The Rock Almighty Napping During the Storm? And When, how often, and what did Jesus pray for?

 

When, how often, and what did Jesus pray for?

• Author James Rondinone

When, How Long, and What Did Jesus Pray for?

Should there be a specified amount of time that each of us should set aside each day for prayer? Is there a particular time when believers should pray? How often should we pray?

Some churches believe that prayer should be mandatory. Certain times of the week are designated for corporate prayer. In some instances, these gatherings are segregated. As for some believers, they might pray for many hours each day, while others aren’t so inclined. And there are those in leadership who use prayer as a measuring stick that signifies how spiritual each person is in the assembly. The more one prays the more spiritual they are considered to be.

All of the questions that we initially asked should be looked into so that we’re not caught off guard when another believer or someone in leadership tells us that we must pray at a certain time, so often, for so long, or at a certain place. Shouldn’t we know what the Scriptures say in this regard.

We’ll begin looking at the Jewish day and finding out what was each day’s name or description along with how were the times within each day described. Why is this important to know? This is important to know because in the early church the description of each day along with the times within each one was referenced according to the Jewish perspective. But we’ll not stop here. I’ll also introduce the Roman way of naming their days along with how the times within each day were described. After each has been introduced, I’ll try to put them together so that as you read about when prayer took place, you’ll understand it better according to both systems of time.

CONTRASTING THE JEWISH AND ROMAN DAY

The Jews referred to the days of the week as the first of the week (of the Sabbath cycle, the second of the Sabbath cycle, etc.). The seventh day was known as the Shabat (Sabbath), the day of rest. The Sabbath began at approximately 40 minutes after sunset, when a minimum of three stars were able to be seen in the sky, which would be considered to begin at the close of the sixth day. Each of these days began and ended at sunset. The first day of the week is the day following the Sabbath, beginning at sunset.18

Now Peter and John went up together into the temple at the hour of prayer, being the ninth hour.

Another thought to consider is how the Jews talked about the various times within each day. According to Acts 3:1, they described a particular time as being the ninth hour. What does the ninth hour mean? It means the ninth hour after dawn (sunrise). There were twelve hours in the Jewish night beginning at sunset and twelve hours in the Jewish day beginning at sunrise.

When we look at passages of Scripture in the New Testament which refer to morning, evening, first day of the week, etc. we need to understand that each of these words needs to be interpreted according to the Jewish perspective. What further complicates this is the fact that the Romans had a different way to describe not only the names of their days, but the times within each day along with when their days began and ended. Let’s take a look at the Roman description of their days and after which we’ll attempt to combine both perspectives.

The Romans adopted their days of the week from their mythical gods. Saturday was named after Saturn, the god of crops and harvest, and was initially considered the first day of the week. The second day of the week was called Sunday, which was considered as a day sacred to the sun. The third day and so on is as follows: Monday was named because it was sacred to the moon. Tuesday was named after Tiw, a god of war. Wednesday was named after Woden, the leader of the gods. Thursday was named after Thor, the god of thunder. Friday was named after Frigga, the wife of Woden.19Each of these days began and ended at midnight.20 As the worshiping of the Sun increased, the Sun's day (Sunday) advanced from position of the second day to the first day of the week (and Saturday became the seventh day21).

It was not until Christianity took hold throughout Europe that most calendars marked Sunday as the first day of the week.22 It’s a little-known fact among most Christians, that the Romans first adopted the seven-day week in the first century and that they borrowed it not from the Jews, but from the Egyptians.23 Time within each day was designated as either being am (before noon for up to a period of 12 hours) or pm (after noon for up to a period of twelve hours).

As best we can, let’s try to mesh these two perspectives together. For the Jew, the ninth hour meant an hour beginning at the 9th hour after dawn (sunrise) and lasting for one hour. For the Romans, this would mean beginning at 3:00pm and ending at 4:00pm. Dawn (sunrise) would be equivalent in Roman time to 6:00am. Sunset would be equivalent to 6:00pm. If time refers to the night, then the Jewish wording for this would be something like the third hour of the night. The third hour of the night would be equivalent to 9:00pm or three hours after sunset. Another way for the Jews to talk about the night times would be to describe three-hour periods of time using certain words such as:

Sunset (6:00pm) to the third hour of the night (9:00pm) – First Watch

(9:00pm) to the sixth hour of the night (midnight) – Second Watch

Midnight to the ninth hour of the night (3:00am) – Third Watch

(3:00am) to sunrise – Fourth Watch

The Jewish night would be from sunset (6:00pm) to dawn (6:00am). The Jewish day would be

described as being from dawn (6:00am) to sunset (6:00pm). The Jewish Sabbath, the 7th Day, would be from sunset (6:00pm) to sunset (6:00pm) or from Friday (6:00pm) to Saturday (6:00pm). For example, if Scripture said that Jesus went to pray in the evening, this would tell us that he went to pray sometime from 6:00pm until 6:00am. This doesn’t necessarily mean that he prayed for this entire time, but that he prayed during this time frame.

I hope this gives us a better understanding as to when something took place. In regard to prayer, let’s begin by seeing if we can determine when, how often, and how long did Jesus pray for.

When, how often, and for how long did Jesus pray for?

Please go to the book of Matthew.

 

Suggested Reading: Matthew 14:13-25

John the Baptist had just been killed by Herod. Jesus, after having heard about this, departed into a desert place. However, when the people found out about where He had gone to, they followed him there. When they arrived Jesus not only had compassion on them and healed their sick, but said to the disciples to feed them.

