Winning and the Search for Truth

After being blessed to coach thousands of games and winning many championships, I have discovered that sports provide a very unique look into the spiritual realm.

The ability to achieve goals based on hard work and rules in a short-term setting allows us to view a goal and plan and the completion of a plan in a short time frame. We therefore can evaluate the individual behavior as well as the social behavior of a group. The same plan could be evaluated for a bigger group or “life” in general.

In life, whether we know it or not, we are seeking for the “truth.” As we grow with the Word of God, the truth in every situation reveals itself to us. The times I have won championships and viewed others winning championships, I have learned one common denominator: An overwhelming “love” comes over the “victory” group. Every other selfish emotion and fleshly plan or desire disappears for a short time and all involved “rest” together through love.

Psalm 133:1 Behold, how good and how pleasant it is For brethren to dwell together in unity!

Are You Complete?

When Jesus finished the work of God at the cross our salvation was complete.  It became our responsibility to seek and walk out this finished work.

Colossians 2:8 Beware lest anyone cheat you through philosophy and empty deceit, according to the tradition of men, according to the basic principles of the world, and not according to Christ. ⁹ For in Him dwells all the fullness of the Godhead bodily;¹⁰ and you are complete in Him, who is the head of all principality and power.

The scripture tells us to beware of empty deceit, according to the tradition of men and basic principles of the world.  This can be difficult if we are not focused on God.  The world is full of deceit and the principles of it are all around us.  We are being told to choose all kinds of “Positions” in the world of politics and life, which most all do not line up with the truth of God, so therefore they are not a part of His finished work.

Power in the Name of Jesus

In the day of Jesus people worshiped so many things including idols and names of different self proclaimed God’s.  Whether we realize it or not we are guilty today of some of the same things. We also don’t understand the consequences of our choices.  We worship money, houses, cars and especially success.  None of which will bring us eternal gratification.

Jesus came to bring us a relationship that would give us power from our true heavenly father.  This power would be complete and our source of strength throughout our lives.

Acts 4:13-17 Now when they saw the boldness of Peter and John, and perceived that they were uneducated and untrained men, they marveled. And they realized that they had been with Jesus. ¹⁴ And seeing the man who had been healed standing with them, they could say nothing against it. ¹⁵ But when they had commanded them to go aside out of the council, they conferred among themselves, ¹⁶ saying, “What shall we do to these men? For, indeed, that a notable miracle has been done through them is evident to all who dwell in Jerusalem, and we cannot deny it.¹⁷ But so that it spreads no further among the people, let us severely threaten them, that from now on they speak to no man in this name.”

Stretch Out Your Hand

Mark 3:5-6 He said to the man,“Stretch out your hand.” And he stretched it out, and his hand was restored as whole as the other.Then the Pharisees went out and immediately plotted with the Herodians against Him, how they might destroy Him.

First of all it took action for the man’s hand to be healed.  We have to move in faith for God to work in our lives.  We need to take the first step and trust that God will do His part in our lives.  Many times people sit back and blame God without action. 

Jesus told the man to stretch out his hand! 

Question:  Do you feel God has told you to do something and you are standing still?

It Is Finished!

Yesterday was good Friday and we reflect on how Jesus finished the work He was sent to accomplish at the cross.  He set us free from our sin.

John 19:28 After this, Jesus, knowing that all things were now accomplished, that the Scripture might be fulfilled, said,“I thirst!”²⁹ Now a vessel full of sour wine was sitting there; and they filled a sponge with sour wine, put it on hyssop, and put it to His mouth.³⁰ So when Jesus had received the sour wine, He said,“It is finished!” And bowing His head, He gave up His spirit.

Webster’s Dictionary

finish |ˈfini sh |

verb [ trans. ]

1 bring (a task or activity) to an end; complete : they were straining to finish the job | [with present participle ] we finished eating our meal | [ intrans. ] the musician finished to thunderous applause.

• reach the end of a race or other sporting competition, typically in a particular position :

noun

1 [usu. in sing. ] an end or final part or stage of something

Love of Christ

The biggest change I have witnessed in Christians is how the “Word” transforms their nature from “Self” to “Others” minded.  This comes from the humility of Christ and the understanding that we need a savior.  This “need” is an admission that we are more than likely wrong in our fleshly thinking. 

Philippians 2:3-4 Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit. Rather, in humility value others above yourselves, ⁴ not looking to your own interests but each of you to the interests of the others.

Our flesh tells us “what’s in it for me?”  While the spirit of God tells us “How can I sacrifice for someone else?”

Break Free

We live in a world of people that is primarily lost and deceived.  This implies that if we are seeking God we are not in the “Norm”.

Webster’s Dictionary

normal |ˈnôrməl|

adjective

1 conforming to a standard; usual, typical, or expected

Question:  Are You Normal?

Matthew 9:35-36 Jesus went through all the towns and villages, teaching in their synagogues, proclaiming the good news of the kingdom and healing every disease and sickness. ³⁶ When he saw the crowds, he had compassion on them, because they were harassed and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd.

