As children, we may have been told to put serious effort into everything we did. Usually that’s good advice, and adults no doubt meant well when they said it.
However, when it comes to how to respond to what Jesus did for us on the cross, self-effort means absolutely nothing. The proper response is to set aside our hard work to deserve God’s favor, and simply believe.
Faith in what God did may seem overly simple, which is partly why so many people miss the mark in this area. Jesus died for our sins and was resurrected to give us hope; His death and resurrection made it possible for us to be in right-standing with God, if we believe. We will never be justified in God’s eyes by our works, but by our faith in Christ. Thinking that our righteousness came by our works frustrates the grace of God, and Christ would have died in vain if that were true.
Jesus has completed everything necessary for our salvation. There is nothing left for us to do except believe this. When people asked Him what works they could do to please God, Jesus explained that the only work required was to believe in the one God had sent. When we feel compelled to “do” something, we must remember that believing should come before doing.
This is not to say that doing is not important—it is. We just need to distinguish between doing something to get God to move and doing something in response to what He already did. Our acts of faith are extremely important; they move us into a position to receive things that have already been made available to us, such as healing, peace, joy, and prosperity. It does no good to declare our faith without following up with works, because faith without works is dead.
Being content, believing in God’s love, and resisting worry and stress help us to receive His undeserved favor. His grace is sufficient for us. Resting in this knowledge is our proper response.
Prayer:
Lord, we no longer have to work hard to earn Your approval; You already approve of us when we believe in Your Son and what He did. We choose to respond to this by meditating on it and staying at peace. Thank You. In Jesus’ name, amen.
Scriptures:
Galatians 2:16, 21
John 6:28, 29, NLT
James 2:14, 26
2 Corinthians 12:9
For more on responding to God’s unearned, undeserved favor toward us, click on the link to find the five-message series, 10 Ways to Respond to Grace, in our eStore.
We live in a world filled with doubt and uncertainty. Over time, we most likely have become accustomed to a heavy weight of negativity that surrounds us. As believers, one of the most difficult things we can do is to fight off the waves of unbelief crashing around us and stay focused on God’s Word. When others tell us about what isn’t possible, our trust in Jesus gives us the ability to do the impossible.
We’re involved in a battle every day, but it’s a spiritual fight taking place in the mind. Our enemy, Satan, regularly works through other people and situations trying to convince us to accept an “it’s hopeless” mindset. He says to look around us and see what’s happening, and suggests that maybe what we’re believing for is impossible By comparison, God says to look up, because limitations don’t exist in Him. “Jesus said unto him, If thou canst believe, all things are possible to him that believeth” (Mark 9:23).
Jesus gave this encouragement to a man whose son was possessed by demons, who came to Him for help out of desperation. No one else had been able to help them, and the situation looked impossible. What made the difference was not just what Jesus did, but the man’s willingness to have faith in Him. “And straightway the father of the child cried out, and said with tears, Lord, I believe; help thou mine unbelief” (Mark 9:24). This is the kind of faith we need to overcome our own personal demons when they show up.
The devil’s lies and attacks take many forms; he always aims for our weakest points, trying to find a chink in our armor. He has influenced the world because most people don’t know the power of having unshakable faith in Jesus. However, despite the inroads the devil has made, our right-believing gives us the power to stop him in his tracks. “Above all, taking the shield of faith, wherewith ye shall be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked” (Ephesians 6:16).
Unbelief itself is sin; letting it enter into our minds can make our spirits heavy with discouragement and despair. Getting distracted by what’s going on around us and losing our focus on Jesus only reinforces our fear and contaminates our faith. When we begin feeling this way, surrounding ourselves with other believers strengthens us and redirects our focus back to where it should be. “Wherefore seeing we also are compassed about with so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which doth so easily beset us, and let us run with patience the race that is set before us, Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith…” (Hebrews 12:1, 2).
