US Sports Baseball: 5 Reasons Why There Is More To Good Base Running Than Just Speed and Giants vs. A's Game Highlights

 

• By Brandon Ogle

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When a baseball player is fast, the first thing everyone assumes is that they are an elite level base runner. Too often someone with speed will still find themselves getting thrown out all over the field, because they don’t pay attention to the details of becoming a great base runner. Here are 5 reasons any one from slow runners to the elite speed players can become a better base runner.

#1 Ability To Read The Ball Off The Bat

An innate ability to get a great read off the bat can be the difference between a run scored and getting stranded at 3rd base. This skill comes from practice and game experience. The more balls off the bat you see, the more often you will be able realize when you can go ahead and get a great jump and when to hold and see if the ball is caught.

Another major part of this principle is knowing your ballparks - especially your home park. If there is an unusual nook or cranny where you know the ball gets stuck, or if the left field line is really deep, you know that it takes the fielder longer to get there, which allows you to take the extra base.

Be sure to practice these reads every day, anytime you go through base running drills. Before you know it, you won’t even think about whether a ball is going to land in the gap, your instincts will just tell you to go.

#2 Ability To Read The Pitcher

Rickey Henderson is the undisputed greatest base stealer of all time. Henderson was fast, but he will tell you that studying the other pitchers and using your instincts is the reason why he was so successful. 

Every pitcher’s delivery is different. Some take a long time to the plate; others incorporate a slide step to keep the runner honest. Some pitchers will change their timing every pitch, while others are locked in on the hitter. These are all tendencies you can see immediately as the game starts and that will arm your base running game.

Does the pitcher look over twice and deliver the ball every time? Then be ready to take off once you see that second glance. The first game of the 2015 baseball season, featuring Jon Lester of the Cubs versus the savvy Cardinals serves as a great example. Coming into the game, Lester has not made a pickoff attempt to first base since April 30, 2013, a period of 66 starts. The Cardinals knew this information and knew Lester wouldn’t be holding them close, so they ran every chance they got. When Lester did finally throw over a few starts later, he threw the ball into right field. 

Studying pitchers and learning how to read pitcher tendencies gives you a huge advantage. In the example above Matt Holliday, someone not known for his speed, was able to take second base and get himself in scoring position because the team had studied their opponent and knew how to take advantage.

#3 Become Excellent At Sliding

There are players all over baseball that are terrible at sliding. I could write an entire article with images of professional players costing themselves outs by being a poor slider. Here’s an example using Drew Stubbs, an extremely fast base runner. He has 2nd base stolen easily but he doesn’t slide properly, his knee gets dug into he clay and he flips over 2nd base and is tagged out.

There are so many different types of slides that can help avoid tags and put you in an ideal position if done correctly. Pop slides allow you to get to the bag and get on your feet quickly in case you can take an extra base. Hook slides let you slide to the outer or inner edge of the base depending on where the throw comes from. Practice these slides over and over again from a young age. Eventually, they become second nature and you won’t end up on the Not Top 10 like Stubbs.

I also want to take the time to say that sliding incorrectly is very dangerous. Knees are shredded and fingers, wrists and hands broken every year due to bad sliding techniques. Take the time to practice and do it right because trying to come back from a broken wrist is no fun in baseball. Also, don’t dive into first base, it isn’t faster than running through the bag and it almost always ends up badly for the base runner. 

Check out this course that will help you slide like a pro in no time.

#4 Work With And Trust Your 3rd Base Coach

Your 3rd Base coach is your greatest ally in becoming a better base runner. It’s important you work with your 3rd base coach and that they realize your skill level so that they can properly coach you on where to go. I know this is difficult but you should always trust your 3rd base coach. If he is telling you to hold up, then put on the brakes. If he is waving you home then turn on the after-burners.

There will be times when your 3rd base coach is wrong, however they always have the better angle at the play. If you are trying to turn your head and find the ball while running, it is going to slow you down. You will be more likely to miss a base and your body will be out of sync. Your 3rd base coach can see if there is a bobble, or if the fielder fields it cleanly and comes up throwing.

In the end, you will save yourself a lot bad mistakes by listening to and trusting your 3rd base coach. We all know there is no worse look than when you run through a stop sign and get thrown out at the plate, especially with your cleanup hitter standing on deck.

#5 Know The Situation – When To Take The Extra Base

If you read more of my baseball-related articles, you’ll find that I often come back to the principle of being the smartest player on the field and it applies to base running as well. You should always be aware of the situation. Perhaps you are a great base runner and always have the green light to steal, however, your best hitter is standing at the plate with 2 outs and the other catcher has already thrown you out once. This is probably not the best time to try to prove you can beat the catcher. 

This goes back to studying the game and always paying attention. It may be okay to try to stretch a double into a triple early in the game, but you don’t want to get thrown out at 3rd for the first out in a tie game in the 9th inning. Your 3rd base coach should be helping you in these situations as well. If you are striving to be the smartest player on the field, you will more often than not put yourself in the best positions to score.

Conclusion

There are so many poor base runners in the game today that taking these steps to becoming better will set you apart from the rest of your team. Coaches notice when you are working on the little things and sometimes it is as simple as becoming great at the fundamentals: knowing the situation, becoming a better slider and trusting your coaches. 