If we take the time to look around we will conclude that people are harassed and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd.  They are seeking other things to guide and shepherd their lives such as politicians, government, and corruption of people in “power”.

Jesus Is Willing

Mark 1:40 Now a leper came to Him, imploring Him, kneeling down to Him and saying to Him, “If You are willing, You can make me clean.”

⁴¹ Then Jesus, moved with compassion, stretched out His hand and touched him, and said to him, “I am willing; be cleansed.” ⁴² As soon as He had spoken, immediately the leprosy left him, and he was cleansed.

We are all in need of being healed of something.  It may be physically, mentally or emotionally, but we all have scars of different types. 

The revelation I gained from this scripture came from verse 40 where the leper asked the question “If you are willing”.  This is a question of faith.  The leper believed that Jesus could heal him.  More importantly he needed to know if Jesus was willing!

Question:  Do you believe that Jesus is willing?

Confession of Christ

As we go through life our actions and thoughts are either displaying our confession of Christ as savior or displaying our fleshly nature.  If we are walking in humility and in faith that Jesus is our Lord then we are an example of Him who is righteous, and we are not trying to portray righteousness from our own selfish nature.

Philippians 2:9-11 Therefore God also has highly exalted Him and given Him the name which is above every name, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of those in heaven, and of those on earth, and of those under the earth, and that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.

The Wicked World

Last week we talked about trusting God and about submitting to His will for our lives.  A good friend of mine asked me an important question. “When we know the truth of God how do we stay true to God’s will when the world we live in is so wicked?”

James 4:3-5 You ask and do not receive, because you ask amiss, that you may spend it on your pleasures.⁴ Adulterers and adulteresses! Do you not know that friendship with the world is enmity with God? Whoever therefore wants to be a friend of the world makes himself an enemy of God.⁵ Or do you think that the Scripture says in vain, “The Spirit who dwells in us yearns jealously”?

Question:  Are you a friend of God or the World?

Some Assembly Required

(Revelation)

One day I received a box in the mail that contained a weight lifting machine I had ordered for my boys.  It was called the “Body Pro 360” The box had a big sticker on it that said, “Some Assembly Required”.  I gained a great revelation from this scenario. 

First of all it required me to read the manual to assemble this machine that had many functions.  Some of these functions include: bench press, pull downs, leg lifts and butterflies just to name a few.  The box was full of nuts and bolts and there was a detailed owners manual.  This required a lot of “assembling”.

For this machine to fully operate at the level it was designed it would take time and learning.   It would take effort to put it together in the proper manner so that all facets were complete and workable.

THE OUTWORKING OF LOVE

As we go through our day do we show our love to others by our deeds and from the “TRUTH” of God. 

1 John 3:18 My little children, let us not love in word or in tongue, but in deed and in truth.

The deeds and actions, which we display today, can come from a root of love if we choose the Godly path. 

QUESTION: Do we love in truth of God or with selfish intentions?

When God asks us to love in His truth there is an unselfish foundation from which we do so.  This means that we are operating in Agape Love, which is the unconditional type of love.

We Have A Trust Issue!

This morning I was having breakfast and thinking about trust.  I believe our biggest issue we face is trusting others and God.  Our “self reliance” has reached a level of personal dependency that we believe we can do everything without having to trust anything or anyone, especially God.  Call it selfishness if you will, but people, beg, borrow and steal to maintain self-control of things in life rather than rely on God and others for anything. 

Proverbs 3:5-6 Trust in the Lord with all your heart, And lean not on your own understanding; In all your ways acknowledge Him, And He shall direct your paths.

Question: Do you trust the Lord in your life?

Resist The Devil

We live in a world that is constantly throwing temptation into our path.  This temptation is designed to draw us away from God.  The Word of God tells us how to turn back the plan of the enemy that is trying to control our lives.

James 4:6-8 But He gives more grace. Therefore He says:

“God resists the proud, But gives grace to the humble.”

⁷ Therefore submit to God. Resist the devil and he will flee from you.⁸ Draw near to God and He will draw near to you.

To get the devil to flee from us we need to resist him.

Webster’s Dictionary

resist|riˈzist|

verb [ trans. ]

withstand the action or effect of :

• succeed in ignoring the attraction of (something wrong or unwise)

Question:  Will you resist the attraction of something wrong or unwise today?

We all face temptations on a daily basis and have the ability to choose our direction. 

God revealed to me in verse 6 that God resists the proud.  So we need to take this definition of “resist” and also apply it to what God say’s.  He resists the proud.  We do not want God to resist us so we need to watch our pride.  I also realize that it is somewhat comparing being proud to the devil that is in verse 7.  God resists the proud and then He say’s “resist” the devil and He will flee.  He is comparing pride to the devil.

Comfort Each Other

Many times the stress of daily life keeps us focused on what we don’t have instead of what we have.  In times of trouble we need to remember our salvation and the hope we have in Jesus Christ as savior. 

1 Thessalonians 4:16-18 For the Lord Himself will descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of an archangel, and with the trumpet of God. And the dead in Christ will rise first.¹⁷ Then we who are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And thus we shall always be with the Lord.¹⁸ Therefore comfort one another with these words.