Effective advertising goes well beyond the presentation of a product or service. Effective advertising utilizes the most basic human desires; appeal to the flesh, appeal to the eyes and lastly the impression that the product or service will help them live a better life.

This concept goes all the way back to the day when Eve met a door-to-door salesman selling apples. In fact, many of the basic concepts that are utilized in modern advertising are indeed derived from the Biblical premise of lust.

1 John 2:16 For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life, is not of the Father, but is of the world.

Now this is a not Sunday sermon but rather an article on advertising; but in order to create an aggressive advertising campaign it’s good to understand the basic fundamentals and mindset that is utilized for effective advertising. While I think we would all agree that the best form of advertising is simply to identify the product and allow the product to sell itself based upon its merits; we all understand that in the real world, with so many products and services to choose from, those that say it louder and brighter usually get the customer.

Genesis 3:6 And when the woman saw that the tree was good for food, and that it was pleasant to the eyes, and a tree to be desired to make one wise, she took of the fruit thereof, and did eat, and gave also unto her husband with her; and he did eat.

Advertising to the Lust of the Flesh

“And when the woman saw that the tree was good for food” – In this basic Bible account we see, from the foundations of mankind, that something can be presented in such a way that it can build trust and reliance. The fruit appealed to Eve’s flesh as something that would be good for food. When marketing with this fundamental concept, present your product or service by letting them know it can help them with their daily need. (Example: Services that save you time by convenience such as online shopping or even a lawn service that “frees you up to do the things you enjoy”.) As cliché as this may sound, the process is only used because it works! When you appeal to someone’s basic need of daily sustenance it invokes a desire to acquire the product or service to fulfill the need.Advertising to the Lust of the Eyes

“… and that it was pleasant to the eyes” – This is where most of marketing dollars are spent; to make the product or service appealing to the eye. From a previous article we’ve already discussed the mental perceptions of red and yellow as colors that “get your attention”, but it goes beyond that. Having an attractive packaging or presentation can help sway a decision to purchase, even if the product or service is more expensive.

Consider the fact that generic products on the shelf at Walmart are placed right next to the brand name product; yet the brand name product continually outsells their generic counterpart despite both products, in substance, being identical. This is also why curvy models are utilized to sell certain products or services.

Never discount the power of attractive packaging.

Of all the factors in advertising this is the one that has the immediate response and will produce impulse purchases. Vehicle Wraps that use colorful imagery or banners that are bright and vibrant draw attention to the eye that helps the message get noticed. Using colors based on the shopper are also important. Women are drawn, in a mall setting, to pastels and pink where men are drawn to dark colors and blue. Children are drawn to reds and yellows because it causes a sensation of alertness. That is why flash ads use these colors for all ages.

Understanding The Pride of Life

“… and a tree to be desired to make one wise” – Have you ever heard of the phrase “keeping up with the Jones family”? This slogan accurately portrays a level of advertising where the purchase of the product or service gives the impression that it will improve your quality of life, then making others desire what you have. You see this method employed largely in automotive vehicle commercials where someone is always admiring the new car that their neighbor got… Fast forward to the end of the commercial to see that the neighbor went out and bought the exact same car. This popular direction of marketing often combines the other two traits of a product or service that’s appealing to the flesh and eyes. Examples of commercials that appeal to the Pride of Life are ones that use the phrase: “you want this to make you look better” or “you need this to look better” or even better still “you deserve this”.

When Advertising is at its most effective

Naturally a winning ad campaign will combine all the attributes found in 1 John 2:16. When the presentation of a product or service can invoke the senses in such a way to make one desire it… The end result is a purchase followed by additional purchases because others want what that person has.

Consider this… Adam was the next customer.

A Note from the Author

At the end of the day this article is not condemning the practices utilized in modern advertising; but rather explaining them, so that one might be able to explore them for a more effective means of advertising; nor is it to make light of the Bible’s powerful verses on the subject. The Bible is quite clear, within context, that these verses are not supporting these practices but rather discouraging them. But let’s be honest though… as a small business, understanding the make-up of advertising and what works and why is important is essential to competing in a competitive market. Advertising has always appealed to fleshly desire… like it or not… we fall for it everyday standing in line at the grocery store looking at the candy bars and magazines. So this article is made to identify and explain, not try to make the Bible seem like it supports advertising. Make sense?

 

The title got your attention didn’t it! Now it’s time to settle down and put some information to this opinion article. The Confederate battle flag in itself is no more offensive than a plaid shirt; however, what the Confederate flag is being used to represent should be of concern for every Christian today.

