FALSE ADVERTISING

I am not going to say that the people who sell the mascara are lying, o.k.?  I am going to say that IF this picture was about FALSE EYELASHES, then it would be accurate. But it isn't. It's a company that sells mascara trying to get me to believe my eyelashes will look like that if I purchase their mascara. Trying to get me to believe that these are NOT FALSE EYELASHES.  REALLY? 

I don't know if I would WANT my eyelashes to be four inches long, as thick as railroad ties and to reach the top of my forehead... but.. nevertheless... I don't believe their claims. So I don't buy the stuff.  It's false advertising.  Just to make the sale.  Just to close the deal. Because who wants to buy mascara that advertises truthfully?  Who wants to hear, "This mascara cannot create nine inch eyelashes, but it will darken and thicken the eyelashes you already have. If you don't have a lot of eyelashes, then the best we  can promise is that the four eyelashes you DO have will be darker."

We have grown accustomed to people lying to us in order to get us to buy what they're selling.  After a while, you don't believe anything anyone says.  You WANT to believe, but after being burned by false advertising so many times... you just don't believe anyone. Anymore.

As Christians, we have to remember that we aren't selling anything to anyone.   We have to remember that "getting people to church" is not what the Great Commission is about.  It's about people passing from Death in to Life, from Darkness in to Light, from slavery to freedom.  As Christians we must always focus on Christ - what He did, what He said, what He's doing and what He will do.  WE ARE JUST REPORTERS OF HIS STORY.   
Any gift we have been given by His Spirit has ONE PURPOSE -TO GLORIFY AND BRING HONOR TO JESUS. 
We have freely received the gift of eternal life, and we must freely announce it to the world. 

It's false advertising to tell people that Christians live pain free lives.  We don't.  

It's false advertising to tell people that Christians have perfect marriages, and perfect families.  We don't.

It's false advertising to tell people that Christians never sin.  We do.

It's false advertising to act like we have everything figured out all the time.  We don't.   

We are not perfect, but Jesus is.

When we feel it is necessary to act like we are sinless, or struggle-free it is false advertising..... and no one is buying it.  

No. One. Is. Buying. It.

Because The Gospel is not for sale. 
It's a gift. 
Who has the nerve to try and sell someone a gift that Someone Else has purchased for them?  
We do. 
Sometimes.
It's not about us. Our gifts. Our talent.  Because our gifts, and our talent are also GIFTS.
Who has the nerve to think that a gift someone GAVE them is a gift we have earned?
We do.
Sometimes.

We don't not have Perfect Peace because of anything we've done, but because the Prince of Peace shares His Peace with us.

We tell the truth.
We are weak, but He is strong.  "In the world, we will have trouble... but Jesus has overcome the world."

We tell the truth.
We are MORE than conquerors, but only through Christ.

We tell the truth.
We get confused but the Holy Spirit helps us and sends God's wisdom.

We tell the truth.
Sometimes we are afraid, but the the peace of God, which passes all understanding.. which comes from Somewhere Else, floods our very spirit, and guards our human hearts from giving in to the fear.

We are new creatures.
We are not the same.
We are not of this world anymore.
But not because of anything we did.

When God wrote The Bible, He didn't write about perfect people who never made mistakes.  He told the truth.  
We are weak. HE is strong.

We are not the heroes of The Story.
Jesus is.
And that's Truth.