Spiritual Bargain Hunting

We all like a good bargain when we can get one, and some of us will shop until we drop to find the best deal. Then there are some who don't know what a real bargain is. They'll buy a dozen of the organic eggs they prefer at their usual grocery store on sale for $3.49, when the regular price for the same eggs are $2.99 at the competitor's store.

It is a well known fact that some stores raise prices before putting the same items on sale for the regular price! Then there are those cheap 'same-like' products that turn out to not be a bargain because they are just not the real thing. Cheap substitutes are not bargains! Unfortunately, people looking for a church home let their desire for a discount drive their search.  Therefore, in that desperate search we allow ourselves to be exploited, made merchandise of.(2 Peter 2:1-3)

The quest for "a" church, instead of "the" church leads us to buy into a religion that accepts anyone because it is cheap; it's a bargain. Here is what the bargain offers: no challenges-you're always right no matter what you do; salvation is offered to everyone whether or not they obey the Scriptures; and.....you don't have to reform your life (according to the Scriptures), you can be saved just the way you are! Wow...that is a bargain! An awfully "scary" one!

You can join the church of your choice; one church is as good as another. You don't have to really attend services, not really....just send in your contribution. You don't even have to go to church at all! Actually, if you don't like organized religion, you don't have to be a part of anything - live a morally good life, treat people right, give, and you'll sail on up there to be with God and His Heavenly Host! Really? Keep it convenient for yourself. What a deal! You don't need to bother searching for the truth to see if "your church" is the true church that Jesus instituted. You just go ahead and opt for the one your family has been attending forever, or the one closes to home. Don't bother to examine it. Don't bother to ask questions. Don't bother to study it....Hmmm, don't believe your soul is in danger....Really? How sad!

There are thousands of denominations, all competing for membership. -For one thing-where is the scripture for denominations in the Bible?- Just choose the church of your choice. But, who are you? The truth of the matter is, when we are given more one than one choice, we will more than likely make the wrong choice. Anyway, where in the Scriptures where you given a choice? So instead of choosing the church of your choice, why not simply choose the church of God's choice:
          Jesus said He would build His church (singular, as in one) Matthew 16:18
          Saved people are "added" to His church - the Lord's church Acts:247
          He (Jesus) is the head of 'the' (one) church Colossians 1:18
          One one church was purchased with His blood (when He-Jesus died on the cross) Acts 20:18
          He saves one church Ephesians 5:23
          There is one body, and one Spirit, even as ye are called in one hope of your calling; One Lord, 
          one faith, one baptism,One God and Father of all, who is above all, and through all, and in
          you all.Ephesians 4:4-6 - How much clearer can it be?

James 4:12-17 *People are shopping around for a church home, but the reality of it is God has already provided a church family for us, you don't need to shop because there is absolutely no bargain hunting with the Lord. His terms are the only one; God does not offer bargains for salvation. He didn't offer Naaman a bargain. 2 Kings 5:8-14 and he is not going to give us one 2 Timothy 4:3-4.

Religion is not a place to go looking for bargains. Our eternal salvation depends on what we choose. How unfortunate for us when we reject our Lord and Savior because we thought we could cut corners!

The Man and The Snake

A long time ago, a Man was walking along the road. As he walked, he saw a Snake that was caught beneath a large rock that had fallen on him. "Pleassssse help me," said the Snake."This rock has fallen on me. I cannot move. The heat of the sun is killing me. If you don't help me, I will die."

The Man looked at the Snake and said, "If I remove the rock, you will bite me. Then, I will die instead of you." "Why would I harm the Man who has saved me?" asked the Snake. "Besides, I am so weak, I only have enough energy to crawl back to my home to recover from this terrible event."

The Man was a kind Man and did not like to see anyone suffer, even a Snake. So, he lifted the stone off the Snake. As soon as the stone was removed from his back, the Snake raised his head high in the air, and he bared his long fangs. "Prepare to be bitten," said the Snake.

"This is not right," said the Man, "you promised not to bite me if I helped you." "You knew I was a Snake when you saw me. You knew that Snakes bite. You even said I would bite you when I was freed. You are right. Prepare to be bitten."

"Wait," said the Man. "This is not fair."

"Who is to say what is fair," said the Snake.

"Please," said the Man. "At least let me ask another creature to see if it is fair for you to bite me."

"Very well," said the Snake, "because, I know other creatures will agree with me!"

First they went to the Hyena. The Man asked the Hyena. "Is it fair for the Snake to bite me after I saved his life by lifting a stone off his back?"