We can’t base our beliefs on what we see, because what we see is too unreliable. Things can change right before our eyes. Trusting in what God says keeps us grounded. “For we walk by faith, not by sight” (2 Corinthians 5:7).
We don’t have to settle for the type of defeat that others with no spiritual vision meekly accept. We know the joy of Jesus’ victory over the impossible; we also know that we share in this victory.“For whatsoever is born of God overcometh the world: and this is the victory that overcometh the world, even our faith” (1 John 5:4). Relying on what Christ did for us on the cross quiets the doubters, pessimists, and skeptics who tell us something can’t be done. His finished works prove otherwise.
by Dakota W. Zientek
CEDAR RAPIDS - In the inaugural game of the 2021 season, the River Kings squared up against the Quad City Steamwheelers in a long-awaited matchup for the IFL community. With an almost completely new roster, the River Kings were ready to line up against someone without a River Kings uniform. For Cedar Rapids, they find themselves losing game one 54-39 in a tough-fought battle against the Steamwheelers.
In the first quarter, the River Kings had a few missed opportunities, but all-in-all, the team, as it is almost completely new from last season, seems to be creating chemistry all across the board. Unfortunately for the River Kings, their first play of the 2020 IFL season was spent watching the Steamwheelers' kick returner, Keyvan Rudd, find his way to the end zone. The River Kings' first drive was ruled a turnover on downs, however, over the next few drives, the Cedar Rapids' offense, behind 27-year-old quarterback Derrick Bernard, showed a lot of promise for Cedar Rapids fans with his quick agility, strong arm, and playmaker mentality. He went 9/25 with 72 yards, two touchdowns, and one interception through the air. On the ground, he rushed seven times for 42 yards and a touchdown showing that he truly is a dual-threat to the opponent at hand.
To close the first half, the River Kings found themselves down big, as the score favored Quad Cities 40-13. While morale could have been assumed to be low, the River Kings came back kicking in the second half.
At the beginning of the second half, Derrick Bernard and the River Kings offense found themselves scoring on their first drive from half-time. After being scored on with less than 20 seconds left in the first half, the River Kings considered this their answer. This gave the River Kings a much-needed spark, both on offense and defense. The Cedar Rapids defense only gave up one score during the third quarter, which put the score at 47-21: Quad Cities, going into the final quarter of play.
With an energizing fourth quarter effort, the River Kings didn't go down without a fight. Scoring two touchdowns in the final minute, the U.S. Cellular Center was jumping with energy. However, the River Kings ran out of time, causing them to leave the arena with a lonely tally in the loss column and determination for a win in Week 2.
Next up for Cedar Rapids is a trip down to San Diego, where the River Kings will square up against the Strike Force. If you're unable to make the trip to sunny San Diego, take an easier trip to the Indoor Football League's YouTube Channel, where you can catch all the action in real-time from the comfort of your couch. Also, be sure to follow the River Kings' Twitter account, @GoRiverKings, for up-to-date coverage during games.
SAN DIEGO STRIKE FORCE TAKES DOWN BUCKS 50-36
by Tori Pizzuto
SAN DIEGO, California (March 8, 2020) – The Strike Force defeated the Bismarck Bucks 50-36 in their 2020 IFL Regular Season Week 1 opener in North Dakota on Sunday, March 8.
The Bucks jumped out to a 14-0 lead in the first quarter after converting on their opening drive via a three-yard rush by Eric Lauderdale and then a nine-yard rush by quarterback Tasleem Wilson following a failed field goal attempt by the Strike Force. San Diego responded before the end of the quarter after quarterback Michael Carrillo was able to scramble and connect on a shovel pass in the flat to running back Nathaniel Chavious who sprinted up the sideline untouched for a 31-yard score.
The lead swung in the second quarter in favor of the Strike Force after a one-yard touchdown run by Chavious and a 42-yard touchdown pass from Carrillo to Marques Rodgers. The San Diego defense held the Bucks to only field-goal attempts before the half (both missed) before closing out the quarter with the 21-17 lead.
