I have decided to follow Jesus…no turning back…no turning back! -Unknown

YOU’RE PRE-APPROVED!  BUY NOW-PAY LATER The cover was striking!  It bore my name with some advice: Save your credit cards for other things – you’re pre-approved for ***** credit! There was also an ominous sticker below that read: LAST CHANCE:  We don’t want to bother you with unwanted catalogs.  This could be your FINAL CATALOG.  Please order TODAY to receive future editions! Payments as low as $20 per month Now, let me say…I’m not usually sucked in too easily by that kind of stuff, but it was packaged so attractively, and presented so well, that I have to admit…it looked pretty tempting! As I opened the catalog and started browsing through, I found myself coveting the beautiful things found within its pages. Then, God opened my eyes and gave me a Spiritual lesson.  He reminded me of a sermon my dad preached once, titled:  SEE…COVET…TAKE. The Bible says that Eve looked on the fruit, saw that it was good (desired it), and took it to eat…after a few words from the devil.  In the Garden, the devil used God’s very words to Eve but distorted the whole meaning by changing one word.  God said: “Thou shalt not eat of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil.  For in the day you eat thereof, you SHALL surely die.”  When the devil tempted Eve, he said in Genesis 3:4, “And the serpent (the devil) said unto the woman, “You shall NOT surely die…” So…getting back to the lesson in the catalog….. This is how Satan tempts us.  He puts striking, well packaged, expertly presented, things in our path…things with our name on them. He knows a lot about Marketing!   He says stuff like: “Save your rocking chair moments for your older years…you’re young…you have lots of time…you look good now, so use it to your advantage!  After all, …this could be your last chance!”  Then he quotes scripture (taken out of context), “Even God said tomorrow is promised to no man…this could be your FINAL chance to live!  So go ahead…do it TODAY… LIVE NOW…PAY LATER!  Your payment to me will be miniscule compared to all the fun you’ll be having!” But the Bible says: “The wages of sin is death…” My dad, who was a farmer in his younger years, used a lot of analogies about crops.  He used to say: “Some of you think you can go out on Saturday night and sow your wild Oats, then come to church on Sunday morning and pray for a crop failure…but it just doesn’t work that way!  God said we will reap what we sow!” If you follow Satan and his advice, he will bring you to your knees…not willingly…but out of desperation. I’d rather fall on my knees, willingly before a loving God, and be approved by Him.  After all…HE died for me.  He paid the cost THEN, so that I could have NOW, and Later! There are no payments…only rewards in following Jesus!