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In light of OU’s big football game against West Virginia
in the Fiesta Bowl tonight (GO SOONERS!) and the fact that it’s being
played on a “church night” (Wednesday), I present the following food for thought:
What's more important to us -God or sports?
What are we more committed to - church or our children's
sporting events?
The following article below is part of a series of articles written by Wade Tannehill, entitled, “The Changing Values of the Church.”
Warning: It will smack you right between your eyes.
________
“It's mind-boggling to consider the amount of money some people will spend, the lines in which
they will stand, and the inconvenience they will endure, all in the name of sports. This year I attended my first Ohio State football
game. As we approached the stadium, fans weren't hard to spot because so many were wearing team colors. Many were having tail
gate parties, some of which began as early as five in the morning. Outside the stadium some without tickets were in tents,
with generators set up to power their TVs and satellite dishes on tripods. It reminded me of worshipers gathered in the Court
of the Gentiles because they couldn't get into the inner courts of the temple.
Hold on a minute! Did I say worshipers? Is sports a
religion? With some, yes. One's God, or idol, is whatever one makes a priority. It's been said that the easiest way to identify
your object of worship is to examine your check book register and your day planner. Wherever your discretionary time and money
goes, that is your religion. Now I'm not saying all sports fans are idolaters or that there is anything wrong with being a
sports fan. But some are excessive.
There aren't too many revivals, gospel meetings, or seminars on Scripture anymore. Some churches have
canceled Sunday and/or Wednesday night meetings because the people just won't come out.
Some could not possibly make it through a weekly one hour Bible class, but they're parked in front of
the TV three hours straight to watch football.
- Some
are unable to locate key Scriptures, but they can cite sports statistics .
- Some
are simply too busy to volunteer for church programs, but they can make tremendous sacrifice for their kids' sports programs.
- Some
make contributions to the church that by no means reflect their prosperity, but they can somehow afford to be season ticket
holders.
- Some
will endure all kinds of weather to watch sports, but they won't drive to church in a snow flurry.
- Some
will unashamedly walk out in the middle of a worship assembly to attend a sporting event, but how many will leave before a
game is over to attend a church event?
- Some
would never travel for a church retreat and would never dream of using vacation time to attend a lectureship or worship conference,
but they will travel for sporting events and tournaments.
Each year parents shell out hundreds, if not thousands, of dollars
to keep their kids in sports. It's common for folks to make an early exit from the assembly due to sports commitments. It's
common for folks to miss an entire season of Sunday worship while a sports season is going on.
Now sports season
isn't all that people get excited about. I saw people literally camped out on the sidewalk of Target when Playstation 3 came out. People lined up in
bookstores at midnight for the Harry Potter books. On the day after Thanksgiving,
the first official shopping day of the Christmas season, people were out at four in the morning standing in lines 150 yards
long.
- But
who would stand in line to hear the Word of God preached?
- Who
would adjust their personal budget to generously support those who preach the gospel?
- Who,
these days, would tolerate a sermon that runs the length of their favorite sitcom?
- Who
would sit outside enduring the elements (as they do at ballgames) to hear a sermon?
Who would travel to hear Scripture
taught?
Paul charged Timothy
with preaching the Word. He told him to be prepared in season and out of season (2 Timothy 4:2). As I write this it is football
season, deer season, and the holiday season. But in our current church climate, is Scripture in season or out of season?”
________
WOW!! Are your toes hurting yet? Mine are!
My intention is not
to condemn anyone who watches football for three hours because I've spent many hours watching football. My condemnation is
for any activity that competes and consistently wins out over our involvement in the corporate gathering of God's people.
This notion that “as long as what we’re doing is morally neutral is okay” even though it takes us away from
kingdom priorities must be confronted.
Who died and made
sports god anyway? If you’ll allow me some great liberty to make some modern application of the apostle Paul’s
words in 1 Corinthians 1:10:13, “Was Lombardi crucified for you? Did Shula raise you to a glorious new relationship
with God? Will Belicheck return to take you home to heaven?” My guess is that non of those guys know the way, or at
least not the way that you want to take on that final road into eternity. "...........They followed vanity and became vain....." (2 Kings 17:15) Think about!!