Last year’s IFL Special Teams Player of the Year Marques Rodgers made his touchdown debut for the 2020 season with a second-half kick return for a 45-yard touchdown to retake a 28-24 lead.
After a defensive stop in the end zone via an interception by rookie defensive back Daquawn Brown, San Diego failed to capitalize and fumbled the snap in the end zone resulting in a Bismarck safety. The Bucks added a 40-yard field goal by Cody Barber on their ensuing possession to give Bismarck a one-point advantage at 28-29.
Late in the fourth quarter, the Strike Force went back on top 35-29 after Carrillo found receiver Donta Armstrong on a play-action toss turned 22-yard touchdown pass but Bismarck responded with the longest scoring play in team history as Zuril Hendrick returned a missed field goal by the Strike Force for 50-yards and a score. San Diego went on to score twice to close out the game, first off a 45-yard kick return by Isaiah Bernard and then a six-yard touchdown run by Nathaniel Chavious for the 50-36 victory.
Next Saturday, March 14th the Strike Force will host the Cedar Rapids River Kings at Pechanga Arena San Diego with a 6:05 p.m. PT kickoff. Tailgate activities will begin at approximately 2:00 p.m. with doors opening at 5:00 p.m. Season and Group Tickets are still on sale for Strike Force home games starting as low as $12 per ticket. Parking is free on game days. For tickets, call or text the Strike Force at 619-340-1300 or visit https://bit.ly/21FootballTics for more information. More below......
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SAN DIEGO STRIKE FORCE TAKES DOWN BUCKS 50-36
by Tori Pizzuto
SAN DIEGO, California (March 8, 2020) – The Strike Force defeated the Bismarck Bucks 50-36 in their 2020 IFL Regular Season Week 1 opener in North Dakota on Sunday, March 8.
The Bucks jumped out to a 14-0 lead in the first quarter after converting on their opening drive via a three-yard rush by Eric Lauderdale and then a nine-yard rush by quarterback Tasleem Wilson following a failed field goal attempt by the Strike Force. San Diego responded before the end of the quarter after quarterback Michael Carrillo was able to scramble and connect on a shovel pass in the flat to running back Nathaniel Chavious who sprinted up the sideline untouched for a 31-yard score.
The lead swung in the second quarter in favor of the Strike Force after a one-yard touchdown run by Chavious and a 42-yard touchdown pass from Carrillo to Marques Rodgers. The San Diego defense held the Bucks to only field-goal attempts before the half (both missed) before closing out the quarter with the 21-17 lead.
Last year’s IFL Special Teams Player of the Year Marques Rodgers made his touchdown debut for the 2020 season with a second-half kick return for a 45-yard touchdown to retake a 28-24 lead.
After a defensive stop in the end zone via an interception by rookie defensive back Daquawn Brown, San Diego failed to capitalize and fumbled the snap in the end zone resulting in a Bismarck safety. The Bucks added a 40-yard field goal by Cody Barber on their ensuing possession to give Bismarck a one-point advantage at 28-29.
Late in the fourth quarter, the Strike Force went back on top 35-29 after Carrillo found receiver Donta Armstrong on a play-action toss turned 22-yard touchdown pass but Bismarck responded with the longest scoring play in team history as Zuril Hendrick returned a missed field goal by the Strike Force for 50-yards and a score. San Diego went on to score twice to close out the game, first off a 45-yard kick return by Isaiah Bernard and then a six-yard touchdown run by Nathaniel Chavious for the 50-36 victory.
Next Saturday, March 14th the Strike Force will host the Cedar Rapids River Kings at Pechanga Arena San Diego with a 6:05 p.m. PT kickoff. Tailgate activities will begin at approximately 2:00 p.m. with doors opening at 5:00 p.m. Season and Group Tickets are still on sale for Strike Force home games starting as low as $12 per ticket. Parking is free on game days. For tickets, call or text the Strike Force at 619-340-1300 or visit https://bit.ly/21FootballTics for more information.