His disciples responded by saying that they had only five loaves and two small fishes on hand. Jesus then took the loaves and while looking up to heaven blessed them and then handed them to His disciples, who took their share, and passed the rest around to the multitudes. Not only were five thousand people fed, but after gathering up the remaining bread they found that they had twelve baskets left over.

Matthew 14:23, 25 And when he had sent the multitudes away, he went up into a mountain apart to pray: and when the evening was come, he was there alone. And in the fourth watch of the night Jesus went unto them, walking on the sea.

After this miracle took place, Jesus sent the multitudes away and went up into a mountain to pray (to speak with God; to ask things of God). When it became evening (when night fell), he was still there alone. In the meantime, his disciples boarded a boat and headed over to the other side of the lake they were on. Sometime later, the weather began to become stormy. In the fourth watch, Jesus decided to go unto them walking on the water.

What does this tell us about prayer?

It appears that Jesus went up into a mountain before evening set in to pray. Remember, according to Roman time evening began at 6:00pm. He decided in the fourth watch of Jewish time to leave the mountain and go to the aid of his disciples, because of the impending weather. The fourth watch began at 3:00am and ended at dawn (sunrise-6:00am). What we can gather is that Jesus was at a mountain residing alone at least from 6:00pm to 3:00am. In other words, he remained in this place for at least nine hours. Did he pray during all of this time? We don’t know. Did he sleep at all? It doesn’t say. What did He pray for? No idea.

In the next section, what we’ll find out is that Jesus prayed the same prayer three times. Any thoughts as to why this was the case? Please stay in the book of Matthew and go forward to chapter 26 and we’ll find out.

                                               

Suggested Reading: Matthew 26:36-45

Jesus had just partaken of the last Passover feast with his disciples. Following this, He decided to go to the Mount of Olives with Peter, James, and John to a particular place called Gethsemane which means the orchard of olive trees. His betrayal by Judas Iscariot into the hands of those, who would bring Him before the high priest and accuse him of blasphemy, was imminent. When they arrived at Gethsemane, He decided to separate himself a small distance away from His disciples so that He could pray alone. However, before He walked away from them, He reminded them to stay awake.

Matthew 26:39, 42, 44 And he went a little further, and fell on his face, and prayed, saying, O my Father, if it be possible, let this cup pass from me: nevertheless not as I will, but as thou wilt. He went away again the second time, and prayed, saying, O my Father, if this cup may not pass away from me, except I drink it, thy will be done. And he left them, and went away again, and prayed the third time, saying the same words.

Jesus’ mental state was one of being sorrowful (greatly amazed and sore troubled) and heavy (distress of mind; a feeling of terrified surprise). At some point, He fell on his face (the head was put between the knees, and the forehead brought to touch the earth - this was not only humiliating, but a very painful posture24) and prayed to the Father asking Him if it were possible to let this cup pass from Him.

The word cup is frequently used in the Sacred Writings to point out sorrow, anguish, terror, death. It seems to be an allusion to a very ancient method of punishing criminals. A cup of poison was put into their hands, and they were obliged to drink it.25 The words pass away from me could refer to an allusion here to several criminals standing in a row, who are all to drink of the same cup; but, the judge extending [favor] to a certain one, the cup passes by him to the next.26

After prayer, He checked in on His disciples and found them asleep. So, He decided to go back to the place where He initially prayed and made a similar request to God the Father. After which, He goes back again and checks in on them, and finds that they are still asleep. For the third and last time, He goes back to the same place and prays again making the same request as He had twice before.

What can we learn about prayer from these Scriptures?

What we know is that prayer occurred following the observance of the Passover. The amount of time spent in regard of the Passover varied. It could have lasted from anywhere between two-four hours. If Jesus and His disciples arrived at Gethsemane by 10:00pm, then what we could say is that He prayed during the second watch [the 3rd hour of the night (9:00pm) to the sixth hour in the night (midnight)]. In other words, he prayed during the evening. It’s interesting to note that He essentially prayed the same prayer three times as if to be emphasizing to God the Father that the need for His response was critical.

The next aspect of prayer in respect to Jesus has to do with His prayer to God the Father while He was on the cross. Please turn in your Bible to the book of Luke.

                                                                                         

Suggested Reading: Luke 23:33-46  

Christ and two others are hanging on a cross, at a place called Calvary (kranion), the Greek word for Golgotha - the place of a skull. He’s placed between two thieves as if to indicate that He was the worst of the three transgressors. The superscription above his head, which indicated his crime, was, “This is the King of the Jews.” This was written in the three learned languages of Greek, Latin, and Hebrew.

During the time preceding the Jews exodus from Egypt and the time following their entrance into the Promised Land, the land of Canaan, while operating under the institution of the Mosaic Law, it was common for an executed person to be publicly displayed by hanging them from the stakes of a stockade wall. This was done to discourage civil disobedience and mock defeated military foes.   

Another method which the Jews employed for carrying out a death sentence was stoning. After death, the person was placed on a tree “hanging” for public display. People so exhibited after execution by stoning for breaking Israel’s Law were said to be cursed of God.

During the time when Christ lived on the earth, the Sanhedrin (the judicial system of the Jews) had four forms of capital punishment: stoning, burning, beheading, and strangling. However, the Roman judicial system took away from them the power of inflicting capital punishment. (Sanhedrin, 1, beginning; 7,2, p.24). This simply meant that without the confirmation of the sentence on the part of the Roman procurator, the Jews had no power to carry out the sentence of the Sanhedrin.