 

US Sports Martial Arts: Training For Mixed Martial Arts (MMA) - Best Conditioning Techniques and Stamp & Superbon Were STUNNED 😳 Jojo vs. Paez & MORE

 

 

• Author Hubert Mahala

How to Train for MMA (Mixed Martial Arts)

MMA (Mixed Martial Arts) is growing in popularity every day and has been for more than a decade. This has only increased since professional fighting circuits, the UFC and other events started being promoted on television. So it's obvious, then, that people want to learn all about it. The sport is quite a demanding one and the level of success you reach will be dependent upon a few things. Your current physical fitness, the kind of training you get and how well you are conditioned all factor into it. Within this article are a few important tips that you can employ for MMA training.

You need to cultivate the training mindset of matching all you do with what happens in a MMA fight scenario. There are endless possibilities in regard to the hundreds of training exercises available for you to do. It is imperative that you train intelligently, taking your time to do the training properly. If you approach it with a lazy attitude, you will train incorrectly and that is the road to defeat.

You must do exercises that include as many joint movements as possible. You must have strong and flexible joints to do these exercises. Take care of your joints through proper warm up times and stretching. Many of our other articles have gone over core training and why it is important. So when you do MMA fighting, it is critical that you build Rotary core strength. It is all about rotating your core as you engage in any one particular fighting technique. When fighting, and doing any number of techniques, static core strength is absolutely essential to proper delivery. Strength during the fight, as well as endurance, is necessary when you execute this particular move many times. So as not to injure your back or spine, rotary core training needs to be done as carefully as possible.

It is important that anyone who does MMA fighting become comfortable with the basic stance, your proverbial "sweet spot" before the fight begins. You will also need to experiment with finding it and then refining your techniques. Of course, there are two areas of concern when doing this type of fighting. One is on the mat and grappling. The other is standing and fighting. You must be able to smoothly transition into both scenarios from your stance or stances if you have several. Whether you're going down on the mat, or you are striking with power, proper balance is always required. But do not forget that you need to be firmly rooted in your stance, as well.

You can make your difficult mixed martial arts training easier to approach when you get into a groove and don't break it. It's even better if you can view it as a habit that will help you get through your daily training workouts. Then of course maybe you have joined a local MMA club or have a membership in a school. This offers you the chance to practice and test all of the MMA learning and training you have done.

Here's a link which may help you to gain a much greater comprehension of the aforementioned editorial. I recommend you check it out MMA Houston TX. will even present a whole lot details.

US Sports Volleyball: How to Teach Serving Volleyballs and USA 🇺🇸 vs. Spain 🇪🇸 - Highlights Girls’ U19 Worlds

 

• By Grant Young

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Teaching volleyball players how to serve can be a deceptively daunting task. 

Regardless of what level you’re teaching at, there’s a good chance that your players have already picked up poor serving habits and techniques that could cost your team when the games get underway. And if these habits aren’t quelled by a coach, they’re only going to worsen over time. 

Volleyball serving drills are a great way to hone your players’ serving skills. But in order for these drills to make an impact during the game, you need to get crystal clear on how to actually teach your players how to serve the volleyball.

This is why we've compiled a few of the best lessons on serving the internet has to offer. These three courses will give you a great idea of how to develop your volleyball players’ respective serves and help fix any flaws they have accrued on past teams.

And because these courses are taught by elite coaches who have decades of experience under their belts, you can be sure that their teachings have produced innumerable aces. 

Volleyball Serve: Basic Serving Technique

Allison Lebar has enjoyed great success during her tenure as the varsity girls' volleyball coach at Riverdale Country School in New York. She consistently led her program to the New York state tournament and helped many of her players achieve their dreams of playing volleyball at the collegiate level. Her ‘Volleyball Tips & Drills Video Library’ course contains some exceptional tidbits on how to teach the serve effectively. 

Coach Lebar notes that there are three basic elements to the serve. The first is the step, the second is the toss, and the third is the way the server moves their arm. 

When it comes to the step, an important point Coach Lebar makes is that players must take a normal, natural step when serving. Many players have a tendency to over-step when serving, which can cause them to fall off balance and deliver a poor ball. 

During the tossing portion of the serve, it’s crucial that the player toss the ball directly in front of them. Coaches often notice that some players have developed the habit of tossing the ball closer to their serving hand because they think that will make for a better serve. But doing so actually increases the chances the serve won’t be hit clearly. 

And the third portion of the serve is the way the server moves their arm. For this, Coach Lebar suggests that the server bring their arm back behind their head and then extend to the top of their reach to make contact. In addition, the server should not stop their swing at the point of making contact and instead follow through straight in front of her body.

Float Serving

Pat “PP” Powers is considered one of the world’s best volleyball coaches. He spent six seasons as Head Men’s Volleyball coach at the University of Southern California, winning 100 matches and twice coming within one win of the NCAA Volley Four.

But Coach Powers’ playing career is even more impressive. Among his many accolades is winning a gold medal at the 1984 Olympics, along with being only one of three players in the world who has won both an indoor and an outdoor world championship. 

His ‘Volleyball Tips and Techniques’ course includes a good few coaching tips that only someone who has both coached and played at the world-class level could know. 