The Quickest Way In Existence To Get Stronger chest muscles
Author
James Frye
Best Workouts For Reducing Weight And Building Muscle
Strength training not only makes you stronger but can help you to
achieve fat loss as well as tone up your hips, thighs and buttocks in
the process. Would you like to find out why free-weight exercises such
as the Bench Press can be so effective any time you want to get
ripped?
Muscle is very active at the cellular level, even when you are resting. You heighten this activity during
strength training, and, more importantly for weight loss, as you recover
afterwards. When they restore themselves
by way of protein synthesis, your muscles burn up calories from fat even after you end your workout.
Try to develop your chest muscles as much as you
can, because the more muscle mass you have, the more calories you burn. It makes no difference whether
you're playing chess, or doing back to
back sets of the Bench Press, or another physically
challenging movement like the Board Press.
Body fat, in contrast, makes
virtually no demands on the metabolism.
What is the optimal rep range to use in the Bench Press for pectoral muscles improvement?
Experienced trainers in explosive power sports, including Strongman
Competition and Powerlifting, regularly make it their mission to attain
new One Rep Maximum lifts. Newbies to exercising your body with free
weights or machines should not have a shot at these kind of 1RM lifts as
they can result in muscle tears. Nevertheless you can find on the web,
sites that have specialized calculators that enable you to determine
what your 1RM is, using repetitions taken to failure employing a smaller
amount of weight:
Low Weight: 55% and below of one's 1RM. It is best to get at a
minimum 20 reps of the Bench Press just before your pectoral muscles
begin tiring.
Moderate Intensity: 50-75Percent of your 1RM. This is an effective
way to increase muscle size and definition. Go with a load which allows
about 8-15 reps on each set.
High Intensity: 70-100 Percent of your 1RM. Here is the low rep (1-5)
zone that people in explosive power sports, like Strongman Competition
and Olympic Weightlifting use to get super strong.
Listen
up, if you are a tactical officer, you must look the part as much as you
act it.
Having a great shot with your pistol will only get you so far
and there will be scenarios in which you'll need to learn to use your
physical attributes. When that time comes, you better be primed and
ready for battle, bottom line. With all else held equal, the more fit
officer will be superior.
I've had the pleasure of working with the Lexington, KY Emergency
Response Unit, a team that finished 3rd in the World S.W.A.T. Games
(www.originalswat.com)! Talk about a bad a** group of guys who can
raise the bar. They took every training session to the next level and
there was never a dull moment. They were a team that knew how to work
together and it showed. My success training them and further study has
led me to develop 5 critical points that every officer should follow.
Dynamic Flexibility Warm-up
Grumble, grumble. I hear the cries that big law enforcement men
don't need any kind of flexibility. If you aren't familiar, dynamic
flexibility has pretty much become the standard warm-up protocol in the
fitness industry. Why? Dynamic flexibility is a series of active
stretches, rather than the classic "sit and hold". You'll gain movement
in 'stiff' joints and learn to stabilize the necessary joints. This is
important for the law enforcement officer because it keeps their body
in proper alignment. As much as some officers drive around to, it's
essential that proper posture and alignment be restored after extended
periods of inactivity.
At the drop a hat, danger can approach and the prepared officer will
be prepared to react--without having to roll the shoulders and stretch
the hammies. This warm-up also facilitates optimal movement patterns
that help maximize the efficiency of the workout. Don't be a washed-up
has-been who used to be great in the field, make sure you take care of
the important aspects of your body especially as you age.
Do not Bodybuild
Before I get into this, I understand many police officers are
recreational bodybuilders who actually compete. That is fine, and
having been on stage myself I fully endorse this. However, if we ask
ourselves, "what will be most beneficial for the job's requirements?",
we can quickly see how body part training can flat out suck.
