July 29, 2013 - It's Time To Lace 'em Up and Get It On!

Can you imagine playing a game and pretending the opponent isn’t even there? I can picture the huddles during timeouts:

Coach: “Your guy is stealing the ball from you every time!”

Player: “Coach, there is not even anyone guarding me… “

Coach: “Son, I see him taking it from you; protect the ball!”

Player: “I don’t see him..”

Coach: “Open your eyes!!!!!!”

Church, can I play the role of coach this week? “Open your eyes!”

This week our group that travelled on the ROCK’em Road Trip was reminded of some very real truths that unfortunately we tend to ignore in the church.

We have an enemy who intends to do us harm! (John 10:10; 1 Peter 5:8)

We have an enemy who schemes to take advantage of us! (2 Corinthians 2:11)

We have an enemy that lies to us! (John 8:44)

It is time to start living as though the enemy is real… we need to stop listening to his lies… we need to start standing on truth… we need to memorize Scripture…

We need to put on the armor of God and get in the game! Our opponent has stolen from us too many times due to our ignoring him!

Read/Study Ephesians 6:10-20 this week!!! It’s time to lace ‘em up and get it on!

July 22, 2013 - Manifest Destiny (The Chosen One)

We are in the midst of one of our ROCK’em Road Trips; presently in St Louis, MO (we had one stop in Indiana.) The trip is going great and we have already seen responses to the Gospel, taught some hoops, etc. Our theme is “The Gateway to the West (Go west, young man).” It revolves around the sentiment of going west in order to fulfill our Manifest Destiny – our providential leading to expand… to take over the continent… No room to get into all the history or to debate if this was truly a providential decree from God; but I can tell you beyond any shadow of a doubt that we are providentially directed to expand His kingdom!

If you read His Word it is very clear that He has decreed that we should carry the Gospel locally, regionally, nationally, and internationally. (See Acts 1:8; Mark 16:15) Missions are our Manifest Destiny!

And you know what? When I preach/teach on this no one seems to argue this with me. Everyone in the churches seems to agree that we should be doing this… but hold on…

It is your Manifest Destiny that you should be a carrier of the Gospel! (And I mean it in the singular tense.)

Who is going to take the ball to the hole?

Who is going to step up to the plate and take a swing?

Who is going to Cowboy up?

Who is going to take the bull by the horns?

God is looking for players that want the ball.

God is looking for players to answer to the call.

He has chosen you (believer) to be His mouthpiece in sharing His truth. (See 2 Corinthians 5:19-20; 1 Thessalonians 2:4)

You are God’s “Chosen One” to be used in reaching your world for Christ! (See Ephesians 2:10 – it is a reminder that God has even laid out the “plays” for you to “run”.)

These ROCK’em Road Trips are designed to push these young men into being missions-minded.

These ROCK’em Road Trips are designed to push the young men into understanding a personal responsibility in God’s game plan.

These weekly devotions are designed to push you into being missions-minded.

These weekly devotions are designed to push you into understanding a personal responsibility in God’s game plan.

July 15, 2013 - God Wins!

I’ll be very transparent with this week’s devotion: I am tired; very tired! I spent the day in a basketball clinic at a local church (so at least tonight I sleep in my own bed.) Now don’t get me wrong, I love conducting clinics but with my schedule as of late, and the fact I am getting old, it wears me out.

Beyond just the fatigue of the clinic we also have a very hectic schedule ahead without a day off until August 3, I think I may have brought back a parasite from overseas, I have a disc messed up in my neck, numerous BIG additions coming for the ministry and family (including Clay moving to the Dominican Republic), etc. In other words it is easy to sit back and feel defeated…

Yet I am not! You, if you have placed your faith in Christ, are not! Simply put, I don’t care what life throws my way, I know the outcome… God wins!!!!!!!!!!!

I strongly considered just writing those 2 words for this week’s devotion (but then felt guilty like I was taking the easy way out…) But nevertheless those 2 words should encourage you.

