The Magic Bullet

Sometimes I just get mezmerized by informercials. I mean in a mere 30 - 40 minutes I had stumbled accross so many things that I just couldn't live without. There are the classics: The Topsy Tail, the LumaTweeze, and the knife set that cuts right through a boot!

The latest and greates in informercials is the Magic Bullet. If you have seen the infomercial, then you know what makes this thing awesome is that you take two food items, throw them in them in the magic bullet, and then before you can say, "scam artist" the bullet has done it's magic.

With infomercials it is normally all the same. You see this awesome product, that can solve some of the frustrations you have with life, so you pay your three installments of 29.95 plus $5 shipping and handling. You wait 3 weeks and then it arrives, and by the time you have thrown your cheese, and your onion dip into the magic bullet, you realize that ... you just bought all the hype that money can buy.
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The other day I was talking with a friend and he was struggling alot with how his life was playing out. He felt like a failure, and that he had let everybody down. He said his prayers seemed so empty and that God seemed so far away. I will never forget when he said "I just don't want to be broken anymore"
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Those if us in the church have failed . . . we have made the giant mistake of turning Jesus into an infomercial. He slices, he dices . . . and look what else he can do ! ! ! If only you put in your time at church, and your money . . . then Jesus will solve all of your frustrations.

Jesus has become a magic lamp, give him a quick rub and life's problem go away.

We have let Jesus down, and we have let our fellow man down.

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The reality is . . . Jesus is not your magic bullet. Jesus proved that when He came to earth. He could have made life very easy for his followers if that was what he intended. But he told them, he came not to bring peace, but a sword. He came to divide families, he came and told his closest friends that they shouldn't worry about trouble and persecution . . . because there was no doubt they they would be troubled and persecuted, even to the point of death.

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So i look at my friend struggling, and i hurt for him. I look at my own life, and I see how hard life can be, even when you are wealthy in the eyes of the world. This is not some pity party. But this is about authenticity.

Let's be authentic when it comes to following Jesus, and quit pushing the idea, that Jesus solves all your problems! Because if you really think about it . . . Jesus causes you more problems . But the question is . . . do you love him more than your comfort, more than the easy life that you desire so badly.

Bottom line . . . we are broken, and my friends I am sorry about that . . . but healing only comes through him.

And healing does not equal and easy life.

healing = completeness
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so pitch the magic bullet