As far as Roman justice was concerned, the stake or cross came to be used as a means of civil and military punishment for persons convicted as enemies of the state (foreign soldiers, rebels, spies, treason, desertion in the face of the enemy, robbery, piracy, assassination, sedition, etc.). However, the Roman citizen was exempt from crucifixion. The use of which was abolished under Emperor Constantine in about 300 AD.

In relation to the coming Messiah, the Jews were looking for someone, who would deliver them from Roman rule. If Jesus was, who He said He was, He would not only deliver Himself from the Romans that had Him now in their hands, but He would also deliver them from Roman rule. Obviously, He did neither. Therefore, the Jews prosecuted him under the notion of a pretended Messiah.

Luke 23:33-34, 44 And when they were come to the place, which is called Calvary, there they crucified him, and the malefactors, one on the right hand, and the other on the left. Then said Jesus, Father, forgive them; for they know not what they do. And they parted his raiment, and cast lots.  And it was about the sixth hour, and there was a darkness over all the earth until the ninth hour.  

Jesus was placed on a cross, sentenced to die for blasphemy, because He claimed to be someone, who according to the Jews, He was not. While on the cross, He prayed to the Father to forgive those, both the Jews and Roman soldiers who were responsible for putting Him to death. The word forgive means not demanding a debt be paid, i.e., to give it up. This prayer was made in the morning before the sixth hour (noon), beginning at which time darkness would occur over all the earth and remain until the ninth hour (3:00pm).

What we’ll take a look at next is the prayer Jesus prayed when he was baptized by John the Baptist.

To find out more about this, please turn to the book of Matthew.

                                                 

Suggested Reading: Matthew 3:1-11

John the Baptist was preaching to the Jews telling them to change their mind concerning their past sins for the kingdom of heaven (the reign of God) was at hand. This was an announcement that a new intervention of God was beginning in history which invited Israel to accept the prophetic manifestation of his will through the baptizer."27 In all of the region around the Jordan River, the Jewish people came to him to be baptized confessing their sins. But this was not all, John told them that someone would arrive on the scene, who he was not worthy to baptize, that would bring about a different type of baptism, which would be a baptism of the Holy Spirit and of fire.

Luke 3:21-22 Now when all the people were baptized, it came to pass, that Jesus also being baptized, and praying, the heaven was opened, And the Holy Ghost descended in a bodily shape like a dove upon him, and a voice came from heaven, which said, Thou art my beloved Son; in thee I am well pleased.

Little did John the Baptist know that soon thereafter Jesus would come to him to be baptized in water. I mentioned this because this is where it says that after Jesus was baptized by John, He was praying. This word means to utter prayers, i.e., lifting up the heart silently to God. And it appears that whatever Jesus was saying, the Father sent the Holy Spirit to descend upon Him and declared that He is His Son, in whom He was well pleased.

What we’ll take a look at next is another aspect of prayer that has to do with its longevity. Please turn again to the book of Luke.

                                               

Suggested Reading: Luke 6:1-12

12 And it came to pass in those days, that he went out into a mountain to pray, and continued all night in prayer to God.

There were two instances, both of which had occurred on the Sabbath, of which Jesus was being criticized by the religious elite. The first had to do with plucking and eating ears of corn, and the second had to do with healing a man whose right hand was withered. Right after these instances were mentioned it says that Jesus went into a mountain to pray, and continued all night in prayer to God. Might the words all night mean during the First, Second, Third, or Fourth Watch? That is from sunset (6:00pm) to sunrise (6:00am). While we’re unaware of what these prayers were all about, it appears that they went on for quite some time.

In the next example, we find Jesus praying for one of His apostles. Let’s stay in the book of Luke, turn to chapter 22, and find out who the apostle is and what it was that Jesus prayed for him.

Luke 22:31-32 And the Lord said, Simon, Simon, behold, Satan hath desired to have you, that he may sift you as wheat: But I have prayed for thee, that thy faith fail not: and when thou art converted, strengthen thy brethren.

Jesus prayed for the Apostle Peter, that his faith fail not in respect to the Devil desiring to have him (to try his faith). The word faith could refer to Peter’s attachment to Christ. The words fail not means to utterly fail or apostatize. While its true that Peter denied Jesus three times after He was betrayed by Juda and apprehended by those from the chief priests, scribes, and elders. However, he didn’t altogether abandon the faith.

     What we can deduce from the various Scripture sections on prayer is that Jesus prayed at different times of the day on different occasions and for varied amounts of time. And on the account of His imminent sufferings and eventual death, He prayed essentially the same prayer three times to the Father for consideration to provide another means for mankind’s redemption.

     With that said, what we’ll look at in the next chapter in respect to prayer is summed up in the following question. When, how long, and what did those in the leadership of the early church pray for?

Endnotes

18Karen Hill, “How Did the Names of the Days of the Week Come to Be?”, 2014. 05 February 2016 http://superbeefy.com/how-did-the-names-of-the-days-of-the-week-come-to-be/

19Karen Hill.

20Big Site of Amazing Facts, 06 February 2016

http://archive.is/www.bigsiteofamazingfacts.com

21Jan Spivey Gilchrist, “Sunday: a History of the First Day from Babylonia to the Superbowl”, 06 February 2016

http://www.publishersweekly.com/978-0-385-51039-4

22Larry Wishon, “Sunday, the First Day of the Week a Myth?”, 07 February 2016 http://www.larrywishon.com/SundayMyth.php.

23Larry Wishon.

