Tuesday, August 11, 2015

I've Been Snookered Again!

One thing you can do while you’re waiting in lines is witness to others through kindness. I’ve given several examples of this in previous posts.

Now comes the brutal honesty. . . get prepared . .  .

If I wait too long in line and my attempts to talk to my fellow shoppers end before I check out, my eyes feast upon the magazines. Well, the snicker bars, too. But it’s the magazines that lure me.

Here’s my latest deception:



Read the headlines. Forget home improvements. I’m going for a total reformation on me, inside and out. I checked off every one of them! I’m in desperate need!

            You, Body Beautiful! Genius Instant Fixes for Saggy Bust, Cellulite, Spider Veins, Belly Bulge (Never thought I could be so blessed!)
            Tired No More (Prayers Answered!)
            GI Woes Solved (Thank you, Jesus!)
            Sleep Helpers (Hallelujah!)
            Bye-Bye Stress: Carol Alt reveals her secrets to shedding tension & belly fat (It’s a miracle!)
            THE NEW THYROID CURE, speeds metabolism by 653%. Discovered! Poor iron absorption to blame for thyroid slowdown. The heavier you are, the better this food cure works. (Goodbye Dr. Odeke! Parting is such sweet sorrow! Here I come Skinny jeans!)

            So I bought the magazine. When the clerk started to put it in the bag, I stretched my hand out for the holy grail that would cure all my ailments, neurosis, and unsightly bulges. I would be a restored person, pulling out those dusty size 8 garments and then going shopping with my restored energy level. I couldn’t wait to get home and begin a new life in the new me.

            Do you know what I found?

            The same thing I found in every other magazine that promised something it could not deliver.

            I’d been snookered again. By vanity. By a need to feel younger, more attractive, less tired. To wake up and be a new me.

            Satan uses these tactics to keep us dissatisfied with ourselves. When we become distracted by the lures of the world, we acknowledge that Jesus the Christ cannot fulfill our needs.

            Philippians 4:19 states, “And my God will supply every need of yours according to his riches in glory in Christ Jesus.”
           
Isn’t it strange how the Evil One knows exactly which button to push, hoping we will react and forget God’s promises?

            2 Corinthians 11:3 “But I am afraid that, as the serpent deceived Eve by his craftiness, your minds will be led astray from the simplicity and purity of devotion to Christ.”

            Ephesians 6:11 “Put on the full armor of God, so that you will be able to stand firm against the schemes of the devil.”

            Stand firm. Know who you are in Christ and stand tall. You are the daughter of a King. The devil holds no power over you except what you give him.


So . . . will I buy more magazines? Yes. I love the pictures, recipes, and a lot of the articles. But I will stand firm and use discernment when faced with lures and deceptions, those lies that a few articles declare will fix what time has taken away. My vainity is nothing but fuel for Satan.

This body will never be 17 again, or 45 or 60. But this mind, heart, and soul will be youthful, courageous, and filled to over flowing with the precious words of love from scripture. Owning who I am today is a statement of owning what God says about me. Others will notice.


            Zephaniah 3:17 “The LORD your God is in your midst, a Mighty One who will save; He will rejoice over you with gladness; He will quiet you by His love; He will rejoice over you with loud singing.”

God will quiet you by His love and sing over you.

Instead of reaching for a magazine or anything else for satisfaction, reach for Jesus.

Keep this song in your head when tempted. “Reaching For You” by Lincoln Brewster.

Go here to hear it and enjoy!

God bless you!


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