For Christ and the kingdom,
Robert Prater
THE PATH OF SURRENDER
God begins the process of surrender by knocking us off our high horse. This literally happened to
Paul. He was going his self-assured way, riding toward Damascus, when a blinding light came from heaven. Paul was knocked
to the ground, trembling. Then a voice spoke from heaven, saying, “Saul, Saul, why persecutest thou me?” (Acts
9:4).
Paul knew something was missing in his life. He had a knowledge of God, but no firsthand revelation.
Now on his knees, he heard these words from heaven: “I am Jesus whom thou persecutest” (9:5). The words turned
Paul’s world upside down. Scripture says, “Trembling and astonished, [Paul] said, Lord, what wilt thou have me
to do?” (9:6). Paul’s conversion was a dramatic work of the Holy Spirit.
Paul was being led by the Holy Spirit into the surrendered life. He asked,
“Lord, what would you have me to do?” and his heart was crying out, “Jesus, how can I serve you? How can
I know you and please you? Nothing else matters. Everything I’ve done in my flesh is dung. You’re everything to
me now.”
Paul had no other ambition, no other driving force in his life, than this: “That I may win
Christ” (Philippians
3:8). By today’s standards of success, Paul was a total failure. He didn’t construct any buildings. He didn’t
have an organization. And the methods he used were despised by other leaders. In fact, the message Paul preached offended
large numbers of his hearers. At times he was even stoned for preaching it. His subject? The cross.
When we stand before God at the judgment, we won’t be judged by our ministries, achievements
or number of converts. There will be but one measure of success on that day: Were our hearts fully surrendered to God? Did
we lay aside our own will and agenda and take up his? Did we succumb to peer pressure and follow the crowd, or did we seek
him alone for direction? Did we run from seminar to seminar looking for purpose in life, or did we find our fulfillment in
him?
I have but one ambition and that is to learn more and more to say only those things the Father gives
me. Nothing I say or do of myself is worth anything. I want to be able to claim, “I know my Father is with me, because
I do only his will.”
PUSH!
A man was sleeping one night in his cabin when suddenly his room filled with light, and God appeared. The
Lord told the man he had work for him to do, and showed him a large rock in front of his cabin. The Lord explained that the
man was to push against the rock with all his might...
So, this the man did, day after day. For many years he toiled from sunup to sundown, his shoulders set
squarely against the cold, massive surface of the unmoving rock, pushing with all his might! Each night
the man returned to his cabin sore and worn out, feeling that his whole day had been spent in vain.
Since the man was showing discouragement, the Adversary (Satan) decided to enter the picture by placing
thoughts into the weary mind: (He will do it every time)! You have been pushing against that rock for a
long time and it hasn't moved. Thus, he gave the man the impression that the task was impossible and that he was a failure.
These thoughts discouraged and disheartened the man..
Satan said, 'Why kill yourself over this? Just put in your time, giving just the minimum effort; and that
will be good enough.'
That's what the weary man planned to do, but decided to make it a matter of Prayer and to take his troubled
thoughts to The Lord. Lord,' he said, 'I have labored long and hard in Your Service,
putting all my strength to do that which you have asked. Yet, after all this time, I have not even budged
that rock by half a millimeter. What is wrong? Why am I failing?'
The Lord responded compassionately, 'My friend, when I asked you to serve Me and you accepted, I told you
that your task was to push against the rock with all of your strength, which you have done. Never once did I mention to you
that I expected you to move it. Your task was to push. And now you come to Me with your strength spent,
thinking that you have failed.
But, is that really so? Look at yourself. Your arms are strong and muscled, your back shiny and brown;
your hands are callused from constant pressure, your legs have become massive and hard. Through opposition you have grown
much, and your abilities now surpass that which you used to have. True, you haven't moved the rock. But your calling was to
be Obedient and to push and to exercise your Faith and trust in My wisdom. That you have done. Now I, my friend, will move
the rock. '
At times, when we hear a word from God, we tend to use our own intellect to decipher what He wants, when
actually what God wants is just simple obedience and faith in Him.
By all means, exercise the Faith that moves mountains, but know that it is still
God Who moves The Mountains.
When everything seems to go wrong...Just P.U.S.H.
When the job gets you down...Just P.U.S.H.
When people don't do as you think they should...Just P.U.S.H.
When your money is 'gone' and the bills are due...Just P.U.S.H.