History

The Confederate flag better known today as the rebel flag has been the focus of much debate as to its history and its heritage. This article will not focus on the history of the Confederate battle flag as it is well documented on the Internet (see http://www.snopes.com/confederate-flag-history/). To say that Confederate battle flag represents racism is a very narrow scope view, one that identifies more of your political views than knowledge of the subject; a student of history can quickly dispel any preconceived notions of the Confederate battle flag and its use during the Civil War.

A symbol of rebellion

This is where, in my opinion, Christians today should be very cautious about embracing the rebel flag. Looking far beyond the matter of racism, politics, innuendo, heritage or history that many often attribute to the rebel flag it has very much been focused as a symbol of rebellion in America today. Since the early 80’s when pop culture, southern rock and country music began to utilize the rebel flag is a symbol for nonconformity within society it has also come to represent nonconformity within Christian circles as well. Since the days of Hank Williams Jr. singing “a country boy can survive” the rebellious Christian attitude of “don’t judge me” has taken on literally a culture of its own. Pervasive within this culture is the mindset that I can do whatever I want as long as I go to church on Sunday even coining the phrase: ”Prayin’ on Sunday, Cussin’ on Monday”. This midset of doing it my way flies in the face of God. Naturally this is nothing new… but this divisive culture as attempted to mold this mindset with a spiritual belief dropping this rebellious attitude right on the doorstep of the Christian Church. Within the music industry this attitude is amplified into a statement; even marketing it on bumper stickers, t-shirts and lunch boxes. Take a look at some examples of Chart topping songs that echo this rebellious attitude:

Examples:

Florida Georgia Line – “this is how we roll”

Yeah, we’re proud to be young
We stick to our guns
We love who we love and we wanna have fun
Yeah, we cuss on them Mondays
And pray on them Sundays
Pass it around and we dream of that one day

Montgomery Gentry – “what do ya think about that”

Shot a little eight ball down at the pool hall
Drink a beer with my friends
Now don’t judge me and I won’t judge you
Cause we all get judged in the end

Some people care about what other people think
Worry about what they say
Let a little gossip
Coming from a loose lip ruin a perfect day
Say, blah, blah, blah, just a jacking their jaws
Got a letta roll offa my back
I don’t give a dern what other people think
What do ya think about that

Keith urban – “John Cougar, John Deere, John 3:16”

And I’m a child of a backseat freedom, baptized by rock and roll
Marilyn Monroe in the Garden of Eden, never grow up, never grow old
Just another rebel in the great wide open on the boulevard of broken dreams
And I learned everything I needed to know from John Cougar, John Deere, John 3:16

It’s an attitude

This article is not about country music or even technically about the rebel flag so much is the attitude that it brings about. It’s no secret that satan does his best work when rebellion is motivated through music. All the way back in the 20’s when music motivated alcoholism and prohibition through the 50’s with breakaway artists like Chuck Berry singing about sex in a Ford…

Music has always been used as an outlet for rebellion. Today’s culture is no different; from rebellion being symbolized in southern culture with a rebel flag, the northern mindset with the hipster philosophies or the Western views of liberalism all seem to be motivated and focused through music to develop an attitude of rebellion.

What Does God have to say about it?

1 Samuel 15:23 For rebellion is as the sin of witchcraft, and stubbornness is as iniquity and idolatry. Because thou hast rejected the word of the LORD, he hath also rejected thee from being king.

There are nearly 100 references in the Scriptures identifying rebellion against God. This rebellion or ”I’ll do it my way” is certainly not a new thing for God. In 1st Samuel we also see stubbornness being attributed to rebellion and I find this to be very fitting when speaking to someone about what it is to be a Christian. The rebellious mindset from those that would rally around the flag and what it represents seems to outweigh or even contradict their belief in God. For those that honestly believe that you can pray on Sunday and cuss on Monday have clearly never read and understood the Scriptures.

Psalm 78:8 And might not be as their fathers, a stubborn and rebellious generation; a generation that set not their heart aright, and whose spirit was not stedfast with God.

Isaiah 65:2 I have spread out my hands all the day unto a rebellious people, which walketh in a way that was not good, after their own thoughts;

What it boils down to

The rebel flag today has become a symbol of rebellion, that doesn’t mean the flag in itself is evil… it’s just been used for an evil purpose. A clear yet extreme example would be that of the rainbow, which once represented God’s promise, has now been perverted to represent homosexuality. You cannot see a rainbow today without thinking about homosexuality any more than you can see a rebel flag and it arouse a preconceived mindset of rebellion, racism, history, country music and any other connotation that may pop in your head… But I can almost guarantee that it doesn’t bring about a sense of heritage and remembrance of the Civil War as it should; just like when you see a rainbow, the only thought you should have is the promise of God.