The Hyena said, "Man has never been fair to me! So why should the Snake be fair to you?" Besides the Hyena thought he would be able to feed off the Man's body after the Snake bit and killed him.

The Snake raised his head to strike, but the Man said, "Wait! Let's ask yet another creature."

They went and met Rabbit. The Snake stared at Rabbit and said, "Is it fair for me to bite the Man after he lifted a rock off my back?" The Snake looked deep into the Rabbit's eyes.

The Rabbit knew the Snake would eat him if he favored the Man over the Snake. So he said, "Man has never helped me before, so why should I help him? It is fair for you to bite the Man."

The Snake again raised his head and prepared to bite the Man.

"Wait," said the Man. "Please let us talk to one more animal before you bite me." Just then, the Jackal walked by. The Man said to the Jackal, "Is it right for Snake to want to bite me, after I saved his life by lifting a stone off his back?"

The Jackal replied, "I do not believe that Snake could be caught under a stone so that he couldn't get away. Unless I saw it with my two eyes, I would not believe it. Show me the place where you say it happened so I can see it."

When they arrived at the place where the Snake had been under the rock, Jackal said, "Snake like down, and let me see how the rock sat on you." The Snake laid down and the Man covered him with the stone.

The Jackal said, "Is this how you were when the Man found you?"

"Yes," said the Man and the Snake at the same time. Then the Man started to take the rock off the Snake once again. The Jackal stopped him. "Do not lift the stone off the Snake. He wanted to bite you before. If you lift the rock, he will do it again."

Then they both went away and left Snake under the stone.

You know what a snake does? It bites! It is mean and hateful and sneaky and demonic...Proverbs 23:32; Ecclesiastes 10:11; 1 Peter 5:8. Don't remove the stone from it's back, but more important, don't take on its characteristics. How do you treat people? Are you guilty of being a snake?! Think about it.......

UPLIFTING THINGS TO DO TODAY!

 

 Smile at a stranger
          Drop a coin where a child can find it
Learn something new and teach it to someone
         Tell someone you love them
Hug someone
        Forgive someone who has wronged you
Try saying "I'm sorry" when you ought to
       Tell a child how great they are
Sing a song about Jesus to yourself
       Keep a promise
Call someone just to say hello
      Try listening more than talking
Stand up for what you believe in
     Thank God for His beautiful creation
Encourage someone is is feeling down
     Cherish today as if it were your last one
Tell someone about Jesus!

The Boxes

I have in my hand two boxes, which God gave me to hold.
He said, "put all your sorrows in the black, and all your joys in the gold."
I heeded His words, and in the two boxes, both my joys and sorrows I store.
But though the gold became heavier each day, the black was as light as before.
With curiosity, I opened the black; I wanted to find out why.
And I saw, in the base of the box, a hole which my sorrows had fallen out by.
I showed the hole to God, and mused aloud, "I wonder where my sorrows could be?"
He smiled a gentle smile at me; "My child, they're all here with me."
I asked, "God, why give me the boxes?"
"Why the gold, and the black with the hole?"
"My child, the gold is for you to count your blessings; the black is for you to let go!"

THIS IS WHAT LOVE IS ALL ABOUT!

It was a busy morning, approximately 8:30 am, when an elderly gentleman in his 80's arrived to have stitches removed from his thumb. He stated that he was in a hurry as he had an appointment at 9:00 am. I took his vital signs and had him take a seat, knowing it would be over an hours before someone would be able to see him. I saw him looking at his watch and decided, since I was not busy with another patient, I would evaluate his wound. On exam it was well healed, so I talked to one of the doctors, got him the needed supplies to remove his sutures and redress his wound. While taking care of his wound, we began to engage in conversation. I asked him if he had a doctor's appointment this morning, as he was in such a hurry. The gentlemen told me no, that he needed to go to the nursing home to eat breakfast with his wife. I then inquired as to her health. He told me that she had been there for a while and that she was a victim of Alzheimer Disease.

As we talked, and I finished dressing his wound, I asked if she would be worried if he was a bit late. He replied that she no longer knew who he was, that she had not recognized him in five years now. I was surprised, and asked him, "And you still go every morning, even though she doesn't know who you are?" He smiled as he patted my hand and said, "She doesn't know me, but I still know who she is."

I had to hold back the tears as he left. I had goosebumps on my arm, and thought, "That is the kind of love I want in my life."

True love is neither physical, nor romantic. True love is an acceptance of all that is, has been, will be, and will not be.The happiest people don't necessarily have the best of everything; they just make the best of everything that comes along the way!

