Don't Waste Your Sports

What will keep us from turning sports... into something ugly rather than beautiful?

I was sent this link from my home group leader a few weeks ago, in which it immediately caught my attention because sports are an interest of mine, and have been a big part of my life growing up. I typed out my notes below but you can listen to C.J. Mahaney give the sermon at this link:

Don't Waste Your Sports sermon by C.J. Mahaney

We must not allow our participation in sports or the viewing of sports to become idolatry, to become a false and functional God, to become a substitute for God, to become something we love in place of God, worship in place of God, and serve in place of God. Sports, is a gift from God, but when you add the human heart to the game itself, its all to easy for the gift to become an idol.

Principal 1

Participation in sports must be informed by the knowledge of God. We have a tendency, when considering the topic of glorifying God in sports, to proceed immediately to practical application and to prematurely consider specific ways we are called to glorify God in sports. But any practical consideration must first proceed from a theologically informed understanding of the character of God as revealed in Scripture and the person and work of Christ. We must begin our consideration of this topic, as well as of every topic, with God. Until we behold the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ we cannot accurately or authentically glorify God (2 Corinthians 4:6). Before we play sports for the glory of God we must behold the glory of God.

Principal 2

Participation in sports must be done as worship to God. Before we step onto the field or court, the Christian must realize this isn't just simply or solely a field or court but, a context for worship. Scripture is clear in that we are to worship and glorify God in all in life, which obviously includes sports. This perspective transforms the playing field into a context to worship and to glorify God, not impress others or draw attention to myself. This perspective transforms the game into an opportunity to honor God, express ones love for God, reflect the character of God, and to bring glory to God.

Practice 1

We glorify God in sports, by giving thanks to God for sports. If we fail to give thanks to God, we do not glorify God, and instead we cultivate a God ignoring, man centered, idolatress heart and attitude.

Practice 2

We glorify God in sports, by displaying Godly character in sports. We glorify God when we play sports, with humility. The humble athlete is modest when he wins and gracious in defeat.


- Nick
My Blog

Worst Poem Ever...

Down, straight down  to the dark murky depths

To avoid the eye that never sleeps

I sit and wait, watch and listen

Hoping, wishing 'please don't find me'

Stupid, dumb, obtuse, thick-witted

Didn't you read the second line?

-Kyle

Haiti

-Kyle-

The Ladder: Part IV

This ladder was like no other.

Its facade extended upwards, eventually fading from sight. All the others had a top. An end. you climbed up only to fall short and crawl back down... down.

But not this one.

Anticipation and excitement welled up within him as he realized what this ladder brought with it. Access.

It was the ladder to heaven.

Laughing and weeping uncontrollably, he placed his foot upon the first rung and began to ascend...

(Genesis 28:12, John 1: 43-51)
These verses gave me the idea for this story. I absolutely love it how the New Testament fulfills the Old!

-Kyle-

Where Is Your Boast?

Jeremiah 9:23-24-“Thus says the Lord: ‘Let not the wise man boast in his wisdom, let not the mighty man boast in his might, let not the rich man boast in his riches, but let him who boasts boast in this, that he understands and knows me, that I am the Lord who practices steadfast love, justice, and righteousness in the earth. For in these things I DELIGHT, declares the Lord.’”

Recently I was reading the passage of scripture above and was convicted. There have been many occasions in my life that I haven’t boasted in the Lord with all my might, especially when talking to others. I loved Him very much so but, there have been times I let my circumstances rule more than the Lord in my life. How kind of Him to show me this! I should be so excited to tell others about what the Lord has accomplished for me, not what I have accomplished. The passage says that I am to boast in the Lord! I need to realize that more than anyone else in the world, He “understands and knows ME”, that “the Lord is a God who practices steadfast love, justice, and righteousness in the ALL the earth.” You know what else? It says that “He delights in doing this!” As John Piper says, “our call in life is to glorify God by enjoying Him FOREVER.” How foolish of me not to do this at ALL times! Christ sent His son to die for me so that I can enjoy this everlasting freedom in Him!

Jeremiah 10:6, 10-"There is NONE like You, O Lord; You are GREAT, and Your name is GREAT in might. But the Lord is the TRUE God; He is the living God and the EVERLASTING King."

There is nothing in this world that I should be boasting in besides our glorious and mighty Father who is in Heaven. The One who sent His son to die showing us His never ending steadfast love. Oh what hope this brings!

