Wait - Commercial Time

I have a lot of problems with commercials on tv as many of you know. For some reason, these advertisers think I need their product, which I don't. I don’t even know them. But I will get to that. Here I am the other day, muting all the commercials without letting one get by me. Break for an ad and click, mute still works well. On occasion I actually miss pushing the mute while I'm in the kitchen looking for a snack or doing dishes.

Inevitably there are usually two things I hear from these ads.  The first is, 'This item will revolutionize your life'. Now, I know it's not true, but they do everything to convince me that I needed it.  While I was on holidays in FL, where they have more pill pushing commercials than any other place in the world according to my thoughts, I realized these pill ads take more time to tell you the side effects than the value of taking the medication. MUTE!

The second thing commercials tell us, 'you deserve this' or 'you have earned it'.  I didn't know that.  What have I done in my life to deserve earning the opportunity to buy this item? Maybe I earned it by watching the ad or could it be I have lots of money so I can buy this item so that I share my money with people who make more money than I do. This is so insane. And here it comes, ‘I don’t even know them’ so how do they know my needs.

What I know I don't deserve is forgiveness from God. What I need is forgiveness. What I also know is, He wants us to be in a relationship with Him and that happens when we ask Him to forgive our sins (because He is the only one who can do that) and we accept Christ as our Saviour. There is a price for sin and Jesus paid it in full so I don't have to. No commercial, no ads, just forgiveness because Jesus paid the price for my sin.

Something to think about.

Rob

The Christian Olympics

Have you been watching the Olympics? Do you have a favourite event? Or maybe you have your favourite athletes. Today I listened to Canada’s skate dance couple who took a break after the last Olympics in ‘14. Tessa Virtue said something so significant I don’t think it will get missed by many. She said something like this: I watched our previous performances and knew we could do much better. Really? That is so amazing to say especially after winning so many competions. On Sunday they broke their previous record. MMMMMMMMMMMM.

I wonder if we say the same thing about ourselves and our commitment to Christ and being like Him. We sing in church ‘I Will Follow Him’ which implies we will be imitators of Christ in every way. How’s that working for us? It’s lent. The part of our Christian Calendar, where we really examine ourselves and according to tradition, we clean ourselves of those things that imped our ability to reach our full potential. But really, the only way we can get close to being like Christ is to work at doing thing better and better every day.

An Olympic athlete doesn’t just go out & do it. It takes years of getting better each and every day. It is saying to yourself, ‘That’s not good enough’-‘How can I do this one thing better’-‘What must I do to become better at being a Christ follower?’ Maybe it includes showing up at the rink (church). We will all get better when we put our mind right ‘to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus’ Read the whole passage, Philippians 3 and know it’s really Something to think about.

Rob

Drownding Out God

We are now living in a very chaotic world filled with all kinds of societal pollution. Too many items in life are vying for our attention. I have been trying to relax and take some time away for a while. Early in the morning I’m sitting here listening to the traffic noise and the sound of airplanes flying constantly overhead. Even though it is early there was a car pulling up down the street and he honked his horn. They call all of this noise pollution and you have to drive a few miles out of town to get away from most of it. We have too much electronic devises that not only want our attention but they suck time out of our lives. Walk down the street and what do you see? Almost everyone has ear buds in their ears because they find it difficult to sit in silence.

Yes, the cell phone pollution, computer pollution have also taken over our lives. This pollution is growing so rapidly that they have terms for it and people, can’t seem to hang it up and put it away. Sitting over on the counter is my phone and it’s turned off. Young people have anxiety attacks if they don’t have some message or text every ten minutes or less. It’s so bad with some people they can’t sleep at night.

God told us to get away and meet with Him. We are to sit back, close our eyes and ears to everything but His still small voice. In amongst all this pollution, I can hear the birds singing, the breeze wafting through the trees as I catch the sound of some crickets in the bushes. Through them God is working to dispel all my anxiety and I feel the tension vanishing and calm coming over me.

It is now in this brief moment of solitude, while I’m pushing back on the noise, that I realize the pollution of this world is actually trying to crowd out God. Becoming more focused on Him, I can hear Him in the sounds of nature and I’m at peace and peace with Him. How about you?

Something to think about

Rob    

Spam/Scam

Is it just me or are you part of this computer problem I’m drowning in.  It seems like, in the last month or so I have been getting lots of email that have gone directly to my spam file. And I’m not just talking about the normal traffic that my computer detours to the spam parking lot.

Day after day, my spam file is getting as much traffic as my inbox. Interestingly many of them are offering me a free this or that. all because I am a loyal customer.  Do yourself a favour, don't open them. I started looking a little closer into a couple of these emails and the people are offering all kinds of free items. What I usually do is decide if I am actually a loyal customer or not. Here is what I thought about one that came in a week ago. As a loyal customer I could receive a wonderful loyalty gift or gift card just by replying to their email. Wait a minute, when was I last in their store Johannesburg South Africa?

Before we even consider opening one of these emails remember we have old sayings that still applies today. Not a long saying but it's so true; "Nothing In Life Is Free". I will repeat what needs to be emphasized; “Nothing”.  Some people I know would say I’m wrong. Some people say God forgave us and that is free. Grace, undeserved forgiveness they say.

Then I gently remind them forgiveness was not and is not free. It’s true, it didn’t cost us anything. It cost Jesus. He stepped in front of us and said to His Father, “I will pay the price for their sin”. Sinless Jesus was the only one who could pay the price. He died that we might have eternal life.  

Hear these words;

Bearing shame and scoffing rude,

In my place condemned He stood;

Sealed my pardon with His blood.

Hallelujah! What a Savior!

Something to think about

Rob