Among these include how to execute a float serve. A float serve is volleyball’s version of a knuckleball, where the ball is jump-served and moves in unpredictable ways that make it hard for opponents to return it. 

When doing a float serve, Coach Powers notes one should make a concerted effort to not spin the ball at all when serving. The reason for this is that the server should want to take all control off of the ball, thus maximizing its unpredictable movement after it’s struck. 

In addition, Coach Powers notes that the first thing the server should do before executing the float serve is to locate the needle insertion point on the ball, and position that on the other side of where they’re going to hit the ball. The reason for this is that needlepoint weighs more than anything else on the ball, and therefore the ball will move more effectively and unpredictably if this point is positioned away from you. 

When it comes to making contact with the ball during a float serve, rather than hitting it with the fingers that will create spin, Coach Powers suggests the player hit it with the palm of their hand (specifically, in between the two bones right at the beginning of one’s hand) instead.

Serving

2024 was Coach Genny Volpe’s 21st season as the head women’s volleyball coach at Rice University in Texas. Genny Volpe has established the Owl volleyball program as a power in the Southwest, having taken them to eight NCAA tournaments (2004, 2008, 2009, 2018, 2019, spring 2021, fall 2021, 2022), the only eight appearances in Rice's history.

Coach Volpe’s ‘Game Ready! Implementing Game Situation in Daily Practice’ course contains a few excellent tips on teaching serving practice in a way that will help players retain that information. 

One way Coach Volpe does this is by creating game-like serving drills. An example of this is when Coach Volpe divides her roster into two different teams and has them competing against one another with their serves. 

This can be done in multiple different ways. A coach can have their players aim for a specific section on the court, and tally all the times they serve it in that section, a radar gun could be used and the team with the highest average velocity wins, or any other creative way a coach can come up with.

US Sports Softball: Youth Softball Strength: A Guide to Foundational Training by Austin Wasserman and AUSL - VOLTS VS TALONS Game Highlights

 

The Youth SOFTBALL Strength Book: A Guide to Foundational Training was created to help youth athletes (Ages 7-14), Master the Basics and learn the Foundational Blocks of Strength Training!

This simplified and easy to follow digital PDF download, otherwise known as an E-Book, will help parents and coaches teach their young athletes about safe and effective training, exercise technique, basic programming, on-field training options and much, much more!

This program is a 24-Week Youth Strength Training Program! It is separated into 3-Month Training Blocks. The Beginner/Intermediate Program is 12-Weeks and the Advanced Program is 12-Weeks. Once you finish the 24-Weeks (6-month program), you can cycle back through the program again, increasing the intensity (load or weight), to challenge yourself even more!

• Exercise Videos
• Program Format/Structure
• Tests & Measurements
• Warm-Up Progressions
• Fun Conditioning & Agility Options
• 12-Week Beginner/Intermediate Strength
• 12-Week Advanced Strength
• On-Field Training Options
• *Lifetime Access to Updates

The Coach

Austin Wasserman

Owner/Founder of High Level Throwing® & High Level Pitching®

Austin Wasserman is the Owner/Founder of Wasserman Strength, High Level Throwing® and High Level Pitching®. He’s a Strength Coach, Performance Coach and Author from Brooklyn, New York. He’s the Author of the High Level Throwing® Series E-Books!

Austin received his B.S. in Exercise Science with a concentration in Strength & Conditioning through the University of Connecticut Department of Kinesiology. He also received his Masters Degree in Human Nutrition through the University of Bridgeport.

He is a Certified Strength & Conditioning Specialist (CSCS) through the National Strength & Conditioning Association (NSCA) and has been training athletes for the past 15 years.

Austin is highly respected by coaches, parents and players for his approach and knowledge of the human body. He has worked in New York City alongside some of the top Physical Therapists and Motor Learning Specialists in the country.

Austin works with Youth, High School, College, MiLB & MLB Baseball Players as well as Softball Players of all ages. He has consulted for and currently consults for some of the top baseball and softball programs in the country such as Vanderbilt, Alabama, Arizona State, Minnesota, Duke, University of South Carolina, LSU, Ole Miss, University of Washington, UNCW, Coastal Carolina, Villanova, Texas Lutheran and Iowa State to name a few.

His books, High Level Throwing®, are some of the most used overhand throwing books in the country! These books teach baseball and softball players how to move efficiently, maximize throwing potential, improve accuracy and create intent based on position, through constraint training drills and progressions.

HighLevelThrowing.com is an educational website for Baseball and Softball players with information and training products for Movement, Arm Care, Injury Prevention, Rehabilitation, Throwing Development and Training Books! Book this course......

US Sports Golf: History of Golf And US Sports Golf Feat. Round 1 Highlights LIV Golf Dallas 2025

 

• Author Pete Buchanan

The popularity of golf is growing, with 68 million golfers worldwide to date. Since 2020, the number of 9- and 18-hole golfers has increased by 15% in three years. Countries like the USA, Japan, and Canada comprise the largest percentage of players, with the US alone seeing 20 million people participating in the sport.

Participation outside of golf is also rising, with off-course activities such as driving ranges and simulators driving participation. While golf is growing in popularity annually, many do not know its history, including when it was invented and key facts concerning its origins. This article outlines the history of golf in under five minutes of reading time.