So as a Christian if you’re going to raise the confederate battle flag and use it as a rally cry for rebellion against society keep in mind that you’re also raising a banner that identifies the additional negative connotations that comes with that. When we as Christians associate ourselves with a movement, even in its purest form, we must weigh the costs of our own testimony.

And if you say “I could care less what someone thinks, I’m gonna fly my flag anyway!!!” Is that not… Rebellion?

Churches over the centuries have been telling everyone, and rightly so, that salvation is free gift of God. But over the last 30 years the word “Free” has been used to the extent that it has no value. There is little perception in society today that while something may be free to you… there is an expense or value to that gift.

Years ago when people heard the word free they understood that while it was free to them, someone still had to pay the price. Even in the world of retail when a company offered a free toaster with purchase of a refrigerator; there was a perceived value of that toaster. Recently that perception has changed to where free isn’t motivating anymore because the value of free has been de-valued. Take the recent Free Government phone program; the taxpayers shelled out billions to a program that gave phones to those who needed it and couldn’t afford one otherwise, however through corruption and greed they gave out phones to anyone regardless of station. When interviewed about where the money came from to pay for these phones the public was oblivious to the fact that others paid the bill for their “free” phones; they simply believed that free meant nobody paid for it.

In this day where the word Free is so loosely used I think that salvation through Christ has lost some of its perceived value. People gladly tell of the Free gift that Christ gave but often leave out that Christ Himself paid the price for that gift with His very life. By having this shallow view of the value/cost of salvation many squander their Christian lives because that free gift… holds no true value to them.

Jesus provided a gift that has had a price. That price was death.

Romans 6:23a For the wages of sin is death…

We are bought with a price. Jesus paid that price

1 Corinthians 6:20 For ye are bought with a price: therefore glorify God in your body, and in your spirit, which are God’s.

Jesus freely chose to pay for our sin

John 10:17 Therefore doth my Father love me, because I lay down my life, that I might take it again.
[18] No man taketh it from me, but I lay it down of myself. I have power to lay it down, and I have power to take it again. This commandment have I received of my Father.

Jesus then presented it to us as a gift

Romans 6:23b …but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.

This gift, like any other gift, must be received.

1 John 1:12 But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name:
You see, we can’t afford Heaven, we can’t work our way to heaven… it was a price we could not afford. But Jesus chose to pay that price for us…

Romans 5:15 But not as the offence, so also is the free gift. For if through the offence of one many be dead, much more the grace of God, and the gift by grace, which is by one man, Jesus Christ, hath abounded unto many.

Ephesians 2:8 For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God:
You see we often lose sight that the free gift that Jesus offers… COST Him his very life. He suffered and died to pay for our sins.

How much is your salvation worth to you… did you receive the gift and perceive its value? Have you squandered the gift because it meant nothing to you?

Or better that we realize the true cost of that gift.. That Christ paid a price we could never pay… and in doing so Gave us the gift of eternal life to all who would receive it.

 

 

One of the things that I have noted in the ministry that God has allowed, I have sought to preach, teach and encourage believers to grow in faith and their walk with Jesus Christ. When God moves it should be through conviction, not just an emotion. By doing so it can be a life changing event rather than a short lived feeling that goes away by time you get to the car.

In saying that we come to the Caution. One of the things that makes the Holy Spirit so powerful in peoples lives is how He works though people individually. As one is tender to the Holy Spirit, He can work in areas of ones life showing how they might be closer to Christ. It is important for believers to understand that fact because, God has worked in an area of one’s life that He may have not been allowed to work in that area of someone else’s life. It is easy, and natural, for someone to Judge others because of this; however, let this judgment be reserved. Remember that the Holy Spirit moves as people allow Him to do so.

That still small voice can often be cluttered by the noise of this world. The fact that someone has heeded to the calling of God and made the convicting change in their life is certainly something worthy of gladness, but not at the expense of chastisement of another believer. Perhaps instead; be an encouragement to others, letting them know that if God can work through your life than He can certainly work through theirs. When we are tender to the working of the Holy Spirit and quiet the noise of the world, there is no limit to the possibilities that one can have through faith in God. We must be patient to know that God moves as people allow, so everyone does not grow that same. That is what makes God so special and personal to the believer.

I reflect on a sermon series taught by Evangelist Mark Rogers where he noted: “read your own mail”. Allow God to deal with you and let God deal with them… We can be an ensample that God can use for others to see… but allow it to be seen through His eyes and not your lips.