24Adam Clarke.

25Adam Clarke.

26Adam Clarke.

27UBS.

Website: http://bit.ly/1RQnYJ8                                                                                                                                            

New Covenant Ministries - Ministerios NuevoPacto                                                                                        

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I grew up in Massachusetts and began my own spiritual journey early on in life.

I attended Bible college, having completed a two-year Christian Leadership course of study, and graduated as valedictorian (summa cum laude).

I’ve written and published a number of spiritual books on various biblical topics.

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The Rock Almighty. Courage To Rest? And How to be Productive According to the Bible

 

How to be Productive According to the Bible

• Author Matthew Burgon-Parr

Depending on your line of work, you may feel that the business world’s current obsession with ‘increased productivity’ is giving you ‘productivity anxiety’. In economic terms, increased productivity is always seen as a good thing: it creates higher wages, aids economic growth, increases tax revenue and generally raises living standards; but it can also be the cause of stress and anxiety. More importantly, what about our spiritual life? After all, it’s the only thing that matters. Let’s take a look at what the Bible has to say.

The Book of Genesis makes it clear that we have a contract with God to look after His creation; God expects us to be productive.

‘And God said, Let us make man in our image, after our likeness: and let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over the cattle, and over all the earth, and over every creeping thing that creepeth upon the earth.’ Genesis 1:26

When God created the Earth it was waiting in readiness for our labor to make it productive.

‘…for the Lord God had not caused it to rain upon the earth, and there was not a man to till the ground.’ Genesis 2:5

Our world of global commerce and bewildering technological advances may seem very different from the agricultural economy of biblical times, but we are still the stewards of God’s creation, no matter how sophisticated we may feel ourselves to be. God expects us to work to the best of our abilities, to be productive in the service of others, because by doing so we are serving God.

‘Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for human masters, since you know that you will receive an inheritance from the Lord as a reward. It is the Lord Christ you are serving.’ Colossians 3:23-24

God rewards productivity but productivity requires application and perseverance; the Old Testament has this advice concerning how to accomplish the best productivity.

‘Plant your seed in the morning and keep busy all afternoon, for you don’t know if profit will come from one activity or another – or maybe both.’ Ecclesiastes 11:6

Jesus gave us the parable of the talents (Matthew25: 14-30) in which he makes it clear that lack of productivity, choosing to bury one's God-given talents, will be punished. Jesus is reiterating, in parable form, an idea found throughout the Old Testament.

‘Whoever is slack in his work is a brother to him who destroys.’ Proverbs18:9

The crucial point about productivity, however, is that it must always be in the service of others, not for our own aggrandizement. In his letter to Timothy, Saint Paul puts it like this:

‘As for the rich in this present age, charge them not to be haughty, nor to set their hopes on the uncertainty of riches, but on God, who richly provides us with everything to enjoy. They are to do good, to be rich in good works, to be generous and ready to share, thus storing up treasure for themselves as a good foundation for the future, so that they may take hold of that which is truly life.’ 1 Timothy 6:17-19

At the start of this piece, I mentioned that many of us may feel ‘productivity anxiety’: when we push ourselves too hard, we may reach the point where we are ‘burnt out’; this is not what God requires of us. God wants us to be productive but He also wants us to be happy and to do so we must rest. Observing the Sabbath does not mean that we must never do any work whatsoever on a Sunday but, as Jesus made clear (Matthew12: 9-14) it concerns those times when we stop working to rest and refresh ourselves in the presence of God.

We were put on this earth to work, to be productive. Throughout history, Christians have wrestled with the problem of how to be productive, in the secular world of work, and yet still serve God.

Matthew is a writer at Christian Journal Co.

Company website: https://christianjournal.co/

US Sports Softball Feat. Top defensive plays from the 2024 Women's College World Series & How to Become a Softball Pitcher

 

How to Become a Softball Pitcher

• By Brandon Ogle

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At the same time, it shouldn’t be confused with the techniques and strategies utilized on the baseball side. It requires a different approach and of course, plenty of practice. In this article, I’ll walk you through some of the basics of fastpitch softball pitching. Whether you’re a coach, parent, or player, these points will help start you on the path to success.

Mechanics

First and foremost, mechanics are critical. This can’t be stressed enough. Without the proper mechanics, you’re not only going to struggle to find success on the field, but there is an increased susceptibility to injuries later on down the road. While mechanics is a broad term and could easily fill an article by itself, I wanted to stress the primary points here.

Stretching - Something as basic as stretching is ignored countlessly by young athletes. The truth is without an appropriate stretching routine, don’t be surprised when you see shoulder injuries pop up later on.

Proper Stance - Stand straight and tall with your shoulders back. The foot on your throwing arm side will be placed in front of the pitching rubber with the glove-side foot behind the rubber. As a side note, keep in mind that a lot of leagues and associations specify how much of the foot can be touching the rubber.

Backswing - A common misconception is that the speed or height of your backswing is truly what’s generating the heat on the pitch. Yes, it might help a little, but the key is to work at a speed where you still feel comfortable and in control. Don’t rush it too much!

Arm Moving Forward - Here’s where you’re going to generate the majority of your speed. As you move towards your push-off foot, make sure you’re utilizing your body weight to transfer over more power.

Obviously, there’s more things involved in terms of the entire pitching process, but I wanted to be sure to highlight these items as they tend to be overlooked.

Proper Release

When you’re arm is moving towards the release point, try your best to keep the wrist back. This will allow you to whip it forward upon release. As you release the ball, keep your arm outstretched. Not completely straight, but no more than a little bend. Lastly, continue to stand tall throughout the process. Any bending of the knees will likely result in a loss of speed on the pitch.