When people just don't understand you...Just P.U.S.H.
P = Pray
U = Until
S = Something
H = Happens
I Love This!
AIN'T
He was just a little boy,
On a week's first day.
Wandering home from Bible school,
And
dawdling on the way.
He scuffed his shoes into the grass;
He even found a caterpillar.
He found a fluffy
milkweed pod,
And blew out all the 'filler.'
A bird's nest
in a tree overhead,
So wisely placed up so high.
Was just another wonder,
That caught his eager eye.
A neighbor watched his zig zag course,
And hailed him from the lawn;
Asked him where he'd been that day
And
what was going on.
'I've been to Bible School ,'
He said and turned a piece of sod.
He picked up a
wiggly worm replying,
'I've learned a lot about God..'
'M'm very fine way,' the neighbor said,
'for
a boy to spend his time.'
'If you'll tell me where God is,
I'll give you a brand new dime.'
Quick as
a flash the answer came!
Nor were his accents faint.
'I'll give you a dollar, Mister.
If you can tell me~ where God ain't.'
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REMEMBER "LONESOME DOVE," television's blockbuster mini-series...?
It was the saga of two men, Woodrow Call and Gus McCray. Both strong.
Stronger together. Men with rock solid commitments to each other. To be sure, both were stubborn eccentrics.
They called each other into question regularly, but they never questioned the friendship. They knew, at the soul level,
the one would gladly die for the other. They'd ride through any storm for each other. Come **** or high water.
"Ah giv' him mah word," became the bottom line of the relationship. And a big chunk of America watched--fascinated,
tainted perhaps with cynical disbelief, but touched with unspoken longing--as Woodrow Call dragged the body of Gus McCray
three thousand miles to bury him "'neath the pecan trees at the picnic place 'cause...Ah giv' him mah word." Period.
THOUGHT: America may have questioned it. Jacob wouldn't have. Seems
to me I recall the old patriarch asking his son to swear he'd bury his bones back over the long miles to bury him at home
"with my fathers." And Joseph did it without flinching. Even though it took and act of Congress (okay, Pharaoh)
to do it (see Genesis 47:29-31, 50:1-14). There's something to it, isn't there? There was something between two
men who understood each other. And others stood around in awe, watching one man move a whole community, "a very great
company," just to fill out a relationship. Joseph might have been heard to declare in Western Hebrew, "Ah giv' him mah
word." I find myself longing for that kind of commitment in a friendship. To give it and receive it. Don't
you? (Stu Webber)
KneEmail: "A friend loves at all times, and a brother is born for adversity"
(Proverbs 17:17).
Bible reading for 03.18.09: Mark 15:26-47; Deuteronomy 32-34
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Step into the Water, by Russ Lawson
There is an old gospel hymn, sung by the Cathedrals, that goes like
this:
"Step into the water, wade out a little bit deeper. Wet your feet
in the water of his love." This is a very interesting
song if you think
about it in the context of Scripture. I'm not sure where the writer of
the hymn received his inspiration,
but the memory of the song came to
me as I was reading from the book of Joshua (Joshua 3:1-17) this past
week.
After
forty years of wandering through the wilderness in pursuit of
God's promise for a better life, God's people finally are
going to get
to cross into the Promised
Land. God gives Joshua directions explaining
what was going to happen. They were to cross the Jordan river during
its
flood stage and enter
the land of Canaan.
Now you might think this is not a whole lot different
from when the
Israelites passed through the Red Sea, but it is. When Moses
parted the
Red Sea, the winds blew all night and there was a path through
the sea.
In this case, God's leaders had to physically step into the water
before the water stopped flowing. Notice
what the scripture says:
So when the people broke camp to cross the Jordan, the priests
carrying the
ark of the covenant
went ahead of them. Now the Jordan
is at flood stage all during harvest. Yet as soon as the priests
who
carried the ark reached the Jordan and their feet touched the
water's
edge, the water from upstream stopped flowing. It piled up
in a heap a great distance away, at a town called
Adam in the
vicinity of Zarethan, while the water flowing down to the Sea of
the Arabah (the Salt Sea)
was completely cut off. So the people
crossed over opposite Jericho. The priests who carried the ark of
the covenant of the LORD stood firm on dry ground in the middle of
the Jordan, while all Israel passed by until the whole nation had
completed the crossing on dry ground (Joshua
3:14-17 NIV).