A STORY TO MAKE US THINK

This really is a story to make us think about how we treat others...

Two men, both seriously ill, occupied the same hospital room. One man was allowed to sit up in his bed for an hour each afternoon to help drain the fluid from his lungs. His bed was next to the room's only window.

The other man had to spend all his time flat on his back. The men talked for hour on end. They spoke of their wives and families, their homes, their jobs, their involvement in the military service, where they had been on vacation. And every afternoon when the man in the bed by the window could sit up, he would pass the time by describing to his roommate all the things he could see outside his window.

The man in the other bed began to live for those one-hour periods where his world would be broadened and enlivened by all the activity and color of the world outside. The window overlooked a park with a lovely lake. Ducks and swans played on the water while children sailed their model boats. Young lovers walked arm in arm amidst flowers of every color of the rainbow. Grand old trees graced the landscape, and a fine view of the city skyline could be seen in the distance.

As the man by the window described all this in exquisite detail, the man on the other side of the room would close his eyes and imagine the picturesque scene. One warm afternoon the man by the window described a parade passing by. Although the other man couldn't hear the band - he could see it in his mind's eye as the gentleman by the window portrayed it with descriptive words.

Then unexpectedly, a sinister thought entered his mind. Why should the other man alone experience all the pleasures of seeing everything while he himself never got to see anything? It didn't seem fair.

At first thought the man felt ashamed. But as the days passed and he missed seeing more sights, his envy eroded into resentment an soon turned him sour. He began to brood and he found himself unable to sleep. He should be by that window - that thought, and only that thought, now controlled his life.

Late one night as he lay staring at the ceiling, the man by the window began to cough. He was choking on the fluid in his lungs. The other man watched in the dimly lit room as the struggling man by the window groped for the button to call for help. Listening from across the room he never moved, never pushed his own button which would have brought the nurse running in. In less than five minutes the coughing and choking stopped, along with that the sound of breathing. Now there was only silence-deathly silence.

The following morning the day nurse arrived to bring water for their baths. When she found the lifeless body on the man by the window, she saddened and called the hospital attendants to take it away. As soon as it seemed appropriate, the other man asked if he could be moved next to the window. The nurse was happy to make the switch, and after making sure he was comfortable, she left him alone. Slowly, painfully, he propped himself up on one elbow to take his first look at the world outside. Finally, he would have the joy of seeing it all himself. He strained to slowly turn to look out the window beside the bed. It faced a blank wall.

The man asked the nurse what could have compelled hid deceased roommate who had described such wonderful things outside the window. The nurse responded that the man was blind and could not even see the wall. She said, "Perhaps he just wanted to encourage you."

Epilogue.........

You can interpret the story in any way you like. But one moral stands out: There is tremendous happiness in making others happy, despite our own situations. Shared grief is half the sorrow, but happiness when shared, is doubled. If you want to feel rich, just count all the things you have that money can't buy.

Meeting God

There once was a little boy who wanted to meet God. He knew it was a long trip to where God lived, so he packed his suitcase with Twinkies and a six-pack of root beer, and he started on his journey. When he had gone about three blocks, he met an old woman. She was sitting in the park just staring at some pigeons. The boy sat down next to her and opened his suitcase. He was about to take a drink from his root beer when he noticed that the old lady looked hungry so he offered her a Twinkie.

She gratefully accepted it and smiled at him. Her smile was so pretty that the boy wanted to see it again, so he offered her a root beer. Once again, she smiled at him. The boy was delighted! They sat there all afternoon eating and smiling, but they never said a word. As it grew dark, the boy realized how tired he was and he got up to leave, but before he had gone more than a few steps; he turned around, ran back to the old woman, and gave her a hug. She gave him her biggest smile ever.

When the boy opened the door to his own house a short time later; his  mother was surprised by the look of joy on his face. She asked him, "What did you do today that made you so happy?" He replied, "I had lunch with God." But before his mother could respond, he added, "You know what? She's got the most beautiful smile I've ever seen!"

Meanwhile, the old woman, also radiant with joy, returned to her home. Her son was stunned by the look of peace on her face and he asked, "Mother, what did you do today that made you so happy?" She replied, "I ate Twinkies in the park with God." But before her son responded, she added, "You know he's much younger than I expected."

Too often we underestimate the power of a touch, a smile, a kind word, a listening ear, and honest compliment, or the smallest act of caring, all of which have the potential to turn a life around. People come into our lives for a reason, a season, or a lifetime. Embrace all equally!

~AUTHOR UNKNOWN