Confidence

As is the case in nearly every other sport, confidence is critical to success. If you’re not confident in basketball, you’re not going to trust your shot. If you struggle with confidence in golf, you’re going to miss easy puts. Starting to get the point? Well, this is no different when it comes to fast-pitch softball, particularly for pitchers. Here’s a few tips to think about, whether you’re coaching up a young pitcher or are one yourself:

Don’t let one bad inning spoil your day. You’re going to have some bad games. No matter how good you are, it just happens. Even one of the greatest softball players of all time, Jennie Finch, had some not-so-great performances on the mound.

Learn from your mistakes. A tip that can be used in all walks of life is yet again a viable strategy for softball. If a pitch isn’t working early on in a game, try using some other options you have in your repertoire. It’ll even possibly keep your opponents a little off-balance later on in the game.

Practice Makes Perfect

It can’t be stressed enough the importance practice plays in pitching. If you want to be a successful softball pitcher, you need to have the entire process down to the point where you can consistently repeat it time and time again. The only way to do this is through continuously practicing. If you’re just starting out, work on throwing 10-15 pitches to the point where they’re all strikes. Then, gradually build up that pitch count. A second technique is to work on spins. Toss the ball in the air to yourself and focus on generating some spin on it. What may seem like a trivial exercise can be definitely beneficially is building the right techniques. In the end, the only way you’ll develop your game is through careful instruction and constant practice!

The Indoor Football League On US Sports San Antonio Gunslingers at Northern Arizona Wranglers & The Art of Quick Passing

 

Master the Art of Quick Passing for High Completion Percentages

• By Keith Grabowski

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As the game constantly evolves, plays and concepts come and go, and that’s been true of stand alone quick game.

In my first year as a head coach, we had plenty of issues to deal with and one of those was a very undersized offensive line.  In the run game we made use of plenty of gap schemes to give our guys angles, but the passing game required us to use play action, which we did, and most importantly, get the ball out quick!

At that time I studied Andrew Coverdale’s books inside and out and went and watched him for six sessions at a Glazier Clinic to learn all he was teaching.  It paid off as we led our conference in passing primarily off of quick game.

Quick game is something that Arizona State Tight Ends Coach Jason Mohns believes in.  In an era of RPO, the quick game on its own disappeared temporarily, but Coach Mohns mad his case for putting it back in your offense in his talk at Lauren’s First and Goal. al. 

The Need for Quick Passing Game

Coach Mohns noted that in recent years, they’ve observed a decline in completion percentages, which he attributed to the fact that they weren't calling a lot of quick game anymore. Defenses started to get better at defending RPOs, taking away gift routes and easy completions. This has forced the offense into more shot plays down the field and one-on-ones. 

To counter this, he decided to focus on creating easy throws for their quarterbacks to get into a rhythm and bring back some built-in adjustments to man coverages.

Benefits of Quick Passing Games

#1) Get the ball in your playmaker's hands effectively and efficiently: Quick passing games involve higher percentage throws for your quarterbacks when you're not pushing downfield. This allows you to get the ball to your playmakers more quickly and efficiently.

#2) Great built-in answers to pressure: Quick passing games help you avoid having to worry about picking up six and seven-man pressures. Instead, you can throw the ball to beat the bullets and keep your quarterback in the game.

#3) Simple and easy progressions: Quick passing games have simple and easy progressions for your quarterbacks, making it easier for them to execute the plays.

#4) Versatility: Quick passing games can be easily dressed up and disguised to keep your opponents guessing. You can use window dressing to make your schemes look different while keeping the progression the same for the quarterback.

#5) Ideal for open down calls and first and 10 and second along calls: When building your game plan, quick passing games can show up consistently on your game plan, providing you with more options to outsmart your opponents.

Incorporating Quick Passing Game into Your Strategy

To start incorporating quick passing games into your offensive strategy, focus on creating easy throws for your quarterbacks to get into a rhythm. Study your offense, do some self-scouting, and make sure you have some built-in adjustments to man coverages. Dress up your schemes with the illusion of complexity to keep your opponents guessing, and make sure you have open down calls, first and 10, and second along calls in your game plan.

Examples from Coach Mohns

Consider Adding Quicks…

By mastering the art of quick passing, you can significantly improve your offensive production and boost your completion percentages. Quick passing games offer versatility, efficiency, and a higher probability of success for your quarterbacks. 

It’s worth exploring putting quick game back into your offensive menu.

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The Rock Almighty Sunday Sermon: Understanding True Manhood Dr. Myles Munroe & God Delights in Using Broken Things . . .

 

God Delights in Using Broken Things . . .

• Author Rose Weiner

IT WAS AN ARID DAY The dry, balmy breeze cooled the lonely shepherd as he sat quietly upon the grassy knoll watching his flock graze lazily in the sun.

It had been forty years now. So long ago and yet it seemed in one way just like yesterday. At times the memory of Pharaoh's courts was like a story so far in the past that he could scarcely remember the detail. At other times it seemed so vivid he had to pinch himself to be sure he wasn't still there.

How could he have ever thought that he would be able to deliver his beloved people from the cruelty of Egyptian slavery! Sometimes at the thought his heart would still break in sorrow because of his people's suffering. At other times the circumstances of his shepherd life, the remoteness of the wilderness, the cares of his family, the peace of the pastoral scenes that surrounded him caused such thoughts to be so remote that they were virtually nonexistent.