I cannot stress the importance of being able to manage your
bodyweight--chin ups, push ups, various single leg squats are just
starters. When you are in the field the ability to handle yourself will
dictate your performance in critical times--not your ability to lie on
your back and press a weight. Will you be able to handle yourself or be
some wimp who's only good with machines?
Most bodybuilding exercises are predominately done in the sagittal
plane. In addition, there isn't going to be many opportunities to
shoulder press a criminal, save the bodyslam. The elite police officer
needs to be strong in all three planes of motion. There are a number
of ways to go about this that do not involve BOSU Balls and bands. A
great start would be the addition of single legwork to your lower body
days--single leg squats, Bulgarian split squats, and various lunges.
When you do upper body days, try doing a simple standing single-arm
shoulder press; this forces the contralateral side to resist rotation,
thus strengthening the transverse and frontal plane. Then try it with a
kettlebell or small sandbag. The idea of being strong all over lends
itself to the next bullet too.
Odd Object Training
There is some aura of odd object training that just screams
TESTOSTERONE. What's more satisfying to the Alpha Officer than keg
tosses or sandbag carries? The beauty of the odd object training is
first and foremost the instability of the tools used. They require
unequal loading across the body in various proportions and in no
predictable way. For instance, the sandbag is rarely ever in the same
position or carried the exact same way, so the cumbersome nature of it
helps strengthen in multiple planes.
For a police officer in the real world, odd object has another
unparalleled benefit. Under load of a dummy, sandbag, or sled drag you
will experience a huge oxygen deprivation (cardio effect) while still
toting around extremely heavy weights (strength effect). This
combination of strength and cardiovascular activity rolled into one has
an accelerative effect on altering body composition. On top of that, you
adapt to performing under local muscular fatigue; meaning when you are
out of breath, under load, and muscles burning you will learn to push
through. This is instrumental in enabling tired officers to move
efficiently even when loaded up with their gear.
Remember, fatigue masks fitness, so learn not just to work, but
perform while exhausted. I cannot stress the importance of utilizing
odd objects such as kettlebells, dummies, sandbags, sleds, and
sledgehammers among many others.
Performance Under Fatigue
Fact: mental acuity and cognition can significantly break down with
fatigue. It is imperative to retain the ability to perform critical and
technical skills under fatigue. Have you ever ran a distance and
attempted to have a steady aim? If you have, I'm sure you noticed the
fatigue. There are a couple of ways to go about this and some are more
practical than others.
You can attempt to actually shoot your gun after an obstacle course
or some fatiguing task. This is probably only an option if you have an
obstacle course built near a shooting range. In more recreational
settings it could be beneficial to assume a shooting position, either
knee or lying, and attempt to steady your breathing in a effort to
control unwanted motion in your arms and torso immediately after
finishing a set. Other options include highly challenging stability
exercises (no, not the BOSU). The need for stability will naturally
alter your breathing patterns and one can quickly learn how to gain
control.
Let's say it's a blistering hot day and you just finished a 60 yd
heavy sled drag. The first thing on your mind is going to be laying on
the bed of the truck trying to gasp for breath, but you should have a
partner ask you a few simple math problems to see how well you can
concentrate under fatigue. I'm not saying to join the mathlete team,
but little tests of aptitude such as this can create greater clarity in
real world situations. In a nutshell, learn to be proficient at both
mental and physical tasks when under extreme fatigue and you'll excel in
the community or city you serve.
Cooperative Training
One aspect of training I slightly allude to is having a partner for
this or that. Cooperative training, either with a partner or team,
should be the foundation of your training. It's a police force. A
military unit. You're not James Bond or some secret assassin.
Tactical officers should train together because they will be working
together in the field. The officers that work together will continually
make more significant progress that those who don't. When one or more
of the team is having an off day, there will be someone there to pick
them up. This favor will be later reciprocated when another person sets
the bar for the rest to emulate.