When was Golf Invented?

The origins of golf are largely debated, but its history can be traced back to ancient empires, such as the Roman Empire and the Chinese Ming Dynasty. Specifically, the Roman stick-and-ball game of Paganica, which spread throughout Europe, and the Chinese game Chuiwan, played by traders throughout the continent, are likely descendants of golf.

After these old golfing variations spread throughout medieval Europe, the first forms of golf resembling modern-day interpretations were established near Edinburgh, Scotland. Historical records indicate that a stick or club was used to hit pebbles over dunes as a form of golf. It gained noteworthy popularity, so much so that it was banned in 1457 by the Scottish Parliament of King James II.

In 1502, this interpretation of golf gained royal permission and was endorsed by King James IV. The monarch’s predecessors – King Charles I and Mary Queen of Scots- later spread the sport throughout England and Europe.

In the following two hundred years, the first international golf tournament took place in 1682 in Lief, Scotland, with the first club formed in 1744 named the Gentlemen Golfers of Leith – formally instituting the sport we know today. The world’s first 18-hole course was established at St Andrews, Scotland, establishing a new standard for golf twenty years later in 1764; through the next century and beyond, golf went global, with the British Empire disseminating it from India to Hong Kong, giving the sport the international appeal we see today.

To learn more about golf, explore our video courses on the ISNation app, by veteran golf coach Pete Buchanan

5 Historical Facts About Golf

The history of golf is complicated, with historical scholars often disagreeing on its origin. Still, here are five commonly agreed-upon facts about golf you might not have known about:

While golf was banned in 1457 by King James II to favor other sports, such as Archery, the Scottish largely ignored the ban

King James IV of Scotland became the first golfing sovereign in 1502 when his parliament reinstated golf.

The term ‘caddie’ derives from Mary Queen of Scots’ French assistants, Cadets, who aided her in France while she studied and spread the sport.

Outside of Britain, the world’s oldest golf club, the Royal Calcutta Golf Club, was established in India in 1829.

In Europe, the first golf course was constructed in Pau, France, in 1856, and other clubs and golf courses were established throughout the continent in the 19th century.

Who is the Best Golfer of all Time?

While hotly debated, the best golfer of all time can be narrowed down to Tiger Woods or Jack Nicklaus—both masters of the sport with numerous wins and titles; these players are practically equal in their accomplishments and profound impact on golf. Nicklaus won 18 major championships (currently an unbeaten record), 73 PGA Tour wins, and was the youngest golfer to win a grand slam at 26.

Conversely, Woods holds the record for most PGA wins with 15 majors and 683 weeks at the top of his game as the best golfer in the world. Both players have lengthy accolades and accomplishments, making it difficult to determine the best golfer of all time. Woods is known for his mind-bending shots, while Nicklaus dominated the tour during the 1960s and 1970s, an era noted for its intense competitiveness. This distinction between the two greats is difficult to make.

What is the Farthest Drive in Golf History?

American PGA Tour golfer Max Homa executed the longest official golf drive in history in 2024. Performed at the seventh hole of the Plantation Course at Kapalua in Hawaii, Homa drove the ball 477 yards.

While this is officially the farthest drive in golf history on tour, other notable unofficial drives include Tiger Woods at 498 yards, Carl Cooper at 787 yards, and Mike Austin at 515 yards. The former saw the record wiped by the PGA, and the latter two are not officially included because they were conducted prior to the year 2000, before the ShotLink Era.

Nevertheless, Max Homa still holds the record for the longest official golf drive in history, with Davis Love III and Jeff Sluman narrowly behind at 476 and 473 yards on the PGA tour.

What Countries is Golf Most Popular?

The worldwide popularity of the sport has seen most traction and players in the following 3 countries, based on # of golf courses:

USA

Japan

UK

It is particularly notable that Japan ranks #2 despite having much less land to build courses on compared to the UK or Canada.

Golf Has a Rich, Royal History

This article has outlined the history of golf from its ancient conception to its expansion in Scotland, England, and, subsequently, the rest of the world. Tied to the British monarchs of old, modern-day golf is intrinsically linked to the royal heritage of the contemporary Western world.

If you’re a golfer looking to improve your mental game, check out the ISNation App for mind set courses and daily training.

US Sports Hockey: 7 Effective Puck Protection Drills for Defenseman and Behind the Scenes: 2025 NHL Draft Round 1 Sights and Sounds

 

• By Jacob Crabtree

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In order to shine as a hockey defenseman, mastering puck protection is crucial for both defensive and offensive success. This course details various drills and skills necessary for a defenseman to thrive when protecting the puck in both zones, generating scoring chances for their teams. 

Here are some essential drills for defensemen to become puck-protecting beasts.

Small Area Games:

2 v 2 or 3 v 3 Picket Fences:

Picket fences are great small-area games for defensive players enforcing puck protection in a limited amount of space. 

Offensive players get two points for scoring a goal and defensemen receive one point for skating the puck out or through the two cones set up at the blue line. 

How the drill is set up is defenseman and offense are lined up on a preferred side of the zone (the picket fence) and two cones are positioned on the opposite side next to each other at the blue line. 

The offensive players try to create chances and passing lanes by being diligent with the puck and try to score some goals. While defenseman try to cover offensive players and protect the puck in fashions that don’t result in turnovers or chances for the other team.