The words from the hymn below, “How Deep the Father’s Love” help to remind me of what it is that I should be boasting in:

I will not boast in anything
No gifts, no power, no wisdom
But I will boast in Jesus Christ
His death and resurrection

Why should I gain from His reward?
I cannot give an answer
But this I know with all my heart
His wounds have paid my ransom

Here are some questions that I needed to ask myself…maybe they apply to your life as well:

1. Is there a thing or situation in my life that I’m more focused on than glorifying God?

2. If someone were to look into my life right now would they see a person that boasts in the ways of the Lord? Or someone that boasts in the ways of the world?

3. If the answers to questions one and two where yes, than what am I going to do to change this?

-Candace

The Ladder: Part III

He was close enough to touch it now.  

Reaching out, he allowed his hand to lightly brush its frame.

Sturdy.

Suppressing small waves of anticipation, this time he placed his hand on a rung and let it remain there a moment.  The singing earlier had not been his imagination... he could hear it clearly now.  

Could this be it?  Had he finally found it? Or, more accurately, had it found him?

He felt a small smile creep onto his lips as he placed both hands on the ladder and peered upward.  His breath caught in his throat as his eyes adjusted to the dim light and took in what he saw...

-Kyle-

The Ladder: Part II

He stopped.

His own breathing echoed in his ears along with the memories of his past... He had spent much of his life looking for this ladder and now to find it in such an unremarkable place it seemed, well... dissapointing.

But they had told him him "come and see", and he had followed. After all, he had not waited this long to turn back now.

Once agian he began to carefully pick his way through the room drawing closer and closer to the ladder... Was that singing he heard?...

-Kyle-

The Ladder: Part I

"Thats it?"  he thought.  

The dim light in the room coupled with the dusty haze made actually seeing the ladder quite difficult.  Even breathing gave one a smothering sensation.

They had told him it was unimpressive but he had not anticipated this... Surely, something representing such greatness would be accompanied by a little grandeur should it not?

"What good can come of this?" he whispered to himself as he slowly moved deeper into the room, brushing away the dust and cobwebs all around him...

-Kyle-

Dear Mr. Obama

My mom sent this to me in an e-mail.  Check it out:

-Kyle-

ahem...

"Zeal for truth must be balanced by love for people.  Truth without love has no decency; it's just brutality.  On the other hand, love without truth has no character; it's just hypocrisy."

- John MacArthur -

God is really using this statement to open my eyes to new areas of sin in my life... thought I would share

-Kyle-

Don't Waste Your Humor

Last night I listened to one of C.J. Mahaney’s messages titled, “Don’t Waste Your Humor.” It benefited me greatly! You can listen to it Here.

The Main Passage of Scripture was, Proverbs 15:13-15:

“A glad heart makes a cheerful face, but by sorrow of heart the spirit is crushed. The heart of him who has understanding seeks knowledge, but the mouths of fools feed on folly. All the days of the afflicted are evil, but the cheerful of heart has a continual feast.”

Here are some notes I jotted down:

-The gift of laughter God has kindly given to us.
-When ones heart is cheerful, life becomes a feast. It is a continual celebration regardless of adverse circumstances.
-Laughter is a celebration of the goodness of God.
-If you look beneath the cheerful heart, you will find a discerning heart, a heart of humility.
-Humor protects our hearts from being weighed down with sorrow.

Point one-Humor generates joy:

Nehemiah 8:10-“Then he said to them, “Go your way. Eat the fat and drink sweet wine and send portions to anyone who has nothing ready, for this day is holy to our Lord. And do not be grieved, for the joy of the Lord is your strength.”

-Humor is a means of transferring joy from a sorrowful heart into a glad heart.

Point Two- Humor cultivates humility:

-Laughter is a divine gift to the person that is humble. It helps us realize that we are not the center of attention.
-How often do we laugh each day?
-When we don’t find humor in someone making fun of us, we have a high view of ourselves. Humor and humility are an invaluable help during those moments.
-God uses friends to reveal pride in our lives through humor.
-Humiliations hit with little warning! We need to prepare our hearts for those moments.

Point three- Humor serves others:

-Humor is not to impress others or exult ourselves.

Ephesians 4:29- Let no corrupting talk come out of your mouths, but only such as is good for building up, as fits the occasion, that it may give grace to those who hear.

-The divine use of humor is to edify others. It is ultimately to extend grace to others.
-If we’re going to draw attention to ones deficiencies we need to notice our own.