There are things you don’t need to pray for.  I ask someone the other day “Are you coming to church?” His answer was “I’ll pray about it.”  Pray about it? What is there to pray about?  That would be like my son asking if it was ok to clean his room.  There are reasons why we have “Thus saith the Lord” … so there is no question what God wants.   God has put in His word laws, natural and spiritual, so that there is really no question as to what God wants.  Do we pray “Lord, should I murder someone today?” Why of course not! We have a natural law that says THOU SHALT NOT KILL.  So let’s look at some basics: Reading the Bible, coming to church, tithing, worship these are things that need no prayer; it is what God desires HIS people to do.  Prayer is what we do when we fellowship with God; it includes reverence, praise, expectation and satisfaction as we make out petitions to the Lord… Prayer is something we should do without ceasing: for the purpose again of fellowship with our “best friend”

So make your prayers count, don’t count on prayers to make.

Where Is The Right Place To Worship? That is what Dr. Gibb Wood preached about every 6 months while we were stationed in Germany with the Air Force. “Such a simple task” he would say “that Christians get wrong every day.” The reasons were simple… they look for a place to go to Church, and not a place to worship God. I echo those words in my ministry as I speak with people about going to church because so many people have so many different reasons why and where to go to church. Some may choose a church based on their children’s ministry, they want their kids to have a good time; others choose a church because they want to have a good time! Some like a small church while others like to get lost in the crowd of a large church. Many go because the Pastor is a good speaker; but none of these answer:

“Where is the right place to worship?”

Psalm 145:2 Every day will I bless thee; and I will praise thy name for ever and ever. [3] Great is the LORD, and greatly to be praised; and his greatness is unsearchable. [4] One generation shall praise thy works to another, and shall declare thy mighty acts. [5] I will speak of the glorious honour of thy majesty, and of thy wondrous works.

A Church should be where people come prepared to worship God. Doing so through hymns, songs and spiritual songs; in fellowship with the brethren and through their offering. Preaching and programs are a perk and not a part of worship. At a solid fundamental Baptist Church they should try to have a full opportunity for people to come, lifting their voices in praise and worship through the traditional hymns. To have a truly honored time with the Lord combined with people seeking to increase their faith by having a stronger walk with God. Beyond that, through preaching; to have a better understanding of the word of God by challenging believers to get into their Bible.  Each service is a continuance of the next as the message of salvation and God’s love is proclaimed. 

In short: Do you go to a church where you leave different than you came?

Have you been in a Church service lately and heard someone pray? “Dear Heavenly Father, Lord God, we pray for this day, Lord, that your presence be known, Father, and the Holy Spirit, God, be magnified, Lord God…” Does God know His name? I mean somebody started praying like this; and obviously somebody heard it, mimicked it and now seems to be the norm. Think about it like this… How would your conversation go with your friend Bob? “Hey Bob, brother, friend I was wondering, Bob; if I could, friend; borrow your drill, brother, Bob… would that be ok? Bob?” Sounds silly when we look at it that way… Prayer is quite simply speaking to God. Similar in how you would talk to… Bob.

Matthew 6:7 Gives us some guidance in this area… “But when ye pray, use not vain repetitions, as the heathen do: for they think that they shall be heard for their much speaking.” Don’t be nervous when talking to God… He created us for fellowship and desires that we simply… talk to Him.

And yes, by the way, God does know His name.

 

Every wondered why when you drop a cookie crumb before you know it you have a whole pile of ants over that one cookie crumb? It starts with one ant. An ant that was diligent to seek and find what he was looking for; but it didn’t stop there.. he went back and told others where to find that goodness! So often many come to church and they begin to see God work in their lives… but they never tell anyone else where to find God’s goodness. So How can we see revival in North Fort Myers? It starts with an ant.

Matthew 7:8 For every one that asketh receiveth; and he that seeketh findeth; and to him that knocketh it shall be opened.

Every been driving down the road and noticed someone broken down? What went through your mind?

I recall as a youth thinking “I’d hate to be in your shoes” thinking more about how I’d feel, rather than how that person feels. Place your self in their position… Maybe that car broke an that was the last straw, a bad day topped off by a bad situation. Perhaps a car repair would take away the money they had for groceries, electric or water?

In Luke 10 Jesus tells of a man man that was having a bad day. rather than having his car broke down… HE was broke down, beaten and left for dead. the story goes on to tell of others different reactions to this broken man. (see sermon on the Good Samaritan – Here

Putting ourselves in the other persons shoes, even if for a moment, allows us to see the Heart of God and the compassion He has for lost souls. Perhaps next time, rather than thinking what you might do if it were you… try thinking about what God would do if it were you…