Beyond training together, actually be accountable to someone else.
Some people have the motivation to stick to a specific plan and reach
their goals, but others need the accountability factor and owning up to
another person can provide that. If none of the others, follow this tip
because some of the others will fall into place naturally, but nothing
can take the place of great lifting partners.
Ryan Patrick is a personal trainer, student, and
competitive bodybuilder. He won a Strongman Competition at the
University of Kentucky in 2007. He'll begin a MS in Exercise Science at
Colorado State in the Fall 2008. For questions, comments, or more
information about his services visit his blog at [http://patrickperformance.blogspot.com](http://patrickperformance.blogspot.com)
None of us can claim to be perfect; we all make our share of mistakes in life. We’re all familiar with the guilt and self-condemnation that come when we mess up, but how we handle our mistakes determines if we can recover and move forward. The world points the finger of blame and makes us feel guilty for what we did. At times like this, what we really need is mercy and forgiveness, which is what we find in Jesus Christ. (Continued below.....)
(....Continued.....)Christ, who is full of grace and truth, is the exact opposite of what we see around us. When He came to earth, He showed what the “Word made flesh” looks like, and offered mercy and forgiveness to those who needed it most. During Jesus’ ministry, people were accustomed to living according to the law given by Moses; what Jesus offered was radically different. We need Him just as much now as the people did then.
When we sin, religion tells us we must work hard to earn forgiveness. By contrast, grace is unearned, unmerited favor from God. Receiving something like this is hard for most people to comprehend because it’s so simple. We receive grace by God’s kindness, not by our good works; otherwise, His grace wouldn’t be what it really is—free and undeserved.
When we make Jesus our Lord and Savior, we receive God’s forgiveness not only for our past mistakes, but also for the ones we haven’t even made yet. Knowing God has already forgiven us makes it easier for us to forgive ourselves. Having faith in this truth saves us from getting bogged down in self-effort when we miss the mark; what we receive is a gift from God and isn’t from our own doing.
God sent us Jesus not to condemn us, but to save us; we’ll never be condemned when we believe in Him. When everyone else is struggling but too weak to do the right thing, we’re strengthened through the grace that God gives us through Christ Jesus. Our sins are no match for God’s favor.
Prayer:
Lord, when others are trapped in self-effort and suffering from self-condemnation for their mistakes, we find freedom through Your mercy and forgiveness. This is like a breath of fresh air in a suffocating world. Thank You for your undeserved favor. In Jesus’ name, amen.
Scriptures:
John 1:14, 17
Romans 11:6, NLT
Ephesians 2:8, 9, AMPC
John 3:17, 18
2 Timothy 2:1
Romans 5:20
For more on how God’s favor brings us mercy and forgiveness, click on the link to find the three-message series, From Condemnation to Grace, in our eStore
I'd like
to focus on the anointing, and talk about doing things in ministry with
or without God's presence. It's very easy to do things without His
presence and be content and satisfied that it was a "success"-even
though the Lord might not have been with it.
I noticed something in reading Judges recently about Samson's life. I
don't know if this contradicts what others teach or believe, but for
now, it doesn't seem to me that the anointing necessarily has a feeling
to it. (Continued below......)
(....Continued.......) When Delilah saw that he [Samson] had told her all his heart, she
sent and called the lords of the Philistines, saying, "Come up again,
for he has told me all his heart." Then the lords of the Philistines
came up to her and brought the money in their hands.
She made him sleep on her knees. And she called a man and had him
shave off the seven locks of his head. Then she began to torment him,
and his strength left him.And she said, "The Philistines are upon you,
Samson!" And he awoke from his sleep and said, "I will go out as at
other times and shake myself free." But he did not know that the LORD
had left him. (Judges 16:18-20)
If you are reading through the chapters in Judges on Samson's life,
it will strike you that he didn't know the Lord had left him. I'm not
going to use this text to build or dismantle when the presence of the
Lord is or isn't upon us in greater measure than normal, but I'd still
like to make some points. I'll concede, this is in the Old Testament and
that we each have the Holy Spirit as believers now under the new
covenant. But some applications can still be drawn for practical
purposes.
