June 4, 2012 - Quick Hitter #2: When in doubt, fill out!

Last week’s “quick hitter” encouraged us to use our time and freedom to share the Gospel – before it is too late. This week I will stay in the same frame of mind and remind you (and me) that the freedom that we received was intended to help us make “the right play” in the “game of life.”

If I tell my team they have freedom on the court, they are still expected to follow the rules of the game. Likewise in life we often encounter in our freedom the temptation to do the wrong thing. I hear believers often justifying their behavior by their “liberty” or “freedom” in Christ. That is baloney!

The Scriptures could not be more clear about this. We are told point blank to not use our freedom to indulge the flesh! (See Galatians 5:13) Instead we are told to serve one another and to carry forth the Gospel!

Time is precious. We have a job to do. When life throws temptations at you then follow the Biblical command to “flee.” 1 Corinthians 10 tells us to flee the temptations. The story of Joseph and Potiphar’s wife reminds us to flee.

And for those moments when you are simply unsure… I will go to my coaching philosophy: When in doubt, fill out! (I don't want players that are unsure clogging up the lane and messing up our ability to score.) Or in this case: When in doubt, get out! (Likewise we don't want confused believers messing up our ability to share the Gospel effectively.)

May 28, 2012 - Quick- Hitter

This week I am going for a “quick hitter.” Those are plays where you try to score very quickly. These plays are set for situations when the clock is going to expire and the team needs a basket.

Have you ever noticed the urgency in players during these situations? It makes one wonder why the players don’t give the same effort and intensity every play of the game????

The reason I am going for the quick-hitter is two-fold. For one I am exhausted from having to all-nighter drives in the last three nights. Secondly I truly believe that time is of the essence in what we are called to do – the Great Commission.

On a day where we honor those that have sacrificed for our freedom; On a day where most of us reading this devotion are in a country where we are afforded the freedom to share our beliefs.; can I urge you to make some scarifices in your lives? Will you sacrifice your time? Will you sacrifice your reputation and be willing to be looked at like a Jesus freak? Will you make the sharing of the Gospel a priority while there is still time on the clock? You have the freedom to do that!

Saw the following great quote this past week that will serve as our quick-hitter:

"The gospel is only good news if it gets there in time" – Carl F. H. Henry