March 27, 2023 - When the Bracket is Busted...

I always love watching March Madness… and this year it is very interesting as the Final Four doesn’t look anything like anyone predicted. No number-1 seeds made it through… or number-2s… or 3’s… In fact, the finals have a 4, (2) 5’s, and a 9 seed.

That means a lot of teams left some disappointed fans… disappointed bettors… disappointed folks that simply filled out brackets for an office pool or something… I saw one story about the Men’s Bracket Challenge Game that said only 1 in every 600,000 brackets predicted the 4 teams left in the tourney… only 6 people successfully did it

Disappointment is the word I want to quickly key on this week. I didn’t have a clue as to what I planned to write about, (as we have been SLAMMED in our travel schedule), until a discussion I was having just a few minutes ago. I was talking about the fact that the only way someone can be disappointed in someone else is if they believe in the potential of that someone else… We all tend to “fill out brackets” of how we envision life going for others, especially those we love or are responsible for, and we are disappointed when the other falls short.

The problem begins when “players” are uncoachable and too thin-skinned to hear of the “coach’s” disappointment, and thus unwilling to hear the correction needed. Modern “players” love to receive praise for victories but would rather have everyone ignore their failures.

This topic was very evident in the news today of the ongoing “feud” between Charles Barkley and Kevin Durant… Barkley said of Durant: “He’s very sensitive. Great player. He’s part of that generation who thinks he can’t be criticized. He’s never looked in the mirror and said, ‘Man, is that a fair criticism?’”

For the believer, the ultimate “mirror” is the Word of God. Most want to read it just to be encouraged or built up… and I ABSOLUTELY believe it does that; yet sometimes it does it by pointing out (tearing down) where we fall short.

All Scripture is given by inspiration of God (a God who believes in you), and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction (training) in righteousness, that the man of God may be complete thoroughly equipped for every good work. 2 Timothy 3:16-17

Let’s grow some thicker skin… accept correction… and get better! Disappointment should drive us to meet expectations!

March 20, 2023 - You Don't Have To Be A Scorer To Score!

 “…Simmons uncontested, had a lay-up, but he leaves it for Thybulle to make something out of it…” That was the call in a game a couple years ago between the Philadelphia 76ers and the Atlanta Hawks… it was game 7 in a playoff series… and many believe the play led to the 76ers losing… and Simmons reputation has never recovered…

Simmons is known as a great defensive player and a great passer, he is not a great shooter, even at the free throw line. And he made the pass, I believe, because he thought Thybulle would hammer home a big dunk and build points and momentum. BUT whatever the reason or motivation for the ill-timed pass, a player should never pass up a wide open shot at the rim!

I write this at ta time where we are evaluating some new opportunities InBounds Ministries has to Go MAD (Make A Difference) with the Gospel… I write this as I have recently challenged believers in churches that we are all commissioned to “score” by getting the Gospel out…

Some times the thing we need to do is “pass, or make an assist” for an open teammate to “hammer home” the good news… BUT even if we don’t consider ourselves “gifted scorers” we still must not pass up wide open opportunities!

So coming from the full-time (vocational) missionary, yes we are often open and in need of an assist to make the next play… and VERY THANKFUL for those “assists”! But I challenge each of you to “take your open shots” --- YOU DON’T HAVE TO BE A SCORER TO SCORE!

Therefore, those who were scattered went everywhere preaching the Word. Acts 8:4

…How beautiful are the feet of those who preach the gospel of peace, who bring glad tidings of good things! Romans 10:15b

March 13, 2023 - What Will Be Said When The Season Is Over

As I drove today I was having a discussion with my wife and she shared an idea that our pastor had mentioned in a sermon… to which I responded that it was a great thought, and admitted that either that happened on a week I was away preaching somewhere else, or on a Sunday that I tuned out what the pastor was saying (sorry Matt)…

The idea fit well with something I had planned for this week’s game plan… an idea that was birthed as I preached at a missions conference yesterday… I’ll start with the idea I had focused on…

A quote I have shared often in these posts and in my coaching years is from the wise old philosopher Bobby Knight: “Everyone has the will to win, BUT FEW have the will to prepare to win!” (I don’t remember if the quote had an exclamation point when I read it, but knowing Coach Knight’s personality, I assume it was said with some emotion…)

As I addressed the conference I stated that I believe the vast majority of Christians I meet are willing to serve others… even willing to sacrifice if they have to… BUT FEW make it an intentional/active part of their lives.

In John 13, after Jesus has served His disciples by washing their feet, He did not say: “Blessed are you if you are willing to do this for one another…” Instead He said very clearly:

14 …you also ought to wash one another’s feet.

17 …blessed are you if you do them.

The blessing is found in the doing, not in the willingness…

So back to Matt’s point… I got the explanation and sum it up this way…

When talking about the future it is an awesome thing to hear that one has great potential…

When talking about the past it is an awful thing to hear one had great potential!

The latter of those thoughts indicates someone whose season is over, and he never lived up to his potential… talent was wasted! My mantra as a coach was simple… don’t tell me what you are going to do, or are capable of doing, show me!

Go MAD is our motto to Go Make A Difference… it is intentional and active!

March 6, 2023 - God's Got This

Well I’m writing this week in the midst of a lot of uncertainties… in the midst of fatigue… in the midst of things breaking down… I’m sure I could go on and on, not to mention in the midst of simply getting old and not “playing the game” like I used to… In ministry I regularly talk to folks that are emotionally uncertain, fatigued, and broken down…

Have you ever heard someone say they feel as though God is distant or not listening? In Isaiah 40 we find that the people of Israel are disheartened… worn out from hardships… questioning God…

Isaiah 40:27 Why do you say, O Jacob, and speak, O Israel: “My way is hidden from the Lord, and my just claim is passed over by my God.”

Eugene Peterson paraphrased the quote as: “God has lost track of me. He doesn’t care what happens to me.” (The Message)

I LOVE the confident response: Isaiah 40:28 Have you not known? Have you not heard? The everlasting God, the Lord, the Creator of the ends of the earth, neither faints nor is weary. His understanding is unsearchable.

In the Message, Peterson uses this description: He doesn’t get tired out, doesn’t pause to catch His breath. And He knows everything inside, and out.

And the Scriptures go on to tell us that not only is the Greatest “in the game” for us, but He also empowers/strengthens us. Let me remind us this week of very famous verses from Isaiah, but with pointing out that they were shared with people that were uncertain, fatigued, and broken down… maybe that is you this week:

Isaiah 40:29 He gives power to the weak, and to those that have no might He increases strength.

40:31 But those who wait on the Lord shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings like eagles, they shall run and not be weary, they shall walk and not faint.

I don’t know about you, but this old man could use some renewed strength… GOD’S GOT THIS!!!