This time God called upon them to literally make a "step of faith"
before he would deliver them. He
wanted them to display their trust.
When the soles of the sandals on the feet of the priest touched the
water, the water
stopped flowing and backed up for approximately
seventeen miles upstream. Notice also that the river bed was instantly
dry.
God worked, but he demanded that the people take a step of faith
before they experienced this mighty work in their lives.
I
wonder how many times God doesn't answer our prayers or doesn't cause
or allow something to happen in our lives because
he is simply waiting
for us to take the first step of faith?
What is it that you dream of doing or being for God?
What
great plan do you have for God or for your life?
What are you waiting for?
Are you waiting for the right time to step out, for the perfect
conditions to act?
God's great writer
and preacher of wisdom warned, "He that observeth
the wind shall not sow; and he that regardeth the clouds shall not
reap"
(Ecclesiastes 11:4 KJV). I love the way this message is
translated in a newer translation: "If you wait for perfect conditions,
you
will never get anything done" (NLT).
What are you waiting for?
What is holding you back?
Isn't it time
to "Step into the water, wade out a little bit deeper.
Wet your feet in the water of his love."
Confound the wise of this world!
1
Corinthians 1:26-29 For ye see your calling, brethren, how that not many wise men after the flesh, not many mighty, not many
noble, are called: But God hath chosen the foolish things of the world to confound the wise; and God hath chosen the weak
things of the world to confound the things which are mighty; And base things of the world, and things which are despised,
hath God chosen, yea, and things which are not, to bring to nought things that are: That no flesh should glory in his presence.
If
He was a man of the world, Yeshua would have chosen the elite of His day to accomplish His mission -- however He used simple
fishermen. These men were considered uneducated, lacking "social status", wealth or worldly distinction of any kind -- yet
these "simple" men were the ones the Lord selected to build the Kingdom of God.
When the children of Israel were slaves
in Egypt, God didn't send an army to deliver them, He sent a single man. But a single man of God was shown to be greater than
the most powerful kingdom on Earth.
Throughout the Bible, we read of the Lord choosing and using the weak things of
the world to confound and shame the wise and powerful. God seems to love revealing His awesome power through humble vessels,
so that no flesh can glory in His presence.
Don't allow the enemy to convince you that God cannot use you because you are "flawed", weak, or seemingly
inconsequential. No, instead, remember that He uses the base, despised, nonentities of this world, ordinary, often broken,
people...to do extraordinary things. Our God is not looking at your wealth, your social status or your education -- He's looking
at your heart! If your heart is willing and your life is available, then He is more than able to perform miraculous work through
you for His Kingdom's sake. With so much work to be done, don't allow the enemy to stifle or steal the Lord's vision for your
life –- He has a plan to use you to confound the wise of this world, and to bring to naught the things that are!
“And the Lord said, Simon, Simon; behold, Satan hath desired to have you, that he may sift you as wheat”
(Luke 22:31).
You must
understand that Satan seeks to sift only those who threaten his work. He goes after the tree with the most potential to bear
fruit. But why did the devil desire to sift Peter? Why was he so anxious to test him? Well, for three years Peter had been
casting out devils and healing the sick. Satan had heard Jesus promise the disciples another baptism, one of Holy Ghost power and fire—and he trembled! Now, the devil heard God’s ultimate plan for
Peter. He realized that the past three years would be nothing compared to the greater works Peter and the other disciples
would perform. Having already pulled down Judas, he would have to look for a measure of corruption in Peter to build on, to
make Peter’s faith fail.
Perhaps,
like Peter, you are in the sieve right now, being shaken and sifted. But, you ask, why me? And why now? First of all, you
ought to rejoice that you have such a reputation in hell! Satan never would have asked God’s permission to sift you
unless you had crossed the line of obedience. Why else would he spend his efforts harassing and troubling you, scaring you
and shaking all that you have? He is sifting you because you play an important part in God’s church in these last days.
God is doing a new thing once again in this last generation, and you have been set apart by him to be a powerful witness to
many. He has set you free, and is preparing you for his eternal purposes. And the greater your gifts, the greater your potential,
the greater your surrender to the will of God—the more severe your
sifting will be.
