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May 28, 2008
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=========================== TODAY'S ARTICLE ==========================
Junk Mail and Happiness, by Tim Archer
You can learn a lot about the world by looking at the junk mail folder
on your computer. You'll find offers of wealth, offers of health,
offers of forbidden pleasures. It's a world of illusion, spinning
fantasies before your eyes of increased wealth, of increased sexual
prowess, of unheard-of bargains and opportunities. Spam almost seems
too nice of a term for it; it's evil come calling, sin just a mouse
click away. At best, it's an annoyance. At worst, it's an open door to
a world of problems.
Some experts say that these unwanted messages may someday choke the
Internet to death, making it virtually unusable. Those of us who use
e-mail a lot must work with spam blockers and spam filters, running the
risk of missing valid messages as we wade through a swamp of junk. I
don't know anyone who likes getting junk messages. So why do they keep
coming?
Because somebody out there gets taken in. Someone lets greed overpower
them, buying that illegal software or falling for that scam message
that offers them millions of dollars for no work at all. Someone else
gets deceived by the message that love can be found through physical
enhancements and that the necessary enhancements are available in that
pill, that cream or that herbal supplement. Others are fooled by
voyeuristic desires, tempted by offers of pornographic material.
People look for happiness in their inbox
The sad thing is that these people don't realize that they're going
about it all wrong. They are trying to fill a spiritual void with
physical things. They need things like love, companionship, and meaning
in their lives, none of which can be found in junk messages. Even
though they don't realize it and would probably deny it, what they
crave above all is God.
In the book of Psalms, the Bible says: "Delight yourself in the Lord
and he will give you the desires of your heart" (Psalms 37:4). It's
easy to focus on the second part of that verse and miss the whole
message. It's saying that when we realize that our greatest desire
should be God, when we make Him our greatest delight, then all of the
other things that we've been longing for will be taken care of. Some
will be granted to us, others will no longer seem desirable. But only
if we take care of that one need that every man has -- the need for a
relationship with God.
Happiness isn't found in your e-mail. Lasting happiness, the kind that
reaches to the very core of our being, is found only in God. Let me
tell you more about it. Just write to me at tim@hopeforlife.org or
leave a comment on our blog at www.hopeforlife.org/blog.
(Expressed written consent must be obtained prior to republishing,
retransmitting or otherwise reusing the content of this article.
Contact us at info@hopeforlife.org)
Are you presently experiencing a new life? God's word says, "if anyone
is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has gone, the new has
come!"
This new life is a free gift of God through faith in Jesus Christ. If
you want to know more about this life that only Jesus can give you,
sign up for one of our Bible courses. Wherever you are in life,
whatever you've done, you can begin again.
You may also contact us at info@hopeforlife.org if you have questions
about becoming a new creation.
---------
(c) 2008 Herald of Truth
RELATED LINKS:
* It's Not for Everyone
http://hopeforlife.org/blog/entry.asp?ENTRY_ID=24
* Is That All There Is?
http://hopeforlife.org/blog/entry.asp?ENTRY_ID=15
* I Could Be Content If Only...
http://hopeforlife.org/blog/entry.asp?ENTRY_ID=9
* HopeForLife
http://www.hopeforlife.org
This article can be found on the web at:
http://www.heartlight.org/articles/200805/20080528_junkmail.html
=========================== FEATURED PRODUCT =========================
SEE THE MORNING, by Chris Tomlin
Award-winning artist Tomlin offers a whole new set of soul-inspiring
easy-to-sing songs about God's faithfulness.
http://shopping.heartlight.org/cgi-shl/link?260
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