Promise for Today - Black Friday Guarantee

It is God who enables us, along with you, to stand firm for Christ. He has commissioned us, and he has identified us as his own by placing the Holy Spirit in our hearts as the first installment that guarantees everything he has promised us.

2 Corinthians 1:21-22 NLT (New Living Translation)

Shopping in today's world is nothing like it used to be. Once upon a time, you could walk into a merchant’s facility and plop some money on the counter to buy an appliance or other high-dollar item for so much down and so much a month and expect to live happily ever after. Well, not forever, but you could expect the item to last 15 or 20 years. Nowadays, no matter where or what you purchase, or how you purchase - installment or no installment - you’re offered the opportunity to buy an extended warranty with each purchase. Of course, it’s only good for 2 years or 50,000 miles/hours whatever and whichever comes first. You may even be offered the opportunity to purchase an insurance policy on your installment payment and/or balance, in case something bad happens to you.

Despite what the salesperson has to say, I do not see how this is supposed to inspire any kind of confidence in the product or the workmanship that went into it. The only thing it seems to guarantee is that it WILL break down, or if it doesn’t, it probably will after the “free” annual maintenance check-up – you know, the “free” one that comes with your PAID warranty. Well, let me get to the good news.

Yes, there is always good news when it comes to God. In Scripture, we learn that we are fearfully and wonderfully made. And the guarantee to fix anything that may break along the way has already been paid for by the Maker on the original Black Friday at Calvary. Not only that, but there are no exceptions, nothing hidden, no black-out dates, no "gotcha" clauses.

Wait! There's more! It’s not a 90-day warranty or 5-year extended warranty – it’s a lifetime guarantee. All we have to do is say 'Yes' to God's offer of salvation and eternal life with Him. That’s included, too. Already paid for by His Son, Jesus. Guaranteed. Same-day delivery. No standing in line. No waiting.

And don’t worry, "He has identified us as His own by placing the Holy Spirit in our hearts as the first installment that guarantees everything He has promised us." It's a lifetime guarantee that extends to eternity.

Prayer:

Father,
           There is nothing offered here that even remotely compares to what You offer us on a daily basis - that Your Son already paid the price for us to have on the original Black Friday. Open our eyes to see You, Lord, and to recognize the magnitude of the provision You have made for us. In Jesus’ Name we pray. Amen

Friends' Favorites - Lifetime Guarantee

No one will be able to stand against you as long as you live. For I will be with you as I was with Moses. I will not fail you or abandon you.
Joshua 1:5

You probably know the story - Twelve men go to spy out the land - one from each of the tribes of Israel. Did I mention that it was to the Promised Land they were going? Promised...by God.

God Himself said, "I will give it to you." So, twelve men go to check it out. Ten come back and say, "No way, no how, not ever, not now."

Joshua and Caleb stand and say, "We are well able to take the land."

Who did the people believe? They believed the report of the ten. The ten who reported the facts, not the two who reported the Truth. Facts may be true, but God's Word - His Truth - ALWAYS overrides facts when we choose to believe Him. What the ten reported about the land was all true. But Joshua and Caleb reported God's Truth - reported through the eyes of faith in Him. "We are well able to take the land." 

God said He would give them the land. For Joshua and Caleb, strong and courageous, that was enough. As a result, from the original group of Jews (over the age of twenty) who left Egypt, Joshua and Caleb were the only two to enter the Promised Land.

Right before Moses died, God summoned Moses and Joshua to the mountain and laid out the plan. He told them how the people would rebel, but Joshua was to lead them anyway. God told him, (Deuteronomy 31:23), "I will be with you."  Joshua believed His Truth.

Moses delivered the Word of the Lord to the people and instructed them to, Take to heart all the words of warning I have given you today. Pass them on as a command to your children so they will obey every word of these instructions. These instructions are not empty words—they are your life! By obeying them you will enjoy a long life... 

If you read the story in Deuteronomy and in Joshua, you'll find very interesting details. The bottom line - God said it. It's enough. Yes, there will be battles. Yes, there will be trials. Yes, you will have to be brave and courageous. But He said it. He promised. Do what He says and He'll always be with you. Old Testament - New Testament. The Promise is there. Lo, I am with you always, even unto the end of the age... A Lifetime Guarantee.

Prayer:

Father,
         Open our hearts to receive Your Word. Open our ears to hear Your Truth no matter what else we see or hear.  In Jesus' Name we pray. Amen 

* Guaranteed Life

You must have the same attitude that Christ Jesus had. Though he was God, he did not think of equality with God as something to cling to. Instead, he gave up his divine privileges; he took the humble position of a slave and was born as a human being. When he appeared in human form, he humbled himself in obedience to God and died a criminal’s death on a cross.

Philippians 2:5-8 NLT

It seems we spend most of our lives trying to prove who we are or who we want people to believe we are. And yet, Paul told the Corinthians, “If you want to boast, boast only about the Lord.” 

We all want to be a new creation. We all want to have a new life, but we don't always want to do what it takes to have that. As Christians, we are supposed to die to self.  When it comes to the reality of that, we don't like the sound of it or even the thought of it. However, to have new, there must be an end to the old. And we're so worried about that! We don't want to "lose ourselves."  And we sure don't want to die. One of my favorite Alan Neel quotes is, "The only way to have resurrection life is to actually die [to self]."  

