August 19, 2013 - Move Those Chains

“Excellence is the gradual result of always striving to do better.” Pat Riley

“Champions keep playing until they get it right.” Billie Jean King

One thing I often remind players is that they should always strive to leave the gym as better players than they entered the gym… Being one’s best demands growth and commitment…

Often when I am preaching in a Sunday service I remind folks that we need to leave changed – in other words experience growth and greater commitment…

I would never tell athletes, “if you’ll train once a week you will achieve greatness.” Yet that is what many rely on for spiritual growth… (and on top of that it is an hour in which most simply sit back and listen instead of being actively engaged.)

Simple questions today:

Have you had any time alone with God today? Have you been in His transforming Word?

Have you actively sought opportunities to serve others (and in doing so serve Jesus)?

Have you taken a look in the “mirror” to determine if you are growing?

I read a great analogy on the FCA Relentless devotional on YouVersion… It described this idea in football terms. (Fitting for the beginning of football season)

The writer, Jimmy Page from Wisdom Walk Sports, challenged us to “move those chains!” In other words let’s make sure we turn our shoulders up field; churn up some turf; and gain some yardage! If you are staying still or moving backwards there is a problem…

Colossians 1:⁹ For this reason we also, since the day we heard it, do not cease to pray for you, and to ask that you may be filled with the knowledge of His will in all wisdom and spiritual understanding; ¹⁰ that you may walk worthy of the Lord, fully pleasing Him, being fruitful in every good work and increasing in the knowledge of God;¹¹ strengthened with all might, according to His glorious power, for all patience and longsuffering with joy;¹² giving thanks to the Father who has qualified us to be partakers of the inheritance of the saints in the light.¹³ He has delivered us from the power of darkness and conveyed us into the kingdom of the Son of His love,¹⁴ in whom we have redemption through His blood,  the forgiveness of sins.