2 Timothy 2:4
King James Version
4 No man that warreth
entangleth himself
with the affairs of this life;
that he may please him
who hath chosen him to be a soldier.
Which color?
For whom?
Would the price be right?
Why so many colors?
Why so many styles?
Why so many weaves?
Why so much to choose from?
Would this match their bathroom?
Would this match their kitchen?
And that's just towels, mind you.
We haven't gotten to many other items we use on a daily basis.
Whether for self, or gifts.
As you can imagine, we are drowning in choices.
The marketing and merchandising world has made sure of that.
They've kept us mighty busy making choices.
Our malls, and supermarket aisles, are flooded with goods of every kind, every color, every size, every purpose, every price.
Where Mom and Pop stores, and neighborhood groceries once stood, now, we are faced with a plethora of choices.
Which all keep growing more by the day.
They've even invented apps on our cellphones so we can shop even more.
For that's the idea, really.
That you spend your hard-earned money.
Willfully, even carelessly, and unthinkingly.
And buy stuff that are trending, probably useful, or useless, just so you buy, and someone gets that money.
Most everyone get caught up in merch madness.
What is "merchandising" but this:
"Merchandising is any practice which contributes to the sale of products ("merch" colloquially) to a retail consumer. At a retail in-store level, merchandising refers to displaying products that are for sale in a creative way that entices customers to purchase more items or products."
-- Wikipedia
That "creative", and "crafty" way for the merchandiser, can be a "confusing", and "crazy" way for the consumer.
"So much to choose from!" is the initial reaction.
So, they invent online stores, for convenience.
Now, there's less to view, or is it really?
Still, the fact remains stores want your money.
And they can deliver, too!
That makes people buy stuff they don't really use, or need, or the colors and sizes are wrong.
Surely you've heard many of that each day.
But what can an online stores really present?
It's all visual, this thing about "merchandising".
For this born again workman, I'd rather shop on site.
Meaning, I can see the goods for real.
I can touch it, "weigh" it, even smell it.
So I know what I'm getting.
And yes, I can even walk away from it.
This is the age of excess.
Too much to choose from.
It's as if the merch people have gone overboard.
Bombarding us with choices, and selections, covering our every "whim".
But it can turn off "purists".
The kind that wants a few, good things only.
That wants sturdy, and reliable stuff.
"Value for money", they say.
Or the kind that abhors store traps.
And knows the game for what it is.
You've got to be an entrepreneur, consumer, and born again watchman to realize all that.
Well, we've been, and are, all three.
We know the game.
And the bottomline is this:
Anything that keeps your eyes off GOD,
has got to be the enemy's work.
When you keep your eye off GOD, you honor the little gods.
Which GOD abhors so much.
But warriors of the SPIRIT don't get distracted.
We focus on CHRIST alone.
We are guided by SPIRIT.
So, we buy what we need.
We don't get confused by all the choices.
We don't get caught up in "trappy" trends.
We don't compare our lives with the Joneses.
We live simple lives dedicated to GOD, and to you.
We're like cops.
Here to "protect, and serve" you.
Scripturally.
Spiritually.
Thus, we share GOD's WORD with you:
1 John 2:15-17
King James Version
15 Love not the world,
neither the things that are in the world.
If any man love the world,
the love of the Father is not in him.
16 For all that is in the world,
the lust of the flesh,
and the lust of the eyes,
and the pride of life,
is not of the Father, but is of the world.
17 And the world passeth away, and the lust thereof:
but he that doeth the will of God abideth for ever.
Be not confused.
Be saved.
Be not covetous.
Be simple.
Be not envious.
Be content.
Be not of the enemy.
Be of CHRIST.
That ought to veer you away from the creature and clamor, the glitter and glamor, of litter and clutter, and sin and Satan.
Galatians 5:16-26
King James Version
16 This I say then, Walk in the Spirit,
and ye shall not fulfil the lust of the flesh.
17 For the flesh lusteth against the Spirit,
and the Spirit against the flesh:
and these are contrary the one to the other:
so that ye cannot do the things that ye would.
18 But if ye be led of the Spirit,
ye are not under the law.
19 Now the works of the flesh are manifest,
which are these;
Adultery, fornication,
uncleanness, lasciviousness,
20 Idolatry, witchcraft, hatred, variance,
emulations, wrath, strife, seditions, heresies,
21 Envyings, murders, drunkenness,
revellings, and such like:
of the which I tell you before,
as I have also told you in time past,
that they which do such things
shall not inherit the kingdom of God.
22 But the fruit of the Spirit
is love, joy, peace, longsuffering,
gentleness, goodness, faith,
23 Meekness, temperance:
against such there is no law.
24 And they that are Christ's
have crucified the flesh
with the affections and lusts.
25 If we live in the Spirit,
let us also walk in the Spirit.
26 Let us not be desirous of vain glory,
provoking one another,
envying one another.
NOTE: This article was on our mind last night.
But as with everything important, there was so much material.
So, we slept it off, confident SPIRIT will sort it all out in the morning.
Sure enough, He always does.
The "towel" image appealed to us right away.
In all its significance, and simplicity.
The verses were there last night.
But this morning, all came to form.
Easily, crucially, clearly.
There was no "clutter", or confusion.
Only CHRIST.
It's a lovely thing.
When GOD makes you "born again".
All become clear.
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