Monday, July 16, 2007

The Real Deal

My niece joined a group of young people who were sending cards to older ladies in the church. It was kind of like a "secret sister" thing. But when she mailed her card it came back. She had only put a 1 cent stamp on it. She thought it would be cheaper. So, yes, that is pretty funny. She did not know the real deal is to send a 41 cent stamp.
When you think about it, there are many people who do not know about the real deal. People talk about their faith. They talked about their church. They do this or that with regard to religion. But they don't know that the one church of our Lord is the real deal. It is not a denomination. It engages in authorized worship. It has no earthly headquarters. It has no pope or president to interpret or clarify God's will for the church.
There are many who also don't know the real deal when it comes to the miraculous. They think they've seen one on television. They've heard stories. They may even believe that a miracle has happened for them. But the miracles of the Bible are far different than what you hear about today. Do you know anyone, dead four days, who has been resurrected? Do you know of anyone who pays their taxes with money that came from the mouth of a fish? Have your ever seen a man who has never walked jump up and run? The real deal is much more than people propose.
There is also a principle here that we can apply to our faith. Faith is not just about finding the church house when it is open. It is not just about living in harmony with your fellow man. It is not just wearing a name or an affiliation. The real deal faith trusts God in every circumstance. The real deal faith overcomes criticism with grace. The real deal faith doesn't dream about the future, it works toward the future. The real deal faith allows the individual to make necessary changes throughout life.
So don't put a one cent stamp on Christianity. You will get rejected unless you are paid in full.

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