Today the memory replayed vividly in the sanctuary of his mind. Just now he was thinking of the times when as a boy he would slip away from the palace, without Pharaoh's daughter knowing it and visit with his father and mother, his brother and sister. There he would sit and listen for hours of the story of his birth and his miraculous escape from certain death in the Nile River.

"Why was I in the Nile River in a basket, mother?" he would ask again and again. Over and over his mother would give him the same answer.

"The Hebrew people had grown mighty in number since they had been in the land of Egypt, "she would explain. "In fact they had become so great that Pharaoh was afraid that if war broke out we might join his enemies and escape from Egypt. So Pharaoh ordered that all the male babies be thrown into the river. I could not bear to see that happen. So I hid you as long as I could, then I made a little basket, put you in it and put it in the reeds along the bank of the Nile. When Pharaoh's daughter came down to bathe, she saw the basket and opened it and found you. She couldn't bear the thought of you being left to die, so she took you home to Pharaoh's palace to be her own son. "

"Never forget, my son, the deliverance of God. I am sure that He saved you for a purpose. The time is drawing near for the fulfillment of the promise that God gave to our father Abraham."

"What was that promise, mother?" Moses would always ask in boyhood curiosity.

"Our father Abraham had been speaking with God all day when toward the end of the day he prepared an altar unto the Lord and laid the sacrifice upon it. As the sun was setting Abraham fell into a deep sleep, and a thick and dreadful darkness came over him. Then the Lord said to him, 'Know for certain that your descendants will be strangers in a country not their own, and they will be enslaved and mistreated four hundred years. But I will punish the nation they serve as slaves, and afterward they will come out with great possessions.' Then when the sun had set and darkness had fallen, a smoking fire pot with a blazing torch appeared and passed between the sacrifice. On that day the Lord made a covenant with our father Abraham and promised to give his descendants a land flowing with milk and honey."

He didn't know why, but when his mother told this story his heart would always burn within him so that he scarcely could contain himself. Even now as he recalled her words that same fire seemed to blaze again within his soul. She would always add, "Moses, that 400 years of slavery is just about up. It is the time of deliverance for God's people. Don't you ever think that you alone were spared from all the other Hebrew boys and that you are living in Pharaoh's palace as his own son by accident!"

As he had grown up to manhood he somehow couldn't shake his mother's words. Perhaps that is why I am here, he had thought. Perhaps that is why I am being schooled in all the wisdom of Egypt, perhaps that is why I am becoming an expert in all the martial arts of war and leadership. Perhaps that is why I am next in line to Pharaoh's throne. I am the one God has ordained to deliver Israel. As he meditated upon these thoughts his soul seemed to become engulfed in flames.

One day after Moses had grown up, he went out to where his own people were and watched them at their hard labor. He became enraged as he saw an Egyptian beating a Hebrew. Quickly he looked around and seeing that no one was around he struck the Egyptian and killed him and hid his body in the sand.

Sure, he had been a little nervous when he had returned to the palace, but he had consoled himself in the miraculous events that surrounded his life and in his certainty of God's call upon him as deliverer of Israel. God would surely protect him now. As for the Hebrews, perhaps they would begin to realize that he was their ally who at the right time would overthrow Pharaoh and bring them deliverance.

The next day he had gone out and seen two Hebrews fighting one another. "Why are you hitting your fellow Hebrew?" he asked.

The man said, "Who made you ruler and judge over us? Are you thinking of killing us as you killed the Egyptian?"

He could never forget the terror that struck his heart when he found out that his deed had become known. Learning that Pharaoh was trying to kill him, he had fled from Pharaoh and the land of Egypt and had gone to Midian. There he had befriended Jethro the, priest of Midian, and had married his daughter Zipporah.

Well that had been 40 years ago and now he wondered why he had ever in his wildest imagination thought that he, the boy of a Hebrew slave, could have ever stood alone against the most powerful Pharaoh and army in all the world and overcome them. The thought of all these things grieved him deeply. As he sat on the grassy knoll watching his sheep in the evening sunset he wondered why after all these years the memory on this evening came back so vividly in all its agony and glory.

As Moses drifted back to reality, he realized that he must be up and going before it got too much darker. Calling his sheep unto him, Moses turned once again toward the rocky path toward home. As Moses came near Mount Horeb, a strange sight suddenly captured his attention. A bush appeared to be on fire but was not burnt up.

"Now this is unusual," Moses thought. "I'll go over there and see why this bush is burning but is not being consumed by the flames." As Moses approached the burning bush there seemed to be an unearthly Presence that pervaded the whole mountain side. He wanted to draw closer, and yet wanted to run away all at the same time. But the closer he got, it seemed as though an irresistible magnetic force drew him toward the flames. It was then that a Voice called to him from the flames and said "Moses, Moses!"

The Call of God

Somehow in the deepest recesses of his soul Moses knew that this was the Voice of God. At first Moses was so overwhelmed that he could not find words to speak. Finally he was only able to stammer out, "Here I am."

God answered with a voice that was so majestic that it caused every fiber of Moses being to vibrate with awe. "Don't come any closer. Take off your shoes, for the place where you are standing is holy ground." Moses took off his shoes and knelt before the Holy Presence in the bush.

God spoke again. "I am the God of your father, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac and the God of Jacob." An absolute Holy fear engulfed his whole being and Moses hid his face because he was afraid to look at God.