 Picket fences enforce quick decisions in tight spaces preparing players for game-like circumstances.

FCG:

Four Corners teaches players how to effectively make decisions with the puck with limited time and space.

The drill can be either 2 v 2 or 3 v 3 in the middle of the four corners. 

Cones are set up in four separate corners on a preferred side of the ice with one player staying in each corner, and four players in the center. 

With two distinct teams, two from each are in the middle of the zone, and teammates for either team are in the corners diagonal from each other. A puck is dumped into the middle of the zone where players from either team gain possession and protect the puck from the other two players. 

The players in the middle then try to achieve passing to one of their players in the corner to gain points. 

Where one point is gained for each pass made to a teammate in a corner.

2 v 1 Puck Protection Help:

This drill employs defensemen with abilities to escape forecheckers and learn how to move without the puck. 

Two extra players are standing at the tops of the circles, the coach dumps a puck into the corner where the defenseman gets a head start and two forwards forecheck the defensemen. 

The defenseman tries to protect the puck from the forwards and can use the two extras as outlets for passes to create space and time. 

The two forwards try to take the puck from the defenseman and score on the net. 

If the offensive players score they get one point, but if the defenseman is able to protect the puck and escape the forecheckers he gets two points.

 Two-on-One Battle:

While one-on-one drills are very common for developing defenseman skills, this drill enables hockey defensemen to make decisions under pressure. 

A puck is dumped into the corner where the defenseman goes first, and the two offensive players chase but do not actually take the puck. 

The forecheckers flip their sticks around and chase the puck handler building comfortably for the defenseman with forecheckers. 

For the defenseman to win the drill, they must skate the puck out or the coach blows the whistle. 

Simple yet effective in establishing puck protection skills in the most vital part of the ice for a defenseman.

Basic Puck Protection Around the Net:

Variation #1:

These two variations are very basic drills, but without a doubt essential to master for a defenseman building comfortably with pressure. 

Coach dumps a puck into the corner from a preferred side of the blue line.

Defensemen are lined up behind the blue line, where one player starts the drill from the hash marks on the same side of the zone as the coach.

The player begins skating backward portraying an actual dump-in, transitions to forwards, picks up the puck, but observes and surrounds the puck. 

Takes the puck around the net protecting the biscuit from an imaginary or actual forechecker and proceeds to make a crisp pass to the line of defenseman at the blue line. 

Enabling the next player in line to go.

Variation #2:

The coach and defenseman are in same spot as Variation #1, the puck is dumped into the corner, the defenseman starts skating backward, transitions to forward, and observes where to take space. 

Protects the puck from the forechecker and takes the puck to the back of the net, stops, wheels out the same side he/she started from, and makes a firm pass to the line of players at the blue line. 

To make the drill more game-like and possibly more enticing, the coach could throw an actual forechecker in there and tell the defenseman to make a decision around the net in any matter the player wishes. 

Hopefully getting around the forechecker and making a pass to the line of players in one fashion or another. 

Building very essential game-like skills to protect the puck from forecheckers.

Longtail Puck Protection Drill

Longtail is a drill that promotes offensive skills but teaches players how to protect the puck and keep moving to create a scoring chance in the offensive zone. 

Two lines of players are positioned on opposite sides of the blueline facing the net, two players on both sides are positioned stationary at the top and bottom of the circles. 

Where two cones on both sides of the ice are set up about three to four feet from the tops of the circle.

The first player in line starts the drill on one side, does a figure eight around both stationary players while protecting the puck from their stick checks. 

Finishes the figure eight at the top of the circle, comes around the cone, and takes a quick shot on net following their rebound. 

The next player in line can go once the player finishes his/her figure eight. 

After the player takes their shot, they take the place of the stationary player at the bottom of the circle. 

Rotating from taking their shot, moving to the lower stationary player, advancing to the higher stationary player, and back into line, forming an effective drill system. 

An excellent drill when stations are set up in different areas of the ice. 

Winning Hockey Defense featuring Coach Red Gendron

 

The Rock Almighty. Called to be Teachers and Men Do Not Have Vaginas...

 Author Garfield Gregoir

Millions profess to be Christians and yet they do not understand why God calls a person out of the world to be a Christian; they believe that the purpose of the Christian is just to get saved and make it into heaven. But would you be surprised to know that such belief is not the true teaching of the Bible, because God has called the Christian out of the world for a greater purpose than the selfish way of us trying to save our own skin by making it into God’s kingdom.

A True Christian is Called

People assume or believe that there is somehow a contest going on between God and Satan – whereby God is on a desperate course of trying to wrestle away as many lost souls from Satan and to get them saved, but in truth, this is a myth, a fable, false belief. God has never been in contest with Satan – as God is SUPREMELY in charge over Satan – meaning Satan can do no more than God allows; and this is proven when God commands or tells Satan to not take the life of God’s servant Job; Satan was given permission to afflict Job but could go no further – so as to take the life of Job (Job 2:6).

During his earthly ministry, Jesus never preached or came begging anyone to please accept Him into their heart; He never pleaded with anyone to make him their savior. As matter of fact, Jesus even spoke to great crowds of people in parables; and when his disciples came to him – asking why He spoke to the people in parables, Jesus said: “because it is given unto you to know the mysteries of the kingdom of heaven, but to them it is not given” (Matt. 13:10,11).