What is so significant about this passage?
One thing at the very least: if Samson couldn't tell it [the presence
of the Lord, or 'the anointing' or whatever term you'd like] was
missing, then he probably couldn't tell when it was present either.
Other verses in the book of Judges describe instances where the
Spirit of the Lord came on Samson in some kind of force to get something
accomplished that he couldn't have done in his own strength, such as
described in 14:6, 14:19, 15:14. Obviously we know that the power in his
strength did not lie in the fact no razor had touched his head, but in
the obedience of doing what he was instructed to do by the Lord, which
was to not cut his hair or shave his head, and drink no strong drink,
etc...because he was consecrated to the Lord.
The reason this caught my attention, is because we all know about
Samson's lust. We all know that despite sleeping with a prostitute, and
despite the multiple marriages--or marriage attempts anyway--God still
used him in a mighty way. My point in drawing your attention to Judges
16 is not to say that you can keep sinning (or lying to your wife!) and
still be anointed. Every time his wife asked him the secret to his
strength, he lied to her and the power of God was still on him to break
free from the ropes each time. This passage probably messes with popular
charismatic theology. Does it bother any of you that God still used
Samson in power despite his obvious sinning? I submit to you for
consideration that the anointing of God is more mechanical than it is
relational. Give it a thought before rebuking me.
In fact, I didn't even want to write some ideas on this and take the
predictable route when looking at Samson's life, so how about this: does
it bother you that people can do things for the Lord, and it seems as
though they still live in sin? I hope you're not reading this to say
that I'm advocating that we can live in sin and still operate in the
anointing. You don't need to live a holy life to be used by God--because
you and I are expendable to the Lord's purposes--He can, does and will
work despite us--not because He needs us. BUT you need to live holy to
be a Christian--no ifs, ands or butts about that.
The Lord will deal with us on that level if we think we can get away
with small or large sins without fully leaving them at the cross of
Jesus. But my point is this: don't wait until you think you are perfect
before finally stepping out and doing things for the Lord or you'll
never do it--we are all a work in progress, some more than others. Until
the we are taken home, we are still made out of flesh. Samson was a man
consumed with lust and possibly had a bad temper if you will, and still
did great exploits for the Lord. I've heard Curry Blake say that the
reason God uses us, even though some of us may be in sin, is because we
are expendable, and God cares more about the people He's ministering
healing to than he does us. Paul understood this too, and feared being
disqualified in the end after running the race (1 Cor 9:27). This also
seems to contradict the whole "the Lord will sacrifice the work to save
the worker" sacred cow. Jesus even dealt with this in the sermon on the
mount which I will lightly touch in a moment.
Anyway, shifting gears a little bit:
I've noticed recently, that I've been coasting; that I've been
relying on the arm of my flesh sometimes and confidence in what I know
the Word says, instead of my confidence IN the Word Himself. In some
ways I've been resting on my laurels, which is a dangerous place to find
oneself, and in reaction to this I've been spending lots of time alone
in my room upstairs (which probably has made Stephen and Francine wonder
what I'm up to!) just getting into the Word of God and spending time
alone with Him. I have officially decided I don't like being busy doing
ministry at the expense of alone time with God. Anything a real
minister does for the Lord flows out of intimacy with Him. I desire to
have something to flow out of me from Him.