When
someone is going through the fire of sifting, what should those around him do? What did Jesus do about Peter’s imminent
fall? He said to him, “I have prayed for thee, that thy faith fail not” (Luke 22:32).
I look
at this wonderful example of Christ’s love and realize I know almost nothing about how to love those who fall. Surely
Jesus is that “friend who sticks closer than a brother” (Proverbs 18:24). He saw both the good and the bad in
Peter and concluded, “This man is worth saving. Satan desires him, but I desire him all the more.” Peter truly
loved the Lord, and Jesus told him, “I have prayed for you.” Jesus had seen this coming for a long time. He had
probably spent many hours before his Father talking about Peter—how he loved him, how needed Peter was in God’s
kingdom, how he valued him as a friend.
Lord,
give all of us that kind of love! When we see brothers and sisters compromising
or heading for trouble or disaster, let us love them enough to warn them as firmly as Jesus warned Peter. Then we’ll
be able to say, “I am praying for you.”
Today
we have yet another “It is written” with which we can do battle against Satan. It is this: “I have prayed
for you, that your faith should not fail.” You can tell the devil, “You may have gotten permission to sift me,
to try to tear down my faith. But you need to know this: My Jesus is praying for me!”
TAKE THE LEAP!
Psalms 33:4 For the word of the LORD is right; and all his works are done in truth.
One
night a house caught fire and a young boy was forced to flee flames by jumping to the ground from the roof. His father stood
on the ground below with outstretched arms, calling to his son, "Jump! I'll catch you." But the boy was afraid -- he couldn't
see his father -- all he could see was flame, smoke, and blackness. He was afraid. Still, his father kept yelling: "Jump son!
I will catch you!" But the boy refused, crying, "Daddy, I can't see you!" His father replied, "It's ok son -- I can see you
-- and that's all that matters!"
Sometimes we find ourselves in the midst of the fiery trials of life and all we can
see is the smoke and the flames. But faith is knowing who will catch us when take that leap. In Hebrew, the word 'truth' in
this verse, is em-oo-nah, which is also translated faith. God delights in responding to our faith. He wants us to jump into
His arms --- especially when we can't see Him.
George Mueller said, "Faith does not operate in the realm of the possible.
There is no glory for God in that which is humanly possible. Faith begins where man's power ends."
Let's practice some faith today. Our Father's arms are biggest and strongest they come!
BACKSLIDING
by Wil Pounds
Have you ever temporarily lapsed into unbelief and sin after you became a Christian? The condition
of backsliding results from spiritual apathy or disregard for the truth of God’s Word. It results in a departure from
a winsome confession of faith and Biblical ethical standards. Actions are affected by our attitudes toward God and His Word.
Jesus
said, "No one, after putting his hand to the plow and looking back, is fit for the kingdom of God" (Luke 9:62).
Backsliding
is different from apostasy, which spurns the grace of God by renouncing the atoning work of Jesus Christ on the cross (Heb.
6:4-6; 10:26-31). When a person renounces his faith in Christ that person was never a true child of God, and never was among
the elect of God (John 3:18-21, 36; 5:24-29).
On the other hand, the elect individual, regenerated by the Holy Spirit,
justified by grace through faith in Jesus Christ, and redeemed by God has been delivered once-for-all from the bondage of
sin. Backsliding is not a "fall from grace" in the sense that a Christian once saved by grace can lose his eternal life in
Christ. He is God’s child forever, and He has placed His life in the believing sinner.
There were times when
the disciples of Jesus withdrew from fellowship with the Lord (Matt. 26:56), Peter denied Christ (26:69-75), Corinthian believers
lived in sin (2 Cor. 12:20-21), the Church in Asia became lukewarm (Rev. 2:4, 14-15, 20), etc.
The people of Israel
serve as an example for Christians today. We are exhorted to persevere in righteousness and doing the will of God. Israel
forsook her covenant with the LORD God (Jer. 2:19; 8:5; 14:7), and demonstrated her unfaithfulness by disobeying God.
In
the New Testament backsliding is viewed as an individual problem, although it is possible for churches to become backslidden,
too.