If some high powered Evangelists or preacher of today were speaking to such crowds – even as Jesus did, they are likely to beg or appeal to the crowd to please accept Jesus; to give their hearts to him but Jesus did no such thing; He did not plead with the crowd because they were not being called by God to become a true follower of Christ; and it does not mean they are lost to God or that they will never have a chance to be in God’s kingdom, but it meant that God is not now calling them to be converted at that time – as Jesus had only called his disciples to understand.

In speaking of his disciples, Jesus told them that they did not choose Him but that He chose them (John 15:16). Also, in John 6:44, Jesus said, “No man can come to me, except the Father which sent me draw him …” It is God the Father who has to specially select and call out a human being to become a Christian; becoming a Christian involve a selection process; it is a special calling out of a person from the rest of humanity; this is why Peter urges the true Christian “… to make your calling and election sure …” (2 Peter 1:10). Election means to be selected out from among others. Ephesians 1:4 says: “According as he hath chosen us in him before the foundation of the world.” Here again it is shows that a person has to be specially called out by God’s selection, and yet the millions who profess to be followers of Christ do not understand this; they think God is desperately trying to get the whole world saved now. Yes, God will have all men to be saved (1 Timothy 2:4), but it is not in God’s plan to save everyone now – as God has only been calling out a few and will seek to save the rest of humanity or the world at a later date.

In comparison to the vast ocean humanity in this world, this few that God has called out is like a bucket of water in this ocean of humanity; it is just a small or tiny drop. This may sound like a shocking thing to say, but it happens to be true – as Jesus described his true followers as a “little flock” (Luke 12:32) - meaning God’s true servants would not be numbering among the millions who profess to know God but would be those few having the very truth of God, and set apart from the false religious beliefs and customs of this world; it was Jesus who prayed that his servants would be sanctified (set apart) by knowing and having the truth (John 17:17).

Most may not understand or have considered that in the Old Testament, humanity – as whole did not know God or had the holy Spirit of God; it was only the few such as Noah Enoch, Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, Joseph, Moses, David, the prophets – just to name a few, who really had the Spirit of God and were called out of the world by God; even God’s chosen people Israel, were not spiritually converted and did not have God’s holy Spirit -as they were given ritual ceremonial laws to follow – along with the promise of material blessings if they obeyed God; and even so, they failed to obey God – to the point where God had to punish them by allowing their enemies to come up against them; the Spirit of God was not given to them; God even said, “O that there were such an heart in them, that they would fear me and keep all my commandments always …” (Deut. 5:29).

Israel knew of God as creator and the one who delivered them out of Egypt, but because they did not have God holy Spirit, they did not know God in an intimate Spiritual way; they did not have spiritual knowledge of God; and this is why the Bible reveals that when Christ comes and bring back the people of Israel to life in a great resurrection, God is going to place his Spirit in them; Ezekiel 37:13,14 says: “And ye shall know that I am the Lord, when I have opened up your graves, O my people, and brought you up out of your graves. And shall put my spirit in you …” This is speaking of time after the one thousand years millennial rule of Christ on earth when all Israel, or those who have died, will be resurrected to physical life and then come to know God – by having his holy Spirit; his holy Spirit will now be given to them as they become converted.

And another thing that may sound shocking to people, is that after Adam sinned, God drove the human pair out of the garden of Eden- shutting off his holy Spirit from mankind-which is symbolized by the two angels sent to guard the tree of life – preventing man from taking of the tree or to eat of it; the tree of life represented the Spirit of God or spiritual knowledge – hence, all of humanity – except for those few mentioned above, never had the true knowledge of God; and so, since Adam until Christ came to pay the penalty for the sins of the world, God never made any effort to save humanity or offered salvation to them, but allowed humanity to continue in the sinful ways of Adam and Eve; and even when Christ came to pay the penalty for the sins of mankind, Christ began by first selecting only his disciples to follow him; the disciples were specially chosen or selected to be his student or learners; and for three and a half years, the disciples were taught and trained by Jesus Christ to become qualified teachers to preach the Gospel to the world; they had to be students or learners first; they had to be trained to be qualified teachers; and when they were ready, the Spirit of God came upon them on the day of Pentecost and they preached the Gospel of the kingdom of God – to the point that many were in attendance on that day was led to repentance and conversion; they received the Spirit of God - as Peter said to them: “For the promise is unto you, and to your children, and to all that are afar off, even as many as the Lord our God shall call’ (Acts 2:39). Here is showed that God chose or called those people to conversion; to repent of sin and to have God’s holy Spirit. These people could NOT have received God’s Spirit unless God has specially selected or called them out of the world.

When Adam and Eve sinned against God, the human pair became the children of Satan; Satan had become their ruler; and in a sense, the human pair had been kidnapped or deceived into following Satan’s wrong way of living – to the point that all of humanity (except for those few God called out of the world) has been going Satan’s way – having their minds filled with Satan’s attitude of envy, lust, selfishness, vanity disobedience, and greed; and it was for this very reason Jesus told people of his day that they were of their father the devil (John 8:44).

