BBD 08.23.13 Ripped Off (Classic)
Posted by: theburningbushdevotional <theburningbushdevotional@...>
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The Burning Bush Devotional
14,000 Subscribers
to the Email Devotional
Classic from 2006
08.23.13
Ripped Off
You are the salt of the earth; but if the salt loses its flavor, how shall
it be seasoned? It is then good for nothing but to be thrown out and trampled
underfoot by men. You are the light of the world. A city that is set on a hill
cannot be hidden. Nor do they light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on a
lampstand, and it gives light to all who are in the house. Let your light so
shine before men, that they may see your good works and glorify your Father in
heaven. - Matthew 5:13-16.
I know it happens all the time and that thousands of
people have had it happen to them; however, it had never happened to me until
one day. So, I was still surprised when I saw an unauthorized charge on my
credit card for $3464.40. I thought it just had to be some kind of mistake that
someone had put in the wrong numbers into the computer and charged the wrong
account. Wrong! Someone called a Home Depot store in Oklahoma City
claiming to work for Ideal Homes and ordered $3464.40 in Lithium Ion tools. The
woman I talked to had personally taken the order and had talked to two
different people who had all of my credit card info including the security code
on the card.
Hopefully, the credit card company will live up to its
fraud guarantee and the charge will be erased from my account (It took many months, filing police reports in Oklahoma City, and in Seatle as another charge for cell phones came in from there; but, the charges were eventually erased and the people who did it were caught.) I now believe
that when we last stayed at a hotel in Oklahoma City that the security code was
taken from my card at that time. The hotel is very close to the Home Depot
where the tools were ordered. It was so easy for them to use my details, I
wonder why it is not happening more frequently. There is very little to stop
someone from gathering huge amounts of credit card information and then calling
store after store ordering merchandise. My question is why is it not
happening more often?
Several things are preventing more people from engaging
in this type of activity. One, there are criminal and civil penalties if you
are caught. Two, there is the restraining power of God among His people. Three,
there is the presence of God’s people scattered like "salt" across the world to
preserve the good and maintain morality. God’s people are also shining "light" into the dark crevices
of the minds of people who would do evil things. It is a restraining force
holding back evil.
Have you ever wondered whether you as a Christian are
making any kind of difference in the lives of others? The answer is that the
amount of light that you live out in your Christian life before others, creates
more of an atmosphere where you are a vital part of that restraining power of
God. Your life is "salt" preserving the world from slipping further into the
depths of immorality. Your life is "light" helping those around you see how life can and should be
lived.
Keep on being salty and keep on
letting your light shine
because it really does make a difference!
Copyright © 2006-2013. Ed
Wrather. The Burning Bush website has been online since January 31, 1998. On
June 8, 1998 the email version of the Burning Bush Devotional was first sent.
Ed Wrather began writing devotionals in the early 1990s. The distribution of
these first devotionals was primarily through the Burning Bush Newsletter sent
to prison facilities throughout the United States and Canada.
Ed Wrather has retired from
pastoring full-time and has more time to pursue other ministry opportunities.
No matter what the size your church, Ed will come on a love offering basis for
a revival or to share his testimony in the continental United States. You can
make contact at edwrather@yahoo.com or WratherEd@gmail.com
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