lots of appeal to many. A friend posted last night that there were more people in their town’s discount center than the total population of their little town! People come from everywhere to participate in these sales. I researched a couple of the things we had thought about getting in the electronics department, but it turns out the brands or types of those items weren’t all worth the savings. The reviews let us know that they weren’t really a good deal.
There are all kinds of opportunities to go for the things that you just can’t think you can live without. Some are good and fine and if you can afford it and you need them, there’s nothing wrong with getting the discounted price. But other things the world will hand you have hidden costs. Or they aren’t the quality that they appear to be when you first look at them.
Such is life. We must count the cost of what we’re going after. We must look closely, examine carefully, what we are seeking. Just like people study the sale paper and check the quality online to make sure they’re not getting defective goods, we too must study to see if what we’re going for is worth it. Without filtering the choices we make through the Word of God we’re going to find ourselves the purchaser of an empty promise or an empty façade of promised excellence. We might even get home and reality hit us that the thing we went after was nothing we really wanted after all. But the money is spent and the item is ours.
Oh beloved, there is One Who went to the cross on a Black Friday just for you. He made a way to secure your best life – one that is free from worry, blessed by heaven and secured by the Savior Himself. He purchased your freedom that day and He offered that free life to you with no hidden costs and no empty promises. Not only did He secure your freedom and your heavenly destination there, He made a way for you to excel in every decision you will ever make. By rising again, He is alive forevermore. You too can live to make great opportunities for your faith. You don’t have to worry either, when things go wrong because of others decisions. You will remain steadfast in line for all of God’s promises. No victim at the hands of others, but rather you are an overcomer. You can live confident in Him, so that when things look bleak or times look lean you can thrive. He purchased your freedom and you don’t have to wait in line to secure it. He bought your destiny so you don’t have to be a victim of someone else’s poor choices. He has already freely given you everything you will need for life and godliness – freedom from death’s hold and freedom to live as a child of the Most High God.
Run to God’s Word and read about the wonderful life of a blessed believer. Learn everything you can about yourself and the amazing things God has for you. Once you know the Word you will be able to live a life that’s worth the cost – as you become a more completely committed believer you will know that you can live loved and live blessed. Because Jesus loves you and He’s for you, He participated in that black Friday for you. Now every day will be a Red Letter day as you live in the light of His magnificent freedom and grace.
Ephesians 1:7 He is so rich in kindness and grace that he purchased our freedom with the blood of his Son and forgave our sins.
Colossians 1:13-14 For He has rescued us from the kingdom of darkness and transferred us into the Kingdom of His dear Son, who purchased our freedom and forgave our sins.
2 Peter 1:4 For by these He has granted to us His precious and magnificent promises, so that by them you may become partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world by lust.
2 Peter 1:3 By His divine power, God has given us everything we need for living a godly life. We have received all of this by coming to know Him, the one who called us to Himself by means of His marvelous glory and excellence.
Philemon 1:6 And I am praying that you will put into action the generosity that comes from your faith as you understand and experience all the good things we have in Christ.
Revelation 5:9 And [now] they sing a new song, saying, You are worthy to take the scroll and to break the seals that are on it, for You were slain (sacrificed), and with Your blood You purchased men unto God from every tribe and language and people and nation. (Amplified)
There are all kinds of opportunities to go for the things that you just can’t think you can live without. Some are good and fine and if you can afford it and you need them, there’s nothing wrong with getting the discounted price. But other things the world will hand you have hidden costs. Or they aren’t the quality that they appear to be when you first look at them.
Such is life. We must count the cost of what we’re going after. We must look closely, examine carefully, what we are seeking. Just like people study the sale paper and check the quality online to make sure they’re not getting defective goods, we too must study to see if what we’re going for is worth it. Without filtering the choices we make through the Word of God we’re going to find ourselves the purchaser of an empty promise or an empty façade of promised excellence. We might even get home and reality hit us that the thing we went after was nothing we really wanted after all. But the money is spent and the item is ours.
Oh beloved, there is One Who went to the cross on a Black Friday just for you. He made a way to secure your best life – one that is free from worry, blessed by heaven and secured by the Savior Himself. He purchased your freedom that day and He offered that free life to you with no hidden costs and no empty promises. Not only did He secure your freedom and your heavenly destination there, He made a way for you to excel in every decision you will ever make. By rising again, He is alive forevermore. You too can live to make great opportunities for your faith. You don’t have to worry either, when things go wrong because of others decisions. You will remain steadfast in line for all of God’s promises. No victim at the hands of others, but rather you are an overcomer. You can live confident in Him, so that when things look bleak or times look lean you can thrive. He purchased your freedom and you don’t have to wait in line to secure it. He bought your destiny so you don’t have to be a victim of someone else’s poor choices. He has already freely given you everything you will need for life and godliness – freedom from death’s hold and freedom to live as a child of the Most High God.
Run to God’s Word and read about the wonderful life of a blessed believer. Learn everything you can about yourself and the amazing things God has for you. Once you know the Word you will be able to live a life that’s worth the cost – as you become a more completely committed believer you will know that you can live loved and live blessed. Because Jesus loves you and He’s for you, He participated in that black Friday for you. Now every day will be a Red Letter day as you live in the light of His magnificent freedom and grace.
Ephesians 1:7 He is so rich in kindness and grace that he purchased our freedom with the blood of his Son and forgave our sins.
Colossians 1:13-14 For He has rescued us from the kingdom of darkness and transferred us into the Kingdom of His dear Son, who purchased our freedom and forgave our sins.
2 Peter 1:4 For by these He has granted to us His precious and magnificent promises, so that by them you may become partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world by lust.
2 Peter 1:3 By His divine power, God has given us everything we need for living a godly life. We have received all of this by coming to know Him, the one who called us to Himself by means of His marvelous glory and excellence.
Philemon 1:6 And I am praying that you will put into action the generosity that comes from your faith as you understand and experience all the good things we have in Christ.
Revelation 5:9 And [now] they sing a new song, saying, You are worthy to take the scroll and to break the seals that are on it, for You were slain (sacrificed), and with Your blood You purchased men unto God from every tribe and language and people and nation. (Amplified)
1 comment:
Last year on Good Friday, my daughter asked when we were leaving for the "Black Friday Service." In her defense, the altar and cross have black cloth on them so I can see where she got the confusion.
Post a Comment