Those who profess to believe on Christ, do not seem to understand that this world is not God’s world – meaning it is not a world ruled by God, but by Satan; this world is Satan’s world, and he is the “god of this world” (2Nd Corinthians 4:4). God’s world will only come when Jesus Christ comes to remove Satan and take over the kingdoms of this world (Revelation 11:15). This world, because of sin and evil, is like a rickety old building that need to be torn down, and God is going to do that when Christ comes; God is not trying to save all of humanity now – so as to try and repair Satan’s world or to make Satan’s world a better place; and this was why Jesus said, “My kingdom is not of this world …” (John 18:36). Jesus has yet to come into his kingdom; and because the kingdom is not yet here; we still pray thy kingdom come; we pray for it to come because it has not yet come; and when it comes, it will be the start of an entirely new civilization that is going to burst forth on this planet – as Satan is going to be removed and Christ becomes the new world ruler of earth.

If God had been trying to get everyone saved now, then you would have to admit that Satan would have been winning the battle because humanity has always been going Satan’s way instead of God’s way. People seem to find it more appealing or are more driven to do the wrong over the right way of life; people who love sports would rather be at a basketball or football game rather than to keep the Sabbath holy; to their minds, they think the ways of this world – with all its glitter and sinful ways are more appealing than God’s way.

The Bible even forewarned that evil men are going are going to become worse (2 Timothy 3:13); and knowing this, do you not think if God was in a contest with Satan to get men saved, God does not have the power to wrest these people out of Satan’s grasp? Of course, God has the power to do so, but since God in not in some contest with Satan and God is not now trying to get everyone saved now, God has allowed these things to be the way they are -until Christ comes to set up the ruling government of God over the earth; nothing can happen without God allowing it.

Why Would God Call only a Few Now and not Everyone?

It is possible to imagine someone saying: Why would God only select a few now and not everyone? After all, is God not a God of love – who loves and cares for all people, then why would He just select some and leave others out? Is God being fair in doing such thing?

The Bible says, “For there is no respecter of persons with God” (Romans 2:11). As human beings we are all sinners; all stand guilty before God and no human being is better than the other because “… all have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God” (Romans 3:23); and so, those who God has called out of the world are not called because God sees them as being better than other people or that they deserved to be called first, but they are called out only because God chooses to call certain ones out by his own determined will and purpose and not one of us has the right to tell God who He should call and not call; this is NOT our prerogative.

But why are the true Christians called now? What is the reason or purpose for doing this when all the rest of humanity are also in need of God’s grace and mercy?

The Bible says God’s ways are perfect (Psalm 18:30); and you can be sure that God has perfect reason or purpose for calling a few now and the rest of humanity later. But what is that reason?

As previously shown, Jesus chose and taught his disciples, and then commissioned them to preach the gospel to others; and these others who heeded the gospel message – by repenting of sin and being converted, were also called to learn, study and grow in spiritual knowledge and understanding - so as to qualify to be able to teach the truth of the Bible to others; this is why the Bible says, “… be ready always to give an answer to every man that ask you a reason of the hope that is in you …” 1 Peter 3;15). Also 2 Timothy 2:15: “Study to shew thyself approved unto God. A workman that needeth not be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth. A truly converted Christian is to study and understand the bible not only for their own spiritual growth and development, but also to the purpose of being able to teach the Bible to other people who may question you in regard to your faith, but to also prepare to qualify to be a teacher to the rest of humanity when Christ comes to reign on earth.

When Christ comes to reign on earth and Satan is removed, the vast ocean of humanity who has for so long been deceived by Satan into believing the wrong things and living the opposite way of God’s truth or in spiritual ignorance, are going to have to be re-educated in God’s way of life; they are going to have to be taught God’s truth – as the bible reveals it, and in order for those millions of humans to come into to such knowledge, the saints of God -who has been called in this life, will, under the authority of Jesus Christ, have the responsibility of being teachers to all these millions of people that will be living on earth at that time. When Christ comes, He is not going to snap his fingers and suddenly the masses of humanity is going to come into the knowledge of God and the Bible instantaneously; NO, not at all, these people are going to have to be taught the right way of life; they are going to have to learn and be trained in the knowledge of God – as such learning will require time and patience – lasting throughout the entire 1000 years rule of Christ.

Habakkuk 2:14 says, “For the earth shall be filled with the knowledge of the glory of the Lord as the waters cover the sea.” This earth that has always been in rebellion against God on every sinful level is now going to eventually come into the knowledge of God and will live the way of righteousness and peace. But how do you suppose such worldwide knowledge and understanding shall come? It has to come through a process of teaching the multiple billions the true knowledge of God; people have to be taught the true way of life; they will be taught to put away their false beliefs, customs and practices and come into the true knowledge of the Supreme Creator.

Just as Jesus trained his disciples -as students, who were later qualified to go out and teach others, even so, the true Christians - who will no longer be flesh and blood, but Spirit beings in the kingdom of God, will be responsible for teaching mortal humans the Bible - so they too can learn God’s truth and become qualified teachers themselves; they are to become qualified teachers because at the end of the one thousand years rule of Christ over the earth, there is going to be the resurrection of the countless millions upon millions who have lived and died from the time of Adam until now, and all these seemingly incalculable number of people are going to have to be taught the Bible; they will be students who will be taught about the true God and his purpose – meaning all those people taught by the saints (who are then Spirit beings) at the time of the one thousand years reign of Christ, will also be qualified to now teach those countless millions that are to be resurrected to physical or mortal existence.