Last week I had a turn to lead the Bible study again. And I was asked
to do it on a topic that is very dear to my heart and I could easily
handle it in a Bible study setting without preparing notes for it. But I
wanted to spend my whole afternoon seeking God's face and praying in
tongues and just be locked in my room alone with no distraction. I
didn't want to rest on the arm of my flesh. And I honestly couldn't sit
down right away and turn on my laptop in preparation for the handout I
provided. Alone time with God was more important. I had gotten too busy
doing "missionary things" and making sure I had newsletter-worthy
stories to write about--but my personal time alone with God had been
slack for days--maybe a week. So I prioritized spending time alone with
God, just reading the Bible where I'm at in my Old Testament readings.
Anyone who was present at that Bible study knows a lot of the people
liked it and God was totally present--but it was Him being there despite
me. I got alone with him and THEN prepared for it for Him-not for the
other people who would be present expecting a great teaching from me. In
fact, I probably whipped together the handout and my notes in a mere 20
minutes before it was time to lead the study! But I would rather that
it was that way than making my own plans for the evening, devoid of
God's will and plans and not seeking Him and seeing what He wants done,
and sat around all afternoon preparing a Bible study but without
intimate time with him. Anyone out there who wants to pretend preparing a
Bible study is worship or devotion time--don't kid yourself. There's a
sermon in that--how much ministry is going on in the Church that men
just decided to do, and God was never asked what He thought?
I don't want to be like Samson, and be able to do great exploits for
the Lord, when my lifestyle and heart are not right with Him.
I'm reminded of the life of Moses also, and how he split the rock
open the second time and the water gushed out, but the Lord was still
not pleased with him for it. It is interesting, that the Lord did NOT
command Moses that second time, unlike in Exodus 17:5-6 but water still
came forth from the rock. Much can be said about the authority of the
believer, and the ability to misuse that authority--but the Lord swore
to Moses that he would not enter the Promised Land. I know it will sound
blasphemous to some, but this incident with Moses and even to some
degree Samson demonstrate that the anointing, or just plain power, is
more mechanical than it is relational. Moses struck the rock, and still
water came out. Did God do it even though Moses was in rebellion? Or did
God give Moses (a man) power and he abused it and still produced
results?
I know that will mess with a lot of peoples theology.
It is significant that these individuals that Jesus tells he didn't
know, were actually doing the miraculous deeds in His name--prophesying,
casting out demons and healing the sick all in His name!--and still
cast out of His presence in the end! Sobering stuff if you want to
believe you can remain in your sin and operate in the anointing. You can
technically--for now. But what will the Lord say to you on that day?
"Well done my faithful servant" or "flee from me I don't know you"? I'm
preaching to myself, not just anyone that reads this. Let's not be like
Samson who didn't know when the Lord left him, or Moses who wound up not
even entering the promised land, or furthermore let us not be like any
to whom Jesus will say "yes, you did do these things for me, but I don't
know you."
I hope readers will give this stuff some serious thought and make necessary heart changes in your life before the Lord.
Steve has been a missionary to Europe for over 2 years,
and currently lives in Canada while preparing to move to Peru in early
2009.
Why do some beginners move on and reach highly skilled levels of competitive play while others never seem to move out of rudimentary levels of skills, even as they seem to possess equal or even more athleticism and desire? The answer is in the foundation that beginners are introduced to and the patterns of development the student is offered. David W. Smith’s COACHING CHAMPIONS shares his tremendously successful teaching methodology that he has proven successful in a wide range of teaching and coaching applications. From the junior player development pro to the high school coach, from the recreation instructor to tennis pros in academies and clubs, COACHING CHAMPIONS offers a wide range of skill-progressions, drills, expectations, and real-life development programs. The very programs that Smith used to train over 100 state, national and world-ranked players of all ages. Follow these methods and discover a new world of success and successful students. Lean more...........
David W. Smith is the Director of Tennis for the St. George Tennis Academy in St. George Utah. David has taught over 3000 players including over 100 state, national and world ranked players during his 30-plus years of teaching tennis.
Dave is Senior Editor of tennisone.com. He has also been a featured writer in USPTA’s magazine ADDvantage in addition to having penned over 50 articles in various publications.
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