The writer of Hebrews says it best, Because God’s children are human beings—made of flesh and blood—the Son also became flesh and blood. For only as a human being could he die, and only by dying could he break the power of the devil, who had the power of death. Only in this way could he set free all who have lived their lives as slaves to the fear of dying. Hebrews 2:14-15 NLT

There's nothing to fear. We're talking resurrection... a guaranteed life in Christ.

Prayer:

Father,

          Thank You for the Truth of Your Word - the comfort and peace in Your promises. It is good to know there is something solid to stand on - something that does not change or waiver. There's no chance of losing our balance when we're standing on Your Word. Help us to understand it better - to rightly divide between soul and spirit so that we truly understand what it means when we read ...in Him we live and move and have our being... In Jesus' Name we pray. Amen

* Reprinted by Request - here you go!

It is God who enables us, along with you, to stand firm for Christ. He has commissioned us, and he has identified us as his own by placing the Holy Spirit in our hearts as the first installment that guarantees everything he has promised us.
2nd Corinthians 1:21-22  NLT (New Living Translation)

Shopping in today's world is nothing like it used to be. Once upon a time, you could walk into a merchant’s facility and plop some money on the counter to buy an appliance or other high-dollar item for so much down and so much a month and expect to live happily ever after. Well, not forever, but you could expect the item to last 15 or 20 years. Nowadays, no matter where or what you purchase, or how you purchase - installment or no installment - you’re offered the opportunity to buy an extended warranty with each purchase. Of course, it’s only good for 2 years or 50,000 miles/hours whatever and whichever comes first. You may even be offered the opportunity to purchase an insurance policy on your installment payment and/or balance, in case something bad happens to you.

Despite what the salesperson has to say, I do not see how this is supposed to inspire any kind of confidence in the product or the workmanship that went into it. The only thing it seems to guarantee is that it WILL break down, or if it doesn’t, it probably will after the “free” annual maintenance check-up – you know, the “free” one that comes with your PAID warranty. Well, let me get to the good news.

Yes, there is always good news when it comes to God. In Scripture, we learn that we are fearfully and wonderfully made. And the guarantee to fix anything that may break along the way has already been paid for by the Maker on the original Black Friday at Calvary. Not only that, but there are no exceptions, nothing hidden, no black-out dates, no "gotcha" clauses.

Wait! There's more! It’s not a 90-day warranty or 5-year extended warranty – it’s a lifetime guarantee. All we have to do is say Yes to God's offer of salvation and eternal life with Him. That’s included, too. Already paid for by His Son, Jesus. Guaranteed. Same-day delivery. No standing in line. No waiting.

And don’t worry,  He has identified us as His own by placing the Holy Spirit in our hearts as the first installment that guarantees everything He has promised us. It's a lifetime guarantee that extends to eternity.

Prayer:

Father,
          There is nothing offered here that even remotely compares to what You offer us on a daily basis - that Your Son already paid the price for us to have. Open our eyes to see You, Lord, and to recognize the magnitude of the provision You have made for us. In Jesus’ Name we pray. Amen

* Installment Plans and Warranties

It is God who enables us, along with you, to stand firm for Christ. He has commissioned us, and he has identified us as his own by placing the Holy Spirit in our hearts as the first installment that guarantees everything he has promised us.

2^nd Corinthians 1:21,22  NLT

Christmas is typically a time when we are forced to do some kind of shopping, even if we hate to shop, and I’ll tell you, I hate to shop. I have friends and family members who love it, though. Hmmm, maybe I ought to consider getting them to shop for me… oops…sorry, I got distracted there for a minute.

Shopping today is nothing like it used to be. Once upon a time, you could walk into a merchant’s facility and plop some money on the counter to buy an appliance or other high-dollar item for so much down and so much a month and expect to live happily ever after. Well, maybe not forever, but you could expect the item to last 15 or 20 years. Nowadays, no matter where or what you purchase, or how you purchase - installment or no installment, you’re offered the opportunity to buy an extended warranty with each purchase. Of course, it’s only good for 5 years or less or 50,000 miles/hours whatever, and whichever comes first. You may even be offered the opportunity to purchase an insurance policy on your installment payment and/or balance, in case something bad happens to you.

It might just be me, but I do not see how this is supposed to inspire any kind of confidence in the product or the workmanship that went into it, despite what the salesperson has to say. The only thing it seems to guarantee is that it’s going to break down, or if it doesn’t, it probably will after the “free” annual maintenance checkup – you know, the “Free” one that comes with your PAID warranty. Well, let me get to the good news.

Yes, there is always good news when it comes to God. In Scripture, we learn that we are fearfully and wonderfully made. And the warranty work to fix anything that may get broken along the way is already paid for – by the Maker. Not only that, there are no exceptions, nothing hidden, no black-out dates, no gotcha clauses. On top of that, it’s not a 90-day warranty or 5-year extended warranty – it’s a lifetime guarantee. All we have to do is say, yes, we want it. That’s included, too. Already paid for. And don’t worry, we’re already identified by God with a gift He gives us – the Holy Spirit. We are ALL that He says we are. We can have everything He says we can have – that’s a lifetime guarantee that extends through eternity.

Prayer:

Father,

          There is nothing offered here that even remotely compares to what You offer us on a daily basis and Your Son paid the price for it all. Open our eyes to see You, Lord, and to recognize the magnitude of the provision You have made for us. In Jesus’ Name we pray. Amen