Why do Christians become backslidden? We all still possess the old nature that is "corrupt through deceitful lusts"
(Eph. 4:22; Rom. 7:13-24; 1 Cor. 3:1-3). Lack of continuous fellowship by "abiding" in Christ results in a lack of spiritual
vitality and ineffective Christian service (Jn. 15:4-8). There is no other way to live the Christian life except by maintaining
an intimate fellowship with our Lord. If we do not maintain that vital contact with Him we cannot sustain spiritual growth
and effectively minister in His name.
Unbelief (Heb. 3:12), bitterness (12:15), love for the world (2 Tim. 4:10), love
for money (1 Tim. 6:10), adherence to worldly philosophy (Col. 2:8), legalism (Gal. 3:1; 1:6; 5:7), indifference and spiritual
coldness (Rev. 2:4; 3:16) are other causes for backsliding.
Backsliding grieves the Holy Spirit (Eph. 4:30), and it
displeases our Lord (Heb. 10:38). There are natural consequences that follow this sin (Lev. 26:18-25).
How can we prevent
backsliding in our spiritual life? It is essential that we "abide" in Christ (Jn. 15:4-7), remain spiritually alert (Eph.
6:18), put on the full armor of God (v. 10), be prayerful (1 Thess. 5:17), etc. Seek to love the Lord God with all your mind,
heart and personal being every day.
We can thank God that He patiently perseveres with His saints. Just as we are to
persevere in doing His will, we can be thankful that He has made a wonderful covenant with us in the blood of His Son, Jesus
Christ. The grace of perseverance is one of the great benefits of the atoning death of Jesus Christ for our sins. The solution
for backsliding is found in the abiding love and mercy of our God of grace who remains faithful to His promises.
Backsliding
is serious business. Martin Luther well said, "The offenses given within the church are greater than those given among the
heathen because when Christians degenerate, they are more godless than the heathen."
We have a choice. We can progress
or regress in our Christian life. We have a great responsibility in how we choose to live the Christian life. God is able
to strengthen and progressively sanctify the Christian if we cooperate with Him (Heb. 3:12; Phil. 3:10-16).
The promise
to every backsliding Christian is to, "Return to Me, and I will return to you, says the Lord of hosts" (Mal. 3:7). Acknowledge
your sin, turn from it, trust in the Lord for forgiveness and ask the Holy Spirit to take control of your mind, heart and
daily life. Jesus says, "Therefore remember from where you have fallen, and repent and do the deeds you did at first; or else
I am coming to you and will remove your lampstand out of its place—unless you repent" (Rev. 2:5).
It is reassuring
that the Bible clearly teaches that the truly spiritual regenerate can never be lost. We are his forever children. Once his
child by the new birth, always his child. However we can lose our fellowship with God and our effectiveness in Christian service.
The God of all grace has provided a bar of soap; let’s use it often (1 John 1:6-10; 2:2).
IT DOESN'T HURT TO HAVE A LITTLE BIBLICAL HUMOR ONCE IN A WHILE....
Q. What kind of man was Boaz before he
married Ruth?
A. Ruthless.
Q. What do they call pastors in Germany ?
A. German Shepherds.
Q. Who was the greatest
financier in the Bible?
A. Noah, He was floating his stock while everyone else was in liquidation.
Q. Who was the greatest
female financier in the Bible?
A. Pharoah's daughter. She went down to the bank of the Nile and drew out a little prophet.
Q.
What kind of motor vehicles are in the Bible?
A. Jehovah drove Adam and Eve out of the Garden in a Fury. David's Triumph
was heard throughout the land. Also, probably a Honda,
because the apostles were all in one Accord.
Q.. Who was the
greatest comedian in the Bible?
A. Samson. He brought the house down.
Q. What excuse did Adam give to his children as
to why he no longer lived in Eden ?
A. Your mother ate us out of house and home.
Q. Which servant of God was the most
flagrant lawbreaker in the Bible?
A. Moses. He br
oke all 10 commandments at once.
Q. Which area of Palestine was
especially wealthy?
A. The area around Jordan The banks were always overflowing.
Q. Who is the greatest babysitter mentioned
in the Bible?
A. David. He rocked Goliath to a very deep sleep.
Q. Which Bible character had no parents?
A. Joshua,
son of Nun.
Q. Why didn't they play cards on the Ark ?
A. Because Noah was standing on the deck.
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