July 25, 2022 - You Can't Keep Me Down!

When I was still on the sidelines, I had a lot of times that I am sure players (and my assistant coaches) were thinking things were hopeless… and then when I gave a plan, were thinking I was clueless. (And sometimes I’m sure they were right about me…) 

Yet, in reality the goal was to have the team trusting me… that I had their best interest at heart. The reality is that sometimes, if we were just making the decision based upon a scoreboard, they were right… it was hopeless. Because the bottom line is that some teams were simply way better than us and some coaches were simply way smarter than me. Yet, what I hoped was that the team knew that any decision I made was in their best interest… it may not have even been to win the current game we were in, but instead a lesson to help us in future games, or the next time we face that team.

Life is like games… sometimes we simply feel “overmatched,” and honestly, we are going to lose on the scoreboard at times. This morning as I shared devotions with our apprentices, I talked about how Paul kept perspective (having joy and peace) in life’s struggles, by realizing that God and life are not synonyms. (I share that truth often! It is not an original thought to me… if I recall I read it in maybe a Philip Yancey book… but it is so true and so good.)

I thought about it yesterday as my pastor stated that we need to “shift attention to the rescue… the Who not the what…” He was referring to how the Israelites in their songs of ascent encouraged one another, not by ignoring their current struggles, but by reminding of the Rescuer!

Psalm 129:2a Many a time they have afflicted me from my youth…

Message paraphrase: They’ve kicked me around ever since I was young…

Psalm 129:2b YET, they have not prevailed against me.

Message paraphrase: BUT they never could KEEP me down.

I don’t know what you are facing on the scoreboard today, and honestly, you may “lose this particular game.” YET/BUT I know Who wins the season…

Get in the Word to learn more from the God Who is on your side!

July 18, 2022 - TRUST THE CHARACTER OF THE COACH!

Often as I am listening to sermons or reading books/articles, my mind is triggered to ideas I want to teach/preach on… many times it is simply a new way to get across ideas I have been teaching on for decades. This week is no exception… as we continued a series at our church called The Grind. 

The Grind in the Psalms of Ascent refers to the journey/pilgrimage the Israelites would make through the mountains on their way to Jerusalem for the festivals; mountains that involved not only terrain challenges but also dangers from bandits, temptations from pagan temples offering “distractions”, etc. The Psalms were ways they would find encouragement and confidence to endure the grind…

A common theme in this group of Psalms is God as a provider… a rescuer… a guide… etc. They were singing together and reminding one another that God can be trusted in spite of what their current circumstances may look like.

Psalm 126:3 THE LORD HAS DONE GREAT THINGS FOR US AND WE ARE GLAD.

Even when they faced struggles…

Psalm 126:5-6 THOSE WHO SOW IN TEARS SHALL REAP IN JOY. HE WHO CONTINUALLY GOES FORTH WEEPING, BEARING SEED FOR SOWING, SHALL DOUBTLESS COME AGAIN WITH REJOICING…

They would remind one another that because of who God is, they should trust Him and follow His direction…

Psalm 128:1 BLESSED IS EVERY ONE WHO FEARS THE LORD, WHO WALKS IN HIS WAYS.

The simple truth this week is:

YOU ARE MORE COACHABLE WHEN YOU TRUST THE CHARACTER OF THE COACH!

July 11, 2022 - Who's Your Spotter?

Who’s your spotter? 

Before I get into the reason for the question, I must confess that my comparison I make will be simply an illustration, and not a 100% full-proof truth…

My comparison involves “toning” vs “body-building”… a google search yielded the following, very simplistic approach: “To tone means to reduce the appearance of body fat by tightening up the muscles and giving them shape.” (Found on a nasm.org blog) And then the general idea of body-building (or bulking) is one of increase in muscle mass and strength… this is done by increasing resistance in order to grow.

Here is my simplistic observation, spiritually speaking, I believe the church is far too often satisfied with just toning… trimming the fat of sin for appearance’s sake, and forgetting that the battle intensifies when serving the Lord; while the Scripture warns that we need to keep getting stronger and be able to increase resistance.

Ephesians 6:10 Finally, my brethren, BE STRONG in the Lord and in the POWER of His might. (NKJV)

Ephesians 6:13 Therefore, take up the full armor of God, so that you will be able to RESIST in the evil day, and having done everything, to stand firm. (NASB)

Increasing in strength and resistance… So that very simplistic observation to lead back to my opening question: Who’s your spotter?

“Spotting in weight or resistance training is the act of supporting another person during a particular exercise with an emphasis on allowing the participant to lift or push more than they could normally do safely. Correct spotting involves knowing when to intervene and assist with a lift, and encouraging a training partner to push beyond the point in which they would normally ‘rack’ the weight (return to its stationary position).” (Wikipedia)

Galatians 6:2 Bear one another’s burdens, and so fulfill the law of Christ. (NKJV)

I love that a spotter is required to help with weight that is to much BUT also to encourage to go beyond the norm… Who is your spotter? Who are you spotting?

LET’S STOP SETTLING FOR THE NORM! OUR LIVES CAN AND SHOULD BE MORE THAN JUST TRIMMING THE FAT…

July 4, 2022 - Impostor On The Court

Imagine with me that a guy went on the court for a Lakers game… dressed in a Lakers uniform… displaying great skill, size, and athleticism… BUT is not on the roster… What is security going to do? 

Basically they are going to escort the guy off of the court, maybe even out of the gym! 

This is a simple and short devo this week… there will be a day where some will stand before the Lord in bewilderment… wondering why they are being escorted out of the gym. They will try to point out how good they were and how they measure up to those that are getting in, BUT THEY ARE NOT ON THE ROSTER!

Not everyone who says to Me, “Lord, Lord,” shall enter the kingdom of heaven…

Many will say, “Have we not…”

And then I will declare to them, “I never knew you; depart from Me…”

Matthew 7:21-23

So what is the requirement to be on the roster? 

He who believes in Him is not condemned; but he who does not believe is condemned already, BECAUSE he has not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God. 

John 3:18

Notice that it has nothing to do with measuring up or being good enough, BUT in accepting the Substitute Jesus as one’s Savior and way onto God’s roster!