Tuesday, January 13, 2009

What A Bargain !


Several times a week....and y'all, I mean several....my hubby receives a catalog in the mail from a tool company. I honestly don't see how sending out all these catalogs doesn't eat into their profits considerably! Anyhoo, last week I dutifully gave hubby his latest catalog which claims on the front cover to have the "greatest tool values in America!".

After just a few minutes hubby brings said catalog to show me the latest "bargain" on the front cover....an electric chain saw sharpener. He asked me if I saw anything wrong with the advertisement. I burst out laughing when I saw it! The photo shows the original price with a slash through it and then the "sale price" in big bold numbers. But wait! The original price was $39 and now they have marked it down to $59 ??? Huh??? Some kind of mix up here I expect! Do you think anyone will actually order this item? Hopefully not but I wouldn't be surprised!

It made me think about how Satan will try and trick us into thinking that he is offering us a great deal on something when in reality we are giving up more than we are getting! Maybe Satan says to a teenager, "Your parents are really treating you bad trying to keep tabs on all your coming and going! What you need is to run away from home so you can come and go as you like!" Or maybe he says to a Christian man or woman, "Your spouse is no fun anymore....they have let their self go and you need to pay more attention to that person you see at work everyday! They would make your life more fun!" And he is able to seduce more and more people all the time! But when we give up the good and right thing that we have and turn to whatever or whomever it is that Satan is tempting us with, we WILL pay a high price for that choice. We can be so blind to the obvious sometimes. I recently read this quote that is very thought provoking:
"The grass may be greener on the other side of the fence, but you will still have to mow it!"

Is it a bargain to pay $59 for a $39 electric chain saw sharpener? I don't think so! Neither is it a bargain to shop in Satan's workshop.

"Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about , seeking whom he may devour:" 1 Peter 5: 8

Pay attention to what is being offered you. It just might not be a bargain!

Marilyn

8 comments:

Leah Adams said...

Oh boy have I ever been a victim of Satan's deceit in my life!! Praise Jesus, I am more careful now, but I stay on my guard because Satan knows exactly where I am the most vulnerable. I truly believe he has turned up the heat on believers in recent months. He knows his time is growing short.

Leah

Cathryn said...

Goodness Marilyn ~ God has given you such insight to make these applications. Excellent, indeed. I really like this one.... too.

Blessings, Cathryn

Kay Martin said...

Yes, he is the deceiver. In the Information Age he has so many creative ways to try to trick us and other people. WE have Light of the Lord to help us; but the unbeliever gropes in the dark.

May we pray for God to shine brightly and show us where He is working so that souls come into His Kingdom.

Yolanda said...

Marilyn,

Wise words...it my look sugary sweet but it is full of venom!

I pray that ONE woman if not many wil read your post and say no to the enemy.

Wished I would have! Yet God is turning it for His GOOD! Praise His Name.

Love,
Yolanda

Joyful said...

He sold one apple in exchange for life and freedom.

Praying for wisdom to count the cost,
Joy

Alene said...

I love this message and story! Exactly why we have to stay alert and resist those schemes, then only will he flee. LOve ya girl.

HOPE said...

Amazing isn't it!

A young man at church told me he needed to get a tire fixed and the tire place told him $400 to fix the rim also. He didn't see any rim problem though. So he went to another place and they said..Oh we can do it for you FREE. Just a minor adjustment!

Wise words Marilyn..thank you!

HOPE

Anonymous said...

Very good post! My husband, too, receives this bargain catalog way too much, and you made a great analogy for the deceitful tactics that are used against us by the enemy all the time.

I'm visiting from the
Songs From My Journey Blogroll - Hello and Very nice to meet you! I saw a post about sewing below this so I am definitely going to have to read that one too! ;-)