Here is a great passage in Romans 8:³¹ What then shall we say to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us? ³² He who did not spare His own Son, but delivered Him up for us all, how shall He not with Him also freely give us all things? ³³ Who shall bring a charge against God’s elect? It is God who justifies. ³⁴ Who is he who condemns? It is Christ who died, and furthermore is also risen, who is even at the right hand of God, who also makes intercession for us.³⁵ Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword? ³⁶ As it is written:

“For Your sake we are killed all day long;
We are accounted as sheep for the slaughter.”

³⁷ Yet in all these things we are more than conquerors through Him who loved us. ³⁸ For I am persuaded that neither death nor life, nor angels nor principalities nor powers, nor things present nor things to come, ³⁹ nor height nor depth, nor any other created thing, shall be able to separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.

Here is a great paraphrase from The Message of verses 31-32: So, what do you think? With God on our side like this, how can we lose? If God didn’t hesitate to put everything on the line for us, embracing our condition and exposing himself to the worst by sending his own Son, is there anything else he wouldn’t gladly and freely do for us?

GOD WINS!!!!!! Therefore believers win!!!!!!

July 8, 2013 - Join the Team; Get in the Game!

I constantly have ideas running through my head for these weekly devotions, messages I have to preach, new ways to market/express what our ministry is about, etc… Just this weekend I was working on some business card designs and the phrase “Join the team; get in the game!” came to mind.

Our ministry is very deliberate with, and unashamed of, the proclamation of the Gospel (faith in the substitutionary death and resurrection of Jesus) for it is the power of God unto salvation! (See Romans 1:16; Ephesians 2:8-9) This is our desire to “Give ‘em the ROCK!”

We are also very deliberate in the teaching of God’s Playbook (the Word) in order to help team members grow and serve – or to “get in the game.” (See 2 Timothy 3:16-17) This is our desire to help them “Get schooled now… so they won’t be schooled later!”

We feel ministries get in trouble when they forget either one of these concepts. Simply put a player cannot step on the court in the game until he is on the roster! The Gospel is of first importance in our outreach to the lost. (See 1 Corinthians 15:3-4) Therefore the Gospel has to be proclaimed! How can they believe if they don’t hear the message? (See Romans 10:14) And then once a player is on the roster it is our duty to teach (disciple) him; to help him grow in his walk with the Lord; to encourage him to fulfill all God has planned for him! In fact we believe that each player is an MVP for God with specific plays drawn up for him. (See Ephesians 2:10) We believe the Word of God transforms lives and is a necessity in honoring the Lord with our lives. (See Romans 12:2; Psalm 119:9, 11, 105)

This week’s devotion is more of a proclamation of who we are; and hopefully an encouragement to you to be who God wants you to be…

July 1, 2013 - First Five Minutes of the Second Half

Today begins the “second half” of the 2013 “game” (year.) It is a good to time to evaluate where you are… are you making a difference? Are you playing strong? Has it been a good first half or a rough one?

 

The reason I ask is because as a coach half-time was always a great time to regroup and refocus our efforts. Coaches regularly tell their teams that the first five minutes of the second half is often the most critical time of the game; gaining momentum or keeping momentum takes place during this time so the team can finish strong!

 

As I was in my Proverbs Quiet Time this morning (going First and Ten with God!) I was reminded of being receptive to instruction; it drew me back to those half-time talks and wanting my players to hear and respond to the game plan and motivation; it drew me back to the desire to come out strong in the second half…

 

Proverbs 1:5 A wise man will hear and increase learning. A man of understanding will attain wise counsel.

 

That is my desire for you! I hope and pray that you will commit to a strong second half of 2013; one where we truly Go MAD (Make A Difference) for God! There are so many opportunities to serve people (and in doing so to serve God.) If you are unsure of where to go or what to do then contact me or coach Morrow – we have all kinds of ideas… but don’t just stand there; Move, move. Move!!!!! (When I get back off the road I plan to add a new tab to the web that gives ideas of where people can plug into a “play.”)

 

Ephesians 6:10 Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord and in the power of His might.