"I have seen the misery of my people in Egypt, " God continued. I have heard them crying out because of their slave drivers, and I am concerned about their suffering. So I have come down to rescue them from the hand of the Egyptians and to bring them up out of that land into a good land into a good and spacious land, a land flowing with milk and honey. And now the cry of the Israelites has reached Me. I have seen the way the Egyptians are oppressing them. So now, go. I am sending you to Pharaoh to bring my people the Israelites out of Egypt."

"What? Me?" Moses thought. "Me? When I was young and full of energy and well versed in all the wisdom of Egypt maybe then I could have done it , but now ... now I am an old man. I have forgotten just about everything I have learned. I have no power, no army, nothing but a few docile sheep here on the backside of the desert. Surely God must be mistaken! No, I could never do it."

Finally Moses was able to to get out a few words, "Who am I, Lord, that I should go to Pharaoh and bring the Israelites out of Egypt?"

Now we see the self confident spirit of Moses completely broken as he realizes his own inadequacy for the job.

God answered, "I will be with you ... Tell them Moses, I Am has sent you to them."

This is the key that led to Moses success. He was only a man with a shepherd's rod but through God's anointing, through obedience to God's commands, he was able to bring down the mightiest empire in the world.

In essence God said, Moses it really doesn't matter who you are. It is who I Am that really counts. I Am that I Am. It was not who Moses was that mattered at all, it was who God was that was all that mattered! For God promised Moses that as he went forward at God's command, all the power of heaven would back him up.

Divine Encounters

It was basically this same confession that Moses made at the burning bush that God had wrung from the lips of Job so many years before. During a great period of immense suffering, trial, and hardship, forsaken and misunderstood by all who had loved him, Job maintained the confession of his righteousness. But when he saw God, he cried out, "My ears have heard of you but now my eyes have seen you. Therefore I despise myself and repent in dust and ashes."

It was the same realization that Peter came to when before Christ's crucifixion, he had boldly proclaimed, "Lord, even if all fall away on account of you I never will. I am ready to go with you to prison and to death!" But Jesus answered and said, "Peter, will you really lay down your life for me? I tell you the truth, before the rooster crows twice you will disown me three times?" And sure enough, as Peter stood outside the palace of the high priest, denying that he ever knew Jesus, that his eye caught sight of the Master, the rooster crowed for the second time and he went out and wept bitterly.

It was the same confession God evoked from Isaiah when in the midst of his ministry, after he had pronounced many judgments and woes to Israel, that He saw the Lord high and lifted up with his train filling the temple. Seraphim stood above Him who was so Holy that even these Holy and worshipful creatures could not look upon Him, but covered their faces with their wings and cried out, "Holy, Holy Holy is the Lord of Hosts, the whole earth is full of His glory".

As they cried out with a sound so grand and glorious that the door posts of the temple began to move and shake, the glory of the Lord began to roll into that temple like a cloud until the whole house was filled with smoke from His glory! When Isaiah beheld the Lord in such glory, he cried out confessing his sin and the sin of his nation saying, "Woe is me! I am a man of unclean lips and I dwell among a people of unclean lips!" That confession brought an angel with a coal from off the altar to touch and cleanse him. And brought an invitation of future service from the Lord.

These kind of experiences are unusual in America today. We live in a nation in which the mind set in the church and nation emphasize the need for self-esteem, a better self image, and an easy going quest for self preservation. Alan Bloom observed in his book Closing of the American Mind, "A few years ago I chatted with a taxi driver in Atlanta who told me he had just gotten out of prison, where he served time for peddling dope. Happily he had undergone therapy. I asked what kind. He responded, "all kinds - depth-psychology, transactional analysis ... He said that he had found his identity and learned to like himself. A generation earlier he would have found God and learned to despise himself as a sinner."

The Men and Women God Uses

There has always been personal revival before public revival in the men and women God uses. This revival has always produced basically the same effects. It convinces man of his total inadequacy and insufficiency before God. It convicts man of his self-life, of his own efforts. It reveals to man God's glory, majesty, and power. It calls man to service, but at the same time convinces that man or woman that there is no way to perform that service apart from intimate fellowship and empowering from the Lord.

The men and women God uses have always had the testimony of a close walk with God and and have longed for a holy life. They are men and women with a sensitive conscience. John Wesley declared in 1734: "My one aim in life is to secure personal holiness, for without being holy myself, I cannot promote real holiness in others."

Without exception they fear God and sin, and above all else fear losing that sense of God's Presence. The Person of Christ is their center, their focus and He is pre-eminent in their thoughts and hearts. Men and women who God uses in revival know that sin will grieve and quench the Holy Spirit. Their zeal for God is equalled only by their fear of offending Him.

These revivalists were men and women who did not bring messages about God or salvation from Bible texts alone, but they were men and women who brought messages from God. Their messages moved men and women to repentance and a changed life. They did not preach about Christ; they preached Christ. And they held forth the cross as not only the path to salvation, but the only path to a deeper walk with God.

They were men and women who loved God's Word. George Whitefield, revivalist of the First Great Awakening, wrote of his love for the word of God, "I began to read the Holy Scriptures upon my knees, laying aside all other books and praying over, if possible, every line and word. This proved meat and drink indeed to my soul. I daily received fresh light and power from above. I got more true knowledge from reading the Book of God in one month than I could ever have acquired from all the writings of men."

These were not extinct volcanos whose celestial fires had gone out. They were men and women whose inner fires erupted and engulfed the world around them in flames. They gave God the honor in everything He did through them. George Whitefield wrote in his diary, " I Pray that I may be very little in my own eyes, and not rob my dear master of any part of His glory." Those used in the revival in Scotland in 1921 were said to have "A humble idea of their own ability."

