| GOD IS LAGNIAPPE! |
| Copyright © 2004-2009 Dancing Bulls Advertising All rights reserved. Used by permission. |
| JoyUs Musing Edition #10-05 |
Sometimes in order to entice buyers, a seller will add lagniappe - a little something extra given to the customer by
the merchant. Some call it a "baker's dozen" where you purchase 12 doughnuts and the baker tosses in an extra
one for free.
When people are trying to make a decision to buy a vacuum cleaner, the salesman might throw in a get-away
weekend at a resort to cinch the sale. Others might get discount coupons to amusement parts. The trick is to
entice a buyer in with extra so-called free benefits in order to get their money. It doesn't make the merchandise
any better than those being sold without enticements. It is simply a selling trick that most often will cost you extra
somewhere!
God IS lagniappe. He always goes far beyond all we can ask or think (Eph. 3:20). God does not have tricks. He
does not have to do a "buy one get one free" sales gimmick in order to entice people to become born again. You
will never hear God say, "Hey, come over here. See what I have? Today and today only, if you will just make the
decision to go to heaven, I'll throw in a lifetime supply of angels just for you!"
Nope. The good news is that God is totally up front and when you get hooked up with God, you get the whole
lifetime package for free! That word "salvation" has many benefits attached to that one word. For some reason I
never learned that growing up. I always thought the word salvation meant "going to heaven." I've now learned
better - much, much better!
Salvation is the whole enchilada. Salvation, in its simplest definition is, Old Testament: something saved,
deliverance; aid, victory, prosperity: health, help, saving (health), welfare. New Testament means rescue or safety
(physically or morally): - (to) deliver, health, salvation, save, saving (defender, defense). It comes from the word
that includes the definitions to save, that is, deliver or protect (literally or figuratively): - heal, preserve, save (self),
do well, be (make) whole.
So as you can see, God means for salvation to cover every area of your life. You not only get the benefit of going
to heaven AFTER you die but you also get all the things you need to life an abundant life here on earth (John
10:10).
So why aren't more Christians living with the whole package? Because they don't know they already received the
benefits. They may believe that God meant for them to be "saved" to go to heaven but they forgot to pick up the
rest of the benefits package!
Psalm 68:19 states that the God of our salvation DAILY loads us with benefits including those found in Psalm 103:
(NLT) He redeems me from death and crowns me with love and tender mercies (favor, kindness, tender love).
(RSV) satisfies you with good* as long as you live; your youth is renewed like the eagle's.
(NLT) gives righteousness and justice to all who are treated unfairly
(NRSV) He does not deal with us according to our sins**, nor repay us according to our iniquities (wrong-doing).
(NLT) He has removed our sins as far from us as the east is from the west.
Jer 31:34... I will remember their sin no more.
I don't know about you, but I want EVERYTHING God planned for me to have. I will exercise my faith until I am
walking in the full salvation plan of God! How about you?
Good: good things, beautiful, best, bountiful, cheerful, favour, fine, joyful, kindly, loving, pleasant, precious,
prosperity, sweet, wealth, welfare, (be) well (-favoured).
Sin - an offence; to miss (it); to do the opposite of what God says to do. Sins are not numbered from worst sin to
lesser worst sin. ALL sin is equal in God's eyes so if a person murders someone and another person gossips
about someone - equal sins. Both destroy - one life, one reputation.
Musing Copyright © 2010 Nan C Loyd
All rights reserved. Used by permission.
the merchant. Some call it a "baker's dozen" where you purchase 12 doughnuts and the baker tosses in an extra
one for free.
When people are trying to make a decision to buy a vacuum cleaner, the salesman might throw in a get-away
weekend at a resort to cinch the sale. Others might get discount coupons to amusement parts. The trick is to
entice a buyer in with extra so-called free benefits in order to get their money. It doesn't make the merchandise
any better than those being sold without enticements. It is simply a selling trick that most often will cost you extra
somewhere!
God IS lagniappe. He always goes far beyond all we can ask or think (Eph. 3:20). God does not have tricks. He
does not have to do a "buy one get one free" sales gimmick in order to entice people to become born again. You
will never hear God say, "Hey, come over here. See what I have? Today and today only, if you will just make the
decision to go to heaven, I'll throw in a lifetime supply of angels just for you!"
Nope. The good news is that God is totally up front and when you get hooked up with God, you get the whole
lifetime package for free! That word "salvation" has many benefits attached to that one word. For some reason I
never learned that growing up. I always thought the word salvation meant "going to heaven." I've now learned
better - much, much better!
Salvation is the whole enchilada. Salvation, in its simplest definition is, Old Testament: something saved,
deliverance; aid, victory, prosperity: health, help, saving (health), welfare. New Testament means rescue or safety
(physically or morally): - (to) deliver, health, salvation, save, saving (defender, defense). It comes from the word
that includes the definitions to save, that is, deliver or protect (literally or figuratively): - heal, preserve, save (self),
do well, be (make) whole.
So as you can see, God means for salvation to cover every area of your life. You not only get the benefit of going
to heaven AFTER you die but you also get all the things you need to life an abundant life here on earth (John
10:10).
So why aren't more Christians living with the whole package? Because they don't know they already received the
benefits. They may believe that God meant for them to be "saved" to go to heaven but they forgot to pick up the
rest of the benefits package!
Psalm 68:19 states that the God of our salvation DAILY loads us with benefits including those found in Psalm 103:
(NLT) He redeems me from death and crowns me with love and tender mercies (favor, kindness, tender love).
(RSV) satisfies you with good* as long as you live; your youth is renewed like the eagle's.
(NLT) gives righteousness and justice to all who are treated unfairly
(NRSV) He does not deal with us according to our sins**, nor repay us according to our iniquities (wrong-doing).
(NLT) He has removed our sins as far from us as the east is from the west.
Jer 31:34... I will remember their sin no more.
I don't know about you, but I want EVERYTHING God planned for me to have. I will exercise my faith until I am
walking in the full salvation plan of God! How about you?
Good: good things, beautiful, best, bountiful, cheerful, favour, fine, joyful, kindly, loving, pleasant, precious,
prosperity, sweet, wealth, welfare, (be) well (-favoured).
Sin - an offence; to miss (it); to do the opposite of what God says to do. Sins are not numbered from worst sin to
lesser worst sin. ALL sin is equal in God's eyes so if a person murders someone and another person gossips
about someone - equal sins. Both destroy - one life, one reputation.
Musing Copyright © 2010 Nan C Loyd
All rights reserved. Used by permission.