“And many nations shall come and say, come, and let us go up to the mountain of the Lord, and to the house of the God of Jacob; and he will teach us of his ways …” (Micah 4:2). This scripture is about the time when Christ is ruling on earth – during the millennium and the nations are going to be taught God’s ways; and the saints who have been changed from flesh to Spirit, are going to be responsible for educating and teaching the people of all nations; they will be taught the law of God. In a scripture relating to this very time when Christ is ruling on earth, Isaiah 3):20,21 says, “… but thine eyes shall see thy teachers. And thine ears shall hear a word behind thee, saying, this is the way, walk ye in it …” The Christians in this life are to be these teachers when Christ comes; and because those true servants of God are Spirit beings in the kingdom, they will be able to appear and disappear at will – as people will hear a voice telling them to walk in the right way – meaning people will be encouraged to refrain from doing evil and to do the right or good things.

The protestants or those in the professing Christian world seem not to understand these things; they think it is just about being saved and getting into heaven or supposedly getting up to the pearly gates and sit upon clouds – playing a harp and forever staring at the face of God - doing nothing, but nothing could be further from the truth; and the truth is that God has called the Christian out of the world to learn or to be a student who must learn and know the Bible like the back of our hands; we are to learn and grow spiritually in this life – developing the holy and righteous character of God; and this kind of character development can involve years of learning, growth or spiritual development of the true Christian. Most may not have considered that conversion is a process of learning and growing in spiritual knowledge; 2 Peter 3:18 says, “But grow in grace, and in the knowledge of our Lord and savior Jesus Christ …” This growing in grace and knowledge involve praying – spending quality time with God in prayer, studying the Bible – to the point that the Christian is ever growing in spiritual knowledge – so we may qualify to be an able teacher to other mortal humans who will be living on earth when Christ reigns; we are not called to just get saved but are called for a definite purpose of assisting Jesus Christ in the re-education of billions of humans - for it is in God’s purpose that they too should come into the knowledge of the truth and be saved. Sadly, the professing Christian world falsely believe that all you have to do is just accept Christ into one’s heart and there is nothing left for you to do but believe.

God has not been calling everyone to salvation now but has set forth a time frame when all people will be saved; I Corinthians 15: 22,23 says: “For as in Adam all die, even so in Christ shall all be made alive. But every man in his own order …” Own order mean God has set in motion a definite time frame in which He is going to bring all of humanity to life and bring them into Spiritual knowledge.

How great and wonderful is the wisdom of God who has purposed that true Christians are now called in this life to study, learn and grow in the knowledge of God for the purpose of not only making it into the kingdom of God, but are also called for the purpose of being teachers who will assist Jesus Christ when He comes to educate the rest of humanity - so they too can become teachers to help and teach all the billions of other humans that will come up in the resurrection.

God has promised that those who have applied themselves – faithfully studying, learning – qualifying to be a teacher in God’s kingdom are going to be so highly rewarded for what they have done; some are going to rule over cities and have power over the nations (Rev. 2:26); they are going to be royal rulers in the kingdom sitting on thrones – as they will be rewarded according to their works; according to what they do in this life with the talent or abilities we have been given. Jesus said: “… behold I come quickly, and my reward is with me, to give every man according as his work shall be” (Revelation 22:12). Some are going to receive higher reward and authority than others - as some will have applied themselves more faithfully in the things of God than the other person; and the parable of the pound in Luke 19 prove this is true.

How wrong this religious world has been in assuming the Christian is called to get into heaven or to just get saved. No, God a far more meaningful future and purpose for calling a Christian out of the world; that purpose is for us to be given the tremendous and awesome responsibility of bringing the vast ocean of humanity into the true knowledge of God and his purpose; a Christian is preparing in this life to be an immortal saint who will assist Jesus Christ in the re-education of mankind.

This nation has many religious denominations or groups – with all the various religious foundations and their many ministers who claim to know the bible - while believing they are the ministers of God, and yet, they lack the true understanding of vitally important doctrinal teaching of the Bible – such as the fact that a true Christian is called to be a teacher and not just to get saved. You can go through just about the many cities and towns across the United States and there you are likely to find the many churches – as there is no shortage of religious institution in this land; and yet, these many churches and Pastors do not really understand God’s purpose for creating man; why we were born, or even understand that God is not now trying to get everyone converted, or even the truth that people do not die and go to heaven, and that Jesus came to not only pay the penalty for this sins of mankind, but also came to qualify to remove Satan from the throne of the earth. There is within this nation a lack of vitally true teachings of the Bible, and so we live in nations or world that is devoid of the true knowledge of God; God says, his people are destroyed for lack of knowledge (Hosea 4:6).We live in a deceived religious world – where the minds of all humans of every nation on earth has been deceived by Satan (Revelation 12:9).

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I am an old man who has, long ago, came to the realization that this professing Christian world – with all its Mega Churches and various denominations do not proclaim the true teaching of the Bible - as they fail to correctly teach many vitally important doctrinal truths of the Bible.