A New Vision of Jesus Christ

Douglas Brown wrote, "Revival begins with a vision, and the vision begins with a new sense of Jesus Christ." It will be noted that in each of these men's lives they had come back to Christ - the true Center of everything. It was not their vision, not some aspect of the truth, not to some particular doctrine, but their inner being had returned to an all consuming vision and relationship with Jesus Christ. Many Christians are preoccupied with mere things. Some are leader centered, some message centered, some problem centered. It is God's desire that we become centered upon the Person of Jesus Christ. It is God's desire not that we come to know truth, but that we come to know the Person, the living Person of Jesus Christ who is all truth. And to be consumed with love and worship for Him.

Here is the test. What are you occupied with? What has become central? Is it some leader? Some system of truth? Is it some church and its ministry? Is it some experience we can obtain? It is possible to have been seeking all kinds of things, but to have missed Him. Our motive in praying for revival cannot be because we want to improve our reputation, vindicate our theology, have the biggest church in town, or just want an exciting experience.

Revival is returning to Christ as the true Center. It is setting aside all our hectic schedules, our better management, our better structures, our extravagant claims and glittering showmanship and admitting our true condition. And seeking instead that seeming unproductive and unnoticed sweet hour of prayer in which we seek our First Love and seek to be brought into intimate relationship with Jesus Christ. Are we willing if necessary to break every habit, cancel every magazine or newspaper, sell our television, burn our novels, in short, to rid ourselves of everything that keeps us from drawing near to God in prayer and fellowship and make seeking God the greatest aim of our lives?

God Answers Prayer

When Israel cried out because of their bondage and oppression God answered in the "Burning Bush." When Isaiah saw the Exalted Lord of glory and cried out in conviction of sin, God answered with a coal of fire from off the altar, and a new calling and anointing. When Job beheld the All Glorious One, he repented of his self righteousness, forgave his friends, and God restored the fortunes of Job and gave him twice as much as he had before. The latter end of Job's life was greater than its beginning.When Peter caught a glimpse of his beaten Savior in the courtyard of the high priest, he went out and wept bitterly. The resurrected Christ appeared to him in forgiveness and cleansing and commissioned him to shepherd and feed His sheep.

On the Day of Pentecost 120 people had been crying out in desperate prayer for ten days in obedience to the commandment of the Resurrected Christ. God answered with tongues of fire and a mighty baptism in the Holy Spirit. As a result 3,000 were converted in a single day. When God's people become revived, when Jesus becomes the true center of their lives, and when worship, commitment, and the whole life is unto Him, then the ungodly are converted, regenerated and transformed. R.A. Torrey observed, "Drunkards become sober, impure men and women become pure. Thieves become honest men and industrious citizens; and lazy people get down gladly to hard work. A true revival always begins in the hearts of Christians but it never ends there." It extends outward to bring a lost and dying world unto God.

The Beauty of Jesus Christ

It wasn't who Moses was, who Isaiah, Job, Peter, George Whitefield, or John Wesley was that really mattered at all. It was Who He was and is that is all that really mattered.

Who was He? He was the One who Daniel saw whose garments were like white snow, the hair of his head was like pure wool. His throne was ablaze with flames and a river of fire was flowing out before Him! He is the One whom the Apostle John saw on the Isle of Patmos as he was exiled for the gospel, Whose eyes were like a flame of fire, Whose feet were like burnished bronze as when it is caused to glow in a furnace, Whose face was like the sun shining in its strength.

Who was He? He is the One who said, "I am the First and the Last. I am He that lives and was dead, and behold I am alive forever more and I have the keys of hell and of death!"

Who was He? When John saw the heavens opened, He was the One who was seated upon a white horses whose eyes are a flame of fire. He is the One whose name is called Faithful and True who in righteousness judges and wages war. He is the One upon whose head are many diadems, for all the kingdoms He has conquered. And He is clothed with a robe dipped in blood and His name is called the Word of God, and the armies which are in heaven follow Him on white horses. From His mouth comes a sharp sword so that with it He may smite the nations and He will rule them with a rod of iron with which to rule the nations and He treads the wine press of the fierce wrath of Almighty God. And on His robe and on His thigh he has a name written - King of Kings and Lord of Lords!

He is the One who is crying out in Communist lands and in places that were once the great spawning grounds of atheism and the great breeding grounds of anti-Christian thought saying, "The time has come to gather all nations and tongues, and those who have not heard of My Name shall come and see My glory. For I will pour out My Holy Spirit on all mankind, and your sons and daughters shall prophesy and all mankind shall come and bow before Me."

He is the One who is knocking at the door of the churches in America and crying, "You are rich and have become wealthy and have need of nothing, and you do not know that you are wretched miserable, poor, blind, and naked. I counsel you to buy from Me gold refined in the fire, that you may be rich; and white garments, that you may be clothed, that the shame of your nakedness may not be revealed; and anoint your eyes with eye salve that you may see. As many as I love, I rebuke and chasten. Therefore be zealous and repent. Behold, I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears My voice and opens the door, I will come into him and fellowship with him and he with Me."

Rose Weiner is the author of several books including "Bible Studies for a Firm Foundation" with over a million sold and distributed around the world. She has been in the ministry, campus ministry, and world-missions for over 35 years. You can purchase her highly acclaimed Bible studies at www.WeinerMedia.com as well as other life-changing books.