Point four- Gospel centered humor and laughter:

Psalm 126:2-3- “Then our mouth was filled with laughter; and our tongue with shouts of joy; then they said among the nations, ‘the Lord has done great things for them.’ he has done great things for us; we are glad”

-Candace

Weep No More

The Lord laid this scripture on my heart during worship this past Sunday. I would like to share it, in hopes that it may encourage you as it did me. Now I would ask you to read these verse slowly and ask the Lord for a vivid picture of what is being discribed in these verses.

Revelation 4

1After this I looked, and behold, a door standing open in heaven! And the first voice, which I had heard speaking to me like a trumpet, said, "Come up here, and I will show you what must take place after this." 2At once I was in the Spirit, and behold, a throne stood in heaven, with one seated on the throne. 3And he who sat there had the appearance of jasper and carnelian, and around the throne was a rainbow that had the appearance of an emerald. 4Around the throne were twenty-four thrones, and seated on the thrones were twenty-four elders, clothed in white garments, with golden crowns on their heads. 5From the throne came flashes of lightning, and rumblings and peals of thunder, and before the throne were burning seven torches of fire, which are the seven spirits of God, 6and before the throne there was as it were a sea of glass, like crystal.

Revelation 5

1Then I saw in the right hand of him who was seated on the throne a scroll written within and on the back, sealed with seven seals. 2And I saw a strong angel proclaiming with a loud voice, "Who is worthy to open the scroll and break its seals?" 3And no one in heaven or on earth or under the earth was able to open the scroll or to look into it, 4and I began to weep loudly because no one was found worthy to open the scroll or to look into it. 5And one of the elders said to me, "Weep no more; behold, the Lion of the tribe of Judah, the Root of David, has conquered, so that he can open the scroll and its seven seals."
6And between the throne and the four living creatures and among the elders I saw a Lamb standing, as though it had been slain, with seven horns and with seven eyes, which are the seven spirits of God sent out into all the earth. 7And he went and took the scroll from the right hand of him who was seated on the throne. 8And when he had taken the scroll, the four living creatures and the twenty-four elders fell down before the Lamb, each holding a harp, and golden bowls full of incense, which are the prayers of the saints. 9And they sang a new song, saying,

"Worthy are you to take the scroll

and to open its seals,

for you were slain, and by your blood you ransomed people for God

from every tribe and language and people and nation,

10and you have made them a kingdom and priests to our God,

and they shall reign on the earth."

11Then I looked, and I heard around the throne and the living creatures and the elders the voice of many angels, numbering myriads of myriads and thousands of thousands, 12saying with a loud voice, "Worthy is the Lamb who was slain, to receive power and wealth and wisdom and might and honor and glory and blessing!" 13And I heard every creature in heaven and on earth and under the earth and in the sea, and all that is in them, saying, "To him who sits on the throne and to the Lamb be blessing and honor and glory and might forever and ever!" 14And the four living creatures said, "Amen!" and the elders fell down and worshiped.

The first verses in Chapter 4 give us a wonderful glimpse of the glory of heaven, all centered around the one who is seated on the throne. In Chapter 5 we get to partake in a puzzling yet magnificent interaction. First we witness the realization that Scrolls, which are the counsels and decree of God, the Will of God, ultimate fellowship with God, are lock up. The Apostle cannot access that which he desires most, for the his heart would be that of the psalmist: "Make me to know your ways, O LORD; teach me your paths. Lead me in your truth and teach me, for you are the God of my salvation; for you I wait all the day long." Inaccessible are the riches of heaven, and he cries out "Who can change this?, Who can break this curse? He can do nothing, helpless, overcome with despair he weeps.

Maybe you feel like this, aware of the graces' but feel like they are sealed up, inaccessible to you, aware of the glory all around you but joyless because of the pain and suffering that surrounds you. Well may you hear louder then the weeping the sweet sweet words of the elder. "Weep no more; behold, the Lion of the tribe of Judah, the Root of David, has conquered, so that he can open the scroll and its seven seals." Behold your Savior, standing before the throne, the Mediator, interceding on your behalf. The Conquering Loin standing as a Lamb who was slain. Remember this picture, a bruised and broken lamb standing alone as Worthy. We can have fellowship with the Father because the our sin has been conquered, and we will partake in all the glory of heaven, where not a tear will fall, and no pain will ever be felt as we worship the one on the throne.

-Ryan-